The 1949 D'Oyly Carte Trial By Jury

Cast The Learned Judge Richard Watson The Plaintiff Muriel Harding The Defendant Leonard Osborn Counsel for the Plaintiff Leslie Rands Usher L. Radley Flynn Foreman of the Jury Donald Harris D'Oyly Carte Opera Company Conductor: Isidore Godfrey Recorded in London, July 19 & 21, 1949

Sounds on CD VGS214 (Cover art by Matt Bland)

Regis RRC2041

After the 1936 recording of The Mikado, the combined effects of depression, war and reconstruction prevented the issue of any new recordings until 1949 (the longest such gap in history). By now, a new technology, the long-playing record, had emerged to tempt and delight the listening public. Whereas a musically-complete recording of a G&S opera took anywhere from eight to twelve 78rpm records, the same opera could be issued on just two LPs. The sound quality was significantly better, as well.

Usually, new series of recordings started with the most-popular G&S opera, The Mikado. However, since this had been the last opera recorded before the war, the Company's return to the recording studio began instead with Trial By Jury. In total, nine operas would be recorded over the next four years, many of them at great haste (to take advantage of the waning Sullivan copyright).

Decca LK-4001

London A4101

The hero and heroine in this Trial, Leonard Osborn and Muriel Harding, would figure in most of the recordings of the monaural LP era. Osborn's singing on disc has come under much criticism. While by all accounts he was a fine stage actor, all that comes through on record is a strained, excessively nasal voice that grates on the ear. His "No, no, no's" in the finale are especially painful.

While this recording has its adherents, I don't think it bears comparison to either the 1927 or 1964 recordings, both of which are available on CD. This recording was originally issued simultaneously on both 78's and 45's, with an LP issue shortly thereafter. It remained in print through the late 1970s on London's budget Richmond label. It is once again available on CD, so listeners may judge for themselves.

Chris Webster uncovered a technical fault in the LP transfers (the kind of thing that is, unfortunately, common for G&S recordings of this period):

There is a small gap in the "All hail, great Judge" section which I would attribute to where there is a change in 78rpm masters from one disc to another. The immediate section before the change is in pitch, but the actual moment of change is slightly below pitch.

Chris also mentioned that this technical fault has been corrected on his CD re-issue (see below).

Notes:

1. For a discussion of the matrix numbers in these sets, see the matrix numbers discussion page.