MUSIC WEEK, NOVEMBER 25, 1978

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Decca s operatic December Christmas By NICOLAS SOAMES by NICOLAS SOAMES death in 1935, though it continues to make regular appearances in opera HARMONICA VIRTUOSO A NEW, complcic version of houses all over the world. edited Tommy Reilly and musical Humperdi nek's Hansel und And Christ oph von Dohnanyi has by personality Joseph Cooper have Greicl conduacd by Solii, and a proved himself a particularly adept VAL FALLOOIM new records out in December new version of Berg's Lulu, 1 interpreter of this sordid talc in which should do well in the conducted by Christoph von which Lulu's destructive influence Christmas market and for Dohnanyi are among Decca's results in the death of her three months afterwards. December operatic releases. husbands, her male lover, her female Reilly's two previous discs for Humperdi nek's enduring lover and her protector before she Argo — and particularly last Christmas favourite (D131D herself falls victim to Jack the Four more year's release with the Academy 2'K13IK 22 £8.95p) features Brigittc Ripper. The power of the story is matched of St Martin-in-the-Fields — Fassbacndcr as Hansel and Lucia Festivo titles have received a lot of airplay and Popp as Grciel with Norma by the twelve-tone score which sold well. Burrowcs in the supporting cast, Dohnanyi, having conducted the PHILIPS FOLLOWS up October's And this disc, which contains plus the Vienna Boys Choir and The work now in San Francisco, Festivo label launch with four more some very popular Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. and most recently at titles in this mid-price series. transcriptions, should do even The Vienna Philharmonic State Opera where he has They arc all popular works: better. There is Chopin's Waltz Orchestra also features in a long- Christ oph von Dohnanyi just completed his first season, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite and awaited version of Berg's Lulu in somewhat different role as the knows intimately. in D flat, Saint-Saens' The Swan, addition to Brigittc Fassbacnder, the lesbian Countess Geshwitz. In fact, one of his first records for the Serenade For Strings; Satie's Gymnopedie and Bizet's contralto who transforms herself Berg left Lulu — based on a Decca was of excerpts from Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 The Fair Maid of Perth, as well from the innocence of Hansel to the Wedckind play — incomplete at his Strauss's , and Lulu (SXL played by Stephen Bishop- as other works by Scarlatti, 6657) made four years ago now with Kovacevich; Brahms' No. 2 played Reizenstein, and Chris Hazeli, the soprano Anja Silja and he turned by Claudio Arrau; Mozart's Argo's record producer. JAAP SCHRODER, the Dutch Baroque violinist who is concert symphonies Jupiter and Prague, and Released on ZK55 (£2.85) master for the Academy of Ancient Music during its recordings of again to Miss Silja for this three-disc Schubert's Trout quintet. All are the complete Mozart Symphonies, features on a number of releases boxed set available on D48D 3 at performed by top orchestras with Reilly, who continues to play his out in December. £I3.50p(also available on cassette). conductors of the calibre of Colin outstanding £400 solid silver Two of them are on Telefunkcn. On AVV6 42180 (£4.50) he plays Though he is not very well known Davis and Bernard Haitink. harmonica, is joined by the three Violin Concertos by (he 18th century French composer Jean- in this country — where he has composer/pianist James Moody, Marie Leclair (G minor, C major and A minor) with the Concerto conducted at Covent Garden — and harpist Skaila Kanga. Amsterdam. Dohnanyi, a grandson of the A collection of very popular And on AW6 42181 (£4.50) his Estcrhazy Quartet plays three Hungarian composer, is doing an Decca doubles works also make up Joseph Mozart String Quartets (KI73. K156, KI68) — all early pieces. increasing amount of recording for Cooper's new disc (SPA 542 Naturally. Schroder faithfully follows 18th century performance Decca. DECCA continues its Favourite £2.35) available on cassette at practices, but it is worth noting that neither K168 nor K173 arc Last year the company issued his Composers series with four more the slightly more expensive price otherwise available. versions of Mendelssohn's double-album sets in December, of £2.50. There are Waltzes by Finally, he is one of a number of distinguished soloists (along with Symphonies Nos I and 5 (SXL 6818) devoted to Vivaldi, Schumann, Schubert, Beethoven's Frans Brnggen, recorder, and Gustav Leonhardt, harpsichord) in a which is intended to be the first of a Wagner and Prokofiev. Moonlight Sonata, Debussy's handsome boxed set of six discs devoted to Vivaldi Conccrti. complete Mendelssohn cycle, All feature excellent performances Golliwog Cakewalk and At £27. this set of 6LPs, which also includes performances by the although it will be with this from major musicians from the past Rachmaninov's Humoresque as Conccntus Musicus Wicn, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncoun, is not recording of Lulu that he is expected Decca catalogue varying from Julius well as the inevitable Hidden cheap, and only some are recordings which have not been issued to make his first major critical Katchen and Kathleen Ferrier to Melody. before. impact on the British public. Kirsten Flagstad, Solii and Cooper's radio and TV But with regard to "authentic" performances, they remain The other operatic release is Stokowski. They are all available at broadcasts, and his solo showg unchallenged. It is available on GK6.35416. Highlights from Lehar's The Merry £4.35p for records, and £4.50p for should ensure good sales. Widow (SET 629 at £4.50). cassette. n.s.

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SOLII conducts ANJA SILJA is Lulu JOAN SUTHERLAND is Anna HANSEL AND GRETEL Alban Berg's potent masterpiece Humperdinck's scintillating opera brought vividly to stunningly recorded in highlights from Richard Bonynge's perform.ng version ot lite in an enchanting new recording with — with THE MERRY WIDOW Sung in English Brigitte Fassbaender as Hansel, Brigitte Fassbaender Trudeliese Schmidt with Harald Proglhof Horst Laubenthal Werner Krenn as Gretel Walter Berry Josef Hopferweiser and ' f