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646  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 17, 2021, 03:23:01 am
Gilbert and Sullivan: The Pirates of Penzance Soloists,D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus/ Isidore Godfrey    Decca 2 cd's 

Aharr & Shiver me Timbers! This is the 1968 recording with dialogue. If you do like dialogue,this has got to be the most successful G & S,on cd,with dialogue,imo! And,I'll explain why,in a minute! I used to borrow the original Lp's from the local library,as a youngster;and I still find the dialogue funny and entertaining,to listen to. John Reed is just brilliant as the Major-General. Donald Adams is a rip-roaring Pirate King;and the clincher,in some ways;Owen Brannigan going way over the top as the Sergeant of Police. What was he on?!! :o ;D He's got to be the best ever,next to Kenneth Sandford in the 1957 D'Oyly Carte. Of course,Owen Brannigan recorded the role before,in the Sargent recording. Although,his performance was a bit more restrained. Both recording's are excellent,though!




647  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 16, 2021, 04:59:30 pm
Regarding Owen Brannigan's 'sonorous' vocal chords! Indeed! There was a family living me near for a while! They used to stay up late,playing music and talking! I think they were East European? They seemed nice people;but the car park was full of little kid's screaming & shouting,for hours on end at times!! :o ::) ;D The man had a deep,sonorous rumbling voice,which seemed to carry all over the place. It wasn't so much that it was loud;it just seemed to rumble away. I'd be thinking,'Where's it coming from?' It seemed to penetrate ever corner and,yet,as I say,it wasn't,particularly,loud! In fact,it was quite a nice voice! Just a low,sonorous,all pervading,omnipotent rumble!! :o ;D

Composer of the Week: Robert Simpson     Episode 4  (Nearing end of program):

Eppur si muove for organ - Ricercar
Iain Quinn (organ)
648  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 16, 2021, 04:51:24 pm
I have to say that even with my airy disregard for sonics, I'd be hard put to it to listen to 69 minuites of something recorded in 1907! It's of historical interest, undoubtedly, especially with the presence of Passmore, but would I enjoy it? I have to say that I seriously doubt it: you are a better man than I am, cilgwyn.  ;D
I thought,with your love of sausage frying noises,you'd be rushing to download this one?!! ;D
;D You make a fair point! But in my defence, I'd say that it's not the sound of frying sausages that puts me off but the general acoustic of mechanical (as opposed to electrical) recordings: they always sound to me as if they were made with the performers stationed at the bottom of a very deep well, while the horn was positioned at the top!
The sound has been compared to that of a sardine tin! Recording's of singer's come off best! And,amazingly well,in my opinion! They're still not going to be everyone's cup of tea,though!
649  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 16, 2021, 04:18:50 pm
Radio 3 Composer of the Week: Robert Simpson     Episode 4  "Breaking From the Past"

Apparently,Simpson and his wife had a recipe,in their cook book,for "Barbecued Critic"! Mostly,of his wife,Angela's,devising! So,I gather he (they) didn't like them?!! ;D

I'm wondering if these program's are repeat's? I'm sure I've heard the presenter telling me about that 'recipe',before? !

Some of the main interest here revolves around his various run-in's with the Beeb. I find myself agreeing with allot of what he said. But of course,this ground has been covered before here,more than once.So,I'll leave it at that!
Robert Simpson's music can be a bit of a tough listen. But,there's nothing as tortuous as I find in the music of Tippett. Thank goodness!! ::) ;D

Regarding,Havergal Brian! I think he's a worthwhile composer;but as,you say,there isn't enough time in the day! With 32 symphonies and the biggest symphony ever composer;one rabbit hole to avoid! And it is a big rabbit hole! (Been there! Done that! ::) And I say that as an ex member of the HB Society!! ;D)

650  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 16, 2021, 04:03:37 pm
Vortex
The Desford Colliery Caterpillar Band
James Watson (conductor)

(Radio 3 Composer of the Week: Robert Simpson:  Episode 5)

Interesting! Very much like one of those symphonies;but with just the brass,of course! I may listen to another episode?

This has interrupted my Gilbert and Sullivan marathon!!!
651  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 16, 2021, 03:48:52 pm
Radio 3 Composer of the Week: Robert Simpson     Episode 5 "The End is C Sharp"

Donald Macleod explores Robert Simpson’s life after his move to Ireland in 1986.

I'm listening to radio on the internet!! :o ;D Actually,I just happened to be listening to another radio station (Rte Radio 1) which I usually listen to on a radio. But they're carrying out maintenance work (reluctantly! ;D) on the Long Wave transmitter. I did get caught out today,mind! I switched on Radio 4 Long Wave for the news. Of course,it's cricket,now & I'm afraid I'm not a fan!! So,it was good old FM!

They're playing an excerpt from Simpson's Ninth symphony,now! Sadly,his move to Ireland didn't work out to plan! I remember writing a,slightly,over enthuastic letter to him,in which I expressed ideas ideas for a composition ,I had in mind (conveniently,omitting that I couldn't read music & could just about play chopsticks! ::) ;D) I wrote another letter apologising,for this. His wife sent me a very nice letter telling not to worry (and see a doctor! ;D) & thanking me for my letter! It was only then I learn that Robert Simpson had suffered a stroke. I've still got the letter!

Listening to this excerpt! Simpson was interested in astronomy,of course. The photographs on the front of those Hyperion cd'd always seem very apt. If ever a composer sounded 'cosmic'! The still movements always seem to evoke the vastness of space. At least,for me! The noisy bits pulsar's and quasar's. (And thing's like that!) Whatever they are?! (Those puffy,cheesy,potato snacks?! :-\ ;D) No I'm not into astronomy;but I know they have them in outer space! I liked the excerpt from his String Quartet No 13! Unfortunately,as you point out;there's just isn't enough time to explore everything. And Robert Simpson composed allot of quartets (I don't want start up that path! The expense!! :()
652  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 16, 2021, 12:10:21 am
I have to say that even with my airy disregard for sonics, I'd be hard put to it to listen to 69 minuites of something recorded in 1907! It's of historical interest, undoubtedly, especially with the presence of Passmore, but would I enjoy it? I have to say that I seriously doubt it: you are a better man than I am, cilgwyn.  ;D
I thought,with your love of sausage frying noises,you'd be rushing to download this one?!! ;D
653  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 15, 2021, 10:32:10 pm
I think I might buy a copy,when they have one of their sales?! Although,I think this release is a,fairly,recent one? I was wondering? Are you a Brianite,Lionel?! Half Brianite? Or maybe,a Neverheardanoteofhismusicinme lifeite?!! :o ;D
654  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 15, 2021, 08:20:43 pm
The Pirates of Penzance  Soloists,Chorus & Light Opera Orch/ Malcolm Sargent   (The 1929 D'Oyly Carte Recording)   Arabesque 2 cd's

Major-General   George Baker
Pirate King      Peter Dawson
Samuel           Stuart Robertson
Frederic          Derek Oldham
Sergeant of Police   Leo Sheffield
Mabel             Elsie Griffin
Edith              Nellie Briercliffe
Kate                Nellie Walker
Ruth               Dorothy Gill

Apparently,this is one of the most popular of all the early recordings of G & S. This is a very good performance,indeed! The presence of Peter Dawson as the Pirate King rather speaks for itself! A man who could make the most naff song sound great! Although,even he might have had a bit of a problem with the stuff they write now!! ::) The sound on this set is,absolutely excellent! Indeed,it sounds like the latest SACD digital technology compared to the 1907 recording of The Mikado I was listening to (enduring?!! :o ;D) last night! This one wouldn't frighten you too much,Lionel! ;D In fact,the engineer responsible for transfering this recording,has done such a good job,it's hard to believe it's,actually,a 1929 recording!

The BBC recording's of The Mikado from 1966 and 1989 (Rec.1986) are excellent! The 1966 recording's have the edge,for me;despite the mono sound & the quaint (but evocative) introductory narrations. If you like dialogue,you can't go better than the BBC. At least,in their heyday! And the cast's are first class! I don't know if it's just me though? But,Derek Hammond Stroud always sound's a bit like Christopher Biggin's,if he could sing! (I'm glad it isn't!! ;D)

I also listened to the Sargent (Glyndebourne emi) recordings of Iolanthe and Ruddigore,earlier today! The singing and the orchestra (with those extra strings,you referred to) sound just great! :) You don't get voices with that distinctive sound,these days,imo! Although,I suppose I'm just being an old fogey? (I am!! :( ;D). The presence of Owen Brannigan,in several of these recordings,is a definite plus. I've always liked his,very distinctive tones! His voice,just seems,to ring out! It had a lovely,rich sound! They don't make 'em like that,anymore! George Baker,does as some have pointed out (at Oakapple,among others) sound like a man who's getting on (How dare he get old!! >:( ;D)but he's got a nice timbre to his voice,he's got great timing,and he know's his stuff! Although,he,apparently,never appeared in an actual stage production of a G & S operetta. Having been brought in by HMV,because they thought Henry Lytton's voice wasn't suited to the Gramophone.
655  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 15, 2021, 12:56:59 am
Well,Oakapple obviously know far more about G & S than I'll ever do,granted;but I found the Ohio Light Opera recording of The Mikado very enjoyable and well sung! Okay,there's no one with a voice as distinctive as some of the performers on those old D'Oyly Carte or Sargent sets,or vocally,on a par with the latter;but they're all pretty good,to my ears! In fact,it's one of the most enjoyable recording's I've listened,in terms of sheer entertainment value. The delivery of the dialogue is nice & lively too! For someone who professes to enjoy the dialogue,it actually had me listening to some of it!! ::) ;D As to American accents? Again,I didn't have any problem here. I think they all manage their English accents very well! And who cares if the odd inflexion slips in,as long as the sing & perform well! If that is canned applause,it's right at the end & very brief! (Which is a definite plus!). A good recording,imo! And isn't it great that the American's are enjoying and recording this wonderful music! Nice to have a libretto & some photos of the production,with the set (albeit,small) too! Nice! :) :) :)

The BBC Mikado's,next!!
656  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 14, 2021, 08:56:13 pm
Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado Soloists,Chorus & Orchestra of the Ohio Light Opera/  J. Lynn Thompson        Albany 2 cd's

And now,it's the turn of the American's! This recording includes the dialogue. Okapple don't like this recording (see below) but I think it's quite good. I've only listened to it once,so I can't really pass judgement! Having listened through a slew of Mikado's,over the last few days,I should be able to,soon! I like most of their recordings,though! Allot of people don't like the dialogue;but I still find it surprising that this is the first recording of The Mikado ever to include it! And there have been allot! That said,although I do like to hear it,at times,I can live without it! And it's often nice to hear,just the music,without the yackety-yak! ;D But here it is! And I can't detect any American accent's........yet! Except the bit where Ko-Ko says,"Howdy Pardner!" to The Mikado! (I'm Joking! :o ;D)

http://gasdisc.oakapplepress.com/mikoloc.htm  Ouch! They really don't like it! :o  ;D Poor,Julie Wright!!

657  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 14, 2021, 08:17:47 pm
Gilbert and Sullivan: The Mikado    The 1907 Odeon Mikado with Walter Passmore as Ko-Ko (Soloists,Chorus & Orchestra & the Unknown Conductor! ;D)

This recording,made just by singing into a horn,sounds amazingly good! The recording,which I burned onto a cd,lasts 69 minutes & 30 seconds. So,there's quite allot here! Including the 'N' word (more,than once)! This is a very enjoyable performance,with a lively chorus. Walter Passmore breaks into a falsetto at the end of "Tit Willow". I'm not too mad on the use of falsetto in this song;but Passmore manages to make me laugh every time! There's an amusing exchange,later in the recording,with a chap who butts in;only to be told very firmly,that "I haven't finished singing,yet!" This recording was released on an Lp once,by Pearl;but never reissued on cd,sadly! :( You'd have needed that laugh,listening to this recording,in 1907! And an arm like Popeye the Sailor Man! ;D The recording appears to lose speed at one point & the vocalists begun to sound like a late night in a pub! ::) ;D Fortunately,this is a brief blip;and 'Popeye the Sailor' is on hand to wind it up! ;D (HMS Pinafore,would be more appropriate,here!) Still,back in the early 1900's this is how this recording would have sounded,when you forgot to wind it;or didn't wind it enough! (I should know,having two wind-up gramophone's,myself!) There's some rowdy cheering from the cast during "Here's a how-de-do!" which all adds to the fun. The 'N' word aside,this is a very enjoyable recording,with a lively cast! The presence of Walter Passmore means this is,also,a recording of great historical importance!

658  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 13, 2021, 11:48:09 pm
The 1936 D'Oyly Carte Mikado   Soloists & Chorus/ Isidore Godfrey   Happy Days 2 cd set

The Mikado       Darrell Fancourt
Nanki-Poo           Derek Oldham
Ko-Ko              Martyn Green
Pooh-Bah           Sydney Granville
Pish-Tush           Leslie Rands
Go-To              L. Radley Flynn
Yum-Yum           Brenda Bennett
Pitti-Sing           Marjorie Eyre
Peep-Bo           Elizabeth Nickell-Lean
Katisha           Josephine Curtis

This is a fine Mikado! Martyn Green was just great in the comedy roles. At least,in his prime! This transfer is nice & clear,with that nice,soothingly,reassuring,background hiss of shellac. This is cd 2 of the set. The first cd features the complete 1930 D'Oyly Carte Pinafore,with Henry Lytton (no less) as Sir Joseph Porter. When you lift the hinge to remove the second cd,there's a lovely photo of Henry Lytton (replete with monocle) and Martyn Green! The 'N' word (I think I'll refrain from asterisk's!) is sung twice in this recording! So,I'm a little jumpy,using these wireless headphones! ::) But,it's a very old recording,and apart from that,it's a most enjoyable recording. It's also a 'window' on a performing tradition that continued until,alas,the final curtain fell! :(

Sound's like a nice cd,Lionel! :) Vincent D'Indy! Not sure I like the sound of the man himself;but I think he composed some lovely music! I just counted 13 cd's of his music,on my shelf! (Unlucky number! :o ;D)



659  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 10, 2021, 12:25:42 am
Gilbert and Sullivan: The Gondoliers  soloists/ Pro Arte Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent    emi 2 cd's (I've got the old 'Fat Box' edition)

This has got to be the best sung Gondoliers. Not the D'Oyle Carte aren't good! The two stereo D'Oyly Carte recordings with dialogue are excellent! And,I'm a big fan of them! (The 1927 one is,arguably,even better! And the Pearl transfer has lots of lovely sausage frying noises! :o ;D) But for the sheer beauty & splendour of the singing,the Sargent has got to be my first choice,and takes some beating! It really is a feast for the old ear drums! I've got to disagree with Okapple about Sir Geraint Evans. He had a lovely voice & I wish he'd been in more of the Sargent Glyndebourne recordings! (My favourite Jack Point on record). And I've always liked Owen Brannigan,who is on splendid form here! And you've got Monica Sinclair and Elsie Morrison. Richard Lewis. You've even got Helen Watts in the cast! And as to being slow! No! The recording is vivacious! It skips along! They don't make 'em like this anymore! Wow! :) :) :) :) :)

Duke of Plaza-Toro:   Geraint Evans
Luiz:                     Alexander Young
Don Alhambra:      Owen Brannigan
Marco:                  Richard Lewis
Giuseppe:             John Cameron
Antonio:                James Milligan
Francesco:             Alexander Young
Giorgio:                 James Milligan
Duchess of Plaza-Toro:   Monica Sinclair
Casilda:                 Edna Graham
Gianetta:                Elsie Morison
Tessa:                   Marjorie Thomas
Fiametta:              Stella Hitchens
Vittoria:                Lavinia Renton
Giulia:                   Helen Watts
660  Assorted items / General musical discussion / Re: What are you currently listening to? on: June 09, 2021, 01:40:11 am
I have ******* them!! ;D
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