in these pieces, is far from accurate, but the difficult scene with Crown is and this defect makes the gay Scherzo quite convincing (in fact, the lead -in to capriccioso sound rather oafish and "What You Want wid Bess" is one of loose -limbed. (When Kertesz does at- the record's most compelling moments). tempt to be flexible -as in the central She also does well with Serena's lament. portion of that piece -the result is in- darkening her tone color somewhat; I variably contrived.) still find myself wishing though, that a London's engineering is ultravivid. but mezzo or contralto had been given the if you set your volume control to pro- song. duce even reasonable solidity for the Warfield doesn't have this sort of opening horn call of the Scherzo capric- vocal equipment: and if one were to cios() (which sounds disappointingly "off - analyze his actual sound, one would mike"), you will be literally annihilated conclude that it was rather limited by the barrage of decibels you will hear much of the time. But he is a genuine slightly later. artist, who goes straight to the music's I see that the beautiful Talich and message. "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" Silvestri editions of the Symphony have swings Szell: Bohemian music a special forte. along easily, unaffectedly. The both disappeared from the domestic lines, "What if there was no Crown? catalogue, and so has the beguiling Sejna What if there was only Porgy." sung DVORAK: Carnival Overture, Op. account of the Scherzo capriccioso. The over a chilling string tremolando, are Sejna and Talich discs, however, might full of pathos and premonition, 92; Slavonic Dances: in C, Op. 46, and the be resurrected. now that a new company final scene is immensely touching. Only No. l; in A flat, Op. 46, No. 3; in has acquired the rights to the Supraphon- in the duet "Bess, You Is My Woman E minor, op. 72, No. 2; in C, Op. Artia lists. In the meantime, my recom- Now" is the vocal inadequacy of some 72, No. 7 mendation in the Symphony goes to consequence. tSmecana: My County: No. 2, Vltava Munch (fiery but, unlike Kertesz, impec- Bubbles, the original Sportin' Life, is (Moldau). The Bartered Bride: cably controlled) and Szell (more genial not quite as good as I had hoped. I do Three Dances and spaciously conceived). Both Kubelik not care about the voice, but I detect and Perlea get the nod for the Scherzo in "It Ain't Necessarily So" a tendency capriccioso. H.G. , George SzeII, cond. to settle for gimmickry and a few stand- ard EPIC LC 3868. LP. $4.98. "bits" rather than to get behind Eric BC 1268. SD. $5.98. GERSHWIN: (selec- the lines. "Dere's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York," though, is fine - tions) really Few conductors of our day are so well oily and obscene. (There is always suited to the performance of the music (s). Bess: John W. Bub- the danger that Sportin' Life will become so engaging that all the sense of Bohemia as is George Szell. All the bles (t), Sportin' Life; of menace about him will disappear. compositions on this disc (aptly en- (b), Porgy; McHenry Boatwright (b), Bubbles avoids titled "Bohemian Carnival have been Crown: et al. RCA Victor Chorus and that pitfall.) McHenry Boatwright does ") not always give the words recorded countless times before- often, Orchestra, , cond. us with clarity, but his manly baritone stands up to however, in a routine manner. But Sze11's RCA VICTOR LM 2679. LP. $4.98. Price's soprano in the big scene are distinctive. Coupled RCA VICTOR LSC 2679. SD. $5.98. on performances Kittiwah Island. with his insistence on meticulous clarity Henderson's accompaniments have and perfection of detail is a sympathetic This performance is in all important snap and precision, as the feeling for the nationalistic color, style, respects a very good one. and anyone in do choral contributions. It's a shame Victor verve these composers gave their search of a representative set of ex- didn't and go the whole hog inspired music. cerpts from the score should be well and give us a com- folk- plete Porgy. These selections. though, The Atoldan receives an unusually satisfied with it. Porgy, despite its patches embrace entire scenes and give us a broad, spacious reading, one that imparts of poorly set recitative and its failure fairly rounded picture the score. score. all its to meet fully the big dramatic moments. of great nobility to the With C.L.O. breadth, the performance never drags. I is still the best American opera; the ef- might have preferred a trifle more ani- forts of more recent composers notwith- mation in the peasant dance section; standing, it is even now a bit of a shock HANDEL: Concerto and to hear people singing about matters of for Harp nevertheless, one is not likely to find a Orchestra, in B flat, Op. 4, No. better Atoldan anywhere. The Bartered real emotional significance in an idiom 6- See Mozart: Concerto for Flute, Bride dances have just the right amount that is both affecting and recognizably of vitality, lilt, and characteristic rubato, American. Harp, and Orchestra, in C, K. 299. as have the four Slavonic Dances. The The labeling of the record -or lack thereof-is at least as confusing as a Carnival Overture too steers clear of HAYDN: Symphonies: No. 44, in E the perfunctory to give us an interpreta- Casey Stengel news conference. No- ( "Trauer "); No. 49, in F tion that is always bright and expressive. where is there any indication of the fact minor Of all the recordings that come from that Price sings not only Bess's numbers, minor ( "La Passione ") have always been but "Summertime" and "My Man's Gone Columbia and Epic. I Orchestra San Pietro, Renato Ruotolo, most impressed with the sonic qualities Now" as well. Nowhere is there a listing Cleveland Orchestra, of who. among the bit singers, sings cond. of those by the Di:ccA DL 10069. LP. $4.98. which seem to have the best definition, what. There is no attempt to explain the the DECCA DL 710069. SD. $5.98. presence, and instrumental separation. dramatic context for numbers per- And some reason. the The present disc is no exception. It is formed. for identity of the gentleman who sings Stereo is a great advantage in music such a beautiful example of what good engi- Woman Is a Sometime is as this, particularly since the orchestra neers can do. P.A. "A Thing" in a class with the A.E.C.'s latest test plays with the characteristic clarity of a results. A spokesman for RCA has good Italian ensemble. There is no such DVORAK: Symphony No. 8, in G, contended. after some investigation. that technical refinement in the monophonic Op. 88; Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66 it's Mr. Warfield; one of the album's Scherchen editions, but both remain prominent performers hazards that it among that conductor's finest achieve- London Symphony Orchestra, Istvan "must be" ( ?) Warfield. I have replayed ments -and their musical statements have Kertesz, cond. the passage several times in an attempt a vigor, a sense of eloquence and insight, LONDON CM 9358. LP. $4.98. to discover any similarity between the which makes much of the newer version LONDON CS 6358. SD. $5.98. voice of the singer and that of Mr. W. seem superficially elegant rather than Whoever it is does a very sharp, stylish expressive of the scores' deeper con- Kertesz shows little sympathy for the job. Theories invited. tent. (Scherchen, however, follows an almost naïve charm of this music, and a Back to the performance: Price is in older text and places the slow movement decidedly coarse predilection for brassy, very good voice. Surely Porgy's opening of the Trauer in second place rather than hard -driven orchestral sonority. Indeed, salvo -the raising of the curtain on third as Robbins Landon proposes and I have the distinct impression that the "Summertime " -is a tremendous theatri- Ruotolo provides.) The question, then, is young conductor is deliberately playing cal stroke. plunging us right into the mi- the familiar one: how important are for "effect" here: the emphasis is either lieu and giving us a hit song at the same refinements in engineering over those in on subaudible pianissimos or blasting, time: to hear it peal out in Price's lush. performance? R.C.M. cataclysmic fortissimos. Moreover. the free soprano is a stunning experience. A rhythmic articulation, so all- important few of the spoken lines sound forced, Continued on page 78

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