Popular Poetry, Popular Verse, Volume 1

Nearly 100 selections of poetry from well known poets spanning four centuries. The anthology is beautifully selected and documented and, as Naxos always does, punctuated with carefully chosen music. Father and son, Jasper and Tony Britton, use nicely complimenting, yet different styles for their narrations.They're joined by Emma Fielding. There's a great deal of variety here, from Robert Burns to Lewis Carroll, but each poet is given individual treatment. On CD, the tracks can each be accessed--a great improvement over the hit-or-miss search on cassette. The pacing, appropriate pauses between selections, mood changes signalled by the music--all contribute to a sterling collection. R.F.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

This collection might be called "Poetry Hits of English Lit" since all the important British poets are represented, chronologically arranged from Shakespeare to Owen. The compilers distinguish between poetry and verse--the former being a "more complex category"--but give one tape and at least forty selections to each form. Lesser and Beale, two of Britain's leading classical actors, do a wonderful job reading these poems, capturing the nuances of the language. The production is carefully packaged with notes and the recording time of each poem, making it easy to find a particular selection. Musical interludes by Brahms, Debussy and others add just the right touch. P.B.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine