[1/7/2011] "Ring forth, ye bells" -- Celebrating G&S's "The Sorcerer" (continued)

The finale of Act I begins with -- what else? -- a rousing chorus, a food-centric one with some notable a cappella (unaccompanied) sections. The clip runs longer than I'd have liked, partly because the performance quality drops rapidly when our Sir Marmaduke opens his mouth, but also because the goings-on here are going to remain mysterious until we meet the Sorcerer himself tomorrow night.


GETTING BACK TO THE SORCERER OVERTURE --

Here as promised is the 1966 Godfrey performance, which has such vitality and swagger that it's hard to sit still through it.

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN: The Sorcerer: Overture

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey, cond. Decca, recorded 1966

Now all the tunes in the Overture come from the opera, but the most striking of them actually has two forms. First it's sung by the village women to Aline.

The Sorcerer: No. 5, Act I, Chorus of Village Women, "With heart and with voice let us welcome this mating"

WOMEN: With heart and with voice
let us welcome this mating:
To the youth of her choice,
with a heart palpitating,
comes the lovely Aline!

May their love never cloy!
May their bliss be unbounded!
With a halo of joy
may their lives be surrounded!
Heaven bless our Aline!

Women of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, James Walker, cond. Decca, recorded 1969

Later we hear the music in the more familiar form of the opening of the Overture, directed by the village men to Alexis.

The Sorcerer: No. 8, Act I, Chorus of Village Men, "With heart and with voice let us welcome this mating"

MEN: With heart and with voice
let us welcome this mating:
To the maid of his choice,
with a heart palpitating,
comes Alexis the brave!

Men of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey, cond. Decca, recorded 1966

And finally let's hear just the opening of the opening chunk of the Act I finale we saw in the above clip.

The Sorcerer: No. 14, Act I Finale opening, "Now to the banquet we press"

Now to the banquet we press,
now for the eggs and the ham,
now for the mustard and cress,
now for the strawberry jam!
Now for the tea of our host,
now for the rollicking bun,
now for the muffin and toast,
now for the gay Sallly Lunn.

WOMEN: The eggs and the ham, and the strawberry jam!
MEN: The rollicking bun, and the gay Sally Lunn!
The rollicking, rollicking bun!

D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Isidore Godfrey, cond. Decca, recorded 1966


IN TOMORROW NIGHT'S PREVIEW

We'll meet the Sorcerer himself, John Wellington Wells. We'll observe him at work, and then Sunday observe some of the results.


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