This is fab! Not only is she singing the Alto version of 'He shall feed' and the Soprano 'Come unto him', but it is all at Baroque pitch, so the low C (or rather B) at the beginning feels properly low. Of course she takes it all in her stride, but rather comes into her own at the key change. Such a class act!
So blessed with beauty & beautiful voice...betcha she has brains too. Listened to Ave Maria & wondered who was singing with such a beautiful voice. This is how I got to learn of Barbara Bonney. Now I have another playlist with her beautiful songs.
Bonney has that very rare quality - a certain "edge" to her voice, which sounds wonderful low, high, soft or loud. Her intonation is utterly immaculate, her vibrato absolutely rock solid. But above all she sounds sublime whatever she sings.
Thank you for posting this exquisite performance. Barbara Bonney is perhaps the only singer of her generation who sings from her soul, and thereby touches the soul of every listener. Magnificent is the only word to describe this performance.
I have been an ardent admirer of your magnificent voice. As you age, your voice just gets better. May it always be so and thank you for your magnificent artistry. Gina Dodds (78), a former singer a long, long time ago. If you give a recital in NYC, please let us know. It would be such an honor to meet you.
"Take His yoke upon you and learn from Him. For He is meek and lowly of heart. And ye shall find rest... and ye shall find rest unto your soul" Oh how beautiful
Never has that hopeful scripture been set to more exquisite music than this by Handel, and it would be a challenge to find a more awesome singer than Barbara Bonney to perform it.
I love her voice because it reminds me people do love God in Christ and there are some who truely care for hope and then don't not notice what a fine gown Ah, beauty all around.
@hockeywifeca: You may be confused by the first section of the aria, which is for mezzo - only the second part "Come unto Him" is for soprano. It's amazing that Bonney can perform both parts that well at this stage in her career - she used to have a very pretty, but very light soprano voice without much low range. The performance is a bit lower than usual, but it is a period instrument performance, and the standard tuning was lower at that time. The sonority of the strings is rather striking.
This is slightly below the written key because it is a historical performance. They use Handel's tuning (from before the international standard was set), which would put it slightly lower. It has nothing to do with Barbara Bonney or her abilities.
Wow! Great mezzo-soprano. Almost as good as my favorite soprano - Maria Callas Maria Callas was almost a three octave soprano. I wonder what Barbara's range is?
Barbara Bonney is a soprano, not mezzo soprano. Also her voice is very different from that of Callas. Incidentally, don't be misled of some fake videos here that took Barbara Bonney's recording of Schubert Ave Maria and added Callas picture and put Callas' name on the title - all of Schubert Ave Maria's recordings with Callas name and picture are actually those of Barbara Bonney. But really, these singers are very different. Callas was a dramatic coloratura, maybe a sfogato who was more famous for her artistry rather than voice. Barbara Bonney is a light lyric soprano who is mostly famous for roles in German operas of Mozart and R. Strauss; also for her performances of art songs, specifically Lieder. Callas on the other hand didn't approach that repertory. In fact, I don't believe there is a single role in opera that these singers shared.
+Joe Smuck barbara bonney is a lyrical soprano. She actually doesn't sound very good here because this song is a bit too below her register. She's obviously a "born-high." She was born to sing very high lyrical pieces. Listen to her Ave Maria or Mozart's mass in C minor or presentation of the rose in der rosenkavalier, she sounds so much better and her voice actually gets clear as she goes high, like a wind instrument. She's not very good on low register, she's not a bel canto soprano or spinto soprano.
My oldest daughter is a coloratura soprano. Maria Callas is actually a soprano sfogato. Figured most folks would not know that definition. Male singers? I love Philip Quast.
+AstriaICOW A friend of mine here in Holland who is a professional baritone told me she sings both the alt part (first part) and the soprano part (2.40). So that would account for the all-over lowish impression here.
Ollie Bollie This song is written for one singer not for a chorus, so there are no parts for different voices (though there are different editions of the complete song). At any rate, even in the original key used here (which is for soprano), this song lies in the middle, and classical singers' range is pretty large so either a soprano or a mezzo soprano could easily sing it. Barbara Bonney is a soubrette/light lyric soprano. "alto" is actually a chorus classification, in opera there are sopranos, mezzo sopranos and contralto. Chorus "alto" generally corresponds to mezzo soprano, but operatic/classical mezzos can go pretty high (look up here video "mezzo soprano and contralto high notes) and classical soprano can go below the middle C.
How could anyone not like Barbara Bonney
She is a gift to earth.
This is literally so true.
This is fab! Not only is she singing the Alto version of 'He shall feed' and the Soprano 'Come unto him', but it is all at Baroque pitch, so the low C (or rather B) at the beginning feels properly low. Of course she takes it all in her stride, but rather comes into her own at the key change. Such a class act!
So blessed with beauty & beautiful voice...betcha she has brains too. Listened to Ave Maria & wondered who was singing with such a beautiful voice. This is how I got to learn of Barbara Bonney. Now I have another playlist with her beautiful songs.
Whoever "disliked" this video knows absolutely nothing about anything. Bonney is a GIFT and this recording is the best out.
Bonney has that very rare quality - a certain "edge" to her voice, which sounds wonderful low, high, soft or loud. Her intonation is utterly immaculate, her vibrato absolutely rock solid. But above all she sounds sublime whatever she sings.
God thanks for Barbara Bonney!!!;she is an angel singing Haendel's music!!!
Two for the price of one! Thank you for these supreme moments Barbara.
Heavenly voice and music from heaven
Simply magnificent. Talent personified.
Thank you for posting this exquisite performance. Barbara Bonney is perhaps the only singer of her generation who sings from her soul, and thereby touches the soul of every listener. Magnificent is the only word to describe this performance.
Well said Ron. We stand in awe before this exquisite, eternal music. So will the generations after us.
I have been an ardent admirer of your magnificent voice. As you age, your voice just gets better. May it always be so and thank you for your magnificent artistry. Gina Dodds (78), a former singer a long, long time ago. If you give a recital in NYC, please let us know. It would be such an honor to meet you.
A magnificent rendition. In fact the best I have heard!
This is so beautiful, with the peaceful tempo of the aria and the peacefulness of the snow scene. Thank you for posting.
Kyrie ivar kleive
"Take His yoke upon you and learn from Him. For He is meek and lowly of heart. And ye shall find rest... and ye shall find rest unto your soul"
Oh how beautiful
Never has that hopeful scripture been set to more exquisite music than this by Handel, and it would be a challenge to find a more awesome singer than Barbara Bonney to perform it.
Magnficent artistry. Love the ornaments. Well sung - mezzo and soprano all in one!
Wonderful single-singer rendition of this inspired and inspiring piece from Handel's "Messiah." Thank you for posting it.
Unnervingly beautiful!
I love her voice because it reminds me people do love God in Christ and there are some who truely care for hope and then don't not notice what a fine gown Ah, beauty all around.
Lovely comment, Cherie :)
Yes, what a huge talent does this lady possess.
Olivier Mosimann ah, Sherie, sorry ;)
Absolutely beautiful!
Meravigliosa, incantevole Barbara Bonney e,naturalmente, W sempre il grandissimo Handel
Best interpretation EVER!
Una bellissima Aria dal Messia di Haendel in un' interpretazione che lascia letteralmente senza parole...
Splendid! Calming! Barbara = extraordinary :)
Yes, her calmness is so beguiling. Beneficent.
Forgot to mention what a beautiful video. Thanks for uploading this. Also subscribed. Good work.
Gorgeous !!!
Our Storyteller. She is a storyteller.
Elle et Haendel forment un couple extraordinaire, émouvant et lumineux.
Sheer joy !
I love it... is very powerfull
@hockeywifeca: You may be confused by the first section of the aria, which is for mezzo - only the second part "Come unto Him" is for soprano. It's amazing that Bonney can perform both parts that well at this stage in her career - she used to have a very pretty, but very light soprano voice without much low range.
The performance is a bit lower than usual, but it is a period instrument performance, and the standard tuning was lower at that time. The sonority of the strings is rather striking.
How do you discover a talent such as this..? Amazing.
Thanks for re-posting in-synch :-)
She has the resonant clear soprano voice.
you're so right!!!
einfach "nur" phantastisch.....mehr fällt mir dazu nicht ein
How absolutely delicious and enjoyable... A treat to the mimd and ears.
listen to her ave maria it mindblowing
This is slightly below the written key because it is a historical performance. They use Handel's tuning (from before the international standard was set), which would put it slightly lower. It has nothing to do with Barbara Bonney or her abilities.
Recording date?
Wow! Great mezzo-soprano. Almost as good as my favorite soprano - Maria Callas
Maria Callas was almost a three octave soprano. I wonder what Barbara's range is?
Barbara Bonney is a soprano, not mezzo soprano. Also her voice is very different from that of Callas. Incidentally, don't be misled of some fake videos here that took Barbara Bonney's recording of Schubert Ave Maria and added Callas picture and put Callas' name on the title - all of Schubert Ave Maria's recordings with Callas name and picture are actually those of Barbara Bonney. But really, these singers are very different. Callas was a dramatic coloratura, maybe a sfogato who was more famous for her artistry rather than voice. Barbara Bonney is a light lyric soprano who is mostly famous for roles in German operas of Mozart and R. Strauss; also for her performances of art songs, specifically Lieder. Callas on the other hand didn't approach that repertory. In fact, I don't believe there is a single role in opera that these singers shared.
+Joe Smuck barbara bonney is a lyrical soprano. She actually doesn't sound very good here because this song is a bit too below her register. She's obviously a "born-high." She was born to sing very high lyrical pieces. Listen to her Ave Maria or Mozart's mass in C minor or presentation of the rose in der rosenkavalier, she sounds so much better and her voice actually gets clear as she goes high, like a wind instrument. She's not very good on low register, she's not a bel canto soprano or spinto soprano.
My oldest daughter is a coloratura soprano. Maria Callas is actually a soprano sfogato. Figured most folks would not know that definition. Male singers? I love Philip Quast.
+AstriaICOW A friend of mine here in Holland who is a professional baritone told me
she sings both the alt part (first part) and the soprano part (2.40). So that would account for the all-over lowish impression here.
Ollie Bollie This song is written for one singer not for a chorus, so there are no parts for different voices (though there are different editions of the complete song). At any rate, even in the original key used here (which is for soprano), this song lies in the middle, and classical singers' range is pretty large so either a soprano or a mezzo soprano could easily sing it. Barbara Bonney is a soubrette/light lyric soprano. "alto" is actually a chorus classification, in opera there are sopranos, mezzo sopranos and contralto. Chorus "alto" generally corresponds to mezzo soprano, but operatic/classical mezzos can go pretty high (look up here video "mezzo soprano and contralto high notes) and classical soprano can go below the middle C.
I N C O M P A R A B L Y SUBLIME
The performance is in a demi-tone below the written one.
listen to her ave maria
Beautiful voice, but I wish she wouldn't breathe between the phrases. She shows with other 'stuff', that she doesn't need to!
Yes it’s because she got old, your body isn’t as strong as before so you need to breathe more
Sigh.....
How could anyone not like Barbara Bonney
She is a gift to earth.