GILBERT & SULLIVAN: Overtures and Choruses - Godfrey, Nash, Mackerras, Walker, Sargent (2 CDs)

A 2CD set of Overtures from the D’Oyly Carte recordings made over several years by Decca, together with some of Sullivan’s ‘concert overtures’ – Macbeth, Marmion and Di Ballo. Also included is an extremely rare 1969 Decca recording of Sullivan Choruses conducted by James Walker, better known in musical circles as one of Decca’s key recording engineers, but an ardent G&S fan. It receives its first release on Decca CD. A perfect introduction to the set pieces and patter songs in orchestral guise.

SULLIVAN
Overtures:
1 The Gondoliers
The New Symphony Orchestra of London / Isidore Godfrey
2 The Mikado
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Royston Nash
3 Ruddigore
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Isidore Godfrey
4 Cox and Box
5 Patience
The New Symphony Orchestra of London / Isidore Godfrey
6 The Grand Duke
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Royston Nash
7 Princess Ida
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Malcolm Sargent
8 The Sorcerer
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Isidore Godfrey
9 The Yeomen of the Guard
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Malcolm Sargent
10 H.M.S. Pinafore
The New Symphony Orchestra of London / Isidore Godfrey
11 Iolanthe
The New Symphony Orchestra of London / Isidore Godfrey
12 The Pirates of Penzance
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Isidore Godfrey

CD2
1 Overture Di Ballo
Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras
2 Macbeth Overture
3 Marmion Overture
4 Imperial March (from Utopia Limited)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Royston Nash

Choruses:
Loudly let the trumpet bray Iolanthe
Strephon’s a member of Parliament Iolanthe
With Strephon for you foe Iolanthe
Pour, oh pour the pirate sherry The Pirates of Penzance
Hail Poetry, thou heav’n born maid! The Pirates of Penzance
With cat-like tread The Pirates of Penzance
We sail the ocean blue H.M.S. Pinafore
Over the bright blue sea H.M.S. Pinafore
Welcome, gentry Ruddigore
Behold the Lord High Executioner The Mikado
Comes a train of little ladies The Mikado
Hark the hour of Ten is sounding Trial by Jury
The soldiers of our Queen Patience
Here’s a man of jollity The Yeomen of the Guard
Tower warders under orders The Yeomen of the Guard
Mighty maiden with a mission Princess Ida
When anger spreads his wing Princess Ida
With heart and voice The Sorcerer
Ring forth, ye bells The Sorcerer
Dance a cachucha, fandango, bolero The Gondoliers
D’Oyly Carte Opera Chorus
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
James Walker