With the advent of the Compact Disc and the enterprise of a number of independent (often private) labels, recordings such as this are once more available, and often in greatly improved and enhanced sound quality.  This 1921 recording features George Baker as the Major-General, Peter Dawson as the Police Sergeant, Derek Oldham as Frederic, Violet Essex as Mabel and Edna Thornton as Ruth.  This was of course an acoustic recording.

This recording is currently available in two private issues, Sounds On CD VGS210 (pictured above) and 78s2cd GS07C. Both are private labels Sounds on CD being (until recently) a UK based label and 78s2cd a US based enterprise.  Both labels are now freely available over the internet, Sounds on CD being available from UK based Music Hall Masters and both labels available from 78s2cd.  See links to both sites on the links page.

With the advent of electrical recording in 1927, His Master's Voice, having already recorded 9 of the operas acoustically, began to re-record all the operas again.  This time George Baker retained the role of the Major-General.  Peter Dawson was promoted to Pirate King and Stuart Robertson was cast as Samuel.  The rest of the Cast were all D'Oyly Carte singers with Derek Oldham once more stunning as Frederic, Elsie Griffin magnificent as Mabel and Dorothy Gill equally magnificent as Ruth.  Musical Director is Dr Malcolm Sargent who shows none of the lethargy present in his recordings with Glyndebourne in the 50's and 60's.

Both Sounds on CD (VGS243) and 78s2cd have issued single disc versions of this performance, as have PRO-ARTE CDD597.  Arabesque (Z8068-2 pictured) issue the recording on 2 discs coupled with the 1933 abridged SORCERER.

With the severe recession that hit the UK in the early 30's His Master's Voice made a decision to issue abridged recordings of  four of the operas.

One of these was Pirates (1931).  George Baker repeats his previous performances as Major-General but Darrell Fancourt is now Pirate King.  Derek Oldham repeats Frederic.  Much admired soprano Muriel Dickson plays Mabel and the legendary Bertha Lewis sings Ruth.  Once again Malcolm Sargent conducts.

Both Sounds on CD and 78s2cd issue this recording as a 2 disc set coupled with the other three abridged recordings, SORCERER, YEOMEN and GONDOLIERS.

Between 1936 and 1949 no Gilbert and Sullivan recordings were made at all.  The war intervened and at it's conclusion a new company appeared to start a new series of recordings.  This was affectionately known as the DECCA 'First Series' and was recorded between 1949 and 1955 totalling 11 operas.

PIRATES was one of the first to appear being recorded in 1949.  The cast is typical of the day with lynch pin Martyn Green as a peppery Major-General, Darrell Fancourt as a blustering Pirate King, the delightful Muriel Harding as a charming Mabel and the statuesque Ella Halman as Ruth.  Leonard Osborn is somewhat disappointing as Frederic, sounding as he always did, rather nasal, but I understand that he was in fact superb on stage.  Dear old Isidore Godfrey is in the pit and the piece rattles off at a cracking pace.

Reissues of this recording abound with Sounds on CD (VGS214) coupling the opera with the 1949 TRIAL.  The same coupling is adopted by Pearl (GEMS0097) and Naxos (8.110196-97).  Regis (RRC2061) couple their issue with highlights from the 1951 recording of PATIENCE.

The combination of D'Oyly Carte and DECCA both at their respective finest will probably never be beaten.  Just such a partnership came about with the commencement of the DECCA 'Second Series'  which started in 1957 and finished in 1967.  Again 11 operas were recorded in full (4 with dialogue) and COX AND BOX plus excerpts from UTOPIA (LIMITED) were added.

PIRATES was one of the first and was issued in DECCA's new 'Full Frequency Stereo Sound'.  The effect was (and still is) stunning as the characters seem to be moving around the sound stage in front of your very eyes (or ears)?  Dialogue was not included (that would come with PINAFORE in 1959), but that is of no consequence.  Here we have a cast to die for from the true silver age of the post war D'Oyly Carte.  Donald Adams proved why he was one of the greatest D'Oyly Carte basses as the Pirate King and Peter Pratt (in his last year with the company) cannot be surpassed, (at least not in the recording studio), as the Major-General.  Thomas Round is the quintessential Frederic and takes his high notes with such ease as to make it all sound so simple.  Kenneth Sandford (one of the company's best loved bass-baritones) sets his mark on the Sergeant.  One of the most delightful trio of daughters is found in Jean Hindmarsh (Mabel), Beryl Dixon (Edith) and Marion Martin (Kate), and Isidore Godfrey's wife, Ann Drummond-Grant (Drummie) is simply glorious as Ruth.  Godfrey's conducting may be slightly relaxed here but there is still a great deal of punch and zest and the transfer to CD from the original master tapes brings out a great amount of detail that one may have missed on the original LP's.  This has to be one of the best PIRATES ever committed to disc.

This recording is only available from Sounds on CD (VGS236) under license from DECCA.  To hear "Climbing over rocky mountain"  from this recording, click the image.

Over the years there have been many criticisms of the Sargent/Glyndebourne series and I am willing to admit that I have been as vociferous as many.  However, with the last three recordings (PIRATES, PATIENCE and RUDDIGORE) Sargent seemed to recapture something of the youthful enthusiasm of his D'Oyly Carte days in the late 20's and early 30's.

George Baker appears once again as Major-General with Owen Brannigan as a very Cornish Sergeant of Police.  Elsie Morison and Heather Harper are perhaps a little too heavy for Mabel and Edith, but Monica Sinclair is a superb Ruth.  The whole has a very definite swagger about it that is persuasive.  The current issue is coupled with the overtures to SORCERER, COX AND BOX, IDA and IN MEMORIAM.  The recording was available only on the HMV Classic label (HMVD 5 73062 2), but has recently been re-released again, this time on Classics for Pleasure.

DECCA's 'Third Series' (sadly never completed) commenced in 1968 with this recording of PIRATES.  Isidore Godfrey was again in charge and gives more pace to the performance than in 1957, but all the same this is not quite as good.  Donald Adams is still there as Pirate King and the inimitable John Reed turns in a superb performance as Major-General.  Philip Potter is a charming Frederic, Valerie Masterson stunning as Mabel (no wonder she went on to an international career), but somehow the whole does not add up.  The dialogue is included but seems somehow at odds with the rest of the production, whilst Owen Brannigan (guesting as Sergeant) so good on the Glyndebourne recording, here seems way over the top.

The original LP was later remastered in digital sound and reissued, then transferred to CD.  It is now reissued again with the original artwork, at mid-price and is excellent value.  DECCA (473 650-2).

1990 saw the release of the New D'Oyly Carte recording.  The reformed company now boasted a high musical standard not seen since the 50's and 60's and despite a somewhat quirky production this proved to be excellent overall.  Having said that, no single member of the cast actually stands out head and shoulders above all the others - which is actually a good thing as it gives a chance to re-evaluate the opera itself.

The whole is a joy from start to finish, presented (as on stage) at a cracking pace under the musical direction of John Pryce Jones.  The band parts had been prepared from Sullivan's original autograph manuscript and so bear the hallmark of total authenticity.  This also is the only recording to include the "What all noblemen?  Well nearly all" sequence (cashing in on the popularity of PINAFORE) in the Act Two finale.  This recording is available from TER (CDTER2 1177).

The 1957 D'Oyly Carte/DECCA issue can probably never be topped, but the recording by Mackerras and the Welsh National Opera runs it a very close second.  Recorded in 1993 Mackerras has the advantage of two stalwart Savoyards in his cast, Donald Adams (Pirate King) and Gillian Knight (Ruth).  He also has Richard Suart (Major-General) before he started to go 'over the top', plus the presence of such names as Richard Van Allan, John Mark Ainsley and Rebecca Evans.

The opera is squeezed onto a single disc, minus the overture, and is presented at a cracking pace which really benefits the piece, (although Gillian Knight struggles in her first duet with Frederic).

All in all for a non-D'Oyly Carte cast this is an excellent recording to be highly recommended.  The recording is issued on the TELARC label CD-80353.

There is a highly enjoyable if non-traditional production emanating from the Stratfolrd (Ontario, Canada) production of 1985.  In the main the opera is presented straight, although there are a few deviations (dialogue) and a few unexpected repeats (musical).  The production wavers between the traditional D'Oyly Carte and the updated Broadway but unlike some later productions, actually works.

This is a production not to be judged but to be enjoyed and if one sets aside the expectations of a D'Oyly Carte, Welsh National or English National production, this is a DVD bound to be enjoyed.

The DVD comes as part of a three disc set (with IOLANTHE and MIKADO) or separately.  It may be labelled as Region 1 encoding, but this is in fact not the case.  The DVD is in NTSC format but is playable on a DVD player that can play NTSC no matter what region.

The DVD is issued by ACORN  (AMP3480) and can be purchased from Amazon UK or Amazon US.

The Brent Walker series has come in for a considerable amount of flack over the years and the reissue on DVD by no means dispels all the arguments.  However, the production is much better than perhaps one has been led to believe.  The production does tend to fall between two stools (traditional D'Oyly Carte and Broadway) but there are many excellent moments.  Gillian Knight (Ruth) brings her D'Oyly Carte experience to the fore in an excellent performance.

The complete set of 12 operas has been reissued in new packaging and with complete production libretto included in each case, by Universal (catalogue number DVD 8228651-11), the rrp is £99.99 although it can be found much cheaper.  The price at www.amazon.co.uk constantly varies and it is always worth checking out .  Each separate disc now has its own catalogue number and this DVD is available separately on 823 118-4.