Posted on 06/24/2007 3:42:55 AM PDT by BlessedBeGod
A 36-YEAR-OLD dentally challenged cellphone salesman wins a nationally televised talent contest in Britain, and suddenly, all sorts of questions are raised about the role of classical music in our world.
That is because the winner, Paul Potts, from Wales, triumphed with a rendition of “Nessun dorma,” the tenor aria from Puccini’s “Turandot,” at a contest with the trappings and audience — seemingly — of the mass entertainment world.
By the standards of music critics who ply their trade in opera houses and concert halls, it wasn’t a particularly earth-shaking performance.
“Mr. Potts is the sort of bog-standard tenor to be found in any amateur opera company in any corner of the country,” wrote Philip Hensher in The Independent of London. “His tuning was all over the place; his voice sounded strained and uncontrolled; his phrasing was stubby and lumpy; he made a constipated approximation only of the fluid sound of the Italianate tenor....”
On the blogs, many comments seemed to reflect resentment that the “snobs” of the opera world would look down on their swoon for Mr. Potts. On freerepublic.com, a conservative forum, dougfromupland addressed “all you opera snobs.”
“He may not be the greatest opera singer. But we who don’t know dip about opera like him and can’t wait to see him perform. We know what uplifts us and makes us feel good. Go away, snobs.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I mentioned Art Tatum. He was arguably the Pavarotti of jazz piano. I never get tired of listening to his technical brilliance. But he has never moved me to tears.
The last jazz piece I listened to that moved me to tears was a recording of Chet Baker playing "All Blues" live, in Germany in 1988, not long before his death. Baker was technically better three decades earlier; drugs and hard-living had left him scarred badly. His teeth had rotted away making it impossible for him to play a trumpet well. So he used a flugelhorn. His phrasing was surreal, incomparable. It was a Paul Potts performance.
I’m very familiar with both. Django had a physical handicap as a result of a fire that left two fingers of his fretting hand permanently fused. I personally know jazz guitarists (I am a guitarist, BTW) who play far more technically challenging tunes than Django was ever able to play. But Django played soul music, joyful, irrepressible soul music with that deformed hand.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6488632342430056518&q=americas+got+talent+winner&total=62&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=4
Thats what Im talking about with potts. its soul music to him
Yep.
If yes what type?
Soprano, classical mostly but love singing 40's and 50's stuff including musicals.
I have come to appreciate all music as I have grown older, though I grew up a snob toward everything except country and Blue Grass. Yes, we humble bumpkins can be uppity too.
Music of all kind is written and performed to be enjoyed by the listener. That fact is clear to everyone except the critics and the snobs.
I am not a particular fan or follower of Opera, but I love Placido Domingo all over the place in preference to just about anyone I’ve ever heard including Pavarotti.
I’d imagine Opera fans are every bit as snobbish as anyone else , like Classical Music fans, who feel they have to strenuouosly defend their territory against Philistines/
But I find more and more that I like, and appreciate, if not the “amateur”, then at least the low-budget,unheralded,and resourceful entries in all the arts. I go to lots of high priced theatre in New York, but the BEST THING I have seen in years, dollar for dollar was a little, basically one- man show with multi media, called EL CONQUISTADOR by Thaddeus Phillips. Check it out.Google is your friend.
I didn’t read the whole story, as it called for a NYT subscription, but what was it that made him “dentally challenged”? And BTW, Doug from Upland, congrats on the notice! We are all waiting for the accompanying song to go with the issue. I can’t think of anything to suggest, though.
Too early to be FReeping, I guess. It wasn’t clear to me who the quote was attributed to, because of foggy morning brain.
I like Doug’s stuff. Sorry, DFU, for not pinging you, and if what I said offended you. I thought it was someone from the article that was being quoted. Now that’s it’s after 4 PM, it makes more sense.
No offense taken. :)
Thanks.
Nearest I can recall, I thought someone from the NYT article was saying something like that about FReepers.
I’ve never cared for opera in any form or fashion in my life but will gladly pay to go see Paul Potts if he comes to my area. I hope all the black tie opera Nazis choke on my sport shirt and blue jeans.
Thus the difference between an artist and a technician - something that the so-called sophisticated critics rarely "get". Technical perfection ain't got no soul.
Pavarotti is a spinto tenor. His voice is heavier than a lyric tenor’s but not quite as dramatic.
Domingo is a dramatic tenor. His voice is powerful and rich (heroic?). It could be that it is the style, the “fach,” that is what moves you.
Have you listened to either Mario del Monaco or Franco Corelli? They too are more like Domingo than like Pavarotti.
I am partial to Andrea Bocelli. He has an incredible voice.
There are some nice aria collections on Amazon and one has 20 arias with about 8 tenors. It is a bargain for $11.
You really like Boccelli? All I have read indicates people have left his concerts shaking their heads at how pallid and weak his voice is and wondering how and why they could have wasted their money and been so gullible about being seduced by the marketing that brought them there. I’m not kidding.
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