Heart-stopping interview! If you look into his eyes in this photograph long enough, it seems like he's actually there, alive, looking back at you. Half the photo is smiling, the other half is sad. One of the greatest artists we've ever had. And a great soul. Thank you so much. I didn't realize that he had sung with Chaliapin. I'll be listening to this again.
My God, this is the first time that I have heard him speak English, and he speaks it very well. Too bad that he died so young from a heart problem; and unfortunately he also had a drinking problem. It's so sad that after this American radio interview in 1958, he died two years later in 1960. I like his wavy hair, but it was stylish back then to plaster the hair down. Bjorling mentions having sung with Chaliapin, who has one of the world's greatest bass voices. Bjorling's Pearl Fishers duet with Robert Merrill really sets the standard, and I have yet to find anything to match this. This is just my humble opinion, and everyone has his favorite singers.
What a wonderful memory of that great tenor. For anyone interested, I instantly recognized the voice of the interviewer as Alan Wagner, who had a program here in New York called"Living Opera" on WNYC. He is still alive and active in the opera world and appeared on the Met Opera quiz recently.
By listening to him I can feel sincereness and a very true and good man!!God must be very happy with having created him....His masterpiece!!He is to blame with having taken Jussi so soon away from us though!!
Thank you for your wonderful observations. The keen intelligence everywhere seen in what and how he expressed himself in conversation and, ah, especially in song.
Björling was talking about his colleagues at the Met in 1958. Di Stefano pretty well left the Met for good in January 1956 but later came back for one performance in January 1965.
Maestro Bjorling was a great spinto tenor,and so was Lanza,both tenors,were great had great tops,high b-flat.There are too few tenors left.God bless them all.
Yes, Bergonzi's Met debut was in 1956 so he was relatively new at the time, no doubt excellent as Bjorling described...interesting that di Stefano was not mentioned, I know Jussi Bjorling once remarked that di Stefano would someday become the greatest tenor in the world (that unfortunately did not turn out to be, for reasons we all know). At this point di Stefano's voice was already prematurely wearing out.
The good die young.?!?!? Does it mean that Toscanini, Stokowski or Bruno Walter living their long lives were not good? Based on your standards? But Bjorling was always perfect....
Mitropoulos and Rodzinski died being quite young. In their mid sixties, due to heart attack. Edward van Beinum at 59. Reiner too, at 75 but partially it was his own fault. Lack of exercises, "good" food and his weight plus heavy smoking. Solti passed away at his mid eighties. I could spell the names of many other well known conductors. They all had very poor health records. Above all, most conductors are working under constant deep psychological stress.
@Cantormatis The only recording I have of the opera a is February 1, 1947 Met broadcast. I greatly prefer broadcasts to studio recordings, which I don't often listen to.
I´m not that spinto hahaha! (very few understood that.) Amazing to hear him speak English. Very good at it too! (even able to joke.) Of course he sang in Swedish operas that none of you non-Swedes have ever heard! How about the famous aria "Vad skall jag sjunga, o drottning, befall!" (What shall I sing, oh Queen, just demand.)
My vocal coach is also a great tenor,Carl S.Olsen now a celebrated teacher.I only had 4 complemantary lessons,and improved my voice considerabley.My top notes are better,and can sustain them better.I can sing hyper tenor notes.I thank God for Carl S.Olsen.amen.
Not shy. He was Swedish! Reserved is the national mood. He was extremely nervous on Television, however. Voice of firestone can be uncomfortable viewing.
Bjorling mentioned Carlo Bergonzi at the end of this interview. Describing him as a great one. It is true. When Jussi passed away the next two years then Carlo Bergonzi picked the banner and became the greatest tenor in similar to Bjorling repertoire. Nobody had equalized to Carlo since then. Pavarotti was to sweet to my taste. Man should sound like a man with some masculinity.
Jussi and Peerce had similar method of singing. I am not specialist in vocal sciences of human voices whatsoever. However, when JB and Peerce sang the syllabuses were flowing from their mouth like spring loaded or bouncing tennis balls on crystal floor. Unlike Mario del Monaco and Franco Corelli. Those two voices resemble spilling wine on a flat glass. No bouncing here. May description may look stupid but I do not know otherwise how to characterize the difference in voices produced between the first two singers and the second two. This is reason that we cannot say Monaco/Corelli sings something better then Bjorling/Peerce or opposite. It would hurt professionalism of those legendary singers. We can say which performer we prefer. Also, there is not such a thing that one singer sings everything better than others. Each singer has his/her own favorite repertoire which fits to his/her voice, temper and character.
Touching....humble in tone and comment from one of the greatest singers ever.
So sad that he died only two years later:(((
Heart-stopping interview!
If you look into his eyes in this photograph long enough, it seems like he's actually there, alive, looking back at you.
Half the photo is smiling, the other half is sad.
One of the greatest artists we've ever had. And a great soul.
Thank you so much. I didn't realize that he had sung with Chaliapin. I'll be listening to this again.
how well he speaks .. generous to other singers .. the greatest all round tenor
My God, this is the first time that I have heard him speak English, and he speaks it very well. Too bad that he died so young from a heart problem; and unfortunately he also had a drinking problem. It's so sad that after this American radio interview in 1958, he died two years later in 1960. I like his wavy hair, but it was stylish back then to plaster the hair down. Bjorling mentions having sung with Chaliapin, who has one of the world's greatest bass voices. Bjorling's Pearl Fishers duet with Robert Merrill really sets the standard, and I have yet to find anything to match this. This is just my humble opinion, and everyone has his favorite singers.
A deeply interesting interview and its pleasing to hear this great singer speaking generously of other artists. Many thanks for posting.
What an articulate and clever man with less than two years to live. So thoughtful and careful in speech, so thoughtful and careful in song.
My wife and I attended Jussi Bjoerling's recital at Hunter College in 1959. He was fantastic!
You are very lucky and I envy you! 😊
really lovrly and touching interview Thank yo so much!
What a wonderful memory of that great tenor. For anyone interested, I instantly recognized the voice of the interviewer as Alan Wagner, who had a program here in New York called"Living Opera" on WNYC. He is still alive and active in the opera world and appeared on the Met Opera quiz recently.
Thank you very much for posting this.
By listening to him I can feel sincereness and a very true and good man!!God must be very happy with having created him....His masterpiece!!He is to blame with having taken Jussi so soon away from us though!!
He's so modest -- So perfect.
Thank you for your wonderful observations. The keen intelligence everywhere seen in what and how he expressed himself in conversation and, ah, especially in song.
I can't believe Jussi passed only two years after this... so sad.
to think.. we almost had a Callas-Björling ‘Pirata’ recording 😭😭😭
Critics were extatic......you could really cry that the technician flunked it.....
Björling was talking about his colleagues at the Met in 1958. Di Stefano pretty well left the Met for good in January 1956 but later came back for one performance in January 1965.
It is so sad,that despite all his future plans,he would leave this earth just two years after this interview.
JUSSI SAYS HE SANG OFTEN WITH CHALIAPIN.......wow
Maestro Bjorling was a great spinto tenor,and so was Lanza,both tenors,were great had great tops,high b-flat.There are too few tenors left.God bless them all.
he was liric but great liric tenor
He did record Faust and Romeo from saturday afternoon met broadcasts-I bought both.
“A new tenor named Carlo Bergonzi” 😂
Yes, Bergonzi's Met debut was in 1956 so he was relatively new at the time, no doubt excellent as Bjorling described...interesting that di Stefano was not mentioned, I know Jussi Bjorling once remarked that di Stefano would someday become the greatest tenor in the world (that unfortunately did not turn out to be, for reasons we all know). At this point di Stefano's voice was already prematurely wearing out.
What an awful loss that he did not record von Stolzing; even worse, Lohengrin. Those recordings would have changed much.The good die young.
The good die young.?!?!? Does it mean that Toscanini, Stokowski or Bruno Walter living their long lives were not good? Based on your standards? But Bjorling was always perfect....
Mitropoulos and Rodzinski died being quite young. In their mid sixties, due to heart attack. Edward van Beinum at 59. Reiner too, at 75 but partially it was his own fault. Lack of exercises, "good" food and his weight plus heavy smoking. Solti passed away at his mid eighties. I could spell the names of many other well known conductors. They all had very poor health records. Above all, most conductors are working under constant deep psychological stress.
Well, Bjorling was probably about to mention Di Stefano, seeing as it seems to be only a portion of an interview.
@Cantormatis The only recording I have of the opera a is February 1, 1947 Met broadcast. I greatly prefer broadcasts to studio recordings, which I don't often listen to.
I´m not that spinto hahaha! (very few understood that.) Amazing to hear him speak English. Very good at it too! (even able to joke.) Of course he sang in Swedish operas that none of you non-Swedes have ever heard! How about the famous aria "Vad skall jag sjunga, o drottning, befall!" (What shall I sing, oh Queen, just demand.)
My God , where does all this incredible stuff come from? Is it newly dicovered or simply not previously posted???? I really need to know.
@Cantormatis I think I have a complete recording with him singing Romeo?
@tenornmd Precisely what I was thinking!
My vocal coach is also a great tenor,Carl S.Olsen now a celebrated teacher.I only had 4 complemantary lessons,and improved my voice considerabley.My top notes are better,and can sustain them better.I can sing hyper tenor notes.I thank God for Carl S.Olsen.amen.
@fernhill36 Sorry the man passed in Dec. 2007.
is my impression or was him a very shy man
Not shy. He was Swedish! Reserved is the national mood. He was extremely nervous on Television, however. Voice of firestone can be uncomfortable viewing.
Bjorling mentioned Carlo Bergonzi at the end of this interview. Describing him as a great one. It is true. When Jussi passed away the next two years then Carlo Bergonzi picked the banner and became the greatest tenor in similar to Bjorling repertoire. Nobody had equalized to Carlo since then. Pavarotti was to sweet to my taste. Man should sound like a man with some masculinity.
Jussi and Peerce had similar method of singing. I am not specialist in vocal sciences of human voices whatsoever. However, when JB and Peerce sang the syllabuses were flowing from their mouth like spring loaded or bouncing tennis balls on crystal floor. Unlike Mario del Monaco and Franco Corelli. Those two voices resemble spilling wine on a flat glass. No bouncing here. May description may look stupid but I do not know otherwise how to characterize the difference in voices produced between the first two singers and the second two. This is reason that we cannot say Monaco/Corelli sings something better then Bjorling/Peerce or opposite. It would hurt professionalism of those legendary singers. We can say which performer we prefer. Also, there is not such a thing that one singer sings everything better than others. Each singer has his/her own favorite repertoire which fits to his/her voice, temper and character.
@ANITA Ospedale, where do you see prejudice you doll?
Did that recording of the Requiem with Tebaldi ever happen?
sort of. it morphed into Fritz Reiner and Bjoerling, Tozzi .No Tebaldi but its spectacular