The Sargent/Glyndebourne Yeomen (1958)

Cast Sir Richard Cholmondely Denis Dowling Colonel Fairfax Richard Lewis Sergeant Meryll John Cameron Leonard Meryll Alexander Young Jack Point Geraint Evans Wilfred Shadbolt Owen Brannigan First Yeoman Alexander Young Second Yeoman John Carol Case Elsie Maynard Elsie Morison Phoebe Meryll Marjorie Thomas Dame Carruthers Monica Sinclair Kate Doreen Hume Pro Arte Orchestra Glyndebourne Festival Chorus Conductor: Sir Malcolm Sargent Recorded 10-14 December 1957

HMV OALP 1601/2

HMVD 5 73065 2

This was Sir Malcolm Sargent's third G&S opera recording with the Pro Arte Orchestra, Glyndebourne Festival Chorus, and grand opera singers in the leading roles. It followed on his successful Mikado of 1957. Yeomen is Gilbert and Sullivan's most operatic score, and perhaps one of the best-suited to Sargent's approach. Geraint Evans is probably the best singing Point on record, but others act the part better. Yeomen has been extremely well served on disc, and it is doubtful that this will be anyone's first choice.

There is some confusion around the casting of Sergeant Meryll and the Second Yeoman. The CD notes say that John Cameron played Meryll, and John Carroll Case played the Second Yeoman. However, David Sommerfield distinctly recalls that they were reversed on the original Angel LP (which he no longer has). Indeed, on the Angel album cover shown below, one can see (albeit faintly) that Case's name is listed third and Cameron's seventh, strongly suggesting that Case played the larger role. This ordering is also found on the CD cover, but on the HMV sleeve pictured above only Cameron's name is listed. David says that he recognizes Cameron's voice as the Second Yeomen, and Meryll is clearly someone else. This would also be consistent with the casting of the other operas in the series, as Cameron always sang the high baritone roles, never a bass role such as Meryll.