Edward German's Merry England

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Merry England was once as popular as Gilbert and Sullivan operas. I've never heard the work, but I was given a pile of old music recently. One of the delights was a selection from German's Merry England, and it prompted me to buy a CD version. Imagine my surprise when there was no recording at all on sale at Presto Classical and only a couple of excessively high priced versions (presuably deleted) on Amazon.
I didn't expect many recordings to be available, but I confess to be surprised that the work as been banished completely from our consciousness.

[umslopogaas]

Ein Alp, the 2010 Penguin Guide lists a version (complete, without dialogue) conducted by Michael Collins. Its code is CfP Double 575 7672 (2)

If this is no longer available, it is presumably one of the deletions you mention.

Have you tried any second hand shops? Fine Records in Hove have a good selection (tel. 01273 723345).

[amateur51]

Ein Alp, the 2010 Penguin Guide lists a version (complete, without dialogue) conducted by Michael Collins. Its code is CfP Double 575 7672 (2)

If this is no longer available, it is presumably one of the deletions you mention.

Have you tried any second hand shops? Fine Records in Hove have a good selection (tel. 01273 723345).

Crikey ums! - what great service!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Ein Alp, the 2010 Penguin Guide lists a version (complete, without dialogue) conducted by Michael Collins. Its code is CfP Double 575 7672 (2)

If this is no longer available, it is presumably one of the deletions you mention.

Yes, that's one of the two on Amazon, but £40 is a lot to pay for a CFP issue.

[umslopogaas]

Well ... it cost me forty quid, so I'd like to put it to good use! And I'm always keen to put in a good word for Fine Records, its an excellent shop.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I was surprised to discover that, whilst there are two available versions of Tom Jones, the only inexpensive way to get all of Merrie England seems to be this MP3 download:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/German-Hood-Merrie-England/dp/B004BM8QDQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1338124186&sr=8-3

[Pabmusic]

Yes, that's one of the two on Amazon, but £40 is a lot to pay for a CFP issue.

I think it's a Sadler's Wells cast, recorded by HMV about 1960.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think it's a Sadler's Wells cast, recorded by HMV about 1960.

That's the one.
A new centenary version was issued in 2002, but even that has been deleted.

[Stanley Stewart]

Yes, the 1960 CFP two CD set - the label on my recording shows £8 99p - is still played here on 1st May. "The month of May has come today, and who will wear a frown-a..."; the deliciously dotty lyrics wend their way through lots of "a-down, a down-as" and I recall a happy exchange on the R3 boards with Jiil...,some years ago, who told us that her party song was always "I sent a letter to my love...and by the way i dropped it...!" I've seen several amateur productions over the years; the last at Wimbledon Town Hall in the mid-80s. Quite corpsed by the woman in the row behind me, unimpressed by the soprano, loudly proclaiming that she could sing better when she was p###ed! However, the icing on the cake was always the Sadler's Wells production, 1959, which quite won my heart.

A fine cast on the CFP/EMI label: Wm McAlpine, June Bronhill, Peter Glossop, Monica Sincalir and Patricia Kern.

Others may recall the radio broadcast on the day of the Queen's Coronation in 1953- a VERY rainy day in London town!

"Long live Elizabeth,
Loyal and true till death,
Unto our English Queen shall England be..." Always a rousing chorus.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It would seem appropriate for a recording to be reissued in this jubilee year.

[MickyD]

I think it would be an ideal project for Ronald Corp and Hyperion.

[hafod]

Off to the Peak District on holiday later in June and I found this (unfortunately does not coincide with my visit).

http://matlockgilbertandsullivan.org.uk/node/176

[Barbirollians]

June Bronhill - that takes me back . I had a boxed set of records called the HMV Classical 50 lots of excerpts but as a teenager it introduced me to lots of repertoire and great artists like Janet Baker andMenuhin.

Much the least liked track was June Bronhill screeching her way through The Holy City !

[Flosshilde]

It would seem appropriate for a recording to be reissued in this jubilee year.

Oh yes? - with a 'Merry Scotland' & 'Merry Ireland & perhaps a 'Merry Wales' to accompany it?

[MrGongGong]

Oh yes? - with a 'Merry Scotland' & 'Merry Ireland & perhaps a 'Merry Wales' to accompany it?

Don't be daft they are all part of "greater England"
and where would be be without the Testing Ground ?