i(^Ja^'#'-i.:-*--vi 'ini^yy^lBI

aoi^^^ THE OTHER SIDE /^& (IMPORTED RECORDINGS) THE BEST. jj innttjjs- LONDON. If Toscanini's non-appearance has & HEN these lines appear in taken the edge from the concert pro­ i^ print only five days will re­ gram, there still remains an operatic Wmain until the opening of the season largely devoted to Wagner and ™ Festival of Britain, an event that is Flagstad, with Vaughan Williams's bound to figure prominently in any new opera, "The Pilgrim's Progress," "!!. account of what is happening on "the as an outstanding British contribu­ other side" during the next few months. tion. For the first time since before Music being in the nature of things the war the complete post-"Lohen- the most festive of the arts, it will grin" Wagnerian repertoire will be be laid on in vast quantities. During given with Flagstad, in what is said London's Festival Season of the Arts, to be her farewell season, assuming from May 3 to June 30, this surfeit of the parts of Briinnhilde, Isolde, and riches will include orchestral concerts Kundry, as well as singing Leonore in at the Festival and Albert Hall each "Fidelio." Principal support for Flag­ day, opera at Covent Garden and Sad­ stad in these strenuous weeks will ler's Wells, as well as innumerable re­ come from Svanholm and Hotter, citals and chamber concerts. In the past while for "Meistersinger" it is confi­ few weeks, however, a shadow has dently expected that Victoria de los crept over these proceedings, the shad­ Angeles will be Eva, with Beecham in ow of an injured knee that has robbed charge. VARIABLE the inaugural week of its glory and RELUCTANCE luster. When the London County N the gramophone world there is Council invited Toscanini to conduct I thus far little to distinguish 1951 CARTRIDGE the first few concerts in our new Hall from any other year. With the excep­ it did so in the face of considerable op­ tion of some Decca LP issues, there has ««^~«UST0MER satisfaction means position from certain sections of the been a dearth of interesting records, a V> everything in my business. musical press, whose understandable fact which can be at least partly attrib­ That's why General Electric car­ view was that a British conductor uted to EMI's continuing indecision on tridges are standard in all my instal­ should have this honor bestowed upon future policy. Unfortunately, the raw lations." This is the opinion of cus­ him. The Council's determination to material situation has become so tight tom designer Philip C. Kelsey of make the inauguration as musically in this country, due to world short­ Guilford, Connecticut, shown above memorable as possible was, however, ages and the rearmament program, beside one of his made-to-order enthusiastically supported by the pub­ that soon it may not be possible for FM-phonograph combinations. lic, which showed once again that Tos­ the combine to launch any system in­ canini and Danny Kaye are the only volving the manufacture of large two people in the world who can ...and General Electric quantities of new equipment. It is throw our box-offices into a complete presumably with that fact in mind Diamond and Sapphire state of chaos. that EMI is now said to be consider­ Styli" Then came the sad news, a shatter­ ing the use of the "Variable Micro- To get the full brilliance and ing blow to the public as much as to grade" technique as developed by i fidelity out of your recordings the unfortunate organizers, who had Deutsche Grammophon, which en­ —and to lengthen their life—have by then alienated the one person able ables an increase in playing time of your dealer or serviceman equip your to take Toscanini's place without let­ up to about 80 per cent without al­ present set with a G-E cartridge... ting this great occasion assume the tering turntable speed or stylus. Thus The difference will startle you. character of a damp squib. When his Decca will have to bear the burden un­ plan of a week of British music had aided for- some time yet, a prospect been turned down in favor of Tosca­ which does not appesr to dismay them nil FOLDIR unduly, especially as they have re­ Contains interesting facts about nini and the Ninth Symphony, Sir needie wear and illustrates tlie Thomas Beecham turned his back on cently managed to tweak their great many advantages of using a the Council and its concert hall, rival's nose when they secured the diamond stylus. strengthened in his well-known aver­ complete soundtrack of the new film sion to public authorities who meddle of "The Tales of Hoffmann." Sir Thom­ • General Electric Company with music, and decided that all those as brought an unsuccessful action to _ Section 8841 restrain them from issuing these discs, I Electronics Park, wishing to hear him and his orchestra m Syracuse, New York this summer must brave the echo of but the court upheld the right of the • Please send me new Stylus Folder. the Albert Hall. I will spare myself film company to do what they wished any comment on the appointment of with a soundtrack that was their prop­ I Name— the immaculate Sir Malcolm Sargent erty. ' Address- who will now fill the breach, beyond HMV has prepared us for the forth­ City- -State- recording that tickets for the three I coming visit, during the Festival, of concerts in question can now be ob­ Leopold Stokowski by releasing two GENERALSELECTRIC tained with ease. records of his, though they will

58 'The Saturday Review

PRODUCED 2005 BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED scarcely enhance his reputation. There is little magic in his handling of the "Waldweben" from "Siegfried," a stupid hotch-potch of a piece at the best of times, but the disc calling it­ self "Les Sylphides" surely marks a new low in his taste. The rubati have ance by the Philharmonia Orchestra out of his teens, yet his playing of as little in common with ballet as the under Constant Lambert being in Beethoven's last but one Sonata (in syrupy orchestrations of the four every way superior to the prewar set A flat. Opus 110) is anything but im­ pieces have with poor Chopin. A new conducted by the composer. The same mature. He handles the music in most version of Mozart's great E flat Sym­ company, with the backing of the Ma­ poetic fashion. phony is welcome, since a really satis­ harajah of Mysore, is responsible for Among vocal discs easily the most factory set does not exist over here. the second version we have had in distinguished comes from Decca, for After a disappointing first movement, less than a year of Bartok's "Music for whom Julius Patzak and the Vienna the Vienna Philharmonic under Kara- Strings, Percussion, and Celesta," one Philharmonic under Bohm have re­ jan settles down to give us some splen­ of the master's most significant works. corded Florestan's soliloquy from Act did playing, the finale being really first Unfortunately, the performance does II of "Fidelio." Patzak shows some rate. Under Furtwangler's direction, not appear to have had adequate slight signs of strain in the notorious and on the HMV label, the same or­ preparation. Karajan and the Phil­ passage that ends this scene, but else­ chestra is heard in a distinguished harmonia give us the notes with tol­ where his singing is most beautiful. performance of Richard Strauss's "Tod erable accuracy, but they do not en­ The important orchestral part is fine­ und Verklarung," a work which can ter into the spirit of the composition ly played and the recording of excel­ still thrill by the sheer opulence of the as did the Los Angeles Chamber Sym­ lent quality. Flagstad, who has been scoring, even if few of us would wish phony under Harold Byrns. playing Leonore opposite Patzak's to spend eternity in Strauss's para­ The most notable recording this Florestan at Salzburg during the last dise of interminable suspensions. month is undoubtedly Mozart's A mi­ few years, this month enters the field William Walton's most popular com­ nor Piano Sonata, K.310, made in of sacred music with the celebrated position is undoubtedly the witty and Geneva last summer by the late Dinu aria "Erbarme Dich" from the "St. debunking "Facade," originally writ­ Lipatti. As always his playing is a Matthew Passion." Though the tessi­ ten as accompaniment for poems by miracle of clarity and intelligence, tura of this song lies a little low for Edith Sitwell and subsequently re- and the Columbia engineers have done her, this is a noble and restrained per­ scored as a ballet for the Sadler's Wells their task nobly. The younger genera­ formance, well supported by the Phil­ company. Columbia's new recording tion of pianists is certainly claiming harmonia Orchestra under Siisskind of the Suite is brilliantly done in their much of the limelight just now. and admirably captured by HMV's best pre-tape manner, the perform­ Friedrich Gulda is an Austrian barely engineers. —THOMAS HEINITZ.

APRIL 28, 1951 59 PRODUCED 2005 BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED Three Operas from Europe

HOUGH the \vliole idea may Ao opera - in - Ejigli.sh, "Hoffniaun'^ seem dismally commoraplacc, the (Loudon LP set 4, $17.85) is as con­ Tconsequence of hearing the lat­ vincing an example as I have heard, est batch of recorded operas—nothing due in large part to the excellent To be released Moy 10th Richard Wagner's TRISTAN UND ISOLDE less than "Carmen," ''Tales of Hoff­ text by Dennis Arundell. It also has Cast includes Margarete Biiumer, Ludwlg Suthaus mann," and "The Girl of the Golden some passages of breathtaking force and Gottlob Frick, Leipzig Gewandhaup Orciiestra and Ciiorus of Mittledeutaclie Rundfunlv, Leipzig West"—is the strong feeling that the and animation under the Beecham conducted by Franz Konwitsclmy. way to make a good opera is to take 5 12" LP Records URLP 202 Price $30.25 baton, particularly in the ensembles a good opera company into a studio of the Prologue, the Doll Song (neatly Release May 20th • and record them for the one purpose sung by Dorothy Bond), the Waltz of COUPERIN: Twenty - fourth Harp^ichorr! Suite wltli Eta Harich of home listening and no other. Here, the Puppets, the Barcarolle, and the Schneider. for example, we have a "Carmen" —URLP 5001 $4.75 fine duet in the Antonia episode be­ I 10" LP Record made that way, a "Tales of Hoffmann" tween Robert Rounseville, the Hoff­ DVORAK: Six Legends, op. 59 and Tlic Wood Dove, op. 110—Sym­ derived from a film soundtrack, and mann, and Ann Ayars, who sings An­ phonic Poem Symphony Or­ chestra of Radio Berlin, Fritz "The Girl" according to Cetra-Soria's tonia. Moreover, Bruce Dargavel (Coc- Lehmann. conductor customary formula of reproducing a chenile, Crespel, and Dappertutto) is —URLP 7010 $5.95 I 12" LP Record radio broadcast. It may be only a co­ all that rumor has proclaimed him to DVORAK: Strains from Moravia, op. 32 incidence that they strike us in order be: a bass baritone of virile sound, Twelve Duets for soprano and contralto. M. FUCHS (s). M. of merit as noted above, but there amazing range, and keen artistry. KLOSE (c), M. Eaucheisen, piano seems to be a relationship to the pro­ However, this "Hoffmann" was made —URLP 5002 $4.75 I 10" LP Record cedure employed. for reproduction in film theatres, and LISZT: A recital of piano music played More to the point, however, is that I do not find the proportions too well by SIEGFRIED QBUXDELS (Waldesrauschen, E r o i c a this "Carmen," with an Opera- adapted for home use. The percussion Etude, L'n Sospiro, .Mephisto Waltz etc. i Comique cast directed by Andre is overpowering at many points; if the —URLP 7011 $5.95 I 12" LP Record Cluytens (Columbia SL 109, $15.63), volume level is reduced to suit a has the strongest correlation of great normal living room, luster and warmth SPECIAL RELEASE A Lieder recital by the World Famous soprano music, fine artists, and suitable repro­ depart from the sound, particularly of TIANA LEMNITZ: Wagner: Five Wesendonck duction. It also has an authentic sing­ the orchestra. It can be doctored and Gedichte Wolf; Three Songs ing talent of quality in Solange Michel, modified to produce a relatively Cornelius; Five Songs pleasant experience, but it does not —URLP 7013 $5.95 whose Carmen is the most consistent­ BRUCKNER: Symphony Xo. i 'TnE RO­ ly well sung I have heard, on discs or match in mechanical quality the best MANTIC". The Leipzig Sym- pliony Orchestra, Prof. HER­ off. That, to be sure, is no all-inclusive associated either with London or MAN ABENDROTH, conduc­ tor recommendation, for good Carmens Beecham. There is, of course, a con­ have been scarce in my listening ex­ troversy raging about the secondary Released April 20th perience. But Michel—otherwise un­ use of a product designed for one Richard Strauss' DER ROSENKAVALIER known to me—has a voluminous voice specific purpose. It seems only fair to Cast includes Margarete Bttumer, Tiana Lemiiltz and Kurt BGhme Sasonlan State Orchestra and with a rich mezzoish bottom and mid­ say that for ear alone Beecham would Chorus of the Dresden State Opera conducted by Rudolf Kempe. dle range plus the extension to man­ have worked quite differently than he 4 12" LP Records URLP 201 Price $25.25 age a B handily. did for ear and eye together. Such a secure performer is an ad­ Based on the evidence provided by vantageous beginning for any "Car­ Cetra-Soria's full-length version (Ce- men," and this one does not dissipate tra-Soria LP set 1215, $17.85), "The its opportunity for want of supporting Girl of the Golden West" could easily talent. Martha Angelici is almost as be the weakest of Puccini's operas. I good a Micaela as Michel is a Carmen, reserve decision only because such YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD and Michel Dens is a highly satisfac­ others as "Edgardo" and "La Ron- a "live" orchestra in your tory Escamillo. Our old friend Raoul dine" are unknown to me. One can living room Jobin is the Jose, and good enough, sense that Puccini meant this to be Unless you have listened to a too, save for his "Air de fleur," which an advance on its direct predecessor Childs Handmade-to-Order has an all-too-familiar ring of des­ ("Butterfly") in apt characterization, Sound System. peration not wholly counterfeit. fresh orchestration, bold imagination. For an eye-opening demonstration A word is in order about the version But it is hardly for any of these things V/ITHOUT OBLIGATION WITHOUT SALESTALK—phone and the technical treatment. Spoken that one tolerates Puccini's partic­ text is used where Bizet wrote no ular kind of theatricality. Ulrie J. Childs, Audio Engineer TRafalgar 9-S290 music, and I find the "novelty" of this The performance has as much to 1601 First Ave., (cor. 83rd St.) N.Y. 28, N.Y. much to my taste. It adds pace and be said for it as anything so basically variety to the dramatic action, does unconvincing could earn. Carla Gavaz- away with the dreary stretches of zi sounds as though she might look dialogue that are no better for being like Minnie, Vasco Campagnano is a done in recitative. Cluytens is no fire- loud enough Dick Johnson, and Ugo RECORDS breathing conductor, but he is ex­ Savarese doe5 artistic work as Ranee. tremely methodical, with a fine sense A multitude of associates perform of pace. The recording (made in the creditably under the direction of Ar- Make the Theatre des Champs-Elysees) some­ turo Basile. However, this version times booms a bit, and the dancing feet doesn't have the dramatic fervor or Perfect Gift at the beginning of Act II suggest that unified ensemble to bridge all too Lillas Pastia's inn is the size of Madi­ frequent dulness in the score. The re­ son Square Garden, but most ordinary cording is well among Cetra-Soria's problems are well solved. best. —THE EDITOR.

60 The Saturday Review

PRODUCED 2005 BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED