Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Memory Of Jussi Björling, George Shelby Weaver

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

After hearing Jussi Björling on 78- rpm and microgroove discs during my early years, I longed to hear him in person. The only opportunity came on April 2, 1959, in a recital at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that blessed my twentytwo- year-old ears and psyche. From the tenth row it was obvious that his voice soared through the entire auditorium with ease. Its brilliance was immediately captivating, the inimitable shimmer sustained from softest pianissimo to trumpeted fortissimo. It surpassed, of course, his excellently recorded RCA Victor “New Orthophonic” self.

Several Perspectives On Jussi Björling And La Bohème, Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Browsing the internet recently, I noticed Pristine Classical’s announcement of their new remastering of the “Beecham Bohème” and wondered how powerful modern sound engineering might affect the glorious vocalism of that 64 year old recording. The transcript engineer in charge, Andrew Rose, has built up a substantial catalogue of renovated recordings, mostly from the early LP era, often having surprising clarity and spatial ambience. Mr. Rose definitely seems to have very good taste concerning the artists his company features, including 13 of Jussi’s recordings from the era 1940-1957.

Jussi Björling On The Opera Stage: A Statistic Survey, Harald Henrysson

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The statistics comprise his complete opera and operetta performances. They include two (in Stockholm and New York), where he had to be replaced during the performance. A gala performance of Die Fledermaus at the Met, where he did not sing music from the operetta, is not included.

Giorgio Tozzi Remembers Jussi Björling, Walter B. Rudolph

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Simply stated, Giorgio Tozzi was my idol as a teenager. I felt very isolated from opera in Cody, Wyoming, even though the Community Concert series had allowed me to hear Igor Gorin, Jon Crain and Maureen Forrester in recital. I knew names from the annual photo booklet supplied by the Community Concert Association, which my mother always received because she sold tickets.

A Remarkable Treasure Trove Of Recordings, Ken Meltzer

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

A glorious 6-disc (priced as 5) set from Immortal Performances features complete recordings of three Met performances by the brilliant Swedish tenor Jussi Björling, all from his final season at the Met.

The New Cd Set From Immortal Performances: Essential Listening, Henry Fogel

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Almost all performing artists exhibit differences between their studio recordings and their live performances (and, hopefully, also between different live performances). The degree of that difference can vary mightily from artist to artist. One tenor in whom this difference was very strongly pronounced was Jussi Björling. As fine as his studio recordings are, and some of them are extraordinary, the intensity and musical imagination he brought to live performances invariably increase compared with what we hear on his studio records. This remarkable compilation from Immortal Performances is essential listening for anyone who admires the great Swedish tenor. The three performances …

The Jussi Björling Museum Closed After 26 Years, Harald Henrysson

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

For several years, the future of the Jussi Björling Museum has been discussed in the municipal administration in Borlänge, the city where Jussi was born in 1911 and which owns and runs the museum. For some time, the administration had planned to move it from its present building, where it opened in 1994. Since it was unclear when and where the museum would be moved and what activities it would have in the future, on 29 April 2020 the three Jussi Björling societies sent a letter to the Department of Cultural and Recreational Activities in Borlänge, stressing the importance of …

Jussi And Elvis, David Lewis

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Jussi Björling and Elvis Presley. Elvis and Jussi. The Swedish Caruso and the King of
Rock ‘n’ Roll. An absurd pairing Or is it?

Jussi In New Zealand, Janel E. Lundgren

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

A festive celebration of the art of Jussi Björling was held on March 26th, 2021, in the beautiful Royal Akarana Yacht Club, overlooking Waitemata Harbor in Auckland, New Zealand.

Jussi Björling: We Remember (Jussi Björling En Minnesbok), Sue Flaster

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Short weeks after Jussi Björling’s death in September of 1960, Bertil Hagman launched himself on an ambitious project: to record reminiscences of the great tenor while those memories were still fresh. Hagman interviewed several dozen friends and colleagues who knew Jussi and had performed with him, and by the end of 1960 had published Jussi Björling en Minnesbok (JB A Memory Book).

Information On The New Jussi Björling Discussion Group At Bjorling2@Groups.Io, Dan Shea

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Would you like occasionally to express an opinion about singing to friends who understand your enthusiasm for Björling and other great historical singers, or even current opera singers? Well, some of us have fun talking about slightly abstruse topics like Jussi’s four recordings of Beethoven’s song “Adelaide,” for instance comparing the 1949 version from Jussi’s Hollywood Bowl concert (newly available!) with the other three, and even with versions by other singers.

Jussi Björling His Final Season At The Met 1959, Richard Caniell

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It is an extraordinary fact that Jussi Björling’s final season of his life, afflicted though he was with heart problems, revealed his voice at its most refulgent, his characterizations the utmost in expressiveness. Fortunately, we have preservations which corroborate the truth of this while communicating that his vocal art had achieved a fusion of fiery passion and refinement of expression without parallel in any other tenor of the twentieth century.

Jussi Bjorling In Finland, Göran Forsling

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Jussi was proud of being of Finnish descent and he visited Finland on numerous occasions. During the war he sang at charity concerts several times and in 1951 he was happy to meet Sibelius at his home in Ainola, outside Helsinki. After all the long tours for many years, not least across the North American continent, he was at times rather tired of travelling, but to Finland he always travelled with pleasure, as he told a Finnish journalist. In January 1955 he had an opportunity to return to “the land of the thousand lakes,” but before that he was booked …

Interpreting Björling’S Grave As A Symbol Of Swedish Patriotism, Marc Nicholson

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In August 2017 I undertook a guided tour of the Baltic States, but thereafter I spent a week on my own in Sweden for the primary purpose of visiting the Jussi Björling Museum in Borlänge and placing flowers on Björling’s grave. I owe him a great deal, because he introduced me to opera as a 12-year-old boy in 1962 through his recording with Victoria de Los Angeles of Madama Butterfly, and still more because his beautiful and plaintive voice has accompanied and moved me over my ensuing 57 years. Björling is NOT entertainment. He is existential to us. So …

Memories Of Jussi In Performance, Robert B. Ardis

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

If memory serves, I was privileged to see and hear Jussi Björling in person five times at the old Met: once in Manon Lescaut, twice in Tosca, once in Faust, and one last time in Cavalleria rusticana. I also saw and heard him twice in recital at Carnegie Hall and several times in recital at the Hunter College Auditorium. I think there was also an appearance at a Swedish Seaman’s benefit at Carnegie Hall.

Mama, Sing With Papa, Herbert Kupferberg

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Bjoerling youngsters knew what they liked: a vocal duet by their famous father and their lovely mother. Today, concertgoers are discovering that they like it, too.

The Jussi Björling Recording Survey – “Song” Results, Walter B. Rudolph

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In our home, not a day passes without a telephone call survey. Any purchase, chat, or other inquiry one makes on the Internet is followed by a survey. Going to the Post Office or any fast food joint always invites a survey on the receipt. Truly we could call our world today “The Survey World.”

Dan Shea: Celebrating Math And Music, Kendall Svengalis

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

What is it about a voice that so grips a teenage boy and holds his passionate interest for the rest of his life? And not just any voice, but the voice of that most exemplary of tenors— Jussi Björling. And not just any boy, but a future founder of the Jussi Björling Society—USA: Dan Shea.

The Jussi Favorites Survey

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

I’m sure you’ve noticed that you cannot make an online purchase (or comment) without being pestered into oblivion with surveys. Don’t know about you, but it’s one of my pet peeves (PET PEEVES).

Jussi Björling In Copenhagen, David Cutler

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Collectors of historical vocal recordings are always wanting more of their particular favorite singer. They do not often get rewarded for their enthusiasm. However, this CD must surely mark a giant find in the vocal annals for which we must be truly thankful. The silver voiced Jussi Björling was one of the 20th century’s great tenors and much has been written about him. There has even been a splendid phonography, improved over the years by new releases, but even this recital escaped the doyen of Björling experts, Harald Henrysson.* This new musical discovery had tangled origins—according to John Haley of …

Leslie Barcza’S Pilgrimage To Jussi Björling Museet, Leslie Barcza

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

(Editor’s introduction) Here’s a stimulating blog title from a man who writes regularly and broadly about music. He describes growing up in a home with recordings of vocal music prominently available—Jussi Björling being a particular favorite.

As the instructor of an opera course, he suggests [opera] is . . . a medium that can be understood in at least these two ways: (1) as a series of composers and periods and styles of opera, stories told in different ways, [and] (2) as a series of big name stars, beautiful voices, larger-than-life personalities, and yes: divas.

Remembering Jussi Björling 75 Years Ago—1940

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Photos courtesy The Jussi Björling Museum, Borlänge.

“Gustav” Björling In The Movies!

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

On December 30th, 1946, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle published the following review about the Swedish movie, Hans Majestäts Rival (aka Kungens Rival, Queen for a Night, and His Majesty’s Rival).

Introducing Terry Williams

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

When I was 10, “The Glenn Miller Story” came to a movie theater near me in our small town of Galesburg, Illinois. My parents took me to see it. Well, before the end, I had determined that I, too, wanted to play the trombone. My parents actually bought one for me and, somehow, I learned to play it, and play it I did for the next ten years, including a couple of years as a trombone major at the Conservatory in Kansas City. At this point you may be asking what on earth my trombone playing has to do with …

A New Opera: Silverfågeln (Silver Bird), Goran Forsling

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In the summer of 2015 a new opera about Swedish tenor Jussi Björling was premiered. It is based on journalist Yrsa Stenius’s book Tills vingen brister (2002), available in English translation as The Heart of Jussi Björling. The libretto is by Greta Sundberg. The music is composed by Mats Larsson Gothe, who recently had a great success at Norrlandsoperan in Umeå with Blanche och Marie about Nobel Prize Winner Marie Curie and her assistant and friend, Blanche Wittman.

Yet Another New Bjorling Cd?, Dan Shea

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Yes! We have learned of the unexpected existence of a tape of Jussi's October 15, 1959, concert at The Falconer Center in Copenhagen , with Bertil Bokstedt at the piano. A few of us have heard portions of 5 selections from this concert, "Die Mainacht" (Brahms), "Demanten pa marssnon" (Sibelius), "Ideale" (Tosti) , "Skogen sover" (Alfven), "Come un be! di di maggio" (Giordano: Andrea Chenier) , and they are all beautifully performed. Jussi seems to be in great form, as reviews confirm, and the tape was made well by a resident technician at that house.

Jussi In Utah -Leaving His Mark, Walter B. Rudolph

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Immediately after arriving by boat in New York City, Jussi and Anna-Lisa Bjorling flew to Provo, Utah where he gave his first American performance for the 1939-40 season on November 20th, 1939 in the Provo Tabernacle.

Jussi Bjorling: In Concert, Finland & The U.S., Henry Fogel

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

There are many Jussi Bjorling recital discs available, and given the unique beauty of his singing it would be foolish to recommend one (or, in this case, two) as the one to have. I will say, however, that this is a treasure, and is certainly one of the best collections available. Some of the songs and arias appear more than once over the 54 tracks. But it is even interesting to hear the differences in interpretation over the 17-year span of his career represented here.

Anita Cerquetti And Jussi Bjorling In Chicago, Dan Shea

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Famed Italian soprano Anita Cerquetti died on October 11, 2014 with much media discussion of her brilliant ca reer and its puzzling end. Born in April 1931, she made a debut as Aida at age 20 in Spoleto, with reviews praising her "limpid tone and powerful voice:' A yea r later she appeared twice in Il trovatore at Milan's Teatro Nuovo, and in a series of concerts with Beniamino Gigli. In summer 1953 she sang Aida at the Verona Arena, following Callas's appearances there in the same role; her reviews were complimentary, but the major theaters continued to ignore her-she …

Cds Order Form Jussi Bjorling Society

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Our latest Bjorling CDs available now and perfect for gifts your Bjorling-Appreciative friends (or yourself):