GERHARD Hüsch's HMV recordings of flavorful composer in his own right, Schubert's song cycles Die schöne Miil - comparable to Buxtehude. Everything lerin and Winterreise have been the about this release is clear, simple, and standards of comparison since they were tasteful -the playing of Karl Johan first imported here in 1933. Hüsch's Isaksen (who studied with Gunther Ra- voice, then in its prime, was a full, sweet min, among others); the recently built , admirably controlled in the baroque organ of St. Jacob's Church in upper register. Always aware of Schu- Copenhagen; the jacket cover; and the bert's dramatic intentions and the subtle notes in Danish and English, which in- relationships between text and music, he clude the little organ's specifications. The also endowed the songs with a lyrical stereo recording is sensibly spaced and quality that makes most current inter- pure in sound. pretations seem either tense or over- refined. Unfortunately, the HMVs were never pressed in this country by RCA THE Oxford Companion to Music gives in prewar days, nor has Angel, which short shrift to , de- owns the rights today, evinced any in- scribing him merely as "a very active terest in them. There was a postwar Gerhard Hüsch: Schubert unexcelled. composer, principally of operas (of a reissue on microgroove in Japan, bet typically Italian kind)." Just how typical these discs were atrociously noisy -and is demonstrated in the first of two Zan - Crisostomo Arriaga (1806 -1826) and the donai operas recorded at San Remo and hard to come by in any case. Quartet in G by Francisco Escudero Now Electrola has brought out both issued by Cetra, Giulietta e Romeo (LPC (1913 -). The performers, drawn from 1266). Composed in 1922 to a libretto cycles in Germany. Winterreise has al- the orchestra of the Madrid National ready arrived here as an import (two by Arturo Rossato, based on Shake- J Radio, play very much like the Guilet speare, it shows the influence of Masca- discs, E 80679/80 -S), with Die schöne Quartet, whose admired Concert Hall Müllerin soon to follow. I am happy to gni (Zandonai's teacher) in the handling recordings of the three Arriaga quartets of the chorus and of Puccini in the vocal report that the transfer to LP has been were withdrawn from the domestic accomplished without any loss of voice cata- pattern, with some Verdian orchestral surfaces are clean. logue a few years ago. Thus something undertow thrown in. Gracing all this are quality and that the of the gap is filled by the restoration The piano, which had been a bit dull a good flair for melody and an ability to of the ingratiating Quartet No. 3-a work set a dramatic scene (though not to on the 78s, sounds brighter now (though which bears in its first movement a nothing could be done to give the very finish it), with the result that Giulietta thematic resemblance to the early Beetho- deserves its place well up in the list competent pianist Hanns Udo Müller the ven quartets, in the remaining special insight which Gerald Moore three of second -rank operas still performed in movements a graceful, fluent galant style . Antonietta Mazza Medici and brings to the part today). The packaging that led Arriaga's to refer includes notes and the complete text in countrymen Angelo Lo Forese (unknowns, but what to the tragically short-lived composer as beautiful names!) handle the title roles German and English, together with an "the Spanish Mozart." Rather autobiographical sketch in which Hüsch than any- with competence and occasional fervor. thing markedly Spanish, Escudero's quar- Included with the two -record album is a conveniently overlooks the war years and tet. written in 1936, influence mistakenly takes credit for the first com- shows the complete libretto, in Italian only. of Ravel, together with some Bartók In Cetra's other recent Zandonai re- plete recordings of both Schubert cycles. harmonies and the gait Wolf's Italian All in all, this version of Winterreise of lease, Conchita (excerpts only, LPC Serenade. It receives a seemingly sym- 55029), which dates from 1911, the remains first choice. pathetic German Decca has just issued a fas- performance. Unfortunately, the arias and duets have that climactic album sixteen sonatas by sound of this modest record is not quite "bloom," that swelling of high vocal cinating of what is Domenico Scarlatti, with George Mal- up to being produced elsewhere sound which marks the best late Italian in Europe-the surfaces coarse here and operas. Soprano Gloria Davy and colm as the harpsichordist (AWD 9901 there, the strings too distant. J C). What an extraordinary sound from Giuseppe Campora make the most of it Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer's too, especially in the last -act duet. The the instrument! Constructed in England Ariadne Musica, the direct precursor of in 1952, it has seven pedals and two vocal genre here is Puccinian once more, Bach's Well - Tempered Clavier, has been with an orchestral nod to Bizet, as befits manuals, the lower one with three reg- recorded by Odeon (PASK isters and leather plectra, the upper one Danish the Spanish setting. The libretto, by the 2001). Fischer, who influenced both way, is based on Pierre Louÿs's novel Le with two registers and quill plectra. The work a Bach and Handel, wrote his in Femme et le Pantin and was originally resultant variety of rich timbres adds 1702 an in the new to the seemingly infinite for organ tuned then written for Puccini, who evidently new dimension It is a collection diversity of these tiny works, and Mal- "equal temperament." changed his mind about using it. Zan - of twenty preludes and fugues leading donai's colorful scoring, the good singing, colm himself adds still another by play- chromatically through various keys, leav- ing with a passion and warmth that even and the fine recording (castanets come ing out certain "difficult" keys which through in style) make this record emi- Landowska did not equal in this reper- Bach later included to bring his total toire. The Decca recording is impeccable nently worth sampling, despite the fact to twenty -four. Fischer makes up for that there are no notes and only the -the harpsichord resonant but not too his omissions by including five ricercaras, close up, the surfaces flawless. The complete Italian text to guide the listener. strict fugues on the opening stanzas of GENE BRUCK sonatas rank among the more familiar, hymns well known to the period. Where- but performances like these are rare on as Bach wrote for harpsichord or clavi- Imported labels are now being stocked records. chord and primarily for instructional by an increasing number of dealers in purposes, Fischer's shorter pieces were this country. A list giving the names meant for church use and for perform- and addresses of the principal U. S. Asmall Spanish company, Zafiro, has ance on the organ. If we leave historical importers will be sent on request. Address brought out a record (L 13) containing context aside and take Fischer out from Dept. RD, HIGH FIDELITY Magazine, Pub- the Quartet No. 3, in E flat, by Juan under Bach's shadow, he emerges as a lishing House, Great Barrington, Mass.

AUGUST 1962 79