Record reviews

by D.J.H.

Being a member of the "younger generation" I find it difficult to imagine that there is a significant demand for reprocessed recordings of "yesteryear". I have often wondered how the World Record Club Connoisseur series has managed to pay its way. One of their latest releases is Edwin Fischer playing two Mozart concerti for piano and orchestra. No. 17 in C Major. K.453 and No. 24 in C Minor. K.401 (CO 429). Admittedly these are rather outstanding performances— Fischer has a magnificently delicate touch, is completely sympathetic to the scores, and has the advantage of excellent accompaniment, especially in the C major where he conducts his own chamber orchestra.

However, the quality of recording is a different matter. It lacks any depth at all. almost, no resonance, and the extremely noisy surface of the 78s still remains after the transfer. When played on good stereo equipment I find that my attention is riveted upon these shortcomings. This is unfortunate—the result is that for sheer pleasure I find it is preferable to purchase a modern recording, even if the quality of the per-formances are not the equal of Fischer's.

Two delightful chamber works of Mozart have been issued by the World Record Club's Record Society (RZ 6150): The quartet in F major for oboe, violin, viola and 'cello (K.370); and the quintet in A major for clarinet and string quartet (K.581). The artists are the Drolc Quartet with Karl Steind, oboe: and Heinrich Geuser, clarinet.

Both performances are very good, the quartet is notable; for beautiful phrasing from Steins and Eduard Drolc the first violinist. The string trio accompanies the pensive oboe with beautiful accord in the adagio. The clarinet quintet is an extremely pleasant piece and there is a good clean tone from Geuser. It is a pity that the recording is only in mono: It is rather distant, lacking in warmth and intimacy.

We have been well supplied with records of French baroque music lately. At the end of last year World Record issued a most interesting disc —Symphonies for the suppers of the King" by Lalande (TZ 267). This is representative of the wind music of the time—lavish and spectacular. A new recording has just been released offering a selection of works for small chamber orchestra from the same period—"French Music of the 18th Century" performed by the Jean-Francois Pailiard Chamber Orchestra (Record Society RZ 6148). Composers represented are Francois Cou-perin (1668-1753), Jacques Aubert (1689-1753) and An-toine Dauvergne (1713-1797). Pailiard describes the contrast provided as ". . with Aubert, we find brilliance, lightness, and a fascinating facility in combining French and Italian styles. Dauvergne. on the other hand, is powerful, solid, dramatic. But Cou-perin combined, either successfully or simultaneously, all these apparently contradictory tendencies." I found the highlight of the recording to be Couperin's "Le Parnesse ou l'apotheose de Corelli," the orchestra playing being especially good.

I cannot say the same for the next record. Ion Voicou playing the Mendelssohn and Bruch violin concerti with the London Symphony conducted by Fruhbeck. Both are given rather lifeless renditions— there is a lack of necessary lyricism in both works. Voicou seems to remain at an impersonal distance from the music. The orchestral phrasing is rather loose, however the brass section performs creditably in the Bruch.

"The Twelve String Storv. Volume 1" (WRC H 1626) is a collection of innocuous pieces of music played by a mediocre collection of guitarists which is likely to appeal only to really avid guitar fans and 12-string guitar players. After listening to this record I have decided that plebian as it may seem, I much prefer the Byrds. This type of guitar is an instrument that suffices on its own only when there is a vocal line—on this disc there is the occasional backing from banjo and bass, but nothing that adds any significant colouring.

Ex-Weaver Frank Hamilton stands supreme, he is the only instrumentalist that offers anything in the way of originality. His performance of Good old Blues" made me wish that the disc consisted only of performances bv him.

World Record Club are continuing to release early Peter, Paul and Mary recordings, their latest being "In the Wind." (LZ 7123). It is in stereo for the first time. Most readers will no doubt know the songs on the disc—"Tell it on the Mountain". "Stew-ball". "All my trials", "Blow-in' in the wind" and others.

An Extremely disappointing disc is from the highly-vaunted Seekers, "Introducing Seekers" (Columbia 33 MSX 6063). Perhaps the group is more appealing on stage, but this recorded performance is lifeless. Their harmonies lack 'Originality, their material is rather corny, and any warmth or "feeling" for their songs is non-existent. Much of the (rouble is that the Seekers sing songs that have been sung by others so well in the past—for example Judv Durham's "All My Trials" is painfully weak compared to either Joan Baez or Mary Travers.