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12wonderY
Sometimes, especially with the classics, there is a choice of narrators and editions.
When I reached book 13 in the Dresden Files, John Marsters was missing. He'd been too busy with other projects to narrate Ghost Story, so John Glover was tapped. Nothing against Mr. Glover, but he just wasn't the voice of Harry Dresden. I was relieved to find that the publisher had gone back and re-recorded the book with Marsters, so that I could enjoy it.
When I decided to listen to The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, the first recording was just awful, so I ordered all of the choices available and found a favorite. I'll try to find my notes from elsewhere and stash them here.
Now I want to listen to The Pilgrim's Progress and again ordered all of the variations available from my library consortium.
The MP3 Hovel Audio (a Christian publisher) edition is read by Nadia May, and I abandoned her pretty quickly. She has a young modern voice and just didn't seem to do the material justice.
Blackstone Audio (9 discs) called on Whitfield, Robert back in 1997. He's matured quite a lot through the decades, and I enjoy his voice elsewhere, but this narration was just too ordinary.
Tantor (8 discs) is read by James Langton. I've only dipped randomly into this one and haven't given it a fair listen just ye., But my impression is that the story moves at a brisk pace with him.
Oasis Audio (9 discs) claims to be unabridged and only lightly edited by C.J. Lovik. Lovik meant to make the story more attractive to the modern reader, but for me, he misses the boat pretty spectacularly. You've heard of "the slough of despond." That term is never breathed in this version. I've never read the original in print yet, but I shudder to consider what else Mr. Lovik thought I would like changed. This is read by Tim Lundeen and he does an okay job.
Naxos Audio (10 discs) is the longest version. (And yes, it is difficult to sit through all the iterations and repeating story line!) But this is the winner. David Shaw-Parker is the reader and he does a terrific job. Each character's voice is distinct and appropriate, and also gives a real nod to the age of the material. The listening is made much easier and welcome.
When I reached book 13 in the Dresden Files, John Marsters was missing. He'd been too busy with other projects to narrate Ghost Story, so John Glover was tapped. Nothing against Mr. Glover, but he just wasn't the voice of Harry Dresden. I was relieved to find that the publisher had gone back and re-recorded the book with Marsters, so that I could enjoy it.
When I decided to listen to The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, the first recording was just awful, so I ordered all of the choices available and found a favorite. I'll try to find my notes from elsewhere and stash them here.
Now I want to listen to The Pilgrim's Progress and again ordered all of the variations available from my library consortium.
The MP3 Hovel Audio (a Christian publisher) edition is read by Nadia May, and I abandoned her pretty quickly. She has a young modern voice and just didn't seem to do the material justice.
Blackstone Audio (9 discs) called on Whitfield, Robert back in 1997. He's matured quite a lot through the decades, and I enjoy his voice elsewhere, but this narration was just too ordinary.
Tantor (8 discs) is read by James Langton. I've only dipped randomly into this one and haven't given it a fair listen just ye., But my impression is that the story moves at a brisk pace with him.
Oasis Audio (9 discs) claims to be unabridged and only lightly edited by C.J. Lovik. Lovik meant to make the story more attractive to the modern reader, but for me, he misses the boat pretty spectacularly. You've heard of "the slough of despond." That term is never breathed in this version. I've never read the original in print yet, but I shudder to consider what else Mr. Lovik thought I would like changed. This is read by Tim Lundeen and he does an okay job.
Naxos Audio (10 discs) is the longest version. (And yes, it is difficult to sit through all the iterations and repeating story line!) But this is the winner. David Shaw-Parker is the reader and he does a terrific job. Each character's voice is distinct and appropriate, and also gives a real nod to the age of the material. The listening is made much easier and welcome.
22wonderY
I'd forgotten I started this thread.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
I was dissatisfied with the first reader of Ben's book so I ordered the two others in the system.
Avoid Walter Costello's version. It is awful. His voice is modern and not pitched correctly. Fredd Wayne, though, nails it.
Just to be thorough, I listened to a bit of Qarie Marshall's reading. He is slightly better than Walter Costello in that he respects the cadences of 18th century journal writing better. Otherwise, his voice is young-ish and unremarkable.
If I hadn't just finished listening to Fredd Wayne, I might have been less critical. Marshall offers no strengths in the reading except a clear mid-range voice; but it is boring and also modern. Franklin wrote like others in his time period, and a reading should reflect that flavor. I went back and forth between the two recordings several times to try to discover what Wayne is doing that makes it stand so tall. He doesn't 'read,' he discourses in a more conversational tone and pacing. There is no discernible accent. I thought - English, Bostonian, Philadelphian - all might have made sense. But, nope, nothing special. Wayne is obviously an older gentleman and his voice has qualities that make one 'see' Franklin with the mind's eye. Highly recommend his reading.
Ah! Fredd Wayne ought to be good at it, it appears he is a professional re-enactor specializing in Ben. His image is on the audio case:
and he performs Benjamin Franklin, Citizen: a one-man performance
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
I was dissatisfied with the first reader of Ben's book so I ordered the two others in the system.
Avoid Walter Costello's version. It is awful. His voice is modern and not pitched correctly. Fredd Wayne, though, nails it.
Just to be thorough, I listened to a bit of Qarie Marshall's reading. He is slightly better than Walter Costello in that he respects the cadences of 18th century journal writing better. Otherwise, his voice is young-ish and unremarkable.
If I hadn't just finished listening to Fredd Wayne, I might have been less critical. Marshall offers no strengths in the reading except a clear mid-range voice; but it is boring and also modern. Franklin wrote like others in his time period, and a reading should reflect that flavor. I went back and forth between the two recordings several times to try to discover what Wayne is doing that makes it stand so tall. He doesn't 'read,' he discourses in a more conversational tone and pacing. There is no discernible accent. I thought - English, Bostonian, Philadelphian - all might have made sense. But, nope, nothing special. Wayne is obviously an older gentleman and his voice has qualities that make one 'see' Franklin with the mind's eye. Highly recommend his reading.
Ah! Fredd Wayne ought to be good at it, it appears he is a professional re-enactor specializing in Ben. His image is on the audio case:
and he performs Benjamin Franklin, Citizen: a one-man performance
3haydninvienna
I never seem to see any comments about recordings of spoken poetry. I have Robert Speaight’s recording of T S Eliot’s Four Quartets and as far as I’m concerned it’s definitive. I just can’t imagine it being done better.
I remember from ages ago a broadcast on ABC Radio in Australia of Easter poetry which included Dunbar’s “Done is a battell on the dragon blak”, read by a man with a heavy Scots accent. I wish I knew who it was. Spine-chilling.
I remember from ages ago a broadcast on ABC Radio in Australia of Easter poetry which included Dunbar’s “Done is a battell on the dragon blak”, read by a man with a heavy Scots accent. I wish I knew who it was. Spine-chilling.
42wonderY
>3 haydninvienna: I hadn't considered listening to audio editions of poetry. I have to confess to little appreciating that branch of literature as an adult; though I used to spend lovely evenings as an adolescent, reading poetry aloud with my dad from his college lit texts.
I'm intending to find a good reading of Walden, and my library has three choices - Adams Morgan, William Hope and Mel Foster.
(I have to confess to never reading it, despite it sitting on my shelf for decades. Now the print is too small for my eyes.)
I'm intending to find a good reading of Walden, and my library has three choices - Adams Morgan, William Hope and Mel Foster.
(I have to confess to never reading it, despite it sitting on my shelf for decades. Now the print is too small for my eyes.)
