Concert Favourites: Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture; Wagner Siegfried Idyll; Brahms Variations on a theme of Haydn; Beethoven Fidelio Overture. Sinfonia of London/Colin Davis. World Record Club Tz162.

An uninspired disc this, the usual potpouri selection containing nothing of particular merit—the sleeve, I notice, also contains the usual pretentious claptrap concerning "message and inspiration". Wagner seems to suffer least, with some tolerably well played passages; some fair string and wood sound. Most of the time Davis reads with an eye to the score; though overall, one becomes aware of a sense of indifference in the orchestral phrasing—in the Mendelssohn for example, there is evoked no surging, nautical mood—and a sense of mismanagement on the part of the technicians. The recording is too boxy and dead to be given serious consideration.

Sibelius Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82. Karelia Suite, Op. 11. Sinfonia of London/Tauno Hannikainen. World Record Club. Tz161 mono and stereo.

This is altogether the finest orchestral disc yet produced by the Sinfonia, benefitting as it does from a resonant recording and a taut reading of a Symphony difficult to perform. Apart from some interruptions in tempo, particularly in I, some slack string phrasing and a lack of climactic tenseness, this is a rewarding performance, the difficult staccato string passages are worked through with a deftness unusual to the Sinfonia, and the wood and brass seem to be on top form, having little of the causticity common to this group. There is little vitality in Hannikainen's reading—it is a good solid performance, quite equal to many of the current commercial recordings, but lacks the drive and insight of Barbirolli and Tuxen. A passable Karelia Suite acts as fillup.

—M. J. W.

In Brief

Fascinating Ernestine (Mercury Mg20492) is devoted to a dozen or so pop and jazz standards sung by Ernestine Anderson. She has an appealing voice, with plenty of character, but there is no great jazz technique present. There is even less in Hal Mooney's arrangements of the backings. The presentation is relaxed and pleasant however, and well recorded.

The Belafonte Folk Singers in At Home and Abroad do not include Harry B. among them. Their arrangements of folk songs from various countries are stylistically simple but sung honestly and exuberantly. I especially liked their rendition of "Muleskinner Blues." Recommended. (Rca, Rpl 13249).

Heifetz (Rca, Rsl 3595) is just that—the maestro himself in a recital of miniatures. One really need say no more than that, for of course they are brilliantly played. Two extended pieces are included, Saint-Saens' Havanaise and Bennett's Song Sonata. Also recommended.

Bob Melvin is yet another night club comedian following on after Mort Sahl and Shelley Berman. On Capitol's Closer Baby, Don't Fight It, he makes the predictable jokes about such routine topics as Civil Defence and getting married. It amuses somewhat once, but quickly palls. The cover is revolting (T 1575).

The Promenade Concert given by the Nwd Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Schuchter (World Record Tz158) contains Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Halien, Slavonic Dance No. 8 by Dvorak, Berlioz' Hungarian March, Ravel's Bolero and L'Apres Midi d'un Faune by Debussy. The lastmentioned item is a bit much for the orchestra, it doesn't sound quite as transparent as, say, Beecham might have got it, but the rest is pretty good. I had suspected that the orchestra might be a sort of pickup group, but its virtuosity is undoubted. Good, above average performances quite adequately recorded, and some fine solo work in the Bolero.

The selection from Mozart's Die Zauberflote (on Columbia 33 Mcx 1572) is excerpted from an oldish complete set. None the worse for that, it provides excellent value, both economically and artistically. Karajan conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Seefried, Lipp, Dermota, Kunz, Loose and Weber as soloists—an all star cast in fact. Practically all the important items are included and the disc is most agreeable. Strongly recommended indeed.