100th Anniversary of the birth of Jussi Björling
Wed, Jun 22 2011, 4:40PM
I don't know your plans for remaining issues of the Gramophone this year but I am somewhat surprised and sligthly disappointed you have hardly given any attention (or only in passing) to the 100th Anniversary of the birth of the Swedish tenor Jussi Björling. After all, if I am not mistaken,he was voted the best tenor of last century by the reviewers of Classic CD in 1999 and the second bst by the readers. The widow of Caruso called him the true successor of Caruso in 1951. The number of recordings of Björling performances is quite mpressive.
Yours sincerely
Hans Magnusson
Stockholm
Wed, Jun 22 2011, 9:48PM
#2
RE: Jussi Björling
Hi both,
Not to worry - there will be something in a forthcoming issue. For what it's worth, I'm also a huge Björling fan! I was coincidentally listening again to his final concert the other day; tremendous. If only he had lived to give us his Otello...
All the best,
James
I agree, Hans. I think Björling is a strong contender for the title of greatest tenor of the 20th century, and fully deserving of such a commemoration.