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The 'Voice of the Year' competition introduced and sponsored by Naxos AudioBooks and The Times books pages, edited by Erica Wagner, took place in Spring...

The 'Voice of the Year' competition introduced and sponsored by Naxos AudioBooks and The Times books pages, edited by Erica Wagner, took place in Spring 2004. Readers without any formal drama training or professional acting experience were invited to send in recordings of a short extract of either Dickens, Austen or from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and an own choice. The judging panel - Martin Jarvis, Juliet Stevenson and Anton Lesser, with John Tydeman, David Timson, and Christina Hardyment (audiobook reviewer for The Times), under the chairmanship of Naxos AudioBooks' managing director Nicolas Soames - chose the winner and finalists from nearly one thousand entries. First prize was to read a classic for Naxos AudioBooks. The winner was Maurice West, a fifty-five-year-old English teacher from Croydon. His chosen piece was from Tom Jones and he was invited to read an extended abridgement - 6-CD set - of the same novel. 'We were very impressed by the natural storytelling talent shown by Mr West, with a strong narrative character, a sense of period style as well as a firm grasp of the many characters who appear,' said Nicolas Soames. After graduating from Cambridge, Mr West applied to LAMDA on the main acting course and was accepted. Unfortunately, he didn't have sufficient funds to take up the offer and had to confine his thespian interests to amateur dramatics. Now, later in life, he has a chance to open a new thread of activity. This 6 CD recording of Tom Jones is an important addition to the eighteenth-century audio library on Naxos AudioBooks.

Disc 1

The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling (more info)
Composed by: Henry Fielding
Maurice West, reader


1. In that part of the western division of this kingdom - 2:26
2. Mr Allworthy had been absent a full quarter of a year in London - 3:29
3. It was now the middle of May - 2:14
4. Not otherwise than when a kite, tremendous bird - 3:42
5. When Jenny appeared before him, Mr Allworthy took her into his study - 2:13
6. Neither Mr Allworthy's house, nor his heart - 2:58
7. It hath been observed, by wise men or women - 4:33
8. Eight months after the celebration of the nuptials - 3:42
9. There have been, in all ages and nations - 2:05
10. Mrs Wilkins brought back such a confirmation - 2:48
11. An affection placed on the understanding is, by many wise persons - 3:48
12. We are obliged to bring our hero on the stage - 4:37
13. Poor Jones spent a very melancholy night - 2:22
14. The name of this gentleman - 4:31
15. The reader may remember that Mr Allworthy gave Tom Jones - 3:09
16. Jones was lately grown very intimate with Mr Western - 2:40
17. The amiable Sophia was now in her eighteenth year - 5:42
18. Now, though this young gentleman, Jones - 2:23
19. Her mother first perceived the alteration in the shape of Molly - 4:53
20. Just as Tom arrived at Mr Allworthy's outward gate - 2:29
21. The reader will be pleased, I believe, to return with me to Sophia - 3:59

Disc 2

The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling (more info)
Composed by: Henry Fielding
Maurice West, reader


1. Jones was ordered into a bed - 3:59
2. If Jones could hope to find no bar to his happiness from the daughter - 3:21
3. Molly remained a few moments in silence - 3:49
4. The infidelity of Molly, which Jones had now discovered - 4:59
5. Mr Western was become so fond of Jones - 5:35
6. Neither Thwackum nor Square were much satisfied with their legacies - 2:53
7. Jones retired from the company, into the fields - 3:16
8. When he perceived the enemy's approach, leaped forth our hero - 3:04
9. The rest of Mr Western's company were now come up - 3:52
10. To Mr Western's house - 4:08
11. Mr Allworthy had been engaged to dine with Mr Western - 4:05
12. Sophia was in her chamber, reading - 3:43
13. Mr Blifil soon arrived - 5:39
14. Soon after Jones had left Mr Western, his sister came to him - 2:11
15. Mr Allworthy was now retired from breakfast with his nephew - 6:20
16. Jones was commanded to leave the house immediately - 4:39
17. Sophia had passed the last twenty-four hours - 3:45

Disc 3

The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling (more info)
Composed by: Henry Fielding
Maurice West, reader


1. Mrs Western had been engaged abroad all that day - 2:14
2. The morning in which Mr Jones departed - 3:50
3. Mrs Western proposed not only an immediate conclusion - 2:51
4. Mrs Honour no sooner heard a piece of news - 4:04
5. We left Mr Jones on his road to Bristol - 3:50
6. As for the landlord, he was prevented by his fears - 2:39
7. The other officers who marched with him were a French lieutenant - 5:03
8. Jones endeavoured to close his eyes, but all in vain - 5:05
9. The clock had now struck five when Jones awaked from a nap - 4:22
10. In the morning Jones grew a little uneasy - 5:17
11. Mr Jones and Partridge, or Little Benjamin - 5:04
12. Jones presently ran to lift up the old gentleman - 5:56
13. The day began to break, when Jones walked forth - 3:07
14. Jones helped Northerton upon his legs - 2:54
15. Mr Jones and his fair companion no sooner entered the town - 5:34
16. A serjeant and a file of musqueteers - 3:58
17. We think it no disparagement to our hero - 3:45
18. The fair one, enraged at her frequent disappointments - 2:40

Disc 4

The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling (more info)
Composed by: Henry Fielding
Maurice West, reader


1. While our lovers were entertaining themselves - 1:47
2. Now the little trembling hare - 5:02
3. The landlady, remembering that Susan had been the only person - 3:52
4. The lady had no sooner laid herself on the pillow - 2:40
5. Sophia (for it was she herself) lay reclining her lovely head on her hand - 3:57
6. It was now past five in the morning - 4:01
7. Jones having, at length, shaken Mr Western off - 4:11
8. Before we proceed any further in our history - 4:34
9. Sophia, having directed her guide to travel through bye-roads - 2:25
10. Sophia now, at the desire of her cousin - 3:57
11. At length we are once more come to our hero - 4:08
12. Partridge began to prophesy - 3:59
13. They were got about two miles beyond Barnet - 5:30
14. From that figure which the Irish peer, who bought Sophia to town - 4:32
15. To dissuade Sophia from the match was an endeavour of the same kind - 5:32
16. Our company brought together in the morning - 3:31
17. Mr Nightingale, having taken a turn or two with his companion - 5:50

Disc 5

The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling (more info)
Composed by: Henry Fielding
Maurice West, reader


1. Jones grew still more and more impatient to see Sophia - 4:25
2. Mr Jones was rather earlier than the time appointed - 4:48
3. This point being cleared up - 4:24
4. Jones had not been long gone - 5:01
5. Jones was no sooner alone than he eagerly broke open his letter - 5:18
6. The clock had now struck seven - 3:25
7. As to Squire Western - 3:39
8. We shalll now proceed to show by what method the squire discovered - 3:28
9. Jones was certainly at this instant in one of the most disagreeable - 3:47
10. Mr Nightingale came into Jones' room - 3:23
11. After some hesitation, Jones, upon the strength of this assurance - 3:46
12. We must now convey the reader to Mr Western's lodgings - 4:49
13. By the means of Black George - 3:57
14. The extraordinary tenderness which I have for my heroine - 2:29
15. Love had taken too deep a root in the mind of Lord Fellamar - 4:22
16. Mr Jones, at the appointed hour, attended on Mrs Fitzpatrick - 3:28
17. The reader hath been already often informed of the jealous temper - 4:47

Disc 6

The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling (more info)
Composed by: Henry Fielding
Maurice West, reader


1. Mr Allworthy and Mrs Miller were just sat down to breakfast - 3:17
2. Mrs Miller had not long left the room when Mr Western entered - 4:12
3. Sophia's ill stars were not contented with all that she had suffered - 5:27
4. Whether it was that Fortune was apprehensive lest Jones should sink - 4:59
5. Mr Jones passed about twenty-four melancholy hours by himself - 5:19
6. While Mr Jones was employed in these unpleasant meditations - 2:19
7. Mr Allworthy, in talking with Mrs Miller and Mr Nightingale - 5:25
8. Allworthy recollected Partridge the moment he came into the room - 3:17
9. "Mr Allworthy," says she - 3:52
10. Allworthy was interrupted by the arrival of Mr Dowling - 5:56
11. At length Mr Allworthy arrived at Mr Western's - 3:24
12. "If this be your resolution," replied Allworthy - 3:05
13. When Allworthy returned to his lodgings - 3:05
14. Allworthy then acquainted Jones with the whole matter - 2:30
15. Jones, being now completely dressed - 5:53
16. At this instant Western, who had stood some time listening - 4:49

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