The greatest American baritone?
- pswbaritenor
- Apr 19
- 3 min read
I have mentioned before in these posts how one thing frequently leads to another, and so it was when I wrote about Stainer's 'Crucifixion' in Thursday's Blog. I took a glance at the recordings available: the Choir of St John's College Cambridge under the legendary George Guest with Richard Lewis and Owen Brannigan as soloists, and the Choir of Guildford Cathedral under the equally legendary Barry Rose, with David Hughes and John Lawrenson, being the most iconic. But I also saw an American recording dating from 1929 with 'The Trinity Choir' (which sounds like a small ad hoc pro chorus), Mark Andrews (organ), Richard Crooks (tenor), and Lawrence Tibbett (bass). Richard Crooks was a well known opera and concert singer with a fine voice, but it was Tibbett's name that grabbed my attention, because during the 1930s and 1940s he was a huge star in the USA, principal baritone at the Metropolitan Opera, and also well known on stage and screen. As a young baritone I listened to Tibbett almost daily (he made hundreds of recordings) and I marvelled at his wonderfully resonant tone, rich and vibrant. He had the clarion top notes that are the hall mark of the true Verdi baritone (which Tibbett certainly was) but he also had a strong lower register (which is pretty rare in any type of baritone). Above all though, Tibbett was a supremely confident performer: he was good, and he knew it. His singing was virile to the point of tumescence (women are said to have fainted at his concerts) but he was also capable of great sensitivity and refinement. His recording of the Stainer is an excellent example of this and he is ably abetted by, Crooks who sings most beautifully. The choir is better than might be anticipated and a particularly noteworthy feature are characterful step out solos from basses Wilfred Glenn and Frank Croxton, well known American oratorio singers in their day, but now, sadly, forgotten.
This recording of 'The Crucifixion' is considerably more than an historical curiosity and I provide a link below. It really is worth a listen. However, Tibbett's voice is generally best heard in opera and I provide other links to the 'Pagliacci' Prologue, Valentine's Aria from 'Faust', and 'Pari Siamo' from 'Rigoletto'. He also recorded a small number of German Lieder, sung is English, (as was the custom at the time for English speaking singers). I provide links to Schubert's 'Der Wanderer' and 'Die Allmacht' and to my favourite Tibbett recording, Carl Loewe's ballad 'Edward'. As Loewe set a German translation of a traditional Scots ballad, Tibbett singing in English might be seen to be appropriate, even authentic. He gives a quite magnificent performance, employing a huge dynamic range and skilfully differentiating between Edward and his conniving mother (she has persuaded him to kill his father). Tibbett turns this tragic story into a mini-opera - a melodramatic tour de force. I hope you admire it as much as I do.
Lawrence Tibbett (1896-1960) suffered quite serious vocal decline because of heavy drinking but at his peak he is, for me, the finest of all the great American baritones. I have very much enjoyed reminding myself of this, and hope at least some of you will come to share my opinion.
Stainer's 'Crucifixion' (This is not complete, I'll try to find a better version)
Prologue 'Il Pagliacci'
Valentine's Aria 'Faust'
Pari siamo 'Rigoletto'
'Der Wanderer' (Schubert)
'Die Allmacht' (Schubert)
'Edward' (Loewe)
The Very Best of Lawrence Tibbett (45 tracks!!)
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