About this Artist

• Biography

Editorial Reviews

Jussi Björling was one of the finest tenors of the twentieth century. He was not the most consistent artist, but his galvanizing voice is still among the most remarkable on record 40 years after his death. Those wanting an introduction to Björling's singing, or fans wanting a good collection, should be very happy with EMI's The Very Best of Jussi Björling. Not every performance is a hit, but many of them do represent the best he had to offer, and in every case, the unique beauty of his voice is on full display. Most of the recordings are from the 1930s and 1940s, and some of them sound their age, but the sound quality is mostly excellent. Björling sang Italian opera better than anyone in his day, tackling the challenges of Verdi and the verismo composers as if the style and language were native to him. Furthermore, unlike most Italianate tenors of that (or any) time, he sang equally convincingly in French, German, his native Swedish, and even English (the least successful). Hearing him traverse those different languages and styles on this album sheds light on his special vocal qualities: he combined the purity and lyricism that suited him for Massenet's "En fermant les yeux" ("Manon") and even intimate songs like Strauss' "Morgen," with the raw power and dramatic qualities that allowed for "Di quella pira" from Verdi's "Il Trovatore" and Leoncavallo's "Vesti la giubba." His soft singing was as exciting as his full-on trumpeting. Tracks of special interest include Beethoven's song "Adelaide" which, though stylistically old-fashioned, showcases his musical sensitivity and ability to scale his voice to the task at hand, and Donizetti's "Una furtive lagrima" (L'elisir d'amore), which shows the extent to which he could beat the Italians at their own game. Allen Schrott, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

• Listener Rating: