Walton: Scenes from Shakespeare/ Gielgud, Plummer, Marriner

On this CD:

1. As You Like It, film score and suite for orchestra Prelude--Moonlight
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

2. Henry V, choral suite (arr. by M.Sargent) and orchestral suite (arr. by C.Matthieson) I: Prologue
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

3. Henry V, choral suite (arr. by M.Sargent) and orchestral suite (arr. by C.Matthieson) II: Passacaglia on the Death of Falstaff
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

4. Henry V, choral suite (arr. by M.Sargent) and orchestral suite (arr. by C.Matthieson) IV: Touch her soft lips and part
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

5. Henry V, choral suite (arr. by M.Sargent) and orchestral suite (arr. by C.Matthieson) V, Part I: Harfleur
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

6. Henry V, choral suite (arr. by M.Sargent) and orchestral suite (arr. by C.Matthieson) V, Part II: the Night Watch
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

7. Henry V, choral suite (arr. by M.Sargent) and orchestral suite (arr. by C.Matthieson) VI: St. Crispin's Day
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

8. Henry V, choral suite (arr. by M.Sargent) and orchestral suite (arr. by C.Matthieson) VI: Agincourt
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

9. Hamlet, film score and suite for orchestra II: Fanfare
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

10. Hamlet, film score and suite for orchestra II: Solilquy
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

11. Hamlet, film score and suite for orchestra III: the Ghost
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

12. Hamlet, film score and suite for orchestra V: the Question
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

13. Hamlet, film score and suite for orchestra V: To be or not to be
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

14. Hamlet, film score and suite for orchestra VIII: Threnody
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

15. Hamlet, film score and suite for orchestra IX: Finale, Funeral March
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

16. Richard III, film score (and orchestral suite arr. by Mathieson) II: Prelude
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

17. Richard III, film score (and orchestral suite arr. by Mathieson) III: Now is the winter of our discontent
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

18. Richard III, film score (and orchestral suite arr. by Mathieson) VII: the Princes in the Tower
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

19. Richard III, film score (and orchestral suite arr. by Mathieson) X: Death of Richard and Finale
Composed by William Walton
Performed by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Conducted by Neville Marriner

Tracks:

As You Like It - A Poem For Orchestra After Shakespeare: i Prelude-
As You Like It - A Poem For Orchestra After Shakespeare: ii Moonlight
Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario: I Prologue
Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario: II Passacaglia On The Death Of Falstaff
Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario: IV Interlude: 'Touch Her Soft Lips And Part'
Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario: V i) Harfleur-
Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario: V ii) The Night Watch
Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario: VI St Crispin's Day -
Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario: Agincourt
Hamlet - A Shakespeare Scenario: II Fanfare
Hamlet - A Shakespeare Scenario: Soliloquy -
Hamlet - A Shakespeare Scenario: III The Ghost
Hamlet - A Shakespeare Scenario: V The Question -
Hamlet - A Shakespeare Scenario: 'To Be Or Not To Be' -
Hamlet - A Shakespeare Scenario: VIII Threnody
Hamlet - A Shakespeare Scenario: IX Finale (Funeral March)
Richard III - A Shakespeare Scenario: II Prelude
Richard III - A Shakespeare Scenario: III Monologue: 'Now Is The Winter Of Our Discontent'
Richard III - A Shakespeare Scenario: VII The Princes In The Tower
Richard III - A Shakespeare Scenario: X Death Of Richard And Finale

Customer Reviews:

Excellent selection combining Walton and Shakespeare.......2003-01-25

This album contains music from the four Laurence Olivier Shakespeare films that composer William Walton scored between 1936 and 1954. All of the selections have been previously released on three or four previous albums, most of which are now out of print, so this edition is a very welcome compromise, although it does omit a few selections from the earlier albums to fit as much material as possible on one disc--hence, the four stars instead of five given to this album.

All of the music is magnificently played; in fact, one could argue that it is better performed than on any previous recording, even the composer's own. Sir Neville Marriner once again proves himself a brilliant conductor, and he gets spectacular performances out of his orchestra and chorus.

Despite what it says on the packaging, the "As You Like It" selection contains no dramatic readings at all from the play. However, the music from "Henry V", "Hamlet", and "Richard III", features dramatic readings by Christopher Plummer and Sir John Gielgud. Many of today's generation may be unaware that Plummer was a noted Shakespearean actor onstage and on TV (in a semi-forgotten BBC "Hamlet" still not issued on video) before he hit it big as Captain von Trapp in "The Sound of Music. While some may accuse him of being hammy, I find his performances of Henry's speeches enormously effective.

Sir John Gielgud performs speeches from "Hamlet" and "Richard III", and his performance as Hamlet is quite good, despite the fact that Gielgud's voice is noticeably weaker than on other Shakespeare albums he has made. There is still a strong hint of the briliant Hamlet he must have been onstage in the '20's and '30's. He is sorely miscast as Richard, though, especially in comparison with Olivier's famous performance. Gielgud can be sinister; I have seen him be so onscreen, but he simply cannot suggest the demonic figure which Shakespeare created.

However, this album is no less enjoyable for that. It is a true thrill to finally have a digital stereo combination of Walton's beautiful music for these films combined with speeches from them read by two of the world's great dramatic actors.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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