Richard Dyer-Bennet 1

Richard Dyer-Bennet 1

Richard Dyer-Bennet 1

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Richard Dyer-Bennet was a major figure in the folk music revival of the 1950's and 1960's. He founded his own record company in 1955 in order to produce recordings without making compromises in sound quality, repertory, and style. This is a reissue of the first album of Dyer-Bennet Records, all of which are now available through Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Booklet includes new notes by Bonnie Dyer-Bennet, Conrad L. Osbourne, and Anthony Seeger, and a complete catalogue listing of Dyer-Bennet Records. This is a masterpiece. -The Record Changer

Richard Dyer-Bennet 1,Richard Dyer-Bennet,Smithsonian Folkways,Country & Western,Folk,Folk & Traditional,Pop,Traditional Folk
Richard Dyer-Bennet 1
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Remembrance of a Gentle Genius
  • My all-time favorite album
  • Wonderful performances by a compelling artist
  • Absolutely exquisite.
  • A superb folksinger's best work finally available again
 Richard Dyer-Bennet 1
Richard Dyer-Bennet
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001DJO
Release Date: 1997-10-21

Tracks:

  1. Oft In The Silly Night
  2. Molly Brannigan
  3. Down By The Sally Gardens
  4. The Bold Fenian Men
  5. Three Fishers
  6. The Bonnie Earl Of Morey
  7. Fine Flowers In The Valley
  8. The Vicar Of Bray
  9. So We'll Go No More A Roving
  10. Phyllis And Her Mother
  11. The Joys Of Love
  12. I'm A Poor Boy
  13. Pull Off Your Old Coat
  14. Down In The Valley
  15. Pedro
  16. The Lonesome Valley

Album Description

Richard Dyer-Bennet was a major figure in the folk music revival of the 1950's and 1960's. He founded his own record company in 1955 in order to produce recordings without making compromises in sound quality, repertory, and style. This is a reissue of the first album of Dyer-Bennet Records, all of which are now available through Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Booklet includes new notes by Bonnie Dyer-Bennet, Conrad L. Osbourne, and Anthony Seeger, and a complete catalogue listing of Dyer-Bennet Records. This is a masterpiece. -The Record Changer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Remembrance of a Gentle Genius.......2001-02-11

Would I be redundant to say I first heard him on the Midnight Special on WFMT while an undergraduate? But hearing him in concert was quite another reality. You should recall that in the 'sixties we had a social purpose behind "folk music," but never seemed to know from which folk the music came. So onto the stage walked this tall, lean fellow, in white tie and tails, his guitar fastened to him by a burgundy sash --- so that I knew I had an evening of art ahead of me. But how high that art I could not have guessed. This album is a reissue of the original vinyl which I possessed, a treasure to my soul, containing many of the songs I heard that night. As his agent Sol Hurok proclaimed him, he was indeed "The 20th Century Troubador." And as for those self-loving lads of the social cause, after this album, you'll never go back to them if it's real folk music you're after.

5 out of 5 stars My all-time favorite album.......1999-07-01

Imagine my ecstasy when I moved to a small town in Massachusetts and found I could once again listen to WFMT on my cable, with The Midnight Special and Richard Dyer-Bennet's closing song of The Lonesome Valley. Imagine my dispair when cable dropped radio super stations. Fortunately the Smithsonian has released this absolute gem. All the tracks are superb. The guitar work is intricate and clear. His voice carries you. Listen to it alone with no distractions. When are the rest of the albums being released. Can't wait for #3 and #4.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful performances by a compelling artist.......1999-04-23

I can only echo the plaudits of the prior reviewers. These performances by Richard Dyer-Bennet are a treasure. The singing is beautiful and technically refined and the performances are studied in the best sense, without losing their emotional impact.

Bennet was always a great interpreter of a text, and displays a meticulous yet un-contrived diction that allows the listener to unreservedly appreciate it- rare for an essential "classical' singer in this genre.

My oldest recollections of hearing him are from the Midnight Special program in Chicago when I was a child and my father was a young Opera singer. My dad, who had relatively catholic musical tastes, was a great admirer of both Richard Dyer-Bennet's musicality and vocal refinement. I regret that I never had the opportunity to hear him in live performance. I am thrilled that these beautifully recorded performances are finally available on CD and eagerly await the other discs in the series. Anyone who appreciates fine singing owes it to themselves to buy this CD.

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely exquisite........1998-10-26

I was influenced by the one review that was posted when I bought the CD last month, so I want to add my enthusiastic recommendation. The first band alone is worth the price of admission. Beautiful musical taste, perfectly executed. I can't wait to get the other 12 CDs issued by Smithsonian.

5 out of 5 stars A superb folksinger's best work finally available again.......1998-07-03

Richard Dyer-Bennet was one of the world's most eclectic folksingers. A consummate vocal artist accomanying himself on classical-style guitar, he had performed and recorded extensively in the 40's and early '50's, but had never been satisfied with the quality of the recordings he'd made. In the late 50's, he began a series of self-published albums covering much of his vast repertoire. He had a recording studio set up in his New York apartment, where he created 13 LP's that were renowned for their superlative audio quality and performance artistry.

Dyer-Bennet's voice is unsuual - he was a counter-tenor through most of his career, only deepening his voice to a tenor during the mid-70's. This might take a bit of getting used to. But his collection of songs is fascinating, and his presentation exciting and enlightening. I believe Dyer-Bennet #1 is largely English and Irish songs.

Smithsonian recently acquired the rights to all 13 Dyer-Bennet albums, and they form an awesome library of folk music pre-dating the "folk craze" of the 1960's. I am eagerly awaiting the release of the other 12 albums.

Music Review:

  1. Righteousness and Humidity
  2. Running From The Sky
  3. Sensual Being [Import]
  4. Silvery Moon
  5. Sirius [Original recording remastered] [Import]
  6. So Early in the Morning: Irish Children's Songs, Rhymes & Games
  7. Spanker Madness
  8. Spirit of the Forest
  9. Stages: The Lost Album [Live]
  10. Stormbringer [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Music Review

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