EMOTION…..
Emotion, what a delicate human trait…it can be wonderful, or it can be terrible. How many different ones do we go through in a day—or in a lifetime? Sometimes we try to hide it or suppress it, but it usually wins and comes out. They may be spontaneous or developed over time.
Emotion expressed in song is one of the surprising and beautiful things about our boys’ abilities. One wonders how they could feel and express such emotion at the beginning when they were so young.
Many of their current songs are about love–often lost or unfulfilled, and they bring such feeling to the lyrics, which we usually don’t understand, but can get the meaning just from what we see on their faces and hear in their voices. Other singers sing their songs, but no one brings to them the emotion that the men of Il Volo do.
Consider the reverent expression of “O Holy Night.” It must be a challenge to project the perfect facial expression while focusing on the vocal aspect. In the video in which they are singing in the cathedral, when Piero is hitting the high notes with perfection, Gianluca is looking at him with such an expression of affection and admiration. This is something that we often see–the way that each of them is emotionally involved the the others’ singing. It’s a thing of beauty, and something that they are not inhibited about showing.
The emotional component of the operatic solos of Piero is so evident in his delivery
that even though the language in unfamiliar, one can feel the emotion of the song through the masterful technique he shows with his voice plus the exquisite facial expressions.
Watch Ignazio’s face when he is singing “Memories.” He isn’t just singing–He’s experiencing the emotion of the song. His delicate shading of the musical tones and the lyrics, as well as the depth of facial expression, contributes so much to the emotional impact of the song.
Gianluca, too, is the master of cuing in to the emotion of the song. He brings his impish grin and twinkling eyes when appropriate, or becomes sultry and sexy (a la Frank Sinatra) when that is called for.
With their talent and the kind of men that they are, we can only imagine.
Meanwhile we will continue to listen with awe and love to what they bring to us today.
~Mary
I have to stop and listen to Ignazio because all his solo’s are expressing such strong emotions. His singing draws me into my own feelings.
“Music is a universal language. Beyond the powers of word and speech, the melody, rhythm and pitch of music is transcendental. It moves people of all shape, race, gender, color, age and size to feel. Musicians use music as the means through which they are able to express the emotions they themselves are feeling. In turn, the ones listening are influenced into feeling the emotions in a particular score, composition, or song. Listeners usually see their own emotions reflected in the type of music they prefer to listen to. This would lead to the notion of music being a very subjective concept. What resonates in one person while listening to a particular music may not be the same to that in another. Whichever way we are made to feel by music, what is common is the fact that we are actually moved to feel in the first place. There is very little doubt that music truly influences and impacts our emotions. The question that has plagued psychologists and academics until now is, “how?”.
Expressing and Evoking Emotions through Music – …
http://www.drclouthier.com/emotional/expressing-evoking-emotions-music
Thanks again for a lovely post.
Ah Mary, Thank you for this article and those handsome pictures. You are correct! No one (or group) expresses more emotion than our Guys! Even when they were very young. Could it be because they are Italian? A people who are more emotionally revealing? Or because, as I suspect, Our Guys are pure expressive magic and light.
I think you’ve nailed it, Marie….”pure expressive magic and light.” Perfect.
Best comment ever!!! 🙂 <3
Well said
Thank you Mary for such a great post. All three of our favorite ITALIANS do exactly how you described them. I’m drawn to each one when I’m listening to them sing. You are correct in that, as they mature, they will no doubt be more expressive while singing. I love these talented young men to no end. Thank you.
Thank you Mary.
Thank you Mary for your post. I can’t express music like you girls can. Over the years there have been a few GOOD singers who cold make me feel calm. That is the only way I can express myself. Nat Cole, Johnny Mathis have always been my favourites & still are. Il Divo singing for me was calming for me for a while until I heard Il Volo. Now I don’t want to listen to any other artist because the joy & emotions I feel when I listen to Ignazio singing Quando Quando or Memories or now the new songs that he takes part in. Also listening to Gianluca where he has perfected his crooning way better than Frank Sinatra ever did. I have to stop what I a doing & just stand or sit & listen to him. I am feeling every note he is crooning. With Piero it amazes me how long he can hold a note wit his powerful voice. In fact listening to the 3 of them when they are singing & ending a song as to how long they can hold the notes amazes me no end.
Loretta, for a woman who “can’t express music” you have done a pretty good job for a long time!
Mary, this is just beautiful. You have described each man’s emotional input into their singing to a T! I loved your article! And yes, I can only imagine how amazing they are yet to become.
Ditto to what’s been said, and as Ignazio says. “It is a BIG EMOTION”! Thanks for your beautiful post!!
Well from you You, Mary & Gina wrote I thought I couldn’t compare in vocabulary. thank you I guess it came out better than I thought. I would like to know what Ignazio sees when he closes his eyes when he sings.
He see’s me!
Yuk Yuk Yuk you wish
I close my eyes and see the parrot!!
Mary nice post! You always put so much heart into everything you write! I print off many of your posts to keep and reread! Thank you!
Thank you, Lynn…..that’s quite a compliment. It’s so very much appreciated.
Your posting was beautifully written, Mary. It is hard to explain to others the emotions these young Italians stir in us. And I was stirred by these young men when I first heard them sing. Gianluca was shy, Ignazio was chubby with deep dimples, and Piero was rather nerdy looking with ears that stuck out. I love these guys with all my heart, and I wish I could hand out copies of your post to those who don’t understand why I am so emotionally involved with Il Volo. Gina and Marie, you also explained it in words I could never come up with.
so true Allene, what i love so much about this site is that people with such great writing skills express so well exactly what i strongly feel.
Oh, Allene, Isn’t it beautiful….Gianluca so sophisticated and comfortable with being outgoing and charming…Igna so handsome and virile (altho I loved the chubby cheeks,) and Piero, the caterpillar who turned into a gorgeous moth…..(is there such a thing as a manly moth?…because he is definitely manly!!) What a lovely story they make….like a modern day fairy tale.
Well you did, Allene and it made my eyes mist up with your description of how they were when we first “heard them sing”.
I know… each time I hear them sing, it’s like they keep getting better! How is it possible? As I’ve said and have read other places, they are “ear”gasms! 🙂 Per the Urban Dictionary: The sensation one gets while hearing a dramatic climax in music. Ditto on what everyone has already said! Soon to be another exciting year for us and them!
Mary, what a lovely post. There is nothing I can add to what you already said about the “Big Emotion” that almost oozes from their skin, eyes, & voices when they sing. Even if we don’t understand the language, the meaning of the song comes through in their faces and the passion expressed in their voices.
You may know, Mary, that I share your special fondness for Piero. Almost everything he sings hits me straight in the heart. And I love looking at him, too (wink-wink). As Allene wrote, he was kind of nerdy looking with his spiky hair when they first started out, but there was something about him, even then, that spoke to me. And now, I think the caterpillar has turned into a Monarch butterfly…beautiful & majestic. And his voice has grown so much, due to his studying & hard work. OMG, I don’t know if I can handle the awesomeness that is to come!
Gianluca was very shy in the early days. The first video where I saw him really put himself out there was when Jo Longstreth filmed him singing “Maria” as a solo in Louisville Kentucky on August 15, 2012. I almost cried when I saw it the first time. It was as if he was acting out the part from West Side Story. He was magnificent! And now he is “so sophisticated and comfortable with being outgoing and charming”, as you wrote, Mary. If he wants to branch out into acting at some point in the future, he will be a natural.
Ignazio is transformed, too, both in his looks & his voice. His voice was thinner when IL VOLO was starting, & now it is much fuller & stronger. I was disappointed to hear on one of the interviews that he doesn’t think of himself as handsome. I guess he didn’t want to sound conceited or anything. I don’t know what kind of mirrors he’s been looking at, but he is VERY handsome! I love how he is not afraid to poke fun at himself & the other two. His sense of humor shows when he sings, as well as the other emotions he feels through the song.
What you wrote here really sums it up: “Other singers sing their songs, but no one brings to them the emotion that the men of Il Volo do.” I can hardly wait until March when I get to see & hear them in concert for the first time, and meet them up close & personal. My daughter-in-law already warned me that she will not bail me out if I get arrested for kissing & hugging such YOUNG men. But this will be in New Orleans. We Southern girls kiss & hug everybody!
Wonderful. Lynn!
Thank you Mary for your beautiful words about our guys…..Just perfect.
In thinking of my impression when I first heard and saw them on
Ti Lascio Und Canzone, I thought Gianluca was about the best
looking 14 yr old I had ever seen. It was hard to believe that beautiful
voice was coming from a young man only 14 yrs old. Ignazio, also
14 yrs old had the most lovely smile and a great voice too…..I thought
Piero had the strongest voice I had ever heard coming from a 15 yr old.
I was just overwhelmed by their talents…..And now Gianluca does indeed
croon with such deep emotion, I either have tears or smile when I hear
him sing. And Ignazio so full of kindness and encouragement and
sings with such deep emotion is outstanding in his interpretation.
I am amazed at how Piero can hold onto those notes with such power
and emotion……I had long given up on hearing any good music and never dreamed I would follow any singers career until I heard Il Volo and I thank
them so much for their beautiful music…..I can’t describe my feelings
nearly as well as the rest of you ladies but I do know that I love to hear
them sing……My first live concert will be March 20, 2016. YAY……
I need to add that I will also get to meet them up close
and personal. I just hope I can talk and get that hug
and maybe a kiss.
Great descriptions, Gale. Make sure you get three really great hugs! No maybe on the “kiss”… Get it done.!
Thank you so much Mary for this wonderful article. You express so well how I and so many others feel watching and listening to Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca. Even before I see translations of some of their songs, you can just feel the emotions and feelings in their songs. They are just incredibly talented young men who also happen to be so thoughtful, loving and kind! I am so grateful that I heard them on their first PBS special from Detroit and I just knew they were so gifted and realized how much their music filled me with happiness!
What member of Il Volo resembles you the most? Entertaining test from the Italian website, but you do not need to know the Italian language. Always only click on the picture which you most like and on the end you will see the result. Sometimes is difficult to choose one option. I’ve done the test twice and the result was Gianluca and Piero. 🙂 Good luck and have fun ! 🙂
http://tvmeme.it/quale-membro-de-il-volo-ti-assomiglia-di-piu/
I don’t understand the question. How can they resemble us. Why isn’t Ignazio’s picture there?
Dear Loretta, maybe it is my fault, my bad expression in English. But resemble means have qualities or features, in common with someone or something; look or seem like. This is a fun test and at the end of which you will know a member of Il Volo who is most similar to you.There are 7 questions, as choose your favorite color from the four options. They used photo from CD L’amore si muove Ignazio is there, but unfortunately we cannot see his head. 🙂 My mom also has done the test and her result was Ignazio. 🙂 Hope I explained it better now.
As this year is ending, I wish all the negativity and difficulties also end with this year and 2016 bring success and desired results for you. 🙂
What a beautiful post followed by amazing comments!!
Ineke thinks we should bundle it all up and send it to the Boys titled, ‘’A SINCERE OVERVIEW OF THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE AMAZING IL VOLO SINGERS”. I think I will.
Marie, really this post is very beautiful and also all sincere and warm-hearted comments are simply wonderful !! 🙂 I have nothing more to add. 🙂 Wishing you a Happy New Year with the hope that you will have many blessings in the year to come. 🙂
For all Il Volovers, and of course for Piero, Ignazio, Gianluca …
Forget the pains, sorrows, and sadness behind..
New Year gives you the perfect opportunity to start afresh,
Grab the chance and make the world a better place for you and yours. 🙂
I wish you scatter happiness all 365 days and get the same in return.
What the future holds for us,
depends on what we hold for the,
future. May all your days be,
beautiful and bright.. Keep your
face to the sunshine.. Keep your
happy thoughts run through,
your mind. They will show on your face. 🙂 And :
H ours of happy times with friends and family,
A abundant time for relaxation,
P prosperity,
P plenty of love when you need it the most,
Y youthful excitement at life simple pleasures,
N nights of restful slumber
E everything you need,
W wishing you love and light,
Y ears and years of good health,
E enjoyment and mirth,
A angels to watch over you,
R remembrances of a happy years.
Wish you Happy New Year ! 🙂 <3
Sweet! Thanks, Lydka! I wish the same to you!
I did the test twice…..First result: Gianluca
Second result. Ignazio
Thanks for the encouragement Marie……I will absolutely get those
three hugs. This will be my one chance as I might not get another
opportunity. I’m looking forward to the concert and the Meet and
Greet and hope I don’t freeze up.
I had lost FC Email since Thanksgiving! Was at my daughter’s in Utah & when I changed to her internet I lost FC! Didn’t realize at first. When I came home FC was still gone! My son thought he straightened it out but didn’t happen! Marie got me back with FC on Sun. Still catching up! Beautiful post with all the wonderful replies, Mary. You have said it all, I have no wisdom to add! I took the test & it came out Ignazio!! True, have interacted more with him! His doing not mine! I love the three of them & each is charming & loving in their own way!!! Incredible young men!!!
Welcome back!