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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 25, No. 3. 1962.

Three from the Record Society — Records Reviewed

Three from the Record Society

Records Reviewed

I can't think of one Record Society release in the classical field which has been less than very good, while most of them have been excellent. I wonder if it is a matter of policy to release only the cream of past overseas records? Good luck to them anyway.

Prokofief. Piano Concertos, Nos. 1 and 3. Mourn Lympany (piano) and the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Walter Susskind. Rz 6013.

This is easily the best coupling of these two works yet to appear—in fact, the only one. I used to have the Katchen version of the third, on Decca, but the interpretation by Lympany wipes the floor with it, especially when recording is taken into account as well.

The chance to hear the First concerto, a rara avis indeed, shows that it fits well into the Tchaikovsky, Greig, Rachmaninoff sequence, with the little bit of forward looking spice added that these don't have.

It is an engaging work and should present no difficulties to the progress-fearful listener. Both these works are, of course, written in Prokofief's most accessible style and in this sparkling record can hardly fail to win friends and influence musical diehards.

Schubert. Quartet No. 14, in D Minor, (Death and the Maiden) D.810. The Hollywood String Quartet. Rz 6016.

A superbly simple but striking sleeve first draws one's attention and the format of the record is matched by the performance—meticulous and clean, simple and direct. This is not a "no-nonsense" approach but simply a refusal to oversentimentalise the music. Whether you feel it to be a bit cold or slick will depend on your approach to the Hollywood group's playing generally. I found it most satisfying. The recording is not the widest in range I have ever heard, but is pleasant and warm and very easy to listen to. If not the best available, it is still well above average. The surfaces are quiet.

Mahler. Symphony No. 4, in G Major. Emmy Loose (Soprano), The Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Paul Kletzki. Rz 6017.

Now that Bruno Walter's performance on Lp has been deleted (it was a transfer from 78s) we are left wondering if there is a new version tucked away awaiting release. Even though Mahler and Walter are inevitably linked together, any new release will have to be superlative indeed to match or excel Kletzki's performance. The Philharmonia's playing is superlative (of this reading, Lionel Salter said "one of his finest performances that orchestra has ever given" and he was right). Emmy Loose does not perhaps capture the air of childish innocence in the soprano part of the last movement, but that is neither here nor there when compared with the general excellence of this release.

Schumann. Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54. Van Cliburn (piano) and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner. Rca. Rsl 3611.

Van Cliburn's performance of the Tchaikovsky piano concerto seems to have gone to the top of the classical hit parade. I have my doubts as to whether this one will though, for though the pianist has the urgency and attack where needed, he has not the similarly required subtlety and tenderness. He appears reluctant to admit that this is, after all, a Romantic concerto, and underplays the warmth—in an attempt to give the work extra weight perhaps?

The accompaniment by the Chicago Symphony is good but the typmanist is caught napping in the first movement and the clarinet tone is not ideal. The format is also too expensive for my taste—why the record is released here as a twelve inch and in England as a ten-inch is beyond me. There should have been a fillup included, or even another concerto. (When there are sixteen other versions of the concerto from which to choose, this Is liable to disqualify the new contender immediately). My personal choice would be for Richter-Haase and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under Rudolf Moralt.

Beethoven. Symphony No. 7 in A Minor, Op. 92. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. World Record, Tz 152.

I can't understand the "Gramophone" reviewer's disparaging remarks about this issue. He complains about the "ridiculous" speed of the First Movement, lack of tension from bar 400 on, the main theme of the Last Movement just "rattling away merrily without a scrap of nervous energy," sloppy playing by the oboe (indeed the whole wood-wind section), a lack of rhythmic precision in the trio and the poor balance of the recording.

Well, I wonder if he was listening to the same issue as I did? Because I can't see these faults my self—I think this is a very fine issue and cannot find any of the above flaws in the record. He claimed further that the sound was so shrill that no amount of top cut would rectify it and could not recommend the record from any point of view. I tried it on three different lots of gear and it sounded pretty good on all three. The sound was rich, full and round and the people with whom I compared notes were quite pleased with the performance. If it hasn't the nervous tension of Toscanini's inter pretations (and the Maestro did tend to overdue it at times) it is still a very sound one and I think it compares favourably with any of the other versions available. I have not heard the stereo as yet (I believe that this is a different per performance) but will report on it when it is available.

Berlioz. Le Carnaval Romain—Overture. Liszt. Les Preludes—Symphonic Poem. Respighi. Pini di Roma—Symphonic Poem. The Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Herbert Von Karajan. World Record, Tz 153.

If The Pines of Rome is not the minor masterpiece that Respighi apologists claim it to be, it still has some pleasant passages in it. Karajan makes some of the overblown parts enjoyable for their own sake, as a demonstration of overpowering orchestral sound, and gives the quieter sections the appropriate tenderness. Similarly, in the Liszt he keeps the music moving agreeably and keeps something in reserve for the climax—the big tune. The bangs on the drums sound impressively through the orchestral texture and the soloists are on top form.

The cor anglais solo in Carnaval Romain is excellent and recorded in proper balance against the orchestra—for a change. A stunning performance of the overture generally, and I think that the complete disc is the best collection of these warhorses I have yet heard.

Herbert Von Karajan

Herbert Von Karajan