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fervor, but lacks the power and violence find this one acceptable. A harpsichord is rediscovery was announced in 1942. About occasionally required. The recording is on the continuo instrument here. The num- 1736 Bach adjusted this music to a a relatively low dynamic level, and the last bers that are retained are given complete, rhymed German text suitable for Easter. three sides contain some surface noise and except for the recitative, which is often The result is rather like a long cantata, crackles. No text is supplied. considerably abbreviated, and for the great without the chorales and with the chorus In clarity and flexibility of line and first and last ( "Ruht wohl ") choruses, active only near the beginning (after two beauty of tone, Shaw's chorus is, as usual, which are cut before the repeat. The highs introductory instrumental movements) and superior to its competitors. It is free of are very much exaggerated; I had to turn at the end. In between are recitatives and the soprano domination found in so many the treble control way down to achieve arias. The expressive second movement, a recorded choral groups; even in the four- tone approaching reality. fine tenor aria, and the triumphant final part chorales, where the melody is in the -Berta Seidl (s); Hilde Rössl -Majdan chorus are high points in a work that is not top voice, Bach's wonderful inner parts (a); Erich Majkut (t); Otto Wiener (bs); very impressive as a whole. Prohaská s come fully alive. If, in this performance, Walter Berry (bs); Austrian Symphony tempos are a bit livelier than Grossmann's two or three of the chorales have a weighti- Orchestra and Chorus, Gottfried Preinfalk, and seem better suited to the text. The ness that does not seem to be called for in cond. 12 -in. REMINGTON R 199 -78. $1.95. voices of his soprano and alto soloists have the context or by the words, the other a warmer quality; the two basses are about choral sections are very well done. The CHRISTMAS ORATORIO (3 Editions) equally satisfactory; and Grossmann's tenor, forcefulness of the dramatic portions never First performed at Leipzig in 1734, the it seems to me, has a slight advantage. There becomes theatrical, and such a movement Christmas Oratorio contains a number of is a little distortion in the last movement as "Mein teurer Heiland," for bass solo and movements adapted from earlier secular of the Bach Guild disk, but its surfaces are chorus, is performed with an ecstatic cantatas and other works, as well as some quieter. tenderness unequalled in the other versions. new material. It is in six sections and was -Maja Weis-Osborn (s); Hilde Rössl- Blake Stern, as the Evangelist, sings with designed to be performed one section at a Majdan (a) ; Kurt Equiluz (t) ; Walter more color and variety than Hess. Harrell time on six days from Christmas to Berry (bs); Akademie Choir; Vienna (Jesus), Slick (Pilate), and Matthen Epiphany. Because of this, and because of Chamber Orchestra, Felix Prohaska, cond. (arias) are all satisfactory. Adele Addison's the predominantly lyric - rather than 12 -in. BACH GUILD BG 507. $4.98. voice is rather small but pleasing, and dramatic - character of the work, it is not -Laurence Dutoit (s); Maria Nussbaumer Blanche Thebom sings her arias acceptably, advisable to play the whole cycle at one (a); Franz Gruber (t); Otto Wiener though in "Von den Strikken" (No. I r ) sitting. If the sections are set off from one (bs) ; Akademie Kammerchor; Pro Musica her phrases are not always clearly articu- another, the many splendid choruses and Chamber Orchestra, Ferdinand Grossmann, lated. At times, as in the aria just men- lovely arias will have a better chance to cond. i2-in. Vox PL 862o. $5.95. tioned and in "Ich folge dir" (No. 13), achieve their full effect. one hears only the naked bass, the right - Neither of the two recordings available THE MASSES, SANCTUS, AND hand part of the continuo being either not to the writer is particularly distinguished. MAGNIFICAT played at all or played inaudibly. Only the Of the soloists, the tenors seem about English translation used here is provided. evenly matched, the soprano of Vox has a MASS IN B MINOR (6 Editions) Grossmann, like Shaw, brings out the slight edge over that of Oiseau -Lyre, the It is very difficult to choose among the intensity and drama of this Passion. He is Vox bass is definitely superior, and the top three - Karajan- Angel, Scherchen- aided by competent soloists. His soprano Oiseau -Lyre alto sings with firmer intona- Westminster, and Shaw-Victor. Karajan is in fact perhaps the best of the three. tion. Grossmann's tempos are generally and Scherchen have a more imaginative Unfortunately, however, the tone of the approach, but the former is likely to main- chorus, while well balanced, is somewhat tain a tempo -and -dynamic scheme doggedly rougher and cruder than that of the other throughout a movement; the latter, while two, and some of the chorales are done keeping a steady basic pulse, achieves more with a heavy hand. In the exquisite bass nuance above it. Karajan's choral tenors arioso, "Betrachte, meine Seel'" (No. ax ) , are a bit weak, especially in the " Gratias which is beautifully performed by Thomas agimus tibi" (No. 6) and the "Qui tollis" and especially by Shaw, the instruments (No. 8) , but otherwise his chorus has a are too loud for the voice. Throughout the fine, clear sound. He is favored with the work the bass instruments are more promi- best soprano of the group- Schwarzkopf, nent than they need be; where they double whose "Laudamus te" (No. 5) is a particu- the choral basses, one can scarcely hear livelier, his chorus sounds better balanced lar joy to hear. None of his other soloists those voices. This has the noisiest surfaces (Thomas' basses are weak), and he is is less than satisfactory, though the tenor of the three recordings. favored with clearer recording and sings better in the duet, "Domine Deus" -Adele Addison (s); Blanche Thebom smoother surfaces. No text is supplied by (No. 7) , than in the aria, "Benedictus" (a); Blake Stern (t); Leslie Chabay (t); Oiseau -Lyre, and on the review set there (No. 22) . One might disagree with a few Mack Harrell (b); Paul Matthen (bs); are defective grooves in No. 3 of Part I. details of Karajan's interpretation - for Daniel Slock (bs); Robert Shaw Chorale, The Remington recording was not at hand example, the "Cum sancto Spiritu" (No. Collegiate Chorale; RCA Victor Orchestra, for comparison. 11) is rather bouncy and the great "Agnus Robert Shaw, cond. Three 12 -in. RCA -Elisabeth Roon (s); Dagmar Herrmann Dei" somewhat slow - but many of the VICTOR LM 6103. $1I.94- (a); Erich Majkut (t); Walter Berry (bs); other movements are extremely well done, -Gisela Rathauscher (s); Elfriede Hof - Akademie Kammerchor; Vienna Symphony such as the wonderfully joyous "Et in terra" stärter (a); Ferry Gruber (t); Rudolf Orchestra, Ferdinand Grossmann, cond. (No. 4) and the deeply moving "Et incar- Kreuzberger (t); Walter Berry (bs); Three 12 -in. VOX PL 7713. $17.85. natus est" (No. 15) . The instrumental Akademie Kammerchor; Vienna Symphony -Gunthild Weber (s); Lore Fischer (a); balances are excellent, except in the "Qui Orchestra, Ferdinand Grossmann, cond. Heinz Marten (t); Horst Gunther (bs); tollis," where the first flute is too loud. The Three 12 -in. Vox PL 6550. $17.85. Orchestra and Choir of the Detmold surfaces are the least noisy of the lot. As -Gunthild Weber (s); Sibylla Plate Academy of Music and the Collegium Pro on many Angel disks, the sound here is (a) ; Herbert Hess (t) ; Paul Glimmer Arte, Kurt Thomas, cond. Three 12 -in. clean and resonant but recorded at a low (bs); Kantorei der Dreikönigskirche OISEAU-LYRE OL 50001/3. $14.94. level (especially side 3) , so that the (Frankfurt); Collegium Musicum Orches- [ -M. Schilling (s); R. Michaelis (a); W. volume has to be turned up, particularly tra, Kurt Thomas, cond. Three s i -in. Hohmann (t); B. Müller (bs); Stuttgart for the solo portions. OISEAU -LYRE OL 50023/25. $14.94. Chorus and Swabian Symphony, Hans Scherchen's chorus does not seem to have Grischkat, cond. Four 12 -in. REMINGTON any weak spots. If it is blurred in the ST. JOHN PASSION - ABRIDGED VERSION 199-118. $7.80.] "Et resurrexit" (No. 17), the fault is the (t Edition) conductor's, who takes this movement so This performance is neither unmusical nor EASTER ORATORIO (2 Editions) fast that the triplet figure cannot be articu- insensitive, and those who would be satis- The music of this work is basically the lated clearly. Elsewhere, however, the fied with only some of the important por- same as that of a secular cantata, Entfliehet, choral lines are pure and flexible. Scher - tions of the Passion on a single disk may verschwindet, composed in 1725 and whose chen takes the giant choral fugue of the

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