# Profound basses



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Perhaps I overlooked the thread, but why do the basses get no special attention in our 'Opera' section? "Lovely sopranos", "Gorgeous baritones, ok tenors too"..... So what about the deep throaty ones? My top favourite bass is Kurt Moll, just because his voice rings so beautifully in the acoustics (f.e. in Parsifal with von Karajan); followed by Boris Christoff, because of both his bass-blackness and his great voice-versality. He recorded Boris Godunov with doing all the bass roles himself, giving each of these characters their own distinction. Another Bulgarian, Nicolai Ghiaurov, scores also high on my list. I guess, that basses do not look too well on DVD or that they perhaps drag behind in acting talent on the stage... Your bassy opinions, please. :tiphat:


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

I would add the magnificent Matti Salminen. A moving King Marke, a noble Gurnemanz, a truly intimidating Hunding or Hagen.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

amfortas said:


> I would add the magnificent Matti Salminen. A moving King Marke, a noble Gurnemanz, a truly intimidating Hunding or Hagen.


Beat me to it. Just waiting to watch his Boris Godunov!


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

I love the DVD I have with Matti Salminen as Sarastro, was very fond of Jerome Hines ( whom I saw in performance on three occassions) ans Martti Talvela; but for me no one can compare with the sublime Alexander Kipnis.

Rob


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## jflatter (Mar 31, 2010)

John Tomlinson is a bit of a legend in the UK. I quite like Franz-Josef Selig, Hans-Peter Kong and Stephen Milling in Wagnerian operas.

For Italian operas I will always adore Ferrucio Furlanetto's portrayal of the King in Don Carlo. A performance that will live with me a long time.


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## jflatter (Mar 31, 2010)

God now you have me started. Gottlob Frick, I think Furtwangler called him the blackest bass in Germany for his deep tone.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I think it's because they tend to be old and unattractive. This is how shallow our society is.
[Says the guy who goes bananas for Anna Netrebko's looks]


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

I think the "lovely" and "gorgeous" designations in the posts devoted to sopranos and baritones/tenors described their physical attributes rather than their voices (though none of those ladies and gentlemen are lacking in that department, either). But, certainly, there are basses with marvelous voices, and Kurt Moll is also at the top of my list. I also love listening to Franz Crass, Gwynne Howell, Sam Ramey, Stephen Milling, Karl Ridderbusch, Giorgio Tadeo, Franz Josef Selig, Josef Greindl, and Paul Plishka.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I don't know what I'm doing here in _opera_, but discovered an urge to mention Kipnis; he made some 'highlights' recordings that are pretty awesome. And there's Ezio Pinza, never heard him in opera, but... "Some enchanted evening..."

And there's that black American who ended up in the USSR... sort of a bass/baritone/semi-tenor... what a voice _that_ was.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

*Feodor Chaliapin*






The greatest bass from the early 20th century, wearing a Boris Godunov costume of $500.000.


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

jflatter said:


> God now you have me started. Gottlob Frick, I think Furtwangler called him the blackest bass in Germany for his deep tone.


Could not agree more. He was very careful in the roles he accepted in order to preserve his voice. I believe he performed his final concert at age 79. He sang Sarastro in Klemperer's Magic Flute.

Rob


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> I don't know what I'm doing here in _opera_, but discovered an urge to mention Kipnis; he made some 'highlights' recordings that are pretty awesome.


Although it is not opera Kipnis excelled in the Lieder of Brahms, especially Vier ernste Gesange and Hugo Wolf.

His son, Igor was a renowned Harpsichordist.

Rob


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> And there's that black American who ended up in the USSR... sort of a bass/baritone/semi-tenor... what a voice _that_ was.


You mean Paul Robeson, right? What a remarkable life--actor, singer, athlete, activist, all on a celebrated level.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

amfortas said:


> You mean Paul Robeson, right? What a remarkable life--actor, singer, athlete, activist, all on a celebrated level.


That's the guy. I'm lousy about names, knew it wasn't 'Robinson'.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> That's the guy. I'm lousy about names, knew it wasn't 'Robinson'.


Nah, you're thinking of the old *Lost in Space* TV series: "Danger, Will Robinson!"

[OK, I've just dated myself severely.]


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

amfortas said:


> Nah, you're thinking of the old *Lost in Space* TV series: "Danger, Will Robinson!"
> 
> [OK, I've just dated myself severely.]


What are you, 80?:lol:


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Almaviva said:


> What are you, 80?:lol:


Hey you kids, get off of my lawn!!!


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## Philmwri (Apr 8, 2011)

Kurt Moll is one of favorite basses.He's a lyric low bass.Very low tessitura but his voice isn't as heavy as other basses.






At 0:34 he sings a C2 and then at 1:31 he sings a F4.


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> That's the guy. I'm lousy about names, knew it wasn't 'Robinson'.


You were not too far off. there was an excellent British Bass named Forbes Robinson who sang mostly at Covent Garden perhaps 30 years ago who was an excellent Clkaggart in Britten's Billy Budd.






Rob


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

GoneBaroque said:


> You were not too far off. there was an excellent British Bass named Forbes Robinson who sang mostly at Covent Garden perhaps 30 years ago who was an excellent Clkaggart in Britten's Billy Budd.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link; good singing. Am I right in saying he's a baritone/bass rather than a bass/baritone? (Remember, I'm not 'into' opera.) I'd label Kipnis a bass/baritone, because he could get more output in the low notes. Robeson's range defied classification.


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## hutchscott (May 13, 2011)

I'm listening to Samuel Ramey sing all the villans of "Hoffman".


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## BalloinMaschera (Apr 4, 2011)

Kim Borg should make the list, too! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Borg

plus...

Cesare Siepi
Josef Greindl
Boris Christoff
Nicolai Ghiuselev
Roland Bracht
Robert Lloyd
Kurt Rydl
Endre Koreh
Roberto Scandiuzzi
Carlo Colombara


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

Christopher Purves would easily top my list. I'm picky when it comes to basses; I love a smooth velvety quality and with some basses it's just like rumbling noises with a heavy vibrato. However Christopher Purves sounds like melting 70% cocoa chocolate.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Four bass voices of the past:

Mark Reizen - Gremin's aria

Tancredi Pasero - Ella Giammai m'amò

José Mardones - Il lacerato spirto

Alexander Kipnis - Mein Herr und Gott


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## BalloinMaschera (Apr 4, 2011)

schigolch said:


> Four bass voices of the past:
> 
> Mark Reizen - Gremin's aria
> 
> ...


oh yeah, Reizen, Pasero and Kipnis for sure! 

plus Ivo Vinco, Walter Kreppel, Giorgio Tozzi, Paata Burchuladze, Hao Jiang Tian, Kwangchul Youn & Carlos Cava...


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> Thanks for the link; good singing. Am I right in saying he's a baritone/bass rather than a bass/baritone? (Remember, I'm not 'into' opera.) I'd label Kipnis a bass/baritone, because he could get more output in the low notes. Robeson's range defied classification.


You are probably correct in that Robinson was more of a Basso Cantante than Kipnis. For Kipnis's low notes listen to this.






There exists a complete recording of Magic Flute (on lp at any rate) conducted by Toscanini with Kipnis as Sorastro and Roswaegne as Tamino. The sound is horrible, but!

I have a complete La Forza from Covent Garden with Robinson singing the Marquis of Calatrava.

I agree that Robeson was in a class by himself. I do not believe he did much opera, if any; but I have read that he once sang O Isis und Osiris in one of the pyramids in Egypt. With the reverberation, it must have been fantastic. To bad it could not have been recorded, but it was just on impulse.

Rob


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

karenpat said:


> Christopher Purves would easily top my list. I'm picky when it comes to basses; I love a smooth velvety quality and with some basses it's just like rumbling noises with a heavy vibrato. However Christopher Purves sounds like melting 70% cocoa chocolate.


Sorry karenpat the 70% chocolate description is my original description of John Relyea's voice so Christopher will have to be likened to something else. 

So when I meet John  I want to be able to tell him to Google his name + 70% chocolate & he'll find my post.


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## AmericanGesamtkunstwerk (May 9, 2011)

ferrucio ferlanetto in don carlo, i second that.


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Sorry karenpat the 70% chocolate description is my original description of John Relyea's voice so Christopher will have to be likened to something else.
> 
> So when I meet John  I want to be able to tell him to Google his name + 70% chocolate & he'll find my post.


haha I didn't know that.....and I can't think of any better description :/ suggestions?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

karenpat said:


> haha I didn't know that.....and I can't think of any better description :/ suggestions?


A delicious round oloroso sherry?

Molasses?

A well-simmered boeuf bourguignon?


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## BalloinMaschera (Apr 4, 2011)

Nicola Zaccaria
Yevgeny Nesterenko
Francesco Ellero d'Artegna
Franco de Grandis
Michael Langdon
Ferrucio Mazzoli
Kurt Böhme
Pol Plançon
Nicola Moscona
Giancarlo Luccardi
Ivan Sardi
Otto von Rohr
László Polgár 
Agostino Ferrin
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni
Franz Crass
Jan Henderick-Rootering
David Ward
Alfredo Marriotti
Siegfried Vogel
Sergei Kopcak


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> A delicious round oloroso sherry?
> 
> Molasses?
> 
> A well-simmered boeuf bourguignon?


Can you please stop eating your opera singers? Cannibal!


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

BalloinMaschera said:


> Nicola Zaccaria
> Yevgeny Nesterenko
> Francesco Ellero d'Artegna
> Franco de Grandis
> ...


Yevgeny Nesterenko I have somewhere as Boris and he didn't strike me anyhow&anyway. Deathscenes shouldn't make one puffy.


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

I'm an infamous bass fangirl. :devil: The deeper the better!

I also like Russian oktavists. They sound like Discworld's Death. Darth Vader isn't even close!

Favourites:

Mihály Székely. Search on him on youtube - worth it. He wasn't so well-known internationally due to the Iron Curtain, but he sang in Glyndebourne a few times, and also in the Met. He debuted there with Hunding and i think also did Fiesco - there is a recording. Best known for King Philip, Osmin, Leporello, Sarastro, Ochs, Boris, König Marke. Unfortunately, he died in his early 60's. Rudolf Bing wanted him for King Philip but the Commie government didn't let him travel to America anymore.

Ferruccio Furlanetto - King Philip. <3 Also, one of the best Leporellos.

László Polgár - King Philip, Sarastro, Leporello... he died not long ago, too early.






Matti Salminen. I've seen him live too. At first he was "just" wonderful with that velvety, black voice and tremendous presence. Then it came to Hagen's call of the vassals, and suddenly, without any device, he showed his incredible power. I couldn't breathe.

Clive Bailey. Unfortunately, only heard him in some fragment videos and one radio broadcast (recorded it) - but so impressive I can't wait to see him live. Very beautiful, very dark sound, crystal clear and with so many colours and emotions. Ok, I'm a shameless Claggart fan already but he gives him new levels of glorious angsty evilness.

Giulio Neri - his voice just PWNs. Especially as Grand Inquisitor. Pity he died so early.

Stephen Milling - looks like the lovechild of boxer Valuyev and Gregor Clegane. His Hunding is a brutal, barbarian jerk with no sign of honour and a killer voice. And this same man is the most gentle, most lyrical Fasolt I've seen. Go for the Copenhagen Ring or - I think he was also in the London Ring as Hunding.

Walter Fink - huge, huge voice. He's easily Hungary's favourite Hunding, he comes to sing it for years by now, every summer. Also heard him as Sarastro. Would kill to see him as Osmin or Ochs.

Sir John Tomlinson - he tends to act like Brian Blessed but he sings like a god. And somehow, he makes me want to hug his characters, no matter how evil they are.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Sieglinde said:


> László Polgár - King Philip, Sarastro, Leporello... he died not long ago, too early.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

Mentioned before, Ferruccio Furlanetto:


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