Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: 1. Overture
2. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 2. Thro' all the employments of life
3. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 3. 'Tis woman that seduces all mankind
4. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 5. If love the virgin's heart invade
5. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 6. A maid is like the golden ore
6. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 7. Virgins are like the fair flower
7. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 8. Our Polly is a sad slut
8. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 9. Can love be controlled by advice?
9. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 10. O Polly, you might have toy'd and kiss'd
10. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 11. I like a ship in storms was tossed
11. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 12. A fox may steal your hens, sir
12. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 13. O ponder well
13. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 15. Pretty Polly, say
14. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 16. My heart was so free
15. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 17. Were I laid on Greenland's coast
16. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 1. Peachum's House. 18. O what pain it is to part
17. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 1. A Tavern near Newgate. 20. Fill every glass
18. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 1. A Tavern near Newgate. 21. Let us take the road
19. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 1. A Tavern near Newgate. 22. If the heart of a man
20. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 1. A Tavern near Newgate. 24. Youth's the season - Dance
21. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 1. A Tavern near Newgate. 26. Before the barn-door crowing - Dance
22. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 1. A Tavern near Newgate. 27. At the tree I shall suffer
23. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Newgate Prison. 30. Man may escape from rope and gun
24. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Newgate Prison. App. 1. How cruel are the traitors
25. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Newgate Prison. App. 3. When you censure the age
26. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Newgate Prison. 35. How happy could I be with either
27. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Newgate Prison. 36. I'm bubbled, I'm bubbled
28. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Newgate Prison. 37. Cease your funning
29. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Newgate Prison. 39. Melodrama: The Escape of Macheath

Disc 2:

1. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 3. Scene 1. A Gaming House. 41. The modes of the court so common are grown
2. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 3. Scene 1. A Gaming House. 43. In the days of my youth
3. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 3. Scene 1. A Gaming House. 45. Entrance of Lucy
4. The Beggar's Opera, ballad opera: Act 3. Scene 1. A Gaming House. 46. I'm like a skiff on the ocean tost
5. Tom Jones, opera: Act 1. The Lawn at Squire Western's. Introduction - 1. Don't you find the weather charming?
6. Tom Jones, opera: Act 1. The Lawn at Squire Western's. 2. On a Januairy morning in Zummerzetsheer
7. Tom Jones, opera: Act 1. The Lawn at Squire Western's. 3. West County lad, what is't ye lack?
8. Tom Jones, opera: Act 1. The Lawn at Squire Western's. 4. To-day my spinet, closed and idly still
9. Tom Jones, opera: Act 1. The Lawn at Squire Western's. 5. Wisdom says 'Festina lente'
10. Tom Jones, opera: Act 1. The Lawn at Squire Western's. 7. Madrigal: Here's a paradox for lovers
11. Tom Jones, opera: Act 2. The Inn at Upton. 11. Dream o'Day Jill
12. Tom Jones, opera: Act 2. The Inn at Upton. 13. As all the maids and I one day
13. Tom Jones, opera: Act 2. The Inn at Upton. 15. A Soldier's Scarlet Coat
14. Tom Jones, opera: Act 2. The Inn at Upton. 16. Love maketh the heart a garden fair
15. Tom Jones, opera: Act 3. Ranelagh Gardens. 18. Morris Dance and Gavotte: Morris Dance
16. Tom Jones, opera: Act 3. Ranelagh Gardens. 18. Morris Dance and Gavotte: Gavotte: Glass of fashion, mould of form
17. Tom Jones, opera: Act 3. Ranelagh Gardens. 19. The Green Ribbon
18. Tom Jones, opera: Act 3. Ranelagh Gardens. 20. If love's content lie in the spoken word
19. Tom Jones, opera: Act 3. Ranelagh Gardens. 21. Recitative and Waltz Song: Which is my own true self...
20. Tom Jones, opera: Act 3. Ranelagh Gardens. 21. Recitative and Waltz Song: For to-night let me dream out my dream of d
21. Tom Jones, opera: Act 3. Ranelagh Gardens. 23. Hark! the merry marriage bells

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #172468 in Music
• Released on: 2003-08-05
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Import

Customer Reviews

Enjoyably 'Inauthentic,' Authentically 1950s Version
By rights, this 1955 version of John Gay's much-adapted 1728 'ballad opera' should sound antiquated beyond redemption: the musical version used is Frederick Austin's well-worn, prettified (& verbally expurgated) 1920 arrangement, subjected to the indignity of being blown up from chamber ensemble to full orchestra; Sir Malcolm Sargeant's tempi are impossibly 'inauthentic' (ie. slow); there are numerous cuts even beyond Austin's omissions; & the 2 separate casts, of opera singers & actors, recorded in different months, are not always convincingly 'matched up.' Yet it's one of the most enjoyable recordings I know of.
A quick scan of the cast list(s) will tell you why: the singers include Elsie Morison, John Cameron, Monica Sinclair, Ian Wallace, Owen Brannigan & Alexander Young & the actors Zena Walker, John Neville, Rachel Roberts, Eric Porter & Paul Rogers. In other words, these are top pros & strong audio personalities who grab their every opportunity. The musical performance is sumptuous & sheer pleasure to listen to, the actors & dialogue 'production' brisk, funny & sharper than you might expect. And the sound for both music & dialogue is of demonstration quality, one of the best of the period.
Those who find this version too musically ponderous or dramatically reactionary can find antidotes in the Bare Baroque Basics one by Jeremy Barlow & The Broadside Band (Hyperion), word & note complete, & the radical & often inspired 1948 Benjamin Britten arrangement (complete on Argo, abridged with the original cast on Pearl). They'll be missing some good 50s fun, though.
They'll also be missing the only available excerpts (15 numbers) from Edward German's tuneful 1907 operetta 'Tom Jones.' This really IS 'cleaned up' 18th century, genteel beyond the call of duty, but for those who respond to musical theater of the period, highly recommended. The 1966 recording is lively & accomplished. As Miss Jean Brodie would say, For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like. And a good thing too.