Gösta Björling (Jussi's brother)- I Heard You Singing (Coates-Bennett) (in Swedish)

Gösta Björling (1912-1957)

Jussi Björling needs no introduction; his name is familiar to virtually any collector with the slightest interest in opera. But what of his brothers, who were also singers?Little seems to be known about them, and the records they made in their maturity have not enjoyed worldwide circulation. They are also conspicuously absent from Youtube. Of course they are not the only Swedish singers whose fame was dwarfed by that of Jussi, but I would think that their fraternal connection would at least arouse some curiosity. Unfortunately, I have no records of Olle, but I AM prepared to take up Gösta's case because, as it turns out, his talent merits more than mere "curiosity" status.

Born Karl Gustaf Björling in Norr Romme Sweden, Gösta's early voice training was under the tutelage his father David, a well-respected tenor and voice instructor. With his father, and brothers Olle and Jussi, he became part of the Björling Male Quartet, which gave concerts in Sweden between 1916 and 1926, and even toured the U.S. (1919-21), where it made a half dozen acoustic recordings. Gösta continued his studies in Milan with Fernando Carpi during the early 1930's; it was at this time that he made the switch from baritone to tenor. His debut took place at the Stora Theater in Göteborg, and he joined the Royal Theater in Stockholm in 1940. He remained there for the next seven years, specializing in such lyric tenor roles as Rodolfo and Lionel (in Flotow's "Marta"), and also taking on character parts (i.e. Missail in "Boris Godunov"). Gösta was married to mezzo Christine Lindberg, who also sang at the Royal Theater in the 1940's (as Bette Björling).

What then, of the inevitable comparisons to Jussi? Well, it is undeniable that Gösta's instrument is made of lighter stuff. He lacks his older brother's luxuriant timbre and tonal fullness. However, there is considerable similarity when it comes to translucence and purity of sound, as well as fluidity of phrasing. I also find myself enraptured by Gösta's beautiful mezza voce, which is employed quite plentifully in Eric Coates's lovely "I Heard You Singing". Its silken quality is immediately striking, and quite worthy of Lanza, Gigli, or the young di Stefano, if you ask me. Indeed, the tenor's control is remarkable thoughout, and he brings an ethereal, hushed quality to the song's final phrases. Jussi never recorded "I Heard You Singing", but you can decide for yourself whether he could have improved upon this rendition.

The recording was made for Telefunken around 1942 (Gösta also recorded for Columbia and HMV). Unfortunately, I have no photos of Mr. Björling (nor could I find any), so I used one of Eric Coates instead.

The original English text follows:

I heard you singing when the dawn was grey
And silver dew on ev'ry blossom lay;
Though the rising sun too soon drank up the dew,
I thought I heard you singing all the long day through.
I heard you singing in the silent hour
When evening came with sleep for bird and flow'r;
A song like happy murmuring of woodland streams,
I thought I heard you singing down the vale of dreams.
Beloved, when the last call echoes clear,
And I must part from all that is so dear,
I shall not fear the valley that before me lies,
If I may hear you singing as I close my eyes.