Dante's vision, The Divine Comedy, has profoundly affected every generation since it first appeared in the early 14th century. This unabridged box set contains the trilogy of The Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise, plus a biography of Dante-A Life of Danta-which puts the very personal nature of his poetry into perspective.
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Heathcote Williams enters into this new translation of Dante's masterpiece with almost as much enthusiasm as did Dante himself. Whether the souls Dante meets in the Inferno are tortured by cold, fire, their own fingernails, or just longing, Williams manages to make their pain come to life. His reading is so dramatic and so individualized that it feels more like a full-cast production than a solo reading, especially with the accompanying music, which both sets the mood and provides transitions. Indeed, if there's a weakness to this performance, it's that Williams's voice ranges through such extremes of volume and projection that it's hard to know where to set one's volume controls. A one-disc biography of Dante read by John Shrapnel accompanies the production. Shrapnel's voice is full of sympathy over Dante's exile, but his primary quality as a reader is intense clarity; he handles complex political explanations smoothly and seems at ease with the Italian. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Performance,
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This review is from: The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatory - Paradise (Naxos AudioBooks) (Audio CD)
This is a wonderful performance of the entire Divine Comedy which one can listen to many times. The reader, Heathecoate Williams, must be some sort of an actor -- full throated furious at times, pale and poignant at others as he wends his way through it all, mimicking all the saints and sinners like a mockingbird. Each of the 100 cantos is prefaced by a short suggestion of period music for a breather and for atmosphere, which does not intrude or ham up the performance, as often happens with similar efforts.
Shameless drama of Williams' variety may be embarrassing to some, out of style to others. But it supplies an important element lacking to the rather dry academic fashion by which most are these days exposed to Dante. Nor is any accuracy of meaning sacrificed thereby. The three parts of the Comedy are all read from a prose translation by a man named Benedict Flynn. I am not aware that this translation is available anywhere in print, but having read several English translations of Dante, the word choice is familiar and sounds properly middle of the road. Truth be told, a dramatic flair does no disservice to this very personal poem at all, which was radical in its day for being written in common vernacular. For the hearer of our language, it places Dante in the ring where he belongs: with the fully engaged Shakespeare of the history plays, not with the closet dramas of a T.S. Eliot or a Robert Lowell. The set is well worth the price, and the bonus disc lecture on Dante's life not only adds the academic dimension, but makes the price for the whole a steal.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seeing, hearing, believing Dante,
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This review is from: The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatory - Paradise (Naxos AudioBooks) (Audio CD)
This audiobook is a remarkably good addition for the individual who enjoys good literature well read. Superb production values, an excellent reader/actor who imbues the material with accurate intonation and enunciation, cadence, and modulation, makes this one a gem. If you are spending your money wisely, you cannot go wrong with this NAXOS production. This one will be listened to many times. I even purchased the translation in hardcopy to pay closer attention to the reading.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Audiobook,
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This review is from: The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatory - Paradise (Naxos AudioBooks) (Audio CD)
The Divine Comedy is my favorite book, and after having read it three times I thought it would be interesting to get an audio version; I am very glad I did so. I love this audio version; the narrator has a great British voice which is clear, warm and very easy to listen to. He reads the story at a good, appropriate speed; he is spirited and sharp when he needs to be, and reflective and meditative when the story calls for it. He slightly alters his voice when different characters are talking, but his modifications are never out of place, nor overdone (which is very easy to do with audiobooks). He is able to be dramatic, without becoming contrived and corny. His tone overall is serious but not indulgent. The translation is excellent and each of the three main parts includes a small booklet summarizing each canto. A few seconds of Gregorian chants and Late Medievel music separates each canto from the next, and I love the music they selected. For me, the narrative flow of the Divine Comedy came out more clearly when I listened to this audio set as opposed to reading it. While reading it, I would sometimes get caught up in all the details and lose sight of the big picture. By listening to it being read to me, I was able to see the Divine Comedy as a great story. That is, I became much more appreciative of the artistry of the work, and experienced it as a richly beautiful poem. This audio set has increased my appreciation for Dante's skill as a profound and effective story teller. I absolutely love this set, and I am glad that Naxos produced such a wonderful product.
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