WARRA TIES Do They Do You Any Good? Over 80 Audio Companies State Their Policies

CD MAY 1973 750 LAB TEST REPORTS 08398 Sony/Superscope TC-161SD cassette deck Philips GA -212 turntable Onkyo TX -666 receiver Advent 100A Dolby unit

'.u8417 ," V3 -as V- ,/ NO" es 14 ;.. accots:of'k ,e 6, 4. 0,1,7:so, of 11° ve 4.nnr':: f;:4414.E.t7:4t4:::: ced e' /."lts06. .444s, tt4t 1 '3e ,..ct'''e `<,"I S 441 007 8 Ili t` \k ' ;7241/4rre )ve 44 et6ed, o, owed \)'be 72 4', 0..04 ,tC`'',ects°,,e,P`..6 .4."`els 4 co.o .i.4,44:41-eette eocto' o tz 47.70,1 ,-00"' AU Eou,9;r1r;I:1, ivwktege.e., est oeke44,02,t oteeP c co. (I, 1, AVO,eiet , tlik Ve '4" "4 `71:cd-^" *"` Ctowk, 0.42,,c44.4 s.1: lc% ' ezS 9 of c"" otoo, socos0 194044 sotes Nptt 1;::6'seel':eek;e6 .44v 4, 6es,9,-)6 ;:sSee:;:C t. t4%)1446°1' 41' ;`6:0'09:6,.1' al 41' Se,t4G 111.1 OWN1 CASLV.'.. 7, '.SIGNATURE Pate4s44,_ 46 'e \ easet\'oz,sleer CO' 7,N-4 (si . orx '4c:scaler XesPe oc.'*A9).. a WARRA TIES Do They Do You Any Good? Over 80 audio companies state their policies

16 Ci"1 0108\4'6 800'4 PUCCI I ettotS Forerunner of Fascism?

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NONESUCH'S EXPLORER SERIES

WARRANTY RE06.1.1. "4 C Y VACS eavp11) 1 4 01, be returned p .44:44 ihks cord rn JOstated in theIretructiOi the wo randy 6.44, SA..44 4.r. 04; 1-1/ *k/ .'"4" .,4$6:t4r, C:0 .... '44 44,7.14 :4,v .'"c 07.0' ...... sr "o;'` 1)4,, , ur Two-Year "".-; 4.s Warranty tt EAC Corporation Iliac) warrantsCO Areaca thereat*, refer b ine crvinal Ivo isn 0Oaltict retail Dacha- ,,,,701/t direanship is free lorr dodo°, under - ...v. Ind 0, 0.,o `Se an ,tip, -004-0,0:. Syeterne stithon CLIAIL .0 Os4 :nose, a ,0.6%,,..:^P.6 nartotrr 1 chm7 , ^°, to :k A4":07° Mode - Date Twc"sei F.0t4" 'et in4 F ei.""s4:.9°6., i 14!:. `4. 1'1 Swat 14°' o 4144. t"- Stet;'6ditss ,c4°04 ,,Kos AM FRONT DNL

HIGH F LTERf RIGHT

LEFT LOW FILTER

LOUD- NESS REAR

BALN MASTER IT SPEAKS LOUDLYAND CARRIES A LITTLE STICK. The Fisher 504 receiver, top model in the new 2/4 -channel convertible Studio Standard series, speaks even louder than its 4 -channel power ratings (see table) would lead you to believe. With its four power amplifiers "strapped" for 2 -speaker stereo at the flick of a switch, it delivers 2 x 90 continuous (rms) watts into 8 -ohm loads, at any frequency from 20 to 20,000 Hz. That s loud. (And clean.) The little stick the 504 carries on its front panel is the 4 -channel Master Balance Control. It operates exactly like the pan pots on professional studio consoles. Move it, say, toward left center and that's where the 4 -channel sound becomes louder. The overall volume level is set by a separate slide control. That, of course, is just a small example of the 504's engineering sophistication. In every respect, audio and RF, the 504 represents the latest thinking of Fisher Radio, the most experienced company in Fisher 504 Studio -Standard 4 -Channel Receiver high fidelity. High Fidelity magazine Continuous called the 504 "the best value in a sine -wave power, 20 Hz to 20 kHz 40/40/40/40 watts at 4 ohms quadraphonic receiver." Some experts are (not just IHF inclined to believe it is Fisher's all-time music power!) 32/32/32/32 watts at 8 ohms showpiece. 4 -channel At only $529.95, that's quite an image matrix decoder SQ to live up to. But the 504 has a way of FISHER FM sensitivity convincing people who take the trouble to (IHF standard) 1.8µV listen to it and operate it for a few minutes. ofka-0,1,44./ Capture radio And, best of all, the other Fisher Studio (IHF at 1 mV) 1.2 dB Standard receivers, from $329.95 up, are FM front end Dual-gate-MOSFET with AGC equally advanced in concept and design. FM input Up to 3,000,000µV (3 V) They speak only a little softer. MPX decoder PLL (phase -locked loop) Fisher Radio, 11-40 45th Road, Dept. HF-5, Long Island City, N.Y. 11101. Fair trade prices where applicable. Prices slightly higher in the Far West and Southwest. Stanton quality is a veryspecial quality... in headphones too. Stanton headsets - all of them in each earpiece, plus a remoteels feature a special high perfor- -are designed just like a fine loud-control station for volume and mance, Stanton wide -range single - speaker system for your head. Yettone adjustment, as well as stereospeaker system at a popular price there are many different models and mono mode selection. -Model Forty and Model Forty because we know there are many This same exceptional system600 ohm and Model Fifty with needs and tastes to satisfy. is offered in the Stanton Dyna-balance level controls on each ear- Although there is a great vari-phase Model Sixty ($59.95) with-piece ($49.95 ). ety of features and price ranges,out remote control station. You And for the devotee of quad- two things are constant in all Stan- can always add this unit as anriphonic sound, Stanton offers the ton headsets-their exciting "pres-accessory (Model 5741, $19.95)brand, new Dynaphase Sixty -Five ence" and their equally excitingat a later date. Four C - perfect for reception of sense of styling that makes them Three other Dynaphase mod-both discrete and matrix derived the handsomest headsets a head compatible systems ($64.95). ever wore. See your Stanton franchised At the top of the Stanton Dy- dealer or write Stanton naphase dynamic headset line, our Magnetics, Inc., marvelous Dynaphase Seventy - Terminal Drive, Five ($74.95) reigns supreme. It Plainview, L.1., employs a true two-way system N.Y. 11803. (separate woofer and tweeter) and an L -C crossover network

graNTon Manufacturers of the world famods Stanton calibration and professional broadcast cartridges.

CIRCLE 54 ON READER -SERVICE CARD HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE May 1973 VOL. 23 NO. 5

music and musicians Edward Greenfield STOKOWSKI, PREVIN, DORATI, AND JOCHUM IN LONDON 16 And will there be a new Callas/Di Stefano duet disc? Jan Meyerowitz THE OBJECTIONABLE APPEAL OF PUCCINI 55 Did his music anticipate the fascist mind? William Zakariasen COMPOSITION BY COMMITTEE 59 Music writing has rarely proved to be a communal art Dale S. Harris THE OPERATIC DELIUS: HAS HIS TIME COME? 87 Angel makes A Village Romeo and Juliet as palatable as possible

audio and video TOO HOT TO HANDLE 24 NEWS AND VIEWS 28

Steeling iron oxide . . . A $1,000 cassette deck? EQUIPMENT IN THE NEWS 30 EQUIPMENT REPORTS 35 Advent 100A stereo Dolby B unit What good are warranties? See page 44. Philips GA 212 turntable/arm ensemble Onkyo TX -666 stereo FM/AM receiver Sony/Superscope TC-161SD cassette deck Tracs Plus tape cassette 1416111 Sony CRO tape cassette FIDELITY Dennis Tuchler WARRANTIES-DO THEY DO YOU ANY GOOD? 44 Your rights when the sound goes sour

record reviews 0. B. Brummell THE NONESUCH EXPLORER SERIES 65 Folk music from around the world it up-to-date sound Philip Hart PROKOFIEV'S SYMPHONIES 67 Martinon records them all-almost Dale S. Harris LE NOZZE DI FIGARO AND COSI FAN TUTTE 70 Klemperer and Bohm offer contrasting views CLASSICAL 73

Verdi's Attila . . . Schutz's anniversary recordings Robert Long FOUR -CHANNEL DISCS AND TAPES104

Columbia classics . . Quad cartridges LIGHTER SIDE 106

Steve Goodman . . . Mickey Newbury .. Judge Roy Bean JAZZ 109

Duke Ellington . . . Bobby Hackett . .. Jay McShann Objection! See page 55. R. D. Darrell THE TAPE DECK114

RCA/Magtec open reels . . . Davis' Cellini

a..,nfidelity ispublishedmonthlyby BillboardPublication:.Inc at New York NewYork 10036 Copyrightc 1973 by BillboardPublications.Inc Thedesign and contents areIdlyprotected bycopyright and must notbe etc. reproduced inany manner Second class postage paid al New York New York and at add. Ironed mailing offiesAuthorized as second-class mail by the Post Office Department. Ottawa LETTERS 8 and for payment of postageincashYearly subscriptionin USA. Possessions. and Canada $795.inPan ArnerIcanUnion 0995 erseorhere$995 SingleYoprey '55 Indexed rn All power to women composers . . . Westminster's Ring defended Readers &'uldetoP,'.11.'3'l t,ratur.Change of address notices and undelivered conies (yrom 3579) should be sent toHighFidelity.SubscriptionDepartment. >0. Boa14156. PRODUCT INFORMATION 25 CincinnaL. Ohio 45214Please state bothold and new addresses when requesting change An "at home" shopping service 91 Current and back copies ofHigh Fidelity and High Fidelity/ ADVERTISING INDEX 90 Musical America areavailable onmicrofilm from University Microf'Ims, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. 4 CIRCLE 52 ON REAOE7 SERVICE CARD HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE II COULD DO

C"'(1 DO 3E1 IERI

Several years ago, we decided that our next challenge would be to go beyond the best there was. Our computers told us we had taken the existing cartridge structure and stylus assembly of the V-15 Type II Im- proved as far as we could, and that hereafter, any improvement in one performance parameter would be at the expense of performance in some other parameter.

Therefore, over the past several years, a wholly new laminated cartridge structure has been developed, as was an entirely new stylus assembly with a 25% reduction in effective stylus mass! These developments have re- sulted in optimum trackability at light tracking forces (3/4 -1'/a grams), a truly flat, unaccented frequency response, and more extended dynamic range than was possible even with the Type II Improved, without sacri- ficing output level!

Further, because these factors are held in perfect equilibrium, wherein each design parameter enhances every other parameter, the total audio effect is greater than the sum of its individual engineering achievements. Engineers call this effect a Synergistic Reaction; ergo, we call the Type III the Synergistic Cartridge.

If you like its sound today, you will like it even more as time goes on. In fact, to go back to any other cartridge after living with the Type III for a short while is simply unthinkable, so notable isits neutral, uncolored sound. You must hear it. $72.50.

INTRODUCING THE NEW

1-1 V 1=t V-15 TYPE III Super -Track "Plus" Phono Cartridge

Shure Brothers Inc. 222 Hartrey Ave. Evanston, 60204 In Canada: A. C. Simmonds & Sons Ltd. Willowdale. Ont.

CIRCLE 52 ON READER -SERVICE CARD MAY 1973 LEONARD MARCUS Editor

Feel NORMAN EISENBERG Executive Editor WAYNE ARMENTROUT whatyou Managing Editor hear KENNETH FURIE Recordings Editor

ROBERT LONG Audio -Video Editor onSuperex SHIRLEY FLEMING Editor, Musical America Section

EDITH CARTER Associate Editor

WILLIAM TYNAN Quadphones. Special Projects Editor ROY LINDSTROM Art Director

On Superex QUAD-TETTE four -channel phones, you don't just ROBERT MADDOCKS hear music. You feel music. All over your body. Even four of the finest Associate Art Director speakers can't touch the physical sensations of Superex. MORGAN AMES It's feeling a drum roll up and down your spine. A tamborine over ROYAL S. BROWN your right eyebrow. A singer breathing at the nape of your neck. R. D. DARRELL PETER G. DAVIS Try the QT -4B QUAD-TETTE. Four -channel phones with a HENRY EDWARDS stereo/quad switch. No matter what you've heard from quadraphonic ALFRED FRANKENSTEIN sound, our sound, for $65.00 will astonish you. We engineer Superex HARRIS GOLDSMITH DAVID HAMILTON so you get the most sensation for the least amount of money. DALE HARRIS Audiophile, have a good listen. DONAL HENAHAN MIKE JAHN What you feel comes from four dynamic, mylar diaphragms. Two MILES KREUGER in each earcup. A 20-18,000 Hz frequency response. And 4-16 Ohm PAUL HENRY LANG impedance that works with discrete or matrix systems. GENE LEES ROBERT C. MARSH The QUAD-TETTE's comfort comes from replaceable Con -Form H. C. ROBBINS LANDON ear cushions, on a double post and yoke headband. And 15 generous Contributing Editors feet of coil cord. So you can move with the music. All of this fine design STANLEY BINDER and engineering, Superex guarantees for one year. Circulation Manager Compare the QUAD-TETTE's cost and performance with any CLAIRE N. EDDINGS other quad phones, or any four fantastic speakers, and you'll get the Associate Publisher and feeling. We have the best sound investment around. Director of Advertising Sales WARREN B. SYER Publisher QT -4B QUAD-TETTE Sugg. retail price $65.00 Superex Cover by Roy Lindstrom

QT -4 QUAD-TETTE Stereophones ADVERTISING Sugg retail price $50.00 Feel what you hear Main Office: Claire N. Eddings. The Publishing House. Great Barrington, Mass. 01230. Telephone: 413-528-1300. New York: 1515 Broadway (1 Astor Plaza), New York, N. Y. 10036. Telephone: 212-764-7385. Seymour Resnick. Eastern Adv. Mgr. New England: The Publishing House, Great Barrington, Mass. 01230. Telephone: 413-528-1300. Russell Gilchrist. Chicago: Billboard Publications, Inc., 150 North Wacker Dr.,Chicago,III. 60606.Telephone:312-236-9818. Leonard Levine. Los Angeles: Billboard Publications. Inc., 9000 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90069. Telephone: 213-273- 7040. Andrew Spanberger. Nashville: Billboard Publications, Inc., 1719 West End Ave.. Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Telephone: 615-329-3925. Robert Kendall. London: 7 Carnaby St., London W.1, England. Telephone: (01) 437-8090. Andre de Vekey. Frankfurt/Main: Eschersheimer Landstrasse 69. Frank- furt/Main, West Germany. Telephone: (0611) 590805-6. Walter B. Rios. Milan: Piazzale Loreto 9, Milan 20131. Italy. Telephone: 28.29.158. Germano Ruscitto. Tokyo: Japan Advertising Communications, Inc.. New Ginza Bldg., 7-3-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Tokyo 104, Japan. Telephone: (03)571-8748. Shigeru Kobayashi. president.

Superex Electronics Corp , 151 Ludlow St., Yonkers, N.Y. 10705. In Canada. Superior Electronics Inc CIRCLE 56 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 6 CIRCLE 57 ON READER -SERVICE CARD useseriousIImusic the tapeabout )VIII are doWhenof - use it comes TDK.the to rape, do like the pros pro. producersdynamicpurityTDK,TOklevels renownedand the forrarge fidelity, world"real and among life"overgives maximum sourd. forartists you unmatched greater andcutput 8TDK -trackinIfformulations you'rewithoffers cartridges the intothe pros widestmusic.and and- lengthsTDK. choice useopen the in -reelo= cassettes,tape tape. that's Make recordings like a pro. Get TDK s Better Re- eitleteiree ofev.via( See Freecassettes:cording your TDK"Guide TDK C-60SDKit to dealerFREE Better Super for whenRecordings' details. Dynamic you buy cassette any 5 4TDK &TDIK. TDKIn23-73 Canada, 48TH SIIREET, ELECTRONICScontact LONGSUPERIOR ISLAND ELECTRONCITY, N.Y. 1110-1 CS CORP INC;,12-721 15R9 Russian Suite. U.S.S.R. State Radio Orchestra, A. Be- symphonies, five violin concertos, two cello loussov, cond. Melodiya D 3188/89 (mono). letters PETRA-BASACOPOL, C . Concertino for Violin and concertos, a piano concerto, a concerto for Orchestra. George Hamza. violin; Rumanian Radio strings, seven quartets. five violin sonatas, a pi- Sympn LBaci. cond. Electrecord ECE ano quintet, two ballets, and an opera for ra- 0404SHAINIARDANOVA, SHAKHIDA (1938-): Symphony, in C. dio! Composing Women Uzbek State Phi/ .i' Khaknazarov. cond. Paul Brians Melodiya D 02678, USTVOLSKAYA, GALINA (1919-). Lights in the Steppe Pullman, Wash. (symphonic poem). Leningrad Philharmonic, Arvids In "Why Haven't Women Become Great Jansons, cond. Melodiya D 010305/06 (mono). Composers" [February 1973]. both Ms. Rosen Children's Suite. Leningrad Philharmonic, Yevgeni I was surprised that no mention was made of and Ms. Rubin-Rabson omit consideration of Mravinsky, cond. Melodiya D 04430/1 (mono). Canadian women composers in either of the an important question: Why have so many Soviet Melodiya imports are available from articles on women composers or in the list of women emerged as respected composers in August Rojas Classical Imports. 936 S. Detroit women composers on record. the Soviet Union? They do not consider the St., Los Angeles. Calif. 90036, or from Four Canada has five published and recorded achievements of women in Eastern Europe. Continent Book Corp., 156 Fifth Ave., New women composers: Norma Beecroft, Barbara where "machismo" may not be such a crucial York. N.Y. 10010. Pentland. Violet Archer, Sonia Eckhardt- determinant of professional success as it is in IIilliam Oyler Gramatte, and the best-known, Jean Coul- the West. St. Paul. Minn. thard. Ms. Coulthard, a native of Vancouver, Thedoyennesof Soviet music are perhaps B.C., has songs recorded by Maureen Forres- Nina Makarova and Galina Ustvolskaya. Perhaps because of a bias for classical music, ter on Westminster. a piano sonata and piano Makarova toured America early in 1972 with Judith Rosen ignored one argument to sup- variations recorded on RCA/CBC by John her husband, Aram Khachaturian, but her port her thesis that women haven't become Ogdon, a cello sonata published in 1970 by name remained as obscure here as before. great composers because they have been Novello and recorded for Columbia by Ernst squelched by men: In the past decade, there Ustvolskaya'sLights in the Steppeisas Friedlander. and choral music recorded on hauntingly atmospheric a nature poem as the has been an unprecedented emergence of fe- RCA/CBC by the Hugh McLean Consort of works of Delius-although more robust and male popular composers. including some I Vancouver. "masculine" than most of Delius! Her touch- think should be considered-contrary to the All five composers are heard regularly on assumption of the article's title-great. Janis ingChildren's Suiteis as delightful and sensi- the radio network of the Canadian Broad- Ian. Buffy Sainte -Marie. and Joni Mitchell are tive a contribution to children's musical liter- casting Corporation and their music is among at least the equal of the men who have gained ature as Debussy'sChildren's Cornerand the best known in this country. prominence in this field during this period. DonMowatt Prokofiev'sPeter and the Wolf. But it is only in this decade. when the feminist Lydia Auster, an Estonian, might be charac- North Vancouver, B.C. terized as a "poor woman's Tchaikovsky." for movement has become so strong, that so many women have become successful popular com- her lush and sensuous piano concerto clearly One famous woman composer you omitted is posers, which proves to me that women have stands in the tradition. Ester Miagi is another the legendary mezzo-soprano Pauline Viar- always had the ability to be great composers Estonian who has contributed significantly to dot. She wrote many salon operas, including- and thatit was solely society's false ideas at the age Soviet musical life. Nina Karnitskava. author about women that prevented these abilities of 83-Cendrillon. of a tuneful and well -written piano concerto. from receiving full expression. Geraldine Segal must be the most illustrious musical figure. Baltimore, Md. male or female, from the minuscule and ob- Stanley Becker Jamaica. N.Y. scure Caucasian republic of North Ossetia. To my surprise you did not mention the Irish - Among the most fascinating composers in You did not mention my favorite woman French composer Augusta Holmes, a pupil of the U.S.S.R. are those of the non -Slavic ethnic composer. the contemporary Polish composer Cesar Franck among others and highly re- groups of the East who have successfully fused Grazyna Bacewicz. HerMusic for Strings. spected in Europe during the last quarter of Russian romantic compositional techniques Trumpets, and Percussionwas available on the nineteenth century. She wrote in large with their own richly colorful musical folk- Philips PHS 900 141 (deleted), and the Polish forms-symphonies, choral works, symphonic lore. Among the more prominent is the young label Muza put out a disc (XL 0274, mono) poems. and an opera.La Montagne noire, Uzbek woman Shakhida Shaimardanova. containing four works:Musica sinfonica in tre which was produced at the Paris Opera in Among other women from Eastern Europe morimenti. Pensieri notturni.Concerto for Or- 1895. represented on records are Alexandra chestra. and an overture. In both cases Witold George L. Nyklicek Pakhmutova and the Rumanian Carmen Rowicki led the Warsaw Philharmonic Or- San Francisco, Calif. Petra-Basacopol. chestra. The notes on the Muza album, written None of the works recorded are on the scale about five years ago, list among her works f:)tir of the big symphonies of Prokofiev or Shosta- Westminster's Ring Defended kovich: nor are they of trail -blazing originality. But they are a far cry from dainty drawing - In "What? Another Ring?" [February 1973], room music. Not even a male chauvinist pig Peter G. Davis shrugged off Westminster's could say. "That must have been written by a budget release of the WagnerRing des Nibe- woman." lungen,summarizing the enterprise as "a Here is my supplement to "Available workaday event ... this new version can only Recordings of Works by Women Compos- have a sort of weird documentary value." I am ers": writing for the sake of the interested consumer AUSTER, LYDIA (1912- ): Piano Concerto, in G. Heljo who, in the wake of Davis' criticism, would Sepp. piano; Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra. likely ignore this recording, which I believe is Neeme Jarvi. cond. Melodiya D 020577/8 (mono). KARNITSKAYA, NINA (1906-): Concerto for Piano and a bargain worth investigating. Far from being Orchestra, No. 1, in D minor. Beatrice Friedman, pi- the whipping boy of the well -advertised Furt- ano; North Ossetian Symphony Orchestra, P. Yadikh, cond. Melodiya D 6971/2 (mono). wangler edition, it presents for me an equal MAKAROVA, NINA (1906- ): Symphony No. 1, in D minor. and often superior experience. U.S.S.R. State Symphony Orchestra, Olaf Koch, cond. I own and am fully familiar with the com- Melodiya SM 01585/86 MIAGI, ESTER (1922- ):Kalevipoeg's Journey to plete sets by Furtwangler, Karajan, and Solti, Suomi (cantata).Estonian S.S.R. Academic Male as well as some Bayreuth broadcast tapes and Chorus; Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Neeme a decent number of Golden Age excerpts. Fol- Jarvi. cond. Melodiya D 020219/20 (mono). Serenade for Violin and Orchestra. Estonian Radio lowing the score, Ihave given this West- Symphony Orchestra. R. Matsov. cond. Melodiya D minster set three complete hearings plus spot 05906, 07 (mono). checks. Davis is a busy man: I doubt that he PAKHMUTOVA, ALEXANDRA NIKOLA AAAAA (1929- ): Con- certo for Trumpet and Orchestra, in E flat. Popov. gave it such attention. I found this recording a trumpet;U.S.S.R.State Radio Orchestra, Yevgeni taut, enjoyable presentation. with a surprising Svetlanov. cond. Monitor 2030 (mono). Youth Overture. U.S.S.R. State Radio Orchestra, A Buffy Sainte-Marie- number of real strengths.It features clean Beloussov. cond. Monitor 2038 (mono). a great composer? stereo sound. authoritative conducting by

8 CIRCLE 103 ON READER -SERVICE CARD -40 MUSIC GOES ON A RECORD AT A PERFECT TANGENT. NOW IT COMES OFF AT A PERFECT TANGENT.

For years, Zero Tracking Error has been the They have confirmed that they can hear the elusive goal of the automatic turntable maker. difference that Zero Tracking Error makes in The objective: to develop an arm which would the sound, when the Zero 100 is tested against other keep the stylus perpendicularly tangent to the top model turntables, in otherwise identical systems. grooves...to each groove throughout the record, Until now, we cannot recall any turntable feature because this is the way music is put on a record. being credited with a direct audible effect on sound Garrard's Zero 100 is the only automatic reproduction. Usually that is reserved for the car- turntable to attain this. It is done with an ingeniously tridge or other components in a sound system. simple, but superbly engineered tone arm. Through Zero Tracking Error is more than just a tech- the use of an articulating auxiliary arm, with pre- nical breakthrough. It translates into significantly cision pivots, the angle of the cartridge continually truer reproduction, reduced distortion and longer adjusts as it moves across the record. record life. The stylus is kept at a 90° tangent to the grooves... Once we had achieved Zero Tracking Error, and the cartridge provides the ultimate we made certain that the other features of this performance designed into it. turntable were equally advanced. The Zero 100 has

True tangent tracking geometry. a combination of features you won't find in any The Zero 100 tone arm. other automatic turntable. These include variable P. U. arm pivot-fixed speed control; illuminated strobe; magnetic anti - skating; viscous -damped cueing; 15° vertical track- Articulating arm ing adjustment; the patented Garrard Synchro-Lab pivot-fired synchronous motor; and our exclusive two -point record support in automatic play. The test reports by independent reviewers make fascinating reading. You can have them, plus a detailed 12 -page brochure on the Zero 100. Pickup head pivots Write today to British Industries Co., Dept. E-23 in this direction Westbury, New York 11590. as arm tracks across Center line of cartridge tangential records. GARRARD ZERO 100 to record groove. The only automatic turntable with The results have been recorded by experts in Zero Tracking Error. their reviews of the Zero 100. Some of them are saying things about this instrument that have never been said about an automatic turntable before.

$19995 less base and cartridge

Dist By British Industries Co A Division 01 Avnet. Inc Mfg By Plessey Ltd Swarowsky, who chooses excellent tempos In our recorded version of the work (ORS (e.g.. Siegfried. Act I) and excavates much in- 7265) with Henri Temianka, violin. Jeffrey So- Dreaming teresting detail from the part writing, and or- low, cello, and Doris Stevenson. piano. the chestral work tidier than that on the Furt- fugue variation is played in its glorious en- wangler set (the brass are remarkably strong). tirety. about a pair There are two points to be made about the Giveon Cornfield cast. First, this is the only extant Ring record- Director. Orion Records ing to retain the same singers throughout the Malibu. Calif. of $300 cycle. There are no part-time Alberichs. no changing Wotans midstream; the gain in Grand Stand unity. continuity. and theatrical continuity is condenser inestimable. Second, many of the singers. Bravo! Someone finally has taken a construc- though young and little known, are superior tive step to alleviate the mess in stereo FM microphones? talents. Fritz Uhl's agile character tenor ren- specs. Your article. "At Last-An Up -to -Date ders the most plausible Loge yet; Herold Approach to Stereo FM Tuners and Receiv- Kraus's Mime issimilarly valuable; Rolf ers" [January 1973] covers my complaints and Polke is a splendid Wotan (the "Abendlich viewpoints very well. Now that the ice is bro- strahlt" in Rheingold is exemplary: rich. ken, perhaps the IHF will he "forced" into Think steady tone, perfect legato, solid top F). Rolf taking long overdue action. Keep up the good Kiihne's Alberich, Ruth Hesse's Fricka/Wal- work. traute, and Rudolf Knoll's Gunther are as po- Philip Blair seriously tent as any on the market. And I can't accept South Euclid, Ohio Davis' estimation of Ditha Sommer's Sieg- linde ("wild, insecure"): a few pitch lapses Paralyzed Chords? about these: aside, she is an attractive spinto Sieglinde of the Janowitz persuasion. In his review of Richmond's Anita Cerquetti $39.75'each! Davis lands hard on house tenor Gerald recital [February 1973], Dale Harris refers to McKee, saying his voice has an "unvarying her "paralyzed vocal chord." If the lady tried metallic buzz" and he tends "to sing around to sing a chord. no wonder her career was so the notes, especially in rapid passages." None sadly curtailed. How. 1 have often wondered. of this reaches my ears. McKee's voice sounds does a cord of flesh become metamorphosed bright, fresh, and dead -accurate (with roughly into a chord of music? the stature of Konya or Thomas. though in David Pierce better health than either); he handles the pat- Vero Beach, Fla. ter writing more cleanly and gracefully than any tenor I know. I find him the most likable The easiest way is with the help of typographical Siegfried on LP. Davis hears vocal disorder in gremlins. We can assure Mr. Pierce that Mr. Nadezda Kniplova's Briinnhilde. Some of her Harris does indeed know his cords from his and tremulous, but much of it (try chords. Gotterdammerung) is excitingly good. and her line readings are continuously stimulating and More Korngold imaginative. Listeners who pay better heed to the groove I certainly agree with Royal S. Brown's review content than to the cast list and the idiot pack- of Korngold's movie music [February 1973]. 1 aging will hear an astonishingly vital perform- hope the sale of the disc will encourage other ance. The Westminster edition is an excellent, Model 1710 Electret Condenser Korngold recordings. A new recording of the inexpensive route to the Ring. Omnidirectional Microphone violin concerto is needed, and couldn't some Frederick Walter enterprising company do a complete Die tote All of the great condenser advantages Chicago. Ill. are here without compromise. Flat, Stadi? It caused quite a stir in the Twenties, es- extended range, excellent transient pecially with Maria Jeritza in the soprano response, high output, low noise, and Casals Archives lead. Judging from pirated recordings of the ultra -clean sound. But the new E -V opera, someone like Nicolai Gedda would be electret condenser microphones need Mrs. Pablo Casals Is establishing an archive to an ideal choice for a complete commercial no high voltage power supply. Just preserve the legacy of her husband. The Cas- recording. an AA penlite battery to operate the als Archives is trying to get copies of any I'll keep my fingers crossed. built-in FET impedance converter. recording from any source of Maestro Casals' William J. McCarthy The result is studio performance performances as cellist, conductor, and com- New York. N.Y. without complications and at a dram- atically lower price. poser. If any HIGH FIDELITY readers can he of help, especially with recordings of broadcast There are 4 new E -V electret micro- Culshaw on Carmen phones, including cardioid models, performances, please write to me. from $39.75 to just $75.00, audiophile Jose D. AlfUro I am afraid that Peter Davis has slightly mis- net. Second -generation designs with Casals Archives quoted me ["Behind the Scenes." January unusually high resistance to heat and 169-05 Northern Blvd. 1973]:Inever said that Carmen was unre- humidity. Hear them today at your Flushing, N.Y. 11358 cordable-indeed I would have thought that at nearby Electro-Voice soundroom. Or write for details. Missing Variation Found least three of the existing versions proved that this masterpiece takes well to records. More U. S. recording studios use Electro- However, having been involved with four Voice microphones than any other brand. Reader Leland Windreich asked ["Letters." recordings of one sort or another in the past noon, ,hov.n on January 19731 about the omitted variation in Tchaikovsky's Trio in A minor, Op. 40. as re- twenty years. what 1 did say was that it was un- corded by the Beaux Arts Trio on Philips. castable. The second movement consists of two parts: John Culshaw SmieCZ-OICL Section A comprises the theme and eleven London, England ELECTRO-VOICE, INC., Dept 532H 619 Cecil Street. Buchanan. Michigan 49107 variations. The eighth variation, a great piece In Europe. Electro-Voice. S. A., Romerstrasse 49. of fugal writing, is indicated as "optional.' in 2560 Nidau. Switzerland Restoring Acousticals (continued) the score, and the Beaux Arts boys took the Gulton easy way and left it out. Part B consists of the In the December 1972 "Letters" column Ste- COMPANY final variation and coda. phen Rhodes expressed doubt over the possi- CIRCLE 25 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 10 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE `A silent giant that's built to last -probably forever..:' and other rave reviews about the Empire 59811 Turntable. "The feel of precision machinery "The turntable suspension is almost ...rumble was inaudible ..." imperviDus to jarring or bumping." Stereo Buyers Guide Audio Magazine

"No acoustieedback even "Built to last . . gives great directly in fro loudspeakers." results." ch Houck Laboratories, FM Guide reo ReviewListenirg is believing - ask your hi fi "Ab ly no speed error at dealerjor a demonstration. Write for eithe 45 or 78 rpm." your free "Empire Guide to Sound gh FidelityDesign."

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CIRCLE 99 ON READER -SERVICE CARD bility of restoring old acoustic recordings. in- The Kleen Machine. cluding the shattered waveform present on so many of them. Perhaps my letter in the same issue explained some of the work now in progress. In the interim. Professor T. G. Stockham. Jr.. and his associates have successfully re- moved Caruso's voice from the orchestra and noise of his 1907 recording of "Vesti la giubba" (Victor 88061). The result is fantastic-though not, as yet. perfect. Work is under way to extend the band of frequencies that undoubtedly are harmonics of the basic vocal frequencies. Whether these "highs" need to go Records and dust. to 10 kHz is questionable. since it is doubtful If you enjoy one, must you suffer the that the human male singing voice produces other? signals that high. Not with the new Bib Groov-Kleen. Extracting the voice was accomplished with Groov-Kleen is the most effective a speech analysis/synthesis system (homo- method yet devised for removing the morphic vocorder), wherein quality was the dust and dirt that accumulate on rec- main objective. Pitch estimation was done by ord surfaces. cepstral pitch detection. The entire process is implemented digitally on the PDP-10 com- Simple to use and install, Groov- puter under the TENEX operating system. Kleen reduces record and stylus wear The technical aspects were presented at a re- and improves reproduction without the cent meeting of the Audio Engineering use of any groove fouling liquids. Society by Miller and Stockham in their pa- Handsomely crafted in chrome and per. "Recovery of the Singing Voice from aluminum with black accents, Groov- Noise by Synthesis." Kleen has a built-in arm rest and an ad- With the results we have heard to date, it justable counterweight to reduce drag may be truly possible to restore the old acoustic records to near modern recording quality. and minimize speed variations. At that time we will undoubtedly have an op- The Kleen Machine is only one of portunity to hear how the great voices of the many quality phono and tape acces- past would have sounded on records had sories from Bib. modern recording processes been available. See them at your dealer now. B. V. Pisha Revox Corporation, 155 Michael Drive, Syosset, N.Y. 11791 Albertson. N.Y.

CIRCLE 49 ON READER -SERVICE CARD Reader's Choice

I still haven't seen a review of Irwin Bazelon's Fifth Symphony on Composers Recordings in illtIntoshCATALOG HIGH FIDELITY.Ithink it's a fine modern work and a splendid recording. and I'd like a nd FM DIRECTORY few more people to hear about it. Get all the newest and latest information on the new McIntosh Sol- John Holt id State equipment in the McIntosh catalog. In addition you will Boston. Mass. receive an FM station directory that covers all of North America. Space prevents us from reviewing more than a selection of the huge number of new releases. However we are happy to pass on reader Holt's recommendation.

II /111111111/1 III NIB IIIII OWN* Progress GIs ..1$$$$$$ / //a...... The two letters under the caption "Four - Channel Fraud" [November 1972] were, at hest, amusing: one from a psychic who knows it's a gimmick, and the other from a medium MX 113 who gels strange messages and knows exactly who to blame. FM/FM STEREO - AM TUNER AND PREAMPLIFIER Did they "blame" Columbia when the LP was introduced? Did they "blame" anyone McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. when stereo was introduced? Both were la- East Side Station P.O. Box 96 beled "gimmicks" by fools at the time of their Binghamton, N.Y. 13904 introduction. Have they even bothered listen- SEND ing to quad sound, or are they still stacking five 78s for one Beethoven symphony? NAME It is and always will be the RCAs of industry ADDRESS who move us ahead, to quad sound now and TODAY! to the moon in the not too distant future. CITY STATE ZIP Whether anyone needs quad sound or a trip to the moon is up to the individual to decide. just If you are in a hurry for your catalog please send the coupon to McIntosh. as he decided to use the light bulb, to buy a For non rush service send the Reader Service Card to the magazine. Lizzy or one of those contraptions called a ra- CIRCLE 39 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 12 CIRCLE 5 ON READER -SERVICE CARD-* The ADC-XLM aclass by itself."

That's the way Stereo Review described our XLM. High Fidelity head- lined their review, "Superb new pickup from ADC" and went on to say, 66...must be counted among the state of the art contenders:' And Audio echoed them with, "The ADC-XLM appears to be state of the art!' With the critics so lavish in their praise of the XLM, there's hardly any necessity to add anything. Far better to let the experts continue to speak for us.

Frequency responseThe CBS STR- 100 test The XLM has remarkably low distortion in comparison record showed less than -4- 1.5dB variation up with others Audio to 20.000Hz Stereo Review At 0.6 grams the d[stortion was low (under 1.5 per response is within -+- 2dB over the entire range. Audio cent) Stereo Review Frequency response is exceptionally flat High Fidelity Hum and noiseThe XLM could be instrumental in lower ng the inpJt noise from the first stage of a This is the only cartridge we have seen Tracking modern transistor amplifie- Audio that is really capable 07 tracking almost all stereo discs The cartridge had very good shielding against at 0.4 grams Stereo Review induced hum Stereo Review The XLM went through the usual torture test at 0 4 grams (some top models require more than a gram). High Fidelity Price This would bea very hard cartridge to surpass The XLM is capable of reproducing anything found on at any price. Stereo Review a phonograph record Audio We found it impossible to attribute superior sound to costlier competing models High Fidelity DistortionDistoricn readingsare almost Priced as it is. it is a real bargain in cartridges Audio without exception better than those for any other model we've tested. High Fidelity The Pritchard High Definition ADC-XLM $50.

ADC AUDIO DYNAMICS CORPORATION Pickett District Road. New Milford. Connecticjt 01,77 Coder 00 BIDIRECTIONAL 9 dio, to take his life in his hands and actually fly RECORDING in an airplane. And wonder of wonders, he A MINIAT discovered to his everlasting delight that everyone of those gadgets, those gimmicks, actually did what it was supposed to! Don E. Manning Chicago, Ill.

Szell Off the Air

As elconte as 6corge Szell's Mahler Sixth Symphony would be under any circumstances it is doubly welcome as a sign that Columbia is going to make available on disc at least some of the best performances from the Cleveland Orchestra broadcasts. This is good. We should not have to wait for a George Szell Society to have these performances.

I hope that Szell's highly praised performance of the Sibelius Fourth Symphony is high Dokotder introduces a on the list of performances to be released. revolutionary new tape deck From all reports there is not a Sibelius Fourth with space-age engineering. Six heads provide Bi-Directional in the catalogue that can match it. Surely this Record and Playback. Automatic Reverse/Repeat Playback add relax -and -enjoy is the type of live performance that deserves permanence. convenience. And for the ultimate in computerized luxury, a Fast Sensor Mechanism lets you program the unit to automatically locate and playany selection instantly. Carrington B. Dixon, Jr. Garland, Texas To enjoy its extraordinary performance, ask to see the 9100 atyour Hi Fi Dealer's.

Other Professional Filatures: Bias Control Built-in Head Demagnitizer 3 Motors Who Wrote Joyce?

MBD Heads And much more I was delighted to read Leo Haber's exposure of the Beethoven myth I"Who Wrote Beetho- Cr k o r CI 43 I" Irsd!)1 1264 Playa Court, Culver City, Calif. 90230 Ir) ven's Music," November 19721. Unfortunately CIRCLE 21 ON READER -SERVICE CARD for his argument, however, he errs in stating that no artist was ever the son of a drunkard who was also a tenor. This unscholarly gener- ' MI alization dooms his search for the composer of Did you miss "Beethoven's" music. Those familiar with the PINK.Tv life of James Joyce will remember that his fa- any issues? ther. John Joyce, was a notorious drunk and New was said to have possessed the finest tenor Equipment voice in all Ireland. Thus, by an Haberian de- duction, it can be incontestably proven that ,1973 g. If you did, here's James Joyce wrote "Beethoven." The only remaining question is who wrote Joyce's books? what we have left: I suggest that Stravinsky, who is known to 1= 1 1=11 have written Orpheus and Apollo, is at least responsible for Ulysses. I am sure that Mr. Craft High Fidelity Back Copies 2160Patterson St., Cincinnati,Ohio 45214 will want to pursue this matter further. Circle what you missed & send this coupon with payment to the above address: Thomas J. Rice Columbia. S.C. High Fidelity HF/Musical America Stereo, $1.25 each Buyer's Guide to 75c each 31.25 each Winter 1971 the World of Tape, 1971 1971 Spring 1971 $1.50 each HighFidelity, May 1973.Vol.23.No.5. Pub- May January May Summer 1971 1972 Buyer's Guide lished monthly by Billboard Publications, Inc., publisher August FebruaryJuly Fall 1971 1973 Buyer's Guide of Stereo, Stereo International, Modern Photography. September March December Winter 1972 American Artist. Billboard, Vend. Amusement Business. Buyer's Guide to Merchandising Week. Music Labo. Photo Weekly, November HF/Musical America Summer 1972 1972 4 -Channel Sound, Gift 8 Tableware Reporter, Record & Tape Retailer. $1.25 each Fall 1972 January $1.50 each RecordMirror.DiscografiaInternazionale. World April 1972 Winter 1973 1972 Buyer's Guide Radio TV Handbook. March Juiy May Concert Artist 1973 Buyer's Guide High Fidelity/ Musical America. Edition published July April August monthly. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. May November Directory, S6 each High Fidelity's August 1970 MA Directory Test Reports, October Editorial correspondence should be addressed to The 1971 MA Directory $1.95 each Editor. High Fidelity, Great Barrington, Mass. 01230. 1972 MA Directory Editorial contributions will be welcomed. Payment for 1973 MA Directory articles accepted will be arranged prior to publication. Unsolicited manuscripts should be accompanied by return postage.

Please send me the issues I missed. I enclose a El check [] money order for Subscriptions should be addressed to High Fidelity, 2160 Patterson St.. Cincinnati, Ohio 45214. Subscrip- tion rates. High Fidelity Musical America: In the U.S.A. and its Possessions. 1 year $14: elsewhere. 1 year $15. Name National and other editions published monthly: In the U.S.A. and its Possessions. 1 year $7.95. Subscription rates for all other countries available on request. Address Change of address notices and undelivered copies (Form 3579) should be addressed to High Fidelity. Sub- scription Fulfillment Dept.. P.O. Box 14156. Cincinnati. City State Zip Ohio 45214. 70 93 14 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE AR7

a new standard of excellence in a speaker of small size

The AR -7 is the smallest speaker sys- and guarantee each AR -7 speaker to tem Acoustic Research has ever de- match the curves within ± 2dB. Such signed. It is purposely small. accurate, fu Ifrequency range per- Recognizing the space demands im- formance from an enclosure of this posed by four channel stereo music size did not come easily.It required systems, AR decided to develop a years of development and state-of-the- small speaker to permit installation in art technology. areas where our larger speakers are not appropriate. At the same time, this speaker must offer the extended range usually associated with speakers of -hough the AR -7 was designed pri- marily with four channel stereoin- much larger dimensions. stallations in mind, its accurate wide That the AR -7 has achieved both de- frequency response makes it a wise sign objectives is clearly evident. choice for high quality two channel The size (93/4 x 153/4 x 61/4) is such that stereo systems. four AR -7's occupy less cubic volume AR -7's come packed two to a box and than a single AR -3a. sell for $60.00 each. r Acoustic Research, Inc. ram...me Cna. 24 Thorndike St., Cambridge The woofer of the AR -7 uses such Massachusetts 02141 advanced design and manufacturing Please send detailed information techniques that its low frequency re- on the AR -7 speaker system to sponse extends substantially below Name thatof competitive speakers of far greater size. Street The tweeter of the AR -7 is similar to the tweeter usedinthe highly ac- City claimed AR -6.Itproduces smooth, widedispersionsound. Boththe State woofer and the tweeter use high tem- The accuracy of the sound is such that perature voice coils, permitting higher Zip we show these power response curves power handing capabi I ity. HF-J CIRCLE 1 ON READER -SERVICE CARD MAY 1973 I5 Wherewere the SUPER AMPS behind the before Crown ? scenes

Antal Dorati (seated) and members of the Phil- harmonia Hungarica celebrate finish of their Haydn symphonies project.

Remember the first super -power amplifier?It was the DC300, introduced in 1967 by Crown International. Now there are a dozen or so would-be competitors busy duplicating to varying degrees DC300 circuitry. Meanwhile, Crown engineers have been creating and testing many radically new amplifier designs. The result is the DC300A, not an up- Watch All the Conductors Please dated version, but a totally new amplifier inside and out. The DC300A is not designed for the hi fi mass market but for demanding customary. and he is willing to do it.I commercial and professional applications. LONDON don't understand it.I only tell you what However, we know there are discerning happens." audiophiles, perhaps like yourself, who can "There's a change of tempo there. so Reporting in my turn what happens at appreciate the difference. watch conductor please!" The tele- a Stokowski session, I can say only that The new DC300A has double the number of output transistors, effectively twice graphic style with "the" omitted in a vi- the New Philharmonia Orchestra was the muscle of the old DC300 for driving tal place. gives the clue to the identity of transformed both at the concert and at multi -speaker systems. Each channel has the conductor, Leopold Stokowski, just the recording in Kingsway Hall. The first eight 150 -watt devices for 1200 watts of coming up to his ninety-first birthday session must have been one of the oddest power dissipation per channel! Advanced and, if anything. more active than ever in history. For ninety minutes Stokowski electronic output protection permits the before in the recording studio, thanks to DC300A to drive speaker loads of any im- battled away at Beethoven's Egmont pedance without going into protection. Decca/London's Phase 4 label. Tony Overture, doing four complete perform- The new DC300A has unprecedented D'Amato of Phase 4 is budgeting to ances and worrying a great deal over de- signal purity. IM and harmonic distortion spend most of his classical allocation for tails of balance. In many ways it seemed ratings are .05%, although typically below as long as possible (and current signs a conventional recording technique. .025%. Hum and noise rating is 110dB be- suggest itwill he a fair period yet), Imagine my amazement after the tea low 150 watts, while typically -122dB. The recording the old man in as much of the difference in increased listening comfort break, when in the remaining seventy- is impressive. repertory as he can cover. fiveminutes Stokowski went onto Although totally new, the DC300A has After his return from Prague and the record straight through no less than fifty- inherited some important traits from its sessions when at a live concert he re- five minutes of music-Beethoven's Sev- predecessor: corded Elgar's Enigma Variations and enth Symphony (all four movements) PRICE-still under $700 Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy. Stokowski plus Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccioes- WARRANTY - three years on allparts, recovered from his sprained leg with pagnol with a few brilliant Stokowskian labor and round-trip. shipping POWER RATING - 150 w/ch continuous at amazing resilience. I talked with him for amendments. 8 ohms; power at clip -point typically 190 over an hour at his hotel as he was pre- It was in the Rimsky-Korsakov that w/ch at 8 ohms, 340 w/ch at 4 ohms, 500 paring for a concert at the Royal Albert Stokowski asked the players to look at w/ch at 2.5 ohms, or plug in two parts for Hall. "I try to say to Beethoven." he con- him during the tempo change, but he 600 watts continuous mono power at 8 ohms. fided in me, "'Please help me. You are need not have worried. Stokowski may There are many new super -power am- saying something beyond my compre- plifiers. But when you buy a Crown DC300A, seem to conserve every scrap of energy. you're buying more than just an amp. You're hension. but help me so thatI do not sittingstill and merely fluttering his buying the Crown company -a professional spoil it.' " Imagine my surprise, even af- hands, but the concert and the sessions audio equipment manufacturer with a 26- ter that warning, when at the concert one found him amazingly alert, not missing a year reputation for solid quality and lasting of the reprises of the scherzo and trio in thing, the eye as keen as ever. "Bad value. There are thousands of Crown amps Beethoven's Seventh disappeared com- start." said Stokowski over one take in in the field still working to their original pletely. Few listeners seemed to notice. specifications, and still outperforming most the Rimsky-Korsakov, and a violin ad- new amps. Visit your Crown dealer to hear and even I wondered whether I had been mitted to playing out of tune. "Change the difference. For detailed product data, dreaming. lulled by the master's still places!" ordered Stokowski in mock write Crown International, Box 1000, Elk- hypnotic powers. "It is the eye." he told anger, offering the offender his baton. hart, Indiana, 46514. me. fixing me hard. "I don't understand The second session found the old man it, but I look at a certain player, maybe repeating the technique of the earlier oc- the English horn, or. say, the solo cello. casion-a virtually straight run-through and I want him to do a certain phrasing of the symphony and the Capriccio with GIcrown or tone often very different from what is Raymond Few, the Phase 4 recording CIRCLE 16 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 16 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE It tookalot of guts to build 4 great receivers Take a look at AKAI's exciting receivers. All great performers. At a For peak performance there's new 900 Series stereo receivers. price taat's right for you. the 940. Delivers 180W total music They're beautiful, right? Complete The 910 delivers a power level power ... sensitivity of 1.7 AV ... fre- with rosewood cabinets to enhance sufficient for any need. With a widequency response of 5 to 80,000 Hz their styling. frequency response and low distor- ... and IM distortion of 0.05% at But it takes more than beauty to tion. rated output. What's more, Sound make a truly great stereo receiver. And if you want to add Dolby,® Dubbing Controls allow you to mon- It takes guts! you'll find it in the 910D. itor from two separate decks. Because it's what'sinsideyour Our new 930 offers separate Which all adds up to four great receiver that determines perform-signal and tuning indicators. Plus reasons to see your AKAI dealer. ance. And for innovative engineering Sound Monitoring. And 122W IHF He'll show you what guts are all where it counts, AKAI leads the way. total music power. about. You can choose from four new "Dolby" is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc.

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i ON PFV,/k1 SF RV f MAY 1973 manager, checking up on a few of the time to time groaning with pleasure at Mallinson, the Decca/London recording places remaining "uncovered." "There's Rachmaninoff's surging lyricism. "Make manager, quickly changed the original a gloomy silence from below." said Sto- a little more of the hairpins, boys!' he scheme of having sessions over a period kowski after one take during an ominous urged at one point, and they hardly of three weeks at a time, conscious that pause, but in fact the atmosphere in the needed encouraging. this would make for routine. Instead he control room was anything but gloomy. By a strange coincidence two major opted for ten-day spells, and it worked Stokowski will now be recording the Haydn projects have just been com- like magic. Decca/London is delighted Eroicaalmost at once, and the four odd - pleted. and a third Haydn project has that this largest of its projects has been numbered Beethoven symphonies (Nos. just begun. all in the space of weeks. I completed with extraordinarily few 3, 5, 7, and 9) will appear in a box as well flew to Marl in West Germany as the changes of plan or personnel. "It was as separately. guest of Decca/London for the culmi- your idea in the first place." said Ray In his way Andre Previn has in- nating session of Antal Dorati's massive Minshull of Decca to Dorati, "and my herited something of the Stokowski flair project of recording the complete sym- goodness you were right." The company as a recording conductor, and no one phonies of Haydn in the Robbins is now looking forward to achieving in could have missed the magic, when with Landon editions, with the Philharmonia the very near future the million mark the London Symphony Orchestra he re- Hungarica. Originally this was a band of with the sales of Haydn discs. Already corded Rachmaninofl's Second Sym- Hungarian exiles, but now itis much 400,000 have been sold of the series. phony with the score completely uncut. more cosmopolitan with even a girl from Their success may help to account for This was one of the works that Previn re- Scotland (identified by her kilt) among the other major project sponsored by corded for RCA in his very early days in the violins. Happily the great project Argo, a Decca/London subsidiary, collaboration with the LSO. but then the ended --almost by chance-not with the which is comparable with the symphony score was severely cut. As I witnessed jolly little midperiod finale scheduled for cycle. Over the next four years the Aeo- myself, it was a work that held a special the day-the second of four alternative lian Quartet-now finer than ever with place with the orchestra as well as with finales to No. 53 (all of which have been Emanuel Hurwitz as leader-will be the conductor when in the spring of 1971 recorded for the series)-but with a soar- recording the complete cycle of Haydn they went on a tour of Russia and the Far ing fragment of what for me is Haydn's string quartets. including at the end East. The experience of nine perform- greatest slow movement, the Adagio of (Hurwitz explains) an "apocrypha" of ances in a month had left its mark even No. 102. With fresh evidence at hand dubious works such as the famous and after nearly two years, when recording Landon (present at the sessions) had told misattributedSerenade.Op. 3,No. 5. started on this new version for EMI at Dorati that a certain chord as recorded The sessions at St. John's. Smith Kingsway Hall. During twenty minutes had a wrong note in it. and so the sub- Square-a baroque church bombed, re- of intensive rehearsal for the first take of lime first seventeen bars of the move- stored, and turned into a delightful con- thefirstmovement(Previnalways ment had to be freshly done. cert hall, one of Argo's favorite record- records each movement in correct or- The whole series of sessions has been ing places-started with the mature der). the conductor could he heard from spread over three and a half years. James quartets of Op. 74 (included in the final . BEND AN EAR... toward the newest shape in sound

Possiblysomeone has been bending your ear about the newest shape in sound. It's called CELESTA! This speaker has a cast chassis, functionally -formed under extremely high pressure for lasting precision. A baked -on lacquer finish and slim profile (8" model is only 3r6" total depth) are distinguishing features of all SIX CELESTA models. Vibration -free, rugged CELESTA frames assure addec years of listening pleasure. So go on ... bend some one else's ear about the newest shape in sound ... CELESTA. Incidentally, free cabinet plans included withspeaker. See your dealer, or write UTAH for complete information

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CIRCLE 44 ON READER -SERVICE CARD M Ny 1973 19 volume of Vox's Haydn quartet series, but currently unavailable in the British catalogue) and progressed in the second CLARK/4 CH A c ark's period of sessions to the Op. I quartets. FOUR CHANNEL The Aeolians are using the Robbins HEADSET Landon editions, which they like very much, but they find they have to do a fair amount of proofreading with their rehearsals on the lesser -known works. The third Haydn projectisrather smaller but nonetheless important: the last twelve Haydn symphonies (Nos. 93 to 104) written for Salomon, the "Lon- don" symphonies. Deutsche Grammo- phon had the bright idea of recording them in London for their massive seventy -fifth -anniversary symphony project. The orchestra is the London Philhar- monic, and the conductor is the exuberant Haydn interpreter Eugen Jo - chum, who has already won London hearts in his concerts over the last year at the Royal Festival Hall. each one presenting in public the particular sym- DC -2A DECODER phonies recorded. The all -new Clark 4 Channel Headset and DC -2A "Derived Ambience" The sessionIattended at Barking Decoder, a 4 Channel System designed to be used with existing 2 Town Hall came in the afternoon within channel equipment. The combination headset and decoder provides three hours of a series of Stravinsky sessions that the orchestra had undertaken a complete system for 4 Channel Headset listening. for Philips with their principal conductor, Bernard Haitink. The experienced Send for complete information.Offiullall ClarkCOMPANY INCORPORATED Jochum was well aware that after play- 360 Franklin St., Worcester, Mass., 01604 ing theRite of Springfor a couple of days the LPO players would be too taut to re- CIRCLE 13 ON READER -SERVICE CARD lax properly in Haydn, at least for a while. So it was that he chose the finale of theClockSymphony (No. 101) for the breaking -in period. The challenge was great, for Jochum's idea of presto is very 'Great THIS fast indeed, with the glorious double fugue taxing the players every bit as Listenhig much as Stravinsky. 67 YEARS Jochum's manner in the recording stu- Pleasure OF RELIABILITY dio is endearing as he beams his delight like a happy St. Bernard."Aufnahme!" Doesn't 7141111-11F he will order, tapping his baton on the indicator light operated from the control Come IS WHY STEREO & HI-FI room, and at once the place is electric. BUYERS CAN BE SURE OF "Achtung.flute." he would say. patient c\ eap. in his review of the playback, "a hit too big!" And from behind the screen at the ...Or Does It? back of the control room the flute's ad- mission came promptly, "Exactly!" SAVINGS Philips has been recording Maria Cal- AT RABSONS las in duets with Giuseppe di Stefano. The orchestra was the LSO, and security AtRabsons Competitive Prices,Reliability and Yes,it does! We're one of the PersonalService have been bywordsforover precautions of the most exacting inten- 67 years. country's largest Mail Order It's so EASY and SAFE to deal with Rabsons. sity were taken to prevent any news leak- Houses of Stereo Equipment and As close as your telephone - as near as your ing outside the City of London church components. We pass our volume mailbox Fast Air Mail Response on Quotaton buying power right along to you. Requests Franchised Distributor for Hi Fi Lines where sessions were held. But after a All merchandise brand new in factory sea ed cartons,shippeddouble -packed, fullyinsured week the sessions broke up with less than promptly from our warehouse Greater savings a full LP completed. Callas returned to on complete systems Export packing 220 Volts, 50 Cycle merchandising a specialty Free Paris and though there are those who teRRO listof monthly specials. still speak encouragingly, Callas devo- tees should not build their hopes too BEFORE YOU BUY GET A RABSONS high. Erik Smith was a wonderfully olesalers QUOTE...YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID! patient recording manager, but he will ..ic-VVRETE FOR QUOTATIONS AND OUR LATEST FREE CATALOG! need to persuade Callas afresh if his RABSONS57 ST. INC. careful work is to come to fruition. 7A Aylesbury Road 119 West 57th Street, New York. N. Y. 10019 Timonium, Md.2/093 301,252-6880 Tel. Area Code 212-338-8546 EDWARD GREENFIELD CIRCLE 8 ON READER -SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 46 ON READER -SERVICE CARD HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE Shouldyou usethe LAFAYETTE L11-4000 just because CBS does?

No! There are also many other reasons...

CBS, the developer of the SQ* quadraphonic its four separate powerful amplifiers, and even system and the producer of the largest number discrete discs can be played with an accessory of 4 -channel records, selected the Lafayette CD -4 demodulator. The four amplifiers deliver LR-4000 receiver for its own use when moni- 200 watts IHF or 41 watts continuous (RMS) toring SQ 4 -channel discs. This is because the per channel of direct -coupled power at 8 ohms. LR-4000, the only receiver with "wave match- Advanced MOSFET/IC FM circuitry with phase ing" full logic circuitry, provides the listener locked multiplex and 1.65 1 V sensitivity brings with the most precise definition of 4 -channel in each station clearly even in difficult recep- SQ records and FM broadcasts yet developed. tion areas. And the LR-4000 has all the con- Youhear thethrilling,spacious,surround trols to put you in command of this truly mas- sound that the SQ engineers built into the re- terful sound system. cording. This would be enough of a reason to Itis not surprising, then, that Norman buy the LR-4000, but there are also many Eisenberg, audio writer for The Washington more... Post, remarked, "Considering all that the LR- Through its exclusive "Composer" circuitry, 4000 offers, its price tag of $499.95 does not the LR-4000 delivers superb playback of Reg- seem unwarranted ... it is a prime example of ular Matrix (QS) and all other "encoded" 4 - a 4 -channel receiver"; and that FM Guide as-

channel program sources, and derives the rich serted, "it has taken a giant step forward . . . 4 -channel sound hiddenin your present 2 - the LR-4000 epitomizes the art of matrixed 4 - channel stereo records and tapes, and FM channel sound." stereo broadcasts. When set to "discrete," the Sound great? Just listen to one! LR-4000 plays any discrete tape source though 'SO TM Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc.

And.. . the LR-4000 is just one of the 20,000 quality products in our FREE 1973 catalog!

Lafayette Radio ElectronicsP.O. Box 10, Dept. 19053, Syosset, N.Y. 11191 FREE Send my FREE LAFAYETTE 1973 Catalog to: 19053 The World's Largest Name Consumer Electronics Catalog Address UkFAVETTE Your One Complete Buying Guide For "Everything In Electronics" City State Zip CIRCLE 35 ON READER SERVICE CARD Mkl1973 "71 The Heathkit AR -1500 rates

The Heathkit AR -1500 180 -watt Stereo Receiver is now available in your choice of kit or factory assembled models. KIT 379.95* ASSEMBLED 649.95*

and even with 16 -ohm loads the receiver delivered 46.5 "The AR -1500 is the most powerful watts per channel. Needless to say, the AR -1500 can and sensitive receiver we have drive any speaker we know of, and with power to ever measured..." spare... Stereo Review, Nov. '71 "At 1,000 Hz, harmonic distortion was well under 0.05 - JULIANHIRSCH, per cent from 1to 75 watts per channel...The IM distortion was under 0.05 per cent at level of a couple of "...a stereo receiver easily worth watts or less, and gradually increased from 0.09 per cent twice the cost (or perhaps at 10 watts to 0.16 per cent at 75 watts...The heavy power transformer is evidence that there was no skimp- even more)..." ing in the powe' supply of the AR -1500, and its per- - Audio Magazine,Dec. '71 formance at the low -frequency extremes clearly sets it apart from most receivers... Mr. Hirsch goes on to say: "Virtually all the circuit boards plug into sockets, which "The FM tuner section of the AR -1500 was outstand- are hinged so that boards can be swung out for testing ingly sensitive. We measured the IHF sensitivity at 1.4 or servicing without shutting off the receiver. An "ex- microvolts, and the limiting curve was the steepest we tender" cable permits any part of the receiver to be op- have ever measured...The FM frequency response was erated in the clear - even the entire power -transistor literally perfectly flat from 30 to 15,000 Hz...Image re- and heat -sink assembly! The 245 -page manual has ex- jection was over 100 dB (our measuring limit)... tensive test charts that show all voltage and resistance "The AM tuner was a pleasant surprise...it sounded measurements in key circuits as they should appear on very much like the FM tuner, with distinct sibilants and the receivers built-in test meter... a quiet background, and was easily the best -sounding "In sound quality and ease of operation, and in overall AM tuner we have had the pleasure of using... suitability forits intended use, one could not expect "...all input levels can be matched and set for the most more from any high-fidelity component." effective use of the loudness compensation. This valu- From the pages of Audio Magazine: able feature is rarely found on high-fidelity receivers "As always, construction instructions are lucid enough and amplifiers... for the inexperienced kit -builder and there is enough "The phono equalization was perfectly accurate (with- technical and theoretical information to satisfy even in our measuring tolerances)...The magnetic phono- the most knowledgeable audio/RF engineer." input sensitivity was adjustable from 0.62 millivolt to Kit or assembled, the Heathkit AR -1500 stands alone about 4.5 millivolts, with a noise level of - 66 dB, which as a classic among audio components. Check the per- is very low...When properly set up, it would be impos- formance curves on the following page. Check the sible to overload the phono inputs of the AR -1500 with price again. Then draw your own conclusions. any magnetic cartridge... Kit AR -1500, less cabinet, 53 lbs. 379.95* "...it significantly bettered Heath's conservative specifications. Into 8 -ohm loads, with both channels driven, ARA-1500-1, walnut cabinet, 8 lbs. 24.95* the continuous power at clipping level was 81.5 watts Model ARW-1500, assembled receiver & per channel. Into 4 ohms it was 133 watts per channel, walnut cabinet, 42 lbs. 649.95

CIRCLE 27 ON READER.SERVICE CARD in HI(illFii ia. rryMAGA/.1NI tops with the experts.

AM WONG CHARACTORMITICS

...you can see why. AMA *LONA M.o. " Coosoo 00. 11.001000 MI 40 aro PM 11.104,1010 I. 1.00 1000 000O so . mos Nom oorrownou

AR -1500 SPECIFICATIONS - TUNER - FM SECTION (Monophonic): Tuning Range: 88 ma MOW -I to 108 MHz. Intermediate Frequency (In:10.7 MHz. Frequency Response: ±1 dB, 20 to 15,000 Hz. Antenna: Balanced input for external 300 ohm antenna. 75 ohm antenna input may be used between either FM antenna terminal and ground. Sensi- mosoroosso tivity:1.8 uV. Volume Sensitivity: Below measurable level.Selectivity: 90 dB. Image Rejection: 100 dB. IF Rejection: 100 dB. Capture Ratio: 1.5 dB. AM Sup- obi ..LOOM TV pression: 50 d13. Harmonic Distortion: 0.5% or less.* Intermodulation Distortion: 0.1% or less. Intermodulation Distortion: 0.1% or less.' Hum and Noise: 60 dB.* Spurious Rejection: 100 dB. FM SECTION (Stereophonic): Channel Separation: 40 dB or greater at midfrequencies; 35 dB at 50 Hz; 25 dB at 10 kHz; 20 dB at 15 kHz. Frequency Response: ±1 dB from 20 to 15,000 Hz. Harmonic Distortion: 0.5% at 1000 Hz with 100% modulation. 19 kHz and 38 kHz Suppression: 55 dB or greater. SCA Suppression: 55 dB. AM SECTION: Tuning Range: 535 to 162C kHz. Intermediate Frequency (IF): 455 kHz. Sensitivity: 50 uV with external input; 300 uV per meter with radiated input. Selectivity: 20 dB at 10 kHz; 60 dB at 20 kHz. AM Antenna: Built-in rod type; connections for external antenna and ground on rear chassis apron. Image Rejection: 70 dB at 600 kHz; 50 dB at 1400 kHz. IF Rejection: 70 dB at 1000 kHz. Harmonic Distortion: Less than 2%. Hum and Noise: 40 dB. AMPLIFIER - Dynamic Power Output per Channel (Music Power Rating): 90 watts (8 ohm load)'; 120 watts (4 ohm load); 50 watts (16 ohm load). Continuous Power Output per Chan- nel: 60 watts (8 ohm load); 100 watts (4 ohm load); 40 watts (16 ohm load). Power Bandwidth for Constant .25% Total Harmonic Distortion: Less than 8 Hz to greater than 30 kHz. Frequency Response (1watt level): -1 dB, 7 Hz to 80 kHz; -3 dB, as 0-0-. 0-1. less than 5 Hz to 120 kHz. Harmonic Distortion: Less than 0.25% from 20 Hz to 20 .,i kHz at 60 watts output; less than 0.1% at 1000 Hz with1 watt output. Intermodu- r lation Distortion: Less than 0.1% with 60 watts output, using 60 and 6,000 Hz TOTAL KAAMOSITC LAITOOTIOPAATIOLIIIEA mixed 4:1 less than 0.1% at 1 watt output. Damping Factor: Greater than 60. Input Sensitivity: Phono,1.8millivolts;Tape, 140 millivolts; Aux, 140 millivolts; Tape Iron LOrn. - - won sorts Mon, 140 millivolts.Input Overload: Phono, 145 millivolts; Tape, greater than 10 PS volts; Aux, greater than 10 volts; Tape Mon, greater than 10 volts. Hum Ss Noise: LOW, TS -00.0.00 woo 100. 00.0 olloos0n0 .0 Owe Phono (10 millivolt reference), -63 dB. Tape and Aux (0.25 volt reference), -75 dB. On, 10000.6 0.000 Volume controlin minimum position. -90 dB referred to rated output. Channel Separation: Phono, 55 dB; Tape and Aux, 55 dB or greater. Output Impedance (each channel): 4 ohm through 16 ohms. Tape Output Impedance: Approximately 50 ohms. 10100. Input Impedance: Phono, 49It ohm (RIAA Equalized); Aux, Tape, and Tape Mon, 100 I(ohms. Tape Output: Tape or Aux inputs, 1 volt output with 0.2 volt input. INTORASTOMATIOO OISTOO110.1 GENERAL - Accessory AC Outlet Sockets: Two. One switched and one unswitched (240 watts maximum). Power Requirements: 120 or 240 volts 50/60 Hz AC. 40 watts idling (zero output) and 356 watts at full output with no load on accessory outlets.

Dimensions: Overall - 181/2" W x 51/4" H x 13,/e" D. [ .00 Own. Rated IHF (Institute of High Fidelity) Standards. Rated RIAA (Record Industry Association of America). Tem

HEATHKIT ELECTRONIC CENTERS - ARIZ.: Phoenix, 2727 W. Indian School Rd.: CALIF.: r Anaheim, 330 E. Ball Rd.; El Cerrito, 6000 Potrero Ave.; Los Angeles, 2309 S. Flower, Schiumberger HEATH COMPANY, Dept. 8-5 St.; Pomona, 1555 Orange Grove Ave. N.; Redwood City, 2001 Middlefield Rd.; San benbn Harbor, Michigan 49022

Diego (LaMesa), 8363 Center Dr.; Woodland Hills, 22504 Ventura Blvd.;COLO.: Please send FREE Denver, 5940 W. 38th Ave.; CONN.: Hartford (Avon), 395 W. Main St. (Rte. 44); FLA.: Hvathkit Catalog. Miami (Hialeah), 4705 W. 16th Ave.; GA.: Atlanta, 5285 Roswell Rd.; ILL.: Chicago, In Enclosed is $ - 3462-66 W. Devon Ave.; Downers Grove, 224 Ogden Ave.; IND.: Indianapolis, 2112 E. plJs shipping. 62nd Ave.; KANSAS: Kansas City (Mission), 5960 Lamar Ave.; MD.: Baltimore, 1713 E. Please send model(s)__ Rippe Rd.; Rockville, 5542 Nicholson Lane; MASS.: Boston (Wellesley), 165 Worcester Nam.t St.;MICH.: Detroit, 18645 W. Eight Mile Rd. 8 18149 E.Eight Mile Rd.; MINN.: Minneapolis (Hopkins), 101 Shady Oak Rd.; MO.: St. Louis, 9296 Gravois Ave.; N.J.: Address__ __ Fair Lawn, 35-07 Broadway (Rte. 4); N.Y.: Buffalo (Amherst), 3476 Sheridan Dr.; New City State Zip York City, 35 W. 45th St.; Jericho, L.I., 15 Jericho Turnpike; Rochester, Long Ridge Over 350 Prices 8 Specifications subject to Plaza, OHIO: Cincinnati (Woodlawn), 10133 Springfield Pike; Cleveland, 5444 Pearl Easy -To -Build Kits change without notice. Rd.;PA.: Philadelphia, 6318 RooseveltBlvd.;Pittsburgh, 3482 Wm. Penn Hwy.; SEND FOR 'Mail order prices; F.O.B. factory. TEXAS: Dallas, 2715 Ross Ave.; Houston, 3705 Westheimer; WASH.: Seattle, 221 Third FREE CATALOG HF-271 Ave.; WIS.: Milwaukee, 5215 Fond du Lac. L- -1

CIRCLE 27 ON READER -SERVICE CARD \t\19-1 PAT -4 preamp, a Soundcraftsmen 20-12 equalizer, and .a Dynaco 120 power amp. Should I put the DBX before or after the equalizer?-C. Engebretsen, Port Read- ing, N.J. -too hot The answer would appear to depend on the way you use the equalizer. Since you make to handle no mention of tape equipment-which could complicate the setup considerably if you use the Soundcraftsmen as a program equalizer in copying "problem" signals (from old discs, for example) onto tape- the exact hookup would not appear to be criticalfor your purposes. Without this On the basis of a) performance, b) durabil- fore some Dynagroove recordings may be problem, and assuming that you use the ity, and c) dependability, which cassette "laundered" while other, differently Dyna- Soundcraftsmen as a speaker (rather than deck should I buy: the Teac 350, the Har- grooved discs may not need reworking. program) equalizer, we'd expect it to work man-Kardon HK -1000, or the Sony/Super- best between the DBX and the power amp scope TC-161SD?-Arturo E. Marchand, Your test report on the Scott 477 receiver so that the expander/compressor action Chestnut Hills, Mass. [January 1973] states that a service man- wouldn't be unduly influenced by signal in- We have not yet tested the Sony (though ual can be obtained for $1.00 by mailing a formation peculiar to the frequency bands we plan to do so), and by now you may have card (included with the receiver) to Scott. I in which you've applied the heaviest equal- seen our report on the Harman-Kardon purchased the 477 in October but got no ization. (March 1973), in which we said that its per- card. I've written Scott twice but got no formance was the best we had yet tested. reply. The local dealer cannot supply the My new TV (Motorola WP589NW) has an Durability and dependability factors (a fine manual and the unit's not in Sams Photo - external -amp jack on the back, rated at distinction perhaps) are not taken directly facts. What do I do now?-William R. Ken- 20,000 ohms, for interconnection to a high - into account in our reports; to do so would nedy, Jr., N. Augusta, S.C. impedance amplifier so that TV sound can require long-term testing of multiple sam- Weep. Or wait. Or both. About the time our be heard through a component system. But ples. We do examine the units we test for January issue went to press the Scott pant the aux-in jacks on my Fisher 500TX re- general design and mechanical quality, of was shut down and the company went into ceiver are supposed to be connected to a course, and comment on any unusual find- Chapter XI-that is, it declared bankruptcy. low or medium impedance source. How ings. At this writing it has just been bought out can the mismatch be corrected? If it can- by its former European distributor, and the not be, will it harm the sound or the equip- new management says it will recommence ment?-Stanley Becker, Jamaica, N.Y. Linear Design Labs advertises the LDL- manufacturing. But it's too early totell It sounds to us as though you're quoting 749 speaker system at $299.95 per pair; what models will be offered and whether or from the respective manuals and encoun- your test report [January 1973] says not the service manual will be available tering a mismatch not in impedance but in $279.50. Were you quoting a discounted from them. terminology. On much mass -market home price?-John M. Searle, Baltimore, Md. equipment today the term low -impedance No, and though both prices have appeared specifies the neighborhood of 4to8 in LDL literature, neither is correct any When you test a pickup cartridge or a loud- ohms-for example the low -impedance more. The laminated -magnet model that speaker and say that it does an excellent earphone outputs on portable tape record- was tested in the lab now is called the LDL- job with one sort of music or another, how ers and the like. So Motorola is using this 749A (the samples we tested were marked can you tell? Do you always use the same frame of reference in calling for a "high -im- LDL-749, and the manufacturer appears to recordings?Ifso, what recordings are pedance" amplifier (that is, one with an in- have called them the LDL-749 Professional they? If not, how can you make valid com- put -impedance rating greater than the at some point in the interim) and sells for parisons?-John M. Meecham, Carle 20,000 ohms specified for the output jack). $400 a pair. The price of the original LDL- Place, N.Y. The inputs on components may run much 749, which has a solid magnet structure We use a variety of program sources, de- higher, however. Though we can find no in- and retains the original model designation, pending on the product under test and put -impedance specs for the 500TX, its is $299.90 per pair. what we think will give it the most signifi- "low to medium" rating may be taken as cant workouts. We use the latest block- suggesting values below 100,000 ohms. RCA seems to have dropped the Dyna- busters from the recording companies, and You could check the actual rating with groove label from its record jackets. Have while this group is changing all the time we Fisher, but it appears that you have nothing they stopped this nefarious practice at listen to the new material both on older to worry about. In any event you won't dam- last? And what about original Dynagroove equipment with which we are very familiar age the equipment even if there were a se- titles now being reissued on Victrola, et al.: and on the equipment under test-so there rious mismatch; all you'd do is lose highs in Have they been laundered, or are the old is a comparison. But we also use a great the signal. If necessary that could be cor- excesses still there?-Hal M. Davidson, many thoroughly familiar old standbys. rected with an impedance -matching trans- Washington, D.C. (See,for example, the article "Ten former. The word Dynagroove is a bit of press- Records to Test Speakers By," June 1972.) agentry that backfired on RCA. As your let- If you're looking for some sort of basic test I've seen mention of the metal cases that ter makes plain, the public conceives of it material, you might be interested in JBL's Auricord uses in its cassettes, supposedly as a single "process," and those who dis- Superecords, which contain a well-chosen to get greater precision than is possible like what they've heard in some Dyna- variety of musical sounds in convenient with molded -plastic cases. Wouldn't the grooves tend to damn them all. But as far as form. One, produced by Warner Brothers, metal also have the advantage of protect- we can determine, Dynagroove recordings is devoted to contemporary (pops/ rock) ing the tape inside against stray magnetic may make use of any or all (or perhaps music; the other is classical and was pro- fields? But at the same time, might it not sometimes none) of a series of concepts duced by Angel. Originally intended as part prevent bulk erasure?-Brian Mann, New and techniques that had come along at of a special promotion that began about York, N.Y. about the time the word was coined. Since two years ago, we understand the Su- The metal case won't prevent bulk erasure there is no specific that sets Dynagroove perecords are still available and can be with a typical (approximately $15) hand- apart, your categorical disdain for them bought through JBL dealers. held AC home tape degausser; we know appears to be unwarranted. In preparing because we've tried it. Therefore, as far as masters for reissues, it is standard practice I plan to add a DBX-17 expander/com- we can tell,it won't significantly inhibit to reassess the sound to see whether it pressor to my stereo system, butIdon't stray magnetic fields from affecting the might be improved in the recutting. There- know how to hook it up.I have a Dynaco tape either.

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SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM Please enter a one year subscription to HIGH FIDELITY/MUSICAL AMERICA in my name. I'll receive 12 issues of HIGH FIDELITY, plus about 32 pages per issue of news and reviews of important musical happenings throughout the world-concert, opera, etc.-for only $14. 0 Please enter my subscription to HIGH FIDELITY only.I want to take advantage of your special offer of 15 issues for only $9.47. 0 New Subscription Payment enclosed Ej Renewal jijBill me For the full story of music and music makers today, be sure to Name include MUSICAL AMERICA as part of your HIGH FIDELITY sub- Address scription. In 32 sparkling pages, MUSICAL City State Zip Code AMERICA covers the live musical scene completely. You'll get For postage outside U.S.A., Possessions: Add $1.00 for news, reviews and reports of im- HIGH FIDELITY/MUSICAL AMERICA subscription (12 months); portant musical events all over add $2.00 for HIGH FIDELITY subscription (15 months). 8 the world -written by critics who EINEI know the score and how to write about it with wit as well as authority. You'll meet today's outstanding conductors, composers and performers... learn how they work and live... what they think First Class and say about music-and about Permit No. 111 each other. Cincinnati, Ohio MUSICAL AMERICA adds a new dimension to HIGH FIDELITY and to your enjoyment of mus BUSINESS REPLY MAIL Use the postage -free card to sta copies coming you rway regularly. No postage stamp necessary if mailed in the United States (MUSICAL AM ERICA isavailable Postage will be paid by- only by subscription... and only with HIGH FIDELITY.Itis not Reader Service 73 sold on newsstands. Another im- HIGH P.O. Box 14306 portant reason for you to use the subscription card now.) FIDELITY Annex Station Cincinnati, Ohio 45214 ThisnewWollensak 8 -track keeps track of theexact recording and THE playback time

The Precision Digital Elapsed -Time tape is always at the beginning when Special Offer from Wollensak Counter in the new Wollensak 8055 recording. It's easy to create superb When you audition Wollensak, your dealer 8 -track preamp deck takes the guess- recordings with the 8055's dual illum- will give you a certificate that entitles you to work out of timing recordings. It tells inated VU meters with switchable an attractive, high -quality Director's Chair by Telescope valued at $19.95. Yours for only you the exact minutes and seconds automatic record level.Previously $12.95 plus handling and shipping. No pur- that are available on a cartridge so recorded programs will be protected chase necessary. Details at your dealer's. you always know how much time is from accidental erasure while in the remaining. And you never have to recording mode because of the 8055's waste time looking for a particular built-in automatic eject system. And selection. Just list its time right on the the Wollensak 8055 also offers a pause cartridge and find it right away with control with lock and dual recording the fast -forward control level slide controls. al°11ensak The Wollensak 8055 records from Audition the Nobody knows more about new dimensicns any sound source for playing back sound -on -tape or has more in spirited sound through your home stereo system or experience in tape recording for the 8 -track unit in your car. Its than 3M Company. Find Logic Control Circuitry contains a out why at your nearest "cuing" control that guarantees the Wollensak dealer.

3.En11.. Wollensak 3M CENTER SAINT PAUL MONNESOT 5E101 CIRCLE 62 ON READER -SERVICE CARD Putting More Fire

Tape coatings made of iron oxide-or more properly. in the Irons gamma ferric oxide-often are termed "standard" in cassette -deck manuals to distinguish them from the newer chromium dioxide magnetic particles, yet there's nothing really standard about them. Some are "hotter" than others, meaning that they have greater high -frequency response: some have inherently lower noise: some have greater leeway against overload; and so on. In recent years the emphasis has been on finer milling of the ferric oxide particles, the use of minute quantities of cobalt ("cobalt doping") in the oxide. and increasingly rigorous quality control throughout production to squeeze greater performance out of the ferric formulas. The most recent round of improvements includes the MRX2 oxide used by Memorex inits Memorex 2 cassettes and open -reel tapes. In describing the oxide, news and Memorex cites more needlelike particle shape, near - perfect crystal structure, and reduced particle volume views by contrast to more conventional oxides. The result, the company says, is improved sensitivity across the fre- particularlyathighfre- quencies-and reduced distortion for a given input level. A new tape from Audio Devices (part of Capitol Indus- tries and the producer of Capitol as well as Audio tapes) is called HOLN (high output low noise) and is intended for mastering. It uses a new iron oxide particle, a new dispersion process, a new binder, and a new back coating (Cushion -Aire). Among its claimed results are maximum storage and handling reliability, and reduced head wear and print -through. Ampex developed a new mastering tape some time back and now is using its magnetic coating in premium Ampex consumer products-specifically, the 20 /20 + cassettes. Their smooth surface is said to improve tape - to -head contact and reduce hiss. The net result, Ampex claims, is a 1.5 -dB greater signal-to-noise ratio and 3 dB more response at 10 kHz. 3M, whose Scotch -brand products originally introduced back coating (Posi-Trak, a surface treatment intended to promote greater motional stability) to the consumer tape market and whose cobalt -doped High Energy tape was the first successful use of that approach in improving high -end response and over-all performance, is talking more about its new packaging than about new formulations as such, though itis a shock to note that the old standby, Scotch 111, has been eliminated in favor of the various low -noise formulations. Of these. the original Dynarange open -reel series (201, 202, 203) has been replaced by a new one (211, 212, 213, 214) whose formulation appears basically unchanged. The opposite number in the cassette hierarchy, Extended Range, has been replaced by Low Noise/ High Density. for which a 75 per cent output increase is claimed. Soundcraft-a division of CBS-also has introduced

28 III, .11 I MI III) \I \(, \ /I \ I An acousticachievementdestined to becomethe universallypreferred soundreproduction system. instead of less cps:1y cone or dome- Too D:ten these days supe-latives distortion at an absolute mir irrum. the Another example of PicreEr's typ., tweeters. you can hear are used :o camouflagemediocrity. difference in wicer dispers on,Icwer ust say, you'll be excited with meticulous engineering deil is the Let's th a distorion and higt transien- response. the magni-ude of the achievement unique concave center pole w has Not only dces The same on -target thinking of t -E three new Pioneer seriesR pure coppe- cap/ring. le precisely this reduce the inductance of the been applied to speaker systems once you hear them. designed crossovers and thesturdy. We built in the sound most people voice coil. it also reduces tee dynamic magnetic field generated by thevcice accustically pacdr-cl enclosures. pre`e- when compared v al the con- We'd be happy to send you coil. for mir imum intermodilation ventional speakers now available. complete specifications on theP distortion and magnificent transient onEer has incorpc rated many ser es. But first make thistest. meaningfJI refinements to achieve response. R5C0 While all three models use Compare the R700 ($229.95), this exceptional sound reproduction. ($159.95), R300 ;I- 19.95) with =Dr example. the series R speakerlong -throw voice coils for g -eater at highe- similarly priced speaker systems units are lush mounted -o the face cone movement and their excursions. the R700 and R500 ha ie your Pioneer dee er. It's of the erclosure, rather than absolute superior ly in sound recessed This produces added sound -absorbing polyurethane foam reproduction that will convince you surrounding their woofers tc reduce vitality to -he midrange, and wider to buy them. overall dpersion. distortion even further. By using improved horr tweeters U.S. Pioneer E ectronics Corp.. Exclusive FB cones assure robust 178 Commerce RI., Carlstadt. bass, clear mid and high tones, New ,ersey 07072 imprcve damping. while keeping OtOPIONE-ERwhen you want some hir-b better New Series RSpeaker Systems

°MP

60007 Unadla S H Parker :aOntario 90248 Midwest. 1500 Greenleaf, Elk GroveVillage West: 13300 S. Estrella. Los Angeles new formulations. to be marketed under the Columbia der for other companies selling in this country. but has name. TDK had previously introduced its ED (Extra Dy- never marketed a product here under its own name. The namic) as a sort of super -SD (Super Dynamic): Audio Nakam name appeared on the prototype displayed in Magnetics has added cobalt doping with the Tracs Plus New York (and later used by CBS Labs for our cassette - series: and so on-and on. Many of the claims made for tape reports: see March 1973 and elsewhere in this is- these new tapes, though expressed in different terms sue). and the plan had been to market it under that from company to company, add up to similar improve- name through Concord. Presumably because the Naka- ments. While company salesmen talk glibly of their new michi 1000. as it now is called. is best considered a pro- "hotter" tapes. the actual improvements generally are fessional unit, the two companies have agreed that it of a fairly complex nature. But they are improvements: will not be included in Concord's basically consumer the technology of gamma ferric oxide is by no means line, but marketed directly by Nakamichi itself (though standing still. other Nakamichi products may be sold by Concord). And the 1000 can with justice be called professional. It's designed so that it can be rack -mounted: it has large The World's Most Expensive peak -reading meters: it has a built-in user -adjustable phase-sensir g azimuth alignment system for the record Cassette Deck head: it uses a dual -motor drive system including a DC servo -motor driving dual capstans and equipped with a Last fall. during the New York High Fidelity Music Show. speed vernier:it has three heads (erase. recording. visitors were overheard to ask each other: Have you playback mc nitor):its solenoid -action' feather -touch seen the $1.000 cassette deck in the Concord room? At motion controls include an elaborate timing -logic sys- more than three times the going cost for most top -of - tem to sequence subfunctions and prevent pops. wows. the -line decks. the price alone had to be a subject of and other misbehaviors: it includes two complete noise- wonderment. But the unit itself gave one a lot to cogitate reduction systems (Dolby B and DNL). which can be on. particularly as a forecast of what the next state of used singly or simultaneously: it includes three -input the cassette art may be. mixing (left, right, and center) and a switchable limiter Or rather the present state. since the unit was intro- system. duced for sale this February in two New York stores Some of these features already have been incorpo- (Harmony House and Thalia). with more in other cities rated into prototypes or production -line models of other promised. Those promises come from Nakamichi Re- manufacturers. but this is the first time we've seen any- search (U.S.A.), Inc. of Carle Place. N.Y.. the American thing like this lineup of new departures embodied in a branch of the manufacturer. Nakamichi Research of single unit. Tokyo. Heretofore Nakamichi has built equipment to or- C RCLE 153 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

equipment in the news

Bozak introduces bookshelf speaker system

The Sonora Model B-201, a bookshelf speaker system from Bozak, uses a bass driver, the B -800B, employing a rigid, low -mass, aluminum cone. According to Bozak this gives the unit a high power -handling capability (up to 60 watts) because the aluminum cone acts as a heat -sink for the voice coil. The unit also has a B -200Y treble speaker and LC crossover network. Impedance is rated at 8 ohms. The unit has a removable grille cloth, is finished in walnut -grain vinyl, measures 113/4 inches by 201/4 inches by 10 inches deep, and costs $96.50. CIRCLE 146 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

Sony receiver features mike mixing

Sony Corp.'s STR-7065 AM /FM receiver, with special features for the recordist, has stereo mike inputs on the front panel that can be mixed with other inputs. The feature is handy for those who want to mix narration with music and is helpful in recording with a Dolby unit that does not have microphone inputs. The receiver also provides inputs and outputs for two tape decks. Sony offers these specifications for the tuner section: 1 -dB capture ratio, 70 -dB selectivity, and 2.0-tiV sensitivity. The amplifier section is said to deliver 60 watts continuous power per channel into 8 ohms, with both channels driven at harmonic distortion of less than 0.2 per cent across the full audio bandwidth. The price including walnut -finish case is $459.50. CIRCLE 147 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

30 CIRCLE 34 ON READER -SERVICE CARD -Alb- Only the sound is heavy.

Koss breaks the is lighter than 10 ounces. And be- lightweight sound barrier cause ithas the perfect balance with a revolutionary new you expect in a Koss Stereophone. High Velocity Stereophone. Not to mention a glove soft vinyl- Up until now a lightweight phone covered headband and acoustical sponge ear cushions. meant a lightweight sound. But not any more. Because Koss engineers Hearing is believing. have developed a micro/weight, high velocity type stereophone that Listen to the Koss HV-1 Stereo - sounds likea heavyweight. And phone at your favorite that's an achievement no music Hi-Fi Dealer or lover will take lightly. ity. Delicate overtones, which add Department Store. to the faithfulness of the reproduc- And get the Unique electro-acoustical tion are retained. Yet, bass response whole story on design. is extended, clean and "unmuddied." the heavy Sound of Koss Unlike conventionalstereophones Stylish low -silhouette by writing which contain the sound waves in a design. Virginia sealed acoustical chamber, the new Lamm, Koss HV-1 High Velocity Stereo- Designed to fit close to the head, c/o Dept. phone vents the back sound waves the new Koss HV-1 Stereophone has HF-372. to the rear. Without raising the a stylish, low -silhouette design with- We won't resonance or inhibiting out the cone -type projec- take yourinterestlightly either. transient response. tions found in other This unique electro- headphones. This slim acoustical design design permits un- concept provides usually fine acoustical not only unusual tuning of the element lightness and hear- chamber at the factory. thru characteristics, Which means that, unlike but also the exciting, other lightweight phones, full -range Sound of Koss every Koss HV-1 Stereo - as well. phone provides the breathtaking Sound of Koss. And that's Superb tonal quality. not something to treat lightly. And by substantially reducing the mass of the moving diaphragm as- Designed for semblies used in the HV-1, Koss has unprecedented comfort. been able to achieve a wide -range You'll listen in comfort hour after frequency response of unusual fidel- hour. Because the new Koss HV-1

ta)KOSSHV-1 stereophone from the people who invented Stereophones.

KOSS CORPORATION, 4129 N. Port Washington Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. 53212. Koss Via Dei Valtorta, 21 20127, Milan, Italy Power center from SAE

The Mark XXX stereo preamplifier and Mark XXXI stereo power amplifier have joined the solid state component line from Scientific Audio Electronics. The Mark XXX uses slider pots; pushbuttons control tone defeat, balance, program selection, mode, and power on! off; and the unit has three accessory outlets plus stereo headphone jack. The Mark XXXI is a direct -coupled amplifier rated at 50 watts per channel into 8 ohms at less than 0.1 per cent distortion. A 60 - watt mono version also is offered at $150. The stereo Mark XXXI and Mark XXX each sell for $200. Walnut cabinetry is optional. CIRCLE 148 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

Empire offers indoor -outdoor speaker

The Jupiter 6500 is a sleek new pedestal speaker from Empire. Made of a material called Uniroyal Rubicast and containing weath- erproofed drivers, the speaker can be used outdoors or in. Its drivers include a downward -facing 12 -inch woofer, a midrange radiator, and a wide-disperson tweeter. Empire rates the Jupiter 6500's frequency response at 30 Hz to 20 kHz, impedance at 8 ohms, and its power handling capacity at 75 watts. The finish is gloss white, and the price is $139.95. CIRCLE 149 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

Concord receiver spares the budget

At $199.85, the Concord Model CR-250 stereo FM / AM receiver from Benjamin Electronic Sound powers your system at a moderate price. Rated by Concord at 50 watts continuous output power (25 watts per channel), the CR-250 has a Duo-Glo stereo indicator: a tuning pointer that changes color when a stereo station comes in. In d j , addition to built-in AM, FM, and stereo FM functions, the unit in- w -1..1 cludes inputs for tape, phono, and aux. Its harmonic distortion rating is 1 per cent, and its signal-to-noise ratio is 75 dB. The price includes walnut cabinetry and brushed aluminum front panel. CIRCLE 150 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

Five models in Scintrex headphones line

The PRO -500 is the top model in a new line of stereo headphones from Scintrex. Scintrex is Sharpe's parent company; hence a simi- larity in appearance and model designations to the familiar Sharpe line is not surprising. According to the company, both lines are currently available though the Scintrex name is expected to supersede Sharpe in time. All models have liquid -filled ear cushions and a 10 - foot coiled cord. The PRO -500 features a level control on each earpiece. It sells for $60; other Scintrex models range down to $19.95. CIRCLE 151 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

Top -of -the -line amplifier from Kenwood

Kenwood has unveiled its new top -of -the -line amplifier, the KA- 8004. It is rated at 55 watts per channel continuous power with both channels driven into 8 ohms, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, at 0.2 per cent THD. The unit features negative -feedback bass and treble tone controls, each with a two-positior turnover -frequency selector switch, and provides terminals for two phonos, two auxiliary, and two full tape recording /playback systems with dubbing possible from A to B or from B to A. The KA-8004 accommodates three stereo pairs of speakers and can drive them individually or in any combination. The price is about $400. CIRCLE 152 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

32 CIRCLE 43 ON READER.SERVICE CARD A Marantz speaker system breaksupthat oldgangofyours. Separation of sound is a true test of a speaker system. employs a long excursion woofer and a tweeter with fantas- And to put Marantz-or any speaker-to the test you should tic off -axis response. And Marantz offers you a wide selec- listen to something you are already familiar with so tion of sizes. Each model for the money is truly the very A-1 you'll be able to hear for yourself that it's HOT SHOT MOSTEST BEST. the speaker and not the recording that makes However, keep this in mind. the difference. Oh, what a difference Marantz speaker systems are Marantz makes! What you thought built by the makers of the most were two oboes are now clearly an respected stereo and 4 -channel oboe and a flute and that barbershop rrr equipment in the world. The quartet...well, they're really a quintet. IOW same quality that goes into Let's face it: ALL speakers claim Marantz receivers and amplifiers to be the very A-1 HOT SHOT fru goes into the entire line of MOSTEST BEST. Marantz speaker systems. But the proof is in the listening. Fr To find out how much better And that's where Marantz speakers they sound, listen.That's all we come in. Each model is engineered to ask. Listen. handle a plethora of continuous RMS power and each We sound better. 01972 Marantz Co.. A subsidiary of Superscope. Inc P 0. Box 99 H. Sun Valley, Calif. 91352 In Europe: Marantz Intl. S.A., BrJusels, Belgium. In Canada: Electrohome. Ltd., Kitchener, Ontario. Prices and models subject to change without notice. Consult the Yellow Pages for your nearest Marartz dealer. Send for free catalog. 1917. Memoren Corporation. Santa Clara. California 95052

Memorex Chromium Dioxide Tape shatters an old theory. The theory: Because cassette tape has a smaller surface and plays at a slower speed, it can't perform as well as open reel tape. An old theory just went kaput. Memorex Chromium Dioxide is the first cassette tape that can seriously stand up to open reel tape performance. That's because Chromium Dioxide is a totally different kind of tape. Not just "energized" iron oxide tape. But a cassette tape uniquely suited for slow speed operation. It's more sensitive. More responsive. Try Memorex Chromium Dioxide tape on any Cr02 equipped recorder. Compare it mEMORXE 60 to open reel. 001111111" You'll hear. MEMOREXRecording Tape THE CONSUMER'S GUIDEnew equipment TO HIGH FIDELITY EQUIPMENTreports

Sony/Superscope's Top Cassette Deck

The Equipment: Sony TC-161SD, a stereo cassette the stability with which it draws the tape across the deck with built-in Dolby noise reduction circuitry, in heads. When you press the motion -control keys you wood case. Dimensions: 153/4 by 5 by 101/4 inches. Price: really become aware that this is not a garden-variety $299.95. Manufacturer: Sony Corp., Japan; U.S. distrib- recorder. Their switching action has a "feel" com- utor: Superscope, Inc., 8150 Vineland Ave., Sun Valley, parable to that of a semipro open -reel deck and is quite Calif. 91352. different from the usual mechanical -interlock -plus - electrical -switch setup. The stop bar is separate from Comment: Sony /Superscope's top home cassette the other press -keys; the play/record key is oversize; model is, as you might expect, one of the more impres- the pause is a separate button. This differentiation helps sive decks now on the market. The speed accuracy, for in quick, positive identification of the right key to press. example, was measured at CBS Labs as absolute at all One unusual feature that we found took some getting three line voltages used in this test-the first time such a used to: The pause automatically releases when you "perfect" rating has shown up in our tests of this type of press the stop bar, altering the required sequence of equipment. activation in some processes. At first glance the 161 doesn't seem particularly un- At the right of the cassette well are switches for Dolby usual. The meters-which appear to be of conventional action (on/off), tape matching (chromium dioxide/ (nonpeak-reading) type with better than average needle "standard"), limiter (on /off), and AC power, plus dual movement-are on an angled panel at the back with the sliders to control recording levels. (There are no play- tape counter and memory rewind on /off switch to their back level controls for the feed to an external stereo left. (The memory rewind, a feature that should be famil- system.) At the front right are miniature phone jacks for iar to regular readers by now, stops rewind at a spot on left and right microphone inputs, a stereo phone jack for the tape that previously had been "marked" by reset- headphone monitoring, and a two -position level switch ting the tape counter to 000 when the tape was at that for the headphone output. On the back panel are regu- point.) The cassette well, which has a removable lid for lar pin -type jack pairs for line input and line output, plus maintenance, contains a dual -capstan drive system: a a DIN input/output jack. One minor point, perhaps, type of drive originally found only in instrumentation is the omission of a readily accessible user adjustment recorders and mastering equipment but showing up of Dolby levels for fine tuning to the owner's tape. more and more in the better consumer units because of Except as otherwise noted, the lab data were derived

Equipment reports are based on laboratory measurements and controlled listening tests. 'Jniess otherwise noted. test aata and measurements are obtained by CBS Laboratories. Stamford. Connecticut a division of Columbia Broadcastmg System. Incone of the nation's leading REPORT POLICY research organizations. The choice o' equipment to be tested rests with the editors of HIGH FIDELITY Manufacturers are not permitted to read reports in advance of publication, and no report, or portion therect. may be reproduced for ary purpose or in any form without written per- mission of the publisher. All reports should be construed as applying to the specific samples tested, neither HIGH FIDELITY nor CBS Laboratories assumes responsibility for product performance or quality.

4- CIRCLE 40 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 35 using ferric oxide tape. With chromium dioxide the high- frequency response is noticeably improved, and we +5 DIN PLAYBACK RESPONSE 10 dB = -20 YU) used that tape in copying from the best commercially 0

available sources we could find: Ampex Dolby -B open- -5 - Left channel: +1, -3 dB, 31.5 Hz to 10 kHz reel tapes. After adjusting levels carefully to avoid any --- Right channel: +1.75, -25 dB, 31.5 Hz to 10 kHz hint of overload even in the most heavily modulated passages, we could hear no difference between original +5 RECORD/PLAYBACK RESPONSE and copy except for a slight increase in background (0 d8 = -20 YU) 03 0 noise. (Hiss level in the unrecorded portion at the end of Z -5 the Ampex tape, however, is markedly below that in the CHROMIUM DIOXIDE TAPE, DOLBY OFF Cn - lett channel: -3 dB. 50 Hz to 15.5 kHz cassette copy-proving both that the TC-161SD Crolyn -- Right channel: +1.5, -3 dB, 52 Hz to 15.5 kHz combination is not ultimately a true match for good 2+5 open -reel equipment and that there is still room for im- "

provement in the Ampex tape duplication process.) The -5 FERRIC OXIDE TAPE, DOLBY OFF hiss levels involved are not high enough to be audible at - left channel: +0.75, -3 dB. 48 Hz to 11 kHz - -- Right channel: +1.75, -3 dB, 51 Hz to 115 kHz moderate listening levels; we had to drive our speakers +5 to near concert -hall level to hear the distinctions noted 0 here. -5 We also recorded some of the same passages (from FERRIC OXIDE TAPE. DOLBY ON - Lett channel: +1, -3 dB, 51 Hz to 11 kHz Petrushka, which varies from full orchestra to almost -- Right channel: +1, -3 dB. 54 Hz to 11 kHz chamber -music textures and includes plenty of sudden TC161S0/1 20 percussives) through the limiter, which proves unusu- 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K FREQUENCY IN HZ ally fine.It responds quickly to even the most violent outbursts, preventing audible distortion on the transients. If used with discretion its presence is difficult or impossible to detect. Even when used with the record- Sony /Superscope TC-161SD Additional Data ing level all the way up (which produced horrendous overmodulation with the limiter switched off) the action often is difficult to spot, though the sound does take on Speed accuracy exact at 105. 120, and 127 VAC a subtly "squashed" quality and in quiet passages the background noise can be heard sneaking back in. The Wow and flutter playback: 0.10% record' playback: 0.13% best procedure is to set the gain for good levels with av-

erage signals and rely on the limiter only to tame unex- Rewind time, C-60 cassette 1 min. 11 sec. pected peaks. Particularly in making stop -start recordings from short Fast -forward time, same cassette 1 min. 8 sec. selections on disc we found the TC-161SD to be un- S. N ratio (ref DIN 0 VU. Dolby off) usually noise -free. The final copy plays back seam- playback L ch: 55 dB R ch: 56.5 dB lessly, without the little noises and transients that usu- record, playback L ch: 52.5 dB R ch: 53.5 dB ally betray the mechanics of the copying process. This nicety alone more than offsets one mechanical annoy- Erasure (400 Hz at normal level) 55 dB ance we encountered: a tendency to eject the cassette with enough vigor for us to recommend you have one Crosstalk (at 400 Hz) record left. playback right 38 5 dB hand ready to catch it. record right, playback left 38 dB All of the lab measurements represent average or better performance for a top cassette deck. In addition to Sensitivity (for 0 -VU recording level) the speed accuracy, examples of better -than -average line input L ch: 66 mV R ch: 66 mV readings would be those for harmonic distortion and in- mike input L ch: 0.21 mVR ch 0.21 mV termodulation, the latter being, at 4 per cent, the best Meter action yet measured. (Several cassette units have come in at ref. DIN 0 VU L ch 3 dB high R ch 3.25dB high about 5 per cent.) All told, then, the TC-161SD is an ex- ref. Dolby level L ch 2 dB high R ch 2 dB high cellent unit, either for the usual tasks to which a home cassette deck is put or for live home recordings or con- IM distortion (record/play, -10 VU) 4.0% ference taping-undertakings in which many users Maximum output (line, 0 VU) (particularly those unaccomplished at riding gain) may L ch: 1.1 V R ch: 1 0 V find the excellent limiter virtually indispensable. CIRCLE 144 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

REPORTS IN PROGRESS

HARMONIC DISTORTION CURVES June-once again an all -speaker - left channel: <-1.2%, 50 Hz to 5 kHz --- Right channel: <1.4%, 50 Hz to 5 kHz issue-will place special emphasis TC1615D/2

20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K on new ideas in speaker -system FREQUENCY IN HZ designs.

36 11I(111 11)1111) \h(rN/INI Onkyo's First Stereo Receivers

The Equipment: Onkyo TX -666. a stereo FM, AM re- speaker connections (for one or two stereo pairs) are a ceiver in wood case. Dimensions: 181/2 by 51/2 by 131/2 thumbscrew type that will accept large spade lugs or inches. Price: $429.95. Manufacturer: Onkyo, Japan: bare wires, which can be threaded through a hole in the U.S. distributor: Onkyo Sales Sect., Mitsubishi Inter- shank. There also are two convenience AC outlets, one national Corp.. 25-19 43rd Ave., Long Island City. N.Y. switched and one unswitched. 11101. The first tape-recording output is wired normally: It takes the signal from the output of the preamp and se- Comment: The first Onkyo products to be offered in this lection section. ahead of the tape -monitor and filter country were loudspeakers (see test report on the switches and tone. volume. balance. and loudness con- Model 20. March 1973): now Onkyo offers electronics trols. The other tape output takes the signal after these as well. with the TX -666 as the premier stereo receiver controls, just ahead of the power amplifier, so that any in the line. It turns out to be a solidly built and generally equalization applied by the tone controls or fillers is in- well -planned unit with two details that should be of par- cluded in the feed to the recorder. This makes it easy to ticular interest to recordists: a second, special tape equalize "problem" sources-early LPs or 78s, for ex- recording output and a mixing mike input. ample, which normally sound less than ideal through On the upper section of the front panel the tuning dial the RIAA compensation of the phono preamp. (which is "linear"-that is. evenly spaced-in the FM This output also is used if you want to record from the band) isflanked by the center -tuning and signal - front -panel mike input. which of course can be mixed strength meters on the left and the tuning knob at the with another source, including signals from a previously right. The remaining controls are across the bottom. recorded tape, arriving via the aux or tape play jacks. While their shapes and placement are fairly well thought The tone controls therefore can be used as a mike out, the painted labeling requires adequate lighting to equalizer, but if you are mixing they affect the other be seen. Included are a stereo headphone jack (live at source as well. All this works well-and the multiple pos- all times), a combined AC on/off and speaker selector sibilities that the second tape output offers will be imme- switch for two stereo pairs (either, both, or neither), diately apparent to the recordist-except in terms of lev- dual concentric bass and treble controls, concentric els.Withfairlyefficientspeakersor evenwith volume and balance control, low and high filters (on headphones of only moderate efficiency, the volume off buttons), loudness on, off. a mono stereo button. control will drive the monitor signal to fairly high loud- a tape/source monitor button, muting on off, mike nesses before the signal from the second tape output mixer (with an off position at its minimum rotation), a comes close to normal levels. For example with the mono phone jack for the mike input (which feeds both Sony/Superscope TC-161SD reviewed in this issue, we channels), and the selector switch: AM, mono FM, auto- had to turn the deck's recording gain to maximum to get matic mono stereo FM, phono, aux 1, and aux 2. a full -level recording without exceeding moderate lev- On the back panel are pairs of standard jacks for els in the monitor. Of course for critical monitoring or magnetic phono, aux 1. aux 2, and tape -play inputs. with relatively inefficient speakers you would run the re- plus two pairs (of which, more in a moment) for the out- ceiver's volume control at higher settings than we used. put to a tape recorder and a DIN input/output jack for But if this feature is important to you we'd suggest you European -style tape -recorder connections. The an- check the match between the TX -666 and the tape tenna connections (AM. local FM. 300 -ohm FM. 75 -ohm equipment you plan to use before you buy. It should be FM) are of a screw type best adapted for use with small adequate, but in some cases it may not be. spade lugs. though they can be used for bare -wire con- We were, of course, rur ning the TX -666 at only a frac- nections as well. The local terminal is for use when a tion of its rated 50 watts per channel. (Our speakers can strong station interferes with normal reception. The am- get by with less than 10 watts.) In lab tests the unit met ply separated (to avoid shorts) and color -coded its power specs very well. though one measurement (50

MAY 1973 37 watts at 20 Hz in the right channel) ran slightly above the 0.2% harmonic distortion claimed by Onkyo. This POWER OUTPUT DATA figure is, of course, below rated distortion of many com- CHANNELS INDIVIDUALLY Left at clipping: 52.5 watts for 0.09% THD peting units, and the above -spec measurement occurs Left at 0.2% THD: 54.6 watts below the frequency range of normal program material; Right at clipping: sao watts for 0.06% THD furthermore the distortion readings at the frequency ex- Right at 02% THD: 52.5 watts tremes are exceptionally good for a receiver. So despite CHANNELS SIMULTANEOUSLY Left at clipping: 45.1 watts for 0.17% THD this one slightly over -spec measurement we would rate Right at clipping: 45.1 watts for 0.14% THD the TX -666 as excellent in terms of harmonic distortion.

And intermodulation is comparably low for rated power POWER BANDWIDTH and 8 ohms, though the amplifier will not deliver as (for 0.2% NO; 0 dB = 50 watts) much power at the other two impedances before ex- 0, 0 c__3 ceeding Onkyo's 0.2% rating. Again, the 0.2% mark rep- Below 10 Hz to 48 kHz i.i.i resents an unusually high standard in a receiver, and FREQUENCY RESPONSE the TX -666 stayed well under this figure right down to (for 1 watt output) lEi-5 the limit of testing (0.125 watts at 8 ohms, for example). V, 0 CC -5 +0, -3 dB, below 10 Hz to 74 kHz The amplifier section proved a hard act to follow; the TX666/3 FM section was notably less spectacular on the test 10 20 100 1K 10K 20K 100K bench, though in terms of stereo quieting-a parameter FREQUENCY IN HZ that some manufacturers seem to have been ignoring since there has been no standard test for this area of 0.3 performance (stereo tests were begun with our January 0.2 N, HARMONIC DISTORTION CURVES ------1973 issue, q.v.)-its behavior was well above average 0] among the units we have tested this way. Considering 0 both mono and stereo curves, the TX -666 is exceeded 50 WATTS OUTPUT inits quieting performance only by one receiver we - Left channel: <0.15%, 20 Hz to 20 kHz 0.2 --- Right channel: <0.30%, 20 Hz to 20 kHz 0.1 ------

Pc 0 25 WATTS OUTPUT 0 - Left channel: <0.11%, 20 Hz to 20 kHz co FM SENSITIVITY & QUIETING --- Right channel: <0.11%, 20 Hz to 20 kHz 0.2 -10 MONO SENSITIVITY STEREO THRESHOLD (for 30 -dB quieting) 19 .V at 90 MHz for 37 dB quieting 0.1 2.6 041 at 90 MHz 10 eV at 98 MHz for 35.48 quieting 0.5 WATTS OUTPUT -20\ 0 o 2.2 ,.V at 98 MHz 11 eV at 106 MHz for 35 dB quieting - Left channel: <0.12%, 20 Hz to 20 kHz N 4.5 ,.V at 106 MHz --- Right channel: < 0.12%, 20 Hz to 20 kHz 71666/4 5 _30 ve--2.2 fv (mono) 20 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K20K \ 104 (stereo) 50 FREQUENCY IN HZ o-40 -50 ------INTERMODULATION CURVES -,r -60 0.6 ------g, 8 -ohm load: <10.13% to 56.9 watts 4 -ohm load <0.20% to 39.4 watts 71666/1 OA 16ohm load: 0.13% to 35.6 watts

1 10 100 1K 10K 100K

RF INPUT IN MICROVOLTS 0.2 ------TX666/5 0

1 7 3 4 5 7 10 20 30 40 50 70100 POWER OUTPUT IN WATTS

+5 MONO FM RESPONSE 0

-5 +2, -3 dB, 29 Hz to 15 kHz +5 PREAMP & CONTROL CHARACTERISTICS 0 +5 STEREO FM RESPONSE -5 RIM EQUALIZATION: +025. -3 dB, 24 Hz to 20 kHz 13 0 -5. c,+15 Bass boost Treble boost - 10 - Left channel: +2.75. -3 dB. 29 Hz to 15 kHz +10 --- Right channel: 3 dB, 28 Hz to 15 kHz -1 5 u, +5 -20 P 0 Low filter ------...,-High filter -25 CHANNEL SEPARATION _5

-30 -1015 -35 - Bass cut Treble cut -40 -20 -Left channel: >35 dB, 500 Hz to 4 kHz; >25 dB, 42 Hz to 10 kHz TONE CONTROLS --- Right channel: >35 dB. 260 Hz to 1 kHz; >25 dB, 37 Hz to 9.3 kHz FILTERS LOUDNESS CONTOUR (volume control at 9 o'clock) 71666/2 TX666/6 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K FREQUENCY IN HZ FREQUENCY IN HZ

38 H Rai FIDEL!!Y M AGAZINE Onkyo TX -666 Receiver Additional Data MUM Tuner Section 111111111111111 Capture ratio 25 dB

Alternate -channel selectiv ty 65 dB

S. N ratio 70 dB Square -wave response THD Mono L ch R ch 80 Hz 0.23% 0.53% 0.54% have tested (the quadraphonic Fisher 504. at 5100 1 kHz 0.19% 0.52% 0.50% 10 kHz 0.25% 3.5% 3.5% more): many units outpace it on IHF sensitivity rating, but we would consider the Onkyo's relative freedom IM distortion 0.42% from noise and distortion for normal input signals to be far more important. Its thump -free behavior as you tune 19 -kHz pilot -54 dB across the dial is an attractive plus. 38 -kHz subcarrier -67.5 dB All told this is an interesting and attractive receiver There are some things we would like to see Onkyo Amplifier Section change in future models. For example, the addition of a 20 -dB attenuation switch between the second tape Damping factor 50 output and the power amplifier could double as both a Input characteristics (for a) watts output) "muting" control and a way of getting more signal to Sensitivity S N ratio that tape output without excessive output to the speak- phono 3.3 mV 60 dB ers. But even in its present form the TX -666 is a worthy aux 1 & 2 149 mV 83 dB introduction and suggests that we have good things to tape play 149 mV 83 dB expect from this company. CIRCLE 145 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

Philips' Electronically Controlled Turntable

The Equipment: Philips GA -212, a two -speed siigle- play turntable; arm ensemble with integral base and hinged dust cover. Over-all dimensions: 151/4 inches wide; 131/4 inches deep; 6 inches high with cover down. With cover open and latched, 14 inches high; maximum height with cover fully up, 15% inches. Price: $149.50. Manufactured by Philips of Holland; U.S. branch, No- relco, 100 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017.

Comment: The GA -212 employs an electronic speed - control system that makes for inherently accurate and constant operating speeds. Further assurance of speed accuracy is provided by the fine -speed adjustments (one for each of the unit's two speeds, 33 and 45 rpm). The 2 pound 9 ounce platter is driven by a belt from the motor shaft and shares a floating suspension with the tone arm. Operation, via a power off -on button and three feather -touch electronic buttons (one each for This cueing device works flawlessly, with no side drift. speed and one for stop), is smooth, positive, and silent. Ringing the outer edge of the platter are two sets of Indeed the GA -212 is one of the quietest turntables strobe markings, one for each speed. While useful, we've measured, with an ARLL rumble figure at -61 dB. these markings must be illuminated by an external light Flutter was clocked at CBS Labs at 0.07 per cent (ANSI - (there is no built-in illurrination), and it takes some weighted; 0.06 per cent unweighted). A single -play squinting from the proper angle to see them clearly. manual model, the GA -212 includes a photoelectric When a 12 -inch record is on the platter the strobe mark- switch that stops turntable rotation at the end of a ings are completely covered, but this is hardly a prob- record but leaves the motor on and the pickup resting lem in view of the unit's absolute speed accuracy re- atop the record. You then may raise the arm manually or gardless of changes inI ne voltage. The total range with the built-in cueing device, which of course you also measured for the fine -speed adjustment was + 4.8 to may use initially to lower the pickup onto the record. -3.6 per cent at 33 rpm, +4.5 to -3.6 per cent at 45 rpm.

MAv 1973 39 The platter is covered with a mat, and you may slip a the VTF used. Installing a pickup in the arm shell is rela- 45 -rpm large -hole adapter (supplied) over the center tively easy thanks to a slide -out platform; a jig is sup- spindle. The GA -212 sold in the U.S. and Canada comes plied to adjust the pickup for correct stylus overhang preset for 117 -volt AC operation; similar models sold and longitudinal alignment. Arm friction both laterally abroad have a built-in voltage adapter that permits their and vertically was found to be negligible; arm reso- use on other line voltages. nance was measured as a 7 -dB rise at 9.5 Hz with a Complementing the smooth -running platter is the GA - Shure V-15 Type II Improved cartridge. 212's tone arm, a low -mass metal tubular type with a The GA -212 ensemble, which comes with a wooden rear counterweight for initial balance and a sliding base and an excellent dust cover (it latches automati- weight for setting vertical tracking force. You adjust the cally into place as you raise it), is a handsome, modern - latter according to a calibrated scale, engraved on the style unit whose appearance is as impressive as its per- arm, which CBS Labs found to be thoroughly accurate. formance is delightful. It is superbly crafted and soundly Similarly, the twin antiskating adjustments (one each for built. Anyone in the market for a high -quality manual elliptical and spherical stylus tips) were found to provide player would do well to take a long look at the GA -212. close to theoretically ideal compensation with regard to CIRCLE 141 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

NOM, .1 oi:c,,.

0 lb 11 S

Advent 100A Dolby Unit: A Good Product Made Better

The Equipment: Advent 100A, a stereo Dolby B noise - to mike use with the MPR-1 preamp. Since each chan- reduction unit for use with tape recorders (any format) nel of each input has its own fader, mike signals may be or in reception of Dolby -encoded FM broadcasts, in mixed with those coming from other sources, or a total metal case appropriate for built-in or freestanding use. of four mikes or four line inputs (in stereo pairs, of Dimensions: 13 by 5 by 71/2 inches. Price: $250; optional course) can be used. The 100A therefore can be used WC -1 wood case, $20. Advent Model MPR-1, a stereo as a four -channel stereo (as opposed to quadraphonic mike preamp designed for use with the 100A, in black four channel) mixer-and a fine one electrically by metal utility case. Dimensions: 6 by 23/4 by 11/2 inches. comparison to the budget consumer units-as well as a Price: $25. Manufacturer: Advent Corp., 195 Albany St., noise -reduction device. Cambridge, Mass. 02139. The inputs on one end of the mike-preamp unit are phone jacks that will handle either the normal (un- Comment: The similarities between the 100A and its balanced, or hot -plus -ground) phone plugs supplied on predecessor (the 100; see HF test reports, January most of the microphones that the serious home record- 1971) are evident at first glance. Both are stereo Dolby istis likely to use, or the three -pin types (balanced B units with separate Dolby circuitry for recording and bridge plus ground). The three -pin connectors normally playback, allowing properly compensated off -the -tape supplied on some professional mikes are of the Cannon monitoring during Dolby -encoded recording. The main type; you will need an adapter from Cannon to a tip -ring - difference between the two models is in the front -panel sleeve phone plug (the type used on stereo headsets), switching: a seemingly minor change but one that sig- or you can replace the Cannon plug with a stereo head- nificantly affects the versatility of the unit. The 100A is, phone plug. On the bottom of the preamp is a sensitivity in fact, the most versatile Dolby unit on the home mar- switch offering a choice of 40 to 60 dB of gain. The out- ket, and its human engineering-already excellent in the puts are shielded leads approximately one foot long, 100-is improved. terminating in color -coded RCA pin -type (phono) con- The 100 had two input pairs: one for line, one for mi- nectors; a similar lead delivers power (18 VDC) to the crophones. The 100A has no built-in mike preamps; ei- preamp from the 100A. ther or both of its two line -input pairs may be converted Aside from the DC output jacks (two of them, so that

40 Hicii FIUFI.IIY MAGAZINF both input pairs can be converted for mikes) the line -2 will do. Similarly, signals coming from your stereo sys- inputs are the only new items that need concern the tem normally are Dolby -encoded as long as the noise - user on the back of the 100A. All audio connections are reduction switch is at "in." FM signals that already are via RCA jacks in left -and -right pairs: line -1 input, line -2 Dolby -encoded need only decoding. With most Dolby input, output to the tape deck, playback input from the units of our acquaintance this requires you to recon- tape deck, and output to the stereo system. In addition nect leads, feeding the FM signal to the tape playback there is an unswitched convenience AC outlet and ac- connections. (If you have either the 100 or the 101 and cess for instrument calibration of the 100A's internal want to use it for FM, Advent will supply appropriate in- circuitry, for use by a service technician. (He too will structions.) With the 100A Dolby -FM listening is simpli- find some changes and simplifications.) fied both by the mode switch and by a series of asterisks On the front panel are the individual input faders, then on the font panel next to each switch position used in the master recording level control, then four switches: decoding the broadcasts. Some stations using the mode (normal/special), noise reduction(in /out), Dolby technique transmit reference -level signals for recording -calibration tone (spring loaded and normally system alignment from time to time; any adjustment is off), and multiplex filter (in/out). The special mode is made at the 100A's line -input controls, so tape -system new. It turns off the Dolby encoding in the recording cir- alignment is unaffected. Advent suggests you mark the cuit whether or not the Dolby decoding in the playback input faders at the alignec setting (which theoretically circuit is on. The importance of this switch will become should not vary between stations if more than one in evident in due course. The recording -calibration tone your area used Dolby encoding). To receive these switch combines the functions of two switches on the broadcasts you (or anyone, it's so easy) simply turn 100, making alignment considerably simpler. The the input knobs and all switches to the marked posi- Dolby action was individually switchable for the two tions. channels on the 100; but even in making mono tapes we For aligning the tape system itself, Advent includes a never found a really practical use for this capability, so reference cassette and a length of test tape on open we have no beef with its omission in the 100A. These reel. Also included with the unit are interconnect cables four switches, then, perform the functions of five on the and an excellent owner's manual-one of the best we 100, plus the new mode option. have seen. Following the four switches and the Dolby calibration All told the 100A is second to none among the avail- meters are the screwdriver controls for playback cali- able home Dolby units, and in some systems (partic- bration. Small knobs were used for this purpose on the ularly where its mixing capabilities are of value) we be- 100. They sped up alignment; but unless you use a vari- lieveit has no equal. As the importance of Dolby ety of tapes and decks (we do, of course, but you may processing in home stereo grows, so does the impor- not) and therefore must realign frequently you will think tance of the equipment. And itis growing: To Dolby - this an extremely minor point. Below these adjustments processed FM broadcasts and cassette recordings is a stereo headphone jack. At the right are the output have recently been added some superb open -reel tapes level controls for each channel (governing the feed to from Ampex, while Vanguard has promised quadra- your stereo system), independent source/tape monitor phonic Dolby -processed open -reel tapes (which would switches for each channel, and the main on/off switch. require two stereo Dolby units for correct playback, of The "special" mode is important for two purposes: course) in the near future. (Rumors that Ampex was copying Dolby -encoded tapes and receiving Dolby -en- planning to bring out Dolby -encoded eight -track car- coded FM broadcasts. For copying purposes, you might tridges appear to be unfounded.) Unless you have a decode the original and then re -encode in making the tape deck with separate recording and playback heads copy; but any hum or electronic noise picked up be- you don't need the full complement of Dolby circuits of- tween the two passes through the Dolby circuitry would fered by the 100A, and a less expensive unit will do; but not be suppressed. A more elegant approach is to copy for the serious open -reel recordist, who generally de- the encoded signal verbatim, using the Dolby circuit mands the monitor head, it is an exceptionally attractive only for monitoring purposes. This the "special" mode unit.

Reports on Two Cassette Tapes

A detailed description of the test method, criteria, and versely if it is adjusted for tapes that are less sensitive at terms used in testing cassette tapes appeared (together high frequencies, the "hotter" tapes willproduce with reports on ten other tapes) in our March 1972 is- brighter than normal sound. The numerical sensitivity sue. That background information may be summarized rating indicates output level with respect to the refer- as follows: ence cassette for a given recording level at 400 Hz. Relative Sensitivity. The curve shown represents Maximum Recorded Level. The curve indicates the sensitivity across the frequency spectrum relative to a levels at which the tape is driven to 3 per cent total har- reference cassette on a machine adjusted for that cas- monic distortion or into self -erasure, whichever occurs sette. If your deck is optimized for tape with a "hotter" first, and indicates the headroom or overload margin high end, it would be best matched by tapes showing a across the frequency spectrum. rising high -frequency characteristic in this test; con- S/N Ratio. The figure shown is frequency -weighted

MAI, 1973 41 on the basis of audibility factors and is measured with respect to the DIN 0 -VU level. Sony CRO Cassette Dropout Count. Two samples of tape are measured for 15 minutes apiece on automatic equipment that dis- The Equipment: Sony CRO, a chromium dioxide tape tinguishes between major (audible in almost any type of cassette. Price: $3.49; available in C-60 only. Manufac- music), medium (audible in fairly continuous music), turer: Sony Corp., Japan; U.S. distributor: Superscope, and minor (barely perceptible) dropouts. Inc., 8150 Vineland Ave., Sun Valley, Calif. 91352.

Tracs Plus Cassette Comment: Though chromium dioxide tapes vary little The Equipment: Tracs Plus, a low -noise, cobalt -doped from brand to brand they do differ markedly in both ferric oxide tape cassette. C-60 price: $1.89 in Philips high -frequency headroom and response (which of box, $1.99 in blister -pack card with Philips box, or $1.75 course are related) with respect to ferric oxide tapes. for two or $2.39 for three in poly bags without boxes; Similarly, S / N ratios for chromium dioxide have so far comparable packagings available also in C-40, C-90, been measured at 59 or 60 dB; for ferric tapes they are and C-120. Manufacturer: Audio Magnetics Corp., significantly 000rer and vary over a somewhat wider 14600 S. Broadway, Gardena, Calif. 90248. range of about 55 to 58 dB. So when we say that Sony's SIN is among the best at 60 dB, we're saying more Comment: Tracs Plus can be described as a "medium - about CrO2 vs. ferric than we are about Sony vs. other hot" tape; high -frequency sensitivity is a little below that Cr0;, brands. Such comparisons apply to the other data: of the reference cassette and about average among the Maximum recorded level compares favorably with the low -noise ferric tapes we've tested. The sensitivity rat- better chromium dioxides while relative sensitivity is ing is slightly higher than average. Maximum recorded about median, being slightly "hotter" than some, level is about par for this group across the frequency slightly less "hot" than others. CRO shares with only range. Signal-to-noise ratio is better than average. one other tape we've tested so far its just -short -of -per- The paper liner of the Philips box has good space for fect dropout count. detailed information but somewhat limited space on the The labels on both the standard Philips -style box and narrow edge (the "spine" if you stand your cassettes the cassette case are better than average in terms of like books). The cassette itself has somewhat less than writing space. The case is held together with self-lock- average labeling space. It is held together with screws ing screws that defy removal. Idler pins are plastic, and has metal idler pins. Windows and spring -mounted molded integrally with the case, which has standard - pressure pad are of standard design. size windows and a spring -mounted pressure pad. CIRCLE 142 ON READER -SERVICE CARD. CIRCLE 143 ON READER -SERVICE CARD

+ 10 +10

0 CO 0 +0.5 dB at 100 Hz 0 dB at 100 HZ

-10 w-10 -10 dB at 10 kHz -8.5 dB at 10 kHz -1 MAXIMUM RECORDED LEVEL MAXIMUM RECORDED LEVEL f=120- 10 dB = DIN 0 VU) o -20 10 dB = DIN 0 VW CC CC

C.D U -30 ZzA-2 -30

Sony CR0 cassette Audio Magnetics Tracs-Plus cassette 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K FREQUENCY IN HZ FREQUENCY IN HZ

RELATIVE SENSITIVITY RELATIVE SENSITIVITY (0 dB = -30 VU re standard test tape) + 5 (0 dB = -30 VU re. standard test tape)

0 o -5 Relative sensitivity rating (at 400 Hz): 0 dB Relative sensitivity rating (at 400 Hz): +0.25 dB a_ it Sony CR0 cassette Audio Magnetics Tracs- Pius cassette 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K 20 50 100 200 FREQUENCY IN HZ FREQUENCY IN HZ

Audio Magnetics Tracs Plus Additional Data Sony CRO Additional Data

SiN ratio (NAB) 57.5 dB Si N ratio (NAB) 60 dB

Dropout count Major Medium Minor Dropout count Major Medium Minor 0 0 1 sample 1 0 1 4 sample 1 sample 2 0 0 0 sample 2 0 0 0

42 HIGH FIDELIEY MAGAZINE Areyouplayingyourrecords orruining them?

If you're like most music It takes a precision tonearm. One listeners, you never think about that can allow today's finest How Dual protects your records. your records after putting them cartridges to track optimally at low on your record player. pressures of one gram or less. For Toneorm counter- You just sit back and weight is elastically flawless tracking, the tonearm isolated from shaft enjoy the music. should be perfectly balanced to absorb any external shock, and Chances are you'd be with the weight of the is continually less relaxed, if you knew adjustable on cartridge, and must maintain III 111111vernier threads for that your records might the stylus pressure equally on perfect balance. be losing something with o f as in each side wall of the stereo A right. Less coos law every play. frequency contours are groove. And in order to Like the high notes. snow, in B. maintain this equal pressure during It's something to think play, the tonearm must not intro- about. Especially when you consider duce any drag. This requires ex- Gyroscopic gimbal how many hundreds oreven tremely low friction pivot bearings. sJspension of thousands of dollars you have 1229 and 1218 is There is much more to the best known scien- invested in your record collection. design and engineering of tonearms t'fic means for balancing preci- In all Dua s. stylus And will be invested in the future. and turntabes. But this should be sion instruments pressure is applied that must remain around the pivot sufficient to give you the idea. maintaining perfect What happens during play. balanced in all planes of motion. dynamic balance Even the cheapest record Dual: the music lovers' preference. of tonearm. changer can bring its tonearm to By now you probably under- the record and lift it off again. But stand why serious music lovers what happens during the twenty won't play their precious records minutes or so of playing time is on anything but a precision something else. turntable. Aqd the most serious of The stylus is responding with these people, the readers of the 1229 tonearm is increcliblespeedtothe roller -coaster leading music magazines, buy more 81.r"from pivot contours of the stereo grooves. This to stylus. essen- Duals than any other make of tially eliminating action recreates all the music you quality turntable. tracking error while maintaining unlike conven- hear, whether it's the wall -shaking If you would like to know more one-piece stability. 'ional tonearms, cacophony of a rock band or the about Dual 7urntables, well send the 1218 and 1229 richness of a symphony orchestra. you lots of interesting literatu-e, track records at 'he original cut- The higher the frequency of the including an article on how to buy ng angle. The 1229 parallels music, the more rapidly the a turntable, and reports by single records. contours change, and the sharper independent test labs. Or better moves up to paral- le changer stack. the peaks the stylus has to trace. If yet, just visit your franchised The 1213 has a similar adjust- the tonearm bears down too United Audio dealer and ask for a ment in the car - heavily, the diamond -tipped stylus Dual demonstration. You will never fridge housing. won't go around those soft -vinyl have to worry about your For perfect track- peaks. Instead, it will lop them off. records again. Dual ing balance in each wall of the stereo The record will look unchanged, groove, separate c nti- skating calibrations for but your piccolos will never sound conical and elliptical quite the same again. D'Io! 1214 510° `)0 styli are provided on Nor will Jascha Heifetz. all Duals. 12155 5125 00 It's all up to the tonearm.

What does it take for the DLKII 1229 5225-00 stylus to travel the obstacle ril course of the stereo groove i.i. 0 I\ I^ without a trace that it's been there?

United Audio Products, Inc., 120 So. Columbus Ave., Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 10553

CIRCLE 22 ON READER -SERVICE CARD MAY 1973 43 by Dennis Tuchler

What Are Your Rights When the Sound Goes Sour?

HAROLD OHRI-NKLAN(..a middle -income sound buff. decided he wanted a tape recorder. Not knowing what kind to buy he shopped around. asked his friends and business associates. scanned high fidelity magazines, and read product reports. He then sent in request forms for informationon specific products that were advertised in the magazines. Aftera long wait. he received three packets in the mail: one from Sonavox.one from Tand- sui. and one from Dynaha. All three contained (I) a neatly done and relatively uninformative brochure which lauded the company's tape recorder and included a list of performance specifications: (2) reprints of articles and test reports about that company's tape recorder: (3)a covering letter which in each case stated that the "enclosed material will introduceour tape recorder. acclaimed as the finest in its price class." The brochure in each packet also included a statement of the company's warranty policy (in very small print on the back page) and specifications. These specifications were either identical to or more conservative than the performance specifications in the accompanying product test reports and articles. Harold made a tentative decision. He would buy the Sonavox. He went to High Fidelity Oasis, the only authorized dealer for Sonavox in town. He told the salesman what he wanted. "But." he said. "I'd like to knowa little more about it. It's a hit expensive for a person in my position." The salesman was glad to help (though his specialty was electronic kazoos). When Harold asked the salesman if the tape recorder would really performas well as the magazine reports said. the salesman went toa nearby rack where ads, brochures, and reports were shelved according to manufacturer and product and read some of the Sonavox test reports to Harold. Aftera little more sales talk, based largely on the test reports. Harold bought. Harold took the tape recorder home: when he opened the box he found a small plastic bag with a hook and some papers inside it. He set it aside and hooked up the tape recorder. He then opened the bag. and took ICC out an instruction book, ads for other products made by Sonavox. and a card headed "Warranty." The card opened with a warning that thepur- chaser must fill it out and send it in \\ ithin ten days if he was to receiveany protection under the manufacturer's \\ arranty. The paragraph below the warning stated: "Sonavox Corporation, a subsidiary of Gramoton. A.G.. congratulates you on your purchase of an excellent piece of equipment. Sonavox guarantees to the original purchaser of a Sonavox 1 ape Recorder purchased from Sonavox in the United States of America that it will replace all parts failing within tss eke months of purchase. without charge for parts and labor: and that it will provide free replacement of all parts other than capstan. record and playback heads. pressure roller. and switches which may fail thereafter. for a further period of ten s ears. This guarantee shall he void unless thepur- chaser sends this card to the Sonavox Corporation. 1512 Tulip Lane. G rim- land. Ness Jersey'. within ten days from the date of purchase. or if the tape recorder has been serviced by other than an authorized service station. or modified ss ithout authority or otherwise damaged by misuse. All transportation charges are to be borne bs the purchaser. 1 here are no warranties or guarantees except those expressed here." Harold. who had bought other electrical and electronic equipment. automatically filled out the information on the card and sent it in. The machine worked beautifully for a while: then performance de- teriorated. He took it hack to the place where he had bought it. The

Dennis Tuchler is a Professor of Law at St. Louis I niversity in Missouri.

HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE ACOUSTIC RESEARCH: SPEAKERS, TURNTABLES, ..,::=:,..=1*:.1=0 vv..* AMPLIFIERS, TUNERS. RECEIVERS. Valid for original and subsequent owners: complete warranty on . card: oilers free parts and labor for speakers. 5 yrs..turntables. 36 mos.. electronic compo- A nents. 24 mos., replacement if unit substantially a:11 defective. tree shipping carton (if needed). Audio Warranty Policies transportation costs both ways: tree warranty ,....iii service available at authorized service station or plant. parts under warranty at plant; company op What are the prevailing warranty policies in the audio option vvhether unit goes to service station or ...A industry? To find out, we sent questionnaires to the ma- plant: will consider replacing unit if repeated re- jor companies. Our return rate was 92 per cent, with the pair attempts fail. but will not refund money. OM ....6 majority of those not replying indicating they believed ADMIRAL: RECEIVERS, RECORD CHANGERS. HEAD- either that any skeletal presentation of their policy PHONES DECODERS. Valid for original owner: reference made to warranty on card: offers 3 mos. 0..(k would misrepresent it, or that any published statement free labor and parts, replacement if unit defec- would limit their basically flexible, case -by -case policy. tive (only on exchange warranties): tree warranty lzbor and parts available at authorized (or (Of course, many of those who did reply also indicated service stations: buyer pays all shipping costs: that their basic policy could be bent in individual situ- resale. damage in transit: unauthorized repairs ations. Thus the quantity of information supplied by a resulting in damage. any unauthorized modi- Olt fication not covered; under exchange warranty manufacturer is not in itself a criterion for judging his will rep. ace with newer model if old model has 0.: warranty program.) In any event the reader should re- been superseded and not in stock. 0,.:>. member that the policies listed are the currently stated ADVENT: SPEAKERS. Valid for original and sub- ones and are subject to revision at any time. sequenowners; proof of purchase required: (0: warranty statement on speaker: otters 24 mos. About half the companies replied that the buyer free labor and parts: thermal damage of voice "must" return the warranty card within a certain period coils not covered. but customer is "forgiven" Oh to validate the warranty; others "request" the card; once-oriver is replaced at no charge and cus- 4; tomer informed of reason for burn -out to prevent some require only the original bill of sale. As Prof. Tuch- future carnage: free warranty service and parts ler states in the accompanying article, manufacturers at authorized service stations, dealer's place of 11.1.4 business. and manufacturer's shop; buyer pays cannot make their warranties contingent upon your re- shipping one way: unauthorized repairs result- turning the card-although it is certainly one means of ing in damage, units with altered serial numbers not covered; do not consider refunds. but will re- demonstrating that you bought it legitimately and within place unit ifit has repeated detects. or in other the proper time period. Any information you supply on reasonable situations. CASSETTE TAPE DECKS. ki the card (if you choose to return it) is voluntary. If you Similar to speaker warranty except warranty in owner's manual: offers 12 mos. free labor and plan to resell the unit some day, you should determine if parts; refunds handled by dealers. 0.0 the warranty is transferable to the next owner. In most cases the complete warranty was stated on AIWA-see Milovac International. ('it the warranty card: otherwise it was generally found on a AKAI AMERICA. LTD.: ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. separate sheet packed with the unit or in the instruction TAPE RECORDERS. Valid for original owner: original sales slip required; offers free parts and la- manual. In a few instances the warranty could be ob- bor (components, 24 mos.; tape recorders, 12 tained only by sending in a warranty registration card. mos., except lifetime parts on GX heads; 24 mos. parts and labor on inverting mechanism of The warranty periods vary from 90 days to 5 years (al- Invert-O-Matic. 12 mos. on remainder of ma- l(0.i. though a few companies do offer lifetime coverage to chine; all nondomestically purchased units are 90 days labor. 12 mos. parts): tree warranty labor the original owner). Where you can obtain warranty and parts at authorized service stations or shop (1. service also varies from any authorized dealer or serv- of the manufacturer: buyer pays shipping costs ice station to the manufacturer's factory alone. When one way; resale, damage in transit, any unauthorized repair or modification not covered: refund (..!31 you must send a unit back to the factory, the buyer gen- considered in rare cases where all repair efforts erally pays shipping one way, or both ways. A few man- fail and no replacement in stock: replacement considered where all repair efforts fail: replace- e ufacturers pay shipping costs both ways under certain ment wth newer model considered on individual circumstances. basis. Several conditions normally will void warranty cov- OR ALTEC DIVISION, ALTEC CORP.: ELECTRONIC g erage. These may include resale of the unit, damage in COMPONENTS, LOUDSPEAKERS. Valid for original transit either to or from repair stations (although insur- and subsequent owners; complete warranty on 01, card; offers 24 mos. on electronic components ....;:i ance usually covers losses here), unauthorized repairs and compact unit electronics: free parts and la- resulting in damage to the unit, any unauthorized re- bor on components. 12 mos. on compact unit ot record changer and tape recorders, 12 mos. on ....o.... pairs, or any unauthorized modifications. Here too pol- speakers (speaker warranty scheduled for revi- icies vary among manufacturers, although all void cov- sion upwards this June); free warranty labor and erage when damage is due to other than "normal use." parts available at authorized service stations: (01. buyer pays shipping costs one way; manufac- ....;:3 A number of companies wrote that they will replace a turer may require unit to be returned to factory in case of specific models requiring special tech- (4 unit under appropriate circumstances, but few have a niques. damage in transit to company, unauthor- stated policy of refunding your money. Replacement is ized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthor- generally considered if a unit just cannot be repaired. ized modification not covered: refunds not K.( considered; replacement considered if warranty .....i.:. Some manufacturers who replace units say that if a station repair service ineffective after two at- subsequent model is on the market, and no new models tempts: will replace with newer model 'or cost oft differerce if original model is superseded and * of the irreparable unit are in stock, they will offer the not in stock. newer model either in direct exchange or for the differ- oi.,i ence in cost between the two. AUDIO RESEARCH CORP.: ALL MODELS. Valid .t for oricinal and subsequent owners; none of A suggestion: Even when you know your warranty warranty appears on card, but warranty bond fur- 0....4 rights, remember that dealers and company employees nished: offers 5 yrs. free parts and labor, except 24 mos for tubes; free warranty labor and parts .....;::. are only human and are more likely to respond to a at some dealers. authorized service stations and calm, tactful approach than to aggressive fistbanging. factory: buyer pays all shipping costs: manufac- o( turer may require unit to be sent to factory: dam- .....g age in transit. unauthorized repairs resulting in damage. any unauthorized modification not cov- Al.' `MN 0 %._ I% I.. ' 1..." - ered; refund or replacement not considered as / .11t:.f::::: m...z....4.=1::=77::::::*.ii::i..Zt.:::i...t..:::i2:::13gig.5IVZOS \ units built with 20 to 40 yrs. life expectancy with normal maintenance. KITS. Warranty does not

45 cover damaged parts, improper construction; of- dealer's servicemen fixed it. But later. the problem recurred. After two or fers 12 mos. free labor and parts, except tubes, 90 days; charge for service under warranty for three such episodes. Harold decided he had had it. He demanded his damaged parts, wiring errors, improper con- money back from High Fidelity Oasis. They said they'd service the ma- struction. chine, but that was all. Harold then wrote to Sonavox and demanded his AUDIONICS: TL5O SPEAKERS, SO COMPONENTS. Valid for original buyer; none of warranty on war- money back. They told him he'd have to return the machine to them and ranty card, usually included in advertising liter- they would try to fix it. Harold realized that he would have to pay shipping ature; offers free parts and labor, SO components, 12 mos., loudspeakers, 5 yrs. on drivers; costs and that he would be without a tape recorder anywhere from three to free warranty service at any authorized service ten weeks while they looked at it. He changed his tactic. He'd take a re- station or the factory; resale, damage in transit (company will assist in transportation claims), placement. No, said both the store and the manufacturer (although the unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, modifications including improper heat -sinking of am- store offered to sell his machine for a 35% commission and the manufac- plifier and power supply modules or alteration or turer tentatively offered him an old demonstrator). substitution of internal components not covered; refund considered if unit returned within 2 wks.; replacement considered (company option to replace with new or rebuilt unit, if manufacturing fault); will replace with improved version Quo Vadis Harold? at cost, or at no charge (depending on circumstances) if buyer's unit has been superseded and is not in stock. SINCLAIR KITS. Similar to pre- Is Harold stuck? This question gives rise to three others: (1) What did Har- ceding warranty except offers 24 mos. free parts and labor; customer construction errors re- old buy? Of course he bought the machine, but did he also buy the obliga- paired for a fee, including shipping, company tion of the store and the manufacturer? What are these obligations or war- pays all charges if manufacturing fault; service charge for out -of -warranty kits ranges from ranties? (2) Did Harold gain or lose by sending in the warranty card and $4.50 to $20; charge during warranty period if abiding by the apparent restrictions on his right to have a functioning ma- unit fails due to catastrophic failure caused by miswiring, incorrect soldering or unauthorized chine? (3) What remedies does Harold have and are they effective? modifications. RADFORD COMPONENTS,LOUD- A warning is in order. This article was written only to give the con- SPEAKERS. Similar to Audionics warranty except card return is to insure unit was not purchased sumer some idea of where he stands and is not a basis for legal advice! outside U.S. where warranty coverage is different; offers 24 mos. free parts and labor, replace- When manufacturers tell the consumer that he has only limited recourse ment if defective (if repairs beyond capability of when his highly touted machine goes bad. they are usually wrong and dealer, replacement will be of "equal physical condition" as old unit); free warranty parts and sometimes they know it. Consumers do have rights. Their remedies how- labor at authorized service station, or from fac- ever are quite expensive and are often not worth the trouble. The Uniform tory if service station too far from customer. Commercial Code has been adopted throughout the United States (except AUDIOPHILE IMPORTS: STAX, ALL MODELS. Va- Louisiana), but there are variations in the language of some provisions, lid for original buyer; offers 12 mos. free labor and parts, replacement if unit defective; free and in the interpretation of others, from one state to another. Further- warranty labor and parts at authorized service stations; buyer pays all shipping costs; resale, more. in some states the consumer can't sue the manufacturer if he bought damage in transit to company, any unauthorized his goods from a dealer, while in other states he can sue both. This article repairs or modifications not covered; refund or replacement at discretion of dealer. QUAD assumes that the latter is the situation in Harold's state, as it is in a growing ACOUSTICAL MANUFACTURING, ALL MODELS. (N.B. number of states. Finally, laws dealing with warranties, sales. etc. are quite speakers not warranted if ever played with amp other than Quad model II or Quad 303, unless complex. I have simplified-and avoided some of the knottier problems al- dealers, at their own risk, assume responsi- together-in order to give the reader, who presumably has no legal train- bility.) Valid for original buyer; otters 12 mos. free labor and parts; free warranty labor and ing. "the big picture." If the reader believes that he has an actionable parts at any authorized dealer (dealers other than original seller may charge for labor, not gripe, he should see a lawyer. The trip may be worth it if only to find that, parts); buyer pays all shipping costs; manufac- when all is said and done. selling a had machine may be cheaper than get- turer may require unit to be returned to factory for service; resale, damage in transit to com- ting the price refunded. pany, any unauthorized repair or modification not covered; refund and replacement at dealer's discretion. TRANSCRIPTOR "REFERENCE" AND "SATURN" TURNTABLES, "AVID" TONE ARM. Identi- Did Harold "Buy" A Warranty? cal to preceding warranty except free warranty labor and parts available at authorized service stations; damage in transit to or from company not covered. The law makes promises on behalf of some people even when those people themselves don't intend to promise anything. For those who sell goods for AUDIO-TECHNICA: ALL CARTRIDGES AND TONE ARMS. Valid for original owner; complete war- a living, the law makes promises concerning the goods they sell. Some of ranty on card except with low-cost, bulk -packed these promises are called "express warranties" because of the things mer- cartridges, which may include only statement of warranty; offers 12 mos. free labor and parts and chants say, or have said for them. Other promises. called "implied war- replacement if defective; free warranty service only at manufacturer's service facility, although ranties." are made for merchants because of what a buyer has a right to any authorized dealer may accept unit for return expect from a sale. even if he wasn't "sold." What buyers usually think of to company; free warranty parts at dealer's place of business or shop of manufacturer (for car- as warranties-those cards and promises that the manufacturer sends tridges, either cartridge body or stylus is re- along with his product --may really be attempts to bypass legal obligations. placed-no attempt made to repair); buyer pays shipping costs one way; resale, damage in tran- In effect, they aren't \\ a rranties at all: they are warranty disclaimers. More sit to company, any unauthorized repair or modification not covered; company backs dealers if about them later. dealer decides to refund; replacement consid- How is an express warrant). made? This question is a bit complicated ered if fast effective repair not feasible; will replace with new model if old model not in stock. and requires a few paragraphs and some simplification. An express warranty is made when a seller or a manufacturer makes an "assertion of fact" AUTOMATIC RADIO: ALL MODELS. Valid for original owner; complete warranty on card; offers 3 that plays some part in the purchaser's decision to buy. The assertion mos. free parts and labor; free warranty labor doesn't have to play a decisive role. It just has to be part of "the basis of the and parts at authorized service stations; buyer pays shipping costs one way; resale, and In bargain." that is. the decision to buy or the sale itself. Usually. it's pretty

46 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE easy to tell what an assertion of fact is. The specifications in the Sonavox some cases unauthorized repairs and modifications not covered; refunds not considered; brochure were "assertions of fact" and if the machine doesn't meet those replacement considered if factory unable to cure specs. the buyer is entitled to his remedy for breach of express warranty. recurring repair problem. Mere expressions of opinion-sales talk or puffing-do not create any ex- BANG & OLUFSEN: ALL MODELS. Valid for original buyer; complete warranty on card; offers free press warranty. What's the difference? Well, courts all over the country labor end parts (speakers, 5 yrs.; tuners, ampli- have been puzzling over that one for years. What it comes down to is con- fiers, receivers, 36 mos.; tape recorders, turntables. 12 mos.): free warranty labor and parts at text. If the salesman seems to have technical knowledge, then his state- authorized service stations; buyer pays all shipments of opinion based on that knowledge look pretty much like assertions ping costs; resale, damage in transit, unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthor- of fact, and his employer-the dealer-can be held to them. ized modification not covered, refund or What about the test reports that Harold got from Sonavox? You may replacement not considered. remember the Sonavox brochure had conservative specs. while the test re- BENJAMIN ELECTRONICS: MIRACORD CHANGERS, LENCO RECORD PLAYERS. Valid for ports' data were fairly impressive. No attempt was made in the accom- original owner; complete warranty on card; of- panying letter to discount the more impressive figures in the reports. Since fers 12 mos. free labor and parts; free warranty labor and parts available at authorized service the manufacturer adopted the test reports for the purpose of selling the statiors; manufacturer may require unit be sent machine, I think he is stuck with the more impressive specifications in the to factory in case of difficulty at warranty station; resale, damage in transit to company, any test reports. If the reports vary in impressiveness, probably the least im- unauthorized repair or modification not covered; pressive of them would bind the manufacturer unless the specs in the bro- refunds not considered; replacement considered if customer is not satisfied with normal war- chure are better. I have little authority to back me up on this, but the acts ranty repair. CONCORD DIVISION, ALL MODELS. Identical to preceding warranty except offers 12 of the manufacturer in making the reports part of his advertising are so mos. free parts, 90 days labor for cassette close to a direct adoption of their more impressive specifications that a recorders, record changers, speakers; 24 mos. parts and labor on "Mark" series receivers; consumer -sensitive court would have little difficulty in sticking the manu- other receivers, 12 mos. parts and labor. facturer with them. BOSE MODELS 901 & 501. Valid for original The test reports also bind High Fidelity Oasis. When Harold asked the buyer; complete warranty on card; offers 24 salesman about Sonavox, the salesman referred to Sonavox's material and mos. free labor and parts; free warranty labor and parts available at selected service stations test reports which he used to sell Harold on the Sonavox. To me, that is and factory; buyer pays shipping costs one way; resale, unauthorized repairs resulting in dam- enough for an express warranty to Harold by Oasis. Harold therefore has age, alteration of serial numbers not covered; re- express warranties from the manufacturer and from High Fidelity Oasis: fund or replacement is offered by some dealers during a limited time period; may replace with and if the machine does not behave as it is expressly warranted to do. Har- newer model if old one has been superseded old has rights against both. and not in stock, subject to review of individual Express warranties are very hard to worm out of Harold has pretty case. solid promises and the only way he can lose them. as a practical matter, is BOZAK: No reply. See introduction. if signs an agreement with the store or the manufacturer in which these BRITISH INDUSTRIES: ALL GARRARD MODELS. Valid for original and subsequent owners: refer- two statements appear: ( I ) That there are no warranties express or implied ence made to warranty on card; offers 3 mos. free labor and parts; free warranty labor and other than those in the written agreement; and (2) that the parties agree parts at authorized service station, shop of man- that the agreement between them is completely contained in the written ufactu'er; buyer pays shipping costs one way; damage in transit, any unauthorized repair or contract. All time -purchase or "conditional sale" contracts have this kind modification not covered; refund and replace- of language in them. A conditional sale contract is usually a two-part sales ment considered at company's discretion. ALL WHARFEDALE MODELS. Valid for original buyer; agreement. The first part gives the dealer. or the person to whom the complete warranty on card; offers 12 mos. free agreement is assigned. the right to take back the goods if the buyer doesn't labor and parts; free warranty labor and parts at authorized service stations,free labor at make all of the payments. The second part of the agreement is a negotiable dealer's place of business, free parts at shop of manufacturer; buyer pays shipping costs one note, which is signed by the buyer and is given to a bank or finance com- way; manufacturer may require unit to be sent to pany (called the "holder" of the note) in exchange for money paid to the factory if no authorized service station near CJS- tomer or if nature of repair requires manufac- dealer. The holder can now get the amount due from the buyer even if the turer's facilities for best repairs; resale, damage buyer would have the right to a refund from the seller. This may sound in transit, unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthorized modification not covered; unfair. but that's the way it works out sometimes. If you buy sound equip- refund not considered; replacement considered ment-or anything with a similar warranty-and want to keep what you on individual basis. have in the way of warranty protection. don't sign the credit agreement BSR: TURNTABLE MODELS 1000/X, 4800/X, 510/ X, 5500/X, 210/X, 6500/X, 310/X, 510A/X, 610/ form that is given you. Either pay cash, use your charge card. or borrow X, 610A/X, 610A/XW, MP60/X, 1100/X, 2000/ the money from a bank or loan company to pay for the goods. If the sales- X, 4700/X, 710/X, 810/X. Valid for original buyer; complete warranty on card, offers 12 man starts breathing hard and tells you that you are getting a bargain and mos. free parts and labor and exchange within 7 the same deal might not be around if you delay.it's no bargain. Doni sign! days of purchase (if unit substantially defective); free warranty labor and parts available at This holds true for implied warranties as well as express warranties.Never any authorized dealer or service station; buyer pays all shipping costs; manufacturer may re- buy on conditional sales agreement if you can help it. And if you can't help quire nit to be sent to factory in case of new it. wait-you might not be able to afford it yet. (This advice applies to cars models where field service literature not yet available; resale, damage in transit to company; too. Moreover, bank loans may cost you less in the long run than the loans unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any you get through the seller.) unauthorized modification not covered; refund not considered; replacement considered if part Oasis also made animplied warrantyto Harold. He bought a machine required for repair unavailable or unit is irre- for a specified price. He has a right to a machine of fair average quality in parable; will replace with newer model if old model out of stock. MODELS TD85, TD85-W, that price class. Even if the salesman had stood about and said nothing, TD85-W/4 TAPE DECKS. Same as preceding war- and even if Harold had just walked into the shop. pointed to the machine. ranty except offers 3 mos. free parts and labor. and said "Ring it up!." High Fidelity Oasis would have given Harold an DAVIC CLARK CO.: HEADPHONES. Valid for origi-

MAY 1973 47 nal owner; complete warranty on card; offers 12 implied warranty of "merchantability" with the deal unless the store was mos. free parts and labor; free warranty service and parts at shop of manufacturer; buyer pays all pretty explicit in disclaiming it. (If the item has a conspicuous tag on it that shipping costs; manufacturer may require unit of dis- be sent to factory; resale, any unauthorized re- says "as is," beware! It had better be a cheapie.) The technicalities pair or modification not covered; unit replaced if claiming this implied warranty are not a proper matter for discussion here. defective within 10 days of purchase. If you spot anything on the tag, or in any form given to you to sign, that CONCORD-see Benjamin Electronics. looks like it disclaims any and all warranties. think twice before you buy. CRAIG: ALL MODELS. Valid for original buyer; Usually, you won't have to sign anything other than a charge ticket. The complete warranty on card; offers 3 mos. free la- floor samples won't have warnings on them, and you'll get your machine bor and parts, replacement if unit defective; free warranty labor and parts at authorized service in a box unmarked with conspicuous disclaimers. So in all probability this stations; buyer pays shipping costs one way; warranty subsists. Of course. you'd better go with the express warranties if manufacturer may require unit to be sent to factory for repair; resale, damage in transit, any you can prove them. unauthorized repair or modification not covered; refund considered in extreme cases; will con- If Harold had said to the salesman. "I want a machine that will enable sider replacing with newer model if old model me to make an accurate recording at 15 ips of a female choir singingpatri- has been superseded and is no longer in stock. otic songs" and the salesman (a) knew that Harold was relying on his (the CROWN INTERNATIONAL: TAPE RECORDERS. salesman's) judgment to pick out a machine that will do that and (b) picks Valid for original buyer; reference made to warranty on card, complete warranty packed with one out and sells it to him. Harold has an implied warranty fromthe store each unit; offers 12 mos. free parts, 3 mos. free that the machine will be fit for the purpose he described to the salesman. labor; free warranty labor and parts available at authorized service stations and factory; buyer This is an easy warranty for the store to disclaim. Again, be careful of what pays all shipping costs; resale, unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any modification re- you sign. sulting in a defect not covered; refunds not considered; replacement considered in cases of repetitive or gross defects or unusual customer problems; will replace with newer model for cost Did Harold Lose Anything by Sending in the Warranty Card? difference if older model has been superseded and is not in stock. PREAMPLIFIERS, AMPLIFIERS, SPEAKERS. Identical to preceding warranty ex- There are two things you should know right off about warranty cards: If cept offers 36 mos. free labor and parts and vou don't see them before you buy. they are not part of the sales transac- company pays shipping both ways within continental U.S. tion, so you are not bound by anything on them if you don't mail them in: DOKORDER, INC.: ALL MODELS. Valid for origi- unless they specifically mention the obligations of the dealer, they have no nal owner; complete warranty on card; offers effect on the warranties, express or implied, made by the dealer. They are free parts (24 mos. open -reel decks, 12 mos. all others), free service (6 mos. cassette decks, addressed only to the manufacturer. This holds true even if the card in- turntables, compacts, 12 mos. all others); free cludes the name and address of the dealer and a stub that is to be sent to warranty labor and parts available at authorized service stations; buyer pays all shipping costs; the dealer to verify registration of your warranty (as is the case with Teac). resale, any unauthorized repair or modification not covered; refund not considered; replace- There are many variations on warranty promises made by manufac- ment considered onlyin exceptional cases turers. Most of them amount to this: If the machine goes bad within a pe- where there is a recurrent service problem with unit. riod of time, they will repair it. Implicit in this is the further statement. "but you can't have your money back and you can't have a replacement if the DYNACO, INC.: ALL ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. Valid for original and subsequent owner; refer- thing falls apart."As you will see below, the warranty card may have little ence made to warranty on card; offers 12 mos. effect on your rights. The only problem is that your rights may not be free parts and labor; free warranty service and parts available at dealer's place of business or worth pursuing. shop of the manufacturer; free service also at authorized service stations, but free parts are It would be of great service if the manufacturers would explain their optional; buyer pays shipping costs one way so-called warranties to buyers. Buyers often think they are getting some- (wired products only); unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthorized modi- thing when in most cases they are actually being asked to give up some- fication not covered; refund not considered, but thing-the right to get their money back or a replacement if the machine replacement considered in extreme cases where factory service cannot cure a persistent won't function. Some warranty promises do include substantial benefits. problem. KITS. Warranty service available at au- Revox, for example. has a rather generous warranty which allows the thorized service stations or factory; buyer pays all shipping costs: free parts under 12 mos. buyer to have free parts and service for a year and then some parts re- guarantee; service charge stated in owner's placement for the rest of the time he keeps the machine. However. because manual, usually ranges from $5 to $17.50; guarantee on service (90 days) and parts (12 mos.); Revox does not pay dealers for service costs, the only person who will serv- incorrect or incomplete assembly may void warranty. LOUDSPEAKERS. Similar to main electron- ice the machine free under warranty is the dealer from whom the machine ics warranty except: offers 12 mos. free labor was bought. 11' the dealer stops selling Revox or if the buyer moves to an- and 5 yrs. free speaker drivers (provided no abuse): company pays return transportation if other city.orwants to change shops because the dealer's service depart- speaker acoustically defective, but cabinet ment is poor. then as a practical matter, the buyer is stuck with labor costs damage from transit is excluded; replacement considered at company option. the first year. unless of course each time something goes wrong he sends it back to Revox (at his own expense). There is nothing in the advertising EICO: No reply. See introduction. literature or in the warranty statement itself that gives the buyer any warn- ELECTRO-VOICE: ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. this Valid for original and subsequent owners; part of ing of limitation on the buyer's option to get free service under the warranty on card, complete statement in instruc- warranty. McIntosh, on the other hand. pays its dealers for work done un- tion manual or on specification sheet with unit; offers 36 mos. free parts, 12 mos. labor, replace- der the warranty, so the McIntosh buyer can go toanyMcIntosh dealer for ment ifunit substantially or totally defective; warranty work. Moreover. on most (perhaps all) of its equipment. free warranty labor and parts at authorized service station or factory; buyer pays shipping costs McIntosh will refund the price under its warranty. A majority of the re- one way; unauthorized repairs resulting in dam- maining outfits pay a flat rate for service to their dealers. Dealers are not age, any unauthorized modification, operation under other than specified conditions not coy - overly fond of servicing other dealers' sales.

4S HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE ered: refund not considered: replacement con- consider refunds, but will consider replacement sidered if unit can be more easily replaced than sign nent of shipping costs at company discre- if field and factory service are totally ineffective: tion: manufacturer may require unit to be sent to repaired: will replace with newer model if old will exchance for new model of comparable model has been superseded and not in stock. factcry for repair: resale, damage in transit to price if buyer's model has been superseded and coin any. unauthorized repair resulting in dam- SPEAKERS. Identical to preceding warranty ex- is not in stock. cept offers 5 yrs. free labor and parts. MICRO- age, any unauthorized modification not covered; refund considered on individual case basis:re- PHONES. Identical to preceding warranty except FRAZIER. INC.: ALL LOUDSPEAKERS. Valid for offers lifetime guarantee: professional line also placement considered if unit cannot be repaired carries 24 mos. unconditional operating guaran- original and subsequent owners; complete war- within warranty period. tee for repair or replacement. ranty on care: offers 5 yrs. free parts and labor: free warranty parts and labor available at any au- INFINITY SYSTEMS: ALL MODELS. Valid for origi- thorized dealer: unauthorized repairs resulting ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES (JANszEri): ALL nal and subsequent owners: complete warranty in damage, any unauthorized modification not on card: offers 5 yrs. free labor and parts; free MODELS. Valid for original buyer; complete war- covered: refunds not considered: replacement ranty on card; offers 36 mos. free parts and la- warranty labor and parts available at authorized considered it unit defective due to original mate- service stations, free parts at any authorized bor: free warranty service and parts available rials or workmanship: will replace with newer at any authorized dealer or service station; buyer dealer. free labor at some dealers: buyerpays all model for cost difference it old model no longer shipping costs: damage in transit to company, pays shipping costs one way: resale, damage in in stock. unauthorized repair resulting transit; unauthorized repairs resulting in dam- in damage not covered(reasonablemodificationswillbe age, any unauthorized modification not covered; GARRARD-see British Industries. will consider replacement if cabinet is defective: allowed); refund considered if unit completely will not consider refund; will exchange for a new unsuitable to customer: replacement consid- model for the difference in cost, a defective HARMAN-KARDON: HARMAN-KARDON & CITA- ered in cases of unusual problems. model that has been superseded and is no TION SPEAKERS. Valid for original buyer: bill of longer in stock. sale required: reference made to warranty on JANSZEN-see Electronic Industries. card: offers 5 yrs. free parts, 12 mos. free labor: free warranty parts and labor available at author- ELPA MARKETING (THORENS. FERROGRAPH): No JENSEN SOUND LABORATORIES: ALLLOUD- reply. See introduction. ized service stations or factory: buyer pays ship- SPEAKERS. Valid for the original buyer; complete ping costs one way: resale, any unauthorized re- warranty on card; offers 5 yrs. free labor and pair or modification not covered: -efunds not EMPIRE: ALL MODELS. (Company says parts on speaker systems, 1yr. on replacement itat- considered: replacement if unit found defective speasers: free warranty labor and parts at shop tempts to handle all warranty policy on an indi- when returned to factory within 30 days of pur- of the manufacturer, free labor at authorized vidual case basis and thus information supplied chase: replacement with newer model if older is only a guideline.) Valid for original and sub- service stations, free parts at dealer's place of model no longer in stock is considered if old unit business: company pays all shipping costs:re- sequent owners: offers 90 days free parts and la- has an insoluble repair problem directly result- bor on cartridges. 12 mos. on speakers and turn- sale, damage in transit to manufacturer,any tables: try to avoid having customer ship to ing from original manufacture. CAD -5 CASSETTE unau horized repair or modification not covered; DECK. Identical to preceding warranty except of- refunds not considered: replacement consid- factory for repair by arranging for local repair on fers 12 mos. free parts. 3 mos. tree labor. HK bulkier items: refund and replacement handled ered if customer not satisfied with repairs;may on individual basis. 1000 CASSETTE DECK. 8+ CARTRIDGE DECK. Iden- offer newer model for cost differenceifold tical to preceding warranty except 12 mos. free model has been superseded and is no longer In parts and labor. RECEIVER MODELS 230A. 330A. stock. EPICURE PRODUCTS. INC.: ALL LOUDSPEAKERS. Valid for original owner: complete warranty on 630. 930, 50+. 75+. 100+, 150+. Identical to card: offers 5 yrs. free labor and parts (except preceding warranty except 24 mos. free parts JVC, INC.: ALL MODELS. Valid for original buyer: model 50. which is 24 mos.): free warranty labor and labor. CITATION LINE (EXCEPT SPEAKERS). complete warranty on card; offers 12 to 24 mos. and parts available at any authorized dealer. Identical to preceding warranty except for kit free parts (models unspecified) and 3 to 24mos. line. CITATION KITS. Same coverage as for wired free service (models unspecified): free warranty dealer's place of business or the shop of the products: factory work on kits at 535 per hour. manufacturer: written authorization required for parts and labor available at any authorized when unit no assembled according to instruc- dealer or service station; manufacturermay re- shipment: buyer pays shipping costs one way tions: 90 -day guarantee on factory service and quire units to be returned to factory; resale, (original cartons and packing must be used): re- any parts. unauthorized modification not covered: sale. damage in transit if improperly packed. any refund not normally considered: replacement unauthorized repair or modification not covered: refund or replacement considered only if unit HEATH: ALL WIRED PRODUCTS. Valid for original considered in cases of extreme dissatisfaction; buyer: complete warranty on card: offers 12 will replace for newer model if old modeno lost in transit through manufacturer's fault. mos. free pains and labor; free warranty service longer in stock. and parts at any authorized dealer or service sta- ERCONA: ALL MODELS. Valid for original buyer; tion or by mai ; buyer pays all shippirg costs; re- complete warranty on card: offers 12 mos. free KENWOOD: ALL MODELS. Valid for original and sale, any unauthorized modification not cov- subsequent owners; complete warranty on card; labor and parts: free warranty labor and parts ered: replacement considered available at any authorized dealer or service sta- ifunable to offers (12 mos. free labor and parts, head- tion: buyer pays shipping costs one way: resale. satisfactorily repair unit: will consider refund or phones; 12 mos. parts. 90 days labor, tape any unauthorized repair or modification not cov- replacement with newer model if buyer's model recorders: all other components 24 mos. parts ered: refund not considered: replacement con- has been superseded and is no longer in stock. and labor: mechanical parts of compacts not sidered if unable to repair unit: will replace with ALL KITS. Se -vice available at factory or any covered): free warranty labor and parts available newer unit for cost difference if old unit has been Heathkit Electronics Center; otters free parts at authorized service stations: buyer pays ship- superseded and is not in stock. and service end shipping costs on factory de- ping costs one way; damage intransit, any fects: fixed fee per kit for correcting customer unauthorized repair or modification not covered: construction errors: new 90 -day warranty after refund and replacement considered on individ- ESS: ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. Valid for original ual basis. owner: none of warranty on card. complete war- repair by company: acid -core solder not cov- ranty sent upon receipt of registration card: of- ered: refund for unopened kits: rep acement it freight damage. Additional services: zree advice KLH: ALL SPEAKERS EXCEPT MODELS NINE. '03. fers 36 mos. tree labor and parts, replacement if and assistance to kit builders at Heathkit Elec- unit substantially defective: tree warranty labor 708. AND RADIO SPEAKERS. Valid for original and and parts available at authorized service sta- tronics Centers: "Jiffy Service'' for on -the -spot subsequent owners: offers 5 yrs. free labor and tions. shop of manufacturer: resale. any repairs, if possible: phone or mail technical con- parts; free warranty labor and parts available at sultant service: replaceable modules inkits authceized service stations or factory; freeserv- unauthorized repair or modification not covered; tested free. in or out of warranty: out -of -warranty refunds not considered; will replace with newer ice alto at any authorized dealer; buyerpays all model if old model has been superseded and is modules repaired for 55. usually within 48 hrs. shipp ng costs: unauthorized repair resulting in no longer in stock. LOUDSPEAKERS. Identical to damage, any unauthorized modification, units preceding warranty except offers 5 yrs. free la- HITACHI SALES CORP.: ALL MODELS. Valid for with altered serial numbers not covered: refund bor and parts on conventional transducers. life- original buyer: complete warranty on card: of- considered at company option: replacementun- fers free parts and labor from 12 to 36 mos. de- der company option in extreme circumstances time warranty to original owner for Heil Air Mo- pending on model. 5 yrs. parts and 12 mos. labor when all repair efforts tion Transformers; free warranty parts and labor fail. TAPE RECORDERS, on transistors. 90 days parts and labcr on record HEADPHONES. Identical to preceding warranty ex- also available at dealer's place of business. changers. and styli for initial failure: free war- cept (tiers 12 mos. free labor and parts. Auro- ranty labor and parts available at authorized FERROGRAPH-see Elpa Marketing. MATIC TURNTABLES. Identical to preceding war- service stations; buyer pays all shipping costs: ranty except offers 24 mos. free parts. 36mos. resale, damage in transit. unauthorized repairs free labor. TUNERS. AMPLIFIERS. RADIOS. FISHER RADIO: ALL MODELS. Valid for original RECEIV- resulting in Camage, any unauthorized modi- ERS, MUSIC SYSTEMS. Identical to preceding war- buyer: complete warranty on card: otters 24 fication not ccvered; refunds not considered: re- ranty except offers 24 mos. free parts and labor. mos. free parts and labor on all models except placement with newer model considered if can- 90 days labor. 12 mos. parts on phono and tape not repair consistent problems and cider model KLIPSCH: ALL MODELS. Company states that It units: free warranty service and parts at author- no longer in stock. has no formal warranty policy. but will replace ized service stations, dealer's place of business faulty equipment "within limits." or shop of manufacturer: free parts also avail- IMF: ALL MODELS. Valid for original buyer: com- able at any authorized dealer: buyer pays all plete warranty on card: offers from 2 to 5 yrs. free shipping costs: resale, unauthorized repairs re- KOSS ALL MODELS. Valid for original and sub- sulting in damage, any unauthorized modi- parts and labor depending on model: free war- sequent owners: complete warranty on card: of- ranty labor and parts available at authorized fers 12 mos. free labor and parts: free warranty fication, units with altered serial numbers. units dealers. free labor also available used on wrong line voltage not covered: do not at dealer's labor and parts available at authorized service place of business and shop of manufacturer: as- stations, factory; buyer pays shipping charges

MAY1973 one way; unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthorized modification not covered; In the case of kits. warranty promises are even more problematic. Har- refunds not considered; replacement consid- man-Kardon will give a fairly strong warranty for a kit built according to ered in cases of recurring failure or Inability to repair; will replace with newer modelifold the directions it has supplied. In fact. this warranty is not too dissimilar to model has been superseded and is not in stock. the one it gives for its fully constructed sets. Dynaco, on the other hand, LAFAYETTE: RECEIVERS, TUNERS, AMPLIFIERS. gives less comprehensive protection to the kit builder on paper (although Valid for original buyer; complete warranty on card; offers 24 mos. free labor and parts, full re- if something is wrong with what you bought, Dynaco's policy, like that of fund within 30 days if customer dissatisfied and many other audio manufacturers, is often made flexible to satisfy a cus- unit is in reasonably good shape and has not been abused, replacement at company option if tomer). But its written "warranty" provides for free replacement of parts. unit initially defective; free warranty labor and while the builder must pay labor costs at the regular rate if the repairs are parts at dealer's place of business, shop of manufacturer; buyer pays all shipping costs; resale, made at Dynaco's plant. (After they repair the kit. H -K gives a 90 -day full damage in transit to company, unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthorized warranty on the item, and will even pay shipping costs during that 90 -day modification not covered; refunds and replace- period.) Of course, the dealer may be much more generous than Dynaco in ments considered under previously stated conditions. STEREO RECORD PLAYERS, TAPE RECORD- such cases and for that reason it pays to buy a kit from a dealer rather than ERS, FOUR -CHANNEL SYSTEMS. Identical to from a distant discount house. In fact, now that I think of it, it is usually preceding warranty except offers 3 mos. free labor and parts. INTEGRATED SYSTEMS. Identical to better to buy from a dealer than a mail-order house. The dealer is often preceding warranty except offers free labor and more willing and more able to give service after the sale, and if something parts for 5 yrs. on speakers, 24 mos. on receivers, tuners, amplifiers, and 3 mos. on tape goes wrong, he is usually easier to yell at. recorders and record changers. SPEAKER SYS- TEMS. Identical to preceding warranty except of- There are two options with a warranty card that comes with the item fers 5 yrs. free parts and labor, excluding ex- purchased: Send it in. or throw it away. If you don't send it in. you retain posed areas open to damage (cabinetry, grille cloth, etc.). the obligation of the dealer and the manufacturer to make good on their warranties. As I mentioned earlier, the warranty restrictions in such a JAMES B. LANSING (JBL): ALL LOUDSPEAKERS. Valid for original and subsequent owners; com- card-including the scare language about sending it in within ten (or so) plete warranty on card; valid for 5 yrs. for all pur- days-are no part of the sales bargain, and won't negate anything the law poses, including free parts and labor (will repair or replace, at company option, any transducer, would otherwise have conferred. Even if the warranty were written out in free of charge, during its entire normal life if factory inspection shows evidence of original man- the ad. as part of the company's advertising, it is still doubtful that the lim- ufacturing defect); free warranty parts and labor iting language in that warranty would play any role. First, it will not neat authorized service station or factory; buyer pays shipping costs one way; manufacturer may gate express warranties made by the same company. Second, it will not require unit be sent to it when authorized servic- negate the implied warranty of merchantability because its language is ing dealer cannot determine warranty applica- bility or when no authorized servicing dealer is both inconspicuous and uncommunicative to the ordinary buyer. The ad- within reasonable distance of the customer; vertised limitations play no role whatever with regard to the dealer's war- damage by abnormal use, unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthorized modi- ranties, whether express or implied. That is a separate matter, separately fication not covered; refund considered where circumstances warrant and no other option handled. available; replacement with newer model for old What if the card is sent in? The obligations owed you by the dealer one no longer in stock at dealer's option. KITS. Identical to main warranty. are not affected unless the dealer is in some way an actual party to the warranty card for reasons other than the manufacturer's obligation to pay for LENCO-see Benjamin Electronics. service. (It is possible for the warranty card to mention the dealer and limit MAGNAVOX: RECEIVERS, SPEAKERS, RECORD his obligation as well. This is not the usual practice, however; the dealer's CHANGERS. Valid for original owner; valid for 24 mos. for all purposes, including free labor and name and address are usually included purely for informational and regis- parts; free warranty labor and parts available at any authorized dealer or service station; resale, trational purposes.) The manufacturer's obligation is still unaffected inso- damage in transit to the manufacturer, any far as express warranties are concerned (but see below). There being no unauthorized repair or modification not covered; refund considered if customer is totally dissatis- real need, in the light of advertised claims, to worry too much about im- fied; replacement considered if cannot effec- plied warranties binding the manufacturer, we'll skip over them. They be- tively or economically complete repairs. OPEN - REEL, 8 -TRACK, CASSETTE TAPE RECORDERS. Identi- come important only when personal injury or property damage results cal to preceding warranty except otters 3 mos. from the use of the machine. In such cases, the warranty card's language free parts and labor (except models K8843 and K8844, which offer 12 mos. with repairs at the will have little limiting effect on the manufacturer's liability. factory); manufacturer may require unit to be sent to factory. The card actually helps the manufacturer by limiting the buyer's legal remedies against the manufacturer to replacement and repair for a period MARANTZ: ALL PRODUCTS EXCEPT SPEAKERS & HEADPHONES. Valid for original owner; reference of time. But if the repair is ineffective, or if replacement parts don't do the made to warranty on card; otters 36 mos. free parts and labor; free warranty labor and parts job. this limitation becomes ineffective. The Uniform Commercial Code available at authorized service station or com- provides that remedies may be limited by agreement. but if the remedy pany -owned service facilities; buyer pays shipping costs one way in U.S.; resale, any unauthor- that remains "fails of its essential purpose." which is in this case making ized repair or modification not covered; refunds the machine function as it ought to. the buyer can ignore the limitation- not considered; replacement considered when factory shop cannot repair to meet manufac- pretend it wasn't there. turer's standards; will consider replacement A good argument can be made that in most cases the warranty card is with newer model if older model has been superseded and is no longer In stock. SD -1 HEAD- completely ineffective against the buyer anyway. After all, the buyer usu- PHONES 8 SPEAKERS. Similar to preceding war- ally gets nothing in exchange for his right to damages. The seller will al- ranty except offers free labor and parts (speaker components, 36 mos.; cabinetry against manu- ways prefer to try to repair the machine rather than lose the sale. The man- facturing defects, 24 mos.; headphones, 90 ufacturer would rather send replacement parts than a new machine or the days). buyer's money. All the buyer gets is the seller's or the manufacturer's pref- MASTERWORK: ALL MODELS. Valid for original and subsequent owners; sales slip required; erence. Big deal! On the other hand. the seller may offer the buyer more complete warranty on card; offers 12 mos. free than the law would ordinarily allow the buyer (e.g.. effective. lifetime parts

50 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE parts and labor; free warranty service andparts free labor also at factory, free parts also at re- RADFORD-see Audionics. available at authorized service station; unau- gional parts depots; buyer pays shipping costs thorized repairs resulting in damage, or any one way; manufacturer may require unit to be RADIO SHACK: SPEAKERS. Valid for original and unauthorized modification not covered; refunds sent to factory in case of unusual repair prob- subsequent owners; complete warranty on card; or replacement not regularly considered. lems; damage in transit to company. unauthor- offers free parts and service, 5 yrs. for Solo and ized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthor- MC series, lifetime for Minimus, Optimus, and McINTOSH: ALL MODELS. The company states ized modification not covered; refund considered Nova series; free warranty labor and parts avail- that itis considering switching from a formal it customer not initially satisfied with unit, or able at any authorized dealer; unauthorized re- written policy. Warranty service is available at if repeated service fails to correct problem; repairs resulting in damage, any unauthorized any dealer, and the company will refund. All placement considered when repair unfeasible, modification not covered; refund or replacement claims are considered on an individual basis. or if service is delayed for more than 45 days; considered duringfirst10 days. RECEIVERS, will exchange for newer model if old model has TUNERS, AMPLIFIERS, DECODERS. Similar tO pre- MILOVAC INTERNATIONAL: ALL MILOVAC & been superseded and is not in stock. ceding warranty except offers 12 mos. free parts AIWA MODELS. Valid for original buyer; complete and labor; free warranty service or parts avail- warranty on card; offers 36 mos. free labor and PERPETUUM-EBNER: (P -E) ALL MODELS. Valid able at any Radio Shack store; unauthorized parts; tree warranty labor and parts available at for original owner; complete warranty on card; modifications are covered; refund or replace- any authorized dealer or service station; buyer offers 12 mos. free labor and parts; free warranty ment .s store's option, if unable to repair. TAPE pays all shipping costs; resale, any unauthor- labor and parts at authorized service stations or RECORDERS, CHANGERS, HEADPHONES. Similar to ized repair or modification not covered; refund Impro Industries service department; resale. preceding warranty except offers 3 mos. free not considered; replacement considered where any unauthorized repair or modification not cov- parts and labor. serious defect obviates exchange rather than re- ered; refund and replacement not considered. pair. RCA CONSUMER ELECTRONICS: Company PHASE LINEAR CORP.: MODELS 400 & 700 has 3 separate warranties. Exchange warranty MIRACORD-see Benjamin Electronics. POWER AMPLIFIERS. Valid for original buyer; com- (applies to radios, tape recorders, portable plete warranty on card; offers 36 mos. free parts phonos with "Z" as second letter of model num- MOTOROLA: ALL MODELS. Valid for original and and labor and replacement of unit it defective; ber): Valid for original and subsequent owners; subsequent owners; complete warranty on card; free warranty labor and parts available at any au- offers exchange through dealer during first 90 offers 12 to 24 mos. free parts, 3 to 12 mos. free thorized dealer or service station; resale, any days. Parts & labor warranty (applies to stereo labor depending on model (unspecified); free unauthorized repair or modification not covered; consoles covered for in -home service by local warranty service and parts at authorized service refund considered if the manufacture ships new servicing agency of consumer's choice; other stations; buyer pays all shipping costs, but is unit that doesn't work; replacement considered units with "Y" as second letter of model number asked to hand -carry portable units to servicer; if unit cannot easily be repaired. covered for carry -in service charge at local ser- unauthorized repairs, any unauthorized modi- vicing agency): Valid for original and sub- fications not covered; refund or replacement PHILCO-FORD: ALL MODELS. Valid for original sequent owners; offers exchange within first 90 considered if unit has excessive history of serv- owner; none of warranty specified or card; spe- days; free parts and labor (parts may be new or ice problems. cific periods for free parts and labor unspecified; rebuff); free labor or parts at any authorized free warranty service available at authorized dealer or customer's local servicing agency. Re- NIKKO ELECTRONICS CORP.: RECEIVERS, AM- service station; resale, unauthorized modi- turn & repair warranty (applies to radios, tape PLIFIERS, PREAMPLIFIERS, TUNERS, HEADPHONES, fications not covered; refund or replacement recorders, portable phonos with "W" as second FOUR -CHANNEL UNITS, SPEAKERS. Valid for original considered for reasons of quality, reliability, or letter of model number): Valid for original and and subsequent owners; offers 24 mos. free serviceability as determined by company; will subsequent owners; offers exchange within 90 parts and labor; free warranty parts and labor consider exchange for new model of equivalent days and free labor and parts through factory; available at authorized service stations, free price or refund if buyer's model has been super- buyer pays shipping costs one way. service also at factory; buyer pays shipping seded and is no longer stocked. costs one way; manufacturer may require unit to RECTILINEAR: ALL MODELS. Valid for original be sent to factory for repairs; unauthorized re- PICKERING: ALL MODELS. Valid for original and and subsequent owners; complete warranty on pairs resulting in damage or any unauthorized subsequent owners; reference made to warranty card; offers 5 yrs. free labor and parts; free war- modification not covered; refund or replacement on card; offers replacement if defective (no time ranty abor and parts at authorized service sta- considered if repairs for same defect are ineffec- limit stated); free warranty parts and service tive after three times; will exchange for a new tion, shop of manufacturer; buyer pays shipping available at factory; buyer pays all shipping costs one way to manufacturer, may differif model for the difference in cost if buyer's model costs; manufacturer may require unit to be sent shipped to service station; refund is dealer's op- has been superseded and is no longer in stock. to factory for service; refunds not considered. tion; replacement considered by individual case. NORELCO: AUTO & RADIO CASSETTE UNITS, CAS- PILOT: ALL MODELS. Valid for original and sub- SETTE CHANGERS, & RECORDERS. Valid for original sequent owners; none of warranty on card, com- REVOX CORP.: A77 TAPE RECORDER. Valid for and subsequent owners; complete warranty on plete warranty on product literature; offers 24 original buyer; complete warranty on card (U.S. card; offers 3 mos. free labor and parts; free war- mos. free labor and parts; free warranty labor only); offers lifetime free parts to original owner, ranty labor and parts at authorized service sta- and parts available at authorized service sta- 12 mos. free labor; free warranty labor and parts tions; damage in transit to company; unauthor- tions; buyer pays all shipping costs; unauthor- available at dealer's place of business, shop of ized repairs resulting in damage, any unauthorized repair resulting in damage, any unauthor- manufacturer; buyer pays shipping costs one ized modification not covered; refunds not con- ized modification not covered. sidered; replacements handled on individual way; ,esale, damage in transit to company if basis by dealers. caused by inadequate packing, unauthorized re- U.S. PIONEER: HEADPHONES, TAPE EQUIPMENT, pairs resulting in damage, any unauthorized TURNTABLES, STEREO SYSTEMS. Valid for original modification not covered (warranty valid for all OLSON ELECTRONICS: TELEDYNE ELECTRONICS sections not damaged or modified); refund con- LINE, INCLUDING SPEAKERS. Valid for original owner: complete warranty on card; offers 12 buyer; proof of purchase required; complete mos. free labor and parts; free warranty labor sidered if valid fault cannot be fixed by Revox warranty on card; offers 24 mos. tree parts and and parts available at authorized service sta- and customer refuses replacement; replace- tions (no pars given to individual customers); ment considered Itvalid fault cannot be re- labor; free warranty parts and labor at any au- paired; will replace with newer model for cost thorized dealer or service station, free parts also buyer pays all shipping costs; resale, damage in by mail if need is established; buyer pays ship- transit, any unauthorized repair or modification difference if old model has been superseded and ping costs one way; resale, damage in transit to not covered; refund not considered; replace- not in Stock. MODEL A76 TUNER, A78 AMPLIFIER. ment at judgment of service department man- Identical to preceding warranty except offers 12 company, unauthorized repair resulting in dam- mos. free labor and parts. age not covered; refund considered on individ- agement. RECEIVERS, AMPLIFIERS, TUNERS. ELEC- ual basis; replacement considered if original TRONIC CROSSOVERS. Same as preceding war- unit fails to deliver stated performance; will pos- ranty except offers 24 mos. free labor and parts. SAE: ALL MODELS. Valid for original owner; refer- LOUDSPEAKERS. Identical to preceding warranty ence to warranty appears on card; offers 5 yrs. sibly offer newer model for cost difference if old free parts and labor, except tubes, which are 1 model no longer in stock, but each case handled except offers 36 mos. free labor and parts. individually. yr.; free warranty labor and parts at any author- QUAD ACOLSTICAL MANUFACTURERS-see ized dealer or service station or at factory; buyer Audiophile Imports. pays all shipping costs (return authorization ONKYO: RECEIVERS. Valid for original and sub- must be obtained); resale, unauthorized repairs, sequent owners; complete warranty on card; of- RABCO: ALL MODELS. Valid for original buyer; unauthorized modifications not covered; do not fers 36 mos. free parts, 24 mos. labor; free war- reference made to warranty on card; offers 12 consider refund, but consider replacement on ranty labor and parts available at authorized mos. free pals and labor; free warranty labor individual case basis. service stations; buyer pays all shipping costs; and parts at authorized service stations or fac- damage in transit, any unauthorized repairs or tory; buyer pays shipping costs one way; manu- SANSUI: ALL COMPONENTS EXCEPT TAPE UNITS. modifications not covered; refunds and replace- facturer may !require unit to be sent to factory; re- Valid for original owner; complete warranty on ments not considered. SPEAKER SYSTEMS. Identi- sale, unauthorized repairs resulting In damage, card; offers 24 mos. free labor and parts; free cal to preceding warranty except offers 5 yrs. any unauthorized modification not covered; re- warranty labor and parts available at any author- free labor and parts. fund not considered; replacement r unit found ized dealer or service station; buyer pays all defective and returned to factory within 30 days shipping costs; resale, damage in transit, any PANASONIC: ALL MODELS. Valid for original and of purchase; replacement with newer model unauthorized repair or modification not covered; subsequent owners; complete warranty on card; considered if old model has been superseded refunds not considered; replacement consid- offers 24 mos. free labor and parts (In U.S. only); and is no longer In stock and if insoluble repair ered only during first 30 days through dealer. ALL free warranty labor and parts at authorized serv- problem is a direct result of original materials or TAPE EQUIPMENT. Identical to preceding warranty ice stations, authorized self -servicing dealers; workmanship. except offers 12 mos. free labor and parts.

MAN- 1973 51 SANYO: No reply. See introduction. and service free) in exchange for a limitation on the buyer's remedies SCINTREX-see Sharpe Audio Division. against the seller. In this case, the buyer is limited to the remedy spelled

SHARPE AUDIO DIV. (SCINTREX): ALL MODELS. out in the warranty card. This is so because, in effect, he bought greater Valid for original owner; complete warranty on protection from the manufacturer in exchange for accepting the limitation card; offers 12 mos. free labor and parts (except lifetime parts to original purchaser of model 770 spelled out in the card. and 24 mos. service on model Pro/500), and re- There is however an argument that the warranty card bindsa buyer placementifunitis defective; free warranty parts and labor at dealer's place of business or who sends it in, no matter what he gets in return. The Uniform Commercial shop ofmanufacturer; buyer pays shipping costs one way: manufacturer may require head- Code allows parties to agree to modify their contracts without "considera- phones to be returned to factory as skilled fac- tion." For example: If I agree to sell someone150sheets of Friflboard, but tory personnel provide most satisfactory repair; resale, unauthorized repairs resulting in dam- can't ship all of the sheets, the buyer can let me ship 100 and be bound by age, any unauthorized modification not covered; that modification. This holds true even if he calls off the whole deal, refund is dealer's option; replacement consid- or if ered if warranty repair unsatisfactory. he accepts the 100 and sues me for damages for the remainder. For this kind of modification, however, the Code requires an "agreement"or a SHERWOOD: RECEIVERS, TUNERS. AMPLIFIERS. "bargain." It is hard to accept the notion that a person who is induced by Valid for original owner: sales slip required; the manufacturer to think that he must send the card in if he is to get complete warranty on card: offers 36 mos. free any parts, 12 mos. free labor (except 36 mos. on protection at all is actually making a bargain with the manufacturer. Still, models SEL 200 and SEL 300 when returned to it's a possibility. In that case, however, even the express warranties made factory), and replacement ifunit substantially defective (subject to company inspection); free by the seller might be negated by the disclaimer clause in the card, thereby warranty labor and parts available at authorized service stations or the factory; buyer pays all taking away all the protection that the buyer has except that specifically shipping costs; manufacturer may require unit given him in the warranty card. It would be arguable that sucha result to be sent to factory to investigate unique problem reported by customer; resale. any unauthor- would be "unconscionable" and hence unattainable under the Code. But ized repair or modification not covered: refund the possibility of such a result should be weighed by theperson who sends not considered; replacement considered if unit has recurring component failure or severe inter- in the card. mittent problem: no policy on replacing with newer model if old model no longer in stock. Assuming, for one reason or another, that a buyer is bound by the limitations in the warranty card, he is bound by them only until they "fail of SHURE BROS.: MICROPHONES, PHONO CAR- TRIDGES. STYLI. Valid for original and subsequent their essential purpose." As I suggested earlier, the Uniform Commercial owners: reference made to warranty on card, Code allows the limitation of remedies only as longas the limitation is ef- complete warranty on product data sheet; offers 12 mos. free labor and parts, replacement if defective in giving the buyer what he thought he bought. Thus if Harold fective; free warranty labor and parts available at Ohrenklang returns his Sonavox tape recorder to the shop (or to theman- shop ofmanufacturer; buyer pays shipping costs one way; damage in transit, any modi- ufacturer's place of business) two or three times, and the machine still fication resulting in damage not covered; refund doesn't function well, Harold can disregard the limitation considered onlyif company directly involved on what he can with customer; replacement considered if unit do which appears in the warranty card (assuming he was bound by itto technically impractical to repair; stock always sufficient to cover replacements during one-yr. begin with). He has given the manufacturer and the dealer (here acting for warranty, but would consider exchange for the manufacturer) ample opportunity to fix his machine so that it isas war- newer model if owner's model was ever superseded and no longer stocked. ranted. Since it still won't work as it should, Harold is out from under the terms on the warranty card. Similarly, if the problem is related to parts SINCLAIR-see Audionics. that had to be replaced, and none of the replacement parts functionprop- SONY CORP.: ALL MODELS. Valid for original erly, Harold is not compelled to go back for more. He can now disregard buyer; complete warranty on card; offers 24 mos. free labor and parts; free warranty labor the warranty card limitations and make use of any remedy the law allows. and parts available at authorized dealers or service stations and Sony service centers: buyer pays all shipping costs: resale, damage in transit to company; any unauthorized repair or modification not covered; refunds and replacements Is Harold Stuck? Yes and No handled on individual basis; will replace with newer model ifolder model has been superseded and is no longer in stock. What the law giveth, practicality taketh away. Without going into what Harold might get if he fought for it, let's see if it is worth his while. Assume STANTON: No reply. See introduction. that Harold paid$650for his tape recorder. If he takes it to the dealer and STAX-see Audiophile Imports. demands his money back, the dealer may tell him to go peddle hispapers. SUPEREX: HEADPHONES. Valid for original and He may write a nasty letter to the manufacturer-and get one back. He subsequent owners; complete warranty on card: offers 24 mos. free labor. parts on most models then may have to get a lawyer who may cost him around $100or$200 plus (exceptions not noted): free warranty service at expenses. The resulting lawsuit will take a while and hence cost Harold factory; damage by pets, or if headphones over- driven not covered; refund within 7 days if unit more money. It may be cheaper for Harold to let the dealer try to fix the cannot be satisfactorily repaired. machine again or to pay for repairs elsewhere. Or Harold may find iteven SUPERSCOPE: AUDIO COMPONENTS EXCEPT TAPE cheaper to take a$150 lossand either sell the machine or trade it in. (In the RECORDERS. Valid for original and subsequent latter case, he may have to take a loss of$250or so, in which case making owners; complete warranty on card: offers 36 mos. free parts and labor: free warranty parts trouble may be worth it.) For less expensive equipment, remedies areeven and labor available at authorized service sta- $150 tions; buyer pays shipping costs both ways; any more illusory. If the cost of a piece of equipment is or $200, forget it; unauthorized repairs or modifications, and units you might as well act as if you have no remedy other than that provided in with altered serial numbers not covered; refund or replacement not considered. TAPE RECORD- the warranty card, and if in the long run that remedy is no good, takeyour ERS. Valid for original buyer; none of the war - lumps and forget it.

HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE Is there any relief outside the courts? The Federal government has not ranty on card; offers 12 mos. free parts, 3 mos. free labor, replacement if unit is substantially yet decided to regulate relations between manufacturers of consumer defective; free warranty labor and parts at au- equipment and consumers. While there is a good argument for such regu- thorized service station, free parts also at dealer's place of business; buyer pays shipping lation, it isn't forthcoming. Letters to Consumers Union will do little,I costs one way; manufacturer may require unit to be sent to factory if warranty station not familiar suspect, and if the letter writer is unsure of his facts and overstates his case, with Lnit (company pays all shipping costs); re- he may be subject to legal action by the manufacturer for damages. State sale, any unauthorized repair or modification not covered (modification of model TC-105 AV for departments concerned with consumer matters, where they exist, vary in 60 -Hz tone for blind users is allowed); refund not their effectiveness. The point is that the buyer of consumer equipment is considered; replacement consideredif"too many" warranty repairs within a given time; re- full of rights and bereft of remedies. Legal aid won't help anyone who can placement with newer model If original model no afford sound equipment of any substantial value, since such a consumer is longer in stock depends on circumstances. usually considered too "wealthy," even though he is too poor to afford a SYLVANIA (GTE): ALL MODELS. Valid for original lawyer on a retainer for such matters. buyer. complete warranty on card; offers 24 mos. tree parts, 12 mos. free labor; free warranty If, on the other hand, you do want to make problems, here's how to parts and labor available at any authorized dealer or service station; resale, damage in tran- begin. As soon as you spot a defect, and it seems substantial, let the dealer sit, any unauthorized modification not covered; try to repair it, or simply demand that he take the machine back. (It would refund or replacement considered on judgment be well to have a third party check out the machine to make sure the defect of field service manager. exists, and is substantial.) In any case, notify the dealer and the manufac- TANCBERG: ALL MODELS. Valid for original buyer complete warranty on card; offers 12 turer of the defect and of your intention to pursue your rights. Then con- mos. free labor and parts; free warranty labor and parts available at authorized dealers and tact a lawyer. He will tell you if you can get all your money back or just the service stations and at factory; assignment of difference between what the machine is worth now and what it would have shipping costs depends on individual case; resale, unauthorized repair resulting in damage, been worth had it been in good condition. In many cases, the difference any unauthorized modification not covered; re- may be so small that it isn't worth pursuing. It is unlikely that you will get fund and replacement considered on individual any more than the purchase price. It is likely that you will get less. basis. TANNOY: No reply. See introduction.

TEAC: ALL MODELS. Valid for original owner; Conclusion complete warranty on card; offers 24 mos. free parts and labor; free warranty labor and parts at authorized service stations; buyer pays shipping I t all looks pretty sad, doesn't it? There you are, with all that armor and nocosts one way; resale, damage in transit, unauthorized repairs resulting in damage, any horse to ride. The middle -income consumer is hard pressed to make a unauthorized modification not covered; refund good claim for less than $800 to $1,000 and come out any better than if he or replacement considered in extreme cases where a machine cannot be repaired practically; had sold the machine or traded it in. Small claims courts are usually help- will replace with newer machine for cost differ- less in cases where there is need for technical evidence and witnesses. Law- ence if original unit has been superseded and is yers cost money; court fees are expensive. What can be done? no longer in stock. First, it is fairly clear that consumers need an advocate at the stale level TELEDYNE-see Olson Electronics. who can provide service to consumers whose claims are too low to make a TELEX: HEADPHONES. Valid for original buyer; complete warranty on card; offers 24 mos. free lawsuit worthwhile (but too high for consumers to really afford the loss!). labor and parts; free warranty labor and parts It is high time for middle -income people to receive some support from the available at authorized service stations; buyer pays all shipping costs; manufacturer may re- government, and this might be an excellent place to begin. In several quire unit to be sent to factory for repair; resale, states, government agencies are taking up the lance for consumers. But any unauthorized repair or modification not covered; refund considered when circumstances there is tremendous room for improvement, and an equally great reservoir warrant and dealer agrees; replacement consid- of opposition to such improvement. ered when evident that product is a "lemon." EIGH1-TRACK TAPE EQUIPMENT. Identical to pre- Second, the consumer should be exceedingly careful in his shopping cedirg warranty except offers 12 mos. free parts, 3 mos. labor. OPEN -REEL EQUIPMENT. Identical to and in deciding what he can afford. He should shop warranties and dealers preceding warranty except offers from 90 days to as well as specifications, and even if it costs a little more, he should buy 24 mos. free parts and labor depending on generally well-known products, those with a good reputation for solidity model. and durability, service quality, and over-all performance. You usually get THORENS-see Elpa Marketing. what you pay for, and unless you are fairly sure of what it is you are get- 3M CO. (WOLLENSAK): TAPE RECORDERS. Valid ting, and of the chances you are taking, avoid "bargains." for original and subsequent owners; complete warranty on card: offers 12 mos. free parts, 3 [Third, you can write toHIGHFIDELITY. If after three attempts at get- mos. tree labor except 36 mos. free parts and labor for model 4765 cassette deck (covers fly- ting satisfaction from a manufacturer (not a dealer) your equipment still wheel, capstan, spindle, drive idlers, pressure isn't functioning properly, let us know and we will see what our good of- roller assemblies, and motor), and refund or replacement if unit is substantially defective; free fices can provide-within the limitations of time, to be sure. No guarantee warranty labor and parts available at any author- of course, but we may have more influence with manufacturers than you ized dealer or service station or at factory; manufacturer may require some models to be sent to do.-Ed.] factory, in which case it is stated on warranty; There are always those who will buy pizzazz and flash, who do not pay damage in transit to company, any unauthorized repairs or modifications not covered; refund or any attention to any kind of warning. They are beyond the help of the law replacementifunit irreparable or cannot be fixed in reasonable length of time: replacement and this article. But they are the ones who are mainly responsible for the with newer model ifold model no longer in shoddy treatment some consumers get, for they assure the manufacturer stock. and the dealer that no matter what they do they will have a market. Continued on page 112

MAY 1973 Albeit an expensive bargain, but a them with ease. quite fl a Cass by itsel bargain nevertheless. For the Model And it's so ye, y eci;y But don't tolot out ' r Fifty -Four i; without question the Ad the Controls are Clearly indi- for $.25.t Go listen for yourse finest stereo receiver we have ever cated and cnnveniently located on And if the price still seems a bit rich, made. Indeed, it may well be the the front pane:. You can change consider this: Buy the Fifty -Four and finest stereo receiver anyone has ever from one format to another-two you'll never have to buy another made. And if that was'nt enough, channel, Stereo 4, SQ, etc.-with the receiver again. the Fifty-Fcur is also an absolutely simple flip of a switch. In addition, Now that s a bargain! incredible four -channel receiver. there's a neat "joy stick" for abso- For more technical information, With 60 watts (RMS) per side in the lutely perfect balance control. write to CH Research and Develop- two channel mode and 25 watts The Fifty -Four also features an ment, 30 Cross Street, Cambridge, (RMS) per side in the four -channel exclusive automatic power control Mass. 02139. Or visi your KLH dealer. mode, the Fifty -Four is an extraordi- circuit (patent pending) that turns the receiver on and off to coincide with nary power package. It's consid- 1111111111111 1 I I 1111111111111111 1111111 111111111 erably more compact and sleeker than the operation of your automatic KLH EARCH DEVE OPMENT CORP. competitive models, yet it will out- turntable. 30 Cos Street, Comb idge, Moss. 0213a tSegge ed reta:I pr;' -slight!, higher- perform -he biggest and bulkiest of All in all, we think the Fifty -Four is South and We:J.

The new KLH-Model Fifty -Four Stereophonic/Quadraphonic Dual Function Receiver. Our $525 bargain.

CIRCLE 33 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 11 Rill HIM III \I by Jan Meyerowitz

The Objectionable Appeal of Giacomo Puccini Did the composer's music anticipate the fascist mind? "No more music. no more noise. no moreBo- sublime cruelty that enables him to fulfill the des- heme!"-Thelast words of Henri Murger. author tinies of his "victims": if he is too soft and too of the novelScenes de la Vie de Boheme.who died meek-or even too noble. as Goethe was-then his in 1861. accomplishments will lack the quality of true theater. His relationship to his characters must be that No DISCUSSION of Puccini's music is possible with- of a judge. But any judge who enjoys condemning out noting that something is not quite straight in people. and innocent people at that. is a monster. Puccini's musical expression, a feeling that is usually At first glance it appears as though Puccini's expressed in the complaint that he is "sentimental." choice of librettos was inspired by humanitarian- This is a criticism that has been leveled against ism. Does not a strong social comment permeate La most composers since Schubert. Olin Downes Boherne? It is emphatically staged that way in East- charged that Mahler "enjoys his grief." which im- ern Europe. Is not Madama Butter/!v the antico- plies of course that he enjoys it unduly in a low lonialistic story of a colonialistic playboy? Has not moral disposition-not in the superior spirit in Tosca all the trappings of an antitvrannv play. and which Racine or Verdi created their tragedies. Sen- do not Manon Lescaut. II Taharro. and Suor A ngel- timentality may be the improper intrusion of too ica also appear to have some social commentary? personal a sensitivity into artistic expression. but But. as has been noted. the idealistic pretensions the tearful sentimentality of Bellini. Massenet. or of Puccini's librettos are not substantiated in his Mahler is at least sympathetic to the world-it is music. The German champions of Puccini's re- love. spectability as a "classic" agreed that the social as- Why does Puccini's brand of sentimentality af- pect of his musical dramas was not the essence of fect us as so much more unnerving. in a way more the composer's thought (was he really interested in powerful? Perhaps because while the genuinely ro- the fact that Cavaradossi is a champion of liberty?). mantic artist indulges in pitying. regretful aban- In search of a plausible motivation for Puccini's art. don. Puccini gloats over the grief and the cruel des- his converts resorted to: "the general sadness of tinies of his suffering characters. He does not enjoy creature." "the way the Eternal Feminine draws us his. but his characters'. grief-a form of sentimen- heaven-and-hellwards." and the "absurdity of all tality. if it can be called that. that the twentieth cen- human relationships." These general statements tury has been prone to cultivate. Puccini's fascina- could be applied to much romantic art. They show tion with the suffering of others in fact anticipated the form of mental deviation bred by fascism-in Composer and educator Jan Meverowitz. a pupil of Respighi particular the Nordic variety. and Casella, was arrested by the Gestapo in 1938 and im- The tragic dramaturgist must possess a form of prisoned at Sac kenhausen in Oranienburg near Berlin.

MAY 1973 55 A Ttki The crudeness of the second act of Tosca has es- caped no one. but the incredible callousness of the finale of Turandot has attracted little comment. Here the noble prince watches as his female servant is tortured and then commits suicide to save him. A minute or two later he makes a jubilant declaration of love to the princess whose sensitivity could be awakened only by an unappetizing spectacle of that kind. The bloody details of Gozzi's comedy Turandot. on which the opera is based. are about as serious and meaningful as those of The Mikado. What would we think of the mentality of an artist who transformed the harmless slapstick of that operetta into a sanguinary melodrama? Turandot is certainly very telling about the man who fabricated so inhuman and gruesome a libretto and who then wrote the same kind of music for it that he did for the gradual decay of Mimi and the cruel self-delu- sion of Cio-Cio-San. The most obvious example of course is Tosca. "Well, there's one good thing about it. We won't have to feel The Italian critic Fedele d'Amico writes, in his es- so sorry for Madame Butterfly any more." say Puccini non Sardou, that he admires Puccini's Drawing by Helen Hokinson; Copr.''1942, 1970 The New Yorker Magazine, Inc. way of transforming the Grand Guignol character Helen Hokinson may not have realized when she created of Scarpia "into a human monster in whose face no her early World War II cartoon just how profound her artist before him has dared to look." There is no de- lady's remark was for pity is not the true essence of this nying that the extraordinary transformation of the opera and Puccini did not feel very sorry for his heroine. cheap play into a major work of art is admirable. D'Amico goes on: "Scarpia is the first evil character only that even Puccini's admirers admit that the in operatic history with sex appeal." This must be stories of his operas serve merely as vehicles for a qualified. Scarpia has no personal "sex appeal." more general expression. If there is a point in the The particular atmosphere of brooding. penetrant "absurdity proposal." it is not that the characters sensuousness that surrounds this elegant chief of on the stage feel "absurd" toward each other. but police is not sharply concentrated on him-as the Puccini toward them. seductiveness of Don Giovanni or the Duke of The feature that lifts Manon Lescaut above the Mantua is concentrated on them alone. It is all level of a well -conceived "melodramnia" is the around in every utterance of the opera: all of Tosca scene in Act III in which the sergeant calls the con- is Scarpia, most of Puccini is Scarpia. The role is demned women to board the deportation ship (the only a thicker lump in the whole texture of Puc- scene is not in the novel on which the opera is based cini's works: and stories of love, heroism. happi- and Massenet treated it very discreetly in his Ma - ness. and misery lose their moral and sentimental non). The bystanders behave like a mob at an exe- contours in that music. which exhales a troubled at- cution. This brutal scene is most cleverly clothed in mosphere similar to the swamp air surrounding Ed- tender. sobbing, even caressing music that has been gar Allen Poe's House of Usher. ("About the whole admired as an "understatement." In reality it is an mansion and domain there hung an atmosphere overstatement that perverts our feeling from pity to peculiar to themselves-an atmosphere which had an uncharitable relish of the situation. no affinity to the air of heaven.") This author has experienced very similar situ- We can recognize the soul and character of a ations and behavior patterns in what the Germans composer in the style of his music. and the greater call their "unvanquished past." Looking into the the talent the easier it is to sense the man. Puccini faces of SS guards in concentration camps one saw makes the task a bit more difficult because his a pervading expression of leering sweetness that choice of subjects is often misleading. On the other would be the perfect equivalent of that music. hand. his originality is the result of a quite limited Through such an experience one might greatly in- choice of characteristic expressive and technical de- crease one's admiration and understanding of a vices. tragic art that deals forcefully with the inner threat The quality of a composer's feeling can be almost of destructiveness in the human soul. but this writer scientifically demonstrated by his harmonies. par- has become increasingly alarmed by a luridly ten- ticularly by whether a harmony fits or disturbs an der treatment of such horrors. expressive frame. A melody by Stephen Foster with

56 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE Consider such scenes as the "incredibly callous" finale to Turandot (at left a Chicago production with Birgit Nilsson and Felicia Weathers) or the deportation scene of Manon Lescaut (below at the Metropolitan with Dorothy Kirsten and Richard Tucker). Does the music invite our pity or uncharitable relish?

harmonies a la Cesar Franck or Poulenc would he a How does this raw. unfiltered. and not com- mismatch of two personalities representing two jar- pletely humanized feeling show up in the music? ring styles. The expressive meaning of a harmonic Mainly. there are the tyrannical superrubatos. con- combination is the result of its ingredients. Sweet tinuous retards and precipitations that make the and hollow consonances. mild and sharp disso- conductor look like a puppet performing humili- nances. dry intervals. disturbing. tense alterations ating calisthenics upon the command of a sadistic that give a neurasthenic twang to sonic common guard or cruel child. "Ali. !two Oiniw- from Ma - chords-all these can he mixed by an inspired com- non Lescauthassi.vieen changes of tempo in fifteen poser to reproduce the minutest fluctuations of his measures. soul. Furthermore. Puccini's lyricism has basically Puccini's achievements in this field are especially only one single. limited. and very special expres- striking and obvious since he can be credited with a sion. There is a sameness to virtually all the arias powerful anomaly: With the possible exception of and to most of the other set pieces. Effective and the creators of Blues. there are no other composers showy as certain of the typical cantabile melodies whose music needs the complete power of the emo- are. they are of such uniformity that it is sometimes tional dynamo to conic to life at all. Even super - possible to glide from one tune to another in the romantic music such as Mahler's gains in dignified. middle of a phrase (you can start with "Ancormi sober performances, as conductors like Furtwang- semo la vita-fromRohi,meand continue v ith ler. Reiner. and Steinberg have proven. But if' a "Sella ma hocca"from Turandot. for instance). temperate conductor would attempt to cleanse Puc- Puccini's arias are all in the same semifluid an- cini's music of the omnipresent bleeding outflow of dante tempo (his fast sections are rarely inspired- sentiment and sensuousness. he would deflate it en- only in Turandot does he seem to he catching on). tirely. and they exhibit the s um: kind of melodic inflec- This is a unique feature. Such a dependence of tion. The arias start with a generallx descending musical material on the feeling it expresses seems motif that sticks in our brains immediately. espe- to denv the formalistic viewpoint that music cannot cially as it will descend in sequences. The melody of express feelings. There is no doubt that this deep "t nheld,"fromMadam(' Buttetilvhas five of these break with classical concepts stemmed from an ele- slumping sequences despite the optimistic text. ment in the composer's soul that prevented him Whatever their charm and theatricality. these arias from sublimating and transfiguring his horrors the lack even the slightest trace of characterization. way Verdi and Strausstransfigure'd the marvelous In all of his works Puccini has an obsessive pref- ferocities of I/Trovatoreand Elekira into pure mu- erence for sweet-sour chords: dissonances stuffed sic. with fat consonances. Whatever the tragic harsh -

MAY 1973 57 ness of the events. we hardly ever hear a sharp. The great majority of Puccini lovers resemble the manly. neat dissonance as we do from Strauss or guileless narrator of Henry James'sThe Sacred even Rossini. Puccini also has a penchant for the Fountwho does not know what unspeakable things gluey sweetness of the augmented chord, which go on at the Newmarch estate whose inhabitants he consists of two major thirds, the sweetest of all con- describes. The twentieth century has provided us sonances. but gives as a sound -unit a vague. half - with ample evidence that sensuous cruelty is im- convincing dissonant impression. It is one of the mensely seductive to some people. But should our two "atonal" chords in tonality (the other being the tolerance and understanding be so easily extended ubiquitous diminished -seventh chord with three to this deviation and its artistic abuse? We must be minor thirds). which have no center and no direc- more aware. and defensive against it. when it tion. This chaotic quality combined with the sugary comes upon us in the form of hidden persuasion. as taste of thirds gives a weird. cruel impact to the it does in Puccini's music. death of Manon, and to Butterfly's encounter with This is no objection to the rough stuff that has to Kate Pinkerton. If this chord is mounted on a be a part of true tragedy. provided that it is a neces- slightly dissonant bass. as in the Bonze scene in sary part of the tragic conflict and not an accessory Madama Butterfly.it sounds nasty and voluptuous effect. nor to the "decadent" or "abnormal" ele- at the same time. ment that can be a true source of tragic events. Cer- Puccini's principal harmonic feature is perhaps tainly these features abound inSalomeand the predominance of the dominant ninth chord. Elekira.but Strauss's musical presentation of these with or without the bass note. a combination of subjects is not ambiguous. The treatment is many lush consonances in a moderately dissonant straight. strong. and open-even a bitnaive:the frame (its more astringent forms. so magnificently brutal pleasure we may get from it is still sublime used by Wagner and Strauss. are neglected by Puc- and legitimate. cini). Tosca knifes Scarpia at the sound of this Do the facts of Puccini's life bear out the gory un- chord: the music for his death agony is studded dercurrent of his music? We know that he did many with more of the same: he expires on a slurring se- ugly and nasty things-but then who didn't? As to quence of major thirds that slides through aug- his politics. very little honest speculation can be mented and ninth chords and related sounds. It is based on actual facts. He died two years after Mus- as though the Baron is drowning in boiling, poison- solini came to power. and musicians of the time ous marmalade. found no obvious reason to mind the pre-Hitlerian Puccini also shows great skill in giving unusual Mussolini who subsidized them and did not inter- color and new. surprising emphases to simple har- fere with their ideas. Moreover. the relationship of monies by coloring them weirdly or connecting pro -fascists with official fascism was a more compli- them abnormally. For instance, he provides paral- cated matter than most people suppose today. lel motion to the ponderous six -four chords-which Some very fascistic -minded people. like poet Ste- in classical harmony should not move in parallel- fan George. loathed the Nazi Party while perfectly causing them to either grate on our nerves or sound liberal. cosmopolitan men. like composer Alfredo lecherous, as they do in the man -hunt music from Casella. felt attracted to Mussolini's ideas for a Tosca. while. For many years the more fanatic side of Ital- Another effective mannerism is Puccini's setting ian fascism was hidden and limited to an esoteric of a melody in octaves with tremolo harmonies group that surfaced and came to power only upon sandwiched in between, but without a bass line (a Mussolini's alliance with Hitler. One important fig- procedure comparable to playing the upper part of ure of that inner orthodox circle. Giovacchino For- four -hand piano music alone). In Puccini's intense zano. Mussolini's collaborator on a Napoleon orchestrations this sounds very evil and menacing. drama, was a close friend of Puccini's and the li- It is perfectly possible to perceive the strange origi- brettist of hisGianni Schicchi. nality of Puccini's harmonization and its morbid In any event. playing detective with the bio- implications without any technical knowledge of graphical facts is less rewarding than pondering music. and there are few pages in his operas that do over the human aspect of a composer's works. espe- not give him away. There is also no need to deny cially when they so eloquently give away the secrets that he wrote many pages of music that. taken out of the man. of context. are a superlative joy even to his detrac- Puccini was a powerful musician whose power tors. The present "case" against Puccini is no denial was prevented from reaching the realm of genuine of his great. inspired musicianship. The point to be tragedy by a moral infirmity. We have only to com- made here is that beneath the colorful surface. the pare the catastrophical but limpid majesty of the seemingly tragic events and pathetic miseries, the last minutes of Verdi'sI! Trovatorewith Puccini's romantic imagery and outpouring of expressive- displays of terror and death: We will see an eagle ness. there is a pitiless, unromantic soul. and a vulture.

58 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE Wide World PhotoE

Music for the Chinese ballet Red Detachment of Women was written collectively and anonymously by "the composers." Composition by Committee When composers cook up a communal dish, the result often ends up in the garbage disposal. by William Zakariasen

ONE OF THEMORE interesting side effects of Presi- mentioned. In fact, the names of composers and dent Nixon's ping-pong diplomacy with the dancers are being intentionally kept secret, for orig- People's Republic of China in February 1972 was an inality and individuality in the arts are frowned NBC television special, aired barely a week after upon in the People's Republic. This artistic his toast to Chou En-lai. The special, introduced by anonymity underlines the fact that Chinese Com- Gene Kelly, was a ballet entitledRed Detachment munist art derives exclusively from "the people." of Women,the first glimpse ever vouchsafed to most The composers involved in this two-hour opus Americans of the performing arts in China since were undoubtedly Chinese, but the music was sur- Mao's Cultural Revolution. prisingly occidental. One might say that the com- The scenario, devised by Mao's wife, Chiang posing styles represented the three Ks of music- Ching, was rather absurd and childish in its revolu- Khatchaturian, Kreisler, and Ketelbey. composers tionary breast -beating. Even so, one could not help noted more for pastiche than panache. Over-all, but marvel at the dancers' technique and dexterity, the score resembled the soundtrack of an old Ted as well as at their sincerity in depicting a young Husing sports short. woman's conversion to the anti -Kuomintang point Another kind of revolutionary collectivism in of view. music was scheduled in this country a year ago: 7_u - How the music was composed aroused a bit of The author, formerly a tenor with the Metropolitan Opera comment. No one composer was listed; references Chorus, now writes music and art criticism for the San Fran- were made to "the composers," but no names were ciscoExaminer.

MAY 1973 59 bin Mehta planned to conduct the Los Angeles Petersburg. wrote a scenario. Mlada, based on Sla- Symphony and Chorus in a vocal symphony. Music vic mythology. He commissioned Viktor Krilov, a for MaIcohn X. for which four leading black com- hack poet who was Cesar Cui's roommate, to write posers had each donated a movement-Youth. by the libretto, and four of The Five to compose music J.J. Johnson: Imprisonment. by Quincy Jones: for each of the four acts. Conversion. by Gerald Wilson: and a two-part Fi- The ceremonial first act went to Cui. the roman- nale. Enlightenment and Martyrdom, by Benny tic second act to Rimsky-Korsakov. the super- Carter. Here, at least, musical socialism was not natural third (depicting a Black Mass on Mount anonymous. The program. however, did not take Triglav) to Mussorgsky, and the fourth with its ap- place. Instead. Mehta hurriedly substituted a con- parition of dead Slavic princes and a temple en- cert of older music by black composers. Asked for gulfed by the sea (presaging Gbiterddmmerung) to his reasoning. Mehta shrugged. "We get too much Borodin. In addition. Minkus, the official composer static from all directions." of the Imperial Theater. was to write incidental bal- Communist societies, one would think, would let music. most likely produce a large catalogue of collectively Balakirev, the founder of The Five was not asked written music. This does not seem to he the case. to participate. He had recently lost his job as direc- Only in mainland China where Communist theory tor of the Russian Music Society for the odd offense is undiluted has this method been de rigueur, and in of speaking Russian to the largely German orches- virtually no other society has it been successful. In tral players. At the time of Gedeonov's brainstorm, almost every case, too many cooks have indeed Balakirev was a $40 -a -month railway clerk. One spoiled the broth. can only speculate on the possibilities of the proj- In Soviet Russia. the first Socialist state, a joint ect's success had Balakirev's wisdom been put to approach was tried only once. In 1927 a group of use as a coalescing force. One can be sure that he eight youths calling themselves the "Procoll." would have vetoed the choice of Minkus and would cooked up the first Soviet oratorio, The Road of Oc- have insisted on a less doggerel -ridden librettist. tober, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the As it turned out, a fiasco was inevitable. As often October Revolution. The composers (partially happens in "works to order." the composers drew anonymous. since for many years Russians never upon their own unpublished manuscripts and un- seemed to have first names) were A. Davidenko, B. finished pieces. Mussorgsky had already written Shekhter. V. Belvi. M. Koval. N. Chamberji. Z. Le- Night on vania. S. Rvautov. and G. Bruk. This dinosaur a bit, adding chorus and soloists, but he was stymied was set to the words of M. Gorky. V. Mayakovsky, when he sat down to work on the inane libretto. In a A. Blok. and N. Asayev. letter to art critic Stassov. he wrote: "I am ashamed The collective preface stated this aim: "To create to take pen in hand to describe 'Sagle. hush!' an oratorio score [sic] dealing with the high points and other such rubbish written at some time by in the development of the Revolutionary move- someone, perhaps with drunken eyes and brains.... ment in Russia from the 1905 through the October The treatment of the composers of Mlada. as Revolutions. the Civil War. and the setting up of though they were hired workmen, the stupid eval- the USSR." Little is remembered of The Road of uation of their efforts, the complete lack of manners October other than that it was full of whistling. foot- in the entrepreneur have the natural (and impend- stamping. and other auditory effects. The official ing) consequence of a moral fiasco in our circle." Communist press panned the work, while giving Mussorgsky's point was well taken. Gedeonov faint praise to two choruses by Davidenko. The overestimated his financial resources and was fired general critique was. "Crude. lacking the stylistic from his job. The joint project disintegrated. The unity necessary for a musical picture of Socialism." four composers. however, were able to salvage Here is a paradox-a collectivist government ad- what they had written, using the material for later mitting that only individual talent is capable of compositions that became fairly successful. Cui ac- translating its message. At any rate, hardly any of tually finished Act I. and it was eventually per- the eight composers was ever heard from again, formed in concert form with great acclaim. though and since then, the numerous Soviet oratorios and the music has hardly been heard since. Some of cantatas have all been composed by individuals. Rimsky's music went into Snegurochka and a string Indeed. the salient work commemorating the quartet. and he also orchestrated Borodin's contri- twentieth anniversary of that October Revolution bution. publishingitseparately as a Finale to was written by Prokotiev, and it stands as one of the Mlada. Some of Borodin's ideas ended up in Prince finest compositions of its kind. Igor. while Mussorgsky's expanded Night on Ironically. musical collectivism was more in evi- Mount Triglav was incorporated into his Fair at So- dence in Tsarist Russia. where the famous Five at- rochinsk. tempted the composition of at least two committee - Almost twenty years later, Rimsky heard Karl composed works. In 1870 Stepan Alexandrovitch Muck conduct Wagner's Ring for the first time in Gedeonov, director of the Imperial Theater in St. St. Petersburg. Overwhelmed by the music, and

60 HIGH FIDE.1.1 I 1 MAGAZINE The Russian Five tried communal compositions twice. Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, and Borodin (above from left) were among those who wrote music for the ill-fated operaMlada.Rimsky and Borodin also joined two others in composing variations on a child's tune, a work that so impressed Liszt (left) that he later added a piece of his own to it.

oeuvre,as he called it, that he contributed a short piece of his own to the second edition. In 1937 Ni- colai Tcherepnin, a pupil of Rimsky, orchestrated theseParaphrases,adding twelve more the group had subsequently written, as well as a Finale. Tche- repnin's version of this collection was recorded by Werner Janssen and the Columbia Symphony Or- chestra on Columbia ML4480 (deleted). Eighteen years later, Tcherepnin's son, Alexander, revised the work adding a recently discovered set of variations by Nicolai Shcherbachev. This version so far sensing the similarities in the mythologies, his in- remains unrecorded, but it is probably no great im- terest inMladarevived. Going it alone this time, he provement. Indeed, the 1937 version is possibly the enlarged and completely revised Krilov's libretto, dullest set of variations ever written. improving it to some degree. But the final scene still Franz Liszt himself was responsible for a "mul- matches Anna Russell'sRingsynopsis in absurdity. tiple." In 1837 he invite J five of his colleagues-Si- Wagnerian in the extreme, even to six harps, it is gismond Thaiberg, Johann Peter Pixis, Henry very likely Rimsky's most beautiful score, and can Herz, Carl Czerny, and Frederic Chopin-to col- be sampled on Melodiya/Angel 40012. laborate on hisHexameron,a series of variations on In 1877 Borodin's adopted daughter picked out a the Grand March from Bellini'sI Puritani.The tune on the piano with two fingers-similar to what completed work was eventually orchestrated by would later be known asChopsticks.The delighted Liszt. Its first performance, starring the greatest pi- Borodin promptly dubbed itThe Cutlet Polkaand anists of their era, must have been great fun, even if composed a polka of his own to accompany it, us- the music isn't. Michael Tilson Thomas recently re- ing all ten fingers. Later he wrotea Requiemand surrectedHexameronfor the Boston Symphony; Mazurkain the same manner. He showed these to the work is generally nondescript, though it has the his colleagues, Rimsky-Korsakov, Cui, and Liadov. virtue of a certain unanimity of purpose, no doubt The idea of writing little pieces to theChopsticks due to the common techniques of the virtuosos in- accompaniment caught their fancy and the three volved. added variations of their own. Rimsky contributed Like the Russian Five, the French Six attempted a Berceuse, Tarantella, Minuet, Grotesque Fugue, two collectively written compositions. In 1919 they Fughetta on B.A.C.H., Carillon,and other vari- published a six -movement piano suite with each ations; Cui aValse;and the usually lazy Liadova composer contributing one: Prelude, Georges Au- Valse, Gigue, Galop,andCortege.In 1879 the collec- ric;Romance,Louis Durey;Sarabande,Arthur Ho- tion was published under the title16 Paraphrases. negger; Mazurka, Darius Milhaud;Valse,Francis Franz Liszt was so impressed with thismerveilleuse Poulenc; andPastorale,Germaine Tailleferre. The

MAY 1973 61 noted critic Henri Collet, in an article he wrote for Milhaud a wedding march and fugue, Tailleferre a the January 16. 1920 issue ofConinzediaentitledLes quadrille and waltz, Honegger the funeral march Cinq Russes, Les Six Francais, et Erik Salle,said: for the devoured general, and Poulenc the Bathing "The different temperaments of the sixcomposers Beauty Scene andDiscours du General. jostle without jarring, and their works, individual The premiere on June 18, 1921, by the Royal and distinct, reveal a unit of approach to art, incon- Swedish Ballet in the Theatre des Champs Elysees, formity with the spokesman of thegroup, Jean was a succesde scandale;the hoots rivaled the deci- Cocteau." bel rating of theSacre du Printempspremiere. It With this work, and this review.Les Sixgot bap- has never been played since, though recently the tized. Unfortunately, only one movement-Honeg- complete score and designs were discovered in ger's-is available on records (Turnabout TV Stockholm-hence Pretre's recording of Poulenc's 34377). Much was expected of their nextventure, witty if hardly memorable contributionon Angel Les Mari& de Tour Eiffel,with a scenario by Coc- 36519. teau, who described the stage work as "neithera Later, reflecting on this fiasco, Milhaud said: "I ballet, a play, a revue, or a tragedy. Rather itrepre- fundamentally disapprove of joint declarations of sents a secret marriage between the tragedy ofan- aesthetic doctrines and feel them to be a drag. an tiquity and the concept of a year-end revue." Ac- unreasonable limitation on an artist's imagina- tually it seems to have been a surrealisticpot-au- tion." feu. After seeing the scenario Durey refused to par- In 1946 Hollywood also tried a collaborative ef- ticipate, an understandable reaction when one con- fort. Nathaniel Shilkret, doubtless tired of conduct- siders its plot. It depicts the wedding banquet of a ing the melodies of Idabelle Firestone. let higher young couple on the first -floor terrace of the Eiffel ambitions inspire him to commission seven con- Tower. attended by bizarre guests. Each time a pho- temporary composers forhis seven -movement tographer cries "Watch the birdie!" an apparition Genesis Suitefor chorus. orchestra. and narrator. disrupts the proceedings-a bathing beauty contest. Based on highlights from the first book of the Bible. a nasty boy throwing ping-pong balls. and a lion the division was as follows: Creation, Shilkret; that eats a general. Adam and Eve,Alexander Tansman;The Cov- Auric wrote the overture and three ritournelles. enant,Ernst loch;Cain and Abel.Milhaud;Noah's

The French Six also wrote two community efforts, a piano suite and (less Durey)a stage work, Les Merles de Tour Eiffel, with a scenario by Jean Cocteau. They were Milhaud. Cocteau. Auric (the drawing), Honegger, Tailleferre, Poulenc, andDurey.

62 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE irk. Mari() Castelnuoy o- Fedesco: Babel. Igor foundation of his Man.:(41/ Requiem. which is con- Stravinsky: and Par/hide. Arnold Schoenberg. Ac- sidered one of "Verdi's best operas." tually. the best music in the score is Shilkret's. America's great Charles Ives struggled for much Tansman running a close second. The worst is Cas- of his creative life with what he insisted would he telnuovo-Tedesco. whose only good piece. in my his most important work-the Universe Symphony opinion, was the ersatz opera cooked up for Paul in three movements: Formation of the Countries Douglas and Linda Darnell in the film Everrhoch and Mountains. Evolution in Nature and Humanity. Does It. The whole work was once recorded on the and Rise of All to the Spiritual, and designed to be now defunct Artist label (ARS-10) in acoustics re- performed out of doors. with various choruses, or- sembling those of a laundry basket. Itis worth chestras. and soloists situated on mountain tops searching for if only for the warmth and dignity of and in valleys. Ives worked on it during the years Edward Arnold's scripture reading. Stravinsky's 1911-28. then took it up again spasmodically after contribution is heard on Columbia CMS 6647, and 1937. He never intended it to be finished. "It is not Schoenberg's (whose work is inexplicably retitled to he completed by me or any other composer." he Prelude) on Columbia M2S 694. Both pieces are said. "because it represents aspects of life about individual without being memorable. which there is always more to be said." Probably the most ambitious collective musical When Ives was not working on the symphony, he undertaking in history was the abortive 1869 Re- left the manuscript in his sitting room, inviting vis- quiem in Honor of Rossini. the brain -child of Giu- iting composer friends to contribute to it. The score, seppe Verdi. who asked thirteen Italian composers apart from a passage in Henry Cowell's hand. to contribute sections. A few days after Rossini's seems to indicate that there were no takers, a fact death in 1868. Verdi had written to his publisher, that must have caused Ives some sorrow. Ricordi, outlining his idea. "Above all." he re- Occasionally the collaboration of just two com- quested. "Mercadante should be represented, if posers has proven fruitful. Otto Luening and Vladi- only by a few measures." As it ended up. Merca- mir Ussachevsky have written several electronic dante wasn't represented at all. Thirteen composers works in tandem, and some of these pieces are were chosen (to fit the requirements of the scenario among the best in this genre. Talented arrangers Verdi submitted), but by lottery. No one knows for such as Robert Russell Bennett have been largely sure what names were put into the box-it does responsible for the success on Broadway and on seem strange that such fine composers as Boito and recordings of many tunes by Richard Rodgers, Jule Ponchielli were not chosen. Their omissions could Styne. and others. Of more dubious value are the have been due to politics. At any rate, the sections completions of scores left stillborn by a composer's were assigned as follows: death (e.g., Alfano for Puccini's Turandot, Rimsky Requiem. Antonio Buzzola; Dies irae, Antonio for Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina, Tcherepnin for Bazzini; Tuba ,nirum, Carlo Pedrotti; Quid sum mi- the same composer's The Marriage). Then there are ser, Antonio Cagnoni; Recordare, Federico Ricci; the questionable rearrangements by which a com- Ingemisco, Alessandro Nini; Confutatis, Raimondo poser's work is best known-Rimsky's reworking of Boucheron; Lachrymosa, Carlo Coccia; Domine Boris, for instance. (My score of Khovanshchina Jesu, Gaetano Gaspari; Sanctus. Pietro Platania: credits Rimsky as the composer, with no mention of Agnus Dei, Enrico Petrella; Lux aeterna. Teodulo Mussorgsky!) Mabellini; Libera me. Giuseppe Verdi. The multimedia entertainments of' today have The chosen composers were not as obscure as spawned many a multiple -composed Gesamtkunst- they may seem to us today. As Verdi scholar David werk. One example is HPSCHD, scored for six Stivender notes. "Ricci's operas were well known. harpsichords. thirty tape recorders. computer -gen- as were Cagnoni's (Don Bucclalo would be well erated recordings. and numerous visual projec- worth reviving today). Petrella's Jone is a first-class tions, including Flash Gordon serials projected on work for its period, somewhat classique but con- four walls. The composers are listed as John Cage, taining wonderful melodies. The chief problem was Lejaren Hiller, W. A. Mozart, F. Chopin, F. Gotts- that the selection by lot created a hodgepodge. The chalk. C. Ives. etc. The work has been recorded on whole thing was doomed from the start." Nonesuch 71224. The title HPSCHD. by the way. Shortly after rehearsals were abandoned in ac- means "harpsichord." The work is designed never rimony. the scores were returned to their compos- to begin and never to finish-one could only wish it ers. Only one of these was destined for something had succeeded in the first part of its plan. other than oblivion. Mazzucato, a professor at the The epitaph for virtually every piece of collec- Milan Conservatory who attended some of the re- tively written music was well stated in the opening hearsals. wrote to Verdi. in praise of' the Libera me. line of one of those itl-starred attempts, the Genesis and suggesting he expand it into a full Requiem. Suite: "In the beginning, God created the Heavens Verdi, dejected. answered: "There have been so and the Earth." many Masses written for the dead-why add an- As with that auspicious occasion, the process of other?" His subsequent change of mind was the Creation has been best served by the individual. di

MAY 1973 63 When they start to jam, yourBASF Cassette won't.

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THE SCENEis the mountainous interior of a Caribbean island. At a small. isolated farmstead. Mother A.-priest- ess of the voodoolike Shango cult-is about to conduct a religious ceremony. Relatively little is known of Shango practices. and no one has ever recorded the old Africa - rooted chants in situ. But duly introduced by inter- mediaries and bearing offerings of live chickens and eau de cologne for the Shango gods. an American recording Peruvian Inca music-a reminder of imperlanent conquest. crew arrives at the farm as worshippers drift down from the surrounding heights. After long negotiations and a ritual pouring of oil and casting of bones before the altar Field recordings of the to obtain divine guidance. Mother A. gives her consent: world's ethnic music-wrenched The visitors may tape the secret ceremony. Her conditions however are stringent. They must place their mi- at last into the stereo era. crophones as unobtrusively as possible in the sanctuary and may not adjust them: the men and the remainder of their equipment must remain out of sight throughout the ceremony. Even so. Mother's congregation disapproves of the impending sacrilege. Swiftly. the engineer evaluates the outdoor site: he places the two mikes. races to his headphones as an as- sistant makes various test sounds. modifies the placement. tests again. relocates them. Lines snaking from the sanctuary connect the mikes to a big Ampex hidden behind the farmhouse. Forbidden to watch the ceremony. the recording crew gathers around the Ampex. Excite- ment grips them as the congregation intones a haunting litany to the Shango saints. But the earphones soon tell a crushing story. Relative to the swirling voices, the mikes are too distant. too close together. beset with ambient noise. The sound fed to the tape is thin and pallid. For almost two hours the recordists wait dumbly. Dutifully. they change reels on schedule. ever conscious of the rich sonorities echoing across the farmyard and the ghastly parody trickling through the headphones. At the end. they wordlessly pack their gear and depart amid the hos- Finb3r Furey's appealing Irish pipes. tile stares of the worshippers. They have blown a magnificent opportunity to make recording-and anthropological-history. There will be no tomorrow. I was a party to this episode a few years ago. and it poignantly illustrates the constant pitfalls and incipient heartbreak of field recording. Working in alien cultures. beset almost always by inimical climates. relying upon delicate equipment subjected to savage stresses, men in the field labor upon the farthest frontier of the recording art. The results they obtain should always be judged with this in mind. In point of fact. serious recordings of ethnic music have always hovered on the edge of audio disaster. Many were taped by academics on misunderstood and/ or painfully cheap machines: few received careful processing or even competent editing. Buyers of such discs long ago inured themselves to chronic sonic inade- quacies. They need do so no longer. Nonesuch has been releasing entries inits Explorer Series until now the Lu-sheng Ensemble-serene music from ancient China.

4- CIRCLE 9 ON READER SERVICE CARD number of titles has passed fifty. They focus on tradi- than when Pizarro smashed Atahualpa and allhis tional music: most are recorded on the spot: virtually all mighty cities. boast unexceptionable sound. And the list price is a bar- "Golden Rain" (H 72028) ranks in some respectsas gain $2.98 each. one of the most exciting gamelan recordings I have ever Of the Nonesuch catalogue. I received thirty records heard. Side I offers two outstanding Balinese composi- to review. Although their content spanned the hemis- tions.Golden RainandBumblebee.Both are in the dy- pheres nicely-Japanese kotos. Greek bouzoukis. Afri- namickebjarstyle which. in this century. has all but dis- can mbiras, Andean sikus-one is hard put to discern any placed the older, statelier sound of the traditional coherent pattern. For instance, nine of the discs-almost gamelan gong. one third-have an Indian provenance. When one con- From the other side of the world. "The Irish Pipes of siders worldwide musical possibilities, this strikes me as Finbar Furey" (H 72048) exerts instant appeal. Indeed. a gross imbalance. Valuable and vivid as is the music of itis a rare treat to hear this complex instrument-ac- India. it has been tapedad nauseam.Is there a single tuated by an arm -clasped bellows rather than the lung Hindu instrumentalist this side of arthritis who hasn't power required by its Scottish counterpart-played so crashed the Schwann catalogue? The Nonesuch releases expertly and lyrically. Furey's pipe solos, along witha are impeccably recorded. possess musical integrity. few tunes he plays on the whistle. are small apotheoses and-geographically-encompass much of the subcon- of the Celtic spirit. In particular.The Young Girl Milking tinent. But are they necessary? Do they fill a musical or Her Cow-avery ancient ballad air-lingers long in the ethnic void? In an age when-to choose a few obvious ex- memory. amples-Hebridean. Faroese. Portuguese. Breton. and The collection is not free of grotesqueries. Forex- Sicilian folk ballads are fast slipping into oblivion, how ample. it includes two releases by an Americangroup can one justify an endless succession of ragas? called The Pennywhistlers: they range largely through Africa is represented by only two releases, one of the songs and dances of Eastern Europe. What theyare them-"The African Mbira" (H 72043)-being 371,2 min- doing in a series that relies upon field recordings forau- utes of crystallized monotony drawn from the music of thenticity is something of a puzzlement: but the mind Rhodesia's Shona tribe. The only instruments in evi- really boggles at their programming. On "A Cool Day dence are the mbira. a small, hand-held keyboard, and and Crooked Corn" (H 72024)-yet anotherromp the hosha. a gourd whose seeds. when rattled, provide a through the Balkans and points east-one finds sand- rhythmic accompaniment. The resultant tonal palette. wiched between the Bulgarian songDve Nevestiand the despite the voices of the singers. is severely limited. RussianZa Lresama hymn from Stone County. Ar- Frankly. I don't think a record of this type does justice to kansas. calledBright Morning Stars. black Africa. What of the flashing. complex xylophones Still, the Explorer Series opens new doors into eth- of the Chopi people just to the east of the Shona? The nomusicology as well as into simple musical pleasure. lilting, six -stringed harps of Central Africa? The sophis- Best of all. Nonesuch offers a two -record sampler of the ticated music developed beside Lake Victoria by the Ba- series-"The Nonesuch Explorer: Music From Distant ganda? In all the glittering mosaic of African traditional Corners of the World" (H 7-11)-for an enticing $2.98. In music, that of the Shona represents a dim and minor tile. sum, this company has finally wrenched field recording Why record it at the expense of the rest? into the stereo era. For which. a heartybravo! Such cavils of aimlessness and imbalance aside, the Explorer Series nonetheless stands as the finest and most NONESUCH EXPLORER SERIES. Various performers. catholic collection of folk music currently available. Per- ICINonesuch. $2.98 each disc. mit me to hopscotch through the selections. The jewel of THE Music or INDIA. S Balachander, vina: Sivaraman. mndangam (H 72003( SOU. them all is "China" (H 72051), taped in 1972 when the ZOUKI-THE MUSIC OF GREECE. OrdarliS Tsomidis, bouzouki: others (H 72004) THE KOTO Music OF JAPAN '.' .,.iqiwara. Master Hatta. Master Kitagawa. and Mas- Lu-sheng Ensemble toured the U.S.A. Although this ter Kukusol. kolu Ilh i2Uo5) THE PENNYWHISTLERS: Folksongs from Bulgaria. Czechoslovakia. Hungary. U.S.A.. and U.S.S.R. (H 72007)J AAAAAA E KOTO tight -knit group of instrumentalists operates out of Tai- CLASSICS. Shinichi Yuce. koto (H 72008) THE REAL MEXICO IN MUSIC AND SONG. wan rather than the mainland, this in no way diminishes Vocal and instrumental ensembles (H 72009. rechanneled stereo). MUSIC OF BUL- GARIA, Soloists. chorua and orchestra of the Ensemble of the Biilgai,In Republic. either the authenticity or serene glory of their perform- Phillipe Koutev. cond. (r-i 72011, rechanneled stereo) GEZA Music OF JAPAN: Mu- ance. The Ensemble draws its repertoire from Shantung sic from the Kabuki Theater (H 72012). THE REAL B IN Music AND SONG (H 72013. rechanneled stereo) CLASSICAL MUSIC OF INDIA (H U1.1 recnanneled Province, beside the Yellow Sea. The material is old: stereo). MUSIC FROM THE MORNING OF THE WORLD: The Balinese GameIan(H Tao Yi Ch'u.for example. traces back to a 1.600 -year -old 72015). THE SOUND OF THE SUN: Trinidad Steel Band (H 72016). D /MEDI- TATION: South Indian Vocal Music. K V Narayanaswamy. singer: others (H poem. The Shantung melodies are very beautiful. rather 72018) BlIAVALU/ IMPRESSIONS: South Indian Instrumental Music (H 72019) melancholy, and limn the sophistication of the world's FLOWER DANCE: Japarese Folk Melodies (H 72020) THE Patorewmsnans: A Cool Day and CrookeclCorn (H 72024). A BELL RINGING IN THE EMPTY SKY: Japa- oldest extant culture. Perhaps the most exquisite selec- nese Shakuhachi Music. Goro Yamaguchi. shakuhachi (H 72025) VOICES OF AF- tion on the disc isChirping of a Hundred Birds,wherein a RICA: High Life and Other Popular Music. Saka Acquaye and his African ensemble (Ghana) (H 72026). THE TEN GRACES PLAYED ON THE VINA: Music of South India. flutist etches a variety of bird calls with incredible vir- M. Nageswara Rao. vine. others (H 72027) GOLDEN RAIN: Balinese Gamelan Mu- tuosity. sic: Ketjak: The Ramayana Monkey Chant (H 72028). KINGDOM OF THE SUN: Peru's Inca Heritage (H 720291. SARANGI, THE VOICE OF A H Cowin: In- An attractive record on its musical merits alone. strumental Music of North India. Ram Narayan. sarangi. others (H 72030). THE "Kingdom of the Sun" (H 72029). taped in Peru, repre- PULSE OF TANAM: Ragas of South India. M Nageswara Rao. vina (H 72032) IN- DIAN STREET MUSIC: The Bauls of Bengal (H 72035) RAMNAD Km : Concert sents a stunning synthesis of Spanish and Indian idioms. of South Indian Classical Music. Ramnad Krishnan. singer. others (H 72040) VIL- LAGE MUSIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (H 72042) THE AFRICAN MOIRA: Music of the Shona It possesses other dimensions as well, both historical and People of Rhodesia (C 72043) Fo OF PERU: Music of the High Andes (H anthropological. Here are ancient airs played on equally 72045). THE IRISH PIPES or PUMA Fumy. Finbar Furey. pipes ( H 72048) CHINA: Shantung Folk Music and Traditional Instrumental Pieces. Lu-sheng Ensemble ancientquenas.or flutes, developed in the Andes more Liang Tsai -ping. dir. (H 72051) than a millenium ago. The survival of Inca music, as evi- THE NONESUCH EXPLORER: Music from Distant Corners denced by this record, forcibly reminds one of the im- B of the World (The Far East: India: Africa and the permanence of conquest. More people in South America Americas: Continental Europe). Various performers. now speak Quechua. the language of the Inca empire. Nonesuch H7-1 1, $2.98 (two discs).

66 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE hv Philip Hart

Prokofiev the Symphonist Jean Martinon conducts acomplete (almost) cycle of the seven symphonies. symphony seriously: It was for him as important as opera. We also learn there how fervently he struggled with symphonic form in an effort to bring it and his own creative impulses together. This process had two distinct stages. separated by fourteen years in the midst of which he returned to Russia after a decade and a half of residence in Western Europe. The first four symphonies. three of them composed abroad in the 1920s. all have important external musical references. as if Prokofiev needed a "crutch" for his symphonic writing: The first two are modeled on traditional examples: the Third and the Fourth are based on thematic material from stage works. (The Fourth Symphony. as we shall see shortly. straddles this division.) The last three symphonies. composed toward the end of his life, are more self-sufficient musically. but reflect basic emotional experiences. especially in the Fifth and Sixth as reactions to the wartime experience. Prokofiev's symphonies vividly reflect. in the purest musical terms. his changes of residence and his growing artistic maturity. These two three -record boxes are the closest thing to an integral set of the seven Prokofiev symphonies to reach these shores. The qualifications require some elab- oration. This is not the first recording of all seven sym- SERGE PROKOFIEV(1891-1953) is one of a handful of phonies by one conductor: Six of Gennady Rozh- composers since Mahler to have made a substantial and destvensky's performances with the Moscow Radio original contribution to the symphonic idiom. Sibelius Symphony Orchestra have been issued in this country by (seven symphonies). Shostakovich (fifteen so far). and Melodiya/Angel: but the Second Symphony. available Stravinsky (three) are all composers in the Slavic tradi- in England since 1969. has never been released here. tion. where they are joined by such lesser lights as Several years ago. RCA announced its intention to pro- Miaskovsky and Kabalevsky. Leonard Bernstein and duce a comprehensive series of Prokofiev orchestral mu- others have bemoaned the decline of purely symphonic sic with Erich Leinsdorf and the Boston Symphony: this writing in this century. but whatever the reasons, it has series. apparently now abandoned, included a number flourished in Russia. In the context of contemporary mu- of concertos. ballet scores, and four symphonies. Finally. sic. the symphony may represent a conservative. perhaps Martinon's "integral" set cannot be considered defini- reactionary. trend. but Prokofiev's seven may well repre- tively complete: For some reason he has chosen to sent the most comprehensively successful effort of a record the earlier version of the Fourth Symphony. modern composer to come to grips with the symphonic which the composer later revised and expanded consid- tradition. erably. Though the earlier version is of great interest and In the seven symphonies composed between 1917 and might warrant inclusion in a complete production of Pro- 1952 Prokofiev seriously tackled the symphony in terms kofiev's symphonies, the final version is even more indis- of twentieth-century experience and musical technique. pensable to such a project. In his autobiography. the composer listed five character- Martinon seems temperamentally more equipped for istic elements that he found in all his music. in varying Prokofiev's earlier. prerepatriation music than for the degrees: classicism. innovativeness. "toccata." lyricism. later works. Possibly because the Second. Third. and and scherzo -humor. In the symphonies. the classical im- Fourth Symphonies were composed in France. under pulse carried him far beyond the imitation of earlier the prevailing musical ambience there of the 1920s. they models in his first two and is manifest in his life-long seem more sympathetic to Martinon's interpretation. In search for large-scale symphonic structures. One of the the Fifth. Sixth, and Seventh, he takes a harder, less lyr- hallmarks of Prokofiev's symphonies is his ability to jux- ically expansive approach. Rozhdestvensky. on the other tapose lyricism with sometimes diabolical humor: he hand, sees Prokofiev in relation to his later Soviet style: was capable of highly expressive melody and a degree of His performances of the first three symphonies seem to true wit that is rather rare in music. impose a somewhat more grandiose style on them. As for From his writings we know that Prokofiev took the Leinsdorf. the other Prokofiev "specialist." he seems to

MAY 1973 67 lively performance. Ormandv's israther large-scale. brilliantly and opulently played. Rozhdestvensky lacks the necessary humor and grace. Insome cases. theClas- sicalis coupled with other works that may weigh in a choice: Abbado's superb Prokofiev Third. Bernstein's PROKOFIEV Bizet. and Friihbeck'sSacre.

Symphony No. 2, in D minor, Op. 40 (1924) The Second Symphony is another "classical mphonv. but in a quite different sense: Here Prokofiev explicitly me to lack both humor and lyric expansiveness. though takes as his model Beethoven's last piano sonata-a pow- the Boston Symphony is a strong plus factor in the four erfully energetic Allegro followed by an extended series symphonies he recorded. of variations in different tempos. The first movement has A major drawback in Martinon's set is the quality of always been a hard nut to crack: Scored heavily and orchestral playing and recording. not that they are had- most loudly, it offers little relief to the listener and chal- his orchestra is better than Rozhdestvensky's-hut they lenges the conductor to clarify its frequently contrapun- are less than first-rate. I suspect that his orchestra is not a tal texture. Its style recalls the violence of some passages large one-probably eighty to ninety players rather than in the Scythian Suite. The variations, however, are by no one hundred-and it sounds to me as if the performances means as difficult to listen to but their shifting moods re- were recorded in a radio studio with a rather hard sound. quire clear definition in interpretation. Failing Angel's After a while I could concentrate on Martinon's formi- release of Rozhdestvensky's later performance (he re- dable musicianship and many felicities of interpretation. corded it earlier badly on a now discontinued Artia but when I played Karajan's recording of the Fifth. I re- record: there is also a version listed on Everest). Leins- alized that the orchestral quality and acoustics of Marti- dorf is the only alternative to Martinon: Fine playing by non's records left much to be desired. This is unfortu- the Boston Symphony cannot ultimately compensate for nate. because Martinon's over-all view of Prokofiev and Leinsdorfs lack of warmth and imagination. especially his control of the orchestra are considerably more than in the long variations. (The coupling is theLieutenant commendable. The devoted student of Prokofiev will KijeSuite.) Martinon. moreover. successfully projects undoubtedly want this full set. especially at the reason- the individuality of the variations while holding the enable price. tire movement together as an integral expression: his In the following comments on recordings of the seven performance here is a major argument for acquiring this symphonies. I have made selected comparisons on the set. This is the least played of Prokofiev's symphonies. basis of the current Schwann catalogue. It is. of course. but Martinon makes the best case for it that I have heard. impossible to buy individual symphonies from Marti- (Incidentally Prokofiev. at the end of his life, planned to non's sets. Some buyers may decide on the first box of revise this symphony.) four symphonies. in which Martinon is at his best. choos- ing alternatives for the last three. Similarly. despite an Symphony No. 3, in C minor, Op. 44 (1928) inferior orchestra. Rozhdestvensky's musical ideas are of Though based on thematic material from III,peraThe special interest. since they reflect the local style in which Flaming Angel.Prokofiev made it emphatically clear Prokofiev worked in his last years. One of my complaints that it is not a pastiche from that score but a full-fledged about the Moscow records concerns the dryness of string symphony in every respect. possibly his most lyrically tone and the excessive vibrato of the brass: but then. in expressive so far. Abbado's superb reading should go far the last symphonies Prokofiev may have had the saxo- to establish its merits and refute its reputation as ab- phonelike tone of the Russian horns in mind. Were I struse and difficult. Though I object to his too -soft treat- forced to recommend only one recording of each sym- ment of the Classical (on the same disc). I find him quite phony without duplication I would select Martinon for incisive here. He clarifies both the structure and texture the first four symphonies, Karajan for the Fifth, and of the score. projects a strong phrase. and gets superb Rozhdestvensky for the last two. playing from the LSO: together with Karajan's Fifth. this is the best over-all recording of any Prokofiev sym- Symphony No. 1, in D, Op. 25 (1917) phony. Rozhdestvensky tries to inject some of the "epic" Prokofiev explicitly described this symphony as an effort mood of later Prokofiev here. not always convincingly. to re-create in modern terms the style of Haydn: com- Martinon's is a fine reading. somewhat more hard-hit- posed in his twenty-sixth year. it is surrounded by other ting than Abbado's. but his orchestra is outclassed by the works that combine wit and lyric intensity. notably the latter's. In this company. I find Leinsdorf generally un- First Violin Concerto and the Third and Fourth Piano sympathetic to the music. though his orchestra responds Sonatas. Nowadays conductors tend to emphasize the well. (His coupling is theScythianSuite.) lyricism and classic grace at the expense of its parodistic wit. Martinon projects a more biting humor. a brighter Symphony No. 4, in C, Op. 47 (1930) "classic" style than do the other conductors listed here. Asnoted aboN e. Nlartinon plays the 1930 version. com- Most of the other conductors take much of the music posed for the fiftieth anniversary of the Boston Sym- more slowly. Abbado being almost languorous. Ilike phony. whereas Rozhdestvensky plays the Op. 112 ver- Bernstein's unabashed vitality and good spirits. despite sion that converted this score into a late-Prokofiev work. occasional rough playing by his orchestra. and the cou- The difference is important. for the composer com- pling with Bizet's Symphony in C (on MS 7159) is a pletely rewrote the piece. expanding it to nearly twice its delight. (The performance also comes coupled with Pe- former length and recasting it in the style of the Fifth terand the Wolfand theLieutenant KijeSuite. on MS and Sixth Symphonies. which preceded the revision. In 7528.) In the economy category. Kurtz gives a good. the early days of LP. there was a Urania release of Op.

68 HR;IIFIDEI.11Y MAGAZINE 47. coupled with a suite from The Prodigal Son. from than Rozhdestvensky. Neither offers as fine a perform- which Prokofiev drew much of the thematic material for ance as did Ansermet on an old London record long the symphony: that coupling offered an instructive dem- since deleted. onstration of the composer's differing methods in stage and symphonic composition. There was once an excel- Symphony No. 7, in C sharp minor, Op. 131 (1952) lent stereo version of Op. 112 by Ormandv. which may In this last symphony. Prolyoney ,ought a simpler style: turn up on Odyssey. In any event. Martinon's account of while he was first working on it. he called it a "Children's Op. 47 is excellent. quite in keeping with Prokofiev's Symphony." Despite its minor key. abandoned for the style at the time. and interesting for comparison with major in the finale. it is more lighthearted. brighter in Rozhdestvenslo's idiomatic performance of the later texture. and simpler in structure. which is not called version. upon to carry the serious burden of the preceding two (or three. counting Op. 112) symphonies. For this reason. Symphony No. 5, in B flat. Op. 100 (1944) some have deprecated it as a falling off of Prokofiev's tal- Martino') refuses to linger over the important first move- ent. His wit is much in evidence here. not just in scherzo ment or the Largo. thereby depriving that music of its es- passages. but throughout the symphony. For all of this. sential breadth and lyric flow. Oistrakh has occasionally Martinon seems much better than the more serious Rozh- interesting ideas. but fails to weld them into a perform- destvensky. and his performance is well played by the ance as integral as Rozhdestvensky's with a similar. and O.R.T.F. orchestra. (At this point it is interesting to note comparatively weak. orchestra. At budget price. Or- Prokofiev's little references to Beethoven in his last two mandy's record is a good buy. but itis early stereo. symphonies: The Sixth bears the same opus number as though an excellent performance. For some time. the Beethoven sonata on which the Second Symphony though. Ansermet was my favorite here: with his strong was modeled. and the Seventh is in the same key and has feeling for Russian music. he established a quite valid re- the same opus number as one of Beethoven's greatest lation of this symphony to the tradition of Borodin and quartets. Moreover. the contrast between the Fifth and Tchaikovskv in one of his best performances on records. Sixth Symphonies may. in Prokofiev's mind. have mir- However, despite some idiosyncrasies. Karajan's is the rored a similar relation between Beethoven's Fifth and most exciting of the lot. especially in recording and or- Sixth Symphonies. These by no means coincidental ref- chestral performance: I consider it indispensable for any erences reflect the degree to which Prokofiev must have Prokofiev collection. identified his symphonic efforts with a great tradition.)

Symphony No. 6, in E flat minor, Op. 111 (1947) Overture on Hebrew Themes, Op. 34 bis (1919; 1934) Coming after the justifiably popular fifth. and immedi- Cioberman's old recording was of the 1919 Sextctt ver- ately before the revision of the Fourth. the Sixth offers a sion. and Martinon's is the only one available of the full predecessor. Apparently. orchestration of fifteen years later. many of the ideas in this symphony developed in Proko- fiev's mind while he was working on the Fifth. Both re- Russian Overture, Op. 72 (1936) flect the impact of the war on the composer. but in rather This is the only currently ay ai lable recording. Scored for different ways. The Fifth. according to the composer. is large orchestra. it is based on Russian folk tunes. which "a symphony of the grandeur of the human spirit." Of Prokofiev had been studying since his youth. Both over- the Sixth. he said that the war had left "scars that cannot tures are well -played as "fillers" in the first volume (lithe be healed. One has lost those dear to him. Another has Martinon set. lost his health. That must not he forgotten." ( Prokofiev himself had received a blow to his own health: Shortly PROKOFIEV: Orchestral Works. Orchestre National after conducting the premiere of the Fifth Symphony, he B de L'O.R.T.F., Jean Martinon, cond. Vox SVBX 5123 and fell and suffered a brain concussion that increasingly in- SVBX 5124, $9.95 each set (three discs). capacitated him for the remaining eight years of his life.) vol. 1: Symphonies. No. 1. in D. Op. 25 (Classical): No. 2. in D minor. Op. 40: No. 3. in C minor. Op. 44: No. 4. in C. Op. 47: Overture on Hebrew Themes. Op. 34; It is as it' Prokofiev wanted to remind his listeners. in the Russian Overture. Op. 72. Vol. II: Symphonies: No. 5. Op. 100: No 6. Op. 111; midst of celebrating a heroic victory. of the tragic reali- No. 7. Op 131 Selected comparisons (No. 1): ties of war and life in general. This is possibly the most Abbado. London Sym. Lon. 6679 personal of Prokofiev's symphonies and. on repeated ac- Bernstein, N.Y. Phil. Col. 7159 or 7528 Friihbeck. New Philharmonic Ang. 36427 quaintance. probably the greatest. (It was also the object Kurtz. Philharmonic Sera. 60172 of the most devastating official attack on the composer. Ormandy, Philadelphia Col. 6545 Rozhdestvensky, MRSO MelAng. 40061 in 1948.) The long (fifteen -minute) first movement alter- Selected comparison (No. 2) nates between lyric and martial material. the lyric ideas Le:nsdorf, Boston Sym. RCA 3061 attaining increasing urgency and power in their develop- Selected comparisons (No. 3): Abbadc. London Sym. Lon. 6679 ment and the martial ones presented with great bitter- Leinsdcrf. Boston Sym. RCA 2934 ness. The slow movement is dominated. not by gentle Rczhdestvensky, MRSO Mel. /Ang. 40092 Selected comparison (Nc. 4): lyricism but by intense anguish. (I cannot subscribe to R. Rozhdestvensky, MRSO (Op. 112 version) Mel /Ang. 40040 D. Darrell's description of this symphony. in his other- Selected comparisons (No. 5): wise excellent notes in the Martinon set, as "lighter in Ansermet, Suisse Romande Lon. 6406 Karajan, Berlin Phil. DG 139040 texture as well as in its demands on the listener.") In Oistrakh, Moscow Phil. Mel ,Ang. 40003 complete contrast. the finale is affirmative and tuneful. Ormandy, Philadelphia Odys. 30490 Rozhdestvensky, MRSO Mel. /Ang. 40126 but at the end it returns to the tragic mood of the first Selected comparison (No. 6): movement. reverting to the unusual key of E flat minor. I Rozhdestvensky, MRSO Mel. /Ang. 40046 find Martinon somewhat lacking in the personal inten- Selected comparison (No. 7): Rozhdestvensky, MRSO Mel. /Ang. 40061 sity that I feel this score requires: He seems a hit too mat- Selected comparison (Overture on Hebrew Themes): ter of fact in the first two movements. more so certainly Goberman, Vienna New Sym. Odys. 32 16 0084

MAY 1973 69 Three recordings of two operas from Bohm and Klemperer make a case for opposing views.

Karl Bohm Otto Klemperer Mozart Rationalist or Romanticist? by Dale S. Harris

KLEMPERER'S TREATMENT OfLe NOZZe di FigaroISbound great finales are especially full of life and joyousness- to disconcert a lot of listeners-initially, at any rate. For except that the tone is genial rather than ebullient, wise some time now we have cherished a conception of Mo- rather than witty. confident rather than tense. zart as fleet, airy, and graceful. a composer who is always To these ends Klemperer emphasizes the sheer sen- serious but rarely solemn. As a consequence, perform- suous beauty of Mozart's music as no one else today ances have tended to emphasize speed. lightness, and seems inclined to do. His unhurried manner gives the or- elegance. In the operas. we have grown used to a small - chestra players time to articulate their parts with clarity sizeorchestra, harpsichord accompaniment for the of line and beauty of tone, and the effect is both con- recitatives, and, when we are allowed to hear them, such stantly ravishing and endlessly illuminating. To hear so features of eighteenth -century style as appoggiaturas clearly the violins twining insinuatingly around the and vocal embellishments. Most of today's conductors Count's words as he attempts to seduce Susanna ("Ver- tend to see Mozart as the product of eighteenth -century rai, non mancherai?") is to better understand his disso- rationalism, not as a precursor of nineteenth-century ro- luteness and confidence. manticism. Klemperer plainly does not fall into that cat- The singers also benefit from Klemperer's relaxed egory. From the first bar of the overture he proceeds not view of the music. Susanna sounds, above all. like a with swiftness but with deliberation, not with lightness woman, not merely a minx: she is here no less captivat- and lucidity but with weightiness and sonorousness. ing. but she is warmer and more cherishable. Reri Grist, Klemperer's tempos are the most obvious indication who sings the role for Klemperer. is better on this release of his attitude toward the music: Everything here is than in the opera house, where the smallness of her voice slower than we are accustomed to nowadays. The recita- imparts a soubrettelike character to her performances. tives have unwonted substance; the arias and ensembles She hasn't much sensuousness or variety of tone color. move at a temperate. reflective gait; the allegro patter of yet under Klemperer her intelligence and sense of situ- Bartolo's aria is astonishingly measured: even the re- ation have full play. and the results are delightful. All the tards (e.g.. before the reprise of "Se vuol ballare") are singers. in fact. sound fine. Most are famous exponents massive and ponderous. In theory this approach ought to of their roles. They all characterize as well as sing. and be fatal to Mozart's comedy. Nothing. after all. is worse though theirs are not the most mellifluous voices in the than a heavy-handed humor. Klemperer, it turns out. world they are alltechnically very accomplished. I knows better. After shock and surprise come surrender would unhesitatingly call this the finest recorded cast and delight. The comedy. we discover. still works: the currently available. a true ensemble of musicians. Elisa-

70 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE beth SeSederstriiem as the Countess and Gabriel Bac- He remains a wonderful musician, but he cannot man- quier as the Count bring enormous distinction to their age the notes in a pleasurable way. The same, alas, is true roles, and Geraint Evans' Figaro is very satisfying. Only of Geraint Evans. Evans. who can be splendid as the old Teresa Berganza sounds a little under par, strenuous and cynic Don Alfonso, is saddled here with the young man's not readily lovable. If you are willing to surrender your- role of Guglielmo. On the other hand. Hans Sotin-a self into the authoritative hands of an idiosyncratic con- youthful, smooth bass-is assigned to Don Alfonso! The ductor, you are likely to find your knowledge of Figaro women are more aptly cast, but apart from Lucia Popp's considerably deepened by this performance. delightful Despina. they leave a lot to be desired. Marga- The air of Apollonian well-being produced by ret Price is young and gifted. She negotiates the no- Klemperer is. it appears. no less legitimate than the old torious technical difficulties of Fiordiligi's music with a familiar air of high spirits. Karl Bohm's performance is certain amount of genuine success-though also with ob- imbued with the latter quality, and moves at what vious care-and she can, moreover, trill. Unfortunately, sounds like twice the speed. As this album reveals, Bohm she sings in the top register with little vibrato, employing was no less a superb conductor in the 1930s than he is a flutey, white tone that not only is unpleasant to hear today. Although the provenance of these discs is the but also-since it tends to sound just a fraction below Stuttgart Radio in 1938, the cast seems to be from the true pitch-blends badly with the other voices. The duets Dresden State Opera, where Bohm was at that time mu- for soprano and mezzo are rather a trial because Yvonne sic director. Most of these artists are better known to Minton, the Dorabella. has a pronounced vibrato. To American operagoers from the phonograph than from complicate matters. Minton's intonation is not really ac- live appearances. Schoffier and Mime, the exceptions, curate. Furthermore. although there is no doubt about are good and very typical. The former, then in his early her talent, here she sounds mostly efl'ortful and huffy. forties, was on the threshold of his long, distinguished Appoggiaturas are observed, but there are cuts in the career at the Vienna State Opera. The upper reaches of recitative, and the Ferrando/Guglielmo duet "Al fato Figaro's music gave him difficulty even then, but his air dan Legge" and Ferrando's "Ah! lo veggio" are omitted. of genial proficiency is very effective. The German lan- None of this might have mattered very much had guage lies heavy on all these assumptions however. Ah- Klemperer found the same kind of ripe wisdom here lersmeyer's Count is often ungainly-the end of his aria that he found in Figaro. As it is. his solemnity exposes is particularly heavy going. Cebotari, then in her the mechanics of the performance. twenties, had sung Aminta in the world premiere of The Klemperer Figaro has been available in England Strauss's Schweigsame Frau three years before and was since 1971; the Cosi was released last year. Angel has no already famous as Susanna. Like Sch011ier she gradu- plans to issue either one domestically. The German ated in time from the servants' quarters to the owners' pressings imported by Peters are faultless; the sound is apartments. Here she sounds curiously ill at ease. The first-class. Italian texts, German translations, and notes voice is not properly supported and the tone is uningra- in German and English are included. The Preiser Figaro tiating. The high Cs in the Act II trio are precarious. But includes neither notes nor texts. in Mozart Cebotari was always better to see than merely hear. Margarete Teschemacher. who created the title MOZART: Le Nozze di Figaro. role in Strauss's Daphne the very year of this broadcast. The Count Gabriel Bacquier (b) begins acidulously. but gets very much better as the per- The Countess Elisabeth Saederstroem (s) Susanna Ren Grist (s) formance proceeds. Her response to the Count's plea for Figaro Geraint Evans (b) forgiveness in the last act is movingly beautiful. The oth- Cherubiio Teresa Berganza (ms) Marcellina Anneltes Burmeister (ms) ers are hardly more than adequate vocalists, but the Basiko Werner Hollweg (t) Don Curzio Willi Brokmeter (t) spirit of teamwork they project is laudable. Bartolo Michael Langdon (bs) This is. of course. a "historical" performance. chiefly Antonio Clifford Grant (bs) interesting for what it tells us about the past. Apart from Barbanna Margaret Price (s) the use of German. the sound is boxy, a piano accom- Henry Smith, harpsichord. John Alldis Choir; New Philhar- monia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI Odeon 1C 191- panies the recitatives. there are no appoggiaturas (a 02 134 /7, $23.92 (four discs). problem with Klemperer's set too), and both Marcellina and Basilio have lost their arias (Klemperer also cuts MOZART: Le Nozze di Figaro (sung in German). Hi The Count Matthieu Ahlersmeyer (b) Marcellina's). Ifind the performance very engaging The Countess Margarete Teschemacher (s) nonetheless. Bohm's riper thoughts on the opera are su- Susanna Maria Cebotari (s) Figaro Paul Schoftler (b) perbly displayed on his recent Deutsche Grammophon Cherubino Angela Kolniak (s) recording (2711 007)-with Janowitz, Mathis, Troyanos. Marcellina Elisabeth Waldenau (ms) Basilio Karl Wessely (t) Fischer-Dieskau. and Prey. However, though this latter Don Curzio Hubert Buchta (t) Bartolo Kurt Bohme (bs) cast is vocally smoother, it does not by any means sound Antonio Hans Herbert Fiedler (bs) as lively as the Dresden group. It also makes a distinctly Barbanna Hannerle Frank (s) less distinguished impression than Klemperer's team. Stuttgart Radio Chorus and Orchestra, Karl BOhm, cond. Prei- The virtues that illuminate Klemperer's Figaro are ser FI-11-3. $22.50 (three discs, mono; recorded in 1938). present in his Cos) fan tune. There is a whole catalogue MOZART:Cosi fan tutte. of beautiful effects. To take a single example, the violin F lurchl,91 Margaret Price (s) Dorabella Yvonne Minton (ms) quavers that accompany Fiordiligi's "Ah guarda, so- Ferrando Luigi Alva (t) rella!" in Act I are breathed forth like sighs. But the op- Guglielno Geraint Evans (b) Despina Lucia Popp (s) era doesn't come to life in the same way. An air of stolid- Don Alfonso Hans Sotin (be) ity weighs down the comedy; smiles are rare. Otto Freudenthal, harpsichord; John AlldisChoir;New Phil- A more suitable cast might have helped. Luigi Alva. harmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI Odeon 1C sad to say. can no longer sing Ferrando's music very well. 191-02 249/52. $23.92 (four discs).

MAY 1973 71 A Sony turntable for the lazy perfectionist

If you're a perfectionist, you wince at the flutter below 0.1%, rumble down 42 dB.) thought of stacking records. naked and The 12-incn, balanced arm settles precisely in defenseless, or dropping them onto each the lead-in groove, its stylus centered by pre- other. So you wind up with a single -play cise anti -skating, and its calibrated tracking component turntable, and hold your force selectable from a maximum of three breath to raise and lower the arm gently grams down to a mere fraction of a gram. and perfectly. For manual operation, there's a cueing If you're lazy, though, you resent having lift, of course. to dash across the room at 20 -minute But if you settle the arm down automatically, intervals to lift the stylus from the run -out you can tell your conscience that you're groove. And you wind up with an auto- only doing it because the PS -5520's matic turntable. (Which perfectionists automatic action is so gentle. Gentler, still call "changers:') even than you are when you But if you're a lazy perfectionist, where hold your breath and can you turn? brace your elbow. To Sony, of course. And to our The Sony PS -5520 PS -5520. turntable comes coni- Just give its control lever a lazy lete with handsome little nudge, and things start walnut base, hinged dust happening-things to delight cover (less cartridge). the perfectionist in all of us. See it at your dealer. The hysteresis motor starts Or write Sony Corpo- the 12 -inch non-magnetic ration of America. platter turning at precisely 47-47 Van Dam 33-1/3 or 45 rpm. (Belt Street, Long Island drive keeps wow and City, New York 11101. SONY PS -5520 Turntable CIRCLE 53 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 72 111(.11 1 11)11 II) \i. \/1\I classical reviewed by ROYAL S. BROWN ABRAM CHIPMAN R. D. DARRELL PETER G. DAVIS SHIRLEY FLEMING ALFRED FRANKENSTEIN CLIFFORD F. GILMORE The Fine Arts Quartet-astoundingly precise Babbitt. HARRIS GOLDSMITH DAVID HAMILTON work. which lasts nearly mem% m,nutcs. is in not have a score of the Wuorinen. its perform- one basic "tempo." the subdis isions of the DALE S. HARRIS ance seemed equally good. In other words. pulse arc so organized as to create constantly. thisis a first-rate disc all around. NI \only PHILIP HART varying speed characteristics. This manifests quarrel is that on my copy.. at least. the Ilner DONAL J. HENAHAN itself both "polyphonically." in the simulta- notes are garbled (part of Babbitt's commen- PAUL HENRY LANG neous interaction of different rates among the tary appears in the section on Wuorinen). For ANDREA MCMAHON various strands of the texture. and. on a larger some this may he hopelessly. confusing. (Vox scale. "formall\ ."in regard to the over-all reports that this has been corrected.) R.P.M. ROBERT C. MARSH rates of different sections of the piece. ROBERT P. MORGAN Inhis liner notes. Babbitt refers to the ANDREW PORTER "sonic asceticism" of the work. pointing out BACH: Concerto for Violin and Strings, No. that "there is not so much as a single sot pooli- H. C. ROBBINS LANDON 2, in E, S. 1042; Concerto for Two Violins cello or co/ ktvio." Yet to me this conveys an and Strings, in D minor, S. 1043; Concerto JOHN ROCKWFLI- unfortunatelymisleadingimpression. as for Violin and Strings, in G minor. Pinchas SUSAN THIEMANN SOMMER though the piece were not intended to he tim- Zukerman and Itzhak Perlman, violins; Eng- brallv interesting. But if "timbre- is taken to lish Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim, mean the total sonic attributes resulting from cond. Angel S 36841, $5.98. the combined interaction of all the individual components of the piece. then the quartet can Only a few months ago Columbia released a be said to he endlessly innovative and rich. BAssirr: Quartet for Strings, No. 3. record of Bach played and conducted by Such things as the total (ensemble) rhythm. Pinchas Zukerman with the English Chamber B WuoRiNEN: Quartet for Strings. Fine the interplay of constantly changing dynam- Orchestra. Now here he is playing Bach for Arts Quartet. Turnabout TV -S 34515, ics (which closely affect the attack character- Angel. ideally partnered by firltrian and $2.98. istics), and the complex manipulation of dif- Barenboim. Angel's jacket notes remind us ferent registers create an aural picture of that all three have been acclaimed "for a musi- It is a disgraceful comment on the current unusual variety. cal maturity that exceeds their youthfulness." American music scene that so few of Milton Charles Wuorinen's quartet is an important And the violinists have been justly praised for Babbitt's compositions are available on work inits own regard-one thatI suspect their beautiful tone, impeccable technique. record. Only two electronic pieces are listed in could well become a "repertoire" piece. It is so and sensitive musicianship. I find it curious. the catalogue: some earlier instrumental beautifully written tor the =dn. m (which is however, that these three superb young musi- pieces were previously available (and the here handled in a considerably more tradi- cians play like old men. Barenboim freely ac- Quartet No. 2 of 1952 is due to be released tional manner than in the Rabbit:. despite the knowledges Furtwangler as a kind of spiritual shortly), but none of his more recent instru- fact that there is frequent use of such "effects" mentor. and both Perlman and Zukerman mental works has been recorded. Further- as harmonics. suipoinicello. and glissando). so seem to have in their heads the sound of some more, the availability of his music scores is direct in communication. and so persuasively. "elder statesman" of the violin. The approach little better. Considering the important role argued from beginning to end. that it should is appropriate enough for the standard nine- played by Babbitt in recent music. this is inex- prove attractive to ensembles looking for in- teenth-century concerto repertory. but here plicable.It explains why so much that has teresting new music. As with the Babbitt. pitch they sound terribly old-fashioned. been written about Babbitt seems to have been still matters in Wuorinen's music: To illus- I was delighted, though. to hear for the first formulated in a vacuum-with very little first- trate.I would note the several striking sub- time the well-known F minor Harpsichord hand knowledge of his music. sequent allusions to the three -note figure that Concerto played in what must be its original Thus this release of the Quartet No. 3 (com- opens the piece. and the telling use of pitch version-a violin concerto in G minor. Prob- pleted in 1970). issued simultaneously with the doublings (especially prominent in the open- ably all of the harpsichord concertos are ar- publication of the score by Peters Edition, is ing and closing sections). doubly welcome. The quartet is an extraor- Taken together. these two quartets oiler a dinary composition, as fresh and inventive in most heartening picture of the state of Ameri- its basic musical material as it is logical in the can musical composition. The virtuosity of the Explanation of symbols organization of this material. It is a work that Fine Arts Quartet matches that of the compo- Classical: has an immediate and profound impact-an sitions step for step. Their precision in the iBI Budget impact that is. moreover, totally individual Babbitt. given the complexity of this work. is and that is inseparable from the composition's simply astounding. Particularly impressive is IHI Historical own specialqualities. The quartetisun- the careful articulation of the dynamics. which IR1 Reissue compromisingly polyphonic, not only in re- are as differentiated here as in an \ non -elec- gard to the relationships of the four instru- tronic work I know. Even more important. Recorded tape ments to one another, but also in the internal however. .s the feeling that the players are Open Reel organization of the individual parts. Related "making music"-not. as is so often the case 8 -Track Cartridge to this is Babbitt's almost kaleidoscopic use of with such difficult new pieces. just desperately IP* Cassette different rates of speed: Although the entire counting their way through. Although I did

MAY 1973 rangements Bach made in the 1730s of earlier of a more appropriate recording. Rampal's On the Continent, where Beecham was re- violin concertos, but only two have survived in does come out on top. garded in many circles as an amateur ham. Jo - their original form. Of all the harpsichord I'm glad all eight of the flute sonatas attrib- chum is considered the heir of Furtwangler. concertos, the F minor (especially the middle uted to Bach are included, even though recent the defender of the German faith. a bulwark movement) seems most inappropriate in its research has shown pretty conclusively that against the overfast tempos and "swish" ap- harpsichord version and needs desperately to three (S. 1020. S. 1031, and S. 1033) were not proach of younger men. be heard played by a violin or other instru- actually written by Bach. (The liner notes un- It was therefore with a great sense of expec- ment capable of playing a sustained melodic fortunately are unaware of this. ant: in general tation that I listened to the Defender of the line. Perhaps some day other violinists more in the flowery, sentimental prose is better left un- Faith playing one of the Faith's cornerstones- tune with Bach's style will discover these sev- read.) C.F.G. the Beethoven Mass in D. Jochum's is an hon- eral "lost" violin concertos. (In most cases est,well -rehearsed performance withper- they can be easily reconstructed from the fectly good soloists. smoothly recorded by harpsichord versions, as Gustav Schreck has BEETHOVEN: Missa Solemnis, Op. 123. Philips. But quite frankly, why bother? Who done here.) In the meantime, Zukerman's ver- Agnes Giebel, soprano; Marga Hoffgen, alto; can want to trade in or give away his set with sion will have to do. C.F.G. ErnstHaflinger, tenor;Karl Ridderbusch, Karajan or Bernstein or Klemperer or even bass; Netherlands Radio Chorus; Concertge- the ancient Toscanini to acquire this new Phil- bouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Eugen Jo - ips production? It simply doesn't make sense. B ACH: The Well -Tempered Clavier, chum, cond. Philips 6799 001, $13.96 (two There was no need to have recorded this per- Books Iand II, discs). USI S. 846-893. Wanda formance. It is the kind of totally superfluous Landowska, harpsichord. RCA Red Selected comparisons - release that precisely confirms the growing Seal VCM 6203 and VCM 6204, Bernstein Col. 619 Karajan (1959) Ang. 3595 opinion that the record companies simply $11.98 each three -disc set (mono; Karajan (1966) DG 2707 030 don't know what they are doing. from RCA Victor LM 6801, 1954). Klemperer Ang. 3679 Toscanini RCA 6013 Instead, they could have recorded Mozart's B ACH: "The Complete Flute So- Mass in C. K. 337-which has never been is- B natas." Jean-Pierre Rampal,flute; The record industry has now reached a serious sued by a major company. (It would sell, too. Robert Veyron-Lacroix, harpsichord; crisis. The crisis is partly economic-it is get- even without having a naked girl on the RJean Huchot, cello. Odyssey Y2 ting increasingly difficult to sell records-but cover.) Or Haydn's Maria:ellermesse. or 31925, $5.96 (two discs; from Epic mainly, I believe, the direct result of the large Bruckner's Mass in D minor. or. or.... BSC 145, 1963). companies' inability to face up to present-day H.C.R.L. Sonata for Flute Unaccompanied. in A minor. S. 1013. So- problems. The economic squeeze is. without question. closely allied with the companies' natas for Flute and Harpsichord: In G minor, S. 1020: in B BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7, in A, minor, 5.1030; in E flat, S. 1031; in A, S. 1032. Sonatas for troubles with repertoire. Everything isre- Flute and Continuo: In C, S. 1033; in E minor. S. 1034; in B Op. 92. Berlin Philharmonic Orches- E, S. 1035. corded, the heads of a&r assert. Similarly the companies' methods of packaging and adver- tra, Wilhelm Furtwangler, cond. Turn- Selected comparison (Flute Sonatas): about TV -S 34509, $2.98 (rechan- Shaffer, Malcolm Ang. 36337 and 36350 tising have no! benefited from the pseudo - neled stereo; from a 1943 concert Madison Avenue attitudes that have in the last performance). In spite of the tremendous changes in Bach ten years crept into the business( Mozart performance style in the last few years, these records with a gorgeous naked girl holding a famous Landowaka recordings don't sound bust of the composer between her thighs. etc.). A recording of some interest, for it presents a "old-fashione4" at all. Landowska had such a Astounded that naked girls. easy -to -read more volatile, less weighty interpretation than complete understanding of this music-and notes. and cheap labels have not helped them. Furtwangler's Vienna studio recording of Jan- such a wonderful ability to communicate her the companies have taken to "Switched -On uary 1950 (Seraphim IC 6018). The latter feeling for it-that it will be a very long time Bach" and Waldos de los Rios. whose ar- seems to me ultimately more compelling for before we really progress much beyond the rangements of Mozart are mounumental in its very detailed realization of the symphony's level she reached. That subtle rhythmic flexi- their total lack of musicianship and vulgar rhythmic detail, but the wartime concert occa- bility and nuance place her in the company of taste. And then the companies wonder why sion gave rise to an unusual, somewhat un- a couple of today's most progressive young they are in trouble. CBS refuses to continue is- characteristic Furtwangler reading. with un- Bach specialists. In fact. I found myself won- suing Haydn symphonies with Goberman be- common drive and a tendency almost to run away at climaxes. dering why it has taken nearly two decades for cause they can't sell them, yet London, having these ideas of hers to be accepted, why we still issued about half of the 107 symphonies (and This effect may seem exaggerated in the hear so many ricky-ticky. metronomicallv not the best-known 'ones). has already sold recording as preserved, for those climaxes are strait -jacketed readings passed off as "authen- 500.000 records of them-without the benefit rather severely monitored, and thus reduced tic." Landowska's tempos often do sound in- of naked girls. Waldos de los Rios. or other in dynamic scale so as to seem out of propor- credibly slow now. Many of these preludes evidences of Madison Avenue. tion with their temporal aspect. The bass line and fugues could be exactly doubled in tempo is weak, too (the crucial ostinato in the last Perhaps the main trouble is still duplication. movement is less than ideally discernible). and they wouldn't sound unusual. And this brings us to the present album. which while assorted bronchial complaints suffered But above all she was a profound thinker. has been available for some time in Europe by members of the audience impinge at vari- with a profound ability to communicate her but has just now been released in America. ous points, to notably ill effect at the start of insights into. and her deep love for. this music. Eugen Jochum has made a solid reputation the second movement. And Turnabout's pseu- and that overcomes any possible criticisms-I and won many friends for his decency. hon- dostereo (a step backwards, for their previous even find myself accepting without complaint esty, and fidelity. He is known to be the Urtext the sound of her treasured Pleyel harpsichord. man par excellence, and especially his Bruck- Furtwangler historical material has been of- which has without doubt produced some of ner records always used and still use the so- fered in undoctored mono) adds gratuitous echo. the twentieth century's ugliest noises. These called Urfassung. When he turns to other com- The last of these disabilities, at least, did not records should be on every music lover's shelf. posers. he has always shown the same scru- affect the British issue (Unicorn WFS 8). RCA is to be commended for not rechannel- pulous regard for what the composer wrote. In ing the (quite good) mono sound. which is thereby more recommendable if you Anglo-Saxon countries. used to conductors can find it: both derive from a Soviet record. Of the current recordings of the flute so- like Beecham whose cavalier disregard for natas. only the Shaffer/Malcolm version on what the composer wrote is proverbial. Jo - MK D 027779/80. Not really caviar for the general-you have to work pretty hard to infer Angel is really competitive with the Rampal/ chumisconsidered solidbut uninspired. what the performance really sounded like- Veyron-Lacroix. Both offer superb playing Recently he has been in London. recording all hut worthy of specialist attention. and big luscious sounds. Rampal's is the more of Haydn's "Salomon" Symphonies in the Ur- D.H. sprightly and "virtuosic" of the two. but nei- fassung. and the press comments have not ther shows any real understanding of the spe- been very encouraging. either about the per- cial stylistic requirements of the music. And of formance or about the Urfassung: The Bee- BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9, in D minor, course Rampal's modern Haynes (gold) flute cham legacy of inserted "hairpin" dynamics. Op. 125 (Choral). Pilar Lorengar, soprano; doesn't even approximate the sound of a ba- etc.. has colored the opinions of an entire gen- Yvonne Minton, mezzo; Stuart Burrows, roque wooden transverse flute. In the absence eration of British and American music critics. tenor; Martti Talvela, bass; Chicago Sym-

74 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE ter a very promising introduction based on the earlier slow section. The Op. 4 Scherzo, on the other hand, sustains itself from sheer talent and the virility of its inspiration. but its style is more like (though superior to) Opp. I and 2. With its double trio sections and almost Lisztian bravura, it is not a piece one will want to hear too often-and then only in a truly masterful reading like Kempif's (DG /Decca, deleted) or Arrau's new one. The F minor Sonata has had a successful phonographic history. But Arrau's performance is one of the greatest I have ever heard. He brings to the score the conviction that the Brahms of Op. 5 was as fully the mature master as the Brahms of Op. 119. There is a great deal of latitude and romantic rubato inhis phrasing. but none of the flamboyance that. say. Rubinstein so tellingly projects in his interpretation.Arrau's readings of the two Brahms concertos released last year by Philips will give the cue for what to expect here. If anything. the present performance is even Georg Solti-a decent, honest account of Beethoven's Ninth. more impassioned and rugged. I admire the granitic. solid down -to -the -bottom -of -the - phony Orchestra andChorus, Georg Solt', Lines cannot he heard with any clarity: the keys sonority, the magnificent "orchestration" cond. London CSP 8,$9.98 (two discs). phrasing is amorphous. Some amends are of texture, the bass -oriented harmonic plan- Selected comparisons: made in the Finale-large-scaled, expansive. ning of Arrau's conception. To be sure, he B6hm DG 2720 045 Klemperer Ang. 3577 solidly conducted. The solo quartet is fairly stretches certain phrases to their philosophical Ormandy Col. D7S 745 good. although overmiked. Talvela and Bur- limitand uses enormous elasticity in revealing Reiner RCA 6096 or 3316 rows sound slightly shouty. but their fervor is certain ostinato figurations (e.g., in the slow SzeII Col. M7X 30281 Toscanini Victr. 1607 suitable. There are some problems: The movements), but unlike some of Arrau's tempo for the tenor's alit: marcia is a bit fast Beethoven and Schumann performances. the I have expressed doubts about the increasingly and nerveless: the ensuing double fugue. for continuity is never lost here. Philips' engineer- frequent one -disc format for the Ninth. A side all the brilliant engineering, lacks sufficient ing is ideally warm and solid. Some may pre- break in the Adagio is inevitable. and usually clarity. The chorus is quite fine, though no fer Rubinstein's extroversion, Kemptrs clas- one or both repeats have to he omitted from match for the suave Robert Shaw -led forces in sicism (on a deleted mid -Fifties mono disc; the Scherzo. In the recent two-sided Victrola the Toscanini and Szell versions. The Chicago perhaps he will remake the piece). or Curzon's reissue of Toscanini's Ninth the soundis Symphony is a great ensemble, functioning hearty. yet intimate treatment (on a regret- bright and unimpaired. the Scherzo keeps its here considerably below its best. I am not fond tably-and, I hope. temporarily-deleted Lon- double repeat. and the side break is discreetly of Reiner's artfully mannered reading. but its don disc). but Arrau has without question chosen. But this works only because of the playing has far more "class" and point. turned in one of the finest discs of his long and maestro's faster than average tempos. London The Tcanini version. recorded in1952. splendid career. H.G. has gone to the other extreme, allowing Solti's was obviously the final, reasoned attempt of a rendition four sides, and rarely if ever have I master musician who had scrutinized every in- heard a recorded Ninth that handles the large terpretative detail over more than half a cen- Bogdan: Sonatas for Violin and Piano: No. masses of sound with such spectacular ease tury: the Victrola price is less than one would 1, in G, Op. 78 (Regan); No. 3, in D minor, and robust clarity. The sound is as realistic as- pay to hear one live performance. Solti's is a Op. 108. Yong Uck Kim, violin; Karl Engel, pi- and considerably more sensational than-that decent. honest account from an extremely ano. Deutsche Grammophon 2530 298, competent conductor. aided by state-of-the- of the recent Bohm version (occupying three $6.98. sides of his nine -disc Beethoven symphony art engineering. But will anybody still be lis- Selected comparison (Op. 78): set). Though everything can be heard easily on tening to it in 1993? H.G. Szeryngi Rubinstein RCA LSC-2620 Selected comparisons (Op. 108): the Toscanini reissue-and every instrument Szeryng/ Rubinstein RCA LSC-2619 sounds recognizably like itself-London's re- Szigeti / Petri EMI Odeon HOM 1127 production makes one aware how recording BoRoolic Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances- techniques have progressed since the fine high See Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol. DG's presentation here will gladden the hearts fidelity of the Fifties. Op. 34: Russian Easter Overture. Op. 36. of believers in "Pianists' Lib": They list the If you try to cut through the sonic opulence. pieces as "Sonaen far Kiavier and Koline" I think you will find that Solti's Ninth is on the and put Engel's name before Yong Uck tepid. routine side. The first movement moves BRAHMS: Sonata for Piano, No. 3, in F mi- Kim's. And one hears a similar state of affairs steadily enough. but the tempo is slack. 1 have nor, Op. 5; Scherzo, in E flat minor, Op. 4. in the recorded balance. I am all for an ample heard conductors (e.g., Casals and Klem- Claudio Arrau, piano. Philips 6500 377, measure of keyboard in these works-surely perer) set an almost identical pace but main- $6.98. these piano parts are to the fiddle pretty much tain it with springing rhythmic impetus. Solti's Selected comparison (Sonata): what the orchestra in a concerto is to the treatment seems loose and unshapen: the per- Rubinstein RCA 2459 soloist. But in this case the sound gives the lis- formance is constantly hitting dead spots.I tener more of Engel's stolid playing than I care was particularly distressed to hear Solti slow- The F minor Sonata separates Brahms the to hear. Everything is rather flinty and tight- ing down still further for the final bars. The man from Brahms the fledgling: Despite un- fisted. angular and four-square. A gentler. Scherzo has the double repeat-as in Tosca- deniable immaturities. the piece represents more songful touch is needed to leaven the nini. Klemperer. and the original, three -sided immeasurable growth over the rambling, dis- driving, muscular moments. Yong Uck Kim Ormandy (which Columbia later issued on a cursive themes and disorganized harmonic has superb intonation, a vibrant alert sound single disc, omitting both Scherzo repeats but relationships of the two earlier sonatas. Opp. I and. like virtually all of today's string players, including an endorsement from my review!)- and 2. The opening movement and the an altogether excessive reliance on hairpins and is naturally helped by the crackling pres- Scherzo are especially heroic and well propor- and vibrato. ence of the timpani. But there is a sluggishness tioned: the Andante espressivo slow move- These are earnest, idiomatic. echi Deutsch and heavyhandedness. The Adagio is worse: ment. though on the long drawn-out side. also performances. butI continue to prefer the The strings and winds ooze together with holds together. The weak movement is the Szeryng/Rubinstein (No. 3 coupled with No. heavy vibrato and pulsating superficiality. last. which succumbs to sprawling rhetoric af- 2 and No. 1 with the Beethoven Sonata No. 8)

MAY 1973 75 and the SzigetiiPetri version of No. 3 (recently times. The recording has a churchlike atmos- reissued in England and available here as an phere, with space between as well as around EMI import). H.G. the elements of the music. and this ambience is enhanced by the youthful voices of St. H ed- wig's Cathedral Choir. Jochum is as slow as BRUCH: Concertos for Violin and Orchestra: No. 1, in G minor, Op. 26; No. 2, in D minor, Barenboim, but the rhythmic thrust of his performance removes any suggestion of stodgi- Op. 44. Yehudi Menuhin, violin; London Sym- phony Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult, cond. An- ness. The Munich forces sing and play well (I prefer the two men to the two women, among gel S 36920. 55.98. the soloists) and DG's engineering is espe- Selected comparison (No. 1): Heitetz. Sargent RCA 2652 or 4011 cially kind to the brass and the organ. In this Selected comparison (No. 2): competition, the deficiencies of the latest entry Heitetz, Solomon RCA 1931 are scandalous. A.C. The First Concerto gets plenty of exposure. the Second much less. While the D minor de- BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 4, in E flat (Ro- serves to he heard more often than it is.itis mantic). Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Or- still no match for its predecessor.It begin mandy, cond. Columbia M 31920, $5.98. very strong: clearly in the same mold as the (, Selected comparisons: Haitink Phil. 835 385 minor and i (anything. more dramatic. C nfor- Hollreiser Turn. 34107 tunately the first impression does not hold up: Klemperer Ang. 36245 Mehta by the finale one wonders when the piece will Lon. 6695 end. Ormandy and his Philadelphians left behind a There is little to quarrel with in the perform- well -stocked refrigerator when they moved ances. A relatively leisurely tempo for the fi- from Columbia to RCA some five years ago. nale of the G minor does no ultimate harm. Yehudi Menuhin-better Bruch. The latest item to be served up is part of the but at the movement's opening it has the effect renewed interest in Bruckner that the conduc- of an abrupt hiatus in the work's forward mo- that does not deter a man of Daniel Baren- tion. \lenuhin does whatever is possible with tor was demonstrating around the time of that boim's self-confidence and ambition. The switch (Columbia has issued the Fifth Sym- the D minor Concerto. but his excellent play- present performance rides on the brink, to put phony and Te Deum, RCA the Seventh Sym- ing only underscores the work's weaknesses. it most charitably. of a chasm of disasters. The virtues of \lenuhin's recordings show up phony). From first-hand experience. I can attest that The character of this performance estab- clearly in comparison with Heifetz' (the D mi- one lesson every chorister learns is not to at- lishes itself firmly within the first twenty meas- nor in mono only): Glitter. even when techni- tack too heavily the first syllable of an impor- cally perfect.is somewhat out of place in ures. The crisp assurance of the horn solo and tant phrase. The Ness Philharmonia Chorus is the hustle and bustle of the string tremulandos Bruch. and glitter is all Heiletz achieves. no novice group. and their trainer here. Wil- are a world apart from the muted. expansive. Both soloist and orchestra gise an abun- helm Pitz. is responsible for a long list of out- and expectant atmosphere of those renditions dance of rich. full-blooded sound. L. nfOrtu- standing recordings from several locales. natel \ the engineers seem to have placed the idiomatic enough to make explanations of the Hence the only explanations I can see for the work's subtitle superfluous. It is nice to hear microphones on top of the play ers. producing way these forces explode on their entry sounds the sixteenth notes of the horn phrases played exhilarating effects in some places and undue of stanzas are: (1) Barenboim wanted it that quickly enough for a change. but the flutes harshness elsewhere. way ( a crude effect): or (2) every singer was and clarinets fail to match this a page later anxious about making entrances correctly (a when they repeat the motif? Some surprising phenomenon attributable only to confusing BRUCKNER: Mass No. 3, in F minor (Great trumpet detail around bar 90 contributes little baton signals). Mass). Heather Harper, soprano; Anna Infavor of the latter hy- of relevance to the texture, which is generally pothesis. I suli.:iest you sample the entries on Reynolds, mezzo; Robert Tear, tenor; Marius blurry and heavy. The most blatant imbalance the word -Ammo in the Sanctus or the very Rintzler, bass: New Philharmonia Orchestra in the first movement is the prominence of the beginning of the Credo. The attacks can only and Chorus. Daniel Barenboim. cond. Angel double basses, which sound like electronically he likened to the splattering of eggs in a frying S 36921, 55.98. amplified rock guitars. pan. Selected comparisons: The Andante quasi allegrettoisbadly Forster Ang. 35982 And that is only the beginning of a sorry deficient in the sustained, pavanelike pulse the Jochum DG 138 829 litany. The violins' ostinatolike passages in the conductor must provide if it is all to hang to- Credo's "Et resurre.vit" are nervous and un- gether. and there is scarcely a note here played This is the last of a trilogy of liturgy settings steady. There is some highly suspect pitch from below mezzo forte. The Scherzo is generally that Bruckner composed while organist at the the concertmaster in the "Er inearnatus," and on the slack side, with a subtle but perverse Linz cathedral. As with Beethoven's .A minor in many places throughout the recording a speedup at letter F. where Bruckner asks envas Quartet (Op. 1321.itis speculated that recu- sense of untidiness and shapelessness holds ruhiger. The trio sounds banal, where mere peration from physical illness partly inspired sw as. Though there is frequently lovely tone naiveté would be in order. If Ormandy does the work. which was written bow een 1867 and from the chorus (especially the sopranos) the not work out the complex tempo scheme of 1868. Thus this vast. hour-long paean stands balance chorally. orchestrally. and betw een the Finale too accurately. it should be noted between the first two of the Austrian master's the elements- is opaque. ( Part of this may he that this is a stumbling block of even the great- numbered symphonies in chronology of com- the fault of the recording site.) est interpretations. To write further of the gen- position. Like them. it tends to sprawl a hit. The solo quartet is variable. Harper is general loudness and shapelessness of this Finale hut does have many moments of exalted erally fine. except for a touch of constriction in would be to belabor the point. beauty and imagination. The absolute terse- the upper ranges. Reynolds has a harsh vi- Clearly this is not the place to go for a win- ness and starkness of effect that have made the brato at the bottom of her line. Tear is ade- ning Bruckner Fourth, although itis worth Te Deum of fifteen years later Bruckner's only quate. and Rintzler goes in for some fairly des- pulling out of your dealer's rack to read Jack choral work to achieve real popularity are perate bellowing in heavily scored passages, Diether's typically informative liner notes. rarely found here. but the F minor Nlass is not like a man attempting to make himself heard Where to turn? Financially pressed buyers wanting in conviction and individuality. Al- over a stampeding crowd. could do far worse than Hollreiser's modestly though four vocal soloists are called for. they I would recommend either of the rival ver- competent account with the Bamberg Sym- are never heard in extended separate move- sions above this one. In fact, Forster's is so fine phony (Turnabout): better still. perhaps Lon- mentsila the B minor Mass of Bach. but I his Lorengar/ Ludwig/Traxel/ Berry vocal don will reissue on Stereo Treasury the rather emerge periodically as part of the over- quartet has no weak link) that I can't under- brilliant Kertesz/London Symphony edition. all ensemble texture. as in the comparable stand Angel's apparent wish to replace it. The recently deleted in favor of Mehta's rich - scores of Beethoven or Mozart. late German conductor's renditionisfour sounding and passionate one with the Los An- The Great Mass of Bruckner is surely no minutes shorter than Barenboim's. and cohe- geles Philharmonic. But the creme creme easy assignment for a novice conductor. a fact sion and purpose are thereby maintained at all remains for me the Haitink and Klemperer

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Consider our 206 and 207 SCOTCH IS A REGIST1110 "011011.101 01 314 CO. COMPANY High Output/Low Noise, for example. 3 These are our best reel-to-reel tapes. They provide an improvement of 3 db e!Scotch" in signal-to-noise over standard tapes, Brand Tapes. resulting in an actual 50% increase Defter tapes you just can't buy. recordings. The Concertgebouw and Philhar- As an executant, Eschenbach is proficient /Adorn' belongs to the world of nineteenth- monia Orchestras (respectively) have all the but not really in the highest class. Thereare century exoticism that lent form and sub- virtuosity of the Philadelphians and play with too many moments of slipshod articulation. infinitely more character and style. Haitink's stance to the daydreams of the bourgeoisie. overpedaling, and brittle tone. I'd recommend The French in particular had a taste for tra- conception is a broad and noble one, which Ivan Moravec (Connoisseur Society) and Ed- cuts loose for an uncommonly invigorating montane titivation: Bizet's //cur% de perk% ward Auer( Pattie) for the Op. 28even though hunting -horn Scherzo that will have you yell- (1863) took them to Co Ion:Meyerbeer's neither of those discs offers the two bonus L'itfricaine (1865) to Madagascar: Massenet's ing "Tallyho!" Klemperer is surprisinglymer- pieces. If you specifically want the Op. 45. Roi de Lahore (1877) to India. The \lexerbeer curial. except in the Scherzo, which thrives Michelangeli's recent version of it (on another equally at his grimly deliberate pace. Angers work offered in addition the pleasures ofa DG disc) is preferable even to Eschenbach's. confrontation between East and West. an recording. though often cited asbass - H.G. archetypal situationthat deficient. has marvelous transparency. and the pits the civilized Klemperer layout of divided violins pays against the primitive. mind against instinct. duty against love. In this species of fable the handsome dividends in revealing not only the alien is always given female incarnation and is fiddle interplay but that of violas and cellosas CORELLI: Sonatas for Violin Solo and Con- always imbued with erotic dangers: the sight well. Different as they are in conception. both tinuo, Op. 5 (12)1 Denes Kovacs, violin; Ede recordings add up to a full experience of the of a native girl is enough to threaten the iron Banda. cello; Janos Sebestyen. harpsichord. control. the sense of responsibility. on which Romantic Symphony. A.C. Hungaroton LPX 11514/5, $11.96 (two discs). civilization depends: though in the end West- ern superiority manifests itself, the white man We have Sir John Hawkins' word for it (ina leaves for sterner climes. and the great work of BYRD: Missa tres vocum-See Tallis: Lamen- statement of 1777 quoted by Pincherle in Co tationes Jeremiae. - the world continues. Oh. Ills Life and Work) that "the style of [Co- Lakme (1883) is a very fetching example of relli'sl playing was learned, elegant. and pa- this genre. Because Delibes embodiedso thetic. and his tone firm and even: Th. Genii- CHOPIN: Preludes (complete). Christoph Es- many of the virtues of French culture. his chenbach, piano. Deutsche Grammophon niani. who was well acquainted w ith and had erotic fantasy still exerts enormous charm. 2530 231, $6.98. studied it. was used to resemble it to a sweet bikini' is imbued with emotional directness trumpet." The famous Op. 5 is Corelli's testa- Preludes (24), Op. 28; Prelude in C sharp minor. Op. 45; and the uncomplicated depiction of primary ment in action. so to speak --the summary of Prelude in A flat, Op. posth. emotions. Even more important.itnever Selected comparisons (Op. 28): his style. taste. and technique. Odd as itmay makes the mistake of taking itself too solemn- Auer Path0 045 10893 seem to compare a violin to a "sweet trum- Moravec Conn. 1366 ly. Eschewing grandeur. tragedy. and spirit- Selected comparison (Op 45)' pet." one need only listen to the trumpeting ual loftiness, it settles happily for elegance. Michelangeli OG 2530 236 figuration in the first Allegro of the Sonata No. sensuous grace. and above all tunefulness. I to know just what Geminiani must have Lakiith reveals itself in song. There are. more- Chopin's Op. 28 Preludes have always exerted meant. Elsewhere. the cantabile legato lines. over, a shapeliness and clarity about its pro- some sort of mysterious fascination for the the robust figuration. the statelygrave move- fusion of tunes which, allied to Delibes' sure Teutonic temperament. Mow waxed ecstatic ments bring us closer to Corelli than any ver- instinct for melodic characterization. endow over these vignettes, giving each a melodra- bal description can. Taking this music along the opera with perennial life. Lakme survives matic program: Busoni-half German in an- with the hints that Geminiani passedon, we because itfulfills its modest aims with ease cestry and doubly Germanic in outlook-over- come to a fair approximation of what "the fa- and distinction. interpreted them willfully (to judge from the ther of violin playing" must have sounded The virtues of the present performance are few he left on record for posterity). Egon Petri, like. that it presents the work in the right spirit and Busoni's prize pupil. turned them to academic Op. 5 was tremendously popular during and consequently the right style. Always granted dust in his recording. and Rudolf Serkin, hav- after Corelli's lifetime. It is divided evenly be- the technical competence of singers and or- ing played them prosaically and brutally in a c. tween the more learned sonatas da ehiesa and chestra the emphasis on gracefulness works 1961 Carnegie Hall concert returned to that the sonatas da camera with their varieties of wonders. Apart from Roger Soyer none of the same auditorium several years later and ren- dance movements. The last sonata in the set is artists involved hereisespecially distin- dered them to perfection. I wish that Colum- the famous set of variations on La Folia.a guished. vet the results the \ produce are win- bia had taken their chances and recorded Ser- textbook on bowing in its own right. Given the ning. Alain Lombard. though he allows some kin right after that second concert. richness of this historic work, it is a pleasureto of the music to move tooSIOMV(e.^_..Lak S Eschenbach's readings are frequently im- report that the performance of Dones Kovacs "Duns lu/ins'/ pricy de nunt.1... marked Andante pressive but just as often utterly wrongheaded. and his two collaborators is excellent --Kovacs quasi allegretto). is generalk and keeps Some of the preludes show true discernment- is a strong presence himself, with a clear,ro- the textures lucid. Mady Mesple has a pretty No. 14, for example. which is taken in keeping bust tone, a capacity for sustaining a good le- little voice. The Es in alt, shish give her no gato line. rhythmic vigor, and a firm yet grace- trouble at all. are sweet and pure. But the the presto or agitato of the "traditional" read- ful style. His ornamentation of the slow move- middle of the voice is by comparison fluttery ing. Another success is No. 5. done with excit- ments is elaborate-perhaps gilding the lily and lacking in substance. Passages like "Dans ing thrust and good inner voicing. Still another more than some-but he carries the listener is No. 18, a big, expressive performance full of lore!" and the lullaby at the beginning of with him. Cellist Ede Banda shows what he is Act IIItax her powers because theylie unusual stresses. The choralelike No. 20 made of in the Folia variation which pitchesa squarely in the middle of the staff. Mainly. sounds lesslikea miniature Marcia number of difficulties in his direction. The bal- funebre than it often does-a fast, sanguine however. the role lies high. The Bell Song is ances among the three instruments are natu- certainly very good. and NlespliFs share of the performance. with an E natural rather thanan ral -sounding and appropriate, and there is first -act lose duet ("( E flat in that controversial place. Similarly. the h glen de la fru- good delineation of parts when the musicre- nesse-) is beguiling. As a whole then she is superb individual Prelude, Op. 45 is verycon- quires it. S.F. vincing here, with a solidity and searching brilliant. agile. and sensin e. with a onder- breadth that point up the foreshadowing of fully forward enunciation of the text. The lat- Brahms's F sharp minor Capriccio, Op. 76. ter is also one of Burles's virtues. The voice is a No. I. DELIBES: Lakme. xerx light tenor. bright in sound and easik On the other hand. Eschenbach's "person- Lakme Mady Mesple (s) produced. except at the top. where he has dif- Nilakantha Roger Soyer (bs) ficulties and has to force. Otherwise he is sty- ality" comes on strong again and again. Prel- Gerald Charles Buries (t) listically admirable and often achieves ele- udes Nos. I, 2. 4. 7. and the middle part of No. Ellen Bernadette Antoine (s) 15 are full of perfume and swooning Rose Monique Linval (s) gance. Roger Soyer is a splendid Nilakantha. espres- Miss Benison Agnes Disney (ms) He sings his high -lying aria with a full and sivo. No. 17 is full of stop-go mannerisms. The Frederic ex- Jean-Christophe Benoit (b) pressive line that is very satisfying. especial) opening of No. 21 is phrased in a way thatsug- gests a Y -A -W -N. while No. 19 grinds and Opera-Comigue Chorus and Orchestra, as his scale is so even. The rest of the cast ill serve. The London set is a very different kind churns. Must every downbeat there fall like Alain Lombard, cond. Seraphim SIC 6082, a $8.94 (three discs). of performance. Both Sutherland and Vanzo hammer blow? And must the pianist finish off Selected comparison: are vocally far stronger than their counterparts No. 24 like an assassin stabbing his victim? Sutherland. Bonynge Lon. 1391 here. The former's middle voice of course is 78 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE especially rich. Yet in the end the sty le of the Seraphim perlOrmameismore authentic. more pleasing. At Seraphim's budget price the claims of the new setdespite a rumble - plagued pressingare especially attractive. Li- bretto and translation.

ELGAR: The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38. Yvonne Minton,mezzo-soprano;Peter Pears, tenor; John Shirley -Quirk, bass; Lon- don Symphony Chorus; Choir of King's Col- lege, Cambridge; London Symphony Or- chestra, Benjamin Britten, cond. London OSA 1293, $11.96 (two discs). Selected comparison: Barbirolli Ang. 3660

"This is the best of me ... this I saw and knew: this,if anything of mine.is worth your memory"-John Ruskin's words, written by Edward Elgar at the end of the manuscript score of The Dream of Gerontius. Its subject matter-Cardinal Newman's mystical poem of the dying soul's journey before its Lord-has perhaps kept this remarkable oratorio from Edward Elgar-attracting new, persuasive champions. winning an acceptance in American concert life commensurate with the composer's own work of the soloists generally reinforces the ings. incidentally, include librettos: in neither high estimate of its worth: death and the spir- preference for the new London version. Peter are the Latin portions of the text translated. itual crisis of accepting it are topics that our Pears continues to amaze with the intensity however. D.H. society endeavors to sidestep where possible. and subtlety of his singing: his sixty -plus years All the same. German's is a deeply felt and show only in a couple of strained top As and in masterfully composed work. varied and rich the perceptible heat that invades the voice. but ELGAR: Symphony No. 1, in A flat, Op. 55. in choral and orchestral invention, subtle in these are small prices to pay for such miracles London Philharmonic Orchestra, Georg Solti, harmonic treatment. expressive in treatment of phrasing. timing. and expressive diction. cond. London CS 6789, $5.98. of text, and compelling in its succession of Even if Richard Lewis' honest and sincere ELGAR: Symphony No. 2, in E flat, Op. 63. events. performance for Barbirolli had been better re- London Philharmonic Orchestra,Daniel This last characteristic is more obvious.I corded (it is badly disfigured at times by obtru- Barenboim, cond. Columbia M 31997, $5.98. think, in this new recording conducted by sive sibilants). it simply does not compare in Tape: MT 31997, $6.98. Quadraphonic: Benjamin Britten than in the older (1965) Bar- psychological and musical penetration. Con- MO 31997, $6.98 (SO -encoded disc). birolli performance that is currently the only versely. Yvonne Minton's full -toned, cleanly available alternative. There can be no doubt sung Angel lacks the warmth and individuality Elgar has always been a peculiarly English that Sir John loved the score, but he had a way of Janet Baker's-but the scales are again phenomenon-except perhaps for the Enigma of indulging that affection by lingering over tipped toward Britten by John Shirley -Quirk's Variations. On records, his two symphonies details and in the process disrupting the for- idiomatic and rich -sounding work in the bass have been the preserve of British conductors: ward motion (as in the Credo passage of Part parts: Kim Borg's accent and again, the op- the composer himself. Sir John Barbirolli, and I: "Firmly I believe and truly. . ."). Britten pressively forward recording of the Barbirolli above all Sir Adrian Boult. (Sir John's last avoids this. following Elgar's tempo instruc- soloists, put him at a severe disadvantage in recordings of the works are available on Sera- tions more faithfully and building a stronger this company. phim S 60068 and SIB 6033 respectively: un- continuity thereby. Aside from this inequitable balance. how- fortunately Sir Adrian's-for the English On the other hand. certain details of scoring ever, there is a good deal to he said for Angers Lyrita company-are available only by mail are more accurately read by Barbirolli. At the sound: especially when played at a fairly high from the Musical Heritage Society.) climax of the Prelude (between Nos. 9 and 10 level, the choral and orchestral work comes Elgar's idiom was an internationalized one: in the score). Britten has the drum roll through through with much more clarity than in the he never felt it necessary to prove his English- the indicated Luftpausen for the full orches- somewhat cavernous and muzzy sonic picture ness by a kind of subvariant of Dvotakian na- tra-a procedure explicitly contradicted by El - that Decca/London has captured at the Mal- tionalism. The symphonies recallBrahms gar's own acoustic recording of this passage. tings. Snape. Granted that Elgar was writing above all, but a Brahms updated by expan- And just before the Angel of the Agony's final for a cathedral acoustic, it must still be pos- siveness possible only after exposure to a line in Part II. Britten has the timpani attack sible to achieve a "bright" resonance rather Wagnerism filtered through Bruckner and fortissimo. rather than building from piano to than the "cloudy." essentially tubby low -regis- RichardStrauss.Elgar'smotivicmaterial forte. Here too, that Elgar meant what he ter miasma that we get here. There is. fortu- tends to the short and compact, with a leitmo- wrote can be checked from his own practice. nately. plenty of dynamic range and impact at tif -like developmental procedure that some- as the surviving excerpts from the 1927 Here- climaxes, but not enough force of detail. and times lends his work a needlessly choppy, ford performance of Gerontius have just been the choral work-obviously good-is never as foursquare feeling. As a rule, the slower, no- reissued by EMI in England (RLS 708. five audible, never as convincing as that of Barbi- bler parts make a stronger impression than the discs. mono)-a valuable package that com- rolli's Halle and Sheffield ensembles (who quicker sections. which sometimes lapse into prises Elgar's own performances of Enigma. have a particularly fine old time with the empty bustle. The scoring is large and cleverly Falstaff. the two symphonies. the two con- mockery of the demons' choruses). opulent. and if the over-all impression seems certos (with Yehudi Menuhin and Beatrice Nevertheless, 1 commend this new version occasionally too bluntly Edwardian. there is Harrison). some shorter works, a rehearsal se- to admirers of Gerontius-and especially to the satisfaction of hearing a composer in har- quence. and a handsome pictorial biography newcomers, for it is more immediately com- mony with the aspirations and assumptions of assembled by that indefatigable Elgarre- pelling. a performance that relates the work his age. searcher and discographer. Jerrold N. Moore. more directly to the main European tradition. The First Symphony. composed during the One hopes this will be made available here, at Barbirolli's context is a more local one-a per- summer of 1908, was first performed that fall least as an import: Elgar was a magisterial in- formance by people who know and love the under Hans Richter. to whom it was dedi- terpreter of his own music, and his records still work. for others of the same persuasion who cated. It was an immediate popular success: project wonderfully well. do not mind his more leisurely and affec- The audience burst into applause after the To return to our modern recordings. the tionate dwelling upon details_ Both record- slow movement. and the work received more

MAY 1973 79 than a hundred performances in the firstyear phony is more special. First performed in Second with the Philadelphia Orchestra. and of its life.If the Adagio is the heart of the 1911, the work was dedicated to King Edward his reading-in New York. at least-struckme work-along with the andante introduction to VII, who died the previous year. Itwas long the first movement and the lento introduction as a touch exaggerated and vulgar. The record assumed that the symphonyy again crowned captures all the virtues of the live perform- to the fourth-the symphony as a whole has ef- by a magisterial. elegiac slow movement-re- ance-- Barenboim's remarkable abilityto fective coherence. Solti's performance is a fine flected he composer's sense of national loss. highlight detail without impeding the longer- one. notable for the fullness and clarity of its But parts of the piece were actually composed sound. and for the sympathetic way in which range flow of the music. his energy. the sheer as early as 1904. and the final work would sensuous richness of the playing- and vet the Hungarian conductor has embracedan seem to reflect personal concerns and abstract idiom one might think foreign to his usual hot- avoids crude mannerisms. In any event. this musical thought as much as any larger context. recordisa superior achievement-weighty. blooded temperament. Occasionally, the brass The Second did not receive as initially warma grave. and emphatic. It looks as if Elgar will cuts through with an inappropriate aggres- welcome as had the First-the disappointed sion, and sometimes. in the quieter parts. the have as persuasive champions in thenew. cos- composer referred to the premiere audience as mopolitan musical London as he had in the line goes a little slack. Boult may not have "stuffed pigs" --but it is a more consistent and old. more insular one. J.R. been superseded, but he is attractivelycom- organic effort than its predecessor. and today plemented. it enjoy s a high status among Elgar admirers. Barenboim's account of the Second Svm- This past winter BarenN)im performed the Gorrz: Complete Orchestral Works. Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra: Edouard van Re- moortel. cond. Genesis GS 1031, $5.98. Symphony. in F. Op. 9: Spring Overture. Op. 15: Over- JENSEN'S tures to The Taming of the Shrew and Francesca da Ri- mini Gorrz: Piano Music (complete). Adrian TOTAL ENERGY RERONSE Ruiz, piano. Genesis GS 1023, $5.98. At Jensen, the woofers, Lose Blatter: Op. 7; Sonatina. in F. Op. 8. No. 1: Sonatina In every pricerange, Jensen in E flat, Op. 8, No. 2: Genrebilder, Op. 13. tweeters and purring mid-range gives you the best performance speakers really sound off. per dollar on the market. Genesis' dippings into the works of the This Total Energy Response neglected Romantics have here uncovereda is Jensen's newest speaker design. real find. a composer who cannot rank asa And it gives a fuller, richer sound forgotten master but whose music is never- than ever before. theless worthy of attention. Total Energy Response makes Hermann Goetz lived from 1840 to 1876. a difference you can hear when succumbing to tuberculosis after leaving the you compare our systems to any above compositions plus a piano concerto, a others. Jensen Speaker Systems violin concerto. some chamber works.songs. and choral pieces. His style is obviously in- have more features, matched fluenced by Brahms. Schumann. and Chopin. components and the best five year but he speaks with his own voice. Sometimes warranty in the business. the voice is in better form than at others. Judging from what is on these two discs, his piano compositions arethe strongest,although the liner notes insist his masterpiece

y. was the opera The Taming of the Shrew (available until 1971 on Urania 5221/3. a recording °VI I've never heard). A cursory glance at the titles of his piano music would indicate they are the usual nineteenth-century run of salon pieces.

s but this is far from the truth. They are much more difficult, for one thing, and their beauty

and complexity hold the ear far more firmly. The E flat Sonatina is the only weak piece. and even this has some dazzling bravura passages to capture attention at least momentarily. Discussing Ruiz' (lade /Sinding/Raff recording for Genesis \I ay 19721. I remarked that both his technique and musicianshipare deeply impressive. With Goetz he has founda composer more worthy of his abilities. but it

eyJ would still he interesting to hear him play Schumann or Chopin. The orchestral works are a hit disappoint- ss ing. The symphony isinthe main unor- ganized. repetitious, and static, although it has Model 5. What a cast of characters. Model 6.A fabulous four way, four some lovely melodies. especially in the third A three way speaker system, movement. But there is no solid cohesion ei- system with ther within movements or in the pieceas a including a huge whole. It makes one curious about the basis for a 12" woofer 15" woofer two purring Bernard Shaw's statement that "Goetz alone 8" purring direct among the modern symphonists is... success- 5" direct radiating mid -range, ful from beginning to end" (Music in London. radiating 5" direct 1893). mid -ranges, radiating tweeter, On the other hand. it is also going too far to Sonodome and Sonodome call the Spring Overture "a late winter." as ultra -tweeter ultra -tweeter. Hanslick did in 1878. This is quite an enjoyable work, with particularly effective use of woodwinds. It is certainly a lot more pleasant JENSEN SOUND LABORATORIES than the blustering. heavy-footed overture to .1 LLET.ft PAM: ILI The Taming of the Shrew. If the opera is any- CIRCLE 31 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 80 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE -Leave it to Rado Shack to make a 4 -channel receiver

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CIRCLE 47 ON READER-SER /ICE. CARD MAY 1973 thing like the overture. I cannotagree with an- rich and towing for music of this period and is notator Donald Garvelmann that it is Goetz's masterwork. marked by vibrato that I consider somewhat too wide and too fast. But the over-all effect of The best of the overtures is that to Francesca da Rimini, Goetz's second opera. It is the performances is most impressive. a highly Dc Waart's conducting is a major advan- lush and emotional piece. the onlyone on the record with any real feeling of drama and tage. Here he is very much into the eighteenth- coherent musical progression. century manner. with a sure sense of what to The Monte Carlo orchestra plays all the do in the early concerto when almost baroque elements appear alongside classical devices. works well but with a slight slackness ofen- semble. One has the distinct impression dur- He brings out the abundant energy and vitality. ing the symphony that the work's creeping of the music very well. The later concerto is. of course, a large-scale work that needs no more dullness had a slowly debilitating effecton the help than a fine performance. and he has full musicians' interest. A.M. mastery of how that is to he done. R.C.M.

HANDEL: Orchestral Works. Neil Black and HONEGGER: Symphonies: No. 2; No. 3 (Litur- James Brown, oboe; Ian Harper, Anthony gigue). Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Her- Randall. Andrew McGavin, and John Pigne- bert von Karajan, cond. Deutsche Grammo- guy, horn; John Wilbraham and Ian Macin- phon 2530 068, $6.98. tosh, trumpet; Martin Gatt. bassoon; Leslie Selected comparisons (No. 2): Pearson, harpsichord and organ; English Munch Ang 36585 Ansermet Lon. 25320 Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leopard. Selected comparison (No. 3): cond. Philips 6500 369. $6.98. Ansermet Lon. 6616 Music for the Royal Fireworks. Concerto for Four Horns, Christine Walevska-impressive Haydn. Two Oboes. Bassoon, and Strings, in F; Concerto for Two Horns. Two Oboes. Bassoon, and Strings, in F; Concerto What a difference there is between these two for Two Trumpets. Four Horns, Tympani. Two Oboes, venture interesting. There are three so-called performances by Karajan. whom one does not Bassoon, Strings, and Organ, in D. concertos for winds and strings that are in fact ordinarily associate with such fare. In the Selected comparison (Royal Fireworks): Third Symphony (1945-46). he turns in one of Marriner Argo 697 studies for the Fireworks and Water Music. These are like Leonardo's sketches. fascinat- the best interpretationsIhave heard from him. In the violent and strident first move- The dazzling Rota! Fireworks Music. one of ing as they disclose the working of the mind of the glories of baroque orchestral music, has a genius. So whether doctored or not, we ment, for example. Karajan's almost poin- a tillistic delineation of the instrumental voices curious history. George II. who liked to pose warmly welcome -one side of this recording. as a soldier. insisted that the music-commis- P.H. L. and his defining of the often extremely com- sioned for the spectacular fireworks to cele- plex textures are a miracle of balance andpre- cision;yet brate the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle-should be the conductor generates the scored solely for "warlike" instruments. i.e.. HAYDN: Concertos for Cello and Orchestra: enormous energy essential to Honegger's for wind band. Handel demurred. and the in C; in D, Op. 101. Christine Walevska. cello: sty le. Karajan then sets the simple. poignant king's emissaries had an exasperating time be- English Chamber Orchestra, Edo de Waart, lricism of the second movement a typical fore the stubborn composer finally yielded. cond. Philips 6500 381, $6.98. Honegger contrastin perfect perspective to But did he? Contemporary sources agree that Selected comparison (both works): the turbulence of the first. neither overdoing Fournier, Baumgartner DG 139 358 the sweetness of the movement's main themes the orchestra numbered one hundred players. but since according to Handel's specifications and harmonies nor sloughing off the whole Haydn became Vice Kapellmeister to His Se- thing in order to get at the last movement. In the winds amounted to about sixty musicians. rene Highness Prince Anton Esterhazy in May forty strings must have been somehow the Finale. a relatively simple march that rises 1761. At once he began to reorganize theor- smuggled onto the scene. At any rate. the to a strongly dissonant climax in a long. con- chestra, engaging several virtuoso players who tinuous crescendo. Karajan's sense of timing copies of the score now available contain the looked to him for vehicles to display their strings, indicating that the original concept gives the climax an emotional force that must skills. The C major Concerto was written for represent precisely%% hat Honegger felt. and was for full orchestra. What we really have in this purpose. catalogued, and then lost-until this bracing work is a grand suite for full or- the calm to which Karajan returns in the nos- the manuscript orchestral material turnedup talgic. hymnlike coda likewiseis almost chestra, and grand itis.full of the magic in Prague a dozen years ago. It is probably best numbing inits emotional impact. Karajan's Handel can perform with simple diatonic mu- regarded as a preclassical work. The Concerto sic. pertbrmance stands in strong contrast to the in D. dating from 1783. is much better known. version-also excellent -by Ansermet (with We have many interpretations of the Fire- and its authenticity (once doubted) was estab- works music, including one frightening disc the Suisse Romande). who is much more in- lished when the original manuscript surfaced terested in the work's numerous and contrast- using "original" instruments not two of which in Vienna in 1950. It is one of the major classi- are in tune. Now comes Raymond Leppard. a ing sonorities. Both Ansermet and Karajan cal concertos for strings. benefit from excellent engineering; London's first-class musician who can be most compe- This record thus brings us two very impor- sound has more of a thump to it. while the tent and pleasing. but who has a penchant for tant examples of Haydn's concerto literature. "improving" the scores he interprets. This cleanness of the Deutsche Grammophon son- and it moreover reaffirms the performance ics perfectly. complements Karajan's efforts. time he did two unpardonable things: He practices of his day by including a keyboard thickened the texture and emphasized orches- Strangely. almost every hit of the vitality continuo. One need only compare the effect and control one can feel in Karajan's perform- tral virtuosity by taking very fast tempos. The with that of the Fournier/Baumgartner edi- old idea that Handel is always the Old Testa- ance of the Symphonie lino -gigue is lacking in tion to hear how much the keyboard part con- his approach to the Second Symphony. ment thunderer is of course ridiculous: his in- an al- tributes to reinforce harmony, brighten tex- most lugubrious piece for strings only (with strumental music is crystal-clear. transparent. ture. and even provide interesting replies to refined, and elegant. In the Fireworks music trumpet obbligato in the finale)5% rittenin the phrases of the solo instrument. 1941 during one of Europe's darkest periods. there is a magnificent zest for life. a leisurely Up to now, my choice for this music would Honegger's Second is very much a symphony enjoyment of the sounds and colors of the out- have been that Fournier/Baumgartner record. of countermelodies (some of them bordering doors such as only this incorrigible pantheist and it still has much to recommend it. But 1 on tone rows) that almost seem to float above could conjure up. But Leppard destroys its think most listeners will prefer the new Phil- the somber rhythmic and melodic configura- spirit by the fat. stuffed sound. the noisy tim- ips. Fournier's lean tone is surely preferable to tionsthat accompany them. and Karajan pani. and the unholy clatter of the snare drum hamming up the music in the romantic man- again does a good job in sorting out Honeg- where Handel expressly omitted it. Therecan ner (an approach all too well documented on be no question that Neville Marriner's delec- izer's sometimes murk% tcytures. But the con- records), but in contrast to Walevska it seems ductor capturesnone of the almost obsessive table recording (with an equally fine Water a little too austere. I prefer DG's balance, with rhythmic drive essential to this work (there are Music) is superior to Leppard's. but Philips the cellist not quite so prominent, and Wa- no internal meter changes in this symphony. a does give us a bonus that makes the present levska's rich, flowing sound is just a little too rarity in modern music). and the result. panic- 82 CIRCLE 18 ON READER -SERVICE CARD --if. FOR THOSE THAT CAN UNDERSTAND IT, THE SECRET OF EPI'S LINEAR SOUND: Most people would have neither EPI'S 1 -INCH "AIR SPRING" TWEETER. radiation of a nearly perfect hemi- the understanding nor the inclination If you've never heard of an "air spherical sound pattern throughout to read an ad like this. spring" tweeter, there's a very good the tweeter's entire frequency range, But that doesn't make it a waste ofreason for that: We made the name up.from 1800 to 18,000hz -±3db. And as our money. Because the few people We had to. EPI's tweeter is Stereo Review Magazine that would read it are, by definition, unlike any other made. points out, wide dispersion the best prospects for our EPI Our air spring tweeter has a at all levels is the major loudspeakers. concave diaphragm which is factor separating an excellent The subject is linearity. driven around its full circum- speaker from a merely good On a frequency response graph, ference by a 1 -inch voice coil. one. (Stereo Review placed an EPI speaker records a remarkably This is coupled with a 14,000 - our EPI 400 in the "superb" linear curve, measured from both on - gauss magnetic field contained in category.) axis and off -axis (60°) positions. a 9 -ounce, permanently charged So, now that you know Why is that? magnet and suspended in a the secret of EPI's Linear It has a lot to do with the kind of conically -structured, air -sealed Sound, all you need to tweeter that goes into an EPI speaker. acoustic chamber, designed to create know is where it comes from: an equi-dispersed recoil effect. Out of eight great speakers, from The 1 -inch diameter permits _455 to $1000, made only by Epicure Products Inc., Newburyport, -Mass 01950. THE LINEAR SOUND OF EPI. ularly in the first movement, is frustration as D'Itior: Sonata for Violin and Piano, in C, and thematic patterns that open the sonata the listener waits in vain for the conductor to Op. 59. LALo: Sonata for Violin and Piano, would be a dead giveaway. Yet D'Indy's so- get this magnificent music off the ground. My in D, Op. 12. Henri Temianka, violin; Albert nata, composed in 1903 and 1904 shortly after favorite version of the Symphony for Strings is Dominguez, piano. Orion ORS 73105, $5.98. the Second Symphony, is a strongly original the one by Munch and the Boston Symphony work for all its debts. There is. for example. an (coupled with Menotti's sublime Violin Con- A good century seems to separate the styles of airy and rather strange scherzo movement (the certo) on a long -vanished RCA disc; Baudo's these two "late French romantic" sonatas. The second of the four) that carries Franckian unfortunately deleted Crossroads perform- atypical Lab work-although striking and chromaticism past predictability into a weird. ance was also outstanding. Of the available beautifully written-harks back to the classical tonally ambiguous domain. renditions. Munch's on Angel (with the Or- period, from the Beethovenesque introduc- The D'Indy in particular represents a wel- chestre de Paris) is greatly to be preferred to tion of the first movement to the theme -and- come and important addition to the recent re- Ansermet's. The Karajan disc is most wel- variations of the second movement. Even corded repertoire. (It was available on 78s; the come for his splendid Third; but how much when Lab waxes romantic. it is in a Brahms- Lab once existed on an Allegro disc.) Both more welcome the project would have been ian direction. works receivestirringperformances. The had it included am interpretation of the still Papa Franck is never very far from the lan- energy and timing with which Temianka and unrecorded First Symphony rather than guage of the D'Indy sonata. Even if one disre- Dominguez execute the finale of the Lab so- Karajan's mediocre Second. R.S.B. gards the chromatic harmonies, the rhythmic nata, for instance, would make one think they had been working together for years. Te- mianka obviously identifies closely with the music and performs it with a particularly good tone, though his intonation often makes my teeth itch, especially in the D'Indy. The re- 000 corded sound is good. although some of the brightness and presence afforded the violin The I might have been shared with the piano. R.S.B. LALO: Sonata for Violin and Piano, in D, Op. 12-See D'Indy: Sonata for Violin and Piano, in C, Op. 59.

LiszT: Organ Works. Daniel Chorzempa, or- WithConcert all the "great", "new", "fantastic", frequencies andHal transients put In their gan (Flentrop organ of the concert hall De "innovative" things everyone's claim- place: it's a spatial phenomenon. Which Doelen, Rotterdam). Philips 6500 376, $6.98. ing, how do we prove we've is where the LDL 749 really excells. Prelude and Fugue on B -A -C -H; Trauerode: Evocation a got something remarkable? Precisely combining forward -radiated la Chapelle Sixtine; Tu es Petrus. Lend us your ears. And sound from the front of the enclosure Selected comparison (Prelude and Fugue): eyes. with panoramically -reflected sound Newman Col. 31127 Walk into an authorized from the rear. Result: the kind of acous- LDL high fidelity dealer tical environment you used to need a "It's just too church ified," we often hear of with a favorite record or concert hall to get. Liszt's organ music, and aside from the three tape-hopefully, a demand- Need more convincing? A -B LDL 749's works that have attained some measure of ing one. Ask him to hook up your pres- against other speakers-even the $1000- popularity, church and concert organists alike ent (or future) amplifier or receiver and a -pair variety. We honestly have dismissed the other works as sentimental a pair of LDL 749 reflecting speakers. think you'll prefer ours. Roman Catholic hocus-pocus. While I'm still And listen. Where do your eyes come embarrassed by some of Liszt's religious pos- Listen to the "speakerless" clarity of a in? To appreciate the turing. young Daniel Chorzempa's playing ar- multiple -transducer crossoverless sys- speakers' compact size and gues strongly in behalf of these neglected tem using the finest components. If your elegantlooks.Beginning works. His first Liszt record (Philips 6500 215, record's got fundamental bass, the fun- with the $299.95 pricetag ... for the pair. Now, where reviewed in July 1972) contained two of the damental's what you'll hear, up to and "big" works-the Ad nos Fantasy and the Vari- includingtheattackofdrums and can you get a concert -hall for that? For the name of your nearest dealer, ations on Weinen, Klagen. This new disc offers strings. And as for highs, you won't just the third of the well-known three-the Prelude listen to them-you can pick them apart: write or call: violins, trumpets, piccolos and more- and Fugue on B -A -C -H -plus three of the each clearly defined. LINEAR DESIGN LABS, INC. dozen or so smaller pieces resulting from But good stereo (or quad) is more than 1_11 114 Wilkins Avenue, Port Chester, Liszt's ambitions as a composer of church mu- N.Y. 10573 sic. The Evocation of the Sistine Chapel is a Prices higher in South and West pious arrangement -paraphrase -extension of Dealer inquiries invited Gregorio Allegri's Miserere and Mozart's Ave verum. The Allegri Miserere was performed exclusively in the Sistine Chapel during Holy Week, and its publication in print was forbidden. Legend tells us the young Mozart heard the piece there in 1770 and later wrote it down from memory. There is, by the way, a gorgeous recording of the piece (as transcribed by Mozart) by the King's College Choir on their "Evensong for Ash Wednesday" record (Argo ZRG 5365). The Trauerode is a product of Liszt's late years when the purple patches began to inter- mingle with some quite startlingly audacious harmonic changes. Tu es Petrus is one of several short organ pieces not in Karl Straube's $300. two -volume (Peters) edition of Liszt's organ music. It originated as a Papal hymn, which Not For One... For Both!!! Liszt later rearranged as a choral piece and included in the oratorio Christus. Two years

84 CIRCLE 51 ON READER -SERVICE CARD -3. SHERWOOD! It shouldn't matter where a receiver is made. Especially one that has been as highly acclaimed as the Sherwood PE° S -7900A, (AM/FM) and Sherwood S -8900A (FM only). Except that with the dollar devaluation STEREC FM 41\A PE v L and the fluctuations RI3 MONO of foreign currencies, you will notice that our SELECTC competitors are MODE increasing their prices. Making these receivers even better values.

Direct ;copied outp.it circLitry with electronic relay protection. Front Fatal four channel provision, (doubles as a second tape monitor). Four gar g tuning capacitor. Solid .State Ceramic FM IF =iltering. Exclusive FM Irler-channe /side - band 1-U31. Built-in Dynaqu3d 4 channmatrix circuit Power CLtput (I -1F) 280 watts total. RMS, (both charnels driven) 60 watts x 2 @ 8 ohms, 20-23,00C Hz. @ 0.3% T.H.D. FM Sensitivity (UHF; 1.7 uv (-30d noise & distj Captu -e Ratio: 1.9 c b. Alternats-Channel Selectivity 65 db. Sterec Separation: 40 db. 'a) 1KHz.

Sherwo 3cl Electronic Labcrataries, Sherwood 4300 Ncrtt- Cal forr ia Avenue, The word is getting around. Chicago. Illinois 6C618 ture from the standard 1899 score. The real difference in scoring from the Mahler First we know is in the 1893 version that included an extra movement, Blumine. Unfortunately the two domestic issues that include Blumine (Brieff's and Ormandy's) do so out of context, since they use the much fuller 1899 orchestration of the four familiar movements. For a textually consistent five -movement account, one must import the somewhat dully recorded Wyn Morris version (English Pye TPLS 13037). For those who want simply the best possible recorded statement of the standard version of the symphony. the new Haitink is a strong contender. He may not offer the deep, warm glow of Walter, the straightforward pungency of Kubelik, the surprising buoyancy of Bern- stein's almost Schubertian treatment, or the analytic detail and the wry. sardonic intensity of Horenstein, but this is certainly a fitting Neville Marriner-Mozart witheverything in the right place. companion to the many excellent entries in Haitink's handsome and authoritative series of later (1867) he rearranged it yet again for or- cessive softness of accent and a palpable lack Mahler recordings. A.C. gan and gave it its present title. of the big line. Though a bright and clear All of these pieces are afflicted with the enough recording, that older Concertgebouw same weaknesses apparent in much of Liszt's MOZART: Le Nozze di Figaro. Matthieu version made the orchestra sound small and Ahlersmeyer, Margarete Teschemacher, output: more banalities per page than we are distant, with a resultant feebleness of over-all willing to excuse readily, a paucity of inven- impact. Maria Cebotari, Paul Schbffler, et al.; Stutt- tion, and an incohesiveness resulting from the gart Radio Chorus and Orchestra, Karl Most maestros who have recorded this work Bohm, cond. frequent changes of tempo. meter, color, and twice have fared better the second time (e.g., mood. Chorzempa does a better job than most Walter, Horenstein. even-as Andrea MozAwr: Le Nozze di Figaro. Gabriel Bac- quier, Elisabeth SOederstrbem, Reri Grist, in obscuring these weaknesses. His generally McMahon pointed out in the January issue- brisk tempos help knit the pieces into a cohe- Geraint Evans, et al.; John Alldis Choir; New Leinsdorf). and Haitink is no exception. There Philharmonia Orchestra,Otto Klemperer, sive -whole, and when the musical interest be- is now stride and assurance in his conducting. gins to flag, we can at least marvel at Chor- cond. swagger and point to the phrasing. and a co- MOZART: Cosi fan tutte. Margaret Price, zempa's truly spectacular virtuosity. Only ordination of cross rhythms that alone are Anthony Newman's recording of the Yvonne Minton, Lucia Popp, Luigi Alva, worth the price of readmission. The acoustical Geraint Evans, and Hans Sotin; John Alldis B -A -C -H is more hair-raisingly exciting. but depth of the Concertgebouw (the hall itself, both readings are superb. I also like Jeanne Choir; New Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto that is) is still in evidence, but the ensemble Klemperer, cond. For a feature review of Demessieux'sstrong-willed,almostexotic housed therein is that much more vivid. Bass - these recordings, see page 70. reading of the piece on a French disc. Societe drum detail is particularly striking, and the Francaise du Son 115 007. trumpet is more properly an equal partner Again, as on the first Liszt record, Chor- than of yore in the contrapuntal exultations of Mozawr: Symphony No. 29, in A, K. 201; zempa plays the Flentrop organ of the concert the Funeral March. The only points on which Symphony No. 25, in G minor, K. 183. Acad- hall De Doelen in Rotterdam. and again I am I must opt for the earlier edition are the emy of St. Martin -in -the -Fields, Neville Marri- overwhelmed by the magnificently rich, clear. greater limpidness of the oboes and the surer, ner, cond. Argo ZRG 706, $5.98. and colorful textures of this unique instru- darker sonority of the horns. Otherwise the ment: It is without doubt one of the finest ex- latest Mahler from Amsterdam is impeccably This is one of those rare performances where amples of contemporary organ -building art. executed. everything is in the right place at the right And itis admirably displayed by Philips' Haitink's current reading differs from its time, and with the right accents from first to clean, quiet -surfaced recording. C.F.G. predecessor on three major counts: It observes last note. In the sunny A major Symphony the the exposition repeat in the first movement tempo of the first movement, so often mis- (the Scherzo's double bar was honored on calculated even by famous conductors, is ad- MAHLER: Symphony No. 1, in D. Concertge- both occasions); it takes Mahler at his word bouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Bernard mirably just; the "pedals" of the preclassic or- about the violin glissandos in the trio section chestra, the quartet formed by two oboes and Haitink, cond. Philips 6500 342, $6.98. of the Landler: it manages the transition from two horns, not only fulfills its function but is Selected comparisons: Bernstein Col. 7069 the Frere Jacques march of the slow movement always audible; the nonlegato runs of the Brief f (with Blumine) Odys. 32 160286 to the central section (the one quoting the final strings are delectable; the reprise is beautifully Horenstein None. 71240 Wayfarer song) as smoothly as any recording prepared-in a word. Marriner shapes his mu- Kubelik DG 139 331 Ormandy (with Blumine) RCA 3107 I've heard. One very important lesson Haitink sic as on the potter's wheel. The Andante. Walter Odys. 30047 has not learned: At cues 25 and 26 of the Fi- played poetically like a love serenade at dusk. nale. he still (in company with nearly all his is as gentle as the soul of the miraculous sev- The most salient comparison to the present colleagues save Horenstein) indulges in un- enteen -year -old musician: the Minuet piquant disc is no longer listed in Schwann. American marked rallentandos. If only Mahler had had with its deftly whittled sharp rhythms: and the Philips 900 017 offered the first Mahler record- the foresight specificallyto write inNicht Finale-a delightful example of the opera ing by the Concertgebouw under its then new schleppend-in gleiches Tempo as he did so of- buffa finale as transferred to the symphony-is principal conductor. Now that Haitink has ten! To break the pace at those junctures is to again taken at a tempo that enables the amus- completed a series of Mahler's nine sym- render anticlimactic the dramatic recurrence a ing give-and-take to come out nicely. phonies and the Adagio from the Tenth, he bit later of the same material. The "little" G minor Symphony. composed has come full circle back to the starting point As far as I can gather. there is no textual dif- the year before, is quite another matter; it is for a remake, a decade later, of the popular ference between Haitink 1 and Haitink II. dark and passionate (but certainly not "raw" First. There is no indication that the Critical Edition as the notes have it). It is disconcerting to think I have no "inside dope" on why the Dutch is used, but it would be of little practical con- that a youngster can fall into such a tragic conductor was dissatisfied with his earlier sequence: Listening (without access to a C.E.) mood, but Mozart never loses control of him- recording. But hearing it again, I am struck to Giulini's Angel version of a year ago. which self. Marriner catches the spirit of the work with a timidity, or tentativeness. of approach. claimed to be a premiere of the C.E.. I could and never relaxes it. because, contrary to the It isn't just a matter of speed per se, but of ex - not for the life of me detect any audible depar- custom of the day. Mozart refuses to lighten

86 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE the mood, holding both Minuet and Finale to MUSSORGSKY: A Night on Bald Mountain- Ozawa RCA 2977 the dark minor key. The first movement is tur- See Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol. Toscanini RCA 1273 Selected comparisons (Prokotiev): bulent; the Andante with its mysterious dia- Op 34; Russian Easter Overture. Op. 36. Argericti Abbado DGG 139349 logue between strings and bassoons, haunting; Grartmain SzeII Col. 6925 the Minuet unruly; and the Finale, with its Kapell Dorati RCA 1520 peremptory unison passages, never permits MUSSORGSKY-RAVEL: Pictures at an Exhibi- the sun to shine through. The sound is excel- tion. Pnokomy: Concerto for Piano and It seemed curious that the engineering -con- lent: delicate in the friendly symphony, sturdy Orchestra, No. 3, in C, Op. 26. lsraela Mar- scious Phase -4 people would choose to cram in the vehement one. The four horns and the galit, piano (in the Prokofiev); New Philhar- the entire Pictures at an Exhibition (30 min- two bassoons in the latter are particularly monia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel, cond. Lon- utes and 29 seconds in this performance) onto commendable. Such a fine recording deserves don Phase -4 SPC 20179, $5.98. a single disc side, particularly since this piece better notes on the sleeve. P.H.L. Selected comparisons (Mussorgsky): ends with the "Great Gate at Kiev," so rich in

by Dale Harris The Operatic Delius: Has His Time Come?

Meredith Davies-convincing within Delius' limits.

IN DELIUS' LIFETIME Only three of his is probably the wrong word. The lovers summer's Salzburg Figaro) is appealing as seven operas-Koanga, A Village Romeo drift into oblivion; they evaporate. Con- Vrenchen. She has an attractive light sil- and Juliet, and Fenimore and Gerda- sequently they stir no more than pathos in very soprano (not unlike Isobel Baillie's in achieved professional presentation. None us. There is no Tristanesque self -realiza- timbre) which at times is a little tremulous enjoyed success. In 1962, to celebrate the tion, no progression toward transcen- and breathy, and sounds in need of more centenary of the composer's birth, his na- dence-only a series of reiterative, static adequate support. Robert Tear, the Sali, is tive city of Bradford mounted the strongest tableaux. Each time they appear, the title intelligent and musical. But the voice is of them, A Village Romeo and Juliet (de- characters 1 who are first seen as children) unattractive, even harsh, especially on top. rived from Gottfried Keller's powerful sing of love and the promise of bliss. But His tentative, gingerly way of attacking ex- novella, Romeo and Julia auf dem Dorfe) their love music never gets much beyond posed notes makes him sound irresolute- which was sung in German at its world rather wan lyrical rhapsodizing. What we even in this bloodless context. John Shir- premiere. Though the English production have here is essentially a long orchestral ley -Quirk as the Dark Fiddler sings well, if subsequently found its way into the reper- tone poem with vocal reinforcement. The blandly-though that is doubtless Delius' tory of the Sadler's Wells Opera in Lon- quasi -realistic opening scene, which de- fault as much as his-and the rest of the don, the work failed to survive for more picts the fathers' quarrel over a piece of enormous cast is more than serviceable. than a handful of performances. The situ- land, is simply untranslatable into Delius' Benjamin Luxon, in the tiny role of Sah's ation has recently been changed however ecstatic mode; the fair, with its peasants father, is something more. by what seems to have been the first really and hucksters, is merely bumptious; the The opera is sung in a new translation genuine success enjoyed by a Delius op- Paradise Garden is an uneasy blend of a (by Tom Hammond) from the original era: the American premiere of A Village realistic pleasure garden and a symbolic German, a great improvement over the Romeo and Juliet given by the Washington palace of wisdom. The Dark Fiddler, who one formerly available Poor pressings. Opera Society at the Kennedy Center in in Keller's version is a shiftless wastrel dis- plagued by rumble. Libretto and notes. April 1972. So successful was this produc- possessed of his fields because of bastardy, tion that it is to be transferred intact to the becomes in Delius' hands a symbol of DELIUS: A Village Romeo and Juliet. repertory of the New York City Opera death and transcendent longing, but is Manz Benjamin Luson next fall, and plans are afoot to show it quite without menace or mystery. Mari Noel Mangin thereafter in San Diego, Seattle, and Saint Delius' real skillisas an orchestral as a boy) Conn Manley Vrenchen (as a girl) Wendy Eathorne Paul. dreamer. His harmonic flux creates a kalei- Sall Robert Tear Perhaps Delius' time as an opera com- doscope of refulgent sounds. A few or- Vrer chen Elizabeth Harwood poser has come. Perhaps not. After listen- chestral figures, repeated and transformed, The Dark Fiddler John Shirley -Quirk First Peasant Stephen Varcoe ing to this new recording of A Village lend a certain amount of stiffening to the Second Peasant Bryn Evans Romeo and Juliet. I can only assume that bright fabric of Delian sonorities. In The First Woman Felicity Palmer Second Woman Mavis Beattie Frank Corsaro's Washington staging, with Walk to the Paradise Garden-the familiar Gingerbread Woman Doreen Pnce its extensive use of slide projections and interlude that bridges the last two scenes- Wheel -of -Fortune Woman Elaine Barry film, lulled the audience into acquies- Delius vision makes its full effect. Un- Cheap -Jewelry Woman Pauline Stevens Showman Martyn Hill cence. To judge by the music, Delius' suc- hampered by the need for specific dra- Merry -Go -Round Man John Huw Dawes cess is only fitful: The characters stub- matic function, the composer is free to lose Shooting -Gallery Man Stephen Varcoe Slim Girl Felicity Palmer bornly refuse to awaken our commit- himself in a dream of self -contemplation. Wild Girl Sarah Walker ment, and their fate-the events of the op- Meredith Davies, who led the Bradford Poor Horn Player Paul Taylor era-fails to seize the imagination. performances in 1962, makes as convinc- Hunchback Bass Player eranklyn Whiteley Fire Bargee Robert Bateman A Village Romeo and Juliet is the story of ing a case for the opera as he can. The Second Bargee John Noble a pair of young lovers. Sali and Vrenchen. Royal Philharmonic plays very beau- Third Bargee Ian Partridge Frustrated by hard times and warring par- tifully, even when Delius is indulging in John Alldis Choir; Royal Philharmonic Or- ents, they choose death by drowning as an one of his crude orchestral climaxes. Eliza- chestra, Meredith Davies, cond. Angel escape into everlasting happiness. Choose beth Harwood (Karajan's Countess in last SBLX 3784, $12.98 (two discs).

MAY 1973 87 decibels and dependent on bass response and print Cantelli. London's Phase -4 sound is liance and power of the Kapell/Dorati (RCA tonal coloration. They have succeeded beyond close. impactive. and very rich in the bass and Victrola): the biting. analytical qualities of the all expectations-a tribute to fancy cutting as middle frequencies with only one or two Graffman/Szell (Columbia). Seraphim. by well as brilliant microphoning. Maazel. who slightly annoying pre -echoes. the way. would do well to restore the corn recorded this suite previously for Angel with - lsraela Margalit (in private life Mrs. Lorin poser's own 1932 recording. H.G. the same orchestra. has improved upon his al- Maazel) turns in a rather lyrical reading of ready fine basic conception-broadening a bit Prokofiev's most popular piano concerto. She here. adding a touch of personalized rubato is a nimble player with a sensitive singing PETTERSSON: Symphony No. 7. Stockholm there. but doing it all with an unfailing aristoc- touch and a gift for expressive phrasing. The Philharmonic Orchestra, Antal Dorati, cond. racy and finesse. The playing is rich. clearly tempos are on the leisurely side and the bra- London CS 6740, $5.98. sculpted. and full of flowing line. Coloration vura passages emerge in a rather mild-man- tends toward lightness and volatility-no dark. nered fashion. Maazel lends fine support and Allan Pettersson is not a familiar name on the shaggy Russianisms here-but each of the por- the close. multimicrophoning reveals all sorts international concert circuit, but on the basis trayals has substantial characterization. Defi- of usually buried effects in the low brass. In of this record he deserves to be better known. nitely one of the better editions of this oft -re- sum. a pleasant but rather ephemeral edition. Born in1911 and raised in Stockholm. he corded suite. Also worthy of attention are the lacking the spontaneous lilt of the Argerich / studied at that city's Royal Academy of Music Toscanini. the Ozawa. and the long -out -of- Abbado (DG). the incredible steely bril- and played in the viola section of the Stock- holm Philharmonic from 1939 to 1951. He emerged as a composer only in 1949. studied in Paris with Honegger and Leibowitz, and has lived in Stockholm ever since. The Sev- enth Symphony was premiered in 1968 (there have since been two more). It is dedicated to Dorati. principal conductor of the Stockholm Philharmonic, who gives the symphony what one must assume is an authentic. composer - approved reading. Pettersson's Seventh is full of reminiscences of other composers: Shostakovich certainly. and with the persistent snare drum. Nielsen. The tonal language is conservative. the formal procedures in no way remarkable (although, with its continuous flow of invention, this symphony does offer a good deal of originality within the limits of late symphonic style). There are big. broad, heartfelt tunes: motoric climaxes-every trick in the book, in short, but executed with a combination of short-term in- novation and long-term naivete that proves appealing indeed. J.R.

Paosonev: Concerto for Piano and Or- chestra, No. 3, in C, Op. 26-See Mus- The Amp that handler sorgsky -Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition. PROKOF1EY: Orchestral Works. Orchestre National de I'O.R.T.F., Jean Martinon, cond. orchestral onflaughtfl For a feature review of these recordings, see page 67. 700 WATTS R.M.S.! Do you really power transistor technology - and need an amplifier with all that power? Phase Linear's exclusive,patented The fact is, you need much more energy limiter protection circuit. Itis RimsKY-KoRsmani: Capriccioespagnol, power than you might think to accur- the most powerful, most advanced Op. 34; Russian Easter Overture, Op. 36. ately reproduce the more difficult solid state amplifier available today. It BORODIN: Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances. music passages that occur in many is, says Mr. Hirsch, "... in a class by MUSSORGSKY: A Night on Bald Mountain. live performances. "Anyone using a itself." Ask your dealer for an audi- Orchestre de Paris, Gennady Rozhdest- low -efficiency speaker system with a tion soon. vensky, cond. Angel S 36889, $5.98. Tape: 60 to 100 watt (total power) amplifier Power-Greater than 350 watts/ 8XS 36889, $7.98; Ste 4XS 36899, $7.98. cannot approach a realistic listening channel R.M.S., both channels driven Selected comparison (Russian Easter Overture): Stokowski RCA 3067 level ... the tendency is to operate at into eight ohms, zero to 20 kHz. Selected comparison (Polovtsian Dances): a lower (undistorted) level and to de- Harmonic or I.M. Distortion - Less Ansermet Lon 6212 lude ourselves into accepting itas than .25%; typically, less than .01%. About the only obstacle to this four-in-hand 'realistic', which itis not!" So says Protection - Patented electronic Julian Hirsch. warhorse "Russian Concert" galloping to a energy limiters, together with supply big win will be the reluctance of potential cus- With a Phase Linear 700 you take fuses, prevent excursions into unsafe tomers to attempt to pronounce its conduc- a quantum jump closer to true high operating regions, regardless of load condition. tor's name, or ask for it by order number-and fidelity. be rewarded by a native conductor's versions The Phase Linear 700 watt Warranty - Three years, parts and labor, for normal use. of favorite showpieces usually heard (and re- R.M.S. Direct Coupled Stereo Power corded) in foreigners' interpretations... by Amplifier is a product of recent major Price - $779. distinctively elegant performances by what is advances in high voltage silicon now surely one of the world's finest orchestras The Powerful Difference ... and by thrillingly strong, clean, and vivid recording. For many, perhaps most, listeners Atrae cr&tealt700 all this will be more than enough. And even P.O. Box 549, Edmonds, Wash. 98020 more experienced connoisseurs are not likely to belittle such none -too -common merits. But CIRCLE 45 ON READER -SERVICE CARD they can reasonably qualify their praise with

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MAY 1973 89 mild regret that Rozhdestvensky seems just a Selected comparisons (Op. 61): bit self-consciously overcareful in leading the Bernstein Col. D3S 725 ADVERTISING INDEX Karajan DG 2709 036 French virtuosos, with the result that his admi-, Klemperer Ang. 36606 Key No. Page No. rably straightforward readings don't always Kubelik DG 138955 Szell Odys. Y3 30844 1 Acoustic Research, Inc 15 generate as much dramatic excitement as, say, Selected comparisons (Op. 52): 2 A.D.R. Audio 110 Stokowski's Russian Easter Overture for RCA Karajan DG 2709035 3 Akai Electric Co. 17 or Ansermet's Polovisian Dances (which have Solti Lon. 2310 4 Angel Records 97 the further advantage of including the choral 5 Audio Dynamics Corp 13 parts) for London. Such interpretative nit- Schumann's Second is the most demanding 7 Audio Warehouse 112 picking aside, however, it's a delight to hear and. I think, the best of his symphonies. In- 8 .. Baltimore Stereo Wholesalers 20 playing and recording qualities as attractive as bal's treatment is a fine one, and his approach 9 BASF SYSTEMS, Inc 64 those proffered here by the Orchestre de Paris will have many adherents. The young Israeli Bozak 89 and EMI engineers. R.D.D. conductor draws a very dark, almost suety 103 British Industries Co 9 sound from the ordinarily light -toned New Philharmonia. He soft-pedals articulation, yet 13 Clark, David. Co.. Inc 20 SCHAEUBLE: Concerto for Piano and everything is heard with requisite clarity. Thus 14 Carston Studios 112 B String Orchestra, Op. 50; Music for everything remains mellifluous, and even the Classified Ads 115 Clarindt and String Orchestra, Op. virtuosic moto perpetuo scherzo lacks the Columbia Records 99, 101 46. Maureen Jones, piano; Jost Mi- abrasive, gritty astringency that George Szell, 16 Crown International 16 chaels, clarinet; Southwest German for one, stressed. Pacing and tempo relation- 19 District Sound. Inc. 111 Chamber Orchestra, Pforzheim, Alois ships are conservative-not too fast or slow- 20 Dixie Hi Fidelity Wholesalers 108 Springer,cond. Turnabout TVS and there are few of the gear shifts and Luft- 21 Dokorder, Inc. 14 34513, $2.98 pausen that certain performers feel are part of 22 Dual 43 Schumann's idiom. Inbal's reading is "roman. - 23 Dynaco Inc 105 I have yet to find anybody-including myself -- tic" in its dark -hued eloquence, its commit- who has ever heard of Hans Schaeuble, and 25 Electro.Voice. Inc. 10 ment, and its warmhearted extroversion, but Elpa Marketing Industries, Inc.. 103 the liner notes for this disc do precious little to decidedly "classical" in its avoidance of vulgar 99 Empire Scientific Corp 11 fill in the gap outside of noting that Schaeuble excess. He scores by making the exposition re- 18 Epicure Products 83 is Swiss and was born in 1906. But you don't peat in the first movement (a virtue shared by even need to read that to know that Schaeuble Bernstein's two recordings and Klemperer's). Fisher Radio Cover II, I is Swiss and contemporary. since both worts He also scores with a superior sense of order 103 Garrard 9 recorded here owe a very large debt to Frank and balance that permits easy audibility of all Martin-not a had start. The opening of the the instrumental strands even though the orig- 27 Heath Company 22.23 1967 Piano Concerto, for instance, with its mi- High Fidelity Back Issues inal-and often unjustly disparaged-Schu- 14 nor -triad harmonies and its austere melodic High Fidelity's Test Reports 113 mann orchestration is maintained with little or lines, could initially fool the most devout Mar- no retouching.Bernstein's second . version 28 Icelandic Airlines 98 tin fans (to whose ranks I belong). And the (with the New York Philharmonic, on Colum- 29 Illinois Audio 108 second movement is dominated by a haunting bia) similarly utilized the unretouched text but 30 International Hi Fi Distributors..110 five -note figure whose harmonies move in sounds disastrously brash and muddled. Inbal 31 Jensen Sound Laboratories 80 strongly Martinesque directions. Greatly lack- makes a fine, expressive, manly thing of the ing, on the other hand, is Martin's sense of for- sublime Adagio and propels the finale along 36 Kenwood Cover IV mal tightness and rhythmic dynamism. The with excellent rollicking momentum. Such 33 KLH Research and Development...... 54 Piano Concerto's first movement, for instance, problematical details as the rallentandos in the 34 Koss 31 is built around some rather stock baroque de- Scherzo, the L'Istesso tempo markings in the 35 Lafayette Radio Electronics Corp 21 vices, many of them antiphonal, while the finale, and the treatment of the drum strokes Linear Design 84 third movement rambles on with very little at the very close are all negotiated with taste 37 London Records 102 sense of direction. in spite of some very attrac- and common sense, which I find most pleasing tive moments. after Bernstein's theatrical excesses and Szell's 43 Marantz 33 Somewhat more convincing is the 1961 Mu- McIntosh one-upmanship. Perhaps some of the Karajan 39 12 sic for Clarinet and String Orchestra. Schaeu- 40...... Memorex Corp 34 glint and urgency are missing. but on the other ble shows particular sensitivity in the manner 41 Midwest Hi Fi Wholesalers 112 hand, the inner voices of the Adagio are re- in which he combines the sonorities of the clar- corded with a much more pointed,less 44 Onkyo Sales 19 inet with those of the strings, and the lilting, al- smoothed -out perspective than on that recent 45 Phase Linear Corp. 88 most Waltonesque opening theme of the first Deutsche Grammophon disc. In sum, a read- movement develops much more momentum ing that compares favorably with the very best 46 Rabsons.57 StInc 20 than anything in the Piano Concerto. The (Karajan and Kubelik -both on DG, and Tos- 47 Radio Shack 81 moody. elegiac (hut rambling) second move- canini from the Arturo Toscanini Society). 49 Revox 12 ment also seems quite inspired, while the Those who prize warmth of tone and sing- 50 Sansui Electronics Corp. 94.95 third, on the contrary. strikes me as mostly ing inflection will cherish Inbal's soaring ac- 51 Sherwood Electronic Laboratories, Inc. 85 manner. count of the Overture, Scherzo, and Finale. I 52 Shure Brothers. Inc 4.5 This record has been quite well engineered. would place it a close second to Solti's more 53 Sony Corp. of America 72 and both soloists give competent perform brilliant, biting account (London) which 54 Stanton Magnetics. Inc 2 ances. although the piano writing is not de- seems to have more rhythmic thrust and tonal 55 Stereo Corp. of America 112 signed to launch anybody's career. The clari - definition. On the other hand, Inbal scores an 6 Stereo World 102 net solo, however, offers more of a technical easy victory over Karajan, who in this work is 56 Superex 6 challenge, and Jost Michaels meets it quite so reasoned and controlled that the essential well, although his tone could be fuller. The or- 57 TDK Electronics Corp. 7 romping impact is all but lost. In every way. 67 Teac Corp. of America ...... 116. Cover III chestral playing. unfortunately, is often dis- this is a highly competitive release. H.G. Thorens 103 mal. But the music here is attractive enough. 3M Co. 77 to my mind. to justify the record, and you can 58 Tokyo Shapiro 111 always have fun being the first in your block to own a Hans Schaeuble disc. R.S.B ScHOre "A 300th Anniversary Edi- 22 United Audio Products. Inc 43 B U.S. Pioneer Electronics Corp.. 29 tion, Vol. I." Schwabischer Singkreis, 61 Utah Electronics 18 Hans Grischkat, cond. (in Christmas SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 2, in C. Op. 61: IRStory and Easter Oratorio); Vienna 62 Wollensak 27 Overture, Scherzo, and Finale, Op. 52. New Chamber Choir, Hans Gillesberger, Philharmonia Orchestra, Eliahu Inbal, cond. cond. (in Musikalische Exequien and Philips 6500 288, $6.98. DeutschesMagnificat);Spandauer

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Reader Service 73 Complete Directory of HIGH P.O. Box 14306 4 -Channel Equipment FIDELITY Annex Station Cincinnati, Ohio 45214 Kantorei, Helmuth Rilling, cond. (in the grettably.allbut one of Smith's choices. lection are listed in the Schwann catalogue. Magnificat). Vox SVBX 5101, $9.95 D'orrida selce alpina. are also included in the though an Archive recording of the complete (three discs). Rilling set. but the greater clarity and preci- set has been released in Europe and may even- The Christmas Story; Easter Oratorio; Musikalische Exe- sion that he achieves with solo voices leads me tually be made available here. quien; Deutsches Magnificat; Magnificat. to prefer Smith's reading slightly. In a similar style is Es ging ein Sinnann out. SotOrr "A 300th Anniversary Edi- Smith gives us an entire record side of the a concerto for four solo voices, choir (doubled Btion, Vol. III." Various soloists; The lovely four-part chorale -style harmonizations by brassy. two violins. and continuo from Part Gregg Smith Singers, Gregg Smith, from the Becker Psalter. Though he offers va- III of the Symphoniae sacrae (1650). This cond. Vox SVBX 5103, $9.95 (three riety by assign' ng them to variously consti- seems to be the first recording of any of the discs). tuted vocal ensembles and accompanied solo. works from Part III, though several excerpts Italian Madrigals, Op. 1: Selve beate; D'orrida selce al- I would have preferred to see some of that from Parts I and II are available. pina; Ride la primavera; Fuggi o mio core; lo moro, ecco ch'io moro; Sospir the del bel petto; Dunque addio, care space devoted to other previously unrecorded On the whole I have nothing but praise for selve. German Madrigals: Die Erde trinkt fUr sich; Vier Hir- works. this thoughtfully gathered collection by Gregg tinnen; Tugend ist der bester Freund; Liebster, sagt in The Kleine gristliche Kon:erte. produced in Smith. It's true that neither he nor any of his siissem Schmerzen; Nachdem ich lag in meinem oden Bette; Lasst Salomon sein Bette nicht umgeben; ltzt two batches in 1636 and 1639. are small set- young singers are Schutz specialists and their blinken durch des Himmels Saal. Kleine Geistliche Kon- tings of biblical texts for various combinations identification with the style and language is zerti: Habe deine Lust; Die Seele Christi heilige mich; Bo- of one to five solo voices with continuo. For- variable. but they sing with such verve and en- rate Coeli; Allein Gott in der Hbh sei ehr; 0 hilt Christi; Veni, Sancte Spiritus. Cantiones Sacrae: Ego sum Tui tunately. none of the six works included here thusiasm and have been so thoroughly and plaga doloris; Speret Israel in Domino; Domine. non est isduplicatedin Ehmann's excellent two - carefully rehearsed that the results are always exaltatum cor meum; 0 bone, o dulcis, o benigne Jesu; musical and exciting. Smith favors crisp buoy- Veni, rogo, in cor meum. Psalm 121: Ich hebe meine Au- record collection of the complete Book I on gen aut zu den Bergen. Symphoniae sacrae, Part III: Es Nonesuch (HB 73012), and only one (Die ant tempos and clear. transparent textures, ging ein Samann aus. Seventeen selections from the Seele Christi heilige mich) will be found in and his group of young professional singers is Becker Psalms. Mauersberger's Archive recording (198408). able to deliver just that and superbly. The con- ScHOTz: The Christmas Story. Hans - The Cantiones Sacrae of 1625 are a collec- tinuo accompaniments are neat and tasteful. BJoachim Rotzsch, tenor; Herta tion of forty-one four-part motets written at a but the string players in the several numbers Flebbe, soprano; Hans -Olaf Hude- time when the continuo was just beginning to where they are used are mediocre. Most of the FR mann, bass; Westphalian Choir and be considered indispensable. Schatz appar- performances seem to have been done in a Baroque Instrumentalists, Wilhelm Eh- ently included a continuo part only at the in- spacious. reverberant room and the recording mann, cond. Bach Guild HM 11 SD, sistence of his publisher (so as not to seem old- acoustic is excellent in those cases. Smith him- $2.98. fashioned) and indeed itis superfluous in self has supplied brief but informative notes many cases. Smith gives us three with the con- and translations of all the works. By the way. The 300th anniversary of Heinrich Schtitz's tinuo and three sung by the a capella chorus. If my review copy of the Smith volume, which is death in 1972 didn't arouse a major flurry of you are intrigued by this sampling, you'll un- being issued on the newly fashionable "skinny activity among record companies as some of doubtedly want to investigate Mauersberger's discs." arrived so badly warped it had to be re- us had hoped, but it did inspire a three -vol- superb three -disc Telefunken recording (S placed. Check your copy before leaving the ume tribute by Vox as well as a couple of other 9468/70) of the complete set, though Smith's store, or buy from a dealer you know will ex- single items. The Vox series began with a restrained and delicate "chamber -music" change it. three -record box of reissues of the Christnzas readings with only a few voices on each part Vanguard has just transferred Ehmann's Story.Easter Oratorio. Musikalische Eve- (one is sung by four solo voices) are also excel- reading of the Christmas Story to its "Histori- Deutsches Magnificat. and Latin Mag- lent. cal Anthology of Music" series from its previ- nificat. None of these performances are de- Schutz's most splendid and magnificent ous incarnation on Vanguard S 232. It is. of finitive. but all are at least capable: a glance at works, written in the sumptuous Venetian course, the same performance that was first the meager competition. however, makes this polychoral style. are included in the 1619 col- available here on the Cantate label (650201) in volume look considerably more interesting. lection of twenty-six Psalmen Dayids, for two, 1964. The Evangelist. Hans -Joachim Rotzsch, The second volume contains excellent per- three, and four choirs of voices and instru- does a fine, light, and expressive job. and the formances of Schutz's three late Passion set- ments. Smith has chosen one of the smaller other soloists and instrumentalists are all good tings: these will be discussed in a future issue. works from this collection in which a solo if not spectacular. Ehmann's tempos are on The third volume is a gentischter Salm. put quartet is pitted antiphonally against a four- the slow, cautious, unexciting side. and the en- together by the Gregg Smith Singers. compris- part choir with continuo. Right now only a few semble is not always perfect: but nothing un- ing a wide variety of "smaller" works, both sa- scattered excerpts from this magnificent col - toward happens and the warmth of the inter- cred and secular, in different styles and from pretation and recorded sound is appealing. many different periods in Schatz's long career. Grischkat's similar reading. included in the In addition, a fair number of these have never Vox Vol. I.first appeared here in 1962. His been recorded. Evangelist. Hans Ulrich Mielsch, is rather less Since the majority of Schutz's output that interesting. and the recorded sound doesn't has survived is sacred, his importance as a have the same warmth, but Grischkat's tem- composer of secular and stage works has been pos are slightly more energetic and compell- largelyforgotten.In1627.for instance. ing. C.F.G. Schutz's Dafne. the first German opera. was produced (unfortunately none of its music has survived). Record companies, too, have con- Sdaniatat: Concerto for Piano and Orches- cerned themselves almost exclusively with his tra, in G minor, Op. 15. Jorge Bolet, piano; sacred works, so it's especially gratifying to see Nurnberg Symphony Orchestra, Ainslee that Gregg Smith has devoted a third of this Cox, cond. Genesis GS 1020, $5.98. collection to some of the secular works, particularly the so-called German Madrigals. The One of the more impressive discoveries in the seven works included here are for various continuing quest for obscure romantic works. combinations of solo voices with continuo and this concerto offers an impressive workout for strings, and are masterpieces one and all. its soloist and substantial meat for listeners. From his better-known Op. 1, a set of nineteen Giovanni Sgambati (1841-1914) is best re- unaccompanied five -voice Italian Madrigals. membered today for his arrangements of Smith has included six which are performed Gluck's "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" from here with verve and beautifully blended tone Orfeo ed Euridice and other bygone favorite by five solo voices. Nonesuch has available a encore pieces. Sgambati was a pupil of Liszt. single record (H 71177) containing eleven of an awesome virtuoso, and evidently, like his these exuberant gems sung by a larger choir contemporary Marcucci, one of the leaders of under the direction of Helmuth Rilling. Re- Jorge Bolet-Sgambati rediscovered. theItalian symphonic (i.e.. nonoperatic)

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SANSUI ELECTRONICS CORP. Woodside, New York 11377 Gardena, California 90247 ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTORS, Canada, YansuL SANSUI ELECTRIC CO . LTD . Tokyo, Japan S3nsui Audio Europe S. A.. Antwerp. Be'gium CIRCLE 50 ON READER SERVICE CARD MAY 1973 95 school. A famous conductor as well as a pianist. Sgambati knew his orchestration well, and that fact is everywhere evident in this large - scaled, darkly scored, impressively sonorous effort. A preponderance of brass makes one think of Wagner and Bruckner (and. in the finale. of the still -to -come tone poems of Rich- ard Strauss). Ostensibly in G minor, a fond- ness for modulation and chromaticism puts this concerto all over the tonal map. Struc- turally. it has a long orchestral introduction in the classical tradition, but its cadenza is rather originally placed inthe recapitulation between the first and second themes. Because of the constant modulation and lavish filigree the work is a trifle diffuse and hard to follow for David Oistrakh-Tartini and Brahms for the fiddle fancier. sheer form, but there arc so many lovely. po- etic touches. so much glistening, technically first attempt at what he calls "intuitive music": tally controlled" restrictions of his earlier intricate instrumental resourcefulness, and so a music that "as much as possible should re- works. and from which he now seems to he many unexpected flights of fancy that 1 forgive sult from pure intuition. which in the case of a working toward a new synthesis. R.P.M. Sgambati his excesses. The slow movement, in group of intuitively performing musician, is. particular. made me think more than once of due to their mutual 'feedback.' qualitatively Dvorak's G minor Piano Concerto. more than the sum of their individual ideas.`' STRAVINSKY: The Firebird: Suite (1 91 9 ver- I have heard Jorge Bolet play with distress- The "score" for each composition is not a set sion); Jeu de Cartes. Moscow Radio Sym- ing insensitivity and with fortissimo chords of specific musical instructions hut a text de- phony Orchestra, Henryk Czyz, cond. (in that resembled concrete blocks. His work signed. in Stockhausen's words. to "bring out Firebird);U.S.S.R. Symphony Orchestra, here, however, is all one could hope for. His the Intuitive in a specific \\ ay.- The text for In- Yevgeny Svetlanov, cond. (in Jeu de Cartes). sound is big but never unpleasantly percus- rensiriit. for example. consists in its entirety tin Melodiya /Angel SR 40219, $5.98. sive, the timing full of thrust. acumen. and ex- English translation) of the following: "Play in- pansive solidity. He also floats a tender canta- About the suites from Firebird confusion is bile line when required. and his trills and dividual tones/with such dedication/until you sense the warmth/which radiates from you/ apparently endless. and the labeling of this octaves send shivers down at least one spine. Play on and sustain them/as long as you can." disc will not help matters. "1916 version." says The Nurnberg orchestra is a hit woolly but According to the composer. different real- the jacket; "2nd version. 1916." says the label: never impedes the musical drama: the engi- izations of the same text. although they may and the liner notes propagate further misin- neering is splendid. H.G. vary wide! \indetails.no. ertheless reseal formation. Whatever the source of this mythi- common musical characteristics.I have no cal new recension. the record turns out to con- way of judging this, as only one performance tainthe familiar old1919 suite,rather STOCKHAUSEN: Es; Aufwarts (Nos. 13 and 7 of each piece is included here. I am not even ponderously.althoughnotincompetently from the cycle Aus den Sieben Tagen). certain. at least after hearing these four pieces. played.I continue to recommend. to those Aloys Kontarsky, piano; Johannes G. Fritsch, that one can ascertain more than the most gen- rare souls as yet Firebird-less. the complete viola; Alfred Alings and Rolf Gehlhaar, tam - eral kind of correlation between what is ballet. in the composer's own performance tam; Harald Bojo,electronium(inEs); sounded and the text that evoked it.I do. how- (Columbia MS 6328). anonymous trombonist(inAufwarts); ever. find the pieces strange] \ beautifule en Jett de Cartes is another problem. calling for Karlheinz Stockhausen, filters, potentiome- moving. though I am hard put to say just why. a rhythmic poise and adeptness that the ters, short-wave receiver, and sound direc- lean point to striking individual moments: the U.S.S.R. Symphony doesn't command. tion. Deutsche Grammophon 2530 255, terrifying. 4:ream of sound near the end of Svetlanov also espouses a few sentimental $6.98 kommunion: the sustained lyricism. almost touches thatI wager Stravinsky would not STOCKHAUSEN: Kommunion;Intensitat reminiscent of Mahler. that closes ;l afirurtc. have applauded. Happily. Columbia has just (Nos. 11 and 9 from the cycle Aus den Sie- But the real effect of these pieces results restored the "official" version with the Cleve- ben Tagen). Johannes G. Fritsch, viola; Al- from their total atmosphere. which is mt.ch land Orchestra. an affair of notably greater fred Alings(in Kommunion) and Rolf more difficult to talk about. Clearly their suc- sparkle and precision (M 31921. formerly MS Gehlhaar, tamtam; Carlos Roque Alsina, pi- cess depends largely upon the sensitive co-op- 6649): furthermore, the conjoined works ano and (in Kommunion) Hammond organ; eration and interaction of the musicians. and 1 (Scenes de Ballet and the small -orchestra ar- Jean -Francois Jenny -Clark,double bass; suspect that this-which conies through very rangement of Tchaikovsky's Bluebird pus de anonymous trombonist; Michel Portal, saxo- strongly in these performances-accounts as deux) are unique in the catalogue. and thus phone, flute, and piano; Jean-Pierre Drouet, much anSithing for the quality of my experi- more desirable than another Firebird Suite. percussion; Karlheinz Stockhausen, various ence. It is as if the players. all of whom have D.H. instruments and sound direction. Deutsche worked closet \ with Stockhausen. are setting up "sympathetic vibrations" with One an- Grammophon 2530 256, $6.98. TALLis: Lamentationes Jeremiae. BYRD: other; and the listener, by "tuning" himself to Aus den Sieben Tagen is a cycle written by these so that his own "resonances" are acti- Missa tres vocum. Pro Cantione Antigua, Bruno Turner, dir. Archive 2533 133, $6.98. Stockhausen in May 1968. Of the thirteen vated. is able to achieve a very strong sense of Selected comparisons (Tallis): pieces (the published version also includes a communion and participation with them. 1 Willcocks Argo 5479 poem to the performer and a "theater piece." have heard many groups attempt this kind of Greenberg Dec.79404 making fifteen parts in all). eleven were re- thing. but none has impressed me as much as corded in late August and early September of this one. Thomas Tallis was born into a thoroughly 1969. totaling some six hours of music. The Nevertheless, the possibilities of making Catholic England, a place where a man could performers consisted of Stockhausen's own music in this context seem quite limited to me. rely on the church for his faith and a good mu- Cologne ensemble and a similar group of in- I am much more convinced by Stockhausen's sician could count on it for a living. During his strumentalists from Paris. comprising eleven subsequent attempts-as in Shimming (1968) long life Tallis saw all this change. Waltham players in all. who were then divided up for and .1fautra (1970)-to frame his performers' Abbey where he was organist was dissolved in the various pieces so that no two compositions intuitive responses in a more specifically musi- 1540: the next two decades were filled with bit- used exactly the same combination. Four of cal structure. and thus to this extent to "con- ter quarrels between the most zealous Protes- these performances-those of Kommunion. In- trol" them. The present pieces represent a crit- tant reformers and the equally bloodthirsty tensile:4 Es ("It"). and Aufwarts ("Upwards") ical stage in the composer's development-a Catholics: finally under Elizabeth a compara- -have now been released by DG. sort of null point reached through Stock- tive peace was established but the world had Aus den Sieben Tagen was Stockhausen's hausen's gradual emancipation from the "to- lost the universal faith that had seen it through

96 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE the Middle Ages. and things would never he only be described as a luscious whopper.) proach which sets the music up on its own the same. Didone abbandonataisgenerally a lower - feet. so to speak, and in this Oistrakh's pian- Externally Tallis fared pretty well-he profiled piece, but a beauty; it is given every ist. Frieda Bauer, is with him all the way. To- learned to seek royal patronage. became a available dimension here. thanks to the con- gether they make something almost monu-

businessman at marketing his music, wrote for . trast of tone, for instance, in passages like the mental out of the Adagio; the big, bold piano the new English church-but spiritually he first -movement horn figuration and the broad. statements have much to do with this. It is a seems to have maintained his allegiance to the low-pitched phrase that follows it: The drama superb recital. S.F. Roman Catholic church of his birth. Certainly here is almost operatic. his greatest music. the motets of the Camiones The Bralinis stands up in eN, ery star to one Sacrae published in 1575 and the superb Lam- of my favorite versions-the Isaac Stern on VAUGHAN WILLIAMs: Orchestral Works. lona entations of Jeremiah. was inspired by the Ro- Columbia. now woefully deleted. Oistrakh Brown violin (In the Lark Ascending); Acad- man rite. and it is tempting to sec the Lamen- has the same sense of over-all architecture, emy of St. Martin -in -the -Fields, Neville Marri- tations in particular as a plea for the return to the building up from one phrase to the next ner, cond. Argo ZRG 696. S5.98. the security of the old faith. We do not know which makes a total structure of each move- Fantasia on a Theme by Tanis; The Lark Ascending; Five when this extraordinary piece was composed. ment and creates a musical momentum that Variantsof Dives and Lazarus: Fantasia on Greensleeves. though the musical style and sophistication only the greatest artists achieve. Again. there suggest it is a late work. but there is no ques- is a kind of healthy strength in the whole ap- Exquisitelybeautiful performances of the tioning the deeply felt emotion that colors every phrase. Like Das Lied von der Erde or Beethoven's finale to the Ninth, the Lamen- tations are the work of a man who is passion- ately convinced of what he is saying, and one of the great creations of the human spirit. The performance of the Pro Cantione An- tigua. a group new to me. does full justice to this masterpiece. Bruno Turner has chosen his tempos perfectly: the yearning outstretched lines arc taut. pulling the listener inexorably on past the scenes of the world's misery to the final compelling cry Convertere Jerusalem ad Dominion. The dark somber tones of the choir are perfectly balanced, no parts stand out unduly. The biting dissonances are Tanis own. made sharper by the generally clear intonation. Schwann lists two other recordings but y they are both quite old and neither measures up to this one in sound or interpretation. The -<1 1-0 SHARE 0\-- old Pro Musica Antigua lacks balance and is not always in tune: the Argo sags emotionally When you own the world's greatest opera catalog, you and gets a bit wobbly on the sustained lines. should share it. As attractively and as inexpensively as you can. The accompanying Byrd Mass for three AngelVoices voices is a trivial companion for a work of the was created with this in mind. Each album in stature of the Lamentations. It has the mark of the series is complete on one disc.Each one, from the vast Angel/EMI a work written to order-the short Kyrie. the treasury of recordings presents nearly one hour of listening . simple scoring. uncomplicated musical ideas A Here, Maria Callas has chosen for us those arias that combined with great skill but. one senses, with little feeling. Probably it was chosen to let the please her most from her incomparable La Scala roles. Five selections upper voices of the Pro Cantione Antigua. ranging from her rare Medea and Vestale to the more popular Rigoletto, who don't appear inthe Tallis.get their Sonnambula, and Ballo in maschera arias. A second collection is now in chance to show oft. If so, it should be said that preparation. they perform very nicely. Because of its sim- B At La Scala, Angel recorded nine complete operas with plicity. the Mass is a favorite with amateur choirs and if it is familiarity tbat attracts you to the inspired combination of Callas and Giuseppe di Stefano. We have this work, this Archive release is certainly the chosen five extended duet scenes from Rigoletto, Tosca, Puritani, one to buy. S.T.S. Boheme, and Ballo in maschera. C And who could resist the game of comparing tenors? Here are eightGreat Tenors of Today TARTINI: Sonatas for Violin and Piano: in G in ten of their most celebrated roles. minor (Devil's Trill); in G minor (Didone ab- Compare if you wish. Or simply enjoy. bandonata). Beams: Sonata for Violin and D Constellationsgives you just that-no fewer than 30 of Piano, No. 1, in G, Op. 78. David Oistrakh, the finest voices of our time in spectacular trios, quartets, violin; Frieda Bauer, piano. MelodiyaiAngel sextets, and finales. For the devoted opera goer and for the SR 40197, $5.98. newcomer alike, this is a must -own recording. This is one of those wonderful recordings that More albums will follow within the year. These leaves one with little to say except how good four only mark a beginning. it is. Oistrakh brings all the wisdom and technical accomplishment of the seasoned mas- MARIA CONSTELLATIONS ter to these two unlikely disc -mates. Tanini CALLAS GREAT TENORS Ana. I Lon* OF 'TODAY Thirty Great Stars and Brahms, and in so doing gives us a recital And Sarno Irtm in Favorite Ensembles VAN* that belongs in every fiddle -fancier's collec- 1A,10011e rnmokor COREIIJ LASown... tion. The Tartini is handled with breadth. vi- DOMINGO tality, and warmth-the devil'strillsreally bite, the smooth legato line of the Larghetto KING affetuosoisbroad, controlled,but never MC PAVAROTTI bland because there is so much variety in tonal VICKERS inflection and dynamic nuance. (And in- S-36929 A s g S-369 C S -i6918 D cidentally. thelast -movement cadenza can CIRCLE 4 ON READER-SERV CE CARD MAY 1973 97 most popular of Vaughan Williams' short Marriner performs it.it seems like an espe- sic Group; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, pieces; the Fantasia on a Theme by Tanis is cially eloquent slow movement from a sym- Lamberto Gardelli, cond. Philips 6700 056 also one of the most profound compositions of phony the rest of which Vaughan Williams $13.96 (two discs). the twentieth century. One is accustomed to unfortunately forgot to write. The Lark As- hearing it with a considerably larger body of cending. with its delicate. ecstatic flight and Ask a real enthusiast his favorite among the strings than is obviously used here, but the chirruping song. is the very essence of English Verdi operas not usually rated high and he is relative lightness of the texture in this record- pastoral poetry in sound and is marvelously liable to reply with the name of the one he has ing. coupled with Marriner's superlatively well done here by all concerned. A.F. most recently heard. That's how I felt after the sensitive interpretation, adds a certain lyric Carnegie Hall concert performance off Lom- touch that does the music no harm. This bardi; I've never quite managed it after At- recording also brings out especially well the VERDI: Attila. tila-a Florence production with Boris Chris - contrasted groups of the score-big string or- Att,la Ruggero Ramona (bs) toff; a Sadler's Wells production that did not chestra, small string orchestra, solo quartet. Ezio Sherrill Mines (b) stay long in the repertory; and most recently a and detached solo instruments. Odabella Cristina Deutekoir (s) Foresto Carlo Be rgonzi (I) performance, of sorts,in Newark. But a Everybody knows Greensleeves but not Uldino Riccardo Cassinelli (t) friend,fresh from a Florence Attila con- everybody knows the richly sonorous vari- Leone Jules Bastin (b s) ducted by Riccardo Muti, was bowled over ations on the folk tune Dives and Lazarus. As Ambrosian Singers; Finchley Children's Mu - and maintains that it too should be on the list of Verdi operas worth doing, along with A l- zira. Corsaro, and others once held in lower esteem. The Philips "crusade" for early Verdi. which began with I Lombardi, continues now with Attila, billed as the first complete and the first stereo recording. (Before it there was a rather rough Cetra set, never released here, drawn from a Verdi anniversary performance in Venice.) In a fine historical and critical es- say accompanying the new set. Julian Budden is temperate but discerningly appreciative of the "plain massive style" of a score that is "all muscle and sinew. allowing little room for the gentler emotions." Rightly he finds lacking the dramatic consistency and sureness of purpose in Verdi's two previous operas, Giovanna d'Arco and A lzira; but again rightly he adds that "it remains an interesting and rewarding piece, vital to all who wish to explore the full range of Verdi's achievement." The new set is welcome. Attila became successful as a patriotic opera. The line "A vrai to l'universo, resti Mafia a me! "("You can have the universe, provided Italy stays mine!") was taken as a more contemporary political expression. and Verdi's setting shows that it was meant to be. Never mind that it is cried by a treasonous Roman general (the same Ezio who in Handel's opera is so noble) proposing a deal with the Hun behind his emperor's back. In fact, one dramatic trouble with Attila is that the Italian "heroes" are all treacherous: The tenor tries to poison Attila: the soprano, who takes Judith as her Next time you plan a trip exemplar. is certainly not the most endearing of heroines; even Attila's Breton slave Uldino betrays him at the last. Another trouble- to Europe, make sure you which matters more in the theater than on records-is that the last act moves so fast that it visit the unique country. can easily become ridiculous. But then all of Attila, which has a two -scene prologue plus three acts, moves swiftly. The recording, Where can you find: Europe's largest waterfalls? which contains every note, has a total playing time of only one hour 421/2 minutes. Verdi kept Europe's blondest blondes? insisting what a good libretto he had. It is hard Europe's highest geysers? to agree. and hard to summon much interest in the characters-even in Attila himself. Europe's greatest glaciers? There are striking things in the Prologue. In And where can you find moonlike craters where the astronauts trained? Act I there is Odabella's romance "Oh! nel More volcanos than anywhere else on earth? Historic landmarks of the fuggente nuvolo" withitscurious accom- world's oldest continuous parliament? Celebrations marking Europe's paniment for English horn, and splashes of youngest republic? flutebetween thephrases.(Mr.Budden The answer to all of these questions is-ICELAND. Next time you plan speaks of "a bright tapestry of sound, evoking a trip to Europe, make sure you visit Iceland. ... the clear sky, the stream sparkling. in the The only thing it may cost you is time well spent. Because you'll save sunlight." but I have always "seen" in this mu- enough money on Icelandic's lowest jet fares from New York to Luxembourg sic a moonlit night with-as suggested by the to pay for your stopover in Iceland. Or, you can hop over from New York on a deluxe weekend package tour for $190 this winter. words-fleeting clouds that form shapes in the Next time you plan a trip to Europe, ask your travel agent about sky: and indeed the Ricordi score specifies Icelandic Airlines. Or phone Icelandic Airlines, for folders about Iceland night and moonlight.) The opera becomes and lowest jet fares to Europe. In New York State, phone (212) 757-8585. gripping in the scene that follows-Attila's ac- Elsewhere in U.S., phone toll free (800) 221-9760. count of his dream-and Ruggero Raimondi CIRCLE 28 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 98 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE WE HOPE THAT ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONCERTS OF THE 2.01-HTNTURY WILL NOT HAVE To BE REPEATED.

If000mirositrsisPE.kCE cONCER IFOR 1110:11.1iSS INTBIE0mAR RECCRDED AT THE waSHINGTON NATIONALCATHEDRAL SOLOISTS THE NORMA N SCRIBNER CHOIR ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY LEONA 31) BERNSTEIN 11 On January 12, II answered. And, 1973, about 16,000 happily again, Haydn's people crowded the magnificent music and Washington Cathe- Leonard Bernstein's dral, inside and out, MQ 31296*1 superb interpretation to hear Leonard Bernstein con-of it have been preserved. duct Haydn's "Mass inTime of Listen to this monumental re- War:' Not so muchas a protest cording. And hope that the next butas a plea. For a lasting and time Leonard Bernstein undisturbedpeace. conducts "Mass inTime of War:' Happily, the question that we'll be at peace. spurred Columbia's recording of this moving event has been ON eLLIMBIA RECORDS (1)

This is Leonard Bernstein Month. And,as always, there are a lot of other great Bernstein albums to enjoy.

M 31727* M 31307W D3 M 32097 M 31959* A specially priced NS4°Sh. tfiZiN 3 -record set r;s7164434"047/(4.1.1"'-" Slr-44.4 Nthei'00r "einrahn, 44110°44. ito., 8445, //ek croor4 s "Wh;r"fiNts '"`44"*$

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MAY 1973 99 sings this most impressively, observing the sot- ton Press. The horn player of the group took a detail. A major factor in the good effect of the tovoce that rises to tuonante, and at the end the walk while this recording was being made. but opening scenes is the really superior Hunding canto spiegato, the broad slow melody slowly the other four-Felix Skowronek. flute: Laila of Bohme, who justly dominates whenever unfurled as the vision of Saints Peter and Paul Storch. oboe: William McColl. clarinet: and he sings. with flaming swords repels him from Rome. Arthur Grossman. bassoon-are magnificent The odd -side filler is a pretty fine version of Raimondi and Sherrill Milnes are the only virtuosos. and they have been magnificently Wotan A bschied Josef H e rrman n was another representatives here of the "standard cast" so recorded. singer whose main career was limited to Ger- often assembled in the studios nowadays (the The disc contains two short works by Villa many: he had a firm Heldenbariton, not as vel- others of course are Caballe, Domingo. and Lobos: Choros No. 2 and Bachianas Brasi- vety as some others, but impressively even perhaps Cossotto when a mezzo is needed). leiras No. 6; and two long ones: the trio and throughout its range and capable of real force Mr. Milnes makes disappointingly little of the the quartet. All four works are products of the in the crunches. His soft singing. especially at famous phrase cited above: his high Fs there composers youth. when his talent was fresh "so kiisst er die Gottheit von dir," is most ex- lack body. They ring out more boldly and and riotous and vital. when music spurted out pressive. Herrmann seems to be "giving" more freely in his Act 11 aria, and in general he gives of him like juice from a grapefruit. when his in this performance than in his studio 78 -rpm a confident and very capable performance. novelties and audacities knew no end and his version of the same scene (recently repressed Carlo Bergonzi is in many ways the most win- invention no limit. In short. this is one of the on Preiser LV 49). ning tenor in his field since Jussi Bjoerling: most entertaining. notto say captivating. A significant document in the history of who else today caresses a word or phrase so records that has come my way in a long time. Wagnerian performance. this recording is not lovingly? In Ezio's Act II aria, the tenor is You may have to order it by mail. But it is without its musical rewards as well. No li- called on to play the role usually allotted to a worth going to the trouble. A.F. bretto is provided, just a biographical note, in messenger or confidant-to provide the bit of German, mainly about Elmendorff. D.H. news, after the first section of the aria, which then motivates the cabaletta. Bergonzi does it beautifully, making the most of Verdi's sotto - WAGNER: Die Walkure: Act I (com- WUORINEN: Quartet for Strings-See Bab- voce and con mistero markings. One tiny plete); Wotan's Farewell and Magic bitt: Quartet for Strings, No. 3. quibble: In his Act Ill romance, sung in melt- Fire Music. ing tones, he neglects the messa di voce (a Siegmund Max Lorenz(t) Sieglinde Margarete Teschemachef (s) swelling and then diminishing of the sound) Hunding Kurt Bohme(bs) indicated for the G just before the major sec- Wotan Josef Herrmann (b) tion, and he leaves too big a break before Saxon State Orchestra,KarlElmendorff, launching into this section. In the ensembles. cond. Preiser 0120 015/6, $15.95 (two particularly in the Act III trio, he is recorded discs, mono; from a 1944 broadcast). recitals with a prominence that is somewhat unfair to Selected comparison (Act I): the others. Lehmann, Melchior, Walter Sera 60190 and miscellany Cristina Deutekom is Philips' prima donna. Of various recent operatic resuscitations from I wish I liked her voice better. She is certainly wartime German archives, this seems to me very much more secure. accurate, and clean one of the more impressive. For one thing, it is LAS CANTIGAS DE SANTA MARIA. Waverley than Leyla Gencer, the Odabella of the Flor- strikingly well recorded: clear, full-bodied. ence and Newark performances. She sings the Consort.MichaelJaffee,dir.; Nicholas Kepros, undistorted sound. markedly superior to, say. narrator: Jan DeGaetani, mezzo-soprano; notes accurately, and one can almost sense her the contemporaneous New York recording of Constantine Cassolas, tenor; Kay Jaffee, determination to give them the right expres- Act III (Odyssey 32 26 0018). sion. But in a role that calls for-well. Rosa recorder, rauschpfeife, psaltery, organetto; On this evidence, the Saxon State Orchestra Sally Logemann, shawm, recorder, nun's Ponselle-one wants a voice with more gener- was a fine Wagner ensemble. even in 1944. fiddle; Judith Davidoff, medieval fiddles; Mi- ous, ample tone, more warmth, more color. I and Elmendorff obviously knew how to get chael Jaffee, moorish guitar. Vanguard VSD must not be grudging. Miss Deutekom is spir- the best from them. Right at the start, the cel- 71175, $5.98. ited. The first aria is a brute, with a declama- los and basses dig into their storm music with a tory vocal line leaping and running all through fine raspy staccato, and the tone of the strings The Cantigas de Santa Maria are a vast collec- the registers. and she manages it far better throughout is warm and beautifully shaded. tion of folk ballads, popular in medieval than I thought she would. The voice is in bet- Elmendorff never had much of an inter- Spain, describing miracles accomplished ter shape, more consistent, than in the Lom- national career, although he was a mainstay of through the good offices of the Virgin Mary. bardi recording. (Is she really a regular visitor Bayreuth from 1927 on (he conducted the The poems were assembled and probably to the Metropolitan. as the album notes 1928 abridged Tristan recorded there, and also claim?) partly written in the mid -thirteenth century by the 1930 Tannhauser-although the latter Alfonso the Wise, king of Castile and Leon, Lamberto Gardelli conducts withhis wasn't really his production: he deputized on wonted vigor and feeling for Verdian color. and patron of learning and the arts. Like the discs for Toscanini, who couldn't record for greatest medieval literature of which they are The recording. though nothing special, main- Columbia). He was evidently more of a man tains a decent technical standard: likewise the a part. the Cantigas combine the elegant tradi- for detail than for sweep, but the detail here is tion of courtly romance with the everyday love Ambrosian Singers and Royal Philharmonic. often very rewarding. especially in the earlier of a good story and a deep underlying faith in part of Act I. where every orchestral gesture is Christianity and the veneration of the Virgin read with real intenzione and comprehension. Mary in particular. The stories are good and The love music later on comes off less im- the characters sharply drawn. My favorite is VILLA Lows: Soni Ventorum Plays Villa pressively than in the famous 1935 Bruno the unlucky Abbess. "Although she prayed Lobos. Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet. Walter set, in part because Teschemacher and with great devotion, the devil did outwit her Ravenna RAVE 702, $6.95 (available from Lorenz are not Lehmann and Melchior. The once, and she was then pregnant by a man University of Washington Press, Seattle, soprano, a German favorite before the war. from Bologna." Needless to say her mirac- Wash. 98195). has a fresh, youthful sound and considerable ulous recovery from this embarrassing situ- ChOros No. 2, for Flute and Clarinet; Trio for Oboe, Clari- intelligence:as the pitying and enquiring ation is the subject of one of the tales. The net, and Bassoon; Bachianas Brasileiras No. 6. for Flute and Bassoon; Quartet for Flute, Oboe. Clarinet, and Bas- Sieglinde, she is mostconvincing-but dynamic Cantigas were originally sung in ballad form soon. power for the later climaxes is simply not there. like the songs of the troubadours and trou- so she remains careful rather than ardent. v&es in France. The melodies have been pre- The Soni Vcntorum is a wind quintet origi- Lorenz was past his prime by 1944. and there served in several manuscripts, but the lan- nally organized for the Casals Festival in is no sweetness left in the voice; he's all right guage of the original, a dialect from Galicia Puerto Rico but now in residence at the Uni- when he can get set for the heavy spots, but fast and Portugal, makes them almost inaccessible versity of Washington in Seattle: the record is material (and the legato line of "Winter- to all but specialists today. released through the University of Washing- stiirme") finds him choppy and uncertain in That is until the Waverley Consort under

100 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE Vladimir Horowitz reveals the introspection and mysticism of Scriabin.

In 1915 ,Vladimir Horowitz, age eleven, played for / 19:9719,PliZ Scriabin, himself a concert pianist. It is recorded that / Scriabin was impressed with what he heard. CP147461&. 7Emtudses, As, in fact, everyone who hears Horowitz play is P.8 and fn Op. 69: 42: impressed. It is as unnecessary to list the achievements of la Mr. Horowitz as it is to listthose of Scriabin. But we should at least mention the Grammy award -winning album, "Horowitz Plays Chopin," one of his more recent triumphs. Was Horowitz impressed with Scriabin, when they met 58 years ago? This album, for the most part recorded under ideal studio conditions, is Mr. Horowitz's answer to that question. On Columbia Records and Tapes M 31296'

*Also ava lable in Quadraphonic

MAY 1973 101 director Michael Jaffee had the bright idea of providing an English narration and combin- SIR GEORG SOLTI ing it with parts of the original songs, background music from the Cantigas, and a few THE WORLD'S MOST HONORED CONDUCTOR contemporary compositions to form a fascinating evening's entertainment. This disccap- tures the spirit of the piece admirably, though New Release it would be fun to see the work performed in the colorful costumes portrayed on thecover. The narration-admirably read by Nicholas Kepros-and music are cunningly overlapped so that one never interferes with the other. Song and story blend together to give the illu- sion that we are sitting spellbound in some high arched medieval hall listening to the strains of the Moorish musicians whose guitars. fiddles, and flutes accompany the familiar legends of miracles, the roses which bloom for PARSIFALe the devout, the paralytic cures wrought by the Virgin, even the minstrel who plays his fiddle before her image and is rewarded for his gift. RENE KOLLO CHRISTA LUDWIG Musically the star of the show is mezzo-soprano Jan DeGaetani whose clear warm voice DIETRICH FISCHER-DIESKAU and impeccable musicianship make her outstanding in any style she attempts. Tenor Con- stantine Cassolas sounds a bit forced incom- GOTTLOB FRICK ZOLTAN KE-LtMtN parison though he does a valiant jobnever- theless. The instrumentation is particularly well conceived and performed with style HANS HOTTER throughout. Altogether an entertaining record which might well be appreciated by thoseun- THE VIENNA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA familiar with early music, as well as the connoisseur. OSA-1510 S.T.S.

IGOR KIPNIS:The German Harpsichord. Igor

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CIRCLE 37 ON READER -SERVICE CARD Ifl CIRCLE 6 ON READER -SERVICE CARD HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE Kipnis, harpsichord. Angel S 36055. $5.98. pieces of other composers but did not quite Semirarride (arr. Czerny). J. STRAUSS II: Thunder and Lightning Polka (arr. Riepe); Blue Danube Waltzes (arr. BACH: Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, in D minor. S. 903; know how to take this particular Frenchman. Schultz, Eyler. and Chasins). JOPLui: Maple Leaf Rag (arr. Toccata, in C minor. S. 911; Toccata. in E minor. S. 914; Riepe). GOrnICHAIX: La Gallina; Ojos Criollos. Toccata in D. S. 912; Prelude and Fugue, in A minor. S. The contrast between the two great baroque 894 masters is sharp indeed: Rameau's harpsi- IGOR KIPNIS: The French Harpsichord. Igor chord music. though from his youth. is bold. Sometimes silliness can have its elephantine Kipnis, harpsichord. Angel S 36054, $5.98. searching. idiomatic, and as French as Bach's charms. The gimmick here is music played on RAMSAY: Suite, in A minor. DANDRICU: Suite, in C. is German. His compatriot. Dandrieu. was multiple pianos. There are two pieces origi- made of different timber from the gruff and nally for two pianos in which four more barrel The confrontation here is not really between earnest philosopher/musician: he is the typi- in for :he climaxes, with three to a part. There the instruments, both of which are excellent cal French musical hedonist: amiable, skillful. are three pieces for ten pianists on ten pianos. modern reconstructions of eighteenth -century elegant-and a bit superficial. Kipnis adroitly And there are three pieces for sixteen pianists originals, but between the music played on changes his playing to conform to the French on eight pianos. them. Bach's Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue style, and while perhaps he does not quite let The performances are first-rate. There is a shows how tradition -bound he was, despite his himself go in the Gallic spirit of nonchalance. nicely musical lilt to most of the music played, towering originality; this is the stunning and everything here is musical and very listenable. and the arrangements don't weigh things bold keyboard virtuosity of the old North At that. his slight lack of intimacy may not be down unduly. Making this record must have German organist/cantors, demanding fluency his fault.I only wish that harpsichords could been a piano tuner's and a recording engi- as well as great interpretative freedom. Ideally be recorded without an acoustic magnifying neer's nightmare. and both have done their this is really organ music, and I should love to glass. Bach's expansive music can stand a lot best: The results are joyfully free of the tune- hear it played on a fine baroque organ. but of clangor. but Dandrieu's bonbons need less less clanging or raucous banging one might Kipnis makes it stand up beautifully on the volume and a more confined musical space. have expected. It is surely not the sound one harpsichord. His playing responds tothe .The quieter passages sound fine. but when all would hear live, but it is pleasant enough. and broad sweep of the fantasy -toccata style, the the couplers are engaged the instrument seems the directional effects are amusing. runs are not only decorative but meaningful. to grow to the size of a small orchestra. There Of course for the serious-minded there is and though his sensitive agogic articulation are excellent notes by Kipnis' wife. Judy' Rob- still the nagging question. why bother? The naturally causes many tempo changes-and ison. P.H.L. best arrangement. Morton Gould and Russell properly so-he never loses sight of the over- Riepe's Stars and Stripes Forever for ten on all concept. The toccatas and the fine Prelude ten. is fun because the arrangers make inven- MONSTER CONCERT: 10 Pianos/16 Pianists. and Fugue in A minor are similarly well done. Eugene List, Frank Glazer, Barry Snyder, tive use often different parts: The music is full It is known that the Bach clan did not think of deliciously extraneous little pianistic swells much of Rameau: "you can say it loudly." Maria Luisa Faini, members of the Eastman School of Music Piano Faculty, and Eastman and tourishes. Elsewhere parts are mostly writes Emanuel. "that I and my late father are School Graduates,piano; SamuelAdler, multiplied or divided-thickening or tricking basically anti-Rameau-ish." This was only cond. Columbia M 31726, $5.98 Tape: *. up rather than diversifying the originals. partly due to Rameau's theoretical principles: MA 31726. $3.98; so MT 31726, $6.98. The mind boggles at a possible sequel to this he was simply too profoundly French for the Sousa: Stars anc Stripes Forever (arr. 3ould and Riepe). record. The Ninth for eighty-three vibra- Germans, who liked the lightweight clavecin Ramon: Overtures to William Tell (arr. Golschalk) and phones? Parsifal for a thousand kazoos?J.R.

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MAY 1973 4 -channel discs/tapesBY ROBERT LONG

Some Q-8 Cartridges. RCA hasissued tape at the end of the second pass would aggressive; but even its stainless -steel "The Fantastic Philadelphians, Vol. 2"- surely have been far preferable. glitter may appeal if you're growing tired previously available on Quadradisc-in of the uninspired antiquarianism that is quadraphonic eight -track tape cartridge creeping into today's more pedestrian form (Red SealART1 0017. $7.95),and Classics on Columbia.Of the welter of baroque performances. the sound proves to be a major improve- SQ issues, the Bernstein Sucre du prin. The organ is a natural for quadra- ment over the apparently hasty remixes temps (with the London Symphony; Co- phonic sound because it's such a spatial with which RCA entered the quadra- lumbia MQ 31520, $6.98) still strikes me instrument: The pipes won't fit in lim- phonic market on Q-8. The big, lively or- as one of the best. The decision to move ited space and often-particularly in a chestral colors are kept firmly at the brass sounds to the back channels works church-may be placed to create inten- front and the back channels used for the well in the score, and the sense of being tionally antiphonal effects. This specific hall -ambience effect. What a difference "within" the music is both logical and sense of space is not much in evidence in from the Saint -Satins second piano con- exciting. My one beef with the disc is the E. Power Biggs's fifth recital of "Bach certo (with Falla: Nights in the Gardens high tape -hiss level, which is difficult to Organ Favorites" (Columbia MQ 31424, of Spain; Rubinstein and the Phila- understand in the Dolbyized age. But $6.98; containing the Fantasy and Fugue delphia Orchestra under Ormandy; Red Bernstein's performance is compelling in G minor, S. 542. the Prelude and Seal RQ8 1165, $7.95) or the and the sound is otherwise excellent. So Fugue in B minor, S. 545, etc.), though Tchaikovsky first piano concerto (Cli- is the sound on the Boulez Petrushka the size and solidity of the sound created burn, Kondrashin conducting; Red Seal (with the New York Philharmonic; Co- by the quadraphonics are becoming to RQ8 1002, $7.95), in which the orchestral lumbia MQ 31076, $6.98). The incisive the instrument-the Flentrop at the players just seemed scattered and the pi- Boulez style keeps things taut, without Harvard Busch -Reisinger Museum. This ano sound appeared in all four channels, the vagueness of design that intrudes is the only way to hear an organ, I'm con- defying aural localization! when more sentiment and less discipline vinced, though I've heard more exciting The Philadelphians' new album shows are in evidence. Orchestral placements organ sound than this on quadraphonics. up a shortcoming of Q-8, however: the are more conventional than in the Sacre: insistent tape hiss. Since the level of the I'm not sure that this longer view is en- ambience signals in the back channels is tirely to the score's advantage, though Chamber Orchestra on Vanguard. relatively low and the sounds mirror listeners who don't like to feel that Johannes Somary conducts the English those emanating from the front speakers, they're on the podium will appreciate it. Chamber Orchestra on two attractive SQ one is aware of little more than hiss in Andre Previn's recording of his own discs. One features "the great young the back speakers. On some cartridges Guitar Concerto and Ponce's, both with American trumpet virtuoso" Martin the hiss overrides even fairly heavy mod- guitarist John Williams and the London Berinbaum in concertos by Hummel, Al- ulation; one example is Caterina Va- Symphony (Columbia MQ 31963, binoni, Torelli, and Haydn (Vanguard lente's "Love" album (London/Ampex $6.98), retain the longer view, though it VSQ 30012, $6.98). Berinbaum is clean. L 77181, $7.95). At moderate volume - is longest in the Previn. I don't know why zestful, musical, and possessed of a su- control settings the hiss is not too intru- anyone but a guitarist would want to pit perb technique. He may not have the sive, however.Andthe recording is best that delicate instrument against a sym- suave manner or limpid tone of George suited to background listening. It uses phony orchestra-particularly when it is Eskdale (what trumpeter today does?), the omnivalent soloist technique-so dis- as opaquely scored as it is in the Previn. but the energy and ease with which he astrous to the piano concertos-effec- In trying to keep the guitar in the fore- tosses off these four concertos is ad- tively. As you walk around the room Va- front the engineers have created Super - mirable indeed. I don't find that quadra- lente (being represented in whatever guitar, an amplified monster that has phonics adds much; in fact with either speakerisnearest) moves with you, little to do with the real acoustic instru- the SQ circuit built into the Fisher 504 while the accompaniment remains fixed ment (nor, one trusts, with Williams' receiver or the more elaborate circuitry in its separate channels and therefore al- touch). Previn's angular though basically of the Sony SQD-2000 decoder the ways separated in space from the singer. conservative modernism makes some in- quadraphonic image is somewhat Another problem to beware of in clas- teresting points, and the Ponce is pretty. blurred by comparison to the less sical Q -8s involves the awkward "pro- But neither the music nor the quadra- spacious stereo from the same disc. gram" breaks dictated by the recording phonics make this a particularly memo- The Prokofiev Classical Symphony company's attempt to split the music rable disc. (Vanguard VSQ 30016, $6.98) seems equally between the two passes of the Also very pretty is the recording of Vi- quadraphonically better defined, though tape loop. The worst I've come across is valdi's The Four Seasons in which this surely is at least in part because the in the Price/Tucker/Leinsdorf Butterfly Pinchas Zukerman doubles as violin chamber orchestra reveals so much de- highlights (Red SealRQ8 1048,$7.95). soloist and conductor (with the English tail that usually is slurred over by the The break-a short pause accompanied Chamber Orchestra; Columbia MQ larger organizations, playing the music by the "clunk" of the shifting head and 31798, $6.98). Its four concertos are ener- as sheer tour de force. Somary gets off to (with the Wollensak 8054 deck I'm us- getically-if somewhat unctuously-pur- a rather stolid start, but the second ing) a "pop" in the audio as the metallic sued through a quadraphonic acoustic movement is a delight. The Tchaikovsky cueing tape touches the head-occurs that is neither that of the concert hall nor Serenade for String Orchestra, included toward the end of the first -act love duet. the multiple-ping-pong kind of thing on the disc, is not the lushest of perform- With so disturbing an interruption and that must have been a temptation in such ances; but the enveloping sense of space with so little music remaining before the a score, particularly with the bravura ap- fits the music nicely and in some ways duet is over, the alternative of a break proach that Zukerman takes. The sound compensates for the want of orchestral following the duet and a little wasted and performance are, if anything. over- velvet.

104 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE *op 4titt:142:311tIi Dynaco A-25 $89.00

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CIRCLE 23 ON READER -SERVICE CARD MAY 1973 105 the lighter side

reviewed by

MORGAN AMES

ROYAL S. BROWN R. D. DARRELL

HENRY EDWARDS

MIKE JAHN

JOHNS WILSON

STEVE GOODMAN: Somebody Else's Troubles.Steve Goodman, vocals and guitar; vocal and instrumental accompaniment. The Dutchman; Six Hours Ahead of the Sun; Chicken Cor- don Bleus; Somebody Else's Troubles; Steve Goodman-a brilliant exposition of contemporary folksong. The Ballad of Penny Evans; six more. Buddah BDS 5121, $5.98.

Goodman's debut follows that of his friend I can say what these tracks are not: songs. then emerged as a solo artist. a white English John Prine by nearly two years and was well Amram gives us words and notes and no glue. vocalist who tried hard to duplicate America's worth the waiting. His album is a brilliant ex- He hacks his way through hundreds of words. Motown sound. Suddenly she transformed position of contemporary folksong. the tunes then stops. Amram has at best a limited work- herself into a glamorous nightclub chanteuse. well chosen, the singing and playing excellent. ing sense of rhythm. Not one moment in the Just as suddenly she went to Memphis and Goodman's voice is reminiscent of Tom Rush, album swings. in any style-and many are ex- had another major success with her Memphis - and his manner is likewise relaxed. He opens plored. style electric rendition of Son of a Preacher the album with Mike Smith's The Dutch- One of the most grating tracks. The Fab- Man. Now she seems determined to combine man, a magnificent. touching song about an ulous Fifties. is Amram's chronicle of that pe- the best of all possible musical worlds by at- elderly couple. Six Hours Ahead of the Sun. a riod. Year by year. from McCarthy and Korea tempting to project a contemporary feeling Goodman composition about drinking and through Pete Seeger and Chuck Berry. The even though she is hemmed in by a brassy set desolation in a foreign city, is also fine. words are crammed in tighter than stuffing in a of nightclub arrangements. On this disc Dusty Chicken Cordon Bleus, also written by sausage. asif Amram were on "Beat the doesn't seem like a slick nightclub singer. and Goodman, is a great deal of fun, being a folk Clock." Even then the piece is interminable. even though she does rock she does not rock blues that skillfully takes apart the organic nearly five minutes long. and done in artificial hard enough to give the record an honest sense food craze. These songs are played with an ac- '50s style. It's more like two -beat '30s music. of the here and now. Dennis Lambert and companiment that ranges from quiet folk to One nice track is Horn and Hardart Succotash Brian Potter. two of the album's three produc- moderate rock, all of it done with taste. I espe- Blues ("Central European immigrant dues"). ers. have written five new songs for the vocal- cially like the frequent interplay of acoustic with a rich ethnic background to match. Other ist. These numbers are rhythm tunes that deal guitar and fiddle. In all. I found this album the works are full of banalities and preachments with the torture of being female: they are aptly best I've heard from a folksinger since Paul Si- (Credo: "All of Voll who love to hear and write suited to the singer's intense readings. "Com- mon's "Paul Simon." M.J. and play and sing./ Must prepare to build a life mercial" and well crafted according to a for- to always do your thing"). mula conceived with Dusty Springfieldin Amram is evidently talented. interesting. mind. they do lack individual brilliance. how- and in conflict. If he throws out all his hard- ever. and not one of them is able to deliver any DAVID AMRAM: Subway Night. David Amram, won "culture" for a time and does his home- real impact. In addition to these five. the vo- songs. vocals. piano. arranging, conducting. work in the area of true rhythm. then reapplies calist tries her hand on the soulful Valerie producing. Little Momma: Mean Dean: Neon all he knows of music. he could be someone to Simpson/Nick Ashford Casbah: eight more. RCA Victor LSP 4829. I Just Wanna Be reckon with. In this album he is not. M.A. There. Dusty's performance is capable but she $5.98. can't duplicate the energized efforts of the second -generation Motown contingent. This I asked two composers about David Amram: DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: Cameo.Dusty singer is in good vocal shape but these per- One said "He has long hair and wears nice tur- Springfield.vocals:strings,brass, wood- formances do not conjure up the dramatics tleneck sweaters, is crazy. and doesn't write winds. percussion, keyboards. and vocal ac- that are locked in her prior recorded triumphs. very well": The other. "He's crazy. but the companiment. Who Gets Your Love: Breakin ' "Cameo" presents a series of Dusts funny thing is that he is really good. He starts a Up a Hapoy Home: Easy Evil: eight more. Springfield cameos that will please her die - mile above the point where Gunther Schuller ABC/Dunhill DSX 50128, $5.98. Tape: ^ ends." M85128, $6.95; SS M55128, $6.95. New York is Amram's turf. He has had his Explanation of symbols share of grants. has worked with the New Dusts Springfieldisthe big -voiced young York Philharmonic. and so on. Along with se- woman whose powerful performance of You rious music. Amram has done film scores to Don't Have to Sav You Love Me made her an exceptional recording mixed receptions. played some jazz and even international sensation in 1966. She has never some folk music with Bob Dylan. This album had a consistent image and has decided to Recorded tape: is a group of tracks with music and words by confront the public instead with many differ- Open Reel Amram. who sings. He sounds like Bobby ent versions of herself. One writer at the time fi Troup but less so. The large orchestra includes of her initial impact described her as "a coun- ED 8 -Track Cartridge symphony musicians, exotic instruments. plus try-and-western girl. in gingham and frilled I. Cassette big -band and rock -pop players. petticoats. singing with a family group." Dusty

106 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE hard fans but will not prove satisfactory to first tune opens with "madman drummers The last Mickey Newbury album gave no those for whom she is merely just another bummers and Indians in the summer," it sets arranging credit: neither does this one. In both voice from the Sixties. H.E. the tone for much of the LP. When a song- cases the background work is expert. both writer employs so many words, some of them thoughtful and appropriate. If the arranger is must connect simply due to the law of aver- the same on both sets. it's time for him to de- MARY TRAVERS: All My Choices. Mary Trav- ages. Indeed, much of "Greetings from As- fend himself. M.A. ers, vocals; Teddy Irwin, guitar; Hugh bury Park. N.J." is quite intriguing. The songs McCracken, guitar;Frank Owens, key- don't have the unity and sense of purpose even of Dylan's more oblique compositions. but the boards; Andy Muson, bass; Allan Schwartz - ELLEN MCILWAINE: We the People.El- berg, drums. Too Many Mornings; South- author does convince us that he has something to say. What that is. who knows. But I'm told len Mcliwaine, vocals, guitar, and pi- bound Train; Doctor My Eyes; Goodbye ano; vocal and instrumental accom- Again; The Half of It; Five Hundred Miles; four that in some young opinions it no longer matters what you say as long as you say it with paniment. Ain't No Two Ways to It; All more. Warner Brothers BS 2677, $5.98. to You; Sliding; seven more. Polydor enough passion. Springsteen does, and for this M.J. PD 5044, $5.98. Tape: *. 8F 5044, This second solo album by Mary Travers after he at least bears watching. $6.98; ell CF 5044, $6.98. the break-up of Peter, Paul & Mary is quite good. In it she tries a variety of material rang- This second album by the only important ing from standard folk to contemporary bal- MICKEY NEWBURY: Heaven Help the blues and rock shouter to come along since lads. In most cases, the folk wins. Her remake Child. Mickey Newbury, songs and Janis Joplin is a most impressive one. Miss of an old PP&M standard. Five Hundred vocals unidentified arranger. Cortelia Mcllwaine's hard, almost brutal guitar style Miles. is excellent and still moving. as is her Clark: San Francisco Mabel Joy; Good comes through especially well on the slide gui- reading of John Denver's Goodbye Again. Ms. Morning Dear:fivemore.Elektra tar. notably Sliding. And while she is best on Travers favors the work of young folksinger 75055. $5.98. this sort of fast material, her ballad work (All David Buskin. including three of his songs on to You) is excellent. It takes a while to get used this LP. The best is The Half of It. a fine bal- Mickey Newbury is the singer who had good to the large amount of scat singing she does in lad. Milt Okun's production seems a bit lighter luck with An American Trilogy about a year order to encourage her fingers to greater on this album than the last-an improvement. ago.Iexperience him first as a singer. His deeds. but when one does, one recognizes El- I think. M.J. voice is compelling on its own-simple and len Mcllwaine's power. M.J. real. Later I get into his songs. which are very much like his voice. DEEP PURPLE: Who Do We Think We A -e! One could call Texas -born Newbury a type: ALUN DAVIES: Daydo. Alun Davies, guitars Roger Glover. Richie Blackmore. Jon Lord. earthbound. uncluttered. somehow Southern. and vocals; strings, keyboards, and rhythm Ian GRIan. and Ian Paice, all vocals and in- accompaniment. Market Place; Old Bourbon; The difference is that. among all those who fall strumental accompaniment. Woman from loosely into that style. Newbury is the one with Portobello Road; seven more. Columbia KC Tokayo; Mary Long; Super Trooper. Warner the voice. He can hold a note. bend its volume 31469, $6.98. Tape: S. CA 31469, $6.98; Bros. BS 2678, $5.98. . CT 31469, $6.98. in and out. make it into a perfect tube through which to send us his honest feelings. Before I ever heard this album. I heard its Newbury could sing anyone's songs. but un- Alun Davies is the wild-eyed, blond -haired chief asset. Woman from Tokayo. blaring from guitarist who stands just outside of the surprisingly he writes his own. Why You Been the radio. This number is an automatic rock So Long is as natural as its title and trucks spotlight that bathes Cat Stevens during Ste- dance. a -long. Its pounding rhythm track can vens' concert performances. Davies has just along easily. some fiddle here and a little bot- certainly get those foot muscles twitching. released this solo LP. It has been produced by tleneck guitar there. Cortelia Clark is a sweet/ "Who Do We Think We Are!" illustrates the sad story of a young boy and an old blind man Stevens' producer Paul Samwell-Smith. and assets and disadvantages of a rock band whose who go to Guthrie to see the Bluebird Special Stevens himself plays keyboards on it. only purpose is to create uncomplicated driv- on its first run to New Orleans. "He was black Davies has a pleasant voice: he could even ing numbers that divert as well as serve as the pass for a minor Cat Stevens. He sings I'm and I was green." San Francisco Mabel Joy en- accompaniment for that particular form of Late. the White Rabbit's song from the Walt counters the same boy from the country. dying rock -and -roll -dancing called "boogying." of loneliness in the big city until he finds Ma- Disney film version of Alice in Wonderland. Each number on this disc satisfies its unde- bel Joy. Things go well and things go badly: He also performs Buddy Holly's I'm Gonna manding potential: The rhythms are exciting: both loss and memory become permanent. Love You Too. Of his own seven compositions the lyrics though uncomplicated are articu- The story is told well and simply. on this disc, the most impressive are the ballad late: the singing may be flat but itis func- The album is well produced by Russ Miller. Market Place and Old Bourbon, a song about a tional.the instrumental work relying too Marlin Greene. and Dennis Linde. It is also dog which drips with sentiment. Vale of Tears. heavily on feedback and distortion does create short. even by today's standards. The record on the other hand, has lyrics that can best be the obligatory wall of sound. Nevertheless. buyer deserves at least one more track. described as dopey. while the disc is entertaining. it is not inter- Alun Davies' fans should be quite pleased esting. Deep Purple has a formula, a workable with this record. It will give them a clue into formula that allows the band to create a num- the talents of this guitarist who stands just out- ber like Woman from Tovako. to which one side Cat Stevens' spotlight. H.E. can periodically return to bask in its stirring rhythms, but a Deep Purple album is just too much of the same thing. "Who Do We Think BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Greetings from As- We Are!" tells us who Deep Purple thinks it is. bury Park, N.J. Bruce Springsteen, vocals, Now one knows. One also knows that it's not guitar, bass, harmonica; vocal and instru- quite enough. H.E. mental accompaniment. Blinded by the Light; Mary Queen of Arkansas; Lost in the Flood; six more. Columbia KC 31903, $5.98. FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION: Love Can Make It Easier. Friends of Distinction, vocals: ar- Springsteen, on this debut LP, hearkens back ranged by Ray Cork, Jr.. David Blumberg. to the grand days of Dylan, in the mid -Sixties David Crawford, others. Easy Evil; Believe in when such famous "Doomsday poems" as Me: Only Give Love: eight more. RCA Victor Jusi Like Tom Thumb's Blues and Desolation LSP 4829, $5.98. Row were produced. Springsteen's voice is Dylanesque. and many of his songs are peril- The Friends of Distinction is not a throw=back ously imitative. Like Dylan, he uses three group. They could have happened in no time words where most lyricists employ one; like but the present. the age of sophisticated Dylan. inner rhymes run rampant. When the Mickey Newbury-earthbound, uncluttered. recording techniques. The Friends' sound is

MAY 1973 107 created neither in a rehearsal hall nor on a the lyricism of Dylan with the rock of the back porch. but in the recording studio itself. Beatles. All the "new rock" or "progressive Such projects work only when a strong pro- rock" that we have known from 1964 on can ducer is involved. In this case it is Ray Cork. be traced back to the fusion they made. The Jr. who oversaw the group's earlier hits (Hugh definitive recording of their early (1964-1966) SAVE! Masekela's Grazin' in the Grass. Love Or Let work is "The Byrds Greatest Hits": this sec- MONEY TIME FREIGHT Me Be Lonely. etc.). When the actual record- ond volume in the series (1967-1972) is also QUALITY STEREO EQUIPMENT ing is finished. the producer finds himself in a impressive, if not as weighty as its predecessor. AT LOWEST PRICES. booth with hundreds of pieces ()Nape. It is pri- M.J. marily up to him to produce an album from YOUR REQUEST FOR QUOTA- this emotional and musical jigsaw puzzle. TION RETURNED SAME DAY. The Friends need a hit to return them to the NOEL PAUL STOOKEY: One Night Stand. FACTORY SEALED CARTONS- position they carved out earlier. They may just Cameron Kotler. Paul Prestopino, Eddie Mot- GUARANTEED AND INSURED. have one or two here. One of the best tracks is tau. Michael Lewis, Michael Epstein, Jimmy Nails, Jim Mason, and Barry Flast. vocal and SAVE ON NAME BRANDS LIKE the title. Love Can Make It Easier. written by Skip Scarborough. who also wrote the fine vo- instrumental accompaniment; Noel Paul A.D.C. KLH cal chart. The pretty tune emerges as intricate Stookey. lead vocals and acoustic guitar. A.R. SHURE without becoming intellectual. and ends in a Desert Island: The House Song: Get To- DYNACO KOSS long. infectious coda. With the tag. it stretches gether; eleven more. Warner Bros. BS 2674. FISHER SONY to 4:39. which might seem indulgent for the $5.98. Tape: . M82674, $6.95; Si M52674, $6.95. AND MORE THAN 50 OTHERS singles market. But in recording. one never knows until afterward which moment is really BUY THE MODERN WAY going to come together. You have to grab it as Noel Paul Stookey is the Paul of Peter. Paul. BY MAIL-FROM it comes. This coda is one of the brightest and Mary. On December 19. 1972. Noel Paul flashes in the set. gave a concert at Carnegie Hall as part of his Now Is the Time also displays the producer's continuing effort to establish his individual tricks. It is a technical juggling act that man- identity since the fabled folk trio decided to go ages not to take attention away from the musi- their separate ways. Billing himself as "Noel cal performance. The Chiulin' Song is special Stookey" (his original name). Noel discovered material. of a humorous type. If I put it down I that he was not much of a draw and he distrib- will be accused of being white and have little uted 1.400 free tickets in order to guarantee a Minoru audio comeback. If The Friends were to put such a full house. With all those freebies floating tune down. they would have to put up with around. the evening turned out to he quite a Department 217H many heavier accusations. It is not that I don't party. Noel Paul was. as he almost always is. in 1019 North Dearborn Street believe what it's about. I believe it so much good voice and good humor. Only on Funky Chicago, Illinois 60610 that 1 can't buy this superslick version. Easy Monkey Part One (Part Two Is Up to You) did Evil is more down The Friends' best alley. his taste lapse. The song. a hard -rock polemic 312-664-0020 funky and honest and relaxed. about drug abuse. relies on a simplistic lyric to One problem of The Friends is that they do deal with a complicated problem. and reeks of CIRCLE 29 ON READER -SERVICE CARD not have a really strong solo voice. Its very the do-goodism that makes so many folk sing- difficult to find a singer equally effective as a ers seem naive. "One Night Stand" also in- soloist and a group singer: The Friends have cludes the schmaltzy The House Song. the in- SAVES YOU opted for the group sound. evitable Get Together. a rocked country-and- Despite flaws. The Friends of Distinction western version of Jingle Bells. and Wedding MORE and Ray Cork. Jr. are to be congratulated for a Song (There Is Love). the number Paul glittering album. All their futures look fine. created for ex -partner Peter's wedding. After BY MAIL! M.A. performing this selection. Noel Paul provided a gratuitous parody of Peter's legendary ver- ON NATIONALLY ADVERTISED boseness and then introduced Peter. Peter sur- BRANDS HI-FI COMPONENTS! CHUCK BERRY: Chuck Berry's Golden Dec- prisingly did not do much talking but did do a ade. Chuck Berry, vocals and guitar; vocal lilting version of his Weave Me the Sunshine. and instrumental accompaniment. May- Throughout. the musicianship on this disc is belline: Johnny B. Goode; Nadine; Roll Over exemplary. An effortlessness pervades the en- Beethoven; Memphis; School Days; Sweet tire performance and one feels relaxed and Little Sixteen: Rock and Roll Music; Back In pleased by much of the playing. As always. Noel Paul delivers the kind of slick. profes- KLH the U.S.A.: fifteen more. Chess 2CH 1514. $6.98 (two discs). sional. show -biz folk singing that Peter. Paul. THE BYRDS: The BeSt of the Byrds. Roger and Mary were famed for. H.E. SONY McGuinn, vocals and guitar; vocal and instru- GARRARD mental accompaniment. Ballad of Easy Rider: Write Today for Our FREE Jesus Is Just Alright; He Was A Friend of ROGER KELLAWAY: Center of the Circle. 36 -page Wholesale Audio Catalog Mine; Chestnut Mare; Tiffany Queen; Drug Roger Kellaway, piano. La Cookeria: Lay Dixie Hi-Fi really sells name -brand stereo Store Truck Drivin' Man; You Ain't Goin' No- gearatWholesaleprices.Prices even Karma Lay; Stereospecificautocatalytic; nine LOWER than the "discounters". Call or where: four more. Columbia KC 31795, more. A&M 3040, $4.98. write for our newest 36 -page Wholesale Catalog. Write for quotes too. Choose $5.98. from the tops in stereo systems & com- Roger Kellaway is not your average talent. ponents. Your orders filled promptly and shipped factory sealed and guaranteed. We have in these two anthologies the best of Nor is he your average sellout. He has man- DIXIE HI-FI WHOLESALERS the 1950s and the best of the 1960s. The Berry aged to produce some brilliant albums from 10140 Bacon DmeBeltsville, Md. 20705 album includes a selection of his best tunes of his own integrity, with or without company DIXIE NI -F1 WHOLESALERS 1955-1965. with most of them falling in the support. One such album was his last, the 10140 Bacon Drive Beltsville, Md. 20705 first half of that span. This two -disc set also "Cello Quartet." on A&M. He has done some Please rush me FREE 36 pg. Wholesale Audio Catalog and complete Information. contains material from an earlier recording. original and successful work with Melanie and i understand there is no obligation. "Chuck Berry's Greatest Hits." and alot other singers. plus the closing theme of TV's Name more. It clearly is the definitive recording of "All in the Family." and charming back- Address the work of the man who is often called the grounds for Carroll O'Connor's vocal album. City State Zip "Father of Rock." Before that he made many jazz albums that Phone: 1-301-937-3090 HF1, The Byrds were the fathers of folk-rock. are considered classics. He has scored for films They were the first pop musicians to combine and TV. He has written for and conducted CIRCLE 20 ON READER -SERVICE CARD 102i HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE major symphony orchestras. He is a stunning ouflaged by wocka-wockas and other elec- pianist. tronically produced sounds that are being run Now we get to the "however." This is not into the ground these days.Ialso like the Roger's best album. If it has a single problem. Bobby Womack /J. J. Johnson title song. in it is chaos. It is a musical salad with everything spite of theI -was -born -in -the -ghetto -so - opporomft., thrown in and no one flavor predominating. don't -blame- me- if -l -machine -gun -down -a - Kellaway. the master pianist. appears solo dozen -or -so -people lyrics, which strike me as on four tracks. all entitled On Your Mark. Gel a bit facile. Womack's other songs are less in- Ser. Blues. The fourth is the best. These tracks teresting. R.S.B. grew out of one session which was called after many earlier sessions and in which Roger went in alone with only producer Steve Gold- THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN. man and a fantastic Bluthner piano. The fact Original motion picture soundtrack record- of the session itself was one evidence that the ing. Maurice Jarre, composer and cond. project had bogged down. Other tracks fea- Andy Williams, vocal. Columbia S 31948. ture orchestra and sometimes chorus. Much of $4.98. the original recording was omitted or edited down. Some tracks are lush, others raucous. Maurice Jarre has been responsible for some some both. of the worst music ever to be used in the mov- In all, the album scatters me around.M.A. ies. and his score for John Huston's Lift, and Times of Judge Roy Bean is up to his usual level. The main theme offers a perfect ex- DOUG SAHM AND BAND. Doug Sahm, vocals, ample of Jarre's unquenchable predilection guitar, bass, keyboards; vocal and instru- for vapidity, and the rest of the score-when it is not playing around with bad arrangements mental accompaniment. San Antone;It's Duke Ellington-foresight rewarded. Gonna Be Easy; Your Friends; Wallflower; of folksy dances or a meager stock of old -hat Faded Love; Papa Ain't Salty; six more. Atlan- ambience noises-rides the theme into the tic SD 7254, $5.98. ground. a perfect example of beating a dead these stored treasures have recently been re- horse. In the song with the Bobbsey Twins title leased-one. Latin American Suite, which sat This was the most talked about album of Jan- of Marmalade. Molasses. and Honer. Andy on the shelf for four years: the other. a concert uary 1973-not so much because Doug Sahm Williams' voice has about as much Old West performance that includes the first recording disbanded the Sir Douglas Quintet and moved authenticity as Liberace in a cowboy hat. Paul of the Duke's Togo Brava -Brava Togo Suite from Smash to Atlantic. but because his new Newman fans (and I am one) may get a kick after only a year's delay. Both of these ex- band included Dave Bromberg. Mac "Dr. out of hearing their hero croak out The Yellow tended works are full of rich Ellington colors John" Rebannack, and Bob Dylan. Dylan in Rose of Texas in his best whisky baritone. but I and harmonies, lovely Ellingtonesque mel- particular seemed to be around quite a bit dur- can't see spending the price of this recording odies, and rollicking. swaggering rhythms- ing the recording sessions, playing guitar. har- for that dubious pleasure. the only one to he the band is really on its toes. monica, and organ. as well as singing on sev- had on this album. R.S.B. Latin American Suite. composed during eral tracks. and after the band's South American tour in For all the superstar sidemen, the album is September 1968. has glimpses of the late simply a congenial collection of country mu- Johnny Hodges and the now retired Lawrence sic, with enough blues thrown in to justify Brown (one reason why it is important to keep being on Atlantic. Sahm has made better LPs. a continuing recorded report on the band). notably "Together After Five" (on Smash). jazz But unlike much of Ellington's extended This new one is happy. competent. and occa- work. itis less a framework for the hand's sionally ( Your Friends and Papa Ain't Salrv) soloists than an ensemble piece with the Duke exciting. but in all it is not up to the attention himself as the most ubiquitous soloist. The it's been getting. And for those Dylan-philes DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHES- Duke has caught the rhythms and the spirit of who buy everything he does, let it be known TRA: Latin American Suite. Chico Latin America without getting involved in that his contribution here is scarcely notice- Cuadradino: Eque: The Sleeping Lady Latin percussion or melodies in a traditionally able and in most cases nonmemorable. M.J. and the Giant Who Watches Over Her: Latin manner. It is purely Ellington. his musi- four more. Fantasy 8419. $4.98. cal reaction to sights and sounds. a mélange of DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHES- rugged. burly pomp. sinuous. silken melodies. TRA: Togo Brava Suite. Cootie Wil- and gentle reflective moments. epitomized in liams. John Coles, Mercer Ellington, Tina. a pianistic tribute to Argentina. theater and film Eddie Preston. Money Johnson. trum- Togo Brava -Brava Top Suite. composed in pets; Chuck Connors. Malcolm Tay- celebration of Togoland. is a relatively short (a lor. Booty Wood. trombones: Harry little more than fifteen minutes) work that ACROSS 110TH STREET. Music from the mo- Carney.RussellProcope.Norris opens with one or Ellington's meltingly lovely tion picture soundtrack. Composed by Turney.Paul GonsalvesHarold pastels. moves on to some swashbuckling con- J. Johnson and Bobby Womack; Bobby Wo- Ashby. Harold Minerve. saxophones: temporary jungle music (as opposed to the mack and Peace, vocals; J. J. Johnson and Duke Ellington. piano: Joe Benjamin, Cotton Club "jungle music" of Duke's earlier his orchestra. United Artists UAS 5225. bass: Rufus Jones. drums: Nell Brook- days). and comes to an unexpectedly sudden $6.98. shire, vocals. C Jam Blues; La Plus end with a very brief hit of "great. gettin' up Belle Africaine; Happy Reunion; nine mornin' " music. In its short space. however. If the music on this record is your introduction more. United Artists UXS 92. $5.98 this suite encompasses most of the elements to Barry Shear's Across 110th Street. you're (two discs). that characterize a full Ellington work. apt to think that the film is something like a The Suite is part of a two -disc set that also black Thomas Crown Affair. which is hardly Duke Ellington. who has far more tbresight includes superb showcases for two of the the case. As often happens. much of the am- than the record companies that will eventually newer members of the Ellington hand-alto bience music that creates the real atmosphere profit from his persistence. has not let the un- saxophonist Harold Minerve in an electrifying of the film never made it to grooves, while willingness of recording executives to record solo on Addi and Norris Turney. also on alto. some of the cuts on this disc-four of which are his hand in recent years keep the band's playing a movingly evocative tributeto instrumental versions of vocal numbers or vice work from being preserved. He has recorded Johnny Hodges. United Artists has managed versa-were never used in the film. But jazz- the hand himself. or arranged to have it re- to mess up the sequence of pieces on the four man J. J. Johnson's instrumental numbers- corded. and stored the tapes away against an sides. needlessly splitting the Togo Suite be- particularlythe Harlem Lore Theme-are occasional moment when executive discern- tween two discs and playing the Duke's gentle. quite attractive, although occasionally cam- ment may prevail over opportunism. Two of concert -ending piano -solo memorial to Billy

MAY 1973 109 RECEIVERS TAPE TUNERS RECORDERS Stravhorn. Lotus Blossom. at the end of the and offering a taste of his rhythmic guitar on AMPLIFIERS DECKS second disc instead of at the end of the fourth. Nancy Boogie. This does not mean that where the liner note writer quite logically ex- McShann is neglected. He is all over the place. pected it to he. J.S.W. punching out strong. two-handed piano solos. singing the blues with a high. nasal twang on Four Day Rider. switching to a surprisingly LOW THE BOBBY HACKETT 4. Bobby Hack- warm. mellow recitative style on Rod ett. trumpet; Dave McKenna. piano; McKuen's Catch the Sun. then hack at the Tonny DeFazio or Tony Eira, bass; Er- piano. pulling out all the stops on Jumpin' at PRICES nie Hackett. drums. Sweet Lorraine: the Woodside to make it seem as though the entire Basie band is back of the keyboard. It is ON FAMOUS BRAND Stompin' at the Savoy: Wolverine a very well-balanced program for showing off NATIONALLY ADVERTISED Blues: six more. Hyannisport 1001. $4.40 (Hyannisport Record Co., Box the various aspects of both McShann and Wil- STEREO 337. Hyannisport. Mass. 02647). liams. J.S.W.

COMPONENTS Bobby Hackett's first record on his own label FAST DELIVERY is an appropriately relaxed. and beautifully THE NEW MCKINNEY'S COTTON PICK- ERS. Tom Saunders. Paul Klinger. cor FACTORY SEALED CARTONS played set of live performances. The beauty of WRITE TODAY FOR OUR QUOTE the set lies not just in Hackett's playing. which nets: John Trudell. trumpet: Al Win- is consistently top form-and possibly a hit be- ters, trombone: David Huston, Ted yond even that on Star Dust. a performance so Buckner. George Benson. Tate Hous- A. D. R. breathtakingly perfect that it seems unlikely ton. saxophones: Milt Vine. piano: Or- he could ever improve on it-but also in the rin Foslien.Jr.. banjo: J.R. Smith. AUDIO presence of Dave McKenna. McKenna. like tuba: Chet Forest. drums: Dave Wil- 6200 CHILLUM PLACE N.W. born. vocals.IWant a LittleGirl: WASH., D.C. 20011 Hackett. is so utterly unpretentious that one is 1202) scarcely aware of the insistently propulsive Cherry: Stampede: seven more. 7236060 swing of his playing until one is totally caught Bountiful 38000. $5.50 (Bountiful up in rhythmic response. McKenna has a way Records. 12311 Gratiot. Detroit. Mich. SEND FOR of sailing along on the melody. building mo- 48295). OUR FREE mentum until he is ready to open up with a CATALOG rumbling. bass -oriented attack that can lift McKinney's Cotton Pickers is a hand that is you right out of your seat. He sails through celebrated in jazz because of the period from SPEAKERS ALL Cherokee. boils and rumbles on Fascinatin' 1927 to 1931 when Don Redman was its musical director. arranger. and over-all Svengali. It CARTRIDGES STEREO Rhythm. and does marvelous things with Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Or- had been a funny -hat novelty band before COMPACTS SYSTEMS leans as he gracefully skirts the edges of the Redman took over. and it went downhill after he left. But it was great during those four CIRCLE 2 ON READERSERVICE CARD melody. Backed by a steady. no-nonsense rhythm section that includes Hackett's son Er- years. Because Dave Wilborn. who played nie on drums. the joy and beauty of the quite banjo and sang with the hand. is still active in incomparable combination of Hackett and Detroit. some young Detroit musicians were McKenna shine all through this disc. J.S.W. inspired in the summer of 1972 to form a hand based on the Cotton Pickers. using Redman's arrangements for that band as well as others. JAY MCSHANN: The Man from Mus- The New McKinney's Cotton Pickers are not BIG intent in slavish copying of the old Cotton kogee. Jay McShann. piano. vocal: Claude Williams. violin.guitar: Don Pickers records. They aim instead at Red - Thompson. bass:Paul Gunther, man's ensemble style but let each soloist go his iscou drums. Mary Ann: Smooth Sailing: own way. The result on this record. made after Hootie Blues: eight more. Sackville the group had been playing together for more STEREO COMPONENTS 3005, $4.50 (Coda Publications. 893 than two months. is a hand that combines the Yonge St.. Toronto 5. Ontario. Can- polished ensemble writing of Redman (partic- Largest selection of top name ada). ularly his writing for saxophones) with the vi- brands try us and see tal individuality of its present soloists. who are A Jay McShann record is still enough of a rar- excellent. notably Al Winters. a trombonist ity these days to make this a very welcome re- who has the brash joy of a Jimmy Archey or an lease. But this is more than just a Jay McShann Abe Lincoln. Dave Hutson. the hand's leader. record. Itis. for all practical purposes. the a driving.post -Parker alto saxophonist. recording debut of Claude Williams. a jazz George Benson. a tenor saxophonist with a violinist who combines suggestions of Stuff hard -edged attack that manages to suggest Smith's gutty attack and Eddie South's lyrical Lester Young. and Ted Buckner. the old grace. Williams played violin with Andy. Luncel'ord alto man. J. R. Smith on tuba gives Kirk's hand in 1936 and he was the original the rhythm section the solid. muscular punch guitarist in Count Basie's orchestra. playing an that the old Cotton Pickers had. It's a thor- iN II AI Basic's first four sides for Decca in 1937 before oughly refreshing hand both because its basic being replaced by Freddie Green. And that. material is not being played by anyone else Pip ,1 apparently. sums up Williams' jazz recording these days and because it is warm. vital. and career until this disc. made in Toronto in 1972. exciting on its own merits. J.S.W. Producer John Norris has wisely let Williams share the spotlight with McShann. Williams indicates what is in store when he slashes right SPIRITUALS TO SWING. George Benson Quar- 6330 Frankford Ave into the opening chorus of the first track. After tet. Marion Williams, the Cafe Society Band, Baltimore, Md 21206 You've Gone. then moves from there to a vari- Joe Turner, Pete Johnson, John Handy En- All mail answered within 24 hours ety of very effective moods-turning Charlie semble, Big Mama Thornton. Count Basie Parker's Yardhird Suite from its customary and His Orchestra. Columbia G 30776, $5.98 Phone Daily 9 AM to 9 PM boppishness to a smoothly swinging melody. (two discs). Saturday 9 AM to 4 PM going blue and bluesv on Howie Blues and Phone (301) 488-9600 Things Ain't What They Used to Be. creating a The first "Spirituals to Swing" concert was gorgeous ballad solo on These Foolish Things held in Carnegie Hall in December 1938. and CIRCLE 30 ON READER SERVICE CARD 110 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE it was an eye-opener. By then, the mass public those years in between as well as of those early was becoming oriented to jazz through the days of wild inspiration. So these recordings. success of Benny Goodman's band. But John made during a concert at the Victoria Theater VLYPCDETCD Hammond. who produced that pioneering in London, provide an authoritative summa- concert, used it to bring a variety of previously tion of an era. played with polish and aplomb unrecognized talents to the attention of a New as opposed to the fiery but sometimes erratic grFEIEC, York audience-Pete Johnson. Meade Lux and undeveloped recordings they made back WORLD WIDE Lewis. and Albert Ammoons. the boogie- in the Forties. Nose original recordings are, STEREO WHOLESALERS woogie pianists who went directly from this of course, still essential. But as realizations of THE BEST OF BOTH Carnegie Hall debut to a new Greenwich Vil- intent. this two -disc set shows off the hest of lage night club called Cafe Society where they the bebop period in its ultimate form.J.S.W. WORLDS ... DIRECTLY made their reputations: Joe Turner, the blues TO YOU shouter. who went to Cafe Society with them: Big Bill Broonzy. who simply went back to Chicago: and. difficult though it may he to believe from this distance. Count Basic's orches- WHO ARE tra which Hammond was then desperately try- in brief THESE GUYS? ing to promote (and with amazinglylittle We're a group of young people that are success). well informed about the Hi-Fi world. We're no ripoff. We give you the best value for There was another "Spirituals to Swing" a your money, plus honest practical advice. year later, but then other things took over-a MOUNTAIN: The Best of Mountain. Windfall Every major brand is in our line, we have stock for immediate delivery and you get world war, the concerts of Norman Granz- KC 32079. $5.98. factory sealed cartons with full warranty. and what with one thing and another there The best -hits album by the best of the post- Write your needs to us today and if it's an was not another "Spirituals to Swing" until entire system, we'll save you even more. Cream "heavy rock" hands. A good lease- Send for free catalog, current mfg. spe- 1967 when a thirtieth -anniversary concert was breaker. M.J. cials and price list. produced. once again by John Hammond. WE'RE OFFERING YOU ALL Things being as they are in the record busi- HUGO MONTENEGRO: Scenes and Themes- ness, it took five years to get these recorded ex- Love Licks from the Golden Flicks. RCA THE FAMOUS NAMES IN cerpts of that concert into the stores. But here Victor APD I -0025. $5.98 (compatible Quad- STEREO COMPONENTS it is finally. This two -disc album can he looked radisc). Tapeiv AP81-0025, $6.95;40* at in two ways: It has some superb perform- APK1-0025, $6.95; 0-8: APT1-0025. $7.95. BELOW ances-by Big Mama Thornton. Joe Turner. I like two things about this album: the title and NORMAL DISTRIBUTORS' PRICES Count Basic-hut it does not open the doors the brilliant sound. which is pure pleasure that the original concert (and the second one) even on my two -channel set. The album is va- TOKYO SHAPIRO did. In the intervening thirty years. jazz devel- 26050 Richmond Road nilla all the way. but it has its moments. Some- Bedford Heights, Ohio 44146 oped an establishment, and that, rather than times vanilla tastes okay. M.A. Phone (216) 292-5832 the raw, exciting roots revealed in the first con- ATTENTION: Midwest Residents: Buy from us, certs. is what shows in this 1967 set. J.S.\\ save excessive freight charges. MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA: Birds of Fire. Co- lumbia KC 31996, $5.98. CIRCLE 58 ON READER -SERVICE CARD Another dishing up of frenetic progressive THE GIANTS OF JAZZ. Dizzy Gillespie, trum- jazz-rock by the five -man orchestra that has pet;Kai Winding, trombone; Sonny Stitt, captured the imagination of the young jazz- tenor andaltosaxophones;Thelonious rock public. "Birds of Fire" is an unrelenting Monk, piano; Al McKibbon, bass: Art Blakey, piece of musicianship: still. Mahavishnu novi- drums. Tin Tin Deo; Woody 'n' You; Round tiates will not find it inaccessible. H.E. DISCOUNTS Midnight; seven more. Atlantic 2-905, $11.96. (two discs). Tape: w. TP-2-905, $6.97; *lb MITCH RYDER AND THE DETROIT WHEELS: WASH. D.C. CS -2-905, $6.97. Greatest Hits. Roulette SV 12001. S4.98. This ensemble was one of the first "slue eyes HAS NO FAIR soul" bands. and created a proper stir in the The Giants of Jazz is an unusual group in that TRADE it is made up. for the most part. of jazz stars of mid -Sixties.It also helped spark the active such magnitude that each would normally be rock scene in the Detroit area. This long- LA found leading his own group. Despite this. needed compilation includes the group's best ON however. they have stayed together as an en- efforts. notably Devil With Blue Dress On/ semble for two years as of this writing. and as a Good Golly 1/ii//r. and Jenni. Take .4 STEREO result. have gotten well beyond the tentative Rule. M.J. "who goes next" feeling that crops up when all-star groups on thislevel are normally VERONIQUE SANSON. Elektra 75050. $5.98. COMPONENTS brought together. The group was first formed European pop stars rarely have the same suc- by George Wein for the Newport Jazz Festival cess in America that they have in their native PLEASE REQUEST and subsequently used as the core of Wein's countries. Add the French chanteuse Vero- Prices for your choice of touring concerts and festivals both inthis nique Sanson to the list of those who have Changers, Receivers, Tape country and abroad. serving as a convenient tried to conquer the U.S. and have not had Recorders, Speakers, etc. way of packaging several stellar names. much luck. These gently rocked ditties are just PROMPT DELIVERY With Di/1N Gillespie. Thelonious Monk. too precious for the American appetite. an ap- IN FACTORY Art Blakey' and Sonny Stitt representing two petite that demands that every track of' an al- SEALED thirds of the group's personnel. it is quite liter- bum be a full -course meal. H.E. CARTONS. ally a pantheon of the bebop era. And the pieces they play are. like the musicians them- JUDY COLLINS: True Stories and Other selves. products of that mid -Forties period of Dreams. Elektra 75053. $5.98. DISTRICT jazz-Night inTunisia. Allen's..111cr.Blue There is always something fresh and new in Monk. among others. In effect. these are the Judy Collins' albums. This time she even has a classic performers of the bebop era playing the single cut climbing on the charts: Cook With SOUND INC. bebop classics. In the quarter century' since Honey. written by Valerie Carter. Five tracks 2316 Rhode Island Ave. N.E. they were in the first flush of success. these are written by Miss Collins. including a full Washington,D.C.2 0 0 1 8 musicians have matured and deepened and production called Cite. Highly recommended 202-832-1900 their performances now are products of all for her fans. M.A. CIRCLE 19 ON READER -SERVICE CARD MAY 1973 WARRANTIES Continued from page 53

°FeANIRIvirkr TOSHIBA AMERICA: ALL MODELS. Valid for origi- ItAGS nal owner: complete warranty on card: offers 24 S mos. free parts and labor: free warranty service DISCOUNTS COMPONENIS and parts at authorized service stations: resale. SIRED damage in transit, any unauthorized repair or HI -Fl SYSTEMS modification not covered: refund or replacement considered only if unit is inoperative at time of COMPONENTS DISCOUNTS purchase. KITS COMPACTS TOYO RADIO CO.: ALL MODELS. Valid for original ON NATIONALLY ADVERTISED owner: complete warranty on card; offers 12 TUNERS AMPLIFIERS mos. free parts. 3 mos. free labor: free warranty TURNTABLES CARTRIDGES parts and labor available at specified dealers RECEIVERS TURNTABLES COMPACTS RECEIVERS only or at any authorized service station: buyer SPEAKERS TAPE RECORDERS pays shipping costs one way: manufacturer may AMPLIFIERS TAPE RECORDERS require unit be sent to factory if doubtful unit can Franchised Distributors for oror 70 mfrs. WholesalePrices!Audio WarehouseSales, properly be repaired by service center: resale. Largest selection in the country damage in transit, unauthorized repair resulting Full manufacturers warranty protection oneoftheCapitol'slargeststereo whole- in damage, any modification judged by the man- Only brand new, factory sealed components salers will fill and deliver all your mail orders ufacturer to affect operation or circuitry of unit Fast, fully insured shipments promptly in factory sealed cartons. at prices are not covered: refund not considered. but re- Double boxed cartons where possible that will amaze you. placement considered if manufacturing defect Same day reply to your inquiry makes unit uneconomical to repair: replace- Extra savings on complete systems ment of defective unit with later model is dealer Lowest possible prices Write for quote on Famous Brand, Stereo Components. option. WRITE FOR OUR QUOTE AND SPECIALS BULLETIN We guarantee satisfaction. VISIT OUR NEW MODERN WAREHOUSE TRANSCRIPTOR -see Audiophile Imports. FREE AMPLE PARKING AT PREMISES UNITED AUDIO PRODUCTS: ALL MODELS. Valid for original owner: complete warranty on card; offers 12 mos. free parts and labor; free warranty labor and parts available at authorized service AUDIO stations or United Audio service department: re- a:17570NSt.,4% SALE sale, damage in transit, any unauthorized re- N.E.S pairs or modification not covered; do not con- 146 OLD BROOKFIELD RD. (NORTH) WAREHOUSEAVE. NEWYORK sider refund or replacement. DANBURY, CT. 06810 3310 20002 ON ,D .0 . UTAH ELECTRONICS: SPEAKERS. SPEAKER SYS- DANBURY, CT. 1203/ 744-6421 W ASHI NGT TEMS. Valid for original and subsequent owners: N. Y CITY 12121 369-6212 32 sales slip used instead of card: offers free labor (202)8-1616 and parts (replacement and public address speakers. 90 days: die-cast speakers. 12 mos: CIRCLE 14 ON READER -SERVICE CARD CIRCLE 7 ON READER -SERVICE CARD high fidelity speaker systems. 5 yrs.) and replacement of defective unit at company option: free warranty service at dealer's place of business or shop of manufacturer. free warranty driv- .1 ers at factory: buyer pays shipping costs one way: unauthorized repair resulting in damage, 0] any unauthorized modification. broken cones, or SONY AUDIO check with the GARRARD burned -out voice coils not covered: refund at dealer's option: replacement at company option: will consider replacement with newer model if East -Coast Stereo old model has been superseded and is no longer Discounters... in stock. AR RECEIVER KL H ADC V -M: ALL MODELS. 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Our buying printed in instruction manual; offers 3 mos. free (312) 852-5885 volume has made ourpricesthe labor and parts: free warranty labor and parts lowest. We seriously doubt you can available at any authorized dealer or service station: resale, damage in transit, any modification find one lower . . . and that we're our NOW resulting in damage not covered: refund consid- Write tor proud of. What's more, at S.C.A. you ered only if service or replacement fails to sat- price list can select from hundreds of NEW, isfy customer: replacement consideredifre- WHOLESALE You'll Factory Sealed, Full Warrantee, peated service is ineffective: will replace with ILcatalog. Brand name,Hi-FiStereo compo- newer model if old model has been superseded youdid! nents.Ifitsin the Hi-Fi, Audio field and not in stock. PORTABLE AND TABLE RADIOS. be glad we have it! MODULAR PHONO. AND -CARRY-IN- TAPE UNITS. 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I 12 Hum \L, \zim There are 6 reasons INFORMATION why you should purchase a copy of WORTH THOUSANDS High Fidelity's Test Reports: OF DOLLARS...

s1.95 'S HIGHFIDELITY 1. It's a 4. Only evaluates brand new, products currently one -of -a -kind available (old publication. and new). 2. Contains 5. Provides laboratory test definitions of reports on more technical terms. than 175 stereo and four -channel 6. Available for products and only $1.95 accessories: (plus 300 postage & handling). Amplifiers Tuners Receivers help FM Antennas labexperts . Speaker Systems youchoore Turntables Headphones stereoreceivers Tape Equipment speakers amplifiers (open -reel, cassette, tape decks cartridge) headphones 3. Includes record players 240 pages of facts, fm tuners antennas TO ORDER, charts, tables, simply fill out and product prices mail the coupon below and pictures. with payment.

High Fidelity I 1973 Test Reports 2160 Patterson Street I I Cincinnati, Ohio 45214 I I Please send me copy(ies) of High Fidelity's 1973 Test Reports at $2.25 each. In enclose a 0 check, 0 money I I 1 -HURRY -- order for $ . (Add sales tax where applicable.) IT IES I Price includes 30c postage & handling. QUANT I LIMITED I Name

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\1 n1 1973 113 know the recorded performance so well the basis for Davis' present performance the tape from the original master tape as well as (recorded in July 1972), starring Nicolai the commercial disc and tape (FTC Gedda in the title role, with a strong sup- deckBY R.D. DARRELL 2029) editions, it gives me an ideal porting cast, the Covent Garden Chorus, chance to judge-quite objectively, I and the BBC Symphony Orchestra hope-the strictly technical character- (Philips/Ampex W 43048. two Dolby- istics of the new version vis-a-vis the old ized 71/2-ips reels, $23.95; texts -and -notes ones. And I'm happy to report that there booklet included). has been no gimmicking: The sonics re- Here, for once in the series, the out- Ritorna Vincitor! RCA Reels via Magtec. main essentially the same except for a standing musical and performance mer- Exasperatingly delayed after premature slight but unmistakable improvement in its are not quite matched by the record- announcements, the first batch of RCA clarity and weight, while there now is ing qualities, although it's perhaps only Red Seal open reels processed by the less surface noise-indeed minimal by all by the lofty standards set earlier that Stereotape Division of Magtec finally but Dolby -B standards. Over-all, then. these sonics seem a bit bottom -heavy reached me on the eve of the day this col- the processing qualities promise well for and not ideally transparent. But no true umn copy had to be mailed out. So I'm the other reissues in the first and future Berliozian will be bothered by such confined for now to discussing only the Magtec lists. trifles when he is given at long last not two releases I've been able to play in Next, I naturally wanted to hear most only the opportunity of hearing this un- their entirety. Fortunately, even so scant of all-to check the new series' abilities even yet irresistibly fascinating work but a sampling bolsters the hopes I-and to deal with a present-day sonic spec- of hearing it sung and played so ex- many other reel collectors-have had for tacular-the Ormandy/Philadelphia tremely well. And nonconnoisseurs a triumphant remarriage of the RCA Gliere Third(Ilya Murometz)Sym- should be informed thatBenvenuto Cel- recording and the open -reel repertories. phony, the disc version of which I re- linihas a built-in attraction for them too: The then RCA Victor Company was the viewed with such uninhibited relish in Substantial parts of it make use of the fa- first of the majors to issue both mono June 1972, and which now appears as miliar melodies and rhythms of the often and stereo two -track reel tapings (1954 RCA/Magtec ERPA 3246 C, 71/2-ips reel, played and recordedRoman Carnival and 1956 respectively). And if it was a bit $7.95. This is its first tape edition, since Overture. slow to climb onto the 4 -track reel band- discretion evidently was the better part wagon that began to roll in 1959 (RCA of RCA's valor in contemplating a cas- Current Cassette Considerations con- was busy promoting its own oversize 33/4- sette or cartridge format. And while not tinue to be somewhat overshadowed by ips prototype of today's cassettes),its everyone may be as ecstatic as I am over the lively activity and publicity com- "FTC" series from 1960 to around 1967 the "sound" here (for one dissenting manded by the open -reel renaissance, contributed innumerable treasures to the view see the September 1972 corre- but the tiniest format just keeps rolling tape catalogue. But the promotion of the spondence column), the work has been along, steadily building up an ever more first 8 -track endless -loop cartridges took generally acclaimed as a technological impressive recorded repertory. Most of it precedence from 1965 on and reel activi- triumph. Certainly it provides the tough- involves less novel works than those fea- ties were restricted to the somewhat spo- est possible test of both the tape -proc- tured in the reels noted above, but at radic "TR3" series of 33/4-ips releases for essor's skills and the capacities of one's least one program is a far from standard a few years beginning in 1967. In the last own playback equipment. In A/B direct one, the Mehta/Los Angeles Philhar- couple of years, as every reel aficionado comparisons, the tape and disc editions monic's three Liszt tone poems: the knows only too well. RCA tapes have seem indistinguishable to me unless there spellbindingly lyricalOrpheus,the been exclusively cassettes and cartridges, isan actual, not merely psychologi- grandioseBattle of the Huns (atape first, while the great earlier reel repertory cal. slightly greater expansiveness and I think), and the dramaticMazeppa-all drifted inevitably out of print. impact in the tape. In any case, the very excitingly played and recorded hile many Tape Deck readers may recording itself still ranks as the best ex- (London/Ampex M 10255, Dolbyized be unfamiliar with the names of the new ample I know of present-day multichan- cassette; M 67255, 8 -track cartridge; processors/distributors (although veter- nel audio engineering's ability to recon- $6.95 each; also L 80255. 71/2-ips reel. ans may remember Audio Arts' early cile "the often conflicting demands of $7.95). Stereotapes, and in the larger tape world sonic lucidity, transparency, and differ- Two other Dolbyized musicassettes Magtec has become renowned as a du- entiation with those of cohesiveness and proffer more conventional fare in richly plicator of spoken -word tapings in par- homogeneity." played and recorded versions drawn ticular). their seriousness and potential from Columbia's apparently inexhaus- scope are demonstrated in two formi- Back Again to Big Berlioz.It's now al- tible Ormandy/Philadelphian archives. dably impressive first release lists com- most a year since I devoted a full column A "WilliamTellOverture" program also prising no less than thirty-five Red Seal (for the first time in the Tape Deck's sev- includes mostly lively short pieces by and three Decca classical programs, to enteen-year history) to a single conduc- Delibes, Jarnefelt. Kabalevsky, Liszt. say nothing of more than thirty RCA tor recording for a single label-but Co- Mussorgsky, Pierne. Rimsky-Korsakov, pops and over twenty from other com- lin Davis and Philips indefatigably and Saint -Sans (MT 31640, $6.98). The panies. continue their monumental Berlioz "Quiet Night" program (MT 31633, series, now withthefirstcomplete $6.98)features gentler entertainment Reel Spectaculars Then and Now. recording of the French master's first op- like Delius'On Hearing the First Amusingly, the first RCA/ Magtec re-era. the ill-fated.Benvenuto Cellini.It Cuckoo.Faure'sPavane,Bach'sBist du lease I've pounced upon (ERPA 2431 C, was first performed (with recitatives sub- bei mir.Tchaikovsky'sBarcarolle (June), 71/2-ips reel, $7.95) is one I'm disqualified stitutedfor the original dialogue) in etc.-some,but not all, of which prob- (as author of the liner notes. reprinted 1838, but neither that nor its rare later ably haven't been released in earlier pro- here) from formally reviewing: the fa- stagings probably even approximated grammatic contexts. There are also 8 - mous Munch/Bostonian Saint -Satins the composer's intentions until the no- track cartridges editions: MA 31640 and OrganSymphony of 1960. But since I table 1966 Covent Garden production- MA 31633 respectively. $6.98 each.

114 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE r Live opera tapes from capitals of the world. Top quality copies. Extensive catalogue free. A. Fischer, Box 83, Fordham Station, HIGH FIDELITY CLASSIFIED Bronx, N.Y. 10458.

1515 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 10036 Phone: (212) 764.7300 BUY IRISH TAPE at discount prices, get Free leaders trailers. Write for catalog and order form. Also ask for pre-recorded spe- Rates: $1.00 per word. Minimum cials. Direct Mail Cassette Corp., Box 71, Plainview. N.Y. 11803. $10.00. Words in caps at 100 Name FILM -STAGE SOUNDTRACKS. Large free list. A. Lutsky, Box extra each. 7342 Mianr, Fla. 33155.

Display Classified Address Soundtracks-O.C.-Personalities & Jazz Want lists to: Theo's 1 inch by 1 column -$200. Records, P.O. Box 4994, Panaroma City, Ca. 91412. 2 inch by 1 column- 400. City- Soundtracks, casts, Personality. List 160. Don, 2914 West- 3 inch by 1 column- 600. State_ Z. p_ erland, Houston, Texas 77042.

Full Payment Must Accompany All Copy for Telephone Man Steiner's Music on Tape. Join Max Steiner Music Societe Classified Ads except those placed by MSMS, 1880 Fairway. Kankakee, Illinois 60901. accredited advertising agencies. My classified ad copy is attached. Yes -we are expensive! But we offer custom taping from our rare record catalogue. You choose the records -we tape to you bill ($4.00 airpost). Credited on $100.00 purchase. Goodwins, for sale order. Send one dollar for catalogue -refundable with first order. Broadway, Woodgreer. London N22. Visitors welcome. T'M'S TAPED TREASURES. Box 783, Sterling, Illinois 61081. Protect your valuable equipment with a professicnal security RARE ROMANTIC PIANO SCORES - Moscheles. Henselt, lieu. COLLECTORS -RARE. 1936 "Showboat" Movie Soundtrack, Litolff,Scharwenka,Scriabin, etc. Free catalog.MUSIC system. Low prices. No wires. Easy installation. Write:Elec- COMPLETE P's Ips Audiotape (7") polyester: $25. Robert Lich- trodyne, P.O. Box 230, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11223. TREASURE PUBLICATIONS, Box 127, Highbridge Station, Bronx, tenberger. 9552 Muirkirk Road, T-2, Laurel, Maryland 20810. New York 10452. CONDENSER MICROPHONES in easy to build ki:s. free de- STEREO EIGHT -TRACK TAPES $1.98 EACH. OVER 500 SELEC. CANADIANS-DYNACO COMPONENTS at TREMENDOUS DIS- tails. Write Electronic Enterprises, 3305 E. Pestaua Way, Liver- nom FROM ROCK -CLASSICAL. Send long stamped self -ad COUNTS. Write En -Jay Sales, Hornepayne, Ontario. more. Calif. 94550 dressed envelope for complete list. S. Scanlon, Box 127, Hazel - crest. III. 8429. AR, KLH, ADVENT, DYNACO, ADC, RECTILINEAR OWNERS -low ATTENTION SOUTHERNERS' Save on shipping for name brand cost electronic equalization for your particular speakers over- stereo components in factory sealed cartons at lowest prices. SOUNDTRACKS SHOW ALBUMS Rare SHOW MUSIC Box 12 comes limitations of bookshelf enclosures, provides full -range Write for same day quotes. We want to deal with y'all! 1&R Dis- Wood Rives. Illinois 62095. performance. Complete specifications, test reports, from Norman tributors, P.O. Box 49561, Atlanta, Georgia 30329. Laboratories, 520 Highland Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73069. Rare soLndtracks on tapes and records. low prices. List 166 Pavelek, 2318-B Parker, Berkeley, Calif. 94704.

SHOWS AND TRACKS . . List 25C ... Arthur Greenland Box 994 ... Rochester, New York 14603. tapes & records (SOUND -TRACK) SUPER SPECIALS MASTER OF THE WORLD - MONO -$2 59 ONE EYED JACKS -MONO -$5.99 SUPPLY LIMITED - "HARD TO GET" RECORDS -ALL SPEEDS. RECORD Exchange, SHIPPING CHARGES -.50 1ST RECORD -.15 EACH ADDITIONAL. miscellaneous 842 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10019 INTERESTING RECORD SHOP. 220 WEST 23RD ST.. N.Y., N.Y.. 10011. SCOTCH RECORDING TAPE, LOWEST PRICES. TAPE CENTER, SLEEP -LEARNING -HYPNOTISM! TAPES. RECORDS. books. Box 4305C, Washington, D.C. 20012. "LIVE OPERA PERFORMANCES ON REEL TO REEL TAPES. In. equipment. Also Alpha Brainwave Feedback devices. Free catalog. credible performances dating back 40 years. from PONSELLE. Autosuggestion, Box 24-F, Olympia, Washington 98501. 'LIVE' OPERA, CONCERTO, SYMPHONIC, TAPE BARGAINS! - $3.50 -(REELS & CASSETTES). BOX 1101, WOODhAVEN, NEW CALLAS. Catalog: MR. TAPE. Box 133. Murray Hill Station. N.Y.C. KLIPSCH, JBL, TANNOY, MARANTZ, THORENS, RABCO. No dis- YORK 11421. 10016." counting. Superior Sound. 1801 Brewerton Rd., Syracuse, N. Y. 13211. OPERA RECORDS -rare live performances now available for RARE opt -of -print motion picture soundtrack and show al. the first time on top quality LP recordings. Ed Rosen, Box 97. bums. Steiger. North. Waxman. Bernstein, Styne. etcOnly the Freeport, N.Y. 11520. DIAMOND NEEDLES and Stereo Cartridges at Discount prices best. Send 25c for new catalog to ReCollections-P.O. Box 197. for Shure, Pickering, Stanton, Empire, Grado and ADC. Send for SHOW ALBUMS -Rare, out -of -print LPs. Large list 100. Broad. Roselle Park. N.J. 07204. free catalog. All merchandise brand new and factory sealed. LYLE way/Hollywood Recordings, Georgetown, CT 06829. CARTRIDGES, Dept. H, Box 69, Kensington Station, Brooklyn, BASF -IVEMOREX- Audio and Video Recording Tape. BSC Inc.. New York 11218. Records -soundtracks, shows, cut-outs. Send wants -we'll Pox 1131 iHF) Melrose Park. IL 60161 quote. Lesco, 2205 Marylane, Broomall, Pa. 19008. HIGH FIDELITY IS ON MICROFILM: Back copies of HIGH FI- ALBUMS $2.00 PND LESS, WE BREAK THE PRICE BARRIER ON DELITY are available on microfilm dating from APRIL 1951 to DE- Soundtracks. Large free catalog. Star -16. Rt. 2 Box 1944R, Es- CEMBER 1971. Microfilm copies of articles from any of these is- condido, Calif. 92025. RECORDS. NO CLUB TO JOIN. NO MINIMUM PURCHASE, ND sues may be obtained from Billboard Publications at a cost of MEMBERSHIP FEES! SEND 25It FOR OUR CATALOGUE LISTING $1.00 per page. For further information contact: Andy Tomko. "THE NEW McKINNEY'S COTTON PICKERS" (1930 -style Hot HUNDREDS OF ALBUMS AT ONLY $2.00 EACH. INCLUDED LS Corporate Research Division, Billboard Publications, 1515 Broad- Dance/Jazz Orchestra) Stereo LP, $5.50. Bountiful Record Corpo- ROCK. BLI. ES. CLASSICAL. JAll. SOUNDTRACKS. AND MORE. way, New York, N.Y. 10036. ration, 12311 Gratiot. Detroit, Michigan 48205. WAREHOUSE RECORD SALES. DEPT. H. 6716 NORTH BROAD Stereo Components, Appliances, low quotes, $1.00 for catalog. Basf, Memorex, Scotch, TDK, Reels, Cassette, 8 -tracks. Lowest STREET. PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA 19126. Defa Electronics, 2209 B'Way, N.Y., N.Y. 10024. (212) 874.0900. Prices. S & S Audio, P.O. Box 523, Skokie, III. 60076. OPERA TAPES -GREAT PERFORMANCES OF PAST 35 years. Lowest prices on Stereo components -National Brands -Elec- Free catalog. Ed Rosen. P.O. Box =97. Freeport. N Y. 11520. tronic Centers, Houston, Texas, 77005. NEW EMPTY TAPE REELS (BULK) 3" PLASTIC 05 7" (4" HUB) 34 Soundtrack album's trom films. Whalon. 2321.0 Hill, Redondo INTEGRATED CIRCUIT KITS -Free catalog. FRAZIER & ASSOCI- 4" PLASTIC .12 7" "SCOTCH" .49 Beach. Calif. 90273. ATES. 3809 Surfwood Road, Malibu, California 90265. 5" PLASTIC .14 7" SELF THFEADING 69 5" (3" HUB) .24 10" NAB METAL 3.80 Protect your records Poly sleeves for jackets 50 Roundbottom 7" PLASTIC .16 10" NAB FIBERGLASS1 20 Inner sleeves 50 Poly lined paper sleeves I It White jackets 25t 7' HEAVY DUTY.24 10" N" FIBERGLASS1 20 ANY RECORD. ANY TAPE AT LOWEST DISCOUNT PRICES. En- Postage $1.00. Record Supply House, Hillburn. New York 10931. ABOVE LESS 5% (100) 10% (2100) 20% (1000). roll in Satunian Record Club. $1.00 Lifetime Membership Fee "LIKE NEW" FIBERGLASS. 10" (4k" HOLE) 50c100, 400 brings you a Free Schwann Catalogue and Forms for immediate HIGH FIDELITY'S TEST REPORTS -Over 175 currently available 500. 35K : 1000. 25K : 3000, 19t EA. 2-PIECF HH[TI HINGED ordering of any record at unmatchably low prices. No minimum, audio products. Tests, analyses, prices. Send $1.95 to High Fidel- BOX. 7", 9e: 10". 394. ity's Test Reports, 2160 Patterson St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45214. no limit. Write Saturnian Record Club. 136 Walker St., Lenox. RECORDING Mass. 01290. Box H.F AMPEX TAPE MAGNETIC TAPERIOT MAGNETIC TAPE services FACTORY FRESH CHOICE OF SCOTCH = 150 = 203. 1800 FOOT 1 -MIL POLYESTER, 7" REELS; OR AMPEX employment opportunities RENT 4 -TRACK OPEN REEL TAPES -ALL MAJOR labels -3,000 et 611. 1200 FT.. 7" ACETATE. different -free brochure. Stereo-Parti, 57 St. James Drive, Santa QUANTITY1.11 12+ 48+ EPICURE PRODUCTS. INC. is seeking quality applicants to Rosa, Cal. 95401. # 150.18 SCOTCH. POLYESTER. 1800 FT.1.95 1.83 1.75 #203-18 SCOTCH. LOW NOISE, 1800 FT. 2.65 2.55 2.45 meet expansion needs. Applicants must be willing to travel ex- RENT STEREO TAPES $1.50 week, Postpaid -pew. Catalog 250. #611.12 AMPEX. ACETATE. 1200 FT. 1.68 1.50 1.39 lensively four or five days per week; be knowledgeable of. or will - Tape Library, Box 8126, Washington, D.C. 20024. SCOTCH BRAND CASSETTES big to learn. all aspects of the hi fi industry -products. policies. and future developments. Position requires a professional ap- SC -45 LOW NOISE, 45 MIN. 1.20 1.171.15 proach to sales. and a person interested in rapid advancement SC -45 HIGH ENERGY, 45 MIN. 1.43 1.391.32 new equipment for sale SC -60, 1 HR. LOW NOISE 1.30 1.261.18 into a growing management team. Base salary and monthly SC -60. 1 HR. HIGH ENERGY 1.62 1.581.49 incentive. Epicure Products. Inc. Call: Robert Fuller, Personnal. SC -90 11/2 HRS. LOW NOISE 1.94 1.901.76 Newburypert. Mass. 01950. (617) 462.8191. DON'T PAY THE HIGH MAIL ORDER PRICES. THIEVES WARE- SC -90 11/2 HRS. HIGH ENERGY 2.51 2.472.23 HOUSE IS COMING TO YOUR AREA. FRANCHISES AVAILABLE. SC 120 2 HRS. LOW NOISE 2.52 2.482.29 THIEVES WAREHOUSE, P. 0. BOX 8057, PENSACOLA, FLORIDA 32505. ADD 10% TO ABOVE TAPE PRICES FOR SHIPPING/HAN DLING. -5% OVER$80.00. (EXTRA BOXES, REELS. ETC. - wanted to buy PLEASE INCLUDE FUNDS FOR WEIGHT AND DISTANCE) BUY DIRECT FROM ENGLAND. Save money! Decca. SME. Tran- scriptors. Tandberg. Revox. Cambridge. KEF. Godl Speakers. Or- SAXITONE TAPE SALES 1776 Columbia Rd., NW. Wash., D.C. 20009 CASH FDR UNWANTED STEREO LPS AND PRERECORDED tofon. Leak. Goldring. B&O. Price list free. For catalog send $2.00 TAPES. Realer. 81 Forshay Road. Monsey. New York 10952.

MAY 1973 115 Some inirequently- Frequencyresponse

PICCOLO I I I FLUTE nstruments OBOE CLARINET Bb1(woodwind BASSOON V V, jullE

1 1 FRENCH HORN (F) ROMBONEBb). upper 4 I 1 harmonics Of BASS TUBAll V r mus cal instruments percussiontru KETTLE DRUMSI C MBALS 111111111111111414AW4A i[ VIOLIN VIOLA CELLO 411111111111111111: BASS VIOL ri I I tr Pif*

SOPRANO harmonics ALTO TENOR BAS

PIANO CDE FGABCDE FGABCDEFGABCDE FGABCDE FGABCDE FGABCDE FACDE FGABC 000000011 2 2 2 2 2 33 33334 4 4 4 4 555555 6666G 6 6 B67 7 7 7 7 7 78 I !!! II!I!II!I!III IIII!I!!IIII! YI U1001001' - CD U100 N 001.. CI 0 0 CI (0 CI CI CD 0 OD CI OD UD 01 0 (Hz) 88 CI OD 0U C, Cu(ID 0 v CI 0 0 V- OD OD OD o 4) 00011000NCD 0 OD CuCI CuV 010 MOt0MUIM,-,-MOWQMONOM000NN00,0W000 CD OD03 0 C.) do; r- °NW O) OD r-000O70ro00WOO,-CI 0, Ch Cg CD CI CI cnOD CIO WQ11C-010001C-01.410.-0 v- v-NNNNOI CI O70d O Ol QD UD r- OD OD Ch NO1,7 Wt.- 0/N0 00 CDNV 0) Ch N OD 0 Ch 03 CO ODV.C.,-MWCID,a,OMMCICVLOW CD Cu N NCu CI CI CI .4. V l0 l0 (0 (0 03 Ch o .-0'-cn,noNalemor-"-Lom- ..- o .- .- csoioio.irciciii d co

Chart 1. Frequencyranges of musical instruments and the human voice.

Chart 2. An approximation of volume levels of various types Chart 3. of orchestral music. Showing high -end frequency -response loss (This is a guideline chart, naturally subject to variables of at various dynamic levels, and comparing this orchestration, micing and mastering equalization.) phenomenon for different tape formulations. 1. Electronic music (rock, underground and synthesized) (Note Tape response characteristics will vary somewhat from brand to brand, and 2. Semi -electronic music (pop -rock, some country -western and mach ne to machine). contemporary jazz) 3. Average "normal" acoustic orchestra (classic, semi -classic, "easy -listening" and jazz)

RI IIIII 111111(0dB) (-10dB) NORMAL mminimmesiiin-(-20dB) 73 -(0dB) w MIIIIZIAMIE11111111 zrn 1111111111E11111_(-10dB) G. 0 111111111111P1Paionin U) 1 HIGH _-(-20d B)

10 5 B 1111i ItlIMM111111(0dB) 2 11111111111111111111111111111 (10dB) - 20 CRO2 1:710/11111111(-20dB) - 30 3 11E31111111 M1111111111111 annul J _.11111 RI111111 2 3 5 00 2 3 5 1K 2 3 5 10K 2 3 5 100K 1K 2 3 5 10K 2 3 5 100K FREQUENCY (Hz) FREQUENCY (Hz) known Facts about Audio buffs are discovering that transfer made at a "normal" -4 to 0 are telling you. The LED should be even with increasingly sophisticated VU will saturate. Back off to around your overriding guide; if it is flickering equipment, their recordings some- -8 to -4. and your music characteristically has times lack high -end frequency re- Chart 2 shows the volume levels of high frequencies at high levels, back sponse. Despite your careful attention various types of music. A normal off 2 to 5 dB on your meters. However, to recording levels, as shown on the acoustic orchestra shows normal with "normal" music an occasional LED flicker is tolerable. Re- meters, this high -end roll - LEFT PEAK LEVEL off can occur with all member, your meters and LED decks - reel-to-reel and are indicators, not controls. cassette-and at all re- Look at Chart 3 showing high - cording speeds. However, end dropoff at various levels. it is more evident in cas- You'll note that chromium sette recording. It results dioxide tape resists saturation from a phenomenon of somewhat more than the new tape called "saturation." ferric oxides which saturate at Once you understand a lower level, and normal ferric the cause, the cure is oxides saturate at a lower level simple. yet. High -end frequency - The ultimate response losses occur when the head is unable input: your own to impress on, or retrieve creativity and from the tape's oxide particles the shorter wave judgement. lengths of the signal. In other words, volume levels, with a "natural" rolloff There are compromises to be made all when the wave length is actually at the high end. (Natural harmonics down the line, and your personal taste shorter than the gap in the playback at 15 kHz are generally down over 20 is the final arbiter. If you're not get- head, the head is simply unable to dB). With this type of orchestra high - ting good frequency response, analyze detect the signal. Increasing the record end loss will not be a problem. the elements we've discussed. Then levels past this point demands more of However, look at the contours of experiment. Make a test recording, the oxide particles than their magnetic pop and electronic music; these high - backing well off on your meters to properties permit, and distortion and frequency, high-level signals will satu- keep your LED from flickering (but saturation occur. However, this phe- rate quickly at 17/8. So back off to a not so far that on playback level you nomenon, while somewhat due to the level that will give you a satisfactory bring up "hiss" and suffer signal-to- limitations of tape, is to a great extent compromise between frequency re- noise loss). Regardless of what the ads a function of speed. sponse and signal-to-noise. Remember, say, even the finest equipment has lb put it another way: tape can only contemporary music puts extra- limitations. Learn them. take so much high -end at high levels ordinary demands on cassette decks, Remember, saturation isn't nor- before losing response. Let's look at so keep cassette limitations in mind. mally caused by your tape deck-it's some reasons. lb help you avoid high -frequency loss, caused by a combination of the music, TEAC suggests you consider some the tape and your judgement. 7'/2 is longer than 17/8 not -so -evident facts: With reel-to-reel, all the information TEAC's LED is one in one second of time is distributed Level guide we've developed over 71/2 inches of oxide particles. In meters to help you enjoy your the case of cassettes, this identical equipment. Like every amount of information must be con- and new TEAC feature, it tained within PA inches of oxide TEAC's ErTli was designed as a prob- particles. Thus, cassette tape flowing lem-solver-an exten- slowly at 17/8 is more vulnerable to LED: sion of the TEAC revealing distortion and high -end guides, leadership philosophy. saturation. Reel-to-reel tape flowing not (And if you want any at 71/2 ips is much more "forgiving". other information on The magnetic fields are longer, and gods. improving your record- these aberrations of the signal tend Any type of meter is a limited instru- ing techniques, write us. We'll be not to be revealed. ment. It cannot respond accurately to happy to discuss them with you). transient highs-those sharp, high- Enjoy your tape deck. And remem- How music differs level sounds that last a fraction of a ber-use your wrist. It's good for your second, just long enough to saturate ear. from music. CIRCLE 67 ON READER SERVICE CARD Most "normal" music-that is, classical your tape. For this reason, TEAC has TEAC Corporation of America and jazz recorded with acoustic in- a Light Emitting Diode (LED) as fea- Headquarters: 7713 Thlerraph Road tured on our top -of -the -line stereo cas- Montebello, California 90640 struments-is well within acceptable TEAC offices in principal cities in the United States, levels, and there is little danger of sette decks, to help you avoid tape Canada, Europe. Mexico and Japan. saturation. However, rock and the saturation. TEAC's LED will supple- "new music" recorded with electronic ment the meters by giving you an in- instruments are loaded with high fre- stantaneous peak -level indicator. quencies at excessively high levels. When the LED flashes, you're satur- TEAC® Look out. This is where a cassette ating- regardless of what your meters The sound of a new generation. The New KENWOOD Receivers are More Professional than Ever!

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rI TUNER SECTION AMPLIFIER SECTION KR -7200 KR -6200 KR -5200 KR -7200 KR -6200 KR -5200 FM Sensitivity 1.6 µV 1.7 µV 1.R µV Continuous Power S 'N Ratio 68 dB 66 dB 65 dB Both Channels Capture Ratio 1.5 dB 1.5 dB 2.0 dB Driven ( 8 ohms Selectivity 75 dB 65 dB 60 dB from 20-20k Hz 55 W,,Ch 45 W/Ch 30 W/Ch Stereo Sep. Lii? 1k Hz 40 dB 40 dB 40 dB THD a IM (@ rated Front End 3 FET, 4 Gang 2 FET, 4 Gang 2 FET, 4 Gang output) 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% IF Stage IC/3 Mech. IC /3 Mech. IC/3 Mech. Freq. Resp. ( - 2 dB) 20.40k Hz 20.40k Hz 20-40k Hz Fltr. Fltr. Fltr. Power Bandwidth 10-30k Hz 13-30k Hz 17-30k Hz AM Sensitivity 15 µV 15 p.V 15 µV Controls Triple Tone Triple Tone Phono, 2 Aux 'Mike Mix' Phono, 2 Aux 2Phono, 2 Aux

For complete specifications, visit your nearest KENWOOD Dealer, or write... CIRCLE 36 ON READER -SERVICE CARD "IP I719111.1SteaawsPAPirdentiMit. 90248 72.02 Fifty -firm Ave.. Woodside. N.Y. 11377