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#1 Post by **Kyocera** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:35 am

to watch this, it is one of the most extraordinary things I've seen, music wise.

I do listen to classical opera almost every morning (handel's Messiah) but it does not have the emotion this does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oxTy7KIAaA

#2 Post by **Harryc** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 12:02 pm

I don't know Mr. Pott's history, but it was extraordinary for a guy to walk in off of the street and sing opera like that. I think that's what got the audience emotion going. Thanks for sharing.

#3 Post by **underclocker** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 12:53 pm

Apparently he won the contest today - 100K British Pounds.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 948408.ece

Beautiful.

Turbo Audi · #4 Post by **Turbo Audi** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:55 pm

Wow that was impressive.

skitty4gzus · #5 Post by **skitty4gzus** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:12 pm

that was brilliant. there are folks on youtube who say he had coaching, which he probably did, but think about this. i played the trumpet for about 3 years and that didn't turn me into no Dizzy Gillespie!!! There are folks who practice and try and try their whole life to get better at whatever. That dude plain out is gifted and thats that. simply amazing

#6 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:00 pm

I saw several of the other contestants as well on TV in various episodes, amazing the variety they had and the talent that was shown.
But most of you missed out on a lovely six-year old girl singing her little heart out, who should really have won that competition.
She was plain better than Paul Potts IMHO.

#7 Post by **Kyocera** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:06 pm

I saw the little girl, conny, not even close to Paul Potts, haven't seen anything like that on American Idol or any other show ever, the only time I've seen that much emotion is watching Hendrix play Live at The Isle Of Wight concert shortly before his death.

al7kz · #8 Post by **al7kz** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:45 pm

It helped to choose an aria that has achieved pop status through its (over)use by Pavarotti and as a soccer game theme by the BBC. It was a fair performance, with flaws that were mostly covered up by the roaring crowd. The shock and delight of course was an unknown singing surprisingly well, although to an uncritical audience who obviously knew little about opera and that you should keep quiet until the singer is finished.

#9 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:02 pm

Kyocera wrote:...the only time I've seen that much emotion is watching Hendrix play Live at The Isle Of Wight concert shortly before his death.

I don't believe you'll find many Hendrix fans that listen to opera and vice versa (I guess I could be mistaken though). I always thought that I listened to and enjoyed a wide range of musical genres, but I think you have me beat.

Opera is something that I listen to only rarely. I must admit that I enjoyed Paul Potts in that video. He does have a great voice.

On a side note; I recently saw a movie on DirectTV called "Black Moon" (1975). I don't know why, but when it came on again, I watched it again. And even a third time. This is quite rare for me. I am not quite sure what about it has me fascinated. This movie is definitely a bit strange. It has been described as: "An apocalyptic Alice in Wonderland!". Several times throughout the movie, opera music is being played from the opera "Tristan und Isolde". I can't say that I am familiar with it, but listening to portions of the opera in the movie has piqued my interest. If I get the opportunity, I may go see "Tristan und Isolde".

[Kyocera, if I got too far off-topic, feel free to split this post off.]

EDIT: While I said above that opera music is being "played" in the movie, I rather should have said that opera is being "sung" in the movie. One character sings to himself while raking leaves in the yard, and at another point in the movie, a couple of adolescents are performing the opera while the leading character, Lily, plays it on the piano (never mind that 3 of the 4 main characters are named Lily).

#10 Post by **Kyocera** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:44 pm

this really was meant to be off topic in every way, to take ones mind wherever paul potts takes it, yes i do listen to every kind of music there is because of the emotive force that the notes or the person convey.

Sometimes you have to let your guard down and experience something rather than just see or hear it, that is what I felt paul potts created was an experience, I'm sure he. most of all was very surprized at the reactions of the crowd, but he was in a zone that you can get into playing music, and there nothing around you but a dreamlike experience.

#11 Post by **gator** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:49 pm

Simon's reaction went from "I am bored" to "What the .... ?" to "I can't beleive this guy is singing this!". Amazing performance by Paul ...

Website · #12 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:51 pm

That was just outstanding!! I had never even seen the British version of this show, much less Paul Potts...WOW!!

#13 Post by **underclocker** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:55 pm

in 365 days those patronizing judges won't even be able to get an autograph from Paul Potts. Way to go Paul, way to go (paraphrased from An Officer and A Gentleman)!

#14 Post by **BillMorrow** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:04 am

Puccini's Turandot - Nessun dorma.. !
done to applause on a stage in britain is, well, not unexpected..
in the US, the black RAP group would have won..
good opera can have that effect on people..
weeping, applause..

which tells a whole lot about the difference between noise and music and the sad lack of good taste in the USA..

thanks mike for the snippet of real music done by mr. potts..

Purcy · #15 Post by **Purcy** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:40 am

I think this was outstanding from several viewpoints, his obvious gorgeous voice one of them. The big lesson to me was to never judge a book by it's cover. You could see the looks on the judges faces of "one more loser" get this over with - and within one minute it was a different scene. In the very least it was inspiring to not ever think something in impossible. I heartily applaud him.

#16 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:57 am

The object of this whole exercise was, to find an amateur good enough to perform for the English Queen's 81st birthday concert.
A group of rappers would probably be of limited interest to her.

As to the previous post about 'Tristan & Isolde', you really have to be rather morose, to be able to listen to Wagner, let alone enjoy it. This same Wagner also has a very negative image outside of Germany, since anything Wagner was Adolf Hitler's favorite music!

My favorite types of music are classical, including opera, and C&W.
I enjoyed Paul Pott's performance but Nessun Dorma has been performed 'ad nauseam', and his choice was clearly to win over the public's votes (nothing wrong with that).

#17 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:06 am

As to the previous post about 'Tristan & Isolde', you really have to be rather morose, to be able to listen to Wagner, let alone enjoy it. This same Wagner also has a very negative image outside of Germany, since anything Wagner was Adolf Hitler's favorite music!

I was intrigued by the portions of "Tristan und Isolde" that I heard in the movie "Black Moon". I enjoy complex music. Whether I would enjoy the opera as a whole, I do not yet know. As I stated previously, opera is something that I listen to only rarely. IRT opera, generally speaking I do not understand the language being sung so I just listen to it from the melodic point of view. Of course, if I have the opportunity to watch it, there will be visual clues as to what the opera is about. FTR, I often listen to foreign language music for the experience, even though I do not understand the words.

Regarding Wagner's music and Hitler's enjoyment of it, I have this to say: The story of "Tristan und Isolde" dates back to the middle of the 12th century. Wagner composed the opera in the mid 1800's. This is long before Hitler came to be on the world stage. Hitler's enjoyment or hatred of a piece of music is not any criteria for me to judge it. Please note that I am not taking any offense to your opinion. I am just stating my own for the record.

Wikipedia wrote:Many Wagnerian critics of the time claimed that the musical portion of the opera attained the highest summit of all music; on the other hand, an equally influential group of critics, centered around Eduard Hanslick, condemned the work as being incomprehensible.

<snip>

The very first chord in the piece is the so-called Tristan chord, often taken to be of great significance in the move away from traditional tonal harmony. The music of Tristan und Isolde is also notable for its use of harmonic suspension: a musical device used by a composer to create musical tension by exposing the listener to a series of prolonged unfinished cadences, thereby inspiring a desire and expectation on the part of the listener for musical resolution. While this device had been used before on occasion by other composers, Wagner was one of the first composers to employ harmonic suspension over the course of an entire work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_und_isolde

#18 Post by **Kyocera** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:20 am

Gomjabbar wrote: I enjoy complex music

This is a good point, the complexity of the notes can be more stimulating to the brain, in a subconcious way, hence the reason for all the "Meditate with Mozart" mania years back, "Stimulate your Brain" etc. I'm not sure if that is the best explanation of music or complex music, it is in the ears of the beholder.

There is a pure quality to Paul Potts, that is real in his demeanor and comes out through his voice, it's not rocket science, it's emotion. He will only improve the more he sings that's the logical progression of practice makes perfect.

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