AURALINEAR TCHAIKOESKT: None but the weary heart, Op. 6, No. 6; Not a word, 0 my friend. Op. 6. No. 2; Don Juan's Serenade, recitals Op. 38, No. 1; It was in the early spring, Op. 38, No. 2: Mid the din of the ball, Op. 38, No. 3; I bless you, forests, Op. SPEAKERS 47, No. 5. Solemn: For the shores of thy fair native land. and miscellany Gunn: The Midnight Review. RUBINSTEIN: Melody. DAN- GOINIZASKY: The Worm; A pleasant nocturnal breeze; The ANITACERauErri: Opera Recital. An- Old Corporal. NEW B ita Cerquetti, soprano; Chorus and Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale, This is an engaging recital. The Russian song Florence,Gianandrea Gavazzeni, repertory is still comparatively unknown in from CROWN cond. Richmond SR 33189, $2.98 the West, doubtless because of its specialized (from London, OS 25100). linguistic demands. Perhaps the thaw in inter- VERDI: : Qui Rhadames verra . 0 patria mia; I Vas- national relations will increase our opportuni- priSiciliani: Bolero; : Anchlo dischiuso un ties for hearing more of this music in live per- Introducing the first speakers worthy giorno; : Ernani, involami; La Forza del destino, formances. This collectionis of the Crown name - Auralinear Speaker Pace, pace. mio Dio. Baum: : Casta diva. Paquin: a welcome Systems. Four models of unique electro- Tosca: Vissi d'arte. SPONTair Agnes von Hohenstaufen: reminder of the riches available. statics that are as far ahead of ordinary 0 re dei cieli. Russian composers-uniquely responsive to speakers as the DC 300 was ahead of all fine poetry-made the song a serious and ex- While still in her twenties, Anita Cerquetti was other amplifiers when it was introduced. pressive art form. As early as Glinka-the The electrostatic design has potential an international star, singing many of the great initiator of what we know as "Russian" mu- for the finest response and lowest distor- lirico spinto and dramatic roles of the Italian sic-the song achieved maturity. The Midnight tion, but previous electrostatic speakers repertory: Aida, Leonora (both Trovatore and Review, with its evocation of a ghostly Napo- suffered from three major weaknesses: Forza), Amelia, Abigaille,Elisabettadi leon reviewing his army of phantoms and its (1)inabilitytodeliverrealistic sound Valois, Norma, Turandot. Before she reached atmosphere of strangeness and terror,is a pressurelevels,especiallyatlowfre- her thirtieth birthday her career was over. At complete and unforgettably vivid drama. The quencies (2) fragile, unreliable elements twenty she made her debut in no less an as- same is true of Dargomizhsky's The Old Cor- (3) poor dispersion. signment than Aida. On the famous occasion poral, a monologue by an old soldier about to All of these problems have now been when she took over Norma from Callas after be shot for insulting a young officer. The three beautifully resolvedin the Crown Aura - the latter walked out on the production at the works here by Dargomizhsky, Glinka's near linear Speaker Systems, by uniting radically Rome Opera, she was twenty-seven years old. contemporary, attest to the early diversity of new extended -range electrostatic radiators Moreover, she had sung the role, one of the the Russian song: A pleasant nocturnal breeze with special acoustic suspension woofers. most taxing in all opera, only two days before, is a full-blooded romantic serenade, and The One resultisaccurate reproductionof in . No wonder the voice failed to sur- Worm an ironically bitter portrait of a cuck- clear, high frequencies with none of the vive. By the end of the decade Cerquetti had old. The Borodin song, set to a poem by Push- crackling, frying sounds that characterize fallen victim to a paralyzed vocal chord. kin, is exotic and melancholy. After these, An- many of today's electrostatics. We callit It is a dispiriting story. Quite apart from the ton Rubinstein's Melody, the vocal version of honest sound. human consideration, first-class exponents of his all -too familiar Melody in F is a steep de- For the location of your local Auralinear the great Verdi roles are rare indeed. We suf- scent to the world of salon trifles. But the dealer, write Crown, Box 1000, Elkhart, fer today because of the lack of prudence that Tchaikovsky side is a miniature survey of his Indiana, 46514. marred Cerquetti's career. The present disc song output and exemplifies his great gift for model makes available once again a recital which ap- melody and the creation of atmosphere. Most ES -224 peared at the height of Cerquetti's career. It is of the songs express longing, fugitive feelings, the work of an immature yet prodigally gifted FOUR transience. singer. As an instrument the voice was Ghiaurov sings everything beautifully. If es224 24MODELS glorious-a large, full -toned, dark -hued so- his voice is not quite as plangent and free as it bidirectional prano, firm and well placed in the all-impor- radiators once was itisstill a splendid instrument: tant middle register. Technically Cerquetti smooth, even in scale, capable of very expres- 2-10"woofers resp. 22-30,000Hz still had some way to go. Breathing was clearly sive colorations. The legato he employs in a crossover something she needed to work on. Some of song like Tchaikovsky's Op. 38, No. 3 is won- at 350Hz her tone here is breathy ("Pace, pace') and ES 212 12 derful to hear. A comparison with Chaliapin's bidirectional some of her phrases don't have the proper versions of The Midnight Review and The Old radiators support ("non feci mai male ad anima viva" 2 - 10" woofers Corporal reveals a quite different. a more lyr- from "Vissi d'arte"). In addition, her intona- ical and smooth approach on Ghiaurov's part. resp. 22-30,000Hz tion ("Ernani, involami') is sometimes sus- crossover at 375Hz Chaliapin, who left an indelible impression on pect, her attacks on high notes occasionally Russian music for the bass voice,isas- ES 266 radiators uncertain ("0 patria mia'), and she betrays a tonishingly vivid and full-blooded. However, 2-10" woofers certain rhythmic clumsiness ("Casta diva"). Ghiaurov's melodic emphasis is no less valid, resp. 25-30MHz Those are some of her never -to -be elimi- especially as the younger singer is fully alert to r at 1500Hz crossover nated weaknesses. Her virtues remain star - the drama of each song. Zlatina Ghiaurov is a ding. Above all, there is the power and splen- ES 144 radiators sensitive accompanist. Texts and translations 1-10" woofer dor of a young, forwardly placed voice. She are provided. had ardor, brilliance, and a thrilling largeness resp.30-3"01:1j.z Perhaps Angel could be persuaded to issue at 15°Lin crossover of temperament; she was almost recklessly im- some of Boris Christofrs recent and extensive petuous (the recitative to Abigaille's aria). explorations into Russian song literature. This There is a lot of superb legato phrasing in this is music that repays investigation handsomely. recital, one note joined seamlessly to the next D.S.H. (the Spontini aria). There is a hushed rap- turousness in her "Casts diva"-once, that is, EIGHTEENTH CENTURY OVERTURES.English she gets past the opening phrases-a fine Chamber Orchestra,Richard Bonynge, downward chromatic scale at the end, and cond. London CS 6735, $5.98. vivid projection of the text. It is sad that Cer- Kamm Olympia. GAS : L'Amoreartigiano. quetti got no further than this. BOisusieu: Zoraime et Zulnar. PAIN: Sargino. GROAT: Le Magnifique. RACCOON!: La Contadina in torte. HAYDN: Or- No texts, a great disadvantage in the case of lando Palatino. SAUER: La Fiera di Venezia. the Spontini piece. D.S.H. This anthology provides not only some enjoy- able music but also a liberal education in mu-

4. HICOLAI GHIAUROV:Russian Songs. Nicolai sic history that should be welcomed by all who Ghiaurov, bass;Zletina Ghiaurov,piano; listen with both ears. One of the most in- crown London OS 26249, $5.98. triguing of musicological problems concerns CIRCLE 10 ON READER SERVICE CARD 100 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE

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