Albert sings theFour Russian Songsexqui- peared to him in a dream and played the vio- enjoyed in the past from Kurt Sanderling and sitely; the chamber accompaniment sounds lin) is rather faster and more diabolic in im- the Leningrad Philharmonic (Decca mono) or deliciously perfect and airy. Works sung by pact than Liitschg's version. Comparing the Mengelberg and the Amsterdam Concertge- the Gregg Smith Singers and by the Festival two approaches, one could say that Melkus is bouw (Columbia 78's). Singers of Toronto are models of fine choral more exciting but also more restless, whereas As for recording, the London Phase 4 singing. The only point at which any small Liitschg plays in a more contained and lyrical sound is loud, brilliant, and highly differentiat- lapse takes place occurs inRenard,where a manner. The variety of continuo accompani- ed in focus and localization of the various subtle raggedness is sometimes apparent. But, ments, which are very effectively rendered, orchestral choirs. The homogeneity of the tut - on the whole, this is an exemplary recording, adds somewhat to the value of the Archive ti orchestral climaxes suffers somewhat as a an item for everyone's collection. L.T. release. Both discs are excellent sonically. consequence. 1.K. A word on quadrasonics: I have sampled TARTINI:Sonata in G Minor ("Devil's Trill"); quite a variety of available classical material Sonata in G Minor, Op. 1, No. 10 ("Didone TCHAIKOVSKY:Symphony No. 4, in F Mi- both on disc and on discrete four -track car- abbandonata"); Pastorale in A Major; Sonata nor,op.36.SCRIABIN (arr. Stokowski): tridge, and the major effect I discern in play- in CMinor, Op. 1, No. 8.Andrej Liitschg EtudeinC -Sharp Minor, Op. 2, No. 1. back thus far in standard -repertoire symphon- (violin); Claude Starck (cello); Bernhard Bil- American Symphony Orchestra,Leopold ic works is an "enlargement" of the stereo leter (harpsichord). MUSICAL HERITAGE SO- Stokowski cond. VANGUARD VSQ 30001 sound field, engendered by the signal fed to CIETY MHS 1322 $2.99 (plus 65c handling (SQ) $6.98, L 715 $7.95. the rear speakers. When equipment is proper- charge from the Musical Heritage Society, Performance: Uninhibited ly balanced, this "enlargement" will not in 1991 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 10023). Recording: Good any way affect the clarity of the musical tex- tures coming from the front speakers. It will, in some instances (as in the Boulez recording RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT of Stravinsky's Petrouchka for Columbia), TARTINI:Sonata in G Minor ("Devil's Trill"); change the illusory vantage point of the home Theme and Thirty Variations from "L'Arte listener from an "ideal first balcony" to an dell'arco".NARDINI:SonatainD Major. "ideal twelfth -row orchestra" seat. However, VITALI:ChaconneinG Minor.Eduard Mel- I emphasize that this is just one listener's ex- kus (violin); Lionel Salter (harpsichord, in perience in a particular studio/living-room am- Tartini; fortepiano,inNardini; organ, in biance. Others with differently set-up equip- Vitali); Karl Scheit (lute, in Vitali); Waltur ment and differently scaled and shaped living Schulz (cello, in Tartini); Alfred Planyaysky rooms may have quite different listening expe- (bass, in Vitali). DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON riences. Vanguard, in its quadrasonic record- ARCHIVE 2533 086 $6.98. ing of Stokowski's American Symphony Or- Performances: Both stylish chestra, has done no monkeying around, but Recordings: Both excellent has simply used the back speaker signal as a means of "enlarging" the listening environ- All three composers represented here, Giu- ment. This is readily apparent when one sup- seppe Tartini (1692-1770), Tommaso Anto- presses the rear speakers or plays the quad- nio Vitali (1663-1745), and Pietro Nardini rasonic disc in two -channel stereo mode. (1772-1793), are well known to violinists, who The recording has plenty of body and pres- often use their works (the VitaliChaconne)to ence, most notably but not unpleasantly so in start off recitals. Almost invariably, however, the right -front -channel timpani. D.H. performances (including virtually every re- cording) are based on nineteenth-century edi- VITALI:Chaconne in G Minor(see TARTINI) tions with a plethora of unstylistic features, including piano accompaniment. The Tartini WAGNER:Die Meistersinger (scenes).Flied- Theme and Thirty Variations, for example, ermonolog; Gut'n Abend, Meister (with Gota was abbreviated and adapted by Kreisler for Ljungberg, soprano); Schusterlied; Wahn- his Variations on a Theme of Corelli (Tartini EDUARD MELKUS monolog; Griiss Gott, mein Junker (with took his theme from one of Corelli's violin Diabolical fiddling in the Devil's Trill Rudolf Laubenthal, tenor); Abendlich glii- sonata). Here, one at last has an opportunity hend (with Lauritz Melchior, tenor); Aha! to hear the original, with correct execution of TCHAIKOVSKY:Symphony No. 4, in F Mi- Da streicht die Lene; Quintet (with Elisabeth the ornaments, proper phrasing and articula- nor, Op. 36.Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Schumann, Lauritz Melchior, Gladys Parr, tion, and suitable continuo instruments. Both Anatole Fistoulari cond. LONDON SPC 21063 Ben Williams); Euch macht ihr's leicht; Ver- discs are important additions to the catalog. $5.98. achtet mir die Meister nicht. Friedrich Schorr The all-Tartini collection on Musical Heri- Performance Rather staid (baritone); London Symphony Orchestra; tage contains four excellent examples of this Recording: Highly detailed Berlin State Opera Orchestra; Albert Coates, importanteighteenth -century composer's Lawrance Collingwood, Leo Blech, and Sir work, including a very charming four -move- I am not much taken with either of these re- John Barbirolli cond. SERAPHIM 60189 $2.98. ment pastorale and the well-known sonata corded performances-with the interpretation Performance: Superb based (by a publisher) on the Dido story. of what I regard as Tchaikovsky's finest and Recording: 1927-1931 vintace Andrej Liitschg, about whom the jacket re- most organically unified symphony (I refer veals nothing except that he plays on a 1734 not to the impressive but obvious "Fate" mo- If I may quote from my review of this collec- Stradivarius (it sounds like an unaltered or tive in the brass, but rather to the descending tion when it first appeared on the higher -price restored instrument), has a good technique, four -note germinal progression that opens the Angel COLH 137 (July 1964): "There has but his tone, possibly because of his use of lit- main body of the first movement and the be- never been a greater Held ..nbariton than tle vibrato, is a trifle edgy. Except for a lack of ginning of each successive movement). Sto- Friedrich Schorr in his prime. The strength, embellishments inrepeats, something that kowski plays pretty fast and loose with tempo evenness, and warmth of his vocal tone, the Tartini in his violin treatise specifies as being fluctuation in the end movements (and winds control of his delivery, the clarity of his enun- necessary for the proper performance of such up the disc with an excruciatingly lush tran- ciation, the artistic quality of his phrasing -all music, his playing is very stylish. He conveys scription of an early Scriabin etude); but he these, as Schorr displays them, lie beyond the an admirable sweetness, and his collaborators does get some mighty vital and juicy playing gifts of the singers who have inherited his are perfectly respectable, if a bit foursquare out of his orchestra of predominantly young roles. .It is a revelation to hear Wagner's in rhythm. musicians. Anatole Fistoulari takes a decid- melody ennobled by this kind of legato sing- Eduard Melkus, who has established quite edly more foursquare and essentially uninter- ing." a reputation as an interpreter using both Ba- esting view of the music. His end movements Since the disc captures virtuallyallof roque violin and bow, displays consummate convey none of the drama, let alone the sheer Schorr's recorded portrayal of Hans Sachs in stylistic command, as well as a more extrovert brilliance, I hear in my currently favored re- an admirably flowing continuity (even though personality. His "Devil's Trill" sonata (so cording- DGG's, with Karajan and the Berlin its components were recorded in different called because Tartini claimed the devil ap- Philharmonic -not to mention whatI have (Continued on page 140) 138 STEREO REVIEW.