Gilbert & Sullivan: Iolanthe
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Brand: D'OYLY CARTE OPERAComposer: Arthur Sullivan
Conductor: Isidore Godfrey
Orchestra: New Symphony Orchestra of London
Performer: Alan Styler
Performer: Dawn Bradshaw
Performer: Donald Adams
Performer: Gillian Knight
Performer: Jennifer Toye
Performer: John Reed
Performer: Kenneth Sandford
Performer: Mary Samson
Performer: Mary Sansom
Performer: Pauline Wales
Performer: Thomas Round
Performer: Yvonne Newman
Edition: Music CD
Format: Original recording reissued
CD Release Date: 2003-05-13
Music Label: Decca
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Overture
- Tripping Hither, Tripping Thither
- Iolanthe
- Good Morrow, Good Mother
- Fare Thee Well, Attractive Stranger
- Good Morrow, Good Lover
- None Shall Part Us
- Loudly Let The Trumpet Bray
- Entrance Of The Lord Chancellor
- The Law Is The Embodiment
- My Well-Beloved Lord
- Nay, Tempt Me Not
- Spurn Not The Nobly Born
- Lords, It May Not Be
- Said I To Myself, Said I
- When Darkly Looms The Day
- When All Night Long A Chap Remains
- Strephon's A Member Of Parliament
- When Britain Really Ruled The Waves
- In Vain To Us You Plead
- Oh, Foolish Fay
- Though P'r'aps I May Incur Your Blame
- Love Unrequited
- If You Go In You're Sure To Win
- If We're Weak Enough To Tarry
- My Lord, A Suppliant At Your Feet
- It May Not Be
- Soon As We May, Off And Away
Music reviews of Gilbert & Sullivan: Iolanthe
Music Review: Classic D'Oyly Carte Opera Company stereo version of "Iolanthe" from 1960
Rating: 5 Stars
SOURCE: September 1960 studio recording made in London.
SOUND: When new, the series of G&S recordings that includes this "Iolanthe" was generally regarded as being at the leading edge of commercial analogue stereo. The digital remastering carried out in the late 1990s was generally successful and the sound on these CDs will be perfectly satisfactory to anyone but hyper-finicky audiophiles.
CAST: Lord Chancellor - John Reed (patter baritone); Earl Mountararat - Donald Adams (bass-baritone); Earl Tolloller - Thomas Round (tenor); Private Willis - Kenneth Sandford (bass-baritone); Strephon - Alan Styler (baritone); Queen of the Fairies - Gillian Knight (mezzo-soprano); Iolanthe - Yvonne Newman (mezzo-soprano); Celia - Jennifer Toye (soprano); Leila - Pauline Wales (soprano); Fleta - Dawn Bradshaw (speaking part); Phyllis - Mary Sansom (soprano). CONDUCTOR: Isadore Godfrey with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, the New Symphony Orchestra of London and the Band of the Grenadier Guards.
TEXT: With one significant exception, the text of this performance is the standard text adopted by the D'Oyly Carte Company early in the Twentieth Century and performed by them until the company's demise at the hands of the penny-pinching Thatcher government. The standard text contains one major cut from the opening night's score, a song for Strephon called "Fold Your Flapping Wings." The song was not recorded here, although it has been restored in the 1991 recording of the New D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.
The exception to the standard text in this performance arises from the fact that the original production of "Iolanthe" was offered to the London audience in an ultra-sumptuous production. That production had a full military brass band to play for the spectacular entrance of the peers in Act One. The D'Oyly Carte touring companies, playing year after year throughout the length and breadth of Britain and Ireland, on the other hand, could not afford the luxury of a second band. For them, Sullivan thriftily provided a version of the entrance music that could be played by the pick-up orchestras playing in the pits of provincial theaters. The touring version became the standard version and was played on all prior recording.
It should be noted that this set was recorded at a time when the record producers elected to break with the long-established practice of omitting the spoken words. The labels on both the old Lp album and the current CD case proudly proclaim, "Complete with dialogue" and so it is. You are free to regard this fact as a welcome addition or as an insufferable nuisance.
COMMENTARY: This recording captures the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company--the production company founded by Gilbert, Sullivan and their producer, Richard D'Oyly Carte--at the height of its 1960s form. At its core were stars still held fondly in the hearts of many G&S afficionados: John Reed, Kenneth Sandford, Thomas Round, Donald Adams and Gillian Knight. It was certainly a very sound cast and, naturally, the most experienced in the world in this repertory. This performance is in the classic D'Oyly Carte tradition which stretches back directly to the days when genial Sullivan conducted from the pit of the Savoy Theatre and glowering Gilbert directed the performers on stage.
The recordings of the original DCOC can be divided into four strata: the electrical recordings of the late 1920s and early 1930s, the mono recordings of the 1950s, the first stereo recordings of the 1960s and the second stereo recordings of the 1970s. Fans debate with considerable heat about the respective merits of the three earlier strata. (Nobody pays much attention to the final one.) The 1960s cast certainly has its adherents. Purely as a matter of personal taste, I prefer the earlier ones, but they are recorded in the "historic" sound not beloved by ears accustomed to the digital era.
The previous reviewer was struck by the speed of this performance and even suggested some humorous explanations for it. (Ho-ho-ho.) This "Iolanthe" is unquestionably more brisk than the contemporary and rival version conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. From the outset, however the Sargent series was widely criticized as being overly lugubrious. This recording is a fair presentation of the tempo of the actual DCOC stage production as I remember it. It is about the same as the 1950s recorded version and, if anything, a bit slower than the 1930s version.
Overall, this is a good stereo "Iolanthe." It showcases the absolutely authentic performing tradition for the works of Gilbert and Sullivan.
Five stars.
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Description of Gilbert & Sullivan: Iolanthe
No Description Available.Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 13-MAY-2003
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