Customer Reviews

Voices of Firestone: Jussi Bjorling

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My voice teacher is a big fan of Jussi Bjoerling (sorry-don't know how to put an umlaut) and he can't stop talking about Jussi's (and Caruso's) vocal technique. I am a tenor in training at Cal State Fullerton and my teacher is teaching me the vocal techniques of Jussi Bjoerling and Enrico Caruso. When I got this DVD, I didn't know what Jussi looked like singing, which is a good indicator to see how easy the sound production of a singer can make by looking at his/her face for signs of effort. I WAS BLOWN AWAY!!! Jussi definitely (of all the tenors I've seen [pretty much all the greats from Caruso on]) has the least amount of effort of them all and, though debatable, the most beautiful voice of them all as well. Struggle is pretty much non-existent in his face and the sound that comes out is rich and carries easy. His high notes, as compared to his lower notes, look almost the same facially. If you want a tool to see how efficient the human voice can be, and sing, Jussi Bjoerling's voice is probably the best you can get (watch the track "Salut, demeure chaste pure" and you will get the idea).
Though his acting is not up to par with today's opera singers (which is a big emphasis in opera these days) his voice almost makes up for it in the musicality. This is NO reference DVD, as the video and audio show it's age from the source it was recorded. This is more for reference for singers and not DVD buffs. Jussi's voice (and Technique) were unique and there aren't voices like his anymore. I recommend the RCA Red Seal "Jussi Bjorling: The Ultimate Collection," the best remastering and faithful to Jussi's voice(1999) and "Jussi Bjorling reDiscovered" (2003) to hear Jussi in a live setting at Carnegie Hall back in 1955.

You hear Bjorling's voice and of course you think that its amazing. Vocal performances like these really have to be seen to be believed. Can a human being really make these sounds? And then you see him sing in this program and still it seems hard to accept that anyone could be this good. When the music requires dramatic singing he's totally convincing. When the demands are lyrical he is near perfection. Jussi is quite animated when he sings and not at all stoic. He even wears what looks like Caruso's Canio costume for the Pagliacci aria. It was lovely to see him sing the Boheme duet with his wife who was herself quite good.