MABEL MERCER and the ART of Cabah'et

Home , Ball for Me, High Expectations, Mabel Mercer

kttereo Review FEBRUARY 1975 ONE DOLLAR MABEL MERCER AND THE ART OF CABAh'ET

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Retailers: Notice of display -allowance plan is within last three pages. 1HOU1 Complete command with a wide variety of controls Whether it's for AM, FM or headset output levels, Pioneer provides greater operating precision with three independently operated output level controls. A heacset Two 15,000uF power supplies phase distortion, plus substantially better may be used without a following power eclipse anything now available stability with four double tuned phase amplifier. Precision tuning is achieved in integrated amplifies. linear ceramic filters and four monolithic with the aid of signal strength and tuning IC's in the IF section. meters. Even at extremely low frequencies, 6 -stage limiters there's stable power output, excellent AM section highlights IC's transient response and low total The IF section includes 6 -stage limiter harmonic distortion - not greater than circuits. Used in conjunction with The entire AM section, following the front differential amplifiers in monolithic IC's, end, is a unitized IC. A monolithic IC 0.1% at any power level up to 60 watts noise interference is completely elimin- replaces 84 individual components plus a minimum continuous power per channel, ated with a signal to noise ratio of 75dB. ceramic filter. By using a differential amp at any frequency from 20Hz to 20,000 Hz, circuit and a balanced mixing circuit, using 8 ohm loads. Exclusive Phase Lock Loop (PLL) IC there are better spurious characteristics These positive and negative power circuitry in the TX -9100 multiplex section and special AGC amplification. supplies provide absolute stability in all Developed and used for the first time by Great specs for great performance stages, even in the equalizer amp and Pioneer, the Phase Lock Loop (PLL) TX -9100 TX -8100 Tx -7100 proceeding to the control and power circuit is actually an electronic FM Sensitivity (IHF)1.5uV 1.8uV 1.9uv amps. Therefore, the signal Imes become servomechanism. It maintains continuous zero potential to completely eliminate the and precise phasing between the pilot Selectivity 90dB 80dB 60dB usual (and annoying) click noise of signal and the subcarrier, supplying Capture Ratio 1dB 1dB 1dB operating controls and switches. optimum channel separation. Completely S/N Ratio 75dB 70dB 70dB Stability is increased even further by drift free, no alignment is ever required. Image Rejection 110dB 100dB 85dB the differential amplifier used in the first The PLL cannot be affected by Stereo Separation 40dB 40dB 40dB stages of the equalizer and control humidity or temperature since there are no Distortion (THD) amplifiers (also the power amp.) 100% DC coils or capacitors to be detuned. This Mono 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% negative feedback supplies Excellent provides complete stability and reliability. Stereo 0.3% 0.4% 0.4% stability and transient response; it also New pulse noise suppressor in the TX -9100 Spurious Response 110dB 100dB eliminates distortion. 100dB To further operates with computer control increase This circuit operates automatically when The Amplifiers: SA -9100, it is switched on. It effectively blocks radiated noise from airplane and auto SA -8100, SA -7100 ignition systems, neon and traffic lights, Two separate power supplies utilize etc. It does not interfere with frequency 30,000 uF total capacitance response and stereo separation. Whether the signal is weak or strong, this automatic You read it right. The power supply in 'brain' decides when the PNS gate circuit the SA -9100 uses a total capacitance of is to operate. 30,000 uF. 15,000 uF each for the balanced positive and negative power supplies. This Unique muting control completely eclipses anything now A 2 -position variable muting control uses available in integrated amplifiers. This electronic switching as well as reed relay super high capacitance results in an switching. This eliminates interstation absolutely pure DC voltage supply. There's noise and the popping noise of constant DC voltage regulation regardless tuning and detuning. of line voltage changes and signal input. Interior view.SA-S10C, HIGH FIDELITY:"... The AUDIO: "You can't buy performance of the SA -9100 beter audible performance is so exceptional and the than is achievable with many extras in the way of Pioneer's new TX -9100 switching options, and so HI -Fl STEREO BUYERS' (AM -FM stereo tuner) al on, so eminently useful, GUIDE: "(The SA -9100) is a any price." that we find it the most powerhouse of sound level, exciting piece of audio performance and features. hardware we've yet tested Woris like something the STEREO REVIEW: "This from this company." chief engineer had built (SA -9100) is an essentially for I -is own use." distortionless, bug -free, "The Pioneer TX -9100 and powerful amplifier with exceptional flexibility STEREO REVIEW: "... The AM/ FM stereo tuner offers A highly complex array of TX -9100 unequivocally notably excellent performance and sound quality." electronic circuitry has outperforms anything we been packaged into a have tested up to this time." consumer product of relatively modest price without a trace of `haywire' or slipshod assembly. It almost seems a pity to hide Stert3o Review internal worionanship." fourAIFNT TEST REPORTS ...unequivocally outperforms anything we have tested up to this time."

P.M,/ 17140000 raiself

Complete reprints available upon request. In tuners anda Pioneer is the verybest.

there's exceptionally high gain with extremely low noise. Two tuned RF stages with a 5 -gang variable tuning capacitor contribute to the highest selectivity 190dB) and astonishing FM sensitivity (1.5uV). The exclusive use of a heavy gauge lie cast aluminum housing assures uncanny The Tuners: TX -9100, stability. TX -8100, TX -7100 IF section - the epitome of FM front end - an engineering triumph advanced research The height of sophistication, the TX -9100's In the pursuit of excellence, significait new stabilized, drift -free front end replaces IF section technology was developed. The The time has come to printed circuit boards with completely result is optimum selectivity with minimum metallized construction. The same used in completely re-evaluate high precision communications equipment. Employing three dual gate MOS FET's the standard you now and a buffer circuit in the local oscillator, use to judge high fidelity performance. With this new line of tuners and amplifiers, Pioneer presents many ingenious innovations in circuitry that are being used for the first time. However, this exclusiveness is only secondary. While each new circuit can be considered revolutionary by itself, what is even more important is that their combined capabilities achieve precision and performance heretofore unattainable. TX -9100 interior view. Exclusive heavy gauge die cast aluminum Chrome plated shielded front end housing assures uncanny stability. housing and multiplex section. stabilization, special electronic regulator The power amplifier additional convenience. A separate flip circuits are used. Transient response is To sustain the ultra sophistication of the type lever control for instant switching also improved with a superb damping equalizer and control amp sections, the between the more widely used tuner and factor of 70. power amp has a direct -coupled pure phono 1 and any other single program source. Incidentally, both switches are The unique equalizer amplifier complementary SEPP circuit, double differential amplifiers and two constant shielded to protect the input against To make certain that extraneous signals undesirable extraneous signal pickups. do not interfere with the input signal, the current loads. The combined effect is the equalizer amp is totally enclosed and achievement of wide power frequercy Two-way tape duplicating and monitoring sealed to shield it against leakage. range and excellent transient response. 100% negative DC feedback is There are two separate flip type switches There's also extra assurance of on the front panel of the SA -9100 for precision with special low noise metal supplemented by 66dB dynamic negative feedback for minimum distortion and tape -to -tape duplicating and monitoring. film resistors and styrol capacitors. Both Two tape decks can be connected for are manufactured under continuous absolute stability. The pre and power computer control to highest laboratory amps can be used independently with a recording, playback and duplicating in test equipment tolerances: -±1% for separation switch. either direction, with simultaneous resistors; ±2% for capacitors. Until now Exclusive direct -coupling in all stages monitoring. such precision has been unheard of in Until now direct -coupling has been used Level controls for phono 2, aux 2 hi-fi equipment. Deviation from the ideal only with the power amplifier. Pioneer RIAA curve is only ±0.2dB. takes it a dramatic step further in the In order to match the level of various Since a direct -coupled SEPP SA -9100 and SA -8100. Direct -coupling in inputs, individual level controls are complementary circuit is used in the all stages from the equalizer amp to the provided for phono 2 and aux 2. equalizer amplifier, virtually any dynamic control amp to the power amp. More Speaker B control phono cartridge can be accommodated effective? Absolutely. It achieves the This special control helps in the use of two without overloading or distortion. For finest transient response, wider dynamic example, with 2.5 mV sensitivity, the range, with no greater than 0.1% total pairs of speaker systems of different overload at 1 KHz is an unbelievable harmonic distortion. It's an incredible efficiencies. There is no sacrifice of 250mV, and 1200mV at 10KHz! achievement. damping or distortion when switching from Level set, volume one pair to the other. Twin stepped tone controlS. and loudness BASS TREBLE Impedance selector for phono 2 contour controls adjust to listening An easy -to -use switch allows you to preference employ any phono cartridge input a). Three controls (25K, 50K, 100K ohms). working together Two -position high & low filters adjust to any degree - dB - dB - Os of loudness. The The low filter switch on the SA -9100 and level set control is SA -8100 has subsonic (below 8Hz) and the primary volume 30Hz positions. The high filter switch has Main Control Curves Sub Control Curves control. Its maximum 12KHz and 8KHz positions. (Main set at Flat) (Sub set at Flat) loudness setting Maximum versatility in program sources is OdB. SA -9100 SA -8100 SA -7100 Successive settings Inputs a a A. of -15dB and -30dB Tape monitor-S/N 2-90dB2-90dB2-90dB 3 result in lower gain. Phono-S/N 2-80dB2-80dB2-80dB Once the desired Auxiliary-S/N 2-90dB2-90dB2-90dB volume is obtained, Microphone-S/N 2-70dB2-70dB 1-70dB 100HzFrequency10kHz 50Hz Frequency20kHz the volume control Tuner-S/N 1-90dB1-90dB 1-90dB Excellent frequency response curves from is used for fine 100% negative DC feedback buffer amp & twin tone controls. Outputs adjustments within Speakers 3 2 2 the given Headsets 1 1 1 The control amplifier: Twin stepped tone range. While the loudness contour boosts Tape Rac. 2 2 2 controls custom tailor your listening. bass and treble it may also be used Now you can make the most critical bass with the level set control. TheConsistent power for every requirement more advanced the position Continuous power output per channel, both channels driven and treble adjustments with supreme ease. of the level set control, the In fact, there are 5,929 tonal combinations into 8 -ohm loads, at any frequency from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. lower the effective range of at no more than the total harmonic distortion indicated. to suit your listening room acoustics and the loudness contour. Rated Maximum Total Harmonic Distortion to compare or compensate for component Rated Power 60 watts, minimum 0.1% frequency response. The original and positive SA -9100 speaker protector circuit SA -810040 watts, minimum 0.3% On the SA -9100 and SA -8100 four SA -710020 watts, minimum 0.5% tone controls (two for bass, two for treble) Since the signal is fed make 2dB (2.5dB with SA -8100) step directly to the speakers This new lineup of Pioneer tuners and adjustments for the entire audio spectrum. because of direct -coupling, an automatic amplifiers is unquestionably the most Working together with the tone controls is electronic trigger relay system is advanced available today. Yet despite a buffer amplifier with 100% negative DC incorporated into the power amplifier. this overwhelming sophistication, they're This protects the speakers against sensibly priced. feedback. The main bass control governs damage from DC leakage which can also ± 10 dB at 100 Hz; the sub -bass, ± 6dB at See your Pioneer dealer. He'll show cause distortion. It also prevents short you how this series of fine instruments 50 Hz. The main treble control governs circuits in the power transistors. ±10 dB at 10KHz and the sub -treble, can outperform any units in their price Maximum convenience for program ± 6dB at 20 KHz. This, plus the tone range. All prices include walnut cabinets. defeat control (described in the next source selection SA -9100-$449.95; SA -8100-$349.95; paragraph) makes the SA -9100 the most While there is a multiple function rotary SA -7100-$249.95 switch for microphone, phono 2 and two TX -9100-$349.95; TX -8100-$249.95; exciting -to -use amplifier that has ever auxiliaries, Pioneer has included an TX -7100-$199.95 powered any hi-fi system. While not discussed here, Pioneer is also New tone defeat switch introducing the SA -5200 stereo amplifier Because of the extremely wide variety and the TX -6200 stereo tuner for high (5,929) of frequency adjustments made quality hi-fi on a low budget. Only $139.95 possible by the twin tone controls, the each, with walnut cabinet. tone defeat switch adds extra flexibility. U.S. Pioneer Electronics Corp., Adjusting the tone controls to your 75 Oxlord Drive, Moonachie, Convenient program source New Jersey 07074 satisfaction, you can flip the tone defeat selection switch & control lever. West: 13300 S. Estrella, Los Angeles switch. Bass and treble responses 90248 / Midwest: 1500 Greenleaf, Elk instantly become flat. When it is switched (1)) Grove Village, III. 60007 / Canada: S. H. off you return to the original tone control PIONCM Parker Co. settings. when you want something better CIRCLE NO. 1 ON READER SERVICE CARD FEBRUARY 1975 1 BELT DRIVE ISN'T NEW. MULTIPLE PLAY ISN'T NEW. A TURNTABLE THAT COMBINES BOTH ISNEW. READ ALL ABOUT IT.

Back in monophonic times, turntable motors drove platters through a series of wheels called "idlers". Many automatics and changers still use this system. In those days, records and playback systems were still relatively unsophisticated, so the distortions an idler drive system created didn't matter much. Today, however, distortion is a critical problem. With recordings of increased dynamic range, wow, flutter and rumble must be reduced to inconsequential levels. A belt -drive system is light years ahead of idler drive in that department. And here the belt is driven by a unique motor found only in BIC turntables. It is a 300 RPM, 24 -pole motor and it is inherently freer from noise and vibration than the 1800 RPM units with from 2 to 16 poles, which are standard in even the best of the conventional automatics. The advantage of Programmed Multiple Play The 980 and 960 are not record changers. They are belt -drive Programmed Turntables which are engineered to play as many as 6 records at a time. They have a 2 -point record support system which is far less complicated and far more reliable than any um- brella spindle we've ever seen. But an even more important advantage is this. An automatic record handling system like the one on a BIC turntable can handle a single record, or 6 at a time, perfectly. No false drops. No bouncing and skating a diamond stylus across the grooves. It eliminates human error, and human error is what damages the sidewalls of your record grooves forever. The simplicity factor The 980 and 960 have the visibly lower profile of single -play manual instruments. They've been engineered to be simple machines, so they have fewer parts and fewer potential problems. They abound in innovations. In the tone ann, the cartridge shell, the program panel, the entire system. We can send you more detailed information if you write to Dept. 2C British Industries Co., Westbury, L.I. 11590; or better yet, see them at your local audio specialist.

This is the 980 with solid state speed control and strobe. About 8200! The 960 is identical except for these two features. About $150! Less base and cartridge. FORMERLY HI F /STEREO REVIEW

Stereo Review2 0 FEBRUARY 1975 VOLUME 34 NUMBER ateMusic OPERA'S GRAND TRADITION 48 Two valuable new books for lovers of singers andsinging MAX DE SCHAUENSEE THE BASIC REPERTOIRE 59 Koddly's Hary Janos Suite MARTIN BOOKSPAN MABEL MERCER 60 A visit with our finest exponent of the art ofcabaret WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE CABARET! 70 It's never really been away, but it is comingback ROBERT CONNOLLY LILI KRAUS, MOZARTEAN "...this world-Haydn to Schubert-is my very own" RICHARD FREED 76 RECORD OF THE YEAR AWARDS -1974 79 STEREO REVIEW'S critics and editors select theindustry's top artistic achievements THE ESSENTIAL MABEL MERCER 90 Two releases immeasurably enrich the recordingscatalog REx REED THE INIMITABLE HILDEGARDE 96 "The dear that made Milwaukee famous" JAMES GOODFRIEND PROKOFIEV'S WAR AND PEACE 108 "... a veritable feast of Russian baritones andbasses" ERIC SALZMAN ARNOLD SCHOENBERG'S MOSES UND ARON 114 A work in which, paradoxically, the composerplays both roles ERIC SALZMAN r_fiecEquipment NEW PRODUCTS 14 A roundup of the latest in high-fidelity equipment AUDIO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 18 Advice on readers' technical problems LARRY KLEIN AUDIO NEWS 22 Views and comment on recent developments LARRY KLEIN AUDIO BASICS 24 Glossary of Technical Terms -16 RALPH HODGES TAPE HORIZONS 28 Getting Organized CRAIG STARK TECHNICAL TALK More on Dolby FM; Hirsch -Houck Laboratory reports onthe Sherwood S-7110 cartridge, Sony TC-756 stereo AM/stereo FM receiver, Ortofon VMS 20E phono 31 tape deck, and Technics Model SL -1300turntable JULIAN D. HIRSCH DOES THE PHONOGRAPH DISC HAVE AFUTURE? The technology is available-but there must be awill to use it 66 cis`Review' BEST RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH 82 POPULAR DISCS AND TAPES 86 CLASSICAL DISCS AND TAPES 106 Weckgulars WILLIAM ANDERSON 6 EDITORIALLY SPEAKING 10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 52 THE SIMELS REPORT STEVE SIMELS JAMES GOODFRIEND 56 GOING ON RECORD 104 CHOOSING SIDES IRVING KOLODIN ADVERTISERS' INDEX 118

COVER: Pastel portrait of the young Mabel Mercer byLisa Rhana COPYRIGHT 0 1975 BY ZIFF-DAVIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. All rights reserved. Stereo Review, February 1975,Volume 34, Number 2. Published monthly by Ziff -Davis Publishing Company; Editorial and Executive Offices at One Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016;Telephone: 212 725-3500. Hershel B. Sarbin, President; Furman Hebb, Executive Vice President and Treasurer; Charles B. Seton, Secretary. Alsothe publishers of Boating, Car and Driver, Cycle, Flying, Modern Bride, Popular Electronics, Popular Photography, and Skiing. One year subscription ratefor U.S., U.S. possessions, and Canada, $8.98; all other countries, $9.98. Second class postage paid at New York, N.Y. and at additional mailing offices.Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, Canada, and for payment of postage in cash. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE:Forms 3579 and all subscription correspondence should be addressed to Stereo Review, Circulation Department, P.O Box 2771, Boulder, Colorado 80302.Please allow at least six weeks for change of address. Include your old address, as well as new- enclosing if possible an address label from a recentissue. The complex records produced today require very low force for tracking (ability to stay in the groove) if they are to achieve long life and clear sound. A radius of engagement as low as .1 mil is Withan Empire required to trace (follow the wig- wideresponse gles) all the way to 50,000 Hz. Our nude diamond stylii cartridge. )are hand polished to Whether you're into stereo or precise bi-radial dimen- quad, wide response means better sound. sions for Super Sterec and the even more True music reproduction dependsupon exacting "4 Dimensional" ' " configuration frequencies well beyond the range of needed for Discrete 4 Channel. human hearing (20-20,000 Hz), For example:a perfect square wave re- Why Empire quires a harmonic span of 10 times the fundamental fre- cartridges quencies recorded. Listening sound better to a wide response cartridge Every Empire long playing cartridge is is truly a unique experience. fully shielded. Four poles, four coils, and Close your eyes and you'll three magnets (more than any other brand) swear the sound is live. produce better balance and hum rejection.

Trademark of the Empire Scientific Corporation trackin' Choose the Cartridge Designed to Play Best in Your System Plays 4 Channel Discrete (CD4) Plays 2 Channel Stereo r and Super Stereo 1 I---- -1 Plays All 4 Channel Matrix Systems (SQ, QS, RM) 40:3D 400C) 400D200D200D200D200D200D EAU E/ll E/I E Model Will D/II D/I

Frequency Response 10-40,000 5-35,000 6-33,000 8-32,000 10-30,000 10-28,000 in Hz: 5-50,000 5-45,000 Output Voltage per Channel at 3 54 cm/sec 3.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 groove velocity: more than more than Channel Separation 35dB 35dB 35dB 35dB 30dB 30dB 35dB 35dB

Tracking Force 1/2 to 11'2 .;:4 to 11/2 1/2 to 11/2 1/2 to 11/2 'At o 1 1/2 1 to 3 1 to 3 in Grams: 1/4 to 11/4 miniature nudeminiature nudeminiature nude nude nude nude spherical diamond with diamond with diamond with elliptical elliptical elliptical elliptical Stylus Tip: .1 mil tracing .1 mil tracing .1 mil tracing diamond diamond diamond diamond diamond .7 mil radius radius radius .2 x .7 mil .2 x 7 mil .2 x .7 mil .3 x .7 mil ''4 Dimensional'"4 Dimensional'4 Dimensional turrtable or turntable orturntable orturntable or changer changer turntable only For Use In: turntable only changer changer changer changer only only

LIST PRICE $149.95 $124.95 $84.95 $69.95 $54.95 $39.95 $34.95 $29.95

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White; (Yellow Black) 1 ;1e-tr (Bluel (Green) (Red; (Smoke) The stylus lever floats free of its magnetsimposing much less weight on the record surface than in ordinarycartridges.This means less record wear and lower distortion.Hi Fi Sound Magazine summed it up very well by calling the Empirecartridge "a real hi fi masterpiece ...A remarkablecartridge unlikely to wear out discs any more rapidly than afeather held lightly against the groove:' Write for your free "Guide to Sound Design': MEMBER Empire Scientific Corp., Garden City, N.Y. 11530

INSTITUTE OF HIGH FIDELITY

Mfd. U.S.A. CIRCLE NO. 21 ON READER SERVICE CARD Stereo Review PUBLISHER EDGAR W. HOPPER EDITOR WILLIAM ANDERSON MANAGING EDITOR WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE EDITORIAL COORDINATOR LOUISE GOOCH BOUNDAS MUSIC EDITOR JAMES GOODFRIEND EDITORIMY TECHNICAL EDITOR LARRY KLEIN ART DIRECTOR BORYS PATCHOWSKY SPEA

This is what makes the Sansui 771so great: Specs. Features. Looks. And Price.

Sansui, already famous for quality and value has again outdone itself with he 7 /1 receiver. Look at the specs: 35 watts per channel, min. RMS bothchannels driven into 8 Ohms, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, at below 0.5% Total Harmonic Distortion - more than enough to power two pair speaker systems. FM sensitivity of 2.0i/V(IHF). Look at the features: two tape monitors, two auxiliary inputs, three pairs of speaker selectors, two filters (hi & lo) and more - even a microphone circuit. Visit your nearest Sansui franchised dealer aid listen to the tremendous Sansui 771. Then lister to the price.

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4300. The non-stopTeac.

One of the greatest things about replacement parts in stock for at least tape is listening to music that you per- five years after any product is no sonally have selected and sequenced. longer made. Your 4300 may be the But wouldn't it be nice to have a tape last tape recorder you'll ever buy. recorder that didn't require you to stop But we can't describe most of the whatever you're doing to turn the reasons we think you'll like the 4300. tape over? The performance. The solid precise Our 4300 will do that for you. It will feel. The effortless operation. You really play both sides of a tape, one after the have to experience these for yourself. other, for as many times as you like - You can do that by calling (800) so you can listen non-stop. 447-4700 toll -free to locate your nearest And so you can do that for as long TEAC Retailer (in Illinois, call (800) as you like, it's a typical TEAC. We've 322-4400). But fewer than 10 percent of been building recorders the in the country are like the 4300 for over 20 years now. authorized to sell TEAC, so please call. Any group of persons who work The persons there will provide you together for that long develops tradi- with specifications and a demonstrations. One of our's is to make our tion, and be helpful in general. They products work well - for a long time. want you to enjoy your music without It's uncommon in a plastic world to aggravation too - that's why they're design a product to be repaired rather a TEAC Retailer. than replaced- even more soto make TEAC 2 -YEAR WARRANTY it worth repairing. But another tradi- For two full years from date of pur- tion we have developed is to keep chase any TEAC TAPEDECK returned with warranty card and freight prepaid by the original registered purchaser to TEAC or its nearest authorized service station will be repaired free of charge for defects in workmanship or material. The same applies to TEAC car stereo decks for a period of one year. This warranty only covers TEAC products purchased in the U. S. A.

The leader. Always has been. TEAC Corporation of America. 7733 Telegraph Road, Montebello, California 90640. Buffett Buffs In response to reader Chris Clarke's letter in the December issue: we are eternally grateful to STEREO REVIEW and to Noel Coppage for introducing us to the music ofJimmy Buf- fett (September). Solely because of Mr. Cop- page's review of "Living and Dying in 3/4 Time," we bought that record -and immediately after hearing it we began searching in record shops for Jimmy Buffett's first record. It took a special order to get it, but since then we've enjoyedbothof Jimmy Buffett's discs over and over again. He is truly a gifted artist whose rhyming and phrasing are unequaled. Who else would even dream of a line like "Ramar of the Jungle was everybody's bwa- na, but only jazz musicians were smokin' marijuana?" EDGAR E. AND NANCY L. G. HESS Ridgewood, N.J. Maria Caniglia

Ifound William Livingstone's article on LETTERS TOTHE EDITOR "The Fourth International Verdi Congress" (December)mostinteresting.My heart The Joys of Kit Building since that's the only way to expand our musi- skipped a beat when I read that Maria Canig- Congratulations on the best article I've cal horizons. But we don't have the records. lia is now living in Chicago. For over thirty read on electronic kits (December) in the ten HENRY A. BLUMENTHAL years, she has been and still is my favorite years I've been reading audio periodicals. Jacksonville, Fla. singer; I don't believe that anyone can come Having builtsevenDynakits over the past up to her.Andnow I find she is livingright four years and requiring help with two of the Mr. Daniel replies: I doubt very much that here! units after assembly,I can attest to Ralph Mr. Blumenthal heard Cowell's First Sym- ANN SALVADOR Hodges' accuracy about the excellent cus- phony, since I do not think it was ever played; Chicago, Ill. tomer service divisions of these companies, certainly it was never recorded. There were

the "maximum charge" invariably being un- recordings of Symphonies Nos. 4,5 , 7, 10, I I, Verdi Corrected der 10 per cent of the cost of the kit, and a 15, and 16, although, being on small labels in As the author of both the program notes knowledge of electronics being unessential to the first place and largely out of print in the and the libretto translation, I was delighted to kit building. With the exception of being able second, they may be a little hard to find. Per- read your excellent review of the PhilipsUn to recognize electronic parts more readily, my haps, by 1997, more conductors will discover Giorno di Regnoin the December issue. Inci- electronic comprehension is just asit was Cowell the way so many of them are now dis- dentally, a plot summary was contained in the when I built my first kit-nothing past Ohm's covering Ives, and we can all celebrate. notes as originally submitted to Philips. Due Law. to the paper shortage -apparently devastating The only thing Mr. Hodges didn't mention The article on Henry Cowell in the De- in Holland -they were faced with the choice is that if one has a perfectionist's tastes and cember issue of STEREO REVIEW is not only a of eliminating either the background notes or a limited bank account, kits are the best way marvelous tribute to Cowell and his music, the plot summary, and their feeling was that, to reconcile the two. Also, I must confess that but an extraordinary contribution to music lit- since the complete libretto was furnished, the I enjoy the music more, knowing that I ac- erature as well. summary was the more expendable. tively had something to do with itsbecoming RONALD FREED That biographical sketch that Verdi sup- music. New York, N.Y. plied to Ricordi in1879 certainly created JOSEPH M. BOSWELL more problems than it solved. At a distance of Alexandria, Va. Good 01' Randy forty years, Verdi was confused, mentioning My compliments to Noel Coppage for a that his two children died within the span of Cowell's Early Symphonies fine review of Randy Newman's "Good Old four months. Actually, Virginia died in Au- Oliver Daniel's excellent and educational Boys" (December). It's really about time the gust 1838 (before the first performance of article on Henry Cowell in the December is- press-and the public-recognizes Randy as Oberto),while Icilio died in October 1839 sue ignores Cowell's early symphonies as a brilliant artist who has a unique talent for (aboutfifteenmonthslater). Then, eight though they never existed. Was the composer writing songs which poke fun at human im- months later, in June 1840, his wife Margheri- so dissatisfied with them that he withdrew perfections as well as the numerous contra- ta died. The four -month figure still stands in them? Are the manuscripts lost? Or are theydictions and absurdities of life. The quality most reference books,sincethesource not up to Cowell's later style? of being a good story teller is rather rare these seemed unimpeachable. I have a tape of Cowell's First Symphony, days; Randy demonstrates this abilityin a MARTINL.SOKOL which I recorded from a record via FM in series of short, pleasant, Chautauqua -like New York, N.Y. 1968. Even though the tape misses a few tunes which provoke an emotional response. measures because I had to turn the reels over RICHARD KOZLOW Larynx Music: Keeping Abreast in mid -broadcast, it remains one of my favor- Chevy Chase, Md. Roger Dettmer's review of my new Atlan- ites, and was my introduction to Cowell. The tic-Finnadar album,Wiretap(December), is Schwann and Musical Heritage lists, how- Indexing nothing if not thought -provoking. Intelligent ever, don't even recognize the First Sympho- Thanks very much for the mention of reviews of new music are rare enough these ny's existence. I wonder how many years old Popular Periodical Indexin the November days, and one should, I suppose, leave it at the record was when I chanced to hear it and Letters column. But where in the world did that. Nevertheless, I cannot resist expressing record it? you get the Rutherford, New Jersey, address? my astonishment at Mr. Dettmer's list of in- Can Mr. Daniel fill in the gaps in his catalog The correct address isPopular Periodical fluences. In principle, I admit to every possi- of Mr. Cowell's output - whether or not cur- Index, P.O. Box 739, Camden, NJ. 08102. ble influence, but as a matter of reality I thor- rent recordings exist and if there are any plans We now have over one thousand library oughly dislike Messiaen, I cannot recall ever by record companies to do more with Mr. subscribers with dozens more being added having heard Toru Takemitsu'sVocalism Ai, Cowell? I would hate to wait until 1996 for a each week. May each and every one of them and I categorically refuse to accept any re- Cowell centennial movementa laIves to give subscribe to STEREO REVIEW! sponsibility for the BernsteinMass. his works the airing I suspect they deserve. It BOB BOTTORFF Mr. Dettmer detects a certain desire to stay would be interesting to trace Cowell's de- Rutgers University abreast of the times in works likeLarynx velopment through the medium of records, Camden, N.J. (Continued on page 12) 10 STEREO REVIEW At Pilot,ourbest four -channel receiver is ourbest stereo receiver. It takes a lot more than adding two plus two to Naturally, the 366 is fully adaptable to produce an outstanding four -channel receiver. any discrete system. Technological change must be antici- We didn't stop there, however, in pated, as well as the needs-present and considering the manifold uses of this receiver. future-of those who will use the equipment. An ultra -sensitive FM tuner section (1.8µV, Unfortunately, not all companies IHF) has a special detector output to recognize this. accommodate proposed FM four -channel Fortunately, Pilot does. transmissions. We knew from the beginning that many Finally, we saw to it that setting up in of you would not be able to make the switch four -channel would be a simple operation. to four -channel all at once. That's why the The 366 provides a special balancing signal, Pilot 366 four -channel receiver (30/30/30/30 we call it Pilotone which makes channel Watts RMS into 8 ohms) incorporates an balancing a virtually foolproof procedure. ingenious "double power" circuit that permits No matter how you use it, the very things you right off to enjoy the full power of this that make the Pilot 366 our best four -channel receiver in stereo (60/60 Watts RMS into receiver also make it our best stereo receiver. 8 ohms). And yours too. Not only does the 366 provide advanced SQ circuitry, but it can also reproduce any For complete information and the name other matrix system currently in use. Plus it of your nearest Pilot dealer write: Pilot, will extract hidden ambience information 66 Field Point Road, Greenwich, Conn. 06830. from conventional stereo material. The Pilot 366 Four Receiver

CIRCLE NO. 34 ON READER SERVICE CARD FEBRUARY 1975 Music.Perhaps. I always thought that artists, He says that music and musicians were more cal events which also offers deals on tickets? like all the rest of us, had to live and survive in vital five years ago, which is absurd. The top 2. My record collection has grown to a size no other times than our very own. In fact, rockers today are better than ever-the All- where it is best to insure it. My regular agent whenLarynx Musicwas first conceived al- man Brothers Band, Marshall Tucker Band, will only insure it with a three-year deprecia- most a decade ago,IfeltI was swimming Elvin Bishop, J. Geils Band, Garcia -Saun- tion term (a 11/2 -year -old record is considered againstthe fashion of the time. Or, to change ders, Stevie Wonder, etc., etc. The hybrids to be worth half its purchase price; a three- the metaphor,Larynx Musicis an exorcism of with jazz and country are exciting too. It's year -old one is uninsurable). I am not trying the very same devils whose malign influences Mr. Simels' loss if he wants to hang up his to insure irreplaceable records for more than Mr. Dettmer is busy trying to exorcise. If this rock-and-roll shoes. their purchase price, but a three-year term is is trendy, then Mr. Dettmer's very sophisti- DAVE RICH ridiculous for high -quality records well kept. cated attack on trendiness is equally trendy- Berkeley, Calif. It seems to me it would be fair to insure them in his own words,de rigueur. for about 75 per cent of their purchase price Incidentally, the soprano who does such a The Real Elton John across the board. Does anyone know of an remarkable job withLarynx Musicis Elise Since when is Elton John not a Real Per- insurance company that treats classical music Ross and the guitarist inHelixis Joshua son? Noel Coppage says (December) he isn't collections more realistically? Bauman; both names were given incorrectly honest, or Real, as he puts it. Does that mean SCOTT EDWARDS in the review credits. that Elton John is dishonest? I consider Elton Arlington, Va. ERIC SALZMAN John one of the best "popular" singers to- Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Judy Get Your Gun

I n response to Robert Lane's Letter to the Speaking Out Editor (December): the Sound/Stage Record- STEREO REVIEWis beginning to see the ings (2302) soundtrack album ofAnnie Get light. The significance of mixed mediums YourGun by Judy Garland is available from (pop, jazz, electronic, blues, classical, etc.) is The Record House, Inc., 1101 Polk Street (at outlined in Eric Salzman's witty review of Post), San Francisco, Calif., 94109, for $6.00 Elephant Steps(December). I agree with Mr. plus a $1.00 handling charge, as listed in their Salzman on the need for some new kind of current catalog. musical theater, but he should have told us in JOYCE M. HUNSINGER detail about the plot. If the musical is so con- Hazleton, Pa. fusing on records, maybe it should be made into a movie, directed by Mel Brooks or Ken Mrs. Beach Russell and starring somebody like Paul Sand Paul Kresh's review (November) of the as Hartman. Finally, if Michael Tilson Tho- recent Turnabout disc containing piano quin- mas' singing was that bad (I disagree), Mr. tets by Arthur Foote and Mrs. H. H. A. Salzman should have come out and said so. Beach was of particular interest to me. For CAROLYN LEWIS the last twenty years and more I have been Lubbock, Tex. specializing in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American and British scores in Jackie and Roy my record collection and generally "drum- Iwas somewhat bewildered by Peter Reil- ming up" interest among my friends and ac- ly's review of Jackie and Roy's "A Wilder quaintances. I have long held the opinion that Alias" (October 1974). First, I came across the listening public has been unjustly deprived "Jackie Cain and Roy Kral (vocals and piano); of a sizable batch of music that is not only orchestra." There is no orchestra on this beautiful but cannot, as Mr. Kresh puts it, "be date. Then comes the list of compositions, but day -better than most ear-splittinghardrock dismissed as pedestrian." no mention of vibist Roy Pennington, bassist and some slow -moving blues. By the way, Readers who may be interested in sampling Harvey Swartz, drummer Steve Gadd, and Noel, who is Jesse Winchester? Mrs. Beach as a symphonist are advised that the added soloists, tenor Joe Farrell and flutist CLAYDANIEL her Symphony in E Minor (the "Gaelic") was Hubert Laws. Leesburg, Fla. recorded in England in 1968 by the Royal A cryptic inscription, "Performance: Scoo- Philharmonic Orchestra under Karl Krueger, bee-doo-bee-dah," engendered a bit of skepti- Ugly Rumors Confirmed and is available on a stereo disc from the Soci- cism and a great deal of disappointment from Concerning Noel Coppage's review of the ety for the Preservation of the American Mu- me until the last paragraph: "The Krals do Grateful Dead's new album, "From the Mars sicalHeritage, Box 4244, Grand Central have a certain following in the pop press, but I Hotel" (December), the cover by Kelley Station, New York, N.Y. 10017. suspect it's generally among critics who have Mouse can be read by holding the album up- Mrs. Beach, incidentally, died as recently sacrificed objectivity for friendship." Huh? If side down in front of a mirror. You'll find it as 1944, and although, as Mr. Kresh points anything, the pop press has virtually ignored says "Ugly Rumors." Just thought I'd let you out, she was indeed one of the first women Jackie and Roy due to the stigma "jazz sing- inon thisearth -shatteringlittlepiece of anywhere to compose a symphonic work, she ers" attached to them many years ago, for information. was well preceded in England by Alice Mary "jazz" is anathema to the pop world. HOWARD HURWITZ Smith (1839-1884), a pupil of Sterndale Ben- "A Wilder Alias" represents a kind of new Philadelphia, Pa. nett and Macfarren, whose prolific output in- developmental and "expanded" Jackie and cludes two symphonies. Roy. In order to appreciate and understand it, Noel Coppage is one of the few reviewers RICHARDK. PATTERSON one has to put aside personal desires and to discover and write of thebeautifulmusic in Hyde Park, N.Y. tastes for "objectivity." One should also be at the Grateful Dead's "From the Mars Hotel" least familiar with the "early" J ackie and Roy album (December). Imean, one guy even Correction to fully realize what this LP represents. But wrote that the album was just tooslowfor There was an error in the Watts Preener Jackie's pure and unaffected tones and Roy's him! ad which appeared in the December issue. complementary vocal lines, piano work, and MICHAELWELLBORN The Preener price was shown as $4.00 in- arrangements should appeal to all levels of Berkely (Berzerkeley), Calif. stead of the correct selling price of $4.95. interest. SHELDON BERMAN LARRY DAVIS Festivals and Insurance Elpa Marketing Industries New York, N.Y. Ihave two questions which may be of New York, N.Y. general interest to your readers: R -&-R R.I.P. 1.Iintend to travel in Europe this year In reference to the December "Simels and would like to attend some musical events. PUBLISHER'S NOTICE: Recent fluctuations in the Report":Rock Dreamssounds like a fantastic It is impossible to know what all is available, value of the dollar will have an effect on the price book, well worth reading. However, I was and I would prefer not to have to write to dif- of merchandise imported into this country. So. greatly disturbed by Steve Simels' put-down ferent festivals, opera houses, etc. Is there a please be aware that the prices quoted in this issue of the current state of affairs in rock music. clearinghouse in the U.S. for European musi- may be subject to change. 12 STEREO REVIEW Incredible.

Sorry, but when it comes to our The Downward Expander PHASE LINEAR 4000 SPECIFICATIONS new Phase Linear 4000, modesty Gain riding, a recording technique Total Distortion: Less than .25%. fails us. Flow else would you used to improve low level signal to Typically .02%. describe a preampi tier that actually: noise or phonograph discs, Total Noise: High level: 83 dB below Puts back in what recording unfortunately compresses dynamic 2 volts. Phono: 72 dB below a 10 studios take out. range that would otherwise be millivolt reference. Restores dynamics lost in available. The 4000 senses when recording to closely approximate gain riding has been used and Tore Controls: Bass: Monotonically the original. increasing and decreasing, dual hinge immediately expands the dynamics points, ± 8 dB @ 20 Hz. Hinge points Vanishes into yin :Jai inaudibility all reciprocally downward to precisely swnch selectable beginning at 40 Hz hum, noise and hoss inherent the intended level. or 150 Hz. Treble: Monotonically in most tapes, records, and increasing and decreasing, dual hinge FM broadcasts. The AutoCorrelator points, ± 8 dB @ 20 kHz. Hinge points Lets your music (at last) reach switch selectable beginning at 2 kHz a lite-like level where cymbals The advanced Autocorrelation and, 8 kHz. sound 'like cymbals. kettle drums Noise Reduction System in the like kettle drums. 4000 makes record/tape hiss and Active Equalizer: 6 dB/octave boost FM broadcast noise virtually vanish below 50 Hz. Lets you . . forthe first time ... hear your music from a ...without effecting musical content Peak Unlimiter: (Nominal peak unlimit silent background. of the source material. Over-all noise rate attack threshold, front panel Since its introduction follows the reduction is -10 dB from 20 Hz to variable) .5 dB/micro second for 6 dB Phase Linear 700 and 400 power 20 kHz. Your music comes from a peak unlimited operation. background that is silent. amps, the 4000 pre -amp had to be Downward Expander: Downward good Consider these features: expansion commences at -35 dB. The Pea) Unlimiter Plus ... Ultimate limit is -41 dB. Unlimiter window is 35 dB wide, upper and lower . . . the 4000 is an advanced stereo To prevent overleap in recording thresholds are simultaneously variable. equoment, studios today "peak preamp with SQ* and Phase Linear limit" high-level explosive transients differential logic ... its Active Auto Correlator (Noise Reduction of the source material. Incorporated Equalizer gives you a truly flat energy Systems): High frequency noise reduc- in the Phase Linear 4000 is a distribution over the full audio tio -1 commences at 2 kHz and is 3 dB, highly -advanced c rcuit that reads spectrum .. completelypassive, reaching 10 dB from 4 kHz to 20 kHz. independent Step -Tone Controls Weighted overall noise reduction is peak I mating, immediately routes -10 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. the signal througn a lead network, allow precise tailoring of the music and restores dynamics lost in to your listening environment. Size: 19" x 7" x 10"-Weight: 18 lbs. recording to closely approximate It is, in a word, incredible. Ask your the original. dealer for an audition. Warranty: Three years, parts and labor. ,/,,4e [6:newt 4000 THE POWERFUL DIFFERENCE

SO ,s a trademark of C3S Labs. Inc. PHASE LINEAR CORPORATION, P.O. BOX 1335, LYNNWOOD, WASHINGTON 98036 CIRCLE NO. 32 ON READER SERVICE CARD THE LATEST IN HIGH-FIDELITY NEW PRODUCTS EQUIPMENT

Lissen Giovanni(Alfano),La Fanciulla delratings for the phono preamplifier, tone- West(Puccini),Hellera(Montemezzi), control section, and power -amplifier sec- Audio Care Products andManon Lescaut(Puccini). There istion. With "A" weighting, the signal- to-noise ratio at the phono inputs is EasternPacificMarketing hasintro- between 80 and 88 dB under typical duced (under the Lissen brand name) input -signal conditions. Corresponding two kits for the cleaning and mainte- figures for the tone -control section are nance of records and tape machines. The similar. Both sections have unmeasur- RC -1 record -cleaning kit consists of a able distortion (distortion is below noise bottle of quick -drying solution with a level) in typical use. Their respective spray -topapplicatorthatspraysthe sensitivities are 2 millivolts and 100 mil- liquid directly onto the record surface livolts. The frequency response of the phono preamplifier matches the RIAA equalization characteristic within 0.5 dB above 50 Hz; below 50 Hz a 12 -dB -per - octave rolloffisintroduced, with response 3 dB down at 30 Hz. Frequency response for high-level inputs is 20 to 32,000 Hz +0, -1 dB. The uncomplicated control layout of the HD250 features slider -type controls for all level adjustments, including volume, bass and treble (providing a range of approximately ±12 dB at 30 and 20,000 Hz, respectively), and balance. (Balance is adjusted with separate gain also a poster (shown) for a festivalcontrols for each channel.) The amplifier honoring Giuseppe Verdi, conducted by accommodates two tape decks (with off - Arturo Toscanini. the -tape monitoring) as well as tuner and All posters are in full color with di-phono sources. The HD250 measures mensions of 271/2 x 191/2 inches. They 17 x 43/4 x 11 inches. Price: $650. are packaged in clear plastic envelopes Circle 117 on reader service card and shippedin heavy mailing tubes. and a cylindricalrecord brush con- Prices: $7 each, $40 for any six, or $78 structed of deep -pile velvet with a poly- for the set of twelve. Circle reader ser- urethane core. The brush is intended tovice number or write direct to: Fiesta Sansui QRX-7001 remove any liquid residue as well asArts, Inc., Department SR, Greenvale. Four -Channel Receiver contaminants on the record. The secondN.Y. 11548. item, the HC -1kit for tape recorders Circle 116 on reader service card A new four -channel receiver from San- (shown), contains a cleaning solution for sui, the Model QRX-7001, will play any rubber parts (such as pinch rollers) and ofthemajorfour -channelprogram another liquid for metal parts (heads, sources-CD-4, QS and SQ matrix -en- capstans, and tape guides). Long cotton Radford HD 250 swabs and a polishing cloth are also supplied. The Lissen kits are packaged in Integrated clear plastic snap -open boxes. Prices:Stereo Amplifier RC -1, $7.95; HC -1, $5.95. A refill for onnor.r. es the record -cleaning solution costs $5.95. AUDIONICS, importer of theBritish - Circle 115 on reader service card madeRadfordequipment,hasan- * nr`r, nounced the availability of the Model HD250 integrated stereo amplifier pro- coded material, and discrete four -chan- Ricordi Opera Posters viding a power output of 50 watts per nel tapes. The built-in CD -4 demodula- channel continuous into 8 ohms (both tor, Sansui's own design, is completely Fiesta Arts offers twelve full -color re-channels driven) with less than 0.02 per switched out of the phono circuit when productions of opera posters originally cent harmonic distortion. The Radford not in use. The separation and carrier- commissioned by the Italian music pub- level adjustments are located on the lishers G. Ricordi to commemorate op- front panel for ready accessibility. The eras by Puccini, Wagner, Montemezzi, QS facilities are the four -IC Type A and others. The posters date from the Vario-Matrix decoder, with a synthe- first decades of this century and reflect, sizer to provide a four -channel effect with exuberant melodrama, the stylistic from two -channel sources, and a special influencesof thetime. Operas and switch position for decoding SQ pro- composers featuredincludeLa Sec- grams with enhanced front -to -back sep- chia Rapita (Burgmein),Madama But- specifications are unusually complete, aration. The synthesizer function pro- terfly(Puccini),Tosca(Puccini),Don and include separate noise and distortion (Continued on page 16) 14 STEREO REVIEW What makes Bose speakers unique?

Both the 901" and 501 speakers system and a great one is the utilize two key elements essential to speakers. It all begins with BOSE BOSE oudspeaker design: direct speakers. and reflecting sound. and flat -power response. Additionally, the 901s 'For a description of this research see the article "Sound Recording and Reproduction" incorporate multiple full -range published i^ Technology Review OM .l. drivers acoistically-coupled to a Vol 75, No 7, June '73. Reprints are ava lable common chamber, and active from BOSE for fifty cents. equal ration. t For you' complimentar}, copy of these These Leatures, resulting from reviews plus information on our soeakeis write: BOSE, Dept. The Mountain, twelve yea's of university research*, =ramingham, MA 01701. have made the BOSE 901 the most highly -eviewed speaikert in the high fide ity world. And our SYNCOM' II computer assures you of extremely high quality control standards. Just A -B the 901s or the 501s with ary ccnventionel speakers. Comparison prove, the difference between a fine sound

Shcwn above: ('eft to righ7) new walnut and white 901 Continentals, ebony, white, and walnut 90,s; (center) 501. Pedestals optional. THE LATEST IN HIGH-FIDELITY NEW PRODUCTS EQUIPMENT

vides switch positions for HALL and8 ohms, and power -handling capability is curve across the full audio band. The SURROUND effects. 60 watts continuous (100 watts peak), input impedance of the preamplifier is The FM specifications for the QR X-with 10 watts per channel the recom- 47,000 ohms; capacitance is 50 picofar- 7001 include an IHF FM sensitivity of ads. The ATD-25 has no controls other 1.9 microvolts, 1.5 -dB capture ratio, 70- than an on/off switch. Standard phono dB selectivity, and image and i.f. rejec- jacks mounted on the rear panel serve as tion exceeding 75 and 90 dB, respective- input and output connectors. The cir- ly. Total harmonic distortion is under 0.3 cuitry is housed in an all -metal case with per cent for mono, 0.5 per cent for ste- dimensions of 9 x 3 x 7 inches. Price: reo. Frequency response is 30 to 15,000 $150. Hz +0.5, -3 dB, and stereo separation Circle 120 on reader service card is better than 40 dB at 1,000 Hz. Power output of the amplifier sectionis35 watts per channel continuous, 20 to 20,000 Hz, with all four channels driven APL Model 801 simultaneously into 8 -ohm loads. Har- Speaker System monic and intermodulation distortion are both below 0.4 per cent at rated output. Applied Physics Laboratory has an- Signal-to-noise ratios exceed 70 dB for nounced a new speaker system-the the phono inputs and 80 dB for high- fourthinthis manufacturer's current level inputs. The phono equalization line-employingapiezoelectrichorn matches the RIAA characteristic within tweeter and an 8 -inch woofer in a sealed ±1 dB. enclosure slightly larger than one cubic The front panel of the QRX-7001 has foot in volume. The system uses no separate bass and treble controls for the crossover network, but depends instead front and rear channels plus balance con- mended minimum amplifier power foron the natural rolloff characteristics of trols that adjust left -to -right levels indriving the system. Frequency response the two drivers. The tweeter operates front and rear and overall front -to -rear is 20 to 20,000 Hz ±5 dB. Five -way over the range 3,500 to 25,000 Hz, be- balance. Tape -monitor switching for two binding posts on standard centers servelow which its rising impedance effec- four -channel tape decks permits dubbingas input connectors. The SC -7 is 257/2 x from one to the other. Two quartets of tively introduces an 18 -dB -per -octave 15 x 113/4 inches. Price: $229.50. rolloff. The woofer, with an in -boxreso- speakers are accommodated, with a Circle 119 on reader service card selector that chooses either or both. nance of about 44 Hz, rolls off mechanically above 3,500 Hz at a 12 -dB -per- Switchable loudness compensation octave rate. The 801 has a nominal im- boosts low and (moderately) high fre- pedance of 8 ohms and a power -handling quencies at low volume -control settings. All -Test ATD-25 capabilityof100wattscontinuous. The low- and high -cut filters introduce 6- Phono Preamplifier Amplifier power of 10 watts per channel dB -per -octave slopes, reducing response continuous is the minimum recommend- by 10 dB at both 50 and 10,000 Hz.The All -Test self -powered phonopre- ed by the manufacturer. The enclosure, There are front -panel headphone jacksamplifier is a high -quality device de- which measures 211/2 x 12 x 10 inches, is for four -channel phones. Dimensions ofsigned to replace the existing phono the receiver are approximately 211/4 x 61/2 x 157/8 inches. Price: $879.95. Circle 118 on reader service card

Soundcraftsmen SC -7 Speaker System

A new speaker system from Sound- craftsmen, the SC -7, is an acoustic -sus- pensiondesignincorporatingthreepreamplifier of an amplifier or receiver, drivers: a 12 -inch woofer, 5 -inch coneor to provide a second magnetic-phono mid -range in its own internal sub -enclo- input for a system incorporating two sure, and a 31/2 -inch dome -type tweeter.record players. The preamplifier has The cabinet is finished in walnut veneeradequate gain for most magnetic-phono with solid walnut trim and a black, acous- cartridges and has a noise level that is 60 tically transparent foam grille. Two con- dB below a 1 -millivolt input. Input over- tinuously variable level controls adjustload occurs at 130 millivolts at 1,000 the output of mid and high frequenciesHz. Maximum output is at least 7 volts over a +6, -12 -dB range. The crossoverinto impedances of 10,000 ohms orconstructed of 3/4 -inch particle board points between the three drivers occur atmore, with intermodulation distortionclad in oiled walnut veneer and a dark 500 and 4,500 Hz. less than 0.01 per cent. Frequency re- grille cloth. Price: $99. The nominal impedance of the SC -7 is sponse is within 0.5 dB of the RIAA Circle 121 on reader service card 16 STEREO REVIEW OUTPUT POWER FULL

5C% . 10 25%*

100k +0.5c10 47t 0 3C k

DISC 1 IMPEDANCE DIS LOW ENHANCE If the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, imagine what happens when each part is greater than it has to be.

41!, 77.1111116 ek

T -I00 AM/FM Stereo Tuner Your Accuphase retailer will be happy to demon- 41/ 14 -14 strate exactly what 1:-200 .wry j happens.To find the one Stereo Preamplifier nearest you, write us.

P-300 Stereo Power Amplifier Accuphase T EAC. TE AC Corporation i Telegraph Road, Montebello. California 90h40. FEBRUARY1975 17 Afteryou hear our loudest speaker, listen AUDIO to our softest.QUESTION'S It's the c same one. A\Sc/EV\S Most of today' s speakers have a limited musical 3y LiVRY

4E Watts per channel (Min. RMS at 8 ohms, 20 to 20 kHz, with no more than 0.3% total harmonic distor- ticn), of full power that fills your room with 'live -performance' scund. Direct coupling for low - distortion, flat response across the audio spectrum. A unique Tape - Through Circuit that lets you go on dubbing tape -to -tape while you listen to any other program source. A Phase -Lock -Loop in the Multi- plex fcr exceptional stereo separation throughout the frequency range. And a host of other features that make the KR -6400 the stereo receiver with the most cuality n its price range.

KENW000

KR -6400 Ste eo Feeceiver shown with KENV/OOD K...-55 Two -Way Stereo Speakers

For complete information, visit your nearest KENWO[.D Dealer, or wr te KENWOOD 15777 S. Broadway, Gait ena, CA 90248 7-2-02 Fifty-first Ave., Woodside, N.Y. 1.1377 In Canada: -Aagnasonic Canada, Ltd. CIRCLE NO. 24 Ors READER SERVICE CARD 10 dB or so over the mid -range level (or are unaware that the tweeters in the monitor speakers are burnt out). Perhaps the producer or engineer believes that the disc is going to be played mostly on $19.95 phonographs and AM car radios, and therefore he wants the highs as THE PROIAM hot as possible in order to insure that they're heard at all. Sometimes, I'm sure, it's just plain sloppiness on the part of an engineer who normally knows what he's doing but was too zonked or deafened at the time to hear what was going wrong. As far as the disappearing bassist is concerned, this could result from an at- TAPE tempt either to get more playing time or to raise the overall recorded level on the disc. Since both these procedures use up more groove space (which means less playing time), cutting back on the low bass (which uses up groove space very fast) helps restore some playing time. I see little hope that an individual consumer can have any influence on record - productionpractices.However,the performers involved could have great impact if they objected strongly to an engineering mix or pressing that sounds bad. I would suggest therefore that the thing to do is not,to write to the record -company, but rather to protest to the group whose performance has been presented poorly. But it is hard, of course, to reach performers without going through their record comraniesZtalemate? Beam -of -Light Phono Pickup QWhen Iwas young my family . owned a Philco console radio/ ec ord player that featured a "beam of light" phono cartridge. Why hasn't that idea ever been popular during the stereo era? Wouldn't such a pickup considerably reduce stylus and record wear? ARNOLD KIRKLAND Chicago, Ill.

AAll the so-called "beam -of -light" . pickups would more accurately be called photoelectric pickups. In every case, it involved using a conventional phono stylus to wiggle a vane or shutter that in some way modulated a light beam Introducing Maxell Ultra Dynamic shining on a photo cell. The same problems that affect all other cartridge config- backcoated/open reel tape. urations (stylus mass, linearity, reson- nances, etc.) also have to be coped with A professional studio engineer While your Maxell UD tape is run- in the photoelectric designs. doesn't have time for dropouts, wow, fl ut- ning (and the backcoating is protecting It is clear, however, that we are fast ter, tape noise, static, poor winding, your music) you can concentrate on mike approachingthetechnologicalpoint edge damage or erratic tape traction. placement, sound levels and the more where a true beam -of -light pickup (in Maxell Ultra Dynamic tape has the creative side of audio...like shushing the this case laser light) is becoming practi- backcoating that eliminates these record-kids in the next room. cal. It's no trick today to make an audio ing obstacles. recording that can be "read" by a laser Maxell Corporation of America, beam -and at least one company has That's why the professionals use it. Moonachie, New Jersey 07074. Alsoavail- And why you should too. been working with that technique for a ablein Canada. maxell. video disc. As of the moment, however, For professional recordings the cost and complexity of using laser at home. beams to "play" the grooves of a conventional LP record do not make eco- .111111 nomic sense, even if such a system is technically feasible. CIRCLE NO 28 ONREADER SERVICE CARD 20 STEREO REVIEW TUNE P

'NNE SPf EIPt.tvc, SPARE BASS 1-REaLE

dynraco4 -DIMENSIONAL AMPLIFIER LOUD.* es INPu? ON ...ARONIlia "CC E ®OFF ANO FLAT 'ON SPEAKE STENE, RUMBLE NULL BLE NO FRO..

Pat -SP dynaco sca-80q amplifier kit

Value-the SCA-80Q is the only 4-D amplifier inkit form and for the same cost as a similar two ciannel amplifier. From a built-in de -matrix circuit at the output of the amplifier, connect four speakers (such as the very popular DYNACO A -25s) Uncover hidden concert hall ambience in many conventional two channel discs, tapes and FM broadcasts and recreate the originalsonics with new 4-D recordings. Or use two speakers now for stereo and add others later. Simple assembly, careful engineering, low distortion and superb versatility go together to give traditional DYNACO excellence.

$185.00 kit; $299.00 assembled

I I Please send complete test reports and full specifications on alDynaco 1 I amplifiers, tuners and loudspeaker systems. I 111203 Name d Division Tyco Laboratories Box 88, Blackwood, N.J. 08012 Address Also available in Canada from Dynaco of Canada Ltd L City State Zip 1I FEBRUARY 1975 CIRCLE NO. 16 ON READER SERVICE CARD 21 They are making available a video-tape duplicating system that will produce a copy of a 30 -minute video-tape cartridge The AUDIO in less than 3 minutes. The Matsushita technique is to record the video picture Nakamichi signal "in reverse" on a master tape that has a special coating. The master and the Revolution. \E WS blank tape are interleaved and wound VIEWS AND COMMENTtightly together on one reel at high speed. A carefully controlled magnetic field is then applied for one second. The pre- By LARRY KLEIN viously blank but now recorded tape is Technical Editor then wound back on its own reel. With the automatic Matsushita ma- chinery, one master tape can be used to make up to 1,000 copies in about 50 hours. Technical details are lacking, but it appears to be a sort of magnetic con- ANimportant new technology whose tact printing in that the magnetic pattern ramifications may have escaped the no- from the master tape is transferred, un- The tice of most audiophiles has appeared der the influence of the external magnet- recently. I'm referring to Pioneer's de- ic field, onto the blank tapes. Since color velopment of a piezoelectric film. Thevideo tapes involve working with a sig- Cornerstone. piezoelectric phenomenon refers to the nal whose frequency is at least 4 MHz fact that certain crystalline structures, (andrememberthatdropoutsand The Nakamichi 1000 Tri-Tracer when stressed, produce a voltage. Or, "noise" are far more annoying in a pic- Cassette System, an achievement conversely, when a voltage is applied to ture than in sound), the system ought to of such significance that it created such a material it flexes. In audio, the provide superb results if the technology a virtual revolution in cassette first phenomenon (voltage -generation) could be applied to audio duplication. recording. has found practical employment in ce- Would you believe that it is also possi- The first cassette deck to em- ramic and crystal phono cartridges, the ble to contact -print magnetic tape using ploy a true three head configura- second phenomenon (voltage into mo- athermaltechnique? 3M refers to their tion-separate erase, record and tion) in crystal tweeters. duplication process as the STAM meth- playback heads-the Nakamichi Consider the simplicity of a thin, limp od (an acronym for-take a deep breath 1000 attains a level of perfor- piece of plastic with vapor -deposited - sequential thermal anhysteretic mag- mance that rivals that of pro- contact terminals on each side. An audio netization). The heart of 3M's system fessional reel-to-reel recorders. voltage applied to the terminals causes isa special belt coated with propri- In every important respect, ex- the film to expand and contract. If theetary magnetic materials. When heated tended frequency response, wow film is clamped at its edges, we then have and pressed against the master, the belt and flutter, speed stability, distor- a sound -generating device that works picks up the to -be -transferred signal and tion and signal-to-noise ratio, the without either voice coils or magnets. Asthen re-records it magnetically on the Nakamichi 1000 sets new perfor- in the case of the electrostatic speaker, copy tape. At any one moment different mance standards. the diaphragm is directly driven by the parts of the rapidly rotating belt are si- In fact, the performance capa- signal. But, in contrast to the electro- multaneously picking up the signal from bilities of the 1000 are so static principle, high polarizing and sig- the master, transferring it to the copy, awesome that High Fidelity nal voltages are not required. and being erased. (August 1973) characterized them Crystal piezoelectric tweeters have A possibledisadvantageof 3M's as, "...well beyond the capability been available for many years, but, in the STAM system is that chromium -dioxide range of cassette decks as we've opinion of many designers, mechanical tapes can't be used as the master since come to know them and into a problems such as resonance outweighthe heat would erase them. However, a range that makes possible profes- their advantages. The upcoming piezo- large advantage of the belt technique sional applications that would be electric film devices, which are inherent- over the interleaved winding approach is virtually unthinkable otherwise." lysimple and resonance -free, should that it permits high-speed (371/2 ips) du- Get in the forefront of the changeallthat.Pioneer's piezoelec- plication of video material directly into a revolution now. tric film is used only in a pair of theircartridge-it is not necessary either to moderatelyexpensivestereohead- assemble the cartridge around a prere- phones, but it is bound ultimately to becorded length of tape or to pull the tape For complete information and applied in inexpensive form in all kinds out of the cartridge, record it, and then the name of your nearest dealer of transducers from microphones to car- wind it all back in. Open -reel video tapes write: Nakamichi Research tridges to tweeters-and perhaps even are duplicated at 75 ips. (U.S.A.) Inc., 220 Westbury full -range loudspeakers. Avenue, Carle Place, N.Y. 11514. Well, the Federal Trade Commission In California: 1101 Colorado ONE of the reasons tapes inanyfor- has gone and done it. For reasons un- Avenue, Santa Monica 90404. mat cost more than records is simplyclear to me (and to a lot of others) the that records are stamped out like cook- FTC is holding fast to its position on ies, while tapes have to be recorded inch power -testpreconditioning. This was PERFECTION THROUGH PRECISION. by magnetic inch. High-speed duplica- discussed at length in January's "Audio tion cuts down the recording time, but it News," and I need not go over the same also almsot invariably cuts down the ground. Suffice it to say that I had ex- fidelity as well. A possible way out ofpected better from the FTC-and good this dilemma hasrecently been de- luck to the companies that are about to NAKAMICHI veloped by Matsushita Electric in Japan. seek relief through legal channels. STEREO REVIEW New from Acoustic Research The AR-larr A new standard of musical accuracy and an unprecedented degree of placement flexibility

Musical accuracy their speakers must be placed The new AR-10-rr is the most for best results. The AP -10F accurate musical reproducer however has been designed that Acoustic Research has for maximum flexibility in this ever built for use in the home. respect. It can operate in It has been designed to deliveralmost any location in your uniform flat energy response room with no sacrifice in in most listening rooms. This accuracy. means that the musical balance of the input signal will The AR-10-rr can be positioned be accurately transmitted to against a wall, in a corner, or the listener, and listeners in even in the middle of the room. virtually all listening positions Simply resetting a single will hear the performance in switch will ensure the right the same way. A new tweeter amount of bass energy for any and crossover network make position -something that is not this new standard of accuracypossible with conventional possible. loudspeaker designs or equalization techniques. Speaker placement Speaker placement in the Acoustic Research has listening room is of critical prepared a comprehensive importance to the musical description of the AR -107r balance of the system. speaker system. You can get a That's why most speaker free copy by sending us the manufacturers give explicit coupon below. instructions on exactly where

Acoustic Research Please send me a complete description of the AR-10-rrSR -2 10 American Drive Norwood Narne Massachusetts 02062 Telephone: 617 769 4200 Address

CIRCLE NO. 3 ON READER SEW CE CARD the first arrbiphon record AUDIO 3ASICS By RALPH HODGES

GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS -16 Ground loop describes a condition in a sound signal that lacked them original- which the hum level of a sound system ly or did not have them in such strength has actually been increased through im- as they are heard with during reproduc- proper grounding. Oftenthisresults tion. The resultis a falsifying of the fromtherebeing too many ground original tonal quality. A test for harmon- connections between components; a sort ic distortion is basic to the evaluation of of loop is formed that acts as an antennaall audio components. It is usually perfor electromagnetic radiations from any formed by feeding the component a fun- source carrying 60 -Hz current. damentalsignal (with no upper har- During the past year only those owning In high fidelity's infancy a ground loop monics). At the component's output the discrete four -channel tape equipment was a common -even inevitable - con- harmonic -distortion analyzer electrically could appreciate the recording mastery sequenceofinterconnectingstrange cancels the fundamental that was fed in, produced from AMBIPHON original tapes components. Today theforesight ofand measures anything left over in the which Larry Klein described "as close to manufacturers has eliminated ground perfect reality as any recording I have output. The result, called total harmonic ever heard". loops almost entirely. However, when distortion (THD), is then expressed as a one does occur, a considerable amount percentage of the entire output signal. (A Now AMBIPHON has finally achieved a ofexperimentation with different total harmonic distortion measurement stereo disc that meets their inflexible grounding schemes is often required to will also include any noise generated standards of quality. Utilizing their alleviate or eliminate it. within the component, unless this is fil- Aurion System 90 designed by Mitchell tered out.) Special instruments also exist Cotter, a system capable of achieving Half-track tapes are standard quar- that can measure the strength of each 96 dB dynamic range without resorting to signal "processing" of any type, ter -inch -wide tapes that have been re- spurious harmonic (second harmonic, AMBIPHON captures intact the absolute corded with two parallel tracks of infor- third harmonic, etc.) introduced by the purity and dynamics of the original sound. mation, each occupying close to half the component. Mastered with fanatic care and pressed on total width of the tape. At one time half- pure virgin vinyl, from stampers taken track was the principal format for stereo Heads, or "tape heads," are the ac- directly off the lacquer master, the new tape recordings, but now it has been en- tive elements in tape machines that come AMBIPHON record is a state-of-the-art source by which the finest component tirely superseded by quarter -trackin into physical contact with the tape. They systems can be evaluated. prerecorded tapes. perform three functions, and in many tape decks a separate head is used for The first program available from Harmonic is a part of a complex tone each. The erase head strips the tape of AMBIPHON is a piano recital by Natalie (such as a note played on a musical in- any magnetic signal that may be on it. Ryshna of works by Debussy, Chopin, strument) that is an exact multiple in fre- The record head, driven by electric cir- Ravel and Prokofiev. The selections are quency of the fundamental or base fre- cuits within the machine, lays down the recorded in a salon environment on a quency of the note. The first harmonic is nine -foot Bechstein and are recorded as signal to be recorded. And the playback played - without mixing or editing. Every the fundamental itself (the fundamental head picks up the signal from the tape for nuance is the product of the artist alone times one). The second harmonic is reproduction.High -quality,open -reel for the most intimate, immediate and twice the fundamental, and the third tape machines usually have separate cohesive interpretation of the selections three times the fundamental. All musical erase, record, and playback heads, each to be found on records. instruments emit tones that have a har- designed especially foritsparticular monic structure characteristic of them function.Mostcassettedecks have and which is in part responsible for theira single record/playback head and a unique sounds. For example, a given in- separate erase head. THE NEW AMBIPHON RECORD CAN BE strument could have a second harmonic Physically, most audio tape heads re- HEARD AND PURCHASED AT YOUR that is strong, a rather weak third har- semble small, solid blocks of metal -or NEAREST ESS DEALER. FOR A LISTING OF ESS DEALERS IN YOUR AREA WRITE monic, somewhat greater output at the metal encased in plastic -over which the fourth harmonic, and so on. Another will tape passes. Internally they consist of a Special %ducts have a different harmonic pattern. metal core wrapped with coils of wire; the core has a narrow (usually invisible) 9613 odes drive, sacrament°, ca 95827 Harmonic distortion is the addition of gap in its face where the magnetic ac- harmonics -by an audio component-to tivity takes place. 24 STEREO REVIEW FREE 1975 Heathkit Catalog The audiophile's guideipt to kit -form savings Our latest catalog contains the world's largest selection of kit -form stereo & 4 -channel components, along with speakers, cabinets & accessories - plus over 350 other exciting Heathkit products for every interest and every budget. And it's yours for the asking - just fill out & mail in the coupon below! For over 27 years, we've made superb electronic equipment that anyone can build - even with no prior knowledge of kit building or electronics. Our assembly manuals are famous for guiding you step-by-step. Friendly technical consultants at our factory are ready to help you at the first sign of a problem and expert service is available coast -to -coast. As hundreds of thousands of customers will tell you, we won't let you tail!

AR -1500A Stereo Receiver Dolbyt Stereo Cassette Deck Without a doubt, one of the world's finest receivers. The ampli- Top performance at an easy to afford price. Bias adjustments for fier delivers 60 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms at less regular and chromium dioxide tapes. With Cr02 tape and Dolby, than 0.25% total harmonic distortion from 20-20,000 Hz. And the frequency response is typically 40-14,000 Hz, ±3 dB with -58 AM and FM sections measure up to equally impressive levels of dB hum and noise. The reliable transport comes factory -assem- performance. An outstanding receiver, yet even a novice can bled and aligned. Just wire the plug-in circuit boards and per- build it. form the final assembly. With test tape and blank cassette. Kit AR -1500A, less case 399.95* Kit AD -1530 259.95* tDolby is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc.

See our complete line of stereo & 4 -channel Heath Company HEATH components - send for your FREE Heathkit catalog. Dept. 40-02 Schlumberger Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022 HEATHKIT ELECTRONIC CENTERS - Units of Schlumberger Products Corporation Retail prices slightly higher. Please send my free 1975 Heathkit Catalog. ARIZ.: Phoenix; CALIF.: Anaheim, El Cerrito, Los Angeles, Pomona, Redwood City, San Diego (La Mesa), Woodland Hills; COLO.: Denver; CONN.: Hartford (Avon); FLA.: Miami (Hialeah), Tampa; GA.: Atlanta; ILL.: Chicago, Downers Grove; IND.: Indian- Name apolis; KANSAS: Kansas City (Mission); KY.: Louisville; LA.: New Orleans (Kenner); MD.: Baltimore, Rockville; MASS.: Boston (Wellesley); MICH.: Detroit; MINN.: Min- Address neapolis (Hopkins); MO.: St. Louis (Bridgeton); NEB.: Omaha; N.J.: Fair Lawn; N.Y.: Buffalo (Amherst), New York City, Jericho (LI.), Rochester, White Plains; OHIO: Cin- cinnati (Woodlawn), Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo; PA.: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh; City State lip R.I.:Providence (Warwick);. TEXAS: Dallas, Houston; VA.: Norfolk (Va. Beach); PRICES. 6 ,(CIFiCAlioNS SUB,F[110 WITHCILII NOTICE. HF-292 WASH.: Seattle; WIS.: Milwaukee. LMAIL OPOEP PRIES, E.0.131,0,101,1, CIRCLE NO. 25 ON READER SERVICE CARD FEBRUARY 1975 27 WTFM, known for its high quality signal, is first to convert to the new Calibration Standard... STANTON'S 681 TRIPLE -E. TAPE HORIZONS 3y CRAIG STAR< GETTING ORGANIZED Asthe size of your home -recorded approach to make sure that the tape gets tape collection grows (mine seemsback onto its designated reel. always to be overflowing the last shelf, I do this in two steps, first by using a leaving a dozen or so reels lined up be-distinctive metal take-up reel (which ta116:1Wit.Ailblette tween bookends on the carpet), you'rewarns me that any tape left on it should Larry Strasser, Chief Engineer, WTFM, New York. bound to encounter three problems.be elsewhere), and second, by always Good music stations need the First, how do you find a selection youstoring my tapes in a played, not a re- best_laroadcast cartridges for au- may have taped several years ago? Next,wound condition. This means, of course, ditioning original recordings and how do you ensure, when you may havethat if, like me, most of your collection is making transfers as well as for half a dozen reels out at once, that theytwo -track stereo, you'll have to rewind on -the -air use. all get back into their proper boxes?the tape before playing, but it's really no Larry Strasser, Chief Engineer Third, with "normal" wear and care (n of WTFM New York, states: harder than the usual, potentially harm- "I have been impressed for the Stark household this includes anful practice of rewinding after hearing. If years with the quality and depend- occasional empty box's being steppedyou're playing both sides of a quarter- ability of Stanton's broadcast car- on, which ruins the fragile hinge thattrack stereo recording, it may not matter. tridges. Naturally I wanted the im- holds the top and bottom halves togeth-If you care about the long-term quality proved version for our station just er), how do you keep your collectionof your tapes, the fact that they are as soon as it became available." from looking just plain ratty? Over thestored wound on the reel under moder- Stanton's 681 Triple -E offers im- years, I've explored several possibleate and reasonably uniform tension is proved tracking at all frequencies. answers, and if my solutions don't meetimportant. This guards against the ex- It achieves perfectly flat frequency your individual requirements, perhapscessive stresses on the tape that tend to response to beyond 20 Kc. It fea- they'll inspire a brainstorm that will. arise from fast winding and from changes tures a stylus assembly that pos- The first necessity is a cataloguing in temperature and humidity. sesses even greater durability system separate from the information than had been previously thought Cardboard tape boxes are often a possible to achieve. you write on the box. I use a Royal -Mc-headache, and the plastic counterparts This came about because Stan - Bee Keysort setup (an inexpensive homesupplied with some premium tapes are ton's engineers, who were deeply data-processing scheme you might looknot uniform in shape, color, or the way involved in the development of into if your collection is rather large), butthey open up. To prevent torn hinges Stanton's superb discrete 4 -chan- for ordinary purposes 3 x 5 index cards and to create an aesthetically pleasing nel cartridge, 780/4DQ, achieved in a file box will certainly serve. Whetherappearance as well, I reinforce the spine certain intricate refinements and the system you adopt is basically alpha-of each box with a length of 11/2 -inch - sophisticated new techniques that betical or straightforwardly sequential inwide Mystic Tape.Iuse a uniform were equally applicable to stereo order of recording or acquisition date, Ishade, but you may find it convenient to cartridge design and construction. think a number code of some kind is es-color -code different kinds of recorded Each 681 Triple -E is guaranteed sential. When I first started recording, I to meet its specifications within material. Either way, I prefer the cloth exacting limits, and each one kept two file indexes: one listing the reeltotheplastic -backed type, both be- boasts the most meaningful war- number, composer, selection, perform-cause it won't stretch and because it ranty possible: an individual cali- ers, side, etc., and the other a kind ofwill take white marking ink-an excel- bration test result is packed with inverse index, showing how much timelent way of identifying your tape boxes. each unit. remained on each side of a tape for fu-For a real "finishing touch," however, Write today forfurther informationto ture recording. use a Dymo Labelmaker, which prints Stanton MagneticsInc.,Terminal Drive, Plainview, N.Y. 11803 Next, each of my reels gets an identi-raised white letters onto a transparent fying, self-adhesive label 1/2 inch by 13/4. tape you simply press atop the cloth - I've used the Dennison Pres-a-ply (S828 reinforced spine of your tape boxes. I'm size) for years; they're available at anysure that once you get into overhauling large stationery or art -supply store. Al-your tape "housings," you'll probably ternatively, you could simply use a shortdiscover lots of hidden -or at least for- srarrron strip of Scotch "Magic" tape which you gotten - treasures among your miscella- can write on with a ball-point or soft -tipneous reels. There's a bonus in the enter- All Stanton cartridges are designed for use with all two and four -channel pen. With any system of numbered reels, prise, for you can do your labeling and matrix derived compatible systems. however, you must develop a consistentlistening simultaneously. CIRCLE NO. 44 ON READER SERVICE CARD 28 STEREO REVIEW The single -play turntables onlya great changercompanycould have made.

Garrard Zero 100SB, $209.95 Garrard's new single -play turntables are so advanced turntable functions and niggling little design problems in their solution of basic engineering problems that only without wasted motions, space and expenditures. The a leading manufacturer of automatic changers (yes, kind of thing Garrard is the acknowledged master of. changers) could have No other proof of this argument is needed than a produced them. close look at the new Garrard Zero 100SB and 86SB. This may sound Yes, they have heavy, die-cast, dynamically balanced paradoxical to the partisans platters. Yes, they have belt drive. Yes, they have -64dB of single play, but it's a perfectly realistic view of the rumble (DIN B Standard). And the Zero 100SB has situation. The truth is that it's easier to make a single -play Garrard's unique Zero Tracking Error Tonearm, the first turntable that works (never mind outstanding perfor- and only arm to eliminate even the slightest amount of mance for the moment) than a record changer that works. tracking error in an automatic turntable. The very qualities that make the single -play turn- But that's not the whole story. table the preferred choice of certain users-straightfor- What gives these turntables wardness of design, lots of room for relatively few parts, the final edge over other single - fewer critical functions, etc. -also permit an unsophisti- play designs is the way they're cated maker to come up more easily with an acceptable automated. model. Take a heavy platter and a strong motor, connect Both are fully automatic in them with a belt...you get the picture. the strictest sense of the term. Your hand need never As a result, there are quite a few nice, big, shiny touch the tonearm. The arm indexes at the beginning of and expensive single -play turntables of respectable the record, returns to the arm rest at the end of the performance in the stores today. record and shuts off the motor, all by itself. The stylus A thoroughbred single -play Crarrattl 86.93 can't flop around in the lead -out groove. automatic is another matter. $15995 There are also other subtle little features like We're talking about a turntable the ingeniously hinged dust cover (it can that gives you not only state-of-the-art be lifted and removed even on a narrow performance in terms of rumble, wow, shelf), the integrated low -profile teak base, flutter, tracking and so on, but also the the exclusive automatic record counter (in utmost in convenience, childproof and guest - the Zero 100SB only) and the finger -tab proof automation, pleasant handling, efficient use of control panel Plus one very unsubtle feature. space, balanced good looks and, above all, value per dollar. For your free cep, of The price. The Garrard Guide, a 16 -page Here we're back on the home grounds of the changer full - reference booklet, write to maker. He alone knows how to coordinate a lot of different Garrard, Dept. G-2, 100 Commercial Street, 01144A441 Plainview, N.Y. 11803. Division of Plessey Consumer Products CIRCLE NO. 20 ON READER SERVICE CARD there's onlyonething cheap about thesenewRealistic stereo components

...the -7REALLs/Ic._ SA -101 SOLID STATE STEREOAMPLIFIE1

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Realistic SA -101 Stereo Amplifier. Inside the handsome walnut -grain wood FREt.New 1975 case is an ITL/OTL amplifier with plenty of power for compact speakers. It's versatile too, with inputs for a magnetic or ceramic phono, tuner and Radio Shack Catalog tape. And there are separate volume, balance and tone controls, a speaker in/out switch, and a stereo headphone jack for private listening. U.L. listed. OVER 2000 PRODUCTS #31-1983. EXCLUSIVES ON EVERY PAGE Realistic TM -101 Stereo Tuner. Our lowest priced tuner, but it pulls in FM BEAUTIFUL FULL COLOR stereo and AM the way you like it. You'll hear more stations and less noise Stereo Quadraphonic Phonographs thanks to three -ganged FM Lining, ceramic filter, advanced multiplex IC TV Antennas Radios Citizens Band and external FM antenna terminals. Other features include a slide -rule dial, Kits Recorders Tape Tools stereo beacon and walnut -grain wood case. It's a perfect "system mate" for the SA -101. U.L. listed. There's only one place you can find it . . . Radio Auto Tune -Up Electronic Parts Shack! #31-1984. Test Instruments More! 164 pages of the finest in home and hobby electronics. Respected names like Realistic, Micronta, Archer, Science Save $34.80 on a Complete System Fair-and they're available only at Radio Shack stores and dealers nationwide! See what's really new in electronics by sending for this exciting catalog. regularly 234.75 SEND FOR YOURS TODAY! 19995 FILL OUT

COUPON Realistic SA -101 Stereo BELOW Amplifier Realistic TM -101 AM/FM Stereo Tuner Two Solo -1 Speaker System; 1975 Mail to Radio Shack, P. 0. Box 1052, 482 Catalog Realistic LAB -12C Changer with Base Ft. Worth, Texas 76101. (Please print.) And $12.95 -Value Magnetic Cartridge Name Apt. No 1111111_ Street 4..r.. -- 411 Ratio Ihaelt City Master Charge or A TANDY CORPORATION COMPANY Bank Americard at participating stores. State ZIP OVER 3000 STORES 50 STATES 8 COUNTRIES L Retail prices may vary at individual stores. CIRCLE-NO. 37 ON READER SERVICE CARD TECH\ICAL TAL< 3y JULIA\D. HIRSCH J1111111111111MMIIIINIII

MORE ON DOLBY FM: The name some late -model Dolby tape machines. will add enough brightness to compen- "Dolby" is firmly established in the au- Anyone who has listened to a Dol- sate for the more drastic high -frequency dio lexicon, and anyone with the slight- byized tape without benefit of Dolby roll -off caused by the 75 -µsec de -em- est interest in tape recording knows that playbackprocessingknowsthatit phasis. Finally, those people using Dol- it refers to the impressively effective sounds brighter and sometimes has more by decoders together with a 25 -µsec noise -reduction technique developed by hiss than an unprocessed tape. The same receiving de -emphasiswillhear the Dr. Ray Dolby and now incorporated in is true of FM reception of Dolbyized proper frequency response with the full most high -end cassette recorders and broadcasts. But, in spite of this, many noise reduction of the Dolby system- some eight -track machines. (I am refer- people find the sound quality satisfacto-and with the bonus of less compression ring here only to the Dolby "B" system, ry even without Dolby decoding. Mostof high -frequency material and possibly which is used in consumer products for FM is heard on car, table, or pocket ra- less distortion in the overall transmis- reduction of high -frequency hiss. The dios, and their normally limited high -fre- sion -reception process. Last June, the professional Dolby "A" system, though quency response can be enhanced by the FCC authorized a 25 -µsec pre -emphasis similar in concept, reduces noise over added brightness. With a good receiving during broadcast when a Dolby encoder the full frequency spectrum and is used system, on the other hand, one need only is used. (Actually, the Dolby encoder extensively in the recording industry.) turn down the treble tone control a bit to has a built-in 50 -µsec de -emphasis that Consumer open -reel tape recorders are restore an acceptable, if not ideal, tonal provides the 25 -µsec characteristic with- able to do quite well without help from out actually changing the transmitter's Dolby circuits, although a few high -price =Mr 75 -µsec pre -emphasis. (For further dis- machines do have the Dolby system cussion of allthis, see my December "time constants.") built in. The noise levels of the better TESTED THIS MONTH 1974 column on open -reel recorders are so good that any However,thepre -emphasischange poses some problems for people who al- improvement resulting from use of the Dolby system rarely, in my view, justi- ready have a Dolby unit and a tuner or fies its considerable added cost. Sherwood S-7110 Receiver receiver with the standard 75 -µsec de - As of this writing, about thirty FM Ortofon VMS 20E Phono Cartridge emphasis. When a Dolby decoder is fed stations are broadcasting -or intend to a 25 -µsec pre -emphasized signal by a Sony TC-756 Stereo Tape Deck tuner with 75 -µsec de -emphasis, the broadcast-with Dolby encoding. The Technics SL -1300 Turntable noise level of any FM tuner in its stereo higher frequencies suffer badly. mode isappreciably greater thanin A simple resistance -capacitance net- mono reception, and the noise reduction work (see accompanying circuit dia afforded by the Dolby system is equiva- gram) can be inserted in the signal path lent to that achieved by a substantial in- balance and actually realize some im- between the tuner and a Dolby unit or crease in transmitter power, or to the provement in signal-to-noise ratio. cassette recorder to restore the missing improvement one might expect from Dolby Laboratories has proposed that highs (by converting the tuner's de -em- using a high -gain receiving antenna in- FM stations using the Dolby system also phasis time constant from 75 to 25 µsec) stead of an indoor folded dipole. change to a more moderate 25 -microsec- without disturbing the tuner's internal Since the Dolby system involves sig- ond (µsec) pre -emphasis characteristic circuits. Note that only one channel is nal processing at the point of reception instead of the FCC's standardized 75 shown, and that there is an insertion loss (or playback) as well as in the transmis- µsec. From the broadcaster's stand- of about 10 dB. This conversion is incor- sion (or recording) process, it is neces- point, this has the advantage that the av- porated in some of the newer cassette sary to use a decoder at the outputs of erage audio level of the transmitted pro- recorders and Dolbyized receivers, so the FM tuner. A few tuners and receiv- gram can be increased (or the limiting of that the proper FM audio -frequency ers, generally rather expensive, have high -frequency peaks decreased) with- response is obtained while listening to, built-in Dolby circuits. Owners of other out risk of overmodulation. And listen- or recording, Dolbyized transmissions. receiving equipment can add external ers without Dolby decoders who have The normal operation of the system with Dolby units of the type originally intend- standard 75 -µsec de -emphasis in their75 -µsec transmissions is not affected, ed as tape-recording adjuncts to their receiverswillhear an approximately since the network is bypassed when the FM receiving components, or even use correct frequency balance,since the Dolby system is not used, or when a the FM -decoding function available on Dolby encoding at the broadcast station recording is made from a source other FEBRUARY1975 31 20K balance was notseriouslyaffected. standard -level tape. For cassette and FROM TUNER NORMAL When we listened to the WQXR trans- open -reel recorders, this tape is recorded missions in decoded form, the results with a 400 -Hz tone at a magnetic flux 25 TO DOLBY 3900 DECODER were excellent, as might be expected. levelof 200 nanowebers per meter DF FM CAL. 10K The only noise we heard was that inher- (nW/m). When we note the recorder's ent in the original record or tape. meter readings or output level from such We looked forwardwithinterest, a tape, the information can be used to therefore, to the changeover to the 25- compare the playback output levels (and Used with an existing tuner, the above cir- µsec characteristic. However, to our sur- therefore the signal-to-noise ratios) of cuit can switch Dolby de -emphasis in orprise, there was virtually no difference different recorders on an absolute basis, out. The circuit for one channel only is shown. between the sound we heard when using rather than in respect to their meter 25 -p -sec de -emphasis and Dolby decod- readings or their record -playback levels ing and that obtained without Dolby corresponding to 3 per cent distortion. than FM. TheFM CALadjustment in the decoding and with the standard 75 -µsec (With some machines, the 3 per cent diagram must be set while the station is de -emphasis. If there was any differ- distortion point corresponds to a meter transmitting a 400 -Hz Dolby -level tone ence, it was in favor of the latter, which reading far off scale, and therefore not (corresponding to 50 per cent modula- seemed to give a quieter background! readily identifiable by the user.) Our own tion) for a correct reading on the Dolby This is hardly what we expected, of view is that, for a consumer product, the unit's meters. This calibrationisre- course, and it would be interesting to recorder's own meters, generally the quired only once and will be correct for hear of other listeners' experiences with onlyindicatorofrecordinglevels any Dolby broadcast, unless the tuner or Dolby reception under both the old and available to the user, should be used to its output -level settings are changed. new standards, since it is possible that establish an overallsignal-to-noise During the period when a local New our local conditions are not truly repre- figure. But thisis not in accord with York "good music" station (WQXR) sentative of the overall picture. general industry practice. The additional was transmitting with the old 75 -p -sec Before leaving the subject of Dolby datasupplied inourtestreports, pre -emphasis plus Dolby encoding, we noise reduction, I would like to comment referring the signal -to noise measure- frequently found its sound to be undesir- on our plan to use standard -level Dolby ment to the 3 per cent distortion level, ably bright when listened to without tapes as one of the reference criteria for the recorder's own meter readings, and decoding. This was a function of the par- evaluating tape recorders in the future. (indirectly) to the playback level from ticular program material; if the high fre- For proper operation, the Dolby circuits a 200-nW/m tape, will enable the tech- quencies were not predominant in the in a tape recorder must be calibrated to nically minded recordist to evaluate this low-level portions of the music, the tonal theplayback -headoutputfrom a parameter as he wishes.

EQUIPMENT TEST REPORTS By Hirsch -Houck Laboratories

Sherwood S-7110 AM/Stereo FM Receiver

panel. The bass and treble tone controls affect both channels, and the remaining knobs operate the balance and volume controls (the latter includes the power switch). In the rear of the receiver are thumb- screw terminals for the speakers and antennas (300- and 75 -ohm FM antennas and an external AM wire antenna). SHERWOOD'S next -to -lowest -price upper portion of the panel, together with There is also a hinged AM ferrite -rod stereo receiver, the Model S-7110, pro- the large tuning knob. When the receiver antenna. The two speaker fuses are ac- vides a level of performance, especially is on, the dial and meter are lit in blue, cessible, protected by a clear plastic in its FM section, that would have been and a red STEREO light appears when a cover, and there is a power -line fuse. A unattainable at any price only a few stereo FM broadcast is received. The single switched a.c. outlet is provided. years ago. The unit has direct -coupled meter illumination is extinguished when The Sherwood S-7110 is supplied in a audio amplifier outputs that, rated in thePHONOorAUXinputs are selected. wooden walnut -finish cabinet, measures accordance with current FTC require- At the lower left of the satin -gold panel 171/2 inches wide, 55/8 inches high, and ments,* can deliver 17 watts per channel is the input selector, with positions for 131/2 inches deep, and weighs19/2 into 8 -ohm loads at less than 0.9 per cent PHONO, FM, AM,andAUX.Four pushbut- pounds. Price: $229.95. harmonic distortion between 40 and tonscontroltape -monitorswitching, 20,000 Hz. stereo mode, loudness compensation. Laboratory Measurements.We were Retaining the familiar Sherwood styl- and speaker -switching functions. Two particularly impressed by the FM tuner ing, the S-7110 has a "blackout" dial and pairs of speakers can be connected to the performance of the S-7110, which in tuning meter (a signal -strength indicator receiver; one is always energized, and many ways rivaled that of some compo- for both FM and AM) occupying the the switch connects the second pair in nent tuners selling for more than this en- parallel with the main speakers. There is tire receiver. The IHF sensitivity was 'See November 1974 issue of STEREO REVIEW, page 81. also a stereo headphone jack on the front (Continued on page 34) 32 STEREO REVIEW Have a Salem. Smooth, rich tobaccos with refreshing menthol. No hot, harsh taste.

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1111 1 1 AUDIO OUTPUT1 1 1 o 111111 I I 0 0 DB .1 VOLT a SHERWOOD S-7110 (TAPE -OUTPUT JACKS) W-10 0 FM SECTION

W 20 I I 1 1 1 111 I IHF SENSITIVITY 1.8 }IV 30 Along with the inputs and outputs, the a rear panel of the Sherwood 44.4. S-7110 provides one a.c.convenience outlet, screw terminals NOISE HUM, THD ao RE. 100% MOD AT 400 H for main and remote speakers, and antenna inputs for AMand FM. a 50 4...... ' a4 60 NOISE Om. CC MONO -70 - - STEREO The levels of both random noise and total noise P. plus distortion are compared with the audio -output level -.01111 11 1 2 10 20 50 100 2k 51( 101 as input -signal strength increases. Both mono and stereo are shown. R.F. TEST -SIGNAL INPUT IN MICROVOLTS (1./V)

1.8 microvolts (IN) in mono and 4 µV in 100 µV. Alternate -channel selectivity, stereo (the latter being the automatic more accurate reading of the distortion). rated at 60 dB, averaged 61 dB. Image At most frequencies, the distortion at stereo/mono switching threshold). Therejection was 51 dB. The frequencyre- 50 -dB quieting sensitivity was half and one -tenth power was roughly an excep-sponse for AM reception was quite lim- the same as at full power, and remained tionally good 2.2 µV in mono and 33 µVited, being down 6 dB at 2,500 Hz. in stereo. The ultimate signal-to-noise below 0.1 per cent even at 20 Hz. The audio amplifiers clippedat 21 The amplifiersrequired0.12volt ratio (S/N) was 69 dB in mono and 64watts per channel with both channels through the AUX inputs, or 1.35 milli- dB in stereo. The FM distortion, bothdriven into 8 ohms at 1,000 Hz. The in mono and in stereo, was commendably volts (mV) through the PHONO inputs, power at clipping with 4 -ohm loads wasfor an output of 10 watts. The hum and low, measuring 0.22 and 0.28per cent,25 watts, and into 16 ohms itwas 15.2 respectively. noise was about 68 dB belowa 10 -watt watts. At 1,000 Hz, total harmonic dis- output through either input. Phono over- The stereo FM frequencyresponse tortion (THD) dropped smoothly from load occurred at a safe 88 mV. The was ±1 dB from 30 to 15,000 Hz, with0.1 per cent at 0.1 watt to 0.017per cent the output rising gradually above 1,000 RIAA equalization, measured at the at 10 watts, rising again to 0.1 per cent at tape -out jacks, was within ±0.5 dB from Hz and no sign of the usual sharp high- 21 watts. just before clipping occurred. frequency cut-off which sometimes re- 50 to 20,000 Hz, dropping to -3 dB at The intermodulation (IM) distortion de- 30 Hz. Equalization was affectedsome- duces the 15,000 -Hz response of a tuner.creased from 0.07 per cent at 0.1 watt to Although the I9 -kHz leakage from the what by cartridge inductance, witha 0.031 per cent at 10 watts, and reached drop in the 15,000 -Hz response of 2 to 4 pilot carrier was a good 60 dB below the 0.1 per cent at 20 watts At very low out- dB, depending on the cartridge used. 100 per cent modulation level, the 38- puts (considerably under 100 milliwatts) The bass tone control had a sliding turn- kHz switching frequency had to be fil- the IM rose to several tenths of one per over frequency, and the treble response tered out before stereo distortionmea- cent. surements could be made. The stereo was hinged at about 2,000 Hz. The loud- At the rated I7 -watt output, the THD ness compensation boosted only the low separation, rated at 40 dB at 1,000 Hz, was less than 0.1 per cent from about 33 frequencies. The amplifier has no high- not only surpassed that figure by a com- to 20,000 Hz, and was typically under or low -frequency filters. fortable margin, but exceeded 45 dB0.04 per cent. The residual (but inaudi- from 180 to 4,000 Hz, reaching 37 dB at ble) hum in the output was greater than Comment. We did not find the S- 30 Hz and 31.5 dB at 15,000 Hz. thedistortion,increasing the typical The capture ratio was 3.6 dB 7110's lack of filters to be a drawback, at 10readings to 0.05 or 0.06 per cent below especially since most audio filtersare not µV and an excellent 0.7 dB at 1,000 µV. 1,000 Hz (at higher frequencies a filter in particularly effective for their intended AM rejection was a very good 66 dB at the distortion analyzer was able tore- 1,000 µV and 50 dB (the rated value) at purposes. Surprisingly, the lack of FM move the hum components and provide a (Continued on page 36)

The break in the distortion -vs. -frequency curves (below, left) shows where a low -frequency filterwas added to reduce inaudible hum. 1 IF IIII 111111 I I I II I 11 111)11 I I 1 1 1 1 1 6 SHERWOOD 8-7110 SHERWOOD 5-7110 4- 0.5 REFERENCE POWER (17W ) ..... HALF POWER (-3dB) 0.5 TOTAL HARMONIC 0 - -LOW POWER (-10dB) DISTORTION (1 kHz) 0 _IM DISTORTION 0 (60/7000Hz-4:1) o0.2 F 0CC 0.2 0 I - (I) 6 1, o 0.1 2 .Z.:: .... - 4 4.. -V* z I .0 ..._ ..... 4..4a4 ,I 4 0.05 I - . z ll %Nom410alions L,J

''. W.02 1.--.,t ,..`"" .02 a. 1, . .01 20 SO 100200 500 1kHz 2kHz kHz 10kHz 20 0.1 0 2 0 6 2 5 10 20 50 00 FREQUENCY IN Hz (CYCLES PER SECOND) kHz CONTINUOUS AND EQUIVALENT SINE -WAVE WATTS/CHANNEL 34 STEREO REVIEW Introducing the first 4 -channel receiver with automatic CD -4 separation.The SA -8500X. Until now you had to depend upon your hands, a 20dB audio muting switch for reducing sound your eyes and your ears to bring you 4 -channel output without changing the volume setting. separation of CD -4 records. When they missed, We've also put a 4 -pole dual -gate MOS FET so did you. and 3 ceramic IF filters into the FM section. So But now you can sit back and relax. With the you get a sensitivity of 1.91.Ly (IHF). S/N ratio of

Technics SA -8500X.Instead of trial and error, the 65dB. And a capture ratio of 1.5dB. SA -8500X brings you automatic and continuous For stereo, a simple flick of a switch on the CD -4 separation. front panel straps the amplifiers together. The SA -8500X has just about everything else Producing 80 watts per channel, minimum RMS, you might want for command of 4 -channel. at 8 ohms from 20Hz-20kHz with no more Automatic carrier level controls. A CD -4 than 0.5% total harmonic distortion. demodulator with LSI IC's for discrete 4 -channel The SA -8500X. It's the way to hear everything records. A decoder for both types of matrix. And in 4 -channel the way it should be heard. an MPX output ready for discrete FM broadcasts. Because it's the first 4 -channel receiver with There's also plenty of power: 26 watts per both automatic carrier level controls and channel, minimum RMS, at 8 ohms from automatic CD -4 separation. 20Hz- 20kHz with no more than 0.5% total The concept is simple. The execution is harmonic distortion. precise. The performance is outstanding. The But equally important, all this power is under name is Technics. your control.With 4 VU meters for visual control 2f.) PARK AVE., NEW NOM. N.Y. 10017. FOR YOUR NEAREST AUTHORIZED TECHNICS DEALER. CALL TOLL FREE SOO 447-47W. of 4 -channel balance. 3 tape monitors. Click -stop IN ILLINOIS, 800 122-44(X) tone controls. High and low filter switches. And chnics by Panasonic

r. . rm. ra ,T T, 1r "-r. 'AMA

r i- vs 11,- -. g - -r .w %Meese MelF -OP T R :r ..e

Ortofon VMS 20E Phono Cartridge

need not despair. Ortofon has recently the manufacturer's specifications shows announced a new cartridge, the VMS that the two cartridges are indeed almost 20E, which is for all practical purposes identical, with only two apparent differ- the equal of the M 15E Super but is con- ences: the horizontal compliance of the siderably less expensive and sufficiently VMS 20E is rated at 40 x 10-6 centime- rugged to be used with almost any goodters per dyne (cm/dyne) as compared automatic turntable. with 50 x 10-6 cm/dyne for the M 15E Like its more expensive counterpart, Super, and the tracking rating at 300 Hz the Ortofon VMS 20E uses the "vari- is 70 micrometers instead of 80 (see be- able magnetic shunt" principle, which is low). The nominal tracking force is I A LISTING of the finest phono car- claimed to reduce distortion in the mag- gram, with a recommended range of 0.75 tridges available today would certainlynetic circuit of the cartridge below the to 1.5 grams, and the recommended load include the Ortofon M 15E Super, which levelsattainable by other means ofis 47,000 ohms paralleled by a capaci- we reported on in STEREO REVIEW for transduction. The user -replaceable sty- tance of 400 picofarads. Price: $65. January 1973. In respect to flatness of lus assembly has a 0.3 x 0.7 -mil diamond frequency response, low distortion, and mounted on a low -mass cantilever. In Laboratory Measurements. We tested overall tracking ability, the M 15E Superaccordance with current practice, the the Ortofon VMS 20E in the tone arm of ranks with the best. However, its very vertical -tracking angle has been changed a Pioneer PL -71 record player using a high compliance anddelicatestylus from the former 15 degrees to 20 degrees 47,000 -ohm load shunted by 340 pico- structure limit its application to the finest(not a significant change from the listen- farads (p F). The low -frequency tracking tone arms (and its price, like that of so er's standpoint). ability, with a Cook Series 60 record, many other things, has increased appre- Externally, the VMS 20E appears was very good, and the highest recorded ciably since its introduction). The audio-identical to the M 15E Super, with a rel- levels (at 32 Hz) were played cleanly at phile who has looked forward to own-atively low cartridge weight of 5 grams0.75 gram. The very high velocity (30 ing an M 15E Super but is faced with and a swing -away stylus guard attached cm/sec) 1,000 -Hz tones of a Fairchild equipment or financial incompatibility to the stylus assembly. A comparison of 101test record were tracked with a small amount of symmetrical clipping at only 0.5 gram. Higher tracking forces did not improve the output waveform. The 300 -Hz tracking test referred to in Ortofon's ratings involves the use of a German test record that has a series of test tones recorded at increasing ampli- tudes, from 20 to 100 micrometers (Am). The VMS 20E played the 80-µm band STEREO easily atI gram, and, with a careful ad- tOrAPOWNE FOR 111E justment of the tone -arm anti -skating compensation, it was able to track the SEXIAT I4EARS MORE' 100-µm band without significant distortion. The M 15E Super can do this a little more easily, and only a few cartridges we have tested have been able to track these high levels at all. Most portions of the Shure "Audio Obstacle Course- Era III" record could be played at their highest levels with a 1 -gram force. We did hear a slight mistracking of the highest levels of the musical bells and sibi-

lance test sections of this record at I gram. Increasing the force to 1.5 grams (Continued on page 40) 36 STEREO REVIEW Discwasher is the only

superior to

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discwasher inc., 909 University, Columbia, Missouri From front to rear: Dual 1229Q, S259.95; Dual 1228, 5189.95; Dual 1226, S159.95; Dual 1225, S129.95. Whymanychoose the highest -priced Dualeventhough ourlowest -priced model has all the precisionyourrecords need. Even the lowest -priced Dual, model precision your records need, the 1229Q 1225, is a perfect example of Dual's basic has refinements you may well want. For design concept: to build every Dual turn- example, the 1229Q is a full-sized turntable with more precision than you are table with a 12" dynamically -balanced ever likely to need. platter that weighs a full seven pounds. The 1225's vernier -adjust, counter- It is driven by the powerful Continuous- balanced tonearm can track flawlessly Pole/synchronous motor. The gimbal - with the most sensitive cartridges mounted 8-3/4" tonearm can track at as available-at as low as one gram. low as 0.25 gram, and has provision for Tracking pressure is applied exactly as adjusting the vertical tracking angle of with the highest -priced Dual-around the the stylus for single or multiple play. vertical pivot, maintaining The 1229Q also has an perfect balance in all illuminated strobe, and planes. And the anti - cueing is damped in both skating system has directions to prevent separate calibrations for bounce. Tracking force is conical, elliptical and Dual's other multi - applied directly around the vertical CD -4 styli. play turntables, the 1226 pivot, maintaining The Moce Selector at $159.95 and 1228 at perfect balance in Operating features parallels the tonearm all planes. to center stack in multi -$189.95, offer one or more include a single master play mode; to single - switch for all start/stop operations, pitch - record in single -play. of these refinements. control, viscous -damped cueing and a Considering all this, hi -torque motor that maintains speed it's no wonder that readers within 0.1% even when line voltage varies of the leading audio maga- as much as 20%. zines own more Duals in Less obvious, but every price range than any important nevertheless, other quality turntable. Tonearms of the 1228 the 1225 also provides the and 1229Q are Evidently, they choose Dual suspended in a true same high quality four -point gyroscopic first to preserve their materials, carefully fin - gimbal. records, then select a Separate anti -skating ished partsand meticulous specific model depending on the refine- calibrations for conical, elliptical and qualitycontrol that have ments they prefer. CD -4 styli are To sum up, Dual has made certain provided on every long earned Dual its repu- Dual turntable. tation for reliability. that your continuing investment in records (Typically, many audio experts who will be protected even if you choose the bought the lowest -priced Duals early in lowest -priced model. How far you go their careers tell us they are still in beyond that is up to you. That decision service years later in a second system.) can best be made when you visit a Considering all this, why do so many franchised United Audio dealer. serious music lovers spend $259.95 for " United Audio Products the 1229Q? Although the 1225 has ail the Dual120 So. Columbus Ave., Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 10553 Exclusive U.S. Distribution Agency for Dual CIRCLE NO. 50 ON READER SERVICE CARD +1

5 J ORTOFON VMS 20E W 1 a r 0 2D 11.OE -25 IMI -.44111110= 3 -----'' N.,.../ -35 c.) -,-. too 5.0 1kHz 5kHz10kHz 20 0 kH 10 15 20 2 30 FREQUENCY IN Hz (CYCLES PER SECOND) PEAK VELOCITY IN CM/SEC OF TEST DISC At left, the upper curve represents the averaged frequencyresponse of the cartridge's right and left channels. The distance (calibrated in decibels) between the two curves represents the separation betweenchannels. The oscilloscope photograph of the cartridge'sre- sponse toa1,000 -Hz square waveisan indication of the cartridge's high- and low -frequency response and resonances. At right, the distortion of the cartridge for various recorded velocities of the TTR- 102 andTTR-103 test records is shown. Note that the high velocities on these discs constitute extreme tests of cartridge performance, and the numberscannot be compared directly with distortion of other components.

cured the problem with the bells, but leftvelocities. However, when we used the Comment. As might be expected from a trace of "sandpaper" quality on themaximum rated force of 1.5 grams, the theirverysimilar measuredperfor- maximum -level sibilance test. distortion increased smoothly and gradu- mance, the Ortofon VMS 20E had the The intermodulation distortion, mea- ally to only 3.6 per cent at 30 cm/sec.same neutrallistening quality as the sured with the Shure TTR-102 record (a The frequency response with the CBSM 15E Super. Our experience with both 331/3 -rpm counterpart of the 78 -rpm STR 100 record was almost identical tocartridges proved that they sound exact- RCA 12-5-39 disc) was very low -underthat of the M 15E Super we tested somely alike on virtually all recorded material 1 per cent up to a velocity of about 15 time ago-essentially within ±1.5 dB up when tracking at1 gram. The chief dif- centimeters per second (cm/sec) and onlyto 20,000 Hz on one channel and ±1 dB ference to the user is that the M 15E 3 per cent at the maximum velocity ofon the other channel. The channel sepa- Super will track just about anything on 27.1 cm/sec using a 1 -gram force. Track- ration was typically 25 to 30 dB at mid records at1 gram, while the VMS 20E ing at higher frequencies was checkedfrequencies, decreasing above 4,000 Hz may require its maximum force of 1.5 with the Shure TTR-103 record, whichto 15 dB in the 10,000 -Hz region and 5 grams in the most severe cases of high - has specially shaped tone bursts at 10.8 to 10 dB at 20,000 Hz. The 1,000 -Hzvelocity, high -frequency program mate- kHz for this purpose. With this record, square waves of the CBS STR 111 rec- rial. However, itis unlikely that most the distortion remained low up to aboutord showed only a single small over-people will ever play a music record (as 20 cm/sec (under 2.5 per cent, althoughshoot with the VMS 20E. The outputopposed to a test record) which will the actual numbers cannot be comparedwas 3.2 millivolts at 3.54 cm/sec. In theovertax the VMS 20E (even at 1 gram), readily to other types of measured dis-Pioneer PL -71 arm, the low -frequency which makes this cartridge a fine value. tortion), and increased rapidly at higher resonance was at about 6 Hz. Circle 106 on reader service card

Sony TC-756StereoTape Deck with an a.c. servo -controlled capstan motor and an eight -pole induction motor for each of the two reels. The transport controls are mechanically latching push- buttonsthatoperate the mechanism through solenoids. A logic control system permits the buttons to be operated at any time and in any sequence without risk of tape damage. The separate RECORD buttons for the two channels can be retained in their "in" positions by a REC TIMER LOCK so that the machine can be set up in advance for recording and turned on by an external timer. Small levers select the tape speed and set the reel torque for 101/2- or 7 -inch reels. The PAUSE lever also lights an indicator when engaged. The tape -loadingpathisafairly straight line, passing over tension arms THE Sony TC-756 is a deluxe 102 -of professional recorders, yet it is suit-near each reel. Although the head cover inch -reel stereo tape machine with manyable for the serious amateur recordist. It isnotreadilyremovable,itsdesign of the performance qualities and features is a two -speed machine (71/2 and 15 ips) (Continued on page 42) 40 STEREO REVIEW Can you spot the CamelFilters smoker?

01974 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Local Rock Concert is 3. Nope. She's Bertha D. Blues, Groupie. about to begin ... and almost Gimmick: Records everything. Has 12 cassettes of everyone has a gimmick. chickens tap dancing. Once lit a charcoal -filtered Find the one who doesn't. cigarette...and it made four carbons of her lips.4 1. No. He's Phil 0. 4. Wrong. She's Rhoda Dendron (no Dendron. Gimmick: Talks relation to #1 above). with plants. Plant he's holding 5. Right! He's there for the show, not just told him it's poison ivy. to show off. Wants his cigarette honest and Bought a pack of orange -flavored cigarettes-because store was natural, too. Camel Filters. No nonsense. out of his favorite brand, Chocolate Fudge. All flavor. 2. He's Sy Cole Delic. Wears outfit so wild, he gets fan mail 6. & 7. They're two guys trying to see from neon signs. Gimmick: Plays along with band. He does better-or an unfinished totem pole. to music what termites do to an old barn. 8. The Invisible Man, streaking. Camel Filters. They'renot for everybody (but they could be for you).

WarningThe Surgeon General Has Determined That Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health. 19 mg."tar", 1.3 mg. nicotine ay. per cigarette, FTC Report OCT. '74. (0 DB) ips. We suspect that much of the noise, 0 especially at 15 ips, is ultrasonic and shows up in the measurement only because of the phenomenally extended I I I (-10 DB) 7 1/2 IPS high -frequency response of the recorder .' at that speed (see below). A measure- 15IPS ment with IEC "A" weighting, which 1r rolls off low and high frequencies, tended 20 SONY TC-756 RECORD -PLAYBACK RESPONSE to confirm this theory. With weighting, -25 the S/N at the two speeds improved to 20 50 100 71 and 70.5 dB, respectively. At maxi- 200 500 IkHz 2kHz 5kHz 10kHz 20 +5 kH mum microphone -input gain, the un- 7- 7 1/2 IPS 20 weighted noise increased by 16 dB; with PLAYBACK RESPONSE IEC weighting the increasewas 10 dB -5 (at lower, more typical, gain settings the FREQUENCY IN 1-1: (CYCLES PER SECOND) noise was much less, of course). The 7'/2-ips NAB playback frequency response over the 50- to 15,000 -Hz makes tape threading a simple matter measures approximately 17 inches wide, and permits range of the Ampex test tape was within sufficient access to the 18 inches high, and 9 inches deep and ±0.7 dB. The overall record -playback heads for cleaning or demagnetizationas weighs about 53 pounds. It can be oper- frequency response was better than well. The heads are Sony's "Ferrite and ated either horizontally or vertically. Sony's specifications; in fact, itwas by Ferrite" design (available in either two- Price: $899.95. far the widest we have ever measuredon or four -track),and a dual -capstan, a tape recorder. At 7'/2 ips, the response closed -loop drive reduces the flutter to Laboratory Measurements.We tested at a -10 -dB level was ±1.5 dB from 36 very low levels. A four -digit index coun- a half-track version of the recorder, the to 27,000 Hz, and at 0 dB it was ±1.5 dB ter is located between the tape reels. The Model TC-756-2, with a variety of tapes, lower portion of the recorder's panel from 36 to 18,500 Hz. At the 15-ips using the recommended bias and equali- speed the response was identical at the contains the electronic controls as well zation settings. In general, they proved -10 -dB and 0 -dB levels: within ±1.5 dB as the RECORD buttons and the TIMER - to be optimum. A line input of 45 milli- from 36 to beyond 40,000 Hz, theupper LOCK lever. Two separate switches ad- volts (mV) or a microphone input of 0.13 limit of our test capability. Although the just the recording bias to a low or high mV was needed for a 0 -dB recording low -frequency level and the recording equalization for response sloped off level. The microphone inputat the smoothly below 40 to 50 Hz at both tape NORMAL Or SPECIAL tapes. The instruc- "zero" attenuatorsetting overloaded speeds, the highs were remarkably flat tion manual suggests the settings for with 74 mV input; the 15- and 30 -dB at- most popular and extended. tapes. Two MONITORtenuator settings increased this to 0.38 Combined wow and flutter measured switches connect each of the output and 2.4 volts. The playback output from 0.055 per cent at 71/2 ips (the wow alone channels to either the source or the tape - a 0 -dB level, with the playback -level was unmeasurable atless than 0.01 playback signal, and a pushbutton con- controls centered, was 0.43 volt (as rat- per cent). At the 15-ips tape speed, the trols the power to the recorder. ed), and it could be increased to about only way we could measure flutter was Two large, illuminated VU meters0.8 volt at maximum control settings. through the combined record -playback monitor either recording or playback Based on the meter readings when play- levels according to the setting of the process, and the resulting 0.025 per cent ing a standard Dolby -level tape, the 0- figure also set a new mark in our experi- monitor switches. Playback levels are dB calibration corresponds to a flux level monitored at the line outputs, where ence with tape recorders. When we mea- of about 240 nanowebers per meter on sured the record -playback flutter at 71/2 they are affected by the settings of the the tape. ips in the same manner, the readingwas playback level controls. Recording sta- At a 0 -dB recording level, the play- 0.04 per cent, which was slightly better tus is indicated by red lights in each of back distortion was exceptionally low, the two record -interlock buttons. Con- than the playback -only results using an measuring 0.45 per cent at both tape Ampex flutter test tape. centric knobs control the recording lev- speeds. To reach a reference 3 per cent els for the line inputs; another pair is The tape speeds were exact, and since distortion level it was necessary tore- the capstan drive is servo -controlled, a used for the microphone inputs, and the cord at +9 dB. The unweighted signal-to- two sources can be mixed. A front -panel simple internal adjustment will correct noise ratio (S/N), referred to that level, any errors that may develop over time. microphone -input attenuator switch can was 64.5 dB at 71/2 ips and 60.5 dB at 15 (Continued on page 46) be used to reduce microphone levels by 15 or 30 dB ahead of any preamplifier stages, if needed, to prevent overload from very -high-level mike signals. An- other pair of concentric knobs sets the The control section playback levels; one of the knobs is de- of the TC-756 is tented at its center to provide a reference relatively simple and setting for overall record -playback gain. uncluttered, but provides mixing for There are two standard'/4-inch micro- microphone and line phone jacks on the lower left edge of the inputs, as well as tape panelfor unbalanced low -impedance bias and equalization dynamic microphones, and a jack at switching. lower rightfor8 -ohm stereohead- phones. In the rear of the recorder are thelineinputs and outputs (through standard phono jacks) and a single un- switched a.c. outlet. The Sony TC-756 is housed in a walnut -finish wooden case; it 42 STEREO REVIEW Audit ion free for 10 days Karl Bohm's superb Deutsche Grammophon recording of GreatestSymphonies SPECIAL BONUS: Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 12 and 26 All 4 International Award -Winning Records For Less Than The Price Of 1! Your Introduction To The Unique Money -Saving Program ThatOffers Free Auditions Of Prize -Winning Recordings By The Leading Concert Artists Of Our Time! Piano Concertos 12 and 26 comes to you Mozart- music's greatest natural genius! onapproval.Audition it free for ten days, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - divinely then either return it-or keep it for only gifted beyond any other musician who 56.98 for all four records (plus a small ever lived! And into his six greatest sym- postage/handling charge). phonies he poured a multitude of his most Here at last is the ideal way to acquire, astonishingly beautiful, incredibly mov- in easy stages, a connoisseur's record ing inspirations! library without wasting a penny on dis- Symphony No. 41, "Jupiter" appointing purchases. You listen at home Symphony No. 40 in G -minor to every award -winning selection before Symphony No. 39 in E -flat deciding whether to buy it! Please act Symphony No. 38, "Prague" today! Begin your money -saving, no - Symphony No. 36, "Linz" obligation membership in The Great Symphony No. 35, "Haffner" Awards Collection by mailing the at- Extra! Symphony No. 32 tached card or coupon for your free Now you are invited to hear these t ri al, wi th four -for -less -than -the -price -of - miraculous works in their finest record- one purchase option of this essential col-

ing . . . interpreted with extraordinary lection of Mozart's Six Greatest Sym- empathy by Karl Bohm... played to per- phonies and exquisite Piano Concertos fection by the Berlin Philharmonic Or- Nos. 12 and 26. chestra ... captured in unsurpassed stereo realism by Deutsche Grammophon. So Eight ways The Great Awards Collection outstanding is this recording that it has helps you enjoy wonthreeof the music world's most fine music more than ever! eagerly sought honors: the Grand Prix 1. The greatest music by the world's International du Disque, Edison Award and savings with our half-price bonus plan. For immortal composers. Deutsche Schallplatten Prize! In addition, you every record you buy at our low members' 2. A major, award -winning recording each will also receive Mozart's Piano Concertos price (always well below suggested retail), you month. Nos. 12 and 26, "Coronation;' superbly per- may choose another one from a list of award - 3. Superior imported LPs-silent surfaces. formed by soloist Geza Anda with the Salz- winners and other critically -acclaimed LP s 4. Free ten-day trials of all selections. burg Camerata Academica- winner of the and pay just half that price! A truly economi- 5. All selections always far less than coveted Grand Prix des Discophiles. cal way to build your library of superb clas- retail price. sical recordings. Now enjoy and keep these 4 superb albums How many records are you committing 6. Extra savings with Half -Price Bonus Plan. for less than the price you'd pay for 1! yourself to buy when you return the attached 7. No obligation to buy- no minimum Because these magnificent recordings have met coupon?None at all!Even your introductory purchase. with almost unprecedented acclaim, they have set of Mozart'sSix Greatest Symphoniesand 8. Money -saving introductory offer. been chosen to introduce you to The Great Awards Collection, a totally new concept in home listening. You may enjoy all eight master- Send no money now -Mail coupon TODAY! pieces, on four superb -quality, imported rec- 090 ords, for 10 days absolutely free. Then keep all four if you wish, for only $6.98(that's less than Listen for 10 days free. the price you'd pay for just one record)!Simply mail the attached card or coupon today. Keep all 4 for less than the price of 1! Collect the world's greatest music- only in The Great Awards Collection 175 Community Drive GreatNeck, N.Y. 11025 award -winning albums! Please send me, for my free audition, the I will also receiveafree ten-day audition As a member of The Great Awards Collection triple -award -winning recording of Mozart's each month of another award -winning record- you will receive only the finest recordings of Six Greatest Symphonies by Karl Bohm, ing of great music. For every one of these together with Geza Anda's award -winning records I buy at your members' price (always prize-winning concert performances by top performance of Mozart's Piano Concertos below suggested retail), I may also choose one orchestras, conductors and soloists. Distin- Nos. 12 and 26. I may return the set after record at half that price from your special list. guished jurors each year select, from the hun- 10 days and owe nothing, or keep it and pay Iam not obligated to buy any minimum only 56.98* for all four Deutsche Grammophon number of records. I may cancel my member- dreds of classical releases, the "golden few" records, plus a small postage/handling charge. ship at any time. that will be offered to members of The Great This is all four records for less than the regular *Sales tax added for New York residents. Awards Collection. Every month you'll enjoy price of one! free 10 -day audition privileges on each award - winning single LP. Of course, you have the option of keeping or returning each one so NAME (please print) you'll never waste a penny on disappointing purchases! ADDRESS APT. NO. Special half-price bonus offersaves you CITY STATE ZIP Only new money! Offer limited to the connecting 48 states. Offer expires 9/1/75. Limit: one membership per household. 29821/090 In addition to great music, you'll enjoy great members eligible. NOTE: All applications are subject to review, and we reserve the right to retect any application. FEBRUARY 1975 45 In fast forward and rewind, a 1,800 -foot formance of this machine are so far be- systems. The relative absence of high- reel of tape was handled in just under 2 yond thelimitationsof conventional frequency tape saturation, even at a 0 -dB minutes. The VU meter response wasprogram material thatitsvirtues can recording level, is obvious from the mea- slower than professional VU standards, hardly be appreciated. surements. When recording and playing a 0.3 -second tone burst producing 70 per The two -track format,15-ips tapeinterstation FM tuner hiss at a 0 -dB cent of the continuous -signal reading in- speed, and 101/2 -inch reel size imply in- level, no differences could be heard be- stead of the standard 99 to 101 per cent.tended professional applications, but the tween the input signal and the output of Headphone volume was adequate withuse of consumer -oriented phono-typethe recorder -a fairly severe test of the 8 -ohm phones, but unusably low with connectors and unbalanced microphone effect of tape saturation on actual listen- the high -impedance phones (200 to 600inputs clearly shows that this machine is ing quality. ohms) made by several manufacturers. intended for the serious amateur. The Although no claims are made for the quarter -track version would doubtlessTC-756-2 in this regard, itis the first Comment. In many important respects,be more convenient for many users, and machine we have seen whose frequency the Sony TC-756 set new records forshould offer essentially the same level ofresponse (not necessarily its phase char- performance of home tape decks we performance. acteristics, however) should allow it to have tested. In fact, for any recording The performance of this machine at copy CD -4 discs in their encoded form, other than from a "live" source, using high frequencies is a convincing demon- for later decoding through a suitably top -grade microphones and auxiliarystration of the inherent advantage ofmodified demodulator. An intriguing equipment, the dynamic range, distor- high-speed,open -reelrecording over prospect! tion, flutter, and frequency -response per- either cassette or lo4/er-speed open -reel Circle 107 on reader service card

Technics Model SL -1300 Turntable

cycle, starting the motor and moving the arm to the selected index position before lowering it to the record surface. After play, the arm returns to its rest and either shuts the motor off or repeats the record, depending on the setting of the MEMO -REPEAT control. If the control is set for a single play, the STOP position of the lever turns off the turntable; otherwise, it functions similarly to the REJECT lever on a record changer, returning the TECHNICS BY PANASONIC was the 1300 - normally 4 watts, and only 6.5arm to the record for a repeat play. For first company to market electronic di- watts during the cycling of the automatic fully manual operation, lifting the arm rect -drive turntables in which the platter mechanism. from its rest starts the turntable, which is in effect a part of the drive motor. The The Technics SL -1300 tone aim, shuts off when the arm is returned to the SL- 1300, a versatile single -play record mounted on a gimbal -pivot suspension, rest, either manually or automatically, at player with automatic features, is the is longer than average, measuring 91/16 the end of a record. An arm lock safe- latest in a series of direct -drive unitsinches from pivot to stylus. The low- guards the stylus against damage when from that company. mass cartridge shell attaches to the tubu moving the turntable. The die-cast aluminum -alloy platter,lar tone arm with a twist of a locking The Technics SL -1300 is supplied on covered by a ribbed rubber mat, weighsring. The cartridge overhang is adjust- an attractive silver and black base with about 33/4 pounds. It is 13 inches in di-able, using a full-size profile in the in- soft supporting pads. It has a hinged ameter, with a sloping outer rim that car-struction manual as a template. The plastic dust cover which remains open at ries four bands of raised stroboscopecounterweight, which screws onto the any angle and can be removed easily if marks (for its two speeds of 331/2 and 45 rear of the arm, is rotated to achievedesired. The arm wiring and integral 4- rpm, and for 50- and 60 -Hz line frequen- "zero" balance. A calibrated ring on thefoot signal cable have low capacitance cies). The portion of the platter support-counterweight is then set to align its zero for compatibility with CD -4 cartridges. ing the record is 111/2 inches in diameter.mark with a reference line on the arm, The overall dimensions of the SL -1300 A clear plastic prism carries the lightand the entire counterweight is turned are 173/4 inches wide, 143/2 inches deep, from a neon stroboscope lamp below the until the desired tracking force is indicat- and 51/2 inches high; it weighs about 21 motorboard up to the edge of the platter ed. The scale is calibrated from 0 to 3 pounds. Price: $299.95. to the strobe markings for easy speedgrams at intervals of 0.1 gram. adjustment while a recordisbeing At the base of the pivot structure is an Laboratory Measurements. The played. It also serves as a pilot lamp toarm -lift (cueing) lever with a damped Technics SL -1300 was tested with an show that the unit is operating. The larg-descent and a small anti -skating adjust- Ortofon VMS 20E cartridge. The over- est of the three knobs near the strobo-ment knob calibrated to match the 0- to hang adjustment was quite critical, and scope lamp selects the operating speed 3 -gram tracking -force range. A knob at the first time we installed the cartridge and the other two adjust each speed sep-the right side of the motorboard allows the tracking error was higher than we arately over a nominal 10 per cent range. the SL -1300 to be set to repeat a record would have expected. A recheck showed The speed controls are electronic and doup to five times, or indefinitely if de-an error of about one millimeter in our not interact. The efficiency of the direct -sired. Another knob sets the arm index-overhang adjustment. After resetting the drive system is illustrated by the verying for 7-,10-, or 12 -inch records. Acartridge, the tracking error was almost low power consumption of the SL- STOP/START lever initiates the playingtoo low to measure -less than 0.25 de- 46 STEREO REVIEW gree per inch of radius everywhere on the record, and nearly zero at most points. Technics tellsus that future units will be supplied with an improved overhang calibration device. The calibration of the tracking -force adjustment was excellent, with an error of less than 0.1 gram over its full range. Like most anti -skating systems we have The lone -arm pivot tested, this one had to be set slightly assembly of the higher (by about 0.5 gram) than the SL -1300, with anti - tracking force for optimum compensa- skating adjustment tion. The cycle time, from the moment to the side and the START lever was moved until the sty- theMEMO -REPEAT lus touched down in the groove, was selector 101/2 seconds at 33'/3 rpm and 81/2 sec- further to the left. onds at 45 rpm. The cueing lever had to be operated slowly to avoid jarring the arm and shifting its horizontalposition. The descent was well damped, with a The SL -1300 performed easily as well cal rumble canceled by paralleling the slight outward drift equivalent to a cou-as the earlier Technics units wehave cartridge outputs. These are the lowest ple of grooves. The well -damped low - tested. The unweighted wow and flutterunweighted rumble levels we have ever frequency arm -cartridge resonance (with were 0.03 and 0.04 per cent at331/3 rpm, measured, and consisted predominantly the Ortofon cartridge) was at approxi- and approximately the same at 45 rpm. of frequencies around 25 Hz. With rela- mately 7 Hz, with an amplitude of 2 to 3 The rumble was extremely low, with the tive audibility weighting, the rumble was d B. The arm wiring capacitance, from unweighted (NAB) level measuring -46 -63 dB -also one of the lowest figures cartridge shell to the end of the signaldB including both lateral and verticalwe have recorded with this method of cable, was 70 picofarads per channel. components, and -49 dB with the verti- measurement. The speed vernier range, relative to the nominal center value, was +7 and -5 per cent at 331/3 rpm, and +6 and -11 per cent at 45 rpm. The speed did not change detectably with extended operation or with a line -voltage shift from 90 to 140 volts. We were able to induce some moderate acoustic feedback with the SL -1300, but only by plac- ing it directly in front of a speaker and applying some heavy bass boost with a high -power amplifier. It appears that the turntable is not likely to suffer from feedback under any normal listening conditions likely to be encountered. Comment. Thefiguresspeakfor themselves with regard to the performance and quality of the Technics SL - 1300. It is at least the equal, in every respect, of the finest record players we have tested. In other words, even when some other units have measured slightly better in a particular parameter, the differences were well within the normal limits of measurement error and would not indicate the superiority of one unit over the other. Although its price is actually moderate compared with those of some turntables, the Technics SL -1300 offersperfor- mance equivalent to the finest available intoday'srecord -playing equipment. For those people planning a CD -4 quadraphonic installation, the wiring capacitance of the SL -1300 is the lowest we have measured, and should permit any CD -4 cartridge to perform at its best. In its operation, the SL -1300 was completely smooth and quiet. In our judgment it is an outstanding combination of electromechanical design, styling, and human engineering, and a particulary fine value as well. Circle 108 on reader service card 47 FEBRUARY 1975 ...noliving singer has enjoyedsucha testimonial..."

Maria Callas in the role of Medea

Opera's Grand Tradition: Two New Books Reviewed by Max de Schauensee

BOOKS about singers and their musical ac- and progressing up to today's designated su- cagni's L'Amico Fritz when it actuallyoccurs tivities, often as not, can make for dull perstars Joan Sutherland and Beverly Sills, in Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur. These are tri- reading. Almost miraculously, writer J.B. the author covers a formidable panorama. It is fles, slips that can be easily brushed aside. Steane sustains an enthusiasm that bubbles remarkable how many singers are dealt with, For those who might be confused or even and proves contagious through 610 pages of how many discs described. Naturally, in so glutted by so much material, Mr. Steane has penetrating observation in his epic The Grand long a survey, there are some strange omis- Tradition. conveniently subdivided his book into three sions: the great basso Jose Mardones, the sections:Pre -ElectricalRecordings1900- The author has covered almost all of the colorful Australian Marjorie Lawrence, the 1925 (The Golden Legend); The Electrical 78 great opera singers who have recorded be- French sopranos Yvonne Gall and Suzanne 1925-1950 (Decline and Survival); and The tween 1900 and 1970. What a tremendous Balguerie, the baritone Martial Singher, and Long Playing Record 1950-1970 (Renais- task this must have been! One can only guess the German sopranos Barbara Kemp and sance). Over this long vista he walks a fasci- at the endless hours of concentrated listening. Delia Reinhardt. And short shrift has been nating tightrope, not feeling as George Ber- But one also senses that the author had a recorded the great Margarete Matzenauer, nard Shaw evidently did-"Let us hear no grand time all the way. That is what makes Kerstin Thorborg, John Brownlee, and Leo more of a golden age of bel-canto. We sing the reading of The Grand Tradition an unal- Slezak (who was anything but a favorite with much better than our grandfathers" loyed delight. - for the author). Steane is fully aware of the particular glories A supreme value in this book stems from On the other hand, his treatment of Lucre- of the past. the obvious fact that Mr. Steane, besides be- zia Bori and her records, his comparisons of For instance, in a comparison of an aria ing a meticulous critic, is also a fan. Too often Fernando de Lucia and Alessandro Bonci, of from Verdi's Luisa Miller by de Lucia, Giu- tiresome aesthetes write about such matters, Beniamino Gigli and Schipa, are all absorb- seppe Anselmi, Bonci, Schipa, and Aureliano spewing their prejudices and seeing to it they ing. Singers who have recorded copiously Pertile with the more recent singers Carlo do not enjoy anything that might damage during the present era-Dietrich Fischer- Bergonzi, Mario del Monaco, and Richard their reputations as the bearers of exalted Dieskau, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Maria Cal- Tucker, he exclaims, "I found myself sur- standards. las, and Janet Baker-are gone into in depth prised at the sheer dullness of the moderns." Again and again, after carefully pointing out and with an absorbing thoroughness. If I may venture to intrude my own opinion, I the limitations of a singer and his repertoire, Forminute, microscopicdetail,Mr. have always felt that it was not that the old Mr. Steane will arouse an appreciative chuck- Steane's appraisal of Riccardo Stracciari (a singers were better or worse; they were sim- le with such a sentence: ". . . It is largely baritone he admires) serves as a good exam- ply different. Styles in singing change as do pious self-deception to sigh for the Mozart ple: "An oddity that became more noticeable fashions in clothes, food, and decoration. and Handel he [Tito Schipa] did not record." as years went by was a kind of squeeze or The Grand Tradition is a thrilling book, And continuing on Schipa's singing of light even squirt given to notes usually at medium one that has been long and fervently desired songs by Richard Barthelmy and Cesare An- volume in the middle register. If the word by all who enjoy vocal art as preservedon drea Bixio ("The Cole Porter of the Italian were usanza (as in the Prologue to Pagliacci), records. Mr. Steane has backed up the sing- films"), Mr. Steane may confound the snobs it might come out as something like usuanza ing with a further preservation of what we by exclaiming: ". . . all these are a joy, and if . . . ." This is applying a fine-tooth comb to know to be precious. for some reason they had to be lost from one's criticism, but when it is accurate, as it is in collection they would leave a black gap where this case, it becomes of incalculable fascina- * * once was sunshine. One could better spare tion to any probing analyst of voice -and are ANDnow Callas,a new, sensationally much better music." we not all? handsome volume by John Ardoin, Lest the above quotation create an impres- There are one or two inaccuracies. For in- Dallas music critic, and Gerald Fitzgerald sion that The Grand Tradition is a preoccupa- stance, Marcella Sembrich did not sing on the of Opera News, has appeared to delight all tion with so-called "trifles," let me immedi- very first night of the Metropolitan in 1883. wealthy worshipers at the diva's shrine. It ately say that this is a book of stature which That honor was reserved for Christine Nils- accords her highly intelligent praise, a modi- gives the preservation of singing on records son in Faust. Mme. Sembrich sang two nights cum of criticism, absolution for past misde- its due historical importance. later in Lucia. Then, reference is made to the meanors, and a magnificent gallery of dramat- Beginning with Adelina Patti (debut 1859) aria "L'anima ho stanca" as being from Mas- ic pictures. (Continued on page 50)

48 STEREO REVIEW Introducing the KLH Research X Classic Four Loudspeaker. Ifyouthink that'sa lotof numbers, wait'llyouhear the number it does on yourears!

KLH loudspeakers usually need very little introduction. response is clearly a step beyond anything you'd ever But the Classic Four is so radically different that it may expect from a bookshelf type speaker. It's new low take a little explaining. For one thing, it incorporates a resonance, long throw piston -action 12" woofer high frequency dispersion concept that not only gives creates a sound that is so accurate and full of life that it music a new dimension but also gives you greater simply defies easy description. freedom as a listener. What we've done is build two tweeters The Classic Four is at selected KLH dealers now. It comes into the Classic Four in a mathematically calculated and with a removable grille cover in a choice of two decorator meticulously tested configuration. The angle of the tweeters colors. It casts $170. And if you think that's a big number, creates incredibly wide dispersion so that you hear perfect wait'll you hear the number it does on your ears! high frequency sound no matter where you sit in the listening The Classic Four. Another innovative product from KLH room. In addition, this a mazingly'accurate meansof sound Research.X- a new era in audio. dispersion allows you greater flexibility in the placement of the For more information, write to KLH Research & speakers. But most important, it brings a new life and airiness Development Corp., 30 Cross St., Cambridge, Mass. 02139. to your recorded music. Each instrument is perfectlydefined and recognizable- regardless if you're sitting on axis or not. ..".. The Classic Four has a typical KLH mid -range- ultra I smooth and silky. And, of course, KLH has always had a KLH Research X Division reputation for getting an inordinate amount of bottom out of Kin Research & Development Corp. modest sized loudspeakers. But the Classic Four's bass 30 Cross St., Cambridge, Mass. 02139 CIRCLE NO. 26 ONREADER SERVICE CARD The text is by both these gentlemen (the essay by Ardoin, the richly informative picture captions by Fitzgerald), and the indefa- tigable Fitzgerald is responsible also for the astounding collection of pictures that catch the prima donna in every phase of emotion. Probably no living singer has enjoyed such a gorgeous testimonial, nor has any singer enjoyed in print such an exhaustive survey of her life and art. The authors end by almost making you believe that the object of their labors was the greatest. Tonal inequalities are mentioned but not dwelt upon; the importance of Maria Callas' place in the history of opera remains, and rightly so, never in doubt. Callas was indeed something very special. Most of her contemporaries seemed conventional if measured by her tempestuous tem- perament. I myself have never been an uncrit- ical admirer of the lady's extraordinary gifts. When the authors state that Callas revolution- ized opera, there is an implication that all the bad old things after the time of Giuditta Pasta, Maria Malibran, and Pauline Viardot-Garcia have been joyously relegatedto oblivion. Here,I cannot go along. Should we simply dump Adelina Patti, Marcella Sembrich, Nel- lie Melba, Luisa Tetrazzini, and Amelita Gal- li-Curci, with their ravishing bloom of voice, their fantastic techniques, into outer dark- ness? I do not think so. While Callas did inaugurate a new trend in awareness of the obscure bel canto repertoire, the trend actually owed most to Tullio Sera- fin, who in Callas found the perfect soprano to give form to his ideas. For Callas was indeed an extraordinary artist, a personality whose force has left a powerful impact on the present opera scene. But she did so at considerable cost. Possessor of a difficult, sometimes even ugly voice, she enjoyed some treasurable assets: an infinite capacity for disciplined work; an instinctive grasp of any role she was singing; an ability to rivet attention on her phras- Wolver in cheapr clothing. ing and word -weighing: and a gift for exact, meticulous, florid singing. Her best effects were in quiet moments in the middle range. which was often lovely, decidedly her best.

HER admirers claim that she was a throw- back to the great soprani sfogati of the early nineteenth century. But here we are dealing with an unknown quantity, for nobody today Design charlatans around the world have founda lucrative business knows what they were actually like. The small in selling spurious replacement styli. And becauseShure phono size of the orchestra, the small size of the cartridges are asked for by more knowledgeable theater, the limited repertoire-there was no hi-fi enthusiasts Wagner, no verismo- makes such an asser- than any other cartridges, our styliseem to be imitated more than tion conjectural. During Callas' career, she any others. Now, flattery notwithstanding, Shure designengineers had access to a variety of music undreamed of see red when they see these impostors, because they knowthat by those earlier singers, a variety that proba- the performance of your Shurecar- bly proved a factor in the damaging of her tridge absolutely depends upon the voice. genuine Shure stylus assembly I found the book extraordinarily well writ- - so ten by both authors; they make an excellent to protect your investment and to in- case for the object of their devotion, with sure the original performance of your added testimony from Franco Zeffirelli, Lu- Shure cartridge, insist on the real chino Visconti, Carlo Maria Giulini, and thing: Look for the name SHUREon others. It is edifying reading, and the haunting the stylus grip (as shown in the photo, pictures add a superb diadem to the entire left) and the words, "This Stereo project, surely worth the stiff price ($27.50) Dynetic) stylus is precision manufac- for any red-blooded Callas fan -or for any tured by Shure Brothers Inc." on the mere opera buff worth his salt. box. The Grand Tradition, by J. B. Steane. Scribner's, New York (1974), $25.00: 610 pp.: illustrated with photographs. Shure Brothers Inc. 222 Hartrey Ave., Evanston, III. 60204 Callas, by John Ardoin and Gerald Fitzgerald. Holt, In Canada: A. C. Simmonds & Sons Limited S t,-, 1=1 E Rinehart & Winston, New York (1974), $27.50: Fl 282 pp.: illustrated with photographs. CIRCLE NO. 41 ON READER SERVICE CARD 50 STEREO REVIEW The Speaker.

system that holds the beryllium Rather than starting with an existing to direction changes in amplitude possible for a midrange driver. It speaker, Yamaha began with a and frequency of the input signal. extends the linear portion of its dome to the speaker frame with less response curve. contact allowing it to move more speaker idea. Dome Tweeter Comparison freely. It's called the Tangential A speaker system with the lowest 5000011 The midrange driver's frequency 1HICANE55 WIGHT Edge. (You may not hear the distortion and coloration, and the response is so wide that we can YAMAHA difference at first, but you will.) best possible transient response. NS -1000 M select only the choice flat section of 3 cm 0.03 mm 0.03 g The crossover system was Instead of merely modifying one, (BERYLLIUM its frequency response, thereby specially designed to have a very Yamaha has re -invented it. And in DOME) eliminating the peaks and valleys doing so, has improved every aspect TYPICAL most competitors are forced to use. low DC resistance, increasing the SOFT 3 cm 0.3 mm 0.1 g system efficiency. of speaker design. DOME The Beryllium Dome creates Most highly accurate systems We call it the NS -1000 M Monitor. CONVENTIONAL 2.5 cm 0.45 mm1.03 g simply the flattest response; least DRIVER need a large amp to drive them Transparency and The colored, most natural sounding properly. The NS -1000 M Monitor Dome. Existing technology has This is called transparency. It can midrange of any speaker around. requires only 15 watts RMS to fill an be noticed best in complex musical Carefully designed acoustic average room with loud music, yet largely solved a major problem of equalizers flatten the frequency speaker design through the use of passages and can be best described can handle RMS power outputs the acoustic suspension driver: exceeding 100 watts. extended frequency response. By Our Own Skilled Today, what's missing from most Hands. Yamaha's philosophy is sound in most people's living room, one of self-reliance. is something a touch more subtle. That's why, for example, we build Its called transparency the critical speaker components The hemispheric dome tweeter (like cone materials and speaker allows a wider dispersion of high baskets) rather than purchase them. frequencies. That includes the speaker But the dome's own material enclosure made from material weight causes it to lag behind the designed for anti -resonance input signal. It simply doesn't characteristics. (Our piano making respond fast enough, creating an experience was essential here.) opaque. masked sound that lacks There are enough speaker system fine detail and definition. modifications and copies around. The ideal dome material for already. midrange and high frequency drives This is something original. would be extremely rigid and, most importantly, virtually weightless. Proudly Presenting the NS -1000 M. It's not Introducing the inexpensive or easy to find. Beryllium Dome. Why did The NS -1000 M is sold as right it take so long and left-hand units. and by the pair After all, beryllium is the lightest. ,atily and most rigid metal known, and They cost $960.00 the pair, when has a sound propagation velocity you can get them. twice that of commonly used as highly defined and finely detailed response curve even further Yamaha is making them as fast as aluminum. Only Yamaha has it. The NS -1000 M Monitor is so we can, but you may have to wait a accurate that you may even hear short while until your Yamaha Beryllium is lighterandstronger and Midrange: The Voice of enhanced detail in a recording you propagates sound better than other metals. Audio Dealer has a pair for you to Your Speaker. It's no secret once thought already perfect. audition. (He also features Yamaha RIGIDITY 500NC that between 500 and 6 Kh: is ItlASTIC PROPAGATION speakers based on the same 01005 MODULUS, weIm where most audible differences in Re -thinking the Woofer. WEIGHT mm, nvsm technology and quality at less speakers occur. Some respected speaker BERYLLIUM manufacturers buy their low money.) 9.01328000 12600 It's where we hear the human (Be) frequency drivers wholesale. Patience, please. MAGNESIUM voice, and it is the hardest part of 24.32 4500 5770 Yamaha doesn't buy them. We (Mg) the frequency spectrum to Part of the Yamaha ALUMINUM make them. 26.98 7400 6420 reproduce accurately. System. The NS -1000 M Monitor (Al) Even the very cone material itself TITANIUM Once again, beryllium solves the is the ultimate air suspension 47.90 11000 5990 was researched and developed and (Ti) problem of uneven response. Since speaker system. IRON manufactured specially by Yamaha. 55.85 19700 5950 't's so lightweight, the dome can be That is a strong claim to make. 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CIRCLE NO. 49 ON READER SERVICE CARD 51 FEBRUARY1975 tunes, and the audience greeted them with bemused tolerance at the start and protracted boos by the finish. Aftera suitably lengthy intermission, theycame back on, began to vamp out an intro riff, and then the George Kirby look -alike intoned (against thede rigueurdrum roll), "And now, from Ziggy Stardust to Alladin Sane, the Diamond Dog himself, from London, England, the star ofour THE SIMELS show, Mr.. . . DAVID BOWIE!!!" All that was missing was Ed McMahon and Doc Severinsen. Bowie bouncedon stage in a baggy suit, carrying a cane, REPORT looking for all the world like Fred As- tairewithterminaljaundice,and 3y STEVE SIMELS launched into revamped soul versions of "11MMEMEIMIN his better-known numbers (beginning withRebel, Rebel,which I like), all of them funked into unrecognizability. BOWIE: THREE WAYS, NO WAY The crowd, with the exception of the ONE of the great moments in rock- faithful in the front rows who kept trying (Incidentally, at various points in theto touch him, seemed more andmore and-roll history was aired on ABC's broadcast, the nasty censor bleeped outbored as the evening went In Concertrecently during D. A. Penne- on;it was what you were supposed to assume were clear that a mincing manikin doinga bad baker's otherwise sleep -inducing film of"naughty" words. Unfortunately, if youJoe Cocker act was not what they had David Bowie's 1973 "retirement" (hawere familiar with the lyrics, you knew ha) show. paid ($12.50 a shot, insome instances) I had a pretty good idea ofthat all of them can indeed by said on to see. what was going to happen, having read television, even in prime time. Our intel- reviews of the event at the time, andligence insulted once again, in another God, was I looking forward to it! But it cynical ploy by Bowie and the Main- was an absolute gas to see it finally, let Man organization.) me tell you. Briefly, what happened was that after what seemed like hours of sit- A. week later I had the dubious pleas- ting through David's ludicrously preten- ure of sitting through the current Bowie tious miming ("A pie in the face would experience in the flesh, and although be too good for him," remarked a friend Beck was not on hand to livenup the of mine at just the point when Bowie proceedings, I must confess itwasan began his dying swan number) and an interestingevening. David has been interminable series of grimaces from gui- threatening to go funky for some months tarist Mick Ronson (who has just joined now -for purely commercial reasons, Mott the Hoople, by the way, which you understand, since at heart he's about should effectively end the nice thingas funky as Margaret Rutherford (may they've had going for the last two years), she rest) - even going so far as to try to the Star broke character for a moment persuade interviewers that his favorite and introduced a special guest, there- singers have always been people like doubtable Jeff Beck. Jackie Wilson. Baloney. It's just that in There was more than a little irony in England he made it by pitching hisrec- this, of course; Ronson almost invari- ords to the disco crowd, but in America ably dishes up the most thinly disguised they don't play rock-and-roll but r -&-b in imitations of Beck's work (minus the discos; consequently, since Dave natu- Master's inspiration, it goes without say- rally still lusts to be as big in the States ing), and the song the augmented ensen- as he is at home, he's figured it's time to ble was about to perform-Jean Genie, hit theSoul Traincrew where they live. one of Bowie's English hits -bears a So, after cajoling a pal into attending startling resemblance to Beck's revolu-with me-which wasn't easy, believe tionary work on the Yardbird'sI'm a me; in fact, it was almost as difficult as Man.At any rate, Jeff, who when he iscajoling one of my friends into going to on is still the most innovative electricthe last John Denver show- I trotted off guitar player who ever lived, sauntered to Radio City Music Hall to see Darling out looking oh -so -cool (especially when David's new look for myself. The affair compared with the "Ming the Merciless(not quite sold out, by the way) began at Robert Hall" outfits Bowie and palswith a warm-up by Bowie's current were decked out in) and within ten sec- band, mostly black, which featureda trio Nothing daunted, RCA had the temer- onds had completely wiped out everyone pretending to be the Supremes, and twoity to release a double live albumat else on the stage. He took a solo that was male lead singers, one of whom danced about the same time-material drawn one of the most mind -boggling and un- on a piano (which I consider to be thefrom David's summer tour-which I cliched I've heard in ages, and then- single most offensive thing thata per-also sat through, martyr that Iam. It's quite obviously smirking-deferred toformer can do) while lisping outStormy summed up for me by his version ofAll Ronson, whose attempt ata topper Monday,and another who looked and the Young Dudes,which barely sur- sounded like the work of a backward six- sounded exactly like George Kirby. vives, but does at least make it quite year -old by comparison. Simply lovely. They did some currently popular soul (Continued on page 54) 52 STEREO REVIEW T1 IECLASSIC QALITY OF 0\CYO SaJ\D STARTS WITI T IS ADVA\CED CoV9TER SYST V

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Artistry in Sound

Onkyo Sales Section/Mitsubishi International Corp. Eastern Office: 25-19 43rd Ave., Long Island City, N.Y. 11101 (212) 729-2323 Midwest Office: 935 Sivert Drive, Wood Dale, III. 60191(312) 595-2970 CIRCLE NO. 31 ON READER SERVICE CARD FEBRUARY 1975 53 clear that the rumors about his having THE MOST SPECTACULAR taught Mott all they know are totally unfounded. Their performance hadgran- SOUND EXHIBITIONS of STEREO FIDELITY deur, power, and a stately rock-and-roll majesty; Bowie does it as if itwere a EVER AVAILABLE! cocktail song, complete with tinkling piano in the next room. Overall, these three different looks at David had a very sobering effect STEREO DEMONSTRATION STEREO REVIEW BINAURAL on me. RECORD AND CASSETTE Here is a man who has writtena few DEMONSTRATION RECORD (very few-perhaps three or four) interesting songs, which makes him a respect- 55 (ill No 1)1....\ 1(\ FR 1"1'1( \ able minor talent, a sort of Seventies RL.Cc Graham Gouldman, but a man whoap- parently takes himself so seriously that he believes hiseveryutterance is worthy of immortality. It's depressing. Hiscur- rent shtick, pretending to be black -let's sac not forget that two years ago he was saying things like "I can't think ofa whiter artistthan me"-would be stomach turning if it weren't also such a colossal commercial miscalculation. Bowie's fans are, in the main. white middle-class teen- This record is the result of two years of intensive Created specifically for agers, and no matter what Bowie or research in the sound libraries of Deutsche Gram- those around him think, they are mophon Gesellschaft, Connoisseur Society, West- playback through stereo notthe minster Recording Company and Cambridge Records people who hang out in trendy New Incorporated. The Editors of Stereo Review have headphones, this unique selected and edited those excerpts that best demon- York discos dancing to the Three De- strate each ofthe many aspectsofthestereo record presents sound grees or Love Unlimited. What we're reproductionof music. The record offers you a greater variety of sound than has ever before been of unsurpassed realism. about to witness, Ithink, as the taste- included on a single disc. Binaural recording re-creates the directions. distances. makers conned by their own careless and even the elevations of sounds better than any other ' enthusiasm begin to turn on him, is a "licCienni ..errionstrationS each designed to show recording method. The super -realism of binaural record- ..isbech musical sound anditsreproduction me Record as been edited to provide selbsufliciem ing is accomplished by recording the acoustical Input for decline that is going to be most unpleas- , sr rilaiiens or an enormous vairrelyof music arranged In each ear separately, and then playingitback through a ana pleasing orderIt includes ail the basic musical stereo headphones. Thus the sound intended for the left. ant, a spectacle featuring a portrait of the and ac imirrisounds that you hear wnen you listento recordS ear cannot mix with the sound tor the right ear, and vice isolairmr rind pointed up to give you a basis for future critical listening versa. artist as musical bankrupt. If he didn't Binaural recording offers the listener the identical acous- so richly deserve it.I'd feel sorry for WIDE RANGE OF DEMONSTRATIONS tical perspective and instrument spread of the original him. Of course, as you'll recall, the Who Techniques of h S -S"urces Acoustic The sound reaching each ear is exactly the same as would Depth Anitllano. C r. . Sr an, C uolrasIs of Dynamics have been heard at the live scene. predicted all this in 1971. and if Bowie CIOSCP,10& Diminueso Very High 8 Yrery Low Pitched Mos.,.1 Sounds Polyphony 12 rr ^ie melodies at cocei With Both Smnii "MAX"-GENIE OF BINAURAL RECORDING. "Max. Contrasting instruments Tonal Ouanties of Wind. String A Per.. specially constructed dummy head, cast in silicone rubber. wants to make a graceful exit. he'll do a cussrdn Instruments Sounds of Ancient Instruments Sounds or duplicates the role of the human head as an acoustical Crii.niaiinstruments Seund or Singing Voice. Both Classically absorber and reflector of sound. Super -precision capacitoi cover oftheir Won't Get Fooled Again Trained and unnamed Pius a Large Sampling of Finger Snap. microphones were installed cirig.Hand Clapping. Foot Stamping & Other Musical & Ph -Cud. in Max's ears so that each and fade fast. swe Sounds microphone would pick up exactly what each human ear would hear. The result is a demonstration of phenomena. 13 SUPERB SELECTIONS recorded sound. STRAUSS: Festive Prelude. Op. 61 (excerpt) DOG STARTLING REALITY. The Binaural Demonstration Record DEBUSSY: Faux a artifice (excerpt) Connoisseur Society offers 45 minutes of sound and music of startling reality. Okay, all that out of the way, and, hav- BEETHOVEN: Wellington's Victory (Battle Symphony) (excerpt from You'll marvel at the eerie accuracy with which direction the tam movement) Westminster Records. and elevation are re-created as you embark on a street ing kept my promisenot MASSAINO: GvIzona XXXV a 16 (complete) DOG Archive. to review the tour in binaural sound-Sounds 01 The City . Trains. CORRETTE: Concerto Comigue Op 13. No. 6 "Le Plaisir des Dames Planes 8 Ships ... a Basketball Game, a Street Parade new Stones album, I must add that you (third movement. Connoisseur Society. a Street Fabrication Plant, The Bird House at the Zoo-ali KHAN: Raga Cnandranandan (excerpt) Connoisseur Society should immediately run out and buy the RODRIGO: Concert-Serenade for Harp and Orchestra (excerpt rrorr demonstrating the incredible realism of binaural sound the lirst movement, DGG. reproduction. single of it'sOnly Rock'n Roll,because MANITAS DE PLATA: Gypsy Rhumba (complete) Conn. SOC. MUSIC IN BINAURAL. The musical performances pre- MARCELLO: lairKing)! Psalm XVII"The Heavens areTelling" sented on the Binaural Demonstration Record transport the flip side (a ballad left over from the (complete) Conno.sseur Society. you to the concert hall for a demonstration of a wide va- PRAETORIUS, Terpsichore:LaBourreeXXXII(complete) DGG Jamaican "Goats Head Soup" sessions Archive riety of music. Selections total 23 minutes, and include BERG: Woxxeck (excerpt from Act DGG examples of jazz. organ. and chamber music. entitledThrough the Lonely Nights)is BARTOK: Sonata tor two pianos and Percussion (excerpt from the The Stereo Review Binaural Demonstration Record is the first movement! Cambridge Records ultimate in sound reproduction. It has been made without perhaps the band's most mature and BEETHOVEN: Weillngton's Victory (Battle Victory) (excerpt from the compromise. last movement, Westminster. moving performance sinceMoonlight Although headphones are necessary to appreciate the near- total realism of binaural recording, the record can also be Mile,and it is not scheduled for an LP FREE - Booklet which discusses and played and enjoyed on conventional stereo systems. appearance in the foreseeable future. describes each of the selections performed. Further, if the touring stage version of THE RECORD IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR Records $598 Cassette $698 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band CHOICE OF 331/2 RPM OR 45 RPM. each each on the Roadmakes itto your town, avoiditlike the plague: Lennon and CHARGE YOUR ORDER TO YOUR AMERICAN EXPRESS OR BANKAMERICARD ACCOUNT McCartney's music will probably sur- RECORDS Ziff -Davis Service Division 595 Broadway New York, N.Y. 10012 vive director Tom O'Horgan's witless C My check (or money order) for $ onslaught, but I see no reason to encour- is enclosed. Print Name age him to try this sort of thing again. E. Charge: American Express E BankAmericard Finally, the Rock -and -Roll Wisecrack Account # Address of the Year, overheard at a club in New Signature Jersey during a performance by a local StereoDemonstrationRecords @ $5.98 City band called the Weasels. Drunken jock each, postpaid ($8 outside U. S. A.) Check one: C 331/2 RPM 45 RPM on dance floor: "Play Barry White!I _Stereo Demonstration Cassettes @ $6.98 State Zip wanna hear some Barry White!" Wea- each, postpaid ($8 outside U. S. A.) _ _ Binaural Demonstration Record @ $5.98 sels' piano player: "As soon as we finish each, postpaid ($8 outside U. S. A.) ENCLOSE PAYMENT WITH ORDER IF NOT CHARGED our Jimmy Olsen medley." Say goodnight, Gracie. 54 STEREO REVIEW JVCIS exclusiveSEA prevents wasted watts!

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VR-5660 e e ef"' N,66` c;s\-4 JVC something quite different from what it was originally. Performance tradition is an even more important element in popular music than it is in classical, and those areas between the two-such as classical music that has become, like Joplin's rags, an item of popular consumption-are also greatly affected by it. There were two traditions of performance that grew from Joplin's GONG rags: one that treated them as if they were jazz, and one that lowered them to a derby -hat, garters -on -the -sleeves, 0\ DECOR9 ricky-tick musical nostalgia for the turn of the century. The shock ofJoshua Rif- 3y JAMES GOODERIEND kin's first record was that it followednei- itt,1iis Edit or thertradition but went back to the score and to the little we know of Joplin's own performing style, presenting us with a different music out of the same notes. LONG AFTER THE BALL The Stephen Foster, cornet favorites, and Gershwin piano -music records did AFEW days after hearing Nonesuch's and gone back to the original scores, and more or less the same thing, each of new recording of songs of thethe surprise that is intrinsic to hearing them coping with (and bypassing)a dif- 1890's, appropriately titled "After the them is that they have all given us famil- ferent tradition or group of traditions. Ball," the logic and rationality of its ap- iar music presented in a totally unfamil- "After theBall" offers probably the pearance becomes evident.Atfirst iar way. most extreme case, for what Bolcom and glance, though, perhaps even atfirst "Tradition," an eminent conductor of Miss Morris are dealing with here is not hearing, one feels a certain sense of sur-classical music has told us, "is the last the hard -to -categorize music of a misty prise that such a project came into being bad performance." Few of us would care mid -region (as the others were) butan at all.It is, peculiarly, the very sameto make it as cut and dried as that, but out-and-out popular music. sense of surprise that was engendered by there is no question that the score and the appearance of the first Scott Joplin the tradition of performance that germi- THERE is (as this particular issue of record, the Stephen Foster record, thenated from the score have often, in seri- STEREO REVIEW should demonstrate)a record of cornet favorites, and perhapsous music, come to oppose one another. tradition of cabaret singingstillvery even the Gershwin record. All theseThe roots of this lie partially in the in- much alive in this country, and there is Nonesuch releases have been solid, even ability of our notational methods to re-also a just barely living tradition of per- outstanding musical achievements (as ispresent fully and exactly what the com- formance of Gay -Nineties and Turn -of- the present one, and those additionalposer had in mind, and partially in thethe -Century popular song. Neither is to albums of ragtime that followed logically desire, on the part of most composers, to be found on this record. Whatwe get in- from the first), but the particular furrow purposelyleave some room for variabili- stead are sensitive, musicianly, totally that Nonesuch has been plowing with ty in performance. In this "room," per- unexaggerated renditions of the songsas these discs has not been all that obvious. formance traditions grow, and since such they are on the printed page.Though It is the seeminglackof connection be- traditions are handed down in the play-such performances could paradoxically tween them that has made each a mattering, the listening, and the talkingabout be called "classical," the performers of surprise as well as delight. But this music, the performance tradition itselfhavenotsuperimposed classical -music new record, once again involving Bill changes, sometimes to the point.of par-traditions on popular songs. Miss Mor- Bolcom, this time with mezzo-sopranoodying its original nature, in the same ris' voice has in it no echo of opera or of Joan Morris, may have taken us just farway that a simple English sentence whis-art song; it is vernacular American and, enough alonginthismysterious se, pered into the ear of the first of a group if anything, the sort of voice sometimes quence that we can divine the direction of people, and whispered in turn by eachreferred to as "churchy." of the whole. to the next, emerges from the last as The effect is startling. Whether it is The albums are, of course, explora- tions of the American musical past, but they would hardly have produced the Pianist William impact they have were theyonlythat. Bolcom and soprano Perhaps their rationale would become Joan Morris: clearer ifI ventured to guess that the separating the next album in the series (I have no ad- master pieces from vance information on this) would far the period pieces more likely be a collection of barber- shop quartets than, say, the Bay Psalm Book or the songs and hymns of that AmericancontemporaryofGeorge Washington, Francis Hopkinson. For what Nonesuch has been dealing with is not -the long ago and far away aspects of American music, but music we already know through the presence of on -going andstill -livingtraditions.The point about the Nonesuch records, though, is that they have thrown out the traditions 56 STEREO REVIEW everything that might be desired is something else again. For (as should once again be demonstrated by this "cabaret" issue)somepopular songs come to life only to the extent that they are vehicles for the projection of their performer's personality; do them straight and they die. The kind of exaggeration of emphasis that Beatrice Kay (does anyone else contribution remember Beatrice Kay?) brought to such a song as ABird in a Gilded Cage The 824. didnot work againstthesong but Cur latest offering breathed life into it. It was so exaggerat- to the serious listener. ed that it was satire, yes, but it was seri- A philosophy of design ous too, just as the song itself was seri- that demands no compromise. ous-and satire. The tears were croco- Lsten, dile tears even in 1900, and Harry von you may want to Tilzer, who wrote the song, was not an empty your pocket. innocent man. Janszen. $700 each. Down to $120. THE effect of that song in Miss Morris' performance is a lesser one. So too with Monroe Rosenfeld'sThose Wedding Bells Shall Not Ring Ow'.If one takes it completely seriously,itisa dreadful piece of hash; it needs the sting of irrev- JANSZEN erence to bring it to life. So much for the ELECTROSTATIC good side of tradition. 7516 42nd Avenue North Minneapolis, Minnesota 55427 The bad side of itis that it covers a division of everything with the same sauce, and not Electronic Industries, Inc. everything is palatable that way. Among the hamburgers on this disc are some very choice morsels indeed. I am being CIRCLE NO. 18 ON READER SERVICE CARD completely serious when I say that Paul Dresser's (Theodore Dreiser's brother) On the Banks of the Wabash is a great song, and that Ernest R. Ball'sWill You Love Me in December as You Do in May? (which, of course, carries the same message as the Beatles' When I'mSixty- four)is a classic as well. The performances we get here of these works, and I'' others like them, strip the overpainting fA of tradition from the songs and present them as they really are: masterpieces. 1 it Miss Morris sings honestly and affect- a ingly, Bolcom plays sensitively and musically, and the recording ambiance is completely sympathetic to the material. And so the upshot of it all is that this 4 out of 5 9 out of 10 record (and the preceding ones) gives us automatic turntables automatic turntables the previously denied opportunity of separating the masterpieces from the sold in Britain are BSR. sold in Japan are BSR. period pieces. Such an experience opens up a whole new way of looking at and listening to the American musical past, and one could not imagine a more valuable contribution to the coming Bicentenary.

AFTER THE BALL: A Treasury of Turn -of - the -Century PopularSongs.JoanMorris (mezzo-soprano); William Bolcom (piano). After the Ball; Good Bye, My Lady Love; A Bird in a Gilded Cage; Under the Bamboo Tree; On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away; Those Wedding Bells Shall Not Ring Out; I've Got Rings on My Fingers; Come Down Ma Evenin' Star; I Don't Want to Play More automatic turntables The Fact is, 2 out of 3Emil in Your Yard; Will You Love Me in December automatic turntables as You Do in May?; Meet Me in St. Louis, sold in the U.S. are BSR than Louis; Love's Old Sweet Song; Waltz Me all other brands combined. in the world are BSR. McDONALD 3513 (USA)Ltd. Around AgainWillie;Wait Till the Sun Blauvelt,N.Y.10913 Shines, Nellie. NONESUCHH-71304 $3.98. CIRCLE NO. 11 ON READER SERVICE CARD FEBRUARY 1975 57 Hi-Fi Ho -Hum

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CIRCLE NO. 40 ON READER SERVICE CARD every limb, kneels before his conqueror and pleads for mercy." The Suite from Hciry Jcinos is surely Kodaly's most popular work, and it is his THE 3ASIC most often recorded one as well. There arecurrentlyavailablefivedifferent performances of the music, each with its own special pleasures: Bernard Haitink's (Philips disc 6500015, reel 5015, cas- REPERTOIRE 178 sette 7300017) is lucid and straightforward, with a special sensitivity to the poetic passages; Istvan Kertesz's (Lon- 3y MARTI\ 300KSPA\ don disc CS 6417, reel L 80159) is flam- boyantly extroverted and sumptuously recorded; Erich Leinsdorf's first record- KODALY'S HARY JANOS SUITE ing of it, with London's Philharmonia Orchestra (Seraphim S 60209), is a tight- ZOLTAN KODALY'S ballad opera, Hary Tale Begins" (No.1 of the Suite). The ly disciplined, superbly played perfor- Janos, with a text by Bela Paulini remaining movements concern them-mance; Leinsdorf's second recording, and Zsolt Harsanyi, was produced for selveswiththe"VienneseMusical with the Boston Symphony Orchestra the first time on October 16, 1926, in Clock" (No. 2), a song of homesick long- (RCA LSC 2859) is more self-indulgent, Budapest. Its composer was then forty- ing (No. 3), the "Battle and Defeat ofwith phrases milked for all their worth three,freshfromtheinternational Napoleon" (No. 4), a most aromatically (particularly in the Intermezzo), but with triumphs of his Psalmus Hungaricus, an infectious enthusiasm; and George and still deeply involved, along with Szell's (Columbia MS 7408) combines BartOk. in searching out and recording the directness of the Haitink approach authentic Hungarian folk music. withthecolor of Kertesz andthe Writing an opera about the folk figure discipline of Leinsdorf I. Hary Janos was almost inevitable for 40; If I were forced to select my own fa- Kodaly, for, as H. A. Phillips wrote in vorite among them, I would choose the the New York Times on Christmas Day, Kertesz recording. Kertesz makes more 1927, "Hary is the braggadoccio spirit of of the music's humor, its puckish quali- the Magyar himself crystallizedinto ties, than do his rivals. Similarly, there is mythical character. He is amused and a real feeling of spontaneity to the per- terrified, regaled and enchanted by his formance and a sense of rightness to the own personality, about which he has many fluctuations in tempo. And the woven a charming legend. Hary Janos is London Records engineers have cap- a colossal conceit. With this delightful tured it all in recorded sound that is vivid character in mind, Kodaly set out to de- in the extreme. The third and fifth move- pict him as a figure on the stage and as ments of the Suite incorporate promi- the embodiment of a certain phase or as nent music for a Hungarian folk instru- an aspect of Hungarian history and char- ment, the cimbalom, and the microphone acter. It is hardly necessary to say that spotlighting transforms parts of the In- he uses folksongs for this purpose, help- "P1 termezzo into a virtual concerto for cim- ing himself to an age-old treasure which ZOLTAN KODALY balom and orchestra. But even this ex- is rich beyond the dreams of melodic travagance does not offend me in the avarice." Hungarian. if nonrepresentational, Inter- context of the sweep and surge of the A year later Kodaly extracted from his mezzo (No. 5), and the "Entrance of the Kertesz reading. score for the opera a suite of six num-Emperor and His Court" (No. 6), which My second choice would be Leinsdorf bers, of which only two (the third and the depicts not the reality of the Austrian I, particularly since it is the only record- fifth)quotegenuineHungarian folk Imperial Court but how it might be in the ing on a budget label. Though a product songs. The Hary Jcinos Suite was intro- imagination of a Hungarian peasant. of relatively early stereo technology (it duced to the United States on December Kodaly himself wrote program notes was recorded around 1960), its sonics 15, 1927, at a concert by the New York for the first New York performance of are bright and full, with particularly rich Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Hary Janos, and he described the action reproduction of the lower brass and Willem Mengelberg, and it has been a of the fourth movement this way: "Nary, stringed instruments. And at that time popular favorite ever since. as general in command of his hussars, the Philharmonia Orchestra was one of It is an old Hungarian superstition that confronts the French army. He bran- the very best in the world. whenever a statement is preceded by a dishes his sword and lo! the French A final note: those intrigued by the sneeze, that statement, unbelievable as it begin to fall before him like tin soldiers! Hdry Janos Suite may wish to investi- may seem, must be regarded as being First, two at a time, then four, eight, ten, gate the recording of the entire opera unquestionably true. The musical repre- and so on. Finally, there are no more (London OSA 1278, two discs). The sentation of Hary Jcinos, whose storysoldiers left, and Napoleon is forced to presentation is a tour de force for Peter involves some of the tallest tales everengage in person the invincible Nary. Ustinov, who impersonates a whole host told, comparable to the exploits of the Hary's fantasypicturesa Napoleonof characters, including Nary himself. German Baron Munchausen orthe made in the image of his own burly peas- And the music is again safely and styl- American Paul Bunyan, opens with a ant imagination-an immensely tall and ishly in the hands of the late Istvan colossal orchestral sneeze, and so "The formidable Napoleon who, shaking in Kertesz.

.34.Mr. Bookspan's 1974-1975 UPDATING OF THE BASIC REPERTOIRE is now available in convenient pamphlet form. Send AL 25¢ and self-addressed #10 envelope to Diane Nakamura, Stereo Review, 1 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016 for a copy.-A-

FEBRUARY1975 59

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N N awful lot of gaudy prose has been ground out by William Livingstone critics, columnists, and liner -note writers on the subject of \label Mercer. The St. Regis Room, visits with the singers' singer where she performs, is in the St. Reg;[s Hotel at Fifth Avenue and 55th Street in New York.; it has been &- scribed as an "elezant salon" or a "posh watering hole." The chair from which she sings is a "Louis Quinze throne," and she herself is a "high priestess weaving her spell," "the doyentre of American popular singing," and the "queen of the supper clubs." Her repertoire, which encompasses about a thousand very carefully selected songs. is said to "rub a patina on our lives and loves, en- richina, beautifying, and spiritualizing our experience." The writers carry on about her influence on oLr greatest pop singing stars and America's finest songwriters. They wax eloquent about Miss Mercer's impecimble taste, her flawless diction, her musical phrasing, her penetrating topped by a crown of shortish hair. She doesn't begin to insight, her incomparable projection of lyrics, and her look her age. "At practically seventy-five, I feel no differ- regal dignity. And it's all true. ent," she said. "I'm beginning to creak a little, but It's all true, and yet it's somehow unfair. In their efforts there are pills for that. Otherwise, I feel the same. The to do justice to this singer's art, some writers make her only thing I regret about my age is that I can no longer sound like a forbidding educational experience, some- hold a note for a long time. In singing there are certain thing that's probably good for you but you'd just as soon put off for a while. Frankly, some of them make her sound like a royal pain, and nothing could be further from the Mabelis Cleopatra, Salome, and Besides being one of the great truth. Okay, the room she sings in is nicely decorated, but all great women. She slides down human personnages, my friend the bannister of your mind,If Mabel Mercer turns a lyric into as Penelope Ross pointed out recently in the Village you're a songwriter, she captures worlds of joy, longing, or sadness Voice, a show at the Bottom Line (a rock joint in Green- the meaning of your songs better with unparalleled art. There is no wich Village) and a show at the St. Regis Room cost than you do.I am always under one who cannot learn from her. about the same. And Mabel Mercer, who regards herself her spell. -Howard Dietz -Leontyne Price as an entertainer, a girl who has been singing for her supper in show business since she was fourteen, is in there every night doing her best to see that the customers get effects you can make by sustaining a note, and I've had to their money's worth and have a good time. Without ever learn to make them in other ways." losing her natural dignity, she manages to exude warmth, According to the reference sources, she was born on hospitality, and humanity. Nobody loves a good-time February 3,1900, atBurton -on -Trent, Staffordshire, atmosphere more than Mabel. She's the kind of woman England. Her father was a black American who died be- who doesn't know how to talk to a man without making fore she was born, and her mother was a white vaudeville him feel good and glad he came to the party. As for the singer and actress whose whole family was in show busi- living -legend bit, she's quick to say that it makes her ness. Since her mother and stepfather toured constantly, "veddy nervous." Mabel was sent off to a convent school as a child. I've been pestering Mabel for an interview for two or "I was the most self-conscious child. I don't know how three years. At a party after her closing show at the St. I ever became an entertainer. It was absolute agony at Regis last spring, I asked her, "When can I come and talk school when I was called on to recite a poem or some- to you so that you can tell me all your secrets?" She gave thing. I would turn scarlet, my knees would knock, and me an impish smile and said, "Secrets? I'm not going to my lips would tremble so that I could hardly pronounce tell you any secrets. It's all in the songs, dear. Listen to the words. And there I was, the child of performers, and I the songs." But when she came back to town for the couldn't get over it. Horrible, horrible. Even now when 1974-1975 season, I pinned her down, and we set a date. I'm going to sing a new song or appear in a new place, I born in 1900, she is celebrating her get stomach-aches diamond jubilee this year. Faced with that momentous When Mabel sings, she has no discernible regional ac- event and the fact that my interview was to coincide with cent, just clear diction, but in conversation her British her receipt of this magazine's first award of a Certificate of Merit for Significant Contributions to the Quality of all of her lifetime. What a thrill American Musical Life,Ipanicked. Although she's Mabel Mercer hasever made me aware that a singer is someone for the lyricists of her songs- friendly and easy to talk to, I'm still somewhat in awe of through whom the words of the and for those ofus fortunate song must come alive. This great enough to hear her-to know her lady has been "telling it like it is" in our lifetimes. -Sylvia Syms Mabel Mercer has an uncanny very personal story rather than ability to interpret lyrics with a just singing. And she does it all realism that is seemingly abso- with a regal bearing uncommon in accent, with a slight North -Country flavor, is quite appar- lute. You feel she is telling you, a today's casual society. ent. There is not much change in her volume, but she close and much -loved friend, a -Johnny Mathis places emphasis by rising and falling intonation, pausing after an important word, or really bearing down on it.I couldn't help noticing this as she continued to talk about her, and I needed someone to join us at lunch to keep the her childhood. "At school all the kids thought I was rather conversation going in case I was overwhelmed by the odd. They'd never seen anything like me. I was the only importance of it all and my tongue clove to the roof of my one, you see. They christened me Golliwog, which was mouth. Therefore,Iinvited one of Mabel's long-time an affectionate term, because the "golliwogs" the chil- friends and devoted admirers, Donald Smith, a public re- dren had were little black dolls, with black woolen hair. I lations consultant, who is convinced that "Mabel Mercer was always envious of the girls with long hair. The one Madness will yet sweep this country." who sat next to me in the refectory at the convent - The three of us met in the King Cole bar at the St. Re- Queenie Vail-had long flaxen hair down to here. I never gis one Saturday afternoon for what was lunch for Don had any more than I've got now, and it was the bane of and me and breakfast for Mabel. To avoid having to ask a my existence. I used to get string and braid it and tie it to lot of biographical questions, I had looked her up in Cur- my hair w th abig bowso that I could flick my plaits rent Biography and elsewhere, so no formal interview back. I remember one little girl said to me, 'Oh, you'll took place. We just ate, laughed, and talked all afternoon. never get married.' And I said, 'Why?"Your hair's too A short, round little woman who looks taller than she is frizzy,' she answered, `No man will ever marry you.' And because of her erect posture, Mabel was wearing a bright another kid said, 'We'll turn you upside down and sweep red dress and seemed to be in good spirits. Her skin is the the floor with you.' And I got terribly upset because I had color of cream with a little coffee in it, and her head is golliwog hair." (Continued overleaf)

FEBRUARY1975 61 pianist/conductor as we traveled about, until we got to Mabel Mercer? Marvelous! She is London and were to play in a large theater with an or- the keeper of the show songs that chestra of fifteen or sixteen men. Here I wasn't to sit at were never heard before. Singing the piano, but stand and conduct, and when we went to intimatelyintoyourear,she "reads a song beautifully." the first rehearsal, I was scared to death. One of the grey- - Harold Arlen beards in the orchestra looked at me and said, 'What can she do?' and my boss spoke up very strong, 'She can do exactly what I want her to do.' He took me to a boys' tai- At fourteenMabel left the school and joined members lor, and they rigged me up in a silk -bosom shirt and white of her family in a touring music -hall act, beginning as a tie and tails, and I thought I was IT! Entertainers used to dancer. "I had two cousins in our family act, and I have what we called cigarette cards, their photographs learned from them what was called step dancing, rather with their names on them, and when we got to Bristol I like tap dancing. We were on stage together until the war had my picture taken in my white tie and tails-and with a took my cousins. The act split up, and I had to go out on monocle, if you please-and someone put a cigarette in my own. I thought I knew how to sing well enough and my hand. That was me as a conductor. And I had 'Musi- dance well enough to get by, so I joined a troupe of girl cal Director' on my card." dancers. When we played in Manchester, which was the The middle phase of Mabel Mercer's career was in chic home of the Tiller Girls-they were like the Rockettes- I cabarets and bistros on the Continent, mostly in Paris, asked for an audition, and they said I could go into one of during the glamorous period between World Wars I and their smaller troupes. So I joined the Tiller Girls-that is, II, when Paris was a haven for expatriate American musi- until the head man saw me and said, 'Oh, out with her, cians, writers, and painters - Ernest Hemingway, Cole she's not right in the line.' I was so different, you see, with Porter, Gertrude Stein, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Mabel my woolly head, rather like they're wearing now. became almost a permanent fixture at the smartest of "But I joined another troupe and in time met up with a these, a club in the Rue Pigalle run by Bricktop, a famous coloured show. Now, that was a first experience. I had American hostess and singer, which was a favorite of the never known any coloured people, never met any. Isn't so-called smart set. Since she was in a reminiscent mood, that funny? My family never discussed anything, and I Don pressed her to tell about Paris. "I went first to Belgium," she said. "When the war was over, I teamed up with a girl dancer, and we went to Os- I don't know any singer of repute, taught me the importance of tell- tend. There was an American band playing at the casi- whether it be Tony Bennett, Frank ing the lyrical story clearly and no - they were the first American entertainersI had Sinatra, Jack Jones, Andy Wil- concisely. Above all, Mabel Mercer seen-and I thought oh, this is the ultimate. If I could just liams, or a score of others, who has total integrity when she per- perform like that! In those days I was just trying to do a would not in some way have to forms, and that integrity always acknowledge the influence Mabel extends to respecting the author's few shuffles and sing ballads. But I danced for them, and Mercer has had on them. For my- and composer's wishes. they engaged me. They must have thought I was the self,she,alongwithSinatra, -Rod McKuen funniest thing they ever saw, because they were Ameri- cans, and I was still doing it all in my English way. But they were nice fellows, and I was young, and we had good wasthe only one at school, so I just took it for granted times. that I was one of a kind. And finding these others was like "Florence Jones was the wife of the pianist, and when a dream. I was delighted. We were all different shades but the group went to Paris, they eventually opened Chez all the same. Florence, where I worked for some time before I went to Don and I were fascinated and wanted to know what Bricktop's. But I worked in other clubs first and contin- sort of show they put on. "It was run by an American," ued to travel to Antwerp and to Luxembourg with the girl Mabel said. "He had collected a few Africans and a lot of I sang and danced with. She was a Cockney girl and sang artists of mixed blood in England and put together a fine French like you have never heard-allMistinguett show. It was called Coloured Society, I think -a very songs-and people would get hysterical. The French good singing and dancing show, with comedians, a regular were on the floor. But people liked us and we joined trav- revue. The boss was an excellent lyric tenor, we had a big eling shows and went to Egypt, and Yugoslavia, and to fellow from Africa with a gorgeous bass, and there were a Constantinople. I wasn't making any money, but I was lot of fine voices in the group. The first scene was set in seeing the world, and if I'd become a typist or something Dahomey, and we were all Zulus, running around and I'd have been stuck in an office. Between times I'd come saying 'Woo, woo, woo.' Then we'd each do our different things, and we'd wind up, believe it or not, singing the sextet from Lucia. I sang the soprano part." Left, Mabel Mercer as she appeared in a Vienna revue entitled We all three laughed at that prospect, and Mabel said, The Chocolate Kiddies; at right, in conductor's tie and tails. "It was so unexpected-all those Zulus singing Lucia. I loved it.I never realized the incongruity of it until I was grown and looked back and wondered what must people have thought! I stayed with that show until the end of the war, through the Zeppelin raids and the flu epidemic. That was terrible. Our conductor had such a bad case of it that he couldn't work, and my boss sent me on in his place, as a pianist/conductor down in the pit. (I'd rush up on stage for my title part in Lucia.) "The conductor never rejoined us, and I continued as

62 June 1937, at Bricktop's in Paris: left to right, an unknown reveler. Mabel Mercer. Tony Mast (didn't they use to call them playboys"?). Spicy (onetime proprietress of a New York cabaret called Spicy's Roof), Julius Monk (his New York clubs were called Upstairs at the Downstairs and vice versa). In front, another stylish reveler and the redoubtable Bricktop.

backtoParis, which was very exciting in those days. Fi- Stein - I'd never seen a woman with a mannish haircut nally, I took an apartment in Paris, and it became my before. And the American families like the Singers and home until I came to America." the Cranes (not the bathtub Cranes, the cash -register "But I thought you'd worked at Bricktop's all the time ones). Every year it would be like meeting old friends- you were in Paris," I said. the Indian princes, Maharanee Cooch Behar, and this one "No, Brick came to Paris in 1924, and she worked in and that one. I knew them all and they were all very, very several clubs before she opened her own about 1931. She nice. was a real American entertainer. In no time atall people "When you went to a party you never knew who would like Cole Porter found her, and they all loved her. She be there, and we were constantly being invited to parties. was a great hostess, as well as a greatentertainer, and she Brick was very strict about that: you can go to a party, made everything like a big party.I learned a lot from but you don't sing: if you go to a party and sing, you get Brick. Not how to sing, but everything about night clubs, paid for it. We had a lot of fun. I wouldn't exchange those how to meet and talk to people. years I worked with Brick for anything." "Bricktop's closed about five or six in the morning, and a place called the Breakfast Club wouldstill be open so IN 1938 Mabel Mercer came to the United Statesfor everybody would troupe over there.I remember one an engagement at Le Ruban Bleu in New York. She went morning Louis Armstrong with his trumpet and Django on to a job in the Bahamas, where she was isolated bythe Reinhardt with his guitar were playing for each other. I outbreak of World War II, unable to return to England went home and to bed. I got up around noon and came and unable to obtain re-entry papers for the United down for some milk or something, and they were still States. She married the black musician Kelsey Pharr, there playing duets. People were so carefree in those who brought her back to the United States in 1941 (they days. There was a lot of fun and practical jokes. Cole Por- have long been separated), and in 1952 she became an ter had me arrested once because I sang a particular song American citizen. Her permanent home is a farm in so often. It was Thank You for the Flowers,written for Chatham, New York, where she still gardens a bit. In me by a young society lad. It wasn't terriblygood, but it addition to her collection of dogs and cats, the fauna in- seemed to take everybody's fancy, and it was requested a clude deer, raccoons, and an enormous population of lot. Porter and his gang of friends got tired of it, and de- birds. "It's only thirty acres," she says, "I wish I had cided they'd have me arrested if I sang it one more time. thirty more or three hundred. The land, that's what I Sure enough, someone asked for it, and while I was sing- care about." ing it, a gendarme tapped me on the shoulder and led me Don Smith drew the conversation back to show busi- off the floor. It was just a joke they'd cooked up between ness, asking, "Were there other singers at theRuban Bleu them. when you first came to New York?" "Then there were the parties. Everybody came to Paris And Mabel answered, "Oh, I can't remember all their for the season-the Prince of Wales, Prince George, the names. There was Elsie Houston. She had a beautiful Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina, they were our con- voice, not really a classical voice, but it had great tender- stant patrons. I remember the first time I saw Gertrude ness, and when she sang those fados she wasmarvelous. It was 1938 and Greta Keller came that year. And there was a wonderful couple who were in Sillman's first New Mabel Mercer is a phenomenon in when she performs which dispers- Faces; she was a very dark girl with a smile that lit up the that she raises popular song to esallnegativism, gloom, and room. I cannot remember her name. She used to singI'm the level of a legitimate art form. depression. Mabel Mercer is, as a the Prettiest Piece in Greece, so you know they were Herprofoundconcernforthe person, ahealer, abeliever, a good songs! Then a French lady came (she was very essence of the lyric, her faultless steadfast companion, and a con- funny), and Richard Dyer Bennett, and a girl called Olga diction, her mastery of the musi- stant disseminator of love, something, an Argentine girl, and Julius Monk, who was cal phrase are unique. She ema- valiance,wit,and understand- nates not only magnetism and ing.I am proud to be her friend. the sort of master of ceremonies." warmth, but she creates a mood -Alec Wilder I wanted to know how New York had struck her at first, and she said, "With all due respect, I thought it was

63 FEBRUARY 1975 each other if they were lovers and become interested not Mabel Mercer. I love her. She is in me, but in what I was singing and how they could apply the eternal guardian of elegance in the world of popular song. it to themselves. That's how it started, and I became very - Leonard Bernstein comfortable with it. I look at the audience, of course, but individuals don't know whether I'm seeing them. "I'm pleased when someone comes up and says, 'I felt frightfully strange. It didn't begin to grow on me until I'd that you were singing particularly to me.' What that been here aboutsix months. The buildings were like means is that they were able to apply the lines of the monolithic gravestones, and it was all so different. And songs to their own experience. formeit was very different for other reasons. I could never get over the fact that I couldn't go here or couldn't go there. I couldn't understand why not.But I grew to The first time I heard Mabel Mer- Mabel in mind when they write. like it, and it's stuck with me now. Cy Walter helped me cer singI know that my world of Hers is always the supreme rendi- get into Tony's. It was a hand-to-mouth existence, but I music and singing changed.It tionofwarmth,honesty,and didn't have the kind of voice and I wasn't the kind of en- was in the Forties at Tony's West - knowledge of what to do with tertainer to go to enormous places. I remained there for side, and after the first visit I every kind of song. If Mabel can't think I went every night for a sing it,it can't be sung. week. Lyric writers all must have -Margaret Whiting Mabel Mercer is all things to all and elegance in music. No popu- people. She has kept us all young. lar composer ofany merit,no In a world slowly going mad with singer with any class has failed Our chat drifted to other singers and who was in town apathy andugliness, she has to be influenced by her way with a at what clubs. Mabel was planning to go to hear Tony pruned away the troubles the way lyric or her weaving of a melody. Bennett and Lena Horne, and Johnny Mathis, and was she prunes away the clutter in her Her achievement isa legend. I trying to find a time when she was free to catch Cleo country garden, gracing our lives think she is the eighth wonder of Laine's show downstairs at the Maisonnette. She said with her unerring ear for beauty the world. - Rex Reed there are dozens of current singers she likes. "Voices- I like singers with good robust voices, although I don't like years. Iprefer to stay in one place. It's the only way for the style in which many of them sing. Sarah Vaughan has people to know where to find you." a divine voice. And the girl who didSeesaw-Michelle When the building that housed Tony's was torn down Lee - she's wonderful. And the one who used to singBig in 1949, Mabel went on a long sojourn at the Byline Club, D in Dallas,Susan Johnson.There's a real performer's and after trying several others, she is now settled at the voice. Grand! She never misses. And the girl on the rec- St. Regis. Wherever she has sung, the audience has in- ordof The Grass Harp, Karen Morrow; she's a good cluded a large number show -person's singer. You know it's all there. I like Ethel influenced such diverse artists as Peggy Lee, Frank Sina- Merman, I like her gusto. I thought she was fabulous in tra, Leontyne Price, Eileen Farrell, Margaret Whiting, Gypsyand in the other shows. She's a downright robust Blossom Dearie, Bobby Short, Johnny Mathis, Barbra performer. She doesn't care if it's a right note or a wrong Streisand, and countless others. When I asked Mabel to comment on this, she said, "It's wonderful that they say these things, and it makes me very happy, but you know It is impossible not to have heard the song and the artist who is I've never had a pupil or coached another singer. I can't of her before the first experience singingit flow from her to us, think of anyone specifically who influenced me as a sing- of hearing her, and yet you feel changing us while we listen and er. The Americans all sang so differently. I admired them that you have discovered her. Her fillingus withgratitude.She singing is the creative process of wakens us, makes us hear and a lot, but I felt theirs was a style I could never acquire. discovery shared with us. The in- feel more deeply. And I never thought I was good enough to do anything tention of the artists who wrote -Marian Seldes anyway, and as long as I could sing and get by and get the rent I'd be happy. If you have anylisteningability, you naturally learn from watching others perform. Mostly you note. She's gutty. I like Lena'svoice, and Ella Fitzgerald see their mistakes and think of ways to avoid them your- has a truly gorgeous quality." self. First you have to learn how to stand and what to do Her choices surprised me, and I said, "But so many of with your hands. I remember one girl I heard sing in the them seem to be the antithesis of you. You are subtle and Bahamas. She had a beautiful voice and just came out and work so much with the words, and Merman is a belter, sang. Dead still. Never moved. Never moved anything, and Ella Fitzgerald ignores the words to concentrate on not even her hands. And Isaid, 'Ofcourse,that's it. an instrumental quality." Don't make any unnecessary movements!' I've never "Yes, but I envy them all their lung power," Mabel forgotten her composure. I guess that might have influ- said, "because mine is gone, even though I breathe prop- enced me." erly, from the diaphragm. I just love watching entertain- Don asked when she started sitting down to sing. ers, and they, in turn, make a marvelous audience." "Well, off and on back in Paris, when one of us would The repertoire Mabel Mercer performs is, in large part, sing to an individual party in a club. It's very tricky to songs by the great composers for the musical theater, sing for a small group or even a small room full of people. such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Harold Ar- You have to learn to singforthem and somehow singat len, as well as songs by composers who have written es- them, but not singtothem in a way that makes them con- pecially for her, such as Bart Howard, Cy Coleman, and spicuous because that embarrasses them and makes them Alec Wilder. I asked her how she selected her songs, and uncomfortable. So I tried singingatthem, but ignoring she shrugged her shoulders and said, "I like a good melo- them, and they'd suddenly relax and become engaged in dy and a good lyric, lyrics I cangetsomething out of.

64 STEREO REVIEW You somehow manage to be wise without pontificating." "Well, I've had my experiences, and I happen to know what I'm talking about. I've always been on the sentimen- tal side, but not maudlin. When you're young you cry a lot. I thought I'd never survive certain things in my life, that if it didn't go the way I wanted it to, life was not worth living. Later you learn to shrug your shoulders, and say well, it was great fun. Just One of Those Thingsis not a sad song: it's very cynical, and I like to get a laugh on the line about a trip to the moon where nothing happens. We've all been in that situation, and some people in the audience respond to it with a laugh, others can't. It's often from the audience that I get ideas about how to handle certain lines, but I've never tried to analyze that. I feel that I'd start imitating myself and ruin it." A phenomenon of some interest to Mabel's friends and admirers is that with the revival of interest in cabaret singing, she is attracting an increasing number of young people. This seemed not to surprise Mabel's friend, the actress Eugenia Rawls, who said, "The ambiance and style of Mabel Mercer is cherished by our generation, and now she is reaching out to a new one." Bricktop, now in her eighties, was currently performing at Soerabaja, and she said, "This is the year of the old. We're all out work - Mabel Mercer and fellow cabaret entertainer Bobby Short are the most affectionate of buddies professionally and privately. It hasbeen often said that the bel'srefinedmanner, herele- night club is the bottom level of gance, and her sweetness have show business. This is partly true, done so over the years both here What you can do with it depends on how you read a thing but a great artist can surmount and abroad. Her enthusiasm, ded- and what it suggests to you. The choice is instinctive. The with what seems like an uncanny ication, and devotion to her art first time I heard The Way We Were, I thought 'That's a ease the din and smoke of such cannot help but be felt by anyone beautiful song, and nobody knows what they're singing places, transforming their con- who has ever known her. about.' The melody's nice, but when they get to the sec- fines into places of Magic. Ma- - Bobby Short ond part, they screech it out, especially Barbra with that beautiful voice of hers. She has absolutely no perception of what this song is about. Most of them think you have to ing. Young people were terribly disillusioned by the Nix- sing loud or soft. Loud and soft are the only nuances they on Era and the phoninessit revealed. They're now seem to understand, and they don't get the meaning of searching for quality in music, in life, and they turn to certain phrases. people like us for values." "There are lots of good contemporary songs, but rock On that subject, Mabel said, "The young are very sen- singers are interested only in an exciting rhythm - I like sitive. They haven't experienced very much, and when the rhythm, I like the loudness of it -but they throw away they're hurt they feel it very deeply. Nothing hurts like the words." young love that's been slapped in the face. Nothing is so Don, who knows Mabel's repertoire well, began to cite painful as the sting of love. I've known a great deal of particular songs, such as Raindrops Keep Falling on My suffering, and young people sense that in my songs and Head. Mabel commented, "To me Raindrops is a happy are comforted by it. This all becomes easier as you grow song, and if other singers don't get a laugh with it,it's older." because they don't mean the words when they sing I told her 1 hadn't noticed that it became one bit eas- them." He mentioned I'm Way Ahead, which she makes ier. She smiled, patted my hand, poured me another cup into a miniature drama, and she said, "That one means a of tea, and said, "Don't fret. Whatever it is, I assure you great deal to a lot of people." by the time you're my age it won't hurt any more." Mabel sings many sophisticated love songs, but they never become explicit. She will take you perhaps to within sight of the bedroom door, but never beyond. Irvin Graham, who wrote You'd Better Go Now, a favorite A MABEL MERCER SAMPLER with cabaret singers, told me he'd offered Mabel a new Stanyan Records has produced, especially forSTEREO song, Loneliness, in which a woman sings that loneliness REVIEWreaders, a 7 -inch, 33'/3 -rpm sampler of the is her lover and she sleeps in the arms of loneliness. Ma- art of Mabel Mercer drawn from its just -released album bel liked the song but declined to sing it unless the lyrics "Mabel Mercer . . . for Always"(reviewed on page 90 by could be changed. "I'm shy about things like that," she Rex Reed). The sampler includes, in addition to a short said. "Perhaps it's my convent upbringing. I don't mind introductory tribute by Stanyan's Rod McKuen, Miss implying things, suggesting things. I'm not a prude, but Mercer's performances of the songs Once Upon a Time, I don't think it's necessary to put a name to everything." Mira, and Ballad of the Sad Young Men. To obtain your copy, send 2.5c to Diane Nakamura,STEREO REVIEW, And Don commented, "When you sing these songs, 1 Park Avenue, New York. N. Y. 10016. Mabel, you make it stem as though you know the things that will always be true. You have a gift for insinuation.

FEBRUARY 1975 65 DOES THE PHONOGRAPHDISC

HAVE A FUTURE? 041.4 A wealth of technology lies ready for the taking- .($0e411.rkWt," if the industry's innovative resolution and economic courage are up to it

HE imminent dethronement of the phono- annual meeting that brings together leading engi- graph disc from its position as the number- neers and consultants from all areas of the audio one medium for the reproduction of music industry (the box on page 68 lists the panel mem- has been predicted with numbing regularity ever bers and their professional affiliations). As might since the introduction of the tape recorder to the be expected, the discussion covered a lot of consumer market. The attainment of genuine hi-fi ground, and in the question and answer session at status by the once lowly cassette has, further, given the end many valuable comments were contributed those predictions a new lease on life. "The Future by members of the audience. The following ismy of the LP" was therefore an appropriate topic for a synopsis of the proceedings-which ought to be panel discussion at the latest Midwest Acoustics prefaced by an apology for any accidental omis- Conference held last year in Evanston, Illinois,an sions or faulty attributions. -CraigStark

THE first subject addressed by theour ability to hear such sounds as the lower end of the range, good record- panel, that of the limitations ofdying reverberations at the end of aing halls might have a (weighted) present-day discs as a sound -repro-note. The upper end of the dynamic "background" noise level of about 30 ducing medium, got quickly to therange is fixed by the loudest sounds dB (consisting of noise from air condi- heart of the matter: the dynamic -we wish to hear or by limitations tioning,traffic,and various other range requirements of music and the (such as distortion and phono-car-sources). Subtracting these unwanted dynamic -range capabilities of phono- tridgemistracking) of therecord - sounds from the total leaves a poten- graph records. Simply defined, dy- playbacksystem.Betweenthese tial range of 90 to 95 dB for the mu- namic range is a ratio between thelimits lies the system's usable range.sic. To capture this range, Queen loudest and the softest sounds in a PanelmoderatorDaniel Queensuggested that the transmission me- given recording situation; this ratio is opened the discussion by observing dium (that is, the whole train of elec- expressed in decibels (dB). At thethat peak sound -pressure levelsin tronicgearbetweentheoriginal lower limit, dynamic range is deter- excess of 120 decibels are reasonably "raw" master tape and the finished mined by the point at which ambientcommon inmusical performances, disc) should have a signal-to-noise room noise, hiss, or other noises onand peaks of even 125 dB happenratio atleast about10 dB better: the tape or disc obscure or "mask"with significant frequency. At the "Any attempt to put full -range signals

66 STEREO REVIEW of either serious rock or classical to hearpianissimosabove the back-above the residual surface noise of a music through a system litnited to less ground noise and turning it down on disc and also well below the onset of than 100 dB between peak levels andfortissimopassages to keep his neigh-distortion from excessive sound lev- background noise means a compro- bors' plaster from coming off walls orels. A complementary expander circuit in our receivers or preamps can mise . . . there is information con- ceiling. tained in this area [the full, uncom- Giventheseconsiderations,the then restoretheoriginal dynamic promised dynamic range]thatthe question then becomes: do we wantrange. This would constitute a kind of buying public may find important." or need a greater dynamic range onvolume -level encoding, in some re- Queen's figures correlate well with records intended for home playback spects analogous to the RIAA fre- measurements made of concert -hall than is presently being provided, and, quency -response encoding orequali- performances, thoughitshould be if so, how do we get it? David Black- zationconventionally used in modern noted that with the addition of an au- mer pointed out the advantages ofrecording practice. diencethe background -noiselevel using a noise -reduction process (on risesconsiderably. On thissame the master tape or even on the disc question of background noise, El mar itself) to help preserve full dynamic Stetter noted that very few livingrange. Brief musical "transients" - rooms are as quiet as a near -empty the first few milliseconds of the "at- Quiet concert hall. "In a normal city resi-tack" on a given note-may run as dence, I don't know what background much as 20 decibels higher than the Pressings noise levels youshouldexpect, but I averageloudness. These momentary suspect they're on the order of 40 to peaks don't register on the ear (yijUrs 50 dB." As concerns the other end of oryour neighbor's) at their true loud- the loudness scale, he observed, withness level, but, he contends, theydo wryunderstatement,that"many constitute a significant part of the people have adjacent neighbors who emotional impact of music and so might complain when theirwalls should be preserved in the interest of started moving." In Stetter's view, musical realism. The way to do so, in therefore, a disc with a full 100 -dB his view, would be tocompressthe dynamic range would in many cases loudness range of the music during oblige its user to make constant trips the making of the disc, thereby reduc- John Bittner responded to this ap- between his easy chair and the vol-ing a range of, say, 90 dB to 45 dB.proach rather pessimistically. He felt ume control, alternately turning it up This limited range can be cut wellthat if noise -reduction encoding were

67 FEBRUARY 1975 added to discs, the record companies use." The sympathetic applause from"base band," however, which is all would say, "Now we don't have to the audience served to underline thethe ordinary stereo listener to such a worry about quality control any more economic dilemma: it is evident thatquadraphonic disc would hear, is not, as far as surface noise is concerned," itis not the audiophile purist withfor it would not then be compatible and quality would eventually fall right state-of-the-art equipment and the with existing stereo equipment. Wells back to where it started. Bittner went desire to hear realistic dynamics whodid observe, moreover, that RCA has on to add that it is possible to produce ultimately determines these matters,"found it necessary to upgrade the a quiet recording right now: his com- but rather the accountant who han-quality of record manufacture for pany does it, and itis being done in dles the recording -company ledgers.CD -4 records because of thein- Europe allthe time. The problem, creased information density, and we Bittnerfelt,was thatpresent-day have also developed new compounds technology just isn't being used, first and new techniques." because a significant percentage of This brought Shure's Bernard Ja- the publicisn't demanding it, and kobs into the discussion, for every second because the record companies additional wiggle of the disc grooves aren't interested in it. ("increasedinformationdensity") Askedforparticulars,Bittner means that much more work for the stressed that the issue was purely a phono cartridge. Though Blackmer's matter of economics. For example, he compression/expansion noise -reduc- noted, you can press a record quickly tion proposal would actually permit or you can press it slowly, and a long- lower average stylus velocities, Ja- er cycle will generally give you a kobs was more concerned with trac- quieter record. But if you take forty ing problems on momentary signal seconds to press a record rather than peaks at high frequencies: "For these thirty seconds, that's going to cut short -duration time periods, the ac- down your daily output. Therefore, celeration reaches numbers on the or- there's a direct trade-off between how Discussion then diverged to con-der of 2,000 to 3,000 times the force many records you can press and the sider a variety of topics, ranging fromof gravity in the 6,000- to 10,000 -Hz quality of the pressings you turn out. the use of recycled vinyl (okay up to region."Hishope,secondedby A recording engineer in the audi- 30 per cent, according to Bittner; theBlackmer, was that noise -reduction ence contributedarelatedpoint: noisier styrene substituteisbeing systems might provide some relief "With Dolby or dbx IknowI can put used only for lower -quality 45's) toin this area, but he also feared that 80 to 90 dB of usable dynamic rangethe potential danger of hearing dam- recording engineers, given a compres- on the master tape-which is more age among those who listen to music sion system that reduced average and than most people can listen to in their at very high sound levels via head-even peak velocities, would use it to homes. And I've also got to give the phones. Moderator Queen brought increase those velocities even further, man on the disc -cutting lathe a break the discussion back to the main theme easing the demands made on the by not putting too much high -fre-by asking RCA spokesman Joseph phono cartridge not at all. Jakobs also quency energy on. At the same time, Wells what effect a wider dynamicechoed the concern voiced earlier by if I don't use the right overall level, range would have on the CD -4 quad- Stetter: if the background noise in the kids with a $25 portable aren't going raphonicsystem,whichrequiresaverage home is 40 dB, and if you to be able to play the disc because ofabout twice the information density wish to play a record with a dynamic the noise, power -output, and tracking of an ordinary stereo disc. Wells re- range of 60 dB, turning up the volume limitations of their equipment. I've plied that the four -channel informa-so you can hear the softest moments mixed lots of classical material and tion (which in this system modulatesmay result in high-level moments as choral work that ended up on a major an ultrasonic carrier frequency which intense as 100 dB. Do [most] con- label, only to find that they later com- is then demodulated for playback) sumers want it? Could they stand it? pressed the dynamic range because it alreadyisbeing subjected to noise - These questionsquitenaturally was going to be for general consumer reduction techniques. The so-calledprovoked some discussion of noise levels in typical listening situations. Most panelists concurred with the conventional estimates (weighted to PANEL: THE FUTURE OF THE LP discriminate against extremely low frequencies) that put the noise level in Moderator: Daniel Queen, President, Daniel Queen Associates, Chicago, Illinois the average home between 30 and 40 John Bittner, Jr., Mastering Engineer, Wakefield Manufacturing, Phoenix, dB. But, in the opinion of some, this Arizona noise figure, although weighted, is David Blackmer, President, dbx, Inc., Harvard, Massachusetts stilldominatedby low -frequency Bernard Jakobs, Chief Development Engineer, Shure Brothers, Evanston, noise. If there is less noise at higher Illinois frequencies (generally more impor- John (Jay) McKnight, Engineering Vice President, Magnetic Reference tant for music), might there not be Laboratory, Palo Alto, California less masking of music, permitting a Elmar Stetter, Technical Sales Manager, Dolby Labs, London, England lower volume -control setting? Joseph Wells, Manager, Electronic and Recording Development, RCA Records, Indianapolis, Indiana The consensus of the panel on this point was that therecouldbe no consensus without more objective data.

68 STEREO REVIEW But all agreed in principle that listen- many additional, completely indepen- have already begun using digital pro- ers in different environments-in an dent sound channels as desired-up cessing to produce records-the so- automobile, a noisy mid -city apart- to a dozen or more. called PCM (pulse -code modulation) ment, or a quiet country house-may Two questions that arose immedi- discs described in Larry Klein's "Au- wellhavedifferent,incompatible ately in connection with these discs dio News" column last July. The re- dynamic -range requirements for de- were: How should the information be corded signal must ultimately return riving the greatest satisfaction from recorded on them, and what formto analog form, of course, either to program material.Ideally, because should the information take? Video drive speakers or, in the case of the the noise level of the listening envi- discs have been developed that are Japanese recordings, to drive the rec- ronment is a factor beyond the record mechanical (there is an actual groove ord -cutting lathe (since the LP disc is producer'scontrol,theplayback with physical modulations just as in anot a suitable medium for digital re- equipment ought to permit the listen- phonograph disc) and photographic (a cording, and since there is no con- er to select not only the volume level light scans an optical pattern on a sumer sound system set up to play preferredbutthevolumerange translucent disc). Also, there is the back digital recordings). (dynamic) as well, and this by the possibility of a magnetic disc with a Many members of the panel were simple turn of a knob. That, at least, groove that is a very thin magneticof the opinion that digital techniques was a proposal the entire panel could track designed to be "read" by a may in time come to play the domi- endorse. transducer similar to a tape head. As nant role in home -entertainment me- to the form of the recorded signal, vir- dia, but there are enormous technical tually all audio is stored or broadcast and financial obstacles to be over- in analog form, which means that forcome before this happens. One of every audible phenomenon (intensity,these problems, touched upon by frequency, and phase) there are direct Elmar Stetter, is that digital record- physical (or magnetic) analogs built ingsrequirefarmorerecording into the recording; among these are "space" than analog recordings, so the extent of stylus excursion, rate ofthat the recording medium, whatever stylus vibration, and playing speed ofit is, must have even more capacity Audio From the disc. But there is another form ofthan most present systems do. When Video information storage common in the the amount of digital information to Discs? world of computers: digital record- be encoded exceeds the capacity of ing, which, briefly speaking, reduces the medium to accept it (or to give it everything to "bits" of informationback properly on replay), a digital numerically encoded. These bits can system is subject to a kind of over- be "played back" and converted to load that produces gross distortion. the original electrical analog of the This fact has problematic implications What about the impact of future musical waveform that the micro- for dynamic range in particular. Digi- technical developments on dynamic phone produced. And, of course, the tal techniques are virtually ideal as range, frequency response, and multi- electrical analog can in turn be con- long as their limitations are respected, channel reproduction? This question verted by the speaker back to anal- but any overload isliterallycata- inspired some comment on the sever- ogous acoustical terms. strophic. A digital system can be deal color TV, video -disc systems un- signed with less tendency to overload der development by Teldec, Philips. Or From than any analog system now in use, RCA, and others. (The video disc. but an analog system overloads more with its 4,000,000 -Hz bandwidth, of Digital "gently," with incremental increases course requires a completely different Discs? in distortion rather than instant chaos. recording, duplication, and playback Perhaps the next Midwest Acoustics technology. European and U.S. de- Conference, scheduledto concen- velopers have been working with trate on digital techniques, will put mechanical, electrostatic, and laser - these matters in clearer perspective. beam pickups to play the discs, and have had some success with all three. CAN all this be summarized easily? However, playingtime,turntable Well, it appears that there are still speed, and other considerations as strong differences of opinion among wellstill remain problematic.) Ber- the experts in regard to what they nard Jakobs pointed out that one of think the consumer wants to hear- the most appealing things about vid- probably because of an almost com- eo -disc technology as it might be used plete lack of objective data support- for purely audio applications is that The great advantage of digital tech- ing anyone's subjective views. But it the bandwidth requirements for audio niques is that once the audio signal also appears, gratifyingly, that there are nowhere near as great as those for achieves digital form, it is "safe" from is technology presently available to video, which means that the rotation- any intrusionof noise, distortion, do almost anything we want-assum- al speed of the disc (typically 1,500 frequency -response degradation, or ing that the cost remains within rea- rpmforvideo purposes) can be even (since frequency and time are in son and that we can agree on what it slowed down and playing time in- code form and not dependent on the is we want to do. We have the road creased. Or, conversely, it would be steady rotation of a turntable) wow maps, we have the means of transpor- easy to trade some playing time for as and flutter. Some companies in Japan tation. Where do we want to go?

FEBRUARY 1975 69 which isthrilled by her awesome musical skills finely honed by years of performing in clubs. Miss LaMe is so versatile she is hard to classify, but for me she is essentially a jazz -oriented cabaret singer, and although she can now fill a large concert hall any- time she chooses, she still sings in clubs and recently completed an engagement of several weeks at the Maisonnette in the St. Regis Hotel in New York. Further evidence of a return to quality in popular music is the revival throughout the country of cabaret singing in night clubs.I don't mean the big brassy clubs at resort hotels in Miami, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere, but the small supper clubs which, for want of a better term, we call "cabarets." There you can hear the very best of popular music sung by its most skillful interpreters. The period of the 1930's through the 1950's was perhaps the heyday of night clubs and night-club singers. After the theater or a dinner party New Yorkers liked to top off the evening by dropping into a club to hear some favorite performer. There was Tr-it .s H udmn and an entertainer, an ambiance, and a R.011,11Whyte price tag to fit every taste. In Green- wich Village at Cafe Society, Bon Soir, and the Village Vanguard, you sr if could hear Mae Barnes, Josh White, Susan Reed, and a very young Harry CZ, Belafonte; at the jazz joints on Fifty- Second Street, Maxine Sullivan and It begins to look as if popular music Sarah Vaughan; at the big hotels, Hildegarde and Sophie Tucker; and will flounder its at the Versailles, Le Ruban Bleu, or way back to quality La Vie en Rose there were the French artists Mistinguett, Jean Sab- By Robert Connolly lon, and Edith Piaf. New York, of course, had the largest number of clubs, but there were plenty in De- troit, Chicago, and San Francisco LTHOUGHrock may not be deadgreat rush to return to "quality pop." too. And Boston had what many peo- or even dying, its most avid sup- Support for this view can be found ple consider the nicest one of all, porters will usually admit thatin the recent emergence of the singerStoryville, in Kenmore Square. it has entered a period of decadence. Cleo Laine as a superstar. A mature During that golden era of American Music critics, record -company exec-artist who has been singing and re-night life, going to a club could pro- utives, and performers wonder, justcording for years, she has suddenlyvide a unique and wonderful musical as you and I do, where the next bigbeen discovered by a large audienceexperience that cannot be duplicated surge in popular music will come from. Will it be country-and-western? Mae Barnes Maxine Sullivan Harry Belafonte Rhythm-and-blues? Middle-of-the- road? Latin? Reggae? Or something as yet unknown to us? Recording star Harry Nilsson is of the opinion that there will be a reaction against the self-indulgence and the amateurism that have characterized much of rock- and-roll in favor of greater musical craft and professionalism.Nilsson prophesies that there will soon be a

70 STEREO REVIEW Sarah Vaughan Sophie Tucker Jean Sahlon Billie Holiday elsewhere. Cabaret singing is an inti- Sylvia Syms hasreturnedtothe Columbia University, Lewis Fried- mate art, one intended to be enjoyed night-club scene after an absence ofman and Eliot Hubbard, who had by a small number of people in a small some twenty years, and she is singingalways been fascinated by this glitter- space. What a thrillit was to findbetter than ever. Lastfallshe re-ing cabaret world they were too yourself just a few feet away fromceived nationwide raves for her ap- young to have known. In addition to Lee Wiley, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday,pearances at Buddy's Place in Newestablished artists- Blossom Dearie, or Mildred Bailey as she cast her spell York, where she was backed by afor example-they have presented a over you and the rest of the audience,superb trio and with a program ofseries of younger entertainers, such her every nuance and flick of an eye-lesser -known ballads gave a demon- as Peter Allen, some of whom may lash perceptible. On a good nightstration of the heights to which Amer- turn out to be the Tony Bennetts and when both artist and audience wereican popular music can rise. Lena Homes of tomorrow. relaxed and responsive, it could be Within the last year in New York As examples of the best in Ameri- unforgettable -a musical high such asalone we have had such singers ascan and European cabaret singing no drug can produce. Greta Keller at the Stanhope; Mabel I've selected a group of my personal Mercer at the St. Regis; Jackie and favorites and will recommend a few THEN,toward the end of the Fifties, Roy, Anita O'Day, Morgana King,of their currently available records. the clubs started closing or ceased toand Sarah Vaughan at the new HalfAny category that includes such di- usehigh -qualityentertainment. ANote; and Maxine Sullivan, Jane great many reasons are given: the ar-Harvey, Hugh Shannon, and even the rival of the rock era, the decline oflegendary Bricktop at various smart downtown areas in American cities East Sideboites.At his Greenwich and the flight of the affluent to the Village restaurant, the Cookery, Bar- suburbs, the competition from televi- ney Josephson (former owner of the sion and stereo, and rising costs -afamous Cafe Society Uptown and club that holds a hundred people sim- Downtown) has featured Susan Reed, ply cannot pay an artist what he re- Nellie Lutcher, and Rose Murphy. ceives in Las Vegas or in a sports Among the many new clubsis arena. Le Ruban Bleu, Bon Soir, the Reno Sweeney in Greenwich Village, Teddi King Blue Angel, Cafe Society, and theopened by two young graduates of Fifty -SecondStreetclubsclosed their doors or were transformed into rock joints, discotheques, or strip- tease palaces. Now, all of a sudden, cabaret singers seem to be coming back into their own. A new generation of artists has arisen, and some of the older ones who are nearing the ends of their careers find themselves the objects of veneration and are more popular than 1/,n'gunu King ever. Others who were happy to line Sylvia Syms up a weekend gig somewhere a few years ago now see their old records Left, reissued and selling better than they Nellie Lute her; did originally. Following a Town Hall right, recital,Hildegardeison an East Rose Murphy Coast tour. Teddi King, a very sweet singer prominent in the Fifties, has never been busier; after engagements at the Copley Plaza in Boston and the Riverboat in New York, she has gone on to others in Syracuse, Buffalo, and Windsor, Conn. And jazz singer

FEBRUARY 1975 been greater than the limited size ofson's Music Shop in 1940. Accom- their audience might suggest. Mar-panied by the likes of Eddie Condon, leneDietrich has freely acknowl-Fats Waller, Bunny Berigan, and edged her debt to Greta Keller, and Bobby Hackett, she gave perhaps the such stars as Frank Sinatra, Tonydefinitiveperformancesofthese Bennett, and Johnny Mathis havesongs. We shall be forever indebted stated that the one singer who taughtto Monmouth Evergreen for re-re- them most about phrasing and the in-leasing all four albums, with much terpretation of lyrics is Mabel Mercer. Dinah improved sound, on two LP's: Rodg- Washington Ihave omitted from my list theers and Hart and Arlen on MES 6087 singers who play the Las Vegas andand Gershwin and Porter on MES Miami circuit-Peggy Lee, Dionne 7034. Warwicke, Tony Bennett, and so Of the great American singers, one verse artists as a European charmerforth-whereaudience,repertoire, of the least represented on LP is the like Greta Keller and a rather tough and style of delivery are another storylate Libby Holman. Perhaps no other jazz singer like Carmen McRae is altogether. Though at first the cabaretAmerican singer of her sex possessed bound to be a sprawling one, butartists may require a little more atten- such natural vocal equipment -a gor- these singers share certain commontion than other pop singers, they aregeous, sensual contralto, the use of characteristics. Most of them arefar from inaccessible to anyone will-which was influenced by her idol, women. They concentrate on project-ing to stretch his ears a bit, as listen- Ethel Waters. In a four-year period ing the music and the lyrics with aing to the records of the followingMiss Holman introduced on Broad- minimum of gestures and theatrics performers will prove. way Body and Soul, Can't We Be rather than on pushing their own per- Friends, Moanin' Low, Something to sonalities, with the result that few of FIRST of all is Lee Wiley, who forRemember You By, and You and the them have become sex symbols. Allme represents the ne plus ultra of Night and the Music and made them are superior musicians, true artistsAmerican cabaret singers and is toforever her own. A few of these can aswellas entertainers, and theirmany the finest white female singerbe heard on various MCA and RCA professional integrity makes themthat America has produced. Hernostalgia collections.Irecommend choose their songs with the greatestvoice has been aptly described as care from the best popular music of"pure Southern Comfort"- husky, the past and present, which puts them reedy, and caressing -and her use of above changing fashions.Cabaret singers have rescued many fine songs, such as September Song and When They Begin the Beguine, from oblivion and made them classics. In clubs they create an aura of intimacy and somehow manage to make each patron feel like a guest in their private living room. Because of the subtlety of theirart, they require greater attention than ordinary pop singers, and one noisy patronis enough to throw them off. I have seen Libby Holman Mel Torme, faced with an inattentive "Originals, Musical Comedy, 1909- audience, resort to withering sarcasm 1935" (RCA LPV-560), which con- and saunter off the stage without fin- tains You and the Night and the Mu- ishing his song. Blossom Dearie will Lee Wiley sic. In 1965, accompanied by Gerald say politely, "Some of these people Cook, Miss Holman recorded an al- are my friends and have come to hearit shows how much she learned frombum which is now available as "The me." If that doesn't work, she simply the great jazz instrumentalists sheLegendary Libby Holman" on Mon- cuts her set short. And Dinah Wash-often worked with. She was so skillful mouth Evergreen (MES-6501), and ington had a couple of unprintable a musician that she could sing a songthatlabelhasrecentlyreissued squelches ready which were guaran-virtually straight - without any per- teed to keep the offender in stunnedceptible altering of the melodic line- Blossom Deane silence for the rest of the show. and itstill became fascinatingly and Most of the American cabaret sing- totally her own. And no one could put ers show a strong jazz influence, aacross a Gershwin or a Cole Porter quality that has never been popularlyric with more wit and charm. with the mass public, and since they Between 1939 and 1945 the Liber- play to small audiences of greaterty Music Shop recorded (on sandpap- than usualsensitivity and musicaler, I think) three albums by Lee Wi- sophistication, none of them have leysinging the loveliest and least achieved the prominence of Elvishackneyed songs of Gershwin, Por- Presley or Tom Jones, but their influ- ter, and Harold Arlen. She also made ence on the art of popular singing has a Rodgers and Hart album for Rab-

72 ternoon, and so forth-on her ownwere formed in smaller, more inti- label, Daffodil. It is called "Blossom mate surroundings, and Torme, at Dearie Sings" (Daffodil BMD 101)least, still plays such rooms as the and is available in stores or from St. Regis Maisonnette. Blossom Enterprises, Ltd., P.O. Box To me, Torme is the wittiest, most 522, Radio City Station, New York, interesting, and most musicianly of all N.Y. 10019. current American pop singers-more Jackie Cain and Roy Kral arethan Sinatra, even though he lacks charter members of this small groupSinatra's lovely voice and warmth. In of the musical elite. Two kids from clubs Torme does little or nothing to the Chicago area, they got their start woo the audience, but speaks to them with Charlie Ventura's band and be-with total frankness the way he would Jackie Cain and Roy Kral came famous for their incredibly in-to his friends backstage. He sings tricate bop vocals. Going out on their more with his brain than with his "Something to Remember Her By," aown, they developed a sound and a heart; his stock in trade is not warmth collection of songs she recorded in repertoire that were unique, with Royor sex appeal, but breathtaking and 1954 and 1965. (It is reviewed else- on piano, both on vocals, and thesophisticatedmusicianship.Inthe where in this issue.) bass and drums often supplemented mid -Fifties Torme made a series of by a cello or French horn. superbrecordingsonBethlehem, ONE of the pleasantest compensa- They now rarely sing their lovelynotable for the backings by the Marty tions for living in overcrowded Man- Rodgers and Porter standards, prefer- Paich Dek-tette. They were circu- hattan is the presence of Blossomring to be a part of today's musical lated for a while on London, and one Dearie in our midst. With her longscene performing the work of Paul of them, "Mel Torme," has been reis- blonde hair, Gibson -girl dresses, andSimon, Bob Dylan, and the Beatles, sued on a British bargain label (World shining cheeks, she brings a breath ofwhich they usually do more beautiful- Record Club TP 350), which is avail- fresh air into a night club. For thely than the original interpreters. Over able in this country. American reis- past twenty -odd years people havethe years they have recorded forsues of some of his earlier recordings been discovering or rediscovering hermany labels. With a bit of looking you are "Velvet Fog" (Vocalion 73905E) and falling under the spell of hercanstillfind "Grass" (Capitol ST and "The Best of Mel Torme" (Verve small, pure voice, her gentle, humor-2936) and "Changes" (Verve V/V6- 68593). ous projection of lyrics, and her eco-8668). Both are well worth searching Lena Horne is so beautiful that few nomical piano accompaniment. "Butfor, particularly "Changes," in whichpeople ever get around to hearing don't call me a jazz singer," she im-they sing the cream of the songs of plores. "You don't know how manythe Sixties. For the CTI label they jobs that word has lost me. I'm a sing-recently made "Time and Love," er, period. And I'm tired of being(CTI 6019), which is a "production," called tasteful, too!" Well, she's right.utilizing a large orchestra and all the She's not a jazz singer, and the word techniquesofmodernstereoto is tasty. Her music manages to beachieve effects impossible in a club. both inventive enough to satisfy otherTheir latest release, "A Wilder Alias" musicians and pretty enough to get(CTI 6040), is lovely and the most across to everybody. advanced thing they've done to date. In the lateFifties, Blossom re- Two singers who may not seem to corded a series of albums for Verve in belong in the category of cabaret sing- which everything - repertoire, back- ers, but must be mentioned in any ing, and interpretation-is just aboutdiscussion of superior club singing, perfect. I've never stopped listeningare Mel Torme and Lena Horne. It is to my copies, and they sound as fresh true that both are very well known as if they had been recorded yester-and sing in big clubs, but their styles day; reissues are in order. In Eng- land, where she is a great favorite, Mel Tome she recorded four albums for Fontana Lena Horne (a Mercury label), only one of which was released here, "Blossom Time," Fontana SRF 67562. A low bow of how gifted a singer she is. And so she gratitude in advance goes to Stanyan seems to have concluded that in her Records, who have announced that club appearances audiences would they will release at least one of the rather hear her do flamboyant, sexy others here shortly. material than give undivided attention Blossom also brightens up several to a subtle Bart Howard song. On of the Ben Bagley albums of rediscov- records,however,sheperformed ered show tunes onthePainted some of the loveliest American show Smiles label. And she recently re- tunes for RCA (some with backing by leased an album of her own composi- Marty Paich). Within the last year all tions-I'm ShadowingYou, Hey of them have been deleted by RCA, John (for John Lennon), Sunday Aj- but they are still widely available in

73 FEBRUARY 1975 recordstores, andWoolworth's, along later in the century. Fortunate- which is a big buyer of cut-outs, is a ly all three made recordings, currently good place to find them at bargain available on French Pattie and dis- prices. Look for "It's Love" (LPM- tributed in this country by Peters In- 1148), "Lena - Lovely and Alive" ternational (619 West 54th Street, (LSP-2587), and "Lena on the Blue New York, N.Y. 10019). Side" (LSP-2465). Unquestionably, the most famous Although she must be classified as modern exponent of the French caba- a jazz singer (and she is unsurpassed ret style is Edith Piaf, who began as inthat category), Carmen McRae a street singer, moved into cabarets, spends a lot of time singing in small and ultimately became so popular clubs or cabarets. She can play the that she usually played in large thea- Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Cen- ters. The fact that she made hit rec- ter one week and a jazz musicians' ords might almost disqualify her from hangout the next -and with equal this list, but her emotional commit- success. Unlike Mabel Mercer or Edith Piaf ment to each song and her repertoire Greta Keller, who purvey charm and of story songs so well exemplify what hospitality in the clubs where theytution here because she has livedcabaret singing is all about that she sing, Miss McRae is down-to-earth and worked in this country for more must be included. A dozen years after and astringent. She is not concerned than thirty years, influencing our fin- herdeathanydecentlystocked with offering small talk or haute cou, est songwriters and our major popular American record store still has a spe- Lure; she just gets up from the bar and singing stars. Consummate mistress cial bin of Piaf albums. I don't think sings. But how she sings! of her art, and the most economical of she ever made a bad record, so it Having begun her career as a teen- singers, she is unparalleled at creating would be hard for you to go wrong. age vocalist with the bands of Benny a mood and projecting a lyric. SinceStart with "The Best of Edith Piaf" Carter, Count Basie, and Mercer El- she is the subject of the cover story in (CapitolDT -2616E)orCapitol's lington, she acquired the ability to use this issue and a long review of a new three -disc "Edith Piaf Deluxe Set" her voice with the skill of a great jazz Stanyan reissue and Alantic's four- (DTCL-2953E) or almost any of the instrumentalist. She does not make a disc "A Tribute to Mabel Mercer on many available imports. the Occasion of Her 75th Birthday," The European cabaret tradition has I will not go into greater detail on her never had a better ambassador to this fascinating and unique talents. But if countrythanVienna'smatchless you are new to this genre, I would not Greta Keller, who has divided her suggest that you start with Miss Mer- career between America and Europe. cer. She is the most rarefied of the A frankly older woman, she isstill cabaret singers, her material is some- glamorous, and just watching her times recondite, and she is an ac- make her entrance into the Rem- quired taste that takes careful cultiva- brandt Room of New York's old- tion.Her recordingsinclude two worldish Stanhope Hotel in a gown of double albums with Bobby Short: heavy white satin, take her place in "Mabel Mercer & Bobby Short at the curve of the piano beside a vase of Town Hall" (Atlantic SD 2-604) and red roses, and run her hand through "Mabel Mercer & Bobby Short, Sec- her soft blonde hair may make you ond Town Hall Concert" (Atlantic feel you've already got your money's SD 2-605). Besides the Stanyan al- worth. She sings in German and Eng- bum and the Atlantic tribute set,I lish and occasionally in French, and would recommendthe Carmen McRae well -docu- her repertoireranges from Franz mented two -discset "The Art of Mabel Mercer" (Atlantic LP 2-602, Greta Keller little drama of each song-the vocal mono). lineis the thing with her, and she In addition to her English musicis incapable of emitting an uninterest- hall background and what she ab- ing phrase. Of her dozen or so al- sorbed from American musicians af- bums currently listed in the Schwann ter she arrived here in the 1940's, catalog,Iespecially recommend the Mabel Mercer must have been influ- two -disc set "The Great American enced by the great European cabaret Songbook" (Atlantic SD 2-904) and tradition, for she spent the period "Alive!" (Mainstream 800), also two between the two World Wars on the discs, on which the atmosphere ofContinent, mostly in Paris. A discus- a small club is palpable. A Stanyan sion of the European cabaret heritage album of Carmen McRae singing in terms of recordings would proba- Noel Coward songs is reviewed in bly begin with Aristide Bruant and this issue. Yvette Guilbert, legendary figures of The grande dame of cabaret singing the Belle Epoque, both immortalized in America is Mabel Mercer. English inpaintings by Toulouse-Lautrec, rather than American, she is an insti- andwithMistinguett, who came

74 STEREO REVIEW Lehar through Kurt Weill, Cole Por- Brecht/Weill" (Philips 843 783 PY) the Year Awards. If you cannot find ter, and Noel Coward right up to includessongs from Mahagonny,it locally, write directly to Alhambra Jacques Brel and Rod McKuen. HerHappy End, and The Threepenny Records, 2214 West 8th Court, Hiah- performance of, say, Robert Stolz's Opera; "Bertolt Brecht Songs" leah, Florida 33012. That company bittersweet Don't Ask Me Why is as (DeutscheGrammophon144035) also imports from Spain another ex- finely wrought as that of Elisabeth includes settings of Brecht lyrics by cellent Mistral recital, "Nati Mistral" Schwarzkopf interpreting a Schubert Weill, Eisler, and others. (Spanish Columbia CS 8055). lied. Two stores in New York that are When you listen to Greta Keller's good sources for Keller and May rec- Tclose I'd like to call your atten- early records- she has been record- ords are Bremen House, 218 Easttion to the very best of the new crop ingsince1929 - yourealizewith 86th Street, New York, N.Y. 10028, of American cabaret artists, the sing- amazement that thestyle hasre- and H. Mielke Co., 242 East 86th ing duo of Ronny Whyte and Travis mained virtually unchanged, and so Street, New York, N.Y. 10028. Both Hudson, who have already built up a has the voice itself. Stanyan has re- do mail order business. faithful following in New York and leased "Greta Keller: Great Songs of Spain, a country with slight contem- wherever else they have performed in the 30's" (SR 10042), a collection of porary cabaret traditions, can boast at the last few years. Both are blessed her early recordings of German and least one artist of exceptional stature, withattractivepersonalities,first- American favorites. Also on Stanyan deserving of international fame. Nati rate, wide-ranging voices, musician- (SR 5040) is "An Evening in Vienna Mistral from Madrid is a strikingly ship, humor, and impeccable taste in with Greta Keller and Rod Mc- beautiful singing actress who starredtheir repertoire. Kuen," recorded at their joint concert in the Spanish, Argentine, and Mexi- Whyte and Hudson specialize in at the Brahms-Saal in 1971. If there is can productions of Man of La Man- the lesser -known tunes of the best a German record store in your city, cha. She has appeared with great Broadway composers and manage to you can choose from a variety ofsuccess at the Chateau Madrid in come up with songs that are both imported Keller records.Iheartily New York and more recently in con- unhackneyed and totally delightful. recommend "Greta Keller: 38 bis aufcert in Miami. Her voice is rich and Unusually versatile, they go with Widerruf' (Amadeo AVRS 9257).beautiful, her diction is exemplary, ease from old vaudeville corn to jazz - Recorded in Vienna in 1970, it con- and her projection of the lyrics is to- flavored tunes, big romantic numbers, veys very well the heady experience and Broadway standards. They per- of Greta live in a small club. form the songs of the Thirties and Germany's finest exponent of the Forties with relish and no worries art of cabaret singing today is Gisela about not seeming to be "with it." May, a leading actress of the Berliner Their first album, "We Like a Gersh- Ensemble. Her interpretations of the win Tune" (Monmouth Evergreen German theater songsofBertolt MES 7061), received the rave it de- Brecht, Kurt Weill, Paul Dessau, and served in STEREO REVIEW when it Hanns Eisler do not pale beside those was issued a little over a year ago. of LotteLenya, who introduced Their new album, "It's Smooth, It's many of them. Miss May does not Smart, It's Rodgers, It's Hart" (Mon- imitate Lenya, but gives her own in- mouth Evergreen MES 7069), got a terpretations with a strong bite of so- bigger rave here last November. It cial commentary and a suggestion of contains Whyte and Hudson's revival the decadence of German life in the of the exquisite I'll Tell the Man in Twenties shown in the film Cabaret. the Street, from I Married an Angel. She toured the United States in 1971, Nati Mistral and that alone would justify their ex- 1972, and 1974, mesmerizing in her istence and their inclusion among the audiences even those who did not tal; she has an authoritative command elite of cabaret artists. know a word of German. She can be of a wider variety of musical styles My apologies to Bobby Short, Mil- heard on the Brecht -Weill "Seven than any other popular singer I know. ly, Hugh Shannon, Chris Connor, Deadly Sins" (Deutsche Grammo- Her records can be found in stores Portia Nelson, Juliette Greco, Pat- phon 139308) and a couple of splen- with well -stocked international de- achou, A malia Rodrigues, Germaine did imported recitals. "Gisela May: partments, such as King Karol and Montero. Morgana King, David Al- Sam Goody in New York, Rose's inlen, and the many others for whom Chicago, and Odyssey in San Fran- there was no space. You will discover Gisela May cisco, or in Spanish shops in areas these and others who may become with large Spanish-speaking commu- your favorites when you look for the nities. On the Mexican Orfeon label records I've recommended. Since this look for "Nati de America" (LP/E- art is impervious to changing fads in 12-780) and "La Maravillosa Natipopular music, an album of high - Mistral" (LP -12-686). The easiest toquality cabaret singing is a good in- find these days is "La Trascendencia vestment because it never becomes Universal y Madrilena de Nati Mis- dated. The intimacy of cabaret sing- tral" (Alhambra C 7004), which was ing makes it ideal for home listening, reviewed in this magazine in Novem- and with recordings you can sit alone ber 1974 and is cited in this issue for in your room and have the cabaret Honorable Mention in the Record of come to you.

75 The next morning I talked with LiliKraus after her rehearsal of theKegelstattTrio (K. 498) with clarinetist Charles Russo and Katims as violist. Sheis aware, she said, of "the power of theauraof a person, his radiation, his emanation. Therefore, when Iappear on the stage- though I might be dying with anxiety- I have no other wish than toinvolvethese people in the beauty of what I am about to transmit.I don'tmakeit, but both my love for the music and my desire to project itare radiated; yes, it is a matter of love. So my playing, I hope, is much warmer than a performance would be that is,so to speak, handicapped by concern for effect. Inever worry about effect. It is my wish to do justiceto the work and make it possible for the listener to identify thepiece in me." This identification is remarkably effective, butas the otherwise happy crowd filed out of the hall afterMme. Kraus' solo recital, one youngwoman expressed irrita- tion over the pianist's "aggressive" playing."Mozart," she told her escort in a voice of authority, "shouldbe delicate and subtle." I mentioned this to Mme. Kraus and then braced myself for something like CharlesIves' classic defense of Carl Ruggles'Men and Mountains("Stop being such a God -damned sissy," Ives tolda man who had hissed. "Stand up and useyour ears like a man!") Her extremely polished but still Hungarian -inflectedEnglish is hardly Ivesian, but she had obviously heardsuch opin- ions before, and had a good dealto say about them. "To say that Mozart should be playeddelicately," she said, "is to say that life should only havepink pastel and blue pastel colors-noups and downs; that it should be white, serene, not too happy, please,but just nice, comfortable, pleasant, charming. Aswe all know, there are no LILI KRAUS, depths of unhappiness, tragedy, frustration,anger that haven't to the core-likewise no bliss that he has not experienced. Any musicianworth his salt MOLARTEAN speaks his life- the greater the master, themore economical the means; he doesn't haveto put his heart on his By Richard Freed sleeve. The past master of suchunderstatement was Mozart, always with the understanding WHEN Lili Kraus performed in Lincoln Center's that what he had to say was glowing inside and shines throughthe seem- "Mostly Mozart" Festival last August, about ingly restricted and almost childishly twenty New Yorkers (most of them in their early simple-close to the line between childish and childlike.Anybody who is not twenties) wanted to buy my tickets before I enteredthe conversant through personal experience with building. Another thirty or forty (of comparable age) the dy- were namic range will not be able todiscern the difference waiting around the box office in hopes of cancellations, between thepretense and among the capacity audience in Avery Fisher Hall of loud playing and the bodilyforte. Now, when I play Mozart I don'tever really play loud -I were many who did not look at all like regular concert- would not play a single forte in Mozart goers but whose faces reflected the confident expectation as I play one in Beethoven-but by comparison the piano,which is never of a grand experience. Such has been thescene in virtual- a Chopinesque pianissimo, already affects the listeneras ly every city in which I have heard LiliKraus play Mo- if it were loud. Through vitality, zart concertos. tension, imagination, I create the illusion that it is very loud, whereasit is never There is something about Mme. Kraus' smilingpres- a forte per se. ence (and, when she speaks, the sound of her voice) that "Only people who areconventionallyand superficially makes it clear to everyone in a concert hall that she is acquainted with Mozart can ever there not only to do homage to music, but out of the come to the idea that he most should be played delicately or lifelessly-prettily.Never, genuine love for the listeners in all thoseseats. And it is never, never! Always he has to have that wonderful in- nothing less than love that she gets back. On this particu- cision that he is capable of creating whether he isdolcis- lar Mozart evening Mme. Kraus playeda brief solo recit- simoor in despair. Certainly it has to be subtle and to al (the K. 333 Sonata, a minuet, anda set of German contain, like life itself, all the surprises from tragedy dances) at seven, and in the orchestral concert to a couple of comedy, and it does; but if you always play that througha hours later presented a dramatic, superbly integratedper- veil it can never possibly show its true vigor and formance of the D Minor Concerto (No. 20, K. impres- 466) with siveness. Contrasts only seem extreme tosomeone who conductor Milton Katims. In the pianist's dressingroom expects blandness." between the two events, it seemed not at all surprisingto To some, this may sound like an extremely romantic see one little woman approach her, declare simply "I love approach to Mozart, and yet an English critic you, Lili," accept a huge hug, and disappear. welcomed Mme. Kraus' first recording of the Fantasy andSonata,

76 STEREO REVIEW piano), and for some years I was known primarily as a K.475/457,in the Thirties as a lesson in "how to give Mozart his due life without romanticizing him." By way Beethoven pianist. After I made my first Mozart record- of describing her personal response to Mozart. she cites ing-the C Minor Fantasy and Sonata -1 was ap- Glenn Gould, whose Mozart is utterly different from hers proached to do more Mozart. including the piano -and - but whose Bach she admires enormously. "The first time violin sonatas, which Idid with Goldberg. For this a I listened to Glenn Gould's recordings I had the feeling Mozart Society was formed in London, and it was very 'Yes, this is how Bach should be played.' That's very ex- successful." traordinary, because there are many very good record- During the Thirties Mme. Kraus toured continental ings of Bach. But he plays it in a way as if he would have Europe, Britain, the Orient, South Africa, and Australa- invented a new instrument to play Bach, and that kind of sia. Shortly before World War II she settled in London identification can come only from one thing-that he did with her husband-the late Otto Mandl-and their two indeed invent a new means of playing him, and that it is children. In1942,despite the war, she set out from Hol- the way, the only convincing way. In the same way, I land, together with her family and Goldberg, on a world identify with Mozart; it is never a problem of 'How will I tour that was to culminate in her American debut, sched- play that?' It simply doesn't occur, because I speak his uled for February1943with Pierre Monteux and the San language. My approach is totally spontaneous. Not more Francisco Symphony Orchestra. While she was in what so than in Haydn, perhaps, but much more sothan in was then known as Java (Indonesia today),that Dutch Bach, infinitely more so than in Schumann, not at all in colony fell to the Japanese, and she was imprisoned there Brahms. There are these affinities. You see, between for three years under the most wretched conditions. She Mozart and Schubert there is a terrific link; one would does not find it painful to recall that experience now, her almost think one could exchange them. Altogether this only reservation being that "the story has a beard on it." world is my very own-Haydn to Schubert." "I have spent years more pleasantly, but not more fruit- fully. The miracle of it is that I was aware even while it LKRAUSwas born in Budapest to a Czech fatherand went on that there was no greater privilege God bestowed a Hungarian mother. She began herpiano studies when on me than these three years, because what I learned then she was six, and two years later entered the Royal Acade- I could never, never have understood and learned under my of Music, where the late Zoltan Kodalyand Bela any other circumstances. For a full year I had noidea Bartok were among her teachers. At seventeen she re- what had become of my husband or my children. It was ceived her degree and went on to study with Eduard the one and only time we had the kids along, aged then Steuermann and Artur Schnabel in Vienna: by the time nine and ten. We were separated and that was it.I was she was twenty she was a full professor at the Vienna Academy. At that time her identification with Mozart did not occupy the dominant position in her career it does now. "From about eighteen to twenty-three I was known as a Chopin player. I had then a forest of hair on myhead, and no matter how many hairpins I would use to keep it up, by the end of a big, dramatic piece-say. theF Minor Fantaisie- the hairpins would all be scattered on the floor and my hair down. I'm sure the audience thought: 'If this isn't Romantic, what is!' But then I began to play Beethoven, both alone and with Szymon Goldberg (with whom 1 recorded all the Beethoven sonatas for violin and

A position as artist -in -residence at Texas Christian Univer- sity allows Miss Kraus tune for a little of a favored exercise.

Teachers and advanced students from all over the world have attended her famed master classes in Mozart interpretation.

not merely interned, but arrested on a trumped-up charge. A Dutch woman in trouble herself following her liaison with a Japanese officer signed a document stating that I had plotted with the American wife of the Dutch gover- nor general (still today my best friend) to release ahand- ful of British and Australian P.O.W.'s. It was fortunate they had only this charge against me, for if they had known what my husband and 1 had done they probably would have killed us: we had a hidden radio, we were harboring goods for the Dutch already in prison, trans- porting money from camp to camp, smuggling letters from wives to husbands." In the first year of her imprisonment Mme. Kraus was one of fourteen women crowded into a tinysubterranean cell that was locked from5p.m. to 8 a.m. without excep-

77 tion. She subsisted on a daily ration of twocups of rice "Bartok himself asked me to record his music," Mme. and herbs, and was forced to use her bare hands to scrub Kraus recalled, "and I made the first recordings ofhis latrines with harsh chemicals. After about ayear, a Jap- piano works before he did himself. The Parlophonepeo- anese conductor with whom she had performed in To- ple said it was 'suicide,' and I told them: 'All right, let it kyo in 1936 and who had since become active in Batavia be suicide' -but until the war every radio station in Eu- (Djakarta) learned of her presence and was able toar- rope played those recordings regularly. I adore to play range her transfer to a "privileged" camp, where she was Bartok, and still include his music in allmy recitals, reunited with her family. though I'm sorry to say I have never played theconcer- "I learned in this period not to covet or envy the neigh- tos. I don't believe one's nationality defines one's capaci- bors who had thought to bring along some reserve food ty for that country's music, really, but still, there issome which they did not share with us; not to hate, not tore- truth in such a notion. When I play Bartok's folk-song sent . . . to understand the big, robust Dutchwoman pieces, I can't help singing the words to myself, and of crying because she had three fewer grains of rice than course the very metrum of the text is also the rhythm of was her share - perhaps her life depended on those three the music; it is much nearer to me, just as Larrocha iscer- rice kernels. Walking with one's last strength to the end of tainly at her best in Spanish music. On the other hand, I the compound to share a tomato with two friends. . . the am certainly not Viennese, but I am a 'Mozart specialist' tiny Englishwoman resisting temptation and bribery with soi disant." full and beautiful integrity. . . these are experiences that In the early Fifties Mme. Kraus recorded some Mozart are irreplaceable, and everlastingly define what I have concertos and Schubert sonatas for Vox, and then more become. The gift of music- not to be unhappy, not to be Mozart -a sonata cycle and the piano trios (with Willi lonely, because it is music - worked and lived in me all Boskovsky andNikolausHubner)forDiscophiles this time. There was the solace of living in this music-no Francais (released here by the Haydn Society). Theseare matter that I didn't have an instrument -and on the other all gone now, but more recently she made several record- hand the terrific yearning for an instrument. The reunion ings of both concertos and solo pieces by Schumann, with my family alone was worth the whole terrible experi- Schubert, Mozart, and Beethoven for Concert Hall of ence. I am beholden and happy for having been allowed Geneva, some of which have appeared hereon the Moni- to have these experiences and survive." tor and Vanguard labels, as well as some Schubert for Vanguard itself and complete series of the Mozart solo WHEN she was finally liberated, in October 1945, Lili sonatas and concertos for Epic. The concertos, beautiful- Kraus, who is not a small woman, weighed less than a ly played but with rather undistinguished orchestralsup- hundred pounds; her body was covered with infections port (this is not Mme. Kraus' opinion, but mine), have and open wounds. Nothing held her back, though, and by been reissued in Columbia's special -order series, but of early 1947 she had given more than a hundred andtwenty the sonatas only the Fantasy and Sonata, K. 475/457, concerts in Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand have reappeared on Odyssey since the deletion of theen- tire classical segment of the Epic catalog. Between concert dates Mme. Kraus is now artist -in- residence at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, where she holds a master class. What she calls home, but does not get to see for more than a few days ata time, is a farm in North Carolina which she shares with her daughter and son-in-law and their three children. In the last few years she has published her cadenzas for the Mozart concertos (those for which neither Mozart nor Beethoven supplied cadenzas) and her own edition of the Mozart sonatas. Music she has not played before -or has not played in many years- still makes its way into her repertoire, for it is still a process of maturation: "Before Iput a finger to a piece, Mozart or otherwise, I live with it, sometimes for years on end, so that it becomespart of me-my life, my dreams, my plans." The question of what comes after the salad sends Miss Kraus and daughter Ruth Pope back to the recipe book for guidance. The procedure seems to be an effectiveone, but the description is incomplete, for to Lili Kraus living with music means loving it, just as living with people invari- conferred honorary citizenship on her in recognition of ably means loving them, whether in a concert hall, ina her "unrelenting efforts in aid of countries in needas well prison camp, on a farm, or in a city. as for educational achievements." By 1948 she was again performing and recording in Europe, her insights deepened by the experience in Java, and the following year she made her American debut at last. Record collectors here became acquainted about then with the Parlo- phone 78's she had made of the Mozart sonatas with Goldberg and the three Haydn trios with Goldberg and cellist Anthony Pini (transferred to American Decca LP's in the early 1950's)-and also, in manycases, had her to thank for their first acquaintance with the piano music of Bartok.

78 STEREO REVIEW rQ5407reee,ej

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Is this really the eighth consecutive yearin which the recordings of Sergei Rachmaninoff, and to the Ihave sat down to write an introduction to Advent Corporation for its technically and musical- STEREO REVIEW'S selection of the year's out- ly superb series of cassettes (drawn from the Elek- standing records? The shelves full of issues before tra, Nonesuch, and Connoisseur Society catalogs, this one confirm the fact, and glancing through together with new material recorded especially for award lists past, I find myself delighted at the vari- Advent)., that I take the opportunity here of offering ety of records selected for commendation, and such thanks. The reader should look upon them as rather appalled at the lack of variety in my own constituting some sort of award in themselves, for prose introducing them year after year.Still, there though neither project qualifies for our regular are always new readers, and the rationalebehind awards, their excellence is manifest and should not these awards, as well as the method of selecting the go unnoticed and unappreciated. records that receive them, must be made clear. In addition to our regular record awards, we are In the first place, the records have been chosen this year inaugurating a new Certificate of Merit de- from those reviewed in our pages during our publi- signed to recognize those who have made out- cation year, January to December, 1974. They standing contributions to the quality of American were chosen b.y polling the critical and editorial musical life. The first winner of this award is the staffs of the magazine. The standards involved are incomparable Mabel Mercer, a musician whose those of musical and technical excellence alone, seminal influence on American popular songwriters which themselves involve not only note -perfect per- and singers is simply incalculable. formance or recording, but imaginativeness and I should also mention that apart from the top taste in the production. The awards have no neces- three or four records, which were on virtually sary relationship to sales; money (in our time) is its everybody's list, the voting was unusually close this own reward and neither needs nor deserves any pat year. It is not merely that a single vote sometimes on the back from us to justify itself. separated a Record of the Year winner from an What to say about this year in particular? We do honorable mention, but that the competition for make a general practice of not giving awards to rec- honorable mention itself was a tight one. I earnestly ords that are essentially reissues of material avail- request readers to go back over their 1974 copies able previously. We also have not, in the past, sin- and note particularly the "Recordings of Special gled out tape formats for awards in themselves. We Merit." Any number of them just missed honorable abide by that still, but so many of those qualified to mention in this annual roundup. For records, at vote suggested that some special thanks be ren- least, it was a very good year. dered to RCA for its marvelous multivolume set of -James Goodfriend, Music Editor

FEBRUARY 1975 79 SELECTED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFFAND CRITICS

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HAYDN: String Quartets, Op. 50, Nos. RANDY NEWMAN: Good Old Boys. SCHUBERT: Songs (Janet Baker, 1 and 2 (Tokyo Quartet). DEUTSCHE WARNER BROS. RECORDS MS 2193. mezzo-soprano; Gerald Moore, -GRAMMOPHON 2530 440. piano). SERAPHIM SIB -6083.

BILLY JOEL: Piano Man. COLUMBIA VERDI: Un Giorno di Regno (Lamberto Kt.I IIi JAKItt II. soio-uoncerts KC 32544. Gardelli, conductor). PHILIPS 6703 Bremen I Lausanne. ECM 3-1035/37 055. ST.

COLUMBIA S2X-32923. JIMMY CLIFF: Unlimited. WARNER BROS. RECORDS MS 2147. DEBUSSY/RAVEL: Piano Works (Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky, 4iweel)96 piano). DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2707072. BOB DYLAN/THE BAND: Before the Flood. ASYLUM AB 201. ALBENIZ: Iberia (Alicia de Larrocha, piano). LONDON RECORDS FRANCK: Sonata in A Major. SZYMANOWSKI: Mythes (Wanda CSA-2235. Wilkomirska, violin; Antonio Barbosa, piano). CONNOISSEUR BACH: Christmas Oratorio (Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conduc- SOCIETY CSQ 2050. tor). TELEFUNKEN SKH 25-T/1-3. HEINRICH: Dawning of Music in Kentucky (Neely Bruce, BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 (Karl Bohm, conductor). piano and conductor). VANGUARD 71178. DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON DG 2707073. HOLST: The Planets (Leonard Bernstein, conductor). WILLIAM BOLCOM: Pastimes and Piano Rags. NONESUCH COLUMBIA M-31125. RECORDS 71299. IVES: 100th Anniversary Album (Leonard Bernstein, Gunther JORGE BOLET AT CARNEGIE HALL (Jorge Bolet, piano). Schuller, Leopold Stokowski, conductors). COLUMBIA RCA RECORDS ARL2-0512. M4-32504. JIMMY BUFFET: Living and Dying in 3/4 Time. Du N H I LL 50150. LEO KOTTKE: Ice Water. CAPITOL RECORDS ST -11262. CANDIDE (Leonard Bernstein): 1974 Original Broadway Cast. CHARLES MINGUS: Mingus Moves. ATLANTIC SD 1653. FOR THE READERS OF STEREO REVIEW

AUClAoe IARAOCHA Gtb Coodea me7,1YMCIZART Amt., alb

CLEO LAINE: Live!!! at Carnegie Hall. RY COODER: Paradise and Lunch. ALICIA DE LARROCHA: Mostly RCA RECORDS LPL1-5015. WARNER BROS. RECORDS MS 2179. Mozart. LONDON RECORDS CS 6866.

HUMPERDINCK: Hansel and Gretel JIM CROCE: I Got a Name. ABC CORNET FAVORITES (Gerard (Kurt Eichhorn, conductor). RCA RECORDS ABCD 797. Schwarz, :ornet; William Bolcom, RECORDS ARL2-0637. piano). NONESUCH RECORDS H-71298.

NATI MISTRAL: Trascendencia Universal y Madrilefia de Nati Mistral. ALHAMBRA C 7004. JONI MITCHELL: Court and Spark. ASYLUM 7E-1001. MOZART: The Magic Flute (Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor). ANGEL RECORDS SCL-3807. Certificate of Merit MUSIC OF THE THIRTIES (Yehudi Menuhin, violin; Stephane Grappelli, violin and piano). ANGEL RECORDS SE0-36968. awarded to SCHUBERT/SCHUMANN: Songs (Hermann Prey, baritone; Leonard Hokanson, piano). PHILIPS 6520 002. SCHUMANN: Faust (Benjamin Britten, conductor). LONDON RECORDS OSA-12100. NINA SIMONE: It is Finished. RCA RECORDS APL1-0241. for her outstanding contributions THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT (Original -soundtrack recording). to the quality of American musical life MCA MCA2-11002. TIPPETT: The Knot Garden (Colin Davis, conductor). PHILIPS 6700 063. STEVIE WONDER: Innervisions. TAMLA T -326-L. STEREO REVIEW'S SELECTIONOF RECORDINGS OF SPECIAL BEST OFTHE MONTHMERIT

CLASSICAL

Perhaps thethe Best Yet: CONSIDERINGthemanypitfallscess in recordings: to the impressive that threaten performances oftotal of three good stereo versions A NewAbduction from such a far from sure-fire work asalreadyinthecatalog(Jochum/ Mozart'sDie Entfiihrung aus demDG,Beecham/Angel,Krips/Sera- The Seraglio by Serail (The Abduction from the Ser-phim) must now be added another aglio)in the opera house, one mightfrom Deutsche Grammophon- and it Deutsche Grammophon well be surprised by its apparent suc-may be the best yet. It is complete, for one thing, a distinction it shares only with the previous DG set by Eu- gen Jochum, and it offers, as perhaps its principal asset, the wise and firm- handed leadership of Karl Bohm. His pacing is brisk, yet it is alwayssup- portive of the singers and mindful of the many orchestral felicities with which the score abounds -thecon- certante elements in the orchestral introduction to Konstanze's famous ariaMartern aller Arten,for example. This and similar delights are lovingly presented, with rich orchestral sound and clear instrumental balances. In terms of musical leadership, then, one could hardly ask for more. The vocal standout in this performance is unquestionably Kurt Moll. His Osmin does not match the ripe comic qualitiesthat go withthe boomier tones of such previous interpreters as Gottlob Frick and Kurt Bohme, but what he may lack inmas- sive sound he makes up for in agility and a sovereign command of Os- min's wide-ranging music, every note of which he delivers smoothly,accurately, with ease, gusto, and dead- center intonation.Peter Schreier's Belmonteisnot far behind. This German tenor has noticeably refined his art during the past few years, and he displays here an exemplary legato and a finished technique that permits him to handle the extendedruns in the oft -omitted ariaI ch baue ganz auf deine Starkewith relaxed ease. Only the late Fritz Wunderlichsur-

KURT MOLL:a sovereign command of the vocal qualities needed for the challenging Mozart role of Osmin

K-' STEREO REVIEW passes him in this role (in the earlier DG set), setting a standard we shall be living with for a long time. Both soprano parts are sung by American artists with strong Europe- an reputations. A voice of more solid substance than Arleen Auger's would be desirable for an ideal Konstanze, but then such voices seldom command Miss Auger's agility; her work here isdistinguished by precision, purity, and a remarkable accuracy in that treacherous Martern oiler A rten. With her lighter, more fragile timbre, Reri Grist, in the role of Blonde, is a good foil for Miss Auger. And she also enlivens her performance with just the right amount of vivacity. The role of Pedrillo is one of this seemingly simple opera's pitfalls. The part is essentially a buffo one-but its music sometimes calls for the accomplished elegance of a Tito Schipa. Harald Neukirch falls far short of that level of accomplishment, but he is a thoroughly capable tenor who fits well into the smooth ensemble. Little more can be said of Otto Melliesthan that he delivers the implausibly noble utterances of Selim with as much conviction as can be expected. (The spoken passages in this Singspiel are all delivered by a separate cast of actors, following an established Ger- man recording tradition of question- HENPYK SZERYNG: a concerto that will leave you smiling withpleasure able wisdom.) The sixth side of this three -disc set is given over to the musical numbers of Der Schauspieldirektor (The Im- Henryk Szeryng's Haitink who has emerged as one of presario). This 1786 "comedy with today's outstanding Brahms inter- music" is minor Mozart, and though Poetry -filled preters - Szeryng has readopted his Miss Grist sounds a shade off her earlier view, and the collaboration best form, some attractive arias and Brahms Violin has resulted in one of the happiest concerto recordings ever, the sort of ensembles are delivered lightly and expertly. The Overture particularly, Concerto performance that makes the listener the best part of the music, gets a fine, want to jump up and throw his hat in spirited performance. the air or at least, depending on his George Jellinek HENRYK SZERYNG'Sfirst record- nature, leaves him smiling with pleasing of the Brahms Violin Con- ure for the rest of the week. MOZART: Die Entfuhrung aus dem certo with Pierre Monteux and the Nothing in the new performance on Serail (K. 384). Otto Mellies (speak- London Symphony Orchestra (now the Philipslabel seems contrived. Brilliant, robustly affectionate, itis ingpart),Selim;ArleenAuger available on RCA Victrola VICS- Konstanze;ReriGrist 1028) has been at the top of my list of filled with poetry of the most unla- (soprano), bored variety, and both its vigor and (soprano),Blonde;Peter Schreier preferred versionsforyears.His (tenor), Belmonte; Harald Neukirch remake with Antal Dorati and the its warmth are ideally apposite to the (tenor), Pedrillo; Kurt Moll (bass), same orchestra for Mercury did not Brahmsian spirit at every turn. No Osmin. Der Schauspieldirektor (K. come off too well: it seemed the vio- one who has the earlier Szeryng/ allun- 486).ReriGrist(soprano),Ma- linist had rethought his interpretation Monteux disc need be at dame Herz; Arleen Auger (soprano), and adopted generally slower tempos happy with it, for that performance is every bit as satisfying as this new one Mademoiselle Silberklang; Peter which had the effect, for me, of devi- Schreier (tenor), Monsieur Vogel- talizing the music. Since the Brahms and, for allits seniority, almost as sang; Kurt Moll (bass), Buff. Dresden Concerto is a rather monumental edi- well recorded. The new Philips disc, State Orchestra and Leipzig Radio fice to begin with, that aspect of it however, does offer a richer sonic Chorus, Karl Bohm cond.DEUTSCHE hardly needs further emphasis. Now, frame and absolutely silent surfaces (at more than twice theVictrola GRAMMOPHON2709 051 three discs on his third time into the studio with price). (Continued overleaf ) $23.94. the work -this time with Bernard

83 FEBRUARY 1975 Szeryng plays the magnificentca- denza Joseph Joachim wrote forthe POPULAR first performance of thisConcerto, 'immimiNim but Yehudi Menuhin, ina Seraphim rerelease (mono) of his 1949 recording with Wilhelm Furtwangler,favors"Streetlife Serenade": thanael West (try Miss Lonelyhearts) the one by Fritz Kreisler. That on the contemporary scene in a series is notThe Cold Eye and of wry, occasionally the sole difference between thesetwo savage, and of- performances, of course. The Menu- ten funny songs that nevertheless be- Warm Heart of tray a certain compassion and hin/Furtwangler version generatesa even glow more intense than whatmay be Billy Joel fondness for their targets. suggested by "warmth of heart"; it is It has been apparent forsome time a rhapsodic approach, more ecstatic that what we need rightnow is a gift- than robust (though byno means ed eccentric to set us straight,some- IT WASobvious from last year's one who can cancel out with a fine, deficient in vigor, actually pressingon "Piano Man" that Billy Joel more than the Szeryng/Haitink does was ripe raspberry the dull thud ofyet very good, but his second album,another commercial sausage dropping in the outer movements). Andthere"Streetlife Serenade," runs well be- are also murmuring, secret disclo- off the end of the pop assembly line yond the high expectations setup by and the shrieks of robotic exhibi- sures from the inner voices of the the first, achieving what I shall have orchestral strings and plenty of ruba- tionists who are as uniform in their to call a dark brilliance. In it hecasts outrageousnessas anything to in which soloist and conductor,as an eye as cold as that of novelist Na- Karel if guided by the same pulse,are al- apek ever dreamed up. ways miraculously together. Like Szeryng, Menuhin remade the BII. I Jon-:coniesof real, if slightly lopsided, truth Brahms Concerto in stereo, but in that version (Capitol SG -7I73,deleted) Rudolf Kempe did not sharehis mystical insights as Furtwangler did, and for that reason (plus the unblem- ished sweetness of theviolinist's tone - I can think of nothing quite like it in his vast discographyexcept the prewar recordingof Mozart's G Major Concerto with Georges Enes- co) this older version has always been favored, even being sought afteras an import when RCA withdrew its original LP transfer (LM -1142). Thenew Seraphim edition is a beautiful job, and the Beethoven Romance(re- cordedin1953 together with the Op. 40 Romance now availableon Seraphim 60135)isanattractive bonus. For a "basic" recording of the Brahms Concerto, most collectors will prefer one in more up-to-date sonics. but those whocare for the work enough to want two versions should not overlook this reissueas a companion to the Szeryng. Richard Freed BRAHMS:ViolinConcerto,in D Major, op.77.Henryk Szeryng Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam, Bernard Haitink cond. PHIl IN6500 530 $7.98.

BRAHMS:ViolinConcerto,in D Major, Op. 77.BEETHOVEN: Ro- mance No. 2, in F Major, Op. 50. Yehudi Menuhin (violin):Lucerne Festival Orchestra (Brahms), Philhar- monic Orchestra (Beethoven), Wil- helm Furtwangler cond.SERAPHIM 60232 $3.98.

84 STEREO REVIEW The Entertainer; Last of the Big Time Spenders; Weekend Song; Sou- venir;TheMexicanConnection. COLUMBIA PC 33146 $6.98.

If You Like The Delta Blues You'll Like Johnny Shines

JOHNNY SHINES'firstrecordings, made for Columbia almost thirty years ago, were not released until 1971, when the Testament label boot- legged them, but a handful of sides appeared in the early Fifties on the obscure J.O.B. label. One ofthem- Walking Blues, madein 1952-led to Shines' "rediscovery" ten years later, when resurrectingforgottenblues men was the order of the day. But Johnny Shines didn't exactly become an overnight sensation. He made some recordings for Vanguard in 1965 and an album for Biograph in 1971, but, good as these recordings were, none of them can compare with a new set for Advent, just released but made in Los Angeles a little over a year ago when Shines was a ripe fifty-eight. An exponent of theMississippi Delta blues style and a one-time close friend of the legendary Robert John- son, Shines is now ready to give B.B. King his walking papers. I don't know what he has been doing for the past few years, but his voice is stronger than ever, his guitar playing is simply JOHNNY SHINES:beginning a new career at fifty-eight phenomenal, and if this album does not mark the beginning of a new, successful career for him, somebody will Joe! has all the sound, basic creden- of them ringing with real, if slightlyhave to do something awfully wrong tials that an eccentric (perhaps more lopsided, truth. on the promotional end. I won't single than anyone else) needs if he expects Further description would be as out any tracks; just take my word for to get a hearing. He is a completepointless as trying to describe W.C. it, this album is not to be missed by musician who works his keyboards Fields' walk, Barbra Streisand's gig-anyone with the remotest interest in expertly,withanalmostabsent- gle, or Paul Lynde's simper. You'll the blues. Chris Albertson minded deftness that might remindsimply have to listen to Billy Joel's you of, say, an Oriental rug weavernew album to hear whatImean. JOHNNY SHINES. Johnny Shines plyinghisloom anddiscoursing Once you do, your head ought to be (vocals and guitar); instrumental ac- learnedly at the same time about nu- changed aroundquitea bit. companiment.Give My Heart a clear physics. His voice is pliable, Peter Reilly Break; Skull and Crossbones Blues; capable of comic parody one moment Too Lazy; My Love Can't Hide; I and of arresting sincerity the next,BILLY JOEL: Streetlife Serenade. Know the Winds Are Blowing; Moan- and the arrangements have a dry Billy Joel(vocals, piano, Moogs); ing and Groaning; Just a Little Ten- clack that delicately underscores keyorchestra.Streetlife Serenader; Los derness; Just Call Me; Vallie Lee; words and phrases. But first of all, Angelenos;The Great Suburban Can't Get Along with You; Have to most of all, there are the songs, each Showdown; Root Beer Rag; Roberta; Pay the Cost.ADVENT 2803 $5.98.

FEBRUARY 1975 85 POPULAR DISCS AND TAPES Reviewed by CHRIS ALBERTSON NOEL COPPAGE PAUL KRESH PETER REILLY JOEL VANCE

PAUL ANKA:Anka.Paul Anka (vocals); or- Work to Do; Got the Love; Pick Up the bell. "Be thankful for your chance. And in the chestra. Bring the Wine; (You're) Having Pieces; Person to Person; Nothing You Can meantime, it wouldn't hurt to be a little nicer My Baby; Papa; Something About You; Love Do; and four others.ATLANTICSD 7308 to Curtis Mayfield." J.V. Is a Lonely Song; and five others.UNITED $6.98, 0 TP 7308 $7.98, CS 7308 $7.98. ARTISTSUA-LA314-G $6.98, EA3 I 4-G Performance: Deadly CHARLES AZNAVOUR:A Tapestryof $7.98. Recording: Good Dreams. Charles Aznavour (vocals); orches- Performance: Good tra. She; Our Love, My Love; Baraka; We Recording: Commercial I dreamed last night that I met the Angel of Can Never Know; After Loving You; From Death. He was about to tap me on the shoul- Today; and four others. RCA C PL 1-0710 After a long dry spell, Paul Anka has returned der when I said, "Wait a minute. If my time $6.98, 0 CPSI-0710 $7.95, CPK 1-0710 to the charts with a smash, (You're) Having has come, so be it. But before I go, would you $7.95. My Baby, which defeats critical evaluation mind setting something straight for me?" Performance. Slick, clever, and very with the same brashly sure grasp of the popu- The Angel of Death cleaned his nails with good lar mood as his equally dismal Diana of years his scythe and nodded. "But make it brief," he Recording: Excellent ago. Everybody knows Anka can do better hissed. (he proved it easily with My Way), but he still "Okay," I said. "Here's a record by a Brit- Aznavour's looks,particularlyduring his composes and sings as if he were working on ish group called the Average White Band. impassioned moments, stillremind me of his first million and his fondest wish was an They try to play black music. I mean they imi- Snoopy come to improbable human life, while appearance on Dick Clark's show. (You're) tate it note for note. With all the real black his songs and performances remain slick bou- Having My Baby is (really) The Worst. He bands around, can you tell me why we need levard comedies acted out in fine nostalgic grunts out the unforgettable lyrics, "Yuh're an outfit like that?" style. He's singing in English here, and as he havin' muh baybee/Whad a lovely way of say - The Angel of Death looked at his watch. gulps his tremulous way through She (la in' how much yuh love me. . . Oh the seed "Not offhand. Come on, bub, let's move." femme fatale), or becomes a man of the world inside you baybee/Do you feel it growin'?" in "Don't call me bub," I said. "This is my in We Can Never Know (love -can -be -brief, an Elvis -like roar while what sounds like last request and you have to honor it." ma cherie), or does his Tino Rossi imitation in Mantovani's orchestra swoons around him. The Angel of Death sighed, chilly air rush- Baraka (ze-dahnce-you-cahn't-rezizt, ma p'ti' Yet I'll admit, dammit, that after hearing it ing from his thin lips. He propped his sycthe chou), he is so good-natured about it all that only once I caught myself vacantly humming in a corner. "Boy, the things I have to . . . . you can't help but go along with the gag. Ob- it, exactly as I did years ago with Diana. All All right, play me a cut. A short one." viously a man of some humor-his story of of which probably proves that Anka has some Iplayed two cuts. The Angel of Death writing for the melodramatic Piaf, who always powerful natural gift of communication no pondered and asked, "What's their name asked him before he played his new songs for matter how much one objects to the message. again?" her, "Ah, Charles . . . you have discovered a The rest is his usual slick, glossy job. P.R. "The Average White Band," I said. new way for me to die?," has always delighted The Angel grimaced. "They sure are." me-he is also a slick, confident performer. AVERAGE WHITE BAND. Average White "That's just my point,"Isaid. "Can you Ten years ago this album would have been a Band (vocals and instrumentals). You Got It; explain them? What does it all mean?" ball for me, but now I am, how -you -say, more The Angel of Death went to the corner and of the sophisticate. P.R. picked up his scythe. He adjusted a fold of his Explanation of symbols: robe that had dropped from his bony shoul- SHIRLEY BASSEY:Nobody Does It Like Me. der. He shook his head. Shirley Bassey (vocals); orchestra. Davy; 0 = reel-to-reel stereo tape "I'm stumped," he said. "The world could = eight -track stereo cartridge When You Smile; All That Love Went to do without them. No, don't put on your coat. I Waste; Morning in Your Eyes; and six others. = stereo cassette have to let you go. I couldn't grant your last UNITED ARTISTSUA-LA214-G $6.98, 0 = quadraphonic disc request." EA214-G $7.98. N= reel-to-reel quadraphonic tape "You mean I'm absolutely free?" I cried. Performance: Good = eight -track quadraphonic tape "No, not absolutely. I'll come around for = quadraphonic cassette you every two years, just like jury duty. I Recording: Good Monophonic recordings are indicated suppose you'll have another Average White Shirley Bassey slams through the speakers by the symbol Band album for me to listen to by then?" like the original Personality Kid in search of I grinned. "One never knows." someone to dazzle. She has all sorts of artful The first listing is the one reviewed; The Angel of Death smiled. "Don't get little vocal tricks, and her phrasing has a dilat- other formats, if available, follow it. cute," he said. He tapped a fingernail on the ed, curved -nostril air to it that reminds me of scythe, and the blade rang like a tiny broken the famous cartoon of two thoroughbred hor- 86 STEREO REVIEW ses standing in a field watching a third who has and consequently come off vague and dull, Knievel, Bobby Riggs, the parachuting sky- passed by tossing her mane: "She's been act- and the lyrics are superficial to the degree of jacker, the vice president on the take, many ing like that ever since someone told her she being pointless. He does have a smooth deliv- others-have simply demonstrated the dura- reminded him of Katharine Hepburn." In ery, though, and a nice alto sound, and when bility of hustlers. short, Ms. Bassey is an unabashed, and some- there is a demand for albums that have noth- This album is a sampling of early, middle, times glorious, ham. She picks her way ing whatsoever to do with human feelings, and late Bowie, hustling all the way, and re- through the title song of the album (from the there'll be a mad scramble (in quarters other peats what other albums made perfectly musical Seesaw) with all the grandeur of a than the seventh grade, where there'll proba- clear-that how a hustler gets itis not the duchess-it has nothing to do with the song bly be one anyway) for this one. N.C. important thing; that is, Bowie has no singing but is pure Bassey histrionics. She discovers voice of his own and doesn't seem to care, and "awakening" or perhaps only "that fresh, DAVID BOWIE:David Live.David Bowie Bowie's backing seems to be based on the fresh feeling" from someplace, certainly not (vocals); Earl Slick (guitar); Herbie Flowers idea that if you've heard one rock band you've the lyrics, in Stevie Wonder's You Are the (bass); Tony Newman (drums); other musi- heard them all. The just -another -show atti- Sunshine of My Life, and her subsequent cians. 1984; Rebel Rebel; Moonage Day- tude comes through eloquently. The album is carryings on would leave Luise Rainer green dream; Sweet Thing; Changes; Suffragette stodgy, automatic, and lifeless. The thing with envy. "Busy" seems to be her byword; City; Aladdin Sane; All the Young Dudes; about Bowie's appearance in the Tower The- when she has a choice piece of scenery to Cracked Actor; Diamond Dogs; and seven atre in Philadelphia, of course, was just that, chew, such as the Bergmans' The Trouble others. RCA CPL2-0771 two discs $11.98,* Bowie's appearance. Bowie's sound never with Hello Is Goodbye, she becomes the CPS2-077 I $12.95, CD CP KS -0771 $12.95. was the important thing, and he was being Geraldine Page of pop-and what she can't sensible, in his way, in paying only this much Performance: Offhand attention to how it all sounded. N.C. do with acting she does vocally, swooping and Recording: Good sliding about "meaningfully." Yes, she is a bit "intense," but she's also a What I've been wanting to do about David GENE CLARK: NoOther.Gene Clark (vocal, very ingratiating and basically solid musician; Bowie is ignore him, or it, as the case may be. guitar);LeeSklar(bass);RussKunkel her eagerness to please, or at least to give you I hate it when they let actors sing, for one (drums); Mike Utley (keyboards); Richard your money's worth, is backed up by real tal- thing; I have felt it should be prohibited in civi- Greene(violin);othermusicians.Life's ent, no matter how florid the approach. Over- lized countries ever since I first saw how the Greatest Fool; Silver Raven; No Other; all, this is an enjoyable, though at times unin- judgment of fundamentally decent persons Strength of Strings; From a Silver Phial; and tionally amusing, album. P.R. was coming unhinged over the atonal groans three others. ASYLUM 7E-1016 $6.98. coming out of Marlene Dietrich. And she Performance: Easygoing COLIN BLUNSTONE: Journey. Colin Blun- could act, after a fashion. We don't even know Recording: Very good stone (vocals); The King's Singers (backing if David can handle anything beyond a few vocals); instrumental accompaniment. Won- costume changes. But no one is permitted to People just might have trouble figuring out derful; Beginning; Keep the Curtains Closed ignore something that grosses enough money, what the music recorded here has to do with Today; Weak for You; Smooth Operation; not in this world, brothers and sisters (and the cover illustration, a montage of drawings It's Magical; and five others. EPIC KE 32962 please notein passing what an apt word and photographs suggesting nothing in partic- $5.98,* EA 32962 $6.98. "grosses" is sometimes), and so I'd like to ular except a period-the late Thirties or the take this opportunity, if you can call some- early Forties, and who really cares which? - Performance: Move over, Engelbert thing rammed down your throat an opportuni- and people might be bothered by this, some of Recording: Very good ty, to publicly thank David Bowie. them already having been suckered into pay- Epic is hawking Colin Blunstone and some He has performed the service of returning ing good money to see the movie version of other baby -faced and-how do they put it? - our attention to what it's all about. He has put Gatsby or having otherwise been ripped off "really cute and talented" English boys the matters in perspective, guided the eye back to by nostalgists. But if you are truly diligent way one might hawk balloons at a parade, or the sparrow, returned the emphasis to its nat- about torturing logic, you can make a connec- Donny Osmond to the seventh -grade girls. ural center of gravity. The troubadours, the tion. Gene Clark, ex -Byrd and so forth, has The approach does help put matters in focus. Dylanites, the flower people and their folk- done several things pretty well here, but for Blunstone's voice has had time to change, as a rock gropings, the well-meaning hacks mak- complicated reasonsithasall jelledinto matter of puberty, since he was a teenage ing careers out of rewriting Gordon Lightfoot something unflaggingly pleasant, undemand- singer with the Zombies, but it still stays up -these forces had us believing they believed ing. and unremarkable. It is mainstream folk- there, feeding my suspicions about what the there was something to it besides the big fish rock to the point of being woven into the British are doing to a certain number of their eating little fish, dog eating dog, and getting wallpaper of this day and age, if I may be per- male children -or maybe there is something while the getting's good. Their believing it, if mitted to make a montage of metaphors for in the water over there. Blunstone's songs are they do believe it, hasn't changed the world the occasion. He can't even surprise anyone like the kind that years ago gave jazz a bad much. And Bowie and the hounds athis when he sings the title tune through one of name; the melodies are about half -finished heels-you know them: Alice Cooper, Evel those corny filters that John Lennon should have shot through the garbage tubes of the Yellow Submarine when he had the chance. CHARLES AZNAVOUR: "Love can be brief. ma cherie. . . ." It's all easy to take, no matter how he may have fretted over it, and itwill not bother anyone with the tiniest shock that might indicate either incompetence or genius. A little open -string jangle of acoustic guitars and some Ken Malone -style drumming from Russ Kunkel and Some Misunderitanding is all set to be immediately understood and mildly liked by all sorts of folks. The True One, being more country (the way you tell has to do with your falling asleep if you try to concentrate on the bass line), is even more relaxing. Where all this gets us, if you've been properly torturing logic as we've gone along, is a feeling for the flavor of it, which I find like that conjured up by the cigarette ads of the era suggested by the album's jacket montage- particularly the ad that used the slogan "never a rough puff." There's your connection, such as it is. N.C.

VASSAR CLEMENTS, DAVID BROMBERG: Hillbilly Jazz. Vassar Clements (fiddle, vo-

FEBRUARY 1975 87 cals); David Bromberg (guitar); other musi- the soundtrack album forThe Harder They cians.San Antonio Rose; Texas Blues; Take Come,has many talents to recommend him. Me Back to Tulsa; Delta Blues; Fais Do Do; The first is his mastery of the reggae rhythm, THE Breakfast Feud; Brown's Ferry Blues; Pan- both as writer and as performer. This is not as handle Rag; Cherokee;and fourteen others. simple as it sounds: there are, for example, a FLYING FISH 101 two discs $7.98. lot of lousy polka bands, although a good pol- 11111-PLATIO Performance: Channeled ka well played and well sung is a fine thing. Recording: Very good Similarly, there are dozens of mediocre reggae bands who play the rhythm but do not Maybe it's me, or maybe it's cultural, but I swing with it. Cliff swings. The second talent RELIABILITY can't find much of what music is supposed to is his fine high tenor; sometimes he strains a do in this country swing or Texas jazz stuff bit and has to push for the right note, but he being so doggedly revived now. I can see always makes it. His third talent is his writing. FACTOR. what musicologists see in it (this is another Cliff is wonderful when he sings about the country swing album with a booklet by a col- mysteries of life, persuasive when he mixes In this age of planned obso- lege professor in the packaging, although this the mysteries with political sentiments that lescence, unreliable performance prof does seem to listen as well as look up attempt to resolve or reconcile them, and as and shoddy workmanship are trivia), butIcan't hear anything initthat boring as one would expect when the songs almost taken for granted. But there could possibly fascinate such soulful musi- are purely political. They were all political in are still a few exceptional products cians as Vassar Clements and David Brom- that are built to last and one of berg. On the other hand, I do like bluegrass, them is the Revox tape recorder. which in its way is just as stylized. It may be Revox dependability is simply that I was born just about where blue- a combination of grass was and can more easily respond to many factors, f its bumps and humidity than to this style that l.. but perhaps seems as flat and dry as its Texas -Oklahoma the most birthplace. Clements is, as Rick Ulman as- important serts in the notes I mentioned, quite a jazz - of them influenced country fiddler-but this recording is advanced itself is ample evidence that Vassar somehow engineering. -- assimilated real jazz rather than the stuff as Borrowing from 1/ watered down by Bob Wills, Spade Cooley. space age technology, Pee Wee King, and such. Bromberg, whom I Revox gold-plates all of the also admire, is probably into this for his own electrical contacts on its plug-in private reasons-he seems to be wandering circuit boards, relays and rotary about, learning from sources as authentic as switches. The result: every one of possible as much as he can about all kinds of these movable contacts, the ones music. Ifhethinks he should playSentimental that usually cause most of the Journey bottleneck -style before a band slog- problems, can be depended ging just this side of slumberland, he must to perform well for the life of have some reason for thinking it. the machine. Obviously, gold For me, few of these things work.Brown's plating is considerably more FerryBlues, the old Delmore Brothers tune, expensive than conventional tin- does work . . . and isin no way country ning, but Revox thinks it's worth it. swing.Vassar's Boogie,even thoughit JIMMY CLIFF Because Revox engineers sounds as if it's being made up on the spot, Master of many musical talents demand margins of performance works for about the same reasons, which in- and reliability that far exceed clude taking swing's handcuffing restrictions his last album, "Struggling Man," which was a ordinary production standards, you off the key men, especially the fiddler. Brom- disservice to his art. can own a tape recorder that will berg introduces Brown's, incidentally, with a But in "Music Maker" Cliff is just what the flat -picking run you wouldn't believe. title says. True, he gets his political licks in work perfectly the first time you One might argue that this use it and for years to come. isn't,strictly every once in a while, but most often he goes speaking, a country swing band-but the back to the thing he does best: attaching sing- And that's why Revox weight of my eyelids quashes such nit-picking is the only one able, simple lyrics to entrancing tunes set to arguments. The more boring elements-spac- the coquettish hop -skip of reggae. Cliff was to back its ing out the beat, or jamming eight beats into machines with also in charge of the production here, which is a lifetime what common sense says is a four -beat bar, crisp and accurate. He has brought the best of absolutely requiring the fiddle to do a certain all his talents to this album, and it's certifiably guarantee. back-up stroke every time through, demand- fine. Bravo. J.V. ing horn -like bleats from the guitar, etc. - these things petrify a song whose lyrics and THE KIKI DEE BAND:I've Got the Music in melody are basically all right. At least that's Me. Kiki Dee (vocals); Jo Partridge (guitar); the view of this kind of back country from my Bias Boshell (keyboards); Phil Curtis (bass); REVOX kind of backwoods. N.C. Roger Pope (drums).I've Got the Music in Me; Someone to Me; Step by Step; Water; Out of My Head; Do It Right; Little Frozen RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT One; Heart and Soul; You Need Help.ROCK- JIMMY CLIFF:Music Maker.Jimmy Cliff ET MCA -458 $6.98, 0 MCAT -458 $7.98, 1111111L (vocals); instrumental accompaniment.Broth- MCAC-458 $7.98. er; I Want to Know; You Can't Be Wrong and Get Right; House of Exile; Foolish Pride; Performance: Good, with reservations T E Riremisi No. I Rip-off Man; I've Been Dead Four Recording: Good Hundred Years;and five others. REPRISE Rock has never been an interpreter's medium, MS 2188 $6.98, M8 2188 $7.98, © M5 and rock performers are usually only as good LY 2188 $7.98. as their material. There are exceptions, of Revox Corporation Performance Masterly course, but I'm afraid Kiki Dee isn't one of 155 Michael Drive Recording: Excellent them. On her last album, which Iperhaps Syosset, N.Y. 11791 overrated in the first flush of excitement at 3637 Cahuenga Blvd. West Jimmy Cliff, the Jamaican singer and tune - finding a girl singer who could really rock, you Hollywood, Calif. 90068 smith who so delighted and surprised me in could overlook her own mediocre quasi -folk The Illustration contains optional extras. 88 STEREO REVIEW compositions because she was also singing the dickens out of some ace tunes by Elton AVE MONEY NOW!! As one John and Jackson Browne, among others. of America's largest This time we're not so lucky. Further, and wholesale distributors, T our buying volume has equally unfortunate. Gus Dudgeon's production has nowhere near the grace and clarity of kept our prices the lowest . .. We passthe savings Elton's on the last one, and Kiki's band can't on to you. quite match the level of playing Elton extract- 70 YEARS ed from the various celebrated British side- OF,RELIABILITY EjERRIFIC ... Equipment at men he employed. Drummer Roger Pope in terrific prices. We carry particular almost sinks the album singlehand- 11411,140E441IF over 60 major brands, all edly with some of the most obnoxious pound- factory sealed cartons, ing I've heard since the legendary drum battle IS WHY STEREO & HI-FI fully warranteed, shipped between Dave Clark and Gary Lewis on the from our warehouse fully insured. old Lloyd Thaxton Show. BUYERS CAN BE SURE OF Be that as it may,I've Got the Music in Me, her very welcome surprise hit single, and the UTSTANDING VALUE .. We are proud of the fact concluding trackYou Need Help(an abso- that we offer the best lutely spectacular song I've been anxiously value anywhere in this awaiting since I heard her do it live a while SAVINGS industry. back) are stunning tracks, and Istill think AT RABSONS Kiki has it in her to be the first really authori- RICES . . Ours are the tative female rocker; all she has to do is be a AtRabsons CompetitivePrices,Reliability and lowest of the low, write little more selective about choosing her reper- PersonalServicehave been bywordsforover us now for a lowest of 70 years. the low quote. toire. Its glaring faults notwithstanding, you It'sso EASY and SAFE todeal with Rabsons. As close as your telephone - as sear as your could make a much worse investment than mailbox Fast Air Mail Response on Quotation this record. Steve Simels Requests Franchised Distributor for Hi Fi Lines OVERPAYING FOR AUDIO EQUIP.

All merchandise brand new in factory sealed cartons,shippeddouble -packed,fullyinsured NEIL DIAMOND:Serenade.Neil Diamond promptly from our warehouse Greater savings Write us today - or better yet

(vocals): orchestra.Yes I Will; Lady Magde- on complete systems Export packing 220 come down and see for yourself. Volts, 50 Cycle merchandising a specialty Free "We're taking the High Price out of lene; Rosemary's Wine; Reggae Strut; The listof monthly specials. Hi-Fi" Last Picasso;and three others.COLUMBIA PC 32919 $6.98; ® PCA 32919 $7.98, O. BEFORE YOU BUY GET A RABSONS PCT 32919 $7.98. QUOTE... YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID! STEREO CORPORATION 01 AMERICA Dept. S -R- 2122 Utica Ave Performance: "Oh dear/What can the Brooklyn, N.Y. 11234 matter be?" RABSONS57 ST. INC. Tel12121 338-0263 Recording: Good 119 West 57th Street, New York. N Y. 10019 In L.I. 1160 HEMPSTEAD TPK., UNIONDALE Tel. Area Code 212-338-2268 Neil Diamond usually provides the sort of soft -focus banality that has made him the CIRCLE NO. 36 ON READER SERVICE CARD CIRCLE NO. 45 ON READER SERVICE CARD moping darling of his huge public all these years(The Gift of Song),but along the way, as inRosemary's WineandLongfellow Sere- Model AT15S cartridge shown nade,he can provide enough twitches and in Model AT1009 tone arm. shudders to convince even the doubter that his Soul has been permanently sunburned by The Glare Of Life. He wanly smiles through even the supposed frivolity ofReggae Strut with the weary manner of an Atlas searching for a massage parlor that specializes in sore shoulders. ContemplatingThe Last Picassois only another wrench to his sensibilities. If you want to make a real night of it, this is the cartridges. To give you perfect album to accompany your jug of apple , better sound from any wine, your funny cigarettes, and your musings matrix record or present on the collected works of Kahlil Gibran.P.R. stereo disc, as well as correct, long-lasting per- THE formance from discrete RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT -ati 4 -channel (CD -4) records. LIBBY HOLMAN:Something to Remember Audio-Technica Dual Magnet Her By.Libby Holman (vocals): Gerald Cook OT TIP cartridgesarebrand new and (piano).Am I Blue?: Suppertime; 'Buked and loaded with features. Like a sepa- Scorned; Oh Waillie Waillie; Go Away from rate, independent magnetic sys- My Window; I Gave My Love a Cherry; IS SHIBATAtem for each side of the stereo More Than You Know; There Ain't No Sweet ...andgroove. And smooth response to Man That's Worth the Salt of My Tears;and 45,000 Hz and beyond. Plus very six others.MONMOUTH EVERGREENMES/ audio-technica! low moving mass for superior trac- 7067 $6.98. ing ability. Performance: A worthy souvenir The only phono stylus tip design- Get a tip from leading audio Recording: Good ed for lower record wear whileshowrooms throughout the improving high frequency tracing. country who are now' stocking Ifirst succumbed to the spell of Libby Hol- It's the stylus we include on our and recommending the Audio- man's throbbing, throaty voice when I was AT12S, AT14S, AT15S & AT2OSL Technica Dual Magnet cartridges. fourteen and she sangYou and the Night and Audio-Technica Dual Magnet` For every modern record you own. the Musicin the Broadway musicalRevenge with Musicback in1934. The aunt who treated me to that experience wasn't sure I audio-technica. Patent Nos. 3,720,796; 3,761,647 ought to be there at all; it was only two years since charges had been dropped against Miss AUDIO-TECHNICA U.S., INC., Dept.25F, 33 Sniawassee Ave., Fairlawn, Ohio 44313 In Canada:SuperiorElectronics, Inc. (Continued on page 92) CIRCLE NO. 6 ON READER SERVICE CARD FEBRUARY 1975 89 `Mabel Mercer is seventy-five...she will buryusall"

should be congratulated for rescuing these twelve songs for posterity. Most of Mabel's other years as a recording artist have been spent toiling unselfishly in the vineyards for Atlantic Records, and as an additional birthday tribute to her un- flagging energy, Atlantic has packaged four of her best albums, fifty-five sohgs, and tied them up with a bright bow in a package called "A Tribute to Mabel Mercer on the Occasion of Her 75th Birthday." These albums are classics in the recording field and absolute requirements for any serious music library. If you are just entering the privileged ranks of Mabel Mercer's admirers (and they are legion), you cannot afford to be without them. If, like me, you've worn your old copies thin with repeated playing, this is a once -in -a -lifetime chance to secure newly minted copies previously unavailable in retail stores. Either way, you won't regret it. Mabel knows everything worth knowing abouttheinterpretation of lyrics, her selection of material is faultless, and her associa- tions of long standing with the very best songwriters and musicians have never been better demonstrated. Some of the highlights: "Mabel Mercer Sings Cole Porter": The hammock of chords provided by pianists Cy Walter and Stan Freeman (you just don't hearplaying like this any more). The glib and wistfulExperiment,a song I can never hear often enough, and don't. The way Mabel pronounces "the quintessence of joy" inLooking at You.The magnificent modulation in AfterYou.The acting job in I'm Ashamed That Women Are So Simple: it would make Kim Stanley blush with envy. The devastating sophistication in the lyrics and phrasing. The kitten -like pounce in her voice that makes even an old evergreen like It's Delovelysound de-licious. "Midnight at Mabel Mercer's": The moonstruck voodoo she performs on Alec Wilder'sIs It Always Like This?,making albums, three of which are already out -of - her voice an integral part of the instrumenta- We print collector's items? tion, a lonely violin with a time -worn patina. Rod McKuen's Stanyan label has reis- The definitive rendition ofLazy Afternoon, sued Miss Mercer's only album for Decca in which Milt Hinton's bass gives the effect (1-4:ssential and wisely titled it "Mabel Mercer for Al- of a crying cello behind a vocal line drawn ways." The intelligence and imagination with an emotional artistry unmatched by inherent in her approach to uniquely struc- any other singer. The furtive sighs in Leon- tured songs, coupled with her patrician ardBernstein'sSome Other Timethat 6 -Mabel Mercer phrasing and personal taste, are perfectly perfectly convey her particulardiseaseap- flavored by Ralph Burns' small ensemble proach to music -it has enchanted the best arrangements, which provide subtle and fas- singers who learn from her, but they never cinating settings for a handful of choice manage to do it quite as well. The heart- Ir's a difficult task writing about the leg- songs likeThe Ballad of the Sad Young breaking story she relates, once again as an endary Mabel Mercer and the effect Menand an overworkedTry to Remember actress, on Bart Howard'sWalk -Up.A 'he's had on popular music. The words have that sounds fresher than it has a right to. perfect album. all been spoken, the poems have all been There are some unusual surprises, too, such "Merely Marvelous": The guitar and written. Still, new generations discovering as Johnny Green's obscureHello, My Lover, drums add a night-club quality to the pro- her magic all over again keep trying to de- Goodbyeand Hoagy Carmichael'sMy Re- ceedings. giving the listener an "in -person" scribe it. Record collectors guard her valu- sistance Is Low,which originally appeared feeling of immediacy and impact. Beverly able albums the way Elizabeth Taylor in a Jane Russell movie calledThe Las Ve- Peer, Bobby Short's bassist, doing remark- guards her diamonds. Like those of Edith gas Story.(The ability to find precious gems able things with hisinstrument. Jerome Piaf, Lotte Lenya, Billie Holiday, and Judy lost in a quarry of abandoned rocks is just Kern'sAll inFun gets a nostalgic going-over Garland, her treasured recordings have one of Mabel's laudable attributes.) In short. that makes it hard for me ever to hear this taken on something of the aura of artifacts. this is a rare and happy opportunity to redis- song sung by anyone else. Rodgers and What better way to celebrate her seventy- cover some pleasant listening moments in an Hart's You'reNearer,performed with a fifth birthday, then, than to inherit a legacy album that was no longer available through charm reminiscent of an old-fashioned lace of riches infiveof her previously released normal consumeroutlets,andStanyan valentineunearthedinGrandma's attic

90 STEREO REVIEW trunk. Sly -fox perception in Cy Coleman's I Who else could put so much Walk a Little Faster shows a different side ofMabel'smischievouscharacter-and note the way her voice breaks into a laugh in You Fascinate Me So. And. as always, into something so small? Mabel demonstrates her dazzling ability to display the work of exciting new songwriters-here it's William Roy. whose The Fifth of July is simply electrifying. "Once in a Blue Moon": My favorite Mercer album, and the only one besides the CR 134 Stanyan release that uses strings to cradle her voice-like a pair of sensitive hands STEREO holding an unfolding rose. The arrangements by George Cory (who wrote / Left My Heart in San Francisco) are classics in themselves: every time I hear them, I am filled with admiration. Everything about this beautiful album seems to have been produced. performed, and embroidered with love. The two Noel Coward songs, Sail Away and If Love Were All (notice the proper pronunciation of the famous "Heigh-ho line as "hay -ho," not "hi-ho"-just another Uher does it again! reminder of what a perfectionist Mabel is), stereo cassette machine Unique photo- and the Gershwin Isn't It a Pity are beauti- The world's smallestportablehi-fi ful enough to bring tears to the eyes. The sensitive electronic control of the tape -drive mechanism Automatic tape reversal septuagenarian wink in her deft handling of Newly developed special head design Switchable ALC Built-in Condenser

Variable power supply (AC, 6 "C" Lerner and Loewe's I'm Glad I'm Not Microphone Operates in any position Young Anymore proves that humor has no cells or automobile battery) Great for film dubbing, "sound hunting", as a season, and thechildlike enthusiasm of vacation partner, a non-stop entertainer or a car companion. Sunday in New York makes me feel sorry For Further information, write to for anyone who has never lived through one. 621 S. HINDRY AVENUE My favorite song in the album, however, is 11 11 1Uher of America Inc. INGLEWOOD, CA 90301 Guess I'll Go Back Home This Summer, CIRCLE NO. 48 ON READER SERVICE CARD the kind of memorable "story song" that Mabel is most at home with. It tells the tale of the world-weary sophisticate planning a trip back home to recapture more innocent times and feelings, and by the time Mabel finishes you can almost see with her, from the train's window, her father's old Jersey cow jumping fences. In these baffling, bitter times of androgy- McIntoshCATALOG nous monsters in glitter bras, bizarre rock vulgarities, and screeching, dissonant night- and FM DIRECTORY mares passing off their reckless, cacopho- Get all the newest and latest information on the new McIntosh Sol- nous fantasies as music, Mabel Mercer is id State equipment in the McIntosh catalog. In addition you will still reminding us of the beauty and wisdom receive an FM station directory that covers all of North America. there can be in popular music. She has regal- ly ignored the fads and trends and here -today -gone -tomorrow fakes on the Top -40 charts, dedicating her life to her art. Mabel Mercer is seventy-five years old. She will ii 18 8 E_via* a,

bury us all. -Rex Reed 11 1 Minh " SR 1 *NO* .**111 ,0.11,1.. MABELMERCER: Mabel for Always.Ma- bel Mercer (vocals): orchestra, Ralph Burns cond. and arr. Once Upon a Time; Year After Year; Mira; I've Got Your Number: The Ballad of the Sad Young Men; More I Cannot Wish You; This Is All I Ask; MX 113 My ResistanceIs Lou: Run to Love: FM/FM STEREO - AM TUNER AND PREAMPLIFIER Try to Remember; Trouble Comes: Hello, My Lover, Goodbye. STANYAN SR 10108 McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. $5.00(available from Stanyan Records, P.O. Box 2783, Hollywood, Calif. 90028). East Side Station P.O. Box 96 Binghamton, N.Y. 13904 MABELMERCER: A Tribute to Mabel SEND Dept. SR Mercer on the Occasion of Her 75th Birth- I NAME day.A four -disc set of the previously released albums "Mabel Mercer Sings Cole ADDRESS Porter." "Midnight at Mabel Mercer's," TODAY! "Merely Marvelous." and "Once in a Blue CITY STATE ZIP Moon." Fifty-five songs. ATLANTIC MM 4- 100 four discs $19.98. If you are in a hurry for your catalog please send the coupon to McIntosh.. For non rush service send the Reader Service Card to the magazine. CIRCLE NO. 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD

FEBRUARY 1975 91 Holman in the murder of Zachary Smith Rey- good band without much style, and it must nolds, and moreover, when she had finished surely set some kind of record in the how - singing that haunting Dietz -Schwartz number, far -from -synergy -can -you -get category. The she was seduced and abandoned right there in whole equals so much less than the sum of the DISCOUNTS a Spanish kitchen onstage. Later in my life, parts that you wonder if it had outside help. It was thrilled once again by Miss Holman, who seems rigged, somehow, and perhaps itis WASH. D.C. had been studying folk singing with Josh rigged to a degree by a rebellion in us listeners White, when a stunning set of records was against putting up with two -minute stretches HAS NO FAIR issued on which White played the guitar and without a chord change. Being objective she offered emotional renditions of ballads about it, you'd have to say Paul Kantner's TRADE likeThe House of the Rising Sun.By then. songwriting hasn't gotten any worse-it was Miss Holman was well beyond the show always this lousy and sometimes lousier-and LAWS! ON tunes that had made her early reputation. this album, partly for that reason, isn't any singing not only folk songs and blues but art worse off melodically than several in the past. songs by Aaron Copland and David Dia- To get away with it, you must have style, and STEREO mond. In 1965 she made a two -disc set with I guess Jorma Kaukonen's Airplane lead gui- Bill Borden and Gerald Cook, with Cook at tar and Jack Casady's Airplane bass has it all COMPONENTS the piano,called "The Legendary Libby over Craig Chaquico's Starship lead and Pete Holman" (now fortunately available again on Sears' Starship bass, style -wise. Chaquico PLEASE REQUEST the Monmouth Evergreen label) and was plan- plays agoodlead, but he's so smooth he can't Prices for your choice of ning,another album when she died in 1971 at Changers, Receivers, Tape the age of 65. Recorders, Speakers, etc. Happily, Mr. Borden and Mr. Cook have assembled unreleased titles from her 1965 PROMPT DELIVERY recording sessions as well as earlier material IN FACTORY recorded by Marcus Blechman in 1954, and SEALED anotherimpressive album istheresult. CARTONS. Whether she is heard singingGo Away from My Windowin the manner John Jacob Niles made famous, or making the most of those DISTRICT deep chest tones she could produce in such vintage itemsas Am I Blue?, More Than You Know,andSuppertime,every song reflects SOUND INC. the deep emotion, and sometimes the sly wit, 2316 Rhode Island Ave. N.E. that she brought to her conscientious interpre- Washington. D.C. 20018 tations. She isin excellent voice on side 202-832-19 0 0 one, and although a conspicuous quaver and the exhaustion of age dims her power in the CIRCLE NO. 14 ON READER SERVICE CARD pieces she recorded twelve years later, there isn't a single uncompelling moment. Among the high points is the vigorous rendition of There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth the Salt of My Tears,which also, as it happened, was the first song she ever recorded. There are several good Ellington numbers-The AV E! BluesandIn Between-and a Mosquito Blues JORMA KAUKONEN FS that brings out the caustic sense of comedy so Turning from psychedelia to gentler sounds MONEY TIME FREIGHT unexpected in a woman who had made her QUALITY STEREO EQUIPMENT early reputation as a "torch singer." The rec- be readily identified with any particular group AT LOWEST PRICES. ord ends, most touchingly, with a band devot- or style. Grace Slick's vocals and Papa John ed to a song calledBad Girl,all about, as it Creach's fiddle are the main attractions, but !,- YOUR REQUEST FOR QUOTA- happens, a woman accused of murder who both seem increasinglyrestricted by the ITION RETURNED SAME DAY. promises to be good for the rest of her life if pounding format and the awkward writing. FACTORY SEALED CARTONS -- the judge will let her off. She didn't know this Hyperdrivesuggests how good a Starship GUARANTEED AND INSURED. song was being recorded, and at the end she is albumcouldbe if everything went right, start- SAVE ON NAME BRANDS LIKE: heard talking about how she plans to improve ing with the script (this one by Sears and the way she does it. But even unrehearsed and Slick), but much in this album suggests it's A.D.C. KLH unpolished,Bad Girl,like the rest of this ex- going to take more than simply trying hard. A.R. SHURE citing program, comes over strong. The rec- Little tidbits of inspiration have to coagulate DYNACO KOSS ord is indeed "Something to Remember Her for a band like this, as happened in a couple SONY FISHER By." P.K . of terrific cuts in Kantner and Slick's "Sun - AND MORE THAN 50 OTHERS fighter" album. Marty Balin's appearance JEFFERSON STARSHIP:Dragon Fly.Paul here adds several points in the distance -from - BUY THE MODERN WAY Kantner (vocals, guitar); Grace Slick (vocals, synergy column; he's really a stylish singer, BY MAIL-FROM piano); David Freiberg (vocals, keyboards, and the lyrics he wrote for his one song,Caro- bass); Craig Chaquico (guitar); John Barbata line,are wordy but perceptive, though the (drums); Papa John Creach (violin);Pete song is completely wrecked by the inane Sears (bass, keyboards); other musicians. melody Kantner put on it. The Starship's fuel Ride the Tiger; That's For Sure; Be Young problem is at least as bad as yours and mine. You; Caroline;and fourothers. GRUNT N.C. BFLI-0717 $6.98, ® BFSI-0717 $7.95, © 1 BFK1-0717 $7.95. BILLY JOEL:Streetlife Serenade (seeRest of illinoit audio Performance Muddled the Month, page 84 ) Department 217S Recording: Excellent RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT 12 East Delaware Taking the Starship, Jefferson -wise, is a more clinical, plastic way to go than taking the Air- Chicago, Illinois 60611 JORNIA KAUKONEN WITH TOM HOB - plane was. One lesson in that, I suppose, is SON: Quah. Jorma Kaukonen (vocals, guitar); 312-664-0020 that the less primitive travel becomes, the less Tom Hobson (vocals, guitar).Genesis; I'll Be romantic it becomes. This is an example of a All Right; Song for the North Star; I'll Let CIRCLE NO. 19 ON READER SERVICE CARD 92 STEREO REVIEW You Know Before I Leave; Flying Clouds; and several decent but not very successful drag queens lent a Halloween atmosphere to Another Man Done Gone; and five others. albums, Labelle has landed on Epic and come the Met, and most had come there to be seen GRUNT BFL1-0209 $6.98, ® BFSI-0209 up with their best album to date. The move rather than to witness the performance on stage. However, relying heavily on material $7.95. from Warner Brothers to Epic is of less significance than the fact that Ms. Wickham relin- contained in this album-then just released- Performance: Charming, with warts quished her producer's role to Allen Tous- and aided by lavish feathery costumes and Recording: Excellent saint, who himselfrecordsfor Warner such theatrics as Patti slowly descending on Jorma Kaukonen's electric -guitar sound ef- Brothers' Reprise label. Toussaint, a New wires from high above the stage, the group commanded attention and won over skeptics. fects in the early Jefferson Airplane days were Orleans hit maker of long standing, has added the most psychedelic effects going, but his the finishing touches toVicki Wickham's Though it has neither the feathers nor the heart lies elsewhere now, and he has been work and turned Labelle into a viable chart visual trickery of their Met performance, this gaining credibility as a gentler and more com- product. album is destined to win Labelle the following plete musician, playing a lot of open -string Last October, Labelle appeared at the Met- they have sought over the past three or four acoustic stuff and singing in a slightly shaky ropolitan Opera, attracting a capacity crowd years. Among its salient features are Tous- saint's arrangements, an appropriately funky but warm and increasingly welcome baritone. that, judging by its appearance, obviously Possibly this was supposed to be a solo al- knew it wasn't going to witness a newly dis- accompaniment augmented by the Meters-a bum, since all the Airplane people at Grunt covered work by Verdi. The colorful crowd of group with a success of its own-and material take turns at nominal solo albums, and he hit imaginatively costumed people and bearded that is several notches above Labelle's other upon the idea of getting help from another acoustic guitar. Generally, it was a fine move: song selection is good, Jorma's singing is good, and he and Tom Hobson do some pieces in different tunings that put a nice edge on what is essentially a sparse sound. A time or two, they get in each other's way, sounding something like Leo Kottke with a couple of strings out of tune, but the only big mistake was letting Hobson sing. Since nobody could mess up a monstrosity like Sweet Hawaiian Sunshine, the only really big mistake was in letting him sing a second tune, Blue Prelude. after having been stroked by the genius it took to dig that one up in the first place. I haven't heard it sung (considering how far off-key Hobson is,I still haven't) since I was a little nipper crawling around my grandfather's big radio, but I used to hear the Three Suns' instrumental version of it occasionally when I was waiting for the ballgame to start, so this awful vocal is a special frustration for me, thanks to nostalgia. Jorma's handling of Gen- The Beogram 3000 esis, I'll Be All Right, and Another Man Done One part of a system developed to reproduce sound as it is. Gone isright close to whereIlive now. though, and I love how they play guitar the way they feel, as opposed to a way calculated The Beogram 3000 is an integrated, automatic turntable to impress those listening for fancy licks. I'll offering utter simplicity of operation and elegant, under- accept all the albums of this caliber that any- stated design. All functions are handled by a single master one wants to send me. N.C. control: the choice of record size automatically selects the correct speed (33 or 45 rpm), a slight touch of the center disk places the stylus tip in the first groove of the record. When OF SPECIAL MERIT RECORDING the selection is completed, the tone arm automatically returns LABELLE: Nightbirds. Patti LaBelle, Sarah to its rest position and shuts off the unit. Dash, Nona Hendryx (vocals); instrumental The tone arm pivots on hardened steel bearings for low accompaniment. Lady Marmalade; Space horizontal friction. An ingenious system of inclined planes Children; Are You Lonely?; You Turn Me automatically applies the correct amount of anti -skating On; and six others. EPIC KE 33075 $5.98, force as the tone arm travels across the record. A pendulum ® EA 33075 $6.98, ET 33075 $6.98. suspension system isolates the stylus from external vibra- Performance: Successful flight tions and acoustic feedback. Recording: Excellent As a turntable must operate in concert with the cartridge, the Beogram 3000 has been engineered to utilize Bang & It was Patti LaBelle and Her Blue Bells back Olufsen cartridges. The integration of tone arm and car- in the early Sixties, with hits like I Sold My tridge provides a lower dynamic mass, thus reducing the Heart to the Junkman and Tear After Tear. force required to move the stylus tip, and eliminates unwanted But when the last ditty-bopper twisted off the resonances. Bang & Olufsen cartridges have been acknowl- scene to await a comeback as a bargain -priced edged as being among the world's finest. rock relic interrupting Gable and Lombard on the Late Late Show, Patti and her girls followed suit. However- thanks to the efforts of Vicki Wickham, an enterprising rock journal- ist from England-we were spared the sight of Patti, Nona, and Sarah traipsing on the tube Bang&Olufsen to offer us their past for some pittance. Con- vinced that the trio had more than memories Excellence in engineering - Elegance in design left to give us, Ms. Wickham shortened the Two traditions from Denmark group's name to Labelle, took it to England for a year of rehearsals and general transfor- mation, and returned to hound the record companies with an act that bore little resem- Bang & Olufsen, 2271 Devon Avenue, Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007 blance to the old Patti LaBelle and Her Blue CIRCLE NO. 8 ON READER SERVICE CARD Bells. Now, after three years of label hopping 93 FEBRUARY 1975 MAGNEPLANAR® loudspeakers are. extremely realistic sounding - and they're only 1" thick. Our top -of -the -line Tympani series which look like folding floor screens are sold through Audio Research dealers. We now have a smaller, less expensive model available at the following Magnepan dealers:

University Stereo/Ridgewood. N.J. Hi-Fi Gallery Indianapolis. Ind. H,-Fi Gallery Evansville. Ind. The Stereo Shop Cedar Rapids. la. The Gramophone Lt Norman. Ok. Audio Uncommon,Portland, Or. Stereo kli-Fi Center.Gardena, Ca. Garland Audio .San Jose. Ca. Audio Arts Livermore, Ca. Audio Labs/Des Moines, la. Unlikely Disc -mates No. 88: Peggy Lee and Paul McCartney Stereo ShowcaseValleto, Ca. Stereo Showcase/Sacramento, Ca. United Audio Centers (2 stores) Chicago. Ill. recent efforts and way beyond any compari- Gill Custom House/Chicago, Ill. don't), but the last few before this might ac- Paul Heath Audio/Rochester, N.Y. son to the Blue Bells period. Particularly ef- tually have hurt sales. P.R. Audio, Etc./Gainesville, Fla. Jerry's Audio Exchange/Phoenix, Ar. fective are Lady Marmalade, a Bob Crewe/ Sound Systems/Palo Alto. Ca. Kenny Nolan collaboration about a Creole LIESBETH LIST:Solitude's My Home. Lies- Stereo Workshop Berkeley. Ca. lady of the evening, Nightbird, You Turn Jonas Miller/Beverly Hills, Ca. beth List (vocals): orchestra. I Think of You; Audio Systems + Design/Lincoln + Omaha, Na. Me On, andSpace Children,by Nona We; The Lovers; Three; I'll Catch the Sun; Audio Design/Wayzata, Mn. Hendryx, whose prolific pen is one of the Sound Co./San Diego, Ca. and nine others. STANYAN 10078 $6.98. Audio Vision/Santa Barbara, Ca. group's most vital assets. Vocally, Patti LaBelle relies more on timing Performance: Very good and a flair for the dramatic than on actual Recording: Good Contact us if there is no dealer in your area. voice quality, but Sarah Dash makes up for Liesbeth List's big, dark -toned voice and IIIMMAGN EPAN any weakness in that department. Labelle left crushed -velvet style are mostly wasted in yet MAGNEPLANARePRODUCTS the Met audience clamoring for more: you'll another recital of the overcooked oeuvre of P 0 BOX 8642 WHITE BEAR LACE. MINNESOTA 55110 find "Nightbirds" has the same effect. C.A. Rod McKuen. Although from Holland, Miss Dealer inquiries welcome. List sings impressively in unaccented English. Most persuasive is her Round, Round. Round, CIRCLE NO. 27 ON READER SERVICE CARD RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT in which she invokes a unique dreamlike PEGGY LEE: Let's Love.Peggy Lee (vocals): quality: hers is completely different from The

Now...the most enjoyable, a orchestra. Let's Love; Sweet Talk; Some- Master's own interpretation, which rather times; Easy Evil; Always; He Is the One: and induces vertigo. Given her repertoire, she do-it-yourselfproject of your five others. ATLANTIC SD 18108 $6.98, ® does remarkably well, but the pickings are TP 18108 $7.98, Li CS 18108 $7.98. still pretty lean. life-a Schober Electronic Organ! Performance: Pure gold All things considered, this is one of Mc- Recording: Excellent Kuen's Stanyan label's better efforts, at least You'll never reap as far as the vocalist is concerned. But that greater reward, more Although Peggy Lee has changed labels (from may be faint praise when you realize that the fun and proud accomplishment, more Capitol to Atlantic), reduced her weight by roster also includes Hildegarde, Alice Faye. benefit for the whole what must be half (she looks terrific), and in- and Rock Hudson. P.R. famlly,than by vited Paul McCartney in to produce her ver- assembling your own sion of his Let's Love (very fine indeed), there CARMEN McRAE: Schober Electronic Organ. Mad About the Man: The is really very little different here from Lee's Songs of NoH Coward.Carmen McRae You need no knowledge of electronics, woodwork work of the past decade. She is still the ulti- or music. Schober's complete kits and crystal- (vocals);instrumental accompaniment.I'll clear instructions show you - whoever you are, mate but unstrained perfectionist,stillthe See You Again; Zigeuner: Someday I'll Find whatever your skill (or lack of it) - how to turn most mesmerizing popular recording perform- You; A Room with a Vie iv; World Weary; I the hundreds of quality parts into one of the er of our time, and still brings to bear on every Can't Do Anything at All; Mad About the world's most beautiful,most musicalorgans, piece of material she records her musical ele- worth up to twice the cost of the kit. Boy; Poor Little Rich Girl; I'll Follow My Five superb models, with kit prices from $575 gance, her dramaticsensibility,andher Secret Heart; If Love Were All; Why Does to around $2,300, each an authentic musical Instru- uniquely stylized voice. Let Streisand stomp Love Get in the Way?; Never Again. STAN- ment actually superior to most you see in stores. around chewing the scenery, Aretha con- YAN SR 10115 $6.98. Join the thousands of Schober Organ builder - struct what by now have become Byzantine owners who live in every state of the Union. Often Performance: Excellent starting without technical or music skills, they three -act plays out of a simple blues, Helen have the time of their lives-first assembling, then Reddy tell us all off in song after song: Peggy Recording: Very good learning to play the modern King of Instruments Lee continues on her self-sufficient way, ap- Carmen McRae's approach to this collection through our superlative instructions and playing courses. parently content in the knowledge that when of what amounts to the best of the Noel Cow- Get the full story FREE by mailing the coupon you get lonesome for the real thing you'll ard songs is that of a jazz -tinted cabaret sing- TODAY for the big Schober color catalog, with come home to Mama. In this case, Mama er. Her skill and artistry are beyond dispute, all the fascinating details' does know best, and she proves it effortlessly but I wonder if Coward's songs-adaptable as in a lovely He Is the One and a sly Easy Evil. they are to this style-are best served by it. I The SPCA/Bilee Organ Corp., Dept. HR -52 Her performance of Irving Berlin's Always is 43 West 61st Street, New York, N.Y. 10023 It is possible to do a cabaret/jazz version of one of classic beauty in every sense, making almost anything, as too many cabaret/jazz art- CI Please send me Schober Organ Catalog. me wish (again) that she'd do an album of his ists have proved, often with ridiculous re- Enclosed please find $1.00 for 12 -inch L.P. ballads. I record of Schober Organ music. sults, over the years. But Coward's songs One thing about the change to Atlantic: I NAME require a precision of diction (which Ms. "Let's Love" is by far the best -looking album McRae has) and a legitimate stage style of I ADDRESS she's had in years. Not that anyone buys her singing which is rather formal and, at this late CITY STATE ZIP records for their covers (at leastI hope they date, rather period, but sublime nonetheless. I I CIRCLE NO. 39 ON READER SERVICE CARD 94 STEREO REVIEW cannot get used to the very slow waltz tempo ELVIS PRESLEY: Elvis Recorded Live on same live Elvis Presley album as the last one given Some Day I'll Find You when -and this Stage in Memphis. Elvis Presley (vocals): in- was, and the one before that, and the one be- may be my trouble -1 have heard Coward strumental accompaniment. See See Rider; I fore that. Whether Presley's stage show is singing it and have also heard other vocal and Got a Woman; Love Me; Trying to Get to being recorded in Las Vegas or via satellite instrumental versions containing the senti- You; How Great Thou Art; Help Me; and from Hawaii, the program of songs does not mentality which is so necessary to the tune fifteen others. RCA CPU -0606 $6.98, C) significantly change, nor do the audiences- but which Ms. McRae's version lacks. CPSI-0606 $7.95, CPK 1-0606 $7.95, El they still come by the thousands. Do not, however, get the impression that I APT1-0606 $8.95. Most of the songs here are given thirty-sec- didn't enjoy this album. Some Coward songs ond treatments: a quick chorus, half a verse, are more adaptable than others to the caba- ELVIS PRESLEY: Having Fun with Elvis on and on to the next ditty in the medley. Presley ret/jazz style, notably A Room with a View, Stage. Documentary. Elvis Presley (narra- is, of course, still in great voice -and he has Why Does Love Get in the Way?, and I Can't tive). RCA (I0 CPM1-0818 $6.98, © CPS1- one of the greatest. But why on earth anyone Do Anything at All. Here the arrangements 0818 $7.95, © CPK1-0818 $7.95. should spend six dollars and ninety-eight cents plus tax to hear the same program that are very jazzy and Ms. McRae gets to sail Performances King deigns to reign away (kindly note hidden reference). J.V. they could hear on half a dozen other "live" Recordings: Very good/variable albums is beyond me. LES PAUL & MARY FORD: The World Is With few exceptions-a song here, a song "Having Fun with Elvis on Stage" is subti- Still Waiting for the Sunrise. Les Paul (guitar); there-"Live on Stage in Memphis" is the (Continued on page 97) Mary Ford (vocals). How High the Moon; Whispering; The Best Things in Life Are Free: Lover; Deep in the Blues; The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise; and six others. CAP- ITOL ST- 11308 $6.98, O 8XT- 11308 $7.98. Performance:Matrix Recording:Very good Les Paul was born Lester Polfus. Mary Ford was born Coleen Summers. He was an excel- lentguitaristwithoutstanding technique: when he let himself fly he played a personal brand of jazz that was hard to beat. Because of his technical innovations in guitars and recording equipment he is largely responsible for recording as we know it today-he was designing twelve -trackrecording consoles before anyone else was-and there is hardly a twang of rock guitar over the last twenty-five years that does not owe him a debt. (The Les Paul model electric guitar isstill prized by rock musicians for its tone, action, and comfort.) Mary Ford sang in a straightforward manner and was in fact an excellent jazz singer, though she was not considered so at the time of the great Paul -Ford success (early and middle Fifties) because the style for lady jazz singers then dictated breathiness and turtle- tempo'd ballads. The Les Paul and Mary Ford song that many people remember is The World Is Wait- ing for the Sunrise, partly because Stan Fre- berg satirizeditso devastatingly. But the other Paul -Ford masterpiece is the first of their recorded efforts, How High the Moon. Mary Ford, double -tracked so that she's singing harmony with herself (this is1951, remember) and with just the right touch of echo so that her from -the -belly vocal is eerily romantic, sings the words straight through with a delicious little punch and tickle here and there to spark the lyrics. Then Paul comes in The surest way to kill off the high notes in a record is with a so-called record for a long, hearty solo that conjures up visions cleaning cloth. The rubbing action packs dirt into the groove walls and of Django Reinhardt in his great days with the builds up dust -attracting static charge. To prevent this quintet of the Hot Club of France. Paul's solo throttling of sound reproduction, use a Watts Preener. is one of the best ever taken by a jazz guitarist. It safely and surely removes dust, dirt, static charge (Another fine player, Chuck Berry, has said and retains the sparkling sound of new records. Only that he always wanted to do the tune in concert, but he could never find a band strong $4.95. See the complete line of Watts record care equip- enough to tackle Paul's arrangement.) ment and kits at hi-fi dealers and wherever records The other selections range from show-off are sold. Elpa Marketing Industries, Inc., New Hyde pieces like Whispering to a very sturdy ren- Park, New York 11040 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260. dering of I Really Don't Want to Knott' and a Paul guitar solo, Deep in the Blues, where he doesn't exactly swing but certainly demon- PREENER strates that he was knowledgeable; whether for the life consciously or not, parts of this solo have of your records been repeated for the last twenty-three years by rock guitarists. Paul knew it all, way back then. He was a mixture of electronic gim- crackery, hokum, and sheer brilliance. Let us now praise famous men. J.V. FEBRUARY 1975 95 "The dear that made Milwaukeefamous...."

All her most famous records here were made for Decca, and they included an album of Noel Coward songs, one of Rodgers and Hart, and one of Weill, a couple of sweet songs of Viennese inspiration, and her most famous successes: TheLast Time I Saw Paris (the best version /'ve ever heard), and Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup,written by her then -manager Anna Sosenko. Her records were reputed not to.have sold particularly well until the late Jack Kapp came up with the idea of selling them ata higher price than other Decca pop discs and thus created the first "celebrity series." A new Stanyan record purports to contain Hildegarde's recordings from the Forties, which, says the liner, "delightfully capture the feel of that era musically." Unfortunate- ly, Stanyan's research is a little awry, for none of these recordings date from the For- ties. They were, rather, recorded between 1935 and 1938 in England, for the British Columbia label (EMI), most of them accompanied by a group called Carroll Gibbons and His Boy Friends, and, to the best of my knowledge, they have never been issued in the United States before. They present Hildegarde,paradoxically,asmore an American singer than a Continental one. She swings lightly, phrases with occasional jazz touches, and produces only a little of that particular illusion that was later her stock in trade. The odd pronunciation drops in about every twelfth word, and it sounds all the odder for not yet being a part of an integrated style. The recording of Darling,Je Vous Aime Beaucoup,as you might expect, is not the famous one, but one taken at a considerably faster tempo and with as many wrong chord changes as your average bad rock band. What was about to happen to her as a singer and as a personality is just beginning to fit together on these sides. On the other hand, she does sing well, and I haven't been able to keep There'sa Small small and sweet and she phrased well. She Hotel offthe turntable since the record ar- took liberties with songs, and sometimes she rived. So, for those who already know the `The got just a little too fey, but she never did special phenomenon that was Hildegarde, violence to anything she sang. Some songs this record will show it in the process of she sang better than anyone elseI ever becoming. For those who don't and want to, heard. this record will not quite do the job; maybe Inimitable She was, in her aura, America's own "Eu- Stanyan will later lease some of the Decca ropean" singer. She had what might be masters. For those who don't and don't care called a cosmopolitan accent, which is to about that in particular, here are some good `Hildegarde say she pronounced some words very exoti- tunes, generally tastefully performed in late cally, but the accent was not consistent; it Thirties style by a singer with a nice voice, flitted all over the European continent and talent, brains, and a few idiosyncrasies. You DURING the time I was just passing into several times touched never-never lands. To could do worse. -James Goodfriend my teens, "The Incomparable Hilde- say she pronounced "Paris" as something gardE" virtually lived in the Persian Room like "pair -is" gives only the foggiest notion HILDEGARDE:I'm in the Mood for Love. of New York's Plaza Hotel. I never did get of the real sound and no idea of the small Hildegarde (vocals);unidentified accom- to see her there myself, but my folks did, magic somehow embodied in that impos- paniments. Darling.Je Vous Aime Beau - and when I asked them how she was, my sible -to -place pronunciation.In my time coup; Let's Call the Whole Thing Off; I'm mothersaid,"She was just charming, she was known as "The dear that made Feeling Like a Million; Now It Can Be charming!" Hildegarde's "act" involved an Milwaukee famous," a loving epithet if not Told; This Year's Kisses; I've Got My Love upswept hairdo (I once saw a picture of her a particularly graceful one, and, though the to Keep Me Warm; Cheek to Cheek; I'm in with her hair down and I didn't recognize books seem to differ on just where she was the Mood for Love; Love Walked In; her as the same woman); a long, clinging born, they all agree that it was in Wisconsin. There's a Small Hotel; Can / Forget You?; gown and long gloves; an almost copy- And yet she made her first success in Paris Sweetheart(Will You Remember?); So righted pose of standing with both arms up- (did she callit "pair -is" there too?), her Rare; They Can't Take That Away from raised alongside the head, the fingers grace- second success in London, and only with Me. STANYANSR 10056 $5.00 (available fully curved; and a lot of roses, which she the onset of World War IIin the United from Stanyan Records, P.O. Box 2783, Hol- distributed to the audience. Her voice was States. lywood, Calif. 90028).

96 STEREO REVIEW tied "A Talking Album Only." (This seems smears over the vocals, fancy licks for the appropriate: did not mighty RCA start off as sake of fancy licks, and most other positively the "Victor Talking Machine Company"?). It identified kinds of pretentiousness. N.C. BASIC POWER should have been called "Elvis Raps." Here we pay our six dollars and ninety-eight cents JOHNNY SHINES (see Best of the Month, for a collection of Presley reminiscences. The page 85) longest one is about his early days in Mem- phis, how despite film and recording fame he COLLECTIONS always missed the thrills 'n' spills of working in front of a live audience, how he returned to SUPPER CLUB SINGERS. Carmen McRae: touring, and why he is so happy to be here If Love Were All.Felicia Sanders:It Never tonight because this audience is one of the Was You.Hildegarde:Darling, Je Vous best he's ever played to. As a documentary it Aime Beaucoup.Greta Keller:100 a Dance. is the most relaxed we are liable to get of the Portia Nelson:Autumn Leaves.Eartha Kitt: enigmatic Presley, who has guarded his pri- My Man.Lori McCormack:It's Raining.Jeri vacy (or had it guarded for him) as closely as Southern:You Better Go Now.Mabel Mer- Howard Hughes. cer:The Ballad of the Sad Young Men.Syl- Both the "talking" and the redundant "live" via Syms: /Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to album, though designed to be intimate, only Dry.Shelby Flint:Isn't It Something.Chris let the fan touch the hem of Presley's gar- Connor:Hit 'Em in the Head with Love.Lies- ment. And for a combined total of better than beth List:Three.Georgi Griffith:Harbour. fourteen dollars (with the taxes) we deserve a STANYANSR 10112 $6.98 (available by mail Do you perhaps have a good use for a rather better hem, especially if Presley insists on from Stanyan Records, P.O. Box 2783, Hol- plain, inexpensive power amplifier with out- hemming and hawing. J.V. lywood, Calif.90028). standing specifications. If so perhaps our Univer- salTiger "B" would be of interest to you. Performance: Pleasantto glorious Power outputisrated at 75 Watts Into 8.0 Recording:Fine Ohms and 90 Watts into 4.0 Ohms. Ratings RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT being in continuous sine wave power, of course. JOHN SEBASTIAN:Tarzana Kid.John Se- As soon as you have a sampler presenting Frequency response is -1.0 dB at 1.0 Hz and many musicians' work (in this case fourteen 100K Hz. Intermodulation distortionis .05% bastian (vocals,guitar, harmonica, banjo, at rated output. Circle our reader service num- marimbas, autoharp); Amos Garrett (guitar); cabaret singers),it's easy to lose overall berif you would like our complete catalog Milt Holland (drums); Kenny Altman (bass); perspective in the passion, or lack of it, for listing Tiger "B" and all of the other fine Sw. other musicians.Sitting in Limbo; Friends individuals. And what can singers as diverse Tech. audio products. Again; Dixie Chicken; Sportin' Life; Face of asMabel Mercer, Hildegarde, and Eartha # 275 -CA Tiger "B" Amplifier Appalachia; Wildwood Flower; Wild About Kitt possibly have in common besides their (single channel) $99.75 PPd My Lovin'; Singin' the Blues; Stories We chosen occupation? # 275-K Tiger "B" Amplifier Kit$64.50PPd Could Tell; Harpoon. REPRISE MS2187 For one thing, most of them have that inde- $6.98, M 82187 $7.95, M 52187 $7.95. finable quality called style. There's no confusing McRae with Mercer or Kitt (or Portia Southwest Technical Products Performance: Very good Nelson or Sylvia Syms). As nonwriters, cab- 219 W. Rhapsody Recording: Very good aret singers must find their way to distinctive- San Antonio, Texas 78216 Yes, I know it's kind of late to be rehashing ness through voice, phrasing, and choice CIRCLE NO. 42 ON READER SERVICE CARD the "less is more" theme, and that it probably of material without-one hopes- becoming should be restricted to architecture anyway, merely mannered. These women all present but John Sebastian has done a nice job of themselves to the world as true sophisticates leaving things out of his "Tarzana Kid" album who have been through it all and survived to SAVE ON for Reprise. First, there was the way I no- tell the story, no matter how sad, without ran- ticed I was always jumping in with the har- cor or girlish illusions. monica to help fill out the sound -and Sebas- Where singer and song match perfectly, the Brand Name Audio tian is one of the best harmonica players in effect can be breathtaking. Felicia Sanders pop music, but he was laying out, as it were, sings Weill'sIt Never Was Youwith a quiet Components with a vengeance -and it took me a long time passion that will break your heart every time. to find out what just the album sounded like. Mabel Mercer is represented byBallad of the Sad Young Men,the song she has turned into Write Today for Our Then there was the thing I've noticed before: FREE Audio Catalog Sebastian'ssingingseems to leave something the national anthem of saloons. Where singer and song mismatch, it's hilar- DIXIE is one of the oldest and largest audio compo- out, and that can make for a busy little mind in nent mail order houses in the country. Our prices on the listener. Busy makes happy, I suppose, for ious. Eartha Kitt may be singing that old tear- brand name components are actually LOWER than Man,but when she sings, "He isn't "Discounter ".See our new catalog or call us for a I'm fond of the little old album. jerker, My price quote.Everything shipped factory -sealed with The tunes are not terribly ambitious, as true/He beats me too/What canI do?" you full manufacturer's warranty. songwriting labors go, but they are spirited lit- know she can knock his teeth down his throat tle things and they do their bit to elaborate on and break a few bones. And will. s-"., NOSS J AN Some of the songs on this sampler are re- 1111 Sebastian's varied influences. These include Malt, Char, BankAmerica/ BankAmeca d 1 Si 1 MIyr.r) honored on mad orders flower -child folk-rock, country (StoriesWe cently recorded. Others are reissues. One of ili14111 Could Tell isa dandy), blues (this version of my favorites is a 1930's recording of Greta 1111 11111110 SHUNS Backed by an P du.XIZPI- Keller singingWe a Dance. MARANTZ Wild About My Lovin'is also a dandy), and PIONEER his association with such Real People as Fred unspeakably awful band churning through a mix Neil, which shows up in more subtle ways. nightmare orchestration, her weary, cynical SONY IL, voice conveys the true sleaziness of dance _ There aren't many pop stars who'd be up to .."".-7..gik DUAL OYNACO picking outWildwood Floweron the autoharp halls and makes the song grotesque, funny,

and then turning to the electric guitar and a and decadent. I loved it. SR -2 blues voice forWild About My Lovin'(and of On the whole, the older singers make the DIXIE HI -FIDELITY best showing, proving that, even if the voice 5600 Second St., N. E., Washington, D. C. 20011 course the presence of Ry Cooder on mando- Phone: 1-2026354900 starts to go, twenty to fifty years' experience lin and slide in that cut doesn't hurt); Sebas- Please rush me your FREE Audio Catalog and tian may not be imposing, but he's a good guarantees doing it right. On the younger side, complete information. I understand there is no obligation. musician. Lori McCormack and Shelby Flint are merely I don't care much forDixie Chicken,where pleasant. But Georgi Griffith isreally fine Name he falls down a bit on the job of leaving things with her version of a new torch song,Har- Address out, but a truly fine finale for harp calledHar- bour.The record makes a good introduction City poonmore than makes up for that. I'd rather to a resurgent art form. Penelope Ross State not even think about all the stuff thatisn'tin the album, but be assured it includes electric (Continued overleaf) 9 - FEBRUARY 1975 emerged as a leader in two superbAtlantic albums. Larry Coryell, the thentwenty -seven -year -old Texas guitarist who brought this impressive group together fiveyears ago, first attracted attention in jazz circlestwo years earlier when he left a rockgroup called Free LARGE -LARGE Spirits and became a member of theGary Burton Quartet. Like his estimable colleagues in this session, Coyell has undergonea musi- DISCOUNTS cal maturation in the last twoor three years. But "Spaces" is an album ofmore than historical importance. Most prominent here are the two guitarists, Coryell and McLaughlin, dazzling in LOW -LOW GARY BURTON: Seven Songs for Quartet their and marvelous solos and intricate interplayin Chamber Orchestra by Michael Gibbs. Gary SpacesandWrong Is Right, PRICES Burton(vibraharp); and paying trib- Michael Goodrick ute to the remarkable Belgiangypsy guitarist (guitar); Steve Swallow (bass); TedSeibs (drums); Django Reinhardt inRene'sTheme. Both are NATIONALLY Nordwest Deutscher Rundfunk excellent technicians with flowing improvisa- ADVERTISED STEREO EQUIPMENT Symphony Orchestra,Hamburg, Michael tional skill and impressive rhythmic AT LOWEST PRICES! Gibbs cond.Nocturne Vulgaire; Phases; prowess. Throb; By Way of a Preface; TURNTABLES SPEAKERS RECEIVERS and three AMPLIFIERS TAPE RECORDERS others. ECM 1040 ST $6.98.

WRITE FOR QUOTE ON Performance: Impressive NATIONALLY ADVERTISED BRANDS OF STEREO Recording: Excellent COMPONENTS. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! In a previous album ("The New Quartet," ECM 1030), Gary Burton, whose playing has undergone astounding development since his days with George Shearing in the earlySix- ties, introduced us to his remarkablenew HI-FI WHOLESALERS quartet and included two intriguing compositions by Mike Gibbs. Now, witha chamber P.O. Box 809 orchestra joining Burton's quartet,a bit of Kankakee, Illinois 60901 formality seems to be in order, and so-with (815)-939-7868 the exception of a Steve Swallowopus-we have an album devoted to the music of Mich- ael Gibbs. (I recall that thesame thing happened to Charlie Byrd, who became Charles CIRCLE NO. 12 ON READER SERVICE CARD whenever he recorded classical guitar works, but that is beside any point I wish to make here.) Call him what you will, Mr. Gibbs writes music worth lending an ear to. Burton's quartet-with Steve Swallow and Ted Seibs replacing Abraham Laborial and Harry Blazer-plays with rather than against BI the background of the chamber orchestra, LARRY CORYELL creating a lush, but never mushy, brooding Dazzling guitar on a fine reissue blend of Afro-American and neo-classical Vitous' bowed bass adds a new dimensionto DISCOUNTS Western European music that is totally in the old Bill Evans standby, Scott LaFaro's keeping with the high standard set by ECM Gloria's Step,and Chick Corea's electric STEREO COMPONENTS so far. Burton and guitarist Michael Good- piano weaves nice tonal patterns with the rick stand out from time to time, but all two of it guitarists inChris,the only selection in which Largest selection of top name is very impressive, from the first to he appears. Drummer Billy Cobham displays brands try us and see. the thirty-seventh minute. C.A. characteristic sensitivity as he propels each selection to its natural conclusion, andeven LARRY CORYELL: Spaces. Larry Coryell, New Year's Day in Los Angeles, John McLaughlin a twenty- Its wortha call (guitars);Chick Corea second guitar improvisation, hasa certain (electric piano); Miroslav Vitous (bass); Billy charm-it very nicely puts the period at the Cobham (drums).Gloria's Step; New Year's end of an album that spells virtuosity. (301)488-9600 Day in Los Angeles; Chris; Wrong Is Right; C.A. and two others. VANGUARD VSD79345 $6.98. RECORDINGS OFSPECIAL MERIT Performance: Stars in ascendancy DUKE ELLINGTON: Ellington for Always. rir4), Recording: Excellent Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, with musi- This album is cians of the Symphony and Opera Orchestras a repackaged 1970 release of Paris, Hamburg, Stockholm, and La Scala, which is of additional interest now becauseof Milan. )77711171/94/"0/11/14',7 Harlem; Non -ViolentIntegration; 0;11)ll the development each player has undergone Night Creature; La Scala, She Too Pretty Pb1/4M,*/!/,:t: since then. John (Mahavishnu) McLaughlin to e '5/ dikkikoni BeBlue. STANYAN 10105 $6.98 (available by and Chick Corea, then part of the Miles Davis mail from Stanyan Record Co., 8440 Santa Bitches Brew Rejuvenation Program, have Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90069). 6330 Frankford Ave since established themselves as leaderson the Baltimore, Md 21206 rock -cum -jazz scene; Czechoslovakian bass- Performance:Successful marriage ist Miroslav Vitous had left Herbie Mannand Recording:Good All mail answered within 24 hours was about to found Weather Report with DUKE ELLINGTON: Second Sacred Concert. Phone Daily 9 AM to 9 PM Miles Davis alumni Joe Zawinul and Wayne Alice Babs, Tony Watkins, others (vocals); Saturday 9 AM to 4 PM Shorter; Billy Cobham, another Miles Davis A.M.E. Mother Zion Church Choir; Choirs Phone (301) 488-9600 alumnus, then with a short-lived, jazz -ori- of St. Hilda's and St. Hugh's School; Central ented rock group called Dreams, has recently Connecticut State College Singers; Frank CIRCLE NO. 22 ON READER SERVICE CARD 98 STEREO REVIEW Bennie Maupin (reeds, glockenspiel, vocals); Parker Singers; Duke Ellington and His Or- For all too long, the music of the church was shackled by traditionalism, and though Charles Sullivan (trumpet); Herbie Hancock chestra, Duke Ellington cond. Praise God; Buster Williams(bass); Supreme Being; Heaven; The Biggest and Duke Ellington was by no means the first to (piano);Charles secularize church music or pioneer jazz be- Freddy Waits and Billy Hart (drums); Bill Busiest Intersection; It's Freedom; and eight Summers (percussion). Winds of Change; others. PRESTIGE P-24045 two discs $7.98. fore the altar, his nonsectarian Sacred Con- certs have done much to open minds thatPast IsPast; Mappo; Ensenada; Past+ Performance: Message -laden otherwise might have remained closed. Musi- Present= Future; and three others. ECM Recording: Very good cally, both these works are spotty, and neither 1043 ST $6.98. I have always preferred to hear the Ellington is a very memorable part of the vast Ellington Performance:Silk purse Orchestra unescorted, so to speak, but wheth- legacy, but they are important paragraphs in a Recording:Excellent er flirting with the new music (as in his record- long, significant chapter that Duke contributed to American art, and it is fortunate indeed On a recent Saturday morning, my TV screen ings with John Coltrane), with another band HerbieHancock'sgroup going (as he did with Basie on a Columbia album), that they were preserved on records under the revealed composer's direction. C.A. through the motions of playing one of their or with choral groups and symphony orches- heavy flirts with a Motown derivative on the tras (as he does on these two releases), Duke popular Soul Train program. It was sad to see Ellington never stepped out of character or RECORDING OF SPECIALMERIT the once adventurous associate of Miles Da- appeared out of place. The Stanyan album, previously released on BENNIE MAUPIN: The Jewel in the Lotus. vis and Donald Byrd give in to mass -market Reprise (RS -6097), contains recordings made inParis, Stockholm, Hamburg, and Milan during the first two months of 1963; all the music mates Duke and his men with classical players-some five hundred in all-but only one piece was written for this recording: La Scala, She Too Pretty to Be Blue was written by Duke on seven hour's notice and, of course, recorded in Milan, though not entirely - Paul Gonsalves, Lawrence Brown, Rus- sell Procope, and Cootie Williams added their solos after the orchestra had returned to the U.S. Night Creature was commissioned in 1955 for the Symphony of the Air and has since been widely performed. The first and second movements of this recording were done with members of the Stockholm Sym- phony, and the third had been recorded five days earlier with strings from the Paris Sym- phony. That movement, with segments featuring Latin rhythm, occasionally sounds like one of those Carmen Miranda production numbers of the Forties-you remember those things, Spanish couples dancing on oversized conga drums beneath the paper palms. How- ever, such banalities are brief and inevitably rescued as Duke shifts gears. Non -Violent Integration is a prepossessing little piece originally performed (under another title) in 1949 by the Robin Hood Dell Orchestra. Here it's rendered with members of the Hamburg Symphony, and includes solos by Duke, 01. Johnny Hodges, Buster Cooper, Jimmy Ham- ilton, Paul Gonsalves, Cat Anderson, and the first oboist of the Hamburg Symphony. Har- lem, which ends this collection, is one of Small speaker. Big price. Duke's most ambitious and interesting works Sure, it's expensive. But if you How do we get this kind of employing a symphony orchestra. Recorded sound in such a compact size? First, with members of the Paris Symphony, it fea- don't mind paying for it, Interface:A tures the Ellington Orchestra more promi- can give you just about everything there's our unique vent substitute nently than does a later Decca version with you've ever looked for in a speaker 12 -inch radiator. It goes all the way Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Symphony. system. down to 32 Hz within 3 dB (hon- but both recordings can be recommended as Like accuracy. Clarity. A re- estly). Then, tweeters mounted successful fusions of rather disparate musical sponse range wide enough to han- front and rear ensure flat response cultures. dle any recorded program material. and uniform dispersion. And finally, Duke recorded his First Sacred Concert for Greater efficiency (more sound per an integral equalization unit. Victor in 1965, and lived to perform it in more So take your favorite record than fifty churches, cathedrals, and temples watt) than any competitive speaker throughout the world. The Second Sacred its size. down to your lnterface:A dealer for Concert, captured in full on this two -record All in an enclosure whose vol- a listen. When you decide to buy, Prestige set, saw its premiere in New York in ume is a mere 3/4 cubic foot. bring $450. January 1968 before a capacity audience in the huge Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. With Ellington's death, last May, and as more and more vital members of the or- Interface:Am chestra either retire or pass away, these re- cordingsbecomeincreasinglyimportant because Ellington composed specifically for ElectroVoiceINC. his orchestra and itsindividual members; agUltailcompany others play his music, but only he and those for whom he wrote could accurately render Dept. 254F, 616 Cecil Street, Buchanan, Michigan 49107 the sounds he intended us to hear. CIRCLE NO. 17 ON READER SERVICE CARD 99 FEBRUARY 1975 demands,plunkingpredictablesovera rhythm section that sounded like some Ham- mond organ attachment. Sadder still was to hear Hancock -on the same program -dis- miss the music that first brought him prominence and cite Sly Stone as his idea of "where it's at." But Hancock is still capable of something else, as he clearly demonstrates in his performances in this album-recorded last MarchundertheleadershipofBennie Maupin. If I seem to dwell on Hancock, it's because this group consists mostly of men who have been associated with him over the past couple of years. What Bennie Maupin, Hancock's regular saxophonist, gets out of these players RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT bears little resemblance to their recent output PETER COOK & DUDLEY MOORE:Good under Hancock's leadership: the compositions Evening.Original Broadway -cast recording. here-all by Maupin-emphasize the melodic Peter Cook and Dudley Moore (comedians). and harmonic rather thantherhythmic; Hello; Madrigal; Six of the Best; One Leg the soundisacoustical rather than elec- Too Few; The Frog and Peach; Die Flabber- tronic; clichés and predictable patterns have gast; Gospel Truth; Mini -Drama. ISLAND been avoided. Most horn men in Maupin's ILPS 9298 $6.98. position would have seen a date of their own as an opportunity to step out of the back- Performance: Funny ground and release stored -up energy, but Recording: Very good Maupin has wisely chosen a different route. Mr. Moore and Mr. Cook, after breakingup He has taken the tools at Hancock's disposal Broadway audiences for a full year with their and demonstrated what can be done with two -man entertainmentGood Evening,have them, and he has reintroduced us to Hancock finally put the highlights of their showon a stripped of his pop -chart aspirations. disc for the record -buying public, and I don't "The Jewel in the Lotus" will not send you think any of their admirers (count me as one) finger -popping and hip -wiggling down aSoul are going to be disappointed. Mr. Moore, a Train"walk," butitwill survive anything devil of a musical satirist who can reduce the Herbie Hancock has involved Bennie Maupin entire repertoire of the French art songor the in for his recent Columbia albums. C.A. complete works of Benjamin Britten to hash just by raising his harrowing voice in mimicry, DICK WELLSTOOD:Dick Wellstood and His is not as well represented here in that depart- All Star Orchestra Featuring Kenny Davern. ment as he was inBeyond the Fringe,but he Dick Wellstood(piano);KennyDavern does sing a "bawdy" Elizabethan madrigal CIRCLE NO. 35 ON READER SERVICE CARD (soprano saxophone).Sweet Substitute; Once that should put the entire madrigal business, in Awhile; Winin' Boy Blues; Smiles; Georgia not to mention the Deller Consort, out of on My Mind;and five others. CHIAROSCURO commission for some time to come. Most of CR 129 $6.98. the time, however, like some British Bob and Expensive Performance: Crisp Ray injected with a mania -producing serum Recording: Crackling by a mad scientist, Moore and Cook are busy Stereo doesdt with less recondite targets -a Member of Par- If Dick Wellstood has a style of his own, it is liament's traumatic experience with a nerve- have to be. hard to pinpoint. The influences of Fats Wal- wracking cabbie who gets instructions over ler, James P. Johnson, Jess Stacy, and other his intercom like "Pick up torso," carries a piano individualists are much in evidence in gun in his glove compartment, and seems hell- Our CHEAP his playing. But, compensating for his lack of bent for bloodshed; an encounter, which in catalog shows how. stylistic originality, Wellstood's imagination less tactful hands could be hopelessly taste- produces an absorbing earful of jazz piano less, between a theatrical agent and a crippled Mail the coupon for your FREE copy of history executed with dazzling technique. actor out after the role of Tarzan; and an ex- our 25t/ catalog. With it, you'll save on These days, Wellstood frequently teams up cursion to an understandably empty suburban over a hundred brands of fine components. with soprano saxophonist Kenny Davern for restaurant called the Frog and Peach, with its Bonus features-a pull-out "Hifi Primer" New York club appearances, and this album hair-raising specialties. The next best thing section to get you started, our own Test captures eight of their duets plus a solo track toseeingMoore and Cook understate their Reports, plus articles on tape equipment by each (despite the album title, there'sno way into the realms of satirical madness is to and 4 -channel. Write for your copy today. orchestra). Whether striding, ragging, or play- hear themin their own sketches; one only ing a simple blues. Wellstood is in fine form wishes Island Records had gone for broke and throughout. Davern plays well, too, especially recorded everything. There are too many gig- inWild Man Blues-aSidney Bechet favor- gles on the track, some of them baffling in the Midwest Hifi ite - and WHOLESALE Fast as a Bastard(which is credited light of what a mere listener can't make sense and Mail Order Division to him and Wellstood, but is actually Duke of-or nonsense of, for that matter-but at Ellington's oldJubilee Stomp!)yet he is not least the laughs don't sound post -dubbed. A quite in Wellstood's league. This is particu- good evening indeed. P.K. larly evident inCashmir and Togas, asolo performance which also reveals his shortcom- THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD 1626 Ogden Avenue ings as a composer. (Miklos Rozsa). Original -soundtrack record- Downers Grove, Illinois 60515 13121 852-5885 All in all, however, this is a spirited album ing.Rome Symphony Orchestra,Miklos 3309 E. Carpenter Freeway that captures well a flavor of the past. But I R6zsa cond. UNITED ARTISTS UA-LA308-G Irving, Texas 75062 beg to differ with annotator William F. Buck- $6.98. [2141 254-9771 ley, Jr. (yes, you read correctly), who con- Call for a quote. Lines open l-4pv, CST tends that Davern "is the man who can make Performance: Occidental -Oriental Recording: Good r WellstoodsoundbetterthanWellstood INAME alone." Wellstood is alone on Cole Porter's Miklos Rozsa is an illustrious member of the So In Love,and that is the album's finest I ADDRESS musical "Hollywood Hall of Fame," a group track. C.A. (Continued on page 103) LLITY/STATE ZIP ISR5-02/j 100 CIRCLE NO. 30 ON READER SERVICE CARD STEREO REVIEW of composers who left their native Europe graph record -although the album does come after early triumphs of their works in the con- with a "hexaflexagon" that can keep the en- cert hall and settled in Southern California terprising purchaser busy for hours folding a to write mammoth scores for the movies. Like length of colored cardboard into amazing Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Dmitri Tiomkin, shapes; goodness knows one has to do some- illIGE and Max Steiner, R6zsa always has taken his thing while enduring the songs fromThe BRAND role as composer quite seriously, whether he Magic Show!Mr. Schwartz, who produced smucc°,,,Isimous the album with Phil Ramone, has provided a wa4 writing for the screen or aspiring to the COMPONENIS orchestral repertoire. Born in Budapest, he full set of lyrics in clear print on the inner SIEREO studied in Leipzig at the Conservatory of sleeve. Unfortunately, reading the words of Music, and his compositions include ballet numberslike Solid Silver Platform Shoes, scores and chamber pieces as well as sym- Two'sCompany,Charmin's Lament,andThe phonic works. Most of us, however, remem- Goldfarb Variations (!)only serves to empha- DISCOUNTS ber him mainly for the striking ghostly pas- size their utter weightlessness, despite a scat- sages he contributed to the soundtrack of tering of deft lines. He has certainly provided ON NATIONALLY ADVERTISED TURNTABLES CARTRIDGES Hitchcock'sSpellboundand his appropriately Broadway with more glittering material in the harrowing music forThe Lost Weekend. I past. In fact, the only item of any distinction COMPACTS RECEIVERS doubt if any but the most devoted fans could or real bite-a bitter, clever monologue called AMPLIFIERS TAPE RECORDERS whistle you an air out of the music forThe West End Avenuewell sung by Dale Soules - Wholesale Prices! Audio Warehouse Sales, Four Feathers, The Thief of Baghdad, Quo has to be dragged by the heels into the plot of One of the Capitolslargest stereo whole- Vadis. Ben Hur.orA Double Life-although The Magic Show.And even that one could salerswillfilland deliverallyour mail the last two, as well as the score forSpell- have done with a bit of sharpening. P.K. orders promptly in factory sealed cartons, bound,brought him Academy Awards. at prices that will amaze you. Dr. R6zsa's scores are typical of the big VINTAGE RADIO BROADCASTS:Fred Al- Writefor quote on Famous Brand, symphonic approach that may not yield much len.Broadcasts of October 28,1945, and Stereo Components. We guarantee reward for the attentive ear alone but can stir April II. 1948. Fred Allen (comedian); Basil satisfaction. up quite an emotional storm as subliminal Rathbone. Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen, accompaniment to the doings on screen, espe- and the DeMarco Sisters (guests).MAR-BREN cially when there is plenty of physical action MBR 741 55.98 (plus 50¢ for shipping and or a demand for the kind of Big Biblical Sound handling from Mar-Bren Sound Company, he scored for such epics asSodom and Go- 420 Pelham Road. Rochester. N.Y. 14610). AUDIO deals SALES morrah. The Golden Voyage of Sinhad Performance: Endearing and enduring E. with sailor Sinbad's perilous adventures, in- Recording: Pretty good WAREHOUSEAVE.N. cluding combat with gigantic centaurs, en- NEWYORK counters with oracles, pursuits by enemies. Once upon a time, as we've probably all heard 3310 D.C.20002 and other lively doings on the high seas ad nauseamby now, when radios were WASHNGTON, around Arabian Nights country.Rosza's shaped like little cathedrals and trios of sisters (202)83'2.-1616 score for what sounds like a real old-fashioned made fortunes by singing "doodle-ee-doo" in Hollywood "action drama" is itself heavy on close harmony over the nation's microphones, CIRCLE NO. 7 ON READER SERVICE CARD the action, as -it ought to be, with just enough life was just oneFred Allen Showafter an- of Kockily, Gliere, and Rimsky-Korsakov to other for many of us. Allen, a wry, suave, na- make it comfortable for the movie-goer who sal character with a celebrated pair of bags un- wouldn't want irrelevant experimental effects der his eyes and an adder under his tongue, distracting him from the visual action (never- used to regale his listeners with journeys down theless, there are a few). The score, which the an imaginary street called Allen's Alley, where Gmat composer himself describes as being in his the blowhard Senator Claghorn, the bucolic "finest Oriental mood." is given an energetic Titus Moody, and Mrs. Nussbaum ("You Listenig going-over by the Rome Symphony Orchestra were expecting maybe Dinah Shnorrer?") under his direction and will no doubt make a would be waiting to discuss some topic of the Pleasure respectable addition to the libraries of collec- week with their sardonic interviewer. There tors who prize this sort of album. Personally. would also be the comic -strip voice of Port- -d;\ Doesn't I prefer myH dry Jcinos neat. P.K. land Hoffa to fence with Allen in brisk ex- changes, skitsin the form of take -offs on THE MAGIC SHOW (Stephen Schwartz -Doug topical themes, and musical interludes pro- Henning).OriginalBroadway -castrecord- vided by the De Marco Sisters and Al Good - ing. Cheryl Barnes, Annie McGreevy, Dav- man's orchestra. Cheap. id Ogden Stiers, Anita Morris, Robert Lu- Was itallreally funny -or has memory Pone, Lloyd Sannes, Ronald Stafford. and greened the reality? Well, Mar-Bren Sound Doug Henning (vocals); chorus and orches- has now released a disc to settle the matter: ...OrDoesIt? tra, Stephen Reinhardt dir. BELL 9003 $5.98. yes, Fred Allen's broadcasts were really funny, and have stood the test of time better than Performance: Unmagical a lot of us. Side one offers a show in which the Recording Verygood topic is jobs for women, about which Senator The Magic Show kept thismember of the au- Claghorn is less than enthusiastic, for, as he Yes, it does! We'rd one of the dience at the Coil Theatre in New York,points out, "a woman could never be the fa- country's largest Mail Order openmouthed in a state of wonder, but it cer- ther of our country." Later in the show, Houses of Stereo Equipment and tainly wasn't Stephen Schwartz's songs that there's a courtroom trial featuring Charlie components. We pass our volume provided the magic. The excitement ofThe McCarthy, and there's an execrably recorded buying power right along to you. Magic Show,on the contrary, came from the stretch by Al Goodman's orchestra of the absolutely inexplicable tricks performed on pretty vintage tuneLullaby of the Leaves. the stage by magician Doug Henning, each The sound is better on side two, which is of them more baffling than the last, until the more of the same. And the period Ford tereo final miracle of mummery that I won't give commercials are heard intact. The Mar-Bren away. The story was only a skimpy scaffold- people, by the way, who put this one out, plan olesalers ing to hold the magic acts together, and the to follow it up with a whole series of vintage NI/ is (out of copyright) radio on LP's. They also -WRITE FOR QUOTATIONS AND OUR score, although endearingly performed, LATEST FREE CATALOG! even shakier. offer "thousands of additional shows" on I suppose, even in the present state of our open -reel tapes and cassettes. A complete 7A Aylesbury Road technology, it would not be feasible to issue catalog can be obtained by sending 25¢ to the T:monium,Md.21093 301,252-6880 some of Mr. Henning's tricks on a phono- address listed above. P.K. CIRCLE NO 46 ON READER SERVICE CARD

FEBRUARY1975 pold hoped to find some princely post worthy of his offspring. That reward eluded him, but the time spent in Vienna was sufficient to acquaint his son with the Viennese concept of the four -movement symphony (J. C. Bach had indoctrinated him inthe three -movement type) which has, in the decades since, endless- ly enriched the musical world. Back, then, to Salzburg for a while, and to learning of a different sort: counterpoint and its complications. There were no symphonies to speak of in this year of 1769. By 1770, fa- CHOOSI\G ther and son were on the move again-this time to Italy. This was the happiest of Leo- pold's travel ideas, for it was the most produc- tive for Wolfgang-eyes open, ears pricked, SIDES senses aquiver to the new world of sound into which he had been plunged. Italy was a place By IRVING KOLODIN of both challenge and stimulation to which the young Salzburger brought his rich endowment and the cultivation to which it had already been exposed elsewhere. His response to the MOZART: THE EARLY SYMPHONIES brilliance, the play of passions, and the vivacity in the music of a culture new to him was so OFthe many distinctions that differentiate the Alps to Italy by the time he was fifteen. keen that the visit was repeated a year later. W. A. Mozart from his great colleagues, Leopold, of course, was looking for ways to For now (1771), at fifteen, he returns home one, without question, is unique: he is the reap the financial rewards due him for his to Salzburg a young man of the world cultural- only composer in history who became a mas- phenomenal luck in fathering a child wonder. ly speaking and, creatively speaking, an age- ter while he was still a Master ("too young," The son, however, was reacting to everything less man in a world of his own. And it was as the dictionary has it, "to be called mister"). he heard and saw in a way that made himjust here, in some foreordained coming to- Why this phrase is particularly applicable to something more than a prodigy: a4wonderful gether of instinct and evolution, action and the teenage master of the symphony is spelled child who had the capacity to mature into a reaction, that occurred the flash of combus- out in explicit detail and with exquisite justice wonderful man, the first truly international tion which fused everything to which his tal- by Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. musician (much more so than Handel) the ent and taste had been exposed over the Martin -in -the -Fields in a new Philips release world had known. This perception is embod- seven-year period that began with his visit to (6747 099, eight discs) titled "Mozart: The ied in Rossini's finely chosen words: "From London in 1764. It is all there in the sym- Early Symphonies." the moment that the North produced a Moz- phony that bears the number 14 (actually, he Just how Marriner's venture surpasses art, we of the South were beaten on our own had by then written more than twenty): hotly prior probes toward the same objective (an ground, because this man rises above all na- impetuous but coolly controlled, alive with early LP set on L'Oiseau-Lyre with Pierre tions, uniting in himself the charm of Italian the tensions of the south and rigorously dis- Colombo sharing the direction with Louis de melody and the profundity of German har- ciplined by the science of the north. It is a Froment, a Concert Hall set directed by Otto mony." witty, winning delight that shows Mozart's Ackermann, a Westminster treatment by Er- Through these Philips recordings we have, shining (A Major) morning face, the same that ichLeinsdorf, and therecent Deutsche thanks to Marriner's imaginative implementa- was to beam later through the Piano Concerto Grammophon release conducted by Karl tion of a skillfully wrought plan, the opportu- No. 23, the Violin Concerto No. 5, the Clari- Bohm) goes well beyond the energy of his nity to experience at first hand the molecular net Quintet and Clarinet Concerto, the Piano effort and the depth of his understanding. It attraction and the final coming together of the Sonata No. 11 (with its famous variations- derives from the thoroughness of a procedure elements of melody and harmony, the fusion finale), and, of course, the supple, well -coor- that takes in not only the authentic eighteen of that Rossini described so well. We can, in dinated Symphony No. 29. the first sequence (Nos.1 to 20; 2 and 3 are consequence, travel the instrumental route With the Symphony No. 14 as a plateau or spurious), but six in the posthumous sequence step by step (let us hope that someone, some a kind of base camp, Mozart would take off (Nos. 42 to 47). The last six are works of the day, will document the parallel vocal course urgently, unrelentingly, to reach the peak of early period which were unknown to Michel equally well), hear Master Mozart minding his the musical Everest it was within his power to when he completed his monumental Mozart p's and fs under the scrutiny of J. C. ("the achieve. Though there is sometimes a slide catalog in the 1870's. The total of thirty-one London") Bach in 1764 and Mozart the mas- back as circumstances of the moment do not itemsis completed by two "Lambacher" ter articulating in a work of his twelfth year permit him to put his better foot forward, the symphonies not included in either numerical (the Symphony in B -flat Major, K. App. 214, going is steadily upward, lost ground is quick- listing, four "mini -symphonies" derived from E. 45b, a work previously unknown to me) a ly regained, and exhilarating new heights soon operatic overtures and converted by Mozart first version of the pregnant four -note theme achieved. into symphonies through the addition of that was to begin the last movement of his last How to differentiate between early Mozart "spare parts" (finales, etc.) he kept on hand symphony a score of years later. and early Haydn? In a comment written some for such purposes, and an oddly nominated This thematic outcropping occurred during years ago for a set of Mozart symphonies "Symphony No. 55" in B -flat. a visit to Vienna in which the footloose Leo- conducted by Erich Leinsdorf (it took in the One can listen to these richly enjoyable works in the random sequence proffered by Philips and marvel at the rapid maturation of a mind capable of producing the most remarkable first symphony ever written (Mozart wrote his No. 1 in E -flat, K. 16, at the age of eight). Or one can seek out the interior rela- tionships and keep chronological pace with the agile brain and pulsating heart as they progress from the astounding to the miraculous in leaps and bounds that compact both time and distance. Before he was fourteen, Mozart had traveled, under his father's not wholly benign guidance, more than J. S. Bach did in his lifetime. He was in Paris and London before he was eight, in Vienna at eleven, twice across 104 MOZART'S EARLY SYMPHONIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER Philips Kochel Kochel- No. No. Einstein No. Year Place of Composition Adjusted Listing English

1 16 16 1764-5 London 1 4 19 19 1765 London 4 Leather 5 22 22 1765 The Hague 5 43 76 42a 1767 Vienna 5a Deodorant 6 43 43 1767 Vienna-Olmutz 6 none 45 45 1768 Vienna 7 7a App. 221 45a 1768 Vienna 7a ("Atte Lambacher") Stick. none none none 1768 Vienna 7b("Neue Lambacher") (first published 1965) 55 App. 214 45b 1768 Vienna 7c 8 48 48 1768 Vienna 8 One Man. 44 81 73/ 1770 Rome 9 47 79 73m 1770 Rome 10 45 95 73n 1770 Rome 10a One Scent. 11 84 73q 1770 Milan -Bologna 11 Why have one scent fighting 10 74 74 1770 Milan 1 la 42 75 75 1771 Salzburg llb another? When you use our 9 73 75a 1771 Salzburg 11c After Shave, complement it with 12 110 75b 1771 Salzburg 12 our Deodorant Stick. It's full of none 111 & 120 111 & 111a 1771 Milan 12a("Ascanio in Alba") 46 96 111b 1771 Milan 12b that same clean fresh English 13 112 112 1771 Milan 13 Leathers scent. 14 114 114 1771 Salzburg 14 With one application you get 15 124 124 1772 Salzburg 15 none 126 or 126 & 141a 1772 Salzburg 15a plenty of long -tasting coverage 161 & 163 ("II Sogno di Scipione") and deodorant protection. And 16 128 128 1772 Salzburg 16 itt your personal deodorant. 17 129 129 1772 Salzburg 17 18 130 130 1772 Salzburg 18 Only you use it. 19 132 132 1772 Salzburg 19 Pick up a sticK soon. So your 20 133 133 1772 Salzburg 20 underarms won't smell like none 196 & 121 196 & 207a 1774 Salzburg 30a ("La Finta Giardiniera") something none 208 & 102 208 & 213c 1775 Salzburg 30b ("II Re Pastore") else. NOTE: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 are omitted from the chronology because they are known not to be by W. A. Mozart. Sym- phony No. 7, minus the minuet, was reorchestrated as the Overture to La Finia Seniplice: this recording, though it does not specify Symphony No. 7, is of the symphony, not the overture. Symphonies Nos. 2 I through 30 would, presumably. be called "middle period" rather than early, and must wait for another album. entire 1 to 41 sequence), I likened Haydn to a B -fiat, K. 22: in D, K. 81 (K. -E 731): and in builder with musical blocks, Mozart to a G, K. 74." As the accompanying tabulation weaver of musical tapestries. With the benefit shows, K. 22 was separated from K. 74 by no of all the additional musical information made less than eleven symphonies. But the most available by scholars in the last decade and a confusing confusion comes in the statement: half, I would now say that Mozart's was the "To the same year, 1769, belongs the brilliant more interesting creative mind at any period C Major Symphony, K. 73. This is among the of its development. Haydn piled his blocks, first of Mozart's symphonies which offer an patiently, knowingly, into the structure that amalgamation of various Italian and Austro- became the symphony orchestra. Mozart in- German influences. . . ." Alas, Mozart did geniously wove his symphonic tapestries from not go to Italy for the first time until 1770, and the same threads that were going into his di- No. 9 is well known as a misnumbered prod- vertimentos and serenades, and only at the uct of 1771-it should more properly be iden- very last did he come close to the orchestral tified as Symphony No. I1 c. The brochure ensemble that Haydn was to perfect (in Lon- also does not explain why K. App. 214 (K. -E. don, of all places, where Mozart's journey had 45b) should be listed as Symphony No. 55. begun!) after his younger colleague's death. These recordings lead me to hope that con- Iwould be remiss, however, were I to end ductor Marriner will be given the opportunity without thanking Philips for giving us the to trace the remainder of Mozart's symphonic mini -symphonies evolved from the multi -part odyssey as he has the first part of it.I would overtures to La Finta Giardiniera, Ascanio in not, however, like to see that remainder ac- Alba,11Sogno de Scipione, and, most particu- companied by an album brochure of the same larly. Re Pastore, which is full -developed quality as the present one. Most of its content (sixteen -year -old) Mozart. I would describe has been culledindustriously from prior them not as dinner music-of which genre sources, and not always with an awareness of Mozart's catalog is famously full -but as pre - the possible pitfalls. This is, unfortunately, dinner music, something to be enjoyed while too often par for the phonographic course. downing an aperitif or cocktail. Ranging in (London Records has set an example-with length from 6'35" to 11'32", they could serve its Haydn symphony notes by H. C. Robbins as perfect timers for a steak, chops, or other Landon -that Philips might well emulate in short-term cooking project. Which one would serve what purpose would of course depend Deodorant any future, parallel projects.) Without going Stick into too great detail, I would point out that the on your preference for underdone, medium, SI 35 present brochure observes that "The three - or well done. But whatever way the dish movement, opera buffa-style pattern of the comes out, the aural pleasure experienced Available in Symphony [K. 16] was continued in Mozart's during the time of its preparation would be Canada. next four extant symphonies: in D, K. 19; in rare indeed. MEM COMPANY,INC Northvale,N.J.07647c1974 FEBRUARY 1975 105 CLASSICAL DISCS A\D TAPES Reviewed by RICHARD FREED DAVID HALL GEORGE JELLINEK IGOR KIPNIS PAUL KRESH ERIC SALZMAN

RECORDINGS OF SPECIALMERIT Emperor with Karajan is perhaps even more Rachmaninoff Second Concerto, may be as- impressive. It is big, bold, and genuinely sym- tonished by the lusty, assertive virtuosity dis- BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5, in Elicit phonic in concept, not stormy but truly majes- played here. Walter, as in all of his finest re- Major, Op. 73 ("Emperor"). Alexis Weissen- tic in the outer movements and achieving a cordings, simply makes one feel he is allowing berg (.piano); Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, dramatically contrasting level of intimacy in the music to speak for itself, with no gratui- Herbert von Karajan cond. ANGEL S-37062 the middle one. The mutuality between soloist tous overlay of "interpretation," and the or- $6.98. and conductor is extraordinary. A few phras- chestra itself is heartbreakingly beautiful. It Performance: One of the best es here and there are a little fussy, but never doesn't take more than the first entry of the Recording: Very good enough to get in the way of the sweeping of horns in the second subject to remind one that fect, both viscerally exciting and deeply satis- the prewar Vienna Philharmonic was glo- BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5, in Elicit fying after repeated hearings. The sound is riously unique, whether playing the Emperor Major, Op. 73 ("Emperor"). Walter Gieseking rich and full-bodied, and in every respect this Concerto or the Emperor Waltz. This was, I (piano);ViennaPhilharmonicOrchestra, is one of the best Emperors around. believe, the last concerto recording made by Bruno Walter cond. TURNABOUT (tip THS- Sonically, of course, the same cannot be Bruno Walter or the Philharmoniker before 65011 $3.98. said of the Gieseking/Walter version, but it is the War, as well as Gieseking's only recorded Performance: Memorable a sublime performance, surely the best of collaboration with this conductor, and as such Recording: Good transfer Gieseking's three recordings of this work. it is an interesting document. But it is, as I (His second one, with Karajan, is gone now; hope I have been able to suggest, a great deal Whenever it seems about time to call a mora- his last, with Alceo Galliera and in stereo, is more than that, and the transfer from the 1938 torium on further recordings of this or that on Seraphim S-60069.) This is big and bold 78's has been accomplished most success- "overexposed" warhorse, something in the too, with fewer contrasts than the Weissen- fully - and without artificial stereo. R.F. nature of Ristenpart's Brandenburgs or Hai- berg/Karajan and other recent versions, but tink's Scheherazade comes along to make us with a straightforward grandeur that is really glad we did not. There are plenty of fine Em- irresistible. Discophiles who know Gieseking RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT peror Concertos in our catalogs, but both of only from his very delicate Debussy and usu- BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 11, in B -flat these would be welcome if there were a ally small -scaled Mozart (except in the con- Major, op. 22; Fantasy in G Minor, Op. 77; hundred, and together they constitute a digest certos!), and who never heard him play the Sonata No. 24, in F -sharp Major, Op. 78. of exemplary musicianship of today and of the fabulous era that ended with the outbreak of ALEXIS WEISSENBERG: his Emperor is big, hold, and genuinely symphonic in concept World War II. It took some time for Weissen- berg to hit his stride as a recording artist-that is, to come across on records as effectively as he does in the concert hall-but his recent Brahms D Minor Concerto withGiulini (Angel S-36967) was a knockout, and his new

Explanation of symbols: * = reel-to-reel stereo tape * = eight -track stereo cartridge = stereo cassette = quadraphonic disc N = reel-to-reel quadraphonic tape = eight -track quadraphonic tape = quadraphonic cassette Monophonic recordings are indicated by the symbol ® The first listing is the one reviewed: other formats, if available, follow it.

106 STEREO REVIEW Rudolf Serkin (piano).COLUMBIA M32294 ate tempo for the first movement which large- sorts of material taken from other, quite tradi- $6.98. ly robs it of momentum-or so it seems, de- tional -sounding works is disconcerting- es- spite some outstandingly effective playing by pecially when the main theme from the re- Performance: Superb the various winds in their exposed passages. worked Turandot music turns outto be Recording: Good FerencFricsay, in his now deleted recording Greensleeves! No Pierrot Lunaire Expres- This joy -filled disc is a dual reminder: first, of the Fifth, took a similar tempo, but he in- sionism here, no turning inward, no beating of these three attractive works are not heard of- vested the music with the weight that made it the breast or gnashing of the teeth. Abstrac- ten enough, and second, Serkin has made far work more successfully than it does for Pre - tion and neo-Classicism seem equally far too few recordings in the last few years. This vin. The rest of Previn's performance is much away. Busoni's "modernism," like Ives', is a one is a gem. The sunlit Sonata in B -flat has more convincing, and I cannot imagine a more kind of idealistic pantheism that includes never been more appealing, nor its relative winning presentation of the Prometheus Over- Bach, Neapolitan songs, G reensleeves, waltz- neglect harder to understand, than in this af- ture, but the first movement rules this record es, a bit of pianistic display, and an elegy for fectionate but unsentimental realization, and out for me, and the sound quality itself is his mother. All of this in one rather unprepos- the two shorter works (both of which repre- hardly alluring. sessing set of piano pieces, some of them ex- sent remakes for Serkin) are "little" only in Davis gives a strong, brilliantly balanced, quisitely simple. terms of playing time. No one knows this absolutely uneccentric account of the Fifth: The Elegies storm no barriers, then, and no music better than Serkin, no one lovesit no startling revelations, but everything where history books will be rewritten upon their more; he plays it very beautifully, vigorously, one wants it (questions of repeats aside) for a continually imminent rediscovery. But this communicatively-and what more need be fully satisfying listening experience. The read- music will continue to be a matter for personal said? The surfaces of my review copy are ing has splendid flow and continuity, and the discovery and enjoyment, especially in attrac- rather gritty, but I would rather have these big proclamative moments are not allowed to tive, sympathetic performances and record- performances pressed on recycled emery degenerate into bombast. Crisp. well-defined ings like the one in hand. boards than do without them. R.F. sound (which enables us to hear Davis-or The Fourth Ballet -Scene is also a reworking someone-crooning along toward the end of of early material, originally composed in 1894 BEETHOVEN: Romance No. 2, in F Major, the slow movement) helps to make this the and reissued in 1913. Busoni's flirtation with op. 50 (see Best of the Month, page 83) only serious challenger to the Szell/Con- modernism seems to have passed this piece certgebouw version on the same label (Phil- by; itis vivacious pianism in three-quarter BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5, in C Minor, ips 802.769 LY) for pre-eminence among all time. There is no trace of the darker moods Op. 67; Overture to "The Creatures of Prome- single -sidedFifths. The stimulating Eighth that run through the Elegies; Busoni seems to theus," Op. 43. London Symphony Orchestra, on the new disc, too, is at least as bright, have been one early twentieth-century artist - Andre Previn cond.ANGELS-36927 $6.98, © vigorous, and thoroughly persuasive as any intellectual who could dance and sing forjoy! 4XS-36927 $6.98. other now current. B.F. Martin Jones is very much at his ease with the kind of difficult music that must ripple off the Interesting Performance: BRAHMS: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 fingers, and thisis a brilliant performance. Recording: All right (see Best of the Month, page 83) E.S.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT BUSONI: Elegies; Ballet -Scene No. 4. Martin RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5, in C Minor, Jones (piano).ARGOZRG 741$6.98. COUPERIN: Les Nations. Quadro Amster- Op. 67; Symphony No. 8, in F Major, Op. 93. Performance: Excellent dam.TELEFUNKENTK 11550/1-2two discs BBC Symphony Orchestra,Colin Davis Recording: Very good cond.PHILIPS6500 462 $7.98, © 7300252 $13.96. $6.95. Periodically someone rediscovers the won- Performance: Superb derful Busoni Elegies, but somehow they Recording:Superb Performance: Stimulating never seem to take. Busoni is an intriguing Recording: Very good and enigmatic figure whose reputation for Originally recorded on Telefunken SAWT Andre Previn takes the exposition repeats in prophecy never seems quite to square with 9476 and 9546 by the expanded Quadro Am- the first and last movements of the Fifth: Col- the old-fashioned ultra -romanticism of most sterdam in1968. the two discs containing in Davis does not. Hence the latter perfor- of his music. But his Elegies of 1907, each Francois Couperin's four sets of trio sonatas mance fits snugly on a single side, while the one dedicated to a young pianist in his circle, known as Les Nations have now logically former leaves only enough room for a short strike a distinctly original note. The open-been combined in one album. The music for overture instead of another symphony. But ing- significantly titled "After the Turningthese works was in part written in the early the matter of repeats is not the only difference Point:Self -Reflection" - setsatwentieth- 1690's, when Couperin was writing sona- between these two performances. Although century harmonic style, and the third piece, a tas in the Italian style. Two of the sonatas both conductors take the second movement choral prelude, is a profoundly moving work eventually wound up as the first sections in the rather broadly, Previn adopts a very deliber- of an unusual sort. But the appearance of all second and fourth of the present pieces, L'Espagnole and La Piemontoise, respective- WALTER GIESEKING:his Emperor has a straightforward grandeur that is irresistible ly;the rest of the movements, which are dances, are usually connected with the suite. A similar order prevails in No. I. La Fran - (wise, and No. 3, L'Imperial, the last work dating from about 1725 and the latest music contained in this important and diversified collection. Stylistically, these pieces represent Couperin at his very greatest, but they are very refined, sophisticated works in the typicalRococo manner.Although many listeners find this style of writing the hardest of the Baroque era to get to appreciate, it is well worth additional effort, even if the music doesn't roll into the ear as prettily as the average Vivaldi or Handel. Couperin never accurately specified the instruments he wrote for in these four large- scale sonata suites, and the two melody parts could be played equally well by winds, such as the flute or recorder, or by upper strings, such as the violin, with the continuo line played by harpsichord supported by either a viola da gamba or a cello. The Quadro Am - (Continued on page 110)

FEBRUARY 1975 107 66 ...averitable feast of Russian baritonesand basses..."

Galina Vishnevskava (Natasha) and Yevgeny Kihkalo (Andrei) in the ballroomscene

Kazakhstan, where he worked with Eisen- principal characters plus the glittering ball- Prokofiev. stein on the filmIran the Terrible.Through- room scene, remain substantiallyintact, out this period he lived with a young poet. while major cuts have been made in the Mira Mendelson, who became his second panoramic war scenes of Part II, notably the wife. The libretto was written by the two of Burning of Moscow and the final scene on them, with the touching scene between the the Smolensk Road -the very sections that wounded Prince Andrei and his alienated Prokofiev was encouraged to expand. The Peace fiancée Natasha as the starting point. Part I epic scenes of the work are a very mixed shows their first encounter at a country bag: the opening chorus is loud and blatant, house, Natasha's coldreceptionatthe and the Burning of Moscow, badly chopped house of the ultra -aristocratic Bolkonsky up in this version, is a disappointment. But family, and the scenes of her barely averted the scenes of the Battle of Borodino (grand MHE first release under Columbia's new seduction by the ne'er-do-well Prince Ana- choruses for the heroic Russian people, sin- .1 agreement with Russian Melodiya is tol Kuragin. But this highly romantic and ister brass for Napoleon and his generals) nothing less than a whopper: Serge Proko- personal setting did not meet with official and the blizzard music for the final scene are fiev'sWar and Peacein the Bolshoi Theatre approval, and Prokofiev revised the work, reminiscent of the best of AlexanderNet.sky production. Even in a pruned -down version, largely by adding to the scenes of the Battle andIvan the Terrible.Still, it is the other Prokofiev's major opus takes up four discs of Borodino, the Burning of Moscow, and opera, the original, intimate side ofWar and with a listed cast of thirty-five (over seventy the Retreat of the French. Since the revi- Peace,that evoked Prokofiev's best work. characters are named in the printed score) sions enlarged the work considerably, plans All of these scenes are brilliantly composed as well as the sizable choral and orchestral were made to present the opera in two eve- in a kind of Russianverismostyle, highly forces of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. nings, and Prokofiev accordingly enlarged it melodic, romantic, and dramatic in an almost Nor is the set impressive only in its dimen- still further by adding two major scenes: a Puccinian manner. The ballroom scene- sions:War and Peaceis a work of consider- ball in Part I and a war -council scene in Part one can hardly believeitwas an after- able interest, and it is ably realized here. II. As in the similar case of Berlioz'sThe thought - isbrilliant with that Mahlerian Prokofiev's setting of scenes from Leo Trojans,this solution was not a success; touch of irony Prokofiev loved (and used) so Tolstoy'sWar and Peaceoccupied him indeed, only the first part ever reached the well.AficionadosofProkofiev'sdance from 1941 until his death in 1953. It was stage in the composer's lifetime-in 1946 - scores, notablyRomeo and Juliet,will rec- patently impossible to include in an operaall and Prokofiev spent the last years of his life ognize this music right away. The whirl of of this extraordinary epic novel, not only the making the changes that he hoped would mazurkas and waltzes pervades this part of central work inRussian literatureafter make the full work acceptable and practica- the work and adds more than a twist or two Pushkin but considered by many the great- ble for a Soviet stage production. Another to the ironic success that Soviet composers est novel of the nineteenth century in any version, drastically shortened, appeared in have had with ultra -bourgeois nineteenth- language. Prokofiev's solution was simply to 1955, but the "complete" score (in what century forms. Indeed, except for these set certain key scenes-eleven originally, version it is not very clear) was published twists and theverismotouches, this work later expanded to thirteen-concerning the only in 1958. The Bolshoi production-the belongs very much to the nineteenth-centu- fate of a few of the main characters: Prince one recorded by Melodiya -was based on ry Russian operatic traditions - Borodin as Andrei Bolkonsky, Countess Natasha Ros- the score published in 1958 but is said to be well as Moussorgsky. And-more irony- tov, and Count Pierre Bezuhov. Ironically, modified by various suggestions made by the intimate and romantic characteristics of this rather intimate concept of the work was the composer himself (even though he died the work as well as its more baldly national- conceived and worked out during the dark- five years before the date of publication). istic aspects take the work away from Tol- est days of World War II. Prokofiev was Ironically, the original core of the work, stoy and his great novel. This opera can, in evacuated to the Caucasus and, later, to the scenes involving the private lives of the no sense, be interpreted asa settingof Tol-

108 STEREO REVIEW BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONIES NOS. 1 & 2 Academy of St. Martin -in -the -Fields/ stoy's War and Peace but only as a musico- PHILIPS Marriner 6500.113 dramatic treatment of a number of themes taken from the much larger (and greater) SAINT -SANS: work and adapted-almost as bits of folk- PRESENTS COMPLETE WORKS FOR CELLO AND lore or traditional historical tales might be - ORCHESTRA for musical purposes. Walevska, cello; Monte Carlo National Deeply flawed and unprogressive asit Opera Orchestra/Inbal 6500.459 may be, War and Peace is a work of tremen- BEETHOVEN: dous stature. Itis operatically engaging- SONATA NO. 31, OP. 110; extremely effectively written for the voice SONATA NO. 32, OP. 111 and full of impressive theatrical gestures. Bishop, piano 6500.764 Its arrival here in the Bolshoi Theatre ver- sionistherefore something of an event, MOZART: particularly since it marks the first Russian - SYMPHONIES NOS. 41 "JUPITER" AND 35 "HAFFNER" made Melodiya release by Columbia, which Concertgebouw Orchestra / Krips replaces Angel as the American musical 6500.429 agent of detente. Like most of the great Russian operas, TIPPETT: War and Peace is admirably written for the PIANO SONATAS, NOS. 1, 2 & 3 Crossley, piano 6500.534 specialqualitiesof theRussiansinging "THE DAVIS 'COSI' - THE ONLY 'COSI' " voice. Only the rich lower male voices really TIPPETT: suit our Western ideas of beautiful operatic FOUR RITUAL DANCES FROM singing, and this is, indeed, a veritable feast MOZART: COSI FAN "THE MIDSUMMER MARRIAGE"; of Russian baritones and basses-more than TUTTE CONCERTO FOR ORCHESTRA half the cast consists of parts in these cate- Caballe, Baker, Gedda, Royal Opera House and London gories. (The most impressive of these is Ganzarolli, Cotrubas, Symphony Orchestras/ Davis 6580.093 probably Pavel Lisitsian -as Napoleon, no Van Allan; Chorus & CHOPIN: less.) But, on home ground, so to speak, the Orchestra of the Royal COMPLETE WORKS FOR PIANO AND tenors and the women are almost equally Opera House/Davis ORCHESTRA strong. The genius of Russian opera lies in 6707.025 4 LPs Arrau, piano; London Philharmonic its way of mining a natural melodic flow out Orchestra/Inbal 6747.003 3 LPs of the language itself, and in this respect Prokofiev often succeeds very nearly as well TARTINI, BOCCHERINI, MERCADANTE: PHILIPS CONCERTI FOR FLUTE AND STRINGS as some of his illustrious predecessors. Rus- Gazzelloni, flute; I Musici 6500.611 sian singers with a command of their ex- Philips Imports. traordinary language are more important Because excellence is priceless. A Product of Phonogram, Inc. than singers with conventionally beautiful (that is,I talianate) voices. There is certainly CIRCLE NO. 33 ON READER SERVICE CARD a whole slew of such singers here, including a good percentage of the relatively few whose names have become known in the West. In short, it's an all-star Bolshoi cast. What would the ideal The chorus is, as one might expect, excellent. The orchestra is a bit rough-and-ready, and the musical direction operates on the "Das Lied Von Der Erde" basic principle of broad strokes. This is not b1"i, It would have to be conducted a subtle reading, but it makes its points in a most telling manner, and it is all extremely e line;by the Mahler conductor, well recorded. The accompanying booklet Leonard Bernstein. includes a transliteration as well as a convincing libretto translation. -Eric Salzman Only a handful of soloists would be acceptable. And nobody could perform a more heartwrench- PROKOFIEV:War and Peace.Yevgeny Kibkalo (baritone). Prince Andrei; Galina ing"Abschied"than Christa Ludwig. Vishnevskaya (soprano), Natasha; Valen- tina Klepatskaya (mezzo-soprano), Sonya; As for the tenor, an obvious choice would be YevheniaVerbitskaya(mezzo-soprano), Rene Kollo. Maria Dmitryevna Ahrosimova; Irina Ar- khipova (mezzo-soprano), Countess Bezu- Further, this ideal performance should be hova: Vladimir Petrov (tenor), Count Be- recorded in a concert hall, with all the warm and zuhov: Alexei Maslennikov (tenor), Prince Kuragin: Georgy Pankov (bass), Dolohov; realistic sound of a live performance. Kira Leonova (mezzo-soprano), Princess Presenting the Bernstein/Ludwig/Kollo"DasLied Maria Bolkonskaya; Alexander Vedernikov iratahfror (bass), Old Prince Bolkonsky; Boris Shap- Von Der Erde."Recorded withdos Iriciwys, (AR ER CIE enko (baritone), Denisov; Alexei Krivchen- frAre sovorq43.1.7//ecAorrig) ya (bass), Fieldmarshal Kutuzov; Pavel Lis- the Israel Philharmonic at frOiVAIAtiebEAWSTAEnV chrism 11,cfrev".9.4/vcfxrence-Arollo itsian (baritone), Napoleon; Mark Reshetin the Mann Auditorium isvawelpkiihAmAronfic (bass -baritone),MarshalBerthier;Vitali Beausset; in Tel Aviv. ilrorirps" Vlassov (tenor), Monsieur de -4. Artur Eizei (bass), Ramballe; Georgy Shul- KM 31919 pin (tenor), General Barclay de Tolly and A / Platon Karatayev; others. Chorus and Or- aP'044010(- chestra of the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Alexander Melik-Pashayev cond. CoLu to- BIA/MELODIYA SLS 837 four discs $27.98. On Columbia Records ,c and Tapes

n COLUMBIA t MARCAS REG PRINTED IN P (C, 1974 CBS Inc FEBRUARY 1975 109 sterdam, consisting of some of the mostgoing over as Fiedler gave it. Rhapsody in is not unreasonable to find in it-particularly knowledgeable players to be heard today, opts Blue-the only big work Gershwin didn't in the brilliant fugal finale- pre -echoes of for a varied treatment in which the upper lines orchestrate himself- needs allthe strident of the trio sonatas are played variously by such masterworks as the Piano Concerto No. energy conductor Slatkin brings to it;if it 20 (K. 466) and Don Giovanni, both also in D flute (or recorder) and violin, either mixed ordoesn't glitter, it doesn't work. The 'Second Minor, but such discoveries are hardly essen- two of each. This certainly provides variety Rhapsody, written for the movie Delicious as tial to the enjoyment of the work, which hap- and tonal contrast, although I don't find the Rhapsody in Rivets and undeservedly ignored pens to contain sunny episodes as well as older performance by the Jacobean Ensembleover the years, at last gets the full-scale, dramatic ones, and which, in any context, is with two violins, gamba, and Thurston Dart stirring performance it merits. The Concerto itself a masterwork. That there has beenno directing from the harpsichord (L'Oiseau- in F, with its startling shifts in mood and recording of K. 173 in our catalogs for the last Lyre S-137/8) in the least lacking in variety tempo, its high-tension allegro, city nocturne several years is a rather astonishing lapse, either. The latter players provide a slightly of an andante, and shrill, idiomatic, insolent corrected now in the grandest style imagin- more rhythmically incisive, virile rendition finale in musical New Yorkese, sounds won- able with the appearance of this disc,on which than the Dutch musicians, whose manner is a derful here. So do the I Got Rhythm Varia- the playing-both impassioned and impecca- bit more ethereal. In any case, in points of tions, as wily and witty a piece as Gershwin style neither group can be faulted. Telefun- ble-is hardly less magnificent than the music ever penned. If I felt any disappointment, it itself. The recording is also a summation, one ken's reprodUction has that wide-open, trans- was only an occasional vexation at the some- might say, of the nearly thirty productivesea- parent, and rich fullness that is characteris- timestoorefined approach of otherwise sons of the Quartetto Italiano and a milestone tic of so many of that company's zarly-music expert pianist Jeffrey Siegel. recordings. in the Philips engineers' refinement of their I.K. How refreshing also itis to hear Gersh- own art: all in all, a happy confluence. win's own Porgy and Bess Suite, Catfish All of the other works on this disc areusu- Row, repletewith characteristiccounter- ally played by a larger group of strings, but point, dressed in the spiffy orchestration that there is no suggestion of thinning -out here, was so much his own, and containing the and surely no other current recording of these Jazzbo Brown piano solo that was eventually engaging divertimentos captures quite the dropped from the opera: here itis played marvelous balance of elegance and infectious earthily by pianist Barbara Liberman, along joy of these zestful performances. In the with a section called "Porgy Sings," the excit- case of the Adagio and Fugue a strong argu- ing "Hurricane Music" from the third act, and ment can be made for the string -orchestra an "Occupational Humoresque" that brings version, best exemplified by the majestic everything to a high-spirited energetic close. Klemperer performance (Angel S-36289), but Mr. Slatkin also leads his forces through an to this work, too, the Italians bring such un- unabashedly period treatment of An Ameri- derstanding and conviction that their four in- can in Paris; the delightful Promenade-the struments are more than adequate to convey dog -walking music composed for the film and sustain its awesome weight -and with a Shall We Dance-a more interesting workgreater sense of urgency than in any other here than it seemed under Andre Kostelanetz recording of it with any number of strings. in a Columbia collection; and the first "seri- With this release Philips completes the pre- ous" work by the composer, an adaptation sentation of the Quartetto Italiano's Mozart for string orchestra of his Lullaby for string cycle except for the heart of it, the six quar- quartet written in1919, harboring hints of tets dedicated to Haydn, which will no doubt songs to come like The Man I Love and Has be along shortly. In general,Ihave found Anyone Seen Joe? What with the handsome more pleasure in the early quartets than the box all this comes in, the informative notes by late ones in this project, and I think this disc is Gershwin expert Edward Jablonski, and the the most striking of all.I am only sorry the QUARTETTO ITALIANO noninflationary price tag,thisis an album series apparently will not include the four so- A happy confluence with Mozart every Gershwin lover should want to get his called "Milanese" quartets (K. A nh. 210-213); hands on, no matter how many Gershwin even if there are questions about their au- records he already owns. RECORDING OF SPECIALMERIT P.K. thenticity, they are far too attractive to remain unavailable, and 1 hope Philips and the Quar- GERSHWIN: Concerto in F; Lullaby; Catfish KODALY: Hary Janos Suite (see The Basic tetto will reconsider. (In the meantime, Vox Row, Suite from Porgy and Bess; An American Repertoire, page 59) would be doing a genuine service by reissuing in Paris; Promenade; Rhapsody in Blue; Sec- its old Barchet disc, originally released in ond Rhapsody; "I Got Rhythm" Variations. MIASKOVSKY: Cello Concerto, op. 66 (see 1952 as PL 7480.) R.F. JeffreySiegel(piano);Barbara Liberman PROKOFIEV) (piano, in Catfish Row); other soloists; Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin MOZART: Die Entfiihrung aus dem Serail; RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT cond. Vox QSVBX 5132 three discs Der Schauspieldirektor (see Best of the Month, NIELSEN:Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 ("The $10.98. page 82) Inextinguishable"). Los Angeles Philharmon- Performance:Clarion clear ic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta cond. LONDON Recording: First-rate CS -6848 $6.98. RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT There have been headier and more vigorous MOZART:String Quartet No. 13, in D Minor Performance: Excellent performances of some of Gershwin's big (K. 173); Divertimento in D Major (K. 136); Recording:Excellent works, but here a certain style and total com- Divertimento in B -flat Major (K. 137); Diverti- Mehta shows profound feeling for this sym- prehension saturate everything, and the sound mento in F Major (K. 138); Adagio and Fugue phony; he has evidently approached it with in the quadraphonic version is a revelation. in C Minor (K. 546). Quartetto Italiano. PHIL- due regard for the Nielsen tradition but is in The Saint Louis Symphony seems in wonder- IPS6500 645 $7.98. no sense restricted by it, and his orchestra is ful shape under Leonard Slatkin. Despite a at the top of its form. The performance, like lifetime of familiarity with this music, I had Performance: Splendid Recording: Likewise those of Igor Markevitch (Turnabout TV -S never realized how much Gershwin favored 34050) and Jean Martinon (RCA LSC-2958) circusy instruments like the xylophone, how The early D Minor work with which Mozart in their different ways, is not merely exciting essential the resources of percussion are to concluded his cycle of six "contrapuntal" but deeply communicative and luminous with the sparkle he sought, how big and sturdy and quartets in the summer of 1773 (in response insight. A fine sensitivityis shown in the theatrical his arrangements really are. His to the stimulus of Haydn's Sun Quartets, Op. numerous sections calling for really soft play- Cuban Overture, here complete and as writ- 20, as the later half -dozen dedicated to Haydn ing (still more of a rarity than it ought to be in ten after his visit to Havana in 1932, is a was touched off by that master's Op. 33 set) is orchestral recordings), the appropriate fervor package tour but a highly satisfying one, and a magnificent summation of the seventeen- is displayed in the more proclamative epi- it is given the alert, affectionate treatment it year -old composer's achievement in terms of sodes, and the London/Decca engineers have requires- though not, to be sure, as steamy a expressiveness as well as mastery of form. It provided a generally excellent sonic frame. 110 STEREO REVIEW (They did not succumb to what must be an est ButterflyI know of-and, although the enormous temptation to blow up the timpani sustained lyric flowis often admirable, at battle in the finale to several times life-size, times matters are carried too far. The melan- but in their restraint they provided a little less choly pace he sets for Pinkerton's "Dovunque separation between the two sets of drums al mondo" not only goes against the composer's notation of Allegro sostenuto con spirito, RODRIGO: than one might wish.) In all, this is a distin- CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ guished addition to the Nielsen discography it also notably contradicts Pinkerton's light- PARISH-tkiR;S:;4aNCERTO hearted pronouncement. Similarly,theButter- and perhaps the most all-round successful Scanlan National Orchestra stereo recording of the Fourth; it deserves the fly -Suzuki duet "Scuoti quella fronda" (Act FR)HBECK OE MAWS highest recommendation, though many admir- II), while beautifully sung, moves without ers of the work (including the undersigned) animation at a pace nowhere near the quick will want it only in addition to, rather than in- tempo Puccini set for it. But these almost stead of, the Markevitch and/or Martinon. perverted idiosyncrasies must be measured R.F. against a magisterial skill that, among other things, makes a tone poem of the Intermezzo. Mirella Freni is the ideal Butterfly to fill this S-37042 If you've enjoyed RECORDING OF SPECIALMERIT Karajan frame-delicate in tone, subdued in Rodrigo's magnificent guitar concerto, wait until you hear PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 2,inG passion, yet immensely touching in her heart- this. The composer himself Minor,Op.63.David Oistrakh (violin); Phil- break. She does not pull out all the stops for arranged it for Zabaleta's harp. harmonia Orchestra, Alceo Galliera cond. "Un bet di vedremo"; that aria is but one of ALBINONI: ADAGIO Mendelsohn: Scherse MIASKOVSKY: CelloConcerto,Op.66. the many high points in a portrayal that relies Mendel: Minuet ravar.-I Pastoral Symphony Mstislav Rostropovich (cello); Philharmonia on a minimum of conscious effect, allowing Mozart: March in D & Sleigh Ride Bach: Sinfonia cav.raverat Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent cond.SERA- the voice's natural expressiveness to carry the Air Pachelldel: Cron Beethoven:12 ContradenCee PHIMS-60223 $3.98. music. I found her entire performance haunt- PARRinER ing, and I was particularly impressed by her Academy or Sr Haan- )ettur Fields Performance:A-1 way with the inspired phrase "rinnegata e fel- Recording:Excellent ice," the exquisite pianissimo in "un bene di Put this Seraphim disc down as a best buy by bambino" in the Love Duet, and the tender any standards, for the late David Oistrakh lullaby in the third act. Luciano Pavarotti never sounded more ravishing tonally than in reaches his peak in the Love Duet also, espe- S-37044 Ten short orchestral this recording of the Prokofiev Second Violin cially in the dolcissimo "Bimba dagli occhi pieces highlighted by the Concerto. The orchestral teamwork by Gal- pieni di malia." With his tasteful and tonally sensuous Adagio. It's an album you'll love to give and liera and the Philharmonia is of a piece with flawless singing he makes Pinkerton a rather love to own! the soloiSt's own conception: elegantly lyrical likable figure, but the lack of character projec- and transparent, but free of egregious senti- tion may be traced to Karajan's neutralizing mentality. This has always been one of my influence. favorite Oistrakh recordings, and it's good to Christa Ludwig is a dream Suzuki and have it available once more. Robert Kerns a subdued but generally pleas- The Rostropovich recording of the Mias- ing Sharpless. Only Hans Helm as the solid kovsky Cello Concerto has been something of Imperial Commissioner projects an individual a rarity since its initial release by RCA Victor profile; the other supporting singers blend, in 1957. Its content is somewhat more bland more or less facelessly, into the homogenized in musical substance than the Prokofiev, but Karajan background. Marius Rintzler is prob- the piece as a whole is elegantly crafted and is ably a very effective Bonzo, but his angry ut- S-37061 We think Rimsky- eminently listenable in this recording.D.H. terances are swallowed up by the orchestra in Korsakov would have applauded one of the set's few technical miscalculations. Rostropovich's version of his masterpiece. Not everybody The orchestral sound itself is beautiful, most agrees. What do you think? RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT balancesarewell othervocal -orchestral The Orchestral Music Mirella Freni judged (though the orchestra virtually drops of Debussy Album 1 PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly. The Children's Corner (soprano), Madama Butterfly; Luciano Pava- out during a brief portion of the Love Duet), Petite Suite La Plus qua lento Dense (Tarantella and the overall aural impression conforms to styrienne) germs. herotque rotti (tenor), B. F. Pinkerton; Christa Ludwig 'Me French NOrMll Rada Orchestra (mezzo-soprano),Suzuki;RobertKerns the conductor's obsession with euphony, at MmanNON (baritone), Sharpless; Michel Senechal (tenor), times at the expense of spontaneity. Goro; Giorgio Stendoro (baritone), Yama- In sum, this is not a Madama Butterfly to dori; Marius Rintzler (bass), Bonzo; Hans overwhelm you emotionally. A measure of Helm (baritone),Imperial Commissioner; artificiality intrudes on your contemplation of others. Chorus of the Vienna State Opera; its beauties. But the beauties are there. G., I. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von S-37064 The first in a series Karajan cond. LONDON OSA 13110 three SIBELIUS: The Tempest, Op. 109, Suites Nos. of 3 volumes. All 5 selections discs $20.94. 1 and 2; Scaramouche,Op.71.Hungarian here were originally written for State Symphony Orchestra, Jussi Jalas cond. solo piano. Orchestrally, they are made even more beautiful. Performance:Compelling LONDON CS 6824 $6.98. good MOZART Recording: Very SINFONIA CONCERTANTE Performance:All right IN E FLAT Thisisnot a radically innovative perfor- VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 2 Recording: Good DAVID OISTRAKH Na.. mance, but it is sufficiently individual that it STRAITHAHAH will not please all tastes. Karajan's imprint is The incidental music for The Tempest was, I BERLIN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA its most distinctive feature; Mirella Freni and believe, Sibelius' last composition for orches- Luciano Pavarotti would be outstanding inter- tra (following Tapiola by a year or so), and is preters with any good conductor, but, for bet- quite possibly the most fascinating collection ter or worse, not quite the same as they are of short orchestral pieces by any composer of here. this century. For years it has been represent- Karajan eschews the full-blooded Italian ed on records by only an occasional snippet or two at best -that is as much of Beecham's S-36892 David Oistrakh is approach to this opera. He creates a delicate violinist, violist and conductor aural framework for it, and within that frame- 1955 recording of the two suites as Columbia in this Mozart program. work he weaves his customary magic spell ever chose to release in this country. The ab- Two of his last recordings, with subtle shadings, perfumed sonorities, sence of this material from our catalogs was and possibly his finest. cannily built climaxes, and other manifesta- deplored when the Sibelius centenary was tions of his superb control over the vocal and observed nine years ago, but only now, with Angel orchestral forces under his command. His this new London disc, do we have the com- tempos are decidedly broad-this is the slow- plete Tempest music (minus the Prelude, I= CIRCLE NO. 4 ON READER SERVICE CARD FEBRUARY1975 1I1 which is more or less reprised in the final Helge Brilioth (tenor), Parsifal, Siegmund; movement of thefirstsuite). Norman Bailey (baritone), Klingsor; Orches- Because of my own long and deep enthusi- tra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Gar- 41111r- asm for theTempestscore and my respect for den, Leif Segerstam cond.PHILIPS dsche 6500 661 Gmanintoplum Jalas in matters Sibelian (based not on the cir- $7.98. cumstance of his being the composer's son-in- law, but on the insights demonstrated in nu- Performance: Good Recording:Good merous performancesIhave been able to hear), I was prepared, by way of reflex action, These "duets" (as they are called on the jack- to affix a "Special Merit" heading to this re- et) take in quite a bit of music: some thirty- view and perhaps send up a votive prayer or eight minutes in the second act ofParsifal, two. The votive prayer may be in order, sim- from the disappearance of the Flower Maidens ply for having this gap filled at last, but the to the end of the act, coupled with twenty- presentation of the music, while certainly three minutes containing practically the entire more than adequate, lacks much of the magic Siegmund-Sieglinde scene ofDie Walkiire's projected in earlier versions. first act. Itis good to have such substantial The disappointment one might feel in this chunks of Wagner available separately for matter is to some degree offset by the appear- those who do not wish to acquire these two ance ofScaraniouche-evidently a premiere operas in their entirety (five discs each). Be- recording. This is not incidental music, but sides, the present release offers Birgit Nilsson the entire score for a pantomime whose sce- in two Wagnerian rolesrarely associated nario recalls that of Bartok'sMiraculous Man- with her and not heretofore interpreted by her darin, whichwas composed and produced in on discs. the same period. Instead of grisly and garish 2530 473 She is still one of nature's wonders, defying verisrno,though, the music exudes the charm tessitura and riding over the orchestra with Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic of thecommedia dell' uric.(In his theater power to spare. As Kundry, she does not have Concertos 1, 2 & 3 139 005 music Sibelius was not reluctant to be charm- to resort to vocal overacting, as some singers Concertos 4, 5 & 6139 006 ing, as witness the earlyKing ChristianII do when the music gets too demanding. Nils- Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra music as well as the contents of this disc.) son makes her points vocally. with tones that Kubelik, Boston Symphony This work presents an almost unknown facet are firm and gleaming-though devoid of any Orchestra 2530 479 of Sibelius' musical personality, and its pres- seductive quality. What her Sieglinde lacks is Dvorak: Quartet No. 13 in G Major Prague Quartet ence confirms the disc as a major addition to theillusion of youthful rapture, but here 2530 480 the composer's discography. Beecham, Wa- Mozart: Flute Concertos K. 313 & 314 again the soaring vocal expression cannot be Karlheinz Zoller, English Chamber tanabe,eta/. have shown we can expect more faulted. Orchestra, Bernhard Klee2530 344 fromThe Tempest,and I am still hopeful that Helge Brilioth is as good a Wagner tenor as some canny record producer will get Watan- any before the public today. His tone is strong able to do a set of all of Sibelius' theater yet tender: in fact, moments of tenderness - Sound Spectaculars! music. R.F. Parsifal's contrite reminiscence of his mother. or Siegmund contemplating Sieglinde in the SMETANA:Polkas:Louisina; jiiinkovti; moonlight -find him at his best. The peak of 1812 Overture; Wellington's Victory From Student Life; Venkovanka; Bettina; To passionthat would make"Amfortas. die Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic 2538 142 Our Girls. Czech Dances Nos. 1, 2, 7, 8, and Wunde!"the overwhelming experience it can DRUMMING by Steve Reich 3 -LP set 2740 106 10. Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra. Fran- be is not achieved here. but that may be the tigek Jilek cond.SUPRAPHON110 1225 $6.98. result of Leif Segerstam's neat but rather sub- Performance:Spirited dued and unexciting orchestral contribution. Recording: Good Klingsor's scathing words are delivered by ciczy, Norman Bailey with moderate effectiveness. New Itisregrettablethat Smetana's charming GJ. piano dances are so little known beyond the Aiozo borders of his own country; if it were not for COLLECTIONS from Rudolf Firkusny we would probably never hear any of them here in their original form. From time to time various Czech musicians RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT have tried their hands at orchestrating some BAROQUE FLUTE SONATAS. Loeillet: So- Ludwig van Havrhown of the polkas and Czech Dances, but so far nata in F Major. Gaultier: Suite in G Minor. ry7 MC2-2 Cr:CZ E(E- none of their efforts have found a place in the Handel:Sonata in G Major, Op. I, No. 5. general repertoire, so what is offered on this Telemann:Sonata in F Major. from Der Ge- disc is new to most of us. Represented here, treue Musikineister.Vinci:Sonata in D Ma- in addition to two polkas Smetana actuallyjor.Blavet:Sonata No. 2, in F Major ("La composed for orchestra -Venkovanka (The Vibray").Andre Pepin(flute);Raymond Country Woman)andNaSim devam (To Our Leppard (harpsichord); Claude Viala (cello). Girls)-areten of his piano dances orchestrat- LONDONSTS 15198 $3.49. ed by six of his compatriots, the earliest of whom, Otakar Zich (1879-1934), was born Performance: Scintillating TA.ma, br....KVInlincM,iIpang lirruficr.V Recording: Good hiart Ruh the year the Czech Dances were composed. I can recall being more impressed when WalterThis very delightful selection of (mostly) so- Susskind conducted his own transcriptions of natas includes as its earliest work a suite by 2533136 the Czech Dances No. I (afuriant).No. 2 the seventeenth -century Marseilles compos- FAMILIAR MUSIC AS YOUVE NEVER (The Little Hen),and No. 10 (a skoend) iner Pierre Gaultier. The French style is also HEARD IT BEFORE! Saint Louis three years ago than I am now by evident in the F Major Sonata by one of the Beethoven: Melodies from Sonatas and the Ludmila Ulehlova, Frantigek Hertl, and later composers here, Michel Blavet (1700- Symphonies, arranged as Songs by Silcher Vaclav Trojan arrangements of the respective 1768), although by his time the Italian style Hermann Prey, L. Hokanson 253.3 121 pieces or by these recorded performances, but had pretty much penetrated France with a PLUS in general these are all effective settings, per- resulting mixture of national styles, Italian Complete Variations on a Waltz t y Diabelli formed with spirit and recorded in a warm (if allegrosinterminglingfreelywith French compositions by Beethoven, SchuDert, Liszt, Moscheles, Hummel, 28 others not particularly brilliant) ambiance. R.F. gavottes. Handel is well represented by one JOrg Demus, Hammerfkigel2 -LP 3et 2708 025 of his Op.I sonatas, and there are as well WAGNER:Operatic Excerpts. Parsifal: Scene excellent pieces by Telemann (a particularly Marketed in the U.S.A. by Polydor licorporated 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, N Y 10019 from Act II.Die Walkiire: Act I, Scene 3. invigorating Sonata inF), Leonardo Vinci Birgit Nilsson (soprano), Kundry, Sieglinde; (Continued on page 115) CIRCLE NO. 13 ON READER SERVICE CARD 112 STEREO REVIEW .44-404144,- 1;--7 oadup with blanks Buy two. Get one free. Here's a sure-fire way to save on the music tape BY CAPITOL premium quality blank cassettes and cartridges. Buy two and get a third one free You'll finc these special three -packs of cassettes (60 and 90 minutes) antkartridges (45 and 100 minutes) at participating stores while supply lasts. If you record music, quit horsing around with ordinary tapes. the music tape has greater sound sensitivity at both high and low frequencies, a better signal-to-noise ratio and less audible noise. Itis also mechanically superior. Cassettes and cartridges are jamproof. he cassette tape has our exclusive cushion-aireTTM backcoating to prevent static, jamming and dropouts. The cartridge tape is lubricated for smooth, evenwinding ndreds of passes. We make more bank cartridges than any other manufacturer. Infact, eve major music company uses our tape for prerecorded cartridges.There's no better time to try the music tape than now, when you can load up with blanks without shooting your budget. if you record ordinary things, use an ordinary tape. But if yourecord music, record on the music tape. BY CAPITOL EMI capitotT cassette cartridge open reel

REG TM OF RI CAPITOL MAGNETIC PRODUCTS CIRCLE NO. 5 ON READER SERVICE CARD 113 FEBRUARY1975 "...important, unlovable,but often movingmusic...."

ioned operatic stage? The orgyscene, of course; "The Dance Around the Golden Calf" is not only stage sex witha touch of class (Biblical source, twelve-tonerows so that you can't enjoy it too much, and lotsof operatic window dressing forsex as high culture) but also includes some of Schoen- berg's best and most accessible music.And therein lies the key to why henever finished the work. Moses und Aron is an opera with only three characters in it. Moses, scarcelyhu- man at all, has his head entirely wrappedup in difficult, abstract theologicalconcepts. Aron, his brother, has the job of translating abstract thought into something the ordinary fellow in the street can geta handle on-in short, into religion. When Moses disappears into the wilderness for forty days,Aron, severely pressed by his restless flock, gives them a solid image: the Golden Calf.Moses returns, sees what has happened, and, in despair, smashes the tablets. The thirdchar- acter in the opera? The chorus, the Israe- lites, the masses. It is immediately apparent that Schoen- berg has played out his own inner creative conflicts in the form of a great static drama. Schoenberg, like Moses, conceived of himself as a law -giver. He was always the phi- losopher, and his whole life and workwere guided not merely by ideas, but by hisquest for a central, unified vision-very much consonant with the unified Mosaic vision of creation and the Creator. But, ofcourse, the vision is not enough. Schoenberg, living and working in the real world, has to getup in the morning, put on his clothes, think about tones and rhythms, write notes onpaper, deliver them to rehearsal, suffer the inade- quacies of the flesh -and -blood musicians, and, Lord save us, expose his ideasto the

Exodus 32,19: ". . . he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneaththe mount." public, the great unwashed. Schoenberg, the aristocratic and intellectual Moses, has to be Aron too, whether he likes-it or not,or the acts of a major operatic work on the Biblical music simply remains in his -head. Whata Arnold subject of the conflict between Moses and contradiction! The most subtle and difficult the high priest Aaron. Although he always of philosophical abstractions must beex- intended to finish the work after his arrival pressed in that most worldly of art forms, Schoenbergs in America -I believe that at one point he the opera. And, irony of ironies, Schoenberg applied for a Guggenheim fellowship for the achieves his greatest success in "The Dance purpose and was rejected-Moses und Aron Around the Golden Calf"-the expression Moses und remained unfinished at his death in 1951. A of the triumph of the graven imageover the concert version of "The Dance Around the Idea. Golden Calf" had a remarkable popular "0 Wort, du Wort, das mir fehlt," success says ron in a performance by Hermann the defeated Moses at the end of Act II. It is Scherchen only a few days before thecom- not words that fail Schoenberg, however, poser's death. Moses und Aron was firstper- ONEdoes not ordinarily think of Arnold but the music for the third act. In the third formed in its entirety in 1954 and reached act, Moses -the Idea -was to triumphover Schoenberg as a man of the theater, but the stage as part of a contemporary music in fact his work is directly in the main line of Aron, the image -maker. But, in the end, festival in 1957 -a performance at which I Schoenberg could never be anything buta Wagnerian tradition and some of his most was present. The work was recorded and, important compositions are theatrical in one poor image -maker himself. What music surprisingly, has been staged a number of could he write to express the triumph of the sense or another. Moses und Aron was, times since. It has been produced in this however, his one attempt at a full-length inexpressible? None, of course. Theopera country by Sarah Caldwell's Boston Opera was finished, after all; not another note opera, and itis an astonishing, mind- and Company and had a rather notorious Cov- ear -boggling work. It is not merely the last could he have ever written. ent Garden production in Londona few What kind of experience is the recorded, gasp of Wagnerism but the ultimate of that years ago. But, until Philips released its new artistic paradox, Opera as Idea. purely sonic version of a twelve-tone orgy? Moses und Aron, there was no recentre- In 1933, exiled from Hitler's Germany, No heavy breathing here; yet, in its difficult cording of it available. way, this is Schoenberg's most sensuous Schoenberg returned to Judaism. Shortly What has earned this abstruse and philo- before, he had completed the text and two music. Aron is a lyric tenor, and some of his sophical work admission to the old-fash- melodic material - twelve-tone or not -is

114 STEREO REVIEW (1690-1730), who wrote many operas and tle pieces- Poldini'sDancing Doll,for in- oratorios, and Jean -Baptise Loeillet, Flemish - stance-but also a quality of piano recording really seductive. In the new recording great born but destined to make his career inthat, when heard in foul channels on top- creditis certainly due the Belgian tenor London. drawer equipment, is almost indistinguishable Louis Devos, who sings in an almost bel Andre Pepin, who Ibelieve played first in timbre and body from the sound of the in- canto style. The part of Moses, performed flute in the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, strument itself in a living room. by Gunter Reich in an imposing, somewhat has a beautifully sweet tone and a manner of Estrin's real flair, it seems to me-and this heavy-handed manner, isalmost entirely playing that brings out the entertaining char- is borne out in his Brahms and Rachmaninoff intoned in the speech -song technique that acteristics of this repertoire. There are some discs that I've reviewed here in past months- Schoenberg had invented many years ear- flutists who are keener stylists than Pepin, for lies in the deep-dyed Romantic idiom: Schu- lier. The choral writing, a combination of he is apt to play in longer phrases, he does not bert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Liszt, and speech -song, whispering, and twelve-tone always tackle his trills with an upper note be- Grieg. The other pieces are very beautifully singing, is rather remarkable and, in places, ginning, and he is a bit conservative about done, but with just a touch of heaviness in extraordinarily moving. The Interlude be- embellishments (although he does make some such as the Chopin A -flat Waltz and the De- tween the acts, "Whereis Moses?,"is very effective additions on repeats in slow bussyGolliwogg.The Bach pieces, unfortu- breathtaking. In other places, though, we movements). Nevertheless, together with his nately, must have been recorded at the height seem just barely able to get through the ex- able partners, he succeeds in making this mu- of the Manhattan rush hour, to judge from the position of choral exclamations and rows in sic sparkle. Raymond Leppard provides some traffic noise and the auto horn at the end of the densely packed counterpoint that stretches highly imaginative touches in his realization C Minor Prelude. And some of the music, I the singers' voices, our patience, and every- of the continuo harpsichord part, and the might add, is for pretty advanced students, at body's ears: the voice of the masses it ain't. whole has been recorded clearly and with least in terms of digital dexterity. The orchestral writing is typically Schoen- good balance though with less than ideal I haven't heard the first two volumes of this bergian, occasionally colorful and delicate, brightness in the treble. This recording, which series, but if they are on the same level as but most often heaving and screaming, with was originally issued in England four years these two, the series as a whole is a special great gobs of notes flying everywhere. Econ- ago, is just one more example of why collec- minor gem of the recorded piano -music litera- omy of means was never one of Schoen - tors should keep their eyes on the London ture. Quite frankly, the only thing I can recall berg's strong points. Stereo Treasury offerings. I.K. that comes near it is a remarkable perform- The singers in general and the chorus in ance of the MendelssohnSpring Songre- corded by Horowitz in the 1940's. D.H. particular are extremely well prepared, al- MERIT though they have been brought to a kind of RECORDING OF SPECIAL peak of precision where everything, words GRLA 1HI 1 S YOU PLAYED WHEN 1 OU RAGS AND TANGOS. Stravinsky:Tango; and notes alike, is spat out in crisp, German- WERE YOUNG - VOL. 3. Massenet:Thais: Ragtime: Piano Rag Music.Castro:Tangos. ic style. The rat -tat -tat -tat of the fast choral Meditation.Schubert:Impromptu in G -flat Milhaud:Tango desFratellini:Caramel- German is set against the highly Expres- Major.Poldini:Dancing Doll.Chopin:Waltz Mou; Three Rag -Caprices.Barber:Hesita- sionist orchestral writing in a way that be- in A -flat Major, Op. 69, No. I.Beethoven: tionTango.Thomson:Parallel Chords comes tiresome after a while. Michael Gie- Sonata in G Major, Op. 49, No. 2. Liszt:Lie- (Tango); Ragtime Bass.Grant Johannesen len is an excellent conductor and musician, bestraum.Grieg:To Spring.Satie:Gymno- (piano). GOLDEN CREST CRS -4132 $6.98. but he makes it quite clear that he considers pedie No. I.Debussy:Golliwogg's Cakewalk. Performance: Lively the work a kind of latter-day Handelian ora- Chaminade:Scarf Dance.Bach:Prelude in C Recording: Dry torio. The recording is almost like chamber Minor.Mozart:Allegro (K. 3).Schumann: music-indeed, in line with Schoenberg's Album for the Young: Knight Rupert.Morton The current revival of interestin popular frequent chamber scoring, it is often exactly Estrin(piano). CONNOISSEUR SOCIETY forms by the "serious" musicians is of course that. Such an attempt to clarify matters on CSQ 2065 $6.98. only another turn of the wheel in a by -now the part of the conductor and the producers familiar cycle. New World popular musicis exceptional and welcome. GREAT HITS YOU PLAYED WHEN YOU already on its way to dominating world popu- WERE YOUNG - VOL. 4. Falla:El Amorlar music-first hit Europe in a big way just HAVE I made it clear that this is impor- Brajo: Ritual Fire Dance.Dvoiiik:Humor- after World War 1. The first big wave was in tant, unlovable, but often moving music? It esque.Debussy:Clair de Lune.Bach:Musette France: Stravinsky, Satie, and the composers is really a dramatic work and one that grew in D Major; Minuet in G Major.Beethoven: ofLes Sixall produced important work under out of an irreconcilable conflict in the com- Sonatina in G Major.Schumann:Fanta- the spell. None of these composers knew it, poser's own life.Moses und Aron, asit siestacke, Op. 12: Warum?MacDowell:To a but they had long been anticipated in Ameri- stands, is a kind of musical tragedy, and its Wild Rose.Mozart:Sonata in C Major (K. ca. Ives, as usual, was there before anyone tragedy-its heroic defiance of the most 545).Reinhold:Impromptu in C -sharp Minor. else, but other composers -among them such tragic contradictions in the composer's own Chopin:Waltz in A Minor, Op. 34. No. 2. black composers as Scott Joplin and the now - life and work-is set forth with remarkable Mendelssohn:Venetian Boat Song, Op. 19, forgotten James Reese Europe, whose Army lucidity and self -insight. In his own thought, No. 6.Heller:L'Avalanche.Morton Estrin band brought ragtime to Europe in the first Schoenberg would never let the Aron side of (piano). CONNOISSEUR SOCIETY CSQ 2066 place -tooktook up the idea of amalgamating seri- his nature get the upper hand, but in the op- $6.98. ous and popular elements. Still later, in the era Aron triumphs. There is perhaps a les- Thirties, the trends toward a folk -like sim- Performance. Flawless models plicity and nationalism produced another crop son in that for us all. Recording: Superb Text and translation along with other of pop in the high -culture camps. material are given in the booklet that accom- I have always wondered whether the availa- Itis the first European and the second panies the Philips set. One oddity: there is a bility of student repertoire in good recorded American phases that are represented here in large photograph and biographical notice of performance would discourage a learner to this charming collection. How ironic that the one Otto Sertl displayed prominently in the the point that he would chuck the idea of de- Stravinsky and Milhaud pieces are the most booklet, but there is otherwise no mention veloping performance know-how andfall familiar music here, while Juan Jose Castro's of Herr Sertl or what he might have had to back permanently on the recording as a life- Suite of Tangos -a real "Bachianas Argenti- do with this recording. -ErieSalzman time surrogate. It seems to me that the answer nianas" - andVirgilThomson'srollicking depends equally on the learner and on his pair of etudes, a tango, and a "ragtime bass" SCHOENBERG:Moses und Aron.Giinter teacher and parents. For myself, Ithink it's that rings more like a barn dance are so little Reich(speaker),Moses;LouisDevos wonderful to have a flawless model perfor- known! (tenor), Aron; Eva Csapo (soprano), Young mance on hand both as an inspiration and as a Grant Johannesen has collected and per- Girl; Roger Lucas (tenor), Young Man; jumping-off point. Once he has reached a cer- formed these witty pieces with a sound feeling Werner Mann (bass), Priest; Members of tain level of proficiency and ease of execution, for the dance underpinnings as well as the the Vienna Boys' Choir; Chorus and Sym- the amateur, if he is intelligent and caring, will blend of wit and camp that characterizes most phony Orchestra of the Austrian Radio, begin to cut his own interpretive paths. of them, and he makes this something more Michael Gielen cond. PHILIPS 6700 084 If you come to these recordings with an than still another ragtime revival record. In two discs $15.96. open mind, then, you can enjoy to the full not spite of the dry piano sound, this is anotable only the superlative musicianship of Morton addition to Johannesen's long list of Golden Estrin in even the most hackneyed of these lit- Crest recordings. E.S. FEBRUARY 1975 115 STEREO REVIEWMARKET PLACE

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FEBRUARY 1975 1I 7 Introducing the Staff... winetasting, or in the countryside, with field glasses, as a bird watcher. STEREO REVIEW Since readers from time to time under- Of Pleasants' widely ranging enthusiasms, FEBRUARY 1975 standably display a natural human however, the most intense and the most per- curiosity about the backgrounds of the sistent has been music. Even during hisca- ADVERTISERS' INDEX writers and editors who bend their ears reer as a Foreign Service officer he found time not only to cover the European musical READER PAGE each month in these pages,we will be SERVICE NO. ADVERTISER scene for the New YorkTimes,but also to NUMBER offering, in issues to come, a series of translate Hanslick, Spohr, and Schumann capsulebiographiesand autobiog- and to shake up the musical world with his Accuphase Division of Teac 17 raphies designed to satisfy that 3 Acoustic Research 23 ex- bookThe Agony of Modern Music. 4Angel Records pressed need and at the same time to 111 His musical career began asa boy so- 5 Audio Devices 113 circumvent some of the hazards of prano in the churches of the Philadelphia 6 Audio Technica, US, Inc. 89 mere speculation. -Ed. Main Line and was encouraged by his 7 Audio Warehouse 103 acceptance, at seventeen, as a vocal student 8 Bang & Olufsen of America, Inc. 93 at the Curtis Institute of Music. But along Bose Corp. with his inclinations as a singer went 15 a pas- 9 British Industries Company 2 sion and facility for writing, and at nineteen 10 British Industries Company-BIC Venturi 18 he had combined the two as reporter,re- 11 BSR Ltd., McDonald Division 57 write man, feature writer, and critic for the 5 Capitol Magnetic Evening Bulletin. As a former schoolboyall- 113 12 Cliffords HiFi Wholesalers 98 around athlete, he fell into sports writing, Columbia Records too, specializing inbilliards and cricket. 109 Pleasantsfindsnothingincongruousin 13 Deutsche Grammophon 112 these parallel enthusiasms for music and Discwasher 37 14 District Sound, Inc sports. They are not, indeed,quiteparallel 92 in his case, for they meet in his profound Dixie HiFidelity 97 50 Dual 38, 39 admiration for the true professional in what- 16 Dynaco ever field. 21 "There is something in the way great ath- 17 Electro-Voice, Inc. 99 18 Electronic Industries, Inc. 57 letes move and in thewaythey respond to Elpa Marketing Industries, Watts Division challenge," he says, "that always reminds 95 21 Empire Scientific Corp. 4, 5 me of the greatest musicians of my experi- ESS 24 ence. To me, supreme mastery and supreme artistry are pretty much the same thing." 20 Garrard 29 An observation such as this goes far to Great Awards Collection 45 explain Pleasants' bias, in music, for theper- 25 Heath Company 27 former as distinct from the composer, and 19 Illinois Audio 92 his feeling that our present tendency toward 22 International HiFi Distributors composer idolatry-derived from the un- 98 deniable accomplishments of the great Eu- 23 RC America 55

London Editor ropean composers of the eighteenth and 24 Kenwood Electronics 19 nineteenth centuries-has a lot to do with 26 KLH Research & Development 49 the infirmities of contemporary "serious" 2 Koss Electronics Cover 4 music. And certainly it explains his enthusiasm for jazz, denigrated by the "serious" 27 Magneplanar Products 94 Henry 43 Marantz, Inc. Cover 3 music community as a "performer's art." 28Maxell 20 29 This personal philosophy underlay his McIntosh Laboratory 91 book, Serious Music-And All That Jazz!,a Mem Deodorant 105 Pleasants sequel toThe Agony of Modern Music.He 30 Midwest Hi-Fi Wholesalers 100 rejects any synonymous relationship be- Nakamichi 22 INTERMISSIONata Simon & Garfunkel tweenserious and good.For good music, in concert in the Royal Albert Hall a few his view, is where you find it, and the critic's 31 Onkyo 53 yearsago. A young student approaches a job is to discover it, wherever it may be. 32 Phase Linear tall, gray-haired man standing in the foyer, 13 In his writing forSTEREOREVIEW, as also 33 Philips Records 109 34 attired squarely in a dark, pin-striped suit. for theInternational Herald Tribune,he Pilot Radio 11 "Where," asks the young man, "is the practiceswhat hepreaches.Inrecent 35 Precision Marketing & Development 100 gents'?" months, for theHerald Tribune,he has 36 Rabsons "I haven't the faintest idea." 89 covered the Montreux Jazz Festival and, in 37 Radio Shack 30 "Sorry, sir, but I thought you were anLondon, Ethel Merman at the Palladium Revox official." 88 and a replica of the Paul Whiteman Orches- R. 1. Reynolds, Camels 41 Well, a Simon & Garfunkel audience was tra at the Roundhouse. He also interviewed R. 1. Reynolds, Salem 33 not quite the congregation among which a Vic Damone and reviewed the Los Angeles 38 young S&G enthusiast would expect to find Sansui Electronics Corp. 7 Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, and 39 Schober Organ 94 the man who was, for twelve years, music new productions by the Royal Opera and 40 Sherwood editor of the Philadelphia 58 Evening Bulletin, the English National Opera. ForBooks and 41 Shure Brothers 50 for twenty years a high-ranking Foreign Bookmenhe has reviewed books on Charlie 42Southwest Technical Products 97 Service officer, for ten years Central Euro- Parker, George Gershwin, BixBeider- 44 Stanton Magnetics, Inc. 28 pean music correspondent of the New York becke, and ragtime. 45Stereo Corporation of America 89 Times,and who, for the past eight years, has This list reflects a predilection for singing 46 Stereo Wholesalers 103 been London music critic of the Internation- and singers hardly surprising inone who Teac Corporation 8, 9 al Herald Tribuneand London Editorof began as a singer and whose books include 47Technics by Panasonic 35 STEREO REVIEW. The Great Singers-From the Dawn of 48 Uher of America 91 But he might have encountered Henry Opera to Our Own Timeand, mostrecently, 50 Pleasants in stranger places: at Wimbledon United Audio 38, 39 The Great American Popular Singers.In 1 U.S. Pioneer Cover 2, 1 for the tennis, at the Oval for cricket, at Pleasants' opinion, singing is what music is Shea Stadium for baseball, at a billiard par- all about, whether the song comes from 49 Yamaha International Corporation 51 lor (either as spectator or participant), at a throat or instrument. -DrummondMcInnis

Printed in theU.S.A. 118 STEREO REVIEW The fire startedonthe first floor...... worked its way to the second floor where my Marantz 2270 was, and finally engulfed the third floor. The floors collapsed and fell into the basement where the Marantz remained buried in debris and water untilMarch when the wrecking company came. While the men were lifting the debris into trucks I noticed a piece of equipment I thought could be the Marantz. I asked the man to drop the load, and the receiver fell 20 feet to the ground. Out of sheer curicsity, I brought the damaged receiver up to my apartment and after attaching a new line cord to it,I plugged it in. All the blue lights turned on.I connected a headphone and the FM played perfectly.I then tested it with my tape deck, and fifially the turntable and speakers. They all played perfectly, too. /-71-44`41:7Ci Francisco Espina' Newport, Rhode Island Unretouched photograph.

Mr. Espina's Marantz 2270 receiver still sleets factory specifications. We design all Marantz equipment to perform under extreme conditions for unmatched reliability year after year after year. Like the new Marantz 2275 -even better than its incredible predecessor. See the complete line of Marantz receivers, components and speaker systems at your Marantz dealer He's in the Yellow Pages. Marantz. Almost indestructible. MAIEilitOli1112K® We soundbetter. Co., Inc. guarantees the original registered owner that all parts are free from operating defects Mr. Espina's notarized statement is on file with the Marantz Company. Marantzdays. Products are repaired or replaced free of charge during this period provided you bought them in for three years from purchase date except tubes which are guaranteed for 90 1974 Marantz Co., Inc., a subsidiary of Superscope, Inc., P.O. Box 99D, Sun the U.S.A. from an authorized dealer. Naturally the serial number cannot bealtered or removed. Valley, Calif. 91352. In Europe: Superscope Europe, S.A., Brussels, Belgium. Availablein Canada. Prices and models subject to change without notice. Send for free catalog. CIRCLE NO. 43 ON READER SERVICE CARD If you're ready to take a bold source material, you'll feel new step into the world of music completely immersed in a new listening, here it is. Because the experience of musical pres- new Koss Phase 2+2 is the cul- ence. and intimacy. mination of years and years of Fourth, with the Koss Quad research and design experi- Field m switch in the "41r" posi- ence into the way we hear and tion, you'll recreate the full perceive music. That makes it spherical environment of a live the first real breakthrough in the performance. And even with psycho -acoustical aspects of the switch in the "2r" position, both 2 -channel and 4 -channel the sounds wil seem to spread stereo. out in front of you in a hemi- From the moment you slip on New Koss Phase/2 + 2 Quadrafone spherical perspective. a pair of Koss Phase/2+2 Fifth, the Quad Comparator Quadrafones and hold the switch lets you make an instant unique Programmer in your at your Audio Specialists. But the four Ambience Expander comparison between ordinary hands, you'll become your own there are a numoer of things switches to the "E" position, 4 -channel sound and the recording engineer. Not just in about Phase. -2 +2 that we can you'll alter the ambience of psycho -acoustic experience of control of the 2 -channels or discuss to introduce you to a each channel relative to the Phase/2+2 sound. 4 -channels of music you're new phase in music listening. other channels. Thus each And finally, when you buy the used to hearing from your First,if you're into 2 -channel switch will dramatically change new Koss Phase/2+2 Quadra- music source, but in control of a stereo, simply insert the black your position within the sound fone, you'll also receve a free whole panorama of musical plug into your equipment. Or i sphere, drawing you closer to record album designed and perspectives you never even you're into 4 -channel, insert one sound than another. engineered by Koss to en- knew existed in your tapes or both plugs. In either mode, the Third, by flipping the unique hance the enjoyment of your records. eight controls on the Program- Koss BinauralatorsTm to the "On" journey thru a whole new phase The intricacies of the new mer will lead you into an excit- position, youll find yourself in music listening. And that Koss Phase 2+2 are really too ing journey thru the world of totally surrounded by the per- makes Phase/2+2 worth hear- vast to cover hee. You really psycho -acoustics. forming group. Indeed, with ing no matter what stereo mode have to hear them and try them Second, as you flip each of either 2 -channel or 4 -channel you're into.

Introducing thenewPhase/2+2Quadrafone that's so advanced it multipliesyour listening perspectives 127ways.

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CIRCLE NO. 2 OM READER SERVICE CARD