Thomas Hardy is best known for his great novels. But he wrote poetry throughout his life, and letters too, reflecting aspects of his personality that are not so readily seen in his fiction. The CDs feature music from the period.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From AudioFile
Thomas Hardy ceased novelizing, disgusted at the critical reaction to his masterpieces of Midland gloom. He continued, however, to compose verse well into the twentieth century. In this recording, examples of his poetry from early to late are interspersed with brief notes and quotes from his prose writing that put the selections in context. Bruce Alexander and Janet Maw take turns interpreting the works. They read expressively, with particular attention to mood. However, the British tend to treat their classics like museum pieces. With this author that approach gives the production an air of stuffy, funereal oration. However overcast Hardy's skies may have been, he was never a stuffed shirt. Y.R. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A welcome celebration of Hardy's poetry.,
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This review is from: Winter Words: Poetry and Personal Writings of Thomas Hardy (Audio CD)
In North America, Thomas Hardy is better known for his novels than for his poems, but Hardy himself prized his verse more, and this recording demonstrates the breadth and depth of his achievement as a poet.It features compelling performances of more than 70 of Hardy's poems by two distinguished British actors, Bruce Alexander and Janet Maw. Hardy wrote the earliest of these as a teenager and the last of them some seven decades later. Carefully-chosen excerpts from Hardy's autobiography and the writings of his first wife, Emma, help place trace the biographical sources of many of the poems. What's most impressive is Hardy's versatility: of the 70-odd poems here, no two use the same form, and the subjects range from the joys of young love to the wistful resignation of the poet, in his eighties, musing on fate and change. When the Academy of American Poets asked me to name ten poetry recordings that every library should have, for a feature on their web site, this was one of my choices.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exploring the breadth and depth of a great poet.,
By
This review is from: Winter Words: Poetry and Personal Writings of Thomas Hardy (Audio CD)
In North America, Hardy is better known as a novelist than as a poet, but it was his poems that Hardy himself prized most, and they are highly regarded in Britain today.This recording features performances of more than 70 of Hardy's poems by two distinguished British actors, Bruce Alexander and Janet Maw. The poems are accompanied by carefully-chosen excerpts from Hardy's autobiography and the writings of his first wife, Emma. The result is a compelling program that makes an excellent introduction to newcomers to Hardy's work and will also delight those who have already discovered this wise and compassionate poet. What is most impressive is Hardy's versatility: of the 70-odd poems here, I don't think any two use the same form, and the content ranges from the joys of young love to the widtful resignation of the poet, in his eighties, musing on fate and change. When the Academy of American Poets asked me to name ten poetry recordings that every library should have, this was one of my recommendations.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A compelling selection of Hardy's best poems.,
By
This review is from: Winter Words: Poetry and Personal Writings of Thomas Hardy (Audio CD)
A newspaper writer in Spain once observed that Thomas Hardy had the rare distinction of being one of the best novelists of the nineteenth century and one of the finest poets of the twentieth. Hardy himself ranked his poetry far higher than his fiction, and in Britain today his poems are considered among the best of the modern age.
This recording features performances of more than 70 of Hardy's poems by two distinguished British actors, Bruce Alexander and Janet Maw. The carefully constructed program uses excerpts from Hardy's autobiography and the writings of his first wife, Emma, to provide a context for the poetry. The result is an excellent introduction to newcomers to Hardy's work that will also delight those who have already discovered this wise and compassionate poet. What is most impressive is Hardy's versatility: of the 70-odd poems here, I don't think any two use the same form, and the content ranges from the joys of young love to the wistful resignation of the poet, in his eighties, musing on fate and change. When the Academy of American Poets asked me to name ten poetry recordings that every library should have, this was one of my recommendations.
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