The Bjorling Sound: A Recorded Legacy

By Stephen Hastings

Book Overview

A half century after his death in 1960, Swedish tenor Jussi Bj rling remains one of the most beloved singers in the world. He spent forty-five of his forty-nine years performing in public, rapidly conquering opera-house and concert stages on both sides of the Atlantic. Along the way, he left a vast recorded legacy that continues to enchant lovers of vocal music and inspire young singers. In this ground-breaking book, Stephen Hastings analyzes more than four hundred of the great tenor's recordings, comparing them with the output of a hundred other tenors, from Caruso to Alagna. The repertoire ranges from brief art songs by Schubert and Sibelius to entire opera recordings--some made in the studio, others captured live. What emerges is a richly layered portrait of this most musical of singers. As Hastings's comparisons demonstrate, Bj rling left his unique imprint on all the scores he sang, combining a perennial freshness of approach with the richly inflected phrasing made possible by a perfectly honed technique.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580464068
• ISBN13: 9781580464062
• Release Date: May 2012
• Publisher: University of Rochester Press
• Length: 424 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.3" x 9.3"