# Which singers have the best portamento?



## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

First off, there seems to be some confusion in the opera community as to just what portamento even means, so I'll offer my understanding of it (I don't have enough formal training in vocal pedagogy or music theory to be an expert, so correct me if you feel my understanding it off)
Basically, portamento means "to carry the voice", where the notes of a phrase are seamlessly connected together. It's similar to the concept of legato, as both are smooth and connected, but legato applies more to the overall vocal line rather erasing the separation between the individual notes. It is possible to sing legato without portamento, but it is not possible to sing portamento without legato.

As with most abstract vocal concepts, the best place to start is probably with an illustration.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Callas was the mistress of this often understood art. It is one of the most discussed features of her art, by scholars and other singers alike. Scotto, not always notable for her generosity towards other sopranos, also discusses Callas's use of portamento in her autobiography, No better example than this one






Furthermore, Callas's legato allowed her to _suggest_ portamento even when it wasn't there, as in the final scene of *La Traviata*. Michael Scott, talking of her Covent Garden performance in his book _Maria Meneghini Callas_, describes this better than I can



> At the close of the opera we note in Violetta's death scene, 'Se una pudica vergine', at the end of the phrarse, 'fra gli'angeli' portamento is marked from a'' flat down an octave and this grace, if the voice is perfectly poised, will be sung proportionately softer than the notes it joins. At this stage, as Violetta is dying, Callas fined her vice down to the merest thread of tone; and consequently, though she sings the notes, she does not actually join them with a portamento, but she implies the portamento, so perfect is her legato. She shows us again how instrumentally conceieved her singing, for we must go to the piano to find a parallel. Although the piano portamento cannot be produced, a great pianist will suggest it in the fashion Callas does.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

_Legato_ is the art of connecting notes smoothly in a well-shaped phrase, which entails no lapses or bumpiness in vocal quality and intensity in moving from one note to another. This is simply basic to fine singing. In _portamento _there is a conspicuous gliding between notes in which all intermediate pitches are heard. Portamento between adjacent pitches is essential to a good legato. Portamento between widely spaced pitches is a special art and must be employed with expressive purpose and good musical judgment; it can be overused or abused, and it's now used much less than in earlier eras. I think this is a loss. Among singers of the postwar era no one used it better than Callas. Before that it was an essential part of a singer's expressive arsenal, and I couldn't choose any single singer who best illustrates it. I would note that it has always been employed more by certain singers than others, and that is a legitimate stylistic choice.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

One should also note that Callas used it altogether more sparingly in the music of Cherubini and Gluck than she did in music of the _ottocento_ and after; a stylistic choice governed by the music she was singing.


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## Dimace (Oct 19, 2018)

GregMitchell said:


> Callas was the mistress of this often understood art. It is one of the most discussed features of her art, by scholars and other singers alike. Scotto, not always notable for her generosity towards other sopranos, also discusses Callas's use of portamento in her autobiography, No better example than this one
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Callas is in every aspect a class of her own. She reinvented the art of opera singing and drove it to new heights. For an other artistic, in every aspect perfection, please check also the* Dame Janet Baker*, especially in her German roles. (Hercules, Serse, Atalanta, Cosi fan tutte etc.)


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I was going to say Callas and saw Gregg had posted, so knew somebody had beaten me too it!

However, I was also going to say Gobbi (I believe there are some good examples in the EMI Rigoletto recording). 

N.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> _Legato_ is the art of connecting notes smoothly in a well-shaped phrase, which entails no lapses or bumpiness in vocal quality and intensity in moving from one note to another. This is simply basic to fine singing. In _portamento _there is a conspicuous gliding between notes in which all intermediate pitches are heard. Portamento between adjacent pitches is essential to a good legato. Portamento between widely spaced pitches is a special art and must be employed with expressive purpose and good musical judgment; it can be overused or abused, and it's now used much less than in earlier eras. I think this is a loss. Among singers of the postwar era no one used it better than Callas. Before that it was an essential part of a singer's expressive arsenal, and I couldn't choose any single singer who best illustrates it. I would note that it has always been employed more by certain singers than others, and that is a legitimate stylistic choice.


I was having trouble with this term. You were a very good mentor here.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

I read a description by Albert Bach (1844-1912) (who wrote about musical education) "the most expressive and sympathetic portamento that I have ever heard is that of the darling of gods and men, Adelina Patti". Her records were all made when she was older and are perhaps excessive but they definitely are expressive


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

^^^ No one would dream of singing Mozart this way today. At first it's startling, but if we can adjust our thinking it becomes rather wonderful. Made when she was in her 60s and had had a glorious career half a century long, Patti's recordings are all worth exploring; they can make us rethink our notions of vocal technique, style, and expression.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Woodduck said:


> ^^^ No one would dream of singing Mozart this way today. At first it's startling, but if we can adjust our thinking it becomes rather wonderful. Made when she was in her 60s and had had a glorious career half a century long, Patti's recordings are all worth exploring; they can make us rethink our notions of vocal technique, style, and expression.


Thanks for your interesting reply


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

some examples which come to mind immediately

Montserrat Caballe





Franco Corelli 





Joan Sutherland





I don't know who this tenor is, but he has it 





Come to think of it, Eastern Europeans are big on this in general. like...this this is a Russian POP singer, and even she has it


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

My last list was all tenors and soprani. There are plenty of fine lower voiced singers too.

Eula Beal





Mykola Kondratyuk





Boris Shtokolov


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I was just checking out a number of renditions of Paolo Tosti's beautiful song "Ideale" on YouTube and found this one from 1930 by an "obscure" tenor I have an affection for, Alfred Piccaver. I wasn't looking for a contribution to this thread, but if you enjoy portamento Piccaver is lavish with it and executes it, along with everything else, impeccably.






Just for the glorious heck of it, let's listen to the one and only Battistini in 1911,






and this extraordinary interpretation by Giuseppe Anselmi from 1907, with amazingly good sound for the date:






Portamento aside (and these old singers were obviously masters of it), how often do we hear such perfection of diction, such pure vowels?


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

Ideale is one of my favorites. Tosti really had talent to spare. My favorite singers of it are probably Schipa, Gobbi and Di Stefano. All of whom get so much from the words. Although I have to say that Björling also does a fantastic version.

If you are looking some diction tips listen some Schipa or Di Stefano. You all know how big a fan I'm of Di Stefano, but Schipa always amazes me. He has some limitations, but somehow they just don't matter. Whatever he sings just somehow feels perfect, if you take for example O Columbina from Pagliacci. Just two minutes of pure wonder. It's not very long and it doesn't have any showy stuff, but Schipa makes it sound like it's the best thing in the world.

Schipa singing O Columbina.






So here is Di Stefano from 1944 singing Ideale.






While looking for Di Stefano's Ideale I ran in to this rendition of Core'n grato. In my opinion nobody sings this like Di Stefano. There are lots of different versions of him singing it live and in studio. He sings it in the correct mood. He caresses the words and really elevates an already great song even more. The heartbreak really comes through.






I'm not quite sure when this concert was because there are so many version of Pippo singing it in YouTube. Not on topic I know, but Woodduck's post got me excited. I thought to write just a small reply, but I guess I got a little carried away.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

BalalaikaBoy said:


>


Wonderful example posted on Janet Spencer!

The best description of portamento I've heard is that it's a seamless slide or a glide from one note to another, sometimes up, sometimes down, sometimes considerably wide in range. The most charming I ever heard was by Galli-Curci. She seems to swoon as she sings and La Paloma is a perfect song for its use... Irresistible:


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Diminuendo said:


> Ideale is one of my favorites. Tosti really had talent to spare. My favorite singers of it are probably Schipa, Gobbi and Di Stefano. All of whom get so much from the words. Although I have to say that Björling also does a fantastic version.
> 
> If you are looking some diction tips listen some Schipa or Di Stefano. You all know how big a fan I'm of Di Stefano, but Schipa always amazes me. He has some limitations, but somehow they just don't matter. Whatever he sings just somehow feels perfect, if you take for example O Columbina from Pagliacci. Just two minutes of pure wonder. It's not very long and it doesn't have any showy stuff, but Schipa makes it sound like it's the best thing in the world.
> 
> ...


No need to sell me on Schipa (see my avatar). He and Galli-Curci (in Larkenfield's post) are two of the most adorable singers in history. They apparently loved singing together and we can hear why:






Di Stefano sounded gorgeous in 1944. At the risk of being ungracious - and to pull the conversation back to the subject of _portamento_ - his rendition of "Core 'ngrato" (obviously from later in his life) illustrates a variety of sliding which is NOT portamento!


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

I'm the first to admit that later on Di Stefano is far from what he was in his prime. The instincts and musicality is there, but the voice just can't do what it used to be able to do so magnificently. Well he had faults even in his prime, but I guess these makes him relatable to us ordinary mortals. Listening to Galli-Curci and Schipa singing together is a real feast for your ears. A superb singer singing alone can be beautiful beyond belief, but when two singers who just for a lack of a better word just click. One of my favorites is Ah! veglio, oh donna from Rigoletto. Gobbi starts it so perfectly and then Callas just effortlessly takes over.


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