Search - John Deak, 20th Century Consort, William Sharp :: Passion of Scrooge (Christmas Carol)

3D sound and vision: surround yourself with Xmas

Philip W. Blackburn | St. Paul, MN USA | 12/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Performed by the 20th CENTURY CONSORT conducted by CHRISTOPHER KENDALL and featuring WILLIAM SHARP, baritone, this recording presents JON DEAK's brilliantly inventive music, bringing Dickens' beloved masterpiece into vivid and delightful relief.William Sharp's irresistible voice and astonishing ability to portray multiple characters create a portrait not only of Scrooge's crusty exterior, but also of his inner psychological turmoil. Already in live performance, this work has shown itself utterly engaging to children, teenagers and adults of all ages.Conceived as a crossover of concert drama, opera and radio play, a distinctive feature of Deak's style is the dramatic role of the instrumentalists. All ten players step virtuosically to "stage front", actually embodying the story's characters such as Cratchit, Marley and the Christmas Ghosts.An extraordinary dimension of this recording is the innovative conception of recording engineer and sound designer Curt Wittig. Recorded in surround sound and incorporating subtle, scene-suggestive sound effects, this recording will delight the audiophile as well as the music-loving public. Three-dimensional stereograms by artist Preston Wright are also included to bring Scrooge to life using Victorian technology."Deak's thorough retelling of 'A Christmas Carol' is a marvel of musical ingenuity...it was one of the most vivid and memorable concerts I have attended...." - Joseph McLellan, The Washington Post 12/7/98"Deak has taken up the story of Scrooge with zest, vigor and the kind of narrative skill that has won him a substantial and devoted audience in Washington.""William Sharp rose to the role of Scrooge with magnificent zest and skill."The instrumentalists are: David Salness and Marissa Regni, violins Daniel Foster, viola David Hardy, cello Robert Oppelt, contrabass Dotian Levalier, harp Sara Stern, flute Loren Kitt, clarinet Edwin Thayer, horn Thomas Jones, percussion"

Scrooge Done Right!

Bon Vivant (life's too short for me | Yosemite, CA | 01/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jon Deak's overall musical style is immediately striking: a creatively original utilization of the spoken word integrated with chamber instrumentation. The Passion of Scrooge is (in my opinion) the most highly successful example of Deak's idiomatic compositional style of his musical 'sound' integrated with a literary work. Deak's take at once renders the Dickens work timeless: not in-your-face contemporary, but not necessarily mired in 1840s London - and it works. His imagination is rewarding at every turn, from the great utilization of each instrument's potential to the musicians of the 20th Century Consort themselves coming in with the occasional vocal offering. But the kudos must absolutely go to the extraordinary performance of baritone William Sharp - usually as the voice of Scrooge, but frequently doing schizophrenic double/triple-duty as many other characters, frequently interacting with Scrooge - and always individualistic unto themselves. It's rare to find such a compelling, imaginative, provocative - and yet immediately accessible contemporary work - but Deak's "The Passion of Scrooge" is it. And it's nearly impossible to imagine any another performance or recording getting it 'so right.' Highly recommended!"