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Round One: Le Cid: O souverain, o juge. Marcelin and Herold
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Ah, it is all over (O Sovereign, Judge, o Father)
Ah, it is all over.
My fine dream of glory
and my dreams of happiness
are gone for ever!
You took my love,
now you take away my victory
Lord, I yield to You!
O Sovereign, o Judge, o Father,
always hidden yet always present,
I worshipped You in time of success,
and bless You in these dark days.
I go where Your law commands,
free of all human regret.
O Sovereign, o Judge, o Father,
Yours alone is the image
I carry in my soul,
which I commit into Your hands.
O firmament, azure, light,
spirit from on high bending over me,
it is as a soldier I despair,
but the Christian keeps his faith.
You can come, you can appear,
dawn of the eternal day!
O Sovereign, o Judge, o Father,
the servant of a just master
answers Your call without fear.
O Sovereign, o Judge, o Father
https://lyricstranslate.com
Ah, it is all over.
My fine dream of glory
and my dreams of happiness
are gone for ever!
You took my love,
now you take away my victory
Lord, I yield to You!
O Sovereign, o Judge, o Father,
always hidden yet always present,
I worshipped You in time of success,
and bless You in these dark days.
I go where Your law commands,
free of all human regret.
O Sovereign, o Judge, o Father,
Yours alone is the image
I carry in my soul,
which I commit into Your hands.
O firmament, azure, light,
spirit from on high bending over me,
it is as a soldier I despair,
but the Christian keeps his faith.
You can come, you can appear,
dawn of the eternal day!
O Sovereign, o Judge, o Father,
the servant of a just master
answers Your call without fear.
O Sovereign, o Judge, o Father
https://lyricstranslate.com
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6,317 Posts
BRIEF BIOS OF SINGERS
Marcelin made his professional debut as Werther at the Opéra-Comique on May 6, 1912. The tenor remained a stalwart member of the company for the next 18 seasons, singing a wide variety of roles
Herold he made his stage debut on February 10, 1893, in the title role of Gounod's Faust at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. However, he also sang throughout Europe, including a command performance for King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace in 1905. The previous year, he had made his Covent Garden debut in the title role of Lohengrin. He also sang at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.
Marcelin made his professional debut as Werther at the Opéra-Comique on May 6, 1912. The tenor remained a stalwart member of the company for the next 18 seasons, singing a wide variety of roles
Herold he made his stage debut on February 10, 1893, in the title role of Gounod's Faust at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. However, he also sang throughout Europe, including a command performance for King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace in 1905. The previous year, he had made his Covent Garden debut in the title role of Lohengrin. He also sang at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.
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So did I. There's passion that's largely absent from Herold's.
The vague pitch at the beginning is probably because it's acapella. It's hard to sing in tune and define a key without accompaniment - for example, tenors who sing Lohengrin always struggle with both key and rhythm during Lohengrin's entrance in Act 1 (the only exception I've ever heard was Siegfried Jerusalem on the Abbado recording).
I want a combination of both. Marcelin's conviction was apparent from the first phrase but mostly manifested itself in forceful statements and I thought they were very effective! Herold had the beautiful phrase which this piece needs. I didn't find either completely successful in giving us both sides of the piece but I found both very enjoyable considering the period and the recording limitations. My natural inclination would be toward Herold because I very much come to this art form for the beauty it has. However, I thought Herold was less successful at giving me the other side of the coin than Marcelin, whose take charge of the piece conviction won the day for me.
From a Gramophone Magazine review of the Prima Voce release -
"Herold, who made 200 recordings over 42 sessions, was a legend in his lifetime in his native Denmark, and was also much sought-after in other European centres.
Apparently a singing actor of considerable force on stage, he was a tenor who evinces on this reissue a sense of concentrated intensity as the basic tenet of his style. He was also, stylistically, a well-endowed artist who had the attributes of his age: firm, even tone throughout his range and an innate sense of line and phrasing.
French-trained, his voice shows remarkable similarities with that of his great French coeval, Paul Franz. You can judge the likeness by listening to one of the few items here sung in the original language, that from Le cid, where Herold exhibits in the recitative a rewarding nobility and sincerity recalling the French tenor’s manner.
Both singers also share a quite remarkable control of breath so that Herold, in an exemplary “Celeste Aida”, sings seamlessly through phrases that other singers are forced to break, and at the end he proves that it is quite possible to sing the final B flat piano. Not only does he do that but he holds the note and fines it away to nothing.
Herold has a voice that hovers between the lyric and heroic, the topmost notes not reached without some effort.
"Herold, who made 200 recordings over 42 sessions, was a legend in his lifetime in his native Denmark, and was also much sought-after in other European centres.
Apparently a singing actor of considerable force on stage, he was a tenor who evinces on this reissue a sense of concentrated intensity as the basic tenet of his style. He was also, stylistically, a well-endowed artist who had the attributes of his age: firm, even tone throughout his range and an innate sense of line and phrasing.
French-trained, his voice shows remarkable similarities with that of his great French coeval, Paul Franz. You can judge the likeness by listening to one of the few items here sung in the original language, that from Le cid, where Herold exhibits in the recitative a rewarding nobility and sincerity recalling the French tenor’s manner.
Both singers also share a quite remarkable control of breath so that Herold, in an exemplary “Celeste Aida”, sings seamlessly through phrases that other singers are forced to break, and at the end he proves that it is quite possible to sing the final B flat piano. Not only does he do that but he holds the note and fines it away to nothing.
Herold has a voice that hovers between the lyric and heroic, the topmost notes not reached without some effort.
"Marcelin took part in 1907 in a vocal competition for tenors organized by Comoedia. The first prize was won by Paul Franz, while Marcelin took second prize."
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It's rare and always amazing to hear the end of "Celeste Aida" sung softly, as Verdi wanted it sung.
Maurice Ravel, Arvīds Žilinskis, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Сергей Рахманинов, Hugo Wolf, Giuseppe Verdi
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Marcelin's power impresses me, but that nasality is killer. He's one of the only singers I've ever heard who actually, truly sings nasally, even on oral vowels.
Herold is interesting! I had never heard him at all before now. He sounds like early Jussi in a lot of ways! On first listen, he doesn't seem too keen on legato. I'll have to check him out more.
Just for the record, Franz and Escalaïs have outstanding versions of this aria.
Herold is interesting! I had never heard him at all before now. He sounds like early Jussi in a lot of ways! On first listen, he doesn't seem too keen on legato. I'll have to check him out more.
Just for the record, Franz and Escalaïs have outstanding versions of this aria.
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I frankly dislike both so when I get to this point, the way I need to distinguish is by the voice that pleases me the most.
I actually dislike Marcelin's voice so by process of elimination Herold takes the gold. (did I actuallty say that?)
I actually dislike Marcelin's voice so by process of elimination Herold takes the gold. (did I actuallty say that?)
Herold sounded more resigned and subdued, which is maybe more in agreement with the libretto. But I clearly prefered the passionate and heroic approach of Marcelin
Also the pronunciation of Marcelin was clearer.
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