Henry IV and Richard II: Royal Shakespeare Company Showcases Actors and Composers with Two Speech with Music Albums

The Royal Shakespeare Company has released two albums of speeches and music from their productions of the two parts of Shakespeare's Henry IV (starring Sir Anthony Sher) and Richard II (starring former "Doctor Who" David Tennant).

The recordings are at least in part designed to throw more emphasis on the stagings' scores and the work of the RSC's distinguished music department (which may be of interest for those who have enjoyed our recent interview with the RSC's head of music Paul Englishby).

What is perhaps especially interesting is that these albums rather buck a trend. The hearken back to the days when both films and stage productions would occasionally release specially recorded words-and-music LPs (famously in the case of Laurence Olivier's Henry V film, for instance--where listeners were treated to a bonus in the form of Olivier reading the speeches of the chorus as well as the title-role, and of course William Walton's magnificent score).

Yet these days with so many productions coming to cinemas (including these current RSC shows) and then DVD, the excerpts recording is rarer. But it's a different kind of experience, and one which fans of the shows, or followers of the actors or composer, will want to hear.