The BBC Club Choir Tom Jones (complete)
Cast
Huntsman - Freiderich Meyer
Squire Western - Keith Duckett
Tom Jones - Peter Sidhom
Sophia - Janice Waight
Honour - Marion Dodd
Gregory - Norman Marks
Grizzle - Mark Deutsch
Dobbin - Bruce Latham
Betty - Martha Knight
Peggy - Jill Gooud
Mr Allworthy - William Knight
Blifil - Michael Whitehouse
Hostess of the Inn - Martha Knight
Officer - Keith Duckett
Partridge - William Knight
Lady Bellaston - Sarah Homes
Conducted by Ron Corp
Recorded live on Tuesday, July 1, 1975
This recording was a concerted performance of the full opera (without dialogue) with orchestra. The recording is musically complete, with the exception of a couple repeated passages and the melos in Act 3. The performance is quite good, although I would have preferred a "Sophia" with a stronger voice, not just a pretty one. The chorus gets a little muddy in the major ensembles, but they hold together pretty well in the others. The tempos are quite vivacious (Gregory's "Uncle Jan Tappit" is taken at a blinding speed), though that does not mean that they race through songs. "Here's a paradox for lovers" is taken slowly (but not too slowly), and the recording shows many of the opera's charms. The orchestra is, for the most part, first rate. It's a great recording (if you can find it) and was issued on LP. It has not enjoyed a reissue.
