Records D. J. H.

Decently I have received three albums of opera highlights, all taken from previously-released complete sets. RCA have pressed Carmen (RCA Victor LSC 2843 Stereo—set first released in 1964) and Tosca (RCA Victor LSC 2841 Stereo-set first released in 1963), On both Herbert von Karajan conducts the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera Chorus. Leontyne Price is in both lead roles, supported by Franco Corelli (Don Jose), Robert Merrill (Escamillo), Giuseppe di Stefano (Cavaradossi) and Giuseppe Taddei (Scarpia), Both these discs are among the best available of highlights and, accordingly. I recommend them. However. In comparison with the more recent Callas Pretre recordings they do not fare so well.

It is rather surprising to note the rather pedantic reading of the Bizet score—the last thing I would have expected to criticise this conductor for. In many places the pace lags drastically and my level of involvement with the music and dramatic situation dropped immediately—this is exactly what Pretre does not allow. Merrill successfully manages the part of Escamillo—in contrast to Robert Massard (on the Callas set' he manages to create the swaggering, rather pompous bullfighter. Corelli does not match Nicolai Gedda, nevertheless he is effective Leontyne Price is superb musically—a beautiful wide vocal range magnificent in the high register. Unfortunately her "vocal acting" is not in the same class as Callas—Maria is the complete Carmen, tempestuous and scheming, whereas at times Miss Price sounds more like a spoilt child.

When the RCA complete Tosca was first released it virtually had the field to itselfthe early Callas Gobbi de Sabata set (Columbia, 1953) was showing its age, and others that had followed were all poor. At the time there had been talk of a new Callas recording, but nothing eventuated. All in all, this is a good performance. Leontyne Price gives an excellent vocal performance Oust listen to her Vissi d'arte, but once again she does not have the dominance of character of Mme. Callas. Taddei is good, even if rather disappointing compared with Gobbi. Di Stefano is the only one whose vocal work is suspect—his singing in the higher register Is shaky.

On both disc, the recordings are goodthey are spacious and allow a gripping sense of atmosphere. It is interesting to note that the Tosca was recorded by Decca for RCA.

Finally in this series of highlights, excerpts from the historic 1964 Decca recording of Gotterdamerung (Decca SXLM 6220 Stereo), This was the last in their complete recording of The Ring and has been hailed as ". . . The greatest achievement in gramophone history": indeed, it is a magnificent recording and performance. The chosen excerpts on this disc are the prologue. Siegfried's Rhine Journey; Hoi-hoi! . . . Ihr Gibichsmannen Act 2; Auf, Gunther Act 2; Brunnhilde, Heilige Braut—Siegfried's Funeral March Act 3; Mein erbe (Immolation scene) Act 3.

It seems useless to single out any one member of the cast Birgit Nilsson, Wolfgang Windgassen, Gottlob Prick and Dietrich Fischer Dieskau with George Solti conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, For avid Wagner lovers the only trouble with this album is that it is not the complete six record set—I would recommend that they somehow manage the opera in total. For record buyers on very tight budgets, or those who only like Wagner in small doses, this is an outstanding buy.

Les Comtes d'Hoffmart (The Tales of Hoffman) is known to many people solely through countless renditions of the much maligned Barcarolle of Act 3. The opera certainly deserves more than this scant recognition and it is pleasing to hear a newly-recorded performance just released by HMV (HMV Angel SAN 154-6, Stereo) with an all-star cast: Nicolai Gedda (Hoffman), Gianno D'Angelo (Olympia), Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (Giuletta) and Victoria De Los Angeles (Antonia), The Choeurs Rene Duclos and Orchestra de La Societie Des Concerts Du Conservatoire are conducted by Andre Cluytens.

The outstanding performance comes from Gedda, who must surely be one of the most versatile of tenors. He is in outstanding form and his vocal talents are suited to the role. As is to be expected the ladies are all very good—performances to befit their reputations. The choir and orchestra perform extremely well under Cluytens and a good recording further enhances the value of the set. I highly recommend this and I am sure that it will unfold the possibly unknown delights of the "serious Offenbach."

In 1962 a recording of Bach's St. Mathew Passion was released by Columbia, with Otto Klemperer conducting the Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. Highlights have subsequently been released-last year Choruses and Chorales (Columbia SAXM 2525 Stereo) and now Arias (SAXM 5253 Stereo), featuring Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Christa Ludwig, The most striking feature of the arias is the slowness of tempoKlemperer achieves a majestic, poignant performance. The orchestra is in excellent form with especially noteworthy obligati; it is interesting that Klemperer uses the harpsichord as continue in the recitatives, many of the recent recordings (for example Richter on DGG) have used the organ.

Both soloists are outstanding. The contralto arias are good examples of Miss Ludwig's emotive interpretations—the beautiful, dramatic rendering of No. 61 Können Tränen meiner Wangen is the feature of the disc. A good, well-balanced recording.