High-Fidelity-1989-0

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A More! and --tr- Loudspeaker, Advent OR& Amplifier, Marantz '

Receiver, Kardon Harman 141 Changer, CD Realistic TESTED:

otp Jungle Retail the to Guide Buyer's DEALER: GOOD A FINDING CANADA $2.95 LSA $2.50 1989 MARCH MUSIC TESTREPORTS VIDEO AUDIO

DELITY F 611 JVC FROM AMP -INPUTDIGITAL HIGH-TECH

END OF CONVERSATION.

ict(141i. Close your eyes, put on your woofers placed the center of the favorite CD and listen. That's the TZ's cabinet minimize standing best way to appreciate the natural,waves while prpvidi ng accurate bw - accurate musical reproduction of frequency response to 20 Hz. the new Elite TZ Series reference The cabinet of the 143-1b. TZ-9 loudspeakers from Pioneer. is specially con- Designed by the same structed, using engineering team that de- 111 -thick high - veloped Pioneer's renowned density board TAD studio monitors, the and a separate TZ Series speakers are de- inner baffle that signed to accommodate isolates the nega- the extended dynamic tive influer_ce of range, superb clarity and Uniyir tralointcd twin-wocfersruirm_ low -frequency depth of digital source materials. vibration. Corners are special/y Pioneer began by developingrounded to eliminate d-action and two entirely new diaphragm mate-drivers are arrar_ged for optimurr_ rials-ceramic graphite and ceramicsound -field intensity The result is carbon. These unique low -mass maging and cia:ty that bring materials are used to construct performances alive with smooth, midrange and high -frequency true-to-life sound. dome -type diaphragms that virtu- But enough conversation. If ally eliminate spurious resonanceyou're interested in hearing more while providing lightness, stiffnessabout Pioneer's new TZ-Series and excellent signal propagation speakers, call 1-800-421-1404 for a speed. Now critical midrange fre- technical white paper and the Elite quencies and delicate highs will dealer nearest you.

sound clearer and more natural. . And let the speakers do 4, than ever before. the talking. To reproduce the extended low frequencies found on digital recordings, Pioneer developed a ELITE twin woofer system that packs a BY P:.01,1EE.k.

punch you'll feel as well as hear. VW/ Pioneer Electronics 11.:!..A) Inc . Long Beach. 7:,11 Opposite -mounted bar -jointed Mudd shows TZ-9. t-ls available, '17." THE FACT IS, YOU round Sound, you really digital delay, which lets you separation than conven-

SHOULD LISTEN TO NEC. should listen to NEC. fine-tune delay time, in mil- tional systems can: from 26

Fact: Over 1400 movies on NEC HAS MORE EXPERI- lisecond increments, to suit to 40dB, as compared to only videotape and laser disc ENCE WITH SURROUND the acoustics of your room. about 3dB. have been encoded with SOUND THAN ANYONE And all our Surround What's more, Pro -Logic Dolby' Surround Sound. ELSE. Sound components feature has an active center Fact: Compact discs have And that's not the only genuine Dolby circuitry, so channel-a separate, addi- established a new level of thing that gives us an edge. you can take full advantage tional sound track-which audio realism. You see, NEC Corporation is of the Dolby Surround conventional systems lack. Fact: TV broadcasts in the leading maker of semi- Sound information encoded This center channel dra- rich, full-bodied stereo have conductors. Since the tech- on so many tapes and discs. matically heightens become the rule, rather than nology of Surround Sound is What's more, our high -end realism. the exception. largely dependent on micro - components offer a level of Sound seems to emerge, With all the amazing new not from any given speaker, audio source material that's BEFORE YOU but rather from the precise available these days, it's point in space that it should. understandable that you'd SURROUND YOURSELF It also moves to follow the want to rush right out and WITH SOUND, action of whatever's making get the equipment you need the sound, whether it's a bee to enjoy it. SURROUND YOURSELF buzzing slowly across the But the fact is, much of WITH FACTS. screen, or an F-16 blasting the equipment that promises over your head. to turn the act of listening processors, we're in a unique Surround Sound that is YOU'VE GOT TO HEAR IT into a big thrill, can actual- position to create the exact unsurpassed by anyone in TO BELIEVE IT. ly turn out to be a big disap- circuitry necessary to give the industry. The feeling you get from pointment. you the most lifelike sound. It's called Dolby Pro - NEC Surround Sound is Which is why, when it For example, only NEC Logic Surround. impossible to describe in comes to the subject of Sur- offers digital delay circuitry PRO -LOGIC. THE BEST words. Which is why you throughout its entire OF THE BEST. should ask an NEC dealer Surround Sound line. For sheer audio realism, it for a demonstration. Many of our compo- rivals anything you've ever It'll help reinforce one nents have adjustable heard in any movie theater. very important fact: Pro -Logic circuitry is Certain things in life sim- remarkable for its ability to ply cannot be compromised. deliver far better channel NEC Home Electronics (USA). Inc. *DOW HIGH FIDELITY

MARCH 1989 VOL. 39 NO. 3

Tested: Harman Kardon receiver. four more 23 A customer/salesperson guideb 40 Make way for Roger Norrington 46

TEST REPORTS COLUMNS Harman KardonHK-990Vxi AM/FM audio -video receiver 23 Front LinesA sneak peek at MarantzPM-65AV audio -video integrated amplifier 28 Nakamichi's new DAT deck. MICHAEL RIGGS 5 Realistic CD -6000 Compact Disc changer 31 CrosstalkMono cancellation; ground AdventBaby II loudspeaker 33 terminals./LARRY KLEIN 16 JVCAX-Z911BK integrated amplifier 35 Tape TracksEQ problems; DBX levels: and more squealing tape. AUDIO & VIDEO ROBERT LONG 19 Cat 'n Mouse.Tips for selecting a knowledgeable and compatible The AutophileRiding the RF surf: audio -video salesperson. /GORDON BROCKHOUSE 40 Antennas catch the waves. BETH C. FISHKIND 21 Bits & PiecesDigital signal - MUSIC processing reaches the home. CLASSICAL A Man for All Seasons.A conductor specializing in DAVID RANADA 22 period -instrument performance, Roger Norrington is today one of MedleyFor Elyse./TED LIBBEY. music's most adventurous explorers. /SCOTT CANTRELL 46 Fifteen candles for Olivia Records. POPULAR/BACKBEAT Mercy.Lefty Wilbury to some, Roy Orbison LESLIE BERMAN 51 to most, the man is dead-but the music thrives on two collections and a brand-new album./JEFF NESIN 49DEPARTMENTS Letters On the cover: the Realistic CD -6000 6 Compact Disc changer (top): CurrentsInfinity RS Series speakers; the Marantz PM-65AV audio -video Hitachi 12 -disc CD changer; RCA Pro - integrated amplifier (left): Wonder VHS camcorder. 14 and the Harman Kardon Classical ReviewsBach by Rifkin; HK-990Vxi AM/FM audio -video Harrison by Jarrett; Stravinsky by receiver (right). Stoltzman and Sting. 52 The CD SpreadSchwarzkopf's Four Last Songs; Welitsch's Salome finale; Sviatoslav Richter recital. 63 Pop ReviewsFairground Attraction; Cowboy Junkies; CSNY; Anita Baker; Sonic Youth; Bangles; Phil Ochs. 65 In Short OrderCarla Bley: R.E.M.: Cover design: Joanne Goodfellow Johnny Winter: Lucinda Williams; Cover photography and Soviet jazz; Hendrix; Roughhouse. _78 electronic image manipulation by David A. Wagner Advertising Index 79

MAN EMMY (ISSN 00111-1455) is published monthly or 825 Seventh Ave , New York. N Y10019. by ABC Consumer Magazine,. Inc.. Chilton Compcny. one of the ABC Publesheng Componees, a part of Capital Ones ABC Incg 1989 by ABC Consumer Magazines. Inc The design and contents ore fully protected by copyright and must not be eeproduced en any manner. Secord-classpostage paid at New York, New York, and at oddeteonol marling offices. Authorized as second.closs mail by the Post Office Deportment. Ottawa. and for payment of postage in tr.ash. Yearly subscrrpton in theU S.A and Possessions $13.95; elsewhere $20 95. Single copses $2.50 (Canada $2.956 Subscribers Send subscrepteons. inquiries. and address changes to HIGH NNW v, P 0 Bo. 10759. Des Moines, Iowa 50340. Changeof address: Give old and new addresses, including ZIP codes. Enclose address label from lost issue and allow line weeks for change to become eefectiye. OSTMASTER: Send change d adirms te IONNOIRITY, P.O. SOX 10759, Des Moines, IA 50340.

IVARCH 198 9 3 Introducing the Delco/Bose Gold Series Music System.

By now you know that the Delco/Bose music system is the Every critical system component is cornoletely new: most widely reviewed, and highly acclaimed, automotive amplifiers, equalization circuitry, speakers, digital sound music system available. For those who can truly appreciate source-even the wire that harnesses them together. In the quality of Cadillac and the experience of superb music, developing them, we made full use of the latest advances we invite you to audition the new Delco/Bose Gold Series in electronic and acoustical technology, materials and Music System. design. The result: an automotive music system with The first Delco/Bose music systems earned their acclaim even more clarity, power and accuracy-one capable of because they represented a bold new bringing you even closer to the approach to automotive musical repro- realism of live music while sitting duction, made possible by the most inside your car. intensive research effort ever made in We submit that you simply must this field. The new Gold Series Music experience this new music system to System builds upon this technological believe it. The Delco/Bose Gold Series foundation by incorporating the results is an available option in Sevilles, of six years of additional research and Eldorados, Fleetwoods and DeVilles at development. your Cadillac dealer. Delc _A7A7ME" Subsidiary of GM Hughes Eleccront A Better sound through research. ttic/ FrontLines HIG From Nakamichi: DAT at Last? Editor in Chief ' t, eggs Associate Publisher Kathleen Green Art Director ir ine Uoodfellow

Managing Editor ' riathan lesser Dy Michael Riggs Copy Editor teal Assistant Editor 7, J Segarra TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT Technical Editor ".1.1d Hanada Associate Technical Editor Beth C Eishkinct Consulting Technical Editors Edward J Foster. Last month, while discussing the future of home tape recording, I mentioned Nakamichi's splendid new DAT (digital audio tape) deck, the Model 1000. Contributing Editorarty Klein Shortly after I wrote that column, I had a chance to see, and hear, the ma- MUSIC DEPARTMENT chine put through its paces. It was a very impressive demonstration. Classical Music Editor lheodoie W Libbey. Jr Popular Music Editor Ven Richardson The 1000 comes in two relatively large boxes: one for the transport and asso- Associate Classical Music Editor Patricia Reilly ciated electronics, the other for the A/D (analog -to -digital) and D/A (digital - Contributing Editors ,qtert E Benson. Leslie Berman, to -analog) converters, switching, and so forth. Nakamichi has designed the Jim Bessman, Pamela Bloom, Joe Blum, David Browne. Francis Davis, Rev Thomas LDixon, Thor Eckert, Jr , transport so that cassettes load much the same as they would in an analog deck Edward Greenfield. Thomas Hathaway. Paul Hume. and remain visible while in use. It also winds and cues very fast-several times David Hurwitz, Paul Moor, John Morthland. Mark Moses, as fast as a conventional DAT transport, according to Nakamichi. Andrew Nash. Jeff Nesin. Robert R Reilly. K Robert Schwarz. Terry Teachout. Noah Andre Trudeau. More interesting, however, is the converter unit (which can handle two Michael Ullman. Richard C Walls. James Wierzbicki Model 1000 transports). Like most such devices, it supports all three standard ART DEPARTMENT sampling rates: 32, 44.1, and 48 kHz. What's unusual, at least for a consumer Assistant Art Director Laura Sutcliffe product, is that it will record as well as play back at 44.1 kHz. It will even do Technical Art Roy I indstrom direct digital dubs from CDs, regardless of whether the copy -prohibit flag is set PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Production Manager Mari,;, Paruolo on the disc. (A small indicator will light to tell you that the prohibit flag is on, Advertising Production Manager Gina Fladger but recording will proceed unfettered.) Ate: System Manager Mildred Richardson This last is a startling departure for a consumer deck, even though it is prac- CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT tically and technically the right way to do things. Previous consumer DAT re- Subscriptions Ora Blackmon-DeBrown, Harold Buckley Maureen Buckley, Beth Healy. Thomas D Slater, corders have honored the copy -prohibit flag, mainly to appease the record com- Raymond Ward panies. For the same reason, they also have been prevented from recording at Newsstand Mitch Frank. Jana Friedman the 44.1 -kHz sampling rate. Unfortunately, these hobbles complicate the task of Customer Service S Adekem.-Adaralegbe making dubs from CD to DAT for use in the car or a portable player, which is a Vice -President key reason for wanting a DAT recorder in the first place. Group Publisher/Editorial Director ':swam Tynan The consequences of Nakamichi's action are hard to know in advance. For ABC CONSUMER MAGAZINES. INC. one thing, the 1000 is an extravagantly costly piece of equipment. At $10,000, it

Senior Vice -President will not compete directly with any other consumer tape recorder of any kind or Vice -President, Advertising , I. Vice -President, Circulation sell in great volume. The record industry may therefore be inclined to treat the Vice -President, Production Nakamichi almost as though it were a professional machine (even though there

Director, Financial Analysis ' is a separate pro version of the 1000)-and ignore it. Or the industry may de- Senior Art Director John C,lotal, cide to sue Nakamichi-as the RIAA has threatened to sue the first company to President, ABC Publishing Robert burl, release a DAT deck in the U.S consumer market-and to bring the 1000's digital dubbing capabilities before Congress with the claim that they represent a ABC Consumer Magazines. Inc CHILTON Company. One of the ABC Publishing Companies dangerous breach of faith by the audio industry. a part of Capital Cities/ABC. Inc The second big question is how other audio manufacturers will respond. Is the 1000 the stalking-horse for a wave of lower -price models from other companies? And if so, will its ability to make direct digital dubs of any CD or digital r iai Gibes/Alt' fir r ti, rse r Member Audi bell nt, ir,ulnuuns arderredill.dtl.! l'er, tape become the standard, or will it remain an aberration? We have heard no odical I iteratureI °trent and bark copies of H 4.1 r are avarlable on rnrcrofilrn from university Mir rofilms Ann Arbor Mr, b 48 rot, Morn plans for DAT launches by other manufacturers, so we can only wait and hope fiche copies 11473 forward) are avarlahle from hell P.I rowel, Mica, I 'nolo that the 1000 is just a taste of what's soon to come. DivOld Mansfield FM Wooster tenor, aarrd I That's enough about the deck's political significance. There are two other ADVERTISING OFFICES New York: AB( .onsurner Magazines IncH. 3 treventh AveHer tl particularly interesting aspects of its design that I want to mention before clos- New York. N V 10019 lelt,'1,, bfi ti:fir0 Vele,I Johnsrneyer Vice PrefirdenlAdvertising. Waller Stolz Awl( rate Adverlisrngf firector ing. One is that the system's modularity lends itself to expansion. Nakamichi enn3 lrMr I allurnAdverfisrng Pros -Tor Musa Hook, Maria Mana rt Advertising [firer for has confirmed that it is working on a companion CD player, presumably of sim-

Midwest o fnrr rr lot Southr rary A venirearol 'dreamIll ilar quality and without internal D/A converters. The second is that the deck r1:1 rarSt ;'FI Starrane Midwest Adveirsing 11111,11, Los Angeles: ABC. 7.onsurher Magazines. Inc202!4 arntury Park F asl does not add dither noise to its analog inputs. I was only about half surprised to r iirl3011e7lel12,11 :344 el le froward Per learn this, since most PCM adapters have lacked dithering (perhaps because it 1' Editorial correspondencer s' reduces the measured signal-to-noise ratio slightly). The function of dither in a digital recorder is somewhat analogous to that of bias in an analog deck: Both reduce distortion and increase dynamic range. Running an analog deck without bias is much worse than running a digital one without dither, but I hope dithered inputs will be the rule rather than the exception on future DAT machines. Naturally, we are eager to get our hands on a Nakamichi Model 1000 and hope to test one as soon as possible. Watch for it. I]

MARCH 19 8 9 S be designed to fit the room, instead of the other way around. I hope that having to order an Ensem- ble system unheard won't put off potential buyers. I don't believe anyone could go wrong with the unconditional money - back guarantee offered by Cambridge SoundWorks. Nor do I believe that anyone who does order and audition this superb speaker system would even consider shipping it back. I, for one, am grateful both to Kloss for designing Ensemble and toHIGH FIDELITYfor its usual objective testing and reviewing of the system. With- out the latter, I might not have seriously considered ordering-and that would have been my loss. John E. Foote U.S. Embassy UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS tion described (and no whining). The point Belgrade, Yugoslavia In "Brief Life of a Salesman" ["Buying an conveyed is essentially the one you make in Audio System," December 1988], Chris- your letter, though perhaps with a little CANADIAN SPEAKERS topher J. Esse states: "The likelihood of more sympathy for the uninformed shop- Thank you for Gordon Brockhouse's arti- getting courteous sales help is greater in a per.-Ed. cle on Canadian loudspeakers [November non -discount store, and you pay some for 1988].HIGH FIDELITY iSto be congratu- that privilege." I get the impression that ENSEMBLE ENDORSEMENT lated for not showing the reluctance of Mr. Esse is taken aback by this situation. Anyone planning on buying new speakers other major U.S. audio publications in Naturally, you'll get better and more cour- would be remiss if he did not consider and covering Canadian speakers. Most of teous help from a non -discount store. That try out the new Cambridge SoundWorks them offer unbeatable value, and if they you pay for this benefit should be no sur- Ensemble [test report, November 1988]. make inroads in the U.S. market, I think prise. Low profit margins are the natural Intrigued by the advertisements and re- American listeners will benefit. enemy of courteous, knowledgeable sales- views, I ordered an Ensemble system as in- people. Gee, Mr. Esse, what's this world structed, direct from the factory. My first coming to? You probably take all the impression upon receiving and opening packets of jelly at the diner and then com- the shipment was one of amazement at the plain when you're charged for a refill of level of engineering that had gone into milk. You probably take your taxes to merely designing the carton. The box and H&R Block and then complain that your its contents could have survived World neighbor got better service from a CPA. War III. Nothing is free.Say it with me: "Nothing My second impression, after hooking is free." up and placing the Ensemble components It's about time consumers were ex- according to the instructions in the ex- posed to the light of economic reason. cellent owner's manual, was even more Courteous, knowledgeable salespeople get amazement at the magnificent sound ema- paid for those qualities. If you want a bar- nating from those four tiny boxes. Ensem- gain -basement price, expect limited help. ble, as advertised, truly makes the listen- On occasion, you might luck into a situa- ing room an integral part of the total sys- tion where a really good salesperson works tem. The smooth, seamless soundstage for a discounter, but don't expect him to be and the astonishingly deep and solid bass there for long: He'll surely find a more must be heard to be believed. I don't think profitable work environment. any speaker system costing three or four You're misleading your readers by im- times more could outperform Henry plying that discounters provide less of a Kloss's new baby. In addition, the psycho- service to their customers than non -dis- logical effect of having such luscious count dealers. A discounter's service is his sound emanate from nearly invisible I was disappointed that you did not in- price. If you want something beyond the speakers (the woofers are completely hid- clude test reports on any Canadian speak- lowest price, expect to pay for it. So stop den in my system) adds another fascinat- ers to accompany the article. However, I your whining and grow up! ing dimension to the Ensemble experience. know that Snell Acoustics has made use of J.Miller A bonus not specifically mentioned in the National Research Council facilities Huntington Beach, Calif. ads or reviews accrues to Ensemble own- and Dr. Floyd Toole's expertise. Your re- ers whose spouses can't abide room lay- view of the Snell Type C/II in the same is- Rereading the article in question, we findouts that must be designed around the sue indicates their remarkable success in no indication of surprise at the retail situa- speakers. With Ensemble, the system can applying what was learned. Clearly it is no

HIGH FIDELITY accident that the speaker's off -axis re- The Snell Type C/H and most of the other who had not actually heard one of these sponse is outstanding, since Dr. Toole's speakers shown with black cabinets areother speakers. They might even be mis- work has identified this as a key character- available in other finishes as well. When we leading.-Ed. istic of high -quality loudspeakers-a fact review a speaker, we try to describe how it not stressed in the Brockhouse article. sounds as best we can. Comparisons with CLEAR COMMUNICATION However, I would be surprised if a speaker other loudspeakers would necessarily be re- Ineser cease to be amazed at the clarity such as the Energy 22 Reference Monitor, stricted to other models we had tested and with which your technical editor David which retails for about $1,000 U.S., didn't probably would be of little value to anyone (Continued on page 10) produce similarly excellent measurements and sound. The same could be said for products from Canada's PSB, Paradigm, or Axiom in that price range or lower. Where to buy Polk Speakers Incidentally, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Toole a few years ago. He was AUTHORIZED HOME DEALERS

CANADA . - KS Junction City: is...." , - CverIznd OH Akron Canton ' very modest about his substantial accom- Part. -J::: Electronics WiCtilta ',.' Cleveland 8 Suburbs Cincinnati AK Anchorage VaJniarn Electronics Fairbanks: Wait Nelson's Columbus Dayton plishments and was happy to give me a KT Bowling Green: /Won nentnr Lexington Findlay ' Lima Toledo AL Birmingham, ' ' Dothan- , Loutryille, ' .1, 5_

complete tour of his testing facilities. I was Husvirent Mobile Owensboro Paducah no OK Lawton Oklahoma City

. - - - . ' . Montgomery Pikeville.' Shawnee Still-

fascinated by his comments about the lat- Tuscaloosa - LA Lafayette Metairie 8 water Tulsa AR FtSmith Little Rock .ure New Orleans Opel fuser OR Beaverton . Eugene est "breakthroughs" of the day ("good ad- .. . in." Seamy Grants Pass

vertising copy," as he put it) and the re- AZ Flagstaff Phoenix Mesa Fi MA Boston., Medford Portland Sales Tuscon Yuma ',ve. 'Frtchburg N Dartmouth hoorah Pittsfield Wprcester PA Alentown Blakely'A" sults of some double-blind listening tests CA Bakersfield Campbell.fund

. ChartbartbUfg in which highly regarded $2,000 British Good"Canoga Part. . Chico ,IsEir BangorNE Camden Camp Hill nava Come, Del Mar . v. rtland Erie Johns.

speakers were blown away by $450 Cana- Davis Eureka : MO Annapolis ' Baltimore

A Long. . Ga thersburg Lancaste Moun College Part .. Lancaster

dian econoboxes. I'm looking forward to . . tam View Napa home V.' Montgomeryville

- the results of his Athena Project. Orange Penngrove MI Ann Arbor Natrona Heights Redondo Sacramento Birmingham Dearborn Philadelphia 8 Suburbs 1'

. Pittsburgh ' Quakertown Paul R. Murray San Diego - . San r Farmington Hills, Flint Francisco & Subarbs Cent,' Grand Rapids . 1(31a .. Reading Selins- Calgary, Alberta San Gabnel' San Jose =ZOO Lansing Midl end grove Slate College s

San Luis Cbispo - Santa Buys Petoskey '.' Royal C ak Stroudsburg " aeo

Barbara Santa Cruz ti Wave Tr' Weirtortl Williamsport"ow

Santa Maria Santa Monica: Arse Coy .

We had wanted to review the Mirage M-1 s -Sherman Oaks ,sdn IAN Duluth'.' . Manta o PUERTO RICO Rio Piedras: Precision Audio

RI NProvidence Audio loudspeaker in the November HIGH FIDELI Stockton Thousand Oaks al ve Minneapolis 8 SuCurto Ukiah Upland. Ando maven Rochester StPaul ' SC Anderson t".' le Charialoo:

Ty, but samples did not arrive in time: the Ventura V ictorville: incredible MO Cape Girardeau Con moo Columbia: Mize AC filachoe ' Westminster . '. Rolla A St Greenville : Music lArfne

. report did make it into the December issue, CO Boulder :' Colorado Springs: Louis Greenwood Spartansburg'

'Denver 8 Suburbs indlrece MS Hattisburg Jackson

however. Interestingly, Peter Snell's design Pueblo Pascagoula SD Aberdeen Rapid City.

, . Elec. Falls ., CT Avon - Danbury,aislons MT Billings .. Bozeman Sioux philosophy anticipated Dr. Toole's work, Fairlield' Greenwich rank- Great Falls TN Chattanooga Cookeville

lins Hannon] New Haven: Audio Aft:pule

so it is no surprise that the company finds Etc Newington NC Boone - Chapel Mill

. . Li:loonier the NRC lab a good place to iron the kinks London Norwalk Charlotte McMinnvilleri Waterbury " Greensboro Vender Way, Nashville . Arlington DE Wilmington . '.'. souffle Kinston TX Amarillo out of a new speaker. Also, Kevin Voecks, College FL Daytona Beach .. FtMyers' Stem Moorehead City New Ben: Sow;. Austin'.'

- ' Corpus Christi who has designed the Snell loudspeakers Ft Laudert ale Ft Pierce Raleigh Station . El Paso FtWalton Beach ' Rocky Mount'.' WII- Dallas: r since Peter's untimely death several years Gainsville --Jackson minion Wilson , 'Poo rest Ft. Worth . Houston

, 4. ville -Key West - Winston Salem tic: Hurst Laredo ago, formerly was the chief engineer at Lakeland , Memtt Island ND Bismarck . .. Few: Tula,

Lubbock San Antonio Mirage.-Ed. Lincoln San Marcos . Naplesr: . . Orlando NE Kearney 6' nama Cityr. Pen- Wpr Omaha von -.ucio Nile Sherman Temple Wilco sacola Sunrise SI. NH Concord Lasord1 Aud Texartana

. I read with great interest Gordon Brock - Petersburg Advc.e Tal- LA*. New London lahassee Tampa AcIvceW. Salem UT Logan -. Ogden house's article on Canadian loudspeakers Palm Beach 1 Advice NJ East Brunswick Maple 9" ". Sall Lake City -- .'t

. GA Athens Atlanta 8 Suburbs: Hi Skids: Mt ntciaii St George - ..

. Charlottesville and with equally great fascination David . Augusta Brunswick Heirr Raritan Ridgewood no VA Bristol j..,0,mondFails,Church Manassas- :i Ranada's review of the Snell Type C/II. Columbus '. . Macon. Shrewsbury't in- Savannah .. e Toms River Nan Two " They certainly whetted my appetite, but Valdosta West Caldwel Virginia Beach HI Honolulu NM Alamogordo Albu per- 0' Brattleboro Essen Junc- then I looked at how they are dressed. All IA Davenport Des Moines Carithae tion - . Rutland '." Dodge City .4 Ou Clovise''' A Santa F WA Bellingham Chelan'.'

. Richland the Canadian speakers are black with buque Iowa 2ity . ' NV Las Vegas Oak Harbor .- Mason City Waterloo NY Albany .' Bat.. Spokane

Eau Claire. black knit grille cloths, and the Snell, too, ID Boise Sandpoint Bullet° . Corning W. Appleton 'tt

Twin Falls Elmira Fredonia Gier.s Green Bay Noio is completely black. Who wants to have Madisom.r1.at,;;iisavie-u: IL Alton Aurora . Falls Gosher Jamestown LacwTonausee' two black towers in his living room? / sure Carbondale . Champaign Ithaca Chicago & Suburbs Manhasset

WV Barboursville Beckley. Charleston: Pot don't. What is needed to persuade speaker Decatur . DeKalb , sena Newburgh . New Vat Highland Park . Joliet New Hartford Clarksburg manufacturers to get away from this fixa- Kankakee Lansing Huntington Piedmont

Naperville . Nor Rochester Scars( ale . Wheeling

Vesta 'Oft Cheyenne tion on black? mat . Peoria Syracuse '' Also, I would like to see comparisons Rockford . Springfield A Woodbury Spnng Valley A : .ati Vernon Hills , Waukegan :nuns of speakers so that one could get some idea IN Bloomington amous Bluffton

' - . of what family of sound and imaging a ENansville Ft Wayne Indianapolis .

speaker being reviewed belongs to. For in- Lafayette Marion Michigan City Muncie polk Audi stance, how does the Snell Type CAI com- South E ene pare to the Dahlquist DQ-20? Terre Haute The Speaker Specialists Michael M. Piechowski Washburn, Wis.

MARCH I 9 8 9 7 U2: Rattle & Hum New live set includes Naito: Day By Day Personality, title song, Elton John: Greatest Hits. Vol. 1 the hit Desire. Still Haven t Found What I m That's The Way Of The World, Tonight I'm MCA 163322 Looking For. more. Island 200596 Yours, Gina, Name's Nasty Groove, etc. Vivaldi, The Four Seasons English Con. EMI -Manhattan 100001 Anita Baker: Rapture Sweet Love cert/Pinnock Archiv DIGITAL 115356 Caught Up In The Rapture. You Bring Me Genesis: Invisible Touch Land Of Con- fusion. title song. etc. Atlantic 153740 Joe Cocker: Classics Contains 13 Hits, Joy. Been So Long. Mystery, more A&M 104887 Elektra 173404 More Dirty Dancing Do You Love Me. Itzhak Perlman: French Violin Show- Love Man. Big Girls Don t Cry. Wipeout, Bruce Hornsby And The Range: Scenes Some Kind Of Wonderful. Cry To Me. more. From The Southside The Valley Road pieces Carmen Fantasy, Tzigane and Jacobs Ladder, plus others. RCA 130766 Poeme. Havanaise. more. RCA 180187 DG DIGITAL 11545 The Who's Greatest Hits MCA 164160 Crosby. Stills, Nash & Young: Greatest Tracy Chapman Extraordinary singer Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture; Romeo & Hits (So Far) Suite Judy Blue Eyes. etc. songwriter with hit Fast Car. Talkin Bout A Juliet: Nutcracker Suite Chicago Atlantic 130230 Revolution, Baby Can I Hold You. Mountains S eve WinwOOd: Symphony, Sotto London DIGITAL 125179 O Things. Why/. etc Erektra 153582 Roll With It 154633 New Age Bach: The Goldberg Variations James Galway: Greatest Hits RCA 173233 Joel Spiegelman plays the Kurzweil 250 Guns N' Roses: Appetite For Destruction Digital Keyboard. East-West 100488 Welcome To The Jungle. Sweet Child 0 Liz Story. Speechless Forgiveness. The Moody Blues: Sur La Mer I Know Mine. Itt So Easy. more Geffen 170348 Speechless. Welcome Home. Back Porch, You re Out There Somewhere, No More John Cougar Mellencamp: The Lone- Jerry Lee Lewis: Original Sun Greatest Vigil, Frog Park. more. RCA.Novus 100494 Lies. 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Dire Straits: Brothers In Arms Money Pictures At An Exhibition, Night On The Arista 100603 Randy navls: Old 8x10 100008 For Nothing. Walk Of Life, So Far Away. Bare Mountain. more Montreal Sym- more Warner Bros DIGITAL 114734 phony Dutoit London DIGITAL 125314 D.J. Jazzy Jett & The Fresh Prince: He's The D.J., I'm The Rapper Parents Just The Police: Every Breath You Take-The Pops In Space John Williams & The Whitesnake Here I Go Again. Still 01 The Don t Understand. Nightmare On My Street, Singles Don t Stand So Close To Me ('86), Boston Pops Music from Close Encounters. Night, Give Me All Your Love. Crying In The etc. Jive 264134 Roxanne. etc A8M 173924 Star Wars, others. Philips DIGITAL 105392 Rain. Bad Boys. more. Geffen 163629 Raffi: Singable Songs For The Very Sting: Nothing Like The Sun Well Be Rod Stewart: Greatest Hits Do Ya Think ZZ Top: Afterburner Warner Bros. 164042 Young Shoreline 144494 Together. They Dance Alone. Be Still My

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David Hurwitz replies: I think it would be (Continued from page 7) areas of harmonic construct, rhythm and Ranada communicates information on metrical organization, and structural pro- fair to say thatbothStravinsky and Weill even the most complicated subjects. I fre- cesses. Weill, in such works as his Violin composed music in an astonishingly wide quently start his "Bits & Pieces" column Concerto and his two rather labored sym- range of styles and forms. Their success in thinking I'll never understand the subject, phonies, was content to competently uti- these areas, relative to one another, is a then wind up fully enlightened and want- lize the vocabularies of popular music and matter of taste. Interestingly, both of ing to read more! As complex as audio and of certain types of "serious" music already Weill's symphonies and the Violin Concer- video electronics have become over the established by the likes of Stravinsky. to predate Stravinsky's mature work in last ten years, the technical concepts be- It is difficult to understand why any these genres: looked at in this light, Mr. hind the products boggle the mind. Mr. advocacy of Weill's talents would take the Southers's contention that Weill appropri- Ranada unboggles them beautifully. form of subjecting him to a rather cruel ated Stravinsky's forms or vocabulary Loren Rosebraugh comparison with Stravinsky with respect seems rather weak to me. Agoura Hills, Calif. to range. On the one hand we have a genre Stravinsky's stature cannot possibly be composer whose unequivocal successes demeaned by comparison with Weill, any more than Weill's can be increased by com- A VILE COMPARISON? are exclusively allied with Brechtian and In his review of Deutsche Grammophon's American theater. On the other hand we parison with Stravinsky. That was not my recent 20th Century Classics line of CDs have a 20th -century musical giant whose intention in making the comparison. And ["Classical Reviews," December 1988],acknowledged masterpieces encompass Stravinsky's reputation is secure without David Hurwitz makes the remarkable as- chamber music, symphonic music, ballet, the kind of advocacy Mr. Southers exhibits sertion that Kurt Weill is "a terribly un- cantata and allied choral/orchestral here-which seems an effort to bolster one derrated composer with a range at least as forms, and, arguably, opera. One may as composer by deriding another. wide as Stravinsky's." Underrated, possi- well assert that Norman Rockwell had bly, but Weill's few contributions to the a "range" at least as wide as Picasso's- THE CONTINUING STORY OF literature of concert music have scarcely which is perfectly ridiculous, of course, "SHE LOVES YOU" elevated him to a status approaching Stra- but no more so than this absurd assertion. On the question of the "soundstage flip" in vinsky's-and for good reason. Stravin- Leroy W. Southers, Jr. the Beatles' "She Loves You"-first men - sky brought about a near revolution in the Tujunga, Calif. (Continued on page 12)

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(Continued from page 10) The seven changes are not audible, how- stores and bookshops) to determine which tioned by Ken Richardson in his July 1988ever, on A Collection of Beatles Oldies. Isspecific recordings you want from among review of Past Masters, Vol. 1 and then this merely because of the terrible fake - the wealth of material listed: nearly 100 clarified in his response to John W. stereo sound of "She Loves You on my vin- titles each by Basie, Ellington, and Good- Thiele's November 1988 letter-I'd like to tage copy of that LP, compared with theman, as well as 30 by Miller and ten by offer the following explanation: This par- original mono sound heard on both the Sec- Brown. Many of the record companies are ticular track has seven edits! Their times ond Album LP and the Past Masters CD? major labels, and at least some of their re- are 0:11, 0:37, 1:01, 1:15, 1:22, 1:29, and Or is the Beatles Oldies version of the song leases should be available in your local rec- 1:31. A very careful listen to the original a different take-or a different editing oford store. Chances are good that your store LP version of "She Loves You" will reveal various takes? And if the seven changes in also will order for you any hard -to -find releases from smaller companies-or you may write directly to the companies using the addresses found in the back of the SCHWANNcatalog. As for Severinsen, the catalog has no listing for Command Rec- ords, but there are two titles-Best Of and Ja-Da-available from the major label MCA and three more titles-Facets and two volumes of The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen-available from the independent label Amherst (1800 Main St., Suite A, Buffalo, N.Y. 14208).-Ed.

OF CDs AND ROCK I do believe that CDs are great. I do not, however, choose to own any. The limited software available is much too costly. Be- sides, I enjoy LPs, and if I start listening to CDs, I may find LP surface noise more annoying than I already do. So I take my $15 and buy a brand-new two -LP set or five bargain -price single LPs selected from musical works recorded throughout the past several decades. My selections are primarily rock 'n' roll. Not only does the usually high signal level help to mask surface noise, but many of the instruments are electronic (or dependent on electronic devices) and there- these edits. True, they are not really no- the Past Masters version are in fact edits offore not always subject to the possible deg- ticeable during an average LP hearing. various takes, which takes are they and why radation in sound of the microphone/elec- But you know what they say about CDs: was the editing necessary? It seems we'll tronics chain. These features of rock music "Flaws and all." never know the answers: Mark Lewisohn's make it especially suited to audio repro- Gerard Masters liner notes for the song's Past Masters ap- duction in the home. I sense people dis- San Diego, Calif. pearance say "take details unknown," and counting rock music too often, when it his recently published book, The Beatles' really makes an audio system do its thing Popular Music Editor Ken Richardson re- Recording Sessions (Harmony), adds that best-aside from providing the juice that plies: Listening to Past Masters before writ- 'precise details of the recording takes no circulates in your soul. ing my review, I did hear most of thelonger exist, but three reels of tape were Dan Overman changes in sound that Mr. Masters suggestsfilled in putting down 'She Loves You' and Corvallis, Oreg. are edits. They are especially (and some- its B-side, Get You.' " times only) noticeable in the ride cymbal. CORRECTION "Dropouts dog the cymbal," I wrote in my BIG -BAND INFORMATION, PLEASE Our September 1988 "Autophile" column review, "probably because of a deteriorat- Can you tell me where I can obtain record- contained two errors. The DAT players ing master." I also wrote, in my response to ings of big bands led by Count Basie, Lesavailable for the Cadillac Fleetwood Mr. Thiele's letter, that the infamous "flip" Brown, Duke Ellington, Benny Good- Delco/Bose music system are dealer - (the shift at 1:22) is "a disturbing change man, Glenn Miller, etc.? Also, Doc Sever- installed, not factory -installed. Also, that is not present on LP versions." Well, insen on Command Records? Thank you. North American rights to the ETAK car consider all those words eaten: Going back Sally Winter navigation system are owned by General to The Beatles' Second Album with fresh Quincy, Ill. Motors.-Ed. ears, I do detect all seven changes. My All letters should be addressed to The Editor, HIGH thanks to Mr. Masters, a very careful lis- Perhaps you should begin by consulting the FIDELITY. 825 Seventh Ave., New York, N.Y. 10019. tener indeed. SCHWANNcatalog (available at record Letters are subject to editing for brevity and clarity.

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Cambridge SoundWorics has created Ibucan put Ensembeskowfirquency units etuctb, who theyshouldgefomperbbass. u can't do thiswithconvemional Ensemble'," a speaker system that can provide speakets becausovu have to be concerned about the upperfirquencies comiqgfivm thesame enclavers as the low ones. the sound once reserved for the best speakers Ensemble, on the other hand, takes At only $499-complete with all hardware under laboratory conditions. It virtually disadvantage of your room's acoustics. The ear and 100' of speaker cable-Ensemble is the value appears in your room. And because we can't tell where bass comes from, which is why on today's speaker market. market it directly, Ensemble costs hundreds Ensemblds bass units can be tucked out of the less than it would in stores. way-on the floor, atop bookshelves, or under Call 1-800-AKA-HIFI* furniture. The satellites can be hung directly on (1-800-252-4434) the wall, or placed on windowsills or shelves. Our toll -free number will connect you to a No bulky speakers dominate your living space, Cambridge SoundlAbrks audio expert. He or she yet Ensemble reproduces the deep bass that will answer all your questions, take your order no mini speakers can. and anange surface shipment via UPS. Your Cam- bridge SoundVtbrks audio expert will continue as Not all the differences are as your personal contact with us. V* think you'll obvious as our two subwoofers. like this new way of doing business. Unlike seemingly similar three- *In Canada, call 1-800-525-4434. Audio experts piece systems, Ensemble uses are on duty Mon. -Fri., 9AM-10PM, Sat., Sun., premium quality components for 9AM-6PM Eastern lime. Fax #: 617-332-9229. maximum power handling, indivi- I lenty !doss, creator of the dominant specther mock& dual crossovers that allow several of the 5(1s (rIcousti c Research), '60s (ICI. 10, and '70s wiring options and cabinets (Athrnt), bfitifgyou Ensemble, a .genuineptew kind of veakr oNtemfor the 90s. tnuilabk onbfactoty direct from Cambric{ e Sounattrks. The best sound comes in four small packages. Ensemble consists of four speaker units. lIvo compact low -frequency speakers reproduce the deep bass, while two small satellite units reproduce the rest of the music, making it possible to reproduce just the right amount of energy in each part of the musical range without turning your listening room into a stereo showroom. Unlike seemMO'simulr satellite stNtemy whicl. uye sirgk large Your listening room works subtttajer Ens(mble uses my separate, compact with Ensemble, not against it. Mass Emits. 711(y/it mom gnrcefidb, Mto &Mg anima/net. and heOmMimize the c,ecesofthe CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS No matter how well a speaker performs, listen* niom:y standingnunm 154 California St.. Newton. Massachusetts 02158 at home the listening room takes over. If you E3 Send more information and test reports. Send Ensemble risk -free for 30 days. for $499? put a conventional speaker where the room y constructed for proper acoustical can help the low bass, it may hinder the upper D Send an Ensemble Gift Certificate for $499! perrformance. V* even gold-plate all connectors I'm paying by D Check MC D Visa D AmEx ranges, or vice -versa. to prevent corrosion. An even bigger difference is how we sell it... Acct.Number Exp

What Henry Kloss tells his friends Signature Every time I came out with a new speaker at Thousands agree: the best Name AR, KI1-1, or Advent, my friends would ask me. showroom is your living room. "Henry is it worth the extra money for me to trade Address up?" And every time I would answer. "No, what VA make it possible to audition Ensemble you've already got is still good enough:' the r(ght way-in your own home. In fact, City State Zip But today with the introduction of Ensemble. Ensemble is sold only by Cambridge Sound- Phore (Area Code) Number I tel them, "Perhaps now isthetime to give your old Works directly from the factory. Listen for hours speakers to the children:' FOR .MMEDIATE SER\10E: without a salesman hovering nearby. If after MA m_sidents add5%sales tax 30 days you're not happy, return Ensemble for 'Plus freight (57-$24). Ensemble is a liademark of Cambridge SoundW,Orks, Inc. a full refund. Delivery time usually 2-7 dap Suite 103M Under random -play mode, long play ran- domly plays back selections from all 12 discs. Random play used with single play causes selection order on a single disc to be random. Combining random and program enables you to set up a totally random playback sequence for as many as 32 selections. The DA-C70SW uses two-times oversampling and a Vibration Cut mechanism meant to prevent the laser pickup from skipping. Other features include a 41 -key remote, a built-in clock on/off programmable timer, direct search, scan and play, repeat play, skip search, manual search, and resume play standby. Hitachi. 401 W. Artesia Blvd., Compton, Calif. 90220.

Video Big Leagues Bringing the capabilities of TV production studios to home video are two new full- sized VHS camcorders from RCA. The Pro -Wonder CC -310 ($1,399) and CC - Infinity's RS Series: six new speaker systems 320 ($1,499) both use the new ProEdit home video editing system. ProEdit features include: a flying erase A New Generation An Even Dozen Discs head to prevent video noise between re- Borrowing advanced technology from Six in one, half -dozen in the other is how corded segments; audio -video dub for in- both its Kappa Series and its $50,000 In- to describe Hitachi's newest CD chang- serting new video segments or recording a finity Reference Standard (IRS) system, er that houses 12 CDs in two identi- new soundtrack onto the tape; mike mix- Infinity has rolled out six new RS Series cal, six -disc magazines. The DA-C70SW ing to add narration or new sound during speaker systems, including an active sub - ($450) lets users add or remove discs in dubbing to an already -recorded audio woofer designed for use with any of the one magazine while the other is playing. track; Edit Search to position the tape at other new speakers. Prices range from $85 Three play modes (long, simple, and pro- the start of a new recording; and Synchro- to $529 per speaker. gram) and three random -play modes can Edit, which, with an optional editing ca- Woofers in the series are made with in- provide as much as 12 hours of uninter- ble, enables the camcorder to control a jection -molded graphite (IMG) cones, like rupted music. In long -play, all 12 discs compatible VCR in order to compile an those of the IRS. Infinity says that because play without stopping; single -play func- edited tape of selected scenes. Animation this "Curvelinear" cone is injection -mold- tions much like a single -disc player. In and time-lapse capabilities are provided. ed rather than vacuum -formed, the cone's program mode, you can choose as many as Both models also have an 8:1 power shape can be critically controlled for lower 32 selections from 12 loaded discs and zoom lens, wind -noise filter, auto focus, mass, faster acceleration, and very high play them back in the order you choose. macro focus, automatic white balance, in - self -damping. RS Series dome drivers are made of Polyspherite, a new, proprietary composite material consisting of tiny, hol- low graphite spheres bonded to an ultra - thin diaphragm of polypropylene. The result is said to be a lightweight driver with the stiffness of graphite and musical neu- trality of polypropylene. The cabinets have been designed to be unobtrusive in the home. The RS -5001 tower, for instance, is 31 by 111/2 inches wide by 914 inches deep, requiring floor space of less than three-quarters of one square foot. Additionally, it positions the high -frequency drivers close to ear level for better imaging and dispersion. Avail- able in either Chatsworth oak or black oak vinyl veneer. Infinity Systems, 9409 Owensmouth Ave.. Chatsworth, Calif. 91311. Enjoy long-lasting tunes with Hitachi's 12 -CD changer.

14 HIGH FIDELITY C U dex recording, high-speed shutter with of America, SonyDr., Park Ridge, N.J. wise be reflected from inside the cabi- auto exposure, and on -screen viewfinder 07656. net. Impedance is 6 ohms.D'Ascanio Au- display graphics. Additionally, each has dio, 11450 Overseas Hwy., Marathon, an MOS image sensor, and the deluxe CC - Fla. 33050.In Canada:D'Ascanio Audio, 320 has a titler/character generator as Compact Monitors P.O. Box 1160, Station B, Weston, Ont. well as two -speed operation for recording From D'Ascanio Audio come the Hey - M9L 2R9. as much as eight hours on a single tape.brook HB-150 monitor loudspeakers The CC -320 also has positive/negative re- ($800 per pair). They are based on the cording capability and two -speed recor- company's HB-2 model with a rear -facing The Pioneer Picture ding/playback (SP and EP).RCA/Thom- port. The new HB-150s feature twin rear Joining Pioneer's Elite series of audio -vid- son Consumer Electronics, 600 N. Sher- ports that are radiused and foam -lined at eo components are two new projection man Dr., Indianapolis, Ind. 46201. their exits for smooth airflow and low dis- monitors. The 45 -inch Pro -71 ($4,150) tortion, says D'Ascanio. and the 50 -inch Pro -91 ($4,500) offer im- Drivers include a cast frame 6V2 -inch proved resolution and picture reproduc- Sony's 8mm Camcorder bass unit and 1 -inch aluminum -dome tion plus an expanded vertical viewing an- Although it offers most of the same fea- tweeter. The dust cap on the bass unit has gle without perceptible changes in picture tures and performance of the highly re- been replaced by a specially designed Co- brightness. Pioneer accomplished this garded CCD-V9 8mm camcorder, Sony's bex "phase plug," which complements the through a newly developed high -precision new CCD-V 11 has a tape transport that is characteristics of the cone and allows it to screen of 0.99mm dot pitch, 10 percent 60 percent smaller and half as heavy. To be used without a crossover. Both drivers finer than on previous models. Both mod- accomplish this surprising reduction in are bolted to the cabinet with high -tensile els also have a new high -resolution CRT "form factor," Sony's video engineers steel bolts for maximum rigidity and per- using new electron guns and a green phos- took a cue from VHS -C and their own Be- formance. The tweeter's crossover net- phor with improved luminance satura- tamovie system by reducing the diameter work uses polypropylene capacitors and tion-which Pioneer says gives a crisp, of the rotating video head drum (from 1.6 metal film resistors hard -wired to a re- clear picture, even in corners. The Pro -91 down to 1.05 inches). In the CCD-V11, movable crossover block. is said to provide 300-footlambert lumi- the tape is wrapped around the drum for Real wood veneer finishes include nance and 700 -line horizontal resolution. 292 degrees (instead of the conventional black ash or crown walnut. The cabinet is Cabinet size is 46 inches wide by 52Y2 inch- 180 degrees) and the drum itself contains filled with a sandwich of acoustic fiber and es high and 26 inches deep. Slightly small- four video heads, rather than two, as well longhair wool calculated to absorb the er is the Pro -71, measuring 42 inches wide as a flying erase head. Other innovations rear radiation of the bass unit. D'Ascanio by 49/2 inches high by 25 inches deep. It contributing to the camera's diminutive says this also keeps midrange clarity un- is said to provide 350-footlambert lumi- size are a tape -loading mechanism that has disturbed by frequencies that would other- (Continued on page 80) all the gearing on one horizontal plane and a thinner capstan motor. The new tape mechanism weighs only 61/2 ounces, and the camera itself weighs only 2 pounds, 7 ounces, with battery. This is "less than many popular high -end single -lens -reflex (SLR) cameras with zoom lenses," notes Sony. Dimensions of the new camcorder are 33/4 by 4 by 12 inches. The $1,850 CCD-V11 uses a 2/3 -inch, 420,000 -pixel (380,00 effective) CCD as its image sensor. The 6:1 power zoom lens (with macro capability) has a through -the - lens autofocusing system with switchable automatic iris control. The variable shutter speed has four settings (V100,'A -50,V and y,o second) in addition to the normal Voo second. A built-in, two -page, eight - color, digital -memory graphics superim- poser with scroll capability can be used for professional -looking opening and closing credits or other visual effects. A title can even be recorded at home for later super- imposition. A date/time generator is provided. To connect the camera to other video equipment, the CCD-V 11 has audio and video input and output terminals. In a distinct improvement over the CCD- V9, the VIl's viewfinder will tilt upward for low -angle shots.Sony Corporation The Pro -91 projection monitorjoins Pioneer's Elite series.

MARCH 1989 15 Crosstalk Answers to Readers' Questions

Dy Lorry Klein

Connections to a separate, external ground can be help- Mono Cancellation ful if you live in an older hotise in which the grounding con- My turntable has acted strangely since I bought it. Thingsnections in the AC wiring have become loose or corroded. sound fine with my amplifier set to stereo, but when I switch Under such conditions, an external ground connection- to mono for playing some of my old discs, I lose volume andwhich should be firmly made to a cold -water pipe-can the records sound strange. I thought my amplifier might besometimes help minimize hum, RF pickup, or even shock at fault, but it works okay with a friend's turntable. Do youhazards. But first try reorienting your equipment plugs in have any idea what is wrong? the AC wall sockets and listening for changes in hum level, Adam Chelimsky since, depending on various factors, hum may actually be Fort Lee, N.J. increased by a separate ground connection. . .. So, if everything is working fine, it's best to ignore the ground ter- The symptoms you describe would occur if one channel of minals on your equipment-except, of course, the one ad- the turntable had its ground and signal leads interchanged. jacent to the phono-input jacks meant for the ground lead When your amplifier is set to the stereo mode, the fact that from your turntable. one channel is reversed in phase is apparently not audible. But when your amplifier is switched to mono, the two channels are combined and the out -of -phase condition Synthesizer Reproduction causes signal cancellation. Check the cartridge connec- In several articles you have taken a firm stand favoring actions in the tonearm head shell. If the wiring seems correct curate reproduction. I agree with your arguments, but how but the problem persists, try interchanging the cartridge's does the question of "accuracy" relate to the reproduction of right -channel hot- and ground -terminal connections. If the sound that had no original live reality-such as the product problem disappears, you need go no further. However, if of a synthesizer? Or, for that matter, the sound from a loud- you now hear hum, restore the original right -channel con- speaker driven by an amp being fed by an electric guitar? nections and switch the hot and ground leads of the car- L B. Wend tridge's left channel. If that doesn't cure the problem with- Schoharie, N.Y. out hum, the internal wiring of the cartridge or the turntable could be at fault. This question sounds like the electronic version of the old philosophical conundrum about whether a tree makes a sound if it falls in a forest where no one hears it. The Ground Temilnals "sound" of a music synthesizer is, of course, that which What, if anything, should be done with the terminals comes out of the speaker attached to it. Therefore, it seems marked "ground" found on the rear of most components? to me that if a recording is made from the electrical output Should each component be connected to a separate ground, of the synthesizer, rather than from the speaker (or head- or should all the grounds simply be wired together? I've used set) used by the composer, it is up to the composer to speci- a length of line to connect my integrated amp to the ground fy-if desired-the speaker or headset to be used by the lis- screw on a wall -socket plate and have heard no difference. tener in order to hear exactly what the composer had in Porter Rostow mind (rather, in ear). While this has occurred, the more Montebello, Calif. common alternative is for a synthesizer artist to audition his pieces on a variety of systems in order to make sure that The general idea behind having all the metal chassis in a the intended effect is produced, if not reproduced. component system connected to a common ground is to en- Electronic musical instruments whose acoustic output sure that there are no differences among what each compo- is always provided by amplifiers and speakers are another nent uses for its zero -volt reference level (which is the func- matter altogether. Again, it is helpful to keep in mind that a tion of a ground). However, when you are dealing with the musical -instrument speaker is a sound producer and a hi-fi microvoltages that can be electromagnetically picked up speaker is a sound reproducer. The special sonic character- by the very wires used to ground the equipment, the situa- istics of a musical instrument's amplifier and speaker must tion gets a little hairy-and hummy and buzzy. be considered as much a part of that instrument as, say, the I won't go into "ground loop" theory except to make wooden body of a Stradivarius. The difference is, of course, the point that separate grounds should always be made to a that any electric guitar can be hooked up to a wide varie- single central point, rather than "daisy -chained" around ty of different amplifier/speaker combinations, and most a system. Since the shielded cables between your compo- rock musicians have their particular sonic favorites. nents already interconnect all the chassis' grounds, addi- At the recording session, a musician usually wants to tional external ground wires can actually introduce prob- capture on tape the same sonic quality he hears live from lems rather than cure them. his guitar-amp/speaker pairing, not the "sound" of merely

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Guns N' Roses -AppetiteKenny G -Silhouette The Movies Go To The Cocktail -Original Portrait 01 Wynton Dire Straits -Money For Bobby McFerrin -Simple For Destruction smi Ar eta) 371559 Opera.- Various Artists Soundtrack Marsalis. NothingNarror Bros Pleasures.: 369306 359984 ; studio) 372342 tElektia) 373779 5' 373555 375055 The age of CD sound is here-and you least 10 days in which to make your decision CBS COMPACT DISC CLUB, 1400 N. Fruitridge 63/S89 have a practical new way to find the CDs you If you ever receive any Selection without ha. P.O. Box 1129, Terre Haute, Indiana 47811-1129 applit aria, nd,.rit, terms outlined inthis want. As your introduction to the CBS Com- ing 10 days to decide, you may return it at advertisement. Send me the 8 Compact Discs listed here and bill me 8 plus pact Disc Club, you can choose any 8 CDs shipping ord handling for oil eightI agree to buy sic more selections at regular our expense. Club prices in the coming three years -and moy cancel my membership at any listed in this ad for 10. Fill and mail the The CDs you order during your member- time after thing so. application-well send your CDs and bill ship will be billed at regular Club prices, SENORA( THESE you for 10 plus shipping and handling. You which currently are $12.98 to $15.98-plus 8 CDs FOR 15 simply agree to buy 6 more CDs at regular shipping and handling. (Multiple -unit sets Club prices) in the next three years-and you may be somewhat higher.) After completing may then cancel your membership anytime your enrollment agreement you may cancel after doing so. membership at any time; if you decide to My main musical interest is (check one): 9 ' :. , . :.'via D Hard Rock Li Soft Rock 0 Jazz How the Club works: About every four continue as a member, you'll be eligible for Von Nolen Steve Winwood, Kenny G., weeks113 times a year) you'll receive the our money -saving oonus plan. It lets you buy U? Fleetwood Mac Spyro Gyro 0 Easy Ustening/Pop 0 Classical Clubs music magazine, which describes the one CD of half price for each CD you buy at Barry Manila, Barbra Streisand, Vladimir Horowitz, Selection of the Month... plus new hits and regular Club prices. Johnny Mathis, Ray Conniff Yo -Yo Ma old favorites from every field of music. In 10 -Day Free Trial: We'll send details of the Mr. addition, up to six times a year, you may Clubs operation with your introductory ship- Mrs receive offers of Special Selections, usually ment. If you are not satisfied for any reason miss PrintfiroNome initial tosiNonte at a discount off regular Club prices, for a whatsoever, lust return everything within 10 Address Apt total of up to 19 buying opportunities days and you will have no further obligation If you wish to receive the Selection of the So why not choose 8 CDs for lc right now? City Month, you need do nothing-it will be ADVANCE BONUS OFFER: As a special shipped automatically. If you prefer an alter- State lip offer to new members, take one additional Do you haven VCR71041 0 Yes 0 No nate selection, or none at all, fill in the Compact Disc right now and pay only Do you have a credit card, 103) 0 Yes 0 No DXP/F6 DXO/F7 response card always provided and mail it $6.95. It's a chance to get a ninth selection ADVANCE BONUS OIRR, Also send me by the date specified. You will always hove at at a super low price! one more CD right now at the super low price Selections with two numbers contain 2 CDs and count os - so write in both numbers of just 16.95, which will be billed to me.

CBS COMPACT DISC CII B: librre 1 laute, 1 \ -17811 s-".,ri'''9h, - f"' CROSSTALK AUDIO I N° 1 the electrical output of his guitar. That is why, in a recording studio, microphones are usually used to pick up the acoustical output of the musical instrument's speaker. Sonic accuracy, in this case, requires the playback system to faithfully repro- IS duce the guitar -speaker sound, including any of its distortion and frequency -re- YOUR sponse anomalies. CLASSICAL Audio Illusions Some of my audiophile friends have told MUSIC me that it helps the sound of audio components to weight them down with bricks or SUFFERING other heavy objects. Others suggest that I mount my amplifier on sharp, pointed feet. FROM Does either suggestion make sense? Carlton Shibe POOR Akron, Ohio Unfortunately, one of the side effects of HOUSING excessive audiophilia is a tendency to de- velop auditory hallucinations. Various subjective acoustic effects are sometimes CONDITIONS? imagined and reported as having an objec- High resonance housing will put any tape in a nasty mood. tive existence despite obvious conflicts *TDKSC Especially when pests, such as modulation noise, gnaw on the with the laws of electronics, physics in purity of digitally sourced music. general, psychoacoustics, and even logic and common sense. But although intense At TDK, we believe the formula for perfect reproduction audio involvement may lead to irrational includes not only technologically superior tape, but housing that behavior often suggestive of a mental aber- enhances its performance. ration, such behavior resembles more a Our incredible new SA -X, for example, features an ultra primitive, magic -based religion. Through low resonance SP-ARLI mechanism. By utilizing our unique co - the ritual application of totem objects- molding technique, the unified two -layer shell realizes maximum weights, specially insulated or wound ox- total rigidity to improve reliability. Which drastically reduces ygen -free speaker cables, mysterious modulation noise-an enemy of clear, pure sound that even liquids, special feet and stands, and so noise reduction systems are powerless against. forth-to their sound systems, true believ- This undesired "noise" is also attacked by SA -X's rev- ers are able to experience wonderful audi- olutionary magnetic characteristics and smooth, flat tape ble improvements not always perceptible surface.First,there are the densely packed and uniformly (since they are nonexistent) to those with- distributed ultra fine Super Avilyn magnetic particles.Then, out equivalent dedication or faith. there is the advanced dual coating technology. Viewing all this with incredulity and Together, the result is an unbelievably quiet tape with an amusement are those who, if not atheists exceptionally low bias noise of -61.0 dB. Plus, low and high in this hobby, are at least agnostics on the frequency MOLS of + 5.0 dB and -6.5 dB respectively. question of the audible improvements And SA -X, which provides transparent reproduction of the wrought by wondrous whatevers. Unfor- most powerful digital sources, is available in convenient lengths tunately, it's in the nature of the game that of 46, 60 and 90 minutes. reviewers claiming to hear positive effects resulting from the application of the totem objects have far more credibility in the eyes of true believers than do the skeptics. 4TDK. The reverse is also true: Skeptical review- 11.,01 .111C16101.1 .111 /1130141.1C. C SSSSS 1-11111C.1.11.1111 ers are valued more highly by the nonbe- IEC U. TYPE II HIGH POSITION lievers. In short, the question of the audible improvements achieved by expensive accessories is very much subject to what I call the ambiguous ENC effect: Depending on which way you prefer to look at it, the ab- breviation can stand for Enhanced New Component or Emperor's New Clothes.

We regret that the volume of mail is too great for us to 90 answer all questions. SAXEXTRA HIGH RESOLUTION/ RESOLUTION E X TREMEMENT ELEVEE TapeTracks In Re Yr Lir of Recent Date

Dy Robert Long

Asheaf of reader letters reached my desk from the through high-speed duplication. To ensure that equip- Home Office recently. Since I can't reply to them ment with automatic tape matching will play them cor- all, I'll try to answer a few of the most popular rectly (with Type 1 EQ). these tapes are housed in shells questions here and in another column to follow. without the extra Type 2 keyways. Users of manually ad- Tape Squeal.I had hoped to put this pesky subject be- justed decks must therefore set them to the "ferric" (or hind me with my October 1988 column, but the com- "Fe,0," "normal," "120-0," or "Type 1") switch posi- plaints continue to come in far faster than the solutions. tion, even though these prerecorded tapes are identified To repeat: The only real solution I know of-and it ap- as chromium dioxide ("Cr0" etc.). plies only to open -reel tapes and only if you're willing to Again, the bias setting has nothing to do with play- invest in a remedy that should last long enough for you to back. But a tape control that also changes the playback make a squeal -free dub-is the controlled -baking process EQ should be set to the EQ stipulated on the prerecorded of Scott Kent (c/o BKM Associates, Box 22, Wilming- tape, rather than to the EQ that is standard for the mag- ton, Mass. 01887). Do not try this at home, because with- netic particle in the tape. if that is different. Automatic out tight temperature control you can do far more harm decks will take care of themselves in this situation, but than good. not when confronted with the old, unintentionally non- On the same subject, I have had a couple of letters standard shells. The only solutions for that problem are challenging my impression that the problem (at least in to use a manually adjustable deck to dub the "unplay- cassettes) is concentrated among those who use budget able" tapes to cassettes with standard tape in standard tapes on premium equipment or vice versa. The challeng- shells or, if you are reasonably dexterous, open the shells ers have used only the best all round, and they still have and transfer the tape and hubs to screw -closure shells squeal problems. These cases remain exceptions, howev- with the appropriate keyways. er. On the other hand, I've always wondered about re- DBX Levels.Anyone who knows how to set recording cordists who try to save a buck on both ends. Perhaps levels when not using noise reduction can use precisely they have similar problems but don't bother to write to the same techniques with Dolby B or C. But not DBX. equipment magazines. Instead of an allowable maximum of +3 dB or so, the Keyway Kapers.A number of readers complain about manual may say you can let the indicator go whooshing tape -matching problems: Either their decks have too few up to some astronomical value, like +10. How come? adjustments for some tapes to play correctly, or they A peak -reading indicator reads the highest values the have so many that there's doubt about the correct switch- signal attains-which is what you need to know if you're es to throw. Many decks these days adjust bias and equal- not to ever overload the tape. But the signal is usually ization (EQ) automatically, on the basis of the keyways metered before it is subjected to the compression imposed (slots) on the back edge of the cassette shell. The Type 1 by a noise -reduction circuit (if one is used). With Dolby (ferric) cassettes all have only the punch -open keyways B, it makes no difference where the signal is metered, be- for preventing erasure. This design was used for some cause Dolby B leaves high levels untouched and imposes time after chrome Type 2 cassettes came on the market, (upward) compression only on low-level, high -frequency but Type 2 cassettes now have an additional set of key- signals. And, but for additional compression and a broad- ways next to the punch -out tabs. This Type 2 design was er working range-plus a little downward compression, also used for the earliest Type 4 (metal) tapes, because called "spectral skewing," at extremely high frequen- both required the same 70 -microsecond playback EQ, but cies-Dolby C behaves the same way. later Type 4 shells added still another pair of keyways, But DBX noise reduction doesn't reduce its action as near the center of the shell's back edge. the level rises, the way Dolby does. DBX applies the In playback, all that matters is obtaining the correct same 2:1 compression over virtually the entire frequency EQ. Any metal tape will play identically with Type 4 and and dynamic ranges of the signal. At some level, usually Type 2 settings, because both provide the same de - below the meter's 0 -dB calibration, the input and output emphasis curve. But an old Type 4 cassette with just the voltages at the DBX circuit will be equal. Below this Type 2 keyways will be underbiased if you try recording point, the compression is therefore upward; above it, the on it with a deck that chooses bias automatically. And an compression is downward. For instance, if the input level old Type 2 with just the Type 1 keyways will be both (as shown on the meters) is 8 dB above this neutral point, underbiased and incorrectly pre -emphasized during re- the DBX-compressed signal actually fed to the tape will cording on such a deck. be only 4 dB above it. That's why, when using DBX, lev- Some prerecorded cassettes are recorded on Type 2 els can be so much higher before compression without tape using Type 1 EQ (but Type 2 bias) to keep highs overloading the tape. So don't go by past metering expe- crisp and clean: Noise is increased slightly in order to ob- rience; with DBX, you should believe what your manual tain better high -frequency overload characteristics tells you.

MARCH 1989 19 Yamaha just solved the in 's biggest problem. All those little capacitors, resistors and You'll also find 8 times oversampling. semiconductors? Giving you incredibly accurate waveform They make up what's known as a CD resolution and unbelievably player's analog filter. natural sound. A necessary evil designed to remove Hi -Bit twin D/A converters unwanted digital noise.to improve dynamic resolution While unfortunately and eliminate interchannel phase Hi -Bit DIRECT OU ON/OFF distorting otherwise distortion. crystal-clear sound with And a host of features that phase shift. add up to the most pleasurable Ahem. listening experience yet. Presenting Yama- Stop by your nearest Yamaha Use the 16 -key Namaha's exrlusive Irt.ct out technology bypasses the analog filter, ha's exclusive Hi -Bit dealer today and hear the re- wireless remote,or resulting in pure, crystal-clear sound. use a Yamaha RS integrated amp. direct output technology.markable new CDX-910U CD preamp or receiver A revolutionary technology we've incor- player for yourself. remote. porated into our CDX-910U, giving you the We think you'll come away sharing our option of completely eliminating the analog philosophy that anything that comes between filter with the touch of a button. you and your music is definitely a big Allowing you, in turn, to enjoy improve- problem. ment in music you thought couldn't be No matter howyAm HAt improved. small it may be.

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Dy Deth C. Fishkind

When was the last time you thought about your inexpensive antenna would wear out faster and cause a car's antenna? I don't mean when it broke off continual erosion in performance; the better -made model in the car wash, got ripped off, keeled over would continue to perform well. from corrosion, or that time you rode through the RF Hirschmann says its antennas are built to withstand surf, catching radio waves with the classic wire coat speeds in excess of 150 mph, for a casual drive on the hanger. I mean: Have you thought about your antenna as German Autobahn. Not that you'll be rocketing down an important part of your autosound system? Main Street, U.S.A., but if you bump into a tree branch, For music, the primary job of an auto antenna is good the Hirschmann stands a better chance of surviving than FM reception-antennas are the link for music delivered a less solidly built antenna. As for the motorized part, the through the air. At the source, radio stations transform design is fully electronic with no mechanical relay. The musical frequencies into an RF (radio -frequency) signal. actual mast is made of a highly conductive multiplated A transmitting antenna spits this RF out into the air as assembly, which Hirschmann claims gives its antenna ex- radiated electromagnetic waves. Your car's antenna in- tra sensitivity and reduces susceptibility to multipath in- tercepts a small fraction of these waves and turns them terference, delivering more signal to the tuner. into an electrical signal for your tuner. The tuner then Multipath interference, a partial culprit in the car - takes over and pulls out the music. audio distortion known as "picket -fencing," is caused To perform well, your tuner needs a strong RF signal when several "copies" of the RF waves transmitted from delivered to its antenna terminals. If your antenna is the radio station reach your antenna at slightly different mired with road gunk, or broken out in rust acne, or the times. For instance, while driving in a city, radio waves lead wire from antenna to tuner shows signs of wear, bouncing off a building take longer to reach the antenna your FM performance may suffer. That's because anten- than do waves taking a line -of -sight route. The result is nas work best when they are "tuned" to the frequencies audio distortion. they receive. For FM reception, this is usually between In an attempt to solve the multipath problem, diversi- 31 and 33 inches long, resonant with the FM frequencies. ty tuning was introduced to car audio in the mid -1980s. Dirt and corrosion can upset these tolerances. The technique requires two antennas: a primary AM/FM FM boosters (about $20 to $30) that will increase sig- antenna, and another-serving only the FM band- nals as much as 15 dB can be helpful, but this depends on mounted approximately 30 to 40 inches from the main where you drive: In wide-open spaces, boosters can help one. Whichever antenna is providing the stronger signal pull in weak signals; in a metropolitan area, they may at the moment is the feed the tuner uses. Odds are that overload some tuners. Amplified antennas, which some both won't be receiving a truly bad signal simultaneously, people prefer because of their shorter stature, are a simi- so multipath effects are reduced. lar story. Despite the marked improvement it provides in FM Happily for your bank account, replacing a standard reception, diversity tuning hasn't become popular in the original mast antenna costs only about $10 to $15. Ex- autosound aftermarket. The reason is mainly cosmetic: perts recommend a stainless -steel whip antenna, because Many car owners object to having two antennas. Conse- its one-piece construction makes it less vulnerable to the quently, a lot of diversity tuners died on the vine years dirt and corrosion likely to collect in the segments of col- ago. But a small number of manfucturers still offer it, in lapsible antennas. Even cheaper is cleaning your antenna products such as Clarion's Audia 2000 ($769) and Blau- regularly. West German antenna maker Hirschmann of- punkt's Berlin TQR 07 ($1,595). fers treated Antenna Cleaning Tissues at three for a buck, The Berlin has quartz locking, with an auto -reverse and recommends cleaning every two months. Hirsch- cassette deck. Using two matched FM sections, each fed mann is an elite name among antenna makers and, along by a separate antenna, the unit evaluates the signals at with Harada, a Japanese company, stands as one of the the IF (intermediate frequency) stage in the tuner in or- largest suppliers to auto makers and auto -products retail- der to look at criteria other than signal strength. For in- ers. If the car is European and expensive, it probably has stance, noise levels at both antenna feeds are checked, so a Hirschmann antenna-for which a motorized model a signal can be chosen based on its sound quality. will run you up to $250. Despite aftermarket doldrums, diversity tuning is do- Should you spend a lot for an antenna? Antenna man- ing well as an option in new cars. Autosound suppliers ufacturers claim that costlier designs and materials do en- such as Clarion and Fujitsu Ten have been working with hance performance and durability, but without published car manufacturers to hide the second antenna in the test data to go on, I can't draw any conclusions. Howev- windshield, making the appearance more palatable for er, one manufacturer told me that the initial performance buyers. Nissan and Mazda are among those offering di- difference between a new inexpensive antenna and a new versity tuning systems. If you are shopping for a new car,

expensive antenna would be negligible. Yet over time, the you might ask the dealer about this option.

MARCH 1989 21 Dits&Pieces

_ DigitalSignal- ProcessingNews

By David Ranada

In last month's column, I discussed Analog Devices' least three'/4-inch professional VCRs, a special digital 18 -bit digital -to -analog converter chips. That Massa- editing console, and a digital-audio/video converter). chusetts company is also one of the world's leading And the Sonic System actually fits on a desktop! Of producers of general-purpose digital -signal -processing course, this versatility does exact a cost: $44,100. Sonic (DSP) integrated circuits-specifically, the complex and Solutions tells me that ways are being investigated to expensive devices performing the high-speed arithmetic make at least some of these capabilities available at price that forms the core of DSP techniques. In consumer au- levels more appropriate for the home market. dio products, however, general-purpose DSP chips are Leave it to Sony, one of the acknowledged leaders in very rarely used-I know of no widely available compo- both professional and consumer digital -audio products, nent utilizing one. These chips' jack-of-all-trades design to come up with DSP chips specialized for audio applica- can make them both too powerful and not powerful tions, as well as to establish both professional and con- enough for audio use. For a DSP chip to process signals sumer -priced product lines using them. Sony's SDP -1000 as varied as those from deep -space probes, enemy radars, professional digital -audio processor incorporates the telephones, video cameras, and seismographs, it must Sony CXD-1160 and CXD-1355P DSP chips and has contain features of little use to high fidelity audio, and equalization and dynamic -range processing capabilities such capabilities make the chip too expensive for mass- similar to those of the Sonic System. At this point, the market audio products. Various other factors preclude SDP -1000 lacks any self-contained recording, playback, many general-purpose DSP chips from processing signals or editing capability-possibly because Sony doesn't with a full 20 -kHz audio bandwidth. want to immediately threaten its own domination of the General-purpose DSP chips are used in audio, but in traditional digital -audio editing market. products that consumers would rarely get to see, much Of much greater significance toHIGH FIDELITYread- less buy and use. An outstanding example of this is the ers is Sony's use of its DSP chips in a consumer product: new Sonic System from Sonic Solutions (the San Francis- the TA -V925 preamplifier (available only in Japan). The co company noted for its No Noise processing for CD DSP integrated circuits serve as the equivalent of both a reamastering). Characterized as a "desktop audio work- dynamic -range and a surround -sound processor, as well station," the Sonic System is based on a Macintosh II as of a parametric equalizer. The dynamic -range software personal computer and contains several layers of high- provides three levels of compression -1:1.25 above -16 power computing capability: the Macintosh's own micro- dB, 1:1.6 above -14 dB, and 1:2 above -12 dB-pre- processor, a 68881 floating-point coprocessor chip in- sumably to make wide -dynamic -range CDs sound better stalled in the Mac, and a special-purpose Sonic Solutions in background -music and similar applications. The sur- circuit board that contains four Motorola 56001 general- round -sound processing incorporates three modes of vari- purpose DSP chips. able signal delay: movie, music, and "simulated"sur- Input and output to the system are via standard round. Dolby Pro Logic surround -sound decoding does AES/EBU digital -audio bit streams, and the signals are not seem to be provided, however. So far, this is a func- stored on a a 736 -megabyte hard -disk drive that can hold tion that is executed digitally only by the Lexicon's CP-1 52 minutes of 16 -bit stereo audio. All processing and au- ambience/reverb generator, a device employing Lexicon's dio -data paths are actually 24 bits "wide," to preserve dy- own special-purpose DSP chip. namic range during calculation, and 44.1- and 48 -kHz A typical, analog -based audio product containing this sampling rates are supported. Longer record/play times amount of signal -processing capability would probably are available with added disk drives. have a front -panel jammed with knobs and dials. But With the Sonic System and its supplied CD "pre- DSP simplifies matters, since, under computer control, mastering" software, the user can record and play back one switch can take on different control identities de- four channels of digital audio. More important, it pro- pending on the activated program. Accordingly, the TA- vides full, instant -access editing of the audio as stored on V925 has an array of four switches that are used various- the hard disk. Its edits are of a quality and complexity ly to change parameters in the equalizer and surround- impossible with analog recording systems and not even sound modes. Naturally, digital memory is used to retain available with typical VCR -based digital studio editing myriad control settings (200 factory -preset and 10 user- equipment. Six types of crossfade "envelope" are provid- programmed) ed, for example. Other signal -processing software imple- The TA -V925 was introduced last fall in Japan and, ments such standard studio functions as mixing, filtering, so far, is available only in that country. Sony tells me that equalization, and dynamic -range control. it will soon introduce a line of consumer DSP products In all, the Sonic System makes editing, and possibly (but probably not including the 925) in this country. We even recording, easier and less expensive than the typical hope to test one of them as soon as Sony makes samples setup now used for digital taping and editing (meaning, at available.

22 HIGH FIDELITY Report preparation supervised by Michael Riggs, David Ranada, Beth C. Fishkind, Robert Long, and Test Edward J. Foster. Laboratory data (unless otherwise Reports indicated) is supplied by Diversified Science Laboratories.

The HK-990Vxi is the top model of to Tape 1 or Tape 2. Harman Kardon's current receiv- The final knob of the group chooses er line. It is an audio -video model the source you monitor. It can be set to Harman Kardon in the sense that it includes full switching any of the four tape options, SOURCE, or to handle video components as well as REMOTE.This last-an option repeated HK-990Vxi audio ones. For most users, its facilities on the main selector-turns control over are above average in this respect. How- to the supplied wireless remote, powered AM/FM Audio- ever (perhaps an index of the growing list by two AA cells. The remote can thus se - Video Receiver

L 0 0 0 L Ll 0 0j L U 0 1.u00

Dimensions: I 7 1/2 by 51/4 inches (front), I 21/2 inches deep plus clearance for controls of TV stations broadcasting MTS ster- lect the source for listening and that for and connections. recording or it can be locked out from AC Convenience Outlets: One switched, eo), there is no explicit provision for TV - one unswitched (180 watts max. each). either function. This avoids ruined tapes FM simulcasts. Price: $1,199. Switching is handled in a direct, pos- if someone picks up the remote while a Warranty: -Limited,' two years parts and itive way. One knob selects the main recording is in progress. The remote op- labor. "source," available for listening or re- tion can be a little confusing until you get Manufacturer: Made in Japan for Harman used to it; nevertheless, once you do, you Kardon, 240 Crossways Park West, cording or both-depending on how the Woodbury, N.Y. 11797. remaining knobs are set. One of these is may find it considerably less vexing than for recording and includes, in addition to the often illogical logic that governs the selected source, options for dubbing switching in other A -V receivers. in either direction between two VCRs or Though the 990Vxi avoids convolut- between two audio -only tape decks. The ed electronic logic, its switching scheme source selector makes other dubbing op- does have its twists, putting a premium tions possible. You can, for example, set on the manual's clarity. This one is in SOURCEat VCR 2 and the recording se- simple, idiomatic English and is well laid lector atSOURCEto copy from that VCR out; however, it falls a bit short in that

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01988 VIRGIN RECORDS AMERICA. INC. CD ONLY SAMPLER VIRGIN CIASSILS DISTRIBUTED EW ATLANTIC RECORD', THROUGH WEA there are no how-to sections to walk that use of two 4 -ohm pairs requires cau- you through specific setup procedures tion and recommends against it. (which can be boringly redundant, I ad- DSL measured only a marginal in- FM Tuner Section mit) and the control descriptions aren't crease in power at 4 ohms with a 4 -ohm Except as noted, all data were measured with Active comprehensive enough to do the job. To load (versus the 8 -ohm setting with an8- - king (AT) feature turned off. some extent, you're left with a trial -and - error approach. Tuner operation is simplicity itself. Frequency Response & Channel Separation DB There are up- and down -tuning buttons, HK 990Vxi(I I plus a pair that toggle, respectively, the 0 - seek/manual tuning functions and Har- man Kardon's proprietary Acti c -5 I -1C Frequencyresponse Tracking circuit (I'll come back to this). left channel -,-z,-- dB,20 Hzto 15 kHz Manual tuning progresses by half -chan- -15 rightchannel +14-3/4dB. 20 Hzto 15 kHz nels (0.1 MHz) on FM, full channels (10 Channelseparation >43dB,80 Hz to5 kHz kHz) on AM. There are six preset but- -20 >33dB.20 Hz to12.5 kHz ---withAT _>30dEl,20 Hz to9 kHz tons and one that steps through three -25 "bands"-FM 1, FM 2, and AM-to give you 12 presets on FM, six on AM. -30In. --- IelhEmmaA IIiNIMIMINE11G- - :.n4- Neither I nor Diversified Science Lab- 35 oratories was able to achieve stereo reception without switching to the seek -40444 01...... w mode, although we were working with different samples. If this is intentional, HZ 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K it's a legitimate design choice, but it appears that owners are left on their own to discover it, since the manual does not go ohm load), though the dynamic power Sensitivity & Quieting out of its way to spell out these details. did increase by a full decibel when a 2 - There is a separate mono/stereo but- ohm load was substituted (still at the ton that affects all inputs. In the same 4 -ohm setting). Were a 2 -ohm optimiza- rank on the front panel are switches for tion available as well, it presumably an infrasonic filter and an outboard -pro- would reduce that 2 -ohm rating but also 3r) cessor loop. Separate on/off switches keep the amp running cooler while it control the two pairs of speaker outputs was measured. Since even the rated 90 so they can be activated independently watts -and note that Harman Kardon or both turned off for listening via the publishes that figure for both loads-is front -panel headphone jack. ample for most home installations for The back panel has the usual color - which a receiver would be a logical DIV in 811 90 10, coded pin jacks: stereo pairs for fixed - choice, the output normally can be ex- stereo quietIn9 (noise) mono quieting (noise) coil phono, moving -coil phono, CD, the pected to loaf along well below maxi- Stereo sensitivity (for 50 -dB noise suppression) external processor (in and out), and the mum, making the setting of the imped- tape connections; stereo pairs plus com- ance -matching switch somewhat less posite video for an A/V input and the critical than the manual suggests. Mono sensitivity (for 50 -dB noise suppression) two VCRs; composite video only for the It is a good amp by receiver stan- te. P.1r MAIng threshold 32 I/4 dBf monitor output. As with similar units, dards, if not quite up to the level of HK's Stereo threshold 31 1/2 d131 the rather skimpy binding posts accom- deluxe Citation line (with which it shares Stereo S/N ratio (at 65 dal) 66 1/4 dB modate an AM antenna (including the many design elements). Distortion, for 74 dB supplied loopstick, which mounts to the example, is a little (though not necessar- Mono S/N ratio (at 65 dI31) back panel) and 300 -ohm FM twinlead. ily audibly) higher than you would ex- Capture Ratio AT on AT off For 75 -ohm coax, I was pleased to find pect in separates and output impedance 5 dB 1 7dB a U.S.-standard threaded F connector. a little higher-lowering the damping Selectivity AT on AT off The massive speaker output binding alternate -channel 671/2dB 6117., dB factor, though again by only an insig- adjacent -channel 23 1/4 dB 7 dB posts comfortably accept 14 -gauge (one nificant amount. The design is basically Harmonic Distortion (THCH-N) step above heavy zip cord) bared leads. broadband (a given in Harman Kardon AT on tees text) atonic mono A nearby switch optimizes output for products for two generations), with a at 100 Hz 1% 0 13% loads of either 8 or 4 ohms. switchable infrasonic filter to control at 1 kHz 0 89% 0 26% at 6 kHz 1 5% 0 44% The intent of this switch is to deliver such undesirables as warp output in Al off either more voltage with less current (the playing LPs. Even this filter is more at 100 Hz 0 33% 011% 8 -ohm mode) or vice versa, so that max- broadband than most, with a lower turn- at I kHz 0 29% o06% imum power can be achieved without over and gentler slope than would be re- at 6 kHz 1t% 0 12% overheating the receiver's output stages. quired by a record player with real prob- Stereo Pilot Intermodulation 0 14% A single pair of 8 -ohm (nominal) speak- lems in this department. Historically, Intermodulation Distortion (mono) 0 03% ers would get the 8 -ohm mode; add a sec- Harman Kardon has favored such shal- AM Suppressior 72 1/2 dB ond pair to the B connections or switch low filters to minimize phase shift. Pilot (19 -kHz) Suppression 36 dB to a 4 -ohm model, and the 4 -ohm posi- There is a slight phono response er- tion is recommended; the manual says ror in both the moving -magnet and mov- Subcarrier (38 -kHz) Suppression 52 1/2dB

MARCH 1989 21 est ing-coil modes (chosen by an MM/MC so effective in this situation. The loss ReTports switch on the front panel). Much of the it exacts in stereo separation shouldn't treble lies some 1/4 dB higher than the matter if you have deployed your speak- Amplifier Section midbass in DSL's frequency -response ers well, and the increase in distortion is traces. Again, flatter response might be Power Into 4 and 2 -ohm loads was measured with output similarly insignificant. The loss in cap- switched to 4 -ohm setting. all other measurements were obtained in a separate, but the 990Vxiture ratio is surprising, but its signifi- made with 8 -ohm setting. is better than most other receivers (and cance will depend on the specific recep- Rated Power cartridges) in this regard. tion problem at hand. at 8 ohms 19 5 d8W (90 watts)/channel Harman Kardon says the tone con- at 4 ohms 19 5 dBW (90 watts)/channel The signal -strength indicator has five trols are designed to leave the midrange segments, with thresholds between 22 Output at Clipping (at 1 kHz both channels driven) unaffected, for greater flexibility and 8 -ohm load 20.5 dBW (112 watts)/channel and 49 dBf; thus they will help you orient 4 -ohm load -0,ipw 17 watts)/channel precision of adjustment. DSL's measure- your antenna only on fairly weak sta- Dynamic Power (at 1 kHz) ments show them to be better than the tions-where orientation is most impor- 8 -ohm load 214 dBW tone controls in many other receivers but tant. Sensitivity is well within the receiv- 4 -ohm load 21 5 dBW not exceptional in either their boost/cuter ballpark (though not as good as you'd 2 -ohm load :'7 5 dBW symmetry or their avoidance of the 1 - hope for in separates), and other values Dynamic Headroom (re rated power) kHz range. Below 100 Hz, the bass con- are fairly typical of the genre. 8 -ohm load + 1 9 dB trol has a range of about +11, -12 dB; 4 -ohm load 0 dB From the viewpoint of American Harmonic Distortion (THD; 20 Hz to 20 kHz) the treble manages about ±12 dB abovebuyers, Harman Kardon has a lot going at 19.5 dBW (90 watts) 0041% 10 kHz. The loudness compensation refor it. It calls the shots from its Long Is- at 0 dBW (1 watt) 0 026% sponds relatively little to volume settingland headquarters, where the priorities Frequency Response within the lab's test range, supplying of American buyers get top billing and d8. 10 Hz to 34 5 kHz about 10 dB of bass boost below 100 Hz those of international trade follow in +0. -3 dB. < 10 Hz to 101 kHz and 5 dB at 20 kHz, relative to a mini- their wake. Indeed, the very American- ness of the line (like that of its sister com- RIAA Phono Equalization DB pany, JBL) seems to have contributed to the brand's cachet among both Euro- 0 pean and Japanese buyers. I / i I I -5 fixed-coil -1--14 dB,20 Hzto 20 kHz; In any event, the result in this case is, -44 dBat 5 Hz overall, impressive. The HK-990Vxi is -10 moving -coil±14 dB,20 Hzto 20 kHz; -114dB at 5Hz; a receiver with good capabilities and-

HK 990Vtti131 1 I I I I I perhaps even more important to some HZ 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K users-without useless glitz. The extra power in the amp and the Active Track- ing in the tuner are, above all, what justi- Sensitivity 8 Noise (re 0 dBW; A -weighting) mum near2 kHz. fy the 990Vxi's not inconsiderable price. sensitivity S/N ratio All of this would constitute a good-You won't find anything quite like it aux input 14 5 mV 76 dB but certainly not spectacular-receiver, fixed -coil phono 0 23 mV 73'/2 dB anywhere else. Robert Long moving -coil phono 13µV 74 dB were it not for the tuner section, which Phono Overload (1 -kHz clipping) is the design's centerpiece. The Active ABOUT THE dBW fixed -coil phono 2 10 mV Tracking feature (previously available moving -coil phono 12 my only in HK's separate tuners, such as the We currently are expressing power in terms of Input Impedance dBW-meaning power in dB with a reference (0 TU-920, which we reviewed in March dBW) ofI watt. The conversion table will enable aux input 28k ohms 1988) is Harman Kardon's way of solv- you to use the advantages of dBW in comparing fixed -toll phono 49k ohms. 140 pF these products to others for which you have no moving -coil phone 56 ohms ing awkward reception problems with- dBW figures. Output Impedance (to tape) out demanding any special training of WATTS dBW WATTS dBW from aux input .'.600 ohms the operator. The company says its AT from tuner section .1 900 ohms feature "simultaneously delivers two as- 1.0 32 15 from phono inputs 3.500 ohms pects of performance that were previous- 1.25 40 16 Damping Factor (at 50 Hz; re 8 ohms) 83 ly mutually exclusive: high selectivity 1.6 2 50 17 Channel Separation (at 1 kHz) 68'/. dH and high fidelity." This is substantially 2.0 3 63 18 Infrasonic Filter ,,i1(,,. 6 dB/octavt, true, though as our data show, some relatively minor trade-offs are involved. 2.5 4 80 19 Otherwise, there would be no reason to 3.2 5 100 20 shut it off. 4.0 6 125 21 But Active Tracking does solve problems. Rather than simply put filter 5.0 7 160 22 "blinders" on the signal (usually as it 6.3 8 200 23 passes through the IF, or intermediate - 8.0 9 250 24

frequency, stage), AT phase -locks onto 10.0 10 320 25 the carrier to distinguish it from interfer- ing signals. The system was able to ex- 12.5 11 400 26 clude most of a staticlike noise source 16.0 12 500 27 that invades my neighborhood now and 20.0 13 630 28

then for a few minutes at a time, for in- 25.0 14 800 29 stance. No past device I've tried has been

26 HIGH FIDELITY Areyouhearing only 4/5ths of Beethoven's Fifth?

Symphony No S in C minor. Op. 67

Allegro cot, boo (7 14J

I Andante con moto 00' IN BEETHOVEN CD -80060 01047a4

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Dimensions: 161/2 by 51/4 inches (front), 131/4 inches deep plus clearance for controls andconnections. been out of touch for a couple years), composite -video output for your moni- AC Convenience Outlets: Two switched VCR 1, and VCR 2. tor. The speaker connections, for two (200 watts max total), one unswitched (100 watts max.). This is partly a sign of the times and sets of speakers, are heavy-duty binding Price: $550. partly a question of Marantz's self-im- posts that accept bared leads. Warranty: -Limited,- three years parts and age, it would seem. Certainly there is a There are three sets of input selectors, labor. very real demand for equipment that can so to speak. The large rectangular but- Manufacturer: Made in Japan for Marantz handle two VCRs. But DAT? Well, Ma- tons near the bottom center of the front Company, Inc., 20525 Nordhof f St., rantz made headlines by being the first panel select the signal you hear and view: Chatsworth, Calif. 913 II. company to announce plans to market a sou RCE and the three tape options. They DAT deck in this country. I have yet to serve the function of a monitor selector. see one in a store, but perhaps that's be- The source selector itself is next to the side the point. For Marantz, DAT is volume knob and includes all inputs ex- where recording will (or at least should) cept the three tape options. The source be at in a future so near as to make the for recording is handled by the third se- old-fashioned designation passé. lector, at the bottom, next to the balance On second look, you see that the knob. It gives you the option of record- DAT switch positions carry the telltale ing the source selected at the upper knob

28 HIGH FIDELITY

"You mightuse your carfor pleasure, but insuring it is abusiness decision." RAYMOND BURR

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...... IndependentInsurance INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS OF AMERICA I ...and the insurance companies they represent INCORPORATED I've always believed that, all other el- tons that basically follow the order in ements being equal, simplest is best. which you tend to use them, left to right. est Given that Compact Discs are better The first is the exception: the eject. It is ReTports at preserving musical continuity than are followed by the series you press in pro- LPs-and I have never liked using gramming:PROGRAM, DISC(to choose changers for LPs-why bother with aone of the six), up and downSKIPto CD changer? The reasons I hear cited choose the track number, andSTOREto most often by serious music lovers are enter the selection thus chosen. Next that you don't have to struggle with the comesREPEAT,which steps through Realistic CD -6000 so-called jewel boxes or even handle the three options: one (a single track), all Compact Disc CDs once they are stored in the six -disc (the programmed sequence or entire col - Changer

Dimensions: 161/2 by 4 inches (front), 13 inches deep plus clearance for connections. magazines. And now that I've tried it, I lection of discs), and clear (off). Round- Price: $360, extra six -disc magazines, $18. see what the changerphiles mean. ing out the row are forward and reverse Warranty: -Limited,- one year parts and Moreover, Radio Shack's Realistic audible cue buttons. labor. CD -6000 actually is simpler to use than The programming memory will re- Manufacturer: Made in Japan for Radio Shack Division of Tandy Corp., 1700 One are many high -end single -disc players- tain as many as 32 tracks, chosen in any Tandy Center, Fort Worth, Tex. 76102. and it costs less, to boot. It dispenses order from any of the six discs. By com- with all those fussy little features that parison to single -disc players, cycling add more to player cost than to practical times are naturally a bit longer, even be- musical enjoyment. And if you find the tween tracks on the same disc. Contigu- jewel boxes as annoying as many users ous tracks acquire a gap in excess of one evidently do, you may consider even the second when programmed for continu- elaboration of the magazines to be sim- ous playback. However, this is not a big pler than coping with individual discs. trade-off for listeners who find the bene- The controls are exceptionally logical fits of changers attractive. in their layout. Across the bottom right The numerical display at the upper of the front panel is a row of large but- left of the front panel normally shows

MARCH 1989 31 II MI INIIIIIIIMMIIM11111111 MIIMIIIIINIMINIMUINIIMMIIIINENOINOMINMINININIMUM1111111111 MIIIIMI 11 IIMNNM IN- MINIL_-It NIIIII 1111.11IIMNNMIIIMI IIIIII IIIIMK IN ItMEIIsNM__AIIIMIIIMIN IIN 11111 III IL II._NMMNINMIII__II 1111 AM

INNIMI IIInNMNMIIIIMI NMI MEIIM INN

IN-.El IIINIIIINMIIII UMNM1E1MilINN MI11 -I MNNMIIN IIIIIIIIIINN

rnrnii=1111 AUDIO VIDEO TEST REPORTS MUSIC I SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND SAVE 60% OFF! Subscribe to High Fidelity for only $11.97 for 1year(12 issues). That'smore than$18.00 off the $30.00cover price.

High Fidelity brings you in-depth evaluations, detailed test reports and sound buying advice on all the latest audio and video equipment. Also you'll get the most up-to-date information on new innovations and industry trends, articles about music and musicians and reviews of classical and popular recordings in all formats. Call Toll -Free Now cecr 1-800- 666-3977; orfill in this coupon and mail it to High Fidelity P.O. Box 3234 Harlan, IA 51593-0414 ir;16,1EINRODUCT nest Receivers 0 Yes! Send me one year (12 issues) of rps, High Fidelity for just $11.97. I save `StereoGear cc's 60% OFF the $30.00 cover price. uit,matespeak EDouble my savings! Send me 2 rsatnicitAavonCDPlayer.".. issues for just S22 00 Receivereaves;

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City State Zip My payment is enclosed t] Please bill inc later HIGH FIDELITY'S annual basic rateis $13.95. j3X55 disc number, track number, and program -entry number. The only time op- Frequency Response Without De -Emphasis tion, toggled by pressing a nearby but- DB ton, replaces track and program infor- 0 _ 1 I I- I 4-- 4 mation, respectively, with elapsed min- leftchannel+0, -0.4 dB. 20Hz to 20 kHz 5 utes and seconds in the current track. rightchannel+<0.1. -0.6 dB,20 Hz to 20 kHz CD -6000111 I 1 The current disc number can also be as- I I 1 1 I certained by looking at a window in the HZ 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K front of the magazine: While a disc is playing its slot appears black. The supplied wireless remote control, Frequency Response With De -Emphasis which operates on a pair of AAA cells, DB repeats all of the controls except for AC 0 ----- power and eject, so you can even pro- leftchannel +0.5,-<0.1 dB,20 Hz to20 kHz 5 gram the changer from your listening rightchannel+0.2,-0.3 dB,20 Hz to 20kHz CD -6000 (21 position. The readout's somewhat over- I 1 I I I 1 size amber numerals help materially in HZ 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K this if your chair isn't close to the player. Overall, bench tests demonstrate per- 911/2dB formance comparable to that of other steep analog one. Yet the sound is very Channel Separation (at 1 kHz) home players. Linearity at low levels is much what you might expect of a good Channel Balance (at 1 kHz) ±0 dB not up to that mark, however, and re- CD player. I can't say that it's equal to SIN Ratio (re 0 dB; A -weighted) sponse is perhaps marginally less flat the very best I have heard, but-our abil- without de -emphasis 93 I/4 dB than that of most component -grade ity to fool ourselves on such issues being with de -emphasis 94 1/2 dB models, but this last is no more than a what it is-I can't swear it is significant- Harmonic Distortion (THD.N; 40 Hz to 20 kHz) quibble. All of the tracking obstacles on ly worse either. I believe I hear a differ- at 0 *5 0 018% at -24 dB S 0.054% the Philips test disk were traversed with- ence, but I can't be sure that you will. IM Distortion (70 -Hz difference; 300 Hz to 20 kHz) out difficulty, and even the much more For those who want a changer simply 0 to -20 dB <0.01% demanding Pierre Verany disc didn't to provide the convenience of continu- at -30 dB 0021% daunt the player unduly. It handled ous, announcer -free music, the foregoing linearity (at 1 kHz; dithered below -60 dB) dropouts to 1.25mm with aplomb; by is surely beside the point. For readers 0 to -40 dB no measurable error 1.5mm, the dropouts began to cause who take their sensibilities more serious- at -50 dB +0.1dB at -60 dB +0 7 dB ticks or other symptoms that, of course, ly, I can recommend the CD -6000 for, at -70 dB +2.1 dB grew worse as the dropouts widened. above all, its ergonomic straightforward- at -80 dB +4.8 dB Keep in mind that Radio Shack has ness-a property that is both worthy and at -90 dB +9.1 dB not indulged in any of the glittering tech- scarce. Its only fall from grace in that re- at -100 dB +86 dB nology that, others insist, adds so much spect is that once a programmed se- Tracking 6 Error Correction maximum signal -layer gap > 900 pm to CD -player performance. The CD - quence has been entered, I can find no maximum surface obstruction > 800µm 6000 specs list only straight 16 -bit de- way to cancel it, except by removing the simulated -fingerprint test pass coding and don't even mention oversam- magazine and reinserting it. But, at Maximum Output Level 2 03 volts pling; the output filtration seems to be a worst, this arrangement is only slightly Output Impedance 1.850 ohms relatively modest digital filter plus a inelegant. Robert Long

Advent's very first product was a long -throw woofer in a sealed enclosure. "bookshelf' speaker called, sim- Both drivers are centered on the long ply, the Advent Loudspeaker. axis of the front baffle, behind a remov- Advent Baby II Its overriding virtue was excellent value able black stretch -fabric grille. for money, as the British say. A genera- Keeping this axis vertical should pro- Loudspeaker tion later, Advent's latest speaker, the mote the best possible imaging, though Baby II, carries on that tradition. Its Advent indicates that horizontal place- price is only a little higher in dollars; ad- ment is acceptable (and, of course, some justed for inflation, that means it's less bookshelves will demand it). The end expensive than its progenitor. And it's caps are of solid wood, with pleasantly smaller: It really will fit on many book- rounded edges. The remaining surfaces shelves, whereas the original wouldn't. are finished in black-even the back, in And you know what? If memory serves, case you want freestanding placement. it even sounds better. Color -coded spring -clip connectors for As the name almost mystically im- speaker cables are recessed into the back. plies, this is the second incarnation of Advent rates impedance at 6 ohms the Baby, with a new tweeter and an in- nominal and 4 ohms minimum. As you creased sensitivity rating. The Y, -inch can see from our data column, the aver- polycarbonate-dome tweeter employs age is above 8 ohms, but the curve does ferrofluid in the voice coil for cooling. It dip to 4.5 ohms in the extreme bass and is crossed over at 4.5 kHz to a 6Y1 -inch 4.4 ohms at the woofer -range minimum,

MARCH 19 8 9 33 near 200 Hz. The woofer resonance, at begin at around 50 Hz. Off -axis response est 80 Hz, measures 16 ohms, and a broad- is very similar. ReTports er maximum near the top of the woofer The Baby sounds smoother than the range measures 19.6 ohms, which ac- curves imply. The forwardness suggest- counts for the average. Still, the breadth ed by the midrange maximum is certain- of the woofer minimum argues in favorly there, and there is a slightly "etched" of treating the Baby as a 6 -ohm or even quality in the tweeter range (which may 4 -ohm model, should you decide to run relate to the twin response peaks toward speaker pairs in parallel. the top end). Ultra -low bass is simply ab- Frequency response was measured bysent-of necessity, in a speaker of this Diversified Science Laboratories withsize-but so is the thumpiness by which

Dimensions: I3by 161/2 inches (front), 61/4 inches deep. Price:$250 per pair. the speaker on a 27 -inch stand and 3 some other small speakers have sought Warranty: -Limited,- five years parts and inches in front of the wall. The pro- to compensate for the want of clean fun- labor. nounced dip at around 300 Hz in both damentals at the bottom end. Manufacturer: AdventDivision of traces presumably is due, at least in part, Placement makes a good deal of dif- International Jensen, Inc., 4138 N. United Parkway, Schiller Park, III. 60176. to floor reflections (as it has been withference with the Baby II. The finished many other speakers we have tested). back-and also my own general prefer- However, the less pronounced dip in the ences-led me to begin with the Baby neighborhood of 2.5 kHz is confirmed to freestanding, but it isn't at its best that some extent by near -field measurements, way. The lack of bass reinforcement em- which indicate that the woofer rolls offphasizes what roughness there is in the somewhat short of the nominal cross- treble and makes the sound overbright over point. Even including the floor -re- and somewhat shallow-even rather flection dip, response stays between harsh with some music. Almost any about +3'/4 and -41/4 dB over the speak- placement that puts a bass -reinforcing er's working range, which may be said to surface nearby is preferable. Even on the

34 HIGH FIDELITY floor, ridiculous as that looks with so this size. Both the lab data and the listen- small a speaker, and despite the shin - ing tests suggest that you'd be better ad- est height tweeter, the sound is much more vised to seek sheer loudness from other ReTports agreeable. I finally settled on (guessdesigns. The Baby will play plenty loud what?) a broad shelf with a backup wall. for most purposes. Just don't push it. This truly is a bookshelf speaker! The sound still is on the bright, crisp side, lending liveliness and detail with- Room Response Characteristics DB out harshness as long as both the place- Baby II ment and the listening level are reason- +5 able. The Baby II is not a big speaker and 0 therefore can't be expected to fill large -5 spaces with loud, clean sound-though boundary -dependent region - it does better than most true mini - -10 on -axis response speakers in this respect. For example, off -axis (301 response distortion averages under 1 percent at I I 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K the lab's lowest test sound -pressure level HZ 20 50 100 200 500 (85 dB SPL), but the figures increase rapidly as drive level is increased to 100 dB, where the average is on the order of 5 Advent's Baby II really is a very win- Sensitivity (at1 meter; 2.8 -volt pink noise) or 6 percent, depending on frequency. ning little speaker when used intelligent- Advent rates the Baby's power han- ly. Imaging is very good, as you'd expect, Average Impedance (250 Hz to 6 kHz) dling at 150 watts peak, 50 watts contin- and there is a nice sense of bite, detail, uous. Given the 89 -dB sensitivity (a spec and "air" in the music. Its clarity de- confirmed by the lab), this implies the pends to some extent on its somewhat ability to reproduce something aroundbright coloration, perhaps, and this 110 dB SPL, which probably is an over- won't satisfy all tastes-but what loud- optimistic figure for most speakers of speaker will, at any price!Robert Long

The key feature of this hefty newamp (still Class A) just long enough to amp is what JVC calls Digitalhandle the increased output require- JVC AX-Z911BK Pure -A: a novel approach to ment. Although two-step power supplies maintaining Class A operation at all are not new, I have never seen one com- Integrated power levels without sacrificing efficien- bined with this kind of bias switching cy. "Class A" simply means that the out- before; in that respect, Digital Pure -A is Amplifier put transistors always receive enough unique. bias current to prevent them from com- It also is unique in the way it deter- pletely turning off, thus preventing what mines when to switch. The system works is known as crossover notch distortion. only on digital inputs. The incoming bit That's the advantage. The disadvantage stream is split into two paths. One goes is that this mode of operation normally into a memory buffer that delays it by consumes a lot of electricity and gener- 150 milliseconds before passing it on to ates a lot of heat, even when signal levels the AX-Z911BK's built-in digital -to -an- are low. alog (D/A) converter. This is the path There are two standard ways around that feeds the power -amp section and the this dilemma. One is a hybrid mode analog tape outputs. The other path goes called Class AB, in which the output de- to a control circuit that determines from vices are biased for Class A operation the signal when a switch from low to only at low signal levels, where masking high power (or back) is required. The de- of crossover distortion by the desired sig- lay in the main signal path gives this pre- nal would be relatively ineffective. The dictor time to work. other is sliding -bias Class A, in which The beauty of Digital Pure -A is that the bias varies according to signal level, it can make all the right choices at exact- so that it's always just great enough to ly the right times: The supply voltage prevent the transistors from ever having and output -stage bias go up just when to switch completely off. JVC's own ver- they need to and come down as soon as sion of this method is called Super -A. the additional power is no longer re- Digital Pure -A is more like having quired. However, the technique does re- two conventional Class A amplifiers on quire a digital source to work. For ana- the same chassis. At normal signal lev- log inputs, the AX-Z911BK reverts to els, the AX-Z911BK is a straight, low - sliding -bias Class A operation. power Class A amp; at high signal levels, Digital and analog inputs and out- the power -supply voltage and bias cur- puts are arranged in separate columns on rent jump up to make it a high -power opposite ends of the back panel. The dig -

M ARCH 198 9 35 The IrTA Series

"They provide smooth, fast and incredibly well detailed sound" "Polk's RTA Tower Loudspeakers Combine Legendary Polk Performance with Contemporary Style." Big speaker performance with an efficient use of space.

RTA 11 t Both Polk RTA series loudspeakers achieve the extremely rare combination of good looks and state- The RTA Ill is the finest conventional ( non-SDA) speaker of-the-art performance. The tall, elegantly slender, and deep "tower" design cabinets allow for that Polk Audio manufacturers. Its extremely high power substantial internal volume for high efficiency and powerful bass, while requiring less than one handling 1250 watts) and high efficiency (90dB) provide remarkable dynamic range from both large and small square foot of floor space. The small baffle surface area around each driver minimizes diffraction amplifiers. The RTA lit utilizes the same technologically (sonic reflections), thereby insuring outstanding imaging and low coloration. advanced fluid -coupled subwoofer design found in Polies flagship model. Dual 8" sub -bass radiators are coupled to Positioning the 1" silver -coil dome tweeter between the two 6Y2" trilaminate polymer bass/midrange two 6t," mid bass drivers, resulting in a fast. powerful, drivers achie'.es what is called "coincident radiation." This means that both the mid- and high - deep, and ultra -accurate bass response. without the boomy frequencies appear to radiate from the same place on the baffle resulting in perfect blending at the undetailed sound of large woofer systems. critical crossover point. (See illustration, below). Polk RTA speakers have an uncanny ability to perfectly reproduce the human voice, pianos, guitars, RTA 8t and every other instrument whose faithful reproduction demands superlative midrange and high - In a slightly smaller package, the RTA St offers the same frequency performance. Bass and percussion instruments are accurately reproduced with full driver complement as the larger, more expensive Kr+ Ilt, and thus shares its benefits of superior imaging, musi- visceral power and realism, without the heaviness, boominess, or lack of detail that plague cality, and detail. lesser designs. The discriminating listener who seeks state- of-the-art performance and design will find the quintessential combination of both in Polk's RTA series loudspeakers.

THE PRINCIPLES OF COINCIDENT RADIATION

Polk Aud o's KT% 81 and RD. lit High Performance Tower Speakers

The perceived source of sound The benefit of coincident waveform of two identical drivers is centered propagation resulting in precise in the area between them. imaging, uniform vertical dispersion and startling midrange accuracy. In the Polk RIX loudspeaker. the tweeter is positioned at the acoustic center of the drivers.

polk audio The Speaker Specialists 5601 Metro Drive. Baltimore, Md. 21215 ital column is much simpler, as it pro- has taken a very direct and intelligent ap- Except where indicated, all data were taken from the vides for fewer components and com- proach to the latter: You just dial in the analog aux inputto speaker output. Measurements through the digital input were to the tape outputs (except bines both channels on a single jack. amount of bass boost necessary to obtain for noise and channel separation, which were taken to the There is an optical input, a coaxial in- the tonal balance that sounds right at the speaker outputs) and were obtained by connecting a JVC put, and an input/output pair for a DAT volume you've chosen, up to a maximum XL-Z555BK Compact Disc player with the optical link. Test discs used were the Sony YEDS-7. CBS CD -1. and Philips deck-three sources total. of about +5 dB below 100 Hz. In keep- 410 055-2 The DAT set is duplicated on the an- ing with modern research, the loudness Rated Power (8 -ohm load) alog side, which provides another set as contour does not affect high frequencies ."0.0 dBW (100 watts)/channel well, for a second tape deck or a signal at all. There are no conventional tone Output at Clipping (at 1 Meg both Channels driven) processor. Also in the analog column are controls.

8 -ohm load . 0.8 dBW (120 watts)/channel 4 -ohm load 8 dBW (190 watts)/channel stereo pairs for two aux inputs, a CD The display is devoted to the amp's player, and a phono cartridge. Right be- Dynamic Power (at 1 kHz) two main source selectors. These are 8 -ohm load 21.6 dBW low the phono inputs is a pair of buttons. large buttons directly below the display: 4 -ohm load 23.8 dBW One adjusts the phono preamp for mov- The one on the left is for the analog in- 2 -ohm load IftW ing -magnet or moving -coil input; the puts, the one on the right for the digi- Dynamic Headroom (re rated power; 8 -ohm load) other switches in an extra 6 dB of gain, tal inputs. Directly above each selector 1 <4(3 thereby doubling the phono sensitivity. are indicators that show which source in Distortion (THD; 20 Hz to 20 kHz; aux input) It also halves the overload margin, to a that bank is selected, plus a pair of light at 20.0 dBW (100 watts) 0 16% at 0 dOW (1 watt) e 0 01% point I would consider barely adequate. bars that indicate which of the two banks Distortion (THD .91; 40 Hz to 20 kHz digital input) Curiously, the sensitivity obtained with is operating at the moment. For exam- at 0 dB (maximum Input) < 0 01% the extra gain is closer to what one nor- ple, if the analog bank is the currently ac- at -24 dB 5 0 055% mally would expect from an integrated tive one and you want to switch to a digi- IM Distortion (300 Hz to 20 kHz; digital Input) amp. tal source, you press the digital selector 0 to -20 dB < 0 01% The speaker connectors are sturdy, button to switch sides. The bar under the at -30 dB 0.012% color -coded screw -down binding posts analog indicator bank will go out and the Linearity (at 1 kHz digital Input) designed primarily to accommodate one under the digital bank will come on. -0 to -50 dB no measurable error at -60 dB +0 2 dB bared wires. However, the holes in the If you then want to choose a digital at -70dB +0.9 dB center posts can be opened wide enough source other than the one active when at -80 dB +2 3 dB to accept banana plugs. The only other you made the switch from analog, you at -90 dB 4-6 2 dB significant feature of the back panel is press the digital selector to step through at -100 dB + 8 dB a connector for JVC's Compu Link re- the various options. Frequency Response (aux input) +0. - 1/2 dB. < 10 Hz to 25.2 kHz mote -control system, which can be used This system is straightforward, and 0 T dB- 10 Hz to 69 6 kHz to tie together various JVC components though I think JVC might have provided a more convenient method for switching Response, D/A Converter from one source to another, it is okay for 118Frequency most purposes. The digital selector tog- 0 gles through four alternatives: DIGITAL 1 (the optical digital input), DIGITAL 2, - no de-emphasis+0, -0.2dB,20 Hz to -5 III20 kHz de -emphasis +0.1,-0.3 dB,20 Hzo 20 kHz DAT MONITOR with DIGITAL 1, and AX Z911BK111 I I I I I DAT MONITOR with DIGITAL 2. This de- HZ 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K sign prevents the switch from being used for source/tape comparisons. The best way to compare the source signal with that being recorded on the tape is by us- RIAA Phono Equalization PD ing the tape deck's switch. (The multilin- 1 gual owner's manual does not make this 0 1 1 1 I clear, by the way, and is seldom of much fixed -coil -±-<1/4 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz; -5 - help in understanding anything beyond -0 dB at 5 Hz moving -coil+1/2, -<,/4 dB, 20 Hz to20 kHz- the most basic aspects of the amplifier's 0 . -0 dB at 5 Hz operation.) AX-Z911BK(2) I I I I I I However, the wireless remote control HZ 20 50 100 200 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K does permit casual comparison between source and tape, as it has a separate selector button for each source and moni- Sensitivity 6 Noise (re 0 dBW; A -weighting) for automatic source selection or syn- tor option. All of the other front -pan- sensitivity S/N ratio chronized recording from a CD player el controls except BALANCE and LOUD- aux 43 my 65'1, 4E3 or turntable. NESS are included on the remote as well, fixed -coil (MM) phono 0.54 mV 78 3/4 dB' moving -coil (MC) phone 44 µV /3 1/2 dB' The amp's front panel is strikingly and it provides a "mute" switch that is digital input see text bare, dominated by a large display panel not on the front panel. The MUTE is un- Input Overload (1 -kHz clipping) and an oversize volume knob (a nice usual in that it simply turns the volume aux 10 volts touch for those of us who don't like control down a set amount, and repeated fixed -coil (MM) phono 130 mV' pushbutton volume controls). The only presses will cause further attenuation. moving -coil (MC) phono 10 mV* other knobs are small to the point of be- The analog selector is easier to fig- Input Impedance ing a little hard to manipulate. One is for ure out. You can dub from any source to aux 26k ohms fixed -coil (MM) phono 48k ohms, 125 pF balance, the other (labeled BASS CON- either Tape 1, which is on the main selec- moving -coil (MC) phono 470 ohms TROL) for loudness compensation. JVC tor, or Tape 2, which is on a separate

31I HIGH FIDIIITY monitor switch. The only restriction isin order to measure its frequency re- Output Impedance (to tape) that you cannot dub from Tape 2 to Tape sponse, noise, distortion, and linearity. from aux input 510 ohms 1. And since Tape 1 is on the main selec- Most of these data were taken at the tape from phono input 380 ohms from digital input 7 7(1 ohmS tor, you cannot monitor off the tape outputs, although noise was measured at when you are using it for recording. A the speaker terminals with the gain ad- Damping Factor (at 50 Hz; re 8 ohms) convenient consequence of having sepa- .37 justed for full rated output. What we Channel Separation (at 1 kHz) rate digital and analog selectors is that found was very good, though not out- aux input 67 3/4 dB you can, for example, make a direct digi- standing, performance. I would prefer digital input 58 dB tal dub to a DAT deck on the digital side to see slightly better linearity figures, 'Data shown here an 777e normal gain setting. The + 6- while listening to another source, such as but the sound quality through the con- 08 setting increased lam by 5.9 dB for the fixed -coil position and 6 0 dB for the movingcoil position. This FM, on the analog side. verter is above reproach. increases the sensitivity to 0.27 millivolts for the fixed -coil When a digital input is selected, the As one might expect from the sheer input and 22 microvolts for the moving -coil input and display will indicate which of the three weight of the AX-Z911BK, its most im- reduces the overload points by an nott,alont amount to 65 and 5 millivolts. resper 7 standard sampling rates is being used pressive characteristic is its power capa- (32, 44.1, or 48 kHz) and that the Digital bility. The amp comfortably exceeded its

Dimensions:181/4 by 61/4 inches (front), 16 inches deep plus clearance for controls and Pure -A circuit is in operation. And if you rated power into 8 ohms and delivered connections. want the bare minimum of circuitry in nearly 200 watts continuously into 4 AC Convenience Outlets:One unswitched the signal path, you can press the D/A ohms (somewhat more than that, dy- (200 watts max.). Converter Direct switch above the dis- namically). And though JVC recom- Price: $1.200. Warranty:Limited,- two years parts and play panel, which sends the analog out- mends against the use of speakers with labor. put from the amp's internal D/A decod- rated impedances less than 4 ohms, dy- Manufacturer:Victor Company of Japan, er directly through the volume control to namic power into 2 ohms reached almost Ltd., Japan. the power amp. There is very little excess 300 watts. Not surprisingly, given the U.S. Distributor:JVC Company of America, control circuitry in the AX-Z911BK, Class A design, distortion is very low. 41Slater Dr., Elmwood Park,N1 07407. however; engaging the direct path by- The AX-Z911BK lacks some of the passes only the balance control and the control features normally found on inte- analog selector. grated amplifiers of this class-tone con- Since this amplifier includes a D/A trols, for example-but its performance converter, some of the data are a little is impressive. And it is among the com- different from usual. We used a JVC CD ponents on the leading edge of design for player to feed the digital output from test this age of increasingly digital audio. discs into the AX-Z911BK's converter Michael Riggs

M ARCH 1 9 8 9 37 Tips for Dealing with Audio/Video Salespeople BY GORDON BROCKHOUSE

n old Italian proverb goes, "A mouse is safer induction: Some salespeople the mouth of a cat than a client in the hands of a claim it reduces surface noise lawyer." Many audiophiles feel the same aboutwhen LPs are recorded; oth- the customer/salesperson relationship. Theseers repeat the absolutely un- listeners look upon stereo salespeople as a mali-true old saw that Dolby NR cious breed, waiting to pounce on them and drain theirreduces high frequencies, so wallets, while delivering precious little in return. Some- it's better left unused. Incom- times this opinion is justified, but a capable salesperson can petence also shows in sales- be your greatest ally in putting together a good sound sys-manship, such as not listening tem, as long as you approach the relationship properly.to the customer's needs or, Here are some tips on how to do just that. without asking about his budget, assuming he's looking for Keep Your Expectations Reasonable the cheapest possible product. Additionally, there are frequent lapses in basic courtesy. A buyer usually has problems with salespeople because he That's the bad news. The good news, Hucker expects too much. The first thing you have to realize is that says, is that 25 percent of audio salespeople are salespeople are paid by store owners to sell equipment. competent and another 25 percent are actually They're not paid to act as unbiased consultants, objectively very good. That ratio shouldn't surprise anyone comparing other stores' products with their own. This is familiar with retailing in general and audio retailing not to say that salespeople are dishonest, but if you ask howin particular. Customers reasonably expect salespeople to their products compare with their competitors', don't ex-know audio and audio products-which is no small feat. pect an unbiased answer. You should, however, receive anAudio products are complex, and the technology is chang- informed answer. Since he or she is paid through commis- ing all the time. To understand audio, a salesperson needs sions or by a salary from the store, the salesperson is get-to know basic audio theory-a significant sticking point. ting a cut of your audio -equipment budget and you should Exacerbating this problem is the highly competitive na- get something in return. Specifically, you should get a ture of retailing. In a city of any size, there will be several salesperson who: understands the basics of audio (or video, audio -video dealers selling comparable products. Cutting if that's what you're buying); is familiar with the store's equipment prices to compete for business means retailers products, their features, and where they fit into the market; also have to cut costs, and one of the easiest places to cut is willing to listen to your needs; has the ability to find costs is in the number and quality of the staff: Retailing is products that match those needs; and last, but certainly nota notoriously low -paying profession. So, despite the extra least, is courteous. skills needed to sell audio compared with other types of Your chances of finding that combination are about fif-products, the competitive nature of audio retailing pre- ty-fifty, according to Toronto journalist Wally Hucker.vents store owners from paying enough to attract people Since 1982, Hucker has written "secret shopper" storieswith those skills. Add to that the long hours associated for Marketnews, a Canadian magazine for audio -video with retail work, and Hucker's 50/50 estimates look down- dealers. For each article, Hucker visits several stores in aright optimistic. city, presenting the same product request in each. His encounters are summarized in reports designed to show theShop for a Salesperson, and for a Store salesperson/customer relationship from the buyer's side. During the past six years, he has visited more than 150The reason Hucker actually found so many good audio stores. While Hucker's surveys have included only Canadi- salespeople is that many of them love audio and really en- an dealers, the situation in U.S. stores is not very different. joy being in the business. It is these whom you should seek Half the time, he found various kinds of incompetence, out, because, like it or not, you need them. Unless you're mostly stemming from a lack of basic knowledge of thewilling to devote all your waking hours to the subject, there products. To cite just one example, Hucker says he has reis no way you can expect to be familiar with the entire ceived some hair-raising explanations of Dolby noise re - range of products available. A good audio salesperson can

40 HIGH FIDELITY ILLUSTRATIONS BY STEVE SMALLWOOD There are many different kinds of audio salespeople-some helpful, some not. I present here some of the worrisome traits to watch for. Beware: Many salespeople exhibitmore than Act e'''#A.110 one of these characteristics. _

find the most appropriate product for your needs and budget. And he'll stop you from making a purchase decision based on misconceptions. When you finally make your purchase, you'll be making two decisions: what equipment to buy and which store (and salesperson) to buy it from. The two decisions are virtually inseparable. Where you buy, after all, influences what you buy-no store stocks everything. Even so, most consumers concentrate on the what - to -buy decision to the exclusion of the where -to -buy issue. There are reasons why a good store and a good salesperson are so important. A good salesperson will steer you in the right direction if you're going wrong. A fast- buck artist will take the easiest route to the sale, even if it means saddling you with a system that won't keep you happy. A good store and salesperson want long-term rela- tionships with their customers. A schlock operation just cares about today's sale- there will be new suckers tomorrow. How do you separate the sheep from the goats? You can tell from the way they This is your legendary high-pressure hard not to give you a chance to say no. operate. The right store will carry a good salesclerk. His most common habitat is After they've delivered their pitch, selection of the kind of product you want. the discount chain, but he is also found they'll ask what you think. If your The salesperson will query you about your in specialty stores. Equally common in response is the least bit encouraging, listening room, your taste in music, your three-piece suits and bluejeans, the shark they'll ask, "Do you want to take it with budget, the system's users, your favorite wants the sale-and he wants it fast. The you, or have it delivered?" Or, "How music sources. He'll help you sort out your moment you're in the store, he'll pounce, much speaker wire do you need with the priorities: Should you get a basic system showing you this week's special. system?" The more forward types will and add extra music sources later, when If he doesn't have your Visa card produce an invoice, ask your name and more funds are available, or instead buy within five minutes of beginning his address, and begin writing. The purpose, everything right away? Only when he spiel, the hammerhead may accuse you of course, is to maneuver you into buying knows your needs will he begin demon- of wasting his time and throw you out of by asking a question that invites an affir- strating product. But he won't insist that the store. More subtle types will try very mative response. you take his word as gospel. He'll demonstrate alternatives and explain the differences. (For more about the types of salespeople you might encounter, see "Audio Subspecies," at right.) Your first priority should therefore be The zealot has firm beliefs in what con- cept that others may not share his ideas. finding the right store and salesperson. If a stitutes good sound-and a very short A high -end zealot may recommend ob- salesperson starts pushing the deal -of -the - list of products that deliver it. Anything scure, unreliable brands to customers week as soon as you enter the store, go else draws a sneer. He thinks everyone who simply want a reliable, okay -sound- elsewhere. If he's rude or ill-informed, should own those products, regardless of ing system. The zealot may deride user don't deal with him. If he won't demon- their priorities or budget. One example I conveniences, like remote control, to strate product, deal with someone who recall involved a customer who wanted buyers for whom they are important. A will. a new amplifier. The salesperson asked heavy-metal zealot will push his favorite Where do you discover competent, him what speakers he owned. When the brand of boom box, even to listeners who conscientious salespeople? Hucker found shopper indicated a well-known, broadly want sonic accuracy. The zealot may a higher proportion of incompetents at distributed brand, the clerk snidely com- know how to listen to audio equipment, discount chains. Conversely, the better mented, "You have my sympathy." but he doesn't know how to listen to his salespeople usually work for independent This kind of salesperson cannot ac- customers. audio specialists. There's no mystery here.

42 H I G fl FIDELITY This salesperson is hopelessly out of his depth in audio. Either he's new to the business or hasn't taken the trouble to learn it. The ignoramus will come up with the most outlandish product explanations imaginable. For example, Ire- member hearing that a particular brand of cassette came in a red box "because you can record in the red [on the meters] with it." Because he doesn't understand audio, the ignoramus carries around some fundamental misconceptions. He firmly believes that bigger speaker boxes with more drivers deliver better sound. He thinks you can determine the quality of a receiver from the number of LEDs on the front panel. The idea of balancing the capabilities of the components in a system to suit specific buyer needs is foreign to this subspecies.

There are different kinds of slobs. Your what their job is: helping customers to salesclerk might be the paragon of cour- buy audio products. They may ignore tesy, but he could be hindered by ill- you because they're too busy eating piz- Like the ignoramus, the mystic cherishes mannered colleagues. A friend of mine za, chatting with each other, watching certain audio myths. But unlike the for- recalls being serenaded by a group ofTV, or playing papier-miché golf. An- mer, he has some fundamental under- salespeople singing into a boom box other friend of mine was nearly decapi- standing of audio, so his beliefs are dif- while he was trying to audition a system. tated by a salesperson swinging a nine - ferent. Alexander Pope's observation Worse are those salespersons who forget iron at a ball of paper. that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" applies perfectly to this type. An ardent disciple of high -end audio mythology, the mystic harbors all kinds of weird notions. Among these bizarre and unfounded beliefs, for example, is one that some types of carpet affect the signal as it moves through the speaker ..able lying on top of it. (See Ken Kan- ior's "Audio Fetishes," October 1988.) These beliefs extend to products as well. rhe ignoramus believes that a speaker ith more drivers has to sound better; the mystic may think an amplifier with a heavier transformer and bigger filter caps has to sound better, or that floor - standing speakers must have spiked feet. Some mystics have their favorite types of capacitor and resistor. They often es- chew scientific explanation and rational examination, requiring buyers to accept their word as a matter of faith.

Like any business, audio retailing has its share of bad apples. But there are lots of capable, conscientious people out there. Finding the right salesperson is the first step toward finding the right components. And, if you are a salesperson yourself the fact that you are reading this at all automatically eliminates you from all the

above categorizations. Well ... almost. G.B.

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Bear in mind, however, that even capa- town" or if "the price is going up tomor- your audio future. ble salespeople don't always put yourrow," be on your guard. In my opinion, needs first. Some store owners or manu- buying on price alone is the single greatest Gordon Brockhouse worked his way facturers pay cash bonuses called "spiffs" reason for poor purchase decisions. You'll through university (as they say in Canada) for selling specific equipment. Sometimes be living with the equipment long after selling stereo equipment. After graduating, spiffs are paid for end -of -line (recently dis- you've forgotten how much money you he was Editor of Marketnews, a monthly continued) products, sometimes for prod-saved. Your chances of making a good trade publication for Canadian audio -vid- ucts with higher -than -normal profit mar- choice are far greater if your goal is to ac- eo dealers. gins. And that's not necessarily bad: Thequire the best equipment for your needs, end -of -line product may be available at a rather than simply a "deal." special price, and sometimes the perfor- Still, there are situations where it's in mance differences between a new product your interest to act quickly to get a special and its predecessor are minimal. The older deal. Hot prices on recently discontinued model may even be superior to its replace- components may enable you to buy a ment. Similarly, stores may look to carry better product than you could other- brands with decent profit margins so they wise afford. By definition, such ends - can maintain a higher standard of custom- of -lines are limited in quantity, so you er service. Still, what you're looking for might have to decide quickly. is a salesperson who recommends the best But try to avoid making im- product for your specific needs that his pulsive decisions. Before you store carries, not the product with the best go shopping, I would sug- spiff. gest you resolve not to Even with the best of intentions, sales- clerks may mislead customers. Audio myths are not confined to buyers-some salespeople entertain some pretty bizarre J ideas about audio. Moreover, many stores train their people to push accessories, 41111141411ii MARCH 1989 45 A MAN 11111

To anyone who has heard Roger Norrington con- Players has created a sensation with critics as well as duct the finale of Beethoven's Third Symphony it concert audiences and record collectors. Now the eter- will come as no surprise that the British conduc- nally restless Norrington is on to Schubert and Berlioz, tor has a ready sense of humor. And he figures and Schumann and Brahms lurk in the future. it's a quality he shares with Beethoven himself. Norrington is hardly the only period bandleader at "It's hilarious, extremely funny," says Norrington of work on the Beethoven canon. The recorded competi- the Eroica's last movement. "And that makes the motion already includes full or partial surveys from Chris- ment when the sound of seriousness returns so much topher Hogwood's Academy of Ancient Music, Frans the more moving-as if in the midst of rejoicing they Briiggen's Orchestra of the 18th Century, Jaap remember the fallen dead. But then they go back to the Schroder's Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra, and Roy pub and have a few more pints of beer." Goodman's Hanover Band; and John Eliot Gardiner In this intermingled tragedy and hilarity, Norring- has a cycle in the works. But Norrington, more than ton-a onetime Cambridge English major-finds a par- anyone, has made a compelling case for such paradoxi- allel with Shakespeare. It was a comparison drawn even cally revolutionary ideas as taking Beethoven's met- during Beethoven's lifetime. "One of the things we've ronome markings at their word. The Beethoven that escaped from, I hope, is that Victorian idea that you can emerges from his performances, live and recorded, is far be either serious or humorous. Shakespeare and Bee- removed from the monumental, musty, mythic icon of thoven show that you can be both at the same time." post -Wagnerian tradition. "He's dramatic," argues the This kind of revisionist thinking has helped make conductor, "intensely musical-and humorous." Norrington the most talked -about Beethoven conduc- In Norrington's performances part of the vividly tor since Toscanini. Over the last couple of years, his mingled drama and humor has to do with the period in- ongoing survey of the Bonn master's symphonies with struments: the lean, lithe, gut -strung fiddles; the tangy, the period -instrument ensemble the London Classical "woody" winds; the rasping brass; the snapping tim- BY SCOTT CANTRELL 44 HIGF'FIDEIITY ALL SEASONS pani. But Beethoven's livelier metronome markings- After graduation, Norrington took a job with Ox- which Norrington, unlike many of his ostensibly "au- ford University Press, working first as a church -music thentic" competitors, follows pretty religiously-re- editor and then in the publicity department. On the quire a lighter touch, too, and cleaner articulation. Nor- side, he continued singing and playing on an amateur rington's fastidious observance of the composer's ac- basis, and conducting small choral groups. Early in cents, slurs, and dynamic markings gives the music an 1962, one such group, dubbed the Schutz Choir, put on unpredictable freshness rarely to be heard in main- a concert devoted entirely to its 17th -century name- stream modern performances. Put all this together with sake. "People had been doing Handel and Bach con- a gut feeling for the shock value this music had when it certs," Norrington recalls, "but Schutz was kind of a was new-and a highly kinetic podium deportment- crazy idea. The surprise was that the concert was com- and you've got edge -of -the -seat excitement balanced by pletely sold out, and all the critics came and wrote ex- delicacy and real eloquence. tensive notices about this group that was completely The irony-and yet the perfectly sensible fact-is unknown. People really loved this music." that these revelations come from a man with no aca- Suddenly, Norrington and his amateur chorus were demic credentials in music. Asked when his musical in demand for broadcasts and recordings. But a mon- education began, Norrington laughs and replies, "It key wrench was thrown in the works when the Oxford Roger never did. In fact, my musical training was like an ap- Press decided to post its young publicist to its East Afri- Norrington prentice's. I learned music, from the age of ten, in prac- can office in Nairobi. In retrospect, the African sum- tical ways, without having a formal study of it. The mer of 1962 was just what Norrington needed: "I had a came out weakness is that you may not know every possible name lot of spare time and didn't know a lot of people, so Iof Oxfcrd, for a tetrachord, but the strength is that you regard mu- stopped to think where I was going. And there was this sic as an ordinary human activity which can be very ex- growing realization that I had to make music the center Cambridge- citing. You use technique to create an emotional expe- of my existence, not a sideline." and, yes, rience which audiences of amateurs will enjoy." So Norrington headed back to London and handed Africa. Today in his resignation. The very next day, a professional mu- orrington's identification with musical ama- sician virtually by default, he was calling up everyone he is known teurs comes naturally. Born fifty-five years ago he knew in search of freelance playing and singing jobs. as one of this month (March 16) in the British university "I was like all those people in New York who sing in all town of Oxford, he grew up in a household full those choirs. If you're a tenor and you're good, you get music s most of enthusiastic, if nonprofessional, music -mak- the work. That's how I made my living for five years, as adventurous ing. Both his parents sang in the local Bach choir, and a singer mostly." explorers. his mother played the piano. His three siblings were Meanwhile, with Norrington still at the helm, the musical, too, and among family entertainments were Schutz Choir was making its way through its name- singing madrigals around the piano and playing cham- sake's music, plus Monteverdi and Purcell. Each com- ber music. poser became a kind of "cause," the subject of concen- For his university study, Norrington headed not trated research leading to concerts, broadcasts, and to Oxford but to rival Cambridge. Entering as a histo- records for the L'Oiseau-Lyre label. After a decade in ry major-soon changing to English literature-he was the 17th century, Norrington and company ventured sufficiently skilled as a violinist and tenor to be a wel- onward into the 18th. Gradually, period instruments come and busy addition to the university's many musi- were included, as they became more widely available; cal groups. In fact, he was awarded a choral scholarship among highlights of the Schutz Choir's first two de- to sing in the Clare College Choir. Along with chamber cades were what Norrington believes were the first music and orchestral concerts, Norrington the fiddler modern performances with period instruments of the played for numerous operas, among them the British MonteverdiVespers,Handel'sMessiah,and Bach'sSt. premiere of Stravinsky'sThe Rake's Progress.He also JohnPassion. Still moving forward, Norrington tackled started to conduct, in his second year organizing a con- Haydn'sThe CreationandThe Seasons,Mozart's Re- cert of Bach cantatas with a chorus of 12 and a similar - quiem, and Beethoven'sChoralFantasia. sized orchestra-"very much the sort of thing I would Once he hit Beethoven, Norrington realized that do today." He took no music lessons or music courses musical emphases were shifting in a fundamental way. as such, but he had the experience of working with the "It started to be evident that the next research period, likes of Boris Ord, then director of the famous Choir of from 1982 onward, was going to be orchestral, because King's College, and with Raymond Leppard. He also the 19th century is the age of the orchestra." And since met and talked with the musicologist Thurston Dart, in that context "the Schutz Orchestra" no longer made who sparked his interest in historic instruments and sense, it was reconstituted, updated, and renamed the performance -practice issues. London Classical Players.

MARCH 19149 47 A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS longside his work with the Schutz Choir, Nor- and 4 are scheduled for recording. Then there is rington was getting his operatic spurs. In 1969 Brahms to be tackled, with valveless horns (which he became music director of the newly formed Brahms preferred) and modern -disposition fiddles with Kent Opera, and over the next decade and a historically authentic gut stringing. half he conducted more than 400 perfor- One of Norrington's most talked -about innovations mances of 30 different operas. Period -instrument per- is the series of "Experiences" he has presented in Lon- formances of Monteverdi were particular highlights, don: full weekends of concerts, recitals, open rehears- but Norrington also conducted more conventional fare, als, exhibits, and lectures devoted to individual com- fromDon Giovanni to Eugene OneginandLa traviata. posers. Haydn was the first composer so treated, in Conductor and company came to a parting of the ways 1984, followed by Beethoven in 1987, Berlioz last when the board nixed Norrington's plan to do all the March, and Mozart at the beginning of this year. In a Mozart operas with period instruments. sense, each "Experience" is a microcosm of the re- Norrington then teamed up with choreographer search that has gone into each of Norrington's concen- Kay Lawrence to create the Early Opera Project. trations on individual composers. This coming August. Claiming historical staging, scenery, acting, and sing- Norrington will bring his "Beethoven Experience"- ing styles as well as period instruments, their 1984 pro- and the London Classical Players-to the PepsiCo duction of Monteverdi'sOrfeowas mounted in both Summerfare at Purchase, New York. The weekend will Florence and Rome. Norrington and Lawrence-who include performances of the Eighth and Ninth sym- is now his wife-hoped to do aMagic Flutethis year, phonies. The orchestra will also play concerts at but funding didn't materialize. "We've shown what can Tanglewood, Great Woods, and Ravinia. be done in the authentic staging field," says Norrington, "but we just don't have the mon- The huge splash made by Norrington's Beethoven ey right now. We have all sorts of pieces we recordings-and his earlier reputation as a Mon- want to do-Gluck, Monteverdi, Mozart- teverdi and Schutz specialist-has tended to ob- but the company is dormant. It's waiting. To scure other aspects of his musical life. But he's be frank, though, the orchestra is so busy it now finishing a four -season stint as principal would be difficult for me to find time for the conductor of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, a chamber opera." orchestra based in the southeast of England, and he has Indeed, the London Classical Players' appeared on a regular basis with the Jerusalem Sym- nine -week season this year will have expanded phony. His contemporary -music credits include no to 19 weeks by 1990. Along with concerts, fewer than 50 world premieres of works by such com- television, and radio broadcasts, Norrington's posers as Nicholas Maw, David Matthews, Francis Pig- orchestra has a daunting list of recordings in gott, and Christopher Headington. the works. A survey of all the Beethoven piano Looking back over his slightly improbable career concertos, with fortepianist Melvin Tan, has thus far, Norrington figures he has paid his dues. "Since just been completed; the first two concertos 1962, really, I've been ready to conduct what you might and theEroicaSymphony are on EMI's call ordinary performances of ordinary music. Rach- March release schedule. maninoff or Dvotak or Stravinsky-I'll do it. I'm a Also due out soon is a BerliozSymphonie fantas- working conductor, and I will tackle any good music. tique,in which, says Norrington, early -19th -century in- I'm a professional in that sense. I've been the principal struments are a revelation. "The most striking thing is conductor of a modern chamber orchestra, and I've the brass. Instead of this huge homogeneous blare of conducted 400 performances of operas. That's why I sound which you get from the modern orchestra, you can get on with the Boston Symphony: because I know get a kaleidoscope of colors. There are the old hand how to conduct. I'm not a harpsichord player or a re- horns, of course. Also, next to the natural trumpets, corder player who's recently gotten into conducting. I which were almost unchanged from the days of Monte- speak these big bands' language." verdi, you have the new cornet, which makes a com- Somehow, Norrington says these things with scarce- pletely different sound. Right next to the old trom- ly a hint of defensiveness in his voice. In conversation, bones, almost unchanged fromOrfeo,you have the at least, he is a friendly, relaxed fellow who sounds as ophicleides, which had been brought in by the Napole- if he hasn'ta care inthe world. But where might his ca- onic army. That's five different kinds of brass instru- reer be heading now? ments. The other big surprise is the absolutely delicious "In a sense, the London Classical Players is my per- sound of the Lard harp of 1830; we used four of them, manent post for the next couple of years, and we're very right at the front of the orchestra." busy. And right now it's important to me to have some Norrington's September record release will include time off in the country, for thinking and researching Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 4, 5, and 7, and the Piano and just being quiet. I've just moved about 70 miles Concertos Nos. 3 and 4. In March 1990, theEmperor from London, to the middle of nowhere: a little Concerto will appear, along with Schubert's Ninth thatched house on a few acres of land, in Berkshire. Symphony and a record of Early Romantic overtures: There's lots of wonderful country, but no sound and no Schubert'sZauberharfe,Weber'sOberon,Mendels- street lighting. sohn'sHebrides,Schumann'sGenoveva,Berlioz'sLes "But, in time, some orchestra somewhere-some Francs-Juges,and-get this-Wagner'sThe Flying modern orchestra-may want to set up an association Dutchman, withthe original 1841 ending. with me, and that might be fun. We shall see." E This season's London Classical Players concerts are concentrating on Schubert. From here, it's on to Schu- Scott Cantrell is Music CriticoftheRochester(New mann, whose piano concerto and Symphonies Nos. 3 York)Times -Union.

4111 H G N FIDElITY "I'm so tired of being lonely/I still have Roy Orbison rock and roll. Starting in his hometown of some love to give," a quintessential Roy Wink, Texas, with the Wink Westerners in Orbison sentiment brought to life by his crownshiscome- the heyday of Hank Williams, Lefty Friz- instantly recognizable mournful tenor, zell, and Webb Pierce, he saw the future echoed across the airwaves at his untimely and its name was Elvis Presley. Several death in December. An undemonstrative back witha years ago, he recalled for Colin Escott and performer whose riveting vocal range, Martin Hawkins how he caught the big dramatic repertoire, and trademark black great newalbum train from Memphis and rode it back: clothes and shades seem to have quietly "I had a TV show in Odessa, Texas, penetrated every market segment, Orbi- but does not and we played mainly country music. But son had been experiencing a remarkable after Presley came through town for a career resurgence: induction into the Rock live tosee show in late 1954, I began to notice the and Roll Hall of Fame, with moving testi- rhythm music. I had heard groups like the mony from Bruce Springsteen; a television it released. Clovers and their hits like 'One Mint Ju- special called Roy Orbison and Friends: lep,' and I really didn't like them, but at a A Black & White Night (released on video- New Year's Eve dance, we had to play cassette by HBO Video), where he was by Jeff -esinN through the actual time of midnight, and accompanied enthusiastically by thirty - when someone requested 'Shake, Rattle, something acolytes Springsteen, Elvisplain that death don't have no mercy. and Roll,' we struck up on it-but we had Costello, T Bone Burnett, and Tom Waits; Orbison was substantially different nearly ten minutes to go to the hour, so we the improbable Mount Rushmore alliance from the majority of artists who shared the kept playing the same song. By the time we and success of the Traveling Wilburys; radio with him over the past 30 years. For were finished, I was fully converted." and now his first album of new songs in ten one thing, through initiative, savvy, and Exit the Wink Westerners, enter the years, Mystery Girl (Virgin), finished just good timing, his professional career re- Teen Kings. Orbison was eighteen. Even before his heart stopped. It's once again flected all the developmental stages of while attending North Texas State Uni-

MARCH1989 4 MERCY

versity, ostensibly to study geology, he "Only the Lonely" positively crackle: modern mix with less artificial separa- pursued the new sound vigorously, cutting Floyd Cramer's nervous comping, the es- tion-and if Orbison's vocals are a little a demo of his first hit, "Ooby Dooby," at calating orchestra and chorus shored up less urgent, they also are warmer and more Norman Petty's Clovis, New Mexico, stu- with chimes, and the silence surroundingintimate, which goes well with memory. dio in 1955, nearly two years before Buddy Orbison's climactic ascension and slide Not my first choice, but this is a worthy Holly made his own history there. On the (you can actually hear the ultimate glottal- endeavor and not a cheap knockoff. basis of that demo, he was called, in March stop!) are eerily unsettling.For the Lonely It also points toward a sad fact that 1956, to the sacred fount of rockabilly, is the new reference standard. A Black & White Night, Traveling Wil- Sam Phillips's Sun burys (Vol.1) (espe- Studios in Memphis, cially the stirring where he had his first "Not Alone Any modest run up the More"), and Mystery charts. But there was Girl absolutely con- more in Orbison's firm: Orbison was vision and ambition doing some of his than rockabilly nov- best work at the time elties, even terrific of his death, and that oneslike"Ooby work is now abruptly Dooby," and two ended. No matter years later, embold- how many illustrious ened by his success rockers were moved as a songwriter, he or inspired by him, bought back his con- none of them can do tract from Phillips, what he did. His gifts eventually landing were quite singular, with Fred Foster at and the book is now his new label, Monu- closed, so it's partic- ment. While Phil ularly gratifying to Spector was only be able to report that dreaming of "little the last chapter is so symphonies for very good. kids," Orbison and With tracks writ- Foster constructed ten and produced 21/4 -minute operas: variously by Orbison talestold by the and Mike Campbell, underdog, brimming Jeff Lynne, T Bone with anxious melo- Burnett, Elvis Cos- drama, melancholy, tello, and U2's Bono, fantasy, loss, and Mystery Girl coheres that voice, with a and succeeds be- range that rivaled cause all hands are Elvis's and a highRoy (far left) and Traveling band (from left): Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty. George Harrisonworking for the man, end still unmatched. properly focused on The rest -22 Top 40 entries, nine of The other collection, In Dreams:The the persona and the compelling voice. The them in the Top Ten-is indeed history, Greatest Hits, was recorded for his new LP ranges from the dramatic Monument- and it is readily available in two greatest- label, Virgin, and released in 1987 as theperiod classicism of Costello's "The Co- hits packages. Last year, Rhino remas- Orbison renaissance was gathering speed. medians" through "California Blue," one tered the original tapes and released For It is this version of "In Dreams" that Deanof several yearning midtempo ballads the Lonely-as a 46 -minute Compact Disc Stockwell lip-synchs in the film Blue Vel- driven (like the Pomus-and-Shuman hits subtitled 18 Greatest Hits and a longer vet, and it has caused me to overcome, at for the Drifters in the early 1960s) by double LP subtitled A Roy Orbison Anthol- least in this instance, my knee-jerk schol- acoustic rhythm guitars under rising ogy, 1956-1965 (does this make sense toarly contempt for the age-old industry strings and voices, all the way to "She's a anyone but a marketing mogul?)-happily practice of rerecording past hits. It's easy Mystery to Me," a rhythmically sinuous, superceding Monument's essential double for a listener to be caught in the catechism lyrically sensuous late -1980s love song album, All -Time Greatest Hits, which had of memory and not allow vocal and inter- contributed by Bono and The Edge. Mys- g, been out of print for ten years. The CDpretive development-I'm usually guilty tery Girl is pure pop for now (and then) version is certainly up to Rhino's usual and usually right. But In Dreams offers re- people: Roy Orbison at full strength, not a high standards for reissues. The clarity spect for the past, Rita Coolidge's smoky freeze-dried reprise. It's fitting to remem- and presence make the building tension in voice on "Oh, Pretty Woman," and a ber him this way.

SO HIGH FIDELITY Medley

Edited by Ted Libbey and Ken Richardson

For Elyse Olivia Turns Fiffeen

Ihad promised to say something about what's afoot at Most anniversary hokum thrown by retailers as an RCA and Erato, now that they are parting company excuse to drum up more business reeks of snake

. .. but that will have to wait untilanother month. oil and should be treated as a sale-a-bration. Not Last week the world learned that Pan Am 103 was blown so with Olivia Records' fifteenth -birthday shows, which out of the air by a bomb, and while that would not seem spanned 1988 and culminated in a Carnegie Hall concert to be something that calls for treatment in a music col- (and Waldorf Astoria ball) in late November. Olivia, umn, it turns out there was a connection. One of the vic- which president Judy Dlugacz likes to call "the little tims of that bombing was a young American woman who label that could," was founded in 1973 to create a win- loved the music of Brahms and was hoping to go to Juil- dow through which women musicians-notably, lesbian liard. Her name was Elyse Saraceni, and one of our con- feminist performers-could slip into the music industry. tributors, Chris Manion, spent an hour with her in Salz- In at the label's startup: a collective of administrators burg the week before she died. (none with previous music -business experience) and two Chris was in Austria on a business trip. He had some singer/writers, Meg Christian and Cris Williamson, with time between appointments that afternoon, so he took a sizable female followings and recognizably feminist stroll through the marketplace. It was two weeks before material. Theirs was a small revolution, but it was real Christmas, and the stalls were stocked with foods and nonetheless: On Olivia's sparely produced initial albums, decorations for the holiday. At one corner of the square a women played all the instruments, engineered the ses- man was playing the guitar and singing, the sort of thing sions, mixed the masters, and marketed the finished you see all the time in Salzburg and in all the towns in product. Now, in these pragmatic and technologically Europe where tourists go. As Chris approached, the fel- advanced days, their brand of idealism seems a bit quaint. low was finishing up "Puff (The Magic Dragon)," when And home -recording equipment that's within the finan- from a few feet away Chris heard the song's refrain dou- cial and technical reach of anyone who can operate a bled in a clear soprano voice. Having made his living for toaster has taken the pioneering spirit out of independent a couple of years as a roadhouse musician-one who record -making. But in earlier days, those women who plays a pretty respectable guitar himself-Chris appreci- were uppity enough to build a record company, and ates a beautiful voice as much as the next guy. So he through it a coherent touring circuit and even a culture, turned and threw a compliment in the young woman's di- made a very dramatic statement. rection, and without dropping a beat she replied-and The times have changed and the collective is no more; that's how Chris met Elyse. Meg Christian has retired from music -making and from She had come to Salzburg to see Mozart's birthplace, public life; men are as likely to be found on Olivia tracks and to breathe in all the music that is there. She was a ju- and at the studio controls as women (according to Olivia nior at Seton Hill College in Greensburg, Pa., where both artist Deidre McCalla, "Now that the recording -skills her parents are on the fine arts faculty, and she had spent level is up among women, we can turn our focus away the fall term in London on a program organized by Syra- from mandating women's participation and ignore gen- cuse University. She was twenty, Brahms was her favor- der when looking for the best person to do the job"). But ite composer, but she also liked other kinds of music. She there's still work to be done, so Olivia remains active, its was hoping to go to Juilliard after graduation, possibly as mission and audience keeping the little company afloat. a composer, or, because of Brahms, as a pianist. She In 15 years, there have been a few flops but many rea- walked along with Chris, and when the time came for sons to celebrate: Olivia has sold 1'/1 million LPs among him to go, they swapped addresses. She was looking for- its 30 -plus titles. A good job and one worth applauding- ward to going home for Christmas. so that's what the staff and performers did with their On January 2, Elyse's family and friends buried her. year -long party. Six acts represented Olivia's lineup at Chris went out to Greensburg to be with them, and to tell Carnegie; especially notable were Dianne Davidson's them what he could about her last week and her last booming/crooning voice, Nancy Vogl's deceptively sim- thoughts. Around graduation time, Chris plans to go ple guitar -picking, bilingual singer Lucie Blue Tremblay's back. When he does, he wants to give something to Seton exotic whistling. But in the hushed hall, the real authors Hill in memory of Elyse: a collection of recordings of the of Olivia's success applauded the label and themselves. music of Brahms-everything the composer wrote-in "Every time you spend a dollar, you're casting a vote the hope that another young woman, or maybe more for someone else's success," a new friend summed up than one, will find in that music what Elyse found and neatly. Olivia Records has earned its standing ovation. loved. Ted Libbey Leslie Berman

si A Century, and More, of American Song

JAN DeGAETANI and GILBERT KALISH: works by Ives, Charles Wakefield Cad- Wadland, prod. L'Oiseau-Lyre 417 323-2 Songs of America. man, Sergius Kagen, Rebecca Clarke, and (D). r,t= DeGaetani, Kalish, Robbins*. Teresa Stanley Walden share the spotlight with BACH: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott. Sterne, prod. Nonesuch 79178 (D). one of Copland's Dickinson settings, one 3.W.V. 80; Herz und Mund und Tat ADLER: Time, You Old Gypsy Man. of William Bolcom's cabaret songs, and a und Leben, B.W.V. 147. BABBITT: The Widow's Lament in rare solo vocal setting by Ned Rorem. Bryden, Minter, Thomas, Opalach; Springtime. BENSON: American Primi- Throughout, the emphasis is on the great 4 Bach Ensemble, Rifkin. Peter Wad- tive. BOLCOM: Waitin' (from "Cabaret American song tradition; there are only land, prod. L'Oiseau-Lyre 417250-2 (D). Songs"). CADMAN: The Moon Drops two forays (for Crumb and Davidovsky)co Low. CAGE: Little Four Paws. CART- into the extended vocal techniques of the BACH: Jauchzet Gott in alien Landen!, ER: Dust of Snow; The Rose Fami- avant-garde. B.W.V. 51*; Wachet auf, ruft uns die ly. CLARKE: Lethe. COPLAND: There That this astonishing stylistic and Stimme, B.W.V. 140°. Came a Wind Like a Bugle (from "Twelve chronological sampling coheres into such Baird**, Minter°, Thomas °,Opalach°: Poems of Emily Dickinson"). R. CRAW - a unified vision is a tribute to the versa- Bach Ensemble, Rifkin. Peter Wad - FORD SEEGER: Home Thoughts; White tility of DeGaetani and Kalish, who leap land, prod. L'Oiseau-Lyre 417 616-2 Moon; Joy. CR UMB: The Sleeper. DA- from folksy to genteel, from lowbrow to (D). VIDOVSKY: Lost. FINE: My Father. highbrow, from sentimental parlor song to It seems highly unlikely that anybody pri- FOSTER: Beautiful Child of Song. dissonant modernism as if distinctions or to Joshua Rifkin could have thought IVES: Song (She Is Not Fair); The between them did not exist. Their elegance Bach'scantata Ein feste Burg ist unser All -Enduring; Sunrise*. JACOBS-BOND: and poise ennoble everything that they Gottsuitable for public performance by a Nothin' but Love; I Love You Truly; Hertouch-in their hands, even the unbear- grand total of 15 musicians. But Rifkin, a Greatest Charm. KAGEN: The Junk Man. ably syrupy "I Love You Truly" seems an musicologist and part-time Scott Joplin KERNIS: Stein X Seven: No. 6. ROREM: art song. DeGaetani's rich, creamy voice specialist who believes that Bach intended Interlude (from "Poems of Love and the is never overladen with vibrato, and her his choral music to be played and sung by Rain"). SCHUMAN: Dozing on the Lawn varied vocal timbres mirror every nuance only one person to a part, is recording a se- (from "Time to the Old"). WALDEN:of the texts. Kalish's lucid, clear -textured ries of cantatas performed along precisely Grandma (Millie). pianism reaches beyond accompaniment those lines. InJauchzet Gott in al/en Lan - Sometimes it just isn't worth mincing to play an equal role in interpretation. den!,of course, the point is moot, since the words. So I'll state at the outset: Jan De- What puts the icing on this already work is for solo soprano without chorus. Gaetani and Gilbert Kalish'sSongs offlawless cake is the recorded sound, which In the other cantatas, however, Rifkin's Americais one of the most perfectly con- has been engineered with a naturalness thesis gets a pretty rigorous workout. ceived and lovingly realized recordingsand clarity unprecedented, in my expe- Thesis or no thesis, Rifkin's Bach En- I have ever had the pleasure to review. rience, on a voice and piano disc. Perhaps semble is a first-rate instrumental group Filled with unknown gems unearthed credit for that is due to Teresa Sterne, who by any standards. Countertenor Drew from the deepest recesses of American vo- produced the legendary DeGaetani/Ka-Minter, tenor Jeffrey Thomas, and bass cal music,Songs of America isa constant lish collaborations of the 1970s, and whoJan Opalach, who are heard together on delight on every level: historical, textual, marks her reappearance at Nonesuch with three of the six cantatas, provide the basis topical, and musical. this recording. But giving credit is less im- for a highly satisfactory solo quartet, and Surely only DeGaetani and Kalish, portant than ensuring this effort's success. it will be interesting to see how their work whose partnership has extended over Therefore, go forth, all you music lovers, together develops in future recordings. nearly three decades, could have succeed- and purchase this disc! For we must guar- For the most part, Rifkin proves to be an ed in collecting a range of music this antee a sequel. Playing time: 73:55. excellent, unobtrusive conductor. When broad. Represented here are 21 composers K. Robert Schwarz these performances do go wrong, howev- whose 28 songs date from the 1860s to the er, it is invariably because of a lack of 1980s. Stephen Foster rubs elbows with BACH: Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, rhythmic point and lightness. Julianne Elliott Carter, Ruth Crawford Seeger with zu dir. B.W.V. 131; Gottes Zeit ist die Baird, for instance, is insufficiently bril- Milton Babbitt, Carrie Jacobs -Bond with allerbeste Zeit, B.W.V. 106. liant inJauchzet Gott,but Rifkin's overly George Crumb and Mario Davidovsky. Monoyios, Rickards, Brownless, Opa- relaxed tempos and slightly spongy bass Nearly forgotten (or totally unknown) P loch; Bach Ensemble, Rifkin. Peterlines are very much a part of her problem.

S2 HIGH FIDELITY Jan DeGaetani and Gilbert Kalish partners in song for almost three decades

sic as chronologically wide-ranging as Jos- quin Desprez's early -16th -century Stabat Mater and Johannes Brahms's late -19th - century motets. In everything the group has done, whether accompanied by orchestra or not, the result has been a stimu- lating blend of interpretive profundity and sonic lightness. The latter characteristic- a product as much of tempo and articulation as it is of timbre and balance-seems especially useful as a leavening agent in the Bach cantatas recorded here. These are somber works whose funereal texts are po- tently expressed by Bach's dark harmonies and poignant melodic lines, and La Chapelle Royale's concerted approach keeps them sounding serious but never dreary. The finest individual performances come from soprano Ingrid Schmithiisen and countertenor Charles Brett, both of whom are assigned intensely personal arias in the Trauer Ode. Their polished voices are also beautifully paired in the "Wirielen" duet of Jesu, der du meine Seele. The nonsinging (but not exactly un- sung) heroes are Paul Dombrecht and Taka Kitazato, who deliver some of the finest Baroque oboe and oboe d'amore playing ever committed to disc. But it is Do Rifkin's scholarly conclusions ple. Rifkin's notes, which make the stron- Herreweghe's ensemble -16 choristers make sense in practice? In the end, the gest possible case for his approach, are in- and 23 instrumentalists, recorded in an in- slender volume of choral sound produced telligent and illuminating. Playing times: timate -sounding room unidentified in the by the Bach Ensemble seems to me not 38:35 (417 323-2); 53:05 (417 250-2); 42:44 notes on the recording-that makes the quite right. (The fact that producer Peter (417 616-2). Terry Teachout biggest impression. On all counts, this lat- Wadland tends to place the voices too far est effort by La Chapelle Royale is a subtle back in the mix should be noted as well.) BACH: Jesu, der du rneine Seele, truimph. Playing time: 57:47. The sonic expectations are far less frus- B.W.V. 78; Lass, Furstin, lass noch einen James Wierzbicki trated here than in Rifkin's notorious Strahl (Trauer Ode), B.W.V. 198. Nonesuch recording of the B minor Mass, .S'ehmithiisen, Brett, Cook, Kooy; BEETHOVEN: Concertos for Piano and though, and the intimate scale of these Chorus and Orchestra of La Chapelle Orchestra. performances makes more sense in a living Royale, Herreweghe. Michel Bernard, Barenboim; Berlin Philharmonic, Bar- room than -n a good -size church or a con- prod. Harmonia Mundi France HMC enboim. Daniel Barenboim and Wolf- cert hall. Right or wrong, they seem likely 901270 (D). o HMA 331270. ci HMCgang Giilich, prods. Angel EMI CDCC to wear well as recordings in a way that, 401270. (Dist. by Harmonia Mundi, 47974 (D, 3). for instance, Nikolaus Harnoncourt's U.S.A.) No. 1, in C, Op. 15; No. Z in B flat, Op. Bach cantatas have not. Under the direction of Philippe Her- 19; No. 3, in C minor, Op. 37, No. 4, in G, In any case, listen to these discs, even if reweghe, the small chorus that forms La Op. 58; No. 5, in E flat, Op. 73 ("Emper- you object to the interpretations on princi- Chapelle Royale has recorded sacred mu - or").

MARCH 1989 Si V

Improbable as it may sound, Daniel Bar- ately wants to avoid the aura of the flashypianist and conductor. Here, though, one enboim may very possibly succeed Her- virtuoso. Most of the time, he adheres comes away with the regretful feeling that bert von Karajan as conductor of the Ber- faithfully to Beethoven's quite explicit in- he bit off a good deal more than he could lin Philharmonic. Internal sources say the structions in the score, although from time chew. Playing time: 3:01:13. Paul Moor orchestra members hold him in the high- to time he will deliberately contradict the est regard-and in Berlin the players elect composer's wishes concerning such things BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 1, In C, their own conductor, for life. I can't help as phrasing, staccato, and the sustaining Op. 21; Symphony No. 6, in F, Op. 68. wondering whether those players, without pedal. London Classical Players, Norrington. that exceptional regard and affection for I could live with that, but I have David R. Murray, prod. Angel EMI Barenboim, would have permitted him the greater difficulty with Barenboim's incli- CDC 49746 (D). self-indulgence of doing double duty in nation, at the slightest indication to slow Singing the praises of Roger Norrington is these monumental works as both soloist down, to lapse into a mood and pace more like preaching to the converted. Anyone and conductor. About 20 years ago, he didsuitable to a nocturne. Beethoven provid- with the slightest sympathy for the histori- pull off something similar in a completeed none of these works with metronomecal -performance movement has already recording of Mozart's piano concertos,markings. He did, though, mark the discovered his dramatically personal in- with the English Chamber Orchestra. At Fourth's middle movement Andante con terpretations of the Beethoven sympho- least the last three of the Beethoven con- moto (with motion) and the Fifth's Adagio nies. Even those (such as this writer) who certos make substantially greater de- un poco mosso (a bit moved, stirred, agitat- once touted Christopher Hogwood have mands, though, and no pianist in his righted)-but you'd never know it from these taken note of the Norrington difference. mind would attempt such a stunt in actual interpretations. Barenboim tends to caress And what of the unconverted? They performance, stripped of recourse to the the slow passages almost to death. fall into at least two camps. The first group possibilities of retakes and editing. Baren- Just as even the best writer can benefit is sympathetic to historical performances boim's doing both jobs here does give us from intelligent editing, so can the finest but questions Norrington's choice of tem- his interpretation of these works exactly as musician benefit from an intelligent re- pos. At a recent meeting of the American he wants them, but I can't deny a nagging cording producer, one who can diplomati- Musicological Society, Baltimore Sym- feeling that the project would have come cally call his attention to inadvertent little phony Orchestra conductor David Zin- off better, musically, if he had contented deviations from the composer's printed in- man and a panel of scholars devoted much

From the purely sonic standpoint, the boim, not content with starring as soloist larly the lumbering, folksy alla marcia in cycle gets off to a disappointing start. In and conductor, has also served as his own the finale of the Ninth Symphony. But, al- the first two works, this glorious orches- coproducer. That quite possibly explainsthough the session left a bitter aftertaste- tra-quite possibly the world's greatest- such things as his giving in to a tendency after all, the man being lambasted was not sounds downright woolly, not to say mud- not to hold long notes or rests for their full present to defend himself-even Norring- dy. In fact, I wondered if something might value-which is especially annoying if you ton's critics did not dispute his innate mu- possibly have happened to my rig, and have that innate sort of automatic metro- sicianship. made some comparative tests with Svia- nome ticking away the steady tempo in- The other camp will never make peace toslav Richter's 1960 analog recording of side your head. with historical performance of any kind. the First Concerto (with Charles Munch No one could seriously contest Daniel Reared on Furtwangler, Toscanini, Kara- and the Boston Symphony, on RCA 6804- Barenboim's extraordinary gifts both asjan, or their disciples, the members of this 2) and Martha Argerich's 1983 version of the Second (as soloist and conductor with the London Sinfonietta, on Denon C37 7322), both of which sounded splendid. The sound in Barenboim's set gets better as the opus numbers progress, but it never does attain the high level to which other CDs of this same orchestra have accus- tomed us. The piano, for some reason, sounds considerably better than the orchestra. Generally speaking, as one would expect, Barenboim contributes solid, musi- cianly performances across the board. He particularly stands out in the more con- templative sections. He has a radiant, singing tone, and he shapes phrases with poet- ic, sometimes even moving sensitivity. Wherever Beethoven has provided the soloist with an ossia if he cares to show off a bit, Barenboim consistently makes the more self-effacing choice, as if he deliber- Daniel Barenboim: Beethoven with less than enough bite, more than enough to chew

54 HIGH FIDELITY Prices subject to change Ordil&ti group find the period -instrument timbres Prices exclude and playing techniques to be nothing less shipping charges 1I17 Not responsible for than a perversion of the Beethoven they typographical errors know and love. Until recently, they had N E W YORK WHOLESALE one indisputable point in their favor: His- FOR FASTEST (212) 684-8046 torically aware performances were just too SERVICE CALL(212) 684-6363FAX faceless, too impersonal, too drained of ex- HOURS: MONDAY -FRIDAY, 9AM-7PM EST SATURDAY 10AM-5PM pression. How could a Hogwood hope to or Write Direct 2 PARK AVENUE, DEPT. 15, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10016 We sell authorized U S branded merchandise and parallel importsAll products covered by manufacturer's warranty or New York be spoken of in the same breath as the leg- Wholesaler's exclusive limited warranty Manufacturer's rebates may not apply Ask for full details at the time of purchase. endary conductorial interpreters of both CD PLAYERS LOUDSPEAKEPS AMPSA TUNERS CAR STEREOS FAX the past and present? YAMAHA MISSION YAMAHA PIONEER SHARP 1249 CDX1110 749 Argonaut M0600 New 429 6262TR 279 00140 749 While I would not presume to place CDX910 559 Freedom MX800 New 679 KEH8050 339 UX160 A Renaissance 559 CDX710 389 MX1000 New 949 KEH60509 279 FO 300 707 409 Norrington in either Furtwangler's or CDX410 249 AX900 549 GMA2000 249 FO 420 7001E Special 229 COX510 279 AX700 399 DEAM300CDXMI)0 779 CANON Toscanini's league, his appearance has 70 199 606610 499 CX600 New 359 KENWOOD FAX8 CELESTION FAX20 served to shatter the myth that historical DENON CX800 New 559 KRC2000A 189 SL600 1549 DCM555 469 CX1000 New 949 KRC555 319 FAx25 SL6S I 769 performances must be reticent. In Nor- DC01520 New 649 TX900 249 KDC80 489 TOSHIBA DL1011 649 429 TX500 199 30100 LOW rington's hands, even the backward -look- DC0910 New 0L811 409 KRC757 399 E01100 469 3300 EST DCD810 329 016 11 329 KRC858 479 3700 ing, Haydnesque language of Beethoven's DC0610 269 014 7 259 00500 249 KRC959 649 SONY B&W DSR1OOPRO 473 KDC9OR 699 MURATA 1600 First Symphony is personalized. The sim- COR950 389 MATRIX3 1799 DSP1 683 KAC820 259 PRI 439 1200 CES CDPC70 359 MATRIX2 1179 AVC50 BLAUPUNKT ple introduction is impregnated with mys- 449 AVX100 559 CDPC100 MATRiX1 979 DENVER 219 11=11 tery; the crescendos and sforzandos are CDP750 279 MATRIX1600 799 NAD PORTLAND 259 PANASONIC CDP570 New 199 MATRIX1800 949 3225 199 LEXINGTON New 419 KXT2321 35 CDP370 New 179 DM550 329 emphasized; additional dynamic shading 3240 329 LOS ANGELES New 369 KXT2325 39 COPC20 New 249 DM560 439 3400 639 SAN FRANCISCO New 319 KXT2342 43 and accentuations are interpolated. The CDPC30 New 269 DM' 70 519 2200 499 WASHINGTON 299 1013204 59 CDPC15ESD 649 DM580 729 conclusion of the first movement, capped 1300 429 KXT3150 129 PIONEER CANTON DENON 1700 649 DCR5520 449 KXT3160 159 PDM700 499 KARAT20 579 in Norrington's account by a thrilling new 6011423 69 PDM600 409 KARAT30 699 DENON DCR5425 399 KOT1427 105 crescendo that is blared out by the brass PDM500 329 KARAT40 1029 PMA920 499 DC95220 279 249 1012620 114 PDM400 279 KARAT60 1289 PMA720 389 OCA3280 1349 KXT2622 149 and whacked home by the timpani, is em- PC17100 399 CT80 PMA520 299 DCC8920 699 1949 VA8400 69 P05100 229 CT90 PMA1520 749 HIFONICS blematic of the interpretation as a whole. PD4100 169 PLUS S 279 VA8405 79 P002200 549 THOR Please CLD1030 639 479 PLUS C P0A6600 549 GEMINI call SONY Norrington performs a tremendous RAC GL260 349 PRA1100 399 ODIN for 1TA550 179 5220 289 ADVENT service by placing the Pastoral Symphony TU450 1E9 VULCAN our ITA650 194 5240 379 MAESTRO 469 TU600 279 EUROPA low 114/300 59 5300 729 LEGACY 349 within the context of its era, as part of a PLUTO lOW 1T4/500 89 5530 479 PRODIGY 249 TU800 389 CALLISTO Dotes SPP100 149 5170 649 PRODIGYS 249 PMA300 Special 169 pictorial tradition that includes Haydn's SPP110 169 JVC BABY 159 SOUNDSTREAM xLM400 VIDEO RECORDERS SPP80 139 The Creation and The Seasons. Never have 329 MINI/SUB 139 ea TC308 519 XLV444 249 AR rtr, SF90 269 PHONEMATE 815222 189 I heard the evocations of nature sound so PARTNERS 259 HRS8000 959 D60 159 9500 119 MAGNAVOX ROCK PARTNERS 179 HR0440 349 D200 3498050 125 fresh, so sparkling, so genuine. Norring- CDB486 New 269 145 PINNACLE HR0750 499 TC301 269 9700 CDB482 New 169 PN54. 139 Other Models TC303 339 9750 165 ton's light, deft touch emphasizes the C08480 New 139 Cal! PN6+ 199 7650 159 PANASONIC JVC Haydnesque wit of the scherzo as well, JOE CODEAPHONE 11.12=. PV4870 Ca!! KSRX618 359 YAMAHA 521 139 3530 114 PV4860 Call KSRX518 329 and the flowing tempo of the "Scene by the RX1100 749 62T 199 3100 109 PV2812 269 KSRX418 279 90900 599 821 279 3200 129 Brook" makes the water sound like a rip- 449 FN4800 319 KSR48 199 90700 630T 389 3750 139 RX500 339 519 ADS pling cascade rather than the usual stag- 8301 NEC FREEDOM PHONE RX300 229 L2OT 359 320, 389 DX966 499 1100 99 DRA25 209 L6OT 549 300i 279 nant pool. The winds-so crucial in any DX2500 629 120 NAKAMICHI P010 389 1250 699 1700 109 rustic depiction-are, for a change, prop- TAiA New 269 EIMENIEEME 003500 P08 189 YAMAHA 119 TA2A New 449 RCA PH15 519 4000 erly balanced in relation to the strings; TA3A New 629 KX1200 579 5000 229 VE7390 329 PS5 219 DENON 6X500 New 319 VPT294 269 P020 589 they dominate the textures with a pleas- DRA1025 749 4/0400 259 MEGEMBEEM KX200 209 vP7200 249 SB7 299 DRA825 649 CANON antly acrid pungency. And I defy anyone DRA625 439 60800 469 VPT695 969 INFINITY S58 129 DRA425 359 KXR700 New 489 RSA52K 109 who hears the astonishing fortissimo out- TyPESTAR7 159 DRA35V 269 KXW202 279 CAR STEREOS RSA692K 149 TYPESTAR6 139 DRA25 209 KXW302 349 NAKA MICH/ RSA6931 189 bursts of the "Storm" to name a Pastoral TYPESTAR5 129 SONY DENON 299 RD350 349 CS1K STRAV1000 519 DRM24HX 379 SMITH CORONA tempest that is more dramatic. RD460 489 BOSTON STRAV900 369 DRM34HR XD8500 399 T0700 789 741 149 A brief comparison of Hogwood's and STRAV700 319 DRM12HR 289 X05500 229 TD500 629 751 179 STRAV500 279 DRM10HR 239 XL1500 169 TD400 429 761 189 Norrington's performances of Beetho- STRAV300 229 DRM07 179 XL2500 199 STRAV200 159 PA400 389 767 99 NAD XL6200 219 ven's First confirms that the former's JVC PA350 359 C700 159 6155 379 X06700 319 RX222 199 PA200 209 C793 259 phrasing is comparatively prosaic and lus- 6240 259 PWP6 409 RX555 299 PA150 199 POLK SPEAKERS RX777 429 6300 729 PANASONIC RD260 Cali 6902 199 terless, clicking along with metronomic RX999 579 61009 399 RKT55 379 AIWA SP200 209 79 RX1001 829 RKT45 Special 279 regularity. Norrington's is shaped into 499 MM4A 189 PIONEER ADWX909 ALPINE RKT400 229 ADWX505 139 MM10A 149 VSX9300S 649 7907 679 KXR250 199 large arches that are defined by strategi- ADWX808 299 CONCORD CX VSX7300 529 7905 629 W1210 185 ADS27 99 CX70 549 cally placed hesitations. But those who VSX5300 449 7385 469 KXW1500 559 ADS460 129 CX60 449 VSX3300 279 7284 429 RKT37 312 search for palpable differences in instru- ADWX707 199 CX50 349 VSX33005 329 7280 359 RKT30 167 PIONEER CX40 289 SX2300 199 7256 299 RXU60 154 mental technique will be disappointed. CTS600 259 CX30 269 SX1300 169 7156 219 CTS800 529 CX20 239 BROTHER NAD 7179 299 Hogwood's Academy of Ancient Music, CTW300 159 WP1500 559 7225 279 CX10 199 CTW500 219 7180 329 AX22 149 Norrington's London Classical Players, 429 7240 CTW700R 309 3321 219 189 7100 589 RADAR DETECTORS and Roy Goodman's Hanover Band all CTW9OOR 459 3501 69 Jx26 259 7600 1199 3517 169 SNOOPER 04 La 0028 319 COMPCN1 NI MEZEMIEEM 3523 209 SNOOPER D6 share essentially the same group of musi- DENON Call AX33 199 SYslt MS 3525 249 COBRA3110 99 WP4U 629 DP59L 479 cians, and they play superlatively no mat- SONY FH808 589 3528 299 COBRA3120 99 DP47F 349 429 6265 129 COBRA3170 179 PERSONAL ter who is the conductor. For Norrington SONY FH404 OP35F 239 6394 179 SPECTRUM 175 STEREOS SONY FH606 469 DP7F 159 WHISTLER 2 50 they do more than play: They interpret, SONY FH909 629 DUAL SONY SONY BEL 876 129 PORTABLE CS503 189 CDX420 529 WMD6C 299 with historically informed minds and intu- CS505 249 BEL VECTOR 189 129 CD PLAYERS CDXF188 489 WMF1001h 219 BEL 844S 189 itively expressive hearts. Playing time: PANASONIC CS2215 096100 159 WMF73 99 CS5000 349 UNIDEN RD9XL 159 WMAF64 85 SONY 04 209 097050 259 TECHNICS UNIDEN RD9 139 66:06. K. Robert Schwarz 239 0R7300 499 ALL MODELS Cali SONY DT4 SL1200 II 349 SONY DT10 289 XR6300 229 AIWA SLDD33 109 189 XR6150 199 HSJ800 189 SONY D2 SL B022 89 MEMZE=E XR7150 349 PC3 Special 349 HST800 169 SONY 015 309 SLDD10 69 429 PC5 529 HSJ360 99 TOSHIBA XR9 199 SL0022 119 XR7200 PCSL 109 TOSHIBA 9437 259 THORENS Call For PricesXE8 ?49 689 HST380 BRITTEN: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94. Holschneider and Charlotte Kriesch, Ultimately, this performance lacks the TIPPETT: String Quartet No. 4. prods. Deutsche Grammophon 423 630-2 snap of the Hogwood, the drama of the Lindsay String Quartet. Roy Emerson, (D, 2). o (3). m (2). Gardiner, and the atmosphere of the prod. ASV CD DCA 608 (D). (Dist. by I had expected a lot from this Messiah. On Koopman, and I would choose any of Harmonia Munch: U.S.A.) some points I was satisfied, but overall those three before it. The recording is very The Tippett gets first billing on the boxthere is less here than I'd hoped for. Thefine but a little lacking in depth. Playing presumably because this is its debut re-major disappointment centers on the po- time: 150:07. Christopher Rothko cording; the Britten work has already been dium-perhaps I should say the harpsi- recorded at least twice. [The Lindsay chord stool. Anyone who has heard Tre- HARRISON: Piano Concerto': Suitefor Quartet also gave Tippett's quartet its pre- vor Pinnock's recordings of various or- Violin,Piano, and Small Orchestrat. miere in 1979.-Ed.] chestral works by Handel knows that he Jarrett, Stultzmant; New Japan Phil- Meirion Bowen, Sir Michael Tippett's brings an unequaled drive and excitement '. harmonic, Otomo; unnamed orches- friend who often speaks for him in print, to the music, maintaining its nobility with- tra, Hughest. Elizabeth Ostrow, prod. New provides the album notes for the Tippett; out sacrificing the precision of his ensem- World NW 366-2 (D).01= he links this quartet with the composer'sble. Precision and nobility are here in Lou Harrison is one of the prime members Fourth Symphony and Triple Concerto, spades, but gone is the verve and dyna- of what might be called the California all of them composed in a single vast, sub- mism that have become hallmarks of the school of composition. California, as Har- divided movement, a la Beethoven in his English Concert. Like so many others rison has observed, is geographically clos- late quartets (Opp. 130, 131, and 132). before it, this Messiah is simply too polite. er to the Orient than to Europe, and it "Tippett's intention," he says, "seems toHandel's great oratorio is not a subtle tends to breed composers more attuned to be to depict a complete cycle of human ex- piece: It is grand, majestic, powerful, joy- the East than to the West. Like Califor- perience. ... He has described his Fourth ous, full of pathos-and it is certainly not Symphony as a 'birth -to -death' piece, and a work that deals in compromises. Pin- the same caption could equally well be ap- nock, by so often seeking out the middle plied to the Fourth Quartet. Both works ground, has made the composer too gen- begin with a kind of 'birth image'-music teel, and has robbed Messiah of its sweep. burgeoning from stillness into effortful Before listening to the record I felt cer- existence. Both works embrace conflict, tain misgivings over the choice of Arleen dreams, and passions. Both end in the still- Auger and Anne Sofie von Otter as two of ness of death, all passion spent." Well, I the soloists. Soprano Auger is a fine Han- have listened hard and conscientiously, delian but hardly a singer one would asso- and I find little connection between all ciate with period performance. Von Otter, that and this music, but you may well re- on the other hand, has turned in some fine act differently. The music itself will cer- singing for John Eliot Gardiner, but she tainly force you to concentrate and think, seemed a rather dark and heavy choice for in the same way that Elliott Carter's quar- the alto solos here. As I listened, though, tets do. my fears regarding both singers were Benjamin Britten's tender, introspec- swept by the board. Auger positively spar- tive five -movement piece contrasts sharp- kles; her voice is always well controlled ly with the freely atonal aggressivity that and her delivery never seems overorna- dominates the Tippett. Lord Britten, al-mented or self-indulgent. And, although ready debilitated, completed this final ma- she shares the alto duties with counterten- Lou Harrison jor work a year before his death in 1976. or Michael Chance, Von Otter makes a He went to Venice to finish it, and he gave strong impression, particularly in her nians John Cage and Henry Cowell, Har- the final passacaglia Venice's own name: shaping of "0 thou that tellest." rison (who was born in Portland) grew up "La Serenissima." The Italian word The men prove a less happy selection. hearing as much non -Western music as means not only serene but also bright, Chance sings cleanly but with little in-Western. Like, Cowell, his teacher, and cloudless, clear. Britten seems, conscious- volvement, while tenor Howard CrookCage, his fellow student, he translated ly or unconsciously, to have applied that shows great dignity but little warmth. those non -Western sounds into percussion adjective to the manner in which he faced Anyone who has heard Paul Elliott's works that blended "found" objects with death, which he knew then would soon "Comfort ye my people" in Christopherconventional instruments. confront him. He reflected that mood in Hogwood's or Ton Koopman's perfor- Yet while Cowell and Cage went on to the elegiac but lyrical music that makes up mances of Messiah will fail to be comfort- other things, Harrison never abandoned most of this beautiful and moving work. ed by Crook's rendition. Bass John Tom- his original aesthetic, which relied on Both scores make cruel demands on linson is the weakest link in the chain; his nothing less than a fusion of Western and the interpreters-the artificial harmonics voice, while powerful, is overladen with vi- non -Western structures, techniques, and alone would put off most string players-brato and tends to sound pinched over instruments. His early Suite for Violin, Pi- but this young group (in residence at the much of its range. ano, and Small Orchestra (1951) evokes University of Manchester) takes all the in- Pinnock's greatest misjudgment, how- the Orient in its parallel, open harmonies, tricacies and difficulties entirely in stride. ever, is not in his selection of singers but in pentatonic melodies, and metallic sonori- ASV's engineers have captured both per- his choice of tempos. They are quite slow, ties (produced by Harrison's own "tack pi- formances with admirable resonance and and when delivered by an English Concert ano," an upright with thumb tacks insert- fidelity. Playing time: 52:47. Paul Moor sounding more apathetic than I can ever ed in its hammers). remember, they strip the music of its pow- Beginning in the 1960s, Harrison made HANDEL Messiah. er to inspire. The strength of the choirseveral trips to Asia, experiencing first- Auger, Von Otter, Chance, Crook, helps to compensate for this, but Pinnock hand the music he had already grown to QF Tomlinson; English Concert Choir, fails to put a spring in their step, so thatlove in California. By the 1970s, he be- EnglishConcert,Pinnock. Andreas they often sound as tired as the orchestra. came impatient with merely imitating the

MI HIGH FIDELITY sound of non -Western instruments, and orchestra to play accurately or beautifully; Symphony may be said to be similarly un- began building the first of several Ameri- with inadequate rhythmic sense to impose satisfactory. The present-day recording to can gamelans. an overall pulse on a section of a score, let own of the Scottish Symphony is Claudio These experiences inform his Piano alone a movement; and with insufficient Abbado's on Deutsche Grammophon Concerto (1985), written specifically for musical taste to keep his accents, pauses, (415 973-2). I have not heard Abbado's re- Keith Jarrett. Although it begins with a accelerations, crescendos, and decrescen- cording of the Italian. powerful neo-Romantic flourish, the Con- dos -the sum of his "ideas" -in propor- For those interested in historic record- certo eschews the dialectics and direction- tion to anything perceptible as a coherent ings, I call attention to some good -sound- alized motion of Western music. Wander- progression. ing Compact Discs of Toscanini's superb ing pentatonic melodies, parallel modal The opening of the Scottish Symphony Mendelssohn performances from the harmonies, and nontempered tuning all is slow, lingering, overemphatic, and lugu- 1940s. (The exception here is the Refor- flaunt Western convention. In the per- brious; the tempo of the rest of the first mation Symphony, whose outer move- petuo moto second movement, entitled movement is unexceptionable, but what ments Toscanini makes overimpassioned.) "Stampede," the drums set up an unre- little tension mere speed gives it slackens The playing of the radio orchestra -I lenting rhythmic tattoo, while the piano, at every transition. In the second move- don't mention the name because the jacket acting as a percussion instrument, ham- ment (as in the fourth) the pointed accents purposely does not -is picked up from a mers out jazz -inflected chord clusters. at the beginnings of passages that are more natural listening distance than it was Otherwise, the piano part is introspective passed from one section to another disrupt in taxer years. Consequently, the sound and meditative, shunning virtuosity and the musical flow, resulting in a choppiness here has unusual spaciousness, resonance, contention in favor of harmonious cooper- that is magnified by the orchestra's poor and body. (Toscanini, who listened to rec- ation with the orchestra -a metaphor for ensemble. The Adagio is logy in spite of all ords as though from the podium, was said Harrison's worldview. manner of accentuation and the engineer's by his son to have preferred the later, clos- Jarrett seems most comfortable in the highlighting of individual instruments. er pickup.) motoric, rhythmic sections; I could easily(Ironically, the excessive number of mi- The 1942 performance of the Italian imagine another pianist imbuing the lyri- crophones Philips's engineers have chosen Symphony is notable for being more re- cal ones with greater poetry. But he is ob- to use throws the orchestra out of focus, laxed than the broadcast from Toscanini's viously deeply committed to Harrison's making it sound scrawny throughout.) last season, which was issued by RCA. music, and if his involvement succeeds in The grandiose conclusion of the sym- Some might prefer Koussevitzky's mar- bringing it before a wider public, so much phony is loud enough, but with Bychkov velous performance to either of Toscani- the better. I am inclined to be forgiving to- coming to a full stop at the end of each ni's for the even more exquisite sonorities ward the New Japan Philharmonic, for a phrase, it is hardly stirring. Without going he got from the Boston Symphony ("You live recording such as this is never likely to into detail, the recording of the Italian like the str-rrings?" Koussevitzky used to show a second-rate orchestra in the best light. The focus of this recording, however, remains on Harrison himself. 1988 was a year unusually filled with public recogni- Low -Price Accessories tion of the composer, what with New Albi- For CD Players Record Doctor: vacuum -powered record Speaker Stands/Equipment Racks on's release last spring of his gorgeous La Sims Original CD Stabilizer Ring cleaning machine "169.95 Chicago "Hercules" speaker stands: Starter Kit.15 wqocator 19.95 LAST Record Care Products: 121 134.95 15"139.95 Koro Sutro (NA 015). Let's hope that 1989 Complete Kit: 25 wqocator 29.95 .11 Power Cleaner 11.95 20' 139.95 25' '149.95 sees more attention paid to this authentic Bonus Kit: 50 free locator 49.95 #2 Preservative 14.95 ARCICI Ric -1 Riser adjust. stand '119.95 AD CD Isolation Feet (4) 19.95 04 Stylus Cleaner 7 95 ARCICI Quad stand '169.95 American original. Playing time:51:51. CD Interconnects: See Cables e5 Stylast Treatment 16.95 Sound Anchor stands for VS IIC '219.95 Headshells: A0.16 for MC's 39.95 Target Speaker Stands (bib or white) Call K. Robert Schwarz Accessories Sumiko HS12 for MMT 29.95 Target BT -1 adj. wall bracket 24.95 DB Passive CD preamp 99.95Hoodshell wires: Livewire. Suniko9.95 Target Equipment Racks (black or white) Magnavox CD Players. SME Rtz BEST AVAILABLE 22.95 PJB-1 amp floor stand. 4' 69.95 11'13995 MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 3, in CDB480 Record Brusher AO or N9 995 TT -3 33' tall, 3 shelves '199.95 CDB482 w/remote "149.95 PS -3 33' wdarge shelves'249.95 199 95 Record Cleaning Soaker. A minor, Op. 56 ("Scottish"); COB582 w/remote NG First 601 14.96/ 1801.. 24.96 11.5T 40' tall. 5 shelves '274.95 CDB473 w/remote "249.95 Symphony No. 4, in A, Op. 90 Torumat DA -7704: t6oz. 14.95 Cables lad Cable Accessories CDB486 16 bit CD Changer -249.95SuperCleaner. 16 oz. 12.951 52oz.16.95 CDV474 CDAfideo Laser Cat Interconnect Cables ("Italian"). 1 gal. 24.95/ Supersize 2.5ga1. '49 95 As -One, Camas. FMS. Distech, Mod Squad CD damper kit 29.95 29 95 Record Mats: AO mat Livewire, MIT, Monster, VandenHulCall London Philharmonic Orchestra, 12955 Hard -to -Find Audiophile LP/CO's: Sota acrylic mat. Custom longer length cables Call Chesky Records RCIO Lt Kilie(lp) 14.98 Sumiko acrylic mat 84.95 Speaker Cables Aural. Gamin. FMS, Bychkov. Erik Smith. prod. Philips 420 89.95 RC11 Reiner Sound (Ip) 14.98 Sota Reflex Clamp Livewire, MIT. Monster.VandenHul Call 211-2 (D).on RC -8 Gershwin RC -9 Spain(lp's) 14.98Stylus Gauges. Shoe Gauge 14.95 Banana Connectors* King She 8 ga. 7.95 99.95 MENDELSSOHN: Symphonies(3); CR-6 Brahms & Tolle*(cd/lp) 14.98 Electronic Stylus Gauge Monster X-terrninatore (pr) 24.95 CR-7 Bizet & Tchalk 14.98 Electronic Stylus Cleaner 19.95 Tiffany RCA's' 4. 5.5,7.0MM fPr) 13.50 Incidental Music to "A Midsummer Propnus Contate Comino cdAp) 17.95 Sumiko: FB-1 MC Demagnetizer 119.95 Silver SolderWonder Soider:1.5oz. 9.99 74.95 Jazz at Pawn Shop.cd.16. Ip's.34 95 VTA-16 VTA for !MT arm WBT 250g roll .8mm 29.95 4.95 Night's Dream," Opp. 21, 61*. Reference Recordings: LP or CD Tip Toes for turntables C3 -AF 500g roll 1.5mm 59.95 RR12 Delos, RR20 Serendipity 15.99 C-17-VPI. C-37-Sota. C -10 -Oracle 8 95 Phillips*, Warner*: unnamed orches- RR25 Nojima plays Liszt 15 99 Turntable Stands' Lead Balloon '249.95 Misc. Accessories tra, Toscanini. ATRA 268 (A, 2). (Dist. RR26 Redheads (Jazz) 15.99 Target TT -2 w/2 shelves "139.95 ASC Tube Trap room dampers Call RR27 Fuller plays Rameau 15.99 Turntable Wall Shelves: IT -1 "99 95 AG Sorbothane Isolation Fl. Lg:(4) 34.95 by Allegro Imports.) SheffielcVMoscow Ses cdep(set)39.95 Target PS -1. for large tables "149 95 Small (CD) Feet (4) 19.95 KodoDrums or Test Recordirdep) 14.99VPI Record Cleaning Machine Call dbx 200XG tape routing solder '99.95 Symphonies: Symphony No. 3, in A mi- VPI PLC Power line Condtforer Call Sonex Juniors: rie21iie sheets (4) 49.95 For Turntables Regular Sonex products Call nor, Op. 56 ("Scottish"): Symphony No. 4, Alphason Auto arm lift 29.95 Speaker Switching: Niles SPS-1 74.95 AR ES -1 turntable, armless '419.95 Audio/Video Powerstrips: QED UHSS4: for heavy cable 114.95 in A, Op. 90 ("Italian"); Symphony No. 5, Deluxe Datagard 6 outlet strip 49.95 ES -1 w/AO PT -5 tonearm '649.95 Terk "PI" FM Antenna 74.95 in D minor, Op. 107 ("Reformation"). ES -1 Precut metal armboards: Tripplite ISOBAR line Filters Tip Toes for speakers: 1 1/2' 8.95 69.951 for AR, MMT, RB300 34.95 IB-4 4 outlets. 2 -stage filtering Tubes: RAM/Gold Aero Premium Call I will begin by saying (for those who want 99.95 Cartridge Alignment Protractors: IB-8 8 outlets. 3 -stage filtering Sorbothane Tube Dampers 2.50 the assurance) that I listened to every note DB Systems Protrac 24.50 Tnpplite regulator/line conditioner: Tweek contact treatment 14.95 Dennesen Soundtractor 149.95 LC -1200 4 outlet voltage reo "199.95tVPI HW-5db "Magic Brick" 34.95 of Semyon Bychkov's recording of these Grado Cartridges: Grado ZTE.il 19.95 LC -1800 6 outlet voltage reg. '299.00 Mendelssohn symphonies. However, I Grado Sig 8MZ, MCZ, TLZ Call t available in 220volt. 50/60 Rz add10.00Prices subject to change can't recommend that anyone else do the Shipplig Charges UPS Air to Western Europe. Far East, ouir-)d same. These are the performances of a per- UPS, Insured. 48 States Auss . NZ -most shipments under Accessones: One Item 3.95 S50 and less than 5 days. son incapable in this instance of getting the Each Extra Item 1.25 advisor, inc11- 'Turntables, Stands 12.95 1-800-669-4434 225 Oakes SW* Grand Rapids, MI*49503 'Electronics 8.95 MasterCard / Visa / Amex / Discover FAX:616-451-0709 Sennce:616-451-3868 ask visitors to the Green Room, some of whom baited him to hear him ask the same thing year after year. "You likeson-nor-ee- ti?").However, it is Toscanini who gives greater clarity and musical sense to the contrapuntal inner lines that Mendels- sohn took pains to write. The music fromA Midsummer Night's Dreamis notable for being more graceful- ly inflected and better reproduced here than in the recording Toscanini made for RCA a few days later. (The vocal numbers, which were omitted from the RCA record, are poorly sung here, however.) Readers may want to be warned of flaws in the sound of these transcriptions, for instance the two audible splices in the ScottishSymphony, the harsh -sounding moments at the start of theMidsummer Night's Dreammusic, and the faint interference from another radio station in the quietest passages of the same piece. Tosca- nini's admirers will buy the set anyway, of course, and they will buy itevenin de- fiance of the liner notes-by someone named Breckbill-which warn through the wrapping that "the present collection will be helpful in demonstrating a significant limitation of the great Italian conduc- Ma riss Jan.sons: a secure sense of sonic architecture and a feelingfor Rachmaninors changing moods tor's artistic sensibility." But will curious new listeners buy it after such a warning? Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, in G, vigorously active early -music scene has to Shooing away customers is not the only K. 313$. offer. To put it another way, this is quite a unconventional side of ATRA's opera- Beznosiukqt, Kelly', Bond": Acade- perfect little recording. Along with the re- tions, but it is certainly one of the most un- my of Ancient Music, Hogwood. Peter freshingly "soft" yet extremely articulate expected. Playing times: 69:04 (Philips); Wadland, prod. L'Oiseau-Lyre 417 622-2 sound that Danny Bond draws from his 123:30 (ATRA). Thomas Hathaway (D). o reproduction of a ten -keyed 18th -century The praises of Christopher Hogwood's pe- bassoon, what makes it especially endear- MOZART: Concerto for Flute, Harp, and riod -instrument Mozart readings hardly ing is the soloists' commentary on why Orchestra, in C, K. 299'; Andante for Flute need singing at this point, and these days they chose to play Mozart onthesepartic- and Orchestra, in C, K. 3151; Concerto for it's almost assumed that the soloists he fea- ular instruments. Bond writes eloquently Bassoon and Orchestra, in B flat, K. 191' "; tures represent the choicest that London's about his fondness for the "covered qualities" of his copy by Peter de Koningh of a Heinrich Grenser original; Lisa Bezno- TASKAMICHI AUDIO,Wit 101 It 0 A1.11-800-622-HIF1*_;FAX 1-206-562-8720 12-l/S. siuk says she prefers her six -keyed flute, 'This Toll Free number is for orders only No other brand names are offered This ad is our total product line and no price list is mailed out For customer service or product availability information CALL 1-206747-9999 built by Roderick Cameron after a model P.O. Ben 2.5513 Seattle. Vk 98125 Allequipment are U.S.A. Models. Brand Ness withS uarranty. also by Grenser, because it allows her to We ship most order. within 24 hours; receise orders within 1-7 days. 2 seeks damage- and defect replacement period. make the most of Mozart's "legato chro- We accept VIS AAR, 51111..X. Discover. Diners Club. COD Price are subject to be changed without notice Receivers Rotel DA510CX 559 Rotel 14401 679 Nakamichi matic passages" and "wide intervals"; Yamaha 99875 $519 DA410CX 439 RD670 $399 M2001 369 EC20981 $159 Frances Kelly, who plays a restored sin- 9X11000 $799 Hx855 449 DA310CX 309 130855 299 M5031 519 PA100 109 RX900U 639 NAD TX2 349 PA150 '69 gle-action harp dating from around 1800, FIX700U 479 CD&SSIS 5300 $729 TXIIA 589 PMOCII 439 RX500U 329 5240 369 steeZes Luxman 5P10 149 AVC30U observes that this is an instrument not RX300U 239 CDX50330 $1799 5170 649 5379 551.112 $449 SP40 ice Carver CDX11 iOU 979 AVC5OU 439 LV-117 899 SP50 119 AVX1000 599 only of great clarity but also the perfect Avn-loo $949 CDX.910U 559 Cassette LV-109 1249 5565 249 CDX9000 529 Yamaha 4590011 599 LV-105 819 SP20 209 Rec-I50 639 AX700U 479 vehicle by which young girls of that 6200 589 COX7100 419 KXI2030 $599 T-100 209 SP303 319 10X7000 369 103000 AX500U 329 SP -7 75 6250 739 479 249 era could display both their charms and CDX510U 269 4640U 359 AX4COU 229 T-117 509 RA4-15 CALL Unman CDX4i0u 259 Kx.en) 319 CXIWJ 959 1407 R-117 3)9 their ankles. Obviously, these are players $959 CDX610U 499 454000 269 CX8COU 559 Oman Turntables 649 CSFMU 359 Carver KXR70011 469 DAP5500 Yamaha FI-i13 369 DSP 1 799 $1249 who care as deeply about their sound as 0%50 $459 KXW9000 559 PMA1520 DSP3000 1.519 799 Dimon DTL200 11 559 KXW302U 359 PIAA720 359 it., ECI500 319 about their handling of Mozart's material, DRAI025R $789 KXW2021.1 279 TU800 419 Unman 601100 499 DRA825R 679 Lumen TU803 329 Loudspeakers D-90 5369 DSR-100 499 and the results-musically, sonically, DRA95A 529 K-105 KEF D- 111 293 sun M-35 239 TU550 239 DRA625 449 K -I06 499 1042 I 499 0112 419 MXW 429 NAD and in every other way-are simply glori- DRA425 369 K-111 239 1042 K1161' 299 0113 549 mmoo 679 1240 $219 Kyocera K-112 449 1063 1 039 01070109 MXIW 959 1300 399 ous. Playing time: 74:47. R-861 S969 102 649 I249729 Doran MVS-I 119 1700 639 R-661 729 C95 978 098.430809 $409 22005E 479 James Wierzbicki R-461 529 Damon SR50 279 175 DRM241-1X 369 26COA 639 578 0103520 SI 349 TX -500 266 C55 418 HAD 0514I2119 279 TX -900 329 3220 219 DC0330 1 199 C35 336 7603 $1.299 DC01520 669 ORM1281R 269 TX -I030 449 3330 7403 869 051410115 229 4220 219 C25 278 RACHMANINOFF:Symphony No.2,in DC0I503 11 499 carver CIS 196 72505E 529 CCDI400 399 ORMICHR 239 4300 499 72405E 429 40001 $999 Bass E minor,Op. 27 (complete). DC0610 339 Kyccora CI 499 Roth 72205E 259 04570 $1069 DCD800 289 D811 $599 369 RA971389 $519 71755E 669 C2 M8sx2 1 199 Philharmonia Orchestra, Janson. Bri- CC0610 249 D 611 439 C9 209 88890 599 7100 629 7341 559 219 NAD CT 7 659 191387069 439 NikonIchl REIM '2 an Couzens, prod. Chandos CHAN DCM5DC0600r 6300 $729 MO 51 459 239 Tannoy 5939 $6139 6240 249 MI OT 499 R03706X 359 C6 $219 91124 Rt650 8520 (D). o ABRD 1230. u ABTD 1230. 369 DA7104°C°14699695 6155 369 MI 5T 899 439 Eticise 299 91850 239 Jupler GO) (Dist. by Koch Import Service.)

SS HIGH FIDE 1 I 1 r As a symphonist, Sergei Rachmaninoff have been intermittently available record- rate these works. The First has a brassy ex- had less than the best of luck. At the world ings of the Fourth Symphony,The Book uberance and plenty of lyricism, and was a premiere of his First, he had to stand help- with Seven Seals,the Piano Quintet (Op. prizewinner in its day (as was Symphony lessly by while the drunk on the podium 51), and orchestral excerpts from the op- No. 3). But it does not wear well. Too (Alexander Glazunov!) turned the occa- eraNotreDame. All of these works are ofmuch of it is on the outside, or perhaps sion into a catastrophe of major propor- sufficient quality to lead one to suspect seems so in this overly bright recording by tions. The trauma of that fiasco plungedthat Schmidt's other works would offer the Budapest Symphony Orchestra under the twenty -four -year -old composer into a something special in the same, late Ro- the direction of Michael Halasz. The cou- three-year depression and creative block mantic vein. With these releases of his pling is a set of orchestral excerpts from that began to improve only after protract- Symphony No. 1 on Marco Polo and Sym- Act I ofNotreDame. In an inexplicable ed neurological treatment in Dresden. phony No. 3 on Supraphon, we are in a goof, the four movements of the sympho- Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony won better position to know. ny are not banded. the important 1908 Glinka Prize (pushing The Third Symphony is a real find, and I recommend the First to Schmidt fans Scriabin'sPoem of Ecstasyinto second it bears the genuine stamp of individuality. and the Third as something genuinely place), but almost ever since then conduc- It is a subtle, finely graded, highly lyricallovely. Playing times: 58:46 (Marco Polo); tors have cavalierly whittled away at it to work of gentle beauty and mystery. The 48:15 (Supraphon). Robert R. Reilly bring it down to something closer to con- first movement is a mesmerizing treat- ventional size. One wonders why, really: ment of a fairly lengthy tune that is stated, SCHJBERT: Winterreise,D.911. James DePreist's recent-and cut-ver-in various forms-some 13 times-with- Ludwig, Levine. Cord Garben and sion with the Oregon Symphony (Delos out fatigue. The cumulative effect is utter- LIP Claudia Hamann, prods. Deutsche DCD 3071) takes only 2:39 less than this ly beguiling and magical, and the move- Grammophon 423 366-2 (D). account. ment is passionately powerful in itsThis superlative performance has just Here, for once, Mariss Jansons gives us culmination. Much of the rest of the sym- about everything-with one whopping the unmutilated score, and I personally phony is equally distinctive, especially the shortcoming. Christa Ludwig's rare com- find it not a minute too long. Jansons's introspective Adagio and the final move- bination of intelligence, musicality, and an Latvian Soviet father, Arvid Jansons, long ment. The capable Libor Peek leads the exceptionally beautiful voice have made shared the conductorship of the Soviet Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra (from her the darling not only of lay music -lov- Union's finest orchestra, the Leningrad Schmidt's home town, Bratislava) in a fine ers worldwide but also of some of the most Philharmonic, with the legendary Evgeny rendition with good sound. demanding conductors alive. Here, James Mravinsky. The son, born in Riga in 1943, I began to enjoy the First Symphony Levine, one of those conductors, accom- studied in Leningrad, then in Vienna with only when I learned to detect in it early panies her at the piano, on equal footing, Hans Swarowski and in Salzburg with signs of Schmidt's emerging personality, and although he at times pushes the music Herbert von Karajan, and won first prizesuch as his particular use of side -slipping in the Romantic direction, he still provides in the 1971 International Karajan Compe- enharmonic modulations and other char- a handsome musical complement. tition in Berlin. Since 1985 he has held the acteristics apparent from frequent listen- One minor irritation does recur fairly same Leningrad post his father once did, ings to Symphony No. 3. Otherwise, the frequently. In slow pieces, Schubert has a in addition to serving the Oslo Philhar- First Symphony is as extroverted and way of ending a fairly long phrase with the monic as its principal conductor. broad as the Third is introverted and inti- final, cadential note held for an entire On this recording, Jansons has one ofmate. Schmidt must have changed a great measure. This sets a trap for the narcissis- the world's greatest orchestras at his dis- deal in the nearly three decades that sepa- tic performer, who equates repose with posal, and he makes the most of the op- portunity. He conducts with enormous Romantic flexibility of tempo, but the orchestra sticks right with him. Where Rachmaninoff piles on one climax after another, Jansons shows an unusually secure sense of sonic architecture. In turn brooding, melancholy, reflective, joyous, GET he makes seamless transitions from mood .-sor to mood. In addition to everything else, the acoustics of All Saints' Church in WO, Tooting make it all sound unusually mov- Willi -rvoc ing and thrilling. Playing time: 54:32. nd bring back the soun Paul Moor RY '' & feel of live music. -19/9.111111F_ Tvpr 4 SCHMIDT: SymphonyNo. 1, In E; Notre Amazing! That's how most people -t99.1181119__ TYPF 4 qv react when they hear the new Live Wire Dame (orchestral excerpts from Act I). cables from AudioQuest. The music is Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Ha- cleaner and clearer - like a picture in TYPF 4 Icisz. Marco Polo 8223119 (D). (Dist. better focus. by Harmonia Mundi. U.S.A.) With eleven speaker cables and six interconnects to choose from. Live Wire SCHMIDT: Symphony No. 3, In A. has a cable that's right for you. Hear Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Pe.iek. Live Wire cables at your local dealer or Supraphon CO 1668 (D). (Dist. by contact AudioCluest -"Mr - Denon.) fcr more information. The way the Austrians talk about Franz PO. Sol. 3060 San Clemente. CA 92672 USA Schmidt (1847-1939), you would think he Tel 714/498-2770 art sFax 714/498-5-.12 Tlx: 205864 was a major composer, only waiting to be C) 141r iirmt rediscovered a la Mahler. Until now, there

59 dereliction of duty-and jumps the gun, of this century. Szymanowski's output rhythmically speaking, in order to get on was not large. Most of what he composed with things. was written for voices or solo piano; he But the main mischief here arises from also wrote four symphonies and a few one source: sex-or, if you will, gender. stage works, as well as an opera, King Rog- In any song, by any composer, the singer er. Much of the music is hauntingly beau- transmits the words of the poet; in other tiful, mystical, and exquisitely textured, words, the poet serves as ghostwriter for and it is often reminiscent of Scriabin. Szy- the singer. All 24 songs in this glorious manowski's Violin Concerto No. 1, the cycle sing primarily of the poet Wilhelm more exotic of the two he composed, was Miiller's profound depression and Welt- completed in 1916; the second came along schmerz, but six of them make unequivo- 16 years later. Each concerto consists of cally clear the poet's (ergo, the singer's) ill- one movement with contrasting sections. starred relationship with, to use clinical Both are dedicated to the distinguished terminology, a female object. Polish violinist Paul Kochanski, who as- The leaflet, self -defensively, says thatz sisted in editing them and wrote the caden- "in our century" both Elena Gerhardt and zas. There have been several fine record- Lotte Lehmann sang this cycle. True; butz ings of the First Concerto, notably one by they did it during an era before the work of David Oistrakh, and Henryk Szeryng Freud, Kinsey, and their followers had made a superlative recording of Concerto made people aware of the homosexuality Kent Nagano No. 2. It is remarkable that these two of about one -tenth of your neighbors and works, with their rhapsodic beauty, are mine. And did they do it before German- mustache -twirling cardboard villain. not played by today's leading violinists. speaking audiences? I strongly doubt that. All of the little touches on this record- Symphony No. 4, sometimes identified as If-like many Americans who know ing are impeccably right. James Mallin- the Symphonie concertante, is more of a their mother tongue only-you disregard son's digital sound is a trifle heavy-hand- concerto grosso with an important part for the literary content of songs in foreign lan- ed in the echo department but otherwise solo piano. It is not a flashy work, but Ar- guages, this superb, almost exemplary per- quite good. The performance is fully band- tur Rubinstein championed it and even formance may delight you without any ed and indexed. John Carewe's 1987 criti- made an early RCA recording of it (the reservations at all. If you double your aes- cal edition of Stravinsky's score is used. score is dedicated to Rubinstein). thetic enjoyment of it, though, by accord- The liner notes are by Andrew Porter. The The performers on this Pantheon re- ing both poetry and music equal attentive- booklet is beautifully designed. Point for lease are not well known in the West, but ness, you will probably have the same point, the results add up to the most their artistry is sterling and they obviously problem with itI did. One certain fact: convincing English -language version of have great affection for their country- Christa Ludwig's musical realization can L'Histoire du soldat on record. Playing man's music. These are analog recordings teach volumes to most male singers who time: 57:43. Terry Teachout made in 1979 (the violin concertos) and attempt this melancholy masterpiece. 1982 (the Symphonie concertante), but the Playingtime: 74:18. Paul Moor SZYMANOWSKI: Concertos for Violin and sound is beautifully balanced and trans- Orchestra: No. 1, Op. 35'; No. 2, Op. 61'; parent, and does justice to the unique so- STRAVINSKY: L'Hlstolre du soldat. Symphony No. 4, Op. 60 (Symphonie nority of Szymanowski's orchestral scor- Sting, Redgrave, McKellen; London concertante)t. ing. Playing time: 71:55. Sinfonietta, Nagano. James Mallinson, Kulka*, Palecznyt; Polish Radio Na- Robert E. Benson prod. Pangaea PAND 6233 (D). o c) (Dist. -'L tional Symphony Orchestra, Maksymi- by MCA.) uk*, Semkowt. Gerd Berg, prod. Pantheon WAGNER: Overture from "Tannhauser Sting used to be a member of the celebrat- D 18401 (A). (Dist. by Outlet Book Co.) und der Sangerkrieg auf Wartburg"; ed rock group The Police, in which capaci- This spendid CD offers outstanding per- Siegfried Idyll; Prelude and "Liebestod" ty he composed such familiar Top 40 hitsformances of three concerted works by from "Tristan und Isolde." as "Every Breath You Take," "King ofKarol Szymanowski (1882-1937), a major Norman; Vienna Philharmonic Or- Pain," and "Every Little Thing She Does figure in Polish music during the first half chestra, Karajan. Gunther Breest, Is Magic." With the dissolution of The Po- prod. Deutsche Grammophon 423 613-2 lice, he struck out on his own as a solo art- (D). ist, a movie star, and, most recently, a re- WAGNER: Opera Excerpts. cording mogul, starting a label of his own FORMAT KEY Norman; Ambrosian Opera Chorus, called Pangaea that specializes in offbeat k. London Philharmonic Orchestra, LP (Y) Videocassette music of all kinds. Tennstedt. James Mallinson, prod. Angel (= Cassette C)Videodisc Pangaea's latest release is an English - / Compact Disc EMI CDC 49759 (D). language recording of Igor Stravinsky's Prelude and "Liebestod" (Tristan und L'Histoire du soldat, and there is nothing RECORDING INFORMATION Isolde); "Dich, teure Halle, grUss' ich at all gimmicky about it. Kent Nagano (A) Analog original(D)Digital original wieder" and Elisabeth's Prayer (Tann- leads the London Sinfonietta in a crisp, hduser und der Sdngerkrieg auf Wart- dapper performance of Stravinsky's witti- Large symbol at left margin indicates reviewed burg); "Johohoel Traft ihr das Schiff' (Der est score. Nona Liddell, familiar from pre- format. Small symbols following catalog num- fliegende Hollander); BrUnnhilde's Immo- ber of reviewed format indicate other avail- vious Sinfonietta recordings, tosses off the able formatsif any). Catalog numbers of for- lation (Getterdommerung). crucial violin part with abundant panache. mats other than the reviewed format are LOTTE LEHMANN: Opera and Operetta Ian McKellen is the superb narrator, and printed only if their basic numbers differ sub- Arias. Sting does a fine job as the soldier. Vanessa stantially from that of the reviewed format. Lehmann; Berlin State Opera Orches- Arabic numeral in parentheses indicates Redgrave is far too fruity as the devil- number of items in multi -item set. tra**1236119, Berlin Municipal Opera Or- one expected rather more of her than this chestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra',

50 HIGH FIDELITY GUARANTEED LOWEST USA PRICE! unnamed studio orchestral'**, Gurlitt*o', three Strauss excerpts stand out particu- Weissmannt'n59", Jager' Sze11, Zweigt, larly, and the first-"Da geht er hin," Heger'. Angel EMI CDH 61042 (A). from Der Rosenkavalier-makes clear RECEIVERS + AMPS SURROUND SOUND Pioneer VSX-9300S New SSI System 4000 Call BEETHOVEN: Komm, 0 Hoffnung why the composer gave Lehmann a photo- Pioneer VSX-5300 Call 1 Pro Logic Wireless Remote Control (Fidelio)*. WEBER: Wie nahte mir dergraph of himself inscribed "To the great- Pioneer VSX-3300 249 Volume Control Fot Pioneer VS/010 Call Entire AN System Schlummer (Der Freischiitz)t; Ozean, du est of all Marschallins." Playing times: Sony STR AV1000 489 Center Ant Sub Wool Ch Sony STR AV900 369 Four A V Inputs Ungeheuer! (Oberon)t. NICOLAI: Nun 54:10 (DG); 60:13 (Angel EMI CDC Sony STR AV290 199 Nikko Alpha 650 949 CAMCORDER SPECIALS eilt herbei! (Die lustigen Weiber von Wind- 49759); 73:08 (Angel EMI CDH 61042). Nikko Alpha 450 579 Panasonic PV S350 1599 Panasonic PV 420 989 Paul Moor JVC RX 1001V Call sor)° WAGNER: Euch liiften (Lohen- RCA CC 310 New JVC RX 777 399 RCA CC 320 Call grin)'; Allmiichege Jungfrau (Tann- JVC RX 333 199 Sony CCD V11 Call JVC SYA30 175 houser) ; Liebestod (Tristan and Isolde)'. Sony CCD F40 1075 SSI 4030 Pro Logic New Minolta V2000 Call R. STRAUSS: Da geht er hin (Der Ro- SS1 36011 299 Recitals and Miscellany Olympus VX 802 899 senkavalier)4; Sie atmet leicht... es gibt CASSETTE DECKS JVC GRC 55U 1199 Pioneer CT W900R New JVC GRC 25U 899 ein Reich (Ariadne auf Naxos)'; Mein BENJAMIN LUXON and BILL CROFUT: Poneer CT W700R Call VCR SPECIALS Pioneer CT W300 145 Elemer (Arabella)6; KORNGOLD: Der "Two Gentlemen Folk." Panasonic PV S4864 699 JVC T1W 999 BK 325 Panasonic PV 4860 469 Erste, der Lieb' mich gelehrt (Die tote Luzon, Crofut, various artists. Robert JVC TIM 444 BK 205 RCA VPT 699 Technics RST 33R 249 899 Stadt); Ich ging zu ihm (Das Wunder der Woods, prod. Telarc CD 84401(D). RCA VR 595 New Heliane)'; J. STRAUSS: Kliinge der Hei- The Ash Grove; Bold Nelson/Eddy- AMEN HEADPHONES RCA VR 475 Call DSR 90 Pro Digital 75 JVC HRS 8000U Call mat (Die Fledermaus)° LEHAR: So war stone Light; The Cuckoo/Leatherwing DSR 50 Digital 49 JVC HRS 70004 799 JVC HRD 750 489 meine Mutter. War es ouch nichts als Bat; Dance to Your Daddy; Danny Boy; CD PLAYERS Mitsubishi U-70 New ein Augenblick (Eva)**. The Flowers of the Forest; The Leaving of Pioneer PD M700 Call Mitsubishi U-50 Call Pioneer PD M600 Lowest Quasar VH 5677 Call With joy I pounced on all three of these Liverpool; San Francisco Bay; She's Like Pioneer PD 7100 Prices Quasar VH 5485 439 records-the first two brand-new, the the Swallow; Sweet Nightingale; The Tin- Pioneer PD 4050 135 CAR STEREO JVC XL M 600 369 We Carry a Full Line of third recorded beween 1924 and 1933- ker; Turkey in the Straw; The Wabash JVC XLM 400 295 Pioneer, JVC, Sony, JVC XLZ 444 220 Soundstream & Clarion anticipatory joy. All offer Isolde's "Lie- Cannonball; Waltzing Matilda; Waly JVC XLV 222 159 Call Us For Your Best Pricel Sony CDP C70 335 bestod" by superlatively gifted sopranos, Waly; White -Haired Cassidv. Sony CDP 350 189 RADAR DETECTORS and for a really great "Liebestod" I will do VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Songs (22). Magnavox CDB 650 289 Uniden RD9 XL 149 Magnavox CDB 473 249 Uniden RD9 135 almost anything short of kill. With regret I Luxon, Willison. Brian Couzens, prod. Techni:s SLP 770 New Cobra 3170 175 Technics SLP 550 325 Cobra 3120 99 have to report enthusiasm in only one in- Chandos CHAN 8475 (D). o ABRD Techni::s SLP 350 269 Spectrum II 169 stance out of three. 1186. m ABTD 1186. (Dist. by Koch Im- Jessye Norman, as recorded by Deut- port Service.) 800-654-7787 sche Grammophon in live performance Four Poems by Fredegond Shove; The FAX 212-268.6828 HIGHTOLTAGE,39 W. 32nd St., New York NY 10001 (for a film) with Herbert von Karajan, House of Life: Love -sight, Silent Noon, VISA. kiC and COD Accepted All Products New. Factory Fresh and Supiect to Availability Customer Service Call 212-564-4410 seems to have had a slightly off day; in her Love's Minstrels, Heart's Haven, Death in higher register, this super -soprano dis- Love, Love's Last Gift; Linden Lea; Songs plays a sort of ambiguity of pitch I have of Travel: The Vagabond, Let Beauty never heard from her before. Klaus Tenn- Awake, The Roadside Fire, Youth and SAVE YOUR COPIES OF stedt and EMI have caught her in no-Love, In Dreams, The Infinite Shining ticeably better voice. Lotte Lehmann Heavens, Whither Must I Wander?, Bright (1888-1976) surely never risked even at- Is the Ring of Words, I Have Trod the Up- HIGH FIDELITY tempting Isolde on the stage; in this 1930 ward and the Downward Slope; Tired; The These custom-made titled cases recording, the microphone compensates, Winter's Willow. are ideal to protect your valu- and she projects this unique aria's literary The vast majority of singers, by the time able copies from damage. They're designed to hold a and psychological content far more than they acquire the polish necessary for con- year's issues, constructed the vast majority of her colleagues. How- cert and operatic singing, have lost the with reinforced board and ever, an indulgent conductor (Frieder spontaneity and naturalness required to covered with durable feather- like material in flag blue. 1 Weissmann) permits her all sorts of liber- make authentic folk song sound effective. The title is hot -stamped ties with the tempo, and that makes the in gold. whole considerably less than ideal. Free personalization foil included for Those quibbles aside, each disc con- indexing year. :4 tains a lot to praise. Karajan's insistence Cases are on transparency in Wagner stands the ir- V -notched for easy access. resistible little Siegfried Idyll in especially good stead, and in all these works the Vi- GINS: 147.95 3-S21.95 6-539.95 enna Philharmonic plays above reproach. HIGH FIDELITY Tennstedt conducts a powerful Tristan Jesse Jones Industries, Dept. HF Prelude and contributes importantly to 499 East Erie Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19134 Norman's five big arias. Her "Liebestod" Enclosed is S for Cases; with him offers us probably the best avail- Add S1 per case for postage & handling. Outside able in the world today; the same goes for USA add $2.50 per case (US funds only). PA residents add 6% sales tax. her incandescent singing of that great scene that closes the Ring-although here, Print Name too, like virtually all sopranos, she has trouble landing precisely on that first Address stratospheric high note toward the end. No P.O. Box numbers. please The 13 arias that fill out the Lehmann City/State/Zip disc include reunions with some unfairly0 CHARGE ORDERS (Minimum $15): Am Ex, Visa, DC, Benjamin Luxon MC accepted. Send card name, 0, Exp. date. neglected music from yesteryear. The CALL TOLL FREE 7 days, 24 hours el -800-972-5858 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED MARCH 1 9 8 9 61 High on the short list of exceptions stands dentials but still, as you quickly hear, get that is currently out of print. But Her- the name of the Cornish baritone Benja- one hell of a bang out of singing and play- man'sEbony Concertoremains un- min Luxon. Both in concert and in opera, ing authentic folk material. The accompa- matched 40 years later. he has credentials of the first order, in- nying leaflet says: "It all started in a pub in Woody Herman himself was, oddly cluding Glyndebourne and the Met, but Munich. American singer Bill Crofut was enough, never quite satisfied with his first he still enjoys nothing better than to un- performing in Bach'sSt. MatthewPassion recording of it, and he was planning to re- bend and join in what Alan Lomax, Pete with the Munich Bach Choir under Karlmake the piece at the end of his life, with Seeger, and Co. used to call a hootenanny. Richter, and after-hours one night he clarinetist Richard Stoltzman playing the These two recordings, one as delightful asjoined the production's Jesus, British bari- solo part that the aging bandleader could the other, show us not so much the two tone Benjamin Luxon, for a taste of Mu- no longer handle. Herman's final illness sides of Luxon's personality as the con- nich's finest. When conversation turned to prevented him from going into the studio trasting components making up the fetch- Crofut's career as a folk singer, Luxon with his band for that recording, taped in ing and harmonious whole. confessed to his own great love of folk May 1987 but recently released by RCA as Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote some singing. Out came Bill's banjo, and the part of an album called, not surprisingly, of the most impressive songs in the Eng- duo was born." Ebony. lish language; popularity once wore out The instruments Crofut's friends play The new performance inevitably the welcome of his 1903 setting of Roset- here include pennywhistles, mandolin, sounds a bit bland when compared to the ti's "Silent Noon," but it still can hold its washboard, train whistle, and, naturally, 1946 recording, but it is more than satis- own against almost anything in the Ro- banjo and 12 -string guitar. It all adds up to factory in its own right. Herman's last mantic repertory. These 22 selections in- sheer delight, and of an unusually highThundering Herd was one of his very best, clude not only that one but also two other musical standard. Playing times: 56:38and Stoltzman, over the last few years, has favorites, "The Roadside Fire" and "Lin- (Telarc); 67:08 (Chandos). Paul Moor turned himself into a perfectly respectable den Lea." Luxon sings them as if he had imitation of a jazz clarinetist. To hearEbo- grown up singing them all. The clarity of RICHARD STOLTZMAN: Ebony. ny Concertoplayed by a working jazz band his enunciation matches the beauty of his Stoltzman: Woody Herman's Thun- is a rare treat, and this crisp and convinc- voice, and his intelligent projection of dering Herd. Leroy Parkins, prod. ing recording is full of idiomatic touches their contents adds to the overall pleasure RCA 6486-2 (D). that no classical ensemble, however care- of hearing him. STRAVINSKY: Ebony Concerto. fully rehearsed, can duplicate. The recording entitled Two Gentlemen BERNSTEIN (arr. Bennett): Stories from The rest ofEbonyis given over to an as- Folkbrings Luxon together with eight the West Side. COPPOLA-GUARALDI:sortment of charts ranging from a lovely people who have impressive academic cre- Cousins. DOUGLAS: Waltz for Woody. version of Duke Ellington's "Come Sun- ELLINGTON (arr. Fedchock): Comeday," scored by trombonist John Fed- Sunday (from "Black, Brown and Beige"). chock, to pleasant but undistinguished ODDO: American Medley. ROGERS- MAIL medleys of patriotic songs ("American NOR VO: Igor. HIGH FIDELITY Medley") and selections fromWest Side Igor Stravinsky wroteEbony Concertoin Story SUBSCRIBER SERVICE (called "Stories from the West 1945 for Woody Herman's big band. TheSide"). Two interesting remakes of old P.O. Box 10051 Des Moines, IA 50340-0051 First Herd, as this group later came to beFirst Herd recordings are thrown in. The Change of Address: Please advise as early as known, was one of the most extraordinary 1945 "Apple Honey" is heard in a slicked- possible. Attach label with your old address and collections of jazz virtuosos in the busi- write in new address below. up arrangement by Nat Pierce; "Igor," ness. "Their instrumental mastery was as- composed by Shorty Rogers and Red New Subscriber: Fill in your name and address tonishing," Stravinsky recalled inDia- Norvo as a tribute to Stravinsky, is heard below Use separate sheet for gift orders logues and a Diary.Stravinsky carefully in a transcription of the 1946 recording by studied various recordings by the band Herman's Woodchoppers, a nine -piece before composing this, the freshest andcombo drawn from the ranks of the First most engaging of his various forays into Herd. Dick Sudhalter's liner notes are ex- PLACE LABEL HERE jazz -flavored neoclassicism. cellent, but RCA didn't bother to list the Stravinsky conducted the Hermanmembers of Herman's band-not to men- Herd in the first recording ofEbony Con- tion the harpist and guitarist brought in certo,and that performance, originally is- for Ebony Concerto. sued in 1946 as Columbia 7479M, is an in- Those who want to hear more of valuable document. To hear Stravinsky's Woody Herman's last band should listen Renewal: Attach label. music played by such renowned jazzmen to 50th Anniversary Tour (ConcordJazz One year $13.95 Two years $26 00 as Herman, Flip Phillips, and Bill Harris is CCD 4302) andWoody's Gold Star(Con- (Foreign subscribers please add $7 00 per year an experience that simply cannot be dupli- for postage) cord Jazz CCD 4330). The original cated by classical players, least of all the "Igor," together with nine other Wood- underrehearsed pickup group fronted by NAME choppers recordings from 1946, is avail- an anemic -sounding Benny Goodman able onThe Small Groups: New Directions STREET that Stravinsky conducted in the stereo re- (CBS CK 44222). The original "Apple make ofEbony Concerto,currently avail- Honey," together with 15 other record- CITY STATE ZIP able on CBS MK 42227. There have been ings by Herman's First and Second Herds, Please bill me Payment enclosed good recordings ofEbony Concertosince is availableon The Thundering Herds For other subscription questions or problems, 1946, particularly Simon Rattle's recent 1945-1947(CBS CK 44108). CBS could please write a note and send entire form to the version with the London Sinfonietta (An- easily fill another CD with more great re- above address. gel EMI CDC 47991) and Edo de Waart'scordings by Herman's First Herd-in- 1975 recording with the NetherlandscludingEbony Concerto.Unfortunately, Wind Ensemble, part of a superb collec- no such plans have been announced. Play- tion of Stravinsky's wind music on Philips ing times: 53:01. Terry Teachout 2HIGH FIDELITY T H E SPREAD MINI -REVIEWS OF THE LATEST COMPACT DISCS

By Robert E. Benson, David Hurwitz, Paul Moor, Robert R. Reilly, Christopher Rothko, Terry Teachout, and James Wierzbicki

HAYDN SYMPHONIES NOS. 45, 81: BRAHMS, SCHUMANN WORKS: ization of it here forces me to revise my ORPHEUS SHIFRIN, ROSENBERGER opinion. His performances of Estampes, The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra contin- The emotive and-to a large extent-sty- three pieces from Debussy's first book of ues its Haydn symphony series, bringing listic compatibility of the pair of sonatas Preludes, and especially the Scriabin sona- infectiously high-spirited playing to two that Johannes Brahms wrote in 1894 for ta set standards lesser pianists can only more gems: Symphonies Nos. 45, in Fclarinet and piano and the three Fantasy yearn for. sharp minor (Farewell), and 81, in G. ByPieces, Op. 73, that Robert Schumann pro- DG's generous leaflet provides one ar- not using a conductor, Orpheus avoids theduced for the same combination almost 50 ticle in German and English, plus another danger of the kind of stop -and -start con- years earlier is reason enough to link these in French and yet another in Italian. Play- ducting that can ruin Haydn. The group compositions on this disc. But the worksing time: 67:19. (Deutsche Grammophon compensates with its sure conception of also have in common their presence on the 423 573-2.) P.M. the whole of each movement and the mar- program of a private concert given when velous energy and flow of its playing. This Brahms's Opus 120 sonatas existed only in WARD SYMPHONIC WORKS: is what music sounds like when musicians manuscript. N ORTH CAROLINA, ZIMMERMANN listen to each other. If you like Haydn with Accordingly, Delos's "Brahms/Schu- This collection, on the innovative Albany rhythmic bounce, precise ensemble, and mann Soirée" is billed as a re-creation oflabel, spans 35 years in the career of Rob- sheer joie de vivre, this is it. The recording the musicale hosted by Schumann's wid- ert Ward (b. 1917) and was produced un- is nicely balanced, with beautiful sound ow, Clara, at her Frankfurt home on No- der the supervision of the composer, a and detail. Playing time:50113. (Deutsche vember 13, 1894. David Shifrin takes the former student of Howard Hanson, Grammophon 423 376-2.1 R.R.R. role of Richard Miihlfeld, the Meining- Frederick Jacobi, and Aaron Copland. en clarinetist for whom Brahms wrote not The Jubilation Overture (1945) helped to STRAUSS "FOUR LAST SONGS," only the masterly sonatas but also the put Ward on the map and was noted at the OPERA EXCERPTS: SCHWARZKOPF Opus 114 Trio and the Opus 115 Quintet; time of its composition for its successful Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs have pianist Carol Rosenberger doubles as integration of jazz elements and popular t.chieved remarkable popularity in theBrahms, who partnered Miihlfeld in thedance rhythms-though these sound quite past decade, and there are currently at sonatas, and as Clara, who served as ac-tame to today's ears. It is a well -craft- least ten CD versions available. For many companist in the alternately stormy and ed, energetic piece. The Symphony No. 4 listeners, however, the definitive recorded pastoral music of her late husband. The al- (1958) is another attractive example of account remains this one, from 1953, bybum's premise is charming, and Shifrin'smainstream American symphonic writing Elisabeth Schwarzkopf with Otto Acker- and Rosenberger's performances (record- of the tonal variety. It exudes the bold con- mann and the Philharmonia Orchestra. ed in the warm space of a California high- fidence, big themes, lively rhythms, and Schwarzkopf was at her best in this re- school auditorium) are absolutely superb. optimism heard in so many post-World cording, both vocally and interpretively. Playing time: 56:01. (Delos DCD 3025.) War II compositions of the Prairie Ro- Her singing here has a relaxed but youth- J. W. mantic school, before so many American ful intensity and remarkable control, and composers were persuaded to incorporate she steers clear of the archness that crept DEBUSSY, PROKOFIEV, SCRIABIN German angst in their works. into many of her later performances. Also PIANO MUSK: RICHTER One can hear that Ward has kept to the included is Schwarzkopf s glowing ac- Sviatoslav Richter has always hated stu- same idiom, without a great deal of devel- count of the final scene from Capriccio, in dio recording, and Deutsche Grammo- opment, in the more recent pieces on the which the Countess questions which is phon accommodated him by recording disc: the Concerto for Saxophone (1983) more important, words or music. This most of the works in this midprice compi- and Sonic Structure (1980). I find the con- probably was the catalyst for her complete lation in actual recital. His excellent ac- certo's evocation of the swing -band era a recording of the opera several years later counts of Debussy's Estampes, three selec- bit too heavy on nostalgia, though the solo (recently reissued on Angel EMI CDCB tions from Prokofiev's Visions fugitives, part is beautifully played by James Hou- 49014, two CDs). and Scriabin's Sonata No. 5, Op. 53, cap- lik. The program is well performed by the To fill out the disc, EMI has included ture the tension and electricity of live per- North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, almost all of the Arabella highlights formances, but some curious noise marsconducted by Gerhardt Zimmermann. Schwarzkopf recorded in 1954 with Josef the start of the Visions excerpts, and atThe sound is excellent. Playing time: Metternich as Mandryka, Anny Felber-other points the audience's thoughtless 53:24. (Albany AR 001. Dist. by Classical mayer as Zdenka, and Lovro von MataZie coughing makes you think he must have Music, Inc.) R.R.R. conducting the Philharmonia. It is unfor- recorded these pieces in the good old tunate that no texts are provided. Playing U.S.A. The slow movement of Prokofiev's B ACH "GOLDBERG VARIATIONS": time: 68:05. (Angel EMI CDH 61001.) Eighth Sonata, Op. 84-one of the studio K OOPMAN Schwarzkopf admirers will also wish toefforts on this disc-has always struck me Ton Koopman's new account of the Gold- have her 1966 stereo recording of the Four as the closest this composer ever came to berg Variations gets off to a rather shaky Last Songs with George Szell, generously "salon music" kitsch, even when trying to start. The opening aria is taken slowly and coupled with a dozen other Strauss songs appease Stalin's cultural hatchet man, An-somewhat hesitantly, which results in so (Angel EMI CDC 47276). R.E.B. drei Zhdanov, but Richter's majestic real- many short phrases that the movement be -

MARCH 1989 33 comes a series of individual thoughts, with Tosca,and more, all dating from 1947 and and Gergely Sarkozy, range in length from little sense of continuity. Koopman seems 1948, a period when she was at her ze- less than a minute to not quite three. Some to forget that it is anaria-hisreading pos- nith-as well as a magnificent interpreta- of the more vivacious numbers, particular- sesses neither grace nor a singing quality. tion of the final scene fromSalome,the op- ly those with an anapestic drumbeat osti- The first variation comes as a stark con-era for which she is best known, taken nato, sound surprisingly like the Proven- trast, coupling blazing speed and rhyth- from a 1944 Austrian radio broadcast. All cal music recorded by the late David mic rigidity and leaving a rather unpleas- of these selections capture the essence of Munrow's Early Music Consort of Lon- ant impression. As the variations proceed, Welitsch: the security and thrusting ease don. The five singers and 13 instrumental- the harpsichordist seems to settle down, of her vocal production, the accuracy and ists who compose the Camerata Hungari- more often finding thetempo giusto,while purity of her sound. If there is a better per- ca employ lutes and viols plus chalumeau, better weaving his insights into the fabric formance of Tatiana's Letter Scene fromcrumhorn, shawm, and curtals, and they of the piece. Characteristically, Koopman Onegin,I've not heard it. Welitsch'sSalo- play with unflagging vigor and convic- ornaments heavily, and to good effect- me finaleis perhaps definitive, and even tion. Playing time: 52:00. (Hungaroton which helps to heighten the differences be- with its dated monophonic sound, the per- HCD 12194. Dist. by Qualiton Imports, tween variations and lends his playing an formance is sufficiently well conveyed to Ltd.) P. M. improvisatory sense. display operatic characterization at its fin- Taken as a whole, this is a very "pub- est. Welitsch first sang Salome-at Ri- PURCELL "AYRES FOR THE THEATRE": lic" performance, with plenty of poise and chard Strauss's suggestion and under his PARLEY OF INSTRUMENTS bravura but little warmth, affection, or re- direction-in the same year that theThe Parley of Instruments, a British origi- flectiveness. The interpretation does not broadcast included here was made, so this nal -instruments ensemble led by Peter lack intellectual rigor, yet one misses the account is doubtless representative ofHolman, has recorded a delightful selec- more meditative approach of a Kenneth what the composer himself heard and en- tion of Purcell's theater music for Hyperi- Gilbert or Gustav Leonhardt. Koopman's thusiastically endorsed. The innocent on, England's most imaginative small rec- harpsichord is an excellent modern quality of the interpretation is far removed ord label. Suites fromThe Virtuous Wife, copy, beautifully captured by Erato, al- from the Wagnerian masses of sound ofBonduca, The Gordion Knot Unty'd,and though the image is a bit larger than life. some other sopranos who have attempted Abdelazerand two items fromTimon of Playing time: 62:22. (RCA Erato ECD this role, yet Welitsch still has plenty of Athensare included, and the Chacony in G 75472.) C.R. power for the dramatic climaxes. minor is thrown in for good measure. This The disappointing aspect of this CD is music is likely to be unfamiliar to the aver- BARTOK ORCHESTRAL SUITES: what it doesnotinclude. In 1948, Welitsch age listener, with the exception of the FERENCSIK, ERDELYI recorded theSalome finalewith Herbert "Rondeau"fromAbdelazer,which Benja- Bartok's early Suite No. 1, Op. 3, for full von Karajan and the Vienna Philharmon- min Britten used as the theme of hisYoung orchestra, and Suite No. 2, Op. 4, for small ic. The master of the second of the four 78 - Person's Guide to the Orchestra.The Par- orchestra, deserve more attention than rpm sides was damaged, and the release of ley of Instruments plays all of it with gus- they currently get. When was the last time the recording was delayed until it ap-to. Very highly recommended, not least a major orchestra programmed one of peared on a World Records LP (SH 286), for Peter Holman's fine liner notes. Play- them? Though certainly not written in the now out of print. This historic and quiteing time: 58:46. (Hyperion CDA 66212. composer's mature style, they are full offabulous performance easily would have Dist. by Harmonia Mundi. U.S.A.)T T great tunes, evocative orchestral colors, fit onto this CD. Anyone interested in and a rhythmic vitality that clearly fore- either Welitsch orSalomesurely would "ITALIAN BEGGARS' SONGS": shadows the masterful achievements to not mind having two versions of the final SALVATORE come. How sad, then, that Hungaroton's scene, even if one is incomplete. This mid - Not only ethnomusicologists will find this generous coupling-both suites on one price CD offers a brief appreciation of the collection irresistible. All 14 songs come CD-can't be recommended. singer by Alan Blyth, which her admirers from the southern Italian province of In the First Suite, performed by thewill enjoy, but it is unfortunate that noApulia. There, father has handed them Hungarian State Orchestra, conductor Ja- texts are provided. Playing time: 52:28. down to son for at least seven centuries; nos Ferencsik makes several huge cuts. (Angel EMI CDH 61007.) R. E R Matteo Salvatore, born into poverty in Admittedly, the work may be long for its 1925, started learning them at the age of material, but even the young Bartok was SUSATO "DANSERYE 1 SS I": seven from a blind fiddler, who wound up too good a composer for this treatment; CAMERATA HUNGARKA, CZIDRA tutoring him for the next 14 years. Salva- each listener should have a chance to get "Danserye," in old Flemish, simply means tore's own story, told all too briefly in the to know this music on its own terms. The dance music; the original, rather prolix ti- leaflet, alone almost justifies buying this Second Suite suffers from the Budapesttle of the publication that yielded these delicious, earthy disc. As you would ex- Symphony's dull playing and Miklos Er- pieces translates as "Third Little Music pect, he sings the songs colloquially, and delyi's uninspired conducting. Both suites Book made in its entirety in our Nether- at least partially in dialect, accompanying are quite difficult technically and require landish language, in which are included an himself on the guitar. Unfortunately, the virtuoso playing in order to succeed. Hun- kinds of dance music." Tylman Susato, leaflet fails to provide texts, or even sum- garoton's lackluster recording does noth- who lived in Antwerp, published that maries, but Salvatore has pellucid diction, ing to promote the cause. Playing time: work (mostly a collection of his arrange- and with even the smallest smattering of 69:36. (Hungaroton HCD 31045. Dist. by mentsof basses danses, rondes, alle- Italian you will discern the fishmonger ex- Qualiton imports, Ltd.) D. H. mandes,pavanes, and galliards) in 1551. tolling his wares, the socialist sympathizer The only complete copy, the property oftwitting the fascists, and so on. Even if you UUBA WELITSCH: Berlin's Deutsche Staatsbibliothek, disap- understand not a word of Italian, but love OPERA ARIAS peared in the course of World War II, but the country and its authentic folk music, This is a valuable, if rather frustrating, is- single -part scores survived in Munich anddon't fail to look into this one. Playing sue. It offersalmostall of the stunning in The Hague. time: 38:10. (Harmonia Mundi France Bulgarian -born soprano's EMI record- The 31 selections recorded here, in ar- HMA 190434. Dist. by Harmonia Mundi, ings-arias fromEugene Onegin, Aida, rangements by conductor Laszlo Czidra U.S.A.) P.M. IN HIGH FIDELITY OlICINCT FAIRGROUND ATTRACTION: has just become their first major -label laziness. Hardly the scenario for an uplift- The First of a Million Kisses. release, are working the other side of the ing rock 'n' roll album, but that's the last Fairground Attraction and Kevin street, where disillusionment has turned to adjective you could associate with Crosby, Moloney. prods. RCA 8596-2. oc) lassitude and the best one can do is to sigh Stills, Nash & Young's belated follow-up COWBOY JUNKIES: The Trinity Session. or die. Their sound manages to be both big to 1970'sDeja Vu.The voices alone tell the 0Peter Moore,prod. RCA 8568-2. oc) and soft; pulsing, dark, it spreads into the story: Although Neil Young's tenor re- Though Fairground Attraction's upbeat, surrounding silence. It's a subtle texturemains ragged but right, David Crosby's is moonstruck ditties and Cowboy Junkies' best heard on Compact Disc, through shockingly deep, Stephen Stills's has been post -catharsis, sensual whisperings are headphones, lights dimmed. (Both ofreduced to a croak, and Graham Nash's emotionally poles apart, the two groups do these CDs offer two non -LP cuts, another has gone thin and reedy. Considering the share common points: distinctive femme reason to pick the digital format.) Lead group's sad history, a line in Young's non- lead singers and a few -frills instrumenta- singer Margo Timmins's vocals contrive descript title track-"How could some- tion and sound that serves as a calculated to become part of this airy web, and the thing so good go bad so fast?"-applies as alternative to the high -gloss, machine - group's mod world -weariness combined much to his bandmates as to the likes of driven formula of contempo pop/rock. with its solid c&w and blues roots maketargets Gary Hart, Oliver North, and Jim- Fairground Attraction, a British band this an engrossing and singular project. If my Swaggart. making its American debut, takes a neo- you don't fall asleep halfway through the Some things never change, though. skiffle approach (brushes on the drum,disc (not from boredom but empathy), American Dreamstill sounds like the work acoustic bass), with rockabilly, blues, and you'll be rewarded with a gentle but effec- of four disparate men with very divergent pure pop making up the melodic mix. tive version of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane," styles of singing and writing. Crosby con- Lead singer Eddi Reader and guitarist/ as well as a handful of inconsolable origi- tributes a meandering ballad about his lost songwriter Mark E. Nevin combine their nals by Margo and her brother, group gui- weekends ("Compass") and a strident feelgood talents to hit and maintain a tarist Michael Timmins. Put this on the Down -with -the -CIA rocker ("Nighttime lightly pleasurable groove throughout. sweet misery pile. Richard C. Walls for the Generals"). As always, Stills's The first U.K. hit, "Perfect," sums up songs-robustly produced tunes like their knack: shameless enough to put CROSBY, STILLS, NASH 8 YOUNG: "That Girl" and "Got It Made" (shades of fingersnappin' on the last verse, clever American Dream. Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams")-actually enough to get away with it. Reader's Ma- Viko Bolas and Crosby, Stills, Nash & have pop hooks, but they also have embar- ria Muldaurisms and Nevin's lyrics can L. Young, prods. Atlantic 81888-2.0c) rassingly little to say, especially the lame - get a little cutesy, but hey, lighten up. Put American Dream isthe sound of fourbrained car song "Drivin' Thunder." this on the don't-worry/be-happy pile. middle-aged men groveling for common Nash's songs about ecology, "soldiers of Meanwhile, the Canadian group Cow-ground after years of wasted talent, slack peace," and that special someone ap- boy Junkies, whose second indie album records, chemical indulgence, and general (Continued on page 68) biirframd71-araalotr akveor erifairie .3.

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TO ORDER BY MAIL SEND MONEY ORDER, CERTIFIED OR CASHIER'S CHECK, MASTERCARD. VISA, AMERICAN EXPRESS or DISCOVIR CARD Onciude Interbcnk No. expiration dote and signature.) TO. JAR MUSIC WORLD, DEPT. HF0389, 59-51 QUEENS -MIDTOWN EXPRESSWAY, MASPEIN QUEENS, NY 11371. Personal and business checks must clear our Authorization Center before processing. Shipping. Handling & Insurance Charge Is 5% of Total Order with a $4.93 minimum (Canadian Orden Add 15% Shipping, with a $9.95 minimum charge.) For shipments by air. please double M charg $25 MINIMUM DO SEND CASSHOH.WNSORR .'s. NEW YORKONRESIDENTS PLEASE ADO SALES TAX WE ARE NOTRESPONSIBLE FOeseR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORSEER.RRORS A F1CTUREST FOR VISUALC.O.DREPRESENTATI ONLY ALL MERCHANDISE SHIPPED BRAND NEW, FACTORY MESH, AND 100% GUARANTEED. to have imagined. Bonnie Raitt, paired with Was (Not Was), performsan incredibly soulful version of "Baby Mine," making it possibly the best lullaby for adults ever recorded. Meanwhile, Buster Poin- dexter (a.k.a. David Johansen) and the Banshees of Blue take "Castle in Spain" for a salsafied workout, with Buster both menacing and comic at the low end of his register. Which is another facet of Willner's revisions: Sometimes, there's a dark side to this music, downplayed in the original, now brought forward. Willner himself has noted with some amusement that the Replacements turn "Cruella DeVille" into a stripper. Even darker are the readings by jazzpoet Ken Nordine over Wayne Hor- vitz and Bill Frisell's avant takeson "Hi Diddle Dee Dee (An Actor's Life for Me)" and "Desolation Theme," the latterre- flecting the kind of bitterness onlya father can feel about a wayward puppet. The gloomiest look, though, is Tom Waits's interpretation of "Heigh Ho (The Dwarfs' Marching Song)," done with mechanical resonance and recorded in deep murk. Not that Stay Awake is a grim record by any stretch of the imagination. Themu- sicians who seem to be having the most fun are the two jazz vets: Betty Carter is absolutely sublime on "I'm Wishing," and Sun Ra and His Arkestra turn in one of the al- Stay Awake mastermind Hal Wainer: Don't beware the dark sideof Disney. bum's most hilarious takes, "Pink Ele- a -rock -star thing of "Kissability," the phants on Parade." Dr. John and Aaron dance version of Kurt Weill's "Call from Neville sound like they, too, are enjoying we've -been -reading -our -reviews analysis the Grave/Ballad in Which MacHeath of "Total Trash," the artsy/experimental themselves with the "Mickey Mouse Begs All Men for Forgiveness" (Lost in the March" ("Y? Because we love you!"). "Providence." Other times, you wonder ifStars, 1986). they're being satirical or just themselves, Los Lobos' version of "I Wanna Be Like Now comes Stay Awake, at once Will-You (The Monkey Song)" may bea little as on "Eric's Trip," where the lyrics sound ner's most audacious and most potentiallytruer to Jungle Book than Willner might like one solipsistic hippie putting down rewarding project: a tribute to songs from another, the bad attitude punctuated by like, but it retains the band's earthyap- the films of Walt Disney. These are tunes peal. And Syd Straw is such a persuasive guitar -generated Godzilla whoops. But we all know, no matter what generation vocalist, and her cowboy/country backing this is a long set (just over an hour, the we're from, but Willner and the artists he so authentic, you can almost feel the double album fitting on a single CD), and has enlisted pump them through theirvar- sunset and see the "Blue Shadows on the group has plenty of room to stretch ied visions, transforming the familiar into the Trail." and do what, at this point, it does best:something else again. In the hands of make edgy, imaginative guitar music, The album is broken up into medleys, NRBQ, "Whistle While You Work" rocks which can be annoying on this (non- spacey and spikey all at once. harder than anything Disney might wantindexed) CD: If you want to hear the Richard C Walls Replacements, you have to fast -forward VARIOUS ARTISTS: Stay Awake: through Garth Hudson, NRBQ, and Car- ter. Then again, this is an album made to Various Interpretations of Music FORMAT KEY from VintageDisney Films. be listened to-and listened to all theway OLP/EP 073 Videocassette through. To this end, the songs slip to- Hal Wainer, prod. A&M CD 3918. oci C) Cassette (9) Videodisc gether easily. Still, there are tremendous Producer Hal Willner may be the closest Compact Disc thing pop music has to a conceptual artist. variations in dynamics, from Suzanne Vega's a cappella rendering of the title cut Already to his credit are three albums of Large symbol at left margin indicates reviewed format. Small symbols following catalog num- and Sinead O'Connor's breathy "Someday various singers and players taking their My Prince Will Come" (accompanied own approaches to the work of a certain ber of reviewed format indicate other available formats (if any). Catalog numbers of for- only by Andy Rourke's acoustic guitar) to composer. The results have been stunning: mats other than the reviewed format are the overblown orchestrations that Debbie Harry and Chris Stein interpreting printed only if their basic numbers differ sub- some- a Nino Rota score for Fellini (Amarcord stantially from that of the reviewed format. how befit Yma Sumac's voice on "I Won- -In Short Order-: Note that these mini- der" and the chaos that surrounds Harry Nino Rota, 1982), Chris Spedding duet- reviews provide only the reviewed format and ting with Peter Frampton on Thelonious Nilsson's "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." its catalog number. But the familiarity of these songs is Monk's "Work" (That's the Way I Feel Arabic numeral in parentheses indicates Now, 1984), Todd Rundgren doing number of items in multi -item set. what makes the album, above all, comfort- a able. "Second Star to the Right" is both 70 HIGH FIDELITY Wisconsin Discount Stereo NEW HOURS M F 9 8 it 0 rq 1-800-356-9514 Madison,2417608-271-6889 W. 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The30 -day ONLY Moyer mail Protectin order with Plan-FREE. factory authorized service center WE STOCK MOST MAJOR BRANDS WHY PAY MORE? authorized* GUARANTED dealer delivered LOW to PRICE-Compared your door with full warranty. to any other factory WE STOCK MOST MAJOR BRANDS WHY PAY MORE? SPECIALTop PURCHASE$248 rated u.under $1000 WE STOCK MOST MAJOR BRANDS Wireless$176 UT remote speakers Colors" authors Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly) to come up with lyrics as mundane as the ones on "Waiting for You" (sample rhymes: "here alone"/"on the phone," "in your arms"/"safe from harm"), or that no one thought it unprofessional that "Some- thing to Believe In" and "Eternal Flame" follow each other on the album with virtually identical lines ("Watching you as you lay sleeping" becomes "I watch you when you are sleeping"). As for the first single, "In Your Room" (I don't want to belabor this, but the word "room" appears in no fewer than five separate songs), all I know is that as a young rock critic, I was always taught that mid -tune key changes are usually just a contrived way of simulating excitement. Which is exactly what it sounds like here. Oh, well, you know what they say: Money changesEverything. Billy Altman

PHIL OCHS: The War Is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs. Jeffrey Gold and Geoffrey Schulman, Clexec. prods. A &M CS 5215. THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS: Farther Along: The Best of the Flying Burrito Brothers. Jeffrey Gold and Sid Griffin, exec. prods. A&M CS5216. a Procol Harum and Sergio Mendes. Hum- ble Pie and the Sandpipers. Joe Cocker and Burt Bacharach. During the late '60s Bangles: stars in clumsy search al rrangement %. harmonies, and writers and early '70s, A&M had one of the strangest rosters in pop history, thanks in terrific James Taylor and a very clean take material. With the release ofEverything, large part to Herb Alpert being the A in on the tune (can you say "hit single"?). however, it's hard to know what to think, the company's name. In that regard, these And how could anyone resist poor old off- because all these seemingly essential Ban- (Continued on page 77) key Ringo Starr doing "When You Wish gles elements appear to have been turned Upon a Star," especially when he intro- inside out. duces Herb Alpert's solo with "Take it, Instead of musical infectiousness. Herb"? That's the stuff of musical legends. there's mainly a rash-of clunky, heavy- Hank Bordowitz handed arrangements featuring far too many gratuitous "psychedelic" flourishes BANGLES: Everything. (a sticky "Strawberry Fields" keyboard Davits Sigerson, prod. Columbia CK here, a day-glo-lit bouzouki there)-and w 44056.0 m instead of free -flowing group harmonies, Why is it that recording artists who find there are self-conscious just -vocals -and - themselves suddenly "big" often feel com- drums passages tossed in at exactly the pelled to then try to become something same point in various tracks. And most they're not? That's one of those questionsdisappointingly, instead of a nice mix of you could throw a philosophy book at- originals and covers, virtually all the songs and suffice to say that sometime between here are appallingly weak "collabora- the release of the Bangles' last album, the tions" between the group and outside delightful DifferentLight,and their new writers. I suppose the Bangles thought one, the three -years -in -the -making but that if they couldn't write "A" material not -so -delightfulEverything,perhapson their own, but didn't want to be for- somebody should have thrown a tome orever branded as a group that scored hits two at their collective noggin to knock with only other people's songs (Prince's some sense into them before it was too late. "Manic Monday," Liam Sternberg's Up until this album, one thought of the "Walk Like an Egyptian," Paul Simon's Bangles as a band with an infectious '60s - "Hazy Shade of Winter"), they could now, based instrumental sound, the neatest as stars, bring in ringers to improve the group harmonies this side of the Hollies, quality of their own stuff. Unfortunately, and the admirable ability to augment their the plan backfires, and badly. own good -but -not -great original songs It's hard to believe it took three whole with excellent interpretations of outside people (Susanna Hoffs, assisted by "True Ochs in the late '60s

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MARANTZ, & MCINTOSH TUBE EQUIP, all late model high - COLLECTORS' SOUNDTRACKS MINT. TOP TITLES, end items - vintage speaker systems. Charlie Dripps (818) speedy service List $1 00 (refundable). Jemm's P.O. Box 444-7079 fax (818)-444-6863 # 157, Glenview, IL 60025. 76 HIGH FIDELITY (Continued from page 72) two tightly packed anthologies -60 -plus minutes each, available on cassette and CD only-are designed not just to spotlight two overlooked A&M acts from that era but also to make you forget that pre - ski -bum Claudine Longet was a labelmate. The War Is Over concentrates on the period of Phil Ochs's career (1967-70) when the manic-depressive troubadour moved to L.A. and began writing more ornate, less overtly political songs, like this set's best-known track, the sardonic "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends." Those familiar only with Ochs's earlier folk -protest material will hear elegiac cuts from his long -out -of -print masterpiece Rehearsals for Retirement, assorted hymns to despondency ("No More Songs"), and rarities like the Faron Young -on -acid "Kansas City Bomber" (written for, of all things, a Raquel Welch film). Although some of his best attempts at self-analysis ("My Life," "Bach, Bee- thoven, Mozart & Me") are omitted in favor of slighter ditties like "Gas Station Women," the digital remixes enhance the rich strings and bass lines on chamber pop like "Flower Lady" and "One -Way Ticket Home." Another doomed soul, Gram Parsons, is the focal point of Farther Along, much of it culled from the Flying Burrito Brothers' first two albums, The Gilded Palace of Sin (1969) and Burrito Deluxe (1970). Parsons was a genuine eccentric whose dream- seeing hard -country tunes sung to rock audiences-came to pass only years after his 1973 death. His best songs-majestic heartbreakers like "Hot Burrito #1," jauntier social commentaries like "Chris- tine's Tune (Devil in Disguise)" and "Sin City," all here-have held up remarkably Was (Not Was) and vocals (from left): Sweet Pea Atkinson. David Was. Don Was, Sir Harry Bowens well. And the assorted rarities, taken from deleted domestic and import albums, still makes you wonder whether CD reis- less), and soul tenderness in "Anytime showcase the band's wild-eyed taste insues of Gilded Palace and Burrito Deluxe Lisa"-all of which would have been re- covers: Parsons was equally at home with or Ochs's Pleasures of the Harbor or Great- duced to cynicism on previous albums. the Rolling Stones' 'Wild Horses," the est Hits wouldn't have been a better idea. But there's abundant sneering through Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody," and David Browne the characters on this album as well, like Dave Dudley's "Six Days on the Road." the guy in the title track who goes around Even better, Farther Along's crisp remix WAS (NOT WAS): What Up, Dog? using his pit bull as a credit card, or the greatly improves on the tinny sound of the Don Was, David Was, Paul Staveley hero (?) of the demented "Dad, I'm in original LPs, emphasizing Chris Hill- O'Duffy, and Steve Salas, prods.Jail." Hear also "11 mph," the perfect man's wholesome harmonies and Sneaky Chrysalis VK 41664. on dance tune for the 25th Anniversary of Pete Kleinow's slithery pedal steel. The characters in Was (Not Was) songs the Kennedy Assassination cotillion. Was The misleading titles of these compila- were never treated well by their creators, (Not Was) still have the good groove, tions are another story. By neglecting the but five years of downtime and lawsuits with "Walk the Dinosaur" perhaps the Burritos' post -Parsons albums (which, seem to have taught Don and David Was funn(k)iest dance song in a dog's age. "Spy granted, are comparatively bland), Far- some humanity. The standard losers still in the House of Love" has even landed ther Along isn't the career overview that people What Up, Dog?, but they are drawn them something they've deserved for near- it's labeled. In the case of Ochs, the "best gently. There is sympathy wafting ly a decade: popular acceptance! 0 of" title is more egregious, since (aside through the none& licks of "Shadow and The CD version is worth the added from a previously unreleased live take ofJimmy," sorrow but hope for "a kinder,bucks for three extra tracks: "Robot "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore") it omits any gentler nation" in "Somewhere in Amer-Girl," the aforementioned "Wedding of the scathing, vibrant broadsides from ica There's a Street Named After My Vows in Vegas," and a version of Otis his Elektra years. Although we should Dad," lounge -band compassion for the Redding's "I Can't Turn You Loose" that consider ourselves lucky that neither of lovers taking their "Wedding Vows in establishes Sweet Pea Atkinson as the new these is a Tijuana Brass retrospective, each Vegas" (offered by Frank Sinatra, Jr., no king of soul. Hank Bordowitz

MARCH 1989 77 N SHORT ORDER POP AND JAll MINI -REVIEWS

CARLA BLEY/STEVE SWALLOW: Duets. monica. "I make my living feeling rotten," VARIOUS ARTISTS: Jazz '84: Highlights WATT/20 (837345-2). (ECM.) Winter howls on "World of Contradic- from the IXth Moscow Jazz Festival. For those fans of pianist/composer/tions," "but I feel good when I play blue." obile Fidelity Sound Lab MFCD arranger Carla Bley who with dismay Who's to argue? Settle in for the chill. 894. have followed her development from Michael K. Mettler It may come asa surprise to some, but jazz eccentric avant-garde satirist to purveyor has, if not flourished, then persevered in of pretty music,Duetswill come as an en- LUCINDA WILLIAMS: Lucinda Williams. the Soviet Union almost as long as it has in couraging sign: Though far from her best, 0 Rough Trade ROUGH US 47. this country. And whereas in the States it it's her best in years. True, her solo -bites Lucinda Williams has been fighting for a has at times suffered from being associated tend to be short and melodic, and whentoehold in the folk scene for a decade with blacks, eggheads, and other suspect bassist Steve Swallow goes into his bent - now-she's got two prior albums on Folk- groups, in Russia it has suffered by dint of note guitar -like mode (as on "Utviklings- ways-but if this LP doesn't finally signal its being a flower of the decadent West. sang"), we're back to, well, pretty music. her arrival, there really is no justice left in Punchline: The newly released disc of the And notice that even a fairly recent composition like "Reactionary Tango, Parts 1/2/3" appears now with only trace elements of its original irony. But the stand - and -deliver acoustic -duo context does force Bley to dig a little deeper into the songs, a change from the unbearable lightness of her last few albums. One can hope this may presage a rekindling of the old inspiration. Richard C Walls

R.E.M.: Green. 0 Warner Bros. 25795-1. Here they are-on a new label, perhaps, but back with more meditations on utopi- anism and its flip side. And with more strong pop songs, like the rat -tat -tat "Orange Crush" and the aptly named "Pop Song 89" (which deftly skews Jim Morrison's vocal line from "Hello, I Love You" and Jimi Hendrix's guitar line from "Purple Haze"). The big news is that Michael Stipe's vocals are mixed way up front so you can understand him-but I dunno, I still don't pay as much attention to the lyrics as I do to the voice as one ele- ment in the overall sound. I'm more im- pressed, in fact, by what a powerhouse drummer Bill Berry has become, by how much more Peter Buck's guitar snarls, and Williams: country. country blues, and rock. evoking a traditional Southern setting by how the mandolins add such texture. Otherwise, this sounds justlikean R.E.M. this one-horse record business. Shame- IXth Moscow Jazz Festival of 1984 dis- album, and that's the neatest trick of all: lessly romantic-in 1989!-she has fully plays a range as wide as most American Everything's changed, but everything'sassimilated country and country blues, jazz fests, and as narrow. Such festivals stayed thesame. John Morthlandjuiced them up with some judiciously ap- tend to be conservative, and the avant- plied rock, and put them in the service of garde is not well represented here. Russian JOHNNY WINTER: The Winter of '88. melodic, guileless songs that are full of folk songs and classical music, as well as () MCA MCAD 42241. hooks and sharp imagery, going right for pop and jazz standards, serve as source After three gritty blues albums on the Chi- the heart. Williams can tell you about love material for styles ranging from moddish cago indie Alligator, Texas guitar-slingin' as lust ("I Just Wanted to See You So postbop to a tentative fusion and on to legend Johnny Winter jumps back to the Bad") or as spiritual healing ("Like aDixieland; there's even a cut reminiscent big -label world of MCA withThe Winter Rose"), and "Changed the Locks" is asof U.S. commercial schlock, and another of'88. This all -digital Compact Disc gives pissed -off as pissed -off gets. She's a great that offers a schmaltzy dance -band rendi- his feisty licks a crisp edge, especially on storyteller ("The Night's Too Long"), and tion of "Stardust." But this is more than the textural "Rain" and "Anything forher songs evoke that traditional Southern just a curio: On balance, the music holds Your Love." A bonus is the CD -only cut setting without sounding at all like mu- its own, and the brief exposure afforded "Mother Earth," where his Erlewine seum pieces. Not bad, for a Dodger fan. some of the players can only serve to whet Lazer wails over bassist Jon Paris's har- John Morthland the appetite. Richard C Walls

7S HIGH FIDELITY JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE: Radio One. Oneis marred by filler ("Radio One West-orsimply stop this game. Just as I () Rykodisc RCD 20078. Theme") and bad covers ("Day Tripper," should stop this entirely too long "mini" Readers of this magazine know that we"Hound Dog"). And fifth, Leland Stein's review. But really, folks, buy any other usually love CDs from Rykodisc, but I'll even -worse -than-Winterlandliner notes Rykodisc CD you want-just don't be be damned if I'm going to embrace the are quite possibly the worst of 1988. (Sam- fooled by such an out -of -character money - Jimi Hendrix product that Alan Douglas ples: "A treat!" "Simply wild!" "Nuffgrabberas Radio One. Ken Richardson has been exhuming for the company. said!" "When your battery needs recharg- You'll remember thatLive at Winterland, ing, plug this in for a dazzling jolt of rhyth- ROUGHHOUSE: Roughhouse. a dispiriting performance with often foggy mic energy. Guaranteed to get you a aColumbia CK 44178. sound, was released in 1987 to the un- speeding ticket!" For "Hey Joe": "In con- The bad news: This Philadelphia -area knowing cries of "the definitive Hendrix cert he often improvised an extended intro band was first called Teeze, has dubbed concert disc" and (here's a laugh) "by far and played the solo with histeeth." You one of its songs "Teeze Me Pleeze Me," the best -sounding CD I have ever heard." don't say.For "Burning of the Midnight and used to write basic, boring lite metal Now we haveRadio One,collecting 17 Lamp": "Change in chord progression at (the old material at the end of this disc). BBC radio recordings from 1967, and the end a novel touch." Hey, Billy, whenThe good news: The band is now called problems multiply. First, the sound quali- you're done with the Bangles elsewhere in Roughhouse, has stopped spelling like ty for most of the tracks, no matter what this issue, I've got another one who thinks Slade's Noddy Holder and instead encour- Rykodisc has been able to do, still borders a merekeychange is "novel.") Fortunate- ages lead vocalist Luis Rivera to occasion- on the bootleg, with Tin Man guitar all ly, Hendrix's first session for theTop Gear ally sing like him (and otherwise beef over. Second, that sound is sometimes radio program (excepting "Hound Dog") up his voice), and now writes appealing much closer to fake stereo (bass on left,is excellent, with well-balanced original hard rock. Guitarist and main writer treble on right) than the true monosound that finally gives a warm, realistic Gregg Malack may already be losing claimed for the original recordings. Third, tone to the guitar during three good steam-his "Love or Lust" is just a plain the repetition factor is getting ridiculous. tracks: "Drivin' South" (fiercest Hendrix rehash of his older "Tonite," one of two ("Killing Floor," "Fire," "Purple Haze," soloing heard in years), "Catfish Blues," great tracks here-but bassist Dave "Hey Joe," and "Foxy Lady," all onWin- and the de-psychedelicized "Midnight Weakley is building, as his leadoff num- terland,are here, too-as if we needed Lamp." Those three tracks total 14 min- ber, "Don't Go Away," is the other great those last three in the first place. "Spanish utes and would have made a smashing track, and "Can't Find Love" is very good Castle Magic" is here as well, even though CD -3. The rest of this hour-long CD as well. DefJovi in the making? Could be. Winterlandboasted its appearance there proves that Rykodisc and Douglas should The CD has no better sound, no more as "the only live version known to havego back to superior original material-tracks, and fewer pix than the LP, so been recorded." Hmmm.) Fourth,Radio like, I'll say itagain, Hendrix in the economize. ADVERTISINGINDEXKen Richardson Many advertisers will send you additional product literature tree of charge. Write them in care of Dept. 3/89, unless otherwise noted, at the address below. If no address appears, literature is available only through dealers. Bold -face numbers by company names are page numbers for ads in this issue.

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T PV350 406 cs MockSulu 50 Zoo9rn 229 CCDF50 (V5l inputs and a CD input whose sensitivity KOSS VIDCRAFT 1071VG7575 OATS OSPSWak P0460 WC as INS CCDF90 (*) 1569 E JCK 200 WRIS 106 AvPi00 295 VG7720 4hd OSP Cal E adjustment is continuously variable. The AG170 wirer 114111 NIKKO CCDF100 0.0110) 1279 Pro 4AAA. AVS100 265 067725 Medi 36AG450 wets 1589 FM law 140009 CCDF20010220) *PeVG7775 4hd OATS CA unit also features a built-in front/rear AGO) Co Mar 0 and VCPIW 145 E MARANTZ PAL NATIONAL VG7785 Wai WS Cal E FAX .107401149 AGARS 49 Detail 4 2119 fader, a mono/stereo switch on the sub - Full In In mock NVIA7 1219VG7795 SVHS CO Tubbs 3300 104940156010' AGIM Hsi NVCS 1191CG9606 6X ARV cs GM S Tata* 30100 119Charctr Gen 169 ZENITH S woofer output, and seven -segment signal AG7400 14190 MINOLTA CG91101 8X wets Cal Sloop UX10 1119 VM7500S roc 1369 Sup" SOO! JVC VIDEO CG9810 8X wets Can LEDs to mark equalizer control positions. Sharp UX140 179 VIA7050 rood Cs 949 Will. May NOM 090400 4 iv 295 CG9615 CGan Ricoh CALL TOSHIBA VRE550 769 EQ control frequencies are 50 Hz, 150 Hz, C50 KR *use Slack HR0410 4 WI 299 odor Cal Web 1600 139Xv970S -VHS 910 VRE510 HIFI 409 9200 64 .rase 11111 HRD440 4Hd 38CG9625 CGan Panels. 120 995SV950.S.VHS 929 VRE200 279 350 Hz, 1 kHz, 2.5 kHz, 6 kHz, and 16 V1403 KA "rase $79 1100750 New, 40 SVHS CamCall DX900 PCM 689 VC6500S-C 1179 V2000 Ka *tram 1149 HRS5000 SimlaKNEE NEAOCLEAKII kHz, with a control range of ± 18 dB. V SUPER SALE 00800 HF 499 V V2100 HRS7000U SVHS .GL MOMS SKI30 &case 1199 Cal ON Guilty W.A. Lions JVC AUDIO Tuner/Tower 18 Subwoofers in the XL series include VR9485 HF 402 YR wARRANTYI HRS8000U 993* 2 09910 TO Lars 210 001901 709 A HRD600 New, 419Two C,amowder lo VCR A 3 ArkOst Rings VR845 14Ft OSP CM R0999 VW( 499 Cato Slack the 8 -inch XL -8 ($150), 10 -inch XL -10 VR4285 PIP GFSIWO S -VHS 100 4 Rol Ruld HO 'Tod Cal SHOWTIME 0%777 VSEW 339 GRS-77 SVHS Cal ($225), and 12 -inch XL -12 ($300), and all 5 Tripod Carry Case 10200 HIFI Player 7100 249XL/444 '99 GRS55 stoics Cal HITACHI HimOlarst TV'sCal7010 319XLM400 265 GRC2S was CalVIA8100 SVHS Cal have long -throw damped paper cones. The L 7 AC & DC Lista KR Vses 1 355XL M600 345 L GRC40 1019096700 Nere Cal $ 2 Ughl Bute BOSE VC 1 Colon20 249700611 BK 279 nominal impedance of each is 4 ohms. GRC35 SOO0446000 1215 BaltIor UV & Cam 92 CM4481 Edna 259TDW999 BK 269 GRC30 SlackVIA3000400 11211 Three of the four new Deltasonik pow- 103 UPI RAW KI1 001001 VBK 709 02 CM GFS 5501.1 SOW0142600 HtF, 599 Only 1110.10 X PA 1000 BK 709 52 CIO NIKON 2658S TV 599 0000 rocs 779 er amps use A 1phasonik's proprietary B NV900 III nr, 379 B an:Imre Can HRS200 H A Port 499 Variable Permatect (PMA) technology. MITSUBISHI L ALL TAPES SOLDBY THE BOX (10) ONLY 1151180 SVHS Mock L The company says Variable Permatect is CANON HSU70 SVHS FUJI SONY MAXELL TDK 98 END Cal HSU50 Slack an "intelligent" protection system that E 1120 .6. 3.59Bnon 30 min 4.79SO VHS ITO es. 10.79OPT 120 STIHSea 10.7 E E 70 069 HSU* 369 T120 S -HG 4.69BASK Berm 30 mon4.8T120 EX T120 HS 3.6 maintains safe operating conditions for all lit VM E 77 999 ioSu20 329 7120 SMG IMF, 5.498mIn I* mar 4.99T120 HGX 4.597120EN) 4. E 708 PRO 1295413 485 internal components and doesn't hamper 71200GSPro rola 7.19loom 90 nen 5.69MOW. ooF 5.491120 HO HmF1 5. 0808 CM35' Tube TVs Cell 7160 5.69loom 120110 6.49T160 HGX 9.71T120 Prcnv c 6. sound quality. Two models using PMA VC50A Camera 999 QUASAR TWOS -1G 6.99L500 ES 3.8L500 FIX Pro wcs 6.49T160 14G 6. MOO S Camera 1599VM23 wh1 co 999 71205 -VMS 11.99L750 ES 3.49T129 FIX Pro sow 6.731750 HD HoF1 4. are the DP -360 at 180 watts (22.6 dBW) CGE-I Char Gen 11901124yr9t cs 9 BASF 7160 S -HG 5.29L830 ES 4.49L500 BO Pro rocs 6.998mm 30 moo 1.7 Coe 1 8V1A26 wets 1 . per channel ($595) and DP -200 at 100 BASF T-120 3.49L500 ESHG New M. 4.49T120 130 Pro rocs 7.3911rnm 60 non 4. Zap Snap CalVM27weta 11 RCA 120 wr, 249L750 ESHG New 4.79VHS -C Gold 4.49Worn 90 mon S. watts (20 dBW) per channel ($345), both 5485 HoF1 399 RCA SVHS 90.75L830 ESHG New 5.697C20 11 X Pm 5.698mm it° min 6.4 SANSUI 54804HDOSP RCA S.VHSC 9.99L500 ESX HIE, 4.79Worn 120 mss 6.69TC20 HG 4. stereo amps with four- or three -channel AUDIO CM SCOTCH 13rnm 90 nun S vHS C 9. L750 ESX HIE, 5.45 5.69 PRICES MAY VARY capability using optional connectors. The 7120 5 VHS ea, 10.757120 ES 36991101 60 mm 4.99RCA T120 WE, 34 SO CALL SOON! 7120E5 3.491120 ES NG 4.49P6 30 con 87177 4.71 T H DP -90 ($170), also with PMA, is a stereo 7120 EG Plus 3.991130 ESX HoF 5.395 VHS C 9.99 To Order Cal I BOO 525 9922 and Wye us serf yaw deasure C 0 D or send a crock or money order lo amp that can be bridged for mono without 7120 EXG Good MF, 5.65 D.A.T. AUDIO Reams video, 933 Coney Wend Ails., Brooklyn, NY 11230 T120 Pro Camera 619 9120m 9.9904601 6.99P1441e add ar.Cropnaw arc nuance Sence alas sale. ask T160 EG Plus 5.29 **others handle detectives ng charges not oeltwOde NO EXTRA COD adaptors. At 18 watts (12.6 dBW) per R9Orn 6.99 ED Beta la Slack CHARGES AL469EAT7050S FACTORY COM231 EXG Goi011F, 4.99 channel, the DP -40 ($79) is a basic stereo 7.49 F . 718 PG 1193 1. 1PLETE,2/88L amp and the only model without PMA cir- HAVE A GOOD DEAL & WE'LL BEAT YOUR BEST DEAL "BOSS" cuitry. Alphasonik, 701 Heinz Ave., Berke-

ley, Calif 94710.

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L t7C1_ Logic Controlled, High -Speed Dubbing Cassette Deck

F3alistic, America's best-selling and widens dynamic range. Dolby C peak -level meter, digital tape counter rare of cassette eqJipment, brings trims noise lo the vanishing Dcint, lho and convenient record -mute func ion out* logica choice in stereo tape of its original level. SCT-84 aulomat- For adding cassette or replacing decks The SCT-84 is logic controlled Ica ly selects bias level for normal, an olcer mechanically controlled deck, for smooth and precuse recording, play- chrome and metal tapes. And a fine - Realistic SCT-84 is the logical choice back and dubbing. Logic also gives bias control lets you adjust for the best Try it )u: today. Just 259.95 you s-nplicity. Just touch a button to possible soLnd from any cassette. reccrc great -sounding copies of personal tapes at normal or high speed. Instant aLto-reverse on tanc-2 Exclusively at You c 3n play one tape continuously, changes tape direction in Vio of a sec- two in sequence, even make unat- ond and works on both playoack and Radio /hack tenced recordings w th a timer. recording. Nrou also get handy LED The Technology Store ' DO o B noise redJction cuts hiss direction indicators, an 8 -step LED 4 DI.ISION (IF TANDY CORPORATION

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INTRODUCING THREE SPACE -SAVING LOUDSPEAKERS peak power. 1 more efficient 8" woofer and a polycarix FROM ADVENT. ,Nov you can enjoy the accurate sound of ate dome tweeter for improved dispersion. Advent` in more places than ever. Our three new speakers ME BABY II.Last, but not littlest, is the improved Bi give you the clean, clear sound you expect from Advent. Advent. Just as compact as the original Baby, but with a yet take up less space to do it. couple of changes that show ifs maturing quite nicely. Lil THE MINI -ADVENT AND MINI -ADVENT SUBWOOFER a ferrofluid-filled polycarbonate dome tweeter and re - SYSTEM.Mini -Advents are the perfect size for book- adjustable logo for horizontal and vertical speake shelves. Desks. Even walls and ceilings, using our placement. optional mounting brackets. They're small, but get All three new Advents have natural wood to big sound with 51/4" high excursion woofers, poly- and bases. Even if you never hooked them up, carbonate tweeters, 120 watts peak power and a they'd make great looking furniture. tuned bass port. Or, add our subwoofer. It gives Come in to your nearest Advent dealer an Mini -Advents the bass of a much larger listen to the new Mini -Advent, Prodigy Tower system and creates exceptional stereo and Baby Advent. And don't imaging for audio/video or surround worry about the crowds. With sound systems. these speakers, there's THE PRODIGY TOWER.Taller and always plenty of room. 4F... thinner than our still -famous Advent Prodigy, the Prodigy Tower gets maximum sound using minimum floorspace. How? With 300 watts SADVE\E 1111Sound as it was meant to be heart