Quasthoff was born with serious birth defects caused by his mother's exposure during pregnancy to the drug thalidomide which was prescribed as an antiemetic to combat her morning sickness. Thomas Quasthoff is unusually short (about four feet tall) due to shortening of the long bones in his legs, and he has phocomelia of the upper extremities with very short or absent long bones and flipper-like appearance of his hands.
Quasthoff was denied admission to the music conservatory in Hannover, Germany due to his physical inability to play the piano, then a requirement for entry to the conservatory. He chose to study voice privately. He also studied law for three years. Prior to his music career, he worked six years as a radio announcer for NDR. He also did voice-over work for television.
His music career was launched in 1988 when he won an important competition in Munich, earning praise from the baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. In 2003, he made his staged operatic debut as Don Fernando in Simon Rattle's Beethoven's Fidelio at the Salzburg Festival. His San Francisco Symphony debut took place September 2004.
Thomas Quasthoff won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance in 2000. It was for his performance together with the soprano Anne Sofie von Otter of Mahler’s Lieder aus "Des Knaben Wunderhorn". They were accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Claudio Abbado. He won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance for the second time in 2004. It was for Schubert: Lieder with Orchestra which Quasthoff performed with von Otter and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Abbado. Quasthoff won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance for the third time in 2006 with Rainer Kussmaul leading members of the RIAS Chamber Choir of Berlin Baroque Soloists in their recording of J.S.Bach: Cantatas.
Additionally, Quasthoff's recordings of the songs of Brahms, Liszt and Schubert accompanied by pianist Justus Zeyen were nominated for the Grammy in 2000 and 2001. Thomas Quasthoff records for Deutsche Grammophon.
Quasthoff is a full-time voice professor and performs only about 50 times a year. He was a professor at the music academy of Detmold, Germany. He currently teaches at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin.
For the 2006-2007 concert season, Quasthoff was one of Carnegie Hall's "Perspectives" artists. However, illness forced him to cancel his first two appearances in that capacity.
In 2006 he took his first jazzalbum, "The Jazzalbum - Watch what happens", with Till Brönner, Alan Broadbent, Peter Erskine, Dieter Ilg and Chuck Loeb.
In the spring of 2012, Quasthoff announced his retirement at the age of 52. During an interview with the German magazine, Der Spiegel, Quasthoff said that his retirement was due to grief at the death of his brother, as well as a recent bout of laryngitis. He also went on to speak that he was now satisfied that the world had not just listened to his art due to his physical challenges, but that his art was truly respected for itself.
My Funny Valentine
Thomas Quasthoff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet comic valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable
Unphotographable
Yet you're my favorite work of art.
Is your figure less than greek
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?
But don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine, stay
Each day is valentines day.
Is your figure less than greek
Is your mouth a little weak
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?
But don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine, stay
Each day is valentines day.
The song "My Funny Valentine" by Thomas Quasthoff is a love song that captures the unique beauty of the person he loves. He starts by addressing his "funny valentine," who he calls his "sweet comic valentine." The person he loves brings a smile to his face without even trying, and he says it is because of the joy that they bring to his heart. He notes that the person's looks are "laughable" and "unphotographable," but to him, they are a beautiful work of art.
Further in the song, Thomas asks if his "funny valentine's" figure is not "greek" or if their mouth is a little weak when they speak, and if they are smart. He then says that it does not matter because he loves the person just as they are, and he would not want them to change anything for him. He encourages them to remain the same and stay with him, and each day is Valentine's Day when they are together.
Overall, the song is an expression of love that goes beyond physical beauty or what society deems as perfect. It celebrates the uniqueness and individuality of the person being loved and encourages them to remain true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
My funny valentine
My amusing, endearing lover
Sweet comic valentine
You are sweet and comedic like Valentine's greeting card
You make me smile with my heart
You brighten my day and bring joy to my heart
Your looks are laughable
Your appearance is not conventionally attractive, even humorous
Unphotographable
You are impossible to capture in a photograph, not due to looks, but to personality
Yet you're my favorite work of art.
Despite your unique appearance, you are still more precious to me than anything else
Is your figure less than greek
Are you not physically perfect like a Greek statue?
Is your mouth a little weak
Do you have a speech impediment or lack confidence in your opinions?
When you open it to speak
When you start talking, is your voice uncertain or hesitant?
Are you smart?
Do you possess intelligence and wit?
But don't change a hair for me
Do not alter yourself in any way to please me
Not if you care for me
If you truly love me, I accept and appreciate you as you are
Stay little valentine, stay
Stay with me, my sweet and beloved one
Each day is valentines day.
Every day spent together feels like a special Valentine's Day
Contributed by Daniel V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
51dore
What a voice, he touches my soul... wow.....
Boris Contreras
Wonderful... The best version of My Funny Valentine in my opinion... Thomas Quasthoff is a real giant of voice :)
By the way, who's the pianist ?
Jaime López
Wonderful pianist!!!!!!!!!
evamarimo
+Boris Contreras I agree!
I have no idea about the pianist, though. If I still have the whole concert, I'll check for you.
Gavin Farkas
I can sing any operatic bass role perfectly fine but how I wish I could do this so flawlessly.
honeysoi
Thomas Quasthoff is the baryton I have ever heard. His warm and deep voice has an incredible range, and he is able to give strong emotion in any musical style. Herr Quasthoff is a Master !
AliBea
Perfect. Precious song, amazing artist.
Leonel Gomes
Goosebumps. One king among men.
Enaira Vaz
AMAZING interpretation...
Blanquis
It was amazing