less than magnificently with a good ear for the richness and corded and none complexity of Wagnerian orchestration sung. The poignance of Lenski's aria in Swedish, and and a fine way with a big tune. ( His (sung, like the Lohengrin, Strauss Meistersinger suite, incidentally, departs also a role Bjoerling never assumed in the from convention to include the greatest house) is little short of harrow- variable of the third -act tunes. the chorale "Wach' ing. and the Swedish songs (of with in- auf! ") Anyone building a record library quality, to be sure) are done Because his lyric sense Scenes on a budget ought to consider this prime fectious fervor. material, both for its sound and its was innate and all- embracing. Bjoerling sympathies. R.C.M. was also a uniquely satisfying exponent of the German song repertory. This. then. is a cherishable and tan- talizing reminiscence of his art. It is also a vocal experience best described as thrilling. A.R.

RAFAEL PUYANA: "Baroque Afas- terpieces for the Harpsichord' kptals 3 Rafael Puyana. harpsichord. MERCURY MG 50411. LP. $4.98. c:7tZScellany MERCURY SR 90411. SD. $5.98. There are several big works here: C. P. E. Bach's Folies d'Espagne. J. C. F. Fischer's Passacaglia in D minor, Louis Couperin's Pavanne in F sharp minor, and Rameau's Gavotte and Variations. Interspersed rmong them are short, contrasting pieces by Telemann, D. Scarlatti, Chambon- JUSSI BJOERLING: "Jussi Bjoerling nières, Dieupart, and François Cou- in Concert" perin. In the Bach, Puyana's frequent changes of registration make the work Wagner: Lohengrin: In fernerer Land. effective on the harpsichord, although Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin: Lenski's it was probably intended for the clavi- Aria. Puccini: Mahon Lescaa: Donna chord or piano. In all the pieces but non vidi niai. Sibelius: Sür, Sür, Susa; one Puyana's command of style and .Srarta Rosor. Alfvén: Skogen Sorer; imaginative use of his instrument are as the Jag Liingtar Dig. Rangström: Tristans thoroughly convincing. It is only in the Dad. Nordqvist: Till Hors. Schubert: impressive variations by Louis Couperin An die Leier; Was ist Sylvia? Sjögren: that the register changes seem a bit MARSCHALLIN I Drammen Du Ar Mig Nara. Peterson - fussy at times. This work, by the way, with Berger: Jungrun under Lind. Rachmani- together with the few others by its com- noff: In the Silence of the Night. R. poser on records, indicates that he de- Elisabeth Söderström Strauss: Zueignung. serves to be better known. Perhaps the most impressive of all, in the grandeur Jussi Bjoerling, tenor; Frederick Schau- and variety of its invention and in the Hilde Gueden wecker, piano (in the Schubert, Sjögren, splendor of the performance, is the Peterson -Berger, Rachmaninoff, and great set of variations by Rameau. All Strauss); Gothenburg Symphony Orches- told, a fine collection of unhackneyed tra, Nils Grevillius, cond. (in the Wag- works, well performed and recorded. N.B. PHILHARMONIC ner, Tchaikovsky, Puccini. Sibelius, and ORCHESTRA Alfvén); Philharmonic Or- chestra, Stig Westerberg, cond. (in the BENNO RABINOF: "Gypsy Violin Rangström and Nordqvist). Classics" SILVIO VARVISO RCA VIcroa LM 2784. LP. $4.98. OS Mono 5905 Albéniz: Tango (arr. Kreisler). Brahms: Stereo -25905 The first side of this record (the selec- Hungarian Dance, No. 20, in E minor. ... it brings us root only four wisely chosen by Grevillius) were Dvoiák: Slavonic Dance. No I, in G extracts. but also one of the outstanding tions accompanied Marsrhallins of our three. Rfgine Crespin recorded at a concert in Gothenburg on minor (arr. Kreisler ?). Falla: Jota (arr. establishes her complete vocal and inter- August 5, 1960. One month and four Kochanski). Granados: Spanish Dance, pretative mastery of the fart in her first days later, Bjoerling was dead at fifty - No. 5 (arr. Kreisler). Kreisler: La scene . Her discourse on the terrible power of time is the highlight of her three. To hear the quality of his voice Gitana: Zigeunercaprice. Sarasate: In- performance . . . Hers is an outstanding and Op. 43; and artistic impulse at that time is to troduction Tarantella, performance . . . Elisabeth Söderström's realize with even greater pain the tragedy Zigeu n erweise n. Op. 20. Octavian is beautifully sung . t am of his untimely death. convinced that it is her best tart. Hilde Cowden as Sophie helps to nuke the duel Lohengrin excerpt is incredible. Benno Rabinof, violin; Sylvia Rabinof, The a thing to remember . The Vienna One thinks immediately of a young Mel- piano. Philharmonic strings float and weep and chior, in the ring and purity of Bjoer- DECCA DL 10101. LP. $4.98. dance under Silvio Varviso ... this highly talented conductor urge you not to ling's tones. Here is a genuine lyric DECCA DL 710101. SD. $5.98. ...1 miss the present London disc..." Wagnerian tenor, not a reconverted bari- Records and Recording -March. 1965 tone. Bjoerling planned to add Lohengrin Rabinof's interpretative style here falls to his repertory, but did not live to midway between the severe objectivity TrMr.Mrlt Mr. u.S. Pa Off achieve this goal; on this record we and intense propulsion of Milstein/ have the one foretaste of unrealized Heifetz and the luxuriant emotional glory. freedom of Elman -the polarities estab- /to/ypol. is lished by the best -known exponents of The entire content of this disc FULL FREOUFNCY RANGE RECORD/NG taken from concert recordings between the Auer school of violinism, of which 1957 and 1960, all extremely well re- Rabinof is also a member. He tends to be

MAY 1965 SI

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