CD REVIEW -
RODGERS
& HAMMERSTEIN’S
CAROUSEL
SOLOISTS - SINFONIA OF LONDON
JOHN WILSON
CHANDOS CHSA
5342(2) [TT 60:30 & 46:48]
Eagerly
anticipated since reviewing its
forerunner, Oklahoma! in September last
year, here is what maestro John
Wilson regards as Rodgers and
Hammerstein's greatest
achievement. As before it is a
première recording of the
complete score with every note of
music as played at the first
Broadway performance in 1945,
orchestrated by the prolific Don
Walker (1907-89).
So, as well as the
familiar songs – "Mr
Snow", "If I
Loved You", "June
is Bustin' Out All Over",
"When the Children Are
Asleep", "A
Real Nice Clambake",
"What's the Use of
Wond'rin?", "You’ll
Never Walk Alone" and
some less familiar – there
are dance sequences, a hornpipe,
a dance for the girls, the
entr'acte and an entire 12-minute
ballet.
The wonderful
Sinfonia of London, led by John
Mills, mirrors the original
instrumentation and includes ten
more of its star players than for
the earlier release: nine brass,
six woodwind, harp, percussion
and twenty-two strings. Imagine
the cost of that in theatres
today when most pit bands
comprise thirteen players.
The story revolves
around carousel barker Billy
Bigelow, whose romance with
millworker Julie Jordan comes at
the price of both their jobs. He
participates in a robbery to
provide for Julie and their
unborn child; after it goes
tragically wrong, he is given a
chance to make things right. A
secondary plot line deals with
millworker Carrie Pipperidge and
her romance with ambitious
fisherman Enoch Snow.
Wilson is again in
conversation with David Benedict
for the booklet notes and offers
a fascinating insight into why he
chose five of the eight soloists:
Nathaniel Hackmann (Billy
Bigalow), Sierra Boggess (Carrie
Pipperidge), Mikaela Bennett
(Julie Jordan), Julien Ovenden
(Enoch Snow) and David
Seadon-Young (Jigger Craigin).
The others being Francesca
Chiejina (Nettie Fowler), Matthew
Seadon-Young (Starkeeper) and
Naomi Waksziak (Louise). Also
named are 18 supporting singers
and the 22 members of the
'Carousel' Ensemble – young
singers all currently working on
stage across London's West End
– under their chorus master,
Alex Parker.
The Susie
Sainsbury Theatre, Royal Academy
of Music, London, which Wilson
considers has an appropriate
acoustic for musicals, was once
more the recording venue. The
sound is of the label's customary
high standard, although as an
elderly listener I would have
liked a touch more volume for the
spoken word.
The two CDs come
in a sturdy colourful box
together with the 86-page-booklet
full of good things.
Altogether a
stylish brilliantly performed
release and one that, like Oklahoma!,
theatrical music buffs will not
want to pass by.
©
Peter Burt, August 2024
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