Dyer Bennet 5

Richard Dyer-Bennet | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 24, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1958
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Smithsonian Folkways
• ASIN: B00005LN4Y
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,083 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Richard Dyer-Bennet was a major figure in the folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. He founded his own label in 1955 in order to avoid making the compromises in sound quality, repertory, and style often dictated by large recording companies. This reissue of the fifth Dyer-Bennet Records release includes folksongs and ballads such as "Greensleeves" and "Barbara Allen" from the 16th-century British Isles and classic American ballads and songs like "John Henry" and "I Ride and Old Paint." All are performed in the singular character and style of this highly cultivated intepreter of folksong. 20-page booklet that includes lyrics. 38 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Folk Music Listening Experience Unsurpassed!, July 26, 2003

By 

tomfrompennsylvania (Greater Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dyer Bennet 5 (Audio CD)

You may get the impression by reading the previous other reviewer's impressions that the music is 3 stars out of five, and nothing could be further from the truth. A little over a half-hour or not, it is really worth the price of entry here. So many beautiful, and touching songs, and in most cases, I have never heard more beautiful versions: "Greensleeves", in which he uses Elizabethan Age original lyrics, a "Barbara Allen" to die for (and not just in the tale), and my favorite, the haunting "Venezuela", plus one that will also get your rapt attention: "The Golden Vanity", in glorious version, with pacing and atmosphere perfect. I like very much Dyer-Bennet's "John Henry" here, too, and the bluesy intelligence to the guitar playing. The only partial downer is the grim and morbid tale of murder, "Lord Randal", which may make for difficult frequent listenings of the CD/album as a whole. Not lessened by talent or technique, but just the subject matter of this song. I hope John Schwartz will either withdraw or modify his review; he needs have the gift for the overview - namely, this record is so damn fine there is not only nothing wrong with starting your Richard Dyer-Bennet collection right here, and it has to be a thrilling treat to no end for those who are acquainted with other recordings by him only. Superlatives all around, please! There is no stretch in the least, in one saying the late Richard Dyer-Bennet was a virtuoso as a performing troubadour of folk song heritage from The British Isles and America.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Why do anything when you can forget everything?, December 4, 2002

By 

John Schwartz (Al Varady, WY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dyer Bennet 5 (Audio CD)

Sadly I see this cd in quite a few remainder bins and rather cheaply priced in used cd shops. (Yes I know I should spend my time better, Mom.) Which is really somewhat tragic as there is some transcendental music on this disc. Some blame must go to Smithsonian for being such tight wads, there is only about a half hour of music here and they could easily have fit two volumes of Richard's music on one disc...

A friend of mine had dug up Dyer-Bennet's version of "Greensleeves" on vinyl at a flea market years ago but unfortunately we lost touch and I'd been looking for it for years when I stumbled across this disc. It is still my favorite version of the venerable old tune. The best tune here however would be "Lord Rendall" which wouldn't be out of place on a Geto Boys cd, with the poisoned narrator shouting to his mother about needing a rope to hang his treacherous lover in hell.

On the down side is yet another version of "John Henry", and Dyer-B's etheral voice is NOT suited for blues songs. However his take of "Westeryn Wind" rivals Alfred Deller's perhaps definitive version of this.

So what am I trying to say? If you enjoy haunting folk music this is your bag. Sure they could have been more generous with the material but there are fine liner notes and lyrics provided and sadly you'll probably find this dead cheap somewheres...