Music Commons^™

Here And There

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

There has been much discussion recently on Bjorling e-list regarding the Urania Trovatore. Albert Innaurato- opera lover and sometime writer for the NY Times, BBC Magazine, Gramophone, Opera News, Vogue, Vanity Fair, etc.- recently purchased the CD set on Yoel Arbeirrnan's recommendation; his comments follow

That Old Desert Isle, William C. Clayton

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Jussi continues to succor our esteemed members. Fortunately these episodes do not imitate the outcome of The Perfect Storm, but perhaps our members should consider some sailing lessons. While it is heartwarming to know that over and over JB has sustained our little band when in dire sailing straits, surely these maritime contretemps are becoming a habit. Still, we are grateful that our friends have survived to share with us their lists of indispensable JB items.

Jussi Bjorling From The Chorus's Perspective, Sture Ingebretzen

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

There ,,vas a feeling in the air that something sensational was happening from the very first day Jussi Bjorling came to the Royal Opera. People who throughout their lives had had the advantage of being able to listen to good singing became aware at once that this plump young man with the fine eyes and attractive hair-line had a voice of incomparable radiance. I am not old enough to remember the years before Jussi's debut at the Opera when a singer such as Battistini would give guest performances, when John Forsell was at the height of his singing career, when …

The Head Of The Queue, Kurt Bergengren

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

A May night in Stockholm can be wintry. The moon turns pale and glacial. Daybreak arrives with an icy thrust of wind. Those who sit in Gustav Adolf Square feel how a shiver arises from the water and flows into the city, chilling the nearby streets. Only the prospect of something warming and beautiful could induce one to pace those streets. Jussi Bjorling's guest performances in the 1940s and '50s were shining events in the Stockholm tundra.

Bjorling Rarities: A New Cd, William C. Clayton

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Here it is! Bjorling Rarities, brand new as of July, 2000, issued by VAI, # VAIA 1189. Contained are five selections never before issued in any form, and many others which ,Were hitherto available only on pirated LPs or hopelessly scattered. Before I comment on the selections and the booklet, following are the pieces. Note that they are all live broadcasts, but more about that later.

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

In honor of our Society's June pilgrimage to Stockholm and Dalarna, we begin by confirming that Jussi still maintains his place in the Swedish consciousness

In The Spotlight: Joel Bjorling, Jussi Bjorling Anecdotes, Joel Bjorling

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

I first heard about Jussi Bjorling from my parents. Though I never met him in person, he was always fondly remembered. We had his records at home, and my parents heard him sing at the Shrine Mosque in Peoria, Illinois.

Searching The Library Of Congress: The Bell Telephone Hour Radio Broadcasts, Cantor Don Goldberg

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In March of this year, I traveled to Washington, D.C., to research Jussi Bjorling radio broadcasts from the 1930's to the 1950's at the Library of Congress (LOC). There I was able to hear the Voice of Firestone programs, most of which were in good condition. On June 5th I returned to the LOC to investigate the existence and condition of the Bell Telephone Hour programs.

Jbs-Usa Travels "In The Footsteps Of Jussi Bjorling,", Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It's hard for me to imagine a more perfect trip than JBS's recent excursion through Stockholm and Dalarna- we were blessed in many ways! Where to begin?

Bits And Pieces About Jussi: An Interview With Albert White, Louis Kaplan

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

BK: Today I am going to interview my old friend, Albert White, who introduced me to Jussi Bjorling's voice on 78 records in about 1947 when I was 17. Ten years later on March 3, 1957, he introduced me to Jussi himself backstage at Constitution Hall in Washington.

From The Editor's Desk, Mickey Dove

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

As JBS-USA approaches its 3rd year of operation, I'd like to take this opportunity to report on several areas of interest relative to our Society. First, I'm pleased to tell you that our original band of 4 has grown to 170 members. This is certainly a tribute to the enduring legacy of Jussi Bjorling as well as to the excellent direction provided by our advisors and boards. Second, member renewals are averaging a remarkable 95%, and we thank you for this measure of your confidence and support. We're also appreciative that so many of you have freely shared your information, …

Front Matter

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Getting Personal ..., Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

When few of us made our first steps toward forming this Jussi Bjorling Society back in 1998, we delighted in hearing from each new member- especially as we compared their ideas about Jussi (and other great singers) with our own. During the past three years we've continued to enjoy hearing from many of you. Certainly, our 1999 Conference enabled many of us to share our stories, and we can hope that our upcoming Conference at Gustavus allows more of the same.

Speaking Of Jussi's Birthday... Meet The Newest Jussi!

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Anders Bjorling has proudly announced the birth of his newest grandchild, little Charles Anders Jussi, the son of Jennifer Bjorling, born December 11, 2000. You can expect Charlie and Jennifer co be in attendance at the Gustavus Conference in June, along with Mormor Janet, as well as Anders and Janet's other daughters Lisa and Susie, and some of the rest of the family: Ian, Steve, Peter and Erik.

The Recorded Legacy- Reviews Of Recent Releases Of Interest To Jbs Members, Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It's a full-time job these days to keep track of new releases of Bjorling recordings, with recent CDs coming from Scandinavia, Italy, Germany, the U.S. and Korea. Luckily we have some dedicated folk monitoring the scene: Kristian Krogholm in Norway, Lars-Henrik Osterholm and Harald Henrysson in Sweden, Eric Wimbles in England, Yoel Arbeitman and Hal Sokolsky in New Jersey, Carlo Ceruri and Alessandro Sciocchetti in Italy and many others, with much exchange of information on the Bjorling@ yahoogroups.com list. Well discuss here just some of the recent releases of special interest and give some reactions to them, either from magazines …

The Smithsonian Presents... Bertil Bengtsson

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

En route to his talks at the Gustavus JBS Conference, Bertil Bengtsson will speak in Washington DC under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution. This talk is titled Jussi Bjorling: A Swedish Tenor Who Became an American Favorite and will take place at 6:30 PM on June 26 at the auditorium of the Hirschhorn Sculpture and An Gallery, 7th and Independence Avenues, with a reception following.

Anniversary Tributes To Jussi From Around The World, February 5, 2001-Lntemet Comments

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Here are some of the key birthday salutes to Jussi on the Internet., February 5, 2001:

Anniversary Tributes To Jussi From Around The World, February 5, 2001-Radio Programs

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

There were special radio programs around the world, here's a sample that we heard about--and we would be glad to learn about others, from Sweden, South America and especially the UK.

Jussi Bjorling's 1954 Tour Of South Africa, Alfred Gardner

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

With an occasional insight into the role of a tenor's wife on tour!

On the thirteenth of August 1954, at the end of a forty-hour plane journey, Jussi and Anna-Lisa Bjorling arrived at Jan Smuts airport, Johannesburg, to begin what was to be a highly successful tour of the Union of South Africa.

Leonard Warren: American Baritone, Mary Jane Phillips-Matz

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

I tame 10 Mary Jane Phillips-Ma12' life of Leonard Warren not as a stranger, having read her monumental life of Verdi only a year ago. As Opera News said (February 2001), her Verdi is "an account of composer and milieu more thoroughly pondered, researched and understood [emphasis mine] than any other biography." In the course of some nine hundred pages, I got to know Verdi, first, through her remarkable ability to gather and document literally thousands of sources. Not only did she amass this widespread and inchoate material, but she wove it into a seamless narrative which veritably flew by. …

A New Bjorling Silver Medallion By Artist Marika Somogyi

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Consider this scenario: You've gotten to know and respect Andrew Farkas, not only for his work in opera scholarship bur also for his energetic and creative support of the Jussi Bjorling Society. He tells you of his friendship with superbly talented graphic artist, Marika Somogyi, who specializes in medals and whose work bas received wide international recognition. She has created the medallion for the annual Placido Domingo award as well as medals honoring Leonard Bernstein, Irving Berlin, Benny Goodman. And many more. Thanks to her friendship with Andrew, and her own love of opera and Jussi, she'd be willing to …

An Interview By George Jellinek Of Richard Mohr, First Broadcast On Wqxr On February 5, 1987

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

GJ: We are listening to a historical recording of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci with the illustrious cast of Jussi Bjorling. Vittoria de los Angeles, Leonard Warren and Robert Merrill Renato Cellini conducting. The year was 1953 and the place New York City. Yes, in 1953 it was still possible to produce complete recordings of operas in the United States. The producer of this Pagliacci and many more to come was Richard Mohr. After his retirement from RCA, Mr. Mohr became the producer of the Metropolitan Opera intermission features that are beard Saturday afternoons each season. Mr Mohr is my guest today, and …

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

When Carla Ramsey recently sent in some news items for this column, I asked her to consider helping as co-columnist: I'd been much impressed by her writing in the article on "Adelaide" published elsewhere in this issue, and her suggestions for this column were just the sort of thing I try to find for you. I'm glad to tell you that she accepted, so you can expect that future columns will carry both our bylines.

Jussi Bjorling And The Radio, Bo Teddy Ladberg

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It is self evident that Jussi Bjorling's prospects of reaching a position of great popularity as a radio artist were quite special indeed. A singer whose greatest assets were a voice of incomparable beauty and an innate feeling for a musical phrase must naturally be predisposed to success in precisely this medium. But that his position in this respect became so dominating, indeed unique, is truly something remarkable and beyond further analysis.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves! Let us begin by taking a look at the radio archives and assembling some memories from the old days in radio.

Songs And Arias At Grona Lund, Ake Sundborg

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

My first contact with Jussi Bjorling took place some time in the early 1930, and had nothing whatever to do with any plans for his being engaged for performances at Grona Lund-he was considered to be just a novice at that time, and was thought to have a long way to go before be reached world star status. However, he was an almost daily visitor to Grona Lund, where he let tenor cries be heard as the roller coaster made its downhill plunge, behaved like an angel of destruction in the '"porcelain crusher", tried his chances in the "love thermometer", …

The People's Singer, Erik Jarnklev

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

When Jussi Bjorling's name could be announced for a concert in a folkpark it was a great day, and his name would be advertised in the largest type the printer could find.

Skansen Concerts-And The Last One, Gosta Berg

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Jussi Bjorling sang for the first time at Skansen on the 15th September 1935¹. I retain vivid memories of the deep impression he made even then on me and the large audience.

And he returned. Actually, it became a tradition that he came to us at least once each year. In all, he appeared here fifty-three times, sometimes with the Royal Orchestra, but mostly in solo recital, including three times with his wife Anna-Lisa. The public attendance was usually overwhelming, and there were some who arrived as early as 10 o'clock in the morning in order to secure …

Singing From The Heart: Kissed By The Gods: A Remembrance Of The Tenor Jussi Bjorling, Jurgen Kesting

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Ever more frequently the work of record companies results in damage to the legacy of their artists. A current example is a so-called 'Ultimate Collection" published by RCA/BMG in the "Artist of the Century" series, marking the death forty years ago (on September 9, 1960) of Swedish tenor Jussi Bjorling at the age of 49.

Spotlight On Carla Ramsey

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Carla Ramsey, the author of the "Adelaide" comparison appearing in this issue, was born and raised in San Antonio, where she began studying piano at age six and trombone at eleven. I wish I had taken up cello instead," she says, .. but Texas was band country back in the '50s." Why trombone, instead of clarinet or flute like the other girls? "I can't remember. why I found this instrument so fascinating, but it might have had something to do with the fact that I enjoyed hanging out with and competing with the guys," admits- the self-described "aging tomboy." "Later, …

Yearning For The Unattainable: A Comparison Of Jussi Biorling's Four Recorded Performances Of Beethoven's "Adelaide", Carla Ramsey

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

1f you w.mt a lifetime companion of the feathered variety, all you have to do is show up when a duckling hatches. By a neural process known as "imprinting," the baby bird will bond to and faithfully follow the first object it sees- whether it's mama duck, a human, or even the family dog- upon emerging from its shell. Perhaps you have had a similar experience with a favorite piece of music: you became "imprinted' by the first performance you were exposed to, to such an extent that it subconsciously became the standard by which you judge all others. In …