MUSIC WEEK APRIL 15, 1978

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Recordings in danger Davis, Negri set for

as Fremaux resigns Philips Grimes album A NUMBER of recording projects Fremaux to change his mind. PHILIPS WILL be recording own version, first released by Decca — including one by EMI of Britten's 's opera Peter in 1959. It will be conducted by The disagreement is particularly Grimes in London with sessions and produced by — are in danger of ironical in view of the fact that on Vittorio Negri — himself a being cancelled following the sudden July 5 Louis Fremaux is due to starting at the end of the month and conductor. resignation of Louis Fremaux from receive from Birmingham University continuing into May. A lest session, the principal conductorship of the an honorary Doctorate of Music in a during which the Interludes from the Sessions will involve the orchestra City of Birmingham Symphony citation which calls him "the opera were recorded at All Saints', and chorus of the Royal Opera Orchestra. outstanding figure in the cultural Tooting Gravcney, confirmed that House, Covent Garden, and among The resignation followed a renaissance of Birmingham over the "an exciting result is to be the soloists are to be Jon Vickers (in meeting at which the orchestra last decade". expected", according to the the title role); Heather Harper (as passed a vole of "no confidence" in Colin Davis Phonogram classical division. Ellen Orford); Norman Bailey (as its management, and Fremaux has The presentation is scheduled to This will be the first recording of Captain Bulslrode); and Elizabeth been joined in his protest by Arthur lake place in the university's Great the opera to follow the composer's Bainbridge (as Auntie). Bacon, general manager. Meanwhile Hall, where most of the Birmingham Next Week directors of the orchestra have been orchestra's EMI recordings have Next week's Classicscene meeting in the hope of persuading been made in the past. supplement will include an exclusive interview with the CBS issues Puccini's conductor Loris King's College choir Tjeknavorian, recently re- signed to RCA for three 'Trittico' next month years; ail the latest classical PUCCINI'S FAMOUS 'Trittico' — CBS next month as a three-record on Decca cassettes record business news: and the three short operas Gianni boxed set (79312). They were each Music Week's aulhorativc Schicchi, Suor Angelica and II issued last year in the unusual SOME OF the earlier Argo described by Decca as "probably the classical album reviews. Tabarro — will be available from formal of a single disc contained in a recordings of King's College, most dramatic recording ever made box together with complete texts in Cambridge choir under its then by King's, and certainly one of four languages; but from May 1 the director David Willcocks remain Haydn's greatest works". Then RCA's Tutte' Newman's individual albums will be deleted among the best-selling items in there are interpretations of Vivaldi's AMONG RCA's ten new classical and repackaged as one entity. Decca's catalogue. The company's Gloria and Pergolesi's Magnificat releases is a fresh recording of newsletter- Also of interest to collectors of May tape release will make three of (KZRC 505) with the Academy of St Mozart's opera Cosi Fan Tutte with BBC PRESS officer Archie Newman opera records, a three-disc set the most popular available on Martin-in-the-Fields, notable for the what the company describes as "an is editing and producing Music news, (79310) of Cilea's Adriana cassette for the first time — and presence of in one of all-star international cast". The a London-based newsletter Lecouvreur will follow in the wake their consistent sales on disc will her earlier recordings. Lastly, on Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra highlighting classical musical events of the new production at the ensure a good response from KZRC 5369, the English Chamber and chorus of the Opera Du Rhin and artists making news in the House, New dealers, Decca believes. Orchestra joins King's for a are conducted by Alain Lombard; capital and elsewhere. Distributor is York. The Ambrosian Opera The first is a performance of performance of four Coronation soloists are , exclusive to the press, radio, tv and Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra Haydn's 'Nelson' Mass (KZRC Anthems by Handel, which include Frederica von Stade, Teresa Stralas, recording companies and the and soloists including Renata Scotto 5325) with Watts, Krausse and the the popular Zadok the Priest. Jules Baslin. David Rendall and emphasis is on information supplies in the title role are directed by James London Symphony Orchestra — The cassettes retail at £3.99 each. Philippe Hultenlocher. The set by artists' agents. Newman may.be Levine in a recording made last retails at £14.25. contacted at 01 -629 4078. summer. f EDITED ^ Culshaw and by V NICHOLAS WEBBER / De Vries form Effortless Perahia Mozart: Piano Concerti Nos 11 in F before. True, some of the score is consultancy Thames TV's and 20 in D minor. heavily derivative of other (soloist); English Chamber composers, in the best film score TWO WELL-KNOWN figures on tape contest Orchestra. Producer: Roy Emerson. tradition: there is more than a hint the classical side of the music CBS Masterworks 76651. The of Rachmaninoff and even, business have set up a new CASSETTE TAPES will form the revival comparatively recently of paradoxically, a sideways look at consultancy to specialize in the Arts basis of a Thames Television directing from the keyboard by Mendelssohn. Close Encounters of gambas demonstrates there is still field. They are Jacob De Vries, best- competition for groups of young either soloist or continue player can elicits from Williams a very different much scholarly work to be done on known for his work with the Benson musicians which carries the correct interpretation of & Hedges concert singers' award, "substantial" prizes. Ensembles — be disracting and irritating in a approach with a grimly mysterious and John Culshaw, a former Decca including quintets, trios, brass concert performance. On a record, use of such devices as serialism; but composers as "late" as Henry ensembles, and steel bands — have however, that side of it is not visible it is all expertly done. The National Purcell (1659-1695). In fact when classical manager and head of music — and there can be little doubt that Philharmonic plays impeccably Purcell composed for an unbroken at BBC tv. been sending short taped the practice does wonders for the under Gerhardt and the recording is consort of eight viols he was already Given the title of DVC Ltd (short programmes in to the station's tautness of the ensemble and the the stuff on which hi-fi dreams are writing for an ensemble that was fast for De Vries and Culshaw) the firm Fanfare For Young Musicians this becoming outmoded — superseded starts life with two important Arts month and will have the chance of performers' commitment to the ***made. accounts: the Benson & Hedges being selected for auditions. music. In these two concerti the by the violin. But there is a noble music festival at and — The finalists will be invited to ebullient Murray Perahia Dvorak: 'Cello Concerto, Saint- strength to this music, here in lighter vein — the new Sanyo jazz appear on a Thames Television demonstrates his talents in both Saens: 'Cello Concerto No 1. interpretaled in a sober and unfussy festival at Chichester, A statement scries of programmes in the autumn directions, the end result sounding (violoncello). way, which should surely commend from the firm, which is to operate for judging. In addition to the main — paradoxically — more like a live London Philharmonic Orchestra/- it to those who value an from 5 Drvden Street, WC2 (Tel, 01- prizes each group appearing will performance than a disc in its Guilini. Producer: David Mottley. unmistakably English tradition. The freshness and vigour. This artist's EMI ASD 3452. "Marriage Ulsamer Collegium's very polished 240 2430), said: "DVC will be receive £50 towards musical pianism is slickly effortless, yet it playing is well-served by a resonant uniquely placed to advise firms how instruments. of great minds" is perhaps an recording. to use music sponsorship to meet has an inbuilt dynamism to give it an overworked expression; yet that is ** many of their corporate, public TV for Ashkenazy appealingly rugged quality. The undoubtedly a filling summary of relations advertising, publicity and . whose close integration of soloist and crisp- the spirit behind this disc, recorded Three Cathedral Choirs, conducted other requirements." new Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony is sounding strings has been well- before Carlo Maria Guilini signed by John Sanders, Roy Masscy, John Culshaw was awarded an due for release by Decca mid-month ***served by a good recording. his contract with Deutsche Donald Hunt. Producer David OBE in 1966 as a result of "his (SXL 6884), has been given the Grammophon. Both conductor and Lumsden. Abbey LPB 772. People enormous contribution to the comparatively rare accolade of a John T Williams: Music From Close soloist, each highly distinguished in like to be associated with their own recording industry" when he was at short televised series on BBC 2. The Encounters Of The Third Kind; Star his field, pool interpretative civic and regional music-making Decca. Among his achievements was "Ashkenazy Season" began last Wars. National Philharmonic resources in these two classic bodies: and nowhere is that closely- the recording of Wagner's Ring Saturday (8) with performances of Orchestra/Gerhardt. Producer: contributions to the violoncello knit feeling more intensified than in cycle in its entirety, with Solti two Mozart concerti; this weekend George Korngold. RCA RL 12698. repertoire to produce completely the Three Choirs' Festival, last year conducting, and virtually all of he will be interviewed by Kenneth You've seen the film (well, integrated performances. In celebrating the 250ih anniversary of Britten's works. From 1967 he held van Barthold and then conduct the somebody must have seen it); now Rostropovich's hands the Dvorak its perambulations round the the BBCTV post, leaving in 1975 in Philharmonia Orchestra in hear the music. And, in purely lakes on biting, almost bitter, cathedrals of Gloucester, Hereford order to pursue freelance work. Skryabin's Poem of Ecstasy. technical terms, it really is rather undertones — although the and Worcester. This recording, good music at that. This recording abundance of characteristic melody made in Tewkesbury Abbey, shows of the scores from - both of is lovingly handled. Saint-SaSns's that certain regional choirs have a Williams's most recent box-office rather lighter and more balletic essay thing or two to teach the London NEW SINGLE phenomena, which appears in has been sadly under-rated, as this choral scene. It highlights the dozen RCA's Classic Film Scores series, is performance demonstrates. best trebles from each choir and a what might be termed an admirer's Altogether a fine, committed LP comparable number of lay clerks in DON MACLEAN'S album since the conductor, Charles which should command good sales. a somewhat fragmentary Gerhardl, admits: "Liner notes *** programme ranging from Palestrina CAR WORKERS' ANTHEM traditionally do not praise Purcell: Fantasias For Viols. to Kodaly. The resultant combined composers, and also John Williams Ulsamer-Collegium. Producer; Gcrd tone is bright, easy-flowing and is a personal friend of mine — but Plocbsch. Archiv 2533 366. The confident — particularly in JES001 - FROM neither of these facts will prevent vogue for reconstructing authentic expressive unaccompanied works. me from saying what I think of his performances of the early music Just occasionally a deep hum from SELECTA (LONDON) talent." The Star Wars suite, often repertoire down to the last detail of the recording and a marginal deliciously orchestrated, contains instrumentation has slowly freed amount of surface hiss distract the 01-852-9171 much pungent and thrusting writing, itself from the relatively narrow attention; but these are minor warts yet will sound instantly "familiar" confines of the I4ih- and I5th- on an otherwise sensitive and even to those who have not played it centuries. As this admirable consort musicianly production. PAGE 36