The Sonnets

Rich in melody and wordplay, Shakespeare's sonnets are, of all his work, the best-suited to audio production--while also the most demanding in vocal delivery and interpretation. Woven through the sonnets, though in no organized or consecutive manner, is the most amazing personal story, a love triangle that's funny, shocking and weird--baring, or seeming to, the author's most intimate secrets. John Gielgud's slightly abridged two-CD WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: THE SONNETS, recorded for Caedmon in 1963, is still a standard, and an excellent choice for students. D.W. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine


Rich in melody and wordplay, Shakespeare's sonnets are, of all his work, the best-suited to audio production--while also the most demanding in vocal delivery and interpretation. Woven through the sonnets, though in no organized or consecutive manner, is the most amazing personal story, a love triangle that's funny, shocking and weird--baring, or seeming to, the author's most intimate secrets. Right now some very good audio versions of the sonnets are available. Helpful for those who stumble over arcane or changed word meanings is Recorded Books's one-cassette selection of 60 sonnets with "footnotes" by Frank Muller--although the unnamed reader on this one is too much "in your ear" for my taste. D.W. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine


Rich in melody and wordplay, Shakespeare's sonnets are, of all his work, the best-suited to audio production--while also the most demanding in vocal delivery and interpretation. Woven through the sonnets, though in no organized or consecutive manner, is the most amazing personal story, a love triangle that's funny, shocking and weird--baring, or seeming to, the author's most intimate secrets. Right now some very good audio versions of the sonnets are available. Helpful for those who stumble over arcane or changed word meanings is Recorded Books's one-cassette selection of 60 sonnets with "footnotes" by Frank Muller--although the unnamed reader on this one is too much "in your ear" for my taste. D.W. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine