Gerard Souzay-Ravel: Don Quichotte a Dulcinee

[@blackjaguarink]

I had his CDs and sadly had to throw them out with everything I loved because my live was that wrecked. Classical & Folkmusic & Dance 4 ever ❤️

[@christophkirschhofer3916]

Welche Mühelosigkeit, welche Klarheit und welch schönes Stimmtalent. Heute habe ich G. Souzay das erste Mal gehört, und im ersten Moment war ich angetan. Bei ihm ist augenblicklich zu hören, welche Freude ihm das Singen macht. Ach, welch eine wunderbare Entdeckung! Et merci pour poster ça!

[@einalemland]

J'ai 24 ans et Gérard Souzay est mon interpréte favori de Mélodies française depuis des années !

[@fourstrings48]

Moi, j'en ai 69, et je suis complètement d'accord avec vous...depuis des décennies!

[@SwingSwindlers]

This is how music should be kept alive: constantly experimenting with it and developing it, probing the limits of both the listeners and the musical material, not allowing it to be petrified into conformist standards. Every too often we here "this is not how it should be sung". Mr Souzay did it all - baroque, opera, lied - and he never fails to make everything he touches sound much more interesting than countless other, more specialized singers.

[@eoinalllen5951]

Agreed!

[@xav71176]

absolutely !

[@danieljamescarison]

Well said!

[@YoungbloodG]

Beautiful & expressive singing... At the height of his vocal powers in this video, at age 47. As Souzay himself said, "For me, music is limpid and speaks for itself. I can only offer my emotions when I sing."

[@photo161]

Ah, Souzay...! His ever-so-lovely vocal approach embodied such humanity, subtlety, expressivity, and intelligence... the sensitivity with which he delivered the text as if he were composing it as he went along...He gifts each listener with the sense that he is singing directly, and personally to each of us, and only to us...

[@marylinduska491]

One of my favorite cycles sung by the master. Of all the singers I've hear sing this, Souzay is my all time favorite.

[@Rosangela161]

Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this adorable performance.

[@McfPichon]

Magnifique exceptionnel. Un sacerdoce pour la mélodie française.

[@einalemland]

Quelle noblesse ! Gérard Souzay est définitivement mon interprète préféré de Mélodies françaises !!

[@nolanb21]

I'm 14 years old and I can hear the tremendous talent in his voice.

[@AulicExclusiva]

An ideal performance, by the greatest mélodie interpreter, ever.

[@isabeldieguez5214]

Me da alegria que lo recuerden❤❤❤❤❤🎉

[@zriter59escritor33]

Souzay is here in his prime, at the height of his interpretive powers, while his voice's sheer beauty and technical suavity are at their respective peaks as well.

[@i41mok]

I'm speechless... I was fortunate enough to complete my Masters degree under his direction while he resided in Austin, Texas in the 80's. I had no idea these even existed. What a rare joy! Thank you SO much!

[@Ellatigojusticiero]

Que hermosa voz, que hombre tan interesante y fino.

[@leahnewyork]

How wonderful he looks close up! Even though he clasps his hands tightly throughout, his visual expression is so compelling. A marvelous rendition, vocally and, for a concert/film performance, theatrically.

[@ascurtis05]

I'm in college now and my voice teacher gave me a CD of him to listen to. As a Baritone myself, I have something to aim for. ;)

[@FlederKatze]

Amazing artistry! The fluidity of his voice, and the effortlessness floating of the head voice are stand outs. Always love his recordings but being able to see a video was even more inspiring. The old school of less is more, of expressiveness and intensity through the eyes are all very valuable lessons. Thank you!

[@THORPETRACEYCAT]

absolument divin très émouvant digne des plus grands pour l'époque

[@clockWorks10]

This is def my favorite version. Especially the 2nd one. The prayer is just so beautiful.

[@tarakb7606]

Wonderful singing by a truly great artist.

[@helloantonio]

Oh, I absolutely love this! This is so beautiful.

[@natalyamark]

c'est merveilleux!!!

[@paulreeve8069]

Thank you for posting this; I had not heard Souzay sing this for more than 40 years. Still love it as this first time, although this particular selection is a bit more subdued than what I heard in concert. I once had hoped to sing in a concert with somebody else singing the J Ibert's Don Quichotte songs for the movie, but managed to get quite ill, so missed the opportunity.

[@MScJorgePoveda]

Las obras mas conspicuas de la literatura musical dedicada a temas españoles pertenece a musicos franceses e incluso rusos,quienes con grande maestria han interpretado"el espiritu" y el "elan" hispano. Este magnifico interprete frances nuevamente nos pone de relieve esa compenetracion-necesaria e imprescindible-con la musica,la letra y sobretodo el espiritu del Quijote y toda su significacion en la literatura mundial.

[@ngatihine6072]

Beautiful in every way

[@rafaelpelaezf]

Finally I have the opportunity to hear to this famous french music baritone. Thanks. Does anybody have the other songs of the Ravel's cicle sang by Sousay? I would love to hear it !

[@willrobinson1229]

Wow. perfect artistry. Thank you for uploading.

[@hermanzoon]

Wonderful. I have never heard Souzay sing these or seen him in action, so to speak. Such a great artist he is!

[@ettoremonamour]

Brillant!!!

[@glb289]

Priceless!!

[@peterlunow]

doesnt get any better than this

[@thorwickstrom]

magnifique.

[@lpw0021]

BRAVO!!!

[@yeln4tsmusic]

Beautiful. I have a friend who is working on this piece right now.

[@isabeldieguez5214]

0 varonil u tierno ...bello ser!!

[@hernanvuga]

estas chanson son verdaderamente hermosas

[@Tunico1977]

luv him, always!

[@einalemland]

Moi aussi, ce passage à 0:33 est encore meilleur dans la version que j'ai mis sur you tube, sans les images biensûr.

[@Spuuunkransom]

Loved it. Anyone have any suggestions of other music I may like if this was right up my alley?

[@DNA350ppm]

As you don't write exactly what it is that you love about this recording (I also am impressed) I think maybe one can start suggestions with two other baritones who have sung these Quichotte-songs as sensitively to give me goosebumps: Dmitri Hvorostovsky and José van Dam. Do search for them here on KZbin. Enjoy!

[@theKobus]

Renato Bruson doing the Tre Sonetti di Petrarca.

[@Pert_Cobain]

There are only three in the collection - all of them are here

[@legato699]

In Racine's play, Le Cid, Rodrigue says : "Aux âmes bien nées, la valeur n'attend pas le nombre des années."

[@Ellatigojusticiero]

Imagino que Baldwin lo habrá querido mucho.

[@PeterLunowPL]

perfection

[@eli52133]

thanks, i'm like him, too

[@miramar96]

It's called "voix mixte" , a blending of chest and falsetto, and French baritones are especially known for it. The voice type is called a "baryton martin."

[@fourstrings48]

Gérard Souzay was NOT a baryton martin. The term denotes a singer whose range falls somewhere between that of a tenor and that of a baritone, and whose timbre is much brighter and lighter than that of a true baritone. Gérard was a true baritone, one whose voice was neither tenorish, nor tending towards the timbre and range of a bass-baritone.

[@marioriospinot]

Nice.

[@BearMtl]

By the way, Le Cid was written by Pierre Corneille, not Racine!

[@eli52133]

ok! i'm try to find it^^

[@SoulNotes1]

@rafaelpelaezf Search for ANYTHING of this golden voice! I have 2 cd's with lieder and they are fab!

[@WHWrooolz]

when was this originally recorded?

[@liedersanger1]

I am eager to know what year this was made?? Please!

[@rafaelpelaezf]

@SoulNotes1 I you copy those songs on mp3 format and send it to me I would be grateful. :)

[@liedersanger1]

I see it says 1966 at the end of the tape.

[@ulfwernernielsen6708]

David Perkins I don’t believe in “1966” . I have written two comments about it earlier.

[@Elantry]

Ha ha ha la joie!

[@rayaan3395]

Comme par hasard au moment où je lis ça, il le dit ^^

[@SoulNotes1]

@rafaelpelaezf I have finally uploaded a song of his... I will load more if you are interested. Let me know.

[@PeterLunowPL]

try Sheherazade by Ravel sung by Regine Crespin here on youtube

[@ulfwernernielsen6708]

I am not sure but the sound of his voice sounds like in his Decca recordings from the fifties and not as in his later Philips recordings from the sixties, and he looks like a man in his thirties so I don’t believe 1966 .

[@ulfwernernielsen6708]

Here I am again after a month. I have just heard the Souzay Philips recording of these songs from 1968 .That confirmed my hypothesis. This video must be much earlier than 1966 . SO MUCH can a voice not change in just two years.

[@hazzah5450]

5:25 Chanson à boire

[@burtonfan101]

or just check wikipedia

[@AmadeusJMB]

With exception of using falsetto for the high notes...he did an amazing job and was one of the best interpreters of French Melodie.

[@glb289]

You're mistaking a blending of head and chest voice for falsetto. There is no falsetto singing in these selections.

[@PointsUnknown]

Actually, there is a little more rubato than I expected on "et plus à moi qu'à vous madame," and the time at the end of the first song was also a surprise. There is also an exaggerated and probably unnecessary ritard at the end of the second song. But the interpretation is so exquisite, I say we allow him his artistic license (in any case our contributions to the music world will likely not be as prodigious as his!)

[@legato699]

Ah yes, that's right, Corneille.

[@thebananamonkey]

Look at how he's standing though... very strange with the hands there. I can't say i really like him that that much, too wobbly and could be way more tender in points. Just sounds a little cold. And could be more in time with the orchestra

[@bharp4390]

Wobbly? If you analyzed the amplitude of his vibrato, you would find quite the opposite. It's very balanced.

[@golden-63]

@Anduril610 He uses falsetto, not piano. a lot easier! Besides Ravel marked those phrases forte, not piano. So much for "great artistry".

[@glb289]

I didn't hear a bit of falsetto -- perhaps a blending of the registers which is perfectly legit.

[@operamac]

Having performed these songs and listened to countless recordings, I can't say that I particularly like this performance. The phrasing is choppy, and he frequently gets "off the voice" for no apparent reason. I don't think these songs should be blustered or operatically sung, but I actually find this performance to be just a bit sloppy. I have heard Souzay sing much better than this, and I'm baffled as to what he did here.

[@golden-63]

Singing all those high F's piano and falsetto is a lot easier than singing them the way RAVEL wrote them...FORTE!

[@glb289]

You wouldn't know falsetto if it bit you in the butt!

[@giudiciadanna4550]

Un cantante senza una voce e' una trovata. Baritono? Tenore? Basso? Non si capisce. I francesi sono bravi a rendere celebri i loro prodotti. Non si venga a raccontare "grande fraseggiatore"...poteva recitare allora. Sembra che canti sulla stessa nota sempre...sembra solo?

[@BRISEFER6]

Voici la version la plus édulcorée, la plus petite-bourgeoise, et surtout la moins incarnée que j'aie pu entendre. "Je bois z à la joie" parce que même bourré M. Souzay n'oubliait pas les liaisons... Ridicule. C'est parce que le public veut voir un interprète vivre, au-delà de chanter sa partition, qu'il s'éloigne de ce répertoire si riche .

[@emmajulie4707]

+Brisefer Au contraire! C'est très donquichottesque de faire les liaisons

[@marcrodriguez7177]

Brisefer est dans la ligne des âneries de Barthes. Voici l'interprétation la plus sensible, la plus inoubliable, la plus émouvante et la plus parfaite qui soit. et voilà qu'il nous parle des liaisons dont on se moque totalement ! on croît rêver. Il parle d'un répertoire si riche, et qu'on nous montre un seul chanteur qui arrive à la cheville de Souzay dans ce répertoire. J'adore la "plus petite bourgeoise". On parle de quelle époque là ? scandaleux. et quant à chanter plutôt que "vivre sa partition" voilà l'art du chant au sommet et sans comparaison aucune. Qu'il vive le texte pour restituer l'émotion extraordinaire qu'il contient, c'est un miracle supplémentaire. Merci Gérard Souzay. Infiniment.

[@fourstrings48]

Si je ne dis pas ici ce que je pense du commentaire de Brisefer, c'est uniquement parce que je n'ai aucune envie de déclencher une guerre.

[@fourstrings48]

J'ai lu l'essai de Roland Barthes ('Gérard Souzay et l'art vocal bourgeois') il y a déjà plusieurs décennies, et je me souviens encore que ça m'a choqué et offensé. Gérard a été mon ami...et il a été en outre l'interprète de la mélodie française que j'ai le plus aimé.

[@lucedouard]

Grande noblesse d'interprétation, grand respect du texte.