Maureen Forrester - He was Despised (Messiah)

[@skyealgleb]

It is December 2024, and I am listening to this Angel!

[@WIanWalker]

Maureen Forrester was a wonderful artist and true friend and mentor to young singers just waiting in the wings! She was a good friend to me, in the late 1980's and her voice was strong and brilliant to hear every note and nuance! This recording of "He Was Despised", just listen to the low resonance of her chest voice...those are the "money notes". We miss her terribly, she was a wonderful person to all!

[@TheChiesa]

This singer was unknown to me but her performance of the touching aria of Christ's passions made a strong impression on me. The tempo of this interpretation is very slow, thus giving the opportunity to such fine, subtle nuances of phrasing, which make this performance thoroughly enjoyable. It is subleme and exquisite like a gem.

[@marcelomaragno8411]

I had the great pleasure to have Ms Forrester as a teacher in a Master class in Buffalo New York back in 1994. I sang An die Musik by Schubert. She was extremely generous and loving with her comments in relation to my singing and my interpretation of the piece. I was very nervous before my performance because in my mind she was the lady in the cover of a long play record my parents owned in Santa Fe, Argentina when I was a young boy and all of a sudden I was singing in front of her! I remember her as a warm, generous, extremely friendly and a true human artist. All my love, admiration, respect and my best memories for Maureen Forrester!

[@hans895]

Diese Aufnahme spiegelt das ganze Leid der Menschheit wider.Unglaublich beeindruckend und schoen

[@denisalarie914]

A box set of 19CDs of Maureen Forrester is scheduled to be issued in Canada in the Fall 2024. I'm told that there will be only 250 copies.

[@dagg67]

One of the things I love most on You Tube are people writing in different languages. Occasionally I can figure out some of the words. Music is such a universal language and it can help unite us all. I am very thankful. Maureen Forester was a real angle on earth.

[@Equinox1.5]

I love that too :-)

[@TheVaughan5]

A rare, genuine contralto voice - one of the great singers of the 20th c.

[@geertboxstael369]

One of the most extraordinary voices I know. What an interpretation, what a depth! Suffering and pity for whole humanity.

[@Chesterbarnes1]

How wonderful to listen to this moving rendition by Ms. Forrester and her beautiful voice. Hallelujah

[@janinthemix]

A fine contralto and a real trouper. Once or twice I had the privilege of singing in a chorus behind her. This recording is delightful.

[@ywn3]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous! This is the voice I 've been thirsting for since Marian Anderson. And what a dignified and beautiful singing style and wonderful diction!

[@saturne46]

Maureen Forrester est extraordinaire dans ces chants poignants (on pense aussi aux Malher). Quelle noblesse ! Quel souffle infini ! Merci pour ce témoignage précieux.

[@ian.marais1202]

What a soul moving voice it makes chills run down your spine. Maureen Forrester had a fantastic technique and her phrasing and breath support was phenomenal. This is so beautiful. Thank you for posting. ❤❤

[@watsjd1]

Definitely one of the better performances of this great aria on YT

[@DCFunBud]

Outstanding in every way! Such beautiful articulation!

[@hiram242]

She was, indeed, a treasure in earthen vessel. I had the honour of posting her on Find a Grave. God rest her soul.

[@Tenortalker]

One of the greatest singers of the 20th century

[@nmakovic]

Slažem se s tobom!

[@michaeldoyle6702]

Forrester appeared with the Toronto Symphony under Andrew Davis in the 1990's in the Mahler Second. One of those goose pimples concerts.

[@NN-df7hl]

OMG, I feel this voice go down every vertebrae in my body!

[@kapralovasociety]

Forrester and Ferrier, two immortal contraltos

[@edmonddantes6486]

Stunningly beautiful and humble. I feel the same awe when listening to the amazing countertenor ANDREY NEMZER singing SAINT FRANCIS PRAYER. Such humility and inspiration!.

[@robertoramossempere7252]

Una contralto maravillosa a la que poco se recuerda. Su voz, técnica y repertorio eran grandes y magníficos. Incursionó en todos los géneros. Su encarnación de Madame Flora en "La Medium" de Menotti es una de las cosas más impresionantes que he visto en Ópera. Su "Canción de la Tierra de Mahler" me arranca las lágrimas siempre.

[@dagg67]

One of the things I love most on You Tube are people writing in different languages. Occasionally I can figure out some of the words. Music is such a universal language and it can help unite us all. I am very thankful.

[@MaketiHildaTlolane]

I Love this rhythm she has a beautiful farly beautiful voice very steady

[@derwandererwanderer]

This wonderful recording almost certainly comes from a quite rare (and unfortunately deleted from the catalogue) Vanguard double CD, " Maureen Forrester sings Bach and Handel". The band is I Musici di Zagreb and the conductor is Antonio Janigro.

[@anthonela1]

Great voice. From Brazil: Happy Easter!

[@krakatoapinatubo6362]

That was incredible

[@melceliaconstant6885]

Beautiful

[@nmakovic]

Čist, zvonak, neobično lijep i prodoran glas ove sjajne pjevačice jamstvo je užitka slušanja. A kad još vidjeh da je dirigent hrvat Antonio Janigro, raznježih se.

[@BlodwynBeynon]

Beautiful.

[@RainhadoCanto11]

Oh! How beautiful! Thanks for posting!

[@legato699]

Excellent performance and recording.

[@MrContralto]

super voice!

[@tyxikosgatopoulos3094]

So deep yet so mellow

[@monicanasif7977]

Excelente interpretación.

[@nmakovic]

I više od toga!

[@catherine-e9s]

La voix de la Passion !

[@skyhunk]

I am completely torn. There are other artists on KZbin singing the same aria -- Kathleen Ferrier and Nan Merriman to name only two. They are all SO wonderful!! But I suppose as a Canadian I have a bias toward Maureen Forrester. That, and because she sang 'An die musik' with the Ottawa Gay Men's Choir on World AIDS Day in the National Art Gallery Auditorium. She gave us a tip during rehearsal - chew gum to keep your salivary glands flowing to avoid a dry mouth! She did spit out a huge wad before we sang.

[@b.r.1498]

Hi, Ole. I, too, love both Kathleen and Maureen a great deal. In my humble opinion, Kathleen is the superior voice/interpreter of this particular piece. However, Maureen is the superlative talent in her interpretations of Mahler and his lieder. :-) Do you love Christa Ludwig, too?

[@bigowl9408]

As long as you show a bias of faith towards Christ then nothing else matters, for the semantics of this earth will come to pass.

[@skyhunk]

+Brie Richardson I LOVE Christa Ludwig!

[@JenniferBrisk]

Thank you for sharing the tip, she has a gorgeous voice!!!

[@L.H.Aracheski]

❤❤❤❤

[@67Cach]

Gracias por difundir!!!

[@nmakovic]

Zavrijedila je to svojim Božanskim pjevom!

[@rshf22]

Now that youtube no longer restricts the uploaded videos' duration, could you perhaps upload the entire aria?

[@Operafiend22]

@derwandererwanderer Yes, you are correct....they are great cd's! Thanks for providing the name of the orchestra and conductor

[@alfredwkyip]

R.I.P.

[@markiannetta6336]

My favourite version and it’s not close

[@maggiesolihin816]

Sound like a countertenor. Awesome

[@marymc4044]

But with the warmth of womanliness

[@irenabartoszko455]

Contralto

[@NEBUKEDNEZZA]

@dagg67 Dear Dag., On occasion you may wish to switch the choice of language you wish you-tube for you, to be written in. Were you fluent in Greek you could switch to show Greek language and the Greek you-tuber's postings. . That you have selected English and USA content means you get what you get. Some other country you-tubers, never see some things on you-tube, that you see, which are posted by you-tubers in the United States, likewise myself in the UK. . Cheers. from, del-boy.

[@petzie100]

Hi Caould anyone telle me which year this recording is from? Would me interresting. Great voice, and very impressing.

[@emilymaccaull8872]

She looks so much like the actress who played Della Street on the old Perry Mason show.

[@piustwelfth]

Barbara Hale

[@breazy15]

I performed this for my nyssma solo

[@gretchenneisler6820]

Who else is here in 2025

[@최성욱-x2g]

Isaiah 53 3. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 3. נִבְזֶה֙ וַחֲדַ֣ל אִישִׁ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ מַכְאֹב֖וֹת וִיד֣וּעַ חֹ֑לִי וּכְמַסְתֵּ֤ר פָּנִים֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ נִבְזֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א חֲשַׁבְנֻֽהוּ׃ 3. 그는 멸시를 받아서 사람에게 싫어 버린바 되었으며 간고를 많이 겪었으며 질고를 아는 자라 마치 사람들에게 얼굴을 가리우고 보지 않음을 받는 자 같아서 멸시를 당하였고 우리도 그를 귀히 여기지 아니하였도다 Isaiah 50 6. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 6. גֵּוִי֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְמַכִּ֔ים וּלְחָיַ֖י לְמֹֽרְטִ֑ים פָּנַי֙ לֹ֣א הִסְתַּ֔רְתִּי מִכְּלִמּ֖וֹת וָרֹֽק׃ 6. 나를 때리는 자들에게 내 등을 맡기며 나의 수염을 뽑는 자들에게 나의 뺨을 맡기며 수욕과 침 뱉음을 피하려고 내 얼굴을 가리우지 아니하였느니라