| Composer | Jacques Offenbach |
|---|---|
| Artist | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham/Sadlers Wells |
| Instruments | chorus, opera, symphony orchestra, archive and voices |
| Label | SOMM (SOMM-BEECHAM 13) |
Recorded at Shepperton Studios in 1947 with the Sadlers Wells Opera Chorus and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and soloists, the work is sung in English ina translation by Dennis Arundel.
The soloists include Robert Rounseville, Dorothy Bond, Margherita Grandi and Ann Ayars.
Included as a bonus are some excerpts from Sir Thomas's performance of The Tales of Hoffman at the piano. This was recorded at an informal session when he sight read through the entire score and provided vocal parts along the way for the benefit of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger who were about to make the film for London Films, and did not know the music!
Released in collaboration with the Sir Thomas Beecham Trust in support of the Scholarship Fund.
| Offenbach The Tales of Hoffmann - Prologue | |
|---|---|
| 1. | Prelude (Orchestra) |
| 2. | Glou, Glou, Glou (The Spirits of Wine) (Chorus) |
| 3. | Drink, Drink, Drink (Chorus) |
| 4. | Good day my friends (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Nathaniel, Hermann, Luther, Students) |
| 5. | The Legend of Kleinsack (Hoffmann, Chorus, et al) |
| 6. | Finale - This beer tastes of the stable (Hoffmann et al) |
| Offenbach The Tales of Hoffmann - Act I | |
| 7. | Intermezzo (Orchestra) |
| 8. | There sleep in peace (Spalanzani, Hoffmann, Cochenille) |
| 9. | So be it (Hoffmann) |
| 10. | Of course I might have known (Nicklausse, Hoffmann) |
| 11. | It is I, Coppelius (Coppelius, Nicklausse, Hoffmann) |
| 12. | Oh you! Dear Professor (Spalanzani, Coppelius, Hoffmann, Cochenille) |
| 13. | None but our host, I do declare (Chorus of Guests) |
| 14. | You will not have to wait my friends (Spalanzani, Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Chorus of Guests) |
| 15. | And now ladies, and gentlemen (Spalanzani, Nicklausse, Cochenille, Hoffmann, Olympia, Chorus) |
| 16. | The Doll's Song (Olympia, Chorus) |
| 17. | Her reputation well deserved (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Spalanzani, Olympia, Cochenille, Chorus) |
| 18. | So now they've gone away at last (Hoffmann, Olympia) |
| 19. | Oh, my dear, do but stay (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Coppelius) |
| 20. | Let the dancing proceed (Spalanzani, Cochenille, Hoffmann, Olympia, Nicklausse, Coppelius, Chorus of Guests) |
| Offenbach The Tales of Hoffmann - Act II | |
| 21. | Entr' acte and Barcarolle (A voice, Giulietta, Chorus) |
| 22. | For me a love like that (Hoffmann, Chorus) |
| 23. | I see a celebration (Schlemil, Giulietta, Pitchinaccio, Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Chorus) |
Beecham conducts Busoni
Beecham conducts Smetana
Cancan by Offenbach for brass quintet
A Century Of English Song, Volume 3“Your comments about Kapustin are entirely accurate! I'm certain to be ordering much of it in the near future.” Ben, Lincoln, USA
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