Highlights from Tom Jones (1967)
Cast
Cynthia Glover, soprano
Shirley Minty, alto
Frederick Harvey, baritone
Stanley Riley, bass
The Nigel Brooks Chorus
Conducted by Gilbert Vintner
Programme notes by W.A. Chislett
Selections
Introduction - Don't You Find The Weather Charming? - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
On A Januairy Morning In Zummerzetsheer - Nigel Brooks Chorus
West County Lad, What Is't Ye Lack? - Nigel Brooks Chorus
To-Day My Spinet, Closed And Idly Still - Cynthia Glover
Wisdom Says 'Festina Lente' - Glover, Minty, [Harvey?]
Madrigal: Here's A Paradox For Lovers - Glover, Minty, Harvey, Riley
Dream O' Day Jill - Glover
As All The Maids And I One Day - Shirley Minty
A Soldier's Scarlet Coat - Nigel Brooks Chorus
Love Maketh The Heart A Garden Fair - Cynthia Glover
Morris Dance - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
Gavotte: Glass Of Fashion, Mould Of Form - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
The Green Ribbon - Shirley Minty
If Love's Content Lie In The Spoken Word - Frederick Harvey
Recitative And Waltz Song: Which Is My Own True Self - Cynthia Glover
Hark! The Merry Marriage Bells - Glover, Minty, [Harvey?] and Nigel Brooks Chorus
Andrew P Bennett has provided the following review of this album.
'"Perhaps the best compliment I can pay to this joyful selection of excerpts from Edward German's Tom Jones is that it makes me long to see a fully staged complete performance. The recording is coupled with Sir Malcolm Sargent's excellent version of The Beggar's Opera on the Classics for Pleasure label, making 2 hours and fifteen minutes of delight.
A generous selection of 16 pieces conducted with incredible verve and style by Gilbert Vitner, a former conductor of the BBC concert orchestra who clearly had a pool of fine players at his disposal because the detail to dynamics and clarity adds a lot to this disc. This is all the more impressive because I suspect that, being a budget price offering, studio time was limited.
Nigel Brooks has swelled his well known 'Singers' into the Nigel Brooks Chorus for the occasion and they sound full-toned in their enjoyment.
Nigel Brooks has swelled his well known 'Singers' into the Nigel Brooks Chorus for the occasion and they sound full-toned in their enjoyment.
The casting will allow the ladies to swoon at the manly baritone voice of Frederick Harvey who takes the roles of both Tom and Squire Western. Why was this fine singer so rarely recorded? Shirley Minty 's Honour, the maid, is full of character and she emerges creditably from "The Green Ribbon" where the high notes are a challenge for a mezzo - contralto. Stanley Riley sings Mr Allworthy's line in the Madrigal 'Here's a paradox for lovers', surely one of the most charming pieces in a score packed with melody.
The biggest treat I think is the Sophia of Cynthia Glover and I defy anyone to remain unmoved when she sings "Love maketh the heart a garden fair" with such a beautiful sheen on her tone. Furthermore she always sings in character and never indulges in the show off antics displayed by some sopranos in the famous waltz song 'For tonight' where the singer can seem more important than the song sometimes ! Cynthia Glover has all the vocal agility required and even an excellent trill which she puts at the service of Edward German's sparkling music. A real artist.
Buy, beg or borrow a copy of this lovely selection. Suggest the operetta as a choice for your local operatic group or choral society."
Andrew P Bennett FTCL, FRSA, FGMS
Tenor, Speaker & Voice Coach.
Issue History
1967 Odeon Records
2003 Classics for Pleasure. Also issued with John Gay's The Beggar's Opera
