Greetings (Troilus And Cressida: Act III, Scene III: Good Day, Good Day...)
The Life Of King Henry V: Act I, Scene I: O For A Muse Of Fire
The Tempest: Act V, Scene I: O Brave New World
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act II, Scene II: What A Piece Of Work Is
As You Like It: Act II, Scene VII: All The World's A Stage
Macbeth: Act V, Scene V: Life's But A Walking Shadow
King Lear: Act IV, Scene I: They Kill Us For Their Sport
Measure For Measure: Act II, Scene II: Man Proud Man
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act I, Scene IV: Some Vicious Mole Of Nature
All's Well That Ends Well: Act IV, Scene III: The Web Of Our Life
The Merchant Of Venice: Act IV, Scene I: The Quality Of Mercy Is Not Strained
All's Well That Ends Well: Act I, Scene I: Our Remedies Oft In Ourselves Do Lie
The Merchant Of Venice: Act III, Scene I: Hath Not A Jew Eyes?
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act I, Scene III: I Will A Round Unvarnish'd Tale Deliver
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act I, Scene I: I Am Not What I Am
King Lear: Act II, Scene III: I Edgar Nothing Am
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act II, Scene II: O What A Rogue And Peasant Slave Am I
The First Part Of King Henry IV: Act I, Scene II: Herein Will I Imitate The Sun
The First Part Of King Henry IV: Act II, Scene IV: Banish Plump Jack, And Banish All The World
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act II, Scene II: I Have Of Late
As You Like It: Act IV, Scene I: It Is A Melancholy Of Mine Own
Much Ado About Nothing: Act II, Scene I: There Was A Star Danced
Much Ado About Nothing: Act III, Scene II: He Is All Mirth
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act II, Scene I: I Am That Merry Wanderer Of The Night
The Tempest: Act V, Scene I: Where The Bee Sucks, There Suck I
The Tempest: Act IV, Scene I: A Born Devil
The Tempest: Act II, Scene II: A Man Or A Fish?
Antony And Cleopatra: Act II, Scene II: For Her Own Person, It Beggar'd All Description
The Tragedy Of King Richard II: Act II, Scene II: O, How That Name Befits My Composition
King Lear: Act I, Scene II: Thou, Nature, Art My Goddess
The Third Part Of King Henry VI: Act III, Scene II: Can I Do This, And Cannot Get A Crown?
Macbeth: Act I, Scene V: Come, You Spirits
The Life Of King Henry V: Act III, Scene I: Once More Unto The Breach, Dear Friends
The Tragedy Of King Richard II: Act II, Scene I: This Other Eden
The Tragedy Of King Richard II: Act I, Scene I: Mine Honor Is My Life
The First Part Of King Henry IV: Act V, Scene I: Honor Is A Mere Scutcheon
The Life Of King Henry V: Act III, Scene II: I Would Give All My Fame For A Pot Of Ale And Safety
The Second Part Of King Henry IV: Act I, Scene II: I Am Not Only Witty In Myself
Twelfth Night: Act I, Scene III: I Am A Great Eater Of Beef
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene IV: Here Comes Romeo
The Two Gentlemen Of Verona: Act IV, Scene IV: Didst Thou Ever See Me Do Such A Trick?
Pericles: Act II, Scene I: I Can Compare Our Rich Misers
Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will: Act I, Scene III: Wherefore, Sweetheart What's Your Metaphor?
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act II, Scene II: In The Secret Parts Of Fortune?
As You Like It: Act II, Scene VII: Motley's The Only Wear
As You Like It: Act III, Scene II: Wast Ever In Court, Shepherd?
Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will: Act III, Scene I: This Fellow Is Wise Enough To Play The Fool
King Lear: Act I, Scene IV: Sirrah, You Were Best To Take My Coxcomb
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act III, Scene I: It Hath Made Me Mad
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act III, Scene I: O, What A Noble Mind Is Here Overthrown
King Lear: Act III, Scene IV: Away! The Foul Fiend Follows Me!
Macbeth: Act V, Scene I: Out, Damn'd Spot!
King Lear: Act II, Scene IV: O Fool, I Shall Go Mad
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act V, Scene I: The Lunatic, The Lover And The Poet
Track Listings (46) - Disc #2
The Merchant Of Venice: Act III, Scene II: Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred?
The Rape Of Lucrece: Lines 29-30: Beauty Itself Doth Of Itself Persuade
Love's Labour's Lost: Act II, Scene I: God Bless My Ladies! Are They All in Love
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene V: O She Doth Teach The Torches To Burn Bright
The Two Gentlemen Of Verona: Act III, Scene I: If With His Tongue, He Cannot Win A Woman
The Life Of King Henry V: Act V, Scene II: Fair Katherine, And Most Fair
The Taming Of The Shrew: Act II, Scene I: Good Morrow, Kate
The Tragedy Of King Richard III: Act I, Scene II: Was Ever Woman In This Humor Woo'd?
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act I, Scene III: She Lov'd Me For The Dangers I Had Pass'd
Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will: Act I, Scene V: The Honorable Lady Of The House, Which Is She?
Much Ado About Nothing: Act II, Scene III: Love Me! Why, It Must Be Requited
As You Like It: Act IV, Scene I: Come Woo Me, Woo Me
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene I: This Bud Of Love
Venus And Adonis: Lines 149-150: Love Is A Spirit All Compact Of Fire
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act III, Scene III: Perdition Catch My Soul, But I Do Love Thee
Antony And Cleopatra: Act I, Scene V: Give Me To Drink Mandragora
Romeo And Juliet: Act III, Scene II: Come, Night, Come, Romeo
As You Like It: Act IV, Scene I: O Coz, Coz, Coz
Troilus And Cressida: Act III, Scene II: I Am Giddy
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act I, Scene I: How Now, My Love!
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act III, Scene I: What Angel Wakes Me From My Flowery Bed?
Much Ado About Nothing: Act V, Scene IV: Do Not You Love Me?
The Merchant Of Venice: Act V, Scene I: How Sweet The Moonlight
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act II, Scene I: I Am Your Spaniel
All's Well That Ends Well: Act I, Scene I: My Idolatrous Fancy Must Sanctify His Reliques
As You Like It: Act II, Scene IV: Oh Phebe, Phebe, Phebe!
Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will: Act I, Scene I: If Music Be The Food Of Love, Play On
Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will: Act II, Scene IV: Like Patience On A Monument
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act I, Scene I: Now, Fair Hippolyta, Our Nuptial Hour
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene VI: This Dear Encounter
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act Iv, Scene III: Does Thou In Conscience Think
The Comedy Of Errors: Act II, Scene II: I Am Not Adriana Nor Thy Wife
Julius Caesar: Act II, Scene I: Dwell I But In The Suburbs Of Your Good Pleasure?
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act III, Scene II: Like To A Double Cherry
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act III, Scene II: Give Me That Man That Is Not Passion's Slave
The Merchant Of Venice: Act I, Scene I: To You, Antonio
Coriolanus: Act I, Scene III: His Good Report Should Have Been My Son
The Taming Of The Shrew: Act II, Scene I: Call You Me Daughter?
Pericles: Act V, Scene I: I Am Wild In My Beholding
The Winter's Tale: Act V, Scene III: You Gods, Look Down
King Lear: Act IV, Scene VII: I Think This Lady To Be My Child Cordelta
The Tempest: Act I, Scene II: If By Your Art
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act I, Scene II: I Know Not Seems
The Life And Death Of King John: Act III, Scene IV: Grief Fills The Room Up Of My Absent Child
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act I, Scene II: O, That This Too Too Solid Flesh
The Tragedy Of King Richard III: Act IV, Scene IV: Ah, My Young Princess
Track Listings (39) - Disc #3
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act III, Scene I: I Say, We Will Have No More Marriages
Antony And Cleopatra: Act IV, Scene XII: All Is Lost; This Foul Egyptian Hath Betrayed Me
The Two Gentlemen Of Verona: Act IV, Scene II: Thou Subtle, Perjur'd False Disloyal Man!
The Merchant Of Venice: Act V, Scene I: The Man That Hath No Music In Himself
Measure For Measure: Act II, Scene IV: Who Will Believe Thee, Isabel?
The Tempest: Act I, Scene II: I Know How To Curse
The Tempest: Act I, Scene II: Abhorred Slave
The Tempest: Act II, Scene II: All The Infections That The Sun Sucks Up
Troilus And Cressida: Act II, Scene I: I Would Thou Didst Itch From Head To Foot
The First Part Of King Henry IV: Act II, Scene IV: How Long Is't Ago, Jack, Thou Sawest Thine Own...
Much Ado About Nothing: Act I, Scene I: What, My Dear Lady Disdain! Are You Yet Living?
The Taming Of The Shrew: Act II, Scene I: Good Sister, Wrong Me Not
The Tragedy Of King Richard II: Act II, Scene I: A Lunatic Lean-Witted Fool
The Tragedy Of King Richard III: Act I, Scene III: Stay, Dog, For Thou Shalt Hear Me
Coriolanus: Act I, Scene I: What's The Matter, You Dissentious Rogues
The Merchant Of Venice: Act I, Scene III: Signior Antonio...You Have Rated Me
King Lear: Act IV, Scene II: O Goneril! You Are Not Worth The Dust
King Lear: Act I, Scene IV: Hear, Nature, Hear Dear Goddess, Hear!
King Lear: Act III,Scene II: Blow Winds And Crack Your Cheeks
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act I, Scene III: I Hate The Moor
The Winter's Tale: Act I, Scene II: Inch-Thick, Knee-Deep
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act III, Scene III: I Had Been Happy
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene I: Draw Thy Tool!
Romeo And Juliet: Act III, Scene I: I Am Fortune's Fool
Titus Andronicus: Act II, Scene III: Vengeance Is In My Heart
King Lear: Act III, Scne VII: Out, Vile Felly!
The Tragedy Of King Richard III: Act IV, Scene II: I Am Not In The Giving Vein Today
The Tragedy Of King Richard III: Act IV, Scene II: Is Thy Name Tyrrel?
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act IV, Scene VII: What Would You Undertake
Macbeth: Act I, Scene V: Great Glamis!
Macbeth: Act I, Scene VII: If It Were Done When 'Tis Done
Macbeth: Act II, Scene I: Is This A Dagger I See Before Me
The Tragedy Of King Richard II: Act V, Scene V: I Have Been Studying
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act V, Scene II: It Is The Cause
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act III, Scene III: Now Might I Do It Pat
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act III, Scene III: O, My Offence Is Rank
The Tragedy Of King Richard III: Act V, Scene III: Give Me Another Horse
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act V, Scene II: Give Me Your Pardon, Sir
The Tempest: Act V, Scene I: I'll Be Wise
Track Listings (43) - Disc #4
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act V, Scene I: Now The Hungry Lion Roars
Macbeth: Act I, Scene I: When Shall We Three Meet Again
Macbeth: Act I, Scene III: So Foul And Fair A Day
Macbeth: Act IV, Scene I: Double, Double Toil And Trouble
Julius Caesar: Act IV, Scene III: Thou Shall See Me At Phillipi.
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act I, Scene V: Oh My Prophetic Soul!
Macbeth: Act III, Scene IV: Sweet Remembrancer!
The Second Part Of King Henry IV: Act III, Scene I: O Sleep, O Gentle Sleep
Macbeth: Act II, Scene II: Sleep No More!
Julius Caesar: Act II, Scene I: I Have Not Slept
Julius Caesar: Act II, Scene II: She Dreamt To-Night
The Tragedy Of King Richard III: Act I, Scene IV: What Was Your Dream?
A Midsummer-Night's Dream: Act IV, Scene I: When My Cue Comes, Call Me
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene IV: O, Then, I See Queen Mab Hath Been With You
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene IV: I Fear, Too Early
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act V, Scene II: We Defy Augury
Macbeth: Act V, Scene III: I Have Lived Long Enough
The Second Part Of King Henry IV: Act III, Scene II: We Have Heard The Chimes At Midnight
King Lear: Act IV, Scene VI: It Smells Of Mortality
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act I, Scene II: All That Lives Must Die
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act V, Scene I: How Long Hast Thou Been A Grave-Maker?
Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will: Act II, Scene IV: Come Away, Come Away, Death
Measure For Measure: Act III, Scene I: Be Absolute For Death
Measure For Measure: Act III, Scene I: If I Must Die
The Tragedy Of King Richard II: Act III, Scene II: Of Comfort No Man Speak
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act III, Scene I: To Be Or Not To Be
Macbeth: Act I, Scene I: Nothin In His Life Became Him Like The Leaving It
Macbeth: Act V, Scene VIII: Lay On MacDuff
The Tragedy Of King Richard III: Act V, Scene IV: The Bloody Dog Is Dead
The First Part Of King Henry IV: Act V, Scene IV: O Harry Thou Hast Robb'd Me Of My Youth
Coriolanus: Act V, Scene VI: Cut Me To Pieces
Julius Caesar: Act V, Scene V: I Kill'd Not Thee With Half So Good A Will
Othello, The Moor Of Venice: Act V, Scene II: And Smote Him, Thus
King Lear: Act V, Scene III: Howl, Howl, Howl, Howl!
Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: Act V, Scene II: The Rest Is Silence
Antony And Cleopatra: Act IV, Scene XV: I Am Dying, Egypt, Dying
Antony And Cleopatra: Act V, Scene II: I Have Immortal Longings In Me
The Life Of King Henry V: Act II, Scene III: Falstaff He Is Dead
Romeo And Juliet: Act V, Scene III: Ah, Dear Juliet, Why Are Thou Yet So Fair?
Romeo And Juliet: Act V, Scene III: O Happy Dagger! This Is Thy Sheath
Cymbeline: Act IV, Scene II: Fear No More The Heat O' The Sun
The Tempest: Act IV, Scene I: Our Revels Now Are Ended
All's Well That Ends Well: Act I, Scene I: Little Helen Farewell/The Tempest: Act II, Scene II...
Track Listings (11) - Disc #5
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene I
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene II
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene III
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene IV
Romeo And Juliet: Act I, Scene V
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene I
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene II
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene III
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene IV
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene V
Romeo And Juliet: Act II, Scene VI
Track Listings (13) - Disc #6
Romeo And Juliet: Act III, Scene I
Romeo And Juliet: Act III, Scene II
Romeo And Juliet: Act III, Scene III
Romeo And Juliet: Act III, Scene IV
Romeo And Juliet: Act III, Scene V
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV, Scene I
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV, Scene II
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV, Scene III
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV, Scene IV
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV, Scene V
Romeo And Juliet: Act V, Scene I
Romeo And Juliet: Act V, Scene II
Romeo And Juliet: Act V, Scene III
Be Thou Now Persuaded may convince you of certain things--e.g., that Richard Burton and John Barrymore are as overrated interpreters of Shakespeare as Anthony Quayle and Albert Finney are underrated; or that if a little Sh... more »akespeare is good, a lot is not necessarily better--but it is by no means the audio equivalent of Harold Bloom's bestselling Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, the delightful polemic that inspired it. Where Bloom proceeds systematically through the bard's theatrical canon, Persuaded organizes some 180 Shakespearean sound bites, ranging from seconds to minutes in length, on four CDs thematically devoted to death, love, violence, and the beyond, respectively. (Two other discs contain Romeo and Juliet in its entirety.) Selected from among film adaptations and audio recordings, the best of the decontextualized fragments render full-length scenes and soliloquies, while the shorter ones would probably be great filler for your next mix tape. --Richard Gehr« less
Be Thou Now Persuaded may convince you of certain things--e.g., that Richard Burton and John Barrymore are as overrated interpreters of Shakespeare as Anthony Quayle and Albert Finney are underrated; or that if a little Shakespeare is good, a lot is not necessarily better--but it is by no means the audio equivalent of Harold Bloom's bestselling Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, the delightful polemic that inspired it. Where Bloom proceeds systematically through the bard's theatrical canon, Persuaded organizes some 180 Shakespearean sound bites, ranging from seconds to minutes in length, on four CDs thematically devoted to death, love, violence, and the beyond, respectively. (Two other discs contain Romeo and Juliet in its entirety.) Selected from among film adaptations and audio recordings, the best of the decontextualized fragments render full-length scenes and soliloquies, while the shorter ones would probably be great filler for your next mix tape. --Richard Gehr
CD Reviews
Shakespeare enthusiasts will be in Heaven
albertatamazon | East Point, Georgia USA | 07/26/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Long ago,before the age of home VCRs,the only way one could experience a Shakespeare performance ,whenever they wished,was to go to a better-than-average record store and head straight for the Spoken Word section,where there would be a generous supply of complete Shakespeare plays and recordings of other author's works. The most notable label in this field was Caedmon Records,a label exclusively devoted to spoken word LP's,all of them featuring such noted actors as Sir Ralph Richardson,Paul Scofield,Claire Bloom,Albert Finney,etc.Occasionally another label,such as Columbia or RCA Victor would record a noted stage production of a play--Columbia had Richard Burton's "Hamlet" and the Paul Robeson "Othello",and RCA Victor had the Laurence Olivier "Othello",as well as Zeffirelli's stage production of "Much Ado About Nothing". But with the advent of the VCR,most of these albums disappeared altogether, since one could now buy or rent famous Shakespeare films on video,many of which were superior to these albums. (Olivier's "Othello", out on video for three years now,and with almost the identical cast as his stage version,is an example---the LP suffered from too-distant miking--the microphones were hidden,and the performance was totally acted to insure a dynamic performance, rather than read from a script--but the film features close-up sound recording,as well as more subtle acting in most cases.)
However, the all-knowing CD manufacturers decided that CD's are mainly for music,which dealt a further blow to these priceless albums,many of which (Shaw's 1950 "Don Juan In Hell" and the staged reading of Benet's "John Brown's Body",both irreplaceable,unfilmed performances) seem to still be consigned to oblivion.
There now seems to be hope. For the first time since the advent of CD's a high-profile recording company,Ted Turner's Rhino Records,has jumped into the battle to restore these albums to the public.They have issued a huge 6-CD package featuring nearly every great Shakespereran actor that ever made a Shakespeare recording,in excerpts from nearly ALL of Shakespeare plays that range from sound bites to whole scenes. Much of this is truly rare stuff----John Barrymore in two of his most famous solliloquies from "Hamlet", Paul Robeson and José Ferrer in a scene from "Othello", as well as the hilariously outdated and hammily acted Maurice Evans-Judith Anderson 1930's stage performance of "Macbeth"--Evans,familiar to moviegoers as Dr.Zaius in "Planet of the Apes",and TV viewers as Samantha's father in "Bewitched",was once very highly regarded as a Shakesperean actor.He is Shakespeare's worst nightmare,the embodiment of the 19th century actor who uproariously "sings" the verse---John Gielgud exaggerated to the Nth degree.
The bulk of this collection,however, comes from the Caedmon catalog,and although one CAN see superior versions of these plays on video, it is truly gratifying that Ted Turner--of all people---has played an important role in transferring LP Shakespeare to CD. Maybe Heritage Masterworks (on Sony) will take the hint and get to work on "Don Juan In Hell". Another CD company has already beaten them to the Robeson "Othello"."
Be Thou Now Persuaded
Doctor Quartz | Huntington Beach, CA USA | 02/25/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have several CD compilations of Shakespeare, including the double CD put out by the BBC and I find this one to be the most pleasing to the ear. With much of Shakespeare (especially the lesser known plays) you have to listen to a lot of fatigue-inducing, archaic, plot propelling passages, before you get to the dream stuff that enlightens and transforms you. The editors of this collection trim out all the fat and offer the choice meat (or if you are a vegetarian, you get the eggplant minus the lima beans). There are all kinds of gems here that I never heard of before I got this collection, that amuse and enflame, even some saucy lines I tried out on my wife. (Her pretty eyes sparkled like a Christmas tree--oh you should have seen her lovely smile...)"