"Depuis Le Jour" from Gustave Charpentier's "Louise." Sung by Eileen Farrell with the Bell Telephone Hour Orchestra conducted by Donald Voorhees. Recorded for June 28, 1954 radio broadcast.
Such a key word 'warmth'. Even big voices need to have benevolence and sweetness. Most large voices tend to rely exclusively on metal and harsh hues that completely limit their ability to sing other repertoire.
These kinds of voices were rare in her own time, let alone now. I have enjoyed Leontyne Price’s live performance of this on RU-vid and I find that magnificent as well.
I saw this on WikiP. The Daily Telegraph stated that she "was one of the finest American sopranos of the 20th century; she had a voice of magnificent proportions which she used with both acumen and artistry in a wide variety of roles." And described as having a voice "like some unparalleled phenomenon of nature. She is to singers what Niagara is to waterfalls."
This soprano was really underestimated,what a gorgeous voice,she could sing everything and sang Jazz later too and equally great.Absolutely stunning,as was Beverly Sills.💝💝💝💝
Grace Moore, Eleanor Steber, Eileen Farrel, Maria Callas, Doro Kirsten, Leontyne Price, Virzinia Zeani, Leyla Gencer,.......and we can add a handfull of other great sopranos. We are so very lucky people that we nowedays can all listen to this great performers, and enjoy their artristy ! To admire their fine taste ! Their beautiful voices. Hans NL
What a beautifully sung rendition from Ms Farrell, what musicianship! - absolutely AWESOME, truly a musical feast for our ears. No young singer these days listens to the masters of the past not to duplicate them and in order to keep the individual characteristics of their voice. And yet that's EXACTLY what the old masters were doing: di Stefano was listening to Kiepura, others to Gigli or Schipa... same went for the ladies. Not these days. The difference is lamentable - noone today sings like the old masters did. Not one of them sings like Eileen Farrell. Most of them in fact have never heard her name. Opera changed, and not for better. Pity.
Stupenda voce poco conosciuta e meno ricordata. Era una dei soprano preferiti da mio nonno, vecchio e scorbutico loggionista del Regio di Parma che sosteneva che la Farrell doveva avrea per forza degli avi "italiani"... :-))
Such glorious singing, cloaked in the haze of audio compression only makes the dream of Eileen Farrell's voice seem more alluring and other-worldly. For sure, this kind of singing and voice has left the earth forever.
Wow...this is sublime! Would have never guessed this was part of her rep. Nice to hear her lighter side as well...A great singer...one of the the greatest!
it is wonderful to hear such a huge voice used with such immaculate control and artistry. Why ever was she not fully appreciated world-wide alongside the "chosen recorded" few? We barely knew about her in England.
An absolutely beautiful clip. Eileen would have been about 34 years of age at the time of this recording. Nearly all of her studio recordings came much later after her voice had become more dramatic in size. At the time of her career, it was not very fashionable to be "an American Soprano," when now several of the best in the world are U.S. Opera singers at that time were largely imports from Europe and the Met. missed out, as did many other concert halls and opera houses. Beautiful voice!!
I can only echo some of the other comments. It's extraordinary to hear her huge voice in this ethereal (and difficult to sing) aria. I was so fortunate to live in Manhattan in the 1950s and see Farrell and Steber (and other wonderful singers).
This is simply the best rendition of this piece that I know. And to think I had never heard of this amazing singer before I found it!! Thank you so much for posting.
Eileen Farrell, "Depuis le jour"....où je me suis donnée, toute fleurie semble ma destinée. Je crois rêver sous un ciel de féerie, l' âme encore grisée de ton premier baiser..... Cet opéra, " Louise", de Gustave Charpentier est très apprécié de nos amis américains, et si peu connu en France de nos jours !...cependant, il est admirablement servi par la bienfaisante soprano Eileen Farrell, ainsi que l' on peut rêver de mieux ! la voix mûre d' Eileen exprime au delà de son timbre chaud et envoûtant, parfaitement l' expression qui convient à la jeune couturière "Louise", qui aime avec courage et indépendance, "Julien" le jeune poète....Par delà ce chant exemplaire et digne, il est bon et courageux de chanter Louise, qui en son temps (1893) exprimait une liberté que tout concourait à condamner. [ la France était alors celle de l' affaire Dreyfus, de Casimir Perier à Felix Faure, dans la foulée de la " commune" de 1871, peu sociale...] Eileen Farrell chante " Louise" en 1954, ce qui est si proche, dans le temps, de cette époque difficile, mais l' eût-elle chanté en 1990, cela aurait apporté le même témoignage de liberté et de courage , la vie avant tout ! et de la sincérité ! D' ailleurs, Eileen le disait, à propos de l' interprétation autant que de l' enseignement, il est préférable d' être sincère et ne pas "s' écouter" chanter... Oui, c' est cela l' honnêteté musicale. Alors on peut tout entendre, ailleurs parfois, des voix surnaturelles, mais cette sincérité là, est extrêmement rare, et sans être unique, elle n' est pas commune.... C' est la signature particulière de Eileen Farell, à mon sens, tout comme celle de Kathleen Ferrier. Eileen savait que Gustave Charpentier était un "social dans l' âme", et le fondateur du conservatoire populaire " Mimi Pinson", pour l' éducation des jeunes filles ouvrières en 1902....entre autres. Charpentier, né en 1860, est mort en 1956 à Paris, juste après avoir dirigé une dernière fois "le couronnement de la muse" ...devant le marché Saint Pierre , aux pieds de la " butte Montmartre"! Un quartier historique, ainsi que je le mentionnais... Charpentier aimait avec passion la "ville lumière", son Paris, il la voulait autre, dans cet opéra comme dans sa vie. Oui, Gustave Charpentier offrait un "vent de liberté", à travers cet opéra léger, et parfois déchirant, auquel néanmoins, l' interprétation de cette magnifique soprano américaine vient redonner par son interprétation unique, la signification profonde et sous-jacente, aussi familiale. Eileen était un être précieux , rare. Eileen Farrell, what a great lady, with a deep and true soul. I really appeciate this singer, full of emotions. Classical operas suit very well to Eileen Farrell, so closed to dignity. I invite you to read her biography nammed " Can' t help singing", probably in relation to Deanna Durbin, another way of life , but a similar soul, clear, beneficiant. Her renditions are often full and generous, but steel remain delicate and sensitive .She had a true voice, she was a gentlewoman, she knew the meaning of friendship. Léonard Bernstein was so closed to her, in similar abilities, a common regard to human being, trough musical life . Christian Guignard from France
Interesting. She was very successful, in my opinion. It's now one of my favorite recordings of the piece. I don't think she ever recorded it, at least not commercially. In her biography, she states how much she loved French music. Thanks so much for sharing. I wish they would reissue more of her recordings on CD.
She had real technique, and she could sing anything. I don't think it was so much that she scaled her voice down for this aria, but rather she sang it how it was intended. People forget that Louise was considered French verismo!
Thank you for posting this! I'm a huge Farrell fan but I have never heard this before. I was actually surprised at how beautiful it is, although I don't know why I should have been. I thought her voice would be too heavy, but she makes it seem just right. Wagner, Gershwin, and everything in between. And it was live!!!
Leçon de chant à toutes celles qui actuellement prétendent savoir. Cette voix énorme qui chante piano comme une Caballé, une autre très grande, c'est miraculeux. Le talent c'est çà.
I agree. It's just a great aria. This performance is absolutely stunning. Check out Eleanor Steber - if you don't already know it,you have a real treat in store. Cheers!
Bravo! I love Eileen Farrell`s vertion of this fantastic aria! I am a huge fan of her - she is a great inspiration for me. Enjoy! What would life be without singing? Nothing! Don`t forget Singing make you happy!
oh wow!! thank you for posting this. I wonder if part of her downturn wasn't simply a change of fashion in singing. But I went back to her Puccini recordings last night and was blown away by the sterling interpretations. Thank goodness we do have what we do have of her recordings, including even the late pop stuff.
Thanks for posting this music. Wonder why she isn't talked about as other well known singers? Sills comment about her Belch = symphony, Lol! Not "stuffy"... how refreshing.
...so underused and under recorded that this poor european opera lover had never even heard of her until You Tube put that to rights. She is in that catagory of singer who's work cries out for wider recognition and appreciation in the 21C. This offering of "Depuis le jour "is up with the very best.
@pjdonagh - I was going to write for 99% the same, what you already wrote!! Goodness me, what a voice, what a breathcontrol, and I feel ashamed I only knew her name, but hardly knew so far what she achieved. So, there is work for me to do! Searching for more and buying records. Thanks for informing us. Its not the 1st time (and the last!) I discover singers after their death....
Non, elle n'est pas française, je vous le garantis! Mais ce n'est pas grave: elle ne chantait pas pour des français. Et elle fait mieux nos voyelles que d'autres américaines célèbres. Je suis sidéré par ce que j'entends: comment une voix aussi puissante peut-elle devenir aussi souple, aussi ductile? Le timbre, le phrasé, le legato, tout est magnifique et émouvant. Et le style est irréprochable, ce qui s'explique par son talent de mélodiste. Nom d'une pipe, quelle chanteuse!!!
@pjdonagh I agree with you. I think the High Brow snobs (ie Bing) didn't give her enough chances to shine here--very stupid. They had a shining treasure right here in America with Ms. Farrell--powerful, ringing , golden voice--instantly appealing.
C'est énorme!!! Parfois il y a des gens qui savent chanter, et à peu près tout chanter. Elle sait. Quelle classe! Wow, bravo... et dire qu'on est en train d'écouter une first class isolde... chapeau l'artiste!
Farrell's versatility, stunning voice, ease with so many styles, and the sheer beauty of her sound have always been a pleasure to encounter. I heard her sing the Immolation finale from GOTTERDAMMERUNG at nearly 50 years ago in Central Park, NY with the NY Philharmonic. A few months later, Beverly Sills' recording of ROBERTO DEVEREAUX was released and Farrell was the Elizabetta, again, demonstrating her range and style. I grew up listening to her recordings in my mother's collection. Farrell is one of the most extravagantly gifted singers ever from this country. She belongs in the same category as Ponselle, Sills, Tucker, Steber, Fleming, etc.
Gregory, Mm. Farrell cancelled that Wagner performance, claiming that when when she awoke that morning, she found herself "hoarse and utterly voiceless." I was there and the Philharmonic played other stuff. Bummer!! I never got to hear her live. It was in early '72.
Oh I SO agree with you about both Ms Sills AND Ms Flemming and I am NOT a Ms Flemming fan at all, but that particular Depuis le jour she sings is magnificent and it's because Charpentier's music lends itself to the kind of lazy scoop Ms Flemming employs and her top piano note is just mind-blowing, gobsmacking and whatever else. But Ms Sills reigns supreme for me too.
In Bing's defense, Farrell's operatic voice fell apart toward the end. I saw her in Recital and in "La Forza". She had trouble gulping in enough air to support that huge voice through high phrases, and her top notes (B and Bb) were precarious. She continued singing pop wonderfully until age 75.
Instead of judging her for what you perceived as weakness in one of the greatest voices ever, why don’t you comment on the sheer glorious sound, perfect control and artistry all of which I heard weekly for years in Ms Farrell’s teaching studio when she was in her fifties; none of which you shall ever hear.
raythespian: There is NO defense of Rudolf Bing when it came to Maria Callas, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Beverly Sills and Eileen Farrell. He created an environment that was far from conducive to many great singers and it was that attitude that Eileen Farrell hated about opera. And a few tenors!
Beautifully sung and interpreted. Only one fault that I could find that disappointed a bit was the note at 4:10 should have been done piano, but Ms Farrell sings it forte.
Why piano? Louise is singing of her happiness at that point. Why not a full-throated, forte top B natural to express her ecstasy? Things do not always have to be strictly one way or the other. There is room for interpretation.
Joana Banyeres vous avez raison.il y a desormais peu de gens qui connaissent l ecole francaise, ou Farrell se montrait examplaire.Capable pour Salome & Herodiade ,Chimene &Infante,Medea & Neris.Alceste inoubliable.Comme aussi en France faisait l immortelle ,inoubliable, colossale & fine a la fois, S.Juyol.
@jd7x7jd it seems that Renne Fleming is using Russian operatic techniques. I know it sounds odd but i heard her sing russian pieces and noticed it is very similar control and transition as it is taught in russian schools. I COULD be 100% wrong
Everyone comments about the great sopranos who sang this aria, and I would like to add 2 names to the ones that seem to be missing: Beverly Sills - in my opinion, the best in this aria, and the Met Gala honoring James Levine with Fleming singing this aria. Amazing that so many voice types can to this aria justice.
Renee Fleming is an outstanding vocalist whose mannerisms (all negatitve in my opinion) now dominate her performances. To me, this is very sad. Many singers would die to have the vocal equipment and technique that she possesses.
Nonsense. I heard her sing the 2nd act of Tristan with the Boston Symphony in the early 70's and she had no trouble whatsoever with that big beautiful voice. However, I will give Bing the benefit of the doubt because as much as I love Ms. Farrell there is no question that she could be as much of a difficult diva as any other soprano and the truth is the reason she didn't have a bigger career was because of the choices she made. We may agree or disagree with those choices, but they were hers.
@windstorm1000 I always liked Farrell, yet I always found it unfair when shde complained (as she did often, loudly, and in public) that she was badly treated at the MET, because it just ain't so.She got plenty of chances, but Bing wanted to promote her more in the German Rep. and she wanted to do the Italian, for which Bing preferred Tebaldi, Price, Tucci, Freni, et.al.
A truly beautiful performance of this taxing aria. But tainted by a fairly crude recording. I'd wager any money it could be digitized and restored without altering Farells great musicianship and artistry.
She has a magnificent instrument, a God-given gift that cannot be taught to anyone. There is a silkiness and beauty of timbre that glows with a kind of sunset light reflected on the clouds, and yet she scoops and swoops up and down to all her notes so that I want to pull my hair out with frustration or just KICK her in the backside if I could! What a shameful WASTE of an otherwise glorious instrument that, as you so rightly pointed out, MANY would die to have. Such a great pity. Take care.
