# Single Round: En svane. Hagegard, Melchoir, Nilsson



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)




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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Nilsson somehow was a clear winner for me. She had the advantage of the orchestral accompaniment, which is a lot, but it was not all of it. Maybe the empathy with the swan came across very emotionally. In spite of the fact that this seems to me as a male song from the text. The voice of Melchior was just as beautiful as when you guys introduced me to him first. But... Nilsson !


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

BBSVK said:


> Nilsson somehow was a clear winner for me. She had the advantage of the orchestral accompaniment, which is a lot, but it was not all of it. Maybe the empathy with the swan came across very emotionally. In spite of the fact that this seems to me as a male song from the text. The voice of Melchior was just as beautiful as when you guys introduced me to him first. But... Nilsson !


Many think Nilsson was at her very best singing songs of Scandinavia,


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Many think Nilsson was at her very best singing songs of Scandinavia,


Thanks. I didn't know this, but I can undestand this opinion of many very well.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I love this song. Nilsson's recording was familiar to me from her collection of Scandinavian songs which I owned on an LP. She sings it lovingly, and is aptly supported by an orchestration (Grieg's?) that blends beautifully with her silvery timbre.

The most interesting entry for me is Melchior's, in which he shows what a complete singer he is, as comfortable on an intimate scale as on a heroic, with fine legato and as lovely a mezza voce as I've ever heard from him. He's able to achieve a vibrant intensity in the midst of serenity which I find altogether riveting, and which just gives him the edge. 

Hagegard is nice but is outclassed vocally, and maybe a little too subdued.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

This song was a favourite of Schwarzkopf's and she included it on her very last recital record (recorded for Decca) though she sang it in German. I hadn't heard any of the versions above, but enjoyed them all. Still, the one that stood out for me was Melchior, so he gets my vote.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Melchior, too, for me despite that lovely orchestra for Nilsson. Oops, I checked Nilsson in error!


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

MAS said:


> Melchior, too, for me despite that lovely orchestra for Nilsson. *Oops, I checked Nilsson in error!*


Just click on "Change Vote"...


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## Parsifal98 (Apr 29, 2020)

I listened to Melchior at least 3 times before casting my vote. What a beautiful performance. In my opinion, he's up there with Björling when it comes to this splendid song.


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

Parsifal98 said:


> I listened to Melchior at least 3 times before casting my vote. What a beautiful performance. In my opinion, he's up there with Björling when it comes to this splendid song.


Your post reads "Video unavailable - This video is not available" - If you're signed into YouTube Premium, you need to sign out and then post the video.

I don't know if this is the version that you were intending to post but it's superb and I've included the link to the label authorized complete recording - 49 selections -





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www.youtube.com


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Shaughnessy said:


> Just click on "Change Vote"...


Thanks, didn’t know there was that feature! Love it.


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## Parsifal98 (Apr 29, 2020)

Shaughnessy said:


> Your post reads "Video unavailable - This video is not available" - If you're signed into YouTube Premium, you need to sign out and then post the video.
> 
> I don't know if this is the version that you were intending to post but it's superb and I've included the link to the label authorized complete recording - 49 selections -
> 
> ...


This is weird because it works well on my side. But thank you! It is not precisely the performance that I posted but all of Björling's performances of this song were great so it's no problem!


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Shaughnessy said:


> Your post reads "Video unavailable - This video is not available" - If you're signed into YouTube Premium, you need to sign out and then post the video.
> 
> I don't know if this is the version that you were intending to post but it's superb and I've included the link to the label authorized complete recording - 49 selections -
> 
> ...


I thought about him but I wanted just 3 for this. Should have used him instead of Hagegard. Oh, well. Thanks..


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I thought about him but I wanted just 3 for this. Should have used him instead of Hagegard. Oh, well. Thanks..


You tried your best - It's still an interesting selection and was worth a listen. It's no longer about whether Melchior will finish first but rather who will be the most competitive second place finisher. You might want to try that "Vote for Melchior and one other" trick that you used with Callas.

I would not have posted the video if this were part of a series of rounds because I never know who you have lined up and didn't want to jump the gun but when I saw that it was a single round, I posted a version from Parsifal98 that was available for US viewers. I think that this is more of a licensing rights issue rather than YouTube Premium problem.


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

Parsifal98 said:


> This is weird *because it works well on my side*. But thank you! *It is not precisely the performance that I posted* but all of Björling's performances of this song were great so it's no problem!


This is becoming more and more of an issue throughout the forum whether it's here or any of the other threads, that's why we've been adding the performer name and additional information - Just copy whatever they have listed as the title right underneath each video and then paste it below your selection . It allows members from other nations to post the version of that video that you've chosen that is licensed for their country.


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

MAS said:


> *Thanks, didn’t know there was that feature! Love it.*


Not all polls have this feature - It's a choice that is made by the creator of the poll - It's the same with the feature which allows you to see who voted for whom when the gold results bars are clicked at the top. In this contest, SOF didn't enable that feature, consequently no one knows who voted for Melchior or Nilsson.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Shaughnessy said:


> Not all polls have this feature - It's a choice that is made by the creator of the poll - It's the same with the feature which allows you to see who voted for whom when the gold results bars are clicked at the top. In this contest, SOF didn't enable that feature, consequently no one knows who voted for Melchior or Nilsson.


Really ? But what about my contest ? I still do not know the name of that one sweet person who voted for Rebeka. But I do not remember disabling the visibility of the voters.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Listening to Melchior and Nilsson again today almost makes me want to call it a tie. The sound pictures are so different, yet both are enchanting: two heroic Wagnerians at their most intimate. Singers tend to shine in their native languages, but both the Swede and the Dane were no doubt quite comfortable in Norwegian. I wonder why the Norwegian Flagstad sang it in German?






But on a later recording we have the original language:






Too slow, don't you think?


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

BBSVK said:


> Really ? But what about my contest ? I still do not know the name of that one sweet person who voted for Rebeka. But I do not remember disabling the visibility of the voters.


When you click on "Add a poll" you'll see the following -

Question

Possible responses - (poll choice...)

Maximum selectable responses

Options

Allow voters to change their votes - (Enabled by default)
Display votes publicly
Allow the results to be viewed without voting - (Enabled by default_
Close this poll after (number of days)


You needed to place a checkmark in the box next to "Display votes publicly" for the voter names to be made visible - You didn't check the box consequently you will never know who the "one sweet person who voted for Marina Rebeka was"... If it's any help at all, ask yourself which of the two women is the most attractive and which member of the forum genuinely believes that looks mean more than talent and you should be able to at least narrow it down.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Shaughnessy said:


> When you click on "Add a poll" you'll see the following -
> 
> Question
> 
> ...


Aaaah Shaughnessy, I had high hopes in you and you didn't disappoint ! 
Now I am in a generous mood, so I admit, that Julia Lezhneva has a very beautiful and unusual color of her eyes. But I by no means want you to change your vote !


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

Woodduck said:


> Listening to Melchior and Nilsson again today almost makes me want to call it a tie. The sound pictures are so different, yet both are enchanting: two heroic Wagnerians at their most intimate. Singers tend to shine in their native languages, but both the Swede and the Dane were no doubt quite comfortable in Norwegian. *I wonder why the Norwegian Flagstad sang it in German?*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


She recorded it in both Norwegian and German at the same session in 1936 - I think you'll prefer this version taken from that session -


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