Sunday, November 2, 2008

The Magnificent Bryn Terfel

I was just over at Lynette's blog reading about the wonderful Scottish baritone, Richard Morrison, who has an incredible voice. I just might have to put him up there on the level with my boy Bryn. Since I didn't have a post ready to go for tonight, I'm dusting off this previous post. As most of you already know, I am totally in love with Bryn Terfel. I am his biggest fan, despite the fact that I have never seen a live performance, believe it or not.

A few years ago, I gave his albums as gifts, even though my recipients might not have been as thrilled as I am about him. It's not just about his rich bass-baritone sound, but his expressive delivery and powerful energy. He can actually sing through several phrases without taking a breath and still hold the ending note for about 17 minutes. Okay, well, I exaggerate just a tad, but not much.

"Madamina, il catalogo e questo" is one of my particular favorites from Don Giovanni. I could listen to it all day long. His versatility is amazing. Listening to him sing a beautiful lullaby, like "Suo-Gan", from his Welsh album, We'll Keep a Welcome, can bring me to tears. I would absolutely love to see him in Falstaff, or in any role for that matter. Not only is he a fabulous singer, but from watching his interviews, he seems like a genuinely nice guy. I am just going to have to start a "Bryn savings account" for tickets and travel. Life is
too short. What am I waiting for?

*photo from Deutsche Grammophon site

36 comments:

  1. Enjoy all your posts. Ahuntie Dee

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  2. Auntie...Daaaaaling! I am so honored to have you read my blog. Did you click on "Suo-Gan"? Isn't it the most beautiful singing you have ever heard?

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  3. I listened to "Suo-Gan" ~very beautiful....thanks for the link!
    I've played it several times while here at my computer.
    And thanks for sending Dee over to my blog. She was always Aunt Doe to me, though. :)

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  4. I had the good fortune to meet BT once. He did a concert at Roy Thomson Hall, about 6 years ago. I was at the concert with a classic music radio host who had been invited back after the concert to the green room. The concet was wonderful and then, later, we all gathered in the green room, being very polite, speaking in somewhat hushed tones. So when he walked in, the first words out of his mouth was "What sort of party is this?" spoken in his lovely, sonorous Welsh accent. He was very charming and had a great presence, but you know that already. I comiserated with him on the Welsh rugby team's loss to Samoa that had taken place a couple of days earlier. A very lovely man. I've not seen him live in opera yet... a pleasure in store!

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  5. BP, I am totally jealous. Not only to see him in a live performance, but to be invited to the green room, too? That is over the top! Too, too wonderful!! Thanks for sharing...it was a pleasure just to hear about it!

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  6. I'm his number 2 fan then. I downloaded this picture. I'd love to have a huge one so I could hang it on my living room wall. We are truly blessed to have his recordings. Great write-up, Lady of Willow Manor.
    Unks

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  7. Hi,

    I am a big fan of Bryn also. I hope you get to see him in person some time. In fact, I have traveled to Houston, Chicago, New York, Salt Lake City, Vienna, Cardiff, and London to hear him sing. He is so magnificent. I had the privilege of seeing him in recital on April 25 and he was wonderful. Not only sings to the audience but also talks to the audience. As one critic said, "Bryn holds his audience in the palm of his hand." I have met him several times. One of the nicest and most charming persons I have ever met. I am a member of the Terfeliaid Clwb (followers of Terfel)

    Visit his website at:

    http://www.terfeliaid.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=16914c5902e114ba7bca1b23a6ce595a

    You can read the messages but cannot see the pictures unless you are a member of the club.

    Phyllis in Dallas :-)

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  8. Go for it!! I'll have to download him on itunes:)

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  9. Thanks for the introduction. I had no knowledge of his oeuvre. He has a very rich voice, like chocolate mousse :-)

    And I love your new header! You're always coming up with fantastic images for your blog.

    Greetings from London.

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  10. Enjoy more of a soprano opera myself but I do enjoy listening to opera and classical.

    CJ xx

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  11. How music can bring us so much joy.
    Have a super Sunday.
    Your new banner is a delight. Where did it come from?

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  12. Nice song, Lady Willow...
    Iput it on my web-radio...

    http://82.127.58.79:8000/listen.pls

    Have a good day Lady Willow !

    P.S. Your new ahead is very beautiful...

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  13. Willow, Bt has always impressed me, apart of his singing and the tembre of his voice, with his perfect diction in a number of languages. A number of times I have confused his Lieder singing with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. His phrasing and enunciation is so perfect it brings the poetry to life.
    Unfortunately I've never heard him live, but while there's life, there is hope.

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  14. Love yr new banner. So sweet. Thanks for the intro to this wonderful singer. I hav e an affinity for things Welsh. Yes, save yr pennies and see him in person. Be well, Suki

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  15. Wow, that was the perfect thing to listen to this morning before going to work.

    Soothing!!

    Thank you, and YES you have to go see him perform! Life is short, anything could happen. Do it!!

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  16. Isn't he just a precious man? Yes, he's most certainly up there on my list. Did you know that he was once harshly criticized because he canceled several performances so that he could be with his little boy who was having to undergo several painful operations on a broken finger?

    That's a devoted daddy.

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  17. I can't say I am a fan but I will listen to this later and report back.
    Terrible isn't it as I live in Wales!
    Do you like Andreas wotsisname, the blind singer? I love his voice,

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  18. Andrea Bocelli? Well, no, actually I'm not a big fan of his. He is very popular, though.

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  19. I have his version of Suo-Gan on my Ipod. Exquisite. You definitely should start that fund. You need to see him perform live!

    And, he's cute as a button as well.

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  20. Oh, and I meant to tell you that I am in love with your new banner! What a delightful photograph. Somehow it reminds me of Christmas shopping.

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  21. Can I just say I love your header!

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  22. Oh, Joe and I are huge fans of his! Thanks for the reminder--I may have to put something in Joe's Christmas stocking this year from this lad...he'd enjoy that!

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  23. That is lovely indeed. Thanks for the treat.

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  24. Willow, thanks for the introduction. I adore opera.

    Recently the neighbour who lived upstairs moved, and now I miss his practice sessions at 1 p.m. It was like being in heaven with my own opera singer. He does do performances at the Canadian Opera Caompany in Toronto, which now I have to pay for, but gladly.

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  25. Lovely New Banner....and nice to see you are an Opera fan..so am I.
    Great Post!

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  26. Willow, his voice is magnificent. I had not heard of him before, believe it or not, but I am going to be finding out everything I can. I love baritones. My grandfather was a Captain in the British Army, and he also sang baritone in the choir. Hearing Bryn Terfel's voice reminded me a bit of hearing my grandfather singing in the house.

    I see you are not a fan of Andrea Bocelli. Yay! :::applause::: I think he is the most over-rated singer ever! He is completely tone deaf. We have a wonderful tenor from BC called Ben Heppner who is infinitely superior Andrea Bocelli. Two of the most popular singers in the world are Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion, and I cannot bear to listen to either of them. It makes me wonder if people really hear music, or just sort of listen to it.

    Thank you for introducing me to the wonderful Bryn Terfel.

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  27. Willow,
    The utube won't load for me. Rather than take your word, although I'm sure I'll be delighted to har him sing, I'll head over to the Utube sight and see if I can upload something by him.rel

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  28. Gorgeous! You can send me a Bryn Terfel CD any day. (: )

    Another bass-baritone who I like quite a bit is Thomas Quasthoff. I heard him live once -- he had an entire audience of dour DC types in tears, which I can tell you doesn't happen much.

    I also listened recently on YouTube to the great bass-baritone Robert Merrill and equally great tenor Jussi Bjorling sing a beautiful-beyond-description version of the duet from Bizet's "The Pearl Fishers." I'm now in the market for recordings of both of these great artists.

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  29. Every time I come here, I always learn something new. Your blog is beautiful, too. And wherever do you get all those awesome header pics? By far, one of my favorite stops of the day.

    BTW, I was here earlier, but in the middle of a comment, had to leave. Thanks for the beautiful link to the music.

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  30. There is something about the baritone voice that makes me melt, no matter what he is singing and I do remember this lullaby from the movie 'Rising Sun', that version was eerily mesmerizing, this version soft and calming. I've not heard of him, but will surely remember his name...thanks.

    and it's OK to drool...
    sharon

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  31. Oh you and my grandma would have got on great, she adored Bryn too and introduced me to him.

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  32. You are so wonderfully cultured. Makes me want to listen to more diverse music. For me, if the songs didn't come out in the 1970's (or very early 1980's) and it isn't classical, I'm lost. I'm such a Throw Back. ha ha ♥ ∞

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  33. Che voce!

    Thank you for introducing me to his work. I've studied mostly the visual arts, so I'm enjoying learning more about music here at Willow Manor.

    Love the new banner too!

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  34. Have followed Bryn's career ever since he won Cardiff Singer of the Year. There is no singer compares to him, either opera, Lieder, Welsh. terrific person, too, met him several times. Anyone who did not see him perform live yet: DO, DO,DO go and hear him....Daphne

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  35. Hi, I am a big fan of Bryn. I have met him several times. Such a lovely man. Go to the website:

    http://www.truveo.com/search.php?query=Bryn%20Terfel&results=15&page=1&view=basic

    You will find many many of his videos. :-)

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)