My my my. How can you resist perfection? The effortless projection, the declamation, the phrasing, the beauty. One of the most Underrated master tenors. Tops all my lists. Peerless singing.
King was excellent. He sang this entire scene live when he was 80 and still sounded fine indeed. I can understand the lovely Sieglinde's obvious delight on this video.
Someone should bring this to the attention of that supposed heldentenor Klaus Florian Vogt so that he can hear what a real heldentenor is supposed to sound like.
Anyone who knows real opera absolutely despises Vogt! He should sing Mozart, Handel, Bach, all the lyric roles. Heldentenor repertoire is so far from what he should sing.
….and there are audiences, critics who call it „unimaginable“ to see a BT Festival without KFV. I personally can easily! JK and the sound he produced are dimensions away from KFV! Once people listen to JK silver voice, a smile appears automatically. No wonder! Mi piace moltissimo
Great tenor was Mr. James King; vocally very gifted and with a great technique, but above all, with a perfect musicality...the complete package!!!BRAVOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
King was fabulous, and apparantly, a wonderful teacher . The fact that we now have viral access to so many performances is such a gift to treasure.I salute your willingness to share it with all of us- mortals!
I think I have only listened to another rendition of this piece that is so thoroughly well sung: Lauritz Melchior's. The power, the phrasing, the unfailing, immaculate projection of each tone. James King must have been a real phenomenon on stage.
Yes, King had excellent technique and preserved his voice to an amazing age. "As king, King is still king" - a famous quote about "Die Frau ohne Schatten". The ring of his voice was phenomenal.
Marvelous "heldentenor" was James King!!!...a true follower of Max Lorenz vocal tecnique!!!. The beauty of his voice and easy singing, combined with a superb musical talent, produced for me, one of the best ever wagnerian tenors and of course one of the best "allamerican tenors". Bravo!!!!!
Maravilloso "heldentenor" James King;...un gran discípulo del gran Max Lorenz!!!. Bravo!!!(uno de los mejores heldentenors de todos los tiempos!!!).Bravo!!!!
Many thanks for this valuable document. I don't know if King was better than Melchior, Lorenz, Ralf or Vinay, but his was a particularly bright and ringing tone, endowed with the best German diction I have ever heard in tenor parts, as well as a splendid and highly refined musical line.
le timbre si particulier et si attachant! Avec un legato magnifique. Superbe version. Il était aussi un des meilleurs Lohengrin de tous les temps. Merci pour ce document
Dear Steve Van Dien There is a documentary about Max Lorenz here on UA-cam. There it is stated, and one can see, how Lorenz is teaching James King. So, yes, James King did study also with the late Max Lorenz. Best regards from Switzerland, A. von Uri
Thank you Jimmy for all the life and light you shared with us....so often here in Munich. First time I heared you was as Radames in May 1975, unforgetable all the Wagner & Strauss that followed and of course FLORESTAN......
He made a very good Florestan. (I really like McCracken too, (with Nilsson, great!) I'll have to get my hands on that recording sometime..) Glad to see King is getting a bit more attention. =)
King...is the right word.Italian opera is more popular ,so most of the opera goers prefer the Italian tenors. But opera has offered some vocal monsters....Melchior ,Lorenz ,Volker,Suthaus ,Aldenhoff,Hopf ,Windgassen & of course Beirer....If I continue the list will be very long.Because of the difficulty of their roles ,usually they were technically very well prepared,& even better prepared than their italianate colleagues. I heard once with Jones ,in a Wagner concert.In an arena. His sound was big ,clear,steady ,& very penetrating.Gwyneth was not able to fear him...He was producing the same ocean of sound.they blended very well together.
@milonastenor Here here! *holds up his glass*. Would that I could reach his great musicianship! He inspires me to keep studying my own Heldentenor rep.
I agree. This is a wonderful channel too. Were you hitherto familiar with King? He's been one of my favorites since I first heard him some years back. Real, near perfect Helden voice (at least, my impression of what one should sound like, haha.) I have a couple of his excellent complete Fidelio performances from the 60's, maybe I'll post some of it.
Che meraviglia! Meraviglia di voce, di tempi, di costruzione della frase, di dinamiche! Wunderbar! Dankeschön! Jemand kann mir sagen wer ist der Dirigent und das Orchester?
King tended to be overshadowed by his contemporary, Jon Vickers. I think that King had the better vocal technique. Just listen to him singing the Prize Song from Mastersingers which is a real test of technique. King was also a more natural actor, whereas Vickers was overly fond of playing to the gallery. Decca and Solti knew what they were about when they chose him to sing Siegmund on their legendary recording of the Ring Cycle.
I heard Vickers do Siegmund live. I heard King do several roles including Florestan another role for which Vickers was famous. They did not sound very much alike. Vickers was much more successful in Italian parts whereas King almost only sang in German. King had a huge clear resonant sound whereas Vickers often sang softly all evening and only let out his full voice on a few occasions. Neither was a high note tenor. Siegmund was a good part for both of them because it is rather low. Neither would try Siegfried. Both were the best in the world at the time. In San Francisco King often was often double cast with Jess Thomas the local boy. King was better and got better reviews. IMHO Vickers was a better actor. Vickers played tortured and tormented better. But you are right about the Prize Song. King was the best that ever was in that piece.
Imo, Vickers was at his best when working with Karajan as conductor. Karajan seemd to be able to rein in his bad habits, and actually managed to get him to sing with a degree of subtlety. I saw a video of Vickers doing Tristan at Theatre d'Orange with Nilsson. He played Tristan as a rather thuggish individual up until he drank the magic potion. I would have liked to have seen both Vickers and King live. I can understand why they baulked at doing Siegfried. The tessitura in that part is punitive, and must be the graveyard of many a would-be helden tenor. Jess Thomas is another singer I rated highly, again was overshadowed by Vickers. I saw a video with Thomas as Siegmund and Dernesch as Sieglinde. It was a performance of Walkuere in Osaka in the 60s. It was captivating, very well acted and sung. As regards the Prize Song, I heard a very creditable version by Windgassen, another underrated Wagner singer, and one by Melchior sung bel canto style. I am invariably disappointed by present day Wagner singers. They seem to know only how to shout and they way they force their voices to produce more volume makes my throat hurt in sympathy.
Well Elektra you know your stuff. As it happens I sang in the same studio as Jess Thomas. We both studied with Otto Schulman. I would come in when he was going out. My tenor friend Ross studied with Thomas later on. A lot of people involved with music in the Bay Area knew Thomas. Good guy. I must part with you however on Windgassen. He had a tiny voice. I heard him do Tristan.
I'm a Wagner fan, and I recognise good singing when I hear it which is relatively rare these days I'm sad to say. I agree that Windgassen didn't have a big voice, but what he had I feel he used with intelligence and sensitivity. There was something special about him which made me overlook the lack of heft in his voice. Ramon Vinay however was a force of nature, but I found very few of my colleagues in the Wagner Society had heard of him. Yet his Tristan, partnered with Martha Moedl as Isolde, was sensational. Latin passion meets Teutonic intensity with sizzling results! I'm referring to the recording of the 1952 Bayreuth performance with Karajan conducting.
@ironfuscia Better? I agree, no one! But "as good as"? I would vote for Lauritz Melchior, Ramon Vinay, and Jon Vickers - and, earlier in his career, Wolfgang Windgassen.
I would love to have heard Wunderlich sing this. His Mahler puts everyone else to shame - so for a lyric tenor he had a strong instrument. Check out his Mahler Lieder.. if you doubt me. Especially the Betrunkene im Fruhling
Someone like you, if in a powerful hiring position with money, ruined a promissing tenor and moved to the next victim over and over again. We have so many like you working as coaches and conductors unfortunately.
I will always love King's voice, he is a superb true heldentenor
And still so lyrical! Amazing!
His voice has a ring like no other! A splendid version of Wintersturme! (NO wonder Sieglinde looks so ecstactic!)
haha
My my my. How can you resist perfection? The effortless projection, the declamation, the phrasing, the beauty. One of the most Underrated master tenors. Tops all my lists. Peerless singing.
And never even the slightest hint of strain on even the most exposed notes. Truly exemplary.
King was excellent. He sang this entire scene live when he was 80 and still sounded fine indeed. I can understand the lovely Sieglinde's obvious delight on this video.
Someone should bring this to the attention of that supposed heldentenor Klaus Florian Vogt so that he can hear what a real heldentenor is supposed to sound like.
How funny. I was just watching that! Dreadful on its own, but even more dreadful when compared to King.
Please, just the mention of Vogt's name makes me ill.
Anyone who knows real opera absolutely despises Vogt! He should sing Mozart, Handel, Bach, all the lyric roles. Heldentenor repertoire is so far from what he should sing.
….and there are audiences, critics who call it „unimaginable“ to see a BT Festival without KFV. I personally can easily!
JK and the sound he produced are dimensions away from KFV! Once people listen to JK silver voice, a smile appears automatically. No wonder! Mi piace moltissimo
Great tenor was Mr. James King; vocally very gifted and with a great technique, but above all, with a perfect musicality...the complete package!!!BRAVOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
King was fabulous, and apparantly, a wonderful teacher . The fact that we now have viral access to so many performances is such a gift to treasure.I salute your willingness to share it with all of us- mortals!
Mesmerizing performance of James King
I think I have only listened to another rendition of this piece that is so thoroughly well sung: Lauritz Melchior's. The power, the phrasing, the unfailing, immaculate projection of each tone. James King must have been a real phenomenon on stage.
He was.
Yes, King had excellent technique and preserved his voice to an amazing age. "As king, King is still king" - a famous quote about "Die Frau ohne Schatten". The ring of his voice was phenomenal.
I first heard JK on the Die Walkure album with Solti. It was obvious then that he was a major talent. One of the great voices.
Was war das für ein grandioser Sänger!!!Bravo!!!!!!
Extraordinary!!!!! Fitsy time I hear James King. He has a beautiful voice and great musicality!!!!. I am a fan from now on!!!! BRAVOOO!!!!
King is nothing short of brilliant! Listen and learn.
No One like him! The greatest American Heldentenor ever....
Einer der wenigen Wagner Tenöre den ich hören kann.
A great voice! I heard him live in several of his signature roles.
Agreed. One of the great talent, overlooked. Who ever she is, she looks voluptuous. Mmmmmm. Thanks for sharing.
Marvelous "heldentenor" was James King!!!...a true follower of Max Lorenz vocal tecnique!!!. The beauty of his voice and easy singing, combined with a superb musical talent, produced for me, one of the best ever wagnerian tenors and of course one of the best "allamerican tenors". Bravo!!!!!
Wonderful James King!!!
Migod, what a voice.
Maravilloso "heldentenor" James King;...un gran discípulo del gran Max Lorenz!!!. Bravo!!!(uno de los mejores heldentenors de todos los tiempos!!!).Bravo!!!!
Many thanks for this valuable document. I don't know if King was better than Melchior, Lorenz, Ralf or Vinay, but his was a particularly bright and ringing tone, endowed with the best German diction I have ever heard in tenor parts, as well as a splendid and highly refined musical line.
le timbre si particulier et si attachant! Avec un legato magnifique. Superbe version.
Il était aussi un des meilleurs Lohengrin de tous les temps.
Merci pour ce document
Dear Steve Van Dien
There is a documentary about Max Lorenz here on UA-cam. There it is stated, and one can see, how Lorenz is teaching James King. So, yes, James King did study also with the late Max Lorenz.
Best regards from Switzerland,
A. von Uri
Lot of thanks for that hint
ua-cam.com/video/oQKmK9EUAjc/v-deo.html
Sensitive and beautiful singing.
WOW ! I'll have to look for other recordings, thanks for posting this. He outsings lots of people.
Te amo James King!
Das ist fantastisch! Truly!
Thank you Jimmy for all the life and light you shared with us....so often here in Munich. First time I heared you was as Radames in May 1975, unforgetable all the Wagner & Strauss that followed and of course FLORESTAN......
Grandioso! Bravísimo!
fantastic. I get inspired!!!
Excelente...verdadeiro herói.
Amen
Extraordinario!!!!!!!!!
Maravilloso!!!!, BRAVOOO!!!!
C'est bandant!!!
Maravilloso.
He made a very good Florestan. (I really like McCracken too, (with Nilsson, great!) I'll have to get my hands on that recording sometime..)
Glad to see King is getting a bit more attention. =)
It’s a shame about Maazel’s conducting on that recording - everyone in the cast is great.
DIVINE!!!!
King...is the right word.Italian opera is more popular ,so most of the opera goers prefer the Italian tenors.
But opera has offered some vocal monsters....Melchior ,Lorenz ,Volker,Suthaus ,Aldenhoff,Hopf ,Windgassen & of course Beirer....If I continue the list will be very long.Because of the difficulty of their roles ,usually they were technically very well prepared,& even better prepared than their italianate colleagues.
I heard once with Jones ,in a Wagner concert.In an arena.
His sound was big ,clear,steady ,& very penetrating.Gwyneth was not able to fear him...He was producing the same ocean of sound.they blended very well together.
The Man of Steel
Bravo
Bravo!
Très beau...
Great!!
where to find this, but complete?
@milonastenor Here here! *holds up his glass*. Would that I could reach his great musicianship! He inspires me to keep studying my own Heldentenor rep.
I agree. This is a wonderful channel too.
Were you hitherto familiar with King?
He's been one of my favorites since I first heard him some years back. Real, near perfect Helden voice (at least, my impression of what one should sound like, haha.) I have a couple of his excellent complete Fidelio performances from the 60's, maybe I'll post some of it.
Che meraviglia! Meraviglia di voce, di tempi, di costruzione della frase, di dinamiche! Wunderbar! Dankeschön! Jemand kann mir sagen wer ist der Dirigent und das Orchester?
👑👑👑👑
Is the full performance available somewhere? What are the concert details? Thanks
anyone care to guess who had a better voice for this role? (hint: no one!)
Ich verzeihe King sein schauspielerisches Unvermögen, da er mit einer unglaublich schönen Stimme gesegnet war ;-)
He looks benny hill parody aahahaha but voice SUPERB!!!!!!! Amazing singer!!!! A real king !!!!
Great voice.
Who is with him here? Don't recognize her- was she an actual singer?
King tended to be overshadowed by his contemporary, Jon Vickers. I think that King had the better vocal technique. Just listen to him singing the Prize Song from Mastersingers which is a real test of technique. King was also a more natural actor, whereas Vickers was overly fond of playing to the gallery.
Decca and Solti knew what they were about when they chose him to sing Siegmund on their legendary recording of the Ring Cycle.
I heard Vickers do Siegmund live. I heard King do several roles including Florestan another role for which Vickers was famous. They did not sound very much alike. Vickers was much more successful in Italian parts whereas King almost only sang in German. King had a huge clear resonant sound whereas Vickers often sang softly all evening and only let out his full voice on a few occasions. Neither was a high note tenor. Siegmund was a good part for both of them because it is rather low. Neither would try Siegfried.
Both were the best in the world at the time. In San Francisco King often was often double cast with Jess Thomas the local boy. King was better and got better reviews. IMHO Vickers was a better actor. Vickers played tortured and tormented better. But you are right about the Prize Song. King was the best that ever was in that piece.
Imo, Vickers was at his best when working with Karajan as conductor. Karajan seemd to be able to rein in his bad habits, and actually managed to get him to sing with a degree of subtlety. I saw a video of Vickers doing Tristan at Theatre d'Orange with Nilsson. He played Tristan as a rather thuggish individual up until he drank the magic potion.
I would have liked to have seen both Vickers and King live. I can understand why they baulked at doing Siegfried. The tessitura in that part is punitive, and must be the graveyard of many a would-be helden tenor.
Jess Thomas is another singer I rated highly, again was overshadowed by Vickers. I saw a video with Thomas as Siegmund and Dernesch as Sieglinde. It was a performance of Walkuere in Osaka in the 60s. It was captivating, very well acted and sung.
As regards the Prize Song, I heard a very creditable version by Windgassen, another underrated Wagner singer, and one by Melchior sung bel canto style.
I am invariably disappointed by present day Wagner singers. They seem to know only how to shout and they way they force their voices to produce more volume makes my throat hurt in sympathy.
Well Elektra you know your stuff. As it happens I sang in the same studio as Jess Thomas. We both studied with Otto Schulman. I would come in when he was going out. My tenor friend Ross studied with Thomas later on. A lot of people involved with music in the Bay Area knew Thomas. Good guy.
I must part with you however on Windgassen. He had a tiny voice. I heard him do Tristan.
I'm a Wagner fan, and I recognise good singing when I hear it which is relatively rare these days I'm sad to say.
I agree that Windgassen didn't have a big voice, but what he had I feel he used with intelligence and sensitivity. There was something special about him which made me overlook the lack of heft in his voice.
Ramon Vinay however was a force of nature, but I found very few of my colleagues in the Wagner Society had heard of him. Yet his Tristan, partnered with Martha Moedl as Isolde, was sensational. Latin passion meets Teutonic intensity with sizzling results! I'm referring to the recording of the 1952 Bayreuth performance with Karajan conducting.
@@Agorante which one do you think had a bigger voice?
この映像いいですね！悲しい運命が待ち受けている二人がひたすら愛を語り合うこのシーンが大好きなのですが、この演出で1幕の最後までぜひ見てみたいですね。どこから出てきた映像なんでしょう。映画用でしょうか？ジークリンデ役の方は随分演技が達者ですが、もしかして女優さん？
King is wonderful! Who's the woman? It's not Leonie Rysanek. Gre B?
How it should be sung “sigh”
...du bist der Lenz
Why does the video look so much like Jon Vickers?
David Oyen because they both had massive Heldentenor necks and heads. Also their chests are similarly proportioned for optimum (massive) Resonanz.
Lui canta e non grida…complimenti
who is siglende??? or was she just an actor????? she looks very nice
Gre Brouwenstijn. And no, she was a singer. Sieglinde was one of her signature roles.
@DavidoffGustav Mahler is not Wagner. Liric tenor can sing Lied von Der Erde but they do not fit the role of Siegmund.
@ironfuscia Lorenz, Suthaus, Windgassen, Svanholm, Melchior... enough??
Windgassen??? Nope!
@@xxsaruman82xx87 yes, also.
Leoni Ruzanek
No, it’s Gre Brouwenstijn.
Who's Sieglinde ?
Gré brouwenstijn.. soprano holandesa.
Das ist eine Heldenvoice nicht Florian Vogt
@ironfuscia Better? I agree, no one! But "as good as"? I would vote for Lauritz Melchior, Ramon Vinay, and Jon Vickers - and, earlier in his career, Wolfgang Windgassen.
Windgassen is not even close.
Sublime Wagner.
@DavidoffGustav Wunderlich was great singer but his voice was liric. I dont think that he cood sing such a dramatic character.
I would love to have heard Wunderlich sing this. His Mahler puts everyone else to shame - so for a lyric tenor he had a strong instrument. Check out his Mahler Lieder.. if you doubt me. Especially the Betrunkene im Fruhling
Wunderlich was not a heldentenor, though. And I think he was a leggiero tenor, not a lyric tenor.
Someone like you, if in a powerful hiring position with money, ruined a promissing tenor and moved to the next victim over and over again. We have so many like you working as coaches and conductors unfortunately.