Barbara Trehy Perhaps Gigli is the best of the three gigants singing O sole mio here. They are fantastic all three. But after this I return to Jussi on other videos.
All three are wonderful in their own way. The Schmidt has such a lightness to it that you might think he had such a voice. For a small man he could be very powerful. Some of his film arias and tunes show such power.Since i think that Schmidt had the greatest tenor voice ever recorded, my opinion would be biased. We must thank the provider for such a fine gift.
They are all great. Björlings voice is spectacular of course in the high notes etc. And Schmidt has a wonderful legato and his register is even. But Gigli sings this best. His sometimes overblown emotions is subdued here, or perhaps they are more fitting in this song and he is just perfect. He wins.
Yes, he hits the notes (brilliantly) but it is a bit soulless, isn't it? I love JB but he doesn't seem to have the warmth that's needed here. On the other hand, when he's singing in Swedish, he's peerless. Maybe he wasn't good at foreign languages (I'm not, so I'm throwing no stones).
Of these three, I think that Björling and Gigli is in a higher class.Gigli had an advantage of being Italians, on the other hand had Jussi a stunning timbre. Its surface was smooth and warm, its core had the luster of steel.
3 great singers, but in phrasing, pronunciation and expresion of the napolitan dialect, beniamino gigli is simpli superior his style was beautifull, that ease for shaping the words and naturarality, unique. bjoerling had and exepcional voice i guess hi is reference in other repertoire, but in neapolitan songs gigli is simpli perfect, no matter te cuality of the recording ho really knows to listen, can see the singer
helmut reidegeld Schmidt has such a special timbre in his voice. I 've never heard another singer with a voice like Joseph Schmidt. listen to his song: Ich sing dir ein Liebes lied.
magnificent! all three renditions have their own character -from a purely subjective opinion the 'italian flair' of Gigli touched me the most - without taking anything away from the others
Jussi had the technicue and timbre here but maybee, just maybee a recording of this later in his career had been with more passion = 100%. If we f.ex look at Mattinata 1938 = very good but Mattinata 1948 = super, best of all! Gigli here is passion and great singing but perhaps not the lyric flow of Björling?
Still, Enrico Caruso is unsurpassed. Listen to Caruso recording but with original orchestra. I hate all newer orchestral additions. Original recording only.
