High-Fidelity-1980-0

How1.50May 1980 to Buy a Turntable - Intelligently:

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. I A III tt ft 1131 changes in temperature. But even the new "Mass Concentrated" design im- best of them just seem to reduce drift proves crossmodulation distortion and instead of eliminate it. tracking accuracy. Soyou getmore The Pioneer PL -400, on the other sound clarity and better channel hand, has a Quartz PLL servo system separation. that keeps rotational speed at a con- All these features on a turntable the stant. And keeps the PL -400 unaffected price of the PL -400 is unheard of. But by temperature changes, voltage fluctu- Pioneer didn't stop there. ThePL -400 ations and other powerline anomalies. &sohas full automatic controls. Includ- These features work to keep the ing automatic lead-in, viscous damped PL -400 sounding like a much more ex- cueing, automatic return, and automatic pensive turntable. But without our spe- repeat. An easy to read one -stripe strobe cially designed Coaxial Suspension sys- that confirms platter speed accuracy. A tem, they wouldn't be nearly as effective. quick start mechanism that starts the This free floating suspension sys- platter revolving as soon as the tonearm tem isolates the platter and tonearm begins to move. And more. from the rest of the turntable. So even if So if you want to buy a $200 turn- the base vibrates, the platter and tone- table and are just interested in great arm don't. specs, there are any number you can This means you can shake, rattle buy. But if you're interested in a $200 and roll a lot morewith alot less worry turntable that will give you great sound, that your turntable is doing the same there'sonly one. thing. The Pioneer PL -400. Even the tonearm of the PL -400 is .sorw.Akan. designed to give you better sound. Its 010 PIONEER We bring it back alive. CI Y74 I S Pioneer E1,0 ones Corp., 850)6;3,1 Drive, Moonachie N I J7074 Manufacturers 5.4gesteel retail pnces Actual prices WI I be set by ndiy dual ]eaters.

atf k Today, most turntables in the same INTRODUCING THE price range look practically the same on NEW PIONEER PL -400. paper. But they don't sound at all alike in your home. Because equal specs don'tneces-

Thrust bearing- - Spindle Center of gravity & pivot sarily mean equalsound. Infact, specs Magnet Bearing metal are just a measure of the distortion Rotor housing Platter caused by your turntable itself. They tell FG magnet nothing about how your machine pre- FG detection PCB vents distortion caused by your Coils environment. Automatic mechanism Motorshalt Pioneer's new PL -400 turntable was PIONEER'S NEW STABLE HANGING ROTOR. BY RAISING THE CENTER OF GRAVITY, WE LOWERED designed to also keep externalinterfer- THE RATE OF DISTORTION. ence from coming between you and External cabinet great sound. Die-cast aluminum Tonearm assembly platter Center spindle Tone arm Much of the success of our new Rubber mat base PL -400 turntable revolves around our all new "Stable HangingRotorThe

Insulator world's thinnest direct drive motor. Bottom plate Super -thin automatic mechanism Unlike more massive conventional Super -thin Stable Hanging Rotor DC motor motors, the motor in the PL -400 is so PIONEER'S COAXIAL SUSPENSION SYSTEM. IT VIRTUALLY ELIMINATES VIBRATION AND RUMBLE. thin, it allows the center of gravity to be at the pivot point of the rotating mechanism. So instead of the platter wobbling like a top, the platter on the PL -400 acts like a gyroscope to stabilize itself. Although this technology is very difficult to understand, the result of it is very easily appreciated. You no longer

THE PIONEER QUARTZ PHASE LOCK LOOP SYSTEM. are bothered by distortion caused by sty- BY AUTOMATIC MONITORING, ROTATIONAL SPEED IS KEPT CONSTANT TO REDUCE WOW AND FLUTTER. lus mistracking or speed deviations. So you get just what's on your record. Nothing added to it. And nothing taken away. But this super thin motor does more than eliminate distortion. It also eliminates any space wasting elements used in conventional motors. And because it's THE PIONEER COMPUTER -DESIGNED HOWL -PROOF ENCASEMENT. BY SLIMMING DOWN THE SIZE, WE SLIMMED DOWN so much thinner than any other motor, ACOUSTIC RESONANCE. the cabinet around thePL -400is also a lot thinner. This 20% reduction in cabinet size means the PL -400 is 20% less likely to suffer from acoustic distortion. Many turntables in this price range are direct drive. Some of them offer DC motors. Some of them have servo motors aimed at eliminating drift caused by PIONEER'S BEST -SOUNDING REASON OF ALl: THE PRICE. JNDER 5200. Cl rcle 35 on Page 79 IF ALL $200 TURNTABLES HAVE THE SAME SPECS, HOW COME THE PL -400 SOUNDS BETTER?

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o ; BIAS WHICH BIAS TAPE STANDS UP TO AGENRAD REAL-TIME ANALYZER? The GenRad 1'395 Real -Time Analyzer is among today's state-of-the-art devicesfor

- ,accurately measuring and displaying audio signals. That's why we used it to show that MEMOREX HIGH BIAS is today's state-of- LienRad 97the-art high bias cassette tape. irlsplav When tested a- standard recording levels against other nigh bias tapes, none had e S SPL I,IneFLAT *KT es. ..01 lee. ODSeSD e.IDY. STOP 4110 ilan1.0D a flatter frequency response than MEMOREX HIGH BIAS. .130 "TT 120 And, the signa /noise ratio of MEMOREX

- 0B I 1I111II 11I11111111111iI '0000 Ir HIGH BIAS proved to be unsurpassed at be 1111Il 111 II the critical high end. le, 11 I 11 IIIII Proof you can'- buy a high bias cassette le RAND 20 that gives you truer reproduction. And isn't ° 4:18.111 that what you buy a .. ,A . high bias tape for? - . . " .$3( Ancomm.r.

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HIGH BIAS on The GenRad 1995 Integrating Real -Time Memor' Analyzer measured signals from a ------Nakamichi 582 cassette deck. Input - signal source was "pink noise" at OdB (200 nanowebers-standard record level). If you'd like a copy of the test results. please send a sell -addressed, stamped business -size envelope to the address below Ask for the GenRad Test.

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For unbeatable performance in a normal bias tape, look for Memorex c 1980 Memorax Corporation with MRX3 Oxide, in the black package. Memorex Audio Development Center, PO Box 988. Santa Clara.CA95052. U S 9 MAY 1980 VOLUME 30 NUMBER 5 L HIGH FIDELITY J

Leonard Marcus Abram Chipman Editor John Culshaw Audio/Video R. D. Darrell Backbeat Shirley Fleming Harris Goldsmith 7 Editor, Musical America David Hamilton High Fidelity News 93 Rupert Holmes: Dale Harris Surveying the audio marketplace A Lesson in Resilience James R. Oestreich Paul Henry Lang Classical Music Editor by Stephen Holden Irving Lowens 14 Robert C. Marsh CrossTalk Susan Elliott Fred Miller 96 Pop-Pourri Editor, Backbeat Andrew Porter 23 Equipment Reports "Record" business: End of an era Susan Thiemann Sommer Aiwa LP -3000U turntable Robert Long Contributing Editors by Sam Sutherland Audio -Video Editor Technics SL -10 turntable Edward Greenfield Phase Linear 8000 Series Two 98 Peter Dobbin European Editor L.A. Discovers No Doz Associate turntable by Steven X. Rea Audio -Video Editor Robert S. Clark Garrard GT-350 record changer/ Editorial Director turntable 98 Records Sarina Bromberg Nakamichi 680ZX cassette deck Art Director Wayne Armentrout The Searchers Production Director Crown SA -2 amplifier Ella and Basie Rebecca Abbott Elvis Costello William Tynan Associate Editor 46 Phonographic Prescriptions Director of Special Projects Do those new accessories work? 102 SpinOffs: Jazz Lynda Carlotta David Lee Isabel Parker by Don Heckman and Circulation Director 51 Cynthia Pease How to Buy a Turntable John S. Wilson Assistant Editors Susan Allyn Setting the record straight Circulation Manager by Michael Riggs Diane Albano 104 In Search of Authentic Jean M. Whitehead William P. Johnson Comedy Recordings Editorial Assistants Circulation Service Manager by Sam Sutherland

Edward J. Foster Music/Musicians Leonard Levine 106 Consulting Audio Editor Publisher SpinOffs: R&B 44 Culshaw at Large by Christopher Petkanas Video software: Up a down HIGH FIDELITY is published monthly at The escalator 108 Music in Print Publishing House, Great Barrington, Mass. 01230 by John Culshaw The Muppets by ABC Leisure Magazines, Inc., a subsidiary of American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. Copy- Kenny Rogers right1980 by ABC Leisure Magazines, Inc. The 56 A Party for Zubin Mehta Grateful Dead design and contents are fully protected by copy- by Elise Bretton right and must not be reproduced in any manner. 58 Second-class postage paid at New York, New Behind the Scenes York, and at additional mailing offices. Authorized as second-class mail by the Post Office Depart- 61 Mozart on Original ment, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in Et Cetera cash. Yearly subscription in U.S.A. and Possessions Instruments SI 3.95; elsewhere S 18.95. Single copies SI.50, Oiseau-Lyre's new project is 13 HiFi-Crostic Subscribers: Send subscriptions, inquiries, and ad- a cause for delight by William Petersen dress changes to High Fidelity, I Sound Ave., Mar- by Nicholas Kenyon ion, Ohio 43302. Change of Address: Give old and new addresses, including ZIP Code. Enclose 40 Letters address label from last issue and allow five weeks 63 A Second "Record of Singing" for change to become effective. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to High Fidelity, I Sound Another anthology for vocal 79 Reader -Service Cards Ave., Marion, Ohio 43302. Postal Identi- collectors fication Number 243820. by Dale S. Harris 1112 Advertising Index 67 Classical Records DBX goes digital Rossini's Otello Copland piano works

68 Critics' Choice

88 Theater and Film Star Trek The Black Hole

90 The Tape Deck by R. D. Darrell

4 Circle SS on Page 79 THE EQUALIZER 4 HIGH FIDELITY THAT HAS NO EQUAL. ART CREDITS Cover photo (also appears on page 46) If you think that all stereo equalizers are created equal, you proba- by Bob Brody bly haven't heard Pioneer's new SG -9800. Because while most equal- 51 Tom Leigh izers are not built to handle extended frequency response, sharp tran- 53 Michael Goodman 56-57 Ann Limongello sients and high slewing rates, Pioneer's SC, -9800 is. The SG -9800 has 67 Fayer/CMA low -noise ±1% metal -film resistors for more precise equalization. And low -error ±2% polypropylene capacitors for superior audio characteris- Layouts by Michael Coleman tics. And instead of wires, the SG -9800 has a computer -designed circuit board that eliminates distortion caused by wiring in the signal path. The result is an unheard of distortion level of .006%. Which just goes to prove ADVERTISING that some equalizers are more equal than others. Main Office: The Publishing House, Great Bar- rington, Mass. 01230. Telephone: 413-528-1300. New York: ABC Leisure Magazines, Inc.. 825 7th Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10019. Telephone: 212-

265-8360. Seymour Resnick. National Advertising Man- ager; George Dickey, Record Advertising Manager; Ruth Elliott, Eastern Advertising Manager; Janet Cermak, Ad- ministrative Assistant; Yetta Peltzman, Classified Advertis- ing Department. Midwest: ABC Leisure Magazines, Inc., 190 N. State St., Room 632, Chicago, III. 60601. Telephone: 312- 782-1173. William P. Gordon, Midwest Advertising Man- {1.CP ager; Osbert Bruno, Advertising Representative. www, 0.1 A4 -J-_ P..= Los Angeles: ABC Leisure Magazines, Inc., 2020

Avenue of the Stars, Suite 245, Century City, Calif. 90067.

- Telephone: 213-553-2000. Andrew Spanberger, Western Advertising Manager; Janet Endrijonas, Associate Western Advertising Manager. Tokyo: Japan Advertising Communications, Inc., SYSTEMENHANCERS New Ginza Bldg., 7-3-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104, Ja- CI 980 U.S. Pioneer Electronics Corp., 65 Oxford Drive, Moonachie, N.J. 07074 pan. Telephone: (03) 571-8748, Shigeru Kobayashi, Presi- co PIO NEER' dent. We bring it back alive. Circle 36 an Page 79 NIGH FIDELITY and HIGH FIDELITY/MUSICAL AMERICA are published monthly by ABC Leisure Maga- zines, Inc., a subsidiary of American Broadcasting Com- panies, Inc. Herbert Keppler, Senior Vice President, Photo- graphic Publishing Division; Leonard Levine, Executive Vice Are your records really clean? President, High Fidelity Group; Warren Tuohy, Vice Presi- dent, Finance; David Lee, Circulation Director; Cathleen Aloisi, Personnel Director; Wayne Armentrout, Director of the sure way. Manufacturing. Member Audit Bureau of Circulation. In- vacorec, dexed in Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. Current aid back copies of High Fidelity and High Fidelity/Musical There are plenty of record America are available on microfilm from University Micro- films, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48106. Microfiche copies of these clean ng products around, but magazines (1973 forward) are available through Bell 8 none of them can math the Howell Micro Photo Division, Old Mansfield Road, Woos- Vac-O-Rec system. Vac-O-Rec ter, O. 44691. rotates the record past a Editorial correspondence should be ad- metalized,mylar brush which dressed to The Editor, High Fidelity, Great Barrington, disc h3rges static electricity. Mass. 01230. Editorial contributions will be welcomed, and This i i h. rn losens the dust. payment for articles accepted will be arranged prior to Then, se 3arate super soft publication. Unsolicited manuscripts should be accom- mohair brushes gently reach into panied by return postage. the ;moms to loosen and effective -y remove micro dust. Finial/ all cust and dirt is vacuum cleaned away. The result really clean record. 411 - _-bimetal and surface noise. Vac -0-143c is UL and CSA listed. Dor'tpu- up with noise, or risk damage o your priceless records. See Robins Vac -O -Re: at your dea e-. Manufactured n U.S.A. by Robins as Corp., Con 4°- .11725 NO

Circle 48 on Page 79 a 416. v=1, Circle 38 on Page 7* 41111k. Performance and relia)ilit7.That's why73 of the top 100 radio stations that use turntables ise Technics direct - drive turntables. In fact, of those stations surveyed by Technics Opinion Research Coil:option Technics was chosen 6 to I over the nearest carpet Why did station engineers cl-oose Technics direct drive: "Latest state of die art:'-4:eliability and past experience." ''Low ramie, fast Start:" "Wow and flutter, direct drive and constant speed To quote just a few. And you'll choose Techni:s forte same reasons. The D-Series.Thre tirnta5 es that start at $125. Each with 0.03% wow and Hutt~ and -75 dB rumble. That's unsurpassed performance 'or the price. The Q-Series.Two to -ntabl with speed accuracy of 99.998%, wow anc flutter of 0.025% and -78 dB rumble. No wonder SD many rzcio stations choose

Technics quartz -locked turntables. The MK2 Series.T iree turnables with a startup time r ;of 0.7 seconcs, or V4 3:a revoLit on. And the accuracy of Technics quartz -locked pitch control.That's performance good enough fcr the most demanding professional. Then there's the SL -10 ($600). The turntable of the 80's. Not much bigger that .z record jacket, it has a quartz -locked direct -drive mo:o- and a servo -controlled linear tracking arm. But chat rea ly makes it unique is what it can do: Play with all the accuracy Technics is so famous for, even on its side ()upside down. Technics direct di ive.The --gables that top radio stations use. Technrs-reco 'wended arms. but actual price will be se' by dealers. You should buyaTechnics direct drive turntable for thesame reasons 73 of the top 100 radio stationsdid.

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to. A double -digital receiver with all the right numbers. Digital readouts and digital circuitry. Great and a better spurious rejection ratio (70dB). specs. And the best price/performance ratio in the DC power amplifier: Power is ample for business. All the right numbers. That's the new Sansui almost any speaker made, with 50 watts per chan- G-4700. Just look what we offer: nel, min. RMS, both channels driven into 8 ohms from Double -Digital Design: The front panel of 20 to 20,000Hz with no more than 0.05% THD. the G-4700 has a bright electronic digital readout And the wide bandwidth DC power amp that shows the frequency of the station you've circuit responds quickly to transient music signals for selected; and behind the front panel is one of the most accurate and pleasing music reproduction. the most advanced tuning systems in the world. What you hear is clean and sharp, just the way it was recorded. SIGNAL11011111161111 Electronic LED power meters: Don't worry if rtfl your present speakers can't handle 50 watts. The TUNE O X FM 3Li I MHz array of fast -acting LED's (Light Emitting Diodes) on the Sansui G-4700 lets you monitor and control the PI Nk IN AM. II \II v,,,mIS/11U Ln OlISOar. (1,111): 016 IPi r 511 1:14 .111 output level so you don't damage your speakers. Electronic tuning meters: Two fluorescent readouts help to zero -in on each station with accu- Sansui's patented Digitally Quartz -Locked racy and ease. Both the signal strength and center - Circuit uses a precise quartz crystal time base to tune indicators operate digitally for precise station keep your station locked in, even through many selection, and the nearby LED verifies that the quartz hours of listening or if you turn the receiver off and circuit has locked in your station.

back on again. - Superb human engineering: A full com- Conventional quartz -controlled receivers use plement of genuinely useful knobs, switches and analog phase comparison circuits that can become jacks gives you complete control over what you hear inaccurate because of harmonic interference. Our and how you hear it. system uses a new LSIC (Large Scale Integrated Cir- Ask your authorized Sansui dealer to de- cuit) digital processor that actually counts the vibra- monstrate the G-4700. Listen to the music. You'll love tions of the quartz crystal to compare to the tuned what you hear. Look at the numbers. You'll love what frequency. The frequency is perfectly locked in the in- you see. stant you find the station you want. SANSUI ELECTRONICS CORP. With this unique Digitally Quartz -Locked Lyndhurst, New Jersey 07071 Gardena, Ca. 90247 SANSUI ELECTRIC CO., LTD., Tokyo, Japan system, the G-4700 delivers high sensitivity (15dBf, SANSUI AUDIO EUROPE S.A., Antwerp, Belgium mono); a better signal-to-noise ratio (75dB, mono); In Canada: Electronic Distributors Circle 40 on Page 79 S MAY 1980 7 111igh /FidelityNews

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A 566 J p I Mix 'n' patch from Niles MOS FETS plus Realistic The CPM-31 from Niles Audio is a component patching matrix that allows Radio Shack's Realistic STA-2200 receiver featuresfrequency - up to thirty-one different inter- synthesized tuning and full Dolby FM decoding,as well as microprocessor memory connections between preamp for re- for the storing of six AM and six FM stations. Thepower amp section, rated at 60 ceiver) and tape decks or signal process- watts per channel into 8 ohms, makes use of recentlydeveloped power MOS FETS ors. It has no active electronics and for their inherent linearity and high switching speed.Other features include two- includes 3,300 ohm resistors in each step FM muting, two-way tape dubbing, and defeatabletone controls with output line for prevention of overload selectable turnover points. Separate LED displaysmonitor power output and signal distortion. Insertion loss is said to be less strength. Cost of the STA-2200 is $600. than 1/2 dB when operating tape record- Circle 143 on Page 79 ers singly into normal loading imped- ances. All interconnections are made with RCA plugs. The CPM-31 is priced at $200. Circle 144 on Page 79 ALPHATONE I

ACE AUDIO e. model 3900 oMTO. FillNOTE Ground Lliminstor TUNE OP 0 LPH ACHROMATIC NOTE ANALYZER System Ground - Loop Eliminates IMF

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No -hands tuning 400 4 Imaginearing Audio has developed the Alphatone series of three al- A minispeaker Ace Audio's phachromatic note analyzers that read with muscle out the letter of the note being played hum zinger or sung for quick, hands -free tuning. Kinetic Audio's Stat minispeaker Flats and sharps are indicated, and an uses two 5 -inch "midwoofer" drivers The Model 3900 Ground Llimina- automatic centering bar shows when and a 11/4 -inch dome tweeter in a ta- tor from Ace Audio is designed to elimi- the exact note is hit. Alphatone I is de- pered trapezoidal enclosure designed for nate hum in component audio systems signed for precise instrument tuning, linear phase response. Recommended by breaking up ground loop faults in and Alphatone II is calibrated for vocals; power input range of the system is 10 connecting cables. Because of its passive Alphatone III is a combination of the to 80 watts (10 to 19 dBW). Rated fre- circuitry, the 3900 is said to introduce two. Each model is battery -operated quency response is 36 Hz to 22 kHz, no distortion of its own. The Ground Li- and has a seven -octave range. Prices are ± 2.5 dB. Crossover occurs at 1.8 kHz, minator can be purchased in kit form for S150 for both the Alphatone I and II and and impedance is 4 ohms. The Stat is S14.25; a wired version is available for $200 for the Alphatone III. An optional 171/2 inches high and costs 5399. Op- S16. AC adapter can be obtained for S 16. Circle 141 on Page 79 tional stands cost S49 a pair. Circle 142 on Page 79 Circle 145 on Page 79 8 HIGH FIDELITY A budget -priced bookshelf speaker

Cambridge Physics has announced

11. the Model 208 bookshelf loudspeaker, a two-way ported system with 8 -inch ir woofer and 1 -inch dome tweeter. Sec- ond -order Butterworth filters with a 12 - dB -per -octave slope provide a crossover at 2 kHz. A constant -impedance control adjusts tweeter level over a 50 -dB range. Rated frequency response is 50 Hz to 20 kHz, ± 2 dB, with a sensitivity Get The of 94 dB forI -watt input. The 208, finished in walnut veneer, costs 5129. Professional Circle 146 on Page 79 Disco Sound! Three great reasons why a recent survey published by Billboard Magazine reveals that for the third year in a row Stanton has increased ,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,, its share of the Disco phonograph ...... cartridge market. The Stanton share . - - - has grown to an impressive 55.8%... a full' 24 percentage points more than 111.0111111..0 its nearest competitor.

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- a Tandberg ships separates The 500AL... great sound without sacrificing performance quality. Shown last year in prototype, Tandberg's TPA -3003 power amp is now being shipped to dealers. Designed for hum -free operation, the amp uses a toroidal power transformer and is rated to deliver 150 watts (213/4dBW) into 8 ohms with situ less than 0.02% THD. LEDs indicate clipping for each channel. The TPA -3003 is priced at S1,200. Other products in the Tandberg separates line include the TPT- 3001 programmable tuner ($1,500) and the TCA-3002 preamp (S1,0001. Circle 148 on Page 79 The 680EL...for professional disco operators.

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,,, ,, ,,,,5VAT © 1979 STANTON MAGNE TICS Ei - -.7 NO v OAS AN, Mc re we TM. The 680SL...especially designed for home Disco. From Disc cutting to Disco...to Spectra Sound's pro equalizer home entertainment.. your choice should be the choice of the Designed for studio and stage applications, the 1000B graphic equalizer Professionals... Stanton cartridges. from Spectra Sound has ten bands, infrasonic filters, input level controls, andtotal For further information contact: channel independence. LEDs are provided to indicate overload. Maximumboost or Stanton Magnetics, Inc., Terminal cut for each frequency band is switchable to ±8 dB or ± 16 dB. Ratedfrequency Drive, Plainview, N.Y. 11803. response, with EO in and all sliders set flat, is 20 Hz to 20 kHz,t'/: dB. Both balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs are included on the 100013,which sells sTaNTon for 5595. Circle 137 on Page 79 #1 in DISCO Circle 10 on Page 79 THE CHOICE OF THE PROFESSIONALS' Circle 44 on Page 79 The onlycartape that eliminates thecar.

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BASF PRO III Two different layers middle frequencies. And it also gives is the only one for the road. make all the difference. you higher record- Today's more sophisticated car PRO III has two separate tape ing levels, so you tape systems are every bit as good as layers for peak performance even get clearer, louder many home sound systems -until you under the most difficult listening condi- playback without start your engine. Then, engine noise, tions. The top layer is pure chromium cranking up your wind, tire whine and car vibration all dioxide for unsurpassed highs and low volume control begin to compete with the sound of your background noise. The bottom layer is to compensate. Two alatnei and stereo. Until now, the listening environ- ferric oxide for superior lows and great Whereof coleslaw= for' arra bOgler playback loan ment of a moving car was something The guarantee done mad. less than a moving experience. PRO III of a lifetime. has changed all that. Like every BASF Professional Tape, PRO III comes with a lifetime There's an "extra" in every cassette. 17 BASF guarantee that covers everything. Since the playback equalization Should any BASF cassette tape ever of most car stereo systems is 120-µs, fail for any reason, we'll replace it at 0 605161 we designed no cost. PRO III also comes with our 130.1114:01. 90 PRO III at patented "Jam -Proof" Security Mecha- 3.03 0 yy Pm. Chide Lapel 70-µs. This professionally 1. nism -a BASF exclusive that provides gives you an ferrichrome (Fe Cr)position smooth, exact winding, alleviates wow "extra bright- and flutter, and puts an end to tape RIO.fica ness" during jamming. C110.-Equivalentlane playback, and - 0 Use a tape cassette that gets the most 1355.5 7005 bond it gives your 50 BASF BASF P1c0rbact 01 130.41141 out of your car's sound system. Get the high frequen- new PRO III from BASF -it's the car tape. cies an added 90 90 Meow protessicnal.11 acal tin.120.50 chortle bas 03,050 SOO 1[ 25 41 ex Rd boost that 520 XI provides x, reereenellog level Oat) than high131311 stand out PRO I normal bias. PRO II high bias. lug. at No tapecan be recorded Extremely sensitive tape onecorne woadand cal noise dramatically louder or driven harder. tor thebest and most BASF above ambient car noise. demanding recordings Crosby Drive, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730 10 HIGH FIDELITY

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- - - THE AUDIO PRO TA -150 AM/FM RECEIVER Phase it in Eventide's FL -201 Instant Flanger can now function as a phaser with The finest the use of the BPC-101 plug-in phaser card. While bucket -brigade devices are used to create the time -delay flanging effects, the phaser card uses electronic phase - audio component shift networks to generate frequency cancellations in the audio signal. It requires simple calibration to work with the main-frame FL -201, but thereafter it may be must do more interchanged with the flanger card with no further adjustments. The phaser card than merely alone costs 5233. The FL -201 costs 5615 with either the flanger or phaser card and S848 with both. sound good. Circle 138 on Page 79 For an audio component to be the absolute finest,it must satisfy all design parameters. Multifunction Audiophiles tell us the ideal component is a straight wire with gain. guitar amp The TA -150's all -electronic design comes closest, which helps explain Acoustics Model 165 is a guitar why its sound rivalsthefinest amp with a five -band graphic equalizer, separates. built-in reverb, dual master volume con- Scientiststell us the perfect trols, and switchable FET or tube front machine would have no moving end. Power output is switchable to 60 parts. The TA -150 has but one, a single programmable knob. or 100 watts (173/4 or 20 dBWI. A Designers tell us that form must twelve -inch Electro-Voice EVM-12L follow function. The beauty of the speaker is rear -mounted in the solid oak TA -150 isthat the world's most and walnut cabinet of the Model 165, sophisticated receiver is also the which is priced at S1,195. easiest to operate. Circle 139 on Page 79 Sound, science, and style. The total design approach to audio.

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INF1 11111,10 . -1. r fto - MINI! . IIIMMIA AMA - Nanaisnamo. rrtreC1 8 Furman's tunable crossover

The Model TX -4 from Furman Sound is an active electronic crossover with four user -selectable crossover points from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. A rear panel switch allows selection of stereo three-way or mono five -way modes. Features include separate level controls for each output, unbalanced inputs, and a separate power supply for each channel. Maximum available gain is said to be 6 dB, and distortion is For more information and your nearest dealer rated at 0.01% at1 kHz for a ± 20 dBm output. The rack -mountable TX -4 costs CALL TOLL FREE 800-638-0228 Maryland: 0-459-3292 COLLECT S415. Metro D.0 459-3292 audio pro Circle 140 on Page 79 Circle 46 on Page 79 Circle 6 on Page 79 a 0, TM troducing TDK's Optimum Dynamic::I Normal bias tape taken to the optimum.

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TDK's answer to the need for a normal bias reference standard. The test of success. Optimum Dynamic is the outcome of the same, sophisti- We believe we've teen highly successful it fulfilling the cated technology which set the high bias reference standard need for a normal bias reference standard. But there's a with TDK's SA cassette. Its tape formulatioi consists of Op- simple test. Listen to ar Optimum Dynamic just once. Com- tima Ferric particles. A needle -shaped, pure iron oxide that pare it to anything else you've been using. From then on, you has been ultra refined to cover the tape surface evenly and may want to use it as a reference. densely. The result is a cassette with a sensitivity and MOL audibly superior to any normal bias cassette available in the -o101166- market today. cro Well balanced sound. Optimum Dynamic has all the sound characteristics you've been looking for. Super flat frequency response and 700 -c906 -r. sensitivity with a wide dynamic range. Lower noise and higher ...----- output at critical levels. For example, you'll now be able to 7.7.- capture the full dynamic complexity of a classical perfor- "r" mance as well as the sustained higher output characteristic of contemporary music. In every way, Optimum Dynamic will deliver a well balanced, reference quality normal bias performance. And you'll hear it, unfailingly, for years to come. Optimum Dynamic has the same Super Precision 7 Mechanism as the SA cassette, protected by TDK's TDK 4,41full lifetime warranty.* The machine for ycur machine Supplier to the U.S. Olympic Team © 1980 TDK Electronics Corp., Garden City, New York 11530 In the unlikely event that any TDK cassette ever fails to perform due to a defect in materialsor workmanshipsimply returnit to your local dealer or to TDK for a free replacement.

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An incredible sound experience awaits you. An ex- to the OFF or REPEAT position. Manual cueing is also perience that technology alone finds hard to explain.smoother and more precise ... with far less lateral You'll hear music of such stunning purity and sen- drift during stylus descent. sual richness, that you'll wonder how any turntable A Quartz -locked DC direct -drive motor ... with could make that much of a difference. an LED illuminated strobe ... assures rotational That's the secret of Onkyo. The unique ability tospeed accuracy. And a separate motor controls au- take you several steps beyond pure technology ... tomatic tonearm movement functions. to a world of more exciting sound. And we provide it The entire turntable rests on a highly stable triple - in all our components ... including all five of our insulated suspension system to isolate it from room turntables. vibrations and sound vibrations from your speakers. The Onkyo CP-1030F Fully Automatic Turntable Styling is superb. Silver-grey with black, low is an outstanding example. Its unique design lets youlustre metal and a crystal dust cover. Feather -touch take much fuller advantage of today's most sensitivecontrol buttons are front -panel mounted, with a full high -compliance cartridges ... providing more per- array of LEDs indicating all function settings. fect record groove tracking and more perfect damp- The CP-1030F is just one of five remarkable ing of the vibrations that destroy perfect sound quality.new turntables from Onkyo. All built for more perfect The Onkyo CP-1030F sound . ..both today and utilizes a uniquely de- into the future. signed low mass, straight- Experience "the line carbon fiber tonearm secret of Onkyo" now, at and headshell. Its construc- your Onkyo dealer. Hear tion assures purer sound audio components so ad- even with warped records. vanced, they transcend Infrared sensors re- mere technology. place the usual mechanical Onkyo USA Corporation devices that detect the end 42-07 20th Avenue of record play...returning Long Island City, N.Y. 11105 the tonearm more silently (212) 728-4639

o 1. /: The Onkyo CP-1030F A remarkably advanced turntable that makes every record sound better, evenwhen warped. tl MAY 1980 HIFI-CROSTIC No. 53 13 DIRECTIONS M 1 q 2 F 3 0 4 L . 5 N 6 U 7 X 8 D 9 To solve these puzzles-and they aren'tas V 10 1 11 J 12 713 V **-> tough as they first seem-supply as many of the G 14 N 15M 16 F 17 X18 L 19 V 20W 21Y 22 T 23U 24 H25 K 26 Output words as you can in the numbereddashes i following the Input. Unless otherwise specified C 27 J in 28 I 29 X 30 R 31 NI 32 N 33 Z 34A 35V 36 L 37 0 38 F 39 the Input, the Output consists of one English H 40 P 41 A 42X 43 word. "Comp." means compound, or hyphenated, G 44 V 45 L ZZ 46 47 0 48 I 49 ,i.,.1.N 51 word. ' 7 52 J53 E 54U 552 56 1.- V 57K 58X 59G 60 L 61 Transfer each letter to the square in the ZZ 62 F 63 D 64T 65 E 66 S 67 diagram that bears the corresponding number. Af- 8 68C 69A 70 X 71 H 72 L 73 1 74 N 75 ter only a few correct guesses you should beginto K 76 P77 V 78 M 79X 80 see words and phrases emerging in the diagram, J81 2 82 L 83 8 840 85 D 86 H 87R 88F 89E 90 C 91 U 92 which when filled in will contain a quotationre- A 93 lated to music, recordings, or audio. W 94 J 95 G 96N 97V 98Z 99 X100 H101 K102 E 103 L 104 A105 The words in the quotation are separated 1106 F107 Y108P109 U110 X112G113 by darkened squares and do not necessarilyend at MIll V114F115 K116P117 01188119 the end of a row. R120 U121 C 122 N123 H 124 71251126 Try to guess at these words and transfer W127Z 128 F129 22130M1310132 each newly decoded letter back to its appropriate 8 133 G134 01352136J137 r L 138 X 139 1140 r 1 dash in the Output. This will supplyyou with fur- G 141 M142 N143 ther clues. K144 B145 ZZ 146V147X148 R 149 J 15C 7151 F152 01532154 G 155 A final clue: The source of the quota- L156 C157 K158 tion-the author and his work-will be spelled 22159W160 0161 N 1625163 H164 out A165 M166JI67 P168X169 F170 by the first letters in Output, reading down. R 171 1172 0173 Z 174 A1751 176 The answer to Hifi-Crostic No.53 will V177W178X179 0 1800181U182 ap- ....._ 7183 pear in next month's issue of HIGH FIDELITY. F184 1 185 M186C 187 K188 6189J190 r 1191 X192V193X194U195 5196 1197 M198C199 8200X201 N2025203 F204 12051206 K207 R208 J209 L210

INPUT OUTPUT

A. "Pickin' up " Southern singing game 165 70 93 2175 aw 5. .05 42 35 B. Carry out; consequence --E -C 145 119 200 - 84 133 68 iN ts1 ely C. Schumann symphony _ / i-t 69 157 122 91 199 27 187 D. With Word ZZ., final resort 1739 9 173 86 64

E. With Word I., jazz singer 11904-491 withEllington in 1_ the '30s 103 66 54 90 ..., . F. Jazz-rock performer/composer and Grammy /7- N, / ± .,. i_i_ winner, 204 184 115 89 _be began career at age twelve (full professional name) 63 3 152 17 39 107 170 12 C. /-1 C ..... `1'" G. Simple piano piece by four Russian composers __L_ 96 155 134 60 -- 189 141 14 _ 113 13Z 44 ...... - N. American composer, Mrs. 11 _a -1-- tl 11867-1944): 50 164 101 25 72 "Gaelic" Symphony knit and last name) 124- 40 87 I. See Word E. ri L.__.,-;_' ,A 74 LL 29 49 140 206 172 I 106 J. Reciprocal of conductance J...... ,_ 167 95 81 28 137 53 12 150 209 190 K. Jazz drummer with Cannonball Adderley (full name) ------L.-_1_ 192 58 26 158 102 144 207 76 188 116 -t- t,, L. American composer 11861-19081 "Indian" Suite (full a- 12 711 ... 61 126 5 47 6 k name) 37 138 73 -9- 19 104 83 185 156 210 191 176

'-) 1 M. Britten cantata 12 wds.) j_ , ,i)

1 II 186 1 16 131 79 142 198 166 32

N. Varese percussion composition I 51 162 75 202 123 6 143 33 97 IS 0. Slight fluctuation in pitch -V. 2 153 14 48 -85 180 118 -4 ... C.- P. Of the Dorian scale, manly and strong 41 168 109 77 117 t-1 / G. Popular vocalist: "Blind Lemon's Buddy" _-C- 4 181 38 135

, R. Musical show by Judd AMMO, original caston Colum- 1 bia 171 88 120 31 149 208 8. Tune," famous 16th -century English psalm 67 163 196 203 ..... T. Making money _I 1 ...,L. 183 65 13 52 23 125 151 e P U. Anglican equivalent of Catholic vespers / 182 121 110 24 7 92 55 195 , V. Medieval theory of nondiatonic tones 12 Lat. wds.) C _a_L_ 1 98 36 19 177 114 45 _ 78 193 57 20 147 W. Conductor Karl Sc -c- -_ 1 vl 94 21 178 160 127 :.. er. X. Former Concertgebouw conductor (full name) _j_::_ 30 179 139 8 -..- '-o 148 71 18 43 194 101/ 201 80 _L-7.--- 169 112 59 Y. 'Wachet auf,_ uns die Stimme" __L__ 22 205 197 108 Z. Music played on the taqslm or bashraw 7 P 99 =,..1/1lill/ 56 128 174 154 82 136 34 ZZ. See Word D. a _r_ L.7 14 146 130 62 159 46 by William Petersen 14 HIGH FIDELITY ilitintashC Ilk I own an old Scott Model 310C are less easily distorted and therefore Q.FM tuner. Since I thought tuners have a better shot at maintaining voice - "A Technological had come a long way since I purchased coil centering. An off -center coil can rub it,I decided to test the performance of against the magnet structure, producing the Phase Linear 5000 and the Technics gross distortion as well as friction. While Masterpiece..." 9030 in my home via a loan agreement the friction certainly would reduce effi- with my local audio dealer. The results ciency, the distortion is really the more were startling: Both new tuners showed serious concern from the sonic point of much greater noise and hiss and were view. But companies that prefer the less sensitive than the 310C. My dealer lighter, stamped type of basket claim insists that the Scott tuner is monaural, that, since the back of the speaker is _ - but it has outputs labeled A and B, and I protected by the enclosure, there is no Fos. 7-48-sQ6-6-6 60 can clearly hear separation between the opportunity for the basket to be de- channels. Is the Scott mono or stereo, formed to the degree necessary for ro= and can you explain its superiority to voice -coil problems. Incidentally, cast the two super tuners?-Aaron Barcham, baskets are not peculiar to bass -reflex Cranbury, N.J. systems, though JBL lone of the com- McIntosh C 32 panies that has been quite vocal on the While Scott made some tuners subject) is well known for both. "More Than a Preamplifier" that, years after they were with- drawn from the market, continue to Your test reports on the new so- compare well with today's products (the called "metal ready" cassette McIntosh has received peerless ac- 0, LT -1 12B was, perhaps, the "classic"), decks seem to point out that these claimfrom prominentproduct you are attributing virtues to your fif- decks are really not capable of getting testing laboratories and outstand- teen -year -old 310C that it doesn't de- the sort of performance from metal tape ing international recognition! You serve. It is, in fact, a mono unit and we've been told to expect. With metal can learn why the "more than a therefore can be compared with modern tape, the decks you've tested seem to show rougher high -frequency reproduc- preamplifier" C 32 has been tuners only when the latter are heard in tion and greater distortion than with selected for these unique honors. mono. On stereo broadcasts, listening in mono will reduce the noise content dra- high -bias ferric tapes. Nowhere do I see the tape manufacturers' claim of a 10 -dB Send us your name and address matically in weak or borderline stations. If you hear "separation" from the Scott, improvement in high -frequency head- and we'll send you the complete it presumably is due to aging, which can room borne out. As an audio salesman, I product reviews and data on all introduce response changes independ- am in a bind. I've found myself steering McIntosh products, copies of the ently in the two outputs, one of which customers away from the very expen- international awards, and a North was intended for a multiplex adapter. sive metal formulations, knowing that American FM directory. You will similar (and sometimes better) perform- understand why McIntosh product There seems to be a controversy ance can be had with much cheaper premium ferric formulations. Are metal research and development always brewing in bass -reflex speaker design between those companies that tape and "metal ready" cassette decks andtech- hastheappearance extol the virtues of woofers with heavy, just another hype?-Name withheld at nological look to the future. cast steel frames and those that con- writer's request. tinue to use stamped steel frames. A Keep up to date. knowledgeable friend of mine tells me As the situation stands right that the thin, stamped steel frame flexes A,now, metal tape makes sense Send now --- in operation, allowing the voice coil to only for special application recording distort the magnetic field, thereby de- and, according to the data we've ac- creasing the speaker's efficiency. Yet, cumulated, only on fairly expensive McIntosh Laboratory Inc. some ads state that the heavy cast equipment. Though the "metal ready" Box 96 East Side Station frames are impressive looking but add feature is fast becoming standard on Binghamton, NY 13904 nothing to the performance of. the many budget -priced decks, these decks' driver. Who's right?-William C. Lloyd, ability to get the most from the new Name Madison, Wis. tape is doubtful. There is some irony in Address the situation: Would the purchaser of a The main virtue claimed for the $200 deck really be willing to spend SIO City _State Zip A.extra -rigid speaker frames-or or so for metal tape? We think not, and baskets, as they are called-is that they obviously many deck manufacturers that If you are in a hurry for your catalog please send the coupon to McIntosh. For non -rush service send the Reader Service Card to the magazine. Circle 26 on Page 79 Circle 24 on Page 79 r. THE KLIPSCH HERESY: The biggest sound inasmall speaker istwo-thirds Klipschorn at less than half the price.

Ii 1957 Paul Klipsch designed a small loud .peake that uti-ized the same tweeter a lc mid-ange driver as the legendary 1 lipschorn. le added a 12 woofer and maximized the catinet vo ume fx exceptional Klipsch Heresy is one of bass response. Until that time. KI psch had buit only corner speakers the most efficient small and the new design sva for 'against the wall' placement When he speakers in the world. described this accomplid-imen- to a sales representative, the maa said it Only one watt of power . ° - -...-:-- was "aeresy" to put so much Klipschorn n s.,ch a small will deliver 96 dB of speaker that diin't even require a corner. sound pressure four feet into your room and it can take 100 watts if your ears can. Response range s from 50 to 17,000 Hz plus or minus 5 dB.

Because of its high efficiency, the Nips. Heresy Ic doesi 't require es pensive, high- pixwc---ed amplifiers tc reuroduce the ft II bandwidth of This lowest priced d ma nic sound. This Klipsch Heresy comes helps you afford a in unfinished birch better cartridge, turn- plywood for exceptional table or tape deck. durability, so if you want great sound without r.

the furniture finish, < r.. this is the one for you. ,r ry , 1;e:

' For tonal detail, definition, imaging, ° : -ran sient response t, and durability, the The Klipsch Heresy cabinet is shown hese it (Iqsch Heresy has beautiful, hand -finished walnut. Built to the hignaa e7'''''!1 to equal in its size. quality construction standards in the industry, t will put you you can also choose oak, teak, rosewood, ebony, , 0.,-e: 'ror t row center, vs. - zebra wood and other exotic wood venous. 'tieing the thunder sf rte bass, the . mpict of the drums, anc the exhilaration of each crescendo. ' c.rkt

II - t. The Klipsch Heresy S a count 4 - investment because, urlize eatery otter aspect of today'; comp an?rc hi -I system. !. it will not be disc leie ten years from -ow.

A - f Legend in Sound. _ NT: 1 AJ=Ciel5

Please send me free in'ormat on on the Klipsch Heresy and the entire I ne of

Address

City State Zip Klipschorn, Belle Klipsch, Klipsct LaSzzla. fMail to: Klipsch and Associates, Inc. Klipsch Cornwall and Klipsch Heresy a -e Box 688 is pe, Arkansas USA 7 801

registered trademarks of Klipsch k Associates I Or Call: 501-777- 67 it Hz 16 HIGH FIDELITY IF YOU THINK YOUR STEREO include metal capability as another feature rather than a prime focus would DELIVERS GREAT BASS, agree. In our tests of high -end metal -capable decks, results are much more en- ALLOW US TO LOWER couraging and do not confirm your contention of increased distortion and high - YOUR STANDARDS. frequency roughness. Obviously there has been a rush by all involved to get Musically, what the 110 does is Right now, your stereo system metal tape and compatible decks to extraordinary. It re-creates the natural doesn't deliver bass frequencies much market as soon as possible-perhaps a subharmonics of the original sound so below 50Hz. Simply because that's the bit too soon. In our view, however, your room vibrates with a depth of bass limit of most records, tapes and FM metal -alloy tape holds great promise, you've never heard before. Or felt. signals. and we eagerly await the appearance of But now there's a way to hear the Except in a live performance. less costly decks that can be said to be kind of bass so deep, you actually feel Visit your authorized dbx retailer for it. With the dbx Model 110 Subharmonica demonstration . truly metal ready. Synthesizer. Because just one listen to the dbx Technically, what the 110 does is sim- Model 110, and your standards will be To my great consternation, I am ple. It samples the low frequency signal lowered forever. 0.finding that my older records are, of your music, reproduces it a full dbx, Incorporated, 71 Chapel Street, becoming so warped that the stylus lit- octave lower, and then mixes it back in. Newton, MA 02195. 617/964-3210 erally jumps out of the groove while trying to track them. Is there anything I can

SUEIHARNIONIC SYN., P.M SIE'Z do to flatten them out, and how can I _dbx SYNTHESIZER prevent other records from undergoing 110 ' I similar deformations?-Yong J. Kim, CIPVMATE Thousand Oaks, Calif. I=1

LOVV fief 111111. PMERUENCY Storing records vertically with WYPASEI scoot SUOHERIYIONIS LEVIS. dbx® MAKING GOOD SOUND BETTER A,gentle pressure exerted uniformly should preclude the develop- Circle 1; on Page 79 ment of warps. Any attempt to flatten out a warped record is never 100% successful, and anyone undertaking the task should pay careful attention to detail; that is, the disc must be scrupulously clean, pressure must be applied evenly, Only the new MMC 20CL and only chemically inert materials can give your turntable the should contact it. Another reader, Jorge performance levels of our Espinosa of Santiago, Chile, has devel- unique single crystal sap- oped his own protocol for dewarping phire cantilever and a micro - records. He states, "The warped record THIS TIME polished Contact Line should be placed in its inner protective diamond stylus. And our new sleeve and then sandwiched between MAKE THE universal connector makes two glass plates [about'/. inch thick] and proper installation an effort- pressed gently. This sandwich should less task while it eliminates then be exposed to strong sunlight and RIGHT the weight and RO remain untouched for two or three mass of the days. The greater the difference be- CONNECTION common head - tween daylight and nighttime tempera- shell. If you have a high tures, the better the results. I've flat- quality turntable, it probably tened absolutely unplayable records deserves the MMC 20CL. with two days of this treatment. Make See your Bang & Olufsen sure, however, that the record has MMC dealer to make the connection. 20CL cooled to normal ambient temperatures before removing it from the glass -plate sandwich." Good luck.

We regret that, due to the volume 11- 4 of reader mail we get, we cannot give individual answers to all Bang&Olufsen questions. For Information Write To: Harold Flemming Bang & Olufsen of America, Inc., 515 Busse Road. Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007

Circle 9 on Page 79 - - ?1 ' The first collection'`-. t. r. worthy of the name.

Introdu the mostcomp ete Mozart collection ever assembled in America!

Ss,

?At 4. 0 Nst-777. W0%04 1Juversoty Coll.townW Now., In.rument. a.n. Slonner Calk. hunl ''''' $45 book, TIME gill 44, yours free kl101.111111° - with purchase iir '\_ . or 244 pages 300illustrations LIFE 12 color portfolios 41, Aremarkable key RECORDS Also available on tape cassettes. to the "inner Mozart" TIME -LIFE RECORDS Now, in one of the most ambitious recording ventures of the Time & Life Building, Chicago, IL 60611 RWAG K2 decade, TIME -LIFE RECORDS introducesa record collection YES, I would like to audition The Late Piano Concertosas that does long -overdue justice to the genius of Mozart. Amonu- my introduction to MOZART. Please send this five -record mental series encompassing all of Mozart'smany musical forms. stereo album along with the 244 -page book, Mozart: The Man, The Musician, and enter my subscription to Own all of Mozart's symphonies, concertos, sonatas, MOZART. If I decide to keep The Late Piano Concertos, I will chamber music. Plus his greatestoperas, sacred pay $24.95 ($29.95 in Canada) plus shipping and handling, and the book will be mine to keep at no extra music, dances, divertimentos and concert arias. cost. I will then receive future albums (each one A feast for Mozart lovers, from The Late Piano Concertos to containing five stereo LP records) from MOZART, shipped The Late Symphonies, The Late String Quartets, Don Giovanni, one album at a time approximately every other month. The Middle Symphonies-each five -record album captures another Each album will cost $24.95 ($29.95 in Canada) plus facet of Mozart s virtuosity. shipping and handling and will come on the same 10 -day free -audition basis. There is no minimum number of albums that I must buy, and I may cancel my subscription Hear Mehta, Bernstein, Sutherland, de Larrocha, at any time simply by notifying you. If I do not choose to Solti, Horne, von Karajan, Ashkenazy and more! keep MOZART: The Late Piano Concertos and the accompa- You could never put together a collection like thison your own! nying book, I will return the complete package within 10 These landmark albums feature interpretations by theout- days, my subscription for additional albums will be standing performers of our time. Many arenew performances- canceled and I will be under no further obligation. recorded expressly for this project. r-/I want five tape cassettes and the book 1--1 instead of records ($5.00 extra). Listen to The Late Piano Concertos for 10 days free. RYAGE3 Start with The Late Piano Concertos. Each has itsown unfor- Name gettable personality. Listen to the album for 10 full days without risk. If you are delighted, you may keep it for only $24.95 plus Address Apt shipping and handling, and enjoy free auditions of future albums City in the collection. To order, mail card or coupon to TIME -LIFE RECORDS, Time & Life Building, Chicago, IL 60611. State (or Prov.) Zip (or Code) dry -llior\\rli /1 1611 ,-)1 t rf]AV I hrr_A j r I 111 Dj

Dili I 9q131 sliao flw oa 9gsq Y 1.B9fi r.

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I :70% "von blol 0 00 It's called print-through. And ifyou think it interferes withyour reading,you should hear what it does toyour listening. It happenson tape that has low magnetic stability.Musicon one layer of thetape is transferredto musicon an adjacent layer, causing an echo. At Maxell, we'vedesignedour tape for superiormagnetic stability. So what'shappeningto the opposite page won't happen toyour music. Yousee,we believeyou should only hear the musicyou want to hear. Nothing less, andnothingmore. maxell

- ,

IT'S WORTHIT. %melt Corpora on of Arrkeoco. 60 0.ford Dove. Moonoch., N.J. 0707A

Circle 25 on Page 79 Advertisement smaller diniension from front -to -back. Empire's EDR.9 and a very large, low pressure degree of contact between stylus and groove The Phono Cartridge Designed for top -to -bottom. The net result of this Today's Audiophile Recordings large contact area, which engineers call a "footprint': is that the stylus of the EDR.9 can track musical signals to the limits of audibility and beyond, yet has the lowest record wear of any cartridge presently available. The stylus shape of the EDR.9 is called L.A.C. for "Large Area ofContact': 3. Conventional cartridges exhibit radi- cal changes in their frequency response when connected to different preamplifiers. This is because the load conditions - theamounts of capacitance and resistance provided by the preamp- vary tremendouslyfromone preamp to another, and from turntable to turntable. Consequently, most phono cartridges. even expensive ones, have their frequency response determined essentially by chance. depending on the system they are connected to. But the electrical elements of the EDR.9 have been designed to remain unaffected by any normal variations in load capacitance or resistance. Thus, the EDR.9 maintainsits smooth fre- quencyresponse andaccurate transient - reproduction ability in any music system, Direct -to -Disc and digital recording improve the overalltransientresponse irrespective of loading conditions. have added a fantastic new dimension of the cartridge. The end resultis a to the listening experience. Greater dy- stylus assembly that has a mechanically " flat frequency response. The frequency namic range,detail,stereoimaging, 1_ --t response extends from the 20Hz to 35Hz r - lower distortion and increased signal- -1111r , to-noise ratio are just a few of the with a deviation of no more than ± 1.75 - ! --- - 1 phrases used to describe the advantages dB. No other magnetic cartridge has I I 1 L -.,. that kind of performance. We call this . - of these new technologies. - -11 s4-1 r : , In order to capture all the benefits stylus assembly an"InertiallyDamped I4 I- of these recordings, you should have a Tuned Stylus': the refinement of which A conventional cartridge's frequency re phono cartridge specifically designed to took over 6 years. sponse changes when connected to different preamps. reproduce every bit of information with 2

utmost precision and clarity and the I I 'I rT. r - .i" least amount of record wear. HI' I -

The Empire EDR.9 is that cartridge. . Although just recently introduced, it is 16,,,41111111146,. I r already being hailed as a breakthrough r_ - -i- -i- 1 by audiophiles, not only in the U.S., but Contact area of Large contactarea y -4- -I- . ! : in such foreign markets as Japan, Ger- ordinary of LAC Diamond. many, England, France, Switzerland and Elliptical Diamond. EDR.9 is not affected by changes in loading Sweden. conditions. What makes the EDR.9 different? In order to reproduce a groove con- 4. 1. taining extreme high frequency musical overtones. thestylustip must have Then, as a final test of performance, small enough dimensions to fit within we listen to every EDR.9 to make cer- the high frequency portion of the groove. tainit sounds as good asittests. At Yet, the smaller the stylus tip, the greater $200, the EDR.9 is expensive, but then the pressure applied to the record sur- again, so are your records. face andthe more severethe record For more detailed information and Within the cantilever tube, we added wear. In the EDR.9, we have responded test reports, write to: a mechanical equalizer.It serves two to these conflicting requirements by de- purposes: (1) to cancel the natural reso- veloping a stylus that has the proper Empire Scientific Corp. !FE nance of the cantilever tube, and (2) to dimensions from side -to -side, a much Garden City, NY 11530

ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFE ENPIFEENPIFE Circle 17 on Page 79 MAY 1980 23 NewEquipmentReports Preparation supervised by Robert Long, Peter Dobbin, and Edward J. Ir111111111111M111111111k Foster. Laboratory data (unless VTF ADJUST otherwise noted) supplied by CBS Technology Center or Diversified DISC SENSOR SENSOR SENSADJUST. Science Laboratories. 400 PROGRAM (ON/OFFI SPEED. PITCH DISPLAYS m = ARM RELEASE 1C---DISC SIZE 17/10/12 IN .I PITCH ADJUST 03, 451 -11. SPEED 145/331 a -_ ,L.11 OM+.

ARM REVERSE AC POWER 'rn".1 ARM ADVANCE TRACK/PROGRAM SELECT CUEING REPEAT PLAY CLEAR/REJECT SKIP BACK ERROR INDICATOR SKIP FORWARD

Aiwa's Ultimate Aiwa LP -3000U two -speed (33 and 45 rpm)programmable single -play turntable, with lateral -trackingarm and hinged dust cover. Turntable Dimensions: 181/2 by 171/4 inches (top plate), 6inches high with dust cover closed; additional 12 inches at top and 11/4 inchesat back required with Aiwa LP -3000U turntable cover open. Price: $1,000; optional RC -20 remote control,$65. Warranty: "limited," two years parts and labor. Manufacturer:Aiwa Co., Ltd., Japan; SPEED ACCURACY (at 33 or 45 rpm) U.S. distributor: Aiwa America, Inc., 35 OxfordDr., Moonachie, N.J. no measurable error at 105, 120 or 127 VAC 07074.

SPEED ADJUSTMENT RANGE The LP -3000U is that sort of occasional audio productthat demands at 33 4-6.8 to -6.1% attention. Were it to be displayed in a store window,only the rarest of audiophiles at 45 +7.0 to -6.0% could resist stopping for a moment to stareat it-delighted as much by its sleek good looks as by the promise held by so TONEARM RESONANCE & DAMPING (see text) many blinking lights and silvery buttons. vertical 5.8 Hz; 21/2-d13 rise Though there have been turntables before that incorporatesome of its features, the lateral 5.0 Hz; 21/2 -dB rise LP -3000U is unique in combining a microprocessor-based memory and opto- electronic track selector with tangent -tracking tonearm and ARM FRICTION negligible in either plane direct -drive motor with quartz lock. VTF-GAUGE ACCURACY Considered first as an automatic single -play turntable (sanstrack reads approx. 10% above actual values selection and memory), the 3000U is a fine performer.The lateral -tracking tonearm MIN. STYLUS FORCE FOR AUTO TRIP50 mg is statically balanced; you set vertical tracking force byunbalancing the disc -shaped counterweight. The tonearm is propelled across the recordby its own motor on a TOTAL LEAD CAPACITANCE 218 pF single -support, rack screw mechanism. Cueing, beingintegral to the automatic functions, also is powered by a separate motor. Oncethe platter has been brought up to speed, a green LED next to the digital speed readout signalsoperation of the quartz lock, which operates even when you move the adjustmentknob away from the standard settings. The adjustmentrange reaches a hair beyond the claimed ± 6% variation, which represents a half -tone pitchchange in either direction, and the percentage of change appears on an LED display.Since the 3000U employs a tangent tonearm, there is no lateral tracking angleerror or skating force and hence no overhang or antiskating adjustment. Data from CBS Technology Center show the turntablecapable of excellent basic performance. Line voltage does not influencespeed; flutter and rumble measurements are in the good -to -excellentcategory. CBS did find a slight discrepancy between the speed readout and the actualpercentage variation when Report Policy: Equipment reports are based on labora- the control is set near either extreme-for adjustmentsof more than ± 2.5%-but tory measurements and controlled listening tests. Unless we see no reason why the accuracy of the readout at these settings otherwise noted, test data and measurements are ob- should be of tained by CBS Technology Center, a division of Columbia any interest for all but the most esoteric of applications. (Thesettings are repeatable, Broadcasting System, Inc., and Diversified Science Labora- so if the LEDs show +3% when a recording is tuned toyour piano, you can return tories. The choice of equipment to be tested rests with the easily to that setting no matter what true variation itrepresents. The actual editors of HIGH FIDELITY. Samples normally are supplied on loan from the manufacturer. Manufacturers are not permit- percentage might matter, for example, if you were tryingto tune the piano to A = ted to read reports in advance of publication, andno re- 440 Hz from a recording known to have been madewith an A at another pitch- port, or portion thereof, may be reproduced for anypur- from which it should be obvious what wemean by "esoteric.") pose or in any form without written permission of the publisher. All reports should be construed as applying to The tonearm is equipped to handle any of the "universal" headshells, the specific samples tested; HIGH FIDELITY, CBS Technology but for automatic track selection functions thesupplied headshell must be used. A Center, and Diversified Science Laboratories assume no re- rather massive affair at 16.5 grams, it contains thesensor: an infrared -generating sponsibility for product performance or quality. LED and an infrared -sensitive photo transistor. All thisapparatus adds mass to the 24 HIGH FIDELITY

arm at the most crucial point. When mounted with our standard Shure V-15 Type III pickup at the CBS lab, the combination resulted in a resonance point, both laterally and vertically, right in the warp information area. Fortunately, the resonance is fairly well damped, minimizing potential groove jumping, but a less compliant pickup should reduce the possibility even further. Now to the automatic functions. The 3000U has three modes of operation. The simplest of these is semiautomatic and is available whether or not you are using Aiwa's sensor -equipped headshell. You must select disc size via one of the selectors (marked 17, 25, and 30 cm-for 7, 10, and 12 inches in U.S. nomenclature). Touching PLAY will set things in motion: The arm lowers itself onto the record and returns to rest at the end of play. A touch on REPEAT and on one of the ten consecutively numbered program buttons will trigger replaying for that number of cycles. (If no number is pressed, the arm will repeat its play cycle twenty- four times or until it is stopped manually.) During the play cycle, you can cue the arm to any desired selection via PAUSE (which raises the arm), FORWARD/CUE or REVERSE/ REVIEW (which shuttle the arm forward and backward, respectively), and PLAY (which lowers the arm again). With the disc -sensor headshell in place, you are presented with a choice of fully automatic and programmed play. The former leaves it up to the arm to seek out the beginning of the disc. With PROGRAM switched on, the microprocessor memory circuits will accept your choice of bands on the record, the desired order, and the number of times you wish each to play. Up to fifteen commands can be entered into the memory at any one time, but once the program has been entered and the arm has begun its search -and -play functions, the memory will no longer accept new commands, though you can skip ahead to the next programmed selection (via Oise) or back to the beginning of the band being played (B/skiP). To erase the memory, a touch of CLEAR/REJECT is all that's needed. In use-and we lived with this machine for some months before reviewing it-the 3000U can be both thrilling and frustrating. Like many automatic turntables, absolutely level placement is critical. (Otherwise, drift during arm descent can deposit the stylus in the wrong spot; it may even fall off the disc's edge bead.) Since Aiwa says that at least 3 millimeters of banding is required between cuts if the sensor is to find them, we were not surprised that we could not pick out individual movements on many classical records. But many popular records also lack the amount of space between cuts that the 3000U's "eye" demands, and even some records that looked fine were "read" either incorrectly or not at all by the sensor. Pressing HIGH SENSITIVITY does help where sensor perception is marginal, but after several episodes in which the arm scanned entire sides without finding anything to play, we settled on nonprogrammed automatic play for most of our listening. Used this way, the 3000U is mightily impressive. Its tangent tracking and exact and unvarying speed control are truly state of the art. And we enjoyed the built-in muting circuit that suppresses the impact noise of the stylus alighting on the groove. The programming function is admittedly somewhat problematic, since not all records are made to Aiwa's specifications, but diversity is what adds the spice to life, we're told. If that is so, this turntable adds more than a little spice to its field, and even listeners for whom it represents an overrich diet will find elements to admire-elements that may well appear in less elaborate future models. Circle 131 on Page 79

Technics SL -10 two -speed (33 and 45 rpm) single -play Technics' First turntable, with tangential -tracking arm and moving -coil pickup and head amp. Dimensions: 121/2 by 121/2 inches (top plate), 31/2 inches high Tangent- with top closed; additional 111/2 inches required vertically with top open. Price: $600. Warranty: "limited," two years parts and labor. Manufacturer: Tracker Matsushita Electric Co., Japan; U.S. distributor: Panasonic Co., Div. of Matsushita Corp. of America, 1 Panasonic Way, Secaucus, N.J. 07094. Some months ago Technics held a press conference to announce the coming introduction of its first tangential -tracking turntable, the SL -10. During the presentation a company spokesman noted that, depending on consumer reaction to this first model, Technics hopes to do for this format what it did for direct drive, beginning with the SP -10 almost a decade ago: develop a broad line of well -made, reliable, and affordable units. If our reaction is any indication, the SL -10 may very well be just such a harbinger. Reel Versatility Ata CassetteDeck Price.

Upgrading is for The New Realistic®The TR-3000 has music lovers who can three motors. A preci- hear the difference. For Upgrader. sion servo -controlled them, Radio Shack has capstan motor reduces

made "the difference" affordable . . . for exam- wow and flutter to less than 0.06% WRMS. And ple 30-28,000 Hz ( ± 3 dB) frequency response, two high -torque reel motors maintain constant extended dynamic range, low distortion, low tape tension for smcoth, fast winding. Separate noise-you get it all in the easy -to -be -creative play, record and erase heads give you "off -the - open reel format. Tape handling is no problem tape" monitoring. Individual mike and line input because the TR-3000 is totally logic controlled. controls work like a built-in mixer. High/low bias A pushbutton -activated solenoid system con- and EQ switches for an optimum match with trols all tape movement-you can switch func- any tape. 71/2 and 33/4 ips speeds. And lots tions instantly, without tape spills or snarls. more. Realistically priced at only $499.95.* Pause and mute controls even let you edit, Check its superb sound and specs at one of our electronically, as you record. 7000 locations today!

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26 HIGH FIDELITY

This is by far the most compact high fidelity turntable we've ever seen. Technics compares the dimensions of its top to those of an LP jacket, and that's CLEM SCALE about half the area of most turntables. Its configuration, too, separates it from the in ACM, POSITION NOES rest: The tonearm, microprocessor circuitry, and function selectors are contained the top half of the body (the cover, as it would be called in a more conventional

1,1 -ROO, o - DEC STABILIZER design), and the bottom half contains the quartz -lock direct -drive motor, platter, speed selector, and moving -coil head amp. This last deserves some explanation. The SL -10 comes equipped with a built-in moving -coil pickup designed specifically for the dynamically balanced tangent tonearm; it will not accept any other brand or _r type of cartridge. The built-in head amp is, of course, necessary to step up the AC POWER STOP/ARM REVERSE I SPEEDINDICA MTN I--START/ARM ADVANCE pickup's very low output voltage, but a bypass switch at the rear of the turntable REPEAT CUEING allows you to use your own head amp, if you have one. The SL -10 comes from the factory with the pickup in place and the vertical tracking force already set. Because of its dynamically balanced arm, it is Technics SL -10 turntable extremely insensitive to position. And since a top -mounted, rotating stabilizer keeps SPEED ACCURACY pars or 45 rpm) the record securely pinned to the platter, you can actually play it with the turntable no measurable error at 105, 120, or 127 VAC mounted vertically. (We even played a record with the unit upside down!)

WOW 8 FLUTTER (ANSI/IEEE weighted peak) According to the owner's manual, stylus replacement is easy, requiring only that you ± 0.03% average; ± 0.06% max instantaneous remove one screw, and VTF is reset simply by dialing in the correct amount on a calibrated scale. What this all boils down to is the simplest setup procedure yet for a -64 dB TOTAL AUDIBLE RUMBLE (ARLO sophisticated turntable: Remove the transit screws, plug the AC cord into the wall TONEARM RESONANCE & DAMPING (Technics pickup) and the signal leads into your system, and it is ready to play. vertical 13 Hz; 6V2 -dB rise The SL -10's tonearm logic and automatic record size/speed setting are lateral 11 Hz; 51/2 -dB rise faultless. When you drop a regular, opaque record into playing position, it will cover ARM FRICTION negligible one or more of the sensors built into the platter surface, thereby "telling"the logic circuitry the size of the record and suggesting "standard" speed. If the disc is TOTAL LEAD CAPACITANCE (head amp bypassed) placing 166.5 pF transparent or colored, you can still make use of the automatic sensor by first one of the supplied 7- or 12 -inch black paper light shields on the platter.To play a record whose speed does not correspond to its size (such as a 7 -inch LP) the automatic speed selector can be overridden with manual settings. The tonearm maintains its tracking accuracy with the help of another optical sensor, located close to the stylus, which assesses groove deflection angle and repositions the tonearm to maintain optimum tracking. szsi A touch on START begins automatic play. Pressing CUE raises the arm and illuminates a portion of the disc's surface. A soft continuous pressure on START causes the arm to move slowly across the record; increasing the pressure increases the traversal speed. If you go too far, you can use the STOP in similar fashion to back up. DISC SIZESENSORS Intermittent pressure on either START or STOP will cause the tonearm to move in discrete 1 -millimeter increments. As a safety feature, the SL -10 will not propel its

04+ -MANUAL SPEED tonearm past the edge bead of a record in this mode. If the arm is in playing Jt SELECT 133/45) position, you can return it to its rest either by pressing STOP or by opening the lid. TEMPORARY PLATTER AC POWER ROTATION Data from CBS Technology Center bespeak careful attention to basic engineering. Speed control is rock steady; arm friction is negligible; flutter and rumble measurements are excellent. The amplitude of the low -frequency resonance -here measured with Technics' supplied pickup instead of our standard Shure-is typical in light of its well -placed resonance point. In use, the SL -10 is an absolute joy. It does its job with finely bred finesse and demands no involvement, past pressing START, by the user. Though the cueing light proves marginally helpful in locating the correct band, a long LED index that moves with the arm scale on the top cover proves even more useful in determining exact cue -down spots. Considering the sophistication of the unit, we were somewhat surprised to find an input on the rear that will accept anoptional 12 -volt negative -ground DC power supply. Information in the owner's manual confirms that Technics does, indeed, envision that the SL -10 might be used in an automobile. Its insensitivity to operating position would argue in favor of such an application, but not its resistance to external shock. While we found its suspension good for home applications, this consideration plus its tendency to create pitch wavers when it is moved suggest that any vehicle in which it is mountedshould be stationary before you attempt to play a record on it. In our conventional use of it, we had nothing but praise for the design and hope that it sires abreed of turntables that are equally compact and capable but priced for those to whom a straight-line tracking model still is an improbable dream. Circle 134 on Page 79 More on Page 28 Circle 22 on Page 79 Speaker.for higher.

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Unique qualifications. bones. Music with a frequency A slimmed down For example, a tweeter response that stretches from speaker. mounted directly in the grille. 50 Hz to 40,000 Hz. No extra fat on this It's the Jensen 61/2" Coax Not only from the tweeter speaker... it's only 1%" deep II car stereo speaker. And in the grille. But also from and it fits your current 51/4" by putting the 2" tweeter the 6" woofer behind it. This cutout. So it will fit in more where it is, we've improved woofer's hefty 16 oz. magnet car doors, more rear decks, the high frequency disper- and large 1" Nomex' voice and more tight spaces than sion. And slimmed ever before. down the speaker. LCIL,a2a1.1=Lia-1-1 The Jensen 61/2" Experienced Coax II is also easier treble -shooter ° a .- to install, thanks to ....for better its new uni-body con- dispersion. struction. The grille High frequencies is permanently affixed can be tricky... they N 15/1 to the speaker unit. usually just want to / Which not only makes travel straight for- installation easier, but ward. But the up -front also means a sturdier position of this direct 2"Direct50 watt1 Large 1" Massive Woofer, speaker with less vi- radiating power Nomex 16 oz. tweeter radiating tweeter tweeter handling voice magnet and grille bration. helps disperse those capacity coil combined Excellent into highs throughout the single unit references. whole car. Give a listen to So whether you install coil serve up a second helping the new Jensen 61/2" Coax these speakers low in your of full, balanced bass. While II's. The speakers with the front doors or back in the a responsive rim suspension grille -mounted tweeters. rear deck, you can .be sure and meticulous cone design We think you'll agree you're going to hear all of give this speaker extra sen- that they're just the right the treble this unique speaker sitivity. speakers to fill the position has to offer. This highly efficient, 4 in your car. Beefed up music. ohm Coax II will handle up That's what you'll get to 50 watts of continuous from the 61/2" Coax II. Music power. And make the very SOUNDJENSEN LABORATORIES with plenty of meat on its most of it. AN ESMARK COMPANY 28 HIGH FIDELITY

Phase Linear Model 8000 Series Two automatic two -speed (33 A Suave and 45 rpm) linear -tracking turntable system, with dust cover. Dimensions: 191/4 by 171/4 inches (top plate), 61/4 inches high with cover Tangential closed; 12 inches additional clearance vertically and 21/4 inches at back required to open cover fully. Price: $750. Warranty: "limited," one year parts and labor. Manufacturer: Pioneer Electronic Corp., Japan; U.S. distributor: Phase Linear Corp., 20121 48th Ave. West, Lynnwood, Wash. 98036. American audiophiles may be somewhat surprised that a company

VTF ADJUST. whose name has been so closely associated with electronics should suddenly offer a series of ultrasophisticated electromechanical products (the Phase Linear cassette deck, like this turntable, is such a model) with no history of accomplishment in the field. They may even wonder how good a "first try" could be, even from a company

AC POWER ARM ADVANCE/REVERSE with so fine a reputation in its original field. A more international view makes the SPEED LOCK INDICATOR START/STOP SPEED SELEC T 3/451 CUEING answer obvious: This turntable appears elsewhere under the Pioneer name, and DISC SIZE 02/10/71N / REPEAT Phase Linear became a subsidiary of Pioneer about two years ago. A little earlier, when the Series 20 brand was launched, a spokesman explained to us that its products all represented state-of-the-art Pioneer designs that seemed incompatible Phase Linear Model 8000 Series Two turntable with Pioneer's broad distribution system and audio -for -Everyman image in this

SPEED ACCURACY (at 33 or 45 rpm) country. The appearance of the new models under the Phase Linear brand (and the 0.2% fast at 105, 120, or 127 VAC disappearance of Series 20) surely establishes a pattern. We expect that more Pioneer -built products too specialized in appeal and/or too costly for the typical WOW 8 FLUTTER (ANSI/IEEE weighted peak) ± 0.035% average; ± 0.06% max. instantaneous neighborhood home -entertainment retailer will be groomed as adoptive siblings for the Phase Linear electronics. TOTAL AUDIBLE RUMBLE (ARLL) -6315 dB Yet in one sense, at least, the appeal of the 8000 is very broad indeed.

TONEARM RESONANCE 8 DAMPING (see text) For years we have used the term "silky feel" to characterize the sensuousness of vertical 7.8 Hz; 2I6 -dB rise finely made gear, and this turntable has it in abundance. Whether you use the lateral 6.0 Hz; 21/2-d13 rise control buttons on the front edge of the base or grasp the arm's finger grip directly, the noiseless and seemingly intelligent scurrying of the arm drive to do your bidding ARM FRICTION negligible suggests the activities of a superbly trained pet mink. If you do grasp the arm, the VTF-GAUGE ACCURACY behavior is like that of a typical semiautomatic: The phase -lock direct -drive platter no measurable error motor comes on as the arm nears playing position, and arm return and motor

MIN. STYLUS FORCE FOR AUTO TRIP70 mg shutoff are automatic at the end of the record. The arm can also be positioned manually via the "steering -wheel" vernier at the right front corner of the base. Or TOTAL LEAD CAPACITANCE 250 pF you can set the controls for the disc diameter and go for fully automatic record playing-and even repeat the record indefinitely if you want, since the cycle continues until you press REPEAT a second time. Behind these relatively cosmetic features is some impressive technology: in particular, the tangent tonearm. (Phase uses the term "linear"; aside from the implied reference to the full company name, it correctly suggests linearity of behavior, but any arm will move the pickup along some sort of "line" from outer groove to label, and the difference is that this line is straight for a tangent arm, curved for a pivoted one.) Its outer end accepts any universal headshell (one is supplied), including those with integral pickups. Tracking force is set with a fairly conventional counterweight, of which two (for two cartridge mass ranges) are supplied. The pivot has a good deal of lateral play and is coupled to the servo controlling the motor drive of the carriage beneath it, which rides on a pair of round rails. When the motion of the record groove (or your fingers, at the handgrip) introduces any angular displacement, the entire pivot support corrects it by trundling along the rails to keep lateral tracking angle error always vanishingly small. Since gravity will pull the arm aside and thus trip the servo, the turntable must be level; a spirit level is included with it, and the feet on the base double as levelers. One specific in the measurements taken at CBS Technology Center may look worrisome: the resonance frequencies, which fall on the upper edge of the warp -frequency range. Since the measurements are made with a Shure V-15 Type III, which is of moderate mass and very high compliance, you can keep resonance above this range by choosing a pickup that is less compliant or still less massive or both; the models that are equipped with an integral universal coupling might be especially good. But, at 21/2 dB of rise, the resonance is not exaggerated, and we successfully used cartridges comparable to the Shure in the 8000. The resonance was evident, in fact, only in our usual table -thumping test, where some pitch waver could be induced, though isolation from shocks was judged exceptionally good. The data further show that the speed is totally unaffected by line voltage-a pattern to be expected in quartz -lock equipment. The fact that the TEAC TEAC TODAY THE X -SERIES.

You're looking at four The brain new machines behind the trans- that have more in port is our LSI common with control chip. It data recorders eliminates the than audio re- need for me- corders. Together chanical relays they are called so transport the X -Series. And control is faster, they bring a total- more positive ly new kind of and reliable. The technology to the LSI also lets us pro- open reel format. vide full motion - Each sensing in the X -Series transport X-10 and X -10R. is an instrumenta- Within the X -Series, tion mechanism. machines have For 15 years, this been specifically TEAC design has designed for bi- stood the gruel- directional ing test of time in record and play- computer instal- back. Perfectly lations where symmetrical head dependability is \. stacks (6 heads worth millions. in all) assure top ' The basic performance in configuration is closed -loop dual both directions. There's capstan. It's extraordinarily quiet, stable automatic reverse and repeat. and precise. Wow & flutter is very low. And two-way cue monitoring. Speed accuracy very high. New audio electronics Three DC motors drive the tape. They're accompany this new transport tech- used to keep changes in motor temperature toa nology Record and playback amplifiers minimum under different loads so constant torque is maintained. are quieter and completely free of audible distortion. The sound is cleaner, more faithful to thesource. The Our Magnefloat flywheel assembly, acom- fidelity is unsurpassed. pletely new concept, uses magnetics rather than An option previously available only on our mechanics to eliminate problem -causing springs and professional recorders can now be added to any pressure plates. Axial variations between the tape X -Series machine. Called dbx 17 this noise elimi- and capstans are prevented so proper tracking is assured. The result is highly accurate audio repro- nation system adds 30dB to the already high S/N and over 10dB of headroom to give you master- duction even after years of hard use. quality recordings. The X -Series transport maintains ideal tape -to- If your audio perception is critical, your head contact. Audible drop -outs, level and frequency listening standards high, audition an X -Series losses are absolutely minimized. Frequency response is recorder. The performance is flawless. The sound wide and flat. And signal articulation is unusually clear peerless. TEAC.

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speed is a hair fast is more surprising but inconsequential. Wow and flutter are just about as low as CBS has ever been able to measure; rumble is squarely in the league with other fine models. The two samples we examined have a slight cant in the headshell (whether we use that supplied by Phase or interchangeable ones from other sources), which could influence the pickup's channel separation somewhat. Otherwise we consider the detailing, finish, and care that have been lavished on the 8000 to be exemplary. And the logic governing its multimode behavior performed faultlessly for us. Some products are extremely efficient in use, and we would score the present model high in this respect-particularly in the way its manual functions override and complement the automatic ones, rather than inhibiting or being inhibited by them as they often are in automatics. (We even found that we could "trick" the logic into letting us backcue, which is extremely rare in automated turntables and generally beyond the interests of the home users for whom the 8000 obviously is designed.) But the Phase rises above even this level of excellence in the sheer pleasure it affords the user; it is beautiful to look at and so fascinating in operation that we were tempted to play with it, rather than play records on it. It is, in a word, a delight. Circle 132 on Page 79

Garrard GT-350 two -speed (33 and 45 rpm) record changer/ A Multiplay turntable, with base and removable dust cover. Dimensions: 171/2 by 141/4 inches (top plate), 73/4 inches high with cover closed; 9% inches additional and More vertical clearance and 41/4 inches at back required with cover open. Price: $230 without cartridge; 5307.45 with premounted Shure M-95ED from Garrard cartridge. Warranty; "limited," three years parts and labor. Manufacturer: Garrard, England; U.S. distributor: Garrard U.S.A., 100 Commercial St., Plainview, N.Y. 11803. Anyone who still believes that multiple -play turntables are inherently inferior to single -play machines in most performance parameters should spend an hour or two with Garrard's GT-350. Designed from the ground up as part of Garrard's Advance Design Group, the GT-350 seeks to assimilate state-of-the-art VIE ADJUST PITCH ADJUST -.- single -play features into a fully automatic record changer. Judging from the success ANTISKATING ADJUST of the GT-35 (HF, July 1978), we expected much from this machine. Its low -slung silhouette, silvery finish, and front -mounted controls (accessible with the dust cover

SPEED SELECT 133/551 closed) are attractively different from the classic Garrard look. Though this company REJECT MODE (OFF/MANUAL/AUTOI CUEING has made forays into direct drive, here it has opted to retain belt drive with a servo DC motor, electronic speed selection, and variable pitch control. The 9 -inch statically balanced tonearm has been pared down so that its effective moving mass (when Garrard GT-350 record changer balanced for a cartridge weighing 5 grams) is just 12 grams. The carbon -fiber headshell (actually a two-part system consisting of a SPEED ACCURACY lat 33 or 45 rpm) finger lift/cartridge holder and headshell body) is cleverly joined with a sort of built- no measurable error at 105 or 127 VAC when set exact at 120 VAC in phono alignment protractor that makes setting stylus overhang quite simple and precise. In this scheme, the pickup is first mounted to the finger lift, which in turn SPEED ADJUSTMENT RANGE slides into a groove on the headshell body to prevent lateral skewing of the at 33 +16.7 to -2.8% at 45 +11.3 to -2.0% cartridge body. You then turn over the platter mat, exposing a series of raised parallel lines and one intersecting perpendicular line. To set overhang, you move the WOW 8 FLUTTER (ANSI/IEEE weighted peak) tonearm over the mat until the headshell is between and parallel to the raised lines. ± 0.07% average; ±0.17% max. instantaneous You then slide the cartridge back and forth until the stylus meets the designated TOTAL AUDIBLE RUMBLE (ARIL) -59 dB intersecting point on the mat and tighten the pickup mounting screws. Data from CBS Technology Center attest to the GT-350's capabilities. TONEARM RESONANCE & DAMPING Speed is unvarying; the adjustment range does not extend very far downward, but vertical 8.2 Hz; 4 -dB rise lateral no measurable rise this will likely concern few users. Tonearm resonance-measured with our standard Shur V-15 Type III pickup-is close to ideal in frequency (and will be higher with ARM FRICTION negligible pickups that are lighter and/or stiffer) in the warp -sensitive vertical plane and so

MIN. STYLUS FORCE FOR AUTO TRIP 120 mg well controlled as to defy detection in the horizontal plane. Rumble and flutter measurements are good. Measured VTF values, while not dead on the gauge values, VTF-GAUGE ACCURACY are within the operating window (typically, +10-25%) of most cartridge specs. The reads approx. 5% above measured values antiskating bias is within the normal range-a little toward its high end at the "1 - ANTISKATING BIAS FACTOR 0.20 gram" setting (where our bias factor is calculated) and a little lower above. The GT-350 performs admirably. The illuminated strobe markings are 150 pF TOTAL LEAD CAPACITANCE clearly visible and reassured us that, even with five records resting on the platter (the maximum number the changer is designed to handle), speed does not vary.

Circle Son Page 79 P Our TK1 3"high -frequency TheSKISW extended 4ltec's SWI Power Bass provides speakers add brilliance and range speakers are the the rich, low bass that's been clarity to your car sound (also heart of our system missing inautomotivesound. 1a great remedy for already 2and have A /tees famous installed lackluster .systems) crispness and efficiency.

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.111 lipt k \ AIM INCREDIBLE CAR SOUND IN THREE EASY STEPS. AND ONE HARD ONE.

as 1.."1 Just as essential, number two, HighwayTM a listen. We believe it's the - - our SKI 51/4"speakers. Designed only speaker truly designed for the

for extended range and for fitting car. (And when it's installed by an in where nothing else will. The sound? authorized dealer, we'll guarantee it It's what made Altec famous: clean, for as long as you own the car). Suggested clear and tight. retail In addition to our AL1 system, price. Number three is a unique we also have an incredible set of 6"x 9" requirement: the SW1 Power Bass. Duplex speakers. They're ideal for A self -powered subwoofer that fills all cars with severe space limitations, Let's break all rules and get to out the entire system, improves because they easily mount into the hard one first. Number four: $350 its dynamic range and reduces distor- a door. They also can be used with for a complete car stereo speaker tion. Its unique die-cast structure the AL1 system or are available system. Gulp. But considering what contains a 40 -watt amplifier, elec- themselves at $159.95 per pair. you paid for the stereo in your dash, tronic crossover, balanced inputs and if you don't have good speakers, all an active equalizer. And the results LISTEN. FREE GAS. that money is simply wasted. are dramatic. (Or you can add the Just to get you to listen, we'll Before we get to number one, Power Base to your existing speakers pay for your gas money. Take this ad a word about our whole Voice of the for $219.95 and still get great sound.) to your car stereo dealer, listen to Highway"' system (the ALl). It's Now back to number four, our the speakers, and we'll send you $2 extremely modular. So much so, you $350 item. If you want true car stereo, for gas money, whether you buy can buy any part of it and enhance super efficiency and clear performance or not. That's how confident we are what you've got now. Of course, it's (not just so much noise on the road), you'll like our Voice of the Highway."' best to get it all and listen to car you have to give our Voice of the So when it comes down to the four stereo as it's supposed to sound. steps, all of them are really easy The A system designed exclusively for the ALISystem to take. One at a time, or all at road, but engineered to rival the one once. Including the last one. in your living room. 111 It won't be so hard, once you Now to number one, a pair of really listen. Hear Altec's Voice TK1 3" high frequency drivers that of the Highway" today and end

deliver the highest highs you've up driving a real bargain. For the heard in car stereo. It's a dimen- ALTEC name of your local dealer, call sion other speaker systems just I_AINSING° toll -free (800) 528-6050, Ext. 731; don't have. Voice of the Highway' in Arizona (800) 352-0458. 1515 South Manchester Avenue, Anaheim, California 92803 - - At. \tech talk: 45 Watt RMS minimum per channel into 8 ohms. From 20 to 20.000 Hz. With no more than 0.03%. THD.

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The tech talk you just read is a set of amplifier When you consider that THD of up to 3% is specifications, or specs. Specs for the considered virtually inaudible you can under- remarkable MCS ° Series Model 3248 45 Watt stand just how remarkable the MCS Series receiver. Most people think they need an engi- 45 Watt receiver really is. neering degree to understand specs so they So come to your nearest JCPenney and see usually don't even try. That's a mistake.for yourself. See the LED power meters. The Specs are intended to inform and protect you. tape monitoring system that lets you compare With that in mind, we'd like to end some of the what you're recording to the program source confusion. while you're recording. The tape dubbing - The first sentence above tells you that 45 control that lets you record from one tape watts are the least amount of continuous deck to another, and back again, at the flick of (RMS) power the amplifier portion of the 3248a switch. The loudness switch that boosts will deliver to each speaker channel when bass and treble ranges when the volume is

-- hooked up to 8 ohm speakers.------low. See all these features and much more. Or The second sentence states that at least 45 just come in and listen to the MCS Series 45 watts of power will be delivered over the Watt receiver. You won't have to look any fur- /-entire audible range of sound frequencies.ther. The MCS Series 45 Watt receiver only -----/- From 20 to 20,000 vibrations per second (20 $379.95 and only at JCPenney. ------,/ to 20,000 Hz ). The last sentence contains the most impor- Full 5 -Year Warranty on MCS' Series speakers. tant information of all.It tells you, that under Full3 -Year Warranty on MCS Series receivers, / these coriditionsconditions the unwanted overtones or turntables. tape decks, tuners and amplifiers. Many harmonics will not exceed three hundreths of MCS Series component is defective in materials one percent of the output signal/ (0.03% THDand workmanship during its warranty period, we or total harmonic distortion). / will repair it-lust return it to JCPenney. \

PI IC(i;higher.flAlaska. Hawaii and PuertoRICO I MCS Series Audi Components sold exclusively ,i1 JCPenney I ht AIG

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Cueing is a bit abrupt in the liftoff but well damped in descent, withno side drift. We had no trouble with a problem sometimes posed by other changers: alteration of effective VTF by electrostatic attraction between the arm and the stack of records poised above it. As far as the "changing" function itself is concerned, thetwo -point record suspension system and plastic cams beneath the platter performed faultlessly. Immunity to surface -borne shock is about average. We're not entirely sure whether the introduction of a new record changer at this moment of market domination by single -play modelsrepresents an act of courage or one of opportunism on Garrard's part. So swiftly and thoroughly has the limelight swung away from the once -omnipotent multidisc format that its admirers must sometimes wonder where their next turntable will be coming from. Garrard to the rescue! In view of the GT-350's solid performance andscarce competition, the company's efforts should be rewarded. We hope they will be;we would like to think that audiophiles are not such slaves of fashion that they willpass up changers altogether. Circle 135 on Page 79

Nakamichi Model 680ZX two -speed (17/8 and 15/16 ips) All This and cassette deck with automatic azimuth adjustment, in metal case with rack -mount adapters. Dimensions: 17 by 5 inches (front plate, 19 inches Half -Speed Too wide with rack -mount adapters), 121/4 inches deep plus clearance for controls and connections. Price: $1,550; optional RM-200 wired remote control, $45; RM-580 wireless remote control, $165. Warranty: 'limited,"" Nakamichi 680ZX cassette deck one year parts and labor plus additional three-year coverage on parts PLAYBACK RESPONSE 1TDK test tape, -20 dB DIN) other than head, capstan, and motor assemblies. Manufacturer: DB- Nakamichi Corp., Japan; U.S. distributor: Nakamichi U.S.A. Corp., 1101 0- Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, Calif. 90401. -5 -t r 680Z% So many of the features of the 680ZX are new or unique or both that HZ 20 50 100 200 500 IK 2K 5K 10K20K we hardly know where to start. The half -speed option is a first for a quality home Lch + I, -V: dB, 40 Hz to 12.5 kHz deck (though it has been announced for some relatively inexpensive battery -R ch + I V,, -1/4 dB, 40 Hz to 12.5 kHz portables and is, of course, the standard transport speed for microcassettes). So is RECORD/PLAY RESPONSE, TYPE 2 TAPE 1-20 dB) the automatic azimuth adjustment system, which is a refinement of theever - DB evolving Nakamichi three -head transport. The 680 has audible cueing-notexactly a 0 .1111ilk. a ""%essie novelty, though this is the first Nakamichi deck to employ it-andan ancillary -5 680.121 system that the company calls Random Access Music Memory. Like the few similar HZ 20 50 100 200 500 IK 2K 5K 10K 20K systems on the market, RAMM finds recorded selections by sensing the blanks

L ch '+ 11/4,-1 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz between selections in the fast -wind mode; but here, too, Nakamichi has left its -R ch +11/4, -11/4 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz unique imprint on the way the system is realized. Also out.of the ordinary is the with Dolby noise reduction - Lch +11/2,-1 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz pitch control, which adjusts playback speed only and is detented at the normal - R ch +1'/.,-11 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz setting. And there is the "bar graph" metering system, whichwe consider unequivocally the most useful display available for the amateur recordist. RECORD/PLAY RESPONSE, TYPE 4 TAPE 1-20 dB) Like others of its ilk, this display has the advantage (over meters) of DB showing levels for the two channels in such close proximity that they 0 46. can be viewed -5 simultaneously. Unlike most, it is superbly calibrated: from below -40 to +10 dB and 6802401 differentiating 47 signal levels-in steps of less than 1 dB over the entirerange from HZ 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K20K -10 dB up, with the marked calibrations unusually precise in thisrange. There are - L ch +11/2, -1 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz two metering modes and two display elements in each channel for each mode. R ch +1, -11/2 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz When you switch the display for peak indications, the "bar" of the bar graph RECORD/PLAY RESPONSE, TYPE I TAPE 1-20 dB) (which, as usual, actually comprises a series of discrete segments)follows DB instantaneous peak values with just enough decay time to allow you toassess signal 0"%Ryer-1. values. In addition, what Nakamichi calls a cursor-consisting ofa single illuminated -5 rollHi segment unconnected to the bar except at signal maxima-holds onto those HZ 20 50 100 200 500 IK 2K 5K 10K20K maxima for about 4 seconds before it begins inching downward. Thusyou have L ch + 756, - I dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz simultaneous instantaneous -peak and peak -hold metering, the mode in whichwe -R ch ± 11/2 dB. 20 Hz to 20 kHz generally preferred using the display. A second mode converts the bars toaverage readings (the sort one might get from a VU meter, while the cursor simultaneously S/N RATIO Ire DIN 0 dB; A -weighted) Type 2 Type 4 Type 1 bobs about above the bar at the instantaneous peak signal values. The spikier the playback without noise reduction waveform-that is, the more sharp transients it includes-the farther apart the two 59 dB 5744 dB 551/4 dB will fall; the closer the signal approaches sine -wave behavior, the nearer they Dolby playback come. 671/2 dB 66114 dB 63% dB Thus the combination tells you not only average and peak values, but something record/play without noise reduction about the nature of the signal as well. 56 dB 5544 dB 52 dB But there's more. When you begin recording and switch the deck to Dolby record/play 641/2 dB 641/2 dB 61V. dB its calibration mode, a 400 -Hz tone appears at the recording input and azimuth adjustment begins automatically, using a recording -head servo to eliminateany .1 Circle 33 on Page 79 34 HIGH FIDELITY

METER READING FOR DIN 0 DB +3% dB TAPE SENSITIVITY ADJUST.-- RAMM DISPLAY MEMORY REWIND ION/OFFI LEVEL DISPLAYS METER READING FOR 3% DISTORTION (at 333 Hz) PLAYBACK SPEED ADJUST- - Type 2 tape +61/4 dB

Type 4 tape >+I0 dB _ Tr, -TAPE TYPE II/2/41 Type I tape +8 dB HEADPHONES EO 1120/70 uSECI DOLBY ION/OFF/WITH MPXI DISTORTION (third harmonic; at -10 dB DIN) DISPLAY ICAL/HOLD/VUI EJECT - 11 5 1 -TIMER (RECORD/OFF/PLAY) MONITOR ITAPE/SOURCEI AC POWER 0.5 RECORDING LEVEL MASTER REWIND PAUSE LEVEL PRESET/BALANCE 0.2 PLAY/RECORD OUTPUT LEVEL STOP SPEED SELECT INORMAL/HALEI 0.1 FAST WIND RECORDING INTERLOCK

thOZX 151

HZ 20 50 100 200 500IK 2K 5K 10K 20K

- Type 2 tape 50.84%, 50 Hz to 5 kHz phase difference between channels at the playback head. You then can trim for tape Type 4 tape 50.36%, 50 Hz to 5 kHz sensitivity via the array of twelve screwdriver controls, one for each channel for - - Type I tape 5.0.60%, 50 Hz to 5 kHz each tape with each transport speed, below the metering. Its erstwhile calibration ERASURE 1333 Hz; re DIN 0 del disappears as soon as you switch to CAL and is replaced by one that differentiates Type 2 tape >80 dB levels in steps of a mere 1/4 dB from -3 to +3. This permits an adjustment accuracy 76 dB Type 4 tape unknown in most displays of this type, which sometimes have a resolution poorer CHANNEL SEPARATION (at 333 Hz) 401/4'dB than 1 dB per step and thus almost guarantee poor Dolby tracking. Bias is not adjustable; the TAPE switch's three positions are marked in terms of Nakamichi's own SPEED ACCURACY 0.4% fast at 105, 120. ferric, SX for "chrome" Type 2, and ZX for Type 4 and 127 VAC branded tapes (EX for Type I metal), and Diversified Science Laboratories used these tapes in measuring the SPEED ADJUSTMENT RANGE +8.2, -6.1% 6802X. The excellent (as usual) owner's manual lists alternative Type 1 and Type 2 formulations from Ampex, Fuji, Maxell, and TDK but evidently was prepared before WOW & FLUTTER (ANSI/IEEE weighted peak) average maximum the many recently announced metal tapes could be assessed from production playback ± 0.06% ± 0.09% samples. record/play ± 0.06% ±0.08% The separate bias and EQ (120/70 microseconds) switches are used

SENSITIVITY Ire DIN 0 dB, 333 Hz) 86 mV together in the normal fashion when you are recording at 1 741 ips. For half -speed operation, however, the manual specifies the 120 -microsecond EQ for all tapes to OUTPUT (from DIN 0 dB) I.33 V compensate for the reduced high -frequency headroom. Actually, we made some Half -speed (15/16 Ips1 operation surprisingly good tapes with the slow speed and the heftier (70 -microsecond) high - frequency boost, but their success depended on the relative absence of loud highs. RECORD/PLAY RESPONSE, TYPE 2 TAPE 1-20 del Even with the recommended EQ, the slow speed exacts a toll if you want really DB clean, open highs with signals on which hiss will be minimal in playback. The 0wC astonishing thing is that, given the deck's outstanding performance at 17/e ips, you 5 aez. au must give up so little when you switch to half speed. The results are comparable to HZ 20 50 TOO 200 500 IK 2K 5K 10K20K those with the very best (full -speed) decks of not so many years ago. - Lch +1, -3 dB, 20 Hz to 15.5 kHz The slow speed can be used for three basic purposes: to store R ch +1, -3 dB, 20 Hz to 15.5 kHz recordings that would normally require C-90 or C-120 tapes on C -45s or C -60s, with Dolby noise reduction using their thicker base material to lessen the likelihood of audible print -through; to - - Lch +1, -3 dB, 20 Hz to 14 kHz -- -- R ch +1, -3 dB, 20 Hz to 14.5 kHz reduce tape costs by using shorter tapes or by cramming twice as much onto the same lengths (though, for more exactly comparable signal quality, you may want to RECORD/PLAY RESPONSE, TYPE 4 TAPE 1-20 dB) choose more expensive formulations for the slower speed); and to accommodate DB without interruption recordings too long to fit onto one side of standard cassettes 0 at standard speed. This last is of particular merit to operaphiles-above all, -5 -..."'"'76trot11.171 Wagnerians. After putting an entire "Carmen" onto a single C-90, we glanced at HZ 20 50 100 200 500 IK 2K 5K 10K 20K our collection of fractured acts from "WalkUre" and "GOtterdammerung" broadcasts - L ch +I, -3 dB, 20 Hz to 17 kHz with rueful eyes. R ch +3/4, -3 dB, 20 Hz to 17 kHz For inherently more fragmented fare, the greater capacity poses a

RECORD/PLAY RESPONSE, TYPE 1 TAPE 1-20 dB) problem: finding what you want to hear. Nakamichi has anticipated the need by providing (in addition to the usual memory rewind) what some manufacturers call a DB -.0111== cue/review feature. If you press FAST WIND or REWIND and then PAUSE, the winding 000- 5 speed slows somewhat and a twittering of output appears at your monitor speakers MOIT11111 11 so you can keep track of your whereabouts on tape. We found this a useful feature HZ 20 50 100 200 500 IK 2K 5K 10K 20K at both speeds. To activate the RAMM, you start with FAST WIND and press PAUSE - Lch + -3 dB, 20 Hz to 16 kHz twice, at which point the numeral 1 appears to the left of the metering display to R ch + I, -3 dB, 20 Hz to 16 kHz indicate that the RAMM will skip one selection and play the next. To increase the number to be skipped, you press PAUSE, stepping the display number upward at each tap; you can step the number downward by tapping RECORD. Perhaps because in RAMM operation its winding speed is slower than average, we find the Nakamichi design uncommonly adept at finding the interselection spaces as they whip past the playback head; but it is not altogether foolproof, and without side -by -side MOVE INTEIE

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S/N RATIO Ire DIN 0 dB; A -weighted) comparison with the same recorded tape we can't quantify its effectiveness. Type 2 Type 4 TypeI playback without noise reduction Suffice it to say that in pops (music with relatively few "holes" that will look like 55 dB 55 dB 55% dB pauses to the sensing system) it usually gave us the selection we wanted, but we Dolby playback found it easier to use the CUE/REVIEW for the classics. 64)6 dB 6414 dB 64 dB record/play without noise reduction In terms of performance, the 680ZX is simply superb. The flatness of the 53% dB 52% dB 53 dB record/play curves-even at levels higher than those shown ;n the graphs-cannot Dolby record/play be surpassed in any significant respect by any deck we know of. Indeed it's a good 621/4 dB 62 dB 62 dB deck that can match at 17/8 ips what the Nakamichi can do at 15/16. Even when we METER READING FOR 3% DISTORTION lat 333 Hz) tried the Type 2 tape with its high-speed EQ at the slower speed, we saw results Type 2 tape +41/4 dB that might have come from many a "good" deck, though Dolby response and 0 -dB Type 4 tape +7% dB behavior both were significantly degraded by comparison to the results with the Type 1 tape +4V. dB recommended EQ. Note that noise actually measures a hair lower in some of the DISTORTION [third harmonic; at -10 dB DIN) measurements at 15/16 ips; the operative fact, however, is that maximum recording levels are significantly reduced at the slower speed so that the maximum dynamic range is less. The evidence can be seen in the data for overload points at 333 Hz. 2.0 Note, too, that the distortion is similarly low throughout the midrange but rises more quickly as frequency increases at half speed. More important, perhaps, is the 1.0 degree to which the touted superiority of metal tape really shows up in these 0.5 curves. Those for record/play response confirm this. Indeed all of the response curves are extraordinary; in general, the lab had to drive the deck at -10 dB (at standard 0.2 speed) to get high -end rolloff comparable to.that of most fine decks at -20.

6002X MI Nakamichi actually specs the 680ZX to 22 kHz at -20 dB, so the lab checked HZ 20 50 100 200 500 IK 2K SK 10K 20K beyond the 20 -kHz top of its normal test range. With the multiplex filter (which

- Type 2 tape 51.1%,50 Hz to 5 kHz introduces a very sharp, clean "cliff" at about 17 kHz) switched off, response did not Type 4 tape 5 0 . 4 5 % , 50 Hz to 5 kHz drop by 3 dB until the lab had reached about 24-25 kHz with all three tapes, and -Type I tape 5_2.6%,50 Hz to 5 kHz even with the noise reduction turned on, the figures were reduced by less than 1 kHz. ERASURE 1333 Hz; re DIN 0 dBl Type 2 or Type 4 tapes >80 dB Along with all this praise, we do have some caveats to offer prospective purchasers. It is important that you place the deck in a spot not too far below eye CHANNEL SEPARATION lat 333 Hz) 41% dB level and with good illumination if the front panel is to be adequately visible. Until

SPEED ACCURACY 0.2% fast at 105, 120, we heeded this advice, we had trouble differentiating among the switches at the and 127 VAC right end of the deck, reading the left -channel' portion of the recessed signal display, and seeing whether the RECORDING LED (nestled below the protruding FAST -WIND SPEED ADJUSTMENT RANGE +7.3, -6.0% switch) was lit. And several times when we intended to check recorded signal via WOW 8 FLUTTER (ANSI/IEEE weighted peak) the monitor switch, we inadvertently turned the deck off, ruining our recording; average maximum while you quickly learn to avoid this, Nakamichi could have prevented it altogether record/play ± 0.10% ± 0.16% by using a pushbutton instead of yet another lateral lever switch for the AC power. OUTPUT (from DIN 0 dB) 1.25 V These are, of course, tiny matters in so wonderful a product. Many companies make solid, attractive, competent cassette recorders; but very few exert Nakamichi's sort of brilliant and far-reaching inventiveness to make the medium always better. The 680ZX gives you both superb performance and the excitement that comes only with such inventiveness. Circle 136 on Page 79

Crown SA -2 "self -analyzing" Dower amplifier, in rack -mount A Crowning metal case. Dimensions: 19 by 7 inches (front panel), 14 inches deep plus clearance for connections and fan intake. Price: $1,695; optional 7RV Glory? wood -veneer case, S75; optional HMB-7 handles, $20. Warranty: "full," three years parts and labor. Manufacturer: Crown International, Inc., 01/,,V1 DAPIAIS 1718 W. Mishawaka Rd., Elkhart, Ind. 46514. Once upon a time, Crown was a tape -recorder company. Since its products offered excellent value for the pro and excellent capability for the amateur, they might have been considered prototypical of the semipro category. Gradually, a matching group of electronics grew up around them and established such a ACPVFe reputation for clean power and no-nonsense design that they took over from-and

LS41 AC1AA7, eventually superseded-the decks to which they had been mere accessories. Ear / Notable among the Crown power -amp specs of that period were details of "safe operating area" (considering output voltage and current as the separate entities they are, rather than lumping their product into behavior -obscuring wattage numbers alone) and phase response. In both respects, the company was well ahead of its time, and the importance of these specifics is only now being re-examined in detail elsewhere. The SA -2, in a sense, sums up this thrust with what Crown calls its self -analyzing computer: circuitry that assesses a number of key factors-including voltage and current at the output-and controls operation accordingly. 38 HIGH FIDELITY

Crown SA -2 power amplifier The self -regulation is unusually complex. In addition to monitoring output -stage conditions (and shutting down the balanced stage that precedes it in RATED POWER 231/2 dBW (220 watts)/channel the event of output overdrive), the circuitry monitors input/output waveform OUTPUT AT CLIPPING (both channels driven) comparisons, the internal temperature of the power transformer, and the ambient 8 -ohm load 241/4 dBW (265 watts)/channel temperature inside the amplifier case. When it senses an unwanted condition, the 4 -ohm load 261/4 dBW (420 watts)/channel I 6 -ohm load 22 dBW (158 watts)/channel circuitry usually prescribes shutting down the high -voltage supply to the output stage, putting the amp into its standby mode. But the design provides more than a DYNAMIC HEADROOM (8 ohms) I dB single panacea. When ambient internal temperature rises above 47° C, for example,

HARMONIC DISTORTION (THD; 20 Hz to 20 kHz) fan speed increases. (The fan is at the intake port on the back panel, and the at 231/2 dBW (220 watts) <0.027% ventilation path exhausts through the slots on the front panel. Obviously, both must at 0 dBW 11 watt) '0.018% have free access to room air if ventilation is to be efficient. Even with the amp free- standing, the fan is no louder than typical home ambient background noise.) Also on FREQUENCY RESPONSE lat 0 dBW) +0,-% dB, <10 Hz to 26.3 kHz; the back panel are three switches: STEREO/MONO (for "strapped" operation), Low FREO -3 dB at 109 kHz PROTECT on/off (which puts the amp into standby when anything below 10 Hz appears at the output-essentially a DC protection feature since the amp otherwise INPUT CHARACTERISTICS (re 0 dBW: A -weighting) sensitivity 145 mV is rated to DC), and DELAY on/off (which is used in conjunction with the preceding S/N ratio 97 dB switch to postpone turnon of the high -voltage supply following standby, including initial startup on the amp). Diversified Science Laboratories measured the SA -2 with DAMPING FACTOR (at 50 Hz) 940 both DC protection and delay turned off; we generally listened with both engaged, but since we never tripped the protection, behavior was essentially identical. A nice touch is what Crown calls the display "ladder" on the front panel. Each channel has its own vertical "rail" with an amber standby LED at the bottom and a red one at the top to indicate when the input/output comparator comes up with a discrepancy. In between are fifteen green LEDs that show peak output in 3 -dB steps (with reasonable accuracy, in the lab check) below rated output into 8 ohms. All the green LEDs, up to and including that representing the instantaneous peak output, light as a bar graph; in addition, the top LED reached by the bar in its upward excursions remains lit for about 4 seconds after the signal drops to provide a peak -hold indication as well as what Crown calls the instantaneous running peak. The display is quite fascinating and tells you much more about the nature of your signals than most, but the net effect in so powerful an amplifier is that it simply reminds you how much of the capability is going unused during normal operation. When you do become aggressive enough to drive the amp into clipping, waveform irregularities begin to appear on an oscilloscope before the red comparator LEDs light, though they will do so in the presence of any serious disparity. In the measurements, the lab rated the SA -2 at the first signs of anomalies (as always); in listening, the slightly more forgiving display probably is more realistic. The bench data certainly are impressive. Interestingly, what distortion there is at the 0-dBW level consists of even harmonics alone, for all practical purposes-a characteristic traditionally associated with tubes, rather than transistors, and sometimes invoked to explain the "warmth of tube sound." Some third harmonic content does appear by the time rated output is reached, but the total distortion remains low-less than 0.01% to beyond 1 kHz-and creeps upward only gradually as frequency increases. The mono mode takes the power rating to 700 watts (281/2 dBW), putting it beyond the scope of normal home application, so we have not included it in our data. If you plan the sort of professional installation for which this capability is provided, you will find copious notes about such matters as ground -loop prevention (for which special ground jumpers are supplied on the back panel because of the unusual internal ground scheme of the amplifier) in the manual-which is typical of Crown products in its sober, thorough informativeness. The SA -2 is fitted with a 20 -amp three -prong AC cord and supplied with an adapter for the common 15 -amp three -prong type. We used the latter with no hint of misadventure, but for a pro setup that will drive the Crown flat out, 20 -amp lines (at 120 volts) will match the output transistors' total dissipation rating of 2,400 watts. Home users may be pleased to note, however, that the signal inputs are the standard pin variety, rather than the 1/4 -inch type. So Crown has done it again. We don't remember a single Crown product that was less than solid and precious few that were less than innovative. The SA -2 embodies more than its share of both properties. Like other models in the line, it may strike some home users as uncompromisingly "professional" in design: It does not go in for decor styling or convenience features. As a matter of fact, its self -regulation impresses us as a convenience feature of the highest order, and we take the avoidance of self-indulgent glitter as an index of Crown's priorities. Circle 133 on Page 79

Circle 1 on Page 79 We don't like to brag. But with was designed so you can set the ADC Integra. Its vertical tracking the new ADC Integra Series:Integra optimum offset angle simply by angle is adjustable. In calibrated XLM-III, Integra XLM-II and Integra adjusting the overhang dimension. degree increments from -8° to+ 8° XLM-I, it's hard to resist. It's easy. We've even included a Enough to compensate for all Let's start with basic design. Tracking Angle Gauge. bayonet -type tonearm heights. In- That's what our engineers did. cluding changes. Though what they finished up with If all that sounds impressive, is far from basic. wait until you hear how the new The new ADC Integra is the .1n)11101: ADC Integra Series actually sounds. first all carbon -fibre integrated Overhang, adjustment By minimizing what you don't want headshell/cartridge designed to 'erticar to hear, we've obviously maximized minimize tracking angle distortion adjustment what you do want to hear. Music. two ways. The new ADC Integras' response is VERTICAL TRACKING ANGLE ADJUSTMENT clean, effortless and often OVERHANG DIMENSION ADJUSTMENT Nearly all records are cut with astonishing. But why listen to a As your tonearm "sweeps" a a vertical tracking angle of 20°. description? Audition a new ADC record, the angle the stylus makes That's the way they're made. That's Integra for yourself at your nearest with the record groove constantly the way they're meant to be played. ADC dealer. changes. The result is'offset angle Sounds simple. But when you see After you've heard us, we'd like error. how tonearm heights vary, from to hear from you. Write or call the Is it serious? An error as little turntable to turntable, getting the Customer Service Dept., Audio as 2° can more than double car- exact vertical tracking angle Dynamics Corporation, Pickett tridge distortion! That's serious! suddenly isn't simple anymore. District Road, New Milford, And that's why the new ADC Integra Unless of course you chose a new Connecticut 06776. 800-243-4544. THE NEW INTEGRA. THE ONE WAY YOU CAN MAKE YOUR TURNTABLE TWO WAYS BETTER.

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ADC A BSR COMPANY 40 HIGH FIDELITY = It sounds 2like music. -cw Interface:C Series II (nis the fulfillment of our six -year asso- Letters ciation with optimally vented speakers based 0 FIDELITY and the cosponsoring festival, this IIon the theories of Culshaw's Cats ® A.N. Thiele- speaker I enjoyed John Culshaw's year the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, Swit- designs first introduced zerland. The equipment used came from a by Electro-Voice in 1973. "Seven Cats and Eight Bags" The Interface:C offers immensely [February]. His is local discotheque. Record companies of you a unique combination one of the better Beecham sto- course supplied discs up for consideration, ofhigh efficiency and highpower capacity- the ries. Sir Thomas was right that Handel's but most of these were left behind by the only way to accurately Messiah lay badly for Joan Sutherland's judges to avoid excess baggage and because reproduce the 120+ dB voice-as witness Sir Adrian Boult's Lon- they had most of the records back home.- peak sound pressure Ed. levels found in some don recording with her singing the soprano 0types of live music. part. Is That All? The SuperpomeTM Culshaw's column and R. D. Dar- tweeter, an E -V exclusive, rell's "The Tape Deck" are among the main I followed with great interest Patrick and the VMRTM vented reasons for my taking HF. Smith's review of recordings by Robin midrange driver, the first McCabe and James Galway [February] un- toapply optimally vented Pierce H. Russell design to mid frequen- Troy, N.Y. til I got to the last line. Led by Mr. Smith's , cies, ensure your music description of McCabe's performance, I felt li is reproduced without Culshaw's February column was of myself about to pass through the Great the coloration normally found in other high - added interest to me as I have five of the Gate of Kiev but then abruptly abandoned. efficiency drivers. An seven recordings whose secrets he revealed Something tells me that Mr. Smith did not honest 30 Hz low end stop there, but was cut off by an editor. totally eliminates the to us. I also have "Libero Arbace" as the need for expensive sub - Jailer in Maazel's Tosca on London and Galway got seven paragraphs as op- woofer assemblies. 'Murray Dickie under his own name as the posed to three for McCabe. I find her story When you spend $1,000 fourth Jew in the old mono London record- far more interesting, as we begin with her at for a speaker system, ing of Salome conducted by Krauss (now on the piano at Juilliard and Galway begins as get your money's worth. first flute under Karajan. Her history is eas- Audition the Interface:C Richmond). Series II at your nearest Jerome Weintraub ier to relate to, for there are more of us Interface dealer. If you El Cajon, Calif. struggling than those who have made it. I want a speaker that will read Ruttencutter's book, Pianist's Prog- sounds like music, the MINInterface:C Series II is Four -Hand Piano Buffs ress, but if the review was sliced, may we the one you'll buy. Ihave begun the organization of a have a short followup? group dedicated to the preservation and en- Tom Scardino joyment of piano music forfourhands. We Savannah, Ga. E3ectro:Voice® play the gamut from Bach through Mozart Ey, to Kristofferson.If any of your readers guilty'company The review was published essentially as would like more information, they may Mr. Smith wrote it, with no cuts.-Ed. 600 Cecil Street, Buchanan, Michigan 49107 contact me. Richard R. Pullen More on London Orchestras A Quatre Mains Paul Snook's reply to my letter [Feb- 4909Morris Ave. ruary]in reference to the various film Fort Worth, Tex. 76103 scores recorded in London by British orchestras vindicates the London Symphony. Best Records Now it has been correctly identified as the After reading the list of twenty-eight fine ensemble that recorded John Williams' "best records" nominees of 1979 [Decem- Dracula, Superman, and Star Wars. ber]-admittedly an impressive one-I Irespect Mr. Snook's affirmation could not help but wonder if Deutsche that he has a preference for the National Grammophon, with ten nominations, did and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras-a some heavy lobbying and the usual plying matter of opinion. But he has muddied the with drinks, discs, equipment, and other waters further by saying he prefers the Na- expenses. Who are you kidding? tional Philharmonic under Charles Ger- Lester Miller hardt and Jerry Goldsmith. It's true that this Hollywood, Calif. orchestra has made the fine RCA Classic Film Score Series under the direction of TheInternationalRecordCritics maestro/producer Gerhardt; it has not, to Awards is unique among such organi- my knowledge, played with Goldsmith as zations in that it has a strict policy of never conductor. If Mr. Snook was referring to accepting a penny from any record com- the Alien score composed by Goldsmith, Li- pany. All expenses are paid for by HIGH onel Newman is correctly identified on the

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Harman Kardon introduces The result is our new hk700 series Our new separates look as good as low negative feedback design High Technology Separates. Built they sound. Each measures a mere 15" for inaudible TIM distortion. around our low negative feedback amp/ wide x 3" high. As you can see, they preamp combination that delivers a stack beautifully. For the last few years, audio manu- crystal clear, totally transparent 65 We suggest you audition them. But facturers have been rushing to bring you watts per channel. You can also choose only if you're serious. Once you hear newer, lower THD levels in their ampli- from a full -featured digital tuner, a the difference low negative feedback fier sections. And every year, they've phase locked analog tuner, and the most can make, you'll never settle for any- accomplished this the simplest way they advanced cassette deck on the market. thing less. could. By adding negative feedback, a (For the location of the Harman form of electronic compensation. The world's first cassette deck Kardon dealer nearest you, call toll -free Unfortunately, this "cure" for 1-800-528-6050 ext. 870.) THD-typically 60-80dB of negative with Dolby* HX. feedback -creates another form of dis- Our new metal cassette deck goes Dolby and the double. D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Inc. tortion. Transient Intermodulation Dis- beyond metal. It features the all new tortion, or TIM, which does far more to Dolby HX circuitry for an extra 10dB degrade the music than THD. high frequency headroom and an aston- At Harman Kardon, we lowered ishing 68dB signal-to-noise ratio. With harman kardon THD the right way. With a unique cir- Dolby HX, even an inexpensive tape 55 Ames Court, Plainview, NY 11803 cuit design (U.S. Patent #4,176,323) can perform like a premium metal tape. In Canada, E.S. Gould Marketing, that lets us use just a fraction of the neg- And a premium metal tape sounds Montreal. ative feedback typically used. unbelievable.

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album as the conductor. magazine have become somewhat But it can safely be concluded tedious nothing but her, photographedin stop - that of late, particularly thosereviews dealing London is blessed withmore fine profes- action by Muybridge. I also think sheeven- with vocal records. Thecrotchety, whiny tually settled in Albuquerque; the sional orchestras thanany other large city tone in many of them now borders phone in the world. In addition to the on the book has a goodly number of Pringles, aforemen- insufferable. While I would generally and, agree like many good musicians, shemust have tioned, there are also the LondonPhilhar- that some modern opera sets have monic, the Philharmonia, and the a certain seen the beauty of -living in the Southwest BBC. homogenized, artificial feeling thatunder- That's an impressivearray. after her dear Wagner left forValhalla. mines their impact, I find several wellsung Ralph Berkowitz William Radford -Bennett and enjoyable despite their Glen Echo Heights, Md. shortcomings. Albuquerque, N.M. What is most disconcertingis the veritable vendetta being waged lk Mr. Snook replies: The National Phil- by your writers against Luciano Pavarotti, harmonic was conducted by Gold- continued in January in the review ofhis Neapoli- smith in his soundtrack albums"The Boys Correction from Brazil" (reviewed by tan songs. While I too have foundsome of In our January "Letters" column me, February his recent recordings lacking we 1979)and "The Great Train Robbery" in one area or printed a communication ("AnotherCom- another (often having nothingto do with (which I also reviewed, August1979). posers'Haven") fromThomas Steenland, him), there is still much to beenjoyed from Program Coordinator for Owl Recording, his singing, as witnessnot only his contin- In Defense of Vocal Recordings Inc., in which he asserted that Owlwas "the uing popularity, but also the criticalac- first record company in the I must say that sectionsof your claim elsewhere. U.S." toacquire tax-exempt status. We have been informed Martin Sletzinger that in fact Louisville First Edition Alexandria, Va. Records holds that honor, having been grantedsuch ON SALE NOW status in the1950s,and that New World A Single Pringle or Six? Records too obtained its exemption Buying Guide to Car StereoSystems in June All you need to know about In response to yourquery as to of1975.Furthermore, Composer's Record- the which of the six flower maidens latest in car stereo equipment. Lookfor it shown ings, Inc.'s tax-exempt status datesfrom at your newsstand. with John Culshaw's "The PlotAgainst early in1976,not 1977, as Mr. Steenland Wagner's Miss Pringle" [December]is Car- said. Our apologies to all concerned. r -e Pringle, I think that the picture contains

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Video Software: Up a Down Escalator by John Culshaw

LONDON-It comes as a surprise to Bruckner's Seventh Symphony, but those like, along with sound quality that is find that it is three years (January and June who paid for it will console themselves woefully inferior by today's standards and 1977) since I wrote anything about video with the erroneous anticipation that any that is likely to be risible by the time digital software and music, and because my prog- kind of television exposure will eventually recording gets into its stride. nosis was gloomy it would be agreeable to create a demand for the prerecorded video So where's the market? Let us not report that the scene has now changed. cassette. forget that film exists of many of the great Well, in terms of hardware it certainly has, I have been here before, and more conductors of this century, and very useful and much sooner than I predicted. "In ten than once. The same argument was being it is to illustrate a lecture or to provide a to fifteen years," I wrote, "a video recorder advanced, with some force, in the early "clip" in a documentary. But-to cite some in the home will be as common as high fi- 1960s when Herbert von Karajan engaged of the lesser known examples of material delity equipment today," which put the the brilliant French director Henri -George that I know exists-I doubt if the market date somewhere between 1987 and 1992, Clouzot to direct a series of orchestral films. wouldbefloodedwithdemandfor whereas if demand maintains or increases Nothing came of them, and the excuse Stravinsky conducting theFirebirdSuite, or its present rate, most of us will have video eventually made was that they were in Klemperer directing all the Beethoven sym- recorders in a few years. But the operative black and white at a time when people only phonies, or Giulini conducting a Mozart word there is "recorder," and what I am wanted color. So Karajan made many of symphony for the very first time. All of concerned with is prerecorded material in them again in color, this time directing both this comes under the same category as general and music inparticular.(I am the cameras and the orchestra himself; I am film of Richard Strauss, Stokowski, Szell, omitting any discussion of tape -vs. -disc be- told that an intrepid explorer can actually Furtwangler, Walter, and a host of others cause for the software problem it is a red find them on video cassettes in Germany who made themselves available to the cam- herring: The question is simply whether and Japan, although he is likely to be an un- eras for complete or incomplete perform- people will want prerecordedmaterial, happy explorer when he returns and meets ances at one time or another. It is all archive whatever the format.) friends who have recorded them off the air material, and we should rejoice that it has What people want in general is al- for nothing except the cost of an unre- been preserved, while not kidding our- ready clear in all existing markets: They corded tape. selves for one second that thesightof want feature movies at full length (that is, It is here that I am tempted to turn to Furtwangler conducting Tchaikovsky's without the "edited for television" restric- the more expensive field of opera, but I am Sixth would add one jot to the musical ex- tion and without commercials), and they going to defer that to a later piece in the perience he set out to share with us. want pornography. Otherwise, there is a hope of delving still further into the moti- There isa final factor that the market so small as to be almost negligible vations behind video cassettes of orchestral video speculators have left out of their for documentary or "teach yourself" pro- music. There are basically two. One is van- equation, and this time there is a parallel grams; and the rest is silence-or, rather, ity, because whatever they say to the con- with audio. It is that, generally speaking, darkness. Yet a swift calculation covering trary, conductors adore seeing themselves the public wants whatever is current. Of only the past three years, and which almost on a screen, if only because it is far less in- course it is true that recordings by masters certainly errs on the side of an under- hibiting than a domestic mirror. The other from days past are still in demand, but it is estimate, shows that on a worldwide basis is profit on the part of those who under- the newcomers who tend to command the millions of dollars have been spent photo- write the ventures and who think they are center of the marketplace. I do not believe it graphing conductors jumping up and sitting on a crock of gold, while in fact they will ever happen, but if at some stage in the down and waving their arms about. In are the victims of a false analogy. They are future there is a surge in demand for or- terms of money earned, this is good news quick to point out that both LPs and stereo chestral music on video, it is bound to focus for the conductors, orchestra players, direc- took time to capture the public imagination on whatever figures are most prominently tors, cameramen, and lighting technicians and that prerecorded video may take a little before the public. What has been made in thus employed; it is also quite good news longer. What they forget is that LPs and the past fifteen years or so will then take its for the minority networks that can acquire stereo offered indisputablemusicaladvan- rightful place in the archives. And those such material for a pittance since it is a non- tages, whereas video applied to the orches- who invested so much money with such competitive market. Nobody is going tobid tral repertoire offers only pictures of the abandon will be exceedingly sad and won- for Maestro Hullabaloo's video tape of conductor or bald-headed oboists and the der why nobody warned them. HP

Circle 43 on Page 79 Synthesized Art. Sony's new receiver creates higher-fi witha computerized tuner, a DC power amp and Pulse Power Supply. Dream up a stereo test and compareand then obtains the exact frequency our new STR-V55 receiver work of in precise, discrete steps. art with any other receiver you care And preset tuning instantly to hear. Or view. recalls any of the eight stations that The measure of the receiver youare stored in our new MNO3 (metal ..6V invite into your home should featurenitride oxide semiconductor) memory 'mower S y HAT power 1r unusually intelligent versatility. that can't be accidentally erased. It's also important to know that Ample power. Inaudible distortion. Our beauty is not only designed an efficient, compact Pulse Power And an attractive design that speaks for easy viewing, it's coordinated to Supply provides stable DC power with a quality "finish' be proudly displayed. Bright electro-even at peak levels. And highly Of course, we'd like to recom- fluorescent digits responsive Hi -f T power transistors mend our STR-V55 because we artfully reproduce complex synthesized our newest wave forms even technology to high frequencies give you the in- and full out- credible accuracy put power. of frequency

synthesized 1. tuning, a versatile microcomputer -- and silent, , uninterrupted err' , ;.,,,,, -- power. The tuner 901'4".1 ...... --, section is so ., STR-V55 sophisticated that a highly stable --Tj" quartz -crystal oscilla- tor locks in AM and FM signals for brilliantly Sound is so clear that quiet faithful reproduction of intervals are quiet even at the highest broadcast programminc. listening levels. And the display frequencies. Sony's STR-V55 is more of microcomputer Bright green LEDs in a five -step a receiver because you demand to gives you tuning array show signal strength. And red hear more of your music. Own our options that simply LEDs pinpoint your favorite stations masterpiece. don't exist any- at a glance. where else. Consider the power of 55 watts Memory scan is our latest exclu- per channel that propels the intimacy sive tuning advance to span the of the original performance through bands automatically. Press a button Sony's advanced DC amp technology. and preset stations are automatically And a high -gain low -noise phono tuned in sequence for approximatelyamp in the preamp section enables 3.5 seconds each. Hands-off tuning you to even use an MC cartridge lets you automatically monitor your with your turntable to capture the favorite stations and simply pressing subtleness of the softest, most the appropriate station button tunes delicate music.

in your selection for SI continuous listening. Choose auto tuning to capture stations with frequencies that you don't know for certain. A touch of a button precisely finds the next station encountered up and down the frequency band. Manual tuning lets you approach known frequencies at high speed SONY Phonographic Prescriptions: Do They Work?

HF measures key performance points of some typical "miracle cures." -

In our harried world, we all are looking T e 1for quick solutions to immediate problems. Who wouldn't invest $20 for a magic elixirclaimed to improve a car's (4 mileage by 10 to 15%? Who wouldn't invest a like amount-or even more-to ,4* preserve a cherished record collection, 4. \ 14111,401:5'. improve sound clarity, eliminate static, $.11vp,t!!!v."-Q" anc soon?It is not surprising, therefore, that record -care products and accessories flood the market, with more appearing every day. Two years ago, we r ventured to investigate some of them.

71 ik)./

7_ MAY 1980 47

Now, returning to the topic, we find that doubtedly would have responded DiscFoot than without. From 45 to 150 we can't adequately document the entire differently. Hz, the system seemed to do little. At melange;there are too many products to To help us judge the effectiveness higher frequencies, the DiscFoot isola- enumerate, much less test. Some are es- of the vibration isolators we tested, we tors again made apparent improvements sentially identical, merely bearing dif- rigged up a shake table. The turntable, a from 170 to 225 Hz and from 600 to ferent names; others, purporting to serve medium -weight (141/2 pound) direct- about 1,300 Hz; there were some fre- the same function, differ only slightly- drive single -play model whose own sus- quencies in the 500 -Hz range, however, and more in detail than in substance. pension consisted of four compliant feet, where the isolation was better without In our February 1978 article, we rested on a spring -suspended platform. the pods. concentrated mainly on record -cleaning The platform was vibrated by an inertial With the Radio Shack Audio In- and record -preserving items and only driver. Since such a jury-rigged setup sulators, the compliance is afforded by a touched on antistatic products, at that could hardly be expected to result in the two-part system. The base is formed of a time dominated by the ionization gun, same amplitude of vibration at all fre- rubberlike molding with a large number whose progenitor was Discwasher's quencies, we first calibrated the system of protrusions of varying diameter and Zerostat. Since then, various antistatic as a function of frequency by determin- length, presumably to distribute the concoctions claiming permanent effect ing the output from a phono cartridge bearing force across the surface and pro- have been formulated, and we now have when resting in a non -rotating silent vide a predictable variation in com- field mills that can determine static groove. Then, the add-on isolators were pliance according to weight. The surface charge more quantitatively than the gold mounted in accordance with the manu- on which the turntable rests (about 13/4 leaf electroscopes we used then. Con- facturer's instructions, and the response inches in diameter) is compliantly ductive mats purporting to bleed away measurement was taken again. The dif- mounted to the framework that termi- static, rendering it harmless, have prolif- ference between the two curves suggests nates in the rubber fingers. The turn- erated; most of these also are said to the improvement that could be attrib- table -bearing platform, adjustable in damp out record and platter resonances uted to the isolators. height, helps in leveling. (A bubble level that tend to muddle reproduction. In a Two isolation de- is included in the kit.) The four insula- reversal of heretofore accepted logic, vices were tested: tors will support up to 36 pounds. "solid" record mats are offered to re- Discwasher's Disc - In our tests, the Insulators reduced place the conventional rubber ones, Foot ($22) and Ra- the 71/2 -Hz and111/4-Hz resonances by 5 again in an effort to suppress undesir- dio Shack's Audio dB and were also helpful from 18 to 27 able resonances. There are weights and Insulators (Cata- Hz. From 14 to 18 Hz and from 30 to 48 stabilizers to hold the record firmly log No. 42-2753, Hz, however, the isolation was substan- against the mat, suppressing entrapped- Discwasher DiscFoot $18). The DiscFoot tially better (by some 10 dB) without air resonances and sometimes, it is system consists of four molded -polymer them. From 58 to 72 Hz and from 88 claimed, reducing the effects of record pods, each resting on four protrusions. A to 110 Hz, the isolators also had a slight warp. Various compliant feet are sold to platform cap snaps into the upper por- detrimental effect. Between 110 and 600 improve the isolation of the turntable tion of the foot to provide a circular Hz, the number of regions in which they from its environment. Designing a set of resting surface slightly less than 11/2 were beneficial just about equaled that experiments to test such a hodgepodge is inches in diameter. These are used only in which they were detrimental, but no easy matter, and the task is compli- when isolating a "foot -suspended" turn- from 600 through 1,300 Hz, they did of- cated by the fact that the test bed itself table (as opposed to those with internal fer a substantial net improvement in affects the accuracy of the measurement. suspension). Discwasher includes a rub- isolation. berlike disc that can be placed under the Though no audible character- Vibration Isolators DiscFoot to protect the furniture and ization of frequencies will be exact, if four damping -foam pads that can be you're unsure how to interpret these fre- For example, the effectiveness of a used to stabilize the turntable's foot if re- quency references remember that vibration isolator designed to supple- quired. A set of four pods will support a rumble usually constitutes unwanted ment a turntable's own suspension de- turntable weight of 22 pounds; one addi- energy below about 100 Hz, particularly pends upon the mass of the turntable it- tional pod should be used for every 51/2- it it's fairly irregular. (If it's very regular self and its suspension resonance and pound increase. (Where it would go in and at one or more discrete frequencies, damping properties. The mechanical en- the common four -foot system is left to it's usually called hum.) A "boomy" gineer knows that proper isolation re- the user's ingenuity, though some turn- bass-which may come from feedback, quires that the system be considered as a table bases have flat bottom panels that as well as inherent speaker design-ordi- whole, carefully balancing mass, com- are solid enough to accept an extra pod narily puts most of its excessive energy pliance, and damping. Changing any one just about anywhere.) into the octaves between 40 and 160 Hz. factor in a random fashion is as likely to In our setup, DiscFoot success- Resonances or feedback that contribute make matters worse as better, common fully tamed resonances occurring at 71/2 just a general muddiness to the sound sense notwithstanding. Thus, our test re- and 111/a Hz, the former by 11 dB, the lat- probably are operative in the midrange, sults are totally valid only for the partic- ter by 5 dB. However, from 141/2-20 Hz, where most instrumental fundamentals ular turntable system we used; another, and again from 31-45 Hz, the turntable's lie-particularly in the octave between with different mass and suspension, un- isolation averaged about 7 dB worse with 250 and 500 Hz. Problems higher up 48 HIGH FIDELITY

(say, above 1 kHz) are more likely to be as well. We swept the sound field from 20 characterized as a nastiness or edginess For this product group, we used a Hz to 5 kHz, using just the record sheet, in the sound; outright shrillness implies similar test setup but with an acoustic then adding the inner stabilizer and, fi- one or more resonances in this range, es- sound field generated by a loudspeaker nally, the ring as well. Below 600 Hz, we pecially above about 3 kHz. rather than the inertial driver and plat- could document little improvement in Conclusions? Both of the isolators form of the previous tests. We placed the susceptibility to vibration over that with are effective in certain frequency inter- speaker near the turntable, adjusted the just the normal mat. From 600 to 1,700 vals but can actually increase trans- sound pressure level to a loud 94 dB in Hz, the system responded more severely mitted vibration at others. Morever, the the vicinity of the turntable, and made to external sound pressure when the frequencies at which they are effective two response curves of the cartridge out- record was on the TS -10's firm surface (and ineffective) dependuponthe partic- put while the stylus was sitting in a non - than when it was on the regular mat. The ular turntable in use, so we caution rotating silent groove. The first test was susceptibility increased by as much as 10 against drawing specifics from our tests. made with the disc resting on the stand- dB at some points. From 2,000 to 4,500 The best advice we can offer is to try one ard mat supplied with the turntable. Hz, however, the Kenwood generally or the other and hope they will prove ad- Then a second response curve was lowered the susceptibility of the system vantageous in preventing the vibrational taken, using the mat (or weight or clamp) to external sound by 4-10 dB. The addi- modes that may be prevalent in your under test. The difference would indi- tion of the inner and outer stabilizers system. Either gives the turntable less se- cate the effectiveness of the device in changed matters slightly but not sig- cure footing than when it is resting on its damping the airborne vibration and, pre- nificantly. The improvement attribut- own feet, however, unless they replace, sumably, any "reply" from the trapped - able to all three elements was most evi- rather than supplement, the turntable's air resonance. It did not address the warp dent above3,500 Hz. own suspension. problem, of course, nor that of stylus - Since the shape of the Kenwood generated vibrations-a claim we find outer stabilizer suggests that it might Turntable Mats and Stabilizers difficult totake seriously because of the help to mitigate the effects of pinch relative masses involved and the con- warp, we sought out a frequency -re- The largest category of products sequent inefficiency of the stylus tip in sponse test record with a warped edge. we reviewed consists of turntable mats "driving" the disc. First, we measured the frequency re- and stabilizing weights. We will discuss The most exotic sponse without the outer stabilizer in ,.. them together because, in one regard at system we tested place. At 10 kHz, there was a 5 -dB vari-

, least, most claim similar advantages. 1 is Kenwood's. It ation in level each time the warp came The current contention is that a record v.consists of three by. The inner stabilizer created a negli- I Amk. sitting on a platter is subject to the me- parts that can be gible change; with both stabilizers in chanical resonance of the air trapped be- IP purchased sepa- place, the surges in level variation in this tween it and the mat, and that these reso- rately. The TS -10 test actually were increased. Kenwood TS -10 mat. DS -20 nances can be controlled either by the & DS -21 stabilizers Turntable Sheet Another of the "solid" turntable contour of a replacement accessory mat ($160) is formed of sintered alumina mats we tested, the SAEC SS -300 ($140), or by damping them with the mass or (ceramic) impregnated with 50% is formed of a specially treated alumi- friction of an accessory hold-down de- silicone rubber said to provide num alloy. It appeared to be effective vice. Some of the latter also claim to flat- a high mechanical impedance under the above 2,100 Hz, and from there to the ten warps; some of the mats prove more stylus for antivibration performance. limit of testing (5 kHz) it reduced sus- successful in dealing with airborne vi- The sheet is hard and brittle (don't drop ceptibility to external sound by about bration (from the speakers) than with the it!), weighs almost23/4pounds, and has a 4-5 dB. From about 1 to 2 kHz, however, disc/air/mat resonance as such. It has moment of inertia of 130kg(cm)'.Fur- the system was quieter without theSS - also been said that the vibrations of the ther improvementis said to be afforded 300. stylus while tracing the groove travel by the DS -21 Inner Disc Stabilizer ($40), Osawa's 0M-10 Diskmat ($23) is throughout the record, reflect from the a 1.3 -pound brass weight that rides over flexible much in the sense of a normal rim, and return to the stylus, perturbing the spindle and adds another 2.5 kg(cm)2 mat. However, its high -density material its motion. to the moment of inertia. The piece de is said to increase effective mass, inhibit Common sense would seem to resistance is the DS -20 Outer Disc Sta- resonant vibrations, reduce wow and bear out the validity of some of these bilizer ($150), a heavy (31/2 pound), cir- flutter, and improve vertical tracking. Its suppositions, but partly because of the cumferential brass ring that adds yet an- concave surface "supports warped rec- diversity of desiderata, common sense other 430 kg(cm)2. First a carefully ords." Although there were a few fre- leads different designers in very differ- machined plastic disc is placed over the quencies at which the 0M-10 reduced ent directions. Two of the mats we in- spindle and record, and then the brass the sensitivity to our sound field, the mat vestigated-the Kenwood TS -10 and the ring is fitted over it. When the plastic supplied with our turntable did a better Audio Source SAES SS-300-are rigid; a disc is removed, the outer ring is left ac- job overall. third, the Osawa 0M-10, is composed of curately centered and resting only on the Record weights being essentially a heavy rubberlike substance; the others outer bead of the record. To prevent the similar, we confined our investigation to two generally are foam or feltlike. The record from "dishing" upward, the inner versions offered by Keith Monks-the weights and clamps have various forms stabilizer must also be used. KMAL/RW/ 60 ($12.50) and the "lim- MAY 1980 49

ited edition," hand -signed SRW 50/60 Conductive Mats contact with the mat. In each case, our ($60) and Audio-Technica's AT -618 figures show electrostatic field strength Disc Stabilizer ($20). These weighed in Although the prime claim for each as percentages of the charge with the from slightly under a pound (the of the remaining mats we tested was its record on an ordinary mat. KMAL/RW/60)to 201/2 ounces (the AT - conductivity-its ability to drain off the In alphabetical or- 618), and each was static charge from the record-some sort der, our first con- /about equally suc- of antiresonance property was claimed ductive mat hails cessful as a vibra- as well. We therefore subjected them to from Bib, desig- tion damper. Most the previous test procedure. A pattern Inated the Audio- of the improve- quickly emerged. No mat showed an ap- phile Edition Anti - ment occurred be- preciable reduction in sensitivity to air- Static Turntable tween 1,300 and borne sound at the lowest frequencies- Bib antistatic mat Mat ($10). Though AT -618 Disc Stabilizer 2,200 Hz, where say, from 20 to 550 Hz. Nor did any it makes no pretensions to vibration the system showed a reduction of as prove inferior to the mat that came with damping, it proved the rough equivalent much as 5 dB in sensitivity to the sound our turntable. From 700 Hz to 2 kHz, the to other soft mats in this regard. It is ap- field. There were also a few regions mats generally increased susceptibility proximately '4inch thick and fabricated where the susceptibility was less without to external sound, but from 2.5 to 5 kHz, of a soft, feltlike, carbon -filled material. the weight. Over most of the test range, most showed some ability to attenuate it. On the turntable's rubber mat, the Bib the weight had little effect, either good There were minor differences among the made poor contact with the spindle and or bad. _ mats; the Transcriber mat, however, be- remained essentially ungrounded; with Oneconcern withanyrecord haved more like our standard mat at the rubber mat removed, resistance ran weight is the impact it might have on the both high and low frequencies than did to 200-600 kilohms. A charged record thrust bearing that supports the platter. any of the others. placed on the Bib mat lost 50% of its sta- A leading bearing manufacturer con- We also checked each mat for tic in 5 seconds but could be charged firms that there is some theoretical foun- electrical conductivity. Manufacturers back to 60% while in contact with it. dation for our concern. But the modes of often fail to specify whether the mat is to Discwasher's D'Stat II ($8.50) is an thrust -bearing failure are very complex be used in lieu of or in addition to the antistatic, antiresonance mat about 1/16 and impossible to calculate; we could regular mat. Most indicate that the elec- inch thick. It can be used in place of or in obtain no specific information on how trical grounding is via the spindle, which addition toa normal mat. It,too, is a much reduction in bearing life you implies that it can be used on top of the feltlike material, with one side specifi- might expect. regular mat. We attempted to verify this cally meant to face down. When placed If the idea of assumption by measuring the conductiv- on aninsulating mat, the conductivity to clamping the ity to the spindle both with and without the spindle was poor; directly on the record appeals to our normal insulating rubber mat. To do platter, resistance was 120-650 kilohms. you but you are this, we obtained a conductive plate the A chargedrecord lost 30-50% of its static concerned about size and approximate weight of a record. within 5 seconds and could not be the consequences An insulating paper the size of a record charged further. of adding weight, label was centered on the plate. With the Empire's Anti -Static Record Mat Eon Pod the Pod ($20) conductive plate in "playing" position ($9.00) is also a carbon -fiber -im- might be just the thing. Made in Canada but insulated from the spindle, we meas- pregnated, feltlike substance, about 1/10 by Eon and distributed here by Hervic, ured the resistance between it and the inch thick. Two sets of strobe rings are the Pod looks like the bottom section of spindle-that is, through the mat. As ex- printed on the light gray felt.It issaid to the Lunar Landing Module. You place it pected, the conductivity depended upon damp out record ringing in addition to over the spindle to rest on three rubber - the pressure applied to the plate and its discharging the disc. The mat proved tipped feet, press it down until the de- contact with the mat. Thus, only ranges quite conductive (25-30 ohms) when in sired force is applied (how much is up to are given. contact with the platter but, when insu- you), and clamp it in place by forcing a Then we attempted to evaluate lated from it, showed poor conductivity ring down over a split collet that grasps each mat's ability to discharge a record to the spindle. At least 50% of the the spindle. In our sound -field -suscepti- in a more practical sense. We charged an record's charge was lost but about 70% bility test, it proved effective-by as ordinary record by rubbing a piece of fur regained when in contact with the Em- much as 6 dB-from about 650 to 2,200 on each surface and measured the static pire mat. Hz, and its detrimental effects were charge with a field mill. Next we put the Goldring's EXstatic mat ($15) is a negligible. record onto the mat for 5 seconds, then relatively hard, thin (1/16 -inch), carbon - The Bib Record Clamp ($15) em- flipped it over and measured the charge. fiber -impregnated felt with a strobe disc ploys a similar concept: a disc resting (Although some literature suggests that in the label section. Conductivity was on over the label area and clamped to the it may take much longer to discharge the the low side, with a resistance reading of spindle by a split collet. The grip did not record, we feel that 5 to 10 seconds is all 1,500 kilohms even when in contact with appear sufficiently tightto beof much that one can reasonably be expected to the platter. Yet it quickly discharged a use, and on our sample it proved wait for the discharge to occur.) We also disc by 50-80%, and the disc could not ineffective. tried to charge the record while it was in readily be recharged once it had 50 HIGH FIDELITY

stabilized. positively ionizes the air around a frequency response before and after ap- Radio Shack's Disc -O -Mat ($5.00) pointed electrode in the "barrel." Con- plication. Permostat had a negligible im- is a carbon -fiber -impregnated foam versely, releasing the trigger releases pact on response-less than 1/2 dB at 20 cushion of moderately low conductiv- negative ions. Since the charge on a vinyl kHz. Groov-Guard produced a 11Aa-dB ity -16-800 kilohms when in contact record normally is negative, the squeeze increase in high -frequency output, and with the platter, 900-1,300 when on a does most of the job. But a balance must its effect could be noted down to about 3 rubber mat. Static dropped by 40% and be achieved. We experimented with kHz. This change might be attributed to was stable at that point. positive ions alone (by squeezing in the the lubricating properties of its oily resi- Scotch's Dustguard ($6.00) is a vicinity of the disc and pointing the bar- due. Permostat left a substantially hard conductive foam with center strobe rel away for the release) and found that smaller and less oily deposit. pattern. The mat fits tightly over the we could leave the disc positively Both products are effective anti- spindle and, even when insulated by the charged; though we could reduce the stats, but our tests gave Permostat the undermat, proves quite conductive to charge by 90% (using the Empire), it edge. Once treated with Permostat, discs ground (620-850 ohms). Resistance went takes luck to achieve a perfect balance of could not be charged appreciably even down to 110 ohms when in contact with positive and negative ions. with vigorous application of our fur the platter. Upwards of 70% of the The Bib Groov-Stat uses a 11/2 -volt "generator." Compared with an un- record's charge dissipated quickly, and C cell and generates a sufficiently high treated disc, the maximum charge we Dustguard prevented static buildup as voltage to ionize the air around a pin in could reach was about 3%, and that rap- long as the disc was in contact with it. the nozzle. It generates only positive idly decayed to below 1%. The disc The Transcriber mat ($15) is ex- ions. We found it wise to keep the treated with Groov-Guard could be tremely thin (1/64 inch) and is 100% car- Groov-Stat 10-12 inches away from the charged as high as 20%, but the charge bon fiber with a nonporous surface. The record; in close proximity, it imparted a rapidly decayed into the region of 4-5%. center hole is slightly undersized to as- strong positive charge. The Panasonic From the many hours of experi- sure a firm contact with the spindle. Re- device also is battery -operated and emits menting with these products, what con- sistance to ground was only 12-15 ohms only one type of charge. For a reason that clusions can we draw? With the excep- with an insulating undermat, 11/2 ohms escapes us, the stream is negatively tion of Permostat, the products did not with a bare platter. As much as 75% of charged and thus is relatively ineffective fully live up to the claims made for them. the charge dissipated rapidly, and, when in neutralizing the disc's natural charge. (And, of course, we can testify to short- contact was maintained, the record All of the static term effects only.) None of the products stayed relatively uncharged. eliminators men- was totally useless either. One or an- 1 The correlation of resistivity and f. tioned so far are other of them may solve a given problem static -discharging ability proved temporary in na- in your system. It also is possible that the Rs -r tenuous at best: Each freely conductive ture; the next time same product may prove not only inef- mat reduced the charge to some degree, the record is fective but even detrimental in another but none was totally effective. An ad- 7--' pulled from the system. justment in arm height would be re- Stanton Magnetics' Permostatsleeve, it is re - As in so many areas of consumer - quired to maintain vertical tracking charged and stands ready to act as an product testing, the findings here rein- angle, depending both on the thickness electrostatic magnet for airborne dust. force our conviction that there is no sub- of the mat and on whether you retain the Several record -treatment solutions stitute for detailed understanding-that turntable's original mat beneath it. (And, claiming permanent antistatic properties the quick fix is a chimera. There may be don't forget, dirt is likely to accumulate have appeared recently. We tested Stan- readers who can afford to buy every ac- in porous mat surfaces.) ton Magnetics' Permostat ($20; refills cessory in sight and try them all, looking available for $16) and Bib's Groov- for the most effective. The rest of us Other Static Eliminators Guard (price not yet announced). The must be more canny. We must begin by Permostat setup is capable of treating trying to understand precisely what we We checked out approximately 25 LPs; Groov-Guard, 20 want to achieve. (Is it airborne feedback, the Empire Static LPs. Permostat is sprayed from a pump - for example, that is causing the boomi- Eliminator ($30) top bottle and then distributed by buf- ness we hear-or is it a resonance in the and the Bib fing the disc with a velvet pad. Bib con- shelf beneath the turntable?) Often we Groov-Stat ($35), tends that Groov-Guard reduces fric- can narrow down our needs by trying both of which ap- tional wear as well as static, a claim that makeshift solutions (a felt typewriter peared in our Feb - falls beyond the scope of our pad or rubber doormat beneath the turn- Empire antistatic gun ruary 1978 round- measurements. table as a clue to the effect of these com- up, though the Bib unit has since been One consideration with any mate- pliances on the system). Our experience redesigned. This time we also looked at rial applied to the surface of the disc is of these products-both on the test the Panasonic BH-653 ($39). The "clas- the possible influence it might have on bench and in an operating system- sic" models (including the Empire and frequency response, record life, etc. strongly suggests that satisfaction will the Zerostat) all work similarly. Squeez- While we could not ascertain the long- result only with careful identification of ing the trigger stresses a piezoelectric term effects of these products, we the problem you want to solve and selec- element that develops a high voltage and treated test records with each, measuring tion to match.HP MAY 1980 51 How to BuyaTurntable by Michael Riggs

Setting the record straight on record -playing equipment.

rr he basic function of a record-play - Vertical tracking force is some- Most automatic turntables use this sys- 1 ing system is deceptively simple. It thing you definitely need-but in just the tem. Unfortunately, springs will not has to turn a record at a fixed speed right amount. One approach to applying exert exactly the same force over pro- while its arm must position the cartridge VTF is to balance the arm with the car- longed periods. in exactly the right way to trace the tridge installed, then move the counter- Skating-a tendency for the stylus record grooves without distortion. Other weight forward just enough to unbalance to pull toward the center of the record- than that, it should just stay out of the the arm sufficiently to create the desired is aside effect of the geometry of pivoted way. Which is where the trouble starts. downward force. This is called static bal- tonearms. [See "Tonearm Geometryl It's not easy to keep real materials ancing, and its only disadvantage is that A pivoted arm angles the headshell from making their presence felt: Motors the turntable must be perfectly level to toward the center of the disc in order to vibrate, turntable bases absorb sound keep the stylus as nearly tangent to as from the environment and transmit it many grooves as possible, thereby gen- through the platter to the stylus, and erating an inward pull. Unless the manu- practically everything resonates. The de- Considering the number facturer provides some means of apply- signer's task is really to outsmart nature. ing a compensatory outward force (by Here we will examine the main obstacles of variables he faces, means of a calibrated spring, for ex- in his path, the common ways of dealing the turntable designer ample, or weight -over -a -pulley arrange- with them, and some approaches to de- ment), styli and record grooves will wear ciding how well he has done his job. has to outsmart nature. unevenly, and there will be more distortion in one channel than in the other. The Tonearm Radially tracking tonearms (also called tangential or straight-line) are inherently In most cases, the tonearm is a keep the force strictly perpendicular to free of skating and so require no anti - long, slender aluminum tube attached to the record surface. If the base is tilted, skating mechanism. a pivot. At the front end is a headshell part of the force created by the unbal- Of course, fine adjustments of for mounting the cartridge; at the other ancing of the arm will express itself lat- VTF and antiskating will be of little end, behind the pivot, is an adjustable erally, causing impaired tracking and ex- value if there is too much pivot friction. counterweight used to offset the weight cessive groove wear. Dynamically bal- Excessive friction impedes free motion of the cartridge when balancing the arm. anced arms use a calibrated spring to of the arm, causing variations in tracking In addition, all arms provide some apply the tracking force. Because the force and excessive wear of the outside means of setting vertical tracking force arm is never unbalanced, it is insensitive walls of record grooves. Provided fric- and, with a very few exceptions, to orientation and, theoretically, works tion remains lower than 5% of VTF antiskating. well even upside down or sideways. (about 50 milligrams, in most cases), you 52 HIGH FIDELITY should experience no difficulty. Most pared -down headshell, a thin -walled, its popularity seems to be on the up- tonearms meet this criterion easily, and small -diameter arm tube, and a heavy, swing. It usually involves the application HIGH FIDELITY'S test reports note any po- disc -shaped counterweight set as close of a thick fluid (silicone, most often) to tential problems of this type. as possible to the pivots (because, again, the pivot bearings. Because only single - actual mass is less important than its dis- pivot designs naturally lend themselves Arm Mass tance from the pivot point in determin- to that implementation of viscous damping effective mass). ing, a number of manufacturers who use One of the most important charac- But this approach is constrained gimbals or knife edges have turned to teristics of a tonearm is its effective by the need to keep the arm absolutely the use of paddles descending from the mass-essentially, the inertia a stylus rigid, to prevent flexing and resonances, arm tube into a trough filled with viscous feels when it tries to move the cartridge and to maintain the ability to balance fluid. Properly applied (i.e., not over- and arm to which it is attached. In a pi- cartridges with widely varying weights. done), viscous damping can significantly voted system, this depends not just on The most obvious alternative is to reduce the amplitude of the bass reso- the arm's total mass but also on how the shorten the arm, but that would entail an nance and thereby improve arm stability mass is distributed. The lever principle increase in tracking error and, therefore, and tracking, especially on warped rec- is at work: Force applied far away from in tracing distortion. The remaining op- ords. [See HF, July 1975.] the pivot has more effect than an equal tion is to reduce the mass of the car- If you like the idea of viscous force applied near the pivot. tridge, which, because it hangs right out damping but don't care for any of the Effective mass is important be- on the end of the arm, makes a large con- small number of arms that incorporate cause, along with the compliance tribution to the effective mass of the en- it, you'll be happy to know that you can (springiness) of the stylus suspension, it tire system. (In fact, there have been car- get the same benefits from a couple of tridges with weights and compliances such that an arm with negative mass would be necessary to bring the reso- A turntable's primary nance point up to an acceptable To optimize the frequency.) function is to spin You are faced with the problem of performance of a pivoted records at exact, making a satisfactory match between tonearm, great care arm and cartridge and again HIGH FIDE- unvarying speed despite LITY'S test reports can help. By using the is needed in setting line voltage changes. same high -compliance pickup (a Shure stylus overhang correctly. V-15 Type III) to determine the resonances of tonearms and the same medium -mass tonearm (an SME 3009 determines the frequency of the arm/ Series II) for all cartridge resonance add-on devices that clamp onto the cartridge system's bass resonance. If this measurements, they provide a means of headshell of just about any arm. In addi- resonance occurs at too high a fre- comparing the relative masses and com- tion, at least one pickup manufacturer quency-above about 15 Hz-it will pliances of different arms and pickups. builds the function into some of its car- cause a response rise at the very bottom In addition, there are records from Shure tridges with a viscous -damped brush on of the audible range. If it is located below (the ERA -IV) and Ortofon that provide the stylus assembly. 7 or 8 Hz, it will exaggerate warp signals, very simple evaluation of the compati- which tend to fall at or near 5-6 Hz, and bility of any arm and cartridge. The Turntable that may in turn cause increased cartridge and loudspeaker distortion, mis- Damping A turntable's primary task isto tracking, and pitch wavering. You will spin records at a constant, exact speed. often hear 10 Hz cited as the "optimum" One way of attacking recalcitrant There are three common methods of target point. resonances is to damp them. Many arms achieving that goal: rim drive, belt drive, So if you want to use a relatively decouple the counterweight from the and direct drive. Rim -drive mechanisms low -compliance moving -coil cartridge, arm tube with a compliant rubber sleeve, employ a high-speed motor (about 1,800 for example, you will also want a me- and if the mechanical system is designed rpm, usually) coupled to a small rubber dium- to high -mass arm, of which there well, it should reduce the effects ("dB wheel that contacts the inner rim of the are many available. You will be more rise") of the low -frequency resonance, platter. Some good turntables have been likely to buy one of the many high -com- along with any higher -frequency tube made this way, but it's not easy. The pliance fixed -coil pickups, which means resonances. One manufacturer has remain problem is audible low -frequency that you will need an arm with lower fined this approach somewhat by build- motor noise, also called rumble. Those mass to keep the resonance above the ing into its counterweights what it calls wheels provide only limited attenuation warp frequency range. Although more an "antiresonance filter," which splits of the motor vibration, which itself tends such arms are coming on the market, the bass resonance into two smaller to be at frequencies well into the audible they are still relatively uncommon, peaks. band. These days, rim drive turns up mainly because they are more difficult The most effective damping tech- mostly in applications that require high to design. The usual tricks are to use a nique is also the least common, although torque for quick startups and in low -end MAY 1980 53

Tonearm Geometry LP RECORD COUNTERWEIGHT

Forastylus to produce minimum OUTER ZERO -ERROR distortion, its axis must lie along the - RADIUS groove it is playing. The only way to N. N maintain this ideal alignment over an N entire record side is to use a tangentially Ns tracking tonearm, one that moves in a INNER TONE - ZERO -ERROR ARM straight line across the disc. Such arms -RADIUS-..u5 P I TO - SPINDLE ,- DISTANCE have traditionally been rather complex, / / \ \ and the few that have appeared in the \ past have usually been dogged by relia- \\ \PIVOT -TO -STYLUS bility problems and high prices. Con- 1 DISTANCE temporary technology makes straight- (/ 1 SPINDLE / line arms more feasible, however, and OVERHANG I / I / OFFSET they seem to be enjoying a renaissance. ANGLE 1 / iI Even so, the alternative is far sim- \ \ / pler, exceedingly reliable, and not neces- \ N / \\ N / sarily expensive to build or buy. The pi- \ _...- ' SKATING voted arms most of us use can be quite -... .>: VECTOR ,....._ -- N. -.. good, but they are a compromise in that HEADSHELL the stylus axis can be tangent to the groove at only two distances from the --- N z PATH center of the disc. If the arm is not prop- OF STYLUS erly designed and set up, it may be tan- FRICTION gent at only one radius or even none. - - - - VECTOR STYLUS To do the job right, a designer must consider three parameters: effective arm length (pivot -to -stylus distance), "offset angle," and stylus "over- angle and overhang become critical. The it's well done and fits your needs. hang." Provided everything else is done offset angle is the angle of the headshell Overhang is the difference be- right, the greater the effective arm relative to a straight line between the tween the distance from pivot to stylus length, the lower the maximum tracking stylus and the pivot. The headshell can and that from pivot to spindle. Ob- angle error. Of course, it's not really be offset either by attaching it at an viously, changing the overhang of a car- practical to make an extremely long angle to a straight tube or by bending tridge also changes the effective arm tonearm, and the designer must also be the tube into an S or J shape. A straight length, which changes the optimum off- concerned with effective mass, which tube provides the lowest mass and high- set angle, and so on. These things all in- goes up rapidly as arm length is in- est rigidity for a given effective length teract. The problem is solvable, though, creased. Usually, he settles on about but will not accept the virtually stand- and if the designer has done his home- nine inches. ard detachable headshell originated by work and you follow his instructions With length decided, it is possible SME (which uses the same connector as meticulously, all will be well. to calculate, for given outer and inner the integrated cartridge/headshell com- Many tonearms, however, are de- disc radii (i.e., where the side begins and binations that have been appearing signed incorrectly or come with incor- ends), the offset angle and overhang that lately). Most J- and S-shaped arms do. rect instructions or both. In the absence will yield the lowest distortion across (That's why they're built that way.) But of any other guide, it's probably best to the record. One difficulty is that the a J -shaped arm, besides being more mas- follow the manufacturer's instructions. radii, especially the inner radii, of discs sive than an equivalent straight arm, is But there are several alignment aids on vary from one to another, which means unbalanced laterally and may require a the niarket that can help you set up any that any "optimum" geometry will not lateral counterweight to prevent exces- arm the way it really should be, almost be truly ideal for most records. The best sive friction. A properly designed S- without regard to how badly the manu- one can hope for is a reasonable approx- shaped arm will be laterally balanced facturer has bungled his end of the job. imation. That, however, is better than (that's the reason for the extra curve), Until the industry cleans up its act, a de- nothing, and 2% and 534 inches have be- but it tends to be even more massive vice such as DB Systems' Phono Align- come the generally accepted magic num-than a J -shaped arm. As with anything ment Protractor or the Soundtractor bers for the target radii. else, don't be too concerned about how fromDennesenElectrostatic is sure to With everything else fixed, offset the design goal is achieved, so long as be a good investment. 54 HIGH FIDELITY home models. controlled motors, such as are used in al- back into the system and out the speak- Belt drive is another old-timer. For most all good turntables, do not suffer ers. Mechanical feedback is transmitted many years, all of the best manual turn- from this flaw and can generally be re- through solid objects, such as the floor tables used this system, and a good lied upon without question. and walls of the listening room. At their many still do. A fairly low -speed motor If you have reason to be especially worst, when the sound level in the room is coupled to the platter by means of an concerned about absolute pitch accuracy at the feedback frequencies is high elastic belt, which does an excellent job (e.g., if you want to be able to "tune" rec- enough to support sustained oscillation of isolating the platter from motor vibra- ords to your own instrument), you may in thesystem,these effects can cause tion. And, because the motor turns more want a model with a speed control and a piercing howls. Feedback that severe is slowly than those used in rim -drive strobe speed indicator. A range of 6% rare, but the frequency and transient re- turntables, what rumble there is is lower above and below the basic pitch, or sponse of the system may begin to dete- in frequency and more likely to be be- about a semitone, should be adequate riorate at sound levels as much as 30 dB low the audible range. Belt drive has dis- for most applications. below those required for actual "howl - placed rim drive as the most common Wow and flutter are very short- back." The subjective effects include motor system for high -quality automatic term speed variations caused by inevi- muddy bass and poor definition. turntables and changers. table imperfections in turntable bearings A turntable suspension isolates The relative newcomer on the and motors. They do not affect the turn- the tonearm and cartridge from external block is direct drive: The platter attaches table's basic long-term speed accuracy, vibration and thereby prevents feedback. directly to the spindle of a motor that but they are often audible. Wow, which Two basic approaches (with a number of turns at the same speed as the platter. For comprises slow variations, is heard as variations on each) to accomplish this this technique to work, motor vibration pitch instability-a sourness in sustained are currently in use. One attaches tones. It is especially noticeable on held piano tones. (Most audible wow results not from inadequate turntable mechanisms, but from records with off -center Manufacturers give You might try jumping spindle holes or warps). Flutter occurs at up and down in the higher frequencies and generally is turntable specifications heard as a coarsening of the sound. differently, so make showroom to test Out of the many measurement a turntable's suspension. standards for wow, flutter, and rumble, comparisons carefully. HF has chosen for its test reports the ones it feels best represent the audible performance of turntables in the home. must be kept to a minimum to prevent [See "Measuring Rumble, Wow, and tonearm, platter, and drive motor rigidly objectionable rumble. Fortunately, what Flutter."] Because all the reports adhere to the base, which is supported by resil- rumble does appear tends to be at very to one set of standards, they facilitate ient, shock -absorbing feet. Such feet can low, mostly infrasonic, frequencies. Al- comparisons between reviewed compo- do a good job of fending off mechanical though this system is used primarily in nents. Unfortunately, the situation with feedback, but their effectiveness against top -line turntables, its only real advan- manufacturers' specifications is rather acoustic feedback is limited. For that tage over belt drive is higher torque chaotic. The various standards are sig- reason, some manufacturers have begun (which has won it a niche in the profes- nificantly different from one another, using materials (often dense "concrete") sional market beside the rim drives). and numbers derived with one are not in their turntable bases to reduce the in- Although each drive system tends directly comparable to those obtained fluence of airborne vibration. This tech- to have some generic strengths and by other methods. Unless the specifica- nique is not a complete cure, but it can weaknesses, both excellent and medi- tions for two components indicate the help. ocre turntables can be built with any of same measurement methods (and many Properly executed, the second iso- them. When shopping, focus on results. don't say), you cannot safely make a di- lation method can provide an excellent You want three things: 1) speed accu- rect comparison. Nonetheless, you barrier to both mechanical and acoustic racy, 2) low wow and flutter, and 3) low should expect to see wow and flutter fig- feedback. It involves mounting the rumble. The first is the most easily ures below 0.1% for acceptability and tonearm and platter on a subchassis, achieved. So long as the turntable runs below 0.05% for premium equipment. which floats on springs attached to the withinabout 1/2%of the desired speed, Rumble should be less than -60 dB. base. The best of these systems use you are unlikely to hear anything amiss. springs compliant enough to get the The only models you might expect to Isolation resonance frequency down to 4 Hz or be- have problems with are the few rim- and low. The only drawback is that the turn- belt -drive units with induction motors, Acoustic and mechanical feed- table can be sensitive to footfalls, which whose speed depends on the AC line back are among the worst problems in produce very low frequency resonances. voltage. Line voltage fluctuates too much disc playback. Acoustic feedback occurs Cures for this problem include damping in most areas to insure correct speed when sound from the loudspeakers is the suspension springs, setting the turn- with such motors, which are superseded picked up from the air by the turntable table on a strut -mounted wall shelf or a today. Synchronous and electronically base and transmitted through the stylus heavy, rigid table (a good idea, in any MAY 1980 55 case), and using a set of accessory insu- most reaches of performance remain the ing makes a significant audible differ- lating feet. [See accompanying article, province of manual turntables, there is ence is a matter of dispute. The available "Phonographic Prescriptions: Do They little reason for most people to eschew evidence seems to indicate that, pro- Work?"] automatics and changers. There is noth- vided these angles are not too far off, it Unfortunately, there is no standing inherently bad about automatic op- doesn't much matter. ard test for acoustic and mechanical iso- eration; the best of the breed are really If you change cartridges often, you lation. (If there were, it might stimulate very fine. Even changers have evolved to probably will want a tonearm with either manufacturers to design better suspen- the point where their performance rivals a detachable headshell or arm tube. The sions for their products, many of which some fine single -play models. latter has been gaining favor of late be- are decidedly mediocre in this respect.) If you decide to go with a manual cause it puts the relatively heavy connec- You can, however, find out something anyway, you still will have to decide tor assembly near the pivot, where it will just by kicking the tires a bit. Some years whether you want an integrated system make a smaller contribution to the arm's ago, a prominent manufacturer demon- or separates. Theoretically, it should be effective mass. strated the effectiveness of its turntable's possible to get better performance with Turntables are beginning to sport suspension by pounding on the table's an integrated turntable/arm unit, be- some fancy speed -regulating mecha- top plate with a hammer while a record cause the designer can tune the whole nisms-quartz lock, phase -lock loop, played on undisturbed. You're not likely system for optimum performance. In and so forth. These will yield better to make it very far into an audio store practice, however, some of the finest en- numbers, but most listeners probably carrying a mallet, but you can thump on sembles result from the mating of sepa- won't hear the difference. Some manu- turntable bases with your knuckles and rate arms and turntables. Aside from the facturers use an integrated circuit com- listen to the results. Try it first with a premium price you pay for separates, it puter called a microprocessor for this takes a seasoned enthusiast or knowl- function. One turntable so equipped al- edgeable dealer to make the correct lows its LED speed readout to be match and install the arm properly. switched to a timer mode-a real boon Which turntable is right There is also the question of fea- for the inveterate tapester. Other manu- for you is ultimately tures. Most turntables and tonearms in- facturers are bringing out turntables clude a damped cueing system that en- with remote control or elaborate pro- a matter of assessing ables the user to lift and set down the grammable track -selection and record - your habits and needs. stylus without going through the risky handling facilities. business of moving the tonearm by In the future, we can expect com- hand. Some arms include adjustments puter technology, in the form of pro- for height, enabling you to optimize the grammable microprocessors, to find its record playing, and observe whether the vertical tracking angle of your cartridge, way into more and more turntables. tonearm continues to track steadily. and for lateral tilt of the cartridge. Get- They are the harbingers of the fully digi- Then turn off the player, leaving the ting these angles set just right should re- tal future, which eventually will displace stylus resting in the groove, and tap duce record and stylus wear and offers at the analog disc and banish forever most some more. Ideally, you should hear a least theoretical performance advan- of the problems we have discussed dull thud from the base and little or no tages, but whether this kind of fine tun- here.HF sound from the loudspeakers. If the showroom has wood floors, you might also try jumping up and down while a record plays to see whether the tonearm Measuring Rumble, table tests. This method incorporates a jumps with you. These tests certainly weighting curve that rolls off above and aren't scientific, but they're better than Wow, and Flutter below 500 Hz to model the ear's sensi- nothing. tivity to low -frequency noise. Wow and flutter are normally Deciding What You Want Rumble, wow, and flutter can be lumped together in a single measure- measured in a variety of ways, all of ment. HIGH FIDELITY follows this prac- As with any other component, which give different results. Rumble tice, although it does present two fig- your buying decision must be based in figures depend on the level and fre- ures. One conforms strictly to the part on what you want the unit to do for quency of the reference tone (rumble is IEEE/ANSI standard, which specifies a you. The contemporary single -play stated in dB below the level of the refer- weighted peak measurement that gives turntable market offers many degrees of ence) and on the frequency response of greatest emphasis to speed variations oc- automation, ranging from completely the weighting network used (if any). curring at about 4 Hz-the rate that most manual designs, which require you to set The resonance of the arm/cartridge annoys the ear. But flutter tends to be the stylus down in the groove at the be- combination employed for the test adds more random than wow, and HF sup- ginning of a record and to remove it at another variable, which can affect the plies an average figure, based on an in- the end, to designs so automatic that you results by boosting rumble components terpretation of the movement of the flut- can program them to play certain tracks near the resonance frequency. HIGH ter meter during the test, as well as the of a disc in a certain order, to repeat FIDELITY uses the ARLL (audible rumble maximum instantaneous value ob- them, and so forth. Although the upper- loudness level) weighting for its turn- tained. 56 HIGH FIDELITY HF/MA Throwsa Party International record prizes given; Mehta named Musician of the Year

The Presentations Last January, HIGH FIDELITY and MUSI- CAL AMERICA held our annual ceremo- nies to present the International Record ti Critics Awards-for which HF isthe American representative-and to pro- claim MA's Musician of the Year. As readers of last December's issue will remember, the winning recordings were theArchiealbum of the orchestral music of Jan Dismas Zelenka, featuring horn player Barry Tuckwell and oboist Heinz Holliger and conducted by Alexander van Wijnkoop; the Angel recording of Richard Strauss's Salome, conducted by Zubin Mehta accepts his plaque as Mu-Editor Leonard Marcus presents the Ze- Herbert von Karajan and starring Hilde- sician of the Year from audio pioneerlenka award to Deutsche Grammophon and philanthropist Avery Fisher. gard Behrens; and the EMI recording of vice president James Frey. Witold Lutoslawski's complete orchestral works conducted by the composer (not available in the U.S.). The Musician of the Year for 1980 is New York Phil- harmonic music director Zubin Mehta. a0, V

Musicians of the Year 1960-1980

JP_ Since January 1961, what the music business used to call MUSICAL AMER- ICA'S "special," "booking," or "directory" issue, and is now the MUSICAL Angel's Tony Caronia accepts two ... and for the EMI album of Lutoslaw- AMERICA INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF THE prizes: for Salome from editorial director ski orchestral works from music editor PERFORMING ARTS, has proclaimed a Robert Clark ... James Oestreich. noted artist as Musician of the Year. That month we bestowed the title, for 1960, on Leonard Bernstein. Three years later, publication date of the special is- Yehudi Menuhin-1966 40. sue was moved back a month, to Decem- Leopold Stokowski-1967 ber, where it has remained ever since. In Birgit Nilsson -1968 a the following list of titleholders, you will BeverlySills -1969 notice that there is none for 1976; begin- Michael Tilson Thomas -1970 ning with the 1977 edition (published in Pierre Boulez -1971 December 1976), we have been designat- George Balanchine (Artist of the ing the honoree for the coming rather Year) -1972 than the fading year. Sarah Caldwell -1973 Leonard Bernstein -1960 Eugene Ormandy-1974 Leontyne Price -1961 ArthurRubinstein -1975

Igor Stravinsky -1962 Placido Domingo -1977 _ .k le" .." ErichLeinsdorf -1963 Alicia de Larrocha-1978 The Musician of the Year captivates Benjamin Britten -1964 Rudolf Serkin-1979 publisher Leonard Levine and ABC Vladimir Horowitz -1965 Zubin Mehta-1980 Publishing president SethBaker ... MAY 1980 57 The Party

11111 I

4 . L I- - Soprano Hildegard Behrens, star of theTerry McEwen, executive vice president MA's book review editor Patrick J. award -winningSalomerecording, with of London Records and director -desig- Smith amuses conductor Antonio de Al- contributingeditorDavid Hamilton, nate of the San Francisco Opera, with meida, center, as HF contributing editor who reviewed the album. record -cataloguer William Schwann. Abram Chipman listens.

AM.

e' p

"N." 1'`777.? -41 Vanguard Records' Solomon brothers: A trio of vice presidents: DC's Frey and Trumpet virtuoso Andre Bernard with Maynard, the noted Beethoven scholar,Philips' Scott Mampe flank Paul Myers CBS Masterworks artists -and -repertoire and Seymour, the company's president. of CBS Masterworks International. director Thomas Frost.

L L - ... and breaks up ABC's chairman of From left, McEwen, Guenter Hensler, Mehta seems to be demonstrating his the board Leonard Goldenson and presi- recently named president of Polygram own version ofSalometo CBS Master- dent Elton Rule. Classics, London classical manager works executive Peter Munves and MA Richard Rollefson, and Frey. columnist Dorle Soria. 58 HIGH FIDELITY Behind the Scenes

Columbia Masterworks is no more! pean sessions. One such is a recording of number of Purcell works, performed on Columbia Records' classical label will now Schubert songs by Janet Baker and pianist original instruments by Frederick Renz's be CBS Masterworks. The "Columbia" Geoffrey Parsons, an interesting repertory Ensemble for Early Music, with British trademark started out in the nineteenth departure for the digital medium, should it countertenor James Bowman. The two -disc century as the District of you -know -where come to pass. set, taped shortly after the group's recent of the North American Phonograph Com- New York concert, will include a suite from pany, a merchandiser of Edison and other So Thorn Electrical Industriesis The Fairy Queen and the ode Come ye sons of phonographic equipment, but itsinter- now firmly in the driver's seat at EMI-or is art. national vicissitudes have been complex- it? Don't look now, but 20th Century -Fox MHS has also signed a nonexclusive and often amusing. The English subsidiary, has been making overtures to the new Brit- agreement with the Walter W. Naumburg for instance, merged in 1931 with the ish parent with a view to acquiring the EMI Foundation that guarantees each major Gramophone Company to form EMI (now music divisions. There is speculation that Naumburg Competition winner the oppor- Angel here), forcing U.S. Columbia to seek Thorn was more interested in EMI's elec- tunity to make atleast one recording. British representation from other firms and tronics divisions all along and was never Though the agreement takes effect with this leading to such delights as Philips promot- terriblythrilled about getting into the year's event, a vocal competition to be held ing the competition in advertisements of record business, though official word is, of this month in New York, MHS has already Bruno Walter conducting the Columbia course, to the contrary. Just when you completed a recording with the 1978 win- Symphony Orchestra. "CBS" has long thought you had all the new ownerships ner, flutist Carol Wincenc, and is consid- since been the Columbia label abroad, and straight! ering a similar project with last year's win- now America joins the rest of the world. ner, pianist Peter Orth. The Wincenc Again. In 1968, as a matter of fact, Co- On January 29, just two weeks after recording, with pianist Andras Schiff, con- lumbia attempted the name change. Pierre PolygramacquiredDecca/London's tains the Poulenc sonata and works by Boulez' album with the London Symphony recording and publishing assets, Sir Ed- other French composers and the Romanian Orchestra of Berlioz' Lelia andSymphonic ward Lewis, Decca's board chairman who Enesco. The Society is working out more fantastique that year wore a CBS label; it was had himself acquired the company fifty- future plans with Wincenc. deleted in 1970, and when each recording one years earlier, died, in London. He re-emerged (separately), it had on the Co- would have been eighty in April. Swedish pianist Eva Knardahl, fa- lumbia dress. At the moment, we notice miliar to many Americans from her twenty- that, while classical jackets sport the new The Association for Recorded year stay in this country, is now in the mop- CBS logo, the record labels themselves still Sound Collections will hold its fourteenth ping -up stages of her recording of Grieg's read "Columbia." annual convention May 8-10 at the Na- complete piano works for Bis Records of tional Library and Public Archives of Can- Sweden (distributed by Qualiton). The The recent trend for young virtuoso ada in Ottawa. Among presentations, open fourteenth and final volume, still to be re- soloists to combine forces in high-powered to all, are a survey of the history of unau- corded, will include the composer's piano chamber ensembles has produced yet an- thorized duplication ("piracy" to the lay- arrangement of music from his incomplete other group: Violinist Itzhak Perlman and man) by Raymond Wile, a professor at opera Olav Trygvason. (The opera, recently pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy have joined Queens College; a panel discussing the recorded by Unicorn, will be reviewed next with cellist Lynn Harrell in a recent record- problems and possibilities of LP reissue of month by Irving Lowens.) ing of the Tchaikovsky trio for EMI/Angel. archival materials; a session on the preser- Bis has also begun recording another The same performers are also in the midst vation and duplication of early recordings, Swedish pianist, the young Staffan Scheja, of a more ambitious undertaking, a com- which will include a display of recently de- who recently moved to New York. He will plete recording of the nine Beethoven pi- veloped equipment for transfer from cylin- play the Prokofiev Third and Sixth Sonatas. ano trios, to be released as a set. This proj- ders; a progress report on several nascent Virtually a one-man operation-the ect calls to mind one of the more notable discographies, including Steven Smolian's one man being thirty -six -year -old Robert Perlman/Ashkenazy collaborations-their of the New York Philharmonic, nearly von Bahr-the five -year -old Bis label is now recording of Beethoven's complete violin completed; a discussion byIlanPayne of producing more than thirty records per sonatas, which won an International standards for record -sleeve notations; and, year (in contrast, Von Bahr proudly points Record Critics Award for 1978. tentatively, a session on the problems of out, to the heavily subsidized Swedish transcribing the spoken word, with particu- Caprice label, whose fourteen employees The rush to digital production has lar reference to the Nixon tapes. turn out some twenty records a year). begun to outstrip available resources. Since Though something of a linguist, Von Bahr the number of digital recorders is still lim- The Musical Heritage Society is apparently does not know the meaning of ited, and the few there are have to be about to issue Alfred Deller's Purcell opera the word "delete"; he vows that all Bis titles moved from one recording site to another, series,licensed from French Harmonia will remain available indefinitely. Plans in- companies have had to build a degree of Mundi. The first release, scheduled for this clude complete recordings of Men- flexibility into their planning. This is re- month, will be King Arthur, to be followed delssohn's works for piano and orchestra flected In EMI's term "projected digital," later in the year by The Indian Queen. In ad- and for organ and Sibelius' works for piano which it now applies to most of its Euro- dition, the Society has itself recorded a and for organ. HP A Short Course In Driver Education.

A. HOUSE Students, pay attention. A house is a big, square box with many surfaces which absorb and reflect sound, in varying degrees. Designing speaker systems to perform superbly in such an environment (which Avid already does) requires experience and technical expertise. But when one starts out to design speaker systems for cars, not all experience gained with A. is transferrable to B. principles upon which our drivers B. CAR C. DRIVER That's you. The edu- are built. Simply put, Avid's Expert A car is also a box, sort of. But with Drivers perform better than a different shape, and different cated listener whose ears are accustomed to the finer sounds in others because we've isolated the reflective and absorptive surfaces. obstacles to good car speaker per- And, a lot of problems not asso- life, found most often only in your living room. Wouldn't it be nice formance and designed around ciated with houses. Cars move. them. And make noise. And vibrate. if you could get such great sound Thus, one who attacks the car - in your car? Well, now you can. This is your homework. But the speaker -design problem as if it D. EXPERT DRIVERS real test is waiting for you at your were a house -speaker -design That's what we make. Speakers Avid dealer. See him soon, or send problem is making a big mistake. designed for your car, not adapted for your free Drivers Manual. Listen to what is on the road these from your living room. We've Write Avid Corporation, 10 Tripps days and discover how many spent many years (not to mention Lane, East Providence, RI 02914. expensive mistakes are being lots of money) perfecting the made in the name of car stereo. research which has provided the

Study Sheet AVID Expert Continuous Frequency Suggested ExpertDrivers Driver Type Components Impedance Power Capacity Response Price

60Hz to Blatz Wide range 50 w e'-'4:TV,, 41/2" cone 4 ohms $60/pair RD -5 door mount ± 5 dB

6"x9" woofer 70 Hz to16kHz - is Full range 4 ohms 50 w $60/pair Model 1 rear deck 1" whizzer cone ±5 dB

2 -way 41/2" woofer 60 Hzto 20kHz . Model 5 4 ohms 75 w :175/Pairr rear deck 1" soft dometweeter 5 d B

2 -way 6" woofer 50 Hz to 20kHz . Model 10 4 ohms 100w 8225/pair lam] rear deck 1" soft dome tweeter -±3 dB . Combines the Model 10 andRD -5 50 Hz to 20kHz 10+ 4 ohms 100 w 8275/system The AVID 10 + System System for the ultimate4 -driversystem -±3 dB

Circle 8 on Page 79 m a:M.. as, a .1! Ct:4 IIII O. csassaa ama a 81,a ia c.ki1.- 4-41f II I I. m is a. a a M Al a: Y. ;i1 .1%4; ... .1s L. a ciAL JLEULL____ a_aa,a &IBA& co_24 - - M I II,

All your records will sound better with Dual'snew ULM tonearm and cartridge system.

treyheylook //L evenif 41 this.

Although none of your records may Dual's research into the effects To experience the demonstrable be in such bad shape, many are of mass on record playback led to advantages of ULM, bring a badly probably warped enough to present a collaboration with Ortofon. warped record to your Dual dealer. serious problems to conventional A cartridge was developed with Listen to it played with the ULM turntables. substantially less mass than any in tonearm and cartridge. (All nine The high inertia of a typical existence. It weighs just 2.5 grams, new Dual turntables feature this tonearm and cartridge combination, including mounting bracket and system.) with approximately 18 grams total hardware. You will hear the difference that effective mass, causes the stylus to At the same time, the mass of ULM can make on all your records. dig in riding up the warp and to take the Dual tonearm was further For the complete ULM story, off on the way down. Tracking angle reduced so that a perfectly matched please write to United Audio and tracking force vary widely- tonearm and cartridge system directly. as much as 30 percent. And a warp emerged. Its total effective mass is ULM. as small as 1.5mm (which is just 8 grams. That's less than half A major breakthrough in record barely discernible) can generate the mass of conventional tonearm playback technology. harmonic distortion of 2.7 percent. and cartridge combinations. That's audible! Tracking a record with the same These problems have now been 1.5mm warp, the ULM system solved by Dual's new Ultra Low reduces harmonic distortion to Mass tonearm and cartridge system. only 0.01 percent. That's 270 times The potential for this solution has less than that produced by the existed ever since the development conventional tonearm and cartridge. of Dual's dynamically -balanced Not only is the overall sound tonearm with its gyroscopic gimbal audibly improved, but stylus United Audio suspension and straight-line and record life are significantly Dual120 So. Columbus Avenue tubular design. extended. Mt.Vernon, New York 10553. MAY 1980 61 Record Reviews

performers; one of the most welcome fea- And Now Mozart tures of the new series is that it has enlisted the scholar who probably knows most On Original Instruments about the classical orchestra, Neal Zaslaw of Cornell University. Zaslaw's important paper for the Royal Musical Association in What Telefunken is doing for the Bach cantatas, England, "Toward the Revival of the Clas- sical Orchestra" (1976-77,still unpub- Oiseau-Lyre proposes to do for the Mozart symphonies. lished), lies behind this project. He is able to tell us what Mozart thought of the or- by Nicholas Kenyon chestra he had available in Salzburg in the 1770s (not much, apparently), what its strength was (though this is a little vague), and how it might have been arranged (with flutes and trumpets and first and second y s nothing sacred? In recent years, a grow - the great finaltrilogy of symphonies- violins, both separated). He is also able- 1 ing number of recordings have at- works whose every inflection and phrase and this is more controversial-to tell us tempted to persuade us of the virtues of we know from "conventional" perform- what contemporary writers thought was the music performed on "original"instru- ances. And finally, in Vol. 7, they will add function of a symphony, before the nine- ments: Concertos by Handel and Corelli, such curiosities as the G major Symphony teenth century turned it into the weightiest operas by Lully and Rameau, chamber mu- "No. 37" (by Michael Haydn, with only a means of instrumental musical expression. sic by countless minor and major figures, slow introduction by Mozart) and a group He concludes: "With the arguable excep- and almost everything by Bach have all of early symphonies from 1767-68, which tion of the last few, Mozart's symphonies been subjected to this approach. But if we will run the total number of Mozart's au- were perhaps intended to be witty, charm- thought that the disconcerting noises and thentic symphonies up to fifty-one or fifty- ing, brilliant, and even touching, but un- strangely unfamiliar interpretations that two. doubtedly not profound, learned, or of resulted from these efforts were at least That this project will annoy many great significance. .. . Approaching Mo- confined to a period of supposed musical listenersis beyond question. Adventur- zart's symphonies with this attitude in prehistory before 1750, then we were mis- ousness, which involves taking risks, which mind relieves them of a romantic heaviness taken. The trouble (if trouble you think it results in making mistakes, is not a favored under which they have all too often been is) is only just beginning. quality in the recording studio. It is easier to crushed. Thus unburdened, they sparkle Here is the first installment of an am- play it safe with the Academy of St. Martin- with new lustre." bitious attempt to record all of Mozart's in-the-Fields-and indeed, there are very This, I think, goes too far. It is nei- symphonies not only using instruments of good, sophisticated performances of Mo- ther fair to earlier Mozart interpreters to his time, but also reconstructing some of zart's early symphonies by that ensemble suggest that they crushed the music with the conditions of performance and playing available. But I view the new series with un- Romantic weight (Did Thomas Beecham? techniques of the period. Vol. 3 has ap- restrained delight, and the results in this Did Bruno Walter?) nor fair to the music to peared first; by Vol. 6 (some years away, first set, with all its evident imperfections, suggest that it is really of little significance. you may be relieved to know) we can ex- may be greeted with what W. S. Gilbert For the predominant impressionItake pect to hear these instrumentalists tackling would have called modified rapture. away from this first collection of the sym- The fundamental premise behind phonies-eleven of them, all written when the undertaking is that we can no longer Mozart was sixteen or seventeen-is what rely on a continuous performance tradition superb, subtle, skillfully original music fills of classical orchestral music. Our under- them and how far it must have outstripped MOZART: Symphonies, Vol.3: standing of eighteenth -century orchestral the social function for which it was in- Salzburg, 1772-73. music is clouded rather than clarified by tended. I have tried to treat the pieces as Academy of Ancient Music, Jaap the interpretations of nineteenth- and "background," to do other things when the Schroder, violin and dir.; Christopher Hog - twentieth-century performers that lie be- records were on, but time and again the wood, harpsichord and dir. [Peter Wadland hind today's accounts of this music. We music drew me back to look at some detail and Morten Winding, prod.] OISEAU-LYRE must now try to isolate a precise, appro- in the score, to listen to a movement or a D 169D3, $29.94 (three discs). Tape: K priate style of performance for each period, symphony again. 169K33, $29.94 (three cassettes). each type of orchestral music-not just an Perhaps I am in a minority. Cer- Symphonies: in D, K. 135; in D, K. antiquarian reconstruction, for that would tainly, previous commentators have dis- 161/3; No. 18, in F, K. 130; No. 19, in E be lifeless, but a performance practice that missed many of these works. "I cannot ex- flat, K. 132; No. 20, in D, K. 133; No. 21, respects all the important features of the tract much artistic interest from it [K. 162], in A, K. 134; No. 22, in C, K. 162; No. 23, playing techniques of the time and at- or indeed from K. 181 and K. 182.. .," in D, K. 181; No. 24, in B flat, K. 182; No. tempts to recapture the spirit in which the writes Hans Keller in the two-part Penguin 26, in E flat, K. 184; No. 27, in G, K. 199. music was originally intended. symposium The Symphony. "The first two [K. This process involves an important 162 and K. 181] are of the leastinterest... ," collaboration between musicologists and says Jens Peter Larsen in a generally more 62 HIGH FIDELITY

182 (wrongly listed as B major), is also less than powerful in its dynamic contrasts; the sudden alternations of forte and piano should be more striking. A few of these drawbacks may be attributed to the instruments, some to a lack of extensive preparation for the recording, and some perhaps to the lack of firm direction. It seems to me that at a stage when players are necessarily unfamiliar with every detail of eighteenth -century performance practice, the benefits of firmer guidance would outweigh the "authentic" claims of the conductorless method. But doubtless the Academy of Ancient Music will improve its cohesion, its polish, and its precision of style as the series progresses- if Schroder's string quartet recordings are a guide, we may expect something very fine. aa0 No one could claim that the results in this first installment are ideally finished, but The guiding forces behind the project: musicologist Neal Zaslaw, harpsi-they provide enough revelations to make us chordist Christopher Hogwood, and concertmaster Jaap Schroder look forward to more adventurous explor- ations in future issues. Two footnotes:First,numbering. The situation is complicated by the suc- appreciative guide in The Mozart Companion. major advantages. The music can bounce cessive revisions of Kochel's catalog. Here, Yet the D major Symphony, K. 181, with its without being stodgy, can be lyrical with- record labels and the contents list prefer sudden alternations of major and minor, out sounding overripe. The drawback, of Kochers original numbers, with the more its imitative syncopations and expressive course, is that with playing techniques that chronologically exact numbers from the viola lines, its rushing sequences of six- are less familiar and instruments that are latest(sixth) revision of the catalog in teenth notes, has scarcely been out of my difficult to handle, subtlety of phrasing and brackets. Thus: K. 182 [173dA]. But Zas- mind since I first heard it. There are less inflection inevitably suffers. This is true not law's notes use the numbers the other way than perfectly constructed works here, but only in the slow movements, but also in the around! Thus: K. 173dA [182]. And the there is not one that lacks interest; my en- opening allegros, where one notices a lack New Mozart Edition uses an earlier revision thusiasm wanes only in some of the slow of large-scale phrasing and of a sense of of Kochel in its authoritative scores! Thus: movements, which sound sweet and some- direction. K. 182 [166c]. Surely the original Kochel times sickly. The wind playing is fresh and lively: Prospective purchasers of this set The horns (of which there are four in the numbers provide the most convenient point of reference. (They are listed in Ein- will likely be less troubled over the quality unusually scored E flat Symphony, K. 132) stein's biography and The Mozart Compan- of the music, however, than over the style are reliable, the oboes incisive (though I ion.) Even if they sometimes mislead as to of the performances. There is little to fear. would perhaps have retaken one squeaky the order of the symphonies, they should Decca/ Londonhas chosen an ideal set with interval in the otherwise very fine solo in K. always have precedence. which to begin this issue, for the music is 181's slow movement), and the flutes nicely Second, a curious problem. Recent brilliant yet unfamiliar. Not one of these puffy and woody. Their tuning-"modern" recordings of this project in England have symphonies is often heard in the concert concert pitch is used-is not impeccable, been disrupted by the insistence of the Mu- hall-even the famous "little" G minor, K. but only a couple of times does this prove sicians' Union that Hogwood, as a non- 183, escapes this chronological collection disconcerting. union "director," may not play the harpsi- by a couple of months-and so there are Some of the symphonies come off in chord in these performances. (Only con- few prejudices to be overcome. performance, and some do not. On the ductors and soloists are exempt from hav- The Academy of Ancient Music has whole, the brighter key signatures seem to ing to join the union; all orchestral players developed its corporate "authentic" style work better. The D major pieces are splen- not only in baroque music, but in that of did (especially K. 133, with its trills and must belong.) And so authenticity founders on the rocks of twentieth-century industrial J.C. Bach-an ideal background for Mozart. fanfares and itsstructural surprise-the practice. Rumor has it that another harpsi- The string playing is often excellent, with quiet first subject returning in bold octaves chordist has been engaged and that Hog - no small help from Jaap Schroder (of Am- as a coda), as are the A major (K. 134) and wood now has to "direct" the recordings sterdam's Esterhazy Quartet and Great Bar- the less significant G and C major works. from the control room. It really is nonsensi- But the E flat symphonies are unassertively rington's Aston Magna), who leads the en- cal that artistic freedom should be inter- withharpsichordist done; the contrasts and surprises of K. 184's semble jointly fered with in this way; we must hope for a Christopher Hogwood. The "stringy" at- first movement are not strongly projected, speedy resolution of the situation. tack on the hammer -stroke chords, the and the anticipation of the K. 482 Piano transparent textures in the quicker pas- Concerto at the start of K. 132 sounds For another slant on the use of original in- sages, and the lightness of touch and articu- cloudy, the rest of the movement uncertain, struments in Mozart's music, see the review of lation in the running sixteenth notes are all the chords sloppy. The B flat Symphony, K. his Quartet for Oboe and Strings.-Ed. MAY 1980 63 Record of Singing Continued With commentary almost as valuable as the documents themselves, EMI's second volume is another must for the vocal collector. by Dale S. Harris

nththe appearance of this second Bellini's Norma with Maurice Strakosch, and Vanni-Marcoux will give many a col- volume of EMI's monumental sur- the former accompanist of Giuditta Pasta, lector pause. Much of what we have been vey of the vocal art as it has survived on 78 - who created the role in 1831 and first ap- prepared to believe about their vocal and rpm recordings, we have reached the end of peared on-stage in1815. And Bellini, interpretive genius does not stand up very the acoustical era. Vol. 3-originally pro- whose music can be regarded as a touch- well to Scott's informed critical scrutiny. jected as the final album in the series but stone of vocal elegance, learned about sing- Which is not to say that he finds destined, from the look of things, to be fol- ing from the castrato Girolamo Crescentini. nothing admirable in their work, but lowed by yet another-will have the advan- In Vol. 1, which covers the period merely that he has taken pains to view their tage of much better sound but the disad- from the turn of the century to 1914, Scott accomplishments objectively despite un- vantage that the electrical recording traces the decline of what he calls "the clas- critical received opinion. Listen to him on process, introduced in1925, sometimes sical virtues" of the once universally ac- Martinelli: "He had a fine conception of le- makes it hard to judge the true size (and oc- cepted Italian school of singing, and in Vol. gato, but the execution was imperfect; in- casionally even the quality) of a singer's 2, he recounts its virtual extinction and re- stead of letting the voice flow poised on the voice. In any case, Michael Scott is bound placement by the various distinctively na- breath, he squeezed it out like toothpaste; to provide judicious guidance to the al- tional styles of vocalism-in order, Russian, for a musical tension he substituted a mus- bum's contents. In the full-length, richly il- French,Italian/verismo,Anglo-American cular one. Especially in later years, as we lustrated books of commentary that accom- and German. Because Scott's method is not can hear in complete performances of Aida, pany Vols. 1 and 2, he has already proved simply to analyze a singer's technique in Simon Boccanegra, and Otello, the unrelenting himself a singularly illuminating preceptor. the abstract, as it were, but to relate it to the intensity becomes monotonous and weari- I make no apology for mentioning stylistic requirements of the music being some. In life, however, his personality was Scott so early on, since he is the vital factor sung, he provides insight into both the art full of variety and energy, and those who in the success of the entire venture: He sup- of individual performers and the musical had the good fortune to know him in his plies a critical/historical framework that taste of an entire age: "Compare the record- old age will not quickly forget the grace and alone renders this vast assemblage of voices ings of'Ah!non credea' by Patti and Muzio, charm of his manners, yet these two charac- meaningful. Without him, the twenty-five made when both ladies were in decline; teristics are conspicuously absent from his LPs issued so far would be, at worst, con- Patti, in spite of the various accom- art; the voice was not responsive enough to fusingly miscellaneous and, at best, merely modations she is obliged to make to age, is reflect them." entertaining. As itis, while they are cer- still able to contrive an ineffably moving ef- Scott is no mere absolutist when it tainly entertaining, they are also revelatory. fect solely by vocal means: purity of tone, comes to vocal technique, which he invar- Indeed, for anyone wanting to understand perfection of legato, phrasing informed by iably realizes is only a means to an end: the development of vocal art in the eloquent portamento, and exquisitely "[Lotte] Lehmann's records are among the twentieth century they are indispensable. turned ornaments. Muzio's singing lacks most satisfying ever made. In the first place, Actually, Scott's reach is even wider. refinement; she relies on a generally lachry- her voice, especially in the earlier record- In Vol. 1, by using the recorded evidence mose delivery and mannered enunciation ings, is of a rare loveliness, and then by the provided in the early years of this century of the text. It may be affecting, but it is not truth of her accents she contrives to give it a by artists of the "old school" like Patti, stylish; this is Bellini out of Boito and greater beauty still; it is the perfect mar- Sembrich, Tamagno, Santley,Battistini, Puccini." riage of verbal and musical accent that and Maurel, he is able to trace the course of By listening to the 213 selections on makes her art so compelling. Although hers singing back into the early years of the the thirteen LPs that make up Vol. 2, and was not a classical method, she has the two nineteenth century and from there even to then checking one's reactions against fundamental virtues that would have been the eighteenth century and the heyday of Scott's analyses, one finds oneself repeat- recognized inthe eighteenth century: the castrato. Adelina Patti, who did not edly challenged and stimulated. It is partic- spontaneity and intensity....And her record until 1905-6, made her operatic de- ularly instructive to be made to listen as if faults, what of them? Like those of Maria but, after all, as early as 1859 and studied for the first time to certain singers whose Callas they are so glaringly obvious that immensely high reputations are part of the even the most insensitive ear can identify permanent criticallandscape-often be- them. To mention them again would be cause of the persistent advocacy of a small gratuitous; one may as well complain that THE RECORD OF SINGING, but predominantgroup of writers on his- the Venus de Milo has no arms." VOL. 2. torical records-and to discover that they There is plenty of good singing here. N Various performers. EMI ODEON are not the paragons of vocal art one had The very first selection, the 1924 Chaliapin RLS 743, $160 (thirteen discs, mono, plus been lulled into thinking they were. His version of Bertram's Invocation from Act III book) [from various originals, 1914-25] searching analyses of Giuseppe de Luca, of Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable (in Italian), is (distributed by German News Co., Inc., 218 ElenaGerhardt, GiovanniMartinelli, enough to make even the most jaded lis- E. 86th St., New York, N.Y. 10028). Claudia Muzio, Rosa Ponselle, Tito Schipa, tener sit up in amazement and delight, so 64 HIGH FIDELITY

4 4 -

y._ - - ! - Feodor Chaliapin Gertrude Kappel Edoardo Ferrari -Fontana Delighting the jaded An authoritative Battle Cry An intriguing Vesti la giubba

sonorous a performance is it, and so au- Ambroise Thomas's Le Songedunenuit d'ite, plication, not directly. No one listening to thoritative. Some of the pieces will be fa- Edoardo Ferrari-Fontana's intriguing "Vesti these recordings and reading Scott's com- miliar to collectors of historical vocals, ei- la giubba," Gertrude Kappel's authoritative mentary could fail to become more alert, to ther originals or LP reissues. The most often version of Briinnhilde's Battle Cry, Maria feel-as I have time and again-that he has encountered recording of a singer is, after Ivogiin's "Caro nome" (in German), Alexan- never listened properly to certain singers all, likely to be the one that contains his der Kipnis' 1921 version of Prince Gremin's before. Unlike J. B. Steane, whose striking best or most characteristic performance. aria from Onegin (also in German). Other descriptive powers (as evinced in his oft - Thus, the selection chosen to represent the fine (published) items are Wildbrunn's quoted book The Grand Tradition) are ulti- art of Graziella Pareto, "Quel guardo" from "Abscheulicher!", Schwarz's "Liebe, du Himmel mately too impressionistic to be genuinely Donizetti's Don Pasquale, is one many will auf Erden" from Lehar's Paganini, Zinaida helpful and, in any case, do not arise from a already know-as they will, no doubt, Jurjevskaya's Act II aria (in German) from sound theoretical basis, Scott provides in- Frances Alda's"Ah!dunque" from Catalani's Janatek'sJena fa,Culp's "I've Been Roam- valuable insight into specific records and, Loreley, Lucrezia Bori's "Oh gioia, la nube leg- ing" (Charles Edward Horn), Cazette's "Je by extension, into the art of singing. What gera" from Wolf -Ferrari's Segreto di Susanna, suis l'oiseau" from Massenet's Grisilidis, and this album reveals, a state of evident de- and Marie Louise Edvina's "Depuis le jour" Ruth Vincent's charming account of that cline, awakens the gravest doubts about the from Charpentier's Louise. old Melba specialty, Nymphes et Sylvains by art's future. But the majority of these selections Herman Bemberg. Such doubts are only aggravated by are both relatively unfamiliar and hard to To my ear, some of the performances Scott's quotations from certain American come by. There are excellent and inter- are distinctly unpleasing-those, for ex- critics of the past, like W. J. Henderson esting performances by Russian baritone ample, by Frank Mullings, Gilda Dalla (1855-1937), H. T. Parker (1867-1934), and Alexander Bragin and Russian soprano Rizza, Ester Mazzoleni-but all have been Richard Aldrich (1863-1937), to read Maria Kuznetsova; by several outstanding carefully chosen to illustrate the vocal situ- whom on the subject of voices is to become artists of the French school, including ten- ation during the years under survey, and all horrifyingly aware of how little their cur- ors Paul Franz and Louis Cazette, baritone have something significant to reveal about rent counterparts know-or care-about the Hector Dufranne, sopranos Fanny Heldy the age. Occasionally Ifind myself dis- art of singing, whether in a technical or an and Berthe Auguez de Montalant (born in agreeing with one of Scott's judgments. I artistic sense. Present-day critics must Baltimore, Maryland); by celebrated sing- concur with his analysis of Elisabeth Schu- surely be held in large measure responsible ers of the Italian school, like Rosa Raisa, mann's faulty technique but find her a for the decline in judgmental standards that Amelita Galli-Curci (including her en- more attractive vocal personality than he has accompanied the decline in vocalism. chanting performance of Massenet's"Cri- does. I also find Edvina's top notes in "De- In any case, no lover of singing can puscule"), and Gabriella Besanzoni (a beau- puis lejour"less secure, Elena Ruszkowska afford to bypass this album. The sound tiful "Voce di donna" from Ponchielli's La less impressive, Florence Easton less satis- throughout, though somewhat variable- Gioconda); by a group of fine and too little fying, and the rattle in voices like Tina Poli- hardly surprising, given the diverse origins appreciated English and American singers Randaccio's and Juanita Caracciolo's less of the material-is excellent. Surface noise like Edith Mason, Julia Heinrich, Eleanor endurable. All this is as it should be. To has not been eliminated and neither, there- Jones -Hudson, Peter Dawson, and Horace Scott's credit, his auditory precision and fore, have the overtones of the voices. Stevens; and by some first-rate representa- technical objectivity encourage one to ar- Greater care seems to have been taken with tives of the German school, like Helene rive at opinions that still allow for the oper- the speeds than was the case with the first Wildbrunn, LolaArtotde Padilla, Marga- ation of subjectivity. volume. That one, sadly, is now out of rete Arndt -Ober (the Met's first Octavian), Because his views about the devel- print, and when copies change hands, they Julia Culp, and Vera Schwarz. opment of vocalism are so coherent, techni- do so for around $1,200, according to the Some of the most fascinating selec- cally sound, and musically cultivated, he The New York Times. Only 1,500 copies of tions are among those previously unpub- also, willy-nilly, tells us a great deal about Vol. 2 have been imported from England. It lished: Rene Lapelletrie's "014 suis-je?" from the state of singing today-though by im- would be wise to act with dispatch. Pachelbel's "Cavan in D Major" isyoursfor only $1! with your FREE -NO PURCHASE OBLIGATION -membership Dear Friend of Great Music, THE LARGEST RECORDING PROJECTS IN HISTORY To acquaint you with the Society's musical fare and recording HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY program, we'd like to send you an outstanding record that has THE MUSICAL HERITAGE SOCIETY! captivated thousands of Americans FOR ONLY $1.00! The Society's recording feats are the sensation of the record Itis rare that a recording is made that is truly "out of thisindustry! These are some of our notable accomplishments: world" with the ethereal qualities of music, performance and The Society was the first to issue all 107 of HAYDN'S sonics ideally presented. But this recording is, indeed, OTW, Symphonies. They are on 49 records (MHS 201 through MHS embodying all these characteristics! 249). 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CANON In D Major; PARTIA No. VI In B -flat Major; PARTIE In G Major A specialresponseformwillbeenclosedwitheach JOHANN FRIEDRICH FASCH (1688-1758) Review ...andyou may use it to order or reject any selections CONCERTO In D Major for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings and Continuo simply by mailing it by the date specified. And if you want only SINFONIA In G Major; SINFONIA In A Major the scheduled selections, you need do nothing -theywill be Maurice ANDRE, Trumpet shipped to you automatically. What's more, you'll have at least 10 Pierre PIERLOT and Jacques CHAMBON, Oboes full days in which to make your decision --if you ever have less JEAN-FRANcOIS PAILLARD CHAMBER ORCHESTRA time than that, just return the special selections at our expense. Jean -Francois PAILLARD, Conductor for full credit. ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT RECORDINGS OF THIS DECADE! GET THE SOCIETY'S CATALOG FREE! "A REVELATION IN MUSIC!" 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1 MAY 1980 67 Classical Revile reviewed by Kempe appears to have a larger plan of ex- interpretiverethinkingandsignificant Scott Cantrell Allan Kozinn pressive contours, of the play of stillness sonic improvement. Abram Chipman Paul Henry Lang and movement, darkness and light. His Haitink still uses the mildest of the R. D. Darrell Irving Lowens tempos are intensely contrasted, except in Loewe/Nikischrescorings (e.g., the percus- Peter G. Davis Robert C. Marsh the scherzo, where the fiery momentum sion at the Adagio's climax), and the major Robert Fiedel Karen Monson barely lets up even for the "bedeutendlang- interpretive difference shows up in the tem- Kenneth Furie Robert P. Morgan samer" episodes. Barenboim is less vehe- pos. Though I prefer the greater propulsion Harris Goldsmith Conrad L. Osborne ment in this movement, but he doesn't slow and tautness of the older reading in the first David Hamilton Andrew Porter much for the secondary theme group ei- movement, I fully subscribe to the reas- Dale S. Harris Patrick J. Smith ther, in contrast to Herbert von Karajan sessment of the third, where the trio section Philip Hart Paul A. Snook (DG 2707 101), for example, who extracts is now discernibly broader than the crack- all its Austrian folk sentiment. Nicholas Kenyon Susan Thiemann Sommer ling scherzo. The Adagio ought to stretch to Kempe's inspired, idiomatic, and eternity, and here Haitink has slowed down BRAHMS: Intermezzos (3), Op. comfortably, albeit not quite enough to suit 119-See Schumann: Piano Works. me. (Karl Bohm, on DG 2709 068, comes closest.) BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 5, in B Philips' latest sound preserves the flat. admirable balance and perspective of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dan- earlier issue and adds new warmth, imme- iel Barenboim, cond. [Gunther Breest, diacy, and dynamic range. There is not bet- prod.] DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2707 113, ter sounding edition of the work in $19.96 (two discs, manual sequence). SCHWANN, and this will serve nicely as a B MunichPhilharmonicOrchestra, basic purchase for those who don't have the Rudolf Kempe, cond. ODYSSEY Y2 35243, earlier Haitink version. Bohm's Vienna $9.96 (two discs, manual sequence). Philharmonic recording has a special com- Rudolf Kempe passion that makes it one of the most com- BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 7, in An inspired performance E. WAGNER: Siegfried Idyll. pelling alternatives, but it is packaged ina Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard sympathetic reading clearly refutes theno- three -disc box with the Eighth Symphony. Haitink, cond. PHILIPS 6769 028, $19.96 (two tion that architectural "rigor" is the only The fine single -disc accounts of Masur discs, manual sequence). Tape: 7699 113, path to a successful Fifth. Despite his basic- (Vanguard 71242), Hans Rosbaud (Turn- $19.96 (two cassettes). ally flexible outlook, he manages the great about TV 34083), and Jascha Horenstein finale with uncanny assurance andcon- (Unicorn 72004) are inevitablycompro- Bruckner's Fifth Symphony is an ar- mised by side breaks in the Adagio. chitectural masterpiece, nearly flawless in ducts the fiercely tricky three -against -two The familiar choice of the Siegfried its symmetry and awesome in its contra- rhythm in the Adagio as securely asanyone Idyll as a filler is sensible, given the Wag- puntal rigor. It seems to require a conductor on discs. By comparison, Barenboim is relatively flaccid in these movements, though nerian overtones of Bruckner's Adagio. of steadiness and authority, qualities most Haitink offers an ideal mix of soothing apparent in the performances of Bernard his exciting reading makes the most of the tenderness and firmness of purpose. The Haitink (Philips 6700 055), Kurt Masur Chicago Symphony's imposing low brass work's contrapuntal lines are articulated (Vanguard 71239/40), and Otto Klemperer and creamy strings. with a crystalline clarity equal to that of the (Angel, deleted). The looser, more Roman- Kempe's Munich Philharmonic one -player -to -a -part Solti/Vienna Philhar- tic view propounded in the past by Eugen plays with a tautly contained, smoothso- monic version (London RDN S1) and with Jochum, Wilhelm Furtwangler, and Eduard nority and an intensity of concentration van Beinum is more vulnerable to critical that rival the Chicago's. Horns are less glo- considerably finer definition than in most riously steady but completely Brucknerian full orchestral versions.A.C. attack, and the two latest arrivals are ofap- proximately that ilk. in their dark and tragic solemnity. Some "Approximately" covers a multitude excessive flute vibrato and a mildly nasal COPLAND: Piano Works. of sins and virtues, however, and if Daniel oboe are the only minor drawbacks. The Leo Smit, piano. [Thomas Frost and Barenboim and Rudolf Kempe both favor acoustical ambience is ideal, neither reso- Judith Sherman, prod.] COLUMBIA M2 rubato and tempo modification beyonda nant nor dry. Everything is beautifully pro- 35901, $17.98 (two discs). literal reading of Bruckner's (original edi- portioned, and the heftiest pages of the fi- Scherzo humoristique: The Cat and tion) score, the latter does so with a seam- nale project clearly. Violins are divided, the Mouse. Passacaglia. Piano Variations. less flow, subtlety, and control that areev- and there is even a welcome spread of the The Young Pioneers. Sunday Afternoon erywhere more authoritative. Whereas low strings. This at the Odyssey price! Music. Piano Sonata. Midsummer Noc- Barenboim responds to momentary whim, Haitink, perhaps the least egotistical turne. Four Piano. Blues. Piano Fantasy. of today's major conductors, would not be Down a Country Lane. In Evening Air. likely to remake all or part of such a tower- Night Thoughts. II Budget ing achievement as his Bruckner cycle An admirable idea, admirably car- H Historical without compelling reason. In the case of R ried out-though not perhaps quiteas Reissue the Seventh (the 1967 recording was last "complete" as it is billed: What happened A Audiophile available on Philips 802 759/60), there are to the Gershwiny Sentimental Melody that (digital, direct -to -disc, etc.) two compelling reasons: both some major Copland wrote for the Ampico piano -roll 4 Circle 34 on Page 79 68 HIGH FIDELITY

people in 1926? (It will be found in a well- DEBUSSY: Quartet for Strings, in G intentioned, limply played, dimly re- minor, Op. 10. RAVEL: Quartet for corded Copland collection, similarly not Strings, in F. Critics' quite complete, issued a couple of years Melos Quartet. [Rudolf Werner, back by a Washington label optimistically prod.] DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2531 203, hoice known as Golden Age.) One other cavil: $9.98. Tape: 3301 203, $9.98 (cassette). The 1966 In Evening Air is billed as a first The most noteworthy The Stuttgart -based Melos Quartet recording, but was previously included in seems incapable of a harsh or ungrateful releases reviewed recently Peter and Meriel Dickinson's "American tone, playing both works with unstinting Anthology" (HNH/Unicorn UN 1-72017), attention to the printed page, placing de- an attractive collection of songs and piano tails in an overall context, and avoiding BACH: Brandenburg Concertos, S. 1046-51. music. anything that smacks of self-serving man- Aston Magna, Fuller. SMITHSONIAN RECORDINGS But of course it is to the major works nerism, but observing nuances of rhythm, 3016 (2), Dec. that we turn first in such a collection. Leo BACH: Keyboard Works. Verlet. PHILIPS 9500 dynamics, expression, and tone. These ab- Smit has been associated with Copland's solutely patrician performances, with re- 588, April. music for a long time; he made the first BARTOK:Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2. Pollini, corded sound that is solid and spacious but recordings of the piano sonata and piano never disembodied, will give much satis- Abbado. DG 2530 901, Feb. concerto, gave the first performance of the BEETHOVEN: Missa Solemnis, Op. 123. faction with repeated hearing. Four Piano Blues, and before making this This brings to eight the number of Bernstein. DG 2707 110 (2), Jan. recording, played all of this music as a BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonatas Nos. 21, 31. SCHWANNstereo listings of this inseparable single recital program (all, that is, except Goldsmith. MUSICAL HERITAGE 4005, March. twosome. It is a tribute both to the stature of the Midsummer Nocturne, which Phillip Ra- BERG: Lulu. Stratas, Boulez. DG 2711 024 (4), the music and to the vitality of the current March. mey had only just turned up among Cop - performance scene that most are so su- BERLIOZ: Harold in Italy. Suk, Fischer- land's sketches; this, at any rate, is a first premely fine -if radically different from Dieskau. QUINTESSENCE PMC 7103, Nov. recording). Smit's playing is rhythmically one another -as to make perilous any at- BRAHMS: German Requiem. Griimmer, firm without being stiff, compact in tone tempt at absolute critical judgments. If your Fischer-Dieskau, Kempe. BRUCKNER: Te without loss of fullness when needed, and exploratory urge is incurable, and your sensitive to musical character. It is also less Deum. Forster. ARABESQUE 8007-2 (2), March. budget can take it, you will want to investi- DEBUSSY: Preludes, Book I. Rev. SAGA 5391, impetuous than, say, the playing of Wil- gate some of the other prime versions: the Feb. liam Masselos in the variations and fantasy Guarneri (RCA Red Seal ARL 1-0187), with HAYDN: Armida. Norman, Burrowes, Do- (Odyssey 32 16 0040), less rhetorical in the lithe, wiry intensity and dry, somewhat rati. PHILIPS 6769 021 (3), March. climaxes than the writing seems to imply. acrid acoustics; the QuartettoItaliano(Phil- HINDEMITH: Mathis der Maier. Fischer- This has interesting results. The con- ips 835 361), drenched with poetic sighs, Dieskau, Kubelik. ANGEL SZCX 3869 (3), Feb. cise and kaleidoscopic variations, though MAHLER: Symphony No. 9. Philadelphia, scents, and swoons; the LaSalle (DG 2530 set forth with great clarity, seem small-scale 235), with its ethereal sense of refine- Levine. RCA ARL 2-3461 (2), April. by comparison with the Masselos record- MASSENET: Don Quichotte. Ghiaurov, ment; and the Tokyo (Columbia M 35147), ing. On the other hand, the sonata seems to with an undulating plasticity of line and a Crespin, Bacquier, Kord. LONDON OSA 13134 gain by not being pushed to storm ultimate (3), April. bracing, steely gloss of tone. This repertory heights; the piece seems more at ease with enjoys a chronically healthy condition. MASSENET: Werther. Kraus, Troyanos, itself in Smit's performance than in most Plasson. ANGEL SZCX 3894 (3), April. A.C. others (although Leonard Bernstein once MOZART: Don Giovanni. Raimondi, Maa- brought off the rhetorical sort of reading zel. COLUMBIA M3 35192 (3), Feb. GILBERT AND SULLIVAN: Trial SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata in B flat, D. 960. very successfully -if RCA would only reissue that famous set of 78s!). And the by Jury.* Kraus. VANGUARD VSD 71267, April. CAST: SHOSTAKOVICH: Song Cycles. Bogacheva, fantasy, the longest and most problematic of these works, both gains and loses -at The Plaintiff Winifred Lawson (s) Nesterenko. COLUMBIA iMELODIYA M2 34594 The Defendant least we now have two strongly contrasted Derek Oldham (t) (2), April. Counsel for the Plaintiff SIBELIUS: Violin Concerto. SCHNITTKE: approaches on record. Arthur Hosking (b) Concerto Grosso. Kremer, Rozhdestvensky. In the shorter works, Smit's clear and Usher George Baker (b) VANGUARD VSD 71255, March. characterful playing is a continuing pleas- The Learned Judge Leo Sheffield (bs-b) STRAUSS, J. II: Waltz Transcriptions. Boston ure; I particularly like the easy sway of the H.M.S. Pinafore.* Symphony Chamber Players. DG 2530 977, slower Piano Blues, the vivid sense of fun in Dec. The Cat and the Mouse, the control and ab- CAST: STRAUSS, R.: Songs.Te Kanawa, A. Davis. sorption of Night Thoughts. And the five Josephine Elsie Griffin (s) COLUMBIA M 35140, Feb. children's pieces -though they are the sort Hebe Nellie Briercliffe (ms) Little Buttercup STRAVINSKY: The Wedding; Histoire du of music it's more fun to play than to listen Bertha Lewis (a) Ralph Rackstraw Charles Goulding (t) soldat. Levine. RCA ARL 1-3375, March. to -are set forth with a clarity and a convic- TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto; Serenade tion that should give younger players Sir Joseph Porter Henry Lytton (b) Captain Corcoran melancolique. Perlman, Ormandy. ANGEL SZ something to aim for. George Baker (b) 37640, March. The recording is clear and unclat- Boatswain Sydney Granville VLADIMIR HOROWITZ: The Horowitz tery, but I am bound to add that one of the (bs-b) Concerts 1978-79. RCA ARL 1-3433, Jan. Dick Deadeye four surfaces in my set was very gritty, and Darrell Fancourt (bs) GERARDSCHWARZ: TheSound of Trum- Carpenter's MateStuart Robertson (bs) pets. DELOS DMS 3002, Feb. all four whispered rather loudly in quiet music. The liner features an interview be- H Chorus and orchestra, *Harry Norris tween Copland and Smit.D.H. Continued on page 71

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. I To "Silence with Music in It": DBX Goes Digital by R. D. Darrell asm under its original conductor/founder Zoltan Rozsnyai, who became a naturalized American citizen, recorded with Biggs and Serkin for Columbia, and is currently conductor of the Knoxville (Tennessee) Sym- t -J phony. Since these programs feature bravura showpieces, for the most part, Rozsnyai is obviously faced with formi- dably refined and virtuosic competition that neither he nor his orchestra can possibly match. But they make a fine try and suc- ceed remarkably well in the idiomatically THE AUDIO PRO A4-14 Magyar -spiced Berlioz and Brahms and in BIAMPLIFIED LOUDSPEAKER Ginastera'sbarbaricallypropulsivePa- The only bookshelf- b. nambi ballet suite-recorded here for the Zoltan Rozsnyai conducts first time, I think, since the Goossens ver- size* speaker with a the orchestra he founded. sion on Everest, sensational by the stand- built-in subwoofer. ards of twenty years ago. Audiophiles red us the ultimate speaker My first report on the superb silencing Yet even the more routine readings system uses biamplification and subwoofers. of familiar Tchaikovsky and French favor- The biamplified A4 -14's, with their built-in "ACE of all disc surface noise by the DBX BASS" subwoofers are an entire audiophile sys- encoding/decodingprocess(November ites, handicapped as they are by some or- tem in bookshelf -size enclosures. chestral (especially brass) coarsenesses- Acoustical engineers tell us that the ideal 1979) lamented the lack of digital record- loudspeaker would be a single radiating point. ings among the debut exemplars, mostly only too realistically captured-and lacking Because of its built-in subwoofer, the Audio Pro A4-14 comes closer to this ideal than any other derived from existing masters. A number of notable stylistic distinction, still must be full range loudspeaker-without sacrificing bass. varied additions to the DBX catalog have ranked outstanding principally for their Designers tell us that speakers should be heard and not seen. Due to their compact size since appeared, but only now are there any sonics: above all, their well-nigh incredible and full complement of room balancing controls, dynamic extremes, imposing solidities, and the A4 -14's can deliver their optimum perform- brand-new digitally recorded releases. And ance-whereverthey are placed. the first three (three others are expected searching clarity of inner -voice details. All Sound, science, and style. The tctal design three discs (PS 1004 in particular) are des- approach to audio. shortly) do indeed substantiate the extrava- gant technical claims made for them and tined to become sound -specialists' delights, appetizingly anticipate the eventual ideal of but the joys of "silence with music in it" digitallyreproduceddigital recordings. will not be relished only by audiophiles. Perhaps only grizzled old-timers, They can and should be appreciated by brought up in the hard school of 78 -rpm completely nontechnical music lovers too. shellac discs with all their inescapable and These releases are truly significant mile- often excruciating noise problems, can stones on the direct route to the goal of fully appreciate thetotal emancipation ideally recordedandreproduced music. from noise -slavery. But surely the very youngest, most recently initiated discophile can hear and enjoy the incalculable differ- ZOLTAN ROZSNYAI: Orchestral ence between even the smoothest -surfaced Works. conventionally processed disc and one that A Philharmonia Hungarica, Zoltan has beenfirst DBX-encoded and then Rozsnyai, cond. [Jonas Miller and Ken played back via a DBX decoder (like the Kreisel, prod.] DBX PS 1002/4, $16 each simplest Model 21, $109 list price, which [encoded versions of M&K REALTIME RT E0 I've been using). I must stress that it's quite 201/3] (PCM digital recordings).

el futile to try to explain in words the full PS 1002: TCHAIKOVSKY: The "..17; ";'!..7 meaning of complete disc silencing; that Nutcracker: Suite, Op. 71a; Romeo and Ju- - can be grasped only by hearing for one- liet. self-as the disc starts rotating-absolutely PS 1003: DUKAS: The Sorcerer's Apprentice. CHABRIER: Espana. DE- 'Optional floor StandS ava lable nothing until the music suddenly bursts forth in radiance. BUSSY: Nocturnes: Fetes; Preludea For more reformation and The present programs from the l'apres-midi d'un faune. your nearest dealer CALL TOLL FREE 800-638-0228. Miller and Kreisel Sound Corporation, pre- PS 1004: BIZET: Carmen: Prelude. Maryland: 0-459-3292 COLLECT. Metro D.C. 459-3292 viously represented only by a series of BERLIOZ: Damnation of Faust: Rakoczy audio pro direct -to -disc releases, hold considerable March. BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 5. Circle 7 on Page 79 interest on their own merits as well. The GINASTERA: Panambi: Suite. RIMSKY- Philharmonia Hungarica is a skilled en- KORSAKOV: Mlada: Procession of the semble and plays with infectious enthusi- Nobles. MAY 1980 71

Continued from page 68 syllable-sets my teeth on edge in the aria. better and more vividly and does wonder- (Sorry, but "Recitative and Aria" is how ful things with the spoken dialogue, which and'MalcolmSargent, cond. ARABESQUE Sullivan billed Buttercup's entrance song.) I is included in the 1959 Godfrey set. 8052-2L, $14.96 (two discs, mono, manual prefer both Monica Sinclair and Gillian The Trial by Jury and Pinafore casts sequence) [from HMV originals, *1927 and Knight (this is one of the latter's better contain several singers with major reputa- *1930]. Tape: 9052-2L, $14.96 (two cas- roles)in,respectively, the Sargent and tions unsupported by anything I have settes). Godfrey stereo sets. Fancourt too seems to heard from them. Leo Sheffield and Sydney COMPARISON-Trial by Jury: have caught a case of the minces, so that we Granville between them blanketed the Godfrey/D'Oyly Carte don't hear how imposing his bass could G&S bass -baritone repertory, sharing a Lon. OSA 1155 sound in those years; he actually sings more number of roles, to no great effect that I can firmly in the 1949 Godfrey recording (Rich- COMPARISONS-Pinafore: hear. Sheffield croaks the Learned Judge Sargent/Pro ArteAng. SBL 3589 mond RS 62003). In any case, my favorite even less attractively than do the comedy Godfrey/D'Oyly Carte Dick Deadeye is Donald Adams, who sings baritones who normally take the part; Lon. OSA 1209 Beyond the news that Arabesque plans "a long series of historical Gilbert and Sullivan recordings" (complementing as well as overlapping the British Pearl label's mrs, o THE BEATLES series, which already includes this same -Abbey Road. coupling), my major interest in these performances-from the D'Oyly Carte company's first electrical series of the operas-is Malcolm Sargent's conducting of Pinafore. Not surprisingly, it's a more conventional I performance than the one Sargent recorded nearly thirty years later as part of his wonderful EMI stereo series, and yet the two readings have much in common-above all, the uncanny and almost proprietary sense of rhythmic equilibrium. More than anything else, equilibrium seems to me what the G&S operas are about: the attempt to take all the world's silliness and absurdity and pomposity and, yes, maliciousness, and out of them fashion some sort of queasy balance. When Sargent returned to G&S in his later years, he broke new ground in exploring the darker and more tender aspects of these pieces; the foundation on which he built, however, had already been laid in his D'Oyly Carte It'smore than a record. years. If I were to write about "justness of It'sa stereo component. proportion," that might suggest a pedantic An Original Master Recording will Mastering method and do our or humorless quality. In fact, Sargent's per- improve your stereo system's per- custom pressing abroad on super formances have their fair share of sparkle formance. Reproduction so real, quality vinyl. We limit the number (though perhaps not the ebullient bounce you can't tell it from the original of pressings, so that the last is as of Isidore Godfrey's), yet it remains firmly performance. clear and accurate as the first. under control. Listen to the "Let the air with Music realism begins with the You've never heard your favorite joy be laden" tune in the Pinafore overture- original stereo master tape, made music by your favorite artists like or, even better, to the entrance of Sir Jo- in the studio by the artist. We you'll hear them on Original seph's sisters, cousins, and aunts, whom then use our exclusive Half -Speed Master Recordings-unless you Sargent somehow manages to get on-stage were there. gaily tripping and lightly skipping, all the You'll find Original Master while keeping both feet planted firmly on Recordings (including our 3 latest the ground. vsctar.. releases) now at selected audio and Unfortunately this Pinafore must be record stores. listened to-in the manner of, say, Tosca- 5 Ins7I .ro". ifiC nini's Aida-with a sort of mental singing - ORIGINPL MASTER filter. Even the singers of real quality, Ber- tha Lewis and Darrell Fancourt, aren't very RECORDINGS. impressive here. Lewis squanders her fine rnabitefkl.i.v sound tab contralto with all sorts of fussy gear chang- FREE catalog. ing, and her mincy way of spitting out the .------name "Buttercup"-especially the middle Write to Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, P.O. Box 919, Chatsworth, CA 91311

Circle 27 nn PIMA. 70 THE ONE -STOP MUSIC SHOP AT WHOLESALEMU PRICES 72 HIGH FIDELITY LIER , nTHIS- MONTH'S SUPER SPECIALS! Granville isa hollow, dull Boatswain. HAYDN: Die Schopfung. Heather Harper, soprano; Robert CAR STEREOYIFFIJL Tenor Derek Oldham's florid style might SAN YO be less bothersome if the actual vocalism Tear, tenor; John Shirley -Quirk, bass; CASSETTE IN -DASH 030 PIONEEri WITH RADIO CASSETTE IN -DASH had some real ease and ring; at that, his De- James Lancelot, harpsichord; King's Col- FT 1498 $25990 WITH RADIO 11.2400 224 90 99.4909 $129 90 (1 409 fendant is better than Charles Goulding's lege Choir (Cambridge), Academy of St. ;''2.? 22 IIP-3500 144 90 1764646 ''' ." 8P-5005 . 90 ft 1493-2 164 90 p.8000 154 90 almost nonexistent Ralph Rackstraw. Martin -in -the -Fields, David Willcocks, FT 1495 . KP-8035 154 90 r 1 642 16).),9 90% .,'" ) KP-8503 179 90 ElsieGriffin'ssingingcontains cond. [Christopher Bishop, prod.]ARA- 17.644 ... 7. 8E-2000 If14 90 CASSETTE UNDERDASH NE -2002 209 90 BESQUE8039-2, $13.96 (two discs, manual 11 741/3 S 95 90 NE -3000 234 90 enough evidences of solid control and even 11.1405 114 90 OE MOO 274 90 ItPX-9000 184 90 some command of color to lead one to sus- sequence). Tape: 9039-2, $13.96 (two cas- JENSEN ItP8-9500 209 90 00011649 CASSETTE UNDERDASH pect that the relative colorlessness of the ac- settes). Separates) 99e 50 00-272 $69 90 KW292 7990 - '1'50T:51 n" 62 50 8P-373 04 90 tual sound heard may owe something to the .0033 (649 Than II - l(P.250 104 90 COMPARISON: 700 Watts) 78 50 KP-500 179 90 early electrical recording. The other 21101 (4410 Trwx NP -575 99 90 Waldman/ Musica Aeterna 45 WateS) 62 50 8P -66G 49 90 41130 (4410 Trux 11- NP -770 114 90 women, Winifred Lawson (the Plaintiff in 50 Wafts) 79 50 80-880 109 90 MCA 2-10001 01174(5Y. Ina, 108-600 129 90 Trial by Jury) and Nellie Briercliffe (Hebe in 62 50 KP-7070 164 90 2 1"172541. Wal naxII- POWER AMPS/EQUALIZERS Ever since a Viennese audience first 78 50 AD -312 (12 Watts) 539 90 Pinafore), sound simply like mediocre sing- ..6069 (640 )0000 AD -320 (20 Watts) 47 90 45 Watts) 39 50 A0-360 (70 Watts) 139 90 ers. heard Haydn bring C major to light from t 1037 (649 ConII - A0-30(5 Band En.) 94 90 90 Walla) 58 SO AD -50 (5 Band Err) 159 90 Chaos, this wonderful oratorio has been a 71077(544 Goa, GM -12 (12 Wan,) 31 90 At this stage in his career, Henry Lyt- ls Walls&,. 39 SO GM -40 (20 Watts) 52 90 GM -120 (120 WattS) 129 90 ton could hardly be called a singer at all; perennial favorite with both choruses and I j70411V'lls)75 a ' . all 50 129 90 CD -7 (7 Baoel EC1 I We carry the full line of car CAR SPEAKERS still, he gives an expert performance in the audiences. Like Handel's Messiah, itis a TS -M2 Tweeter 28 9091R

equipment by such names as - Tweeter m 9015 Sanyo, Craig, Maranti, TS -168 Three Way 84 909Hr arch,surface -deep comic style many masterpiece that speaks to the heart not Pioneer, Jensen& Aucliovox. TS -6946x9 Coax 89 93/M1 TS.695 649 3 Way 89 9CYPR people associate with G&S. The other bari- only through the ear, but for many of us, Write for free catalog. TS -86 2 Way Surface 69 90,15 TX X9 2 Way Solace _134 9029 tones are quite competent but face stiff through active participation as well. To BLANK TAPESi yQ47,A competition in the modern sets. Arthur those who have sung in a performance or CASETTE TAPES _ Arnoto Grand Male, II G-90 3 II Hosking's Counsel for the Plaintiff is no gone to one locally and are thus familiar i REEL-TO-REEL TAPES 'a ZF'0,:ft-r"'"' i '81 Scotch 2121800 FT 439 match for the distinctive accounts of John with the work in English, the language of BASF Pro1108111 C-90 2 99 Stow. 207 moo FT512 4,(up f Xlor ll C-90 299 000 L-1800 1800 FT 522 Scolcn Lo Nome C-901 Pk 4 903 VIDEO TAPES Cameron (Sargent/Angel, deleted), Ken- the recording may be crucial. Thus, the new 550106 Muter 111C-90 3 29 BETA FORMAT Sony 1748 C-90 1 t TDK L-500 (2 Hour) 12 95 neth Sandford (Godfrey/London), and Mi- Arabesque release, the first English version Sony HEX C-90 . . 50' Sony L-500 12 Hour) 12 95 Sony Ferrochrome C-90 1% Rip L-500 (2 Hour) 12 95 (DK 13 C-60 chael Rayner (in the more recentNash/ issued here since Frederic Waldman's 1965 ' Scotch L-500 (2 Hour) 12 50 41)1( D G.90 '' ; It 68 Sony 1-750 (3 Hour) 17 50 TN 0 G-120 D'Oyly Carte version, London OSA 1167). recording,isspecially welcome. Both TEM DC -180 VHS FORMAT 10K AO C-60 27g89 Mane 7-12019 Hour) 14 95 C-90 245 TONT-12014 Hour) 14 95 Similarly, George Baker-who would later recordings are good, but they are quite dif- 126 AD C-120 3.48 JVC 7.12014 IlOur) 13 95 106 SA C-60 2 19 Fup T.120 (4 Hour) 14 95 TOR SA C-90 3 78 Scotch 96-250 (4 Hour) 14 95 be Sargent's stereo Learned Judge and Sir ferent. The Willcocks performance, first MINIMUM ORDER 12 TAPES 100% GUARANTEED released by EMI in 1974, is British in con- Call or write for super low prices on Maxell tapes. Joseph-is a solid but unmemorable Usher and Captain Corcoran. Given the general ception and execution, and the Waldman, CARTRIDGES excellence of Arabesque's LP transfer, I as- originally on Decca, is American. audio -technics A1-20SS 13195 sume that the transposition of the captain's Singing The Creation in English is KT r5SS 89 95 11113-n:EfA AT 14SA 49 95 V15 Type IV 8990 Al 12SA 39 95 915 Type III 62 50 song from D to C is authentic. quite logical. The original libretto (now AT 10 12 95 M95HE 34 90 STANTON M9SED 29 90 Apart from the modest size of the lost), which Haydn picked up in London, , M91E0 20 50 8815 79 Z', 8.440 54 90 581554-5 , M70EJ 9 90 chorus and orchestra, I find the sound of was in English, and the German he set was a 681666 46 65 680EE 2795 500E 14 95 0 PICKERING Pinafore quite satisfactory. Trial by Jury, in translation by his friend Baron van Swie- EM "FE X09/5000 09 90 XSV/3000 45 90 ten. The first publication, in 1800, was in 20002 54 50 4915/750 34 90 addition to being less interestingly con- 20001 29 50 8915125 2452 211000/111 18 50 89151C0 2. 50 ducted (by Harry Norris, according to the both languages. Most of the English libretto 10R 9 714 50 PAC 9 90 album box; by "conductor unknown," ac- sounds perfectly fine, and some parts are ACCESSORIES I! 1 cording to the booklet), sounds "older"- wonderful, but there are also infelicities DISCWASHER complete SyStem e recording technology made rapid advances and (to our ears) archaisms, amended by 0)sKt 34 95 HEADPHONES 1)eoc,T37:,,, ,g L5 Koss Pro 40 19 V/ later editors. The most important of these ;1 c)", Koss Pro 4AAA 45 50 between 1927 and 1930. This set includes a 2erastat Mn-statc Gun ',3,,,,"" Koss HVVLC 34 SO SG -1 Stylus Cleaner Koss HVVA delightful bonus: an 1888 recording, made was Vincent Novello, whose mid -nine- Dmcloot ii ii "" Sennherser 110414 42 511 Embus* II Radar Detector 82 90 Sennnoser 80424 64 50 by Edison technicians, of Sullivan reading a teenth-century edition remained the stand- Beam Box FM -B Antenna 34 50 Sennherser 81:1420 49 00 Beam Bo. 71.1 10 Antenna 61.50 Sennherser /10430 -2 5)) brief message to the inventor-barely in- ard for a century of performance and is the RECORDS. telligible but cherishable all the same. basis for this recording (though Arabesque Pith. Rock, Jazz, R&B Future releases in Arabesque's G&S mysteriously omits the final column of text All 7.98 List $4.99 series (next in line is the 1936 Mikado with from the libretto printed on the jacket). n All 8.98 List $5.49 0 Martyn Green, conducted by Godfrey)Waldman employs a text updated by an All 9.98 List ...... $5.99 should have wider appeal for nonfanatics. unattributed editor. Differences stand out 90c *Moons, for cassette or 8.treck, please specrty, Minimum order.... 025.00 Meanwhile, in the absence fromSCHWANN most clearly in the solo arias. "On mighty WE STOCK THE COMPLETE SCHWANN CATALOG. ROW TO ORDER: For Immediate Moment, sand money order or of Sargent's Angel Trial by Jury, the God- pens," for instance, which has always called certified shod. Two wale delay on personal checks. Please add frey stereo recording is an obvious choice. to mind a giant scriptorium, becomes "On $3.50 au ardor for snippily A Welling ISBN for orders outside continental U.S.) 11.6.0. residents add tor Payment must be In U.S (Its three filler excerpts from Utopia, Limited, mighty wings" in the American recording. dollars only. No C.0.0.'5. All merchandise 1011 puararnmd, brand nso A factory trash. incidentally, remain the best evidence I've The singing is splendid in both per- heard of that problematic piece's possi- formances, though the edge goes to the drEMUSK,. bilities.) Although Sargent's and Godfrey's English simply for the excellence of John stereo Pinafores may not rank among their Shirley -Quirk, whose smoothly produced

.... %JORtD, most memorable outings, they can be safely bass and beautifully flowing legato far out- 33 PARK ROW, DEPT. HF, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10038 recommended, the choice depending on class Chester Watson. If MCA's Judith Ras- TO ORDER: CALL MON-SATSAMMYEASTERN TIME TOLL FREE (800) 221-8180 your preference for inclusion (Godfrey) or kinis shimmering quicksilver, Heather ALL OTHER MATTERS: CALL(212) 732-8600 omission (Sargent) of the dialogue. K.F. Harper is liquid gold; both sopranos are CALL OR WRITE FOR FREE 160PAGE CATALOC Circle 23 on Pace 79 MAY 1980 73 perfectly cast within the different concep- dred -odd, that are singled out as themas- Just about the time young Beethoven tions of the two interpretations. Uriel is the terworks. Indeed, thereisaclose arrived in Vienna in 1792, carrying with least interesting of the archangels, but Rob- relationship between his late quartets and him some early sketches for his firstquar- ert Tear is in good voice and reliableas his late symphonies, because theyrepre- usual. tets (later published as Op. 18), Haydn em- sent the summit of his art and are all con- barked on a set of six quartets. Finished the In the English cathedral tradition, nected with London, directly or indirectly. following year, they were dedicated to the Willcocks leads the men and boys of the But any intimation that there areno master- Hungarian magnate, Count Anton Ap- King's College Choir in their own fifteenth - works among the earlier works is palpably ponyi, who also was a Maecenas and an ex- century chapel at Cambridge, a remarkably ridiculous and represents a view that cellent amateur violinist. Thoughseem- resonant space with a lot of room for rever- should be rectified. Thus, we should greet ingly two sets of three works each, with beration in its lofty Gothic arches and intri- this fine recording of Opp. 71 and 74 with different opus numbers, they belong to- cate stone traceries. Either for this reason or satisfaction, especially because the "late" gether, like the traditional six-packs under simply out of preference, Willcocks adopts quartets really begin here. one number. comparatively slow tempos throughout, emphasizing the broad contours of the work. Haydn the symphonist emerges here in the long push to the crowning choruses that conclude each of The Creation's three parts. It is an impressive achievement, but fanciers of the Waldman performance will miss the loving attention to detail and the Tim bouncy cheerfulness the dry acoustic of the Weisberg recording studio permitted there. The orchestra, the Academy of St.

Martin -in -the -Fields, gets a bit lost in the TIPOF THE WEISBERG cathedral acoustics; here againyou will

. have to look elsewhere for detail. It is the ., essentially choral nature of the work that THETIP OF THE WEISBERG Willcocks brings across, and his justly re- it.., nowned choir is well equipped tocarry the burden. If boy trebles are too British for your taste, however, you can turn to the Tim Mither women of the Musica Aeterna Chorus ?...,r without any sacrifice. In sum, listeners who areaccus-

tomed to Waldman's crisp, playful Creation _ may be put off at first by Willcocks' majes- ticdeliberation. But traditionalistswill ...7 /,7 .. 1 . surely appreciate this older approach, and L 0 fortunately Haydn's Creation is a wonderful , F -,.. , work that can be reborn in many successful -.-i....-..' e" ...r.- '- guises.S.T.S. ,, L.,- -+-. -....--- HAYDN: Quartets for Strings, Opp. "iif 71 and 74. ' _.....---...--- Amadeus Quartet. [Gunther Breest, Vii"nik.....

prod.] DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2709 090,

- $29.94 (three discs, manual sequence). I 0 Op. 71: No. 1, in B flat; No. 2, in D; ' f No. 3, in E flat. Op. 74: No. 1, in C; No. 2, in Pr / - F; No. 3, in G minor (The Rider). , ...... -___L- HAYDN: Quartet for Strings, in C, Op. 76, No. 3 (The Emperor). MOZART: .._ -----______.-----....--____ ...r. -- __-_-,---' ,-.....- Quartet for Strings No. 17, in B flat, K. 458 -, - (The Hunt).

Natiniu Digi441.54.pcniisc Pax -ding Quartetto Italiano. PHILIPS 9500 662, - * _ $9.98. Tape: 7300 762, $9.98 (cassette). A DIGITALLYRECORDED & MASTERED SUPERDISC When we speak of Haydn's so- "This is the way I've always wanted my music called "master" quartets, we usuallymean to sound." his last nine, Opp. 76 and 77. (The - Tim Weisberg A live -to -digital recording that captures the opus tight, high energy rock and roll of the Weisberg Band and delivers numbers were not of Haydn's designation it on a high quality imported vinyl pressing with incredible but are far more familiar than the scholarly .1dynamics and clarity. Write for our free catalog. Hoboken classification.) Similarly, when audio 761 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach, CA 93449 18051 773-1848 his symphonies are discussedit isthe Lon- recordings Dealer Inquiries Invited don Symphonies, the last dozen of the hun- Produced by Jeffrey Weber and Tim Weisberg

Circle 29 on Page 79 74 HIGH FIDELITY ri These Apponyi Quartets show the Harmonies can be really "reckless." In Op. A impact of Haydn's first visit to England, 71, No. 3, Haydn presents the first half of where his new symphonies had created a the allegro theme in the principal key of E ARABESQUE sensation; quite obviously, he composed flat, but the consequent is in F minor! them with an eye to his next visit, inform- Only the last quartet in the set, RECORDINGS ing them with a good deal of the orchestral/ which posterity has dubbed The Rider be- symphonic, though without in the least cause of the cantering figure of its opening the New Choice jeopardizing their essential chamber music movement, has no introduction. But then, in classical music character. Resounding chords, anywhere this, one of Haydn's greatest quartets, is a from one to five, open the first four quar- terse, concentrated work that permits noth- "SOPHISTICATED and polished,. tets, sounding almost like the premier coup ing extraneous. For once the weightiest yet direct and natural .... " Harris d'archet so popular with the French au- movement is not the first, but the last, a Goldsmith, writing in the March High diences at the Concert spirituel. Haydn does concept that Beethoven, and later the Ro- Fidelity, typifies the unwavering ad- not use these string fanfares in the body of mantics, espoused. miration accorded the late conductor, the allegros; they are only a device to invite The Amadeus Quartet gives mas- Rudolf Kempe. attention (like the two whiplash chords at terly performances: Intonation is perfect; His untimely death on May 11, 1976, the beginning of Beethoven's Eroica), por- style, ensemble work, and articulation are caused the world to lament the loss of exemplary; everything is precise-a preci- his greatness and since then, his repu- tals through which we must advance. The tation has, if anything, increased. last two quartets dispense with the intro- sion not machinelike, but loose and flexible. The sound is good, and James Web- Kempe began as an oboist in Leipzig, ductory chords, using instead equally sym- and it was not until he was fully thirty- phonic heavy unison passages from which ster's notes are professional and excellent. six years of age that he began to con- the theme takes root. Let us also give favorable mention to duct. His rise was meteoric: Dresden Tovey called Haydn "reckless" in the new Philips disc featuring Haydn's State Opera, Munich State Opera, his last works; this was said not in a pejora- well-known Emperor Quartet and Mozart's Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, tive sense, but to acknowledge the sexage- equally often recorded Hunt Quartet. The and finally, conductor of the Royal Philharmonic as successor to the narian composer's exceptional imaginative QuartettoItaliano'spatricianperform- fabled Beecham. freedom as he goes his own courageous ances should delight all friends of chamber If perchance you are unacquainted way in every aspect of composition and in- music.P.H.L. with this eloquent artist's work, we strumental writing. Though Haydn now places the main emphasis on tonal and commend you to these classics, newly JANACEK: The Makropoulos Affair. released on ARABESQUE. thematic logic-even the subsidiary and CAST: closing subjects are often derived from the Emilia Marty Elisabeth Soderstrom (s) SPOTLIGHT RELEASES principal theme-he delights in throwing Kristina Anna Czakova (ms) into the melee a piquant popular tune that Charwoman Ivana Mixova (a) BRAHMS: EIN DEUTSCHES comes out of nowhere and seemingly dis- Maid Blanka Vitkova (a) REQUIUM, Op. 45 rupts the closely controlled thematic con- Albert Gregor Peter Dvorsky (t) Fischer-Dieskau, Griimmer volutions. The momentary diversion only Berlin Philharmonic Vitek Vladimir Krejtik (t) RUDOLF KEMPE serves as an opportunity to reassemble Janek Zdenek §vehla (t) things with an inexhaustible inventiveness Hauk-Sendorf Beno Blachut (t) that makes the logic of construction even Jaroslav Prus Vaclav Zitek (b) tighter. In Op. 71, No. 2, the first movement Kolenat9 Dalibor Jedlieka (bs-b) has a peculiarly jagged principal subject; 4 Machinist Jiff loran (bs) 1,4 in the midst of its contrapuntal elaboration Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna there appears one of these popular melo- Philharmonic Orchestra, Charles Macker- dies totally unexpected and hardly moti- "A classic!" -HIGH FIDELITY ras, cond. [James Mallinson, prod.) LONDON vated. Disarray threatens for a time, but OSA 12116, $17.96 (two discs, automatic AR8007-2 2 -Record Set Haydn reconciles the two extremes by re- AR9007-2 2 -Cassette Set sequence). Tape 05A5 12116, $17.90 (two storing the original flow while fashioning a $13.96 Each cassettes). serene and touching closing subject from DVORAK: Since the report on The Makropoulos "NEW WORLD" SYMPHONY the impudent ditty.Beethoven eagerly Berlin Philharmonic studied these little miracles, and echoes of Affair, the second installment in London's RUDOLF KEMPE them can still be heard in the younger mas- Janacek series,issimilar to that on its ter's latest works. predecessor, Kenya Kabanova (January 1978), Then again in Op. 74, No. 1, Haydn it can be briefer. Charles Mackerras knows entirelyrecomposestherecapitulation, this music well and shapes it with urgency something no one had done before him. and eloquence. The Vienna Philharmonic The minuets in these quartets show how far plays masterfully, its tone characteristically the genre has left behind the old courtly rich and refined. Elisabeth Soderstrom, dance; they arefast, sophisticated, and though not as glamorous of voice as once, is AR8019 Record AR9019 Cassette symphonic, yet the spirit of the dance still still in command of her part both musically $6.98 Each hovers over them. Slow movements are and theatrically; a true dramatic soprano stately and profound; the Adagio of Op. 74, (Janaeek's designation of the role) would Make your New Choice now... bring more edge to her tone in Emilia request catalog from: No. 3, is one of the finest of its kind in the entire classical era. The finales brim with Marty's uglier moments, but Soderstrom ARABESQUE RECORDINGS élan, wit, and ever -regenerating ideas, the reads her lines with such force and point, caeDmon sonata/rondo never falling into a pattern. and shapes the musical phrases with such c!_' 1995 Broadway NY 10023 Dept. HF5 MAY 1980 75

thrust, that we are not minded to complain. orchestra. Furthermore, as suggested, that cludes a first-class historical essay and an Peter Dvorsky is a bright -voiced Albert grander Decca/London ambience tends to introduction to the musical material by Gregor, and the other roles are welltaken; a swallow up orchestral detail: For example, John Tyrrell, as well as a libretto with a special mention is due Beno Blachut, early on in the Marty/Gregor scene in Act I, new translation (uncredited) that reads well Czechoslovakia's great heroic tenor, now a leaping wind figure with repeated notes and makes sense (though I'm not in a posi- (in his sixties) occupying himself success- plays an important part in the textures, but tion to vouch for its accuracy).D.H. fully with character parts, such as the aged, it is frequently smothered over in the new demented Hauk-Sendorf. The recorded recording-you can finditif you know LIGETI: Melodien; Concerto for sound is solid and full, if not ideal in its de- where to look, but it doesn't grab the ear as Flute, Oboe, and Orchestra*; Chamber lineation of orchestral detail. in the Czech performance. These points Concerto. There is also a Czech recording, no are hardly enough to tip the balance in favor Aurele Nicolet,flute";Heinz Holli- longer listed in SCHWANN as Epic B2C 167 of the slack and sometimes sloppy Gregor ger, oboe*; London Sinfonietta, David (in which form it was reviewed in these recording, but we should be aware that in Atherton, cond. [James Mallinson, prod.] pages in March 1968) but still to be found some respects the London performance is DECCA HEADLINE HEAD 12, $9.98 (distrib- in imported form (Supraphon SUAST stylistically off -center. The gradual dissolu- uted by London Records). 50811/2)-one of the least effectiveJanacek tion of national stylistic traits in music is Gyorgy Ligeti first achieved inter- recordings from his native land, with a probably an inevitable consequence of the national prominence in 1961 with his or- shrillish heroine and an often inept con- ease of international travel and communi- chestral Atmospheres, which has since be- ductor, Bohumil Gregor, who misinterprets cation, but we should not let them slip away comeremarkablypopularfor a tempo changes and fails to shape the cli- without being conscious of the loss. contemporary work and has appeared fre- mactic scenes. (It can claim one clear supe- Having registered that reservation, I quently on concert programs. At first hear- riority of casting, however: Helena Tatter- heartily recommend the new recording, es- ing, Atmospheres seemed similar to those muschova's bright and spirited Kristina.) pecially to those who do not know the op- works by Penderecki, such as the Threnody Despite these deficiencies, it makes era. Based on an ingenious and effective for the Victims of Hiroshima, that appeared at us aware of important points. The Vienna play by Karel Capek about a woman who about the same time and,likethe Ligeti, Philharmonic's playing is not only better lives for more than 300 years, its music is featureddense, slow -moving textures- than that of the Prague National Theater austere and at first frustrating in its con- "sound blocks," as they are often called- Orchestra; itis different-and the drier, stant reliance on sequential repetition, but which were developed and juxtaposed in brighter tone of the Czech band is surely the cumulative effect, topped by the final various ways. Yet the points of departure of closer to the quality Janacek had in mind powerful surge of lyricism, is likely to take the two composers were even then funda- than the lusher patina of the more famous you by surprise. The London booklet in- mentally different: Whereas Penderecki

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conceived of these blocks as basically un- these pieces, is the most problematic, since differentiatedwholes whose individual the music of the solo instruments is infact: parts were of minimal significance, Ligeti sufficiently differentiated from that of the IM larger ensemble. Also, the contrapuntal carefully built up the total texture out of a Genuine Shure numerous small components, each with writing is generally less interesting than in some life of its own. the other two works. In contrast, the Cham- upgrade stylus is The difference was difficult to detect ber Concerto, the earliest of the three, is a in Atmospheres. The larger textures were for marvel of virtuosic scoring, with thirteen unquestionably the most part so densely composed that it instrumentalists treated as soloists of equal was almost impossible to distinguish the ability.Its four distinct movements to- the biggest contribution of individual parts to the over- gether form a work of unusual accom- all effect; the elements got lost in the larger plishment. Melodien, with its sensuous and bargain in hi-fi mass. Perhaps the most significant develop- luminous web of long contrapuntal lines We strongly urge you to check your stylus ment in Ligeti's subsequent music has been and delicate filigree, deserves a place in the for wear at least once a year to protect a thinning out of these textures, so that the standard orchestral repertory. Despite talk your records and maintain the highest network of melodic strands-what he calls to the contrary, there is complex new music standards of listening pleasure. being written that is well within the reach Regardless of when (or where) you the "micropolyphony"-could become purchased your Shure cartridge, there is more clearly audible in its details. At the of average concert audiences. a Genuine Shure replacement stylus same time his music has become less exclu- The performances by the London available which will bring your cartridge sively chromatic, relying more and more Sinfonietta and soloists Aurele Nicolet and right back to its original specifications. upon small groups of pitches with dis- Heinz Holliger under David Atherton's di- Even better, you may actually be able to cernible intervalliccharacteristics that rection are, despite one or two minor improve its performance significantly over lapses, faithful in both detailari spirit. Li- the original with a Genuine Shure function as a harmonic foundation for the upgrade stylus.. at surprisingly low cost! polyphonic superstructure. Moreover, as a geti himself supplies very informative liner For example: result of both of these tendencies, individ- notes.R.P.M. UPGRADE ual tones periodically emerge with particu- IF YOU OWN: WITH: lar emphasis, enabling one to speak of a MOZART: Quartet for Oboe and new kind of "tonality," quite different from Ilk..,,i.,,z, Strings, in F, K. 370; Quintet for Horn and the traditional kind, yet unmistakable in its Strings, in E flat, K. 407. alp, V15 VN35HE 46---,:-... effect. Type IIIHyperelliptical Michel Piguet, oboe; Hermann Bau- SERIESstylus The three important works here il- mann, horn; Jaap Schroder, violin; Wiel lustrate these developments. Written be- ijoktiv Peeters and Wim ten Have, violas; Wouter tween 1969 and 1972, all conform to the Moller, cello. TELEFUNKEN 6.42173, $9.98. Fe.11ik M95 N95HE* same basic compositional approach, al- - "*, SERIES Hyperelliptical Tape: 4.42173, $9.98. stylus though each is quite individual. And in all COMPARISON-Oboe Quartet: three the apparent similarity to Penderecki Holliger, Krebbers, et al. is revealed to have been only a surface re- Phi. 9500 397 N72EJ /1.\ semblance. Indeed, these works are more in M70 Biradial vO. the tradition of Debussy,Bartok,and the I wonder how many other old-timers SERIES (Elliptical) stylus Schoenberg of the third of the Five Pieces were led into the paradise of Mozartean N72B Spherical stylus for Orchestra, Op. 16. chamber music by the great Leon Goossens, The subtle shadings of timbre, func- the first to record the endearing oboe quar- ANY M91, N91ED* tions of the extraordinarily detailed trans- tet-both acoustically,fortheNational M92, M93 stylus formations of the smallest rhythmic, dy- Gramophonic Society, and electrically, in ANY M71, N75 TYPE 2* namic, and melodic relationships, form 1933, for English Columbia. But today I M73, M75 Series styli endlessly fascinating patterns. Ligeti han- hesitate to seek out the World Records reissue for fear some of the once incompa- ANY M44 Series N55Estylus dles the constant interplay between various elements-some figurational, some more rable magic may have faded. Though I'm M3D, M7D N21D*stylus linear, still others basically harmonic and sure Goossens himself remains unique, I 'Before purchasing any replacement stylus be certain sustaining in character-with a master's doubt that his collaborators, members of your turntable is compatible with the tracking force of the stylus you select. touch. But equally telling is the way these the Lener Quartet, could have approached transformations acquire formal shapes that the technical standards of the Dutch en- Always insist on a are clear and convincing, yet unpredictable semble that joins Goossens' successor as Genuine Shure in their details. The opening of Melodien, oboist extraordinaire, Heinz Holliger, in for example, a one -movement work for or- their truly ideal 1977 Philips version. replacement stylus. chestra (here presented in a version for solo Against this background and with Look for the name string quintet), begins with a series of si- considerable dubiety about the advantages multaneous rising lines in various instru- of period instruments for Mozart's works, I "Shure" on the stylus ments, all basically similar yet different in can't muster much enthusiasm for the grip. some particulars. The rising shape clearly present version, with Michel Piguet and controls the work's first extended gesture; members of the Esterhazy Quartet playing ESHURE but it is the subtlety of the individual mo- eighteenth -century instruments. Piguet tions that suppliesMelodienwith its special plays very well, and I'm fascinated by the Shure Brothers Inc., 222 Hartrey Ave., Evanston, IL 60204 appeal. penetrating, reedy tonal qualities of his In Canada: A. C. Simmonds & Sons Limited Outside the U.S. or Canada, write to Shure Brothers The Double Concerto for Flute, two -keyed Christophe Delusse oboe (c. Inc., Attn. Dept. J6 for information on your local Shure 1785). But the anonymous producer has distributor. Manufacturers of high fidelity components, Oboe, and Orchestra, the most recent of microphones, sound systems and related circuitry. row -owof fin Pans.70 MAY 1980 77 given the oboe such prominence that the the Met), and Wexford. I last heard the op- fact: work almost becomes a concerto rather era in Philadelphia, a year ago. I've never I than a balanced chamber piece. heard it without being moved or without five new Shure Cartridges The same (by no means uncommon) also reflecting on how well it's composed. feature the technological miscalculation is even more egregious in To those who don't know the opera, breakthroughs of the V15 the horn quintet, dominated by the big, this Philips performance should come as a boomy tone of Baumann's Bohemian Inven- revelation. Those who do know it will Type IV- tionshorn with E flat crook (c. 1800), and fur- probably have a different kind of revela- ther handicapped by his rather unwieldy tion; in none of the theater productions reading. Baumann participated in an earlier mentioned above was the score anything Telefunken account (6.41009, with the like as well played as it is here by the Phil- the Strauss quartet), there presumably playing harmonia under LOpez-Cobos. Otello was M97 a valved instrument. But I'm sorry tothe second of the nine operas, all of them Era IV admit that I haven't heard it-or any of sev- serious, that Rossini composed for the San Series eral other more recent recordings, since I Carlo in Naples. (Strictly, Otello had its pre- phono never got around to replacing the fine, if miere at the Fondo and moved to the San somewhat romanticized, early stereo ver- Carlo as soon as that house, damaged by cartridges sion by John Barrows and the Fine Arts fire, was ready again.) He was sometimes

Quartet (available in a 1972 Orion reissue, accused at the time of being too learned, too So...t, 7281). "German"-another way of saying that he was All of which leaves the new Tele- not content merely to repeat the old forms funken pairing with strictly limited appeal: and that he took a good deal of trouble with ti to period -instrument specialists. R.D.D. his orchestral writing. Otello is filled with Shure has written a new chapter in inventions in variation form: The march the history of affordable hi-fi by MOZART: Symphonies (11). For a that accompanies the hero's entrance and making the space-age technologi- review, see page 61. the successive strophes of Desdemona's cal breakthroughs of the incompa- Willow Song are just the most striking ex- rable V15 Type IV available in a complete line of high-perform- RAVEL: Quartet for Strings, in F- amples among many. And it is elaborately ance, moderately -priced car- See Debussy: Quartet for Strings. and vividly scored, with many beautiful tridges: the M97 Era IV Series wind solos and many touches of contrast- Phono Cartridges, available with ROSSINI: Otello. ing colors carefully applied. Desdemona's five different interchangeable sty- prayer-like Elisabeth's prayer inTann- lus configurations to fit every sys- CAST: tem and every budget. Emilia Nucci Condo (s) lauser-is accompanied by winds alone; then the strings are used to convey Otello's Desdemona Frederica von Stade (ms) fury and anguish, his alternate resolve and Otello Jose Carreras (t) hesitation, as he enters. (There are many signs that both Boito and Verdi knew Ros- Jago Gianfranco Pastine (t) Dynamic sini's opera well.) All the orchestral playing Stabilizer- Rodrigo Salvatore Fisichella (t) which simultaneously Lucio Keith Lewis (t) is alert and colorful, and it is very well re- overcomes record -warp corded. Doge/GondoliereAlfonso Leoz (t) caused problems, provides The instrumentalists of our day are electrostatic neutralization of the Elmiro Samuel Ramey (bs) record surface, and effectively Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Philhar- trained to a high standard; student pianists removes dust and lint from the record. monia Orchestra, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, cond. take in their stride works that nineteenth- century professionals hesitated to play in SIDE -GUARD, which PHILIPS6769 023, $29.94 (three discs, man- responds to side thrusts ual sequence). Tape: 7699 110, $19.96 (two public. But very few singers today acquire on the stylus by cassettes). the technique to sound Rossini's music withdrawing the with anything like fluency and accuracy. entire stylus shank Rossini's Otello is a beautiful, affect- and tip safely into No violinist or pianist would dare to offer the stylus housing ing, and dramatic opera. It's not quite true an audience as many smudged notes, before it to say that Verdi's greater handling of the clumsy runs, and tonal unevennesses as are can bend. same drama drove it from the stage; Ros- heard from the tenors in this set. Otello is And, the unique sini's work had started to lose its popularity particularly tough on tenors. Four of the telescoped stylus well before Verdi's Otello appeared, in roles are designated for primo Lenore. Jose assembly which 1887. But the canto d'azione pioneered by results in lower effective Carreras, as Otello, can't manage his aria. stylus mass and dramatically Bellini and Donizetti and championed by There's no bright, forward, heroic flash in improved trackability. Verdi had long before that begun to replace the timbre; floriture are sometimes aspi- There is even anM97cartridge that offers the Rossini's more florid style as a favored me- rated, sometimes vague. Elsewhere, the low distortion Hyperelliptical stylus! dium for musical drama. It is probably true music sometimes runs too low for him to be NEWT M97 Series Era IV Phono Car- to say that, if Verdi had not composed his tridges...Five new invitations to the new effective in it. Charm of timbre and a natu- era In hi-fi. Otello, we would hear Rossini's opera more ral, unaffected, all-purpose expressiveness often than we do. There were two concert take him part of the way, however. F -I l_J 1=t performances in New York in the 1950s, Rodrigo is a role of equal impor- "re.415 Shure Brothers Inc., 222 Hartrey Ave., one with Jennie Tourel and the other with tance. Salvatore Fisichella's voice is new to Evanston, IL 60204 In Canada: A.C. Simmonds & Sons Limited Eileen Farrell as the heroine. A few cities me; it has an open, slightly hard ping at the Outside the U.S. or Canada, write to Shure Brothers staged the piece in the 1960s, among them Inc., Attn: Dept. J6 for information on your local top that is not disagreeable, for the focus is Shure distributor. London, Rome (a production that came to true. He's not as nimble as Pietro Botazzo, Manufacturers of high fidelity components. microphones. sound systems and related circuitry Clovis. 42 nn Pan. 70 78 HIGH FIDELITY'S Free Armchair who used to sing the role in the'60s,and he it's very beautiful in its way, but itstill Shopping Service grabs awkwardly at some of the gruppetti. doesn't flow. In general, there's too much In the aria, he bears down on the first beats swelling and then fading, seesawing be- On the card opposite, circle the number indi- too heavily-"Ah COme MAI non SENti"- tween one lovely note and another. Her cated at the bottom of the ad or at the endof so that the line lurches. In the Act II duet principal aria, "L'error d'un'infelice," is less athe editorial mention of the product you're with Otello and the subsequent trio, he is line than a series of beautiful but im- interested in. (Key numbers for advertised products also appear in the AdvertisingIndex.) too retiring; in the first cast, Davide would perfectly connected notes. hardly have deferred to Nozzari in this way. Most of her recitative drags, and this Type or print your name,address, andzip code Jago is a smaller role; Gianfranco Pastine is a general fault of the set. It proceeds from on the card. Postage is prepaid. overinflects his recitatives, but otherwise a good intention-to show that recitative Mail the card today. You'll soon receive free does the part with fair ability. The fourth can mean something, that it's not just a product literature and specifications from primo tenore is the Gondoliere. He has just gabble to keep the plot going between the manufacturers. fifteen measures, but magical ones-a strain set pieces. But instead of dramatic, purpo- of Dante, drifting up from the lagoon to sive dialogue, we get a series of discrete ex- chime with Desdemona's sad thoughts. Al- clamations-for example, in the long Act II MAIL ORDER fonso Leoz sings them with feeling; and he conversation between Otello and Jago. The BUYER'S SERVICE doubles in one of the two comprimario tenor performers seem to have forgotten that rec- roles that the opera also contains. Keith itative is heightened speech; that they are Lewis sings the other freshly and well. addressing one another in sentences whose Samuel Ramey's bass is not ideally clean or meaning runs through the rests; and that it Three Great Buyer's flexible enough for Elmiro's music, but was only a convention to set out recitative there's not much of the part, and he is fairly in regular 4/4 bars. Another general, per- Guides From satisfactory. sistent faultistoclose phrases with Frederica von Stade has it in her, I stubbed -out "blunt endings"-repeated HIGH FIDELITY think, to become a remarkable Desdemona. notes-where the appoggiatura cadences of Order Now! natural speech inflection are required. The flaws in her performance here are less P.. isthe best s of equipment than of style and inter- The orchestral sound wstwr 1980 pretation. The other day, I read a review of thing about this set, and it is reason enough Reports HIGH but not the only reason for buying it. The Test an anthem entitled "How lovely are thy 1980 FIDELITY'S singers may be technically imperfect and (New swellings fair"; I recalled the typo as I lis- Test tened to Miss von Stade. Her voice is lovely, stylistically uncertain, but they do show Buying Reports and she can swell it most affectingly. But feeling for the music and are as good as Guide $3.95 E1101:41": the music stops moving along when she most Rossini singers are today. The opera 1 Circle sings it. She overdoes the recitatives, aim- does come across. And so a reviewer is left cc7;;;;; ,ingialla 161 e. NEW 3ro PROOLC. .2.84 ;II I ing to "express" almost every word-but with mixed feelings: gratitude that Otello Buyingnpetyrrs with timbre and timing, not with pronun- should have been recorded and that Philips 7Stereo ComponentsGuide to should have assembled probably as good a 1980 ciation:Consonants almost disappear .5 ICE75 70ROMS

cast as one could hope to hear now, tem- ,tVr."4",_ Buying where she breaks in on the duel, in Act II, A.m. .r.3.0,4re Guide to crying "Fermate! Udite!" The Willow Song pered with the "objective" realization that PLUS Stereo Rossini's music deserves far better singing VICW. - goes less stickily than in the performance Components A.P. More on page 81 Any I. on her recital disc (Philips 9500 098), and still. ,$3.95 .Ad. ..rCircle

parrs 162 Not Hazardous To Your Head. STEREO!ST Smoke can be CASSETTE CARE gently cleans the '

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To order, circle the number on the attachedcard that matches the number of theBuyer's Guideyou want. Enclose payment plus S1.00 for postage with your order and mail to: HIGH FIDELITY One Sound Avenue Marion, Ohio 43302 (Enclose payment. No credit orders.) ALLSOP

Circle 3 on Page 79 MAY 1980 E1 NEW FROM ecent Romances Nos. 1,2, Violin & Orchestra, Op. 40, 50 ecord Kremer, Tchakarov, London Sym. (Op. BOB 40) t Vn Con. K.5; Schubert:Konzert- . eleases snick DG 2531193; L3301193 Sonatas (32) for Piano CARVER

r The following listings are excerpts from No. 28 in A, Op. 101 1 the "New Listings" section of the March Bishop Kovacevich t Son. 30 Phi. 9500569 7 tr 4CI817( Schwann Record and Tape Guide. Some list- No. 30 in E, Op. 109 48. a ings contain a cross-reference (5) to other works Bishop Kovacevich t Son. 28 Phi. 9500569 on the recording. Letters in brackets refer to Variations & Fugue in Eb, Op. 35, "Eroica" t! **Op language used in vocal music (G, German; E, ®If t - eratI:1.111 Buchbinder t Var. Op. 34, 76, G.191 . . English, etc.). Cassette editions are indicated Tel. 642070; L442070 SONIC HOLOGRAPHY® by the symbol L. Quadriphonic discs are indi- Variations in c (32 var.),G.191 cated by aQfollowing the record number; From coast to coast, from reviewer to Buchbinder t Var. Op. 34, 35, 76 reviewer, response to the new Carver digital discs are indicated by a D following the Tel. 642070; L442070 C-4000 SONIC HOLOGRAPHY/Autocorrela- record number. Variations in D, Op. 76, for piano tion Preamplifier has been overwhelm- Buchbinder t Var. Op. 34, 35, G.191 ingly favorable. 'But the overriding question raised by BACH, JOHANN SEBASTIAN Tel.642070; L442070 the unit is how its holographic generator Chromatic Fant. & Fugue in d, Harpsi- Variations in F on an Original Theme, Op. sounds, since this is its unique claim to chord, 5.903 34 fame. Our answer: Terrific. With the Buchbinder t Var. Op. 35, 76, G.191 system set up right and the listener Tureck (piano) t Duets; Italian ensconced in the preferred position, the Col. M-35822 Tel. 642070; L442070 stereo image-even with recordings that, Duets for Harpsichord, S.802/5 BELLINI, VINCENZO because they are multimiked, depart from Tureck (piano) t Chromatic; Italian Norma Carver's theoretical ideal-is generally Scotto, Troyanos, Giacomini, Plishka, Le- crystalline in a way that almost beggars Col. M-35822 normal stereo reproduction. If that norm French Suites (6) for Harpsichord, S.812/7 vine, Nat'l Phil., Ambrosian Op. Cho. [I] can be likened to a curtain of sound ex- Verlet 2 -Phi. 6768653 3 -Col. M3X-35902 tending between the two speakers, the Italian Concerto in F for Harpsichord, BERNSTEIN, LEONARD holographic generator seems to open the curtain and reveal a deployment of musi- 5.971 Fancy Free cal forces extending behind, between and Tureck (piano) t Chromatic; Duets Bernstein, Israel Phil. t Ser. DG 2531196 beyond the speakers...And, to carry the Col. M-35822 Serenade for Violin Solo, Strings & Percus- simile one step further, turning on the Sonatas (6)for Violin & Harpsichord, sion autocorrelator is like lifting a thin residual Kremer, Bernstein, Israel Phil. t Fancy scrim of noise from between the auditor S.1014/9 and the stage." High Fidelity Magazine, Grumiaux, Jaccottet 2 -Phi. 6769017 DG 2531196 January 1980. Toccatas for Harpsichord, S.910/16 BIZET, GEORGES ':..the result was positively breath- Gould (piano) (S.911, 914/6) Jeux d'enfants, Op. 22 taking! When the lights were turned out Martinon, ORTF Orch. t Jolie; Sym. we could almost have sworn that we were Col. M-35831; LMT -35831 in the presence of a real live orchestra." BARTOK, BELA DG2535238; L3335238 Hal Rogers, Senior Editor- Popular Elec- Jolie Fille de Perth:Suite Bluebeard's Castle, Op. 11 tronics, May 1979. Martinon, ORTF Orch. t Jeux; Sym. -Plain old stereo will never be the Szonyi,Szekely,Dorati, London Sym. DG2535238; L3335238 same." Arthur Salsberg, Editorial Director [Hun] t Dance; Miraculous; Wooden -Popular Electronics, May1979. Symphony No. 1 in C 3-Mer. 77012 "Instruments and performers are lo- Dance Suite Martinon, ORTF Orch. t Jeux; Jolie cated where they belong, whether to the front of, between, beside, or behind the Dorati, Hungarica Phil.tBluebeard's; DG 2535238; L3335238 BLOCH, ERNEST speakers-in short, anywhere in a 180- Miraculous; Wooden 3-Mer. 77012 Sinfonia breve (1953) degree arc facing the listener." Omni Miraculous Mandarin (ballet) Magazine, March 1980. Dorati, BBC Sym. & Cho. t Bluebeard's; Dorati,Minneapolis Sym.tMcPhee; "The effect strains credibility- had I not Schuller experienced it I probably would not be- Dance; Wooden 3-Mer. 77012 Mer. 75116 CHOPIN, FREDERIC lieve itmyself." JulianHirsch, Hirsch -Houck Quartets (6) (complete) Laboratories, Popular Electronics, Hungarian Qr3 -DG 2728011; L3373011 Polonaises May1979. No. 3 (1927) Berman (Nos. 1-6) DG 2531094; L3301094 Bob Ajaye...after two days of critical Sequoia Qr t Ravel:Qr Gilels (3) t Son. 3 DG 2531099 listening called the Carver invention 'a Sonata No. 3 in b for Piano, Op. 58 giant leap forward for hi-fi.' I agree." Larry Delos DMS-3004 (D) Klein, Technical Director-Stereo Review, Wooden Prince, Op. 13 Gilels t Polonaises DG 2531099 May1979. Dorati,LondonSym.tBluebeard's; CLERAMBAULT, LOUIS NICOLAS Whether you're searching for a new La Musette (Cantata) preamp, or just want to be stunned, we Dance; Miraculous 3-Mer. 77012 Monoyios, Richman, Concert Royal [F] t suggest that you critically audition a properly set up C-4000. Sonic Holography de- BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG VAN Marais; Rameau:L'Impatience;Pieces Concerto in C for Violin (fragment), K.5 livers the depth and breath of the concert en concert None. 71371 stage. The only sound experience that Kremer, Tchakarov, London Sym. t Ro- DEBUSSY, CLAUDE out -performs Sonic Holography is the per- mances; Schubert:Konzertstiick Fantaisie for Piano & Orchestra formance itself. DG 2531193; L3301193 Sonata No. 3 in g for Violin and Piano Leonore (1805) (orig. vers. of Fidelio) Zukerman, Neikrug t Faure:Berceuse; Vn Moser, Donath, Cassilly, Adam, Ridder- Son. Col. M-35179 CARVER busch, Blomstedt, Dresden St. Op. [G] DUKE, JOHN (1899 - 3 -Ara. 8043; L9043 Songs COR PORATION PO Box 664 Woodinville, Washington 98072 Circle 82 on Page 79 E2 HIGH FIDELITY MORE DESIGN INNOVATION FROM NELOLCU 000004120 Bogard, w. Duke: 5 Songs for Soprano Hanson,Eastman -RochesterOrch.t (Teasdale); Stopping by Woods on a Bloch:Sinf.; Schuller Mer. 75116 Snowy Evening(Frost); 6 Poems by Em- MOZART, WOLFGANG AMADEUS ily Dickinson for Soprano; 4 Poems by Concerti (25) for Piano & Orchestra Emily Dickinson; 4 Chinese Love Lyrics No. 14 in Eb, K.449 for Soprano; 4 Poems by e.e. cummings Vasary, Berlin Phil. t Con. 26 Cam. 2776 DG 2531207; L3301207 EPSTEIN, DAVID Night Voices, for Narrator, Orch. & Cho. No. 26 in D, K.537, "Coronation" Vasary, Berlin Phil. t Con. 14 (1974) J. Bookspan, Epstein, M.I.T. Sym., Boston DG 2531207; L3301207 Archdiocesan Boys Choir [E] t Walton: Idomeneo, Re di Creta, K.366 Facade Can. 31116 Rothenberger, Moser, Gedda, Biichner, FAURE, GABRIEL Adam, Schmidt-Isserstedt, Dresden St. Berceuse for Violin & Piano, Op. 16 Op. [I] 4 -Ara. 8054;09054 r Zukerman, Neikrug t Vn Son.; Debussy: POULENC, FRANCIS Son. 3 Col. M-35179 Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, & Piano Sonata in A for Violin & Piano, Op. 13 Still, Turkovic, Perry t Saint-Saens:Bsn Zukerman, Neikrug t Berceuse; Debussy: Son.; Schumann:Romances; Tansman Son. 3 Col. M-35179 Tel. 642081 FRANCK, CESAR PUCCINI, GIACOMO MODEL 3200Z SPEAKER Sonata in A for Violin & Piano Suor Angelica The model 3200Z speaker's innovative slant back design Oliveira, Feldman t Saint-Saens:Vn Son. Sutherland, Ludwig, Buchanan, Bonynge, affordsnaturallime alignment.Allsignals arriveatthe 1 Col. MX -35829 Nat'l Phil. [II Lon. 1173; L5-1173 listener's ears at precisely the same moment. The results are natural, clean, and accurate tonal qualities along with superb GILBERT, WM. S. & SULLIVAN, SIR RACHMANINOFF, SERGEI imaging. ARTHUR Symphony No. 2 in e, Op. 27 Of exceptional capabilities is the model 3000 Helmholtz Kletzki, Orch. Suisse Romande dual port resonator constructed of a single 8" bass driver. Its H.M.S. Pinafore measured outputis 89dB at 27Hz. anditwillnot vary Sargent, D'Oyly Carte Op. Co. t Trial Lon. STS -15500 ± 1.5dB from 30-20.000 Hz! Bass reproduction is incredible 2 -Ara. 8052; L9052 RAMEAU, JEAN PHILIPPE and total output is smooth and accurate. Trial by Jury L'Impatience (cantata) Our entire line is the ultimate expression of open, boxless. Monoyios, Richman, Concert Royal [F] t multi -dimensional sound reproduction utilizing current driver Sargent, D'Oyly Carte Op. Co. t Pinafore technology in unusual but effective configurations. 2 -Ara. 8052; L9052 Pieces en concert; Clerambault; Marais Total product design emphasis is on high efficiency to None. 71371 afford "big from small" results by the use of simple and GLAZUNOV, ALEXANDER efficient crossover networks. The King of the Jews (incidental music), Pieces de clavecin en concert Accuracy ofreproduction yielding"live performance" Op. 95 (1914) Richman, Concert Royal (No. 5) t L'Im- without coloration or distortionis achieved by innovative Kohler, Stuttgart Phil. Turn. 34739(Q) patience; Clerambault; Marais driver selection and placement. None. 71371 natural walnut veneers and precise HAYDN, (FRANZ) JOSEPH Extensive use of RAVEL, MAURICE cabinetconstructioninsure an attractive, enhancing Creation (oratorio) appearance. Harper, Tear, Shirley -Quirk, Willcocks, Daphnis et Chloe (complete ballet) A five year limited warranty and a totally dealer serviceable St. Martin's Acad., King's Coll. Cho. [E] Mata, Dallas Sym. & Cho. component program make the entire Modular Acoustics line a RCA ARC1-3458 (D) refreshing choice. 2 -Ara. 8039; L9039 Quartet in F Quartets (82) SequoiaQr tBartOk:Qr 3 Amadeus Qr (Op. 71, 74)3 -DG 2709090 Delos DMS-3004 (D) Symphony No. 94 in G, "Surprise" ROSSINI, GIOACCHINO Previn, Pittsburgh Sym. t Sym. 104 The Barber of Seville Ang. SZ-37575 D'Angelo, Monti, Capecchi, Tadeo, Barto- Symphony No. 104 in D, "London" letti, Bavarian Radio Sym. & Cho. [I] Previn, Pittsburgh Sym. t Sym. 94 3 -DG 2728005; L3373005 Ang. SZ-37575 Overtures Trios (piano) (31) Serafin, Rome Op. Orch. (Gazza Ladra; Beaux Arts Trio (H.XV, Nos. CI, 41) Scala di Seta; William Tell; Barber of Phi. 9500658 MARAIS, MARIN Seville; Semiramide) DG 2535365; L3335365 L Suites for Viola da gamba & Harpsichord Richman, Concert Royal (No. 2 in D) t RUDHYAR,DANE Clerambault; Rameau:L'impatience; Advent; Crisis and Overcoming (string quartets) Pieces en concert None. 71371 MODEL 3000 HELMHOLTZ DUAL PORT RESONATOR Kronos Qr CRI 418 MARTINO, DONALD Triple Concerto for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, SAINT-SAENS, CAMILLE Make Modular Acoustics your first choice today. Sonata for Bassoon & Piano See your dealer or write us for further information. Contrabass Clarinet & Chamber Or- chestra (1977) Turkovic, PerrytPoulenc:Trio; Schu- OUR CONCERN IS A SOUND BUSINESS Devendra, Smylie, Thimmig, Sollberger, mann:Romances; Tansman Tel. 642081 Gp for Contemp. Music t Babbitt Sonata No. 1 in d for Violin, Op. 75 None. 71372 Oliveira, Feldman t Franck:Son. I LiAJDOLIIL McPHEE, COLIN Col. MX -35829

11111 1 111201040120 Tabuh-Tabuhan (Toccata for Orchestra) SCHUBERT, FRANZ Fantasia in C for Violin & Piano, D.934 30682 SAN ANTONIO STREET (1936) HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA 94544 (415) 487-1144

Circle 83 on Page 79 MAY 1980 E3 Luca,Kalichstein tRondo;Sonatina ' No. 3 (1973) D.384 None. 71370 Ophelia; Schlechtes Wetter; Breit'iiber Hinds, Mandel; Primavera Qr CRI 416 mein Haupt; Standchen; Ich Konzertstiick in D for Violin &Orchestra, STRAUSS, RICHARD schwebe; Nichts; Wiegenlied; Die Zeitlose;Wozu D.345; Rondo in A for Violin& Die agyptische Helena, Op. 75 (1924-27) Strings, D.438; Polonaise in Bb, D.530 noch, Madchen; Am Ufer; Wiesollten Jones, Hendricks, Finnila, White,Kastu, wir geheim sic halten Kremer, Tchakarov, London Sym. tBee- Dorati, Detroit Sym. [G] Eb-Sko 1005 thoven: Vn Con. K.5; Romances 3 -Lon. 13135 STRAVINSKY, IGOR Daphne, Op. 82 (1938) Petrouchka:3 Scenes DG 2531193; L3301193 Gueden, King,Wunderlich, Overtures Schoeffler, Ranki t Piano Tel. 642358; L442358 Bohm, Vienna Sym. [G] Piano Music Vaughan, Naples Orch. (Italian Style,in 2 -DG 2726090; /3372090 Rinki (4): Sonata (1924); C & D) f Sym. 1-4; Zauberharfe Songs Piano Rag; Tango; Serenade in A f Petrouchka 3 -Ara. 8045; L9045 Eberley [G]: Heimliche Aufforderung; Be- Quartets Tel. 642358; L442358 freit; Freundliche Vision; 3 Lieder No. 15 in G, Op. 161, D.887 der TANSMAN, ALEXANDRE Juilliard Qr Col. M-35827; LMT -35827 Quintet in C, Op. 163, D.956 LaSalle Qr, Harrell DG 2531209 Rondo brillant in b for Violin & Piano, Op. . EQUALIZERS... 70 PREAMP-EQUALIZERS... Luca, Kalichstein t Fant. D.934; Sonatina CLASS "H" AMPLIFIERS D.384 None. 71370 Sonatinas (3) for Violin & Piano, Op.137, D.384, 385, 408 Cr:06114NEL 0:0691111

3 Luca, Kalichstein (No. 1) t Fant. D.934; - Rondo -r

None. 71370 := =4- -r_ Symphonies (Nos. 1-4)

V/ Vaughan, Naples Orch. t Over.; Zauber- 00 MI real MS .7..r_"-.1-74:

harfe 3 -Ara. 8045; L9045 . Symphony No. 3 in D, D.200 7 -"T.* -?-t!'

C. Kleiber, Vienna Phil. t Sym. 8 C1.11111 DG 2531124; L3301124 Miinchinger, Vienna Phil. t Sym. 6 Lon. STS -15499 THE PERFECT PRE-AMP Symphony No. 6 in C, "Little", D.589 Miinchinger, Vienna Phil. t Sym. 3 FOR THE GREAT NEW Lon. STS -15499 sUPE--"- ERAMPS! For aSUPER -SYSTEM Symphony No. 8 in b, "Unfinished", D.759 match the SP4001 with any ofthese TRUE -of -the -Art" amps - C. Kleiber, Vienna Phil. f Sym. 3 4i:1-. DG 2531124; L3301124 . -

Die Zauberharfe, D.644 (Inc. music) 1t1111011: 33311.11111,j ' Witti9... PHASE LINEAR SAE CROWN Vaughan, Naples Orch. t Over.; Sym. DYNACO 1-4 ESS MARANTZ SONY KENWOOC BOSE AUDIO SOUNDCRAFTSMEN RESEARCH CITATION 3 -Ara. 8045; L9045 BGW SP4001 SPECIAL FEATURES a SCHULLER, GUNTHER SP4001 SPECIFICATIONS Dual :0 -Band Equalization Zero-Gain/LED Level Balancing Sub -Sonic Filtering Four Mono Phono Preamplifiers "...' PREAMP SECTION Seven Studies on Themes of PaulKlee Two -Way Tape Dubbing Two External Processing Loops 32 -Stepped Level (1959) Control Zero-Detent Slide F FREQUENCY RESPONSE: Hi -Level ± 1/4dB, 5 Hz to 100 kHz Potentiometers 19" Rack Mount Includes WalnutWood Veneered Side Phono ± ihd13. 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Panels Includes "FREQUENCY SPECTRUM Dorati, Minneapolis Sym.t ANALYZER" Test Record TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION: Less than 01%. Bloch:Sinf.; Includes ''COMPUTONE CHARTS" for Instant Re-setting IM DISTORTION: Less than .01%. McPhee Mer. 75116 PHONO SIGNAL-TO-NOISE: 97dB. PHONO PREAMP DESIGN: Four separate mono preamp SCHUMANN, ROBERT circuits. Carnaval, Op. 9 (S:eotiezeioedt EQUALIZER SECTION IN -OUT MONITORING: L. E.O. Comparison Circuit. Davidovich f Humoreske HARMONIC DISTORTION: Less than .01%. NEW CLASS "H" IM DISTORTION: Less than .01%. Phi. 9500667; L7300765 SIGNAL-TO-NOISE: Better than 10500. $549. Fantasia in C, Op. 17 ..:...,, Anda t Sym. Etudes 250 W. AMPS ..,

.,. . DG 2535364; L3335364 16 -Page Humoreske, Op. 20 FREE!Full -Color Brochure = Davidovich t Carnaval HYS SNOWS OF E ALIZATI ...1...".- .." Phi. 9500667; L7300765 '''''' - \ alieeivo...... Romances (3) for Oboe, Op. 94 . 1 Still, Perry t Poulenc:Trio; Saint -Satins: Ir.-7- -.., _.....

Bsn Son.; Tansman -...... _ 1 gum Tel. 642081 ._

- Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13 133.3.0.1 . Anda t Fant. Op. 17 U ,. ..,We, ' ." The new CLASS '11- ANALOG logic Van -Per -honercircuit with AUTO -CROWBAR IRS protection circuit, input level controls. adjusted, sou DG 2535364; L3335364 range meters. main and remote speaker selection, clipping indicators, SARI -PO 0TIONAVindicators and speaker SIEGMEISTER, ELIE protection. 250 watts RMS minimum p/c 20-20KHz t 8 ohms, less than 0.1% .. C11-ALYZEIr THO. rim. better than 0.02%. NON -LIMITEDoutput assures crisp clean Song Cycles:Madam to You (1964); The peaks. 3 models_ BASIC. METER. AMP-OUALIZER. Face of War (1966); String Quartet $649 to $949 IINCLUDES COMPLETE SPECIFICATIONS ON ALL MODELS

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WEISGALL, HUGO Sonatine for Bassoon & Piano 3 -Lon. STS -15496/8 Turkovic, PerrytPoulenc:Trio; Saint- Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29, "Polish" The Golden Peacock (7 Popular Songs from Saens:Bsn Son.; Schumann:Romances Mehta, LA Phil. Lon. 7154 the Yiddish) (1960; 1976); Transla- Tel. 642081 Symphony No. 4 in f, Op. 36 tions (song cycle) (1971-2) CRI 417 TCHAIKOVSKY, PIOTR ILYICH Ashkenazy, Philharmonia Orch. Raskin, w. Ritt (piano) [Yi,E] Concerto No. 1inbbfor Piano & Orch., Lon. 7144;L5-7144 WOLF, HUGO S Op. 23 Symphony No. 6 in b, Op. 74, "Pathetique" Italienisches Liederbuch Argerich, Dutoit, Royal Phil. Bohm, London Sym. Ludwig, Fischer-Dieskau, w. Barenboim DG 2535295; /3335295 DG 2531212;L3301212 [G] 2 -DG2707114 ALEXANDER VON Arrau, Davis, Boston Sym. WALTON, WILLIAM ZEMLINSKY, Phi. 9500695;L7300783 Facade (1871-1942) Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66 (complete ballet) J. Bookspan, Epstein, Ens. [E] t Epstein Quartet No. 2, Op. 15 (1915) DG 2530892 Ansermet, Orch. Suisse Romande Can. 31116 LaSalle Qr ELECTRONIC MUSIC Op. One 47-CRESHEVSKY: Broadcast I've just bought a sound system and placed it in my living roomwhich (1973); Great Performances, for Clarinet, was meant to be lived in. Bassoon & Tape-Shelden, Hindell; HOWE: Unfortunately ... it was not designed for music to be played in. Third Study in Timbre (1970-73); Canons 4 INTRODUCING "ROBAC" - ACOUSTIC PANELS (1974) Hi-Fi listening rooms NEED "ROBAC" to eliminate echoand re- COLLECTIONS verberation. Anthologies y..i ...-; Greatest Hits of 1721-Kapp, Philharmonia 1W -v.1"-rOnifTelliV VIw Vpgrepumfr J4 " I Virtuosi of New York:Bach: jesu,Joy of er4f.1.311 owlwismsi 4414 Man'sDesiring;Sheep MaySafely . r,V4P". 11d ImsrYs%rat *WPM Graze; Suite No. 2 for Orchestra-Badi- 11, V," Nem,,,EAINP-VVityl=eymilrelfr nerie; Corelli:Christmas Concerto-Pas-

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Piano Rosenberger, Carol-"Water Music" of the Impressionists: Liszt:Les Jeux d'eaux a la Villa d'Este; Griffes:The Fountain of the Acqua Paola; Ravel:Jeux d'eau; Ondine; WHAT DOES "ROBAC" DO? -Most rooms have excessive reverb. above the Debussy:La Cathedrale engloutie; Jar - recommended time of .4 seconds. These disturbing 'annoyance factors' can dins sous la pluie; Reflets dans l'eau; be heard as ringing, echo, reverb, and is present with the finestequipment. Poissons d'or; Ondine The answer is"ROBAC"which eliminates unwanted 'annoyance factors', equalizing room acoustics for optimum listening pleasure."ROBAC" is Delos DMS-3006 (D) supplied in aesthetically interesting 12" square panels which are easily Vocal installed with glue or staples. Constructed of the finest sound absorbing Jerusalem, Siegfried-Operatic Arias: Wag- material,"ROBAC"has significantly higher absorption than perforated ner: Meistersinger-Morgenlich leuch- acoustic tiles, heavy velour, thick pile carpet or acoustic foam. tend; Lohengrin-In fernem Land; Mein HOW MUCH "ROBAC" DO I NEED? -A typical listening room is 10 x 20 x 8' or lieber Schwan!; Tchaikovsky:Eugen On- and 1600 cubic feet and is fitted with wall to wall carpeting, two chairs, couch egin-Wohinseidihrentschwunden; drapes on one wall. Reverberation time in this room is .53 seconds.This room Bildnis ist be- time of .4 Mozart:Zauberflote-Dies requires additional absorption material to reach the recommended zauberndschon;Weber:Oberon-Ja, seconds. This is equal to 48"ROBAC"panels, or a 6 ft.x 8ft. wall area. Generally 25% of the total wall area should be treated with"ROBAC". was auch rings umher; Vater, hoe mich Available in six colours, (off-white, blue, brown, yellow, orange and green). flehen; Smetana:Bartered Bride-Wart' To make detailed calculations request the"ROBAC" ROOM CALCULATOR. nur, wart'; Flotow:Alessandro Stradel- la-Jungfrau Maria; Meyerbeer:L'Afri- U.S. DISTRIBUTOR caine-Land so wunderbar 7321 VICTORIA PARK AVENUE, UNIT 2, Col. M-35830; /MT -35830 GROUP INC.MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA L3R 2Z8 ALPHA TEL. (416)495-1260 0 1980 ABC Schwann Publications Circle 81 on Page 79 MAY 1980 81

SCHUMANN: Fantasiestiicke, Op. have a Midas touch. Even where she is not essing does not do full justice to the 12; Fantasy in C, Op. 17. at her very best-the first several Fantasie- nuances of the master tape. Still, the sound Martha Argerich,piano.[Jurg stiicke are a bit fast and glib; parts of the fan- is serviceable. Grand, prod.] COLUMBIA M 35168, $8.98. tasy are slightly detached and perfunctory Daniel Barenboim, fresh from his SCHUMANN: Kinderszenen, Op. and even abit cavalier technically-the traversal of Schumann's orchestral music 15; Fantasy in C, Op. 17; Arabeske, Op. 18. sheer naturalness of the pianism and the with the Chicago Symphony (DG 2709 Daniel Barenboim, piano. [Gunther wingedness of the musicianship carry the 075), shows that he can be as willful and Breest, prod.] DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2531 day. She seems more sympathetic to the variable at the keyboard as on the podium. 089, $9.98. Tape: 3301 089, $9.98 (cassette). short pieces than to the larger fantasy, When he is at his considerable best, as in SCHUMANN: Carnaval, Op. 9; which requires tension and grandeur, but the Kinderszenen and Faschingsschwank, his Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26. there is much in both performances that is musicianly interpretations are refreshing. Daniel Barenboim, piano. [Gunther revealing. The reproduction isat a low His Kinderszenen, in particular, is direct, un- Breest, prod.] DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2531 level, and I suspect that Columbia's proc- cluttered, full of soundly considered detail, 090, $9.98. Tape: 3301 090, $9.98 (cassette). SCHUMANN: Fantasy in C, Op. 17; Arabeske, Op. 18. 2 nom: Youri Egorov, piano. [Klaas A. Post- S huma, prod.] PETERS INTERNATIONAL PLE 122, $7.98. Tape: PCE 122, $7.98 (cassette). SCHUMANN: Kreisleriana, Op. 16; Noveletten, Op. 21: No. 1, in F; No. 8, in F 4 sharp minor. Youri Egorov, piano. [Klaas A. Post-

I \ huma, prod.] PETERS INTERNATIONAL PLE 113, $7.98. r. - SCHUMANN: Carnaval, Op. 9; Humoreske, Op. 20. Bella Davidovich, piano. PHILIPS 9500 667, $9.98. Tape: 7300 765, $9.98 (cassette). SCHUMANN: Intermezzos, Op. 4; Fantasiestiicke, Op. 12. Imre Rohmann, piano. [Attila Apr6, prod.] HUNGAROTON SLPX 11799, $8.98. SCHUMANN: Kreisleriana, Op. 16. BRAHMS: Intermezzos (3), Op. 119. III Ludwig Olshansky, piano. [Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz, prod.] MONI- TOR MCS 2160, $4.98. Miniature Masterpieces SCHUMANN: Fantasiestiicke, Op. There are times and places in which speakers must be heard 12; Sonata for Piano, in G minor, Op. 22. but barely seen. If you are seeking superb music reproduction Susan Starr, piano. [Albert L. Bor- without the ine,egance of large boxes, ADS miniature speakers kow Jr., prod.] ORION ORS 77284, $7.98. are the logical cnoice. Beautifully styled, they blenc gracefully SCHUMANN: Fantasy in C, Op. 17; into any decor. And yet, they reproduce music with suchpower Noveletten, Op. 21: No. 1, in F; No. 2, in D. and accuracythat theyconsistentlyelicithead -shaking Arthur Rubinstein, piano. [Max disbelief. Wilcox, prod.] RCA RED SEAL ARL 1-3427, ADS mini -speakers have been "A' rated by Stereo Review for $8.98. Tape: ARK 1-3427, $8.98 (cassette). general listening quality', selected for Consumer Electronics' Design and Engineering Exhibition, and .nclucedinthe . Museum of Modern Art Design Collection. Equally at home in If anyone still questions Schumann's automobiles, Dcats or planes they have become standard popularity as a piano composer, he has only travelling companions for many musicians, artists and profes- to consider this unruly assemblage. Apart 1,1" - sionals. from Rubinstein's, all are new recordings, So when conventionalbig box" loudspeakers just won't do,

and they are joined in the catalog by recent visit yourADSdealer and ask him to help you select the ADS reissues as well (Anda's C major Fantasy mini -masterpiece which best suits your needs. and Symphonic Etudes, DG Privilege 2535 For more information, write ADS, Dept.HF6, or call1- 364; Eschenbach's Kinderszenen, Waldszenen, 800-824-7888 (California 1-800-852-7777) toll free and ask for intermezzos, and Abegg Variations, DG Operator 483. Privilege 2535 224). For complete details see Nineteen Minispeakers in Stereo Review. August 1979 . Suggested retail prices for ADS minispeakers range from $114 50 to $150.00 eachand some Martha Argerich's name comes as a models are available ir black or silver finish. surprise on a Columbia release, but the Ar- ' gentinian virtuoso has not shifted her con- tractual allegiance away from Deutsche r. Grammophon; she made this recording for 1 - the Italian Ricordi label-a one-shot deal, I ADSWhere technology serves music am told-and Columbia has licensed it for r Analog & Digital Systems, Inc., One Progress Way,Wilmington,MA 01887(617) 658-5100 sale in other countries. Argerich seems to lr iiinoLt 82 HIGH FIDELITY OVfrllO wale and devoid of treacle. While he plays each Whereas Richter's and Horowitz' record- of the vignettes with classical cogency and ings are finicky and detail -conscious, Ego- INV1ir 4111,04 to succinctness, he (like Schnabel) also man- rov, a colorist of exceptional ability, subor- ages to make the various components work dinates all the spasmodic jolts to a long- ON NAME as a cycle, and the prevailing robustness is range dynamism (but without losing vital- BRANDSLi -7a1 attractive. Faschingsschwank gets a similarly ity, as Pollini's slightly denatured reading does). Egorov negotiates the celebrated affectionate, propulsive performance, though its sonority is understandably skips at the end of the march with awesome

ter 0.06a, 44: eee& weightier and less intimate. aplomb -keyboard mastery reminiscent of

In the fantasy, as in the central Rachmaninoff's in Schumann's Carnaval!

8 -TRACK TAPES BASF 8 TRACK 90 MIN. STUDIO SERIES $22.50 / 10 movements of the C major Symphony, The low-key, yearning third movement is a TDK 8 TRACK 90 MIN. AD SERIES TAPE 27.00 / 10 grand summation of what has gone before. 29.75 / 10 Barenboim's brusquer qualities come SCOTCH 8 TRACK 90 MIN. MASTER TAPE

CASSETTE TAPES unattractively to the fore. Many of his in- Rarely, if ever, have I encountered a more TER EC -90 LO NOISE TAPE $14.50 / 10 TER SA -C90 SUPER AVILIN TAPE 28.50 / 10 terpretive points are intellectually defen- affecting (and less affected) C major Fan- 21.50 / 10 TEE SA -C60 SUPER AVILIN TAPE

tasy. The Kreisleriana and Noveletten are TER C-90AD Shot ALMA TAPE 24.50 / 10 sible, usually derived from either the Tilt C-60AD NOW ALEXIA TAPE 16.50 /10 printed page or the "tradition" of prior art- equally commendable, and Peters' EMI -de- BASF C-90 PROFESSIONAL TYPE I 26.50 / 10 27.50 / 10 BASF C-90 PRO TYPE II OR III ists; but the sensibilities of Barenboim the rived sound has spacious solidity. BASF C-90 STUDIO SERIES TAPE 24.50 / 10 BASF C-90 PERFORMANCE SERIES 17.00 / 10 musician are not nearly so persuasive as the Bella Davidovich also gets gorgeous

MAXELL C -901N UN -NOISE ECONOMY WRITE

sound for her Humoreske and Carnaval, and MAXELL C-60UD ULTRA -DYNAMIC TAPE . FOR workings of Barenboim the logician. His MAXELL C-90UD ULTRA -DYNAMIC TAPE . OUR * tone is oppressive and opaque, and his in- on the whole, these are more interestingly

MAXELL UD-XL C-60 TYPE I OR II LOW MAXELL UD-XL C-90 TYPE I OR II PRICES terpolated ritards and Luftpausen have a played than her Beethoven and Chopin SCOTCH C-60 MASTER TYPE II OR III 25.00 / 10

SCOTCH C-90 MASTER TYPE II OR III 31.50 / 10 g certain belligerent crassness. (I am re- (Philips 9500 665/6, January). The massive-

REEL TO REEL TAPES ness and deliberation with which she opens $52.00 / 10 minded unpleasantly of his manhandling TEE L-1800 AUDUA SERIES TAPE

147.00 / 10 Tilt L-3600 10 1/2" AUDUA sforzato accents in the symphony's second Carnaval augur well, and her interpretation MASFIJ 00-35-90 ULTRA -DYNAMIC 7' wRITE

MAXELL 0D-35-180SANE ON10 1/2" FOR movement trio sections and his graceless, is generally clean, powerful, and efficient.

MAXELL UD-XL 35 90B XL LOW BACK -COATED " MAXELL UD-XL 1808 10 1/2" PRICES But why must she use so much arm weight? unsubtle Adagio in the same work.) His

sUfICH 207-R90 POLYBASE POSITRAK 50.00 / 10 Carnavalhas a few exemplary details (the And why must she dawdle so in the intro- 63.00 / 10 SOOR:11 M -7R 180 ON 7" REEL VIDEO TAPE - WRITE FUR Earl PRICES! beautifully sturdy, rhythmic "Arlequin") spective middle section of "Reconnaissance"? 4 STANTON EMPIRE and some that are at least thought -provok- The Humoreske is steady and ingratiatingly MODEL MODEL Flit -9 $110.00 8815 566.00 MODEL 51.00 MODEL 20002 55.00 lyrical. Though both performances are Voss ing (the repeat of both sections in the da 19.00 MODEL 681EEE 41.00 MODEL 3000C/X idiomatic, they are a trifle prim and ortho- . capo of "Valse allemande"); but on the whole, PICKERING SHURE MODEL V-15-4 $82.50 MODEL XSV-4000 $63.00 dox and do not eclipse memories of Arrau, MODEL XSV-3000 MODEL V-15-3 62.50 it and, to a lesser degree, his Arabeske are 44.00

MODEL 1200-E 35.00 MODEL V -15-311E 75.90

depressing and shallow. Technically, the Horowitz, Richter, and Yves Nat in the

AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS Humoreske or Rubinstein, Hess, Gieseking, pianism is clean -more than could be said PIONEER KP-8500 AM/FM CASSETTE... $WRITE

PIONEER KE-2000 AM/FM CASSETTE... FOR of much of his work ten years ago -yet a and -above all-Rachmaninoff in Carnaval.

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PIONEER KPX -9000 ELECTICNIC TUNING PRICE prevailing percussive drabness robs the The young Hungarian Imre Roh-

JENSENR-430 AM/FM CASSETTE 298.00

mann turns in excellent, musicianly ac- JENSEN8-420 AM/FM CASSETTE 238.00 music of its tonal allure.

JENSENR-410 AM/FM CASSETTE 192.00 The first release of the much -her- counts of the rarely heard Op. 4 Inter-

JENSENR-405 AM/FM CASSETTE 180.00 alded Soviet émigré Youri Egorov (Peters mezzos and the Fantasiestiicke. He paces with

JENSEN LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEMS convincing rigor and shapes with stringent JENSENTRIAX II J-1033 (6x9") $75. PR ! International PLE 121, May 1979) was 4; JENSENCOAX II J-1037 (6x9") 60.PR ." sensibility.HisFantasiestiicke, somewhat somewhat disappointing; recorded live at a JENSENCOAX II J-1041 (5 1/4") 49.PR

JENSENTRIAX J-1065 (6x9") 62.PR broader than Argerich's, are stylistically Carnegie Hall appearance, the young pian- JENSENTRIAX J-1101 (4x10') 62.PR

ist sounded understandably intimidated by akin to Perahia's (Columbia M 32299); they

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have shape, lucidity, and poetry allied to SENNHEISER 102,414 HEADPHONES $42.00 the dual challenge of having to live up to

SENNHEISER HD -424 HEADPHONES 64.00 the standard he set at his Tully Hall debut excellent virtuosity. Hungaroton's repro- KOSS PRO 4 AA STEREOPHONES 33.00

KOSS PRO 4 AAA STEREDPHONES 45.00 six months earlier and of having to produce duction, while still close, is less boxy than

a concert tape that could withstand the the piano sound that label produced a few

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Prices quoted arew/o freight. scrutiny of repeated hearings. But in these years ago. This is a fine disc, particularly

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Full manufacturer warranty. them into an Olympian, symmetrical pro- the Kreisleriana and the intermezzos from

Shippedfully insured. Brahms's Op. 119 can be passed over gression. The music unfolds imperturb- send for free catalog quickly: His playing, though never really ably, with perfect timing and wonderful

- name plasticity of tone, and no detail sounds ei- bad, is beset with eccentricities and blotchy

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address formances of both works available. ment of the overall musical plan. Only the

city greateststylistspossess comparable Susan Starr is a brilliant technician

capable of impressive digital clarity in "Fa- state zip breadthofdesignandaesthetic

sensibilities. bel," "Traumeswirren," and the scurrying The Arabeske is somewhat more epic outer movements of the G minor Sonata, Ulna, audio than usual, with such details as the forte and her playing would be first-rate if it 12 Nark Delaware Place.Chicogo 60611 upbeats of the middle section given a su- weren't so inescapably prosaic. What with Phone floes! percharged emphasis that somehow es- all the cautious little adjustments and hesi- (312) 664-0020 capes sounding aggressive. And, for all the tations (especially in "Aufschwung" and scope and dynamic range, the quintessen- "Des Abends") and a certain percussiveness, tial intimacy is not slighted. The fantasy,the music ends up sounding monochro- too, gets a dream of a performance: matic and earthbound. Orion's sound, bas- Circle20onPage 79 MAY 1980 83

ically good, is a bit one-dimensional. Watchman/Judge of the Areopagus well received at its St. Petersburg premiere, Arthur Rubinstein's 1965 recording Stanislav Frolov (bs) October 29,1895. Although more dis- of the C major Fantasy also disappoints. Slave Mikhail Pushkaryev cussed than performed thereafter, it has in One can certainly revel in his lush, solid (bs) recent years become a specialty of the Belo- tone, and there are many felicities of tex- Chorus and Orchestra of the Belo- russian State Opera and Ballet Theater ture and craft that are sure signs of a great russian State Opera and Ballet Theater, Ta- (Minsk), which first revived it in 1963 and pianist. But, as with other Rubinstein per- tianaKolomizeva,cond. DEUTSCHE recorded the present performance for formances from the same period-Schu- GRAMMOPHON 2709 097, $29.94 (three discs, Melodiya in 1966. Like many another mag- bert's Wanderer Fantasy and B flat Sonata, manual sequence). num opus, it proves, in Deutsche Grammo- Liszt's B minor Sonata, and, to a lesser de- phon's invaluable reissue, to be a highly gree, Chopin's waltzes-the fantasyis If I sing some tune- uneven masterpiece, but a true masterpiece rather bland, and lacks kineticism, sound- Since music's the one cure nevertheless-anuncommonlyoriginal, ing soporific and dynamically flat. The Nov- prescribed for heartsickness- grandly impressive musical evocation of eletten, previously released on LSC 2997 Why, thenI weep, to think how the tragic consequences of "man's rash with the piano concerto, are far more vigor- changed this house is now heart,his stubborn will,/And woman's ous, and their excellent sound has been From splendour of old days. desperate love and hate." opened out still more on this beautifully Nothing less could be expected from engineered disc.H.G. Aeschylus, Agamemnon: Watchman's Soliloquy (Vellacott trans.) so uncommon a genius as Sergei Ivanovitch Taneyev (1856-1915), at once the most in- It has long seemed an impossible tellectually gifted and historically minded TANEYEV:Oresteia. dream-a chance to hear the truly legen- of Russian musicians, an incomparable CAST: dary magnum opus by an extraordinary teacher (both in person and through his Cassandra Nelly Tkatchenko (s) composer condemned to near -obscurity in treatises on invertible counterpoint and Electra Tamara Shimko (s) this country despite near -canonization in canon) of a whole generation of out- Pallas Athene Ludmilla Ganestova (s) his native Russia. But here it is at last, not standing composers. Not even Nadia Clytemnestra Lydia Galushkina (a) only exhumed from the graveyard of music Boulanger could claim a student galaxy Orestes Ivan Dubrovin (t) history, but restored to electrifying life. outshining the likes of Scriabin, Rachmani- Aegisthus Anatoly Bokov (b) For all the formidable production noff, Gliere,Gretchaninov,Medtner, Apollo Arkady Savtchenko (b) problems involved, Taneyev's operatic set- Miaskovsky, and (more informally) Proko- Agamemnon Victor Tchernobayev ting of the earliest and greatest Greek -trag- fiev. The accusation of creative ultraconser- (bs) edy trilogy, the Oresteia of Aeschylus, was vatism, even cerebralism-not unlike that It sounds like it's made better.

It15.There's less than an inch from the stylus tip to the connector pins on the back of a cartridge. But what's in that inch determines what reaches your ears. And it's why you'll hear such an improvement when you try an Osawa MP cartridge. Non -resonant structure. The MP -50's aluminum cartridge frame has a precisely machined, squared oversize mounting flange for perfect contact with your cartridge headshell. It assures that all the stylus vibrations reach the magnetic circuit for a strong, clear signal. The stylus doesn't just clip to the cartridge-it's held securely by two Allen fasteners to maintain perfect alignment with the cartridge body. Mid Cobalt/permalloy magnetic circuit. All Osawa MP cartridges employ a unique Moving Permalloy element that mod- ulates the magnetic field generated by a Samarium cobalt magnet. This powerful combination gives you high S/N ratio and high compliance. Stereo separation is dramatic. If you want to see how better sounds are made, Multi -laminated pole pieces of 0.1mm super permalloy re- visit your Osawa dealer. duce eddy currents to provide unusually good sensitivity and strong high frequency output. .211OSAWA Unique cantilever structure. Made of Boron in Osawa & Co, (USA) Inc. the MP -50, MP -30 and MP -20, it's exceptionally 521 Fifth Avenue - strong and weighs almost nothing. And it's mach- New York, New York 10017 ined to micron tolerances for linear response with Distributed in Canada by minimum distortion. Intersound Electronics,Montreal, Quebec

Circle 31 on Page 79 Review 1980givesyouthefulltextof E C original available. eitherinqualityAMSreprintor long-playing recordingera. volumes isvirtuallyachronicleofthe recordings. Important classicalandsemi-classical provided 1955 peared inHighFidelitymagazine.Since previous From AlbinonitoZimmermanRecordsin L1 CI O r 17 0 0 7 AllTwenty-fivevolumes800.00 P 0 0 Li P Here isthecompleteorderchecklist: Now, atlast.all25annualvolumesare 0 City Address El AmountenclosedS (7 Yes!Pleasesendmethereprintand Mail to:WyethPress. RECORDS INREVIEW xt ] sales tax Residents ofOhioMass. &NYaddaonlicable Allow 4to6weeks forcopiestobemailed Name Signature Interbank Charge toEMasterElVisa S1.25 pervolumeforshippingandhandlingI original editionsIhavecheckedabove Volume 23 22 21 20 12 11 10 25 24 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 4 2 9 8 7 6 5 3 1 ALL PREVIOUS Records CONSECUTIVE ANNOUNCING 1 WyethSt.. editions. EDITION a permanentrecord year's EDITIONS Year 1961/62 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 THE 25TH 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 This bodyof in 1980 AND State reviews astheyap- Review All Marion. Ohio43302. Card expires are clothbound. 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37,50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 37.50 Price 15.95 14.95 16.95 14.95 15.95 15.95 ca annual 1014 twenty-five (Please add Zip Reprint Original of " r' " r' " has r' the I the breadth,variety,andexceptionalfasci- a considerablenumberofimportedMelo- yev's musicinthiscountry,especiallysince cuse forthenear-completeneglectofTane- leveled atBachandBrahms-isapoorex- able fromMCARecords. one ofthelastABCClassics/Melodiyare- cantata/symphony couplingthatmadeup soon wasdeleted;andonlythedistinctive program releasedherein1971byAngel nation ofhisworks.Yetthelovelychoral diyas havebecomeaccessibletotestify 84 of dramaforsubjectmatter.Buthisap- composers whohavegonetotheveryroots first RussiantojointhemanyWestern to nativenationalismthatheshouldbethe culture andofhisreluctancetobelimited leases (AY67043,June1979)isnowavail- on Euripides'andSophocles'treatmentsof by Hofmannsthalwerebased,respectively, by DuRoullet(afterRacine)andforStrauss And wherethelibrettospreparedforGluck some ofthesamecharactersandevents. Strauss's Gluck's Iphiginie of thebest-knownoperaticexamples: few characteristicsincommonwitheither proach toGreektragedyhassurprisingly appeared withoutatrace.OnlyMilhaud's table, FelixWeingartner,seemstohavedis- but the1902operabyoneofmostno- based musicontheAeschyleanOresteia, Aeschylus (525-456B.C.). of thethreegreatGreekpioneers, (458 B.C.)dramatictreatmentbytheeldest brettist, A.Venkstern,backtotheearliest the Homericmyths,Taneyevsenthisli- Agamemnon, TheChoephoriorLibation- three quasi-actstheoriginalseparateplays, enment. Buttheoperacompressesinto sage fromchthoniandarknesstoenlight- closely incelebratingmankind'sriteofpas- the years1887-94,followsAeschylusquite ucts AMS6396). phores stillinprint(ColumbiaSpecialProd- part onrecords,withBernstein's1963Choi- by PaulClaudei)hasbeenrepresentedin 1913-22 incidentalmusic(withFrenchtext Jane Wiebel'sEnglishtranslation callsthis thirty linkedsections.Thebooklet givesno the "story"anditsmusicaltreatment in a completelibretto,detailedsynopsisof introduction byKnutFrankeand,inlieuof trilingual bookletcomprisesaninformative thesis/antithesis/synthesis Bearers, andTheEumenides-theclassical to onlyfive pagesoutof the Belaievvocal - of theAreopagites), whichtogetheramount 27 (OrestesandChorus) and28(Procession disc -sidelabelreveals theomissionofNos. German makesnosuchclaim),but thesixth a "completerecording,"though Franke's hint ofperformancecuts(tothe contrary, It's typicaloftherangeTaneyev's Several othercomposershavealso Taneyev's Oresteia,composedover Elektra, bothofwhichfeature en AulideandRichard trilogy. DG's vere handicapinfollowingthelongersolos any oftheselections.) score forhomeuse,Iamunabletodeter- score totalof333.(Lackingacopythat Connoisseurs bentondeeperstudyarere- Vellacott (PenguinClassics,1956,$1.95). recommend is editions; theonlyoneIhaveusedandcan themselves. Thereareseveralpaperback lish translationoftheAeschyleandramas siderable help,astillbetteroneisanEng- and duos.Andwhilethesynopsisisacon- mine whethertherearefurthercutswithin are moretautlycontrolledbyconductor viously well-drilledchorusandorchestra formance isuninhibitedlyfervent;theob- well asliterary,historical,andpsychologi- tions theyhaveheld and anthropolatrieshavereverberated mythic symbolism,imagery,archetypes, the incalculableextenttowhichwork's and W.B.Stanfordprovocativelyexplore dite introductorystudyandnotesbyFagles mensely, ifsometimespretentiously,eru- Robert Fagles(Viking,1975,$15).Itsim- cover Aeschylus:TheOresteia,translatedby ferred totheextremelyhandsomehard- Trilogy, translatedandintroducedbyPhilip the fore,instrumentaldetailsarefortu- a balancethatbringstheorchestramoreto is sometimescruellyclose.WhileI'dprefer the soloistsarespotlightedwithmikingthat pressively powerfulifoftencoarsesonics, dramatically persuasivesoloists.Intheim- Kolomizeva thanthehighlyemotionalyet cal exegetes. down thecenturiesandendlessfascina- American listenersmaybedeterminedby accompaniments aswell. not onlyinorchestralpassages,buthis mastery ofintricatetexturesaremanifest doing more attentively-andiswellrewardedfor nately notobscured.Onejusthastolisten cially Russianopera).Fortoalesseror many nonspecialists(inopera(andespe- aural repulsionsuretobeexperiencedby hectic, tions ofthesoloists'hypnotic,however tially Russiansinging.Themagneticattrac- their adversereactiontothequintessen- should thatterm's meaningnotbeself-evi- (Oxford UniversityPress,1946). ("Judder," treatise onVocalVibrato,Tremolo, andJudder voice -pathologistF.C.Field-Hyde inhis chronic maladiesdiagnosedby the British and practicallyeverysymptom ofthe or razor-edgedshrillness(inthe women) are afflictedbyoverresonance(inthemen) (mostly) greaterdegree,allthesolovoices American driverwould call "shimmy.") a car'soscillatory malfunctioningthatan dent, istheBritish motorist'sdescriptionof The lackofacompletetextisse- The Belorussiancompany'sper- The decisiveresponseofmany acting so: HIGH FIDELITY Taneyev's inventivenessand may notovercometheviolent Aeschylus: TheOresteian fOr creative artistsas MAY 1980 85Even after 100 plays To my own perhaps overtender ears, the true Heldentenor of Dubrovin's Orestes your records is the most readily tolerable, the garishso- pranos of Shimko's Electra and Ganes-will sound tova's Pallas Athene the least, while thevo- cal aggravations of the other singers fall variously between these extremes. Buteven BETTER listeners who suffer most acutely asa result of such strictly vocal aberrations (undoubt- THAN NEW edly some are entirely impervious) will likely ignore their discomfort in the irre- with Lifesaver! sistible dramatic grip of the best role-enact- Introducing LIFESAVER'", the multi- ments-especially Galushkina's superb purpose record treatment from Clytemnestra. Audio-Technica.It's along-term The outstanding musico-dramatic antistatic agent which lasts 100 4\ moments (including whole selections) not plays or more. And a record preserva- - only compensate for the major executant tive which protects against environmental attack and improves the effectiveness of any LIFESAVERLS -I - and minor creative weaknesses, but irre- wet or dry record cleaner, with DiscProtec". formula futably justify the fabulous reputations of Treats 60 sides. $12.95 But LIFESAVER withDiscProtec" Taneyev and his opera. Quite unforget- formula is also a dry lubricant which sharply reduces record- stylus friction. Tests* prove lower harmonic distortion froma disc treated with LIFESAVER table are: the arrestingly virile orchestral in- after 100 plays than from the first play of an identicaluntreated record! troduction and well-nigh Mussorgskian Your records will sound cleaner and quieter from thevery first play with LIFESAVER. And 50 or Watchman's Soliloquy (Agamemnon, No. 1); even 100 plays later they'll still sound better than new. Justone easy application protects your Cassandra's long prophecy-ariosowith library for years. oboe obbligato, chorus, and Agamemnon's Enjoy better sound today and tomorrow with LIFESAVER! Seedramatic proof at your off-stage death cries (No. 8; a scene worthy Audio-Technica dealer today. Audio-Technica U.S., Inc., 33Shiawassee Avenue, Dept. 50H, of concert exploitation by a Flagstador a Fairlawn, Ohio 44313. In Canada: Audio Specialists, Inc., Montreal,P. Q. Nilsson); the night -scene of Clytemnestra's guilty ghost -ridden terrors (Choephori, No. 11); Orestes' brooding over the tomb of his audio-technica.,. From independent lab tests reported by Len (A) Feldman in Audio Magazine, February, 1980. slain father and then watching froma dis- u INNOVATION o PRECISION o INTEGRITY Write for your free reprint. tance as his sister Electra and her attendants bring grave -offerings (Nos. 14 and 15); the orchestralstorm -entr'acteandOrestes' pursuit by the Furies (Eumenides, No. 23); the superbly evocative entr'acte depicting Apollo's temple in Delphi (No. 24;an ideal excerpt for orchestral presentation incon- SAVE MONEY! cert); and the last part of No. 30, the finale of the entire opera, with Orestes' and the Athenians' hymn of thanksgiving to Pallas THE BEST IN HI-FI /HOME Athene and the solemn procession from the

Acropolis to the Parthenon: "Thus God and ENTERTAINMENT BY MAIL! Fate are reconciled." It's superfluous to stress that this album is essential for every specialist inop- Stereo Discounters'new era and Russian music. But for others-even those who share my abhorrence ofits 84 page Home Entertainment sheerly vocal acerbities and judders-it holds endless fascinations, inexhaustible catalog is now chills and thrills. And by no means its least significant rewards are one's enhancedap- available- FREE! preciation of the remarkable genius of Taneyev and its illumination of thegran- WIDEST SELECTION-$7MILLION INVENTORY deurs of ancient Grecian mythology and NAME BRANDS -PIONEER, TECHNICS, KENWOOD, drama in general and of Aeschylus' trilogy HITACHI, JENSEN, SONY -OVER 100 OTHERS in particular. R.D.D. HI-FI, VIDEO, CAR STEREO, MOVIES!

VIVALDI: Oboe Concertos (5). Heinz Holliger, oboe; Pina Carmi- WRITE OR CALL TOLL FREE FOR YOUR COPY. relli, violin*; I Musici. PHILIPS 9500 604, ° 1-800-638-3920 . $9.98. Tape: 7300 726, $9.98 (cassette). Concertos for Oboe, Strings, and Continuo: in C, RV 448; in C, RV 449; in F, RV 456. Concertos for Oboe, Violin, STEREO DISCANINTEIES Strings, and Continuo*: in F, RV 543; in B 6730 SANTA BARBARA COURT, BALTIMORE, MD. 21227 86 HIGH FIDELITY IT'S US. flat, RV 548. fully restrained, yet with infectious relish. VIVALDI: The Four Seasons, Op. 8, These qualities, admirable in themselves, Nos. 1-4. are given still greater weight by comparison Simon Standage, violin; English with the highly idiosyncratic reading of the OR Concert, Trevor Pinnock, harpsichord and Harnoncourts, violinist Alice and conduc- cond. [Simon Lawman, prod.] VANGUARD tor Nikolaus. Tempos and dynamics differ VSD71257,$7.98. markedly: The Harnoncourts often play COMPARISON-Op. 8 complete: much faster, sometimes more vigorously, DUST. Harnoncourt/ViennaCon. Musicus and there are times-in the entire Autumn MOM, 12.1.1.0.4 .V.6/ Tel. 26.35386 Concerto, for example-when the two en- Scotch sembles scarcely seem to be playing the As part of Philips' gargantuan Edi- ..: r , A same music. zione Vivaldi, begun in 1978 to commemo- Most listeners seeking a period -in- rate the tercentenary of the incredibly strument Seasons will probably find Van- prolific Red Priest's birth (some ten boxes guard's easier to accept. Yet, much as I ad- comprising forty-eight discs have been an- mire it, I'm far more stimulated by the nounced overseas), Heinz Holliger and I reckless, even sensational, Harnoncourt Musici have been busily recording the dramatizations. And while the 1976 CRD oboe concertos. There are a lot of them: recording is admirably bright and open twenty for solo oboe, three for two oboes, (with some sharp edges in the high end), two for oboe and violin, one for oboe and the Vanguard review copy was noisy. Still, Goodbye to "snap, crackle and pop': bassoon, and countless others for three or if you're not yet ready to be galvanically ScotchDustGuard mat suppresses more soloists including oboe. The present jolted by the Harnoncourts, and you crave a' static, helps keep record surface release is the third (following Philips 9500 dust -free. in use. You get better per- change from slicker modern -instrument formance, longer -lasting records. Your 044 and 9500 299) in what promises to be a recordings, Standage and Pinnock offer a record collection needs DustGuard lengthy series. for true, pure sound. At local record rewarding alternative.R.D.D. and hi-fi stores. The five concertos here are admirably varied. Vivaldi's own arrangement of Record Care. The truth comes out WAGNER: SiegfriedIdyll-See Scotch one of his many bassoon concertos, the Bruckner: Symphony No. 7. rhapsodic RV 448, is relatively familiar, as 31111 is the cheerfully quirky RV 449-one of the two Op. 8 concertos in which the usual solo Recitals violin part may preferably be given to the demos oboe. The other three are new to me. The and Miscellany A DIFFERENT KIND fleetly whirling RV 456 emanates from a FREEOF RECORD CLUB collection published by Walsh in London CHAMBER WORKS BY WOMEN TREMENDOUS SAVINGS around 1728 and is presumed authentic. on every record and tape in print - COMPOSERS. Both the four -movement RV 543 and the noagree to purchase" obligations of any kind. Joseph Roche* sand Robert Zel- DISCOUNTS OF.43% TO 73% sometimes jaunty, sometimes haunting RV nick*, violins; Tamas Strasser, viola*; Ca- off mfg. suggested listspecial catalog 548 cofeature a concertante solo violin, features hundreds of titles and artists. milla Heller, cello*; Paul Freed,piano'; ALL LABELS AVAILABLE deftly played here by Pina Carrnirelli. Macalester Trio**. [Dennis D. Rooney and including most imports through special custom The prime appeal here is shared by ordering service-guarantees satisfaction. RussellBorud,prod.] Vox SVBX 5112, the bewitching music itself and Holliger's SCHWANN CATALOG $13.98 (three discs). lists thousands of titles, truly spellbinding playing. He inspires I classical, pop. jazz. country. etc MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL:Trio Musici to some of its finest performances, DISCOUNT DIVIDEND CERTIFICATES for Piano, Violin, and Cello, in D minor, Dividend Gifts-certificates and for full measure, the brightly vivid redeemable immediately for extra discounts. Op. 11**. CHAMINADE: Trio for Piano, recording and tonal balances are well-nigh NEWSLETTERS Violin, and Cello, No. 1, in G minor, Op. informational news and happenings in the ideal in both disc and cassette editions. The 11**. BEACH: Trio for Piano, Violin, and world of music special super sale listings. former, however, is modulated at a level Cello, Op. 150**. C. SCHUMANN: Trio DISCOUNT ACCESSORY GUIDE that will demand considerable reduction to Diamond needles. cloths. tape cleaners, etc. for Piano, Violin, and Cello, in G minor, suit most tastes. QUICK SERVICE Op. 17**. CARRERO: Quartet for Strings, same day shipping on many orders... The present nth recorded version of rarely later than the next several days. in B minor*. TAILLEFERRE: Sonata for The Four Seasons (not entirely new, since it 100% IRON -CLAD GUARANTEES Violin and Piano, in C sharpminor'.L. onall products and services-your total. has been circulating for a couple of years in BOULANGER: Nocturne; Cortege'. satisfaction is unconditionally guaranteed. the original British CRD edition) is not Discount Music Club is a no -obligation membership club that guarantees tremendous discounts on allstereo directly competitive with most others. As Even if one assumes that 51% of the records and tapes and lets you buy what you want...when one of the rare recorded performances fea- music ascribed to Anonymous was actually you want...or not at allif you choose. These are just a few of the money -saving reasons to write turing period or replica instruments, it is written by Mrs. or Miss A., the question of for free details. You can't lose so why not fill out and the chief challenger to the highly contro- women composers (or, in the approved mail the coupon below for immediate information. versial Harnoncourt version included in the lingo, composers who happen to be female) a...DISCOUNT MUSIC CLUB, INC. DEPT. 8-0580 complete set of Op. 8,IICimento dell'armoniais bothersome. God may be a woman, but 650 Main Street, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10801 e dell'invenzione (September 1978). Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Brahms, Name But single -disc availability is only and Stravinsky certainly were not.If a I Address one of the Vanguard release's attractions. woman in the seventeenth, eighteenth, or ! City Foremost is the nature of the perform- nineteenth century had composed music of State lip ... ance-generally straightforward and taste - genius, she would have been recognized for Circle 13 on Page 79 MAY 1980 87 it; her contemporary commentators and akayou met critics and, perhaps, even colleagues would have made their little remarks and won- dered how she could give birth to both THE SUPER PRO? babies and symphonies, but she nevertheless would have been recognized. And we would know that music today. But in fact, history has sent us no masterworks (I hesitate to say "mistress - works") from the pen of even one woman, let alone the number of women population statistics would logically dictate. Since the explanation for this dearth is clearly not ge- netic, it must be social or circumstantial. That troubles me, too, because I can't believe that Beethoven or Mozart would not have composed had he been born female. Still, some rationales can be accepted: SUPER PRO 30 Women in centuries past were not given $1595.00 the kind of professional training lavished on their brothers; they were not encour- No additional options to buy on this model. Unit is complete with end aged or pushed toward public success by of audio, end of master cassette, or manual select for automatic stop, friends and family; they were scorned by rewind function. Elimination of short, jammed cassettes with new society if they tried to break with tradition Guardian Electronics. The Super Pro 30 operates at 30 ips. and take on "men's work." Now those stric- tures have been eased, and we in the mid - twentieth century have seen the emergence 1935 DELK INDUSTRIAL BLVD. of a number of important women compos- MARIETTA, GEORGIA 30067 ers-Thea Musgrave, Barbara Kolb, Shula- RealCORPORATION (404) 955-7368 mit Ran, and Joyce Mekeel, to name only a few. I hesitate to forecast that the next half - Circle 37 on Page 79 century will see composers who happen to be female outnumber composers who happen to be male. At the very least, however, - we can hope and assume that the public will not faint with shock should that ac- CONSTANTLY tually happen. Meanwhile, the point remains that women have written no musical master- BETTER works, and this collection of chamber works by seven women doesn't disprove PIONEER CRAIG that. It does raise some intriguing ques- TDK SA -90 tions, though. In isolating the work of $28 case of 10 CTF-750 Auto Reverse, Power Play w/Dolby women composers (or black composers, In- Maxell dian composers, Hispanic composers, etc.), UDXLI-C90 a set like this tends to present the pieces as %).,..f curiosities. I intend to try a blindfold test, $39 case of 12 ,`" putting Amy Beach's piano trio between Sony Metallic 46 Metal ' Metal one by Haydn and another by Schubert, for Tape Tape $45 case of 10 $249 Capability $167 Capability instance, or playing TeresaCarrefio'squar- ,,,E4. Er . , tet along with a late Mozart and an early Beethoven. My unsuspecting listener/vic- ;;?; CAR We carry the full lineof Pioneer, tim won't rave about how wonderful and -Zild; STEREO Clarion, Marantz, and more. powerful and unfairly neglected these mys- tery works are. But neither will he-it has to Weekdays 9-9 be a he, of course-look down his nose at TOLL FREE 800-356-9514 Saturdays 9-5 this music by women, or dismiss it as a good way to stave off boredom between Over 100 Brands like: feedings and diaper changes. Technics Maxell Sony Cerwin Nikon Five of Vox's seven women-Fanny Pioneer Empire Teac Vega Canon Mendelssohn-Hensel, Cecile Chaminade, Marantz Altec Akai JBL Minolta Amy (Mrs. H.H.A.) Beach, Clara Schu- Kenwood Sharp Dual Audio Pentax WISCONSIN DISCOUNT STEREO mann, and Lili Boulanger-are recognized Sansui Phillips Koss Technica Vivitar as skilled creators, although their music is Jensen Shure TDK Clarion Yashica 2517 whalen In. madison, wi. 53713 rarely played today. Germaine Tailleferre , -- Circle 52 on Page 79 88 HIGH FIDELITY 2 o / should be better known than she is; she Someone might remind him that even the - - = was, after all, a member of the famed Les Six National Weather Service now gives men : "YOU'VE TRIED THE REST in Paris (the only woman), and the violin equal time in the hurricane department. NOW TRY THE BEST" sonata played here is every bit as impres- Furthermore, saying that the work of these master chargeCALL TOLL sive as the work of the other five. women was inspired by their husbands is ... IIIVISA' le1147rflt ,* w:. I'm embarrassed to admit that, until tantamount to putting a footnote at the bot- - - i - - FREE a-. -.. ORDERS(800) 221-8464 now, I had never heard ofCarreno,but I tom of a program for Bach's B minor Mass ....__ ONLY .. -Z. BLANK CASSETTES VIDEO GIVEAWAYS!!! certainly intend to find out more. She must to thank Anna Magdalena for keeping the -di MAXELL New RCA VT 62500 - have been quite something: born in Vene- kids out of the way while J.S. composed. .-a, VIALor II C90 3 25 Recorder 995 00& LID C90 ...... 2.75 New, SON, am, 6 , ; 1 zuela in 1853; driven from her homeland K.M. ai SONY Recorder .

. . 1 25 - Low Noise C60 New JVC 1186700 6 hr. by revolution; a piano prodigy and student Low NoiseC90 9 Recorder 997755;_ = Ferrichrome C90...... 3.55 of Louis Moreau Gottschalk and Anton Ru- THE RECORD OF SINGING, r- MEMOREX MONTHLY SPECIAL ...... _ New High &as 60..... ---259TOR SA90 2.79 '. New High Bias 90.... binstein; married to Emile Sauret, Giovanni VOL. 2. For a review, see page 63. = New MR/0 C60 1.69 SHURE CARTRIDGES ii MFIX 3 C90 ...... 2.49 Tagliapietra, Eugen d'Albert, and Arturo i New v15 Type IV...... 8395Ee -aSCOTCH 915 Type M. 61.95..' Tagliapietra (G's brother); an opera singer, ZOLTAN ROZSNYAI: Orchestral i Master I or II C90. .2.69 M95 HE. . 29 95- mi Master III C90.. 3.15 M95 ED . 26 95tm director, and conductor; died in New York Works. For a review, see page 70. 1.6- Metal Tape 60. 4.25 M91 ED. . 19.95 on rie-e Metal Tape 90. 525 - TOE STEREO CASSETTE TAPE DECK G in 1917; reinterred in her homeland in RT33I38 X60 . 1.19 . Sharp 20995

. kerr00tI10X760...... 229.95 i CC 90 1.55 ror- 1938. She outmarried Alma Mahler and mm SA C60 . 2.15CAR CAR STEREO SANTO - Metal MA60 549 was known as "the Walkiire of the piano." FT 1490A 50 oZ .i-; Head Demagnetizer . 15.49 ; Mimi Order -12 Teen FT 149011 14450 Furthermore, she wrote very good music, if Cell or Writs 80, Meal Tepee FT 1496..__._.._...... _.._._..14150 We ; FT 2400 202.50 Q er- All Tepee 100% Geereolesi the Quartet in B minor is any indication. Theater iVIDEO TAPE SPECIAL BLAUPUNKT a - BETA - The best work among these seven is IT SONY SL500 90 CR2001 245.00 Fa SONYSL750 14.95 CALL Schumann's G minor Trio, Op. 17, which, and Film -. VHS CR 3001 Z .- JVC T120. 14.49 VIDEO MOVIES E fortunately, has been well recorded else- - TDK SA T120.._14.49 ... . RCA VK 250...... 10.49 IN STOCK - where, by the Beaux Arts Trio on its Schu- - Atari Video Game ...... 134.95 Z STAR TREK. Music from the origi- mi All Cartridges In Stock CALL FOR mann set for Philips (6700 051). The timid, - BonsEledronic Chess Game .._69.95 nal film soundtrack. ei Race Track Handicapper. .. CALL FREE CATALOG a sometimes sloppy playing throughout this i PricesSublect to change without notice. Minimum Shipping 8 handling Composed, conducted, and pro- mm charge$3.00 set by the Macalester Trio "& Friends" (ev- iZi duced by Jerry Goldsmith. COLUMBIA JS PARK ROW erybody has friends, these days) is a distinct ..r... Electronics Corp. T 36334, $7.98. I Park Row - liability; in fact, the talents of the performers :: New York, NY 10038 THE BLACK HOLE. Original mo- \ 212-349-0553 (For Information) are much more modest than those of the - : tion picture soundtrack recording. 6111111.1111111111111111iiiiii111111111111111iIIPIRI ladies whose music they play. Still, it's easy Composed, conducted, and pro- Circle 32 on Page 79 to tell that Fanny Mendelssohn, Felix' sis- A duced by John Barry.BUENAVISTA 5008, ter, was much better at presenting sweeping musical ideas than she was at developing $8.98. CARTRIDGES ItIrril them. And Mrs. Beach (who can hardly be In keeping with the stately, elegant "AIM Mitt" ' Thu "Tireln blamed for using her husband's name, pacing and suavely handsome mounting of AI ToPmown , "LrEU DISCOUNT when her maiden alternative was Amy Robert Wise's Star Trek, Jerry Goldsmith's INAISEINNES " SC121 . AUDIO Cheney), though crafty and technically ac- score projects an almost naively Romantic 1150 PIPowis Road Well ChicagoIL 60185 complished, could not discipline herself in warmth and sense of awe at the wonders of this, her only piano trio (Op. 150!), to keep space, instead of the knowingly comic - Your National from throwing in everything but the pro- book -like vulgarity of other recent science - verbial kitchen sink. Boulanger is repre- fiction fantasies. It may not equal his Planet Headquarters for sented by two miniatures, a nocturne and of the Apes, Logan's Run, The Omen, or Coma in Name Brand Cortege, that hint at her talents but hardly power and originality, but it does display display them to best advantage. Chami- an ingratiating and even winsome side of Electronics by Mail nade's First Piano Trio is a work of much the composer. Like the film it embellishes, * Full Manufacturer Guaran- greater originality and conviction than the the music is a celebration of space rather tee Applies to All Sales!! little flute concertino and the Scarf Dance, by than a trivialization. which she is usually identified, and who's Although the main title fanfare * Orders Shipped in to complain if most of the charm is on the theme underlines the unavoidable prece- Factory -Sealed Cartons- surface? The same goes for Tailleferre's C dent of John Williams' Star Wars music, its Most Within 24 Hours sharp minor Sonata, but here the language use and development throughout the film * Multi -Million $$$ Inventory suits the café more than the parlor; the mu- stress its wholesomely heroic and humanis- r , sic speaks with the tongue of a very witty tic potential rather than its garish aspects.

TOP DISCOUNT AUDIO I and delightful asp. Then there's the B mi- There is only an occasional reminder of 1150 N. Powis Rd., West Chicago, IL 601851 nor Quartet by Carreno; alas, the only Goldsmith's calculated methods of creating 800-323-2518 d people who seem to have remained unsmit- tension through jagged textures and relent- MasterCharge and VISA Welcome A ten by this composer's charms are the Min- less ostinatos. His conception and execu- Call or Write for the LOWEST PRICES Around! nesotans who play her music here. tion are consistently symphonic in scale MR MS In the pitifully abbreviatedliner and tapestrylike in their smooth transitions (First) (Initial) (Last) notes that accompany this release, violinist from one section to the next. And though (Number and Street) 1 Joseph Roche (who unearthed the scores) the music plays an integral role in articu-

(City) (State) (Zip Code) ..1 says that "the phenomenon known as Te- lating the film's narrative and ambience, it i,';:Phone Order Hours: M -W -F 8AM-4 30PM, resa Carreno may provide a clue" to why is always supportive, never suffocating. HF-5 l T-Th 8AM-8PM, Sat. 9AM-Noon tropical storms were given women's names. Some of the more threatening pas - I . WE CARRY THE TECHNICS PRO SERIES-Call forOuotesi 1 L -..i Circle 49 on Page 79 MAY 1980 89 sages, with their emphasis on low brass reg- isters, the discreet application of electronic effects, and the distant reverberation of an organ tone or two, recall Bernard Herr- The Legend mann's evocative use of similar devices in The Day the Earth Stood Still without in any way sound derivative. And the soaring, yearning melodic line of "Illia's Theme" is one of Goldsmith's most passionate inspi- Continues. rations. Interestingly, his witty incorpora- tion of Alexander Courage's breezy theme from the original television series into a *A couple of sequences has been deftly edited out of the recording. This is the first large-scale Gold- smith soundtrack of recent years not to be recorded in London; it apparently utilizes members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, though the orchestraisnot specifically identified. Orchestrator Arthur Morton, music editor Ken Hall, chief engineer John Neil, and veteran Hollywood musician Li- onel Newman are all to be congratulated on this eminently lifelike and listenable Co- lumbia release, as stunning aurally as the

film is visually. For The Black Hole, a much more juvenile and derivative film with a cut-and- N c dried "action" emphasis, John Barry has written a less sophisticated but nonetheless aw '6. theatrically effective score. Though he has The New Dynaco A150 : never aspiredtoGoldsmith's extended & A250 priced from $150. symphonic structures, Barry has always turned out scores that are well tailored to V the task at hand, idiosyncratic in sound, and superbly crafted within their own more modest dimensions. After the inevitable obeisance to the Star Wars signature in a main title Dynaco helped createmodest cost. Each in its theme that seems almost a retrograde clone stereo hi-fi 25 years ago.own way will make you of its famed model, the trio section offers We built a reputation basedpart of a listening experi- one of those distinctive Barryisms in its on rigorous yet simple de-ence that for 25 years has lockstep, assembly -line march tune. And signs that produced moremeant only Dynaco. the swirling, rotary motion of the "Black sound than the industry Hole" music-in which the characteristic- To sample that ex- ally repetitive accompanimental figure as- had ever seen. perience, take your favor- sumes a greater importance than the me- Now we've come backite record album to your lodic line in the brasses-presents a striking to do it again. With twoDynaco dealer. Lean back example of the composer's penchant for new speakers that are farand listen. You'll hear that simple, graphic leitmotifs with almost sub- and away the best we'veDynaco sounds better than liminal formulative force. But the purely musical interest flags ever built. Each of theseever. And the legend will quickly, as his powers of variation are ulti- systems continues thecontinue. We have many mately stretched to the breaking point. As Dynaco legend of simplic-new and exciting products with many Barry scores, the music is more ity and performance at acoming your way. illustrative in a subsidiary vein than evocative in the truest sense. His "Space Station" sequence for Moonraker was far more awe- inspiring than anything here. The orchestra seems of slightly less than symphonic proportions;thus,the sonic elements are not quite as over- ginfaCD powering as in previous films of this genre. We build them like we used to. The digital recording techniques, however, makefor atransparently natural -sounding 110 Shawmut Road Canton, Mass. 02021 (617) 828-7858 reproduction and pressing.P.A.S. Circle 15 on Page 79 90 HIGH FIDELITY

TapePe I Deck by R. D. Darrell Sweet singing in the choir garian performances of native composers Tuckwell) and six unfamiliar but delightful C urelyno recorded -music experience like Liszt and Bartok. Witness the truly minuets (E 543). This 1967 version of the a can surpass the sheer thrill and lasting grand Romantic manner commanded by horn concerto is in many respects prefer- satisfaction of a masterpiece for chorus and pianist Jeno Jando inLiszt's Hungarian able to Tuckwell's recent self -conducted orchestra, four outstanding examples of Rhapsody No. 8, Second Concerto, and Fan- version on Angel (4SZ 37569, "Tape Deck," which have appeared recently in multicassette tasia on Hungarian Folk Tunes, with the Hun- April). From the same era come some Ros- Prestige Boxes. At least one of them ranks garian State Orchestra under Janos Ferenc- sini juvenilia, six sonatas for strings, in among the all-time best: the combined sik (MK 12024); and the bravura coupling first-rate 1967-69 string orchestra versions Vols. 3-4 of Vittorio Negri's Vivaldi sacred of Bartok's viola concerto, with Geza Ne- (E 506 and 603), with the second reel filled works series, with soloists led by soprano meth and the Budapest Philharmonic un- out by a rarely heard youthful quartet of Margaret Marshall, the John Alldis Choir, der Andras Korody, and Third Piano Con- Donizetti's. and the English Chamber Orchestra (Phil- certo, with Derso Ranki and the Hungarian Then, to jump forward more than a ips 7699 118, two cassettes, $19.96). Like State Orchestra under Ferencsik (MK century, it's fascinating to hear Marriner's the yet untaped Vols. 1-2 (November 1018). highly sympathetic approach to such 1978), this set combines relatively familiar The now internationally noted Americana as Ives's Third Symphony, Bar- works (RV 589 Gloria, RV 591 Credo) with young virtuoso pianist Ranki also excels, ber's Adagio, Copland's Quiet City, Cow - ones rarely heard (RV 586 Sacrum Mass, RV with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra ell's Hymn and Fuguing Tune No. 10, and 604-607 psalms)-spellbinding music, su- under Frigyes Sandor,in remarkably Creston's A Rumor (E 845). But of course he perbly performed and recorded. zestful, brightly gleaming, suitably light- faces formidable native competition in I can't commend the others as un- weight versions of Mozart's Concertos Nos. most of these works. And this is true to an reservedly, but each has potent individual 9 and 14 (MK 11942). And a conductor new even greater degree in such demanding appeal. Hanns-Martin Schneidt's Bach to me, Adam Fischer, brings much of the programs as his 1970 Bartok Divertimento Christmas Oratorio (Archiv 3376 012, three same engaging verve to six of the best- for Strings and Music for Strings, Percussion, cassettes, $29.94) will delight period -in- known Rossini overtures with the Budapest and Celesta (F 657, $9.95); the 1972 Shosta- strument fanciers who enjoyed the Regens- Symphony (MK 11932). kovich Concerto, Op. 35, and Stravinsky burg St. John Passion ("Tape Deck," De- capriccio, with pianist John Ogdon (E 674); cember 1979), yet again will convince most More of Marriner's argosy on reel and the 1974 Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht, listeners that boy soloists are wholly inade- Barclay-Crocker's stepped -up open - with pieces by Hindemith and Webern (E quate for Bach's great soprano and alto reel production prominently features the 763). solos. Leonard Bernstein's remake of the imaginatively varied, consistently admi- More successful than any of these is Beethoven Missa Solemnis, this time for rable Argo recordings of Neville Marriner one of Marriner's earliest (1974) programs Deutsche Grammophon (3370 029, two cas- and his redoubtable little Academy of St. - with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra- settes, $17.96), gives his fervent reading, Martin -in -the -Fields ensemble. Many of the one I so relished in its disc edition (Sep- now under tauter control, new dramatic these are not yet available in cassette edi- tember 1975), but which sounds even more conviction in an exciting live recording tions. In any case, neither the disc nor the impressive in open -reel format (E 792). with the Hilversum Radio Chorus and Con- cassette format does as much justice to the Novel for JanaEek's early but distinctive certgebouw Orchestra. But the soloists, ex- original masters as do the well-nigh ideal suite and Richard Strauss's Capriccio Sextet, cept for bass Kurt Moll, are less persuasive. B -C reel processings-currently exemplified it is perhaps most appealing for its incomp- I'm disappointed, too, by the Wood -Dove by some exceptionally invigorating rococo/ arably mellifluous Suk serenade. of Tatiana Troyanos in an otherwise over- early classical and modern programs ($8.95 whelming Schoenberg Gurre-Lieder (Philips each, with one noted exception, from Bar- De-digitalizing Ilya (and R.D.D.) 7699 124, two cassettes, $19.96). The other clay -Crocker, 11 Broadway, New York, Only after the January column ap- soloists, especially James McCracken (Wal- N.Y. 10004). peared in print didIlearn thatI had demar) and Jessye Norman (Tove), excel. The Mozartiana includes irresistible jumped to an erroneous conclusion in hail- The Tanglewood Festival Chorus and Bos- 1968 recordings of the string divertimentos, ing the Unicorn /B -C edition of Gliere's Ilya ton Symphony, under Seiji Ozawa, per- K. 136-138, and the Serenata notturna, K. 239 Murometz as the first digitally recorded reel. form incandescently, giving this unique (Argo/B-C E 554); the 1971 Eine kleine Nacht- Barclay -Crocker had made no such claim, bridge between the Romantic and modern musik (never played better), Sinfonia concer- but since the British disc edition was made musical eras the full impact, lucidity, and tante,K. 364, and quasi -overture Sym- from a digital master, I naively assumed the breadth it demands. phony No. 32 (E 679); and the 1973 cou- American reel had been too. But no:It pling of the Third Violin Concerto and K. stems from an analog "insurance" tape Hungarotona Iities 190 Concertone (E 729), in which soloists master, recorded, of course, at the same Musicassettes from Hungary con- Alan Loveday, Iona Brown, and Carmel time. tinue to flow steadily into this country Kaine put many far more famous fiddlers to To be sure, the technical merits of (Hungaroton, $8.98 each). The ones I've shame. both recording and reel processing are unheard all meet present-day recording, proc- The Haydn brothers are represented diminished. But we still have to wait a while essing, and Dolby quieting standards but by Joseph's popular trumpet concerto (with longer (one of us very red-faced and mut- lack notes. They're particularly valuable, of Alan Stringer) and six allemandes and Mi- tering "Peccavi!") for the first real digitally course, for authoritative, idiomaticHun- chael's Horn Concerto in D (with Barry recorded reel.HP A

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(The Pina Colada Song), is a junk -pop novelty fable about a bored lover who un- wittingly answers his girlfriend's personal ad. Yet Holmes is a classically trained mu- ti sician who frankly admits that his idols are Rodgers and Hart. Though far from his finest work, Es- cape's level of verbal craft is considerably higher than that of most hits these days. In fact, like that of Paul Simon and Randy Newman, Holmes's work is the essence of songwriting polish. His five solo albums and various production projects abound with terse pop tunes and sophisticated lyrics that use such "legit" devices as internal rhymes, clever turns of phrase, puns, and double entendres. His perspective is a lot more distanced than that of tough -talking contemporaries like Warren Zevon. Holmes calls himself a "Victorian anarch- ist" whose refined diction has prompted some critics to compare him to Cole Por- ter and Noel Coward. Holmes, however, balks at the comparison. "My problem with Coward and Por- ter is that their elegance can turn to fop- pishness. When people liken me to them, I'm flattered, but I don't go around with a cigarette holder. Now Rodgers and Hart are different. Their songs have the same beautiful construction and elegance of expression, but they're not so brittle. Hart's lyrics are simply incredible. The poor man wore his heart on both sleeves. He wrote Rupert Holmes: the most vulnerable lyrics I've ever seen." His point is well taken. His own lyr- A Lesson in Resilience ics are also more aching than arch. The People That You Never Get to Love, the by Stephen Holden best song on his recent "Partners in Crime" album, is very much like Lorenz Hart in its poignant simplicity: "And you think about/The people that you never When people ask me what I would trying to save the paintings as the masses get to love /The poem you intended to be- have been in another life, I say that I set fire to the palaces with torches." gin/The saddest words that anyone has would have been the illegitimate second Rupert Holmes's description of ever said are, 'Lord what might have son of the Marquis de Provence during himself as part conservator, part icono- been.' "The melody reflects the lyric's the French Revolution, printing up tracts clast is an accurate characterization of this quiet conversational quality. Holmes, urging the peasants to revolt. But come sophisticated singer/ songwriter with a who'svery self-critical, agrees that The the bloody revolution, you would have non -singer's voice. His recent-and thus People is one of his best songs and num- found me running up and down the halls far only-hit under his own name, Escape bers it among the seven or eight he has

4 Circle 53 on Page 79 94 BACKBEAT g*(MittS giegliSenS(440160490806060000014N"

written that he's completely satisfied with. to Buddah Records. You could have a Holmes's musical background runs single out on the streets in one week with- the gamut from highbrow to bubblegum, out leaving the building," he says. "We ' with the two extremes often getting de- ripped each other off. I've had hit records lightfully mixed up. His best pop orches- I've yet to see a penny from, but on the 21 trations have a classical grace, while his other hand, the bubblegum manufac- ' witty side often expresses itself in melo- turers let me learn my craft." He worked 7.3 dies that sound like extended jingles. The under some forty different group names, son of a Nyack, New York, music teacher turning out literally hundreds of songs. 1 who played big -band clarinet in the '40s, One of them,Timothy,a novelty about cannibalism in a mineshaft, went to the 1 he had acquired an extensive familiarity with both classical and big -band reper- Top 10 in 1971 and landed him a publish- r7' toire by age five. Rock & roll was looked ing deal with MCA. down on in his house, so he didn't really "Finally, I realized that if I didn't discover it until the advent of Beat- make a break soon, I'd become a true lemania, which prompted him to learn hack and an alcoholic," Holmes says. "I bass guitar andform alocal band. After went to England for a rest, and after that I high school, Holmes entered the Manhat- started dissociating myself from all the tan School of Music on a clarinet scholar- people who'd kept me under their ship but soon switched his major to com- thumb." position. Musical academe didn't suit his In 1974, he signed a singles deal temperament, and he began moonlight- with Epic under the pseudonym Rosebud. ing as a pop jack-of-all-trades, taking what But instead of recording a frothy "group" odd jobs he could find. sound, he presented the label with one of 4 "I'd go to composition class and the his serious story songs,Terminal.Epic teacher wouldsay, 'Youcan't write for liked it enough to sign him for an LP un- trombone like that,' and he'd give me a D. der his own name, and for the next nine That night the same teacher would be months he and his partner, engineer Jef- "I've accomplished my playing trombone 'like that' on one of my frey Lesser, worked on "Widescreen," a recording sessions," Holmes recalls. "I concept that Holmes had been develop- goal if I can distract said to myself, 'The people who are teaching for several years. "I'd been mailing off someone enough so ing me how to compose are teaching me short stories, mostly mysteries, to publish- because they can't earn a living as com- ers, and my walls were covered with rejec- they forget they have a posers.' I'm very pragmatic. I think an art- tions slips," he remembers. "One hot dentist appointment ist has to find his audience. You can'twait summerday, I wentto see the movie You tomorrow." for it.I kept thinking, 'AmI going to hang Only Live Twice.When John Barry's title out a shingle that says "Rupert Holmes, tune cameon, withNancy Sinatra singing composer," and wait for the Ford Founda- over this massive orchestration, I had a vi- tion to come and give me a grant?' I want sion of the pop record as a three -and -a - my music to beheard. half -minute movie scenario. The song's "Classical music for me was like story is the plot, the music the orches- wearing a tweed suit without underwear. I tration, the lyric the screenplay, and the wanted to get into a field where no one rendition the cast. When we finally made could say that you had no right to your Widescreen,' we used ten actors and fifty- opinion because you hadn't read the text- six musicians." book." Though the album received favorable critical notices, it sold poorly. Epic So in 1969, Holmes got his first music probably wouldn'thave picked up business job for $45 a week as a Holmes's option had not Barbra Strei- songwriter/ mailboyfor Lou Levy Publish- sand, also a CBS artist, phoned him to

ing at 1650 Broadway. This was his initia- request the lead sheets for two songs on . tion into the "bubblegum"factory, where "Widescreen." A subsequent meeting re- teenage junk music was cranked out by sulted in Holmes and Lesser agreeing to studio hacks with mythical group names produce her next LP, "Lazy Afternoon," (known for such singles as Yummy which now ranks among Streisand's best Yummy Yummy). records. It's her only '70s album to eschew "You'd sell a song on the ninth rock altogether, and the quality of the ma- floor, record the thing in the basement at terial (including three Holmes songs) is Associated Studios, then take it back up unusually consistent. MAY 1980 95 eitYAISSOSIDOCA49615666060606106660a*a100

"It's really a live album recordedon commercial failure of "Pursuit of Happi- 24 tracks," he says, "Nine times out of ten, ness" that he considered never recording "I never shortchanged what you hear is what happened at that again. But when Infinity Records, MCA's anyone I produced. But moment, which is very rare these days." custom label, offered him a shot, he took if I have my When not working with Streisand, he it. Bizarrely, history repeated itself with the way, I'll was recording his secondLP, "Rupert folding of Infinity asEscape,from his fifth never produce again." Holmes," which he feels might have been album, was climbing the charts. This time. better had he not been dividing his time. however, the single was too hot to be Still, it contains several nuggets, among stopped.It wenttoNo. 1and stayed there themBrass Knuckles,a mini Raymond for over a month, selling more than 1.5 Chandler -like epic, andThe Place Where million copies. (It also completely defied Failure Goes,a cynical show -business music business conventional wisdom that antianthem. people don't listen to lyrics and thatshort - Holmes likens his career from then story songs don't stand a chance commer- on to a disaster movie. Engaged by Strei- cially.) Holmes is now technically on MCA, sand to be the musical director ofA Star Is Infinity's parent, though this status is Born,he wrote ten songs for the picture being challenged in court by Infinity's (most of them unused), and when the president Ron Alexenburg, to whom project looked like it would never be fin- "Partners in Crime" is dedicated. ished, he quit. Meanwhile the people who "Before I made'Partnersin Crime' signed him to Epic had left, and thenew I went over my backlog and realized that head of a&r wanted him to write singles. there was a recurrent theme inmy work. He responded with "Singles," an album of Most of my best songs were aboutcou- light pop tunes, most of which he admits ples. Ialso decided to clown around again "Classical music forme "could have been written by anybody." and consciously brought humor back into was like wearing a Ironically, it contains his most frequently my songs. At the same time,I wantedto covered songs.Who, What, When, Where, get back to the story song." tweed suit without Why has been recorded by Dionne War- Easily his most cinematic record underwear." wick and Manhattan Transfer,among oth- since "Widescreen," "Partners in Crime" ers, andThe Last of the Romantics isan is an engaging mixture of junk -pop ideas Englebert Humperdinck mainstay. like the sound effects onAnswering Ma- When "Singles" flopped commer- chine,and of luxurious studio polish. It cially, Holmes got his release from Epic evokes the bustle and the loneliness of and, to support himself, free-lancedas a hyperactive city life. Amidst the clamor producer, cutting albums with Strawbs, and under the hard edge, Holmestalk - John Miles, Sparks, and Sailor. "Inever sings like a nervous Everyman, trying to shortchanged anyone I produced. But if I communicate through a maze of gadgets have my way, I'll never produce againun- that only impede what they're supposed less it's someone special like Mel Torme to facilitate. or Frank Sinatra," he says bluntly. "You "I love junk as much as anyone can imagine what it's like to be a singer/ else," he says. "One of the reasons I liked songwriter and have to tell other people, writingEscapewas that, even though it's a month after month, how great theirsongs lighthearted song, it has a point of view in are." its suggestion that we dispose of relationships too easily. To go back to what I said "Lorenz Hart wrote the Thedisaster movie continued when he about revolution, while the mob burns the signed with Private Stock, an inde- palace. I'm trying to save the paintings, be- most vulnerable lyrics pendent label that folded just as a single cause when the revolution's over, they'll I've ever seen." from his fourth album, "Pursuit of Happi- all become middle class and want to buy ness," began to climb the charts. Though some paintings and there won't be any. I the LP contains some filler, it also boasts hopeI'mnot sounding pretentious, be- two major pieces inLess IsMore andThe cause I'm very pragmatic.I wantedto get Old School.The latter includes his decla- into pop music, pop being short for popu- ration of allegiance to the Rodgers and lar, as populist, as in people like it. If Hart tradition:"And if there is any pur- someone can find himself in one of my pose to my life and to this rhyme/It's to songs, Ifeel I've accomplished my goal. I keep alive the old school/For a brief but think it's a noble goal if I can distract blessed time." someone enough so they forget they have Holmes was so discouraged by the a dentist appointment tomorrow." 96 BACKBEAT ig:RstitststitR Pop-PourriRRA:Fs2-14.,EpE

"Record" Business: The End of an Era by Sam Sutherland

At the end of the opening day of the sette technology's bloom as a universal people who made hardware, despite the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics medium. "record business" veterans obvious commonality of interests down Show last January. I found myself sharing tended to think of tape as "plus business," the road. dinner and talk with a group that included a dividend earned on their real commod- In fact the two industries have sel- Bill Anderson, president of the Advent ity. They treated it as a second-class for- dom understood the market goals and Corporation. As a writer who has been in- mat in almost every respect-product economic realities each faces. For involved principally in the "music industry- quality, packaging, catalog variety, and stance, much as the labels under- -an often distant cousin to the trade that marketing support-even as the caliber of estimated the impact of superior playback makes listening to recorded music possi- cassette hardware consolidated the con- technology in exposing their own prod- ble-I was powerfully impressed by the sumer's ability to make better tapes in his ucts' flaws, hardware manufacturers have show's interminable maze of high-tech living room than he could buy from the been indifferent to the real obstacles-in- dazzle. "record business." Indeed, it has been the cluding environmental restraints-that After discussing the increasing disc and tape manufacturers face. cross-fertilization between the various This will have to change, and may media technologies (a phenomenon that "What are you going to already be changing, since CES saw more had been so apparent on the CES floor) do when there isn't a "record business" participation than ever. the talk inevitably turned to 1979, the year Both industries are feeling the harsh gusts of the Platinum Goose's downfall. Would record business?" of economic reality, as discretionary dol- the record business learn from its harrow- lars tighten and new home entertainment ing losses? And what would be the effect drastically steep growth curve of blank rivals emerge to compete for those dol- of the technological refinements-of digi- cassette sales coupled with the fact that lars. With the early months of 1980 reveal- tal reproduction, miniaturization, and. prerecorded tapes are now approaching ing no easy escape from ongoing market most promising, video-that clearly lay parity with disc sales that has finally ills, "record company" managers are re- ahead? caused the majors to recognize the for- alizing that they must become "entertain- Anderson answered with a ques- mat's importance. ment company" managers in order to tion: "What are you going to do when survive. there isn't a record business?" But why has it taken them so long? He wasn't warning of an overnight MPThe implications of laying the demise, but his challenge did underscore groundwork for the aforementioned con- some troubling ironies, starting with the junction of media-the spread of cable very phrase "record business." That term and satellite transmission, the adaptation has become more prevalent than "music of digital technology to home applica- business" during the two decades that tions-have, for at least the past decade, preceded the decline of the phonograph been felt by the entire "communications as the primary vehicle for sound repro- industry." Of which the record business is duction. Whereas the '70s witnessed cas- a part, of course. Or is it? Part of the answer lies in its boom- We goofed: In last month's Pop-Pourri ing financial growth in the '60s and '70s. column by Stephen Holden, the Five Even as technology drew film, television, Royales were erroneously referred music, and information systems toward a to as a 'fictional" Fifties rhythm & future crossroads, heady profits and steep blues group. Our apologies to the Five growth diverted labels' attention from the Royales, to Mr. Holden, and to rock long-term outlook. So the people who & roll. made records remained aloof from the An ABC Sports Instant Replay... RELIVE THE MIRACLE OF LAKE PLACID and over 25 other heart -racing human dramas on this spectacular 90 minute videocassette! "Highlights of the 1980 Winter Olympics" Jim McKay called it "the impossible dream'' And no

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"Mad Love" and on the Cretones' "Thin Red Line," are surprisingly satisfying. Like the three Karla Bonoff tunes Ronstadt recorded for "Hasten Down the iv Wind," the three Goldenberg tunes on "Mad Love"-the title cut, Cost of Love, and Justine-are bound to draw attention to the Cretones' renditions of the same. Goldenberg writes succinct, sharp lyrics in a Costello mold, but without that writer's venom. He resigns himself to the ca- lamities of love, but pursues love's course regardless. Musically, the songs are a flurry of descending guitar lines, snapping rhythms, and taut choruses. Since Gold- enberg is one of the two guitarists on "Mad Love" (the other is Dan Dugmore), instrumental similarities between Ron- stadt's and the group's renderings of the three songs are inevitable. Ronstadt, of course, brings that voice to her versions-a voice which, on "Mad Love," is consistently full of rapt emotional energy. But while a lot of that energy goes into the Goldenberg cuts, they're not necessarily the best. Neil Young's LookOut forMy Love is a trium- phant meeting of the old- and new -school L.A. sounds, Mike Auldridge's dobro

4 aligning with Dugmore'srevved -upguitar. Of the Costello compositions, Party Girl, an ominous ballad of high-class heart- L- lessness, and Girls Talk, one of the song- Ronstadt's new look-a venture into new wave writer's best, stand out. How Do I Make You, already a Top -10 single, is the gut- siest, most overtly new wave track. While melancholy soapers from Bonoff and L.A. Discovers NoDoz Souther are absent, Ronstadt and pro- by Steven X. Rea ducer Peter Asher haven't forsaken the formula altogether: Little Anthony & the Imperials' Hurt So Bad gets a tough new The Cretones: Thin Red Line stark, harder image. A punchier, leaner, reading, as does the Hollies' mid -'60s gem Peter Bernstein, producer more assertive band has been assembled. I Can't Let Go. Planet P 5 Three Elvis Costello songs and one by An- "Thin Red Line" is a neat little sur- Linda Ronstadt: Mad Love geleno hipster Billy Steinberg are tackled. prise. The Cretones display a self -mock- Peter Asher, producer Mark Goldenberg-lead singer/ song- ing spirit and a penchant for powerful, Asylum 5E 510 writer/guitarist with anotherL.A.combo, pounding rhythms that their vigorous the Cretones-contributes three more. playing manifests with gusto. The ten When Linda Ronstadt, pop star, And if Goldenberg and three fellow tracks are all Goldenberg's. (Two are co- makes an album, it's a big -bucks, veterans of writer/ songstress Wendy written,1 Can't Wait with Andrew Gold, painstakingly calculated project. Material Waldman's old backup band decide to cut and Ways of the Heart with bassist Peter is carefully screened: an old Temptations their hair short, put on tight black trousers Bernstein.) Of the three covered by Ron- hit, a Buddy Holly rocker, an anguished and wraparound shades, and cast mean, stadt, Justine is the best, Goldenberg sing- J. D. Souther ballad. The general strategy angry glares at the camera, that's their ing with a shade of Jagger, circa "Between for her last few LPs has remained as form- prerogative. A mainstream pop star like the Buttons." The opener, Real Love, is ulaic and predictable as her band lineup. Ronstadt can assume new wave trappings, a crashing hybrid of hook -happy Eagles "Mad Love" at least represents a so there's no reason why an unknown L.A. and sentimental Costello. Everybody's change-a calculated move to try some- pop/rockband can't do the same. After Mad at Katherine explores the world of a thing new, something kind of "new wave." all, this is Hollywood. Nothing's real. What girl who "doesn't care" and calls to mind Ronstadt has cut her hair, opting for a matters are the end results, which, on the cleverness of Jules & MAY 1980 99 0 0 0 0 00 0 000 0 0 0 00 -0000 0 00 00 0 00 000 0 0 0 the Polar Bears.Mrs. Peel,a homage to isn't going to get any play at the Mudd Diana Rigg's role in the oldAvengersTV Club, nor does it probe the vicissitudes of series, is a rousing walk down the dark modem American life. For Cockburn is alleys of spydom with every espionage unconcerned with pop's sociological as- cliché thrown in for good measure. The pects: Thisis personal music, internalized Cretones' sound is spurred on by Gold- as a mantra and similarly aimed at impos- enberg's guitars and Steve Leonard's ing a holistic perspective. If Cockburn's surging keyboards, the latter a cross be- poetry sometimes veers uncomfortably tween the tacky Farfisa of the Attractions close to cosmic philosophizing, the overall and Todd Rundgren's grandiose key- effect is lucid and rather hypnotic. His board sweeps. early records have weathered well, and It's refreshing to hear Ronstadt this new one fits comfortably into their break her five -album -long somnambul- tradition. ism, and if it took the arch, rocking wit of the Cretones to do it, more power to Elvis Costello them. What "Mad Love" and "Thin Red and the Attractions: Get Happy!! Line" indicate is that rock's new wind is fi- Nick Lowe, producer Crowell-a switch to rock & roll nally barreling down the canyons and up Columbia JC 36347 the beaches of L.A. by Sam Sutherland ish beat music, country, and folk) they in- "Get Happy!!" may be too much of voked through more stylized means on Bruce Cockburn: a good thing: With ten songs per side, "Armed Forces." Whereas that album's Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws many of them furiously uptempo and all metrical devices and mannered keyboard Eugene Martynec, producer of them dense with Costello's typically voicings gave the material a clockwork in- Millennium BXL 1-7747 ' convoluted wordplay, the listener is over- tricacy and often ethereal atmosphere, by Sam Sutherland whelmed by a blur of new plot lines, char- the new performances hew to more tradi- acters, and catchphrases compressed into tional instrumental timbres, and the The solution to BruceCockburn's two- and three -minute works. If the effect rhythm section explores both fluid obscurity in this country may actually be is inescapably powerful, it can also be a grooves and more complex time schemes. related to his success: In his native Can- little disorienting, especially coming in the The music, like Costello's lyrics, poses a ada, this singer, songwriter, and guitarist wake of last year's "Armed Forces." more life-sized image. has been a major star for nearly a decade, The concise delivery and thematic A week after hearing "Get allowing him to continue his pursuit of an coherence of that album put the author's Happy!!," Costello's fourth album, I'm still often idiosyncratic acoustic music. He misanthropic viewpoint across quickly. marshaling my restraint in order to digest might easily have abandoned that style in "Get Happy!!" not only covers a wider its dizzying surfeit of songs. But the best order to court more lucrative commercial range of topics and root styles, but also ones here suggest the depth and verve of acceptance below the border, but he makes pronounced shifts in narrative per- their feisty author's finest prior tunes. hasn't needed to-most of his albums spective. One moment Costello is railing Love for Tender, Secondary Modern, have turned to precious metal up north. against familiar crises (imminent societal King Horse,andNew Amsterdamare my BothCockburn'swriting and per- collapse, personal alienation, or romantic favorites so far, but that's just Side 1, and forming mirror the sweeping plains of his treachery), the next captures him in an the flip sounds better each day. Too much homeland, as well as its cultural diversity. atypically subdued, or even openly con- of a good thing? Sounds impossible, (He has continued to include at least one fessional, mood. actually. French lyric on every album, and his liner Such candor makes him seem less notes remain pointedly bilingual.) There's like an avenging prophet than like the Ev- Rodney Crowell: But What a hushed pastoral quality to his music that eryman sometimes obscured by his rage Will the Neighbors Think consciously avoids any nod to urban life in the past, and there is some tradeoff in Craig Leon & Rodney Crowell, fueled by the recurrent mysticism of his focus. In that sense, "Get Happy!!" will dis- producers. Warner Bros. BSK 3407 imagery. appoint some fans, but to these ears the by Steven X. Rea This latest album, his first via Jimmy ultimate effect is positive, conferring lenner'sRCA -distributed Millennium la- glimpses, however oblique, of a warmth Up until now, Rodney Crowell has bel, continues his familiar blend of acous- and humility previously missing from his been traveling mainly on country roads. tic folk -guitar styles, jazzy percussive ac- tortured cityscapes. Even the album's title Johnny Cash's son-in-law, his songs have cents, and meditative lyric themes. In seems less sarcastic than one would have been recorded by the likes of Emmylou these respects, his closest musical peer is expected, given his past work. Harris, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, the equally underexposed Scot, John The Attractions also take a looser and Jerry JeffWalker. Crowell's debut, Martyn, with whom he shares an evocative tack on their arrangements, although their "Ain't Living Long like This," boasted command of guitar harmonics and playing is as charged and economical as most of Harris' Hot Band among its play- nimble, finger -picked filigree. before. They pay more direct homage to ers. His second LP sports pretty much the "Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws" the models (including Motown, '60s Brit- same personnel (drummer Larrie Londin

al 100000000000000000000000000000000000BACKBEAT is the only major newcomer), but it's an af- far removed from Hall and Oates's usual fair far from country, or even country/ fare. Nonetheless, its sonic textures and rock. "But What Will the Neighbors surrealistic storytelling show unusual ad- Think" is an understated, eloquent rock venturousness for a pop record. & roll record. Coproducer Craig Leon has eli- The Knack: cited the same unlabored clarity of sound ...but the little girls understand from Crowell'smusicians that has marked Mike Chapman, producer his recordings with Moon Martin. Key- Capitol SOO 12045 boards and guitars-Albert Lee's among by Sam Sutherland them-resonate with bright, bountiful color. The disc's sonic simplicity is As the focal point for an industry- matched by Crowell's unaffected song - wide swing toward power pop and new writing craft. Here Comes the '80s, which wave styles, the Knack offered 1979's kicks off Side 1, is an optimistic bluesy most frightening success story. On the rocker. It's Only Rock'n' Rollis like its one hand, itsstripped -downarrange- title: basic, straight -ahead stuff. But it's on ments and emphatic delivery invested its the ballads that Crowell really excels: On records with a drive largely missing from Ashes by Now he croons wryly to a long - big -budget rock, suggesting a sane al- gone lover, "As much as you've burned ternative to the six -figure excesses of high- me, I should be ashes by now." The One tech recording. On the other, the band's About England is a hazy, romantic reverie Hall-worth the wait underlying goals were frankly odious, that alludes playfully toI Dreamof closer to pop cannibalism than to a truly Jeannie. fresh synthesis capable of launching a There are three covers. Keith Sykes band (Caleb Quaye, Roger Pope, Kenny new generation of musicians. (asinger/ songwriterwith two early '70s Passarelli, and Charles De Chant), it was Perverting the romantic optimism LPs on Vanguard) supplies Oh, What a withheld for release until now because of the Beatles' early records they so accu- Feeling, a euphoric song cast in an ether- RCA reportedly considered it "uncom- rately imitated, songwriter Doug Fieger eal Everly Brothers glow. Texan Guy mercial." Though it is no masterpiece, it is and his partners confined their perspec- Clark's Heartbroke, which Crowell sings in definitely worth the wait. tive below the belt. They masked their the swirling midst of Hank DeVito's pedal The title is somewhat misleading; deeply cynical, misogynist contempt for steel, is the closest the album comes to one imagines Hall's silken, soulful voice their audience with a perky counterfeit of pure country. DeVito's Queen of Hearts is incanting hymns over Fripp's celestial, the Fab Four's original exuberance. Fie- handled with easy aplomb, but for anyone electronically altered guitar. But the only ger's message was that sex isn't merely familiar with Dave Edmund's version moment that comes close to that is a brief enough, it's everything. What made that (from "Repeat When Necessary") this one bit called The FartherAway I Am, while so chilling was the undeniably infectious is only adequate. the title track is a punchy rave-up de- surface of the music: You could almost ig- Crowell's singing is consistently claring that nothing is sacred anymore. nore the rancid thematic core to hishook - warmhearted and direct, and his lyrics al- The urgently romantic WhyWas ItSo laden three -minute songs. most fool you with their simplicity: Old Easy andthe driving Something in 4/4 Thus it's heartening to report that hackneyed phrases are infused with new Time are as irresistibly pop as anything the Knack's second album succumbs to meaning by the subtlest inflections and Hall and Oates have done. Less satisfying the band's own arrogance, failing to sup- juxtapositions of images. Whether his long are Don't Leave Me Alone with Her and port its erotic conceits with the musical association with country kinfolk will hinder Survive, which degenerate into numbingly momentum that made "Get the Knack" a widespread pop acceptance remains to repetitive riffing, and Without Tears, on difficult to ignore. This time around, Fie- be seen. If "But What Will the Neighbors which Hall's shrieky, forced falsetto un- ger has begun to cannibalize his own Think" gets on the airwaves, though, dercuts his intended sincerity. The al- band, as the first single and opening track, Crowell shouldn't have any problem. bum's tour de force is the odd suite of Baby Talks Dirty, quickly reveals. The songs that closes Side 1. Beginning with song is a thinly veiled retread of last sum- Daryl Hall: Sacred Songs Babs and Babs, it appears to be an aural mer's My Sharona, propelled by the same Robert Fripp, producer portrait of a split personality (or perhaps visceral drumming and panting vocal. RCA AFL 1-3573 Siamese twins). Apparently, one sings and (Drummer Bruce Gary is the band's secret by Don Shewey the otherdoesn't; whenthey venture away weapon and the one musician I'd actually from home, Urban Landscape (a dreamy enjoy hearing, though in a different band.) "Sacred Songs" is Daryl Hall's con- cascade ofswirling Frippertronics)repre- Elsewhere, the band steals from the troversial, long-awaited solo album pro- sents the silent one's observations, while Rolling Stones(Can't Puta Price on Love, duced by English experimental guitarist NYCNYfeatures the other's demented a liftfrom Beastof Burden that could have Robert Fripp. Recorded in August of ravings ("New York, love me!"). beenco -writtenby a copyright lawyer 1977 with the Hall and Oates touring Needless tosay, "SacredSongs" is given its hairbreadth escape from outright MAY 1980 101 0 00 00000000 000 00000 0 000 000 000 0000 plagiarism) and pays more honest hom- with "Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde." Though age to the Kinks in a cover of Ray Davies' no relation to another brief Byrd member The Hard Way.That song, the album's the late Gram Parsons, like that seminal best, is still a pale replica of the original, songwriter Gene approaches the fusion of relying on its hammering rhythm guitar modern rock with country roots from an and call -and -response solos and adding unforced, authentic vantage point. Thus nothing new. his music is much closer to the fresh, ex- On balance, the only classy move ploratory work of the Byrds, the Flying made here is the title taken from Willie Burrito Bros., and Michael Nesmith's late Dixon's blues classic, BackDoor Man. '60s bands than to the glossier pop hybrid Even that is shadowed by Fieger's smarm r- I that followed. and the laughable vanity of the inner Parsons has long been a versatile sleeve, which depicts these Mop Top instrumentalist, comfortable on a variety clones sitting in their limo, basking in the of stringed instruments and adept at airy grins of the swooning jailbait surrounding country vocal harmonies. By the time he them. On the strength of these new songs, freed himself from the Byrds, however, in- though, perhaps the Knack should start terest in country -tinged rock was already thinking about bus fare. k. waning. A warm, somewhat reserved solo Nile-an auspicious debut LP for Warner Bros. in 1973 ("Kindling") Willie Nile went largely unnoticed. So Parsons re- Roy Halee, producer treated to the sidelines, living off sales Arista AB 4260 the accelerated verve produced by Nile from the mechanical string -bender he de- by Steven X. Rea and compatriots matches that of his veloped with Byrds guitarist Clarence band's new wave associates. White, who died in a freak auto accident at The majority of the cuts on "Willie Nile has managed to maintain the mid -decade. Nile" smack of starry-eyed romanticism, integrity of his songs while, at the same For "Melodies," Parsons has opted even in the face of emotional adversity time, making certain bows to the commer- to keep his style intact rather than plumb and cynicism.Behind the Cathedralde- cial dictates of the music business. the pop mainstream. That, rather than the scribes lovers' trysts beneath the shadow Though an occasionally lackluster, overly quality of his music, explains the LP's re- of the church steeple,Old Men Sleeping repetitive moment intrudes here and lease on the tiny Sierra -Briar label. The on the Boweryis a protest against poverty there(Dear Lordand the dirge-ishAcross music is anything but low -budget: Sur- and apathy,and They'll Build a Statue of the River,in particular), for the most part rounded by some of the best country - You,is an indictment of fame. These and "Willie Nile" marks the emergence of an rockers alive (guitarists Bob Warford and tales of requited and unrequited romance auspicious new talent. Albert Lee in particular), he has ignored are framed by a pair of searing, surging commercial wisdom to assemble an intelli- electric guitars and a galloping rhythm Gene Parsons: Melodies gent sampler of country swing, bluegrass, section. Nile, who possesses one of those Gene Parsons, producer white gospel, and, of course, rock. A ring- nasally Dylanesque timbres, adds his own Sierra -BriarSRS 8703 ing electric cover of Phil Ochs'sMy King- electric and acoustic guitars to the brew (Box 5853, Pasadena,Calif. 91107) domfor aCarbenefits from an ironic lyric and, more significantly, some resilient pi- by Sam Sutherland even timelier today than when the late ano playing. His band consists of guitar- songwriter first penned it. At the other exists Clay Barnes and bassist Tom Ethridge With its emergence as a major com- treme, Parsons captures the wide open from the Cryers, drummer Jay Dee Dau- mercial force during the '70s, country/ plains feel and sweet innocence of the gherty from the Patti Smith Group, and rock went the way of all trends, its early Sons of the Pioneers via Bob Nolan's Way guitarist Peter Hoffman. But even amidst sense of adventure replaced by the cer- OutThere.He also serves up some Gram their whirlwind of aggressiveness, Nile's tainties of formulaic thinking. In the eyes Parsons(Hot Burrito #1)and Mickey stance is one of-pardon the expression- of rock critics, and to the ears of some Newbury (WhyYou Been Gone So Long) sensitive singer/ songwriter. fans, the platinum twang of the Eagles and with similar verve and feeling, and the pro- The overall effect varies. The Linda Ronstadt came to invite skepticism duction throughout gives full weight to the opener,Vagabond Moon,is like listening rather than admiration. Listeners began musicianship. to Loudon Wainwright fronting the trebly to associate the style with cocaine cow- twelve -string wash of the Byrds. On the boys and a much -publicized clique of Los The Searchers spry dittyThat's the Reason,Nile, as he Angeles musicians. PatMoran,producer often does, explores the limits of one in- That backdrop makes this modest Sire SRK 6082 fectious lyric/melodic hook and invokes album by Gene Parsons, a veteran of the by Steven X. Rea the AM ambience of Stevie Nicks and style, all the more surprising. Parsons is Fleetwood Mac. OnIt's All Overand Sing best known as the drummer in the re- Another crusty comeback attempt Me a Song(whose guitar run is a wonder- vamped Byrds that Roger McGuinn as- from a veteran group of an era gone by, ful steal from the theme of TV'sBonanza) sembled in 1968 and that made its debut Continued on page 103 102 BACKBEAT 0000essooctosoceSpinOffsocsoospoosp0000

DAVID SANBORN GARY LAWRENCE electric piano, which is a tinkl- Jazz Includes AnythingYou Want and .,11.ia ing bore. Again An Again/ Lisa /Creeper g11-1"'.9. gV4w-°PaiLva by Don Heckman & Leo Smith: Spirit Catcher Chuck Nessa, producer John S. Wilson Nessa N 19 (Nessa Records, 5404 N. Kimball,Chicago, Ill. 60625) Charlie Haden, Jan Garbarek, Egberto Gismonti: Magico eap, Leo Smith is identified /0. Hideaway I` 1 ManfredEicher. producer with the avant-garde, but his ECM 1-1151 music is just as connected to African sources. An impressive Putting these three reason to exist beyond the When Grappelli was in composer, his use of three world -class jazzmen together hook on which they are con- England during World War II, harps on The Burning of was a great idea that somehow structed. But this one does. young George Shearing met Stones is a revelation, and never ignited. Garbarek is Marky Markowitz, Phil Bodner, and played with him. When "Spirit Catcher" is an effective coolly distant, Gismonti John Bunch, Bucky Pizzarelli, they met again thirty years addition to the repertoire of sounds uninterested, and Ha- George Duvivier, and Grady later, Shearing had achieved contemporary jazz. Unlike den seems confused. The air Tate create a swinging en- even greater eminence than much avant-garde stuff, it of passivity that permeates vir- semble sound, topped by an his friend. On "The Reunion," stands up well to repeated tually every track is enough to interesting assortment of vo- Shearing dispenses with the hearings. D.H. drive one straight back to the calists. Slam Stewart reveals a block chords that he ground Sixties. D.H. little-known facet of his talent out with his quintet and plays Michal Urbaniak's Fusion, by singing lyrics instead of with a swinging rhythmic inten- Featuring Urszula Gary Lawrence and His humming, Dardanelle gives sity. Grappelli slashes and Dudziak: Heritage Sizzling Syncopators On Broadway a swinging read- slices away one moment and is MPS Records, producers Steven Epstein, producer ing, and Markowitz builds the essence of romanticism Pausa Records PR 7047 CBS Masterworks some enthusiastic and brilliant the next-part hot -foot, part M35824 Armstrong scat lines. The only slow -burn. J.S.W. This installment in the weak point is a pompous vocal Urbaniak/Dudziak oeuvre This is more Jazz Age by Tate. J.S.W. John Haley Sims, Sweets dates back to 1977 and than jazz: a collection of 1920s Harry Edison: Just Friends sounds strangely bloodless for jazz and pop tunes as well as David Sanborn: Hideaway Norman Granz, producer this usually fiery duo. Only the Beatles and Bee Gees songs, Michael Colina, producer Pablo 2310-841 always -stimulating ululations all arranged in 1920s style. Warner Bros. BSK 3379 of Dudziak's astonishing voice Gary Lawrence has picked up Both the merits and make the whole thing worth- the period's characteristics The narrowing limits of drawbacks of consistency are while. Both performers have (clarinet trios, oomping tubas, David Sanborn's already pros- illustrated on this disc. done better work more even an accordion solo), and cribed alto saxophone style Trumpeter Harry Edison is recently. D.H. his band projects the sound may just be too small to sus- consistent, using the same de- and beat with a lot of polish. tain an entire LP. He does all vices on virtually everything he Nana Vasconcelos: When he sticks to '20s mate- the predictable things here- plays: what is initially provoca- Saudades rial the idea works, but when disco/jazz, a bit of r&b, and tive finally becomes tiresome. Manfred Eicher, producer he tries to squeeze Glenn one or two Warner Bros. -style John Haley Sims (Zoot's for- ECM 1-1147 Miller (Pennsylvania 6-5000) string -heavy ballads. His once - mal name) is a consistently or the Beatles into the formula, delightful ability to surprise is swinging saxophonist, and via Vasconcelos' battery of it does not. J.S.W. rapidly waning. D.H. innumerable and varied Brazilian percussion is on full- means. On this disc he plays fledged, brilliant display in this New York, New York: George Shearing Trio and soprano as well as tenor, offer- mostly -solo recording. The few Sounds of the Apple Stephane Grappelli: ing a definitive example of his gaps are filled-equally Bernard Brightman, producer The Reunion light, fresh soprano approach brilliantly-by Egberto Gis- Stash ST 204 Hans Georg Brunner- on I Understand, accom- monti's passionate string -or- Schwer, producer panied only by Roger Kella- chestra writing and by Vascon- Gimmicky records, such Pausa Records PR 7049 way's piano. Kellaway alter- celos' eerie, overdubbed as a collection of songs about (Pausa, Inc., 9255 SunsetBlvd.,nates between acoustic, on vocals. One of ECM's best of New York City, rarely have any Los Angeles, Calif. 90069) which he can be inventive, and the year. D.H. 103 Order Toll Fro& 00000000000 Buys Except N Alas. Hawaii SONY. STR V56 f11PIONEE/7 RT 701 800:221-0974 Continued from page 101 4._

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Ironically, Rhino's first new release In Search of Authentic by established comic masters, the Firesign Theater, is among its least satisfying. Be- tween 1967 and 1974, this quartet of Comedy Recordings writers and actors produced the most daz- zlingly intricate, multileveled comedy rec- by Sam Sutherland ords ever made, establishing a high-water mark for ensemble comedy through albums that could stand up to countless lis- The Firesign Theater: sequently been little more than documen- tens. Shakespeare, computer language. Nick Danger-The Case taries of their authors' stage or TV spots- and good old American jingoism in- of the Missing Shoe audio without video, dependent on a fa- formed their writing, and multitrack Philip Austin, Peter Bergman, miliarity with the acts' facial expressions recording enabled them to create aural David Ossman, & Philip Proctor, or physical shticks. Without that familiarity, movies with casts of thousands. producers. Rhino RNEP 506 (12 -inch EP) the materials' impact is lessened-at times "The Case of the Missing Shoe," a (11609 West Pico Blvd. lost-on the listener. twelve -minute "serial" EP. is thus espe- Los Angeles, Calif. 91107) Where can one find vestiges of the cially disappointing, since it offers the The CredibilityGap: more ambitious aural comedy of the '40s, weakest thematic framework ever erected A Great Gift Idea /Floats '50s, and '60s? These strains are alive, if by these once astute comedians. Old Fire - The Credibility Gap, Donn Landee. not entirely well, in the hands of a number sign fans will be better off checking the & Harry Shearer, producers of maverick entrepreneurs now cutting Credibility Gap anthology, which couples Sierra /Briar SRS 8704 comedy albums and releasing them on "A Great Gift Idea" (a now out -of -print (Box 5853, Pasadena, Calif. 91107) small labels. With the qualified exception Warner Bros. album) and the group's in- TheRhino Brothers' Circus Royale of the Credibility Gap retrospective, none famous Rose Bowl Parade broadcasts, Harold Bronson & Richard Foos, of these records is an instant classic. But here excerpted under the appropriate producers. Rhino RNLP 007 all represent comedic writing built specifi- title "Floats." KROQ-FM Devotees Album cally around music and the recording Like Firesign, the Gap honed its en- Compiled by Harold Bronson, Jed the medium. semble approach through progressive FM Fish & Richard Foos Illustrating aural comedy's fall from broadcasts, but it seldom matched Fire - Rhino RNLP 008 commercial grace is the fact that Rhino sign for consistency or inventiveness, per- Mal Sharpe: The Meaning of Life records, a tiny company, is probably the haps because of the constantly shifting Larry Ball, Jerry Zelinger, most active comedy label in the U.S. An lineup and the Gap's early domination by & Paul Decker, producers outgrowth of a West Los Angeles record radio newscasters, rather than writers. Rhino RNLP 006 shop that specializes in rock imports, jazz, The most gifted members, though, defi- and used records, Rhino initially issued a nitely shine on the best cuts here, notably For fans of pure aural comedy, it's diffi- few left -field comic oddities as a promo- a dead -center parody of Johnny Carson. XVcult to view the current standup comic tional lark. What began as a giggle soon Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Da- boom without a tinge of frustration. Grant- took on more ambitious goals as early vid Lander have since gone on to wider ed there are more new performers grab- discs like Fred Blassie's Pencil -Necked visibility, but they may never have been bing laughs from club audiences, and Geek and Gefilte Joe & the Fish's Walk on funnier than they are on this extended bit, Steve Martin and Robin Williams have the Kosher Side (a Yiddish parody of Lou or on other gems like the neo-McKuen persuaded record numbers of fans to buy Reed) snared airplay. drivel of In Someone's Sneakers. albums and concert tickets. But so far For rock fans unwilling to treat their none of these talents has addressed his AtypicalRhino anthology culls from new wave with too much reverence, work specifically to the aural medium. both outside sources and the label's Rhino's "KROQ-FM Devotees Album" As a result, a once fertile crop is own community of cracked musicians, also has its moments. The offspring of a now nearly fallow, at least in terms of in- singers, and writers to create a grab bag of radio promotion that invited listeners to terest from major record labels and estab- song parodies, simulated ads, and comic contribute their own parodies of Devo, the lished writers and comedians. Where esoterica. On "The Rhino Brothers' Cir- package consists mostly of ham-fisted Spike Jones and Stan Freberg tailored cus Royale," that translates into Matzoh Devo covers. For anyone who ever de- punch lines and effects to the phono- Man, sung by the Yiddish People, whose rived simpleminded joy from playing Four graph, drawing their perspective from the costumed personae (dentists, brokers, Seasons singles at 78, a Devo-ted cover of earlier aural theater offered by live radio. butchers, and rabbis) are miles away from Okie from Muskogee and a reworking of today's mainstream comedians think pri- Indians and construction workers. Also in- Devo's anthem, Jocko Homo, to Jocko marily in terms of the tube. Paradoxically, cluded is a generally wicked radio spot for Bozo are painless fun. television has led them not to a more lib- The Beverly Hills Blues Festival, promis- Finally, the one coherent concept erated, multimedia array of comedic ing such titans as Big Matron Thornberg album here is Mal Sharpe's "The Meaning weapons, but back to the classic standup singing You Just Can't Get Good Help of Life," which extracts some genuinely bi- format. These Days and bluesman Perrier Waters zarre comic nuggets from Sharpe's nu- Recent comedy LPs have con- singing Hootchie-Gucci Man. merous "man on the street" forays.e' MAY0000000000mooeoel000e 1980 105 photo VIDEO SALE PV 2600Portable 879.00 PK 600ColorCamera 648.99 VDT 5016 Hr.VHS 689.00 Continued from page 103 been true even of such fine improvisers as I VC 67007 Day 975.00 cooing I'm So Sorry. A Fifties -like testi- Toshiko Akiyoshi and Marian McPartland, VHS upto 6Hrs. 13.95 monial to true love called Deeper and to name only two. But I challenge anyone VK 250RCA. 14.95 Deeper stands back to back with the jack- to listen to these new Brackeen record- L-500 9.95 Call orWriteus for all your Video Needs hammer rhythms of the savvy street an- ings blindfolded and identify them as any- SAVE$135ON A SONY-----' them 14th Street Beat. thing other than the work of one as- SEIKOWATCH .,,_ The style -hopping gets into maw- tonishingly brilliant jazz pianist-regard- Alarm Chronograph.. . 99.50 _ '6', , .--..,. Solar Alarm Chrono. - 149.95 i 1 kishness on Without You, an early, too- NEW! Calculator/ less of sex, race, age, religion, or planetary I Alarm 154.95 ... i'i I 1 earnest Paul Simon folk -rocker that origin. Alarm w Timer 129.95 -- . Memory Bank Calendar 118.95 quotes from the Beatles Norwegian ICF7600 - Both "Mythical Magic," a solo LP, SONYTC-I50 Wood and ends with Sylvain whispering, ,,,,,, 7 Band Portable and "Prism," a duo with bassist Eddie Go- _ Radio only $109.95 -w "Do you want your ring back, darling?" mez, bristle with the electric energy of a Marantz 6 MK II But generally the album builds in momen- '119" Speakers 59.95 ea. talent that has found itself. (Both were ac- Completeselectionof NAME moR BRAND CAR STEREOS 8 SPEAK- tum, finally exploding with a roof -raising tually recorded in 1978.) There is more Illaw._ lik . - ERS AT HUGE DISCOUNTS. (Write rendition of Clarence "Frogman" Henry's than enough here to delight and stimulate - \z_-_- !i, for our price sheet.) 1F-016 We'reyour Sony.Panasonic, Ain't Got No Home, a double-time New Special the listener for repeated hearings. The Jensen,Craig Purchase I--Pioneer, Sanyo, ----._ 8 JVC HO. Orleans boogie complete with false end- first thing one notices is Brackeen's ex- 56850 ing and orgasmic reprise. Jonathan Sena- traordinary skill as a pianist. She knows FREE CATALOG featuring - CASSETTE TAPES Camera. Audio, Video,Elec. tor Gerber's searing, lonely sax solo takes the instrument well, obviously loves it (and SPECIALS Ironies, Car Stereos, Tele. the place of a vocal on Tonight and closes 10K SAC -60 . .2.15 phone Answering 8 Dictating probably hates it sometimes too), and TDK SA C-90 2.89 Equipt. Watches, Calculators 8 the album with impressive eloquence. The Maxell UDXL1 or 2C60 2.50 much more all at amazing low fully explores its limits-from pure jazz Maxell UDXL1 or 2090 3.35 prices. production sounds hasty and superficial percussiveness to outright Lisztian Ro- in spots, and Sylvain isn't the most distinc- manticism and Cecil Taylor pyrotechnics. inst. photoinc. 67 West 47th St New York, N.Y. 10036 tive singer in the world, but the LP's flaws She is also an evocative composer whose 212-260-4410 axe. 73 Phone orders only Call Toll Free are more than made up for by its over- work is texturally thick enough to demand 800-223-5661 or 800-221-5858Ext. 73 whelming vitality. expansion into larger instrumental en- -Shipping soon, minimum 54.50 (limited quantities] a.

sembles. Listen to Hobbits (either it was Circle 18 on Page 79 recorded with overdubbing or she's even mie IRli so=II == better than I thought), Told You So, so E - -' 1 s. , %A ,.,.,,:, JAZZ Prism, and Habitat. V4It e.1:`. 1111111-1:104 ..44.441N Superb as Brackeen is, she should . Joanne Brackeen with be more careful about an occasional tend- I,- t.. :swill Eddie Gomez:Prism ency toward anachronistic fluff pieces like . 4 , . -tret..7,./...... ,-,. Gerry Macdonald, producer If You Dare, as well as too much drifting .."' '..."_010.....--1- 1 ( 44...... V4 :4.- --> Choice CRS 1024 sfeir....tizi-...r.9.4...., into cocktail -lounge dreaming. But, for the i \ /. di ., Joanne Brackeen: Mythical Magic most part, she is firmly in the present-a ?i,...,...14): If. ) -.....,,,:::1,,.-,,... II ,,...,-;.....,...... c,...., Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer solidly gifted, realistic jazz player for the , , //,--r---;.-...-tz....r.rf....-x--7,,, ,.., & Willi Fruth, producers Eighties...... 44..5, . Pausa PR 7045 I ' I IN\,_..!). _ 1+ 1 (Pausa, Inc., 9255 Sunset Blvd., Jim Cullum's Happy Jazz Band: r' '' S7iil, Los Angeles. Calif. 90069) Live and Swingin' ,,,-.,._:.. ,,, -1,7c,..- , - by Don Heckman American Jazz AJ 127 I' l'O'!.*,..,...' 64,;.:174 (American Jazz Recording Company, tg-ii.7-7A. 4:---',$"'L" It's going to be Joanne Brackeen's 522 Riverwalk, San Antonio, Tex. 78205) . .. -4 ::- 1.4i:f".4'jec.:4-z,7, ) /-::....-, --,4.- ----) decade. After years of drifting through the by John S. Wilson The handcrafted Speakerlab 771-__,'-'7-'t jazz scene, always well respected, usually Thirties featuring the patented a,-.7,:c.',7,f_ Nestorovic Woofer System" are Iv: ..,:.-.. working with first-rate players, but con- In the eighteen years since Jim Cul- unlike any speakers you've ever (..X/Z.--, heard. Find out about Speakerlab's " anA stantly burdened with the stigma of "fe- lum founded it, the Happy Jazz Band has innovative speakers, kits, and raw , male musician" (still particularly virulent developed from a traditional group that speakers. You can save up to 50% when you build them yourself. ...b in the jazz world), she has finally come into specialized in lesser -known tunes to a con- . her own. Read about all the details in our .r., .. temporary revitalizer of material from the I free catalog. Send for yours today! ,...... ,...... To get the nonsense out of the way '20s and '30s. In the process, Jim Jr.. who I 135 '' "W41:# 21 : a. - first: In the past, women players have of- took over when his father died in 1973, Iname ...... , ten been easily identifiable by their rhyth- I has grown into a confident professional, address mic awkwardness. Alas, at times this has Continued on page 107 I city state

I zip I feeciketlak. Dept. 135. 735 N. Nonhlake Way Seattle, Washington 98103 MmlMINI.11

106 BACKBEAT 00 0000 00000 0SpinOffso ooo0o o oo '00o0 R&B MAMMATAPEE Grey &. Hanks Includes Sweet Prison PRIME TIME Don't Bite The Hand (Thar FeedsYou) Rock Across The Notion/Good Lown' HOUSTON by Christopher BRFAKVVATER CAT Petkanas

James Brown: People Gotham: standing, one would have to Ray, Goodman & Brown Brad Shapiro, producer Void Where Inhibited be fully schooled in the long Vincent Castellano, Polydor PD 1-6258 Gene Allan, Gary Knight, & roster of female disco artists to producer. Polydor Harold Wheeler, producers pick Thelma Houston's voice PD 1-6240 A great and faithful soul Aurum AU 0002 (Aurum Rec- out on the radio. Her cover of improvisor herein makes a ords, 43 West 61 Street, New Suspicious Mindsdoes stand The former Moments(I convincing case for living the York, N.Y. 10023) out, though, and its grizzly in- Found Love on a Two -Way funk. James Brown sounds as tro is inspired. Executive pro- Street) are experts at creating relevant and resolved as ever, There's so little musical ducer Jimmy Webb contrib- rich, warmthree-part har- and the horn section's darting activity here that it sounds as if uted five tunes. monies. Their song tags have a licks compete with his own for entire tracks are missing from mildly improvisatory feeling hotness. Where would Millie the mix. This is budget disco Debbie Jacobs: that works well and their earn- 4 and Michael Jackson, among that sounds like budget High on Your Love est lead vocals are never over- many others, be without him? disco-the kind of record that Paul Sabu, producer bearing. There's plenty of can turn your brain to mashed MCA 3202 pleading falsetto,finger - Merry Clayton: Emotion potatoes. Gotham's singing is popping, and, best of all, Steve Tyrell, producer faceless, thematerial insub- Touted as "d.o.r." wholesome romance. MCA 3200 stantial. Ironically, the trio has (dance -orientedrock), "High a pleasant and extremely pro- on Your Love" contains too Sister Sledge: A former backup singer fessional nightclub act, prov- many heavy-handed disco ele- Love Somebody Today for Ray Charles, the Stones, ing that the choices made on ments for the term "rock" to Bernard Edwards & Streisand, and Joe Cocker, this album were not its own. be applicable. Former Guess Nile Rodgers, producers Merry Clayton is an exuberant Who guitarist Paul Sabu emp- Cotillion SD 16012 vocalist who is linked stylis- Grey & Hanks: ties a pocketful of fancy tricks tically to Aretha and Patti La- Prime Time on six of his own unmemo- "Love Somebody To- belle. Among the best cuts Len Ron Hanks & rable compositions. Alas, the day" is a triumph of urbane here are a cover of the First ZaneGrey, producers most electric and satisfying disco. The sisters Sledge have Choice'sArmed and Ex- RCA AFL 1-3477 cut,Hot Hot, isa remix from crossed over from plaited tremely Dangerous-oneof this unremarkable singer's cornrows tonew wavepreppy disco's early hits-and a salute On the dance floor, the last effort. pastels while retaining the to Sly Stone. Chris Dedrick endless repetition of the most flawless, celebrated sound that provides the vibrant, first-class fundamental riffs is less Mammatapee produced their chartbusting orchestral arrangements. irksome than it is in a listening - NormanWhitfield, "We Are Family." This pack- only situation. High -gloss producer.WarnerBros. age is even smoother than the sameness is the only char- WHK 3171 aforementioned, if measur- acteristic that stands out on ably less funky. Vocals are JAMES "Prime Time." One member of this solid and assertive with BROWN new, lackluster disco quartet brightly projected harmonies, People Thelma Houston: was part of the Undisputed ballads are affecting and well - Breakwater Cat Truth. Producer Norman conceived, and, of course, the Michael Stewart & Whitfield has created a few ex- powerful Chic rhythm section James Godson, producers citing peaks, but singer Ella lays down a clean path. Hear RCA AFL 1-3500 Faulk makes no impression the Cory Daye-derivedLet's whatsoever. Jr. Walker's sax is Go onVacation and Eddie An athletic voice and eagerly welcomed,otherwise- Daniels' sax solo onReach good dramatic sense notwith- no thrills. Your Peak. MAY 1980 107 0 00 00000 0 0 00 00 0 0 000 0 0 0 cAnvIN

1980 Pro -Line Guide 41 Acomprehensive 64 pg. color guide to all Carvin Pro -Lineequipment including illustra tions, technical information and specifica tions with Special Direct Prices. Carvin's new products for the 80's include; double neck guitars, modular power amps up to 700w RMS. Recording and road mixing boards, JBL Pro speakers, bi-channel tube guitar amps, Parts, plus much, much more. As we introduce you to the finest Pro Equip- ment available, you'll appreciate Carvin's policy of selling Direct for exceptional values Write:CARVIN Dept. HF80, 155 Industrial Ave., Escondido,CA 92025 Phone: (714)747-1710 Jim Cullum's Happy Jazz Band CARVIN FREE CATALOG

Name

Address_ _ Continued from page 105 Duke Ellington: City both as a cornetistand a band leader. The Collector's Ellington State Zip H F80 "Live and Swingin'," recorded in The Franklin Mint Record Society Circle 56 on Page 79 1979 in San Antonio at the Landing (Two discs, from FMRS, Franklin Center, (where the group has been playing since Pa. 19091) 1963), displays the band's sense of confi- by John S. Wilson BIGGEST SAVINGS dence. Its approach to the material is re- - laxed and swinging, with not a trace of the This two -disc collection is the per- SAME DAY DELIVERY anxiety that makes so many traditional fect gift for the Ellington fan who, until bands rush their playing. Though the now, had everything. Among its fourteen CALL 301-488-9600 rhythm section deserves much credit for selections that have never been released this, Cullum's self-assurance also plays a before are an attractively rhythmic Elling- 41. part. He still follows the styles of Bix Bei- ton song, sung by Woody Herman, calledI IP derbecke, Bobby Hackett, and Louis Arm- Fell and Broke My Heart and twodevelop- 4.0: strong, but he is no longer straining to ments on one of the Duke's favorite A (-1111I111) sound like them. Bix's little running fig- themes, trains. In addition to the unissued af - . ures, Hackett'ssinging warmth,Arm- material, which is drawn from 1935-62, strong's strong, urgent phrasing flow eas- there are eight earlier pieces that have not ily and naturally through his solos. before been available on LP, as well as We have more of the components and manufacturers you are looking for. The band has picked up another two alternate masters. Our prices are the lowest you'll find strong voice in Mike Pittsley, a trombonist anywhere. For those who are not really afi- Your phone order is shipped the same day with a broad, lusty, sometimes bellicose cionados, the set provides an overview of yuu call.

In most cases you'll enjoy your equipment attack that, in the gentler lines of ballads Ellington and of his band's significant de- within 72 hours. such asI've Got a Crush onYou, falls velopments from 1928 to 1962 without We stand behind everything we sell with a "No Lemon" guarantee and a trained somewhere between Bill Harrisand Jack using the obvious, standard examples.Its customer service department. Teagarden. Clarinetist Allen Vache is not only glaring omissions are the 1940-42 Our Audio Advisors will help you select the right equipment at the best prices for the as fully developed as Cullum and Pittsley, period, whenthe band was at its height quickest delivery. but he has a warm low register from which and the Duke at a creative peak, and any Call (301) 488-9600 for information on equipment, prices and ordering, or send for free , he emerges with bubbling enthusiasm. representation of the longer Ellington brochure, tips on buying hi-fi equipment by -, "Live and Swingin' " includes the works of works that began to appear in the '40s. mail, test reports and a $2.00 merchandise certificate. King Oliver, Armstrong, Hackett, and Bix, Otherwise, all the great Ellingtonians are which are often rendered on a tinny piano here in fine form. .e,5* International COI that has no place in a successful jazz club. Continued on page 111

Hi-Fi Distributors Moravia Center 0 Industrial Park, Dept.5HI-1 ., Baltimore, Maryland 21206 Circle 21 on Page 79 108 BACKBEAT 1:P :1:11511:tFf SAFIMusic in Print11:1SS #1:111:19:P by Elise Bretton

I table of contents, the songs have been ar- mic structures to accommodate her usual ranged in order of their recording release logorrhea. Iam happy to report that she dates. After thirteen group and twelve in- has risen to the challenge, renouncing dividual albums, four compilations, and self-indulgence, ostentation, and excess, six LPs that Messrs. Garcia, Hunter, Weir, and achieving both lyrical maturity and a and their cohorts have issued with other oneness with Mingus' spirit. Joni Mitchell disc notables, one may need a little help in here proves herself, at last, a writer for all tracking down a favorite tune. After all, seasons. thereare260 pages of goodies here. Some of the Grateful Dead and The Muppet Movie Garcia material, though previously issued, ATV Music Publications/ has long been out of print, which makes Cherry LaneMusic, 9 songs, $7.95 this a valuable collection. Never repetitive and still fresh after thirteen years of suc- Kermit desperately needs a hit cess, the Grateful Dead has earned a single. Not only is it not easy being green, place on your folio shelf, even at this price. but a frog can't get by on his good looks forever. Brilliant colors and a smashing The Art of Ragtime Guitar layout make this package a Muppet- Country Rock Guitar lover's dream come true, but the Paul Wil- Electric Blues Guitar liams/ Kenny Ascher score is merely so-

Improvising Rock Guitar so, and many of the lyrics are either sim- Slide Guitar,$8.95 each plistic or simply incoherent. Yet obviously Improvising Blues Guitar,$6.95 there's no point in my telling you not to Green Note Music Pub./ buy this folio: Who can resist the sheer Warner Bros. Music rapture of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Foz- zie Bear, et al.? Two-line piano settings by I am not a guitarist, but I am en- Jack Perricone are quite good, and an in- chanted with this series. Each folio comes termediate pianist can negotiate them complete with pictures and diagrams and. with ease. with the exception of "Improving Blues Mitchell-a writer for all seasons Guitar," a demonstration record put to- Kenny Rogers Song Book gether by the Green Note staff (Straw Cherry Lane Music, 23 songs, $7.95 Dog, Ceel, and Richard Saslow). The well - Chic: Risque organized curriculum, crystal-clear text, Kenny Rogers can park his guitar Warner Bros., 7 songs,$6.95 easy -to -followtranscriptions, and exam- under my stereo any time. The spectacu- ples from top echelon performers make lar recording career of Nashville's sweet- These five beautiful people deserve these books appropriate for professionals est music man is here delineated in easy - credit for attempting tobreak awayfrom and amateurs alike. play, two-line piano -vocals. One boggles the "oh baby let's get down and boogie" at the number of top sellers attributed to school of disco composition and perform- Joni Mitchell: Mingus him:Lucille, Anyone Who Isn't Me ance. But the songs in "Risque" are so WarnerBros., 6 songs, $8.95 Tonight, Love Lifted Me, The Gambler, fragmentary as to disintegrate on paper. andShe Believes in Me arejust part of the They willnot unduly tax your pianistic or This reverently conceived folio, pile of gold. In addition, editors Milt Okun vocal skills-arranger Mark Swados has transcribed from Joni Mitchell's latest LP, and Dan Fox have furnished succinct pro- seen to that-but watch for still more rem- is not for amateurs or dilettantes. The gram notes for singers, keyboardists, and nants of the "Le Freak" syndrome that strong, leaping Mingus bass lines demand pickers. Though the editors stress their catapulted Chic to its present popularity. technical dexterity; two of the selections belief that the included songs are the very eschew keyboard notation in favor of best of Rogers, it's worth noting that at Grateful Dead: Anthology complicated guitar tablature; and chordal least half of them were composed by Ice Nine Publishing Co., fluency is a must for anyone who essays other songsmiths. The singer's tastes are Warner Bros., 50 songs, $12.95 the (electric) piano notation. Inasmuch as eclectic; he chooses good material that he Mingus had dedicated these compositions truly feels comfortable with. And that, Though a collection of this size to her, it would have been grossly inappo- fans, is one very good reason why he's a would seem to call for an alphabetical priate for Mitchell to alter any of the rhyth- star today.to MAY 1980 CLASSIFIED 109

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DYNA -STEREO COMPLETE FRAZER TEAC, WITH acces- ONLY 189 COPIES LEFTI High Fidelity's Silver Anniversary sories. Used 1 year. Sacrifice S2500.00. 914/423-3479. Treasury will soon be out of print Don't miss this opportunity to get your copy of this 348 -page hardcover compila- CAR STEREO. TREMENDOUS SAVINGS FOR SALE tion of the best writing to appear in the magazine over the past three decades. Send 59.95 to Wyeth Press, 1 Wyeth ON A HUGE SELECTION. Catalog: Au- AUDIOPHILES WANTED' Put your knowledge to use, Street Marion, Ohio 43302. dio World Box 7518 G.R. MI. 49510. earn an excellent spare time income. We need campus 616-241-2994 M-Th 1-9. Sat. 10-6. Dealers to sell name brand stereo equipment at substantial MORDAUNT-SHORT SPEAKERS, BEYER MICROPHONES, discounts in your area. No investment necessary. For infor- and also some REVOX Items at BARGAIN PRICES. Send for mation and application please write: ABCO, Dept. CR, full literature: Entertainment Sound Services Inc P.O. 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SOUNDTRACKS -New and out -of -print film music recordings. Free listings and info. CINE MONDE RECORDS, 1488 Vallejo St., San Francisco, CA 94109. AUDIOPHILE RECORDS: Save 20% to 40% Free catalog. MAY 1980 111 Foreign customers also invited. Super Sound Record Serv- 00 0000000000000 000 0000 ice; P.O. Box 411237: Chicago, ILL 60641. r. FREE DIGITAL RECORDING by Jean-Pierre Rampal with initial purchase of three items from catalogue of over 100 digital classics. For catalog, send 504 to Classics Only, Box Continued from page 107 14186, Columbus, Ohio 43214. The best periods represented are 25,000 LP ALBUMS & 1700 78 RPM sets for sale. Send the early Cotton Club days (late '20s, early wants lists. Bernstein, Pine Valley Road, Oyster Bay, N.Y. '30s), with Freeze and Melt, Mississippi 11771. Moan, Flaming Youth, and Sweet Mama, RARE RECORD/TAPE COLLECTOR'S DIRECTORY. New enlarged treasury of over 250 addressed. Annotated. All and the late '50s, when the band recorded categories. Send 54.95. DIRECTORY, Dept. H, 550, East Rus- some provocative variations by Billy Stray - tic Road, Santa Monica, Calif. 90402. horn on Take the 'A' Train: Allah -Bye and CASSETTE TAPE CUEING TOOL. Indispensable for record- Track 360, a musical portrait of a train in ing enthusiasts. SI.75 postpaid. N. Ryan, P.O. Box 57, Meadowvale Village, Ontario. LOJ 1KO. motion that is in the tradition of (though different from) the Duke's Daybreak Ex- VOX BOXES, SINGLES Si OFF. CANDIDE, TURNABOUT 40% OFF. Discs, Box 94A, Plainview, N.Y. 11803. press and Happy -Go -Lucky Local. Some Mingus Dynasty's Joe Farrell of the least successful selections also SEARCHING? WRITE DISCONTINUED RECORDS, 444 South Victory, Burbank, California 91502. come from the late '50s/early '60s.

Among them are a listless Lullaby of Bird -- constantly distressed by her failure to de- FREE SET PRICE SALE CATALOG, classical including opera. 2,360 entries. Reasonable prices. Record Heaven, 1046 land, a determined but futile effort by Milt velop as a performer. North Highland, Atlanta, Ga. 30306. Grayson to sing some life into the Duke's stodgy Love You Madly, and, in general, a Mingus Dynasty: Chair in the Sky BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES heaviness in the band's sound. EthanMimaroglu, producer

CABLE FM BROADCASTING: Unique no investment/ex- Elektra 6E 248 perience business. Home operation possible. Excellent in- Ella and Basie: A Perfect Match by Don Heckman come. "CAFM," Box 130-D-5, Paradise, CA 95969. NormanGranz, producer MECHANICALLY INCLINED INDIVIDUALS: Assemble Pablo Today D 2312110 Digital The Mingus Dynasty has the strong electronic devices in your home. Investment, knowledge, or experience not necessary. Start in spare time. Above aver- by John S. Wilson aura of the kind of band Mingus would age profits: S300-$600/wk possible. Sales handled by oth- have chosen for himself: Dannie Rich- ers. Write for free details. Electronic Development Lab, Though the titleof this recording mond was his drummer for years; Jimmy Drawer I 560HF, Pinellas Park, Fla 33565. implies a meeting between Ella Fitzgerald Knepper was in and out of various groups START YOUR OWN MOBILE DISCO. Send 5.50 for Illus- (and various Mingus tantrums); John trated Book covering: getting started, advertising and pub- and Count Basie, that is only marginally licity, deejaying, special effects, do's and don'ts, buying true. It is Ella and the Basie band, minus Handy, Jimmy Owens, and Joe Farrell can lighting and sound equipment below wholesale. Much three-quarters of its rhythm section. (Only play with anybody; Don Pullen manages More. Mobile Sound Co., 923 College, Bowling Green, Ky. 42101. guitarist Freddie Green is present.) Basie to play avant-garde jazz in a traditional set- is heard at the piano only briefly on an ex- ting; and Charlie Haden-while hardly in FIELD REPRESENTATIVES WANTED FOR tended selection. Mingus' class as a bassist-is, at the very SAVARD SPEAKER SYSTEMS. Various least, dependable. U.S. territories available. Dealer Inquiries But, mislabeling aside, "A Perfect welcome. (504) 383-0474. Match" is one of the happiest, most open, Superficially, on "Chair in the Sky" exuberant records that Ella has ever the Mingus sound is there: strong and vi- PUBLICATIONS made. In the past few years she has begun brant in an effervescent Boogie Stop THE BLIND AND OTHER PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED can to find herself as a singer, employing ex- Shuffle, off-the-wall silly in My JellyRoll know the joy of reading memorable selections chosen from pression and interpretation instead of Soul,and richly moody in the classic over 50 outstanding periodicals, completely free of charge. Write CHOICE MAGAZINE LISTENING, Dept HFC, Box 10, bland virtuosity. The new fresh, warm Ella Goodbye Porkpie Hat. (Ironically, that is Port Washington, NY I 1050 or call 516-883-8280. pours out of this record, adding tre- now as much a threnody for Mingus as it SCHWANN'S BASIC RECORD LIBRARY. A 16 -page booklet mendous intensity to Please Don't Talk was originally for Lester Young.) listing 150 of the really basic compositions from the classical About Me When I'm Gone and Sweet Despite all the talent, there are repertory to enhance your personal record collection. Only 755 per copy postpaid. Order from: ABC Schwann. Single Georgia Brown. She punches out the up - problems. The remaining three pieces are Copy Dept, 2160 Patterson St, Cincinnati, Ohio 45214. tempo numbers as though she had just from Mingus' late -life collaboration with

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC GUIDE TO THE SYMPHONY discovered them and brings gorgeous Joni Mitchell, and they cannot be consid- by Edward Downes. This 1,100 -page book is a composer - new colors and depth to the ballads. It is ered vintage Mingus, despite heroic ef- by -composer, A to Z compendium of program notes from difficult to believe that this very vital per- forts by orchestrator Sy Johnson. More the Philharmonic. Send 525.00 plus S1.00 for shipping to: High Fidelity's Music Listener's Book Service, I Wyeth forming talent has lived inside for so long, serious is Mingus' very absence. His music Street, Marion, Ohio 43302. particularly when one remembers her on always was as much the result of sheer

SERVICES stage, nervously pulling at a handkerchief, creative intimidation as it was the product shifting her feet, and reciting her standard of notes on the page. Dannie Richmond COLLEGE STUDENTS! Improve your grades. Send S1.00 for 356 -page, collegiate research papers catalog. 10,250 avail- introduction in a robotlike manner. tries hard to provide some of the energy, able. RESEARCH ASSISTANCE, Box 25916R, Los Angeles. In her ad lib scatting with Basie on the sheer juice, that poured out of Mingus California 90025.12131477-8226. Basella, their one number together, she and that made even his lesser bands into ELECTRONICS even comes out with a few lines of Shake something very special. But he can't bring

ELECTRONIC BARGAINS, CLOSEOUTS, SURPLUS: Parts, That Thing, also a departure from her it off by himself. equipment, stereo, industrial, educational. Amazing valuesl past image. It is a very welcome change, Without that energy, Mingus Dy- Fascinating items unavailable in stores or catalogs any- nasty is a group of very fine musicians where! Unusual FREE catalog. ETC0-017, Box 762, particularly to those who, while recog- Plattsburgh. N.Y. 12901. nizing her remarkable vocal talents, were playing very fine music. But the magic sim- mation writedirecttomanufacturer. service cardonpage79.*Formoreinfor- Key No. For freeproductliterature,usethereader 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 28 20 56 40 38 37 54 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 53 29 27 55 26 25 24 23 22 21 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 3 1 &WV Wyeth Press Wisconsin DiscountAudio Warehouse Sound Vector Research Classified Ads Carvin Caedmon Records Avid Corp. Audio TechnicaU.S.Inc. 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Discount MusicClub DBX, Inc. Bose Corp. BASF Bang 8Olufsen BSR ConsumerProductsGroup Cover II,1 Cover IV Cover III 109-111 Page No. 20, 21 17-19 103 103 107 103 105 105 107 84 87 42 88 86 97 60 29 11 85 45 77 76 87 25 43 66 32 88 83 69 12 92 73 75 65 71 14 15 72 27 82 41 22 40 89 60 86 16 74 16 59 85 70 10 91 31 36 78 35 81 39 8 6 4 4 9 5 2 Albert Marx,TeddyReig, 112 Jackie canbeheardsoloingintherather groups heled. pressive talents,butoftheinteresting current jazzrepertory."Euphoria,"atwo- name hasalmostdisappearedfromthe Zoot Sims-tenorsaxistCharlieVentura's Gordon, LuckyThompson,StanGetz, who cameupduringthelate'40s-Dexter by JohnS.Wilson issue producer.Savoy2243(twodiscs) producers; BobPorterre- Herb Abrahmson,&BobShad, Charlie Ventura:Euphoria what theyusedtobe. the masters'hands,thingsjustcan'tbe leaderless DukeEllingtonband.Without ply isn'tthere-nomorethanitisinthe 00000000ø0000000000000 groups hereareconsistentlyrhythmic, for aclarinet. richer, andhissopranomightbemistaken phone soundsmuchlikehistenorbut ing lateron.Hisoccasionalbaritonesaxo- the lightertonethatcharacterizedhisplay- his deep-throatedbutfeatherystylein sible tochartVentura'sprogressionfrom vors totheseperformances.It'salsopos- Benny Green.Allthreebringstrongfla- time, KaiWindingatanother,andfinally tinctive trombonists-BillHarrisatone at thetime. flat, strainedmannerthatwasfashionable Bubbles (theirbiggesthitwithVentura), Pirra Colada,andI'mForeverBlowing their unisonscatsingingonEuphoria, that isstillgoingstrong.Inadditionto a singer-andeventuallybecametheteam Kral, whojoinedthebandseparatelyin forecasts thestyleofJackieCainandRoy creative bopsinger.HissoloonSynthesis good straightvocalistandanadept 1947 band.Stewartwasanunusually Buddy Stewart,whosangwithVentura's serves asaremindernotonlyofhisim- disc reissueofhis194548recordings, nizes bop,andfeatures musicianswhose mainstream that drawsfromSwing,recog- band. Thisisfinepost-Swingjazz ina Ed Shaugnessyaddingalottothe 1948 easygoing, andswinging,withdrummer 1945 (muchintheChuBerrymanner)to 1948-he asapianistandarranger,she Among thoserepresentedhereis Unlike someofthesaxophonists The performancebyallfiveofthe Ventura's groupsalwayshaddis- independent ofbothgenres. personalities aredistinctiveenoughtobe Cedar Waltonseemsanunlikelycandi- by J.B.Moore producers. ColumbiaJC36258 George Butler&CedarWalton, Cedar Walton:Soundscapes America, aninstrumental.Theformer, that itcouldindeedbeWalton'svehicleto scapes" fulfillsthatpromisetotheextent arranger, leader,andproducer."Sound- promise ofbecomingafirst-classwriter, "Animation," showedhimtohavegreat dependable sideman.Hislastalbum, a reputationforbeingcompetentand Jackson, andEddieHarris,hehasearned more recently,withFreddieHubbard,Milt key inthelateFifties/earlySixtiesand, such greatsasJ.JohnsonandArtBla- date to"burstonthescene."Workingwith The resultisfresh,challenging,anden- the driveandenergyofcurrentidiom. a solidfoundationoverwhichthehorns ent genre.Bass,drums,andpianoprovide ton's arrangingskillsinanentirelydiffer- Thomas' subtlestyling. voicings areaperfectcomplementto rhythm swingswithoutintruding,andthe rangement. Thestringsarelush,the Leon Thomasinanexquisitelycraftedar- cowritten byWalton,featuresvocalist Warm totheTouch,aballad,andLatin "burst onthescene." tirely satisfying. gence andlyricismofprogressivejazzwith ton hasmanagedtointegratetheintelli- a speedingtrain.In"Soundscapes"Wal- through hiscongasandcowbellsololike cussionist RayMantilla,whochugs most hypnoticflowofitall,especiallyper- soloists seemtogetcaughtupintheal- settle intoaloose,easyLatinfeel.The In NewYorkStateCall: At forty-six,keyboardist/composer Of particularinteresthereare Latin AmericademonstratesWal- Counterfeit Recordor 800-223-2328 Call TollFree: 212-765-4330 Pirated Tape To Reporta BACKBEAT We submit: the Bose' 'Amy .

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