Greatest Hits:

Beethoven. Bernstein/ N.Y. Philharmonic; Ormandy/Philadelphia Orch; Szell/Cleveland Orch; Rudolf Serkin, Leon Fleischer, Philippe Entremont, pianists; Mormon Tabernacle Choir (CBS).

Greatest Hits: Tchaikovsky. Bernstein/N.Y. Philharmonic; Ormany/ Philadelphia Orch (CBS).

Suites From The Great Operas: Mozart. London Symphonic Band (CBS).

Overtures (Rienzi, The Flying Dutchman), Venusberg Music, Siegfried Idyll: Wagner. Sawallisch/ Vienna Symphony Orch. (Philips)

Reviewed by Felix Manskleid.

These recordings represent the outgrowth of an initiative taken several years ago by Peter Munves, merchandising director of Columbia Records in New York. A firm believer in the lowbrow syndrome, Munves deliberately picked the melodic fragments of a composer of his choice as performed by top artists and packaged the selection under the title of "The Greatest Hits" as if they belonged to the pop scene. The series, which featured over 20 composers, was an instantaneous success. "Melody is what turns man on", claims Munves. "melody is for the people." The "greatest hits" of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky have been issued individually as two-record sets and it is fairly obvious that selecting the proper material remains a very important function. In this case, I would find it difficult to disagree with this judicious choice: Beethoven (First and Final Movements of Symphonies Nos. 5, 6 Pastorale, 3 Eroica, 9 Chorale; First Movements of "Moonlight" and "Pathetique" Sonatas and Concerto No. 5 Emperor; Turkish March, Fur Elise, Minuet). Tchaikovsky (Waltzes from "Nutcracker Suite", "Serenade", "Sleeping Beauty", "Eugene Onegin", "Swan Lake"; "Andante Cantabile", 1812 Overture, "None but the Lonely Heart", Capriccio Italien, Barcarolle, Trepak).

The Mozart opera suites are from " The Abduction from the Seraglio", "Don Giovanni", "The Marriage of Figaro" and "The Magic Flute", all performed by an unusual aggregation of woodwind and brass instrumentalists to which have been added a harp and double bass. It is refreshing to listen to these 46 musicians, drawn mainly from well-known London orchestras as they create sounds which make Mozart even more likeable.

The Wagner selections were written at a time when the composer was immersed in Romanticism and ideas of political and social upheaval. In this, Wagner found much of his inspiration not only in the rigid, nationalistic concepts of German mythology but also in the modem outlook of "Young Germany", a group of writers whose most prominent member was the poet Heinrich Heine, who inspired the legend of the Flying Dutchman. "Rienzi" is based on a story by the English novelist, Bulwer Lyton.