OKLAHOMA!
Sinfonia of London, soloists/John Wilson CHSA 5322(2)
The first in the series of musicals born of the legendary
partnership of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Oklahoma! has recejved a number of
recorded performances since its 1943 premiere, from its original film
soundtrack to stage shows to studio sessions. All of them suffer now in
comparison with this treasurable new release, whether from their
one-dimensional singing (even Gordon McCrae and Shirley Jones) or, more
seriously, from the workaday orchestral backing.
For on this double-disc Chandos marvel, the world premiere
complete recording, the orchestral input from the Sinfonia of London is
stunning, crisp, stylish, gorgeously lush and bouncily rhythmic. The conductor
is of course John Wilson, who launched this presentation so memorably at the
BBC Proms a few years ago.
My only complaint is that the modicum of spoken dialogue,
necessary adjuncts and interjections to the musical numbers, seems in a
different acoustic perspective from the full-blown musical outpourings, but
that is a minor difficulty.
What we have here a wonderfully characterised vocal
performances from a cast headed by Nathaniel Hackmann’s Curly and Sierra
Burgess’ Laurey. Their classic Rodgers and Hammerstein pre-Love Duet “People
will say we’re in love” is delivered with such genuine engagement. At the other
end of the spectrum come the sweeping choruses, “The farmer and the cowboy
should be friends”, and of course, the climactic “Oklahoma!”, a paean to the
newly-born US state, and whoopingly exultant here.
But the chief joys come from Wilson’s orchestra, gleefully
performing every note of this glittering score. From my own experience having
conducted a week of this show, we never get the chance to savour every last
note, either dutifully repeating the “’Til ready”’s, skipping the dance
interludes, and don’t bother with the playout music.
Nothing like that here, we are able to enjoy the lot,
whether the Mahler One-derived dawn music interjecting into “Oh what a
beautiful mornin’”, the stomping, wheeling affirmations adding to the joy of
many numbers, or the gavotte-like delicacy endorsing such songs as “Many a new
day” and the Entr’acte based on “Surrey with the Fringe on the top”.
My gallant little 15-piece orchestra did its best, bless
them all, but we never had the opportunity to unveil all these additional orchestral
riches. Now they are all here, on a release which needs surely to leap upon the
shelves of anyone who seriously cares about musical comedy.
ends