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Design Review: Volume 3, Issue 6 (May-June 1951)

Gramophone Notes

Gramophone Notes

The news that gramophone records are coming off the ‘restricted’ list as far as imports are concerned will be heartily, if cautiously, welcomed. I say ‘cautiously’ because it would be unwise to prophesy an immediate flood of records into the country and the speedy return of the pre-1938 paradise wherein it was at least possible to obtain any record one desired. After a dozen. years of control there is obviously a tremendous leeway to be made up, and this cannot be expected to happen within a few weeks or even months. However, local dealers have recently been told that they may accept a limited number of definite orders for discs not officially released, but available from (presumably) the United Kingdom, and few of us will have been backward — in placing orders for numbers of desirable issues which have obstinately missed the local release schedules.

Turning from the possible future to the actual present, we may survey briefly some of the more oustanding releases here over the past few months.

Chamber Music: Whereas orchestral enthusiasts can generally find at least one acceptable recording of most standard works, the chamber music devotee is in a less happy position. Some of the most important works haven't been available for years — try to assemble, from local releases, a set of the Beethoven string quartets and see how far you get! Brahms is no less haphazardly served, but the recent A minor string quartet played by the Busch Quartet has now been followed by the G minor work for piano and strings, opus 25, in which three members of that organisation are joined by Rudolf Serkin at the piano (Col. LX8685–9). This rich-and melodious work is hardly for casual listening, but is not ‘difficult’; and the dashing Hungarian rondo that ends it gives us the irresistible Brahms of the Hungarian dances. The performance, declares an English friend of mine, ‘can't hold a candle to the old one by Rubinstein and members of the Pro Arte Quarter’, a recording which belongs to the dim distant days of the Brahms centenary and was never made available here in any case. The new set is most happily achieved, the balance between piano and strings is good, and the actual piano tone is excellent. An expensive item, but Brahmsians will not overlock it. Now for something on a smalles scale, Try the isolated Schubert movement in C minor (‘Quartettsatz’) played by the New Italian Quartet on Decca K2329. An excellent issue in every way, and ideal for these who enjoy string quartet music but are not attracted by lengthy works.

Orchestral: The symphonic set of recent months is Borodin's boisterous, vivid, and glowing Symphony No. 2 in B minor (Philharmonia Orchestra under Malko, HMV C7780–3). The playing tends to suggest that the Philharmonia is now in world, class as an orchestra and the performance — in the outer movements — is suitably fierce. So is the recording, but that is as much a gain as a loss in music of this nature and all in all this is the most exciting orchestral issue in many months. It quite outclasses the previous Columbia recording by the Halle Orchestra, and the piece on the spare side, a vivid little tone poem by Liadov, is admirably chosea. For those who would prefer less strenuous music of the Russian school, I would recommend the entrancing ‘Valse Fantaisie’ of Glinka (same orchestra and conductor, HMV C3949). Southern elegance (Glinka trävelled extensively in Spain and Italy) is here coupled with a striking pre-echo of Tchaikovsky's waltz style and this record should appeal to music lovers of whatever inclination. Not exactly ‘orchestral’ in the modern sense are two Parlophone-Odeon discs containing Haydn's Divertimen to in F (Field Partita) and a March for the Prince of Wales (R20578–9). The partita, a relic of spacious days when aristocratic armies took their little orchestras even on to the battlefield, uses English and French horns, bassoons and violins. The March is for woodwinds, trumpet and pereussion. I shall not attempt to describe the extraordinary freshness and charm of this music — suffice it to say that these players, described at the ‘London Baroque Ensemble’, are all leading members of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and that the recording, especially in the fascinating March, seems as near perfection as we are ever likely to have.

Operas: Four stray records from Sir Thomas Beecham's recording of ‘Faust’, made in 1947 with mainly French soloists, an English chorus and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, have been released as a sort of sample-box or trailer (HMV DB6964–7). This strange procedure page break page 148 is in some ways to be welcomed because the excerpts give a good eross-section of the opera and are wisely chosen. I am glad they have given us something other than the Jewel Song and the Love Duet, for instance. The former has been perfectly done by Victoria de los Angeles (HMV DB6938), the latter very decently (albeit in English) by Joan Hammond and Heddle Nash (HMV C3724–5). In the new Beecham discs we are offered such great highlights as the Church Scene and the Death of Valentine, each occupying one disc. Soprano Geori-Bode's voice isn't the sweetest, but it does seem right for the terrified and despairing Marguerite of Act 4. Bass Roger Rico might be singing benedictions rather than maledictions for all the evil he manages to suggest, and you would never guess, from Roger Bourdin's steady stream of tone, that Valentine had just been mortally wounded; but these are small points when considered in relation to the whole. Chorus and orchestra seem to have been positively inspired by Sir Thomas Beecham's direction — just listen to the lilt of the waltz and the blazing splendour of the Soldier's Chorus.

A number of Italian operatic recordings, not all of them new, is being slowly released here under the Parlophone-Odeon Iabel. The standard varies a great deal but the records give, in many cases, interesting scenes and arias which have not previously been obtainable here. Most welcome is the reappearance of that great soprano, Lina Pagliughi, who was here with an opera company in 1932. Try her singing of the florid ‘Bel Raggio’ from Rossini's almost forgotten ‘Semiramide’, coupled with a very beautiful and touching aria by Giordano (R30001). Try Gianna Pederzini's really startling singing of the Seguidilla and Card Song From ‘Carmen’ (R30017). And for something off the beaten track, you should hear Gabriella Gatti in a virtually unknown air from Weber's ‘Oberon’ (B 30017). The men are less in evidence in this series, but you may hear the new young Italian basso Cesare Siepi in well-sung versions of excerpts from Verdi's ‘Vespri Siciliam’ and Boito's ‘Mefistofele’ (R30007).

Instrumental: Solomon's performance of the early Beethoven sonata in C (No. 3) makes a most desirable issue. Touch and style seem exactly right and there is no jarring impression of someone pounding a concert grand (HMV C7747–9). Louis Kentner gives us the strangely neglected fourth scherzo of Chopin (Col DX1626), the only one of the group which seems really gracious and light-hearted in style. I wish I could say as much for the playing. It is good to have the piece available again but we must deplore the disappearance of the magical Horowitz record. If Cesar Franck is your meat, do not on any account miss Malcuzynski's recording of the Prelude Choral and Fugue (Col LX1269–70). We have waited twenty years for a new recording of this, and now have no cause for regret. Those who feel that Busoni's transcription of the Bach Chacome is one of the few cases where a piano setting completely justifies itself need not hesitate to procure the almost super-human performance by the Italian pianist Michelangeli (HMV DB2 1005–6). Few will resist murmuring ‘greatest piano recording yet made.’