# Dramatic Coloratura TENOR? o.O



## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)




----------



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Impressive find


----------



## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Coloratura abilities courtesy of cantorial training of course- an incredibly valuable repository of skills which were at risk of disappearing from singing altogether by Jadlowker's time, at least as far as male voices were concerned. I'm not sure that the voice itself was of especially sympathetic quality- it strikes me as a little lugubrious- and he could seem rather cold (Pur dicesti is an example of this IMO*) but really who cares when singing as skilful and stylish as this is on offer? For a breathtaking example of his flexibility and breath control to rival 'Fuor del mar' try 'Ich baue ganz'- a record I play over and over, and can still never believe how impressive it is:






I think my other favourite is 'Plus blanche', which is tenderly sung, sounds pretty idiomatic for a non-French singer, and has an amazing trill and some interesting embellishments:






*Try John McCormack for a stylish tenor 'Pur dicesti' instead- although neither tenor seems to be at his most expressive in this song:






Nice to hear somebody else raving about the old singers for a change!


----------



## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

*Fritz Wunderlich: "Komm, O Holde Dame"*

Another tenor whose coloratura abilities (and future dramatic potential, alas, unrealized by his untimely death) are underestimated (or perhaps, not as well-known as they should be) is the inimitable Fritz Wunderlich. Sure, he was the lyric tenor par excellence of his own time, but that was a voice that would undoubtedly have grown into a Siegmund, at a minimum, and perhaps even Lohengrin and some other Wagner roles. (I think Wunderlich was too intelligent a musician to have undertaken the really heavy Wagner tenor roles.)

Although there is much admirable in Jadlowker's singing and technique, the basic vocal quality and the choice of repertoire seem to be battling it out for victory. For a much more pleasing combination of vocal quality and repertoire, listen to Wunderlich singing "Komm, O Holde Dame" from La Dame Blanche with that incredible cavatina at the end, a fantastic run in fast sextuplets culminating on a high C.






Best Regards,

George


----------



## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Figleaf said:


> Coloratura abilities courtesy of cantorial training of course- an incredibly valuable repository of skills which were at risk of disappearing from singing altogether by Jadlowker's time, at least as far as male voices were concerned. I'm not sure that the voice itself was of especially sympathetic quality- it strikes me as a little lugubrious- and he could seem rather cold (Pur dicesti is an example of this IMO*) but really who cares when singing as skilful and stylish as this is on offer? For a breathtaking example of his flexibility and breath control to rival 'Fuor del mar' try 'Ich baue ganz'- a record I play over and over, and can still never believe how impressive it is:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


to be honest, I couldn't really give less of a duck about tenor voices sounding "sympathetic". if anything, such voices come across somewhat whiny. I like dark, formidable tenor voices. a little harshness is fine if coupled with elegant technique, which is more than accounted for here.


----------

