Search - Giuseppe Verdi, Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra :: Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera

BLAZING FIRE, SECURE EARTH, & RAGING WIND!!!!

Impostazione | New York City Area | 06/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Verdi was not a sentimental composer and an effective approach in elucidating what he brings to his music is to use the elements. The emotional idea of water is not often used but seems most apparent in Aida, but even there we don't have anything like a Cavalleria Rusticana. It is according to this objective approach to drama that Verdi acheives his greatest work, and the dominant Fire element brings vehement passion, strong purpose, enthusiasm, and above all, courage.



I think Toscanini understood that better than anyone who preceeded or followed him ... after Verdi. Verdi asked for drama above technique and he referred to this quality as having the "DEVIL" (fire) in the veins, on the back, or inside. This can be accomplished in part by maintaining rather fast tempi, incisive attacks, and linguistic (vocal) accents. Therefore, I would and must, even reluctantly, put Herva Nelli at the front of all other interpretors of Amelia. This is perhaps her finest recording and how perfectly she sings. Beautiful accents with the ever present "in haste" quality makes her irresistable. Her voice even hints at distinction now and then. She will never be a historical Verdi vocal giant, for the voice is what it is, and that is good but not that great. Yet under Toscanini's guidance, what she accomplished is nothing less than perfection.



Merrill is good and delivers a great Eri tu, Turner's diction shines, Peerce is in good voice and sings accurately and the other artists accomplish a standard as well. But Toscanini's direction needs no great voice to lead the way to Verdian bliss. I only hope that I will be able to hear this kind of thing in my lifetime, where the perfection of line, purity of tone, indulgence in fermati, flacid tempi, and academic conducting give way to a more elemental driven approach full of hot fire, solid earth and powerful winds. Verdi needs this!"