W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Are you reading Homeric Greek? Whether you are a total beginner or an advanced Homerist, here you can meet kindred spirits. Besides Homer, use this board for all things early Greek poetry.
Post Reply
Aetos
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1041
Joined: Sat May 19, 2018 6:04 pm

W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by Aetos »

Those of you who participated in the Odyssey Reading Group probably saw lots of citations to Stanford's editions of the Odyssey. Well, here is the man himself in a video made by the Hellenic Travellers' Club in 1963 reciting the opening lines of the Odyssey:

https://youtu.be/1ANcY3tFnUg?t=320

It appears though, that the editor cut him off after the fourth line.

seanjonesbw
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 527
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 7:06 pm
Location: Wales

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by seanjonesbw »

I love this! And what a handsome old cove he is - I hadn't seen a picture of him before. By my reckoning it would take him 150 hours to read the whole Odyssey at that speed, but between his lilting brogue and that hypnotic fringe the time would fly, no doubt.

Aetos
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1041
Joined: Sat May 19, 2018 6:04 pm

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by Aetos »

I knew you'd like that, Sean! Apparently he gave some lectures on Greek pronunciation at Berkeley (UCLA) back in 1965. This is an audio excerpt from one of those lectures in which, among other selections, he reads the first lines of the Iliad and the Odyssey:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyeJXzGZMbs
Note: The readings are at the end of the segment; however, I think what precedes is worth listening to.

seanjonesbw
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 527
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 7:06 pm
Location: Wales

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by seanjonesbw »

Thanks for posting that, what a fascinating document! It hadn't occurred to me until he quoted a little Yeats that he probably styled his own name (and transition to the Seanad in later life, maybe) on the old man, who must have been extremely famous when Stanford was growing up.

A couple of things I thought were interesting as I listened: 1 - he pronounces ου and αυ identically (as IPA aʊ), which makes Μοῦσα rhyme with wowzer, and 2 - he keeps telling you he's going to sing a fifth and then he sings a sixth! Which is weird because in the first set of readings he is on or very close to a fifth throughout. He must have psyched himself out thinking about the approaching solfege.

Aetos
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1041
Joined: Sat May 19, 2018 6:04 pm

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by Aetos »

At 10:30, he discusses pronunciation of ου and its evolution. It seems to me, however, that he's applying his earlier example of both "acowstic" and "acoostic" as being perfectly acceptable pronunciations in English. I have to admit, after hearing "Moosa" most of my life, hearing "Mowzer" and "owlomenen" takes a little getting used to. Even so, he's very enjoyable to listen to and his guidance on pitch and rhythm is well worth the listen. I think you're right about the sixths, although I'm inclined to be charitable and think that he just glided ever so slightly past the fifths! Perhaps it was the impending solfège.

User avatar
jeidsath
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 5332
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:42 pm
Location: Γαλεήπολις, Οὐισκόνσιν

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by jeidsath »

I have his Sound of Ancient Greek with the record, which I've recorded to mp3 somewhere if anyone wants it. He is very enthusiastic on the subject, you have to give him that.
“One might get one’s Greek from the very lips of Homer and Plato." "In which case they would certainly plough you for the Little-go. The German scholars have improved Greek so much.”

Joel Eidsath -- jeidsath@gmail.com

seanjonesbw
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 527
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 7:06 pm
Location: Wales

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by seanjonesbw »

Thanks Joel.
Aetos wrote: Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:41 pm It seems to me, however, that he's applying his earlier example of both "acowstic" and "acoostic" as being perfectly acceptable pronunciations in English.
I did wonder about this - I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "acowstic", except perhaps discussing cattle prods (although you hear acyoostic quite a lot). Has it gone out of fashion maybe? Anyway, I don't mean to nitpick Stanford because he's very engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him. His idiosyncrasies are more delightful than off-putting.

seanjonesbw
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 527
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 7:06 pm
Location: Wales

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by seanjonesbw »

How interesting, the OED entry for acoustic has:
N.E.D. (1884) also gives the pronunciation (ăkɑu·stik) /əˈkaʊstɪk/. Until the 1880s, this was the sole pronunciation given in dictionaries. From then on both pronunciations were given, with priority shifting to the monophthongal variant during the early 20th cent. In the late 20th cent. the diphthongal variant, when given, was labelled as old-fashioned.
News to me, I must have been born after people stopped using it. The OED also has the form acustic, which makes more sense really based on the pattern of other borrowings.

Aetos
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1041
Joined: Sat May 19, 2018 6:04 pm

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by Aetos »

jeidsath wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2020 2:34 am I have his Sound of Ancient Greek with the record, which I've recorded to mp3 somewhere if anyone wants it. He is very enthusiastic on the subject, you have to give him that.
Thanks, Joel! I'd love to hear the rest of it, if it's not too much trouble.
seanjonesbw wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2020 10:01 am How interesting, the OED entry for acoustic has:
N.E.D. (1884) also gives the pronunciation (ăkɑu·stik) /əˈkaʊstɪk/. Until the 1880s, this was the sole pronunciation given in dictionaries. From then on both pronunciations were given, with priority shifting to the monophthongal variant during the early 20th cent. In the late 20th cent. the diphthongal variant, when given, was labelled as old-fashioned.
News to me, I must have been born after people stopped using it. The OED also has the form acustic, which makes more sense really based on the pattern of other borrowings.
Thanks, Sean! You saved me from having to break out the magnifying glass to check my compact edition of the OED. Considering that Stanford would have pronounced ἀκουστικός akowstikos, I can see now why he used 'acoustic' as his example.

seanjonesbw
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 527
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 7:06 pm
Location: Wales

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by seanjonesbw »

Aetos wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 9:27 pm Well, here is the man himself in a video made by the Hellenic Travellers' Club in 1963 reciting the opening lines of the Odyssey:
I spent a blissful evening last night watching all three episodes of this programme on BBC iPlayer after realising it had been made available as archive content, as well as being on YouTube where you linked to it. Stanford also pops up in episode 1 at around the 20 minute mark talking about Mycenae and in episode 2 at around 7 minutes discussing modern stagings of Greek drama. Mostly I just enjoyed the gentle pace, the sword and sandal score and Sir Mortimer Wheeler's voiceover in pure 50s Pathé plum. It was nice to be somewhere else for a while.

Aetos
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1041
Joined: Sat May 19, 2018 6:04 pm

Re: W.B. Stanford reads Homer

Post by Aetos »

Hi Sean,
As always, I wish you well especially in these trying times. If there is a silver lining to this rather dark cloud, it is that we've been given an opportunity to slow down and spend a little more time with ourselves and our families. Thanks for finding more of W.B. - I just happen to have a little free time tonight, so I think I'll follow in your footsteps and take a respite from 2020!

Post Reply