VOICES OF MARRIAGE

A compilation of poems on the subject of marriage offers an uneven listening experience. Some poems and readers are well matched. Nicole Orth-Pallacini gives a sensitive reading of Jane Hirshfield’s “For What Binds Us.” Actress Ally Sheedy performs Linda Pastan’s “Because” with moving emphasis. However, Simon Prebble’s stilted interpretation of Edward Lear’s “The Owl and The Pussy-Cat” will simply induce giggles. Boyd Gaines’s proud reading of Ogden Nash’s “Tin Wedding Whistle” takes the fun out of Nash’s bouncy couplets. The accompanying booklet with the text of the poems makes it easy to skip to individual tracks. R.F. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 05]