epic poetry is meant to be heard!
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This is truly a superb recording. To hear the flow of Milton's verse and the full richness of his language - I only recently learned that he contributed more new words to the English language than Shakespeare - is a revelation, and has certainly added to my appreciation of the work. Somehow Paradise Lost is less forbidding, and the epic story it recounts is part of our Western cultural and religious heritage which should not fade into obscurity and inaccessibility. Hopefully Anton Lesser's recording will make Milton's work accessible to more people.
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paradise lost read by anton lesser
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Made me appreciate why this poem is the pinnacle of english literature - the musicality of the language. The story unfolds translucently and Anton lesser cannot be faulted for his rendition.
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A lack of gravitas
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It is often said that one's first experience of a piece of music is definitive: forever afterwards one finds oneself comparing newer (and often perfectly good) renditions with the pacing and the phrasing of the first. Perhaps this is part of the problem which I experience with Anton Lesser's reading of the epic Paradise Lost. I remember the poem beautifully read by my father, who knew great tracts of it by heart, and whose relaxed baritone voice suited the grand scale of the material infinitely better than Lesser's unremarkable tenor. This poem should be read by those rare actors who can play kings. Lesser makes a mistake when he attempts to put on voices for the various characters. The womanish voice that he adopts when starting Sin's speech reverts, for example, accidentally back into Lesser's normal tones as the speech proceeds. I think overall this is an acceptable performance in that it is better than nothing, but I am looking out for a better recording.
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Paradise Lost - Read by Anton Lesser
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It would be difficult to overpraise this rendition of Milton's
great poem. The qualities of the original are brought out superbly - the magnificent structure - the varied moods - the wonderful use of language. There were moments when I wondered if the use of a group of actors and actresses would have been better - in particular having a female voice for Eve. This would have emphasised the essentially dramatic nature of the epic. However, by using the one actor throughout, a certain unity is achieved, and Anton Lesser manages to subtilely change his voice to suit each character. The use of music is discreet -
rounding off each section in a way that seems completely appropriate.
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