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My high school concert band performed this and when we practiced our conductor would sometimes sing along. He was incredible and with great effort we convinced him to sing with us at our concert. It was one of the most amazing musical experiences I've ever had.
I was in college for music education when Pavarotti died. That entire day, the vocal department came to an absolute standstill. At the end of our Music History final that semester, the professor played this and there wasn't a dry eye in the entire room.
Not only was Pavarotti incredibly talented, he was also a genuinely nice guy. I met him with my mum as a kid, and saw him play a guitar behind his head whilst singing. Seems like a fever dream looking back. Truly one of a kind in lots of ways.
That is amazing!! I was a caregiver privately and attended the opera often with my boss. We bought the old operas he played in bc he had so much experience with him through The Met and traveling. He is still truly a gift to the world.
As a lifelong opera fan, I loved your explanation of what makes Nessun Dorma so special. The song combined with Pavarotti's unimaginably perfect voice really makes this one of, if not the, best recordings of an opera piece of all time. Another incredible opera piece you might want to check out would be the sextet ("Chi mi frena in tal momento?") from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor;" it has incredible melodies for all six singers and is one of the only other pieces that can make me cry with happiness just from listening to it. Highly recommend it!
Only two opera pieces (one aria and one sextet) make you cry? Have you been exposed to opera? I could have an endless list here of arias, duets, trios, ensembles, intermezzi, etc. that make me and anyone cry.
@@lifeisgood3087 I actually used to live not far from the Mariinsky Theater in St Petersburg, Russia, and in the last year alone have been to sixteen operas in three countries. And that's not counting my Met Opera subscription which is always on in the background. Yes, I have been exposed to opera; I just don't cry easily.
If this song doesn't overcome you with emotion, there's something wrong! Not only is the music hauntingly beautiful, but good Lord... the emotion he evokes is as powerful as his vocal chords!
The first time I heard a recording of this performance, I burst into tears. I still do sometimes when I listen to it. I'm really excited to hear your take on *why* it has that effect on people.
You brought it! This video did not disappoint, and I will probably rewatch this quite a lot in the coming weeks. I'm looking forward to listening to your Christmas album, too!
It took me literally almost two decades of one-on-one voice lessons - the last six with a gentleman who conducted Pav while he was still with us and continues to coach Domingo and other world-famous opera stars internationally. How I managed to snag an opening in his studio remains a mystery to me, but I am forever grateful. When I finally made the connection (ha) as to how to get that head-chest blend to persist beyond the second passagio without forcing the larynx down or overblowing or cracking or etc., I was in tears. He took me up to a C# that day - prior to then I could sing a B-flat perhaps six times per year, if the moon were full, on a Tuesday, and I’d just eaten scallops (I joke). After that lesson a high C is child’s play. How strange the voice is, with all its training plateaus.
Check the Overture of Tannhäuser (Wagner) an energetic piece and the whole Madama Butterfly (also Puccini), with the indescriptible aria “Un bel dì, vedremo”, probably the saddest piece of music together with the Barber Adagio.
As an opera coach, I'm always thrilled by this opera, and Puccini is on my tier S of opera composers. It's very exciting to know that even musicians who are outside this field can get fascinated by it ❤️
Here you can listen to Pavarotti in his prime. So incredible that I'd only match that performance against Jussi Björlings best. Enjoy! ua-cam.com/video/Q_hLh4qCqpg/v-deo.html
I think that knowing the lyrics adds to the emotional intensity of the music (and go watch the whole opera, it's amazing): None shall sleep! None shall sleep! Even you, oh Princess, In your chilly chambers, Watch the stars That tremble with love And with hope. But my secret is locked within me: No one shall know my name, No! No! Over your mouth I shall tell it, At light's first shine. And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine (Choir: No one shall know his name and we must, alas, die) Dissipate, o night! Vanish, stars! Vanish, stars! At dawn, I shall win! I shall win! I shall win!
It sucks that something is always lost in every translation. The word "vincerò" in this instance seems to translate with the least fidelity. I feel like it may have something to do with replacing a vowel with a weak consonant sound at the very end.. Having your tongue pressed to the top of your pallet for an "N" just isn't as expressive or passionate as a full-throtled "OHHHHHH."
@@aaronleblanc9276 Absolutely, and my English isn't perfect, so I'm sure my translation could have been better too. I just love opera, and I feel that the lyrics and the story are such an important part of the experience (though a jazz musician understandably tends to focus on the notes). Thinking of what you said, I also feel that maybe "to overcome" would be a better translation. It's probably more "triumphant" than simply "to win", and the vowels are stronger.
Yep, thanks for bringing up the lyrics. Perfectly dovetails with Charles's discussion of the first two chords: "NONE" (on the crunchy dissonant chord) resolving to "SHALL SLEEP".
The choruses of both Nessun Dorma and Con te partirò instantly bring me to tears every time, even after all these years. Just phenomenally beautiful music
Con te Partirò is a pathetic attempt at music popularised by Bocelli who IS NOT an opera singer. He is a pop singer. Bocelli is not fit to lick the soles of Pavarotti's shoes and it is a travesty that he has become so famous. Go and listen to some real opera by the Italian masters instead of indulging such total rubbish
Any chance you have a recording of just playing it? I mean the commentary is incredible, and makes it a lot easier to digest, but I would love to hear your take on a rendition.
This is my favorite of Luciano Pavarotti’s signature songs, a close second is O Sole Mio. I am not a musician, can’t even read music, but these 2 songs give me goosebumps every single time ! Just goes to show one doesn’t need to be an opera lover to love these songs.
Back when I was a college student, I was asked to be a fill in a trombone part for our school opera performance for the year. We were doing Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele and it was the most fun I had playing music. Definitely check out the epilogue/finale for that beautiful tension/release!
Could that mystery chord have been thought of by Puccini as superimposing an Eb major triad an octave up over a D9? That's a move that certainly creates tension.
Superb breakdown. Of course, if you're a Brit of a certain vintage, Nessun Dorma - especially sung by Pavarotti -is achingly familiar. In an inspired decision, the BBC chose it as the theme for their coverage of the 1990 World Cup in Italy. The opening broadcast had viewers asking: "What IS that tune?". By a few games in, you couldn't go anywhere without hearing it, from open apartment windows, from bars, from shops, anywhere there was a TV showing a game. Which was EVERYWHERE. By the end of that glorious summer of football, everyone in the street was whistling it. Even now, 32 years later, those opening chords don't evoke opera. They will forever stand for football, with all its agonies and ecstasies.
There is no bigger Big Finish than the Big Finish of “Nessun dorma” - on “vincerò”, “I will win!” The title means “no one sleeps” and no one who is listening to it does. There’s no more perfect apotheosis of intensity, anticipation, & climax in music. And the relationship he (“Calaf”) is singing about, is a virtually impossible mountain to climb, “Turandot”, the ice queen, has put every single one of her suitors to death up to the point “Calaf” shows up to try his luck at the great riddle she poses & he has to answer to win her hand or die. That’s the context and EVERYTHING in the words & music support that moment. That is greatness in music. And, oh yeah, no picnic for that category of tenor to sing, demanding, exposed, and encourages all of the things that undermine well-supported tone emission. Hard not to get excited and blow the B natural at the end! Pavarotti’s version is a triumph in itself as he sings of triumph. Also listen to Jussi Björling’s version, as well. Absolutely fearless.
That same 7 note progression starting at 1:06 in this video is found in the first movement of Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto and a variation of it again in the 3rd movement as part of the main theme except it might be in a different key. You can hear it at 2:32 in this recording. ua-cam.com/video/oD5pqlDPCHc/v-deo.html BTW IMO this is my favorite piano concerto and this is a great performance. Except for Bizet's Carmen, all of my favorite operas and arias were written by Puccini. Pavarotti performed a great version of Turandot in the Forbidden City in Beijing China you can see on UA-cam and Placido Domingo gave a great performance at the Metropolitan Opera which was recorded on a DVD by Deutsche Grammophon.
There’s no question of the proper pronunciation. Turandot comes from the Persian “Turandokht” meaning “daughter of Turan”. Note that English “daughter” is the cognate of “dokht” akin to German “Tochter” In any case the “t” is pronounced. The word isn’t French in origin, where the “t” would be silent. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turandot#Origin_and_pronunciation_of_the_name
Professional Opera singer (Bass-Baritone) and casual composer here! So so happy you are delving into the Opera repertoire with this video, Charles! Made my day. Here is a quick list of suggestions! Puccini is possibly the best way to get into Opera. It is some of the most "accessible" yet complex music in the rep. La Boheme is a GREAT place to start. From the get (Questo ma rosa) you are thrown into an adventure of sound, and then treated to some lovely delicate and sweeping melodies that provide a perfect foreground to the parisian Christmas Eve setting. I also LOVE Puccini's 'La Fanciulla Del West.' There is a fabulous motif that represents the female hero, and it blares as soon as she enters. Very romantic and bold, and I love that an italian opera exists about the American Wild West. Another well known tune is "vesti la giubba" from the Opera "Pagliacci." Very bombastic melody, and the epitome of operatic melodrama. "La Donna e Mobile" from La Traviata is a famous piece, but very musically simplistic to the modern ear. (I'm not a huge fan of Verdi Opera, I'm sorry. He just cranked out a bunch of the same basic stuff.) Mozart is obviously fabulous- many of his operas are commonly performed in English as well, so that can be a good gateway into Opera! The Magic Flute is a great example of this. It is classified as a 'Zingspiel,' and was traditionally meant to be performed in the language of the audience. The Queen of the Night aria is the most famous and impressive piece from the opera. The Overture to Marriage of Figaro is also iconic and exciting. I would also suggest checking out Beethoven's one and ONLY opera, 'Fidelio.' The Overture and the tenor aria that opens act 2 are especially striking, and really cut deep, especially if you can find a translation to read. Hope this helps! Ben
Fidelio is fantastic! Vastly under appreciated. I sometimes feel like people say they don’t like opera, but have only heard Puccini, Wagner or Verdi - and sure, they are often good starting points, but there’s so much more out there.
Whatever you say about Verdi, at least he bothered to compose roles specifically for mezzo-sopranos (Amnerisin Aida, pretty big part), unlike Puccini who kinda forgot we existed. P.S. I'm a mezzo.
@@Pearl-2003 this is painfully accurate. The other place you find legit mezzos are in Baroque operas, and occasionally in Handel. But I'm hoping to see more in modern rep! Mennotti certainly didn't shy away from all the ranges
@@TheSpaceHipster Mozart composed some roles for mezzos aswell so did Rossini (Rosina Angelina). Outside of Italian rep big props to Bizet for composing an opera whose heroine is a mezzo. Also sidenote Carmen is a banger of an opera.
While it may not be as impressive as Beethoven's version, check out Paer's Leonora as a great compare and contrast against Fidelio. They are in different leagues but Paer's version is interesting in it's own right. The story is pretty close to verbatim along with the breakdown of musical numbers but the closing out of the second act has some adjustments. Allegedly, Beethoven kept a copy of it in his apartment and was a fan. The overture is worth listening to on it's own just for the opening question it asks before it delves into themes pulled from the opera.
Pavarotti's version is about the very best. Truly one of the greatest singers to have lived. I see this particular live recording referenced more often than other better (of his) recordings, which is confusing to me. He is clearly quite sharp on several entrances. Nonetheless, a fantastic singer that will be remembered and reveered forever.
Another popular opera song you should listen to is Vesti La Giubba from Paggliaci, the translation and what the character is going through is heart wrenching
The Met had a good performance of Turandot earlier this year: first opera I've seen all because of Nessun Dorma. The Met's stage is ridiculously deep; I almost couldn't believe Turandot wasn't being projected into the background during the first act. Also, I don't pronounce the 't' at the end of Turandot since that's how it's sung in the opera like in the first act "è la bella Turandot!"
Honestly, your absolute love for music and the joy with which you break it down are SO infectious, Charles! Thank you so much for your inspiring content and cozy vibes!🧡
My favorite aria is the Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. It’s extremely dense and can be harsh for non German speakers (like me) but it’s one of the biggest climaxes in music
Merci for putting a little enthousiasm in your videos. My favorite opera is La Traviata. It'd be nice to have a Cornellian dive into it's structure, per favore.
You must check out another one from Puccini - the whole love duet in Madama Butterfly. The Jussi Bjorling and Victoria De Los Angeles version. IMO best mix of voices. It's breathtaking! Another one that can reduce you to tears!
For more sick and beautiful harmonies, check out also from Puccini's Toscs "Recondita Armonia" and "Vissi d'Arte". And specially "Ch'il bel sogno di doretta" It sounds like pure jazz!!!
This was a great video! I’d suggest a couple of the arias from “Die Tote Stadt” (The Dead City) by Erich Korngold. “Marietta’s Lied” in particular. Beautiful harmony in those! Korngold was well known for his film scores in the earlier days of film, like “The Adventures of Robin Hood” with Errol Flynn. Awesome stuff.
Sir, listen to more Puccini. There's a reason he's so well known. Maybe try a little Tosca (E lucevan e Stelle, or the Te deum, aka "tre sbirri, una carroza".) I don't know how you could bear to play over Luciano Pavarotti, though. He made that aria his. Also, try watching Yes, Giorgio. The only film Pavarotti ever acted in, and just an absolute delight.
Italian here who grew up in a family of huge opera fans, specially my father. I am seeing a lot of people suggesting to check out Puccini's Tosca ("E lucevan le stelle") and Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci" ("Vesti la giubba"), and I wholeheartedly agree. I suggest, though, to listen to Pavarotti's version of the 2 arias as well. "E lucevan le stelle" at the Opera theatre in Rome (I think it was in the 1990) was incredible: people kept applauding and asking a "bis" for minutes... Pavarotti accepted and sang the aria again... and killed it again! Twice in a row. I would also check "Un bel dì vedremo" from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly"... it's really hard not to feel moved by it.
In case you haven't, check out the Prelude from Tristan and Isolde. As a jazz lover who barely listens to operas, this one is just unforgettably beautiful to me
@@theKobus Yeah man that half diminished 7th chord! Basically every music theory textbook talking about half diminished 7th takes this piece as an example lol
As an italian i'm sad i discovered Pavarotti when he was already dead. But to discover him as an adult, with the capability of understanding what he is actually singing, is a big privilege. I would suggest you (and your audience) to check also "vesti la giubba", especially the "ridi pagliaccio" part, one of the most dramatic piece ever. ❤ thank you for this
I'm enjoy opera a lot. But I do need to be in the right mood to sit through a whole opera. It's nice to just listen to the highlights - the best arias and overtures. The Flower Duet by Bizet never gets old for me. O mio babbino caro is very pretty too. But for sheer pathos that strikes straight to the heart like a bullet "E lucevan le stelle" from Tosca is hard to beat. Watch it in the context of the whole opera, or even on its own and I guarantee you will cry. Even the song is very short. Would love to see harmony analysis of that.
Another tenor aria in a Puccini opera that's amazingly beautiful is "e lucevan le stelle" from Tosca. You can check out versions by Roberto Alagna. Thx for the breakdown! Now I know better why I love this aria :)
"Nessun Dorma" is one of the greatest pieces of music. And Puccini was the Jazz-man among the Opera-composers. Check out also "Mi chiamano Mimi" from "La Bohème". And do check out Jussi Björling's version of "Nessun Dorma", Jeff Beck's and, last but not least by far, Fritz Wunderlich's "Keiner schlafe".
Well, you started with the right guy :) Puccini really has everything. It is the trait d'union between one world and the next. If you could condense the whole essence of his music into one word, that word would have to be "gorgeous".
Hi Charles, I really love what you do! What you think is a D7 V chord is not! It's actually a Ebm7M! Notes are the same but the Eb/Bb bass fifth is even more exciting ! Keep going!
ua-cam.com/video/E_8KQ8G7AzQ/v-deo.html Not opera but the welsh national anthem in unironically good. I'm English and I should scoff but I even brings me to tears and makes me nostalgic for the old country that ISNT EVEN MY OLD COUNTRY!
The 2006 Olympics opening ceremony performance of it tho- especially once you know more about the context of the performance- never fails to make me cry...
Some ideas for more awesome operatic arias: Vissi D’arte - Puccini (again) - Tosca Queen of the Night - Mozart - Magic Flute Czardas - Strauss - Die Fledermaus (this one may have less broad an appeal but it’s vocally demanding) Musical Theatre (The stuff everyone knows - Music of the Night from Phantom, any number of pieces from Les Mis, If I Can’t Love Her from Beauty and the Beast [only performed in broadway version], and a piece that never fails to make me weep through its sheer simplicity, Sunday from Sunday in the Park with George by Sondheim [RIP] - I could go on) But one MT piece deserves a sort of special mention here - How Beautiful the Days from The Most Happy Fella by (of all people) Frank Loesser, who wrote Guys & Dolls. The two musicals could NEVER have come from the same composer if you were to listen to them having never heard them before. Going from “Sit Down, you’re Rocking the Boat” (I got a standing ovation in the middle of the damn show for that one!) to what is closer to an operetta than a musical is insane. But what’s going on harmonically in the latter parts of …Beautiful the Days could be a Harmony IV final exam. Not-really-opera (we vocalists call it popera) The Prayer - David Foster (?) - Popularized by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion I hope you hit at least one or two of these if you haven’t already. I like your style and analysis. You don’t obsess over every single chord.
I'm an opera singer, a tenor. This recording was definitely very influential in my inspiration to be an opera singer.. how could it not? Thanks so much for digging deep into the harmonies, bringing a jazz perspective to those of us who don't think of opera in that way as we are performing it, while also exposing it to a whole new audience. For further opera listening, I would recommend the following: "La fleur que tu m'avais j'etee" from Bizet's 'Carmen' - Lots of interesting harmonies, especially near beginning and end "Che gelida manina" from Puccini's 'La Boheme' - More Puccini deceptive cadences and key changes.not as many crunchy extensions, but the aria is plaintive, and it really lets the voice soar.
As someone who studied piano as a kid for 5 years, I think watching this video at that time would have changed my life. Music theory was always dry for me, not completely, but mostly. Maybe it was the teaching, maybe I'm not smart/creative enough, maybe the fact that my mom signed me for piano without even asking (lol) but anyway, this really makes me want to crack open my piano and start exploring every possible feeling I can get from harmonies. Exciting! Subscribed 👍
And in the full opera the resolution to the I chord (D) in root position never happens, it finishes in first inversion as it had done previously and then goes on to the rest of the opera. Thanks Charles, your enthusiasm is infectious and I love the way you explain the harmony as so modern, that it could almost be a pop song. And yes I love opera. I hope you do a few other stunning moments. I will definitely post some suggestions!
They played this as the final song at my granddad's funeral. He was a big fan and we often likened him to Pavarotti as he was a portly gent with a beard who sang at church every week. Miss you, Terry. ❤️
Okay, you need more Opera recommendations and, as a bonafide Wagnerian, I must recommend Wagner, but not Walkürenritt, which everyone knows. Listen to the immense harmonies in the Prelude and Liebestod to Tristan und Isolde. Wagner will bring you right up to a dominant and then be like, "No functional resolutions; would you like a chromatic mediant instead?" Most music historians consider this Opera to be the first step on the way to the Second Viennese School and atonality. As far as which performance to use, there is only one: Karajan conducting and Jessye Norman singing. Her voice is amazing: ua-cam.com/video/4n042id3FIM/v-deo.html
Also, Mozart is actually one of my all time favorite Opera composers. His ensemble bits are just fantastic. Opening scene to Don Giovanni, the entire first act of the Magic Flute, and any point in the Marriage of Figaro where you have more than one singer on stage and the orchestra playing.
So glad you enjoyed! I'm a classical musician, a teacher and a big opera fan. It was very fun to see you discover Puccini, it made me look at it in a new light. I never thought to put the chords down on a keyboard, it's funny to see the differences between how you and I listen to and analyze music. I think Puccini is very peculiar in his harmony amongst other opera composers. I'd suggest you keep listening to him for a while if you like it so, then branch out to other romantic composers - Verdi might do it for you. For now I'd recommend "Tosca" by Puccini, specifically two arias : "E Lucevan le Stelle", another tenor aria, and "Vissi d'Arte", this time a soprano aria. Very intense, very epic. Awesome. And then, if you like crazy harmonies, you might really enjoy Wagner. His operas are extremely long, and to be honest, I mostly listen to the overtures - introductions only played by the orchestra. But they're mindblowing! The "Prelude" from "Lohengrin" feels to me like one of the greatest pieces of music of all time, and the "Prelude und Liebestod" of the third act of "Tristan und Isolde" also. Then you can go over the Mahler and his symphonies, etc... The XIXth century was extremely interesting musically, and you'll find that romantic composers had already crossed a lot of borders! I cross my fingers that you Charles, or other people will come across this comment and go to listen to some more music. Have fun everyone!
When I was a little kid, I’d say “can we listen to singing man?”, meaning Pavarotti. During the crescendo of this song, I always was hit with a whoa factor.
Now imagine appreciating & dissecting this aria within in the harmonic, dramatic, vocal, & poetic context of the whole opera. Truly heartbreaking & so beautiful because of it… and you start to hear hints of it long before, so by the time you get to it, your heart & mind have been completely ripped apart. That will make you an opera fan.
Extra thing for the opening: The text is "nobody sleeps" although it's a calm quiet night and people should. The constant alternation between this quite dissonant dominant and not fully resolved tonic, with a very soft way to resolve by sliding all the notes, perfectly embodies this calm but sleepless stillness. It's absolutely masterful word painting.
My high school band played this song (this would have been almost 15 years ago) and I was given the solo (played on the Flugelhorn instead of sung) so this song will always hold a special place for me.
The opening chords you’re not quite correct with D7 b9b13, there is an Eb in there but it’s actually in the bass. So it’s a D7#5 sitting on Eb (or Eb5) which gives it the “crunch”
This definitely is one of the pieces that inspired me to sing opera in college. And if I'm being honest, it was Pavarotti alone who I could blame. While at first I admired the melodies, I later got obsessed with the architecture of opera music. I eventually got a music composition degree and I attribute some of my pieces to having operatic elements, but for other genres.
It's so lovely to see people coming to terms with loving, appreciating, and admiring opera. It doesn't matter when you started giving a damn about operatic songs and music and performances... As long as you breathe in and just... Listen. A joyful video and a powerful message. Thank you.
I'm not an opera fan. I don't understand italian. But this brilliant piece of music gives me goosebumps and brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. It is simply the essence of beauty.
I implore you to listen to more opera, and ballet! So many great pieces. I've never been to the opera or ballet in in person yet, one day though. Very thankful for youtube 🙏
Another opera piece I like is from Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers, “Au fond du temple saint”. In particular the version sung by Robert Merrill and Jussi Björling, superb. Brings tears to my eyes each time I hear it.
Check out my very special Christmas album made especially for you in fact it is called This Is A Christmas Album because that's what it is ok go listen if you want to: open.spotify.com/album/5hannMkeP65XSOPWdx5wYS
there anywhere to buy it instead of streaming?
Well, I know what's on the playlist during Christmas lunch now! 🎶 (Plus, of course, The Consouls' 2020 Christmas Radio😉)
I will check out your Christmas album now! I’m hoping to hear some Christmas songs on there.
Could you do a video on Ravel's La Valse, or at least selected parts?
(Paris 1998) The Three Tenors - Core 'ngrato ua-cam.com/video/dTq46yOaYWI/v-deo.html
My high school concert band performed this and when we practiced our conductor would sometimes sing along. He was incredible and with great effort we convinced him to sing with us at our concert. It was one of the most amazing musical experiences I've ever had.
that's awesome
I love how “high school music conductor put a song on the list just so they could show off their own chops” is such a universal experience
Band geek here. I teared up reading your comment. I would’ve loved to have been there
Amazing. That's what it's all about, isn't it. 😊
As an Italian myself, seeing an American doing soo many spontaneous pizza hands at the right moment is a life goal
Concordo!!
damn, i need a timestamp now
wait what's a pizza hand?
mhanz
@@johnyeap7133 🤌
I’ve been crying my eyes out to this piece since I was a small child. It’s an absolute pleasure to watch you break it down so enthusiastically.
MARC…. I blast I cried like 2-7 times a day. You are a icon and sex symbol 😅
I've cried to some of your work actually. Keep killing it :)
Really? I’d love to sing it for you
Feel ya Marc, it’s near divinity.
Ah, then you musta loved Vesti La Giubba as well, huh?
I was in college for music education when Pavarotti died. That entire day, the vocal department came to an absolute standstill. At the end of our Music History final that semester, the professor played this and there wasn't a dry eye in the entire room.
I was a freshman in college...generally same.
His death was a great loss to the operatic community.
it was said that there was sunlight in his voice. that day the sun dimmed a little.
Not only was Pavarotti incredibly talented, he was also a genuinely nice guy. I met him with my mum as a kid, and saw him play a guitar behind his head whilst singing. Seems like a fever dream looking back. Truly one of a kind in lots of ways.
Aww that's awesome!
What an amazing experience!
Lucky you!
That is amazing!! I was a caregiver privately and attended the opera often with my boss. We bought the old operas he played in bc he had so much experience with him through The Met and traveling. He is still truly a gift to the world.
Actually he was very arrogant apparently
As a lifelong opera fan, I loved your explanation of what makes Nessun Dorma so special. The song combined with Pavarotti's unimaginably perfect voice really makes this one of, if not the, best recordings of an opera piece of all time. Another incredible opera piece you might want to check out would be the sextet ("Chi mi frena in tal momento?") from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor;" it has incredible melodies for all six singers and is one of the only other pieces that can make me cry with happiness just from listening to it. Highly recommend it!
Only two opera pieces (one aria and one sextet) make you cry? Have you been exposed to opera? I could have an endless list here of arias, duets, trios, ensembles, intermezzi, etc. that make me and anyone cry.
@@lifeisgood3087 I actually used to live not far from the Mariinsky Theater in St Petersburg, Russia, and in the last year alone have been to sixteen operas in three countries. And that's not counting my Met Opera subscription which is always on in the background. Yes, I have been exposed to opera; I just don't cry easily.
If this song doesn't overcome you with emotion, there's something wrong! Not only is the music hauntingly beautiful, but good Lord... the emotion he evokes is as powerful as his vocal chords!
Right?? I genuinely tear up every single time I listen to this for no reason at all. It’s just overwhelmingly good
Yup! Chills. Every.time!!
The first time I heard a recording of this performance, I burst into tears. I still do sometimes when I listen to it. I'm really excited to hear your take on *why* it has that effect on people.
You brought it! This video did not disappoint, and I will probably rewatch this quite a lot in the coming weeks.
I'm looking forward to listening to your Christmas album, too!
(Paris 1998) The Three Tenors - Core 'ngrato ua-cam.com/video/dTq46yOaYWI/v-deo.html
It took me literally almost two decades of one-on-one voice lessons - the last six with a gentleman who conducted Pav while he was still with us and continues to coach Domingo and other world-famous opera stars internationally. How I managed to snag an opening in his studio remains a mystery to me, but I am forever grateful. When I finally made the connection (ha) as to how to get that head-chest blend to persist beyond the second passagio without forcing the larynx down or overblowing or cracking or etc., I was in tears. He took me up to a C# that day - prior to then I could sing a B-flat perhaps six times per year, if the moon were full, on a Tuesday, and I’d just eaten scallops (I joke). After that lesson a high C is child’s play. How strange the voice is, with all its training plateaus.
❤
Check the Overture of Tannhäuser (Wagner) an energetic piece and the whole Madama Butterfly (also Puccini), with the indescriptible aria “Un bel dì, vedremo”, probably the saddest piece of music together with the Barber Adagio.
As an opera coach, I'm always thrilled by this opera, and Puccini is on my tier S of opera composers. It's very exciting to know that even musicians who are outside this field can get fascinated by it ❤️
You are an opera coach? Wow cool, I love singing opera
@@nickevershedmusic8927 well yes, or at least I found this term works too. The official one is repetiteur, just look for it ☺️
@@matteofailla review my opera singing on previous videos if you will?
Here you can listen to Pavarotti in his prime. So incredible that I'd only match that performance against Jussi Björlings best. Enjoy!
ua-cam.com/video/Q_hLh4qCqpg/v-deo.html
I think that knowing the lyrics adds to the emotional intensity of the music (and go watch the whole opera, it's amazing):
None shall sleep!
None shall sleep!
Even you, oh Princess,
In your chilly chambers,
Watch the stars
That tremble with love
And with hope.
But my secret is locked within me:
No one shall know my name,
No! No!
Over your mouth I shall tell it,
At light's first shine.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine
(Choir: No one shall know his name and we must, alas, die)
Dissipate, o night!
Vanish, stars! Vanish, stars!
At dawn, I shall win!
I shall win!
I shall win!
It sucks that something is always lost in every translation. The word "vincerò" in this instance seems to translate with the least fidelity. I feel like it may have something to do with replacing a vowel with a weak consonant sound at the very end..
Having your tongue pressed to the top of your pallet for an "N" just isn't as expressive or passionate as a full-throtled "OHHHHHH."
It’s definitely a thing but most singers can understand that connotation. Choosing lyrics is important.
@@aaronleblanc9276 Absolutely, and my English isn't perfect, so I'm sure my translation could have been better too. I just love opera, and I feel that the lyrics and the story are such an important part of the experience (though a jazz musician understandably tends to focus on the notes). Thinking of what you said, I also feel that maybe "to overcome" would be a better translation. It's probably more "triumphant" than simply "to win", and the vowels are stronger.
Yep, thanks for bringing up the lyrics. Perfectly dovetails with Charles's discussion of the first two chords: "NONE" (on the crunchy dissonant chord) resolving to "SHALL SLEEP".
This is the greatest performance of one of the greatest songs of all time. Hands down. No one comes close to Pavarotti. Timeless and emotional
The choruses of both Nessun Dorma and Con te partirò instantly bring me to tears every time, even after all these years. Just phenomenally beautiful music
Yes, I'll second this! I'd enjoy seeing a breakdown of con te partiro
Con te Partirò is a pathetic attempt at music popularised by Bocelli who IS NOT an opera singer. He is a pop singer. Bocelli is not fit to lick the soles of Pavarotti's shoes and it is a travesty that he has become so famous. Go and listen to some real opera by the Italian masters instead of indulging such total rubbish
Any chance you have a recording of just playing it? I mean the commentary is incredible, and makes it a lot easier to digest, but I would love to hear your take on a rendition.
This is my favorite of Luciano Pavarotti’s signature songs, a close second is O Sole Mio. I am not a musician, can’t even read music, but these 2 songs give me goosebumps every single time ! Just goes to show one doesn’t need to be an opera lover to love these songs.
Best analysis of Nessun Dorma I have seen so far. More of that (of just any song) please!
I saw the thumbnail and I already knew exactly which performance this was. Truly incredible.
"E lucevan le stelle" from Tosca. One of my all time favorite arias. Absolutely beautiful.
Pavarotti's rendition of this aria makes me weep every time I hear it. Just extraordinary. Thanks for analyzing some opera Charles. 💜
Queen of the Night Aria was pretty amazing
Back when I was a college student, I was asked to be a fill in a trombone part for our school opera performance for the year. We were doing Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele and it was the most fun I had playing music. Definitely check out the epilogue/finale for that beautiful tension/release!
Could that mystery chord have been thought of by Puccini as superimposing an Eb major triad an octave up over a D9? That's a move that certainly creates tension.
Superb breakdown. Of course, if you're a Brit of a certain vintage, Nessun Dorma - especially sung by Pavarotti -is achingly familiar. In an inspired decision, the BBC chose it as the theme for their coverage of the 1990 World Cup in Italy. The opening broadcast had viewers asking: "What IS that tune?". By a few games in, you couldn't go anywhere without hearing it, from open apartment windows, from bars, from shops, anywhere there was a TV showing a game. Which was EVERYWHERE. By the end of that glorious summer of football, everyone in the street was whistling it. Even now, 32 years later, those opening chords don't evoke opera. They will forever stand for football, with all its agonies and ecstasies.
It's not a song, it's an aria.
There is no bigger Big Finish than the Big Finish of “Nessun dorma” - on “vincerò”, “I will win!” The title means “no one sleeps” and no one who is listening to it does. There’s no more perfect apotheosis of intensity, anticipation, & climax in music. And the relationship he (“Calaf”) is singing about, is a virtually impossible mountain to climb, “Turandot”, the ice queen, has put every single one of her suitors to death up to the point “Calaf” shows up to try his luck at the great riddle she poses & he has to answer to win her hand or die. That’s the context and EVERYTHING in the words & music support that moment. That is greatness in music. And, oh yeah, no picnic for that category of tenor to sing, demanding, exposed, and encourages all of the things that undermine well-supported tone emission. Hard not to get excited and blow the B natural at the end! Pavarotti’s version is a triumph in itself as he sings of triumph. Also listen to Jussi Björling’s version, as well. Absolutely fearless.
That same 7 note progression starting at 1:06 in this video is found in the first movement of Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto and a variation of it again in the 3rd movement as part of the main theme except it might be in a different key. You can hear it at 2:32 in this recording.
ua-cam.com/video/oD5pqlDPCHc/v-deo.html
BTW IMO this is my favorite piano concerto and this is a great performance. Except for Bizet's Carmen, all of my favorite operas and arias were written by Puccini.
Pavarotti performed a great version of Turandot in the Forbidden City in Beijing China you can see on UA-cam and Placido Domingo gave a great performance at the Metropolitan Opera which was recorded on a DVD by Deutsche Grammophon.
Fantastic job like always Maestro. Puccini wrote amazing arias of this style. I think Mi chiamano Mimi should be your next Puccini analysis
I love that aria. The build up is ✨sublime✨
There’s no question of the proper pronunciation.
Turandot comes from the Persian “Turandokht” meaning “daughter of Turan”. Note that English “daughter” is the cognate of “dokht” akin to German “Tochter”
In any case the “t” is pronounced. The word isn’t French in origin, where the “t” would be silent.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turandot#Origin_and_pronunciation_of_the_name
Puccini and Debussy are absolutely brilliant musical painters who can always keep their music interesting with rich and colorful ideas.
i see what you did there
Puccini has alot of beautiful music, and my favorite is LA musetta
Professional Opera singer (Bass-Baritone) and casual composer here! So so happy you are delving into the Opera repertoire with this video, Charles! Made my day. Here is a quick list of suggestions!
Puccini is possibly the best way to get into Opera. It is some of the most "accessible" yet complex music in the rep. La Boheme is a GREAT place to start. From the get (Questo ma rosa) you are thrown into an adventure of sound, and then treated to some lovely delicate and sweeping melodies that provide a perfect foreground to the parisian Christmas Eve setting. I also LOVE Puccini's 'La Fanciulla Del West.' There is a fabulous motif that represents the female hero, and it blares as soon as she enters. Very romantic and bold, and I love that an italian opera exists about the American Wild West. Another well known tune is "vesti la giubba" from the Opera "Pagliacci." Very bombastic melody, and the epitome of operatic melodrama. "La Donna e Mobile" from La Traviata is a famous piece, but very musically simplistic to the modern ear. (I'm not a huge fan of Verdi Opera, I'm sorry. He just cranked out a bunch of the same basic stuff.) Mozart is obviously fabulous- many of his operas are commonly performed in English as well, so that can be a good gateway into Opera! The Magic Flute is a great example of this. It is classified as a 'Zingspiel,' and was traditionally meant to be performed in the language of the audience. The Queen of the Night aria is the most famous and impressive piece from the opera. The Overture to Marriage of Figaro is also iconic and exciting. I would also suggest checking out Beethoven's one and ONLY opera, 'Fidelio.' The Overture and the tenor aria that opens act 2 are especially striking, and really cut deep, especially if you can find a translation to read. Hope this helps!
Ben
Fidelio is fantastic! Vastly under appreciated. I sometimes feel like people say they don’t like opera, but have only heard Puccini, Wagner or Verdi - and sure, they are often good starting points, but there’s so much more out there.
Whatever you say about Verdi, at least he bothered to compose roles specifically for mezzo-sopranos (Amnerisin Aida, pretty big part), unlike Puccini who kinda forgot we existed. P.S. I'm a mezzo.
@@Pearl-2003 this is painfully accurate. The other place you find legit mezzos are in Baroque operas, and occasionally in Handel. But I'm hoping to see more in modern rep! Mennotti certainly didn't shy away from all the ranges
@@TheSpaceHipster Mozart composed some roles for mezzos aswell so did Rossini (Rosina Angelina). Outside of Italian rep big props to Bizet for composing an opera whose heroine is a mezzo. Also sidenote Carmen is a banger of an opera.
While it may not be as impressive as Beethoven's version, check out Paer's Leonora as a great compare and contrast against Fidelio. They are in different leagues but Paer's version is interesting in it's own right. The story is pretty close to verbatim along with the breakdown of musical numbers but the closing out of the second act has some adjustments. Allegedly, Beethoven kept a copy of it in his apartment and was a fan. The overture is worth listening to on it's own just for the opening question it asks before it delves into themes pulled from the opera.
Pavarotti's version is about the very best. Truly one of the greatest singers to have lived. I see this particular live recording referenced more often than other better (of his) recordings, which is confusing to me. He is clearly quite sharp on several entrances. Nonetheless, a fantastic singer that will be remembered and reveered forever.
Sideways:-"he says geez she's so thick I'm totally gonna win jeopardy tomorrow"!
Everyday I await the reprise of his leitmotif.
I miss sideways so much it hurts 😭
Does anyone know where he went/what happened?
"Pavarotti hit that last note like it owed him money."
Another popular opera song you should listen to is Vesti La Giubba from Paggliaci, the translation and what the character is going through is heart wrenching
I adore Pavarotti's version of Vesti La Giubba, but I find Placido Domingo's filmed version of UA-cam to be very well acted and so very sad.
RIIIIIIIDIIIIII
The Met had a good performance of Turandot earlier this year: first opera I've seen all because of Nessun Dorma. The Met's stage is ridiculously deep; I almost couldn't believe Turandot wasn't being projected into the background during the first act. Also, I don't pronounce the 't' at the end of Turandot since that's how it's sung in the opera like in the first act "è la bella Turandot!"
Honestly, your absolute love for music and the joy with which you break it down are SO infectious, Charles! Thank you so much for your inspiring content and cozy vibes!🧡
My angry letter:
T
My favorite aria is the Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. It’s extremely dense and can be harsh for non German speakers (like me) but it’s one of the biggest climaxes in music
@João Pedro Lessa it absolutely is
Merci for putting a little enthousiasm in your videos.
My favorite opera is La Traviata. It'd be nice to have a Cornellian dive into it's structure, per favore.
You must check out another one from Puccini - the whole love duet in Madama Butterfly. The Jussi Bjorling and Victoria De Los Angeles version. IMO best mix of voices. It's breathtaking! Another one that can reduce you to tears!
Not opera fan ! Im Amira fan!
For more sick and beautiful harmonies, check out also from Puccini's Toscs "Recondita Armonia" and "Vissi d'Arte". And specially "Ch'il bel sogno di doretta" It sounds like pure jazz!!!
Chi bel sogno is absolutely sublime!
Dude, I love you! You express what I feel about his piece and opera in general so damn well! Love how you go bananas, me too!
This was a great video! I’d suggest a couple of the arias from “Die Tote Stadt” (The Dead City) by Erich Korngold. “Marietta’s Lied” in particular. Beautiful harmony in those! Korngold was well known for his film scores in the earlier days of film, like “The Adventures of Robin Hood” with Errol Flynn. Awesome stuff.
Turandot is not one of the best opera's written by Puccini. Madame Butterfly and La Boheme are 10 times better than Turandot.
Thanks Charles for encouraging me to appreciate one of the few forms of music that I have never really enjoyed much.
Sir, listen to more Puccini. There's a reason he's so well known. Maybe try a little Tosca (E lucevan e Stelle, or the Te deum, aka "tre sbirri, una carroza".)
I don't know how you could bear to play over Luciano Pavarotti, though. He made that aria his.
Also, try watching Yes, Giorgio. The only film Pavarotti ever acted in, and just an absolute delight.
Italian here who grew up in a family of huge opera fans, specially my father. I am seeing a lot of people suggesting to check out Puccini's Tosca ("E lucevan le stelle") and Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci" ("Vesti la giubba"), and I wholeheartedly agree. I suggest, though, to listen to Pavarotti's version of the 2 arias as well. "E lucevan le stelle" at the Opera theatre in Rome (I think it was in the 1990) was incredible: people kept applauding and asking a "bis" for minutes... Pavarotti accepted and sang the aria again... and killed it again! Twice in a row. I would also check "Un bel dì vedremo" from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly"... it's really hard not to feel moved by it.
Why not adding also “Recondita Armonia”, such a wonderful piece
You might wanna check out "E lucevan le stelle" and "Vesti la giubba". I think those will blow your mind as well.
In case you haven't, check out the Prelude from Tristan and Isolde. As a jazz lover who barely listens to operas, this one is just unforgettably beautiful to me
the chord! it's a cool chord
@@theKobus Yeah man that half diminished 7th chord! Basically every music theory textbook talking about half diminished 7th takes this piece as an example lol
I undersign listening to Tristan. Have to include the Liebestod though.
Also, Brian Wilson uses the Tristan chord in "God Only Knows."
If you are a jazz lover, the opera Salome will be right up your alley.
Ps do more of opera musical pieces
angelic and superb!
Would be amazing to watch you do a similar video/reaction to Pagliacci; “Vesti La Giubba” !!
You should listen to Schubert - Erlkönig. I'm sure you'll love it.
As an italian i'm sad i discovered Pavarotti when he was already dead. But to discover him as an adult, with the capability of understanding what he is actually singing, is a big privilege. I would suggest you (and your audience) to check also "vesti la giubba", especially the "ridi pagliaccio" part, one of the most dramatic piece ever. ❤ thank you for this
No angry comments about pronunciation. Au contraire. It is charming. You are very cute. Warm greetings from Florence, Italy.
I'm enjoy opera a lot. But I do need to be in the right mood to sit through a whole opera. It's nice to just listen to the highlights - the best arias and overtures. The Flower Duet by Bizet never gets old for me. O mio babbino caro is very pretty too.
But for sheer pathos that strikes straight to the heart like a bullet "E lucevan le stelle" from Tosca is hard to beat. Watch it in the context of the whole opera, or even on its own and I guarantee you will cry. Even the song is very short. Would love to see harmony analysis of that.
Delibes, not Bizet. But yes, absolutely gorgeous
@@dinobuddy ah yes, from the opera Lakmé
I find that subtitles help a great deal
try any other Puccini opera. It's all wonderful music! Boheme, Tosca, Suor Angelica, La Fanciulla del West,
Another tenor aria in a Puccini opera that's amazingly beautiful is "e lucevan le stelle" from Tosca. You can check out versions by Roberto Alagna. Thx for the breakdown! Now I know better why I love this aria :)
You should listen “vesti la giubba” from leoncavallo for some other badass opera music
"Nessun Dorma" is one of the greatest pieces of music. And Puccini was the Jazz-man among the Opera-composers. Check out also "Mi chiamano Mimi" from "La Bohème".
And do check out Jussi Björling's version of "Nessun Dorma", Jeff Beck's and, last but not least by far, Fritz Wunderlich's "Keiner schlafe".
Well, you started with the right guy :) Puccini really has everything. It is the trait d'union between one world and the next. If you could condense the whole essence of his music into one word, that word would have to be "gorgeous".
Hi Charles,
I really love what you do!
What you think is a D7 V chord is not! It's actually a Ebm7M! Notes are the same but the Eb/Bb bass fifth is even more exciting !
Keep going!
Mate, just watching you explode with incredulity/joy reinforced it in my own head.
I was yelling along with you (embarrassing in the golf club)
Actual opera singer here. Thanks for highlighting some of the gorgeous and dramatic harmonies we love!!
ua-cam.com/video/E_8KQ8G7AzQ/v-deo.html
Not opera but the welsh national anthem in unironically good. I'm English and I should scoff but I even brings me to tears and makes me nostalgic for the old country that ISNT EVEN MY OLD COUNTRY!
The 2006 Olympics opening ceremony performance of it tho- especially once you know more about the context of the performance- never fails to make me cry...
world cup 1990 vibes
Some ideas for more awesome operatic arias:
Vissi D’arte - Puccini (again) - Tosca
Queen of the Night - Mozart - Magic Flute
Czardas - Strauss - Die Fledermaus (this one may have less broad an appeal but it’s vocally demanding)
Musical Theatre
(The stuff everyone knows - Music of the Night from Phantom, any number of pieces from Les Mis, If I Can’t Love Her from Beauty and the Beast [only performed in broadway version], and a piece that never fails to make me weep through its sheer simplicity, Sunday from Sunday in the Park with George by Sondheim [RIP] - I could go on)
But one MT piece deserves a sort of special mention here - How Beautiful the Days from The Most Happy Fella by (of all people) Frank Loesser, who wrote Guys & Dolls. The two musicals could NEVER have come from the same composer if you were to listen to them having never heard them before. Going from “Sit Down, you’re Rocking the Boat” (I got a standing ovation in the middle of the damn show for that one!) to what is closer to an operetta than a musical is insane. But what’s going on harmonically in the latter parts of …Beautiful the Days could be a Harmony IV final exam.
Not-really-opera (we vocalists call it popera)
The Prayer - David Foster (?) - Popularized by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion
I hope you hit at least one or two of these if you haven’t already. I like your style and analysis. You don’t obsess over every single chord.
Great video, but I don't get why he keeps calling the harmony 'modern', that's just kind of wrong imo
I'm an opera singer, a tenor. This recording was definitely very influential in my inspiration to be an opera singer.. how could it not? Thanks so much for digging deep into the harmonies, bringing a jazz perspective to those of us who don't think of opera in that way as we are performing it, while also exposing it to a whole new audience.
For further opera listening, I would recommend the following:
"La fleur que tu m'avais j'etee" from Bizet's 'Carmen' - Lots of interesting harmonies, especially near beginning and end
"Che gelida manina" from Puccini's 'La Boheme' - More Puccini deceptive cadences and key changes.not as many crunchy extensions, but the aria is plaintive, and it really lets the voice soar.
As someone who studied piano as a kid for 5 years, I think watching this video at that time would have changed my life.
Music theory was always dry for me, not completely, but mostly. Maybe it was the teaching, maybe I'm not smart/creative enough, maybe the fact that my mom signed me for piano without even asking (lol) but anyway, this really makes me want to crack open my piano and start exploring every possible feeling I can get from harmonies.
Exciting! Subscribed 👍
And in the full opera the resolution to the I chord (D) in root position never happens, it finishes in first inversion as it had done previously and then goes on to the rest of the opera. Thanks Charles, your enthusiasm is infectious and I love the way you explain the harmony as so modern, that it could almost be a pop song. And yes I love opera. I hope you do a few other stunning moments. I will definitely post some suggestions!
They played this as the final song at my granddad's funeral. He was a big fan and we often likened him to Pavarotti as he was a portly gent with a beard who sang at church every week. Miss you, Terry. ❤️
I love how you can use music theory to prove 'Yes indeed, mathematically this does slap'
Okay, you need more Opera recommendations and, as a bonafide Wagnerian, I must recommend Wagner, but not Walkürenritt, which everyone knows.
Listen to the immense harmonies in the Prelude and Liebestod to Tristan und Isolde. Wagner will bring you right up to a dominant and then be like, "No functional resolutions; would you like a chromatic mediant instead?" Most music historians consider this Opera to be the first step on the way to the Second Viennese School and atonality.
As far as which performance to use, there is only one: Karajan conducting and Jessye Norman singing. Her voice is amazing: ua-cam.com/video/4n042id3FIM/v-deo.html
Also, Mozart is actually one of my all time favorite Opera composers. His ensemble bits are just fantastic. Opening scene to Don Giovanni, the entire first act of the Magic Flute, and any point in the Marriage of Figaro where you have more than one singer on stage and the orchestra playing.
Would be really interesting to see you analyse Wagner's liebestod from Tristan and Isolde, the prelude from which changed music and harmony forever.
If you love Dorma, you should listen to Franco Corelli sing it.
So glad you enjoyed! I'm a classical musician, a teacher and a big opera fan. It was very fun to see you discover Puccini, it made me look at it in a new light. I never thought to put the chords down on a keyboard, it's funny to see the differences between how you and I listen to and analyze music.
I think Puccini is very peculiar in his harmony amongst other opera composers. I'd suggest you keep listening to him for a while if you like it so, then branch out to other romantic composers - Verdi might do it for you. For now I'd recommend "Tosca" by Puccini, specifically two arias : "E Lucevan le Stelle", another tenor aria, and "Vissi d'Arte", this time a soprano aria. Very intense, very epic. Awesome.
And then, if you like crazy harmonies, you might really enjoy Wagner. His operas are extremely long, and to be honest, I mostly listen to the overtures - introductions only played by the orchestra. But they're mindblowing! The "Prelude" from "Lohengrin" feels to me like one of the greatest pieces of music of all time, and the "Prelude und Liebestod" of the third act of "Tristan und Isolde" also. Then you can go over the Mahler and his symphonies, etc... The XIXth century was extremely interesting musically, and you'll find that romantic composers had already crossed a lot of borders!
I cross my fingers that you Charles, or other people will come across this comment and go to listen to some more music. Have fun everyone!
When I was a little kid, I’d say “can we listen to singing man?”, meaning Pavarotti. During the crescendo of this song, I always was hit with a whoa factor.
Now imagine appreciating & dissecting this aria within in the harmonic, dramatic, vocal, & poetic context of the whole opera. Truly heartbreaking & so beautiful because of it… and you start to hear hints of it long before, so by the time you get to it, your heart & mind have been completely ripped apart. That will make you an opera fan.
Check out Pavarotti singing the aria from Pagliacci, insane harmony on the climax
Extra thing for the opening: The text is "nobody sleeps" although it's a calm quiet night and people should. The constant alternation between this quite dissonant dominant and not fully resolved tonic, with a very soft way to resolve by sliding all the notes, perfectly embodies this calm but sleepless stillness. It's absolutely masterful word painting.
This performance by Pavarotti actually turned me into an opera fan.
My high school band played this song (this would have been almost 15 years ago) and I was given the solo (played on the Flugelhorn instead of sung) so this song will always hold a special place for me.
The opening chords you’re not quite correct with D7 b9b13, there is an Eb in there but it’s actually in the bass. So it’s a D7#5 sitting on Eb (or Eb5) which gives it the “crunch”
This definitely is one of the pieces that inspired me to sing opera in college. And if I'm being honest, it was Pavarotti alone who I could blame. While at first I admired the melodies, I later got obsessed with the architecture of opera music. I eventually got a music composition degree and I attribute some of my pieces to having operatic elements, but for other genres.
One of our history profs was an opera teacher. As I am a pianist, He helped me see the Bel Canto in Chopin. Good stuff.
It's so lovely to see people coming to terms with loving, appreciating, and admiring opera. It doesn't matter when you started giving a damn about operatic songs and music and performances... As long as you breathe in and just... Listen. A joyful video and a powerful message. Thank you.
I'm not an opera fan. I don't understand italian. But this brilliant piece of music gives me goosebumps and brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. It is simply the essence of beauty.
I implore you to listen to more opera, and ballet! So many great pieces. I've never been to the opera or ballet in in person yet, one day though. Very thankful for youtube 🙏
Luciano Pavarotti does this one so good. Just the emotion he puts into every word, you don't even need to know Italian to feel the song.
Listen to Mahler’s 2nd symphony, especially the first movement and end of the last movement, you will surely become addicted to symphonic music!!
How did this video drop as I was watching that exact Nessun dorma performance??
Another opera piece I like is from Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers, “Au fond du temple saint”. In particular the version sung by Robert Merrill and Jussi Björling, superb. Brings tears to my eyes each time I hear it.
Pavarotti's "Vesti La Giubba" from "I Pagliacci" (Leoncavallo) - ua-cam.com/video/Z0PMq4XGtZ4/v-deo.html
@Charlescornell000 yeah sure, right away, I was just waiting for a giveaway package
shows the connection between impressionist turn-of-the-century classical music and jazz.