Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Overture - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
2. Won't it be a pretty wedding? - Patricia Leonard, Beti Lloyd-Jones, Glynis Prendergast, Anne Egglestone, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
3. Pretty Lisa, fair and tasty - Jane Metcalfe, Kenneth Sandford, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
4. By the mystic regulation - Jane Metcalfe, Kenneth Sandford, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
5. Were I a king in very truth - Meston Reid, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
6. How would I play this part - Julia Goss, Meston Reid, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
7. My goodness me! What shall I do? - Kenneth Sandford, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
8. Ten minutes since I met a chap - Kenneth Sandford, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
9. About a century since - Michael Rayner, Julia Goss, Jane Metcalfe, Kenneth Sandford, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
10. Strange the views some people hold - Julia Goss, Jane Metcalfe, Meston Reid, Michael Rayner, Kenneth Sandford, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
11. Now take a card, and gaily sing - Julia Goss, Jane Metcalfe, Meston Reid, Michael Rayner, Kenneth Sandford, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
12. The good Grand Duke of Pfennig Halbpfennig - The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
13. A pattern to professors of monarchical autonomy - John Reed, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
14. As o'er out penny roll we sing - Lyndsie Holland, John Reed, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
15. When you find you're a broken-down critter - John Reed, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
16. Come hither, all you people - Kenneth Sandford, John Reed, Julia Goss, Jane Metcalfe, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash

Disc 2:

1. As before you we defile - The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
2. Your loyalty our... At the outset I may mention - Kenneth Sandford, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
3. Yes, Ludwig and his Julia are mated! - Kenneth Sandford, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
4. Take care of him - he's much too good to live! - Jane Metcalfe, Kenneth Sandford, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
5. Now Julia, come, consider it from this dainty point of - Julia Goss, Kenneth Sandford, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
6. Your Highness, there's a party at the door - Lyndsie Holland, Kenneth Sandford, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
7. Now away to the wedding we go - Lyndsie Holland, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
8. So ends my dream...Broken ev'ry promise plighted - Julia Goss, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
9. If the light of love's lingering ember - Julia Goss, Meston Reid, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
10. Come, bumpers-aye, ever-so-many - Lyndsie Holland, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
11. Why, who is this approaching? - Kenneth Sandford, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
12. The Prince of Monte-Carlo - James Conroy-Ward, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
13. His Highness we know not - Kenneth Sandford, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
14. We're rigged out in magnificent array - John Ayldon, Barbara Lilley, James Conroy-Ward, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
15. Dance - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
16. Take my advice - when deep in debt - John Ayldon, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
17. Hurrah! Now away to the wedding - John Ayldon, James Conroy-Ward, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
18. Well, you're a pretty kind of fellow - John Reed, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
19. Happy couples, lightly treading - Michael Rayner, Kenneth Sandford, Jane Metcalfe, Meston Reid, Julia Goss, John Reed, Barbara Lilley, Lyndsie Holland, John Ayldon, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
20. Overture di Ballo - Philharmonia Orchestra, Charles Mackerras
21. 1. Allegro moderato alla Marcia - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash
22. 2. Allegretto grazioso - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royston Nash

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34775 in Music
• Released on: 2003-03-21
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Box set
• Running time: 119 minutes

Customer Reviews

Neglected gem of true Savoy Brilliance
This is the least known and most unjustly neglected of all the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas. First produced in 1896, the general public's changing tastes in musical theatre, combined with some unusually over-wordy dialogue frm Gilbert, queered it's pitch.

However, musically THE GRAND DUKE is a Sullivan gem. More heavily orchestrated than most of the earlier Savoy Operas this is a musical feast in true Savoy style. The present recording was made in 1976 as a direct result of a single concert performance the previous year at the Savoy Theatre given during the D'Oyly Carte Centenary Season. I have always suspected that the intention (as with UTOPIA) had been to stage a full production as the parts of Viscount Mentone and Martha (speaking roles only) were cast, but also suspect that rehearsal time did not allow for this.

John Reed adds the role of Rudolph, the Grand Duke of the title, to his rosta of G & S Patter roles, graciously leaving the immense part of Ludwig to the inimitable Kenneth Sandford. Julia Goss is superb as Julia Jellicoe, the english comedienne starring with the german theatrical troup; her mad scene is chilling and her extended number "All is darksome" is magnificent.

John Ayldon is excellent in the small role of the Prince of Monte-Carlo and went on to make the roulette song truely and notoriously his own.

Musical gem is followed by musical gem from the overture right through to the finale with the Act Two opening chorus "As before you we defile" a definite highlight among highlights.

In the absence of a more recent recording, this is a definite must for any lover of Gilbert and Sullivan.