From Amazon.co.uk
Jane Austen's third and most controversial novel follows Fanny Price's weaving about the social structure of her time. Like
Emma, it's another classic portrait of the heart of a place and time. The female triumvirate of director, heroine, and composer must mean something because of the emotion evident in Barber's score. There's a gentle innocence all the way through that insists on Fanny's well-meaning charm. The orchestra ensemble isn't exactly diminutive, but the effect in the playing is engagingly intimate. The "Theme from Mansfield Park" is about as up-tempo as the album gets; a lively driven piece characterising the comedy of the piece as much as its tugged-upon heartstrings. After the subtleties of harp and piano, the story' s slavery theme is addressed in a sourced song called "Djonga" from Salif Keita.
--Paul Tonks
See all 24 tracks on this disc
