# Round 3: Pace Pace Mio Dio- Dusolina Giannini, Celestina Boninsegna, Rosa Ponselle



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I switched to the better transfer of Ponselle T-London recommended.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Giannini is perfunctory and takes the aria too fast. Nor does she attempt a _messa di voce _on the first note. The voice is attractive enough but she doesn't do anything particularly interesting.

Bonisgena is much more interesting but often for the wrong reasons. I assume this ended up on two sides of a 78 as it takes a good deal longer (5'58" to Giannini's 4'23"). However it's not just slower. She takes such liberties with the tempo that the aria loses its natural flow. She manages the _messa di voce _better but her use of chest voice draws attention to itself in a way that is often almost comic.

Ponselle shows us how it should be done, but the Nimbus transfer process does rather thin out the voice. I'm sure she would take the aria a little slower in performance, but even within the relatively fast tempo, she achieves a sense of repose. Her _messa di voce _on the frst note is perfection and, though she uses chest voice, she integrates it into the rest of her voice. There is a better transfer on youtube, which also allows us to follow along with the score, and see how acutely she follows Verdi's markings.






Ponselle easily wins for me.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

A shocking reply from me.
I was pre-set for Ponselle, one of my favorites but damn! Boninsegna walked right into my heart with her incredible rendition from nuance, to musicality reminiscent of Steber, and wonderful highs. I forgive her for the lazy slow "maladiziones".
Ponselle was fine but after hearing Boninsegna I was hooked.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Giannini is perfunctory and takes the aria too fast. Nor does she attempt a _messa di voce _on the first note. The voice is attractive enough but she doesn't do anything particularly interesting.
> 
> Bonisgena is much more interesting but often for the wrong reasons. I assume this ended up on two sides of a 78 as it takes a good deal longer (5'58" to Giannini's 4'23"). However it's not just slower. She takes such liberties with the tempo that the aria loses its natural flow. She manages the _messa di voce _better but her use of chest voice draws attention to itself in a way that is often almost comic.
> 
> ...


I switched to your suggested transfer. Thanks.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I switched to your suggested transfer. Thanks.


But what happens now that I have already voted including the other Ponselle recording? I love Ponselle. I might have changed my vote.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> But what happens now that I have already voted including the other Ponselle recording? I love Ponselle. I might have changed my vote.


It's the same recording, but the transfer is better.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Unlike Tsaras, I think it is Ponselle that gives me a sense of the perfunctory. The voice is, as ever, gorgeous. But the final high note is detached from the phrase and no text is attempted; even the “_malediziones_” sound uninflected to my ears. “_L’amai gli e ver” _goes for nothing, whereas Giannini makes it count, as she does in the “_maledizione_” sequence and there is a sense of urgency in them missing in Ponselle’s, which sounds tame in comparison.

Nor can I agree with nina foresti, however distinctive Bonisegna’s version sounds - it’s too slow and she is too free with the _rubato. _
Even though Giannini’s version is a mite fast, perhaps due to the limitations of the recording process at the time (which also affects the very sound of her voice) she gets my vote. She alone gives me a sense of desperation Leonora must be feeling. It does bother me that she eschews the _messa di voce, _though.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Deleted deleted deleted


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> It's the same recording, but the transfer is better.


So I noticed. At first I thought I was going crazy but I realized it sounded like the original.

My vote stands.Thanks.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

MAS said:


> Unlike Tsaras, I think it is Ponselle that gives me a sense of the perfunctory. The voice is, as ever, gorgeous. But the final high note is detached from the phrase and no text is attempted; even the “_malediziones_” sound uninflected to my ears. “_L’amai gli e ver” _goes for nothing, whereas Giannini makes it count, as she does in the “_maledizione_” sequence and there is a sense of urgency in them missing in Ponselle’s, which sounds tame in comparison.
> 
> Nor can I agree with nina foresti, however distinctive Bonisegna’s version sounds - it’s too slow and she is too free with the _rubato. _
> Even though Giannini’s version is a mite fast, perhaps due to the limitations of the recording process at the time (which also affects the very sound of her voice) she gets my vote. She alone gives me a sense of desperation Leonora must be feeling. It does bother me that she eschews the _messa di voce, _though.


It's funny how we hear things differently. Particularly at the beginning, I felt Giannini was just singing the notes and, in the first phrases, not even binding them particularly well together. She didn't attempt a _messa di voce_ and seemed to be moving note by note with very little legato, though, admittedly she improved as the aria went on. Technically Ponselle was better, with a perfect _messa di voce _and a superb legato. I agree that she seemed less dramatically involved than I would like (certainly in comparison to a version I know is coming up at some point, and which I listened to straight after), but, of the three, hers was the one that gave me the most pleasure.

On the other hand I do agre with you about Bonisegna. When _rubato_ is applied properly, it doesn't impede the natural flow of the music, as it does here.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> It's funny how we hear things differently. Particularly at the beginning, I felt Giannini was just singing the notes and, in the first phrases, not even binding them particularly well together. She didn't attempt a _messa di voce_ and seemed to be moving note by note with very little legato, though, admittedly she improved as the aria went on. Technically Ponselle was better, with a perfect _messa di voce _and a superb legato. I agree that she seemed less dramatically involved than I would like (certainly in comparison to a version I know is coming up at some point, and which I listened to straight after), but, of the three, hers was the one that gave me the most pleasure.
> 
> On the other hand I do agre with you about Bonisegna. When _rubato_ is applied properly, it doesn't impede the natural flow of the music, as it does here.


It is a shame so many of Ponselle's recordings were from her early years before she matured as an artist. Her later Casta Diva was much better. The voice was glorious, though, in this early recording.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> It's funny how we hear things differently. Particularly at the beginning, I felt Giannini was just singing the notes and, in the first phrases, not even binding them particularly well together. She didn't attempt a _messa di voce_ and seemed to be moving note by note with very little legato, though, admittedly she improved as the aria went on. Technically Ponselle was better, with a perfect _messa di voce _and a superb legato. I agree that she seemed less dramatically involved than I would like (certainly in comparison to a version I know is coming up at some point, and which I listened to straight after), but, of the three, hers was the one that gave me the most pleasure.
> 
> On the other hand I do agre with you about Bonisegna. When _rubato_ is applied properly, it doesn't impede the natural flow of the music, as it does here.


I listened to Ponselle and Giannini three times to make sure I wasn’t shortchanging either one, but could only listen to Bonisegna once. I also think both the Ponselle and Giannini recordings affected how their voices are misrepresented - less opulent for Ponselle, tonally almost sour for Giannini - I’ve heard them in much better transfers. To be fair, I suppose I can say the same for Bonisegna’s but I cared less about hers. There’s also an unpublished alternate take of Ponselle recording of the same aria and she sounds much more involved than the take that was released. It even sounds better (possibly started with more modern remastering equipment).

Like you, my benchmark is another soprano.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Boninsegna's "Maledizione" reminded of "Hayato-hoho".


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

I want to start by saying no one should put much stock in my opinion here as I'm a complete novice with sopranos and don't know a lot about what's happening in the arias. But I find Boninsegna's voice so glorious that I almost don't care what she does with it. Since the beginnings of the contests no soprano has knocked me off my feet with pure vocal splendor the way she has. I've been obsessed since the day I first heard her. Her's is the kind of voice that makes me want to get up and sing.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Bonetan said:


> I want to start by saying no one should put much stock in my opinion here as I'm a complete novice with sopranos and don't know a lot about what's happening in the arias. But I find Boninsegna's voice so glorious that I almost don't care what she does with it. Since the beginnings of the contests no soprano has knocked me off my feet with pure vocal splendor the way she has. I've been obsessed since the day I first heard her. Her's is the kind of voice that makes me want to get up and sing.


I'm with you. The woman is phenomenal, and when she's doing what she can do I can overlook things I might take exception to with other singers. Too much rubato? Too much chest voice? Bah, humbug! I _want_ to hear the interesting things she thinks of doing. There's never a dull moment, and that stream of molten silver that flows from her throat just transfixes me. Sock it to me, Celestina baby!

And that is my considered, semi-professional opinion.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Woodduck said:


> I'm with you. The woman is phenomenal, and when she's doing what she can do I can overlook things I might take exception to with other singers. Too much rubato? Too much chest voice? Bah, humbug! I _want_ to hear the interesting things she thinks of doing. There's never a dull moment, and that stream of molten silver that flows from her throat just transfixes me. Sock it to me, Celestina baby!


You'll be pleased to note that Marston will be issuing a complete Boninsegna set sometime in the future:









Marston Records | Future Releases


Home page of Marston Records. New release, promotions, and the latest information of the company.




www.marstonrecords.com


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