Luciano Pavarotti RIP  

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20607839/




One of the greatest tenors ever.
My Mom and I had the priviledge of meeting him at a record signing at the old Tower records on the UWS of Manhattan a few years back.

Regardless of one's musical listening preference, he had a voice that soared to the heavens, stirred the soul and brought tears to the eyes.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ONUCPKdGcrk

RIP, old friend. You will be missed. Thanks for all the music.


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Re: Luciano Pavarotti RIP

When exactly did you see him at the Met? He was at his true prime in the 60's and 70's and was untouchable. Since I see you writing Xbox related posts here at HTF, I doubt you are old enough to have seen one of these performances.

He was far better than just "good" Was he the best who ever lived? No. Many would say Caruso. Some might say Mario Del Monaco.

I would wager that anyone who witnessed his breakthrough performance at the Met in the 1970's in La fille du régiment where he hit 9 high "c's" in one aria, hitting them all, bringing down the house and receiving about 17 curtain calls (MUCH to the chagrin of Joan Sutherland who was the "Star") would disagree that he was just "good" That feat doesn't get duplicated too often, does it?
I believe there is also a d flat in the opera that he nailed.
My Mother was an Opera singer, my father was a voice teacher, I used to study classically (before I gave it up and went back to rock and roll) with a very well respected voice teacher who was very well known in NYC and trained many who wound up as professional opera singers, my mother in law is a music teacher at a university, my father in law was a concert pianist. ALL of these people with much experience and expertise in the field all thought he was more than merely "good".

Technique aside, (and Pavarotti had an enormous range, considerable power and was considered to have pretty much perfect pitch) much of what makes a tenor sound appealing is subjective. Clearly many, many people loved the sound and emotion of his voice when performing. What's "good" to one person here is "great" to another.

But if that's what you think...

nice thing to add to an RIP thread btw...

Re: Luciano Pavarotti RIP

With all due respect, I don't think an RIP thread should be used for a debate of the deceased person's abilities. I didn't post this here to venture the question, "How great a singer was Pavarotti? Was He overrated? Who was better?" Those are all valid questions and everyone has differing opinions.
Technically in his prime he was pretty much considered untouchable in power and range. Pavarotti was "king of the high "c"s for a reason. Most tenors dreaded doing even ONE high C in performance. Pavarotti would fire 9 off in a row like he was winging ducks. Whether that impresses one or not is irrelevant. It was a skill that he achieved through training and a god given gift.
As far as artistic interpretation, that is ENTIRELY subjective and while a worthwhile discussion, does not belong here in this partcular thread IMHO.

Usually here at HTF in an RIP thread, people make a comment, relay a story, pay their respects. They don't typically say "Yes, he was good but so and so was better..." It's disrespectful. It would be like when Freddie Mercury died and in an RIP thread for him, people chimed in with "yeah he was a good and important rock singer but I liked Roger Daltrey better..."
It's a bit off topic and almost like a threadcrap.

Re: Luciano Pavarotti RIP

Thanks, Michael. Much appreciated.
My sister and I were just discussing him on the phone. She is back in NYC and feels tremendously sad too. Pavarotti (among others) was kind of the soundtrack to our family growing up what with my family being involved in music, voice. My sister and father met him as well and my mom and sister attended one of his master classes at Julliard.

He touched and moved us all with his voice and love for life and wamth.
she is quite upset today too because most of the early 20-somethings where she works (popular restaurant in NYC) just can't get why she's sad about this.
Their comments range from, "So... What's the big deal" to "He was so fat, I'm amazed he lived this long..."

maybe we're just getting old...

Anyways, once again. Thanks. I am quite sad too as my late father loved him alot and it seems like yet another connection to him and my past has been severed today.

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Re: Luciano Pavarotti RIP

True. Just a shame is all.

Re: Luciano Pavarotti RIP

I agree all for the discussion and even a healthy debate but we should start another thread for that eventually. I feel that it's still a bit too soon after his passing now though as some are a bit emotional.

Re: Luciano Pavarotti RIP

Mods, (Michael) Could we just close this thread?

I started it because a singer I greatly admired who contributed immensely to the world in my opinion passed on and I was sad and wanted to say something. Usually RIP threads here at HTF are very respectful and give people here with perhaps similar feelings a chance to express them, share a personal story in regards to how the decesaed affected them or maybe just say a cyber farewell. This is the first one I've seen that has become this way. It's unfortunate and I'd rather just have it closed.

LP RIP You would have loved to see all the people in the streets in Europe who miss you tonite. Farewell.


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