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[miko2]

Today's Song: Solveig's Song by Méav

I linked this song only yesterday but I liked this version so much that I immediately went to Amazon and bought the cd for only about $5.00. Then I went to iTunes and downloaded it so I could put it on my iPod without waiting for the cd to arrive. ^_^

Now, this version does two things that rankle Opera purists. It's sung in English instead of the original language (Norwegian), and it's sung in a very non-Opera singing style.

As for the first problem, I understand why people get annoyed when such a song is translated (especially into English), but I think it's a silly concern. Do people get upset when "Silent Night" is sung in a hundred languages other than German? No. It's a beautiful song in any language. Do people get upset when Disney translates its songs from movies like The Jungle Book into dozens of languages so they can market to that population? No. Disney does a good job of translatiing and of finding quality native singers to perform their songs. (A while back, I posted a dozen or more different versions of the song My Own Home from The Jungle Book, each in a different language... they were all quite good, and loved by people who had seen the film in their native language as kids.) So... this to me is a very similar thing. Solveig's Song is quite familiar to anyone who knows classical music, and the English translation is well done. I can understand why people think Monty Pythion loses something in translation, but for a song like this, it's beautiful in any language.

As for the second... one of the reasons I've never really gotten into Opera is the emphasis most Opera places on vibrato. I'm not a singer, but I've always known that I prefer voices that ring clearly like a bell as opposed to voices that warble, which is what Opera often sounded like to me. And it confused me that Operatic singing was often considered the more "pure" or more desired sound. I do realize that most people have a natural vibrato to their voice, and that good vibrato is not supposed to be that noticeable -- that if you really notice it, the singer is probably not doing it right. So perhaps my views are colored by bad Opera singers. ^_^

Still, I'm glad that professional singers and musicians sometimes agree with my view of things too. Here's an interesting article on the subject from a singer who is not a fan of vibrato.

Méav Ní Mhaolchatha has a crystal clear voice like the ringing of a bell -- something you seem to find often with Irish singers actually. Her voice is beautiful. (And actually, she does have a bit of vibrato to her voice, I can hear it if I listen for it, so probably everything I'm saying here isn't even necessarily applicable, but...)

She was a featured vocalist with Celtic Woman and also with Anúna, both vocal groups with sterling reputations. I mention this because sometimes I'm intimidated by Opera snobs who claim that anyone who does not sing with any noticeable vibrato is by definition not a good singer -- in point of fact, I like singers of that sort even more. Surely people who favor the Opera are experts at singing? But their opinion is just that -- another opinion.

All of this brought on by some comments on the Youtube page. ^_^ Because she's singing a classical composition here that is much more often sung by Operatic singers, you get "this is poor" and "this is definitely NOT Sarah Brightman..." (someone had suggested it was -- she sings it in English too) "...she is much more amazing and this is a little child who doesn't have a good voice!!" Of course, you also have another comment, "Usually Sarah Brightman sings with a horrible vibrato in her voice and this voice seems a lot younger", and many comments about how beautiful Méav's voice is.

Of course, I've listened to Sarah Brightman and she has a beautiful voice, not like the "horrible Opera vibrato" voice that normally turns me off. So that probably shows that what I'm afraid of is not Opera-style singing but bad Opera-style singing. On the other hand, I still like Méav's voice a great deal and consider it quite beautiful as well.

Méav -- Solveig's Song

Solveig's song

The winter may pass and the spring disappear
The spring disappear
The summer too will vanish and then the year
And then the year
But this I know for certain: you'll come back again
You'll come back again
And even as I promised you'll find me waiting then
You'll find me waiting then

Oh-oh-oh ....

God help you when wand'ring your way all alone
Your way all alone
God grant to you his strength as you'll kneel at his throne
As you'll kneel at his throne
If you are in heaven now waiting for me
In heaven for me
And we shall meet again love and never parted be
And never parted be!

Oh-oh-oh ....

Kanskje vil der gå både Vinter og Vår,
og neste Sommer med og det hele År,
men en gang vil du komme, det vet jeg vist,
og jeg skal nok vente, for det lovte jeg sidst.

Gud styrke dig, hvor du i Verden går,
Gud glæde dig, hvis du for hans Fodskammel står.
Her skal jeg vente til du kommer igjen;
og venter du hist oppe, vi træffes der, min Ven!

---

Just for fun:

Scarborough Fair by Sarah Brightman I couldn't find a video of her singing Solveig's Song, unfortunately. Also I can't get Youtube to load this video for me at the moment -- it's being persnickity. But I've listened to Sarah sing this elsewhere and she really does a good job on it.

Scarborough Fair by Celtic Woman this is not Méav however, and this singer does sing with vibrato -- but she's got a very nice voice.