I mentioned earlier that we went to see him when he did his Handel concerts and he does seem to have a real passion for that music... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbBYGQSQZQs


As I say, Spotify is also a great source but unless you pay you have to put up with ads - also make sure your anti virus is up to date, which is just good practice anyway.

Following the Baaden Baaden theme...

Baaden Baaden, Anna, a horrid dress and I think it's fair to say a less well known composer - Pergolesi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRweUQ1xtYE

Yes, and I like what he brings to it.

Here he is talking about some of it, and singing too


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4KWRkohTZE

I read there was an English translation on his blog, but haven't found it yet -- there are though Baden Baden photos aplenty

http://rolandovillazon.blogspot.com/

the Mexico CD had mixed reviews on Amazon but, if you can recommend it, I might buy this CD by mistake

as for "La Strada" I particularly like "Non, je ne regrette rien" but have to admit that I prefer Michael Crawford's version of "A Piece of Sky", also good to hear the orchestra from the wonderful city of Prague (imo)


hello asitis

I actually have two kittens who are running round the garden on this beautiful morning

thank you for the clips, I'm very partial to the bass and baritone voice and the second bib is a lovely phrase, I can think of several men who that might apply too

Ah. Such a charming voice. Thank you. Inspired, I foraged and found these

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY-_3oCnqtY&


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7JoIB-lT9Q

I love that duet, and here's another version with the lovely Adani Mariella... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2Vflmzwm74

I've just found a clip that I've hoping would appear for ages http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2IexvgEn6s simply beautiful...

Thanks so much for the link. As an unashamed lover of Handel and of Villazon, this was an absolute joy. I was (through the fingers that all youtube comments have to be read) interested to see the revival of a discussion that I thought had been eclipsed. How important is it for historical pieces to be treated as if they belong to history? (OK, I confess to stacking the debate by that phrasing. <-- unrepentant grin). Should modern instruments be eschewed? Should modern performers attempt to simulate singing styles that never were (of course) recorded? How to be sure? Continuous tradition is one way, but even the most conservative performance traditions will migrate in time... In clemmati's link above, the Wooly One demonstrates how he adapts his approach, but is this necessary?

The youtube comments go into interesting territories... The last post even seemed to suggest that only castrati should sing such roles. (I know that modern singers are dedicated to their art, but this is kind of irreversible and perhaps better avoided).

Change of topic: I do hope that everyone's kamikaze kitty is well.

An indulgence: don't shoot me. Tomorrow would have been the birthdate of one of my favourite politicians, Michael Foot. As well as being a man of true conscience, deep commitment and blithe disregard for spin, he was a lively intellectual presence in our land. He also loved Rossini. His favourite aria was Una Voce Poco Fa (The Barber of Seville).

Politics over. You might need to forgive me for that, but I'm hoping that these different interpretations will plead my cause:

I know we have some Callas fans here:

Callas, Paris, 1958

For Monkey:,

Bartoli, 1988

For DFI

DiDonato, 2007

And, because I love the process,

DiDonato reheasing / discussing with Pappano

Too late to make a more cogent edit to my earlier post. Was she nursing at the time? (Only reasonable excuse I can imagine ) Dress aside, it's a beautiful performance. Thanks so much.

Tiago Aruã was born on the 5th Sep 2008, so I she may still have been...

I'm not a big fan of Maria Callas, but her performance of Casta Diva in the same concert has no equal...

I guess Spotify has more variety of recent recordings available from different sources. Anyway, if there’s any piece of music you cannot find on Amazon or YouTube, you might want to try Naxos. They have some rare recordings that are not available on CD. I’ve been collecting everything Beethoven for about a year starting from opus no. 1. (now I'm at about op. 53) and whenever I couldn’t find what I was looking for, there!, they had it. Have to say though that their catalogue can do better, much better, as it’s missing the one and only the wooly one...

Lucky you! You can have access to both regional and worldwide streaming services. I only get the latter.


Maybe Marianna Pizzolato’s dress had a slit too at the front too but closed?
Beautiful piece of music!


So much loving and caring in her singing. I don’t know how old she was when she recorded it, but only a mother can sing this way! It just makes me want to go back to my childhood.

Not a Lullaby nor a Victoria de los Angeles, but I have a feeling that you are going to like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMKAKlZQCh4

And, this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DqkcRUtSN8

Hello Ruby

You’ve just drawn a peaceful picture in my head.
Any plan to teach them to sing or play instruments?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ860P4iTaM

I keep thinking myself that I much prefer bass and baritone to tenor or female singers. And then, I find myself clicking through female singers’ clips on YouTube. A capricious mind like mine doesn’t stay loyal to one or two too long.

One thing that doesn’t change in my head though, I am picky with high pitched singing; the higher the pitch is, the pickier and more sensitive I become, and unfairly so at times. BUT, when it’s good, I just Love It. I don’t think I will be able to change this tendency unless I have a few new brain cells implanted.

Several? You are worse than me!!


I just love his singing, especially Don Carlo. There is a magic a good bass throws at me. When loud and commending, it makes my ceiling thunder, and when low and soft, it goes underneath the carpet and cradles me up gently.

I found this clip while following Cesare Siepi links (Quite Powerful!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GreCKaWt8R4

Ah but you slipped her in with the second clip I see...

a virtuoso!


I'm pretty picky about high pitched singing too. I think I pretty persistently prefer the middle ranges: tenor/baritone, bass baritone, soprano/mezzo, to the extremes -- usually!



I'd never heard of him. I am so grateful to you for introducing me. But it's the low and soft and gentle and yes, charming, aspect of his voice that I love.

I might have upset some in the past - no apologies for expressing an opinion - but I'm glad the thread has taken off.

If musical theatre is welcome, I recently saw an amateur production of a lesser known musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Allegro.'

Bryn's rendition of 'Come Home' is truly moving.

http://youtu.be/0BTx592YwnQ

thank you for this clip, have listened to it several times, I love Rolando's enthusiasm and energy here ... and his shirt's quite nice too


yes, it was an absolute joy and the conductor seemed to be having a good time too

btw does everyone have a kamikaze kitten


yes, I'm sure I am

I have no plans to teach my kittens to sing or play instruments at the moment ....thank you for the cat clip though, which led me to several other videos of very sweet kittens

I think, in general, I would rather listen to a male voice rather than a female voice unless the singer is a mezzo soprano or Cleo Laine


hi Ignazio, nice to see you here, will you be in the Strictly forum later this year?

thank you for this clip, I had never heard of this musical and Bryn's rendition is moving .... I have a CD of him singing Welsh songs which combines two of my favourite things .... the Welsh language and a beautiful male voice

Hello again ruby - yes I'll be glued to SCD despite my misgivings about last years farce in the name of Ms.Widdicombe.

Just hope no one similar is forced on us ever again.

The last cd I bought of Bryn was titled just that Bryn - and he does a wonderful rendition of Shenendoah - but then imo everything he does is wonderful!

Certainly Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Players who played the Handel concerts certainly try to stay historically correct as much as possible... but I don't think that should ever preclude trying something different - a male singing a traditionally female piece etc.. For me that clip is a fine example that it can work well... and I have many more examples of females singing traditionally male arias that work equally well.

You've possibly seen the intentionally amusing clip of Deanna Durbin explaining The Barber of Seville and singing Largo Al Factotum where aside from the amusement factor she sings it exceptionally well...


I used to wear shirts like that once...


Indeed it is, the title does say "singing Cats"....

or didn't that mean the musical?

This probably isn't the place, but I was another who wasn't even remotely amused by that fiasco...

Yes it's meant to be "light entertainment" but firstly I wasn't the least bit entertained by it and secondly in my book "light entertainment" does not have to equate to banal... God knows there are already more than enough shows that fit that category!

That said I couldn't have been more delighted with the winners...

It was just such as shame that the earlier shows were so marred by the pantomime aspect.


One fairly recent purchase for me was his Christmas CD... my wife and I sort of collect Christmas CDs...

With En Nacimienta, featuring our Woolly One... I'm trying not to post dozens of links... but can't resist this, one of my childhood carols; it's on the Welsh songs CD and the Christmas one, but I prefer this version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsjCwTOuPhM


and -- I see I can't resist -- here are Bryn and Rolando

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJRACs8HtfQ

(Ignoring Strictly. I watched Come Dancing avidly in ye olde days, but I've never taken to the new one.)

Yes it's exactly that... I see it's down to just £3 too... I'm sure we paid full price! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Carols-Chris...1522555&sr=8-1

I have to say it's a perfect album for those long dark, cold nights at that time of year.

As one who barely survived playing in an early music group next door to a crumhorn, nothing will convince me that early instruments have merit over modern equivalents. This bliddy thing parped sans dynamics; it drowned out my cello basso continuo and frightened the neighbours. It was played by an insufferably philistine medic who COULD NOT GRASP COMMON TIME EVEN. No-one could could bring themselves to chuck him out because he might just end up messing about with one's bits and pieces with sharpened, pokey things.

Then, in a fit of madness, I went out with a bloke who had two square painos - and yes, I mean painos not pianos! Apart from being munched almost audibly by woodworm, these made a sort of dead thumping noise like knockings from within a nailed-down coffin. In short, Beethoven would have been thrilled to bits and astounded at the amazing versatility and complexity of yer modern instrument. Old things are of interest in themselves but to an historian or a collector never (she flung the gauntlet down brazenly) to someone interested in music at its best.

My imaginary kitty is raising a litter in the Bass Viol and in the pink.

Awww... I'm glad you like him. I feel encouraged to post more of him. I just have the urge to share it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUK7Hrpo2fQ

When he was younger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypbHT0wrh7k

It is me who should be grateful to the posters of this thread. The links posted here have given me a chance to listen to singers and arias that I wouldn't have chosen myself otherwise. for e.g. when Don Giovanni Unmasked was relased, music critiques didn't have many good words to say about it. So, having that preconception about Dmitri Hvorostovsky (I know it was not fair of me ) I had paid little attention to his singing until I started clicking the links on PSTOP thread. Now...guess what I'm expecting to be in my mailbox soooon. Zorro!


Don’t resist….

Oops! You caught me


Ah, thanks for posting the link again. It reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to say which is that I think her sense of time in that clip is remarkable.


as always


Cleo Laine is one of my favourites too. Her musicality is just amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ8KKfr6jA0

For some reason that I cannot explain, when I think about Cleo Laine, Beverly Sills comes to mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNg8VGrIqls