# National anthems



## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

A week ago I found from YouTube the following video:






I would like to ask those who are accustomed to singing and hearing the tune above (and others), what do you think about Fleming's take? I read from the comments section that the last note is written, but not usually sang, since not everybody can sing it?

I think that, depending on the anthem of course, they really benefit from opera singers, who can sing all the notes and of course the whole anthem properly.

What do you think?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

*Renée* looks _stunning_.......


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

Pugg said:


> *Renée* looks _stunning_.......


Somehow I get the feeling, that you might be her fan. Hmm...


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Diminuendo said:


> Somehow I get the feeling, that you might be her fan. Hmm...


Forget the somehow.......:lol:


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## Cesare Impalatore (Apr 16, 2015)

This thread immediately made me think of Mario del Monaco singing _Fratelli d'Italia_:






What do I think of it? I think it's totally AWESOME! I'll always remember the moment I listened to this glorious version of our anthem right before Italy vs. Germany in 2012 Euro Cup, getting all pumped up, then Italy went ahead to win the game (for a football fan and italian patriot this is pretty much the most important thing in world :lol.


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

Mario is the perfect choice. Our national opera soloists have performed our national anthem on ice hockey world championship games, but I couldn't find them. Here is one video from practice.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Oh well, just to show I'm not a complete opera snob, I actually prefer this one, although Whitney doesn't appear to have a clue what she's singing about.


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

It would be nice if we could just stick to opera singers. Much appreciated


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## Belowpar (Jan 14, 2015)

Diminuendo said:


> A week ago I found from YouTube the following video:
> 
> I think that, depending on the anthem of course, they really benefit from opera singers, who can sing all the notes and of course the whole anthem properly.
> 
> What do you think?


If I'm honest not much. There's just not enough goining on musically and she sems to have to plod her way through this. Yes I enjoyed watching her but I don't care if I never hear that version again. Whitney seemed far better suited to the song and the ocasion. She was a fine singer and though I'm not a great judge of technical ability, she could slide from one note to another with the best.

Actually if I'm really honest, I hate crossover.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Diminuendo said:


> It would be nice if we could just stick to opera singers. Much appreciated


I am hardly being off-topic. You made the statement "_they really benefit from opera singers_" and asked what do we think?

I don't think an artistic operatic interpretation works that well in this situation, lovely as Renee Fleming is. If the cameras weren't all over the footballers they'd be saying "what the flip is this!"


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

Alexander said:


> I am hardly being off-topic. You made the statement "_they really benefit from opera singers_" and asked what do we think?
> 
> I don't think an artistic operatic interpretation works that well in this situation, lovely as Renee Fleming is. If the cameras weren't all over the footballers they'd be saying "what the flip is this!"


I just thought that this thread was moving towards posting anthems sung ny opera singers. You are not off-topic from the threads original idea.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Renee makes me laugh really hard sometimes. There is a Fleming style which is not classical, not pop, not rock, not jazz... Well, it's just Renee, make of it what we will. Do people really think this was operatic? This was a terrific bit of kitsch, perfect for the occasion.

Our national anthem is a clunky melody with bellicose words and ought to have been vetoed by Congress when it was proposed. If we insist on performing it at athletic events we will have the eternal problem of what to make out of it. Maybe Renee is the right compromise now. But when I was in high school in the sixties I heard old Lauritz Melchior, throat trumpet incredibly intact, start the World Series by singing the anthem straight. I loved it then and I'd love it now, even if I don't give a hang about baseball. In those days a lot of things were allowed to be what they actually are, and people didn't think they were too hip for it.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

I'm sorry, just couldn't resist it:


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Cesare Impalatore said:


> This thread immediately made me think of Mario del Monaco singing _Fratelli d'Italia_:
> 
> What do I think of it? I think it's totally AWESOME! I'll always remember the moment I listened to this glorious version of our anthem right before Italy vs. Germany in 2012 Euro Cup, getting all pumped up, then Italy went ahead to win the game (for a football fan and italian patriot this is pretty much the most important thing in world :lol.


I was rooting for Italy in that game too, like in 2006, like in 1982, like in 1970... And I always like to sing for these occasions not only 'Fratelli d'Italia' but also "Va pensiero". I prefer it *so much* to the rather tasteless and ubiquitous 'We are the Champions'...


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## anmhe (Feb 10, 2015)

While we're on the subject of national anthems, here's Uruguay's over-long, passive aggressive gesture to the world's sports fans.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

anmhe said:


> While we're on the subject of national anthems, here's Uruguay's over-long, passive aggressive gesture to the world's sports fans.


I'm sorry, but I couldn't get past minute two! :lol:

I'm beginning to think the very concept of a national anthem is flawed.


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> I'm beginning to think the very concept of a national anthem is flawed.


Here's a much less painful anthem (i.e., it's only 30 seconds long):






(To compare and contrast with the Finnish anthem, just play it twice )


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Kivimees said:


> Here's a much less painful anthem (i.e., it's only 30 seconds long):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Perfect. Now I can eat my hot dog in peace.

If the Star-Spangled Banner were the proper length, we would never find out what it was we were watching o'er the ramparts. Really, would that be so bad?


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

I would guess our anthem is short because it's so damn cold in this country, it's better to start the soccer match as soon as possible. Ditto Finland.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Here's a piece I have just recently discovered:






variations on Joseph Haydn's theme that later became the tune of the German national anthem. It is all of twenty-seven minutes long, and I like it


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## Richannes Wrahms (Jan 6, 2014)

Makes me wonder if 'spangled' is even a legitimate world. Sounds like 'spanked' had a son with 'mangled', must be some extreme form of BDSM.


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> If the Star-Spangled Banner were the proper length, we would never find out what it was we were watching o'er the ramparts. Really, would that be so bad?


If I'm not mistaken, the Star-Spangled Banner (at least the first verse) is just a long (unanswered) question, no?


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Cesare Impalatore said:


> This thread immediately made me think of Mario del Monaco singing _Fratelli d'Italia_:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is awesome!!!!

I'm going to go hopelessly off topic here but I'm a huge Ferrari fan and have been to Monza many times. There is nothing like standing under the podium at Monza, celebrating a Ferrari win in the midst of 50,000 tifosi all singing (not in unison though :lol "Fratelli d'Italia"

This is 2006 and Michael won and I'm in here.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

sospiro said:


> This is 2006 *and Michael won* and I'm in here.


I assume they played both "Fratelli d'Italia" and the Haydn tune for Michael


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Cesare Impalatore said:


> This thread immediately made me think of Mario del Monaco singing _Fratelli d'Italia_:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is as good as gypsies banging on anvils and barbecueing their infant children.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Woodduck said:


> I'm sorry, but I couldn't get past minute two! :lol:
> 
> I'm beginning to think the very concept of a national anthem is flawed.


Yes, It's time the world got it sorted. Each country must choose a favourite tune without words, and which lasts between 45s and 1m. I'm convinced this could make the world a better place.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Kivimees said:


> If I'm not mistaken, the Star-Spangled Banner (at least the first verse) is just a long (unanswered) question, no?


It is indeed. Just like the country it represents.


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## sharik (Jan 23, 2013)




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## Guest (May 14, 2015)

The great Enrico Palazzo. No one could do the Star-Spangled Banner as uniquely as he except perhaps for her:


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