Belart 461 006-2

Decca Eloquence 461 006-2

Like its predecessor, A Gilbert and Sullivan Spectacular, this recording featured a number of D'Oyly Carte stars in roles they never recorded anywhere else. The sleeve notes, written by Frederic Lloyd (Decca SKL-5044), make the pretentious announcement that "[t]he purpose of this recording is to make the listener feel he has a group of friends, who happen to be principal singers with D'Oyly Carte, singing at his own fireside some of their favourite songs from the Gilbert and Sullivan operas."

The recording is is underwhelming, as evidenced by Chris Webster's detailed review:

This was D'Oyly Carte third and final (and worst!) recording of highlights. John Reed's diction towards the end of the 'Nightmare Song' is quite dreadful — this item should have been rerecorded or not put out at all. Anne Guthrie has the most unpleasant soprano voice I have ever heard. John Ayldon has not developed the characteristic gruffness that I felt spoiled so many of the company's later recordings. I had to check the sleeve when I first heard John's voice in this recording; he really sounds quite pleasant. Philip Potter is delightful and is probably the outstanding feature of this album. What a shame there is so little of him on record.

The rest of the cast are fairly sound. But, why was "There Grew A Little Flower" included in this album? It had appeared on the "Spectacular" highlights album and with the same contralto! The inclusion of "When the Night Wind Howls" would have been more sensible. Overall, this is a take-it-or-leave-it album, that cannot compete with the high standard reached with the fabulous "Spectacular" album, but it is at least a record of the singers in parts that they did not fully record. If you use your CD players 'program' facility to bypass "The Nightmare Song" and anything featuring Anne Guthrie, this album is OK.

The Belart CD re-issue is titled "Gilbert & Sullivan Favourites" and includes five Mikado tracks credited as being from the "spectacular" recording, but they are actually from the 1973 complete recording. The Decca eloquence CD re-issue has the same content and catalogue number.