High-Fidelity-1959-A

by1I.:C. Robbins Landon;,

www.americanradiohistory.com 8 the 9 seconds

THE 9 SECONDS THAT ADD HOURS TO YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

listening it takes to put the Glaser- Steers GS -77 Every GS -77 feature contributes towards your 9 seconds - that's all rumble and flutter; uniform stylus through one complete change -cycle. 9 seconds - and see what pleasure - inaudible wow, first to top record on a stack ; resonance -free happens in that brief space of time. pressure from arm with minimum tracking error; four leads to cartridge A record completes its play ... the turntable pauses ... the for hum -free performance. next record drops, gently - more gently than if you were The GS -77 combines traditional turntable quality with mod- handling it yourself ... the tone arm lowers into the lead -in today. turntable resume its motion. ern record changer convenience. See it at your dealer, groove. Only then does the a fresh, new point -of -view on of your records is preserved In just 9 seconds, you'll gain Thus, the original brilliance record changers. $59.50 less base and cartridge. Write to: through hundreds of additional playings by eliminating the that occurs when records are dropped on a GLASER- STEERS CORPORATION, 155 Oraton St., Newark 4, N. J. grinding action N. Y. moving disc -a common drawback in conventional changers. In Canada: Alex I. Clark Ltd.. Toronto. Ont. Export: M. Simms & Sun. Inc.. C.

EVER FOR MONOPHONIC RECORDS GLASER- STEERS GS -77 SUPERB FOR STEREO...BETTER THAN

www.americanradiohistory.com THE COLUMBIA CP RECORD CLUB now enables ANYyou to acquire a STEREO RECORD SIX LIBRARY at a saving of 40% FOR ONLY 9 8 5 RETAIL VALUE STE R EÓ RECORDS UP TO $35.88 if you join the Club now - and agree to purchase as few as 5 selections from the more than 100 to be made available during the coming 12 months

I JOHNNY MATHIS MARCHE SLAV Ella Fitzgerald DORIS DAY GRAND CANYON FLOwERDRUM SINGS I CAPRICCIO ITALIEN SURE SONG, RODGERS NIGHT ON AND ORIGINAL ,a:(9¿tER HART BROADWAY .,.- s7!1. op s-00 BALD MOUNTAIN ' VOL i CAST t4,8, .o HOORAY FOR , MITROPOULOS KW YORK PHILHARMONIC HOLLYWOOD HAMMERSTEIN PHILAD(SHA DRCH. ORMAIES RODGERS A lkx ` or When. 1. Night and Day, 2. A beloved 15. Broadway's 8. What'll I Do, 7. Three brilliant 50. Where hi Manhattan, 10 more plus 11 more hits American classic newest smash hit Warm, 10 more -fi showpieces BELOVED SING BENNY IN BRUSSELS ALONG NORMAN LUBOFF CHORUSES WITH CHOIR MITCH AAAAAA MITCH MILLIA MO TIM SASS a,ael US.nAMa[lV THE LAMP IS LOW T I STRANGE MUSIC MORMON TABERNACLE MY REVERIE CHOIR 4d1OP 9 more PHILADELPHIA ORCH. If you now own a stereophonic 6. Newly recorded 12. Let's Dance, 5. 16 favorites 19. No Other Love, 49. That's All Over, 40. "Hallelujah ", phonograph, or plan to purchase - Our Love, 10 more One More Ride, etc. "Finlandia ", etc. for stereo sound Jubilee, 7 more Sweet Violets, etc. one in the near future - here is a unique opportunity to obtain GRIEG BEETHOVEN: RAY CONNIFF one orchestra LISTENING IN Plano Concert° Tchaikovsky PASTORALE SYMPHONY SIX brand -new stereo records... RACHMAHINOFF. PATHETIQUE 'S MARVELOUS DEPTH up to a $35.88 retail value Rhapsody an + BRUNO WALTER - rill ALL SIX for only $5.98! Theme of Pagano, CROW UMW ORD /SYMPHONY We make this unusual offer to PHILIPPE ENTREMONT. wIo N Mitropoulos, AN INTRODUCTI. demonstrate the money- saving ad- N IM PMadelprna New York TO COLOMBIA vantages you will regularly enjoy Oarcstu STERe70PRANIC SOUND Philharmonic ),gene 0,-offer as a member of the Columbia 37. Lovely "musical 10. Be My Love, 24. 16 classical Record Club. 25. Two very pop - 27. Granada, La 30. A "must" for selections uar piano works Paloma, 11 more any record library portrait of nature" Where or When, etc. and pop Read below how the Club operates...then mail the coupon, MAHALIA JACKSON BERLIOZ: MENDELSSOHN: PIPES, AT THE 1958 SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE without money, to receive the ITALIAN SYMPHONY NEWPORT JAll FESTIVAL PEDALS AND six stereo records of your choice HAYDN: FIDELITY - all six for only $5.98. LONDON SYMPHONY Bernstein prifiV ' NEW IJAR J1-1AJ Stereo records PNNMARMOMC r ' dREElIN ALONG NEW YORK PNILHARMONI N OTE must be played MIIIOPOULOS. CIM RUDOY COLS, Orean III (ILLS am in erano+ only on a stereo phonograph 9. Always, Please, 11. Berlioz' most 22. Organist Cole 3. Didn't It Rain, 29. High -spirited, 20. Come to Me, Ago, more Speak Low, 9 more popular work plays 11 hit tunes God Is Real, etc. gay symphonies Long 10

PINES OF ROME KOSTELANET2: R STRAUSS DON JUAN BRAHMS: Ilo.urle M.ue et FOUNTAINS OF ROME tticltiel' ;If E /Iv , -; TRANSFIGURAI ION SYMPHONY NO I TCHAIKOVSKY Oa] "s; EVLENSI''IE GIL -' nil SIRAVINSKI e t I FIREBIRD SUITE BBPB CommillIPEAA: FRANKIE( ICHAIROVSRY ii ROMEO AND HAUT LAINE LEONARD BERNSTEIN NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC HIS GREATEST HITS .nap[lMra 0111101 0naAM01 SZELL-CLEVELAND ORCH. 28. Brahms' most 31. Solitude, Au- 18. Two electrify 42. Body and Soul, 33. 11 beautiful, 41. Strauss' love- 45. Tico -Tico, 16. Two colorful, beloved symphony tumn Leaves, etc. ing tone poems I Got It Bad, 10 more immortal melodies liest tone poems Brazil, 10 others exciting scores ROUMANIAN RHAPSODIES I 2 HOW THE CLUB OPERATES: SEND NO MONEY - Mail coupon to receive 6 records for $5.98 HUNGARIAN RHAPSODIES I 2 * You enroll in either one of the Club's two stereo COLUMBIA `p) RECORD CLUB, Dept. 224-2 CIRCLE 6 Popular whichever one best Divisions: Classical or - Stereophonic Section NUMBERS: suits your musical taste Terre Haute, Indiana 1 22 * Each month the Club's staff of music experts selects I accept your offer and have circled at the right the numbers outstanding recordings that deserve a place in your of the six records I wish to receive for $5.98, plus small mail- 2 24 Club: new stereo record library. These selections are ing charge. Enroll me In the following Division of the 3 25 21. Four dashing, (check one box only) described in the Club's entertaining Music Magazine, 5 27 fiery rhaosodies which you receive free each month Stereo Classical Stereo Popular five selections from the more than 100 to 6 28 STRAVINSKY You may accept the selection for your Division ... I agree to purchase RITE OP SPRING * be offered during the coming 12 months, at regular list price 7 29 take any of the other records offered in both Divi- plus small mailing charge. For every two additional selections sions or take NO record in any particular month I accept, I am to receive a 12" Columbia or Epic stereo 8 30 ... Bonus record of my choice FREE. * Your only obligation as a member is to purchase five 9 31 selections from the more than 100 Columbia and Epic Name 10 33 records to be offered in the coming 12 months ... and (Please Print) 11 36 NM YOIIt RSMARMORC you may discontinue membership any time thereafter IEdYRO AMMO Address 12 37 * After purchasing only five records you receive a 36. The ballet that 15 40 Columbia or Epic stereo Bonus record of your choice . "rocked the world" city ZONE.. State free for every two additional selections you buy ALASKA and HAWAII: write for special membership plan 16 41 The records you want are mailed and billed at the CANADA: address II -13 Soho Street, Toronto 2B 18 42 COLUMBIA * If you wish to have this membership credited to an estab- regular list price of $4.98 (Classical Selections, lished Columbia or Epic record dealer, authorized to accept 19 45 (f. -p) subscriptions, fill in below: $5.98), plus a small mailing charge 20 49 RECORD Here, indeed, is the most convenient method ever de- * Dealer's Name 50 CLUB vised to build a superb stereo library, at great sav- 21 Terre Haute, Ind. ings - so mail the coupon today! Dealer's Address 288 F -55 O ColumbIa Records Sales Corp., 1959 ® "Columbia," ®, "Epic," I, Koreas Reg.

iPC1151- 1959 1

www.americanradiohistory.com "IT TAKES TWO TO STEREO" *

...the perfect team for stereo! For matchless reproducton of stereo recordings - the Model 196 UNIPOISE Arm with integrated Stanton Stereo FLUXVALVE pickup and the GYROPOISE 800 airborne Stereotable. Only the Stanton Stereo FLUXVALVE has the exclusive "T-GUARD" stylus assembly with the parallel reproducing element so important for stereo... only the GYROPOISE Stereotable revolves on a bearing -of -air - in magnetic suspension only the Stereo FLUXVALVE is warranted for a lifetime. In plain truth, here is more to enjoy - from both stereophonic and monophonic records. Fine quality high fidelity products by PICKERING & Co., Inc., Plainview, N. V.

FLUXVALVE, GYROPOISE, STEREOTABLE, "T -GUARD ', UNIPOISE. * NEWLY REVISED -"IT TAKES TWO TO STEREO " - ADDRESS DEPT A89 FOR YOUR FREE COPY.

2 Iiu:n FInEa.rrr ul:

www.americanradiohistory.com high fideli AUGUST 1959 including AUDIOCRAFT and HI -FI MUSIC AT HOME volume 9 number 8

ARTICLES

Roland Gelait Haydn's Esterháza Is Still There 32 H. C. Robbins Landon Editor Behind the lion (:i,Ptain is the princely Miriam D. Manning Managing Editor estate of lltnyln's patron. seen lure by its lit.st

Joan Griffiths . l m(rI('tln t'titt(.r sin-ec Associate Editor Philip C. Geraci Manager, If You Want To Go to Heaven, Shout! 36 Marshall Stearns Audiocraft Section II Nether or not all ( ;ad'. children of religion, Roy Lindstrom Art Director they all seem to be ligenin( to L(r:p(l singers. rr A. Newbury Manager, Book Division From Pierino to Gamba 39 Charles Reid It all of twenty two. Maestro Edilor,af Board Gambit can took back. at a el-milky/ past and sec an even more erott'de(l Attire. John M. Conly Cr Eighteen E. Power Biggs Anvils and a Thundersheet 42 R. D. Darrell Nathan Broder aorta retiele (f the /ir:t Complete recording R. D. Darrell of lt'agaer's I)as Rlicingoltl. Alfred Frankenstein Howard Hanson Julian Hirsch Robert Charles Marsh REPORTS Francis Robinson Joseph Szigeti Books in Review 14 R. D. Darrell Charles Fowler Publisher At Brussels . . . 27 Joseph Szigeti Warren B. Byer Associate Publisher Music Makers 45 Roland Claire N. Eddings Gelatt Advertising Sales Manager Andrew J. Csido Records in Review 47 Marketing and Merchandising Manager Joseph W. Pace Circulation Fulfillment Manager AUDIOCRAFT

A D V E R T I S I N G From Main Office the High -Fidelity Newsfronts 79 Claire N. Eddings, The Publishing House 7h, ltltea nerfs of ltlpc cal tl'i(l,ts. Great Barrington, Mass. Telephone 1 300 New York A Guide to Better FM Listening 80 1564 Broadway, New York 36 (hie %lion, and Telephone: Plaza 7 -2800 anstítl's on inlpl'at'in( rest ptioll. Bert Covit, Sy Resnick Chicago HF Equipment Reports 84

188 W. Randolph St., Chicago 1 Jerrold HSK -300 TV -FM Distribution System Telephone: Central 6.9818 Electra -Voice Lindon Enclosure with LS -8 Woofer Andy Sponberger and High- Frequency Kit Los Angeles Koss SP -3 Stereo Headset 1520 North Gower, Hollywood 28 Glaser -Steers GS -77 Record Changer Telephone: Hollywood 9.6239 Heath W -7M Power George Kelley Amplifier Audionews 88

AUTHORitatively Speaking 4 Letters 8 Notes from Abroad 19 As the Editors See It 31

Trader's Marketplace 94 Professional Directory 98 Advertising Index 100

Published monthly by Audiocom, Inc., Great Barrington, Mass. Copyright l 1959 by Audiocom, Inc. The design and contents of High Fidelity Magazine ore fully protected oy copyrights and mus not be reorojuced in any manner. Second class postage paid at Great Barrington and at additional maiiin3 offices. Suoscription rare in the U. S. ó6.00 Per year.

www.americanradiohistory.com LAFAYETTE AUTHORitatively Speaking iiiheadt STEREO TUNER KIT 'r044 THE MOST FLEXIBLE TUNER EVER DESIGNED It's not surprising that Howard Chandler *ea Meltiplex Output for New Steno FM Robbins Landon found that "Haydn 's Es- 11 Tubes (including 4 duolpurpese) -f- Tuning Eye + Selenium rectifier Pre. terh.íza Is Still There" ( see p. 32 ). A vide 17 Tube Perfumance proper ( relatively: Swarthmore and Bos- Pre -aligned IF's 10KC Whistle Filter ton University rather than Harvard ) Bos- Tuned fasted. FM 12 Tuned Circuits H. C. R. L. has spent most of the Follower Output tonian, Duel Cathode in Vienna, where, in Sep ly Tuned FM and AM Sections last twelve years Armstrong Circuit with FM /AFC and 1949, he established the Vienna office of AFC Defeat the Haydn Society and for some time Dual Double -Tuned Transformer Limiters. functioned as its Secretary General. Coupled author of Mere than a year of research, planning and engineering went into the making of Among other accomplishments: of binaural Cae It as a DI I- the Lafayette Stereo Tuner. Its unique flexibility permits the reception The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn, co- broadcasting (simultaneous transmission on both FM and AM), the independent Steregkewle operation of both the FM and AM sections at the same time, and the ordinary editor of The Mozart Companion, editor FM -AM tower reception of either FM or AM. The AM and FM sections are separately tuned, of The Collected Correspondence of Jo- Use ae a Dua/- each with a separate 3 -gang tuning condenser, separate flywheel tuning and it for proper balancing when used for binaural programs. seph Haydn, which the Oxford University M / FM AM toner separate volume control Simplified accurate knife -edge tuning is provided by magic eye which operates Press will bring out this September. Faber Cae It as a straight independently on FM and AM. Automatic frequency control "locks in FM signal or AM permanently. Aside from its unique flexibility, this is, above all else, a quality and Faber, the London publishers, have M / FM high-fidelity tuner incorporating features found exclusively In the highest priced tamer tuners. recently arranged for a five -volume, five - FM specifications include groundedgrid triode low noise front end with triode thousand -page life and works of Haydn mixer, double -tuned dual limiters with FosterSeeley discriminator, less than 1% harmonic distortion, frequency response 20- 20,000 cps ± t/, db, full 200 kt to be issued in the course of the next ten bandwidth and sensitivity of 2 microvolts for 30 db quieting with full limiting at years. Guess who'll write it? one microvolt. AM specifications include 3 stages of AVC, 10 kc whistle filter, builtIn ferrite loop antenna, less than 1% harmonic distortion, sensitivity of 5 microvolts, 8 kc bandwidth and frequency response 20 -5000 cps ± 3 db. The 5 controls of the KT.500 are FM Volume, AM Volume, FM Tuning, AM Tuning Anyone who thinks that Chaucerian spe- and 5. position Function Selector Switch. Tastefully styled with goldbrass escu- cialists confine themselves to the Dark tcheon having dark maroon background plus matching maroon knobs with gold inserts. The Lafayette Stereo Tuner was designed with the builder in mind. Two Ages is in for a surprise_ Hunter College KT- 500 separate printed circuit boards make construction and wiring simple, even for has a professor of medieval literature IN KIT such o complex unit. Complete kit includes all parts and metal cover, a step.by. FORM step instruction manual, schematic and pictorial diagrams. Size is 133/4" W s named Marshall Stearns. NYU and the H. wt.,.22'lbs. 74.50 10t/g" D x 41/2" Shpg. New School for Social Research have a ONLY 7.45 DOWN KT -500 Net 74.50 7 00 MONTHLY lecturer in the history and techniques of LT-50 Some os above, completely factory wired and tested Net 124.50 jazz. One and the saine gentleman. NEW! LAFAYETTE PROFESSIONAL STEREO Founder and President of The Institute MASTER AUDIO CONTROL CENTER for Jazz Studies and author of The Story Control Problemi Solves Every Stereo /Monaural of Jazz ( Oxford, 1956 ), Mr. Stearns secs no conflict UNIQUE STEREO I: MONAURAL CONTROL FEATURES between fourteenth -century bard and twentieth- AMAZING NEW BRIDGE CIRCUITRY FOR VARIABLE century beat: "They both swing, . . . 3d CHANNEL OUTPUT 3 CROSS- CHANNEL FEED they both have guts." On p. 36 of this issue he discusses PRECISE "NULL" BALANCING SYSTEM another aspect of the lively arts. In case you don't A REVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT IN STEREO HIGH FI- know, read "If You Want To Go to DELITY. Provides such unusual features as a Bridge Control, for variable cross- channel signal feed for elimination of "ping. Heaven, Shout!" pong" (exaggerated separation) effects and for 3d channel output volume control for 3- speaker stereo systems; 3d channel output also serves for mixing stereo to produce excellent monaural recordings. Also hos full input mixing of monaural program Charles Reid, opera critic and general sources, speciol "null" stereo balancing and calibrating system feature writer for the British humor mag- ONLY 7.95 DOWN (better than meters), 24 equalization positions, all- concentric azine Punch, is, in old 8.00 MONTHLY controls, rumble and scratch filters, loudness switch. Clutch type the phrase, a man volume controls for balancing or as 1 Master Volume Control. of broad cultural interests. He once penned Has channel re -erse, electronic phasing, input level controls. a profile of Mac West; he is currently en- Sensitivity 1.78 millivolts for 1 volt out. Dual lowimpedance outputs (plate followers). 1300 ohms. Response 10- 25,000 cps gaged in writing a biography of Sir RESPONSE 10-25,000 CPS ± 0.5 DB -`_ 0.5 db. Less thon .03'/ IM distortion. Uses 7 new 7025 low.. Thomas Beecham. His first contribution 6 CONCENTRIC FRONT PANEL CONTROLS noise dual triodes. Size 14" x 41/2" x 101 ". Shpg. wt., 16 lbs. 4 CONCENTRIC REAR PANEL INPUT Complete with printed circuit board, cage, profusely illustrated to H1cti Funa.rry Magazine is a history- instructions, all necessary parts. LEVEL CONTROLS to -date (p. 39 ) of onetime tcunderkind, LAFAYETTE KT -600 Stereo Preamplifier kit Net 79.50 - ( 180° ELECTRONIC PHASE REVERSAL LAFAYETTE LA -600- Stereo Preamplifier, Wired Net 134.50 now mature i.e., twenty -two) professional- conductor Picrino Gamba. NEW!ALAFAYETTE STEREO /MONAURAL BASIC POWER AMPLIFIER KIT 36 -WATT STEREO AMPLIFIER T PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS fOR 18 -WATTS EACH CHANNEL NEAT, SIMPLIFIED WIRING The review on p. 42 of the trail -blazing FOR OPTIONAL USE AS 36.WATT RESPONSE BETTER THAN 35- 30,000 MONAURAL AMPLIFIER CPS ± t/r DB AT 18 WATTS recording of Das Rheingold is written by EMPLOYS 4 NEW PREMIUM -TYPE LESS THAN 11/2 HARMONIC OR a trail blazer. With the Gramophone Shop 7189 OUTPUT TUBES INTERMODULATION DISTORTION Encyclopedia of Recorded ,llusic (1936), A superb/"performing basic stereo ampli tier, in easy to -build kit form to save you lets of money and let you get Into stereo now at minimum espensel Dual R. D. Darrell created the first compre- inputs are provided, each with individual volume control, and the unit may be used with a stereo preamplifier, fer 2 -18 watt stereo channels or, at the flick of hensive discography of serious music. This o switch, as o fine 36 -watt monaural amplifier - or, if desired, it may be used as first love has clearly been a sustained one: 2 separate monaural 18 -watt amplifiers) CONTROLS include 2 input volume con trots, channel Reverse switch (AB BA), Monaural- Stereo switch. DUAL OUTPUT vide The highroad to Musical Enjoyment, IMPEDANCES are 4, 8, 16 and 32 ohms (permitting parallel (monaural) opera Schirmer's Books lion of 2 speaker systems of up to 16 ohms. INPUT SENSITIVITY is 0.45 volts per Guide to on Music and channel for full output. TUBES are 2.6AN8, 4.7189; GZ-34 rectifier. SIZE 9. 3/16 "d Musicians, Good Listening -not to speak ONLY 4.75 DOWN - 110-9/16" 'with controls) x S1/4"h a 131/4 "w. Supplied complete with perforated 5.00 MONTHLY metal cage, oll necessary parts and detailed instructions. Shpg. wt., 22 lbs. of his monthly appearances in this journal

KT -310 Stereo Power Amplifier Kit . Net 47.30 as book and record reviewer. A doyen of LA -310- Stereo Power Amplifier, Wired. Net 69.50 discophiles, one might say... . P. O. BOX ¡f 511 Dept. WH -9 Radio JAMAICA 31, N. Y. Send FREE LAFAYETTE Catalog 300 / - I G ' /,\ CUT OUT I Name \\ AND PASTE ON Address POSTCARD VíLd / I City Zone.... State -6Y7

.1 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com hen the chips are down... tape is still king

SONY ..and the SONY STERECORDER Serecorder- is your best bet! the finest complete STEREOPHONIC RECORDING Built -in stereo and PLAYBACK SYSTEM* in one low cost unit. pre -amplifiers and potter amplifiers (can be used * All STERECORDER models are also available with an extra stereo play -back head with a frequency response of 30- 12,000 CPS to reproduce the new prerecorded 4 -track stereo- for other components) phonic topes (Model 555 -A4). Separate head for 4 -track tapes

Two V. U. meters for professional level indication

Stereo outputs for loud speakers and external amplifiers NATIONALLY $ ADVERTISED 00 PRICE NOW 395 Individual stereo tone and volume controls plus master volume

Inputs for live stereo and "off the air" stereo recording

Automatic tape lifters (eliminates head hear in fast forward and rewind)

Tape Speeds Instantaneous selection - 71/2 IPS or 334 IPS Frequency Response fper Channel) 30.18000 CPS at 71/2 IPS ±2 DB 50.15000 CPS at71/: IPS DK 555 -A 30 -12000 CPS at 33/4 IPS Ideal for "built -in" installations Signal to Noise Ratio (per Channel) 50 DB or more across line output Harmonic Distortion (measured by proposed NARTB Less than 2% at 3 DB below standards) rated output recorder- Flutter and Wow Tube Complement Less than 0.2% at 71/2 IPS 2 -EF86, 4- 12AZ7, 3 -6ÁQ5 S Finest components and construction Less than 0.3% at 32/4 IPS 1 -5V4 -G assures years of trouble free operation

For Free Descriptive Literature and Name of Nearest Franchised Dealer write SUPERSCOPE, INC., Audio Electronics Division / Sun Valley, California

AUGUST 1959 5

www.americanradiohistory.com Years Ahead New Bogen stereo receiver is years ahead in price and in performance

NO ONE BUT BOGEN, builder of over one million high- fidelity and sound - distribution components, could have engineered this new high- fidelity stereo receiver, the SRB 20. A superb all -in -one stereo instrument, it's a highly sensitive FM -A M stereo tuner, it's a versatile stereo audio control center, it's a magnificent 20 watt (10 per channel) stereo amplifier, and it's yours for only $199.50 -a price you'd expect to pay for a comparable tuner alone!

BOGEN'S ENGINEERING STAFF, largest of any sound -equipment maker, designed each circuit stage of the SRB 20 as an individual unit. By concen- trating on each stage separately, they can pack more value, more clean performance in less space than is /! n otherwise possible. The separate ' stages are then carefully, logically arranged in an overall circuit of proven superiority. This new Bogen concept eliminates wiring clutter, prevents hum and distortion, provides savings which are passed on to you. Bogen's engineering excellence, crystallized during 25 years of building specialized sound systems for schools, theatres, industrial plants and offices, is yours to enjoy in the new SRB 20. Put it in a cabinet or on your bookshelf (it fits easily). Ask your Bogen dealer to show it to you today.

BOGEN CONTROLS: Selector, FM Tuning. AM Tuning. Separate Bass ttte, ouvuL w.cu.. and Treble for each channel (lock for simultaneous control of both). Volume for each channel (correct imbalance, then to G- etteyu btoteo lock for simultaneous control). Separate On -Off Power. FM On -Off and AFC. AM On -Off. Multiplex. Send for illustrated booklet, "Understanding High Fidelity."

64 -page explanation of hi -fi and stereo. Enclose 25c please. HIGH FlOFL7Y

HoGEN- PRESTO Co., Dept. HF -89, P. O. Box 500, Paramus, N. J. .\ Division of the Siegler Corporation

6 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com Record Club offers you -ALBUMS FROM MORE THAN 20 RECORD COMPANIES -not just one!

FREE! Any 5 STERE° e 50% off (Up to 29.90 list price)...by agreeing to buy only 6 albums during the next 12 months on all other albums you want!

THE GREATEST GARNER ATLANTIC 1227 * You receive FREE any 5 stereophonic sound or monaural (standard) high fidelity records shown here. ARTUU LYMAN * You can order any of the records shown at 50% off list price of $3.98 for popular and jazz, SM ADRIAN MOULT all stereo. ERROR GARIIR 99 RlmeN lanLa / I $4.98 for classical and $5.98 for I EM R Aar#Atab AIYI INIYtY 8. (M & S) 48. (M & S) "Orchestra Exotic 5. (M) Way You Look 16. (M & S) "Best 14. (S only) 10 gems You only agree to buy six selections from sounds of Hawaiian Tonight, Flamingo, record " - Harpers. -Birth of the comes alive ... per - * Village group made Pavanne, Summer- "This one is tops Blues, Clap Yo' formance excellent" the hundreds of record albums the club will It a best -seller! time Reverie. etc. .." Hi Fi Review. Hands. etc. -High Fid. Mag. offer during the next 12 months. MOZART ATAULFO ARGENTA THE BERL/OZ A FREE every two selections you CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN ~ARCHDUKE SYMPHONIE FANTASENEUE * ALBUM for QUINTET IN TRIO NO 7 buy, after purchasing only six albums. G MINOR CHOPIN QUINTE 1 Leading musical experts will select the out- PIANO CONCERTOS Nos. I t 7 * IN C ë MINOR PAUL BADURA-SKODA standing records in each category. These will be PIANO in Club 'EMIL GLEIS pm 1 fully described each month your Diners' MLR ok. NINTH SYMPHONY LEONID KOGAN er ARTUR RODZINSKI Marias CARD sou ORCHESTRA Of PARIS Magazine Record Section. TIMB MMKT r rlAi 1818N PINIMl1UU et THE GREAT IN C MAJOR M TROPOVIOengl himswirsvrow miaow L. . (NI) 13. "3 million - per- You enroll in any one of these 75. (M) One of the 43. (S only) 39. (M) "Expertly (S Only) "Unusually * Y categories-g most powerful ever "A choice ruble trio of super- formed- superbly able quality" -Sat. Popular, Classical or Jazz. recorded " -Harpers; addition" - lative artists ..." reproduced" - Rev. "Sound ter- An vent" -Sat. Rev. Review. High Fidelity ',ARR. High Fidelity Mag. rific" -Audio Mag. Saturday * You may accept or reject the selection of BACH -MAGNIFICAT in D your category, take any of the other records wars I FEbNlß COPLAND irmos+FrS pi=t1M MAL P CANTATA offered, or take no record in any particular APPALACHIAN SPRING OlitHESRA NO.50 BILLY THE KID month. .. y TM aASTEAS01MD5 OF FANFARE FOR THE STAK * You are free to discontinue your member- COMMON MAN PRA ship at any time after buying six albums. Fl SALO MEXICO F011 HOWARD MITCHELLcorm DENNY Ib MBA You will receive the Diners' Club Credit Card sal Smellier Bd al eargta ILL mom * granting you world 82. (M ) xotic 3. (M & S) Flower 25. (M) "Recording & 79. (M & S) "Perform- 84. IM & S) With -wide charge privileges, if sounds in his Drum Song inter- interpretations are ance, first rate; re- Charlie Parker, you are not already a Diners' Club member. top-selling "Quiet preted by jazz uniformly excellent" cording, excellent" Thelonious Monk, Village" style. greats. -Hi :h Fidelity Mag. -Hi Fi Review. Dizzy Gillespie. * As a convenience, your album purchases will MODERN Art QUARTET AROUND be included in your regular Diners' Club bill at STRINGS M= Monaural (Standard) High Fidelity pm, ONE NEVER KNOWS THE WORLD the regular list price plus small mailing costs. S= Stereophonic Sound 4111PUIP"' hatunlre,cr 101n' p il GAVE RUSE DINERS' CLUB, 900 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles 46, Calif. PAR 'WESTON Enroll me in the following category of the Record Club: AOAVE RAKSIN Circle Numbers Below aMdias (Check one only): Popular Classical Jazz 3 5 6 7 I want to receive my records in (Check one only): & S) Mood 19. (M) "Finest fla- 33. (M & S) "Finest 30. (M Monaural (standard) high fidelity Stereophonic Sound 8 13 14 15 musicianship...one music at its best menco guitar artist is overwhelmed" - in lush orches- of our time" - Send me the records I have circled at right. I will receive 5 I buy 16 17 19 25 Hi Fi Review. tral setting. -High Fidelity Mag. free records (and pay only small mailing cost). agree to six selections offered by the Club during the next 12 months DUKAS BSENCE Of ROMANCE at regular list price plus small mailing cost. Thereafter, I will 30 33 35 39 THE SORCERER'S receive one free album for every two additional albums I buy. APPRENTKE LT I want to take advantage of the Charter Membership offer 43 48 49 55 RAVEL:BOLERO and buy additional records at 50 per cent off of regular list FALL,: RITUAL FIRE DANCE; price (plus small mailing cost). I have circled at the right all 58 75 79 80 DANCE OF TERROR the albums I want (including my 5 free albums). I understand CHARRIER: ESPANA this special discount purchase will not count as part of the 81 82 84 I buy next months. HERMANN SCHERCHEN six albums agree to during the twelve vat* Vertu Slate Opal Orclestn SPENCER-HAGEN WHEW Record Club privileges are available to Diners' Club members only. 6.(M &S)La n 7. (M & S) "Superior 15. (M & S) -Mood excitement by the reproduction ... music with fidelity TO JOIN DINERS' CLUB FILL OUT SIMPLE COUPON sonic High master of mambo quality"- . a ¡oy in itself" members, provide name and Fidelity Mag. Diners' Club - High Fid. Mag. address only and place card number here & glAC11Atai MENDELSSOHN GAYNE BALLET SUITE STMIeNY w.4 sAAIN DANR IUIIAAT FOR USE A R1111EA OMITS OWN' oir,cc MUSSORGSKY FULL NAME MGM DN RAID MOUNTAIN BORODIN HOME ADDRESS rOlDYISUUIDAIKfslglSrili) RYRSKY-KORSAKOFF Phone vRenl home_ Qnn home_ Years al present address REND Of TNF 'MU 181 SIR ADRIAN ROUST al w COMPANY NAME Nature of business agelltae m a a F Ilwro c Raeeor ldrstraítrer 35. (M & S) 17. (M) "Poetic per- 81. (M & S) Address Stage hit ZONl "Vigorous and, formance ... from performed by brilliant" - the orchestra." 2- million -selling Phone Years with above lum Position Hi Fi Review. -High Fidelity Mag. organist. BANK NAME A ADDRESS Reg. Checking D STRAUSS WALTZES Spec. Checking D STE2 CHARGE ACCOUNTS AT Savmgs D THE BLUE DANUBE Loan D EMPEROR WALTZ DEM°N- CHECK ONE ONLY Nave you held a Dmers Club card previously, VOICES OF SPRING sTRATIoN COMPANY ACCOUNT Q 11 addition to existing account show number TALES FROM THE aia Ne.pl to .thee add'.,, VIENNA R RP 12 months' membership from WOODS PERSONAL ACCOUNT O es TEE: ENCLOSED BILL ME covers acogosine 604) ROSES FROM THE SOUTH WI seni to home odd..,, date card rs issued (waled., on* yew,, wbmnpr.on ro Din.,i ChM at PERSONAL ACCOUNT b -- Card Ao /dar assumes .nd,ridua/ ,e,pons,b,Oiy wiM company applicant niexs St, Btld Ulm a,,, ,.m, fa CH,,. odd..,, 58. (M & S) Sacrae 55. (M) "Sound 80. (5 Only) "Superbly Symphoniae (1597) is tremendous ... gaudy, amusing SIGNATURE OF INDIVIDUAL APPLICANT -enchanting work best yet" - pkge....big sound" beautifully played. -Hi Fi Review. FOR COMPANY ACCOUNT High Fid. Mag. AUTHORIZATION uc....,..s s,.,,r nna AUGUST 1959 7

www.americanradiohistory.com BACH OR BE-BOP

Discs at CUM Sun: Paul Moor's recent account [June] of record production in Moscow has reminded me of my experience at the consumers' end of the line in a Mos- cow record store. One clay last August I took off a couple of hours from the Interna- tional Astronomical Union meetings I was attending to shop in the high - fidelity annex of the large GUM department store near lied Square. The record division, On the second floor. was a long, plain room with half a dozen booths along the side. Rows of records lined three sides of each booth, while the business was trans- acted over a counter with a record player which formed the fourth side. Opposite each booth a bulletin board apparently tabulated the discs available at that counter. I deduced that classical long- playing records could be obtained only at the first booth. Among the approximately ninety selections available %tyre a few by Bach and Mozart. a few Beethoven sym- On patio... lawn... phonies and two by Tchaikovsky; pieces by Rimsky- Korsakov, Kahalev- terrace ... pool ... thrill sky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and sev- to outstanding eral contemporary Russian composers high fidelity sound whose names Were unfamiliar to me. with University's There was also some chamber music. I had gone alone to the GUM weatherproof store on the hopes that I would find `LC' speaker systems MODEL MLC MODEL BLC an English- speaking Russian to help me make my purchases. As I stood in Each model is a true coaxial speaker, with separately driven front of the bulletin board, labori- woofer and tweeter, and built -in network. Simply connect to your amplifier. ously transliterating composers' names. I noticed a new arrival with a copy phonograph, radio, or TV . .. the exceptionally efficient 'LC' speakers of the London Daily Worker tucked provide high volume sound of fine tonal quality. under his arm. I introduced myself, Cover any area you desire ... wide or narrow, shallow or deep , . . and this chap gladly assisted in trans- according to model chosen and placement angle. lating the list of selections and helped Leave in place rain or shine, season after season .. . me purchase six records, of which the confident of the rugged dependability built -in by University. most interesting have since turned out Got stereo equipment indoors? Now enjoy that life-like to he Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf (narrated in Russian), and some sound outdoors by hooking up a pair of matching 'LC' speakers. Shostakovich Preludes (Opus 34) with the composer at the piano. The MODEL MLC One -piece fiberglas reinforced polyester horn. Response: 150- 15.000 cps. Imped- discs come in flowered covers of light ance: S ohms. Power capacity: 15 watts. 12?.'," x paper with ten brief rules for the care 91,i," x 10;ßs" d. Shpt'. wt.. 10 lbs. User net: $J 4.50. of records on the back. The covers MODEL BLC All metal construction. Response: no of the record in- 70- 15,000 cps. Impedance: 8 ohms. Diameter: carry indication 22N ". Depth: 9!, ¡ ". Power capacity: 25 watts. side, but the label itself can be read Stipp. wt., 21 lbs. User net: $5.1.70. through the jacket's center hole. For complete details of the 'LC' speakers, write for brochure. Desk P -3, University Loudspeakers, Inc., 50 So. Kensico Ave., White Plains, N. Y. Continued un page 10

S HIGH FIDELITY MACAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com Rockbar introduces a remarkable new 4 -speed Collaro transcription stereo changer - The Constellation, Model TC -99. The TC -99 offers tested and proven professional turntable performance with the advantages of automatic operation - truly a complete record player for the connoisseur. Here are some of the features which make this the outstanding changer on the market today :.Performance specifications exceed NARTB standards for wow, flutter. and rumble Extra -heavy, die cast non- magnetic turntable weighs 61/2 lbs. Extra -heavy duty pre - cision- balanced and shielded four pole motor New two -piece stereo transcription type tone arm Detachable five terminal plug -in head shell Each model is laboratory checked and comes with its own lab specification sheet. Flutter is guaranteed not to exceed .04 %. Wow is guaranteed not .to exceed .15 %. Rumble is guaranteed down -50 db (at 120 cps relative to 5 cm/sec at 1 KC).. The extra -heavy. weight turntable is a truly unique feature in a changer. This extra weight is carefully distributed for flywheel effect and smooth, constant rotation..The non -magnetic turntable provides a reduction in magnetic hum pick -up of 10 db compared with the usual steel turntable. -The heavy duty four pole motor is precision- balanced and screened with triple interleaved shields to provide an additional 25 db reduction in magnetic hum pick -up. The rotor of the four pole motor is specially manufactured and after grinding, is dynamically balanced to zero. While this is basically a turntable for transcription performance, a fully automatic intermix changer, similar to the mechanism employed in.the famous COLLAR() CONTINEN- TAL, MODEL TSC -840, is an integral part of the unit. ADDITIONAL FEATURES: New two -piece stereo transcription type tone arm with detachable five terminal plug -in head shell. This new arm is spring damped and dynamically counterbalanced to permit the last record to be played with the same low stylus pressure as the first. Between the top and bottom of a stack of records there is a difference of less than a gram in tracking pressure-compared with four to eight grams on conventional changers. Vertical and horizontal friction are reduced to the lowest possible level. These qualities -found complete only in Collaro transcription changers -insure better performance and longer life for your precious records and expensive styli. The TC -99 handles 7", 10" and 12" records-in any order. The changer is completely jam- proof and will change or play records at all four speeds. The manual switch converts the changer into a transcription type turntable providing transcription performance for the playing of a single long-play stereo or monophonic record. The two -piece arm can then be set clown to play portions out of rotation or the entire record can be played singly and sequentially. The double »luting snitch provides absolute silence for both stereo channels during the change cycle and the R/C network helps to squelch "pop," "clicks" and other noises. The TC -99 comes complete with two audio cables ready to be plugged into your stereo system: It is pre -wired for easy installation ; styled in a handsome two -tone ebony color scheme to fit any decor; tropicalized against adverse weather and humidity conditions. Long service life is assured by the automatic disengagement of the idler wheel preventing development of bumps and wow. Price of the TC -99 is $59.50, exclusive of the base. All prices are slightly higher in the West. For free colorful catalog on the complete line of Collaro Stereo Changers write Rockbar Corporation, Dept.100, Mamaroneck, N.Y. The last word in a Transcription Stereo Changer. . .

Collaro Constellation, TC -99

RC-12 www.americanradiohistory.com IT TAKES A PRACTICED EYE TO TELL LETTERS page 8 THESE CLEVITE 'WALCO' NEEDLES APART Continued from My translator expressed his enthusiasm for Van Cliburn, and indicated his desire to obtain the recording of the Tchaikovsky piano concerto which had just been pressed, but for which, unfortunately, there was a long waiting list. Suddenly an inspiration on how to get the Van Cliburn record struck him, and shortly afterward I found myself in the office of one of the officials of the GUM store. The young man evidently explained in convincing terms my great desire to own the Van Cliburn disc, and my inability, as an American visitor, to wait for the regular distribution; permission was grant- ed and somewhere from the stock room the disc was produced. Finally, out in the hall, there was a swap, and one happy Russian Van Cliburn fan got his desired prize! Owen Gingerich Wellesley, Mass.

Stereo in the Closet

SIR; The complaint of some [ "Notes from with Top left, a Clevite "Walco" W -75 with a short wire shank; lower left, the W-77 Abroad," June] that "French rooms a longer shank made of tubing; top right, the W -103 for stereo, with shank - length midway between the other two; and lower tight, the W -107 stereo model, identical are too small" ( for good music repro- with the W -103 except that the twin tips are not diametrically opposite each other. duction) prompts me to offer what I hope may be a consoling word to Though you have to look hard to see Don't let superficial similarities con- others troubled by limited space and their subtle variations, if you put the fuse you . . . your Clevite "Walco" a seemingly incompatible ear for hi -fi. wrong one of these look -alike needles dealer has the answers. This author has lived in considerable in your phonograph, the most inex- comfort for over a year within the con- perienced ear will (tear the difference fines of a house trailer which measures at once. In each case, the differences CLEVITE'WALCO' thirty -five feet by eight feet, during were designed to meet the audio needs which time he has enjoyed quite fully of different systems. COLLECTORS' RéÁÉP ITEMS the pleasures afforded by stereophonic Because Clevite "Walco" manufac- I have no DisCleaner Kit disc reproduction. particular tures needles like these as well as sympathy for those who cry lack of hundreds of other models for instal- The great Clevite "Walco" advance in record cleaning . . . contains the most space. Show me an ample broom lation in original factory -assembled effective, long -lasting anti -static cleaning solution ever developed. and uses closet and I'll show you good stereo. phonograph equipment, the Clevite special velvet -piled applicators that Walter L. Sisson a reach between groove walls to pluck out "Walco" name on replacement needle microscopic dust. Leaves no residue. Ravena, New York is your assurance of rigid adherence to the specifications of the audio en- DisCovers Clear plastic sleeves contoured to ac- gineers who designed your equipment. commodate your records. Prevent dust Rysanek and Amara The only sure way for you to avoid gathering, eliminate groove abrasion and fingermarking when slipping in Sui: mistaking one needle for another is and out of record jacket. A brief note appreciation for Ro- to bring the name and number you of Microgram Stylus Pressure Gauge land Gelatt's enlightening and wel- find on your cartridge to your local balance to Foolproof, precisely accurate come report [May] on the great so- Clevite "Walco" dealer. His catalog measure stylus pressure up to 10 grams. An essential accessory for any hi -fi or prano Leonie Rysanek. Almost never shows instantly which needle was de- stereo system. Never needs recalibration or adjustment. has an artist pleased me as she did in signed for the specific audio require- the Metropolitan Macbeth. ments of your system. I would also like to say that many opera- record collectors of my ac- C6EVI7'E Write today for a sample Clevite "Walco" DisCover quaintance are growing increasingly ... clear plastic protective record sleeve. eager for news of recording activity for another fine Met soprano: Lucine Amara. Her Musetta on the RCA WALD' Beecham -Bohème was beautiful, but alas, her voice also has yet to be really CLEVITE sWALCO' REPLACEMENT PHONOGRAPH NEEDLES RECORD CARE ACCESSORIES captured for the phonograph. 60 -H Franklin Street CLEVITE 'BRUSH' HI -FI HEADPHONES John Fisher East Orange, New Jersey Boston, Mass.

lo HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com NEW STEREOPHONIC EQUIPMENT NEW AF-4 Complete Stereo Dual Amplifier not illus.) provides clean 4W per channel or 8W output. Usual solid EICO construction & trouble free design. Inputs for ceramic /crystal stereo pickups, AM -FM stereo. FM -Multi stereo; 6- position stereo /mono mode selector; clutch-concentric level & tone controls. 27db of feedback around each power amplifier reduces distortion to 0.3% at normal- listening levels with hi- efficiency speakers (Norelco AD4877M or equivalent recommended). Kit $38.95. the Wired. $64.95. HF85: Stereo Dual Preamplifier is a complete stereo control sys- STEREO tem in "low silhouette" design adaptable to any type of installation. Selects. preamphhes. controls any stereo source - tape, AND discs. broadcasts. Superb variable crossover, feedback tone con- experts trols driven by feedback amplifier pairs in each channel. Distor- tion borders on unmeasurable even at high output levels. Sep- MONAURAL arate to -level input in each channel for mag. phono. tape head, mike. Separate hi -level inputs for AM & FM tuners & FM Multiplex. One each auxiliary A & B input in each channel. Independent level, bass & treble controls in each channel may be operated say... together with built -in clutch. Switched-in loudness compensator. Function Selector permits hearing each stereo channel individually, and reversing them: also use of unit for stereo or monophonic play. Full-wave rectifier tube power supply. 5- 125 %7 / ECC83. 1.6 %4. Works with any high-quality stereo power amplifier in HI -FI such as FICO HF86. or any 2 high quality mono power amplifiers such as FICO HF14. HF22. HF30, HF35. HF50, HF60. 'Extreme flexibility . a bargain" - HI -FI REVIEW. Kit $39.95. Wired $64.95. Includes cover. HF86: Stereo Dual Power Amplifier for use with HF85 above or the best buys are any good self- powered stereo preamp. Identical Williamson-type push -pull EL84 power amplifiers, conservatively rated at 14W, may be operated in parallel to deliver 28W for non- stereo use. Either input can be made common for both amplifiers by Service Selector switch. Voltage amplifier & split -load phase inverter circuitry feature EICO-developed 12DW7 audio tube for significantly better performance. Kit $43.95. Wired $74.95. World- famous HF81: Stereo Dual Amplifier -Preamplifier selects, amplifies & L7E/CO controls any stereo source tape, discs, broadcasts- & feeds it thru self -contained dual 14W amplifiers to a pair of speakers. EICO advantages Monophonically: 28 watts for your speakers; complete stereo preamp. Ganged level controls, separate focus (balance) control, guarantee your complete satisfaction: independent full -range bass 8 treble controls for each channel. Identical Williamson -type, push-pull EL84 power amplifiers, excellent output transformers. -'Service Selector" switch permits Advanced engineering Finest quality components one preamp -controt section to drive the internal power amplifiers while other preamp -control section is left free to drive "Beginner- Tested," easy step -by -step instructions your existing external amplifier. "Excellent" SATURDAY REVIEW; HI -FI MUSIC AT HOME. "Outstanding quality . extremely ver- LIFETIME service & calibration guarantee satile" - RADIO & TV NEWS LAB- TESTED. Kit $69.95. Wired $109.95. Includes rover. IN STOCK - Compare, then take home any EICO MONO PREAMPLIFIERS (stack 2 for STEREO) equipment -right "off the snelf "- -from 1900 neighbor- HF -65: superb new design. Inputs for tape head. microphone, mag.phono cartridge 8 hi-level sources. IM distortion 0.04% hood EICO dealers. (,r. 2V out. Attractive "low silhouette" design. HF65A Kit $29.95. Wired $44.95. HF65 with power supply Kit $33.95. Wired $49.95. MONO POWER AMPLIFIERS (use 2 for STEREO) HF60 160W. HF50 50w. HF35 35w. HF30 130W), HF22 (22W), 11F14 (14W : from Kit $23.50. Wired $41.50. MONO INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS (use 2 for STEREO)

fir52 (50W. HF32 30W , HF20 ,20k, HF12 (12W): from Kit $34.95. Wired $57.95. .. 4) * 0-, SPEAKER SYSTEMS (use 2 for STEREO) Mir HFS2: Natural bass 30-200 cps via slot -loaded 12-ft. split conical bass horn. Middles & lower highs: front radiation from 81/2" Stereo Preamplifier HF85 edge -damped cone. Distortronless spike-shaped super- tweeter r,idiates omni-directionally. Flat 45-20.000 cps, useful 30-40.000 16 ohms. HWD 36". 151.1". 1112". "Eminently musical"- Holt, HIGH FIDE) ITY. "Fine for stereo" MODERN HI.FI. Com- pletely factory -built: Mahogany or Walnut, $139.95; Blonde, FM Tuner HFT90 $144.95. AM Tuner HFT94 HFS1: Bookshelf Speaker System, complete with factorybuilt cabinet. Jensen 8" woofer. matching Jensen compression- driver exponential horn tweeter. Smooth clean bass. crisp extended highs. 70-12.000 cps range. Capacity 25 w. 8 ohms. HWD 11" x 23" x 9 ". Wiring time 15 min. Price $39.95. LGS -1 Brass Tip Stereo Matching 14" Legs easily convert HFS -1 into attractive conso- Amplifier -Preamp lette. All brackets & hardware provided. $3.95. HF81 FM TUNER HFT90: A superior stable tuner easy to assemble - no instruments needed. Prewired. prealigned. temperature-com - pensated "front end" is drift -free, eliminates need for AFC. Pre - wired exclusive precision eye- tronic» traveling tuning indicator contracts at exact center of FM channels. Prealigned IF coils. Sensitivity 6% that of other kit tuners: 1.5uv for 20db quieting: 2.5uv for 30db quieting. full limiting from 25uv. IF bandwidth 260kc at 6db points. Frequency response 20- 20.000 cps .1db. 2 output jacks: cathode follower to amplifier. Multiplex output tb for FM Multiplex Stereo adapter; thus prevents obsolescence. Very low distortion. "One of the best buys in high fidelity kits" Bookshelf - AUDIOCRAFT. Kit $39.95'. Wired $65.95'. Cover $3.95. Speaker Monaural Integrated Amplifiers: System HFS1 NEW AM TUNER HFT94: Matches HFT90. Selects "hi -fi" 50, 30, 20, and wide 12-Watt (20c 9kc n 3 db, or weak -station narrow (20c -- 5kc w (use -3 2 for Stereo) db bandpass. Tuned RF stage for high selectivity & sensitivity; precision eye -honic tuning. Built -in ferrite loop. prealigned Omnidirectional RF & IF coils. Sensitivity 3 uy ,r 30°6 mod. for 1.0 V out, 20 Monaural Preamplifiers= Speaker System HFS2 db S /N. Very low noise 8 distortion. High -0 10 kc whistle filter. Kit $39.95. Wired $69.95. Prices incl. & H165. HF65A 36" H x 151 /4" W x 1142" 0 Cover F.E.T. (stack 2 for Stereo) EICO, 33 -00 Northern Blvd., L. I. C. 1, N. Y. HF -8

SHOW ME HOW TO SAVE 50% on 65 models of top -quality:

; Hi -Fi Test Instruments El "Ham" Gear Monaural Power Amplifiers: Send FREE catalog and name of neighborhood EICO 60, 50, 35. 30, 22 and 14 -Watt dealer, use 2 for Stereo) Stereo Power Amplifier HF86 NAME ADDRESS --- Over 1 MILLION EICO instruments in use throughout the world. CITY. -. ZONE STATE

AUGUST 1959 11

www.americanradiohistory.com Stereo becomes a Decorator's Dream!

New G: \L. Vtl" I I hi -fi component by ARDINE ALLYN, Noted Interior Decorator speakers eliminate cabinet bulk, add eye value, give better panoramic stereo coverage The new Jensen GALAXY II hi -fi stereo speaker system achieves of large areas. wide panoramic stereo with two tiny "satellite" units that can wall -mount like pin -up lights and a single small "bookshelf" size enclosure. Freed from the cumbersome need to place two boxes (an unwanted hazard to decor and space) in often unavailable or eye - assailing locations as required with conventional speakers, the GALAXY II system can enter the living room as a welcome guest, providing an attractive visual result along with the superb performance of its sound reproducing function. The two satellite units are an outstanding example of the proposition that functional design can be beautiful. Their slim cases of genuine solid natural finished walnut, tawny ash or mahogany match the selected veneers of the Bass -Center Unit and add a note of warmth and richness. The curved front theme is repeated in the bow -front design of the Bass -Center Unit and there is an attractive tie -in of grille cloth treatment. When real panoramic stereo can be achieved with these diminutive, smartly -styled pieces, ultraflexible in placement, hi -fi component stereo is really here ... for any room in your home.

4LAxY`II is another contribution to stereo in the home by Jensen

T. M

1 2 Ilicii FIDELITY M:u:AzixE

www.americanradiohistory.com You shou/d kn-_-)w there is so-nething better.. New HI-FI STEREO TT*II . 419 SATELLITE SPEAKER SYSTEM . .

-1PDT6)CDU1 Ti-e ultirr ate space-solving speaker system for panoramic 3terep scund in the home

You've never seen a stereo speaker }.stem like this .. ai inspired merging of fuictior wiita decor . - . that takes less than a square foot of floor space (or can be off- the -floor' _atirely) ... yet gives yoL big speaLef dual 3 -way iystem performance with wide planzramic stereo sounc for an z..tirely new listenjng thri I! Fo: liv:ng room, or any room in your lame ... Jensen Galaxy s the most iveable stereo ;peakersystem ever. ;You'll war:- to tI d out Lbout Ga.cxy. B-ochure GY is free on request.

POW O lo1ANUFACTUING COMP.A.N-' 2 6801So_ith Lare mie A.erue Chicagp3$,IÌÌinols In Canada: J.F. Lon_statfe C3., Ltd., Toromto ' TM. . Di ision c/ Ti*-,llsutar Con'pany In Mexico: Racio 'I -elevis oi, S.A :Mexico, D. F.

J=sign by Palma-Knapp

AUGUST 1959 13

www.americanradiohistory.com 80°6s in Rev(ew

Henry Purcell: 1659 -1695: Essays on His Music. The bicentenary of Han - del's death has not gone uncelebrated, but the tercentenary of Purcell's birth seems to have been largely forgotten -except in England where Imogene Holst has gathered together a slender sheaf of tributes (handsomely illustrated by musical examples and manuscript facsimiles) by Benjamin Brit- ten, Peter Pears, Michael Tippett and by a group of less well -known British musicologists. The contributions of the former are perhaps no more than ver- bal garlands and those of the latter are so highly specialized that only Purcel- lians as devout as myself are likely to insist on owning them, but for us they are priceless companions to the cher- ished music. More than that, however, several of the strictly musicological papers here throw so much new light on seventeenth -century musical notation and interpretative practices that they must be ranked as invaluable by any serious student of baroque music in general (Oxford, $4.25).

Composers Eleven is a slightly ex- panded revision of Neville Cardos' Ten Composers of 1945, in which the Brit- ish critic now adds Bruckner to his Win your next Rolls- Royce... series of concise surveys of the life and works of Schubert, Wagner, Brahms, Mahler, Strauss, Franck, De- bussy, Elgar, Delius, and Sibelius. Dev- The superb $13.995.00 automobile illustrated will be 'awarded to the otees of the romantic era should need reader of this message who listens to a Shure high fidelity Stereo no urging to profit by these illumina- Dynetic phonograph cartridge demonstration and best describes its tions of the "musical traits that make singular sound recreation qualities (in 25 words or less). No purchase the style that is the man himself re- is required. lated to his environment." It is to If, however, you are the winner and have purchased a Shure cartridge listeners normally antipathetic to (our thinly disguised motive for sponsoring this competition) you may the present composers that Cardos' accept your automobile at the Rolls -Royce factory.Travelling expenses perceptive studies should be particu- for. yourself and a friend to the British Isles and return will be larly commended -not only as persua- defrayed by Shure Brothers, Inc:, 222 Hartrey Avenue, Evanston, Ill. sive sources of revalued "understanding," but also as shining examples of Should yon win (we don't expect an overabundance of entries, so criticism that is richly satisfying to your chances are rather good) you'll probably never have to buy read both for its own sake and for another automobile as long as you live. a heightened "appreciation "-in the Details and contest blanks available Only at high fidelity finest sense of that much -misused term dealers' show rooms and salons. Contest ends August -of the personalities and music Car - dus discusses ( George Braziller, 31st, 1959. $4.00) .

Conversations with Stravinsky and Fifty Years of Music. Which team are you on, Buddy: the egghead or the insistently "common" man? The anti- high fidelity Stereo Dynetic phonograph cartridge .. . Unanimous choice of the critics. thetical extremes of musical philosophy hardly be exemplified Model M3D, $45.00 net ; Model M7D, $24.00 net. could better than by these two volumes. One is a Socratic dialogue in which conductor - interlocutor Robert Craft prods Igor

Continued on page 16

14 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com o

ALTEC LITTLE -GIANT BOOKCASE SPEAKER SYSTEMS...iow as

Highest efficiency of any comparable system tested -21/2 to 31/2 watts nominal for average room listening -peak ratings as high as 20 watts Test against any other speaker system selling for up to $50 more for frequency response - presence- efficiency Price them. You'll buy ALTEC for the highest sound value.

ALTEC 834A ALTEC 835A MONTEREY MONTEREY JR. This is the ultimate Quality of reproduc- in compact speaker tion equals or exceeds systems. The Mon- systems costing up ALTEC 700B MELODIST terey uses two to twice as much. The most performance in the smallest controlled- linear -ex- Finished on all four package. ALTEC's Melodist is made to cursion bass speak- sides for use in hori- order for small apartments, or as a sec- ers, and ALTEC's zontal or vertical posi- ond speaker in stereo sound systems. 3000B high- frequency sectoral horn. At tions. Employs ALTEC's famous con- Contains ALTEC's engineered bass 40 cycles this outstanding system has, trolled- linear- excursion bass speaker that speaker, plus the same high -frequency for the same power input, more than always repeats exactly what it hears. speaker used in more expensive ALTEC five times the audio output of any other Direct -radiating cone tweeter. systems. small speaker system tested. Specifications: Specifications: Specifications: Guaranteed frequency range: 20. 18,000 Guaranteed frequency range: 70-22,000 Guaranteed frequency range: 40- 22,000 cps power rating: 15 watts imped- cps power rating: 20 watts imped- cps power rating: 20 watts impedance: 16 ohms finish: walnut, blond, ance: 8 ohms finish: blond, mahogany ance: 8 ohms finish: walnut, blond, mahogany dimensions: 11%" H, 23" dimensions: H- 111/4", W- 233/4 ", D- mahogany dimensions: 14" H, 26" W, W, 111/4" D approximate shipping 101" approximate shipping weight: 141/2" D approximate shipping weight: weight: 45 lbs price: $79.50 24 lbs price: $126.00 45 lbs price: $174.00

COMPLETE ALTEC SYSTEMS FOR MONO OR STEREO

For a monophonic system use ALTEC's 355A amplifier -preamplifier with ALTEC's 306A AM -FM or 307 FM tuner, and any one of ALTEC's compact speaker systems. Now, or in the future, you can have an ALTEC stereo system by simply adding another 355A, a matching speaker system, and the inexpensive S40 master stereo control. ALTEC's advanced engineering and manufacturing methods guarantee big- speaker sound in small packages. That's why any one of ALTEC's three compact systems is an excellent choice as a second speaker if you want to convert your present mono system to stereo. ALTEC 355A 20 -WATT 355A Specifications: frequency range: 20- AMPLIFIER -PREAMPLIFIER 22,000 cycles power output: 20 watts load impedance: 4, 8, and 16 ohms seven separate inputs ALTEC S40 MASTER tape recorder output four position loudness control three position STEREO CONTROL $12.00 scratch filter three position rumble filter dynamically balanced output four separate volume controls separate power switch separate bass and treble controls four position record compensation fully shielded input section eyeletted printed circuit compact construction ease of installation price: $111.00 (Walnut, blond, or mahogany cabinet: $19.50)

Write for free catalogue ALTEC LANSING CORPORATION. Dept. 8H 1515 S. Manchester Avenue, Anaheim, Calif. 161 Sixth Avenue, New York 13, N. Y. A Subsidiary of Ling Electronics, Inc. 12.71

i l'Cl-S "I 1959) 15

www.americanradiohistory.com BOOKS IN REVIEW Continued from page 14 Stravinsky into delivering terse dicta illwuiMii "Picture on the Wall" on his own works and methods, his opinions on other composers and the musical activities of today, together TELEVISION with mellower reminiscences of his friendship with Diaghilev, Debussy, Ravel, Dylan Thomas, et al. The other YOURS presents the broadcast -world's erstwhile "Tune Detective," Dr. Sigmund WITH NEW Spaeth, offering his memoirs (brief and anecdotal) and excerpts from his previously published books and syn- dicated newspaper columns. You pays GPEdwooct your money and you takes your choice (as between, say the Canticum Sa- crum and a barbershop quartet). It is r daVinci surely supererogatory of a by -no -means impartial reviewer to assure you that to the almost precise degree you relish one of these highly personal documents you will find the other unread- able (Stravinsky: Doubleday, $4.00; Spaeth: Fleet Publishing Co., $4.95). You've dreamed of "picture on the wall television ". It's yours now with the new Fleetwood da Vinci ... the set designed for custom installation Puccini: A Critical Biography, by the Viennese -born British conductor and designed to be framed, as a picture, in a frame just right for your ... critic, Mosco Cartier, is one of the all - decor. Fleetwood's new slim design lets a bookcase give a perfect "built - too-rare happy marriages of musicology in" appearance without actually building in. and literature: a monumentally docu- yet lucidly organized "life" has non -glare mented Revolutionary new 21 -inch* Fleetwood picture tube which can be read with the liveliest of safety glass laminated to tube face. Picture is brighter, viewing angle is relish as well as relied upon as a de- wider, reflections are virtually eliminated. Wide band pass and excellent finitive reference work. The author, circuitry ... with no manufacturing shortcuts ... gives picture detail like many contemporary listeners, is between his aesthetic allows you to see an individual eyelash on a pretty girl. obviously torn that distrust of Puccini's mass appeal and The Fleetwood da Vinci is available in two models. Model 900 -a two his wholehearted admiration for the system that features the lazy luxury of full electronic remote dramatic craftsmanship which so skill- chassis ensured that success; but in the self contained controls. fully control, and Model 910 -with end it is the admiration which tips the *Diagonal measure.. scales and which, in Carner's compre- hensive elucidation of the composer's acquired as well as natural techniques, THE JCEELWOOa da. 111C1 is made contagious even to those read- BUILT -IN BEAUTY ers previously indifferent or hostile to the Puccinian operas. Career's psycho- THAT BELONGS analytic treatment of the man himself is perhaps less convincing, but at its at your best it is extremely persuasive -and See it certainly Puccini's complex personality hi fi is fascinating as revealed in steadily

dealer . . . maturing creative action. The bio- you'll graphical chapters here valuably aug- ment earlier lives with many letters want it in previously unpublished in English your home. translations and a wealth of hitherto unfamiliar family -background material. But it is primarily Carner's enormously detailed study of the operas themselves which -along with the rich documentation in the form of 23 pages of photographs, 112 musical examples, Write for name of dealer nearest you. bibliography, 5 of source /u 2 pages of references, 10 of plot synopses, 2 of TELEVISION works listing, and 10 for the index- PEdwoo CUSTOM ranks this 500 -page volume as a stand- California ard work (Knopf, $7.50). Crafted by Conroe, Inc. Dept. A Glendora, R. D. DARRELL

HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE I ti

www.americanradiohistory.com AMP x 960 STEREOPHONIC l,' RECORDER/ REPRODUCER

ABOVE -960 PORTABLE STEREO RECORDER /REPRODUCER BELOW -MODEL 2560 PORTABLE Stereo STEREO SYSTEM CONSISTING OF 960 AND PAIR OF 2010 Portable AMPLI FIER-SPEAKERS PLUS! Guiding the Ampex engineers who created the 960 was a dual objective - that of building a machine which was not only a superb example of engineering skill, but one which would also offer its user a range of capabilities far exceeding that of any other recorder made today. The result was not merely an improved stereo recorder, but an entirely new concept in home entertainment. The STEREO 960 fits into family life in literally dozens of ways, contributing many tangible benefits in musical, educational and recreational fun. You'll use it to keep up the family correspondence by sending "letters in sound ", to tape stereo programs off the air, to preserve your best monaural and stereo discs on tape, and to acquire new musical and language skills. You'll have endless fun exploring the 960's many fascinating recording capabilities, including sound -on- sound, echo chamber effects, and other advanced techniques.

AMPEX STEREO SIGNATURE OF PERFECTION IN SOUND

www.americanradiohistory.com Relax and enjoy the show - let your Ampex do the narration! With the RECORDER /REPRODUCER commentary on tape, your color slide shows are more SPECIFICATIONS professional, more complete, and more fun!

The true values of a recorder are best ed through careful evaluation of its performance specifi- LP's and Stereo cations and operating features. It is worthwhile noting here that these specifications are based not on are at their exciting theoretical design parameters but on actual performance tests. They are specifications which the Discs best while they're new and recorder not only meets or exceeds today, but which years from now will still hold true. unscratched. That's when to The Ampex Model 960 Stereophonic Recorder/ Reproducer is capable of essentially distortionless tape them on your Ampex, frequency response from 30 to 20,000 cycles per second at the operating speed of 7V2 inches per and preserve their original second, and from 30 to 15,000 cycles per second at 33/4 inches per second. Its precision -engineered quality for keeps! timing accuracy is such that it offers perfection of pitch held to tolerances of less than one -third of a half -tone. Playing times, using standard (.002 "), long play (.0015 "), and extra -long play (.001 ") tapes are as follows: When you tape it "off the (a) 4 -Track (b) 2 -Track (c) Monaural Tapes, air" your only cost is for Stereo Tapes Stereo Tapes half -track blank tape. Yet your musical

1 200 foot reel 33/4 ips - 2 hrs. 8 min. 33/4 ips - 1 hr. 4 min. 33/4 ips - 2 hrs. 8 min. repertoire can soon equal

71/2 ips - 1 hr 4 min. 71/2 ips - 32 minutes 71/2 ips - 1 hr 4 min. that of all the stations

1 800 foot reel 33/4 ips - 3 hrs. 12 min. 33/4 ips - 1 hr. 36 min. 33 ips - 3 hrs. 12 min you head

71/2 ips - 1 hr 36 min. 7t/2 ips - 48 minutes 71/2 ips - 1 hr 36 min.

400 foot reel 33/4 ips - 4 hrs. 16 min. 33/4 ips - 2 hrs. 8 min. 33/4 ips - 4 hrs. 16 min

71/2 ips - 2 hrs. 8 min. 71/2 ips - 1 hr. 4 min. 71/2 ips - 2 hrs. 8 min. There's a real future in family fun like this -with your RECORD INPUTS: High impedance line inputs (radio /TV /phono /auxiliary) 0.3V rms for program level; Ampex you can live such high impedance microphone inputs happy moments over and PLAYBACK OUTPUTS: Approximately 0.5V rms from cathode follower when playing program level tapes over again, with a quality so PLAYBACK FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 30-20,000 cps at 7t /2 ips; 30- 15,000 cps at 33/4 ips lifelike you're almost literally Within ±2 db 50- 15,000 cps at 71/2 ips, 55 db dynamic range carried back. Within ±2 db 50-10,000 cps at 33/4 ips, 50 db dynamic range

FLUTTER AND WOW: Under 0.2% rms at 71/2 ips; under 0.25% rms at 33/4 ips In the Ampex "Speech Testing HEADS: Manufactured to the same standards of precision that exist in Ampex broadcast and recording Game ", you pit your wits studio equipment. Surfaces are lapped to an optical flatness so precise that they reflect specified against the trigger -quick wavelengths of light, resulting in uniform performance characteristics and greatly minimizing the memory of the Ampex effects of head wear. Azimuth alignment of stereo head gaps in the same stack is held within 20 recorder/reproducer. You seconds of arc, equivalent to less than IO millionths of an inch - a degree of precision achieved can't win, but it's fun trying. through use of a unique process involving micro -accurate optical measurements within a controlle,+ environment. Head gap width is 90 millionths of an inch ±5 millionths of an inch.

letter-writing is no longer a problem, with an Ampex in the house ... now it's a family project. And even KEY TO THE EXCITING FUN FEATURES OF THE 960 -- more fun than sending letters THE AMPEX STEREO -GRAPH in sound is receiving them!

Here's the simplest, quickest answer For "letters in sound ", the to almost every question about how to 3" tape reel holds as much perform the operations illustrated at as a 10 -page letter, mails first class anywhere in the right and numerous other recording United States for Sc functions. The Ampex Stereo-Graph shows you, quickly and clearly, the proper dial settings to make for more than a dozen of the most popular uses and other special effects. A convenient for the 960 ... including sound -on- tape footage /playing time indicator is sound, language and music instruction, included on the reverse side.

MODEL 2010 The Ampex, in private rehearsal, can be a wonderful MATCHING AMPLIFIER -SPEAKER confidence-builder for people who normally develop The Ampex Model 2010's ten -watt (20 watts peak) ampli. rubber knees when faced fier section provides operating characteristics (unequalized) with the prospect of before a flat within -- 0.1 db, with total harmonic distortion less speaking group. than 0.5 of 1 %, throughout the maximum ronge of human hearing ability, at rated output. Noise and hum are 80 db learning to speak a below rated output, and input sensitivity is 0.18V to language is made develop rated power. immeasureably easier on The specially designed 8" speaker provides smooth, peak - the Ampex; you con record free response throughout a remarkably wide audio range. your own phrases side- by-side Such superior design features as its massive die -cast frame with those of the instructor, and edgewise -wound ribbon coil contribute effectively to and ploy them back for higher levels of performance than ever before achieved comparison at any time with a speaker this size. f When you strike up the band in stereo, you don't need MODEL 960 DIMENSIONS: Portable coses 9" x 15" x 17'2 ". Unmounted recorder professional musicians to a 13" x 15" x 618" depth below top plate, Ps" above. Recorder weight 36 lbs., r) make professional speaker amplifier 31 lbs. recording. Advanced techniques are amazingly AMPEX AUDIO. INC. SUNNYVALE. CALIFORNIA AANS easy on the Ampex. lar -- .wut- www.americanradiohistory.com New H.H. Scott .Notes -n Stereo Amplifier has 7a 0 features never before

. 1Iri'u;iil offered at 439.93* The new H.H. Scott 24 watt stereophonic amplifier. Model 222, PARIS -Over here, where Melisandes and Don Giovannis are employees of puts top quality within the reach of all. This new amplifier has many the state, a new government usually feels obliged to announce a brave new features never before available for less than $200. It is backed by opera policy. Usually, too, the responsible officials then go underground for H.H. Scott's fine reputation. Check the features below and you'll a long, hopeless guerrilla war against unions, budget people, and aging ten- see why you should build your new stereo system around tie however, there are signs of ors. Now, H.H. Scott Model 222. a real change. You may remember that Andre Malraux, De Gaulle's dedicated and imperious Niinister for Cul- tural Affairs, carne out ritually last spring for une politique de grandeur at the Opéra and the Opéra -Comique. Well, so far he seems to have meant what he said. A. M. Julien, the new director for both houses, has vision and ruthlessness. Costumes and sets, some of them seventy -five years old, are to be replaced, and several new productions are being talked about. New ballet ideas are to be supplied by Roland Petit. A new public will be sought, even at the risk of shocking the old public: "In revolutionary matters," Malraux says, "I don't trust ha- bitués." New voices? Everybody is be- I balance 'Master volume control Equalization switch lets Separate Bass and Effective scratch filter Channel con ing tactful, and Julien points out that you choose between Treble controls on improves performance trol adjusts for dif- adjusts volume of both contracts are a problem. But there is RIAA compensation for each channel let you on older worn records ferent speaker effi- channels simultane- monophonic and stereo adjust for differences and improves recep- ciencies and brings ously. Also functions as universal agreement that the present records; NARTB, for in room acoustics and tion on noisy radio channel volumes into automatic loudness in many respects, tape different speaker sys- broadcasts. balance quickly and control whenever de- company, competent tems. / easily. sired. could use a little more brilliance. In Special switch posi- This position lets you Exclusive center- short, the new policy justifies enthusi- tions for accurate bal. play a monophonic channel output lets you is ancing, for playing source such as an FM use your present amp asm. The side of the angels coining stereo, reverse stereo tuner or a tape re- liber for 3- channel out of the maquis, banners unfurled. and for using mono- corder through both stereo or for driving phonic records with power stages _and extension speakers. Since Julien has been best known as your stereo pickup., speakers. Separate stereo tape - the organizer of the summer festivals recorder outputs. Théâtre des Nations in Paris, he at the SPECIFICATIONS: Dual 12 watt channels ; 0.3% IM dis; is expected to stress the theatrical and tortion; 0.8% harmonic distortion; frequency response 20 to 30,000 cps; extremely low hum level (- 80db); DC operated preamplifiers heaters; Inputs for international aspects of his new mis- stereo or monophonic recorders, tuners. phono cartridges and tape heads. sion. A few may be up- Phono sensitivity 3 mv. Sub -sonic rumble filter prevents overload from noisy traditionalists changers or turntables. Price $139.95* set, for Malraux feels that the Opéra International W. 40th St., N.Y.C. should concentrate on preserving and H.H. SCOTT INC. Dept. HF-8, Ill Powdermill Road, Maynard, Mau., Export: Telesco Corp., 36 enhancing uncontested values, while Insist on genuine H. H. Scott components. the Opéra- Comique handles the more experimental sort of grandeur. Thus, altes( of Rockics

www.americanradiohistory.com The AR -3 is a three -way speaker system NOTES FROM ABROAD combining an AR -1 acoustic suspension woofer with two high- frequency units developed Continued from preceding page in AR's laboratory over the last year. coronazione di Poppea, seldom heard but sometimes referred to as the masterpiece of seventeenth -century Italian opera. Meanwhile, many visitors are being awaited. Callas is supposed to return sometime this fall (Tebaldi was here at the beginning of June, in Aida) . On October 10 and 12 the Stuttgart Opera will appear, singing Handel's last oratorio, Jephtha (his blindness interrupted the writing of the chorus "How dark, oh Lord . . . ") . The Bayreuth company has agreed to come next April, with Parsifal and Götterdämmerung. There is hope for an eventual exchange agreement with La Scala of Milan. In Like the AR woofer, the tweeters used in the AR -3 fact, the Paris Opéra is full of all sorts represent a radical departure from conventional of hope these days. speaker design, and patent application has been made.* Hark, hark. Olivier Messiaen likes birds. There are amorous birds in his These new tweeters are neither cone -type nor Turangalila- Stlmphonie, angelic birds horn devices -they could be described technically in Vingt Regards sur L'Enfant-Jesus, as hemispherical direct- radiators. We believe and a great burst of birds in Oiseaux that their uniformity and range of frequency Exotiques. His latest piano work is response, their low distortion, and their transient called Catalogue d'oiseaux. Yvonne and dispersion characteristics establish new Loriod played it a few weeks ago at a concert honoring the composer on his performance standards, and that the AR tweeters fiftieth birthday, and she had just fin- make a contribution to treble reproduction ished recording it for Vega. The rec- similar in degree to that made by AR's acoustic ords (Westminster label in America) suspension woofer to bass reproduction. should be on sale before Christmas. The Catalogue in its present state The AR -3 has the most musically natural sound contains representations of some thirty that we were able to create in a speaker, birds from the French provinces: the without compromise. Breton curlew; the Seinet Oise owl;

*Patent applied for by E. M. Viachur, assignor to Acoustic and so on, down to the blue blackbird .Research, Inc. of Roussillon. Messiaen has solemnly declared that he simply transcribed the songs for piano, with scientific objectivity. That, of course, is like saying that Monet simply transcribed Rouen Cathedral for paint and can- vas. What one actually hears is Mes- siaen hearing the birds, and meditat- ing on them. He constructs a sort of musical landscape around each song, employing nearly every variety of modern and ancient syntax with his usual disdain for consistency (aren't all these sounds present in the French countryside ?). I don't wish to antici- pate criticism, since I have yet to hear the disc, but I have a feeling that Vega has acquired a minor monument. Mlle. Loriod's performance in the concert hall was admirable -and a feat of endurance, since the work is The AR -3 speaker system, complete with the about two hours long. Her percussion- necessary "bookshelf" size enclosure, is ist clarity sometimes makes Messiaen $216 in mahogany or birch -prices in other woods sound like Liszt, or Ravel, but that's vary slightly. Literature on the AR -3 is fair enough; and anyway, she doesn't available for the asking. forget that he is also Messiaen and that Messiaen is a very crisp, interesting kind of mystical realist. ACOUSTIC RESEARCH, INC. 24 Thorndike St., Cambridge 41, Mass. ROY MCMULLLEN

HIGII FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com STEREO EQUIPMENT CABINET KIT

MODEL SE -1 (center unit) $14995 Shpg. Wt. 162 lbs. (specify wood desired)

MODEL SC -1 (speaker enclosure) $5995 each Shpg. Wt. 42 lbs.(specify R. or L. also wood desired) Superbly designed cabinetry to house your complete stereo system. Delivered with pre -cut panels to fit Heathkit AM -FM tuner (PT -I), stereo preamplifier (SP -I & 2) and record changer (RP -3). Blank panels also supplied to cut out for any other equipment you may now own. Adequate space is also provided for tape deck, speakers, record storage and amplifiers. Speaker wings will hold Heathkit SS -2 or other speaker units of similar size. Available in 34' solid core Philippine mahogany or select birch plywood suitable for finish of your choice. Entire top features a shaped edge. Hard- ware and trim are of brushed brass and gold finish. Rich tone grille cloth is flecked in gold and black. Maximum overall dimensions (all three pieces); 82% W. x 36t/Z' H. x 20' D.

PROFESSIONAL STEREO -MONAURAL AM -FM TUNER KIT World's largest manufacturer of electronic instruments in kit form MODEL PT -1 $8995 The 10 -tube FM circuit features AFC as well as AGC. An accurate tuning meter operates on both AM and FM HEATH COMPANY while a 3- position switch selects meter functions with- Benton Harbor, 8, Michigan out disturbing stereo or monaural listening. The 3 -tube front end is prewired and prealigned, and the entire AM a3tba/d/ery of Dayalrom, Inc. circuit is on one printed circuit board for ease of construction. Shpg. Wt. 20 lbs.

MONAURAL -STEREO PREAMPLIFIER KIT MODEL SP-2 (stereo) (TWO CHANNEL MIXER) Shpg. Wt. $5695 15 lbs. Complete control of your entire stereo system in one corn - MODEL SP-1 (monaural) pact package. Special "building block" design allows you to purchase instrument in monaural version and add stereo or $3795 S3 g. Wt. lhpbs. second channel later if desired. The SP -I monaural preamplifier features six separate inputs with four input level MODEL C -SP -1 controls. A function selector switch on the SP -2 provides (converts SP -1 to SP -2) two channel mixing as well as single or dual channel monaural $2195 Shipp. 'vvt. and dual channel stereo. A 20' remote balance control is 5 lbs. provided.

AUGUST 1959 21

www.americanradiohistory.com HIGH FIDELITY RECORD CHANGER KIT

MODEL RP -3 $6195

Every outstanding feature you could ask for in a record changer is provided in the Heathkit RP -3, the most advanced changer on the market today. A unique turntable pause during the change cycle saves wear and tear on your records by eliminating grinding action caused by records dropping on a moving turntable or disc. Record groove and stylus wear are also practically eliminated through proper weight distribution and low pivot point friction of the tone arm, which minimizes arm resonance and tracking error. Clean mechanical simplicity and precision parts give you turntable performance with the automatic convenience of a record changer. Flutter and wow, a major problem with automatic changers, is held to less than 0.18r;ß RMS. An automatic speed selector position allows intermixing 331 and 45 RPM records regardless of their sequence. Four speeds provided: 16, 331/4, 45 and 78 RPM. Other features include RC filter across the power switch preventing pop when turned oft and muting switch to prevent noise on automatic or manual change cycle. Changer is supplied complete with GE -VR -I1 cartridge with diamond LP and sapphire 78 stylus, changer base, stylus pressure gauge and 45 RPM spindle. Extremely easy to assemble. You simply mount a few mechanical components and connect the motor, switches and pickup leads. Shpg. Wt. 19 lbs. Model RP -3 -LP with MF -1 Pickup Cartridge $74.95

HEATHKIT )

HIGH FIDELITY AM TUNER KIT NOW! TWO NEW STEREO -MONO TAPE RECORDERS IN THE TR -1A SERIES MODEL BC -1A $2695 Offering complete versatility, the model TR -IA series tape recorders enable you to plan your hi -fi system to include the Designed especially for high fidelity applications this functions you want. Buy the new half -track (TR -IAH) or AM tuner will give you reception close to FM. A quarter -track (TR -IAQ) versions which record and play- special detector is incorporated and the IF circuits are back stereo and monophonic programming, or the half - "broadbanded" for low signal distortion. Sensitivity track monophonic record -playback version (TR -IA). and selectivity are excellent and quiet performance is Precision parts hold flutter and wow to less than 0.35;x. assured by high signal -to -noise ratio. All tunable Four -pole, fan cooled motor. One control lever selects all components are prealigned. Your "best buy" in an tape handling functions. Each tape preamplifier features AM tuner. Shpg. Wt. 9 lbs. NARTB playback equalization, separate record and playback gain controls, cathode follower output, mike or line input, and two circuit boards for easy construction and high stability. Complete instructions guide assembly.

MODEL TR -1A: Monophonic half-track record /playback with $9995 last forward and rewind functions. Shpg. Wt. 24 lbs. 7 TR.1A SPECIFICATIONS-Frequency response: 7.5 IPS ±3 db 5012.000 cps. 3.75 IPS t3 db 507000 cps. Signabto -noise ratio: Better than 45 db below lull output of 1.25 volts /channel. Harmonic distortion: Less than 2% at full output. Bias erase HIGH FIDELITY FM TUNER KIT frequency: 60 kc (pu5hpull oscillator). MODEL FM -3A $2695 MODEL TR-MAH: Half-track monophonic and stereo record ¡playback with fast forward and rewind functions. Shpg. Wt. 35 lbs. $14995 For noise and static -free sound reception, this FM TR.1AH SPECIFICATIONS-Frequency response: 7.5 IPS t3 db 4015.000 cps. 3.75 tuner is your least expensive source of high fidelity to.noise ratio: 45 db below full output of 1 volt /than I P5±3 db 4010.000 cps. Signal- material. Efficient circuit design features stablized nel. Harmonic distortion: Less than 2% at full output. Bias erase frequency: 60 kC (push -pull oscillator). oscillator circuit to eliminate drift aller warm -up and broadband IF circuits for full fidelity with high sensi- MODEL TR -1AQ: Quarter track monophonic and stereo with record /playback fast tivity. All. tunable components are prealigned and forward and rewind functions. $14995 Shpg. Wt. 35 lbs. front end is preassembled. Edge- illuminated slide rule TR.1A0 SPECIFICATIONS- Frequency response: 7.5 IPS t3 db 4015,000 cps. dial is clearly marked and covers complete FM band 3.75 IPS ±3 db 4010.000 cps. Signal.to. noise ratio: 40 db below lull output of .75 from 88 to 108 mc. Shpg. Wt. 8 lbs. colts /channel. Harmonic distortion: Less than 2% at lull output. Bias erase: 60 kg (push pull oscillator).

HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com 14-WATT HI -FI ECONOMY AMPLIFIER (EA-3) Top performance al budget cost! From HEATHKIT audio labs comes an exciting new kit . . . New Styling, New Features, Brilliant Per- formance! Designed to function as the "heart" of your hi -fi system, the EA -3 combines the preamplifier and amplifier into one compact package. Providing a full 14 watts of high fidelity power, more than adequate for operating the average system, the EA -3 provides all the controls necessary for precise blending of musical reproduction to your individual taste. Clearly marked controls give you finger-tip command of bass and treble "boost" and "cut" action, switch selection of three separate inputs, "on-off" and volume control. A hum balance control is also provided. The convenient neon pilot light on the front panel shows when instrument is on. Styled to blend harmoniously into any room surroundings, the handsome cover is of black vinyl coated steel with gold design and features the new "eyebrow" effect over the front panel to match the other new Heathkit hi -fi instruments. The MODEL EA -3 panel is satin black with brush -gold trim strip, while s2 996 the control knobs are black with gold inserts. NOTE THESE OUTSTANDING SPECIFICATIONS: HARMONIC 15 DISTORTION, less than 2% (20 cps.20 ',Oat 14 watts. I.M. DISTORTION. Shpg. Wt. lbs. less than 1% (60 and 6.000 cos, 4:11 at la watts. FREQUENCY RESPONSE. 20 cps.20 kc, ±1 db at 14 watts. HUM 4. NOISE. mag. phono input, 47 db below 14 watts, tuner and xtal phono input, 63 db below 14 watts. A truly remarkable buy for the beginning or advanced audiophile.

World's largest manufacturer of electronic instruments in kit form CHAIRSIDE ENCLOSURE KIT MODEL CE -2 HEATH COMPANY TRADITIONAL: Mod I CE2T (mahogany) $4395 CONTEMPORARY: Model CE -28 (birch) Benton Harbor, 40, Michigan Model CE.2M (mahogany) each Space saving and attractive, the CE -2 puts control of your IlbSitdIary of Daystrom. Inc. entire hi -fi system right at your chairside. Designed to house the Heathkit AM and FM tuners (BC -I A, FM -3A, FM -4), WA -P2 preamplifier, RP -3 record changer, and .46.-> any of the Heathkit power amplifiers. Supplied in beautiful furniture-grade, veneer -surfaced plywood suitable for the finish of your choice. Shpg. Wt. 46 lbs.

"UNIVERSAL" HI -FI 12 WATT AMPLIFIER KIT $2196 "EXTRA PERFORMANCE" 55 WATT HI -FI MODEL UA -1 AMPLIFIER KIT Ideal for stereo or monaural applications. Teamed MODEL W7 -M $5496 with the Heathkit WA -P2 preamplifier, the UA -I provides an economical starting point for a hi -fi system. This hi -fi amplifier represents a remarkable value at less In stereo applications two UA -I's may be used along than a dollar a watt. Full audio output and maximum with the Heathkit SP -2, or your present system may damping is a true 55 watts from 20 to 20,000 CPS with be converted to stereo by adding the UA -I. Harmonic less than 2q total harmonic distortion throughout the distortion is less than 2';. from 20 to 20,000 CPS at entire audio range. Features include level control and full 12 watt output. "On-off" switch located on chassis "on -off" switch right on the chassis, plus provision for and an octal plug is also provided to connect pre- remote control. Pilot light on chassis. Modern, functional amplifier for remote control operation. Shpg. Wt. design. Shpg. Wt. 28 lbs. 13 lbs.

"MASTER CONTROL" PREAMPLIFIER KIT MODEL WA -P2 $1976 All the controls you need to master a complete high fidelity home music system are incorporated in this versatile instrument. Featuring five switch -selected inputs. each with level control. Provides tape recorder and cathode - follower outputs. Full frequency response is obtained within t I t/2 db from IS to 35,000 CPS and will do full justice to the finest available program sources. Equaliza- tion is provided for LP, RIAA, AES and early 78 records. Dimensions are 12'11' L. x 3 %' H. x 5W D. Shpg. Wt. 7 lbs.

AUGUST 1959 23

www.americanradiohistory.com "ADVANCE DESIGN" 25 WATT HI -FI AMPLIFIER KIT HEATHKIT MODEL W5 -M $5975 Enjoy the distortion -froc high fidelity sound reproduction from this outstanding hi -fi amplifier. The W5 -M incorporates advanced design features for the super critical listener. Features include specially designed Peerless output transformer and KT66 tubes. The circuit is rated at 25 watts and will follow instantaneous power peaks of a full orche:.tra up to 42 watts. A "tweeter saver" suppresses high frequency oscillation and a unique balancing circuit facilitates adjustment of output tubes. Frequency response is ±1 db from 5 to 160,000 CPS at 1 watt and within ±2 db 20 to 20,000 CPS at full 25 watts output. Harmonic distortion is less than 1% at 25 watts and IM distortion is "HEAVY DUTY" 70 WATT HI -FI AMPLIFIER KIT I ';;; at 20 watts (60 and 3,000 CPS, 4:1). Hum and noise are 99 db below 25 watts for truly quiet per- MODEL W6 -M $10995 formance. Shpg. Wt. 31 lbs. For real rugged duty called for by advance hi -fi systems or P.A. networks, this high powered amplifier more than fills the bill. Silicon -diode rectifiers are used to assure long life and a heavy duty transformer gives you extremely good power supply regulation. Variable damping control provides optimum performance with any speaker system. Quick change plug selects 4, 8 and' 16 ohm or 70 volt output and the

correct feedback resistance. Frequency response at 1 watt is ±I db from 5 CPS to 80 kc with controlled HF rolloff above 100 kc. At 70 watts output harmonic distortion is below 2 %, 20 to 20,000 CPS and IM distortion below I% 60 cam` .a o and 6,000 CPS. Hum and noise 88 db below full output. w.,Or Shpg. Wt. 52 lbs.

1111killft

YOU'RE NEVER OUT OF DATE WITH HEATHKITS :t

20 WATT HI -FI AMPLIFIER KIT MODEL W4 -AM $3978 This top quality amplifier offers you full fidelity at minimum cost. Features exte-ded frequency response, low distortion and low hum level. Harmonic distor- Heathkit hi -fl systems are designed for maximum flexibility. Simple conversion from basic to complex systems or from monaural to tion is less than 1.5% and IM distortion is below stereo is easily accomplished by adding to already existing units. 2.7% at full 20 watt output. Frequency response Heathkit engineering skill is your guarantee against obsolescence. extends from 10 CPS to 100,000 CPS within ±1 db Expand your hi -f1 as your budget permits ... and, if you like, spread at 1 watt. Output transformer tapped at 4, 8 and 16 the payments over easy monthly installments with the Heath Time ohms. Easy to build and a pleasure to use. Shpg. Payment Plan. Wt. 28 lbs.

GENERAL -PURPOSE 20 WATT AMPLIFIER KIT MODEL A9 -C $3550 The model A9 -C combines a preamplifier, main amplifier and power supply all on one chassis, providing a compact unit to fill the need for a good amplifier with a moderate cash investment. Features four separate switch -selected inputs. Separate bass and treble tone controls offer 15 db boost and cut. Covers 20 to 20,000 CPS within ±I db. A fine unit with which to start your own hi -fi system. Shpg. Wt. 23 lbs.

ELECTRONIC CROSSOVER KIT MODEL XO -1 $1895 This unique instrument separates high and low frequencies and feeds them through two amplifiers to separate speakers. It is located ahead of the main amplifiers, thus, virtually eliminating IM distortion and matching problems. Crossover frequencies for each channel are at 100, 200, 400, 700, 1200, 2,000 and 3,500 CPS. This unit eliminates the need for conventional crossover circuits and provides amazing versatility at low cost. A unique answer to frequency division problems.

Shpg. Wt.. lbs. .

24 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com ''BASIC RANGE ' HI-FI SPEAKER "LEGATO" HI -FI SPEAKER SYSTEM KIT SYSTEM KIT MODEL HI-I-1 $29995 $3995 MODEL SS -2 Words cannot describe the true magnificence of the "Legato" Lis optional extra. ß.95 speaker system ... it's simply the nearest thing to perfection in C utstaadi-ig perfrtnance at modest cost make reproduced sound yet developed. Perfect balance, precise phasing, th s 'peak r syster a spec_aculas buy for any hi -fi and adequate driver design all combine to produce startling real- eithusast. The specially cesign.d enclosure and ism long sought after by the hi -fi perfectionist. Two 15' Altec h ;t. aulaity 8' m c range woofer and compression - Lansing low frequency drivers and a specially designed exponential ty,e tweeter cow- tie frequency range of 50 to horn with high frequency driver cover 25 to 20,000 CPS. A unique 12,0(0 CPS. Cros.. aver ciratit is built in with bal - crossover network is built in. Impedance is 16 ohms, power rating a-Ice ccntrol. Im,canze is 16 ol-ms, power rating 50 watts. Cabinet is constructed of V4' veneer- surfaced plywood 25 watts. Cabine) r caastrsted cf veneer- surfaced in either African mahogany or imported white birch suitable for ft..:ni_urc -grade 2' rlywo:d sui:able for light or the finish of your choice. All parts are precut and predrilled for dark finish. Shpg. 'Wi. 26 I s. easy assembly. Shpg. Wt. 195 lbs.

"RANGE EXTENDING" HI-FI DIAMOND SPEEDWINDER KIT SPEAKER SYSTEM KIT STYLUS HI -FI $2495 PICKUP MODEL SW -1 MODEL SS -1B $9995 CARTRIDGE Rewind tape and film at the rate of 1200' in 40 seconds. Saves wear on Not a complete speaker system in itself, the SS -I B MODEL MF -1 is designed to extend the range of the basic SS -2 $2695 tape and recorder. Handles up to (or SS -I) speaker system. Employs a 15' woofer 101/2 tape reels and 800' reels of and a super tweeter to Replace your present 8 or 16 millimeter film. Incorporates extend overall response pickup with the MF -I automatic shutoff and braking de- from 35 to 16,000 CPS and enjoy the fullest vice. Shpg. Wt. 12 lbs. ± 5 db. Crossover circuit fidelity your library is built -in with balance of LP's has to offer. control. Impedance is 16 Designed to Heath ohms, power rating 35 specifications to offer watts. Constructed of you one of the finest 3/4' veneer- surfaced ply- cartridges available wood suitable for light today. Nominally flat or dark finish. All parts response from 20 to precut and predrilled for 20,000 CPS. Shpg. easy assembly. Shpg. Wt. 1 lb. Wt. 80 lbs.

NEW! "DOWN -TO- EARTH" HEATH COMPANY BENTON HARBOR 8, MICH. Nish- Fidelity Roofs pioneer in LIasubsidiary of Daystrom, Inc. The HOW AND W-Y CF HIGH FI- p Please send the Free Heathkit catalog. DELITY', by Milto Sleeper e(plain i "do-it-yourself- whet high fidelity Is, atc tow 010 ca electronics Enclosed is 25c for the Hi-Fi book. select and plan yo i own _ystern. Thishberall.- Illustra ad4i c eboot Enclosed find S tel s you the hl -fi s:cry ,vithoA fancy Please enclose postage naree for parcel post-express techni.:al jargon sr h gh- seJsdine orders are shipped de- ter itlrr logy.25c. livery charges collect. All prices F.O.B. Benton address Harbor, Mich. A 20% de posit is reouired on all SEND FOR FREE CATALOG C.O.D. orders. Prices subject to change with city & state Wr te today for free cr al 3g des :ribinç out notice. Over -00 easy- to -bui i (Its it ti -fi- tes -Tat ne and arnaau- vacinfields QUANTITY ITEM MODEL NO. PRICE Coapiete specificafc is schematics arc detailed Informe- on to hip vol.. it >,ocr selection.

AUGUST 1959 25

www.americanradiohistory.com Build your own library of 4 -track stereo tapes with a Bell Stereo Tape Transport!

The switch to 4 -track tape is on! Twice the music -brand new releases. Bell Stereo Amplifier, you now have Bell Model 3070 Get a Bell Tape Transport for stereo playback and recording ... add a available the for reception of FM and AM radio programs ... Bell and Stereo Tuner a complete Stereo Amplifier for stereo system. and specially designed for FM -AM Stereo broadcasts. See your Bell dealer Add a Bell Stereo Tape Transport to sional 3 -motor drive for positive tape for demonstration and details. your present hi -fi system. It's beauti- control. Model illustrated above in- fully engineered by Bell to give you the cludes Add -On Record - Playback pre - most pleasure ... the most features ... amps in portable carrying case. Eight at a surprisingly moderate price. Ac- other models available. claimed, even by professionals, as a "top For playback of your favorite re- buy." Wonderful way to record the corded music, you'll want the Bell stereo music you want to keep! Model 3030, a complete 2- channel, 30- New Bell Tape Transport models play watt stereo amplifier ... plays stereo If you already own a Bell Tape Transport, you can get New Conversion Kits for 4 -track play- 2 4 records, both -track and -track stereo tapes - stereo tapes, stereo tuner. back at 7,2 ips for as little as $25.00. Easy to offer Automatic Shut -Off and profes- As the perfect matching tuner to the install. Doubles your listening pleasure.

PACEMAKER BELL STEREO TAPE CARILLON Model 2221 TRANSPORT -Nine Model 6060 1%4`cc6 <6 One of a complete models available ... First of a distin- line of low -cost for 2 -track and 4- guished new line of stereo components track stereo play- outstanding stereo back and recording components

.e.ee Sound Division Thompson Ramo Wooldridge Inc. Columbus 7, Ohio In Canada: THOMPSON PRODUCTS, Ltd., Toronto ,d HIGH FIDELITY \ IAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com by JOSEPH SZIGETI

AT BRUSSELS . . Young Violinists in a Game of Chance

In 1937 Joseph Szigeti was a member It's true that with the mushroom though, that no fewer than three of the of the jury for the first Concours musi- growth of competitions all over Europe winners- including first -prize winner, cal international de violon, established there has spnmg up a type of "vet- Bolivian Jaime Laredo -were wholly, that year by Queen Elisabeth of Bel- eran" contestant who goes from one to or mainly, American-trained.) gium in memory of the violinist Eu- another undaunted by some failures, It is, of course, not only contestants, gène Ysaye. The winner on that occa- gathering experience in the supposed but also works that are eliminated in sion was David Oistrakh. This year survival of the fittest, and hoping this jeu dc hasard. Four of the final- Szigeti returned again to Brussels to eventually to hit the jackpot. Yehudi ists played the Brahms Concerto, function as a juror (along with the Menuhin, who sat next to Oistrakh, those who had intended doing the selfsame Oistrakh, Grumiaux, Menu - expressed to me grave doubts about Beethoven having been eliminated; hin, and others) at what has become this whole recent development. In my the Bartók Concerto (significantly) known as one of the most important, own opinion the emergence of an Ois- was chosen by five entrants, not one and most grueling, of international trakh at the Brussels contest in 1937 or of whom was admitted to the final competitions for aspiring young art- the fine record of a Leon Fleisher, a judging. The Sonata by Roger Ses- ists. Here are some of his observations Leonid Kogan, and others does not in- sions, some Max Reger, the 1939 on the judging of the twelve 1959 final- validate these doubts. It seems to me Hindemith Concerto, the first Bartók ists who survived the preliminary tests that the effect of inexplicable "fail- Rhapsody, some Robert Schumann, -and on musical contests in general. ures," with their attendant damage to the Bloch Concerto were among the the young performer's morale, more casualties resulting from the prelimi- than outweighs the resounding suc- nary eliminations. There was no Mo- cess of the few. I know of at least two zart, no Mendelssohn, but there was PUrnxc ON one's tuxedo like a serv- virtuosos who have since achieved the Shostakovich Concerto and the ice uniform night after night, six times world -wide acclaim who did not make First Prokofiev Concerto from the So- in a row, makes you feel almost like a the finals at the beginning of their viet sector. Thus any attempt to de- croupier preparing for his evening's careers. At this contest, too, reliable termine dominant trends in musical work. In fact, a good many aspects of rumor had it that at least two accom- taste on the basis of the competition is the Brussels Concours international de plished players were eliminated at the futile. Certain conspicuous preferences violon Reine Elisabeth confirm this preliminary screenings, among these a -for instance for Ravel's Tzigane -are, feeling of a gamble. Not only does the young artist who had successfully ap- however, perhaps rather indicative of contestant's choice of concerto, played peared with the Amsterdam Concert - present trends among young musi- with orchestra, and of solo piece, eith- gebouw and elsewhere. These elimina- cians. er solo or with piano, influence the tions were the reason for our own scant It is the eliminations which cause a impression he makes, but so does his representation at the finals: only one sense of frustration in those members placing in the order of contestants ( we American reached them -Joseph Sil- of the jury who, like myself, were un- heard twelve performances of the verstein, a member of the Boston able to be present for the épreuves éli- Concerto Royal by Milhaud, com- Symphony. (It should be said, minatoires. How could we have a well- posed for this contest and still in rounded picture of the twelve finalists manuscript) . So does the quality of the when we had not compared them with accompaniment he is given. So do the those who lost in the preliminaries in many other imponderables of an or- playing the "set" works by Bach, Pag- deal like this. anini, Ysaye, Bruch, etc.? Oistrakh told As David Oistrakh, who had the me that one of the contestants who fauteuil next to mine, told me, the made a poor showing in the last stage Soviet and Bulgarian contestants, for created an excellent impression at the instance, were totally unconditioned épreuves and that one who gave a to the Milhaud idiom (and -one might splendid performance at the finals "did add -to preparing a modern work not play the Bach solo sonata, but without the guidance of a teacher, trembled his way through it." while in closely supervised residence Yet let us remember that both Béla at the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisa- Bartók and Busoni landed only second beth). Add to this the fact that most prizes at the Anton Rubinstein compe- of these young people have never titions several decades ago. The or- been outside their own country; imag- ganizers at Brussels do everything hu- ine the tremendous importance they manly possible to prevent inequities, attach to the prospect of success or but there will always be genuine dra- failure. You may reach some idea of ma in the bare fact of these youngsters the levelheadedness and single -mind- edness the situation demands. First -prize winner Jaime Laredo. Continued on next page

AUGUST 1959 27

www.americanradiohistory.com AT BRUSSELS

Continued from preceding page

putting up such a courageous fight for a place in the sun. This year there was an added touch of poignancy in the performance of the Bulgarian contestant who played valiantly with a muti- lated left hand: the first phalanges of two of his fingers had been amputated after an explosion. He plays with the PROFESSIONAL IN EVERY WAY EXCEPT PRICE! nailless stumps ... and manages fingered octaves, tenths. .. . Stereo on a budget ! Ekotape stereo components are "soundly" There are also the grotesque touch- engineered and matched for outstanding performance - es, such as some insatiable listeners at a price within your reach. Quality, design, ease of bringing along their portable radios operation, into the hall so as not to miss the in- professional results ... you get all with Ekotape ! termission talks. (By the way, Oistrakh had his portable along, and when we New EKOTAPE TAPE DECK were for almost hvo hours incommuni- cado while the votes were being counted, he let us hear the report of You can record and playback all tapes - le Concours going back to 1937 and four-channel stereo, two -channel stereo and including snatches of Gilels', Kogan's, monaural. One precise control adjusts head for half-track or quarter-track. Horizontal and other victors' playing-his own among them.) or vertical mounting. 33/4 and 71/2 ips; in- line head with independent dual erase; Mitch could be written about the manual stop -start button. 123/4" wide x 9" audience participation (a crowd of MODEL 360 deep x 7'/z" high. Styled in gold and black. about four thousand standees was there shouting, acclaiming the winners and the beloved Queen at one - EKOTAPE STEREO RECORD -PLAYBACK PREAMP thirty a.m. when the results were- at last- proclaimed from the stage). Dual- channel control center for playing Townspeople offer lodgings and meals stereo discs, and for recording, erasing and to some of the contestants who need playing stereo tapes. Volume control, rec- this help. Trolley cars nun special trips ord /playback switch, speed conpensating until two in the morning. The Buffet switch, erase switch, on /off switch and VU serves hot meals in the tense interval SS6946 meter for each channel. 6 inputs, 4 outputs. between the end of the Concours and the announcement of the winners. In CARRYING CARE POR PORTABLE USE a word, "le peuple" considers the contest its very own. I wasn't at all surprised when the waiter at the restau- For "on location" use ... designed to provide a rant near the fishmarket tried to get convenient portable recording unit and playback some inside tips from me after the control unit for monaural, - two -channel and four second or third evening; he had been channel stereo tapes. Holds Ekotape tape deck Concours by radio, in and record- playback preamp. Luggage following the type case and covered with Highlander Grey pyroxylin coated between serving turbot, shrimps, homard à la nage. ss108 fabric. Size 1212" deep, 151/2" wide, 143/4" high.

EKOTAPE MICROPHONE MIXER

For recording from as many as four crystal, High Fidelity, August 1959; Vol. 9, No. t{. Published monthly by Audioe,ms, dynamic or other high impedance micro- Inc., Great Barrington, Mass., a subsidiary phones, or two microphones and two radio of The Billboard Publishing Co., publishers of The Billboard, Vend, Funspot and tuners or record players. The sensitivity of The Billboard International. Telephone: each one can be independently controlled. Great Barrington 1300. Member Audit Bureau of Circulation. Editorial Correspondence should be addressed to The Editor, Great Barrington, Electronics Division Mass. Editorial contributions will be wel- WEBSTER ELECTRIC Racine, Wis. comed. Payment for articles accepted will he arranged prior to publication. Unsolicit- Ekotape Please send me complete specifications and ed manuscripts should be accompanied by prices on Ekotape Stereo Components. return postage.

ELECTRON I C S D I V I S I O N Subscriptions, change of address notices, Name undeliverable copies, orders for subscrip- WEBSTER ELECTRIC tions should be addressed to High Fidelity Address Magazine, 2160 Patterson Street, Cin- u RACINE . WIS cinnati 22, Ohio. City and State Subscription rates: United States and Canada, 1 year, $6; 2 years, $11; 3 years, Phone $15. Single copies 60 cents. M1eio..d. ISO

28 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com The world's most sensitive FM TUNE R is now the

oNewI And desi g ned for a longlon future!

FISHER DOES IT AGAIN I Year after year, tuner after tuner, there is only one best -THE FISHER. Today, the leader is the FM -100, latest in a series of FISHER FM tuners now used by radio stations, the Satellite Tracking Project of Ohio State University and by many government agencies. The reason is simple - these tuners meet the exacting standards of performance and reliability required by professional users. And where standards are concerned, the audio enthusiast is, in his own right, a professional. He desires maximum sensitivity for optimum reception of stations near and far. FM -100 SENSITIVITY is 0.8 microvolts for 20 db of quieting! The audio enthusiast wants an FM tuner that permits simple adaptation to stereo. THE FM -100 IS CUSTOM -DESIGNED FOR STEREO. It has space directly on its own chassis for installation of a multiplex adaptor. Moreover, it includes feed -through facilities for FM -FM and FM -AM stereo as well. The audio enthusiast expects maximum fidelity. THE FM -100 OFFERS FOUR WIDE -BAND IF STAGES, uniform frequency response (20 to 20,000 cps) and less than 0.5% harmonic distortion. The audio enthusiast wants an FM tuner that eliminates noise when tuning between stations. THE FM -100 EXCLUSIVE INTERSTATION NOISE SILENCER automatically eliminates noise, side -band response and unwanted weak and noisy signals. For the audio enthusiast who buys the best at the outset, there is only one truly logical choice -IT IS THE FISHER FM -100 TUNER. $159.50 Cabinet, $15.95 Slightly Higher in the Far West. WRITE TODAY FOR COMPLETE DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE

. RPORATION 21 -25 44th DRIVE LONG ISLAND CITY 1, N. Y.

Export: Morhan Exporting Corp., 458 Broadway, New York 13, N. Y.

AUGUST 1959 29

www.americanradiohistory.com "Without reservation-we recommend the Garrard Changer with the Pickering Fluxvalve Cartridge for stereo records.

We believe more Flux valves are in Garrard Changers than in all other turntables and changers combined,"

says President, Pickering and Co. Inc.

w °a

"We can readily understand the public confidence in Garrard Changers for Stereo,"

su g.a .11 r. Jn nlcs E. Eu , Service Manager, Pickering and Co. Inc. "Our own laboratory tests as well as service records show that Garrard Stanton changers are virtually trouble -free and Stereo require no adjustment for perfect stereo reproduction with a Pickering cartridge. We thank Mr. Stanton and Mr. Fox for these personal FLUX VAL VII The design and precision mounting of Model 371 the Garrard changer tone arm make comments which explain why so many discriminating Mounted in it eminently compatible with the Flux - high fidelity enthusiasts are completely satisfied owners valve principle. In fact, we have used the Garrard Garrard changer in the development of Garrard Changers with Pickering Stereo Cartridges. Shell of all Pickering stereophonic and sold as components i monophonic cartridges for many years." Today, more Garrard Changers are for stereo than all other turntables and changers combined. Here are the reasons why Garrard Changers are endorsed for stereo not only by Pickering, but by all other manufacturers of fine stereo cartridges - For the best in Stereo... Electro- Voice, Shure, General Electric, Fairchild, etc. Vibration -free turntable. Insist on a Vertical and lateral rumble completely inaudible. Wow and flutter far below exacting "broadcast tolerance" standards. Exclusive Aluminum tone arm precision -mounted at. engineering works for optimum tracking angle. perfect sound reproduction. Unrestricted choice of stereo cartridges -any of them will track at the manufacturer's lightest specified weight. Record handling gentler than the surest human hand. The important convenience of manual play plus completely THE WORLD'S FINEST! automatic operation without compromise in performance. These are the FACTS, no one can deny them with :end for free Garrard Comparator Guide. authority -and they are backed by the 36 years of Your Nome experience that have created Garrard's unique Address reputation for unsurpassed quality. Cary State_ Mail to Dept. GK. 29 of address below. 1111011.11- T ar and wired for Stereo and Monaural records. There's a Garrard for every high fidelity system...all engineered MAat T/0 ecIzi /r1 TPA /12 301 our Reps RC/11 1 Manual Inlerm stereo T,an,cnos.cn Tran,criotnn uD

www.americanradiohistory.com A Third-Man Theme

GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL died two cen- Ile sang as a child in the choir of St. Stephen's Cathe- turies ago and Henry Purcell was born three dral. His car and his soprano voice were so good that, centuries ago (so far as we know), and this gives them when the latter began to break, someone suggested he first claim to be Musical Men of the Year 1959. A be castrated to preserve him as an instrument. He century and a lull of absence is less excuse for memorial begged off from this treatment, without ofl'ensc, and attention, but it twill serve if the man gone was great went instead into service as a street musician in Vienna enough. In the instance at hand, he .was, for cur Third and as houseboy to the city's most noted musicians. Man is Franz Joseph Haydn. Ile got gotxl lessons, because everyone loved him upon History is a useful art but a deceitful one (it is a acquaintance. While still a youth, by virtue of this at- subject I once taught), because of necessity it over- tractive characteristic and his highly reliable talent, he simplifies and misfocuses. Its emphasis has always to be became music master for the princely l:stcrhSzv family. on what is most easily describable. It can give us some The Esterhaírys were, by today's standards, almost in- of the lessons of an age, but rarely any of its wisdom. describably rich; we would have to think of them as Sometimes it even sets us against the wisdom. The main people who owned New Jersey, or Belgium. example I have in mind here is, of course, Haydn. In their service Haydn wore a uniform, not unnatu- Haydn wrote in the enigmatic language called music, rally, and earned the nickname "Papa," which meant however, so a plainer example (for a moment) may "Boss." He supervised all their entertainment, mean- be his much younger contemporary, \piss Jane Austen. while acquiring repute as the lest shot and shrewdest \Liss Austen wrote in no cryptic language; she was a fisherman in their county -sized Hungarian woodland novelist, probably the greatest then alive, and one who empire. I le also maintained a shrewish .wife and a some- wrote of her own times. Shc wrote six novels between what dimwitted mistress at the sane time, which re- 1803 and IS 18. These years we know (from history) were quires a skill not inconsiderable. Withal, he seems to wracked by great turbulence. The ancient monarchies have enjoyed his life with the Esterkizys very much. were making their last fierce bid for survival, against In his early sixties, fame invaded hint and he went the huge detnoeratic upsurge led astray by Napoleon; journeying to England. The shopkeeper nation's people, Britain twas assuming a century's role as the world's newly come into world dominance, made him the first policeman; in the Americas and across Asia continental musician ever to prosper through popular (i.e., box arrays of nations were taking shape; nearly every year office) receipts, and he repaid them with a dozen great there were tremendous battles: Wagram, Trafalgar, symphonies, which today we call, quite properly, the Moscow, Leipzig, \1'aterkx>. No present -day historical "London" set. novelist who chose those times as his setting would Net only audiences loved him in London. At least possibly omit mention of this complex of events. two ladies, the \Ieslanes Schroeter and Hodges (who However, if you care to peruse the works of Miss probably would hate to be mentioned together) bid Austen, as anyone in his right mind ought to, only for his affections and seemingly both won them. It is great diligence will enable you to lind a half -dozen not hard to imagine that Franz Joseph Haydn was one indications that there was even one war going on, let of the most lovable aging gentlemen who ever lived, alone several. What goes on in Miss Austen's novels is partly because he never really aged. life: love, courtship, envy, hate, richness, poorness, I le liked both times he bestrode: the princely time nobility, stupidity, sickness, death. Ilistory has to and the classless time of the modern man. He liked ele- reckon main events on the basis of numerable statistics. gance (witness any of the divertimentos) and he liked Artists don't. Speaking for myself, I usually learn from endeavor (witness his dark and furious Symphony No. 39 artists first and historians afterward. in G minor, an engrossing masterpiece that nolxxly ever Haydn, I think, is one of the great men of any age plays). I le paid small heed to battles and revolutions to learn from. I le lived from one epoch into another, probably because he thought they deserved small heed. he expressed both, and he truly enjoyed both. And As did Jane Austen (I've been a long time coming back they both truly enjoyed, and truly appreciated, him. to this), he seems to have considered the shaping of Thus he vitiates the standard biographical approach, a personal, private life the finest possible art. Beethoven or almost. There is little drama, because there were no would have disagreed with this totally. Goethe wculd injustices, at least none that we know of. Haydn was have half agreed. Henry Adams would have agreed a wheelwright's son who loved music harder and more completely. Take your stand, but let us all hope for more indefatigably than anyone else in the history of art. of the music of this excellent man. J.\l.C.

2.S THE EDITORS SEE IT

www.americanradiohistory.com The first American to visit Esterhúza in twenty years reports on the fabulous estate in Hungary where Haydn lived and worked.

anionmirimiloommariild

FOR MOST of the last two decades no American is Ministry of the Interior.) A couple of hours after having known to have been in the fabulous Castle at Esterháza, left Budapest, we turned off the Budapest -Vienna road once the residence of the rich and powerful Princes and headed towards Sopron (Oedenburg), a town at the Esterházy who were Haydn's patrons. Cutting through Austrian border from which the highway continues to the official red tape of Communist Hungary for per- Eisenstadt. We were almost alone on the beautifully mission to visit the Castle is still no easy matter, but paved concrete strip that stretched endlessly across the early last spring a couple of colleagues and I managed to flat countryside, dotted here and there with villages and achieve it. Ever since /World War II, the Castle has a church spire. Occasionally we would pass through a been occupied by a succession of troops, German, S.S., town, its gleaming white houses set far back from the and Soviet. The very name of Esterházy is no longer road. The ducks and chickens of Hungary have no fear welcome in Hungary-the present Prince Paul was of automobiles at all, since there is practically no traffic imprisoned and all his property confiscated -and the on the roads, and we would often jam on the brakes to name of the Esterházy's erstwhile estate has, in fact, avoid a duck waddling casually across the road. been changed from Esterháza to Fertöd, the Hungarian We then turned off the main highway to a dirt road designation for the lonely and beautiful Neusiedlersee which would lead us to Süttör, the village next to Ester - on the eastern banks of which the Castle was built. háza; and the centuries seemed to roll back as we drove We left Budapest on a glorious March morning -I farther into the country. It was Sunday, and in the was driving, and my companions were two scholars from villages the peasants in their stiff, black, Sunday apparel the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. (It was walked slowly away from the yellow- and -white church, even more difficult for them to get permits than for me, or stood about in groups, watching our car with curious since Esterháza is situated within a few miles of the eyes which were neither friendly nor unfriendly. We Austrian border and, like all Hungarian border territory, saw several carriages drawn by horses, and only an can be visited only with special permission from the occasional bicycle reminded us of the twentieth century.

32 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com by H. C. Robbins Landon building originally used as the marionette theatre, in which Haydn conducted the first performances of his marionette operas (only one of them, Philemon and Bauds, has survived). In a nearby field, now used as an experimental flower garden, the "Chinese pagoda" of which the Prince was so proud now stands forlorn and empty. After serving us a princely luncheon, our host took us out the main entrance and through a park into the village. There, on a corner, is the Musikház, or "music house," where Haydn, the singers, and the Princely After turning a sharp corner we drove alongside a high orchestra lived. "There in that corner," our host pointed wall, at the end of which was a large, threefold gate; and out, "was probably Haydn's apartment." A bronze there, through the elaborate wrought -iron pattern, plaque had been erected underneath what is thought to stood Esterháza Castle. have been his window. We walked back across the park The Castle is shaped like a huge U, in the middle of and behind the Castle to the spot where the opera house which is a graceful set of double steps. The grounds were had once stood. The Castle threw ever lengthening swarming with workmen, trimming the shrubbery, shadows as the afternoon went on. Suddenly the beauti- planting part of the gardens, watering the cone -shaped ful loneliness of the place seemed to strike my heart. trees which are placed around the central courtyard. Here, I thought, was the fabulous garden in which The façade had just been painted, and the sun shone thousands of the Prince's grenadier guards had held brilliantly on the alternating yellow and white color of torches to illuminate the way for the Empress Maria the walls, dotted with bright green windows. I wondered Theresa when she visited Esterháza in 1773; here at the burst of activity, and my Hungarian friends ex- Haydn had, that night, conducted his opera, L'infedeltà plained: the end of World War II saw beautiful Ester- delusa, perhaps his greatest stage work, and had en- ham a shambles. German soldiers had loaded sixty huge chanted the Empress with it. Here, after a performance, trucks with its priceless furniture and paintings and had the singers had hastened through the moonlit gardens to driven off in the direction of the Vaterland (to date, only one solitary oil painting has been recovered). The incoming Russian troops used part of the Castle as an officers' club, and on the doorposts inside, garish painted slogans with hammer and sickle could still be seen. With the coming of the Haydn Year (the composer died 150 years ago), the Hungarian authorities decided that the Castle had to be completely renovated. This September, Esterháza will be host to a meeting of Haydn scholars from all over the world and by that time the whole edifice will be spick and span. The renovation will cost a small fortune; not only does the whole interior have to be done over, but it was discovered that the central wooden beams were no longer safe. The architect in charge of the project has solved this tricky problem by putting in huge iron and concrete reinforcements instead of timbers; and since there were practically no doors left intact, the old, seasoned wood of the cross- beams will be used to make exact replicas of the doors destroyed or damaged. We were conducted through the interior by one of the staff in charge of the Castle (part of it is now used as an Agricultural State School). Threading our way under immense scaffolding, we climbed to the Sala terrena, a double room in which the Esterházys held their balls, and in which Haydn gave concerts with his orchestra. From the window, one can still see the three famous alleys that seem to stretch away to infinity. On the right stand the ruins of the opera house, which Bettmono burned down a hundred years ago. On the left is the Prince :Vic-ohms Joseph Esterh.ízy, The Alagnicent."

AUGUST 1959 33

www.americanradiohistory.com Esterháza Castle: above, the main staircase curves gracefully against yellow and white walls; at left, the façade as seen in 1784.

R^' ., 10:iicamp, a, (4 . ..

the Musikház, and perhaps Ha) do had tarried there eighteenth century it was variously called " Esterház" with his beloved Luigia Polzelli, the soprano in the and also "Estoras "). The opera house on the grounds Esterházy troupe with whom the composer had had an seated about five hundred; the stage machinery was the impassioned love affair. And here, too, Haydn had con- finest available, and the theatre itself luxuriously ducted a vast repertoire of his own and other composers' equipped (even to billiard tables for the use of guests operas to a brilliant and festive audience- European during the intermissions). A contemporary report :royalty, the greatest philosophers and statesmen of the praises the brilliant lighting effects and the rapid changes day, who visited Esterháza and were entertained in this of scenery, in which "gods, seated on clouds, slowly fairy tale palace with Oriental splendor. descend to earth; or ascend and disappear in a second; The Esterházys had built a modest hunting lodge suddenly everything is altered, and we see an attractive, here on these grounds in the year 1720; it was called cool garden; or an enchanted forest; or a splendid hall." Süttör, after the neighboring village. Haydn joined the The performances at the opera house and in the mario- Court in 1761, as Vice Capellmeister. In 1762, his patron nette theatre were open to everyone, and there was no died, and Prince Nicolaus ( "The Magnificent ") attained admittance charge. When the Prince was in residence, to the title: it was the beginning of the great period. there was opera, theatre, or a concert (called Academie) Backed with a wealth so incredible that it can scarcely every night. Strolling players, some of whom gave the be estimated in modern currency, Nicolaus Esterházy best German theatre productions of the period, were increased his whole retinue, including, of course, his invited to spend the winter at Esterháza. For one such orchestra and the operatic personnel. His predecessor troupe, the Wahr Players, Haydn wrote incidental had occasionally asked for an operatic performance or music for two German plays, Der Zerstreute (1774), later two, but these were given on a temporary stage in the made into Symphony No. 60, and Soliman !! oder Die drei great hall of Eisenstadt Castle, where the family resided Sultaninnen (1777), later made into Symphony No. 63. most of the year. Opera was Nicolaus' passion, and he From 1776 to 1790, between seven and twelve new dreamed of having his own stage. operas were produced every season, a record to which, In 1764, Nicolaus attended at Frankfurt the Corona- nowadays, not even the Vienna State Opera can aspire. tion ceremonies for Archduke Joseph as Holy Roman In the year 1778, for example, the following new works Emperor, and combined this festive occasion with a were given: Anfossi's Il geloso in cimento; Gazzaniga's trip to Paris and Versailles. He returned home with the La locanda; Sarti's La sposa fedele; Piccinni's Il finto plan to create a Versailles of his own, and two years later pazzo, La buona figliuola, and L'astratto; Salieri's I! he had built, at staggering cost, Esterháza Castle (in the Barone di Rocca antica; Gassmann's Arcifanfano;

MAGAZINE 34 HIGH FIDELITY

www.americanradiohistory.com Paisie1lo's La Frascatana; and Haydn's marionette opera, bring their wives to Esterháza, and because the season Dido (lost) --a total of ten new productions. The operatic lasted so long, often into winter, the players became performances-which generally took place on Thursdays restless and difficult. Haydn often had to intervene, and and Sundays -began at six o'clock. Not infrequently the story of the Farewell Symphony -written to persuade there was a grand ballet afterwards. A traveler, who the Prince to leave Esterháza-is too well known to visited Esterháza in 1784 and saw Haydn's Armida, require retelling here. In what an official document calls wrote: "a scandalous brawl ... which occurred at the Ester - Castle Tavern in 1771," the contrabass player This night was the first performance of the opera házy Armida by Haydn. The effect on entering the Xavier Marteau put out the eye of the oboist Zacharias theatre was most splendid. It was brilliantly lit by Pohl, and I-laydn was called in to straighten out the candlelight and held 500 persons. Haydn himself affair. conducted, and struck up the Overture as the One of the most interesting (and hitherto scarcely Prince came in, attended by his page, Auguste, a known) aspects of Haydn's activity as Capellmeister Negro from the British West Indies. The scenery concerns the production of operas by other composers. be desired. and the heroic costumes left nothing to Recently I have had the unique opportunity of studying a mytho- ... The performance finished with grand these priceless documents in the National Museum at ballet. logical Budapest. Many of the scores had been drastically As it happens, several sketches for the costumes and revised by Haydn: whole sections of the opera might be scenery of Haydn's operas have just been discovered in transposed up or down to meet local conditions (the the Ester luízy archives at Budapest. One shows Armida secco recitatives, of course, then had to be rewritten); in a splendid costume with an enormous hoop skirt. The arias were shortened ruthlessly; and there are countless stage designer, Pietro Travaglia, seems to have been directions for stage action in Haydn's hand ( "wait a bit extraordinarily gifted; the sketch for a scene from ... then proceed "). Very often Haydn found the Haydn's heroic -comic opera Orlando Paladin (I782) is arias dull and wrote new ones himself; and, extraordinary most dramatic, and reminds one of late-period Van Gogh as it seems, most of these beautiful little pieces are com- rather than the eighteenth century. pletely unknown today. Haydn's orchestra numbered about twenty -eight In one case Haydn did something still different. La in all: seventeen strings, double wind, two horns, and rendemmia, a dramma giocoso by Gazzaniga, was to be -when required- trumpets, kettledrums, and extra performed at Esterháza in the Spring of 1780. One of percussion (his Turkish opera, L'incontro imprort'iso, the soprano arias begins quite charmingly, andante, but uses triangle, cymbals, and bass drum as well). Haydn continues endlessly; after about thirty bars Haydn conducted from the harpsichord. There were about a crossed out the rest of the piece and finished it himself, dozen singers in residence, almost all Italians, who hated increasing the tempo steadily and injecting a fast, dra- the climate and fled back to the sunny south as soon as matic action into the music. the Prince allowed them a vacation. The musicians in The repertoire in general and the .t vie of Haydn's the orchestra, with the exception of I -paydn and the own operas give us a fairly accurate idea of the Prince's Concertmeister Luigi Tomasini. were not allowed to taste. He seems to have pre- Continued on page 94

The opera house at Esterháza, when Armida was performed and as it is today. Only the brickwork of the louer walls remains.

AUGUST 1959 35

www.americanradiohistory.com s THE CLIMAX to her annual gospel concert withh various groups in Carnegie Hall, Miss Mahalia Jackson walks slowly to the center of the stage. Clad in a flowing powder -blue gown, the Queen of the Gospel Singers makes an imposing figure; but as she begins to sing, the listener's impression of regal sumptuousness gives way to a realization of fierce and devout sincerity. A deceptive simplicity veils the sophistication of Gospel singers I%fahalia's art; her voice in some numbers has the direct emotional appeal of a cradle song. throughout the land By contrast, other pieces have the intimacy of the lullaby but considerably greater vigor. Accompanied are making joyful noises only by piano and organ, Miss Jackson frequently, as unto the Lord. she sings, claps her hands. This gesture leads to com- plications, for-in spite of her example -a large share of the white audience begins to clap on the beat, instead of off, which hampers the flow of the rhythm. She stops singing. "Now I see I'll have to teach you how to clap," she says reprovingly, adding something under her breath about what am I doing in Carnegie Hall, anyway. Soon everybody is hitting the offbeat. Contrary to what might be expected, the fast rhythmic numbers are not as moving as the slow plaintive songs. Swaying at the microphone -which she doesn't need -and sometimes dropping to her knees in supplica- tion, Miss Jackson improvises soaring and searing embellishments on the melody. The lady sitting next to me confides that she too sings, in a gospel choir in Mount Vernon, and adds enthusiastically: "Mahalia, she add more flowers and feathers, and they is all just right." Then Carnegie Hall begins to rock. The effect is something for which my rather Puritanical New Eng- land background never prepared me. Gentle old ladies on all sides start to "flip" like popcorn over a hot stove. Directly in front, an angular woman springs to her feet, raises her arms rigidly on high, and dances down the aisle shouting "Sweet Jesus!" A white -clad nurse, one of thirty in attendance, does her best to quiet her. This is religious possession, as old as Africa itself. (In 1953, on a field trip to Haiti, I witnessed a similar scene at a vodun ceremony. It was decidedly more orderly, however, for the participants were aiming at religious possession and proceeded in a highly ritualized fashion. The rest of the group formed a circle around the possessed ones, keeping them from hurting themselves until they awoke, refreshed, several hours later.) The pandemonium at Carnegie Hall slowly subsides as Miss Jackson, accustomed to such a response and, indeed, supervising it carefully, tapers off slowly. The shouting dwindles into moaning and, bit by bit, order is restored. My neighbor's symptoms are a little different. She has sunk into a glazed trance and now wakes, rubs bu Marshall Stearns her eyes, and sits up. Mahalia has gone on to a bouncy tune, and everyone is tapping his feet as if nothing had happened. Mahalia Jackson is one -but the best -of a vast army

1.,,1 . '1'01

www.americanradiohistory.com Westminster R, 15 :r'equin Records .ltahalia Jackson Ernestine Washington "Daddy Grace" Singers

of gospel singers, choral groups, and preachers who today among those that do a big business. The current stars, are coming to public attention. In even big city in the however, are the featured soloists: Marie Knight, Clara United States that supports a sizable colored population, Ward, Rosetta Tharpe, Roberta Martin, Clara Brock, gospel song is in full swing in a variety of settings from Ernestine Washington -and Mahalia Jackson. These storefront rooms to large churches. Much of it is avail- ladies seem to have the organizational ability and the able on recordings, sold chiefly at stores in colored business acumen to capitalize on their popularity. neighborhoods; even more, along with shouting preach- The names I have mentioned, of course, are just a ers and congregations, may be heard over the radio on sampling from a religious and musical renascence which Sundays. (On one Sunday morning at the studios of has been developing among the folk for some time. Its Station WJIV, Savannah, I was present as ten gospel roots trace back to Colonial days, when celebrated groups broadcast in succession.) preachers such as "Black harry" accompanied Bishop In and around New York City on a Sunday evening Asbury on his proselyting tours for the Methodist you can hear gospel singing, shouting, and preaching Church. Black Harry spoke first because he attracted which makes the Carnegie Hall concerts of Mahalia the crowds. "If such be the servant," listeners inquired, Jackson seem like a well -ordered kindergarten. The "what must the master be ?" The master, it seems, was a churches of the Reverend : t..lvin Childs, Bishop S. C. smart showman. Johnson, Elder Benjamin H. Brody, Bishop Washington, John Jasper was another preacher of the time, a de- Daddy Grace, and Bishop Tharpe -to name a few - scription of whom has come down to us: "His vivid and jump with joy and a wild variety of accompaniments. spectacular eloquence resulted in an uproar of groans, When he feels like it, Congressman A. Clayton Powell shouts, fainting women, and people who were swept to of Harlem's large Abyssinian Baptist Church can the ground to lie in a trancelike state sometimes for "preach up a storm," although, understandably, he soft - hours." (The symptoms are pretty much the same pedals this accomplishment. today.) Eventually, with the growth of slavery, the Outside of New York City, famous shouting preach- colored preachers of the early days disappeared, to ers such as the Reverend Mr. Kelsey (Washington, reestablish themselves in their own churches only after D. C.), Elder Beck (Buffalo), and Professor Earle Hines the Civil \Var. (Los Angeles) exhort their congregations, with assistance As the American Revolution ended and as the sul- from gospel groups, while Prophet Powell, Professor phurous hold of Calvinism in New England weakened Alex Bradford, the Reverend "Lightfoot" Michaux, and -only the elect went to heaven, the majority straight the Reverend Utah Smith (Prophet Jones is in eclipse to hell -freedom of worship became a fact. Religious and Father Divine has his own band) may be on tour splinter groups who proclaimed that Divine Grace was anywhere in the country. All of them -and the Rever- free began to prosper. Among the Baptists, for example, end Mr. Kelsey's Little Boy (M -G -M 10250) is out- four people constituted a congregation and anyone who standing -have been recorded. felt the call could preach. By 1820, forty thousand The gospel groups which originally supported these Negroes had joined the Methodists and sixty thousand preachers have become drawing cards in their own right. the Baptists. And they all sang. The Soul Stirrers, the Five Blind Boys, the Pilgrim The hard core of the evolving music can be found in Travellers -all male -or the Davis Sisters, the Gospel the ancient ring shout, a demonstrably West African Harmonettes, and the Ward Singers-all female -are survival that incorporates the field cry, blue tonality,

AUGUST 1959 37

www.americanradiohistory.com the call -and - response pattern, and propulsive rhythm. tucky and Tennessee. "As the darkness deepened," A continuing reservoir of inspiration for folk music in wrote one witness of a Cane Ridge, Kentucky, revival general and jazz in particular, the ring shout survived in 1801, "the exhortations of the preachers became by accident. Protestant churches forbade dancing and more fervent ... the volume of song burst all bonds drumming, the two fundamentals of African worship, ... at intervals, there rang out the shout of ecstasy, but the ring shout needed no drums (clapping and the sob and the groan." Black and white participated in stomping sufficed) and involved a straight shuffle step these frontier revivals together. (the church defined dancing as crossing the feet). As late One of these preachers, Shubal Stearns, known as the as 1934 ring shouts were being employed in Southern "Boston Baptist Boanerges," was a distant ancestor of churches as a means of increasing attendance. mine. He carried the Separate Baptist creed, based on In 1863, H. G. Spaulding described a ring shout in "conviction and conversion," from New England to the Continental Monthly: "Three or four, standing still, Sandy Creek, North Carolina in 1771. An eyewitness clapping their hands and beating time with their feet, noted that "the neighborhood was alarmed and the commence singing in unison one of the peculiar shout Spirit of God listed to blow as a mighty rushing wind." melodies, while the others walk around in a ring, in (Within three years, the Separates had three churches single file, joining also in the song." In 1867, a reporter and nine hundred members.) Preachers such as these for the Nation witnessed a similar performance: ".. . set the model for the colored folk preacher who added the true shout takes place on Sundays ... a band, a blues -tinged rhythmic feeling of his own. composed of some of the best singers ... stand at the (Parenthetically, a person's social status came to be side of the room to `base' the others, singing the body judged by the symptoms of his religious hysteria. The of the song and clapping their hands ... the monoto- wealthy white aristocrats from the large plantations nous thud, thud of the feet prevents sleep within half would simply pass out and then come to, shouting: a mile." "Glory, glory to God! My soul is converted and I am "We have seen shouts," writes .flan Lomax, "in happy!" The poorer whites and Negroes displayed other Louisiana, in Texas, in Georgia, and in the Bahamas; symptoms, called "exercises" and classified as "laughing. we have seen vaudou dancing in Haiti; we have read dancing, wheeling, barking, and jerking." T'he most accounts of similar rites in works upon Negro life in common and least dignified manifestation was the other parts of the Western hemisphere. All share basic "jerks," a spasmodic series of convulsive twitches which similarities: (1) the song is `danced' with the whole frequently can be observed today.) body, with hands, feet, belly, and hips; (2) the worship "A good folk preacher," writes Lomax, "has to snort is, basically, a dancing -singing phenomenon; (3) the like the horses of the Apocalypse, bellow like the beast dancers always move counterclockwise around the ring; of John the Revelator, leap high into the air to punctuate

(4) the song has the leader- chorus form . . . with a his purple periods, and sing like a brass- voiced angel focus on rhythm ... that ... enforces coiiperative Gabriel . . . this art is the high point of .American folk group activity; (5) the song continues ... until a sort theatre." In the Deep South now, preachers run to two of mass hypnosis ensues." (One of the many types of styles: the "gravy" preacher who sings his sermon in a song which emerged from the ring shout was, of course, blues manner, and the "zooning" preacher who punctu- the spiritual. It was simply among the first to be notated ates his sermon with work -song grunts. (When the jazz and accepted.) pianist James P. Johnson composed his Carolina Shout, he had both in mind.) Before the Civil War, a few people had already Gradually the congregations of these preachers have commented %vondcringly on the music which they formed their own choirs, from which soloists have heard in the Southern states. Isolated on a Georgia emerged. I happened to conic upon an early and transi- plantation, the British actress and musician, Fanny tional stage during a trip to Bluffton, South Carolina, Kemble, wrote in her diary in 1839 that the sounds where Reverend L. E. Graham and a group of six took were "extraordinarily wild and unaccountable," and turns leading ancient "anthems." Each sang the call on she wished that some "great musical composer" could a tune while the rest responded together. "Everybody hear them. In the same vein, a Miss McKim of Phila- sings melody," explained Mr. Graham. There was no delphia %vim had been touring the South writes in harmony; even the responses consisted of a variety of Dwight's Journal of .Vrrsic (1862): "... the odd turns improvised embellishments on the tune itself. The in the throat, and the curious rhythmic effect produced sound, to repeat Fanny Kcmble's phrase, was "extraordi- by single voices chiming in at different irregular inter- narily wild and unaccountable." vals, seem almost impossible to place on a score...." The easing of the church ban against musical instru- Here, to the European- trained ear, was a new music. ments and the development of today's gospel song ac- By 1800, with the religious revival known as the companiment is a fascinating bit of Americana. Elements Great Awakening, gospel music was thriving in small from many of the original splinter groups combined rural congregations in the then -frontier states of Ken- to create a new synthesis which Continued on page 92

38 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com 414 prom 2 }101 ] Y10 t Gamba

Hans Wild

The necessarily melodramatic story of a small conductor who is getting bigger every day.

by CHARLES REID

I first met him, PIERINO CAMRA is by way of being a rare case among from Gamba, and not yet twelve, when us. An ex- prodigy conductor who only recently shed his in June 1948. At Harringay Stadium on the outskirts of velvet suit with Fauntleroy collar, he is beginning to London he conducted Beethoven's Fifth, Schubert's dig the foundations of an adult career that shows promise Unfinished, and the Tännhauser Overture before some of bringing him a reputation even wider, and more stable, ten thousand persons, first kneeling with his father than that of his child -marvel days. beneath a silver crucifix in his dressing room to pray Gamba, as he now introduces himself (out of habit for success. At the end of the concert forty ex- policemen people go on calling him "Pierino," with head- patting opened a way for him through a delirious crowd at the intonations that make him wince), was born in Rome stage door. on September 16, 1936, son of Pietro ( "Piero ") Gamba, In those days rival impresarios talked sardonically of owner of four Roman patisseries and onetime violinist the Gamba Circus. With Papa, Mamma, a general tutor, in Italian opera houses. He was still Pierino, as distinct a music teacher, a skittle game, an electric train, and

AUGUST 1959 39

www.americanradiohistory.com Ten years of touring have given Gamba something of a cosmopolitan crust. "When I go back to Rome," he says, "I don't feel Roman any more. I look at the people in the streets and don't seem to be one of them. In Italy I have not lived for more than seven months in twelve years. Why do I not give any more concerts in Italy? G A M B A Because I am always somewhere else." The true reason, I suspect, is a rankling memory. At the invitation of the Mayor of Turin he undertook in 1949 to conduct, without fee, at a benefit concert in the Teatro Alfieri for funds to rebuild a sister theatre, the Reggio, that had been bomb- gutted in the war. All was set. Papa had reserved hotel rooms. Then, out of the twenty -seven pieces of luggage, Pierino flew in all direc- blue (he alleges), the arrangement was brusquely can- tions (Paris, London, Antwerp, Copenhagen, Oslo, celed. "The Turin conductor says `No!'. He will not Zurich ... ) to conduct illustrious orchestras whose give me his orchestra. Who conducts the concert? I do senior players were old enough to be his great- grand- not know. I do not even know if the concert is held." father. After press interviews he would scatter used The Gambas settled in Madrid, Calle de Londres 27, flash bulbs on the floor and run about jumping on them. a stone's throw from the Bull Ring, in 1954. Pierino was But these antics were by the way. His baton and left - booked that year for eighteen Madrid concerts. "Why hand techniques were astonishingly cool and precise. live in a hotel ?" asked Papa. "We may as well hire a (In eleven years they have changed little.) What is flat." The season over, they stayed on. "We like the more, they presaged inherent musicianship. He invari- climate," explains Pierino. He has a bedroom -study on ably conducted without score, and claimed he had fifty the third floor. Book- and score -lined walls are broken pieces off by heart. by windows that let in floods of sunshine. Over the The graver critics were cordial in a lofty, noncom- upright piano hangs a reproduction of an august paint- mittal way. The rest wrote in a state of moist -eyed ing, Guido Reni's "L'Aurora." On shelves and whatnots wonder. With singular unanimity the English and Conti- stand little giraffes, lions, tigers, black men playing nental papers said he was only nine when really he was drums or dancing. Some of these are souvenirs from ten; only ten when he really was eleven. This mis- Gamba's trips in South Africa and South America. calculation went on, though diminishingly, for another As well as Spanish and Italian, he speaks serviceable seven years. Latterly Gamba has taken to printing his French and English or, when in difficulties, a mixture of birth date in his programs. With prodigy status now the two. In English he prefers the historic present, like behind him, he cannot afford to be docked of a year. Damon Runyon's characters. At the Calle de Londres Maturity is the revised aim. he harbors honorary conductor's diplomas from Madrid, At twenty -two he is still boy -sized - "no bigger nor Barcelona, Oporto, Antwerp, Buenos Aires, and three than a pennorth o' copper," as I heard a fifty -cent -seat other cities which slipped his memory when we last met holder say when the maestro came on the platform for a in London. His wardrobe is a characteristic melange. recent concert in Liverpool. He no longer tours under At a luncheon party 1w ticked off on his fingers what he family tutelage. That stopped four years ago. Papa was wearing: sports jacket from Madrid, sweater bought Gamba now stays behind, usually at the family flat in in London, tie from Paris, green silk Oporto shirt, Madrid, and keeps by him a time schedule of Pierinó s Roman socks, wrist watch from Johannesburg. "The dates abroad so that he may synchronize his own pre - complet which you saw me wearing yesterday," he concert prayers with those of his son. added, "was from Brussels." Pierino has largely dropped straight air travel in European post offices are kept busy forwarding his favor of air travel plus hobby motoring. For instance, mail from address to address in attempts, sometimes one jaunt alxwt a year ago involved his leaving Rome vain, to deliver it. i-Ie says: "I do ten new pieces a year. at the wheel of his Ford Fairlanc 500 at seven one One of the new pieces I study actuelle,nent is the Clarinet Saturday morning, reaching Paris the same evening at Concerto of the Swedish composer Fernstrom. The score six. The next day he flew to London for two days' is mailed to me at Malmo. It reaches Malmo after I rehearsal and recording, with Julius Katchen and the leave. It follows me to Copenhagen, Rome, Madrid. I London Symphony Orchestra, of Beethoven's Piano expect it here in London every minute. Before it arrive Concerto No. 3 and B flat Rondo (the one without opus I am in Liverpool!" number) for Piano and Orchestra. Two hours after the Confronted with a new score, Gamba sits with it on recording ended he flew back to Paris, driving thence to his knee, chin cupped in left hand, and reads it "just as

Madrid -a journey which, owing to fog, took twenty - you read a book." I heard him tell a goggling non - four hours. Ile describes this experience with zest. musician, "with all the notes sounding in my head just

40 HIGII FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com as the words sound in yours." This faculty is expected every subject I study. But the piano, no! I practice of a conductor, whether he has it or not. What decisively en pleurant. In two months I have eight lessons from marks Gamba off from the rest is that he has in fact been Maestro Renato Capocci, who is seventy -five or eighty. making use of it since he was eight. One day Capocci is ill. I say to myself, 'Now my teacher He is, to borrow a theatre term, a quick study. For a is ill I do not study piano any more,' and I am very three -concerto concert at London's Royal Festival Hall happy. But my father say, 'Maestro Capocci is ill. You with Alfredo Campoli, he was required to mug up Max still play the piano. Not half an hour a day. One hour a Bruch's Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra at day!' So that is what happens. I am playing little things, short notice. (The other concertos were the Beethoven little sonatinas by little inconnu people, 'orrible music." and the ,Mendelssohn.) He had expected to spend at Soon he modulated to advanced Diabelli sonatas, least a week on the score. It did not reach him until the weeping all the time. At this stage Papa showed him off day before the concert. Throwing up arms and eves in to a friend, Maestro Nino \lazziotti, "conductor, pian- despair and saying the thing was impossible, he read ist, violinist, singer, everything." \lazziotti heard and reread the score for five hours in Campoli's study, Pierino play the Diabellis. "Good," he said. "Very good, while Campoli played the solo part unaccompanied. Next in fact. But not marvelous. This Diabelli edition is day I watched him at the rehearsal. He ran through the fingered. I would like to hear Pierino play an unfin- Fantasy with smooth verve, as cocksure, to all appear- gered transcription of, say, Beethoven's C major Sym- ance, as if he had composed it himself. phony." In the ordinary way he spends a lot of time on the Next day Papa, before leaving the house, handed to preparing of new works. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Pierino an Ulrich four -hand piano transcription, un- he knew in detail from the age of nine. But when, ten fingered, of Beethoven's Symphony No. I. He said, "I years later in Barcelona, he was invited to conduct it for want you to learn the first page of the primo part. You the first time, he closeted himself with the score for three will have to work out your own fingering. I shall be back months. It is Beethoven -all the symphonies, all the in three hours. If you arc then able to play the first page, piano concertos, four overtures, and the violin concerto Papa ti darà [anti hard." -who crowns his current repertory. This now com- The day was a holiday from school. Pierino had prises about 150 pieces and seems expressly tailored for dreamed of skittle games, of runs on his miniature

box office tastes, though Gamba insists passionately that bicycle and like delights. 1 le.was disappointed and angry. it reflects his own. Next to Beethoven, Tchaiko Nkv is A morte Ala. ziotti! A morte Beethoven! He sat down at nearest his heart. After conducting Tchaikovsky's the piano fuming. When Papa returned, he could play Fourth or the Pathétique (Nos. I to 3 do not yet exist for not only the first page of the Symphony (primo part) but him), he will say: "Marvelous! Tchaikovsky's music is the entire first movement. Ten days later he had mas- easy to understand straight off. This is a difficulty. Some tered all four movements -primo part and secundo as people understand him the wrong way. They read into well. His fingering was erratic but fluent. He no longer Tchaikovsky a sentimentality and a vulgarity that are played en pleurant. not there." "Beethoven," Gamba explains, "opens music to me. As I have suggested, Gamba's present musicianship - That is why, for me, Beethoven Continued on page 95 and to a large extent his present techniques -are of one piece, though broadened, with those of his childhood. The infant prodigy is father to the youth. It is material, therefore, to look back on the seed of his career and note how it sprouted. In 1944 Papa Gamba was spending a good deal of time at home. Home was a flat on the Via Belluno, in the Quartiere Italia of Rome. The four patisseries had folded five years earlier. Papa was now a jobbing salesman and none too prosperous. Says Pierino: "He sell different things. Table knives one day, perhaps. shoes next day, perhaps, clothing the day after that." The war was still on, economic life chaotic. Some days Papa could find nothing to sell at all. That is why he was often at home. To pass the time he played his fiddle. One day he said to Pierino, "I want you to learn the piano so that you can accompany me." Pierino, then eight, had no liking for music. "But I love Papa and say 'Okay.' I start learning the piano half an hour a day. School I like. At school I like It's Beethoven that crowns his current repertoire.

AUGUST 1959

www.americanradiohistory.com Dais Afijeíngolò ,Complete

Culver Eighteen Anvils and a Thundersheet

by R. D. DARRELL

N()ruING IICMAN is perfect and the complete record- tally sensational. The added dimensionality and lucidity ing of Wagner's Das Rheingold just issued by London of stereo, impressive though they may le, are here pri- Records is no exception, but it does come breathlessly marily enhancements of even more substantial, strictly close to satisfying well -nigh impossible demands. Its only musical virtues. The listener unable-or unwilling -to major handicap is that it succeeds so %yell in exploiting profit by the former may well be content with a wealth the still incalculable potentialities of stereo music -drama of other delights. that the inevitable hullabaloo over its conics may throw Historically, the most significant of these is that of misleading emphasis on qualities that arc only inciden- welcoming the first (legitimate) complete disc version of the Prologue to The Ring. (The parenthetical adjective

is of course necessary to dispose of the infamous . \Negro set of 1954, hastily withdrawn when it was proved to be Wagner: Das Rheingold a pirated amateurish dubbing, with spurious credits, of a 1953 Bayreuth Festival broadcast.) : \lmost exactly Wotan George London twenty -three years ago I noted, in the original Gramo- Fricka Kirsten Flagstad phone Shop Encyclopedia, "The lack of a complete or Alberich Gustav Neidlinger nearly complete Rheingold is the most serious gap in the Loge Svet Svanholm recorded Ring repertory" . . . yet the 78 era ended and Donner Eberhard Wachter that of LPs matured, with no substantial additions to the Froh Waldemar Kmentt handful of excerpts listed at that time. And although at Mime Paul Kuen least one attempt was made, ironically by Decca /London, Fasolt Walter Kreppel Fafner Kurt Böhme to record Das Rheingold as well as the rest of The Ring Freia Claire Watson .lt the 1951 Bayreuth Festival, the discs never appeared Erda Jean Madeira a failure which undoubtedly did much to stimulate Woglinde Oda Balsborg I)ecca/London's musical director, John Culshaw, to Wellgunde Hetty Plumacher bring the present edition (recorded in Vienna last Oc- Flosshilde Ira Malaniuk tober) to reality. Needless to say, it is literally complete, not only to Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Ls cry bar in the score, but even to Wagner's grandiose Georg Solti, cond. London A 4340. Three LP. instrumental requirements extending to a battery of $14.94. eighteen anvils, six harps, and a thundersheet. And for London OSA 1309. Three lull measure the boxed set of three discs is accompanied SD. $17.94. by a forty -one -page illustrated booklet including not only biographies of the performers and an opera synopsis.

HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com but the entire text in German and English, plus the still more nowadays, especially their fill of sonic frissons. thematic motives in musical notation. These too they get here, but the electrifying moments of Details of the performance will he evaluated variously transcendent sonic thrills are exactly -and only -those by Wagnerian specialists, but already there seems to be specified by Wagner's own exuberant tonal imagination. general agreement that it is emphatically first -rate, its The recorded tonal qualities and dynamics are superb occasional minor shortcomings far overbalanced by many throughout (although possibly only the listener who moments of outstanding excellence. The nature of the checks them bar -by -bar against the nearly 800 -page work itself, with no real hero (although there are more Eulenberg miniature score can fully appreciate their than enough villains!), permits no single role to domi- accuracy), but sound effects as such are highlighted only nate; yet within this limitation, top honors are clearly when they are dramatically meaningful -as when Wotan Caron by Ncidlingcr's Alberich and Flagstad's Fricka. and Loge pass through the anvil -hammering Ni- Indeed the former must indisputably rank, vocally as belungens' caverns ... when Alberich mercilessly cliffs well as dramatically, as one of the most magisterial in- and whips the hapless Mime ... when snarling tubas terpretative creations of all opera history. The latter is a evoke Alberich's metamorphosis into a dragon . . . personal triumph of another kind, commanding admira- when tremendous timpani italicize Alberich's curse, tion no less for the incomparable Brünnhilde's willing- the giants' stake driving, and their murderous quarrel ness to undertake a relatively minor (and to her entirely ... when Donner's heaven- splitting thunder and light- new) role than for realizing it with a precision and sensi- ning drive off the mists to reveal a matchlessly gleaming tivity scarcely surpassed even in her greatest days. Valhalla ... and, perhaps most atmospherically of all, Svanholm, the other veteran in the cast, may have when the Rhinemaidens' haunting song in truly distant vocal resources less impressive nowadays than at one depths is contrasted with the overwhelming climax of time, but he commands nearly equal powers of control the gods' triumphal passage over the Rainbow Bridge. and insight. His wily Loge is a model of distinctive char- Yet perhaps the most remarkable technical miracle acterization, as is also Kuen's vivid personification of the here is that all these sonic highlights arc nearly as dra- hapless Mime. The minor roles too are notably well matic in monophonic reproduction as they are in stereo. enacted (and enunciated), as well as sung with uncom- (I have not yet heard the LP edition itself, but I have mon freshness. Perhaps special mention should go to checked all these, and many other, passages by combining Hefty Plumacher's \Vcl!gunde and Claire Watson's the stereo channels.) Nevertheless, the adamant mon- Freia -the latter an ideally girlish, distraught, and ophenist will be denying himself more than he can real- plaintive, Perils -of- Pauline heroine. ize: not only what now should Continued on page 93 I have left the usually more important Erda and 'Wotan for the last, since they seem to me the least distinctive achievements here, although even Madeira's overcautious and studied delivery of "N riche, Wotan!" has considerable competence, and London's final "Ab- endlich strahlt" more than considerable eloquence. Yet neither is perfectly steady vocally, and both lack genuine grandeur. Very likely many other listeners, especially those who have Schorr and Kipnis less imperiously alive in their memories, may esteem London more highly than I can. The publicized notion that the Wotan of The Ring Prologue should be sung by a comparative youngster may have some theoretical validity, but even here the god is often only too "alt and grau, greis and grämlich," and in any case London's youthfulness is seldom evident in sheerly aural terms. But some of this is only quibbling, as it would be to criticize Solti's over -all reading for its somewhat impersonal detachment rather than to stress its complete freedom from mannerisms and praise its sterling merits of near-perfect control, balance, restraint, and power. The essential characteristic of the whole performance, by singers and orchestra alike, is an unremitting fidelity to the composer's expressly prescribed intentions. What more fairly can be expected of any "sounded edition" than that it bring the written score itself to vibrant life? Well, some audiophiles, fairly or unfairly, do demand Everything It'agner asked, not excepting a thnndershect.

AUGUST 1959

www.americanradiohistory.com A GRAY HYSTERESIS SYNCHRONOUS TURNTABLE KIT FOR ONLY 49.50 with outstanding features that are exclusive with GRAY at this low price.

Special hysteresis synchronous motor provides constant speed and lowest wow, flutter and rumble content. Heavy machine ground 12h/2" turntable platter with micro polished '/e" shaft rotates in a super oilite bearing with noiseless nylon un- derfacing thereby guaranteeing freedom from vertical movement ... a stereo prerequisite.

Customized slip - proof, stretch-limited composite belt offers vibrationless link between motor and platter edge.

Shock -proof motor mount is adjustable in GRAY 3 S NGL HSK -33 TURNTABLE KIT 3 planes to compen- Here's an exciting project for anybody who wants professional sate for lifetime move- performance at a low kit cost. Gray engineering and custom mass ment and wear. techniques now make this wonderful value possible. production Sturdy mounting plate You'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to fully assemble offers maximum -and have ready for monaural or stereo operation -this studio shielding. Easy to designed turntable. level and center because it extends past the platter and motor The GRAY HSK -33 TURNTABLE KIT is shown structure. above with the: Micro precision parts GRAY SAK -12 PROFESSIONAL TONE ARM KIT net 23.95 pretested for accuracy GRAY TBA BASE (in Walnut, Mahogany or Blonde Formica Veneers) net 11.95 in sub assemblies.

See and hear our 67th year in communications .. . Cray high fidelity products at your favorite High Fidelity Division quality dealer. DEPT. H -1 16 ARBOR STREET, HARTFORD 1, CONN. \IAG:V.IXI: 44 Iluat FIDELITY

www.americanradiohistory.com INTERESTED in the Moscow Art highly confused. Perhaps the record in- make a recital disc. It will be on sale in Theatre production of Chekhov's Uncle dustry needs its own summit conference. midsummer. Vanya? Or in Madama Butterfly performed by the Bolshoi Opera troupe? Or JOSEPH SZIGETI has set down, else- VIOLINISTS of the older generation in Franck's Les Djinns with Sviatoslav where in this issue, some impressions of are also making news. Jascha Heifetz Richter as piano soloist? It's all available the recent Brussels violin competition as has been appointed a professor of music on Soviet LP records. To obtain them, viewed from the judges' stand ( "Young and artist -in- residence at the University you can journey to Moscow and join Violinists in a Game of Chance," p. 27). of California in Los Angeles. He will give the queue at the GUM department store What was it like from the contestants' master classes for a few carefully selected -an experience that can lead to droll side? According to Jaime Laredo, the students and will lecture on the musical consequences (see Owen Gingerich's let- eighteen- year -old prize winner, it was literature of the violin. Just to demon- ter on page 8). You may also order them, "awful -the worst ordeal I've ever gone strate that he's still no mean fiddler him- or any other Soviet pressings, through through." "The eliminations were bad self, Mr. Heifetz recently completed and your local record dealer -if all goes ac- enough," he told us, "but they were approved new recordings of the Men - cording to present expectations. nothing compared to the finals. The delssohn, Sibelius, and Prokofiev No. 2 The expectations are being nurtured Milhaud concerto, which we had to violin concertos.... Mischa Elman has by Harry Goldman, a longtime record master in only eight days, is an incred- signed an exclusive recording contract collector who has lately gone into the ibly difficult work. I'm still amazed that with Vanguard. .k series of concertos and business of importing LP pressings from I learned it." also recitals is in the works. . . . Joseph Europe. After cutting his teeth on the Jaime Laredo comes from Bolivia and Szigeti, after more than thirty years French Odéon and Path lines, for a family of music lovers. By the age of as an exclusive Columbia artist, has which he is now sole U.S. distributor, five he was already official page turner switched allegiance to Mercury Records. slr. Goldman entered into correspond- for a local string quartet, and at six he He has already completed the Brahms ence with the Soviet distribution agency began fiddling on a miniature violin. concerto as well as several chamber for books and records -an outfit known When it because apparent that the lad music works for the new label. Mean- as Mczhdunarodnaya Kniga. Ile let it be needed more expert teaching than Bo- while, Columbia still has some unreleased known that he would like to import livia could provide, the Laredos moved Szigeti material pending -including re- Soviet LPs if they could be satisfactorily to the United States, settling first in San cordings of the six unaccompanied violin labeled and packaged for American con- Francisco, then in Cleveland, and even- sonatas of Bach. sumption. ,\ír. Goldman stipulated hand- tually in Philadelphia, where laime at- some jacket covers, English labels and tended classes at the Curtis Institute of annotations, quiet surfaces. In due Music and worked with the celebrated VLADIMIR HOROWITZ is back in course, he says, a representative from teacher Ivan Galamian. the recording studio after a two -year Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga called on him "I first started thinking about the absence. Current repertoire: Beethoven and amazingly said "Da" to every de- Brussels contest two years ago," he said, sonatas.... Expect a flood of stereo mand. If the AIK man really carries "but didn't really get serious about it Messiah recordings this fall. It would through on his reported promises, Harry until last December. When I learned that seem as if every record company in the Goldman should have quantities of the Bolivian government and some business has a new version of the oratorio Russian -made records for distribution friends were willing to pay my expenses, ready for pre- Christmas release. Sit here this fall. We've left a standing order I decided to chance it." The day after he Thomas Beecham finished up his record- for that Bolshoi Butterfly. won first prize, contest -conscious managing of it for RCA Victor in July. The Meanwhile, Leeds Music Corporation ers began offering him engagements. He sessions, our scouts in London say, were continues to receive tapes from the is already booked for concerts in New plagued with more than the normal U.S.S.R. and to license their reproduc- York's Carnegie Hall, Philadelphia's quota of mishaps. It seems that Sir tion on domestic labels, such as Monitor, Academy of Music, and Cleveland's Thomas did not find the solo singers M -G -I t, Westminster, etc.:All of which Severance Hall. In addition, RCA Victor originally chosen for him quite to his leaves the Soviet recording picture rushed him into the recording studio to liking. There were some changes made.

AUGUST 1959 45

www.americanradiohistory.com Design trademark here

design a new Westminster Trademark

WIN f500 WORTH of WESTMINSTER RECORDS!

Write slogan here J

write a new Westminster Slogan

WIN 5500 WORTH of WESTMINSTER RECORDS!

or do both...

WIN $1,000 WORTH of WESTMINSTER RECORDS!

You don't have to use the blanks above or buy a record 4. You may use the coupon provided on this page for your name and address. If you send your entries separately on your own stationery or in order to enter Westminster's new contest. Any 8;1" x 11" drowing material, print your name and moiling address plainly. sheet of paper will do. And, for inspiration, just listen to 5. Mail all entries to Westminster Contest, 275 Seventh Ave., New York Westminster's magnificent stereo and monophonic record- 1, N.Y. Entries must be postmarked no later than midnight, September 30, 1959, and received no later than ings. Then use your talents to design a visual trademark midnight, October 3, 1959. that best expresses the superb 6. All entries are non -returnable and become the property of and may be used by Westminster Records in whole or in part free of any claims quality of Westminster records. other than the awards to the winners of this contest. The prizes will be Design must include the words awarded on the basis of originality of design and aptness of thought. One prize - consisting of $500 worth of any Westminster mono- "Natural Balance." Here is eohninget phonic and or stereo records at retail list price -will be awarded to the what the present Westminster winning trademark entry and a similar prize to the winning slogan entry. Entries will judged trademark looks be by Westminster Records. Decisions of the like: I -F I v judges will be final. If you're better with words than pictures what -see you 7. Entries are limited to residents of continental United States (includ- can come up with in the way of a 10 word slogan (or less) ing Alaska and Hawaii), except employees of Westminster Records, its advertising agencies and their families. This offer not valid in states that best expresses Westminster's superb sound and per- where prohibited by law. formance. 8. The winners will be notified by moil after close of contest. Remember, you can win the prize in either -or both - categories. Send your trademark and /or slogan entries to CONTEST RULES Westminster Contest, 275 Seventh Ave., New York 1, N.Y. 1. Your design for a Westminster trademark may be rendered in the space provided on this page, or may be rendered on your own material. No specific size is required, but it is recommended that designs be NAME rendered on paper no larger than 81/2" x 11 ". Any drowing or painting materials can be used. All trademarks must contain the words "Natural Balance." ADDRESS 2. All slogans must be written in 10 words or less. 3. You may submit as many trademark and slogan entries os you wish if you comply with all the rules on each entry. CITY ZONE STATE

16 HIGIH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com Records Reviewed by in PAUI. AFFELDER NATHAN BRODER O. B. BRUMMELT. Review R. D. DARRELL

RAY ERICSON ALFRED FRANKENSTEIN JOHN F. INDCOX Classical Music 47 DAVID JOHNSON Recitals and Miscellany 62 World of Entertainment 69 ROBERT CHARLES MARSH Hi -Fi Music 72 CONRAD L. OSBORNE jazz 73 HAROLD C. SCHONBERG JOHN S. WILSON

Festival. The four dances are brief, to the collections "für Kenner und Liebhaber" point, and smartly orchestrated, following ( "for connoisseurs and amateurs" ). The CLASSICAL the conventional strong -fast -lyrical -fast A major is No. IV in the first set, pub- sequence. The performances are presum- lished in 1779; those in A minor and F ably authoritative; they certainly sound minor are Nos. I and III in the third set, ALBENIZ: Navarra; El Corpus en Sevilla so. The stereo version is typical of Ever- published in 1781; that in D major is No. -See Falla: El Sombrero de tres picos: est's outstanding engineering, and the I in the sixth set, published in 1787. R.E. Suites: No. 1; No. 2. monophonic disc has the same remarkable depth and clarity. R.E. BACH, J. S.: Brandenburg Concertos, S. ARNOLD: Four Scottish Dances, Op. 59; 1046 -51 (complete) BACH, P. Sonatas for Clavier: in Symphony No. 3, Op. 63 C. E.: Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Karl F minor; in A minor; in A; in D London Philharmonic Orchestra, Malcolm Miinchinger, cond. Arnold, cond. Nina Milkina, piano. LONDON CSA 2301. Three SD. EVEREST LPBR 6021. LP. $3.98. WESTMINSTER KWN 18853. LP. $4.98. $14.94. EVEREST SDBR 3021. SD. $5.95. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's music for Boston Symphon; Orchestra, Charles Malcolm Arnold's Symphony No. 3, com- clavier has elements of both the baroque Munch, cond. pleted in 1957, is a noteworthy achieve- and classical eras besides strong intima- Vicroa LSC 6140. Three SD. ment from the popular English conductor tions of the romantic movement to come. RCA $17.98. and composer of film music. His facility These sonatas have a highly unusual in variation, development, and orches- sound, stemming somewhat from the min- tration sometimes leads him into garrul- gling of styles but more often from the Baroque Ensemble of Stuttgart, Marcel ity, most noticeably in the first move- depth and originality of Emanuel's ideas. Couraud, cond. ment, where the two main themes get a The slow movement of the A major COLUMBIA M2L 259. Two LP. $9.98. rather too extended working over; but Sonata has a poignance suggesting the COLUMBIA M2S 605. Two SD. the second, and most rewarding, move- music of his father, yet Schumann is $11.98. ment plays intriguingly with slowly shift- brought to mind with the slow movement ing dissonances in a series of elegiac vari- of the A minor Sonata. At all times there The first releases of the complete Bran- ations, and the third movement repre- is musical beauty, wit, and charm for denburg Concertos on stereo are so good, sents English jollity of a very wry cast. those who will listen closely and repeat- on the whole, as to create a problem for Conservative in idiom, the work is occa- edly. Fortunately, the perfonnances are those who wish to select one. Stereo, of sionally reminiscent of Sibelius in its stylistically pure, for Miss Milkina plays course, is especially suitable for these tonal coloration, its flutterings and mut- with crisp, clean articulation, an exactly works, in which one of Bach's main con- terings. controlled dynamic scale, and serenity of cerns was to achieve contrast -in color, The Scottish Dances make excellent spirit. in weight, in dynamics. It is true that all pop concert material, and, in fact, were Further identification of these sonatas three orchestras use modern instruments written in 1957 for a BBC Light -Music is as follows: All are drawn from the six instead of the old ones sometimes called

AUGUST 1959 47

www.americanradiohistory.com for by Bach -flutes instead of recorders, chorus. Add to this an interpretation that an ordinary violin instead of a violino often misses the spirit of the music, and piccolo, and so on. But the general ap- NEXT MONTH IN performing forces not distinguished in any proach, the spirit of the performances, is aspect, and one is forced to pin one's an enlightened one: all three conductors hopes on the future. N.B. strive for clarity and avoid romantic expressive devices in presenting the rich high fideli and complicated texture of this music. BALAKIREV: Islamey ( trans. Casella ) The only striking anachronism is Munch's -See RimskyKorsakov: The Golden use of a piano for the solo clavier part Cockerel: Suite. in No. 5, a procedure all the more surprising because he employs a harpsichord BARTOK: Quartets for Strings (6) for the continuo in the others. Fine Arts Quartet. Generally speaking, there are only a CONCENTDISC 20709. Three SD. few clean -cut differences among the $6:95 each. three versions. Miinchinger's tempos tend to be slower than the others', though This appears to be a stereo version of a do not drag, and Bruno Walter: they Couraud's faster, A Study in Tranquility set previously issued monophonically. I though they seldom seem hurried. have not heard the LP set, but I suspect Miinchinger's style in general is more by Peter Yates it might be difficult to tell the difference strongly rhythmic and détaché. Munch between it and the new edition. The per- apparently uses a larger orchestra than formances are first -class and the record- the others, and it has a rounder, warmer Stereo Today ings are good, but the stereophonic effect tone, but it is still of chamber proportions. by Charles Fowler is minimum and adds nothing at all to "Separation" is most perceptible in the the quality of the resulting sound. A.F. RCA Victor, least so in the London. All three, however, have the spaciousness Freudians in Euterpe's Realm characteristic of stereo. Columbia gets all BEETHOVEN: Concertos for Piano and six works onto two discs, but they do not or Beethoven Had an Id, Too Orchestra: No. 1, in C, Op. 15; No. 2, have visible binds between movements, by Edward Lockspeiser in B flat, Op. 19 except in No. 2. London adds the Air Emil Gilets, piano; Orchestre de la So- from the Suite No. 3 and the six -part ciété des Concerts du Conservatoire de Ricercar from the Musical Offering. When the Machine Answered Paris, André Vandernoot, cond. Neither Munch nor Couraud is corn - Mr. Edison ANGEL 35672. LP. $4.98. pletely convincing in the first concerto. by Matthew Josephson Munch's Polacca is exquisite, but his first Only Cor de Groot matches this attrac- movement and Trio I seem a little slow, tive coupling of the first two concertos on and the third movement too fast. Cou- a single record, and his edition is not up raud's horns are not quite as firm nor the Opera Orchestra, Nliltiades Caridis, cond. to the musical and engineering level of tone of his oboes as round as in the other one. VANGUARD BG 588. LP. $4.98. this Those who think of Gaels pri- sets. To me, Miinchinger seems most sat- marily in ternis of such heaven -assailing VANGUARD BGS 5009. SD. $5.95. isfying here. in No. 2 none of the trum- works as the Beethoven Emperor and the peters is ideal, but Couraud's, with his oc- second piano concerto of Three excellent performances, consider- Brahms will casional shrieking, is inferior to the other find a new aspect of his playing here. In two. Here Munch, with perfect balance ably enhanced in stereo by the intelligent these early scores ( which, incidentally, way in which that version was engineered. among the solo instruments and a more complete Gilds' recording In the D minor Concerto, for example, for Angel of vital tempo for the Andante, seems pref- the Beethoven five ), he with the two violin parts are on separate tracks, plays great erable. All three performances of No. 3 strength of which makes their frequent dialoguing line, but respects the need are very fine. Munch plays the two print- for youthful romanticism and bravura. unusually effective. In both versions a ed chords between the fast movements, The ensemble textures are clean and rare balance is achieved between harpsi- Miinchinger supplies a short cadenza open, therefore, with chord and orchestra. The harpsichord can the solo part me- there, and Couraud a longer one. Either lodic rather than dramatic or percus- he clearly heard when it should be, and of the latter procedures seems more ef- sive in feeling. The thunderbolts are yet its relationship to the strings is similar fective than the first. In the last three sheathed, although they sometimes ap- to that which would obtain in a concert concertos there are no very important pear to be breaking free. room with good acoustics. It sloes not differences. Tempos vary only slightly, These performances have the power sound -as so often on records -three times with Miinchinger tending to be somewhat and interest to carry a firm Beethovian as large as life, as though the sole micro- slower in No. 6, a :d with Munch slowing not out sym- phone had been suspended in its very authority, yet they are of up for certain sections in the finale of with styles bowels. N.B. pathy the eighteenth -century No. 5. Milnchinger's recording renders his on which the concertos were based. harpsichord more clearly audible than The recorded sound is admirable. Couraud's in the concertino of No. 5, BACH, J. S.: Mass in B minor R.C.M. and in the long solo of the first move- Friederike Sailer, soprano; Margarete ment his harpsichordist displays more Bence, contralto; Fritz Wunderlich, tenor; variety in rhythm and phrasing. BEETHOVEN: Concerto for Violin and Erich Wenk, bass; Swabian Chorale; Or- Orchestra, in D, Op. 61 One final point remains to be made. chestra of the Thirty -fifth Lerman Bach From the musical standpoint, these per- Festival, Hans Crischkat, cond. Leonid Kogan, violin; State Orchestra of as on formances, excellent they are the Vox Box 7. Three LP. $6.95. the U.S.S.R., Kiril Kondrashin, cond. whole, are not superior to those of Pro - Vox STPL 511283. Three SD. LION CL 40001. LP. $1.98. haska, and Miinchinger on mono- Sacher, $17.85. phonic discs. From the standpoint of The price tag here should not deceive sound, however, they have definite the A B minor Mass in stereo could be a you. This is equal in performance, sound, advantage inherent in stereo. N.B. thrilling thing, but this, unfortunately, is and quality of pressing to any of the not it. Along with the advantages of dou- more expensive versions. For me Kogan BACH, J. S.: Concertos for harpsichord ble -track recording it has some old -fash- is without rivals among violinists under and Strings: No. 1, in D minor, S. ioned disadvantages, such as tape noise forty; Kondrashin is hardly unfamiliar to 1052; No. 4, in A, S. 1055; No. 5, in F at the beginning and end, poor balance American audiences after his appear- minor, S. 1056 between chorus and orchestra, and a lack ances here with Van Cliburn; and the Anton Heiller, harpsichord; Vienna State of presence in the reproduction of the orchestra is first -class. The biggest news,

48 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com though, is that Soviet engineering -if this BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 2, in D, all had one shortcoming or another. Wal- is a fair sample -is now equal to that of Op. 36; Die Ruinen ron Athen, Op. lenstein gives a first -rate reading- correct, any Western European country. In short, 113: Overture; Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 sensible, and properly dramatic -and for Scene in the Fields isn't split as remarkable a new edition of this music Beecham Choral Society (in Ruinen); once, the between two record sides. Not only is as we've had in a long time. R.C.M. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas Fantastique, it is Beecham, cond. this the best -sounding also the best -engineered recording in ANGEL 35509. LP. $4.98. BEETHOVEN: Mass in D, Op. 123 Audio Fidelity's First Component Series. ANGEL S 35509. SD. $5.98. ( "Missa Solemnis') It is completely free of distortion over a Ilona Steingruber, soprano; Else Selmer- Sir Thomas is at his best when he has a very wide tonal and volume range, even hoff, contralto; Ernst Majkut, tenor; Otto singing line to unfold with his matchless in the big climaxes of the March to the Wiener, bass; Akademiechor, Vienna feeling for pulse and phrase. The Bee- Scaffold and 1Vitches' Sabbath. Balance, Symphony Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, thoven Second is an ideal symphony to separation, directionalism, and definition cond. exhibit these powers. are all superb; even brasses and basses Vox PL 11430. LP. $4.98. The tendency of many conductors is have a realistic rasp to them. The one to drive the fast movements too hard and fault I had to find with this disc was One of the longest playing of the entire let the slow movements drag. Not so here. some surface noise on my review copy, long -play catalogue, this disc -with its one No tempo is ever so fast as to destroy the but I doubt that this is universally present. For those who have the equipment hour, twelve minutes, and thirty seconds true meter, and the scherzo ( the first, so it, release will a stir- of music -is a tribute to variable grooving marked, in a Beethoven symphony ) at to take this provide techniques and the nearest thing I have Beecham's pace loses speed to acquire an ring listening experience. P.A. ever seen to a record without any "land" infectious and unaccustomed lilt. As for at all between the incisions of the cutting the lyric unfolding of the slow movement, BIZET: L'Arlésienne: Suites: No. 1; No. point. Contrasting it xcith the original four - c'est extraordinaire! I have never heard 2 side edition, one notices a slight drop in this symphony better played or better Chabrier: España; Joyeuse marche lower frequencies, but this is easily cor- recorded. Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, rected by minor adjustments in equaliza- But this is not the end of the matter. tion. Covent Carden, Jean Morel, cond. Sir Thomas has plugged an ugly gap in RCA Vicron L \l 2327. LP. $4.98. Klemperer's performance is a great the catalogue by giving us the overture RCA VIC :TOR LSC 2327. SD. $5.98. one, quite as remarkable as Toscanini's, and the five best numbers of the eight heart and -for me, at least -closer to the pieces of incidental music Beethoven One would expect idiomatic interpreta- of the music than the Maestro's 1953 wrote for Von Kotzebue's rather silly tions of this French music from a French statement of the score we have in the play. Only a single recording has ever conductor of jean Morel's stature, and RCA Victor set. As against the magnifi- been made of the complete Ruins of with one exception he does not disap- cence of Klemperer's total design, the oc- Athens music; but when you hear Sir point. That exception is the second casional flaws in the parts -the poor voice Thomas sail into Beethoven's Turkish de- L'Arlésienne Suite, which he delivers in production of a singer in a demanding light, you'll be convinced that if there a routine fashion. This is surprising, be- passage, the lack of clarity in a heavily were any other juicy bits in the score, cause he infuses the first suite with poise scored page, or some other passing im- they would not have been omitted. perfection -seem unimportant. and sensitivity, and both the colorful Both the monophonic and stereo sound Chabrier works get spirited yet balanced If magnificent Beethoven is your ob- rank with Angel's best, with the stereo, readings. The orchestral playing is top- ject, here is a means of attaining it. Inci- in this case, outstanding. R.C.M. drawer, except for the typically wobbly dentally, played over a stereo speaker English oboe. The recording is marked system, this set takes on a spaciousness BERLIOZ: Symphonie Op. by splendid separation, even in the that creates a strong multiple- source illu- fantastique, 14 monophonic version, which is a model of sion, despite the fact that it was recorded what single -channel reproduction should monophonically. R.C. \ I . Virtuoso Symphony of London, Alfred Wallenstein, cond. be. Y.A. Ammo FIDELITY FCS 50003. SD. BEETHOVEN: Sonatas for Piano: No. $6.95. BRAHMS: Lieder 18, in E fiat, Op. 31, No. 3; No. 21, in Five Songs, Op. 94; Five Songs, Op. 105; C, Op. 53 ( "Waldstein ") At last, we have a satisfactory Fantas- : Five Songs, Op. 106. Artur Rubinstein, piano. tique in stereo. If any work was ever RCA VICTOR LM 2311. LP. $4.98. tailor -made for the multichannel me- Heinz Rehfuss, bass; Erik Werba, piano. dium, this is it. Yet previous versions have WESTMINSTER XWN 18846. LP. $4.98. I would surmise that Rubinstein's inten- tion was to produce an edition of these A gold sticker on the jacket proclaims sonatas that avoids the pounding and this as a "world premiere recording." other defects of excess emphasis one What is meant is that for the first time commonly hears from lesser pianists. It complete sets of songs appear; all or cannot be denied that both his perform- nearly all of the individual songs have ances are very carefully achieved, with been recorded many times. moments of delicacy and quiet beauty These Lieder represent the mature that merit co ndation. The over -all Brahms, and as a result, many of them effect, however, is one of lack of force, are of a serious or reflective nature. Both beginning in the Waldstein with the Rehfuss and Werba interpret all the weakened statement of the right hand's songs of Op. 94 and most of those of Op. theme in the opening passage, and de- 105 with quiet reserve. In Verrat, the last generating before long into moments of of Op. 105, both artists let themselves go plain sentimentality. By the time the final in a dramatic portrayal of a man be- movement is reached, the whole ap- trayed by his beloved. Op. 106 begins proach has become far too loose and with an exceptionally expressive account rhapsodic for my taste. of the delightful Stündchen, after which The Op. 31, No. 3 sonata is played with the two performers return to the mood somewhat greater consistency in tempo, and style of the earlier songs. but here again the interpretation is in- Rehfuss' voice is deeper and often clined to become precious. Both works fuller than that of Fischer -Dieskau, who are available in alternate editions that included four of the Op. 94 Lieder in a come closer to the mark. R.C.M. Wallenstein: a superb stereo Fantastique. recent Deutsche Grammophon release;

AUGUST 1959 49

www.americanradiohistory.com but the latter is somewhat warmer and pianist I have ever heard who follows the more expressive in his delivery. first French and English editions here; The present disc is marked by fine re- the figuration and melodic line are en- cording and good balance. P.A. tirely different from what is generally heard. Otherwise the conception is ortho- BRAHMS: Piano Music dox enough. The B minor Sonata is a little brighter in sound than the B flat Rhapsodies: in G minor, Op. 79, No. 2; in minor, though both are excellent record- E flat, Op. 119, No. 4. Intermezzos: in B ings if suffering from surface noise. fiat minor, Op. 117, No. 2; in A flat, Op. To which versions of the two sonatas 76, No. 3; in E fiat minor, Op. 118, No. should the listener turn? Despite the hon- 6; in B minor, Op. 119, No. 1; in E minor, esty and sensitivity of the Badura-Skoda Op. 119, No. 2; in C, Op. 119, No. 3. performances, the coupling that Guiomar Capriccios: in F sharp minor, Op. 76, No. ` Novaes recorded for Vox is recommended 1; in D minor, Op. 116, No. 1. as a more idiomatic, pianistically stronger Rudolf Firkusny, piano. pair of performances. Rachmaninoff's performance of the B flat minor ( ) CAPITOL P 8485. LP. $4.98. Camden remains unique, and Victor presents the late William Kapell in a brilliant, fiery, It is hard to find fault with this record, and superclear B minor. H.C.S. which presents a well -chosen selection of Brahms's best short pieces -that is, a sampling from Op. 76 on. It is curious that Pennario plays Chopin unadorned. COPLAND: Billy the Kid: Suite. El Brahms never turned to large -scale piano Salón México. Rodeo: Four Dance works after the early sonatas and the CHOPIN: Scherzos (complete) Episodes great pair of variations ( Handel and Paganini). For some reason, in his ma- Leonard Pennario, piano. Utah Symphony, Maurice Abravenel, turity he concentrated on the short form; CAPITOL P 8486. LP. $4.98. cond. but as these are among the best piano CAPITOL SP 8486. SD. $5.98. WESTMINSTER XWN 18840. LP. $4.98. works of the late romantic period, we WESTMINSTER WST 14058. SD. have no cause to complain. Pennario always has been a powerful $5.98. Firkusny handles the music beauti- technician, but his interpretations have fully. His interpretations are thoughtful, tended toward the slick and flamboyant. This is the seventh Billy the Kid to enter lyric, and rather delicate, though never All the more pleasure, then, to report current record listings, the seventh Salón weak. He can shape a phrase with finesse, that this disc of the Chopin scherzos ex- México, and the fourth Rodeo. The theory and his playing has a certain lift that hibits complete seriousness of purpose behind it seems to be that an orchestra brings into high relief the rhapsodic na- and admirable musical control. This is located in the Rocky Mountain West ture of much of the writing. It takes a Chopin without fancy make -up, and it is should do especially well by music real pianist to do this, for often the figura- even a trifle severe. It goes straight to the connected with that area, but the results tions in Brahms's piano music are un- point, with steady rhythm and well- are only partly successful. Abravanel is grateful, with heavy basses and a certain .1 drilled mechanics. Of all LP recordings, an extremely skillful and sensitive con- awkwardness of registration. In some only the Rubinstein is superior. ductor, but, the strings of his orchestra in hands the music sounds heavy. In Fir - As between the monophonic and stereo Salt Lake are no match for those of the kusny's all is elegant and volatile. It may versions of the Capitol disc, the former Minneapolis Symphony, the Philadelphia not be the Gennan way of playing appears to be the better buy. The stereo, Orchestra, and other organizations which Brahms, but to these ears it is a much true enough, has a well -centered tone have recorded all three works. El Salón more satisfactory way. Excellent re- without drift, but the monophonic sounds México appears in the monophonic ver- corded sound here. H.C.S. just as natural and is a dollar cheaper. Sion only. It is replaced in stereo by the H.C.S. shorter waltz from Billy the Kid. A.F.

for Piano and Strings, CHOPIN: Sonatas for Piano: No. 2, in B BRAHMS: Quintet DEBUSSY: Jeux; Gigues; Rondes de in F minor, Op. 34 fiat minor, Op. 35; No. 3, in B minor, Op. 58 Printemps; Trois Chansons de Charles Eva Bernathova, piano; Janacek Quartet. d'Orléans; Trois Ballades de François DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON DGM Paul Badura- Skoda, piano. Villon 12002. LP. $4.98. WESTMINSTER XWN 18854. LP. $4.98. r Bernard l'lantey, baritone (in Ballades); GRAMMOPHON DGS DEUTSCHE Chorale Symphonique de la Radiodiffu- 712002. SD. $5.98. Good, steady perfonnances are here con- tributed by the young Viennese pianist. ' lion Française, J. P. Kreder, chorus mas- . ter (in Chansons); Orchestre National Brahms receives polished treatment in this If he does not suggest an ardent romande la Radiodiffusion of the compelling Piano ticism, neither is he guilty of lapses of Française, D. E. Inghel- performance brecht, cond. Quintet, a performance that even repeats taste, and he plays with a certain amount ANGEL 35678. LP. $4.98. the exposition of the first movement. It of power and conviction. In one or two is a most satisfactory reading, but there eases his ideas are unusual. In the finale No Debussyite is worth his salt if he are moments when it would have bene- of the B flat minor Sonata, he is careful lacks a firm friendship with the Trois fited from more fire and greater dramatic to observe the sotto voce marking, and Ballades de François Villon which, on impact. The well -blended ensemble textually he is closer to the notes than any Angel's new disc, receives the most rav- sounds fine in the monophonic edition, other pianist who has recorded the work. ishing performance I have ever heard. I but stereo lends added tonal depth and Not only does he almost entirely avoid know nothing of baritone Bernard Plan - warmth. The two- channel version, which the pedal, hut he does not make a single tey, soloist on the present occasion, ex- ranks among the better chamber music crescendo ( and Chopin indicated but one ). he cept that his interpretation of the three recordings in this new medium, also allots Unfortunately does not observe e legato follows numbers is profoundly moving, that the positive placement to all five instruments the indication that the voce; he does have of timbre of his voice fits Debussy's inspired violins on the left, viola and cello sotto not that kind -the equipment, and his finger strokes here setting of the text like a key to its lock, on the right, and piano at the rear of cen- sound détaché and anything but legato. and that he is a musician of superb nat- ter. P.A. The result is interesting but just a little ural instinct. Further, he almost steps from flabby, lacking in tension and mystery. the record to act out these songs before CHABRIER: España; Joyeuse marche - Another unusual spot occurs in bars 74 you. In short, M. Plantey's version of the See Bizet: L'Arlésienne: Suites: No. 1; and 75 of the first movement of the B No. 2. minor Sonata. Badura -Skoda is the only Continued on page 5_

50 HIGH FIDELITY 'MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com i maimmaRssO FABULOUS FIDELITY FABULOUS FIDELITY;

lerlss.le iMllYlIT Silt 1M..pIIcaiawa tlprar a14tiE1HiB1 èìI7lilyiiF:n ì.sr. RSVP TN OM! MI NILE ORpESTRA

SSERBO _ _

SR 90137 FRANCK PIECE HEROIQUE THREE CHORALES Am es mew .a. MOM al III tee. MARCH DUPRE LIVING PRESENCE STEREO

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Symphony No. 8 in D minor; BAX The Garden of Fand; BUTTERWORTH Shropshire Lad. Hallé Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli conducting. SR 90115. "Done with exceptional style and sympathy by Sir john Barbirolli (to whom it is dedicated) and the fine J-1a1Ié Orchestra ... Superbly rich and evenly textured sound." THE SATURDAY REVIEW

KHACHATURIAN Gayne Ballet Suite; BORODIN Prince Igor Overture; On the Steppes of Central Asia; MOUSSORGSKY Night on Bald Mountain; RIMSKY -KORSAKOV Flight of the Bumble -bee. Hallé Orchestra, George Weldon conducting. SR 90137. "Some of the finest Russian msic, in thrilling performance backed by breathtakingly realistic sound." THE COMMUNITY REPORTER

RESPIGHI Ancient Dances and Airs, Suite 1, 2, and 3. Philharmonia Hungarica, Antal Dorati conducting. SR 90199. A new recording, both monaurally and stereophonically.

SCHUBERT Symphony No. 6 in C major (Hans Schmidt- Isserstedt conducting); Symphony No. 4 in C minor (Walter Susskind conducting). London Symphony Orchestra. SR 90196. A new recording, both monaurally and stereophonically.

LISZT Piano Concerto in E flat major; GRIEG Piano Concerto in A minor. Richard Farrell, pianist; Hallé Orchestra, George Weldon conducting. SR 90126. "Every measure bas sonie interesting and unusual idea... an unusual example of artistic teamwork. The sound here is excellent." THE AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE

FRANCK Pièce héroique; Trois chorals (complete). Marcel Dupré, organist, playing the pipe organ of St. Thomas' Church in New York City. SR 90168. " 7ltatchless performances ... 9L4. Dupré is one of the most communi- cative organists before the public today. No effort spared to achieve a faithful recreation of the sumptuous sound ... this is a superlative disc." HIGH

R E CORO`- be Living Presence monaural recording ,,1 each of these albums is available now, too.

AUGUST 1959 51

www.americanradiohistory.com Trois Ballades is amo g the h ;ghlights of d'Orléans, which, together with the Villon DVORAK: Symphony No. 4, in G, Op. 88 the entire Debussy catalogue. songs, makes it worth many times its Bamberg Elsewhere, too, this disc offers consider- price. JAY S. HARRISON Symphony Orchestra, Jonel able listening pleasure. Both Gigues and Perlea, cond. Rondes de Printemps are mellow in per- Vox STPL 511050. SD. $5.95. formance, relaxed, tender. There is no at- DVORAK: Concerto for Cello and Or- tempt to glamorize either work, to make chestra, in B minor, Op. 104 It's just a few months since the appear- of them what they are lint. Essentially, \Istislav Rostropovitch, cello; Royal Phil- ance of the splendid new stereo Dvoiák they are pastorals for orchestra and so harmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult, k Fourth by George Szell and the Cleve- they are react by M. Inghelbrecht. Jeux, cond. ` k_land Orchestra. The Bambergers may not on the other hand, is rather wanting in EMI- CAPITOL SG 7109. SD. $5.98. be quite the equal of their colleagues warmth and luminosity. The sound of the on Lake Erie, but they do a most com- recording somewhat favors the highs at Rostropovitch's stereo recording of the mendable job, and Vox has accorded the expense of the lows, which gives the '7Dvoiák concerto may not be as exciting then spacious stereo conics. Although I work a diamondlike brilliance not wholly 1.;Is Starker's for Angel, but it is an ex- prefer Szell's slightly tighter grip on the in keeping with its nature. Jeux is a tremely sensitive, perceptive job. The en- reins, there may very well be many lis- muted piece, a haunting one, and M. gineers have given the whole thing a great teners who will like Perlea's somewhat Inghelbrecht has chosen to strip it of that deal of concert hall perspective, with freer, more relaxed, yet eminently con- sonorous mystery that is the work's heart good over -all distribution and with the trolled interpretation. Actually, you can't and core. The record also includes, how- soloist well placed to the left of center. go wrong with either disc, though the ever, an eloquent and elegant rendition of With it all, the instrumental focus re- magnificence of Epic's sound again the a cappella Trois Chansons de Charles mains perfectly sharp. P.A. weighs the scale in that direction. Better hear both before choosing. P.A.

FALLA: El Sombrero de tres picos: Suites: No. 1; No. 2. El Amor brujo: Suite: No. 7, Danza ritual del fuego IGranados: Andaluza } Albéniz: Navarra; El Corpus en Sevilla Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Artur Rodzinski, cond. EMI- CAPITOL C 7176. LP. $4.98. EMI- CAPITOL SC 7176. SD. $5.98.

Rodzinski's sensitivity as an interpreter of Spanish music was demonstrated again and again during his career. (One of his first successes was a Warsaw production of Camion.) Although the performances recorded here are a little richer tonally than the lithe steely contours expected of ( say ) an Argenta, Rodzinski shaped this music with complete awareness of the idiom. It is only necessary to listen to these extracts from the most popular F alla scores to regret that both works were not recorded in full. The Granados is achieved with a delicacy and polish that freshens one's appreciation of this familiar work too. Albéniz fares equally well. The orchestra, after years with Sir Thomas Beecham, is skilled in the refinements of nuance and phrasing. Rod - zinski was plainly given exactly what he wanted, and the engineers taped the results with full appreciation of what was to be captured. The results are excellent in both the monophonic and stereo editions, although A tape recording is no better than the tape used to make the two -channel form it. You can't get first-class sound from second -class seems to me preferable. R.C.M. tape. When you buy Audiotape, you know you're getting the truly professional quality recording tape ... no matter which of the eight types you choose. Remember, FRANCK: Symphony in D minor there's only one Audiotape quality -the finest obtainable Utah Symphony, \laurice Abravanel, anywhere. And this single quality standard is consistent within each reel, uniform cond. from reel to reel, type to WESTMINSTER WST type. Its your assurance of getting all the sounds - 14062. SD. om the tuba's lows to the highest highs. $5.98.

"BLOOD AND THUNDER CLASSICS Here's a sound spectacular This is a gratifying presentation of the that will appeal to every lover of fine music stirring selections from Franck Symphony, not only because of the world's greatest - classics, professionally recorded on a 7" reel Audiotape. Available, of Abravanel's sensible approach and the stereo or monaural, in a money- saving offer you can't afford to pass up. Ask your tape dealer for the details. manner in which he has molded his phrases but also because of the reveal- ing portrait it affords of the high degree Manufactured by AUDIO DEVICES, INC. of proficiency, polish, and ensemble this 044 Madison Ave., New York 22, New York relatively young Western orchestra has Offices in Hollyword & Chicago attained. I am impressed both by the group's general sound and by the rich-

52 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com ness of its strings and the finished artis- Rosen's libretto for A Life for the Czar precisely in his faculty for casting foreign The try of its solo winds in particular. This, into a Communist parable, we must con- elements in his individual mold. the orchestra's best disc to date, benefits cede that they have shown excellent structural outline of Life is that of the re- from fine separation and presence and judgment in admitting Clinka's first opera French grand opera, though the act bright, clear sound. In short, it belongs to the officially sanctioned repertory. served for the ballet is here placed rather among the better versions of the Franck Whether or not Glinka was the creator of far forward, in Act II ( the Polish scene). the musical Symphony. P.A. the first truly Russian opera ( Stravinsky Within the general structure, terms Life "one of the purest master- forms often adhere to the traditional Ital- vocal number GESUALDO: Canzonettas, Madrigals, pieces of classical Russian music"), it is ian framework; the second is dubbed Galllards, Sacrae cantiones, Psalms clear that he was the creator of the first in the score, for example, great Russian opera. As heard on this re- "Cavatina and Rondo," and the close of Robert Vocal Quintet; String Quartet, cording, it is an immense achievement, the first act could very nearly he the Craft, cond. dramatically powerful and musically in- arcistrepitoso of a Mozart finale, complete COLUMBIA \IL 5341. LP. $4.98. triguing. with coloratura flourishes for the soprano. MS COLUMBIA 6048. SD. $5.98. It is not unusual to encounter a pa- The thematic material and the basic tronizing attitude towards Glinka; his mu- rhythms are almost always identifiably case for ranking the Prince of Venosa The sic is labeled as "imitative," "hybrid," Russian (or, from time to time, Polish ). composer has never, to my as a great "banal," and so on, and he is commonly These Italian, French, and native Russian been presented so persuasive- knowledge, accused of being without a unifying style qualities are frequently cited, but rela- as it is here. Mr. Craft has ly on records of his own. Actually, Clinka's genius lay tively little heed is paid to the distinctly carefully arranged his Gesualdo program so as to achieve as much variety as possible: there are here not only madrigals but also canzonettas, motets, and even instrumental pieces -four galliards and a sinfonia discovered in Naples last year. THE ILLUSION And the madrigals are not restricted to those with melancholy texts but include relatively cheerful ones like T'amo mia OF REALITY vita and Gia piansi riel dolore. Each piece is performed, and recorded, Creating "presence" is the great with a luminous transparency that throws intangible of recording NEW RELEASES a bright, clear light into every corner of techniques. It means that ODETTA: the music. The strange chromaticism and MY EYES HAVE SEEN wild harmonic progressions in some of when music is recorded acc. by guitar, string bass this music make the utmost demands on that was originally conceived and chorus singers' accuracy of intonation, de- Monaural - VRS-9059 the to be heard in a home, like Stereolab - VSD -2046 mands that this vocal group meets bril- "Filled Town Hall with a a string quartet or harpsichord warming and often electri- liantly. Passages that have usually sound- fying glow." N. Y. Times ed out of tune fall into focus here and re- suite, it is reproduced with "One of the leading ex- veal a kind of logic not apparent in the ponents of music born of something more than absolute the people ... Odetta is printed score. Gesualdo's extraordinary a noble artist." boldness sometimes results in profoundly tonal clarity and realism. N. Y. Herald Tribune moving passages, such as the opening Captured also is the HANDEL: lines of Resta di darnli ?wilt or the final HARPSICHORD SUITES of Heisler in atmosphere Played by Anton cadences of Or the gioia and Chiarn Vol. 1- Suites Nos. 2, 3, 4 risplender suole. The delightful Gia pi- quiet intimacy as in and 6 is of late Vol. 2- Suites Nos. 1, 5, 7 ansi a veritable little dictionary the Vanguard and 8 Renaissance word painting in music. But Monaural - 6G -592 and make records of the Griller 8G -593 even this virtuoso ensemble cannot Stereolab - BGS -5020 and the dissonances and erratic progressions String Quartet playing BGS -5021 of Non t'amo, Voce ingrata sound con- "Heiller and the Vienna Haydn, or of Anton orchestra give a marvel- vincing. Heiller playing Handel's ously rewarding perform- All in all, these are remarkable per- ance." San Francisco Ex- aminer, on Heller playing formances of remarkable music. Stereo First Book of Harpsichord Bach Harpsichord Concer- contributes extra spaciousness and clar- Suites. On the other hand, in tos, BG -588 and BGS -5009. ity, but the sound of the monophonic ver- Odetta's album "My Eyes HAYDN: QUARTETS sion is fine. The original texts, with trans- OP. 71 and Op. 74 lations for some of them, are provided. Have Seen," of work songs, Played by the Griller seventeen vocal works were String Quartet. Four of the spirituals and ballads, the Vol. 1 -0p. 71 No. 3, Op. recorded by the same performers on a 74 No. 2 and No. 3 sun shines, the walls Vol. 2 -Op. 74 No. 1, Op. disc issued by Sunset Records three years 71 No. 1 and No. 2 ago. N.B. dissolve and the open Monaural - VRS -1041 and VRS -1042 air enters. Thus when Stereolab - VSD -2033 and GLINKA: A Life for the Czar VSD -2034 Odetta sings "Saro "Magnificent perform- Teresa Stich- Randall (s), Antonida; Mela are on a ances beautifully re- Bugarinovitch (c ), Vanya; Nicolai Cedda Jane" we corded." High Fidelity, on the Grillers and Primrose (t), Bogdan Sobinin; Zivoin Yovanovic Mississippi river boat. playing Mozart's String Quintets, VRS -1029. (t ) , a messenger; Boris Christoff (bs) , When she sings Ivan Susanin; Djurdje Djurdjevic (bs), Driver song," List Price: Polish commander, Russian co meander. the "Ox- MONAURAL 12" $4.98 Chorus of the Belgrade Opera, Oscar we are on a pioneer STEREOLAB 12" $5.95 Danon, chorus master; Orchestre de l'As- wagon driving over sociation des Concerts Lamoureux, Igor \farkevitch, cowl. the steep hills. E \iI- CAPITOL CCR 7163. Three LP. $13.98. Send for Catalogue to Dept. A VANGUARD RECORDINGS FOR THE CONNOISSEUR NVhatever else we may say of the Soviet VANGUARD RECORDING SOCIETY INC. VANGUARD DUALITY CONTROL HIGH FIDELITY authorities who have transformed Baron 154 West 14th Street, New York City, 11

AUGUST 1959

www.americanradiohistory.com he touches on genuine greatness. Glinka of the Whittier School; Utah Symphony, apparently took from Rossini and Bellini Maurice Abravanel, cond. his ideas of the tenor and soprano voices, WESTMINSTER XWL 3310. Three LP. for the music for Antonida and Sobinin is $15.95. virtually centered on high A, and ex- \VEST\IINSTER WST 301. Three SD. cursions above high C are by no means $17.95. discouraged. Gedda does a remarkable job of navigating his dizzying Act IV Judas Maccabacus is not a very dramatic aria, and elsewhere clox's some fine mezza oratorio. Despite its warlike subject, it voice singing. His outstanding work wants oscillates between two general moods - only a bit more fire and spontaneity to mourning and rejoicing. Most of its moisie, reach the highest level. Stich -Randall's in fact, is more lyrical and even pastoral prevailingly white quality and use of the than anything else. Except for a few "flat" tone displease me, lint. nonethe- measures in "Sion now her head shall less, she brings exactly the right approach raise," the choral writing is never for more to her mournful solos (including the than four parts. There are no powerful opening one with its odd and difficult in- contrasts, no grand effects. But within the tervals) and bounces through the little relatively subdued style of the work there are coloratura passages in go

54 HIGII FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com LISZT: Paganini Etudes (complete). these pieces has achieved much circula- he is by way of becoming a specialist. Armies de Pélerinage: Sonetti del Pe- tion. In years past they were more played; One wonders, however, whether or not trarca, No. 47; No. 104; No. 123. Hofmann even made an acoustic disc of the scrupulous musicianship of this re- Venezia e Napoli: Tarantella the Tarantella, and the Horowitz ten -inch markably accurate workman and fine electric of the E flat Paganini Etude is artist is an asset in music of this kind. For one of the all -time classics. One reason there is an épater le bourgeois quality Alfred Brendel, piano. why pianists avoid the Paganini Etudes about these works. S-me of them were Vox PL 10800. LP. $4.98. is the extreme difficulty of the music, an- frankly conceived :.s a technical stunt other the fact that mostof Liszt is going ù la Paganini; and while Liszt's transcrip- Aside from the well-known Sonetto del out of fashion among the younger genera- tions are ingenious enough, basically they Petrarca No. 104 and La Campanella tion. Brendel is an exception to thi.. trend, are show -off pieces intended for super - (No. 3 of the Paganini Etudes), none of and by virtue of four previous Liszt discs virtuosos. Brendel has the virtuosity but

Van Cliburn's Rachmaninoff: A Devotion Encompassing All

IlE NEED FOR MONEY and the desire to delphia Orchestra under Eugene Or- rather than without, and even more T "buy myself an automobile" per- mandy ( RCA Victor L \I 2051). Al- striking for what it achieves, this per- suaded Rachmaninoff to make his first though the dated engineering makes it formance of the long, rhapsodic score is American tour, in 1909. In preparation difficult to hear the piano clearly at all constantly lyrical, intimate, and intro- for the event he spent the summer com- times, liachnaninoff's technique seems spective, without ever becoming small - posing his Third Piano Concerto, prac- equal to the technical hazards. His shap- scaled or static. Cliburn has a pianissimo ticed it on a "dumb" piano on the boat ing of long runs in terms of color, speed, tone that is as ravishing as Rachmani- trip over, and played it in his United and accent, his quiet but firm and long - no(f's, a big tone that never loses its sing- States debut, on November 28, with the lined thematic statements. all evoke his ing qualities. His technique is complete, New York Symphony under Walter Dam - highly personal and ma1ical stele. Not but it is never really on display here. He rosch. ( Shortly afterwards, he played it many pianists on record. have the consist- is so thoroughly in command of the key- again in New York, this time with Gustav ent beauty of tone displayed in this disc. board and of the concerto that he can Mahler conducting -a performance that is Now we are given in the recent Van ride its difficulties with Olympian serenity interesting to speculate on. Also, inciden- Cliburn recording one of the outstanding and lose himself completely in the mu- tally, the score is dedicated to Josef Hof- performances of our time. Of the three sic. This devotion is so conveyed that one mann.) other sersions still in the catalogue, Emil begins to see more depth and substance in Critical reaction in New York was luke- Gaels gives :t very honorable perform- the music than one ever recognized warm, finding the new concerto less origi- ance, nicely balanced between the lyrical before. nal than the popular Second, too long, and virtuosic, wholly musical, big in An interesting feature of Cliburn's ver- and lacking contrast, although one writer sweep, outgoing in spirit; Victor Merzhan- sion is his use of the alternate cadenza thought it "sound, reasonable music." The ov drives through the work in efficient in the first movement, apparently written lengthy, luxuriant, repetitive exfoliation fashion, displaying fine technique and un- first but seldom played today. For one of a few simple themes that the Third objectionable, if not very individualized, thing, it is more difficult, more massive, Concerto is today finds about an equal musical instincts; Byron Janis is crisp, more tiring for the performer, but out of share of admirers and detractors, but I fresh, exciting, although not without ten- it Cliburn creates a great arc of sound not doubt if anyone judges it, as did a Russian derness. In spite of the virtues of each. possible with the c ly played ca- critic after its Moscow premiere, to be all must now bow to the latest competitor. denza. The pianist also plays the work "laconic"! The nesv -ecording ( the fourth for swithoot the traditional and authorized One thing is beyond question: the Victor ), was taped at Van Cliburn's Car- carts, except for tsvo measures. In this he work is a challenging and effective vehicle negie Hall concert on May 19, 1958. two is snatched only by \Ir. \lerzhanov, who for the virtuoso. Rachmaninoff obviously (lays after his return from his triumphs at plays even these two measures ( but not composed it for his own special and re- the more difficult cadenza). markable pianistic abilities (a fact which Kiril Kondrashin, the Soviet cc nductor, sloes not make it necessarily a superficial leads the Symphony of the Air for \ir. work), and he wrote in 1923 that "i Cliburn in an equally affectionate per- much prefer the Third [Concerto], be- formance, one that is superior to all but cause my Second is uncomfortable to the more impersonal and brilliant Reiner play . . ."-a fascinating remark in view accompaniment for Horowitz. Proper bal- of the Third's enormous technical diffi- ance between orchestra and soloist in culties. all six versions is newer ideal and is most interest in the concerto was stimulated nearly achieved in Victor's Janis-Munch %Own Horowitz began to play it some version. The sound on Cliburn's record- thirty or more years ago. For one gel ing is restricted, as if the engineers were tion of Americans, at least, it was Iii. trying to block oll- all audience noises- terpretation, in the concert hall and on unsuccessfully, it turns out. records, that seemed definitive. In the Cliburn is often justly criticized for his re-recording he made for LP pressing, concentration on a limited repertoire. with the RCA Victor Symphony under But if he never plays anything else well, Fritz Reiner, his version is fortunately Van Cliburn, Kondrashin, and the Sym- his performance of the Rachmaninoff Preserved ( RCA Victor L \I 1178). Hem phony of time Air. Third Concerto gives him a special, en- Horowitz finds a satisfactory outlet for the during place in the musical world. diabolical fireworks he is capable of -the the Tchaikovsky Contest in Russia, and RAY ERICSON stinging, percussive avalanches of octaves it represents a truly extraordinary per- and chords. the machine -gun staccatos formance, even a great one, I believe. - Concerto for Piano as well as for the big, steel -toned, com- Cood as young Cliburn's playing of the BACII \IANINOFF: and Orchestra, No. 3, in D minor, Op. manding melodic lines. Tchaikovsky B flat minor Concerto is, 30 Rachmaninoff himself, in his later years, there is here an identification of interpret- thought the concerto was better off in the er and work that is very rare. It might be hands of Horowitz and other younger vir- called a love affair between artist and Van Cliburn, piano; Symphony of the tuosos. But this may have been charac- nnisic. Air, Kiril Kondrashin, cond. teristic nuxlstw, for in 1940, when he was Diametrically opposed to the dazzling RCA Vic:Ton L \l 2355. LP. $4.98. sixty -six, he recorded it with the Phila- Horowitz version, working from within RCA VICTOR LSC 2355. SD. $5.98.

AUGUST 1959 55

www.americanradiohistory.com not always the flair. If he relaxed a bit "BEAT " SHOW more, did not take the music so seriously, allowed himself a sportive gesture or two, tOM his playing would have more character and life. As it is, it is not a type of pianism that one can afford to look down upon. Brendel has stature and he has the po- QLAZER tentiality of greatness ( he is now twenty - eight years old ). Vox has supplied him with clear -sounding, natural piano tone. COI10ERt H.C.S.

for arid with MENDELSSOHN: Midsummer Night's Dream: Overture; Scherzo; Nocturne; Wedding March. Symphony No. 5, in i Wen D, Op. 107 ( "Reformation ")

One of America's finest folk Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Paul Paray, cond. singers in an actual performance, MERCURY SR 90174. SD. $5.95. with children, of wonderful songs, If you're looking for a different kind of enter- ballads, and participation games MENDELSSOHN: Midsummer Night's tainment, hear the Columbia original cast that will have your youngsters at Dream: Overture; Scherzo; Nocturne; album of "The Nervous Set." The sound is home joining in with all the Wedding March contemporary jazz mixed with ballads, com- enthusiasm and excitement of the {Schubert: Rosatnunde: Overture, En- No. edy and hillbilly music. It's probably the best original audience. ' ... many of tr'acte 2; Ballet Music No. 2 stimulant since caffeine. Incidentally, the us have been waiting a long time Amsterdam Conccrtgebouw Orchestra, music is played by a jazz quintet instead of for such an understanding of George Szell, cond. the usual pit orchestra. children." Parents Magazine Epic BC 1023. SD. $5.98. In the ,llidstunmer Night's Dream THE NERVOUS SET - Original Broadway Cast at better record stores, or write music, OL 5430 OS 2018 (stereo) it's a contest of perfection between two WASHINGTON great conductors and orchestras, and tech- GUARANTEED HIGH -FIDELITY AND nically it ends in a draw. Butt STEREO -FIDELITY RECORDS BY interpreta- RECORDS tively, Pansy wins hands down. To the Overture and Scherzo he imparts a $3.98 postage paid. 1340 Connecticut feath- COLUMBIAO Avc., N. W., Washington 6, D. C. ery texture and ethereal quality that Szell is not able to obtain, though Szell S 'Numbs- cf? Menu hg. ASwaion d Columba Broadcasting System, Inc. takes the Nocturne at a more judicious tempo, more leisurely and more expres- sively. On the other hand, his reading of the lovely Rostununde music, if not really cold or stiff, is rather too straightforward. OA Epic's sound, however, is often two -di- The Most Important Jazz Release mensional. Where Paray really glows is in the Reformation Symphony, of which he gives an unhurried and noble account, distinguished also by Mercury's reproduction - round, full, wide- range, and naturally dis- STEREOPHONIC tributed, with true balance between the sections. Particularly felicitous is the sound of the strings, highlighted by the to stereo the excit- and far from ing,tRung that firm, bright tone of the cellos in the sec- granuning that dis- Stereotyped ond and fourth movements of the sym- tinguishes the VOX monaural library. You'll find the widest choice phony. From the standpoint both of sound of Vivaldi on stereo. as well as performances and of interpretation, this is one of the The Modern Jazz Quartet At of the most significant modern works. on STEREOVOX records. example: outstanding discs to come out of Detroit. Music Inn Volume 2 ATLANTIC 1299 For VIVALDI I GLORIA, D MAJOR; MOTETTO P.A. Monaural and Stereo available A CANTO, Friederike Sailer, soprano -Margarete Bence, alto -Pro Musica Choir and Orchestra, Stuttgart -Marcel Couraud, Mabel Mercer's conductor STPL 10.390 'MONTEVERDI: Madrigali amorosi Newest & Greatest Album VIVALDI: 4 BASSOON CONCERTOS. Virginio Bianchi, bassoon -Gli Accademici di Milano-Piero Santi, con- Deller Consort; Baroque String Ensemble. ductor (4.:1 ,e,r oler ,M... STPL 10.740 VANGUARD BC 579. LP. $4.98. ,Mebd Nrnrr VIVALDI: 4 OBOE CONCERTOS. Alberto Coroldl, VANGUARD BGS 5007. SD. $5.95. Once in oboe -Gli Accademici di Milano -Piero Santi, conductor a STPL 10.720 lt These are ten madrigals from Montever- Blue Moon MAHLER: DAS LIED VON DER ERDE. Croce Hoffmann, alto -Helmut Melchert, tenor- Symphony di's Eighth Book, published in 1638. For the first time Orchestra of the Southwest German Radio, Boden- Boden -Hans Rosbaud, Some are in one section, some in two, the "Queen of conductor 2 -12" STPL 10.912 some in three. The texture varies from Song" is re- BEETHOVEN. with MUSIC TO GOETHE'S "EGMONT ", seven. All corded OP. 84 ICompletel. Friederike Sailer, soprano -Peter three voices to are accompanied strings. Mosbacher, narrator- Symphony Orchestra of the South- by a group of strings and a harpsichord. west Germon Radio, Boden -Boden- Edouord van Remoortel, of way, we ATLANTIC 1301 conductor...._ STPL 510.870 These dry facts out the can Monaural and Stereo available .and many, many other now deal with the main business of this Write for complete free LP catalogue superb VOX stereo record- review, which is to call attention to a and stereo disc listing. ings. both classical and recording of popular / At record dealers first -class performance and everywhere. Write for com- some of Monteverdi's finest pieces. His TIANTIC RECORDING CORP. plete catalog H to: ability to give direct and effective expres- 117 WEST 57th STREET NEW YORK 19, N. Y. VOX PRODUCTIONS. INC., 236 W. 55 St., New York 19, N.Y: sion to dilferent poetic moods is nowhere

56 HIGH FIDELITY 'MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com better demonstrated than here, where, for each movement, conveying all the without weakening his line or structure, sweep and passion of the fast movements by a sudden turn in the melody or har- as well as the singing poetry of the slow mony or rhythm or any combination of ones. The only serious fault in the C these he will paint a particular word or minor Concerto is one that is also common phrase and then return to the original to other first -class recordings, including 7 mood or pass on to another. Here is high - those by Casadesus and Cieseking: the grade material handled with inventive- wotxlwinds are sometimes too faint when ways to protect your ness and consummate technical skill -in they have important material. There are short, the work of a great master. Perhaps one or two moments here, too, when the records and tapes the most remarkable madrigal on this orchestra is a hair's breadth behind the disc is Non havea Febo ancora, a three - soloist. Balance is better in the D minor ...improve hi -fi and section piece the middle section of which Concerto, and the result is as good a is the Lamento della ninfa, a little oper- performance and recording of this work stereo performance atic scene in which the nymph bemoans as is available. the loss of her lover over a four -note de- In the sonatas, Matthews naturally scending figure repeated in the bass, adopts a much more intimate style. He ROBINS while a trio of men commiserate with her. demonstrates how vital and effective these The music seems to have inspired the works can he when the player observes Deller Consort and its director, Alfred Mozart's own dynamic markings and audio accessories Deller, to their best efforts. Seldom have I phrasing. Except for the trills, which Mat- RECORD CARE ACCESSORIES

heard them sing with such variety and - thews still begins on the main note, and M / r -, 11.11.11. when required- intensity of feeling. Some a passage or two in the Andante of K. 310 1. 3. of these madrigals, including the Lamento where he ignores some nuances in dynam- tl della ninfa, have been well done on other ics, these performances seem to me flaw- discs, but this is apparently the only rec- less. N.B. 7. ord that offers all of the Madrigali amo- 6 41 8: rosi. N.B. MOZART: Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, in A, K. 581 11` MOZART: Concerto for Horn and Or- 12. 13. ' Reginald Kell, clarinet; Fine Arts Quar- No. 3, in E flat, K. 447. Di- TAPE CARE ACCESSORIES chestra, tet. Gibson Girl Tape Splicers vertimentos: No. 5, in C, K. 187; No. CONCERT -DISC CS 203. SD. $6.95. 6, in C, K. 188. Serenade No. 6, in D, K. 239; ( "Serenata notturna"). March \lr. Kell's command of his instrument is in D, K. 445 amazing. I have never heard a clarinet- Pierre del Vescovo, horn; Jean -Marie Le- ist get so many different degrees of dy- clair Instrumental Ensemble, Jean -Fran- namics and so many different shades of cois Paillard, cond. accent from his instrument in playing one WESTMINSTER XWN 18833. LP. $4.98. composition. Whether Mr. Kell should 4 tcant all this nuance in this particular corn - Mr. Del Vescovo must be a first -class position I'm not sure. In the first move- hornist: his performance of the concerto is ment his phrasing seems beyond reproach, practically flawless. The disc is called but in the other three one sometimes gets "Mozart's Brass and Timpani," mainly, I the feeling that the clarinetist has made it suppose, because of the two divertimen- a rule that no two successive notes are to tos, which are scored for two flutes, five be played the same way. As a result the ess.- trumpets, and timpani. It is not known eloquence of the opening Allegretto gives 11. 1' 13' why Mozart wrote these curious pieces, way to a finicky concern for detail that but whatever the occasion was, it does not /loses sight of the over -all line. Compared RECORD CARE ACCESSORIES seem to have been an inspiring one. They with this overrefinement, Benny Good- 1. Turntable Level TL -1 $ 1.15 2. Professional Stylus Microscope MX1 2.60 are well enough played, as are the March man's relatively thick -skinned but 3. Hobbyist Stylus Microscope MX -40 1.35 and the delightful Serenade, though in (straightforward performance has its 4. Record Cleaning Cloth JC1 .80 5. Atomic Jewel SE -900 4.00 much of K. 187 the G drum is out of tune. %ulvantages. N.B. 6. KleeNeedle NB -1 1.35 7. Changer Covers (2 sizes) CC -1, 2 1.75 8. Turntable Covers ,2 sizes) CC -3, 4 2.25 MOZART: Serenade No. 13, in G, K. 9. Phono- Cushion, 10" x 12" PC -10, 1.00 PC -12 1.35 MOZART: Concerto for Piano and Or- 525 ( "Eine kleine Nachtmusik "); Les 10. Acoustic Insulation AM -9 2.25 petits riens, K. Anh. 10 11. Record Brush RB -75 .75 chestra, No. 24, in C minor, K. 491; 12. 45 rpm. Adapters RA -45 .25 Sonata for Piano, in B flat, K. 333 Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra ( Munich), 13. 45 rpm. Spindle Adapter SA -45.., .25 14. Tone Arm Lift TA -1 .35 Denis Matthews, piano; Vienna State Op- Kurt Redel, cond. era Orchestra, Hans Swarowsky, cond. WESTMINSTER XWN 18852. LP. $4.98. TAPE CARE ACCESSORIES

VANGUARD VRS 1037. LP. 84.98. 1. Hobbyist H -4 1.75 A of the s VANGUARD VSD 2025. SD. $5.95. very pleasing performance 2. Senti -Pro SP4 3.50 Kleine Nachtmusik, although the tempo 3. Junior TS4A -JR 6.50 4. Standard TSlA -STD 8.50 of the first movement strikes me as a little 5. Deluxe TS4A -DLX 11.50 MOZART: Concerto for Piano and Or- on the leisurely side. I have no reserva- 6. industrial iS sizes to 1") ....net 55.00 7. Splicing Tape ST -500 .40 chestra, No. 20, in D minor, K. 466; tions of this sort about the ballet music. 8. Recording Head Cleaner HC -2.... 1.00 Ì Sonata for Piano, in A minor, K. 310 There, for once, we can hear the wind 9. Tape Cleaning Cloth JCT -2 1.00 instruments clearly whenever we are sup- 10. Tape Storage Can ,7" and 5 ") Denis Matthews, piano; Vienna State Op- TC -7 .75 posed to do so. The fact that Mr. Redel TC -5 .55 era Orchestra, Hans Swarowsky, cond. is also first flutist of the ensemble may 11. Tape Threader TT -1 1.00 VANGUARD VRS 1040. LP. $4.98. '12. Tape Head Demagnetizer HD -6 10.00 have something to do with this; if so, 13. Tape Clips TC -12 , .35 VANGUARD VSD 2028. SD. $5.95. maybe some other recording conductors WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG ought to take up the flute. N.B. Denis Matthews has given some fine per- At dealers everywhere formances of Mozart on records, but I ROBINS INDUSTRIES CORP. have not heard him play better than he MUSSORGSKY: Pictures from an Exhibi- rlUSN)NG 54, N. Y does here. In both of the concertos he tion - seems to strike the right mood and tempo }Ravel: Miroirs: No. 4, Alborada del

AUGUST 1959 57

www.americanradiohistory.com gracioso; Pavane pour une infante dé- us a fine account of the Oriental fantasy MAHALIA funte Iskuney, playing the end sections with vivacity and the middle one with exqui- Philippe Entremont, piano. sitely sensitive phrasing. Added to the COLUMBIA ML 5366. LP. $4.98. JACKSON other merits of this superbly recorded are extremely quiet surfaces. P.A. Entremont is a most talented pianist, but disc Maha lia Jackson is witnout -on the evidence of this disc -he re- doubt the greatest gospel mains a talent rather than a completely SCHUBERT: Fantasia for Piano, in C, he a ( Drei Klavier- singer in the world today - finished artist. Often turns beautiful Op. 15 "Wanderer'); or a stücke, Op. posth. and possibly the only singer phrase rattles through difficult passage with the aplomb of a Rubinstein. of any kind whose songs you Claudio Arran, piano. Then he will turn around and chop away, sear with your heart as well AneEL 35637. LP. $4.98. as in sections of Alborada del gracioso, or as your ears. Here are her let matters get out of control, as in the Even if he lacks the ultimate simplicity 'atst recordings, exclusively ending of Limoges in the Mussorgsky of style to be an ideal Schubert inter- on Columbia Records. ( work. The stupendous and touched-up) preter, \Ir. Arran has given us here a su- Horowitz performance is still available on perior performance, one that is never NEWPORT 1958 CL 1244 CS 8091* special order from H.C.S. Victor. less than absorbing and is often haunt- BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE (with ingly beautiful. In the Wanderer Fantasia DUKE ELLINGTON) - CL 1162 CS 8015* PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 7, in C the pi:mist has found that difficult bal- BLESS THIS HOUSE CS 899 sharp minor, Op. 131; Russian Over- ance between strength and transparency SWEET LITTLE JESUS BOY -CL 702 ture, Op. 72 that keeps the work heroic yet wingèd. His "Stereo-Fidelity statements may seem Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du rubatos in thematic too fussy sometimes, yet how wonderfully GUARANTEED HIGH -FIDELITY AND Conservatoire de Paris, Jean \lartinon, is the opening of cond. and quietly mysterious STEREO- FIDELITY RECORDS BY the Adagio. I know of no recorded per- 11C.\ VICTOR L \I 2288. LP. $4.98. better than this except the long - RCA Vic:TOIs LSC 2288. SD. formance COLUMBIA Curzon. $5.98. withdrawn version by Clifford e, "Columbia" Q? Mareas Raa. Equally felicitous is the handling of A division of Columbia Broadcasting System, In,. Both these works are in the hardie, epi- the rather neglected Drei Klarierstücke, cal style wherein Prokofiev gives cards sometimes referred to as Impromptus. and spades to Borodin. \lartinon under- The first two have some celestial Schu- stands their bright virile character ex- bertian slow passages; the third is alive tremely well, and with the assistance of xvith intriguingly developed dance Victor's excellent engineering has pro- rhythms. I am not sure \1r. Arrau has to the duced what may well be regarded as the found the lest possible solution definitive recording of both works. A.F. special tempo problem of the second piece, for it begins too slowly, but elsewhere the playing is often magical. Giese - RAVEL: Miroirs: No. 4, Alborada del king's recording of these pieces is gracioso. Pavane pour une infante dé highly regarded, too; it comes in a two - funte Mussorgsky: Pictures from -See disc set devoted to the Op. 90 and 142 an Exhibition. Impromptus. R.E.

RiMSKY- KORSAKOV: Capriccio es- SCHUBERT: Rosamunde: Overture; En- Op. pagnol, Op. 34; Easter Overture, tr'acte No. 2; Ballet Music No. 2 -See 36 ( "Grande Pdque Russe ") -See Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Tchaikovsky: Capriccio italien, Op. Dream: Overture; Scherzo; Nocturne; 45; 1812 Overture, Op. 49. Wedding March.

R I \ISKY- KORSAKOV: The Golden SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 9, in C Cockerel: Suite. Easter Overture, Op. 36 ( "Grande Pdque Russe ") Vienna State Opera Orchestra, René Lei - i Balakirev: Islamey ( trans. Casella) bowitz, cond. I'Ililharmonia Orchestra, Sir Eugene \\'ES ISIINSTEe X \VN 18806. LP. conci. 5.1.98. WESTMINSTER \'ST 14051. SD. I. :\II- CAri-roL SC 7158. SD. $5.98. \ $5.98. liecord reviewers, like women, should be privileged to change their minds. Perhaps Leibowitz lias some strange ideas about the cleanness and natural perspective of tempo in the first movement of the sync the stereo edition has something to do Phony. After an impressively broad open- with it, but i now find myself liking Coos - ing, he skittles along at an overly lively sens' subdued and rather chaste reading pace, and really races in the coda. The of the Coq d'Or Suite even more than I rest of the symphony- fares much better. dici when I reviewed the monophonic ver- The two middle movements are admira- sion in \lay. Others may prefer more ex- bly proportioned; and if the finale is a citement than the conductor engenders trifle slow, it has a gocxl deal of drive. in here, but to me this is a very refreshing the monophonic version, Leibowitz takes performance. the repeat in the exposition of the first The sane transparency of execution movement; this is omitted in the stereo and reproduction is to be heard in the edition. The orchestral playing through- Russian Easter Overture, also much of out is first -rate, and Westminster's repro- the same subdued, refined approach. duction has a fine liveness to it, plus an Here, however, I too feel that the con- excellent distribution and perspective in ductor's whole conception needs more stereo. If it weren't for that first move- color. Still, Goossens does build a fairly ment, this would be a high- ranking edi- exciting climax at the end. He also gives tion of the "Great C Major." P.A.

58 HIGH FIDELITY \MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com SIIOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 1, in F, Op. 10; Age of Gold, Op. 22: Suite London Symphony Orchestra, Jean Mar- tino, cond. RCA VICTOR LSC 2322. SD. $5.98.

This is the eighth version of the symphony to appear in American record lists and the third of the ballet suite. That is six more versions of the symphony than it (le- serves and three more of the Age of Gold music. Martinon plays the symphony very well, but his warm, vivid interpretation is given a thin, lackluster recording. Ex- cept for its famous satirical polka, the Age of Gold suite is tedious trash. It, too, is beautifully performed and poorly recorded. A.F. 114.4y nrw.W.b., it 5

SIBELIUS: Concerto for Violin and Or- Records chestra, in D minor, Op. 47 fTehaikovsky: Sérénade mélancolique, in in B flat minor, Op. 26; Souvenir d'un Review lieu cher, Op. 42: No. 2, Scherzo re r ..nn riga r mai., Annad Ruggiero Ricci, violin; London Symphony Orchestra, Divin Fjeldstad, cond. Lonnox CS 6(167. SD. $4.98. r t Top -notch guide for the serious record collector in evaluating and com- This, the first stereo representation of the Sibelius Concerto, is likely to remain un- paring current and older releases. » challenged for a long time. The com- -NEW ORLEANS TIMES PICAYUNE poser, who was himself a violinist, here set the performer a Herculean task. Throughout the years, I have encountered only one violinist who has really made this concerto his own. That is Jascha Hei- fetz, whose old RCA Victor recording - THE FOURTH HIGH FIDELITY now unfortunately deleted from the cata- ANNUAL logue -still stands as a monument to great Edited by Frances Neu'bttty fiddle playing. But, to judge from the present disc, Ricci is second only to Hei- fetz in his intrepid technical and virile This book, the only one of its kind, contains reviews of interpretative traversal of this beautiful classical and semiclassical music, and the spoken word, that and often exciting work. Furthermore, he appeared in HIGH FIDELITY Magazine from has the benefit of powerful, transparent, July 1957 and exceptionally meaningful accompani- through June 1958. The reviews cover the merits of the ment from the Norwegian conductor Oi- performance, the quality of the recording, and make corn - vin Fjeldstad. parative evaluations with releases of previous years. They The two Tchaikovsky pieces make fine are written by some of this country's most distinguished encores. The melodic Scrérulde nlélanco- critics. lique may have been a preliminary study for the slow movement of the Violin Con- The reviews are organized for easy reference - alphabet- certo in D. The Scherzo is the second of by three ically composer and, when the number of releases for pieces for violin and piano grouped any given composer warrants, under the title Souvenir dun lieu cher are divided further into (Memory of a Beloved Spot). The iden- classifications such as orchestral, chamber music, etc. An tity of its orchestrator is not divulged ei- index of composers is included. The book is printed in clear ther on the label or the jacket. The type on fine quality paper, attractively bound and jacketed. Sérénade is played here with great warmth and expressiveness, the Scherzo RECORDS IN REVIEW is published by The Wyeth Press, with brilliant virtuosity. an affiliate of HIGH FIDELITY Magazine. London has provided a fitting setting for these splendid performances. The re- 0.95 production is very clear, with big, undis- torted volume range, admirable stereo separation, and with the solo violin well centered. Often audible in the orchestra The Wyeth Press is the resinous rasp of bows as they attack The Publishing House the strings -an additional note of realism. Great Barrington, Mass. All this has been pressed on very quiet (enclose E for which please send me copies of RECORDS IN REVIEW surfaces. P.A. -1958. No C.O.D., or charge orders F,eose I Foreign orders sent of buyer's risk. Add 254 per book for postage on foreign er.:ers except Canadian. STRAUSS, RICHARD: Tod und Verklär- NAME ung, Op. 24; Salomes Tanz; Suite of Dances after Couperin: Nos. 1, 3-6, 8 ADDRESS Philharmonia Orchestra, Artur Rodzinski, cond.

AUGUST 1959 ,,

www.americanradiohistory.com EMI -CAPITOL SG 7147. SD. $5.98. the end of Part I, in the moving and This low -priced demonstration record extraordinarily beautiful admonition to does indeed, as its jacket claims, offer For strength and clarity of line, fidelity Jerusalem to return to the Lord. Else- "one full hour of dazzling orchestral to orchestral textures, and presence this where in the work this reading is skillful sound." In a monophonic disc one could stereo recording is as fine as anything we and eloquent enough to range it alongside not ask for more superlatively realistic have in the catalogue. Moreover, the en- the excellent one by the Deller Consort. reproduction or such generous playing gineers have solved almost unbelievably One advantage of the present recording, time. What a pity, then, that Mr. Rossi is well the problem of giving the orchestral aside from the fine stereo, is its inclusion such a literal- minded, prosaic conductor! sound a full, concert hall resonance, with- of the Mass, apparently not otherwise All the notes with all their decibels are out introducing into your living room the available on discs. This is a setting at once here; musical excitement is not. R.E. alien acoustical effects of a much larger mellifluous and hearty, with lovely curv- space. The impression, rather, is that the rich harmony, ing lines and and, as per- TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo and Juliet, orchestra is in the room, and the room formed here, a good deal of rhythmic va- acoustics are exactly right for it. I find Overture Fantasy; The Nutcracker: riety. An added point of interest in the Orchestral Suite, Op. 71a this a most gratifying sensation. Mass is the use of a quartet of viols in The performances, the last of Rodzin- support of the voices, in accord with six- Virtuoso Symphony of London, Alfred ski's superlative readings of Strauss, will teenth- century English practice. N.B. Wallenstein, cond. not soon be surpassed. R.C.M. AUDIO FIDELITY FCS 50006. SD. $5.95. TCHAIKOVSKY: Capriccio italien, Op. TALLIS: Lamentations of Jeremiah; 45; 1812 Overture, Op. 49 The tremendous dynamic range, the com- Mass for Four Voices; Motet: In jejunio f Rimsky- Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol, bined clarity and cohesion of ensemble, et fletu Op. 34; Easter Overture, Op. 36 the realistic sound, and the utterly quiet Alfred Wallen- DECCA DL 9404. $4.98. ( "Grande Pdque Russe ") surfaces brilliantly display LP. interpretations DECCA DL 79404. SD. $5.98. stein's strong, consistent Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Mario and the excellent playing of his orches- The performance of the great Lamenta- Rossi, cond. tra. One could wish a more passionate tions reaches its highest point, I think, at VANGUARD SRV 110. LP. $1.98. reading of Romeo and Juliet, but the

A Brand -new 1812- Served to the Taste of the Commissars -during my first run- through of the 1812 ironic side: the new anthem, while scarce- -I was so intent on checking for the ly less banal, is at least a better tune than presence or absence of real cannon ( as it Lvov's, and its interpolation into both the turns out, there aren't any, although the 1812 (pp. 83 -5 of the Eulenberg mima- bells jangle and buzz loudly enough to ture score) and Marche slave is done make up for them ) that I reacted slowly very deftly and briefly, with everything and incredulously when it dawned on me that precedes and follows it sounding as that what the horns, trombones, and tuba it always has before. Moreover, Tchai- were thundering out was not the Czarist kovsky himself was-cynically or sincere- National Anthem that Tchaikovsky had ly- trading on patriotic emotionalism by quoted- and we have always heard. That using Lvov's hymn in the first place. was just gone, and something new had ( And there's harmless amusement in not- been added. ing the gaffe of the liner notes for the Without stopping to recheck immedi- present record, which unknowingly refer ately I let the stylus ride into the no less specifically, as indeed all annotators al- familiar Marche slave -this more soberly, ways have, to the uses of the erstwhile if heavy -handedly conducted by Anosov, national anthem here expunged. and ( as the Grieg dances on the other But the desecration is not at all funny side also are) more clearly while no less in its implications. With all their weak- powerfully recorded. But again all sonic nesses, these scores are long- accepted and interpretative considerations were standard concert favorites, published and suddenly blasted from my mind by the played all over the world in the form same shock -the same new tune, in both devised, for better or worse, by their Peter Rich: spare his shade. the trio and coda, where again we always famous composer himself. So- Czarist Na- have been accustomed to hearing the tional Hymn and all -we have always THIS BARGAIN -PRICE coupling of Tchai- quotations of Alexis Lvov's anthem. known them. Now, some "Cultural" ( save kovskÿ s 1812 Overture and Marche Further listening proved these were no the mark!) Ministry has decreed that, slave, reproduced from Soviet tapes and auditory hallucinations, but that, presum- at least in Russian performances, they published on M -G-M's new Lion Label, ably by official Soviet dictum, the now- can he heard only after having suffered a offers not only its money's worth in verboten echoes of the Czarist past have thorough brain washing. Here is proof of musical and sonic interest, but a wholly been expunged -to be unblushingly re- an effrontery from which everyone can unique insight into the effect of con- placed by an entirely new melody, hith- draw his own conclusions about the liter- temporary politics on the tonal art. erto unknown to me, but obviously a ally total lengths to which twentieth -cen- Musically the performance of the 1812 current favorite of the Party powers (al- tury totalitarianism will go. is notable mainly for the emotional though to unindoctrinated ears it sounds R. D. DARRELL abandon of Golovanov's at times senti- as much British, and even Elgarian, as mentally- mannered, at times blustering Russian) . reading; sonically, the strongly reverber- Well, we all have heard about rewrit- TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture, Op. 49; ant, somewhat distantly miked recording ing history, but to encounter the process Marche slave, Op. 31 has a far wider dynamic range than any personally, and in what should be strictly f Grieg: Norwegian Dances, Op. 35 of Russian origin I have encountered be- musical entertainment, is downright fore. While many details are a bit muf- shocking. Apparently, now poor old State Radio Orchestra and Army Band of fled and the extreme timpani and string Tchaikovsky, who seemed to have been the U.S.S.R., Nikolayi Golovanov, cond. lows somewhat unfocused, the over -all forgiven for living under the Romanovs, (in the Overture ) ; State Orchestra of effect is impressively big and brilliant. is being rudely tossed about in his grave. the U.S.S.R., Nikolai Anosov, cond. By the time I had reached the apotheosis The whole episode has, to be sure, its LION CL 40005. LP. $1.98.

60 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com Nutcracker Suite, better paced and given sound as if their title should be Ditters- -*srr more nuance, is -with this outstanding en- dorfianas Brasileiras. A.F. gineering -one of the best I have heard. JAZZ/III-FL NOTES R.E. WAGNER: Das Rheingold from CONTEMPORARY RECORDS, INC.

TCHAIKOVSKY: Sérénade mélanco- Kirsten Flagstad (s), Fricka; Claire Wat- producers of lique, Op. 26; Souvenir d'un lieu cher, CONTEMPORARY RECORDS son (s), Freia; Oda Balsborg ( Wog GOOD Op. 42: No. 2, Scherzo -See Sibelius: s), - TIME JAZZ linde; Ira Malaniuk (s), Flosshilde; CR COMPOSERS SERIES Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, in Jean CALIFORNIA RECORDS D minor, Op. 47. Madeira (c), Erda; Hetty Plumacher SFM (Society for Forgotten (c), Wellgunde; Set Svanholm (t ), Music) STEREO RECORDS Loge; Waldemar Kmentt ( t ), Froh; Paul TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake, Op. 20 Kuen ( t), Mime; George London ( bs- (excerpts) We've just celebrated our 10th bar), Wotan; Gustav Neidlinger (bs), anniversary. Our Good Time Jazz Utah Symphony Orchestra, Maurice Alberich; Eberhard Wächter (bs ), Don- label began operations May 1949 Abravanel, cond. ner; Walter Kreppel (bs), Fasolt; Kurt with the first Firehouse Five Plus WESTMINSTER XWN 18851. LP. $4.98. Böhme ( bs ), Fafner. Vienna Philharmon- Two session, and the FH5 +2 still WESTMINSTER WST 14064. SD. ic Orchestra, Georg Solti, cond. records exclusively for GTJ! $5.98. LONDON A 4340. Three LP. $14.94. In 1951 we started the Con- LONDON OSA 1309. Three SD. temporary label to do modern This is a beautifully engineered recording $17.94. classics (we still do them), and in in both the monophonic and stereophonic 1953 began recording modern jazz. versions. The latter extends the sense of For review of this opera, see p. 42. Our first exclusive CR recording spatial orchestral placement; otherwise, stars were Shelly Manne and Bar- discs both have a wonderfully clean yet WEBER, BEN: Fantasia for Piano, Op. ney Kessel, and we are happy to luxuriously resonant sound. Mr. Abra- 25; Concertino for Flute, Oboe, Clari- report they have just signed new vanel leads his Salt Lake City ensemble net, and String Quartet, Op. 45; Sere- long -term recording contracts. in full -fashioned but slightly prosaic per- nade for Strings, Op. 46 The big news this month is that formances. The tempos are sensible; Shelly Manne & His Friends are but away from the theatre the music William Nlasselos, piano; Julius Baker, back with a new album, Bells Are needs more vividness and shiny brilliance flute; Harry Shulman, oboe; Alexander Ringing. The Friends are André to stand by itself. The orchestra plays sol- Williams, clarinet; David Walters, double Previn and Red Mitchell. Anyone idly, even if the solo string players some- bass; Galimir String Quartet. who digs Shelly & Friends' My times give the listener an anxious mo- `- EPIC LC 3567. LP. $4.98. Fair Lady will certainly want this ment. EPIC BC 1022. SD. $5.98. latest collaboration. (Contem- For those who desire such information porary M3559 & This Stereo S7559). the recording includes the following in disc, one of the series sponsored by On Good Time the Fromm Jazz, The Fa- this order: Act II- Opening Scene, Gen- Foundation, surveys three dif- mous Castle Jazz Band of Port- ferent aspects of Ben eral Dance, White Swan Pas de Deux, Weber, the most land, Oregon, comes up with 12 Dance of the Little Swans, Odette's poetic of American 12 -tone composers. happy and hi -fi Dixieland perform- Va- The riation, Coda; Act I- Waltz; Act III - Fantasia, written in 1946, empha- ances of tunes featured in the Wedding March, Hungarian Dance, sizes the ethereal, diaphanous, coloristic new Danny Kaye picture, The side Spanish Dance, Black Swan Pas de Deux of the 12 -tone technique; it reminds Five Pennies. Four new tunes and one a little and Coda; Act IV- Finale. R.E. of Scriabin minus the Russian eight old favorites: My Blue composer's phony rhetoric. The Concer- Heaven, Indiana, Ja -da, That's tino, the date of which is not given in the A Plenty, etc. (Good Time Jazz TCIAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, in B jacket notes, is very much in concertante minor, Op. 74 ( "Pathétique ") M12037 & Stereo S10037). style, with open, aerated counterpoint, Sonny Rollins, the "colossus" of Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Alexander strong rhythms, and incisive use of wood- the tenor sax, is back for his sec- Melik -Pasheyev, cond. wind timbres. It is the sort of piece ond Contemporary album, this LION CL 40003. LP. $1.98. Hindemith might write if he could stop time with the top stars who record sneering at the 12 -tone philosophy long for CR: Shelly Manne, Barney This is an eloquent, full -blown interpre- enough to examine it. The Serenade, Kessel, Hampton Hawes, Leroy tation, free from bathos. For those willing composed in 1956, is built on the Mozart Vinnegar, and Victor Feldman to put up with some slightly coarse - pattern, with marches, a minuet, and a (on one tune). Naturally the grained orchestral sound and a fair slow movement, but it is nn light, amus- album is called Sonny Rollins & amount of surface noise, the recording is a ing piece. The most abstruse of the three The Contemporary Leaders. Sonny bargain. R.E. compositions here recorded, the biggest picked eight tunes, all standards. in implication, and the most eloquent in It's a must for Rollins fans. VILLA LOBOS: Bachianas Brasileiras: gesture, it remains the work of an emi- Our latest issue of the GTJ & No. 1; No. 5. Prelude and Fugue No. 8 nently poetic and approachable composer. CR NEWS, now in its fourth year, Performances are magnificent, and so is being mailed to 85,000 Marri Nixon, soprano (in Bachianas Bra - friends is the recording. Once again, however, I throughout the world. It will keep sileiras No. 5); Concert Arts Cello En- feel that stereo does little or nothing for semble, Felix Slatkin, cond. you posted on our new releases chamber music. A.F. and the doings of our artists. It's CAPITOL P 8484. LP. $4.98. free! Simply CAPITOL SP 8484. SD. $5.98. mail the postage - WEBER, CARL MARIA VON: Over- paid card from any of our factory - The recording is excellent, especially in tures: Der Freischütz; Preciosa; Der sealed albums. the stereo version; in fact, I have yet to Beherrscher der Geister; Oberon; Eu- Our records are available at hear ryanthe; Abu Hassan record stores everywhere. Nation- a disc that makes a better case for ally advertised manufacturer's the stereophonic technique. The eight Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest list prices are $4.98 for all our 12" cellos, played by eight of the best cellists Ansermet, cond. in Los Angeles, are heard monophonic albums, and $5.98 for to perfection, LONDON CS 8074. SD. $4.98. all with just the right relief and balance. our stereo albums. Unfortunately, the performance is on the Ansermet leads very satisfactory versions light side, as if the interpreters, realizing of these six Weber overtures, preserving that an ensemble of cellos can be heavy their fresh youthfulness; and the Swiss Editor. GTJ CH NEWS and groany, had gone to the opposite ex- orchestra, not a glossily virtuosie but a PUBLISHED BY CONTEMPORARY RECORDS, INC. 8481 treme. As a result, they make these works plain -spoken ensemble, plays in a fashion Melrose Place, tos Angeles 46, California

AUGUST 1959 61

www.americanradiohistory.com suitable to the music's style. The stereophonic version the balance between phonic sound, like the performance, is voices and orchestra is often faulty. A.F. sensibly, not startlingly, spacious. R.E. WOLF: Lieder WEISGALL: The Tenor Share Goethe Lieder: Heiss mich nicht rede? Doris Young ( s ), Helen; Richard Cassilly (Mignon I); Nur wer die Sehnsucht (t ), the Tenor; Richard Cross (bs ), the kennt (Mignon II); So lasst mich scheinen Manager; et al. Vienna State Opera Or- (Mignon III); Kennst du das Land the chestra, Herbert Grossman, cond. (Jligrun); Anakreons Grab; Blumengruss; WESTMINSTER OPW 1206. Two LP. Der Schäfer; Epiphanias. Spanisches L $9.95. Liederbuch: Nun hin ich dein, du aller Wealth WESTMINSTER WST 208. Two SD. Blumen Blume: Fiihr reich, Kind, nach $11.95. Bethlehem! llübrnll komm' ich und beladen; Ach, wie lang die Seele .schlum- What greater treasure is there This one -act opera, composed in 1952, mert! Herr, was trügt der Boden hier. than good music? And what stands in a direct line of descent from Ausgewahlte Lieder: Morgentau, Wie- greater satisfaction than shar- Alban Berg's Lulu and is derived from genlied. ing your love of good music the same literary source, the dramas of with friends? Frank Wedekind. Although its musical Hilde Rössl- Majdan, contralto; Erik Wer-

idiom is far less extreme and overwrought ¡ ha, piano. We'd like to acquaint all than that of Lulu, it conveys a similar WESTMINSTER XWN 18847. LP. $4.98. your music -listening friends atmosphere of the hectic, strained, arti- ficial, and ironic. Like Berg, Weisgall em- From the standpoint of projection, Wolf with HIGH FIDELITY . . . SO ploys a wide- ranging musical vocabulary, may is assuredly the most difficult of all major that they have the op- tonal and atonal, strict and free, and a Lieder composers. His songs demand vo- portunity to enjoy each month, very broad range of vocal resource. The calists and pianists of unusual resources, just as you do, the most au- music is woven into the psychology of the high technical proficiency, and emotional thoritative coverage avail- play in an extremely subtle and effective intensity. What's more ( and here's the able of music, records and manner. In short, this is an altogether rub ), they call for a conscious, intellec- hi -fi equipment. admirable opera in every respect except tualized approach, and for patience from one. The composer lets himself be se- both performer and audience. The unique Take a moment now to send duced into exploring side issues, which relation between the piano and voice, the us the names of friends you slows the progress of his tragedy and emotional significances of finely pointed think will enjoy HIGH FI- weakens its form. It takes him as long to intervals, harmonies, and rhythms -all get through his one act as it took Berg these must be recognized, and then al- DELITY. We'll mail each of to get through the three acts of Wozzeck. them complete information lowed to penetrate. The book, by Karl Shapiro and Ernst Some of the strongest Wolf music is about the magazine - with- Led, is based on Wedekind's Der Kam - represented on this disc -and by an ac- out, of course, mentioning mersänger. A famous tenor, idol of all the complished singer who never fails to set your name. Many thanks. women in a European town, connives with forth the mood of a piece. Rössl- \lajdan's his valet and a hotel bellboy to sell his smooth, dark voice Ls a trifle weak in the admirers' gifts, flirts with an infatuated lower range -a drawback especially in young girl who has hidden herself in his Kennst du das Land -and is saddled with TO: HIGH FIDELITY bedroom, atul discusses business, both a certain weightiness that obstructs easy The Publishing House operatic and amorous, with his cynical articulation in some of the more fragile manager. his precautions, Great Barrington, Moss. Despite he is moments. Her inability to bring the unable to avoid an interview with Helen, brighter colors into play also prevents the a who I suggest that you send subscription In- mature woman has left her hus- utmost in contrast. Nevertheless, she is formation about HIGH FIDELITY to the band and children for him. Deeply moved one of the best female recitalists currently following: by Helen's appeal, he agrees to abandon available on records, and she presents his Name career for her, until a telephone call this music in a highly capable manner. from his manager informs him that his ri- As for her accompanist, the steel -fingered Address val is to sing Tristan at the opera house Werba builds to an almost frightening City Zone State that night. At the end, Helen shoots her- climax on the words "c's stürzt der Fels self, and the tenor walks out over her and iiber ihn die Flut" in Kennst du body to keep his engagement at the das Land, and sectas unbothered by the Nome theatre. changes from the harsh chords of Herr, The scene between Helen and the ten- was trägt der Boden hier to the ripplings Address or is the crux of the opera and is a climax of Wiegenlied. Singer and pianist have City Zone State of exceptional beauty and expressiveness obviously thought things out carefully. over which hangs the ghost of the Tristan The sound is wide- ranging, the surfaces music wherein the hero has his real ex- silent. The liner carries complete texts in is in Alamo ...... _... istence. This scene a long time coin- prose form, and good translations by Wal- ing, though. If the preliminaries were ter Stegman. C.L.O. Address rather less extended, the whole would be City Zone Sfati that much more meaningful. The performance is extremely fine. Richard Cassilly, Miss Young, and Richard RECITALS AND Nome Cross are all immensely skillful not only in their interpretation of the music but MISCELLANY Address also in their projection of its nuances of City Zone Stare character, and Grossman's conducting carries the highest degree of conviction. t CHORALE: Armen- the mon- COSMOPOLITAN Of the two recorded versions, ian Songs Nome ophonic is by far the better. The effects required are lithe, chamberlike, and aerat- Elizabeth Ferraro, soprano; Jacques Ar- Address ed; there is nothing fat or thick about this tinian, tenor; Barkev Lorian, tenor; Mar - C,ty Zone ._. Stole score, and stereophony serves only to de- gareth Douglas, piano; Cosmopolitan 795 stroy its focus. Furthermore, in the stereo- Chorale, Florence Mardirosian, cond.

62. HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com WESTMINSTER XWN 18824. LP. $4.98. The most exciting Although the dozen songs and two operatic excerpts here are highly uneven in quality and interest, they include some record offer ever ! haunting items whose beauty grows clear- er with each rehearing. Seven composers are represented, most of them born in the last quarter of the nineteenth cen- $249 tury. Natives of Armenia or neighboring countries, they went abroad to study LP ( Moscow, Milan, Paris, etc.) and usually LIMITED EDITION died away from home ( four of them in the United States ). For the most part Stops record damage! their music has a conventionally eastern- Classical Stereo Shovrcase" includes: Slavic strand, with mournfully sinuous Do you know all your records contain dust in OPERA melodies curving over drone basses and Renata Tebaldi sings: "Un bel di" (excerpt) from every inch of groove? This uurctouched photo - Madama Butterfly (Puccini) with nineteenth- century harmonies. Some Carlo Bergonzi sings: "Recondita armonia" from of the melodies are said to be folk tunes: micrograph, courtesy of Wireless World Tosca (Puccini) Kirsten Flagstad sings: "Du bist der lenz" (ex- others obviously follow this style. The (London), shows how much is removed by one cerpt) from Die Walküre (Wagner) Also thrilling excerpts from the complete London settings are sometimes elaborate -for use of the ESL Dust Bug. If not removed, these chorus, with or without solos, with or ffss recordings of Wagner's Das Rheingold and particles cause noise (especially on stereo Boito's Mefistofele (to be released soon) without piano accompaniment. If some of ORCHESTRAL and CHAMBER them sound unimaginative, others are ex- records), and also inflict permanent damage Ernest Ansermet conducts: Beethoven's Sym- tremely tasteful. Nazer, for example, is a upon valuable records and styli. phony .5 (excerpt) Georg Solti conducts: La Boutique Fantasque lovely soprano solo by the most recent (Rossi ni -Respi ghi)- Tarantella of the composers, Kourken Alemshah, The ally safe, effective method of cleaning Karl Münchinger conducts: Bach's Brandenburg Concerto 3 (excerpt) who surely must have heard Cantaloube's records is the ESL Dust Bug, acclaimed by more Wilhelm Backhaus plays: Beethoven's Piano Con- settings of the Auvergne songs. The idio- certo 4 (excerpt) than 200,000 delighted users throughout the Vienna Octet plays: Schubert's Octet (excerpt) matic performances have a vital intensity Record concludes with rousing finale of Tchaikov- and passion. R.E. world. It's easy, too - it cleans automatically sky's 1812 Overture with London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Alwyn while the record is being played. Only $5.75 REY DE LA TORRE: "The Romantic complete (record changer model only $4.75. Guitar" FOR LISTENING AT ITS BEST áitIYDOIV RECORDS ffss Granados: Danza española No. 5 (An- A daluza ); La Maje dc Goya. Albéniz: Electro -Sonic full frequency stereophonic sound Torre bermeja (Serenata); Leyenda. Laboratories, Inc. T:írrega: Marietta; Mazurka; Minuetto. Free catalog. Dept. ML, 539 West 25th Street, N. Y. Rodrigo: Zarabanda lejana. Falla: Dept H 35 -54 36thStLong Island City 6,NY homenaje a Debussy. Gran: Corranda. wIMECIMI Rey de la Torre, guitar. everybody likes to EPIC LC 3564. LP. $4.98. How can two 1/ The thrice- familiar names of composers cm clew C1141011 on Mr. De la Torre's latest disc do not stereo speakers necessarily mean hackneyed material, al- . though surely every recording guitarist has come up with Albéniz's Leyenda. cost so little? There is novelty here, with the Rodrigo and Falla works adding dimension to the characteristic styles of Granados, AI- /40* béniz, and T:írrega. The performer plays with free rhythms as he carefully lays out the lines and textures of the music. R.E. 00)". )(Ni4r FREDERICK FENNELL: "Winds in Hi- RENE 81001 AND HIS BIG LATIN BAND Fi" 700 Series Mark III Mod,. in England Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy. Rogers: r

AUGUST 1959 ß:3

www.americanradiohistory.com ments in the first and third of the Rogers na: Mille Kedron's brook. Judas Mac - Dances can be reveled in just for the cabaeus: How vain is man; Sound an sheer fidelity of sound. alarm! Semele: Where'er you walk. Percy Crainger's suite of Lincolnshire Richard Lewis, tenor; London Symphony folk songs and Darius \lilhaud's suite of Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent, cond. French folk songs, the latter written dur- EMI-CAPITOL C 7170 LP. $4.98. war for American high- school ing the last E \II- CAPITOL SG 7170. SD. bands, are most attractive; so is Richard $5.98. Strauss's early, placid Serenade. Except for the final Dance with Swords, Bernard The ringing, heroic style of tenor trum- Rogers' Japanese Dances take a somewhat peting which Handel frequently de- Occidental view of Nipponese music. mands is more easily imagined than pro- There are times when the Eastman duced. At times Richard Lewis comes Symphonic Wind Ensemble sounds like close to it, but he falls short when the a concert band, but they are few and far line becomes too florid. Wisely, however, between. Mostly, it sounds like a highly he makes no effort to give these arias all polished, refined wind section of a sym- the eighteenth -century ornamentations. phony orchestra. There is, in fact, prob- The result is an attractive all , con- rTA1\IUS ably no concert band that could touch trasting Handel's lyric, dramatic, and it for tone quality or finesse. P.A. thundering styles, and -in stereo- offering NEW STEREO RELEASES! a forceful sound image of the singer HENRI LEGAY: French Opera Arias hacked by large instrumental forces. "Pick A Bale 01 Cotton" F;T 2012 ('the orchestra makes a somewhat less Gounod: Faust: Salut demeure! Delibes: striking effect in the monophonic edi- BROWNIE McGHEE Lakmé: Fantaisies aux divins monsonges; tion. ) and Ah, viens dans la forêt profonde! Bizet: Lewis' approach to the grand manner SONNY TERRY Les Pêcheurs de Perles: Au fond du tem- a harmonica -guitar- vocals concert of work is only an approximation, but John Mc-

. -ngs, blues folk sonos ple saint (with Michel Dens, baritone); und spirituals. Colluun is the only tenor 1 have heard who Je crois entendre encore. Massenet: might better him in these works. R.C.M. AND Wertlrer: O Nature! Bizet: La Jolie Fille "Music In Motion -Vol. 3" FST 2008 de Perth: Serenade. Lalo: Le Roi al'Y.s: NATHAN MILSTEIN: Sonatas for Violin LENNY HERMAN and the mightiest Vainement ma bien aimée. Thomas: httle band in the land! Mignon: Elle ne croyait pas; Adieu, Mi- Tartini: Sonata in G minor ( "Devil's ' also available monaurally! gnon, courage. Rahaucl: .1ldrouf: La Trill "). Vivaldi: Sonata in A, Op. 2, No. Caravane; Il est des Musulmans. 2. Corelli: La Folia, Op. 5, No. 12. Ge- miniani: Sonata in A, Op. 4, No. 10. 1 Henri Legay, tenor; Orchestre de l'Opéra TS;159 Broad St. de Paris; Pierre Dervaux and André Nathan Milstein, violin; Leon Pommers, cTAN T ewark 2. Ni. s Cluytens, concis. piano. ANGEL 35673. LP. $4.98. CAPlrol. P 8481. LP. $4.98. CAPITOL SP 8481. SD. $5.98. .e ,e toM n , toioä:éeëeef.°.°iiGe Henri Legay is a typical French lyric ó1i : e.`e.., -taFdeOde:o tenor, and quite a good one. His attrac- Noble fiddling here. \iilstein's generally öe V. .frQe °.e^.se9 ti tive voice fares best in moments of ro- sober but sensitive style of playing seems mantic intimate appeal, but it cannot ex- to be especially suited to the long -spun lines of these fine baroque sonatas. He 2 CIRENT IXSíAIIMENfüS- pand to climactic vol without coars- ening and forcing the tone to unsteadi- uses Kreisler's edition of the Tartini and ness. Not another Clément, Muratore, or nineteenth -century editions of the Vivaldi Thill, Legay has nevertheless become one and Corelli but has shorn off some of the WEST SIDE STORY of the busiest of Paris' current tenors, editorial excrescences. The Geminiani, singing at both the national theatres. His edited by \lilstein himself, has a slow popularity is due to a facile voice em- movement that is charming in its open PORGY AND BESS melodiousness. N.B. V r - e ,,°r°t.- V N'_ -''7rI. ployed with generally good style, excellent diction, and an elegant and sophis- RCA VICTOR ticated bearing. In the theatre his voice MARGARETHE SIEMS: Operatic Re- sounds small and lacking in virility, but it citai Gershwcrr's makes the most of opportunities for vocal Arias from Les Huguenots, Dinorah, Die PORGY charm, as in the dulcet air from Bizet's lustigen 11'eiber von Windsor, Der Rosen - AND Les Pécheurs de perles. kavalier, Figaro, La Fille du Régiment, BESS The catalogue stood in need of up -to- Mignon, Il Trovatore, Aida. ROBERT date recordings of this music. Besicles the usual from Faust, Mignon, \largarethe Sieurs, soprano; piano; orches- R USSELL pages Lakmé, BENNETT and Le Roi d'Ys, M. Legay includes such tra. rarely heard arias as the charming sere- Rococo P 20. LP. $5.95. BERNSTEIN nade from Bizet's La Jolie Fille de Perth, DANCE MUSIC Hardly known even by reputation in from and two exotic passages from Henri Rabaud's brilliantly orchestrated Meirouf. America, \largarethe Siems, an exemplar WEST The quality of sound accorded voice and of the vanished category of singer known as was a leading SIDE instruments is topnotch throughout. Der - "dramatic coloratura," vaux and Cluytens conduct with finesse. lady of the Berlin and Dresden compan- STORY Texts and translations will aid the listener ies in the first three decades of the century. She originated several of the great Stunning orchestral interpretations in his enjoyment of a characteristically Gallic disc. MAX DE SCHAUENSEE Strauss roles ( the \larschallin, Chrysothe- by Robert Russell Bennett of two out- mis, Zerbinetta), and distinguished her- standing stage works. Fabulous self as a voice teacher and coach. The sound in either the Living Stereo or RICHARD LEWIS: Handel Arias present collection of eleven selections regular Long Play version. Acis and Galatea: Would you gain the dubbed from 78s, including three Pattés, When ordering Stereo, say... tender creature? Alexander's Feast: War, serves to display what must have been RCATICTf)R he sung, is toil and trouble. Jephtha: one of the phenomenal voices of the e For ever blessed; Waft her, angels. Josh- early 1900s. Her sustained trill, which she

61 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com swells or diminishes at will, is fully the equal of Kurz s; her capacity for staccato coloratura effects at any pitch or dynamic is astounding; and the accuracy of her execution in the most demanding pas- Send $1 sages of roulade is unequaled in my experience. Yet this is but half the story, for she can bring to Leonora or Aida the dark hues and the round- bodied tone for three specimen quality required by the music, without resort to artificialities of any kind. Her range appears to have extended over copies of nearly three octaves without hint of a break, and she seems to have been in full command of every note within the compass. From the standpoint of sheer aural pleasure, this record naturally has little to OPERA recommend it. Volume levels vary considerably, as do noise levels. The Path.' oU CAN READ all about Grand Opera and its performance all over are generally the worst, but most of the magazine others are decent. Pitch discrepancies are I the world in Britain's only devoted entirely to this present, as the jacket notes candidly ad- subject. mit, but are surprisingly infrequent and OPERA, founded by the Earl of Harewood, brings you each month unimportant. Notwithstanding these con- vivid articles by leading British and Continental authorities illus- ditions, and the use of German in the trated by fine photographs. Italian and French selections, no lover of As you read through each of the copies and study the inter- good vocalism can afford to pass this disc esting special features, you will want to have it sent to you every by. And for those who, like myself, are month. sentimentally affected by "historic" rec- But first mail the coupon below with your $1 bill or check. ords, here is the original Marschallin, setting forth her Monologue and the Final CLIP COUPON AND MAIL WITH $1 BILL OR CHECK Trio, with the aid of the first Sophie and To OPERA, Rolls House Publishing Co. Pd , Ro!Is House, Breams Buildings, London, E.C. 4. England Octavian. The sound is dim, as befits such I enclose Si. Please send me three different specimen copies of OPERA. a memento, but is clear enough to brine NAME us the beautifully spaced entries of th three voices and the exquisite blend of ADDRESS timbres that follows. This band is priceless. C.L.( f

RITA STREICH: "The Art of Colora- tura" ON Johann Strauss, II: Voices of Spring; EXCT.ITSIVELY Tales from the Vienna Woods; Die Fle- dermaus: Mein Herr Marquis; Spiel ich die Unschuld. Saint -Saëns: Parisatis: Le EL Rossignol et la rose. Verdi: Lo Spazzaca- mino. Godard: Jocelyn: Berceuse. Arditi: Parla Waltz. Suppé: Boccaccio: Hab ich nur deine Liebe. Dvoïák: Rusalka: O Lovely Moon. Meyerbecr: Dinorah: Om- bra leggiera (Shadow Song). Rita Streich, soprano; Berlin Radio Sym- I phony Orchestra, Kurt Cache!, cond. t 1, DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON DCM 12005. LP. $4.98. DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON DCS 712004. SD. $5.98.

This wide- ranging collection, sung always prettily by Rita Streich, the steadiest and most secure German coloratura since Erna Berger was young, turns out to be rather a mixed delicatessen. The lyric lady is sent over an obstacle course that ranges from Pons -Korjus caramel corn to such substantial effusions as the Dvoïák, Suppé, Saint-Saëns, an Godard arias. Record buyers need not concern themselves here ALLAS with the plainly modest Miss size of "Sung with a musical and dramatic life Mat one encounters too seldom... Stereo Streich's voice as heard from opera the sound ranks with the best that Angel has achieved" (N.Y. Herald Tribune). stage or the concert platform. Neither, in the monophonic disc, were her engineers "Her dramatic instincts are well-nigh perfect" (Gramophone, Gr. Britain). concerned, for the voice emerges strong- You've never heard LADY MACBETH sung with such spine -chilling intensity ly, in focus, and not objectionably far before! Plus compelling portrayals of other Verdi heroines from ERNANE front of Herr Gaebel and his associates. (Elvira), DON CARLO (Elisabetta di Valois), and NAeucco (Abigaille). In stereo, however, problems of balance, Nicola Rescigno conducts the Philharmonia Orch. Angel Stereo S 35763 direction, and acoustic perspective were (Also monophonic version, omit prefix S)

AUGUST 1959 65

www.americanradiohistory.com come up against without being solved. Salli Terri, mezzo -soprano; Laurindo At- The orchestra works at an undefined but meida, guitar. ... a new feather considerable distance from Miss Streich, CAPITOL P 8482. LP. $4.98. who sings ( in German, French, Italian, CAPITOL SP 8482. SD. $5.98. in our KAPP and Czech ) through both speakers simultaneously and, on the review copy, above A %veil- trained singer and a clever artist, THE GREATEST SLEEPER EVER a quantity of clicks, crackles, and such- Miss Terri apparently has found a wide like surface abrasions. audience for her intimate, unpretentious TO HIT THE MUSICAL STAGE! Of special interest in this schizoid rep- way with a song and for her free- ranging ertoire is the vocalise, a kind of Bell Song choice of repertoire, which is seldom THE ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM without tintinnabulation or a quick -time hackneyed yet makes no demands on the RECULAR cabaletta, from Saint- Saëns's opera Pari- listener other than to put him in a good KOL'1004 satis, composed in 1902 and long ago mood. in her third Capitol disc she, to- laid to rest. Loveliest to live with are the gether with Laurindo Almeida, has also romance from Boccaccio, the Bohemian arranged extremely shrewd instrumental moon song from Rusalka, Verdi's spright- and vocal backgrounds to give variety, ly canzonina about a chimneysweep, and, appropriate color, and added effective- in its original setting, the slumlter song ness to her performances. Songs relating from Jocelyn, orphaned by two genera- to children make up the bulk of the nm- tions of violin virtuosos. Adel's arias from torial here, and Miss Terri is especially Die Fledermaus, on the other hand, are appealing in the many folk tunes and the sung by Miss Streich appreciably better in few "composed" pieces. Both mono- STEREO KO-7004S the complete Angel LP recording. phonic and stereo versions are beautifully ROGER DETTSIER engineered, but in stereo Miss Terri makes particularly good use of the vary- SALLI TERRI and LAURINDO AL- ing sound sources, when, for example, ONCE UPON MEIDA: "Songs of Enchantment" she is representing different animals in The Bird's Courting Song or when she Dvobìk: Songs .1 /y Mother Taught Me. and her colleague alternate in the four Danzig: Scarlet Ribbons. Humperdinck: rounds. R.E. A MATTRESS Hansel und Gretel: Prayer. Brahms: Lul- laby. Mussorgsky: The Nursery: Evening IN REGULAR & FULL- THEATER STEREO Prayer. Traditional: The Riddle Song; JENNIE TOUREL: "A French -Italian FREE: Send for our lates_ lull color record catalog Auprès de ma Blonde; The Bird's Court- Program" Kapp Records, Inc., 136 East 57th St., New York 22 ing Song; Mister Froggie 1Vc'nt A -Court- Rossini: La Regata Veneziana: Acanti la in'; Four Rounds; Fiddle -De -Dec; The regata; Co passa la regela; Dopo la re- Fox; Cancion de Cuna; All Through the gata. Gluck: O del fnio dolce ardor. Vi- Night. KAPP' valdi: ('n certo non .su che. Stradella: Per pieta. Bizet: Adieux de l'Ildtesse Arabe. Liszt: Oh! Quand ¡e dors. Ravel: 11'irnlette; Kaddisch. Poulenc: t'iuhm. THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL Now Available Berlioz: L'absence. SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Jennie Tourd, mezzo- soprano; Paul Ula- 1958 nowsky, piano. PLAYS ROBERT RJSSELL BENNETT'S DECCA DL 10013. LP. $4.98. SYMPHONIC PICTURE OF High Fidelity PORGY & BESS It is with regret that I have to say of this RECORD REVIEW recording that I can summon only sympathy for Jennie Tourers intentions and INDEX respect for her ability to make an effect with very little aid from her now frayed A complete index to all classical, voice. To be sure, her intelligence and semiclassical, la», and spoken temperament are still in evidence, but word record reviews which ap- these attributes cannot carry the day in peared in H1611 Finmt.!TY Ma ga- such a program as this. On the evidence zine in 1958. here, the separation Of registers in her voice is lur acute condition; the tone Arranged alphabetically by com- sounds stiff and driven much of the time, poser or by collection- title, with with tut reserve behind it, and the forma- the issue and page on which you tion of vowels in the lower part of her teil! find the review you wish. voice is flat and ugly. ONLY 50¢ EACH The Italian side of the record is musically solid. The listener is, however, con- 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957 Indexes stantly aware of the effort with which Miss al ro available at 50¢ per copy. Tourel negotiates the charming Rossini AMERICA'S FAVORITE orchestra inter- songs, and the uric antiche find her lack- prets Bennett's brilliant arrangement HIGH FIDELITY Magazine ing the flowing, Italianate warmth re- of seven greatest melodies plus atmos- Great Barrington, Mass. quired. I am a bit dumfounded by the pheric theme music from George Enclosed find Please send me programing on the French side, for there Gershwin's masterpiece. copies of the 1954 Index is not a significant piece of music pre- copies of the 1955 Index sented. The surfaces on the review copy copies of the 1956 Index BONUS! MORTON GOULD'S rhythmic, are not entirely free of noise, and preëcho copies of the 1957 Index is present at several points. Ulanowsky's exotic Latin -American Symphonette. copies of the 1958 Index excellent work as accompanist is one Name of the few redeeming qualities of the Quite an album .' Address disc. C.L.O. SP 8474 (stereo)

orP8471 No C.O.D.s or charge orders please Reviews continued on page 69

66 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com from III1ntosh... PERFECTION in Stereo Control

MODE SELECTO. PHASE NI CUTOFF ENIEE AURAL COW I INC 7 {Illp M IT

NV M MONT

CE MOVE SELKTOs RCOED COMEINSAI0E BASS 'MILE MONO1 Mus Mkt 7 M 400 MAA -10 -17 0 0 TIINIII 7 MONO ] V -3 MAA 4 ® ® 4, ON .. C,.YI(. I.LACE 1 M 0 TAI! LP i1 [E,L Cr

T AR ` TAR ND AW ":TOR AIM

Industrial design by George H. Kress Associates. $225 less cabinet

Simplicity, flexibility, and beauty have been integrated by careful engineering and design in the McIntosh C -20 Stereo Compensator. The greatest listen-

ing pleasure in stereo or monophonic reproduction is assured as a result

of over a year of careful and diligent research in the requirements of a new preamplifier designed for stereo. Full stereo flexibility has been provided plus built in protection for your investment in monophonic records. McIntosh has

designed in the C -20 Stereo Compensator the necessary features required to give the finest monophonic reproduction the keenest listener may require.

Complete satisfaction is yours in monophonic and stereophonic with the McIntosh C -20 Stereo Compensator. I[[ln#osh ... de

www.americanradiohistory.com FACILITIES SPECIFICATIONS Mode Selector: 6 positions including Stereo, Stereo Power Requirements:. 117 VAC; 35 watts Reverse, Left channel on left speaker only, Right channel on right speaker Input Sensitivity Auxiliary, Tape, and 2 Tuner 0.25 V only. Left channel on both speakers, and Impedance: at 470K or Right channel on both speakers. 2 Phono, Low: 2.5 MV at 47K Monophonic: Internally parallels and decouples a High: 12.5 MV at 47K stereo phono cartridge to offer best XTai: 0.1 V, very high quality reproduction from mono- 2 Tape Head, Low: 1.25 MV at 47K phonic records. High: 6.25 MV at 270K Tape Monitor: 0.25 V at 130K Tone Controls: Treble: boost 13 db at 20 KC attenuate 18 db at 20 KC Frequency Response: ±0.5 db 20 to 20,000 cycles Bass: boost 16 db at 20 cycles attenuate 20 db at 20 cycles Distortion: Less than 0.2% at rated output, 20 Trim Controls: Separate channel back panel con- to 20,000 cycles re- trols to balance the frequency Hum and Noise: High level inputs: 85 db below rated sponse of the system independent of output front panel controls. Low level inputs: less than 2 micro- Equalization: Separate bass and treble 6 position volts at input terminals ( -115 dbm) switches, including NAB tape and flat for any low level flat source. Outputs: Main: 2.5 V with rated input Aural Compensator: Fletcher -Munsen compensation, con- Tape: 0.25 V with rated input tinuously variable. Gain: Low level inputs: 1000 -1 Main Out- Rumble Filter: Rolloff to reject low frequency dis- put turbances such as rumble. Low level inputs: 100 -1 Tape Out- High Frequency Two positions, 9 KC and 5 KC to put Cutoff: suppress hiss and noise. High level inputs: 10 -1 Main Out- Phase: 180° phase reversal to phase speak- put ers or source material. High level inputs: 1 -1 Tape Out- Balance: Attenuates alternate sides of center put 40 db each channel to balance for unequal source material. A.C. Aux. Outlets: 1 unswitched for tape machine or Tape: Front panel jacks, push button turntable and 3 switched use of controlled, to permit the a Size: Chassis: 14 %q inches wide; 41/4 inches portable tape recorder without dis- high; 12 inches deep rupting permanently installed equip- Front panel: 143/4 inches wide; 41/4 ment. inches high l'ape Monitor: To permit instantaneous monitoring of tape while recording. Weight: 17 pounds

., ,o-PIN. Cc.nws11011 Al..I COPrwI1AI011 n - I

MI6 IaI Ms IK INC -C I-C O-C 1

laa MO INC INC -C mot 1-C

1114I COMICMC

MAICIS Rm

IN -MY

1 l M IM a. CC INC INC 1 -C MCC w loo SN

LABORATORY INC., 4 Chambers St., Binghamton, N. Y. Ml oto h IN CANADA MANUFACTURED BY McCURDY RADIO INDUSTRIES, LTD . 22 FRONT STREET WEST, TORONTO www.americanradiohistory.com orld of t intertaì n men -

"The Wilderness Road and Jimmie Drift- which the stage movement sounds highly ' wood." Jimmie Driftwood. RCA Victor contrived and unnatural. Here at Home LPM 1994, $3.98 (LP) ; RCA Victor LSP 1994, $5.98 (SD). "Elton Britt, The Wandering Cowboy." Because genuine folk singers seldom have Elton Britt; Zeke Manner's Band. ABC - way on to Paramount ABC 293, $3.98 (LP). "Porgy and Bess." Recording from the the good fortune to find their a of A most ingratiating record of its kind, sound track of the film. Columbia OL a major label, Victor deserves word Driftwood to expert engineering and a well - 5410, $4.98 (LP). thanks for this new Jimmie thanks his first sung program of cowboy ballads and is no longer any secret that when disc. It is, if anything, better than It Elton Britt, perhaps best members of the cast of the film record for the company (RCA Victor country songs. several for his recording of Chime of Porgy and Bess were thought LP \i 1635), being as lively and amusing remembered version on this disc ), is a handle the Gershwin music, a collection of Americana as can be found Bells ( newly recorded unable to Western singer whose tones Hollywood resorted to the most extensive anywhere. Drift voocl, an itinerant trouba- warm- voiced easier on the ears than use of voice- dubbing technique in its dour, has collected these songs from some are a good deal in that field. history. Thus, only Pearl Bailey as Maria of the remoter areas of the country, and those of most practitioners from the Streets of and Sammy Davis, Jr., as Sporting Life that he is in love with them is most evi- His wanderings range River Valley and were permitted both to act and to sing dent from the sincerity of his perform- Laredo to the Red old he has injected two or their roles. Miss Bailey (by permission of ance. He sings the rollicking ballads along the way \Ir. Britt is a con- Roulette Records) is allowed to perform with much gusto, but he can also beguile three yodeling numbers. less rousing songs in his program. siderable yodeler, either solo or, thanks to on this record; Mr. Davis ( under con- in the in duets with himself. tract to a less coöperative company) is The stereo sound is wonderful, but per- multiple taping, absent, and his numbers are sung by Cal> haps not completely appropriate for such Calloway. For the singing role of Porgy, an intimate recital. If only for that rea- The Many Sides of Sandy Paton." Sandy played in the movie by Sidney Poitier, son, I prefer the monophonic version. Paton; guitar accompaniment. Elcktra the Metropolitan baritone Robert McFer- EKL 148, $4.98 (LP). of rin has been pressed into service, with "Once Upon a Mattress." Original Cast For a singer newly come to the field Adele Addison singing the music for Bess, Recording. Kapp KDL 70(4, $4.98 folk music, Sandy Paton shows a consid- with played in the movie by Dorothy Dan- (LP); Kapp KD 7004 S, $5.98 (SD). erable command of the medium and dridge. There are other substitutions too If the faintly suggestive title of this musi- a few more years experience should surely has a in this somewhat complicated puzzle, but cal conjures up visions of erotic esca- be in the van of folk singers. He robust tenor voice, used with they are of less importance. Vocally. both pades, you will be as surprised as I was pleasant, leads give excellent performances. though to discover that it is actually an adapta- taste and imagination in an interesting program of British and Anglo- American I think the honors go to McFerrin, s% hose tion of that old fairy tale The Princess are new to vibrant baritone voice is tvtll suited to and the Pea. It turns out to be a gay. pieces. A number of these the earthier aspects of Porgy's character. fresh, amusing show, full of expert per- records, and the singer is to be compli- hack - Miss Addison is in wonderful voice, but formances by some talented people, and mented for side- stepping the more repertoire. In her cool, limpid tones seem to stake Bess blessed with a charming and tuneful neyed numbers in the folk songs (if too aloof and refined. Miss Bailey is her score by Mary Rodgers -who seems to the collection of polite bawdy usual reliable self, though the one brief have inherited something of her famous the antithesis can be made I, tender love song allotted her affords her a very lim- father's talent. She has written a bevy of song., and dramatic ballads, \Ir. Paton ited opportunity to shine. Cab Calloway highly attrattis song. and though they seldom puts a foot wrong. Many of these singer is un- plays and sings Sporting Life with un- may not be hlocklaisters. they have the songs are Scottish, and the dif- necessary flamboyancy, almost succeed- sort of charm anti lilt that distinguished usually successful in simulating the the lyrics ing in turning it into a caricature. in the so many of Jerome Iseru's early somu. ficult accent and still keeping lesser singing roles, Loulie Jean Norman Then, too. the delicacy and refinement intelligible. Does he accompany himself are not explicit as Clara sings Summertime with real dis- of her music is a refreshing contrast to on the guitar? The notes tinction, and Inez Matthews sings Se- the raucous blow- them -out-of- the -theatre on the subject; but, if so, the singer is an rena's lament, illy Min's (:one Now, with style common today. accomplished instrumentalist too. remarkable poignancy. And heaven be praised, here's a musi- The guiding hand behind this musical cal with men who can sing. I soulln't "Gypsy." Original Cast Recording. Or- enterprise belongs to Andrí Previn, who suggest that the \ are all in the Ezio l'iuza chestra, Milton Rosenstock, cond. Co- supervised and conducted the music. His or even Dennis King class, but at least lumbia OL 5420, $4.98 (LP). musical emendations do not in any way they don't talk their way through songs. The (arson's Broadway musical scene was change the spirit or intent of the com- On the distaff side, Carol Burnett uici s at last brightened for us in the late spring poser's music, and the production is a a lively account of herself in two or three by the arrival of Gypsy, a big, rowdy most skillful accomplishment all round. .ones, but she is closely challenged for musical starring Ethel \ierutan. To cele- To compress the ten- or twelve- channel top honors, at least on this recording, by brate the return of America's undisputed recording into the one-channel mono- the adroit and very amusing work of Jane queen of musical comedy, Jude Styne rose phonic disc ( I've not heard the stereo) White. i have found that most musicals to the occasion with one of his better must have posed a considerable problem, benefit considerably from stereo, but this scores. It may be a trifle short on melody, and one not very well solved, I fear. At seems to be an exception. The mono- but it sloes contain a sheaf of fine num- normal listening level, the sound seems phonic version has excellent sound and bers which brilliantly suggest the blowzy constricted and poorly outlined. is far less distracting than the stereo, in atmosphere of second -rate, tank -town

AUGUST 1959 69

www.americanradiohistory.com vaudeville houses in the early Twenties. ( The dynamics are not always very clean, Naturally, most of the musical plums fall but I suppose that would be asking too to Miss Merman, and just as naturally, much of these ancient rolls.) Less suc- she gives them the full treatment. If you cessful, at least as far as sound is con- imagine that thirty years of singing to the cerned, are the short interludes: one, a last row in the balcony has impaired Miss rehearsal with those two delightful zanies, Merman's vocal equipment, this recording Clark and McCullough of Gershwin's will very quickly set you straight. She is as 1930 musical Strike Up the Band; the lusty of voice today as she was back in other, Gershwin's performance of a brief 1930, possibly even more so. Perhaps Mr. excerpt of his variations on I Got Rhythm. Styne has patterned some numbers af- Originally recorded on optical film, these ter songs Miss Merman scored with in the were transferred to magnetic tape. In past. Some People suggests There's No Merman and cohorts give all to Gypsy. each case, the resultant sound is thin and Business Like Slime Business, for instance; on the tinny side. Minor drawbacks, how- but since this type of song is Miss Mer- can do justice to his music. Richard Hayes, ever, in a real historical document. man's forte, I can't quibble about the a onetime pop singer turned leading formula's being repeated. man, is excellent in almost everything "The Philadelphia Orchestra Plays Victor Working in the shadow of Miss Mer- that conies his way. His female vis- à -vis, Herbert." Philadelphia Orchestra, Eu- man is no easy job, but Sandra Church Tani Seitz, has been on Broadway -and gene Ormandy, cond. Columbia ML is quite appealing in Little Lamb, and should quickly find her way back there, 5376, $4.98 (LP). Paul Wallace fine in a vaudeville routine if Broadway producers are alert. This is a While the operettas of Victor Herbert still song, All I Need Is de a Girl. The pièce lady of considerable talent, one who can continue to flourish mightily, the hulk of résistance of the entire score, or so it sing with charm, piquancy, and fire. In a his light orchestral music, much of it the seems to me, is hilarious trio for the three Kurt Weill -like song, The Ballad of the best of its kind ever written by an Ameri- blasé You a ecdysiasts, Gotta Have Gim- Sad Young Man, she is superb. Del Close can composer, has been grievously slight- mick, a burlesque that marvelously con- brings an Ernie Kovacs touch ( or perhaps ed. It is most encouraging to find the jures up the strip- teaser's art. fact, (In Ray Bourbon ) to !low Do You Like Your Philadelphians honoring him, in his cen- you can almost visualize the audience.) Love, and it's a very funny number. tenary year, with such glowing perform- I confess Miss to finding Merman's final The record is wade doubly attractive by ances of three of his fine orchestral suites. number, Rosie's Return, maudlin, even the bright, incisive Columbia sound. I They are all flashy, perhaps even jingois- embarrassing, on the record, however ef- haven't heard the stereo version, but I tic in character, and Ormandy whips fective in the theatre; but this is so defi- can't imagine it's being more effective or them up in a manner that would have de- nitely Miss ,Merman's show, I suppose she giving a better idea of a small- auditorium lighted the composer. Pan Americana is a is entitled to the last word. sound. perfect example of what Herbert could produce in the way of pseudonationalis- Sym- "Gilbert and Sullivan Overtures." tic music. in this case a mixture of Ameri- phony Orchestra, Alan Ward, cond. "George Gershwin at the Piano." Fox 3013, $3.98 (LP). can- Indian, Cuban, and ragtime. His RCA Victor LM 2302, $4.98 (LP); Irish Rhapsody, a skillful assemblage of - LSC 2302, $5.98 (SD). That Gershwin was the pianist par excel- i_ lence for his own music is a legend per- jolly Hibernian tunes very artfully ar- These are absolutely irresistible perform- ranged, is Herbert's tribute to the land of ances of Sullivan overtures six of the petuated by those who heard him play to his birth, just as American Fantasy is a better known Savoy operas. Alan Ward's and by many who did not, even though there has been little recorded evidence to suite honoring the land of his adoption. light, fresh treatment of the scores con- The selections from Naughty Marietta tributes much, and the refinement and substantiate the conviction. Gershwin was apparently as reluctant to make rec- and The Fortune Teller contain some of vitality of the unnamed orchestra's play- Herbert's most enduring melodies. ing seem to indicate a group accus- ords as he was delighted to sit down and play for his friends. There were, it's true, What tunes this man could write, and tomed to working together for some how profligate he was with them in all time. There may have been some unob- the English Columbias made around 1925 -some of them reissued here on his scores! The Broadway stage could trusive touching up of the original Sulli- surely use his like today. van orchestration, a not unusual practice, Heritage H 0073, with slightly improved but it is certainly not annoying. The mono- sound -that suggested the tremendous phonic version offers a rich and most satis- rhythmic drive of his playing; and there "Dancing in High Society." Ben Ludlow fying sound, but it is the stereo that is was also a twelve -inch Columbia on which and His Orchestra. Vanguard VRS the eye opener. It is remarkable for its Gershwin played the Andante from the 9044, $4.98 (LP); Vanguard VSD wide and ample spread, its really excel- Rhapsody in Blue, plus the Preludes Nos. 2023, $5.98 (SD). lent balance, but above all for the im- 1, 2, and 3. I believe this was originally Two novelties creep into this otherwise pressive clarity of its inner instrumental recorded in 1929, and has now complete- standard collection of tunes from the detail. ly vanished from sight. But, although usual repertoire of society Glance orches- Gershwin slighted the recording studios, tras -one a samba, El Silbador, written by The Nervous Set." Original Cast Record- he was not averse to making piano rolls; the orchestra's leader, the other an ex- ing. Tommy Wolf Jazz Quartet. Co- and it is from this source that the present tended Richard Rodgers item, Waltz for lumbia OL 5430, $4.98 (LP). amazing performances spring. Four of the a Ball. I'm afraid the latter is hardly one The Nervous Set, a sharp lampoon on the songs, none by Gershwin, date from of Rodgers' major inspirations. On the lives and loves of a group of Greenwich 1920; That Certain Feeling and the whole this is a lively program by a band Village beatniks, slipped in and out of the Rhapsody in Blue, in its original piano that produces a bigger sound than is cus- New York scene before anyone was able form, are from rolls cut in 1925. The tomary for this sort of occasion and that to say Jack Kerouac. The show vanished - Rhapsody is given a breath- taking per- has more interesting arrangements, par- to St. Louis, where, I understand, it has formance, full of energy and brilliance ticularly when they're designed to show been acclaimed. I'd like to think so, if and with an intense rhythmic impulse that off the brass section, than most of its com- only because I happen to find it a crisp, seems to capture the hectic spirit of the petitors. The quieter numbers featuring fast -moving, and generally amusing pro- Twenties perfectly. Gershwin's tempos strings do not strike me as being half as duction. It has a fine, not too far -out, jazz - are a good deal faster than what one is successful. Both versions offer excellent oriented score by Tonuny Wolf, a man accustomed to these days, but this does sound, but the stereo has a cavernous who writes a better- than -average ballad not prevent him from producing some quality that makes it less agreeable, to my or a sprightly up- tempo tune with as spectacular bravura playing, especially in ears, than the monophonic disc. much ease as he concocts a lively con- the finale. certed number. Then, as leader of the By some remarkable feat of engineer- "Songs I Remember You By." Dolph jazz quartet used in this recording, be di- ing alchemy, the usually dull, soggy - Traymon Group. Jubilee SDJLP 1102, rects an exciting exposition of the score. sounding piano rolls have been processed $5.98 (SD ). Fortunately too, Wolf has a cast who to produce an acceptable piano sound. Twenty -seven instrumentals, nearly all of

70 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com them standard fare at most cocktail loung- and Francesca. Elektra 164, $4.98 The zarzuela is an intensely Spanish form es, played by a trio that occasionally L - (LP). of musical comedy that, although it usu- gives the impression of being a quartet. Superficially, Cene and Francesca seem ally draws heavily upon folk material, The pianist, it seems, plays both a regular to rely upon a disarmingly simple ap- has classical pretensions. Indeed, the best piano and an electric piano, though of proach to this fine selection of folk bal- zarzuelas can stand comparison with many course not concurrently. Good stereo lads in a variety of languages. In fact, an oft -performed opera. Melody- glitter- sound and unaffected, but never dull they subtly preserve the emotional cachet ing, stirring, memorable -is the zarzuela's playing by the group are the main fea- of each song: Jeune Fillette presents in- forte. On this well -recorded disc Maestro tures of an attractive record of just -for- tact the light mockery of the French atti- Torroba has excerpted suites from six of listening music. tude towards chastity; Tormentos projects the most famous of these musical plays, JOHN F. INOCOx all the stately sadness of an Ecuadorian including La Revoltosa, La Verbena de lament. Happily, when the duo is no la Paloma, and the conductor's own match for a dialect -as in the Scottish Luisa Fernanda. If you don't know Come Under My Plaidie -they have the zarzuelas, this disc will give you a happy good sense to sing it straight. An ingrati- introduction; if you do know them, you Foreign Flavor ating performance framed in brilliant will appreciate ABC -Paramount's release L sound. all the more.

"Chansons de Paris." Claude Goaty; Ger- "April in Portugal." Bert Kampfert and "The Drums of Africa." Prince Onago and Calvi and His Orchestra. Decca DL His Orchestra. Decca DL 8881, $3.98 and Princess Molina; native drummers 78881, 8849, $3.98 (LP) . (LP); DL $5.98 (SD). of the Belgian Congo. 20th -Century A superb recital by soprano Claude Most of these catchy melodies from and Fox 3000, $3.98 (LP). Goaty, who can raise echoes of Lucienne about Portugal will be unfamiliar to the Taken purely in rhythmic terms, these Boyer and Edith Piaf and at the same casual listener, but there is not a second - percussion patterns from Africa's Ruanda time remain wholly original. The Goaty rater among them. If you like April in Urundi possess a kind of feral magnetism. style is at once clean -cut and full -bodied; Portugal ( there's a version of it included While someone has embroidered reality there is sincerity and a singular sharpness on this disc ), you will also like Tudo lsto by running in a "Congo Princess" to war- Qf emotional focus; and there is the ever - E Fado, Por Deus Te Peco, and the ble suspiciously Europeanized love bal- present undertone of incipient disillusion French Les Lavandières du Portugal. lads, the over -all impression of authen- that is almost a trade -mark of Parisian Bert Kampfert and his German musicians ticity -and the exciting recorded sound chanteuses. Calvi's orchestral accompani- portray the Portuguese idiom with sur- -make this an attractive offbeat item. ments are blatantly overripe, but Mlle. prising fluency. As between the two hand- Anyone interested in the way things Goaty's is a formidable talent that con- somely recorded editions, the stereo wins really are among the Watusi drummers, quers all -even the lamentable lack of the nod: in its fullness both of breadth however, would do well to hunt down texts and translations. and depth, the crisply delineated sound r London's long -discontinued 10 -inch disc, equals anything presently on vinylite. Congo Drums (SB 828). "Mi Bella Dama." Manolo Fabregas, "Songs and a Wonderful Story." Obern- Cristina Rojas, and others; Orchestra, "Polish Picnic." Big Ben Boden kirchen Children's Choir, Edith Moel- and His Mario Ruiz Amoengol, cond. Columbia Polka Band. Coral CRL 57246, $3.98 ler, cond. Angel 35684, $4.98 (LP) . WL 155, $4.98 (LP); WS 305, $5.98 (LP ); CRL 757246, $5.98 (SD ). The choral effects elicited by Miss Moel- (SD). "Polish Dance Melodies." Ted Maksymo- ler are sheer loveliness, and the voices of These Spanish versions of the songs from wicz and His Orchestra. ABC -Para- her young charges are as fresh as dew on My Fair Lady are more than just a mount ABC 289, $3.98 (LP). a summer's morn. The program ranges shadow of the originals. Adapters Mal- Big Ben Boden and his thoroughly Amer- from Béla Bartók to Russian foil: songs: donado and De Llano have given the icanized Poles bound through a program two selections are sung in English- Tchai- Mexican production of the musical a life a bit too heavily weighted with polkas to kovsky's A Legend, and Deep River. of its own: the framework remains the be representative of Polish popular music. Neither of the latter is wholly successful. same, but the characters flash with Latin The maestro graces his selections with Deep River, in fact, sounds in the Obern- vivacity. The result-at least in the songs vocal refrains -in English -by a chorus kirchen treatment startlingly like an Al- and their interpretations -is a charming boasting all the élan of the Eighth Grade pine air. Side 2 offers a more successful mélange of the familiar and the unex- Glee Club at P.S. 101. Thick and muddy venture in English, a rhymed narration of pected. The cast is uniformly satisfactory sound maculates both stereo and mono- Snow White interspersed with songs that with Manolo Fabregas a bouncy Higgins phonic releases. develop certain aspects of the fairy tale. ( serape style) and Cristina Rojas an ebul- Tootling bravely for ABC -Paramount, Adults as well as children will be be- lient Señorita Eliza Doolittle. stereo The guiled. Ted \iaksymowicz and his men at least edition, cleanly separated and brightly achieve a degree variety The crystalline beauty of performance of in their recorded, edges its monophonic sibling. array of waltzes, obereks, and mazurkas. outweighs the disc's low dynamic level But, not content to leave a and the somewhat distant miking. good thing alone, Maksymowicz tosses in a trio of- "Musette Catch." Robert Trabucco and God save the mark -"Polish tangos "; these His Musette Group. Felsted FL 7504, "Jotas of Spain." Madrid Concert Or- aberrations deliver the coup de grace to $4.98 (LP). chestra, Victorino Echevarria, cond. the proceedings. Maestro Who Trabocco and his Wres- ABC -Paramount ABC 291, $3.98 (LP ). The upshot of this double affray upon tlers Musette ensemble happen to be, I v The jota, a dance that originated in north- the Polish dance is to point up the value do not know -nor does the disgracefully western Spain, is as full of quick sunlight of Vanguard's tinnily recorded but de- unannotated sleeve offer enlightenment as the flamenco of the southeast is of lightfully performed Folk Songs of Po- -but they play French popular music ex- brooding darkness. On this stunningly re- land (VRS 9016 ) featuring the Ma- ceedingly well. A contemporary freshness corded release, Echevarria and the Ma- 'J Lowske Choral Ensemble and Orchestra. informs their repertoire, and Felsted has drid Concert Orchestra do honor both to accorded them superior engineering. In- the raw folkloric jotas of Aragon and "Continental Encores." Mantovani and cidentally, the "Catch" of the title derives Navarra and to the sophisticated, com- His Orchestra. London PS 147, $4.98 from the French word for wrestling, le posed variety that sparkle in the finales catch. The longer and original form of (SD). of popular zarzuelas. A bright, enjoyable Mantovani the word -now rarely encountered, hélas will, of course, undo anyone disc. with an allergy to fiddles. In London's -is a philological delight: le catch-as - catch -can. splendid stereo sound, strings are to left, "Zarzuela." Madrid Concert Orchestra, right, and center. The arrangements of F. Moreno Torroba, cond. ABC-Para- these European favorites (April in Portu- "Love and War between the Sexes." Gene mount ABC 292, $3.98 (LP) . gal, O D1ein Papa, Anema e Core) are

AUGUST 1959 71

www.americanradiohistory.com lush to the point of being overblown. But thcnticity of the flawless EMI "stereo - imagination can be taken seriously only there is no gainsaying the maestro's wide sonic" recording. by naïve listeners, but for sheer sonic appeal, and here is the Mantovani for- opulence even the highly praised LP mula par excellence. %lis fans will love it. "España! "; "Symphonic Dances." Holly- versions are completely eclipsed by the wood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Felix present stereo discs. The comparatively performances may have Werner Millier and His Slatkin, cond. Capitol SP 8357/8369, few straight "East of India." been surpassed interpretatively, but never Orchestra. Decca DL 8880, $3.98 (LP). $5.98 each (Two SD). these typical West Coast war in vivid tonal color and atmosphere. And Showing no mercy to the erstwhile East Although horse first appeared over two if you happen to have a weakness for Asia Co- Prosperity Sphere, Deutsche programs on ( and in some- Amy Voodforde- Finden's Kashmiri Song Grammophon has unleashed Werner years ago LPs thereafter stereo they ") and Rubinstein's Kamen - Müller- Bonn's answer to Mantovani- what abbreviated tailings), (in "Orientale mention for the skill with which noi- Ostrom (in "Russkaya!" ), Dragon's his minions once again on the world's merit and have been and lush arrangements and stereoistic infla- marches. No matter what these the stereo discs edited Eastern More recent Capitol record- tions here will he aural equivalents of Siamese, Filipino, Chinese, and Japanese processed. ings have largely abandoned the some- double banana splits with chocolate and songs were when they went in, they what excessive highlighting and sound- butterscotch sauce. emerge uniformly from the ller hopper gimmicking techniques so obvious here, as musical Sauerbraten. Werner, go home! but it is surprising how effectively their "Strauss Favorites." Grand Vienna Waltz edginess is moderated "The Exciting Latin Rhythms Dance with original sharp Orchestra, Wilhelm Hiibner, cond. loss of brilliance in the present Veloz and Yolanda." Kapp KL 1128, without Lion CL 40010, $1.98 (LP). stereoism is probably even better $3.98 (LP). -which Hübner's orchestra here strikes me as the of Slatkins Veloz and Yolanda, ballroom dancers of a than that the early tapes. general type of wind band augmented by of course remain decidedly ex- decade or two back, have allegedly readings strings that probably played for balls in troverted and slapdash, except for one of chosen this potpourri from the works of Old Vienna -a surmise which lends spe- the steadiest and most straightforward screen composer Nicholas Carras to illus- cial sonic interest to the present boom - Boleros on record, but many of the works trate the sweeping range of South Amer- ily reverberant, high-level recording. His here are clone with uncommon gusto as ican rhythms. The selections do, in fact, performances have more bombast and well as hard -driving energy. cover every bypath of the Latin beat from sentimentality than finesse, lout they are cha -cha to baiao. But Carras' efforts are not lacking in authentic Viennese lilt. merely facile and the charitably un- "Marche!" Hollywood Bowl Symphony And the present distinctively odd tonal named orchestra is, to put it mildly, Orchestra, Alfred Newman, cond. quality, for all its weight and overem- workaday. Capitol 1' 8479, $4.98 (LP). phasis, lends a curious rough charm. Filet score composer Newman proves here to be an assurec! (if extremely heavy - "In Israel Today." Volumes I -IV. Re- Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty: Suite; handed ) conductor and an imaginative Swan Lake: Suite. Virtuoso Symphony corded in the field by Deben Bhat- symphonic-pops program maker. In addi- tacharya. Westminster WF 12026/29, of London, Arthur Winograd, cond. tion to Stars and Stripes Forever, Entry/ Audio Fidelity FCS 50010, $6.95 $4.98 each (Four LP). of the Gladiators, and Procession of the serious as- (SD). Those interested in the more Sardar, etc., he also ranges from such light will find a This example of Audio Fidelity's British pects of traditional music classics as Beethoven's Turkish March, by invasion in its "First Component Series" treasure trove in this set. Supported Berlioz's Rakóczy March, and Schubert's UNESCO, Indian folklorist Bhattacharya is the technical peer of the earlier re- Marche militaire to Prokoficv's march leases: an extremely high -level, wide - explored the incredible kaleidoscope of from The Love for Three Oranges, his musical idioms now clustered in Israel. range (in both frequency and dynamics), own somewhat pretentious Conquest front and stereoistic recording. Yet for all the Sephardic Jews sing medieval Spanish The Captain from Castile, and the zest- ballads; Central Asian Jews reflect the in- kaleidoscopic coloring of the familiar ful Zacarecas March by Codina. Many balanced attractions of rich melodious- fluences of Persia and China; the Cochin of these have been effectively arranged Jews evoke their fonner South India ness and magical atmosphere, Winograd's by Leo Arnaud, and all of them are bril- assured and vigorous performances miss homeland. A handsome booklet annotat- liantly and openly recorded. ing the entire enterprise is packed with much of the necessary melodic seductive- each volume. The sound, unusually fine ness, and the close mikiug and too daz- for field recordings, is faithful and "The Music front 'NI Squad.' " RCA zling spotlighting of instrumental details Polished. Victor LPN( 2062, $3.98 (LP); LSl' destroy much of the atmospheric magic. O. B. BItL'xIxII'.LL 2062, $5.98 (SD). Ultrabrilliant as these versions are, in ar- Arranged by Benny Carter and others for tistic terms they tend to sound gaudy. the NBC -7'V series starring Lee Marvin, this score has both the gusto of first -rate "Viennese Dances, Vol. 2: Waltzes." jazz and the atmospheric excitement of Philharmonia Promenade Orchestra, good dramatic background music. I Henry Krips, cond. Angel S 35665, strongly doubt whether the audio circuits $5.98 (SD). and loudspeakers of any home TV set li/ji music The miracle of Vol. 1 of this series (mis- could do justice to the high -level, strong- leadingly. titled "Vienna Waltzes ") could ly reverberant, and big -sound recording hardly be expected; but short of that, the with which the sound track ( played by present program is no less ideally played Berlioz- Liszt -Respighi Program. Philhar- an anonymous orchestra under Stanley and recorded -with the added enhance- monia Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan, Wilson ) has been transferred to the pres- ments of stereo. And the musical delights cond. Angel S 35613, $5.98 (SD ). ent LP disc, and they certainly couldn't are just as substantial as the technical Few of the many recorded performances even approach the still more atmospher- ones: Krips proves again, as he did ear- of the Roman Carnival Overture, Les ic and expansive stereo version. This isn't lier with Waldteufel, that the Strausses Préludes, and The Pines of Ronne are for tender -eared listeners or reduced-vol- were not the only waltz poets. His re- played as straight and with as much re- ume reproduction, but heard at full blast juvenations of Ivanovici's Donauwellen, straint as Von Karajan's; yet, admirable as it's electrifying indeed. Leh:ír's Gold and Silver, and Lanner's they are, most admirers of the showpieces Die Schiinbrunner will be revelations to themselves are likely to find these ver- "Orientale "; "Russkaya!" Capitol and those who have heard these works before sions disconcertingly sober. What war- Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestras only in routine performances; while the rants their lively recommendation here is respectively, Carmen Dragon, cond. Ziehrer pieces and perhaps above all their sheerly sonic beauty -both in the Capitol SP 8453/8384, $5.98 each Gungl's larking-lilting Amorettentänze, richly colored sonorities of the Philhar- (Two SD). prove to be masterpieces of lyricism, monia Orchestra and the limpid purity, Dragon's summer -concert safaris to an luminosity, and rhythmic vivacity. controlled power, and concert hall au- Orient and Russia that exist largely in the R. D. DARRELL

72 HICH FIDELITY MAGAZLNE

www.americanradiohistory.com rhythm section; on eight he is alone with a rhythm section. Hall's warm, sinuous JAZZ style is brought out extremely well on the pieces with the larger group, but the quartet selections show off a facet of his P64 musical personality which is particularly 1:1 ô Ruby Braff: "Goes 'Girl Crazy'." Warner provocative -his ability to move onto the Bros. W 1273, $3.98 (LP) ; Warner home grounds of the society band with Bros. WS 1273, $4.98 (SD). an unswerving jazz attack. He is, I am SIEREODYNE Braff has enlivened the more familiar se- convinced, the most dance -impelling jazz lections from Girl Crazy with an attrac- soloist playing today-the evidence is on tively imaginative approach (I Got this dise in such pieces as Sleepy Time Rhythm, for instance, is removed from Gal, Night and Day, and It liad To Be PHONO PICKUP its normally frantic groove and done at You. an easy, swinging tempo) and has dug This new, unique pickup is made into the score for some infrequently Milt Jackson: "Bags' Opus." United Art- in Denmark by Bang and Oluf- heard tunes ( Treat Ale Rough is a happy ists 4022, $4.98 (LP); 5022, $4.98 sen. It features a push pull mag- rediscovery). Surrounded by an unusual- (SD). netic principle (patent pending) ly good group ( Hank Jones, Jim Hall, is 't singing, lyrical con- which permits realization of the IThere quality George Duvivier or Bob Haggart, Buzzy - bind with an overriding beat in almost full potentialities of the most Drootin, and Al Cohn, playing both clari- everything Milt Jackson plays, a combina- modern recording techniques. The net and tenor saxophone), Braff has tion which has made Min one of the most special attributes which make the contrived an extremely pleasant program effective jazz interpreters of ballads. Stereodyne an dutstanding stereo closer to superior background music The combination is on display time and pickup make it equally excep- than to attention- demanding jazz. Cohn's again on this disc and under circum- tional for monophonic discs. On tenor is out of place in this group, but stances that are, in some ways, almost any type of record the Stereodyne his clarinet work is very encouraging. ideal. For the ballads he deals with are, offers smooth and natural sound three times out of five, not the ballads of -firm clean bass and sparkling Ray Bryant: "Alone with the Blues." New pop music but the ballads of jazz -1 Re- treble -while its light tracking negligible record Jazz 8213, $3.98 (LP). member Clifford, Afternoon in Paris, and pressure insures . wear. Bryant has proved himself to be one of Whisper Nrrt -and his companions are the more reliably swinging and versatile Art Farmer, trumpet; Benny Colson, tenor pianists in what might be categorized as saxophone; Tommy Flannagan, piano; the mainstream modern school. Here he Paul Chambers, bass; and Connie Kay, concentrates on a side that he has not drums -a sensitive, cohesive group which emphasized before -the basic blues pi- provides Jackson with an appropriately ano. He is completely at home in this low -keyed but springy setting. Except atmosphere, thoroughly relaxed, main- for a long, driving blues which starts out taining an after -hours feeling with no strongly but dwindles to loose blowing, evidence of straining. Most of the pieces the selections are neatly turned and, de- are originals -i.e., just the blues -and he spite a properly effortless air, highly pol- manages to give Rockin' Chair the dark, ished. probing blues expression that it really BEST in every way . . . should have but rarely gets. A very satis- Barney Kessel: "Soule Like It Hot." Con- disc. Wide frequency response fying, unpretentious temporary 3565, $4.98 (LP); 7565, Smooth peak free response from 30 $5.98 (SD). cps to over 15 Kc L. Lorraine Geller: "At the Piano." Dot Some Like It Not, a film which evokes True Stereo 3174, $3.98 (LP). the zanier side of the Twenties, gets a Highest channel separation over en- This is Mrs. Geller's first and only solo great deal of its evocative strength from tire audio spectrum- -better than 22 db. album ( she died last fall at the age of the use of some of the characteristic pop Precision balance twenty -eight). It shows her to have been songs of those years. Barney Kessel's mod- Both channels identical a much more vital pianist on her own em jazz treatment of these songs -Sweet Same high compliance 15 x 10-0 than she appeared to be in her group re- Sue, Sugar Blues, Sweet Georgia Brown, cm /dyne) in all directions cordings. Her playing is direct, devoid of Runnin' Wild, etc. -is sufficiently airy and No hum pickup showy frills, rhythmically sensitive and stag's close etww_;l to the source to avoid Balanced coil structure plus low im- strong, and unusually' creative melodi- the pointle..nc.5 that often afflicts mod- pedance plus complete shielding cally. There is a leanness and muscular- ern jazz versions of anything that is not eliminate hum from external fields ity in her approach to a blues -or to its modern jazz. Kessel's guitar is a con- High output close relation, the torch ballad Gee, Baby, stantly enlivening factor and he balances 7 mdhvclts per channel even on low Ain't I Good to You -that is rare in a the generally lively tempos of the set level stereo discs provides gain to woman. At the same time she is capable with a pair of delicately -worked -out two - spare of a tremendously gutty, digging drive guitar duets with Jack \larshall. There are No magnetic pull magnetic circuit eliminates (Clash by Night), and she has the in- also several fascinating passages in which Special attraction to steel turntables stinctive feeling for movement which can Art Pepper abandons his customary alto Easy installation keep a slow, lyrical piece from dragging. saxophone to play clarinet reminiscent of Compact size and standard mounting it is possible agree with a Lester Yonne's rare clarinet excursions For once to centers simplifies mounting. 4 ter- liner appraisal: "This is a good album but with a slightly more aggressive qual- minals tc avoid hum loops. of ity. of the Pepper jazz, never frantic or tense, always Further exploration Low price with cohesion of intent and execution." clarinet certainly seems to be in order. Only $29.95 net including 7 mil diamond stylus (replaceable in 2 sec- Edmond flail: "Swing Session." Com- John La Porta: "The Most Minor." onds) modore 30012, $4.98 (LP). Everest 5037, $3.98 (LP ). Both the biting, bittersweet, and intensely La Porta's quartet is a well- contained Available (rom leading high fidelity swinging side of Edmond Hall and the unit, at its best when working in the mod- dealers everywhere light, bouncing quality he brings to pop erately fast tempos which allow it to use ballads are heard in this delightful col- a light, (lancing sound. There are several DYNACO INC. lection of recordings made during the such opportunities on the present pleasant, 617 N. 41st St., Phila. 4, Pa. 1940s. On four selections he plays with well -programed disc, along with some Export Division: 25 Warren St.. New York, N. Y. Emmett Berry, Vic Dickenson, and a slower selections on which La Porta, who

AUGUST 1959 73

www.americanradiohistory.com is an unusually sensitive performer on delightfully free -swinging pace in this alto saxophone, practically sings his solos, set. There are still evidences of the Jans en* notably Darn That Dream and The Most group's old amateurism ( Jack Vastine's Minor, a moody blues. For all this, La vocals are strictly parlor performances), Porta is an experimenter, a member of but this is an encouraging dise which the jazz avant -garde but an unostenta- suggests that the DRK may pull them- tious one. Consequently, some provocative selves out of the rut they had settled into. SAVE! spice is judiciously as seasoning your added to by making endasure all these pieces. Jazz Quartet: Music Inn, own wooter The Modern "At cubic 11. 1299, only 2.2 Vol. 2." Atlantic $4.98 (LP). Machito: "With Flute to Boot." Roulette On the surface, this disc promises to be 52026, $3.98 (LP ). one of the most interesting the MJQ has Flutist Herbie Mann is really the focal made. The program consists of a medley e point of this disc. He wrote and arranged of three good ballads, Charlie Parker's all the selections and is the featured so- Yardbird Suite, the first recorded Quartet loist, assisted by Johnny Griffin, tenor performance of a John Lewis composi- saxophone, and Curtis Fuller, trombone. tion (1/idsömmer, already known in other sound Mann's writing is closer to exotic mood contexts ). a new Lewis piece called Festi- music than jazz, a circumstance which val Sketch, and two jazz standards on provides a much more valid setting for which Son ny Rollins joins the Quartet, without fury his flute than the out -and -out jazz con- Bags' Groove and Night in Tunisia. text in which he is normally heard. Grif- To some extent the promise is realized in 3 easy steps fin and Fuller have little to contribute, -in the medley which allows Milt Jack- Here's a compact, do- it- yourself speaker system that de- but the blending of Mann's flute and son to show his light and artful wizardry livers realistic, transparent reproduction without the fury Machito's exultant, kicking band is fre- on ballads, the deft interplay between of bass or treble exaggerations. Perfectly matched Electro- static mid /high range speakers and a dynamic woofer give quently effective. Jackson and Lewis which helps to give measurably flat response over the entire audio spectrum. Midsinuner an interesting lyrical in- What's more, you need not be an expert cabinet maker. You create high fidelity at a sensible, do- it- yourself cost. Lou McGarity Quintet: "Some Like It tensity, and in the blithe zest of Festival Hot." Jubilee SDJLP 1108, $5.98 Sketch. However, Yardbird Suite has (SD). been deliberately fragmented, a device Between McGarity's lustily lyrical trom- that leaves it as a collection of bits and o bone and Dick Cary's sly muted trumpet, pieces some of which are excellent ( a these strongly swinging performances of brilliant stop -time vibes solo by Jackson the good pop tunes of the Twenties which and a rocking piano solo by Lewis) but make up the score of the film Some Like which fail to jell into a unified whole. It Hot have a great deal of simple, direct ELECTROSTATIC MID /NICN RANCE SPEAKER Bags' Groove and Night in Tunisia arc is Model 65, Illustrated, uses two JansZen electrostatic warmth and charm. This diluted some- both pieces which the Quartet, as Quar- elements with a built -In power supply and high -pass filter. what by the presence of George Barnes's tet, has polished into swinging gems; and Each element contains 176 perfectly balanced, sheathed routine guitar solos but not enough to conductors to give absolutely clean response from 700 to the addition of Rollins, despite some beyond 30,000 cycles. Furnished complete in cabinet at spoil the basic merits of some jazz that valid wails on Tunisia, is largely an un- $86- $91.50, depending on finish. Slightly higher In West. manages to he thoughtful and sensitive pleasant intrusion, particularly on Bags' letter yet ... Model 130 -considered as THE mid /high and decidedly good fun. Groove where he concentrates on flat, thin range speaker -contains four elements for a broad, 120 sound source. $161-$188, depending on finish. Slightly tones and static squawks. higher in West. Dave McKenna Trio: "The Piano Scene of Dave McKenna." Epic LN 3558, Miff Mole and His Dixieland Band: $3.98 (LP ); BN 527, $4.98 (SD ). . "Aboard the Dixie Flyer." Stcpheny o As long as he is working in medium -to- 4011, $4.98 (LP). fast tempos, as he does through most of The Dixieland band that plays with Mole this disc, McKenna is an unusually bright, on this disc is something different from crisp, and rhythmic pianist. Much of his the Dixie groups which usually turn up work is done in single note lines but he on records. The players are, as Mole is, DYNAMIC WOOFER DRIVER supports them with a strong bass and New York jazzmen of the Twenties - Specifically designed to complement the delicate clarity when he breaks into a two- handed Of JansZen Electrostatic Mid /High Range Speakers, the at- Frank Signorelli, piano, Jimmy Lytell, Model 350 Dynamic Woofer offers clean, honest bass, tack there is a merriment in his playing clarinet, Chauncey Morehouse, drums- devoid of coloration, false resonances, hangover or boom. that is slightly reminiscent of Jess Stacy. with Castle and Jimmy Palmer It is the only separately available woofer to give such and, Lee clean response In so small an enclosure -only 2.2 cu. ft. By and large, this is a very happy collec- alternating on trumpet, they have a more Response is uncannily flat from 40 to 2000 cycles with tion with only a couple of slow ballads to glib flightiness that excellent output to 30 cycles. Only $44.50. Slightly solid attack than the higher in West. dim its luster. is apt to come from younger Dixiemen. In fact, there is often a strong suggestion Cene Mayl's Dixieland Rhythm Kings: in Morehouse's drumming of the em- "Jazz in Retrospect." Riverside 12289, phatic marching style of a New Orleans $4.98 (LP ). drummer such as Minor Hall. Mole's trom- For several years the Dixieland Rhythm bone, still lusty and full -voiced even Kings have been one of the 1 pier, more though lac has reached sixty, gives the lead- bottomed traditional bands. This group a staunch, gruff core. The per- 00- IT- YOURSELF WOOFER ENCLOSURE disc, recorded in March 1958, reveals a formances are uneven but the better ones Working with the plans we furnish with each woofer, -Mifany, a long after -hours blues, a you'll be able to build your own enclosure with basic decided change for the better. This is a tools. The enclosure is a sturdy, yet simple, totally lighter and livelier group than we have sinuous Haunting Blues, and a punching enclosed cabinet. There are no tricky baffle arrangements been accustomed to, primarily because Dixieland One-Step-arc a vitalizing or adjustments. Size without legs: 19" high x 25" wide s fare. 13" deep. Cost of all materials should run about $12 to $18. of the singing fluency of Bill Napier's change of pace from routine Dixie Discover JansZen clarity for yourself. Write for clarinet and partly because of the vitality literature on JansZen's complete speaker systems and gives to Jr.: "We Three." New the name of your nearest dealer. that Clarence Hall's piano the Phineas Newborn, rhythm section. Hall, a better than av- Jazz 8210, $3.98 (LP). erage blues singer and stride pianist, After a discouraging series of recordings, brings to the Dixieland Rhythm Kings' Phineas Newborn, Jr., finally shows prog- etncludlnp drsfçns by Arthur A. Jans:rn and mode only by repertory a variety and an authenticity ress as a jazz pianist on this disc. For the NESHAMINY ELECTRONIC CORP. Neshaminy, Pa. that it lacked before. The repertory has most part, he seems to be deliberately Export Dir.: 25 Warren St., New York 7, N. Y. been further broadened by ventures into avoiding any show of the technique that Cable: Slmontrlec, N. Y. Ellingtonia- Napier drives Ccravan at a once got in his way and in six selections

74 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com with Paul Chambers, bass, and Roy ff Haynes, drums, he swings lightly and noses around in the blues with a fair TEDDY'S "GYPSY measure of discipline and simplicity. He is not yet a particularly creative jazz TEDDY WILSON and His Trio but he shows much more jazz All I A'..f Is W Caul / Iia .Yww Gel Aw,/r M. / SrY *WM / lwN Lamb pianist rqMn N'b.w. W. C. / Parprste. Csg t) A.u. / Srr MI. /'Mr'. Try SJ. sensitivity than he has in the past. Gr SN / If Mr N'u .Nwud / L..N. ruNrr+ rag / M. Glrr, I ta re. Why settle for ordinal, PLAY GYPSY Ill JAll THE tape when Sonoramic Dizzy Reece: `Blues in Trinity." Blue gives you so many Note 4006, $4.98 (LP). CASE exclusive extras - liecce is a Jamaica -born trumpeter who brilliant reproduction, has been playing in England and Europe permanent plastic -way since 1948. Although his playing is col- container, 3 FOR indexing system ored by the influence of Dizzy Gillespie, with pressure this has been largely absorbed to become BETTER sensitive labels part of a broad- toned, deliberate, often and V -slot self economical attack. On this disc Reece threading Selection plays with two English musicians -tenor SOUND Finder reel. saxophonist Tubby Hayes, who has picked up some of the bursting, nntltinoted ideas of Johnny Griffin and Sonny Rollins, and pianist Terry Shannon -along with Lloyd Thompson, a Canadian bassist, and the The show is "Gypsy " -without Merman, without lyrics -but with the rhythmic jazz American drummer, Art Taylor. Donald conceptions of Teddy Wilson. Composer Jules Byrd's trumpet is added On two selec- Styne puts it this way: "All he has are my has to build a tions. Reece the ability melodies . I think you will be happy to ballad interestingly even though his tone hear what he does with them ... I am! is often too harsh to make his ideas ef- Thanks Teddy for the thrill." Teddy's piano fective but, he is in his top form when improvisations are ably backed by Arvell the group is firing hard at faster tempos. Shaw on bass and Bert Dahlender on drums. The general level of the performances is GYPSY IN JAZZ -Teddy Wilson and His Trio [ above average, and one piece, Blues in CL 1352 CS 8160 (stereo) Trinity, a brilliant, flaring work, can take l\ GUARANTEED HIGH -FIDELITY AND FREETape.tlme ruler. Gives you its place with the best of the rough -riding STEREO -FIDELITY RECORDS BY footage and recording time on reel. Write Dept Cril efforts of modern jazz. c nwnicd CORPORATICN, // Pete Rugolo's Orchestra: "Rugolo Plays COLUMBIA LODI. NEW JERSEY a "Columbia" (*F' Marcos hg. AÍVitiU SI CsUrala Bradcestmt System, loc. Kenton." Mercury 36143, $3.98 (LP) : Mercury 80014, $5.95 ( SD). Pete Rugolo's rewrites of a group of familiar Stan Kenton compositions ( Eager Beaver, Artistry in Rhythm, Southern "SOUND" I Scandal, etc.) have a lot more muscle and sinew than the somewhat similar re- IS THE THING IN I writing job he did for Kenton's recent O pallid Lush Interlude disc. Rugolo writ- STEREO ing for Rugolo leans on his customary interest in a dark, strong "bottom" and LISTEN AND COMPARE woodwind ensembles. He leads a fine band made up largely of Kenton alumni, BRAND NEW hut it is doubtful if these pieces would CEP 4360 have had sufficient vitality to have been remembered for a decade if they had The Many Moods first been heard in these languorous ar- of rangements. JOSE

Seven Ages of Jazz. \letrojazz 2 -E 1009, MELIS

" 87.98 ( Two LP). So many Leonard Feather's efforts to put an adequate history of jazz ( in performance) on exciting new records continue to be frustrated. He has tried it twice using recorded material LP 4383 Bourbon Street, from Deceit's files and in both cases AUDIO FIDELITY- Billy wound up with fairly good representation and the Blues records of traditional jazz and swing but was BILLY weak on modern jazz. His latest attempt we can't is a recording of a live performance for MAXTED just which he had the services of Billie Holi- and his all of them day, Coleman Hawkins, Buck Clayton, Manhattan show Maxine Sullivan, Willie "The Lion" Jazz Band write for Smith, Brownie McGhee, and others. ... please McGhee does well by the folk origins of (Available in Monaural) free catalog. jazz and Smith, Hawkins, Miss Sullivan, and Miss Holiday (on one of her two numbers) do justice to themselves. But If not available al your dealer, write AUDIO FIDELITY, INC. there are great expanses of jazz history SEECO RECORDS, DEPT. HF 39 W. 60 ST. N.Y.C. 770 ELEVENTH AVENUE that are covered in fumbling fashion. The busiest and obviously most versatile mem- NRITE FOR COMPLETE CATALOG OF FINE SE ECO RECORDINGS. BOX 421, NEW YORK 19, N. Y.

AUCUST 1959 75

www.americanradiohistory.com ber Of Feather's troupe is Dick Hyman. Randy Weston: " Destre Rides Again." Hyman not only plays piano in the United Artists 4045, 84.98 ( LP). NEW SOUND styles of Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, Fats \f'eston's trio is joined by four trom- Waller, and Meade Lux Lewis with im- bones in arrangements by Melba Liston pressive fidelity ( his Garner on this occa- ( who is also one of the trombonists) in a EXCITEMENT .ion is not one of his best) but doubles group of extremely pleasant variations on un clarinet, contributing practically the the tunes in Destrtt Rides Again. Both only understanding voice to an imitation Weston and Miss Liston have allowed FOR THE HI-FI of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, and Harold Rome's music to remain in the catching the Johnny Dodds style ex- forefront of their treatments. The per- tremely well on an otherwise inadequate formances have sonie xvciconte touches of STEREO AGE! imitation of King Oliver's Creole Jazz humor, and the gutty combination of the Band. four tromlxmes and Vestons probing, blucsy piano makes for an aptly earthy /1. f iat,ctionLCougto Clark Terry Quintet: "Top and Bottom interpretation of the score. Unlike most jazz versions of show scores, there is a I Brass." Riverside 12295, $4.98 (LP ). SPEAKER SYSTEMS "ferry is one of the very few jazz nuusi- connection between the spirit of the tians whose playing consistently shows an original and the spirit of the \Veston - Keyed to stereo - priced for everybody - element of humor. It is rarely funny per Liston interpretation and there is, conse- the all new Kingdom Lorenz speaker systems quently, a great deal of quiet, occasion- bring a fresh excitement to high fidelity se, but it has a sparkling, twinkling qual- listening, stereo or monaural. Never before ity. This feeling colors all the pieces on ally swaggering, charm in the result. has the hi -fi market seen so many quality this disc and fortunately, too, for it is features in advanced engineering and dec- built on what might have been a lugubri- The Kai Winding Trombones: "Dance to orator beauty - making Kingdom Lorenz ously gimmicky idea -a teaming of Terry's the outstanding speaker value of the hi -ft the City Beat." Columbia CL 1329, trumpet and fluegelhorn with Don But - stereo age! $3.98 (LP). terfiel(l's tuna, plus rhythm. Butterfield -1111111- Shades of Jan Savitt! Shuffle rhythm responds to his surroundings with some bounces through this highly danceable, sparkling of his own -playing a tuba solo sonic-ally splendid, and musically bland on a slow blues that really "wails," set by Winding's slick, precise trombone achieving a jazz -phrased ballad solo that ensemble. The program of tunes which actually has swinging lyricists, taking a contain names of cities in their titles is delightfully sly rapid- fire break. Terry is not exactly inspiring but serves its pur- his customary glancing, (lancing, light - pose. footed self as he leads Butterfield into a series of high -spirited adventures. It's NEW! UlP,III glxxl to know that jazz can still be as Lester Young: "Lester Young Memorial happy as this. Album." Epic SN 6031, A High Fidelity loudspeaker system of beauty, $7.98 (Two durability and thrilling "orchestrated" sound. De- LP). signed for stereo use in pairs - or singly for bril- "The Lester Young Story." Verve 8308, liant monaural. The famous Lorenz 8' woofer, quality The Trombones, Inc.: Warner Bros. W tweeter and crossover, together the 54.98 with principle 1272, 83.98 (1.1'); Warner Bros. WS (LP). of total damping, result in this perfected instrument The first two of what will doubtless lx of advanced engineering. Comes in a choice of 1272, $4.98 (SD). elegant decorator woods, finished on four sides, for quite a number of memorial The gimmick On this disc is the use of an collections use horizontally or vertically . adapts beautifully of the work of Lester Young up the to /air personal decor. I1" x 233/4" x 10" 30- ensemble built around nine East Coast 18,000 18 peak 8 of his cps watts ohms. trombonists on one side, nine West Coast peak career and some of the better Ready -for -finishing Birch $57.50 moments of his fading years. The two Oiled Walnut, Mahogany, Walnut, Blond or Ebony. tromlx)nists on the other. Arrangements $84.50 discs in the Epic set are made up of se- Matching brass legs (for consolette style) 5.95 for the East were written by J. J. John- son (a nonlilaycr), for the West by Marty lections featuring Young by Count Basic's -I band of 1939 and 1940 Paich and \\ arrcn Barker. The set is sub- and the Jones- NEW! KAL AUDETTE Smith, Inc. performances of 1936, all of The famous titled, "It Wasn't Exactly a Battle Lorenz 8" loudspeaker which have already Ix-en issued on a with quality tweeter and crossover And how true! The East is completely in a cabinet of high impedance port of Epic LPs ( Lester Leaps In, Epic overwhelmed, for not only (lo the \Vest - Pair construction. An outstanding basic :3107, and Let's Go to Prez, system - marvelous in pairs for crncrs play with more rest and y;uiety but Epic 3168). stereo 11" x 233/4" x 10" 35 , The first of these LPs was marred by in- 18,000 Barker, surprisingly, is the only arranger cps 18 watts peak 8 ohms. . excusably scratchy surfaces on many se- Brown or blond leatherette $49.50 who has made intaginatise Ilse of the rich Matching brass legs 5.95 harmonies and lusty ensembles possible lections. These have been cleaned up on with nine truluknnes. llis three pieces the new release (although the masters of NEW! AUDETTE SR. save what is otherwise a listless exploita- 12th Street Rag and Juin,i for .1/c must Superior infinite baffle construction have been cut in sand, for the surface for "big systems" performance. tion of a novelty idea. Mounts famous Lorenz 8" woofer scratch is still noticeable), and the over- and tweeter with crossover. Ele- all sound has been brightened. This is the gantly proportioned 4" legs 22V4" Bobby Tucker Jamie x 221/4" x 101/2" 30-18,000 cps Trio: "Too Tough." hest tribute that could be offered to Young 20 watts peak 8 ohms 70:3004, $3.98 (LP); 30(4, $4.98 these pieces are the very cream of his per- Mahogany $69.50 (SD). formances, ones Blond or Walnut 74,50 the which revolutionized Tucker is best-known as an unusually the use of the tenor saxophone and in- able piano accompanist ( to Mildred Bai- fluenced a generation of jazz musicians. NEW! OMEGA ley, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstine ). He Like the Louis Armstrong Hot Fives and I shows On this disc that In- is equally able Hot Sevens, this Lester Young set is a A completely sealed and master engineered en-- as a soloist. Tucker disdains frills, tram- basic essential for any jazz collection. closure - contains the or extremes of any kind. He has a The Verve disc coven recordings made full spectrum Lorenz 12" PAT, woofer with two tweeters and crossover. Completely keen sense of melody and rhythm and from 1950 to 1956 so judiciously picked finished on four sides for use horizontally or ver the discipline required to achieve strong that only one selection (Let's Fall in tically 27" x 1435" x 111/2" 18-18,000 cps 40 watts peak 16 ohms. or subtle effects in a simple manner. Most Love, 1951) betray s signs of the thick, Ready -to-finish Birch $109.50 of his material is in the evergreen pop foggy playing that plagued so much of Oiled Walnut, Mahogany, Walnut, Blond or Ebony, $119.50 vein (.1/y Heart Stood Still, Alone To- Young's work during the last years. The gether, They Can't Take That Away from rest are creditable (Gigantic Blues, 1956, At High fidelity Dealers Everywhere. FREE Catalog-Write Dept. 14-4 Isle, etc. ), but he also includes a well- is considerably more than that ), but they PRODUCTS, conceived blues. This is a superior set of lack the vital spark of his playing with l(!J Ltd. cleanly played, relaxed, unpretentious pi- Basic. 314 aroedwev. Now York 12. N. T. WOnh 6-0500 Eacluu Y. a. 0"I,lIOn IO, ko"ni Nh rdblj ano performances. JOHN S. WILSON

76 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com ookshop Save yourself time and trouble by ordering your books directly from us. Just fill in the coupon below and mail it to us with your remittance.

Two sieur books-provocative and challenging

Composers Eleven Conversations with Toscanini By Neville Cardus By B. H. Haggin

"Recalls the enchantment of great music as vividly as he tells "... a valuable addition to the Toscanini literature ... Mr. of technical points in great musical textures. When he charts Haggin has more to offer than skillful and lively reporting; the inward course of his own thought he does so with a skill his book contains long and enlightening disquisitions on many that proves his insight and his power of handling words so matters that arise when we think of Toscanini; the nature of his that they follow and express the most subtle mutations of genius, his attitude toward the choice of soloists, his reper- emotional feeling; and the writing is nearly always as beauti- tory, his apparent indifference to the sensuous quality of ful as it is vital. " -Manchester Guardian recorded tone.... " - Desmond Shawe -Taylor in The New (Composers discussed: Schubert, Wagner, Brahms, Bruckner, York Times Book Review Mahler, Strauss, Franck, Debussy, Elgar, Delius, Sibelius.) A study of Toscanini's published recordings is also included. $4.00 286 $4.00 287

A limited number of RECORDS IN REVIEW - 1957 now available at the reduced price of $3.49 (usually $4.95). Book itself perfect, dust jacket soiled. #288

FOLK BLUES - This is a book which is meant to be used. It contains Paperbacks one hundred and ten of the outstanding American folk blues compiled. edited, and arranged for voice, piano, and guitar with a chart of basic THE COLLECTOR'S HAYDN -by THE COLLECTOR'S BACH -by guitar chord lingering patterns and a full bibliography and discography. C. G. Burke Nathan Broder $6.95 277 The music of Haydn on records Every available (up to time of evaluated for musicianship and publication) recording of Bach's for sonies. Addendum by Arthur THE NEW YEARBOOK OF JAZZ Volume 3 of THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OP music on LP records is discussed - Cohn. $1.65 281 JAZZ Series - by Leonard Feather. Tells the complete story of what and rated. $1.25 272 has been happening in jazz since 1956, comprising the indispensable THE COLLECTOR'S CHOPIN AND source of information both for the expert and the increasing number of SCHUMANN -by Harold C. newcomers to the field who want to know all there is to know about Schonberg this vital art. Illustrated with 54 photographs. Introduction by John A discussion and evaluation of the GREAT OPERAS -by Ernest Hammond. $4.95 27S music on discs of these two ma- Newman ters. $1.45 282 This definitive treatment of the THE COLLECTOR'S JAZZ -by history, stories, and music of the MAINTAINING HI -FI EQUIPMENT -By Joseph Marshall John S. Wilson great operas is unique as both A much- needed book on the .pecialized approach necessary to service This complete guide to LP jazz guide and armchair companion. high -fidelity equipment. The author discusses not only electronic faults, records analyzes jazz styles up to Vol. I, $1.25 279 but the mechanical and acoustical defects which cause a high -fidelity World War II. $1.45 273 Vol. 11. $1.25 280 system to function less than perfectly. The book is clearly written and well indexed. Hard cover, $5.00 232 Soft cover, $2.90 233 Book Department HIGH FIDELITY Magazine UNDERSTANDING HI -FI CIRCUITS -By Norman H. Crowhurst Great Barrington, Mass. Here the audiophile will find the answers to questions often confusing. I enclose $ for which please send me, postpaid, the books The chapters are: special output stages, feedback, damping, inverter and indicated by the circled numbers below. INo C.O.D.'s or charge orders, driver stages, input stages, matching, equalization, speaker distribution please.) Foreign orders sent at buyer's risk. Add 250 per book for postage and crossovers, loudness and volume controls, tone controls. Hard Cc fo -eHn -,de-s except Carrndien. cover, $5.00 254 Soft cover, $2.90 255 Unmarked binders $2.75 each 278 232 279 HIGH FIDELITY RECORD REVIEW INDEXES -50c each 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 233 280 254 281 NAME Now available -1958 Record Review Index -50c 255 282 DDRESS 272 286 For RECORDS IN REVIEW -1958 see page 26. 273 287 277 288

AUGUST 1959

www.americanradiohistory.com PROBLEM SOLVED BY PILOT: Develop a fine "bookshelf" speaker system that gives equal performance in vertical or horizontal positions.

It was almost easy once Pilot engineers started to work on it. As they saw it, the system should have five speakers (you'd be surprised at how few others do), a 12" woofer plus two mid -range and two treble speakers angled for optimum dispersion. But then, if you mounted the enclosure in other than its prescribed position, the tweeters and mid -ranges would be dispersing, yes, but into the ceiling and floor! Pilot's answer: the exclusive Acoustimatic Turret -with four speakers - two angle -mounted 6" mid -range and two angle -mounted 3" treble speakers. With a simple control at the rear of the enclosure it takes only a few seconds to rotate the turret so that these four speakers disperse the sound horizontally, regardless of the position of the enclosure. (Even the Pilot nameplate rotates so that it looks at you right side up !) The four speakers in the Pilot Acoustimatic Turret, plus the big 12" heavy -duty woofer with 1" cone excursion give you clean, solid, well- defined bass, smooth response, and overall performance never before achieved ina "bookshelf" speaker.

MOUNTS THREE WAYS

- % -ì+ ,- ._ . . ',, :' - '`, ' r t , ; --, ; --. , . lr ,

PILOT PROUDLY PRESENTS THE PSV -1 SPEAKER SYSTEM 12 -inch Air-Flex heavy duty woofer, front mounted to seal the opening of an air- tight, Orlon fiber filled enclosure. Tweeters and mid -range units mounted to eliminate the intervening ducts of conventional thick baffle boards, and remove all possibility of distortion and tone coloration from such ducts. Separate Presence and Brilliance controls supplied to match the PSV -1 to individual acoustical requirements. SPECIFICATIONS: Woofer -Pilot Model 53 Air -Flex 12-inch low frequency driver. Frequency range 40 to 800 cycles. Free air resonance: 22 cycles. Mid -range -two Pilot Model 40 6 -inch mid -frequency cone -type direct radiator loudspeakers. Frequency range 800 to 8,000 cycles. Tweeters -two Pilot Model 44 3 -inch cone -type direct radiator loudspeakers. Frequency range 8,000 to over 16,000 cycles. Crossover network -6 dbzoctave, air -core inductance capaci- tance. Crossover frequencies: 800 cps and 8,000 cps.Imped- ance: 16 -ohms. Overall frequency response: 40 to 16,000 cycles. 45 pounds. Size 253/4" x 1410" x 12" deep. Fully finished on all four sides in a choice of hand- rubbed mahogany or walnut, as well as oiled walnut. $139.50. PIL PILOT RADIO CORP., 37-02 36th Street, Long Island City 1, N.Y. Founded in 1919

78 Ilual Flutcl,rrr NI:1GA7.1\I

www.americanradiohistory.com ciudíocrcaft- August 1959

improve fidelity at slower speeds until half-track 7% ips became the standard for high -fidelity home use, and From 3% ips began gaining rapidly. With the popularization of stereo tapes, it was simple the to get good fidelity, at relatively high cost, by using 7% ips and parallel half tracks. A tape of 1,200 feet would High- Fidelity play a total of a little over half an hour. The cost could be cut in half by reducing the speed to 3% ips; in 1957, Newsf roots the fidelity, as well, would be lowered. All tapes were of the reel -to -reel variety. You plopped a full reel on the left or right side of the recorder, depending on its make, threaded the tape through a I. JUNE, the headline on this page read, "Stereo straight slot or through an intricate maze of wheels, Broadcasting: Which and When ?" This month, we bobbins, spring -loaded fly -back levers, capstans, rollers, might start with something to the effect of- Stereo etc. (also depending on the make of the recorder), and Tape: Which and ... ? Well, we'd better not say when, then attached the loose end of the tape to an empty reel since that seems to be settled. But the "which" needs to on the other side of the recorder. This was fine for the be in full caps, and the answer, equally bold, is probably: man who did this regularly. But the chance of tape BOTH. The equipment shown here, from Bell Sound, appealing to the mass market was nil. Imagine eating may well signal the beginning of a revolution. spaghetti with a knife! To see .where we are today, let's see where we have The answer was obvious: a cartridge. Like the film been. The two major factors that influence the fidelity cartridge introduced to the home movie market many possible with tape are the speed (measured in inches per years ago: drop it in, and push the button. Tape car- second) with which the tape passes the recording and /or tridges were not new; engineers brought them back from playback heads, and the width of the magnetic gap in Europe, and Cousino in this Continued on page 90 those heads. There are many other factors, but most are minor so we do not need to consider them. Tape, as we know it today, began in Germany during World War II. It is a postwar importation. When record companies began using it as a recording medium, they ran the tapir. at 30 ips and used the full width of the tape (full -tract. recording). The home enthusiast was satisfied with 15 ips. At that speed, he could enregister from 50 to 15,000 cycles. But to operate at this speed, he had to be either wealthy or a dedicated hobbyist, willing to sacrifice food for tape. At 15 ips, today's standard -sized amateur reel of 7 inches would whiz by in fifteen minutes. Most of us used the big NAB reels which lasted a whole half hour (on Concertone 1401s; remember ?). The first major change for the amateur was half -track recording and playback heads. With these, only half the width of the tape was used at one pass; flip the reels, and play them back the other way. Therefore twice as much music could be put on the same length of tape. It couldn't be edited, but it saved money. More or less simultaneously, the width of gap in the heads was successfully reduced. It was then possible to Forerunner of the future: Bell Sound's Cartridge player.

AUGUST 1959 79

www.americanradiohistory.com A Guide to Better FM Listening

August, it seems to us, is a fine time to look skyward. The chances are that your antenna is up there somewhere. Maybe it's in good condition; maybe it needs reconditioning or even replacement with a better one. But let's look at it now, before the big blizzard blows it down. And, because there is snore and more good music available on FM (thanks to increasing listener interest and to stereo), let's be sure our antennas make the most of the signal delivered to them. In the article below, we have outlined basic principles and answered the questions most frequently asked our technical staff in Audio Forum letters.

Q. What is meant by "FM Sensitivity "? noise of a tuner's input stage and cause it to be a A. FM Sensitivity refers to the degree to which a re- specified number of decibels weaker in intensity than ceiver (or tuner) can pick FM radio waves from the the audio signal which appears at the tuner's output. air and convert them to audio currents. Q. Does a sensitivity of 3 microvolts for 30dbofquieting Q. I low is sensitivity stated? mean that I'll never have more than 30 db? A. In terms of microvolts of input signal relative to a A. Definitely not. As the input signal increases, the particular signal -to -noise ratio in the final sound. quieting also increases until a saturation point is "3 microvolts for 30 db of quieting" means, basically, reached. In top quality tuners the ultimate Neill be that an input (at the receiver's antenna terminals) of better than 50 db, which compares favorably with 3 microvolts will cause the resultant audio to be 30 records and tape. Fortunately, the saturation point is db louder than the FM background hash; that is, reached rather quickly, usually with just a few you will have a signal -to -noise ratio at your loud- microvolts. speakers of 30 db. Q. How much input signal am I likely to encounter? Q. \\'hat determines the usable sensitivity characteristic? A. This depends entirely upon your geographic location A. Basically, the noise which is a function of the opera- and upon your signal- collecting equipment; that is, tion of a tuner's components. It is fundamental to your antenna and /or antenna preamplifier. .1s a electrical concepts that a flow of electric current general rule, the best reception is found within a necessarily involves the movement of molecules. An circle whose radius is seventy-five miles, and which is unavoidable by- product of this movement is noise, centered on the Fit transmitter. Signal voltages will generated in tubes and resistors. When the input range from a few microvolts near the periphery of signal drops to the point at which it becomes weaker the circle to fractions of a volt near the transmitter. than the noise generated by the input circuits them- Suburban signals usually are in the thousands of selves, all you can hear in your loudspeaker is hiss. microvolts. Beyond the seventy -five mile limit, The usable sensitivity of a tuner is the amount of signal voltages decline, due to distance. curvature of input signal, in microvolts. which will override the the earth, terrain, etc.

Taco's ten -element vagi antenna is ideal for fringe areas. Apparatus Development has twelve -element, super-gain unit.

80 HIGH FIDELITY %IAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com your location. If you live in a Q. Then if I live more than seventy -five miles from a A. This depends upon city, I can't expect good FM reception? city where signals are strong, you can install a two - A. This is usually the case. But thousands of FM lis- set- coupler and operate your TV and FM receivers teners are disproving the rule every day. independently and concurrently, with virtually no loss of quality. In fringe areas, however, where sig- Q. Why this disparity? nals are weak, it is necessary to use high -gain anten- A. Because FM signals often behave peculiarly. Gen- specifically for the F \I band. erally, they travel in a straight line from the trans- nas designed mitter. But as they travel through the atmosphere, Q. \\'hy? they are subject to many influences and may be scat- A. Antennas are designed either for a specific frequency tered in all directions. Certain layers of the upper or for reception over a wide band of frequencies. atmosphere, for example, act as mirrors, and reflect When they are made for a single frequency, they can

the signals back to the ground. . listener situated have high gain at that particular. frequency. But gain fifty miles from a transmitter may not receive a trans- at frequencies above and lx:low the center frequency mission under certain atmospheric conditions, whereas diminishes. When an antenna is designed for uniform one living one hundred miles away might enjoy gain over a wide frequency range, it usually will relatively good quality. These conditions arc in a have lower gain at a specific frequency than an an perpetual state of flux- "skip" listening is highly renna designed for a narrower frequency range. variable. Q \Vhy is broad frequency coverage necessary? of frequencies the Q. Do other forces affect the course of FAI waves? A. In order to span the entire band A. They certainly do. \fountains arc notorious offend- receiver is designed to accommodate. The FM fre- ers, often blocking reception for individuals a rela- quency band of 88 to 108 megacycles lies in the center tively short distance from a transmitter, and at the of the VHF television band, which begins at 54 meg- same time bending the eaves to provide excellent acycles and goes up to 216 megacycles. .\ television quality for more distant receivers. Alountains can antenna must cover a total of 162 megacycles. It also focus radio waves much as a prism focuses light therefore will not be as sensitive for any one of those waves, providing good reception at a tiny point in a frequencies, or for the 20 megacycles of the FM Y'alley, at the same time blanking out the rest of the band, as an antenna designed for a single frequency, valley. or for a narrower band of frequencies. . specially designed FM antenna need only cover 20 megacy- Q I live in a mountainous region, and would like to buy so it can higher gain at those frequencies a receiver. But if reception is undependable, should I cles; have forget the idea? than a broad -band TV antenna. A. Don't give it up, by any, means. You would be wise, Q How can I tell what type of antenna to get? however, to borrow equipment for tests before in- A. Certain generalities can be laid down, but many vesting in a tuner. Ask your local TV/radio service- fringe arca problems must be solved individually, by man for advice. If your locality can receive television, trial and error. \\ithin a city, an all -wave crossed you are almost assured of being able to receive FM dipole should be adequate. This antenna has the low- also, since TV and FM waves follow the same pat- est gain of any antenna type, but it is almost com- tern. If you prove into a new neighborhood, see if pletely nondirectional and will let you receive sta- your ncighlx)rs have TV antennas. If so, you can tions from all directions with equal facility. In a probably count on being able to receive FM. suburban neighborhood, you probably will require a Q This brings up an important question: can I use my single dipole and reflector. This type of antenna is TV antenna for FM also? only slightly directional, and unless you live between two cities you can direct it once and forget it. As you

Top, left: six-element yagi antennas, stacked. Top, right: ten- element yagi. Bottom, left: stacked ten- element yagi antennas. Bottom, right: single dipole with one reflector. Fl) .9F.1í -loo ,,on- directional antenna for urban listeners.

AUGUST 1959 81

www.americanradiohistory.com as it needs and throws the rest away. Some tuners do this better than others, of course, so before using a tuner in a strong- signal area you should make sure that it will handle strong signals without an increase in distortion. Q. What about using a "booster" in a fringe area? A. A "bocster" (or, more accurately, a "preamplifier ") is of greatest value when its input facilities are quieter than the RF stage of the tuner it is feeding. Naturally, if you own the quietest tuner in exist- ence, feeding it from a noisy preamplifier will only increase the noise. There is, however, a pronounced advantage to FM preamplifiers when they are used on the antenna mast to preamplify weak antenna signals before sending them down the transmission line to the set. The reason for this is that there is, in every transmission line, some loss of signal. In a 100 - foot length of ordinary 300 -ohm twin -lead, for example, there can, under certain conditions, be a voltage loss of as much as 6 db. This means that 2 microvolts of signal picked up by the antenna will be

reduced to 1 microvolt by the time the signal reaches the tuner. But this is an extreme condition. Normal

loss in 300 -ohm twin -lead is slightly over 1 db, at 100 mc. The use of a mast -mounted antenna pre - offset Jerrold Electronics' mast -mounted DSA -Fr11 antenna pre - amplifier will the effects of line loss by "boost- amplifier boosts signal before it reaches the transmission line. ing" the antenna signal before it reaches the transmission line. near the seventy -five mile limit you will want to Q. Do other types of lead -in have this much loss? consider a 6- element yagi. Beyond this point, a A. RG /1lU has more: 2 db loss per 100 feet. RG /59U 10- element vagi is a must, and in some regions two has the most loss, with almost 4 db per 100 feet. The 10- element antennas, properly stacked, may be least loss of all is found in open -wire lead -in, which

needed. has less than I db loss per 100 feet. Q. Do I need a rotator? Q. If open wire has less lass, why is it not generally used? A. If you use a highly directional antenna and the sta- A. Mainly because of its physical structure. A bulky tions to which you listen lie in different directions, a material, it consists of two solid lengths of bare wire rotator is required for optimum performance. On separated by insulators positioned every foot or so. the other hand, if you live in a suburban neighbor- It is cumlersome and unattractive, and is usually hood and have a simple dipole antenna, and if all the selected for installations requiring extremely long stations are located in the same general direction, a leads which run over open countryside where the rotator probably will not be necessary. Rotators gen- wire can be strung from pole to pole. erally are associated with weak- signal areas and with Q. If RG /11U and RG /59U have greater signal loss, high -gain, highly directional antennas. what are their advantages? Q Why is a high -gain antenna directional? A. Primarily their shielding properties. They are made A. The gain of an antenna is increased by adding direc- of a single wire covered by insulation, surrounded tors in front of the driven element. An increase of by a shield covered by more insulation. They re- forward gain means a reduction in side -to-side recep- semble, in fact, single-conductor microphone cable. tivity, since the antenna beam becomes narrower as The shield is normally connected to ground, so it will directors are added. The result is high gain and high ward off external fields (ignition noise, for example). directivity. The tuner thus receives the antenna signal without Q Suppose I equip myself for maximum signal reception the addition of lead -in noise. Ordinary twin -lead is with a high -gain antenna array. Won't I get too much notoriously receptive to stray pickup. The disad- signal from stations which are close? vantage of increased signal loss incurred by the A. In practice, no. Your tuner's automatic gain control shielded types of lead -in usually can be overcome by will pretty well take care of the maximum levels. In the use of a mast -type antenna preamplifier. This is effect, it chops off the signal when the set has as much most essential in fringe area locations. In strong -sig-

82 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com nal areas, the preamplifier should not be necessary. Q. I'd like to run twin -lead through a hole near the roof inside the walls to my tuner on the ground floor. Is this acceptable? A. In a strong -signal area, where sufficient signal will be received at the tuner even after rather high transmission line losses, this method probably will be satisfactory. But in a fringe area, where it is necessary to conserve signal strength, twin -lead should be run with stand -off insulators which space it at least 4 inches away from solid material such as roofs, walls, etc. The lead should also be twisted one or two turns per foot. Q. Why are these precautions necessary? A. Just as twin -lead is susceptible to stray radiation, it is also capable of losing signal by reradiating it into Blonder -Tongue's model AB -FM is mast mounted, carries space, or into any nearby object, where a part of the signal down same cable that supplies AC power to booster. signal is absorbed and lost forever. Q. I have an FM radio system which is about six years old. I want to improve reception. What should I do? Q. Is it really necessary to mount the antenna on a roof? A. If your receiver is less sensitive than your listening A. In a strong -signal area, rooftop mounting often is area requires you should investigate the so- called unnecessary. A simple crossed dipole antenna usually table -top boosters which are connected between the will work, regardless of placement. But as the dis- antenna lead -in and the tuner. There are several ex- tance from the transmitter increases, antenna height cellent boosters on the market, with very quiet becomes increasingly necessary to overcome curva- input circuits. Such devices usually will improve ture of the earth and absorption of signal by the reception when used with a relatively insensitive earth itself. Rooftop mounting is usually selected tuner. You should next look to your antenna system. because it is convenient. An alternate mounting Antennas gradually grow stale by oxidation and cor- method will be satisfactory if it doesn't reduce an- rosion. This acts as a shield to FM radiation, "bounc- tenna height. A number of electronic manufacturing ing it off" instead of absorbing it. Periodically, the firms make antenna masts which are placed directly lead -in must be replaced. It should be pointed out on the ground. They usually are designed for easy that the present position of your antenna may not assembly, so that the antennas can be installed at necessarily be the best one -you should try the an- ground level and then raised. tenna in a number of alternate mounting spots. Q. My tuner is a few years old, and even though I've selecting the one that gives the best results on all replaced a number of tubes, it seems to be losing stations. While you're at it, you might also consider sensitivity. Must I replace it upgrading your antenna. A. Not necessarily. Although it is not practical for users to realign their tuners whenever tubes are replaced. this procedure often is essential to top performance. The input sections of your receiver are tuned circuits, which rely in part on the internal capacity of the tubes themselves. Although current manufacturing tolerances insure tubes of close conformity, it is possible to find tubes which alter the tuning of your set to the degree that sensitivity is impaired. Install new tubes and have the receiver aligned with a sweep generator and oscilloscope -this should return it to its original condition. Q. Are tuners today more sensitive than tuners of yesterday? A. In general. yes. In recent years we have witnessed a "war of the microvolt." This war has been won by the consumer, who now can choose from a variety of Jerrold's 406A -FM is a table-top preamplifier designed to be installed between the antenna down -lead and tuners, all of which have excellent sensitivity char - FM receiver. It will accept coaxial cable or twin -lead. acteristics.-P. C. G.

AUGUST 1959 83

www.americanradiohistory.com combining: Audiolab Test Reports H Freports Tested in the Home

prepared by Hirsch -Houck Laboratories and the technical staff of High Fidelity

HF REPORT POLICY Equipment reports appearing in this section are of two types: Audiolab Test Reports and Tested in the Home Reports. AUDIOLAB TEST REPORTS are prepared for us by Hirsch -Houck Laboratories, a completely independent organization whose staff was responsible for the original Audio League Reports. Audiolab Reports are published exactly as they are received. Neither we nor manufacturers of the equipment tested are permitted to delete information from or add to the reports, to amend them in any way, or to withhold them from publication; manufacturers may add a short comment, however, if they wish to do so. Audiolab Reports are made on all -electronic equipment ( tuners, preamplifiers, amplifiers. etc. ). TESTED IN THE HOME REPORTS are prepared by members of our own staff on equipment that demands more subjective appraisals ( speakers, pickups, etc.). The policy concern- ing report publication and amendment by the manufacturer is the same as that for Audiolab Reports.

unit, while tuner Jerrold HSK -300 geared to be well designed and easy was a very insensitive Soldering or stripping insu- "B" was extremely sensitive. TV -FM Distribution to install. ATR lation from the twin -lead is not neces- As the curves show, the less sensitive System sary. Our tests were concerned %%Alt tuner was helped by the booster. Its the performance of the HSA -46 as an usable sensitivity was increased by the Price: $70. MANUFACTURER: Jerrold Elec- FM booster. full gain of the booster, some five or tronics Corp., 15th and Lehigh, Philadelphia 32, gain of the booster six times. Stations which were formerly Pa. We measured the over the FM band by inserting it be- too weak for full limiting %%ere received The Jerrold HSA-46 Home Amp is a tween a signal generator and the re- with complete clarity. wide-band booster (RF amplifier) ceiver antenna terminals and measur- On the other hand, the performance tvhich is intended to be connected being the input signal required for a spe- of the expensive tuner was degraded tween an antenna and a TV or F\[ cific limiter voltage in the receiver, slightly by the booster, at least for receiver. It is designed to amplify sig- With 1111(1 Without the booster. The low signal strengths. At higher signal nals between .54 and 216 megacycles gain was 5 (14 (lb) at 88 me and 6 strengths the booster had no appreci- by six times. or 15 db. (1:5.5 db) at 108 mc. able effect. The tuner used for the The HSA -46 is a part of the Model test has a low -noise front end and its HSK -300 Home System, which in- performance is largely limited by the cludes everything (except the an- noise generated in the RF amplifier. tenna) for a complete five -outlet TV/ Apparently, the booster has a higher F \i distribution system. The HSK -300 noise figure than the timer, so that its has 100 feet of 300 -ohm twin -lead, o%wn noise tends to mask out very weak five -antenna outlets tvith cover plates signals. and plugs, and the HSA -46 booster. Although the HSA -46 is not iso- A typical installation would locate the lated from the power line by a trans- booster in the attic near the antenna, former, the entire operating portion of and position outlets throughout the the circuit is constructed on a printed house as desired, hiding all %tiring in board tvhich is electrically isolated the walls. As many as five receivers from the antenna terminals and the could be plugged into the antenna case. Leakage currents are negligible. Jerrold's instructions imply that the system at one time, without interac- Jerrold's TV /FM amplifier. tion or loss of picture definition. booster can be installed in the attic or Such a system obviously is best in- To determine the practical effect of garage and operated continuously, stalled tyhen the house is being built, the booster on FM tuner operation, Nye since it draws only 18 watts and de- though it can be added to existing measured the sensitivity of two tuners velops little heat. We do not recom- homes N'1111 additional expense. We With and %without the booster. The mend continuous operation, however, did not attempt to evaluate the coin - measurement tuas in accordance with since the unit is not fused. Should a plete system, except to note that it ap- IIIFM tuner standards. Tuner "A" rectifier or filter capacitor fail, the

84 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com sitivity tuner (below about 4 micro- booster could be totally destroyed. f-...... ----.....---...... ----tl NI JERROLD BOOSTER volts) will not be improved by the This might also create a fire hazard. O WOSFMTUNE S lin O of the booster. Unfortunately, if the booster is to be W addition ó limumIIInmIIIIm11111muWm Its chief benefits probably will be turned on and off with the system, it z ruIIIBImtWu -111L\/111111191 Lail it is installed as part of must be located rather far from the realized when zo \11f 111ì;M!111IIIM11111I1=11111111I home distribution system. antenna, in most installations, or a a complete - 1111111111aT1IiüNII111111.111111111 case, a number of FM and/or special switched power line must be rc MIAMI 1111Ilglltiii=5,!!I!!!-"'" In this o may be operated at vari- extended to it. g\CÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ_ÑIÌ ÑÌI% ÌÌÌÌÌ TV receivers ó ri:=000Y]!-=-cs:.! ous points about the house without á IiMIEti::isrri 11116111111111111111111111110111111111.011110111 for separate antennas or ex- ó the need Summary II I111Ì posed wiring. Since TV receivers have The Jerrold HSA -46 TV,'FM booster INPJT SIGNAL MICROVOLTS lower sensitivity than many FM tun- a considerable can greatly increase the usable sensi- ers, we would expect particu- tivity of most FM timers. In many perform as well as or better than an performance improvement, cases it can make an indoor antenna unaided outdoor antenna. A high -sen- larly in weak -signal areas.

system sounds some- Electro -Voice Lindon with nuts and lock washers), attach a The Lindon wire, replace the back, and connect the what small and lacks big- system bass. Enclosure with LS -8 wire to an amplifier. If a two-way sys- But this effect should be anticipated - 11íH Woofer and tem is planned, the tweeter cover must the Lindon is small. It is expertly de- High- Frequency Kit be removed, the two speakers and di- signed for apartment (or trailer!) others who want high- SPECIFICATIONS (furnished by manufacturer): viding network mounted, and the dwellers and Lindon enclosure -a direct radiator, shelf -type speakers wired together. All connec- fidelity sound in restricted space. It enclosure for 8 -in. speakers and two-way, tions are made with screw -type con- cannot be expected to shout with the woofer- tweeter systems. Construction: 5 -ply nectors; no soldering is required. authority of a Patrician, for example. Type: bass reflex. Size: 11 in high plywood. for the tweeter can The range covered, however, is ex- by 231/2 wide by 10 deep. Finish: blond, The level control mahogany, walnut, or unfinished. Price: $34.50 be mounted either on the front panel, tremely smooth and remarkably trans- (unfinished model, $29). where it is instantly accessible, or on parent. The T«' -35 tweeter is one LS-8 woofer -a full- range, 8 -in., direct the back. Holes are predrilled in both of the cleanest -sounding compression radiating loudspeaker. Frequency response: I've heard recently, and its 50 to 13,000 cps. Resonance: 55 cps. Power places; positioning is up to the user. I tweeters capacity: 20 watts continuous (40 watts peak). prefer having the control on the front, level control permits a relatively wide Impedance: 8 ohms. Recommended damp- but undoubtedly there are listeners range of control over the high end, ing factor: 15. Mechanical crossover: who won't want the attractive lines of from 3,500 cps up. 2,000 cps. Price: $18. The speakers are moderately efficient HF-1 High -Frequency Kit, including TW -35 the grille cloth marred by an accessory compression tweeter, and CR -35 dividing net- knob and position indicator. and will perform well with any of the work and level control. The Lindon is it bass-reflex enclosure dual 14 -watt stereo amplifying units Tweeter. response: TW-35 Frequency and is tuned to the LS -8 loudspeaker. now emerging in abundance. As a mat- 3,500 to 18,000 cps. Recommended cross- two over: 3,500 cps. Power handling capacity: This sloes not mean that another 8 -in. ter of fact, the Lindon (or, better, 50 watts continuous (100 -watt peak). Im- speaker will not work; it Nvill, prob- Lindons) and stereo go hand in glove pedance: 8 ohms. Price: 522. ably very well. If the size of the port as if they were made for each other. CR-35 dividing network and level control. requires alteration, it can be covered In stereo, the bass appears to fill out Crossover frequency: 3,500 cps. Imped- system sounds ance: 8 ohms. Configuration: !i section. or sawed larger at will, since it is neat- considerably, and the Attenuation: 6 db per octave. Price: $15. ly located on the back panel. If a speak- much larger than its dimensions would MANUFACTURER: Electro-Voice, Inc., Bu- er smaller than the LS -8 is used, a suggest. Mich. chanan, change in port size will be necessary For small -system smoothness and in- The Lindon is a member of the Wol- for optimum performance. Similarly, if stallation convenience, the Lindon sys- verine family of custom speaker equip- a tweeter other than the TW -35 is tems will be hard to beat- P.C.G. ment. It is not a kit, but is a small used, physical changes to the mount- (11 in. by 10 by 2330 completely built ing plate may be necessary, but the bookshelf enclosure designed to ac- task should not be difficult. commodate either a 6- or 8 -in. ex- Audibly, the Lindon, LS-8. and tended- range cone speaker, or a sep- HF -1 are a good combination and pro- arate 8 -in. xvoofer with high- frequency vide smooth response over a range of driver. I installed an Electro -Voice 80 cps to 17.000 cps or above. I stop LS -8 woofer, HF -1 high- frequency hearing at 17,000 cps. although the unit, and CR -10 dividing network and T\\' -35 probably continues well be- level control in the unit I tested. yond. The first step in listening to any When I give 80 cps as a bass limit, \\'olve:ine product is to install the I do not mean that the unit produces speakers. The Lindon cabinet comes full response at 80 cps and zero re- The Lindon speaker enclosure. apart quickly and easily. Ten screws on sponse at 79 cps. Intensity at 80 cps the back come out and off comes the appeared to be about the same as at MANUFACTURER'S COMMENT: The Wolver- panel, thereby providing immediate 1,000 cps. Below that, it tapered grad- ine series was designed for extremely high access value, with design emphasis placed on trans- to the interior. ually to 60 cps, then went downhill parent rather than big sound. As pointed out The tweeter opening is covered by a fast. There still was output at 50 ops, in this review, the stereo effect creates the small hoard. If an extended-range but it was too weak to be of much use. "bigness" while the instruments come through speaker is to be installed, you simply A slight rise appeared at 100 cps, on without coloration. We feel that the Lindon for the audiophile on a mount on is an excellent buy it the four bolts (already in sweep tests, but it did not seem to color limited budget who wants true high -fidelity position in the enclosure and complete musical reproduction unduly. performance.

AUGUST 1959 Sï

www.americanradiohistory.com source, only one side of the headset sitive. One milliwatt of power pro- Koss SP -3 Nvill operate unless the plug is rewired duces more than ample volume. Stereo Headset to parallel connections. One design feature must be red - The impedance of the Stereophone flagged. The cable and plug are three - headset is 4 ohms. Designed for use wire units. There is, thus, a common SPECIFICATIONS rfurnished by manufacturer): with low -power amplifiers, it will not ground for both channels. Be sure a stereo headset for high -quality program moni- provide sufficient volume when used toring or private listening. Frequency range: you have the right polarity before 30 to 15,000 cps. Impedance: 4 ohms per in the more usual manner with a con- connecting the second channel. Other- phone. Connections: one three -channel phone ventional high -impedance tape re- wise, the resultant amplifier interac- plug of standard size. Price: $24.95. MANU- corder output. If the recorder has an tion will almost blast your head off. FACTURER: Koss, Inc., 2227 North 31st St., output stage, however, the headset If your system Milwaukee 8, Wis. stereo has a common will work well with a minimum of ground near the input (practically all output power. Preferably, the output do), to avoid disaster you need only The Koss "Stereophonic Headset" is a plush -looking, plush -feeling head- connect the hot wire from one of the amplifiers. phone unit designed for what could For headphone be called "private" stereophonic listen- listening from a power amplifier of very ing. It consists of two earpieces low output rating, the Stereophone headset is mounted in generous circles of foam excellent. But don't try to substitute rubber, connected by a broad curved it for conventional high -impedance foam rubber pad fits that over the top phones of the head. Two wire -it simply won't work that brackets on way- P.C.C. each earpiece permit considerable adjustment in size. The foam rubber MANUFACTURER'S COMMENT: Although absorbs almost all of the pressure of these phones ore designed to work directly the headset, making it comfortable for from a power amplifier, various accessory boxes, matching transformers and a small extended wearing. amplifier are available for use with tape pre - Each earpiece is separately con- omps, tuners, ceramic cartridges, electronic nected through a single multiwire ca- organs, etc. Every SP -3 headphone includes, at ble to a three -conductor phone plug. Koss SP -3 headset. the some price, an adapter plate consisting of o female stereo jack, plus one ten-ohm resistor In appearance, the headset resembles in series with each earpiece to improve the a monophonic unit. Only the double level should be independently ad- signal -to -noise ratio from power amplifiers, plug gives it away. This plug is stand- justable from the recording level. and a terminal board with 4 leads which ard size and will fit any phone jack. Properly connected to an output trans- permit it to be connected directly to any component amplifier or console unit without sol- When connected to a monophonic former, the phones are extremely sen- dering or making internal connections.

It can intermix any combination of selection mechanism. If the special Glaser- Steers records. A small feeler arm touches the feeler contacts the linkage (while the AiR GS -77 Record Changer record being dropped, causing the speed selector is in the " Speedminder" arm to index to the proper position for position), the turntable operates at 78 Price: $60. MANUFACTURER: Glaser -Steers a 10 -inch or a 12 -inch record. If the rpm. If the wrong stylus is down, the Corp., 155 Oraton St., Newark 4, N. J. record does not strike the feeler arm. changer will play at 78 rpm. The current version of the GS -77 is the tone arm indexes for a 7 -inch rec- In other words, the Speedminder similar in most respects to the orginal ord. feature of the GS -77 makes it virtually model first introduced a few years ago. A unique feature of the CS -77 is impossible to play a record at the It has 4 wires for stereo cartridges. the so- called " Speedminder." When wrong speed or with the wrong stylus. It appears that Glaser- Steers has the speed selector is placed in the It is hard to imagine a more foolproof tried to make the GS -77 as nearly fool- " speedminder" position, the speed se- system of record playing. proof and flexible as possible. They lection is automatically tied in with By placing the speed selector in any have succeeded admirably. the tone arm indexing. For example, a of the indicated speed positions, the The GS -77 has but two operating stack of 10 -inch and 12 -inch LP rec- GS -77 may be operated in a similar controls, concentrically mounted so ords and 7 -inch 45-rpm records (with manner to any other record changer. that they seem like one. A speed se- center spiders) can be intermixed in Manual operation is available at any lector knob controls the fouir speeds. A any order on the changer spindle. speed by lifting the record balance small lever serves to start the changer When a 10 -inch or 12 -inch record arm and swinging it to the right operation, to reject a record, or to stop drops, the arm will index appropriate- over the pickup arm rest. In this con- it before the record is finished. ly and the turntable will operate at dition the trip mechanism is disen- 333k rpm. When a 7 -inch record drops, gaged and the arm may be moved as not only will the arm index for that desired. size, but the turntable will rotate at Another unique feature of the GS- 45 rpm. 77 is the fact that the turntable stops Two quick- change cartridge slides rotating during the change cycle and are supplied with the CS -77. Car- does not resume until the next record tridges may be changed in a matter of has dropped and the arm has lowered seconds by loosening a single thumb- into playing position on the record. screw. Another small feeler arm is at- This eliminates the possibility of dam- tached to the slide holding the 3 -mil age to a record by scraping against a cartridge. Just before the arm moves rotating record on the turntable when out, it presses back against the arm it is dropped. CS -77 stereo changer. rest, toward a linkage with the speed A switch on the motor board paral-

86 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com lels the two channels for playing mon- The rumble level was measured at were experienced during testing. ophonic records with cancellation of -31 db relative to a stylus velocity of At first we were alarmed by what vertical rumble. This switch is not ac- 7 cm sec at 1,000 cps. The rumble appeared to be an excessively large cessible when records are on the turn- measurement was not significantly af- angle between the arm and the record table, since it is located very close to fected by paralleling the two channels, surface when only one or two records the edge of the turntable. indicating that it was predominantly were on the turntable. It developed, The idler wheel retracts automati- in the lateral plane. however, that the cartridge slide is cally when shut off, thus preventing Wow was 0.2% and flutter was constructed so that the cartridge is not flat spots. 0.12 %. Neither could be heard in lis- parallel to the top of the tone arm, but The tone arm has adjustments for tening tests. The tone arm tracking er- rather is more nearly parallel to the stylus pressure, indexing, and arm ror was very slight at the smaller rec- record surface. Most stereo cartridges height. An AC socket is switched on ord radii ( under 2 degrees up to a fl- will perform satisfactorily in the CS- and off with the changer, so that an inch radius) but rose sharply to 6 de- 77, though the stylus will be perpen- amplifier may be plugged into it and grees at 6 -inch radius. From a distor- dicular to the record at only a certain be turned off when the last record has tion standpoint this is not too serious, stack height of records. This, of course, played. The CS -77 comes equipped since it is most important to have a is a problem common to all record with a nine -foot line cord and two small tracking error at small radii. changers. four -foot audio cables with standard Our measurements confirmed Glas- phono plugs. er- Steers' claim that tracking force is Summary not affected by the number of records Test Results The CS-77 comes about as close on the stack. We found less than 0.5 to perfection in a changer design as All of this ingenious design would be gram variation over an arm height anything we have seen. Its mechan- to no avail if the changer failed to change of 1 inch. ical performance is comparable to that meet the performance requirements of Use tests indicated that the mechan- of many other turntables, and it has a high- fidelity stereo system. Happily, ical operation of the changer was nearly removed the possibility of hu- it does meet them with room to spare. sound. No malfunctions of any sort man error from its operation.

systems Heath W -7M requiring a low DF. In addi- .1POwEIR OUTPUT tion to the usual 4 -, 8 -, and 16 -ohm n>_ea ïlli A1R Power Amplifier output impedances, a 70 -volt tap is provided by the output transformer ooe IOW Price: $54.95. MANUFACTURER: Heath Coln - hIIIII for feeding lines to which a number of lII1=100 IK 20K pany, 305 Territorial Rd., Benton Harbor, Mich. speakers may be connected (as in pub- FREQUENCY/ CPS The W -7M power amplifier is one of lic address installations or elaborate m a FREQUENCY RESPONSE the new additions to the Heath audio home installations) . O . W ; line. Like other Heathkits, the NV-7M Means are provided for setting the O db o.1 W oF., I, is accompanied by one of the most output tube bias to the correct value, o 'nl complete sets of performance specifi- and for balancing the tube currents, by co III 111111111i011 the use of an )O IOU IK IOK . cations we have seen. external meter. A switched FREQUENCY, C P S The NV-7M is rated at 55 watts out- AC outlet and a power socket for The maximum continuous power put. It is compact and has its filter supplying preamplifiers such as the output was approximately 50 watts, capacitors and output tubes recessed Heath WA -P2 are also provided. from below 20 cps to above 10 kc, and slightly below the top of the chassis very nearly that much at 20 kc. This to conserve vertical height. The con- IiDISTORITiON1 indicates a high -grade output trans- ventional tube rectifier has been re- -=:=24";;; C HARMONIC former, which is further proved by the placed by a silicon voltage -doubler l .1 1.1111 .. -20%vHARMONIC 1K fact that the 20 -cps and 1,000 -cps rectifier, with a selenium rectifier jÑ z harmonic distortion are both very low which furnishes fixed bias to the o 'MUM gill ipil up to nearly maximum power output. EL -34 output tubes. Another uncon- ao 1111111 11111111 111i[ii The frequency response at low levels ventional touch is the use of a surgis- i:'.::i is as close to flat as can be measured tor, or current limiting resistor, in the sznil q OF ara ¡^ .MM ISSir/)' Awn with available test equipment. AC line, to limit peak currents drawn D- .lEilsinst11 1REii - The 1,000 -cps harmonic distortion through the silicon rectifiers during ITii1!1rr1ÌíT.!!!1111 remains at 0.2% up to 40 watts output, warm -up. -iiilP°1.1911111111111111111I 1.0 IOo and reaches 3% at 55 watts. It should A choice of two damping factors is OUTPUT , WATTS be noted that precise power measure- available, by means of a switch. The ments near the clipping point of an high DF is nominally 20, while a DF Test Results amplifier are difficult to make, even of unity is provided for those speaker The amplifier, as received, contained with careful line voltage regulation a defective 6AN8 tube, which pm- and other precautions. The 20 -cps dis- duced excessive IM distortion at low tortion is under 0.5% up to 35 watts output levels. This degree of distortion and climbs to 2.5% at 50 watts. This is might not be readily apparent to an excellent performance. The IM dis- untrained listener or to one with a tortion fluctuates irregularly but re- mediocre speaker system. But it dram- mains under 1% up to slightly over 60 atizes the importance of making at watts equivalent sine wave power. least a few measurements on a kit am- The distortion level is slightly af- plifier before placing it in service. The fected by the choice of high or low following measurements were made Heath's 55-watt amplifier. after installing a new 6AN8. Continued on page 90

AUGUST 1959 87

www.americanradiohistory.com Fairchild Stereo Cartridge and systems. The catalogue also offers marketed by Robins Industries Corp. The Fairchild Recording Equipment an "introduction to stereo sound" and The Record Care Kit, aimed at the Company has announced a newly de- makes recommendations for proper hobbyist, is one of a series of three signed rotating- magnet stereo car- speaker placement. Copies may be "Engineered Sound" products for rec- tridge. Called the SM -1, the new obtained on request (ask for Catalog ord users. The de luxe model ( ESK -3, pickup is said to have higher output 134) from Electro-Voice, Inc., Bu- listing for $5.00) consists of the Rob- (11 mv), lower hum, and greater chanan, Mich., or from local dealers. ins SC -1 stylus force gauge, the MX- adaptability than other cartridges 40 microscope, the TL-1 turntable currently on the market. The car- Hysteresis Turntable level, the JC -1 Jockey Cloth, the Argonne Electronics Nlanulacturing NB -1 Kleeneedle stylus brush, the Corp. has available a mu s single - RB-75 record brush, and the TA -1 speed, hysteresis- motor-powered turn- tone arm lift. The professional model table. Operating at a constant 333k (ESK -2) contains the force gauge. rpm, the unit is said to he free of microscope, and turntable level, and speed eccentricities due to line voltage sells for $3.00. Complete instructions fluctuations. The aluminum turntable are packed with each unit. weighs 4á lbs., is rim- weighted for high inertia, and turns on a precision TransFlyweight Recorder ball bearing. Wow and flutter are said to be under 0.27, and the signal -to- The Amplifier Corporation of America is now producing the Tran.sFlyweight Fairchild's SM -1 cartridge. noise ratio is reported as below -45 db. For price and additional data, portable battery -operated tape re- broadcast tridge is housed in a mu -metal case write the manufacturer. corder, reported to exceed that repels stray radiation and elim- minimum specifications with respect inates hum. Designed to be extremely New JBL Line to frequency response. flutter, wow. and dynamic range. Very -low -noise rugged, it may be used in record James B. Lansing Sound, Inc. has un- transistors are used to achieve a high changers. The manufacturer reports veiled a new line of "Linear Effi- that it will track high -level passages at signal- to-noise ratio on low -level in- are designed 3 grams force. Frequency response is puts. The motor batteries claimed to be 20 to 15,000 cps, chan- to last 40 hours, whereas the amplifier preamplifier nel separation more than 20 clb. Price: batteries will operate the $34.95. for 175 hours. The motor is multiple - shielded and contains auxiliary noise Sherwood Tuner suppressors. The amplifier section is a push -pull A new F\1 -only tuner with a minimum feedback -designed with bias oscillator for mininuun distortion. sensitivity of below 1 microvolt (for 20 db quieting) has been announced The weight of the unit is 8 lbs. Prices by Sherwood Electronic Laborato- and full specifications will be fur- on request to the manufac- ries, Inc. The Model S -3000 II tuner JBL's small stereo speaker systems. nished also features "Inter-Channel Hush," a turer. noise muting system that eliminates ciency" loudspeakers which are FM interstation "hash" while tuning designed for operation in small en- from one station to another. In addi- closures. The line includes an 8 -in. For more information about any of tion, a "local- distant" switch permits extended -range speaker; a 10 -in. low - the products mentioned in. Audio - immediate change of IF bandwidth to frequency driver; a high -frequency news, we .suggest that you make use provide extreme sensitivity for distant driver; a dividing network for use of the Product Information Cards stations, or to permit wide- range, low - with the low - and high- frequency bound in at the hack of the maga- distortion reception of local transmis- drivers; a Model C -46 Minigon stereo zine. Simply fill out the card, giving sions. The S -3000 II also features projection speaker system (available the name of the product in which defeatable AFC, flywheel tuning, a with either louvered or fabric grille); you're interested, the manufacturer's cathode follower output, and multi- a Model C -49 Dale shelf -type speaker name, and the page reference. Be plex output jack. The price of the system; and a NIodel C -48 Madison sure to put down your name and unit is $105.50 (less case). speaker system. Prices and additional address too. Send the cards to us information are available from the and we'll send them along to the Electro -Voice Catalogue manufacturer. manufacturers. flake use of this Electro- Voice, Inc. has available a special service; save postage and the fully illustrated catalogue containing Record Care Kit trouble of making individual inquir- information on the company's fall line A $2.00 kit containing a st his force ies to several different addresses. of high -fidelity speakers, enclosures, gauge and turntable level is being

88 HIGII FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com A FOR EVERY MUSIC LOVER

Whether your requirements are modest or magnificent, there is a fine -music Bozak Speaker System to satisfy every individual need. For Limited Space: The new Bozak "Spinets," quality two- and three -way Systems in compact, functional enclosures measuring only 141/2" x 231/2" x 111/2 ", that outperform and speakers near their size and price.

For Built -ins: Panel- mounted and wired two- and three - way Systems for convenient installation where you want them - in wall, bookcase, or well -made furniture. For the Hobbyist: The easily assembled, acoustically superior infin_te -baffle E-300 Kit enclosure, with Bozak's one line of one quality components: the popular B -207A coaxial, the outstanding B -199A woofer, the unique B -209 midrange, the sweet -natural B -200X tweeter, distortion -free crossover networks -and, soon to be announced, the multi -purpose 8" auxiliary speaker.

For Decor: The industry's widest selection of custom - crafted fine furniture enclosures in Provincial, Urban and Contemporary styling with matching equipment cabinets - choice of fine finishes - or unfinished for special individual requirements.

For Stereo: The original and incomparable single - cabinet dual -matched System -the Bozak B -304 Stereo Fantasy. Or any pair of Bozak Systems. For the Connoisseur: Supreme in realism of music and sound reproduction, the magnificent B -310A and B-400 Systems.

Reward your appreciation of fine music . . . see a Bozak Franchised Dealer for The Very Best in Sound. BOZAK DARIEN CONNECTICUT

c - .

www.americanradiohistory.com NEWSFRONTS done only by the cartridge, with its simplicity of handling. Continued from page 79 And now -again, at last, and per- GRADO Imps finally -we have the cartridge, country had been marketing them for introduced in June by Bell Sound with specialized applications for several a series of recorders . . . and by the years. But it was not until 1958 that simultaneous announcement by RCA the tape industry got Clamour: RCA that it was going to produce the car- announced a tape cartridge, with fan- tridges. fare. The startling features were two: The picture of the Bell tape car- . .. takes pride in announcing it used four tracks, and it operated at tridge player which we show in this a new Custom Series Stereo 3% ips with, it was said, remarkable issue of HIGH FIDELITY may be the fidelity. beginning of a revolution. We hope so, Cartridge. The Grado "Cus- Essentially, continued improve- for the sake of those who have shied tom" was designed .for the ments in the manufacture of tape away from tape because of its awk- selective audiophile who de- heads had enabled designers to pro- wardness. But we also hope that re- sires excellent reproduction duce a gap so narrow that fidelity at newed interest in tape will encourage 3% ips was, or was almost. the equal the reel -to -reel systems, because of at a moderate cost. With its of that at 7;s ips. The switch from half- the flexibility and refinements of oper- excellent tracking ability and to quarter-track was made possible by ation available in them. Thus the an- extremely low distortion, the improvements in tape and in general swer to "which ?" will be "Both " -we new Custom Stereo Cartridge design; this design factor influences hope and expect. signal -to -noise ratio, primarily. To Bell Sound: congratulations . . . becomes a perfect compan- It cannot be said that today's 3% -ips and to RCA: our vigorous encourage- ion to the widely acclaimed quarter -track tapes are equal in fidelity ment. CHARLES FOWLER Grado "Master" Stereo Car- to, say, 1955 tapes made on full -track tridge. Because of small mov- 15 -ips machines. But they are astonishingly close. ing masses and low tracking Unfortunately, and for reasons that forces, stylus wear is virtually have not yet become clear, the RCA HF REPORTS nonexistent. Grado Labora- cartridge faltered in the design de- Continued from page 87 tories now guarantees all of partment and slid not get into production. Equipment manufacturers. the stereo diamond stylii for who had rushed to develop tape play- DF, but not enough to be of concern. a period of 5 years from date back equipment for the cartridges, The DF was measured as 17 on the of manufacture. took their losses and wondered what high position, and 0.93 on the low position. A greatly improved Grado had happened. The tape industry in general (as far as the home music The hum level is from 73 db to 80 Tone Arm is now available. It market is concerned ) , and the record- db below 10 watts, depending on the is dynamically balanced and ed tape people in particular, took what setting of the level control. The ratings features a new micrometer can only be called a shellacking. of the tubes and filter capacitors are tracking force adjustment. After the initial confusion, the first not exceeded. Power line leakage is answer came in May from negligible. Stylus force accuracy of the Mag- netic Recording Industry Association, The square -wave response of the tenths of grams may now be as reported in HIGH FIDELITY last \V -7M is very good, agreeing in all achieved with complete sim- month by R. D. Darrell. The mem- respects with the photos published in plicity. Also new is a stainless bers of the Association standardized the Heath manual. on reel -to -reel steel arm rest locx. All present operation using four - track heads, with the tape running at Summary Grado Tone Arms can be 7% ips. Simultaneously, prerecorded modified. tape prices were cut in half, and a The Heath \V -7M is a first -quality vigorous campaign, spearheaded by power amplifier, powerful enough for Ampex, was launched. This was a any speaker system used in the home. Master Stereo Cartridge . . . $49.50 splendid move forward, of significance It is characterized by conservative de- Custom Stereo Cartridge . . $32.50 sign, compact construction, and a very Micrometer Stereo Tone Arm $29.95 attractive price. The incorporation of an effective unity DF circuit which does not noticeably degrade performance is an added bonus, which will be appreciated by those users who have speaker systems such as the Heath Legato. In all important respects, the per- For further details write to especially to the enthusiast. The formance of the W -7M agreed with fidelity possible with four tracks at 7!r the published specifications. Although GRADO LABORATORIES, INC. ips was excellent: money could be our measured distortion figures were 4614 7th Avenue Brooklyn 20, New York saved, and fidelity would be but little slightly higher than Heath's, in all Export -Simontrice, 25 Warren St., N.Y.C. (if any) impaired by dropping the probability that was the fault of the speed to 3% ips. And, with a price com- particular tubes supplied with the am- petitive to that of discs, tape could plifier. The 6AN8 supplied was de- hope at least to dent the mass market, fective; probably the EL -34s were if not to crack it. The latter could be weak also.

HIGH FIDELITY 1MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com i M M EDIATE DELIVERY

AT LAST! AFTER 8 LONG MONTHS, YOU MAY NOW HAVE IMMEDIATE DELIVERY ON THE FAMOUS ELECTROSTAT-3,

THE TWEETER THAT MAKES ANY SPEAKER SYSTEM BETTER!

This is the tweeter . . . and the only tweeter . . . made famous by rave notices of hi -fi test laboratories. It is the original ... the genuine ... and it can now be yours without delay. Compact S A750 size: 117/8" x 57/8" x 41/4" deep. In blond, mahogany or walnut finish. Hear all the "highs" within the range Completely of human hearing ... 5,000 to 25,000 Assembled CPS and higher!

REALISTIC

Beware of Imitations NONE GENUINE WITHOUT THIS MARK ELECTROSTAT- 3

Obsoletes All Others! NEW 8- TRANSISTOR 350 JUMBO PAGES PORTABLE RADIO OF BIG BARGAINS

24 to 36 pages month after month . and each crammed with unbelievable savings on hi fi, stereo, LP records, pre recorded tape, ham radio, cameras, sporting goods. tools, appliances, test equipment, electronic parts! Because Radio Shack has millions of mail order 8 transistors, 2 crystal diodes and a thermi- customers all over the world, Radio Shack gets first stor set new standards for comparison in 250 -PAGE GUIDE offerings from manufacturers needing cash, closeouts, portables! Amazing selectivity, sensitivity brand new items! You'll never believe the savings and tone plus phono input for use as an TO ELECTRONIC until you see them with your own eyes! amplifier- speaker and earphone outlet. Only 61/2" long, heavy leather case. Runs for BUYING weeks on single 59c battery (included).

351i CAN SAVE YOU S100's SAME DAY SHIPMENT BY MAIL

Radio Shack's new 1960 catalog, GUIDE TO ELECTRONIC RADIO SHACK CORPORATION, Dept. 8G- BUYING creates a new standard in electronic catalogs. 730 Commonwealth Ave., Boston 17, Mats. It's big . . . 81/1" x 11 ", has over 250 pages, lists lowest Please net prices on everything electronic, contains up- to -the- send me the following: minute feature articles, engineering charts and data Quan. REALISTIC Sh. Wt. Order No. Sale prepared by leading authorities, is profusely illustrated ELECTROSTAT -3 7 lbs. 36GXO17Y $27.50 with big clear pictures and is handsomely printed in 8 -ohm Wired X -over 2 lbs. 91L534 6.95 rotogravure. Ready in September. 8 Transistor Radio 2 lbs. 90LX696 29.95 Extra Radio Bat. t/z lb. 95L020 0.59 tor FREE Radio Shack Bargain Bulletins FREE Radio Shock RECORD Bargain Bulletin i Articles! R.4I7/0 Sf/..4C/C Radio Shock 1960 GUIDE TO ELECTRONIC BUYING 35c Big Pages! - CORPORA T /ON Check Money Order C O.D. BigPictures! 167 Washington St.. Boston 8, Mass. Name Reference 730 Commonwealth Ave., Boston 17, Mass. Address 230-240 Crown St., New Haven 10, Conn. Data! City_ zone State

AUGUST 1959 U1

www.americanradiohistory.com GO TO HEAVEN (latter -day Dvorúks beware: you may need permission to introduce that folk QUALITY MADE FOR Continued from page 38 melody in your symphony) and cir- culated on recordings, they remain the became big business and eventually authentic music of the people who penetrated the Hit Parade itself. In created the spiritual. Similar in form brief, the traditional piano of the inure to many nineteenth- century evangeli- HIGHEST QUALITY prosperous Methodists was handed cal songs, this music sounds a new, down; the improvised embellishments informal, and personal note: You Bet- of the "Dr. Watts" hymns of the Mis- ter Run, I Know it Was the Lord, sionary and, especially, the Primitive Jesus Walk with Mc, How About You, REPRODUCTION Baptists were passed along; and the I Shall Know Him, and so on. holy (lance, the syncopated off -beat Gospel songs are often sung in regu- handclapping, an(l the congregation- lar 4 4 tempo, but they also employ, *N.C.S. centered rhythmic participation of the sometimes by way of contrast, a very Fide litone NEW more recent Sanctified Church were slow tempo which sounds weirdly dis- taken up. located to the average white ear. The It was this last body, representing a tune may be the well-known Protes- oriented twentieth-century grass -roots religious tant hymn Came, Ye Disconsolate, but revival, that pioneered on a folk level it soon becomes unrecognizable, end- diamond the current blend of voices and accom- lessly embellished, and completely paniment. More instruments were fascinating. The trick is a shift in time added at every step. A few years ago, signatures to what jazzmen call "slow I heard at a Sanctified Church in fours." Four heavy beats are sounded, Daytona a band of a dozen instru- to be sure, but each incorporates a ments playing in a style raggedly waltz figure. Six -eight or, better, reminiscent of Dixieland- although the twelve -eight time (in triplets) (le- shouting congregation nearly drowned scribes it technically. The result is a them out. The influence of the new sophisticated and simultaneous blend- gospel music on jazz has been great. ing of %valtz and march tempos, with Asked %vhy Nlilt Jackson has such a varied melodic accents. fine sense of rhythm, Dizzy Gillespie Four centuries ago, when the Prot- folk replied: " \ \'iiy, man, he's sanctified." estant Church was borrowing Both Gillespie and Jackson were tunes for its hymns ( the melody of brought up next door to the Sanctified 1Vicked Captain Kidd became Won- Church. drous Love), Martin Luther is sup- Professor John Work recalled 1937 posed to have announced: "The Devil as the year that the Primitive Baptists shouldn't have all these good tunes." YOU CAN in Nashville organized a choir, dressed A few years ago, Elder Gray of the ACTUALLY its members in angelic robes, added a Sanctified Church stated an accom- HEAR THE DIFFERENCE rhythmic piano, and prospered mightily. It was an attraction which other churches could not ignore. These choirs sing "Dorset's," songs composed in the folk idiom by Thomas A. Dorsey *New Compatible Standard - reproduces ( not the late bandleader) and others both stereo and monaural recordings such as Lucy Campbell, Lillian FiI litnnc N.C.S. Oriented Diamond Needles Bowles, and Kenneth Morris. Billed in are designed specifically for the ultimate in high the Twenties as "Georgia Tom," Dor- fidelity. They add an entirely new dimension se accompanied Mutes singer Ma of quality to stereo or monaural reproduction. Rail cy- sufficient indication of his Fidelitone N.C.S. Oriented Diamonds cor- rectly track the vertical and lateral sound musical background. impressions with less distortion. Result - The congregations of these funda- magnificent reproduction with all the bal- mentalist churches never did take to ance and clarity of living realism. And your concert arrangements of spirituals -or old records sound better too! Background hymns, either; and, although they noise is noticeably reduced. Records are reproduced with the fidelity of new records. sometimes sing them, their continual To achieve the highest fidelity reproduc- improvisation makes the melody diffi- tion - - stereo or monaural - specify a Fidel - cult to recognize. They prefer the folk itone N.C.S. Oriented Diamond Needle - it idiom, which means blue tonality, call- costs no more. Ask your dealer for a demon- surging rhythm. stration today, and hear the difference for and-response, and yourself. (The "holy dance" goes with it, too.) COMING SOON FROM FIDELITONE Nor do they stand upon formality. - news of the most outstanding achievement Boogiewoogie pianist Sammy Price, plished fact: "The Devil shouldn't in the needle industry today. Watch for it! who has accompanied many gospel have all this good rhythm." Indeed, the Leader in fine needles for over 30 years singers, tells about a holy pianist in a Devil can no longer claim a monopoly. Dallas church: "\\'hen he got religion, Happily, in addition to long -play the Lord told him to play piano. He recordings of individual singers, we Fidelitone just ran over and started to play. He's have two examples of almost complete Al- church services. Gospel Singing in "Best buy on records" still playing when they let him." Chicago 26, Illinois though gospel songs are copyrighted i1Vas)tington Temple (Westminster

92 HICII FIDELITY NIACAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com 6089) takes us to Bedford Avenue, BEYOND COMPARE Brooklyn, to hear Bishop Washington as preacher, his wife Ernestine as the talented soloist, and an assembly of three choirs, tambourine groups, and assorted instruments including an New organ, piano, guitar, bongo drums, and fiddle. Here is every style of gospel song, presented in the context of a PROFESSIONAL church service. 55 Grace (Harle- A Night with Daddy the quin 702), recorded at Grace Haven Ultimate on 125th Street and Eighth Avenue i1 i STEREO CARTRIDGE New York, may be a bit livelier than the Washington Temple performance. j) Here are incredible tambourine groups who build up a propulsive rhythm. cóLVMii rn maraniz console 55 There is also an electrifying selection iROfrSS10"' Consumer Net $249 of singing, testifying, preaching. row*. IMI,nYV!áK Cabinet 24 shouting, and handclapping, as well as !M Slightly higher in West a brass band with a trumpet, trom- lxme, and tuba playing in an early In pre -amplifiers and power ampli- way a fiers, Marantz has set today's highest New Orleans style. Along the standard of quality. gospel piano ( with ragtime over- tones), organ, and electric guitar add Consider the Marantz Stereo Console. to the festivities. This is an advanced Here is the essence of uncompli- kind of gospel music -the latest stage cated, beautiful styling. So simple to use, even the most non -technical in a long development -and perhaps person can easily achieve matchless the most joyful noise yet made unto reproduction quality. Yet, this fine the Lord. instrument offers an order of versa- COLUMBIA tility that pleases the most discrimi-

nating professional users. Carefully Processional 55 .. . planned and wiring layout DAS RHEINGOLD circuitry Cost S28.95 result in unsurpassed freedom from distortion, hum and noise. Continued from page 43 This new transparent cartridge is the professional's version of the Dedication to quality in every detail be the familiar spaciousness of which popular Columbia CD. A higncoun- is the reason why the Barents 30- pliance model with excellent tran- stereo alone is capable, but also the sient response, it uses a .5 --nil dia- watt power amplifier, is in a too, illusion with mond stylus and is designed for class by itself. The Marantz circuit here genuinely pertinent transcription turntables. Comes permits this superb amplifier to re- which stereo vitalizes those rare mo- complete with 4 miniaturized plug - cover instantaneously from ments in the score when lateral di- in equalizing networks for low- and sharp, high -level inputs. musical transients - to effortlessly rectionality and motion are actually drive loudspeakers of all types - to for the swim- significant- especially CURVES, FACTS AND FIGURES PROVE IT consistently outperform amplifiers of ming Rhinemaidens, the mad dashes considerably higher ratings. of Mime endeavoring to escape his For both stereophonic and mono- invisible tormentor, the stomping ap- phonic programs, Marantz is your proach of the giants, the clattering ar- assurance of long, carefree operation rival an(1 dispersal of the Nibelung- and unprecedented performance. en... In either medium, however. Wag- ner himself could ask no more than that the music he set on paper might be translated intact into meaningful, multicolored, and electrifying sound. That hope seldom, if ever, has been as comprehensively realized as it is here in a phonographic monument which Ask for Bulletin E -331. Check the Professional 55's superiority in: proves anew that musical artistry and linearity .. separation ... needle engineering skill -or high fidelity and point impedance . low mass ... stereo, as often mistakenly contrasted freedom from hum and distortion . output level... and ruggedness. -are complementary rather than an- tagonistic. According to our individual YOUR CWN EARS PROVE IT tastes we prize these qualities vari- Better still. Your own ears will con- 30 -WATT AMPLIFIER vince you zhe Professional 55 is ously, often more -or -less willingly dis- your best investment. Ask to see Consumer Net $147 pensing with one when we are given and hear it at your distributor's today! Cover Grill 7.50 enough of the other. The quintessen- Slightly higher in West tial worth of the present work is its CBS ELECTRONICS incontrovertible demonstration that A Divis,on of Columbia neither aspect need be stinted to ele- Broadcasting System, Inc. nIt AK Danvers, Massachusetts vate the other that when each is C O M P A N Y -and Distributed in Canada by

truly unstinted, both are mutually en- CANADIAN GENERAL ELECTRIC CO , LTC., TORONTO 25 -14 BROADWAY. LONG ISLAND CITY 6, N.Y.N. hanced.

AUGUST 1959

www.americanradiohistory.com ESTE RH AZA this beautiful Castle? One day, when TRADER'S MARKETPLACE there was no Iron Curtain, would tour- Continued from page 35 ists be able to come and see it? His eyes lit up, and he said: "We Here's the place to buy, swap, or sell used ferred equipment, records or what have you. comic opera, or dramma serio- have very extravagant plans for the comico, to opera Rates are only 45e a word (no charge for seria. But Haydn ap- Castle. You see, we would like to do name and address) and your advertise- a pears to have had a free hand in the sort of Haydn Festival every year here. ment will reach more than 110,000 music productions. listeners. Remittance Among the documents A kind of Glyndebourne, where must accompany which have copy and insertion instructions. Copy recently come to light in Haydn's operas are given again; a must be received by 5th of 2nd month Budapest is a receipt, countersigned by Mecca for Haydn lovers." preceding publication and is subject to Haydn, for a number of opera scores approval of publishers. But where, I asked, would they do copied for the Princely stage; among these operas? By way of answer he them is listed the score of Le nozze di took us to the former Princely stables, FOR SALE Bogen PR -100A preamplifier with case, Figaro, and the date of the document, $50. Stentorian 1214 speaker, $20. Van Amp cross- and ushered us into a sort of foyer. over, S20. All like new R. J. Molella, 1213 S. by one of these curious coincidences Broad St., Philadelphia 47, Pa. He unlocked a door, and to our as- which history is full of, is Bastille tonishment, we saw a perfectly Day -July 14, 1789. That it was actual- INDUCTORS for Crossover Networks. 118 types in equipped little theatre, with a small stock. Send for brochure. C i M Coils, 3016 Holmes ly performed is shown by another re- A N.W., Huntsville, Ala. orchestra pit ( "Aha!" said one of the ceipt, in which Pietro Travaglia sub- gentlemen from the National Museum, mits a bill for the scenery (August 8, TRANSISTORIZED AMPLIFIER -PREAMP. 30 watts. "five firsts, four seconds . . . one bass Beautifully styled, compact case, just 7 x 6 a 5. 1789); and when I was in Budapest is enough -just the size for L'infedeltd New. Satisfaction guaranteed. $200. R. L. Kissner, recently, I examined the original score Box 214, Canton, Connecticut, OWen 3-8093. delusa . . . ") and a neatly con- and parts of Figaro from which Haydn structed stage. PRERECORDED tapes. Droll French stories. 53 95. conducted. Mozart's opera was one of "The workers on the place built this MacLeod's Unique Recordings, 487 Stiles Street, the very_ few works which Winnipeg 10, Canada. Haydn ob- in their spare time," our conductor viously had no desire to rewrite and explained. "They did it for nothing, ALL MAKES HIGH FIDELITY speakers repaired. for which he did not feel impelled to and sometimes we do plays Amprite, 70 Vesey St., New York 7, N. Y. BA 7.2580. and skits substitute arias of his own composition. here. But I'm waiting for the day when That it should have been lovingly per- AP -12 High Compliance wide range woofer, $14, PP. Esterháza will he a regular summer Enclosure data available. Audio Process Inc., 15 formed, one August night in the year festival, a rival for Glyndebourne." Manet Circle, Chestnut Hill 67, Mass. 1789, in the brilliant and festive little He looked around the empty and dark- opera house in the Hungarian wilder- HI -FI LOWEST quotes: write for prices. Registered ened theatre. IHFM dealer. R. Bruna, 162 E. Cook Avenue, Liberty- ness is one of the most charming epi- ' I ville, Illinois. "Well, teased him, "do you really sodes in Haydn's operatic career. want all those Rolls -Royces and Mer- Such thoughts run through one's HI -FI, Recorders, Tapes. Send for free wholesale cat- cedes- Benzes and white ties and long alogue. Carston, 215 -N East 88 Street, New York 28, mind as one looks over the deserted evening dresses ?" N. Y. and desolate Castle grounds. We He looked at me quite seriously. "I walked through the flower garden (the HIGH -QUALITY STEREO -Complete sets only. Fully don't care about the Rolls -Royces one tested. Big discounts. George's Music House, Cali- buds were just beginning to show) way or the other," he said, I fornia, Missouri. "but do and stood, for a moment, under the care about making a festival for people Chinese pagoda. On the walls were who 16" AUDAX ARM, $12.00; Knight condenser checker, really want to come and see Lo $14.00; Knight signal generator, 83Y145, S15.00; faint inscriptions of German soldiers, speziale, or Philemon and Baucis, or Jiffy tape eraser, $13.00; GE GC -5, never used, Russian soldiers, their names and ini- $15.00; Heath XO.1 crossover, $13.00. All equipment perfect. H. A. Slataper, Jr., 4679 Telephone Road, tials already fading from constant ex- Houston 17, Texas. My colleague from Budapest broke posure to the icy winter winds which into the conversation again. "Phile- whip across the flat country from the STEREOTWIN ST200D top -rated magnetic stereo car- mon," he cried delightedly. "Marvel- tridges, regularly $44.50, special $18.95. (Limited faraway Alps. $15.95 ous idea. ... You could do it with quantity.) supertweeters now S6.95. I.A.S. a Corp., 107 Lake Ave., Tuckahoe, N. Y. "It's curiously moving experience, real marionettes," and he walked back Esterháza, isn't it ?" said our host. We to the pit, counting softly to himself, RENT STEREO TAPES -over 500 different -all major nodded. "two oboes, one -no it's bassoons, labels -free catalog. Stereo- Parti, -D two- 1608 Centinela I asked him: what was to become of Ave., Inglewood 3, Calif. two horns...." We walked into the sunny after- FOR SALE -James Lansing 040001 mahogany, 5200. noon, and I thought: perhaps one day Robert Forester, 1976 E. 16th St., Brooklyn 29, N. Y. 1902 Many Tel. ES 6 -3523. SALE 78 R.P.M. RECORDINGS, -1950. there won't be that Iron Curtain, that types. Free lists. Collections bought. Mr. Ellie Hirsch - mann, P.O.B. 155 (HF), Verona, N. J. stretch of innocent -looking ploughed CONCERTONE -Model 1401 (stronger motors), $125; field which is covered with mines, Fisher 50 -C Audio Control, $25. E. D. Dupre, 36 Glendale St., Worcester, Mass. USED EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: Fairchild 281 -A 16 -in. those posts with tightly stretched transcription arm, 517.00; GE RPX single play cartridge with .001 diamond and .003 sapphire, 510.50; barbed wire that sings gently in the MC Altec- Lansing MCINTOSH -30 amplifier, C -8 preamplifier. Good Bell 2200C control amplifier, $48.00; wind, those tall watchtowers. . . . condition. $140. D. O. Tice, Jr., Box 1024, Raleigh, 601 -A speaker, $49.50. Rose Broder, 824 Eastern N. C. Parkway, Brooklyn, New York. Perhaps one day we shall all be able to get into our cars in Vienna at lunch - STEREO TAPE RENTALS. Profit sharing plan. Free UNWANTED LPs bought for cash. Leonard Reder, time and be at Esterháza by early eve- catalog. Stereo Library, P. O. Box 232, Redwood 119 Elm St. , Pittsfield, Mass. City, Calif. ning in time to see Lo speziale or L'in- fedeltà delusa or Orlando Paladino. TAPE RECORDERS! Recording tape, Bell tape decks, And perhaps one day people in New hi -fi equipment, Norelco speakers. We will not be FAIRCHILD 225A cartridge, Fairchild 281A tone arm. undersold -send for our catalog and see why. Com- Both 10 hours use S55.00. W. B. Syer, Hartsville York, or Paris, or London will be de- missioned Electronics Company, 1776 Columbia Road Stage, Great Barrington, Mass. N.W., Washington, D. C. ciding whether to go, this year, to Aix -en- Provence, or Glyndebourne, or SELL: Custom made six position mixing panel, two SELL: Two Brociner Mark 30-C control amplifiers, low impedance microphone inputs; four high level Salzburg . . . or Esterháza. ideal for stereo pair. 575.00 for both. Fairchild inputs two of which are bridging, VU meter; sepa- 201 -B professional turret transcription arm, $15.00. rate power supply; Cinema components; rack mount- Brociner A100PV preamplifier, $10.00. A. C. Smrha, ing 101 /2" x 19" stainless steel panel. $500.00. A. C. 12 Mountainside Drive, Westfield, N. J. Smrha, 12 Mountainside Drive, Westfield, N. J.

94 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com GAMBA STEREO -FAX Continued from page 41 Provides Stereo Realism From Monaural Source is the greatest. Beethoven is the first one to speak to me what music is. Beethoven's music has a greater spiritual valeur than any other music I know. It is spiritually of a very high conception. At the same time it is easy to understand. That is a combination bien rare." Yet another Maestro came to the house, Maestro Roberto Giovannini. Hear new depth and brilliance from your He was induced to sit down at the pi- monaural tape and record collection by in stalling the STEREO -FAX in your high fidel. ano with Pierino, who waved him to ity stereo system. This network component permits you to take full advantage of your the secundo seat, a gesture which sur- stereo system with all monaural program material by introducing phase displace- prised the Maestro and ruffled him a ment between amplifiers. The result is ex- little. Gamba recalls, "The Introduc- traordinary realism. Get new enjoyment from ALL radio broadcasts. Written up in tion, Adagio molto, goes well. The In- Hi.Fi Directory and other leading publica- Acoustical Labyrinth Quarter tions. Unit comprises a passive RLC circuit troduction, as you know, is easy. Gio- requiring no power source. Easily installed vannini say to himself, `Very good. But without disruption of existing hook -up. Wavelength Duct Speaker System! wait until the Allegro con brio. Pierino DISC IAMP. I1- Revolutionary design brings you is only studying music for three I TAPE SPKRS the world- famous Acoustical Laby- months. The Allegro con brio is his de- I RADIO F- AMPe2 rinth enclosure in shelf-size systems feat. It will make him stop.' But I do Available only by mail, postpaid if cash for 8 ", 12" and 15" speakers. not stop. I go on. I play with wrong with order, or C.O.D. plus postage. (Calif. residents add 4% tax.) Shipping weight See your Stromberg- Carlson fingers. But I never miss a note. My approx. 11/2 lbs. for either model. Complete technical data. simple installation instruc- dealer. He's in the Yellow Pages rhythm is perfect. We play to the end tions, and schematic included with each of the symphony. Giovannini is watch- order. Satisfaction guaranteed. under "High Fidelity." ing my fingers all the time. There are AUDIOPHILE MODEL U.3A $19.95 STANDARD MODEL U .4B $16.95 STROMBERG -CARLSON tears in his eyes. At the end of the A DIVISION OF GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION ORDER NOW or write for full information Symphony he says to Papa, `Piero, this Gaylor Products Co. 1419 N. GOODMAN STREET boy will be the first pianist in the SDB 819 ROCHESTER 3, NEW YORK world. If you do not let him study the 11100 Cumpston St., No. Hollywood, Calif. piano seriously you are un miserabile.' My father does not want me to be a professional pianist; there are so many good pianists that it is a difficult thing to jump on. Papa has other ideas." NOW...ASTOUNDING' h Pitch tests followed. Standing in a corner with his back to the piano, Pierino identified D above middle C, then G, and finally D, F sharp, and A sounded together. These last three FM /AM RADIO IN 1,0 notes he named individually, because he had not yet learned that they constituted the D major triad. "After that," continues Gamba, "it is YOUR CAR'S quiet in the room. Nobody is able to speak. Then we have dinner. Every- body is still silent. My father sit down to read. He read the same page twenty times and does not it. understand This If tonal quality is important to you, you'll be thrilled with the I know because he tell me about it la- HI -FI performance of Blaupunkt car radios -in both FM /AM ter. Then he looks at my stepmother. and AM models. The FM /AM Blaupunkt gives you the added advantage of uninterrupted, static -free performance...no blackout He says to her, `Gina, I will tell you of music or sound in underpasses, under bridges, or among tall something. Pierino is a conductor.' He buildings. Easily installed in American and imported cars. did not say `. . . will be a conductor.' Fmast across the Atlant,c FREE! WIN TRIP TO EUROPE FOR TWO `. . . LUFTHANSA Sound" Sweep- No. He say, is a conductor.' Gina GERMAN AIRLINES Etter Blaupunkt "Wings of looks at him as you look at people who stakes now! Nothing to buy, nothing to think up. Just fill in the entry form at your BLAUPUNKT dealer. 20 have dnmk too much wine. (In our exciting prizes, including free trip to Europe for 2, via LUFTHANSA. house we never drink wine. Only water WRITE FOR REPRINT of article in Electronic Industries Magazine or mineral water.) My father does not on the "astounding reception" of Blaupunkt FM /AM car radio. sleep that night. He say to himself, `What are the things that make a con- ® Dept. HF, Robert Bosch Corporation, Car Radio Division, ductor? Answer: absolute 40 -25 Crescent St., Long Island City 1, N. Y. or pitch, ability 225 Seventh Street, San Francisco 3, Calif. to read music, ability to memorize it. Pierino has all these things." FM -AM & AM From that day Papa became Pier - BLAUPUNKT CAR RADIOS R[o. u. s. PAT. Of,. auUUMATwERRC GMSM ILDESMOMGERMAMY SYMBOL OF QUALITY Continued on next page SUPSIDIARY Of ROBERT ROSEN G. N. S. M.

AUGUST 1959

www.americanradiohistory.com ^/ow,/ Save Half GAMBA A S S E M B L I N G FL /O SEE Continued from preceding stage ONE OF THESE TWO 50 RECORDS AT A GLANCE inn's trainer and teacher. He dropped all other work. First he taught Picrino to read music in the seven clefs. "My PIC -A- DISCuc real s,ua ELECTRONIC father, as student, is five years learning ORGANS in KIT form the seven clefs. I learn them, while eating an apple. in twenty minutes. "CONCERT" "CONSOLETTE" Papa give me solfeggio exercises. Then, after one week more, I am able to read NO SPECIAL SKILLS scores. The first score I learn is Man - PAY KIT -BY -KIT cinelli's Cleopatra Overture. One day I play Cleopatra on the piano from full CONCERT MODEL score. Next day I conduct it from Conforms to AGO standards memory. There is no orchestra. Instead 32 Bass Pedals there are chairs, all the chairs in the

HANDSOME ASSEMBLED CONSOLES house. Each chair means an instrument or an instrumental group. My DOUBLE KEYBOARDS - 122 KEYS father ABOVE- KEYBOARD TABS jump from chair to chair as I give the (ONSOLETTE MODEL OCCUPIES cues. All the time he sing the different

ONLY 2' x 3 2 FLOOR SPACE parts; pretend to be cellos, trombones, 4461 BUILT -IN SPEAKERS OPTIONAL clarinet, violins, timpani. . . . (For (ansolette Model only) "For seek sifter week niv The only wire record storage rack which father permits LEAFING THROUGH 50 records COMPLETE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS work with me alone. No money of all sizes in their album covers for come Instant selection and easy removal. Each FREE -NEW 1959 EDITION of 16 -page into the house. We become record has its own individual wire frame very poor. eliminating danger of warpage. Rubber BOOKLET DESCRIBING BOTH MODELS Every clay Papa must sell something tipped. no- scratch feet protect your fur- to niture. Beautifully designed. fits in with IF LP RECORD DEMONSTRATING BOTH MODELS buy food. day any decor. Sturdily constructed. Gleaming One he exchange his bright non- tarnishing brass finish. On available for $2, refundable on receipt of order raincoat for six grams sale at most record shops hundred of or department stores. If not $ Write today -see what fine instruments rice. Everybody is against Papa allahle god cheek or NI to -my Money back guarantee. ppd. you can have of such great savings. stemnother, my grown -up sisters Ioli ART & INDUSTRY INC. The SCHOBER ORGAN CORP, and Lina, all my uncles. all Inv aunts. They ask, 'How can a boy of II W. 30 St., N. Y. I, N. Y. 2248 -L Broadway, New York 24, New York eight eondnet an orchestra of eighty men ?' Papa say. 'You will see.' At last the family send three \Ltestri- Mazziotti. Giovannini, and another one called PURCHASING Dell'.\tno -to reason with hint. The VIVE LA Maestri say, 'Piero, you are mad.' Papa A HI -FI listen. Then he say, 'You understand Beethoven because you study him DIFFÉRENCE SYSTEM? from the hook. You understand Bach and Mozart in the sane way. From the PARTIAL LIST hook. But Pierino is not in the book. OF BRANDS Send Us IN STOCK Therefore you do not understand Alter Lansing Pierino. But I do understand him. ULR E lectrovoi ce Only I. And now please go away.' Your Jensen Hartley The Maestri leave quickly. They are University List Of Acoustic Research very angry. My father is angry, too." Janssen Wharfedale On the morrow Papa went into earn- SPEAKER Components Karts on est huddles in musicians' crafts. In a Viking Con certo ne matter of clays he had recruited an For A Bell G.E. Weathers t'igliteen- piece ensemble from among Harman Kardon old friends in the orchestra of the SYSTEMS Eico Pilot Package Sherwood Teatro Beale dell'Opera. They agreed The World's Finest Acrosound Fisher to let Pierino conduct them experimen- with Drivers Quotation Bogen Leak tally without fee. Papa saved the dou- - - Dynok it Imported from France WE WON'T BE H. H Scott ble- bassist a taxi fare by carrying a UNDERSOLD! Ferrogroph The Amazing Bookshelf Tandberg borrowed double-bass fiddle across Pentron Rome for him, a fearsome task. Pier- System $80.00 Ampro VM t,, .m . is brand Revere Challenger )'s first practice rehearsal took place tury fr,11,< cirr Wollensack aftttYYi. in the roomy salon of the Croci family, For information on all other Garrard Mirocord relatives of the Gambas. Perched pre- models, with free literature, write to Glaser -Steers Reh -O -Kat cariously on an armchair Pierino con- AIREX Components Norelco ducted the Cleopatra Overture with ULTRA Fairchild the right hand only. With the fingers of Pickering Gray ELECTRONICS, INC. RADIO Audio Tape his unoccupied hand he played piano Full Line of 234 -236 East 46th Street CORPORATION Wellcor Cabinets on his diaphragm. On the fourth page York 17, New York he accidentally dropped his baton. New 64 -HF Cortlandt St., N. Y. 7, CO 1 -2131 Jumping to the floor, he retrieved it

HiGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com and jumped back onto the chair. THE "I pick up the beat," he recalls. for less :work and more ¡play "without losing the rhythm. At t l NIFIL moment the I i I cellos enter. cue them I T GET THE TURNTABLE with my left hand. I do this very con- BRINGS fidently. The players stop playing. TRUE HI -FI THAT CHANGES RECORDS! They applaud nie. After that I conduct always with niv left hand as well as SOUND OUTDOORS my right. To conduct was easy, it was normal. That is what I always feel in those first years... You can now "The Accademia di Santa Cecilia enjoy Hi -Fi Orchestra, they hear about my re- all year 'round! hearsal at Cousin Croci's house. They Summertime can still be call up Papa and say. ' \V(' want to Hi -Fi time . . . when you play for Pierino. We will be ready for bring true high fidelity him at the Teatro Argentina at five this sound outdoors with you! MIRACORD XS-200 For this smart patio lamp heacysccìt,ht, prufe >,iun:,l -type turn- afternoon.' We go to the theatre. Nine- table a fully -automatic changer! conceals a sensitive hi -fi -and ty players are on the stage. I conduct plays both stereo and monophonic! speaker . . . adapts sen- the Barbiere Overture. (At this time I sibly to your patio decor'. push -button controlled throughout! Magic Wand spindles eliminate have four pieces in the memory- Relax outdoors this sum- pusher platforms and stabilizing Cleopatra, the Barbiere and Guglielmo mer with hi -fi supplied by arms! your new HIFILITE. Nr.f if toaty until $6750 urf Tell overtures, and the Sogno di Rat - nudioph;l. cli$ intermezzo from \Iascagni's op- Write and for the ..trreo rus fridge that era.) At the end of the performance for your there is a complete silence. I am un- nearest ELIMINATES HUM.,, dealer! easy. Then the first cello, a veteran player, say to my father, ` \Ir. Gamba, t STEREOTWIN 200 would you like your son to conduct I`I.iu I -t-T F.K MooiD ,\I(. Too' the Barbiere Overture again ?" At once Eli-tf AI.:. STANDARD TONE ARMS! I MANUFACTURING say, 'Yes.' I am quite happy, not NOW 4450 autliuph ile nel nervous at all. COMPANY For stole nearest you, and for Free catalogue, please write Dept. H "The second time the players do not 3030 LACLEDE STATION ROAD look at their copies. They look at me all ST. LOUIS 17, MO.. U. S. A. AUDIOGERSH CORP. IN CANADA: ATLAS RADIO CORP. LTD. 514 Broad tcay, N.Y. 14 IVO G -0800 the time. They give me a tremendous 50 WINGOLD AVE.. TORONTO 19. CANADA ovation. Again, conducting seems easy. a normal thing, like breathing. I am so young. Only later do I realize how difficult conducting can be and how listen to the important my mission is." The rehearsal tryout in the Teatro remarkable new Argentina was the making of Pierino. He was at once taken up by Michele Harman- Kardon Scalers, the Italian film chief. To Papa Gamba, Sca lera said, "I hear from musicians who record music for my filins STEREO FESTIVAL that you have an eight- year -old son x'ho is a good conductor. For the sake MODEL TA230 of Italian art somebody must help him. I Nvish to have the pleasure of helping complete stereo him myself." The help. promptly accepted- took BIGGEST VALUES the shape of a forty EVERI Save most receiver -piece orchestra. on Stereo hi -fi. See top buys in Allied - With this, Pierino practice -rehearsed recommended complete systems, three hours a clay, Sundays included. KNIGHT quality Stereo compo- at your local nents, and KNIGHT -KIT build - for two months, increasing his mem- your -own Stereo. Hundreds of values orized repertory to fifty items. Towards in famous name amplifiers, tuners, changers, speakers, accessories -as high fidelity the end of 1945 Scalera organized for well as recorders, P.A. systems, test him instruments and electronic an enormously successful concert supplies. sound at the Send for your FREE Allied Supple- room! Teatro Reale dell' Opera before ment packed with bargains and new an invited audience of musicians and products. Save as never before! international newspapermen who, Al- ALLIED RADIO lied occupation being in full swing, then swarmed in Rome. His program: ALLIED RADIO, Dept. 144 -H9 Cleopatra Overture, Beethoven's C 100 N. Western Ave.. Chicago 80, III. major Symphony, the Sogno di Rat- D Send FREE Allied Suppleme.,t No. 185 cliff Intermezzo- and the Guglielmo Tell Overture. His first public concert, Nome again at the Opera with the house or- Address

Zone State kardon I Continued on next page LCty J Avcusr 1959

www.americanradiohistory.com PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY C :\IBA CALIFORNIA NEW YORK Continued from preceding page

SPECIAL SOUNDTASTIC! chestra, was on June 16, 1946. This is best described in Camba's own words: Recording Tape WRITE FOR FREE SE- ... $1.19 "The concert begin at five -thirty. 1200 ft.; 7" guaranteed splice -free. Also, LECTOR &PLANNING Beautiful, sunny afternoon. From our 1800 R.; 7" for $1,89. Enclose 10c for flat is each reel lo cover postage i handling BOOKLET LISTING to the Opera two miles. Papa sin', `\\'e will walk to the Opera.' I say SOUNDTASTIC HI-FI \\ It:?' Papa say, 'It is a lovely day, SOUND SYSTEMS AT SPECIAL and we need fresh air.' The true reason CORPORATION 2057 Coney Island Ave. kìérulff is that Papa do not have enough lire Brooklyn 23, New York PACKAGE QUOTATIONS 820 W. OLYMPIC BLVD., LOS ANGELES 15, CALIF. for tramfares. I am wearing a white silk DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA shirt with lace collar, a Clark suit with Only a Rich Purple People Eater TAPE RECORDERS short pants, white socks. The Opera Does Not seats two thousand five hundred per- recording tape son. Four thousand person get inside. Bell Tope Decks gat /v/ with Nobody know how. Boxes for six hold Hi -Fi equipment fourteen. Again I conduct Cleopatra, Norelco Speakers Tell, the Sogno, and Beethoven's First. WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD! UDION Again a tremendous ovation. before buying HI FI components Send for our catalog and see why! "At the end the front door of the theatre and the artists' entrance are COMMISSIONED ELECTRONICS CO 25- HF- Oxford Road Q,luCll i Massapequa, L.I.,N.Y. blocked by six thousand person. All 1776 Columbia Rd., Washington, D. C. n l shout for Pierino. A fonctionnaire say, MARYLAND `The only way out of the theatre is by taking a secret tunnel to a rear door DIXIE On the Via Nazionale.' My father say, HIGH FIDELITY WHOLESALERS `For a whole year I am waiting for this day. Now the day has come, do you Largest catalog High Fidelity distributors in the South. Guaranteed lowest prices on package quo- think we are going to run away? No. Vuu can now purchase all ynur HI.FI from one on individual tations. Wholesale prices components. reliable source and he assured of perfect delivery. We leave by the artists' entrance.' All new merchandise in factory sealed cartons. Carston makes delivery from NY stock on most Hi -Fi, Recorders and tape within 24 hours. SENO "The fonctionnaire call up the police Are prices too high ?- Write: US A LIST OF YOUR HI -FI REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR WHOLESALE QUOTATION and our barracks. Sixteen carabinieri come to DIXIE HI -FI FREE wholesale catalogue. I sit on of a 125 HH E. 88 ST. escort me. the shoulders 12402 Connecticut Ave., Silver Spring, Md. CARSTON NEW YORK 28, N. Y. strong young man. A laurel wreath is around my neck. In one minute the NEW JERSEY RECORDING TAPE AT ROCK- BOTTOM PRICES carabinieri are scattered like leaves. PROFESSIONAL HI -Fl REPAIRS 4411$ III I1 nilm. t.t., i urtot r is r,'ran ling The crowd makes a great noise and Creeping deterioration or superficial "fixing" is tape say -why pay1. when I.&li ahsobael guar- robbing many of full HI -FI enjoyment they paid for. antees new, frevle. highest quality. hi -Iì taise - freq. close tightly conlme un étau. My fa- rents. 10- eyries or money refunded New concept in HI -FI servicing developed by BREMY 15.000 - your sister has a flower shop only two ELECTRONICS in collaboration with the AMERICAN Just Compare These Rock-Bottom Prices ther's AUDIO INSTITUTE, an independent testing laboratory. 6181 Ft. 5" Net Acetate Rase .4 for $2.85 hundred feet away. The shutters are Over SO precision instruments; new L more exacting - - 41041 Ft. 5" R,s - Aretan Base - i for 4.40 lest methods. Your equipment restored to peak per- 4111 Ft. 5" Icen - !1lylar Rase - .i for 4.211 up against the crowd. We are three formance quickly and inexpensively by experienced 12111 lut. 7" 1214 - Acetate liase - i for 1.05 professionals. Written laboratory lest report with every I800 Ft. 7" Ref - .Acetate Base -.1 for 5.25 hours getting to the shop of my aunt. repair job. Bring any make HI -FI phonograph, tuner, I81m Ft. 7" Bee - Mylar Bane - I for 6.85 2400 Ft. 7" Res ylar Raw .1 for t0.60 lape recorder, amplifier and see one of the finest audio -M - laboratories in the U.S.A. Experts on Stereo. Check -up Please Add 15e l'l' St Handling - l'er Reel NEW YORK and test report from 55.00. Reasonable rates on all FI.ORMAN 5, BAlils, INC.. repairs. Please pack securely when mailing for service. 68 West 48th Street New York d6, N. Y. BREMY ELECTRONICS, 394 E. 18th St., Paterson 4, N. J. "BUCK STRETCHER" Tel. LAmbert 5 -1191. HI -FI VALUES! I.paml th, husiul: power HI -FI HAVEN 4ri your Ili -Fi dollar at New Jersey's leading Sound Center Sun Radio on new and ful- Draw... l) guaranteed name brand Write for information on unique mail order your own conclusions Ili hi components! plan that offers professional advice pardner, when you receive our special quota- our quo- and low prices tions on your Hi -Fi needs. Send for special price Write too for audio cata- tations and our Hi -Fi package Registered 8: A -10, loaded with specials! Dept. Component Dealer log It double -barreled values. SUN Radio d Electronics fo., Inc. Brunswick, 28 Easton New 650 6th Ave., New York 11, N.Y. Ave. N. J. Key Electronics Co. Phone: ORegon 5 -8600 120 Liberty 5t., N. Y. 6,N. Y. EV 4.6071 PENNSYLVANIA NEW YORK e FOR THE TOPS IN VALUE AND THE BEST TRADE -IN ON TAPE RECORDERS HIGH FIDELITY EQUIPMENT HI FI Check with Arrow! Components SLEEP EEARN MERITA PE KITS high quality ARROW ELECTRONICS, INC. record l ug cfluslloÌ fig... In boxes or reu.. I'aloes 65 Cortland, St., New York 7, N. Y. FREE Dlgby 9 -4730 I t5!1 ('at:elue $9.95 525 Jericho Turnpike, Mineola, N. Y. 69 -02 FA, 174 Street Leslie Creations Dept. 2095 Lafayette Hill, Po. Pioneer 6 -8686 DRESSNER Flushing 65, New York

98 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com Always I am on the shoulders of the strong young man. When we come out SMALLER THAN of the theatre it is day. When we reach the shop it is night. All this time tram- The 15,000 -' WEBSTER'S... cars for Castelli Romani are held up on the Via Viminale. We are prisoners buck stereo until eleven o'clock. Everything seem UNBELIEVABLE unreal. But that is what happened." During his chrysalis stage Pierino cartridge FULL RANGE had two professional tutors as well as Papa. In the early news clips there is a New stereo records buck a phono needle SOUND! good deal about Professore Romeo up, down and sideways ... change its Ardnini "who retired as conductor of direction as many as 15,000 times a sec- the Rome Opera to devote all his time ond! If the cartridge isn't up to this to the boy." The teacher usually men- rough-riding, it grinds away at the record. tioned by Gamba himself is Giuseppe What's the answer? A ceramic cartridge Riusi, under whom he completed his with high compliance - the ability to stay harmony, counterpoint, fugue, instru- of course - plus low tracking pressure. mentation, and composition studies by Sonotone's "8T" stereo cartridge hay the age of fourteen. both. Tracking pressure? Less weight than Since then, estimates Gamba, he has this page. Performance? You'll hear the conducted seven hundred concerts in difference when you get Sonotone. seventeen countries and one hundred Prices of Sonotone Stereo cartridges forty-nine cities. Often he gives piano start at only $6.45 (including mounting recitals ( Bach -Busoni, Beethoven. brackets). WEATHERS Harmony Stereo Speaker Mendelssohn, Chopin, Albéniz, Grana- Actual measurements: 11" x 91/4" x 3s/e" FREE! "Stereo Simplifier!" booklet Frequency Response: 70 to 15,000 cps dos, etc.) . He has written three brief - orchestra pieces and occasionally sand- tells you how stereo operates. Write ta: Designed like a book, to be placed inconspicuously some on shelf, table or tucked away in your library. Use wiches one of these into provin- c singly, in pairs or with hideaway bass. cial program. His Racconto d'Eroi. Op. o Send today for FRET.' h,,n-hore to 2, 1954, was inspired by a visit Sonotone R dated P. WEATHERS INDUSTRIES to a war cemetery and meditation up- Arriirnti^^s Di.isi^, Dort. CH-89 DIVISION OF A^:NCE I MC 66 E. Gloucester Pike, Barrington, N.J. on the ideals that enable men to face ELMSFORD, NEW YORK Export: los. Plasencia. Inc., 401 Broadway. N.Y. 13, N.Y. death. Finally, a judgment. Gamba's infant musicianship was nu flash in the pan. It is a burningly real AckllOtl'fP<1,1P1Ì part of his nature and will mature as problems I,\(' 1:I.I.EN (' E he matures. There are many BASED ON RESEARCH ahead. In concerto conducting -which he practices with uncommon precision and tact -he is sure sooner or later to STEREO HIGH -FIDELITY find himself in conflict on tempo and other matters with famed soloists who WITH KOSS DYNAMIC may be inclined to throw their weight STEREOPHONES -and seniority -about. Although busy and prospering, he has yet to create in the public mind an adult image of himself as compelling as the frilled - shirt -and- white -socks one. But let me repeat: of his gifts and technical accomplishment there can be no doubt. They should be good for MODEL half a century's honorable employ. 5P -3

Frequency response 30 -15000 Flat, impedance FM/Q LEAKPROOF 4 ohm CHROME PROTECTED Excellent response from any ANTENNAE SEALED -in -STEEL Stereo or Monaural system. GUARANTEED! THE FINEST OF ITS ,KIND . . . Organs, Hi -Fi, etc. Get more FM stations with the world's most powerful FM Yogi Antenna systems. Complete separation of the two li;g/i,t channels gives the realism and fine To be fully informed. unobtain- for book tonal qualities that are send 25e able by any method regard- "Theme And Varia II CORROSION -PROOF other less of cost. Price $24.95 bons" by L F B Carini PORTABLE LIGHTS and containing FM Available at your Local Hi -Fi Store Station Directory. or Write Direct. BURGESS BATTERY COMPANY APPARATUS DEVELOPMENT CO. KOSS INCORPORATED WETHERSFIELD 9, CONN FREEPORT, ILL NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA 2227 N. 31st ST., MILW. 8, WIS.

AUGUST 1959 99

www.americanradiohistory.com ADVERTISING INDEX

Key Key No. Page No. Page 1.... Acoustic Research, Inc. 20 51....Ifi Fi Ilaven 98 2.... Airex Radio Corp. 96 52....High Fidelity Recordings 63 3....Allied Radio 97 Altec Lansing 15 4.... Corp. 53....JansZen 74 Ampex Audio Inc. 17, 18 5.... 54.... Janus Records 64 6....Angel Records 65 55.... Jensen Mfg. Co. 12, 13 7.... Apparatus Development Corp. 99 8.... Arrow Electronics 98 56.... KLII Research and Development 100 9.... Art & Industry, Inc. 96 Records 10.... Atlantic Recording Corp. 56 57....Kapp 66 Key Electronics 11.... Audio Devices, Inc. 52 58.... 98 Kierulff Sound Corp. 12....Audio Fidelity Records 75 59.... 98 60....Kingdom Products 13.... Audio World 98 Ltd. 76 61.... Koss Inc. 14.... Audiogersh Corp. 97 99 15.... Audion 98 62.... Lafayette Radio 4 Leslie Creations 16.... Bell Sound Systems 26 63.... 98 64 ....London Records 63 17....Blaupunkt Car Radio 95 65. Lowell Mfg. Co. 97 18.... Bogen, David, Inc. 6 ... 17.... Bosch, Robert, Corp. 95 19.... Bozak, R. T., Co. 89 66.... \larantz Co. 93 20.... Bremy Electronics 98 67.... McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 67, 68 21.... British Industries Corp. 30 68.... Mercury Records 51 Music Listener's Bookshop 77 22.... Burgess Battery Co. 99

53.... Neshaminy Electronic Corp. .74 23.... CBS Electronics 93 24. ... Capitol Records, Inc. 66 25.... Carston Studios, Inc. 98 69.... Opera 65 26.... Clevite Walco 10 27 .... Collard 9 70....Pickering & Co. 2 28.... Columbia LP Records 1 71.... Pilot Radio Corp. 78 29....Columbia Records ..56, 58, 75 Professional Directory 98 30.... Commissioned Electronics Co. 98 40....R & A Speaker 63 31....Conrac, Inc. 16 72 ....RCA Victor Division 32. ... Contem porary Records 61 64, Inside Back Cover 73....Radio Shack 91 33.... Diner's Record of the Record Review Index 66 Month Club 7 Records in Review 59 34.... Dixie Ili -Fi 98 74.... Robins Industries 57 35. ... Dressner 98 27....Rockbar Corp. 9 36....Dynaco, Inc. 73 75....Schober Organ 96 37....EICO 11 76.... Scott, Herman Hosmer, Inc. 19 38.... Electro -Sonic Laboratories 63 77....Seeco Records 75 39.... Electro- Voice, Inc... Back Cover 78....Shure Bros. 14 40....Ercona Corp. 63 79....Sonotone Corp. 99 80.... Stromberg- Carlson 95 41.... Fermdynamics Corp. 75 81.... Sun Radio and Electronics 98 42.... Fidelitone 92 82 .... Superscope, Inc. 5 43.... Fisher Radio Corp. 29 31.... Fleetwood Television Trader's Marketplace 94 (Connie, Inc.) 16

44... . Florman and Babb 98 83.... Ultra Electronics, Inc. 96 84.... University Loudspeakers, Inc.. 8 21....Carrard Sales 30 45.... Caylor Products 95 85.... Vanguard Recording 46.... Glaser- Steers Corp. Society, Inc. 53 Inside Front Cover 86.... Vox Productions, Inc. 56 47.... Grado Laboratories, Inc. 90 Cray Manufacturing Co. 44 48.... 87.... Washington Records 56 88.... Weathers Industries 99 49.... Harman -Kardon, Inc. 97 89.... Webster Electric 28 50....Heath Co. 21.25 90.... Westminster Recordings Co. 46

FIDELITY MAGAZINE

www.americanradiohistory.com NEW POP ALBUMS IN GLORIOUS

E''' '.--'ti F-- E-- 4- rnr6r;-: F ^ -

ON RCA VICTOR

" v."" I I .4t1 IMNG I STEREO 0 H"°'°' ('t 4 LIVING 'STEREO j-- ° 4 LNING STEREO Id thIns from FMr Lunn VatefroNt Rawhroe Blacksrddla

IMPACThe of Buddy orch7slra unllr dector 4rrov R:hard composed and condt.circ by NRhv ay 5W41 p arrndd Sea Hurt at Ml,im N.kr HENRY MANCINI paeet Perry fa, ai from the NBC television Neked U9 M sara+ serres PETEF GUNN tte you \Il new, Vol. IL Exciting secte' to Ame- Themesfrcm 12 op TV si:w., lite Ravi ide, Lena Horne and Harry 3elafonte bring Di all ca's best -sel ing album, :e:er Muir! Perry IKascn, Sea Hunt ¿ni The Naked City. the gxatest'Po "gy and Bess" them

a-.br.o. 4 L 'VING I STEREO LIVING I STEREO 14 LIVING I STEREO IN P.00GEiS i HAMMERSTEIM'S

FROM THE N3C -TV SD STARRING LEE MARVIN places he crisp, cool jazz sounds -hat set th_ The Originel tbvi Soundhack tla Noi th?. Sumpjnu! sounds from far- distait pace for NBC -TV's hightens*n M Sfplad Academy Alward or achievenert r sounc. -unusialnusi: that tickles the i-n gination.

ALL OF THESE ALBUMS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON REGULAR LCNG PLAT'. '/.HEN CRDERING STEFEO, SA "... eThcAcronRA.g MVO/ .T10NOf.NE Rif

www.americanradiohistory.com IN JUST SIX MONTHS... HERE'S WHY! .*First, regardless of your bu 'get or the space you have available, whether you want monaural high fidelity or true stereo, there is a Wolverine enclosure and speaker system that will meet your needs ... AND AT A PRICE YOU CAN AFFORD! OLVE R Second, only Wolverine gives you features found in speakers and enclosures costing two and three times more. bY gik.c7t` re c" YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM ... k Three handsome. acoustically -correct enclosures ... for the corner, for along tlis. HAS WON UNIVERSAL ACCLAIM FROM wall, for shelf or bookcase. Two full -range loudspeakers - eight -inch THE EXPERTS AS THE GREATEST and twelve -inch. Two convenient, easily -installed Step -Up- Kits that let you expand your high -fidelity VALUE IN HIGH FIDELITY system now ... or later. Er CHOOSE FROM 2 SUPERB FULL -RANGE LOUDSPEAKERS... WITH ALL THESE FEATURES:

Model LS12 12 -inch Model LS8 8 -inch Heavy -Duty Div'- - r- -The hallmark Response 30 t 3 13.000 cps; EIA sen- Response 50 to 13.000 cps; EIA sen- of fine loudspeakers. Frames are heavy sitivity rating 13 db. Power -handling sitivity rating 42 db. Power -handling and rigid, holding the speaker cone and capacity 20 wt tts program, 40 watts capacity 20 watts program, 40 watts the delicate voice -coil in exact center posi- peak. Impedance 8 ohms. Mechan- peak. Impedance 8 ohms. Mechan- tion without danger when the speaker is ical crossover 1800 cps. 12!6" dia.. ical crossover 2000 cps. 8 -a" dia., bolted to the cabinet. 31/2" deep; 11" baffle opening. Net 31/2" deep; 7,4" baffle opening. Net Two cones divide wgt. 51/2 lbs. Audiophile net. $19.50. wgt. 4 lbs. - Audiophile net, $18.00. the sound, one for maximum bass reproduction and a second, smaller cone for efficient high -frequency performance.Clean, crisp highs are produced well beyond the point where conventional speakers fail. COMPARE ALL FIVE LOUDSPEAKERS -Voice coils are edge -wound from precision, flattened - ribbon conductor; efficiency is increased 18% over conventional round -wire coils, WOLVERINE SPEAKER SPEAKER SPEAKER SPEAKER gaining the equivalent of five extra watts A e D from a typical amplifier.

Die Cost Frame Yes No No No Ye. -The voice coil is wound on a fiberglas form into a rigid, concentric assembly. This exclusive assembly main- Radon Cone Yes No No Yes No tains shape for the life of the speaker system, permanently preventing shorts and Edgewise-Wound distortion -causing Voice Coil Yes No No No Yes rubs. -Wolverine speak- Gloss Coil Form Yes No No No ers contain deep, medium -diameter voice coils. Conductor remains in the air gap Low-Silhouette even on longest excursions, preventing Frame Yes No No No Yes nonlinear operation characteristic of wide - diameter, short-throw coils. tong-Throw Yes Yes Yes Voice Coil Yes No -Long accepted as the most efficient, slug -type magnets have Slug Type Magnet Yes Yo, Yes No Yes the lowest leakage and greatest structural strength. LS 12 SI9.50 NET PRICE §27.75 $19.50 $33.00 $59.40 - Wolverine speak- LS 8 S1800 ers are only 31/2" deep for easy mounting in walls or ceilings. Ideal for "built -in sound" throughout the home. CHOOSE FROM 3 BEAUTIFUL ENCLOSURES in blonde mahogany, or walnut -grained finishes

For the corne- .. For along the wall .. For shelf or bookcase ... THE LORANE THE LANCASTER THE LINDON A corner -horn enclosure, the Lore ine Handsome and functional direct Direct radiator enclosure for 8" employs o corner of the room to radiator enclosure for 12" speacers. speakers. Excellent for use in reinforce and extend the bass Hos pre -cut ports for HFl and stereo pairs. Has pre -cut port for range. For 12" speakers. Has MFI Step -Up -Kits. Finished addition of HF1 Step -Up -Kit. pre -cut ports for adding HFl on four sides for high -boy HWD, 11" X 231/2" X 10" and MF1 Step -Up -Kits . . or low -boy use. Audiophile Net HWD 27" X 20" X 14" HWD, 25 "X20 "X14" $34.50 Audiophile Net Audiophile Net $48.00 $48.00

Perfect for Monaural, Perfect for Stereo EXPAND YOUR HIGH -FIDELITY SYSTEM WITH WOLVERINE SET -UP KITS Whether starting from scratch or convert- ing to stereo, the Wolverine series will STEP 1 ... Add the Model HF -1 STEP 2 ... Add the Model ME -1 meet your demand for full -range quality High- Frequency Step -Up Kit. Can Mid -Range Step -Up Kit. Can be sound and at a price be ceded to all Wolverine full - added to Wolverine speakers ... 40% below range loudspeakers. Extends after the HF -1 Step -Up Kit is comparable components. Compare the high-frequency performance installed. Spreads mid -range sound, compare the price, and you too beyond the limits of audibility, sound evenly throughout the will choose Wolverine by Electro- Voice. for ilky, precise definition of room, increases output in the string and woodwind instru- vital "presence" range, con- See your Wolverine high -fidelity specialist. men-s. VHF sists treble cross- Consists of driver of driver and For additional information, write Dept. 89 -H and crossover network with over netwo-k with built -in level r built -in level control. Complete control. Complete with all wir- with oll wiring, mounting hard- ing, moun-ing hardware and CC Inc., ware and instructions for sim- instructions for simple, 5- minute gr ple, 5- minute installation. installation. Buchanan, Michigan Audiophile Net, $20.00 Audiophile Net, $25.00 Superb new products through research.