Who is the greatest tenor?

Nope, not Hawkins or Young, though they're great too. I was thinking it would be fun to have a poll on the greatest operatic tenor in the history of recorded music. We have enough fans on the board I think, and who cares if you're not an expert. (I'm not either.) If your old man had a 78 of Caruso and you loved it, pick him.

I hope I didn't leave any likely contenders out. Pick your fave and post your thoughts. I'll try to pepper this thread with some nice Youtube clips when I get back home later tonight and have some time. Meanwhile if anybody has some nice clips, post 'em.

P.S. The poll allows multiple selections, so if you can't make up your mind, or want to vote for one lyric tenor, one dramatic tenor, etc., you can do that. Plus, it's private, so you can vote for Bocelli, if you really want to.

 

That's easy...Enrico Caruso...the greatest ever.

 

Is? Juan Diego Flórez.

Was? Can't be done

 

I enjoy Pavarotti.

 

Pavarotti - but Caruso is also one of the greatest ever.

 

I have LPs of Bjorling and Gigli, and cds of McCormack and and Caruso, and of The Three tenors.

All good.

I will be hearing Ben Heppner soon.

Seeing as no one else has, I'll vote for McCormack. I like the material

 

It's not Andrea Bocelli.




Love this rant from some person named Jenn Fox (from June 2009):

Andrea Bocelli is horrendous.

I went to conservatory for opera. I'm sorry. NO ONE in the classical world would have given him the time of day if he had not overcome a handicap.. and as wonderful as that achievement is, he is nowhere near even the top 50% of famous classical tenors, and even worse if you compare him to only italian tenors.. UGH! **** him and his underserved fame.. Josh Groban and Sarah Brightman can go **** themselves too! They should stick to singing ****ty broadway and duets with Celine Dion. None of them have any business gracing a classical stage with an orchestra.

Bocelli is an impostor who needs a mic. His tone sucks, and he has no technique to speak of. And for a tenor, you would think he could get a little volume above an F. He sounds like he's choking!! OMG he SUCKS!! The best he can do is a mildly decent version of Gounod's Ave Maria, which frankly any idiot could sing, its the freaking national anthem of the opera world! Its great that popes, presidents, and royalty give this guy the time of day, but ultimately there are a ton of far more talented musicians out there who arent nearly as famous bc they arent handicapped. That sucks.. Almost as bad as he does.. /Rant

 

Andrea Bocelli. Only because I like his voice and I've seen him in person.

 

No question. Caruso. Singer supreme and the template for the modern operatic tenor.

“Put Gigli, Lauri-Volpi and me together – make us one tenor – and we would not be fit to tie Caruso's shoe laces” - Giovanni Martinelli

Incidentally, Martinelli and Lauri-Volpi aren't in this poll and should be. So should Aureliano Pertile, Richard Tucker and Jan Peerce. Bocelli has NO business being in this poll.

 

While most would go with Coltrane, I'm a lot more partial to Joe Henderson.

 

So here is a good string of three Caruso recordings, the first two of which have piano accompaniment only (and I think in the first I hear a pretty bad smudge at a key moment), the third of which was the first big-selling gramophone record: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL7wdUPXpiM And deservedly so.

It is good to see Juan Diego with some support. Fans of bel canto really are blessed to have him now.

Re Bocelli, I knew listing him would be controversial, and though I'm not a fan personally, a good many people are. Plus I think the rants, while sometimes funny, miss the mark. Here is a review of his Rodolfo, "Boheme," from the Gramophone -- not at all disparaging: http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/December%202000/132/758635/

 

I'm grateful for this response -- frankly of the generation after Caruso I knew next to nothing, and had not heard of either Martinelli or Lauri-Volpi. I'd love it if you could post some clips, or other references, or note whether there are any recordings worth checking out.

 

I am as well, actually.

 

Five favourites from this great list ...

Enrico Caruso
Beniamino Gigli
Jussi Björling
Franco Corelli
Luciano Pavarotti

 

Here are Martinelli and Lauri-Volpi performing "Celeste Aida".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRkUjZFdTt0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlhKHRQX22c

 

Dunkel ist das Leben, ist der Tod.

I'm goin' with Fritz!

The prettiest sounding of all the great tenors.

 

Wunderlich is the tenor whose voice I'd most like to imitate!

- Joe

 

Not to mention Georges Thill, Jacques Urlus, Walter Widdop, Aksel Schiotz, Edmond Clement, Dmitri Smirnov, Giovanni Zenatello--and Jean de Reszke, for that matter...

I'd be a lot more comfortable with this poll if it were "who is your favorite tenor" rather than "who is the greatest tenor." The former question can be answered; the latter really can't. Moreover, answers to the former can lead in some interesting directions. For instance, Max Meili would never make anybody's "world's greatest tenors" list, but I love his way with Elizabethan lute songs. I don't know if Augustarello Affre was exactly "the greatest," but he certainly has moved me more than once. And so on.

And, of course, let us not forget Ellison van Hoose, whose name surfaces in the "forum name" of a regular contributor to the classical music corner thread.

 

And your opinion of Susan Boyle?
I agree with you BTW, perhaps not as strongly but it's a bit like the people that compare Sinatra with Michael Buble...

 

She reminds me of the cult of Kathleen Ferrier [of which I am a card carrying member]—Local girl makes good.

How dare they! Hey! Fat Tony? Could you be so kind as to deal with this Buble problem? Capice?

I'm just relieved that Charlotte Church finally cleaned up her act in time for the May Sweeps:

[probably NSFW]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va0FdsopJSI

http://www.youtube.com/user/charlottechurchcom?blend=1&ob=4

 

That's almost impossible to answer but I went with Fritz Wunderlich.

 

Nat King Cole

 

I am not familiar with more than a handful of these singers. Missed the multiple choice option and overlooked Caruso, who no doubt rules supreme; but is in no competion with the rest , I went with Placido Domingo since I just watched a documnetary - his life with snippets from his best roles, Wagner' Heldentenor, the italian operas performed at Mailand's Scala , Tosca esp. and many more.
The recent Live TV rendition for more than 100 countries worldwide with millions of people on original locarion at Romas Engelsburg impresed me deeply -perfect (Zubin Mehta)
I also dearly love Fritz Wunderlich, but the CD box set I got concentrates on Lieder and

Those 3 are the best

 

Why Roy Orbison is the greatest tenor in my collection.....

 

He's a baritone, smarty pants.