TOUCHED BY EROS

Sappho was the first great female versifier and perhaps the greatest lyric poet of the ancient world. Just a few of her "monodies" (solos meant to be sung or chanted), many untranslatable, come down to us. On this modest tape Julie Harris hardly does justice to the intensity of the material, concentrating instead on clarity and meter. Michael York is far more in sync with the fervor and beauty of the sentiments expressed, reciting gently but passionately. A modest effort, this brief tape nonetheless gives us an enticing sample of Sappho's distinction. Y.R. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 99]