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Allan Rogers Lindquest (Albert Lindquest)

As you may have gathered from the other parts of this site, Allan Lindquest is an important part of my pedagogical philosophy. I have researched his teaching methods and modeled them for myself. Early in his career he went by the name Albert Lindquest, and then Allan Rogers. When he started teaching he brought back his family name and went by Allan Rogers Lindquest. These recordings were made around 1920, 18 years before he went to Sweden to study the technical concepts we are now discussing. So they are not represented in his recordings, but we do hear him in his prime and well trained. He was reported to be a favorite of the Edison Recording Co. and a principle rival of Richard Crooks in the New York singing circle. Crooks went on to debut at the Met filling in for Tito Schipa in Manon and became a sensation. Lindquest started singing on the RKO Vaudeville circuit in order to make money and quickly became a headliner making $1000 per week. But when the Great Depression hit everyone felt it and the work disappeared. Not long after that Lindquest had serious health issues that threatened his life. He survived but his voice was significantly affected. This was a big part of why he went to Sweden, hoping to recover the health of his voice. I find these recordings very enjoyable and hope you do too.

Spirto gentil - La favorita - Donizetti (sung in English)

Goodbye - Tosti (sung in English)

Farewell Marguerite - Boardman

Macushla - MacMurrough

Mother Machree - Olcott & Ball

Lassie o' mine - Walt

If you only knew - Von Tilzer

Jussi Björling - Swedish Tenor

Jussi Björling doesn't need introduction to many who visit this site. For me, and many others, he is the definition of great singing. He is the best example of the concepts of this school of training. The first four selections sampled here are relatively rare recordings made for the 1937 movie Fram för framgång (Head for Success) that he starred in about an unknown singer that is heard on the radio after he broke into the control room. The movie has opportunities for him to sing written into the story and climaxes with him singing a favorite national song at an outdoor concert after which he becomes well-known and lives happily ever after. Not great cinema, but a great soundtrack. The last selection was also made in 1937 for a film he only sang on but did not appear. He is only 26 at the time, but had been training since early childhood. This combination gives us a well-trained voice combined with a youthful instrument. The result being some of the best pure tenor singing I've ever heard. Enjoy.

La Danza - Rossini (sung in Swedish)

Hej dunkom (traditional Swedish song)

Bachanal - Dahl

Di' tu se fedele - Un ballo in maschera - Verdi (sung in Swedish)

Ack Värmeland, do sköna (traditional Swedish song)

Joseph Hislop - Scottish Tenor

Joseph Hislop was a Scottish tenor that came to serious singing late, had his training in Sweden with Flagstad's teacher Gillis Bratt and became one of the greatest singers of his time. After a successful performing career he returned to Sweden to teach at the Royal Opera School. During his first years there he had Jussi Björling as a student while Björling was beginning his professional career. Their association continued for the rest of JB's life, even after Hislop moved to London to teach. Unfortunately there are not a lot of recordings of Hislop's singing. The first one is a recent release of a live performance of Faust at Covent Garden from 1928. Next is a studio recording of Rodolfo's aria from La Boheme also from 1928. (Puccini inscribed a photo "To my Ideal Rodolfo") Hislop was a frequent concert performer and was often compared as the "Scottish McCormack". The last two selections show him in this role from 1926.

Salut demeure - Faust - Gounod

Che gelida manina - La Boheme - Puccini

I heard you singing - Coates

Herding Song - Traditional

Set Svanholm - Swedish Heldentenor

Set Svanholm was a classmate with Jussi Björling and sang many times with him, given that he sang as a baritone at first. After six years as a professional baritone he made the switch to tenor in 1936, making his debut as Radames in Aida. Throughout the rest of his career he was considered a unique singer of the helden fach because of his slender tone quality. The recordings here show a good selection of his art. First is the duet "Gia i sacerdoti adunansi" from Aida in 1946 paired with Blanche Thebom. Next is another duet, this time "Si, pel ciel" from Otello in 1947 with Leonard Warren. Both of these are live radio performances. Svanholm was a frequent performer of Wagner and here are several examples of this aspect of his singing. Last is a live recording from 1935 of a Swedish opera showing Svanholm as a Baritone. After his retirement he went on to head the Royal Opera in Stockholm.

Gia i sacerdoti - Aida - Verdi

Si, pel ciel - Otello - Verdi

In fernem Land - Lohengrin - Wagner

Morgenlich leuchtend - Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg

Ein Schwert verhiss mir der Vater - Die Walkure - Wagner

Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond - Die Walkure - Wagner

All den langstan - Medeltida - Rangstrom (sung in swedish)