G&S Compilations from the D'Oyly Carte Sets
1975 - 1979

Festival of Gilbert & Sullivan
Highlights from the D'Oyly Carte stereo recordings, 1959-1975.
Decca STBB 4-6, stereo, 3 LPs, 1975?
Decca K3G 13, stereo, 3 cassettes, ca. 1979

This three-record set contains highlights from the following recordings, with the number of selections per opera given in parentheses: 1974 Iolanthe (8); 1965 Ida (3); 1961 Gondoliers (5); 1975 Trial (3); 1966 Sorcerer (3); 1962 Ruddigore (3); 1968 Pirates (5); 1960 Pinafore (4); 1964 Yeomen (5); 1961 Patience (2); 1973 Mikado (10).

The liner notes by Ian Horricks stated that Iolanthe and The Mikado were the two operas that gave the compilers the most difficulty of selection, which is borne out by the numbers in parentheses above. The set was issued to commemorate the D'Oyly Carte centenary.

The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan
Highlights from the D'Oyly Carte stereo recordings, 1959-1976.
Decca / American Heritage 3 CSL 1008, stereo, 3 LPs, 1976.

This three-record set contains highlights from all of the operas, from Trial By Jury through The Grand Duke. It comes in a special slipcase that also includes Christopher Hibbert's commendable book, Gilbert and Sullivan and their Victorian World (American Heritage Publishing Company, 1976).

If Patriotic Sentiment is Wanted
Highlights from the D'Oyly Carte Stereo Recordings.
Decca SPA 515, stereo, 1 LP, 1977.
Decca KCSP 515, stereo, 1 cassette, 1977.

Chris Webster provided the following review of this compilation:

These highlights of a "patriotic sentiment" from the D'Oyly Carte stereo recordings were obviously issued to coincide with The Queen's Silver Jubilee. This fact is not mentioned, but the selected items obviously point to this fact--as well as the front cover bearing a gold crest and 2 Union Jacks and a photo of "real" yeomen.

This album uses much of the 1970s recordings or special highlights wherever possible, e.g., "Englishman" from the Phase 4 Pinafore, "Soldiers of our Queen" from James Walker "Choruses" LP, "Regular Royal Queen" from Songs and Snatches highlights LP. Other Gondoliers tracks and Yeomen tracks are from 1960s recordings; obviously the 1979 Yeomen had yet to be recorded, and I suspect the 1977 Gondoliers was not yet ready (or recorded). I particularly liked the final emarked only as Utopia Ltd. Act 2 Finale, which got my brain cells working to remember how it went. What a great piece to finish this compilation with!

John Reed: I Have a Song to Sing, O Decca SKL 5254, 1 LP, 1978. Gilbert & Sullivan Great Patter Songs London OS-26526, stereo, 1 LP, 1978. This album, issued under two different names, contains patter songs, all of them sung by John Reed, honoring his twenty-fifth anniversary with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. All of the selections are drawn from the D'Oyly Carte stereo recordings. The selections are:

Decca SKL-5254

This compilation has been re-issued on CD and is available exclusively from Musical Collectables, the sales arm of the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival. Visit their website and click on "G&S Shop".