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Jon Vickers RIP

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Posted on July 13, 2015 at 09:40:51
Tadlo
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 One of my favorite Heldentenors, Jon Vickers died last Friday at the age of 89. I was fortunate to hear and see him do Florestan and Tristan twice in Chicago--among the most memorable musical experiences of my life.

 

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Heard that yesterday myself, posted on July 13, 2015 at 11:18:32
Chris from Lafayette
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  Since: February 6, 2012
 Time to fire-up my Beecham Messiah and Karajan Walkure! I saw him sing Siegmund live in 1969 (SF Opera in LA - Crespin sang Sieglinde) - let us go out and increase the blood of the Volsungs indeed! RIP!

 

One of the great tenors, posted on July 13, 2015 at 11:50:13
TGR
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 I was always a fan since the first time I heard him on record....I don't think there has ever been a better Florestan, his Verdi was terrific (I have a CD of Italian arias recorded in the late 50s or early 60s that is superb and I also have the Solti Aida and the Covent Garden Don Carlo), his Siegmund was as good as it gets, both for Leinsdorf and for Karajan, etc. I saw him live just once, doing Siegmund at the SF Opera in the mid-70s - I actually drove up from LA where I was attending grad school to hear this. It always broke my heart that he limited his Wagner to two roles (with Parsifal a 3rd earlier in his career). OK, he had flaws - his German wasn't perfect and sometimes he crooned and maybe he was a bit crazy as a person, but what a voice and what characterization - he never phoned it in.

 

and I forgot to mention his Otello, posted on July 13, 2015 at 12:04:24
TGR
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Location: No. California
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 I haven't heard the Karajan version - but the one with Serafin (and Gobbi and Rysanek) is my go to Otello.

 

RE: Jon Vickers RIP, posted on July 13, 2015 at 14:49:29
pbarach
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 Saw him on tour with the Met national company in Cleveland in Bartered Bride and Otello. The latter show was unforgettable. Also, I really like his Siegmund in the Leinsdorf-conducted Die Walkuere and his Canio in the Karajan film of I Pagliacci.

 

RE: Jon Vickers RIP, posted on July 13, 2015 at 15:54:27
learsfool
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Posts: 1001
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 One of his greatest recordings is his Peter Grimes - that should get a mention! LOL, I'm usually the one bringing up the Wagner recordings!!

 

I love that Karajan Otello video, posted on July 13, 2015 at 16:04:29
Chris from Lafayette
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 It's cut, it's lip-sync'd, but it's SO thrilling!



Sure, our ideas about make-up and scenery have moved on from those of the time when this video was made (not always for the better however!). And, sure, you can see the blatant calculation of such things as the shot in profile in the Otello/Iago vengeance duet - but it's so effective (at least IMHO) that it still lingers in the memory (mine at least) for long afterward.

 

There's an interesting discussion going on. . . , posted on July 13, 2015 at 16:12:30
Chris from Lafayette
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 . . . on Google Groups (rec.music.classical.recordings) to the effect that Britten and Pears did not like Vickers' assumption of the role. For one thing, Vickers' interpretation was 180 degrees opposite that of Pears, and for another, Vickers made changes to the vocal line, the rhythm, and the text. There are some accounts that Britten even walked out of Vickers' performances, not once, but twice! (Doesn't make any difference to me however, since I don't care for Britten's music anyway.)

 

He might have walked out but................., posted on July 13, 2015 at 17:08:37
Kal Rubinson
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 I am sorry that I only heard him sing Grimes once.

 

RE: There's an interesting discussion going on. . . , posted on July 13, 2015 at 19:35:45
rbolaw
 Not surprising, I guess, since it's hard to imagine two less similar tenors than Pears and Vickers. As someone else mentioned, Vickers' Otello is the role that I remember him most for.

 

RE: There's an interesting discussion going on. . . , posted on July 13, 2015 at 20:32:46
Ivan303
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Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
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Don't see what Britten would dislike about this performance. Think he captures the craziness of Grimes very well.

Not a Britten fan either.






First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

And don't forget his Gerontius..., posted on July 13, 2015 at 21:10:31
Ivan303
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OK, it's a poorly done 1957 recording of a radio broadcast, but still.






First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: There's an interesting discussion going on. . . , posted on July 14, 2015 at 06:04:35
Kas
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 That scene is from the end of the opera, when Grimes has clearly gone completely mad. Vickers, though, played Grimes as mad from the beginning of the opera. 2 1/2 hours of sheer brutishness may be powerful, but it makes it hard to fathom why the rest of the Borough (especially Ellen and Balstrode) didn't give up on Grimes long ago.

Pears' Grimes starts with an element of sensitivity and subtlety, making him a somewhat more sympathetic character.

 

Other than the madness of Grimes..., posted on July 14, 2015 at 06:51:35
Ivan303
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Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
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 We all know that Britten and Pears had one vision of him, based not too little of their own life's experiences and Vickers quite another, based on his.

In either case, Grimes is certainly not the guy you would want to apprentice for. =:-0

What Vickers did, IMNSHO, is take the Grimes character on a differing track and a step beyond what Britten and Pears could have imagined. Sheer genius on Vickers part, again IMNSHO.




First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: Jon Vickers RIP (correction), posted on July 14, 2015 at 08:12:12
Travis
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Posts: 6170
Location: La Grange, Texas
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 The Met National Company existed from 1965-1967 with young professionals and toured constantly (I was there). Our boss was Rise Stevens and Paul Plishka was our most famous alumnus. The "real" Met toured from the earliest of times with their stars on board, usually after the New York season.


"If people don't want to come, nothing will stop them" - Sol Hurok

 

RE: Jon Vickers RIP, posted on July 19, 2015 at 08:42:54
bald2
Audiophile

Posts: 338
Location: Oregon
Joined: January 21, 2006
 I adore his singing. While known for his Verdi, Wagner and Britten, Vickers was outstanding in French and other ITalian repertoire. The VAI reissue of the great RCA aria record is among the most valued treasures in my collectin. And his singing of Don Jose in Carmen is without peer for me-- yes, I prefer him to Corelli, Bjoerling, Gedda and Domingo. Not to mention the rest of the cast, including Grace Bumbry and Mirelli Freni. He performed and recorded Carmen with Von Karakan and de Burgos and both are wonderful.

Harry Z

 

RE: Jon Vickers RIP, posted on July 20, 2015 at 13:51:04
fantja
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Posts: 15524
Location: Alabama
Joined: September 11, 2010
 R.I.P.

 

Don Jose, posted on July 20, 2015 at 15:05:28
pbarach
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Posts: 3307
Location: Ohio
Joined: June 22, 2008
 I like his Don Jose, too, but his French is just horrible.

 

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