1. Prelude
2. Overture
3. Song Of The Keepers
4. Whipping On
5. The Linnett
6. I Really Do Love A Waltz
7. I Must Lie Down
8. Gluttony Considered
9. Clive Smythe
10. The Critic Critiqued
11. I Get Younger
12. The Parchment Grows Thin
13. Auldie Riggs
14. Auldie Riggs' Dance
15. Mr. Riggs Appreciated
16. Her Eyes not Mine
17. From The Inside Out
18. Breaking Down The Walls
19. Will You Wash Away The Blood
20. My Dave
21. The Gangster’s Moll
22. Run Judas Run
23. It Came With A Whisper
24. I Want The World
25. She Had It All
26. Bosom Of The Lord
27. A Hot Place For Hypocrites
28. One More Breath
29. The Keeper Regrets And Reflects
30. Whipping Off
Cabaret of Souls
a Folk Oratorio
By Richard Thompson
This piece began life as a commission for the International Society of Bassists to write something featuring the double bass. I managed to forget that they asked for a running time of 6 minutes! Being a songwriter, the beast naturally enough, grew into a song cycle, and then into something with elements of theater, which is how it is now presented, not quite a song cycle, an opera, a musical, a musical play or a bass concerto. A folk oratorio? A folkatorio? Perhaps better left unlabelled. -RT
WELCOME TO THE UNDERWORLD - GRAB A MICROPHONE
The audience seems to have passed from life into death, and find themselves at a reception for the freshly deceased. The Keeper of the Underworld likes to welcome the new intake with some entertainment, so he drags reluctant souls out of the darkness to sing. After each song the Keeper and his assistants sing their own short song of contempt for human foibles. As the humans yearn for the sweetness of life, the jaded Keepers contemplate torture as a better way of passing eternity.
THE SCENE
The scene is the Underworld: a drab, cold, colorless place where souls gather, waiting out eternity. The Underworld is run by The Keeper, a jaded and rather cruel administrator, and his mischievous and cynical assistants, Grympale and Malpensio. The audience has slipped from life into death; and seem to be the Underworld's fresh intake of souls.
A MESSAGE FROM THE KEEPER OF THE UNDERWORLD
Greetings Mortals! So subtle is the transition from life into death that you may still be dreaming that life goes on - but I must sadly inform you that you are dead, and have crossed over into the Underworld. Welcome to our reception area. To get you all relaxed, we like to start with a little entertainment, and we'll be asking - well, insisting - that some of our residents provide some musical diversion. My assistants, Grympale and Malpensio, and myself may even chip in with a few musical observations!! After the music, we'll divide you into groups for Afterlife Orientation, and then you'll move on to Secondary Interrogation and - well - Eternity! Relax, enjoy. - The Keeper
Beeswing Records 2012: US BSWCD001, UK BSW13
current status: Release Date October 10, 2012
All words and music by Richard Thompson
Produced by Richard Thompson and Simon Tassano
Published by Beeswing Music (BMI)
Administered by BUG Music Inc., a BMG ChrysalisCompany
MUSICIANS
Richard Thompson – Vocal, Guitar
Harry Shearer – Vocal, Narration
Judith Owen – Vocalist
David Piltch – Double Bass
Debra Dobkin – Vocal, Percussion
Pete Zorn – Vocal, Flute, Saxophone
Idyllwild Arts Academy Orchestra Conducted by Peter Askim
Violin I – Dorisiya Yosifova/Concertmistress, Kristina Zlatareva, Min Yeong Kim
Violin II – Xia Fan Liu/Principal, Fu-Yen Chi, Carmen Aug
Viola – Rayna Chou/Principal, Joyce Huang, Howard Cheng
Cello – Monica Yang, X-O Liu, Tiffany Christensen
CREDITS
Edited, Mixed, & Compiled by Simon Tassano at Rumiville Studio, Austin, TX
Recorded at Bruce Ryan Soundstage at Idyllwild Arts Academy Idyllwild, CA by Matthew Neth
Assistant Engineer – Jason Cropper
Additional Recording – Trellis Sound, Pacific Palisades, CA, Trellis Sound East, London,
and The Rhythm Ranch, Studio City, CA.
Musical Director – Peter Askim
Management: Vector Management/Ken Levitan
Photos – Annaliese Moyer/Stage Right Photo
Cover Art and CD Design – Debra Dobkin
SPECIAL THANKS
Danny Thompson, Madeleine Crouch, Nancy Covey, Debra Green, Sam Epstein, Ann Closs-Farley, Haylee McFarland, Glendale Costumes, Ryan Zwahlen, Isaac Webb and the Idyllwild Arts Academy Motion Pictures Department, Idyllwild Arts Academy Music Department, Michael Ritchie, Susan Grode, Anne Devlin, Bobby Eichorn, Edmond Deraedt, Tuce Yasik, Bill and Laurie Benenson, Ed Haber, Erik Nelson, David Sefton, David Hirshland, Tim Bernett, Elixir Strings, G7 Capos and Lowden Guitars.
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MEET THE CD CAST: 'CABARET OF SOULS'
READ RT's POST-PERFORMANCE CoS 1010 INTERVIEW
SEE 2010 PERFORMANCE PHOTOS AT ROYCE HALL, L.A.
READ THE ROYCE HALL L.A. 2010 PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
CABARET OF SOULS ROYCE HALL PROGRAM.pdf
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RICHARD THOMPSON'S 2010 'CABARET OF SOULS' at LONDON'S MELTDOWN
READ THE MELTDOWN 2010 PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
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AT THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF BASSISTS 2009
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