# HELDENTENOR TOURNAMENT (Round 1, Match 2): Urlus vs Svanholm



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Jacques Urlus, Netherlands, 1867-1935






Set Svanholm, Sweden, 1904-1964






'Ein Schwert' from Wagner's _Die Walküre_.

Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Based on the recordings I've heard, I suspect Jacques Urlus may have been the greatest exponent of Wagner's tenor roles in the generation before Melchior. Both were capable of melding heroic declamation with a rock-solid legato line, but Urlus was the king of lyricism in this repertoire. He must have been an ideal Lohengrin, one of his major roles, and he was also extremely successful in French and Italian opera. More's the pity that a substantial part of the most lyrical section of this music was cut (eliminating the lovely bit beginning with "Naechtiges Dunkel..."), no doubt to accommodate the short 78 rpm recording. We can get more of his Siegmund in his recording of "Wintersturme," which probably only he could sustain so gorgeously at the slow tempo he takes. He also brings a uniquely lyrical articulation to Siegfried's forging song. Whatever he sings, he's a lesson in vocal freedom and consistency as well as fine musicianship. He was a rather homely man - for some reason he makes me think of someone's butler (apologies to handsome butlers) - but nobody's perfect.

The unquestionably handsome Set Svanholm's recording is fortunately complete. He had an odd mannerism of sliding quickly into notes, hard to describe; it isn't like the vulgar scooping of many Italian tenors, and has to be heard to be understood (Conrad Osborne amusingly remarked that he seemed to sing two notes for every one that was written). It doesn't bother me too much, but it militates against the kind of legato line that Urlus, Melchior, Vickers and some other tenors achieve. With a strong voice possessing an attractive timbre, declamatory force and good style, Svanholm was a valuable heldentenor during the WWII era, and I regret having to rank him behind one of the supreme representatives of the type. His last recording, I believe, was as Loge in the Solti _Rheingold,_ and there I found his slipping between notes quite evocative of Loge's slippery character. I actually miss that a little when I hear others sing the role!


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Based on the recordings I've heard, I suspect Jacques Urlus may have been the greatest exponent of Wagner's tenor roles in the generation before Melchior. Both were capable of melding heroic declamation with a rock-solid legato line, but Urlus was the king of lyricism in this repertoire. He must have been an ideal Lohengrin, one of his major roles, and he was also extremely successful in French and Italian opera. More's the pity that a substantial part of the most lyrical section of this music was cut (eliminating the lovely bit beginning with "Naechtiges dunkel..."), no doubt to accommodate the short 78 rpm recording. We can get more of his Siegmund in his recording of "Wintersturme," which probably only he could sustain so gorgeously at the slow tempo he takes. He also brings a uniquely lyrical articulation to Siegfried's forging song. Whatever he sings, he's a lesson in vocal freedom and consistency as well as fine musicianship. He was a rather homely man - for some reason he makes me think of someone's butler (apologies to handsome butlers) - but nobody's perfect.
> 
> The unquestionably handsome Set Svanholm's recording is fortunately complete. He had an odd mannerism of sliding quickly into notes, hard to describe; it isn't like the vulgar scooping of many Italian tenors, and has to be heard to be understood (Conrad Osborne amusingly remarked that he seemed to sing two notes for every one that was written). It doesn't bother me too much, but it militates against the kind of legato line that Urlus, Melchior, Vickers and some other tenors achieve. With a strong voice possessing an attractive timbre, declamatory force and good style, Svanholm was a valuable heldentenor during the WWII era, and I regret having to rank him behind one of the supreme representatives of the type. His last recording, I believe, was as Loge in the Solti _Rheingold,_ and there I found his slipping between notes quite evocative of Loge's slippery character. I actually miss that a little when I hear others sing the role!


A fount of operatic knowledge!! Bless you! I am very fond of Svanholm on many recordings I love. Your background on Urlus, who I was not at all familiar with, was very helpful. Urlus had the most beautiful heldentenor voice I ever heard and used his voice so artfully. Not as thrilling as Melchoir, but more beautiful to my ear. He gets my garland.


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