Music Commons^™

"The Researcher's Lot Is Not An' Appy One'", Andrew Farkas

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Wonderful people that they are, Karl and Toby Hekler no doubt have been called by nicer names or described in more flattering terms in the past. For the purpose of this report, however, let's just called them catalysts.

We Welcome A New Member Of Our Advisory Committee: Robert Tuggle

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

We are very pleased to announce that Robert Tuggle, the Director of Archives for the Metropolitan Opera, has agreed to join our Advisory Committee.

Save This Date! Our August 20, 2000, Mini-Conference In Nyc Is On!, Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

How can our Jussi Bjorling Society NOT meet on August 20th to celebrate the simultaneous 70th anniversary of Jussi's debut in his first major operatic role, Don Ottavio, and the 40th anniversary of his last public concert? We've decided that we must go ahead with a one-day conference in Manhattan.

An Excursion To Sweden In June 2000 For Jbs Members

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

As explained in the previous issue of this Journal, several of us are going to Sweden in June, and we welcome other members to join us in this "lightly-structured" tour of Stockholm and Borlange. The idea is that you can join us when you wish and travel separately when you prefer. Rail passes may make this independence especially easy. (Some examples are given below.)

From The Editor's Desk, Mickey Dove

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It is with great pleasure that we dedicate this issue of the Journal to Anna-Lisa Bjorling-Barkman upon the occasion of her 90th birthday on March 15th. On behalf of the Directors, Advisors, and membership of JBS, we extend to Mrs. Bjorling-Barkman our heartfelt wishes for a most Happy Birthday shared with family and dear friends.

Side Bar

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Newspaper Clippings

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Here And There

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

When I was asked to write a memoir, I immediately began to think of loved ones, my remarkable mother, my exceptional wife, or a close friend, as subjects. All of these people are most important to me, but I have chosen someone else. He is now deceased, but in his lifetime he was a world famous man. I never met him personally, but I feel that I know him well: I have his visage clearly in mind. More importantly, I am able to hear his voice every day from among the many recordings I own.

Pbs, Jb, Ec, Bg: A Question Of Media Politics, Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

If you guessed that PBS means "Public Broadcasting System," you're almost right. And yes, we know who JB is. From that you might guess that Enrico Caruso and Beniamino Gigli are in this picture, too. The question here is will 'The Original Three Tenors" be on our TV screens anytime soon?

The Original Three Tenors, Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Original Three Tenors" - a fascinating British documentary about Caruso, Gigli and Bjorling which was shown at JBS-USA's June 1999 conference in Washington, DC and which was scheduled for Swedish TV on March 4, 2000- will not be shown in Britain at all nor in the US in the near term. According to Eric Wimbles, our JBAS colleague: "It is with

considerable dismay to have to report that according to an article written by the esteemed critic, John Steane, in the current issue of 'The Gramophone', the BBC is not interested in showing the film produced by John Owen …

Test Your Knowledge, Tom Hines

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

1. In the celebrated Don Carlo Metropolitan- performance which opened the season in 1950, Jussi sang the title role and his close friend, Robert Merrill, sang Rodrigo. However, it was also a singular evening for four newcomers, all of whom were making their debuts in this performance. Each of these artists went on to have outstanding careers. Can you name them? Hint: they sang the following roles: Philip II (bass), Elizabeth of Valois (soprano), Princess Eboli (mezzo-soprano), and the Angelic Voice (soprano). For super credit, can you name the bass who was scheduled originally to sing the role of Philip …

The Desert Isle Redux, William C. Clayton

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Though the members of JBS certainly have faultless taste in singers, some of them are obviously not very good sailors. Shortly after we published the ocean contretemps of a few of our company (the present editor included), we received word of three similar ship wrecks. Fortunately, these unlucky souls also managed to salvage their beloved JB tapes which contained their precious "top ten" favorites from Jussi's substantial recording career. Perhaps the beneficent hand of our dear honoree is stretched out over us, for all managed not only to survive the island ordeal but to return safely to their homes. Here, …

A British Voice, Joseph Hislop

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

On one of my visits to Stockholm for guest appearances in the early 1930s, Jussi Bjorling came to me and asked for advice regarding a number of problems of singing technique. He had already, at that time, presented his- beautiful voice at the Royal Opera and also in Copenhagen, and had shown both critics and the public alike that here was a rare star on the rise.

He Generously Filled His Horn Of Plenty With Beautiful Tone, Johannes Norrby

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

He was probably seventeen years old when I first met him. To me he seemed to be- if I may use the expression- a male Pallas Athena, she who sprang fully armed from her father's head. Jussi, too, materialized fully armed from his father's head. David Bjorling is said to have once said about his son: "There will never be another tenor like Caruso - perhaps Jussi."

Twenty-Five Years With Jussi, Helmer Enwall

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

For more than twenty-five years I had the pleasure of working with Jussi Bjorling and introducing him, not only to the musical centres of Europe, but also to the USA, Latin America and South Africa.

Jb Websites: An Introduction, William C. Clayton

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Now that the Society's web site has been updated, we thought that you might appreciate a survey of other Internet sites devoted to JB. Of course you can browse for yourselves, but if you are not yet connected to the Internet, you might like to know what is being done for Jussi. (Note: Most public libraries provide free access to the Internet.) In addition, since we have added our own site to cyberspace, some acknowledgment of our "brethren" seems suitable. What follows, however, is not a critical appraisal of the sites but rather an objective description. We leave you to …

Jb Analogies: Same Recordings - Different Voices, Kristian Krogholm

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

There is much discussion going on among Jussiologists about how he sounded in real life. But who's to tell? I think it is somehow easier to say how he did not sound, based on the telling of many people who had the good fortune to hear him live. Jussi's voice did NOT have that hard, metal-sound that would be easy to present to the listener with the use of certain digital remastering processes, and that would make him sound like the best of Corelli, Lauri-Volpi, del Monaco, di Stefano, Bergonzi and Pavarotti all put together. Jussi would out-sing any of …

Jussi In The News: Media Notes Of Interest To Our Members From Our Members., Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

+ Well, for the committed Jussi-phile (and that certainly includes all members of this Society, by definition}, the biggest media Jussi-fest of the year has to be the publication, in April, of Number 2, vol. 16 of The Opera Quarterly: over 30 pages of fascinating Remembrances of Jussi, by London Green, William Ashbrook, M. Owen Lee, and Robert Baxter; followed by Andrew Farkas' description of his search to track down the answer to one of the mysteries of Jussi's performance-history, in the 14-page article ''Bjorling and Ballo, 'The Most Unkindest Cut of All'". You'll want to follow all the twists …

In The Spotlight: Don Pruitt Jussi's Concert At Constitution Hall, Washington, Dc, March 3, 1957

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

During the mid-1940's, when I was a teenager growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, I somehow or other chanced upon opera. During the afternoon radio broadcast period usually devoted to such enthralling boys' adventure serials as "Jack Armstrong," "Captain Midnight," and "The Green Hornet," a local station transmitted a condensed Aida over several days; this captured my imagination and interest. Then I found the Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, and would listen to them whenever I had the chance. I very dearly remember from this period a complete Aida, a Walkuere, and especially Peter Grimes, this last because, I think, of …

The Voice That Stopped A War, Jack Allott

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It was in the early 1940's - I am sure of that - perhaps 1943 or '44, certainly no later. Our 'wireless', (that's a radio to the under fifty-year olds,) was a little Marconi which sat on a shelf near the back door. From its chrome-edged circular speaker came many sounds of that age. I was an avid listener to the dance orchestras of the day. Occasionally there would be the sound of Nelson Eddy singing manfully of 'Stout Hearted Men' - he was my favourite. Sometimes I'd hear Allan Jones singing the 'Donkey Serenade'. I quite liked him too. …

Kung Heimer Och Aslog - A Jussi Bjorling Mystery Song, Ellen L. Lienhard

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It was almost a mystical experience: I heard this song by August S5dennan (1832-1876) on an old 45 rpm record imported from Sweden some 40 years ago (ERAS 102), just shortly after Jussi's death. My knowledge of Swedish was nil, but the power of this song from the first sounding of the harp through the melancholy atmosphere of the narrative captured my imagination and made me long to know the meaning of this text. Who was King Heimer? Who was Aslog? Why did the singer sound so mournful at first and then seem to gather strength and resolution as the …

Erik Saeden Visits The Jussi Bjorling Museum, Lars Hemmingsson

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Jussi Bjorling Museum and the Scandinavian Jussi Bjorling Society have been trying for many years to secure the services of Erik Saeden as a guest speaker. Finally Harald Henrysson, curator of the museum, succeeded in tempting him to visit Borlange. Initially the intention was that Erik would come alone, but he suggested that he could bring along one of his students and this idea was agreed to immediately. So it came about that on Saturday the 20th February (1999] two singing guests honoured Borlange with their presence, a Borlange cloaked in its beautiful wintry whiteness.

The Golden Voices: Caruso To Callas, Yoel L. Arbeitman

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

KUAT closed the last century for us by producing a thirteen part series entitled The Golden Voices: Caruso to Callas. KUAT is the Radio Station of the University of Arizona, Tucson. The series was made possible by a grant from the Mary and Igor Gorin Family Trust Fund and was produced, written, and hosted by Bill Pitts. The enticing series was widely syndicated early this century. The thirteen programs were sequentially: "Enrico Caruso (World's Greatest Tenor)", "Luisa Tetrazzini (It Ain't Over till the Fat Lady Sings)", "Feodor Chaliapin (A Giant of a Man)", "Amelita Galli-Curci (Making Opera History)", "Beniamino Gigli …

An Update: Jbs' Excursion To Sweden In June 2000

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Fifteen Jussi Bjorling fans will go to Sweden in June, under the auspices of our JBS-USA. We will all spend some time in Stockholm, and especially we will all visit the Bjorling Museum in Borlange to show our support of that essential institution. And a highlight of the trip will be a joint meeting of our group with the Scandinavian J.B. Sallskapet (Society) on June 18u. at the summer home of Kickie and Lennart Ekman on the island Toro in the Stockholm archipelago.

Our Mini-Conference In Nyc: Postponed!, Bill Clayton, Mickey Dove, Bill Dove, Tom Hines, Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In our 4Q99 issue of this Journal, we proposed a one-day mini-conference on August 20, 2000. There seemed to be considerable interest in this idea from some of our members and from some our advisors as well: So we began preparations and announced in our 1Q00 issue that the meeting was ON ("Save this date!"). As our preparations continued, however, we found more good reasons to postpone than to go ahead with our original date. Here are some of the key ideas involved:

From The Editor's Desk, Mickey Dove

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Congratulations to Advisor Andrew Farkas upon his receiving the Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award - 2000 from the University of North Florida. In 1991 Andrew received the Distinguished Professor Award from the University, and he has been the recipient of many other honors as well: Jussian of the Year (Swedish Jussi Bjorling Society) 1997; Enrico Caruso and Lawrence Tibbett were made into talking books for the blind; Enrico Caruso and Opera and Concert Singers received the "Choice Awards" in their 1985 and 1990 list of books. JBS is fortunate indeed to have advisors like Andrew who are willing to give their …

Side Bar

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Jussi Bjorling

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Newspaper Clippings