Customer Reviews

Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the "Mikado" to go for if you want to savour the beauty, felicity and finesse of Sullivan's music. If you want a full theatrical production reproduced from your loud speakers, then look elsewhere.

It is the first of a series of recordings of G & S operas produced in the late 1950s and early 1960s by EMI. Sir Malcolm Sargent, engaged for a similar recording venture 30 years earlier, was again engaged as conductor. The singers (two of them Australians) were selected because they could sing, not because they could act or had previous experience in G & S live productions.

The result? Well, it always pleases me, and I suspect it would please Sullivan too. Sargent's tempos tend to be slower than is customary, but are never leaden-footed. Richard Lewis, from his opening question, proclaims himself as the lyrical, mellifluous tenor you'll want to keep singing to you forever (even if he becomes the next Mikado). Owen Brannigan has a high old time as the present Mikado. Elsie Morison is especially fine at the beginning of Act 2, as is Monica Sinclair in her duet with Ko-Ko. It is a pleasure to hear even the bit parts sung rather than mouthed.

Gilbert may not have valued singers who can sing, but if you do, and you are aware that Sullivan's music repays worthy attention, then this is the "Mikado" for you.

This is the recording of "The Mikado" to get if you are primarily interested in Sullivan's orchestral music. There are those who would cavil at that statement, citing the fact that he did not write the overture. For them, I shall point out that although Sullivan did not write every bar, being habitually late in the drudge work of composing, he certainly laid out the order of tunes, outlined the instrumentation, assigned the task to a friend well-acquainted with his style, and fine-tuned the piece during the rehearsals for the opening night, which he conducted. As for the rest of the comic opera, that is almost entirely in his own hand.

This 1957 recording was the first of a series of stereo G&S recordings issued by EMI. The cast was hand-picked from the luminaries of the English operatic stage. The idea was to enhance and illuminate the comic operas with the finest native English singers. Like many brilliant schemes, it just did not work. The worst clunker of the bunch was the most famous of the lot, Geraint Evans. His problem was that he did not become Ko-Ko, he remained an opera singer who was singing Ko-Ko. (His reviews were so bad that he quickly dropped out of the series. He did not want to become identified as a Gilbert and Sullivan singer, he said. He had NOTHING to fear on that matter!) The same was true of the Pish-Tush, Pooh-Bah and the Mikado. Not one of the four managed to characterize his part. Any one was interchangeable with any other. (For that Amazon reviewer who was so taken with the Pish-Tush, I suggest that a comparison with George Baker in the earlier Sargent recording might prove a revelation.) Richard Lewis, was unquestionably the finest tenor ever to record Nanki-Poo. But he was far from being the finest performer of the rôle. That distinction belongs either to Leonard Osborn (1950) or to Derek Oldham (1928). The Three Little Maids and Katisha were all fine without being in any way extraordinary.

Much of the commentary in these Amazon reviews has been concerned with the slow tempos chosen by Sir Malcolm Sargent in this series. I am one who feels that he is too slow--not disastrously so, mind you, but still not right. For evidence in support of my position, I would call upon a gentleman of great musical knowledge and impeccable G&S credentials, Dr. Malcolm Sargent of 1928.

Beginning in 1926, HMV issued a series of G&S recordings in the very latest technological medium, electronic recordings on 78 rpm discs, roughly twenty-two sides per show. They were offered on sale in the United States for about $13, a very, very stiff price. The first two, "Trial by Jury" and "The Gondoliers" were conducted by the undistinguished Harry Norris. Thereafter, the series was given over to the much more prestigious Dr. Sargent. Although many D'Oyly Carte Company regulars appeared on the HMV sets, they were not quite D'Oyly Carte Company recordings, for HMV house singers were cast in various parts. For marketing purposes, however, they were boldly marked as being "under the supervision of Rupert D'Oyly Carte." (Rupert was the third head of the family firm created by his father, Richard D'Oyly Carte and continued by his step-mother, Helen Lenoir D'Oyly Carte. His daughter, Bridget, succeeded him and headed the company until it was murdered by the penny-pinching government of Maggie Thatcher.) A well-known tale is that D'Oyly Carte and Sargent butted heads over the 1928 "Mikado." Rupert objected to the tempos chosen by Sargent because they were simply too fast for any practical staging. Malcolm quite logically pointed out that he was conducting a recording, not a stage production. Dr. Sargent carried the day.

The 1928 "Mikado" clocks in at about 84 minutes--against 90 minutes for the 1957 version. It is a highly satisfying performance with every syllable from the fully characterized and clearly individualized principal singers precisely articulated. Almost thirty years later, Sargent seems to have labored under the burdensome weight of his knighthood. In every variant reading, the lugubrious older Sargent is wrong and the sprightly younger Sargent is right.

As for the missing dialogue, feel free to regard that as a fatal omission or as a welcome relief as you see fit.

On the whole, this is very likely the most musical rendering of "The Mikado" on CD. It is, however, far from being the best performance.

Four stars.

WARNING FOR THE EASILY SHOCKED: The 1928 version, as might be expected, contained historically accurate but distinctly non-PC epithets in both Ko-Ko's "Little List" song and the Mikado's "Punishment Fit the Crime" number. Quite to my surprise, I find that the words were still in Sargent's 1957 version.

There are three problems with this MIKADO. (1)The Ko-Ko is very well sung but badly miscast in that the voice is far too heavy and serious for the role. (2) The Pooh-Bah is far too light-voiced for a role that calls for a basso-profundo. (3) The relatively short score is spread across 2 CDs with nary a filler to make it more attractive economically. Telarc fits the entire score (minus the overture and a stanza of the Little List Song) onto a single CD, while another EMI version gives a generous helping of IOLANTHE to fill up the second disc. A very fine cast otherwise with operatic voices that do not at all hurt Sullivan's music. Sound is of course state of art for back then, not now.

I would like to take issue with those who feel that the tempi Sargent adopts in this recording destroy the Mikado-fun. I disagree. First of all, the singing on this recording is simply first rate (e.g., Elsie Morison's "We really know our worth, the sun and I" is heartbreakingly beautiful). Secondly, the tempi (and the good recording quality, especially considering when it was made) allow every word to be heard and understood, frequently a problem with high-speed Mikados (the whole thing isn't a patter-song, after all). Thirdly, Malcolm Sargent was a great conductor who knew what he was doing (I love his Messiah beyond all others). This Mikado is beautifully paced, beautifully phrased, and rhythmically precise and spirited when necessary without being too fast. Going back to the fun, I suggest that anyone who thinks it's been lost listen to the Mikado's "Let the punishment fit the crime" and then we'll talk :-)

I'm sure it won't come as a surprise that I highly recommend this recording.

I have become quite a fan of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. Currently I own 4 of the Malcolm Sargent recordings on EMI (Pirates, HMS, Mikado & Gondoliers) and love them all. Why? The singing is breathtakingly beautiful. I especially enjoy tenor Richard Lewis' contribution in each set. Some reviewers have found the "tempi slow" in this Mikado, but this is not evident to me. I find this Mikado quite entertaining. The only thing I wish it had (and the others in this series) is the dialog. Afterall, the dialog helps relay the story and contains Gilbert's wit, which is just as enjoyable as Sullivan's wonderul music. For dialog you need to turn to the London/Decca recordings with the D'Oyly Carte Company conducted by Isidore Godfrey, which are very fine as well. To be honest, I would not want to be without either the EMI or London recordings, since each has it's own merits. If possible, get both as I have done. Highly Recommended, but remember....no dialog!

This version of the Mikado is close to perfect. Owen Brannigan (The Mikado himself) singing "My object all sublime" is enough to have one cowering under the table. Ian Wallace (of My Music fame) -as Pooh-Bah-sings with his nose in the air, despising mere mortals. Elsie Morison is the loveliest Yum-Yum, while Monica Sinclair's Katisha "Hearts do not break" is enough to break any heart. If I have any tiny quibble it is with Geraint Evans as Ko-Ko. Evans has such a beautiful voice that he seems a little out of place as the conniving Lord High Executioner. I plan to listen to this many, many times.

I was not expecting much from this recording when I bought it. Wasn't this the recording with the matronly Yum-Yum? The bored Nanki-Poo? The slow conducting? Yes and no.

While Elsie Morrison does sound a bit on the matronly side in "The sun whose rays," her performance on the whole is very fine indeed. Yum-Yum does not extend beyond Morrison's comfort zone: every note is beautifully assured.

Though Richard Lewis has a tendency to sound like he'd rather be elsewhere, he is involved enough in this recording to pass. He sounds lovesick for Yum-Yum indeed.

Now let's tackle what for most is the stickler: Sargent's tempi. Not only does Sargent not go exceedingly slower than normal, in a few numbers, he goes faster than normal! The fast number that comes to mind is the "Miya sama... From every kind of man obedience I expect" scene. It flows along at a wonderful speed. Owen Brannigan and Monica Sinclair handle the speed very well. There are a few slow numbers (the madrigal and the opening chorus particularly), but the singers are always up to the challenge of dealing with it.

Brannigan's "A more human Mikado" is now my favorite. Really, I like it better than even Donald Adam's approach. Brannigan's evil laugh is the best.

Is there anyone else out there who loves Ian Wallace's Pooh Bah? It was quite a revelation to me. His voice is so secure, his characterization so delightful.

Monica Sinclair as Katisha is in excellent voice, though she could be more imposing at times.

There are a few textual issues with this recording that will bother G&S fans who already have The Mikado more or less memorized. I can think of three off hand:
* Ko-Ko repeats "The town would lose" instead of "For Titipu" in "I am so proud"
* Pooh Bah sings "But as you've got a month to live" rather than "But as one month you have to live"
* Ko-Ko sings "You've got a good bargain in me" rather than "You've a very good bargain in me"

These things may seem unimportant trifles (that's how I see them), but they may be a sticking point for some.

Overall, this Mikado is not bad at all, but on the contrary is very good. Anyone who likes vintage G&S (a fine 1956 stereo recording) sung strongly, this set is sure to give (almost) unalloyed pleasure.

(NB This recording has been reissued on EMI's Classics for Pleasure label: Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado. At the time of this writing, the older release may be had for less used.)

This is an old recording, 1960s I think, but it features the cream of British singing talent like Geraint Evans,Ian Wallace, Elsie Morison, Owen Brannigan, conducted by that doyen of British conductors, Sir Malcolm Sargent (affectionately known as Flash Harry because of his impeccable dress sense)
A most enjoyable recording which I can thoroughly recommend.

I'm a devotee of these series of recordings and of this *Mikado* in particular. The orchestra feels rich and present. The perfomances are fresh -- and they are cleary derived from the theatrical situations. I've always appreciated the underlying integrity here...there's an appreciation for the gruesome, for the sentimental, and for the social commentary that makes this operetta so rich.

I'm biased here in that I find many of the D-Carte recordings jokey and hide-bound. I think they are of value as theatrical documents more than anything else. And yea, if I was directing I'd speed up some tempi in a couple of places, but, hey, this is an interpretation and a damn fine one, imho.

(You'll never find a better rendering of "Our Great Mikado....")

If you want the dialogue, look elsewhere. I always find Gilbert's dialogue in recordings deadly.

With so many versions to choose from, I'm happy to have this recording. G & S often lends itself to some clever political ad libbing, but this is as striaght-forward a version as you can get, and you could do a lot worse.

A talented cast offers excellent diction and fine singing. Sir Malcolm Sargent keeps tempi crisp, and you can tell the cast is having a good time. No problems here.