Jessye Norman: Alto Rhapsody by Brahms

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Alto Rhapsody/ Rhapsodie für Alt-solo, Männerchor und Orchester, Op. 53 (1869). Text: Johann von Goethe
Jessye Norman, soprano
Choral Art Society of Philadelphia (chorus master: Sean Deibler)
Thiladelphia Orchestra
Conducted by Riccardo Muti
April, 1989
_

[@daniellereid01]

The incomparable Jessye Norman. A voice in a million. R.I.P.

[@TSquared2001]

RIP/SIP! So glad to have performed this with her as a Morgan State University student. Never forgotten!

[@reconmrne4life]

Rest in Peace Ms. Norman

[@edhunley]

I'm listening to this while reading Jessye Norman's book, "Stand Up Straight and Sing!". I just cannot put the book down. Anyone who loves her should read it if they haven't already.

[@saundrasamuels6792]

Jesse had a great voice and a kind heart

[@carlosshosta9040]

RIP.... A new star shines in the sky.

[@lonchaneyfanch9568]

Extraordinaire Jessye Norman

[@peterwillig1782]

Beauty and truth in a superb voice. R.I.P. Ms Norman. .

[@drbarbarabaker]

Love love love this piece.

[@snejanav6612]

Magnificent and beautiful, sad, dramatic, if only we had the words of Goethe... until today I had not heard this composition of Brahms. Jessye Norman is sublime in performing it. My mother would have said that she had a tremendous heart, great voice and huge “diapazon”: range as soprano and deep as alto also. RIP you magnificent artistic lady...❤️

[@pilouetmissiou]

Très suggestif accompagnement visuel....très beau bien sûr...même s'il manque un peu de profondeur vocale dans le registre grave.. mais c normal et tout le reste est sublime...merci...c tjrs Jessye...

[@leslieens5406]

Jessye Norman has exactly the right voice by this. Her interpretation is terrific.

[@renatekl]

Faszinierend, wie Goethe hier psychische Probleme erkannt hat. Erlösung aus Liebe! Brahms hat diese Verse genial vertont! Hervorragende Interpretation! 7:52

[@anndonnelly7747]

We miss her

[@erwannarbarz7718]

Merveilleuse interprétation. Brava jessye!

[@gerardbegni2806]

This rhapsody for contralto, men choir and orchestra is rather known and famous. The tone in the beginning is quite severe. Then the atmosphere lightens and we can hear a splendid and very famous aria for the contralto.

[@patrickjohnsonjr8264]

Her German and voice are beautiful a true Diva

[@alguso1]

Belíssima interpretação desta linda Rapsódia de Bahms.

[@user-ru8vy1uz7c]

Браво гениально спето

[@ronenr1405]

Спасибо! Брамс был влюблён в красивую молодую женщину, когда работал над Рапсодией. Но вмешалась Клара Шуман, и как собака на сене- ни тебе, ни мне... Но пьеса осталась на века 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@snejanav6612]

Why put advertisements for laughing cow in the most lovely bit of the song

[@mvcpastkambcstccr8563]

R.I.P.

[@craigoettinger306]

Hark, the Herald Angel sings...

[@fredogerald1475]

My advice to compare with the performance from Christa Ludwig in 1977 conducted by Karl Böhm and first then to make up your personal preference.

[@dr.xavercarvalho1435]

she is a Diosa

[@Cavaradossi44]

Come and visit us on TEMPO Facebook Page

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Well, isn't that sublime?

[@lanjiaojiaozhu2745]

Technically superb Jessye Norman, but sorry, i do not agree she should sing this. The tone colour of Alto and soprano are so different. (much like using a violin to play a viola piece)

[@lanjiaojiaozhu2745]

She has a very strong dramatic voice, but stil she is a soprano. (somewhat like Domingo, who went back to sing Baritone roles)

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

I think she knows better than you what to sing.

[@jandamskier6510]

No, she was and is a dramatic soprano with an excellent voice. But she is not a contralto

[@jandamskier6510]

not unlike? She is not a contralto!

[@mikeb6450]

@@lanjiaojiaozhu2745 Nonsense. She herself switched to alto/mezzo parts. She was never a high soprano and even her opera rep was always in the lower falcon territory

[@jandamskier6510]

Norman is a dramatic soprano, not a contralto.

[@retgrimes]

Her timbre works nicely here. Please refrain from commenting.

[@michaelmich6111]

This lady is amazing. Early in her career (23 or 24 years of age), when asked by an interviewer, "You sing this and you sing that and you got sort of fiorituri possibilities…so what kind of soprano are you exactly?" Her response was, “I think that pigeonholes are only comfortable for pigeons.” Brilliant!

[@jeanpierredevos3137]

She can sing in a large range.

[@anneelbet6881]

@@jeanpierredevos3137 Yes Jean-Pierre; in an interview shown today on TV, she explained she used to sing from age 12 any of the ranges for her choir at church when they were missing some of the singers : bass, tenor, alto and of course she was also a soprano

[@anndonnelly7747]

@@retgrimes I think different opinions are interesting and the replies were instructive