Part III: Rare and unknown voices – LEV SIBIRYAKOV

Part III: Rare and unknown voices. Please discuss this artist with your comments! Lev Sibiryakov, Bass (1869-1942) Alexander Porfirjewitsch Borodin – KNYAZ IGOR (Prince Igor) Ya skuki nye lyublyu (I don´t like boredom) Sung by the character of Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince of Galich, aka Prince Galitzky (Recorded February 1909) My personal opinion: In 1982 HMV published an amazing LP-issue of “A Record of Singers” based on Michael Scott´s study “The record of Singing” – A compilation of rare and most interesting renditions from the dawn of recording. Hidden by the producers on side twelve you could find one of the greatest basses of imperial russia: Lev Sibiryakov (1869-1942), singing the King´s arioso (1910 with orchestral accompaniment) from Tchaikovskys IOLANTA. “If you only knew the singer from the relevant literature as an example for a dark, deep bass – here you will learn more: The vocal range is amazing, notably the effortless and controlled expansion up to the high register. The flow down to the deep is only comparable with Ivar Andrésen (NB A norwegian bass, 1896-1940)” – Words of a privat record-collector I found in the web. Unfortunately many singers of imperial russia could only be judged by their recordings which were always very hard to find. In the case of Sibiryakov it´s even more difficult to find a good picture. One of four I know you can see on the sleeve of a “Prima Voce”-CD from Nimbus Records. I used this image, but I beg your pardon for the low …