# HELDENTENOR TOURNAMENT (Quarterfinal 2): Völker vs Kaufmann



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Franz Völker, Germanz, 1899-1965 (defeated Florian Vogt 22-1)

https://www.talkclassical.com/71693-heldentenor-tournament-round-1-a.html






Jonas Kaufmann, Germany, 1969- (defeated Windgassen 12-11)

https://www.talkclassical.com/71595-heldentenor-tournament-round-1-a.html






'Winterstürme' from Wagner's _Die Walküre_.

Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Volker is predictably impeccable, with the superb legato that makes him such a fine Lohengrin. His tempo is awfully fast, and I do like a darker timbre in this music. Kaufmann has that baritonal quality, along with the throaty placement that you can either tolerate or not. I acknowledge Volker's superiority while liking Kaufmann better in the role. Maybe I'm prejudiced by the fact that Volker looks like a well-fed accountant, while Kaufmann looks like...well, like someone Sieglinde would be happy to have drop in for a sip of honeyed mead on a dark and stormy night.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

I voted Volker but it was a close run thing. I agree with Woodduck on many things but I felt that Volker had a “smile” in his voice that made me smile as he sang. I would be happy to listen to either any time.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Wagnerian singing ain't a beauty contest. Völker.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

I kind of pride myself in being able to recognize many voices but I have to say that Kaufmann, whose voice I am so familiar with, tricked me and threw me a complete curve. It almost sounded to me as if he was so hellbent on trying to deliver more power to his sound that he lost the essence of his real voice. 
Yet when I first heard Volker's voice, a voice I am not at all familiar with, I very much liked his delivery but wondered if there was not supposed to be more power behind it as I don't know the aria very well only having heard Melchoir's years ago.
My vote goes to Volker who seems to have delivered a more sincere sound.


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

Hm, a bit closer than I was expecting, especially since Volker doesn't seem especially engaged dramatically speaking. Still, on every other level his singing is near perfect.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

As pointed out by many, this is quite close contest - closer than I have expected from the outset.
Völker is impeccable and exciting. A bit more dramatical involvement would be great.
Kaufmann is also exciting and his voice has that baritonal quality but I find it off-putting how he employs it at the very beginning - as if he had something in his mouth and he was still munching it. Ugh. It gets better afterwards though.
I think Völker wins it but not by a wide margin.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Dominant victory for Volker. Exemplary imo. There's no one I'd rather listen to in the more lyrical heldentenor roles. Kaufmann is no slouch here, but I think Volker is in a different league.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I agree with most that it is quite close, but in the end I voted for Kaufmann because he sounds sexier, which is surely what Siegmund should sound like at this point. Völker sings beautifully and sweetly, with impeccable legato, but I feel he might be a bit more respectful of Hunding and not give way to temptation with Sieglinde, where Kaufmann is more passionate. Of course, not that this should be taken into account here,  he looks it too, and, _pace_ Wkasimer, these things do count on stage.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

wkasimer said:


> Wagnerian singing ain't a beauty contest. Völker.


Alas, true of many of the voices as well as the bodies.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Mr. Volker’s tempo is, as stated, faster and his delivery is as a matter of fact as his singing - facile and light, though not unimpressive. Those are not faults but it seems too easy. Should I feel guilty that I like Kaufman’s looks as much as i I do his phonogenic voice? I also like his passionate delivery (most of the singers I love are passionate). Sex appeal matters as much as good singing. Volker is not sexy, Kaufman is. Am I thinking with my you-know-what? Perhaps, but I vote for Kaufman.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Hey! No fair!
I didn't realize sex was involved in these votes. Jonas is drop dead sexy and a great actor as well as a fine singer despite the fact that my preference runs to a more spinto tenor sound. To me he sounds more like a baritone. I was just being truthful rather than preferential.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

nina foresti said:


> Hey! No fair!
> I didn't realize sex was involved in these votes. Jonas is drop dead sexy and a great actor as well as a fine singer despite the fact that my preference runs to a more spinto tenor sound. To me he sounds more like a baritone. I was just being truthful rather than preferential.


In the case of Wagnerian music, a baritonal quality is to the good, as long as the top doesn't suffer and in the case of Mr. Kaufman, it doesn't. In my opinion, his voice sort of matches his looks and sex appeal (not everyone will agree). I like tenors who sing with passion (Corelli, Alagna, Villazon, Shicoff, and their like before and after), and in this case Mr, Kaufman qualifies and is more in character.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Does Volker's voice remind anyone else of Richard Tauber's? The resemblance prompted me to look up a performance by the latter on YouTube:






Tauber doesn't seem entirely at home in the music - he could be sight-reading, and I doubt that Siegmund was in his repertoire - but I think I hear a similarity of timbre.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> Does Volker's voice remind anyone else of Richard Tauber's? The resemblance prompted me to look up a performance by the latter on YouTube:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think it's the ease of their vocal production that I find similar, but I wouldn't have associated Wagner with Tauber's voice.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

MAS said:


> Corelli, Alagna, Villazon, Shicoff)


Taken out of context, that's quite a list! Gave me a good chuckle.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> Does Volker's voice remind anyone else of Richard Tauber's? The resemblance prompted me to look up a performance by the latter on YouTube:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree with the comment about Tauber. He seems a bit lightweight for the part. However, this is wonderful. Sorry its not related to this thread but hey ho!


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Barbebleu said:


> I agree with the comment about Tauber. He seems a bit lightweight for the part. However, this is wonderful. Sorry its not related to this thread but hey ho!


My favourite rendition of this duet.

Still off topic, but related to the above. This is my favourte version of the solo soprano version.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

MAS said:


> In the case of Wagnerian music, a baritonal quality is to the good, as long as the top doesn't suffer and in the case of Mr. Kaufman, it doesn't. In my opinion, his voice sort of matches his looks and sex appeal (not everyone will agree). I like tenors who sing with passion (Corelli, Alagna, Villazon, Shicoff, and their like before and after), and in this case Mr, Kaufman qualifies and is more in character.


Do you realize that, (with the exception of Corelli who was not really a fine actor he just faked it better than most), the others all had one thing in common -- they were all committed to getting to the depths of a character, and for me therein lies the magic of Kaufmann's singing as well. (Please let me add Vickers to that esteemed group too.)


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> My favourite rendition of this duet.
> 
> Still off topic, but related to the above. This is my favourte version of the solo soprano version.


I didn't click on the link but I would hope it's Frau Schwarzkopf!:lol:


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Barbebleu said:


> I didn't click on the link but I would hope it's Frau Schwarzkopf!:lol:


Aber naturlich, mein Herr!


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Aber naturlich, mein Herr!


Sehr schön!xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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