Mati-Johannes Palm

13.01.1942 - sündis Tallinnas. Poisiea veetis Saue külas.
1962-1968 - õppis Tallinna Konservatooriumis
1972-1973 - õppis Moskva Konservatooriumis professor Hugo Dietz’i klassis
1974-1976 - õppis La scuola di canto alla Scala's Renata Carosio klassis
1976-1980 - lauluklassi õppejõud Tallinna Konservatooriumis
Alates 1990 - Eesti Muusikaakadeemia lauluosakonna õppejõud, alates 1995 Eesti Muusika- ja teatriakadeemia lauluprofessor
1995-2000 - Eesti Muusikaakadeemia lauluosakonna juhataja
Alates 1969 - ooperisolist Rahvusooperis "Estonia"
28.5.2018 - suri oma kodulinnas Tallinnas.

Monday, November 1, 2021

Royal bass singer MATI PALM

When trying to describe briefly Mati Palm as a singer personality, I remember at first the idea of Fjodor Šaljapin: „There are many things in art which cannot be explained in words. You reach a certain limit and although you know that there are vast extensions and you know what exists at these extensions, yet you can not explain it. Human being has no words for that. It reaches the scale of emotions that cannot be expressed by words“.

Repertoire of Mati Palm included more than 80 stage roles, more than 50 bass parts in vocal-symphonic forms and 28 song cycles. The repertoire of nearly 500 solo concerts ranged from old classics to the modern day. However, facts alone cannot give us the slightest idea of ​​the loudness or intonation richness of his voice.

Having acquired the basics of singing at Tallinn State Conservatory with Jenny Simon and further training in Moscow, he mastered his talent for two seasons at the La Scala Singing School in Milan. Even and beautiful timbre throughout the register, the ability and skills to sing long phrases, culminations taken with strong conviction - these are the qualities, required for great operatic roles of Verdi: Attila, Philipp II, Zaccaria and de Silva.

We can admire many of the world's top singers, but in case of de Silva's aria, I have not heard any performance that could exceed Mati Palm’s. Having performed for Moscow audience during the 1972 Estonian tours, he had to repeat his perfromance for three times!

Main role in Wagner's "Flying Dutchman" in Finnish, Estonian and German – Mati performed it always with refined pronunciation and diction.

I and people of my generation have had an excellent possibilty and honour to collaborate with Mati Palm on stagings. Our colleagues were the leading soloists of Estonia at that time, Mati Palm being unddoubtedly on of the best among them.  Together we enjoyed attention anda applauses at Savonlinna, Stockholm, Moscow and Paris.

I hope that this record keeps the voice of Mati Palm alive through ages and gives to the listeners the emotional charge which cannot be described in words.

Arne Mikk

opera director, long-time general director of the Estonian National Opera

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Opera is my view of the world, my lifestyle and conscience, oratorio my love, chamber singing my hobby"

 

Studies

When graduating from high school, a decision had to be made, what next? I had already been singing in choirs since first grades, performed as a soloist and even won the first prize on singers competition in Estonia. On the ohter hand, I loved sports as well. My singing teacher Ants Sööt introduced me to professor Aleksander Arder who told me that I had sufficient voice and also musical hearing enough to try to enter Conservatoire singing preparation class. I was accepted. Besides singing lessons I was an active sportsman for a while.

1962–1968 Tallinn National Conservatoire (Jenny Siimon)

1972–1973 Mosow National Conservatoire, trainee (prof Hugo Dietz)

1974–1976 La Scala singing school in Milan (Renata Carosio, Renato Pastorino)

1983 Berlin Komische Oper, trainee

The singer must have at least two octaves or a little more of work notes. The current range from the bottom mi-bemoll to the sol-note - which is not much, a tertz over two octaves - is the fruit of learning. This range enables you to sing all the partiis.

Career

1967 singer of opera choir at theatre Estonia

since 1969 opera soloist

1976–1980 lecturer at Tallinn National Conservatory signing department

1988 planned guest soloist at Berlin State Opera

1990–2014 Professor of the Singing Department, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre

1995–2000 Head of the Singing Department, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre

Significant competitions

Success in singing is determined by singer's skills and ability to organize one's own inner attitude. The spirit of an athlete forced me to take part in competitions both near and far. I had been a thrower and pusher in sports. Psychologically, the singing competition is not different: you have to time precisely the peak of your abilities.

1967 – Competition of Estonian, Lithuanian and Belarusian singers, II prize

1968 – Competition of singers of the Baltic states and Belarus, II prize

1968 – Global youth festival in Sofia, goldmedal

1971 – Competition of singers of the Baltic states and Belarus, I prize

1972 – X Francisco Viňase competition og vocalists in Barcelona, II prize

If you do not win another medal or prize in the new competitions, your previous medals will fade.

Roles

81 opera parts in 68 operas and 1 operetta

1235 performances during the year on 46 stages

In addition to Estonia, he has performed in opera roles in 17 countries on 67 stages.

Toured with theatre Estonia with 17 operas in 10 countries.

Vocal symphonic works

When studying difficult vocal works, I have thought twice in my life that if I can learn just one line from here, I am able to learn the rest.

During 52 years, Mati Palm's repertoire included 54 major works at a total of 270 concerts.

In addition to Estonia, Mati Palm has performed in large vocal symphonic forms in 10 countries.

The most performed work (33 times) is Verdi's "Requiem", bass solo can be found on this record.

Concert activities

Mati Palm has given 442 solo concerts, 233 of them in Estonia. He has performed with 15 orchestras and 7 groups, there have been 60 concertmasters.

First performances as a soloist were in school in the mid-1950s and the last in 2018.

Concert repertoire of Mati Palm included 554 arias / songs from 167 authors.

In total, there were 2741 performances, which is an average performance every third day.

Recordings

9 music films have been created, in which Mati Palm appears.

His voice has been recorded on 32 records, 5 of which are solo records.

This particular record is 33rd record.

In addition, one can find more than 300 concert recordings for radio and television


Echoes in media

Bass Mati Palm started the concert with the aria "Ella giammai m´amo" from Verdi's opera "Don Carlo". It was clear from the first notes that he was not in Italy by chance. Using his "thundering voice", Mati Palm can really make the theatre shake.

Amedea Volta. La Provincia, 1.02.1976.

Bass Mati Palm has the power and confidence of a deep organ tone, singing either Verdi or Rossini or the works of any composer. This soloist has a personal relationship with the person being interpreted and a very pleasant sense of character. He can spice up the musical meaning.

Corriere Valsesiano, 26.12.1975.

Deep bass, beautiful timbre and expressive, meaningful performance proved to be the main tools in the embodiment of the rebellious character of Attila, the king of the Huns.

M. Bjalik. Vetšerni Leningrad, 12.07.1978.

Inviting Mati Palm to "The Dutchman“ was a brilliant idea: one can sense fate and desolate breath of open seas in his majestic figure. His voice is superb: sometimes thunder, sometimes tenderness, just as needed. Most effectively did he carry out his rigid and motionless role, probably required so by the staging.

Seppo Nummi. Iltä-Savo, 8.07.1981.

 

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