A great narration of a much loved classic book. Brideshead Revisited is a favourite of mine. It has a cast of flawed characters, but to be human is to be imperfect. The sense of melancholy and nostalgia is ever present and is what makes the novel so special.
What a glorious find! Especially on a day when I was a little under par with an awful headache, feeling strangely detached and shunned from all the world. I didn't have to search, Evelyn Waugh's famous book was just there waiting for me on the screen with none other than Sir John Gielgud patiently waiting to read to me the period masterpiece I had been aware of for a lifetime, but had never read nor watched. After an hour or so I drifted off to sleep dreaming that a tiny packet containing the minidisc audiobook contained only the first half of the story. Such relief when I awoke nine hours later to find my phone had merely auto-paused. Hence now I am looking forward to Sir John's wonderful voice continuing the remainder of the tale for me over dinner. And yes, I feel much better, nor so alone with a fine apetite having returned and I have this audio-book to thank for all that. Thank you. 💖
If anyone saw the movie "Arthur" with Dudley Moore, you must remember his man servant/valet/butler/minder, John Gieldgud. John was the ultimate straight-man. One of my favorite John G. performances. I am so looking forward to his reading of BH Revisited. John died in 2000 (age 96).
It seems strangely twisted that one of the greatest actors/directors of the 20th century is described as a 'straight man' to Dudley Moore in ARTHUR. John Gielgud was in fact highly comedic in that very picture. However, he headlined in HAMLET in some of the most celebrated productions of that vaunted play in Britain & America. And directed Richard Burton in celebrated versions of the same. Appeared in early Hitchcock films, dozens of television & film roles over 60 years, etc. Much like Fanny Brice being referred to only as Baby Snooks...
"Take the books back to the Library!" He lent himself to comedy with the same dignity and class that he lent to everything else. This character and his role as Charles Ryder's father in Brideshead are basically exactly what my late father was like. I love Gielgud as Hobson. Wonderful.
What an absolutely wonderful treat to come across this gem💎!!! Ahhh.... the John Gielgud style, and accent and delivery 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 Pure Class. Thanks for uploading this😍👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing this. I watched this on MasterpieceTheater with my mother when I was 14. Splendid novel and screenplay. John Gielgud reading it makes it special.
it is the only novel I have ever read by Waugh. I think it is a masterpiece. Most modern novelists are simply unable to compete with his wonderful prose and literary conjuring. After reading this book, one almost yearns to have once played a part within Charle's life. Outstanding prose that conjure up wondrous mental imagery that must only be read again and again.
@@_gormenghastaghast Sword of Honour trilogy has everything. Humour. Tragedy. Adventure. Biography. His great work His most underrated is Put out more flags His great single work Handful of Dust
Thanks for posting this. Impossible to tire of Gielgud's mellifluous voice. Waugh's writing is positively brilliant--beautiful, witty, and clever. Sebastian Flyte comes across here as much more intelligent than his TV portrait.
If you love John Gielgud's voice, check out a magnificent indie movie by Peter Greenaway called 'Propero's Books'. It's about the state of mind of Shakespeare inside the mind of Prospero, while he's writing The Tempest. Gielgud narrates throughout.
I have just re watched the series of Brideshead in the wake of losing our dear queen. It made me smile so. It is so beautiful and dignified, even when certain characters aren't being particularly dignified they still are. And hearing this read by my absolute favourite Brit actor is a truly wonderful find. I met him briefly at Pinewood Studios back in the 90's. Thanks for uploading it.
I watched Gelgud in "No Man's Land" (Pinter), he was so much more than a voice. Everything he did was extraordinary - the way he held his whisky with a finger of his free-hand touching the glass, the way he slightly skips when told to help himself to the drinks cabinet.
@@nickandrachelmajor8487 I never even watched it. You can't beat the series. There is no point creating something that is bound to be inferior. It's as stupid as doing a remake of a masterpiece like Casablanca or Citizen Kane.
I have a book about the stage written and signed by John Gielgud, one of my prized possessions. A man of many talents and the nephew of the great Victorian actress Helen Terry, Gielgud was a unique character and it is such a treat that we can still enjoy that voice here on RUclips. Thank you.
Snaggle Toothed Irons gives a slightly more tragically muted take on "all that", it is true. But remains from his first recorded word, as irresistible as he is unforgettable.
I went to sleep with “The 39 Steps” on autoplay. I woke up to Sir John Gielgud and “Brides-head Revisited”. Had an unusually quiet, pleasant sleep, despite the pains of disability. And, continuing quietly, soothing, with my morning coffee. To be followed by a cup of Earl Grey. In honor of Sir John Gielgud. Thank you.
Excellent recording and novel. Thank you for making it available in RUclips. One can detect that Evelyn Waugh has a sychophantic admiration for the priviledge classes. How different his treatment of the aristocrats is from the way Tolstoy does it.
RUclips is a treasure beyond belief. I have Found music that I thought was lost to me because I no longer have my records. Movies old TV shows comedy audio books asmr nature sounds for sleeping
I am trying to influence all my grandchildren to audible books .... I fear for our future without the classics or transference of the wisdom of the ages
May I suggest, listen to Jeremy Irons reading the same text. No one can compare, ear of the beholder of course but have a listen and see what you think.
Sir John Gielgud's version is the audio 'par excellence', iMHO far more lively and full of emotion than Jeremy Irons (who sounds like he is sedated with valium and can hardly move his lips on the eBook version). Is there the full, unabridged version of Gielgud? My parents used to have it on cassette, and through my entire childhood we would listen for every long motorvehicle drive... The abridged version is missing some great moments like the complete verse of Jaspar's Grand Remonstrance and other wonderful paragraphs. Does anyone have the FULL UNABRIDGED version of Gielgud's narration, please?!
You and I seem to be in the minority, Christian, as I, too, always find Jeremy Irons' complete book reading rather dull - as if he fees he is too great and grand to bother to put too much effort into it (yes, he gives the impression of feeling that he is so 'superior' to all of us that he does not need to bother to move his lips or change his tone much). I think he is much better in the TV series, however. But Gielgud here is excellent; for me, he puts Jeremy Irons (as a narrator) in the shade: he has vitality, expression, clarity of communication of the meaning, variations in tone and colour. Excellent.
Such a woeful story that depicted the pitiful and shallow lives of an effete and over privileged family riven by a brooding guilt formed by their blind attachment to a sanctimonious and overly pious faith. The only worthwhile character was the immoderately animated and exuberant Anthony Blanche who was the only one who was able to see how deplorable the Flyte family truly are.
I see the characters as symptomatic of an end-of-an-era decadence. Once WW2 ended the socialists put an end to British wealth and the privilege that sprung from it. In this context, faith was merely a balm that slowed the rot.
How do explain the deliberate cruelty and indifference this father shows towards his own son, the character played by Irons ? And how and why does Irons NOT have any of these awful traits himself ? ? sorry, I have forgotten Iron's characters name ! ! ! Oops !
It's a pity they couldn't get Jeremy Irons to read this. He did it best. You can find him doing just that and the entire original tv series Brideshead Revisited on Tubi - a TV movie channel - which is superb. Worth the search.
This is a treasure of an incredible work of literature and the gift of Sir John’s gorgeous voice and talent. Perfection.
A great narration of a much loved classic book. Brideshead Revisited is a favourite of mine. It has a cast of flawed characters, but to be human is to be imperfect. The sense of melancholy and nostalgia is ever present and is what makes the novel so special.
Eeeeeeeueueueueeueeeueee
What a glorious find! Especially on a day when I was a little under par with an awful headache, feeling strangely detached and shunned from all the world.
I didn't have to search, Evelyn Waugh's famous book was just there waiting for me on the screen with none other than Sir John Gielgud patiently waiting to read to me the period masterpiece I had been aware of for a lifetime, but had never read nor watched.
After an hour or so I drifted off to sleep dreaming that a tiny packet containing the minidisc audiobook contained only the first half of the story.
Such relief when I awoke nine hours later to find my phone had merely auto-paused.
Hence now I am looking forward to Sir John's wonderful voice continuing the remainder of the tale for me over dinner.
And yes, I feel much better, nor so alone with a fine apetite having returned and I have this audio-book to thank for all that.
Thank you. 💖
Beautiful description. You sound like you write, yourself. Glad you feel better.
Yes lovely comments please to remember never give money to Sebastian or his 🐻 bear!
Eloquent 👌
@@frederickbowdler8169 lol! I've got a wicked cold, so I'm sniffling....and listening💜
@@mnmscloud9 Too much opioids will make your poop hard and that's no joke
John Geilgud has always been one of my favourite actors.
I loved listening to his reading.
P
Pppp
If anyone saw the movie "Arthur" with Dudley Moore, you must remember his man servant/valet/butler/minder, John Gieldgud. John was the ultimate straight-man. One of my favorite John G. performances.
I am so looking forward to his reading of BH Revisited. John died in 2000 (age 96).
It seems strangely twisted that one of the greatest actors/directors of the 20th century is described as a 'straight man' to Dudley Moore in ARTHUR. John Gielgud was in fact highly comedic in that very picture. However, he headlined in HAMLET in some of the most celebrated productions of that vaunted play in Britain & America. And directed Richard Burton in celebrated versions of the same. Appeared in early Hitchcock films, dozens of television & film roles over 60 years, etc. Much like Fanny Brice being referred to only as Baby Snooks...
He also had a memorable performance as Mr. Beddows, the man-servant in Murder on the Orient Express.
@@markwhitman9542 km in
"Take the books back to the Library!" He lent himself to comedy with the same dignity and class that he lent to everything else. This character and his role as Charles Ryder's father in Brideshead are basically exactly what my late father was like. I love Gielgud as Hobson. Wonderful.
Reminds me of how the great Alec Guinness was known to younger audiences as Obi Wan Kenobi 😂🤷🏼♀️. Little did they know~~~~~🫢
Johnny reading Brideshead is double bliss . His own role playing Charles Ryder's father in the original TV series was superb .
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Brilliantly narrated… it kept me very engaged. Thank you very much👍🏼
The combination of the beautiful prose and a great narrator is wonderful
This book has been dear to my heart for 20 years.
Perfect in every way. Painfully beautiful. Expertly flawed personalities. Such a treat to hear once more and by no better narrator.
I've
What an absolutely wonderful treat to come across this gem💎!!! Ahhh.... the John Gielgud style, and accent and delivery 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 Pure Class. Thanks for uploading this😍👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
What a fabulous jewel to have such a marvelous book read by the most appropriate reader….thank you Waugh and Gielgud!
What a lovely story, made even better with Sir John Gielgud's voice.
couldnt ask for a better narrator. thank you
I wish there was video of John reading. I never tire of him nor can I ever get enough. Love him.
Love his voice. Easy to listen through in one go, it's like butter with an accent. Ha. Thanks so much for the upload!
Thank you for sharing this. I watched this on MasterpieceTheater with my mother when I was 14. Splendid novel and screenplay. John Gielgud reading it makes it special.
Delicious slice of Waughs genius , Sir John Gielgud was a firm favourite actor of my grandmothers as I grew up & I adore his beautiful voice.
Thank you so much for this. You have made my life the better for this.
The perfect unnunciation of the hideous
Human.
This is why I have respect and love for Animals ❤
Loved the mini series of this book back in the day.
it is the only novel I have ever read by Waugh. I think it is a masterpiece. Most modern novelists are simply unable to compete with his wonderful prose and literary conjuring. After reading this book, one almost yearns to have once played a part within Charle's life. Outstanding prose that conjure up wondrous mental imagery that must only be read again and again.
Please read more of his novels. They'll bring you so much pleasure.
He’s written even better ones
99
ßÀßÀÀÀ0
@@_gormenghastaghast Sword of Honour trilogy has everything. Humour. Tragedy. Adventure. Biography. His great work
His most underrated is Put out more flags
His great single work Handful of Dust
Thanks for posting this. Impossible to tire of Gielgud's mellifluous voice. Waugh's writing is positively brilliant--beautiful, witty, and clever. Sebastian Flyte comes across here as much more intelligent than his TV portrait.
If you love John Gielgud's voice, check out a magnificent indie movie by Peter Greenaway called 'Propero's Books'. It's about the state of mind of Shakespeare inside the mind of Prospero, while he's writing The Tempest. Gielgud narrates throughout.
@@RapunzelinOttawa you mean E. de Vere? Check out Alexander Waugh for the real Shakespeare 💮
9000o09oo9o009l909999999900g0glo
Thank you. Lovely prose beautifully read...
It's charles' father reading the book to me!! Fascinating.
More like Charles himself. Since Gielgud was born the same year Charles would have been, and like him, was bisexual and upper-middle class.
I have just re watched the series of Brideshead in the wake of losing our dear queen. It made me smile so. It is so beautiful and dignified, even when certain characters aren't being particularly dignified they still are. And hearing this read by my absolute favourite Brit actor is a truly wonderful find. I met him briefly at Pinewood Studios back in the 90's. Thanks for uploading it.
>> "It made me smile so." This made me smile so.
I watched Gelgud in "No Man's Land" (Pinter), he was so much more than a voice. Everything he did was extraordinary - the way he held his whisky with a finger of his free-hand touching the glass, the way he slightly skips when told to help himself to the drinks cabinet.
Thank You! This is a treasure.
I love how he gives a little laugh at some of the funny parts! Thank you for this.
This recording is still available in cassette form, I bought mine on the UK eBay site. They sell for for $10-$20 US.
Gielgud had the best voice in the English language. RIP.
John Gielgud was born around the time Charles and Sebastian would have been born. His voice is of their generation.
I look forward to his next syllable with great _eagerness!_ 🙃
Thank you. We really enjoyed this production. Cheers !
I wish this were the full book but hey, I could listen to Sir John Gielgud read the entire phone book!
Hahaha😂🤣. You’re right. He could make anything fascinating
Now hashtags, indeed, yes, indeed.
Scentsurround , the miniseries of this with Jeremy Irons was excellent and it was here on RUclips ... I don't know if it's still is .
Thanks for this gem. There was an incredibly beautiful reading of the whole book by Jeremy Irons some time ago, but RUclips took it down.
No it’s still on RUclips - showing the penguin cover
Gielgud makes that era come to life as none other can. Maybe because he belonged to it , perhaps.
The perfect reading. Completely captivating.
The series stayed true to the novel, unlike most adaptions brought to the screen.
The new film is an abomination. The series was perfect
@@nickandrachelmajor8487
I never even watched it. You can't beat the series. There is no point creating something that is bound to be inferior. It's as stupid as doing a remake of a masterpiece like Casablanca or Citizen Kane.
So good. I watched it every time it was on. Still love Sebastian & Aloysius
@@castlerock58
cc
A gem. Thank you.
Yes
The movie is one of my favorites. Listening I was watching the movie in my head. In another world I was.
Beautiful narration I can listen to John Gilgud forever + Eternity! This makes life more manageable, more tolerable.
Thank you so much for this.
Well narrated nice story ry, great piece of literature ♥️👍♥️
this should be stored in an armageddon-proof vault so we always have a record of what proper English diction sounded like
This is beautifully narrated, but is abridged
I have a book about the stage written and signed by John Gielgud, one of my prized possessions. A man of many talents and the nephew of the great Victorian actress Helen Terry, Gielgud was a unique character and it is such a treat that we can still enjoy that voice here on RUclips. Thank you.
Thank You very much. This great!
Quite the book! Quite the reader!
Wow- this was incredible
Amazing!
This was the recording that introduced me to this masterpiece. That was in 1986. Then it seemed absolutely perfect. Still does.
⁷⁷⁷
777
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Much as I love Gielgud, no actor narrates this as well as Jeremy Irons, whose voice in itself is heart-stopping & always subtly emotional, meaningful.
Snaggle Toothed Irons gives a slightly more tragically muted take on "all that", it is true. But remains from his first recorded word, as irresistible as he is unforgettable.
He's certainly a great narrator, no doubt
I woke up to this, thanks RUclips recommendations
Almost a shame to have it abridged, but Gielgud's accent/phrasing makes this a real treasure
There was an incredibly beautiful reading of the whole book by Jeremy Irons some time ago, but RUclips took it down.
Jeremy Irons was better.
RUclips please bring back the unabridged version of Brideshead Revisited by Jeremy Irons. Thank you
I went to sleep with “The 39 Steps” on autoplay. I woke up to Sir John Gielgud and “Brides-head Revisited”.
Had an unusually quiet, pleasant sleep, despite the pains of disability.
And, continuing quietly, soothing, with my morning coffee.
To be followed by a cup of Earl Grey. In honor of Sir John Gielgud. Thank you.
Gielgud's nuanced delivery captures the essence of Waugh's characters beautifully and makes this a wonderful listening experience. Thank you !!
Nobody better than Sir John Gielgud to have narrated this.
Excellent recording and novel. Thank you for making it available in RUclips.
One can detect that Evelyn Waugh has a sychophantic admiration for the
priviledge classes. How different his treatment of the aristocrats is from the way Tolstoy does it.
Like the sainted Virginia Woolf he
was a vicious snob.
RUclips is a treasure beyond belief. I have Found music that I thought was lost to me because I no longer have my records. Movies old TV shows comedy audio books asmr nature sounds for sleeping
As opposed to pretending to care about the working classes ?
If I had to design the perfect channel, this would be it... Thank you, and subscribed... 👍🏴
Sir John Gielgud could have read the telephone directory and made it enjoyable. The greatest actor had a voice of honey wrapped up in velvet.
Brilliant!
Fabulous reading. Thank yoyu.
Papel corto de este estraordinario ACTOR
Yes.. I love the accent and listen over and over
I am trying to influence all my grandchildren to audible books .... I fear for our future without the classics or transference of the wisdom of the ages
Ooooooooooo9oo9o99o9
@@klausconteschertel2353 hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhihhhjo
Couldn't agree more madame, we live in an age where ignorance is embraced... Be well 👍🏴
Why are they not reading real books? Only the stupid don’t read. It’s so important in the 21st century; especially so.
fantastic, yes abridged of course, but what u expect at 2hr 15 lol. very transporting.
Gielgud delivers the whole range of characters in his own impeccable received pronunciation, is he even an actor?
Completely agreed!
Is he an actor? You're asking this about one of the leading lights and finest actors in the British theater?
@@veritas6335 Correct. Nominally an 'actor' but playing himself throughout so not really acting. You follow?
The bbc minie series was wonderful. Jeremy irons was terrific.
Fantastic book 👍
John Gilgieud reading anything is worth listening to.
thank you for the post....des crean belfast
God how I love Gielgud!,
May I suggest, listen to Jeremy Irons reading the same text. No one can compare, ear of the beholder of course but have a listen and see what you think.
I even like listening to him inhale through his nose.
Absolutely 👍
Lol 😤
Gielgud is fabulous but he does seem to race through it.
Better than any sleeping pill.
What a wonderful find! New subscriber here.
I was sleeping, woke up to pee, and appearantly this was playing in the background
What a voice
thank you.
i was looking for John Gielgud reads Brideshead Revisited by Eugene O'Neill. i'll keep lookin'.....
Great.
Sir John Gielgud's version is the audio 'par excellence', iMHO far more lively and full of emotion than Jeremy Irons (who sounds like he is sedated with valium and can hardly move his lips on the eBook version).
Is there the full, unabridged version of Gielgud? My parents used to have it on cassette, and through my entire childhood we would listen for every long motorvehicle drive... The abridged version is missing some great moments like the complete verse of Jaspar's Grand Remonstrance and other wonderful paragraphs.
Does anyone have the FULL UNABRIDGED version of Gielgud's narration, please?!
You and I seem to be in the minority, Christian, as I, too, always find Jeremy Irons' complete book reading rather dull - as if he fees he is too great and grand to bother to put too much effort into it (yes, he gives the impression of feeling that he is so 'superior' to all of us that he does not need to bother to move his lips or change his tone much). I think he is much better in the TV series, however.
But Gielgud here is excellent; for me, he puts Jeremy Irons (as a narrator) in the shade: he has vitality, expression, clarity of communication of the meaning, variations in tone and colour. Excellent.
Delicious.
Papel reducido en la serie.un actor sobre todo de teatro.esceccional jonh gilgud
This is from the 1996 Argo english recording audiobook collection.
What is this? The Cliff Notes version?
At 10:10: " ... and a bottle of Chateau Perrier." A French champagne.
that was a bottle of Chateau Payraguey, as far as I remember
@@abramyanirina There is no champagne by that name.
@@dudanunesbleff Chateau Payraguey is a Sauternes wine from the Sauternes appellation, nothing to do with Champagne.
Such a woeful story that depicted the pitiful and shallow lives of an effete and over privileged family riven by a brooding guilt formed by their blind attachment to a sanctimonious and overly pious faith. The only worthwhile character was the immoderately animated and exuberant Anthony Blanche who was the only one who was able to see how deplorable the Flyte family truly are.
I see the characters as symptomatic of an end-of-an-era decadence. Once WW2 ended the socialists put an end to British wealth and the privilege that sprung from it. In this context, faith was merely a balm that slowed the rot.
anybody could recommend the subtitle, it's different with the book,thanks
What a discovery ....
How do explain the deliberate cruelty and indifference this father shows towards his own son, the character played by Irons ? And how and why does Irons NOT have any of these awful traits himself ? ? sorry, I have forgotten Iron's characters name ! ! ! Oops !
The Iron's character IS named, Charles Ryder.
What is the reason for cutting so much of the book? Was Geilgud charging by the word or something? " Abridged?" More like slashed.
This is not a Librivox recording...
Whoever suggested that it was?
thank goodness!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I once owned this and somehow it got away from me.
@Deal Hudson how fascinating to see someone I’ve heard of randomly appear in the comments!
@@mikea.6121 that’s one virtue of social media. Deal
@Deal Hudson One of the few! I shudder to think what Evelyn Waugh would make of FaceBook and Twitter... :)
At 54:52: " ... Carpentier ... "; the boxer, probably.
Waugh, a lesser Shakespeare.
It's a pity they couldn't get Jeremy Irons to read this. He did it best. You can find him doing just that and the entire original tv series Brideshead Revisited on Tubi - a TV movie channel - which is superb. Worth the search.
Jeremy reads it beautifully on Audible.
It is back on youtube too: ruclips.net/video/1-PxE9MrvwQ/видео.htmlsi=BmDA0A4YWnJO5G4q@@Dovewhite60
Poor Sébastien.
Leave it to Psmith