Tear sang solos with many great orchestras under many famous conductors including Leonard Bernstein, Carlo Maria Giulini and Herbert von Karajan. He sang in many famous opera houses in the world. He made over 250 recordings including many cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach, Benjamin Britten’s Serenade, Nocturne and the War Requiem and Gustav Mahler’s "Das Lied von der Erde". He also recorded many Lieder including Schubert’s "Die Winterreise".