Poetry Aloud

As we all know, poetry is a performative art. So often, poetry is altered and (possibly) improved by being read aloud. So I thought I'd make a thread for people to share their favourite renditions of poetry being performed.

Initially, I was going to entitle the thread "Poets Reading Their Poetry" - but I decided that was too limiting. If you've found a good reading by anyone (or perhaps even by yourself), then share it here!

I really love Dylan Thomas's Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight. It's a fantastic poem anyway, but Thomas's sonourous delivery really adds to it. It's also really interesting to see which bits of the poem he lays emphasis on. I get goose-bumps every time I hear it.

No takers? :sad:

Ah well, here's an odd little one. Tolkien reading the ring-poem from his Lord of the Rings. I was actually rather surprised by his delivery - although he has a good voice, he seems to rather rush through it. Maybe he's in the character of Gandalf, who is of course the one who recites it, but even so.

There's some nice rolling of the 'r' in there as well.

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Originally Posted by Lokasenna

I really love Dylan Thomas's Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight. It's a fantastic poem anyway, but Thomas's sonourous delivery really adds to it. It's also really interesting to see which bits of the poem he lays emphasis on. I get goose-bumps every time I hear it.

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It was great to listen to that. Thanks for the link!

One of my favorite poems to read aloud(to myself):

The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock

( That's not me reading it, sadly. It was the second best option and should do, I guess.)

There are recordings of Eliot reading the Wasteland, and he's incredibly dry and monotone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esBLxyTFDxE

Sylvia Plath is pretty dramatic reading her poems.

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Originally Posted by Lokasenna

No takers? :sad:

Ah well, here's an odd little one. Tolkien reading the ring-poem from his Lord of the Rings. I was actually rather surprised by his delivery - although he has a good voice, he seems to rather rush through it. Maybe he's in the character of Gandalf, who is of course the one who recites it, but even so.

There's some nice rolling of the 'r' in there as well.

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I like Tolkien's ring-poem. He could have spoken it a bit slower, but it sounded nice nonetheless.

Yes, Eliot is an odd speaker. There's a slight speech impediment there, if I'm any judge.

Plath is a good speaker! I'm not a fan by any means, but her voice does make the poetry more appealing.

I thought I might revive one of my old threads, and see if anyone had any favourite recitations to share.

I was partly motivated by a friend sending me a link to Gielgud reading the last part of Tennyson's Ulysses, on of my favourite poems. Ignoring the fact that it's an advert for a bank, it really is a superb rendition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmDoT1TXV3k

I understand the bank made many similar adverts... hmm, may have to look them up.

Anyone else like to suggest something?

Yours truly wouldn't describe poetry as 'performance.' And, not surprisingly, Jack of Hearts prefers his poetry on the page only. Maybe if it's read aloud it becomes performance.

But having constructed hundreds, possibly thousands of these little machines, however broken they may be, Jack of Hearts would say that poetry is expression, and the distinction between that and performance is conceptually significant.




J

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Originally Posted by Jack of Hearts

Yours truly wouldn't describe poetry as 'performance.' And, not surprisingly, Jack of Hearts prefers his poetry on the page only. Maybe if it's read aloud it becomes performance.

But having constructed hundreds, possibly thousands of these little machines, however broken they may be, Jack of Hearts would say that poetry is expression, and the distinction between that and performance is conceptually significant.




J

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Jack of Hearts why do you refer to yourself in the third person?

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Originally Posted by cacian

Jack of Hearts why do you refer to yourself in the third person?

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Ol' desiresjab was wondering the same thing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jack of Hearts

Yours truly wouldn't describe poetry as 'performance.' And, not surprisingly, Jack of Hearts prefers his poetry on the page only. Maybe if it's read aloud it becomes performance.

But having constructed hundreds, possibly thousands of these little machines, however broken they may be, Jack of Hearts would say that poetry is expression, and the distinction between that and performance is conceptually significant.




J

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Really? I must admit, the sound of my poems is one of my most important considerations when I compose them - they are designed to be spoken aloud, and some of mine are even intended to be sung.

Were it not for the fact that I always sound like a slightly drunk 1950s BBC announcer, I would post up recordings of my own poetry alongside the texts here on LitNet.

I prefer hearing the poems as well.

Although I don't have any youtube links to favorite recitations, I did go to an open mic poetry reading at Weeds in Chicago a couple weeks ago: https://www.facebook.com/WeedsPoetryOpenMic I didn't recite anything, but I was with an old college friend who enjoys going there. He drew the picture for their poster. It was my first time to attend one of these.

It was entertaining. The next time I go I'll try one of the zombie brews they serve.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jack of Hearts

Yours truly wouldn't describe poetry as 'performance.' And, not surprisingly, Jack of Hearts prefers his poetry on the page only. Maybe if it's read aloud it becomes performance.

But having constructed hundreds, possibly thousands of these little machines, however broken they may be, Jack of Hearts would say that poetry is expression, and the distinction between that and performance is conceptually significant.




J

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Speaking as a reader only, I feel poetry benefits by performance in the same way as drama. As we read, most of us 'perform' it in our minds anyway, and often aloud, so how much better to hear it performed by someone who is really good at it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lokasenna

I really love Dylan Thomas's Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight. It's a fantastic poem anyway, but Thomas's sonourous delivery really adds to it. It's also really interesting to see which bits of the poem he lays emphasis on. I get goose-bumps every time I hear it.

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Wonderful! I really enjoyed that.

This is my favourite YouTube recital of Ozymandias.

There's a programme on Larkin on BBC3 or 4 tonight at 9 o'clock.

I always remember this recitation of Auden's poem from Four Weddings and a Funeral - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDXWclpGhcg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkNp56UZax4

This is one of my favourites, and one of my favourite poems. A great reading, Ginsberg was really great at it.