Shelley, Ode to the West Wind (Sir John Gielgud)

From LP celebrating the actor's 75th birthday, "Sir John Gielgud in His Greatest Rôles", introduced by his friend and fellow Shakespearean actor Sir Ralph Richardson, who is seen with Gielgud in the first couple pictures (after the album cover).

The poem starts at about 1:08, and then we fade from the performer to the poet. You can read along here: http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/1902.html

The painting of Shelley is by Alfred Clint. At the end is the Shelley Monument (in a photo by Martin Beek) at Univ, the oldest college in the English-speaking world. Shelley was an undergraduate there, but was sent down for his treatise on atheism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Bysshe_Shelley#Education

(The mention of "girlie magazines" is curious: was Richardson covering up his friend's homosexuality? Hmm...)

Selections from the album:

I. Richardson on Gielgud and Gielgud on Hamlet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGXtUjb7jKo&fmt=18
II. Three Hamlet Soliloquies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCyjXJ9oogg&fmt=18
III. Hamlet (The Closet Scene with Gertrude): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4pv6iUt9Gs&fmt=18
IV. Three Richard II Speeches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDF18fGmta4&fmt=18
V. Lear (Cursing of Goneril): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAtlWGU9ixc&fmt=18
VI. Tempest 4.1 (Leave Not a Rack Behind): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxECpwmIEWQ&fmt=18
VII. (This one)

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Percy Bysshe Shelley
• Percy Shelley
• Ode to the West Wind
• Sir John Gielgud
• in His Greatest Roles
• romantic poetry

[uclrichard]

very interesting reading and breathless interpretation of shelly's greatest lyric. good to see that you tube isn't just about justin beaver and lady gaga.