Customer Reviews

Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado (1950 D'Oyly Carte Recording) - Godfrey; Green; Fancourt; New Promenade Orchestra

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

 

 

At last count, Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado" has been given a complete recording 11 times: an acoustic version back in 1917, two electric recordings in 1926 and 1936, a mono LP in 1950, and the rest are all in stereo, all but one now available on CDs. Only one contains the dialogue, but alas it is too amateurishly produced to be of any further value. The 1936 electric set on eleven 12" 78s might have qualified as being the best of the lot, were it not for a weak contralto as Katisha. Therefore I would have to call the 1950 set pretty close to top place.

Now tenor Leonard Osborn never failed to please when he appeared on stage, but his nasal voice did not sit too well on recordings, especially to those of us used to the creamy tenor of Derek Oldham, who had appeared on most of the acoustic and electric sets. However, we now have as part of the Naxos "Great Operetta Recordings" series that very 1950 recording and what a wonder it is in all other respects.

We have the greatest Mikado of them all in Darrell Fancourt, and the most famous Ko-Ko in Martyn Green. The Katisha is contralto Ella Hallman, whose vocal abilities are matched by her acting, while the Pooh-Bah, for once on any recording, is a fabulous basso-profundo named Richard Watson. It would be difficult to better the Three Little Maids: Margaret Mitchell (Yum-Yum), Joan Gillingham (Pitti-Sing), and Joyce Wright (Peep-Bo). Alan Styler's Pish-Tush is stylish and clear as a bell. And need we say that the D'Oyly Carte chorus is deep in the tradition set by the masters about 75 years earlier.

I can find no fault in the tempos chosen by conductor Isidore Godfrey. Finally at the Naxos budget price, this is the buy of the season--until the next D'Oyly Carte set is issued. And, Naxos, please let us have them with as short a waiting time between releases as possible.

This was my first "Mikado" heard at age 12 in 1959. In many ways this is my favourite. Why? Well the best ever KoKo in Martyn Green, and the best ever Mikado in Darryll Fancourt. Add to that the pretty well faultless YumYum of Margaret Mitchell and the even handsome-on-record Leonard Osborn. The conducting by Isidore Godfrey is definitive. But this transfer by Naxos is appalling. They make it sound like it was recorded in the 20's. I played the CD's side by side with the vinyl and it's hard to believe they are the same recording. There is a much better tranfser available from Sounds on CD in the UK. Why doesn't Amazon have that one on offer also?

I heartily endorse the words of the learned Mr. Behrens.

The 1950s FFRR mono sound was excellent for its time and not bad for ours.

Naxos has done its ususal wretched job in botching the supporting documentation. What little there is contains gross errors. Word on the G&S internet sites is that the identified Pish-Tush sings only "Our Great Mikado" in the first act. Apparently there was a Go-To (an optional singer used when a light baritone Pish-Tush cannot navigate the bass line of the second act madrigal) whose name is not even listed. (Even more esoterically, the sites say there was yet another unidentified Go-To on this recording--in "I am so Proud"--thus divding the role of Pish-Tush among three people!)

All that as it may be. This is a wonderful performance of the best of the G&S lot. I gave it a mere four stars only to protect those delicate souls whose ears cannot bear anything but DDD recordings. For you hardier individuals out there, get this one. It's a winner!

This is my favorite version of this appealing operetta, and strangely enough, I enjoy the absence of dialogue because it allows one to concentrate on the music, which is presented in a very ingratiating performance. All of these singers are G&S veterans (and I add that I find Leonard Osborn to be a perfectly fine G&S tenor) and, of course, Martyn Green's Ko-Ko is in a class by itself. Contrary to some reviews I've encountered regarding the Naxos re-mastering, I find it to be perfectly acceptable. One must remember that this recording was made in 1950, at the beginning of the L.P. era (stereo was still seven years into the future!), and that one must make allowances. The sound is definitely not state-of-the-art, but it is far superior to the sound of some live performances that have been routinely released by other companies. Give Naxos a break --- it's nice that they've re-issued this wonderful performance, and at a budget price to boot. What more could want?

Although admirably serving the noble purpose of preserving for posterity the vocal performances of some incredibly famous G&S 'specialists'(eg, Darrell Fancourt), this CD [set] is not for the average G&S fan, among whose ranks I count myself. Unfortunately, the preservation of old recordings is a tough thing, and this version suffers from terrible fidelity overall and in many songs, completely unintelligible lyrics. Many fans know all the lyrics by heart, but hearing them distorted and fuzzy grossly distracts from the experience and certainly won't win over any new fans. I thought I was taking the reasonable and less expensive route with this version, but will have to buy the more recent recording to enjoy Mikado. Do yourself a favor, save up a little longer, and buy the more expensive (recent) recording.

I had to include a rating but PLEASE NOTE: I can't rate this particular release because I've yet to hear it. The original recording was wonderful and I long to have it on CD. Judging from the other reviewers, this isn't the release to buy because of sound. However, I must say that I've gotten a number of the Sounds on CD recordings and almost all of them have, somehow, decayed. Whenever I've told the fine people who make those recordings they have promptly sent me new ones. But the shelf life is frustratingly limited. Has anyone else had this problem? The Martyn Green Yeomen decayed particularly fast (both copies), but the Mikado did too, and now my Baker Gondoliers is going too. I'm afraid to listen to my Patience and Princess Ida. Are the Pearl versions any better?

I don't know what Naxos is thinking (or hearing) but yhey are doing a really awful job on their remasterings of the early 50s Gilbert and Sullivan recordings. Thin sounding and cramped - little surface noise but a whole layer of life is gone from the recordings. A comparison with the incomparably better Sounds on CD mastering is telling - the Naxos is cheaper and they sound it - in this case, you get what you pay for.

Concerns have been raised here about disc decay relevant to a different label (that shall remain nameless) and their version of the 1950 MIKADO. I can help on the issue of possible decay as it applies to this NAXOS set.

Am currently listening to the album, which was purchased a week after it "dropped" in late 2001. The discs look pristine and are playing well. Using a pair of SONY MDR7506 studio monitor headphones and I do understand the comments about vocal clarity, particularly on choruses. Perhaps the reason for such murkiness is transfer over-modulation (no expert here!). Individual singers fare better-- they're quite clear and have nice "presence." Orchestral range is full, especially in the low end. Vinyl surface defects aren't apparent beyond minor background whoosh in a few quiet passages.

The included 8-page booklet provides artist bios, a G&S/Mikado essay plus a play synopsis and track list.

An hour into the recording now and it's a truly spirited performance by all, and a most decent album. I can comfortably endorse this version of the '50 MIKADO, and indeed DO so. (PS-- Martyn Green is positively superb as Ko-Ko.)

ALBUM PLAYING TIME--
[49:13] Disc #1 - ACT I
[33:30] Disc #2 - ACT II


RELATED ITEM:
Sir Arthur Sullivan's and William Schwenk Gilbert's stormy working relationship and their ultimate creation of "Mikado" are nicely explored in the 1999 biopic, TOPSY TURVY. Also included are rehearsals and "Mikado" and "Sorcerer" stage performances.