Skip to main content

Full text of "Vocal music"

See other formats 


THE     GUIDE     TO     LONG-PLAYING    RECORDS 


Vocal  Musk 


LIBRARY  OF 
WELLESLEY  COLLEGE 


PURCHASED  FROM 

BUNTING  FUND 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

Boston  Library  Consortium  Member  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/vocalmusicOOmill 


THE 

GUIDE 

TO 

LONG-PLAYING 

RECORDS 

Vocal  Music 


THE 

GUIDE 

TO 

LONG-PLAYING 

RECORDS 

Orchestral  Music 

BY 

Irving  Kolodin 
Vocal  Music 

BY 

Philip  L.  Miller 

Chamber  and  Solo  Instrument  Music 

BY 

Harold  C.  Schonberg 


THE 

GUIDE 

TO 

LONG-PLAYING 

RECORDS 


Vocal  Music 


BY 


Philip  L.  Miller 


1955 

ALFRED    A    KNOPF 

NEW    YORK 


TO 


Catharine 


"D  ij^v^Xjls 


r-yy 


J%  I  / 


L.  C.  catalog  card  number:  55-5609 
(C)  Philip  L.  Miller  1955 


THIS  IS  A  BORZOI  BOOK, 

PUBLISHED  BY  ALFRED  A.  KNOPF,  INC. 

Copyright  1955  by  Philip  L.  Miller.  All  rights  reserved.  No 
part  of  this  book  may  be  reproduced  in  any  form  without 
permission  in  writing  from  the  publisher,  except  by  a  reviewer 
who  may  quote  brief  passages  in  a  review  to  be  printed  in  a 
magazine  or  newspaper.  Published  simultaneously  in  Canada 
by  McClelland  &  Stewart  Limited.  Manufactured  in  the 
United  States  of  America. 


FIRST    EDITION 


PREFACE 

This  book  aims  to  be  comprehensive,  but  within  limitations.  It  is  to 
be  hoped  that  no  really  important  vocal  music  available  on  LP  has 
been  overlooked,  yet,  as  will  certainly  be  noted,  not  every  available 
recording  has  been  included.  Some  have  been  ruled  out  because  of 
what  seems  to  me  limited  musical  appeal,  or  because  they  are  so  far 
substandard  mechanically  that  not  much  can  be  said  in  their  favor. 
Some  that  might  have  been  considered  a  year  or  two  ago  are  now  def- 
initely superseded  by  superior  performances.  In  such  cases  I  have 
often  given  the  older  version  passing  mention.  Some  recordings  I  have 
not  succeeded  in  hearing,  despite  the  usually  generous  co-operation  of 
the  manufacturers  and  shops. 

As  for  repertoire  covered  in  these  pages,  it  has  not  always  been 
easy  to  draw  the  line  between  "popular"  and  concert  music,  operetta 
and  opera.  Such  composers  as  Gershwin,  Lehar,  and  Oscar  Straus 
could  not  be  fully  covered  for  obvious  reasons,  yet  when  a  perform- 
ance of  their  music  is  issued  in  the  "Masterworks"  class,  it  certainly 
rates  inclusion.  The  rich  and  growing  field  of  recorded  zarzuela  (Span- 
ish operetta)  is  represented  by  a  single  disc,  for  two  reasons:  a  re- 
quest for  review  copies  produced  no  more  than  this,  and  as  the  field  is 
such  a  special  one,  I  have  not  felt  as  yet  that  I  could  give  the  neces- 
sary time  to  exploring  it.  Our  one  example,  however,  is  a  program  of 
samples,  and  may  serve  to  lead  the  interested  adventurer  to  the  heart 
of  this  new  continent.  Only  a  bow  has  been  made  in  the  direction  of 
Gilbert  and  Sullivan,  not  because  their  works  are  unknown  or  unsympa- 
thetic to  me  (quite  the  contrary),  but  largely  because  I  am  afraid  the 
real  G  &  S  fans  are  actually  more  critical  of  performances  from  Gil- 
bert's point  of  view  than  from  Sullivan's.  It  is  indicative  that  both  the 
Schwann  and  Goody  catalogues  list  these  operas  under  G,  not  S.  Folk 
music,  needless  to  say  (except  where  it  has  been  "idealized"  by  an 
arranger),  is  the  subject  for  a  book  in  itself. 

But  the  prime  consideration  is  space.  Not  so  many  years  ago, 
when  discs  came  singly,  each  one  containing  perhaps  a  two-part  over- 
ture, a  couple  of  or  three  songs,  possibly  a  group  of  piano  pieces,  or 
an  operatic  selection,  it  was  possible  for  a  reviewer  to  spread  himself, 
to  produce  little  essays,  with  his  considered  opinions  of  the  artist  or 
artists  concerned,  to  pass  judgment  on  the  music  itself — whether  first- 
rate  Ketelbey  or  inferior  Beethoven — to  discuss  the  performer's  ap- 
proach to  his  selection,  and  to  point  out  his  treatment  of  this  or  that 


Prefc 


VI 


phrase.  Today  a  record  of  the  size  that  used  to  play  eight  minutes 
may  run  to  an  hour.  Not  only  that,  but  all  kinds  of  music,  known  and 
forgotten,  are  pouring  onto  the  market  at  an  alarming  rate.  No  single 
full-time  reviewer  has  time  to  hear  it  all.  Even  limiting  myself  to  vo- 
cal music,  I  have  (as  noted  above)  had  to  be  somewhat  selective. 
Most  of  the  impressions  herein  set  down  must,  therefore,  be  general. 
In  the  majority  of  cases  only  the  high  spots  and  the  low  can  be 
discussed. 

Esthetically  there  are  three  sides  to  every  record — the  music  per- 
formed, the  performance,  and  the  reproduction.  It  is  taken  for  granted 
in  this  book  that  the  reader  knows  his  mind  in  the  first  matter,  that  at 
least  in  the  case  of  well-known  works  he  will  not  come  for  my  opin- 
ions. What  he  wants  to  know,  I  assume,  is  how  the  music  is  performed, 
what  this  or  that  interpreter  is  able  to  do  with  it.  Reproduction  for  its 
own  sake  is  less  likely  to  seem  important  to  the  vocal  enthusiast  than 
to  the  connoisseurs  of  other  types  of  music.  Most  of  the  recordings 
considered  herein  are  at  least  acceptable  in  this  respect;  attention 
will  be  called  to  quality  of  reproduction  only  when  there  is  something 
remarkable  about  it,  whether  it  is  exceptionally  good  or  notably  inade- 
quate. Nevertheless,  it  is  often  necessary,  for  descriptive  reasons,  to 
speak  of  "liveness"  or  "spaciousness"  as  applied  to  recorded  sound, 
or  to  point  to  reproduction  of  the  "dead  studio"  type.  How  these  vari- 
ous effects  are  produced  I  will  leave  for  more  technical  authors  to  ex- 
plain: suffice  it  to  say  that  diverse  techniques  are  employed  ap- 
propriately for  different  types  of  music.  In  too  many  vocal  records  the 
solo  voice  is  allowed  to  overwhelm  chorus  and  orchestra,  often  at  the 
same  time  losing  clarity  from  being  too  close  to  the  microphone.  There 
is  an  argument  to  the  effect  that  the  composer  might  have  appreciated 
the  boost  modern  science  can  give  him  in  this  way;  but  it  is  necessary 
from  time  to  time  to  point  out  where  such  assistance  has  been 
overgenerous. 

Revivals  of  "historical"  recordings,  originally  made  many  years 
ago  by  the  "acoustical"  process,  are  noted  for  what  they  are.  In  some 
cases — for  instance,  the  operas  of  Meyerbeer — the  music  is  not  other- 
wise represented,  but  the  chief  interest  is  in  the  singer,  not  the  song. 
It  is  our  good  fortune  that  the  voices  and  vocal  styles  of  most  of  the 
great  artists  singing  in  the  last  half-century  have  been  preserved,  but 
in  considering  early  recordings  we  must  accept  the  inadequacies  of 
outmoded  techniques.  Perhaps  the  uninitiated  listener  should  be  warned 
not  to  expect  the   composer's   orchestrations   in  the  accompaniments. 


Preface  vjj 


Certain  instruments  could  not  be  reproduced  by  the  acoustical  method, 
and  it  was  not  until  some  five  years  or  so  after  the  introduction  of 
electrical  recording — around  1930 — that  the  old  type  of  studio  en- 
semble was  officially  found  inadequate  for  operatic  accompaniments. 

By  far  the  greater  and  more  important  part  of  this  book  is  the  first, 
the  composers'  section.  In  the  artists'  listing  that  follows,  I  have 
been  more  selective  because  of  the  endless  duplication  of  repertoire. 
The  lack  of  imagination  displayed,  particularly  in  the  many  available 
aria  recitals,  often  makes  listening  no  better  than  a  chore.  For  this 
kind  of  thing  the  advantages  of  LP  are  at  best  questionable,  for  such 
"personality"  discs  are  usually  of  interest  only  to  the  fans. 

The  arrangement  of  material  under  the  composers'  names  follows 
a  definite  pattern.  Choral  works  are  considered  first,  then  operas, 
finally  songs  and  other  works  for  solo  voice.  As  a  general  rule,  re- 
cordings of  the  same  music  are  listed  in  order  of  preference,  though 
occasionally  this  is  rendered  impractical  by  the  coupling.  The  names 
of  choral  organizations  and  orchestras  appearing  frequently  have  been 
reduced  to  a  code,  which  I  hope  will  not  prove  too  cumbersome.  With 
some  regret  I  find  it  practical  to  list  only  the  names  of  a  few  princi- 
pals in  opera  casts.  For  this  reason  the  Index  of  Performers  should 
not  be  looked  upon  as  a  complete  discography  of  any  artist  listed. 

A  real  problem  is  presented  by  the  occasional  imperfect  discs 
that  get  by  the  distributors.  It  seems  neither  necessary  nor  altogether 
fair  to  call  attention  to  every  badly  centered  record,  for  it  is  always 
possible  that  the  flaw  is  an  individual  case.  One  can  sometimes  try 
copy  after  copy  in  a  store  in  a  vain  effort  to  find  one  with  a  good  sur- 
face; yet  sometimes  the  second  try  will  produce  results.  For  this 
reason  it  seems  best  to  give  but  little  space  to  complaints  of  this 
nature. 

It  is  a  temptation  to  dwell  upon  "jacket,"  "liner,"  or,  if  you  will, 
"program"  notes,  which  sometimes  furnish  adequate  and  helpful  infor- 
mation, but  only  too  often  serve  to  becloud  the  issue.  In  most  cases 
this  temptation  has  been  resisted,  though  it  may  be  in  order  to  warn 
the  reader  not  to  take  these  notes  for  gospel. 

Thanks  are  due  to  many  associates  and  friends  for  help  and  en- 
couragement in  preparing  this  survey.  First  and  foremost  is  my  wife, 
who  has  lived  through  it  all,  and  left  her  stamp  on  more  than  one  page 
of  manuscript.  I  want  to  express  my  appreciation  to  Robert  Hughes, 
who  helped  convert  many  reams  of  rough  notes  into  readable  type;  to 
R.  D.  Darrell,  Harold  C.  Schonberg,  James  Hinton,  Jr.,  and  Thomas  B. 


Preface  V1U 

Healey  for  their  invaluable  interest  and  advice;  to  the  various  produc- 
ing companies — nearly  every  one  in  the  field — for  their  co-operation, 
and  to  the  Elaine  Music  Shop  for  producing  what  I  could  not  readily 
get  otherwise;  to  the  several  periodicals  in  which  many  of  the  views 
in  this  book  were  originally  expressed:  The  American  Record  Guide, 
The  Library  Journal,  Consumer  Reports,  and  The  Saturday  Review; 
above  all  to  Herbert  Weinstock,  that  most  patient  of  editors. 

Philip  L.  Miller 


CODE  OF   RECORD  LABELS 


A440 

A440 

IRCC 

International  Record 

Ale 

Alco 

Collectors  Club 

All 

Allegro 

L 

London 

AM 

Audio  Masters 

Ly 

Lyrichord 

An 

Angel 

Mer 

Mercury 

Art 

A  rtis  t 

MGM 

MGM 

B  &B 

B&B 

ML 

Music  Library 

BAR 

Bartbk 

Mon 

Mon  till  a 

BG 

Bach  Guild 

MT 

Magic  Tone 

Bos 

Boston 

MW 

Masterworks 

C 

Columbia 

NE 

New  Editions 

Cam 

Cambridge 

NR 

New  Records 

Cap 

Capitol 

Oc 

Oceanic 

CE 

Classic  Editions 

i 

OL 

Oiseau  Lyre 

Cet 

Cetra 

Ov 

Overtone 

CH 

Concert  Hall 

Pem 

P  embroke 

Col 

Colosseum 

Per 

Period 

Con 

Contemporary 

Pol 

P  olymusic 

Cook 

Cook 

REB 

REB 

D 

Decca 

Rem 

Remington 

Den 

Den 

Ren 

Renaissance 

Des 

Des  to 

Roy 

Roy  ale 

Dia 

Dial 

RS 

Rachmaninoff  Society 

£le 

Elektra 

Sea 

Scala 

EMS 

EMS 

SPA 

SPA 

Ep 

7? 

11  pic 

Str 

Stradivari 

Es 

Esoteric 

Tel 

Telefunken 

Et 

Eterna 

Tri 

Triad 

Fes 

Festival 

U 

Urania 

GA 

Golden  Age 

V 

RCA  Victor 

GAR 

GAR 

Van 

Vanguard 

Hd 

Handel  Society 

Vox 

Vox 

HMV 

His  Master's  Voice 

W 

Westminster 

HS 

Haydn  Society 

WCFM 

WCFM 

CODE  OF   PERFORMING   ORGANIZATIONS 


ABSO  Ansbach  Bach  Society  Orchestra 

AC  &.  0  Angelicum  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

ACS  Allegro  Chamber  Society 

AMC  Amsterdam  Motet  Choir 

ASO  Austrian  Symphony  Orchestra 

BAG  Bach  Aria  Group 

BAV  Bavarian  State  Orchestra 

BAVOC  &  0  Bavarian  State  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

BAVRC  &  0  Bavarian  Radio  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

BAVRO  Bavarian  Radio  Orchestra 

BC  Brasseur  Choir 

BCC  Berlin  Chamber  Choir 

BCNY  Bach  Cantata  Circle  of  New  York 

BCOC  Berlin  Civic  Opera  Chorus 

BCS  Berlin  Choral  Society 

BESO  Berlin  Symphony  Orchestra 

BFC  &  0  Bayreuth  Festival  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

BGC  Bach  Guild  Chorus 

BGO  Bach  Guild  Orchestra 

BMC  Berlin  Motet  Choir 

BO  Bach  Orchestra,  Stuttgart 

BPH  Berlin  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

BSIC  &  0  Bolshoi  Theatre  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

BSIO  Bolshoi  Theatre  Orchestra 

BSO  Boston  Symphony  Orchestra 

BSO  STR  Boston  Symphony  Orchestra  Strings 

BSOC  &  0  Berlin  State  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

BSOO  Berlin  State  Opera  Orchestra 

CAS  Choral  Art  Society 

CBC  Copenhagen  Boys'  Choir 

CBMC  Copenhagen  Boys'  and  Men's  Choir 

CBSC  &  0  Columbia  Broadcasting  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

CBSO  Columbia  Broadcasting  Symphony  Orchestra 

CC  Cetra  Chorus 

CC  &  0  Cetra  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

CFO  Cambridge  Festival  Orchestra 

CHAM  Chamber  Orchestra  (Unidentified) 


Code  of  Performing  Organizations 


XI 1 


CHSL  Choral  Society  of  London 

CIN  Cincinnati  Symphony  Orchestra 

CMFO  Collegium  Musicum  Orchestra,  Frankfurt 

COL  Columbia  Symphony  Orchestra 

COLC  &  0  Columbia  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

CPA  Collegium  Pro  Arte 

CPH  Czech  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

CSL  Cantata  Singers,  London 

DAC  &  0  Detmold  Academy  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

DC  D  ess  off  Choirs 

DKFC  Kantorei  der  Dreikonigskirche ,  Frankfurt 

DOC  &  0  Dresden  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

DRC  &  0  Danish  State  Radio  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

DRO  Danish  Royal  Opera  Orchestra 

EIARC  &  0        EIAR  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

EMC  &  0  Early  Music  Society  Chorus  and  Chamber  Orchestra 

EVP  Ensemble  Vocale  de  Paris 

FM  Maggio  Musicale  Fiorentino  Orchestra 

FMC  &  0  Florence  May  Festival  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

FOC  La  Fenice  Chorus,  Venice 

FOC  &  0  La  Fenice  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

FSC  Fleet  Street  Choir 

FSSC  Frankfurt  State  School  of  Music  Chorus 

GABT  C  &  0     GABT  Chorus  and  Orchestra,  USSR 

GBO  Gbttingen  Bach  Festival  Orchestra 

GC  Gouverne  Chorus 

GFC  Glyndebourne  Festival  Chorus 

GFC  &  0  Glyndebourne  Festival  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

GFO  Glyndebourne  Festival  Orchestra 

GOH  German  Opera  House  Orchestra 

HBA  Instrumental     Ensemble     of    the     Bach     Anniversary, 

Hamburg 

HCO  Hewitt  Chamber  Orchestra 

HMFC  Musikfreunde  Chorus,  Hamburg 

HRC  Harvard  and  Radcliffe  Choirs 

ICO  Italian  Chamber  Orchestra 

IOS  Intimate  Opera  Society 

JMC  J eunnesses  Musicales  Chorus 

JO  Jacques  Orchestra 

JSO  Janssen  Symphony  Orchestra  of  Los  Angeles 

LAM  Lamoureux  Orchestra 


Code  of  Performing  Organizations 


Xlll 


LBE  London  Baroque  Ensemble 

LC  Lamy  Chorus 

LGO  Leipzig  Gewandhaus  Orchestra 

LIV  Liverpool  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

LMS  Luca  Marenzio  Ensemble 

LOS  Little  Orchestra  Society 

LPC  London  Philharmonic  Choir 

LPC  &  0  London  Philharmonic  Choir  and  Orchestra 

LPO  London  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

LSO  London  Symphony  Orchestra 

MC  &  0  Munich  Chamber  Choir  and  Orchestra 

MFC  Vienna  Musikfreunde  Chorus 

MFC  &  0  Chorus  and  Orchestra  of  the  Society  of  Friends  of  Mu- 
sic, Vienna 

MIC  Milan  Chamber  Orchestra 

MIOC  &  0  Milan  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

MIPO  Milan  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

MISO  Milan  Symphony  Orchestra 

MITN  Milan  Teatro  Nuovo  Orchestra 

MOC  &  0  Metropolitan  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

MOO  Metropolitan  Opera  Orchestra 

MPH  Munich  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

MRC  Mitteldeutsche  Rundfunk  Chorus 

MRSC  &  0  Munich  Radio  Symphony  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

MSOC  &  0  Munich  State  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

NBC  National  Broadcasting  Symphony  Orchestra 

NETC  &  0  N etherlands  Philharmonic  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

NEW  New  Symphony  Orchestra  of  London 

NGO  National  Gallery  Orchestra 

NHSC  &  0  Netherlands  Handel  Society  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

NHSO  Netherlands  Handel  Society  Orchestra 

NPSC  &  0  New  Paris  Symphony  Association  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

NSSPC  &  0  Chorus  of  New  Symphony  Society  of  Paris,  and 
Orchestra 

NWDRC  Norddeutsche  Rundfunk  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

NYPH  Philharmonic-Symphony  Orchestra  of  New  York 

NYPMA  New  York  Pro  Musica  Antiqua 

OCC  &  0  Opera-Comique  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

OCM  Orchestra  de  Camera  di  Milano 

OCO  Opera-Comique  Orchestra 

OLE  Oiseau-Lyre  Ensemble 

OLO  Oiseau-Lyre  Orchestra 


Code  of  Performing  Organizations 


XIV 


ONA  Orchestre  National 

OPM  Orchestra  dei  Pomeriggi  Musicale  di  Milano 

PAS  Pasdeloup  Orchestra 

PASC  Pasdeloup  Chamber  Orchestra 

PC  Passani  Choir 

PCO  Paris  Conservatory  Orchestra 

PERP  P erpignan  Festival  Orchestra 

PHC  Philadelphia  Chamber  Ensemble 

PHI  Philharmonia  Orchestra 

PHO  Philadelphia  Orchestra 

PMA  Pro  Musica  Antiqua,  Brussels 

PMO  Pro  Musica  Orchestra 

POC  &  0  Paris  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

POO  Paris  Opera  Orchestra 

PPC  &  0  Paris  Philharmonic  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

PPO  Paris  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

PRC  &  0  Pro  Musica  Chorus  and  Orchestra,  Stuttgart 

PRCO  Pro    Musica    Chamber   Orchestra,    Vienna  Pro  Musica 

Symphony 

PRO  Pro  Musica  Orchestra,  Stuttgart 

PSC  Paris  Select  Choir 

PSO  Pittsburgh  Symphony  Orchestra 

RBC  &  0  Radio  Berlin  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

RBO  Radio  Berlin  Symphony  Orchestra 

RC  &  0  Raugel  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

RCAO  RCA  Victor  Orchestra 

RCO  Ristenpart  Chamber  Orchestra 

RCZ  Reinhart  Choir  of  Zurich 

RDFC  Radiodiffusion  Chorus 

RDFO  Radiodiffusion  Orchestral aris    Radio  Symphony 

RIASC  &  0  RIAS  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

RIASCC  RIAS  Chamber  Choir 

RIASSO  RIAS  Symphony  Orchestra 

RIC  &  0  Radio  Italiana  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

RIO  Radio  Italiana  Orchestra 

ROC  &  0  Rome  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

ROOC  &  0  Royal  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra,  London 

RP  Radio  Paris  Symphony  Orchestra 

RPO  Royal  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

RSPC  Raymond  St.  Paul  Chorus 


Code  of  Performing  Organizations 


XV 


RSQC  &  0  Chorus  and  Orchestra  Romana  da  Camera  delta  Societa 

del  Quartetto 

RSTC  Radio  Stuttgart  Chorus 

RWC  Roger  Wagner  Chorale 

SACC  Salzburg  Cathedral  Choir 

SAL  Salzburg  Mozarteum  Orchestra 

SALC  &  0  Salzburg  Mozarteum  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

SAX  Saxon  (Saxonian)  State  Orchestra 

SC  Shaw  Chorale 

SCA  La  Scala  Orchestra 

SCAC  &  0  La  Scala  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

SCAO  Scarlatti  Society  of  Naples 

SCAOC  &  0  Scarlatti  Chorus  and  Orchestra,  Naples 

SCB  Schola  Cantorum  Basiliensis 

SCC  &  0  Santa  Cecilia  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

SCMC  &  0  Chorus   and  Orchestra  of  State  Conservatory  of  Music, 

Stuttgart 

SCNY  Schola  Cantorum  of  New  York 

SCO  Sta.  Cecilia  Orchestra 

SCS  Stuttgart  Choral  Society 

SDRC  &  0  Suddeutscher  Rundfunk  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

SEC  Saint-Eustache  Choir 

SFC  &  0  Salzburg  Festival  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

SFS  San  Francisco  Symphony  Orchestra 

SPO  Southern  Philharmonic  Orchestra,  England 

SR  Suisse  Romande  Orchestra 

SSAC  Chamber  Choir  of  State  Academy  of  Music,  Stuttgart 

SSO  Suebian  (Swabian)  Symphony  Orchestra 

STO  Ton-Studio  Orchestra,  Stuttgart 

SVC  &  0  Scuola  Veneziana  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

SVO  Scuola  Veneziana  Orchestra 

SWS  Swabian  Choral  Society  {Singers) 

TC  Treviso  Cathedral  Choir 

TCC  Teatro  Communale  Chorus 

TMC  Toronto  Mendelssohn  Choir 

TORO  Toronto  Symphony  Orchestra 

USSRC  &  0  Combined  Choruses  and  Orchestra  of  USSR 

VC  Wiener  Chor 

VCO  Vienna  Chamber  Orchestra 

VH  Vienna  Hofmusikkapelle 


Code  of  Performing  Organizations 


XVI 


VKC 


VPH 

VSO 

VSOC 

VSOC  &  0 

VSY 

VSYC 

WCC 

WCHC 

WIN 

WINC  &  0 

WSTC 

WSTO 

ZTC  &0 

ZTO 


Vienna  Akademie  Kammerchor 

Vienna  Chamber  Choir 

Vienna  Kammerchor 

Vienna  Philharmonic  Orchestra 

Vienna  State  Opera  Orchestra 

Vienna  State  Opera  Chorus 

Vienna  State  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

Vienna  Symphony  Orchestra 

Vienna  Symphony  Chamber  Orchestra 

Washington  Cathedral  Choir 

Chamber  Choir  of  Washington 

Winterthur  Symphony  Orchestra 

Winterthur  Mixed  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

Wurttemberg  State  Theatre  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

Wurttemberg  State  Orchestra 

Zurich  Tonhalle  Chorus  and  Orchestra 

Zurich  Tonhalle  Orchestra 


THE 

GUIDE 

TO 

LONG-PLAYING 

RECORDS 

Vocal  Music 


INDEXES 


After  page  381  will  be  found  an  Index  of  Performers,  an  Index 
of  Composers,  and  an  Alphabetical  List  of  Opera  Titles  with 
Composers'  Names. 


ALBERT,   EUGEN  D'   (1864-1932) 

Tiefland.     Kenney,  s;  Kmentt,  t;  Equiluz,  t;  Wiener,  bs;  Heppe,  bs; 

etc.;  VSOC;  VPH,  Adler,  SPA  40-42  [3]. 

Tiefland,  which  may  be  said  to  typify  the  German  equivalent  of 
Italian  verismo  opera,  has  held  its  own  only  in  its  native  land.  It 
is  good  to  hear  this  obviously  proficient  performance;  yet  one 
would  hesitate  to  judge  the  abilities  of  the  cast  on  this  evidence 
alone:  whether  all  the  singing  is  pretty  much  on  a  dead  level,  or 
whether  the  reproduction  has  been  monitored  to  make  it  sound  so, 
there  is  not  much  relief  from  high  dynamics.  The  voices  are  all 
too  prominent.  Still,  they  are  healthy  and  agreeable  in  quality, 
especially  those  of  Kmentt  and  Heppe.  Kenney,  in  the  leading 
feminine  role,  is  strongly  temperamental  and  none  too  steady.  For 
those  interested  in  hearing  some  of  the  music  sung  by  contempo- 
raries of  the  composer,  Eterna  has  collected  a  set  of  "High- 
lights," including  the  "Dream"  and  "Wolf"  narratives,  Sebasti- 
ano's  song,  and  two  duets  (10"  Et  ELP  456).  Outstanding  among 
the  singers  are  Jacques  Urlus  and  Leopold  Demuth.  Needless  to 
say,  the  recording  is  sketchy;  there  is  some  curious  quick  shift- 
ing between  early  electrical  and  acoustic  reproduction. 

ARNE,    THOMAS  AUGUSTINE   (1710-1778) 

Thomas   and  Sally.     IOS,   L  LLP  292  (*Purcell:  Masque  in  Timon  of 

Athens). 

The  Intimate  Opera  Society,  founded  in  1930,  was  the  direct  re- 
sult of  the  discovery  by  Frederick  Woodhouse  of  the  manuscript  of 
Arne's  little  opera.  The  company  has  made  a  specialty  of  the 
work  ever  since.  The  singing  of  the  soprano  and  tenor  is  sweet 
and  modest,  that  of  Woodhouse  himself  in  the  style  of  a  great 
Victorian.    All,  as  one  might  say,  disarmingly  British. 

AUBER,   DANIEL-FRANCOIS   ESPRIT   (1782-1871) 

Fra  Diavolo.  Beilke,  s;  Schilp,  m-s;  Fehenberger,  t;  Hopf,  b;  Schel- 
lenberg,  bs;  Frick,  bs;  etc.;  DOC  &  0,  Elmendorff,  U  URLP  204  [2]. 
This  melodious  favorite  of  our  grandfathers  was  composed  to  a 
French  text,  though  here  it  is  sung  in  German.  This  fact  is  bound 
to  have  its  effect  on  the  melodic  lines;  yet  the  spirit  of  the  per- 
formance is  gay  and  ebullient.  Some  of.  the  music's  floridity 
proves  embarrassing  to  the  principals,  but  the  voices  are  attrac- 
tive and  the  singing  has  style. 


C.  P.  E.  Bach/ J.  S.  Bach  4 

BACH,    CARL   PHILIPP  EMANUEL   (1714-1788) 

Magnificat.     Siebert,  s;  Rossl-Majdan,  c;  Kmentt,  t;  Braun,  bs;  VKC; 

VSO,  Prohaska,  BG  516/17  [2]  (*Concerto  for  Orchestra). 

Our  one  example  of  the  choral  works  of  Bach's  most  famous  son 
is  a  finer  piece  than  this  recording  shows.  Soloists,  chorus, 
orchestra,  and  conductor,  are  all  favorably  known  in  other  record- 
ings; yet  here  their  performance  seems  hectic.  I  suspect  that  not 
enough  time  went  into  rehearsals.  More  could  have  been  made, 
surely,  of  the  long,  elaborate  fugue  that  crowns  the  composition. 

BACH,   JOHANN  SEBASTIAN  (1685-1750) 

Cantatas 

The  numbers  associated  with  the  Bach  cantatas  were  not  assigned 
by  the  composer,  and  do  not  represent  the  chronology  of  the  works. 
Nor  can  they  be  used  in  connection  with  the  Church  calendar, 
though  Bach  is  reputed  to  have  composed  no  less  than  five  com- 
plete cycles.  Actually,  these  numbers  indicate  only  the  order  in 
which  the  cantatas  were  published  by  the  Bach  Gesellschaft  in 
the  nineteenth  century.  Still,  they  afford  convenient  handles  for 
the  cantatas,  and  some  of  them  are  now  so  well  known  that  little 
purpose  would  be  served  by  disregarding  them. 
The  names  of  several  conductors  and  singers  reappear  frequently 
on  the  list  below.  The  most  gifted  leader,  Hermann  Scherchen,  is 
not  a  Bach  specialist,  but  is  well  known  in  America  (where  he 
has  not  yet  appeared)  through  his  numerous  and  varied  recordings. 
Never  one  to  be  bound  by  tradition,  he  sometimes  arouses  mis- 
givings in  the  orthodox;  but  he  is  never  dull,  and  his  interpreta- 
tions generally  are  based  on  strong  musicality.  Scherchen  usu- 
ally works  with  an  excellent  group  of  soloists,  including  Magda 
Laszlo,  Hilde  Rossl-Majdan,  and  Alfred  Poell.  Fritz  Lehmann  is 
a  reliable  conductor,  more  conventional  and  less  exciting  than 
Scherchen.  The  admirable  lieder  singer  Fischer-Dieskau  and  the 
excellent  tenor  Helmut  Krebs  appear  in  several  of  Lehmann 's  per- 
formances. The  recordings  of  Felix  Prohaska  are  also  on  the 
whole  good;  Rossl-Majdan  and  the  young  soprano  Anny  Felber- 
mayer  sing  in  several  of  them.  And  Hans  Grischkat,  who  rivals 
Scherchen  as  a  prolific  cantata  conductor,  is  a  good  musician,  if 
sometimes  a  little  stolid.  The  best  of  his  soloists  is  Margot 
Guilleaume,  whose  singing  is  sometimes  outstanding. 


J.  5.  Bach  5 

No.  1,  Wie  schon  leuchtet  der  Morgenstern.    Weber,  s;  Krebs,  t;  Schey, 

bs;  BMC;  BPH,  Lehmann,  D  DL  9671  (*Cantata  No.  19). 

Because  of  the  beauty  of  the  familiar  hymn  on  which  it  is  founded, 
and  no  less  because  of  the  seemingly  endless  ingenuity  of  Bach's 
instrumentation,  this  is  one  of  the  most  immediately  appealing  of 
all  the  cantatas.  It  contains,  too,  an  especially  lovely  soprano 
aria,  "Erfullet  ihr  himmlischen  gbttlichen  Flarnmen"  The  per- 
formance is  generally  well  sung,  but  not  perfectly  balanced  in  re- 
production. We  could  do  with  more  of  the  chorale  melody  in  the 
first  movement.  The  soloists  sing  with  impressive  sincerity  and 
excellent  musical  intentions,  but  without  full  mastery  of  the  diffi- 
culties Bach  has  set  them. 

No.    4,    Christ   lag   in   Todesbanden.      Krebs,   t;   Fischer-Dieskau,   b; 

FSSC;  GBO,  Lehmann,  10"  D  DL  7523.    BGC;  VSO,  Prohaska,  BG  511 

(*Cantata   No.   140).      SC;  RCAO,   Shaw,   V  LM  9035  f*Motet:  Jesu, 

meine  Freude). 

Preference  among  these  three  performances  is  conclusively  de- 
cided by  Lehmann 's  soloists  (both  Prohaska  and  Shaw  assign  the 
solo  portions  to  appropriate  sections  of  the  chorus).  Fischer- 
Dieskau,  especially,  sings  eloquently,  though  he  does  some  trans- 
posing where  the  vocal  line  approaches  the  extremes  of  his  range. 
On  the  other  hand,  Decca's  reproduction  is  somewhat  lacking  in 
sonority;  the  Bach  Guild  recording  is  mechanically  better.  Shaw's 
performance  is  rather  businesslike;  some  of  the  singing  inclines 
to  be  choppy. 

No.    6,    Bleib   bei   uns,   denn  es   will  Abend  werden.      Plumacher,  c; 

Hohmann,  t;  Muller,  bs;  SCS;  BO,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  34  (*Cantata  No. 

19). 

As  Schering  has  noted,  this  cantata  may  be  considered  a  "con- 
tinuation and  epitome  of  the  scenes  depicted  in  the  Saint  John 
Passion,"  in  a  narrative  as  well  as  a  musical  sense.  Certainly 
the  opening  chorus  bears  more  than  a  family  resemblance  to  the 
"Ruht  wohl"  of  the  greater  work.  In  the  recording,  some  concern 
is  apparent  over  the  matter  of  balance,  for  the  chorus  seems  to  be 
placed  beyond  the  orchestra.  The  effect  is  generally  good,  though 
such  an  arrangement  would  account  for  a  certain  dullness  in  the 
choral  tone.  The  soloists,  unfortunately,  are  too  close  to  the 
microphone.  Plumacher  does  not  manage  to  make  light  of  the 
technical  difficulties  of  her  first  aria;  she  seems  rushed  by  the 
conductor,  and  consequently  unable  to  give  the  words  due  weight. 


J.  S.  Bach  6 

No.  9,  Es  ist  das  Heil  uns  kommen  her.  Fassbender-Luz,  s;  Dr'dger, 
c;  Stemann,  t;  Muller,  bs;  SCS;  BO,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  37  (*Cantata  No. 
137). 

The  ninth  cantata  is  one  of  Bach's  finest.     Spitta  says  it  "gives 
us  perfect  satisfaction  by  its  masterly  completeness  and  fulness 
of  form."    The  recording  shares  the  characteristics  of  that  of  No. 
6,  though  the  solo  singing  is  somewhat  less  impressive. 
No.   11,   Lobet  Gott  in  seinen  Reichen  (Ascension  Oratorio).     Fass- 
bender-Luz, s;  Michaelis,  c;  Hohmann,  t;  Muller,  bs;  SWS;  BO,  Grisch- 
kat, Ly  LL  34.     (In  English)    Mitchell,  s;  Ferrier,  c;  Herbert,  t;  Par- 
sons, bs;  CSL;  JO,  Jacques,  10"  L  LPS  160. 

The  chief  musical  interest  here  lies  in  the  original  contralto  aria 
later  remodeled  into  the  "Agnus  Dei"  of  the  B  minor  Mass.     In 
both  recordings  the  best  singing  is  done  by  the  contralto.     Al- 
though the  Stuttgart  tenor  is  ineffectual  and  the  other  soloists  are 
hardly   better,   the   not-too-successful  English  translation  throws 
the  decision  to  the  German  group.     Even  Ferrier's  excellent  dic- 
tion is  unable  to  make  the  text  plain. 
No.  19,  Es  erhub  sich  ein  Streit.    Weber,  s;  Krebs,  t;  Schey,  bs;  BMC; 
BPH,   Lehmann,  D  DL  9671  (*Cantata  No.  1).     Giebel,  s;  Stemann,  t; 
Muller,  bs;  SCS;  STO,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  34  (*Cantata  No.  6). 

The  gem  of  this  cantata  is  the  tenor  aria  "Bleibt,  ihr  Engel,  bleibt 

bei   mir,"  with  an   obbligato   trumpet  playing  a  familiar  chorale 

melody.      Krebs  is  the  more  impressive  of  the  two  tenors.     The 

Lehmann  performance   is  the  better  balanced;  while  Grischkat's 

chorus  seems  distant,  his  soloists  are  too  much  with  us. 

No.  21,  Ich  hatte  viel  Bekummernis.     Weber,  s;  Krebs,  t;  Schey,  bs; 

BMC;  BPH,  Lehmann,  D  DL  9673.    Schweiger,  s;  Cuenod,  t;  Perners- 

torfer,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Sternberg,  BG  501. 

Weber  sings  the  famous  aria  "Seufzer,  Thranen,  Rummer,  Not" 
effectively  under  Lehmann,  and  Krebs  shows  a  good  grasp  of  his 
solos.  The  tenor,  however,  encounters  some  formidable  competi- 
tion from  Cuenod,  whose  sensitive  singing  is  the  feature  among 
Sternberg's  soloists.  The  duet  in  the  Decca  recording  suffers 
from  the  voices  being  too  close  to  the  microphone,  but  the  whole 
effect  of  the  cantata  is  smoother  and  more  penetrating  than  in  the 
Bach  Guild  version. 
No.  31,  Der  Himmel  lacht,  die  Erde  jubilieret.  Felbermayer,  s;  Kmentt, 
t;  Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VCO,  Prohaska,  BG  512  (^Chorales). 

I  am  not  sure  the  device   of  reducing  the  elaborate   choruses  to 


J.  S.  Bach  7 

solo  voices  is  the  best  possible  solution  for  the  problem  of  clarity 
in  this  work,  but  this  performance  has  movement.  Felbermayer 
deserves  a  word  of  praise  for  her  singing  of  the  aria  "Letzte 
Stunde,  brick  herein,"  which  brings  this  festive  composition  to 
its  sober  concluding  thought  on  death  and  the  future  life. 

No.  32,  Liebster  Jesu,  mein  V  erlangen.     Laszlo,  s;  Poell,  bs;   VKC; 

VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WL  5122  ("Cantata  No.  140).    Giebel,  s;  Muller,  bs; 

PRC  &  0,  Reinhardt,  Vox  PL  7340  ("Cantata  No.  57). 

If  it  were  the  only  recording  in  the  field,  Reinhardt's  would  rate 
as  very  satisfactory;  as  it  is,  the  choice  falls  to  Scherchen. 
Again,  were  Laszlo's  voice  less  appealingly  lyrical  and  her  style 
less  musicianly  and  beautifully  matched  with  that  of  Poell,  the 
combination  of  Giebel  and  Muller  would  impress  us  more.  The 
latter  soprano's  voice,  however,  lacks  the  vibrancy  we  admire  in 
her  rival.  After  Scherchen,  the  Reinhardt  performance  seems  just 
a  bit  dull. 

No.    34,    0  ewiges   Feuer.      Sydney,   c;   Cuenod,   t;   Pernerstorfer,   bs; 

VKC;  VSY,  Sternberg,  BG  502  ("Cantata  No.  56). 

Like  so  many  Bach  performances,  this  one  is  uneven,  with  Stern- 
berg's youthful  spirit  and  earnestness  compensating  for  some  ob- 
vious weaknesses,  and  with  a  certain  nervousness  especially 
noticeable  in  the  first  movement.  The  choral  sections  are  un- 
usually transparent,  the  vocal  soloists  generally  good,  and  the 
instrumentalists  excellent,  though  the  trumpeters  do  not  find  the 
going  easy. 

No.  39,  Brick  dem  Hungrigen  dein  Brot.     Weber,  s;  Fischer,  c;  Schey, 

bs;  BMC;  BPH,  Lehmann,  D  DL  9672  ("Cantata  No.  79). 

This  cantata,  composed  for  a  service  of  thanksgiving  on  the  ar- 
rival in  Leipzig  of  some  eighteen  hundred  war  refugees  from  Salz- 
burg, is  particularly  touching  as  we  realize  the  timeliness  of  its 
text.  The  orchestra — two  flutes,  two  oboes,  strings,  and  organ — 
is  strikingly  lovely,  especially  at  the  opening,  and  the  aria  for 
soprano  with  flutes  in  unison  and  continuo,  iiH6chster  was  ich 
habe,"  is  one  of  those  beautiful  flowing  melodies  of  which  Bach 
so  well  knew  the  secret.  The  choral  work  is  clear  in  texture,  but 
the  soloists  are  uneven.  The  bass  sings  with  good  authority,  but 
the  ladies  are  rather  tentative. 

No.  46,  Schauet  doch  und  sehet.    Sydney,  c;  Cuenod,  t;  Pernerstorfer, 

bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Sternberg,  BG  503  ("Cantata  No.  104). 

If    the    moving    opening    chorus    of   this    cantata    seems   strangely 


J.  5.   Bach  8 

familiar,   this   is   because  we   have   met   it  before   in  the  B  minor 
Mass,   as   "Qui  tollis   peccata  mundi."     Unlike  some   of  Bach's 
adaptations,   this   one  retains  the  same   underlying  thought  in  its 
later  guise;  but  whereas   in  the  Mass  text  we  meditate   upon  the 
burden  of  the  whole  world's  sin,  in  this  cantata  it  is  the  sorrow 
of   the   Crucified   that   concerns   us.      Jonathan  Sternberg  and  the 
excellent    forces    he    directs    succeed    in   conveying   more   than  a 
little  of  the  music's  power. 
No.  51,  Jauchzet  Gott  in  alien  Landen.    Guilleaume,  s;  BO,  Grischkat, 
Ren  X  35  (*Cantata  No.  189).    Schwarzkopf,  s;  PHI,  Gelhorn,  C  ML  4792 
(*Cantata  No.  82;  Arias  from  Cantatas  Nos.  208,  68).    Danco,  s;  Stutt- 
gart Cham  0,  Munchinger,  L  LL  993  f*Cantata  No.  202). 

Schwarzkopf's  Jauchzet  Gott  is  perhaps  her  most  brilliant  tour  de 
force  to  date — one  wonders  if  any  other  soprano  could  match  her 
for  sheer  endurance,  for  accuracy,  or  for  rhythmic  precision  at 
breakneck  speed.  On  the  other  hand,  one  wonders  if  this  is  really 
all  Bach  intended.  In  the  more  sustained  portions  the  soprano  is 
at  her  loveliest;  only  a  tendency  to  sing  the  words  too  inwardly 
is  open  to  any  sort  of  criticism.  Neither  Danco  nor  Guilleaume 
attempts  to  rival  Schwarzkopf's  dazzling  brilliance.  The  former, 
taking  the  opening  movement  at  a  less  headlong  tempo,  negotiates 
the  coloratura  with  notable  ease,  yet  her  tone  somehow  lacks 
solidity.  It  remains  for  Guilleaume  to  publish  Bach's  glad  tidings 
without  exhausting  herself  or  her  listeners.  Schwarzkopf's  record- 
ing has  been  available  for  several  years  as  a  78-rpm  importation; 
at  33  it  is  not  seriously  hampered  by  a  heavy  bass.  Danco's 
version  is  the  most  recent  of  the  three  and  the  best  mechanically. 
No.  53,  Schlage  doch,  gewunschte  Stunde.  Rossl-Majdan,  c;  VSO, 
Scherchen,  W  WL  5197  (*Cantatas  Nos.  54,  170).  Hennecke,  c;  SCB, 
Wenzinger,  D  DL  9619  (*Cantatas  Nos.  200,  189). 

Schlage  doch  is  a  contralto's  paradise,  with  long  luscious  lines 
to  be  caressed  by  a  noble  voice,  and  with  just  the  kind  of  ex- 
pressiveness only  such  a  voice  can  give.  Strange,  then,  that  more 
deep-toned  ladies  have  not  recorded  it;  stranger  still  that  neither 
of  the  two  artists  here  listed  has  come  nearer  to  the  core  of  the 
matter.  Rossl-Majdan  is  a  fine  singer  with  a  lovely  voice,  as 
many  discs  have  shown;  perhaps  it  is  Scherchen  who  keeps  the 
cantata  from  flowing,  for  the  orchestra  part  is  a  little  choppy. 
Hennecke 's  voice  is  less  rich  and  less  steady:  in  this  case  it  is 
definitely  the  singer  who  does  not  thrill  us. 


J.  S.  Bach  9 

No.  54,  Widerstehe  dock  der  Sunde.    Rossl-Majdan,  c;  VSO,  Scherchen, 

W  WL  5197  ("Cantatas  Nos.  53,  170). 

The  contralto  is  more  successful  here  than  in  the  better-known 
No.  53,  but  in  reproduction  her  voice  seems  too  close  upon  us. 

No.  56,  Ich  will  den  Kreuzstab  gerne  tragen.     Fischer-Dieskau,  BMC; 

RCO,    Ristenpart,   D  DL  9595  (*Cantata  No.    82).      Pernerstorfer,   bs; 

VKC;  VSY,  Sternberg,  BG  502  ("Cantata  No.  34). 

Fischer-Dieskau's  voice  is  rich,  smooth,  and  appealing  in  this 
solo  cantata,  his  style  warm,  musical,  and  clean-cut.  It  is  sur- 
prising to  note  that  he  likes  neither  high  notes  nor  low,  even 
taking  several  low  G's  up  an  octave.  These  must  be  limitations 
overcome  since  this  recording  was  made,  for  later  evidence  does 
not  show  them.  His  is  certainly  the  better  recording  of  the  can- 
tata, despite  what  sounds  like  not  quite  perfect  microphone  place- 
ment.   The  voice  is  a  little  muffled. 

No.   57,  Selig  ist  der  Mann.     Giebel,  s;  Midler,   bs;  PRO,  Reinhardt, 

Vox  PL  7340  ("Cantata  No.  32). 

This  performance  and  recording  are  best  summed  up  in  the  word 
"competent." 

No.    63,    Christen,   atzet  diesen   Tag.    Opawshy,   s;   Rossl-Majdan,   c; 

Kmentt,  t;  Hermann,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Gielen,  BG  518. 

Despite  some  good  work  by  the  contralto  and  general  adequacy  on 
the  part  of  the  other  soloists,  the  performance  of  this  "Christmas 
Cantata"  can  hardly  be  called  inspired. 

No.   65,  Sie  werden  aus  Saba  alle  kommen.     Hilgenberg,  s;  Sands,  t; 

Isbell,  bs;  RWC:  CHAM,  Wagner,  Ly  LL  50  ("Cantata  No.  106). 

Cantata  65  has  long  been  familiar  in  the  Anthologie  Sonore  record- 
ing, which,  despite  some  clean  singing  by  Max  Meili  and  the 
chorus,  was  never  satisfactory.  The  work  was  cut  down  to  fit 
two  twelve-inch  standard-play  sides,  and  even  if  we  accepted 
this,  the  transitions  from  movement  to  movement  were  joltingly 
hasty.  Roger  Wagner's  restrained  tempo  in  the  opening  movement 
— a  kind  of  "March  of  the  Wise  Men"  to  introduce  this  Epiphany 
cantata — is  definitely  good,  and  the  chorus,  apparently  larger 
than  that  on  Anthologie  Sonore,  sings  admirably.  The  bass  soloist 
is  outstanding  (his  part  is  entirely  cut  in  the  Anthologie),  the 
tenor  a  bit  quavering  and  light. 

No.    67,  Halt  im  Gedachtniss  Jesum  Christ  (Hold  in  affection  Jesus 

Christ).     Ferrier,  c;  Herbert,  t;  Parsons,  bs;  CSL;  JO,  Jacques,  10" 

L  LPS  161  ("Cantata  No.  147 — Chorale,  Jesu,  joy  of  man's  desiring). 


J.  5.  Bach  10 

This  cantata,  with  its  special  dividend  of  an  attractive  and  re- 
served performance  of  the  familiar  chorale,  is  authentic  enough  in 
style,  if  we  accept  the  translation  and  the  sheer  Britishness  of 
the  voices.  I  am  never  quite  satisfied  with  the  rather  stilted  ef- 
fect of  the  English  in  the  recitatives,  and  in  the  arias  even 
Ferrier's  good  diction  does  not  make  the  texts  plain  enough.  It 
is,  of  course,  to  the  contralto's  participation  that  the  performance 
owes  its  chief  distinction. 

No.   70,  Wachet,  betet,  seid  bereit  allezeit.     Felbermayer,  s;  Wien,  c; 

Meyer-Welfing,  t;  Foster,  bs;  BGC;  VSO,  Prohaska,  BG  524. 

This  fine  cantata  is  done  with  good  spirit,  and  in  the  choral  parts, 
with  clarity  and  finish.  The  concerted  coloratura  of  the  opening 
movement  comes  through  as  it  should,  the  balance  with  the  or- 
chestra is  satisfactory.  Among  the  soloists  only  Felbermayer  is 
altogether  right,  but  she  is  considerably  more  than  that.  Foster 
produces  a  rather  throaty  sound;  in  the  quite  astonishing  recita- 
tive and  arioso — in  effect  almost  a  scena  drammatica — his  sing- 
ing wants  more  bite.  Wien  produces  pleasant  tones,  but  her  ex- 
pression is  rather  tentative.  Meyer-Welfing,  after  delivering  his 
recitative  directly  through  the  nose,  stands  up  surprisingly  well 
in  his  aria,  one  of  the  finest  moments  in  the  cantata.  The  repro- 
duction is  good,  though  I  found  I  had  to  cut  the  highs  in  order  to 
lose  some  strong  sibilants. 

No.    76,   Die   Himmel  erzahlen  die   Ehre   Gottes.      Laszlo,    s;  Rossl- 

Majdan,  c;  Munteanu,  t;  Standen,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WL  5201. 
This  is  a  cantata  of  strong  attractions,  with  a  particularly  fine 
placid  chorale  closing  the  first  part,  and  a  charming  sinfonia  for 
oboe  d'amore,  viola  da  gamba,  bass,  and  continuo  opening  the 
second.  Scherchen,  who  has  a  way  of  making  such  music  vital, 
is  in  fine  form  here,  and  it  would  be  hard  to  resist  his  perform- 
ance. Laszlo  is  excellent,  and  Rossl-Majdan's  solos  have  true 
nobility.  Munteanu  is  somewhat  tremulous,  Standen  rather  husky, 
though  both  sing  intelligently.  The  splendid  final  chorale,  with 
its  trumpetings  and  full  trappings,  makes  a  thrilling  close. 

No.     78,    Jesu,   der  du   meine   Seele.      Stich-Randall,   s;   Hermann,   c; 

Dermota,  t;  Braun,  bs;  BGC  &  0,  Prohaska,  BG  537  (Cantata  No.  106). 

Hafliger,  t;  Schey,  bs;  WINC  &  0,  Bernhardt,  10"  CH  59. 

Clarity  in  performance  and  reproduction  is  chief  among  the  virtues 
of  the  choral  portions  of  Prohaska's  recording.  In  this  it  is 
superior  to  Reinhardt's.  It  is  blessed,  too,  with  unusually  effec- 
tive soloists,  and  unlike  its  rival,  it  has  the  delicious  duet,  "Wir 


J.  S.  Bach  11 

eilen  mit  schwachen  dock  emsigen  Schritten,"  sung  by  solo 
voices.  This  movement,  however,  is  quite  a  new  thing  here,  for 
the  tempo  is  very  much  faster  than  is  usual,  and  the  continuo 
played  on  the  organ  gives  the  music  a  character  it  does  not  have 
with  the  harpsichord.  The  speed,  I  think,  is  quite  in  keeping  with 
the  text,  but  the  loss  in  lightness  of  texture  neutralizes  some  of 
this  gain.  The  tenor  and  bass  soloists  are  not  only  far  superior 
to  those  in  the  Concert  Hall  version;  they  are  exceptionally  good 
by  any  standards.  Over  Prohaska's  performance  I  sense  a  feeling 
of  restlessness  which  I  do  not  altogether  like;  still,  it  is  unques- 
tionably the  best  recording  so  far  available. 
No.  79,  Gott  der  Herr  ist  Sonn  und  Schild.  Weber,  s;  Fischer,  c;  Schey, 
bs;  BMC;  BPH,  Lehmann,  D  DL  9672  (*Cantata  No.  39). 

This  cantata  for  Reformation  Day  contains,  among  other  things,  a 
charming  duet  for  soprano  and  bass,  moving  mostly  in  parallel 
motion — "Gott,  ach  Gott,  verlass  die  Deinen  nimmermehr" — and 
an  exciting  setting  of  the  chorale  "Nundanket  Alle  Gott,"  punc- 
tuated by  horn  fanfares.  The  choral  singing  is  clear,  though  the 
tone  is  somewhat  breathy.  The  bass  is  the  best  of  the  soloists. 
No.  80,  Ein  feste  Burg  ist  unser  Gott.  Weis-Osborn,  s;  Rossl-Majdan, 
c;  Equiluz,  t;  Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VCO,  Prohaska,  BG  508. 

It  is  perhaps  not  surprising  that  Luther's  great  Reformation  hymn 
should  have  inspired  Bach  to  one  of  his  most  exciting  cantatas. 
From  the  very  first  note  proclaimed  by  the  tenors,  supported  by 
unison  violas,  cellos,  and  organ,  we  are  in  medias  res:  never 
once  throughout  the  cantata  are  we  let  down.  The  first  chorus  and 
the  brilliant  and  heavily  scored  unison  chorale  ("Und  wenn  die 
Welt  voll  Teufel  war")  are  perhaps  the  highest  spots,  though  the 
four-square  chorale  at  the  end  is  thrilling  in  its  own  way.  The 
performance  is  enthusiastic  and  communicative,  if  under-rehearsed 
in  places.  The  opening  chorus  is  clear  and  the  contrapuntal  lines 
are  remarkably  well  brought  out;  the  danger  has  been  averted  that 
so  consistently  loud  a  movement  might  disintegrate  into  a  jumble. 
Berry  sings  his  solo  well,  with  the  obbligato  chorale  supplied  by 
the  sopranos,  but  this  has  been  too  powerfully  recorded.  The 
other  vocal  soloists  are  good,  and  there  is  fine  trumpet-playing 
by  Helmut  Wobitsch. 
No.  82,  Ich  habe  genug.  Hotter,  bs;  PHI,  Bernard,  C  ML  4792  ^Can- 
tata No.  51;  Arias  from  Cantatas  Nos.  208,  68 J.  Fischer-Dies kau,  b; 
RCO,  Ristenpart,  D  DL  9595  ("Cantata  No.  56). 

In    their   Record  Guide,   Sackville-West   and   Shawe-Taylor   hailed 


J.  S.  Bach  12 

the  original  standard-play  version  of  the  Hotter  recording  as  "the 
most  important  contribution  to  the  Bach  cantata  repertoire  which 
has  yet  appeared."  Certainly  the  singer  has  here  produced  his 
own  masterpiece  and  done  eloquent  justice  to  one  of  Bach's 
choicest  solo  works.  The  voice,  to  be  sure,  is  not  the  most 
sensuous  we  have  heard  in  our  time,  yet  it  is  smooth  and  expres- 
sive in  this  recording,  and  the  man  is  a  magnificent  artist.  The 
aria  "Schlummert  ein"  with  its  echoes  of  the  final  chorus  in  the 
Saint  Matthew  Passion,  is  sung  with  deep  reverence  and  feeling; 
the  final  brilliant  number  is  hardly  less  successful.  The  transfer 
to  LP  has  meant  a  sacrifice  of  some  feeling  of  space,  but  the 
gain  in  uninterrupted  mood  is  far  more  important.  Fischer-Dieskau, 
though  at  the  time  of  recording  he  seemed  to  find  the  range  of  the 
cantata  taxing,  is  only  somewhat  less  convincing. 
No.  84,  Ich  bin  vergnugt.  Laszlo,  s;  VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WL  5125 
(*Cantata  No.  106). 

Despite   some  peculiar  labeling,  this  is  a  solo  cantata,  sung  in 

Laszlo's  bright,  appealing  tone.    The  soprano  is,  however,  guilty 

of  some  cooing  and  some  scooping.    Her  diction  is  hardly  a  model. 

No.   104,  Du  Hirte  Israel,  hore.     Sydney,  c;  Cuenod,  t;  Pernerstorfer, 

bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Sternberg,  BG  503  f*Cantata  No.  46). 

Jonathan  Sternberg's  forces  perform  well  for  him  here.    Among  his 
chief  assets   are   Cuenod,   the   seasoned  orchestral  players,  and 
the  choir. 
No.  105,  Herr,  gehe  nicht  ins  Gericht.    Weber,  s;  Fischer,  c;  Krebs,  t; 
Schey,  bs;  BMC;  BPH,  Lehmann,  D  DL  9682  ("Cantata  No.  170). 

The  anxious  opening  of  this  cantata,  with  its  almost  confused 
rhythms,  is  very  striking;  and  the  soprano  aria  "Wie  zittern  und 
wanken,"  with  oboe,  violins,  and  viola,  is  first-rate  Bach.  The 
best  of  the  soloists  are  Weber  and  Krebs,  the  latter  singing  with 
an  easy  open  tone  hardly  expected  of  a  German  tenor.  Fischer  is 
not  quite  steady  in  tone,  and  Schey 's  singing  is  curiously  meas- 
ured. The  chorus  performs  well  (it  seems  to  be  a  small  one), 
though  its  tone  is  somewhat  husky;  apparently  it  has  been  placed 
beyond  the  orchestra,  for  it  is  not  strong  in  brilliance.  In  the 
tenor  aria  there  is  some  difficulty  with  the  horns.  The  final 
chorale  is  a  wonderful  contemplative  movement,  with  shifting  ac- 
companying rhythm. 
No.  106,  Gottes  Zeit  ist  die  allerbeste  Zeit.  Stich-Randall,  s;  Her- 
mann, c;  Dermota,  t;  Braun,  bs;  BGC  &  0,  Prohaska,  BG  537  ("Cantata 
No.  78).    Rossl-Majdan,  c;  Poell,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WL  5125 


J.  S.  Bach  13 

(*Cantata  No.   84).     Hilgenberg,  s;  Sands,  t;  Iskell,  bs;  RWC;  CHAM, 

Wagner,  Ly  LL  50  ("Cantata  No.  65). 

This  is  the  funeral  cantata  also  known  as  Actus  Tragic  us;  it 
boasts  one  of  the  most  sublimely  beautiful  orchestral  preludes  to 
be  found  in  Bach.  Scherchen  uses  gambas  and  flutes  in  this  with 
very  moving  effect,  but  Prohaska  goes  him  one  better  in  dropping 
the  flutes  for  recorders.  Rossl-Majdan  and  Poell  sing  their  duet 
superbly  in  the  Scherchen  recording,  though  the  basso  finds  the 
tessitura  high.  Prohaska  has  individual  singers  for  the  "choral 
solos"  as  well  as  their  extended  parts,  and  they  are  a  superior 
group — Stich-Randall's  voice  is  especially  lovely  in  the  passage 
that  ends  the  first  chorus.  Both  choruses  come  through  with  good 
definition  and  satisfactory  tone;  there  is  little  to  choose  between 
the  orchestras.  Wagner's  singers  are  competent,  but  they  do  not 
reach  the  standard  of  their  rivals. 

No.   112,  Der  Herr  ist  mein  getreuer  Hirt.     F assbender-Luz,  s;  Pl'um- 

acher,  c;  Stemann,  t;  Werdermann,  bs;  SWS;  BO,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  36 

(*  Cantata  No.  185). 

This  adaptation  of  the  Twenty-third  Psalm  has  a  joyous  opening 
chorus  with  a  part  for  high  trumpet,  sure  in  this  recording  to  give 
trouble  if  one's  turntable  is  less  than  perfectly  steady.  A  lovely 
contralto  aria  follows,  "Zum  reinen  Wasser" — it  may  be  re- 
membered as  a  part  of  Marian  Anderson's  Bach  aria  program  (V 
LCT  1111).  Pliimacher  performs  well,  but  the  rest  of  the  soloists 
are  not  very  good.  Both  the  bass  recitative  and  the  soprano-tenor 
duet  are  sub-standard. 

No.   122,  Das  neugebor'ne  Kindelein.     Opawsky,  s;  Rossl-Majdan,  c; 

Kmentt,    t;   Hermann,   bs;   VKC;    VSO,    Gielen,   BG  523  (*Cantata  No. 

133). 

There  is  nothing  particularly  distinctive  about  this  performance. 
The  bass  aria  sounds  like  a  bit  of  a  chore;  the  other  solos  are 
not  notably  better.  Chorus  and  orchestra  acquit  themselves 
satisfactorily. 

No.  131,  Aus  der  Tiefe.    Hess,  t;  Matthen,  bs;  SC;  RCAO,  Shaw,  V  LM 

1100  ("Cantata  No.  140). 

This  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  Shaw  performances.  The  conduc- 
tor's usual  clean  and  polished  musical  lines  are  once  again  im- 
pressive, as  is  his  general  air  of  proficiency.  Indeed,  if  it  has  a 
weakness,  this  must  be  that  it  is  too  proficient.    The  two  soloists 


J.  S.  Bach  14 

are    among   the    best   available    in   this    country   for   this    type    of 
music.      The   reproduction   is   unusually   impressive,   combining  a 
sense  of  presence  with  a  fine  effect  of  space. 
No.  133,  Ich  freue  mich  in  dir.    Opawsky,  s;  Rbssl-Majdan,  c;  Kmentt, 
t;  Hermann,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Gielen,  BG  523  ("Cantata  No.  122). 

This    Christmas    cantata   is   reasonably  well   done.      Best   of  the 

soloists    are    the    contralto    and   the    tenor,    both   familiar   through 

other  recordings. 

No.    137,   Lobe  den  Herren,   den  machtigen  Konig  der  Ehren.      Fass- 

bender-Luz,  s;  Drager,  c;  Stemann,  t;  M'uller,  bs;  SCS;  BO,  Grischkat, 

Ren  X  37  ("Cantata  No.  9). 

This  cantata  is  in  effect  a  series  of  variations  on  one  of  the  most 
striking    of  all  the    chorales.      There    is   a  particularly  effective 
tenor  aria  with  the  old  melody  serving  as  trumpet  obbligato.     The 
performance  is  a  good  one. 
No.  140,  Wachet  auf,  ruft  uns  die  Stimme.    Laszlo,  s;  Kmentt,  t;  Poell, 
bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WL  5122  ("Cantata  No.  32).  Felbermayer, 
s;   Uhl,  t;  Braun,  bs;  BGC  &  0,  Prohaska,  BG  511  ("Cantata  No.  4). 
Freil,  s;  Russell,  t;  Matthen,  bs;  SC;  RCAO,  Shaw,  V  LM  1100  ("Can- 
tata No.  131). 

To  one  unfamiliar  with  the  Bach  cantatas,  there  could  perhaps  be 

no  better  introduction  than  this  famous  work,  of  whose  remarkable 

middle    movement   the   familiar   chorale   prelude   Wachet  auf  is   a 

transcription.      The   Prohaska  performance   has  the   advantage  of 

being   coupled  with  another  of  the   acknowledged  great  cantatas, 

and    its  balance   is   somewhat  better  than  that  of  the  Scherchen 

version.    Still,  the  exceptional  singing  of  the  duets  by  Laszlo  and 

Poell  is  enough  to  make  the  Westminster  record  a  "must."    The 

Shaw  recording  is  older,  and  except  for  Matthen  the  soloists  are 

lightweight.    It  is,  however,  smooth  and  well  prepared. 

No.  146,  Wir  milssen  durch  viel  Trubsal  in  das  Reich  Gottes  eingehen. 

Felbermayer,    s;    Wien,   c;   Meyer-Welfing,    t;   Foster,    bs;   BGC;    VSO, 

Prohaska,  BG  525. 

The  immediately  striking  thing  about  this  cantata  is  the  pre- 
dominance of  the  organ  in  the  long  elaborate  prelude.  In  the  re- 
cording this  effect  is  highlighted  to  such  an  extent  that  the  chorus, 
on  its  entrance,  seems  removed  from  the  scene — one  wonders 
where  the  performance  took  place.  What  with  such  unevennesses, 
both  in  reproduction  and  in  performance,  this  is  not  one  of  the 
happiest   of  the  Bach  Guild  offerings.     Of  the  soloists,  Felber- 


J.  S.  Bach  15 

mayer  is  as  usual  admirable;  Wien  is  passable;  Meyer-Welfing  is 
inclined  to  put  pressure  on  his  voice,  with  not  too  happy  results. 
A  jubilant  duet  for  tenor  and  bass  is  a  feature  of  the  work,  but 
its  effect  is  lost  because  the  singers  are  too  close  to  us. 

No.  152,  Tritt  auf  die  Glaubensbahn.    Bond,  s;  Irwin,  bs;  LBE,  Haas, 

W  WL  5067  (*Brandenburg  Concerto  No.  4). 

After  a  hearing  of  this  work,  the  thing  most  likely  to  linger  in  the 
memory  is  a  soprano  aria  of  a  charm  similar  to  that  of  "Schafe 
kbnnen  sicher  weiden."  Though  the  performance  as  a  whole  has 
a  winning  lightness  of  touch,  the  two  soloists  are  not  quite  all  we 
might  desire.  Both  are  accomplished  and  conscientious  artists  of 
the  solid  English  tradition — hardly  ideal  credentials  for  a  Bach 
performance  in  the  original  German.  Accepting  this  limitation, 
however,  the  performance  is  creditable  and  the  recording  excellent. 

No.  158,  Der  Friede  sei  mit  dir.    Eby,  bs;  Hess,  s;  Popeski,  s;  BCNY, 

Hauptmann,  BS  LX  7001  (*Songs). 

The  cantata  is  for  bass  solo,  with  the  other  voices  incidental;  as 
Eby  sings  all  the  sacred  songs  on  the  reverse,  the  listener  must 
settle  down  to  quite  a  session  with  his  voice.  Unhappily,  it  is  a 
very  deep,  thick,  almost  sepulchral  voice,  and  he  does  nothing  to 
brighten  it  or  give  it  tonal  variety.  The  cantata  is  built  around 
one  lovely  aria,  but  one  is  not  likely  to  remember  this  very  well 
after  such  a  performance.  The  voices  that  join  in  the  chorale  at 
the  end  are  not  well  blended. 

No.   161,  Komm  du  susse   Todesstunde.     Rossl-Majdan,  c;  Kmentt,  t; 

BGC  &  0,  Prohaska,  BG  513  (*Cantata  No.  202). 

This  cantata,  which  utilizes  the  magnificent  chorale  Herzlich  thut 
mich  Verlangen,  benefits  by  some  good,  neat  solo  singing.  The 
choral  work  is  well  balanced;  though  not  too  close  upon  us,  the 
parts  stand  out  distinctly,  as  do  the  orchestral  instruments. 

No.  170,  Vergnugte  Ruh\  beliebte  Seelenlust.    Rossl-Majdan,  c;  VSO, 

Scherchen,    W  WL  5197  (*Cantatas   Nos.   53,   54).      Hbngen,   c;  BAY, 

Lehmann,  D  DL  9682  (*Cantata  No.  105). 

Spitta  calls  this  cantata  "one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  its  kind." 
Of  special  interest  are  the  happy  details  of  wordsetting,  notably 
the  graphic  line  iiVnd  will  den  N'dchsten  nur  mit  F'ussen  treten." 
But  if  this  is  an  outstandingly  lovely  work,  it  is  also  a  difficult 
one.  Of  the  two  singers,  Rossl-Majdan  is  the  more  successful;  in 
fact  this  is  the  best  of  the  three  cantatas  she  sings  on  this  one 
disc.       Amusingly,   the    organ   obbligato,    fully   described   in  the 


J.  S.  Bach  16 

jacket  notes,  is  played  on  the  harpsichord  in  this  recording. 
Hongen  is  bested  by  some  of  the  problems  set  her;  her  tone  is 
tremulous,  her  pitch  uncertain.  Her  unquestionable  understanding 
of  the  music  is  not  enough  to  save  her. 

No.  185,  Barmherziges  Herze  der  ewigen  Liebe.     Fassbender-Luz,  s; 

Pliimacher,  c;  Hohmann,  t;  Miiller,   bs;  SWS;  BO,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  36 

(*Cantata  No.  112). 

This  is  an  unusually  attractive  cantata,  but  the  performance  does 
not  rise  to  its  material.  The  opening  duet,  for  soprano  and  tenor, 
is  quite  awkwardly  sung,  and  the  bass  recitative  and  aria  are  al- 
most metronoraical.  Pliimacher,  who  sings  a  recitative  designated 
for  tenor,  is  the  best  of  the  soloists.  The  situation  is  somewhat 
relieved  when  we  hear  the  chorale  Ich  ruf  zu  dir,  Hen  Jesu  Christ 
at  the  end. 

No.   189,  Meine  Seele  rilhmt  und  preist.     Ludwig,  t;  CHAM,  Lehmann, 

D  DL  9619  ("Cantatas  Nos.  53,  200).    Stemann,  t;  BO,  Grischkat,  Ren 

X  35  ("Cantata  No.  51).     Schirftz,  t;  PERP,  C  ML  4641  ("Beethoven: 

An  die  feme  Geliebte). 

Ludwig,  despite  a  voice  rather  operatic-heavy  for  the  ideal  in 
Bach,  gives  decidedly  the  best  performance  we  have  had  of  this 
solo  cantata.  A  feature  of  his  version  is  the  use  of  the  recorder 
in  the  ensemble.  Stemann  sings  intelligently  enough,  but  his 
voice  lacks  "edge";  too,  his  singing  is  inclined  to  be  square-cut, 
especially  in  the  recitative.  The  Schio'tz  record,  made  at  Perpig- 
nan  during  the  1952  Casals  festival,  does  not  show  this  admi- 
rable musician  at  his  best,  though  the  accompanying  ensemble  is 
very  lovely.  Part  of  the  trouble  seems  to  be  microphone 
placement. 

No.  198,  Trauer-Ode  (Lass,  Furstin,  lass  noch  einen  Strahl).    Laszlo, 

s;  Rossl-Mafdan,  c;  Kmentt,  t;  Poell,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WL 

5123. 

To  my  mind,  the  gem  of  this  funeral  cantata  is  the  final  chorus, 
with  its  almost  Gluckian  flowing  lines  and  pastoral  6/8  measure. 
Among  the  soloists  the  special  heroes  are  Rossl-Majdan,  whose 
voice  rings  out  with  fine  fervor  and  rich  tone  in  her  recitative  and 
aria,  and  Poell,  especially  noble  of  tone,  despite  hints  of  limita- 
tions in  his  singing  range.  Laszlo 's  recitative  takes  her  higher 
than  the  best  part  of  her  voice,  but  her  aria  is  well  sung,  if  not 
clearly  enunciated.  Kmentt  has  a  very  florid  piece  to  sing  against 
a    lovely    instrumental    background,    and   he    does    it   fairly  well, 


J.  5.  Bach  17 

though  his  scale  is  not  altogether  even;  he  has  a  way  of  opening 
up  his  top  tones  which  does  not  improve  their  quality. 

No.    200,    Bekennen    will    ich    seinen    Namen.      Hennecke,    c;    SCB, 

Wenzinger,  D  DL  9619  (^Cantatas  Nos.  53,  189). 

A  good,  competent  performance  by  a  singer  of  not  exceptional 
voice.  The  quality  is  neither  strikingly  rich  nor  particularly 
steady. 

No.  201,  Der  Streit  zwischen  Phoebus  und  Pan.    Schlemm,  s;  Eustrati, 

c;  Reinhold,  t;  Lutze,  t;  Niese,  b;  BGC  &  0,  Koch,  BG  514.    Nentwig, 

s;   Michaelis,  c;  Hohmann,   t;  Pfeifle,  t;  M'uller,   bs;  Kelch,   bs;  SWS; 

STO,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  42. 

The  contrast  between  these  two  recordings  is  saddening,  for  no 
clear-cut  preference  is  possible.  In  matters  of  singing,  much  is 
to  be  said  for  the  second  set,  in  which  the  ladies  at  least  have 
more  charm  than  their  rivals.  As  reproduction,  however,  Renais- 
sance provides  no  such  big,  broad  sound  as  that  of  the  Bach 
Guild.  And  if  occasionally  we  have  to  take  the  will  for  the  deed 
in  the  more  elaborate  arias,  Koch's  performance  has  the  kind  of 
mock  seriousness  Bach  wrote  into  the  score. 

No.  202,   Weichet  nur,  betrubte  Schatten.     Felbermayer,  s;  BGO,  Pro- 

haska,    BG   513   (*Cantata   No.    161).      Danco,    s;   Stuttgart   Cham   0, 

Munchinger,  L  LL  993  f*Cantata  No.  51). 

This  is  the  "Wedding  Cantata"  once  recorded  by  Elisabeth 
Schumann,  whose  performance  set  an  abiding  standard  despite  the 
effects  of  a  too-close  microphone  placement.  Felbermayer  has  a 
less  positive  voice  and  style,  and,  as  if  in  reaction,  she  has  been 
placed  apparently  a  little  too  far  away,  emerging  somewhat  weakly, 
especially  in  the  lower  passages.  I  could  wish,  too,  for  more 
crispness  in  her  diction.  The  opening  of  the  cantata  might  have 
been  smoother,  but  on  the  whole  the  performance  is  satisfactory. 
Danco  does  her  customary  musicianly  job,  and  she  is  better  served 
by  the  recording.  But  her  voice  has  less  warmth  and  appeal  in  it 
than  Felbermayer's. 

No.  203,  Amore  Traditore.     M'uller,  bs;  Eisner,  hpschd,  Vox  PL  8980 

(*Cantata  No.  211). 

This  little  Italian  cantata  serves  as  filler  for  the  second  side  of 
the  "Coffee  Cantata."  It  is  done  in  good  straight  style.  Perhaps 
Muller's  singing  could  have  been  lighter,  possibly  shaded  more, 
for  there  is  only  the  harpsichord  accompanying. 

No.    205,    Der   zufriedengestellte   Aeolus.      Schlemm,   s;   Eustrati,   c; 


J.  S.  Bach  18 

Lutze,  t;  Wolfram,  b;  BGC  &  0,  Koch,  BG  515.    Nentwig,  s;  Michaelis, 

c;  Hohmann,  t;  Kelch,  bs;  SWS;  STO,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  43. 

As  in  the  case  of  Cantata  No.  201,  the  superiority  of  the  Bach 
Guild  reproduction  overrules  some  more  appealing  singing  on  the 
part  of  the  Renaissance  soloists.  Koch's  performers  quite  rightly 
present  the  little  drama  in  all  seriousness.  The  humor,  after  all, 
derives  largely  from  Bach's  employment  of  his  musical  style  all 
in  the  spirit  of  fun.  Again,  some  of  the  singers  no  more  than  get 
by  in  the  more  formidable  passages  they  have  to  sing. 

No.  210,  Hochzeitskantate .    Laszlo,  s;  VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WL  5138. 
Laszlo,  for  all  her  intelligence  and  taste,  is  not  quite  comfortable 
in  the  high  tessitura  of  this  Wedding  Cantata,  a  fact  that  affects 
both  her  tone  and  her  diction. 

No.  211,  Schweigt  stille,  plaudert  nicht  (Coffee  Cantata).     Sailer,  s; 

Feyerabend,    t;  M'uller,   bs;  PRO,   Reinhardt,    Vox  PL  8980  (*Cantata 

No.  203). 

The  one  previous  LP  "Coffee  Cantata"  was  a  hastily  assembled 
performance  that  did  nobody  any  particular  credit.  This  new  one 
is  not  only  more  "seasoned,"  but  by  absolute  standards  very 
good.  Sailer's  voice  is  bright  and  limpid,  especially  appealing  in 
the  "Heute  nock"  aria.  Miiller  blusters  enough  without  leaving 
off  solid  and  legitimate  singing,  and  Feyerabend  gives  the  proper 
weight  to  his  recitatives.  All  three  realize  that  the  humor  of  the 
piece  depends  on  "deadpan."  The  reproduction  is  powerful,  but 
it  is  clean  in  sound  and  can  be  brought  down  to  proper  size. 

No.   212,  Mer  hahn    en  neue  Oberkeet  (Peasant  Cantata).     Curtin,  s; 

Matthen,  bs;  CFO,  Pinkham,  All  3002. 

The  one  previous  recording  of  the  burlesque  Peasant  Cantata, 
dating  back  to  the  thirties,  and  not  available  on  LP,  was  ab- 
breviated and  sung  in  French.  The  new  one,  despite  excellent 
singing,  is  annoyingly  businesslike  in  its  presentation;  one  thing 
passes  to  another  with  so  little  concern  that  the  general  result  is 
not  impressive.  Why  this  must  be  so  is  hardly  clear,  for  the 
amount  of  music  on  each  LP  side  is  short  by  any  standard. 

Chorales 

Easter  Chorales:  Christ  ist  erstanden;  Christ  lag  in  Todesbanden; 
Erschienen  ist  der  herrlich  Tag;  Erstanden  ist  der  heilig  Christ;  Heut' 
triumphieret  Gottes  Sohn;  Jesus  Christus,  unser  Heiland;  Jesus  meine 
Zuversicht.  Heising,  s;  Kimmel,  c;  Planyavsky,  t;  Heppe,  bs;  Rapf, 
org,  BG  512  (*Cantata  No.  31). 


J.  S.  Bach  19 

These  chorales  are  sung  by  solo  voices  with  organ;  there  is  little 
dynamic  variety  in  the  delivery,  and  undoubtedly  the  music  would 
be  more  effective  given  by  a  somewhat  larger  group.  Musically, 
there  seems  little  point  in  stringing  them  together  this  way. 

Magnificat 

Magnificat.    Sailer,  s;  W olf-Matthaeus ,  m-s;  Plumacher,  c;  Feyerabend, 

t;    Muller,    bs;   RSTC;   PRO,  Reinhardt,    Vox  PL   8890.     Schilling,   s; 

Pitzinger,  c;  Marten,  t;  Groschel,  bs;  LC;  ABSO,  Leitner,  D  DL  9557. 

Stader,  s;    Cavelti,    c;   H'afliger,    t;  Schey,    bs;   WINC  &  0,   Reinhart, 

CH  60. 

When  Bach  composed  his  Magnificat  for  performance  in  the  Leipzig 
Thomas-Kirche  at  Christmas  time,  between  movements  of  the 
canticle  he  interpolated  settings  of  four  texts  traditionally  sung 
in  the  church  at  that  season — two  in  German,  and  two  in  Latin. 
The  Vox  recording  is  complete:  it  includes  this  special  and  rarely 
heard  feature.  It  is  also  easily  the  best  among  the  three  now 
listed.  The  opening  chorus  always  presents  a  problem,  for  it  was 
written  before  Bach  had  mastered  the  secret  of  making  polyphonic 
voices  cut  through  heavy  instrumentation.  The  effect  here  is  as 
good  as  we  can  reasonably  hope  to  hear;  the  same  admirable 
clarity  prevails  through  most  of  the  choral  sections  of  the  work 
(there  is  some  uncertainty  in  one  of  the  interpolations).  The 
soloists  are  a  capable  lot,  and  for  the  most  part  sing  very  cleanly. 
Occasionally  one  or  another  of  them  falls  below  their  established 
tonal  standard,  and  Plumacher,  for  one,  pokes  out  the  beat  in  the 
florid  passages  she  sings.  The  reproduction  is  quite  brilliant. 
Neither  of  the  older  performances,  without  the  interpolations,  does 
full  justice  to  the  work.  Leitner's  is  the  better,  though  the  re- 
cording balance  is  poor.  Pitzinger  is  the  best  of  the  soloists, 
though  her  voice  is  modest.  On  the  other  hand,  the  lusty  tones  of 
Groschel  quite  overwhelm  the  instruments  in  his  aria. 

Masses 

Mass  in  B  minor.  Schwarzkopf,  s;  Hoffgen,  c;  Gedda,  t;  Rehfuss,  bs; 
MFC  &  0,  Karajan,  An  3500-C  [3].  Loose,  s;  Ceska,  s;  Burgsthaler- 
Schuster,  c;  Dermota,  t;  Poell,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Scherchen,  W  WAL  301 
[3].  Weber,  s;  de  Landi,  c;  Krebs,  t;  Wolfram,  bs;  RBC  &  0,  Lehmann, 
U  URLP  236  [2]. 

It  is  the  glory  and  the  despair  of  every  musical  masterpiece  that 


J.  S.  Bach  20 

absolute  perfection  in  performance  is  never  quite  attainable,  that 
even  when  the  critics  cry  "definitive,"  there  is  something  still 
to  be  added  the  next  time  a  vital  interpretative  mind  sets  to  it. 
From  seven  listings  of  the  B  minor  Mass  these  three  are  chosen, 
two  because  their  virtues  place  them  well  beyond  competition,  and 
one  because,  on  two  discs  instead  of  three,  it  offers  astonishing 
value  at  a  lower  price.  Karajan  and  Scherchen  both  work  with  forces 
of  the  appropriate  size,  thus  avoiding  the  old  temptation  to  lay  on 
the  climaxes  and  overload  the  sonorities.  Both,  however,  succeed 
in  making  their  resources  count.  In  matters  of  tempo  they  are  at 
opposite  poles:  it  is  as  though  Karajan,  whose  performance  came 
later,  had  studied  Scherchen  and  determined  not  to  do  likewise.  I 
well  remember  my  incredulity  on  hearing  Scherchen's  first  "Kyrie": 
could  anyone  possibly  hold  it  together  at  so  slow  a  tempo?  It  was 
his  great  achievement  that  he  did,  but  Karajan  is  certainly  right  in 
not  emulating  him.  At  times,  I  think,  Karajan  carries  things  too 
far:  the  second  "Kyrie,"  for  me,  is  too  fast,  especially  as  it  is  to 
be  followed  by  a  very  rapid  "Gloria."  Again,  I  find  it  difficult  to 
adjust  to  so  agitated  a  "Crucifixus,"  and  I  feel  this  conception 
takes  away  from  the  excitement  of  "Et  resurrexit."  But  the  point 
at  which  Karajan  takes  the  lead  over  the  accomplishment  of 
Scherchen  is  the  first  solo.  The  latter  seems  to  consider  the 
solos  as  necessary  relief,  something  to  be  gone  through  in  order 
to  make  the  choruses  stand  out  more  magnificently.  If  an  ex- 
ception must  be  made  in  the  case  of  Dermota's  beautifully  sung 
"Benedictus,"  the  singers  have'  all  they  can  do  to  keep  up  with 
the  conductor's  beat.  Karajan  has  certainly  assembled  the  finest 
quartet  since  the  ancient  and  overweight  performance  of  Albert 
Coates,  with  which  the  work  first  came  complete  to  discs.  Each 
is  an  artist,  and  each  is  allowed  to  prove  it.  The  first  duet, 
"Christe,"  is  the  most  reserved  and  reverent  I  have  ever  heard; 
the  two  voices  match  miraculously.  In  choral  precision  Scherchen 
has  the  edge,  and  there  will  be  many  who  find  it  difficult,  as  I  do, 
to  discard  his  set  while  pronouncing  Karajan's  superior. 
Lehmann's  offering  is  thoroughly  respectable,  sometimes  more 
than  that,  and  though  it  is  not  so  sharp  and  clean  in  sound  as 
either  of  those  discussed  above  (the  effect  is  that  of  a  slightly 
echoey  church,  with  some  lack  of  definition  in  the  choral  sound), 
it  would  be  acceptable  enough  without  their  standards  of  com- 
parison. The  soprano  and  the  tenor  soloists  do  themselves  credit; 
the   others  get  by.     Perhaps  because  the  whole  work  was  to  be 


J.  S.  Bach  21 

pressed  on  two  discs,  the  passing  from  one  movement  to  the  next 
is  sometimes  almost  shockingly  rapid. 
Missa  brevis  No.  1,  in  F ;  Sanctus  No.  1,  in  C;  Missa  brevis  No.  2,  in 
A;  Sanctus  No.  2,  in  D;  Missa  brevis  No.  3,  in  G  minor;  Sanctus  No. 
3,  in  D  minor;  Missa  brevis  No.  4,  in  G;  Sanctus  No.  4,  in  G.  Giebel, 
s;  Wolf-Matthaeus,  c;  Hohmann,  t;  Kelch,  bs;  SWS;  STO,  Grischkat, 
Ren  X  44,  X  45,  X  46,  X  47  [4]. 

It  was  a  nice  idea  to  unearth  these  more  modest  Masses,  and  to 
call  attention  to  their  possibilities  for  church  performance.  Also, 
here  and  there  is  a  movement  of  considerable  beauty,  if  hardly  of 
the  stature  of  those  in  the  great  B  minor.  The  best  of  them,  to 
my  ears,  is  the  fourth,  and  it  is  also  the  most  adequately  per- 
formed. The  ending  of  the  iiKyrieiJ  rises  to  real  impressiveness, 
and  there  is  good  singing  from  the  bass  soloist  in  ltGratias 
agimus."  The  soprano-alto  duet,  "Domine  Oeus,"  too,  is  nicely 
turned,  though  it  is  beyond  the  power  of  the  singers  to  make  the 
words  mean  much  in  this  setting.  I  enjoyed  the  tenor  soloist  in 
the  third  Mass,  but  on  the  whole  this,  like  the  first  and  second, 
seems  to  have  been  prepared  without  too  great  enthusiasm. 

Motets 

Jesu,    meine   Freude;   Komm,   Jesu,   komm;   Singet  dem  Herrn.      VKC, 

Grossmann,  W  WL  5289. 

Jesu,  meine  Freude  (in  English).    SC;  RCAO,  Shaw,  V  LM  9035  ^Can- 
tata No.  4). 

Komm,  Jesu,  komm.    SC;  RCAO,  Shaw,  V  LM  1784  (*Schubert:  Mass  in 

G;  Brahms:  Choruses). 

Der  Geist  hilft  unsrer  Schwachheit  auf.      DC,   Boepple,    CH  CAC  44 

(*Baroque  Choral  Music,  Dessoff  Choirs). 

The  motets  are  never  easy  to  perform;  and  while  it  is  one  thing  to 
hear  them  passably  sung  in  an  auditorium  or  church,  it  is  quite 
another  to  repeat  the  experience  by  means  of  records.  For  this 
reason,  I  am  sure,  while  we  can  expect  the  stream  of  cantata  re- 
cordings to  continue  as  long  as  there  is  equipment  to  play  them, 
only  occasionally  will  one  of  the  motets  be  given  release.  As  it 
happens,  the  most  vexing  problem  of  performance  has  been  solved 
by  the  musicologists,  those  guardians  of  stylistic  rectitude  and 
most  merciless  of  critics.  Scholars  now  agree  that  Bach's  a 
cappella  music  was  not  performed  unaccompanied  in  his  own 
church,  but  that  a  group  of  instruments  was  used  to  reinforce  the 


J.  5.  Bach  22 

vocal  parts.  It  is  therefore  no  longer  necessary  to  invite  fatigue 
by  putting  all  the  burden  on  the  voices,  or  to  take  chances  on 
sagging  pitch.  Robert  Shaw,  in  his  recording  of  Jesu,  meine 
Freude,  has  taken  advantage  of  this  knowledge,  using  a  group  of 
instruments;  these,  however,  play  so  discreetly  that  a  casual 
listener  might  not  realize  they  are  there.  An  English  text  is  used, 
and  the  diction  is  reasonably  clear;  still,  one  has  to  be  alert  to 
catch  it.  Grossmann's  recording  may  well  be  his  masterpiece. 
This  conductor  uses  voices  alone;  obviously  the  chorus  must 
have  rehearsed  long  and  faithfully,  for  such  clarity  of  texture  and 
accuracy  of  intonation  are  rare.  The  secret  seems  to  lie  in  two 
features  of  the  performance:  the  well-focused  tones  of  the  voices 
and  the  calm  reserve  of  their  singing.  The  fugal  movement,  "Mr 
aber  seid  nicht  fleischlich,*''  is  beautifully  transparent,  poised 
and  unhurried.  Another  striking  section  is  "Gute  Nacht,  o  Wesen," 
with  the  chorale  melody,  in  the  alto,  standing  out  in  bold  relief. 
Perhaps  for  perfect  balance,  the  basses  might  be  a  little  stronger. 
Komm,  Jesu,  komm,  and  Singet  dem  Herrn,  both  for  double  chorus, 
are  performed  with  similar  plasticity.  The  first  of  these  has  had 
two  recordings  beside  those  listed  above.  The  Cantata  Singers 
of  London,  under  Reginald  Jacques,  present  it  in  none -too-clear 
English  (10"  L  LS  128),  and  the  Schola  Cantorum  of  New  York, 
under  Hugh  Ross,  sings  it  in  German  (10"  C  ML  2102).  Both  per- 
formances are  labored  and  tiring  for  the  listener.  In  his  recording, 
Shaw  again  reinforces  the  voices  with  instruments,  and  his  ap- 
proach to  the  work  is  more  simple  and  direct  than  that  of  Jacques 
or  Ross.  His  version  seemed  satisfactory  enough  until  that  of 
Grossmann  arrived.  Ross  includes  in  his  program  another  motet, 
Lobet  den  Herrn  alle  Heiden,  using  the  harpsichord  continue. 
Singet  dem  Herrn,  considered  the  most  difficult  of  the  eight  mo- 
tets, is  done  to  little  purpose  under  Kurt  Thomas's  direction  (10" 
Cap  L  9077),  and  more  interestingly  in  Hindemith's  Collegium 
Musicum  recording  (Ov  OVER  4).  The  performance  here,  however, 
is  a  little  square-cut;  it  is  easily  outdone  by  Grossmann's. 
The  Dessoff  recording  was  made  in  the  Armor  Hall  of  the  Metro- 
politan Museum  of  Art  in  New  York,  which  means  the  effective- 
ness of  the  reproduction  is  all  the  more  remarkable.  The  per- 
formance, as  it  happens,  is  one  of  the  best  Paul  Boepple  has 
given  us.  A  British  presentation  under  Jacques  (10"  L  LS  128) 
pales  by  comparison.    Though  done  in  English  translation,  it  will 


J.  5.  Bach  23 

mean  no  more  than  this  one  to  those  who  do  not  understand  the 
German. 

Oratorios 

Christmas  Oratorio.    Weber,  s;  Fischer,  c;  Marten,  t;  Gunther,  bs;  DAC 

&  0;  CPA,  Thomas,  OL  50001/2/3  [3]. 

Using,  we  are  told,  a  220-voice  student  choir  and  orchestra, 
Thomas  gives  a  workmanlike  performance  of  this  masterpiece, 
better  reproduced  than  were  Grischkat  (Remington  R  199-118  [4] 
and  Grossmann  (Vox  PL  7713  [3]).  Interpretatively,  Thomas  stands 
somewhere  between  the  leisurely  pace  of  the  one  and  the  business- 
like stride  of  the  other.  But  his  is  an  uncompromising  beat;  and 
the  cutting  of  an  occasional  da  capo  does  not  keep  the  work  from 
seeming  long.  Lore  Fischer  gives  a  nice  account  of  the  lovely 
"Schlafe,  mein  Liebster."  The  crucial  trumpets  and  horns  stand 
out  well  in  the  ensemble,  but  not  without  experiencing  the  usual 
perils.  This,  then,  is  the  best  of  three  recordings  of  Weihnachts 
Oratorium,  though  not  a  really  satisfactory  one. 

Easter  Oratorio.   Dutoit,  s;  Nussbaumer,  c;  Gruber,  t;  Wiener,  bs;  VKC; 

PRCO,   Grossmann,   Vox  PL  8620.     Weis-Osborn,  s;  Rossl-Majdan,  c; 

Equiluz,  t;  Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VCO,  Prohaska,  BG  507. 

The  more  recent  recording  here  is  in  all  respects  an  improvement 
on  the  first.  Whereas  the  Prohaska  performance  gives  the  impres- 
sion of  being  more  spirited,  it  is  also  less  carefully  rehearsed 
than  Grossmann's.  If  Prohaska  takes  almost  invariably  brisker 
tempos,  the  result  is  a  loss  of  clarity,  sometimes  an  out-and-out 
scramble.  And  whereas  the  Bach  Guild  reproduction  is  more 
powerful,  Vox's  is  equally  clean.  The  soloists,  as  a  group,  show 
better  in  the  newer  version.  Chief  among  them  is  the  tenor,  for  it 
is  his  to  sing  the  very  beautiful  ilSanfte  soil  mein  T  odes  hummer," 
with  its  undulating  accompaniment  including  two  recorders. 
Equiluz  has  about  all  he  can  manage  in  getting  the  notes;  Gruber 
is  definitely  more  satisfactory.  Dutoit,  too,  makes  more  of  her 
big  aria  than  does  Weis-Osborn.  Between  the  two  contraltos  there 
is  less  to  choose;  Nussbaumer  is  certainly  not  far  behind  the  al- 
ways admirable  Rossl-Majdan. 

Passions 

Saint  John.    Rathauscher,  s;  Hofstaetter,  c;  Gruber,  t;  Kreutzberger,  t; 


J.  5.  Bach  24 

Berry,  bs;  Heppe,  bs;  Uhl,  bs;  Buchsbaum,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Gross- 
mann,  Vox  PL  6550  [3].  (In  English)  Addison,  s;  Thebom,  m-s;  Stern, 
ti  Chabay,  t;  Harrell,  b;  Matthen,  bs;  SC;  RCAO,  Shaw,  V  LM  6103  [3]. 
Weber,  s;  Plate,  c;  Hess,  t;  Gummer,  bs;  DKFC;  CUFO,  Thomas,  OL 
50023/4/5  [31 

The  first  recording  of  the  complete  Johannespassion,  directed  by 
Grossmann,  set  a  standard  which  still  holds  after  the  release  of 
the  third.  The  choruses  are  clean  and  impressive,  the  orchestra 
on  the  whole  satisfactory.  Of  the  soloists,  I  like  especially  the 
rich,  smooth,  even  singing  of  the  contralto,  Elfriede  Hofstaetter, 
and  I  cannot  but  admire  the  delivery  of  the  light-voiced  Ferry 
Gruber  as  the  Evangelist.  Kreutzberger  is  admirable  in  the  tenor 
arias,  and  all  the  basses  are  well  above  the  average,  particularly 
the  warm,  agile  Walter  Berry.  In  fact,  the  virtues  of  the  per- 
formance are  so  patent  that  it  is  difficult  to  describe  them.  As  for 
the  weaknesses,  they  are  more  easily  summed  up:  everything  is  a 
little  too  businesslike.  The  tempos  are  on  the  fast  side;  the 
transition  from  one  section  to  another  is  always  handled  with  such 
dispatch  that  the  listener  has  hardly  time  to  readjust.  Conse- 
quently, the  whole  performance  does  not  mean  enough.  For  all 
that,  it  means  more  than  the  recording  conducted  by  Kurt  Thomas. 
The  forces  here  get  off  to  a  leisurely  start,  the  orchestra  playing 
with  more  precision  than  Grossmann 's,  but  with  less  light  and 
shade.  The  chorus  enters  almost  apologetically  with  its  outcry  of 
"Lord,  our  Master!"  and  continues  through  the  first  tremendous 
number  without  much  evidence  of  enthusiasm.  I  do  not  think  the 
soloists  should  be  blamed  for  catching  this  spirit  too.  The  indi- 
vidual voices  are  good,  but  one  feels  they  could  do  more  with 
their  arias.  For  the  Shaw  performance  there  is  a  special  public, 
as  it  is  sung  to  the  conductor's  own  new  English  adaptation.  The 
timing  in  this  set  is  generally  more  leisurely  than  Grossmann 's, 
and  the  presentation  as  a  whole  is  less  exciting.  The  Victor  re- 
production, too,  is  less  clear  than  the  Vox.  Some  overloading, 
possibly  caused  by  too  close  proximity  of  the  microphones,  af- 
fects the  chorus  from  time  to  time,  and  also  one  or  two  of  the 
soloists.  Blake  Stern  does  fine  work  as  the  Evangelist,  and 
Leslie  Chabay  well  meets  the  challenge  of  the  not-too-grateful 
arias.  Mack  Harrell  sings  the  words  of  Jesus  impressively,  and 
Blanche  Thebom  is  admirable  in  her  big  aria.  A  bargain-price  re- 
cording conducted  by  Gottfried  Preinfalk  presents  excerpts 
(Remington  R  199-78)  with  varying  effect.  The  best  thing  in  the 
performance  is  Rossl-Majdan's  "Es  ist  vollbracht." 


J.  5.  Bach  25 

Saint  Matthew.  Laszlo,  s;  Rossl-Majdan,  c;  Munteanu,  t;  Cuenod,  t; 
Rehfuss,  bs;  Standen,  bs;  etc.;  VKC;  VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WAL  401  [4]. 
Dutoit,  s;  Nussbaumer,  c;  Majkut,  t;  Equiluz,  t;  Kreutzberger,  t;  Buchs- 
baum,  bs;  Wiener,  bs;  etc.;  VKC;  VCO,  Grossmann,  Vox  PL  8283  [3]. 
(In  English)  Marshall,  s;  Morrison,  s;  Stilwell,  c;  Johnson,  t;  Lamond, 
t;  Milligan,  b;  etc.;  TMC;  TORO,  MacMillan,  V  LCB  6101  [3]. 

The  relative  merits  of  the  two  German  performances  are  such  that 
I  do  not  feel  a  clear-cut  decision  between  them  possible.  Gross- 
mann's is  certainly  the  more  orthodox,  the  less  erratic,  if  you 
will,  the  less  likely  to  arouse  objections.  But  Scherchen's  is  the 
more  stimulating,  for  even  where  he  seems  farthest  from  the 
musical  truth,  he  is  never  dull,  and  one  feels  he  could  offer  justi- 
fication. Possibly  he  takes  some  of  the  numbers  very  fast  to 
avoid  consciousness  of  the  work's  total  length,  and  in  this  he  is 
successful.  Still,  it  is  not  easy  to  adjust  to  the  opening  chorus 
at  quite  this  clip,  and  surely  the  solos  "Buss  und  Reu"  and 
"Blute  nur'r  (to  name  but  two)  are  too  fast  for  the  singers  to  make 
much  of  the  text.  The  soloists  are  a  more  attractive  group  than 
Grossmann's,  with  special  honors  going  to  Cuenod  as  the  Evange- 
list and  to  Rehfuss  singing  the  words  of  Jesus.  Grossmann's  are 
more  modest;  again  the  Evangelist — Majkut — is  the  best.  An 
earlier  recording  of  Fritz  Lehmann  (Vox  PL  6074  [4])  was  not  too 
satisfactory  (it  was  taken  from  a  broadcast),  though  it  too  was 
lent  distinction  by  the  tenor  in  the  narrative  role,  this  time 
Helmut  Krebs. 

MacMillan's  version  is  intended  for  a  different  public,  and  should 
not,  therefore,  be  judged  by  the  same  standards.  This  is  the  way 
one  would  hope  to  hear  the  work  from  a  local  group,  sung  in  Eng- 
lish so  that  all  its  hearers  may  understand.  The  chorus  and  or- 
chestra are  excellent,  and  the  conductor's  pacing  is  generally 
convincing  and  practical.  Everything  is  on  a  large  and  festival- 
like scale.  Among  the  soloists,  Lois  Marshall  stands  out,  with  a 
lovely  clear  voice,  and  simple,  tasteful  style;  Edward  Johnson 
(not  to  be  confused  with  the  former  General  Manager  of  the  Metro- 
politan Opera)  is  a  satisfactory  Evangelist,  though  his  voice  is  a 
little  thin  in  the  upper  reaches;  the  others  are  adequate.  Margaret 
Stilwell  would  be  an  exceptional  contralto  were  it  not  that  her 
tone -production  interferes  with  her  diction.  There  are  some  cuts 
in  the  score. 

A  great  disappointment  was  the  performance  of  Mengelberg,  a  re- 
cording of  his  last  annual  Palm  Sunday  presentation  in  Amsterdam 


J.  S.  Bach  26 

in  1939.  Despite  some  good  singing  from  the  soloists  (including 
the  exceptional  soprano  Jo  Vincent  and  the  celebrated  veteran 
Evangelist,  Karl  Erb)  the  conductor's  tempos  are  impossibly  er- 
ratic (C  SL  179  [3]).  A  single  disc  contains  the  extended  choral 
sections  and  the  chorales  beautifully  performed  by  the  Danish 
State  Radio  Chorus  and  Orchestra  under  Mogens  Woldike  (HS  HSL 
2070).  For  as  much  of  the  music  as  it  offers,  this  is  the  best  of 
the  records  under  discussion  here. 

Arias 

Cantata  No.  12 — Kreuz  una1  Krone  sind  verbunden;  Cantata  No.  81 — 
Jesus  schlaft,  was  soil  ich  hoffen;  Cantata  No.  112 — Zum  reinen 
Wasser;  Christmas  Oratorio — Bereite  dich,  Zion;  Saint  Matthew  Pas- 
sion— Erbarme  dich,  mein  Gott.  Anderson,  c;  RCAO,  Shaw,  V  LCT 
1111  (*"Great  Songs  of  Faith"). 

Marian  Anderson  has  chosen  some  beautiful  and  little-known  arias, 

and    she   is   in  her  most  expressive   voice.     The  nobility  of  the 

music    seems   to  have   awakened  a  special  fervor  in  the  singer. 

The  program  on  the  reverse,  "Great  Songs  of  Faith,"  made  up  of 

standard  oratorio  arias,  contains  a  performance  in  English  of  "Es 

ist  vollbracht"  from  the  Saint  John  Passion. 

Cantata    No.    68 — Mein   glaubiges    Herze;    Cantata   No.    159 — Es   ist 

vollbracht;  Cantata  No.  113 — Jesus  nimmt  die  Sunder  an;  Cantata  No. 

157 — Ja  ja,  ich  halte  Jesum  feste;  Cantata  No.   185 — Sei  bemilht  in 

dieser  Zeit;  Cantata  No.  99 — Wenn  des  Kreuzes  Bitterkeiten.     BAG, 

Scheide,  10"  MGM  E  115. 

The  Bach  Aria  Group,  capable  singers  and  instrumentalists  all, 

worked  long  and  intensively  together  to  achieve  a  perfect  accord 

and   balance.     The  results  are  smooth  and  polished;   all  that  is 

wanting  is  a  special  spark. 

Mass   in  B   minor — Agnus  Dei;  Qui  sedes;  Magnificat — Et  exultavit; 

Esurientes.    Brice,  c;  CBSO,  Saidenberg,  C  ML  4108  (*Mahler:  Lieder 

eines  fahrcnden  Gesellen). 

Carol  Brice's  opulent  tones  are  a  "natural"  for  her  selections, 

but  the  lecording,  made  several  years  back,  shows  more  promise 

than  fulfillment. 

Mass    in  B  minor — Qui  sedes;  Agnus  Dei;  Saint  Matthew  Passion — 

Grief  for  sin;  Saint  John  Passion — All  is  fulfilled.     Ferrier,  c;  LPO, 

Boult,  L  LL  688  (*Handel:  Arias). 

In  our  time  the  traditional  English  contralto  voice  has  been  repre- 


J.  S.  Bach  27 

sented  by  the  late  Kathleen  Ferrier,  who  was  gifted  at  the  same 
time  with  deep  sincerity.    Her  singing  of  these  Bach  arias,  there- 
fore, may  be  taken  to  represent  the  best  in  the  British  traditions 
for  this  music.    Yet  her  very  ability  to  sustain  a  long  phrase  may 
occasionally   have   led  her  to  overdo;  the   two  arias  from   the  B 
minor  Mass  are  richer  in  tone  quality  than  in  vitality.    "Grief  for 
sin"    ("Buss    und  Reu")  and   "All   is   fulfilled"   ("Es   ist  voll- 
bracht")  are  both  a  little  casual. 
Easter  Oratorio — Saget,   saget  mir;  Cantata  No.  53 — 0  sel'ger  Tag!; 
Cantata  No.  133 — Getrost  es  fasst  ein  heiVger  Leib;  Cantata  No.  161 
— Komm,  du  silsse  Todesstunde;  Cantata  No.  21 — Bache  von  gesalznen 
Zdhren;  Cantata  No.  46 — So  klage  du,  zerstorte  Gottesstadt;  Cantata 
No.    21 — Erfreue  dich,   Seele;   Cantata  No.    104 — Verbirgt  mein  Kirte 
sich    zu  lange.      Rossl-Majdan,    c;   Cuenod,    t;   0,    Gielen,   Prohaska, 
Sternberg,  BG  526. 

This  program  is  made  up  of  selections  from  extended  recordings. 
The  singers  are  among  the  best  engaged  in  this  kind  of  work.  I 
especially  like  Rossl-Majdan's  "Komm,  du  silsse  Todesstunde" 
and  Cuenod 's  "Bache  von  gesalznen  Zdhren." 

Songs 

Geistliche  Lieder.     Rossl-Majdan,   c;  Cuenod,   t;  Harand,  vie;  Holet- 

schek,  hpschd,  W  WAL  402  [4]. 

Notenbuchlein  der  Anna  Magdalena  Bach — Selections.     Weis-Osborn, 

s;  Rapf,  hpschd,  BG  510. 

Complete  with  miniature  score  reproduced  from  the  Bach-Gesell- 
schaft,  Westminster  offers  all  seventy-five  of  Bach's  sacred  songs 
— those  he  composed  or  arranged  for  Schemelli's  Gesangbuch,  and 
the  group  he  included  in  the  Notenbuchlein,  or  musical  common- 
place book,  of  his  second  wife,  Anna  Magdalena.  The  two  singers 
who  alternate  in  these  miniatures  are  both  known  for  their  musi- 
cal, clean  singing  as  well  as  their  unimpeachable  diction.  Many 
celebrated  melodies  may  be  traced  to  this  source — Komm,  silsser 
Tod,  Dir,  dir,  Jehova,  will  ich  singen,  0  Jesulein  suss — and 
others  perhaps  less  familiar  but  equally  sublime — Brich  entzwei, 
mein  armes  Herze,  lch  halte  treulich  still,  Liebster  Herr  Jesu. 
The  order  of  the  songs  is  alphabetical,  which  should  be  warning 
enough  that  they  are  not  intended  to  be  taken  consecutively  in 
one  sitting.  One  song  is  duplicated  in  the  Bach  Guild  recording 
announced  as  Vol.  1  of  the  Notenbuchlein — 0  Ewigkeit,  du  Don- 


J.  5.  Bach/Barab  28 

nerwort.  Mostly  given  over  to  harpsichord  solos,  the  disc  in- 
cludes also  the  favorite  Willst  du  dein  Herz  mir  schenken,  pur- 
portedly the  work  of  one  Giovannini  though  usually  included 
among  Bach's  songs.  The  clear-voiced  soprano  sings  it  rather 
deliberately.  The  aria  "Schlummert  ein,"  better  known  as  a  part 
of  the  bass  solo  cantata  no.  82,  is  very  beautiful  as  we  hear  it  in 
this  recording.  The  other  songs  are  Gedenhe  dich  and  Bist  du 
bei  mir. 

BANCHIERI,   ADRIANO   (15677-1634) 

II  Festino  del  Giovedi  Grasso  avanti  Cena.  NYPMA,  Greenberg,  Es 
ES  516  (Interspersed  with  pieces  by  Dalza,  Frescobaldi,  Banchieri, 
and  G.  Gabrieli,  played  on  the  virginals  by  Winogron).  LMS,  Saraceni, 
HS  AS  8  (*Madrigals). 

The  amusement  many  of  us  had  from  the  "Contrapuntus  bestiale," 
thrice  performed  in  the  International  Eisteddfod  recording  (W  WAL 
209),  leads  us  on  to  this  madrigal  comedy  from  which  that  piece 
was  taken.  Even  though  the  music  is  highly  imaginative  and 
varied,  one  must  admit  that  twenty  is  a  large  number  of  madrigals 
for  one  sitting.  This  danger  is  averted  in  the  first  recording  by 
the  interpolation  of  beautifully  played  pieces  for  the  virginals;  in 
the  second  only  nine  of  the  madrigals  are  performed.  Obviously, 
a  lot  of  care  and  study  went  into  the  preparation  of  the  New  York 
Pro  Musica  Antiqua  performance,  and  the  vocal  blend  is  unusually 
good,  though  the  men  somewhat  overshadow  the  women.  A  feature 
of  the  ensemble  is  the  presence  of  a  genuine  counter-tenor  who 
fills  the  gap  between  the  sopranos  and  the  tenor.  The  Italian 
singers,  of  course,  have  the  advantage  of  being  born  to  the  lan- 
guage, and  they  give  a  performance  of  such  balanced  light  and 
shade,  of  so  much  jollity  and  humor,  that  we  can  only  regret  the 
incompleteness  of  their  version.  However,  along  with  the  accom- 
panying assortment  of  madrigals — by  Marenzio  and  Monteverdi, 
among  others — their  Festino  is  hard  to  resist. 

BARAB,    SEYMOUR   (1921-         ) 

A   Child's  Garden  of  Verse.     Oberlin,  counter-t;  Ens,  Barab,  10"  Es 

ESJ  5. 

This  set  of  twenty-four  Stevenson  settings  was  commissioned  by 
Esoteric  Records,  so  presumably  what  we  have  here  is  the  world 


Barab/Bartok  29 

premiere.  The  new  music  for  the  well-known  texts  is  of  the 
sophisticated-naive  type;  as  this  is  not  overdone,  the  songs 
emerge  amusingly  enough,  though  the  adult  listener  may  find  the 
cycle  a  trifle  long.  Oberlin's  light,  high  voice  is  appropriate  for 
the  occasion,  though  some  may  feel  a  tendency  to  monotony.  He 
is  not  gifted  with  an  instrument  of  many  colors,  but  his  singing  is 
consistently  marked  by  musical  intelligence  and  superb  diction, 
with  only  here  and  there  an  unmatched  tone  to  break  the  flow. 

BARBER,    SAMUEL   (1910-         ) 

Dover  Beach;  Chamber  Music,  opus  10 — Rain  has  fallen;  Sleep  now;  I 
hear  an  army.  King,  b;  Hart  House  Str  Qt;  Quincy,  pf,  CE  1011  ^Sym- 
phony No.  1). 

Dover  Beach,  a  setting  of  Matthew  Arnold,  is  an  early  work, 
dating  from  Barber's  student  days  at  Curtis  Institute.  At  that 
time  the  composer  himself  sang  it  for  a  Victor  recording,  which  is 
today  a  collectors'  item.  The  music  is  still  effective  here,  but 
King's  performance  is  not  penetrating.  The  later  Joyce  songs 
with  piano  show  the  direction  Barber's  distinctly  lyrical  talent 
has  taken;  again  one  wishes  for  more  transfiguring  imagination  on 
the  part  of  the  musicianly  singer.  The  recording  is  not  en- 
tirely clear. 
Knoxville,  "Summer  of  1915."  Steber,  s;  Dumbarton  Oaks  0,  Strick- 
land, 10"  C  ML  2174  (*Four  Excursions,  Firkusny,  pf). 

James  Agee's  autobiographical  prose  passage  may  seem  a  strange 
text  for  a  song,  cantata,  or  whatever  Knoxville  should  rightly  be 
called,  but  the  composer  is  sensitive  to  words,  and  the  result  is 
effective.  He  has,  however,  taken  Steber  to  the  upper  reaches  of 
her  range,  where  diction  is  not  her  strongest  point.  The  singer 
performs  with  her  accustomed  cool  aplomb  and  her  richest  tone 
quality.    The  orchestra  is  well  balanced  and  clearly  reproduced. 

BART6K,    BtLA  (1881-1945) 

Hungarian  Folk  Songs  (arr.  Bartbk  and  Kodaly).    Chabay,  t;  Kozma,  pf, 

Bar  BRS  904,  914  [2]. 

Five    Songs,    opus   16;   Fourteen  Hungarian  Folk  Songs.      Laszlo,   s; 

Holetschek,  pf,  W  WL  5283. 

Five  Songs,  opus  16;  Eight  Hungarian  Folk  Songs.   Valery,  m-s;  Goehr, 

pf,  10"  All  4020. 


Bartok/ Beethoven  30 

In  the  early  years  of  the  present  century,  two  young  musicians 
spent  a  good  deal  of  time  gathering  and  arranging  the  folk  music 
of  their  native  Hungary.  Not  only  did  they  open  up  in  this  way  a 
whole  world  of  lovely  and  unusual  song,  but  they  laid  at  the  same 
time  the  very  head-  and  cornerstones  of  their  musical  styles.  The 
two  selections  from  the  Bartok  and  Kodaly  collections  performed 
by  Leslie  Chabay  and  Tibor  Kozma  are  unreservedly  recommended 
as  sensitive  performances.  For  those  who  understand  the  lan- 
guage, of  course,  the  discs  are  "musts."  Magda  Laszlo  and  Nina 
Valery  offer  alternative  performances  of  Bartok's  opus  16,  a  set 
of  original  songs  not  too  far  in  style  and  spirit  from  the  carefully 
worked-out  arrangements.  Laszlo  is  the  more  vital  singer  of  the 
two,  and  her  voice  has  never  sounded  better.  Valery  boasts  a 
rich,  smooth  tone,  but  her  performance  is  not  notably  exciting. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  their  singing  of  the  folk  songs.  To 
these  non-Hungarian  ears,  Chabay  is  the  most  stimulating  of  the 
three  artists. 

BEETHOVEN,   LUDVtIG   VAN   (1770-1827) 

Choral  V/orks 

Cantata   on  the  Death  of  the  Emperor  Joseph  II,   opus   196a.      Stein- 

gruber,  s;  Poell,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Krauss,  Vox  PL  6820. 

This  Haydnish  cantata,  with  the  inconsistently  high  opus  number, 
is  interesting  mainly  in  that  it  was  composed  in  Beethoven's 
twentieth  year,  and  that  some  of  the  material  later  found  its  way 
into  Fidelio.  Considering  the  composer's  youth,  the  work  is  im- 
pressive technically,  but,  to  put  it  mildly,  it  hardly  ranks  among 
his  greatest  inspirations.  Steingruber  and  Poell,  well  known  as 
dependable  artists,  do  their  best  to  make  the  long-drawn-out  arias 
interesting;  vocally  they  are  both  in  prime  form.  And  under  the 
authoritative  guidance  of  Clemens  Krauss,  the  chorus  and  or- 
chestra do  their  considerable  bit  for  the  young  Beethoven. 

Elegischer  Gesang.   Randolph  Singers;  Guilet  Str  Qt,  CH  CHS  1084  [2]. 

(*Haydn:  Seven  Last  Words,  Guilet  Str  Qt). 

This  brief  piece,  used  here  as  a  filler  for  the  Haydn,  recalls 
thematically  the  variation  tune  from  the  "Archduke"  Trio.  It  is 
simple,  direct  music.  While  one  might  wish  the  performance  had  a 
little  more  "curve,"  one  is  grateful  for  the  rare  opportunity  to 
hear  the  work. 


Beethoven  31 

Mass  in  C.     Rathauscher,  s;  Hofstaetter,  c;  Planyavsky,  t;  Berry,  bs; 

VKC;  VSY,  Mora  It,  Vox  PL  6300. 

After  the  sublime  heights  of  the  Missa  solemnis,  the  simple 
lyricism  of  this  earlier  Mass  comes  as  a  distinct  and  pleasurable 
surprise.  The  recorded  performance  serves  to  make  its  qualities 
known,  though  it  leaves  some  of  Beethoven's  intentions  un- 
realized. Fortunately,  the  performers  get  into  their  stride  as  the 
work  progresses,  and  the  "Agnus  Dei"  comes  off  better  than  the 
"Kyrie."  But  no  one  would  call  this  a  highly  polished  presenta- 
tion. Of  the  soloists,  the  tenor  shows  up  best;  his  part  in  the 
"Gloria''  is  one  of  the  finer  moments.  The  others  perform  with 
vocal  neatness,  though  the  soprano's  higher  tones  are  not  steady. 
The  break  between  sides  comes,  unfortunately,  between  "Et 
sepultus  est"  and  "Et  resurrexit."  The  reproduction  is  a  little 
coarse,  and  there  is  a  persistent  hum. 

Missa  solemnis.     Steingruber,  s;  Schurhoff,   c;  Majkut,  t;  Wiener,  bs; 

VKC;  VSY,  Klemperer,  Vox  PL  6990  [2].     Marshall,  s;  Merriman,  m-s; 

Conley,  t;  Hines,  bs;  SC;  NBC,  Toscanini,  V  LM  6013  [2]. 

Like  the  Ninth  Symphony,  the  great  Mass  in  D  is  a  masterpiece 
in  which  perfection  of  performance  is  hardly  to  be  hoped  for.  That 
one  had  expected  a  miracle  in  the  Toscanini  recording  accounts 
for  a  good  deal  of  disappointment,  though  that  set  has  other,  more 
positive  factors  working  against  it.  One  of  the  weaknesses  is  the 
solo  quartet;  these  singers  are  no  more  successful  than  most  in 
putting  over  the  message  given  them  to  deliver.  Nor  is  the  quartet 
balance  ideal.  The  four  individuals  seem  to  be  placed  beyond  the 
chorus,  somewhat  removed  from  it.  Toscanini's  tempos  are  on  the 
brisk  side,  with  the  resulting  impression  of  tautness  and  direct- 
ness of  purpose.  There  are  some  terrific  moments,  such  as  "Et 
resurrexit,"  and  some  that  do  not  come  off,  as  the  lovely  "Bene- 
dictus,"  with  its  distorted  violin  solo.  Klemperer's  conception 
is,  in  its  way,  on  an  equally  Iqtty  plane,  and  though  its  high  spots 
are  less  brilliant,  its  weaknesses  are  less  fatal.  The  soprano 
and  the  bass  show  up  well,  but  the  contralto  is  hefty  and  the 
tenor  thin. 

The  Mount  of  Olives  (Christus  am  Olberge).     Opawsky,  s;  Delorco,  t; 

Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Swoboda,  CH  CHS  1135. 

It  is  interesting  to  hear  this  oratorio,  source  of  the  celebrated 
"Hallelujah  Chorus"  (Shaw  Chorale,  V  LM  1117),  though  its  value 
is  historical  rather  than  profoundly  musical.  Given  a  performance 
by  singers  not  to  be  embarrassed  or  dismayed  by  the  Meyerbeerian 


Beethoven  32 

floridity,  the  work  could  be  more  effective  than  it  is  here.  Chorus 
and  orchestra  fare  better  than  the  soloists.  The  recording  balance 
is  uneven:  sometimes  the  effect  is  excellent,  sometimes  no  more 
than  fair. 

Opera 

Fidelio.  Modi,  s;  Jurinac,  s;  Windgassen,  t;  Schock,  t;  Edelmann,  b; 
Frick,  bs;  Poell,  bs;  etc.;  VSOC  &  0,  Furtwangler,  HMV  ALP  1130/1/2 
[3],  H.  Konetzni,  s;  See  fried,  s;  Ralf,  t;  Klein,  t;  Schoeffler,  b;  etc.; 
VSOC;  VPH,  Bohm,  Vox  PL  7793  [3].  Bampton,  s;  Steber,  s;  Peerce, 
t;  Laderoute,  t;  Janssen,  b;  etc.;  Ch;  NBC,  Toscanini,  LM  6025  [2], 
Combining  superior  casting,  realistic  modern  recording,  and,  by 
no  means  least,  Furtwangler 's  skillful  and  penetrating  direction, 
the  HMV  set  is  easily  the  best  Fidelio.  Toscanini's,  though  re- 
leased in  1954,  was  actually  taken  from  his  1944  broadcasts,  and 
is  hardly  comparable,  mechanically.  In  the  Vox  set  the  reproduc- 
tion is  uneven,  as  is  also  the  cast.  Hilde  Konetzni,  patently  an 
artist  and  a  seasoned  one,  has  only  too  obviously  seen  younger 
days.  The  supporting  cast  is  good;  some  of  its  members  are  out- 
standing. An  earlier  recording  (Oc  OCSL  301  [3])  might  have  been 
acceptable  had  it  not  been  for  the  really  distressing  unsteadiness 
of  the  eminent  soprano  in  the  title  role.  Toscanini's  singers  are 
by  no  means  ideal,  though  Bampton  performs  with  impressive  sin- 
cerity and  Peerce  gives  his  long  aria  with  dramatic  conviction. 
Janssen's  Pizarro  is  well  routined,  but  I  miss  the  essential  nasti- 
ness  of  the  character.  Furtwangler's  cast,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
the  pick  of  present-day  singers.  Modi,  like  Bampton  a  transposed 
contralto,  is  not  always  comfortable  in  the  upper  reaches  of  her 
part,  but  she  gains  in  expressiveness  from  the  extra  body  her 
voice  retains;  there  is  real  drama  in  her  singing.  Windgassen  is  a 
good  Florestan,  though  his  aria  wants  a  little  more  weight. 
Jurinac 's  Marzelline  is  the  best  on  records,  better  even  than  See- 
fried's  because  it  is  more  secure.  Schock  is  a  presentable 
Jacquino,  though  not  quite  the  equal  of  Peter  Klein;  and  Edel- 
mann, in  superb  voice  as  Pizarro,  does  not  match  Schoeffler's 
great  characterization.  Furtwangler's  pacing  is  always  telling 
and  just;  the  arias  have  drive  and  vitality,  yet  never  discommode 
the  singers.  The  ensembles  are  beautifully  blended,  but  each 
voice  retains  its  individuality. 

Another  recording  of  Leonora's  great  aria,  "Abscheulicher,  by 
Modi,  may  be  of  interest,  for  in  some  respects  it  is  better  sung 


Beethoven  33 

than  that  in  the  set  (10"  Tel  TM  68003).  Christel  Goltz,  a  fine 
Strauss  singer,  is  simply  not  at  home  in  this  type  of  music  (10" 
D  DL  4058),  and  Astrid  Varnay  can  be  credited  only  with  a  lauda- 
ble effort  against  an  unsmooth  orchestral  background  (including 
troublesome  horns)  (Rem  199-45).  A  really  great  performance  of 
Florestan's  aria  is  provided  by  Julius  Patzak  (L  LLP  427). 

Incidental  Music 

Egmont — Incidental     Music.        Laszlo,    s;    Liewehr,     speaker;     VSO, 

Sc  here  hen,  W  WL  5281. 

Scherchen  presents  all  ten  pieces  of  incidental  music  written  for 
Goethe's  drama.  Clarchen's  two  songs  are  beautifully  sung  by 
Magda  Laszlo,  "Die  Trommel  geruhret"  with  youthful  bravado, 
and  "Freudvoll  und  leidvoll"  with  simple  fervor.  Her  voice  is  at 
its  most  appealing.  Fred  Liewehr  reads  the  lines  in  the  melo- 
drama with  admirable  reserve;  the  reproduction  of  his  voice  is 
very  natural,  mercifully  not  overamplified.  Both  as  a  performance 
and  as  wonderfully  expansive  recording,  this  set  is  decidedly 
preferable  to  the  older  one  directed  by  Leitner  (10"  D  DL  7540). 

Die  Ruinen  von  Athen,  opus  113.    Woudt,  s;  Hollestelle,  b;  NETC  &  0, 

Goehr,  CH  CHS  1158. 

The  incidental  music  to  Kotzebue's  semi-classical  drama  includes 
the  "Turkish  March"  and  the  "Chorus  of  Dervishes,"  both  well 
known  in  transcriptions,  but  rarely  heard  in  context.  That  the 
dramatist's  imagination  carried  him  into  some  strange  territory 
may  account  for  the  neglect  of  the  work  as  a  whole,  though  cer- 
tainly no  one  would  place  Beethoven's  contribution  among  his 
more  significant  works.  Here  it  is,  in  any  case,  reasonably  well 
done,  for  the  scrutiny  of  the  Beethoven  student  and  the  edification 
of  the  musically  curious. 

Songs 

An  die  feme  Geliebte.  Fischer-Dieskau,  b;  Moore,  pf,  V  LHMV  1046 
(*Schubert  and  Schumann:  Songs).  Schlusnus,  b;  Peschko,  pf,  D  DL 
9668  (*Brahms:  Vier  ernste  Ges'dnge,  Fischer-Dieskau). 
An  die  feme  Geliebte;  Der  Wachtelschlag;  Adelaide;  In  questa  tomba 
oscura;  Lied  aus  der  Feme;  Wonne  der  Wehmut;  Ich  Hebe  dich;  Mailied; 
Der  Kuss.    Poell,  bs;  Graef,  pf,  W  WL  5124. 

Of  six  recordings  of  the  little  cycle  To  the  Distant  Beloved,  the 
three  listed  above  are  easily  singled  out.     Best  of  the  lot  is  the 


Beethoven  34 

collaboration  by  Fischer-Dieskau  and  Moore;  none  of  the  others 
has  the  warmth  and  tenderness  of  this  one,  the  tonal  softness,  or 
the  sense  of  communication.  These  artists'  approach  to  the  music 
is  freer  than  is  usual,  but  certainly  this  is  justified.  If  the  singer 
has  a  fault,  it  is  in  the  strong  contrast  between  his  mezza  voce 
and  his  full  voice:  one  feels  that  the  powerful  ending  of  the  cycle 
is  almost  too  much.  There  is,  of  course,  room  for  differing  in- 
terpretations in  fine  lieder-singing,  and  I  still  take  pleasure  in 
the  more  impassioned  performance  of  Schlusnus  and  Peschko, 
coupled,  strangely,  with  Fischer-Dieskau's  Brahms.  Here  the  ex- 
pression is  more  outspoken,  and  for  that  reason  less  intense. 
Poell's  version  is  musically  sensitive  and  admirably  intelligent, 
yet  weighted  by  the  voice  itself,  and  not  quite  comfortable  in 
the  upper  regions.  Along  with  the  cycle,  the  basso  sings  most  of 
the  best-known  Beethoven  repertory  with  a  fine  grasp  of  the  texts 
as  well  as  the  music,  but  all  on  a  rather  high  dynamic  level,  and 
all  apparently  in  keys  just  a  little  above  his  best  range.  The  two 
tenors  William  Home  (10"  Mer  MG  15016)  and  Aksel  Schi^tz 
(C  ML  4641)  have  the  one  obvious  advantage  of  singing  the  songs 
in  the  original  keys,  and  they  are  partnered  by  the  distinguished 
Franz  Rupp  and  Mieczyslaw  Horszowski  respectively.  Yet  they 
are  outclassed.  Schitf'tz  is  poorly  recorded  here,  and  definitely 
not  in  his  best  form.  Elena  Nikolaidi  (C  ML  4628),  combining  the 
cycle  with  the  Gellert-Lieder  listed  below,  is,  with  her  heavy 
contralto,  definitely  miscast. 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  heard  the  British  edition  of 
Fischer-Dieskau's  recording  (HMV  ALP  1066),  on  which  the  cycle 
is  coupled  with  Schubert's  five  Heine  songs,  three  of  which  are 
included  in  the  program  as  listed  above.  Although  one  gets  con- 
siderably less  for  more  money  in  buying  British,  the  tonal  quali- 
ties of  the  recording  are  improved,  perhaps  because  less  has  been 
crowded  onto  the  disc. 

Gellert-Lieder;    Adelaide;    Mailied;    Wonne    der   Wehmut;   Neue    Liebe, 

neues  Leben.    Herbert,  b;  Waldman,  pf,  10"  All  4022. 

Gellert-Lieder;  An  die  feme  Geliebte.     Nikolaidi,  c;  Behr,  pf,   C  ML 

4628  (*Schubert:  Songs). 

The  six  sacred  songs  to  poems  by  Gellert  may  properly  be  con- 
sidered a  cycle,  though  the  most  famous  of  them,  "Die  Ehre 
Gottes  aus  der  Natur,"  is  frequently  sung  by  itself.  Nikolaidi  is 
more  at  home  here  than  in  the  Feme  Geliebte  songs,  though  she 
is  hampered  in  her  diction  by  a  rather  mouthy  production.    A  more 


Beethoven/ Bellini  35 

satisfactory  performance  is  that  of  Ralph  Herbert;  on  the  reverse 
of  the  disc,  the  five  other  songs  are  sung  with  exemplary  taste, 
though  the  baritone's  voice  is  on  the  heavy  side  for  such  light 
pieces  as  "Mailied"  and  "Neue  Liebe,  neues  Leben."  The 
tessitura  of  "Adelaide"  is  not  altogether  comfortable  for  him,  and 
some  of  the  higher  tones  slip  out  of  line.  "Wonne  der  Wehmut" 
is  his  best  offering. 

Andenhen;  Ich  liebe  dich;  Mailied;  Nur  wer  die  Sehnsucht  kennt;  Wonne 

der  Wehmut;  Kennst  du  das  Land?;  Der  Kuss.     Glaz,  m-s;  Mueller,  pf, 

MGM  E  3012  (*Brahms:  Zigeunerlieder). 

Glaz  gives  us  the  best  of  the  miscellaneous  song  recitals  here 
listed.  Her  approach  is  gratefully  simple,  her  singing  always 
cleanly  expressive,  though  occasionally  just  a  suggestion  of  a 
flutter  comes  into  the  voice.  Hers  are  certainly  the  best  "Ich 
liebe  dich,"  "Mailied,"  and  "Wonne  der  Wehmut"  currently 
available;  also  the  very  fine  "Kennst  du  das  Land?"  and  the  al- 
most too  cute  "Der  Kuss"  are  excellently  done.  The  recording 
has  an  empty-hall  effect. 

Irish  and  Scottish  Songs:  Robin  Adair;  The  lovely  lass  of  Inverness; 

Sad  and  luckless  was  the  season;  Sally  in  our  alley;  The  soldier;  Oh 

harp  of  Erin;  Charley  is  my  darling;  Oh  might  I  but  my  Patrick  love; 

Faithful  Johnny;  Auld  lang  syne.      Traubel,  s;  Bos,  pf;  Pennington, 

vln;  Evans,  vie,  10"  C  ML  2085. 

Among  the  curiosities  of  the  Beethoven  repertoire  are  the  arrange- 
ments he  made  on  commission,  for  voice  with  piano  trio,  of  Scot- 
tish, Irish,  and  Welsh  folk  songs.  Traubel  offers  a  representative 
selection  in  rather  staid  concert-platform  style.  It  is  amusing, 
however,  to  hear  what  Beethoven  did  by  way  of  arranging  such 
familiar  tunes  as  "Sally  in  our  alley,"  "The  minstrel  boy,"  and 
"Auld  lang  syne." 

BELLINI,   VINCENZO  (1801-1835) 

Norma.      Callas,   s;  Stignani,   m-s;  Filippeschi,   t;  Rossi-Lemeni,   bs; 

etc.;    SCAC  &  0,   Serafin,   An  3517-C   [3].      Cigna,  s;  Stignani,   m-s; 

Breviario,  t;  Pasero,  bs;  etc.;  EI  ARC  &  0,  Gui,  Cet  1204  [3]. 

Perhaps  the  most  eagerly  awaited  of  recent  operatic  recordings, 
the  Callas  Norma  may  be  set  down  as  a  decided  success.  Once 
again  the  hand  of  Serafin  at  the  helm  is  a  major  asset.  The  tone 
of  the  orchestra,  clean  and  bright  in  the  overture,  sets  the  stand- 
ard   of  recording  quality.      Throughout  the   opera,   the   pacing  is 


Bellini  36 

judicious  and  vital,  the  phrasing  exemplary,  the  accentuation 
subtly  right.  In  the  first  scene,  "DeW  aura  tua  profetica"  gains 
new  dignity  from  being  just  a  mite  slow  by  usual  standards.  The 
big  disappointment  in  the  set  is  Rossi-Lemeni,  whose  pitch  is,  to 
say  the  least,  uncertain.  He  affords  another  demonstration  of  the 
fact  that  "modern"  training  is  not  sufficient  for  the  music  of 
Bellini;  his  voice  lacks  richness.  Filippeschi  proves  to  be  one 
of  the  better  current  tenors,  perhaps  the  most  satisfactory  who 
could  have  been  engaged  for  the  role  of  Pollione.  Obviously  he 
has  worked  hard  to  achieve  a  vocal  line  unusual  in  our  day,  and 
he  avoids  the  pitfalls  of  emotionalism.  Stignani's  voice  is  re- 
markably fresh  and  vibrant;  she  ascends  the  heights  for  the  most 
part  with  ease  and  fluency.  As  for  Callas,  I  know  of  no  con- 
temporary soprano  who  could  match  her  achievement.  In  the  first 
recitative  there  seems  to  be  something  not  quite  right  in  the 
microphone  placement,  for  the  voice  has  a  veiled  quality,  but 
this  is  overcome  in  the  "Casta  diva."  The  noble  cavatina  is 
sung  with  real  insight  and  with  a  vocal  poise  that  I  find  alto- 
gether electrifying.  She  has  a  subtle  way  of  turning  her  phrases, 
of  managing  her  portamento,  and  of  employing  the  messa  di  voce 
which  holds  the  ear  fascinated.  She  is  not,  to  be  sure,  perfection. 
When  she  touches  the  high  tones  lightly,  they  float  with  inde- 
scribable magic;  occasionally  when  she  strikes  them  more  heav- 
ily, the  tone  loses  its  purity  and  inclines  to  flutter.  Unfortu- 
nately, this  happens  in  the  last  act,  at  the  very  climax  of  the 
drama:  her  pronouncement  "Son  io"  just  misses  its  full  effect. 
Rut  hers  is  a  Norma  with  stature,  marked  by  distinguished  sing- 
ing. Not  since  the  days  of  Ponselle  and  Telva  (whose  "Mira,  o 
Norma"  is  available  on  V  LCT  1004)  have  I  heard  the  duets  so 
beautifully  sung. 

The  older  recording,  which  still  holds  its  interest  for  admirers  of 
Gina  Cigna,  sounds  remarkably  well,  considering  that  it  dates 
from  the  thirties.  Indeed,  this  is  one  of  the  rare  cases  in  which 
a  recording  seemed  actually  improved  by  transfer  to  LP.  The 
popular  soprano  has  the  right  kind  of  voice,  if  not  all  the  art  re- 
quired for  the  difficult  title  role  (her  "Casta  diva"  is  poor)  and 
at  her  best  she  is  impressive.  Stignani  is  again  a  splendid 
Adalgisa,  and  the  rich-voiced  Pasero  is  a  satisfactory  Oroveso. 
But  Breviario  is  indeterminate  as  to  pitch.  Eterna  takes  us  farther 
back  into  operatic  history  with  a  set  of  highlights  (Et  706).  Mario 
Gilion,  one  of  the  lesser-known  artists  on  the  roster,  reveals  a 
powerful  voice,  with  the  ringing  high  tones  requisite  to  the  first- 


Bellini  37 

act  tenor  aria.  Boninsegna's  is  one  of  the  finest  of  all  "Casta 
divas,"  and  a  virtually  complete  one,  comprising  two  stanzas  and 
cabaletta.  Russ  and  Guerrini  sing  admirably  together  two  duets, 
but  not  "Mira,  o  Norma."  Luppi's  "Ah!  del  Tebro,"  piano- 
accompanied,  is  the  most  primitive  recording  on  the  list,  but  the 
voice  is  big  and  beautiful.  The  tempered  tones  of  the  soprano 
Amerighi-Rutili  come  as  a  pleasant  novelty  for  most  of  us,  and 
Zenatello,  for  the  little  he  does  in  the  duet  "In  mia  man"  is 
excellent  as  usual.  The  rest  are  at  home  in  their  assignments — 
Mazzoleni,  Oldrati,  and  Righetti — but  their  singing  is  less  strik- 
ing.   The  dubbing  from  the  acoustical  originals  is  satisfactory. 

/  Puritani.     Callas,   s;  di  Stefano,   t;  Panerai,   b;  Rossi-Lemeni,  bs; 

etc.;  SCAC  &  0,  Serafin,  An  3502-C  [3]. 

The  versatility  of  Maria  Callas  serves  to  remind  us  that  a  century 
ago  there  existed  no  such  strong  lines  of  demarcation  as  we  know 
between  "dramatic"  and  "coloratura"  sopranos.  In  those  days 
every  soprano  was  expected  to  be  both;  that  today  it  is  remarkable 
for  one  young  singer  to  step  easily  from  Gioconda  to  Puritani, 
from  Tosca  to  Lucia,  is  merely  a  commentary  on  the  mutability  of 
the  times.  Callas 's  treatment  of  the  florid  passages  is  interest- 
ing in  itself;  her  aim  is  expression  rather  than  brilliance.  The 
voice  is  always  flexible,  if  not  dazzling,  in  the  rapid  scales  and 
arpeggios;  lyrical  parts  are  sung  in  tones  sometimes  as  melting 
as  Ponselle's.  Best  of  all,  she  does  not  load  Bellini's  melodies 
with  passionate  sobs,  but  lets  the  very  tone  of  her  voice  convey 
her  emotion.  She  is  fortunate  in  her  tenor  partner,  for  di  Stefano 
reveals  a  dramatic  power  and  ease  in  the  cruel  tessitura  of  his 
part  which  few  contemporary  tenors  could  approach.  If  once  or 
twice  his  phrasing  falls  below  his  own  best  standard,  we  can 
readily  forgive  him.  Panerai  is  a  serviceable  baritone,  and  Rossi- 
Lemeni  makes  up  in  characterization  what  his  voice  lacks  in 
sensuousness.  Over  all  of  them  one  senses  the  master  hand  of 
Serafin,  who  keeps  the  performance  wonderfully  vital  and  meaning- 
ful. The  reproduction  is  very  fine  indeed,  though  I  noted  some 
variation  in  the  volume  level. 

To  recapture  something  of  the  glamour  that  once  surrounded  this 
opera,  Eterna  has  assembled  a  set  of  "Highlights"  from  the  so- 
called  "golden  age."  Outstanding  is  Selma  Kurz  in  "Qui  la 
voce"  and  "Vien  diletto";  her  vocalization  is  at  once  lyrical  and 
brilliant.  Fernando  de  Lucia  gives  "A  te,  o  cara"  in  the  grand 
old  manner,  and  Mattia  Battistini  is  heard  in  "Ah!  per  sempre" 
and   "Bel  sogno  beato."     Others  represented  are  Amato,  Luppi, 


Bellini/Berg  38 

Pasini,  and  Gherlinzoni  (Et  486).  For  some  strange  reason,  there 
is  an  encore  from  Sonnambula — Amina's  two  last-act  airs — nicely 
sung  by  Finzi-Magrini. 

La   Sonnambula.     Pagliughi,    s;    Tagliavini,    t;    Siepi,    bs;   RIC   &  0, 

Capuana,  Cet  1240  [3]. 

The  recipe  for  success  with  this  slight  but  charmingly  melodious 
opera  is  just  such  a  cast  as  this.  Pagliughi  is  one  of  the  few  re- 
maining examples  of  the  old-school  soprano  leggiero,  a  worthy 
disciple  of  Tetrazzini.  Her  voice  as  here  recorded  may  not  have 
all  the  brilliance  it  once  possessed,  but  on  the  lyrical  side  she 
has  a  melting  charm  often  missing  in  singers  of  her  category. 
Tagliavini  is  just  the  type  for  the  simple  hero  of  the  piece,  though 
one  wishes  he  would  depend  less  on  lachrymose  expression. 
Siepi  is  dignified  and  rich  in  voice,  but  he  too  might  rely  more 
on  sheer  vocalism  for  his  characterization.  The  balance  in  this 
set  is  particularly  good. 

BENEVOLI,   ORAZIO   (1605-1672) 

Festmesse  fur  53  Stimmen;  St.  Ruperti  Hymnus.     Four  Solo  Quartets; 

SACC;  VSY,  Mcssner,  Ep  LC  3035. 

Since  its  premiere  at  the  consecration  of  Salzburg  Cathedral  on 
September  25,  1628,  this  amazing  Mass,  with  its  fifty-three  vocal 
parts,  has  been  only  an  example  in  the  history  books,  until  the 
performance  in  1952,  on  which  occasion  this  recording  was  made. 
"It  should  be  made  quite  clear,"  says  the  annotator,  "that  in  a 
recording  the  physical  size  of  numbers  cannot  produce  the  same 
overwhelming  effect  it  does  in  a  live  performance."  Indeed,  it  is 
not  surprising  that  a  good  deal  of  perspective  has  been  lost.  Still, 
with  all  the  diffuseness  resultant  from  recording  in  the  Cathedral, 
and  the  occasional  echo,  the  effect  is  decidedly  good.  The  many 
soloists  include  such  singers  as  Ilona  Steingruber  and  Otto 
Wiener.  The  curiously  square-cut  hymn  that  completes  the  second 
side  is  of  similar  quality. 

BERG,    ALBAN   (1885-1935) 

Operas 

Lulu.     Steingruber,  s;  Kmentt,  t;  Wiener,  bs;  etc.;  VSY,  H'dfner,  C  SL 
121  [31 


Berg  oy 

The  interest  aroused  by  the  Wozzeck  performances  in  New  York, 
and  the  recording,  is  undoubtedly  accountable  for  the  follow-up  by 
Columbia  with  Lulu,  the  opera  left  unfinished  at  Berg's  death. 
This  is  strong  meat  for  most  listeners,  but  there  is  a  flourishing 
band  to  whom  the  Freudian  plot  of  the  opera  and  its  Schoenbergian 
twelve-tone  music  would  seem  a  nourishing  diet.  That  melody  so 
unsmoothly  written  for  the  voice  can  be  made  to  sound  so  well  is 
a  tribute  to  the  skill  of  the  excellent  singers,  above  all  the 
super-excellent  Ilona  Steingruber. 

Wozzeck.       Farrell,    s;    Harrell,    b;    etc.;   SCNY;    NYPH,    Mitropoulos, 

C  SL  118  [21 

Wozzeck — Selections.      Ribla,    s;    PHO,    Ormandy,    10"    C    ML    2140 

(*Schoenberg:    Gurrelieder — Waldtaube).      Boerner,    s;   JSO,    Janssen, 

10"  Art  500. 

The  complete  Wozzeck  perpetuates  a  performance  that  created  a 
considerable  stir  in  New  York,  demonstrating  how  the  very  diffi- 
cult opera  of  Schoenberg's  outstanding  pupil  could  be  effectively 
sung,  and  paving  the  way  for  the  subsequent  stage  performances 
at  the  City  Center.  The  cast,  carefully  picked  and  trained  by 
Mitropoulos,  could  hardly  be  bettered,  and  the  recording  leaves 
little  to  be  desired  mechanically.  The  two  sets  of  excerpts  cover 
a  good  deal  of  the  same  ground,  presenting  a  healthy  portion  of 
the  music  allotted  to  Marie.  Boerner  won  a  well-deserved  prize 
when  her  recording  was  new;  it  took  courage  at  that  time  to  record 
the  little-known  and  not  generally  attractive  music,  but  that  was 
several  years  ago.  Ribla,  also  an  outstanding  interpreter  of  the 
moderns,  has  the  advantage  of  later,  more  lifelike  reproduction. 

Songs 

Seven  Songs  of  Youth  (1905-1907);  Two  Unedited  Songs  (1900,  1926); 

An  Leukon  (1908).      Beardslee,   s;   Monod,   pf.     Four  Songs,   opus  2. 

Joachim,  s;  CHAM,  Leibowitz.   Dia  15.   (*Four  Pieces  for  Clarinet  and 

Piano). 

Four  Songs,  opus  2;  Seven  Early  Songs.   C.  Rowe,  s;  Tupas,  pf,  Ly  LL 

13  (*Sonata  for  Piano,  opus  1;  Four  Pieces  for  Clarinet  and  Piano). 

Der  Wein.    Boerner,  s;  JSO,  Janssen,  10"  Cap  L  8150. 

The  first  disc  is  a  complete  edition  of  Berg's  songs,  which,  it 
will  be  noted,  are  not  numerous  enough  to  fill  even  two  sides. 
The  second  is  sheer  duplication,  so  far  as  the  vocal  music  is 
concerned.     Outstanding  among  the   performers   is  Irene  Joachim, 


Berg/Berlioz  40 

whose  contribution  won  her  a  prize  when  it  was  released  in 
France.  Beards  lee,  too,  is  a  singer  of  attractive  voice  and  fine 
musicianship,  specializing  in  the  taxing  works  of  the  moderns. 
Against  such  competition,  Rowe  is  at  a  disadvantage.  The  ro- 
mantic early  songs  are  essential  to  a  study  of  Berg's  develop- 
ment, and  they  are  pleasing  enough  to  interest  the  lieder  special- 
ist. The  two  unpublished  settings  of  the  same  poem,  twenty-six 
years  apart,  are  particularly  valuable.  Der  Wein,  a  concert  aria 
dating  from  1929,  is  a  setting  of  Stefan  Georg's  translation  from 
Baudelaire.  It  may  be  used  as  an  introduction  to  the  Schoen- 
bergian  twelve-tone  system,  especially  as  the  reverse  side  of  the 
disc  is  given  over  to  an  analytical  discussion  by  Alfred  Franken- 
stein.   Boerner,  a  gifted  and  experienced  singer,  is  well  recorded. 

BERLIOZ,    HECTOR   (1803-1869) 

Choral  Works 

La  Damnation  de  Faust.     Danco,  s;  Poleri,  t;  Singher,  b;  Gramm,  bs; 

HRC;  BSO,  Munch,  V  LM  6114  [3].    Laurena,  m-s;  Jouatte,  t;  Cabanel, 

b;  Pactat,  bs;  PC;  RP,  Fournet,  C  SL  110  [3]. 

The  Boston  recording,  made  in  Symphony  Hall  on  February  21-2, 
1954,  may  very  well  be  Charles  Munch's  masterpiece.  One 
searches  in  vain  for  superlatives  to  describe  the  playing  of  his 
orchestra,  whether  in  the  rousing  "Rakoczy  March,"  the  delicate 
"Ballet  of  the  Sylphs,"  or  the  blood-curling  "Ride  to  Hell." 
Again  one  remembers  that  sour  chord  so  superbly  snarled  before 
the  "Song  of  the  Flea,"  the  orchestral  detail  brought  out  in  the 
accompaniment  to  that  song,  and  the  recurring  bass  figure  under 
the  "Love  Duet."  The  chorus  seems  to  be  having  the  time  of  its 
life.  One  detail  that  stands  out  in  memory  is  the  hissing  of  the 
name  Mephisto  in  the  Infernal  Regions.  The  soloists,  though  not 
all  ideally  fitted  by  nature  for  the  assignments  they  carry,  surpass 
themselves  in  the  realization  of  the  score.  Poleri,  on  whom  so 
much  of  the  burden  falls,  was  chosen  obviously  for  the  amplitude 
and  good  quality  of  his  voice,  despite  the  fact  that  his  French  is 
a  little  below  par.  This  is  not  so  much  a  matter  of  pronunciation, 
for  he  shows  careful  schooling  in  this  as  well  as  in  the  subtleties 
of  his  music;  but  the  text  does  not  come  out  to  meet  you  as  it 
does  whenever  Singher  begins  to  sing.  The  baritone  is  in  un- 
usually good  form,  though  one  wishes  his  gifts  of  sheer  voice  had 


Berlioz  41 

been  more  generous.  He  is  no  more  successful  than  most  in  sus- 
taining the  smooth  legato  Berlioz  calls  for  in  "Void  des  roses" 
(one  remembers  the  old  Plancon  record),  but  he  is  more  than 
satisfactory  in  the  more  flippant  moments:  the  "Chanson  de  la 
Puce"  and  the  sardonic  "Serenade."  Danco  is  another  artist  of 
the  French  school,  and  she  too  makes  the  words  count.  Vocally 
she  is  admirable,  though  I  suspected  as  I  listened  that  Berlioz 
knew  what  he  wanted  when  he  called  for  a  real  mezzo-soprano. 
The  notes  are  all  there,  and  they  are  good,  but  the  singer  bears  a 
little  heavily  on  her  voice  to  get  them.  And  in  his  short  role, 
Donald  Gramm  stands  up  to  his  colleagues.  He  could  give  Poleri 
a  lesson  in  French  diction.  It  would  not  be  quite  accurate  to  call 
the  balance  in  this  set  natural,  for  the  effects  achieved  are  the 
kind  of  which  a  conductor  (and  presumably  a  composer)  dreams, 
but  which  are  impossible  in  a  concert  hall.  Poleri,  for  example, 
without  straining  a  muscle,  can  make  his  voice  stand  out  over  the 
chorus.  The  older  recording  is  in  no  sense  a  rival  for  the  new; 
mechanically  it  is  killed  at  the  first  blow.  In  its  favor  are  the 
impeccable  French  diction  of  Jouatte  (whose  vocal  material  is 
only  a  fraction  of  Poleri's)  and  of  Cabanel  (who  has  several  times 
Singher's  resources).  Laurena  has  the  right  range  for  Marguerite, 
and  she  sings  smoothly,  but  Danco  the  artist  has  the  stronger 
appeal. 

L'Enfance    du   Christ.      Bouvier,    c;   Giraudeau,    t;   Noguera,    b;   etc.; 

RSPC;  PCO,  Cluytens,  Vox  PL  7120  [2].     Davenport,  c;  Simoneau,  t; 

Singher,  b;  Gramm,  bs;  CAS;  LOS,  Scherman,  C  SL  199  [2]. 

The  American  release  of  the  Vox  recording,  several  years  back, 
may,  I  think,  be  fairly  credited  with  arousing  belated  interest  in 
this  tender  and  reverent  work,  though  the  pastoral  chorus  known 
as  "Farewell  of  the  Shepherds"  has  long  been  known  in  our  choir 
lofts  (Shaw  Chorale,  V  LM  1117).  Thomas  Scherman 's  annual  per- 
formance has  now  become  an  event  of  the  New  York  season, 
which  in  turn  accounts  for  the  Columbia  recording.  Even  when 
the  Vox  set  was  new,  its  shortcomings  were  obvious.  The  repro- 
duction was  noted  as  strangely  uneven,  with  the  vocal  parts 
sounding  spacious  and  churchly,  while  the  orchestral  sections 
had  the  quality  associated  with  studio  recording.  Some  of  the 
soloists  seemed  too  close  upon  us,  and  one  wished  for  an  oc- 
casional piano,  not  to  mention  a  pianissimo.  In  all  such  respects 
the  more  recent  Columbia  recording  is  a  decided  improvement, 
but    for   the    qualities   of  performance    Vox   stands   unchallenged. 


Berlioz  42 

Scherman's  choir  and  orchestra  are  good,  but  the  conductor  is  ob- 
viously less  in  his  element  than  Cluytens.  Singher  stands  out 
among  the  soloists,  for  his  authentic  style  and  superb  diction, 
though  he  is  not  a  real  bass  and  he  transposes  a  couple  of  low 
tones.  Simoneau  is  right  for  the  music,  too,  by  virtue  of  back- 
ground and  schooling,  and  his  voice  is  brighter  than  that  of 
Giraudeau  in  the  Vox  set.  He  seems  to  be  somewhat  hampered, 
however,  by  the  staying  hand  of  the  conductor.  Donald  Gramm 
stands  up  well  in  this  company,  but  Mary  Davenport  is  handi- 
capped by  the  kind  of  production  that  strives  for  vocal  richness 
at  the  expense  of  clear  diction.  Her  inadequacy  is  emphasized 
by  a  fresh  hearing  of  Bouvier  in  the  Vox  set.  In  a  word,  the  spirit 
of  Vox  is  willing,  and  the  flesh  of  Columbia  is  all  too  strong. 

Lelio.   Charpak,  speaker;  Kerol,  t;  Bacquier,  b;  NPSC  &  0,  Leibowitz, 

Vox  PL  8250. 

Lelio,  or  The  Return  to  Life  is  labeled  by  the  composer  a  "melo- 
logue,"  or  lyric  monodrama;  it  contains  a  little  of  everything  in 
three  languages.  The  thread  of  the  basic  thought  is  spun  by  the 
Narrator  (here  his  part  is  very  much  cut)  and  the  music  parades 
past  in  various  styles  and  guises.  Opening  with  a  setting  of 
Goethe's  ballad  Der  Fischer  (in  German),  we  proceed  to  choruses 
(one  with  piano  duo),  orchestral  pieces,  and  finally  a  long  fantasy 
on  Shakespeare's  Tempest,  for  chorus  and  orchestra.  The  setting 
of  Goethe  is  bold  and  a  bit  ungainly,  so  that  it  is  perhaps  wrong 
to  blame  the  tenor  for  being  unable  to  make  it  seem  natural  or 
easy.  He  has  the  high  tones  needed,  but  he  sings  them  and  all 
else  at  a  high  dynamic  level.  Such  a  line  as  "Repose,  cette  tete 
charmante,,  comes  strangely  from  him.  The  recording  is  reason- 
ably good,  though  the  choral  parts  seem  overloaded. 

Requiem.    Jouatte,  t;  PC;  RPO,  Fournet,  C  SL  159  [2]. 

This  wartime  recording  was  considered  something  of  a  master- 
piece in  its  day.  But  the  music,  with  its  enormous  forces,  choirs 
and  orchestras  distributed  in  the  galleries  around  a  huge  church, 
is  just  the  kind  most  difficult  to  capture  even  with  the  latest 
techniques;  a  good  deal  of  perspective  was  bound  to  be  lost  in 
the  best  efforts  of  a  decade  or  so  ago.  Still,  the  performance  as 
we  hear  it  does  not  lack  a  strong  sense  of  the  grandeur  of 
Berlioz's  conception,  and  the  transfer  to  LP  is  far  from  unsuc- 
cessful. Under  the  auspices  of  the  Berlioz  Society  a  new  record- 
ing of  the  Requiem  will  soon  be  released. 

Te  Deum.     Young,  t;  Dulwich  College  Boys  C;  LPC;  RPO,  Beecham, 

C  ML  4897. 


Berlioz  43 

This  huge  work  is  scored  for  three  choirs,  organ,  and  orchestra. 
For  his  ideal,  Berlioz  specified  "some  hundred  strings,  the  usual 
winds  in  proportion,  two  choruses  of  one  hundred  singers  each, 
plus  a  third  of  six  hundred  boys."  Sir  Thomas  Beecham,  who  has 
made  the  Te  Deum  his  own,  settles  for  less,  but  succeeds  in 
making  an  exceedingly  joyful  noise.  For  magnificent  clarity  in 
the  tremendous  mass  of  sound,  there  have  been  few  recordings  to 
match  this  one.  To  point  just  one  example,  the  crescendo  leading 
up  to  the  cymbal  crash  at  "Pleni  sunt  coeli"  is  breathtaking  in 
impact.  The  sound  of  the  organ,  too,  is  wonderfully  full  and  life- 
like; for  once  it  is  almost  perfectly  in  tune  with  the  orchestra. 
This  is  not  the  kind  of  music  in  which  it  is  easy  to  follow  the 
text  (and  Berlioz  has  been  free  to  change  the  order  of  its  lines); 
indeed,  for  the  most  part  the  glorious  choral  tone  might  as  well  be 
totally  divorced  from  words.  But  this  matters  little,  as  we  are 
carried  along  by  music  that  flows  like  a  great  river.  One  flaw,  it 
seems  to  me,  is  in  the  placement  of  the  excellent  tenor  soloist; 
his  voice  is  very  close  upon  us.  When  he  sings,  of  course,  the 
text  comes  through  clearly  enough. 

Operas 

Les  Troyens  a  Carthage.    Mandikian,  s;  Collard,  c;  Giraudeau,  t;  etc.; 

EVP;  PCO,  Scherchen,  W  WAL  304  [3]. 

That  this  famous  score — the  second  part  of  Berlioz's  two-day 
opera  Les  Troyens — is  so  little  known  must  be  due  to  the  diffi- 
culties of  finding  singers  with  adequate  mastery  of  the  classic 
style  quite  as  much  as  to  the  hugeness  of  the  composer's  con- 
ception. A  professed  admirer  of  Gluck  and  Beethoven,  Berlioz 
expected  the  same  kind  of  nobility  called  for  by  his  great  prede- 
cessors. It  was  a  courageous  undertaking  to  bring  the  score  to 
life  for  us,  and  we  cannot  but  be  grateful  to  Westminster.  And  in 
all  fairness  I  ought  to  add  that  the  performance  possesses  con- 
siderable impressiveness,  due  to  the  comprehension  and  vitality 
of  Scherchen's  conducting.  The  singers,  however,  achieve  the 
necessary  distinction  of  style  only  at  times.  I  understand  we  may 
expect  a  recording  of  La  Prise  de  Troie  from  the  same  source. 

Songs 

Nuits  d'ete.    Danco,  s;  CIN,  Johnson,  L  LL  407. 

This  is  certainly  one  of  the  soprano's  best  discs;  the  interpreta- 
tions   have   been  carefully  worked   out,   with   considerable  vocal 


Ber//oz/B/zet  44 

variety,  and  a  fine  rapport  with  the  conductor.  Two  songs  from 
the  cycle  were  previously  known  in  recordings  by  Maggie  Teyte, 
who  brought  to  them  a  warmth  and  lilt  beyond  Danco,  but  her 
versions  have  not  been  issued  on  LP. 

BIZET,    GEORGES  (1838-1875) 

Carmen.  Juyol,  m-s;  Micheau,  s;  de  Luca,  t;  Giovanetti,  b;  etc.;  OCC 
&  O,  Wolff,  L  LLAP  6  [3].  Michel,  m-s;  Angelici,  s;  Jobin,  t;  Dens, 
b;  etc.;  OCC  &  0,  Cluytens,  C  SL  109  [3].  Stevens,  m-s;  Albanese,  s; 
Peerce,  t;  Merrill,  b;  SC;  RCAO,  Reiner,  V  LM  6102  [3]. 

The  importance  of  a  French  cast,  schooled  in  the  French  tradi- 
tions, for  the  production  of  a  French  opera,  is  demonstrated  by 
these  three  complete  Carmens.  The  Metropolitan  has  never  made 
a  specialty  of  Gallic  opera,  though  in  the  past  it  did  have  a 
"French  wing."  Today  the  casts  are  only  too  international,  as 
their  assorted  accents  show.  If  such  considerations  do  not  bother 
you,  it  is  possible  you  will  prefer  Victor's  American  recording  to 
the  two  more  authentic  presentations,  for  certainly  it  has  the 
mechanical  superiority,  and  it  rejoices  in  a  quartet  of  extremely 
popular  principals.  But  neither  of  the  rival  performances  is  too 
far  behind  in  matters  of  reproduction,  and  both  are  excellently 
sung.  Between  the  Carmens,  the  choice  must  rest  on  personal 
preference,  for  where  Michel  is  the  better  vocalist,  Juyol  gives 
the  more  temperamental  interpretation.  Libero  de  Luca  is  my 
choice  for  Don  Jose,  Giovanetti  for  Toreador,  though  neither  his 
voice  nor  Dens's  has  the  natural  beauty  of  Merrill's.  Angelici's 
Micaela  is  easily  the  most  appealing  of  the  three,  and  she  is  the 
most  convincing  member  of  the  Columbia  cast.  Columbia's  version 
is  given  with  the  original  spoken  dialogue;  Victor's  and  London's 
both  use  the  recitatives  added  by  Guiraud  after  Bizet's  death. 
The  palm  for  conducting  must  go  to  the  veteran  Albert  Wolff, 
though  Reiner's  is  very  brilliant. 

Although  Conchita  Supervia  died  as  long  ago  as  1935,  she  left 
many  realistic  and  representative  recordings  behind  her,  enough 
from  Carmen  to  make  a  regular  "highlights"  set  (D  DL  9522).  The 
peculiar  brassy  voice  of  this  singer  fascinated  multitudes  during 
her  brilliant  career,  and  it  continues  to  do  so.  As  Irving  Kolodin 
says  in  the  jacket  notes  for  this  disc,  Supervia  "from  her  birth.  . . 
was  destined  to  sing  Carmen."     Here   is  her  characterization  in 


Bizet/Bloeh  45 

all  its  fullness,  perhaps  the  most  Spanish  of  all  Carmens — more 
Spanish,  indeed,  than  Bizet  could  make  his  heroine.  The  record- 
ing is  still  effective.  Jennie  Towel  also  gives  us  the  principal 
arias  (C  ML  4608)  with  full-blown  tone  and  admirable  intelligence. 
She  is  well  seconded  by  Morel's  orchestra  and  splendid  repro- 
duction; but  hers  is  not  a  Carmen  to  "send"  you.  Other  "high- 
light" sets  present  Stevens  and  Jobin  (C  ML  4013)  or  Swarthout, 
Albanese,  and  Vinay  (V  LM  1007). 

Les  Pecheurs  de  perles.     Dobbs,  s;  Seri,  t;  Borthayre,  b;  etc.;  PPC  & 

0,  Leibowitz,  Ren  SX  205  [3], 

Bizet's  best-known  pre-Carmen  opera  is  given  a  fairly  good  show- 
ing here.  Mattiwilda  Dobbs,  an  American,  has  a  voice  of  great 
promise  and  some  solid  achievement.  At  its  best  it  is  lovely  and 
clear,  though  sometimes  in  this  recording  it  slips  out  of  line  and 
loses  quality.  Seri  has  more  than  a  suggestion  of  the  Italian 
background  his  name  indicates,  though  he  does  not  possess  the 
floating  tone  needed  for  "/e  crois  entendre  encore."  He  is  better 
in  his  big  duet  with  Borthayre,  whose  singing  is  always  effective, 
if  too  consistently  loud.  Perhaps  the  engineers  are  to  blame  for  a 
general  lack  of  shading  throughout  the  performance.  The  balance 
is  good,  however,  and  the  acoustical  effect  quite  spacious. 

BLOCH,   ERNEST   (7880-    ; 

Sacred  Service  (Avodath  Hakodesh).     Rothmuller,   b;  etc;  LPC  &  0, 

Bloch,  L  LLP  123. 

Bloch  is  said  to  consider  this  service  his  masterpiece.  In  it  he 
has  striven  to  rise  above  the  racialism  associated  with  his  musi- 
cal style,  and  to  speak  not  simply  to  his  own  people,  but  to  all 
men.  It  is  logical,  then,  that  in  making  the  recording  in  London 
he  should  have  chosen  to  use  an  English  text  so  that  he  might  be 
understood  by  more  of  his  hearers.  The  performance  is  altogether 
admirable.  Marko  Rothmuller,  who  as  Cantor  carries  the  brunt  of 
the  singing,  uses  his  rich  and  expressive  voice  with  sincere 
dignity.  Here  and  there  a  loud  tone  may  lose  some  of  its  velvet, 
but  this  is  only  occasional.  It  would  seem  that  he  has  been 
placed  rather  too  near  to  the  microphone,  for  the  balance  is  not 
quite  perfect,  but  this  does  not  detract  greatly  from  the  fine 
general  effect.  Chorus  and  orchestra  are  excellent,  and  the  two 
female  soloists  are  adequate. 


B/ow/Bo*/fo  46 

BLOW,   JOHN  (7648/9-1708) 

Ode  on  the  Death  of  Mr.  Henry  Purcell.   NYPMA,  Greenberg,  Es  ES  519 

(*Purcell:  Songs  and  Instrumental  Pieces). 

This  affecting  memorial  to  Purcell,  composed  by  his  teacher  to  a 
text  by  Dryden,  is  very  rarely  performed,  perhaps  because  genuine 
counter-tenors  are  not  plentiful,  and  this  score  calls  for  two  of 
them.  Messrs.  Oberlin  and  Bressler  are  fully  equal  to  the  oc- 
casion, and  the  performance  is  quite  delightful.  The  former  makes 
the  most  of  the  long  elaborate  solo  comprising  the  middle  section 
of  the  piece.  My  one  reservation  is  that  the  whole  seems  a  bit 
hurried. 

Venus  and  Adonis.   Ritchie,  s;  Field-Hyde,  s;  Clinton,  t;  OLE,  Lewis, 

OL  50004. 

Incredible  as  it  may  seem,  here  is  an  English  opera  older  than 
Dido  and  Aeneas  (generally  considered  to  be  the  first)  and  one 
that  prefigures  not  only  the  music,  but  the  dramatic  situations  of 
Purcell's  masterpiece.  The  passage  "Hark!  hark!  the  hunter"  and 
the  argument  that  follows  it  are  clearly  echoed  in  Dido,  and  the 
threnody  at  the  very  end  prepares  the  way  for  "With  drooping 
wings."  The  death  scene  is  exceedingly  beautiful,  worthy  to 
stand  beside  its  great  successor.  The  performance  has  nice 
spirit  and  understanding  throughout.  One  wonders  why  the  harpsi- 
chord continuo,  usually  active,  is  omitted  from  the  dances,  but 
this  is  a  detail.  The  voices  are  mostly  modest,  with  only  Margaret 
Ritchie  sounding  like  a  full-blown  professional.  The  reproduction 
is  mostly  good,  though  the  higher  voices  are  not  altogether  clear 
in  some  spots. 

BO/TO,   ARRIGO  (1842-1918) 

Mefistofele.  Neri,  bs;  Noli,  s;  dalV Argine,  s;  Poggi,  t;  etc.;  MIOC  & 
0,  Capuana,  U  URLP  230  [3].  De  Angelis,  bs;  Favero,  s;  Arangi- 
Lombardi,  s;  Melandri,  t;  etc.;  SCAC  &  0,  Molajoli,  C  EL  9  [3]. 

Boito's  masterpiece  has  always  been  an  opera  to  stand  or  fall  by 
its  protagonist.  Neri  is  one  of  the  best  of  his  type  at  present 
active  in  Italy,  an  artist  with  a  fine  strong  voice,  though  hardly  a 
striking  personality  like  the  great  Mefistofeles  of  other  days: 
Chaliapin,  Didur,  Journet,  Plancon,  etc.     The  supporting  cast  is 


Boito/ Borodin  47 

for  the  most  part  good,  though  Poggi's  rather  hoarse  Faust  is  just 
about  passable.  Fortunately,  he  has  his  better  moments,  one  of 
them  being  the  touching  duet  "Lontano,  lontano."  Noli  is  a 
sweet  and  appealing  Margherita.  In  the  Helen  of  Troy  scene, 
some  good  singing  by  dall'Argine  and  Ticozzi  is  marred  by  too 
close  recording.  The  boys'  choir  adds  its  special  touch  to  the 
Prologue.  The  breaks  between  sides  are  not  always  fortunate.  A 
well-known  Mefistofele  of  a  generation  ago  is  represented  in 
Columbia's  reissued  set.  Nazareno  de  Angelis,  no  longer  young 
at  the  time  of  recording,  carries  the  performance  on  his  broad 
shoulders.  Favero  is  a  fine  Margherita,  but  Arangi-Lombardi's 
Elena  and  Melandri's  Faust  help  little  in  lifting  the  general  level 
of  the  singing  above  routine.  Naturally  the  once-impressive  re- 
cording is  no  match  for  Urania's. 

Nerone — Highlights.      Lombardi,   s;  Agozzino,   m-s;  Fertile,  t;  Polli- 

cino,  t;  Stabile,  b;  Jownet,  bs;  Ronchi,  bs.    Et  704. 

BoTto's  posthumous  opera  remained  in  his  workshop  for  nearly 
fifty  years,  becoming  a  legend  and  a  mystery  in  the  composer's 
lifetime.  After  a  sumptuous  production  under  Toscanini  in  1924, 
the  work  quickly  became  a  legend  again,  with  only  a  few  record- 
ings left  to  dispel  the  mystery.  The  collection  here  assembled 
includes  scenes  interpreted  by  two  of  the  "creators" — Pertile 
and  Journet — and  others,  including  the  distinguished  Mariano 
Stabile.  The  records  give  us  an  adequate  idea  of  the  vocal  style 
of  the  score,  but  one  can  hardly  judge  the  opera  without  more  of 
the  orchestration  than  could  possibly  be  caught  by  the  recording 
equipment  of  1924.  The  transfer  to  LP  is  reasonably  successful. 

BORODIN,   ALEXANDER   (1833-1887) 

Prince   Igor.     Smolenskaya,  s;  Lemeshev,   t;  lvanov,   b;  Pirogov,  bs; 

Reizen,  bs;  etc.;  GABT  &  0,  USSR,  Melik-Pashayev,  Per  SPL  552  [3]. 
When  this  set  arrived,  it  seemed  about  the  best  of  the  operas  to 
come  to  us  from  the  USSR;  it  remains  one  of  the  better  ones.  Out- 
standing among  the  singers  are  the  tenor  Lemeshev,  the  smooth 
baritone  lvanov,  and  the  somewhat  Chaliapinesque  Pirogov,  though 
the  cast  also  includes  the  celebrated  Mark  Reizen.  The  general 
level  is  good — better,  as  usual,  among  the  men  than  the  women. 
The  reproduction  has  the  common  fault  of  favoring  the  singers, 
but  is  otherwise  excellent. 


Bowles/Brahms  48 

BOWLES,   PAUL   (1911-         ) 

Scenes  d'Anabase  (1932).     Hess,  t;  Marx,  oboe;  Masselos,  pf,  C  ML 

4845  (*Music  for  a  Farce;  Dello  Joio:  Variations). 

Set  to  poems  by  St. -Jean  Perse,  the  Scenes  d'Anabase  sport  a 
mixed  musical  ancestry,  amusingly  accounted  for  in  the  com- 
poser's explanatory  notes.  They  are  not  what  one  would  call 
"grateful"  songs  for  the  voice,  but  Hess  delivers  them  in  good 
direct  style. 

BRAGA,   ERNANI  (1898-         ) 

Folk  Songs   of  Brazil.     Sayao,   s;   Charnley,  pf,   C  ML  4154  (*Sayao 

Recital). 

Braga's  arrangements  of  these  simple  songs  are  unobtrusive,  yet 
artful  enough  to  lift  them  out  of  the  field  of  folklore.  Sayao 's 
singing  is  likewise  decidedly  of  the  concert  hall;  the  best  fea- 
tures of  her  delicate  art  are  shown  to  advantage.  She  spins  a 
lovely  lyric  line,  floats  her  small  but  telling  voice  over  the  high 
phrases,  and  then,  on  occasion,  adopts  the  manner  of  a  diseuse. 
The  recording  of  the  piano  is  on  the  weak  side. 

BRAHMS,   JOHANNES  (1833-1897) 

Choral  Works 

Ein  deutsches  Requiem.  Schwarzkopf,  s;  Hotter,  bs;  MFC;  VPH, 
Karajan,  C  SL  157  [2].  Steber,  s;  Pease,  b;  SC;  RCAO,  Shaw,  V  LM 
6004  [2]. 

The  choice  here  is  clean-cut,  depending  entirely  on  the  relative 
importance  one  places  on  stylistic  distinction  and  technical  per- 
fection. Years  were  spent,  we  are  told,  preparing  the  Shaw 
Chorale  for  the  ordeal  of  recording,  and  no  effort  was  spared  to 
capture  their  performance  with  complete  faithfulness.  Though  the 
recording  is  no  longer  new,  we  still  listen  to  the  result  with  pro- 
found admiration.  Karajan's  forces  do  not  remotely  approach  the 
precision  of  the  Chorale;  yet  for  all  the  ragged  attacks,  the  oc- 
casional lack  of  bite  in  the  orchestral  tone,  and  the  sometimes 
overloaded  recording,  we  snap  off  the  motor  at  the  conclusion  of 
this  performance  in  the  full  conviction  that  we  have  been  listening 
to   Brahms,   and   that   his   very  personal  message   of  comfort  and 


Brahms  49 

consolation  is  a  powerful  one  indeed.  A  word  should  be  added  in 
praise  of  Elisabeth  Schwarzkopf,  the  only  completely  satisfying 
soloist  in  either  set. 

Der  Abend;  Nachstens;  Zum  Schluss.     SC;  2  pfs,  Shaw,  V  LM  1784 

(*Schubert:  Mass  in  G;  Bach:  Motet — Komm,  Jesu,  komm). 

Gesang  der  Parzen;  Nanie.    VKC;  VSY,  Swoboda,  W  WL  5081  (*Strauss: 

Wanderers  Sturmlied). 

Marienlieder;    Four   Songs   for   Women's    Voices    with   Two  Horns   and 

Harp.    VKC,  Schmid,  W  WL  5014. 

Nachtwache,  1  &  II;  Letztes  Glilck;  Im  Herbst.     BAVRC  &  0,  Kugler, 

10"  Mer  MG  15011  (*Verdi:  Stabat  Mater). 

The  three  choruses  offered  by  Shaw  are  in  that  conductor's  best 
manner,  especially  the  first.  The  singing  and  the  playing  of  the 
two  pianists  have  the  proper  surge  and  swell;  the  most  is  made 
of  the  climaxes.  The  Song  of  the  Fates  and  Nanie,  opus  82  and 
opus  98  respectively,  are  conceded  to  rank  among  Brahms 's 
finest;  one  wishes  the  recording  were  better.  The  listener  is  too 
conscious  of  the  conductor's  steady  beat  in  the  first  work,  some- 
what less  so  in  the  second.  One  or  two  of  the  Marienlieder  oc- 
casionally find  their  way  into  the  American  church-choir  repertory, 
but  the  seven  songs  that  comprise  the  cycle  are  little  known  as  a 
group.  The  texts  are  from  German  folk  poetry,  just  the  kind  of 
thing  to  draw  out  Brahms  at  his  most  Brahmsian.  The  women's 
choruses  seem,  if  possible,  even  more  characteristic.  The  group 
includes  a  setting  of  ilCome  away,  death"  (in  German)  and  a  song 
fronn  Ossian.  The  singing  on  this  disc  is  competent  rather  than 
inspired.  The  effect,  especially  in  the  Marienlieder,  is  marred  by 
some  too  vibrant  tones  that  fail  to  achieve  a  perfect  blend.  Never- 
theless, the  music  itself  is  enough  worth  having  to  minimize  these 
objections.  Less  satisfactory  is  the  work  of  the  Bavarian  Radio 
Choir,  which  sounds  as  though  rehearsing  such  familiar  music 
were  no  longer  considered  necessary.  I  suspect  all  their  attention 
went  into  preparing  the  better  presentation  of  the  Verdi  on  the 
reverse. 

Liebeslieder    Walzer,    opus   52;    Neue    Liebeslieder   Walzer,    opus   65. 

Hassler,  s;  Plumacher,  c;  Weikenmeier,  t;Kelch,  bs;  Michael  &  Prieg- 

nitz,  pfs,  Oc  OCS  28. 

Liebeslieder  Walzer,  opus  52;  German  Folk  Songs  (arr.  Brahms).    RWC, 

Wagner,  Cap  P  8176. 

The    Oceanic   recording,   made    in  Stuttgart,   is   performed   in  the 


Brahms  50 

proper  spirit,  and  with  the  solo  quartet  the  music  calls  for.    The 
voices  are  pleasant  and  the  pianos  properly  exuberant  in  this  bit 
of  vocal  chamber  music;  there  is  a  nice  feeling  of  intimacy.     If 
the  performance  does  not  reach  the  level  of  an  earlier  Viennese 
one    of  opus  52,  rare   in  this   country,   issued  at  78  rpm  only  by 
English    Columbia    (with    Seefried,    Hongen,    Meyer-Welfing    and 
Hotter),  it  is  the  best  released  since.    The  Roger  Wagner  Chorale 
follows  a  custom,  prevalent  in  this  country,  of  turning  the  quartet 
into  a  chorus. 
Rhapsody.     Ferrier,  c;  LPC  &  0,  Krauss,  L  LL  903  (*Songs).    Ander- 
son,  c;  SC;  RCAO,  Reiner,   V  LM  1146  (*Mahler:  Kindertotenlieder). 
Hongen,  c;  BCS;  BPH,  Leitner,  10"  D  DL  4074  (*Zigeunerlieder). 

The  completely  satisfactory  Alto  Rhapsody  recording  is  still  to 
be  made.  Ferrier  might  have  done  it,  had  she  lived  a  little  longer; 
a  second  try  was  said  to  have  been  on  her  agenda.  As  it  is,  we 
must  be  grateful  to  London  for  transferring  her  older  effort  to  LP, 
for  it  is,  taken  all  around,  the  best  yet  made  of  this  music.  The 
noble  voice  is  magnificent  throughout,  the  patent  sincerity  ap- 
parent in  every  measure.  One  feels  only  that  time  would  have 
mellowed  the  artist's  conception  of  the  work.  By  all  standards, 
the  performance  is  too  slow,  and  it  is  to  the  credit  of  the  singer 
and  the  late  Clemens  Krauss  that  it  does  not  fall  apart.  So  far, 
Marian  Anderson  has  had  three  tries  at  the  Rhapsody,  and  where 
she  has  done  herself  justice  in  one  recording  seems  always  to  be 
the  spot  that  comes  off  less  well  in  another.  The  first,  prewar, 
version,  with  Ormandy  and  the  Philadelphia  Orchestra,  was 
naturally  the  freshest  vocally;  the  second,  with  Monteux  and  the 
San  Francisco,  the  best  integrated,  though  the  singer  was  caught 
short  in  some  of  the  longer  phrases;  the  third  and  at  present  only 
available  performance  is  the  best  recorded,  but  does  the  artist 
least  credit.  Hongen  has  not  the  vocal  steadiness  and  solidity 
to  make  a  really  successful  Rhapsody,  despite  her  admirable  in- 
tentions. Perhaps  the  old  recording  by  Sigrid  Onegin  would  be 
worth  resurrecting  in  Victor's  Treasury  series. 
Rinaldo.    Kerol,  t;  NPSC;  PAS,  Leibowitz,  Vox  PL  8180. 

Brahms 's  excursion  into  the  operatic  style  is  not  a  sure-fire 
masterpiece.  If  it  is  to  prove  itself,  it  needs  a  better  performance 
than  it  gets  here.  The  solo  tenor,  who  carries  the  chief  burden, 
sings  in  the  constricted  German  manner,  and  is  none  too  secure 
in  matters  of  intonation.     I  found  little  pleasure  in  listening  to 


Brahms  OL 

his  struggles.    Nor  does  Leibowitz  show  the  ability  to  suffuse  the 

score  with  light  and  to  curve  the  melodic  lines,  the  criterion  of 

the   great  Brahms   conductor.     On  the  whole,  the  reproduction  is 

satisfactory,  though  it  is  not  of  the  most  impressive  range;  the 

choral  tone  lacks  brilliance. 

Schicksalslied.     Stanford  U  Ch;  SFS,  Monteux,  10"  V  LM  149  ("Bach- 

Respighi:  Passacaglia  and  Fugue).     Westminster  Ch;  NYPH,   Walter, 

C  SL  156  [2]  ("Beethoven:  Symphony  No.  9). 

Both  performances  are  sung  in  English.  In  the  San  Francisco 
version  the  text  is  quite  unintelligible;  in  that  from  New  York  one 
is  not  thankful  for  what  one  can  catch  of  so  undistinguished  a 
translation.  Neither  chorus  acquits  itself  with  outstanding  suc- 
cess. The  New  York  orchestra  is  superior  to  the  San  Francisco, 
but  Monteux  gives  the  more  penetrating  reading  of  the  work. 
Columbia's  recording  is  a  wartime  job;  Victor's  is  better,  in- 
evitably, as  it  is  later. 

Songs 

Vier  ernste  Ges'dnge.  Fischer-Dieskau,  b;  Klust,  pf,  D  DL  9668 
("Beethoven:  An  die  feme  Geliebte,  Schlusnus).  Symonette,  bs; 
Masiello,  pf,  Col  CLPS  1002  ("Schubert:  Songs).  Ligeti,  bs;  Berens, 
pf,  ML  MLR  7025  ("Kerpel,  Zador,  Kodaly:  Hungarian  Songs).  War- 
field,  b;  Herz,  pf,  C  ML  4860  ("Schumann:  Liederkreis).  Ferrier,  c; 
Newmark,  pf,  L  LL  271  ("Schumann:  Frauenliebe  und  Leben);  (Brahms 
only)  10"  L  LD  9097.  Traubel,  s;  Bos,  pf,  10"  C  ML  2072  ("Sapphische 
Ode;  Die  Mainacht;  Der  Schmied;  Wie  Melodien  zieht  es  mir). 

Brahms 's  last  four  songs  are  settings  of  somber  texts  from  the 
Bible  and  the  Apocrypha.  Although  the  composer's  intentions  as 
to  performance  were  made  clear  enough  by  his  writing  of  the  vocal 
line  in  the  bass  clef,  the  cycle  seems  more  often  than  not  to  be 
appropriated  by  contraltos.  In  this  connection,  however,  it  should 
be  remembered  that  Brahms,  according  to  Coenraad  Bos,  com- 
mended the  second  singer  to  present  the  songs  in  public,  despite 
the  fact  that  he  had  deliberately  disregarded  the  composer's 
dynamic  markings.  I  am  sure,  therefore,  that  Brahms  would  not 
have  disapproved  the  singing  of  these  songs  by  so  richly  endowed, 
so  musicianly,  and  so  deeply  sincere  an  artist  as  the  late  Kath- 
leen Ferrier,  and  I  think  he  would  have  found  something  to  admire 
in  the  performance  of  Helen  Traubel,  whose  valued  collaborator 


Brahms  52 

is  the  same  Bos  who  played  the  first  two  public  performances,  in 
the  presence  of  Brahms  himself.  In  the  latter  case,  however,  we 
must  deplore  the  poorly  balanced  recording,  in  which  the  important 
piano  part  is  sadly  overshadowed  by  Traubel's  majestic  tones. 
Four  recordings  are  available  in  the  more  appropriate  male  voice. 
Symonette  and  Ligeti  are  both  big  of  tone,  solid  and  musicianly. 
Both  are  taxed  by  a  high  note  or  two,  but  both  are  satisfactory. 
The  gifted  William  Warfield  somehow  misses  fire  in  this  cycle. 
His  voice  is  easily  produced,  but  lacking  in  intensity,  and  the 
recording  allows  him  to  overbalance  the  piano  quite  unduly.  The 
last  song  is  the  best  of  the  four  in  his  performance.  All  three 
bass-baritones  are  overshadowed  by  Fischer-Dieskau.  In  this 
day  of  so  much  "good"  singing,  it  takes  such  an  artist  to  remind 
us  what  it  means  to  penetrate  to  the  inner  message  of  a  song. 
This  recording  is  not  among  his  latest,  though  he  is  still  very 
young,  but  it  easily  outclasses  competition.  In  the  other  songs 
that  make  up  Traubel's  program,  the  balance  is  again  too  much  in 
the  soprano's  favor.  The  tone  quality  is  at  its  opulent  best,  show- 
ing the  unusual  richness  of  her  lower  register;  she  sings  the 
songs  in  their  original  keys.  Stylistically,  her  "Sapphische  Ode" 
is  one  of  the  best  on  records,  for  she  observes  the  composer's 
alia  breve  indication,  and  she  does  not  sentimentalize.  Both  here 
and  in  "Die  Mainacht  "  she  is  able  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
long  phrases. 
Wir  wandelten;  Voruber;  Me  in  wundes  Herz  verlangt;  Der  Tod,  das  ist 
die  kiihle  Nacht;  Lerchengesang;  Immer  leiser  wird  mein  Schlummer; 
An  eine  Aolsharfe;  Wiegenlied.  Berger,  s;  Raucheisen,  pf,  D  DL  9666 
(* Strauss:  Songs). 

Erna  Berger  has  done  nothing  finer  than  this  recital;  her  voice  is 
at  its  cool  and  polished  best,  her  art  simple,  direct,  and  pro- 
foundly musical.  At  least  two  of  her  songs,  "Voruber"  and  "Mein 
wundes  Herz  verlangt,"  seem  to  be  first  recordings;  "An  eine 
Aolsharfe"  is  new  to  LP,  and  surely  it  has  not  been  done  so  well 
before  at  any  speed. 
Die  Mainacht;  Wiegenlied;  St'dndchen;  Wir  wandelten;  Meine  Liebe  is 
gr'un.    Danco,  s;  Agosti,  pf,  10"  L  LPS  335  f*Wolf:  Songs). 

Danco  is  one  of  the  few  singers  of  the  French  school  (she  is 
Belgian  by  birth)  whose  German  lieder  are  stylistically  and  lin- 
guistically successful;  in  whatever  she  does,  her  musical  taste 
is  beyond  cavil.    She  is  not  a  prober  of  depths;  but  the  songs  she 


Brahms  53 

offers  are  distinguished  by  the  cool  finish  of  her  crystalline 
tones.    Sometimes  her  tempos  seem  overdeliberate. 

Wiegenlied;     Die    Sonne    scheint    nicht    mehr;    Da    unten    im    Thale; 

Feinsliebchen,     du    sollst    mir    nicht    barfuss    gehn;    Schwesterlein; 

Vergebliches    Standchen;    Sandmannchen;    M'ddchenlied;    Dort    in   den 

Weiden;    In  stiller  Nacht.      Felbermayer,   s;   Graef,  pf,    Van   VRS  446 

(*Dvorak:  Zigeunermelodien). 

This  recital  is  entitled  "Songs  in  Folk  Style,"  and  it  includes 
the  first  LP  selection  of  the  folk-song  arrangements,  along  with 
four  songs  conceived  in  a  more  or  less  similar  manner.  The 
soprano's  limpid  tone,  her  warm  but  never  aggressive  style,  are 
especially  well  fitted  to  these  miniatures.  I  liked  best  "Die 
Sonne  scheint  nicht  mehr"  and  "Feinsliebchen,  du  sollst":  in 
the  latter  the  conversation  is  well  brought  out.  I  always  feel 
that  something  similar  should  be  done  with  "Da  unten  im  Thale," 
though  most  singers  treat  it  as  a  straight  "unhappy  love"  song. 
More  could  be  made  of  "In  stiller  Nacht"  (one  remembers  the 
broad  legato  of  the  old  Gerhardt  recording)  and  "Vergebliches 
Standchen,"  though  in  the  latter  I  blame  the  pianist  rather  than 
the  singer.  But,  in  this  song  it  is  better  that  the  case  be  under- 
than  overstated. 

Viola   Songs;   Sapphische   Ode;    Botschaft.      Ferrier,    c;   Gilbert,    via; 

Spurr,  pf,  L  LL  903  (*Rhapsody). 

Viola  Songs;   Nachtigall;  Des  Liebsten  Schwur.     Sydney,   m-s;  Mora- 

wetz,  via;  Loibner,  pf,  Van  VRS  411  (^Schumann:  Liederkreis). 

The  lamented  Kathleen  Ferrier  sings  the  two  songs  with  viola, 
"Gestillte  Sehnsucht"  and  "Geistliches  Wiegenlied,"  very  beau- 
tifully, but  her  well-phrased  "Sapphische  Ode"  is  too  slow  for 
my  taste,  and  her  "Bctschaft"  is  earthbound.  For  all  that,  the 
final  line  of  the  "Ode"  is  hauntingly  lovely.  Lorna  Sydney's 
good  intentions  in  the  viola  songs  and  two  encores  are  marred 
by  her  persistent  tremolo. 

Zigeunerlieder;  Nicht  mehr  zu  dir  zu  gehen;  Wehe,  so  willst  du  mich 

wieder.    Glaz,  m-s;  Mueller,  pf,  MGM  E  3012  (^Beethoven:  Songs). 

Zigeunerlieder.        Hongen,     c;     Raucheisen,     pf,     10"     D     DL     4074 

(^Rhapsody). 

Herta  Glaz's  performances  are  admirably  spirited.  The  voice  is 
attractive,  though  moderate  in  size;  her  record  is  among  the  best 
Brahms  recitals,  despite  poor  balance  with  the  piano.  True,  there 
are  some  loose  ends  in  the  singing,  and  the  control  is  not  com- 


Brahms  54 

plete,  but  Glaz  gets  life  into  her  interpretation  of  the  Zigeuner- 

lieder,  and  she  shows  good  understanding  of  the  other  songs.    The 

reproduction    suggests    a    large,    empty   hall.      Considerably  less 

successful  are  the  same  Gypsy  Songs  as  Hongen  sings  them.    The 

voice  is  encumbered  by  overweight  production;  it  is  too  unsteady 

to  serve  as  a  proper  vehicle  for  these  colorful  lieder. 

Der  Gang  zum  Liebchen;  Sonntag;  Salamander;  Nachtwandler;  Bei  dir 

sind  meine  Gedanken;  Alte  Liebe;  Beim  Abschied.     Herbert,  b;  Wald- 

man,  pf.     Duets:  Die  Nonne  und  der  Ritter;  Vor  der  Th'ur;  Es  rauschet 

das  Wasser;  Der  Jager  und  sein  Liebchen.     Liss,  c;  Herbert,  b;  Wald- 

man,  pf,  10"  All  AL  4021. 

Ralph  Herbert  s  singing  is  always  intelligent  and  well  in  tradi- 
tion, though  he  uses  a  good  deal  of  not  too  comfortable-sounding 
mezza  voce.    His  partner  in  the  duets  suffers  from  a  quick  vibrato, 
and  the  piano  part  is  not  well  reproduced. 
Alte  Liebe,  Sonntag;  M'adchenlied;   Von  ewiger  Liebe;  Der  Gang  zum 
Liebchen;  Nicht  mehr  zu  dir  zu  gehen;  Der  Kranz;  Immer  leiser  wird 
mein  Schlummer;  Botschaft;   Wenn  du  nur  zuweilen  I'dchelst;  Auf  dem 
Kirchhofe;  Dort  in  den  Weiden;  An  die  Nachtigall;  Salamander.     How- 
land,  m-s;  Ulanowsky,  pf,  Str  STR  610. 

Here    is    a   nicely   balanced   selection   of  popular   and   neglected 
lieder.     If  the  singing  is  a  little  clouded  in  production,  it  is  al- 
ways musicianly.    But  the  real  feature  of  the  disc  is  the  magnifi- 
cent piano-playing  of  Paul  Ulanowsky.     What  such  an  artist  can 
do  with  the  shifting  rhythmic  patterns  of  "Botschaft"  should  be  a 
lesson  to  all  who  aspire  to  accompany. 
In  W  aides  einsamkeit;  Der  Uberl'dufer;  Komrn    bald;  Bei  dir  sind  meine 
Gedanken;  Auf  dem  See;  Fruhlingslied.     Marten,  t;  Theopold,  pf,  10" 
Mer  MG  15016  (*Beethoven:  An  die  feme  Geliebte,  Home). 

The    one  tenor  on  our  Brahms   list  gives  us  some   otherwise  un- 
explored repertory,   notably  the  touching  "Komm'  bald,"  but  un- 
fortunately  brings   no  particular  vocal  distinction  to  the  songs. 
The   voice   is  of  the   stiff  German  school,   unyielding,  wanting  in 
warmth  and  tenderness.     To  emphasize  all  this,  it  overbalances 
the  piano. 
Auf  dem  Kirchhofe;  0  w'usst'   ich  doch  den  Weg  Zur'uck;   Unbewegte, 
laue   Luft;  Feldeinsamkeit;  Sapphische  Ode;  Nachtigall;  Dein  blaues 
Auge;   Die   Mainacht;   Der  Gang   zum  Liebchen;   Minnelied;  Botschaft; 
Stdndchen;  0  liebliche  Wangen;  Tambourliedchen;  Sonntag.    Poell,  bs; 
Graef,  pf,  W  WL  5053. 

The  excellent  Viennese  bass-baritone  is  less  happy  here  than  in 


Brahms/Britten  OJ 

others  of  his  recordings.  Despite  his  earnestness,  he  does  not 
succeed  in  communicating  much.  The  tone  quality  is  on  the  dark 
side,  the  diction  not  sufficiently  forward,  and  he  does  not  find 
all  the  high  tones  easy. 

Die  Trauernde;  Volkslied  (Die  Schw'dlble  ziehet  fort);  Feinsliebchen, 

du    sollst   mir   nicht    barfuss    gehn;    Schwesterlein;    In   stiller   Nacht; 

Vergebliches  Standchen.     Seefried,  s;  Werba,  pf,  D  DL  9743  (*Wolf: 

Songs). 

For  a  pendant  to  her  collection  of  twenty-two  of  Wolf's  "Italian 
Songs,"  Seefried  provides  a  group  of  Volks-  and  Volhstumliche 
Lieder,  similar  to  Felbermayer's  selection  listed  above.  Her 
first  two  songs  are  not  otherwise  available;  all  are  sung  in  pure 
style  and  in  the  soprano  s  clearest  tones. 

BRITTEN,    BENJAMIN   (J973-         ) 

Choral  Works 

A   Ceremony  of  Carols.     CBC;  Simon,  harp;  Britten,   10"  L  LD  9102. 

Morriston   Boys    Ch;   Korschinsha,    harp;   Sims,    10"   L   LPS  57.     SC; 

Newell,  harp;  Shaw,  V  LM  1088  f*Poulenc:  Mass). 

A   Ceremony  of  Carols;   Te  Deum  in  C;   Hymn  to  St.    Cecilia.     WCC; 

WCHC,  Callaway,  WCFM  11. 

Except  for  the  plain  chant  Hodie  Christus  natus  est,  with  which 
the  piece  begins  and  ends  in  processional  and  recessional,  the 
Ceremony  consists  entirely  of  Britten's  original  settings  of  lovely 
old  English  poetry.  The  means  used  are  of  the  simplest:  high 
voices  and  a  single  harp.  Among  the  various  performances,  the 
honors  go  easily  to  the  Danish  boys,  who  never  cease  to  astonish 
by  their  musical  sensitivity  and  by  their  mastery  of  the  English 
language.  The  composer  has  not  made  it  easy  for  any  choir  to 
put  all  the  words  over,  but  the  boys  from  Copenhagen  do  it  better 
than  most.  One  detail  from  the  Morriston  boys'  performance  stands 
out  in  my  memory:  the  almost  pagan  exultation  of  their  shouts  of 
"Deo  gratias."  If  the  Danes  don't  match  this,  they  more  than 
make  it  up  with  their  lovely  "As  dew  in  Aprille"  and  the  melting 
solo  singing  of  "That  yonge  child."  For  those  who  do  not  care 
for  boys'  singing,  the  ladies  of  the  Shaw  Chorale  provide  a 
notably  smooth  and  polished  performance.  I  have  put  off  mention 
of  the  Washington  presentation,  for  its  value  lies  chiefly  in  the 
other  interesting  choral  works  it  carries.  In  the  carols,  the  Ameri- 
can boys  must  yield  to  both  the  English  and  Danes. 


Britten  56 

Rejoice   in  the  Lamb.     Nat  Presby  Ch,  Schaefer,   WCFM  4  (*Kodaly: 

Missa  brevis). 

Rejoice  in  the  Lamb  is  a  heart-warming  piece,  a  setting  from  the 
Jubilate  agno  of  the  eccentric  poet  Christopher  Smart  (1722-71), 
whose  piety  was  his  undoing.  The  composer  has  ingeniously  and 
unobtrusively  seconded  the  affecting  text.  Discounting  some 
little  interference  in  the  softer  passages,  the  reproduction  is 
very  fine. 

Songs 

Les  Illuminations.  Pears,  t;  NEW,  Goossens,  L  LL  994  (*Serenade). 
Krebs,  t;  RBO,  Rother,  V  URLP  7104  (^Schillings:  Glockenlieder). 
Mock,  s;  La  Jolla  SO,  Sokoloff,  Ale  1211  (*Martinu:  Sinfonietta  La 
Jolla). 

This   British  setting  of  the  French  poet  Rimbaud  is  masterfully 
sung  by  Britten's   "official"  interpreter.     If  the   German  Helmut 
Krebs   lacks  Pears's  absolute  note  of  authority,  his  voice  is  an 
unusually  fine  one,  and  he  too  has  obviously  penetrated  the  score. 
His  vocal  range  permits  him  to  take  the  lower  and  preferred  notes 
where   the   composer  has   allowed  an  alternative,   whereas   Pears 
sticks   to  the  higher.     In  the  third  (and  oldest)  recording,  Alice 
Mock  sings  musically  and  rather  confidentially  in  a  sweet,  modest 
voice.     It  is  necessary  to  follow  the  score  to  get  the  benefit  of 
her  diction,   but  she   negotiates  the  florid  passages  effectively. 
The  reproduction  is  best  on  the  London  disc. 
On  This  Island  (Song  Cycle);  Fish  in  the  unruffled  lakes;  Mother  com- 
fort; Underneath  the  abject  willow.    Troxell,  s;  Kozma,  pf,  WCFM    15 
(*Hindemith:  Songs). 

The  cycle,  and  the  song  "Fish  in  the  unruffled  lakes,"  are  set  to 
poetry  of  Auden,  for  which  the  composer  is  said  to  feel  a  particu- 
lar affinity.  The  other  numbers  are  duets,  here  skillfully  done, 
as  if  by  mirrors,  with  Troxell's  voice  in  both  parts.  There  will  be 
differences  of  opinion  as  to  the  value  of  this  recital,  for  the  com- 
poser (with  a  genuine  interest  in  the  writing  of  songs)  likes  to 
torture  the  words  on  occasion,  so  that  it  is  not  always  easy  to 
follow  them.  The  point  is  emphasized  when  we  turn  the  record 
over  and  remark  the  masterly  treatment  by  Hindemith  of  an  adopted 
language.  The  soprano  finds  no  terrors  in  either  set  of  songs, 
delivering  their  difficult  lines  with  handsome  round  tone  and  im- 
pressive assurance. 


Britten/ Bruckner  57 

Serenade.  Pears,  t;  Brain,  hrn;  NEW,  Goossens,  L  LL  994  (*Les 
Illuminations  ). 

Serenade.  Lloyd,  t;  Stagliano,  hrn;  BSO  STR,  Bur  gin.  Folk  Songs  of 
the  British  Isles:  The  Sally  Gardens;  Little  Sir  William;  The  trees 
grow  so  high;  The  ash  grove;  Oliver  Cromwell;  Come  you  not  from 
Newcastle;  Sweet  Polly  Oliver;  0  waly,  waly.  Willauer,  s;  Lloyd,  t; 
Schanzer,  pf.    Bos  B  205. 

The  Serenade  was  written  for  Peter  Pears  and  Dennis  Brain;  their 
new  recording  replaces  the  pre-LP  that  did  so  much  to  make  the 
work  known  in  this  country.  If  the  composer's  conducting  lent  a 
certain  interest  to  the  older  version,  there  is  compensation  in  the 
superior  skill  and  experience  of  Eugene  Goossens.  The  singing 
is  well  up  to  the  old  standard,  but  something  goes  wrong  in 
Brain's  playing  of  the  Prologue.  The  high  spot  of  the  performance 
is  the  "Lyte  Wake  Dirge,"  with  its  cumulative  effect  so  bril- 
liantly realized  by  Pears.  The  Boston-made  recording  offers  real 
competition,  for  David  Lloyd's  voice  is  by  nature  more  beautiful 
than  Pears's,  and  the  performance  leaves  little  to  be  desired. 
Nevertheless,  one  cannot  escape  the  impression  that  Pears's  tone 
quality  is  inevitable  in  this  music.  Lloyd  is  happy  in  his  portion 
of  the  folk-song  program,  though  Willauer  fails  to  meet  his  stand- 
ard in  hers.  The  tenor's  diction  counts  for  much.  "The  trees 
grow  so  high"  is  a  real  tour  de  force.  There  is  an  infectious  lilt 
in  "The  ash  grove"  as  Lloyd  sings  it,  the  very  thing  one  misses 
in  Willauer 's  hasty  performance  of  "Sweet  Polly  Oliver."  One 
would  hardly  know  this  song  tells  a  story.  And  "0  waly,  waly" 
has  been  sung  more  caressingly,  notably  in  Kathleen  Ferrier  s 
English  Song  Recital  (10"  L  LS  538). 

BRUCKNER,   ANTON   (1824-1896) 

Mass   No.  3,  in  F  minor.     Siebert,  s;  Herrmann,  c;  Majkut,  t;  Wiener, 

bs;  VKC;  VAO,  Grossmann,  Vox  PL  7940. 

Of  the  lineage  of  Beethoven's  Miss  a  solemnis,  this  elaborate  and 
intense  Mass  has  many  passages  of  imaginative  power,  as  well  as 
monumental  movements,  such  as  the  big  fugue  "/n  gloria  Dei 
patris,if  which  seem  almost  more  than  mortal  singers  could  possi- 
bly bring  off.  This  performance  gives  us  at  least  a  fair  idea  of 
the  stature  of  the  work.  The  chorus  is  generally  proficient,  and 
is  recorded  with  clarity,  if  not  much  in  the  way  of  atmosphere. 


Bruckner/ Buxtehude  58 

The  soloists  have  been  well  placed,  so  that  their  voices  stand  out 
without  overwhelming  the  chorus.  The  quartet  is  a  good  one, 
though  I  thought  the  tenor  a  bit  below  his  own  best  standard. 

Psalm  150;  Psalm  112.    Ceska,  s;  VKC;  VSY,  Swoboda,  W  WL  5055/6 

[2]  (*Symphony  No.  6). 

Te  Deum.     Cunitz,  s;  Pitzinger,  c;  Fehenberger,  t;  Hann,   bs;  MRSC 

&  0,   Jochum,   D  DX  109  [3]  (^Symphony  No.   8).     Holes  chow  sky,  s; 

Elsta,    c;    Fehenberger,    t;    Hann,    bs;   SFC   &  0,   Messner,    10"   Fes 

FLP  101. 

The  two  Psalms  show  Bruckner  first  full  of  age  and  experience, 
then  in  his  young  maturity.  The  150th  poses  difficulties  for  the 
singers  which  have  not  been  fully  overcome,  but  it  is  a  grand 
conception,  and  well  deserves  a  hearing.  The  112th,  with  its 
younger  blood,  comes  off  more  easily.  The  reproduction  is  excel- 
lent. The  two  Te  Deums,  sharing  the  same  tenor  and  bass  solo- 
ists, are  in  striking  contrast.  That  made  in  Salzburg  is  an  actual- 
performance  recording,  complete  with  coughs  and  other  extraneous 
noises,  and  not  well  balanced.  The  singing,  too,  is  ragged.  It 
has,  however,  a  certain  rough  honesty  I  miss  in  the  more  precise 
and  finished  Munich  performance. 

BUXTEHUDE,   DIETRICH  (1637-1707) 

Alles  was  ihr  tut;  Magnificat  (five  voices).    Augenstein,  s;  Plumacher, 

c;    von  Rohr,   bs;  SCS;   SSO,   Grischkat,  Ren  X  30  (^Magnificat  noni 

toni,  organ). 

Perhaps  the  feature  of  the  cantata  Alles  was  ihr  tut,  and  of  the 
recording,  is  the  choral  aria  iiDir,  dir,  Hochster,  dir  alleine,"  one 
of  those  wonderful  old  melodies  which  will  not  let  you  alone, 
here  very  beautifully  sung.  Another  recording  of  the  cantata, 
made  in  Bavaria,  is  a  stodgy  affair,  as  well  forgotten  (Mer  MG 
10086).  The  balance  of  the  Stuttgart  chorus  and  orchestra  is  ex- 
ceptional, but  there  is  an  imperfection  on  the  Magnificat  side. 

Erbarm  dich  me  in,  0  Herre  Gott;  Fuhrwahr,  er  trug  unsere  Krankheit. 

Guilleaume,  s;  Luehr,  bs;  HMFC;  HBA,  Bechert.     Befiehl  dem  Engel, 

dass  er  komm*.    HMFC;  HBA,  Bechert,  Vox  PL  7430. 

Schaffe  in  mir,  Gott,  ein  rein'  Herz;  0  Clemens,  0  Mitis,  0  Coelestis 

Pater;    Herr,   wenn  ich  nur  dich   hob';  Ich  sprach  in   meinem  Herzen; 

Also   hat  Gott  die   Welt  geliebt.      Guilleaume,   s;  HBA,   Bechert,   Vox 

PL  7330. 

Ich  bin  die  Auferstehung  und  das  Leben;  Ich  bin  eine  Blume  zu  Saron; 


Buxtehude  59 

Mein  Herz  ist  bereit.    Miiller,  bs;  Stuttgart  0,  Grischkat.    0  Lux  beata 

Trinitas.    Guilleaume,  s;  Groth,  s;  HBA,  Bechert,  Vox  PL  7620. 

Guilleaume  is  the  bright  particular  star  of  this  section:  her  voice 
is  very  lovely,  her  style  a  delight,  not  only  in  her  five  solo  can- 
tatas, but  in  her  contributions  to  the  other  works.  Though  really 
a  high  soprano,  she  seems  surprisingly  comfortable  in  her  part  of 
Erbarm  dich  mein,  where  the  composer  has  kept  her  lingering  in 
the  lower  regions.  Her  bass  partner,  Luehr,  is  a  good  singer,  if 
hardly  an  exciting  one.  F'uhrwahr  is  less  successful,  but  for  this 
I  blame  the  conductor;  the  performance  is  on  the  heavy  side. 
Again,  the  strictly  choral  Befiehl  dem  Engel  is  rather  tamely 
done.  Miiller  sings  his  three  cantatas  (the  composer's  entire  out- 
put for  the  bass  voice)  in  good  solid  style.  Ich  bin  eine  Blume  zu 
Saron  is  the  finest  of  them.  The  singer  seems  too  close  to  the 
microphone.  But  the  feature  of  this  disc,  after  all,  is  the  duet  for 
two  sopranos,  who,  incidentally,  are  better  placed;  with  them  we 
have  a  sense  of  space,  as  though  they  are  singing  in  a  church. 

Herr,    auf  dich  traue   ich;  Singet  dem  Herrn.      Boatwright,   s.     Lauda 

Sion   salvatorem;   Jesu,  meine  Freude.      St   Thomas   Ch,   New  Haven, 

Boatwright,  Ov  Over  6. 

0  Gottes  Stadt;  0  frohliche  Stunden;  Singet  dem  Herrn;  Also  hat  Gott 

die  Welt  geliebt.    Neway,  s;  Ens,  All  3085. 

The  first  record  is  certainly  the  most  satisfying  of  all  the 
Buxtehude  offerings.  Helen  Boatwright 's  voice  is  a  strikingly 
pure,  clear  high  soprano,  just  the  kind  of  voice,  indeed,  for  her 
two  solo  cantatas.  She  is  happily  placed  at  enough  distance  from 
the  microphone  to  give  some  of  the  atmosphere  of  the  church  in 
which  the  recording  was  made.  The  two  choruses  on  the  second 
side,  under  the  direction  of  Howard  Boatwright,  are  major  experi- 
ences; they  are  performed  with  electrifying  effect  by  healthy  and 
enthusiastic  young  voices.  Jesu,  meine  Freude,  a  magnificent 
motet  in  itself,  and  especially  interesting  when  compared  with 
the  famous  Bach  work  on  the  same  chorale,  was  formerly  available 
in  an  acceptable  organ-accompanied  performance  in  English  by 
the  choir  of  the  National  Presbyterian  Church  (Den  DR  2).  Need- 
less to  say,  that  recording  is  now  more  than  replaced.  Patricia 
Neway  is  at  a  considerable  disadvantage  after  the  Boatwright 
performance  of  Singet  dem  Herrn.  One  applauds  her  enterprise 
rather  than  her  achievement.  The  balance  in  her  recording  is 
strange,  to  say  the  least;  the  orchestra  is  apparently  very  much 


Buxtehude/Byrd  60 

with   us,   but  the  soprano  seems  to  be  singing  in  a  large  empty 

room  next  door. 
Missa  brevis;  In  Te,  Domine,  speravi;  Aperite  mihi  portas  justitiae; 
Jesu  dulcis  memoria.    Hastings  Ch,  Bath,  All  ALG  3035. 

These    performances    are    disappointing.       Both    the    Missa    and 

Aperite  have  been  better  recorded,  though  not  on  LP. 

BYRD,   WILLIAM   (1542/3-1623) 

The  Great  Service.    WCHC,  Callaway,  Van  VRS  453. 

William  Byrd,  a  Roman  Catholic,  wrote  music  for  the  Anglican 
Church  as  well  as  the  Masses  listed  below.  The  "Great"  service 
consists  of  seven  numbers:  Venite,  Te  Deum,  Benedictus,  Kyrie, 
Creed,  Magnificat  and  Nunc  dimittis.  The  settings  are  elaborate, 
with  plenty  of  word  repetition,  drawing  on  Byrd's  seemingly  infi- 
nite contrapuntal  resources.  The  choir  sings  with  admirable 
clarity  and  excellent  intonation,  bringing  out  such  salient  points 
as  the  voice-leading  at  the  end  of  the  Te  Deum — "Let  me  never 
be  confounded" — the  passage  for  two  altos  in  the  Creed — "came 
down  from  heaven" — the  involved  contrapuntal  web  in  the  Mag- 
nificat at  "He  hath  scattered  the  proud,"  and  many  more.  The 
voices,  to  be  sure,  are  just  a  little  vibrant:  an  English  group, 
with  the  characteristic  "flat"  tone-production,  would  blend  more 
perfectly,  and  at  certain  spots  the  singing  seems  a  little  tenta- 
tive.   Hut  this  is  wonderful  music  well  done. 

Mass  for  Three  Voices;  Mass  for  Four  Voices.    CHSL,  Bath,  All  3005. 

Mass  for  Four  Voices;  Mass  for  Five  Voices.     PMA,  Cape,  EMS  234. 

FSC,  Lawrence,  L  LL  888. 

Here  are  three  contrasting  approaches  to  the  performance  of 
Byrd's  Masses.  The  older  tradition  is  represented  by  the  late  T. 
B.  Lawrence's  Fleet  Street  Choir,  with  its  stronger  contrasts,  its 
subtler,  more  artful  shading,  its  long-sustained  moods.  Safford 
Cape,  conductor  of  the  Pro  Musica  Antiqua,  in  his  full  and  in- 
formative notes  (the  back  of  the  jacket  is  supplemented  by  a  leaf- 
let) explains  his  "conviction ...  that  no  variation  of  tempo  be- 
tween the  different  movements  of  the  Masses  was  intended  by 
Byrd....  Slowness  or  quickness  was  obtained  by  using  slow  or 
quick  notes,  and  not  by  slowing  or  quickening  the  basic  tempi. ..." 
He  tells  us,  too,  that  as  the  Masses  were  written  by  the  devout 
composer  at  a  time  when  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  England 
had  to  function  modestly  underground,  the  use  of  one  voice  to  a 
part  is  probably  closest  to  Byrd's  own  practice.    What  he  does  not 


Byrd/Canteloube  51 

clarify  is  the  distribution  of  parts:  the  four-voice  Mass  is  sung  by 
alto,  two  tenors,  and  bass.  Fellowes,  in  his  edition  of  the  works 
of  Byrd,  transposes  the  Mass  down  a  tone;  Cape  takes  it  down 
another  minor  third.  Favoring  a  middle  course  between  Lawrence 
and  Cape  are  John  Bath  and  his  Choral  Society  of  London.  His 
is  a  small  group,  though  larger  than  Cape's,  and  he  is  neither  so 
rich  in  contrasts  as  the  one  nor  so  strict  as  the  other.  Each  per- 
formance is  proficient  according  to  its  aims;  the  student  will  find 
comparisons  extremely  instructive.  One  peculiarity  of  the  Fleet 
Street  group  is  the  use  of  academic  Latin  pronunciation  rather 
than  that  generally  favored  in  church.  Lawrence,  it  seems,  felt 
that  the  effect  was  thus  made  more  forceful.  Originally  issued  on 
ten-inch  discs,  the  four-voice  Mass  suffered  from  a  rearrangement 
in  the  order  of  its  movements,  while  the  five-voice  work  was 
broken  in  mid-Credo.    Happily  these  flaws  have  been  eliminated. 

CAHBINI,   GIOVANNI   GIUSEPPE   (1746-1825) 

Andromaque  (Cantata).      Tyler,   s;  ICO,   Jenkins,  HS  76  (*Pergolesi: 

Orfeo;  Galuppi:  Overture  No.  2). 

This  performance  is  better  described  as  expressive  than  as 
tonally  satisfying.  The  soprano's  voice  is  not  sensuous,  and  it 
is  marred  by  a  persistent  flutter.  A  good  deal  of  the  French  text 
is  obscured  by  this  defect. 

CANTELOUBE,   JOSEPH   (1879-         ) 

Chants  d'Auvergne.  Grey,  s;  0,  Cohen,  C  ML  4459  (*Weill  and  Eman- 
uel: Songs  at  School).  Reed,  s;  Ens,  C  ML  4368  (*Folk  Songs). 
Swarthout,  m-s;  RCAO,  Morel,  V  LM  1156  (*French  Operatic  Arias). 
To  collectors  in  the  thirties,  the  name  of  Madeleine  Grey  and  the 
Songs  of  the  Auvergne  were  practically  synonymous.  Her  record- 
ing of  a  selection  of  Canteloube's  elaborate  folk-song  arrange- 
ments was  one  of  those  rare  cases  where  the  right  artist  had 
found  the  right  music.  Word  got  around  slowly,  and  the  three  78- 
rpm  discs,  dropped  from  the  Columbia  catalogue,  had  to  be  re- 
stored by  popular  demand.  They  have  survived  the  LP  revolution, 
and  indeed  they  carry  their  years  remarkably  well.  The  perform- 
ance is  unquestionably  definitive.  Susan  Reed,  a  folk  singer,  has 
studied  the  Grey  recordings,  has  learned  the  dialect  and  absorbed 
some  of  the  proper  style.  The  orchestra  has  been  cleverly  re- 
duced   to   a   chamber   ensemble,   not   without   some    loss   in   local 


Canteloube/Cavalli  62 

color.  Swarthout  brings  more  vocal  richness  to  the  songs,  but  she 
is  less  simple  and  straight  than  Reed,  and  certainly  less  pene- 
trating than  Grey.  From  her  disc,  however,  we  can  hear  the  full 
orchestra  in  up-to-date  recording.  The  selection  of  songs  is 
largely  the  same  with  all  three,  though  Grey  sings  eleven  and 
Reed  eight  (including  one  not  duplicated)  while  Swarthout  gives 
us  only  six. 

CAREY,    HENRY  (ca.  1687-1743) 

True   Blue,   or  The  Press  Gang.      IOS,   10"  L  LPS  293  (*Anon.:  The 

Dustcart  Cantata;  Hook:  The  Musical  Courtship). 

The  humor  and  the  tunes  of  this  tiny  nautical  skit  (by  the  com- 
poser of  "Sally  in  our  alley"  and  possibly  "God  save  the  King") 
are  as  British  as  Gilbert  and  Sullivan  or  The  Beggar's  Opera.  The 
Intimate  Opera  Society  is  notable  for  style  and  wit  rather  than  for 
voices,  which  is  as  right  as  can  be  for  this  type  of  music.  The 
playfulness  of  the  anonymous  Dustcart  Cantata  is  even  less 
subtle  than  that  of  its  companion  pieces. 

CARISSIMI,    GIACOMO   (1605-1674) 

Jepthe.     Vivante,  s;  Penno,  t;  E.  Arie,  bs;  etc.;  AC  &  0,  Gerelli,  Vox 

PL  6100  f*Marcello:  Beato  I'Uomo). 

Jonas.     Vivante,  s;  Malipiero,  t;  Ferrein,  bs;  etc.;  AC  &  0,  Gerelli, 

Vox  PL  7180  (*Vivaldi:  Stabat  Mater). 

It  is  good  to  have  the  "father  of  oratorio"  represented  by  two  in- 
teresting scores.  The  more  beautiful  of  them  is  Jepthe,  a  work 
that  will  stand  in  any  company.  Jonas,  too,  has  its  points,  one 
outstanding  moment  being  that  in  which  the  whale  disgorges  its 
passenger.  The  performances,  by  competent  opera  singers,  are 
Italianate,  but  reasonably  restrained.  The  orchestra  sounds  right 
enough,  though  it  may  have  been  somewhat  augmented  (no  full 
score  has  been  available  for  checking).  The  atmosphere  suggests 
that  the  recordings  may  have  been  made  in  a  church. 

CAVALLI,   FRANCESCO  (1602-1676) 

II   Giudizio   Universale.      Rossi,   s;    Salvi,    m-s;  Besma,  t;   Gaggi,   bs; 
etc.;  RSQC  &  0,  Nucci,  Col  CLPS  1032. 

A    long-forgotten  and   notably  attractive   oratorio   comes   to   us  by 


Cavalli/Gustave  Charpentler  63 

way  of  the  Vatican  Radio.  If  we  accept  the  piano  playing  the 
continuo  part  and  a  little  raggedness  here  and  there,  the  per- 
formance is  satisfactory. 

CHABRIER,   EMMANUEL   (1841-1894) 

Ode   a  la  musique;  Le  Roi  malgre  lui — Sextuor  des  serves;  Chanson 

tzigane.     Micheau,  s;  BC;  PCO,  Fournier,  L  LL  639  (*Debussy:  La 

Damoiselle  elue). 

These  brief  pieces  are  not  of  great  moment  musically,  but  they 
have  a  certain  charm  as  well  as  novelty.  They  are  handsomely 
performed. 

Les  Cigales;  Ballade  des  gros  dindons;  V illanelle  des  petits  canards; 

L'ile  heureuse.    Jansen,  b;  Bonneau,  pf,  L  LL  644  (*Debussy,  Ravel: 

Songs). 

At  the  least,  this  recording  presents  the  four  most  celebrated 
songs  of  Chabrier  in  one  package,  along  with  two  cycles  by 
Debussy  and  one  by  Ravel.  No  other  recording  singer  has  done 
as  much  for  Chabrier.  Jansen's  singing  is  clean  and  true,  a  little 
over-careful,  which  is  hardly  the  ideal  approach  to  the  drollery  of 
the  "Ballade  des  gros  dindons."  Singher  has  included  this  little 
masterpiece  and  the  "Villanelle  des  petits  canards"  in  his 
French  song  recital  (C  ML  4258),  and  Bernac,  with  Poulenc  at  the 
piano,  offers  "L'lle  heureuse"  and  the  "Villanelle"  (C  ML  4484). 
None  of  the  three  baritones,  when  these  recordings  were  made, 
had  much  to  offer  by  way  of  sheer  vocal  charm. 

CHARPENTIER,   CUSTAVE   (1860-         ) 

Louise.     Vallin,  s;  Thill,  t;  Fernet,  bs;  etc.;  RC  &  0,  Bigot,   C  EL 

7  [21 

The  reissue  of  this  old-timer  is  justified  by  the  fact  that  no  other 
Louise  is  available  (even  here  we  do  not  have  more  than  a 
sampling  of  the  score)  and  that  it  was  made  under  the  composer's 
supervision.  It  is  important,  too,  in  that  it  presents  three  of  the 
finest  recent  French  singers  in  their  heydays.  Surely  it  is  not 
necessary  to  add  details  in  praising  the  well-known  principals. 
Unfortunately,  the  loss  in  transfer  to  LP  has  been  considerable, 
not  only  in  brilliance  and  liveness,  but  even  in  the  singers'  in- 
tonation. Something  is  gone  from  the  tone,  and  in  its  place  we 
have  a  certain  tubbiness.  Anyone  owning  the  old  set  will  think 
at  least  twice  before  exchanging  it  for  this  one. 


Marc-Antoine  Charpentier  64 

CHARPENTIER,   MARC-ANTOINE  (1634-1704) 

Choral  Works 

Magnificat    in   D;   Offertory;   Sub   tuum   praesidium;   Plorans,   ploravit; 

Regina    Coeli;   Salve   Regina.      Collart,    s;   Melchior,    c;   Archimbaud, 

males;  Gianotti,  t;  Noguera,  bs;  JMC;  PASC,  Martini,  HS  HSL  102. 

This  Magnificat,  a  grand  work,  rolls  over  us  like  a  tidal  wave. 
The  effect  of  the  chorus  is  finely  spacious,  and  the  soloists  are 
happily  placed  in  relation  to  the  microphone.  The  instrumental 
Offertory  is  full  of  striking  contrasts,  and  the  pieces  for  solo 
voices  are  beautifully  sung.  Outstanding,  to  my  mind,  is  Plorans, 
ploravit  (first  Tenebrae  Lesson  for  Wednesday  in  Holy  Week)  in 
the  rich  contralto  of  Yvonne  Melchior.  But  the  crown  of  the 
program  is  the  Salve  Regina,  with  its  three  choirs  building  up 
climax  after  climax.  The  impact  of  this  is  indescribable.  We  are 
informed  in  the  program  notes  that  some  transcription  has  been 
necessary  to  accommodate  Charpentier's  music  to  modern 
instruments. 

Mass    and  Symphony,    Assumpta  est   Maria.      Angelici,   s;  Michel,   c; 

Giraudeau,  t;  Noguera,  b;  etc.;  JMC;  0,  Martini,  Vox  PL  8440. 

Charpentier,  pupil  of  Carissimi,  may  have  owed  to  the  "father  of 
the  oratorio"  the  never  irreverent  dramatic  sense  that  makes  this 
music  so  poignant:  for  example,  the  contrast  of  the  "Crucifixus" 
sung  by  the  low  voices  and  liEt  resurrexit"  by  the  high.  The 
singing  is  excellent  on  all  counts,  with  special  honors  to  Angelici 
for  her  long  solo  at  the  Elevation.  The  organist,  too,  deserves  a 
word.  The  churchly  atmosphere  is  very  effective,  even  to  the 
reverberating  echo,  not  sufficient  to  cause  a  serious  blur. 

Midnight  Mass.    EVP;  0,  Jouve,  W  WL  5287  (*Vivaldi:  Gloria). 

This  is,  as  its  title  suggests,  a  Mass  for  Christmas,  and  it  is 
based  on  several  old  carol  tunes.  The  organist  throws  in  a  few 
extra  carols  by  way  of  interludes  in  this  performance.  Certainly 
I  have  never  heard  so  gay  and  festive  a  Mass  as  this.  The  per- 
formance is  appropriately  jocund  and  most  decidedly  extrovert. 
There  is  not  much  relief  from  a  high  dynamic  level,  and  there  is 
some  high  tessitura  to  tax  the  soprano  soloists,  especially  in  the 
duet  "Quoniam."  But  here  is  an  amazing  work,  a  fascinating  one 
that  throws  a  new  light  on  the  neglected  genius  of  Charpentier. 

Te    Deum;    Troisieme    Lecon  de    Tenebres   du   Vendredi  Saint;   Oculi 

omnium   in   Te  sperant.      Collart,   s;  Archimbaud,   male-s;    Gianotti,  t; 


Marc-Antoine  Charpentier/Chausson  65 

Noguera,   b;  JMC;  PAS,  Martini,  HS  HSL  2065  (*Air  de  trompette  No. 

2;  Marche  de  triomphe). 

The  performance  of  the  elaborate  and  exalted  Te  Deum  is  a  little 
disappointing.  On  the  credit  side  are  the  singing  of  Collart  and 
Noguera,  and,  if  one  readily  accepts  the  sound  of  a  male  soprano, 
M.  Archimbaud.  The  others  sing  rather  tentatively.  Chorus  and 
orchestra  are  satisfactory.  One  realizes  in  the  lovely  Tenebrae 
service  (which  recalls  the  briefer  works  of  Couperin)  that  the 
problems  of  style  and  proper  embellishments  have  not  been  com- 
pletely solved.  Nor  do  the  soloists  blend  together  as  a  fully 
satisfying  quartet.  The  best  work  all  around  is  in  the  closing 
Psalm.  The  reproduction  is  rather  brassy,  and  there  is  a  prominent 
echo.  But  after  all  this  criticism,  I  commend  the  disc  for  as  much 
as   it  offers  of  fine  and  little-known  music. 

Opera 

M'ed'ee — Excerpts.      Sautereau,   s;   Kolassi,   m-s;   Derenne,   t;   Conrad, 

bs;  Ch  &  0,  Boulanger,  D  DL  9678. 

The  first  cause  of  Medee's  non-success,  we  are  told,  is  a  bad 
case  of  libretto  trouble.  Another  difficulty  becomes  apparent  as 
we  listen  to  this  recording:  the  fact  is  that  in  performing  music 
of  the  grand  classic  school,  good  intentions  and  a  sure  sense  of 
style  are  not  enough.  The  work  cries  out  for  voices  of  heroic 
caliber.  Nadia  Boulanger  is  noted  for  her  ability  to  make  any 
singer  give  of  his  best,  and  one  feels  a  real  authority  in  her  con- 
ducting here.  But  the  singers  are  not  impressive,  however 
earnest.  Still,  it  should  be  remarked  that  Derenne,  with  the 
lightest  voice  of  all,  makes  the  most  creditable  impression.  The 
score  has  been  trimmed  down  to  a  fraction  of  its  true  size,  so 
that  while  one  gets  an  impression  of  the  music  and  its  style,  the 
recording  gives  no  idea  of  the  work  as  a  unit. 


CHAUSSON,   ERNEST  (1855-1899) 

Poeme  de  I'amour  et  de  la  mer.     Swarthout,  m-s;  RCAO,  Monteux,  V 
LM  1793  (*Song  Recital).    Osborne,  s;  Vetlesen,  pf,  ML  MLR  7009. 

This  is  the  extended  work  (a  symphonic  song  cycle,  if  you  will) 
ending  with  the  well-known  "Le  Temps  des  lilas."  Of  the  two 
recordings,  the  first  is  easily  preferable,  because  it  uses  the  full 


Chausson/Cherubinl  66 

orchestration.  Like  some  of  the  songs  of  Duparc  (to  whom  the 
work  is  dedicated),  the  Poeme  is  too  big  for  the  piano;  it  needs 
the  varied  colors  of  the  orchestra  to  sustain  its  length.  Further- 
more, the  conductor  is  Monteux,  and  no  one  living  is  better  able 
to  reveal  everything  there  is  in  such  a  score.  In  his  hands  the 
music  swells  and  surges  like  the  sea  itself.  For  her  part,  Gladys 
Swarthout  has  been  in  better  voice  in  other  years,  but  she  takes 
fire  from  the  conductor's  inspiration.  It  is  possible  that  a  little 
too  much  music  has  been  crowded  into  the  grooves  of  this  record- 
side,  for  the  reproduction  is  not  quite  Grade  A.  The  rival  record- 
ing is  different  in  every  respect.  Of  course  one  misses  the  or- 
chestra, and  this  is  all  but  fatal  to  the  total  effect.  The  singer, 
however,  uses  her  pure,  limpid  voice  to  achieve  an  expressive- 
ness subtler  than  Swarthout's,  and  she  gives  every  evidence  of 
long  familiarity  with  the  score  and  affection  for  it.  There  is  no 
crowding  here,  for  the  cycle  consumes  both  sides  of  the  disc. 
And  Music  Library  has  given  us  the  complete  French  texts  of  the 
songs,  along  with  translation  and  notes,  while  Victor  is  content 
with  an  English  paraphrase. 

CHERUBIHI,   LUIGI  (1760-1842) 

Requiem.    SCC  &  0,  Giulini,  An  35042. 

This  Requiem,  the  subject  of  impressive  tributes  from  such  nota- 
bles as  Beethoven,  Berlioz,  and  Cardinal  Newman,  is  known  to  us 
chiefly  through  the  memory  of  Toscanini  broadcasts;  it  seems  odd 
that  one  of  those  performances  was  not  preserved  by  Victor.  By 
some  freak,  the  first  recording  issued  in  this  country  was  the 
victim  of  confusion  with  a  Mass  performed,  apparently,  at  the 
same  place:  the  Requiem  was  issued  with  labels  and  annotations 
descriptive  of  the  Mass,  while  the  Mass  itself  appeared  in  proper 
order  about  the  same  time,  under  a  different  company  label.  Both 
recordings,  as  it  happens,  are  as  well  forgotten  now.  This  newer 
disc  is  something  else.  From  the  brooding  introduction,  one  feels 
a  great  reverence  and  the  kind  of  atmosphere  that  goes  with  the 
better  kind  of  church  acoustics — though  I  suspect  the  recording 
actually  was  made  in  a  hall.  With  the  "Dies  irae"  come  a  number 
of  thrills,  especially  at  the  terrific  climax  on  the  words  "Inter 
oves  locum  praesta."  The  performing  forces  (there  are  no  solo- 
ists) are  so  placed  that  the  orchestra  can  occasionally  overwhelm 


Cherubini/Cilea  67 

the  chorus,  which  is  right  enough  where  it  happens.  Another  out- 
standing moment  comes  with  the  fugue,  "Quam  olim  Abrahae," 
and  the  brief  but  beautiful  "Sanctus"  is  masterful.  The  crown  of 
it  all  is  the  "Agnus  Dei,"  with  its  feeling  of  intense  yearning. 
On  the  whole  this  performance  is  very  well  reproduced,  though 
some  of  the  softer  passages  lose  in  clarity. 

CHOPIN,   FREDERIC  (1810-1849) 

Seventeen  Polish  Songs.     Kurenko,  s;  Hufstader,  pf,  Ly  LL  23.     Con- 
rad, bs;  Jackson,  pf,  Vox  PL  8310. 

Only  one  or  two  of  these  songs  (Chopin's  entire  output  in  the 
field)  are  likely  to  sound  familiar  to  most  Americans,  yet  Mme 
Kurenko  tells  us  that  "...most  of  the  elements  of  the  composer's 
greatness  are  embodied  in  these  works."  The  moods  range  from 
little  mazurkas  to  the  final  intensely  patriotic  outburst,  and,  as 
the  soprano  sings  them,  they  have  plenty  of  variety.  Hers  is  a 
penetrating  artistry,  and  she  retains  a  remarkably  smooth  and  even 
tone.  The  capable  pianist  is  somewhat  overshadowed  in  the  re- 
production. After  the  lightness  of  Kurenko 's  touch,  the  burly 
voice  of  Doda  Conrad  comes  as  something  of  a  shock,  especially 
as  the  program  opens  with  "The  Maiden's  Wish."  Some  of  the 
group,  to  be  sure,  suit  his  voice  and  style  better  than  this;  still 
the  general  impression  is  heavy,  with  everything  in  very  low  keys. 

CILEA,    FRANCESCO   (1866-1950) 

Adriana  Lecouvreur.      Gavazzi,   s;    Truccato  Pace,   m-s;  Prandelli,   t; 

Meletti,  b;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Simonetto,  Cet  1218  [3],    Favero,  s;  Nicolai, 

m-s;    Filacuridi,   t;   Borogonovo,   b;   etc.;  SCAC  &  0,   del   Cupolo,   Col 

CLPS  1018/19/20  [31 

Despite  the  presence  of  Mafalda  Favero  as  the  star  of  Colosseum's 
performance,  and  the  superiority  of  Elena  Nicolai — to  whose  lot 
falls  the  big  and  effective  aria  "0  vagabonda  stella" — the  Cetra 
version  will  be  found  the  more  satisfactory.  Mechanically,  the 
Colosseum  is  constricted  in  range  and  tubby  in  quality,  with  enough 
fading  in  and  out  of  the  voices  to  suggest  a  public  performance. 
Gavazzi's  voice  is  not  so  steady  or  so  nicely  in  line  as  Favero 's, 


Cilea/Cimarosa  68 

but  the  latter 's  tone  sounds  shrill  and  thin.  Truccato  Pace's  tone 
is  light  for  the  big  aria,  though  she  sings  it  with  conviction. 
Prandelli  and  Meletti  are  easily  superior  to  their  counterparts. 
Though  the  volume  level  of  the  Cetra  set  is  somewhat  variable, 
the  reproduction  is  on  the  whole  satisfactory. 

L'Arlesiana.      Tegani,   s;  Oncina,   t;  Protti,   b;    Ulivi,   bs;  SCAC  &  0, 

del  Cupolo,  Col  CLPS  1016/17  [2]. 

No  score  of  this  opera  has  been  available  to  me;  therefore  I  can- 
not vouch  for  the  accuracy  or  completeness  of  the  performance. 
The  music  is  pervaded  with  that  pastoral  quality  we  know  in  the 
famous  tenor  "Lament,"  though  in  moments  of  passion  it  is  pure 
verismo.  The  singing  is  on  the  whole  pleasing  enough,  but  the 
competent  soprano  inclines  to  shrillness.  The  tenor's  quality  re- 
calls Tagliavini's,  and  this  suits  the  character  admirably.  The 
recording  is  on  the  one  hand  constricted,  and  on  the  other  brilliant, 
so  that  the  highs  have  to  be  cut  down.  The  second  side  has  a 
pronounced  hum,  nowhere  else  disturbing. 


C/MAKOSA,   DOMENICO   (7749-7807) 

II  Matrimonio  Segreto.     Noni,  s;  Simionato,  m-s;  Valletti,  t;  Bruscantini, 

bs;  etc.;  FM,  M.  Wolf-Ferrari,  Cet  1214  [3]. 

//  Matrimonio  Segreto — Overture  and  Excerpts.     Ribetti,  s;  Blaffard,  t; 

OCM,  Gerelli.     II  Maestro  di  Capella.     Maugeri,  bs;  OCM,  Gerelli,  Vox 

PL  8450. 

II  Maestro  di  Capella.    Corena,  bs;  OPM,  Amaducci,  10"  L  LD  9118. 

The  complete  recording  of  The  Secret  Marriage  was  released  by 
Cetra  with  some  misgivings,  caused  by  insurmountable  mechanical 
difficulties.  Admittedly,  then,  it  is  not  first-rate.  As  a  perform- 
ance, it  is  rather  competent  than  inspired,  though  the  cast  is  an 
able  one.  There  is  a  place  for  the  abridged  version,  in  any  case, 
as  most  listeners  will  find  six  sides  rather  too  much  of  this  grace- 
ful music.  The  two  singers  are  acceptable,  and  they  blend  charm- 
ingly in  their  duet.  The  companion  piece,  translated  as  The  Con- 
ductor, pokes  some  rather  broad  fun  at  the  music  of  its  day.  Though 
Maugeri  sings  it  perceptively  enough,  he  is  outdone  by  Corena, 
probably  the  finest  buffo  of  the  day.     The   breaking  of  the  latter 


Cimarosa/Cornellus  Oy 

performance  into  two  ten-inch  sides  is  the  only  possible  cause  for 
complaint. 

COPLAND,  AARON   (7900-         ) 

In  the  Beginning.     Surian,  s;  San  Jose  St  Col  Ch,  Erlendson,  ML  MLR 
7007  (*Motets,  San  Jose). 

The  chorus  performing  this  setting  of  the  opening  of  Genesis  is 
excellent;  the  soprano  soloist,  a  student  apparently,  shows  promise, 
though  in  a  performance  preserved  by  recording  she  must  stand  out 
as  the  weak  point:  much  more  can  be  made  of  her  part.     The  record- 
ing  is    of  the    studio   type,   very   clean  and  precise,   without  any 
suggestion  of  hall  resonance. 
Old  American  Songs.     Warfield,  b;  Copland,  pf,  10"  C  ML  2206 ^Dough- 
erty: Sea    Chanties).       Symonette,    bs;    Harnley,    pf,    Col    CLPS    1008 
f*Symonette  Recital). 

Copland  has  set  his  own  hall-mark  on  these  old  songs  without 
sacrificing  their  essential  homely  character.  They  are  a  well- 
contrasted  group;  one  or  two  of  them  are  haunting.  Curiously, 
though  Warfield  and  Symonette  both  sing  them  pleasantly  enough, 
neither  brings  sufficient  intensity  to  the  quieter  moods.  "Long 
time  ago,"  the  smoothest  and  most  ingratiating  of  the  melodies,  is 
memorable  in  the  Warfield  recording  chiefly  because  of  Copland's 
piano-playing.  Both  singers  are  more  at  home  in  the  spirited 
"Simple  gifts"  and  the  droll  "/  bought  me  a  cat." 

CORNELIUS,   PETER   (1824-1874) 

Weihnachtslieder.     Seefried,   s;  Werba,  pf,   10"   D  DL    7545  f*Seefried 

Recital). 

Seefried  is  entitled  to  some  sort  of  minor  prize  for  reviving  this 
tender,  simple,  lyrical  Christmas  cycle,  and  for  presenting  it  in 
tones  so  limpid  and  style  so  right.  Each  of  the  little  songs  is  a 
model  of  unpretentious  perfection,  and  each  is  sung  with  that 
feeling  of  direct  faith  which  has  become  so  rare  in  our  time.  The 
pastoral  "Die  Hirten"  and  the  reverent  ftSimeon,"  with  its  in- 
troduction of  the  Nunc  dimittis,  are  especially  appealing  in  See- 
fried's  interpretation. 


Couperin/Debussy  70 

COUPERIN,    FRANCOIS  (1668-1733) 

» 

Lecons  de    Tenebres.      Cuenod,   t;  Sinimberghi,   t;  Holetschek,   hpschd 

and  org;  Harand,  vie,  W  WL  5387. 

Premiere  Lecon  de  Tenebres;  Air  serieux;  La  Pastorelle;  Les  Solitaires; 

Audite  omnes.     Cuenod,  t;  Ens,  Pinhham,  All  ALG  91. 

Cuenod  took  part  in  the  celebrated  prewar  recording  of  the  third 
Tenebrae  service.  He  is  one  of  the  very  few  contemporary  sing- 
ers with  sufficient  understanding  of  the  essential  style  for  such 
singing,  and  he  has  assimilated  it  to  a  point  where  the  ornaments 
and  the  intense  expression  seem  to  be  second  nature  to  him.  This 
performance  of  the  third  "Lesson,"  for  two  voices,  is  a  very  dif- 
ferent matter  from  that  referred  to  above,  for  which  the  work  had 
been  edited  to  include  chorus  and  orchestra.  Sinimberghi  matches 
his  Italian  name  with  a  style  less  direct  than  Cuenod's,  but  his 
voice  is  good,  and  the  two  work  together  excellently.  The  first 
and  last  "Lessons"  are  accompanied  on  the  harpsichord,  the 
second  on  the  organ.  There  is  a  slight  edge  on  the  voice  in  the 
Westminster  recording.  The  earlier  Allegro  disc  is  valuable  for 
the  three  secular  songs  and  the  motet,  though  the  first  side,  of 
course,  is  a  duplication. 

DARCOMIZHSKY,    ALEXANDER   SERGEIVITCH 
(1813-1869) 

Russalka — Mad   Scene,    Act  III.      Reizen,    bs;    Nelepp,    t;    BSIC  &  0, 
Nebolsin,  CH  CHS  1302  (*Glazunov:  Symphony  No.  5). 

This  performance  will  bring  back  memories  of  Chaliapin  and  a 
recording  he  made  of  the  scene.  Reizen,  indeed,  has  a  good  deal 
of  the  quality  of  his  great  predecessor,  and  he  seems  to  belong  to 
the  line  of  outstanding  Russian  singing  actors.  The  voices  may 
be  too  prominent  here;  otherwise  the  excellent  singing  is  well 
recorded. 

DEBUSSY,    CLAUDE   (1862-1918) 

Choral  Vtorks 

La  Damoiselle  elue.     Micheau,  s;  Collard,  c;  BC;  PCO,  Fournet,  L  LS 
639  (*Chabrier:  Ode  a,  la  musique;  Le  Roi  malgre  lui).    Sayao,  s;  Nadell, 


Debussy  (1 

c;   U  of  Penn  Women's   Ch;  PHO,  Ormandy,   C  ML  4075  (*Ravel:  Con- 
certo for  Left  Hand). 

Sayao,  who  made  her  American  debut  under  Toscanini  in  Debussy's 
youthful  setting  of  Rossetti,  sings  the  music  with  sweet,  expres- 
sive, pure  tone  and  clean  musical  style.  The  choral  work  is  nota- 
ble for  diction,  if  Nadell,  as  Narrator,  is  not — her  tone  is  pleasant 
but  not  forward  enough  for  the  French  language.  More  recently  re- 
corded, and  more  impressively  reproduced,  is  the  French  perform- 
ance. Micheau's  touching  delivery  of  the  lines  of  the  Damoiselle 
and  Fournet's  masterly  molding  of  the  musical  phrases  combine  to 
suggest  the  word  "definitive." 
Le  Martyre  de  St.  Sebastien.  Yeend,  s;  Kashas,  c;  Stewart,  s;  Okla- 
homa Ch  &  0,  Alessandro,  All  ALG  3004. 

This  collaboration  of  Debussy  and  the  poet  D'Annunzio  was  de- 
signed for  the  use  of  the  famous  dancer  Ida  Rubinstein.  Its  man- 
ner of  expressing  religious  mysticism  brought  down  abuse  on  poet 
and  composer,  and  may  account  for  the  neglect  the  work  has  suf- 
fered since.  Aside  from  a  suite  of  "symphonic  fragments,"  it  has 
remained  virtually  unknown.  The  recording  was  one  of  the  sur- 
prises of  the  year  1951.  The  work  of  chorus  and  orchestra  was 
hailed  as  an  impressive  debut,  and  the  soloists  won  deserved 
praise.  The  recording  is  among  the  best  issued  by  the  Allegro 
company  before  reorganization. 

Opera 

Pelleas  et  Melisande.    Joachim,  s;  Ben  Sedira,  s;  Cernay,  m-s;  Jans  en, 
b;  Etcheverry,  b;  Cabanel,   bs;  etc.;  GC;  0,  Desormiere,   V  LCT  6103 
[3J.     Danco,  s;  Wend,  s;  Bouvier,  c;  Mollet,  t;  Rehfuss,  b;  Vessieres, 
bs;    etc.;  SR,   Ansermet,   L   LLA   11   [4\.     (Abridged)  Nespoulous,  s; 
Croiza,  m-s;  Maguenat,  t;  Dufranne,  b;  Narcon,  bs;  0,  True,  C  RL  3092. 
When    the   Desormiere  recording  was   given  American  release,   it 
was  already  some  years  old,  and  therefore  placed  in  the  "histori- 
cal" classification.     Historical  indeed  it  is,  for  it  represents  a 
labor  of  love  and  patriotism  produced  in  Paris  during  the  occupa- 
tion.     But   it  is   more   than  a   "dedicated"  performance,   for  the 
singers  were  all  thoroughly  at  home  in  their  parts,  and  the  con- 
ductor had  a  special  affinity  for  the  score.     The   very  fact  that 
the  reproduction  was   not  an  example  of  "High  Fidelity"  as  we 


Debussy  72 

have  sometimes  known  it  to  our  cost  seemed  in  its  favor,  for  the 
intangible  characters  in  this  drama,  and  the  misty  atmosphere,  do 
not  take  well  to  brilliant  sunlight.  After  a  decent  interval,  the 
second  complete  Pelleas  was  offered  by  London,  with  a  cast  in 
every  way  comparable  to  Victor's,  in  some  respects  even  finer, 
and  recording  so  clear  and  clean  that  every  nuance  of  Ansermet's 
masterly  reading  was  brought  out.  There  is  no  question  that 
Danco  is  gifted  with  more  voice  than  Joachim,  or  that  Ansermet's 
pulsating  orchestra  brings  a  thrill  of  a  kind  unknown  in  the  older 
recording.  Still,  the  Victor  Pelleas  has  not  lost  its  power  to 
move,  and  there  are  some  who  still  prefer  its  orchestral  half-tints. 
In  re-listing  one  of  the  two  abridged  performances  that  graced  the 
prewar  catalogues,  Columbia  has  preserved  at  least  two  great 
characterizations:  the  Golaud  of  Dufranne,  who  created  the  role, 
and  the  Genevie've  of  Croiza,  who  read  the  letter  as  no  one  else  I 
have  heard.  For  these  we  must  accept  the  outmoded  recording  and 
the  rest  of  the  sometimes  no  more  than  honorable  cast. 

Songs 

Ariettes  oubli'ees  (C  est  I'extase;  II  pleure  dans  mon  coeur;  L'Ombre 
des  arbres;  Chevaux  de  bois;  Green;  Spleen);  L' Echelonnement  des 
haies;  Mandoline.  Cuenod,  t;  Blancard,  pf,  Van  VRS  414  (*Faure: 
Songs). 

Cuenod   devotes    both  sides   of  his    disc   to  settings   of  Verlaine. 
The  contrast  between  France's   two  leading  modern  song  writers 
is  the  more  striking  because  in  several  instances  the  artist  has 
chosen  both  composers'  settings  of  the  same  poem.     The  program 
throws  a  new  light  on  Cuenod,  so  generally  associated  with  music 
of  the  older  schools,  and  a  curious  light  it  is.    Surely,  no  one  will 
deny  the  virtues  of  this  splendidly  musical  and  musicianly  singer, 
nor  fail  to  admire  the  ease  and  purity  with  which  he  enunciates 
the  texts,  at  the  top  as  well  as  the  lower  portions  of  his  range. 
But  the   line   of  his  singing  is  stiff,  lacking  in  tenderness.     Ad- 
mirable as  it  is,  it  is  not  moving,  not  quite  right.    He  is  recorded 
with  great  clarity,  but  at  rather  a  high  level. 
Trois    Chansons    de    Bilitis    (La    Flute    de    Pan;    La    Chevelure;    Le 
Tombeau  des  Naiades);  Fetes  galantes  (En  sourdine;  Fantoches;  Clair 
de  lune;  Les  Ingenus;  Le  Faune;  Colloque  sentimental);  Le  Promenoir 
des  deux  amants  (Aupres  de  cette  grotte  sombre;   Crois  mon  conseil, 
chere  Climene;  J e  tremble  en  voyant  ton  visage);  Proses  lyriques  No. 


Debussy  «<J 

2,  De  greve;  Ballade  de   Villon  No.   3,   Ballade  des  femmes  de  Paris. 

Jeyte,  s;  Cortot,  pf,  V  LCT  1133  (* French  Songs). 

Trois   Chansons   de   Bilitis;  he  Promenoir  des  deux  amants;  Ariettes 

oubliees.     Danco,  s;  Agosti,  pf,  10"  L  LPS  336.     Trois  Chansons  de 

Bilitis.     Towel,  m-s;  Reeves,  pf,  10"  C  ML  2184. 

Danco,  an  admirable  musician,  has  the  sensitivity  we  miss  in 
Cuenod,  and  it  is  hard  to  think  of  anything  wanting  in  her  singing 
unless  it  be  an  element  of  excitement,  the  impact  of  a  vital  per- 
sonality. In  recordings  of  this  type,  the  piano  often  offers  prob- 
lems not  completely  solved  here.  Tourel  also  gives  practically 
flawless  renditions  of  the  Bilitis  songs,  and  she  is  recorded  with 
fine  clarity  and  good  balance.  Still,  though  Maggie  Teyte's  re- 
cordings are  now  quite  old,  hers  remains  the  classic  performance, 
not  only  of  this  Pierre  Louys  cycle,  but  even  more  especially  of 
Le  Promenoir  des  deux  amants.  The  haunting  power  of  her  chest 
voice  in  the  final  line  of  the  third  song,  where  she  sings  "la 
neige,"  is  not  to  be  passed  over  lightly,  even  for  vastly  superior 
recording.    She  has,  too,  a  very  special  partner  in  Cortot. 

Trois  Ballades  de  Francois   Villon.     Singher,   b;   CBSO,  Abravanel,   C 

» 

ML  4152  (*Ravel:  Don  Quichotte  a  Dulcinee;  Operatic  Arias). 

Trois    Ballades   de   Francois    Villon;   Le  Promenoir  des   deux  amants; 

Fantoches.    Jansen,  b;  Bonneau,  pf,  L  LL  644(*Chabrier,  Ravel:  Songs). 

Ballade   de    Villon  No.    2;   La   Grotte;   Mandoline.      Souzay,    b;   PCO, 

Lindenberg,  10"  L  LD  9091  (*Ravel:  Don  Quichotte  a  Dulcinee). 

Neither  Singher,  who  sings  to  Debussy's  own  orchestration,  nor 
Jansen,  piano-accompanied,  brings  to  these  ballades  much  vocal 
charm  or  the  twinkle  of  warm  humor  they  need.  The  gem  of  the 
set,  of  course,  is  the  second  song,  the  prayer  written  at  the  re- 
quest of  Villon's  mother,  but  this  calls  for  tenderness,  of  which 
neither  baritone  provides  much.  Souzay  sings  only  this  second 
ballade,  along  with  two  separate  songs  that  would  have  been  better 
done  to  the  original  piano  accompaniment.  In  reproduction  the 
voice  is  a  little  heavy,  and,  especially  in  the  quiet  places,  it 
overbalances  the  orchestra.    Still,  this  is  artistic  singing. 

Cinq  Poemes  de  Charles  Baudelaire  (Le  Balcon;  Harmonie  du  soir;  Le 

Jet  d*eau;  Recueillement;  La  Mort  des  amants).     Tourel,  m-s;  Kahn,  pf, 

C  ML  4158  (* French  Songs). 

Romance;  La  Grotte;  Le  Faune;  Colloque  sentimental.     C.  Panzera,  b; 

M.  Panzera,  pf,  Mer  MG  10097  f*Piano  Pieces;  Faure:  Songs  and  Piano 

Pieces). 


Debussy/Delibes  74 

Clair  de  lune;  Fantoches;  Romance;  Nuit  (Tetoiles;  Mandoline;  II  pleure 
dans  mon  coeur;  Green;  Void  que  le  printemps;  Rondel  chinois;  Pier- 
rot; Apparition.    Pons,  s;  La  Forge,  pf,  10"  C  ML  2135. 

The  Baudelaire  songs  date  from  1890,  just  as  Debussy  was  find- 
ing his  mature  style.  The  poems  are  a  bit  overloaded  to  be  ideal 
subjects  for  musical  setting,  but  the  composer  makes  them  always 
interesting,  if  not  altogether  convincing.  Performances  of  the 
cycle  are  rare.  Tourel  meets  the  composer  on  his  own  ground, 
singing  with  taste,  musicianship,  and  intelligence.  The  balance 
with  Kahn's  excellent  piano  part  is  very  good. 

Panzera,  a  prolific  recording  artist  in  the  twenties  and  thirties, 
and  a  singer  with  more  than  a  few  masterpieces  to  his  credit, 
demonstrates  in  this  program  what  can  be  done  by  sheer  force  of 
musicianship,  penetration,  and  personality,  even  when  the  voice 
is  pretty  well  gone.  As  a  vital  projection  of  these  poems-in- 
music,  his  performance  stands  out  among  the  Debussy  song  rec- 
ords. Pons  is  sincere  and  earnest  in  her  effort,  and  she  deserves 
thanks  for  the  unusual  repertoire.  However,  since  this  record  was 
issued,  the  three  virtually  unknown  early  songs  with  which  she 
closes  the  program  have  been  given  with  greater  vocal  security  by 
Erna  Berger  (U  URLP  7060). 

DELIBES,   LEO   (1836-1891) 

Lakme.    Robin,  s;  Collart,  s;  de  Luca,  t;  Borthayre,  b;  Jansen,  b;  etc.; 

OCC  &  0,  Sebastian,  L  LLA  12  [3]. 

Lakme  is  a  prima  donna  opera.  That  is  to  say,  in  this  recording, 
it  must  stand  or  fall  by  Mado  Robin.  Well,  it  stands,  but  not  with- 
out occasional  uncertainty.  The  soprano  owns  a  fine  electrifying 
top  voice,  especially  effective  in  the  "Bell  Song,"  and  a  haunting 
lyric  quality  that  wants  maturity  and  some  further  study.  The  men 
of  the  cast  are  good,  particularly  Jansen  and  Borthayre.  Libero  de 
Luca  seems  less  happily  cast  than  in  the  London  Carmen  set,  but 
he  is  acceptable.  With  this  recording  is  furnished  one  of  the  most 
inept  of  libretto  translations.  An  interesting  souvenir  is  provided 
in  a  disc  containing  Lakme 's  three  principal  arias:  "Pourquoi 
dans  les  grands  bois?,"  the  "Bell  Song,"  and  "Dans  la  foret, 
pres  de  vous"  sung  by  Lily  Pons  even  before  she  made  her  Ameri- 
can debut  (10"  D  DL  4024).  The  vocal  quality  (Robin's  voice 
bears  a  kind  of  resemblance  to  it)  is  fresh  and  alive;  the  old  re- 
cording has  been  well  transferred  to  LP. 


Delius/Donizetti  75 

DELIUS,    FREDERICK   (1862-1934) 

Eine  Messe  des  Lebens.     Raisbeck,  s;  Sinclair,  c;  Craig,  t;  Boyce,  b; 

IPC;  RPO,  Beecham,  C  SL  197  [2]. 

Though  Delians  consider  it  the  supreme  achievement  of  their  com- 
poser, A  Mass  of  Life  has  rarely  been  performed,  largely  because 
of  the  Beethovian  difficulties  it  offers  the  singers.  Inevitably, 
Beecham  was  the  man  to  bring  it  to  us,  and  as  usual  he  has  gotten 
the  best  out  of  everyone  concerned.  Certain  passages  linger  in 
the  memory — the  peaceful  intermezzo  titled  ttAuf  den  Bergen,'* 
the  wonderful  outburst  at  "Herauf!  nun  herauf,  du  grosser  Mittag!" 
the  introduction  to  Part  4,  and  the  almost  Mahlerish  ending,  "0 
Mensch,  gib  acht!" — these  are  things  to  come  back  to  many  times. 
Chorus  and  orchestra  are  splendid;  in  the  recording  the  massed 
singers  seem  to  have  been  placed  beyond  the  orchestra,  which 
makes  for  a  certain  diffusion  in  the  choral  tone,  but  by  no  means  a 
lack  of  clarity.  The  important  baritone  solo  part  is  carried  by 
Bruce  Boyce,  a  singer  of  fine  intelligence,  whose  voice  is  ap- 
parently a  little  frayed  by  use.  Monica  Sinclair  is  a  real  find,  a 
contralto  of  lovely  rich  tone.  For  the  rest,  the  singing  is  good, 
the  diction  as  clean  as  we  could  ask. 

DELLO   JO/0,    NORMAN  (7973-         ) 

Psalm  of  David.    Crane  Ch  &  0,  Hosmer,  10"  CH  CHS  1118. 

Here  is  a  significant  American  work,  composed  on  commission  for 
the  choir  that  has  recorded  it.  The  text  is  the  Fiftieth  Psalm,  the 
music  based  on  a  cantus  firmus  borrowed  from  Josquin  des  Pres's 
setting  of  the  same  words  (recorded  in  the  Anthologie  Sonore,  HS 
AS  5).   A  slight  hum  in  the  recording  is  not  too  noticeable. 

DONIZETTI,    GAETANO   (1797-1848) 

Operas 

Betly.      Tuccari,   s;   Gentile,   t;   Catalani,   b;  RSQC  &  0,   Morelli,  Per 
SPL  585. 

To  many  of  us  Betly  has  been  known  simply  as  the  source  of  the 


Donizetti  76 

coloratura  air  "In  questo  semplice,"  recorded  some  years  ago  by 
Margherita  Carosio.  The  score  proves  to  be  quite  charming,  with 
other  attractive  tunes,  and  a  good  bit  of  clowning  and  ribbing  of 
operatic  conventions.  The  Rossinian  overture  emerges  in  this  re- 
cording almost  sanitary  in  sound,  and  the  reproduction  throughout 
is  as  clean  and  spacious  as  one  might  wish.  Tuccari's  voice  is 
bright  and  agile,  if  not  especially  warm,  and  she  sings  with  a  re- 
spectable degree  of  neatness.  Gentile,  a  tenor  of  the  light  Italian 
type,  has  something  of  the  lachrymose  style  not  uncommon  in  his 
school.  Catalani,  to  whose  lot  falls  an  aria  amusingly  reminiscent 
of  Bellini's  "Vi  ravviso,"  is  less  impressive.  There  is  an  enter- 
taining moment  when  the  tenor  falls  asleep.  The  score  has  been 
telescoped  to  bring  it  down  to  twelve-inch  size,  but  I  doubt  that 
much  of  value  has  been  lost. 

//    Campanello.      Scarangella,    s;    Truccato   Pace,    m-s;   Mercuriale,    t; 

Capecchi,  b;  Bruscantini,  bs;  RIC  &  0,  Simonetto,  Cet  50027. 

Here  is  another  example  of  Donizetti's  broad  humor,  long  forgotten, 
presumably  for  lack  of  a  "Quel  guardo  il  cavaliere,"  an  "Una 
furtiva  lagrima,"  or  an  "Udite,  o  rustici."  The  performance  is  an 
unctious  one,  all  in  the  best  Italian  tradition,  with  Bruscantini 
responsible  for  most  of  the  fun.  The  shrill-voiced  soprano  is  also 
typical.  The  recording  balance  is  excellent,  with  none  of  that 
feeling  that  the  singers  are  right  beside  our  ears. 

Don  Pasquale.      La  Gatta,    s;   Lazzari,    t;   Poli,    b;    Corena,    bs;   etc.; 

SCAC  &  0,  Parodi,   U  URLP  228  [2].     Aimaro,  s;  Oncina,  t;  Colombo, 

b;  Luise,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Quadri,  W  WAL  206  [2]. 

In  so  farcical  a  comedy  as  Don  Pasquale  it  is  the  men  who  count 
for  most.  Urania,  it  seems  to  me,  has  a  slight  edge  in  the  difficult 
choice  before  us,  because  the  male  members  of  its  cast  (especially 
Corena)  are  capital,  where  Westminster's  are  merely  excellent.  On 
the  other  hand,  I  prefer  Westminster's  Aimaro  as  Norina,  though  she 
hardly  approaches  the  ideal.  Whereas  Aimaro  inclines  to  sing 
back  in  her  throat,  La  Gatta  is  more  uneven  in  quality  and  tends 
towards  shrillness.    But  either  of  these  sets  is  acceptable. 

L'Elisir  d'Amore.      Carosio,    s;   Monti,    t;    Gobbi,    b;   Luise,    bs;   etc.; 

ROC  &  0,  Santini,  HMV  ALP  1067/8  [2].    Noni,  s;  Valletti,  t;  Poli,  b; 

Bruscantini,  bs;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,   Gavazzeni,  Cet  1235  [3].    (Highlights) 

Tellini,  s;  Solari,  t;  Conati,  b;  Faticanti,  bs;  etc.;  SCAC  &  0,  Molajoli, 

C  ML  4408. 

Superficially,  the  greatest  difference  between  the  two  "complete" 
performances  is  in  bulk  and  price.   Cetra's,  to  be  sure,  is  the  more 


Donizetti  77 

conveniently  packaged,  and  includes  an  elaborate  libretto  with  in- 
troductory notes.  In  over-all  sound,  Cetra's  is  more  powerful,  with 
instruments  as  well  as  voices  closer  upon  us;  HMV  has  more  at- 
mosphere, a  more  natural  theater  sound.  There  is  surprisingly 
little  to  choose  between  the  two  casts,  which  is  not  to  say  they 
are  very  similar.  Carosio  has  been  known  for  some  years  by  her 
pre-LP  recordings;  hers  are  a  clear,  high  voice  and  an  unusual 
sense  of  style.  She  is  no  longer  in  her  first  prime,  as  the  new  re- 
cording attests:  the  tone  is  a  little  dry,  not  always  free  of  shrill- 
ness, and  not  invariably  accurate  in  intonation.  Noni's  is  a 
fresher  instrument,  very  nearly  as  appealing  as  Carosio 's  best, 
but  she  does  not  quite  match  the  stylistic  distinction  of  her  rival. 
The  acid  test  of  this  is  the  last-act  aria,  "Prendi,  per  me  sei 
libero,'  in  which  Carosio  is  superb.  Monti's  voice  is  thinner  in 
quality  than  Valletti's,  but  he  is  guilty  of  fewer  emotional  ex- 
cesses. This  shows  most  plainly  in  the  first  act  aria,  "Quanto  e 
bella."  Both  sing  "Una  furtiva  lagrima"  creditably  enough,  though 
in  Monti's  performance  the  fundamental  rhythm  is  rather  free,  the 
dynamic  contrasts  a  little  strong.  Neither  tenor,  it  seems  safe  to 
assume,  has  reached  full  artistic  maturity  as  of  these  recordings. 
Gobbi  has  a  vocal  robustiousness  not  inappropriate  to  the  charac- 
ter of  Sergeant  Balcore,  but  he  is  not  a  notably  fluent  or  accurate 
vocalist.  Poli  sings  with  less  bluster,  but  he  too  is  content  to 
approximate  some  of  his  notes.  Luise  impersonates  Doctor  Dul- 
camara with  magnificent  unction,  resorting  to  parlando  effects 
more  frequently  than  the  also  convincing  Bruscantini.  The  best 
Dulcamara  on  recent  records,  however,  is  represented  only  by  the 
entrance  scene,  "Udite,  o  rustici."  He  is  Fernando  Corena,  of 
the  magnificent  voice  and  the  incomparable  buffo  humor  (10"  L 
LS  701).  Columbia's  Highlights  date  back  well  into  the  thirties, 
so  that  to  enjoy  the  recording  we  have  to  accept  orchestral  sound 
without  "bite"  and  a  general  lack  of  brilliance.  The  singers  are 
very  good  and  well  cast,  if  hardly  an  improvement  on  those  in  the 
"complete"  sets.  The  performance  has  spirit,  and  the  recording 
on  LP  is  not  bad. 
La  Favorita — Highlights.  Brohly,  m-s;  P arsi-P ettinella,  m-s;  Beyle, 
t;  Bond,  t;  Battistini,  b;  Sammarco,  b;  Luppi,  bs;  etc.;  Et  489. 

The  best  justification  for  this  set  of  revivals  is  the  fact  that  we 
have  had  no  complete  Favorita,  and  hardly  dare  hope  for  a  sty- 
listically   distinguished    one.       On    the    whole,    I    feel,    some    of 


Donizetti  78 

Eterna's  other  "Highlights"  have  proved  more  interesting.  Bonci 
is  at  his  best  in  the  two  tenor  arias  —  "Una  vergine"  and  "Spirto 
gentil" — but  his  voice  sounds  thin  in  a  duet  with  the  impressive 
bass  of  Luppi.  Battistini's  "Vien,  Leonora"  also  is  excellent, 
but  the  best  singing  on  the  disc,  to  my  mind,  is  in  the  final  duet 
by  Brohly  and  Beyle.  Their  singing  in  French  is  not  out  of  keep- 
ing, for  the  original  libretto  was  in  that  language.  Strangely,  the 
selection  does  not  include  "0  mio  Fernando,"  probably  the  most 
famous  aria  in  the  opera.  Anyone  interested  in  Bonci 's  two  arias 
will  find  them  again  included  in  a  program  devoted  to  this  tenor 
(GAR  101);  and  Battistini's  "Vien,  Leonora"  is  duplicated  in  one 
of  his  "recitals"  (Et  0-462).  Good  modern  versions  of  a  couple  of 
the  arias  are  to  be  had,  "Spirto  gentil"  by  Nicolai  Gedda  (An 
35096),  and  "Vien,  Leonora"  by  Ivan  Petroff  (Rem  199-93). 

La  Figlia  del  Reggimento.     Pagliughi,  s;   Valletti,   t;  Bruscantini,  bs; 

etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Rossi,  Get  1213  [2]. 

I  found  Pagliughi  less  satisfying  here  than  in  the  more  serious 
Donizetti  and  Bellini  operas.  I  suspect  that  she  is  too  straight  a 
singer  to  shine  in  so  light  a  character  role,  where  personality 
counts  for  much.  Her  coloratura  is  still  among  the  best  to  be 
heard  nowadays,  but  whether  this  recording  caught  her  past  her 
prime,  or  whether  there  is  a  less  obvious  reason,  she  is  not  at  her 
very  fine  best,  and  does  not  always  quite  make  the  grade  with  the 
pitch.  As  for  vocal  color,  she  does  not  go  into  that  to  any  great 
extent,  nor  does  she  make  her  points  with  diction.  The  rest  of 
the  cast  acquits  itself  well,  though  I  could  wish  for  a  little  more 
body  in  Valletti 's  tones  (I  have  liked  him  better  in  other  roles). 
Bruscantini  is,  as  ever,  dependable. 

Lucia  di  Lammermoor.    Pagliughi,  s;  Malipiero,  t;  Menaccini,  b;  Neroni, 

bs;  etc.;  EIARC  &  0,   Tansini,  Cet  1205  [3];  Callas,  s;  di  Stefano,  t; 

Gobbi,  b;  Arie,  bs;  etc.;  FMC  &  0,  Serafin,  An  3503- B  [2].    Wilson,  s; 

Poggi,  t;  Colzani,  b;  Maionica,  bs;  etc.;  MIOC  &  0,  Capuana,  U  URLP 

232  [3]. 

In  Lucia  success  depends  primarily  on  the  prima  donna,  though 
the  ensemble  of  the  Sextet  and  the  lyrical  abilities  of  the  tenor 
count  for  a  lot,  too.  In  the  three  complete  sets,  we  have  room  for 
personal  preference,  as  the  three  Lucias  are  in  the  strongest  pos- 
sible contrast.  Young  Dolores  Wilson  is  best  described  as  prom- 
ising, for  though  the  quality  of  her  voice  is  attractive,  she  has 
some  work  ahead  to  eliminate  a  flutter  in  the  more  lyrical  pas- 
sages.     Her  "Mad  Scene"  is  reasonably  brilliant,  and  she   does 


Donizetti  79 

hold  the  interest  throughout.  Callas,  as  everyone  must  know  by 
now,  is  a  drama  tic- coloratura  singer,  ranging  in  recordings  from 
Gioconda  and  Tosca  to  Elvira  in  Puritani.  Somehow  her  Lucia  is 
not  quite  so  breath-taking  as  the  last-named  achievement;  the 
whole  performance  seems  a  little  studied  and  careful;  the  micro- 
phone placement  may  be  to  blame  for  not  altogether  satisfactory 
reproduction  of  her  darkly  colored  tones.  The  Cetra  recording 
with  Pagliughi  is  some  years  older  than  either  of  its  rivals,  and  in 
itself  the  sound  is  not  as  impressive,  but  the  soprano  is  nearer 
the  time-honored  ideal  for  the  title  role,  dazzling  in  execution, 
somehow  dramatic  in  her  roulades  and  trills,  beautifully  in  line  in 
her  cantabile  passages.  For  the  rest,  Urania's  Poggi  is  a  dry- 
voiced  Edgardo,  Angel's  di  Stefano  a  melifluous  and  authentic 
one;  Cetra 's  Malipiero  is  only  less  impressive  than  di  Stefano. 
The  oldest  recording  gives  us  the  best-balanced  Sextet;  in  it  we 
can  actually  follow  the  lines  of  Alicia  and  Arturo.  In  the  Angel 
performance,  Gino  Sarri,  the  hero  of  complete  Otello  and  Andrea 
Chenier  sets,  takes  the  small  part  of  Normanno. 
Victor  has  a  set  of  Highlights  enlisting  a  cast  of  present  and  past 
Metropolitan  luminaries,  including  Munsel,  Peerce,  Merrill,  and 
Pinza  (V  LM  1710).  Munsel  does  a  creditable  job  on  the  "Mad 
Scene."  Cellini  is  the  conductor.  Another  "Mad  Scene"  is  of- 
fered by  Mado  Robin  (10"  L  LS  676),  who  seems  to  be  creating  a 
sensation  these  days.  I  find  little  for  which  to  commend  her  here 
beyond  the  ability  to  sing  higher  than  any  currently  practicing 
soprano. 

Arias 

L'Elisir  d'Amore — Una  furtiva  lagrima;  Quanto  e  bella;  La  Figlia  del 
Reggimento — Qual  destine;  Eccomi  finalmente;  Don  Pasquale — 
Sogno  soave  e  casto;  Povero  Ernesto;  Com'e  gentil;  Tornami  a  dir. 
Valletti,  t;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Cet  A  50154. 

These  are  all  excerpts  from  Cetra's  complete  operas.  The  singer 
has  a  light  and  flexible  voice  of  the  Schipa  order,  perhaps  a  little 
pale  in  quality,  but  well  adapted  to  this  type  of  music.  He  has  a 
sense  of  style,  and  his  vocal  control  is  unusual.  I  particularly 
enjoyed  his  duet  with  Alda  Noni,  from  Don  Pasquale.  For  the 
most  part,  the  reproduction  is  excellent,  though  the  sound  de- 
velops some  fuzz  toward  the  center  of  the  disc. 


Dowland/Duparc  80 

DOVtLAND,    JOHN   (1562-1626) 

If  floods  of  tears;  Fine  knacks  for  ladies;  Sweet,  stay  awhile;  Say, 
love,  if  ever  thou  didst  find;  Toss  not  my  soul;  Weep  you  no  more,  sad 
fountains;  When  Phoebus  first  did  Daphne  love;  Woeful  heart;  I  saw  my 
lady  weep.  Langstaff,  b;  Chessid,  hpschd,  Ren  X  27  (*Purcell:  Songs). 
In  this  generous  sampling  of  the  songs  of  the  great  Elizabethan 
lutenist,  the  lute  parts  are  played  on  the  harpsichord  in  a  manner 
intended  to  suggest  the  original  instrument.  The  best-known  mas- 
terpieces are  here:  the  somber  "If  floods  of  tears,"  the  lightsome 
"Fine  knacks  for  ladies/'  the  caressing  "Weep  you  no  more,  sad 
fountains,"  and  the  inexpressibly  lovely  "/  saw  my  lady  weep," 
among  others,  and  they  are  done  with  infallible  taste  and  fine  in- 
telligence, if  not  too  much  tonal  variety.  The  disc  also  holds  a 
fine  selection  of  Purcell  songs.  "/  saw  my  lady  weep"  and  the 
equally  fine  '  Flow,  my  tears"  may  be  had  in  more  authentic  guise 
in  a  recital  of  English  songs  by  that  excellent  artist,  Hugues 
Cuenod,  with  lute  played  by  Hermann  Leeb  (W  WL  5085). 

DUFAY,    GUILLAUME  (ca.1400-1474) 

Resvelons-nous,  amoureux;  Pouray-je  avoir  vostre  mercy;  He!  com- 
paignons;  La  Belle  se  sied  au  pie  de  la  tour;  Adieu,  m'amour;  Ce 
moys  de  may;  Je  donne  a  tous  les  amoureux;  Bon  jour,  bon  mois;  Par 
droit  je  puis  bien  complaindre  et  g'emir;  Ce  jour  de  Van;  Mon  cuer  me 
fait  tousdis  penser;  Je  languis  en  piteux  martire;  J'atendray  tant  qu'il 
vous  playra.    PMA,  Cape,  EMS  206. 

The  history  books  acknowledge  Dufay  the  greatest  musician  of  his 
day,  yet  only  recently  has  it  been  possible  to  form  an  opinion 
based  on  extensive  performance.  Pro  Musica  Antiqua  has  no  su- 
periors in  its  field,  and  the  finely  reproduced  program  is  nicely 
varied.  The  scholarship  that  has  gone  into  the  venture  should  not 
be  allowed  to  scare  away  anyone  with  an  appreciation  for  light- 
hearted  conceits  and  not  too  weighty  sentiments.  This  generous 
sampling  should  serve  as  a  fine  introduction  to  fifteenth-century 
secular  polyphony. 

DUPARC,    HENRI   (1848-1933) 

La  Vie  anterieure;  Le  Manoir  de  Rosamonde;  Elegie;  Phidyle;  Soupir; 
Chanson  triste;  Lamento;  La  Vague  et  la  cloche;  Serenade  Florentine; 


D  up  arc/  Dvorak  o  I 

Testament;  Extase;  L'Invitation  au  voyage.     Souzay,   b;   Bonneau,  pf, 

L  LL  813. 

This  program  includes  all  but  one  of  the  thirteen  songs  left  by 
Duparc  as  the  major  portion  of  his  musical  legacy.  Souzay  is  in 
his  best  voice,  and  there  is  imagination  in  his  singing.  Still,  one 
misses  the  quality  of  intensity  which  would  have  transformed  his 
thoughtful  conceptions  into  a  really  vital  experience.  Several 
times  the  bottom  all  but  falls  out  of  a  song,  as  toward  the  end  of 
"La  Vie  anterieure,"  the  "Serenade  Florentine,"  and  "L' Invito- 
tion  au  voyage."  Most  successful  of  the  lot  is  "Chanson  triste," 
which  is  done  with  real  affection.  One  regrets  that  some  of  the 
jacket  space  was  not  used  for  translations. 

DVORAK,  ANTONIN   (1841-1904) 

Choral  Y/ork 

Stabat  Mater.     Soloists;  Czech  Singers  Ch;  CPH,   Talich,   U  URLP  234 

[21 

This  performance  of  Dvorak's  rather  different  setting  of  the  time- 
less text  has  all  the  marks  of  authenticity;  there  can  be  no  ques- 
tion the  performers  put  themselves  into  it  heart  and  soul.  If  the 
results  are  not  as  tidy  as  we  might  wish,  we  must  perforce  admire 
and  be  moved  by  the  spirit  that  has  gone  into  the  work.  The  solo- 
ists are  variable,  with  the  rich-voiced  contralto,  Krasova,  out- 
standing. She  makes  much  of  her  big  aria,  "Inflammatus,"  and 
she  stands  out  in  the  quartet  as  the  best  vocalist.  The  soprano  is 
not  too  steady;  one  does  not  have  the  feeling  she  has  her  voice 
well  under  control.  The  bass  does  creditably  in  his  "Fac  ut 
ardeat  cor  meum"  but  the  tenor's  tone  is  constricted.  Record- 
ing-wise, the  set  again  is  uneven:  the  chorus  comes  through  with 
clarity,  but  the  soloists  are  all  too  close.  When  they  join  together, 
they  do  not  achieve  a  blend;  each  seems  to  wander  in  his  own  way. 

Opera 

Rusalka.      Trotschel,  s;  Schindler,   t;  Zimmermann,   t;  Frick,   bs;  etc.; 

DOC;  SAX,  Keilberth,  U  URLP  219  [3l 

This  strongly  nationalistic  opera  contains  some  fine  music,  though 
its  stageworthiness  remains  an  open  question.  The  most  striking 
thing  about  its  story  (to  English-speaking  listeners)  is  a  certain 


Dvorak  8  2 

relationship  to  Sullivan's  lolanthe.  It  would  be  hard  to  take  all 
these  water  sprites  seriously  in  our  day  and  generation.  Cast  and 
recording  are  well  above  the  average.  Trotschel  has  a  sweet, 
floating  voice,  as  well  as  poise  and  charm;  Frick  makes  a  sympa- 
thetic Water  Sprite;  Schindler,  the  hero,  is  a  little  stiff  tonally, 
but  not  without  his  good  points.  The  score  has  been  heavily  cut 
in  this  recording. 

Songs  and  Duets 

Biblische  Lieder;  Zigeunermelodien;   Liebeslieder.     Rossl-Majdan,   c; 

Holetscheh,  pf,  W  WL  5324. 

Biblical  Songs.    Duarte,  c;  Murphy,  pf,  ML  MLR  7024. 

Properly,  of  course,  Dvorak's  songs  should  be  sung  in  Czech; 
neither  the  German  version  of  the  Biblical  Songs  nor  the  published 
English  one  is  by  any  means  a  perfect  fit  to  the  music.  Rossl- 
Majdan's  approach  is  simple  and  direct.  Her  tones  are  admirably 
full  and  solid,  though  she  cuts  some  of  the  phrases  into  short 
lengths,  and  in  the  more  sustained  movements  her  conception  is 
not  always  as  broad  as  it  might  be.  More  of  the  drama  could  be 
brought  out  of  "By  the  waters  of  Babylon"  without  loss  of  dignity. 
Hers  is  the  most  satisfactory  recording  yet  of  the  Gypsy  Songs, 
though  I  miss  the  elemental  quality  I  have  admired  in  the  three  of 
them  once  recorded  by  Povla  Frijsh.  The  Love  Songs  call  forth 
the  best  singing  on  the  disc.  Esther  Lucretia  Duarte,  who  sings 
the  Biblical  Songs  in  English,  is  said  to  have  been  only  seventeen 
when  her  recording  was  made,  and  she  may  be  set  down  as  a  young 
artist  of  promise,  apparently  free  from  obvious  faults  that  might 
endanger  her  future.  She  follows  the  shifting  moods  of  the  psalm 
settings  with  only  occasionally  a  not  quite  perfectly  pronounced 
word  to  interfere  with  the  feeling. 

Zigeunermelodien.     Felbermayer,  s;  Graef,  pf,   Van  VRS  446  (*Brahms: 

Songs). 

Gypsy  Songs;  Love  Songs,   Nos.  1,  2,  3,  6.     Warenskjold,   s;  Concert 

Arts  0,  Greeley,  Cap  P  8247  (*Grieg:  Songs). 

These  two  sopranos  have  a  number  of  things  in  common.  Both 
have  voices  of  unusual  lyric  appeal;  both  are  musical  and  stylish 
singers.  Yet  neither  is  right  for  the  Zigeunermelodien.  After  all, 
Dvorak's  gypsies  are  not  ladies.  Felbermayer  sings  in  German  to 
the  proper  piano  accompaniment  (in  another  sense,  it  is  altogether 
too  proper),  while  Warenskjold  favors  the  English  translation  (the 


Dvorak/ Fall a  83 

original,  after  all,  was  Czech)  and  a  too  elaborate  orchestration. 
We  can,  however,  be  grateful  to  both  sopranos  for  not  sentimen- 
talizing the  very  familiar  "Songs  my  mother  taught  me."  Waren- 
skjold  is  better  in  the  Love  Songs,  but  the  orchestration  does  not 
belong  here. 

Mahrische  Kldnge.     Fuchs,  s;  Klose,  s;  Raucheisen,  pf,  10"   U  URLP 

5002. 

The  duet  record  shows  Fuchs  and  Klose  blending  their  superb 
voices  with  vitality  and  the  intimacy  essential  to  chamber  music. 
For  some  reason,  only  twelve  of  the  thirteen  pieces  in  this  opus 
are  given,  and  the  singing  is  in  German.  Texts  and  translations 
are  provided  with  the  disc,  and  the  label  even  gives  the  timing. 

FALLA,    MANUEL    DE   (1876-1946) 

Operas 

El  Retablo  de  Maese  Pedro.  Rodrigues  Aragon,  s;  Renom,  t;  Ausensi, 
b;  Gouarne,  hpschd;  RDFO,  Toldra.  El  Amor  Brujo.  Iriarte,  m-s; 
PCO,  Argenta,  An  35089.  Seoane,  s;  Navarro,  t;  Gonzalo,  bs;  Champs- 
Elys  ees  Th  0,  Halffter.  El  Amor  Brujo.  Rivadeneira,  c;  Madrid  SO, 
Freitas-Branco,  W  WL  5238. 

El  Retablo  de  Maese  Pedro.  Steingruber,  s;  Kmentt,  t;  Wiener,  bs; 
VPH,  Adler,  SPA  43. 

A  choice  between  the  Angel  and  the  Westminster  recordings  of 
the  delightful  marionette  opera  is  not  made  easily.  Before  the 
arrival  of  the  Angel,  the  Westminster  seemed  quite  definitive. 
But  if  Seoane,  the  "boy"  of  Halffter's  cast,  was  particularly  win- 
ning, Aragon  seems  just  that  much  more  nearly  perfect,  with  her 
contrasting  tone  qualities,  now  almost  stridently  boyish,  now 
sweetly  lyrical.  Gonzalo,  Westminster  s  Don  Quixote,  is  effective 
in  a  Chaliapinesque  sort  of  way,  but  there  is  a  noble  dignity  in 
Ausensi's  singing  which  sets  it  far  above  its  rival.  His  treatment 
of  the  Dulcinea  passage  is  very  moving.  As  for  the  Viennese 
Retablo,  its  first  disadvantage  is  that  it  runs  to  two  sides,  which 
is  uneconomical.  The  second  is  that,  for  all  the  earnestness  and 
musicality  of  the  performers,  I  find  no  evidence  of  a  flair  for  the 
Spanish  idiom,  such  as  is  eloquently  disclosed  by  its  competitors. 
Simply  as  voices,  Adler 's  singers  are  superior,  but  they  are  alto- 
gether less  convincing.  Both  Angel  and  Westminster  have  coupled 
with  this  work  the  ballet  with  songs  El  Amor  Brujo,  and  again  both 


Falla  84 

performances  are  remarkably  fine.  But  once  more  the  palm  goes  to 
Angel,  not  only  for  the  beauty  of  the  orchestral  playing,  but  be- 
cause of  the  superbly  brassy  Spanish  mezzo-soprano  who  sings 
the  songs. 

La    Vida  Breve.      De  los  Angeles,   s;   Gomez,   m-s;   Civil,   t;  Paya,   b; 

etc.;    Capilla   Class ica  Polifbnica;    Barcelona  Op  0,    Halffter,    V  LM 

6017  [2]  (*Songs,  de  los  Angeles). 

La  Vida  Breve  was  produced  at  the  Metropolitan  in  the  season  of 
1925-6,  but,  despite  the  presence  of  Lucrezia  Bori  in  the  leading 
role,  it  did  not  last  into  a  second  year.  Listening  to  the  delicate 
scoring  in  this  refined  and  sensitive  performance,  one  can  only 
account  for  its  non-success  in  New  York  by  the  size  of  the  audi- 
torium. No  such  problem  confronts  us  here.  The  cast  has  been 
chosen  with  unerring  taste;  each  of  the  singers  is  vocally  pleas- 
ing and  dramatically  in  the  picture.  The  orchestra  plays  elo- 
quently— excitingly  in  the  famous  dance — always  smoothly  and  in 
superb  balance.  The  choral  effects  in  which  the  score  abounds 
are  realized  with  a  sense  of  the  stage.  It  is  hard  to  believe  that 
Bori,  for  all  her  personal  appeal,  could  have  sung  the  role  of 
Salud  more  expressively  or  with  more  exquisite  art  than  does  de 
los  Angeles.  In  this  music  she  is  completely  at  home;  the  quality 
of  her  voice  has  a  melting  sweetness  that  stays  with  us  after  the 
final  curtain.  She  had  recorded  two  of  the  scenes  before,  beauti- 
fully, if  not  quite  with  the  perfect  poise  of  the  new  performance; 
and  for  comparison  there  exists  a  standard-play  disc  of  the  prin- 
cipal aria,  "Vivan  los  que  Hen,"  charmingly  sung  by  Bori. 

Songs 

Siete  Canciones  Populares  Espanolas.  Ibarrondo,  m-s;  Sandoval,  pf, 
10"  C  ML  2189  (*Sandoval:  Songs).  De  los  Angeles,  s;  Moore,  pf,  10" 
V  LM  131  (*Songs).  Supervia,  m-s;  Marshall,  pf,  10"  D  DL  7510  (*Gra- 
nados:  Songs). 

For  the  historical-minded,  and  for  those  who  find  themselves 
fascinated  by  the  peculiar  timbre  of  the  late  Supervia's  voice, 
hers  is  the  most  interesting  of  the  three  performances  listed  above. 
But  the  recording  is  old.  At  the  opposite  pole  is  the  tonally 
lovely,  beautifully  recorded,  almost  ladylike  singing  of  de  los 
Angeles.  Somewhere  in  the  middle  we  must  place  the  rich,  if  less 
distinctive,  voice  and  style  of  Ibarrondo.     Spanish  though  these 


Falla/Faure  85 

two  artists  be,  they  have  their  temperaments  well  under  control. 
Yet  another  performance  is  available  by  Souzay,  but  he  is  out  of 
his  element,  as  any  man  would  be,  in  these  colorful  songs  (10" 
L  LS  536). 

FARNABY,    GILES  (ca.  7  565  -co.  1640) 

Among  the  daffadillies;  My  lady's  colored  cheeks;  Lady,  the  silly  flea; 

The  curtain  drawn;  Sometime  she  would;  Construe  my  meaning;  Ay  me, 

poor  heart;  Simkin  said  that  Sis  was  fair.     Oriana  Singers,  Hobbs,  EMS 

5  (*Six  Pieces  for  the  Virginals). 

It  would  seem  that  Farnaby's  canzonets  should  rather  have  been 
called  madrigals,  so  impressive  are  they  in  size  and  elaborate  in 
workmanship.  When  sung  by  so  large  a  choir  as  this,  they  gain  in 
sonority,  but  lose  intimacy.  Still,  the  beauties  of  such  pieces  as 
"Construe  my  meaning"  and  "Ay  me,  poor  heart"  are  richly 
apparent. 

FAURE,    GABRIEL    URBAIN   (7845-7924) 

Choral  Work 

Requiem.      Angelici,   s;    Noguera,    b;   SEC  &  0,    Cluytens,   An  35019. 

Beems,    s;    Uppman,    b;    RWC;    Concert  Arts   0,    Wagner,    Cap  P   8241. 

Alarie,  s;  Maurane,  b;  BC;  LAM,   Fournet,  Ep  LC  3044.     Sautereau,  s; 

Demigny,  b;  PPC  &  0,   Leibowitz,  Oc  OCS  26.     Dupont,  s;  Didier,  b; 

Chanteurs  de  Lyon  &  Trigentuor,  Bourmauck,  C  ML  4529. 

The  choice  here  is  not  easy,  for  every  one  of  these  sets  has  some- 
thing to  commend  it.  Perhaps  the  most  quickly  disposed  of  is  the 
old  Columbia  transfer  from  78  rpm,  an  admired  recording  in  its  day 
but  never  a  model  of  choral  neatness.  On  all  counts,  it  is  super- 
seded by  any  one  of  the  four  newer  takes.  For  the  choral  portions 
of  the  work  (which  is  to  say,  most  of  it),  the  Angel  disc  has  the 
most  atmosphere,  with  the  Oceanic  running  second.  The  Epic  is 
perhaps  a  little  too  solid,  not  so  elevated  and  meditative  as  the 
others.  The  baritone  soloist  in  the  Capitol  set,  however,  is  good 
enough,  almost,  to  throw  the  balance  of  favor  that  way.  No  solo- 
ists in  this  work,  to  be  sure,  have  ever  matched  those  of  the  first, 
long-since-withdrawn  recording  (Victor  11154-8),  but  Uppman  is  in 
their  class.    Beems,  his  partner,  however,  is  far  below  them;  for  a 


Faure  86 

pair  of  good  singers,  Epic  has  the  edge,  as  Maurane  sings  with 
notable  dignity  and  reserve,  and  Alarie  wants  only  a  little  more 
intensity  to  be  first-rate.  Her  "Pie  Jesu'  is  curious  acoustically, 
however,  for  her  position  seems  to  change  in  mid-aria.  Angelici, 
in  the  Angel  recording,  clips  her  phrases,  but  her  vocal  quality  is 
characteristically  good.  Both  soloists  in  the  Oceanic  cersion  are 
above  average.  To  sum  up:  Cluytens's  performance  has  the  most 
churchly  atmosphere,  inclines  to  slower  tempos,  and  gives  the  im- 
pression of  the  deepest  thought  on  the  part  of  the  conductor; 
Fournet's  is  the  most  powerful,  effectively  contrasted  in  the  open- 
ing supplication,  but  disappointing  in  the  otherworldly  "Sanctus"; 
Leibowitz  makes  the  most  of  the  music's  restlessness  and  sup- 
plication; Wagner's  has  an  outstanding  soloist. 

Songs 

La  Bonne  Chanson.     Banco,  s;  Agosti,  pf,  10"  L  LS  589.     Cuenod,  t; 

Holetscheh,  pf,  W  WL  5278  (*Gounod:  Biondina). 

This  cycle  of  nine  Verlaine  settings  comes  best  from  a  male  singer, 
but  Cuenod  is  disappointingly  out  of  his  element  in  music  of  this 
kind.  Perhaps  some  of  the  effect  should  be  blamed  on  Holetschek's 
playing,  but  whosever  the  fault,  the  performance  is  square-cut, 
almost  metronomic.  It  would  not  be  right  to  call  the  artists  in- 
sensitive, but  they  are  certainly  not  at  home  in  this  cycle.  Un- 
fortunately, Danco,  reliable  artist  though  she  is,  does  not  quite 
bring  the  songs  off  either.  Somehow  her  singing  is  all  on  the 
surface;  there  is  not  much  to  criticize — it  simply  doesn't  carry 
conviction.  Unfortunately  again,  a  fresh,  charmingly  lyrical  per- 
formance by  the  young  American  soprano  Joan  Brainerd  (10"  CH 
CHC  49)  has  been  dropped  from  the  market.  And  the  near-defini- 
tive interpretation  by  Charles  and  Madeleine  Panzera  has  not 
found  its  way,  as  yet,  to  Victor's  LP  Treasury  series. 

La  Chanson  d'Eve.     Kolassi,  m-s;   Collard,   pf,   L  LL   919  (*Milhaud: 

Poemes  juifs). 

This  late  cycle  is  rarely  performed  and  was  never  before  recorded; 
it  is  therefore  an  important  addition  to  the  repertoire.  Happily, 
Kolassi  seems  just  right  for  this  kind  of  music.  Her  voice  is 
limited,  but  of  appealing  quality,  and  is  always  used  with  the 
greatest  discretion.  The  songs  are  allowed  to  speak  their  own 
pure  and  classical  language.    Many  passages  are  hauntingly  lovely. 

Les  Melodies  de   Venise  (Mandoline;  En  sourdine;  Green;  A  Clymene; 


Faure, Fickenscher  87 

C'est  Vextase);  Spleen;   Clair  de  lune.     Cuenod,   t;  Blancard,  pf,   Van 

VRS  414  (*Debussy:  Songs). 

Lydia;  Chanson  du  pecheur;  Adieu;  L' Horizon  chimerique.    C.  Panzera, 

b;  M.  Panzera,  pf,  Mer  MG  10097  (*Piano  Pieces;  Debussy:  Songs  and 

Piano  Pieces). 

Tristesse;  Au  bord  de  I'eau;  Apres  un  reve;  Clair  de  lune;  Arpege;  En 

sourdine;  L' Horizon  chimerique.     Souzay,  b;  Blancard,  pf,  L  LLP  245 

(*Schubert:  Songs). 

Le  Secret;  Soir;   Aurore;   En  sourdine;   Le  Parfum  imp eris sable;  Nell; 

Au  cimitiere;   Les   Roses   d' Ispahan.      Vallin,   s;    Faure,    pf,    10"    Vox 

PTL  1730. 

Cuenod  has  devoted  his  disc  to  settings  of  Verlaine  by  Faure  and 
Debussy.  As  was  inevitable,  this  musicianly  singer  presents  them 
all  with  unfailing  intelligence  and  taste,  but  unfortunately  he  does 
not  reveal  any  particular  affinity  for  this  type  of  music.  The 
high,  clear,  true  voice  is  rather  stiff.  One  misses  the  needed 
warmth.  Warmth  there  certainly  is  in  the  Panzera  program,  and  a 
searching  art  to  overcome  the  limitations  placed  by  advancing 
age  on  his  once-beautiful  voice.  Old-time  collectors  will  recog- 
nize every  one  of  the  titles  as  having  been  recorded  by  the  same 
artist  in  his  prime,  but  such  older  discs  are  no  longer  easy  to 
come  by.  At  any  rate,  here  is  lofty  art.  Souzay's  program  bene- 
fits by  a  lovely  legato,  appealing  tone,  and  musical  poise.  "Au 
bord  de  I'eau"  and  "Arpege"  are  reason  enough  for  buying  the 
record.  And  the  cool  perfection  of  "Clair  de  lune"  is  very  striking. 
The  Vallin  disc  is  a  dubbing  of  several  of  the  best  of  her  prewar 
recordings.  They  have  come  through  the  transfer  with  only  a 
little  of  their  brilliance  lost.  The  superb  "Soir,"  "Aurore,"  and 
"En  sourdine"  add  several  cubits  to  the  artist's  stature.  There 
are  some  odd  statements  in  the  accompanying  notes:  for  example, 
that  Faure 's  last  work  was  the  opera  Penelope.  Original  texts 
with  translations  are  provided. 

FICKENSCHER,   ARTHUR   (7877-7954) 

Willowwood.    Porter,  m-s;  Ens,  ML  MLR  7020. 

Whether  or  not  one  agrees  with  the  annotator  that  Fickenscher  is 
the  most  neglected  of  American  composers,  it  is  at  the  very  least 
interesting  to  have   these   Rossetti  settings   as   a  sample   of  his 


Fickenscher/Flotow  88 

style.  Obviously,  the  singer  understands  and  loves  the  songs; 
indeed  she  seems  more  greatly  interested  in  Fickenscher  than  in 
Rossetti.  One  complaint  concerns  the  length  of  the  music  on  these 
two  twelve-inch  sides.  Considering  how  short  the  cycle  is,  the 
break  in  the  middle  seems  as  unnecessary  as  it  is  unfortunate. 

FIORAVANTI,    VALENTINO    (1764-1837) 

Le  Cantatrice  Villane.     Noni,  s;  Or  ell,  s;  Lazzari,  t;  Bruscantini,  bs; 

etc.;  SCAO,  Rossi,  Cet  50102. 

This  little  post-Mozart  comedy  comes  as  a  complete  novelty.  The 
cast  is  mostly  familiar  from  various  other  operas  of  like  period  re- 
leased by  Cetra.  They  are  all  perfectly  at  home  in  the  rather 
modest  music,  and  they  are  well  recorded. 

FLOTOW,    FRIEDRICH   VON   (1812-1883) 

Alessandro  Stradella — Arias.      Jokl,   s;  Slezak,   t;   Jadlowker,   t.      10" 

Et  EL?  461  (*Slezak  Operatic  Recital). 

The  first  of  these  selections,  Stradella's  prayer,  will  have  a 
familiar  ring  to  all  who  remember  the  overture.  It  is  sung  by 
Slezak,  in  magnificent  voice,  probably  about  the  time  he  appeared 
in  the  opera  in  New  York  (1909-10).  Fritzi  Jokl's  contribution, 
"Seid  meiner  Wonne  stille  Zeugen,"  is  an  early  electrical  record- 
ing; it  is  very  brilliantly  sung,  in  tones  at  once  unusually  sweet 
and  admirably  firm.  Jadlowker's  aria  is  "Tief  in  den  Abruzzen," 
a  good  vehicle  for  his  impressive  coloratura,  but  he  is  less  well 
recorded  than  the  other  singers. 

Martha.     Berger,  s;   Tegetthoff,  c;  Anders,  t;  Greindl,  bs;  etc.;  BCOC; 

RBO,  Rother,  U  URLP  21 7  [3l 

It  is  good  to  hear  this  charming,  if  lightweight  comedy — ''Last 
Rose  of  Summer"  and  all — in  the  original  German;  for  many  years 
it  has  been  an  occasional  part  of  the  Italian  repertoire.  The 
stronger  Teutonic  accents  take  away  some  of  the  extra  sentiment 
induced  by  the  soft  Italian.  The  cast  is  expert,  with  special 
credit  to  Erna  Berger  in  the  title  role.  Peter  Anders,  the  Lionel, 
has,  like  Berger,  a  long  and  honorable  career  behind  him,  and  his 
voice  shows  it  in  a  way  the  soprano's  does  not.  But  if  the  tenor 
is  not  too  steady  or  too  mellifluous  in  his  solos,  he  fits  well  into 
the  sprightly  ensembles,  of  which  there  are  so  many  in  this  score. 


Flotow/Franz  89 

Tegetthoff  and  Greindl,  as  Nancy  and  Plunkett,  do  their  last  act 
duet,  'Ja,  was  nun?"  with  unction.  Although  the  balance  in  the 
set  is  fairly  good,  the  reproduced  sound  is  not  consistently  clean. 
On  the  last  side,  at  the  beginning  of  the  finale,  something  hap- 
pens to  both  quality  of  sound  and  pitch. 

FOSS,    LUKAS   (1922-         ) 

A    Parable   of  Death.      Zorina,    speaker;   Stevens,    t;   Southern  Baptist 

Theological  Seminary  Ch;  Louisville  0,  Whitney,  C  ML  4859  (*Martinu: 

Intermezzo;  Milhaud:  Kentuckiana). 

The  composer  informs  us  that  he  has  sought  to  write  a  melodrama 
avoiding  the  pitfalls  that  beset  this  medium.  The  text  is  a  trans- 
lation from  Rilke;  the  narrator  tells  the  story,  with  intermittent 
commentary  by  chorus  and  tenor  soloist.  The  inspiration  for  this, 
Foss  tells  us,  was  found  in  the  Bach  Passions,  where  the  flow  of 
the  story  is  broken  by  meditations.  All  of  which  would  have  been 
more  effective  had  we  been  given  the  text  to  follow,  for  the  words 
do  not  come  through  in  the  choral  singing.  Zorina  certainly  needs 
no  such  help,  for  her  delivery  is  very  beautiful  in  itself,  and  it  is 
as  clear  and  understandable  as  it  could  be.  Aside  from  this  ob- 
scurity in  the  work  of  the  other  participants,  the  recording  seems 
not  to  lack  much. 

The  Jumping  Frog  of  Calaveras  County.    Biller,  s;  Brock,  t;  Cavalucci, 

b;  Ukena,  bs;  etc.;  Kurzweil,  Ly  LL  11. 

This  operatic  treatment  of  the  famous  Mark  Twain  story  was  first 
produced  in  New  York  as  an  informal  piano-accompanied  enter- 
tainment. It  is  the  same  group  in  the  same  spirit  singing  it  here. 
The  music  is  functional  rather  than  memorable,  and  there  are  few 
opportunities  for  the  singers  to  use  their  legato  style.  Not  all  the 
diction  is  easy  to  follow,  for  things  happen  fast,  and  the  demands 
on  the  listener's  attention  are  considerable.  In  short,  here  is 
modern  American  opera  serving  comedy,  as  Weill's  Down  in  the 
Valley  served  tragedy. 

FRANZ,   ROBERT   (7875-7892) 

Sonntag;  Schlummerlied;   Nebel;  Die  Liebe   hat  gelogen.     Schloss,   s; 
Brice,  pf,  IRCC  L-7000  (*Wolf,  Schumann,  Strauss:  Songs). 


Franz/G.  Gabrieli  90 

Aus    meinen   grossen   Schmerzen;    Voglein,    wohin?;    Stille   Sicherheit; 

Bitte;    Liebchen  ist  da;   Mutter,   o  sing'  mich  zur  Ruh';   Gute   Nacht; 

Widmung.     Schumann,   s;  Schick,   pf,   Roy  1404  (Hiendelssohn:  Songs; 

Purcell:  Songs — Brownlee). 

For  all  their  polished  perfection,  most  of  the  well-known  songs  of 
Franz  are  so  slight,  so  lacking  in  "effectiveness"  for  the  singer, 
that  we  rarely  have  a  chance  to  hear  them.  It  is  significant,  how- 
ever, that  Lotte  Lehmann  included  five  of  them  on  her  farewell 
recital  program,  presumably  made  up  of  personal  favorites  (Pem- 
broke 1,  one  12"  disc,  one  10").  Aside  from  an  occasional  indi- 
vidual song,  those  listed  above  and  those  sung  by  Lehmann  are 
the  sum  total  of  Franz  on  LP.  Marjorie  Schloss,  pupil  and  assistant 
of  the  late  Edyth  Walker,  puts  us  in  her  debt  especially  for  the 
lovely  "Schlummerlied"  (with  the  same  text  as  Brahms 's  "Ruhe, 
Siissliebchen").  The  voice  is  ample  in  size  and  of  eminently 
satisfying  quality;  more  important  is  the  absorption  of  the  singer 
in  the  songs  she  sings.  Schumann,  great  artist  though  she  re- 
mained to  the  end  of  her  life,  was  in  poor  vocal  estate  when  her 
recital  was  made;  what  is  worse,  she  was  not  well  recorded:  ap- 
parently the  singer  was  right  inside  the  microphone. 

GABRIELI,   ANDREA   (ca.l 520 -  1 586) 

Motet    and    Missa    "Pater    peccavi";    Christmas    Motet    "Angelus    ad 

pastores.'f    TC,  d'Alessi,  Vox  PL  8370. 

The  chesty  quality  of  the  boys'  voices  in  these  performances,  and 
the  lusty,  extrovert  approach,  are  by  no  means  inappropriate  to 
the  full,  expansive  musical  style  of  the  elder  Gabrieli.  The  idea 
of  presenting  first  the  motet  Pater  peccavi,  then  following  it  with 
the  "parody"  mass,  which  the  composer  based  upon  its  thematic 
material,  is  excellent,  and  adds  special  interest  to  the  longer 
work.  Perhaps  the  record  is  for  a  particular  kind  of  specialist, 
but  for  those  who  approve  the  style  (not  quite  like  anything  in  any 
country  but  Italy)  the  performances  are  splendid.  Listeners  who 
like  a  lot  of  shading  in  a  cappella  music  will  not  find  much  com- 
fort here. 

GABRIELI,    GIOVANNI  (7557-7672) 

Magnificat;  Benedixisti  Domine;  0  quam  suavis;  Beata  es  Virgo  Maria; 
Exaudi  Deus;  Cantate  Domino;  Ego  dixi  Domine;  lnclina  Domine;  Mise- 


G.  Gabriel i/ Gershwin  "•! 

rere    mei   Deus;    0  magnum  mysterium;   Sancta  Maria;    Domine   exaudi 

orationem  meam.    TC,  d* Alessi,  Vox  PL  8830. 

Gabrieli's  music  is  in  its  nature  both  brilliant  and  magnificently 
sonorous.  Certainly  it  was  never  meant  for  the  kind  of  ethereal, 
otherworldly  singing  done  in  English  cathedral  choirs.  Msgr. 
d'Alessi's  group  really  gives  it  "the  works,  '  which  may  possibly 
be  not  too  far  from  the  practice  of  the  composer  himself.  With 
some  rather  obvious  exceptions,  most  of  the  singing  is  solid  and 
true,  and  the  recording  admirably  clear,  so  that  the  antiphonal 
choruses  stand  out  in  bold  relief.  But  the  dynamics  rarely  drop 
below  a  stentorian  forte,  with  the  boys  of  the  choir  entering  into 
the  spirit  of  the  thing  as  though  their  little  chests  would  burst. 
Twelve  motets  (accepting  the  Magnificat  as  one)  done  in  this 
manner  make  a  long  program. 

GERMAN,    SIR   EDWARD   0862-1936) 

Merry  England — Vocal  Selections.      Baird,    s;    Thomas,    c;    Young,    t; 

Cameron,  b;  NEW,  Olof,  L  LL   772  f*Nell  Gwynn— Dances;  Henry  VIII 

— Three  Dances). 

A  revival  of  at  least  the  outstanding  portions  of  German's  light 
score  was  an  inevitable  feature  of  the  Coronation  Year.  The  per- 
formance here  recorded  is  given  with  devotion  and  a  lack  of  affec- 
tation. The  nimble  voice  of  Patricia  Baird  illuminates  the  Sul- 
livan-like waltz  song,  and  Marjorie  Thomas  is  properly  dignified 
in  the  most  famous  air,  "0  peaceful  England."  To  crown  all, 
there  is  a  stirring  rendition  of  "God  save  Elizabeth"  at  the  end. 

GERSHWIN,    GEORGE   (1898-1937) 

Porgy  and  Bess.  Williams,  s;  Matthews,  s;  Winters,  b;  Long,  t;  Matthews, 

b;  etc.;  Ch  &  0,  Engel,  C  SL  162  [3]. 

This  recording  is  of  the  "authentic"  school,  making  every  effort 
to  recapture  the  spirit  of  the  first  production.  Those  who  wish  to 
compare  may  still  be  able  to  pick  up  Decca's  original-cast  record- 
ing of  some  years  back.  But  anyone  who  never  saw  Todd  Duncan 
and  Anne  Brown  in  the  title  roles  will  find  enough  to  enjoy  and 
admire  in  the  present  protagonists.  The  one  jarring  note  is  the 
embarrassingly  overdrawn  Sporting  Life  of  Avon  Long. 


Gesualdo/ Giordano  92 

GESUALDO,    CARLO,   PRINCE   OF   VENOSA 
(ca.l560-M3) 

Io  pur  respiro;  Felice  primavera;  Danzan  le  ninfe;  Moro  lasso;  Mera- 
viglia  d  amore;  Et  ardo  e  vivo;  Io  tacero;  Mercel  grido  piangendo. 
Randolph  Singers,  W  WL  5171  (^Monteverdi:  Madrigals). 

Because  of  its  fiendish  difficulties  for  the  performers,  Gesualdo's 
music  is  less  well  known  than  the  fact  that  he  was  also  a  murderer. 
Perfection  is  hardly  to  be  hoped  for,  but  the  Randolph  Singers, 
with  one  voice  to  a  part,  have  at  least  approached  it.  If  they 
don  t  quite  toss  the  madrigals  off  with  carefree  unconcern,  they  do 
manage  to  get  a  good  deal  of  spirit  into  them.  Complete  texts, 
translations,  and  full  analytical  notes  are  furnished.  One  of  these 
same  madrigals — "Io  pur  respiro" — and  another  very  striking  one 
— '  Dolcissima  mia  vita" — are  included  in  the  Hindemith  Col- 
legium Musicum  recording  (Ov  OVER  4).  Though  the  group  is  a 
larger  one,  the  performance  is  a  revelation,  because  of  Hinde- 
mith's  insight  into  the  music  and  his  ability  to  communicate  this 
to  his  singers. 

GIORDANO,    UrABERTO   (1867-1948) 

Andrea  Chenier.  Caniglia,  s;  Gigli,  t;  Bechi,  b;  etc.;  SCAC  &  0, 
Fabritiis,  V  LCT  6014  [2],  Sacchi,  s;  Sarri,  t;  Manca  Sena,  b;  etc.; 
ROC  &  0,  Paoletti,  U  URLP  218  [3].  Tebaldi,  s;  Soler,  t;  Saverese, 
b;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Basile,  Cet  1244  [3],  (Highlights)  Roselle,  s;  Seine- 
meyer,  s;  Lauri-Volpi,  t;  Zenatello,  t;  Pic  caver,  t;  Pattiera,  t;  Cor- 
radetti,  b;  Formichi,  b;  Et  484. 

If  one  wants  an  exciting  performance,  unusually  well  controlled 
but  tellingly  intense  and  sung  by  first-rate  voices,  there  is  little 
question  that  the  listener  will  accept  Victor's  older  and  less 
brilliant  reproduction.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  sound  is  unusually 
good  for  a  transfer  to  LP,  and  the  balance  of  voices  and  orchestra 
is  far  preferable  to  much  that  has  been  done  more  recently.  The 
three  principals  are  all  in  fine  form.  Caniglia's  voice  is  sure  and 
generally  steady;  it  shows  a  lyric  quality  not  always  notable  in 
her  recordings.  Both  she  and  Gigli  curb  their  natural  tendency  to 
emotionalize;  their  singing  of  the  big  duet  in  Act  2  is  eloquent, 
though,  like  many  others,  they  disregard  the  p's  Giordano  has 
placed  at  the  end  of  the  scene.  The  tenor  has  rarely  sounded 
better:    only  the   high   tones    betray  that  his   very  best  days  were 


Giordano  yo 

past  when  the  recording  was  made.  There  is  no  possible  doubt 
that  his  "Improvviso"  would  bring  down  any  house.  And  by  all 
odds,  this  is  the  best  singing  I  have  ever  heard  from  Bechi.  His 
first-act  aria,  in  particular,  is  splendidly  delivered.  Later  on  I 
feel  a  lack  of  "bite"  in  his  diction,  but  the  tone  is  always  hand- 
some. Among  the  lesser  singers  are  Simionato  and  Taddei,  both 
of  whom  have  achieved  stardom  since  the  time  of  recording.  The 
more  modern  recordings  are  both  of  the  better  grade  of  Italian 
production.  Cetra's  Tebaldi  sings  (save  for  a  few  high  tones) 
with  incomparable  tonal  beauty,  but  with  less  temperament  than 
Urania's  Sacchi.  She  gives  the  great  aria  "La  mamma  morta" 
with  the  most  thoughtful  declamation,  so  that  every  word  counts; 
except  for  the  climax,  the  voice  is  at  its  creamiest.  (An  earlier 
Tebaldi  performance  of  this  aria,  part  of  an  operatic  recital — 10" 
D  DL  4005 — is  more  consistently  steady.)  Soler,  Cetra's  Chenier, 
reveals  a  hard  tone,  not  too  certain  of  its  bearings  in  much  of  the 
opera,  but  capable  of  fine,  ringing  high  B-flats.  Urania's  more 
lyrical  Sarri  is  decidedly  preferable.  Cetra's  Savarese  makes  a 
good  start  in  his  opening  aria,  and  he  meets  the  general  standards 
of  modern  Italian  productions.  Manca  Serra  is  more  dramatic,  per- 
haps too  much  so,  and  he  makes  a  stronger  characterization.  The 
balance  is  better  in  the  Urania  set;  the  Cetra  recording  is  uneven. 
The  Highlights  set  brings  us  well-known  interpreters  of  the  past. 
Far  and  away  the  most  impressive  of  them  is  Cesare  Formichi, 
once  of  the  Chicago  Opera,  whose  voice,  electrically  recorded, 
is  strong  and  telling  in  the  monologue  "Nemico  della  patria.' 
Unfortunately,  the  orchestra  is  sketchy.  From  an  earlier  genera- 
tion is  Ferruccio  Corradetti,  a  prolific  recording  baritone,  whose 
account  of  Gerard's  first-act  aria,  "Son  sessant'  anni,"  is  almost 
equally  impressive.  The  strong-winded  Lauri-Volpi  is  heard  as  a 
young  man  in  the  "Improvviso";  it  is  interesting  to  hear  how  he 
handles  the  dramatic  text.  Following  immediately,  Giovanni 
Zenatello's  tone  sounds  thin  in  Chenier 's  "Credo"  from  the  sec- 
ond act;  the  fine  artist  is  at  a  disadvantage  in  something  less 
than  the  best  recording.  Anne  Roselle,  electrically  reproduced, 
does  not  seem  to  be  at  her  ease  in  "La  mamma  morta";  the  tone 
is  a  little  rigid,  and  she  does  not  let  herself  go.  The  admired 
Alfred  Piccaver  wants  intensity  in  his  delivery  of  "Come  un  bel 
di  di  maggio."  The  final  duet  is  sung  in  German  (not  too  clear  on 
the  part  of  the  tenor)  by  Meta  Seinemeyer  and  Tino  Pattiera.     The 


Giordano/Glinka  94 

soprano's  voice  is  straight  as  a  die,  and  thrilling  in  its  purity. 
The  orchestra  (electrically  recorded)  is  primitive. 

Fedora.     Caniglia,  s;  Prandelli,  t;  Colombo,  b;  etc.;  R.IC  &  0,  Rossi, 

Cet  1222  [2\.     Calma,  s;  P ellizzoni,  t;  Gilardoni,   b;  etc.;  SCAC  &  0, 

Quadri,  Col  CLPD  1021/2  [2]. 

Neither  of  these  sets  is  really  satisfactory.  Cetra's  cast  is  com- 
petent rather  than  brilliant,  headed  by  a  well-known  soprano  past 
her  prime  and  an  excellent  tenor  not  quite  arrived  at  his.  The  re- 
production is  good  enough.  In  the  Colosseum  performance,  re- 
cording difficulties  militate  against  whatever  effect  the  high- 
strung,  characteristically  Italian  production  might  give.  The 
singers  seem  to  have  good  voices,  and  to  project  them  for  all  the 
drama  Sardou  and  Giordano  could  have  had  in  mind,  but  the  sound 
is  over-brilliant,  even  shrill,  not  properly  balanced  with  the  some- 
what tubby-sounding  orchestra. 

Mese  Mariano.     Calma,  s;  Villani,  s;  Palombini,  m-s;  Rovetta,  b;  etc.; 

SCAC  &  0,  Rivoli,  Col  CLPS  1023. 

This  little-known  opera  might  be  called  Giordano's  Suor  Angelica, 
for  it  treats  of  a  conflict  of  religious  atmosphere  and  very  human 
passion  in  a  manner  not  unlike  that  of  Puccini's  one-acter.  As  no 
score  or  libretto  has  been  available  to  me,  I  can  only  speak  gen- 
erally of  the  sound  of  the  performance  in  an  opera  not  likely  to 
make  its  way  in  the  United  States.  The  voices  are  more  or  less 
typical  of  contemporary  Italian  productions,  and  the  singing  has 
more  fire  than  finesse.  The  recording  is  good  if  we  compensate 
for  a  heavy  bass  and  some  rather  piercing  highs.  It  is  all  loud,  but 
loudness  is  really  not  out  of  place  in  this  type  of  music. 

GLINKA,    MICHAEL    IVANOVITCH   (1803-1857) 

A  Life  for  the  Czar.     Shpieler,  s;  Nelepp,  t;  Mikhailov,  bs;  etc.;  BSIC 

&  0,  Melik-Pashayev,  Van  VRS  6010/11/12  [3]. 

A  Life  for  the  Czar  is  one  of  the  great  landmarks  in  the  history  of 
Russian  opera,  but  from  the  way  it  is  done  here,  the  unprejudiced 
hearer  will  have  a  hard  time  convincing  himself  that  it  is  a  master- 
piece. Perhaps  those  who  understand  Russian  will  get  more  out 
of  it.  In  any  event,  the  recording  seems  well  enough  made,  though 
it  is  not  always  consistent.  There  is  some  echo  in  the  big,  ex- 
pansive sound  of  the  overture — the  rests  are  not  always  silence. 
Two  of  the  most  famous  scenes  are  available  on  a  single  side  (Col 
CRLP  117),  the  performance  being  also  from  the  Bolshoi  Theater, 


Glinka/Gluck  95 

the  conductor  this  time  Samosud.  The  same  Mikhailov  sings  Sus- 
sanin's  long  monologue  from  Act  4,  and  the  soprano  Barsova  of- 
fers Antonida's  aria  from  the  same  act.  The  latter  I  found  prefer- 
able to  Shpieler;  the  voice  is  richer  and  more  pleasing.  However, 
the  reproduction  is  on  the  dull  side,  quite  definitely  inferior  to 
Vanguard's. 

CLUCK,   CHRISTOPH  W/LL/BALD   VON 
(1714-1787) 

Fruhlingsfeier.      Berlin  Mozart  Boys'  Ch;   German  Op  House   Cham  0, 

Steffin,  V  URLP  7018  (*Ballet  Suite). 

This  is  a  twentieth-century  adaptation  of  the  composer's  re-working 
of  parts  of  his  opera  //  Re  Pas  tore,  fitted  to  a  text  by  Klopstock. 
It  is  not  important,  however  you  take  it,  but  its  pleasant  melodies 
emerge  charmingly  from  the  mouths  of  the  boys.  There  is  one  soloist 
with  a  particularly  melting  voice.  The  accompanying  orchestra  is 
hardly  a  model  of  precision. 

Alceste.     Semser,   s;  Seri,   t;  Demigny,   b;   etc.;   Ch;  PPO,  Leibowitz, 

Oc  OCS  304  [31 

If  such  a  masterpiece  as  Alceste  is  ever  to  hold  its  own  in  the 
repertoire,  it  must  be  performed  by  artists  with  exceptional  voices 
and  the  grand  manner.  This  recording  was  apparently  timed  to 
capitalize  on  the  interest  aroused  by  Flags  tad's  Metropolitan 
farewell  in  the  title  role;  this  may  account  for  evidences  of  hasty 
preparation.  Semser  as  Alceste,  on  whom  so  much  depends,  shows 
a  voice  of  splendid  possibilities,  but  not  the  schooling  and  the 
poise  that  are  the  essence  of  Gluck  singing. 

Iphigenie    en    Tauride.      Neway,    s;   Mollet,    b;   Simoneau,    t;   etc.;   Ch; 

PCO,  Giulini,  Vox  PL  7822  [2]. 

It  would  be  pleasant  to  hail  Iphigenie  en  Tauride  as  a  recorded 
masterpiece,  but  such  are  the  inadequacies  of  this  performance 
that  one  begins  to  wonder  about  the  strength  of  the  opera  itself, 
despite  so  much  first-rate  music.  Once  again  it  seems  that  a  cast 
has  been  hastily  assembled  and  not  sufficiently  rehearsed.  Only 
Simoneau  shows  any  feeling  for  the  heroic  Gluck  style.  Neway, 
whose  considerable  reputation  was  built  in  the  music  of  Menotti, 
was  a  strange  choice  for  the  title  role. 

L'lvrogne   corrige.      Lindenfelder,   s;   Collart,   s;   Betti,   s;    Benoit,   t; 

Demigny,  t;  etc.;  PPO,  Leibowitz,  Ren  X  38. 

This  youthful  comedy,  with  its  premonitions  of  the  greater  Gluck, 


G/ocfc  96 

is  performed  all  in  the  spirit  of  good  clean  fun.  It  comes  through 
the  ordeal  of  recording  with  colors  flying  higher  than  those  of  the 
composer's  more  significant  works.  These  singers  have  a  sense 
of  style,  and  their  voices  sound  well;  everything  seems  thoroughly 
under  control  from  the  podium.  Especially  delightful  is  the  trio 
near  the  end.  One  wonders,  on  being  told  the  score  has  been  re- 
vised by  conductor  Leibowitz,  how  much  editing  has  actually  been 
done,  and  how  much  of  the  music  has  been  cut.  The  spoken  dialogue 
running  through  the  work  seems  less  likely  to  pall  than  that  in 
many  such  pieces. 

Orfeo  ed  Euridice.     Klose,  c;  Berger,  s;  Streich,  s;  Fleig,  s;  BCOC  & 

0,  Rother,   (J  URLP  223  [3].     (Abridged)  Ferrier,  c;  Ayars,  s;   Vlacho- 

poulos,  s;  GFC;  SPO,  Stiedry,  L  LL  924. 

Orphee    et   Euridice   (abridged).       Raveau,    c;    Feraldy,    s;    Delille,   s; 

VlassoffCh;  0,   Tomasi,  Vox  PTL  6780. 

For  purposes  of  comparison,  it  is  interesting  to  have  both  the  Italian 
and  the  later  French  version  (both  authentic)  of  this  masterpiece. 
The  Tomasi  performance  has  long  been  a  phonographic  classic, 
partly  because  of  its  substantial  merits,  but  partly,  too,  because 
for  many  years  it  was  the  only  recording  available.  Raveau  en- 
joyed a  big  reputation  in  the  title  role,  and  it  is  good  to  have  her 
singing  of  it  preserved.  The  rest  of  the  cast  is  adequate.  For 
those  who  find  the  Italian  language  better  suited  to  Gluck's  classic 
lines,  we  now  have  the  presentation  of  a  distinguished  German 
cast.  Klose  has  certainly  one  of  the  noblest  of  latter-day  con- 
tralto voices,  and  she  has  a  sense  of  style,  though  her  voice  seems 
less  rich  here  than  when  she  sings  in  her  own  language.  There 
are  weak  moments:  in  the  duet  with  Euridice,  the  contralto's  de- 
livery is  heavy  and  labored,  nor  is  her  conception  of  '  Che  faro 
sufficiently  simple  and  direct.  At  this  crucial  point,  Raveau  too 
falls  down,  for  her  tempo  is  incredibly  slow — so  slow,  indeed, 
that  to  suit  the  exigencies  of  the  twelve-inch  78-rpm  disc  for 
which  she  sang,  she  had  to  call  it  a  day  in  mid-aria — which  some 
may  find  ironically  amusing  in  this  day  of  LP!  The  Urania  re- 
cording is  uneven,  but  on  the  whole  satisfactory;  the  Vox  shows 
undeniable  signs  of  its  age.  Mention  has  been  left  to  this  point  of 
the  London  recording,  distinguished  only  by  its  incomplete  reali- 
zation of  Ferrier 's  noble  Orpheus.  At  the  time  of  this  performance 
the  contralto  had  not  yet  found  her  definitive  interpretation,  and 
apparently  no  one  was  greatly  inspired  by  the  conductor.  The 
score  was  mercilessly  cut,  and  the  pruning  has  been  carried  still 


Cluck/ Goldmark  97 

further  in  the  transfer  to  LP.  And  unhappily  the  once-respectable 
reproduction  has  noticeably  suffered  with  the  change  of  speed.  A. 
vocally  handsome  and  highly  intelligent  performance  of  "Che 
faro"  (in  German)  by  Martha  Modi  is  worth  investigation  (10"  Tel 
TM  68009). 

GOETZ,    HERMANN  (1840-1876) 

Der  Widerspenstigen  Zahmung.  Teschemacher,  s;  Trotschel,  s;  Nils- 
sen,  b;  Ahlersmeyer,  b;  Frick,  bs;  etc.;  DOC  &  0,  Elmendorff,  (J  URLP 
221  [31 

Goetz's  Taming  of  the  Shrew,  the  masterpiece  of  a  pitifully  short 
career,  waited  many  years  for  a  hearing  at  the  Metropolitan,  and 
then,  after  a  brief  sojourn,  returned  to  oblivion  so  far  as  the 
United  States  is  concerned.  This  performance  is  presented  by 
some  of  the  most  dependable  of  recent  German  singers,  who  give 
us  a  pretty  good  idea  of  the  interesting,  though  not  very  Shake- 
spearean score.  Teschemacher,  perhaps,  does  the  most  impres- 
sive job  in  the  title  role,  for  though  her  lovely  voice  does  not  al- 
ways sound  its  best,  she  manages  much  in  the  way  of  character- 
ization. One  might  wish  for  more  lyricism  in  the  singing  of 
Ahlersmeyer,  though  he  is  fully  equal  to  the  vocal  demands  of  his 
role.  The  rest  are  competent,  but  variable.  Urania  apologizes  for 
the  recording,  which  should  have  been  better;  it  was  felt  that  the 
work  was  worth  attention,  even  in  an  imperfect  presentation. 

GOLDMARK,    KARL    (1830-1915) 

Die    Konigin   von   Saba — Highlights.      Elizza,    s;   Kurz,    s;    Bland,    s; 

Slezafc,  t;  Wiedemann,  b;  Hesch,  bs;  Et  0-473. 

The  Queen  of  Sheba,  once  a  sensational  opera,  retained  its  popu- 
larity inVienna  many  years  after  the  rest  of  the  world  had  forgotten 
it.  The  singers  of  these  Highlights  were  all  stars  of  the  great 
opera  house  in  the  Austrian  capital  in  the  first  decade  of  the  pres- 
ent century.  Slezak  enjoyed  the  greatest  reputation  internation- 
ally, and  though  his  early  recordings  do  not  show  all  that  I  am 
sure  he  had,  these  examples  are  among  his  best.  The  voice  ob- 
viously was  huge,  which  fact  must  have  made  recording  a  problem 
for  him.  His  singing  of  the  aria  "Magische  Tone"  has  long  been 
a  collector's  item,  and  is  certainly  beautifully  controlled  vocalism, 
though  his  ideas  of  melodic  articulation  were  rather  free.    Wilhelm 


Goldmark/ Gounod  98 

Hesch,  a  magnificent  basso  who  died  in  1908,  shows  a  fine  breadth 
of  style  in  the  aria  "Tritt  ohne  Zagen  ein,"  though  the  recording 
is  weak.  Elise  Elizza  is  very  lovely  in  Sulamith's  first-act  aria, 
assisted  by  a  sketchy  women's  chorus,  and  Selma  Kurz  is  beyond 
praise  in  the  love-call  from  the  second  act.  Kurz  was  celebrated 
for  the  most  nearly  perfect  trill  in  memory,  and  we  have  a  breath- 
taking example  of  it  here.  Elsa  Bland  and  Friedrich  Wiedemann 
strike  me  as  estimable,  but  less  arresting,  singers  in  their  con- 
tributions to  various  duets. 

GOUNOD,    CHARLES   FRANCOIS  (1818-1893) 

Operas 

Faust.  De  los  Angeles,  s;  Angelici,  s;  Michel,  m-s;  Gedda,  t;  Borthayre, 
b;  Chris  toff,  bs;  etc.;  POC  &  0,  Cluytens,  V  LM  6400  [3].  Geori- 
Boue,  s;  Nore,  t;  Bourdin,  b;  Rico,  bs;  etc.;  Ch;  RPO,  Beecham,  V 
LCT  6100  [<?].  Steber,  s;  Conley,  t;  Guarrera,  b;  Siepi,  bs;  etc.;  MOC 
&  0,  Cleva,  C  SL  112  [31 

Surely  most  listeners  will  find  the  latest  "complete"  Faust  the 
most  satisfactory  all  around.  For  one  thing,  it  is  the  most  com- 
prehensive, including,  as  it  does,  the  "Walpurgis  Night"  scene, 
with  the  ballet;  for  another,  it  benefits  by  the  experienced  guiding 
hand  of  Andre  Cluytens.  But  Faust  is  a  singers'  opera,  and  in 
this  as  well  as  the  other  two  sets  the  singing  is  variable.  On  the 
right-hand  side  of  the  ledger,  we  have  the  Marguerite  of  Victoria 
de  los  Angeles,  even  though  she  does  little  to  suggest  the  charac- 
ter of  the  simple  heroine;  she  simply  sings  ravishingly — per- 
fectly, except  for  a  high  tone  or  two.  Just  a  touch  of  the  kind  of 
direct  appeal  Angelici  brings  to  the  role  of  Siebel  would  put  her 
out  of  this  world.  Michel  is  an  unusually  strong  Martha.  Best  of 
the  men  is  the  authentically  French  Borthayre;  Gedda  is  a  prom- 
ising, not  quite  developed  Faust,  Christoff  an  unbearably  man- 
nered and  un- French  Mephistopheles.  This  is  one  opera  in  which 
he  should  not  have  played  on  his  strong  resemblance  to  the  late 
Chaliapin.  The  advantages  of  a  really  French  cast  are  demon- 
strated, by  contrast,  in  the  other  two  sets.  Beecham's  recording 
was  sensational  when  it  was  new,  less  because  of  the  singing 
than  because  for  the  first  time  a  new  side  of  Gounod's  score  was 
revealed:  the  orchestration.  Naturally,  as  the  performance  ante- 
dates LP,  it  no  longer  scores  for  top-flight  reproduction,  and  in- 


Gounod  99 

deed  there  was  always  room  for  criticism  of  the  placement  of  the 
voices  in  relation  to  the  microphones.  But  Sir  Thomas  had  im- 
ported his  cast  from  Paris,  and  with  all  their  tendency  to  shrill- 
ness, they  knew  how  to  sing  Faust.  The  original  version  of  the 
score  was  used,  which  means  that  the  baritone  aria  composed  for 
the  first  London  production — to  Chorley's  words,  "Even  bravest 
heart'* — is  omitted.  There  are  other  cuts,  more  or  less  standard. 
Cleva's  reading  of  the  score  has  none  of  the  distinction  of  Beech- 
am's,  and  the  singers  are  an  international  group.  Steber's  voice 
voice  may  be  finer  by  nature  than  Geori-Boue's,  but  she  has  less 
lyrical  appeal;  Conley's  Faust  has  plenty  of  power  and  an  Italianate 
style;  Guarrera  seems  to  tire  as  he  sings,  and  Siepi,  potentially  a 
fine  Devil,  remains  incorrigibly  an  Italian. 

A  set  of  Highlights  by  the  New  York  City  Center  Opera  Company 
(MGM  E  553,  10",  or  E  3023,  coupled  with  ATda  Highlights)  allots 
an  aria  apiece  and  part  of  the  Love  Duet  to  Yeend,  Bible,  Petrak, 
Cassel,  and  Scott,  under  the  direction  of  Laszlo  Halasz.  It  is  all 
reasonably  well  done  in  rather  thick  French.  From  Victor's  his- 
torical archives  another  set  has  been  assembled,  featuring  Farrar, 
Mme  Gilibert,  Caruso,  Scotti,  and  Journet  (V  LCT  1103).  Most  of 
the  recordings  date  from  1910,  when  the  artists  were  at  their  peak. 
An  unfortunate  exception  is  Farrar's  "Jewel  Song" — the  superior 
1908  version  was  passed  up  for  that  of  1913.  The  dubbing  is  good, 
as  such  things  go.  Journet,  it  will  be  recalled,  took  part  near  the 
end  of  his  life  in  the  first  "complete"  electrical  recording  of 
Faust,  a  performance  that  might  well  be  revived  for  his  magnifi- 
cent Mephistopheles.  Assorted  luminaries  of  the  past  are  brought 
together  in  Eterna's  set  of  Highlights,  the  recordings  ranging  from 
1905  to  the  early  thirties  (Et  487).  Campagnola  and  Cerdan,  ex- 
cellent and  authentically  French  singers,  are  able  to  triumph  over 
a  completely  inadequate  orchestral  background  in  the  first  act  duo 
for  Faust  and  Mephistopheles.  The  only  other  "natives"  in  the 
set  are  Talexis  and  Rigaux,  whose  Church  Scene  is  inevitably 
pale  because  of  the  inability  of  the  early  recording  to  catch  the 
atmosphere  this  music  needs.  The  Italians  are  represented  by  de 
Luca  in  Valentine's  aria  (with  piano  accompaniment),  Bonci  in 
"Salve  dimora,"  Arimondi  in  a  wonderfully  sonorous  Serenade, 
and  Pasini-Vitale,  Grassi,  and  Luppi  in  the  final  trio.  Michael 
Bohnen  may  be  remembered  by  old-timers  for.  the  ructions  he  caused 
with  his  Mephistopheles  in  New  York,  and  it  is  not  hard  to  sympa- 


Gounod  100 

thize  with  the  critics  on  hearing  his  erratic  Germanic  performances 
of  "Le  Veau  d'or"  and  the  "Invocation" — I  doubt  that  any  other 
recording  contains  as  many  or  such  prominent  rolled  r's  as  the 
latter.  The  limpid  tones  of  Berta  Kiurna  triumph  over  the  awkward 
German  words  in  her  electrically  recorded  "Jewel  Song,"  but 
Bettendorf  and  Piccaver  are  less  at  home  in  the  Garden  Scene 
duet;  the  soprano  allows  her  lovely  voice  to  slide  around,  and  the 
tenor  seems  not  greatly  interested  in  the  whole  thing.  The  dubbing 
throughout  is  successful. 

Romeo  et  Juliette.     Micheau,  s;  Collart,  s;  Jobin,  t;  Rehfuss,  b;  Cam- 

bon,  bs;  etc.;  POC  &  0,  Erede,  L  LLA  18  [3]. 

Such  a  recording  can  do  much  to  reverse  the  positions  of  Faust 
and  Romeo  as  Gounod's  masterpiece  and  his  second-best,  for  this 
was  one  of  those  rare  occasions  in  the  studios  when  everything 
seems  to  have  gone  just  right,  a  circumstance  that  has  never  yet 
befallen  Faust  on  records.  Most  important  component  of  this  suc- 
cess, of  course,  is  the  conductor,  and  I  do  not  recall  anything 
Erede  has  done  on  records  or  in  the  opera  house  to  compare  with 
this  vital  and  masterful  performance.  Micheau  makes  a  somewhat 
tentative  beginning  as  Juliet,  but  by  the  time  she  reaches  the 
famous  waltz  she  is  in  her  stride.  A  lovelier,  more  appealing  heroine 
would  be  hard  to  find  today.  Jobin,  too,  does  the  best  work  we 
have  had  from  him;  in  the  love  duets  these  artists  blend  with 
touching  sympathy.  Such  a  line  as  Romeo's  "Va,  repose  en  paix" 
sheds  a  new  light  on  the  capacities  of  the  Canadian  tenor.  Pierre 
Mollet  does  a  splendid  job  in  the  Queen  Mab  bit,  and  Collart  is  ex- 
cellent in  Stephano's  aria.  Rehfuss,  as  Frere  Laurent,  is  like- 
wise outstanding,  and  Cambon's  treatment  of  the  couplets  in  the 
first  act  might  be  taken  as  a  model.  For  those  who  would  like  the 
fourth-act  love  duet  only,  there  is  a  reasonably  good  (but  quite 
American)  performance,  interestingly  coupled  with  Tchaikovski's 
Romeo  and  Juliet  duet,  by  Jean  Fenn  and  Raymond  Manton  (Cap  P 
8189). 

Songs 

Biondina.     Cuenod,  t;  Holetschek,  pf,  W  WL   5278  (*Faure:  La  Bonne 

Chanson). 

Cuenod  has  usually  been  associated  with  the  older  schools  of 
music,   and  his   excursions  into  more  modern  repertoire  have   not 


Gounod/ Grieg  101 

been  unqualified  successes.     This  simple  little  cycle  of  Gounod 

fares   better.      Perhaps    the  very  directness   of  the   music  was  a 

challenge;  at  any  rate  the  twelve  songs  are  given  for  all  the  charm 

there  is  in  them.    One  of  them,  "Ho  messo  nuove  corde,"  may  be 

familiar  on  its  own  right,  but  as  a  cycle,  Biundina  is  new,  at  least 

to  me. 

Chanson  de  printemps;  Ce  que  je  suis  sans   toi;  Ma  Belle  Amie  est 

morte;    Venise;   0  ma   Belle  Rebelle;    Viens!  les   gazons   sont  verts!; 

Les  Deux  Pigeons.    Souzay,  b;  Bonneau,  pf,  10"  L  LD  9110. 

My  first  reaction  on  seeing  this  recorded  recital  was  to  scan  the 
list  of  titles  in  search  of  "0  ma  Belle  Rebelle,"  gratefully  re- 
membered from  one  of  the  first  Souzay  discs  given  American  re- 
lease, before  LP.  I  am  happy  to  report  that  it  is  here  and  thriving, 
along  with  the  rustling  "Chanson  de  printemps"  (not  to  be  con- 
fused with  the  better  known  "Au  printemps")  and  "Venise,"  for 
which  some  of  the  best  modern  French  musicians  have  expressed 
admiration.  The  disc,  indeed,  is  a  good  advocate  for  Gounod  the 
song- composer,  though  I  suspect  it  might  have  won  more  friends 
had  some  of  the  strophic  melodies  been  cut  down  to  one  time 
through.  I  think  the  sympathetic  annotator  goes  a  little  too  far  in 
talking  down  the  piano  parts  of  the  songs,  for  in  the  hands  of 
Jacqueline  Bonneau  several  of  them  are  quite  beautiful — viz.,  the 
aforementioned  "Venise."  Souzay  has  given  us  nothing  more 
persuasive  than  this  recital. 

GRIEG,    EDVARD   HAGERUP   (1843-1907) 

Peer    Gynt — Incidental    Music    (original    stage    version).       Maurstad, 
speaker;  Prytz,  s;  etc.;  Oslo  Phil  0,  Griiner-Hegge,  Mer  MG  10148. 

The  comprehensiveness  of  this  performance  shrinks  on  examina- 
tion: according  to  the  jacket  note,  the  disc  contains  thirteen  of 
the  twenty-four  pieces  in  the  score,  the  remaining  eleven  being 
mostly  functional  to  the  drama  and  not  independently  interesting  as 
music.  Some  of  the  numbers  we  hear,  however,  have  vocal  parts 
not  here  included:  for  example,  the  familiar  "In  the  Hall  of  the 
Mountain  King"  should  properly  have  a  chorus.  Most  interesting 
of  the  vocal  numbers  included  is  the  little-known  "Chorus  of  the 
Saeter  Girls,"  with  Peer  Gynt's  spoken  lines.  "Solvejg's  Song," 
reduced  to  a  single  stanza,  is  nicely  given  by  Eva  Prytz,  but  the 


Grieg  102 

singer  surpasses  this  effort  in  the  moving  "Cradle  Song"  with 
which  the  work  ends. 

Gutten;    Fra   Monte   Pincio;    Ved  Rondarne;   Vaaren;    Eros;   En  Svane. 

Flagstad,  s;  PHI,  Braithwaite,  Susskind,  10"  V  LM  99. 

En  Svane;  Modersorg;  Med  en  Vandlilje;   Tak  for  dit  raad.     Niemela,  s; 

Koskimies,  pf,  WCFM  5  (*Sibelius,  Kilpinen:  Songs). 

Solve jg's   Song;  On  St.   John's   Eve;    Tides   of  Spring;   I  love  thee;  A 

Dream;   Thanks  for  thy  advice;  A  Swan.     Warenskjold,  s;  Concert  Arts 

0,  Greeley,  Cap  P  8247  (*Dvorak:  Songs). 

Grieg's  measure  as  a  song-writer  is  apparent  only  when  we  hear 
his  music  sung  in  the  original  language.  It  is  a  major  tragedy  that 
so  many  of  his  works  in  this  field,  first  published  in  Germany, 
have  become  internationally  known  in  none-too-happy  translations. 
It  is  greatly  to  Flagstad's  credit  that  her  recitals  did  so  much  to 
make  this  clear;  she  never  sang  so  eloquently  as  in  her  own 
tongue.  Her  program  of  Grieg  therefore  is  one  of  the  most  valu- 
able souvenirs  she  has  left,  including  as  it  does  several  of  the 
masterpieces.  The  fact  that  the  group  has  been  orchestrated  is  by 
no  means  fatal  (though  unfortunate,  at  least  in  the  case  of  "A 
Swan")  for  they  are  mostly  big  songs.  Perhaps  a  passing  sigh  is 
in  order  over  the  memory  of  this  singer's  prewar  recording  of  the 
Haugtussa  cycle,  surely  one  of  the  finest  things  she  did  for  the 
phonograph  (V  M  714).  A  re-make  in  the  days  of  LP  was  far  less 
satisfactory,  and  has  been  for  some  time  on  the  retired  list  (LM 
1094). 

Niemela's  group  is  part  of  a  program  called  "Songs  of  Scandinavia." 
Hers  is  a  sweet,  expressive  voice  and  a  good  degree  of  interpreta- 
tive talent.  Her  "En  Svane"  is  more  intimate  than  Flagstad's,  and 
her  "Modersorg"  is  outstanding.  One  curious  shortcoming  in  the 
singer  is  a  lack  of  support  in  some  of  the  softer  and  lower  pas- 
sages. With  the  Warenskjold  disc  we  go  back  to  orchestrations 
and  bear  the  songs  in  English.  One  or  two  survive  the  first  ordeal 
well  enough — "Tides  of  spring"  {"Vaaren"),  for  example — but 
most  are  too  delicate  for  such  treatment.  And  it  is  the  same 
"Tides  of  spring"  that  suffers  most  in  translation.  I  must  con- 
fess   to   so   much   pleasure   derived   from    the    limpid  voice   of  the 


Grieg/ Hahn  103 

singer  and  her  unfailing  good  taste  in  performance  that  I  cannot 
condemn  the  record. 

GRUEN,    JOHN   (1927-         ) 

Vier    Studentenbuch    Lieder;    Die    Sirenen;    Halfte    des    Lebens;    Four 

Songs  fe.e.cummings);  Chansons  de  Geishas.     Bannister,  s;  Gruen,  pf, 

Ele  1. 

Pomes  P enyeach;   Thirteen  ways  of  looking  at  a  blackbird.     Neway,  s; 

Gruen,  pf,  Con  AP  121  (*Donovan,  Kraehenbuehl:  Woodwind  Quartets). 
Born  in  Paris,  educated  in  Berlin  and  Milan,  Gruen  is  a  man  of 
many  languages,  which  accounts  for  the  breadth  of  his  selection 
in  poetry.  So  far,  he  has  devoted  himself  almost  exclusively  to 
the  writing  of  songs,  though  a  sample  of  his  choral  compositions 
may  be  found  in  the  Concert  Choir's  "Contemporary  Christmas 
Carols"  program  (Con  AP  122).  Of  the  two  song  recordings,  Ban- 
nister's is  the  more  ingratiating,  largely  because  of  the  soprano's 
lovely  voice  and  clean  style.  The  most  likely  to  achieve  popu- 
larity are  the  haunting  Cummings  settings  and  the  delicate  French 
Geisha  Songs.  Neway's  approach  is  more  aggressive;  she  shows 
power  rather  than  intimacy,  and  her  voice  lacks  Bannister's 
appeal. 

HAHN,   REYNALDO  (1875-1947) 

Chansons  grises;  Quand  je  fus  pris  au  pavilion;  L'lncredule;  Paysage; 

Phyllis;  Si  mes  vers  avaient  des  ailes;  Mai.    Jansen,  b;  Bonneau,  pf, 

10"  L  LS  645. 

Chansons    grises;   D'une  prison;   Si  mes   vers   avaient  des  ailes;  Of- 

frande.    Chelsi,  b-  pf,  MT  MLO  1008. 

This  composer's  representation  on  LP  is  disappointing.  Any 
singer  making  up  a  program  is  likely  to  include  "Si  mes  vers 
avaient  des  ailes" — Dobbs  (An  35094),  Sayao  (10"  C  ML  2152), 
Singher  (C  ML  4258),  Swarthout  (V  LM  1793),  Teyte  (V  LCT  1133), 
Tourel  (C  ML  4158) — but  few  seem  to  realize  that  he  wrote  other 
and  better  songs.  Neither  program  listed  above  is  really  satis- 
factory, though  the  repertoire  is  attractive.  Chansons  grises  is  a 
cycle  of  seven  songs,  including  "L'Heure  exquise"  and  "En 
sourdine."  Jansen  omits  two  of  them.  Unfortunately,  his  singing 
lacks  the  element  of  grace  without  which  these  songs  simply  do 


Hahn/ Handel  104 

not  come  off.  The  voice  as  we  hear  it  in  this  recording  is  stiff 
and  unresilient;  the  songs,  in  consequence,  sound  a  little  dull. 
If  Chelsi,  who  sings  the  cycle  complete,  had  been  as  well  re- 
corded as  Jansen,  his  would  be  the  preferred  disc.  But  alas!  his 
lyric  voice  and  tasteful  style  are  at  a  hopeless  disadvantage.  The 
anonymous  pianist,  no  master  at  best,  is  cruelly  treated.  The  best 
sampling  of  Hahn,  then,  remains  the  three  songs  included  in  the 
oldish  Maggie  Teyte  recital:  "Offrande,"  "L'Heure  exquise,"  and 
01  mes  vers. 

HALEVY,   JACQUES-FRANCOIS  (1799-1862) 

La  Juive — Highlights.    David,  s;  Scampini,  t;  Mann,  t;  Slezah,  t;  Mar- 
dones,  bs;  Didur,  bs;  Hesch,  bs,  Et  0-475  (*Kol  Nidre,  Schwarz,  b). 

Very  little  of  Halevy's  still  vital  opera  has  found  its  way  to  discs: 
only  the  tenor  aria  "Rachel,  quand  du  Seigneur"  and  the  bass 
cavatina  "Si  la  rigeur"  seem  to  keep  their  popularity  outside  the 
opera  house.  The  former  (so  intimately  associated  with  the  voice 
of  Enrico  Caruso)  is  represented  in  these  Highlights  by  the  good 
performance  in  German  of  Josef  Mann.  The  voice  is  unusually 
meaty,  the  style  excellent.  Jose  Mardones,  once  of  the  Metro- 
politan, sings  the  cavatina  with  all  the  glory  of  his  uniquely  rich 
organ  and  stately  style,  using  the  Italian  text.  Another  late  Metro- 
politan basso,  Adamo  Didur,  gives  a  good  account  of  the  "Male- 
diction" from  Act  3.  There  is  also  a  duet  by  Leo  Slezak  and  Wil- 
helm  Hesch.  And  by  way  of  an  encore,  Josef  Schwarz  sings  Kol 
Nidre.  The  recordings,  all  acoustic,  have  the  inevitable  inequali- 
ties of  such  selections. 

HANDEL,   GEORGE   FRIDERIC  (1685-1759) 

Choral  Vforks 

Alexander's  Feast.     Scheunemann,  s;  Chabay,  t;  Falkner,  bs;  Cornell 

U  Ch;  Handel  Soc  0,  Hull.    Hd  HDL  13  [2]. 

A  good  deal  of  thought,  scholarship,  and  plain  hard  work  have 
gone  into  the  preparation  of  this  recording.  Robert  Hull,  the  con- 
ductor, and  John  Beaven,  who  plays  the  continuo,  have  applied 
their  considerable  knowledge  to  the  problems  of  realization  and 
ornamentation;  where  liberties  have  been  taken  with  the  score  (in- 
cluding negligible  cuts  and  some  trimming  at  the  end  of  the  work), 


Handel 


105 


Hull  explains  the  reasons  in  his  jacket  notes.  Chorus  and  or- 
chestra have  been  thoroughly  trained.  The  soloists  are  an  admir- 
able trio.  Chief  honors  are  due  Chabay:  both  he  and  Scheunemann 
furnish  some  examples  of  phrasing  and  breath  control  well  worthy 
of  study  by  aspiring  oratorio  singers,  though  the  soprano  has  some 
apparent  difficulties  too.  Mechanically  the  set  is  acceptable,  if 
not  quite  grade  A. 

Belshazzar.      Sailer,   s;  Muench,   c;  Uetz,   c;  Fehringer,   t;   Titze,  bs; 

SCMC  &  0,  Grischkat,  Per  SPL  594  [2]. 

This  recording  appeared  almost  simultaneously  with  another  from 
Berlin,  directed  by  Helmut  Koch  (BG  534/5  [2]).  If  one  worked 
hard  to  find  something  in  favor  of  the  latter,  one  could  say  that 
the  Bach  Guild  reproduction  is  more  brilliant  and  powerful  than 
Period's;  but  at  the  same  time  it  is  consistently  coarser  and  less 
clear  in  definition.  In  performance,  too,  Grischkat's  offering  is 
far  more  satisfactory  than  Koch's.  The  Stuttgart  soloists  are  defi- 
nitely superior.  I  do  not  recall  hearing  Sailer  sing  so  well  in  any 
of  her  various  other  recordings;  the  dramatic  recitative  with  which 
she  opens  the  work  is  electrifying  in  its  effect,  and  the  succeed- 
ing aria  has  style  as  well  as  vocal  appeal.  Muench,  too,  proves 
an  exceptionally  able  artist,  with  one  of  the  richest,  most  im- 
pressive voices  yet  heard  in  a  Stuttgart  recording.  Fehringer's 
tone  is  admirably  solid,  though  some  of  his  passage  work  is  rough. 
The  voice  has  the  size  and  quality,  however,  to  give  his  singing 
the  necessary  weight.  Titze  delivers  his  solos  well.  The  per- 
formance possesses  the  spirit  so  obviously  lacking  in  that  of 
Koch.  One  is  aware  of  the  beauties  of  the  chorus  "By  slow  de- 
grees the  wrath  of  God,"  and  the  opening  solo  parts  of  "Tell  it 
out  among  the  heathen,"  details  that  pass  by  us  in  the  other  set. 
Both  are  sung  in  German,  of  course,  and  both  are  extensively  cut. 

Chandos  Anthems,  No.  6,  As  pants  the  hart  for  cooling  streams;  No. 

11,  Let  God  arise.    Van  Doom,  s;  Woudt,  c;  Larsen,  t;  Holies  telle,  bs; 

NHSC  &  0,  Loorij,  Hd  HDL  17. 

These  performances  are  full-blooded  and  honest,  adequate  to  bring 
to  us  the  majesty  and  power  of  the  music,  but  not  free  from  faults 
that  should  have  been  prevented.  First,  the  soloists  might  have 
been  coached  in  the  English  language — taken  in  the  average,  they 
are  neither  correct  nor  consistent.  Sometimes  they  say  "the  hart" 
in  the  accepted  manner;  sometimes  they  make  it  "thee  hart."  The 
soprano  is  the  best  in  this,  as  in  other  respects,  the  tenor  perhaps 


Handel  106 

the  worst,  what  with  a  thin,  nasal  tone  and  unclear  diction.  The 
chorus  sings  with  considerable  enthusiasm,  its  principal  weak- 
ness being  in  the  tone  of  the  tenors.  The  altos  are  covered  up  a 
good  deal  of  the  time,  but  the  over-all  tone  is  solid  and  sonorous. 
Sonorous,  too,  is  the  competent  orchestra.  The  acoustics  of  the 
recording  are  rather  peculiar;  there  is  little  attempt  to  capture  any 
room  atmosphere,  and  the  placement  of  the  components  is  not 
consistent. 
Dettingen  Te  Deum.  Hansel,  s;  Koerner,  c;  Barritt,  t;  Ronh,  b;  Nat'l 
Presby  Church  Ch;  NGO,  Schaefer,  WCFM  LP  6. 

This   Te  Deum  includes  the  famous  "Prayer,"  or  ''Vouchsafe,  0 

Lord,"   otherwise,  "Dignare,  Domine,"  known  in  Flesch's  violin 

transcription  and  as  a  staple  of  Marian  Anderson's  repertoire.  The 

work  as  a  whole  is  festive  in  character,  curiously  reminiscent  of 

Messiah.    The  chorus  is  the  feature  of  this  effective  performance. 

The  tone  is  incisive  and  clean.    The  soloists  are  the  very  type  of 

modest  church  singer,  capable  but  not  too  impressive.  One  wishes 

for   a  weightier  voice  in  the  bass  parts,  such  as   "Thou  art  the 

King  of  Glory"  and  the  aforementioned  "Vouchsafe,  0  Lord."  The 

virtuoso  trumpeter,  Lloyd  Geisler,  deserves  a  word  of  praise. 

Israel  in  Egypt.     Morrison,  s;  Kalmus,  s;   Thomas,   c;  Lewis,  t;  Lea, 

bs;   Riley,   bs;  Handel  Soc  Ch  &  0,   Goehr,  Hd  HDL   1.     (In  German) 

Welting,  s;  Bialas,  s;  Munzig,  c;  Horst,  t;  Raker,  bs;  Rungenhagen,  bs; 

BCC;  BESO,  Koch,  BG  521/2  [2]. 

Neither  of  these  recordings  is  a  masterpiece;  the  Handel  Society 
version  is  preferred  largely  because  it  uses  the  original  English 
text.  The  choruses,  which  carry  most  of  the  weight,  are  not  the 
last  word  in  clarity,  despite  the  fact  that  the  group  numbers  no 
more  than  fifty  singers.  Even  so,  the  grooves  of  the  record  seem 
overloaded.  The  soloists  are  well  seasoned  in  the  oratorio  style, 
especially  Richard  Lewis,  who  gives  an  impressive  performance 
of  the  florid  aria  "The  enemy  said."  In  the  German  presentation, 
the  positions  are  reversed.  Of  the  soloists,  only  the  tenor  is  pass- 
able; at  times  one  of  the  sopranos  is  almost  painful  to  hear.  But 
the  chorus  makes  more  of  its  descriptive  opportunities  than  does 
its  English  rival.  Here  we  can  recapture  the  famous  excitement 
of  the  "Hailstone  Chorus"  and  admire  the  graphic  representation 
of  lice  and  flies.  I  was  struck  anew  by  the  pastoral  beauty  of 
"But  as  for  His  people,"  and  I  found  "But  the  waters  overwhelmed 
their  enemies"  terrific.  But  these  points  do  not  add  up  to  a  per- 
formance of  Israel  in  Egypt. 


Handel  107 

Judas  Maccahaeus.     Soloists;  U  of  Utah  Ch;  Utah  SO,  Abravanel,  Hd 
HDL  12  [31 

This  is  a  performance  in  the  festival  tradition,  the  result  of  long 
and    patient  preparation.      Chorus   and   orchestra  have,   however, 
been  kept  to  reasonable  size,  so  that  the  score  is  heard  cleanly, 
free  of  old-fashioned  Handelian  overloading.    The  soloists  appear 
to  be  a  group  of  young  people,  promising  enough,  but  hardly  ready 
to  give  a  definitive  performance.    Indeed,  the  set  having  been  is- 
sued under  so  official-sounding  a  sponsorship,  some  explanation 
should  have  been  provided  for  the  various  cuts  and  of  the  solu- 
tions arrived  at  for  the  textual  problems. 
Messiah.     Vyvyan,  s;  Procter,  c;  Maran,  t;  Brannigan,  bs;  LPC  &  0, 
Boult,   L  LLA  19  [4].     Ritchie,  s;  Shacklock,   c;  Herbert,  t;  Standen, 
bs;   LPC  &  0,  Scherchen,   W  WAL  308  [3].     Suddaby,   s;    Thomas,  c; 
Nash,  t;  Anthony,  bs;  Luton  Ch  Soc;  RPO,  Beecham,  V  LCT  6401  [4]. 
Marshall,  s;  Palmateer,  c;  Vickers,  t;  Milligan,  bs;  TMC;  TORO,  Mac- 
Millan,  V  LBC  6100  [«?].   Baillie,  s;  Ripley,  c;  Johnston,  t;  Walker,  bs; 
Huddersfield  Ch;  LIV ,  Sargent,  C  SL  151  [3], 

The  score  of  Messiahs  now  stands  at  one  decidedly  up,  four  down, 
and  two  to  go:  Sargent's  second  version  has  already  been  released 
in  England,  and  Beecham  is  rumored  to  be  preparing  his  third. 
Whether  or  not  Sir  Thomas  will  match  the  two  latest  additions  to 
the  American  lists  in  striving  for  stylistic  correctness,  he  is  right- 
fully entitled  to  the  credit  for  starting  the  trend  in  this  direction. 
His  first  Messiah,  released  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  was  hard 
for  the  traditionalists  to  accept:  he  had  re-studied  the  work  from 
the  ground  up,  and  made  an  attempt  to  get  away  from  the  British 
"choral  festival"  approach  to  which  the  score  was  usually  sub- 
jected. The  subsequent  publication  of  J.  M.  Coopersmith's  edi- 
tion of  the  score,  shorn  of  all  excrescences,  complete  to  the  in- 
clusion of  all  authentic  variants  of  the  many  numbers,  has  opened 
the  way  for  "pure"  Handel  performances.  Such  the  two  latest  re- 
cordings claim  to  be,  Scherchen's  restoring  the  "original  Dublin 
version,  1742,"  Boult's  adhering  to  the  "original  manuscript" 
and  "original  orchestration."  While  Scherchen's  is  certainly  a 
very  interesting  venture,  it  suffers  from  a  couple  of  fallacies. 
This  may  well  be  Messiah  as  Handel  originally  conceived  it,  but, 
as  the  Coopersmith  edition  shows,  the  composer  changed  his  mind 
about  a  number  of  things,  and  why  should  his  uncorrected  score  be 
considered  the  authentic  one?  The  performance  itself,  while  re- 
turning to  the  fountainhead,  has  had  no  divine  guidance  to  keep  it 


Handel  108 

from  straying  too  far  from  the  traditional.  There  are  times  when 
Scherchen's  tempos  and  details  of  his  reading  can  be  described 
only  as  erratic.  On  the  credit  side  are  the  clean  and  finely  bal- 
anced choruses,  especially  the  florid  ones,  and  the  general,  if  not 
altogether  consistent,  level  of  the  solo  singing.  Boult  has  all  the 
advantages  of  a  similarly  reduced  choir  (we  are  not  told  how  large 
it  is),  excellent  orchestral  support,  and  soloists  easily  as  satis- 
factory, taken  as  a  group,  as  those  who  sing  for  Scherchen.  And 
Boult,  while  also  leaving  the  paths  of  tradition,  and  favoring 
splendidly  brisk  tempos  that  would  have  shocked  our  grandfathers, 
never  strays  beyond  the  bounds  of  good  taste  and  solid,  defensi- 
ble musicianship.  The  over-all  impression  of  the  recording  is  of 
a  great  healthiness,  admirably  in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the 
work,  and  a  masterly  finish  in  every  detail.  Best  of  the  eight  so- 
loists is  Boult's  contralto,  Norma  Procter,  whose  tones  are  of  a 
richness  once  not  unusual  in  England,  but  associated  in  recent 
years  chiefly  with  the  late  Kathleen  Ferrier.  Her  opposite  number 
wants  tonal  solidity;  hers  are  a  less  imposing  instrument  and  a 
less  searching  art.  Ritchie  may  be  said  to  typify  the  British  ora- 
torio soprano,  and  a  right  good  one  she  is.  She  has  the  facility 
for  "Rejoice  greatly,"  the  lyrical  line  for  "He  shall  feed  His 
flock"  (of  which  she  sings  the  entire  aria,  not  just  the  second 
part),  and  the  breadth  for  "/  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth"  The 
last  aria  emerges  with  an  effective  violin  obbligato,  but  Scherchen 
does  not  probe  the  depths  as  did  Beecham  for  Elsie  Suddaby  in 
the  Victor  recording.  Jennifer  Vyvyan  sings  almost  entirely  with- 
out vibrato,  which  induces  a  boyish,  sometimes  rather  hooty  qual- 
ity. She  is  at  her  best  in  the  floridity  of  "Rejoice  greatly":  in 
the  more  sustained  numbers  one  cannot  forget  her  Britishness. 
Both  tenors  make  notable  soft  effects  in  "Comfort  ye"  and  "Ev'ry 
valley."  Herbert  surprises  us  later  with  his  effective  forte  in 
"Thou  shalt  break  them";  Maran  gets  more  contrast  into  his  ear- 
lier numbers.  Neither  bass  is  notable  for  sensuous  tone;  Standen's 
is  the  better  controlled,  the  less  gruff,  the  more  stylishly  em- 
ployed. It  might  be  added  that  in  the  Boult  performance  it  is  not 
uncommon  for  the  soloists  to  break  their  long-drawn  phrases, 
though  they  do  it  neatly  enough.  Of  course,  Beecham's  Victor 
recording  is  mechanically  outmoded,  and  transfer  to  LP  has  not 
bettered  its  faded  colors.  But  it  remains,  as  a  performance,  in 
some   ways  the  finest  of  the  five  listed.     Never  a  deliberate  pur- 


Handel  109 

ist,  Sir  Thomas  is  incorrigibly  musical;  he  can  often  convince  us 
that  his  least  orthodox  effects  are  right.  In  the  interests  of  clarity 
he  has  reduced  his  chorus  for  the  more  florid  numbers,  but  he  is 
not  afraid  to  make  a  joyful  noise  when  sonorities  seem  called  for. 
The  soloists  are  not  the  best  imaginable  (hardly  comparable  to 
those  in  the  original  Columbia  Beecham  set),  but  they  are  adequate. 
The  MacMillan  offering  is  in  the  accepted  festival  spirit,  solid 
and  impressive.  The  choral  tone  is  big  and  pleasing,  with  an  un- 
usually strong  alto  section,  and  the  group  manages  the  patches  of 
coloratura  with  good  success.  Marshall  is  outstanding  among  the 
soloists,  though  she  suggests  a  fine  artist  on  the  threshold  of  her 
career  rather  than  a  set,  mature  vocalist.  The  others  start  rather 
tentatively  and  improve  as  the  work  progresses,  though  Palmateer 
never  seems  to  have  her  fine  vocal  material  really  in  hand.  This 
is  not  an  uncut  Messiah.  Mechanically,  it  is  not  far  behind  the 
Scherchen  and  the  Boult.  As  for  Sargent's,  it  is  better  reproduced 
than  Beecham's,  with  which  it  was  more  or  less  contemporary, 
but  it  is  more  the  orthodox  conception,  and  by  no  means  so  excit- 
ing. As  a  quartet,  the  soloists  are  better  than  Beecham's,  though 
none  of  them  rises  to  comparable  heights.  What  the  conductor 
does  in  his  new  version  will  be  of  considerable  interest. 
Since  the  above  was  written,  the  new  Sargent  recording  has  ar- 
rived (An  3510-C  [3]).  Apparently  reacting  against  the  trend  of  the 
times,  the  conductor  tells  us:  "The  Liverpool  Philharmonic  play 
the  original  Handel  string,  trumpet  and  drum  parts,  plus  orchestra- 
tion which  I  have  arranged,  unhesitatingly  adopting  any  good  ideas 
from  earlier  experienced  editors."  The  performance  is  not  uncut. 
Strangely,  the  customary  appoggiaturas  are  eliminated.  But  what 
one  is  likely  to  quarrel  with  is  not  the  "unscholarly"  approach, 
which  could  be  quite  refreshing,  so  much  as  the  fact  that  Sargent 
has  not  struck  a  spark  as  have  Beecham,  Boult,  and  Scherchen. 
There  is  needless  fussiness  in  some  of  the  choruses,  and  the  so- 
loists— Morison,  Thomas,  Lewis,  and  Walker — do  not  seem  very 
strongly  convinced  of  the  sheer  beauty  in  the  music.  The  record- 
ing is  spacious  and  clear. 

Ode  for  St  Cecilia's  Day.     Hoffmann,  s;  Ludwig,  t;  LC;  RBO,  Rother, 

U  URLP  7023. 

If  one  accepts  the  anomaly  of  hearing  the  Dryden  text  sung  in  Ger- 
man (both  languages  are  given  on  the  jacket),  there  is  much  to  ad- 
mire  in  the  authoritative  vocalism  of  the  veteran  Walther  Ludwig 


Handel  110 

and  the  less  dazzling  but  appealing  lyrical  work  of  Lore  Hoffmann. 
The  recording  setup  for  once  has  not  favored  the  singers,  who 
seem  to  be  placed  beyond  the  orchestra.  The  resulting  effect  is 
not  one  of  especially  sharp  outlines,  but  of  unusually  natural  bal- 
ance. The  tone  is  not,  however,  altogether  free  from  distortion. 
Passion  According  to  St.  John.  Harvey,  s;  Pfenninger,  c;  H'dfliger,  t; 
Olsen,  bs;  Zurich  Bach  Ch;  WIN,  Henhing,  Hd  HDL  16  [2]. 

This  performance  has  vitality;  it  is  technically  and  musically  pro- 
ficient, though  it  does  not  remain  consistently  at  its  own  highest 
level.  The  choral  parts  are  sung  with  assurance  and  good  clarity. 
Of  the  soloists,  the  men  show  up  better  than  the  women.  The  so- 
prano shoots  rather  widely  in  some  passages;  the  contralto,  called 
upon  to  impersonate  Pilate,  drives  her  voice,  perhaps  for  purposes 
of  characterization.  The  tenor  delivers  his  lines  in  a  nicely  round 
and  solid  tone,  and  the  bass  acquits  himself  with  credit  in  a  cru- 
elly difficult  assignment.  The  recording  has  clarity  and  solidity, 
if  not  much  atmosphere.  The  soloists  are  all  rather  close  upon  us. 
Saul.  Craner,  c;  Moonan,  t;  Griff eth,  bs;  etc.;  Crane  Ch  &  0,  McEl- 
heran,  Hd  HDL  15  [2]. 

The  Handel  Society  seems  to  divide  its  attention  between  record- 
ings of  professional  singing  made  abroad  and  the  preservation  of 
college  performances  in  this  country.  Although  these  latter  are 
certainly  creditable  enough  for  what  they  are,  too  often  they  do 
not  represent  any  special  effort  to  present  the  works  in  full  au- 
thenticity. The  score  of  Saul  is  cut  considerably,  for  one  thing. 
For  another,  the  soloists  are  obviously  drawn  from  the  student 
body,  except  for  one  or  two  who  stand  out — doubtless  faculty 
members.  All  this  would  be  acceptable  enough,  even  admirable, 
if  one  were  attending  the  performance  on  the  campus;  but  for  re- 
cording it  leaves  much  to  be  desired.  However,  the  orchestra  is 
good,  and  cleanly  reproduced;  the  chorus  meets  the  standards, 
though  it  is  somewhat  muffled  in  reproduction,  especially  the  so- 
prano section.  Best  of  the  soloists  is  a  pleasing  contralto,  Jane 
Craner,  who  has  a  sense  of  style.  For  the  rest,  too  many  of  the 
recitatives  are  metronomic,  too  many  of  the  arias  just  too  much 
for  the  singers. 
Te  Deum  for  the  Peace  of  Utrecht;  Let  Thy  hand  be  strengthened  (Cor- 
onation Anthem).    Soloists;  DRC  &  0,  Woldike,  HS  HSL  2046. 

Three  things,  above  others,  strike  the  listener  in  this  recording: 
the  fresh,  unencumbered  approach  of  the  performers  to  the  music, 
the  mastery  of  our  language  by  this  group  of  invading  Danes,  and 


Handel  111 

the  fine  clarity  of  the  reproduction.  The  music,  cut  in  Handel's 
familiar  pattern  of  brief  alternating  choruses  and  solos,  thus  comes 
to  us  in  all  its  eloquence,  and  though,  because  of  the  setting,  the 
text  is  not  always  easy  to  follow  by  ear  alone,  one  feels  that  there 
is  little  in  the  work  that  has  not  been  realized.  The  numerous  so- 
loists acquit  themselves  admirably. 

Operas 

Acis  and  Galatea.    Ritchie,  s;  Lewis,  t;  Herbert,  t;  Anthony,  bs;  Han- 
del Soc  Ch  &  0,  Goehr,  Hd  HDL  2  [3]. 

If  not  a  complete  realization  of  Handel's  admired  pastoral  (with  a 
libretto  by  John  Gay  of  Beggar's  Opera  fame),  this  is  good  enough 
to  bring  out  many  of  its  happy  inspirations  of  melody  and  descrip- 
tive instrumentation.  And  if  the  work  seems  to  run  a  bit  to  length, 
with  a  certain  monotony  resulting  from  the  succession  of  solos  by 
alternate  tenors,  there  is  much  in  it  with  which  we  would  not  will- 
ingly part.  Soloists  and  chorus  have  the  British  virtues  of  steadi- 
ness and  accuracy,  and  all  sing  with  style.  Ritchie  is  especially 
good,  but  she  seems  too  close  to  the  microphone.  The  reproduc- 
tion of  the  chorus  could  be  clearer. 

Giulio   Cesare.     Gaehwiller,  s;  Bruechner-Rueggeberg,   t;  Sandoz,  bs; 

etc.;  Handel  Soc  Ch  &  0,  Goehr,  Hd  HDL  18  [2].     Roon,  s;  Handt,  t; 

Wiener,  bs;  VKC;  PRCO,  Swarowsky,  Vox  PL  8012  [2]. 

It  is  depressing  to  report  that  neither  of  these  two  presentations 
of  Handel's  opera  does  it  anything  approaching  justice.  Both  per- 
formances are  heavily  cut,  the  Handel  Society  version  eliminating 
the  repeats  in  many  da  capo  arias,  the  Vox  dispensing  with  the 
secco  recitatives  and  reducing  the  cast  from  eight  to  five.  Both 
are  sung  in  the  Germanic  tradition,  rather  heavily  and  without 
much  vocal  charm.  Of  course,  complete  authenticity  in  a  Handel 
opera  is  hardly  possible  today:  the  role  of  Caesar,  for  example, 
was  composed  for  a  castrato.  The  solution  in  both  sets  is  the 
only  possible  one:  he  has  become  a  baritone.  Of  the  two  Caesars, 
Sandoz  has  the  lighter,  more  supple  voice;  Gaehwiller  is  a  more 
satisfying  Cleopatra  than  Roon;  as  Sextus,  the  promising  Herbert 
Handt  has  more  to  offer  than  Brueckner-Rueggeberg.  In  neither 
case  is  the  recording  balance  ideal,  though  perhaps  here  the  pre- 
ference should  go  to  the  Handel  Society. 

//  Pastor  Fido.     Warner,  s;  Hunt,  s;  Rowe,  s;  Rogier,  b;  etc.;  CHAM, 

Engel,  C  ML  4685. 


Handel  112 

Although  the  writer  of  the  jacket  notes  goes  to  some  lengths  to 
tell  us  of  the  improvements  made  by  Handel  when  this  little  opera 
was  revived  in  1734,  turning  a  failure  into  a  resounding  success, 
a  comparison  of  the  first  and  second  versions  in  the  Handel 
Gesellschaft  edition  reveals  that  Engel  has  prepared  an  abridged 
version  of  the  first.  A  certain  proficiency  is  in  evidence  through- 
out the  performance,  strongly  controlled  by  the  conductor,  as  is  a 
general  sense  of  the  proper  style,  if  not  a  complete  achievement 
of  what  this  implies.  One  wonders  why  a  piano  was  used  rather 
than  a  harpsichord  for  the  continue  The  singers  are  on  the  whole 
good,  with  chief  honors  going  to  Genevieve  Warner.  Hers  is  a 
nice,  easy  delivery,  and  she  shows  admirable  neatness  in  the  ex- 
ecution of  the  florid  passages.  The  reproduction  is  clear  and 
solid. 

Rodelinda.    Sailer,  s;  Lipp,  c;  Fehringer,  t;  Hagner,  bs;  etc.;  SDRC  & 

0,  Muller-Kray,  Per  SPL  589. 

The  first  strike  against  this  recording  is  the  ruthless  cutting  the 
score  has  undergone:  the  opera  simply  cannot  be  done  justice  on 
one  disc.  Even  the  lovely  aria  "Dove  sei"  (well  known  in  the 
English  adaptation,  "Art  thou  troubled?")  appears  minus  its  mid- 
dle section  and  repeat.  Fortunately,  the  more  important  of  the  two 
essentials  for  an  adequate  performance  of  Handel — style  and 
voice — is  the  former,  for  the  singers  in  the  set  are  all  by  nature 
quite  modestly  endowed.  They  do  have  intelligence  and  good  in- 
tentions. Sailer's  voice  is  neat  and  compact,  quite  obviously 
small;  Fehringer's  well  matches  hers;  others  are  even  smaller. 
The  recitatives  are  tossed  off  rather  casually — a  triumph,  it  may 
be,  for  a  cast  of  Germans  who  do  not  always  succeed  in  pronounc- 
ing such  words  as  "questo,"  but  not  quite  fair  to  the  music. 

Cantatas 

Apollo  e  Dafne.    Ritchie,  s;  Boyce,  b;  Ch  &  0,  Lewis,  OL  LD  14. 

Handel's  treatment  of  the  Daphne  story  takes  the  form  of  a  can- 
tata, the  major  portion  of  which  is  here  the  lot  of  the  admirably  ro- 
bust  Bruce   Boyce.      Margaret  Ritchie's  ethereal  tones   are  less 
well  served  by  the  microphone. 
No.    6,   Cecilia,   volgi  un  sguardo.      Van  Doom,   s;  Larsen,   t;  NHSO, 
Loorij.     No.  8,  Dalla  guerra  amorosa.    Hollestelle,  bs;  NHSO,  Loorij. 
Hd  HDL  19. 

No.    8,   Dalla  guerra  amorosa.      Hudemann,    bs;   Wenzinger,   vie;  Neu- 
meyer,  hpschd;  10"  DDL  7542  (* Tel emann:  Cantata  No.  1). 


Handel  113 

No.  13,  Armida  abbandonata;  No.  14,  Agrippina  condotta  a  morire;  No. 

17,  Pensieri  notturni  di  Filli  (Nel  dolce  dell'  oblio).      Giebel,  s;  STO, 

Lamy,  Oc  OCS  30. 

No.   15,  Dolce  pur  d'amor  I'affano.    Woudt,  c;  NHSO,  Loorij.     No.  17, 

Pensieri  notturni.     Van  Doom,  s;  NHSO,  Loorij.    No.  20,  Spande  ancor 

a  mio  dispetto.     Hollestelle,  bs;  NHSO,  Loorij.     Salve  Regina.     Van 

Doom,  s;  NHSO,  Loorij.    Hd  HDL  20. 

No.  17,  Pensieri  notturni.    Lamoree,  s;  NYPMA,  ES  515  (*Sonata;  Trio 

Sonata). 

The  first  of  these  cantatas  takes  up  a  little  more  than  one  side. 
Van  Doom  sings  well,  on  the  whole,  in  a  modest,  sweet  little 
voice.  Larsen  may  not  be  quite  up  to  some  of  the  florid  passages, 
but  his  tone  is  mellifluous,  his  taste  excellent.  The  final  duet 
has  been  pointed  out  as  first-rate  Handel;  it  is  also  the  best-sung 
portion  of  the  work.  Hollestelle,  in  the  second  cantata,  shows 
himself  a  capable  basso,  a  little  soggy  in  tone,  but  flexible  and 
musical.  His  Dalla  guerra  amorosa  is  well  recorded,  though  per- 
haps there  is  a  little  too  much  of  his  voice  for  the  good  of  the  bal- 
ance. Hudemann  gives  an  entirely  different  view  of  this  cantata, 
treating  it  with  more  enthusiasm  and  a  streak  of  humor.  His  con- 
cern is  in  putting  over  the  text,  while  Hollestelle  aims  (with  some 
success)  at  virtuosity.  The  balance  in  the  Decca  record  is  better, 
with  the  harpsichord  quite  prominent.  Nel  dolce  dell'  oblio  turns 
up  three  times,  and  the  versions  offer  a  marked  contrast.  For  vo- 
cal attractiveness,  a  choice  would  favor  Lamoree,  who  has  a  beau- 
tifully realized  recorder  obbligato  played  by  Bernard  Krainis.  The 
pace  of  the  performance,  however,  is  a  little  fast  and  nervous. 
The  sustained  parts  are  better  sung  than  the  recitative,  in  which 
the  soprano  slights  the  words.  Agnes  Giebel  is  even  less  impres- 
sive in  the  recitatives,  and  hers  is  not  a  particularly  attractive 
voice.  Still,  the  tempos  of  the  arias  seem  about  right,  and  she  too 
has  a  superior  obbligato,  played  by  Alfred  Mann.  Dora  Van  Doom 
is  better  where  her  rivals  are  weak,  but  she  falls  behind  them  in 
the  arias.  These  she  sings  quite  slowly,  without  much  vitality. 
The  recorder  is  here  displaced  by  a  flute.  To  cap  all,  the  repro- 
duction is  unclear.  The  other  cantatas  on  the  disc  with  hers  are 
better,  and  she  redeems  herself  in  the  Salve  Regina.  Woudt's  voice 
is  rich  and  creamy.  The  Oceanic  and  Esoteric  recordings  are  ex- 
cellent; that  of  the  Handel  Society  is  variable.  To  complete  the 
list,  mention  should  be  made  of  a  superficial  performance  in  Ger- 


Handel/ Hanson  114 

man  of  the  cantata  In  Praise  of  Harmony  by  Valerie  Bale  (Mer  MG 
10085). 

Arias 

Samson — Return,  0  God  of  Hosts;  Judas  Maccabaeus — Father  of 
Heaven;  Messiah — 0  Thou  that  tellest;  He  was  despised.  Ferrier,  c; 
LPO,  Boult,  L  LL  688  (*Bach:  Anas). 

Outstanding  among  these  selections  is  the  noble  air  "Return,  0 

God  of  Hosts,"   sung  with  stylistic  breadth  and  gorgeous  tonal 

quality.    "He  was  despised"  also  is  done  in  a  manner  all  too  rare 

in  our  time. 

Acis  and  Galatea — 0  ruddier  than  the  cherry.    Bispham,  b.    Joshua — 

0  hatt'  ich  Jubals  Harf.     Lilli  Lehmann,  s.     Serse — Vo  godendo  vez- 

zoso    e  bello.     Anselmi,   t.     Rodelinda — Either  Glanz,  wo  weilst  du? 

(Dove    sei).      Leisner,    c.      II   Pensieroso — Sweet   bird  fin   French). 

Ritter-Ciampi,  s.   Cantata  con  stromenti — Dank  sei  dir,  Herr.    Leisner, 

c.     Judas  Maccabaeus — Sound  an  alarm.     Kingston,  t.     Giulio  Cesare 

— Es  blaut  die  Nacht  (V'adoro,  pupille).    Liebenberg,  c.    Et  488. 

The  "golden  age"  herein  represented  stretches  from  the  early 
acoustic  Lehmann  and  Anselmi  selections  to  the  electrical  re- 
cordings of  Ritter-Ciampi,  Leisner,  and  Liebenberg,  a  span  of 
twenty  years  or  so.  Vocally,  the  singers  all  had  plenty  to  offer; 
stylistically,  they  were  uneven,  as  any  such  assembly  is  bound  to 
be.  Lehmann's  "Oh,  had  I  Jubal's  lyre"  is  a  masterpiece  of 
steady  rhythmic  flow,  all  but  incredible  for  a  woman  around  sixty. 
Bispham's  piece  cf  bravado  is  delightful,  and  Kingston  proves 
himself  a  tenor  of  robust  voice  and  heroic  style.  Ritter-Ciampi's 
aria  is  a  fine  piece  of  expressive  singing  (obscured  by  a  strong 
hum  retained  from  the  original  recording);  but  Anselmi's  metier 
was  obviously  not  Handel;  and  Leisner's  Rodelinda  and  Lieben- 
berg's  Caesar  are  weighted  down  by  the  translations.  Leisner's 
"Dank  sei  dir"  (a  noble  aria,  whose  authenticity  the  Handel  au- 
thorities question)  has  impressive  breadth  and  sweep. 

HANSON,   HOWARD  (1896-        ) 

Songs  from  Drum  Taps.    Eastman  Ch  &  0,  Hanson,  Mer  MG  40000. 

Han&on  and  the  Mercury  engineers  have  here  surpassed  them- 
selves in  a  magnificent  presentation  of  this  Whitman  setting.  Not 
the  least  of  its  virtues  is  the  choral  diction,  thanks  to  which  every 
word  stands  out  with  perfect  clarity.  A  powerful  effect  is  achieved 
by  the  use  of  persistent  drum  beats. 


Hauer/ Haydn  115 

HAUER,   JOSEF  MATHIAS  (1883-         ) 

Holderlin    Lieder.      Batic,    c;   Leukauf,   pf,   NR  NRLP  405  (*Krenek, 

Kodaly:  Songs). 

Although  little  known  in  America,  Hauer  was  in  his  time  a  leader 
among  the  radical  modernists  of  his  native  Vienna.  He  claims, 
indeed,  to  have  worked  out  a  twelve-tone  system  before  Schoen- 
berg  began  thinking  along  these  lines.  The  lieder  on  this  record 
sound  curiously  angular  and  do  not  seem  altogether  certain  of  their 
direction.  This  impression  may  be  the  responsibility  of  the  qua- 
very singer.    The  total  effect  is  interesting  rather  than  attractive. 

HAYDN,  JOSEF  (1732-1809) 

Masses 

No.  1,  Missa  brevis  in  F.  Heusser,  s;  A.  Berger,  s;  VKC;  VSYC,  Gilles- 
berger.  No.  5,  Missa  brevis  St.  Joannis  de  Deo.  Heusser,  s;  VKC; 
VSYC,  Gillesberger,  Ly  LL  30. 

No.  5,  Missa  Brevis  St.  Joannis  de  Deo.  Frederiksen,  s;  CBMC;  Pal- 
ace Chapel  0,  Woldike.  Aus  dem  Dankliede  zu  Gott;  Der  Augenblick; 
Die  Harmonie  in  der  Ehe;  Die  Beredsamkeit;  Der  Greis;  Abendlied  zu 
Gott.  Danish  St  Rad  Cham  Ch;  Linderud,  pf,  Woldike,  HS  HSL  2064. 
Haydn  is  reported  to  have  harbored  an  affection  in  later  life  for 
his  first  effort  with  the  Mass  text,  a  product  of  his  eighteenth 
year.  He  even  revised  the  instrumentation  with  a  view  to  publica- 
tion, but  in  this  recording  his  original  intentions  are  respected. 
The  St.  Joannis  de  Deo  Mass,  often  referred  to  as  the  "Little 
Organ  Mass,"  dates  from  about  fifteen  years  later.  Its  most  mem- 
orable movement  is  the  soprano  solo  "Benedictus,"  with  organ 
obbligato.  The  contrasting  performances  offered  are  both  good, 
the  Viennese  version  being  the  larger  in  conception,  but  on  the 
whole  the  less  satisfactory.  Heusser's  voice  is  on  the  thin  side 
and  a  little  hooty,  and  the  reproduction  of  the  organ  (a  seventeenth- 
century  portativ  is  used)  is  not  altogether  clean.  To  me  there  is 
something  much  more  appealing  in  the  boy  soloist  used  by  Wol- 
dike. His  recording  was  made  in  the  palace  chapel  at  Christians- 
borg,  where  the  organ  dates  from  1854.  Aside  from  a  rather  heavy 
bass,  the  reproduction  is  excellent.  The  part-songs  range  from 
religious  to  humorous  subjects;  all  are  done  with  the  almost  su- 
perfluous piano.  Most  memorable  of  the  set  is  "Der  Greis,"  which 
in  Haydn's  later  years  became  something  of  a  theme-song  for  him. 


Haydn  116 

No.    2,    Grosse   Orgelmesse,    in   E   flat.      Roon,    s;    Rossl-Majdan,    c; 

Kmentt,  t;  Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Grossmann,  Vox  PL  7020. 

Mendelssohn  thought  this  Mass  "scandalously  gay,"  and  indeed 
it  is  not  a  strikingly  devotional  work;  but,  considering  Haydn's 
nature,  the  setting  is  certainly  not  inappropriate.  Again  the  organ 
is  prominent,  especially  in  the  "Benedictus,"  and  in  this  per- 
formance the  sound  of  the  instrument  used  is  a  particular  delight. 
The  work  of  the  chorus  is  generally  good,  though  we  must  count 
their  enthusiasm  to  some  extent  as  balancing  some  not  quite  unani- 
mous attacks.  Occasionally,  as  in  "Et  vitam  venturi,"  the  con- 
ductor allows  them  to  rush.  The  soloists  are  capable,  but  not  al- 
ways perfectly  matched:  the  soprano  and  alto  duet  is  better  than 
that  for  alto  and  tenor.  The  fine  restrained  singing  of  Rossl- 
Majdan  is  outstanding.  On  the  whole,  the  balance  is  happy,  with 
just  enough  acoustical  "blending"  to  give  atmosphere. 

No.   3,  Missa  Sanctae  Caeciliae.     Schweiger,   s;  Wagner,   c;  Handt,  t; 

Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Gillesberger,  HS  HSLP  2028  [2]. 

In  contrast  to  those  listed  above,  this  Mass  is  a  long  one,  appro- 
priate rather  to  a  festival  than  to  a  church  service.  There  are 
plenty  of  elaborate  sections,  much  florid  writing,  and  many  word 
repetitions.  Allowing  for  some  emotionalism  on  the  part  of  the 
tenor  soloist,  the  performance  is  up  to  the  best  Haydn  Society 
standards.  The  recording  balance  is  admirable  in  the  choral  sec- 
tions, but  the  quartet  is  a  bit  too  close. 

No.    6,  Missa  cellensis  in  C  ("Mariazellermesse" ).     Rathauscher,  s; 

Janacek,   c;  Equiluz,  t;  Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Gillesberger,  HS  HSLP 

2011. 

This  Mass  is  said  to  be  especially  popular  in  central  Europe.  It 
is  a  brief  work,  unusually  bright  and  festive  with  its  trumpets  and 
timpani.  The  performance  has  spirit  and  life,  with  excellent  choral 
and  orchestral  work,  but  some  tentative  singing  on  the  part  of  the 
soloists.  A  musicological  feature  is  the  special  treatment  of 
grace  notes,  a  subject  on  which  misunderstanding  has  been  uni- 
versal for  lo!  these  many  years.  The  recording,  outstanding  when 
it  was  new,  remains  effective,  though  it  is  not  one  of  the  finest 
from  the  Haydn  Society. 

No.   7,  Paukenmesse  (Missa  in  tempore  belli)  in  C.     Topitz-Feiler,  s; 

Milinkovic,  c;  Handt,  t;  Braun,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Gillesberger,  HS  HSLP 

2021. 

Not  only  is  the  composer  in  his  best  form  here,  but  performance 
and  recording  are   outstanding  in  several  ways.     Chorus  and  or- 


Haydn  117 

chestra  acquit  themselves  nobly,  and  the  recording  engineer  (H. 
Vose  Greenough,  Jr.)  has  caught  with  especially  fine  effect  the 
full  mass  of  sound.  The  vocal  soloists,  perhaps,  are  a  little 
close,  just  enough  to  emphasize  their  less  admirable  aspects. 
The  voice  of  the  soprano  emerges  as  somewhat  thin,  and  one  is 
conscious  of  the  fact  that  the  bass  is  not  absolutely  comfortable 
in  the  tessitura  of  "Qui  tollis."  But  this  is  a  major  Mass  and  a 
major  recording.  Those  who  teach  with  records  should  be  pleased 
with  the  number  of  spirals  dividing  the  movements.  To  split  one 
hair:  I  wish  we  could  have  had  the  "Et  resurrexit"  follow  directly 
after  the  magnificent  "Crucifixus"  without  the  interruption  be- 
tween sides. 

No.  8,  Missa  Sancti  Bernardi  de  Offida  ("Heiligmesse"  ).   CBMC;  DRO, 

Wbldike,  HS  HSLP  2048. 

This  fine,  clean  recording  might  serve  as  a  model  in  performance 
and  reproduction.  There  may  be  more  of  musical  interest  in  some 
of  the  other  Masses,  but  none  is  more  satisfactorily  presented. 

No.  9,  Missa  solemnis  in  D  minor  ("Lord  Nelson  Mass").    Delia  Casa, 

s;    Hbngen,    c;    Taubmann,    t;   London,    bs;    VKC;    VSY,   Sternberg,  HS 

HSLP  2004. 

The  outstanding  feature  of  this  performance  is  the  lovely  singing 
of  Lisa  Delia  Casa;  the  rest  of  the  soloists  are  adequate,  though 
not  in  her  class.  The  Mass  itself  is  one  of  the  most  exciting,  and 
Sternberg,  with  a  well-trained  chorus  and  a  good  orchestra,  does 
himself  considerable  credit.  The  sound  of  the  chorus  is  particu- 
larly good  in  reproduction. 

No.   10,  Missa  solemnis  in  B  flat  ("Theresienmesse").     Felbermayer, 

s;  Hermann,  c;  Patzak,  t;  Poell,  bs;  VSOC;  VSY,  Krauss,  Vox  PL  6740. 
This  is  perhaps  the  most  sheerly  beautiful  of  all  the  Haydn 
Masses,  and  the  names  of  the  participating  artists  make  the  most 
impressive  display  of  all  the  listings  in  this  section.  I  suspect, 
however,  that  the  late  Clemens  Krauss  .and  his  cohorts  did  not 
have  enough  time  to  prepare  the  work.  Nevertheless,  for  my  part, 
I  accept  the  recording  with  gratitude,  so  lovely  is  the  music.  The 
two  distinguished  male  soloists  outshine  their  companions,  though 
Felbermayer's  voice  is  beautiful,  as  usual.  The  chorus  seems  a 
bit  removed  from  us. 

No.  12,  Missa  solemnis  in  B  flat  ("Harmoniemesse"  ).     Katschinka,  s; 

Kenney,  c;  Loffler,  t;  Engen,  bs;  Orch  Soc  of  Vienna  C  &  0,  Larsen, 

PerSPLP  541. 

This  is  one  of  the  less  good  Haydn  Mass  recordings.    The  repro- 


Haydn  118 

duction  is  coarse  and  lacking  in  depth.  The  soloists  are  not  out- 
standing, and  they  were  a  little  close  to  the  microphone. 

Oratorios 

Die  Jahreszeiten.  Eipperle,  s;  Patzak,  t;  Hann,  bs;  VSOC;  VPH, 
Krauss,  HS  HSLP  2027  [3].  Trotschel,  s;  Ludwig,  t;  Greindl,  bs; 
RIASCC;  St  Hedwig's  Cath  Ch;  RIASSO,  Fricsay,  D  DX  123  [3]. 

Dismissing  as  operatic  and  unidiomatic  the  oldest  recording  of 
The  Seasons  (Cetra  1202),  sung  in  Italian  under  Vittorio  Gui,  we 
are  left  with  something  of  a  Hobson's  choice.  The  Haydn  Soci- 
ety's performance  seems  over-recorded:  it  was  made  in  the  Grosser 
Musikvereinsaal  (where  there  is  considerable  reverberation),  with 
the  soloists  close  and  the  chorus  remote,  yet  all  consistently  loud 
and  brilliant.  Nevertheless,  it  has  an  atmosphere  that  I  missed  in 
the  later  Decca  recording.  In  both  cases  the  choral  and  orchestral 
work  is  good,  and  in  both  the  best  of  the  soloists  is  the  tenor. 
Patzak,  though  quite  obviously  past  his  best  days,  gives  a  nota- 
ble account  of  his  aria  "Hier  steht  der  Wanderer  nun."  Ludwig, 
also  a  veteran,  is  first-class,  too,  from  the  dramatic  recitatives 
to  the  quiet  passages  and  the  brilliantly  florid  arias.  Greindl  does 
fine  work;  his  voice  is  less  powerful  and  unyielding  than  Hann's. 
To  him  falls  one  of  the  priceless  moments  of  the  score,  the  "Hus- 
bandman" aria,  with  its  quotation  from  the  "Surprise"  Symphony. 
Trotschel  is  tasteful,  but  tonally  stiff,  hardly  equal  to  the  hea- 
vier technical  demands  of  the  music  or  able  to  sustain  the  aria 
"Welche  Labung  fur  die  Sinne"  as  it  must  be  sustained.  Eipperle 
is  a  superior  artist,  though  plainly  no  longer  in  her  prime.  If  the 
Haydn  Society  recording  offers  some  problems  in  reproduction, 
this  is  also  true  of  the  Decca. 
Die  Schbpfung.  Eipperle,  s;  Patzak,  t;  Hann,  bs;  etc.;  VSOC;  VPH, 
Krauss,  HS  HSLP  2005  [3].  Korch,  s;  Unger,  t;  Adam,  bs;  RBC  &  0, 
Koch,  U  URLP  235  [2]. 

Neither  of  these  Creations  is  all  one  could  wish.  It  seems  a  lit- 
tle strange  that,  with  the  recent  interest  in  Haydn,  nothing  nearer 
justice  has  been  done  his  most  popular  choral  work.  The  Clemens 
Krauss  performance  was  one  of  the  earliest  offerings  of  the  Haydn 
Society,  and  though  the  hand  of  a  major  conductor  is  in  evidence 
throughout,  the  results  are  uneven.  Chorus  and  orchestra  perform 
creditably,  but  are  not  always  reproduced  with  full  clarity.  The 
veteran  soloists  sing  with  style,  if  with  waning  resources;  the  big 


Haydn  119 

bass  voice  is  too  close  to  the  microphone.  Another  soprano  and  a 
lighter  bass  take  over  the  Adam  and  Eve  portions.  Some  doubling 
of  the  time  in  "The  heavens  are  telling"  is  said  to  be  historically 
defensible,  but  without  the  explanation  it  sounds  like  imperfect 
splicing  of  the  tapes.  One  cannot  complain  that  the  soloists  in 
the  Urania  performance  sound  old — on  the  contrary  I  suspect  that 
their  experiences  have  been  limited.  Unger  is  remembered  as  the 
David  in  two  complete  Meistersinger  recordings,  but  in  Haydn  his 
good  taste  does  not  make  his  thinnish  tone  very  ingratiating. 
Korch's  voice  is  almost  boyish  in  quality,  lacking  in  vibrato,  a 
little  stiff,  and  not  too  secure  in  intonation.  There  is  no  thrill  in 
her  singing  in  such  passages  as  the  ascending  scales  of  "With 
verdure  clad.*'  Adam's  voice  is  heavy  and  rather  thick.  He  gets 
little  contrast  into  "Rolling  in  foaming  billows."  Over  all  the 
performance  hangs  a  cloud  of  lethargy,  a  lack  of  inspiration.  There 
is  more  in  The  Creation  than  meets  the  ears  in  either  set. 

Die  sieben  Worte  des  Erlosers  am  Kreuze.     Gueden,  s;  Oschlager,  c; 

Patzak,  t;  Braun,  bs;  SACC;  SAL,  Messner,  Rem  R  199-66  [2], 

The  choral  version  of  The  Seven  Last  Words  is  too  important  to 
be  overlooked:  it  is  more  than  surprising,  therefore,  that  aside 
from  a  very  old  recording  made  in  Japan,  this  Salzburg  performance 
has  been  the  only  attempt  to  reproduce  it.  As  a  listing,  this  one 
is,  of  course,  tempting  enough,  and  it  has  its  share  of  virtues. 
The  soloists  are  very  good,  especially  Gueden  and  Patzak;  the 
chorus,  while  not  a  model  of  precision,  is  acceptable.  But  no 
amount  of  playing  with  the  dials  can  make  this  a  good,  undistorted 
recording. 

Stabat  Mater.    Felbermayer,  s;  Wagner,  c;  Kmentt,  t;  Wiener,  bs;  VKC; 

VSYC;  Gillesberger,  Vox  PL  7410. 

This  oratorio,  which  amounts  in  effect  to  a  long  series  of  arias 
and  choruses,  is  certainly  in  good  hands  with  the  forces  listed 
above.  Just  why  the  work  does  not  come  off,  it  would  be  hard  to 
say,  yet  the  total  impression  left  with  me  after  several  hearings 
is  one  of  dullness. 

Operas 

Der  Apotheker  (in  English).    Wolf,  s;  Chelsi,  t;  Myers,  b;  Davis,  b;  0, 
Kramer,  MT  MLP  1007. 

To  hear  the  Vienna  Choir  Boys  in  this  little  comic  opera  is  an 


Haydn  120 

amusing  experience,  and  one  does  not  complain  if  one  has  to  ac- 
cept some  musical  things  on  faith.  However,  for  a  group  of  adults 
making  a  record  there  are  greater  obligations  than  seem  to  have 
been  realized  here.  The  performance  is  done  in  English  (a  ver- 
sion made  especially  for  the  troupe),  and  a  very  smart  and  snappy 
translation  it  is.  I  doubt  that  many  people  will  want  to  hear  it 
often. 

II  Mondo  delta  Luna  (in  German).    Schneider,  s;  Muench,  m-s;  Gassner, 

t;  Schwert,  b;  Hagner,  bs;  etc.;  Munich  Cham  Op  0,  Weissenbach,  Per 

SPL  703. 

This  little  comedy,  with  its  many  Mozartean  and  near-familiar 
tunes,  requires  a  lighter  touch  than  is  brought  to  bear  upon  it  in 
this  recording.  The  voices  in  themselves  are  adequate,  but  there 
is  not  much  sparkle  in  the  singing,  and  in  some  cases  the  vocal- 
ism  is  downright  amateurish.    All  this  is  coarsely  reproduced. 

Orfeo    ed  Euridice.      Hellwig,   s;  Heusser,   s;   Handt,   t;   Wadleigh,   b; 

Poell,  bs;  Berry,  bs;  VSOC  &  0,  Swarowsky,  HS  HSLP  2029. 

With  Mozart's  Idomeneo  and  Don  Giovanni  this  must  rank  among 
the  most  ambitious  offerings  of  the  Haydn  Society,  and  in  several 
ways  it  makes  a  strong  bid  for  the  top  place.  Because  of  circum- 
stances beyond  his  control,  Haydn  never  got  to  produce  his  opera 
on  the  most  popular  of  musico-dramatic  subjects,  and  the  work  re- 
mained forgotten  and  dismembered  until  the  Society  set  about  lo- 
cating the  parts  and  putting  them  together  again.  The  recording  is 
therefore  a  world  premiere.  Stylistically  the  hurdles  for  the  sing- 
ers are  not  quite  so  formidable  as  those  in  the  first  of  the  Mozart 
operas,  but  the  score  had  to  be  studied  from  the  ground  up.  All 
in  all,  an  impressive  and  invaluable  job  has  been  done. 

Philemon  und  Baucis.    Roon,  s;  Naidic,  s;  Kmentt,  t;  Majkut,  t;  VSOC; 

VSY,  Zollinger,  Vox  PL  7660. 

This  Haydn  work  is  a  singspiel,  which  is  to  say  that  much  valu- 
able time  is  consumed  by  mildly  interesting  dialogue,  not  condu- 
cive to  many  repeats.  The  music  is  slight  but  charming,  and  is 
nicely  sung. 

Songs,  Arias,  etc. 

Arianna  a  Naxos;   The  Mermaid's  Song;  She  never  told  her  love;  The 
Spirit's  Song;  Fidelity;  My  mother  bids  me  bind  my  hair;  The  Sailor's 
Song.    Tourel,  m-s;  Kirkpatrick,  pf,  HS  HSL  2051. 
Ein'  Magd,  ein'  Dienerin  (Aria  pro  Adventu);  Son  pietosa,  son  bonina 


Haydn  121 

(Aria  di  Lindora);  Chi  vive  amante  so  che  delira  (Aria  di  Errisena); 
Berenice,    che  fai?  (Scena  di  Berenice);  Solo  e  pensoso  i  pill  deserti 
campi  (The  Russian  Aria).    Hopf,  s;  VSY,  Zollinger,  HS  HSLP  2045. 
Das  Leben  ist  ein  Traum;  The  Mermaid's  Song;  She  never  told  her  love; 
My  mother  bids  me  bind  my  hair;  The  Spirit's  Song.    Niemela,  s;  Kos- 
himies,  pf,  WCFM  10  (*Schubert:  Songs). 

Das  Leben  ist  ein  Traum;  Heller  Blick;  She  never  told  her  love;  The 
Sailor's  Song  (Ger.).  Rogers,  t;  Mitrani,  pf,  10"  All  AL  13  (*Mozart: 
Songs). 

Arianna   is  a  long  cantata,  taking  a  full  disc  side,  sung  in  the 
grand  manner,  and  accompanied  on  a  reproduction  of  an  eighteenth- 
century  piano.     Tourel's  English  songs  are  several  shades  less 
happy,    though  she   and  Kirkpatrick  are   incapable  of  an  unmusi- 
cianly  performance.     It  is  just  a  quality  of  brightness  that  is  not 
there.      Hopf's   collection   of  attractively   operatic   concert   arias 
brings  us  into  little-explored  territory.    Though  the  singer  is  more 
effective    in  the  dramatic  moments  than  in  those   calling  for  sus- 
tained lines,  her  sense  of  style  is  always  good.    Style,  combined 
with  a  lovely  lyric  voice,  distinguishes  the  singing  of  the  Finnish 
Tii  Niemela.  Hers  is  certainly  the  most  attractive  of  the  song  pro- 
grams considered  here.     After  such  singing,  the  rather  thin  voice 
of  Earl  Rogers  is  especially  unexciting.    On  his  program  the  rous- 
ing "Sailor's  Song"  somehow  turns  up  in  German. 
Scottish   Songs:  0  Philly,   happy  was   the  day  (duet);  Saw  ye  Johnie 
come,   quo'  she;  0  Logan,  sweetly  didst  thou  glide;  Behold  the  hour, 
the   boat  arrive  (duet);   The  moon  had  climbed  the  highest  hill;  When 
trees  did  bud  and  fields  were  green  (duet);  When  o'er  the  hill  the  east- 
ern star;  Wha  wadna  be  in  love;  Thou  ling'ring  star  with  less'ning  ray; 
Sleep'st  thou  or  wak'st  thou,  fairest  creature.     Bleiberg,  s;  Charney, 
m-s;pf;  vln;  vie,  MT  MLO  1014. 

Haydn  was  one  of  the  succession  of  eminent  composers  (which  also 
included  Beethoven)  engaged  by  George  Thomson  for  his  publica- 
tion of  Scottish,  Irish,  and  Welsh  folk  music.  Like  the  Beethoven 
songs,  Haydn's  have  trio  accompaniments  and  a  good  deal  of 
chamber-music  atmosphere.  These  songs  are  little  known;  the  se- 
lection is  as  welcome  as  it  is  musically  charming.  The  singing 
is  vocally  appealing,  especially  on  the  part  of  the  mezzo,  the  ap- 
proach to  the  songs  gratefully  simple.  The  ensemble  is  reason- 
ably successful,  and  the  recording  considerably  better  than  has 
sometimes  been  the  case  with  Magic  Tone. 


Hindemith  122 

HINDEMITH,   PAUL   (7895-         ) 

Apparebit  repentina  dies.     Singakademie  Ch;   VSY,  Hindemith,  Cap  P 

8134  f* Philharmonic  Concerto). 

A  Requiem  "For  Those  We  Love."    Hbngen,  c;  Braun,  b;  VSOC;  VSY, 

Hindemith,  10"  Vox  PL  1760  [2]. 

Both  recordings  give  evidence  of  being  taken  from  broadcasts;  in 
the  Requiem  there  was  only  too  obviously  a  large  audience  pres- 
ent. Apparebit,  composed  in  1947,  is  a  setting  of  a  medieval 
Latin  text  concerned  with  the  Day  of  Judgment.  It  is  a  beautiful 
work,  and  one  wishes  the  authoritative  performance  had  been  bet- 
ter recorded.  The  Requiem  comes  rather  strangely  in  the  German 
language,  for  the  text  is  Walt  Whitman's  When  lilacs  last  in  the 
dooryard  bloomed.  One  regrets  that  the  premiere  under  Robert 
Shaw  was  not  preserved,  for  it  was  in  every  way  superior.  It  is 
said  that  the  composer  has  strongly  objected  to  this  one  being  of- 
fered for  sale.  At  best,  then,  it  is  an  important  work  inadequately 
presented.    The  soloists  are  good. 

Das  Marienleben  (1948  Edition).    Tourel,  m-s;  Kahn,  pf,  SL  196  [2]. 

Hindemith  tells  us  he  considers  this  Rilke  cycle  not  only  one  of 
his  most  important  works,  but  a  milestone  in  modern  German  song. 
Originally  composed  in  1923,  the  work  was  found  so  difficult,  so 
unvocal,  indeed,  that  virtually  no  one  could  sing  it.  The  composer 
came  back  to  it,  therefore,  in  the  late  forties,  and  brought  the  vo- 
cal part  into  line.  Jennie  Tourel  and  Erich  Itor  Kahn  introduced 
the  new  version  to  New  York  as  long  ago  as  1949,  but  their  re- 
cording did  not  appear  until  some  five  years  later.  Meanwhile  the 
gap  was  filled  by  Frances  James  and  George  Brough  (Lyrachord 
LL  6),  a  recording  now  outclassed.  Indeed,  without  discounting 
for  a  moment  the  tremendous  achievement  of  the  present  artists  in 
their  penetrating  performance,  it  becomes  clear  on  repetition  that 
even  they  have  not  given  us  the  last  word.  In  the  first  place, 
Tourel,  being  a  mezzo,  finds  the  tessitura  uncomfortable.  This 
means  not  only  that  we  miss  the  feeling  of  freedom  in  the  higher 
reaches,  but  that  her  dynamic  and  tonal  palette  is  somewhat  lim- 
ited. With  this  she  has  an  unfortunate  habit  of  sliding  up  to  some 
of  the  tones,  especially  the  more  sustained  ones.  Kahn's  playing 
is  magnificent. 

Nine  English  Songs.  Troxell,  s;  Kozma,  pf,  WCFM  15  (* Britten:  Songs). 
The  English  songs  were  composed  during  Hindemith's  sojourn  at 
Yale.    One  is  struck  not  only  by  the  expressiveness  of  the  close- 


Hindemith/Hook  123 

knit  music,  but  also  by  the  composer's  understanding  of  our  lan- 
guage. There  is  much  variety  in  the  set,  from  the  clever  canonic 
setting  of  Moore's  "Echo"  to  the  retrospective  "On  hearing  the 
last  rose  of  summer"  by  Charles  Wolfe.  Miss  Troxell  sings  them 
superbly,  and  is  acceptably  if  not  evenly  recorded. 

HONEGGER,   ARTHUR  (1892-         ) 

Jeanne  d'Arcau  Bucher.    Zorina,  speaker;  Yeend,  s;  Lipton,  c;  Lloyd, 

t;   K.   Smith,   bs;  etc.;   Temple   U  &  St  Peter's  Boys'   Chs;  PHO,  Or- 

mandy,  C  SL  178  [2]. 

Though  classed  as  an  oratorio,  this  work  has  been  mounted  as  an 
opera.  It  might,  perhaps,  be  called  a  modern  miracle  play.  But 
however  you  choose  to  class  it,  Joan  of  Arc  at  the  Stake  is  a  com- 
position of  crushing  impact.  Vera  Zorina  reads  Claudel's  lines 
with  tremendous  eloquence,  and  the  almost  Handelian  choruses 
are  sung  with  magnificent  impressiveness.  Any  way  you  consider 
it,  this  recording  is  a  major  achievement. 

Le  Roi  David.    Micheau,  s;  Collard,  c;  Mullet,  b;  Herv'e,  speaker;  BC; 

French  Radio  0,  Honegger,  W  WAL  204  [2]. 

For  all  its  mixture  of  styles,  the  early  King  David  remains  a  mas- 
terpiece, a  work  with  sincerity  and  spontaneity  all  too  rare  in  our 
century.  The  performance  under  the  composer's  direction  is  big, 
vital,  magnificently  contrasted,  and  wonderfully  thrilling.  I  liked 
the  simple  singing  of  the  Twenty-third  Psalm  at  the  beginning  by 
the  boy's  voice  (I  have  always  heard  it  sung  by  a  contralto);  I  was 
roused  by  the  fine  crescendo  in  the  "Cortege,"  and  above  all  by 
the  final  movement,  "David's  death,"  with  its  Bachian  chorale 
melody.  On  the  other  hand,  I  am  not  sure  using  a  baritone  for  the 
tenor  part  was  completely  happy,  though  Mullet  is  a  good  artist. 
Nor  do  I  find  the  balance  ideal,  especially  in  the  soprano  solo 
passages.  Jean  Herve  reads  the  connecting  narrative  well,  though 
I  felt  a  bit  too  much  of  classical  French  tragedy  in  the  "Lamenta- 
tion" section.  In  this  role  any  speaker  will  be  at  a  disadvantage 
with  those  who  remember  Leon  Rothier  in  Bodanzky's  perform- 
ances some  years  ago  with  the  Friends  of  Music  in  New  York. 

HOOK,   JAMES  (1746-1827) 

The  Musical  Courtship  (arr.  Woodhouse).    IOS,  10"  L  LPS  293  (*Carey: 
True  Blue;  Anon.:  The  Dustcart  Cantata). 

The  Musical  Courtship  is  a  satire  in  dialogue  once  a  staple  in  the 


Hook/ Humperdi  nek  124 

repertoire  of  the  composer's  popular  contemporaries  Mr.  Incledon 
and  Miss  Iliff.  This  quaint  and  typical  bit  of  old-time  English 
humor  is  properly  realized  with  mock  seriousness,  and  less  of 
voice  than  of  style.    The  singers'  diction  might  serve  as  a  model. 

HOWE,   MARY  (1882-         ) 

Mein  Herz;  Ma  Douleur;  Fragment;  0  Proserpina;  When  I  died  in  Bern- 
ers  Street.  Hansel,  s;  Schaefer,  pf.  Lullaby  for  a  forester's  child; 
The  rag-picker;  Innisfree;  To  an  unknown  soldier.  Ronk,  b;  Schaefer, 
pf.  Williamsburg  Sunday;  The  horseman;  Music  when  soft  voices  die; 
Chain  Gang  Song;  Cavaliers;  Song  of  Ruth.  Howard  U  Ch;  Kindland, 
pf,  Lawson,  WCFM  LP  13. 

This  disc  provides  a  cross-section  of  the  vocal  works  of  Mary 
Howe,  with  one  side  devoted  to  solo  songs,  the  other  to  short 
choruses.  There  are  poems  in  French  and  German,  as  well  as  the 
English  of  Shakespeare,  Elinor  Wylie,  Frances  Frost,  and  others. 
Mrs.  Howe  has  a  fine  sense  of  climax,  and  her  songs  are  con- 
sistently interesting.  The  singers  perform  them  sympathetically; 
the  baritone  is  notable  for  fine  diction. 

HUMPERDINCK,    ENGELBERT  (1854-1921) 

Hansel  und  Gretel.  Schwarzkopf,  s;  Griimmer,  m-s;  Felbermayer,  s; 
Schiirhoff,  m-s;  Metternich,  b;  etc.;  Chs  of  Loughton  High  Sch  for  Girls 
&  Bancrofts  Sch;  PHI,  Karajan,  An  3506  B  [2].  Berger,  s;  Schilp,  s; 
Arndt-Ober,  c;  Nissen,  b;  etc.;  Berlin  Boys'  Ch;  RBO,  Rother,  U  URLP 
212  [2].  (In  English)  Conner,  s;  Stevens,  m-s;  Votipka,  m-s;  Brownlee, 
b;  etc.;  MOC  &  0,  Rudolf,  C  SL  102  [2]. 

The  first  question  here  is,  are  you  for  opera  in  English?  If  so, 
the  Metropolitan  performance  has  the  familiar  virtues  of  the  most 
recent  cast  at  the  New  York  institution.  The  singers  obviously 
enjoyed  this  work,  and  the  casting  was  fortunate.  Mechanically, 
though  not  of  the  newest,  the  Columbia  set  outranks  the  Urania, 
but  hardly  approaches  the  Angel.  Between  the  two  German  pro- 
ductions there  is  room  for  question  only  among  those  who  favor 
certain  singers,  for  Berger  is  a  natural  as  Gretel,  and  the  veteran 
Margarete  Arndt-Ober,  of  the  Metropolitan  before  World  War  I, 
shows  what  a  really  great  singer  can  do  as  the  Witch.  The  rest  of 
the   cast  is  excellent  too,  but  the  recording  is  sub-standard.     As 


Humperdinck/lves  125 

for  the  Angel  set,  its  reproduction  is  extraordinary.  If  it  has  a 
fault,  it  is  that  of  the  over-confident  virtuoso  who  wants  you  to 
know  he  can  play  more  slowly  and  more  softly  than  anyone  else. 
Perhaps  it  is  all  stretched  just  a  little  too  far.  The  cast  could 
not  easily  be  bettered.  Schwarzkopf  adopts  a  girlish  tone  hardly 
recognizable  as  her  own,  and  she  is  matched  by  the  lovely  un- 
clouded voice  of  Grummer.  Schurhoff  as  the  Witch  scratches  and 
screeches  without,  perhaps,  raising  any  gooseflesh  among  her 
hearers  (for  one  doesn't  take  this  performance  seriously  as  drama), 
and  Metternich  is  a  bluff,  hearty  Father.  The  orchestra  has  a 
bright,  roomy  sound. 

ISAAK,    HEINRICH   (ca.  1450-1517) 

Missa  Carmina.    VKC,  Grossmann,  W  WL  5215. 

Isaak  being  remembered  nowadays  chiefly  as  the  composer  of  his 
touching  little  farewell  to  Innsbruck  (see  Anthologie  Sonore,  HS 
AS  5,  or  History  of  Music  in  Sound,  V  LM  6016),  this  Mass  has 
especial  interest.  For  lo!  here  is  the  Innsbruck  song  woven  into 
the  polyphonic  texture,  and  emerging  clearly  in  the  "Christe  elei- 
son."  The  performance  given  the  work  is  full-blooded  and  pol- 
ished, perhaps  over-shaded.  The  recording  is  strong  and  a  little 
close. 

IVES,    CHARLES  E.   (1874-1954) 

When  stars  are  in  the  quiet  skies;  Tolerance;  A  night  thought;  At  the 
river;  At  sea;  A  Christmas  Carol;  Walt  Whitman;  I'll  not  complain;  In 
summer  fields;  At  parting.  Greissle,  s;  Wolman,  pf,  SPA  9  (*Revuel- 
tas:  Songs). 

A  program  of  Ives  songs  was  needed;  it  is  unfortunate  that  this 
one  cannot  be  greeted  with  great  enthusiasm.  The  selection  is 
representative,  showing  the  composer  in  various  stages,  from  the 
1891  setting  of  Bulwer's  "When  stars  are  in  the  quiet  skies"  to 
the  1921  "Walt  Whitman"  and  "At  sea."  Some  of  the  composer's 
strange  experiments  with  translations  from  the  German  (the  ori- 
ginal texts  being  thrice  familiar  in  settings  of  Brahms  and  Schu- 
mann) make  curious  listening,  as  does  his  "At  the  river,"  simply 
the  old  gospel  hymn  of  that  ilk  with  a  new  chordal  background. 
Unfortunately,  the  singer  on  this  record  is  modest  (which  an  Ives 


Ives/Josquin  126 

interpreter  can  hardly  afford  to  be)  and  rather  shaky.  Nor  are  mat- 
ters improved  by  the  reticent  pianist.  A  better  sample  is  the 
single  song  "Charlie  Rutledge"  in  Randolph  Symonette's  Ameri- 
cana program  (Col  CLPS  1008). 

JANACEK,   LEOS  (1854-1928) 

Slavonic  Mass.     Moravian  Mixed  Ch;  Brno  Radio  SO,  Bakala,  U  URLP 

7072. 

The  Slavonic  or  Glagolithic  Mass  was  Janacek's  crowning  work. 
Set  in  the  old  Czechish  language,  it  is  more  an  expression  of 
faith  than  a  liturgical  composition,  an  affirmation  of  striking,  even 
barbaric  drive.  The  cruelly  difficult  solo  parts  are  handled  with 
assurance  in  this  earnest,  sometimes  overwhelming  performance. 

JONES,   SIQNEY  (1869-1946) 

The  Geisha  (in  German)  (abridged).     Seegers,  s;  Falvay,  t;  etc.;  RBC 

&  0,  Dobrindt,  V  URLP  7059. 

The  old-fashioned  charm  of  this  1896  English  smash  hit  apparently 
still  holds  not  only  British,  but  also  German  audiences.  To  Ameri- 
can ears  it  may  sound  a  little  strange  in  so  thoroughly  Teutonic  a 
performance,  but  a  very  respectable  performance  it  is,  and  not 
without  power  to  bring  back  memories.  An  even  shorter  selection 
from  the  score  (one  10"  side)  has  been  made  also  in  Berlin  under 
Hansgeorg  Otto's  direction  (10"  L  LD  9068),  but  that  one  is  a  lit- 
tle too  slick.  The  lush  performing  style  is  better  suited  to  the 
purely  orchestral  selection  from  Benatzky's  lm  Weissen  Rossi 
(White  Horse  Inn)  on  the  reverse  of  the  disc. 

JOSQUIN   DES  PRES  (ca.  1450-1521) 

De    profundis   clamavi  a  te;   Ave  Maria.      DC,   Boepple,   CH  CHC  47 

(*Lassus:  Lamentations). 

These  sublimely  beautiful  works  are  somewhat  weighted  down  by 
the  size  of  the  performing  chorus.  Essentially  music  of  supple 
lines  and  clear  texture,  it  here  emerges  rather  squarely.  The  re- 
cording, made  in  Carnegie  Hall,  New  York,  is  good. 

N' esse  pas  un  grand  deplaisir;  Parfonds  regretz;  Bergerette  savoy enne; 

Fortuna    dyun   gran   tempo;   Douleur  me    bat;   Pour  souhaitter;   Faulte 


Josquin/Kilpinen  127 

d'argent;  Petite  Camousette;  Incessament  mon  povre  coeur  lamente; 
J e  me  complains  de  mon  amy;  La  plus  de  plus;  Allegez  moy;  La  Deplo- 
ration  de  Johannes  Ockeghem;  Battez-moy.    PMA,  Cape,  EMS  213. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  delightful  recordings  yet 
made.  Fittingly  devoted  to  vocal  and  instrumental  chansons  of 
the  greatest  fifteenth-century  master,  it  is  Volume  13  (though  the 
first  installment  issued)  of  an  extended  anthology  of  Medieval  and 
Renaissance  music.  No  need  to  praise  the  music,  whose  votaries 
know  it  for  an  unmitigated  delight;  the  Belgian  performers  are 
noted  for  their  work  with  the  Anthologie  Sonore  and  for  their  in- 
frequent and  too  brief  American  appearances.  Among  interpreters 
of  this  kind  of  music  they  have  few  rivals,  for  they  balance  schol- 
arship with  musical  vitality,  correctness  with  enthusiasm.  Such 
singing  and  playing,  superbly  recorded,  cannot  fail  to  spread  un- 
derstanding of  this  music. 

JOSTEN,    VfERNER  (1888-         ) 

Sumer  is  icumen  in;  Der  vers chwie gene  Nachtigall;  Die  heiligen  drei 
Kbnige;  Roundelay;  Gefunden;  Hingabe;  Lied;  The  Indian  Serenade;  La 
Partenza  delle  Dondinelle;  Guarda,  che  bianca  luna;  Fruhlingsnetz;  Im 
Herbst;  W eihnachten;  W aldeinsamkeit.  Endich,  s;  McGrath,  t;  Josten, 
pf,  SPA  34. 

Werner  Josten  is  a  German-born  conservative  in  the  romantic  tra- 
dition of  the  lied.  Most  of  the  poems  here  represented  are  well 
known  in  other  settings,  some  of  them  very  famous.  Josten's  ver- 
sions are  well-made  and  effective,  though  they  cannot  be  said  to 
efface  memories  of  their  predecessors.  The  better  of  the  singers 
is  Endich,  who  performs  most  of  the  German  songs  with  nice  line, 
lyric  quality,  and  penetration.  Most  effective  is  "W eihnachten," 
with  its  familiar  echoes  in  the  piano  part.  McGrath  sings  mostly 
in  English,  doing  even  one  of  the  German  songs  in  translation. 
His  voice  is  open,  his  style  outgoing,  and  his  diction  notably 
good.  The  accompaniments  supplied  by  the  composer  are  admira- 
bly solid.    The  last  of  the  songs  is  a  duet. 

KILPINEN,   YRIO  (1892-         ) 

Tunturilauluja;  Lieder  der  Liebe.  Niemela,  s;  Koskimies,  pf,  WCFM 
LP  5  (*Sibelius,  Grieg:  Songs). 


Kilpinen/Kodaly  128 

In  some  informed  opinions,  Kilpinen  is  the  greatest  of  contempo- 
rary song-writers;  certainly  he  is  the  finest  artist  in  Finland  spe- 
cializing in  this  field.  Before  the  war  a  society  was  formed  to 
record  some  of  his  songs,  and  the  great  baritone  Gerhard  Hiisch 
made  a  magnificent  set  of  six  discs  with  the  composer's  wife  at 
the  piano.  Beyond  the  importation  of  these  recordings,  little  has 
been  done  in  this  country  by  way  of  propaganda  for  Kilpinen. 
Niemela's  disc  contains  a  cycle  of  six  Laponian  Mountain  Songs, 
with  poems  by  Veikko  Tormanen,  sung  in  Finnish,  and  five  Lieder 
der  Liebe  with  German  texts  by  Christian  Morgenstern.  The  sing- 
er's voice  is  an  appealing  lyric  soprano  used  with  admirable  taste 
and  fine  musicianship. 

KODALY,   ZOLTAN  (1882-         ) 

Missa    brevis   in  tempore   belli.      Nat  Presby   Ch,   Schaefer,    WCFM  4 

("Britten:  Rejoice  in  the  Lamb). 

This  Mass,  a  memento  of  World  War  II,  was  introduced  to  America 
in  1947  by  the  excellent  choir  that  sings  it  here,  and  since  then 
has  been  a  kind  of  specialty  in  the  National  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Washington,  D.  C.  With  its  sonorities  and  tone  colors,  its  Gre- 
gorian thematic  flavoring,  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  Masses 
produced  in  recent  years.  The  playing  of  the  imposing  organ  part 
and  the  balance  of  that  instrument  with  the  choir  are  features  of 
the  recording. 

Psalmus    Hungaricus.      Krebs,    t;   RBC  &  0,    Rother,    U    URLP  7014 

(*Dances  from  Galanta). 

This  is  one  of  the  masterpieces  of  modern  choral  literature,  com- 
posed in  1923  for  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  union  of  the  cities 
of  Buda  and  Pest.  The  text  is  the  sixteenth-century  poet  Michael 
Veg's  translation  of  Psalm  55,  interspersed  with  his  own  com- 
ments and  lamentations  over  the  Turkish  domination  of  his  coun- 
try. Kodaly's  setting  calls  for  an  adult  choir,  a  children's  choir, 
and  a  tenor  soloist.  It  is  exciting  music  from  start  to  finish,  and 
shows  the  composer  as  a  master  of  choral  composition.  Previ- 
ously recorded  in  the  original  Hungarian  in  Texas  under  Antal 
Dorati  (V  WDM  1331,  45  rpm),  it  here  receives  a  fuller-sounding 
and  more  searching  performance  in  German. 

Te  Deum.    Jurinac,  s;  Wagner,  c;  Christ,  t;  Poell,  bs;  VC;  VSY,  Swo- 

boda,  W  WL  5001  ("Theater  Overture). 


Kodaly/Krenek  129 

Here  is  a  strikingly  different  setting  of  the  familiar  Latin  text, 
musically  very  big  and  impressive,  with  the  composer's  character- 
istic Hungarian  coloring.  The  performance  is  a  very  powerful  one, 
with  good  work  from  chorus  and  orchestra  and  the  unusually  strong 
solo  quartet. 

Folk  Songs  of  Hungary.     Chabay,  t;  Kozma,  pf,  Bar  BRS  904,  914  [2] 

(*Bartbk:  Folk  Songs  of  Hungary). 

Sappho's  Love  Song;  At  night;  The  forest.     Batic,  c;  Leukauf,  pf,  NR 

NRLP  405  (*Hauer:  Holderlin  Lieder;  Krenek:  Fiedellieder). 

With  his  friend  Bela  Bartok,  Kodaly  spent  years  collecting,  study- 
ing, and  editing  the  folk  songs  of  their  native  Hungary,  and,  like 
Bartok,  he  was  influenced  very  strongly  in  his  own  musical  style 
by  what  he  found  among  his  people.  Chabay's  two  discs  of  the 
Bartok  and  Kodaly  arrangements  are  thoroughly  authentic,  for  the 
tenor  and  his  pianist,  Kozma,  are  both  Hungarians  and  have  been 
friends  of  the  composers.  Actually  these  pieces  are  subtly  mod- 
eled into  art  songs  by  the  two  masters,  though  they  retain  their 
original  flavor.  The  contralto  Polly  Batic  sings  three  original 
songs  from  opus  9,  which  make  an  interesting  comparison  with 
their  ancestors  on  the  Chabay  disc.  One  wishes  the  contralto's 
voice  were  steadier. 

KORNGOLD,   ERICH  (1897-         ) 

Die  tote  Stadt — Gluck,  das  mir  verblieb.     Zadek,  s;  Dermota,  t;  ASO, 

Korngold,  MW  46  (* Instrumental  Compositions). 

The  selection  generally  known  as  "Marietta's  Song  to  the  Lute" 
is  most  frequently  sung  as  a  soprano  solo;  here  we  have  it  as  it 
occurs  in  the  score  of  Korngold's  most  successful  opera.  It  is 
well  sung,  better  by  Dermota  than  by  the  unsteady  Zadek;  the  com- 
poser's baton  gives  a  special  interest  to  the  interpretation. 

KRENEK,   ERNST  (1900-         ) 

Fiedellieder,  Opus  64.    Batic,  c;  Leukauf,  pf,  NR  NRLP  405  (*Hauer: 

Holderlin  Lieder;  Kodaly:  Songs). 

Krenek,  of  Johnny  spielt  aii/fame,  has  produced  some  surprisingly 
melodious  songs.  The  singer  here  has  a  rich  and  ample  voice, 
unfortunately  marred  by  a  quaver  and  a  certain  lackadaisical  qual- 
ity.   One  wishes  for  a  lighter  touch. 


Lambert/ Lecocq  130 

LAMBERT,    CONSTANT  (1905-1951) 

The  Rio  Grande.    Ripley,  c;  Ch;  PHI,  Lambert,  10"  C  ML  2145  (*Brit- 

ten:  Peter  Grimes — Interludes). 

Old-timers  remember  the  sensation  created  by  the  1929  recording, 
made  on  the  occasion  of  the  world  premiere  of  this  effervescent 
work.  Mechanically,  it  was  outstanding  in  its  day.  This  replace- 
ment is  at  least  equally  impressive,  with  a  particularly  fine  dis- 
play of  percussion  and  some  clean,  spirited  choral  singing.  The 
entire  Sacheverell  Sitwell  text  is  happily  printed  on  the  container: 
to  catch  all  the  words  in  so  elaborate  a  setting  would  otherwise 
be  impossible. 

LASSUS,    ROLAND   DE  (1532-1594) 

Lamentations  of  Jeremiah,  I  &  II.    DC,  Boepple,  CH  CHC  47  (*Josquin 

des  Pres:  Choral  Works). 

Considering  that  this  is  a  semi-amateur  public-performance  record- 
ing, the  results  are  amazingly  good.  What  is  more  remarkable,  the 
concert  was  given  in  the  Armor  Hall  of  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of 
Art  in  New  York,  where  the  echo  is  a  thing  of  wonder.  The  effect 
on  the  recording  seems  to  have  been  good,  for  the  sound  of  the 
chorus  has  a  liveness  not  matched  in  the  companion  pieces  of 
Josquin,  taken  in  Carnegie  Hall.  The  choir  is  at  its  best  in  the 
Lassus;  its  inordinate  size  does  not  seem  amiss  in  the  impres- 
sive sonorities  of  this  music. 

Psaumes  de  la  penitence  a  cinq  voix.     AMC,  de  Nobel,  CH  CHS  1196 

(^Monteverdi:  Messa  a  Quatre  Voci  da  Cappella). 

Despite  its  inclusive  label,  this  disc-side  contains  only  the  first 
of  the  Penitential  Psalms.  It  is  noble  and  affecting  music,  done 
energetically  and  solidly,  but  not  in  a  cut-and-dried  manner.  The 
churchly  atmosphere  is  enhanced  by  a  reverberating  echo. 

LECOCQ,   CHARLES  (1832-1918) 

La  Fille  de  Madame  Angot.    Dachary,  s;  Michel,  m-s;  Peyron,  b;  Dens, 

b;  etc.;  RSPC;  LAM,  Gressier,  Vox  PL  20000. 

Lecocq's  once-famous  little  work  is  delightful  when  so  idiomati- 
cally performed.  Its  irresistible  tunes  are  better  known  to  balleto- 
manes today  than  to  opera-goers.  The  score  is  abridged  in  this 
recording,  but  there  is  a  running  commentary  for  the  benefit  of 
listeners  who  understand  French. 


Lehar  131 

LEHAR,    FRANZ  (1870-1948) 

Das  Land  des  L'achelns.    Schwarzkopf,  s;  Loose,  s;  Gedda,  t;  Kunz,  b; 

etc.;  Ch-  PHI,  Ackermann,  An  3507-B  [2]. 

To  most  of  us  Das  Land  des  L'achelns  means  little  more  (until  we 
have  listened  to  this  recording)  than  the  setting  of  one  of  the  great 
Tauber  hits,  "Dein  ist  mein  ganzes  Herz."  Actually,  there  are 
several  other  more  or  less  familiar  songs  in  the  Viennese  operetta 
tradition,  and  the  work  is  the  composer's  most  successful  produc- 
tion after  The  Merry  Widow.  Schwarzkopf  is  in  top  form,  and  she 
shows  a  strong  affinity  for  this  type  of  music.  At  moments  her 
voice  recalls  the  young  Lotte  Lehmann;  always  she  sings  with 
great  intensity.  Gedda  is  a  good  match  for  her;  the  music  holds 
no  terrors  for  him,  and  he  brings  something  of  the  Tauber  style  to 
play  without  ever  seeming  to  be  a  "second  Tauber."  "Immer  nur 
I'acheln."  his  first  air,  and  one  of  the  gems  of  the  score,  lies  low 
for  him  in  spots,  but  this  does  not  hinder  his  effectiveness.  Kunz 
shows  what  can  be  done  by  a  genuine  artist  singing  a  smooth  vo- 
cal line  directly  on  the  text,  one  of  the  great  secrets  of  fine  sing- 
ing. He  is  superb  throughout,  notably  in  his  first-act  duet  with 
Schwarzkopf.  Loose,  too,  is  first-rate.  The  way  the  speaking 
parts  are  handled  might  serve  as  a  model  for  producers  of  this 
kind  of  thing:  they  are  kept  very  low  and  suggestive,  never  out  of 
balance  with  the  musical  portions  of  the  recording. 

Die  lustige  Witwe.    Schwarzkopf,  s;  Loose,  s;  Gedda,  t;  Kunz,  b;  etc.; 

Ch;  PHI,  Ackermann,  An  3501-B  [2].     (In  English)  Kirs  ten,  s;  Warner, 

s;  Rounseville,  t;  Harvuot,  b;  etc.;  Ch  &  0,  Engel,  C  ML  4666. 

The  Angel  Merry  Widow  is  one  of  those  very  special  things  calcu- 
lated to  reach  a  much  greater  audience  than  either  the  admirers  of 
Lehar  or  the  fans  of  the  various  stars  concerned  in  the  perform- 
ance; the  combination  adds  up  to  something  very  near  perfection. 
Schwarzkopf  and  Kunz  sing  their  parts  for  all  the  character  there 
is  in  them,  and  their  voices  are  in  fine  fettle.  The  genuinely  lyri- 
cal vocalism  of  Emmy  Loose  and  the  appealingly  youthful  Nicolai 
Gedda  provide  the  perfect  foil.  The  teamwork  bespeaks  endless 
rehearsing.  There  is  a  long  overture  based  on  the  principal  themes, 
composed  for  a  revival  in  1940,  and  there  are  notes  by  no  less 
than  Ernest  Newman.  Columbia's  offering  is  said  to  follow  the 
original  1907  score.  After  so  fine  and  authentic  a  production  as 
Angel's,  I  confess  I  find  this  gilt-edged  Broadway-style  perform- 


Lehar/ Leoncavallo  132 

ance  more  than  a  little  tame,  but  I  doubt  that  the  Kirsten  and 
Rounseville  fans  will  enjoy  it  any  the  less. 

Der  Zarewitsch.     Delia  Casa,  s;  Funk,  s;  Roswaenge,  t;  Hendrik,  t; 

ZTO,  Reinhagen,  L  LLP  219. 

Among  other  things,  this  tune-laden  score  is  the  source  of  the 
"Wolgalied,"  once  a  favorite  with  Richard  Tauber's  audiences. 
Failing  Tauber,  we  still  have  Helge  Roswaenge,  who  knows  what 
to  do  with  melodies  like  these.  We  also  have  Lisa  Delia  Casa,  to 
me  the  bright  particular  star  of  this  production.  The  songs  simply 
melt  in  her  mouth. 

Zigeunerliebe.     Seegers,  s;  Groh,  t;  Karell,  b;  RBC  &  0,  Dobrindt,  U 

URLP  205  [21 

Though  hardly  of  a  perfection  to  rival  Angel's  Merry  Widow,  this 
has  an  excellent  cast  presenting  a  popular  success  in  the  authen- 
tic Viennese  manner.  Perhaps  just  as  a  change  from  the  more  fa- 
miliar work,  this  operetta  might  be  preferred. 

LEONCAVALLO,   RUGGIERO  (1858-1919) 

I  Pagliacci.  De  los  Angeles,  s;  Bjoerling,  t;  Warren,  b;  Merrill,  b;  SC; 
RCAO,  Cellini,  V  LM  6106  [3]  f*Mascagni:  Cavalleria  Rusticana). 
Amara,  s;  Tucker,  t;  Valdengo,  b;  Harvuot,  b;  MOC  &  0,  Cleva,  C  SL 
113  [2]  for  C  SL  124  [3],  with  Mascagni:  Cavalleria  Rusticana).  Pe- 
trella,  s;  Del  Monaco,  t;  Poli,  b;  Protti,  b;  SCC  &  0,  Erede,  L  LL 
880/1  [2].  (*Del  Monaco  Operatic  Recital).  Pacetti,  s;  Gigli,  t;  Basi- 
ola,  b;  Pad,  b;  SCAC  &  0,  Ghione,  V  LCT  6010  [2].  (*Gigli  Operatic 
Recital).  Gavazzi,  s;  Bergonzi,  t;  Tagliabue,  b;  Rossi,  b;  RIC  &  0, 
Simonetto,  Cet  1227  [2],  La  Polio,  s;  Donati,  t;  Sarri,  b;  Petroff,  b; 
TCC;  FM,  Ghiglia,  Rem  RLP  199-40. 

If  what  one  wants  is  a  Cav-and-Pag  combination,  unquestionably 
the  best  value  is  LM  6106.  There  may  be  some  better  vocalism 
here  and  there  in  the  rival  sets,  but  Victor  has  assembled  proba- 
bly the  best  voice-and-temperament  combination  to  be  heard  at  the 
Metropolitan  today.  The  performance  gets  off  to  a  good  start  with 
Warren's  solid  Prologue,  and  this  artist  is  consistently  admirable 
throughout  the  opera.  Bjoerling  sings  ardently  but  not  without 
strain.  De  los  Angeles  is  a  case  of  sheer  vocal  attractiveness 
and — save  for  one  high  tone — masterly  singing,  yet  she  does  not 
succeed  in  portraying  the  peasant  girl  deceiving  her  husband. 
Victor  has  been  lavish  in  giving  the  role  of  Silvio  to  another  pre- 
mier baritone,  and  Merrill  brings  to  it  his  finest,  sturdiest  tones. 


.eoncavallo 


133 


Beppe,  too,  is  in  exceptionally  capable  hands,  for  Franke  is  a 
Metropolitan  comprimario  who  may  be  ready  to  graduate  to  more 
imposing  things.  I  was  a  little  disappointed  in  the  ending  of  the 
opera,  which  did  not  seem  to  me  to  have  sufficient  tension.  It 
could  be  that  the  singers  in  this  recording  were  a  little  too  close 
to  the  microphone.  The  "official"  Metropolitan  cast  was  somehow 
issued  with  a  novice  as  Nedda,  a  promising  novice,  to  be  sure, 
but  the  recording  was  Amara's  first  essay  of  the  role.  Tucker, 
however,  is  at  the  least  a  worthy  rival  for  Bjoerling,  and  Val- 
dengo's  Tonio  is  one  of  his  best  roles.  Harvuot  is  no  more  than 
passable  as  Silvio,  but  Hayward  is  another  unusually  mellifluous 
Beppe.  The  reproduction  is  very  good.  If  Petrella  in  the  London 
set  shows  the  temperament  De  los  Angeles  lacks,  she  will  dis- 
please the  fanatics  for  intonation.  Her  style  is  authentic,  and  her 
voice  has  more  than  ordinary  beauty,  though  sometimes  it  spreads. 
Poli  is  a  good  and  serviceable  baritone,  Protti  rather  less  impres- 
sive. Del  Monaco  is,  of  course,  the  star,  and  he  is  in  his  best 
voice,  which  is  to  say  he  sings  with  great  power,  rides  over  most 
of  the  high  passages  without  batting  an  eye,  and  gives  plenty  in 
the  emotional  scenes.  If  occasionally  he  does  some  wild  shooting 
at  the  pitch,  what  does  it  matter?  The  recording  of  the  choral 
parts  has  lots  of  space;  it  even  seems  a  little  diffused,  but  the 
soloists  seem  to  come  too  close.  In  his  recital,  which  serves  as 
a  filler,  Del  Monaco  includes  the  Prologue,  perhaps  on  the  theory 
that  what  was  good  for  Tauber  is  good  for  him  too.  The  effect  of 
this  baritone  music  on  his  voice  is  most  curious;  although  the 
tone  takes  on  a  deeper  hue,  he  does  not  seem  comfortable,  and 
rushes  through  the  piece. 

The  Gigli  set  is,  of  course,  famous,  and  bears  its  years  lightly, 
if  not  well  enough  to  cancel  the  superiority  of  the  recordings  al- 
ready mentioned.  The  tenor  is  at  his  best,  with  his  voice  elo- 
quent and  ringing,  his  emotions  under  unusual  control.  Pacetti's 
instrument  is  a  lovely  spinto,  just  a  little  heavy  for  the  higher 
flights.  Through  her  fault  or  the  conductor's  the  "Ballatella" 
seems  earthbound.  Basiola  is  pleasant-voiced  but  not  exciting; 
the  others  are  good. 

The  Cetra  set  is  a  competent,  run-of-the-mill  job,  with  a  rather 
heavy-handed  Nedda.  Only  the  Silvio,  Rossi,  compares  favorably 
with  the  singers  considered  above.  More  cannot  be  said  for  the 
bargain-priced  abridgment  from  Remington,  vocally  acceptable  if 
rather  insensitive.     From  older  recordings  Victor  has  pieced  to- 


Leoncavallo/ Loewe  134 

gether  another  Highlights  set,  featuring  Albanese,  Peerce,  Warren, 
and  Merrill  (LM  1 160).    This  is  coupled  with  Cavalleria  Highlights. 

Arias 

Boheme — Testa  adorata.  Piccaver,  t.  Zaza — Buona  Zaza.  Sammarco, 
b.  Zaza — Mai  piu,  Zaza.  Bond,  t.  Zaza — Zaza,  piccola  zingara. 
Schwarz,  b.    Et  ELP  490  (*Mascagni:  Arias). 

This  disc  is  really  not  so  much  a  show  of  the  less  familiar  Leon- 
cavallo as  a  collection  of  famous  singers.  Piccaver  sings  an  aria 
usually  associated  with  Caruso  (V  LCT  1034),  but  without  Ca- 
ruso's intensity.  Sammarco  and  Bonci,  both  well  known  to  col- 
lectors, are  represented  by  good  examples;  the  baritone  is  re- 
corded well  forward.  Josef  Schwarz  shows  his  fine  rich  voice  to 
advantage,  though  his  singing  is  on  the  placid  side. 

LISZT,   FRANZ  (7877-7886) 

Missa  choralis.    PSC,  Leibowitz,  Oc  OCS  37. 

This  impressive  work  typifies  in  a  peculiarly  fitting  way  the  mix- 
ture of  the  mystic  and  the  earthly,  the  sacred  and  the  secular, 
which  was  Franz  Liszt.  It  is  simply  scored  for  chorus  and  organ, 
though  one  hardly  follows  the  program  annotator's  description  of 
the  setting  as  "short  and  to  the  point" — the  "Kyrie"  has  all  the 
extension  its  passionate  mood  calls  for,  and  the  "Benedictus"  is 
an  elaborate  and  imposing  movement.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
"Sanctus"  is  brief  and  understated.  The  performance  is  full  of 
spirit  and  expression,  good  in  sound  and  for  the  most  part  able, 
though  the  choral  pitch  is  sometimes  at  variance  with  that  of  the 
organ.  The  tone  is  clear  enough,  but  there  is  the  kind  of  echo  one 
might  expect  in  a  church  recording. 

LOEVIE,   CARL  (1796-1869) 

Edward;  Der  Nock.  Greindl,  bs;  Klust,  pf.  Odins  Meeresritt;  Meeres- 
leuchten.  Hann,  bs;  Leitner,  pf.  D  DL  9610.  (*Schumann:  Frauen- 
liebe  und  Leben,  Hongen,  c). 

Prinz  Eugen,  der  edle  Ritter;  Die  Uhr;  Odins  Meeresritt;  Edward;  Der 
Nock;  Der  selt'ner  Beter;  Tom  der  Reimer.  Strienz,  bs;  Haeusslein, 
pf,  L  LLP  310. 


Loewe  IS  J 

Kleiner  Haushalt;  Glockenturmers  Tbchterlein;  Hochzeitslied;  Susses 
Begrabnis;  Odins  Meeresritt.  Warfield,  b;  Herz,  pf,  C  ML  4545  ^War- 
field  Recital). 

It  is  ironical  and  typical  of  the  misunderstanding  surrounding  the 
name  of  Loewe  that  when  one  company  issued  a  collection  of  his 
songs,  sung  in  English  by  Emile  Renan  under  the  title  Scottish 
Border  Ballads  (10"  All  Al  108,  withdrawn),  a  name  and  classifi- 
cation was  thereby  found  to  fit  anything  of  his  that  might  be  re- 
leased thereafter.  To  justify  the  makers  of  that  first  disc,  "Ed- 
ward" and  "Tom  der  Reimer"  are  based  on  Scottish  lore,  though 
of  course  Loewe  set  the  poems  in  Herder's  German  translations. 
But  "Archibald  Douglas"  is  an  original  German  poem  by  Theodor 
Fontane,  for  all  its  ancestry  in  Caledonian  folk  poetry.  In  any 
case,  the  singing  on  that  record  was  not  inspired;  unless  one  par- 
ticularly wanted  the  songs  in  English,  there  would  be  no  point  in 
trying  to  find  it.  Hardly  better  is  the  more  generous  offering  of 
Wilhelm  Strienz,  though  it  includes  the  delightfully  simple  "Die 
Uhr"  and  the  extremely  florid  "Der  Nock."  One  can  admire  the 
singer's  diction  and  phrasing  as  well  as  the  fine  work  of  the  pi- 
anist, all  of  which  are  excellently  recorded,  but  the  spirit  is  not 
in  the  singing.  A  side  of  Loewe  is  shared  by  Josef  Greindl  and 
Georg  Hann;  the  star  in  this  case  is  Greindl,  who  sings  "Edward" 
for  all  the  grim  power  there  is  in  the  song,  and  proves  in  "Der 
Nock"  that  he  can  sing  both  high  and  low.  Hann  does  "Odins 
Meeresritt"  nearly  as  well,  but  sadly  overweights  the  folksy 
"Meeresleuchten."  The  best  buy  in  Loewe  on  LP  is  William  War- 
field's  recital,  combined  with  some  early  German  sacred  songs. 
The  American  bass-baritone  has  developed  a  magnificent  forward 
diction  that  enables  him  to  sing  the  breath-taking  (in  more  senses 
than  one)  "Hochzeitslied"  and  the  delightfully  naive  "Kleines 
Haushalt"  with  the  ease  of  a  Gilbert  and  Sullivan  virtuoso.  At 
the  same  time  he  has  the  tonal  beauty  required  to  bring  out  the 
best  of  the  Schubertian  "Susses  Begrabnis."  The  searcher  for 
single  songs  will  find  a  good  "Erkennen"  and  "Der  Nock"  in  a 
Schlusnus  recital  (D  DL  9624),  and  he  might  want  to  compare 
Strienz's  orchestrally  accompanied  "Der  Nock"  (U  URLP  7026) 
with  the  piano  version  mentioned  above.  Somehow  the  voice  bene- 
fits by  the  richer  background. 


Lortzing/Lully  136 

LORTZING,   ALBERT  (1801-1851) 

Zar  und  Zimmerman.    Junker-Giesen,  s;  Ludwig,  t;  Gunther,  bs;  Neid- 

linger,  bs;  WSTC  &  0,  Leitner,  D  DX  129  [2]. 

There  was  a  time  when  Zar  und  Zimmermann  enjoyed  some  cur- 
rency at  least  in  German  communities  of  America,  but  in  general 
the  Lortzing  operas  do  not  export  well.  One  regrets,  for  this  rea- 
son especially,  that  the  recording  does  not  sport  one  of  those 
super-casts  occasionally  assembled  nowadays  for  the  lighter  op- 
eras. The  present  assemblage  falls  a  little  below  the  spectacu- 
lar, though  the  individual  singers  are  obviously  competent  and 
well  routined.  Best  of  the  lot  is  Gustav  Neidlinger,  to  whom  falls 
the  unctious  comedy  role.  His  "0  sancta  justitia,"  a  summing-up 
of  the  character  he  portrays,  is  capitally  done.  Horst  Gunther,  in 
the  title  role,  does  the  most  famous  number — "Sonst  spielt'  ich 
mit  Zepter" — with  dignity,  but  the  excellent  Walther  Ludwig  is 
not  in  his  best  form  in  this  recording.  Junker-Giesen,  as  Marie,  is 
of  operetta  caliber,  though  she  executes  some  of  the  rapid  pas- 
sages neatly  enough.  The  reproduction  is  very  "live,"  and  has 
the  aura  provided  by  a  slight  echo.  The  spoken  dialogue  is  omitted 
in  this  version,  and  there  are  some  cuts  in  the  score. 

LUBECK,   VINCENT  (1654-1740) 

Hilf  deinem  Volfc;  Gott,  wie  dein  Name.     Augenstein,  s;  Plumacher,  c; 

Hohmann,  t;  Rohr,  bs;  SCS;  SSO,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  32  (*Preludes  and 

Fugues,  Hblderlin,  organ). 

These  examples  of  the  few  surviving  works  of  Vincent  Liibeck 
will  make  him  many  friends,  for  his  choral  writing  is  worthy  to 
stand  with  that  of  his  contemporary,  Buxtehude.  The  cantatas  are 
well  done,  with  especially  fine  work  by  the  chorus,  modest  but  ef- 
fective singing  by  the  soloists.  An  exception  must  be  made  to 
this  in  the  case  of  Rohr,  outstanding  in  a  formidable  assignment. 
Another  hero  of  the  occasion  is  the  player  of  the  all  but  impossi- 
ble trumpet  in  C.    The  reproduction  is  exceptional. 

LULLY,   JEAN-BAPTISTE  (1632-1687) 

Te  Deum.     Collart,  s;  Cahn,  c;  Friedmann,  t;  Abdoun,  bs;  EVP;  Orch 
de  la  Sainte  de  Musique  de  Chambre  (Paris),  Capdevielle,  W  WL  5326. 
This  music  is  even  more  festive  than  the  works  we  have  come  to 


Lully/Machaut  137 

know  of  Lully's  contemporary,  Charpentier.     The  score  calls  for 
two  choirs,  many  incidental  solos,  and  an  orchestra  with  trumpets 
and  tympani  added  to  the  strings  and  organ.    The  singing  through- 
out is  very  energetic  and  enthusiastic,  perhaps  a  little  wearing  in 
so  long  a  piece,  but  this  we  may  surely  charge  to  the  composer's 
account.      The  soloists  are   not  remarkable,  except  for  Claudine 
Collart,  who  has  the  least  to  do.   Mme  M.  T.  Cahn,  the  alto,  seems 
to  be  afflicted  with  a  lisp.    The  reproduction  is  broad  and  bright, 
altogether  in  keeping  with  the  nature  of  the  music. 
Cadmus    et  Hermione — Amants,   aimez  vos   chaines;  Belle  Hermione, 
helas,   helas;  Vous  etes  le  charme;   Th'es'ee — Trop  heureux  qui  mois- 
sonne;  La  Naissance  de  Venus — Rochers,   vous  etes  sourds;  Atys — 
Espoir  si  chere;  Atys  est  trop  heureux;  Psyche — Admirons  le  jus  de 
la   treille;   Que  vos  ames  s'emeuvent  a  mes  larmes;  Phaeton — Dieu, 
qui   vous   declarez  mon  pere;   Amadis — Amour!  que  veux-tu  de  moi?; 
Persee — Hymen,    b   doux  Hymen!     Rowe,   s;  Linville,    bs;  Duvernoy, 
hpschd;  Ly  LL  16. 

One  can  only  regret  that  so  promising  a  program  should  prove  so 
disappointing.  The  music  is  first-rate,  and  we  may  at  least  thank 
the  artists  for  their  tasteful  choice.  Still,  the  two  singers  do  not 
have  the  equipment  for  this  type  of  music,  and  it  seems  unfortu- 
nate that  they  have  gone  to  so  much  trouble.  Such  music  must  be 
well  sung  if  it  is  to  commend  itself  to  more  than  a  very  special 
audience. 

MACHAl/T,    GUILLAUME   DE  (ca.  7300-co.  7377) 

Notre  Dame  Mass.    DC;  NY  Brass  Ens,  Boepple,  CH  CHS  1107. 

Machaut's  Mass  is  the  oldest  surviving  polyphonic  setting  of  the 
text  written  by  a  single  hand.  What  the  listener  should  know  (and 
what  the  producers  do  not  tell  him)  is  that  this  effective  perform- 
ance involves  much  larger  forces  than  were  ever  available  to  the 
composer,  that  the  work  in  consequence  gains  an  imposing  sonor- 
ity. No  information  is  given  as  to  the  source  of  the  edition  used. 
The  Anthologie  Sonore  contains  a  partial  performance  by  the  Para- 
phonistesde  St. -Jeans  des  Matines,  under  Guillaume  de  Van,  which 
will  certainly  be  preferred  by  the  history  professors  (HS  AS  3).  In 
this  case  we  are  told  that  the  score  used  was  reconstructed  by 
Van;  it  is  more  modest  than  that  favored  by  Boepple.  After  the 
impressiveness  of  the  Dessoff  performance,  there  is  a  fascination 


Machaut/ Mahler  138 

about  the  very  sparseness  of  this  one.  A  still  simpler  conception 
of  the  music  may  be  sampled  in  the  History  of  Music  in  Sound, 
Vol.  3  (V  LM  6016).  Here  the  "Benedictus"  is  well  sung  by  the 
Brompton  Oratory  Choir,  with  instruments,  under  Henry  Washington. 

MAHLER,    GUSTAV  (1860-1911) 

Choral  Vfork 

Das  klagende  Lied.     Steingruber,  s;  Wagner,  c;  Majkut,  t;  VKC;  VSO, 

Fekete,  Mer  MG  10102. 

This  choral  ballad,  which  might  have  become  an  opera,  was  a 
product  of  the  composer's  twentieth  year,  but  twice  later  under- 
went revisions.  It  has  Mahler's  folk-song  melodic  style  and  shows 
his  great  skill  at  orchestration.  The  performance  is  capable;  if  we 
accept  a  less  than  perfect  balance  and  a  background  rumble,  the 
recording  is  satisfactory. 

Songs 

Des  Knaben  Wunderhorn.     Sydney,  m-s;  Poell,  b;  VSO,  Prohaska,  Van 

VRS  412/13  [2]. 

Here  are  thirteen  of  Mahler's  best  songs,  all  set  to  words  from  the 
famous  early-nineteenth-century  collection  of  folk  poetry  com- 
piled by  Arnim  and  Brentano.  No  miniaturist,  Mahler  orchestrated 
several  of  the  songs  himself,  and  they  sound  best  with  all  the  in- 
strumental color  of  which  he  was  master.  This  set  is  so  arranged 
that  the  two  singers  more  or  less  alternate  in  the  songs  best  suited 
to  their  respective  voices;  the  result  is  a  satisfying  program. 
Poell  is  here  at  his  best;  Sydney's  fine  voice  is  not  perfectly  sup- 
ported in  some  of  the  high  sustained  singing,  but  she  is  an  in- 
telligent artist.  The  orchestral  background  is  excellent,  the  re- 
cording uncommonly  lifelike. 

Early   Songs   from  Des  Knaben  Wunderhorn;   Ruckert  Songs.      Felber- 

mayer,  s;  Poell,  b;  VSO,  Prohaska,  Van  VRS  421. 

Lieder  aus  der  J ugendzeit.     Felbermayer,  s;  Poell,  b;  Graef,  pf,   Van 

VRS  424. 

Fourteen    Youth  Songs.     Steingruber,   s;  Haefner,  pf,  SPA  20/1/2  [3] 

(*Mahler:  Symphony  No.  3). 

Erinnerung;    Scheiden   und  Meiden;   Nicht   wiedersehen;   Ich  ging  mit 

Lust  durch  einen  grunen  W aid;  Ablosung  im  Sommer;  Hans  und  Gretel; 


Mahler  139 

F  r'uhlingsmorgen;  Starke  Einbildungskraft.    Halban,  s;  Walter,  pf,  C  SL 
171  [2]  (*Mahler:  Symphony  No.  5) 

The  "early  songs"  here  variously  designated  are  forerunners  of 
the  later  and  better-known  Des  Knaben  Wunderhorn  Lieder.  The 
idea  of  combining  some  of  these  fresh  and  charming  lieder  into 
one  cycle  with  the  five  Riickert  songs  is  not  ineffective,  though 
the  reasons  behind  it  are  not  obvious.  Poell  is  less  happy  here 
than  in  the  Wunderhorn  set;  such  pieces  as  "Ich  bin  der  Welt  ab- 
handen  gekommen"  and,  above  all,  "Liebst  du  um  Schonheit"  call 
quite  definitely  for  a  contralto  voice,  and  they  take  this  admirable 
artist  beyond  his  best  range.  The  star  of  the  disc,  as  it  turns  out, 
is  Felbermayer,  a  soprano  of  a  freshly  lyrical  voice,  intelligence, 
and  style.  As  in  the  Wunderhorn  recording,  Prohaska  shows  affec- 
tion for  the  music;  the  orchestral  playing,  is,  if  anything,  even  bet- 
ter this  time.  In  the  second  disc  listed,  the  same  two  artists  com- 
plete the  early  collection,  even  repeating  some  of  the  songs,  this 
time  with  the  original  piano  accompaniments,  as  opposed  to  or- 
chestrations not  by  Mahler  himself. 

As  a  filler  for  Adler's  splendid  recording  of  the  Third  Symphony, 
Steingruber  gives  us  a  group  of  the  early  songs,  sung  with  bright 
tone  and  admirable  reserve.     One  might  complain  of  looseness  in 
some    of  the   songs,   both   as  regards  rhythmic  pulse   and  diction. 
But  such  a  performance  as  she  gives  of  "Ich  ging  mit  Lust  durch 
einen  griinen   Wald"   is  as  lovely  as  one  could  ask.     The  well- 
played   piano  parts  are   satisfactorily  reproduced.      Halban's  set 
was  released  originally  in  1949,  and  mechanically  it  is  inferior  to 
the  other  recordings  considered  in  this  group.    Special  interest  at- 
taches to  the  singer,  as  the  daughter  of  Selma  Kurz,  once  a  pro- 
tegee  of  Mahler.     While  hardly  in  her  mother's  class,   the  singer 
has  an  expressive  voice;  she  is  musical  too,  and  has  the  feeling 
these  songs  require.    There  is,  however,  a  certain  "diffuseness" 
in   her  tones,  emphasized  by  the  poor  balance  of  the  recording. 
Walter,    fine   musician  though   he   is,    is  rather  a  modest  pianist; 
even   so,   the  reproduction  lets  him  down.     After  the   original  re- 
lease at  78  rpm,  these  songs  seemed  improved  in  their  LP  version. 
Kindertotenlieder.    Ferrier,  c;  VPH,  Walter,  10"  C  ML  2187.    Schey,  b; 
Hague  PO,  Otterloo,  Ep  SC  6001  f*Bruckner:  Symphony  No.  4).     Lail, 
m-s;  RBO,  Kleinert,  U  URLP  7016  (*Lieder  eines  fahrenden  Gesellen, 
Metternich).    Anderson,  c;  SFS,  Monteux,  V  LM  1146  f*Brahms:  Rhap- 
sody).   Rosza,  c;  VSO,  Fekete,  Mer  MG  10103  (*R'uckert  Songs). 

Ironically,  although  the  Kindertotenlieder  is  best  heard  in  the  bar- 


Mahler 


140 


itone  register,  most  of  the  recordings  are  made  by  contraltos;  the 
one  baritone  on  the  present  list  offers  little  competition  to  the 
best  of  the  ladies.  Indeed,  the  first  recording  ever  made  of  the 
cycle  (by  Heinrich  Rehkemper),  now  long  a  collector's  item,  re- 
mains for  me  the  only  completely  satisfying  performance.  These 
songs  contain  some  of  the  most  self-revelatory  music  ever  written, 
and  as  much  for  this  reason  as  because  of  the  way  in  which  the 
vocal  part  is  composed,  the  sentiment  easily  becomes  overripe  in 
the  deeply  sympathetic  tones  of  a  contralto.  Neither  Ferrier,  An- 
derson, nor  yet  Lail  really  merits  this  rebuke,  yet  none  is  quite 
satisfying  after  Rehkemper.  Ferrier  had  the  fullest  and  most  vi- 
brant voice,  and  she  sang  with  the  deepest  understanding.  Lail, 
for  her  part,  could  certainly  not  be  said  to  overdo  expressiveness. 
Ferrier  had  the  advantage  of  Walter's  conducting,  with  every  note 
in  the  orchestral  part  clearly  brought  out.  Anderson,  unfortunately, 
is  not  at  her  best,  and  Schey,  though  a  long-admired  artist,  does 
not  strike  below  the  surface.  Like  most  of  the  others,  he  misses 
the  bitterness  of  the  final  song.  The  Rosza  performance  is  to  be 
considered  only  as  a  filler  for  the  Riickert  songs. 

Das  Lied  von  der  Erde.     Cavelti,  c;  Dermota,  t;  VSY,  Klemperer,  Vox 

PL  7000. 

Das  Lied  von  der  Erde;  Three  Contralto  Songs.    Ferrier,  c;  Patzak,  t; 

VPH,  Walter,  L  LL  625/6  [2]. 

Klemperer  and  Walter  are  Mahlerites  from  way  back,  and  both  plead 
the  composer's  cause  eloquently  in  these  recordings.  Walter  is 
the  stronger  advocate.  Cavelti  produces  a  rather  mouthy  tone  for 
Klemperer  in  the  gorgeous  contralto  part;  Dermota  outshines  her 
with  really  first-rate  singing.  Ferrier  showed  a  particular  affinity 
for  this  music,  and  her  voice  is  here  at  its  noblest.  The  veteran 
Patzak  is  almost  as  powerful  as  his  companion,  and  Walter's  or- 
chestra outdoes  itself  to  realize  a  penetrating  interpretation.  On 
the  final  side  of  the  set  Ferrier  sings  three  of  the  Riickert  songs, 
"lch  atmet  einen  Lindenduft,"  "Ich  bin  der  Welt  abhanden  gekom- 
men,"  and  "Um  Mitternacht." 

Lieder  eines  fahrenden  Gesellen.     Brice,  c;  PSO,  Reiner,  C  ML  4108 

(*Bach:  Arias).      Thebom,  m-s;  0,   Boult,   V  LM  1203  (*Wolf:  Songs). 

Metternich,  b;  RBO,  Ludwig,  U  URLP  7016  (* Kindertotenlieder,  Lail). 
Between  the  two  ladies  the  choice  is  Brice's  gorgeous  vocal  rich- 
ness or  Thebom's  more  subtle  expression.    Reiner's  collaboration 
is  a  distinct  asset  to  the  former,  but  the  reproduction  of  the  latter 


Mahler/ Mascagni  141 

is  more  impressive.  There  has  been  a  turning  of  tables  in  the 
Urania  recording,  for  Metternich's  light  baritone  would  have  been 
more  appropriate  to  the  Kindertotenlieder,  just  as  Lail  might  have 
lent  the  requisite  richness  to  the  Songs  of  a  Wayfarer. 

Five  Songs  from  Ruckert.    Steingruber,  s;  VSO,  Fekete,  Mer  MG  10103 

(*Kindertotenlieder,  Rosza). 

Ich  bin  der  Welt  abhanden  gekommen;  Urlicht.   Cahier,  c;  BSOO,  Meyro- 

witz.    Rheinlegendchen;  Tambourgesell.    Schlusnus,  b;  BSOO,  Weigert. 

10"  Et  LP  471. 

Though  here  one  associates  with  the  songs  the  rich  and  expres- 
sive tones  of  a  contralto,  the  intelligent  and  musical  Steingruber 
sings  them  well.  The  Cahier-Schlusnus  program  has  special  in- 
terest, coupling  the  contents  of  two  outstanding  prewar  discs. 
Mme  Cahier,  a  friend  and  protegee  of  Mahler,  devoted  a  large  por- 
tion of  her  distinguished  career  to  his  music,  so  that  her  two 
songs  come  from  close  to  the  source.  She  did  little  recording; 
this,  her  most  valuable  legacy,  was  made  late  in  her  career  and 
early  in  that  of  electrical  reproduction.  Nevertheless,  discounting 
a  few  blemishes,  this  is  very  beautiful  singing,  obviously  by  the 
type  of  rich  voice  the  composer  had  in  mind.  The  Schlusnus 
songs,  from  the  Des  Knaben  Wunderhorn  collection,  show  his  mag- 
nificent instrument  at  its  best,  and  the  colorful  orchestral  back- 
ground is  reproduced  remarkably  well  for  a  dubbing. 

MARCELLO,    BENEDETTO  (1686-1739) 

Beato  I'Uomo  (Psalm  1).     Colasanti,  m-s;  Modesti,   bs;  AC  &  0,  Ge- 

relli,  Vox  PL  6100  (*Carissimi:  Jepthe). 

This  interesting  example  of  the  work  of  an  all-but-forgotten  com- 
poser seems  to  have  undergone  some  arranging.  The  original 
score  calls  for  two  voices,  and  one  wonders  how  it  would  sound 
done  that  way.  The  performance  is  adequate,  though  less  remark- 
able than  that  of  the  Carissimi  accompanying  it. 

MASCAGNI,   PIETRO  (1863-1945) 

L' Ami co  Fritz.     Tassinari,  s;  Tagliavini,  t;  Meletti,  bs;  EIRAC  &  0, 

Mascagni,  Get  1203  [2]. 

Probably  destined  to  stand  as  the  definitive  performance  of  Mas- 
cagni's  one  successful  comic  opera,  this  recording  is  fortunate  in 
having  Tassinari  and  Tagliavini  as  its  leading  lights  and  the  com- 


Mascagni  1A2. 

poser  as  conductor.    The  music  is  tuneful  and  light,  but  with  some 
echoes  of  Cavalleria  Rusticana  and  some  fore  sh  ado  wings  of  Puc- 
cini.    The  recording,  as  we  hear  it  on  LP,  is  somewhat  uneven, 
which  is  not  surprising  considering  its  age.     The  balance  favors 
the   singers  more  than  it  should,  and  there  is  some  blasting  and 
distortion. 
Cavalleria  Rusticana.     Callas,  s;  di  Stefano  t;  Panerai,  b;  etc.;  SCAC 
&  0,  Serafin,  An  3509-B  [2,  last  side  blank].    Milanov,  s;  Bjoerling,  t; 
Merrill,    b;    etc.;   SC;   RCAO,    Cellini,    V  LM  6106  [3]   (* Leoncavallo: 
Pagliacci).     Nicolai,  m-s;  del  Monaco,   t;  Protti,  b;  etc.;  MIOC  &  0, 
Ghione,  L  LL  990/1  [2]  (*Del  Monaco  Recital).    Simionato,  m-s;  Bra- 
schi,  t;  Tagliabue,  b;  etc.;  CC  &  0,  Basile,  Cet  1233  [2].    Harshaw,  s; 
Tucker,   t;  Guarrera,  b;  etc.;  MOC  &  0,  Cleva,  C  SL  123  [2]  (*Verdi: 
Overtures)  or  C  SL  124  [3]  (* Leoncavallo:  Pagliacci).    Bruna  Rasa,  s; 
Gigli,  t;  Bechi,  b;  etc.;  SCAC  &  0,  Mascagni,  V  LCT  6000  [2].    (High- 
lights) Milanov,  s;  Bjoerling,  t;  Merrill,  b;  V  LM  1160  (* Leoncavallo: 
Pagliacci — Highlights). 

Serafin's  performance  gives  every  evidence  of  being  the  most  care- 
fully prepared  of  any  on  records.  In  the  opening  chorus  he  seems 
almost  too  careful,  for  the  lighthearted  peasant  spirit  of  the  scene 
could  be  more  apparent.  But  as  the  drama  unfolds  and  the  pas- 
sions of  the  characters  are  expressed,  this,  I  am  convinced,  is 
Mascagni's  masterpiece  as  it  has  rarely  been  heard — never,  cer- 
tainly, on  records.  The  amazing  Callas  adds  another  character  to 
her  gallery,  singing  with  fervor,  if  with  less  temperament  than 
Milanov  in  Victor's  set.  Her  voice  ascends  the  heights  of  the 
"Easter  Hymn"  with  ease  and  expressiveness,  if  with  rather  too 
much  presence,  and  she  realizes  the  drama  of  the  later  scenes. 
She  has  a  wonderful  match  in  Di  Stefano,  whose  high  tones  ring 
out  magnificently,  and  who  achieves  a  lyricism  hardly  hinted  at  by 
Victor's  Bjoerling.  The  "Siciliano"  really  sounds  for  once  as 
though  it  were  behind  the  curtain.  The  "Drinking  Song"  is  won- 
derfully free  and  exciting.  Panerai  may  not  make  a  great  thing  of 
Alfio's  song,  but  he  is  the  best  of  the  baritones  in  this  competi- 
tion. The  orchestral  tone  is  grand  and  rich  in  the  climaxes,  per- 
haps a  little  thick  in  the  soft  passages.  The  later  Victor  set  and 
the  Columbia  are  practically  twins,  for  both  draw  on  the  Metro- 
politan roster,  and  both  date  from  1953.  Columbia  points  with 
pride  to  the  fact  of  its  ail-American  cast,  which  means  something 
in  vocal  neatness  if  nothing  else.  Harshaw,  more  generally  identi- 
fied with  Wagnerian  roles,  is  tonally  admirable,  but  not  very  color- 


Mascagni  143 

fill;  Tucker  shows  her  up,  singing  as  one  to  the  manor  born;  he  is 
in  excellent  voice.  Guarrera's  Alfio  does  not  carry  much  weight, 
and  in  his  song  both  he  and  the  chorus  have  pitch  trouble.  Vic- 
tor's Milanov  may  be  less  even  vocally  than  Harshaw,  but  she  has 
the  invaluable  temperament  her  rival  lacks.  Bjoerling  would  have 
sung  an  easier  Turiddu  a  decade  or  so  earlier;  he  sounds  strained 
in  the  "Siciliana,"  though  he  rises  to  the  later  dramatics  in  fine 
style.  I  wish  more  thought  had  been  given  to  the  backstage  ef- 
fect in  this  part  of  the  Prelude,  for  Bjoerling  is  too  much  with  us 
(whereas  Tucker  might  be  singing  in  a  neighboring  bathroom).  If 
Merrill  lacks  the  bravado  of  the  Amatos  and  Ruffos  of  yesteryear, 
he  turns  in  a  good  job.  The  Victor  Highlights  enlists  members  of 
the  identical  cast  in  older  recordings,  originally  released  as 
singles.  The  more  recent  London  set  has  the  best  pianissimi  of 
any  of  these  recordings,  and  the  opening  chorus  is  wonderfully 
clear  and  sonorous.  There  is  more  excitement  here  than  in  Sera- 
fin's  performance.  The  "Siciliano,"  sung  by  Del  Monaco  at  a 
proper  distance,  gives  promise  of  good  stage-distance  effects, 
which  materialize.  But  throughout  the  action,  the  popular  tenor 
"gives"  with  his  ample  voice,  and  makes  no  attempt  to  modulate 
it.  I  am  afraid  he  outsings  Nicolai  rather  unfairly  in  their  big 
duet.  The  mezzo-soprano  has  the  disadvantage  of  all  lower- 
voiced  Santuzzas;  she  has  the  range,  and  she  rides  up  to  the  high 
tones  successfully  enough  in  the  dramatic  moments,  but  she  does 
not  float  over  the  top  of  the  "Easter  Chorus,"  nor  does  she  pro- 
duce much  of  a  tone  in  the  cantabile  of  her  duet  with  Protti.  An- 
other mezzo,  Simionato — the  Lola  of  the  older  Victor  set — shares 
Nicolai's  difficulties.  The  impression  that  her  voice  is  carried 
above  its  best  registers  is  not  so  much  a  matter  of  range-strain  as 
of  vibrato.  She  does  not  succeed  in  bringing  the  character  to  life 
for  us.  Braschi  sings  acceptably  in  a  thinnish  voice;  Tagliabue's 
Alfio  is  indefinite  as  to  the  tonal  center,  but  he  is  obviously  well 
seasoned.  Unfortunately  the  authorized  performance  led  by  the 
composer  was  made  too  late  in  Mascagni's  life,  too  late,  alas!  in 
Bruna  Rasa's  and  Gigli's  too.  Bechi  is  the  most  satisfying  mem- 
ber of  the  cast. 

Arias 

Guglielmo  Ratcliff — Ombra  esecrata.  Taccani,  t.  Sylvano — S'e  spento 
il  sol.  Taccani,  t.  Iris — Io  piano.  Cannetti,  s.  II  piccolo  Marat — Si 
I'ammante    piii    bella.      Granforte,    b.      La   mamma    ritrovo    la    bimba. 


Mascagni/Massenet  144 

Baldassare-Tedeschi,  s.    Finale,  Act  2.    Zamboni,  s;  Bergamaschi,  t. 

Et  ET  490.    (* Leoncavallo:  Arias). 

Interest  here  centers  on  the  singers,  for  the  reproduction  is  mostly 
acoustic  and  highly  variable.  Taccani,  however,  is  electrically 
recorded,  and  his  voice  had  both  power  and  brilliance,  as  well  as 
the  gift  of  strong  utterance.  Cannetti  is  the  typical  Italian  so- 
prano, but  Granforte  ranked  among  the  best  baritones  his  country 
has  produced.  His  singing  is  in  the  grand  manner.  The  rest, 
again,  are  typical. 

MASSENET,   JULES  (1842-1912) 

Manon.  Micheau,  s;  de  Luca,  t;  Bourdin,  b;  etc.;  OCC  &  0,  Wolff,  L 
LLP  A  7  [3].  Feraldy,  s;  Rogatchewsky,  t;  Villier,  b;  OCC  &  0,  Co- 
hen, C  EL  6  [3]. 

The  first  recording  listed  features  a  narrator  to  fill  in  between  the 
acts  and  to  make  possible  some  smooth  cuttings.  As  he  speaks  in 
French,  he  will  not  be  of  much  help  to  the  listeners  most  likely  to 
want  his  help.  The  performance  as  such  is  excellent.  Micheau 
has  a  nice  lyric  line  and  only  a  mild  streak  of  that  shrillness  so 
often  associated  with  French  sopranos.  Bourdin  is  outstanding; 
he  is  one  Lescaut  who  can  make  something  interesting  of  "A  quoi 
bon  economic"  Libero  de  Luca  combines  an  Italianate  quality 
with  a  French  method,  which  fits  him  well  for  such  an  opera. 
Some  of  his  mixed  tones  are  rather  open,  but  he  does  the  "Dream" 
aria  well,  and  "Ah,  fuyez"  is  mercifully  unforced.  The  Columbia 
recording  is  a  revival;  it  was  highly  considered  when  it  was  new. 
Feraldy  has  not  the  brilliance  to  dazzle  in  "Je  marche  sur  tous  les 
chemins,"  but  she  is  lovely  in  the  lyrical  passages.  She,  too, 
sometimes  tends  to  shrillness.  Rogatchewsky  is  in  fine  voice, 
and  rises  especially  well  to  the  St.  Sulpice  scene.  The  reproduc- 
tion is  naturally  uneven,  with  some  fading,  and  one  big  ensemble 
has  no  bottom  to  it. 
Thai's.  Geori-Boue,  s;  Giraudeau,  t;  Bourdin,  b;  etc.;  POC  &  0,  Se- 
bastian, U  URLP  227  [3]. 

Geori-Boue,  as  demonstrated  in  the  Beecham  complete  Faust,  is 
an  excellent  artist  whose  voice  sometimes  takes  on  acidity.  If 
one  accepts  this,  her  singing  is  very  good.  In  the  theater  she 
must  be  a  striking  Thais,  for  she  is  a  handsome  woman  and  an  ex- 
cellent actress.    Bourdin's  Athanael  has  a  world-weary  quality  al- 


Massenet/ Mendelssohn  145 

together  in  character,  and  Giraudeau  is  good  as  Nicias.     The  re- 
produced sound  is  not  altogether  even  throughout  the  set. 
Werther.     Juyol,  m-s;  Leger,  s;  Richard,  t;  Bourdin,  b;  OCC  &  0,  Se- 
bastian,   U  URLP  233  [3].      Tassinari,  s;  Neviani,  s;    Tagliavini,  t; 
Cords,  b;  RIC  &  0,  Pradelli,  Cet  1245  [3]. 

The  choice  here  is  between  French  style  and  voluptuous  Italian 
voices.  The  Paris  performance  has  spirit  and  temperament.  Rich- 
ard has  a  good  free  production  in  the  Georges  Thill  tradition,  with 
fine  ringing  high  tones;  Bourdin,  of  course,  is  an  old  and  accom- 
plished hand,  perhaps  by  now  a  little  dry  tonally,  but  always  the 
fine  artist.  Juyol  is  not  the  evenest  singer  ever  to  sing  the  role 
of  Charlotte — one  wishes  for  a  smoother  line — but  she  has  a  real 
dramatic  ring  in  her  voice,  especially  in  the  passionate  outbursts 
of  the  "Letter  Scene."  Leger  is  competent,  but  on  the  shrill  side 
and  not  too  steady.  The  sound  of  the  orchestra  seemed  rather 
shallow  at  first,  but  not  seriously;  the  voices,  as  so  often  in  re- 
corded opera,  are  too  forward,  which  does  not  help  in  the  stretches 
of  small  talk  in  the  first  act.  The  children's  voices  lend  a  touch 
of  charm. 

Like  most  Italians  singing  French,  Tagliavini  strikes  out  into  a 
language  of  his  own;  he  produces  a  good  deal  of  pretty  mezza  voce 
and  some  solid  forte,  without  bringing  the  two  together.  Tassi- 
nari, a  more  distinguished  artist,  is  too  patently  Italian  in  tone  to 
be  right  in  this  music,  though  the  quality  of  her  voice  remains  ap- 
pealing. Cortis  does  the  best  work  of  the  three;  one  would  accept 
him  in  any  cast.  The  sketchiest  French  comes  from  Neviani. 
After  all,  it  is  not  so  much  a  matter  of  pronunciation  as  of  making 
the  words  count.  The  reproduction  is  on  the  whole  very  good, 
though  some  of  the  voices  are  decidedly  too  close.  There  are  a 
few  slight  cuts  in  the  performance. 

MENDELSSOHN,   FELIX  (1809-1847) 
Choral  V/orks 

Elijah.    Baillie,  s;  Ripley,  c;  Johnston,  t;  Williams,  bs;  H  udders  field 

Ch;  LIV,  Sargent,  C  ?L  155  [3]. 

This  is  an  English  oratorio  performance  in  the  grand  old  tradition, 
with  well-schooled  soloists  and  a  large,  splendidly  prepared 
chorus.  As  the  set  was  issued  some  time  before  the  advent  of  LP, 


Mendelssohn  146 

it  naturally  does  not  stand  up  to  the  best  modern  standards  of  re- 
production, though  it  is  acceptable  enough.  There  is  a  tendency 
to  tubbiness  in  the  bass,  and  the  texture  of  the  mass  sound  is  not 
transparent.  Nevertheless,  this  is  not  only  the  sole  Elijah  on  the 
market,  but  fundamentally  a  good  one. 

Die  erste  Walpurgisnacht,  opus  60.     Woudt,  c;  Lars  en,  t;  Hollestelle, 

b;  NETC  &  0,  Ackermann,  CH  CHS  1159  (*Songs,  Graf). 

A  good,  lusty  performance  puts  this  Goethe  ballad  over  in  grand 
style,  though  the  choral  tone  is  a  little  weak  in  the  soprano  sec- 
tion. The  music  is  at  once  charming  and  exciting:  one  wonders 
why  it  has  been  neglected  by  our  choral  societies. 

Paulus.      Dutoit,    s;   Nussbaumer,    c;   Loeffler,    t;   Wiener,    bs;    VKC; 

PRCO,  Grossmann,  Vox  PL  8362  [2], 

The  overture  to  St.  Paul,  a  fantasy  on  the  chorale  Wachet  auf, 
makes  a  stirring  opener.  The  playing  here  is  capable  rather  than 
masterly,  and  this  situation  holds  pretty  much  throughout  the  set. 
One  suspects  the  work  was  not  sufficiently  rehearsed.  Easily  the 
best  of  the  soloists  is  Wiener,  who  sings  the  title  part  with  dig- 
nity and  tonal  beauty.  Dutoit,  with  excellent  intentions,  cannot 
keep  her  voice  from  spreading  in  the  upper  reaches,  but  her  de- 
livery of  the  text  is  good.  Loeffler  does  well  with  the  part  of 
Stephen.  Nussbaumer  wants  more  poise  for  her  famous  solo — 
known  in  this  country  as  "But  the  Lord  is  mindful  of  His  own." 

Songs  and  Duets 

Die   Liebende   schreibt;   Neue   Liebe;   Der  Mond;  Schilflied;  Auf  Flii- 

geln    des    Gesanges.      Graf,    s;    Pommers,    pf,    CH   CH    1159    f*Erste 

Walpurgisnacht). 

Das  erste  Veilchen;  Die  Liebende  schreibt;  Bei  der  Wiege;  Der  Mond; 

Fruhlingslied.     Schumann,  s;  Schick,  pf,  Roy  1404  (*Franz,  Purcell: 

Songs,  Brownlee). 

Auf   Flugeln   des   Gesanges;    Schilflied;    V enezianisches   Gondellied; 

Der  Mond;  Neue  Liebe;  Fruhlingslied.    Lichtegg,  t;  Haeusslin,  pf,  10" 

L  LS  799  (*  Tchaikovsky:  Songs). 

For  a  sampling  of  the  best  Mendelssohn  lieder,  the  Graf  recital 
can  be  recommended:  "Die  Liebende  schreibt"  is  a  great  song, 
"Auf  Flugeln  des  Gesanges"  a  deservedly  famous  one.  The  so- 
prano sings  appealingly,  with  an  uncommonly  pure  and  expressive 
voice.  Schumann's  program  is  a  reissue  of  a  never-too-successful 
recording  originally  put  out  by  Allegro.    Though  the  songs  are  pre- 


Mendelssohn/Menotti  147 

sented  with  the  insight  of  a  great  artist,  the  recording  was  made 
in  the  soprano's  last  years.  Vocally,  she  had  done  many  finer 
things  in  the  past,  and  many  times  she  had  been  better  recorded. 
"Der  Mond"  and  "Die  Liebende  schreibt"  will  give  pleasure  if 
one  can  hear  them  over  a  formidable  surface  swish.  The  recital 
as  a  whole  is  only  for  those  who  cherish  everything  the  artist  left. 
Lichtegg  sings  his  attractive  program  like  the  operetta  tenor  he  is. 
There  is  little  subtlety  in  his  delivery,  and  not  much  grace.  To 
round  out  the  picture,  two  Mendelssohn  songs  are  included  in  a 
Schlusnus  recital  (D  DL  9624):  "V enezianisches  Gondellied"  and 
"Auf  Flugeln  des  Gesanges,"  and  "Der  Mond"  and  the  "Gondel- 
lied" are  a  part  of  Lotte  Lehmann's  Farewell  (Pern  1). 

Duets,    opus  63;  opus   77;  Drei   Volkslieder.      Carlton,   s;    Tobias,   c; 

Ulanowsky,  pf,  10"  MGM  E  118. 

There  may  be  a  scent  of  lavender  about  these  duets,  but  my  own 
reaction  to  the  recording  is  regret  that  nowadays  we  do  not  do  this 
sort  of  thing  more  often.  The  two  ladies  work  uncommonly  well 
together. 

MENOTTI,   GIAN-CARLO  (1911-         ) 

Amahl  and  the  Night  Visitors.    Allen,  boy-s;  Kuhlman,  m-s;  etc.;  Ch  & 

0,  Schippers,  V  LM  1701. 

Because  of  the  opera's  subsequent  stage  successes,  this  record- 
ing of  the  original  television  cast  is  something  of  a  document. 
One  is  thankful  that  the  performance  was  captured  before  Chet 
Allen's  voice  changed,  for  it  is  hard  to  believe  the  title  role  will 
ever  be  done  fuller  justice.  The  supporting  cast  is  just  what 
Menotti  ordered,  and  of  course  Schippers's  direction  is  very  sen- 
sitive and  sympathetic. 

Amelia  al  Ballo,     Carosio,  s;  Prandelli,  t;  Panerai,  b;  etc.;  SCAC  & 

0,  V eneziani,  An  35140. 

Amelia  Goes  to  the  Ball  has  a  kind  of  historical  interest,  as  the 
first  of  Menotti's  series  of  successful  operas.  In  the  days  of  its 
composition  the  young  composer  had  not  become  Americanized;  it 
is  appropriate,  therefore,  that  it  should  be  sung  in  his  native  lan- 
guage by  a  group  of  the  best-known  contemporary  Italian  singers. 
Carosio  is  an  attractive  and  accomplished  soprano,  if  sometimes 
rather  acidulous  in  tone;  she  makes  the  most  of  her  opportunities 
for  characterization  and  humor.    Prandelli  sings  openly,  which  is 


Menotti/Massager  248 

just  what  is  needed,  and  Panerai  is  a  seasoned  artist,  though  his 
tones  have  a  way  of  spreading.  The  solo  singers  are  too  strong 
for  the  orchestra,  but  they  do  not  cover  up  its  details.  The  chorus, 
when  it  arrives,  is  pleasantly  confused  in  sound,  which  is  alto- 
gether in  keeping  with  the  dramatic  situation. 

The   Consul.     Neway,  s;  Lane,  c;  Powers,  c;  McNeil,  t;  McKinley,  t; 

Lishner,  bs;  etc.;  0,  Engel,  D  DX  101  [2]. 

There  is  little  to  say  of  the  performance  of  this  most  nightmarish 
of  operas,  beyond  that  it  preserves  for  us  the  original  cast  of  the 
successful  Broadway  run.  It  is  safe  to  say  it  represents  the  com- 
poser's choice  of  interpreters  and  is  recorded  with  his  blessing. 
Patricia  Neway  made  her  reputation  in  the  leading  feminine  role, 
and  Marie  Powers  was  provided  with  a  part  cut  skillfully  to  her 
measure.  A  feature  of  the  recording,  to  my  ears,  is  the  fine  voice 
of  Gloria  Lane,  who  has  become  better  known  since  this  engage- 
ment.   The  reproduction  is  full,  strong,  and  very  brilliant. 

The  Medium.    Keller,  s;  Powers,  c;  etc.;  0,  Balaban.    The  Telephone. 

Cotlow,  s;  Rogier,  b;  0,  Balaban.    C  SL  154  [2]. 

The  Medium.   Alberghetti,  s;  Powers,  c;  etc.;  RIO,  Schippers,  Mer  MGL 

7  [21. 

The  first  of  these  two  recordings  represents  the  Ballet  Theatre 
production  with  the  original  Broadway  cast;  it  also  includes  the 
curtain-raiser  The  Telephone,  in  itself  good  light  comedy,  and 
since  successfully  produced  on  its  own.  The  second  recording  is 
taken  directly  from  the  sound-track  of  the  Italian-made  film.  Of 
course  The  Medium  was  Marie  Powers's  show,  and  she  is  present 
in  both  casts.  The  film  production  has  special  interest  as  the 
debut  of  a  sensationally  gifted  young  soprano,  Anna  Maria  Al- 
berghetti, and  it  includes  about  a  half-hour  of  music  not  heard  in 
the  stage  version.  In  other  respects,  the  Columbia  recording 
seems  to  me  the  better  of  the  two;  the  reproduction  is  cleaner  and 
more  even,  though  even  here  I  noted  some  fading  of  Powers's  big 
voice  in  the  final  monologue. 

MESSAGER,    ANDRE  (1853-1929) 

Monsieur  Beaucaire.  Angelici,  s;  Dens,  b;  etc.;  RSPC;  LAM,  Gressier, 

Vox  PL  20300. 

This  adaptation  of  Booth  Tarkington's  novel  by  the  French  com- 
poser was  written  for  London,   and  so  originally  had  an  English 


Massager/Meyerbeer  149 

libretto.  Still,  Messager  could  not  translate  his  style,  so  the  pres- 
ent production  is  in  the  proper  tradition.  In  the  voices  of  Angelici 
and  Dens,  the  melodies  could  hardly  go  wrong. 

V  eronique.    Angelici,  s;  Renaux,  s;  Roux,  bs;  etc.;  RSPC;  LAM,  Gres- 

sier,  Vox  PL  21100. 

This  is  the  operetta  with  the  "Swing  Song,"  the  "Trotting  Duet," 
and  the  "Letter  Song."  The  production  is  typical  of  its  series, 
the  cast  including  some  lovely  voices  and  some  singing-actors 
pure  and  simple.    Again  the  chief  vocal  ornament  is  Angelici. 

MEYERBEER,    GIACOMO   (1791-1864) 

L' Africaine — Selections.     Litvinne,  s;  Talexis,  s;  Dubois,  t;  Lazaro, 

t;  Badini,  b;  Stracciari,  b;  Blanchart,  b.     Dinorah — Selections.    Kurz, 

s;  de  Luca,  b.    Et  485. 

The  case  of  Meyerbeer  is  often  cited  as  an  indictment  of  our 
present-day  singers:  given  adequate  performances,  we  are  told, 
the  works  of  this  once-famous  master  could  not  fail  of  success. 
But  adequate  performances  of  his  music  must  be  great  perform- 
ances, down  to  the  smallest  role,  and  so  we  do  not  hear  any  Mey- 
erbeer. A  few  arias  survive  as  vehicles  for  popular  singers,  but 
the  only  recorded  "performances"  are  these  Eterna  Highlights, 
consistent  in  neither  language  or  style.  Meyerbeer's  operas  are 
French  operas,  but  only  Litvinne's  "Slumber  Song"  and  the  duet 
"Combien  tu  m'es  chere,"  by  Talexis  and  Dubois,  represent  the 
French  school.  Badini  was  a  fine  Italian  baritone,  but  not  fine 
enough  to  lift  "Figlia  dei  re'"  out  of  dullness.  Blanchart  does 
well  enough  with  "Averla  tanto  amato,"  and  Stracciari  is  splen- 
didly virile  in  the  "Adamastor"  ballad.  Lazaro  is  at  his  best  in 
"0  paradiso,"  but  his  best  was  more  a  matter  of  natural  endow- 
ment than  of  subtle  art.  From  Dinorah,  Kurz  gives  a  dazzling 
"Shadow  Song,"  and  De  Luca,  in  "Sei  vendicata  assai,"  demon- 
strates the  difference  between  adequate  baritones  and  a  great  one. 

Les  Huguenots — Selections.     Kurz,  s;  Hemp  el,  s;  Kemp,  s;  Bland,  s; 

Slezak,  t;  Jadlowker,  t;  Mardones,  bs;  Knupfer,  bs;  Delmas,  bs;  Mayr, 

bs;  etc;  Et  EL?  458. 

This  is  truly  an  assemblage  of  top-flight  talent,  singing  often  im- 
pressively, each  in  his  own  tongue,  and  recorded  generally  well 
by  the  old  acoustic  process.  The  Hempel  performance  of  ''Mar- 
guerite's Aria,"  very  beautifully  sung,  was  unfortunately  recorded 


Meyerbeer/Ml  lhaud  150 

at  the  wrong  speed,  so  that  the  voice  emerges  higher  and  more 
brilliant  than  was  possible  even  for  this  gifted  singer.  The  "Page 
Song,"  usually  the  province  of  a  contralto,  is  here  back  in  its 
original  range,  delightfully  interpreted  by  Selma  Kurz.  The  giant 
Slezak  gives  the  "Entrance  of  Raoul"  as  well  as  the  celebrated 
"Romance,"  takes  part  in  the  Sextet,  and  joins  with  Elsa  Bland 
in  the  "Love  Duet."  Hempel  and  Jadlowker  are  splendid  in  the 
Marguerite-Raoul  duet,  and  Kemp  and  Knupfer  offer  that  for  Valen- 
tine and  Marcel.  Jose  Mardones  sings  the  sardonic  "Piff,  paff, 
puff!,"  and  our  one  Frenchman,  Jean-Francois  Delmas,  displays 
his  magnificent  voice  in  the  ''Benediction  of  the  Swords." 

Le  Prophete — Selections.    Eranzell,  c;  Manceau,  c;  Slezak,  t;  Berger, 

t;  Et  ELP  0-476. 

The  inequalities  noted  above  in  other  Meyerbeer  selections  are 
even  more  remarkable  here.  Karin  Branzell,  always  an  admirable 
artist,  sings  "Ach,  mein  Sohn"  and  "Donnez,  donnez"  in  two  lan- 
guages, obviously  at  different  places  and  stages  of  her  career. 
Slezak  is  in  his  element  in  German  recordings  of  the  "Pastorale," 

"John's  Dream,"  and  the  "Triumphal  Hymn,"  and  Rudolf  Berger 
supplies  the  "Drinking  Song."  The  Cavatine  from  the  Prison 
Scene  enlists  the  voice  of  Jeanne  Manceau,  and  for  good  measure 
an  orchestra  plays  the  "Coronation  March."  One  wishes  for  rep- 
resentation of  two  of  the  most  famous  exponents  of  the  role  of 
Fides,  Schumann-He  ink  and  Matzenauer. 

MILHAUD,   DARIUS  (1892-         ) 

Les  Amours  de  Ronsard.    Bollinger,  s;  Glaz,  c;  Chabay,  t;  Harrell,  b; 

10"  Con  AP  102  (^Concertino  d'Et'e). 

This  performance,  we  may  take  it,  owes  its  existence  to  the  Aspen 
Festival  in  Colorado,  where  the  four  singers  have  been  associates 
of  the  composer.  They  are  unusual  in  that,  though  each  is  an  out- 
standing soloist,  they  are  not  troubled  with  prima  donna  com- 
plexes.   As  a  quartet  they  are  a  blended  unit. 

Cantate  de  I'Enfant  et  de  la  Mere.     M.  Milhaud,  speaker;  Juilliard  Str 

Qt;  Hambro,  pf;  Milhaud,  C  ML  4305  (*La  Muse  menagiere,  Milhaud,  pf). 
The  Cantate  belies  its  name:  it  is  a  recitation  with  music.  Unlike 
most  works  of  its  kind,  it  is  a  close  fusion  of  its  two  elements, 
the  speaking  voice  actually  serving  as  a  member  of  the  musical 
group.  This  performance,  featuring  the  composer's  wife,  must  be 
the  most  authentic  possible. 


Mi  I  haud/ Monteverdi  151 

Poemes  juifs.  Kolassi,  m-s;  Collard,  pf,  L  LL  919  (*Faure:  La  Chan- 
son d'Eve). 

This  set  of  songs  dating  from  1916  is  based  upon  poems  trans- 
lated from  the  Hebrew;  each  is  dedicated  to  a  Jewish  friend  or 
relative  of  the  composer,  or  to  the  memory  of  one.  They  are  deeply 
felt  works,  and  call  for  the  kind  of  selfless  interpretation  Kolassi 
gives  them.  Some,  to  be  sure,  seem  more  appropriate  to  a  male 
voice,  but  it  is  hard  to  imagine  them  more  sympathetically  sung. 

MONTEMEZZI,   ITALO  (1875-1952) 

L' Amore  dei  Tre  Re.    Petrella,  s;  Berdini,  t;  Capecchi,  b;  Bruscantini, 

bs;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Basile,  Cet  1212  [2]. 

One  of  the  few  continuingly  successful  twentieth- century  operas, 
this  setting  of  a  Sem  Benelli  play  is  good  drama  in  memorable,  if 
not  easily  remembered,  music.  The  capable  cast  is  headed  by  the 
gifted  Clara  Petrella,  a  Fiora  of  youthful  charm  if  not  complete 
vocal  finish.  Of  the  three  kings,  it  is  the  Archibaldo  of  Bruscan- 
tini who  stands  out  as  a  characterization.  The  balance  is  good 
by  usual  operatic  standards,  though  the  singers  are  really  a  little 
too  far  forward.    The  orchestra  plays  well. 

MONTEVERDI,    CL AUDIO  (1567-1643) 
Choral  Worfcs 

Beatus  vir  (Psalm  111 — Six  Voices);  Laudate  Dominum  (Psalm  116 — 
Five  Voices);  Ut  queant  laxis  (Lauda — Two  Voices).  Giancola,  s; 
Piovesan,  s;  Amadini,  c;  Cristinelli,  t;  Cortis,  b;  Ferrein,  bs;  SVCO, 
Ephrikian,  Per  SPLP  536. 

Salve  Regina.  Moss,  c;  Sefton,  t;  Steinhoff,  bs;  Woodside,  bs;  Mag- 
nificat Secondo.  PHC,  Fleetwood,  All  ALG  3019  (*Verdi:  Choruses). 
Messa  a  Quatro  Voci  da  Cappella.  AMC;  de  Klerk,  org;  de  Nobel;  CH 
CHS  1196  (*Lassus:  Psalm). 

What  goes  wrong  in  the  three  psalms  is  hardly  Ephrikian's  fault, 
for  the  solo  groups  under  his  direction  acquit  themselves  with 
honors.  But  the  tape  editors  or  others  along  the  line  seem  to  have 
decided  to  give  an  encore;  we  come  to  the  end  of  our  Psalms,  and 
there  is  space  left  over.  The  encore,  unannounced,  turns  out  to 
be  sections  of  the  Vivaldi  Dixit  made  under  the  same  auspices. 
The  Salve  Regina  and  Magnificat  offer  magnificent  music  only  par- 
tially digested  by  the  performers.    The  Mass  is  a  short  setting  in 


Monteverdi  1 52 

which  the  text  is  sensitively  treated  but  not  lingered  over.  There 
is  wonderful  vitality  and  excitement  in  the  "Sanctus,"  a  move- 
ment far  removed  from  the  otherworldliness  of  Palestrina.  As  the 
score  of  this  Mass  has  a  continuo  part,  it  is  accompanied  here  by 
the  organ,  which  fact  rather  strengthens  the  impression  that  the 
performance  is  taking  place  in  a  church.  The  sound  has  a  defi- 
nite atmosphere,  and  there  is  the  appropriate  kind  of  echo,  which, 
however,  sometimes  obscures  the  attacks.  The  singing  is  of  the 
healthy  school,  good,  straight,  and  full-blooded,  with  fine  cli- 
maxes and  no  self-conscious  polishing.  The  individual  parts  stand 
out  clearly,  and  the  balance  is  very  good. 

Io  mi  son  giovinetta;  Non  piu  guerra,  pietate;  0  rossignol;  Si,  ch'io 

vorrei  morire;  Sorra  tenere  herbette;  A  un  giro  sol;  Ohime!    Randolph 

Singers,  W  WL  5171  (*Gesualdo:  Madrigals). 

Madrigals  for  Five  Voices — Book  I  (1587).     Wagner  Madrigal  Singers, 

Ly  LL  43. 

Randolph  has  gone  about  the  task  of  preparing  his  fine  program 
with  great  earnestness,  evidenced  by  the  full,  informative  program 
notes  he  has  provided.  His  group  is  small  (one  voice  to  a  part) 
and  its  singing  is  generally  clean  and  transparent.  The  Wagner 
disc  was  to  have  been  the  first  of  a  series  embracing  all  the  Mon- 
teverdi madrigals,  but  so  far  as  I  know,  Book  I  was  the  only  one 
of  the  nine  volumes  actually  brought  out  this  way.  This  too  is  a 
solo  group,  and  a  well-matched  one.  Perhaps  the  lovely  pieces 
are  best  not  taken  too  many  at  a  time,  but  they  will  bear  many  a 
repetition.  There  are  occasional  bands  separating  the  madrigals, 
but  not  enough  to  set  each  one  apart.  And  the  transition  from  one 
piece  to  the  next  is  often  too  swift.  The  jacket  notes  give  com- 
plete Italian  texts,  but  no  translations. 

Lamento    d'Arianna;   Lagrime   d'amante   al  sepolcro   dell'amata.     Ens 

Marcel  Couraud,  Vox  PL  6670. 

This  set  is  of  an  older  vintage,  transferred  to  LP  acceptably 
enough,  but  without  some  of  the  brightness  of  the  original  78-rpm 
version.  Couraud's  is  a  larger  group  than  Boulanger's — too  large, 
perhaps,  for  the  best  interests  of  some  of  the  madrigals.  But  in 
the  cycle  Tears  of  a  Lover  at  the  Tomb  of  the  Beloved,  this  is  all 
to  the  good,  for  it  is  a  long  and  taxing  work.  It  is  also  an  ex- 
tremely beautiful  one.  The  singing  is  not  the  smoothest  possible; 
perhaps  the  accentuation  is  overdone.  A  decidedly  superior  per- 
formance is  a  part  of  the  Hindemith  Collegium  Musicum  program 
(Over  4).    Here  the  music  speaks  to  us  in  all  its  eloquence. 


Monteverdi  153 

0  mirtillo;  Era  I'anima  mia;  Damigella  tutta  bella;  0  come  vaghi;  Sfo- 

gaya  con  le  stelle;  Dolcissimo  uscignuolo;  Interrotte  speranze;  A  un 

giro  sol  de  bell'  occhi  lucenti;  Quel  sguardo  sdegnosetto;  Su  su  pasto- 

relli  vezzosi;  Qui  rise  Tirsi.    Voc  &  Inst  Ens,  Boulanger,  D  DL  9627. 

Nadia  Boulanger  is  one  of  the  great  musicians  of  our  time,  but  one 

with  little  reverence  for  the  name  of  tradition.    She  is  a  conductor 

for  whom  a  musician  can  hardly  help  giving  his  best,  and  though 

she  may  arrive  at  stylistic  results  in  spite  of  the  textbooks,  she 

is  usually  persuasive.    Before  the  war  she  made  with  her  group  of 

singers  a  Monteverdi  set  now  remembered  as  a  classic  despite  the 

fact  that  she  used  a  piano  for  accompaniment.     She  does  not  do 

that   here,  but  adopts  the  more  proper  harpsichord.     If  I  were  to 

single  out  one  or  two  of  the  most  striking  things  in  this  set,  they 

would  be  0  mirtillo  and  Dolcissimo  uscignuolo.    The  recording  of 

the  voices  seems  a  little  close. 

Vespers  of  1610  (Vespro  della  Beata  Vergine;  Magnificat)  fed.  Schrade). 

Ritchie,   s;  Morrison,  s;  Herbert,  t;  Lewis,  t;  Boyce,  b;  London  Sgrs; 

0L0,  Lewis,  OL  50021/2  [2]. 

The  third  recording  to  appear  of  this  magnificent  work  is  by  all 
odds  the  best.  Hearing  the  brief  selection  from  it  which  was  of- 
fered first  in  a  performance  made  under  Ephrikian  (Period  558), 
one  could  enjoy  it  and  wish  for  more  of  the  score.  The  second  at- 
tempt was  made  in  Stuttgart,  using  the  Hans  Redlich  edition,  which 
omits  two  of  the  most  beautiful  Psalms  (Vox  PL  7902).  There 
was  some  lovely  solo  singing  by  Margot  Guilleaume,  and  the  whole 
effect  was  striking,  but  that  was  before  this  Oiseau  Lyre  appeared. 
Leo  Schrade,  whose  edition  is  used  by  Anthony  Lewis,  has  taken 
issue  with  Redlich  on  the  proper  interpretation  and  correct  edit- 
ing of  the  music.  But,  scholarship  and  authenticity  aside,  neither 
of  the  earlier  performances  could  give  you  the  thrills  this  one  can. 
A  festive  atmosphere  is  evident  at  the  very  outset,  and  it  is  sus- 
tained to  the  end.  The  chorus  sings  with  respect  for  unanimity; 
the  soloists  are  excellent.  The  recording  setup  is  also  very  good, 
for  no  one  seems  to  be  right  on  top  of  us;  there  is  a  nice,  churchly 
kind  of  atmosphere. 

Operas 

II  Ballo  delle  Ingrate.     Tegani,  s;  Carbi,  s;  Sgarro,  b;  OCM,  Gerelli, 
Vox  PL  8090. 

A  portion  of  this  work  was  included  in  the  prewar  Nadia  Boulanger 


Monteverdi  154 

set  of  Monteverdi  madrigals  and  other  works  for  voices.  Here  the 
edition  and  revision  of  Roberto  Lupi  are  used,  and  the  moderniza- 
tion of  the  orchestra  is  considerable.  Following  the  score  in  the 
Malipiero  collected  edition  of  Monteverdi,  I  cannot  account  for 
some  of  the  dances  or  a  good  deal  of  the  embroidery  of  those  I 
can  find.  There  are  also  a  couple  of  minor  cuts.  Otherwise  the 
performance  merits  praise;  the  singers  are  more  notable  for  their 
devotion  and  their  sense  of  style  than  for  any  outstanding  vocal 
gifts,  but  their  voices  are  serviceable.  Most  of  the  problems  have 
been  ironed  out,  though  we  are  left  in  the  dark  as  to  the  proper 
performance  of  the  trillo.  There  is  real  nobility  in  the  recitative 
which  makes  up  so  much  of  the  score,  and  it  is  allowed  its  effect. 
A  lovely  moment  is  the  touching  duet  "Ecco,  ecco  ver  noi,"  an- 
other is  the  eloquent  pianissimo  choral  ending.  And  the  passage 
for  the  Ungrateful  Soul,  "Aer  sereno  e  puro,  addio  per  sempre," 
will  linger  long  in  the  memory. 
II  Combattimento  di  Tancredi  e  Clorinda.  Carbi,  m-s;  Tegani,  s;  No- 
bile,  t;  Monteverdi  0,  Soresino.  Ballo  in  Onore  dell*  Imperatore  Fer- 
nando III  delta  Casa  d' Austria;  Amor  che  deggio  fa?  Madrigalisti 
Milanesi,  Fait,  Vox  PL  8560. 

II  Combattimento.  Ribacchi,  m-s;  Rapisardi,  s;  Carlin,  t;  SCA,  San- 
zogno,  Col  CLPS  1014  f* Albinoni:  Concerto  No.  2). 
II  Combattimento.  Amadini,  c;  Giancola,  s;  Ferrein,  bs;  SVC  &  0, 
Ephrikian.  Ballo  delle  Ninfe  d'Istro;  Mentre  Vaga  Angioletta.  Gian- 
cola, s;  Piovesan,  s;  Truccato  Pace,  c;  Cristinelli,  t;  Ferrein,  bs;  Per 
SPLP  551. 

In  a  prefatory  note  to  his  edition  of  the  score,  used  in  the  Vox  re- 
cording, Virgilio  Mortari  tells  us:  "Such  a  performance,  carried 
out  by  the  customary  string  orchestra,  provides  a  sonority  which, 
to  our  ears,  is  in  effect  equivalent  to  that  which  the  choir  of  viole 
da  braccia  and  viole  da  gamba  must  have  represented  to  the  lis- 
eners  three  or  more  centuries  ago."  It  should  be  added  that  the 
conductor  works  from  the  harpsichord.  Of  the  three  performances 
listed,  this  is  not  only  the  nearest  to  authenticity  in  these  re- 
spects, but  decidedly  the  most  satisfactorily  sung.  Claudia  Carbi, 
the  Narrator,  has  the  richest,  surest,  most  intense  voice,  and  she 
seems  most  thoroughly  at  home  in  the  music.  The  two  title  roles 
are  so  much  smaller  that  it  is  of  less  interest  to  say  that  they  are 
well  dene  too.  It  used  to  be  said  of  Elena  Gerhardt  that  she  con- 
veyed   the   feeling   of  modulations   and   shifting  harmonies   in  the 


Monteyord!  1 55 

tone  of  her  voice;  Carbi  has  this  kind  of  sensitivity.  The  repro- 
duction leaves  little  to  be  desired,  though  a  few  details,  such  as 
a  strange  cut-off  effect  at  the  pause  just  before  the  final  line  of 
the  opera,  might  be  noted.  Of  the  rival  presentations,  I  prefer  the 
Colosseum,  because  of  the  supple  singing  of  Ribacchi,  an  excel- 
lent artist.  Amadini's  voice  is  on  the  ponderous  side.  Sanzogno 
may  allow  too  much  good  old  Italian  passion  in  his  performance, 
but  it  is  more  telling  than  Ephrikian's.  It  should  be  remembered, 
incidentally,  that  the  Anthologie  Sonore  has  an  excellent  perform- 
ance of  the  Combattimento ,  with  a  tenor  Narrator,  Max  Meili.  The 
Haydn  Society  might  do  well  to  make  this  available  on  LP. 
The  Ballo  on  the  reverse  of  the  Vox  disc  is  a  captivating  piece, 
with  a  long  tenor  solo  leading  into  the  chorus.  The  unidentified 
singer  is  competent  enough,  though  his  voice  is  somewhat  tremu- 
lous and  lugubrious  in  quality.  The  canzonetta  Amor  che  deggio 
fa?  is  well  done,  if  we  accept  some  vestiges  of  romantic  porta- 
mento in  the  singing.  The  madrigals  that  accompany  the  Period 
performance  are  worth  buying  for  their  own  sake.  The  tenor  Cristi- 
nelli  especially  distinguishes  himself. 

L* Incoronazione  di  Poppea.  Gaehwiller,  s;  Helbing,  c;  W  itte-W  aldbauer, 

c;  Brueckner-Rueggeberg,  t;  Kelch,  bs;  etc.;  ZTC  &  0,  Goehr,  CH  CHS 

1184  [31 

This  performance  follows  a  reconstruction  of  Monteverdi's  score 
by  conductor  Goehr;  it  is  somewhat  abridged,  but  in  generally  ex- 
cellent taste.  The  best  singing  is  done  by  Margarete  Witte- 
Waldbauer,  whose  lovely  voice  is  seconded  by  her  sense  of  style. 
Helbing  shows  promise  of  similar  distinction,  but  her  work  here  is 
not  quite  mature.  Gaehwiller,  in  the  name  part,  is  the  weak  link  in 
the  chain,  though  the  Nero  of  Brueckner-Rueggeberg  is  also  casual. 
With  all  this,  the  performance  gives  the  sense  of  classic  nobility 
which  is  the  essence  of  the  work. 

Orfeo.     Trotschel,  s;  Meili,  t;  Krebs,  t;  etc.;  RBC  &  0,  Koch,  Vox  PL 

6440  [3l 

Tirsi   e  Clori;  II  Ritorno  (FUlisse  in  P atria — Iro's  Air;  Concerto  for 

Tenor  and  Strings.     Scherz-Meister,  s;  Meili,  t;  SCB,  Wenzinger,  CH 

CHS  1085. 

Orfeo  is  Meili's  show;  he  sings  with  the  musicianly  style  for 
which  he  is  known,  though  he  does  not  have  all  the  vocal  re- 
sources that  were  his  in  the  days  of  his  prewar  recordings.  The 
rest  of  the  cast  is  passable.    Despite  the  advantages  of  LP,  then, 


Monteverdi/Mozart  156 

this  performance  does  not  replace  the  HMV  set  made  in  the  thir- 
ties, possibly  a  rarity  by  now.  The  general  level  of  singing  was 
higher  in  that  performance,  and  every  attempt  was  made  to  recap- 
ture the  authentic  style  (even  to  the  use  of  all  but  obsolete  old 
instruments).  Meili  is  again  the  star  of  the  Concert  Hall  disc,  of- 
fering some  even  less  familiar  music  of  the  first  great  opera- 
composer.    The  ensemble  here  leaves  something  to  be  desired. 

MORLEY,    THOMAS  (1557-1603) 

Sing  we  and  chant  it;  Cease,  mine  eyes;  Now  is  the  month  of  Maying; 
Miraculous  love's  wounding;  Now  is  the  gentle  season;  I  go  before,  my 
darling;  Lady,  those  cherries  plenty;  Phyllis,  I  fain  would  die  now;  My 
bonnie  lass  she  smileth;  Lo,  she  flies  when  I  woo  her;  Leave  this  tor- 
menting and  strange  anguish;  Clorinda  false,  adieu;  Fire!  fire!  my 
heart!    NYPMA,  Greenberg,  Es  ES  520  (^Interludes  for  Virginals). 

This  is  by  all  odds  the  richest  vein  of  IVlorley  so  far  struck  by  the 
recording  angels,  a  program  of  abundant  variety.  Along  with  the 
most  familiar  of  all  English  madrigals  are  others  too  little  known; 
and  lest  the  program  become  monotonous,  it  is  punctuated  by 
Blanche  Winogron's  interludes  on  the  virginals.  While  admiring 
the  arrangement  of  this  concert,  and  the  proficiency  of  the  sing- 
ing, one  wonders  how  much  time  went  into  rehearsing.  I  noted  a 
tendency  to  drive  the  music  rather  than  let  it  take  its  own  shape. 
This  is  less  disturbing  in  the  familiar  ballets,  Now  is  the  month 
of  Maying,  My  bonny  lass  she  smileth,  etc.,  than  in  such  sustained 
pieces  as  the  three-voice  Cease,  mine  eyes  and  the  five-voice 
Leave  this  tormenting.  I  suspect  that  with  longer  familiarity  the 
group  would  have  made  more  of  these  great  part-songs. 

MOZART,    V/OLFGANG   AMADEUS  (1756-  1791) 

Choral  Vforks 

Masonic  Music.  Cuenod,  t;  Giraudeau,  t;  Souzay,  b;  Mulhouse  Oratorio 
Soc;  PMO;  Hewitt  Cham  0,  Meyer,  Vox  PL  6540  [2].  (Selections) 
Christ,  t;  Majkut,  t;  Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  P aumgartner,  Ep  LC  3062. 
This  is  a  collection  of  various  Kochel  numbers,  music  for  solo 
voice,  for  vocal  duet,  for  orchestra,  and  for  chorus,  all  centered 
around  Mozart's  membership  in  the  Freemasons.  Not  all  of  it  is 
important,  except  for  the  light  it  throws  on  Die  Zauberfl'ote.    The 


Mozart  157 

Funeral  Ode,  or  Masonic  Funeral  Music,  is  worthy  of  the  composer 
at  his  best,  and  is,  of  course,  not  altogether  unfamiliar.  With  this, 
the  cantata  K.  471  is  the  best  music  in  the  set.  In  the  Vox  record- 
ing Cuenod  bears  the  brunt  of  the  solos,  and  as  usual  acquits  him- 
self impressively.  His  colleagues  are  satisfactory,  though  some 
of  the  choral  work  is  ragged.  The  Epic  disc  contains  three  can- 
tatas and  the  Ode,  all  conceived  on  a  grander  scale,  and  more 
powerfully,  if  somewhat  diffusely  recorded.  The  chief  soloist, 
Rudolf  Christ,  falls  considerably  short  of  Cuenod's  standard;  in- 
deed one  wishes  the  second  tenor,  Majkut,  could  have  changed 
places  with  him. 
Mass  in  F  (Missa  brevis),  K.  192;  Dixit  and  Magnificat.  Leitner,  s; 
Franz,  c;  Grabner,  t;  Lassner,  b;  SALC  &  0,  Schneider,  Ly  LL  18. 

This  recording  will  do  more  to  satisfy  the  curiosity  and  interest  of 
established  Mozarteans  than  to  win  converts  (if  anybody  still 
needs  converting)  to  this  composer's  way  of  musical  life.  There 
is  something  a  bit  superficial,  precious  perhaps,  in  the  singing, 
especially  in  the  first  movement.  The  tempo  seems  fast,  and  it 
has  a  kind  of  nervous  twitch.  By  the  time  the  "Agnus  Dei"  has 
been  reached,  this  has  worn  off,  and  the  music  has  begun  to  flow 
as  it  should.  The  soloists  produce  some  wobbly  sounds,  espe- 
cially the  alto  and  the  bass.  Nor  is  the  reproduction  altogether 
satisfactory:  it  has  a  rather  shallow  brilliance,  hardly  enhanced 
by  its  considerable  power.  Perhaps  the  Salzburg  Cathedral  is  not 
an  ideal  place  for  recording. 
Mass,  K.  194,  in  D  (Missa  brevis);  Mass,  K.  220,  in  C  (Missa  brevis) 
("Spatzenmesse" ').  Rathauscher,  s;  Hofst'ddter,  c;  Heppe,  b;  Berry, 
bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Gros smarm,  Vox  PL  7060. 

These  two  Missae  breves  show  Mozart  at  his  less  inspired.    Both 

seem    to  have   been   written   to   order  to  fit  specifications  hardly 

conducive  to  lively  inspiration.     Einstein  even  senses  in  K.  220 

a    certain  defiance   of  Archbishop  Colloredo,  who    could   call  the 

tune  but  not  the  spirit.    Neither  Mass  is  performed  in  a  manner  to 

make  it  seem  better  than  it  is. 

Mass,  K.  317,  in  C  ("Coronation" ).    Schweiger,  s;  Burgstaller-Schuster, 

c;  Handt,  t;  P ernerstorfer,  bs;  VKC;  Mozart  Fest  0,  Gillesberger,  10" 

HS  HSLP  2007.    Zadek,  s;  Gifford,  c;  Patzak,  t;  Braun,  bs;  SFC  &  0, 

Messner,  Fes  FLP  100. 

Unhappily,  neither  recording  of  this  lovely  Mass  is  all  we  might 
wish  for.  Messner's  was  made  at  a  public  festival  performance  in 
the  summer  of  1949.     Something  of  the  cathedral  atmosphere  has 


Mozart  158 

been  caught  in  the  reproduction,  but  the  dynamic  level  is  uneven. 
Uneven,  too,  is  the  performance:  the  soloists  are  four  individual- 
ists, and  there  is  little  evidence  of  rapport  among  them.  Nor  is 
the  chorus  a  model  of  precision.  Some  of  the  tempos  seem  wrong. 
The  work  of  Gillesberger's  forces  is  more  acceptable,  and  the  so- 
loists do  some  fine  singing,  but  the  recording  is  not  happy.  The 
choral  parts  are  much  overloaded,  the  solos  not  so  bad.  The  best 
moments  in  the  recording  are  in  the  "Benedictus."  All  in  all,  the 
Haydn  Society  disc  is  the  better  of  a  none-too-tempting  choice. 
Mass,  K.  427,  in  C  minor.  Schweiger,  s;  Toepper,  s;  Meyer-W elfin g,  t; 
London,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Zollinger,  HS  HSLP  2006  [2]. 

This  is  an  important  work  and  a  valuable  recording,  though  I  sus- 
pect the  performance  was  hastily  prepared;  it  is  hardly  notable  for 
precision.      The  soloists,  speaking  generally,   are  adequate,  the 
most  striking  voice  being  that  of  the  first  soprano,  who  has  a  good 
trill,  if  not  complete  security  of  intonation.    In  the  choral  sections 
the    recording  balance   favors   the   orchestra,   with   some   loss   of 
clarity    in  the  voices.      Especially  in  the   quartet  setting  of  the 
"Benedictus"  the  reproduction  is  inclined  to  be  loud  and  coarse. 
Motets:  Offertorium  de  Tempore  Misericordias  Domini,  K.  222;  Graduale 
ad  Festum  B.  Mariae  Virginis:  Sancta  Maria,  Mater  Dei,  K.  273;  Lacry- 
mosa,   K.   Anh.  21;  Jubilate,  K.   117;  Benedicite  Angeli,  K.   342;  Of- 
fertorium de  B.    V.  Maria:  Alma  Dei  Creatoris,  K.  277;  Regina  Coeli 
Laetare,   K.  276.     Soloists;  Anthologie  Sonore  Ch  &  0,   Durufle,  org; 
Raugel,  HS  AS  34. 

The  most  remarkable  thing  in  this  collection  of  minor  Mozart  is 
the  statement  in  the  first  motet  of  Beethoven's  Ode  to  Joy  theme: 
this    is   no  mere  premonition,   it   is  an  out-and-out  proclamation. 
The  singing  throughout  the  set,  by  a  modest-sized  chorus,  is  vig- 
orous and  spirited  rather  than  smooth.    We  can  well  imagine  that 
this  is  the  way  Mozart  heard  his  works  in  the  performances  of  his 
own  day. 
Offertorium  pro  festo  Sti.  Joannis  Baptistae:  Inter  natos  mulierum,  K. 
72;  Kyrie  for  Four  Voices  in  D  minor  ("Munchener" ),  K.  341.    SALC  & 
0,  Sternberg,  Per  SPL  519  (*Schutz:  Motets). 

These  two  youthful,  but  not  untypical,  works  suffer  from  a  nerv- 
ous, restless  approach.  The  setup  of  chorus  and  orchestra  seems 
calculated  to  emphasize  this,  for  the  accompanying  figures  as- 
sume a  prominence  that  really  should  belong  to  the  vocal  parts. 
The  reproduction  is  loud  and  coarse. 
Requiem,   K.  626.     Pech,  boy-s;  Breitschopf,  boy-c;  Ludwig,  t;  Progl- 


Mozart  159 

hof,  bs;  VH,  Krips,  70"  L  LPS  230/1  [2].    Laszlo,  s;  Rossl-Majdan,  c; 

Munteanu,    t;  Standen,  bs;  VKC;  VSO,  Scherchen,  W  WL  5233.     Cian- 

nela,   s;  Okerson,  c;  Carringer,  t;  Keast,  b;  SC;  RCAO,  Shaw,   V  LM 

1712.    Gueden,  s;  Anday,  c;  Patzak,  t;  Greindl,  bs;  SACC;  SAL,  Mess- 

ner,  Rem  R  199-96.     Tassinari,  s;  Stignani,  m-s;  Tagliavini,  t;  Tajo, 

bs;  El  ARC  &  0,  Sabata,  10"  Cet  1001  [2]. 

Here  is  satisfaction  for  a  variety  of  tastes.  If  you  want  your  Re- 
quiem done  in  the  style  of  the  old  operatic  Sunday  night  concerts, 
then  there  is  no  question  but  that  you  will  enjoy  the  Italian  group 
under  Sabata.  But  this  is  not  so  much  Mozart  as  vocal  display. 
Again,  if  you  want  some  good  singing  (along  with  some  not  quite 
of  the  best),  are  not  particular  about  the  quality  of  the  recording 
(which  is  rather  coarse),  and  like  a  bargain  price,  then  the  Rem- 
ington version,  made  at  a  festival  performance  in  1951,  will  ap- 
peal. If  you  enjoy  the  singing  of  boys  (which  many  people  do  not), 
you  will  certainly  enjoy  the  sensitive  and  nicely  styled  perform- 
ance of  Krips.  The  two  adult  soloists,  whose  voices  are  naturally 
lusty  enough,  have  managed  to  keep  themselves  down  to  the  proper 
size  to  match  their  companions.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  real 
virtuoso  performance  by  Scherchen,  bringing  out  the  drama  from 
the  hushed  orchestral  introduction  and  the  thrilling  climax  shortly 
thereafter  to  the  hollow  chord  at  the  end.  As  a  recording  this  is 
certainly  the  best  version  available,  and  it  has  some  fine  solo 
singing,  especially  by  the  two  women.  But  if  you  want  to  strike 
somewhere  in  the  middle  of  all  these  styles,  the  Shaw  recording 
has  both  a  warmth  and  earnestness  that  have  not  always  charac- 
terized his  performances,  and  some  terrific  climaxes.  The  solo 
singing  is  modest  but  competent. 

Vesperae    de  Dominica,   K.   321.      Stader,   s;   Fischer,   c;   Hafliger,  t; 

Schey,  bs;  RCZ;  WINC  &  0,  Reinhart,  CH  CHS  1033. 

Vesperae  solennes  de  Confessore,  K.  339.    Bak,  s;  Munch,  c;  Br'unner, 

t;  Linz,  b;  BAVRC  &  0,  Kugler,  70"  Mer  MG  15014. 

The  "Laudate  Dominum"  from  the  Vespers,  K.  321,  is  included  in 
Collette  Lorand's  Mozart  recital  (Mer  MG  15026).  Stader,  a  more 
mature  artist,  provides  the  high  spot  in  this  complete  performance 
with  her  singing  of  the  same  movement.  Indeed,  the  performance 
is  more  than  complete,  for  the  conductor  has  interpolated  a  so- 
prano aria  of  his  own  composing.  Again,  it  is  the  "Laudate"  that 
will  remain  in  the  memory  after  a  hearing  of  K.  339,  though  Bak's 
singing  is  by  no  means  the  best  we  have  heard  of  the  Psalm. 
Older  collectors  will  recall  the  soaring  soprano  solo  in  a  close- 


Mozarf  160 

to-perfect  performance  by  Ursula  Van  Diemen  and  chorus,  under 
the  direction  of  Siegfried  Ochs,  recorded  many  years  ago.  The 
best  choral  work  in  the  Vespers  is  accorded  the  stunning  ''Mag- 
nificat"; throughout  the  recording  there  is  more  evidence  of  en- 
thusiasm than  of  warmth,  and  the  soloists  just  about  get  by.  This 
must  have  been  a  public  performance,  for  one  hears  occasional 
page-turnings  and  coughs. 

Operas 

Bastien  und  Eastienne.    Hollweg,  s;  Kmentt,  t;  Berry,  bs;  VSY,  Pritch- 

ard,  C  ML  4835.    Nentwig,  s;  Plumacher,  c;  Neidlinger,  bs;  STO,  Rein- 

hardt,  PerSPL  542. 

The  Columbia  recording  uses  recitatives  not  in  the  original  score 
(the  opera  is  the  work  of  a  twelve-year-old  boy),  but  supplied  by 
Mozart  for  a  "revival"  in  Salzburg;  Period  favors  spoken  dialogue. 
In  the  Stuttgart  production,  a  contralto  sings  the  tenor  role  of 
Bastien;  otherwise  there  is  little  over  which  to  quibble  in  either 
recording,  though  the  decision  in  favor  of  Columbia  is  easy  enough. 
It  is  the  difference  between  a  happily  poised  and  stylish  reading 
of  the  score,  distinguished  by  an  exceptional  soprano  and  two  ex- 
cellent men,  and  a  quite  satisfactory  run-of-the-mill  job.  Colum- 
bia's reproduction  is  not  quite  perfection,  but  it  is  fuller  and 
richer  in  sound  than  Period's. 

La  Clemenza  di  Tito.    Nentwig,  s;  Plumacher,  c;  Weikenmeier,  t;  etc.; 

SWS;  STO,  Lund,  Per  SPLP  550  [3]  (*Les  Petits  Riens). 

The  name  of  Mozart's  Titus  has  been  kept  alive  through  the  years 
by  a  couple  of  magnificent  arias  "Non  piu  di  fiori"  and  that  old 
favorite  of  Schumann-Heink,  "Parto,  parto!"  The  work  belongs  to 
the  old  school  of  opera  seria;  there  is  little  chance  of  success  for 
it  on  the  modern  stage.  For  such  works,  LP  is  the  ideal  medium 
for  revival,  for  here  the  music's  the  thing,  the  absurdity  and  un- 
naturalness  of  the  plot  counting  for  little.  The  present  set,  with 
informative  background  notes  and  a  literate  translation  of  the  li- 
bretto, is  good  enough  to  make  its  points.  The  conductor  has  a 
nice  sense  of  pace  and  line,  and  he  imparts  these  to  the  singers. 
Most  pleasing  voice  is  Plumacher's;  Weikenmeier's  tone  has  size 
and  roundness,  and  he  manages  the  florid  passages  amazingly 
well.  All  in  all,  here  is  an  admirable,  if  not  distinguished,  per- 
formance.   The  reproduction  is  full  and  clear. 

Cosl    fan    tutte.     Souez,    s;    Helletsgruber,    s;    Eisinger,    s;    Nash,  t; 


Mozart  161 

Domgraf-F  ass  bander,  b;  Brownlee,  b;  GFC  &  0,  Busch,  V  LCT  6104 
[3].  (In  English)  Steber,  s;  Peters,  s;  Thebom,  m-s;  Tucker,  t;  Guar- 
rera,  b;  etc.;  MOC  &  0,  Stiedry,  C  SL  122  [3].  (Highlights)  J urinac,  s; 
Thebom,  m-s;  Lewis,  t;  Kunz,  b;  Boreiello,  b;  GFO,  Busch,  V  LM  1126. 
Victor's  Cost  is,  of  course,  the  famous  set  of  the  thirties,  remark- 
ably well  transferred  to  LP.  The  cast  is  incomparably  the  finest 
yet  offered.  The  most  impressive  voice  is  that  of  Souez,  who  has 
the  sense  of  style  if  not  quite  the  agility  to  put  her  in  the  class 
with  famous  predecessors  in  her  role  of  Fiordiligi.  Nash  and 
Domgraf-Fassbander  are  also  outstanding,  and  Brownlee  in  his 
prime  does  a  fine  job  of  characterization.  But  chief  honors  go  to 
Fritz  Busch,  who  molded  and  held  the  spirited  performance  to- 
gether. The  ensemble,  indeed,  is  greater  than  the  sum  of  its 
parts.  Against  this  we  must  weigh  the  superior  modern  reproduc- 
tion of  the  official  Metropolitan  offering,  done  in  English.  The 
production  was  a  popular  success,  and  the  recording  has  the  ex- 
pected virtues,  though  it  is  hardly  pure  Mozart.  Those  who  prefer 
opera  in  the  vernacular  will  be  satisfied  with  it;  others  will  prefer 
to  accept  the  older  recording.  The  men  of  the  cast  sing  with  nota- 
bly clear  diction,  and  the  voices  are  generally  good,  but  stylisti- 
cally, not  one  of  the  singers  is  a  match  for  his  Glyndebourne 
counterpart.  A  third  complete  recording,  emanating  from  Stutt- 
gart, is  eliminated  by  the  competition  (Rem  R  199-117  [3]).  Here 
we  have  a  conscientious  group  of  German  artists  singing  fairish 
Italian.  The  postwar  Glyndebourne  "Highlights"  is  spirited  and 
reasonably  well  carried  out.  But  not  all  the  detail  of  the  music 
comes  through  in  the  singing.  Jurinac,  for  example,  is  not  up  to 
her  best,  though  the  voice  is  still  attractive. 
Don  Giovanni.  Souez,  s;  Helletsgruber,  s;  Mildmay,  s;  Pataky,  t; 
Brownlee,  b;  Baccaloni,  bs;  etc.;  GFC  &  0,  Busch,  V  LCT  6102  [3]. 
Grob-Prandl,  s;  H.  Konetzni,  s;  Heusser,  s;  Handt,  t;  Stabile,  b;  Poell, 
b;  P ernerstorfer,  bs;  etc.;  VSOC  &  0,  Swarowsky,  HS  HSLP  2030  [4], 
A  number  of  arguments  may  be  advanced  to  favor  the  Haydn  Soci- 
ety recording  in  this  choice.  The  original  Prague  version  is 
strictly  adhered  to  (whatever  may  be  said  of  the  improvements 
later  made  for  Vienna,  some  of  which  were  matters  of  expediency 
to  suit  the  available  cast,  this  does  establish  a  special  standard). 
Indeed,  the  additions  for  the  Vienna  premiere  are  included  on  the 
last  record  side  as  a  kind  of  supplement;,  the  only  difficulty  is  for 
those  who  would  fit  them  into  their  now  accustomed  places.     No 


Mozart  162 

expense  or  effort  has  been  spared  to  make  the  set  effective.  Still, 
with  the  exceptions  of  the  aging  Stabile,  long  a  famous  Don,  and 
Poell  as  Masetto,  the  singers  can  be  praised  only  with  reserva- 
tions, and  in  some  cases  only  for  good  intentions.  Here,  where 
distinguished  vocalism  and  mastery  of  style  count  for  everything, 
and  where  a  standard  has  long  since  existed  in  the  Glyndebourne 
set,  the  modern  recording  adds  up  to  a  disappointment. 
As  for  the  classic,  it  would  be  too  much  to  say  it  has  survived  the 
transfer  to  LP  with  its  glories  untarnished;  still  it  meets  the  gen- 
eral standards  of  such  revivals.  Chief  among  its  virtues  is  the 
guidance  of  Fritz  Busch,  who  gets  a  remarkably  integrated  per- 
formance from  his  international  cast.  And  the  singers,  though  they 
may  not  be  the  brightest  stars  ever  to  appear  in  their  roles,  are 
never  less  than  admirable.  John  Brownlee  in  his  vocal  prime  was 
an  excellent  Don;  Ina  Souez,  a  rich-voiced  Anna;  Koloman  von 
Pataky,  a  much  better  than  usual  Ottavio,  to  mention  only  a  few. 

Die  Entfuhrung  aus  dem  Serail.    Lipp,  s;  Loose,  s;,  Ludwig,  t;  Klein,  t; 

Koreh,  bs;  VSOC;  VPH,  Krips,  L  LLA  3  [3l 

In  its  casting,  this  is  one  of  the  finest  opera  recordings  ever  of- 
fered, and  one  not  likely  to  be  bettered.  Wilma  Lipp  has  an  unusu- 
ally appealing  voice,  and  she  makes  up  with  an  unusual  dramatic 
flair  for  the  few  degrees  she  may  lack  of  technical  perfection  in 
Constanze's  cruelly  difficult  arias.  Emmy  Loose  sings  Biond- 
chen's  music  with  just  the  right  touch  of  sophistication;  Walter 
Ludwig  and  Peter  Klein  are  well  balanced  in  the  two  tenor  roles. 
The  one  weak  spot  in  the  cast  is  the  Osmin  of  Endre  Koreh,  who 
could  sing  with  greater  subtlety  and  more  cleanly;  but  this  is  not- 
able chiefly  because  the  others  are  so  good.  Krips  holds  the  work 
together  in  masterly  fashion.  The  only  criticism  of  the  recording 
is  that  the  singers  are  too  close  to  the  microphone,  especially  in 
the  passages  of  spoken  dialogue. 

La  Finta  Giardiniera.    Guilleaume,  s;  Plumacher,  c;  Hohmann,  t;  Neid- 

linger,  bs;  STO,  Reinhardt,  Per  SPL  531  [3];  (Abridged)  Per  SPL  532 

(*Der  Schauspieldirektor). 

This  youthful  Italian  work  is  sung  to  a  German  text  which,  the  an- 
notator  tells  us,  Mozart  himself  knew  in  performance.  The  sing- 
ers, all  well  known  in  numerous  recordings,  have  pleasing  voices 
and  sing  with  good  style.  There  is  admirable  enthusiasm  in  evi- 
dence throughout,  if  no  transfiguring  distinction. 

Idomeneo.   Hopf,  s;  Grob-Prandl,  s;  Handt,  t;  Taubmann,  t;  etc.;  VSOC; 


Mozart  163 

VSY,  Zallinger,  HS  HSLP  2020  [41    (Highlights)  Jurinac,  s;  MacNeil, 

s;  Lewis,  t;  Young,  t;  GFO,  Busch,  V  LHMV  1021. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the  complete  set,  a  recording  was  is- 
sued of  the  drastic  Wolf-Ferrari  revision,  sung  in  German,  and 
very  severely  cut  (Mer  MGL  5  [2]);  it  was  definitely  outclassed  by 
the  Haydn  Society  performance,  which  strives  for  authenticity  and 
omits  very  little  of  the  score.  The  strong  and  knowing  hand  of  the 
conductor  holds  this  production  together;  the  singers  strive  vali- 
antly to  conquer  the  lost  art  that  lies  beneath  vexing  problems  of 
style.  This  music  demands  mastery  of  florid  song  as  well  as  big 
utterance  for  its  noble  recitatives.  It  cannot  be  said  that  the 
present  group  has  all  that  this  implies;  indeed,  no  member  of  the 
cast  stands  out  as  a  model  in  these  respects.  Grob-Prandl  works 
against  a  rather  backward  vocal  production  in  the  role  of  Elettra; 
Hopf,  as  Ilia,  is  also  weighted  down.  The  young  American  Her- 
bert Handt  shows  magnificent  vocal  equipment  and  real  promise, 
but  his  singing  is  not  yet  even.  The  lovely  choral  passages  are 
well  done.  The  generally  satisfactory  reproduction  is  variable. 
The  Highlights  disc  represents  the  postwar  Glyndebourne,  includ- 
ing a  good  deal  of  the  finest  music.  Jurinac  is  outstanding  in  a 
competent  and  dedicated  cast,  reasonably  well  recorded. 

Le   Nozze  di  Figaro.      Rautawaara,   s;  Helletsgruber,   s;  Mildmay,   s; 

Domgraf-Fassbander,  b;  Henderson,  b;  etc.;  GFC  &  0,  Busch,  V  LCT 

6001    [2].      Gatti,   s;   Gardino,   s;  Noni,   s;    Tajo,   bs;  Bruscantini,   bs; 

Corena,    bs;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Previtali,   Get  1219  [3];  Schwarzkopf,  s; 

See  fried,  s;  Jurinac,  s;  Kunz,  b;  London,  b;  etc.;  VSOC;  VSY,  Karajan, 

C  SL  114  [3]. 

Many  readers  will  disagree  (as  many  critics  already  have)  with  the 
order  of  preference  listed  above.  If  high-fidelity  recording  is  de- 
manded, Victor's  prewar  Glyndebourne  set  is  third  on  the  list,  but 
it  remains  by  all  odds  the  best-integrated  performance,  the  most 
complete  realization  of  the  Mozart  style,  and  it  is  acceptably 
transferred  to  LP.  The  voices,  as  voices,  are  bettered  by  the  Vi- 
ennese group,  who,  however,  being  mostly  Germans  and  Austrians, 
sing  the  Italian  text  like  an  adopted  language.  The  men  project 
their  words  well  enough;  the  ladies  are  inclined  to  coo.  I  have 
listed  the  cast  of  native  Italians  above  the  Viennese  partly  be- 
cause theirs  is  the  only  recording  complete  with  recitatives,  so 
essential  a  part  of  the  drama,  and  musically  important  too.  On 
first  playing  the  Cetra  recording,  I  was  bothered  by  Previtali' s 


Mozart  164 

leisurely  tempos;  coming  back  to  it  after  the  rather  rushed  presen- 
tation of  Karajan,  I  found  Previtali's  the  more  satisfactory.  Ital- 
ians, traditionally,  are  not  the  finest  interpreters  of  Mozart  (be- 
cause of  their  tendency  to  spread  themselves);  but  this  group  may 
be  commended  for  exemplary  taste.  Still,  for  pacing  that  is  right, 
and  a  cast  at  the  very  least  consistently  satisfactory,  and  with 
certainly  the  best  Figaro  of  the  three  recordings,  one  returns  to 
Glyndebourne  and  accepts  the  less  vital  reproduction.  None  of 
the  performances  is  uncut:  the  most  serious  omission  is  in  the 
Cetra  version:  the  Count's  aria  "Vedro  mentr'  io  sospiro."  The 
balance  is  generally  best  with  Cetra,  though  Columbia's  recording 
is  more  even. 

A  collection  of  arias  presents  Greindl  singing  "Non  piu  andrai" 
and  "Aprite  un  po"'  in  surprisingly  effective  Italian,  Trotschel 
in  "Venite  inginocchiatevi,"  and  Kupper  in  "Porgi  amor"  (10"  D 
DL  4065).  Trotschel  sings  with  considerable  charm,  but  Kupper's 
voice  is  inclined  to  spread. 

II    Re  Pastore.      Giebel,    s;  Nentwig,   s;   Plumacher,    c;   Hohmann,   t; 

Weikenmeier,  b;  STO,  Lund,  PerSPLP  553  [2]. 

The  best  that  can  be  said  for  this  recording  is  that  it  provides  the 
chance  of  a  lifetime  to  hear  the  great  aria  "L'amerb,  sarb  co- 
stante"  in  its  setting.  This  is  not,  however,  one  of  the  great  Mo- 
zart operas,  and  the  singers,  with  their  sweet  and  modest  voices, 
are  not  equal  to  the  music's  demands. 

Der  SchauspieldirektoT  (The  Impresario).     Nentwig,  s;  Guilleaume,  s; 

Hohmann,   t;  von  Rohr,   bs;  STO,  Reinhardt,  Per  SPL  532  (*La  Finta 

Giardiniera,   abridged).     (In  English)  Gordon,  s;  Hunt,  s;   Vellucci,  t; 

Bauman,  speaker;  0,  Herz,  10"  Mer  MG  15025. 

The  second  of  these  listings  is  done  in  the  literate  English  trans- 
lation of  George  and  Phyllis  Mead,  and  with  its  spoken  dialogue 
it  will  make  more  immediate  sense  to  non-Germans  who  would  look 
for  a  story  in  Mozart's  bit  of  fluff.  There  is  a  question  in  my 
mind,  however,  as  to  how  often  such  a  performance  will  bear  re- 
peating— which  is  to  say,  was  it  really  worth  recording?  There  is 
considerably  more  style  in  the  rival  recording,  a  presentation  as 
authentic  as  need  be.  The  voices  in  the  cast  are  good.  At  first 
it  seemed  to  me  that  Nentwig  was  singing  tentatively,  but  she 
warmed  up.  Both  she  and  Guilleaume  prove  equal  to  the  high 
flights  Mozart  has  required  of  them.  The  reproduction  has  the 
quality    of  sound   we    used   to   associate   with   studio  recordings; 


Mozart  1 65 

there  is  no  sense  of  space  in  it;  but  within  its  rather  confining 
limits,  the  sound  is  clear  and  good. 

Thamos,  Konig  von  Aegypten — Incidental  Music.    Neidlinger,  bs;  PRC 

&  0,  Reinhardt,  Vox  PL  7350. 

This  fine  music  was  written  as  background  for  a  now  justly  for- 
gotten drama.  The  performance  is  passable,  with  Neidlinger's 
singing  lending  it  a  certain  distinction.  The  chorus  is  veiled  in 
reproduction.  It  would  have  helped  the  listener  to  have  been  pro- 
vided with  a  text. 

Zaide.     Dobbs,  s;  Cuenod,  t;  Demigny,  b;  etc.;  PPO,  Leibowitz,  Pol 

PRLP  901/2  [2]. 

ZaTde,  an  early  work,  was  left  unfinished  by  Mozart.  Hence  the 
performance  is  more  like  a  concert  than  a  dramatic  presentation. 
There  are  several  lovely  arias,  notably  "Ruhe  sanft,"  remembered 
in  the  fine  record  of  Barbara  Troxell  (WCFM  8).  The  outstanding 
singing  here  is  done  by  Cuenod,  who  delivers  his  German  text  with 
distinction.  The  American  Mattiwilda  Dobbs  shows  a  lovely  voice 
and  a  promising  sense  of  style.  There  are  evidences  of  hasty 
preparation. 

Die    Zauberflbte.      Lemnitz,    s;   Berger,    s;   Roswaenge,    t;  H'usch,   b; 

Strienz,  bs;  etc.;  BSOC  &  0,  Beecham,  V  LCT  6101  [3].    Seefried,  s; 

Lipp,  s;  Dermota,  t;  Kunz,  b;  Weber,  bs;  etc.;  MFC;  VPH,  Karajan,  C 

SL  115  [3]. 

Victor's  Magic  Flute  has  long  been  rated  among  the  finest  of 
phonographic  achievements.  Beecham's  conception  of  the  score 
is  rightly  acknowledged  a  classic,  and  in  its  day  the  recording 
was  outstanding.  Although  I  never  could  accept  each  individual 
member  of  the  cast  as  absolute  perfection,  I  find  that  as  a  group 
they  stand  up  even  against  formidable  rivalry  from  Vienna.  Husch 
remains  unsurpassed  as  Papageno,  though  Kunz  runs  him  a  race; 
Roswaenge's  Tamino  is  healthier  and  more  solid  than  Dermota's. 
Although  Berger's  Queen  of  the  Night  is  the  more  proficient,  I 
find  Lipp's  more  exciting;  and  the  Sarastro  of  Strienz  is  not  quite 
so  poised  as  Weber's.  As  Pamina,  Lemnitz  is  no  more  appealing 
than  Seefried,  and  tonally  she  is  less  steady.  The  Victor  set,  in 
transfer  to  LP,  has  lost  something  in  brilliance,  but  it  sounds  ac- 
ceptable enough.  Columbia's  reproduction  is  inevitably  better, 
though  the  voices  suffer  occasionally  from  over-exposure  to  the 
microphone. 


Mozart  166 

Arias 

Die  Entfuhrung  aus  dem  Serail — Hier  soil  ich  dich  denn  sehen;  Kon- 
stanze,  dich.  wieder  zu  sehen;  Im  Mohrenland  gefangen  war;  Don  Gio- 
vanni— Aur  ihrem  Frieden;  Folget  der  Heissgeliebten;  Die  Zauberflote 
—  Dies  Bildnis  ist  bezaubernd  schon.  Anders,  t;  GOH,  Schmidt; 
Isserstedt,  10"  Cap  L  8084. 

Anders   is  a  lyric  tenor  of  the  Tauber  type,  German  in  style  and 
training,    but    freer    in   production    than    most   of   his    colleagues. 
These  arias  are  sung  competently,  without  the  touch  of  graceful- 
ness which  would  have  given  them  distinction.    The  Don  Giovanni 
arias,  especially  "II  mio  tesoro"  in  German,  furnish  an  excellent 
argument  against  translating  everything  into  the  vernacular.    These 
words  simply  do  not  match  the  music.    As  it  happens,  too,  Anders 
is  less  than  perfectly  poised  in  the  long,  florid  phrases.    The  re- 
production is  on  the  rough  side. 
Ma  che  vi  fece,  o  stelle,  K.  368;  Mia  speranza  adorata,  K.  416;  Regina 
Coeli,  K.  127.    Bak,  s;  MC  &  0,  Graunke,  Mer  MG  10085  (*Handel:  In 
Praise  of  Harmony). 

This  disc  is  listed  for  the  repertory  it  contains,  though  the  second 
concert   aria  is  better  sung  by  Hollweg  (10"   L  LPS  250)  and  by 
Stich-Randall  (Col  CLPS  1035).     Bale's  is  another  of  those  high, 
clear  voices  that  dazzle   above  the  staff,  but  do  not  afford  much 
pleasure  in  the  lower  registers.     Her  singing  of  lyrical  passages 
leaves  much  to  be  desired. 
he  Nozze  di  Figaro — Tutto  e  disposto;  Non  piu  andrai;  Die  Zauber- 
flote— In  diesen  heil'gen  Hallen;  Cost  fan  tutte — Donne  mie  la  fate  a 
tanti;  Don  Giovanni — Madamina,  il  catalogo;  Ah!  pieta,  signori  miei; 
Le  hozze  di  Figaro — Se  vuol  ballare;  La  vendetta.     Corena,  bs;  SCO, 
Erede;  SR,  Maag,  10"  L  LS  671. 

Today's  reigning  buffo  basso  not  only  can  act  with  his  voice,  but 
also  can  sing.  Touching  on  the  variegated  roles  of  Figaro,  Sa- 
rastro,  Guglielmo,  Leporello,  and  Bartolo,  he  strikes  a  masterly 
balance  between  vocalism  and  projection.  His  "Madamina'  is 
well  contrasted,  avoiding  some  of  the  elaboration  almost  tradi- 
tional in  it  these  days,  and  the  less  usual  "Ah!  pieta"  is  happily 
not  overdrawn.  "Se  vuol  ballare"  may  be  an  instant  slow  in  com- 
mencing, but  it  has  a  new  angle,  starting  off  more  in  anger  than  in 
craftiness,  leaving  the  insinuating  tones  for  the  last  repeat.  One 
must  exclaim  over  the  singer's  superb  diction  in  "Aprite  un  po  , 
and  the  fine  swing  of  "Non  piu  andrai."     It  is  interesting  to  hear 


Mozart  167 

this  Swiss-Italian  sing  the  Zauberflote  piece  in  good  firm  German; 
stylistically  little  is  lacking,  though  there  is  a  suggestion  of  clip- 
ping the  well-articulated  words,  just  a  shade  of  weight  wanting  in 
the  singer's  utterance.    The  Cost  fan  tutte  piece  is  magnificent. 

Non  temer,  amato  bene,  K.  490;  Le  Nozze  di  Figaro — Voi  che  sapete; 

Deh  vieni,  non  tardar;  Idomeneo — Se  il  padre  perdei.    Gueden,  s;  VPH, 

Krauss,  10"  L  LPS  485  f*Verdi:  Rigoletto— Arias). 

Exsultate,    jubilate;   Die  Zauberflote — Ach,   ich  fuhl's;  Le  Nozze  di 

Figaro — Venite,    inginocchiatevi;   II  Re  Pastore — L'amerb,    sarb   co- 

stante.    Gueden,  s;  VPH,  Erede,  10"  L  LPS  681. 

Gueden  is  one  of  the  most  musical  and  appealing  of  present-day 
lyric  sopranos;  she  has  the  poise  and  the  style  for  Mozart.  The 
infectious  lilt  of  her  "Voi  che  sapete"  is  not  interrupted,  for  all 
the  effective  shading  and  word-coloring  she  gets  into  it.  The 
"Deh  vieni,"  done  without  appoggiaturas,  is  only  less  good  for 
want  of  a  similar  lilt.  The  Idomeneo  aria,  and  "Non  temer,"  com- 
posed to  be  interpolated  into  that  opera,  have  both  style  and  bril- 
liance. In  Exsultate  (the  solo  motet  ending  with  the  celebrated 
"Alleluia")  she  strikes  the  note  of  jubiliation  so  often  missing; 
hers  is  certainly  among  the  better  recordings  of  this  work.  The 
Re  Pastore  aria  is  also  beautifully  sung. 

Mia   speranza  adorata,   K.  416;  No,   no,    che  non  sei   capace,   K.  419. 

Hollweg,  s;  LSO,  Krips  10"  L  LPS  250  f*Strauss:  Ariadne). 

Hollweg  is  gifted  with  a  phenomenal  voice,  but  she  is  a  better 
singer  than  most  who  can  be  thus  characterized.  While  I  do  not 
find  that  she  brings  any  very  personal  touch  to  these  concert 
arias,  she  tosses  them  off  with  little  concern  for  their  fiendish 
difficulties. 

V a,  dal  furor  portata,  K.  21;  Si  mostra  la  sorte,  K.  209;  Con  ossequio, 

con  rispetto,  K.  210;  Per  pieia,  non  recercate,  K.  420;  Se  al  labbro  mio 

non  credi,  K.  295;  Misero!  0  sogno!,  K.  431.     Kmentt,  t;  VSY,  Paum- 

gartner,  Ep  LC  3076. 

The  first  of  these  concert  arias  was  composed  when  Mozart  was 
nine;  as  the  Kochel  numbers  show,  the  program  ranges  pretty  well 
over  his  active  musical  life.  If  there  is  nothing  here  comparable 
to  the  best  of  the  soprano  arias,  the  pieces  are  all  typical  and 
splendidly  vocal.  Kmentt's  voice  may  be  a  little  heavy  for  them — 
he  has  his  troubles  in  the  florid  passages  of  the  first  aria — but 
he  sings  with  taste,  and  he  is  spaciously  recorded. 

Ah,    lo  previdi,   K.  272;   Chi  sa,   chi  sa,    qua!  sia,  K.  582;   Vado,  ma 


Mozart  168 

dove?,   K.  583;  Ch*io  mi  scordi  di  te?,  K.  505;  Bella  mia  fiamma,  K. 

528.    Laszlo,  s;  VSO,  Quadri,  W  WL  5179. 

Laszlo's  bright  and  soaring  voice  is  well  suited  to  this  kind  of 
music;  an  occasional  tendency  to  shrillness  will  not,  I  think,  be 
found  too  much.  Outstanding  on  her  program  is  the  aria  with  piano 
obbligato  "Ch'io  mi  scordi  di  te?" — also  recorded  (but  not  quite 
so  happily)  by  Kathe  Nentwig  (Vox  PL  7370)  and  the  too  somber- 
voiced  Jennie  Tourel  (Columbia  ML  4640)  as  part  of  the  Casals- 
Perpignan  series.  Laszlo  seems  at  home  in  the  Italian  language, 
though  diction  is  not  her  strongest  point. 

he  Nozze  di  Figaro — Se  vuol  ballare;  La  vendetta;  Non  piu  andrai; 

Vedrb,  mentr'io  sospiro;  Aprite  un  po*  quegV  occhi;  Mentre  ti  lascia,  o 

figlia,    K.    513;  Per  questa  bella  mano,   K.    612;   Rivolgete   a   lui  lo 

sguardo.    London,  b;  COL,  Walter,  C  ML  4699. 

In  his  five  arias  from  Figaro,  London  presents  three  different 
characters,  carefully  differentiating  among  them.  Because  of  the 
weight  of  his  voice,  he  comes  off  better  as  Bartolo  and  the  Count 
than  as  Figaro.  Perhaps  we  should  blame  the  recording  that  his 
tones  seem  bigger  and  more  overpowering  than  ever  in  real  life. 
Otherwise  the  pieces  are  all  intelligently  and  competently  done, 
though  the  last  section  of  the  Count's  "Vedrb,  mentr'  io  sospiro" 
seems  a  little  scrambled.  The  singing  is  nothing  if  not  virile. 
The  three  concert  arias  have  been  heard  perhaps  to  better  advan- 
tage from  such  subtler  singers  as  Pinza  and  Tajo,  but  they  are  al- 
ways welcome  and  certainly  not  overdone.  The  voice  here  seems 
too  forward  in  recording.  The  double-bass  obbligato  in  "Per 
questa  bella  mano"  has  unfortunately  been  given  to  a  cello.  The 
recording  is  very  live  and  not  free  of  echo. 

Dulcissimum   convivium,  K.  243;  Ergo  interest,  K.  143;  Panis  vivus, 

K.  125;  Laudate  Dominum,  K.  321;  Die  Zauberflote — 0  zitt're  nicht; 

Der  Hblle  Rache.    Lorand,  s;  SAL,  Fekete,  10"  Mer  MG  15026. 

This  twenty-five-year-old  (at  recording)  Swiss  soprano  discloses 
an  admirably  healthy  voice,  somewhat  lacking,  perhaps,  in  color 
and  variety,  but  distinctly  promising.  Her  account  of  the  Magic 
Flute  arias,  hardly  in  the  great  tradition,  is  better  than  we  usually 
hear  nowadays.  I  wish  she  had  controlled  her  rhythm  more  strictly 
in  the  second  air — one  has  the  feeling  she  is  about  to  run  away. 
The  church  arias  are  well  worth  knowing.  The  Vespers,  from 
which  the  "Laudate"  is  taken,  are  available  in  their  entirety  (CH 
CHS  1083). 

Ombra  felice;  lo  ti  lascio,  K.  255.     Michaelis,   c.     Ah,  lo  previdi,  K. 


Mozart  169 

272;  Ch'io  mi  scordi  di  te?;  Non  temer,  amato  bene,  K.  505;  Bella  mia 
fiamma.  Resta,  o  cara,  K.  528;  Nehmt  meinen  Dank,  ihr  holden 
Conner,  K.  383.    Nentwig,  s;  PRO,  Reinhardt,  Vox  PL  7370. 

Nentwig  duplicates  three  of  the  arias  recorded  by  Laszlo,  and  it 

must  be  conceded  hers  is  the  less  vibrant  and  telling  voice.    She 

is,    however,   a   capable   artist,   and  her  record  is  worth  having. 

Michaelis  sings  her  one  aria  with  taste  and  good  style. 

Die  Zauberflbte — Possenti  numi;  Qui  sdegno  non  s'accende;  Le  Nozze 

di  Figaro — Non  piu  andrai;  Se  vuol  ballare;  Don  Giovanni — Madamina, 

il  catalogo;  Deh  vieni  alia  finestra;  Finch'han  dal  vino.    Pinza,  bs;  0, 

Wallenstein,  V  LM  1751  (*Verdi:  Arias). 

Don  Giovanni — Madamina,  il  catalogo;  Mentre  ti  lascia,  o  figlia,  K. 
513;  Die  Entfurung  aus  dem  Serail — Osmin's  Aria;  Die  Zauberflbte — 
Qui  sdegno  non  s'accende;  Le  Nozze  di  Figaro — Se  vuol  ballare; 
Aprite  un  po'  quegli  occhi.    Pinza,  bs;  MOO,  Walter,  C  ML  4036. 

One  can  only  conclude  that  Pinza  was  not  satisfied  with  his  Co- 
lumbia recital:  he  has  repeated  much  of  it  for  Victor.    It  is  sad  to 
be  reminded  so  forcibly  that  these  high  days  of  the  basso's  popu- 
larity  have  not  coincided  with  the  period  of  his  greatest  vocal 
splendor.    The  choice  of  records  is  between  smoother  (if  not,  even 
then,   completely  controlled)  singing  and  richer,  more  refined  re- 
cording.     As   for  the   background,   I  prefer  the  spirit   of  Walter, 
though  just  as  surely  Wallenstein  has  the  better  orchestra  to  work 
with.    The  recitative  preceding  "Se  vuol  ballare"  is  definitely  im- 
proved by  more  harpsichord  and  less  bass.     But  those  of  us  who 
remember  Pinza  in  the  days  of  his  Don  Giovanni  and  Figaro  will 
not  be  satisfied  for  a  moment  with  this  performance.    It  is  amusing 
to    compare    his  recording   of   the    "Serenade"    and   "Champagne 
Song"  from  Don  Giovanni  (V  1467)  dating  back  to  the  first  years 
of  his  Metropolitan  Don.     Even  then  the  tessitura  of  the  former 
played  tricks  with  his  intonation;  taking  the  latter  at  breakneck 
speed,  he  was  never  able  to  articulate  its  musical  notes  as  Mo- 
zart wrote  them. 
Le  Nozze  di  Figaro — Non  piu  andrai.    Sammarco,  b.    II  Re  Pastore — 
L'amerb,  sarb  costante.    Ritter-Ciampi,  s.    Don  Giovanni — Finch*  han 
dal  vino.     d'Andrade,  b.     Don  Giovanni — Serenata.     Renaud,  b.     Die 
Zauberflbte — Queen  of  the  Night  arias.     Ivogun,  s.     Die  Entfuhrung 
aus  dem  Serail — Hier  soil  ich  dich  denn  sehen;  Konstanze,  Konstanze. 
Slezak,  t.     Osmin's  Entrance;  Ha!  wie  will  ich  triumphieren.     Hesch, 
bs.    Et  ELP  479. 


Mozart  170 

In  sum,  this  is  a  good  representation  of  a  "golden  age"  embrac- 
ing the  first  thirty  years  or  so  of  the  present  century.  Some  of  the 
singing  is  truly  distinguished,  some  less  than  Mozartean.  In  the 
former  class  is  Maria  Ivogun,  who  gives  us  the  two  arias  of  the 
Queen  of  the  Night  with  wonderful  facility,  firm  style,  and  tones 
that  remain  melting  all  the  way  to  the  top  of  her  register.  Gabri- 
elle  Ritter-Ciampi,  in  an  electrical  recording  with  the  most  promi- 
nent of  hums,  sings  a  superb  Re  Pastore  aria.  In  the  opera  house, 
hers  was  a  tiny  thread  of  tone;  it  emerges  naturally  in  well- 
balanced  reproduction.  Fine,  too,  are  the  four  Entfuhrung  numbers 
by  Slezak  and  Hesch — the  latter  sometimes  called  "the  German 
Plancon,"  though  his  style  bore  little  resemblance  to  that  of  the 
French  mastersinger.  The  one  published  recording  of  Frencesco 
d'Andrade  (the  Don  of  the  famous  Lilli  Lehmann  production  at 
Salzburg)  is  something  of  a  curio,  with  its  cheering  studio  audi- 
ence demanding,  and  receiving,  an  encore.  The  voice  is  remark- 
ably clear  and  neat,  and  for  all  his  inordinate  speed,  he  does  ar- 
ticulate the  eighth  notes  so  many  baritones  miss.  Sammarco  sings 
"Non  piu  andrai"  with  open  tone  and  lots  of  spirit,  but  I  suspect 
the  recording-speed  has  not  been  reproduced  accurately.  Renaud's 
"Serenata,"  sung  in  French  and  extended  in  Italian,  is  fair  nei- 
ther to  the  singer  nor  the  composer.  The  artist  made  far  better 
records  than  this  one. 
Le  Nozze  di  Figaro — Porgi  amor;  Deh  vieni  non  tardar;  Don  Giovanni 
—  Vedrai,  carino;  Batti,  batti,  o  bel  Masetto.  Sayao,  s;  0,  Leinsdorf, 
Breisach,  Cimara,  10"  C  ML  2152  (*Sayao  Recital). 

This  singer  never  descends  below  a  certain  admirable  standard, 
but  not  all  these  performances  are  equally  interesting.  Her  "Porgi 
amor"    is  sung  at  an  unusually  slow  tempo,  one,  I  am  afraid,  at 
which  it  would  be  impossible  to  give  the  melody  the  lift  it  needs. 
The  voice,  too,  is  definitely  too  light  to  make  a  Countess,  though 
in  recording  it  has  been  built  up.     "Deh  vieni"  is  more  her  meat, 
and  my  dissents  are  matters  of  taste.    The  recitative  seems  to  me 
too  slow  again;  I  miss  the  crispness  that  Bori,  for  instance,  used 
to  give  it.    And  I  miss  the  appoggiaturas,  necessary  to  the  com- 
plete   realization   of  the   melody.      "Vedrai   carino"    and   "Batti, 
batti"  are  good  proficient  jobs. 
Don  Giovanni — Madamina,  il  catalogo;  Le  Nozze  di  Figaro — Non  piu 
andrai.    Schoeffler,  b;  VPH,  Bohm.    Die  Zauberflbte — Dies  Bildnis  ist 
bezaubernd  sch'on;  Don  Giovanni — Dalla  sua  pace;  II  mio  tesoro.    Der- 
mota;   VPH,  Bohm.     Nozze  di  Figaro — Porgi  amor;  Dove  sono.     Rein- 


Mozart  171 

ing,  s;  VPH,  Krips.  Zauberflbte — Ach,  ich  fuhl's;  Nozze  di  Figaro — 
Voi  che  sapete.    Delia  Casa,  s;  SR,  Reinhagen.    L  LLP  457. 

This    disc  is  a  bargain-counter  display,  with  the  four  artists  in 
their    accustomed  roles,    and   Schoeffler  taking   over  Leporello's 
aria  for  good  measure.  The  singing  is  all  good  in  the  German  man- 
ner; we  are  not  told  that  it  is  all  done  in  that  language. 
Le  Nozze  di  Figaro — Deh  vieni,  non  tardar;  Porgi  amor;  Voi  che  sa- 
pete; Non  so  piu;  Dove  sono;  Don  Giovanni — Vedrai,  carino;  Non  mi 
dir;    Batti,    batti;  Idomeneo — Zeffiretti   lusinghieri.      Schwarzkopf,   s; 
PHI,  Pritchard,  An  35021. 

Exsultate,  jubilate;  II  Re  Pastore — L'amerb,  sarb  costante;  Die  Ent- 
fuhrung  aus  dem  Serail — Welche  Kummer;  Warnung,  K.  433.  Schwarz- 
kopf, s;  PHI,  Susskind;  VPH,  Krips;  Moore,  pf;  C  ML  4649. 

The   first  of  these  recitals  reveals  Schwarzkopf  skipping  lightly 
from  'one  to  the  other  of  the  chief  female  characters  in  Don  Gio- 
vanni and  Figaro.    Her  great  achievement  is  the  differentiation  be- 
tween   the  voices  of  the   various   ladies   and  of  Cherubino.     Her 
singing  is  always  distinguished.    I  would  have  liked  a  little  more 
snap    in  the  recitative  leading  into  "Deh  vieni,"   and  I  miss  the 
appoggiaturas  in  that  air.     "Vedrai,  carino"  is  a  little  precious, 
and  the  Countess  of  this  "Porgi  amor"  is  not  one  to  sing  out.    I 
can  only  admire  the  coloratura  in  the  second  part  of  "Non  mi  dir," 
though  I  do  not  feel  in  it  much  dramatic  impact.    But  the  phrasing 
of  "Dove  sono"  might  serve  as  a  model.    The  reproduction  lacks 
clarity.      Of  the  Columbia  program,   I  especially  liked  the  little 
piano-accompanied  song  at  the  end.    Her  Exsultate,  admirable  as 
it  is,  is  not  so  jubilant  as  Troxell's  or  Gueden's. 
Der    Schauspieldirektor — Bester   Jungling;    Die    Entfuhrung    aus    dem 
Serail — Durch     Traurigkeit;    Le    Nozze    di    Figaro — Dove    sono;    Die 
Zauberflbte — Ach,    ich  fuhl's;   Don   Giovanni — Mi   tradi;   Non  mi  dir; 
Cost  fan  tutte — Per  pieta.    Steber,  s;  COL,  Walter,  C  ML  4694. 

Steber's  program  strikes  a  good  balance  between  the  familiar  and 
the  rarer  arias.  Her  singing  is  capable  and  conscientious,  though 
she  has  not  found  the  secret  of  imparting  dramatic  meaning  to  the 
florid  passages.  Those  who  have  collected  some  of  her  older  re- 
cordings may  find  it  interesting  to  trace  the  singer's  development, 
notably  in  "Dove  sono,"  one  of  several  Mozart  arias  she  sang 
some  years  ago  for  Victor.  Bruno  Walter,  at  the  podium,  imparts  a 
certain  geniality  and  warmth  to  this  recording. 
Mia  speranza  adorata,  K.  416.  Stich-Randall,  s;  SCAO,  Paumgartner, 
C  CLPS  1035  f*March;  Scarlatti:  Sulle  sponde  del  Tebro). 


Mozart  172 

From  Italy  comes  this  performance  by  one  of  our  Fulbright  Fel- 
lows, a  singer  of  delicious  voice  and  outstanding  artistic  promise. 
A  present  tendency  to  sing  inwardly  is  overcome  at  the  climaxes, 
where  the  music  becomes  genuinely  exciting. 

Mentre  ti  lascio,  o  figlia,  K.  513;  Un  bacio  di  mono,  K.  541;  Per  questa 

bella  mano,  K.  612;  Cost  dunque  tradisci,  K.  432;  Rivolgete  a  lui  lo 

sguardo,  K.  584;  Alcandro,  lo  confesso,  K.  512.    Tajo,  bs;  RIO,  Rossi, 

Cet  50019. 

Tajo  was  first  in  the  field  with  these  concert  arias,  and  most  of 
them  have  not  been  done  again.  Most  intriguing  is  Per  questa 
bella  mano,  with  its  high,  agile  double-bass  obbligato.  The  sing- 
er's voice  is  a  rather  light  basso  cantate  of  good  range  and  pleas- 
ing quality.  He  has  the  proper  style  for  this  music,  and  his  un- 
hackneyed program  shows  him  to  advantage.  Three  of  the  arias 
are  somewhat  abbreviated. 

Zaide — Ruhe    sanft;    Exsultate,    jubilate.       Troxell,    s;   NGO,   Bales, 

WCFM  8  (* Concerto  for  Horn). 

The  long  motet  is  sung  with  more  of  the  jubilant  spirit  its  title  im- 
plies than  has  often  been  the  case  in  recordings.  Troxell  sings  in 
it  a  cadenza  written  by  Richard  Strauss  for  Elisabeth  Schumann. 
However,  the  real  feature  of  the  disc  is  the  heavenly  ZaTde  aria, 
long  unaccountably  neglected.  The  soprano's  voice  is  lovely  in 
the  broadly  sweeping  melody. 

Don  Giovanni — Or  sai,  chi  I'onore;  Non  mi  dir.    Welitch,  s;  de  Paolis, 

t;  MOO,  Reiner,  10"  C  ML  2118  (*Welitch  Recital). 

Welitch  is  at  all  times  an  interesting  singer,  and  in  the  opera 
house  this  goes  far  to  make  up  for  what  she  lacks  in  sheerly  sen- 
suous tone,  facile  technique,  and  musicianly  style.  She  may  not, 
for  example,  manipulate  the  roulades  and  runs  in  "Non  mi  dir" 
after  the  manner  of  the  greatest  Donna  Annas,  but  on  the  stage 
she  manages  to  keep  acting,  really  addressing  Don  Ottavio,  while 
she  sings  these  passages.  In  recording,  naturally,  we  miss  the 
visual  aid,  and  are  therefore  likely  to  be  more  critical  of  her  sing- 
ing. The  first  striking  fact  is  that  she  is  not  altogether  at  home 
in  the  Italian  language;  her  recitatives  lack  crispness,  and  she 
does  some  peculiar  things  with  the  phrasing.  Secondly,  in  the 
cantilena  she  wants  rhythmic  solidity.  She  cuts  corners,  and  her 
coloratura  bogs  down  rather  badly.  The  voice  itself  is  strangely 
more  attractive  than  I  remember  it  at  the  Metropolitan. 


Mozart/ Mussorgsky  173 

Songs 

Das    Veilchen;  Abendempfindung;   Dans   un  bois   solitaire;  An  Chloe. 
Danco,  s;  Agosti,  pf,  10"  L  LS  699  (*Strauss:  Songs). 
An  Chloe;  Warnung;  Abendempfindung;  Die  Zufriedenheit.     Rogers,  t; 
Mitrani,  pf,  10"  All  AL  13  (*Haydn:  Songs). 

Dans  un  bois  solitaire;  Das  Lied  der  Trennung;  Als  Luise  die  Briefe 
ihres    ungetreuen  Liebhabers   verbrannt;  Abendempfindung;   Das   Veil- 
chen; An  Chloe.    Warner,  s;  Rupp,  pf,  C  ML  4365  (*Schubert:  Songs). 
It  will  be  noted  that  the  best-known  songs  are  duplicated  here,  in 
some  cases  sung  three  times.    Of  the  singers,  Danco  is  the  most 
mature    and   artistic,   though   Warner   has   the   warmest  voice   and 
sings  the  most  generous  program.     Danco's  singing  is  inclined  to 
be   careful,  rather  studied  than  spontaneous,  while  Warner's  is  a 
little  underdeveloped,  not  free  of  monotony.    There  is  not  a  great 
deal  of  color  in  the  light  tones  of  Earl  Rogers. 
Trios:  Grazie  agl'  inganni  tuoi,  K.  532;  Piu  non  si  trovano,  K.  549;  Mi 
lagnerb   tacendo,  K.  437;  Due  pupille  amabili,  K.  439;  Se  lontan  ben 
mio,   tu  sei,  K.  438;  Luci  care,  luci  belle,  K.  346  (439a);  Ecco  quel 
fiero  istante,  K.  436;  Caro  bell'  idol  mio,  K.  562;  La  Clemenza  di  Tito 
—  Vengo!   Aspettate!;   Zaide — 0   selige  Wonne;  Mandina  amabile,   K. 
480  (from  Bianchi's  La  Villanella  Rapita);  Das  Bandel,  K.  441.     The 
Mozart  Trio  (Hansel,  s;  Collins,  b;  Yard,  b);  Reese,  pf,  Den  DR  1. 

Three  competent  artists  have  joined  forces  to  resurrect  a  whole 
Mozart  repertoire  that  has  remained  for  many  years  virtually  un- 
known. The  voices  are  not  remarkable,  but  the  spirit  and  the  style 
are  here. 

MUSSORGSKY,   MODEST  PETROVICH  (1839-1881) 

Operas 

Boris  Godunov.  Zareska,  c;  Gedda,  t;  Christoff,  bs;  etc.;  POC  &  0, 
Dobrowen,  V  LHMV  6400  [4].  Maksakova,  m-s;  Nelepp,  t;  Pirogov,  bs; 
Mikhailov,  bs;  Yankuschenko,  bs;  etc.;  BSIC  &  0,  Golovanov,  Col 
CLPS  124026  [3],    (Same  performance)  Per  SPLP  554  [3]. 

The  first  of  these  two  performances  represents  the  expatriate  Rus- 
sian tradition;  the  second  brings  us  the  great  national  opera  as  it 
is  given  in  the  Soviet  Union.  The  first  had  the  benefit  of  the  best 
modern  recording  techniques;  the  second  is  typical  of  the  better 
grade    of  Russian  tapes.      Boris  Christoff,   hailed  as  heir  to  the 


Mussorgsky  174 

Chaliapin  tradition  (and  with  a  voice  at  times  almost  frighteningly 
like  that  of  his  great  predecessor),  sings  not  only  the  title  role, 
but  two  other  bass  parts  as  well,  and  several  others  in  Dobrowen's 
cast  do  likewise.  This  must  be  set  down  as  questionable  prac- 
tice, however  well  these  artists  bring  it  off.  Otherwise,  the  HMV 
recording  is  superior  to  its  rival  in  every  way.  The  Rimsky- 
Korsakov  edition  is  used.  The  Bolshoi  Theater  disclaims  Rimsky, 
but  he  is  actually  not  ignored  in  its  production.  Pirogov's  Boris, 
a  characterization  very  much  admired,  is  convincing  and  sonorous, 
if  tonally  not  too  steady.  The  other  basses  in  the  cast  are  good, 
though  there  is  some  stiff  tone  on  occasion.  Nelepp  as  the  false 
Dmitri  shows  a  serviceable  if  not  overmodulated  voice,  and  a  good 
style  of  singing;  but  Maksakova's  Marina  did  not  give  me  much 
pleasure.  Apparently  she  is  bent  on  characterization  to  the  point 
where  one  wonders  how  the  young  Pretender  could  be  taken  in. 
A  special  word  is  due  Mikhailov's  delivery  of  "Pimen's  Narra- 
tive" in  the  Duma  Scene,  and  Kosslovsky's  heart-rending  singing 
of  the  Simpleton's  music.  All  the  voices  have  it  their  own  way 
over  the  orchestra. 

Of  special  interest  is  a  set  of  Highlights  assembled  from  Chali- 
apin's  rich  legacy  (10"  V  LCT  3).  Though  a  great  deal  of  the  ef- 
fect of  his  celebrated  performance  was  visual,  these  samples 
demonstrate  that  it  need  not  have  been  so.  Even  those  whose 
memories  do  not  go  back  to  the  original  will  acknowledge  that  this 
is  great  vocal  acting.  The  recordings  are  uneven:  a  more  judicious 
selection  might  have  been  made  of  the  available  material.  The 
weak  point  is  the  "Coronation  Scene,"  with  its  poorly  reproduced 
chorus.  Ezio  Pinza,  who  took  over  the  role  a  decade  or  so  after 
the  great  Russian's  incumbency  at  the  Metropolitan,  was  a  strong, 
if  distinctly  Italianate  Boris.  His  series  of  Highlights  is  a  good 
memento  (C  ML  4115).  RCA  Victor  has  recently  done  due  honors 
to  Alexander  Kipnis,  the  other  great  Boris  of  the  thirties,  in  trans- 
ferring his  fine  set  of  Russian  Highlights  to  LP  (V  LBC  1082). 
From  the  sound-track  of  the  Russian  film-biography  of  Mussorgsky 
comes  another  set  of  Highlights  (Col  CRLP  117)  featuring  the 
basso  Orlov  as  Boris.  The  main  interest  centers  in  the  use  of  the 
original  Mussorgsky  score,  without  benefit  of  Rimsky.  Both  as  to 
performance  and  as  to  reproduction,  it  has  its  ups  and  downs.  A 
mostly  orchestral  selection  is  offered  by  Stokowski  with  the  San 
Francisco  Opera  Chorus  and  Orchestra,  featuring  Rossi-Lemeni's 


Mussorgsky  175 

admired  Boris  in  the  episode  of  the  clock  and  the  "Death  Scene." 
The  conductor  has  supplied  whatever  Rimsky-Korsakov  may  have 
overlooked  by  way  of  making  the  music  effective,  and  the  basso's 
singing  verges,  a  good  deal  of  the  time,  on  straight  declamation. 
Use  of  Mussorgsky's  original  is  claimed  again  for  Raphael  Arie's 
recording  of  the  "Death  Scene"  (L  LPS  98;  or  10"  LD  9018), 
which  is  well  sung,  but  not  so  impressive  technically  as  it  was 
when  it  first  appeared  several  years  ago. 

The  Marriage.     Desmazures,  c;  Mollien,  t;  Agroff,  bs;  Popovitzky,  bs; 

Paris  Radio  SO,  Leibowitz,  Oc  OCS  36. 

Mussorgsky  completed  only  the  first  act  of  this  curious  opera;  the 
second  and  third,  supplied  by  Ippolitov-Ivanov,  are  not  included 
here.  The  orchestration  is  attributed  to  Antoine  Duhamel.  What 
we  have  amounts  to  little  more  than  several  long  dialogues  in 
recitative;  as  it  is  sung  in  Russian,  there  is  little  for  the  casual 
listener  to  take  hold  of.  One  has  the  impression  that  the  words 
are  well  matched  to  the  music,  and  that  the  singers,  especially 
the  big-voiced  Agroff,  are  delivering  them  in  the  proper  spirit. 

Songs 

The  Nursery.  Kurenho,  s;  P astukhoff,  pf,  Cap  P  8265  (* Rachmaninoff: 
Songs). 

So  far  as  I  can  trace,  this  is  the  only  complete  recording  as  yet 
made  of  the  children's  cycle.  Two  pre-LP  performances,  both  in 
English  translation,  lacked  a  song  each  of  completeness.  Kurenko 
never  ceases  to  amaze,  not  only  by  the  bright  and  youthful  quality 
her  voice  retains,  but  by  her  ability  to  enter  into  any  song  she 
sings  and  bring  it  to  life.  One  can  well  imagine  the  home  in  old 
Russia  containing  the  nursery  she  so  vividly  portrays  for  us. 
Songs  and  Dances  of  Death.  Tourel,  m-s;  Bernstein,  pf,  C  ML  4289 
(*Ravel:  Sheherazade). 

Songs  and  Dances  of  Death;  Y eremoushka' s  Cradle  Song;  Gopak;  The 
star;  To  the  Dnieper;  Reverie  of  the  young  peasant;  The  orphan;  Mush- 
rooms; The  goat;  Ballade;  Savishna.  Rosing,  t;  Foggin,  pf,  D  DL  9577. 
Songs  and  Dances  of  Death  fin  French).  Rehfuss,  b;  Haeusslin,  pf, 
10"  L  LS  9070. 

Like  most  singers  who  attempt  the  cycle,  our  three  interpreters 
use  the  Rimsky-Korsakov  edition,  with  its  various  changes  and  re- 
vised order.  Singing  in  Russian,  Tourel  has  the  necessary  au- 
thority   and   every   appearance    of   conviction,   but  her  rhythm   is 


Mussorgsky/Nicolai  176 

rather  free,  and  of  course  no  woman's  voice  is  ideal  for  this  mu- 
sic. Rosing,  whose  reputation  was  considerable  a  couple  of  dec- 
ades ago,  was  a  distinctly  dramatic  singer  with  a  limited  voice. 
Some  listeners  will  feel  that  he  paints  with  too  broad  a  brush. 
The  recording,  of  course,  is  not  new.  Rehfuss,  singing  in  quite 
beautiful  French,  delivers  the  songs  robustly  and  dramatically. 
Tonally  and  musically  his  performance  is  good,  though  of  course 
he  misses  what  the  other  singers  gain  by  singing  the  original 
texts. 

NEBDAL,   OSCAR  (1874-1930) 

Polenblut.     Seegers,  s;  Mentzel,  s;  Groh,  t;  etc.;  RBC  &  0,  Dobrindt, 

U  URLP  215  [21 

Seekers  after  unhackneyed  light  music  will  enjoy  this  product 
(vintage  1913)  of  an  expatriate  Czech  who  had  absorbed  the  Vien- 
nese operetta  style  and  traditions.  This  excellent  performance  is 
built  around  the  Tauber-like  Herbert  Ernst  Groh.  The  reproduction 
is  powerful  and  clear. 

NICOLAI,   OTTO  (1810-1849) 

Die  lustigen  Weiber  von  Windsor.     Beilke,  s;  Schilp,  s;  Hoffmann,  s; 

Ludwig,   t;  Hann,  bs;  Strienz,  bs;  BCOC;  RBO,  Rother,  U  URLP  214 

[31 

An  earlier  recording  made  in  Leipzig  boasted  the  excellent  Fal- 
staff  of  Kurt  Bohme,  but  the  rest  of  the  cast  was  no  more  than 
passable,  and  Kleinert's  conducting  was  on  the  heavy  side  (Oc 
OCLP  303  [2]).  Amends  are  made  in  this  Berlin  production,  with 
its  well-focused,  generally  clean  recording,  its  mellifluous  and 
spirited  singing.  Outstanding  voices  are  those  of  Lore  Hoffmann 
as  Anne  Page,  the  veteran  Walter  Ludwig  as  Fenton,  Wilhelm 
Strienz  as  Falstaff,  and  the  late  Georg  Hann  as  Ford.  There  are 
certain  less  fortunate  moments:  one  of  them  comes  with  the  lyric 
gem  of  the  opera — Fenton's  serenade,  "Horch,  die  Lerche  singt  im 
Hain" — which  is  well  sung,  but  too  closely  recorded  (Ludwig  is 
more  successful  with  it  in  his  operatic  recital,  10"  D  DL  4073). 
The  succeeding  duet  is  altogether  happy,  with  its  long  cadenza 
and  its  violin  obbligato.  In  the  Titania  section  of  the  final  scene, 
the  music  again  is  close  upon  us,  and,  to  complete  the  catalogue, 
the  last  chord  of  the  opera  is  sour.    But  these  are  minor  blemishes. 


Offenbach  177 

OFFENBACH,    JACQUES  (1819-1880) 

La  Belle  Helene.  Linda,  s;  Dran,  t;  Mollien,  b;  etc.;  PPC  &  0,  Leibo- 
witz,  Ren  SX  206  [2].  (Abridged)  Dessy,  s;  Devos,  t;  Demigny,  b; 
etc.;  RSPC;  LAM,  Gressier,  Vox  PL  20500. 

Both  conductors  get  spirited  co-operation  from  their  casts  of  sea- 
soned,  able  singers.     Leibowitz  has  the  gifted  Janine  Linda  as  a 
Helen  of  Troy  to  conjure  with,  and  he  is  also  the  more  spaciously 
recorded.    But  a  choice  between  the  sets  might  well  be  determined 
by  the  portion  of  Offenbach  one  desires. 
Les    Contes  d'Hoffmann.     Doria,   s;  Bovy,   s;  Geori-Boue,  s;  Jobin,  t; 
Bourdin,   b;  Musy,  b;  Soix,  b;  etc.;  OCC  &  0,  Cluytens,  C  SL  106  [3], 
(In  English)  Bond,  s;  Grandi,  s;  Ayars,  s;  Rounseville,  t;  Dargavel,  b; 
etc.;   Sadlers  Wells   Ch;  RPO,  Beecham,  L  LLP  A  4  [3].     (In  German, 
abridged)  Berger,  s;  Streich,  s;  Langhammer-Klein,  s;  Anders,  t;  Pro- 
haska,  b;  etc.;  RBC  &  0,  Rother,  U  URLP  224  [2]. 

These  three  sets  are  hardly  comparable,  for  they  are  aimed  at 
three  quite  different  audiences.  The  Cluytens  performance,  in  the 
authentic  French  tradition,  enlists  some  of  the  most  distinguished 
contemporary  singers  of  that  school.  Least  good  of  the  principals 
is  Jobin,  who  has  done  other  things  better.  Here  his  voice  sounds 
more  nasal  and  thin  than  I  have  ever  heard  it  on  records  or  in  the 
opera  house.  Generally  the  singers  are  closer  than  they  should  be 
ideally,  and  toward  the  center  the  records  are  not  one-hundred-per 
cent  clear.  The  Beecham  version  is  the  sound-track  of  the  suc- 
cessful film.  As  it  was  a  double  production  (the  action  carried  on 
by  dancer-mimes,  while  the  singers  provided  the  music),  we  have 
every  right  to  expect  well-planned,  evenly  reproduced  singing, 
and  we  are  not  disappointed.  Over  all  one  feels  the  consistent, 
vital  hand  of  Sir  Thomas,  who  can  bring  such  a  score  to  life  as 
can  no  one  else  today.  Rounseville  does  a  musical  and  intelligent 
job,  though  his  voice  sometimes  runs  toward  blattiness,  and  his 
patently  American  diction  assorts  strangely  with  that  of  his  Brit- 
ish colleagues.  Bond  as  Olympia  climbs  successfully  to  the 
altitudes  of  the  part,  but  I  found  Ayars  disappointing  for  both  her 
not  altogether  tidy  vocalism  and  her  quite  indistinguishable  dic- 
tion. Grandi  has  not  the  vocal  freshness  she  once  had,  but  her 
temperamental  utterance  is  enough  reason  for  her  presence  in  the 
cast.  Among  the  others,  the  big-voiced  Dargavel  in  the  various 
villainous  roles  makes  the  strongest  impression.  The  score  has 
been    edited,   cut  down,   and  rearranged  for  the   special  purpose, 


Offenbach  178 

but  I  doubt  that  the  Offenbach  purists  (if  any)  will  be  outraged  at 
such  procedures.  A  card  in  the  album  recommends  that  the  set  be 
played  at  full  volume;  the  singers'  voices  come  out  perhaps  too 
strongly  if  this  is  done,  but  the  orchestra  is  always  solid  behind 
them.  I  am  sure  there  is  a  German  faction  to  welcome  the  Urania 
abridgment,  but  to  ears  such  as  mine  the  opera  sounds  strange  in 
the  heavy  tongue.  The  chief  distinction  in  the  cast  is  lent  by 
Berger  and  Prohaska.  In  the  title  role,  Anders  seems  past  his 
prime. 

Le  Manage  aux  lanternes  (in  English).    McGarity,  s;  Thomas,  c;  Chelsi, 

t;  etc.;  0,  Kramer,  MT  MLP  1005. 

This  is  opera  produced  on  a  shoestring,  sung  in  clear  and  not  too 
blatant  English  by  pleasant  bright  voices,  and  accompanied  by  a 
very  small  group  that  passes  as  an  orchestra.  It  adds  up  to  a 
good  amateur  production  through  which  the  tunes  emerge  prettily, 
but  without  a  suggestion  of  French  piquancy.  The  recording  is 
good  enough. 

Orphee    aux  Enfers.      Collart,   s;   Linda,   s;  Dran,   t;  Mollien,    b;  etc.; 

PPC  &  0,  Leibowitz,  Ren  SX  204  [2],    (Abridged)  Collart,  s;  Devos, 

t;  Roux,  b;  RSPC;  LAM,  Gressier,  Vox  PL  21200. 

The  two  recordings  share  the  same  Euridice,  and  a  charming 
singer  she  is.  Leibowitz's  "complete"  set  omits  the  famous 
overture,  but  does  include  beautifully  clear  French  dialogue.  His 
is  the  more  spirited  performance,  with  the  brisker  tempos;  and  it  is 
all  in  all  the  more  clearly  reproduced.  On  the  other  hand,  some  of 
the  ensemble  work  is  better  in  the  Gressier  version,  which  in- 
cludes no  dialogue. 

La  Vie  parisienne  (Abridged).     Renaux,  s;  Dachary,  s;  Roux,   b;  etc.; 

LAM,  Gressier,  Vox  PL  21000. 

This  is  another  spirited,  expansive,  and  authentic  performance. 
The  music — an  abridged  edition  of  the  operetta,  properly  in  order 
— gives  the  singers  a  run  for  their  money,  but  their  nimble  tongues 
get  around  the  problems  beautifully.  Several  of  the  melodies  will 
come  as  pleasant  surprises  with  their  texts,  for  they  are  familiar 
to  all  balletomanes. 

Selections 

La  P ericUole — 0  mon  cher  amant,  je  te  jure;  Mon  Dieu,  que  les  hommes 
sont  betes;  Je  t'adore;  Les  Contes  d'Hoffmann — Entr'acte  and  Barca- 
rolle.    Tourel,  m-s;  0,  Abravanel,  10"  C  ML  2024  (* Rossini:  Arias). 


Offenbach/ Orff  179 

La   Vie  parisienne  (an.   Rosenthal).      Tourel,  m-s;  COL,  Morel,   C  ML 

4608  (* Bizet:  Carmen). 

Tourel  is  at  her  polished  best  in  these  delightful  bits  from  La 
Perichole.  At  least  one  air  is  familiar  to  all  ballet  audiences; 
another  has  been  identified  among  collectors  with  the  singing  of 
Maggie  Teyte.  If  Tourel  hasn't  «all  of  Teyte's  charm  in  it,  she 
may  possibly  be  more  authentic,  and  she  is  handsomely  recorded. 
We  seldom  hear  music  of  this  kind  done  in  such  good  style.  The 
all-too-celebrated  "Barcarolle"  is  also  well  sung;  the  stunt  duet 
recording  is  unusually  successful,  though  one  wonders  why  with 
all  the  rest  of  Offenbach  to  choose  from,  the  program  had  to  be 
filled  out  in  that  way.  The  Vie  parisienne  is  a  potpourri  specially 
arranged  for  Tourel,  which  includes  some  of  the  music  from  the 
"name"  operetta,  but  some  from  other  sources.  It  is  sparkling 
music,  excellently  done. 

ORFF,   CARL    (1895-        ) 

Carmina  Burana.     Trotschel,  s;  Kuen,  t;  Braun,  b;  Hoppe,  b;  BAVRC  & 

0,  Jochum,  D  DL  9706. 

Catulli  Carmina.     Roon,  s;  Loeffler,  t;  four  pfs;  VKC,  Hollreiser,   Vox 

PL  8640. 

The  Carmina  Burana  created  a  mild  sensation  on  its  release. 
Taking  his  text  from  manuscripts  of  thirteenth-century  poetry  in 
the  collection  of  the  Benediktbeuren  Monastery  in  Bavaria,  Orff 
has  applied  his  own  new  musical  principles,  by  which  repetition 
takes  the  place  of  variation.  The  result  is  music  of  striking  novelty 
and  tremendous  drive,  music  that  will  not  let  you  alone,  once  you 
start  to  listen  to  it.  The  performance  is  as  full  of  life  as  the 
music  itself;  the  total  effect  is  exhilarating.  There  are  a  few 
technical  slips,  a  blurt  or  two  from  the  horns,  but  such  things 
count  for  little.  Catulli  Carmina,  based  on  the  love  poetry  of 
Catullus,  is  a  sequel  to  the  Burana  (a  third  work,  The  Triumph  of 
Aphrodite,  has  not  yet  been  recorded).  The  translator  whose  work 
appears  on  the  jacket  of  the  second  work  has  been  obliged  to 
leave  some  of  the  text  untouched,  for  "obvious"  reasons.  Per- 
haps because  of  the  tremendous  odds  against  recapturing  such 
impact  as  the  Burana  possessed,  the  second  recording  is  a  bit 
of  a  let-down.  The  performance  misses  the  triumph  of  its  prede- 
cessor, though  it  has  lots  of  drive  and  vitality. 


Palestrina  180 

PALE5TRINA,     GIOVANNI    PIERLUIGI    DA 
(1525-1594) 

Magnificat    quarti    toni;    Missa   Sacerdotes    Domini — Pleni  sunt  coeli; 

Missa  0  Rex  gloriae — Crucifixus;  Missa  Descendit  angelus  Domini — 

Benedictus;  Jesu,  Rex  admirabilis;  Tua,  Jesu,  dilectio;  Adoramus  te, 

Christe;  Confitemini  Domino;  Salve  Regina;  Hodie  Chris tus  natus  est. 

Period  Ch  Soc,  Strassburg,  Per  SPL  513. 

This  program  is  made  up  of  music  for  high  voices,  sung  not  by 
boys  this  time,  but  by  women.  There  may  be  some  question  as  to 
the  value  of  stringing  together  separate  movements  from  various 
Masses,  along  with  the  motets  and  the  Magnificat.  But  the  rec- 
ord's main  weakness,  to  my  mind,  is  in  the  vibrancy  of  the  voices, 
one  reason  for  preferring  boys  in  this  type  of  music.  Some  va- 
garies of  pitch  are  chargeable  to  the  engineers. 

Missa    Iste    confessor;   Missa  sine   nomine   (super  modulum    "Je   suis 

desheritee"  ).    Welch  Ch,  Ly  LL  49. 

Missa  brevis;  Missa  Ascendo  ad  Patrem.    Welch  Ch,  All  3097. 

James  B.  Welch  and  his  Chorale  steer  a  middle  course  between 
the  overpowering  type  of  performance  and  that  in  which  perfect 
poise  is  the  ideal.  The  Missa  brevis,  best  known  of  the  four 
Masses,  being  musically  the  straightest  and  most  grateful,  na- 
turally gets  the  smoothest  performance.  On  the  whole,  the  singing 
of  the  Chorale  may  lean  too  much  toward  the  expressive,  and  the 
women's  voices  are  rather  full-blown. 

Missa    Papae   Marcelli.      Netherlands    Cham   Ch,   Nobel,    Ep   LC  3045 

(*N etherlands  Chamber  Choir  Concert).    Wagner  Ch,  Cap  P  8126. 

For  clarity  of  contrapuntal  lines,  solid  and  clean  reproduction, 
surely  the  full-blooded  Netherlands  recording  must  have  the  pref- 
erence here.  The  singing  is  neither  driven  nor  relaxed,  but  re- 
flects the  musical  details  of  the  Mass  as  they  reflect  the  mean- 
ings of  the  text.  The  chorus  responds  to  its  sensitive  conductor 
with  rarely  equaled  freedom  and  flexibility.  The  climaxes  are 
full  and  sonorous:  the  Amens  that  finish  the  "Credo"  are  ear- 
filling,  the  "  Sanctus"  and  "Benedictus"  splendidly  solid.  After 
this,  the  slower  tempos,  the  more  deliberately  polished  singing,  of 
the  Wagner  Chorale  seem  long-drawn-out.  Still,  theirs  is  a  cleanly 
phrased  and  nicely  balanced  performance.  The  intonation,  if  not 
quite  perfect,  is  certainly  above  average,  the  reproduction  quite 
acceptable,  though  it  loses  clarity  in  some  of  the  softer  passages. 
An    earlier  recording,   from  a   French   Pathe    original,    offers   the 


Palestrina/ Pergolesi  181 

performance  of  the  St.  Eustache  Choir  under  Martin  (Vox  PTL 
6790).  It  is  the  least  sensitive  and  most  energetic  of  the  three. 
The  reproduction  is  bass-heavy. 
Offertories:  Exaltabo  Te,  Domine;  Bonum  est  confiteri;  Laudate  Domi- 
nion. Motets:  Super  flumina  Babylonis;  Dies  sanctificatus;  Pueri 
Hebraeorum;  Tota  pulchra  es;  Hodie  Christus  natus  est;  Tribulationes 
civitatum — Peccavimus;  Exsultate  Deo;  Vox  dilecti  mei.  Improperiunu 
Popule  meus.    Sistine  Chapel  Ch,  Bartolucci,  Ren  X  55. 

Those  who  think  of  Palestrina's  music  as  detached  and  other- 
worldly are  not  likely  to  care  greatly  for  these  hearty,  energetic 
performances.  The  choral  tone  is  full  and  sonorous,  but  never 
quite  blended;  the  lusty  boy  voices  are  not  restrained  by  associa- 
tion with  their  elders. 

PEPUSCH,    JOHN    CHRISTOPHER    (1667-1752) 

The  Beggar  s  Opera.    A  double  cast,  singers  and  actors;  0,  Goberman, 

Des  1  [3]. 

This  production  of  the  great  English  ballad  opera  lays  claim  to 
both  completeness  and  authenticity.  In  order  to  make  the  most  of 
the  dramatic  and  the  musical  aspects  of  the  work,  a  double  cast 
has  been  used.  Whether  in  the  long  run  hearing  John  Gay's  amus- 
ing dialogue  with  each  repetition  will  give  more  satisfaction  than 
the  prewar  Glyndebourne  set  (Victor  M  772)  is  an  individual  ques- 
tion. Anyway,  some  will  prefer  this  unadorned  Pepusch  score  to 
Frederic  Austin's  edition.  In  either  case,  one  always  wishes  that 
the  songs  were  not  so  brief.  The  style  of  performance  here  is 
decidedly  American,  but  as  such  it  is  good. 

PERGOLESI,    GIOVANNI   BATTISTA   (1710-1736)* 

Oratorio 

Stabat    Mater,      Augenstein,    s;   Plumacher,    c;   SCS;    STO,    Grischkat, 

PerSPL  530. 

It   is  a  little  difficult  to  say  why  this  performance  fails  to  come 

*Perhaps  no  other  composer  has  been  credited  with  so  many  other  men's 
works  as  the  short-lived  Pergolesi.  Although  I  have  listed  them  under  his 
name,  recent  researches  of  Frank  Walker  have  established  La  Contadina  Astuta 
as  actually  the  work  of  Hasse,  II  Geloso  Schernito  as  that  of  Pietro  Chiarini, 
and  //  Maestro  di  Musica  as  that  of  Auletta.  The  arietta  Nina,  which  has  done 
so  much  to  keep  Pergolesi' s  name  alive,  has  long  been  denied  him  by  the 
musicologists,  who  found  evidence  in  favor  of  Legrenzio  Vincenzo  Ciampi. 
However,  Walker  doubts  Ciampi' s  claim,  and  so  is  inclined  to  give  Nina  back 
to  Pergolesi. 


Pergo/es/  182 

to  life.  The  singing  is  a  little  lethargic  and  lacking  in  spark; 
neither  here  nor  in  the  orchestra  is  there  much  contrast  in  tone 
or  color.  The  orchestra  sounds  full  and  bright,  the  chorus  appar- 
ently somewhat  dulled  by  distance.  Plumacher  is  the  better  of 
the  soloists,  but  even  her  singing  is  plodding.  Here  and  there  I 
noted  some  peculiar  Latin  pronunciation. 

Operas 

La  Contadina  Astuta.      Tuccari,  s;  Mineo,  b;  RSQC  &  0,  Senatra.  Per 

SPL  592. 

This  pleasant  little  opera  shows  the  company  in  its  best  light. 
Tuccari  sings  pleasingly  with  her  pretty  voice,  and  the  supporting 
cast  is  effective  if  in  no  degree  subtle.  The  reproduction  is  all 
rather  on  a  fairly  high  dead  level. 

La   Serva  Padrona.      Tuccari,   s;   Bruscantini,   b;   RIO,   Simonetto,  Cet 

50036. 

This  famous  little  intermezzo  must  be  tossed  off  with  joyous 
ease,  or  there  is  little  point  in  presenting  it.  Tuccari  and 
Bruscantini  show  what  can  be  done  by  two  skilled  and  seasoned 
artists  who  take  obvious  pleasure  in  their  work.  Not  so  much  can 
be  said  for  another  recording  (Vox  PL  660)  in  which  some  of  the 
singing  is  downright  uncomfortable. 

Cantatas 

Orfeo.    Bianchini,  t;  ICO,  Jenkins,  HS  HSL  76  (*Cambini:  Andromaque; 

Galuppi:  Overture  No.  2). 

This  cantata  was  composed  for  a  castrato;  it  is  an  unanswerable 
question  whether  the  sponsors  have  done  well  in  giving  it  to  a 
tenor,  for  though  the  sentiments  expressed  are  masculine,  they 
were  originally  proclaimed  in  the  soprano  register.  What  seems 
important  to  me,  however,  is  that  unlike  so  much  castrato  music, 
this  work  does  not  tax  the  singer  unmercifully.  Bianchini  sings 
it  with  conviction.  His  voice  is  a  high,  not  particularly  sensuous 
tenor,  well  able  to  get  around  in  the  music. 

Salve  Regina.    Neway,  s;  ACS,  10"  All  4019. 

It  would  be  pleasant  to  praise  the  singing  of  this  attractive  work 
as  we  must  the  enterprise  of  the  artist  who  chose  to  record  it. 
But  obviously  the  flowing,  lyrical  lines  of  this  music  are  not  in 
this  particular  soprano's  vocabulary. 


Pergolesi/Ponchielli  183 

Arias 

Lo     Frate    'Nnamorato;    II   Geloso   Schernito;   II   Maestro    di  Musica; 

U olympiade;  Catone.    Faull,  s;  Rogell,  pf,  CH  CHC  41. 

Ellen  Faull  is  known  as  a  good  stylist,  and  she  has  found  some 
unusual  repertoire  here.  Still,  the  recital  is  a  disappointment, 
because  she  sings  to  the  piano,  thus  losing  the  variety  of  tone 
color  the  original  instrumental  combinations  might  have  given. 
The  voice  in  itself  is  lovely. 

PEROT  IN    (  Twelfth-  Th  irteenth  Centuries) 

Viderunt  omnes;  Salvatoris  hodie;  Vetus  abit  littera.  DC;  NY  Brass 
Ens,  Boepple,  CH  CHS  1112  (*Anon.:  Nobilis  humilis;  Alle  psallite 
bonum). 

The  labeling  here  is  misleading:  it  is  necessary  to  pore  over  the 
descriptive  notes  in  order  to  establish  that  all  five  works  are  not 
by  Perotin.  Indeed,  his  authorship  of  Vetus  abit  littera  is  not 
certain.  The  objection  to  performing  the  older  music  with  so 
overwhelmingly  large  a  chorus  seems  less  valid  here  than  it  often 
does,  for  these  pieces  have  great  sonority.  Additional  weight  is 
given  by  the  brass  ensemble,  and  there  are  also  some  definitely 
foreign  sounds — do  these  musicians  carry  some  other  kinds  of  in- 
struments with  them?  The  recording  is  effectively  roomy.  Some 
more  adequate  explanation  might  have  been  provided  as  to  the 
text-underlaying. 

PLAHQUETTE,   ROBERT  (1848-1903) 

Les  Cloches  de  Corneville  (Abridged).     Angelici,  s;  Dens,  b;  Peyron, 

b;  RSPC;  LAM,  Gressier,  Vox  PLP  20100. 

Though  the  once-popular  Chimes  of  Normandy  seems  pretty  well 
forgotten  in  this  country,  its  gay  and  haunting  tunes  still  survive 
with  their  original  text  in  Paris.  The  recording  is  Michel  Dens's 
show;  you  can  picture  him  as  you  listen,  the  strapping,  handsome, 
imposing  man  he  is  on  the  stage.  Among  his  colleagues,  Angelici 
sings  with  her  customary  lyrical  appeal. 

POHCHIELLl,    AMILCARE    (1834-1886) 

La  Gioconda.  Callas,  s;  Barbieri,  m-s;  Amadini,  c;  Poggi,  t;  Silveri, 
b;  Neri,  bs;  etc.;  CC;  RIO,  Votto,  Cet  1241  [<?].    Corridori,  s;  Pirazzini, 


Ponchielli/Poulenc  184 

m-s;  Cavallari,  m-s;  Campora,  t;  Colzani,  b;  Corena,  bs;  etc.;  SCAC  & 

0,  Parodi,  V  URLP  229  [4]. 

The  sensational  Callas  is  the  feature  of  Cetra's  recording.  Hers 
is  a  voice  with  registers,  powerful  as  a  contralto  in  the  chest, 
light  as  a  coloratura  in  the  head,  most  beautiful  in  the  lyrical 
medium.  For  myself,  I  do  not  complain  that  it  is  not  all  perfectly 
equalized,  for  she  has  temperament  and  the  kind  of  imagination 
that  makes  something  new  of  a  war-horse  like  the  "  Suicidio"  aria. 
The  vivid  Laura  of  Barbieri  provides  an  excellent  foil,  and  of 
course  Silveri  and  Neri  are  in  their  element.  Poggi  sounds  like 
a  young  man  not  yet  grown  up  to  his  assignment,  and  Amadini's 
"Voce  di  donna1  could  do  with  greater  poise.  The  several  big 
ensembles  are  impressively  reproduced.  Another  quite  acceptable 
recording  of  the  opera  is  cast  into  the  shade. 

From  older  masters,  Cetra  has  assembled  a  set  of  highlights  (Cet 
50020),  featuring  Gina  Cigna  in  "Suicidio"  and,  with  Cloe  Elmo, 
the  Gioconda-Laura  duet;  Stignani  in  a  temperamental  "Voce  di 
donna';  Reali  and  Prandelli  in  the  "Enzo  Grimaldo"  duet  and 
Barnaba's  "O  monumento  ;  Masini  in  "  Cielo  e  mar,  and  Siepi 
in  Alvise's  unpleasant  aria.  But  best  of  all  is  a  stunning  "Stella 
del  marinar"  by  Elmo.  Returning  further  into  the  past,  we  have 
another  set  of  highlights  (Et  483),  fairly  comprehensive  except  for 
the  conspicuous  absence  of  Laura.  The  mezzo-contralto  Parsi- 
Pettinella  contributes  the  oldest  recording  (1904),  a  vivid,  strongly 
Italianate  "Voce  di  donna"  (one  misses  the  incomparable  poise  of 
the  old  Matzenauer  recording).  Zenatello  and  Amato  give  a  dra- 
matic account  of  the  Enzo-Barnaba  duet,  piano  accompanied, 
though  recorded  as  late  as  1908.  After  De  Luca's  "0  monu- 
mento,' Baklanoff's  "Barcarolle,  and  Pertile  s  "Cielo  e  mar, 
the  selection  is  crowned  by  Boninsegna's  magnificent  "Suicidio." 
The  dubbings  are  very  successful. 

POULENC,    FRANCIS    (1899-        ) 

Mass  in  G.  SC,  Shaw,  V  LM  1088  (*Britten:  Ceremony  of  Carols). 

Shaw's  singers  are  a  remarkably  proficient  group,  but  I  wonder  if 
they  spent  enough  time  on  the  preparation  of  this  music.  Espe- 
cially the  "Kyrie"  seems  not  to  have  quite  "jelled."  Matters 
improve  as  the  Mass  progresses,  and  the  solo  work  of  the  soprano, 
Florence  Fogelson,  in  the  high-lying  "Agnus  Dei,"  merits  a  word 


Poulenc/Prokofiev  185 

of    praise.      The   recording  is   hardly  a  model  of  clarity;   a  little 
more  emphasis  might  have  been  given  the  basses. 
Les  Mamelles  de  Tiresias.    Duval,  s;  Legouhy,  c;  Giraudeau,  t;  Rous- 
seau, b;  etc.;  OCC  &  0,  Cluytens,  An  35090. 

This  strange  opera-bouffe,  combining  a  1917  Apollinaire  play  with 
1944  Poulenc  music,  is  something  for  the  musical  epicures. 
Underneath  the  facile  and  amusing  surface,  the  program  annotator 
tells  us,  lies  the  "profound  and  unique  originality  of  one  of  the 
most  genuine  musical  personalities  of  our  present  school."  And 
this  we  can  believe,  as  the  outrageous  story  unfolds,  though  we 
need  more  than  a  textbook  knowledge  of  French  to  understand  the 
libretto.  The  performance  leaves  little  to  be  desired.  The  voices 
are  clean  and  appropriate — in  the  case  of  Denise  Duval,  at  least, 
quite  beautiful — and  everyone  concerned  seems  to  be  having  a 
high  time. 
he  Bal  masque.  Gal  jour,  b;  Ens,  Fendler,  Es  ES  518  (*  Franqaix: 
Serenade  BE  A). 

This  "secular  cantata,"  on  a  nonsense  text  by  Max  Jacob,  dates 
from  1932,  and  stands  as  a  reminder  of  that  strange  period.  The 
superlative  recording  has  the  advantage  of  the  authoritative 
direction  of  Fendler,  who  conducted  the  world  premiere.  Galjour 
sings  cleanly  and  accurately,  with  an  uncommonly  sturdy  voice 
and  admirable  French  diction. 

Songs 

Banalites;  Chansons  villageoises.    Bernac,  b;  Poulenc,  pf,  C  ML  4333 

(*Ravel:  Songs). 

Quatre    Poemes   de   Guillaume   Apollinaire;    Tu   vois   le  feu  du  soir; 

Main    dominee  par  le   coeur;    Calligrammes   de  Guillaume  Apollinaire. 

Bernac,  b;  Poulenc,  pf,  C  ML  4484  (* Chabrier,  Debussy,  Satie:  Songs). 
Bernac,  Poulenc's  "official"  interpreter,  never  could  have  been 
described  as  a  generously  gifted  singer,  though  his  art  of  song 
projection  has  for  many  hearers  compensated  for  what  he  lacks  in 
voice.  He  has  for  years  worked  closely  with  the  composer-pianist, 
not  a  few  of  whose  songs  have  been  written  for  him.  Mannerisms 
he  certainly  has;  still,  he  is  "headquarters"  for  these  songs. 

PROKOFIEV,    SERGEI    (7897-7953) 

Alexander  Nevsky.      Tourel,   m-s;   Westminster  Ch;  PHO,   Ormandy,   C 
ML  4247.    Iriarte,  m-s;  VSOC  &  0,  Rossi,  Van  VRS  451. 


Prokofief/ Puccini  186 

The  first  of  these  recordings  was  made  nearly  a  decade  ago;  at 
the  time  of  its  release  the  set  was  mechanically  sensational.  The 
work  is  sung  in  English.  The  newer  version  is  very  full  and 
powerful  in  reproduction,  with  a  pronounced  echo  to  add  to  its 
atmosphere.  The  sound  is  very  live,  yet  the  singers  are  too  close 
in  effect  to  make  for  concert  hall  illusion.  The  language  used  is 
the  original  Russian,  and  in  one  passage  the  basses  sound  like 
the  genuine  native  variety.  The  setup  seems  to  have  been  worked 
out  to  favor  the  orchestra  as  the  most  important  component,  so 
that  the  chorus  is  less  distinct  in  sound.  Because  of  the  sparse- 
ness  of  the  choral  writing,  there  is  a  good  deal  to  be  said  for  this 
treatment.  Iriarte,  the  soloist,  has  an  unusually  rich  and  even 
voice;  she  seems  happier,  on  the  whole,  than  Tourel,  who  may 
have  been  embarrassed  by  the  English  translation,  and  who  is 
occasionally  guilty  of  pushing  her  voice.  On  the  other  hand, 
Ormandy  seems  to  have  sunk  himself  more  deeply  into  the  score 
than  has  Rossi;  his  reading  is  more  subtly  shaded.  Recording- 
wise,  his  set  is  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of;  the  chorus  stands  out 
in  bolder  relief  than  in  the  Vanguard  record,  and  the  English  text 
is  not  too  hard  to  follow.  On  the  whole  I  find  myself  favoring  the 
Columbia  disc. 

On  Guard  for  Peace.     Dolukhanova,  m-s;  Talanov,  boy-alto;  USSRC  & 

0,  Samosud,  Van  VRS  6003. 

This  is  a  late  work,  and  one,  I  am  afraid,  whose  interest  is  at 
least  as  much  in  the  "cause"  as  in  the  music,  though  so  thorough 
an  artist  as  Prokofiev  could  not  help  writing  in  his  own  recogniz- 
able and  effective  style.  The  performance  is  broad  and  sonorous, 
the  recording  very  good. 

PUCCINI,    G/ACOMO    (7858-7924) 

Messa  di  Gloria.    SCAOC  &  0,  Rapalo,  Col  CLPS  1053. 

It  would  be  too  much  to  describe  this  recently  discovered  youthful 
work  as  a  masterpiece,  but  it  would  be  equally  foolish  to  talk 
down  its  appealing  melodiousness.  Let  it  be  added  that  the  "Cum 
sancto  spiritu"  section  is  an  elaborate  and  effective  fugue,  which 
the  composer  must  have  mightily  enjoyed  writing.  There  is  evi- 
dence in  the  recording  that  the  performance  was  prepared  with 
care  and  dedication.  The  baritone  solo  "Crucifixus"  is  both 
dramatic  and  expressive,  the  "Agnus  Dei1  beautiful  and  eloquent. 


Puccini  187 

Operas 

La  Boheme.  Tebaldi,  s;  Gueden,  s;  Prandelli,  t;  Inghilleri,  b;  Arie, 
bs;  etc.;  SCC  &  0,  Erede,  L  LLP  462/3  [2\.  Albanese,  s;  McKnight,  s; 
Peerce,  t;  Valentino,  b;  Moscona,  bs;  etc.;  Ch;  NBC,  Toscanini,  V  LM 
6006  [2].  Carteri,  s;  Ramella,  s;  Tagliavini,  t;  Taddei,  b;  Siepi,  bs; 
etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Santini,  Cet  1237  [2].  Sayao,  s;  Benzell,  s;  Tucker,  t; 
Valentino,  b;  Baccaloni,  bs;  etc.;  MOC  &  0,  Antonicelli,  C  SL  101  [2], 
London's  set  seems  to  me  the  best  of  these,  especially  because 
of  Tebaldi's  Mimi  and  the  fine  Musetta  of  Gueden,  a  far  cry  from 
the  too-frequent  coquettish  caricature.  Prandelli  proves  a  roman- 
tic Rodolfo,  and  the  other  men  are  well  in  the  picture.  Against 
the  set  I  must  hold  Erede 's  slow  tempos.  Toscanini's  performance 
(recorded  from  his  1946  broadcasts)  has  the  familiar  clean-cut 
precision,  but  it  is  marred  by  inadequacies  of  reproduction  and  by 
obtrusive  singing  on  the  part  of  the  conductor.  No  rival  can  match 
the  Maestro's  credentials  as  a  Boheme  authority — he  conducted 
the  world  premiere  just  fifty  years  before  this  recording — but  I 
suspect  some  of  his  rapid  tempos  were  dictated  by  exigencies  of 
the  broadcasting  schedule.  Albanese  is  appealing,  McKnight  less 
so;  Peerce,  Valentino,  and  the  rest  are  in  good  form.  The  Cetra 
set  also  has  some  good  singing  and  a  nice  spirit  among  the  cast, 
especially  the  attractive-voiced  Carteri.  Tagliavini  is  in  excel- 
lent form;  Taddei  and  Siepi  are  outstanding.  The  "official"  Met- 
ropolitan recording  shares  some  of  Toscanini's  singers,  along 
with  Sayao's  fragile  Mimi,  Tucker's  forthright  Rodolfo,  and  Ben- 
zell's  all-too-kittenish  Musetta.  The  reproduction  is  good; 
Sayao's  light,  well-carrying  voice  is  allowed  to  sustain  itself 
without  undue  amplification.  The  conducting  is  routine. 
A  popular-priced  recording,  starring  Kitsch  as  Mimi,  has  little 
beyond  economy  to  recommend  it  (Rem  R  199-80  [3];  another  with 
Schimenti  (Rem  R  199-99)  derives  interest  from  the  presence  of 
the  veteran  Lauri-Volpi  in  the  cast;  but  his  is  not  the  most  poetic 
of  Rodolfos,  and  the  rest  of  the  singers  are  hardly  more  than 
adequate. 

For  those  who  would  settle  for  less  than  the  whole  opera,  we  have 
an  excellent  set  of  highlights  with  Di  Stefano  as  the  best  of 
modern  phonographic  Rodolfos,  and  Albanese  in  top  form;  Munsel 
and  Warren  round  out  the  cast  (V  LM  1709).  And  a  Maria  Cebotari 
memorial  disc  contains  the  first-act  duet  and  "Mimi's  Farewell," 
sung  in  German  with  the  tenor  Peter  Anders.    The  soprano's  voice 


Puccini  188 

is  very  lovely,  but  it  is  strange  to  hear  the  third-act  quartet  sung 
by  two  singers — Musetta  and  Marcello  are  simply  omitted  (U 
URLP  7105). 

La  Fanciulla  del  West.     Gavazzi,  s;  Campagnano,  t;  Savarese,  b;  etc.; 

RIC  &  0,  Basile,  Get  1215  [3]. 

The  cast  assembled  to  perform  Puccini's  "American"  opera  is  as 
thoroughly  Italian  as  the  music  itself,  so  that  the  little  bits  of 
local  color  emerge  the  more  amusingly.  This  is  as  it  should  be. 
The  principals  are  known  for  their  work  in  other  recorded  operas; 
there  are  several  fine  voices,  but  no  outstanding  vocalism.  The 
recording  is  clear  enough,  though  the  voices  are  too  close  upon 
us. 

Madama  Butterfly.     Tebaldi,  s;  Rankin,  m-s;  Campora,  t;  Inghilleri,  b; 

etc.;  SCC  &  0,  Erede,  L  LLP  A  8  [3\.     Dal  Monte,  s;  P  alombini,  m-s; 

Gigli,  t;  Basiola,  b;  etc.;  ROC  &  0,  Fabritiis,  V  LCT  6006  [2],    Steber, 

s;   Madeira,  c;   Tucker,  t;   Valdengo,  b;  etc.;  MOC  &  0,  Rudolf,  C  SL 

104  [3]. 

If  all  that  mattered  were  rich,  sonorous,  well-balanced  recording, 
the  choice  here  would  go  to  the  official  Metropolitan-Columbia 
set,  but  as  a  performance  it  must  take  third  place.  If  one's  con- 
ception of  Butterfly  is  a  smooth  Italian  voice  rather  than  a  simulated 
Japanese  quality,  one  will  favor  London,  which  is  not  too  far  be- 
hind Columbia  in  quality  of  sound.  The  Victor  performance  is  in 
the  historical  class,  dating  from  the  thirties  (though  its  reproduc- 
tion is  not  bad);  its  cast  is  headed  by  Dal  Monte,  in  her  day  a  top- 
flight coloratura  soprano,  whose  aging  voice,  paradoxically,  has 
an  appropriately  thin  and  girlish  quality  in  this  music.  This 
appeals  to  some  connoisseurs  like  a  heady  wine,  but  very  defi- 
nitely antagonizes  others.  Tebaldi,  after  an  uncomfortable  start, 
does  so  much  lovely  singing  in  the  course  of  the  opera  that  I  feel 
sure  most  listeners  will  find  her  more  satisfactory.  Her  soft 
beginning  of  "Un  bel  di"  is  the  work  of  a  true  artist.  Her  sup- 
porting cast  is  good,  with  Campora  a  mellifluous  Pinkerton, 
Inghilleri  an  adequate  Sharpless,  and,  for  his  one  moment,  Corena 
a  terrifying  Bonzo.  Rivaling  these  are  Gigli  in  his  best  form,  the 
smooth-voiced  Basiola,  and  Dominici.  In  the  Columbia  set,  Steber 
is  only  tolerable  in  the  first  act,  improves  in  the  second,  and  ends 
with  unwonted  conviction.  Tucker  sings  lyrically  and  well, 
Valdengo  quite  eloquently. 
Albanese,    Browning,   and   Melton   join   in  a   group   of  Highlights, 


Puccini  189 

first  issued  in  1946  (10"  V  LM  2).  Included  are  the  Love  Duet, 
"Un  bel  di,"  the  Flower  Duet,  and  Pinkerton's  " Addio,  fiorito 
asil."  Unfortunately  the  first  rapturous  number  ends  with  the 
singers  going  their  separate  ways — Albanese  up,  Melton  down — 
and  the  orchestra  cutting  the  postlude,  as  if  in  protest.  The 
Butterfly-Suzuki  duet  seems  to  me  the  best  feature  of  the  set.  A 
curious  choice  is  offered  to  those  who  do  not  mind  hearing  the 
Love  Duet  in  German.  In  both  cases  the  soprano  is  the  late  Maria 
Cebotari,  the  conductor  Artur  Rother.  The  earlier  recording  has 
Walther  Ludwig  as  a  finely  lyrical  Pinkerton  (U  URLP  7036),  the 
later  Helge  Roswaenge,  a  less  appealing  one  (U  URLP  7105). 
The  reproduction  of  the  second  version  is  vastly  superior,  and  as 
a  dividend  it  includes  Cebotari's  "Un  bel  di." 
Manon  Lescaut.  Petrella,  s;  Campagnano,  t;  Meletti,  b;  etc.;  RIC  &  0, 
Del  Cupolo,  Cet  C  1243  [3].  Zamboni,  s;  Merli,  t;  Conati,  b;  etc.; 
SCAC;  MISO,  Molajoli,  C  SL  111  [2]. 

There  is  nothing  to  compare  between  the  two  performances  listed 
above,  the  one  a  well-recorded  and  reasonably  satisfactory  present- 
day  production,  the  other  a  run-of-the-mill  revival.    One  thing  the 
old  set  has:  the  tenor  Merli  boasted  a  freer  and  steadier  tone  than 
Cetra's  Campagnano.   In  the  title  role,  on  the  other  hand,  Petrella, 
though  not  a  completely  even  singer,  has  more  timbre  in  her  voice 
than    Columbia's   Zamboni.      It  should  be   added   that  in   the  big 
moments   the  new  singers  rise  nobly  to  the  occasion,  the  tenor's 
somewhat  earthy  voice   taking  the  high  B's  and  C's  more  easily 
than  it  manipulates  the  legato  passages.     Meletti  is  an  excellent 
baritone  who  makes  the  most  of  Lescaut's  moments.    The  handling 
of   crowds,  the  ensembles  where  a  voice  or  two  should  stand  out 
clear  and  distinct  above  a  chorus,  is  exceptionally  happy  in  the 
Cetra  set.    The  ending  of  Act  1  is  very  lovely  as  we  have  it  here. 
Tosca.     Callas,  s;  di  Stefano,  t;  Gobbi,  b;  Luise,  bs;  etc,;   SCAC  &  0, 
Sabata,  An  3508-B  [2],     Tebaldi,  s;  Campora,  t;  Mascherini,  b;  Corena, 
bs;  etc.;  SCC  &  0,  Erede,  L  LL  660/1  [2].     Caniglia,  s;  Gigli,  t;  Bor- 
gioli,    b;  etc.;  ROC  &  0,  Fabritiis,   V  LCT  6004  [2].     DalV Argine,  s; 
Scattolini,   t;  Colombo,   b;  Poell;  etc.;  VKC;   VSO,  Quadri,  W  WAL  302 
[3],       Guerrini,    s;   Poggi,    t;   Silveri,    b;    Badioli,    bs;    etc.;   RIC  &  0, 
Molinari-Pradelli,  Cet  1230  [2]. 

To  some  listeners,  the  "historical"  performance  on  this  list  will 
always  remain  the  recording  of  Tosca.  Even  those  unmoved  by 
Caniglia's  vibrant  voice  and  Gigli's  fulsome  expressiveness  will 


Puccini  190 

grant  that  the  still-reasonably-effective  reproduction  preserves  a 
style  of  singing  which  should  not  be  lost.  The  Westminster  and 
Cetra  versions,  produced  in  1951,  offer  well-paced  readings  of 
the  score,  good  voices  in  the  various  roles,  but  hardly  an  out- 
standing characterization  between  them.  Both  are  amply  and 
roundly  reproduced,  with  Westminster  the  more  even,  as  well  as 
the  better  balanced.  Dall'Argine  is  the  more  satisfying  Tosca, 
though  neither  soprano  altogether  lives  up  to  the  promise  of  her 
voice;  Scattolini,  despite  some  vocal  pushing,  is  the  more  elo- 
quent Mario.  Colombo's  Scarpia  is  routined,  if  not  very  subtle, 
easily  preferable  to  Silveri's.  Cetra's  Badioli  makes  the  character 
of  the  Sacristan  more  real  than  his  counterpart;  both  Angelottis 
are  good,  especially  Westminster's  versatile  Poell.  On  a  higher 
plane  is  London's  recording  with  Tebaldi;  it  still  offers  magnifi- 
cent competition  for  the  somewhat  later  Angel  set.  As  a  vocalist 
pure  and  simple,  Tebaldi  is  more  even  than  Callas,  and  hers  re- 
mains one  of  the  loveliest  sopranos  in  action  today.  She  has  both 
temperament  and  intelligence,  a  rare  combination.  And  her  sup- 
porting cast  is  good.  Still,  Angel  has  not  only  Callas,  but  the  fiery 
maestro  Sabata  to  make  one  of  the  great  operatic  recordings,  not 
to  mention  Di  Stefano  in  his  most  lavish  voice,  and  Gobbi  con- 
tributing both  characterization  and  real  singing  as  Scarpia.  At 
best  the  Callas  voice  is  almost  painfully  beautiful;  one  can 
question,  not  quite  condemn,  a  certain  hollow  sound  that  creeps  in 
from  time  to  time.  One  feels  from  her  first  entrance,  and  through- 
out the  first-act  duet,  not  simply  a  voice,  but  an  imagination  at 
work.  In  the  second  act  she  warms  up  to  an  enormous  tension, 
taking  fire,  perhaps,  from  the  conductor  and  his  seething  orches- 
tra. Her  pronouncement  of  the  word  " Assassino!"  is  blood- 
curdling. In  the  "Vissi  d'arte"  the  river  nearly  overflows  its 
banks;  the  big  tones  pour  out  almost  to  the  extinction  of  the  very 
solid  orchestra.  For  the  most  part,  however,  she  conveys  emotion 
without  extra-musical  means.  The  smaller  roles  are  well  por- 
trayed, especially  the  sacristan  of  Luise,  which  is  sung  as  well 
as  delineated.  For  the  most  part  the  balance  is  better  than  good, 
though  here  and  there,  as  noted  above,  the  voices  have  it  too 
much  their  own  way. 

A  souvenir  of  the  Tosca  of  Ljuba  Welitch  is  to  be  had  in  the 
"Love  Duet,"  with  Richard  Tucker,  and  "Vissi  d'arte"  under  the 
direction   of  Max  Rudolf  (C  ML  4795).     Strangely,  for  one  trained 


Puccini  191 

in  the  German  language,  she  slides  over  her  diction  in  Italian;  her 
singing  consequently  lacks  dramatic  weight  and  musical  profile. 
Tucker  is  more  authentic  as  Cavaradossi. 

II  Trittico: 

II    Tabarro.     P etrella,  s;  Scarlini,  t;  Reali,   b;  etc.;  RIO,   Baroni,  Cet 

50029. 

Suor  Angelica.     Carteri,  s;  Truccato  Pace,  m-s;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Previ~ 

tali,  Cet  50030. 

Gianni  Schicchi.    Rapisardi,  s;  Savio,  t;  Taddei,  b;  etc.;  RIO,  Simonetto, 

Cet  50028. 

Of  the  three  one-acters,  first  heard  at  New  York's  Metropolitan  in 
1918,  Gianni  Schicchi  has  firmly  established  itself  as  a  repertory 
piece,  //  Tabarro  turns  up  occasionally,  and  the  fragile  Suor 
Angelica  is  rarely  awakened  from  its  peaceful  sleep.  The  somber 
Tabarro  posed  geniune  problems  for  the  recording  engineers:  much 
of  its  effect  depends  on  stage  locations.  A  real  effort  has  been 
made  to  give  a  sense  of  distance  and  of  relative  positions,  though 
sometimes  the  offstage  voices  and  the  automobile  horn  are  not 
"lontano"  enough.  The  singing  is  mostly  good,  though  Reali  as 
Michele  does  not  always  find  the  tessitura  comfortable,  and  the 
distinctly  attractive  Petrella  is  not  fully  mistress  of  her  fine 
voice.  There  is  a  curious  echo  in  evidence  from  time  to  time,  and 
some  noises  such  as  we  hear  in  "actual  performance"  recordings. 
Sister  Angelica,  with  its  half-tints  and  all-feminine  cast,  demands 
a  more  nearly  perfect  production.  Again  the  voices  are  good  in 
themselves,  though  some  of  the  vocalism  is  untidy  and  the  repro- 
duction seems  to  some  extent  crowded.  Here  is  no  attempt  at 
stage-depth;  the  voices  are  all  too  close. 

The  wonderful  comedy  of  Gianni  Schicchi  fares  better  than  its 
companions.  Taddei  is  capital  in  the  title  role;  Rapisardi  and 
Savio  are  passable,  if  no  more,  as  the  young  lovers;  and  there  are 
various  other  effective  characterizations.  The  pacing  is  con- 
vincing (though  I  wish  the  conductor  had  allowed  a  trifle  more  of 
a  pause  before  "0  mio  babbino  caro"),  and  the  balance  is  such 
that  the  orchestra  can  be  clearly  heard.  Here  again  some  stage 
effects  have  been  made  to  help  the  illusion. 

Turandot.       Cigna,   s;  Olivero,   s;  Merli,   t;  Poli,   b;  Neroni,    bs;  etc.; 

EI  ARC  &  0,  Ghione,  Cet  1206  [3\.    Grob-Prandl,  s;  Ongaro,  s;  Zola,  t; 

Rossi,  b;  Scott,  bs;  etc.;  FOC  &  0,  Capuana,  Rem  R  199-169  [3]. 

The  first  of  these  recordings  dates  from  the  thirties;  it  is  an  ex- 


Puccini  192 

ceptionally  successful  convert  to  LP,  but  there  is  no  escaping 
the  fact  that  it  was  not  ever  thus.  Still,  for  all  its  tubby  bass,  it 
left  me  convinced  that  Turandot  is  Puccini's  masterpiece.  The 
cast  may  contain  no  Eva  Turner,  no  Antonio  Cortis,  and  no  Eide 
Norena,  which  means  that  certain  portions  of  the  score  have  been 
better  done  on  imported  78-rpm  discs;  but  Cigna  is  at  her  best — 
uneven,  but  on  the  whole  acceptable — Merli  is  a  meatier-than- 
most  tenor,  Oliveri  is  at  least  competent;  the  supporting  artists 
and  very  important  chorus  and  orchestra  are  thoroughly  equal  to 
their  tasks.  The  much  more  recent  Remington  version  does  not 
meet  the  standards  of  this  performance.  I  would  be  less  critical 
of  the  cast  were  the  reproduction  better,  but  in  its  own  way  this 
is  nearly  as  inadequate  as  its  rival.  A  good  deal  of  adjustment  is 
needed  to  balance  the  power  and  the  accentuation  of  the  highs, 
and  no  amount  of  playing  with  the  controls  will  bring  the  singers 
into  proper  relation  with  the  orchestra.  Such  a  scene  as  the 
wonderful  "Nessun  dorma"  quite  loses  its  magic  with  so  modest 
a  chorus  and  orchestra;  nor  does  the  death  of  Liu  have  its  ex- 
sential  poignance,  despite  the  sweet,  easy-voiced  singing  of 
Ongaro.  Zola,  too,  is  a  good  Calaf,  and  one  feels  that  experience 
will  add  to  the  impressiveness  of  his  utterance.  Ping,  Pang,  and 
Pong  are  excellent,  the  first  showing  a  fine  rich  baritone.  Grob- 
Prandl  as  Turandot  has  the  power  and  the  cutting  high  tones 
needed  for  the  part,  but  hers  is  a  less  effective  voice,  because 
less  Italian,  than  Cigna's.  In  the  lower  registers  the  tone  does 
not  seem  quite  solid:  one  is  not  always  sure  of  her  intonation.  In 
the  high  unison  with  Zola  she  covers  him  almost  to  the  point  of 
suffocation.  There  are  a  few  minor  cuts  in  the  score.  And  I  noted 
a  persistent  pre-echo  through  a  good  deal  of  the  recording. 
A  pendant  to  these  performances  is  offered  by  Anne  Roselle,  a 
famous  Turandot  of  two  decades  ago,  unfortunately  accompanied 
sketchily  at  the  piano,  and  not  too  well  recorded  (10"  Rem  PL 
2-149).  Still,  this  disc,  made  long  years  after  her  great  days, 
gives  some  idea  of  the  size  and  altitude  of  her  voice. 

Arias 

Gianni  Schicchi — 0  mio  babbino  caro;  Tosca — Vissi  d' arte;  Madama 
Butterfly — Un  bel  di;  Tu,  tu?  piccolo  iddiol;  La  Rondine — Ore  liete 
divine;  Turandot — Tu  che  di  gel  sei  cinta;  Manon  Lescaut — Sola, 
perduta,  abbandonata.    Kirsten,  s;  MOO,  Cleva,  10"  C  ML  2200. 


Pucetnl/Purcell  193 

Kirsten's  luminous  voice  does  not  in  itself  express  drama.    There 

is    no  need  for  it  to  do  so  in   the   graceful  Rondine  waltz  song, 

which  I  found  her  best  offering.    She  gives  herself  with  admirable 

earnestness    to   the    Turandot  and   Manon  Lescaut  scenes,    but  I 

found  the  Gianni  Schicchi  rather  fussy  than  distinguished.    Those 

from  Tosca  and  Madama  Butterfly  are  on  the  placid  side. 

Tosca — Recondita    armonia;    E    lucevan    le   stelle;    La   Fanciulla  del 

West — Ch'ella  mi   creda;  Manon  Lescaut — No!  pazzo  son!;   Turandot 

— Non    piangere,    Liu.      Del  Monaco,    t;   SCO,   Erede,    10"    L    LS  670 

(*  Verdi:  Arias). 

Del  Monaco  pours  his  tones  out  prodigally  in  this  selection  of 
arias,  only  the  last  of  which  calls  for  anything  like  intimacy. 
Vocally,  he  is  in  fine  estate. 

PURCELL,    HENRY    (ca.  1659-1695) 

Choral  Yforks 

Te  Deum  and  Jubilate  in  D;  The  "Bell  Anthem" ;  0  sing  unto  the  Lord. 

Purcell  P erforming  Society,  King,  All  ALG  3027. 

The  nine-voice  choir  of  the  Old  Stone  Church  in  Cleveland,  with  a 
small  group  of  instrumentalists,  makes  a  specialty  of  this  kind  of 
music.  We  are  indebted  to  the  members'  enterprise  for  the  rare 
opportunity  to  hear  these  fine  pieces.  They  are  not,  however, 
easy  pieces  to  sing,  and  especially  in  the  Te  Deum  the  various 
solo  voices  (the  members  of  the  choir  alternate)  are  obviously 
taxed  by  the  elaborate  melodic  lines.  Whether  or  not  the  recording 
was  made  in  the  church,  it  is  not  very  atmospheric. 

Stage  Yforks 

Dido    and  Aeneas.      Flagstad,    s;   Schwarzkopf,    s;   Hemsley,    t;   etc.; 

Mermaid  Singers  &  0,  Jones,  V  LHMV  1007. 

An  earlier  LP  performance  (Per  SPLP  546)  and  two  very  much 
older  ones  at  78  rpm  are  all  cast  into  the  shade  by  this  famous 
recording.  Needless  to  say,  Flagstad's  voice  is  big,  noble,  rich, 
and  incomparably  beautiful,  her  style  impeccable.  One  criticism, 
applying  both  to  the  great  star  and  to  Schwarzkopf,  is  that  for  all 
the  clarity  and  intelligibility  of  their  English,  it  is  not  quite 
conversational.  They  do  not  make  the  big  points  with  the  text. 
Hemsley's  mealy-mouthed  Aeneas  is  no  match  for  this  Dido,  and 


Puree//  194 

the  delivery  of  Mandikian's  properly  strident  Sorceress  is  marred 
by  some  sort  of  accent.  One  wishes  the  lusty  Sailor's  Song  were 
more  raucous  than  David  Lloyd  makes  it.  The  over-all  ensemble 
is  hardly  the  acme  of  precision,  and  the  reproduction  is  uneven: 
comparison  of  Flagstad's  first  solo  and  her  singing  of  the  great 
"Lament"  suggests  that  a  veil  might  have  dropped  over  the  stage 
in  the  course  of  the  performance.  But,  after  all,  the  merits  of 
this  Dido  are  unlikely  to  be  bettered. 

The   Fairy  Queen — Selections;  Masque  in  Timon  of  Athens.     Ritchie, 

s;  0L0,  Lewis,  OL  OLLD  16. 

The    Fairy   Queen — Excerpts.      Curtin,    s;    Davis,    m-s;    Tibbetts,   bs; 

Cambridge  Fest  Ch  &  0,  Pinkham,  All  ALL  3077. 

Masque  in  Timon  of  Athens  (arr.  Woodhouse).    /MS,  L  LLP  292  (*Arne: 

Thomas  and  Sally). 

The  first  record  is  nicely  enough  turned  by  one  of  the  best  present- 
day  English  lyric  sopranos,  but  it  offers  no  more  than  a  taste  of 
either  work  represented.  Which  makes  it  the  more  disappointing 
that  the  Allegro  disc  should  give  so  generous  a  sampling  of  The 
Fairy  Queen  (the  book  of  which  is  an  adaptation  a  long  way  after 
Shakespeare's  A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream)  without  giving  us  the 
whole.  The  sponsors  have  in  laudable  honesty  noted  the  number- 
ing of  sections  as  they  appear  in  the  score,  by  which  we  can  tell 
even  where  the  original  order  has  been  changed,  but  there  is  little 
in  the  nature  of  continuity  here,  so  that  the  effect  is  rather  of  a 
Purcell  concert.  The  excerpts  are  done  with  style  by  the  three 
admirable  singers,  well  supported  by  chorus  and  orchestra.  The 
members  of  the  Intimate  Opera  Company  are  a  bit  beyond  their 
depth  in  the  Timon  music,  in  which  adaptation  has  gone  to  the 
length  of  reducing  the  choruses  to  solo  trios. 

King  Arthur.  Ellsperman,  m-s;  Chelsi,  b;  Ch,  Kramer,  MT  MLP  1006. 
This  performance  is  sketchy  in  intent,  with  its  Hammond  organ 
and  piano  for  orchestra,  its  generous  cuts  and  tentative  singing. 
Nor  is  the  recording  very  good.  ■  Indeed,  the  copy  reviewed  was  so 
off-center  that  the  pitch  wavered  nearly  a  half-tone.  And  this  is 
a  King  Arthur  performance  without  the  most  famous  song — "Fair- 
est isle."  What  it  has  to  give,  then,  is  no  more  than  a  hint  of 
the  music's  beauty. 

The  Masque  in  Dioclesian;  or  The  Prophetess.     Lloyd,  m-s;  Avery,  t; 

etc.;  Kramer,  pf,  MT  MLO  1013. 

The    voices    concerned   in   this    performance   are    good  enough  to 


Puree//  195 

cause  a  genuine  regret  that  a  more  careful  and  authentic  presenta- 
tion was  not  attempted.  For,  alas,  the  company  strides  right 
through  the  score  (or  most  of  it)  to  a  piano  accompaniment.  It  is 
well  enough  to  hear  such  a  work  done  sketchily  in  a  semi-amateur 
production,  but  if  one  is  buying  a  record,  one  expects  something 
more. 

Songs,  etc. 

Why  should  men  quarrel;  Two  in  one  upon  a  ground;  How  pleasant  is 
this  flowery  plain;  What  can  we  poor  females  do?;  Whilst  I  with  grief; 
When  the  cock  begins  to  crow;  What  a  sad  fate;  Strike  the  viol. 
NYPMA,  Greenberg,  Es  ES  519  (*Blow:  Ode  on  the  Death  of  Mr.  Henry 
Pur  cell). 

This    is  a  selection  of  songs  for  various  voices,  and  a  trio,  fre- 
quently   done   by  three   men,   but  here   by  soprano,  counter-tenor, 
and  tenor:  When  the  cock  begins  to  crow.     The  voices  are  attrac- 
tive;   the  style   is  sensitive  and  convincing.     The  feature   of  the 
disc,   however,  is  the  touching  tribute  by  John  Blow  to  his  more 
famous  pupil. 
Music  for  a  while;  I'll  sail  upon  the  dogstar;  The  knotting  song;  Strike 
the     viol;    Evening    Hymn;     The    queens    epicedium.        Langstaff,    b; 
Chessid,  hpsd;  Soyer,  cello;  Ren  X  27  f* Dowland:  Songs). 
I'll  sail  upon  the  dogstar;  On  the  brow  of  Richmond  Hill;  There' s  not  a 
swain  on  the  plain;  Man  is  for  the  woman  made;   The  message;  Come 
unto  these  yellow  sands;  I  attempt  from  love' s  sickness  to  fly;  Cease, 
o  my  sad  soul;  More  love  or  more  disdain  I  crave;  Ah!  how  pleasant  'tis 
to  love;  The  owl  is  abroad;  Arise,  ye  subterranean  winds.     Brownlee, 
b;  Harper,  pf,  Roy  1404  (*Franz,  Mendelssohn:  Songs,  E.  Schumann). 
Saul  and  the  Witch  of  Endor;  Bess  of  Bedlam;  My  song  shall  be  alway 
of    the    loving   kindness    of  the   Lord.      Popeski,    s;    Kisch-Arndt,    c; 
Howard,  t;  Eby,  bs;  EMC  &  0,  Hauptmann,  Ren  X  14. 

John  Brownlee,  in  the  earlier  stages  of  his  career,  might  have 
made  a  real  contribution  with  his  program,  for  the  songs  are  de- 
lightful, and  his  voice  and  style  should  have  suited  them  well, 
how  much  of  the  disappointment  is  due  to  the  singer,  and  how 
much  injustice  he  has  been  done  by  the  recording,  I  am  not  sure. 
Still,  there  is  not  a  spark  of  humor  in  the  delivery,  and  of  course 
his  voice  no  longer  has  the  original  bloom  on  it.  The  first  four 
songs  are  done  in  harmonizations  by  Benjamin  Britten.  Some  of 
these    songs  are  duplicated  in  the  Langstaff  recording,  more  au- 


Puree/  I/Rachmaninoff  196 

thentically  accompanied  by  the  harpsichord,  with  the  cello  rein- 
forcing the  bass.  The  singing,  too,  is  more  sensitive.  Musical 
and  poetic  intelligence  here  do  much  to  triumph  over  a  somewhat 
throaty  tone.  Two  of  the  very  finest  Purcell  songs  are  included: 
Music  for  a  while  and  the  magnificently  devotional  Evening  Hymn. 
The  cantata  Saul  and  the  Witch  of  Endor  needs  an  exceptionally 
finished  and  devoted  performance,  a  better  one  than  it  gets  on  the 
Renaissance  recording.  The  voices  are  not  well  matched,  and 
there  is  no  sign  of  outstanding  interpretive  talent.  Mad  Bess  (as 
Bess  of  Bedlam  is  sometimes  called)  does  not  fare  much  better. 
The  best  piece  on  the  disc  is  the  anthem,  sung  by  Kisch-Arndt 
and  the  ensemble. 

RACHMANINOFF,    SERGEI    (1873-1943) 

Choral  Work 

The  Bells,  opus  35.    Moscucci,  s;  Anthony,  t;  Malfatti,  b;  Rach  C  &  0, 

Rachmilovich,  RS  8. 

Rachmaninoff  called  this  setting  of  Russianized  Poe  a  symphony, 
and  such  it  really  is,  with  the  solo  and  choral  voices  simply 
taking  their  part  and  publishing  the  message  of  the  work.  We  are 
told  that  the  composer  favored  this  above  all  his  other  composi- 
tions. Though  written  in  1913,  it  has  not  had  many  performances, 
owing  largely  to  the  difficulties  of  production.  The  present  per- 
formance was  recorded  in  Italy,  with  two  American  soloists  and 
one  Italian,  and  an  Italian  chorus.  The  text  used  being  Fanny  S. 
Copeland's  translation  back  into  English  from  Konstantin  Bel- 
mont's Russian,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  two  American  men 
show  up  best  for  diction — and  a  very  fine  best  it  is — or  that  the 
soprano  and  the  chorus  cannot  be  followed  easily.  Moscucci's 
voice,  however,  is  clear  in  tone  and  uninhibited  in  delivery.  The 
general   sound   is   good,   and  there   is  vitality  in  the  performance. 

Operas 

Aleko.       Pokrovskaya,    s;    Orfenov,    t;    Petrov,    b;    etc.;    BSIC   &   0, 

Golovanov,  CH  CHS  1309. 

Rachmaninoff's  first  opera,  a  product  of  his  nineteenth  year,  is 
surprisingly  dramatic  and  vital.  The  recorded  performance  also 
is  alive;  in  most  of  its  roles  it  is  well  sung.  The  big  exception  is 
Pokrovskaya,   as  the   heroine,  with  one  of  those   intense  Russian 


Rachmaninoff  197 

sopranos,  neither  steady  nor  well  focused.    The  men  show  her  up 

with  good  healthy  tones  and  a  sense  of  the  drama. 
The    Miserly  Knight — Act  2.   Siepi,   bs;     LOS,    Scherman,    C  ML  4526 
(* Arensky:  Variations). 

This    act  of  a  little-known  opera  is  a  long  monologue   for  bass. 

One    wonders  why  it  was  revived   in  English  for  a  singer  with  a 

thick  Italian  accent. 

Songs 

In  the  silence  of  the  night;  Lilacs;  Summer  nights;  The  alder  tree;  0 
cease  thy  singing,  maiden  fair;  Sorrow  in  springtime;  The  soldier's 
bride;  Vocalise.  Kurenko,  s;  Pastukhoff,  pf,  Cap  P  8265  (^Mussorgsky: 
The  Nursery). 

On  the  death  of  a  linnet;  Melody;  I  ask  mercy;  Night  is  mournful; 
Arion;  Music;  I  remember  that  day;  Vocalise;  At  night  in  my  garden; 
To  her;  Daisies;  The  rat-catcher;  A  dream;  A-ou.  Kurenko,  s;  Pastuk- 
hoff, pf,  RS  2. 

The  fountain;  Yesterday  we  met;  The  changing  wind;  Fragment  from 
Alfred  de  Musset;  It  is  pleasant  here;  Two  partings;  What  happiness; 
Everything  is  taken  from  me;  The  ring;  I  am  alone;  We  will  rest;  The 
muse;  Dissonance.  Kurenko,  s;  Rosenthal,  pf,  RS  5. 
0  cease  thy  singing,  maiden  fair;  The  soldier's  bride;  All  things  de- 
part; In  the  silence  of  the  night;  The  answer;  Before  my  window;  Sor- 
row in  the  springtime;  Floods  of  spring;  Lilacs;  The  drooping  corn. 
Tourel,  m-s;  Kahn,  pf,  C  ML  4357  (*Villa-Lobos:  Serestas). 

Kurenko  has  supplemented  her  two  Rachmaninoff  Society  recitals, 
in  which  the  familiar  repertoire  was  avoided,  with  the  Capitol 
disc  made  up  of  favorites.  As  will  be  noted,  in  doing  so  she  has 
to  a  large  extent  duplicated  the  Tourel  program,  even  to  the  song 
"Before  my  window,"  disguised  on  her  list  as  "The  alder  tree." 
In  one  instance  she  has  duplicated  herself,  though  her  treatment 
of  the  "Vocalise"  has  undergone  a  change  since  the  first  Society 
disc  was  issued.  In  the  Capitol  version  she  favors  more  rapid 
tempos,  though  her  phrasing  of  the  wordless  song  and  the  inner 
rhythmic  pulse  are  as  masterly  as  before.  In  the  Russian  reper- 
toire, Kurenko  has  no  superior,  and  her  voice  retains  to  an  amaz- 
ing degree  its  pristine  clarity  and  radiance.  The  versatile  Jennie 
Tourel  is  also  more  than  satisfactory,  so  that  preference  between 
the  two  may  well  be  determined  by  the  listener's  predilection  for 
a    high   or  a  medium  voice.      For  those   who  wish   to   explore  the 


Rachmaninoff/ Rameau  198 

lesser-known  repertoire,  the  two  Society  records  offer  much  of 
interest. 

RAMEAU,    JEAN-PHILIPPE    (1683-1764) 

Operas 

Hippolyte  et  Aricie — Selections.     Verneuil,  s;  Wend,  s;  Moizan,  m-s; 

Amade,  t;  Ch;  SO,  Desormiere.    OL  OLLD  10. 

This  is  only  a  fraction  of  Rameau's  first,  and  sensational,  opera, 
beginning,  indeed,  not  before  the  third  act.  Complete  information 
as  to  the  contents  is  supplied  on  the  labels,  but  not  on  the  con- 
tainer, which  may  prove  confusing.  The  performance  is  authentic 
in  spirit,  and  charming,  but  vocally  impressive  only  in  the  very 
high  tenor  of  Amade.  As  Rameau  gave  a  very  heavy  assignment,  to 
the  horns,  it  is  hardly  surprising  that  there  are  some  loose  ends 
in  the  orchestral  playing. 

Les  Indes  galantes — Excerpts.    Joachim,  s;  Mauranne,  t;  Malvasio,  b; 

GC;  HCO,  Hewitt,  D  DL  6080. 

A  cross-section  of  the  opera-ballet  first  produced  in  1735,  re- 
corded some  time  before  the  very  spectacular  and  successful  re- 
vival at  the  Paris  Opera  in  1952.  Of  the  soloists  here,  the  bari- 
tone is  outstanding;  the  soprano  sings  prettily  as  to  tone,  but  not 
quite  neatly  enough.  Some  of  the  solo  parts  are  recorded  too 
close,  but  the  slightly  clouded  choral  effects  are  good,  and  the 
orchestra  comes  through  successfully. 

Arias,  etc. 

Dardanus—Act  2,  Introduction;  Tout  I'avenir  est  present  a  mes  yeux. 
Conrad,  bs.;  Ens.  Castor  et  Pollux — Prologue,  Minuet.  Sautereau,  s; 
Wend,  s;  Derenne,  t.  Hippolyte  et  Aricie — Rossignols  amoureux. 
Wend,  s.  Dardanus — Act  3,  0  jour  affreux!  Kolassi,  m-s.  Les  Indes 
galantes — Entree  2,  Clair  flambeau  du  monde.  Demigny,  b;  Ens.  Hip- 
polyte et  Aricie — 0  disgrace  cruelle;  Overture;  Fanfare;  Ballet  figure. 
Kolassi,  m-s;  0.  Castor  et  Pollux — Sejour  de  V eternelle  paix.  De- 
renne, t.  Les  Fetes  d'H'ebe — Volons  sur  les  bordes  de  la  Seine; 
Acanthe — Entr'acte.  Sautereau,  s;  Wend,  s.  Plat'ee — Chantons  Bac- 
chus!   Derenne,  t;  Ens.    Voc  &  Inst  Ens,  Boulanger,  D  DL  9683. 

This  is  a  curiously  unsatisfactory  disc,  despite  its  rich  promise. 

As    always,    Boulanger    is    the    all-pervasive    and   all-persuasive 


Rameau/Ravel  199 

guiding  spirit  of  the  enterprise,  and  of  course  everyone  performs  at 
his  or  her  best.  But  the  program  is  too  fragmentary,  and  some  of 
the  best  is  not  quite  good  enough.  Chief  exceptions  are  Irma 
Kolassi,  who  has  both  temperament  and  dignity,  and  Bernard 
Demigny,  whose  performance  really  takes  fire.  Paul  Derenne  is 
stylistically  very  fine,  but  has  some  difficulty  with  the  long 
phrases.  Sautereau  and  Wend  contribute  gracefully,  the  latter 
having  the  especially  charming  nightingale  song  to  sing.  The 
whole  collection  is  too  miscellaneous. 

Cantafas 

Diane  et  Acteon;  U 'Impatience.  Cuenod,  t;  Ens,  Pinkham,  Ly  LL  44. 
Cuenod  is  one  of  the  few  singers  practicing  today  who  are  really 
at  home  in  the  Rameau  style  and  can  sing  this  kind  of  music  with 
the  ease  and  grace  it  needs.  The  changing  moods  of  the  protago- 
nist are  expressed  in  a  series  of  recitatives  and  arias;  the  chal- 
lenge for  the  singer  is  to  introduce  sufficient  tonal  and  expressive 
variety  to  keep  the  works  from  showing  their  length.  In  Cuenod's 
hands  they  are  colorful  and  satisfying.  The  small  ensemble  ac- 
companying him  is  made  up  of  first-rate  musicians;  the  rapport 
among  them  is  excellent. 

RAVEL,    MAURICE    (1875-1937) 

Operas 

U Enfant    et  les   Sortileges.      Sautereau,    s;    Angelici,    s;   Michel,   m-s; 

le  Marc'Hadour,  t;  Peyron,  b;  etc.;  RDFC;  ON  A,  Bout,  C  ML  4153. 

All  sorts  of  musical  styles  are  welded  into  this  fantastic  but 
harmonious  whole,  as  indeed  there  must  be  for  a  tale  peopled  by 
armchairs,  teakettles,  squirrels,  dragonflies,  trees,  etc.,  not  to 
mention  a  fairy  princess  escaped  from  a  book.  The  duet  of  the  two 
cats  is  an  incredible  feat  of  imagination  and  virtuosity.  Obviously, 
all  this  must  add  up  to  a  particularly  challenging  assignment  for  a 
cast  of  opera  singers.  It  seems  scarcely  likely  that  we  will  hear 
the  score  better  realized  than  it  is  by  this  French  group.  Special 
mention  is  due  Sautereau  as  the  Child,  Angelici  as  the  Princess, 
and  le  Marc'Hadour  in  several  roles. 


Ravel  200 

L'Heure  espagnole.  Danco,  s;  Derenne,  t;  Rehfuss,  b;  etc.;  SR,  An,' 
sermet,  L  LL  796.  Duval,  s;  Giraudeau,  t;  Vieuille,  b;  etc.;  OCO, 
Cluytens,  Ang  35018.  Linda,  s;  Dran,  t;  Hoffman,  b;  etc.;  RDFO,  Lei- 
bowitz,  Vox  PL  7880. 

These  three  recordings  which  appeared  in  the  matter  of  a  few 
months,  pose  a  real  problem  for  the  prospective  buyer.  When  the 
Ansermet  version  arrived,  I  was  inclined  to  hail  it  as  definitive,  for 
a  subtler,  more  beautifully  balanced,  smoother-sounding  perform- 
ance is  hard  to  imagine.  No  detail  is  missed,  nor  is  there  one 
unbeautiful  or  unmeaningful  tone.  The  cast  is  well-nigh  perfect, 
technically  at  least,  and  the  singers  have  obviously  been  rehearsed 
to  the  point  where  they  actually  live  the  opera.  Danco,  to  be  sure, 
is  rather  much  of  a  lady  to  be  the  ideal  Concepcion,  but  except  for 
the  outburst  "Oh  la  pitoyable  aventure,"  a  kind  of  outraged 
"credo,"  she  wins  us  over  completely.  In  that  one  scene  I  wanted 
more  edge,  perhaps  a  less  lovely  sound.  The  final  quintet  is 
masterly  and  irresistible,  with  its  concerted  roulades  and  trills. 
The  Leibowitz  performance,  which  seemed  more  than  satisfactory 
before  I  had  heard  this  one,  is  of  coarser  grain.  Linda  provides 
what  Danco  does  not  have;  her  Concepcion  may  be  described  by  a 
five-letter  word,  which  is  really  what  the  story  calls  for.  The 
balance  here  is  no  match  for  the  London  recording.  If  one's  mind 
is  now  made  up,  the  third  version  comes  to  upset  the  conclusions. 
Duval  is  a  Concepcion  who  sings  more  beautifully  than  Linda,  and 
characterizes  more  successfully  than  Danco;  the  supporting  cast 
could  hardly  be  improved  upon.  Orchestrally  the  set  is  second- 
best,  but  as  comedy  it  bows  to  none.  Still,  the  balance  is  not  so 
good  as  London's. 

Songs 

Don  Quichotte  a  Dulcinee.  Singher,  b;  CBSO,  Abravanel,  C  ML  4152 
(*Debussy:  Ballades  de  Villon;  Operatic  Arias).  Souzay,  b;  PCO, 
Lindenberg,  10"  L  LD  9091  (*Debussy:  Songs). 

Pride  of  place  goes  to  Singher,  who  has  made  these  songs  pecul- 
iarly his  own  (one  of  them  is  dedicated  to  him).  One  would  respond 
more  enthusiastically  to  this  recording,  however,  were  it  not  that 
he  did  them  once  before  in  the  presence  of  the  composer,  at  a  time 
when  his  voice  was  very  much  fresher  than  it  sounds  here.  The 
two  old  Victor  discs  are  hard  to  come  by  nowadays,  but  those  who 


Ravel  201 

have  them  will  not  quite  accept  the  new,  for  all  the  advantages  of 
LP.  Souzay,  for  his  part,  does  a  gentlemanly  and  dignified  piece 
of  work,  especially  admirable  in  the  quiet  second  song. 

Histoires  naturelles;  Deux  Epigrammes;   Chansons  madecasses;  Chants 

populaires.    Singher,  b;  Ulanowsky,  pf;  etc.;  CH  CHS  1124. 

Histoires    naturelles.     Souzay,   b;  Bonneau,  pf,   10"   L  LS  536  (*Falla: 

Condones  Populares  Espanolas). 

Chansons  madecasses.     Tourel,  m-s;  Reeves,  pf;  etc.;  10"    C  ML  2184 

(*Debussy:    Chansons  de  Bilitis).     Chansons  madecasses.     J  onsen,  b; 

Bonneau,  pf,  L  LL  644  (*Debussy,  and  Chabrier:  Songs). 

Of  the  songs  on  Singher's  disc,  the  best  are  the  Epigrammes,  one 
of  which,  "Z)' Anne  jouant  I'espinette,"  is  among  the  most  charming 
of  modern  French  songs.  His  Histoires  naturelles  lack  the  spark 
of  warm  humor  Povla  Frijsh  (for  one)  used  to  find  in  them;  on  the 
whole  I  prefer  the  easy,  almost  conversational  approach  of  Souzay. 
In  the  Chansons  madecasses  Singher  misses  the  elemental  quality 
Ravel  caught  from  the  amazing  poetry  of  Evariste  Parny;  he  is 
altogether  too  polite.  Here  I  prefer  Jennie  Tourel  (though  the 
sentiments  of  the  songs  are  decidedly  masculine),  and  again  my 
memory  runs  back  to  the  fine  performance  of  Madeleine  Grey,  which 
has  not  been  made  available  on  LP.  Tourel  has  every  mechanical 
advantage,  of  course.  As  for  Jansen,  his  singing  is  neat  enough, 
but  rather  careful.    The  piano  tone  on  his  disc  seems  muffled. 

Melodies    populaires  grecques.     Kolassi,   m-s;   Bonneau,   pf,   10"    L  LS 

568  (*Kolassi  Recital). 

Melodies  populaires  grecques;  Quatre  Chants  populaires.     C.  Panzera, 

b;  M.  Panzera,  pf,  Mer  MG  10098  f*P 'anzera  Recital). 

Kolassi  sings  the  Greek  songs  in  their,  and  her,  native  tongue,  one 
of  several  points  in  her  favor.  She  is  a  singer  of  attractive  voice, 
good  diction,  and  a  real  sense  of  style — in  short,  a  distinguished 
interpreter  of  songs.  Panzera  gives  the  same  set  in  French,  with 
waning  voice  but  superb  penetration.  Anything  this  artist  does  is 
worthy  of  study,  and  at  the  same  time  productive  of  enjoyment. 
Still,  if  one  wants  the  songs  for  themselves,  Kolassi's  version 
must  be  given  preference. 

Sheherazade.      Tourel,  m-s;  COL,   Bernstein,   C  ML  4289  (*  Mussorgsky: 

Songs  and  Dances  of  Death). 

Tourel  sings  this  exotic  music  very  well,  if  rather  darkly.  One 
regrets  that  the  even  finer  version  by  Danco,  issued  not  long  before 
LP    came   in,   has  not  been  re-recorded.     That  performance,  under 


Ravel/ Rlmsky-Korsakov  202 

Ansermet,  still  seems  very  nearly  definitive,  but  this  is  not  to 
discount  the  fine  singing  of  Towel. 

REVUELTAS,    SILVESTRE    (1899-1940) 

Five  Songs  of  Childhood:  The  little  horse;  The  five  hours;  Nonsense 
Song;  Cradle  Song;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lizard;  Two  Songs;  Serenade;  It  is  true; 
The  owl;  Bull  frogs.    Greissle,  s;  Wolman,  pf,  SPA  9  (*lves:  Songs). 

These  songs  are  all  done  in  English  translation,  and  in  a  rather 
unimaginative  manner.  There  may  be  something  more  in  them  than 
appears  in  this  treatment. 

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV,    NIKOLAI    (1844-1908) 

Operas 

May  Night.  Maslennikova,  s;  Lemeshev,  t;  Krasovsky,  bs;  etc.;  BSIC 
&  0,  Nebolsin,  Van  VRS  6006/7/8  [5], 

Rimsky-Korsakov's  May  Night,  to  most  of  us,  means  an  overture 
with  a  theme  curiously  reminiscent  of  the  like-named  song  of 
Brahms.  Beyond  the  fact  that  this  theme  turns  up  again  in  one  of 
the  principal  arias,  the  opera  will  be  of  interest  chiefly  to  the 
specialist.  The  performance  is  routine,  the  leading  lady  somewhat 
less  than  that. 
Mozart  and  Salieri.  Mollien,  t;  Linsolas,  b;  Paris  Radio  SO,  Leibowitz, 
Oc  OCS  32. 

Rimsky's  tribute  to  Mozart  derives  a  certain  interest  from  the 
reverently  borrowed  melodies  woven  into  the  score.  This  perform- 
ance (in  French)  has  life  and  spirit;  Mollien  sings  well,  Linsolas 
a  little  stiffly.  The  recording  level  is  not  altogether  even. 
Sadko.  Shumskaya,  s;  Davidova,  m-s;  Antonova,  c;  Nelepp,  t;  Krasov- 
sky, bs;  Reizen,  bs;  etc.;  BSIC  &  0,  Golovanov,  CH  CHS  1307  [3]. 

As  opera  recordings  from  Moscow  average,  this  is  a  good  perform- 
ance, and  certainly  it  ranks  among  the  best  in  reproduction.  The 
sound  of  the  orchestra  is  bright  and  clear;  the  main  weakness  is 
the  usual  over-amplification  of  voices.  But  at  its  best  the  singing 
would  hardly  pass  muster  in  our  own  opera  houses.  There  are  ex- 
ceptions in  the  cases  of  the  three  one-aria  "guests,"  who  perform 
their  limited  assignments  with  good  voices  and  assured  style. 
Nelepp,  in  the  title  role,  is  quite  unfocused  at  the  outset,  and 
though  he  improves  as  he  goes  along,  his  singing  is  never  distin- 


Rlmsky-Korsakov/ Rossini  203 

guished.  Shumskaya  has  good  material,  and  some  of  her  singing  is 
attractive,  but  she  is  uneven.  Antonova  is  especially  coarse  and 
unsteady.  In  short,  the  level  of  vocalism  is  not  very  high  in  Rus- 
sia, to  judge  by  such  samples  as  this.  And  the  opera,  remembered 
as  one  of  the  outstanding  spectacles  of  Gatti's  regime  at  the 
Metropolitan,  is  a  little  wearisome  done  in  this  way.  There  are  a 
number  of  cuts  in  the  performance. 

Arias 

Le  Cog  d'  or — Hymn  to  the  sun.  P '  antofel-N etshetskia,  s.  May  Night — 
Levko's  Arietta;  Snegourotchka — Czar  Berendey' s  Cavatina;  Sadko — 
Song  of  India;  Czar's  Bride — Lykov  s  Aria.  Lemeshev,  t.  May  Night 
— Levko's  Aria.  Kolzlovsky,  t.  Snegourotchka — Mizguir's  Aria. 
Ivanov,  b.  Czar's  Bride — Duet,  Czar  Berendey  and  Koupava.  Ivanova, 
s;  Lemeshev,  t.  Sadko — Song  of  the  Viking.  Freitkov,  bs.  Sadko — 
Volkhova's  Lullaby.  Kazantseva,  s.  Czar's  Bride — Marfa's  Aria. 
Shpieler,  s.  Czar's  Bride — Liubasha's  Aria.  Maksakova,  m-s.  Kasht- 
chay  the  Immortal — Kashtchaievna' s  Aria.  Preobrajenskaya,  m-s. 
BSIO,  Orloff,  Kondrashin,  Golovanov,  Col  CRLP  121. 

This  group  of  arias  sung  by  prominent  Soviet  artists  averages  better 
in  vocalism  than  many  of  the  opera  performances  from  the  same 
source,  but  one  has  to  accept  a  good  deal  of  sub-standard  recording 
throughout  the  program.  None  of  the  reproduction  is  more  than 
passable.  Lemeshev,  reputed  the  best  tenor  in  Russia,  appears 
several  times  to  substantiate  his  claim,  acquitting  himself  in  each 
instance  with  credit.  The  too  familiar  "Song  of  India"  has  rarely 
been  so  pleasingly  sung,  and  the  May  Night  air  has  considerable 
charm.  Shpieler,  too,  is  outstanding  in  the  soprano  aria  from  The 
Czar's  Bride.  Maksakova,  with  a  richer  natural  voice,  is  only  less 
satisfying  artistically.  Pantofel-Netshetskia  shows  good  quality 
and  vocal  proficiency  in  the  "Hymn  to  the  Sun,"  but  she  is  treated 
worst  of  all  by  the  recording.  Kozlovsky's  light,  high  tenor  sounds 
thin  after  Lemeshev,  and  Preobrajenskaya  is  uncomfortably  un- 
steady in  her  aria. 

ROSSINI,   GIOACCHINO    (1792-1868) 

Choral  Works 

Messe  solennelle.  Tuccari,  s;  Salvi,  c;  Besma,  t;  Catalani,  b;  RSQC  & 
0,  Vitalini,  Per  SPL  588. 


Rossini  204 

A  more  or  less  casual  hearing  of  this  recording  is  apt  to  leave  one 
impressed  by  Rossini  and  by  his  interpreters.  Only  when  following 
the  Mass  with  a  score  can  we  grasp  what  a  chasm  exists  between 
the  intentions  of  the  composer  and  the  achievement  of  the  per- 
formers. In  the  first  place,  the  work  is  cut  unmercifully.  The  long 
orchestral  introductions  to  the  arias  are  habitually  trimmed,  and 
huge  chunks  are  missing  within  practically  every  number.  Some  of 
the  pruning  seems  altogether  unnecessary,  as  for  instance  lopping 
off  a  couple  of  measures  at  the  end  of  a  piece.  Granted,  the  Mass 
without  abridgment  would  be  very  long,  and  perhaps  boring;  still, 
the  present  major  operation  seems  like  butchery.  Like  Verdi, 
Rossini  put  plenty  of  expression  and  dynamic  directions  into  his 
score;  no  one  could  guess  at  them  on  the  basis  of  this  presentation. 
Stabat  Mater.  Steingruber,  s;  Hermann,  c;  Dermota,  t;  Schoeffler,  bs; 
VKC;  VSO,  Sternberg,  Oc  OCS  24.  Seefried,  s;  Anday,  c;  Fehenberger, 
t;  Frantz,  bs;  SACC;  SALO,  Messner,  Rem  R  199-111  [2]. 

That  the  Salzburg  recording  occupies  four  sides  to  Vienna's  two  is 
an  indication  of  vast  differences  in  pacing.  Sternberg's  tempos,  to 
be  sure,  are  on  the  brisk  side;  Messner's  are  unconscionably  slow. 
The  Cathedral  Choir  sings  without  too  great  precision,  and  the 
soloists  vary  from  Seefried's  superb  projection  of  the  "Inflam- 
matus"  to  Anday's  leaden  "Fac  ut  portem."  This  is  a  work  to 
stand  or  fall  by  its  soloists,  and  Sternberg's  quartet  is,  except  for 
the  soprano,  superior  to  Messner's.  They  do  not  overcome  all  the 
difficulties  Rossini  has  set  for  them,  but  their  voices  have  the  ring 
of  conviction  and  sincerity.  The  Salzburg  performance  has  its  com- 
plement of  audience  noises;  the  Vienna  has  a  dead  studio  quality. 
Seefried's  "Inflammatus,"  which  I  have  admired,  and  Fehenberger's 
"  Cujus  animam,"  to  which  I  can  give  more  moderate  praise,  are 
available  in  a  Salzburg  Choir  concert,  along  with  selections  from 
the  Verdi  Requiem  and  the  Haydn  Seven  Last  Words  (Rem  R 
199-121). 

Operas 

II  Barbiere  di  Siviglia.  Simionato,  m-s;  Infantino,  t;  Taddei,  b;  etc.; 
RIC  &  0,  Previtali,  Cet  1211  [3],  De  los  Angeles,  s;  Monti,  t;  Bechi, 
b;  Luise,  bs;  Rossi-Lemeni,  bs;  Ch;  MISO,  Serafin,  V  LM  6104.  Capsir, 
s;  Borgioli,  t;  Stracciari,  b;  Baccaloni,  bs;  etc.;  SCAC;  MISO,  Molajoli, 
C  EL  1  [31 

The  Columbia  recording  listed  is  a  document,  for  Stracciari  was  a 
famous  Barber,  and  Borgioli,  exponent  of  a  vanishing  art,  was  equal 


Rossini  205 

to  the  coloratura  of  Count  Almaviva's  part.  Capsir  too  enjoyed  a 
reputation,  but  to  this  reviewer's  ears  her  voice  was  not  especially 
pleasing*  The  sound  as  we  hear  it  from  LP  is  on  the  thick,  heavy 
side,  though  one  adjusts  to  this,  and  those  who  enjoy  hearing  a 
"golden  age"  baritone  go  through  a  whole  opera  will  have  much 
pleasure  from  the  set.  The  other  two  versions  offer  a  problem. 
Both  are  distinguished  by  superlative  Rosinas,  both  of  whom  sing 
the  music  in  the  original  mezzo  key.  Simionato  seemed  an  approach 
to  the  ideal  before  I  heard  De  los  Angeles.  But  the  latter's  roulades 
and  trills,  her  lyrical  cantilena,  no  less  than  the  humor  of  her  per- 
formance, are  altogether  winning,  enough  so  to  put  her  admirable 
rival  in  the  shade.  Unfortunately,  the  Victor  set  has  a  very  loud 
and  unsubtle  Figaro  in  Bechi,  while  Cetra's  Taddei  is  first-rate. 
The  others  in  both  casts  are  good,  though  Rossi-Lemeni  in  the 
Victor  set  seems  bent  on  recalling  the  disproportionate  Basilio  of 
Chaliapin.  The  pacing  of  Previtali  is  more  traditional  than  Sera- 
fin's,  but  both  are  spirited  performances.  Monti  is  a  promising,  but 
not  altogether  ripe,  Almaviva;  Infantino  is  a  better  than  average 
one. 

La  Cambiale  di  Matrimonio.      Tuccari,   s;  Gentile,   t;  Catalani,   b;  etc.; 

RSQC  &  0,  Morelli,  Per  SPL  583. 

The  name  of  Rossini's  first  opera  has  been  kept  alive  by  its  over- 
ture. This  first  opportunity  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  comedy 
as  a  whole  at  least  convinces  us  that  the  score  is  worthy  of  a  bet- 
ter performance.  There  are  some  very  attractive  numbers  in  it,  done 
here  with  spirit  and  enthusiasm,  if  without  precision. 

II    Cambio  della   Valigia.      Russo,    s;   Salvi,    s;   Besma,    t;    Catalani,   b; 

etc.;  RSQC  &  0,  Morelli,  Per  SPL  595. 

The  Societa  del  Quartetto  (by  which  strange  name  these  performers 
are  identified)  rates  commendation  at  least  for  intentions.  However, 
the  singing  has  little  of  the  "zip"  necessary  for  the  realization  of 
Rossini's  recitatives,  and  there  is  not  much  evidence  of  authority 
in  the  performance.  Russo,  the  soprano,  is  gifted  by  nature  with  a 
good  voice,  but  her  vocalism  is  uneven. 

La    Cenerentola   (Abridged).       Simionato,    m-s;    Rovero,    s;    Valletti,    t; 

Meletti,  b;  Dalamangas,  bs;  RIC  &  0,  Rossi,  Cet  1208  [2]. 

This  Cinderella  opera  calls  for  two  things  in  its  interpreters:  ex- 
traordinary vocal  technique,  and  a  sense  of  humor.  Cetra's  cast 
qualifies  on  both  counts,  with  special  honors  earned  by  Giulietta 
Simionato  in  the  title  role.  Kers  is  a  true  Italian  mezzo-soprano, 
smooth,  flexible,  and  wonderfully  steady.     Her  part  has  undergone 


Rossini  206 

some  simplification,  along  with  some  of  the  others,  but  its  musical 
character  is  unchanged.  It  is  her  opera,  and  she  has  good  support 
in  Cesare  Valletti  and  the  buffo  Christiano  Dalamangas  particu- 
larly. The  volume  level  of  the  set  is  somewhat  uneven,  but  not 
enough  to  be  troublesome. 

Guglielmo   Tell.     Carteri,  s;   Filippeschi,  t;   Taddei,   b;  etc.;  RIC  &  0, 

Rossi,  Get  1232  [4]. 

William  (here  Guglielmo,  though  more  properly  Guillaume,  as  the 
original  libretto  is  French)  Tell  is  an  acknowledged  if  rarely  pre- 
formed masterpiece,  full  of  stirring  melodies  and  magnificent  en- 
sembles, opportunities  for  singing  in  the  grand  manner.  The  cast 
assembled  for  this  performance  is  probably  as  good  as  could  be 
found  in  Italy  today.  Taddei's  Tell  is  really  first-rate,  with  a  voice 
as  expansive  as  it  is  rich,  and  with  real  dramatic  ring  in  his  de- 
livery. Filippeschi  as  Arnold  has  the  needed  powerful  high  notes, 
though  stylistically  he  is  not  fully  mature.  Carteri  is  too  vibrant 
in  the  recitatives,  but  she  can  spin  a  nice  neat  line  when  cantilena 
is  called  for.  Sciutti's  Jemmy  is  appealing,  and  the  various  basses 
are  excellent.  The  balance  is  reasonably  good  as  such  things  go, 
though  the  big  ensembles  go  too  much  to  the  singers — the  trio  for 
Mathilda,  Jemmy,  and  Hedwig  in  the  last  act  is  a  notable  example 
— and  the  orchestra  is  a  little  restricted  in  sound.  There  is  a  fine 
dynamic  range,  from  the  subdued  singing  of  the  conspiracy  to  the 
big  ensembles. 

La  Scala  di  Seta.      Tuccari,   s;  Gentile,  t;  Besma,  t;   Catalani,   b;  etc.; 

RSQC  &  0,  Morelli,  Per  SPL  591. 

Another  little  comedy  remembered  by  its  overture  is  here  given  a 
performance  of  more  spirit  than  polish.  Rossini  is  a  composer 
easily  damned  with  faint  phrases. 

II  Signor  Bruschino.     Ribetti,  s;  Pontiggia,  t;  Capecchi,  b;  Maugeri,  b; 

etc.;  MIPO,  Gerelli,  Vox  PL  8460. 

II  Signor  Bruschino  is  remembered  chiefly  as  the  opera  Rossini 
wrote  unwillingly,  and  in  which  he  pulled  all  sorts  of  tricks  by  way 
of  revenge.  The  most  striking  of  his  special  effects  is  in  the  over- 
ture, where  the  violins  are  required  to  tap  upon  the  wood  of  their 
instruments,  but  there  are  some  far  knottier  problems  set  for  the 
singers.  In  the  present  performance  there  are  superior  voices  and 
a  general  spirit  of  clean  fun.  The  "find"  of  the  cast  is  Pontiggia, 
a  lyric  tenor  with  more  than  ordinary  facility  and  an  admirable 
sense  of  style.  His  first  duet  with  Ribetti  is  turned  with  neatness 
and    simple    charm.      The   soprano,    however,   fails   to   maintain  this 


Rossini  207 

standard  throughout  the  opera;  she  just  misses  distinction  in  her 
various  solos.  Capecchi  handles  the  buffo  part  with  unction,  and 
the  florid  music  holds  no  terrors  for  him.  There  are  some  generous 
cuts  in  the  score,  but  enough  is  left  to  represent  the  comedy  and 
its  music.  There  is  plenty  of  recitativo  secco,  which  the  singers 
handle  expertly.  The  reproduction  is  on  the  whole  good,  though  I 
noted  a  pre-echo  shortly  after  the  beginning.  If  anything,  for  once, 
the  voices  are  swamped  by  the  orchestra.  I  think  some  quality  and 
some  steadiness  of  pitch  have  been  sacrificed  toward  the  center 
of  the  first  side  in  the  interests  of  including  31:30  minutes  of 
music. 

Arias 

II  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — Una  voce  poco  fa;   Contro  un  cor  che  accende 
amore;     L'  Italiana    in   Algeri — Oh,    che    muso;   Per  lui    che    adoro;   La 
Cenerentola — Signore,     una    parola;    Non    piu    mesta.       Supervia,    m-s; 
Manurrita,  t;  Ederle,  t;  Scattola,  bs;  Bettoni,  bs;  0;  D  DL  9533. 
II  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — Una  voce  poco  fa;  Ultaliana  in  Algeri — Cruda 
sorte.     Tour  el,  m-s;  MOO,   Cimara,   10"   C  ML  2024  (^Offenbach:  Arias). 
The  late  Conchita  Supervia's  following  grows  with  the  years;  it  is 
fortunate  that  she  recorded  well.    The  singer's  almost  overpowering 
exuberance    is  still  very  much  with  us   on  LP,  and  her  ability  to 
negotiate  Rossini's  florid  melodic  lines  is  still  a  matter  for  won- 
der.    Her  assisting  artists  are  capable  and  well  seasoned,  though 
one   of  the  basses  has  more  than  enough  wobble.     A  very  different 
mezzo    is   Jennie   Tourel,   always   solidly   musical   and  satisfying, 
never    sensational.      With    just   a   touch   of  Supervia's    verve,  she 
would  be  terrific  in  this  music.     It  is  a  shame  that  in  transferring 
this   program  to  LP  two  more  Rossini  arias  were  dropped.     Surely 
her  recital  was  worth  a  twelve-inch  side! 
Guglielmo  Tell — Ah!  Mathilda  (German).     Slezak,  t;  Demuth,  b.   Troncar 
suoi  di;  La  gloria  infiammi.     Es Calais,  t;  Magini-Colletti,  b;  Luppi,  bs. 
Resta  immobile.     Battistini,   b.     0  muto  asil;  Corriam,  corriam.     Gilion, 
t.     II  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — Una  voce  poco  fa  (French).     Ritter-Ciampi, 
s.    La  Cenerentola — Miei  rampoli.    Badini,  b.    Semiramide — Bel  raggio. 
Alessandrini,  s.    Et  707. 

This  disc  is  evenly  divided,  the  first  side  being  all  acoustically 
recorded,  the  second  side  electrically.  The  first  side,  too,  is 
entirely  devoted  to  William  Tell.  Linguistically,  the  selection  is 
a  hodge-podge,  but  there  is  some  excellent  singing.    Most  interest- 


Rosslni/Saint-Saens  208 

ing  on  the  Tell  side  is  the  trio,  in  which  three  terrifically  healthy 
voices  join  and  give  their  all.  This  amounts  to  an  impressive  dis- 
play; if  some  of  the  intonation  seems  less  than  perfect,  it  may  be 
that  the  old  recording  failed  to  pick  up  an  overtone  or  two.  The 
Slezak-Demuth  duo  shows  these  fine  artists  in  good  form,  and 
Battistini  pours  out  his  tone  generously,  if  not  very  rhythmically. 
The  Gilion  is  obviously  a  later  recording;  the  tenor  had  strong  high 
tones.  Ritter-Ciampi's  voice  is  unusually  warm  and  attractive  in 
Rosina's  air,  and  she  is  recorded  with  plenty  of  space  around  her. 
The  Badini  selection  is  good  vocal  characterization.  Alessandrini 
shows  unusual  agility,  if  also  a  prominent  vibrato  and  a  tendency 
to  shrillness. 

RUBBRA,    EDMUND    (1901-        ) 

Missa  in  honorem  Sancti  Dominici.    FSC,  Lawrence,  L  LL  805  (*Vaughan 

Williams:  Mass  in  G  minor). 

This  performance  has  a  melancholy  interest  in  that  the  conductor 
died  midway  in  the  recording.  His  work  was  finished  by  the  com- 
poser. I  find  I  have  to  get  used  to  the  British  manner  of  pronounc- 
ing Latin  all  over  again  every  time  I  hear  such  a  work  performed. 
The  recording  seems  a  little  close,  and  toward  the  end  of  this  Mass 
it  comes  perilously  near  to  overloading.  The  acoustics  of  the  hall 
where  it  was  made  seem  a  little  strange. 

SAINT- SAENS,   CAM/LLE    (7835-7927) 

Oratorio  de  Noel.     Suriany  s;  Huff,  m-s;  Rogers,   c;  Huff,  t;  Mullen,  b; 

San  Jose  State  College  Ch;  San  Jose  SO,  Jessen,  ML  MLR  7008. 

This  is  a  pleasant  work,  if  not  an  overwhelming  one,  by  a  master 
of  musical  resources.  The  performance  is  in  English,  and  is  repre- 
sentative of  good,  typical  church  choir  singing,  with  competent, 
unexciting  soloists.  The  contralto  avoids  some  of  the  low  notes 
in  the  score,  and  the  soprano  has  an  inclination  to  stridency.  The 
reproduction  is  brilliant  and  shallow,  with  the  balance  best  in  the 
final  chorus. 

Samson    et  Dalila.      Bouvier,   c;  Luccioni,   t;   Cabanel,   b;    Cambon,   bs; 

Medus,  bs;  POC  &  0,  Fourestier,  Vox  PL  8323  [2]. 

Originally   issued  in  this   country  by  Columbia  before   the  days  of 


Salnt-Saens/Satie  209 

LP,  this  recording  has  passed  into  the  hands  of  Vox,  and  has  been 
notably  improved  in  its  second  transfer  to  the  slow  speed.  Some- 
thing has  been  done  to  give  the  orchestra  and  chorus  a  greater 
richness  and  power,  and  the  soloists  have  increased  "presence," 
perhaps  a  little  too  much  for  the  good  of  the  balance.  The  per- 
formance might  be  called  "typical"  in  the  sense  that  it  could  have 
been  taken  directly  from  the  repertoire  without  extra  preparation  for 
recording.  There  is  neither  great  animation  nor  a  notable  standard 
of  precision  in  the  choral  singing  (so  important  in  this  oratorio- 
opera).  Bouvier,  a  good  artist  with  a  rich,  but  hardly  sinuous, 
voice,  is  musically  well  suited  to  the  leading  female  role,  though 
she  does  not  delineate  much  of  a  character.  For  this  the  conductor 
may  well  be  to  blame,  for  the  chorus  of  maidens  is  no  more  seduc- 
tive than  she.  Jose  Luccioni,  as  his  name  suggests,  seems  to 
combine  the  salient  features  of  the  Italian  school  of  singing  with 
the  French;  his  Samson  has  stature  and  power.  He  delivers  his 
lines  well;  again  it  may  be  the  conductor  who  holds  him  back.  The 
low-voiced  men  are  all  excellent  and  authentically  French. 

SAMMARTINi,    GIOVANNI    BATTISTA   (1701-1775) 

Fifth  Cantata  for  the  Fridays  in  Lent.     Tyler,  s;  Amadini,  c;  Bianchini. 

t;  ICO,  Jenkins,  HS  HSL  75. 

This  interesting  devotional  work  well  demonstrates  how  thin  was 
the  line  between  sacred  and  secular  music  in  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. The  moods  are  by  turns  dramatic  and  lyrical;  the  casual 
listener  today  would  hardly  find  his  thoughts  turning  toward  the 
church.  The  playing  of  the  orchestra  in  this  recording  is  notable 
for  its  precision  and  verve;  the  singing  is,  on  the  whole,  good. 
Amadini,  well  known  to  collectors,  cannot  guide  her  big  round  voice 
about  with  all  the  required  agility,  but  she  is  musical,  and  she 
shows  her  admirable  intelligence  in  her  lovely  aria.  Tyler  is  none 
too  tidy  in  the  recitative,  but  she  comes  through  gloriously  in  her 
air,  the  gem  of  the  entire  work.  Here  the  tone  of  the  orchestra  is 
quite  melting.    Bianchini  is  adequate  in  the  part  of  the  angel. 

SATIE,    ERIK    (1866-1925) 

Socrate.       Journeaux,    s;   Lindenfelder,    s;   Pebordes,    s;    Carpenter,   s; 
PPO,  Leibowitz,  Es  ES  510. 


Satie/ Scarlatti  210 

Perhaps  it  is  not  a  matter  for  surprise  that  Satie,  the  musical 
original  and  wit,  should  have  conceived  his  music  based  on  the 
Dialogues  of  Plato  all  in  the  soprano  range.  But  this  is  only  one 
of  the  idiosyncracies  of  a  strange  and  perhaps  wonderful  work.  The 
various  ladies  perform  their  parts  well,  and  Leibowitz  is  thoroughly 
at  home  in  this  music. 

SAUGUET,    HENRI    (7907-        ) 

Visions  infernals.  Conrad,  bs;  Garvey,  pf,  REB  2  (*Mouvements  du 
coeur,  a  cycle  by  Sauguet,  Milhaud,  Poulenc,  Auric,  Francaix,  and 
Preger). 

Our  only  recorded  example  of  Sauguet's  music  suffers  from  heavy 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  the  singer.  The  cycle  on  the  reverse 
holds  a  special  interest:  Doda  Conrad,  in  observance  of  the  Chopin 
centennial,  commissioned  a  group  of  outstanding  French  composers 
to  write  a  set  of  songs  in  a  style  reminiscent  of  his  great  compatriot. 

SCARLATTI,    ALESSANDRO    (1659-1725) 

Choral  Works,  etc. 

Motetto  di  Requiem.     Tinayre,  b;  ACS,  Morgenstern,  All  AL  87 (*P  orpora: 

Salve  Regina). 

Stabat  Mater.     Giancola,  s;  Truccato  Pace,  c;  Ch,  SVO,  Ephrikian,   Vox 

PL  7970. 

Tinayre  built  his  reputation  on  his  ability  to  locate  and  rehabilitate 
old,  forgotten  scores.  The  present  motet  is  a  good  example  of  his 
way  of  adapting  such  music  to  his  own  requirements.  Unfortunately, 
he  was  not  in  good  form  when  the  record  was  made.  The  notes  ac- 
companying the  Stabat  Mater  go  to  some  length  to  establish  a 
parallel  between  this  and  the  later  setting  by  Pergolesi.  Beyond 
question  the  popularity  of  the  latter  work  is  well  founded;  this  one 
would  stand  quite  comfortably  beside  it,  were  the  performance  less 
lethargic.  Perhaps  the  singers  are  weighted  down  by  the  solemnity 
of  the  occasion.    The  recording  is  also  weighted. 

Passio    D.N.    Jesu    Christi  secundum  Joannem.      Stern,    t;   Laurent,   b; 

Borden,  t;  St  Thomas  Ch,  New  Haven;  Yale  U  0,  Boatwright,  Ov  LP  1. 
This  striking  work  was  recently  discovered  in  manuscript,  and  the 


Scarlatti/Schillings  211 

performance  here  recorded  represents  in  all  probability  its  first 
since  the  lifetime  of  the  composer.  The  Passion  is  reputed  to  date 
from  between  1680  and  1685;  the  recording  was  made  in  1953. 
Surely  this  must  be  the  most  compact  of  all  Passions;  the  Latin 
text  is  scrupulously  set,  with  no  expansion,  no  repetition,  and  none 
of  the  meditations  introduced  by  Bach.  The  bulk  of  the  work  falls 
on  the  Evangelist  (as  usual,  a  tenor),  with  the  other  voices  and  the 
chorus  taking  their  appointed  parts  in  the  drama.  The  narrative  line 
is  of  extraordinary  eloquence  and  beauty;  Blake  Stern  sings  it  with 
tremendous  expressiveness.  The  not  very  strong  reproduction  has 
caught  something  of  the  atmosphere  of  the  church  in  which  it  was 
recorded,  with  nothing  too  close  upon  us. 

Opera 

II    Trionfo   dell'   Onore.      Zerbini,    s;   Pini,   m~s;   Berdini,    t;    etc.;  RIO, 

Giulini,  Cet  1223  [2], 

The  Triumph  of  Honor,  the  first  full-length  opera  of  Alessandro 
Scarlatti  to  reach  discs,  is  a  gay,  melodious  comedy.  The  perform- 
ance gives  evidence  of  rehearsal;  everything  seems  to  come  off, 
with  especial  distinction  in  the  priceless  second-  and  third-act 
quartets. 

Cantata 

Sulle    Sponde    del    Tebro.     Stich-Randall,    s;    SCAO,    Paumgartner,    Col 

CLPS  1035  f*Mozart:  Mia  speranza  adorata). 

This  disc  was  made  by  Teresa  Stich-Randall  while  a  Fulbright 
Fellow  in  Italy.  Since  the  recording,  she  has  enjoyed  enviable 
success  on  the  opera  stages  of  various  European  capitals.  Hers  is 
an  uncommonly  fine  voice,  and  her  artistry,  as  evidenced,  needs 
only  further  ripening.  She  is  inclined  to  be  reticent,  but  that  she 
can  overcome  this  is  indicated  strongly  at  the  climaxes  of  this 
cantata. 

SCHILLINGS,    MAX    VON    (1868-1933) 

Glockenlieder.   Anders,  t;  Prussian  St  0,  Heger,  U  URLP  7104  (*Britten: 

Les  Illuminations). 

Schillings  has  here  given  us  an  impressive  Wagnerian  piece,  very 
rich    and   sonorous.      Anders,   surrounded  by   the   full  and  glowing 


Schillings/ Schoenberg  212 

orchestra,  and  powerfully  recorded,  sounds  wonderful.  The  Carl 
Spitteler  text  is  missing  from  the  jacket  notes,  though  a  prose 
translation  is  given. 

SCHMITT,     FLORENT    (1870-        ) 

Psaume  XLVll.    Duval,  s;  BC;  PCO,  Tzipine,  An  35020. 

This  Psalm  has  been  hailed  as  "among  the  most  grandiose  con- 
ceptions of  modern  French  music."  The  recording  is  "official"  in 
that  it  was  made  under  the  composer's  supervision;  it  would  seem 
that  his  conception  must  be  completely  realized.  A  special  word 
of  praise  is  due  the  solo  of  Denise  Duval. 

SCHNABEL,    ARTUR    (1882-1951) 

Waldnacht;  Sieh  mein  Kind,  ich  gehe;  Tanzlied;  Das  Veilchen  an  den 
spanischen  Flieder;  Dann;  Fr'uhlingslied;  Marienlied;  Dieses  ist  ein 
reenter  Morgen;  Hyazinthen;  Die  Sperlinge.  Francoulon,  s;  H.  Schnabel, 
pf,  SPA  55  (*Concerto  for  Piano  and  Orchestra), 

Those  who  know  the  great  Beethoven  interpreter  by  his  later  atonal 
compositions  will  have  a  fresh  surprise  in  these  youthful  romantic 
lieder.  Francoulon's  voice  is  rich,  her  delivery  good,  so  that  we 
are  made  to  feel  the  effectiveness  of  the  word-setting.  The  com- 
poser's daughter-in-law  is  the  authoritative  pianist. 

SCHOENBERG,    ARNOLD    (1874-1951) 

Gurre-Lieder.       Semser,    s;    Tangeman,   m-s;   Lewis,    t;   Riley,    bs;   etc.; 

NSSPC    &  0,    Leibowitz,   HS  HSL    100   [3l      Vreeland,   s;   Bampton,  c; 

Althouse,  t;  Robovsky,  b;  etc.;  Ch  PHO,  Stokowski  V  LCT  6012  [2], 

Gurre-Lieder — Lied    der    Waldtaube.      Lipton,    m-s;    NYPH,   Stokowski, 

70"  C  ML  2140  (*Berg:  Wozzeck— Selections). 

There  is,  of  course,  no  comparison  between  the  two  full  recordings. 
Stokowski's  is  the  famous  set  made  at  a  Philadelphia  performance 
in  1932.  The  occasion  itself  was  memorable,  and  the  recording,  by 
one  of  those  happy  chances,  caught  not  only  an  amazing  amount  of 
the  music,  but  a  good  deal  of  charged  atmosphere.  The  three 
leading  singers  still  sound  impressive,  and  the  balance  with  the 
orchestra  is  quite  remarkable,  considering  the  record's  vintage; 
the  choral  parts,  not  unnaturally,  were  too  much  for  the  recording  of 
those    days.     All  in  all,   this   is  an  exciting  presentation  of  some 


Schoenberg  213 

magnificently  ripe  romantic  music.  The  new  version  has  all  the 
advantages  of  expansive  modern  reproduction,  and  it  works  its 
spell  under  the  guidance  of  a  gifted  and  versatile  conductor,  also 
one  of  the  world  authorities  on  Schoenberg.  Richard  Lewis  sings 
the  main  part  with  solid  tone  and  an  all-pervading  intelligence. 
Ethel  Semser  does  her  best  recorded  singing  to  date,  but  is  hardly 
in  a  class  with  the  radiant-voiced  Jeannette  Vreeland.  Nell  Tange- 
man  is  an  eloquent  Wood  Dove,  comparing  not  unfavorably  with 
Rose  Bampton,  who  gave  the  performance  of  her  career  on  the  great 
occasion.  It  is  interesting  to  watch  the  score  as  Morris  Gesell 
performs  his  speaking  part,  for  he  follows  faithfully  the  rise  and 
fall  indicated  by  Schoenberg's  notes — sketched  out  in  the  manner 
of  the  later-Schoenbergian  Sprechstimme.  The  choral  parts  are 
splendidly  sung;  I  am  sure  it  is  by  well-considered  design  that 
these  passages  seem  distant.  Only  at  the  end  it  seemed  to  me  as  if 
more  sheer  sound  were  needed.  There  is  one  place  where  the  or- 
chestra covers  a  singer's  voice,  and  this  to  poor  advantage:  the 
text  sung  by  the  Bauer  seems  to  me  too  important  to  be  thus  lost. 
A  fine  effect  in  the  orchestra  is  the  sound  of  the  ghostly  hunting- 
horns.  All  in  all,  this  is  a  monumental  set,  and  should  win  many 
friends  for  at  least  the  early  Schoenberg.  In  the  Waldtaube  excerpt, 
Martha  Lipton  sings  with  considerable  vocal  beauty,  once  her  voice 
is  warmed  up.  Her  delivery  of  the  words  iiTove  ist  stumm"  is  very 
lovely  indeed. 
Buck  der  h'dngenden  Garten.    Kibler,  c;  Albersheim,  pf,  Ly  LL  42. 

These  fifteen  settings  of  Stephan  George  poems  represent  the 
Schoenberg  of  1907-8.  Kibler  brings  to  them  a  pleasing  voice  and 
an  accurate  ear,  which  enables  her  to  move  around  cleanly  among 
the  difficult  intervals.  Only  occasionally,  when  the  composer  takes 
her  above  her  best  range,  does  she  seem  ill-at-ease.  The  voice  is 
well  reproduced;  not  so  the  piano. 
Erwartung.  Dow,  s;  NYPH,  Mitropoulos,  C  ML  5424  (*K.renek:  Sym- 
phonic Elegy). 

This  monodrama  is  a  tour  de  force,  and  a  cruel  assignment  for  any 
singer.  The  morbid  text — depicting  a  girl  who  comes  into  the 
woods  to  meet  her  lover,  then,  after  a  long  and  anxious  wait, 
stumbles  over  his  corpse — may  have  limited  appeal  in  our  genera- 
tion. Schoenberg  has  well  matched  this  effusion  in  his  music,  and 
the  performance  is  terrific. 


Schoenberg  214 

Songs 

Erwartung;  Jesus  bettelt;  Erhebung;  Waldsonne;  Hochzeitslied;  Free- 
hold; Traumsleben;  Alles;  Madchenlied;  Verlassen;  Ghasel;  Am  Wegrand 
Lockung;  Der  Wanderer;  Ich  darf  nicht  dankend;  In  diesen  Wintertagen. 
Steingruber,  s;  Haefner,  pf,  SPA  32. 

These  are  all  early  songs  ("Erwartung"  is  not  to  be  confused  with 
the  later  monodrama).  The  favorite  poet  is  Dehmel,  and  the  hot 
romanticism  of  his  texts  finds  eager  collaboration  in  the  music. 
The  vocal  lines  are  sometimes  angular,  and  there  are  long  skips, 
but  Steingruber  can  make  such  devices  seem  natural.  The  piano 
parts  are  not  simple,  nor  are  they  virtuoso  pieces  like  those  of 
Strauss.  The  soprano  s  tone  is  crystalline,  round,  and  enveloping 
at  times,  occasionally  a  bit  inclined  to  whiteness  in  the  lower 
register,  but  never  unpleasantly  so.  One  feels  that  she  and  her 
pianist  have  thoroughly  mastered  the  songs. 
Ode  to  Napoleon.  Adler,  speaker;  Ens,  Leibowitz,  Dia  3  (*Trio,  opus 
45). 

A  survivor  from  Warsaw;  Kol  Nidre.  Jaray,  speaker;  VKC;  VSY,  Swa- 
rowsky,  C  ML  4664  (*  Chamber  Symphony  No. 2). 

The  combination  of  Byron  and  Schoenberg  may  seem  ironic,  even 
as  the  composer's  intention  was  ironic  in  implying  a  parallel  be- 
tween Napoleon  and  a  certain  dictator  of  our  own  times.  Miss 
Adler's  voice  is  excellent  for  her  assignment;  its  very  softness 
heightens  the  effect  of  the  poem.  She  is  so  placed  that  every  word 
and  every  nuance  is  clear  to  the  listener,  yet  she  never  dominates 
the  ensemble,  seeming  to  come  from  within  it.  A  Survivor  from 
Warsaw  has  an  English  text  by  the  composer  himself,  delivered 
here,  perhaps  not  inappropriately,  in  a  thick  accent.  I  would  hesi- 
tate to  recommend  this  disc  to  anyone  but  a  complete  Schoenbergian. 
Pierrot  Lunaire.  Stiedry-W agner,  speaker;  Ens,  Schoenberg,  C  ML  4471. 
Adler,  speaker;  Ens,  Leibowitz,  Dia  16. 

Columbia's  LP  release  of  the  classic  recording  brings  back  a  docu- 
ment of  first  importance  in  modern  music.  Less  forward  in  repro- 
duction than  the  original  78-rpm  discs,  the  recording  has  also  de- 
veloped some  undesirable  peaks.  Though  the  surfaces  are  not 
silent,  they  are  less  assertive  than  in  the  older  version.  The 
estimable  Leibowitz  performance  lacks  not  only  the  superb  de- 
livery  of  Mme  Stiedry-Wagner,   but  the  personal  value  and  interest 


5 c/ioenterg/ Schubert  215 

of  the  late  composer  s  direction.  It  is,  of  course,  vastly  superior 
as  a  recording. 

SCHUBERT,    FRANZ   PETER   (1797-1828) 

Choral  Works 

Gesang  der  Geister  uber  den  Wassern.     VSOC;   VSY,  Krauss,    Vox  PL 

6480  (*Beethoven:  Choral  Fantasy). 

This  little-known  Goethe  setting,  somber  in  tone,  will  come  as  a 
surprise  even  to  most  more  or  less  complete  Schubertians.  It  is 
well  presented  under  the  knowing  hand  of  Clemens  Krauss. 

Mass  in  E  flat.    Rathauscher,  s;  Hofstaetter,  c;  Planyavsky,  t;  Equiluz, 

t;  Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Moralt,  Vox  PL  7840. 

This  very  Viennese  Mass  receives  a  dedicated  performance  at 
the  hands  of  competent  musicians.  Some  of  the  solo  singing  is 
tentative,  some  lovely.  Chorus  and  orchestra  evince  a  healthy 
enthusiasm,  if  not  always  perfect  precision.  For  the  most  part 
the  reproduction  is  effective,  though  in  spots  the  solo  voices 
come  out  too  strongly. 

Mass   in  G.     Ciannella,  s;  Keast,   bs;  SC;  RCAO,  Shaw,   V  LM  1784. 

(*Bach:  Motet,  Komm,  Jesu,  komm;  Brahms:  Choruses). 

Mass   in   G;  Miriams   Siegesgesang;   Hymne  an  die  Sonne.      Dutoit,   s; 

Planyavsky,   t;  Buchsbaum,   bs;  Neulinger,  s;    VKC;   VSY,   Grossmann, 

Vox  PL  7510. 

It  has  been  noted  that  in  all  his  Masses  Schubert  omitted  the 
passages  in  the  "Credo"  about  the  Church,  an  omission  emended 
in  the  Shaw  performance  by  a  simple  change  of  note- values.  Shaw's 
reading  is  less  imposing  and  passionate  than  Grossmann's.  To 
the  advantage  of  the  Chorale,  the  American  voices  are  less  vibrant 
than  the  Viennese;  the  effect  of  both  chorus  and  orchestra  is 
neater,  smoother.  But  the  soloists  who  have  their  say  in  the 
lovely  iiBenedictus"  show  less  assurance  than  those  with  the 
Austrian  group.  The  soprano,  especially,  needs  to  come  out  of 
her  shell,  for  she  has  fine  vocal  material.  Miriam's  Song  of  Tri- 
umph is  a  kind  of  extended  anthem,  which  Schubert  never  got 
around  to  orchestrating.  The  Hymn  to  the  Sun  is  a  pleasing,  wholly 
neglected,  repertoire  piece. 

Widerspruch;  Nachthelle;  Liebe;  Psalm  23;  Geist  der  Liebe;  Der  Gon- 


Schubert  216 

delfahrer;  Die  Nachtigall;  Das  D'orfchen;  Im  gegenw'drtigen  Vergangenes: 

Kmentt,  t;  VKC,  Grossmann,  Vox  PL  6870. 

An  den  Fruhling;   Widerspruch;   La  Pastorella;  St'dndchen;  Sehnsucht. 

Krebs,  c;  SC;  pf,  Shaw,  10"  V  LM  81. 

Psalm  23;  Stdndchen;  Der  Gondelfahrer;  La  Pastorella;  Die  Nachtigall. 

Vienna  Choir  Boys;  pf,  Grossmann,  Cap  P  8085  (*German  Folk  Songs). 
Considerable  duplication  will  be  noted  here.  But  hearing  the 
lovely  setting  of  the  Twenty-third  Psalm  sung  first  by  men,  then 
by  boys,  amounts  to  two  different  experiences.  With  all  due  re- 
spect to  the  men,  I  find  the  Wiener  Sangerknaben  very  moving  in 
this  music.  Schubert  arranged  many  of  his  choruses  for  varying 
groups,  so  no  question  of  correctness  concerns  us  here.  But 
whereas  the  voice  of  Beatrice  Krebs  is  appealing  enough  in  the 
"Standchen"  (not  to  be  confused  with  the  celebrated  song  in  the 
Schwanengesang),  that  of  the  Viennese  boy  is  irresistible.  A 
more  recent  Vienna  Choir  Boys  concert,  including  "Standchen" 
and  "La  Pastorella,"  is  technically  an  improvement  on  the  re- 
cording considered  here,  but  I  felt  less  magic,  somehow,  in  the 
performance  of  these  pieces  (C  ML  4873). 

Opera 

Der  hausliche  Krieg.     Steingruber,   s;  Dutoit,   s;   Roon;  s;   Berry,   bs; 

etc.;  VKC;  PRCO,  Grossmann,  Vox  PL  8160. 

This  disc  takes  in  the  entire  musical  score  of  Schubert's  opera. 
Presumably  there  must  be  a  good  deal  of  spoken  dialogue  to  bring 
the  work  to  normal  length.  The  cast  performs  capably  and  with 
spirit.  Outstanding,  perhaps,  is  Elisabeth  Roon,  to  whom  falls 
the  very  pretty  romance,  "Ich  schleiche  bang  und  still  herum." 
The  reproduction  is  acceptable,  though  not  without  an  edge. 
Neither  libretto  nor  any  sort  of  translation  is  provided  with  the 
record. 

Incidental  Music 

Rosamunde — Incidental  Music.      Rossl-Majdan,    c;    VKC;    VSO,    Dixon, 

W  WL  5182. 

Though  the  drama  by  Helmine  von  Chezy,  for  which  Schubert  wrote 
this  music,  is  long  since  lost,  the  overture  and  ballet  music  re- 
main among  the  all-time  favorites  of  the  concert  hall.  Here  the 
whole  musical  score  is  performed  with  controlled  energy  and  nice 
balance.  The  lovely  "Romanze"  is  not  unknown  on  recital  pro- 
grams;   Rossl-Majdan  sings  it  tastefully.     The  choruses  are  es- 


Schubert  217 

pecially  delightful.  The  overture  played  is  not  the  better-known 
one  (originally  composed  for  another  work,  Die  Zauberharfe)  but 
that  borrowed  from  Alphonso  und  Estrella  for  the  disastrous  Rosa- 
munde  production  of  1823. 

Songs 

Die  schone  Mullerin.  Fischer-Dieskau,  b;  Moore,  pf,  HMV  ALP  1036/7 
[2],  Schi6tz,  t;  Moore,  pf,  V  LCT  1048.  Ludwig,  t;  Raucheisen,  pf, 
D  DL  9648.  Munteanu,  t;  Holetschek,  pf,  W  WL  5291.  Singher,  b; 
Ulanowshy,  pf,  CH  CHS  1114.  A.  Dermota,  t;  H.  Dermota,  pf,  L  LL  971. 
Of  the  six  singers  here  listed,  three  have  the  range  to  perform  the 
songs  in  their  original  keys.  Schubert  wrote  the  cycle  for  tenor, 
and  the  burden  of  interpretation  is  just  that  much  heavier  on  a 
baritone.  But  in  speaking  of  tenor  Aksel  Schi^tz  and  baritone 
Fischer-Dieskau,  such  considerations  count  for  little.  Each  is  a 
musician  of  the  first  rank;  each  has  the  penetration  and  the  mastery 
of  diction  to  make  his  points  with  the  text.  Both  are  well  matched 
in  these  recordings  with  the  piano-playing  of  Gerald  Moore.  Un- 
fortunately, Schi^tz's  recording  is  a  transfer  from  the  78-rpm  set 
made  a  decade  or  so  ago,  and  it  is  not  so  successful  in  its  new 
form.  Some  of  the  songs  are  incomparably  performed,  but  a  great 
deal  has  been  lost.  Fischer-Dieskau,  on  the  other  hand,  benefits 
from  the  most  recent  recording  (all  the  better  for  the  spacing  on 
two  discs  instead  of  one),  so  that  every  tone  of  his  handsome 
voice,  every  inflection,  and  every  color  with  which  he  illuminates 
the  poems,  come  through  will  full  effect.  The  reproduction  is 
somewhat  less  kind  to  Moore,  for  the  tone  of  the  piano  is  not  alto- 
gether natural.  Of  the  other  four  singers,  Ludwig  has  the  most 
beautiful  voice,  and  he  is  a  sensitive  artist,  though  perhaps  more 
at  home  in  opera  than  in  lieder.  Munteanu  has  less  of  tonal 
charm;  his  voice  has  a  somewhat  "flabby"  quality,  a  lack  of  hard 
core.  The  contrasts  between  his  loud  and  soft  singing  are  alto- 
gether too  marked.  With  this  equipment,  his  singing  of  the  cycle 
is  admirable,  if  not  particularly  ingratiating.  As  for  Singher,  he 
has  undoubtedly  absorbed  a  good  deal  of  the  essential  German 
style  from  his  father-in-law,  the  late  Fritz  Busch,  but  he  is  less 
in  his  element  than  are  his  tenor  rivals.  His  is  an  interesting 
performance,  but  in  the  long  run  less  satisfying.  Dermota,  another 
opera  singer,  should  have  given  a  better  account  of  himself  than 
he  has.  His  tones  are  marred  by  an  occasional  bleaty  quality,  and 
his  treatment  of  the  songs  is  often  free  where  it  should  be  steady. 


Schubert  213 

Since  the  above  was  written,  the  Fischer-Dieskau  recording  has 
been  given  domestic  release  (V  LHMV  6),  but  on  a  single  disc. 

Schwanengesang.     Herbert,  b;  Waldman,  pf,  Al  All  3089.     Munteanu,  t; 

Holetschek,  pf,  W  WL  5165. 

Das    Fischermadchen;    Die    Stadt;    Am   Meer;    Der   Doppel ganger;    Die 

Taubenpost.    Lichtegg,  t;  Haeusslin,  pf,  10"  L  LD  9093. 

In  reality  Schwanengesang  is  no  cycle  at  all,  but  a  grouD  of  four- 
teen Rellstab,  Heine,  and  Seidl  settings  published  after  Schubert's 
death.  Although  they  group  effectively,  there  is  actually  no  con- 
nection between  them.  Among  the  songs  are  several  of  the  most 
famous  in  the  entire  literature.  The  two  singers  who  have  re- 
corded the  whole  set  are  real  artists,  but  neither  is  particularly 
persuasive  here.  Herbert's  is  a  solid  voice,  heavy  for  some  of 
the  songs;  Munteanu 's  is  on  the  light  side.  Whereas  Herbert  is 
the  more  successful  in  the  dramatic  iiDopp  el  ganger"  Munteanu  is 
better  suited  to  "Liebesbotschaft."  Westminster's  is  the  better 
recording.  Lichtegg  is  another  light  tenor:  he  sings  the  most  som- 
ber songs  he  has  chosen  in  an  open  tone  of  voice,  pleasant  enough 
in  itself,  but  not  long  on  color  and  nuance.  His  best  offering  is 
the  final  song,  "Die  Taubenpost,"  a  piece  that  wears  its  heart  on 
its  sleeve.  The  piano  is  quite  overbalanced  by  the  voice  through- 
out the  set. 

The  English  edition  of  Fischer-Dieskau's  recording  of  Beethoven's 
An  die  feme  Geliebte  (HMV  ALP  1066)  is  coupled  with  the  five 
Heine  songs  from  this  set,  only  three  of  which  are  included  on  the 
American  disc  (V  LHMV  1046).  The  performances  are  masterly, 
and  the  less  crowded  record  is  clearer  in  sound. 

Die  Winterreise.     Came,   t;  Moore,  pf,   W  WL   5087/8  [2].     Hotter,  bs; 

Raucheisen,   pf,   D  DX  111   [2].     Schmitt-W alter,   b;   Giesen,  pf,  L  LL 

702/3  [21 

Our  first  consideration  here  should  concern  original  keys:  of  the 
three  singers  listed,  only  one  is  a  tenor,  and,  for  all  their  somber 
coloration,  these  songs  were  composed  for  high  voice  (to  be  sure, 
manuscripts  exist  of  some  of  them  transposed).  I  believe  one  rea- 
son why  the  cycle  so  often  tends  to  be  dull,  monotonous,  and  un- 
relievedly  gloomy  is  that  as  a  rule  only  heavy-voiced  singers  at- 
tempt it.  Aside  from  this  generality,  Victor  Came  has  other  points 
in  his  favor.  Not  a  professional  singer,  he  is  an  official  of  the 
EMI  concern  in  England.  His  is  not  a  sensuous  voice,  but,  a 
pupil  of  Elena  Gerhardt,  he  quite  obviously  understands  and  feels 


Schubert  219 

what  he  is  singing  about.  Failing  a  reissue  of  the  classic  per- 
formance of  Gerhard  Husch,  something  can  be  said  for  both  bass- 
baritones.  Neither  artist  is  any  longer  in  his  vocal  prime;  tonally 
Schmitt-Walter  is  the  more  ingratiating  because  the  quality  of  his 
voice  is  lighter.  Hotter,  one  of  the  great  singing-actors  of  our  day, 
is  dramatic  without  being  quite  operatic.  Schmitt-Walter  has  a 
tendency  to  mouth  his  words;  Hotter,  too,  is  somewhat  "loose"  in 
his  diction.  Hotter  holds  the  attention  more  firmly,  but  Schmitt- 
Walter  is  the  more  even  vocally.  An  earlier  selection  of  six 
songs  from  this  cycle  sung  by  the  latter  (Cap  P  8123)  is  alto- 
gether less  satisfactory. 

Li ebe shots chaft;  Der  Erlkonig;  Standchen;  Der  Tod  und  das  Madchen; 

Gretchen  am  Spinnrade;  Die  Forelle;  Ave  Maria.     Anderson,   c;  Rupp, 

pf,  10"  V  LM  98. 

Most  of  these  Schubert  interpretations  have  long  been  known  to  us. 
The  singer  is  best  in  the  lighter  songs,  though  she  has  obviously 
put  much  admirable  thought  and  care  into  her  "Erlkonig."  She 
has  recorded  "Der  Tod  und  das  Madchen"  a  number  of  times,  here 
not  quite  so  successfully,  I  think,  as  in  the  first  essay,  back  in 
the  early  thirties. 

Suleika,  I  &  II;  Der  Hirt  auf  dem  F els  en.     Berger,  s;  Schick,  pf;  Op- 

penheim,  clar;  10"  V  LM  133  (*Mozart:  II  Re  Pastore — Aria). 

The  two  Suleika  songs  are  rarely  heard;  the  second  one,  especially, 
is  top-flight  Schubert,  and  one  must  be  grateful  to  Erna  Berger  for 
recording  it.  She  has  the  field  to  herself,  so  far  as  LP  goes,  in 
the  long  piece  with  clarinet  Der  Hirt  auf  dem  Felsen.  The  singing 
is  cool  and  proficient,  most  effective,  to  my  ears,  in  the  allegretto 
section  of  Der  Hirt.    The  voice  tends  to  overbalance  the  piano. 

Dem  Unendlichen;  Erlafsee;  Der  Wachtelschlag;  Im  Walde;  Die  Liebe 

hat  gelogen;  Ellens  zweite  Gesang;  Das  Lied  im  Grunen.     Glaz,  m-s; 

Mueller,  pf,  MGM  E  3055  (^Schumann:  Songs). 

Fahrt  zum  Hades;  Schafers  Klagelied;  Fischerweise;  Die  Manner  sind 

mechant;  Du  liebst  mich  nicht;  Des  Madchens  Klage;  Wehmuth;  Seligkeit. 

Glaz,  m-s;  Rosenstock,  pf,  Ren  X  15. 

There  is  a  good  deal  of  variety  in  these  two  programs:  were  there 
as  much  in  the  singing,  indeed,  the  two  discs  would  place  among 
the  great  ones.  But  ideally  so  broad  and  noble  a  song  as  "Dem 
Unendlichen"  demands  a  bigger  voice  than  that  of  Herta  Glaz; 
the  combination  of  intelligence  and  amplification  do  not  quite 
overcome    the    essential    lack.       On    the    other   hand,    "Erlafsee" 


Schubert  220 

wants  lighter  treatment,  a  less  serious  approach.  So  on  through 
the  recitals:  the  darker  songs  emerge  the  more  successfully;  the 
gayer  moods  need  an  extra  lift.  Perhaps  the  major  contribution  is 
"Fahrt  zum  Hades,"  an  inexplicably  neglected  song.  The  MGM 
reproduction  is  considerably  better  than  the  Renaissance. 

Goethe  Songs:  Heidenroslein;  Gesange  des  Harfners;  Geheimes;  Rast- 

lose  Liebe;  An  Schwager  Kronos;  Meeres  Stille;   Ganymed;  Wanderers 

Nachtlied;    Der  Musensohn;   lagers   Abendlied;   Erlkonig.      Herbert,   b; 

Waldman,  pf,  All  AL  27. 

Herbert,  whose  voice  is  by  all  odds  too  heavy  for  "Heidenroslein," 
strikes  a  norm  somewhere  between  this  and  the  blustering  of  "An 
Schwager  Kronos."  Obviously  out  of  his  element  in  the  first  of 
these,  whether  through  his  or  Waldman 's  inclination,  he  cuts  the 
latter  into  even  squares.  Perhaps  his  most  successful  song  is 
"Der  Musensohn,"  which  he  allows  to  gallop  its  own  way. 

Viola;  Die  Blumensprache;  Der  Blumen  Schmerz.     Lemnitz,  s;  Rauch- 

eisen,  pf,  (J  URLP  7013.(*Lemnitz  Recital). 

Heimliches  Leben.    Lemnitz,  s;  Raucheisen,  pf.    Hoffnung;  Der  Jilngling 

an  der  Quelle;  Nachtstuck.    Erb,  t;  Reutter,  pf.     Tischlied;  Tischlerlied; 

Der  Golds chmiedges ell.     Strienz,   bs;  Raucheisen,  pf.     (J  URLP   7047 

(^Schumann:  Songs  and  Duets). 

Lemnitz's  first  three  songs  take  up  one  entire  record  side,  run- 
ning, so  the  label  tells  us,  to  twenty-one  minutes.  Most  of  this  is 
consumed  by  "Viola,"  a  song  covering  fifteen  pages  in  the  Peters 
edition.  Variously  described  as  a  "floral  pageant.  .  .  no  more  than 
a  curiosity"  (Capell)  and  "not  the  longest  of  all  Schubert's  songs, 
though  it  is  by  far  the  most  perfect  and  beautiful  of  the  long  ones" 
(Tovey),  this  work  could  easily  lead  us  into  boredom  if  done  with 
less  exquisite  art.  The  singer  is  less  happy  in  her  contribution  to 
the  joint  program,  for  here  her  tone  is  infirm.  Karl  Erb,  whose 
years  entitle  him  to  be  called  patriarchal,  has  found  an  interesting 
little  piece  in  "Hoffnung,"  but  his  singing  is  almost  entirely 
staccato,  a  fact  that  proves  the  undoing  of  "Der  Jilngling  an  der 
Quelle."  After  a  more  promising  start,  "Nachtstucke"  suffers 
from  the  same  ailment.  Strienz 's  three  songs  are  of  a  more  hearty 
type;  nothing  in  them  calls  for  subtlety.  The  piano  is  weakly  re- 
corded in  most  of  the  songs,  and  in  one  or  two  I  heard  suggestions 
of  the  old  vibraphone  effect,  once  all  too  common  on  discs. 

Dithyrambe;  Lachen  und  Weinen;  Du  liebst  mich  nicht;  Das  Wirtshaus; 

Auf  dem  Wasser  zu  singen;  Nacht  und  Traume.    Niemela,  s;  Koskimies, 

pf,  WCFM  10  (*Haydn:  Songs). 


Schubert  221 

This  program  does  not  tax  Niemela's  lyric  voice  seriously,  though 
a  bigger  tone  would  make  more  of  a  song  like  "Dithyramb e,"  and 
we   usually  associate   a  male   voice   with   "Das   Wirtshaus,"  from 
Die    Winterreise.       "Lachen    und   Weinen"    is    delightfully    done, 
"Nacht    und    Traume"    beautifully   sustained;    the    smooth-flowing 
"Auf  dem  Wasser  zu  singen"  is  perhaps  best  of  all. 
Wohin?;    Ungeduld;    Eifersucht   und  Stolz;   Erstarrung;   Die  Post;    Die 
Krahe;    Ruckblick;    Fruhlingstraum;    Der  Wanderer  an   den  Mond;   Das 
Lied  im  Grunen;  Im  Fruhling;  Der  Kreuzzug;  Der  Musensohn;  Gott  im 
Fruhlinge;  Totengr'dber-W eise.    Schey,  b;  Reyners,  pf,  Pol  PRLP  1009. 
This   program    contains    enough   of  the   less   usual    to  warrant  ac- 
quiring the  disc — the  superb  "Wanderer  an  den  Mond,"  the  moving 
"Der  Kreuzzug,"  the  reverent  "Gott  im  Fruhlinge, "  and  the  nos- 
talgic   "Totengrdber-Weise."      But  it  would  be   too  much   to  say 
Schey's  singing  of  these  songs  is  a  revelation.     His  voice  is  past 
its    best  days;    his   artistry  does   not  quite  succeed   in  obscuring 
this  patent  fact. 

Die    Forelle;    Du   bist   die    Ruh';    Horch,    horch,    die  Lerch'l;   Heiden- 

roslein;     Das    Lied    im    Grunen;  Rosamunde — Romanze;    Ave    Maria. 

Schumann,    s;   Moore,    pf,    V  LCT  1126  f*Schumann:    Frauenliebe  und 

Leben). 

This  recital  has  been  pieced  together  out  of  the  rich  legacy  left  us 
by  Elisabeth  Schumann.  Most  of  the  recordings  date  back  to  her 
wonderful  days  in  the  thirties,  though  the  Rosamunde  piece  is 
later.  Almost  all  of  the  recital  is  exquisite — did  anyone  ever 
give  "Du  bist  die  Ruh  "  more  beautifully,  or  was  ever  singing  so 
invigorating  as  "Das  Lied  im  Grunen"?  My  one  reservation  con- 
cerns the  "Ave  Maria,"  with  its  orchestral  background.  Fine  as 
Schumann's  performance  is,  this  accompaniment  is  neither  appro- 
priate nor  matched  with  the  rest  of  the  program. 

An  die  Musik;  Im  Fruhling;  Wehmuth;  Das  Lied  im  Grunen;  Ganymed; 

Gretchen   am   Spinnrade;    Nahe   des    Geliebten;    Die  junge   Nonne;   An 

Sylvia;    Auf   dem    Wasser    zu    singen;    Nachtviolen;    Der  Musensohn. 

Schwarzkopf,  s;  Fischer,  pf,  An  35022. 

Schwarzkopf  is  inevitably  charming,  best  in  the  lighter  songs  de- 
spite the  rather  dark  characteristic  color  of  her  voice.  She  is  an 
artist  with  imagination,  sometimes  going  too  far  in  the  underlining 
of  words  and  the  careful  turning  of  phrases.  One  feels  occasion- 
ally, as  in  her  rather  fussy  "Im  Fruhling,"  that  the  long  line  of 
the  whole  composition  is  lost  in  detail.     "An  die  Musik"  she  con- 


Schubert  222 

ceives  on  a  smaller  scale  than  many  singers,  making  it  intimate 
rather  than  noble.  Her  "Wehmuth"  is  dark  and  somber;  "Das  Lied 
im  Griinen"  is  light,  but  not  as  infectious  as  Schumann's.  Nor  is 
"Nahe  des  Geliebten"  held  together  with  a  wizardry  comparable 
to  that  great  artist's.  Her  "Die  junge  Nonne"  is  in  the  passionate 
tradition.  The  fact  that  Edwin  Fischer  assists  at  the  piano  holds 
out  more  promise  than  fulfillment.  Apparently  he  believes  an  ac- 
companist should  provide  only  a  modest  background  for  the  singer, 
and  in  this  he  is  abetted  by  rather  weak  recording.  Nor  does  he 
make  much  of  the  spinning  wheel  figure  in  "Gretchen  am  Spinnrade.  " 

Der  Jungling  und  der  Tod;  Der  Jungling  an  der  Quelle;  Der  Wanderer  an 

den   Mond;   Ihr   Bild;   Liebesbotschaft;   Der  Schiffer;    Ganymed;   Erster 

Verlust;  Die  Forelle;  Nacht  und  Tra'ume.     Souzay,  b;  Bonneau,  pf,  10" 

L  LS  655. 

Gesang  des  Harfners,  no.  1;  Fischerweise;  Der  Wanderer;  Der  Doppel- 

ganger;  Heidenroslein;  Der  Erlkonig.     Souzay,   b;  Bonneau,  pf,  L  LLP 

245  (*Faure:  Songs). 

Souzay's  voice  is  too  light,  too  characteristically  French  in  tex- 
ture, to  be  ideal  in  Schubert,  though  some  may  find  this  a  relief 
from  the  characteristic  somberness  of  so  much  German  singing.  In 
the  heavier  songs,  such  as  "Der  Wanderer"  and  "Der  Doppel- 
ganger,"  he  is  obviously  miscast,  and  he  is  as  out  of  place  as  are 
most  men  in  "IJeidenroslein."  His  "Erlkonig"  is  best  described 
as  an  interesting  try.  On  the  other  hand,  "Fischerweise"  comes 
through  gaily,  and  I  liked  best  of  all  the  folksy  little  ballad  "Der 
Fischer."  The  balance  is  good  on  the  whole,  but  the  voice  over- 
whelms the  piano  in  "Erlkonig,"  of  all  songs! 

L'incanto   degli  occhi;  II  iraditor  deluso;  II  modo  di  prender  moglie; 

Der  Kampf.      Symonette,    bs;  Masiello,   pf,    Col  CLPS  1002.   (*Brahms: 

Ernste  Gesange). 

Symonette  impresses  even  more  in  the  light-weight  Italian  arias 
Schubert  wrote  for  the  great  basso  Lablache  than  in  his  better- 
than-presentable  singing  of  the  Brahms  overdisc.  For  their  rarity 
these  pieces  are  doubly  welcome.  There  are  some  not  quite  com- 
fortable high  tones  in  "Der  Kampf." 

Lied  der  Mignon;  An  die  Nachtigall;  1m  Fruhling;  Im  Abendroth;  Gott 

im  Fruhlinge;  Die  Gebusche.    Warner,  s;  Rupp,  pf,  C  ML  4365  (*Mozart: 

Songs). 

Simply  as  a  program,  this  is  one  of  the  best  records  we  have  had: 
each  song  is  a  gem,  and  not  one  is  over-familiar.  Warner  s  voic=; 
is  unusually  rich  and  appealing;   given  a  little  more   time   to  ma- 


Schubert/ Schumann  223 

ture,  she  may  become  a  distinguished  singer  of  songs.  At  present 
her  performance  is  very  listenable  but  not  strong  in  profile,  so  that 

a  whole  side  of  these  lieder  may  seem  monotonous.     Taken  one  at 

a  time,  the  songs  will  be  found  charming. 

SCHUMANN,    ROBERT   (7870-7856) 

Songs 

Dichterliebe.  Schi^tz,  t;  Moore,  pf.  Panzera,  b;  Cortot,  pf.  V  LCT 
1132  (two  performances  coupled  on  one  disc).  Ludwig,  t;  Raucheisen, 
pf,  10"  D  DL  7525.  Lehmann,  s;  Walter,  pf,  C  ML  4788  (*Frauenliebe 
und  Leben).  Bernac,  b;  Casadesus,  pf,  10"  C  ML  2210. 
Dichterliebe;  Du  bist  wie  eine  Blume;  Gestandnis;  Der  Nussbaurn;  Der 
Sandmann.    Souzay,  b;  Bonneau,  pf,  L  LL  940. 

The  best  two  performances  are  the  oldest,  now  issued  on  two  sides 
of  one  disc  in  Victor's  "Treasury"  series.  Pride  of  place  goes  to 
Schiotz,  because  his  voice  is  right  for  the  original  keys,  but  his 
finely  conceived  and  executed  performance,  ably  partnered  by  the 
indispensable  Gerald  Moore,  is  no  longer  the  last  word  in  record- 
ing. Perhaps  even  more  sensitive,  certainly  freer  in  conception, 
is  the  companion  performance  by  Panzera.  Here  is  a  Frenchman 
who  has  thoroughly  assimilated  the  style  and  language,  and  he 
was  in  his  prime  when  the  recording  was  made.  Cortot,  a  Schu- 
mann interpreter  of  great  and  deserved  reputation,  gives,  if  not 
technically  the  most  perfect  account  of  the  piano  part,  surely  the 
most  penetrating  one.  Among  the  more  modern  recordings,  Ludwig 
is  the  singer  with  the  right  voice,  and  the  one  most  securely  in 
character.  He  shows  best  in  the  more  lyrical  moods,  just  as  Mack 
Harrell,  on  still  another  recording,  now  withdrawn  (10"  V  LM  29), 
did  his  best  in  the  dramatic  ones.  Souzay  has  carefully  and  skill- 
fully planned  his  interpretation;  his  German  diction  is  for  the  most 
part  excellent,  his  understanding  unimpeachable.  But  his  voice 
remains  French  and  foreign.  The  recording  listed  is  his  second 
of  the  cycle,  the  first  having  been  coupled  with  four  Hugo  Wolf 
songs  instead  of  the  extra  Schumann  (L  LL  535).  The  second  try 
shows  a  considerable  improvement  in  reproduction  and  balance;  at 
the  same  time  the  singer's  diction  has  been  touched  up  to  ad- 
vantage. Personally,  I  have  never  been  able  to  accept  Lotte  Leh- 
mann in  this  masculine  cycle,  especially  as  her  recording  is 
poorly  balanced  with  Walter's  reticent  piano-playing.  For  Bernac 
I   can  say  even   less,   though  many  admire   his   singing  of  these 


Schumann  224 

songs.  To  me  it  is  mannered  to  the  point  of  caricature,  and,  of 
course,  nowadays  little  is  left  of  his  voice. 
Frauenliebe  und  Leben.  Ferrier,  c;  Newmark,  pf,  L  LLP  271  (*Brahms: 
Ernste  Gesange).  Graf,  s;  Newmark,  pf,  10"  All  Al  4034.  Schumann, 
s;  Moore,  pf,  V  LCT  1126  (*Schubert:  Songs).  Lehmann,  s;  Walter,  pf, 
C  ML  4788  (*Dichterliebe).  Flags  tad,  s;  McAnhur,  pf,  V  LM  1738 
(*Flagstad  Recital).  Hongen,  c;  Leitner,  pf,  D  DL  9610  (*Loewe: 
Songs). 

Kathleen  Ferrier's  noble  instrument  is  a  joy  to  hear  in  these 
songs,  but  her  singing  is  a  little  too  grand  for  the  intimacy  of 
Schumann's  expression.  Still,  with  the  superiority  of  London's 
recording,  hers  must  be  the  preferred  Frauenliebe.  If  Ferrier's 
voice  stood  in  the  way  of  her  performance,  the  same  is  more  true 
of  Flagstad's.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  soprano  learned  the  cycle 
only  for  a  couple  of  her  farewell  recital*.  The  Schumann  recording 
is  a  memento  for  her  admirers  to  treasure,  but  I  am  not  sure  it 
should  ever  have  been  issued.  Inevitably,  there  are  certain  points 
in  the  performance  no  other  singer  could  match,  little  felicities 
of  expression  in  her  own  very  personal  manner,  but  as  a  whole  the 
cycle  is  hardly  a  success.  Lehmann's  presentation  is  of  course 
very  much  admired,  but  she  and  Bruno  Walter  are  subjected  to 
weak  and  poorly  balanced  recording.  Hongen's  voice  is  fluttery  in 
her  performance;  the  chief  value  of  the  disc  is  Greindl's  singing  of 
Loewe  on  the  reverse.  Which  leaves  Uta  Graf,  a  fine  sensitive 
artist  with  the  imagination  to  point  up  the  words  and  make  them 
count.  She,  too,  is  poorly  recorded,  For  some  reason  Marian 
Anderson's  intelligent  performance  has  not  been  put  on  LP,  and 
the  very  excellent  singing  of  Astra  Desmond  on  78-rpm  London  is 
all  but  forgotten. 
Liederkreis,  opus  39.  Banco,  s;  Agosti,  pf,  10"  L  LS  590.  Warfield, 
b;  Herz,  pf,  C  ML  4860  (*Brahms:  Ernste  Gesange).  Sydney,  m-s; 
Loibner,  pf,   Van  VRS  411  (* Brahms:  Songs). 

Danco's  singing  of  this  Eichendorff  cycle  is  easily  the  best;  her 
style  is  excellent,  her  tone  lovely.  Only  here  and  there  she 
misses  a  point  a  German  singer  might  have  made.  It  is  a  pleasure 
to  hear  so  limpid  a  voice  float  through  the  ethereal  lines  of 
"Mondnacht,"  and  all  the  quieter  songs  are  beautifully  performed. 
William  Warfield  is  not  really  happy  in  the  cycle,  which  is  cer- 
tainly better  suited  to  a  woman's  voice.  Listening  to  his  "Waldes- 
gesprach"  is  enough  to  give  an  idea  of  what  the  baritone  lacks: 
there  simply  is  no  drama  in  the  dialogue.     And  in  "Mondnacht,' 


Schumann/Schutx  22.D 

where    Danco's    tone    so    beautifully   envelops    us,    Warfield's    is 
hardly   exciting.      Sydney's   voice   and  style   should  equip   her  for 
this  music,  but  she  has  obvious  and  persistent  faults  that  detract 
from   the    total   effect.      Concentrating,   apparently,   on  vocal  rich- 
ness rather  than  purity  of  line,  she   commits  the  sin  of  so  many 
deep-voiced  ladies,  padding  the  upper  reaches,  where  she  should 
point    the   tone,   with    a   consequent   sag   in   pitch    and   a   lack  of 
support. 
Im  Wald;  Die  Spinnerin;  Die  letzten  Blumen  sterben;  Die  Soldatenbraut; 
Erstes  Griin,  Zigeunerliedchen;  Ichwand're  nicht;  Auftrage;  Melancholic 
Glaz,  m-s;  Mueller,  pf,  MGM  E  3055  (*Schubert:  Songs). 
Marzveilchen;  Schneeglockchen.    Lemnitz,  s;  Raucheisen,  pf.    Wiegen- 
lied;  Unter'm  Fenster;  Familiengem'dlde.    Lemnitz,  s;  Anders,  t;  Rauch- 
eisen,  pf.      Die  Kartenlegerin;   Lust  der  Sturmnacht;   Friihlingsnacht. 
Klose,  c;  Raucheisen,  pf.    U  URLP  7047  f*Schubert:  Songs). 
Lied  eines  Schmiedes;  Meine  Rose;  Kommen  und  Scheiden;  Die  Sennin; 
Einsamkeit;  Der  schwere  Abend.     Schloss,  s;  Brice,  pf,  IRCC  L-7000 
(*Franz,  Strauss,  Wolf:  Songs). 

All  this  neglected  repertoire  is  well  worth  hearing.  Glaz,  always 
a  proficient  and  serious  artist,  is  a  little  too  much  the  latter  in 
her  recital,  for  she  fails  to  get  the  needed  lift  into  her  gayer 
moods,  with  a  resulting  impression  of  monotony.  Taken  in  smaller 
doses,  her  record  is  a  very  worthy  one.  Lemnitz  is  at  her  best  in 
"Schneeglockchen,"  but  somewhat  fluttery  in  "Marzveilchen." 
Her  duets  with  Anders  are  pleasant  to  hear,  but  not  exciting. 
Klose,  though  essentially  an  opera  singer,  does  a  neat  job  on 
"Die  Kartenlegerin"  and  "Friihlingsnacht. "  The  opening  of  "Lust 
der  Sturmnacht"  is  a  bit  out  of  focus,  but  in  the  middle  section 
her  tone  and  line  are  lovely.  The  piano  is  weakly  recorded. 
Schloss  is  an  unusually  satisfactory  artist,  whose  ample  and  ap- 
pealing voice  is  always  put  at  the  service  of  the  composer.  She 
conveys  a  good  deal  of  the  mood  of  a  song  simply  by  the  quality 
of  her  tone. 

SCHUTZ,   HEINRICH   (1585-1672) 

Choral  Works 

Historia    von   der  Auferstehung.     Lindemeier,   s;  Muench,   c;    Berling, 
t;  Liebl,  t;  etc.;  Munich  Ch  &  Viol  Quint,  Schleiffer,  Mer  MG  10073. 

This  Resurrection  Story  is  easily  one  of  the  best  Schutz  record- 
ings.   As  in  the  Passions,  and  in  the  Christmas  Story,  the  burden 


Schutz  226 

of  the  work  is  carried  by  the  tenor  Evangelist,  other  soloists  and 
chorus  taking  their  parts  as  the  story  unfolds.  Berling,  the  Evan- 
gelist in  this  performance,  is  exceptionally  sensitive.  The  choral 
parts  are  a  few  degrees  less  satisfactory. 

Johannes-Passion.     Stemann,  t;  Hohmann,  t;  Milller,  bs;  SCS,  Grischkat, 

Ren  X  26. 

This  wonderful  work  should  be  required  listening  for  all  who 
would  study  the  Passions  of  Bach.  Here  the  story  is  told  in  the 
simplest,  most  direct  manner,  mostly,  of  course,  by  the  tenor 
Evangelist.  There  are  no  arias,  no  chorales,  not  even  any  ac- 
companiment, but  the  impact  is  tremendous.  The  performance  is 
not  all  it  might  be.  The  Evangelist,  Stemann,  has  a  way  of  halt- 
ing between  phrases  which  might  make  a  good  effect  were  it  not 
overdone.  The  reproduction  is  for  the  most  part  good,  though 
clouded  toward  the  end. 

Matthaus-Passion;  Symphoniae  Sacrae:  No.  9,  Frohlocket  mit  H'dnden; 

No.  10,  Lobet  den  Herrn.    Meili,  t;  etc.;  BCC,  Koch,  BG  519/20  [2]. 

Matthaus-Passion.    Stemann,  t;  etc.;  SCS,  Grischkat,  Ren  X  49. 

The  Stuttgart  presentation  is  painstaking  and  sincere,  with  credit- 
able work  by  the  Evangelist,  Klaus  Stemann.  Still,  though  the 
tenor  sings  with  more  freedom  here  than  in  the  St.  John  Passion, 
his  tendency  to  cut  the  narrative  into  yard-lengths  again  makes 
for  monotony.  Max  Meili 's  voice  shows  signs  of  age,  but  his 
artistry  is  intact.  His  performance  is  in  another  world  from 
Stemann's;  he  knows  the  value  of  every  word,  and  he  sings  with 
the  greatest  expressiveness,  intensity,  and  a  controlled  elasticity 
within  the  musical  structure.  The  other  soloists  measure  up  well, 
especially  the  high-voiced  Judas  and  a  Pilate's  Wife  who  leaves 
an  enduring  impression  with  her  one  line.  The  Berlin  chorus,  on 
its  mettle,  makes  us  realize  once  more  the  towering  genius  of 
Bach's  great  forerunner.  The  odd  side  of  the  set  is  filled  with 
two  Symphoniae  Sacrae  beautifully  sung  by  Meili. 

Musikalische  Exequien.     Bloecher,  s;  Brainerd,  s;  Pierce,  c;  Hess,  t; 

Squires,  t;  Matthen,  bs;  Cass,  bs;  Cantata  Singers,  Mendel,  REB  9. 

This  is  a  forgotten  masterpiece,  composed  in  memory  of  a  lamented 
royal  friend  and  patron.  The  text  is  made  up  of  scriptural  pas- 
sages that  had  been  favorites  of  the  departed,  and  were  carved  in 
the  marble  of  his  tomb.  Schutz 's  work  is  among  the  most  memor- 
able tributes  ever  paid  in  music.  Tr">  final  section,  with  the  text 
of  the  "Nunc  dimittis"  (in  German)  set  against  that  of  '  Blessed 
are  the  dead"  in  the  two  choirs,  is  unutterably  beautiful.     In  this 


Schutz  ZZl 

recording  the  first  choir  part  is  taken  by  the  soloists;  there  are 
some  lovely  solo  passages.  The  duet  for  two  basses  is  especially 
delightful. 
Die  sieben  Worte  Jesu  Christi  am  Kreuz;  Selig  sind  die  Toten;  Also 
hat  Gott  die  Welt  geliebt;  Der  Engel  sprach;  Ich  sterbe,  siehe,  nun 
sterbe  ich;  Das  ist  je  gewisslich  wahr.  Rathauscher,  s;  Hofstaedter, 
b;  Berry,  bs;  VKC;  VSY,  Grossmann,  Vox  PL  6860. 

This    tempting   assortment    turns    out    to    be    somewhat   square    in 
performance.      The   music   is   lovely  in  all   conscience,    but  there 
are  better  Schutz  recordings. 
W eihnachts-Historie.     Bloecher,  s;  Hess,  t;  Matthen,  bs;  Cantata  Sing- 
ers; 0,  Mendel,  REB  3.     (In  Italian)  Rizzo,  s;  Filacuridi,  t;  Clabassi, 
bs;  Ch;  SCAO,  Caracciolo,  Col  CLPS  1034. 

The  Cantata  Singers  recording  was  made  following  a  performance 
of  the  Christmas  Story  given  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art  in 
New  York.  The  work  benefits  by  excellent  soloists,  especially 
William  Hess,  whose  Evangelist  may  be  hailed  as  a  masterpiece. 
The  reproduction  is  spacious  and  clear.  It  is  amusing  to  turn  to 
the  Italian  version  of  the  same  music.  Despite  a  curious  state- 
ment in  the  rather  more  than  curious  program  notes,  the  text 
sounds  strange  indeed  in  this  translation,  hardly  in  keeping  with 
Schutz 's  style  as  we  know  it.  We  are  not  told  what  edition  is 
used,  but  clearly  it  is  not  Arthur  Mendel's.  In  contrast  to  the 
Mendel  performance,  Caracciolo  favors  bigness  and  sonority;  the 
Evangelist's  part  is  hardly  recognizable.  For  the  rest,  the  work 
is  done  well  enough,  though  the  basso  representing  Herod  seems 
an  extremely  mild  man  for  the  part.  The  Angel  is  assisted  by  a 
choir  of  cherubs,  who  add  a  little  background  and  help  out  on  the 
long  sustained  final  notes  of  phrases.  The  last  chorus  is  rather 
square-cut.  Noises  indicate  that  this  recording  may  have  been 
made  at  a  public  performance. 
Die  Worte  der  Abendmahlseinsetzung;  Ich  weiss,  dass  mein  Erloser 
lebet.    SCS,  Grischkat,  Per  SPLP  519  (*Mozart:  Offertorium). 

These  two  beautiful  motets  are  among  the  best-performed  of  the 
Stuttgart  offerings.  They  are  rather  incongruously  coupled  with 
a  fairish  Mozart  performance,  but  on  their  own  merits  they  can  be 
recommended. 

For  Solo  Voices 

Kleine  geistliche  Konzerte — Eile  mich,    Gott,   zu  erretten;   Bringt  her 
dem  Herrn;  0  Silsser,  o  Freundlicher;  Ich  will  dem  Herrn  loben  allezeit; 


Schutz/ Shepherd  228 

Symphoniae  sacrae — Nos.  1,  3,  6,  7.     Cuenod,   t;   VSY  Ens,  Pinkham, 

W  WL  5043. 

Kleine  geistliche  Konzerte — Eile  mich,  Gott,  zu  erretten;  Was  hast  du 

verwirket;  Ich  danlce  dem  Herrn  von  ganzem  Herzen;  0  Siisser,  o  Freund- 

licher;  Ich  liege  und  schlafe;  0  misericordissime  Jesu;  Die  Furcht  des 

Herren.    Hess,  t;  Matthen,  bs;  Beaven,  org,  REB  10. 

Erbarm   dich.     Tinayre,   b;  ACS,  All  AL   79  (*Telemann:  Feste  pente- 

costae;  Kreidel:  Die  Liebe,  Die  Englein). 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  Cuenod  and  Hess- Matthen  discs  overlap 
considerably.  More  than  that,  Eile  mich,  Gott,  zu  erretten  is 
also  available  in  the  miscellaneous  programs  of  William  Warfield 
(C  ML  4545)  and  Suzanne  Danco  (10"  L  LS  698),  not  to  mention 
Max  Meili's  performance  in  the  old  78-rpm  Anthologie  Sonore  (AS 
28),  which  might  possibly  be  slated  for  transfer  to  LP  by  the 
Haydn  Society.  In  this  piece  Hess  gives  the  most  intense  and 
dramatic  performance,  singing  with  fine  freedom,  unimpeachable 
musicianship,  and  the  high  intelligence  that  always  marks  his 
work.  Cuenod's  program  may  sound  less  churchly  than  that  of 
Matthen  and  Hess,  because  he  sings  to  an  ensemble  including 
harpsichord,  while  they  are  accompanied  by  the  organ.  All  three 
artists  sing  with  distinction.  Cuenod  is  especially  impressive  in 
the  height  and  flexibility  of  his  voice,  Matthen  in  the  richness  and 
sincerity  of  his.  For  me  the  gem  of  the  two  programs  is  Matthen's 
Ich  liege  und  schlafe,  but  there  is  not  a  performance  in  the  lot  one 
would  willingly  sacrifice.  The  final  number  on  the  REB  disc  is  a 
duet.  Tinayre's  voice  had  lost  something  of  its  cunning  when  his 
recording  was  made.  The  music  he  sings  is  well  worth  having, 
but  it  is  merely  sketched  in  this  performance. 

SHEPHERD,    ARTHUR  (1880-         ) 

Triptych.  Kraft,  s;  Walden  Str  Qt,  SPAM  R  1  (*Koutzen:  Quartet  No.  2). 
This  cycle  of  Tagore  settings  is  a  product  of  the  twenties.  If  to- 
day we  seem  somewhat  removed  from  it,  this  is  true  in  the  same 
sense  of  the  poetry  itself.  It  is  interesting,  at  the  very  least,  to 
go  back  to  these  things  today.  Marie  Kraft  is  a  "composer's 
singer,"  a  dependable  and  understanding  musician  with  a  sweet, 
modest  voice. 


Shosfakovich/Smetana  229 

SHOSTAKOVICH,    DMITRI   (1906-         ) 

Song  of  the  Forests.    Petrov,  t;  Kilichewsky,  bs;  USSRC  &0,  Mravinsky, 

Van  VRS  422. 

Written  to  glorify  the  composer's  homeland  and  its  achievements, 
this  cantata  is  conservative  and  not  too  imaginative.  There  is  no 
gainsaying  Shostakovich's  skill  in  the  use  of  voices  and  instru- 
ments, but  the  fine  sonorities  he  achieves  do  not  strike  the  ear 
with  any  great  degree  of  novelty.  The  performance  is  filled  with 
zeal  impressively  reproduced. 

SIBELIUS,    JEAN   (1865-         ) 

S'df,  s'df,  susa;  Svarta  rosor;  Pa  veranden  vid  Hafvet;  Im  Feld  ein 
Madchen  singt;  Diamenten  pa  Marssnon.  Rautawaara,  s;  BPO;  Leitner, 
pf;  10"  Cap  L  8041  (*Rautawaara  Recital). 

1m  Feld  ein  Madchen  singt;  Varen  flyktar  hastigt;  Illalle;  Var  det  en 
drom?  Niemela,  s;  Koskimies,  pf,  WCFM  5  (*Grieg,  Kilpinen:  Songs). 
Aulikki  Rautawaara's  recital  has  a  special  interest,  for  no  singer 
has  more  consistently  championed  Sibelius  than  this  countrywoman 
of  his,  or  been  more  closely  identified  with  his  music.  In  this  re- 
cording the  soprano  maintains  a  good  norm,  making  dramatic  and 
emotional  points  without  quite  producing  a  major  thrill.  The  re- 
cording, in  its  original  form,  is  prewar,  some  of  it,  at  least,  going 
back  well  into  the  thirties.  Heard  thus  continuously,  it  is  not  con- 
sistent in  volume  or  sense  of  space,  for  something  has  been  lost 
in  the  transfer  to  LP.  The  patchwork  effect  is  furthered  by  the 
fact  that  some  of  the  songs  are  sung  to  the  piano,  some  orches- 
trally  accompanied.  None  has  too  much  realism;  in  those  with 
piano  there  is  some  wavery  pitch.  One  of  Rautawaara's  offerings 
is  repeated  in  the  more  modern  recording  of  Niemela.  Her  lyric 
voice  is  always  sweet  and  expressive,  and  she  has  a  generous 
share  of  style  and  interpretative  talent.  One  curious  shortcoming 
is  a  lack  of  support  in  some  of  the  softer  and  lower  passages,  a 
fault  probably  magnified  by  the  microphone. 

SMETANA,    BEDRICH   (1824-1884) 

The  Bartered  Bride  (Prodana  nevesta).  Musilova,  s;  Kovar,  t;  Kalas, 
bs;  etc.;  Prague  Nat'l  Th  Ch&O,  Vogel,  U  URLP  231  [3].    (In  German) 


Smetana,  Spontini  230 

Richter,  s;  Hauser,   t;  Bohme,   bs;  etc.;  BCOC  &  0,  Lenzer,   U  URLP 

210  [3]. 

Here  is  a  demonstration  of  the  effect  of  translation  on  an  opera. 
If  one  accepts  the  German  language  in  this  very  Czechish  music, 
the  second  performance  is  excellent.  Especially  notable  is  the 
Kezal  of  Kurt  Bohme.  The  reproduction  is  extremely  full  and 
roomy,  rather  on  the  loud  side,  but  very  clear.  The  balance, 
though  not  altogether  consistent,  is  better  than  that  of  many  opera 
sets.  Coming  to  the  Czech  performance  is  like  emerging  from 
shade  into  broad  sunlight.  One  does  not  need  to  understand  a 
word  of  the  language  in  order  to  join  the  fun:  the  very  sound  of 
the  text  is  often  uproariously  funny.  The  cast  is  eminently  satis- 
factory, longer  on  teamwork  than  on  prima  donna  show,  but  all 
possessed  of  better  than  average  voices.  The  tempos  are  lively 
and  bright — almost  perilously  fast  in  the  overture — and,  to  men- 
tion but  one  scene,  the  sextet  has  much  of  the  great  beauty 
Smetana  conceived  in  it.    The  recording  sound  is  excellent. 

SPOHR,    LUDVtIG   (1784-1859) 

Six   Songs   for  Mezzo-Soprano,    Clarinet  and  Piano.      Rowland,    m-s; 

Weber,  clar;  Mittman,  pf,  STR  609  (*Grand  Nonette). 

I  suspect  that  this  nostalgic  reminder  of  the  high  days  of  nine- 
teenth-century romanticism  could  have  a  stronger  appeal  than  it 
exerts  in  this  competent  recording.  Alice  Howland's  dusky  voice 
blends  well  with  the  clarinet,  and  she  sings  the  music  cleanly 
enough.  However,  no  score  or  text  was  available  to  me  as  I  lis- 
tened to  the  record,  and  I  had  no  more  than  the  very  sketchy  pro- 
gram notes  to  guide  me  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  songs.  Only  a 
very  occasional  word  came  over  to  me  in  the  singing. 

SPONTINI,    GASPARO   (7774-7857) 

La    Vestale.      Vitale,    s;   Nicolai,   m-s;    Gavarini,    t;   Ferrein,    bs;   etc.; 

RIC  &  0,  Previtali,  Cet  1224  [2]. 

La  Vestale,  a  classic  of  the  post-Gluck  generation,  is  remembered 
in  America  as  one  of  Rosa  Ponselle's  great  starring  operas.  Its 
melodies  are  conceived  along  broad,  noble  lines;  a  like  nobility  in 
performance  is  a  major  requirement,  which  accounts  for  the  infre- 
quency  of  Spontini  revivals.  The  recording  cast  is  not  equal  to 
this  requirement,  but  manages  to  convey  an  impression  of  the  com- 
poser's music.     Fortunately,  Ponselle  left  us  two  of  the  arias  in 


Spontini/Straus  231 

one  of  her  great  recordings,  now  available  in  an  LP  recital  (10" 
V  LCT  10). 

Arias 

La  Vestale — Sinfonia;  Inno  delta  sera;  Inno  mattutino;  Milton — Se 
stesso  amor;  Aria  di  Carlotta;  Romanza;  Triste  destin;  Olympia — 
Sinfonia;  Aupres  d9un  amant;  Fernando  Cortez — 0  Liberia  mia.  Fiery, 
s;  Ferrigno,  m-s;  Pirino,  t;  Ch;  SCAO,  Caracciolo,  Col  CLPS  1030. 

This  cross-section  of  Spontini  contains  some  beautiful  singing, 
especially  by  Mirella  Fiery,  and  some  that  is  at  the  least  pre- 
sentable enough.  The  recording,  especially  of  the  orchestral 
parts,  is  variable,  at  best  rather  restricted  in  range. 

STAINER,   SIR  JOHN  (1*40-1901) 

Crucifixion.     Van  der  Gucht,  t;  Noble,  b;  Whitehall  Ch;  org;  Helliwell, 

CH  CHS  1110  [21 

This  is  a  fairly  typical  church  rendering,  even  to  the  tenor  with 
the  over-careful  diction,  the  baritone  showing  signs  of  age,  and 
the  organist  to  whom  registration  is  more  important  than  rhythm. 
The  Anglican  hymns,  which  occupy  a  place  similar  to  that  of 
Bach's  chorales,  are  sung  with  familiar  earnestness,  and  with  a 
good  pause  for  breath  before  each  new  stanza — never  a  stanza  is 
omitted.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  elemental  appeal  that  has  kept 
the  work  popular,  the  acceptance  of  Stainer's  music  and  Sparrow- 
Simpson's  text  because  of  what  they  stand  for — these  things  may 
well  make  another  best-seller  of  this  recording. 

STRAUS,   OSKAR  (1870-1954) 

Ein  Walzertraum.    Opawsky,  s;  Christ,  t;  etc.;  Ch  &  0,  Straus,  Per  RL 

1903. 

Die  letzte  Walzer.     Opawsky,  s;  Christ,  t;  etc.;  Ch  &  0,  Straus,  Per 

RL  1904. 

It  must  have  been  a  satisfaction  to  the  late  composer  to  leave  be- 
hind these  two  productions,  with  blue-ribbon  casts  under  his  own 
direction.  The  better-known  of  the  two  works,  and  by  all  odds  the 
better,  is  the  perennial  Waltz  Dream,  with  its  infectious  title 
theme,  enough  in  itself  to  keep  the  score  alive.  The  two  leading 
singers  in  both  casts  are  known  for  recordings  of  far  different 
types,  but  seem  very  much  in  their  element  here.    Rudolf  Christ  is 


Straus/  J.  Strauss  232 

the  real  star  of  both  operettas;  his  voice  is  pleasantly  open  in 
quality,  his  style  at  times  recalling  Tauber.  His  are  a  beautiful 
diction  and  an  easy  delivery — his  handling  of  the  famous  melody 
with  the  words  "Leise,  ganz  leise"  is  magical.  Opawsky  pushes 
her  voice,  perhaps  in  the  interests  of  characterization;  her  sing- 
ing is  more  or  less  typical  of  continental  prime  donne  in  this  type 
of  show.  The  choral  passages  have  their  ragged  edges,  but  the 
orchestral  sound  is  powerful  and  lush.  The  recording  is  a  shade 
raw. 

STRAUSS,   JOHANN  (1825-1899) 

Die  Fledermaus.  Gueden,  s;  Lipp,  s;  Wagner,  c;  Patzak,  t;  Dermota,  t; 
Poell,  bs;  etc.;  VSOC;  VPH,  Krauss,  L  LLP  281/2  [2].  (In  English) 
Welitch,  s;  Pons,  s;  Lipton,  c;  Tucker,  t;  Kullman,  t;  etc.;  MOC  &  0, 
Ormandy,  C  SL  108  [2].  (In  English;  Abridged)  Resnik,  s;  Munsel,  s; 
Stevens,  m-s;  Melton,  t;  Peerce,  t;  Merrill,  b;  etc.;  SC;  RCAO,  Reiner, 
V  LM  1114. 

The  Viennese  version  is  one  of  the  great  modern  recordings,  a 
well-nigh  perfect  cast  attuned  to  the  style  of  the  music  and  enter- 
ing into  the  spirit  of  the  comedy  with  rare  good  humor  and  sense 
of  the  theater.  This  is  Fledermaus,  no  two  ways  about  it.  Wilma 
Lipp  is  a  wonderful  Adele;  she  gets  just  the  right  injured  tone 
into  "Mein  Herr  Marquis,"  and  "Spiel  ich  die  Unschuld"  is  know- 
ingly delivered.  The  clear  but  delicate  orchestra  background  to 
the  first  of  these  airs  is  one  of  the  features  of  the  set.  Gueden's 
"Czardas"  is  tremendous,  and  the  beginning  of  the  great  ensem- 
ble "Bruderlein  und  Schwesterlein"  is  almost  beautiful  enough  to 
bring  tears.  One  realizes  in  listening  how  perfectly  this  music 
fits  its  text.  The  Metropolitan  version  was  a  popular  success,  and 
is  said  to  have  made  possible  more  serious  productions  in  the 
house.  We  should  therefore  treat  it  with  respect.  The  truth  is, 
however,  that  translators  Dietz  and  Kanin  have  made  a  Broadway 
show  out  of  this  Viennese  operetta.  And  aside  from  the  glamour 
of  their  names,  one  can  think  of  no  reason  why  some  of  the  stars 
were  assigned  the  roles  they  sing.  Victor,  using  the  translation 
of  Ruth  and  Thomas  Martin,  may  be  a  little  less  wide  of  the  mark, 
and  its  cast  seems  to  me  considerably  better  vocally.  As  a  set  of 
highlights  rather  than  a  performance,  this  recording  has  little  con- 
tinuity, but  it  does  contain  the  best-loved  tunes. 


J.  Strauss  Zoo 

Eine  Nacht  in  Venedig.     Rethy,  s;  Bosch,  s;  Schober,  s;  Friedrich,  t; 

Jerger,  b;  etc.;  Bregenz  Fest  Ch;  VSY,  Paulik,  C  SL  119  [2]. 

This  is  not  quite  Grade-A  Strauss,  and  though  it  is  sung  with  rel- 
ish, it  is  not  quite  a  Grade-A  performance  (so  high  is  the  standard 
set  by  London's  Fledermaus).  It  is,  however,  full  of  waltzes,  and 
this  will  be  enough  to  give  a  lot  of  pleasure. 

Tausend  und  eine  Nacht.     Seegers,  s;  Mentzel,  s;  Groh,  t;  Car  ell,  b; 

etc.;  RBC  &  0,  Dobrindt,  U  URLP  203  [2]. 

This  operetta,  which  began  life  as  Indigo  in  1871,  was  the  com- 
poser's first  success  in  the  theater.  It  was  transformed  after  his 
death  by  the  substitution  of  a  reputedly  much-improved  libretto. 
It  is  given  an  excellent  idiomatic  performance  in  this  recording, 
the  company  including  several  bright  young  soprano  voices,  a 
second  tenor  with  the  usual  thin  tone  but  lots  of  style,  and  of 
course  the  star,  Herbert  Ernst  Groh,  who  recalls  Tauber.  The  last 
side  is  filled  in  with  an  orchestral  performance  of  the  Strauss 
waltz  Seid  umschlungen,  Millionen. 

Wienerblut.   Beilhe,  s;  Richter,  s;  Streich,  s;  Hauser,  t;  Hoppe,  b;  etc.; 

BCOC  &  0,  Lenzer,  U  URLP  209  [2]. 

This  is  a  pasticcio  on  which  Strauss  was  working  at  the  time  of 
his  death.  It  was  completed  by  his  musical  executor,  Adolf  Miil- 
ler.  The  score  is  full  of  familiar  tunes  and  whole  waltzes,  de- 
lightful enough  in  themselves,  but  not  adding  up  to  a  strongly  in- 
tegrated whole.  Given  as  it  is  here,  without  dialogue,  it  does  not 
make  much  sense,  but  it  can  be  enjoyed  for  the  exuberant  music. 
The  performance  is  pleasant,  headed  by  the  attractive-voiced  Irma 
Beilke,  with  Traute  Richter  as  an  able  second.  Sebastian  Hauser 
is  a  Viennese  tenor  in  the  right  tradition,  with  a  voice  inclined 
toward  nasality.  As  usual  with  Urania,  the  recording  is  strong 
and  brilliant. 

Der  Zigeiwerbaron.     Zadek,  s;  Loose,  s;  Anday,  c;  Patzah,  t;  Poell, 

bs;  etc.;  VSOC;  VPH,  Krauss,  L  LLP  418/19  [2].    (Highlights)  Barabas, 

s;  Siebert,  s;  Milinkovic,  c;  Christ,  t;   Edelmann,  b;  Broun,  bs;  etc.; 

VKC;  VSY,  Moralt,  Ep  LC  3041. 

A  cast  essentially  identical  with  that  of  London's  Fledermaus 
does  similar  honors  to  the  second-best  Strauss  masterpiece.  Pat- 
zak  makes  a  superb  Barinkay,  singing  with  eclat  and  charm,  but 
Loose  walks  away  with  the  honors  for  exceptional  singing.  I 
found  Zadek  disappointing;  she  has  neither  the  spark  nor  the  vo- 
cal finish  to  do  justice  to  the  "Gypsy  Song."    She  has  a  tendency 


J.  Strauss/R.  Strauss  234 

to  sag  below  the  center  of  the  pitch.  Anday,  a  real  veteran,  sounds 
like  one,  though  she  is  in  better  voice  than  in  some  other  recent 
recordings.  Poell  is  splendid.  There  are  a  number  of  cuts,  in- 
cluding the  second  stanzas  of  two  of  the  principal  numbers.  Hear- 
ing the  Epic  abridgment,  we  realize  that  actually  it  was  Clemens 
Krauss  who  made  the  London  set,  for  Moralt  has  neither  his  mas- 
tery of  detail  nor  his  rhythmic  lift.  Christ  is  a  good  operetta 
tenor,  but  he  lacks  Patzak's  subtlety;  Barabas  has  even  less  of 
the  needed  vocal  brilliance  than  Zadek;  Milinkovic,  however,  has 
more  voice  to  give  than  Anday.  An  even  tighter  abridgment  en- 
lists the  competent  services  of  Maud  Cunitz,  Walther  Ludwig,  and 
Hans  Hopf,  acceptably  recorded  (10"  Mer  MG  15005).  In  none  of 
these  performances  is  the  lovely  duet  "Wer  uns  getraut"  given  its 
full  due. 

STRAUSS,    RICHARD  (1864-1949) 

Choral  Works 

Taillefer.      Cebotari,  s;  Ludwig,   t;  Hotter,  bs;  LC;  RBO,  Rother,   U 

URLP  7042  (^Divertimento  after  Couperin). 

Wanderers    Sturmlied,    opus    14.      VKC;    VSY,    Swoboda,    W    WL    5081 

(*Brahms:  Gesang  der  Parzen;  N'dnie). 

Taillefer  dates  from  1903,  following  the  famous  tone-poems  but 
antedating  the  great  operas.  It  has  the  earmarks  of  both,  telling 
in  its  Uhland  text  the  story  of  the  battle  of  Hastings,  with  una- 
bated excitement  throughout.  There  is  fine  solo  singing  by  Lud- 
wig and  Hotter,  the  late  Cebotari  sounding  only  somewhat  less 
well.  The  coupling  of  the  Wanderers  Sturmlied  with  Brahms's  last 
two  choral  pieces — generally  acknowledged  among  his  best — 
gives  us  an  opportunity  to  observe  how  the  younger  composer 
picked  up  where  the  older  man  left  off,  his  own  romantic  ardor  not 
quite  making  up  for  the  serene  mastery  of  his  model.  The  Strauss 
gets  the  better  singing  on  this  disc. 

Operas 

Elektra.      4.  Konetzni,   s;  Ilitsch,   s;  Modi,   c;  Klarwein,   t;  Braun,  b; 
etc.;  FMC  &  0,  Mitropoulos,  Get  1209  [2]. 

Elektra — Final  Scene.     Schluter,  s;  Welitch,  s;  Widdop,  t;  Schoeffler, 
b;  etc.;  Ch;  LPO,  Beecham,  V  LCT  1135. 


R.  Strauss  235 

Elektra — Highlights.     Goltz,  s;  Hbngen,   m-s;  Frantz,   b;  BAV,  Sold, 
D  DL  9723. 

All  three  of  these  recordings  are  outstanding  in  separate  ways;  all 
are  uncommonly  exciting,  though  the  first  two,  at  least,  would  no 
longer  stand  up  under  scrutiny  simply  as  recordings.     The  com- 
plete set  was  made  at  a  public  performance,  with  audience  noises 
and   applause.     It  has  the  aura  of  presence,  with  the  feeling  of 
stage  depth  and  the  reproductive  inequalities  that  go  with  these 
things.     The  singing  is  not  exceptional,  but  the  orchestra  makes 
up  for  whatever  the  vocalists  lack,  the  conductor  being  altogether 
in  his  element.     The  Beecham  and  Solti  selections  overlap;  but 
whereas   the  former  dispenses  with  the  part  of  Klytemnestra,  the 
latter  has  no  Chrysothemis.    The  second  side  of  the  Beecham  disc 
is  all  material  after  the  end  of  the  Solti.    Beecham' s  Elektra,  Erna 
Schl liter,  makes  a  haunting  thing  of  the  repeated  name  "Orest'." 
Goltz,  on  the  other  hand,  has  what  seems  a  bigger  voice,  and  is 
more   consistently  steady  tonally.     Hongen,  in  the  Solti  perform- 
ance, does  a  miracle  of  characterization  with  a  voice  not  quite  im- 
pressive enough;  both  Frantz  and  Schoeffler  are  sonorous  and  dig- 
nified   as   Orestes.      Welitch's   Chrysothemis   is   a   good  foil  for 
Schliiter's  Elektra.    The  balance  in  the  Decca  set  is  not  natural, 
but  effective:  the  voices  stand  out  a  little  more  than  they  could  in 
life,  but  this  is  to  the  benefit  of  the  singers'  diction.    In  the  Vic- 
tor recording  the  balance  was  exceptional  when  the  set  was  first 
issued,   and  even  today  is  impressive.     The  Strauss  connoisseur 
perhaps  will  want  to  own  all  three  of  the  Elektra  recordings. 
Der   Rosenkavalier.      Reining,    s;   Jurinac,    s;   Gueden,    s;    Weber,   bs; 
Dermota,    t;   etc.;   VSOC;   VPH,  Kleiber,  L  LLA  22  [4].     Baumer,  s; 
Lemnitz,  s;  Richter,  s;  Bbhme,  bs;  etc.;  DOC;  SAX,  Kempe,  U  URLP 
201  [4].     Ursuleac,  s;  Milinkovic,  m-s;  Kern,  s;  Weber,  bs;  etc.;  MSOC 
&  0,  Krauss,   Vox  PL  1774  [4].     (Abridged)  Lehmann,  s;  Olszewska, 
c;  Schumann,  s;  Mayr,  bs;  etc.;  VSOC;  VPH,  Heger,  V  LCT  6005  [2]. 
Der  Rosenkavalier — Finale,  Act  1;  Finale,  Act  3.     Lemnitz,  s;  Milin- 
kovic, m-s;  Trbtschel,  s;  WSTO,  Leitner,  D  DL  9606. 
Der  Rosenkavalier — Presentation  of  the  Rose,  Act  2;  Finale,  Act  2. 
Schwarzkopf,  s;  See  fried,  s;  Hermann,  c;  Weber,  bs;  VPH,  Ackermann, 
10"  C  ML  2126. 

The   Marschallin,   central  figure  though  not  the  title  role  in  this 
opera,  is  a  lady  beset  with  the  realization  that  she  is  beginning  to 


R.  Strauss  236 

age.  There  may  be  some  justice,  therefore,  in  the  selection  of 
singers  for  this  part  in  all  three  of  the  "complete"  sets,  though 
only  one  of  them  provides  much  in  the  way  of  aural  pleasure. 
Baumer  and  Ursuleac  were  fine  singers  in  their  day,  and  at  one 
time  must  have  been  more  than  acceptable  Marschallins;  but  in 
these  recordings  realism  is  carried  too  far.  Both  are  victims  of 
the  wide  tremolo.  Reining,  though  past  the  first  bloom  of  her 
sweetly  lyrical  voice,  is  magnificent  when  the  range  of  the  music 
does  not  tax  her.  There  are  a  few  high  notes  at  which  she  rather 
pecks,  but  in  the  lower-lying  conversational  passages  she  de- 
livers with  dignified  authority.  There  are  plenty  of  memorable  de- 
tails— for  example,  her  disillusioned  "Mein  lieber  Hyppolyte," 
her  understated  "Ich  hab'  ihn  nicht  einmal  gekusst,"  and  her 
beautifully  poised  tone  on  "die  silberne  Rose"  at  the  end  of  the 
first  act.  Of  the  three  Oktavians,  only  one  is  the  mezzo-soprano 
specified  by  Strauss,  but  she  is  also  the  least  appealing  of  the 
three.  Jurinac  gets  off  to  a  slightly  twittery  start,  but  for  the 
most  part  she  sings  beautifully.  Lemnitz  is  also  excellent,  though 
her  voice  is  less  youthful  and  fresh.  Gueden  seems  to  me  the 
best  of  recent  Sophies,  though  Kern  is  still  a  good  one  and  Richter 
is  more  than  acceptable.  Weber,  whose  Ochs  is  shared  by  Vox 
and  London,  does  more  legitimate  singing  than  I  have  heard  from 
any  other  in  the  part,  notably  some  mezza  voce  one  would  hardly 
expect  in  this  music.  Bohme  is  effectively  unctious.  Dermota's 
singing  of  the  tenor  ^ria  in  the  London  set  is  worth  special  men- 
tion. Of  the  three  sets,  only  London's  is  actually  uncut;  it  is 
also  the  most  recent  and  the  most  satisfactorily  recorded.  One 
might  have  expected  the  most  revealing  reading  of  the  score  from 
Clemens  Krauss,  but  he  is  hampered  by  the  quality  of  some  of  the 
singing.  London's  balance  is  sometimes  less  than  perfect:  in  the 
second-act  Oktavian-Sophie  duet,  "Mit  ihren  Augen  voll  Tranen," 
the  voices  are  too  strong.  But  the  set  is  not  only  the  best  of  the 
three:  it  is  an  outstanding  performance. 

The  Victor  abridgment  is  a  classic.  The  cast  was  the  finest  that 
could  be  assembled  in  the  thirties,  with  Lehmann,  Schumann,  and 
Mayr  in  roles  that  will  always  be  associated  with  their  names. 
Olszewska  may  not  have  been  the  very  prince  of  Oktavians,  but 
was  deservedly  famous  in  the  part.  The  transfer  to  LP  is  reason- 
ably successful.  Decca's  selections  take  over  Urania's  Oktavian 
— Lemnitz — for  the  Marschallin  role,  and  share  the  Vox  Oktavian, 
Milinkovic.      Lemnitz  has  the   imagination  and  style  for  the  new 


R.  Strauss  237 

role,  but  the  whole  performance  seems  scaled  down  to  match  her 
limited  volume.  She  never  strains.  This  may  be  called  a  "dreamy" 
performance.  The  Columbia  disc,  with  the  "Presentation,"  is  in- 
teresting, but  not  really  satisfactory.  The  lyric  voices  of  Schwarz- 
kopf and  Seefried  are  too  similar:  one  who  is  not  intimate  with  the 
score  will  have  difficulty  visualizing  boy-meets-girl  in  their  ton- 
ally lovely  singing.  In  the  second  scene  it  is  good  again  to  hear 
Weber's  genuine  and  unspent  voice  as  Baron  Ochs.  The  name  of 
the  conductor  is  omitted  on  the  first  side  of  the  record;  it  might 
better  have  been  from  the  second,  where  the  orchestral  playing 
should  have  been  better. 

Salome.     Goltz,  s;  Kenney,  m-s;  Patzak,  t;  Dermota,  t;  Braun,  b;  etc.; 

VPH,  Krauss,  L  LL  1038/9  [2].    Wegner,  s;  Milinkovic,  m-s;  Szemere, 

t;  Metternich,  b;  etc.;  VSY,  Moralt,  C  SL  126  [2]. 

The  late  Clemens  Krauss  left  himself  a  masterly  memorial  in  his 
recording,  one  of  the  finest  reproduced  operas  we  have  had.  Goltz, 
whose  Salome  has  been  familiar  for  several  years  in  a  now  super- 
seded earlier  recording  (Oc  OCS  302  [2]),  has  grown  even  beyond 
the  intensity  of  that  performance,  and  she  is  aided  by  superlative 
reproduction.  Not  only  does  the  tone  of  her  voice  convey  the 
character  of  Herodias's  daughter,  but  details  in  the  text  stand  out 
as  I  have  never  heard  them  before.  The  final  apostrophe  to  the 
head  of  Jokanaan  is  magnificent.  But  this  is  not  altogether 
Goltz's  show,  for  Patzak  presents  a  consummate  Herod.  If  Goltz's 
diction  is  admirable,  his  is  superb.  Every  word  he  sings  stands 
out  as  if  spoken  by  a  great  actor  (it  must  be  admitted  Strauss  made 
this  easier  for  him  than  it  could  ever  be  for  the  soprano).  His  ca- 
joling speech  before  Herod  finally  breaks  down  and  grants  Sa- 
lome's request  calls  for  further  superlatives.  Braun's  Jokanaan 
has  dignity  to  afford  relief  in  the  tension  of  the  psychopathic 
drama;  if  some  of  his  high  tones  are  not  too  easily  produced,  this 
is  somehow  in  keeping  with  the  character.  A  special  word  is  due 
Dermota,  whose  Narraboth  is  as  complete  a  delineation  as  those 
of  the  principals.  Kenney,  as  Herodias,  is  acceptable,  if  not  up 
to  this,  standard.  When  all  is  over,  she  has  left  little  impression. 
The  smaller  parts  are  taken  mostly  by  singers  thoroughly  familiar 
to  record-buyers  in  this  country,  artists  often  cast  in  stellar  roles. 
And  through  it  all,  the  orchestra  plays  with  a  splendor  neither 
earlier  recording  in  any  way  approaches.  This  is,  after  all, 
Krauss's  performance.  Only  one  small  criticism  seems  in  order: 
the   break  before  the  last  side  occurs  at  the  tense  moment  when 


R.  Strauss  238 

Herod  is  about  to  give  way  to  Salome;  something  is  lost  by  the 
necessary  pause. 

The  Columbia  recording  is  by  no  means  so  beautifully  balanced  as 
the  London,  though  it  remains  a  good  job.  Wegner's  voice  sounds 
smaller  and  less  intense  than  Goltz's,  and  she  is  less  genuinely 
at  home  in  the  part  of  Salome  (I  understand  the  recording  was  her 
debut  in  it).  Her  tone  has  a  curious  way  of  thinning  out  in  the  up- 
per reaches.  It  must  be  conceded,  however,  that  her  intonation  is 
more  secure  than  her  rival's.  The  Herod  is  admirable  until  we 
have  heard  Patzak's,  and  the  Jokanaan  is  good  and  solid,  though 
he  sets  no  standards  for  breadth  of  utterance.  The  Herodias  is 
light-weight;  she  does  not  have  enough  tone  for  the  climaxes.  To 
make  Jokanaan  sound  sufficiently  sepulchral,  he  seems  actually  to 
have  been  put  in  a  cistern  or  a  sounding-chamber.  There  is  some 
unevenness  in  the  reproduction,  and  the  voices  are  certainly  too 
prominent. 

At  the  time  of  Ljuba  Welitch's  debut  at  the  Metropolitan,  she  and 
Fritz  Reiner  (who  made  his  bow  the  same  evening)  made  a  record- 
ing of  the  finale  (C  ML  4795).  Much  of  the  excitement  of  the  great 
occasion  has  thus  been  preserved.  One  regrets  that  the  entire 
opera  was  not  recorded  or,  at  least,  that  Herod's  final  disgusted 
speech  was  omitted.  A  more  surprising  performance  was  left  us 
by  the  late  Maria  Cebotari,  under  the  direction  of  Arthur  Rother 
(U  URLP  7036).  The  soprano  had  no  trouble  encompassing  the 
wide  range  of  the  music,  but  hers  was  essentially  a  lighter  voice, 
less  suggestive  in  quality  than  that  of  Welitch  or  Goltz.  She  was 
spaciously  recorded.  There  is  a  curious  orchestral  concert  end- 
ing to  the  scene. 

Aria 

Ariadne   auf  Naxos — Zerbinetta's  Recitative  and  Aria.      Hollweg,   s; 

LSO,  Krips,  10"  L  LPS  250  (*Mozart:  Arias). 

This  is  the  first  recording,  I  believe,  of  the  incomparably  taxing 
coloratura  aria  in  the  original  unsimplified  version.  It  is  carried 
off  with  diabolical  glee;  the  voice  is  really  exciting. 

Songs 

Six  Songs  on  Poems  by  Clemens  Brentano,  opus  68.     Berger,  s;  Rau- 
cheisen,  pf,  D  DL  9666  (*  Brahms:  Songs). 

This    cycle   is  something  of  a  specialty  with  Erna  Berger.     Few 


R.  Strauss  239 

singers,  indeed,  could  attempt  to  compete  with  her  in  singing  it. 
The  flashes  of  coloratura  recall  Maria  Ivogiin.  The  songs  are  tre- 
mendously long  and  elaborate,  and  it  may  be  charged  that  they 
rove  beyond  the  proper  limits  of  the  lied.  Still,  if  a  singer  can 
carry  off  the  showy  passages  of  the  second  song,  then  sustain  the 
elevated,  very  Straussian  mood  of  the  third,  the  listener  is  not 
likely  to  be  bothered  with  considerations  of  formal  propriety.  Cer- 
tainly Erna  Berger  has  recorded  nothing  finer  than  her  singing  of 
these  songs. 
Morgen;  Standchen;  Traum  durch  die  Dammerung;  Zueignung;  Freund- 
liche  Vision.    Danco,  s;  Agosti,  pf,  10"  L  LS  699  (*Mozart:  Songs). 

Danco,   as  always,  is  the  complete  musician;  her  singing  of  the 
quieter    songs   has   admirable   poise    and  reserve.      She   does   not 
leave  the  beaten  track  in  her  repertoire,  but  treats  the  songs  to  an 
unusual  display  of  sheer  effective  vocalism. 
Hat  gesagt — bleibt's  nicht  dabei;  Ach  Lieb',  ich  muss  nun  scheiden; 
Die  Nacht;  Schlagende  Herzen;  Schlechtes   Wetter;  Einerlei;  Morgen. 
Felbermayer,  s;  Graef,  pf.    Winterliebe;  Ruhe,  meine  Seele;  Waldselig- 
heit;   Das  Rosenband;  Im  Spatboot;  Nichts;   Traum  durch  die  Damme- 
rung; Mein  Herz  ist  stumm.    Poell,  b;  Graef,  pf.    Van  VRS  431. 

Here  is  a  program  well  balanced  between  the  familiar  and  the  vir- 
tually unknown  Strauss.  Anny  Felbermayer,  according  to  the 
jacket  notes  aged  twenty-four  when  the  recording  was  made,  has  a 
meltingly  lyrical  voice  and  the  right  simple  approach  for  lieder 
singing.  If  the  gift  of  penetrating  humor  could  be  added  to  her  as- 
sets, she  might  well  be  spoken  of  as  a  logical  successor  to  the 
late  Elisabeth  Schumann.  Perhaps  her  best  efforts  are  "Ach 
Lieb',  ich  muss  nun  scheiden,"  and  the  exuberant  "Schlagende 
Herzen";  I  am  grateful,  too,  for  her  unsentimental  treatment  of  the 
often  abused  "Morgen"  and  for  the  unexaggerated  flexibility  of 
her  "Heimkehr."  Dr.  Poell,  who  might  be  to  Schlusnus  what  Fel- 
bermayer is  to  Schumann,  is  always  the  intelligent  artist,  though 
occasionally  a  high  note  taxes  him  noticeably  or  a  lower  one  finds 
him  a  little  insecure.  His  "Ruhe,  meine  Seele"  has  weight  and 
authority,  and  the  rhapsodic  "Waldseligkeit"  comes  off  brilliantly. 
Breit  uber  mein  Haupt  dein  schwarzes  Haar;  Allerseelen;  Zueignung; 
Cacilie;  Pilgers  Morgenlied;  Hymnus.  Janssen,  b;  Mayer,  pf;  Taubman, 
pf;  0,  10"  Et  ELF  491. 

This  collection  is  made  up  of  previously  unavailable  recordings, 
some  apparently  taken  from  broadcasts.  The  recording  quality  is 
inevitably  variable  both  as  regards  the  voice  itself  and  as  to  gen- 


R.  Strauss  240 

eral  acoustics,  which  suggest  the  old-fashioned  "studio  take." 
Most  unusual,  and  in  all  respects  most  valuable,  are  the  two  big 
orchestral  songs  on  the  second  side  of  the  disc,  which  allow  the 
singer's  voice  to  spread  itself. 

Four   Last  Songs;   Arabella — Aber  der  Richtige;   Das   war  sehr  gut, 

Mandryka.   Delia  Casa,  s;  Gueden,  s;  Poell,  b;  VPH,  Moralt,  L  LL  856. 

Four  Last  Songs;   Capriccio — Closing  Scene.     Schwarzkopf,   s;  PHI, 

Ackermann,  An  35084. 

Capriccio,  along  with  the  four  last  songs,  constitutes  Strauss's 
farewell  to  the  music  of  the  human  voice.  The  combination  od  the 
Schwarzkopf  disc  is,  therefore,  particularly  felicitous.  The  sing- 
ing is  tonally  lovely,  and  splendidly  poised,  recorded  with  beauti- 
ful clarity.  If  this  singer  has  a  fault,  it  is  a  tendency  to  sing  "in- 
wardly." This  is  noticeable  more  in  the  songs  than  in  the  finely 
sustained  projection  of  the  Capriccio  scene.  Of  the  many  lovely 
and  moving  details,  I  would  single  out  the  horn  passages,  as  at 
the  words  "Langsam  tut  er  die  m'udgeworden  Augen  zu,"  in  "Sep- 
tember." In  the  final  song — "Im  Abendroth" — the  soprano  re- 
calls rather  strangely  the  voice  of  the  late  Elisabeth  Schumann. 
Lovely  as  Schwarzkopf's  singing  is,  that  of  Delia  Casa  is  more 
so;  she  climbs  to  the  higher  reaches  with  greater  buoyancy; 
whereas  Schwarzkopf  seems  at  times  to  be  holding  in,  Delia  Casa 
gives  the  impression  of  masterful  reserve.  Though  Angel's  re- 
cording is  richer  and  brighter  than  London's,  I  find  myself  pre- 
ferring the  Delia  Casa  version.  The  Arabella  selections,  in  which 
the  soprano  is  joined  by  Gueden  and  Poell,  are  altogether  lovely. 
Not  since  the  original  recording  of  some  of  this  music  by  Marta 
Fuchs,  Elsa  Wieber,  and  Paul  Schoeffler  has  this  captivating  mu- 
sic been  so  ravishingly  sung. 

Melodrama 

Enoch  Arden,  opus  38.     Rhodes,  narrator;  Manley,  pf,  NR  NRLP  501 

[2].    f* Liszt:  Consolations). 

It  is  curious  to  hear  this  melodrama  with  Strauss's  music,  though 
there  is  some  question  how  often  one  will  want  to  repeat  the  ex- 
perience. Curious,  too,  is  the  fact  that  the  composer  left  long 
stretches  of  Tennyson's  poem  unaccompanied.  The  emphasis, 
we  note,  is  definitely  on  the  poem.  The  speaker  does  his  part 
with  dignity  and  without  undue  parade;  the  pianist  scores  his 
points,  such  as  they  are. 


Stravinsky  241 

STRAVINSKY,   IGOR  (1882-         ) 

Choral  Works,  etc. 

Cantata  on  Anonymous  15th-  and  16th-Century  English  Lyrics.  Tourel, 
m-s;  Cuenod,  t;  Concert  Ch;  PHC,  Stravinsky,  C  ML  4899  (*Symphony 
in  C). 

Stravinsky  tells  us  he  composed  this  cantata  after  completing  The 
Rake's   Progress,   having  become   fascinated  by  the  problems   of 
setting   English  poetry  to  music.     One  wishes  he  had  gone  into 
more  detail  as  to  his  distinctly  individual  view  of  these  problems. 
His  writing  for  the  voice  is  never  "grateful,"  avoiding,  apparently 
quite    carefully,   two  of  the  chief  attributes  of  vocal  music:  me- 
lodic curve  and  color.    Tourel  and  Cuenod  perform  with  great  pre- 
cision,  holding  their  own  as  parts  of  the  ensemble,  though  their 
task  is  not  easy.    If  their  vocalism  is  on  a  straight  line,  so  is  the 
music   it  fits.     And  if  their  phrasing  is  not  always  just  what  the 
text  seems  to  call  for,  this  is  not  to  be  laid  to  the  singers'  charge. 
The    Concert   Choir    is    equally    successful   with    the   Lyke-Wake 
Dirge,  which  serves  as  introduction,  interlude,  and  postlude. 
Symphonie   des  Psaumes.     RDFC;  National  0,  Horenstein,   An  35101 
(*Strauss:  Metamorphosen).  LPC  &  0,  Ansermet,  L  LL  889  (*L'Oiseau 
de    feu — Suite).      CBSC  &  0,   Stravinsky,    C  ML  4129  (*Symphony  in 
Three  Movements).     RIASCC  &  0;  St  Hedwig's  Cath  Ch,  Fricsay,  10" 
D  DL  7526. 

The  composer's  reading  is  notably  clear  and  precise,  alive  and 
exciting.  As  always,  he  strives  for  a  dry,  crisp  sound.  He  is, 
however,  not  so  well  recorded  as  Horenstein  and  Ansermet.  The 
latter  goes  in  for  a  good  deal  more  shading  and  polish,  and  is 
given  roomy  reproduction.  Somewhere  between  his  point  of  view 
and  Stravinsky's  is  that  of  Horenstein,  who  is  even  better  re- 
corded. Fricsay's  playing  is  careful,  not  altogether  convincing; 
it  lacks  the  drive  and  purposefulness  of  the  composer's,  as  well 
as  the  poise  and  finish  of  the  other  two.  The  safest  choice  is 
Horenstein. 

Operas,  etc. 

Mavra.  Curtin,  s;  Warren,  c;  Carmine,  c;  Harmon,  t;  NY  Wind  Ens  &  0, 
Craft,  Dia  12. 

One    hesitates   to  pronounce   too  positively  on  this  performance, 


Stravinsky  242 

which  presumably  was  made  with  the  composer's  approbation,  and 
certainly  is  by  a  conductor  who  has  a  reputation  as  a  Stravinsky 
interpreter.  The  singers,  too,  are  well-known  and  able.  But 
whether  the  English  translation  gets  in  the  way  of  the  very  Rus- 
sian music  or  whether  Craft  falls  short  of  true  grasp  of  the  piece, 
the  results  are  only  moderately  invigorating. 

Les    Noces.      Steingruber,   s;   Kenney,   m-s;   Wagner,   t;   Waechter,   bs; 

VKC;  Ens,  Rossi,  Van  VRS  452  (*L'Histoire  du  Soldat). 

Les  Noces;  Mass;  Pater  Noster;  Ave  Maria.     Addison,  s;  Okerson,  c; 

Price,  t;  Burrows,  b^Concert  Ch;  0,  Hillis,  Vox  PL  8630. 

A  group  of  proficient  singers  from  Vienna  presents  the  colorful 
vocal  ballet  in  the  original  Russian,  while  the  American  artists 
sing  the  work  in  English.  The  Viennese  performance  is  somewhat 
more  relaxed  and  more  richly  recorded.  Surely  little  is  lost  to  the 
English-speaking  listener,  as  not  much  of  the  other  generally  ad- 
mirable presentation  comes  through  in  the  words.  It  is  amusing 
that  the  annotator  introducing  this  mixed-voice  performance  of  the 
Mass  should  tell  us  Stravinsky  himself  prefers  an  all-male  choir. 
Failing  this  requirement,  he  should  be  satisfied  with  this 
presentation. 

Oedipus  Rex.    Modi,  m-s;  Pears,  t;  Rehfuss,  b;  Cocteau,  speaker;  etc.; 

Cologne  Radio  SO,  Stravinsky,  C  ML  4644. 

This  is  a  composite  recording,  for  the  musical  portions  were  taped 
in  Cologne  in  October  1951,  and  Cocteau's  speeches  added  some 
eight  months  later  in  Paris.  The  poet  speaks  in  French,  while  the 
language  of  his  tragedy  is  Latin.  The  recorded  sound  is  powerful, 
with  the  voices  rather  in  the  lead;  there  is  not  much  room- 
resonance,  but  a  very  clean  and  well-defined  tone.  At  one  spot 
the  music  fades  momentarily,  but  this  is  quickly  past.  Outstand- 
ing among  the  singers  is  Martha  Modi,  at  the  time  of  recording  in 
the  transition  stages  between  contralto  and  soprano;  the  music 
does  not  tax  her,  and  the  rich  opulence  of  her  tones  carries  the 
weight  of  eloquent  expressiveness.  Pears  displays  his  musician- 
ship in  a  new  light;  his  delivery  of  the  text  is  more  remarkable 
than  the  voice  itself. 

Pulcinella.      Simmons,   s;  Schnittke,   t;  MacGregor,   bs;   Cleveland  0, 

Stravinsky,,  C  ML  4830. 

This  is  the  first  complete  performance  of  the  Pergolesi-inspired 
score,  the  first,  indeed,  to  include  the  vocal  parts.  The  songs  in- 
terspersed throughout  the  ballet  are  mostly  straight  Pergolesi  with 


Stravinsky  243 

a  dash  of  Stravinsky,  just  enough  to  make  them  amusing.  The  per- 
formances by  the  singers  are  no  more  than  acceptable,  especially 
that  of  the  tenor.  Still,  it  is  pleasant  to  hear  the  familiar  "Se  tu 
m' ami"  in  this  strange  context.  Orchestrally,  the  performance  is 
good. 

The  Rake's  Progress.  Gueden,  s;  Thebom,  m-s;  Lipton,  c;  Conley,  t; 

Harrell,  b;  Scott,  bs;  etc.;  MOC  &  0,  Stravinsky,  C  SL  125  [3], 

The  Metropolitan  production,  put  on  under  the  composer's  eyes, 
was  taken  over  by  him  for  recording,  which  would  seem  to  guaran- 
tee authenticity.  For  those  who  take  to  the  opera,  it  is  hard  to 
imagine  what  could  be  left  to  desire.  Gueden,  given  a  role  per- 
haps intended  to  have  more  tenderness  than  comes  through  in  the 
music,  does  all  that  can  be  done  with  appealing  lyricism  and  melt- 
ing tone,  though  she  has  trouble  making  herself  understood  in 
English — a  fact  I  blame  on  Stravinsky  rather  than  on  the  singer. 
Conley  is  vocally  strong  and  pleasant,  if  not  very  subtle — per- 
haps he  too  has  been  given  less  than  an  even  break  by  the  com- 
poser. The  three  characters  whose  words  are  most  naturally  set 
happen  to  be  impersonated  by  the  three  singers  with  the  best  dic- 
tion; and  so  to  a  larger  extent  than  was  probably  intended,  the 
performance  belongs  to  Harrell,  Thebom,  and  Paul  Franke.  The- 
bom, to  be  sure,  would  hardly  be  recognized  as  the  possessor  of 
much  vocal  beauty,  but  what  she  does  is  in  the  spirit  of  the  op- 
era.   Technically,  the  set  is  admirable. 

Renard.    Hess,  t;  Harmon,  t;  Galjour,  b;  Lishner,  bs;  0,  Craft,  Dia  10 

(*Suite  No.   1,  for  Orchestra;  Song  of  the   Volga  Boatmen;   Elegy  for 

Viola  Alone;  Berceuse  du  chat). 

Though  this  performance  of  the  little  known  opera-ballet  would 
seem  to  be  something  of  a  triumph  for  all  concerned,  and  certainly 
is  in  all  ways  more  successful  than  the  Mavra  recording,  it  too 
suffers  from  translation  trouble.  Even  in  the  mouths  of  such  ex- 
perts as  these  singers,  this  text  would  never  convince  the  listener 
that  the  music  could  have  been  written  to  match  it.  The  reproduc- 
tion is  very  clear  and  bright.  Among  the  miscellany  on  the  reverse 
of  the  disc  is  one  song,  quite  beautifully  sung  in  Russian  by 
Arline  Carmine:  "The  Cat's  Lullaby." 

Songs 

Spring;  Pastorale;  A  song  of  the  dew;  Forget-me-not;  The  dove;  Aka- 
hito;    Makatsumi;    Tsaraiuki;    Tilim-boum;   Ducks,   sivans,    geese;    The 


Stravinsky/Sullivan  244 

bear;  The  cat's  lullabies;  The  drake;  Toasting  Song;  The  sparrow;  The 
dissident;  Mavra — Song  of  Parasha.  Kurenko,  s;  S.  Stravinsky,  pf,  All 
AL  64. 

Stravinsky's  songs  present  a  lesser  facet  of  his  art,  but  they  can 
be  effective,  as  Kurenko  has  often  demonstrated  in  her  recitals. 
Such  a  program  as  this,  however,  is  perhaps  best  heard  in  install- 
ments, as  the  expressive  range  is  limited  and  the  admirable  sing- 
er's voice  has  not  been  too  well  recorded.  The  balance  and  the 
piano  tone  could  be  better. 

SULLIVAN,   SIR  ARTHUR  SEYMOUR  (1842-1900) 

The  Mikado.     Bennett,  s;  Curtis,  c;  Oldham,  t;  Fancourt,  b;  Green,  b; 

etc.;  Ch  &  0,  Godfrey,  V  LCT  6009  [2]. 

H.M.S.  Pinafore.   Lewis,  s;  Baker,  b;  Robertson,  b;  Fancourt,  b;  D'Oyly 

Carte  Op  Ch  &  0,  Sargent.    Trial  by  Jury.   Lawson,  s;  Oldham,  t;  Baker, 

b;  Sheffield,  b;  etc.;  D'Oyly  Carte  0,  Sargent.    V  LCT  6008  [2]. 

The  Pirates  of  Penzance.     Harding,  s;  Osborn,  t;  Green,  b;  Fancourt, 

b;  etc.;  D'Oyly  Carte  Op  Ch  &  0,  Godfrey,  L  LLP  80/1  [2]. 

The  sample  of  the  new  recordings  by  the  authorized  company  has 
not  the  spirit  that  went  into  the  mementos  of  the  thirties.  The 
voices  in  the  company,  generally  speaking,  could  always  have 
been  more  sumptuous,  and,  of  course,  modern  recording  can  do 
more  in  the  way  of  atmosphere,  but  in  the  old  Mikado,  Pinafore, 
and  Trial  by  Jury  Gilbert's  priceless  lines  come  through  with 
stunning  freshness;  there  is,  however,  no  dialogue.  Mechanically, 
Mikado  is  the  better  of  the  two  sets,  as  it  was  a  remake  after  the 
original  series  had  been  completed.  The  postwar  Pirates  shows  a 
decline  in  singing,  despite  the  excellent  diction  of  all  concerned. 
Only  Martyn  Green  as  the  Major  General  is  altogether  satisfactory. 
The  recording  is  spotty. 

Selections 

Mikado — I've  got  a  little  list;  Trial  by  Jury — The  Judge's  Song;  Pi- 
rates of  Penzance — A  modern  Major  General;  Mikado — Willow,  tit  wil- 
low; Iolanthe — Nightmare  Song;  Mikado — The  flowers  that  bloom  in 
the  spring;  H.M.S.  Pinafore — When  I  was  a  lad;  Yeomen  of  the  Guard 
— V ve  jibe  and  joke;  Mikado — There  is  beauty  in  the  bellow  of  the 
blast;  Princess  Ida — If  you  give  me  your  attention;  Whene'er  I  spoke; 
Yeomen  of  the  Guard — /  have  a  song  to  sing;  Patience — Am  I  alone?; 


Sullivan/Tchaikovsky  245 

lolanthe — When   I  went  to  the  bar;   The  law  is  the  true  embodiment; 

Yeomen  of  the  Guard — Oh!  a  private  buffoon.     Green,  b;  COLC  &  O, 

Engel,  C  ML  4643. 

Martyn  Green,  assisted  where  needed  by  members  of  the  "opera 
company,"  here  gives  us  a  cross-section  of  his  famous  roles, 
singing  all  with  superb  diction,  rhythm,  style,  and  no  voice.  He 
is  able  to  make  a  separate  character  of  each  he  represents;  all,  of 
course,  are  presented  with  verve. 

SUPPE,   FRANZ   VON  (1819-1895) 

Boccaccio — Highlights.     Roon,  s;  Hermann,   c;  Kmentt,   t;  Berry,  bs; 

etc.;  Vienna  Volksoper  Ch;  VSO,  Paulik,  C  ML  4818. 

Boccaccio  is  consistently  melodious  and  grateful  to  the  singers. 
The  outstanding  air,  "Hab'  ich  nur  deine  Liebe,"  is  one  of  those 
unforgettable  things,  and  an  infectious  string  of  waltzes  played 
by  the  orchestra  in  the  last  band  of  the  present  disc  can  hardly 
fail  to  win  new  friends.  This  is  a  de-luxe  performance,  with 
singers  who  can  not  only  maintain  a  musical  line,  but  make  the 
words  count  as  they  do  it. 

TCHAIKOVSKY,    PETER    ILICH    (1840-1893) 

Operas 

Eugene  Onegin.    Kruglikova,  s;  Antonova,  s;  Kozlovsky,  t;  Norzoff,  b; 

etc.;  BS1C  &  0,  Orlov  or  Melik-Pashayev,  Col  CRLP  127/8/9  [?]. 

Eugene    Onegin — Letter   Scene.       Welitch,    s;    PHI,    Susskind,    C  ML 

4795    (* R.Strauss:    Salome;    Puccini:    Tosca;    J.Strauss:    Fledermaus, 

Zigeunerbaron). 

The  "complete  performance  was  available  in  this  country  even 
before  the  days  of  LP.  Russian  techniques  have  improved  con- 
siderably since  then,  so  that  it  cannot  even  be  described  as  one 
of  the  better  Soviet  products.  Its  first  appearance  on  LP  was  by 
way  of  Period  (SPLP  507).  Colosseum  has  been  able  to  brighten 
up  the  dull  reproduction  to  some  extent,  but  nothing  has  been  done 
to  correct  the  speed,  with  resulting  high  pitch  and  added  vocal 
shrillness.  Under  the  circumstances  it  is  not  fair  to  judge  the 
singers  too  critically;  they  are  obviously  competent  and  seasoned 
artists.  But  the  big  scenes,  such  as  the  Polonaise,  are  messy  and 
unclear,   the  solo  ensembles  like  so  many  catfights.     But  if  it  is 


Tchaikovsky  246 

Onegin  we  want,  this  will  have  to  be  it.  Welitch's  German  version 
of  the  "Letter  Scene"  dates  from  about  the  time  of  her  American 
debut  and  catches  her  at  her  very  best.  The  temperament  of  the 
artist  and  the  glowing  tone  she  brings  to  the  impassioned  music 
are  ably  seconded  by  conductor  and  orchestra.  The  recording  is 
still  very  good. 

Mazeppa.  Pokovskaya,  s;  Davidova,  m-s;  Bolshkov,  t;  Ivanov,  b;  Petrov, 

bs;  etc.;  BSIC  &  0,  Lukovnikov,  CH  CHS  1310  [3]. 

This  is  an  excellent  performance  by  present-day  Russian  standards. 
The  voices,  especially  those  of  the  men,  are  sturdy  and  well- 
modulated,  Ivanov  in  the  title  role  doing  especially  stylish  and  ex- 
pressive singing.  Pokovskaya,  the  leading  lady,  is  over-vibrant 
at  the  start,  and  one  fears  her  tremolo  may  become  excessive.  On 
the  contrary,  however,  she  ends  in  better  form,  making  a  good  effect 
with  the  final  cradle  song.  All  this  is  heard  through  recording  that 
may  most  charitably  be  described  as  uneven.  There  is  plenty  of 
power,  and  at  times  the  sound  is  reasonably  clear,  but  refinement 
is  not  a  characteristic,  and  there  is  considerable  variation  from 
one  side  to  the  next. 

Pique  Dame.     Smolenskaya,  s;   Verbitzkaya,  m-s;  Nelepp,   t;  Ivanov,  b; 

etc.;  BSIC  &  0,  Melik-Pashayev,  CH  CHS  1305  [3].     Djerzhinskaya,  s; 

Zlatogorova,    c;  Hanaiev,   t;  Baturin,   b;  etc.;  BSIC  &  0,   Samosud,   Col 

CRLP    130/1/2/3  [4].      (In  German)  Gr'ummer,    s;  Klose,   c;   Schock,  t; 

Prohaska,  b;  etc.;  BCOC;  RBO,  Rother,  U  JJRLP  207  [2]. 

The  most  recent  of  these  three  performances  is  incomparably  the 
best,  musically  and  mechanically.  The  German  recording  is  con- 
siderably abridged  and  thoroughly  Teutonic;  the  well-known  singers 
in  its  cast  unquestionably  have  finer  voices  than  their  Russian 
counterparts,  but  have  been  badly  treated  by  the  engineers.  Klose's 
noble  contralto  is  no  match,  characterwise,  for  either  of  the  Rus- 
sian Countesses,  partly  because  the  recording  creates  no  illusion 
for  her.  Only  in  the  Concert  Hall  version  do  we  get  a  real  pianis- 
simo as  the  old  aristocrat  sings  the  little  Gretry  air,  one  of  the 
tremendous  moments  in  Russian  opera.  Something  similar  can  be 
said  of  every  character  and  every  scene  in  the  score.  Only  the 
Concert  Hall  recording  is  smooth  and  refined  enough  to  do  Tchai- 
kovski  anything  like  justice.  Nelepp,  a  more  virile  tenor  than  many 
from  his  land,  gains  in  vocal  control  as  the  opera  progresses, 
ending  up  impressively;  the  baritone  Ivanov  makes  a  healthy  Tom- 
sky.      Smolenskaya   as    Lisa   shows    ample    power;   her   tone    is    vi- 


Tchaikovsky/Thomas  247 

brant  but  focused.  Though  some  of  the  ensembles  are  not  free 
from  a  suggestion  of  confusion,  the  singing  of  the  entire  cast  is 
well  above  average. 

Songs 

Warum?;     Es    war  auf  dem    Balle;    Warum   sind   die   Rosen    so   blass; 

Wiegenlied;  Ob  heller  Tag.     Lichtegg,  t;  Haeusslin,  pf,  10"   Cap  LS 

799  (* Mendelssohn:  Songs). 

The  singer  s  metier  is  musical  comedy;  he  is  not  the  most  subtly 
insinuating  of  lieder  singers.  His  tone  is  good,  however,  and  he 
enunciates  with  great  clarity.    It  is  all  just  a  little  obvious. 

Romeo  and  Juliet.     Fenn,  s;  Manton,  t;  Los  Angeles  0,  Waxman,  Cap 

P  8189  (*Gounod:  Romeo  et  Juliette — Non,  ce  n  est  pas  le  jour). 

This  long  duet  is  Taneyev's  completion  of  sketches  left  by  the  com- 
poser, using  thematic  material  from  the  famous  Overture- Fantasy. 
It  has  been  recorded  once  before,  by  two  popular  Soviet  singers 
(Griffon  1002,  withdrawn).  The  present  restrained  and  tonally 
pleasing  presentation  in  French  is  better  supported  by  a  better- 
sounding  orchestra. 

TELEMANN,   GEORG   PHILIPP  (1681-1767) 

Pimpinone.     Fuchs,  s;  Lassner,  b;  Salzburg  Str  Qt;  Sternberg,  hpschd, 

Oc  OCS  27. 

This  little  intermezzo  (otherwise  known  as  Die  ungluckliche 
Heirat)  shows  Bach's  more  famous  contemporary  is  an  unfamiliar 
and  amusing  light,  but  the  performance  sets  no  standards.  The 
soprano  hardly  rises  above  the  amateur  class. 

Ihr   Volker  hort  (Cantata  No.  1,   in  G).     Hennecke,   c;  Ens,    10"   D  DL 

7542  (*Handel:  Delia  guerra  amorosa). 

Hennecke  displays  a  clean,  attractive  voice,  a  little  on  the  heavy 
side,  especially  after  we  listen  to  the  agile  bass  in  the  Handel 
cantata  overdisc.    The  recording  is  good. 

THOMAS,    AMBR01SE    (1811-1896) 

Hamlet — Mad  Scene.    Robin,  s;  PCO,  Blareau,  10"  L  LPS  676  ^Doni- 
zetti: Lucia — Mad  Scene). 

This  scene  can  be  made  dramatic  by  sheer  vocal  brilliance,  as 
Melba    proved  long  ago  in  her  various  recordings  of  it.     Robin, 


Thomas/ Thompson  248 

who    is  said  to  sing  higher  than  any  other  present-day  soprano, 
is  not  yet  prepared  to  carry  on  in  the  old  tradition. 
Mignon.      Micheau,   s;  Moizan,   m-s;   de  Luca,    t;   Bianco,    b;   etc.;  La 
Monnaie  Ch;  Brussels  0  Nat  de  Beige,  Sebastian,  L  LLA  15  [3], 

Mignon  requires  a  better  than  adequate  performance,  for  as  a 
drama  it  is  preposterous,  and  even  the  "hit"  songs  are  not  too 
easy  to  sing.  I  wonder  if  part  of  the  trouble  may  not  be  that  the 
heroine,  who  is  nothing  at  all  if  not  sweetly  innocent,  is  usually 
impersonated  by  a  mezzo  or  a  contralto,  a  voice  suggesting  ma- 
turity altogether  out  of  character.  This  newest  presentation  does 
not  escape  such  pitfalls.  Moizan  has  a  handsome  voice  and 
understands  the  proper  style,  yet  she  never  for  a  moment  makes 
us  feel  what  manner  of  girl  Mignon  was  supposed  to  be.  Still  her 
singing  of  "Connais-tu  le  pays?"  is  genuinely  beautiful,  espe- 
cially the  words  "C'est  la"  in  the  second  stanza.  Micheau,  a 
charming  lyric  singer,  seems  strangely  cast  as  the  brilliant 
Philine,  for  she  has  neither  the  technique  nor  the  upper  voice  to 
dazzle  in  such  a  piece  as  the  Polonaise.  De  Luca  does  some 
admirable  singing,  and  some  uneven:  " Adieu,  Mignon"  starts 
beautifully  but  does  not  sustain,  and  again  in  "Elle  ne  croyait 
pas"  he  falls  short.  Bianco  as  Lothario  reveals  a  rather  hoarse 
high  voice,  well  enough  in  character.  The  rest  are  adequate. 
The  overture  gives  promise  of  exceptional  recording,  but  this  is 
not  altogether  realized.  Much  of  the  singing  is  too  close,  the 
ensembles  in  particular  lacking  the  desired  aura.  The  crowd  and 
stage  noises  are  generally  good.  The  contralto  role  of  Fr6d6ric 
is  made  more  credible  by  the  tenor  voice. 

A  set  of  Highlights  from  the  thirties  has  been  reissued,  featuring 
Germaine  Cernay,  Andre  d'Arkor,  and  M.  Demoulin  (C  RL  3093). 
There  is  little  continuity,  and  though  the  cast  includes  a  Philine 
(Lucienne  Tragin),  the  Polonaise  is  omitted.  Nor  is  there  any 
overture.  Not  an  exciting  production,  it  is  at  least  authentically 
French.    There  are  times  when  the  recording  belies  its  years. 

THOMPSON,    RANDALL    (1899-        ) 

The  Testament  of  Freedom.    Eastman  Rochester  Ch  &  0,  Hanson,  Mer 
MG  40000  (* Hanson:  Songs  from  Drum  Beats). 

The     reputation    of  this    stirring   setting   of  selections    from  the 


Thompson/  Toc/i  249 

patriotic  writings  of  Thomas  Jefferson  was  helped  in  the  prewar 
years  by  a  monumental  recording  enlisting  the  Harvard  Glee  Club 
and  the  Boston  Symphony  Orchestra  under  Koussevitzky.  Sensa- 
tional as  that  performance  was  in  its  day,  Hanson  has  matched  it 
in  terms  of  High  Fidelity.  It  would  seem  that  little  more  could 
be  said  in  this  music. 

THOMSON,    VIRGIL    (7896-        ) 

Four  Saints  in  Three  Acts  (Abridged).    Robinson~W  ayne,  s;  Matthews, 

s;  Holland,  t;  Matthews,  b;  etc.;  Ch  &  0,  Thomson,  V  LCT  1139. 

Though  the  recording  was  made  some  fourteen  years  after  the 
original  production,  the  "creators'  cast"  was  kept  practically 
intact;  most  of  these  singers  have  taken  part  in  almost  every 
revival  the  opera  has  had.  With  the  recent  tragic  death  of  the  St. 
Ignatius,  Edward  Matthews,  an  important  figure  must  be  missing 
from  any  future  production.  The  recording  appeared  in  1948, 
shortly  before  the  development  of  LP,  which  may  account,  among 
other  things,  for  the  fact  that  the  score  is  abridged.  That  the 
composer,  and  not  Alexander  Smallens,  who  first  conducted  the 
work,  is  at  the  podium,  changes  surprisingly  little  and  adds  a 
special  note  of  interest.    The  transfer  to  LP  is  very  successful. 

Stabat    Mater.      Tourel,    m-s;   New  Music  Str  Qt.      Capital,   Capitals. 

Male  Qt;  Thomson,  C  ML  4491  (*Harrison:  Two  Suites). 

Jennie  Tourel  brings  to  the  moving  Max  Jacobs  setting  all  the 
penetrating  musicianship  and  warm  vocalism  for  which  she  is 
noted.  Capital,  Capitals,  on  a  text  by  Gertrude  Stein,  is  tossed 
off  with  amazing  virtuosity  by  a  quartet  of  male  voices. 

TOCH,    ERNST    (1887-        ) 

The   Chinese  Flute.     Mock,  s;  Pacific  Symphonette,   Compinsky,  Ale 

Y  1006. 

The  Chinese  Flute,  "a  series  of  mood  pictures  inspired  by  an- 
cient Chinese  poems  treated,  as  it  were,  in  tender  pastoral  col- 
ors," dates  from  1923.  It  is  not  a  series  of  songs,  but  of  instru- 
mental pieces  in  which  the  voice  serves  as  a  part  of  the  ensem- 
ble. The  fact  that  the  voice  in  the  present  performance,  tasteful 
and  musical  as  it  is,  is  of  modest  proportions  and  hardly  notable 
for   "bite"  is  not  necessarily  a  flaw,  except  that  it  effectively 


Toc/i/Veccfi/  250 

minimizes  the  significance  of  the  poems.  Alice  Mock  easily 
tosses  off  the  more  florid  passages  of  her  part;  but  as  it  was 
considered  worth  while  to  translate  the  texts  into  English,  it 
seems  not  unreasonable  to  expect  more  conviction  in  their  deliv- 
ery. The  whole  ensemble  is  magnified  in  reproduction,  not  a  bad 
way  to  have  it  in  this  type  of  music.  The  details  of  scoring  and 
of  contrapuntal  lines  are  well  brought  out. 

VAUGHAN    WILLIAMS,    RALPH   (1872-        ) 

Mass  in  G  minor.    FSC,  Lawrence,  L  LL  805  (*Rubbra:  Mass). 

This  important  modern  Mass  was  recorded  some  years  ago  by  the 
same  choir;  this  replacement  was  among  the  last  works  of  T.  B. 
Lawrence,  who  died  during  the  recording  of  the  companion  Mass 
by  Vaughan  Williams's  pupil  Rubbra.  There  is  something  a  little 
strange  and  difficult  to  account  for  in  the  acoustics  of  this  disc. 
One  wonders  in  what  sort  of  hall  it  was  made,  and  whether  the 
microphones  were  not  placed  a  little  too  close  to  the  singers. 
Five  Mystical  Songs.  Ronk,  b;  Schaefer,  org,  Den  DR  2  (* Buxtehude: 
Cantata,  Chorale  Prelude). 

This  is  the  kind  of  performance  one  might  happen  on  almost  any 
Sunday  in  a  music-minded  church,  or  at  least  at  some  kind  of 
special  service.  It  is  good  to  have  an  example  of  this  side  of 
Vaughan  Williams's  genius,  but  that  one  would  want  to  repeat 
such  a  recording  very  often  is  unlikely. 
Five  Tudor  Portraits.  Rankin,  m-s;  Anderson,  bs;  Pittsburgh  Mendels- 
sohn Ch;  PSO,  Steinberg,  Cap  P  8218. 

This  hearty,  and  at  times  malicious,  music  is  set  to  poems  of 
John  Skelton  (1460-1529),  Poet  Laureate  of  England.  The  spir- 
ited performance,  made  at  the  first  Pittsburgh  International  Con- 
temporary Music  Festival,  catches  a  great  deal  of  the  unction  of 
both  words  and  music.    It  is  heartily  recommended. 

VECCHI,    ORAZIO    (1550-1605) 

L' Amfiparnasso.    Lecco  Acad  Ch,  Camillucci,  Cet  50066. 

This  performance  was  prepared  in  1950  to  celebrate  the  com- 
poser's 400th  birthday.  Obviously  a  good  deal  of  care  and  thought 
went  into  it.  Every  student  of  musical  history  knows  the  name 
of  Vecchi  and  of  his  comedy-in-madrigals;  we  are  fortunate  that 
so  good  a  realization  of  the  work  as  this  has  been  preserved  for 


Vecchi/Verdi  251 

us.  The  reproduction  varies  from  slightly  cloudy  at  the  outset 
to  clear  at  the  end. 

VERDI,    GIUSEPPE    (1813-1901) 

Choral  Works 

Quattro    Pezzi  Sacri.      Aachen  Cath   Ch;  Aachen  0,   Rehmann,   D  DL 

9661.    VKC;  VSO,  Swoboda,  CH  CHS  1136. 

Stabat  Mater  only.     BAVRC  &  0,  Kugler,  10"  Mer  MG  15011  (* Brahms: 

Choruses). 

Of  the  two  complete  recordings  of  Verdi's  last  four  works,  that 
of  the  Aachen  choir  is  the  more  sensitive,  though  it  is  the  less 
impressive  in  matters  of  sheer  sound.  The  recording  was  made 
at  a  rather  low  level,  and,  possibly  because  of  the  cathedral 
acoustics,  the  tone  is  somewhat  diffused.  The  curious  Ave  Maria, 
based  on  an  "enigmatic  scale"  which  is  sung  as  a  cantus  firmus 
by  the  various  voices  in  turn,  is  clear  and  even  in  sound,  though 
somewhat  removed.  The  other  three  pieces  are  increasingly  bet- 
ter, building  up  to  a  really  impressive  Te  Deum.  If  one  is  in- 
clined to  mix  one  of  these  pieces  with  some  rather  slipshod 
Brahms,  the  performance  of  the  Bavarian  Choir  in  the  Verdi  is 
reasonably  satisfactory.  What  the  recording  lacks  in  atmosphere 
and  perspective  is  made  up  by  an  impression  of  dedication. 

Requiem.     Nelli,  s;  Barbieri,  m-s;  di  Stefano,  t;  Siepi,  bs;  SC;  NBC, 

Toscanini,  V  LM  6018  [2].    Caniglia,  s;  Stignani,  m-s;  Gigli,  t;  Pinza, 

bs;  ROC  &  0,  Serafin,  V  LCT  6003  [2]. 

The  Toscanini  recording  is  his  broadcast  of  January  27,  1951. 
We  must  accept  certain  inequalities  and  more  than  the  usual 
quota  of  coughs  along  with  the  music.  The  fault  in  the  balance 
is  an  error  in  the  right  direction;  for  once  the  orchestra  is  not 
dominated  by  the  singers,  but  rather  covers  them  at  times.  The 
instrumental  detail  is  at  some  points  almost  too  much.  But  it 
is  good  to  note  that  the  Maestro,  for  one,  has  regard  for  Verdi's 
frequent  expression  and  dynamic  markings,  though  in  the  finished 
product  four  p's  do  not  always  spell  the  extreme  of  softness.  The 
orchestral  opening,  however,  is  so  delicate  that  there  is  some 
darger  that  the  controls  may  be  set  too  high,  which  will  cause  a 
shock  at  "Te  decet  hymnus."  The  soloists  are  unusually  elo- 
quent;  if  ever  they  feel  the  urge  to  overdo  expressiveness,  they 


Verdi  252 

overcome  it  most  admirably.  Nelli  easily  tops  the  chorus  with 
her  high  C's,  and  for  once  the  crucial  unaccompanied  "Requiem" 
solo  with  chorus  is  controlled  and  in  tune.  Barbieri  has  the 
temperament  and  the  vivid  vocal  color  to  make  her  part  effective, 
and  Di  Stefano  combines  the  desired  lyrical  quality  with  plenty  of 
power.  Siepi  has  rarely  sung  with  such  dignity.  But  the  chorus 
carries  the  chief  honors.  The  "  Sanctus"  touches  greatness,  and 
the  magnificent  fugue  on  "Libera  me"  is  enormously  exciting. 
Serafin's  recording  has  long  been  famous  for  its  all-star  cast, 
though  I  must  confess  I  have  never  been  one  of  its  admirers.  Of 
the  quartet,  only  Pinza  maintains  any  sort  of  dignity;  the  others 
are  in  effect  so  many  unbridled  operatic  temperaments,  each  out 
to  make  the  most  of  the  drama  in  Verdi's  music.  The  standards 
of  intonation  are  hardly  a  cause  for  rejoicing,  and  the  aforemen- 
tioned expression  marks  might  as  well  never  have  been  written 
into  the  score.  A  more  modern  recording,  made  in  Rome  under  the 
baton  of  Luigi  Ricci  (U  URLP  213  [2]),  merits  the  same  criticism. 
The  soloists,  who  share  the  vices  of  their  more  celebrated  col- 
leagues, do  not,  alas,  rival  their  beautiful  voices. 
Two  last-minute  arrivals  change  the  picture  somewhat.  Fricsay, 
leading  the  RIAS  Symphony  Orchestra  with  St.  Hedwig's  Choir 
and  a  quartet  consisting  of  Stader,  Radev,  Krebs,  and  Kim  Borg, 
gives  the  most  reverent  and  refined  performance  on  records  (D  DX 
118  [2]) — rivaled  in  my  experience  only  by  the  masterly  reading 
of  Bruno  Walter  at  the  Metropolitan  Opera  several  seasons  ago. 
Reverent  and  refined  as  it  is,  this  performance  has  plenty  of  ex- 
citement; the  "Dies  irae"  does  not  lose  its  power  to  raise  goose- 
flesh.  The  "Sanctus"  is  the  fastest  imaginable — Toscanini's 
seems  tame  in  comparison — and  the  "Libera  me"  fugue  is  taken 
at  a  terrific  pace.  The  quartet  is  unusually  well  balanced;  each 
member  improves  his  dramatic  opportunities.  Krebs's  meditative 
"Ingemisco"  is  an  example  of  the  fresh  approach  of  these  artists 
to  the  familiar  work.  De  Sabata,  working  with  the  forces  of  La 
Scala,  Schwarzkopf,  Dominguez,  Di  Stefano,  and  Siepi  (An  3520- 
B  [2])  combines  genuine  Italian  temperament  (missing,  for  better 
or  for  worse,  in  Fricsay)  with  clean  musicianship  and  vital,  well- 
balanced  reproduction.  In  this  performance,  as  in  Fricsay's, 
Verdi's  indications  as  to  expression  and  dynamics  are  respected, 
though  the  singers  are  allowed  to  spread  themselves  within  the 
bounds  of  good  taste.     The  most  is  made  of  the  dramatic  choral 


Verdi  253 

movements.  The  two  male  soloists  appear  also  in  the  Toscanini 
performance;  the  contrast  between  their  work  under  different  con- 
ductors is  most  revealing.  Both  were  in  fresher  voice  when  the 
Toscanini  broadcast  took  place,  yet  they  sing  here  in  a  more  re- 
laxed manner,  more  as  though  expressing  themselves.  In  matters 
of  intonation,  perhaps,  they  do  not  always  meet  the  Toscanini 
standard.  Schwarzkopf,  like  Stader,  lacks  the  characteristic 
Italian  chest  tones  that  seem  to  be  indicated  for  the  "Libera 
me,"  but  she  sings  more  dramatically  than  the  Swiss  soprano. 
Her  treatment  of  the  perilous  "Requiem"  with  chorus  is  almost 
awesomely  reserved,  yet  it  is  indescribably  lovely  in  tone  and 
squarely  on  pitch.  The  octaves  she  sings  with  Dominguez  in  the 
" Agnus  Dei"  are  the  most  nearly  perfect  I  have  heard.  It  would 
be  impossible  to  make  a  clean-cut  choice  among  the  three  modern 
Requiem  recordings,  each  so  masterly  in  its  own  way. 

Operas 

Aida.  Tebaldi,  s;  Stignani,  m-s;  Del  Monaco,  t;  Protti,  b;  etc.;  SCC 
&  0,  Erede,  L  LLA  13  [3],  Mancini,  s;  Simionato,  m-s;  Filippeschi, 
t;  Panerai,  b;  Neri,  bs;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Gui,  Cet  1228  [3].  Arangi- 
Lombardi,  s;  Capuano,  m-s;  Lindi,  t;  Borgioli,  b;  Pasero,  bs;  Bacca- 
loni,  bs;  etc.;  SCAC;  MISO,  Molajoli,  C  EL  3  [3].  Caniglia,  s; 
Stignani,  m-s;  Gigli,  t;  Bechi,  b;  Pasero,  bs;  Tajo,  bs;  etc.;  ROC  & 
O,  Sera  fin,  V  LCT  6400  [4]. 

Of  all  the  complete  Aidas  yet  made,  the  most  exciting  was  the 
early  electrical  Victor  set  featuring  Dusolina  Giannini  in  a  per- 
formance she  herself  never  matched  in  my  experience,  and  Aureli- 
ano  Pertile,  at  his  best  an  outstanding  tenor.  Possibly  the  old 
recording  has  offered  insurmountable  obstacles  to  LP  transfer; 
in  any  case  it  is  a  collectors'  item  today.  Columbia's  set, 
more  or  less  contemporary  with  it,  featuring  A  ran  gi  -Lorn  bard  i  and 
Lindi,  is  again  available  as  noted  above,  and  has  many  votaries. 
It  is  a  strongly  temperamental  performance,  not  very  even  vocally, 
rather  constricted  in  reproduced  sound. 

By  far  the  best  of  the  modern  sets  is  London's,  for  it  has  not  only 
Tebaldi  most  nearly  approaching  Giannini,  but  also  recording  of 
refinement  and  power.  Tonally,  Del  Monaco  sounds  less  well 
than  I  have  sometimes  heard  him  in  the  opera  house,  and  he  is  no 
more  successful  than  usual  in  modulating  his  big,  lusty  voice. 
The  vivid  Stignani  is  not  consistently  at  her  best  vocally;  Protti 


Verdi  254 

proves  himself  a  good,  dependable  Italian  baritone.  Generally 
speaking,  the  pacing  is  good,  though  at  times  Del  Monaco  seems 
rushed.  The  only  serious  rival  to  this  performance  is  the  Cetra, 
with  Mancini  at  her  by-no-means-consistent  best  an  excellent 
Aida,  Simionato  a  disappointing  Amneris,  and  an  otherwise  serv- 
iceable cast  stronger  in  temperament  than  in  disciplined  vocal- 
ism.  I  do  not  find  much  to  admire  in  the  star-studded  Victor  per- 
formance led  by  Serafin.  I  discern  no  sensuous  appeal  in  Canig- 
lia's  voice  as  here  revealed;  both  she  and  Gigli  sing  pretty  much 
on  a  dead  level  throughout.  Stignani  and  Bechi  are  better  in  this 
respect,  but  neither  deserves  a  medal  for  subtle  vocalism.  Serafin 
seems  unable  to  lift  the  performance,  and  the  engineers  appear 
to  have  conspired  with  the  singers  to  drown  out  the  orchestra. 
New  York's  City  Center  Opera  Company  has  been  drawn  on  for  a 
single-sided  recording  of  Highlights,  coupled  with  a  similar  con- 
densation of  Faust  (MGM  E  3023).  The  cast  is  promisingly  tal- 
ented; there  is  still  some  rawness  in  Camilla  Williams's  often 
lovely  singing  of  the  title  role  and  in  Gari's  ample  tenor  tones. 
Ibarrondo  makes  a  convincing  Amneris,  and  Winters  displays  a 
good  strong  baritone  voice.  Among  the  historical  offerings,  Victor 
presents  "Aida  of  Yesterday"  (LCT  1035).  Gigli's  "Celeste 
Ai'da"  is  borrowed  from  the  Serafin  performance;  other  recordings 
reach  back  as  far  as  the  1910  Judgment  Chamber  Scene  with 
Louise  Homer  and  Caruso.  Most  of  the  recordings  thus  revived 
are  classics,  but  it  would  have  been  wiser  not  to  mix  recording  pe- 
riods to  this  extent.  Two  sets  of  Highlights  might  easily  have 
been  assembled:  Gadski,  Homer,  Caruso,  and  Amato  made  enough 
excellent  sides  to  fill  an  LP  disc.  Indeed,  in  the  present  selec- 
tion Gadski  and  Amato  are  represented  by  just  one  half  of  their 
Nile  Scene  recording.  An  electrically  recorded  collection  might 
include  the  entire  Nile  Scene  with  Rethberg,  Lauri-Volpi,  and  De 
Luca.  One  special  attraction  of  the  present  program  is  the  rare 
Ponselle-Martinelli  duet  from  this  scene. 

Un  Ballo  in  Maschera.     Caniglia,  s;  Barbieri,  m-s;  Gigli,  t;  Bechi,  b; 

etc.;   ROC  &  0,  Serafin,   V  LCT  6007  [2],     Semser,  s;  Kerol,  t;  Bor- 

thayre,  b;  etc.;  PPC  &  0,  Leibowitz,  Ren  SX  207  [3], 

The  choice  here  is  between  an  all-star  Italian  cast  recorded 
several  years  back  under  a  conductor  to  the  manor  born  and  a 
modern  recording  of  an  excursion  into  Italian  by  a  group  of  com- 


Verdi  255 

petent  French  artists.  The  firm  hand  of  Serafin  molds  a  consist- 
ent performance  for  Victor,  if  perhaps  a  somewhat  slick  one, 
and  Gigli  is  in  his  best  form,  though  some  of  the  others  are  a 
little  below  theirs.  To  hear  the  French  performance  after  this 
one  is  to  realize  the  importance  of  authentic  style,  even  when  a 
little  below  par. 
La  Battaglia  di  Legnano.  Mancini,  s;  Berdini,  t;  Panerai,  b;  etc.; 
RIC  &  0,  Previtali,  Cet  1220  [3]. 

A  cast  of  by  now  thoroughly  familiar  Italian  singers  gives  a  vital 
account  of  this  thoroughly  unfamiliar  early  score.     Mancini  is  at 
her    best  in  the  role  of  Lida.      Her  voice   floats  nobly  over  the 
chorus  in  the  very  Verdian  "Prayer." 
Don    Carlo.     Caniglia,  s;  Stignani,   m-s;  Picchi,   t;  Silveri,   b;  Rossi- 
Lemeni,  bs;  Neri,  bs;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Previtali,  Cet  1234  [4].    (High- 
lights) Thebom,  m-s;  Bjoerling,  t;  Merrill,  b;  Tajo,  bs;  RCAO,  Cellini, 
Morel,  V  LM  1128. 

Caniglia  shines  her  brightest  in  the  sometimes  splendid  complete 
performance,  though  her  vivid  Italian  temperament  leads  her  on 
occasion  to  play  fast  and  loose  with  the  pitch.  Stignani  is  heavy 
in  her  "Canzone  del  Velo,"  but  superb  in  "0  don  fatale."  Picchi 
displays  a  fresh,  strong  voice,  equal  to  most,  if  not  all,  of  Verdi's 
demands;  Silveri  is,  as  usual,  competent,  and  Rossi-Lemeni 
powerful  after  the  manner  of  Chaliapin.  Neri's  Grand  Inquisitor 
is  tremendous.  There  are  some  insignificant  cuts,  and  the  re- 
cording balance  is  not  altogether  even.  Victor's  Highlights  set 
memorializes  all  too  briefly  the  fine  achievement  of  Bing's  first 
production  at  the  Metropolitan  (though,  to  be  sure,  Thebom  joined 
the  cast  after  the  first  performance,  and  Tajo  had  left  the  com- 
pany before  the  presentation).  The  best  singing  is  provided  by 
the  mezzo,  who  brings  exceptional  lightness  to  the  " Canzone  del 
Velo,"  and,  despite  some  difficulty  with  the  highest  notes,  man- 
ages "0  don  fatale"  only  less  magnificently  than  Stignani. 
Bjoerling  and  Merrill  are  at  their  best,  but  Tajo  tends  to  over- 
dramatize  King  Philip's  great  soliloquy.  This  is  a  performance 
without  a  heroine:  the  loveliest  moment  in  the  score  is  missing: 
Elisabetta's  "  Tu  che  le  vanith."  For  a  single  highlight,  Raphael 
Arie  may  be  heard  in  "Ella  giammai  m'amd"  (10"  L  LD  9018), 
giving  a  good  substantial  characterization  of  the  unhappy  King, 
somewhat    muffled   in  reproduction.      If  one   can  accept  Verdi  in 


Verdi  256 

German,   Martha  Modi's  "0  don  fatale"  has  much  to  commend  it 
(10"  Tel  TM  68009). 
Ernani.     Mancini,  s;  Penno,  t;   Taddei,   b;   Vaghi,  bs;  etc.;  RIC  &  0, 
Previtali,  Cet  1210  [3]. 

Even    in   the   not  too  distant  days   when  Ernani  was  part  of  the 
domestic  repertoire,  we  rarely  heard  it  satisfactorily  because  of 
that  intangible  called  performing  style.    For  that  reason,  if  for  no 
other,  we  should  be  grateful  that  this  set  is  as  good  as  it  is.    The 
cast   is  headed  by  Mancini,  an  almost  Ponselle-Iike  soprano  (of 
course,   some  immaturity  is  implied  in  that  "almost");  Penno,  a 
good  robust  tenor;  and  Giuseppe  Taddei,  who  proves  that  he  can 
do  the  old-style  recitative  and  cantilena  as  well  as  the  music  of 
Falstaff  and  Gianni  Schicchi.    Only  in  his  big  third-act  aria  did  I 
feel    some   disappointment  in   his    failure   to   make   the   scene  as 
lyrical  as  some  older  baritones  have  done.    The  weakest  principal 
is  Vaghi.    It  is  good  to  hear  Verdi's  orchestra  and  chorus  in  good 
balance  and  unusually  clear  and  clean  in  the  spacious  reproduc- 
tion.    Volume  is  not  even  throughout  the  set,  but  this  weakness 
is  minor. 
Falstaff.        Nelli,    s;    Stich-Randall,    s;    Merriman,    m-s;    Elmo,   m-s; 
Madasi,    t;    Valdengo,    b;   etc.;  SC;  NBC,    Toscanini,    V  LM  6111  [3], 
Carteri,    s;  Pagliughi,  s;  Canali,  m-s;  Renzi,  t;  Taddei,  b;  etc.;  RIC 
&  0,  Rossi,  Cet  1207  [3]. 

The  Toscanini  recording  preserves  the  famous  broadcasts  of 
April  1  and  8,  1950.  Falstaff  is  an  old  specialty  of  the  Maestro; 
it  hardly  needs  saying  that  the  lightness  of  his  touch  is  the 
despair  of  all  comers.  The  transfer  of  the  broadcasts  to  discs  is 
a  triumph  for  all  concerned.  It  is  true  that  the  voices  come  over 
to  us  more  strongly  than  could  ever  be  possible  in  the  opera 
house,  but  though  they  may  over-balance  the  orchestra,  they  never 
overwhelm  it.  It  is  also  true  that  the  acoustics  of  the  broad- 
casting studio  were  such  as  to  produce  a  dry,  clean  sound,  with 
no  atmosphere  save  that  which  breathes  in  the  music  itself.  In 
effect,  we  are  in  the  room  with  the  music,  and  only  the  music  can 
transport  us  beyond  the  four  walls.  In  some  spots  this  is  un- 
fortunate: the  snatches  of  love  duet  for  Nanetta  and  Fenton  in  the 
second  act  are  close  upon  us,  even  when  the  stage  direction 
reads  "within."  However,  there  is  some  offstage  singing  in  the 
last  act.  I  doubt  that  the  great  concluding  fugue  has  ever  been 
performed     with    such    transparency.       Toscanini    seems    to   have 


Verdi  257 

picked  his  cast  carefully  for  their  youthful  voices  as  well  as  for 
their  musical  dependability;  if  they  have  a  general  fault,  it  is 
that  they  sound  young  for  their  parts.  Valdengo,  in  the  title  role, 
is  always  more  than  pleasing  to  the  ear,  and  always  in  character; 
yet  he  cannot  do,  for  instance,  what  a  more  mature,  perhaps 
rougher  voice  can  in  such  a  passage  as  the  "Honor  Monologue" 
(cf.  the  1909  Scotti  performance  on  V  LCT  1039).  Even  more 
pronounced  is  the  youth  of  Madasi,  but  in  the  part  of  Fenton  this 
is  not  against  him.  Still,  one  would  prefer  a  smoother  delivery 
of  his  burst  of  solo  in  the  last  act.  Teresa  Stich-Randall  floats 
some  lovely  tones  as  Nanetta.  Guarrera  as  Ford  shows  careful 
coaching,  but  carries  characterization  by  vocal  color  a  bit  too  far. 
The  quality  of  his  voice  is  lighter  than  we  know  it  today.  Out- 
standing among  the  women  is  Cloe  Elmo,  whose  very  Italian 
mezzo  is  just  right  for  Mistress  Quickly.  Her  proclamation  of  the 
oft-repeated  " Reverenza"  is  masterly,  her  ilPovera  donna"  quite 
heart-breaking.  Nelli  is  tonally  ingratiating,  though  she  does 
some  sliding,  and  Merriman  fits  well  into  the  ensemble.  There 
are  bursts  of  applause  at  the  ends  of  the  acts. 

The   Cetra  recording,  conducted  by  Rossi,  still  ranks  among  the 
best   complete  operas  to  come  out  of  Italy,  and  in  many  ways  it 
complements  the  Toscanini  set.    Here  is  no  attempt  at  such  pin- 
point   perfection,    no    comparable    lighter-than-air    buoyancy,    but 
here    is  more  genuinely  distinguished  singing.     Foremost  in  the 
cast,  appropriately,  is  Taddei,  whose  Falstaff  has  the  unction  we 
miss  in  Valdengo,  whose  voice,  indeed,  is  the  richer  of  the  two. 
Renzi,  the  Fenton,  has  his  resources  better  in  hand  than  Madasi, 
and    Meletti's    Ford    is    a    more    mellowed    characterization  than 
Guarrera's.      The  women,   led  by  Carteri  and  Pagliughi,  are  ad- 
mirably seasoned  artists. 
La  Forza  del  Destino.     Caniglia,  s;  Stignani,  m-s;  Masini,  t;  Taglia- 
bue,  b;  Pasero,  bs;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Marinuzzi,  Cet  1236  [3].     Guerrini, 
s;   Pirazzini,   m-s;   Campora,   t;   Colzani,    b;  Modesti,    bs;   Corena,   bs; 
etc.;  SCAC  &  0,  Parodi,  U  URLP  226  [3]. 

The  choice  here  is  by  no  means  an  easy  one,  for  both  sets  are 
uneven;  neither  boasts  a  Ponselle  or  a  Milanov  in  the  leading 
role,  and  neither  is  satisfactory  mechanically.  The  Cetra  per- 
formance was  by  no  means  new  when  it  was  brought  out  on  LP, 
and  is  therefore  the  less  imposing  as  a  recording.  Caniglia  walks 
off    with    the    honors,    though    (save    occasionally    in    matters   of 


Verc//  258 

pitch)  Stignani  is  also  in  her  best  stride.  The  basses  in  the  cast 
are  satisfactory,  the  tenor  and  baritone  a  little  too  outspoken 
emotionally.  The  great  "Madre  pietosa"  scene  is  on  the  fast 
side.  Urania's  better-reproduced  cast  does  not  match  the  best 
work  of  Cetra's. 

If  the  possibility  of  a  complete  Forza  with  Milanov  seems  remote, 
we  do  have  in  her  aria  recital  (V  LM  1777)  a  large  slice  of  the 
Convent  Scene,  as  well  as  "Pace,  pace,"  The  record,  a  must 
for  her  admirers,  is  likely  to  increase  their  numbers.  The  German 
soprano  Traute  Richter  gives  us  "Madre  pietosa"  and  "Pace, 
pace"  in  her  own  language  (Tel  TM  68006).  Though  the  transla- 
tion is  all  but  fatal  here,  the  singer's  fine  intelligence  is  as 
welcome  as  the  subtle  shading  of  her  vocal  line.  Her  vibrato, 
however,  would  be  more  effective  were  the  language  Italian,  and 
the  lack  of  a  chorus  detracts  considerably  from  the  impressive- 
ness  of  the  Convent  Scene. 

Un  Giorno  di  Regno.    Pagliughi,  s;  Capecchi,  b;  Bruscantini,  bs;  etc.; 

RIC  &  0,  Simonetto,  Cet  1225  [2]. 

Verdi's  one  early  comedy  has  not  been  heard  often;  on  the  evi- 
dence of  this  recording,  it  has  deserved  a  better  fate.  The  per- 
formance enlists  the  services  of  several  well-known  singers,  all 
firmly  grounded  in  the  Italian  traditions  and  all  equal  to  the  de- 
mands of  the  music.  The  recording  is  not  consistent  in  perfection 
of  balance,  but  it  is  on  the  whole  good. 

/  Lombardi  alia  Prima  Crociata.     Vitale,  s;  Pirazzini,  m~s;  Gallo,  t; 

Bertocci,    t;  Petri,    bs;   Frosini,    bs;   etc.;  RIC  &  0,   M.   Wolf-Farrari, 

Cet  1217  [3]. 

The  cast  here  brings  together  some  excellent  voices,  but  the 
vocalism  is  uneven.  Vitale  ranges  from  exquisite  to  nasal  in 
quality;  despite  a  tendency  to  slide,  she  has  a  way  of  getting 
successfully  to  where  she  is  going.  Petri,  though  somewhat 
mouthy,  does  some  notable  singing,  and  Gallo,  though  inclined 
to  lachrymosity,  reveals  a  genuine  Italian  tenor  voice.  The  re- 
production, marred  by  a  hum,  is  fuller  in  the  later  sides  than  in 
the  first. 

Luisa    Miller.      Kelston,    s;    Lauri-Volpi,    t;    Colombo,    b;    Vaghi,    bs; 

etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Rossi,  Cet  1221  [3]. 

This  performance  introduces  a  skillful  American  soprano,  Lucy 
Kelston,  who  has  been  singing  for  some  years  in  Italy.  Hers  is 
a  rich,  creamy  voice;  great  things  may  be  expected  from  her.    The 


Verdi  259 

veteran  Lauri-Volpi,  who  sang  the  leading  tenor  role  in  the  opera 
when  it  was  presented  at  the  Metropolitan  with  Rosa  Ponselle  in 
1929,  still  has  moments  of  the  old-time  splendor,  though  for  him 
life  begins  at  forte.  The  celebrated  romanza — "Quando  le  sere 
at  placido" — has  been  more  tellingly  given  by  younger  voices. 
The  rest  of  the  cast  is  adequate,  though  not  outstanding. 

Macbeth.       Hongen,    c;   Ahlersmeyer,    b;    etc.;    VSOC;    VPH,    Bohm,   U 

URLP  220  [3]. 

The  wisdom  of  bringing  out  Verdi  operas  in  German  is  always 
open  to  question.  In  this  case,  Macbeth  is  not  otherwise  avail- 
able. Though  the  performance  is  announced  as  abridged  as  well 
as  translated,  the  cuts  are  not  more  serious  than  is  often  the  case 
in  the  opera  house.  This  middle-period  work  is  a  curious  mix- 
ture, reaching  such  tremendous  heights  as  the  "Sleepwalking 
Scene,"  and  descending  to  such  ordinary  Italian  operatics  as 
that  of  the  Witches,  with  the  three  Weird  Sisters  converted  into 
a  chorus.  Hongen  sings  Lady  Macbeth  with  firmer  tone  than  she 
has  shown  in  some  other  recordings.  For  the  most  part  she 
negotiates  the  high  tessitura  in  a  manner  to  suggest  that  she  be- 
longs up  there  rather  than  in  the  mezzo-contralto  range  more 
familiar  to  her.  Of  characterization,  however,  she  does  not  give 
us  much,  a  point  emphasized  by  comparison  either  with  the  old 
Margherita  Grandi  recording,  so  magnificently  founded  on  Bee- 
cham's  expressive  orchestra  (HMV  DB  6739-40,  78  rpm  only), 
or  with  the  more  recent  German  performance  of  Martha  Modi  (10" 
Tel  TM  68009).  In  Hongen's  florid  passages  we  must  often  take 
something  for  granted.  The  men's  voices  are  good,  but  again 
there  is  no  real  characterization  among  them.  The  balance  favors 
the  singers,  and  there  are  some  slight  uncertainties  of  pitch. 

Nabucodonosor  (Nabucco).     Gatti,  s;  Mancini,  s;  Bind,  t;  Silveri,  b; 

Gaggi,  bs;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Previtali,  Get  1216  [3\. 

The  outstanding  singing  here  is  contributed  by  Gabriella  Gatti 
in  her  all-too-brief  role.  The  others  have  their  fine  moments,  but 
there  is  a  general  tendency  to  spread  tones,  with  the  consequent 
uncertainties  of  pitch.  The  worst  offender  is  Mancini,  who  has 
done  good  work  in  other  Verdi  operas,  but  finds  her  part  in  this 
decidedly  taxing.  On  the  whole,  the  performance  can  be  com- 
mended for  its  vital  spirit. 

Otello.     Nelli,  s;  Vinay,  t;  Valdengo,   b;  etc.;  Ch  &  NBC,   Toscanini, 

V  LM  6107  [3],    La  Polio,  s;  Sarri,  t;  Manca  Serra,  b;  etc.;  ROC  &  0, 


Verdi  260 

Conca,  U  URLP  216  [3].    (Selections)  Steber,  s;  Vinay,  t;  Guarrera,  b; 

MOO,  Cleva,  C  ML  4499. 

When  Toscanini's  Otello  was  broadcast  in  December  1948,  his 
reading  was  hailed  as  the  final  and  definitive  revelation  of 
Verdi  s  score  and  a  demonstration  of  the  composer's  exact  in- 
tentions. Of  course,  it  was  nothing  of  the  kind,  for  in  the  very 
nature  of  things  a  concert  performance  or  a  broadcast  of  an  opera 
can  never  be  quite  the  same  thing  as  a  stage  production,  and 
Verdi  was  writing  for  the  stage.  Add  to  this  the  fact  that  the 
distinguished  conductor  was  compelled  by  the  clock  and  by  the 
ways  of  radio  to  make  his  timing  come  out  even,  and  it  becomes 
obvious  that  the  final  results  are  not  what  they  might  have  been 
in  the  opera  house.  Perhaps  because  of  the  influence  of  the 
clock,  the  interpretation,  from  the  opening  crash  and  tempest  to 
the  final  collapse  of  the  Moor  on  his  sword,  has  an  almost  unbear- 
able drive  and  nervous  vitality.  Exciting  as  the  recording  is 
simply  as  drama,  it  is  also  a  historical  document,  one  of  the 
supreme  examples  of  the  clarity  and  mastery  that  have  been 
Toscanini's  secrets.  The  carefully  chosen  cast  on  the  whole 
justifies  the  conductor's  judgment  and  faith.  Vinay,  hardly 
created  by  nature  for  the  part,  triumphs  over  his  limitations  in  a 
manner  altogether  admirable;  Valdengo  is  in  superb  voice  and  has 
been  admirably  coached,  though  one  is  conscious  that  he  is 
actually  a  very  young  man.  He  is  led  into  the  " Brindisi"  at  a 
terrific  clip,  but  he  manages  to  make  it  ring.  Nelli  sings  with 
nice  line  and  pleasing  tone,  if  little  characterization.  The  others 
perform  creditably.  A  word  should  be  added  for  the  chorus,  and 
the  lightness  with  which  the  "Fiocca  di  gioia"  is  presented. 
Those  who  remember  the  broadcast  will  miss  a  false  entrance  at 
the  beginning  of  the  second  act;  this  has  been  skillfully  elim- 
inated. The  impressively  turned-out  libretto  provided  with  the  set 
has  not  only  the  text  and  translation,  but  a  column  of  Shake- 
spearean sources.  Since  the  release  of  the  Toscanini  recording, 
there  seems  little  likelihood  that  the  rival  venture  under  Conca 
will  continue  in  great  demand,  though  it  was  welcome  enough 
when  it  was  first  released.  Here  was  a  more  standard  perform- 
ance that  did  not  miss  distinction  by  too  wide  a  margin.  The 
main  fault  was  with  the  microphone  placement.  Desdemona, 
especially,  was  much  too  close;  as  a  result  her  voice  was  con- 
sistently shrill  and  unpleasant.    The  Otello  was  good  as  Otellos 


Verdi  261 

go,    the  Iago  passable.     The   orchestra  played  competently;  one 

would  have  liked  to  hear  it  more.    Columbia's  Highlights  are  the 

first-  and  third-act  duets  for  Desdemona  and  Otello,  the  "Credo," 

the   great  scene  between  Otello  and  Iago  concluding  in  "Si,  pel 

del,"  Otello's  "Monologue,"  and  the  "Willow  Song"  and  "Ave 

Maria"  and  Otello's  death.    Vinay  had  grown  in  the  role  between 

the  Toscanini  broadcast  and  this  recording;  he  achieves  a  certain 

vitality,    as   Martinelli  used  to  do,   by  saving  his  rather  limited 

voice     for   the    climaxes.      Steber   sings    musically,    if   not  very 

warmly;  Guarrera  sounds  well,  but  has  not  the  subtlety  for  a  real 

Iago. 

Rigoletto.     Pagliughi,  s;  Colasanti,  c;   Tagliavini,  t;   Taddei,  b;  Neri, 

bs;    etc.;   CC;   RIO,    Questa,    Cet   C   1247  [3].      Berger,    s;  Merriman, 

m-s;   Peerce,   t;  Warren,   b;   Tajo,   bs;  etc.;  SC;  RCAO,   Cellini,    V  LM 

6101    [3J.      Capsir,   s;   Bassi,    c;   Borgioli,   t;  Stracciari,    b;  Dominici, 

bs;  etc.;  SCAC;  MI  SO,  Molajoli,  C  EL  2  [2],    Orlandini,  s;  Melani,  c; 

Sarri,    t;  Petroff,   b;  etc.;   TCC;  FM,  Ghiglia,   Rem  RLP  199-58/9/60 

[3].      (In  German)  Berger,   s;  Klose,    c;   Roswaenge,   t;   Schlusnus,   b; 

etc.;  BSOC  &  O,  Heger,  U  URLP  222  [2]. 

Cetra's  Italian  recording  scores  a  number  of  points  over  Victor's 
American  production;  its  superiority  is  clinched  by  the  more 
mellow  approach  of  the  conductor.  Cellini's  work  suffers  from 
what  seems  like  streamlining:  we  are  no  sooner  through  with 
one  scene  than  we  are  in  the  middle  of  the  next.  As  for  the 
casts,  Pagliughi  is  the  most  lyrically  appealing  of  the  Gildas 
listed  above.  Her  voice  is  warmer  than  Berger's,  and  she  is  an 
equally  proficient  singer.  Her  meltingly  lovely  treatment  of  the 
line  "Se  non  volete  di  voi  parlarmi'  in  the  second  act  duet  with 
Taddei  is  a  measure  of  her  artistry.  Taddei  is  for  the  most  part 
splendid;  his  is  a  more  supple  voice  than  Warren's,  more  plastic 
in  expression,  and  he  easily  equals  the  American's  impressive 
dramatic  talents.  He  has  a  bad  moment  just  before  "Si,  vend- 
etta," when  his  voice  sags  momentarily,  but  his  performance  is 
superior.  Tagliavini  is  less  conspicuously  successful.  His  voice 
is  a  little  below  its  best;  his  singing  inclines  to  be  precious. 
Colasanti  is  very  right  for  Maddalena,  and  Neri  is  an  effective 
Sparafucile.  Victor's  cast  is  the  better  for  Jan  Peerce,  who  puts 
more  into  his  full-throated  singings  than  Tagliavini  manages  to 
convey,  and  for  Italo  Tajo,  who  shows  a  genuine  flair  for  charac- 


Verdi  262 

terization.  In  neither  set  is  the  recording  balance  perfect;  it  is 
better  in  the  Cetra. 

Columbia's  set  has  enjoyed  great  popularity,  indeed  was  con- 
sidered the  recording  of  Rigoletto  for  many  years.  Stracciari, 
Borgioli,  and  Capsir  make  a  star  cast,  and  at  least  the  baritone's 
performance  has  something  of  the  classic  about  it.  The  sound 
in  its  LP  version  is  not  bad,  though,  of  course,  the  ear  must 
adjust  itself  after  the  high  fidelity  we  have  become  accustomed 
to  hearing.  Remington's  recording  is  a  good  buy  at  the  price. 
The  performance  is  well  routined,  and  the  voices  are  mostly 
good.  The  reproduction  is  among  the  best  to  come  from  this 
company. 

Urania's  German  performance  shares  Victor's  Gilda,  again  singing 
in  musicianly  and  proficient  style.  The  strangeness  of  the  lan- 
guage is  most  apparent  in  the  tenor  arias,  for  Roswaenge,  no 
more  than  any  other  singer,  can  give  "Questa  o  quella"  in  Ger- 
man with  requisite  lightness.  He  is  in  good  voice,  however,  and 
carries  an  effort  to  be  idiomatic  to  the  point  of  sobs  and  tears. 
Schlusnus,  vocally  resplendent,  manages  to  sing  with  some  fire, 
and  without  loss  of  smoothness.  The  opera  is  crowded  onto  two 
discs,  and  the  breaks  are  unfortunate.  Also  the  numbers  are  run 
together  in  a  manner  to  make  the  Victor  performance  seem  lei- 
surely. The  reproduction  is  if  anything  too  roomy:  there  is  some 
tonal  diffusion  and  consequent  messiness. 

A  collection  of  "Arias  and  Duets"  call  forth  some  expert  and 
expressive  singing  by  Pagliughi  and  Sved  (Cet  50003),  and  Hilde 
Gueden,  an  authentic,  appealing  Gilda,  gives  us  "Caro  nome" 
and  "Tutte  le  feste."  I  am  sorry  she  cut  the  coda  of  the  first 
aria,  for  her  singing  is  very  beautiful  (10"  L  LPS  485). 

Simon  Boccanegra,     Stella,  s;  Bergonzi,  t;  Siiveri,  b;  Petri,   bs;  etc.; 

RIC  &  0,  Molinari-Pradelli,  Cet  1231  [3]. 

The  striking  thing  about  this  performance  is  the  unusual  attention 
paid  by  cast  and  conductor  to  Verdi's  dynamic  markings.  It  is  a 
pleasure  to  hear  an  Italian  group  with  not  only  the  ability,  but 
also  the  will,  to  sing  pianissimo.  Still  though  the  spirit  of  the 
performers  is  admirable  and  their  style  idiomatic,  the  production 
is  not  above  criticism.  Stella  must  have  been  very  young  when 
the  recording  was  made,  for  her  exceptional  voice  has  its  raw 
spots;  the  rhythmic  pulse  of  her  big  aria  is  all  too  obviously 
beaten   out.     Siiveri  is  a  good  artist,  but  his  voice  is  on  the  dry 


Verdi  263 

side.  And  "/Z  lacerato  spirito"  has  been  sung  with  richer  tone 
than  Petri's. 
La  Traviata.  Callas,  s;  Albanese,  t;  Savarese,  b;  etc.;  RIC  &  0, 
Santini,  Cet  C  1246  [3],  Albanese,  s;  Peerce,  t;  Merrill,  b;  etc.; 
Ch;  NBC,  Toscanini,  V  LM  6003  [2],  Guerrini,  s;  Infantine-,  t;  Silveri, 
b;  etc.;  ROC  &  0,  Bellezza,  C  SL  103  [3].  (Highlights  in  German). 
Cebotari,  s;  Roswaenge,  t;  Schlusnus,  b;  BSOC  &  0,  Steinhopf,  U 
URLP  7011. 

Cetra's  Traviata  is  a  nicely  paced  production  typical  of  the 
better-grade  present-day  Italian  opera  stage.  The  Prelude  is  ad- 
mirably reserved  at  the  start,  and  is  allowed  to  expand;  the  first 
scene,  with  its  bits  of  conversation  on  stage,  is  properly  kept  on 
a  quiet  level.  In  matters  of  balance,  it  is  the  best  of  the  Travi- 
atas.  And  it  has  Maria  Callas  in  the  title  role.  Not  that  the 
soprano  is  at  her  best:  the  vocal  line  we  have  so  often  admired 
is  not  always  in  evidence.  Sometimes  she  shades  her  phrases 
very  beautifully;  sometimes  her  voice  has  a  tendency  to  spread. 
The  recitative  preceding  "Ah,  fors'  e  lui"  is  not  as  crisp  as  I 
would  like  it,  and  the  cadenza  of  the  aria  is  heavy.  Nor  is  her 
"Sempre  libera"  as  animated  as  it  should  be.  In  a  word,  despite 
some  superior  singing,  this  is  not  Callas's  best  performance. 
But  if  the  soprano  falls  short  on  shading,  so  does  her  partner, 
Francesco  Albanese.  His  tenor  voice  is  a  little  stiff  in  the  me- 
dium and  low  registers,  and  often  its  quality  is  too  open,  but  he 
has  strength  and  brilliance  on  the  top.  He  hits  his  best  stride  in 
the  second  act,  where  he  has  a  chance  to  expand,  but  at  best  he 
is  an  uneven  singer.  Savarese's  is  a  rather  thick  baritone  not 
transfigured  with  imagination.  He  is  most  successful,  as  is  Cal- 
las, in  "Dite  all  giovine,"  which  scene  the  singers  bring  to  a 
brilliant  close.  His  "Di  Provenza"  is  nicely  conceived,  if  ton- 
ally somewhat  uncertain.  The  acid  test  (both  figuratively  and 
dramatically)  of  a  Germont  is  the  withering  ttDi  sprezzo  degno," 
at  which  point  other  baritones  have  risen  to  greater  heights. 
The  much-heralded  Toscanini  recording  is  his  famous  broadcast 
of  1946.  After  the  performance  considered  above,  this  one  seems 
smooth  and  streamlined.  It  has  the  inevitable  polish  and  orches- 
tral detail,  but  the  singers  are  all  below  their  best.  One  feels 
they  have  little  chance,  led  through  their  arias  at  such  a  pace. 
In  the  good  old  Italian  tradition,  they  want  to  spread  themselves 
in    their  big  moments,   but  the   conductor  keeps  them  strictly  in 


Verdi  264 

line.  In  spots  his  voice  is  heard,  helping  them  out.  The  Columbia 
set  has  a  soprano  with  possibilities  hardly  realized,  a  good 
(though  also  immature)  tenor,  best  in  the  dramatic  moments,  and 
a  serviceable  baritone  whose  career  at  the  Metropolitan  has  been 
made  since  this  recording.  There  is  not  much  characterization 
in  the  performance,  nor  any  first-rate  vocalism.  For  distinguished 
singing  one  must  look  to  the  German  Highlights.  The  lamented 
Cebotari  furnishes  the  best  reasons  for  acquiring  the  set.  Reming- 
ton also  has  a  Traviata  made  in  Rome  under  Ricci,  featuring 
Schimenti,  Pola,  and  Chesi  (R  199-98  [3]).  The  vocal  material 
is  a  good  average,  the  lungs  are  healthy,  finesse  is  in  short 
supply. 

II  Trovatore.     Milanov,  s;  Barbieri,  m-s;  Bjoerling,  t;  Warren,   b;  etc.; 

SC;  RCAO,  Cellini,  V  LM  6008  [2].    Scacciati,  s;  Zinetti,  m-s;  Merli, 

t;  Molinari,  b;  etc.;  SCAC;  M1S0,  Molajoli,  C  SL  120  [2].    Mancini,  s; 

Pirazzini,  m-s;  Lauri-Volpi,  t;  Tagliabue,  b;  etc.;  RIC  &  0,  Previtali, 

Cet  1226  [31 

Victor's  Trovatore  is  something  very  close  to  a  masterpiece. 
Milanov,  at  the  top  of  her  form,  leads  the  cast  with  a  generous 
portion  of  that  vocal  cream  no  other  practicing  soprano  today  can 
rival.  With  her  are  the  finest  Manrico  the  Metropolitan  has 
boasted  in  many  years  and  an  Azucena  with  both  voice  and  tem- 
perament. Warren,  for  his  part,  is  at  his  best  as  Count  di  Luna. 
The  balance  is  satisfactory,  and  the  tempos  are  lively,  perhaps 
even  a  bit  slick.  The  resurrected  Columbia  set  was  never  too 
good,  even  when  it  was  new.  The  singing  is  mostly  strident  and 
sloppy,  with  the  Leonora  the  worst  offender.  After  this  one, 
Cetra's  set  sounds  well,  though  it  is  not  one  of  that  company's 
proudest  offerings.  Mancini  shows  surprising  agility  in  the  florid 
parts  of  the  work,  and  Lauri-Volpi  demonstrates  that  time  has  not 
taken  away  his  lungs.  But  this  contest  of  vivid  Italian  tempera- 
ments is  hardly  bearable  after  the  Victor  set. 

Arias 

Luisa  Miller — Quando  le  sere  al  placido;  Traviata — Dei  miei  bol- 
lenti  spiriti;  Macbeth — Ah!  la  paterna  mono.  Del  Monaco,  t;  SCO, 
Erede,  10"  L  LS  670  (*Puccini:  Arias). 

Aida — Pur  ti  reveggo;  0  terra  addio;  Trovatore — Miserere,  llitsch, 
s;  Baum,   t;  MOC  &  0,  Rudolf.     Un  Ballo  in  Maschera — Teco  io  sto; 


Verdi  265 

Otello — Gia  nella  notte  densa.  llitsch,  s;  Tucker,  t;  MOO,  Rudolf, 
C  ML  4230. 

Ernani — Ernani  involami;  Otello — Salce,  salce;  Ave  Maria;  La 
Traviata — Ah,  fors'  e  lui;  Sempre  libera;  Don  Carlo — Tu  che  le 
vanita;  La  Forza  del  Destino — Pace,  pace,  mio  Dio.  Steber,  s;  MOO, 
Cleva,  10"  C  ML  2157. 

For  the  most  part  Del  Monaco  is  at  his  best  in  these  arias,  and 
his    enterprise    in  selecting  the   out-of-the-way  Luisa  Miller  and 
Macbeth  pieces  is  heartening.    His  is  a  real  voice  and  a  loud  one. 
llitsch  was  briefly  a  member  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera  Company, 
at   which  time  she  was  teamed  with  two  of  the   tenor  mainstays 
for   these  recordings.     The  soprano's  voice  was  big  and  fine  in 
itself,    easily  equal  to  the  demands   of  the  music,  and  at  times 
lovely  in  quality.    She  was  not,  however,  an  even  singer,  nor  did 
she  convey  any  great  degree  of  warmth.    In  volume,  Baum  was  a 
better   match  for  her  than  Tucker,  but  he  was  never  a  singer  of 
great    imagination    either.      Tucker    certainly   made   more    of  his 
material,  though  it  was  a  strange  idea  to  put  him  into  the  Otello 
duet.      The  recording  balance   is  not  exemplary,  though  Baum  is 
properly   removed  to  suggest  the   offstage   dungeon   in  the  "Mis- 
erere."      I  wish   the    chorus   had   been   similarly  removed.      The 
voice  of  Gladys  Zieher  is  heard  as  a  rather  too  eager  Amneris  in 
the  Aida  finale.    The  larger  arias  in  Steber's  set  suffer  from  some 
forcing    and    unsteadiness;    while    the    quieter   ones    have   lovely 
tones,    they  do  not  carry  much  conviction.     Hers  is  not  the  gift 
of   simplicity.     It  seems  strange   in  considering  Italian  arias  to 
speak  of  singing  less  and  talking  more,  yet  this  is  just  what,  for 
example,  the  opening  of  "Salce,  salce"  needs. 
La    Traviata — Questa  donna  conoscete?     Zenatello,   t;     Otello — Ora 
e  per  sempre  addio.     Rayner,  t.    Otello — Dio!  mi  potevi  scagliar;  Niun 
mi     tema;    Rigoletto — Ella    mi    fu    rapita.       Fertile,    t.       Requiem — 
Ingemisco.     Piccaver,  t.     Rigoletto — Questa  o  quella;  Trovatore — Ah 
si,    ben  mio.      Lauri-Volpi,   t.      Ballo  in  Maschera — Ma  se  m'e  forza 
perderti.    Vignas,  t.    Trovatore — Di  quella  pira.    Lois,  t.  Et  703. 

This  collection  of  tenor  arias  shifts  back  and  forth  between 
electric  and  acoustic  reproduction,  though  only  the  Zenatello  and 
Vignas  seem  to  be  genuinely  "old"  (1906).  As  it  happens, 
these  two  are  outstanding:  Zenatello's  is  a  splendidly  clear, 
piano-accompanied  performance  showing  the  artist  at  his  best; 
Vignas  has  both  vocal  fullness  and  fine  style.  Rayner  and  Pertile 


V*rdl/Vlctorta  266 

divide  the  honors  as  Otello,  both  electrically  recorded,  and  both 
in  good  form.  Piccaver's  recording  is  as  good  as  any  I  have 
heard  of  this  Viennese  idol.  The  young  Lauri-Volpi  shows  curi- 
ously undependable  intonation,  and  of  course  the  lyricism  of  "  Ah 
si,  ben  mio"  was  never  his  longest  suit.  I  know  nothing  of 
Vittorio  Lois,  whose  recording  is  electrical,  but  his  is  a  strange 
performance.  To  compensate  for  his  lack  of  melodic  articulation, 
he  gives  a  certain  dramatic  stress.  As  for  his  intonation,  his 
aim  is  consistently  high. 

Songs 

II    poveretto;   In   solitaria  stanza;   II   mistero;   II   tramonto;  Stomello; 

Deh  pietoso,  o  adolorata;  Ad  una  Stella.     Lucca,  s;  R.  Malipiero,  pf, 

10"  Col  CLPS  1028. 

Italian  song  is  nicely  represented  by  this  set  of  seven  Verdi 
pieces,  simple,  grateful,  and  little  known.  One  of  them,  interest- 
ingly, is  a  setting  of  translated  Goethe,  Gretchen's  "Ach  neige, 
du  Schmerzenreiche."    Lucca's  singing  is  rich  and  controlled. 

VICTORIA,    TOMAS   LUIS   DE   (ca.  1549-1611) 

Masses:    0   Magnum   Mysterium;   0   Quam   Gloriosum.      Welch   Ch,   Ly 

LL  46. 

The  two  Masses  here  recorded  are  based  on  themes  from  Vic- 
toria's own  like-named  motets.  Some  will  find  the  performing 
style  a  little  free  here — too  much  variety  of  tempo — but  the 
Masses  are  cleanly  and  honestly  delivered  with  generally  ad- 
mirable tone. 

Officium  defunctorum  (Missa  pro  defunctis);  Magnificat  IV  toni.    Lecco 

Acad  Ch,  Camillucci,  Vox  PL  8930. 

The  rather  long  and  somber  Requiem  (whose  more  proper  title  has 
been  restored  above  to  distinguish  it  from  another  Missa  pro  de- 
functis) is  given  a  very  energetic  performance,  too  obviously 
measured  by  the  bar-lines.  There  is  no  suggestion  in  the  singing 
of  the  eternal  mysteries  pondered  in  the  text.  The  Magnificat  ("in 
IV  tones,"  as  the  labeling  has  it!)  is  a  solider  composition,  more 
susceptible  to  this  kind  of  treatment.  Still,  one  wishes  the  sing- 
ers were  a  little  more  relaxed. 


ViUa-Lohos/Vivaldi  267 

VILLA-LOBOS,   HEITOR  (1887-         ) 

Mass  of  Saint  Sebastian.     V  of  Cal  Ch,  Janssen,  C  ML  4516. 

Villa-Lobos's  Mass,  says  Alfred  Frankenstein,  "is  not  beholden 
so  much  to  Bach  as  to  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  choral  com- 
posers of  the  sixteenth  century. ..."  A  curious  effect  is  achieved 
by  the  doubling  of  the  three  voice  parts  among  the  men  and  women. 
The  music  moves  ahead  impressively;  several  of  the  movements 
end  in  tremendous  climaxes.  The  reproduction  is  notably  ex- 
pansive and  clear. 

Bachianas  Brasileiras,  No.  5.     Sayao,  s;  Eight  Cellos,   Villa-Lobos, 

10"  C  AL  3  (*Verdi:  Traviata — Arias). 

This  recording  has  enjoyed  tremendous  popularity  at  78  rpm;  in- 
deed, it  is  accountable  for  the  public  appreciation  of  the  music, 
perhaps  to  a  large  extent  for  the  composer's  reputation  in  this 
country.  The  principal  melody,  a  wordless  vocalise,  is  hauntingly 
expressive,  and  in  Sayao 's  voice  it  found  its  perfect  vehicle.  The 
great  days  of  the  recording  are  by  no  means  over. 

VIVALDI,   ANTONIO   (ca.  1676-1741) 

Beatus  vir.     Sailer,  s;  Kiefer,  s;  Graf,  t;  Muller,  bs;  Werdermann,  bs; 

SSAC;  PRO,  Grischkat,  Vox  PL  7140. 

Vivaldi's  psalm  is  a  work  of  great  dignity  and  no  little  purely 
musical  beauty,  with  perhaps  the  "Jocundus  homo"  section  out- 
standing, a  soprano  solo  with  obbligato  for  organ  in  the  manner 
of  Bach's  chorale  preludes.  The  work  is  handsomely  done  in  this 
performance,  though  the  choral  tone  is  diffused  in  reproduction. 

Dixit.     Giancola,  s;  Piovesan,  s;  Amadini,  c;  Cristinelli,  t;  Ferrein, 

bs;  SVC  &  0,  Ephrikian,  Per  SPLP  537. 

This  setting  of  the  110th  Psalm  is  preceded  by  a  long  and  elabo- 
rate tenor  solo.  The  performance  is  good,  with  special  credit 
going  to  Cristinelli  for  his  mastery  of  the  florid  style. 

Gloria.      EVP;  0,   Jouve,    W  WL  5287  (*Charpentier:  Midnight  Mass). 

Zanolli,  s;  Giordano,  m-s;  Lecco  Ch;  MITN,  Pedrollo,  Vox  PLP  6610. 
This  fine  work  seems  now  to  be  generally  known  as  Gloria  Mass, 
though  in  fact  it  is  not  a  Mass  at  all,  but  the  tlGloria  in  excelsis" 
section  so  elaborately  set  that  the  experts  question  that  it  ever 
was  a  part  of  a  larger  whole.  The  Vox  recording,  acceptable  in 
its   day,   is   cast  into  the   shade   by  the   later  Westminster.     The 


Vivaldi  268 

Italian  soloists  hardly  sound  professional:  were  their  names  not 
given,  we  might  easily  take  them  for  boys.  Their  counterparts  in 
the  French  performance  remain  anonymous,  but  are  vastly  su- 
perior. This  recording  as  a  whole  is  more  carefully  realized, 
more  polished,  cleaner,  and  more  refined  in  sound.  That  Jouve's 
tempos  are  more  vital  than  Pedrollo's  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that 
he  uses  only  one  side  of  the  disc  to  his  rival's  two. 

Juditha  triumphans.    Giancola,  s;  Amadini,  c;  Cristinelli,  t;  Cortis,  b; 

Ferrein,  bs;  FOC;  SVO,  Ephrikian,  Per  SPLP  557. 

This  Judith  is  an  oratorio,  and  an  extremely  dramatic  one.  The 
performance  is  in  many  ways  excellent,  if  uneven.  The  best  of 
the  singers  is  Cortis  (the  Holofernes),  a  fine  flexible  Italian 
baritone  with  style  as  well  as  technical  assurance.  Amadini 
(Judith)  possesses  a  rich,  ample  contralto  somewhat  inclined  to 
fatness.  One  might  wish  for  more  subtlety  in  her  delivery,  though 
she  sings  with  taste.  Giancola  and  Ferrein  are  good  in  their 
parts,  Cristinelli  less  so:  his  light  voice  here  seems  too  open. 
The  recording  balance  is  not  altogether  satisfactory:  the  solos 
are  often  overloaded  and  not  matched  with  the  choruses. 

Laudate  pueri,  I  &  II.    Giancola,  s;  SVO,  Ephrikian,  Ren  X  50. 

Though  a  "choral  ensemble"  is  listed  on  the  labels,  this  disc 
actually  contains  two  solo  settings  of  the  113th  Psalm,  both  sung 
by  Rosanna  Giancola.  Of  the  two,  the  second  is  at  once  the  more 
brilliant  (making  more  than  ordinary  demands  on  the  singer),  the 
more  effective,  and  the  better  sung.  The  artist  has  a  sweet,  clear 
soprano,  but  it  is  not  perfectly  even  in  quality;  occasionally  a 
high  tone  will  slip  out  of  line.  This  tendency  is  more  apparent 
in  the  first  than  the  second  setting.  She  does  not  toss  off  the 
long  passages  with  complete  ease,  nor  does  she  always  manage 
to  pronounce  her  words  very  clearly  when  Vivaldi  takes  her  into 
the  higher  registers.  But  she  does  leave  the  impression  of  some 
very  beautiful  music. 

Stabat  Mater.    Amadini,  c;  AC  &  0,  Gerelli,  Vox  PL  7180  (*Carissimi: 

Jonas). 

Vivaldi's  Stabat  Mater  is  a  contralto  solo  of  considerable  beauty, 
fairly  well  done  here  by  the  rather  ponderous  voice  of  Amadini. 
The  delightful  Carissimi  oratorio  overdisc  is  better  done. 

Serenata  a  Tre.     Rapisardi,  s;  Zanolli,  s;  Bianchini,  t;  MIC,  Loehrer, 

Vox  PL  7990. 

The   three  singers  in  this  charming  little  pastoral  clearly  have  a 


Vivaldi/Wagner  269 

grasp  of  what  is  going  on,   and  the  performance  is  held  together 
by  the  conductor.    The  voices  as  such  are  nothing  much. 

WAGNER,   RICHARD   (1813-1883) 

Operas 

Der  fliegende  Hollander.    Kupper,  s;  Wagner,  c;  Windgassen,  t;  Metter- 

nich,    b;    Greindl,    bs;    etc.;    RIASC    &   0,    Fricsay,    D    DX   124   [3]. 

Ursuleac,  s;  Wilier,  c;  Ostertag,  t;  Hotter,  b;  Hann,  bs;  etc.;  BAVOC 

&  0,  Krauss,  Mer  MGL  2  [4]. 

The  Fricsay  reading  is  exciting  from  first  to  last.  The  singing  is 
mostly  on  a  high  level  of  competence,  the  recording  clear  and 
credible,  if  not  perfectly  balanced  in  the  solo  parts.  The  choral 
shouts  in  the  first  act  are  like  waves  rolling  over  the  listener. 
The  exception  among  the  fine  singers  is  Kupper,  whose  voice  is 
not  steady.  She  has  a  sense  of  style,  and  her  "Ballad"  is  by  no 
means  bad,  but  at  best  her  tone  is  on  the  dry  side.  Metternich's 
voice  is  light  for  the  Dutchman,  and  he  has  nothing  like  the  power 
of  Hotter 's  delivery  in  the  rival  set.  Greindl  is  an  unusually 
sympathetic  Daland,  and  Windgassen  does  more  than  most  tenors 
with  the  character  of  Erik.  Indeed,  at  times  his  energy  is  over- 
whelming. The  few  cuts  are  of  little  more  than  repetitions;  a 
couple  of  bad  breaks  between  sides  are  more  unfortunate.  Despite 
the  efforts  of  Clemens  Krauss,  the  Mercury  set  has  little  to  recom- 
mend it  beyond  Hotter's  justly  famous  Dutchman.  Ursuleac  and 
Wilier  are  both  past  their  prime  and  their  vocal  steadiness;  what- 
ever is  admirable  in  the  singing  of  others  in  the  cast  is  nullified 
by  very  loud,  coarse  recording.  A  better-reproduced  sample  of 
Hotter's  characterization  may  be  had  in  his  Wagnerian  Recital 
(D  DL  9514),  which  includes  "Die  Frist  ist  urn." 
Eterna  offers  a  set  of  Highlights,  more  nearly  unified  than  most 
of  its  kind  (Et  481).  The  role  of  Senta  is  shared  by  two  sopranos, 
Emmy  Bettendorf  and  Elisabeth  Ohms.  The  former  gives  a  vocally 
rich  but  not  very  exciting  "Ballad,"  acoustically  recorded;  the 
latter  joins  with  Theodor  Scheidl  in  an  eloquent  version  of  the 
great  duet,  which,  however,  ends  inconclusively.  Scheidl  was 
one  of  the  best  German  baritones  between  the  wars;  his  delivery 
of  the  long  first-act  monologue  is  dramatically  powerful  and 
vocally  fine.  Michael  Bohnen  has  to  contend  with  poor  reproduc- 
tion   (acoustic)   in  Daland's   aria.      A   separate  recording  of  the 


Wagner  270 

"Ballad"  is  offered  by  Maud  Cunitz  (10"  Tel  TM  68001).  The 
soprano  sings  in  a  big,  even  voice,  dark  in  quality,  perhaps  a 
little  heavy.  Except  occasionally,  when  she  pushes  it,  her  tone 
is  commendably  steady. 

Lohengrin.     Cunitz,  s;  Klose,  c;  Schock,  t;  Metternich,  b;  Frick,  bs; 

etc.;  NWDRC  &  0,  Schuchter,  HMV  ALP  1095/6/7/8  [4].     Kupper,  s; 

Braun,    m-s;    Fehenberger,    t;    Frantz,    b;    Rohr,    bs;    etc.;   BAVRC   & 

0,  Jochum,  D  DX  131  [4].    Schech,  s;  Klose,  c;  Vincent,  t;  Boehm,  b; 

Bohme,    bs;   etc.;  MSOC  &  0,   Kempe,    U   URLP  225  [5].      Steber,  s; 

Varnay,  s;  Windgassen,  t;  Uhde,  b;  Greindl,  bs;  etc.;  BFC  &  0,  Keil- 

berth,  L  LLA  16  [5]. 

Of  these  four  Lohengrins  not  one  is  completely  satisfactory.  To 
some  extent  this  is  the  composer's  fault,  for  his  opera  is  ex- 
ceptionally difficult  to  cast.  The  ideal  singer  for  the  title  role 
must  be  both  robust  and  tender;  the  tessitura  of  the  part  is  as  try- 
ing as  anything  in  Wagner.  Then  there  is  Ortrud,  usually  sung  by 
a  contralto  who  cannot  ascend  the  heights  or  a  soprano  without 
sufficient  weight.  Telramund,  a  bass-baritone,  has  some  high 
passages  to  sing,  and  even  the  genuinely  basso  King  needs  a 
good  upper  voice.  Elsa  must  rely  on  infinite  lyricism,  for  there 
is  little  shading  in  her  blond  German  character.  At  the  same  time, 
very  nearly  everything  depends  on  a  good  strong  hand  at  the 
podium.  The  rhythmic  patterns  throughout  the  score  are  cut  to  a 
definite  measure,  and  the  opera  can  seem  interminable.  In  cast- 
ing, each  of  the  four  recordings  has  a  point  or  two  in  its  favor;  in 
vitality  and  dramatic  insight  on  the  part  of  the  conductor,  the  best 
is  easily  the  HMV.  Schuchter  may  be  accused  of  keeping  the 
tempos  too  fast;  at  least  he  keeps  them  alive.  This  most  recent 
recording  is  also  the  most  atmospheric,  natural,  and  refined  in 
reproduction,  from  the  shimmering  strings  of  the  Prelude  to  the 
biggest  of  the  climaxes.  For  all  their  sonority,  the  ensembles 
are  exceptionally  clear:  the  individual  voices  stand  out.  Sensitive 
ears  will  sometimes  be  bothered  by  the  singers'  intonation,  but  in 
this  respect  none  of  the  sets  will  be  found  innocent. 
Schock,  the  HMV  Lohengrin,  is  better  on  the  robust  side  than  the 
tender.  Though  he  does  not  find  all  the  music  comfortably  within 
his  voice,  and  his  tone  quality  is  a  little  hoarse,  his  style  is 
praiseworthy.  Windgassen,  in  the  London  set  (made  at  a  public 
performance  at  Bayreuth  in  1953),  is  the  best  of  the  Lohengrins, 
once  he  gets  warmed  up.   Decca's  Fehenberger  makes  an  effective 


Wagner  271 

entrance  at  the  proper  distance,  and  he  succeeds  fairly  well  in 
lightening  his  somewhat  heavy  voice  in  the  "Bridal  Chamber 
Scene."  Vincent,  of  Urania,  is  a  young  American  of  promise,  not 
quite  ready  for  his  assignment  when  the  recording  was  made.  The 
most  successful  Telramund,  vocally  and  histrionically,  is  Decca's 
Frantz.  He  delivers  his  envenomed  lines  and  shades  his  words 
with  all  the  power  of  mastery.  Metternich  in  the  HMV  set  is  ad- 
mirably dramatic,  too,  especially  in  the  poisonous  aria  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  second  act.  Andreas  Boehm  of  the  Urania  set  was 
a  young  singer  of  solid  achievements  who  died  shortly  after  the 
recording  was  made.  HMV's  King,  Gottlob  Frick,  is  more  alive 
than  most  operatic  royalty;  his  singing  of  the  "Prayer,"  though 
perhaps  a  little  rushed  by  the  conductor,  has  weight  and  tonal 
beauty.  Greindl  and  Rohr  are  satisfactory  in  this  part;  the  usually 
admirable  Kurt  Bohme  seems  to  be  singing  above  his  best  range. 
Margarete  Klose,  the  Ortrud  of  the  HMV  and  the  Urania  sets,  is  a 
veteran,  surely,  of  many  Lohengrins,  and  her  singing  has  the  true 
dramatic  ring.  Her  voice  does  not,  naturally,  sound  its  best  in 
the  upper  reaches,  but  the  kind  of  shrieking  tone  she  gets  is  not 
out  of  character.  Vocally,  she  may  have  lost  something  between 
the  two  recordings.  The  other  Ortruds  are  sopranos.  Helena 
Braun's  voice  is  on  the  light  side,  and  does  not  contrast  strongly 
enough  with  that  of  the  Elsa.  It  is  also  somewhat  taxed  by  the 
weight  of  the  role,  though  she  compensates  for  this  by  "singing 
with  her  brain."  Varnay's  vocal  production  is  not  forward  enough 
for  the  most  telling  diction,  a  fact,  I  think,  emphasized  by  the 
exigencies  of  the  stage  recording.  None  of  the  Elsas  is  able 
to  float  her  tone  into  the  night  as  Wagner  invited  her  to  do  in 
"Euch  L'uften,  die  mein  Klagen."  Of  the  four,  the  rather  brittle- 
voiced  Maud  Cunitz  is  the  best,  because  her  tone  is  the  steadi- 
est, and  at  least  it  never  gets  out  of  hand,  though  it  has  an  in- 
clination to  spread  in  the  high  register.  She  is  at  her  best  in  the 
"Bridal  Chamber  Scene." 

A  set  of  highlights  dubbed  by  Eterna  is  more  modern  in  sound 
than  many  this  company  has  used  (Et  0-472).  Electrically  repro- 
duced, Olszewska  and  Schipper  have  the  whole  of  the  first  side 
for  a  rousing  Ortrud- Telramund  duet.  This  contralto's  voice 
ascends  impressively  to  the  altitudes  of  her  part.  Emmy  Betten- 
dorf  has  the  needed  quality  for  "Euch  Luften,"  and  Karin  Bran- 
zell  delivers  Ortrud's  outburst,  "Entweihte  Gotter,"  quite  tre- 
mendously.      Finally,    the    Elsa-Ortrud    duet,    by   Bettendorf   and 


Wagner  272 

Branzell,  crowns  the  program,  splendidly  sung  and  still  effective 
in  reproduction. 

Three  separate  issues  of  the  "Bridal  Chamber  Scene"  are  worth 
listing.  The  Flagstad-Melchior  recording  (V  LCT  1105)  is  a 
treasurable  souvenir  despite  the  fact  that  the  singers  were  more 
closely  identified  with  other  roles  than  these,  and  that  the  re- 
cording was  never  well-balanced  nor  the  orchestra  eloquent. 
Traubel  and  Baum  (C  ML  4055)  make  a  majestic  Elsa  and  a  some- 
what stiff  Lohengrin.  Neither  of  these  recordings  captures  much 
in  the  way  of  tenderness  and  warmth;  both  have  moments  of  in- 
gratiating tone.  Both  versions  are  somewhat  cut.  Lemnitz  and 
Volker  (U  URLP  7019),  for  their  part,  do  not  continue  all  the  way 
to  the  end.  The  soprano's  voice  is  very  lovely,  that  of  the  tenor 
not  in  its  best  estate. 

Die    Meistersinger.     Schwarzkopf,   s;   Malaniuh,   c;   Hopf,   t;   linger,  t; 

Edelmann,  b;  Kunz,  b;  Dalberg,  bs;  etc.;  BFC  &  0,  Karajan,  C  SL  117 

[5].     Lemnitz,  s;  Walther-Sachs,  c;  Aldenhoff,  t;  linger,  t;  Frantz,  b; 

Bohme,    bs;   etc.;   DOC;   SAX,   Kempe,    U   URLP   206  [6];  (Episodes) 

Frantz,  b;  0,  Kempe,   U  URLP   7067.     Gueden,  s;  Schurhoff,  c;  Trep- 

tow,    t;   Dermota,    t;   Schoeffler,    b;    Edelmann,    b;   etc.;    VSOC;    VPH, 

Knappertsbusch,  L  LLA  9  [6]. 

Die    Meistersinger — Act   3.       Teschemacher,    s;    Jung,    m-s;    Ralf,    t; 

Kremer,    t;    Nissen,    b;   Fuchs,    bs;    etc.;    DOC   &   0,    Bohm,    V   LCT 

6002  [2]. 

The  Bayreuth  performance  has  the  element  of  excitement  we  get 
only  in  actual  public  performance  recordings,  but  it  has  also  the 
usual  unevenness  of  such  "takes."  The  Dresden  presentation  of 
Urania  has  greater  brilliance,  clarity,  and  sonority,  but  not  perfect 
consistency  throughout.  Sometimes  the  singers  are  too  close, 
sometimes  about  right,  sometimes  weak.  In  the  London  set  the 
voices  are  definitely  too  near,  and  for  this  reason  lose  some- 
thing of  their  appeal.  The  best  Sachs,  all  things  considered,  is 
Urania's  Frantz,  though,  of  course,  London's  Schoeffler  is  a  first- 
rate  artist,  and  Columbia's  Edelmann  (who  is  also  Pogner  for 
Urania)  draws  a  creditable  character  with  a  less  warmly  attractive 
voice.  Lemnitz  is  a  sweet-voiced  Eva,  but  overpowered  in  the 
climaxes,  for  which  reason  Schwarzkopf  is  preferred.  Urania  and 
Columbia  share  the  David  of  Unger  and  the  Watchman  of  Faul- 
haber.  The  Beckmessers  are  all  good,  and  none  is  too  much 
caricatured,  the  best  probably  being  the  Bayreuth  Kunz.  The  big, 
rich  voice  of  Bohme  easily  makes  the  best  Pogner.     None  of  the 


Wagner  273 

Walters  is  ideal,  but  Hopf  seems  to  me  definitely  the  best. 
Victor's  revival  of  the  old  Dresden  Act  3  remains  remarkable  for 
its  ensemble. 

Parsifal.      Modi,   s;   Windgassen,   t;  London,   b;  Weber,   bs;   Uhde,  bs; 

etc.;  BFC  &  0,  Knappertsbusch,  L  LLP  A  10  [6]. 

This  "actual  performance"  recording,  made  in  the  Bayreuth 
Festspielhaus  during  the  summer  of  1951,  really  took  fire.  This 
time  we  have  ample  compensation  for  all  the  coughing  and  other 
audience  noises.  George  London,  the  Amfortas,  does  some  of  the 
finest  singing  of  his  career  to  date.  His  voice  is  rich  and  ex- 
pressive, if  anything  too  young  and  healthy,  and  he  is  not  made 
to  sound  like  a  giant.  Martha  Modi  has  an  insinuating  vocal 
quality,  and  obviously  there  is  a  mind  working  behind  it.  Perhaps 
her  top  tones  are  not  so  strong  as  one  could  wish,  but  this  is 
understandable  in  a  Kundry  who  started  as  a  contralto.  Her  be- 
setting sin  is  a  habit  of  sliding  up  to  a  note;  but  one  forgives  her 
readily  in  gratitude  for  the  general  excellence  of  her  performance. 
Windgassen  may  well  be  the  best  of  current  German  tenors;  his 
voice,  to  be  sure,  is  a  little  stiff  at  first,  but  from  the  point  where 
Kundry  kisses  him  it  takes  on  authority  and  body.  Weber's 
Gurnemanz  has  humanity  and  warmth,  though  he  is  not  too  finical 
about  the  notes  he  sings.  Uhde,  a  properly  villainous  Klingsor, 
seems  to  be  singing  most  of  the  time  in  a  cave.  The  flower- 
maiden  scene  does  not  come  off  too  happily,  for  the  young  ladies 
come  too  close — one  wants  a  little  more  perspective.  There  is  a 
strange  effect,  like  a  pre-echo,  when  Kundry's  voice  is  first  heard 
in  this  scene.  One  especially  unfortunate  between-sides  break 
occurs  in  the  midst  of  the  garden  scene,  cutting  Kundry's  narra- 
tive in  mid-course. 

Every  Wagnerian  role  interpreted  by  Flagstad  and  by  Melchior  has 
now  passed  into  history;  therefore  their  recording  of  the  duet  in 
garden  scene  (V  LCT  1105)  has  special  value,  despite  an  or- 
chestra that  does  not  support  them  too  well  and  poorly  balanced 
recording.  There  is  considerable  sheer  vocal  beauty  in  their 
performance. 

DER  RING  DE8  NIBELUNGEN  (Das  Rheingold,  Die  Vfalkure, 
Siegfried,  Gotterd'ammerung) 

Die   Walkure — Act  1.     Muller,   s;  Windgassen,   t;  Greindl,   bs;   WSTO, 
Leitner,  D  DX  121  [2]  (*  Gotterd'ammerung — Act  2,  Scene  3.     Greindl, 


Wagner  274 

bs;   MPH,  Rieger).     Lehmann,  s;  Melchior,  t;  List,  bs;   VPH,  Walter, 

V  LCT  1033. 

Die  Walkure — Act  1,  Scene  3.    Traubel,  s;  Darcy,  t;  NYPH,  Rodzinski. 

Act  3.     Jessner,  s;   Traubel,  s;  Janssen,  b;  etc.;  NYPH,  Rodzinski, 

C  SL  105  [2]. 

Die   Walkure — Act  3.     Varnay,  s;  Rysanek,  s;  S.  Bjoerling,  bs;  etc.; 

BFO,  Karajan,  C  SL  116  [2]. 

Here  are  two  complete  first  acts  and  one  love  duet,  the  latter 
taking  in  what  many  consider  the  cream  of  the  act.  As  a  record- 
ing, the  most  recent — the  Decca — is  incomparably  the  best,  and 
it  is  a  good  performance  by  well-routined  singers.  Maria  Muller, 
obviously  past  her  best  days,  sings  with  exemplary  care,  holding 
her  voice  to  greater  steadiness  than  has  marked  the  more  recent 
of  her  previous  efforts.  But  she  hardly  gives  the  impression  of 
abandoning  herself  to  the  ecstasy  of  the  moment.  Windgassen 
rates  certainly  among  the  better  German  tenors,  and  Greindl  sus- 
tains his  reputation.  The  voices  seem  to  be  in  a  chamber  sepa- 
rated from  the  orchestra.  The  Victor  recording  is  a  classic. 
Lehmann's  Sieglinde  is  legendary,  and  Siegmund  was  one  of 
Melchior's  best  parts.  List  and  Walter,  too,  were  in  top  form  when 
the  recording  was  made.  We  must  accept  the  fact  that  the  once- 
superlative  reproduction  has  faded  somewhat,  though  it  may  still 
be  heard  without  pain.  For  their  part,  Traubel 's  Sieglinde  is  on 
the  majestic  side  and  Darcy's  pleasing  voice  is  too  light  to  cut 
impressively  through  the  Wagnerian  orchestra.  Act  3  was  one  of 
Columbia's  outstanding  achievements  of  the  mid-forties,  featuring 
the  best  cast  available  at  the  Metropolitan  in  its  day,  under  a 
conductor  of  authority  and  power.  A  remarkable  feature  at  the 
time  of  release  was  the  stage  effect:  though  this  was  a  concert 
performance,  the  singers  were  so  placed  as  to  give  some  dramatic 
illusion.  The  thing  may  even  have  been  overdone,  but  I  have  al- 
ways liked  it.  Traubel,  back  in  her  own  proper  role  of  Briinnhilde, 
is  in  top  form,  and  Janssen  proves  himself  a  good,  if  rather  light- 
voiced,  Wotan.  However,  he  has  a  tendency  to  dominate  the  or- 
chestra, especially  in  the  "Abschied."  Stage  effect  really  comes 
into  its  own  in  the  Bayreuth  Act  3,  which  was  taken  during  a 
public  performance.  More  than  the  usual  amount  of  fading  is 
caused  by  movement  on  the  stage  during  the  first  scene:  the 
Wotan- Briinnhilde  part  stays  much  more  in  line.  Varnay's  Briinn- 
hilde is  not  of  the  steadiest,  but  Sigurd  Bjoerling's  Wotan  is  ex- 
ceptional.   The  total  effect  is  magnificently  vital  and  exciting. 


Wagner  275 

Siegfried — Awakening  Scene.  Flagstad,  s;  Svanholm,  t;  PHI,  Se- 
bastian, V  LHMV  1024  (*  Gotterdammerung — Immolation  Scene). 

One   of  the  penalties  a  soprano  of  Flagstad's  gifts  must  pay  is 
never    to    sing    with    a    tenor    of    comparable    endowment.      Even 
Melchior,    though    his    voice    was    adequate,    never   matched   the 
soprano's  accurate  musicianship.     The  tenor  in  the  present  case 
is  about  as  good  as  most  these  days,  but  his  stiff  production  is 
oddly   assorted  with  the   easy  outpouring  of  the   Flagstad  tone. 
Her  part  in  the  duet  is  in  her  best  postwar  voice,  and  she  even 
attacks  the  high  C's,  which  she  used  to  skip  when  in  her  prime. 
The    balance   with  the   orchestra  is   unusually  good,   and  the  or- 
chestra   plays    well;    but   the    performance    does   not   rise    above 
good  routine. 
Gotterdammerung — Hagen's  Wacht;  Hagen's  Ruf.     Hoffmann,  bs.    Song 
of  the  Rhinedaughters ,  Act  3,  Scene  1.    Siegfried's  Narration.    Schubert, 
t,    Death  of  Siegfried.     Schmedes,   t.     Immolation  Scene.     Leider,  s. 
Et  480. 

Gotterdammerung — Act  2,  Scene  3.  Greindl,  bs;  MPH,  Rieger,  D  DX 
121  [2]  (*Walkure,  Act  1). 

Gotterdammerung — Immolation  Scene.  Flagstad,  s;  PHI,  Furtwangler, 
V  LHMV  1024  (*Siegfried — Auakening  Scene). 

Gotterdammerung — Funeral  Music  and  Immolation  Scene.  Harshaw,  s. 
Tristan  und  Isolde — Prelude,  Liebesnacht  and  Liebestod.  PHO, 
Ormandy,  C  ML  4742. 

Gotterdammerung — Brunnhilde' s  Immolation;  Siegfried  Idyll.  Traubel, 
s;  NBC,  Toscanini,  V  LCT  1116. 

The  "historical"  record  is  justified  on  the  grounds  that  most  of 
the  music  it  contains  is  not  otherwise  available  on  LP.  But  most 
important  on  its  musical  merits  is  the  splendid  Immolation  by 
Frida  Leider,  an  electrical  recording  magnificent  in  its  day  and 
still  not  killed  by  the  array  of  rivals  listed  below  it.  The  other 
singers  assembled  from  various  recording  periods  are  good  of 
their  kind,  and  the  reproduction  is  up  and  down.  The  barbarous 
music  of  Hagens  Ruf  is  more  excitingly  done  by  the  admirable 
Josef  Greindl,  with  the  impressive  assistance  of  conductor  Rieger 
and  the  modern  engineers.  Flagstad's  Immolation  is  sung  with 
poise  and  majestic  tone,  always  riding  the  orchestra,  yet  never 
dominating  it  after  the  manner  of  too  many  recordings.  Her  voice 
may  be  less  fresh  than  it  was  when  her  earlier  recording  was 
made,  but  there  is  no  question  as  to  the  superiority  of  this  one. 


Wagner  276 

Furtwangler  seems  to  have  been  just  the  conductor  to  make  the 
wonderful  voice  glow.  Harshaw's  (or  rather  Ormandy's)  perform- 
ance begins  with  the  so-called  "Funeral  March,"  continuing 
through  the  entrance  of  Gutrune,  then  skips  to  the  measures  pre- 
ceding Brvinnhilde's  peroration.  The  conductor  draws  from  his 
orchestra  a  mass  of  seething  sound;  in  his  hands  the  music  be- 
comes exciting  and  real.  Harshaw,  who  is  not  allowed  to  dominate 
the  ensemble  unduly,  gets  off  to  a  rather  tremulous  start,  but 
warms  up  effectively,  though  she  does  not  succeed  in  imparting 
much  drama  to  her  singing.  The  Traubel-Toscanini  collaboration 
produced  one  of  the  great  records  of  the  late  pre-LP  era,  and  one 
well  worth  bringing  back,  though  there  has  been  some  loss  of 
brilliance  in  the  transfer.  So  here  we  have  a  choice  of  four 
Briinnhildes,  each  outstanding  in  her  day.  Flagstad  and  Furt- 
wangler give  us  the  most  complete  satisfaction;  Leider's  is  still 
to  me  the  most  exciting  vocally;  but  the  Traubel-Toscanini  re- 
cording has  a  grandeur  of  its  own. 

Tannhauser.    Schech,  s;  B'dumer,  s;  Seider,  t;  Paul,  b;  Rohr,  bs;  etc.; 

MSOC  &  0,  Heger,  U  URLP  211  [4]. 

Admirers  of  Tannhauser  have  to  content  themselves  with  a  choice 
of  one,  a  performance  more  or  less  typical  of  what  is  done  for 
this  opera  on  European  stages  today.  The  conductor  is  an  old, 
skilled  hand;  the  reading  is  authentic;  chorus  and  orchestra  are 
experienced  and  efficient.  Schech  as  Elisabeth  performs  no 
wonders,  but  sings  sweetly  enough.  Baumer,  however,  is  a  dis- 
tressingly unsteady,  unseductive  Venus,  Seider  typically  a  Ger- 
man tenor.  Paul  does  well  as  the  all  too  saintly  Wolfram,  Rohr 
makes  a  sonorous  Landgrave,  and  the  rest  are  in  the  picture. 

Tristan  una1  Isolde.     Flagstad,  s;   Thebom,  m-s;  Suthaus,  t;  Fischer- 

Dieskau,  b;  Greindl,  bs;  etc.;  ROOC  &  0,  Furtwangler,  V  LM  6700  [5]. 

B'dumer,  s;  Westenberger,  m-s;  Suthaus,  t;  Wolfram,  b;  Frich,  bs;  etc.; 

MRC;  LGO,  Konowitschy,  U  URLP  202  [5].   ( Abridged) Larsen-Tods en, 

s;  Helm,  s;  Graarud,  t;  Bochelmann,  b;  Andres  en,  bs;  etc.;  BFC,  El- 

mendorff,  C  EL  11  [3]. 

By  one  of  those  happy  strokes  of  fortune,  the  complete  Tristan 
crowning  the  career  of  Kirsten  Flagstad  is  all  we  could  reasona- 
bly hope  it  would  be.  Rarely  in  the  opera  house  has  the  soprano 
given  so  eloquent  a  performance  of  this  music,  because  rarely  has 
she  worked  in  complete  rapport  with  so  masterful  a  conductor  as 
Furtwangler.      One   is  tempted  to  call  the  recording  his  master- 


Wagner  2.1 1 

piece  as  well  as  hers.  The  opening  of  the  Prelude  is  almost 
frighteningly  soft,  but  before  we  know  it,  Furtwangler  has  built 
up  terrific  tension,  and  this  hardly  relaxes  throughout  the  ten  long 
record  sides.  At  first  I  noted  some  lack  of  incisiveness  in  the 
string  tone,  but  I  quickly  forgot  such  things.  Later  on  there  are 
wonderful  effects,  recordingwise,  such  as  the  instrumental  defini- 
tion in  the  "Love  Duet."  Once  or  twice  the  reproduced  sound  be- 
comes slightly  clouded,  but  this  is  never  serious.  I  thought  I 
heard  some  extraneous  noises,  such  as  might  have  been  made  by 
hitting  of  music  stands,  and  in  my  copy  there  is  a  mechanical 
knocking  toward  the  end  of  side  5.  The  orchestral  balance  is 
cause  for  rejoicing:  for  once,  working  with  the  unique  Flagstad 
voice,  the  engineers  have  not  been  afraid  of  drowning  out  the 
singing.  Some  of  the  offstage  voices,  as  that  of  the  Sailor  at  the 
beginning,  sound  as  though  they  were  in  a  neighboring  hall,  but 
at  least  they  are  offstage.  On  the  other  hand,  Brangane's  call  is 
way  off  there  where  it  should  be,  and  the  effect  with  the  orchestra 
is  magical.  The  story  of  a  couple  of  high  C's  Flagstad  could  no 
longer  produce,  and  of  Schwarzkopf's  stepping  into  the  breach, 
has  been  given  such  currency  that  it  scarcely  needs  repeating 
here.  Aside  from  that,  there  is  little  evidence  that  the  soprano's 
career  is  about  to  come  to  its  end.  It  would  be  too  much  to  ex- 
pect that  a  Tristan  could  be  found  to  match  such  an  Isolde;  it  is 
good  to  note,  therefore,  that  Suthaus  is  an  unusually  good  one.  I 
was  struck  by  the  intelligence  with  which  he  enunciates  Wagner's 
text,  so  well  in  keeping  with  the  character.  The  fact  that  he  oc- 
casionally bleats  and  slides  diminishes  in  importance.  Of  course, 
the  ideal  Tristan  voice  would  have  a  keener  cutting  edge  than  his 
does.  He  rises  to  real  distinction  in  the  third  act,  reaching  his 
top  in  the  section  "Wie  sie  selig."  Only  Melchior  at  his  best  has 
sounded  better  in  the  "Love  Duet"  in  my  experience.  Suthaus 
has  the  usual  trouble  with  that  ticklish  spot  "Nie  wieder 
erwachen,"  and  his  "Lass  mich  sterben"  is  detached.  Though  he 
was  also  the  Tristan  in  the  Urania  recording,  he  is  incomparably 
more  impressive  in  the  later  Victor  set.  Thebom  is  a  good 
Brangane,  though  she  shines  less  brightly  in  this  company  than 
she  has  often  done.  Her  voice,  indeed,  seems  lighter  than  Flag- 
stad's,  which  somewhat  throws  the  balance.  Fischer-Dieskau,  by 
nature  and  training  a  lieder  singer,  learned  the  role  of  Kurwenal 
for  this  recording,   and  he   adds   another  reason  for  admiring  his 


Wagner  278 

artistry.  He  is  a  more  human,  younger,  less  gruff  retainer  than 
some  I  have  known,  though  he  is  not  over-gentle  in  the  lusty 
parts.  He  does  some  beautiful  singing  in  the  last  act,  and  I  can 
charge  him  with  only  one  less-than-first-rate  high  tone.  Greindl 
brings  admirable  dignity  to  the  speeches  of  King  Mark,  though 
his  voice  is  on  the  light  side. 

After  ail  this,  there  is  little  to  say  of  the  rival  recording,  with 
its  tremulo-ridden  Isolde  ("After  all,"  a  friend  of  mine  remarked, 
"she  is  on  shipboard!"),  though  cast  and  recording  are  otherwise 
acceptable.  As  for  the  Bayreuth  abridgment,  it  is  hard  to  believe, 
as  we  listen  to  the  Prelude,  that  this  set  was  made  in  1928.  As 
the  records  progress,  however,  the  quality  of  the  reproduction 
proves  decidedly  uneven.  Its  existence  on  LP  is  justified  as  a 
cheap  reprint  and  as  a  memento  of  the  various  distinguished 
artists  who  took  part  in  it.  Larsen-Todsen  was  a  justly  admired 
Isolde,  but  vocally  variable  when  the  set  was  made;  Graarud  and 
Andresen  were  accomplished  and  popular  in  their  day.  The  out- 
standing performance,  however,  is  the  Kurwenal  of  Rudolf  Bockel- 
mann.  One  has  to  be  really  interested  in  the  artists  to  listen  with 
anything  better  than  toleration  to  the  unatmospheric  "Love  Duet" 
herein  contained. 

Flagstad,  in  an  earlier  recording,  presents  the  "Narrative  and 
Curse"  from  Act  1  and  the  "Love  Duet"  from  Act  2.  The  assist- 
ing artists — Hongen  the  Brangane  of  the  first  selection,  Shacklock 
in  the  second,  and  Svanholm  the  Tristan — are  no  more  than  foils 
for  the  star,  and  Dobrowen  does  not  prove  himself  another  Furt- 
wangler  (V  LM  1151).  The  balance  with  the  orchestra  is  far  from 
ideal  in  the  "Love  Duet,"  and  the  Brangane  is  too  close.  Helen 
Traubel,  singing  the  "Curse,"  stands  up  to  her  great  rival,  though 
we  must  discount  a  few  uncomfortable  top  tones  (V  LM  1132). 
There  is  no  Brangane  in  this  performance,  and  there  is  a  little  less 
of  the  music  than  in  Flagstad's.  Also  included  is  the  "Liebes- 
tod,"  but  in  this  Traubel  sounded  better  when  she  recorded  it  with 
Rodzinski  for  Columbia  several  years  ago.  Here  the  singing  lacks 
the  old  surge,  and  again  some  of  the  high  notes  are  a  trial  to  her. 
Singing  superbly  in  the  "Love  Duet,"  Traubel  has  a  light-weight 
Tristan  in  Torsten  Ralf,  and  in  Herta  Glaz  an  appealing  Brangane 
whose  tower  is  located  altogether  too  conveniently  in  relation  to 
the  microphone.  The  late  Fritz  Busch  favors  tempos  not  without 
a   suggestion  of  rush   (C   ML  4055).      Martha  Modi  and  Wolfgang 


Wagner  279 

Windgassen,  with  Johanna  Blatter  as  Brangane,  have  also  re- 
corded the  duet  (Tel  LGX  66004).  The  singing  is  tonally  beauti- 
ful, cleanly  reproduced,  but  not  exciting,  because  conductor 
Rother  is  unable  to  strike  a  spark.  To  emphasize  this  pedestrian 
tendency,  the  balance  is  shamelessly  thrown  in  favor  of  the 
singers.  Still,  one  listens  fascinated  to  the  intelligent  vocalism 
of  Modi.  More  especially  in  the  Liebestod  (10"  Tel  TM  68003) 
there  are  reminders  that  this  singer  was  once  a  contralto;  but  if 
now  and  then  she  strains,  and  if  her  tones  are  not  always  steady, 
she  nevertheless  stands  forth  as  one  of  the  most  convincing 
recent  Isoldes. 

Arias 

Die  Meistersinger — Was  duftet  dock  der  Flieder;  Wahnmonolog; 
Schusterlied;  Euch  macht  ihr's  leicht;  Verachtet  mir  die  Meister 
nicht;  Tannhauser — O  du  me  in  holder  Abendstern;  Der  fliegende 
Hollander — Die  Frist  ist  um;  Parsifal — Nein!  lasst  ihn  unenth'ullt!; 
Tannhauser — Blich'  ich  umher.  Edelmann,  bs;  VSY,  Loibner,  Moralt, 
Ep  LC  3052. 

Otto  Edelmann,  the  Sachs  of  Columbia's  Meistersinger  and  the 
Pogner  of  Urania's,  has  one  of  those  big,  heavy  German  bass 
voices  which  can  ride  so  easily  over  the  largest  orchestra  in  re- 
cording and  are  all  too  frequently  encouraged  to  do  so.  That  is 
mainly  what  is  wrong  with  these  selections  from  Meistersinger. 
Beckmesser  might  scratch  up  another  mark  against  the  tempos  or 
lack  of  vital  pulse  in  the  two  monologues.  On  the  evidence  of 
this  recording,  I  would  have  said  that  Edelmann's  voice  was 
better  fitted  to  the  role  of  Vanderdekken  (the  Flying  Dutchman) 
than  to  that  of  Sachs,  but  of  course  we  know  that  he  can  sound 
effective  in  the  latter  part.  The  Parsifal  excerpt  is  recorded  at 
a  lower  level. 
Der  fliegende  Hollander — Die  Frist  ist  um;  Die  Walkure — Wotans 
Abschied;  Die  Meistersinger — Was  duftet  dock  der  Flieder;  Wahn, 
Wahn,  uberall  Wahn.    Hotter,  b,  0,  D  DL  9514. 

Hans  Hotter  is  a  great  singing-actor,  as  will  be  immediately  ap- 
parent, no  matter  where  one  comes  in  on  this  recital.  The  voice 
itself  is  not  first-rate,  though  he  often  surprises  with  a  beauti- 
fully controlled  mezza  voce,  and  his  vocalism  is  always  expres- 
sive. There  have  been  Wotans  and  Sachses  with  warmer,  mellower 
tones,  but  Hotter  is  today  without  a  peer  as  the  Dutchman. 


Wagner  280 

Lohengrin — Nun    sei    bedankt;    Hochstes     Vertraun;    Gralserzahlung; 

Lohengrins  Abschied;  Tannhauser — Lied  an  die  Venus;  Romerz'dhlung; 

Meistersinger — Am  stillen  Herd;  Preislied.    Slezak,  t,  Et  499. 

The  Lohengrin  selections,  in  many  ways  better  than  we  often  hear 
them,  are  hardly  Slezak  at  his  greatest.  His  voice  must  have  been 
a  trial  to  the  engineers  in  the  days  of  acoustic  recording,  for  it 
was  so  big  and  hefty  that  it  could  easily  shatter  the  apparatus. 
In  these  selections  he  does  not  seem  comfortable.  The  Tann- 
hauser pieces  are  better,  especially  the  piano-accompanied 
"Hymn  to  Venus."  The  first-act  recital  from  Meistersinger  is,  if 
anything,  even  better;  the  "Prize  Song"  is  vocally  admirable,  its 
pace  a  little  leisurely. 

Lohengrin — Hochstes  Vertraun;  In  fernem  Land;  Die  Meistersinger — 

Am    stillen    Herd;    Preislied;    Die    Walkure — Siegmund's    Monologue; 

Siegmund's  Spring  Song;  Tannhauser — Rome  Narration.     Svanholm,  t; 

RCAO,  Weissmann,  V  LM  1155. 

The  Swedish  tenor  sounds  in  this  recital  a  little  better  than  his 
best,  thanks  to  the  microphone  buildup.  Happily,  his  voice  is  not 
allowed  to  overwhelm  the  orchestra.  He  sings  his  various  scenes 
with  assurance  and  authentic  style. 

Tannhauser — Elisabeths    Gebet;   Lohengrin — Euch   Luften,    die   mein 

Klagen;    Tristan  und  Isolde — Curse;  Liebestod.      Traubel,  s;  RCAO, 

Weissmann,  V  LM  1122. 

Die   Walkure — Der  Manner  Sippe;  Du  bist  der  Lenz;  Fort  denn,  eile; 

Lohengrin — Elsas  Traum;  Parsifal — Ich  sah  das  Kind;  Der  fliegende 

Hollander — Traft     ihr     das     Schiff;     Cotter  dammerung — Helle     Wehrl 

Traubel,  s;  RCAO,  Weissmann,  V  LM  1123. 

It  is  understandable  that  Helen  Traubel  should  have  wanted  to 
group  together  some  of  her  most  effective  scenes  in  a  couple  of 
LP  recitals,  but  I  cannot  help  regretting  that  she  has  duplicated 
so  much  that  she  recorded  when  her  voice  was  a  few  years 
younger.  I  will  concede,  nevertheless,  that  this  "Du.  bist  der 
Lenz"  is  more  comfortable  for  her  than  that  in  the  Walkure  set 
(C  SL  105),  where  she  may  have  felt  the  conductor  was  rushing 
her.  Certainly  this  performance  is  better  poised.  The  Tann- 
hauser Prayer  does  not  escape  the  eternal  pitfall  of  dullness, 
and  the  Lohengrin  excerpts  present  a  rather  too  majestic  Elsa. 
The  rest  of  the  program  is  good  Traubel,  though  there  are  weak- 
nesses: the  sinuous  lines  of  the  Parsifal  passage,  for  example, 
would  have  come  through  more  effectively  had  the  big  voice  been 
allowed  a  little  more  distance  from  the  microphone.  With  this 
reservation  on  balance,  I  have  only  praise  for  the  recording. 


Wagner  281 

Der  fliegende  Hollander — Overture;  Die  Frist  ist  um;  Senta's  Ballad; 

Die   Meistersinger — Was  duftet  dock  der  Flieder;  Die   Walkure — Der 

Manner  Sippe.   Varnay,  s;  Schoeffler,  b;  ASO,  Koslik,  Loibner,  Weigert, 

Rem  R  199-137. 

This  disc  is  put  forth  as  highlights  from  The  Flying  Dutchman; 
presumably  the  Meistersinger  and  Walkure  selections  are  to  be 
considered  encores!  After  a  so-so  overture  under  Koslik, 
Schoeffler  sings  the  Dutchman's  big  monologue  with  great  elo- 
quence, but  is  not  too  clearly  reproduced.  Here  and  in  the  Ballad 
the  choral  parts  are  included,  which  leads  me  to  suspect  that 
these  may  be  excerpts  from  a  complete  recording.  Varnay's  work 
is  assured  and  conscientious,  if  not  tonally  ingratiating.  The 
quality  of  her  voice  is  inclined  to  be  over-dark.  The  soprano  is 
most  at  ease  in  the  Walkure  scene;  Schoeffler  is  admirable  in 
the  Meistersinger. 

"Wagner  Treasury."    Lehmann,  s;  Leider,  s;  Rethberg,  s;  Gadski,  s; 

Schumann-Heink,    c;   Melchior,   t;   Schorr,   b;   Witherspoon,    bs;   V  LCT 

1001. 

"Wagnerian  Baritones."     Rhode,  b;  Zador,  b;  Manowarda,  b;  Bohnen, 

b;  Schwarz,  b;  Et  ELP  0-474. 

Victor's  treasury  program  contains  nothing  that  did  not  merit  re- 
issue, nor  any  singer  unworthy  of  so  impressive  a  memorial.  Still, 
one  wishes  matters  had  been  managed  differently.  The  Lotte 
Lehmann  bit  is  a  side  from  the  Walkure,  Act  1,  now  available  in 
its  entirety  on  LCT  1033.  Here  is  only  a  fragment.  Frida 
Leider's  Parsifal  is  a  thing  of  great  beauty,  and  one  rarely  hears 
"Dich,  teure  Halle"  proclaimed  with  the  authority  and  sweep  of  a 
Rethberg.  Schorr's  two  Meistersinger  monologues,  however,  have 
been  offered  as  four  selections,  with  breaks  between  the  old 
original  twelve-inch  sides,  indicating  that  the  editor  did  not  know 
Wagner's  score.  The  more's  the  pity,  for  these  are  among  the 
great  Wagnerian  recordings  of  the  thirties.  Schumann-Heink 's 
early  "Weiche,  Wotan,"  with  incidental  responses  by  Herbert 
Witherspoon,  sounds  odd  among  these  electrical  recordings;  one 
wonders  why  her  quite  magnificent  later  disc  was  not  used  in  this 
place.  The  Schorr  Dutchman  piece — "Wie  aus  der  Feme" — was 
never  released  on  domestic  Victor,  which  makes  it  doubly  wel- 
come, but  Gadski,  magnificently  as  she  sings  iiHo-jo-to-ho!,"  is 
at  a  disadvantage  in  the  acoustic  recording.  I  do  not  think  a 
mixture  of  the  two  types  of  reproduction  is  generally  wise,  es- 
pecially in  a  Wagner  program. 
Something  similar  may  be  said  of  the  Eterna  baritone  collection. 


Wagner/Wa/ton  282 

Rhode  displays  a  well-seasoned  style  and  a  voice  well  in  charac- 
ter for  the  Dutchman's  monologue,  if  only  under  control  up  to  -a 
point.  He  does  not  find  the  going  easy  in  the  higher  register,  for 
which  reason  other  performances  of  this  music  will  be  found  more 
satisfactory.  Zador  does  the  venomous  passage  from  Rheingold 
known  as  "Alberich's  Curse"  in  as  bitter  and  evil  a  manner  as 
anyone  could  wish.  Schwarz,  on  the  other  hand,  is  disappointing 
in  the  great  Rheingold  finale,  mostly  for  mechanical  reasons.  His 
voice  is  big  and  rich,  but  is  so  exposed  by  distance  from  the  in- 
adequate orchestra  that  it  creates  no  illusion.  Manowarda  does 
the  "Wache,  Wala"  passage  from  Siegfried  well  enough,  and 
Bohnen  demonstrates  that  as  Hans  Sachs  {"Verachtet  mir  die 
Meister  nicht")  and  Gurnemanz  ("Titurel,  der  fromme  Held")  he 
could  curb  his  bubbling  energies  and  sing  with  dignity. 

Songs 

F'unf  Gedichte.  Farrell,  s;  SO,  Stokowski,  V  LM  1066  (*Tannh'duser 
—Overture  and  Venusberg  Music).  Lemnitz,  s;  Raucheisen,  pf,  U 
URLP  7019  (*Lohengrin:  Love  Duet;  Tannhauser — Dich,  teure  Halle). 
Wagner's  five  songs  to  texts  by  Mathilde  Wesendonck  (two  of 
which  are  designated  as  studies  for  Tristan  und  Isolde)  were 
composed  for  voice  and  piano,  though  the  composer  always  thought 
in  grand  terms,  and  they  take  naturally  to  the  Mottl  orchestration 
with  which  they  are  generally  associated.  It  is  proper,  therefore, 
that  we  should  be  given  a  choice  between  two  performances  at 
present  (with  always  the  possibility  that  the  admired  Flagstad- 
Gerald  Moore  recording  may  be  added  to  the  American  lists):  one 
with  piano,  the  other  with  orchestra.  The  qualities  of  the  two 
interpretations  are  appropriate  to  their  presentation,  for  Tiana 
Lemnitz,  piano-accompanied,  brings  out  the  lyrical  qualities  of 
the  songs,  while  Eileen  Farrell,  against  Stokowski 's  lavish  or- 
chestral background,  plays  them  for  drama.  Lemnitz,  who  re- 
corded them  once  before  for  Polydor,  back  in  the  thirties  when 
she  was  in  fresher  voice,  still  commands  an  appealing  tone, 
though  she  hardly  matches  Farrell's  temperament. 

VfALTON,   SIR   WILLIAM  (1902-        ) 

Belshazzar's  Feast.   Noble,  b;  LPC;  Phil  Prom  0,  Boult,  W  WL  5248. 
With  this  intense  Biblical  setting,  produced  at  the  Leeds  Festival 
in  1931,  Walton  made  one  of  the  really  important  modern  contribu- 


Vfalton/Vteber  283 

tions  to  the  list  of  oratorios.  I  note  that  the  excellent  HMV- 
Victor  recording,  made  some  years  ago  under  the  composer's  di- 
rection, has  been  reissued  in  England  despite  this  powerful 
competition.  Boult  has  caught,  no  less  successfully  than  Walton, 
the  tremendous  drive  of  the  music,  and  of  course  he  is  far  more 
brilliantly  reproduced.  Dennis  Noble  is  the  soloist  in  both  per- 
formances; his  splendid  delivery  will  undoubtedly  furnish  the 
model  for  all  interpreters  to  come.  The  choral  diction  in  the 
Boult  recording  is  remarkable:  note  the  final  t's  on  such  words 
as  "wept."  In  the  final  Hallelujah's  there  is  an  obtrusive  sound 
which  I  take  to  be  Sir  Adrian  singing  in  the  manner  of  Toscanini, 
to  spur  his  forces  on. 

WEBER,    BEN   (1916-         ) 

Symphony  on  Poems  of  William  Blake.    Galjour,  b,  0;  Stokowski,  V  LM 
1785  (*Harrison:  Suite  for  Violin,  Piano  and  Small  Orchestra). 

Whether  one  likes  it  or  not,  Ben  Weber's  Symphony  is  an  unusual 
experience.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  striking  idea  to  set  the 
poetry  of  Blake  in  twelve-tone  rows;  in  the  second,  the  com- 
poser's method  of  setting  is  the  kind  that  takes  poetry  apart, 
pretty  much  line  by  line,  pronounces  it,  then  lets  the  instruments 
take  over  for  comment.  This  means  there  is  nothing  left  of  the 
lyrical  lines  or  of  the  form  of  the  verses.  Something  is  happening 
all  the  time — usually  several  somethings.  With  Stokowski  at  the 
helm,  it  hardly  needs  saying  that  the  details  of  the  score  come 
through  with  marvelous  clarity,  if  with  little  "hall"  effect. 
Galjour,  whose  voice  is  treated  as  a  part  of  the  ensemble  rather 
than  as  the  center  of  attraction,  has  little  chance  to  modulate  his 
tone,  but  sings  with  the  most  exemplary  diction.  It  is  hardly  his 
fault  that  the  inflections  do  not  seem  to  have  much  to  do  with 
Blake. 

WEBER,    KARL   MAR/A   VON  (1786-1826) 

Choral  Work 

Kampf  und  Sieg.     Schmidt-Glanzel,  s;  Fleischer,  c;  Lutze,  t;  Kramer, 

b;  Radio  Leipzig  Ch  &  0,  Kegel,  V  URLP  7126. 

This  curious  work  is  a  patriotic  outburst  occasioned  by  the  news 
of  the  victory  at  Waterloo  in  1815.  Aside  from  its  rousing  finale, 
the   chief  interest  lies   in  its  premonitions  of  the   greater  Weber 


Weber  284 

who  was  still  to  come,  the  Weber  of  Freischutz  and  Oberon.  The 
cantata  is  performed  here  with  considerable  fervor  and  some  good 
vocalism,  though  the  bass  soloist  is  rendered  ineffectual  by  a 
bothersome  wobble.  Chorus  and  orchestra  perform  competently, 
and  all  are  well  recorded. 

Operas 

Abu  Hassan.    Schwarzkopf,  s;  Witte,  t;  Bohnen,  bs;  RBC  &  0,  Ludwig, 

U  URLP  7029. 

This  harmless  little  work  has  a  delightfully  ridiculous  plot;  this, 
however,  is  not  the  concern  of  the  recording,  which  omits  the 
spoken  dialogue.  The  three  well-known  singers  play  the  comedy 
in  their  music  for  all  it  is  worth.  It  is  good  to  hear  from  Michael 
Bohnen  again,  and  to  note  that  he  retains  much  of  his  voice  and 
all  his  old  unction. 

Der  Freischutz.      Trotschel,   s;   Beilke,   s;   Aldenhoff,   t;  Bohme,   bs; 

etc.;  DOC;  SAX,  Kempe,  U  URLP  403  [3].    Cunitz,  s;  Loose,  s;  Hopf, 

t;   Rus,   b;   etc.;   VSOC  &  0,  Ackermann,  L  LLA  5  [3].     Paludan,  s; 

Loser,  s;  Wehofschutz,  t;  Krai,  bs;  etc.;  ASO,  Doehrer,  Rem  R  199-100 

[3].    (Abridged)    Muller,  s;  Spletter,  s;  Seider,  t;  Hann,  bs;  etc.;  BSOC 

&0,  Heger,  D  DX  112  [2]. 

The  Remington  performance  may  be  dismissed  at  once  with  ac- 
knowledgments for  its  good  intentions  and  its  popular  price.  There 
are  good  spots — Wehofschutz 's  "Durch  die  W alder"  is  creditable, 
and  Paludan's  "Und  ob  die  Wolke"  surprisingly  mellow  after  her 
none-too-steady  tlLeise,  leise."  But  the  conductor  is  heavy- 
handed,  and  the  whole  performance  not  very  neat.  Of  the  other 
two  complete  versions  my  preference  is  for  the  Urania,  though  the 
choice  is  by  no  means  easy.  Either  would  please  me  better  than 
the  abridged  Decca  performance,  made,  I  understand,  during  the 
late  war.  Neither  boasts  a  first-rate  Max;  Urania  has  the  better 
Kaspar.  Both  Annchens  are  good;  Urania's  is  the  better  Agathe. 
The  Dresden  company  makes  more  of  the  Wolfs  Glen  Scene,  and 
the  theater  effects  generally  are  better  in  the  Urania  set.  In  the 
abridgment  we  hear  a  Maria  Muller  still  able  to  remind  us  of  her 
ten  successful  seasons  at  the  Metropolitan,  stylistically  superb 
and  capable  of  some  thrilling  phrasing,  but  guilty  of  some  acid 
high  tones  and  too  much  unsteadiness.  She  is  ably  seconded  by 
the   light  soprano  of  Carla  Spletter;  their  duet  is  very  charming. 


Vteber/Vfebern  285 

The  tenor  August  Seider  seems  to  have  one  of  those  German 
voices  trained  beyond  their  natural  size;  his  tones  are  big  but  not 
steady.  The  large  brassy  baritone  of  Georg  Hann  is  just  right  for 
the  role  of  Kaspar.  The  fly  in  the  ointment  is  the  cuts,  for  noth- 
ing seems  complete  except  Agathe's  two  big  arias,  and  orches- 
trally  something  is  missing  even  there.  The  spoken  dialogue, 
some  of  which  is  included,  might  have  been  forgone  in  favor  of 
more  music.  The  overture,  available  in  many  other  recordings,  is 
omitted  altogether. 

Oberon.    Bader,  s;  Sailer,  s;  Muench,  m-s;  Fehringer,  t;  Liebl,  t;  etc.; 

SDRC  &  0,  Miiller-Kray,  Per  SPL  575  [2], 

Although  Oberon  was  composed  to  an  English  text,  I  suspect 
Weber  always  thought  in  German,  and  so  his  opera  somehow 
seems  more  natural  in  his  own  language.  At  any  rate,  if  we  hear 
the  music  at  all,  it  is  usually  in  German,  and  the  work  is  rarely 
given  outside  Germany.  But  even  in  Germany  Weber  is  not  very 
well  performed,  such  is  the  virtuosity  he  demands  of  his  hero  and 
heroine.  In  the  present  cast  the  soprano  is  afflicted  with  a  wide 
tremolo",  and  the  tenor  just  does  not  have  the  facility  to  manipu- 
late the  florid  passages  and  sustain  the  high  tessitura  of  his  part. 
The  rest  of  the  cast  is  more  or  less  of  the  same  stripe,  with  the 
exceptions  of  Muench,  who  sings  Fatima's  airs  acceptably,  and 
Sailer,  who  outshines  all  her  colleagues  in  the  small  part  of  the 
Mermaid.  The  orchestral  sound  is  reasonably  good,  though  for 
once  there  is  rather  too  much  impression  of  space,  and  the  tone 
is  somewhat  shallow.  The  conductor's  part  in  the  proceedings 
is  competent  rather  than  masterly. 

VtEBERN,   ANTON   VON  (1883-1945) 

Four  Songs,   opus   12.      Beardslee,   s;  Monod,  pf,   Dia  17  (*Concerto; 

Variations;  Quartet). 

The  four  very  brief  songs  take  up  only  a  fraction  of  one  side  of 
this  disc.  No  titles  are  furnished  either  on  the  jacket  or  on  the 
label.  The  first  text  is  a  folk  song,  "Der  Tag  ist  vergangen"; 
the  second,  from  Hans  Bethge's  Chinesische  Flote,  is  "Die 
geheimnisvolle  Flote";  the  third  is  "Schien  mir's  als  ich  sah  die 
Sonne,"  from  Strindberg's  Gespenstersonate,  and  the  fourth 
Goethe's   "Gleich  und  Gleich."     This  is  our  only  recorded  ex- 


Vfebem/Weill  286 

ample  of  songs  by  a  leading  modernist:  the  singing  is  surprisingly 
appealing. 

VtEIGL,   KARL   (1881-1949) 

0  cricket  sing!;  Woe  to  eyes!;  0  blessed  darkness,  heavenwide.  How- 
land,  m-s;  Woodstock  Qt,  Tri  1  (*Sonata,  Viola  and  Piano;  Quartet 
No.  6). 

Weigl,  a  Viennese  and  a  younger  contemporary  of  Schoenberg, 
spent  the  last  decade  of  his  life  in  America.  The  three  songs 
recorded  are  characteristic  of  his  solid  workmanship  and  his  late- 
romantic  style.  Alice  Howland  sings  them  richly  in  her  dark-hued 
voice,  against  the  close-textured  playing  of  the  string  quartet. 
The  German  poems  are  sung  in  English  translation. 

WEILL,    KURT  (1900-1950) 

The    Threepenny  Opera.     Lenya,  s;  Sullivan,  s;  Arthur,  s;  Merrill,  t; 

Wolf  son,  b;  etc.;  0,  Matlowsky,  MGM  E  3121. 

Die    Dreigroschenoper — Highlights.      Lenya,    s;    Gerron,    b;   etc.;   0, 

Mackeben,  Cap  P  8117. 

The  first  listing  is  the  Dreigroschenoper  in  Mark  Blitzstein's 
adaptation  and  translation,  as  presented  in  New  York  in  1954. 
Beyond  question,  his  is  one  of  the  successful  operatic  transla- 
tions; though  his  text  is  by  no  means  a  literal  rendering  of  the 
ideas  in  the  original,  it  fits  the  music  so  well  that  one  forgets 
that  it  has  not  always  been  there.  The  cast  could  hardly  be 
better.  Though  voice  for  its  own  sake  counts  for  little  in  this 
style  of  music,  here  are  several  authentic  singers,  as  well  as  an 
impressive  group  of  disews.  Outstanding  is  Lotte  Lenya,  the 
widow  of  Kurt  Weill,  singing  the  role  of  Jenny,  which  has  be- 
longed to  her  since  the  world  premiere.  Her  subtle  delivery  of  the 
English  lines  may  well  stand  as  a  model.  For  those  who  would 
compare  English  with  German,  Americans  with  Central  European 
performers,  and — most  interesting  of  all — Lotte  Lenya  then  and 
Lotte  Lenya  now,  we  have  the  original-cast  performance  still 
available.  The  reproduction  carries  its  more  than  twenty  years 
exceedingly  well,  and  in  their  quite  different  way  the  singers 
match  their  counterparts.  Lenya  is  again  the  outstanding  artist 
among  them. 


Wilbye/Vfolf  287 

WILBYE,   JOHN  (1574-1638) 

Flora  gave  me  fairest  floivers;  Adieu,  sweet  Amaryllis;  And  though  my 
love  abounding;  As  fair  as  morn;  I  fall,  o  stay  me;  Weep,  o  mine  eyes 
(three  voices);  Hard  destinies  are  love  and  beauty  parted;  Fly  not  so 
swift,  my  dear;  Oft  have  I  vowed;  Sweet  honey  sucking  bees;  Yet 
sweet,  take  heed;  Happy,  o  happy  he;  Ye  that  do  live  in  pleasures;  0 
what  shall  I  do?;  Thus  saith  my  Chloris  bright;  All  pleasure  is  of  this 
condition;  Weep,  weep,  mine  eyes.    Randolph  Singers,  W  WL  5221. 

Among  the  groups  that  specialize  in  the  madrigal  literature,  the 
Randolph  Singers  have  enjoyed  an  enviable  reputation  in  recent 
years.  I  am  grateful  to  them  for  making  this  fine  music  available, 
but  I  suspect  they  prepared  for  the  recording  in  something  of  a 
hurry.  Several  of  the  madrigals  seem  to  be  brushed  through  with- 
out particular  relish,  and  in  too  many  of  them  there  is  a  lack  of 
poise.  The  individual  singers  remain  too  strongly  individual  in 
intonation  as  well  as  quality. 

WOLF,   HUGO  (1860-19Q3) 

Opera 

Der    Corregidor.      Fuchs,    s;    Teschemacher,    s;   Erb,    t;   Hermann,    b; 

Bohme,  bs;  Frick,  bs;  Hann,  bs;  etc.;  DOC;  SAX,  Elmendorff,  U  URLP 

208  [31 

Those  of  us  who  have  known  and  admired  Wolf's  songs  had  hardly 
dared  to  hope  for  an  opportunity  to  hear  his  reputedly  un-stage- 
worthy  opera,  much  less  to  have  it  in  a  recording.  To  be  critical 
of  the  results,  then,  may  seem  like  carping.  Or  is  it  honorable  to 
wish  the  conductor  had  been  Bruno  Walter?  Elmendorff  is  an  old 
hand,  but  the  listener  will  miss  many  details  in  the  orchestral 
web,  even  though  he  follows  the  records  with  the  score.  This  is 
not  to  be  blamed  entirely  on  the  conductor,  however,  for  in  the 
approved  manner  of  reproduced  opera,  the  singers  are  given  the 
better  of  the  balance.  The  best  of  the  singers  is  Josef  Hermann 
in  the  role  of  the  Miller.  The  distinguished  sopranos,  Tesche- 
macher and  Fuchs,  sound  very  lovely  indeed.  Karl  Erb  tends  to 
overdo,  and  he  plays  fast  and  loose  with  the  notes  as  Wolf  wrote 
them.  None  of  the  other  singers  will  disappoint.  Numerous  cuts 
in  the  score  in  some  cases  amount  to  mutilation. 


Wolf  288 

Songs 

Fruhling  fiber's  Jahr;  Auf  eine  Chris tblume;  Die  Geister  am  Mummel- 
see;  M ausf  aliens  pruc  hie  in;  Nachtzauber;  Morgenthau;  Der  Genesene  an 
die  Hoffnung;  Denh  es,  o  Seele;  Blumengruss;  Du  denkst  mit  einem 
Fadchen;  Anakreons  Grab;  Nimmersatte  Liebe;  Und  willst  du  deinen 
Liebsten  sterben  sehen;  Lied  vom  Winde.  Bothwell,  s;  Meyer,  pf, 
Roy  1310. 

The  singer  (whom  I  have  never  otherwise  heard)  can  scarcely  be 

done  justice  in  this  noisy  recording.    As  it  comes  to  us,  the  voice 

seems  modest  but  serviceable,  the  singing  always  tasteful.     But 

even    at   the    bargain   price,    one    wishes   the   record   were   better 

mechanically. 

Fussreise;  In  der  Fr'uhe;  Lied  eines   Verliebten;  Gesang  Weylas;  Der 

Tambour;  Nachtzauber;  Der  Musikant;  Verschwiegene  Liebe;  Heimweh 

(Eichendorff).    Colder,  b;  Carley,  pf,  10"  All  AL  4045. 

The    recording  here    is  reasonably   good,    though  the   piano  tone 

lacks    depth   and   richness.      Calder   has    a  pleasant  voice,   and 

proves  himself  a  serious  and  tasteful  singer.     But  one  does  not 

get  excited. 

Verborgenheit;     Anakreons    Grab;    Blumengruss;    Gleich    und   gleich; 

Fruhling  uber's  Jahr.    Danco,  s;  Agosti,  pf,  10"  L  LPS  335  (*Brahms: 

Songs). 

Danco  has  the  discrimination  always  to  choose  songs  suited  to 
her  voice  and  style.  Such  airy  pieces  as  "Gleich  und  Gleich" 
and  "Fruhling  uber's  Jahr"  or  the  almost  painfully  lovely 
" Blumengruss"  are  naturals  for  her.  Few  vocalists  sing  as 
musically  or  as  accurately  as  she,  though  some  may  bring  greater 
warmth  to  their  songs. 
Italienisches  Liederbuch — Sixteen  Songs.  Fischer-Dieskau,  b;  Klust, 
pf,  D  DL  9632. 

This    disc   contains   a  number  of  the   composer's  most  priceless 

miniatures.     Fischer-Dieskau  has  few  rivals  to  the  title  of  finest 

contemporary    lieder   singer;   his  voice   is   at   once   powerful   and 

tender    (one  does  not  sense   in  his  recordings  all  the  power  he 

actually   has   at  his   command),   and  his  mind  works  through  his 

magnificent    diction    on    every    subtle    word-coloring    or    turn    of 

phrase. 

Michelangelo  Lieder;   Cophtische  Lieder,   1,   2;  Grenzen  der  Mensch- 

heit;    Prometheus;    Harfenspielerlieder;    Geselle,    voir   woll'n    uns    in 

Kutten  hullen.    Hotter,  b;  Moore,  pf,  An  35057. 

Hotter's  program  embraces  some  of  the  strongest  and  most  mascu- 


Wolf  289 

line  songs  in  the  Wolf  repertoire.    His  is  not  a  sensuous  voice.    I 

doubt  that  it  ever  was,  and  certainly  now  it  has  lost  such  bloom 

as  it  once  had.    Still,  he  amply  compensates  by  the  penetration  of 

his    interpretations,    and    he    does    have    an   amazingly  effective 

mezza  voce.    His  quiet  opening  in  the  first  Michelangelo  Lied  is 

both  novel  and  striking,  and  gives  him  a  magnificent  opportunity 

for  a  climax.     Perhaps  the  finest  moment  in  the  recital  comes  at 

the  end  of  the  first  Harfenspieler  Lied,   "Denn  alle  Schuld  r'dcht 

sich    auf  Erden."      The   recording   is   not   notable   for  liveness, 

though  it  is  well  balanced  and  intimate;  the  piano  tone  is  not  of 

the  best. 

Fussreise;    Anakreons   Grab;    uber  Nacht;   Auf  einer  Wanderung;   Und 

steht   ihr  fruh  am  Morgen  auf;  An  eine  Aeolsharfe;  An  die  Geliebte; 

Gesegnet     sei;    Gesang    Weylas;    Der    Musikant;    Der    Rattenfdnger; 

Verborgenheit;  Der  Gartner;  Abschied.     Poell,   b;  Holletschek,  pf,   W 

WL  5048. 

This    amazingly  versatile  baritone   can  be  heartily  recommended 
in  these  songs.     From  the  morning  joyousness  of  "Fussreise," 
through  the  profound  quiet  of  "Anakreons  Grab,"  the  rapt  adoration 
of  "Und  steht  ihr  frilh,"  and  the  ebullient  spirits  of  "Der  Ratten- 
fanger," to  the  malicious  humor  of  "Abschied"  is  a  musical  ex- 
cursion  calling  for  varied  expression,   and  Poell  is  equal  to  it. 
The  voice  has  power  and  tenderness,  both  poise  and  temperament. 
Bedeckt  mich  mit  Blumen;  Gesegnet  sei  das  Grun;  0  war'  dein  Haus; 
Ihr    jungen  Leute;   Wie  gl'dnzt  der  helle  Mond;  Du  denkst   mit  einem 
F'ddchen;  In  der  Friihe;  Sie  blasen  zum  Abmarsch;  Blumengruss;  Nun 
wandre,  Maria;  Als  ich  auf  dem  Euphrat  schiffte;  Ein  St'dndchen  Euch 
zu  bringen;    Verborgenheit;  Phdnomen;   Anakreons   Grab;  Nimmersatte 
Liebe.    Schumann,  s;  Reeves,  pf,  All  AL  98. 

It  is  sad  to  have  to  report  this  record  a  failure:  it  does  not  catch 

the   essential  thing  at  all.     This  I   blame  more  on  the  recording 

than  on  the  undeniable  fact  that  the  singer  was  past  her  best  days 

when  it  was  made.    She  was,  after  all,  still  a  great  artist,  as  all 

who  heard  her  last  recitals  well  remember.     Several  of  the  songs 

can  still  be  found  on  earlier  imported  78-rpm  discs,  which  tell 

quite  a  different  story. 

Herr,  was  tr'dgt  der  Boden  hier;  Wenn  du  zu  den  Blumen  gehst;  Wer  tat 

deinem  Fusslein  weh?;  In  der  Fruhe.     Souzay,  b;  Bonneau,  pf,  L  LL 

535  (^Schumann:  Dichterliebe). 

Souzay  sings  in  the  careful,  intelligent  manner  characteristic  of 
his    interpretations   in   German,   but  somehow  never  succeeds   in 


Wolf  290 

convincing  us  that  he  belongs  in  this  repertoire. 

Der    Feuerreiter;    Gesellenlied;     Denk'    es,     o    Seele;    Im    Fruhling. 

Roswaenge,  t;  Raucheisen,  pf.     Uber  Nacht;  Gesang  Weylas;  Rat  einer 

Alten.       Klose,    c;    Raucheisen,    pf.      In   der  Fruhe;    Nixe  Binsefuss; 

Mignon;  St  Nepomuks   V  or  abend;  Elfenlied;  Tretet  ein,  hoher  Krieger; 

Wie   gl'dnzt  der  helle  Mond;  Er  ist's.      Simon,   s;   Ulanowslcy,   pf.      U 

URLP  7025. 

This  joint  recital  of  two  veterans  and  a  neophyte  has  much  to 
recommend  it,  especially  on  the  first  side  of  the  disc.  Older 
collectors  will  remember  Roswaenge 's  interpretations  of  the 
grisly  ballad  of  the  "Fire-Rider,"  and  the  Meistersinger-like  song 
of  the  apprentice,  both  included  in  the  sixth  volume  of  the  old 
Hugo  Wolf  Society.  He  has  certainly  lost  nothing  of  the  powerful 
virtuosity  that  made  him  a  good  choice  for  these  big  songs,  and 
his  voice  has  withstood  remarkably  well  the  ravages  of  time. 
The  disturbing  philosophy  of  "Denk'  es,  o  Seele"  is  vividly 
realized,  and  the  previously  unrecorded  "Im  Fruhling"  shows 
that  strength  is  not  the  singer's  only  asset.  Klose  sings  "Uber 
Nacht"  and  the  bardic  "Gesang  Weylas"  operatically,  but  with 
telling  effect,  though  she  works  too  hard  at  giving  advice  to  the 
young  in  "Rat  einer  Alten."  The  voice  is  at  its  superb  best. 
The  American  Annemarie  Simon  presents  a  nicely  varied  pro- 
gram with  admirable  taste  and  musicianly  phrasing.  She  too 
has  the  usual  tendency  to  make  too  much  of  her  songs,  the  lovely 
and  little-known  "St.  Nepomuks  Vorabend"  suffering  the  most 
from  this.  I  have  still  to  hear  a  realization  in  performance  of 
the  special  kind  of  barbed  humor  inherent  in  "Tretet  ein,  hoher 
Krieger."  In  sum,  this  is  commendable  if  not  completely  com- 
municative singing  by  a  voice  lovely  at  its  best,  but  inclined  to 
shrillness. 

Die  Nacht;  Liebesgl'uck;  Ob  auch  finstre  Blicke  glitten;  Morgenstim- 

mung.       Schloss,    s;    Brice,    pf,    IRCC    L-7000    f*Franz,    Schumann, 

Strauss:  Songs). 

This  disc  is  valuable  on  two  counts:  first  for  the  unusual  and 
worth-while  repertoire  of  four  composers,  and  second  for  the  pre- 
eminently satisfactory  singing.  Schloss's  voice  is  ample  and 
pleasing,  with  the  unusual  capability  of  suggesting  the  mood  of  a 
song  simply  by  tone  color.  Above  and  beyond  this,  she  is  a 
musician  with  real  understanding  of  the  texts  she  sings,  espe- 
cially those  in  darker  moods.     Her  four  Wolf  songs  are  not  other- 


Wolf/Wolf-Ferrari  291 

wise  available;  but  they  have  more  than  their  rarity  to  recom- 
mend them. 

halienisches  Liederbuch— Twenty-two  Songs.    Seefried,  s;  Werba,  pf, 

D  DL  9743  (*Brahms:  Songs). 

With  these  twenty-two  songs  and  the  sixteen  recorded  by  Fischer- 
Dieskau,  Decca  has  given  us  all  but  nine  of  the  forty-six  Italian 
lieder  (one  song  is  duplicated  in  the  two  sets).  As  the  collection 
divides  itself  into  masculine  and  feminine  poems,  it  would  seem 
that  an  opportunity  had  been  missed  by  the  producer,  with  two 
singers  so  well  equipped,  in  producing  so  nearly  complete  a  per- 
formance. Seefried  is  always  admirably  musical,  always  the  com- 
prehending artist.  Her  voice  is  appealingly  bright  and  lyrical  in 
quality,  just  cool  enough  to  suit  these  sophisticated  dramas  in 
miniature.  She  is  best  where  pathos  is  required — the  ironic  songs 
have  been  more  bitingly  sung  by  others.  But  this  recital  adds  up 
to  a  more  than  satisfying  whole.  I  liked  especially  "Wir  haben 
beide  lange  Zeit  geschwiegen"  and  the  climactic  "Wenn  du,  mein 
Liebster,  zeigst  zum  Himmel  auf,"  though  I  could  admire  the  way 
in  which  the  singer  lifts  "Mein  Liebster  ist  so  klein"  above  the 
usual  strain  of  sarcasm.  Well  as  Seefried  sings  the  short  Brahms 
group,  I  would  have  liked  to  hear  more  Wolf. 

Auf  eine   Wander ung;   Verschwiegene  Liebe;   Verse hling  der  Abgrund; 

JJm   Mitternacht;    Cophtisches    Lied     No.    2;    Elfenlied;    Schlafendes 

Jesuskind;  Auf  dem  grunen  Balkon.     Thebom,  m-s;  Hughes,  pf,   V  LM 

1203  (* Mahler:  Lieder  eines  fahrenden  Gesellen). 

Thebom  remains  an  admirable  opera  singer,  and  she  gives  her 
best  in  the  bigger  songs.  The  exuberant  "Auf  eine  Wander  ung" 
rejoices  in  the  singer's  fullest  tones,  and  the  bitter  "Verse hling 
der  Abgrund"  becomes  a  miniature  drama.  On  the  other  hand, 
"Um  Mitternacht7'  needs  endless  reserve  and  a  note  of  calm  that 
Thebom  does  not  capture,  and  "Verschwiegene  Liebe19  suffers 
from  fluttery  tone. 

VfOLF-FERRARI,   ERMANNO   0876-1948) 

I  Quattro  Rusteghi.     Noni,  s;  Or  ell,  s;  Carlin,  t;  Ulivi,  b;  Corena,  bs; 

Dalamangas,  bs;  etc.;  RIO,  Simonetto,  Cet  1239  [3], 

Wolf- Ferrari's  comedy,  in  his  familiar  eighteenth-century  manner, 
has  a  text  in  Venetian  dialect.  The  recording  is  given  in  the 
original,  which  adds  a  very  special  flavor  to  the  music.  One  does 
not  have  to  understand  it  all  to  take  pleasure  in  the  sheer  sound 


Violf-Ferrarl/Zeller  292 

of  this  language.  The  cast,  by  now  mostly  familiar,  obviously  has 
a  wonderful  time  with  the  score's  bubbling  humor,  infectious 
tunes,  and  shifting  rhythms. 

ZANDONAI,   RICCARDO   (1883-1944) 

Francesca  da  Rimini.    Caniglia,  s;  Canali,  m-s;  Prandelli,  t;  Tagliabue, 

b;  etc.;  R1C  &  0,  Guarnieri,  Get  1229  [3]. 

Francesca  da  Rimini,  which  enjoyed  two  seasons  at  the  Metro- 
politan in  1917-19,  may  be  called  a  lesser  L'Amore  dei  Tre  Re, 
lacking  only  the  musical  distinction  of  that  fine  opera.  Caniglia 
brings  to  the  title  role  her  ripe  experience  and  much  of  the  vocal 
quality  of  her  best  days,  only  the  high  reaches  taxing  her  unduly. 
Prandelli  is  a  satisfactory  Paolo.  There  is  occasionally  some 
uncertainty  of  pitch  throughout  the  cast,  but  for  the  most  part  the 
singing  is  good  and  well  recorded. 

TELLER,   KARL   (1842-1898) 

Der   Vogelh'dndler — Medley.      Cunitz,  s;  Loose,   s;   Terkal,   t;  Gross- 
kvrth,  b;  etc.;  LC;  BAVRO,  Mattes,  10"  Tel  TM  68008. 

The  one  thing  one  in  this  country  is  likely  to  know  about  Karl 
Zeller  and  his  little  operetta  is  that  the  work  contains  a  long 
popular  hit  generally  called  "The  Nightingale  Song."  Now  that 
we  have  this  medley,  we  learn  that  this  was  not  Zeller's  only 
inspiration:  here  are  two  sides  packed  with  tunes.  The  cast  is 
made  up  of  names  well  known  to  opera-  and  operetta-recording 
collectors,  and  the  record  is  satisfying  in  every  way. 


RECITALS   AND   MISCELLANIES 


ALDEBURGH    FESTIVAL,    1953 

Ode  in  Honor  of  Great  Britain — Rule,  Britannia  ( Arne).  P ears,  t.  0 
grant  the  Queen  a  long  life  (Purcell).  Deller,  counter- 1;  Pears,  t; 
Lumsden,  bs.  Now  all  the  air  shall  ring  (Arne).  Mandikian,  s;  Whit- 
rad,  s;  Fest  0,  Hoist,  L  LL  808  (*Oldham,  Tippett,  Berkeley,  Brit- 
ten, Searle,  Walton:  Variations  on  an  Elizabethan  Theme). 

This  is  a  memento  of  the  Coronation  year.  Of  special  interest  is 
the  singing  of  ''Rule,  Britannia"  in  its  original  form,  though  one 
might  have  wished  to  hear  it  in  a  more  imposing  and  solider  voice 
than  that  of  Peter  Pears.  The  Purcell  anthem,  with  its  unusual 
voice  combination,  is  something  of  a  find.  The  last  piece,  by 
Arne,  deserves  to  be  better  sung.  ■ 

ALL  SAINTS  CHURCH  CHOIR,  WORCESTER,  MASS. 
(William  Self) 

FIVE  CENTURIES  OF  CHORAL  MUSIC:  Adoramus  Te  (Rosselli); 
Alma  Redemptoris  mater  (Palestrina);  I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless 
(Titcomb);  Hymn  of  Praise  (Self);  0  Lord  most  holy  (Franck);  Gallia — 
Jerusalem  (Gounod);  Emitte  spiritum  tuum  (Shuetky);  If  ye  love  me 
(Tallis);  Father,  thy  holy  spirit  send  (M.  Franck);  Come,  blessed 
death;  Subdue  us  with  thy  kindness;  Jesu,  joy  of  man  s  desiring 
(Bach).    CE  1023. 

CHORAL  MASTERPIECES  FROM  THE  RUSSIAN  LITURGY:  Hear  my 
prayer;  Out  of  the  depths  (Archangel sky);  Alleluia!  Christ  is  risen; 
Hear  my  prayer  (Kopolyoff);  Cherubic  hymn;  Nunc  dimittis  (Gretchani- 
noff);  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul  (Ippolitov-Ivanov);  To  Thee,  0  Lord 
(Rachmaninoff);  0  gladsome  light  (Kastelsky);  Divine  praise  (Bortni- 
ansky).    CE  1022. 

The  historical  ring  of  the  cover  titles  should  throw  no  one  off: 
these  are  not  musicological  programs,  but  a  kind  of  American 
choir  festival.  All  Saints  Church  has  a  boy  choir  of  which  it  has 
reason  to  be  proud.  Though  part  of  the  first  program  is  made  up 
of  transcriptions,  excerpts,  and  translations,  there  are  also  the 
Rosselli  (often  attributed  to  Palestrina),  the  Palestrina,  and  the 
Tallis,  not  to  mention  the  contemporary  Titcomb  and  Self,  which 
are    authentic    enough    in   performance.      The   Russian  selection 


All  Saints/ Anderson  294 

contains  many  of  those  works  which  have  achieved  popularity  in 
this  country  and  have  become  staples  in  the  choir  repertory. 

AMATO,    PASQUALE,    baritone 

Rigoletto — Povero  Rigoletto;  Cortigiani;  Aida — Ciel!  mio  padre  (with 
Mazzoleni, s);  I  Due  Foscari — Questa  dunque  e  Viniqua  mercede 
(Verdi);  Tosca — Te  Deum;  Gioconda — Cost  mantieni  il  patto  (with 
Mazzoleni,  s).    Et  482. 

As  a  member  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera  during  the  second  decade 
of  this  century,  Amato  made  numerous  Victor  recordings  that  en- 
joyed great  popularity  and  have  never  become  rare.  The  present 
program  is  made  up  of  earlier  examples,  recorded  by  Fonotipia 
beginning  in  1906.  Most  of  the  numbers  were  repeated  later,  but 
these  early  "takes"  have  special  interest  for  collectors.  The 
voice  is  in  its  full  glory,  large  and  round,  with  a  rapid  vibrato  to 
give  it  a  peculiar  vitality.  Recording  techniques  had  advanced 
between  this  version  of  the  big  scene  from  Rigoletto  and  the 
Victor  performance,  but  the  voice  is  more  opulent  here.  The  same 
goes  for  the  Tosca,  a  scene  really  too  much  for  the  best  acoustic 
recording.  The  Aida  duet  is  certainly  better  in  the  Victor  ver- 
sion, because  there  the  partner  was  Gadski,  and  she  was  in  su- 
perb voice  (half  of  their  performance  is  available  on  V  LCT 
1035).  Mazzoleni  may  be  more  genuinely  Italian,  but  she  is  also 
more  shrill. 

ANDERSON,    MARIAN,    contralto 

Deep  river;  He's  got  the  whole  world  in  His  hands;  Roll,  Jordan,  roll; 
Go  down,  Moses;  Crucifixion;  Sometimes  I  feel  like  a  motherless 
child;  Let  us  break  bread  together;  Plenty  good  room;  Every  time  I 
feel  de  spirit;  If  He  change  my  name;  0  what  a  beautiful  city.  Rupp, 
pf,  10"  V  LRU  7006. 

Nobody  knows  the  trouble  I  see;  Ride  on,  King  Jesus;  Hear  de  lambs 
a  cry  in  ;  Sinner,  please  don't  let  this  harvest  pass;  Soon-a  will  be 
done;  My  Lord,  what  a  morning;  Were  you  there?;  On  ma  journey;  De 
Gospel  train.  Rupp,  pf,  10"  V  LM  110. 

My  choice  between  these  two  sets  would  fall  on  the  first  because 
it  contains  songs  that  seem  to  me  outstanding.  But  though  some 
of  the  arrangements  Anderson  uses  are  on  the  elaborate  side,  her 


Anderson/Angeles  ^95 

spirituals  are  always  deeply  and  sincerely  felt.  The  best,  to  my 
mind,  are  'He's  got  the  whole  world  in  His  hands,"  "Cruci- 
fixion," "If  He  change  my  name,"  and  the  directly  eloquent  "Let 
us  break  bread  together. 

ANGELES,    VICTORIA    DE    LOS,    soprano 

SPANISH  SONGS:  El  jilguerito  con  pico  de  oro  (Laserna);  Cancion  de 
Cuna  (Anon.);  Minue  Cantada  (Bassa);  Seguidillas  Religiosas  (Pla); 
Cancion  Picaresca  (Palomino).  Chiasson,  hpschd.  El  paho  Murciano 
(Trad.);  Farruca  (Turina);  Hablame  de  amores  (Fusta);  El  retrato  de 
Isabela  (Vives);  El  amor  y  los  ojos  ("Canciones  Epigramaticas" ). 
Moore,  pf,  V  LM  6017  [2]  (*Falla:  La  Vida  Breve). 

SPANISH  FOLK  SONGS:  La  vi  llorando;  Ya  se  van  los  pastores; 
Cancion  de  trilla;  Parado  de  Valldemosa;  Nik  baditut;  Adregaya;  El 
Rusinyol;  Granadina;  Playera;  El  Testament  d' Amelia.  Tarrago,  gtr, 
10"   V  LM  63. 

SPANISH  FOLK  SONGS,  VOL.2:  El  mirar  de  la  maja  (Granados);  Non 
quieras  avellanas;  Jota  (Guiridi);  La  maja  dolorosa;  El  majo  discreto 
(Granados).  Moore,  pf,  10"  V  LM  131  (*Falla:  Siete  Canciones 
Populares  Espanoles). 

The  coming  of  Victoria  de  los  Angeles  to  the  opera  houses  and 
concert  halls  of  our  feverish  postwar  period  has  been  something 
like  the  breath  of  spring.  Hers  is  a  voice  of  lovely  quality,  mag- 
nificently under  control  (witness  her  Rosina  in  Victor's  Barber  of 
Seville)  and  capable  of  power  as  well  as  softness.  Her  repertoire 
spans  the  nowadays  incredible  gap  between  Rossini  and  Wagner; 
she  shines  with  equal  brightness  in  Mozart  and  Puccini.  In  recital 
I  have  not  found  her  the  mistress  of  lieder  which  she  has  been 
acclaimed,  but  there  is  no  resisting  her  in  the  Spanish  repertoire, 
whether  sung  to  guitar,  harpsichord,  or  piano.  The  first  songs 
listed  are  Hispanic  classics  in  the  modern  arrangements  of  Nin 
and  Subira.  El  jilguerito  con  pico  de  oro  is  particularly  attrac- 
tive. When  the  piano  comes  in  for  the  second  half  of  the  program 
the  ear  needs  a  moment  or  two  to  adjust,  but  the  wizardry  of 
Gerald  Moore  soon  works  its  spell.  The  first  "Folk  Song"  record 
is  more  aptly  titled  than  the  second  (which  is  art  from  the  word 
go),  but  it,  too,  is  definitely  a  concert  performance.  What  one 
enjoys  is  the  beautiful  clear  voice  in  the  not  too  varied  Spanish 
melodies. 


Anglican/ L' Anthologie  296 

ANGLICAN   CHANTS,   etc. 

MUSIC  OF  THE  LITURGY  IN  ENGLISH:  Plainsong;  Holy  Communion; 

Evening  Prayer;  Anglican  Chant  and  Merbecke;  Morning  Prayer;  Holy 

Communion.       General    Theological   Seminary   Ch,    Brown;   Mixed  Ch, 

Gilbert,  C  ML  4528. 

These  Anglican  services  fill  a  gap  in  the  recorded  repertoire. 
Coming  from  General  Theological  Seminary,  they  represent  tradi- 
tions that  may  be  accepted  as  standard.  The  presentation  has 
dignity  and  a  special  kind  of  beauty. 

L'ANTHOLOGIE   SONORE 

VOL.1:  Gregorian  Chant  to  the  13th  Century;  The  13th  and  14th 
Centuries;  The  14th  and  15th  Centuries;  Machaut  and  Dufay;  The  15th 
Century;  Josquin  des  Pres  and  Other  Composers  of  the  Late  15th  and 
Early  16th  Centuries.  Pro  Musica  Antiqua,  Cape;  Les  Paraphonistes 
de  St.  J ean  des  Matines,  Van;  etc;  HS  AS  i-5  [5]. 

VOL.2:  (Record  3)  Vocal  Music  of  the  15th,  16th,  and  17th  Centuries; 

The  Italian  Madrigal  at  the  End  of  the  Renaissance.     Luca  Marenzio 

Ens,  Saraceni,  HS  AS  8. 

VOL.7:   (Record  4)  Orchestral  and  Vocal  Music  of  the  18th  Century; 

Mozart,  Motets.    Soloists;  Anth  Son  Ch  &  0,  Durufle,  HS  AS  34. 

In  embarking  on  a  new  edition  of  the  famous  Anthologie,  the 
Haydn  Society  aims  not  at  complete  transferral  of  the  series  to 
LP,  but  at  putting  into  a  new  perspective  those  parts  of  it  which 
meet  modern  standards  of  reproduction,  and  continuing,  mean- 
while, to  add  new  material.  The  chief  complaint  against  the  old 
series  was  its  apparently  casual  sequence.  So  many  recordings 
were  gathered  together  representing  so  many  periods  of  musical 
history,  and  in  whatever  order  they  happened  to  be  issued,  a 
booklet  was  prepared  to  cover  them.  The  new  Anthologie  begins 
with  Gregorian  Chant,  and  each  LP  side  is  devoted  to  a  period  or 
some  aspect  of  music  history.  It  may  be  surprising  that  so  much 
can  be  presented  in  the  first  issue  without  even  drawing  on  some 
of  the  long-familiar  early  releases,  and  the  obvious  questions 
about  how  some  of  them  could  possibly  survive  the  change  of 
speed  are  left  mercifully  unanswered.  What  has  been  used  sounds 
remarkably  well.  There  are  also  some  new  things — lots  of  them, 
and  fine  ones,  too,  notably  the  Banchieri  Festino  and  the  Mozart 
motets. 


Arias  de  Zarzuelas/  Arie  Zy( 

ARIAS  DE   ZARZUELAS 

El  Cabo  Primero — Romanza  de  Pilar  (Caballero).  Linares,  s.  El 
Nino  Judio — Cancion  Espanola  (Luna).  Berchman,  s.  El  Barbero  de 
Sevilla — Me  llaman  la  primorosa  (Nieto  y  Jiminez).  Olaria,  s.  Segui- 
dilla  del  Barberillo  de  Lavapies — Cancion  de  paloma  (Barbieri). 
Rivadeneira,  c.  Bohemios — Romanza  de  Cosette  (Vives).  Olaria,  s. 
Gigantes  y  Cabezudos — Romanza  de  la  carta  (Caballero).  Berchman, 
s.  El  Duo  de  la  Africana — Romanza  (Caballero).  Rivadeneira,  c. 
Marina — Rondo  (Arrieta).  Linares,  s.  Orquesta  Sinfonica  Espanola, 
Martinez,  Mont  FM-LD  17. 

For  a  sampling  of  the  zarzuela  in  its  arias,  this  disc  could  hardly 
be  improved.  The  music  is  strangely  suggestive  of  other  schools 
of  light  opera;  the  voices  for  the  most  part  are  very  appealing;  the 
style  is  beyond  all  praise.    The  singers  all  record  well. 

AR\E,    RAPHAEL,    basso 

OPERATIC  RECITAL:  Boris  Godunov— Death  of  Boris;  LaSonnambula 
— Vi  ravviso;  Don  Carlo — Ella  giammai  m'amb;  II  Barbiere  di  Siviglia 
— La  calunnia.  LSO,  Krips;  SR,  Erede,  10"  L  LPS  98. 
RUSSIAN  OPERATIC  ARIAS:  Eugene  Onegin — Everyone  knows  love 
on  earth;  Prince  Igor — /  hate  a  dreary  life;  Sadko — Song  of  the  Viking 
Guest;  A  Life  for  the  Czar — They  guess  the  truth.  PCO,  Erede,  10" 
L  LD  9074. 

Arie,  remembered  for  honorable  service  at  New  York's  City  Cen* 
ter,  has  a  good  solid  voice  of  the  Russian  type.  He  is  at  his 
best  in  the  second  recital  listed,  though  his  voice  is  sometimes 
hoarse  in  the  upper  reaches,  and  the  reproduction  is  quite  loud. 
From  the  first  disc,  the  Boris  and  Don  Carlo  selections,  at  least, 
seem  to  be  the  recordings  issued  at  78  rpm  several  years  back, 
and  considered  exceptional  at  the  time.  Today  they  are  somewhat 
below  par,  what  with  too  strong  bass  and  lack  of  clarity  in  the 
highs.  The  feature  of  the  Boris  scene  is  the  use  of  the  original 
Mussorgsky  orchestration.  The  singing  is  good,  if  hardly  as  ex- 
citing as  that  of  some  other  Borises  we  have  known.  "Vi  ravviso" 
is  reasonably  well  performed,  though  not  in  the  purest  bel  canto 
tradition;  the  record  includes  at  least  an  abbreviated  run  through 
the  cabaletta  which  follows  the  aria.  The  artist  is  better  in  the 
Don    Carlo   soliloquy;    the    singing   here   is    tonally  richer,   more 


Arie/Battistini  298 

surely  characterized,  than  in  the  rest  of  this  program.  The 
Barbiere  interpretation  is  effective  enough. 

BARBIERI,    FEDORA,    mezzo-soprano 

OLD    ITALIAN  SONGS  AND  AIRS:    Un    certo   non   so    che  (Vivaldi); 

Piangete,  ohime  (Carissimi);  Rinaldo — Lascia  ch'io  pianga  (Handel); 

Serse — Affe!  Affe!  mi  fate  ridere  (Cavalli);  Se  tu  m' ami  (Pergolesi); 

Nel    cor  pih   non   mi   sento  (Paisiello);   Arianna — Lasciatemi  morire 

(Monteverdi);  Come  raggio  di  sol  (Caldara);  Demofonte — Ahi!  che  forse 

si  miei  di  (Cherubini);  II  Pirro  e  Demetrio — Le  violette  (A.  Scarlatti); 

Bella  fiamma  (Marcello);  Gli  Zingari  in  fiera — Chi  vuol  la  zingarella 

(Paisiello).    Marzollo,  pf,  Vox  PL  7980. 

Fedora  Barbieri,  for  several  years  one  of  the  leading  members  of 
the  Metropolitan  Opera,  is  admired  for  her  big,  vibrant  voice,  for 
her  temperament,  and  for  her  abilities  as  an  operatic  actress. 
These  qualities  have  been  caught  in  several  recorded  operas — 
notably  Gioconda,  Trovatore,  and  Ballo  in  Maschera — but  they 
do  not  make  her  a  bel  canto  artist,  and  this  is  what  her  program 
of  ''Old  Italian  Songs  and  Airs"  calls  for.  The  selections  are 
classics  in  all  senses  of  the  word,  and  some  rather  famous  ones 
— Handel  s  "Lascia  ch'io  pianga,"  Scarlatti  s  "Le  violette"  — 
are  not  otherwise  available  on  LP;  still  others — Cavalli's  "Affe! 
Affe!.  mi  fate  ridere,"  Cherubini  s  "Ahi!  che  forse  si  miei  di" — 
are  new  to  discs. 

BATTISTINI,    MATT/A,    baritone 

Pagliacci — Prologo;  Ernani — 0  dei  vera1'  anni  miei;  Macbeth — Pieta, 
rispetto,  amore;  Rigoletto — Si,  vendetta  (with  Hayes,  s);  La  Favorita 
— Vien,  Leonora;  Lucia  di  Lammermoor — Cruda  funesta  smania;  Don 
Sebastiano — 0  Lisbona  (Donizetti);  Le  Nozze  di  Figaro — Non  piu 
andrai.    Ft  0-462. 

These  are  without  exception  outstanding  Battistini  recordings; 
in  every  one  of  them  he  pours  out  his  fullest  tones  with  superb 
prodigality.  Were  I  to  name  a  "best,"  it  would  be  either  the 
Macbeth  or  the  Favorita  aria.  In  the  Ernani  we  have  an  especially 
interesting  demonstration  of  his  often  remarked  trick  of  pushing  a 
sustained  high  tone  a  little  sharp  just  before  leaving  it.  Lulu 
Hayes,  his  partner  in  the  Rigoletto  duet,  seems  to  have  been  a 
serviceable  soprano. 


Bsrger/ Bjoerling  Zyy 

BERGER,    ERNA,    soprano 

Semele — Oh  sleep,  why  dost  thou  leave  me?  (Handel);  Lachen  und 
Weinen;  An  die  Nachtigall  (Schubert);  Exsultate,  jubilate  (Mozart); 
Geheimnis;  Das  Madchen  spricht  (Brahms);  Ophelia  Songs  from  Hamlet 
(Strauss);  Pantomime;  Clair  de  lune;  Pierrot;  Apparition  (Debussy). 
Raucheisen,  pf,  U  URLP  7060. 

Berger,  who  since  the  retirement  of  Lotte  Lehmann  has  been 
advertised  as  "the  first  lady  of  lieder,"  made  her  reputation  as 
an  opera  singer,  and  first  came  to  America  to  join  the  Metropolitan 
in  1949.  Record  collectors  had  known  her  voice  for  nearly  two 
decades  before  that.  Hers  is  a  pure,  almost  virginal,  soprano 
which  has  lost  little  of  its  bloom  in  the  years  of  the  artist's 
maturity.  Whatever  she  does  is  vocally  admirable  and  musically 
well  conceived.  She  is  more  at  home  in  the  songs  of  this  program 
than  in  the  piano-accompanied  Handel  aria  and  Mozart  motet. 
Somehow  or  other,  in  these  the  essential  spark  is  missing.  The 
Schubert  and  Brahms  lieder  are  pleasantly  turned,  but  the  real 
value  of  the  disc  derives  from  the  unusual  Strauss  Shakespeare 
songs  and  the  four  little-known  early  Debussy  items.  Here  she 
is  preferable  to  Pons  (C  ML  2135).  A  Victor  recital  (10"  LM  133) 
is  devoted  to  Schubert,  except  for  the  Mozart  Re  Pastore  aria, 
unfortunately  sung  in  German,  with  the  proper  violin  obbligato, 
but  piano  accompaniment. 

BJOERLING,    JUSS1,    tenor 

Die  Forelle;  Die  Allmackt;  Standchen;  Wanderers  Nachtlied;  Die  bbse 
Farbe   (Schubert);   Die  Mainacht  (Brahms);  Es   muss   ein  Wunderbares 
sein  (Liszt);  Verborgenheit  (Wolf);  En  Svane;  En  Drrfm  (Grieg);  Stand- 
chen;   Morgen   (Strauss);    Svarta   rosor  (Sibelius);    Tonerna  (Sjoberg); 
Lilacs  (Rachmaninoff);  Ideale  (Tosti).     Schauwecker,  pf,   V  LM  1771. 
The  importation  of  the  first  Bjoerling  discs  in  the  thirties  caused 
a    stir  among  those   who   enjoy   Italian   opera   sung  by   a  strong 
healthy    voice,   but  regret   the   emotional  excesses   that  seem  to 
creep    into  such  singing.     Bjoerling  has  proved  one  of  the  most 
dependable   of  tenors;  one  can  rarely  go  wrong  with  his  records. 
This   lieder  program  represents  his  recent  work:  it  does  not  pre- 
sent his  voice  in  all  its  pristine  freshness  and  beauty.    There  is 
not   enough  intimacy  in  "Die  Forelle"  or  in  "Wanderers  Nacht- 
lied."   One  admires  rather  the  support  that  makes  it  possible  for 


Bjoerllng/Bonci  300 

him  to  sail  over  the  top  of  the  long  phrases  in  "Die  Mainacht" 
(a  real  vocal  challenge),  and  one  thrills  to  his  tonal  outpouring  in 
"Die  bbse  Farbe."  In  the  Scandinavian  songs,  however,  his 
soft  singing  takes  on  intensity;  he  throws  entirely  new  light  on 
Sjoberg's  "  Tonerna."  But,  on  the  whole,  it  is  in  the  full-voice 
singing  that  the  tenor  sustains  his  reputation.  There  is  a  strangely 
indefinite  chord,  sounding  for  all  the  world  like  an  incredible  mis- 
take, in  Schauwecker's  playing  of  "Morgen."  More  characteristic, 
perhaps,  is  the  usual  collection  of  operatic  arias  (10"  V  LM  105) 
— Pagliacci,  Faust,  Cavalleria,  Boheme,  Africana,  Carmen — 
among  which  the  Faust  deserves  special  praise.  And  with  Robert 
Merrill  he  does  the  expected  duets  from  Forza  del  Destino,  Don 
Carlo,  Boheme,  and  Pecheurs  de  perles,  as  well  as  the  (from 
them)  not  expected  one  from  Otello  (10"  V  LM  7007).  This  is 
good  healthy  singing  all  down  the  line,  but  I  wish  the  sponsors 
had  not  seen  fit  to  repeat  the  Don  Carlo  recording  which  is  part 
of  the  Highlights  from  that  opera  (V  LM  1128). 

BONCI,    ALESSANDRO,    tenor 

Puritani — A  te,  o  cara;  Elisir  d'Amore — Una  furtiva  lagrima;  Quanto 
e  bella;  Favorita — Spirto  gentil;  Una  vergine;  Rigoletto — Parmi 
veder;  Martha — M'appari;  Paride  ed  Elena — 0  del  mio  dolce  ardor 
(Gluck);  Lucia — Tombe  degli  avi  miei;  Fra  poco;  Tu  che  a  Dio; 
Andrea  Chenier — Un  di  all'  azzuro  spazio;  Don  Pasquale — Cercherb 
lontana  terra;  Tornami  a  dir  (with  Pinkert,  s);  Boheme — Che  gelida 
manina.    Scala  811. 

In  his  heyday  Bonci's  admirers  used  to  pit  him  against  Caruso, 
proclaiming  that  though  Enrico  might  have  the  greater  voice, 
Alessandro  was  the  real  artist.  Like  his  rival,  Bonci  was  a 
prolific  recorder,  beginning  in  1905  and  continuing  even  into  the 
electrical  period,  but  his  records  never  achieved  popularity  com- 
parable to  that  of  Caruso's.  The  reason  seems  clear:  though  they 
do  give  an  idea  of  his  style,  it  is  hardly  credible  that  they  do 
justice  to  the  quality  of  his  voice.  There  is  a  tendency  to  tonal 
whiteness,  and  at  times  his  carefully  cultivated  vibrato  seems  ex- 
cessive. Still,  one  admires  the  grace  and  skill  of  his  ornamenta- 
tion and  his  extraordinary  vocal  control.  This  recital  shows  him 
mostly  at  his  recorded  best,  and  there  is  evidence  of  care  in  the 
transfer  to  LP.  Perhaps  the  best  number  is  "A  te,  o  cara,"  with 
its   high  D  flat,  though  the  Lucia  airs  are  also  very  fine.    That 


Boncl/Boulanger  301 

he  did  not  have  the  style  for  Gluck  is  demonstrated  in  his  least 
happy  selection.  A  goodly  portion  of  the  program  is  repeated  in 
a  rival  LP  (GAR  101),  which  is  less  rich  in  sound.  The  impor- 
tance of  correcting  the  speeds  of  these  old  recordings  is  to  be 
noted  in  the  two  dubbings  of  "Spirto  gentil."  The  GAR  disc  has 
the  Barber  of  Seville  duet  with  the  famous  baritone  Corradetti, 
but  it  is  not  very  successfully  reproduced. 

BONINSEGNA,    CELESTINA,    soprano 

Trovatore — Tacea  la  notte  placida;  D' amor  sulF  ali  rosee;  Gioconda 
— Suicidio;  Cavalleria  Rusticana — Voi  lo  sapete;  Ballo  in  Maschera 
— Love  Duet  (with  Del  Ry,  t);  Morrb,  ma  prima  in  grazia;  Ernani — 
Ernani,  involami.    Et  LP  0-468. 

Boninsegna  is  one  of  the  great  phonographic  enigmas.  Her  opera 
career  in  New  York  was  limited  to  four  appearances  at  the  Metro- 
politan Opera  in  the  season  of  1906-7,  and  though  she  sang  sub- 
sequently with  the  Boston  Opera  Company,  she  was  not  accepted 
among  the  elect  in  this  country.  She  made  records,  however,  for 
all  the  major  companies,  and  from  the  first  the  best  of  them  were 
sensational.  She  passed  into  legend  as  one  of  the  greatest  of  all 
operatic  artists,  and  her  discs  have  long  been  highly  desirable 
collectors'  items.  Eterna  has  dubbed  a  good  representative  se- 
lection, mostly,  the  notes  tell  us,  from  Path6  originals,  which 
makes  these  particular  performances  novel  even  to  established 
collectors  of  the  standard  brands.  To  be  sure,  the  repertoire  is 
not  unusual,  and  all  of  it  figures  on  her  HMV -Victor-Columbia 
lists.  In  this  case,  however,  "Tacea  la  notte"  is  shortened  and 
has  the  cabaletta  added,  and  '  D' amor,  sulV  ali  rosee"  is  particu- 
larly lovely.  Perhaps  no  voice  within  memory  can  match  the  won- 
derful glow  of  Boninsegna's  tone,  and  few  of  like  amplitude  have 
mastered  the  florid  style  as  she  did.  It  all  misses  perfection  by  a 
margin  of  varying  breadth,  and  there  is  always  an  obvious  break 
between  her  chest  and  medium  registers;  still,  so  far  as  her  re- 
corded arias  are  concerned,  they  are  so  exciting  that  one  does 
not  take  such  details  into  account. 

BOULANGER,    NADIA 

FRENCH  RENAISSANCE  VOCAL  MUSIC:  Mille  Regretz  de  vous 
abondonner  (Josquin  des  Pres);  Ce  Moys  de  may  (Jannequin);  Helas, 


Boulanger  302 

mon  Dieu  (Le  Jeune);  Bonjour,  mon  coeur  (Lassus);  Noblesse  git  au 
coeur  (Costeley);  Quand  mon  mary  vient  de  dehors  (Lassus);  A  declarer 
mon  affection  (Anon.);  Mignonne,  allons  voir  si  la  roze  (Costeley); 
Hau,  hau,  hau  les  boys  (Sermisy);  Revecy  venir  du  printans  (Le  Jeune); 
Vous  me  tuez  si  doucement  (Mauduit);  Tu  ne  I'enten  pas  (Le  Jeune); 
Au  joli  boys  (Sermisy);  Francion  vint  V autre  jour  (Bonnet);  Le  Chant 
des  oiseaulx  (Jannequin).  Vocal  and  Instrumental  Ensemble  conducted 
by  Nadia  Boulanger,  D  LP  9629. 

"PETIT  CONCERT"  OF  FRENCH  VOCAL  MUSIC  FROM  12TH  TO 
20 TH  CENTURY:  L' Autre  Jour  (Consilium);  Madrigal  (Faur'e);  Las  je 
n'irai  plus  jouer  au  bois  (Costeley);  Dieu!  qu'il  la  fait  bon  regarder 
(Debussy);  Pie  Jesu  (Lili  Boulanger);  Cantique  de  St.  Jean  de  la  Croix 
(Preger);  S'on  me  regarde  (12th  century);  Epitaphe  du  Paresseux 
(Couperin);  L'Oiseau  blesse  (Manziarly);  Musette  (Couperin);  Amours 
parte z  (Sermisy);  A  pris  ai  qu'en  chantant  plour  (Troubadour,  13th 
century);  Le  Lay  des  amants  (Anon.);  Trio  d'Amadis  (Lully);  Quand 
ce  beau  printemps  (Nicolas  de  la  Grotte);  A  une  demoiselle  malade 
(Franqaix);  Levez  ces  couvre-chefs  (Franqaix);  Belaud  mon  petit  chat 
gris  (Franqaix).  Peyron,  s;  Holley,  c;  Derenne,  t;  Conrad,  bs;  Instr 
Ens,  Boulanger,  Vox  PL  6380. 

Mile  Boulanger's  interpretative  genius  is  well  demonstrated  by 
these  two  programs,  the  one  devoted  to  music  of  the  older  times, 
the  other  mixing  that  music  with  some  of  its  descendants.  It 
may  be  just  her  refusal  to  be  bound  by  tradition  and  scholarly  re- 
search that  makes  her  so  persuasive  in  the  Renaissance  program, 
but  of  course  this  could  only  be  true  of  so  knowledgeable,  thor- 
ough, and  broad  a  musician  as  she.  She  has  lived  so  long  with 
the  works  she  presents,  she  knows  them  so  thoroughly,  and  such 
is  her  innate  sense  of  style,  that  whatever  she  does  comes  to  ex- 
citing life,  whether  it  be  Josquin,  Monteverdi,  Bach,  Faur6,  or  her 
sister  Lily.  I  think  the  point  she  wants  to  make  in  the  second 
program  is  that  the  fundamentals  of  music  have  not  changed  in  the 
nine  centuries  represented,  that  the  modern  works  she  performs 
are  important  as  heirs  to  the  older  traditions.  It  is  possible,  of 
course,  to  quibble  about  a  detail  here  or  there,  but  I  am  sure  most 
sensitive  listeners  will  find  pleasure  in  Boulanger's  genuine 
music-making. 


Bronze///Br/ce  303 

BRANZELL,    KARIN,    contralto 

Erlkbnig;     Der    Tod    und   das    Madchen;    Der   Lindenbaum  (Schubert); 

Heimliche    Aufforderung  (Strauss);   Die  ihr  schwebet;    Und  willst  du 

deinen   Liebsten  sterben  sehen  (Wolf);  Das  irdische  Leben  (Mahler)* 

Pf,  10"  Rem  RLP  149-6. 

From  1923  to  1944  Branzell  was  one  of  the  most  dependable  and 
satisfactory  artists  in  the  Metropolitan  company.  Gifted  with  a 
voice  of  gorgeous  quality  and  ample  size,  she  was  a  mainstay  not 
only  of  the  Wagnerian  wing,  but  of  the  Italian  and  French  sections 
as  well.  She  also  enjoyed  a  fine  reputation  as  a  singer  of  songs, 
especially  the  German  lieder  and  the  Scandinavian  repertoire. 
After  her  retirement  from  the  opera  her  annual  recitals  became  a 
feature  of  the  New  York  season.  Unfortunately,  her  recordings 
were  never  numerous;  we  can  be  especially  thankful  for  this  late 
one,  even  though  it  does  not  do  her  full  justice.  Her  "Erklonig" 
must  rank  among  the  better  ones,  and  the  less  familiar  Mahler  is 
to  be  commended. 

BRICE,    CAROL,    contralto 

Armida — Lungi  dal  caro  bene  (Sarti);  In  questa  tomba  oscura  (Bee- 
thoven); Im  Herbst;  Im  Fruhling;  Mutter,  o  sing'  mich  zur  Ruh'  (Franz); 
Seguidilla  (Falla);  They  all  dance  the  samba  (Berger);  The  day  is  no 
more  (Carpenter);  My  good  Lord  done  been  here  (arr.  Johnson);  On  ma 
journey  (arr.  Boatner);  Witness  (arr.  Johnson);  Ah!  may  the  red  rose 
live  alway  (Foster).    J.  Brice,  pf,  10"  C  ML  2108. 

Carol  Brice  has  one  of  the  great  natural  voices  of  our  time — 
the  most  gorgeously  dark  contralto,  perhaps,  since  Sophie  Braslau. 
She  is  also  an  intelligent  and  musical  singer,  one  from  whom 
better  than  ordinary  things  are  expected  and  sometimes  received. 
Perhaps  it  is  the  very  darkness  of  the  voice  that  most  stands  in 
her  way  as  an  artist:  in  the  lovely  Sarti  air,  where  limpidity  and 
grace  should  be  paramount,  she  seems  bent  on  showing  the  full 
richness  of  which  her  voice  is  capable.  The  result  is  heavy  and 
disaffecting.  The  Beethoven  is  somewhat  better,  but  here  she 
matches  the  sepulchral  text  with  a  tone  wanting  in  humanity  and 
is  guilty  of  pushing  her  voice.  The  three  Franz  songs  are  wel- 
come in  themselves,  and  they  show  decided  stylistic  improvement. 


Brice/Caruso  304 

She  is  not  abandoned  enough  for  the  Falla  "Seguidilla,"  but  she 
does  nobly  with  the  rapid-fire  Berger  song.  It  is  in  the  spirituals 
that  she  really  hits  her  stride  and  begins  to  talk  to  us.  There 
are  some  peculiar  things  in  the  labeling. 

CARTER,    SARA,    soprano 

MODERN  AMERICAN  ART  SONGS:  Three  Songs  from  Chamber  Music 
(Citkowitz);  Eight  Epitaphs  (Chanler);  Five  Songs:  The  dugout,  Heaven 
haven,  Go  and  catch  a  falling  star,  Send  home  my  long  strayed  eyes, 
Valentine  to  Sherwood  Anderson  (Flanagan);  Songs  of  Innocence 
(Smith).    Weiser,  pf,  NE  2. 

Four  American  composers  have  their  innings  in  this  program,  two 
of  them  qualifying,  perhaps,  for  inclusion  among  the  middle-aged 
and  two  definitely  belonging  to  the  younger  generation.  Citkowitz 
and  Chanler  have  long  since  established  themselves  particularly 
in  the  field  of  song;  indeed,  the  first  piece  on  this  record,  "Strings 
of  the  earth  and  air,"  was  hailed  years  ago  by  William  Treat 
Upton  as  something  of  a  masterpiece.  Flanagan  and  Smith  are 
genuine  talents.  Unhappily,  this  recording  only  hints  at  a  part 
of  the  story,  for  while  the  singer  produces  very  pretty  sounds,  she 
does  not  manage  to  get  many  of  her  words  across.  When  com- 
posers look  for  inspiration  in  the  works  of  Joyce,  De  la  Mare, 
Hopkins,  Donne,  Blake,  and  others  of  like  caliber,  they  consider 
the   texts  important.     The  reproduction  of  the  piano  is  not  clear. 

CARUSO,    ENRICO,    tenor 

Elisir  d  Amore — Una  furtiva  lagrima;  Gioconda — Cielo  e  mar;  Africana 
— 0  paradiso;  Boheme — Che  gelida  manina;  La  Juive — Rachel,  quand 
du  Seigneur;  Alda — Celeste  Aida;  Pecheurs  de  perles — Je  crois 
entendre  encore;  Carmen — Flower  Song;  Pagliacci — Vesti  la  giubba; 
Rigoletto — La  donna  e  mobile.    V  LCT  1007. 

Ballo  in  Maschera — Di  tu  se  fedele;  Tosca — E  lucevan  le  stelle; 
Vaghissima  sembianza  (Donaudy);  Trovatore — Ah!  si,  ben  mio;  Di 
quella  pira;  Le  Cid — 0  Souverain;  'A  vucchella  (Tosti);  Boheme — 
Testa  adorata  (Leoncavallo);  A  Granada  (Alvarez);  Messe  Solennelle 
— Domine  Deus  (Rossini).  V  LCT  1034. 

0  sole  mio  (Capua);  The  lost  chord  (Sullivan);  For  you  alone  (Geehl); 
Ave  Maria  (Kahn)  (with  Elman,  vln,  Kahn,  pf);  Serse — Ombra  mai  fu 
(Handel);    Because  (d'Hardelot);  El'egie  (Massenet)  (with  Elman,  vln, 


Caruso    Chaliapin  305 

Kahn,  pf);  Sei  morta  nella  vita  mia  (Costa)  (with  Bellezza,  pf).     10" 

V  LCT2. 

No  name  in  the  history  of  recorded  music  can  compare  with  that 
of  Enrico  Caruso.  From  the  season  of  1903-4,  when  he  first  came 
to  the  Metropolitan  Opera,  until  his  death  in  1921,  he  was  one  of 
the  busiest  of  recording  artists,  and  it  was  the  phenomenal  suc- 
cess of  his  discs  that  really  put  the  Victor  Talking  Machine  Com- 
pany (and  with  it  its  various  rivals)  into  the  world  of  big  busi- 
ness. Most  of  the  records  he  made  held  their  places  in  the  cata- 
logues through  the  acoustic  period,  and  several  of  them  were  re- 
recorded electrically  with  dubbed-in  orchestra.  Caruso's  career 
divided  itself  naturally  into  three  periods:  he  came  to  this  country 
a  light  lyric  tenor;  by  1910  he  was  so  robust  a  singer  that  those 
whose  memories  did  not  serve  them  well  used  to  assert  that  he 
was  in  reality  a  pushed-up  baritone;  then,  in  his  final  years,  he 
developed  into  a  true  heroic  tenor,  a  Samson,  an  El^azar,  a  po- 
tential Otello  (though  he  never  sang  this  last  role).  Not  the  least 
valuable  thing  about  his  records  is  that  by  them  we  can  trace  his 
steady  growth  down  the  years.  Unfortunately,  though  his  singing 
still  enjoys  top  sales,  his  records  have  been  transferred  to  LP  in 
a  helter-skelter  manner.  The  discs  listed  above  are  typical 
samples:  though  dates  are  generally  given  for  the  recordings,  no 
attempt  has  been  made  to  keep  together  the  fruits  of  various  years 
or  periods.  Thus  we  often  find  an  early  example  followed  by  a 
late  one,  then  without  warning  we  are  transported  to  the  years 
after  his  death  by  the  miracle  of  re-recording  (always  with  a  loss 
in  quality).  And  though  the  operatic  selections  are  satisfactory 
on  the  whole,  each  of  them  contains  an  example  of  the  less  ad- 
mirable Caruso  records.  Finally,  we  find  too  many  duplications 
in  these  "Treasury"  items:  we  never  can  be  quite  sure,  when 
buying  a  new  one,  that  we  have  not  had  half  of  it  before. 

CHALIAPIN,    FEODOR,    basso 

Prince  Igor — /  hate  a  dreary  life;  Sadko — Song  of  the  Viking  Guest; 
The  Demon — Do  not  weep  (Rubinstein);  A  Life  for  the  Czar — They 
guess  the  truth;  Faust — Invocation;  Lucrezia  Borgia — Vieni  la  mia 
vendetta  (Donizetti);  Sonnambula — Vi  ravviso;  Norma — He  sul  colle; 
Ernani — Infelice;  Mefistofele — Ave,  Signor.  Scala  SC  801. 
The  birches;  Night;  Dubinoushka  (Folk  Songs);  The  little  nightingale 


Chaiiapin/Christoff  306 

(Tchaikovsky);  Mefistofele — Ave,  Signor;  Faust — Church  Scene  (with 

Michailowa).    10"  AM  LP  A  1002. 

For  quality  of  dubbing,  the  first  of  these  two  discs  is  the  more 
successful,  though  the  Russian  folk  songs  in  the  second  have  a 
special  interest.  As  usual,  the  best  arias  are  the  Russian  ones, 
for  Chaliapin  was  too  individualistic  to  be  bound  by  the  rules  so 
essential  to  French  and  Italian  music.  The  Faust  selections  are 
sung  in  Russian  (the  first,  incidentally,  is  mislabeled).  The  sec- 
ond enlists  the  assistance  of  Marie  Michailowa,  the  first  success- 
ful recording  soprano,  and  to  this  day  one  of  the  loveliest  to  hear, 
but  not  otherwise  represented  on  LP.  The  Scala  notewriter  gets 
onto  some  insecure  ground  asserting  that  the  basso,  for  all  his 
contempt  for  bel  canto  as  a  way  of  singing,  could  hold  his  own  in 
the  older  musical  styles.  Interesting  as  is  his  "Vi  ravviso,"  one 
would  hardly  compare  it  with  Planqon's.  The  folk  songs,  taken 
from  the  1910  HMV  series,  are  sung  with  unaccompanied  chorus. 

CHORAL   MASTERPIECES   OF    THE   RENAISSANCE 

Ave  Maria;  Ave  verum  (Josquin  des  Pres);  Jesu  dulcis  memoria; 
Gaudent  in  coelis  (Victoria).  The  Nonesuch  Singers,  Smith.  Vive  la 
serpe  et  la  serpette;  Au  joli  bois  (Sermisy);  II  est  bel  et  bon  (Pas- 
sereau);  La  plus  belle  de  la  ville  (Jannequin);  Mignonne,  allons  voir 
(Costeley).  French  Circle  Ch  of  llniv  of  Bristol,  Benham.  Ave  verum 
corpus  (Byrd);  Hide  not  Thou  Thy  face;  Call  to  remembrance  (Farrant); 
Magnificat;  Nunc  dimittis  (Gibbons);  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway  (Red- 
ford).     The  Open  Score  Soc,  Cameron,  Per  SPLP  535. 

It  is  good  to  hear  such  quiet,  unforced  singing  as  that  of  the 
Nonesuch  Singers,  so  much  spirit,  fine  diction,  and  apparent  ap- 
preciation of  the  texts  by  the  French  Circle  group,  such  honest 
English  cathedral  style  in  the  work  of  the  Open  Score  Society. 
If  I  am  right  in  my  impression  that  the  last  group  is  a  small-sized 
boy  choir,  it  prompts  the  old  question:  why  do  they  do  these  things 
so  much  better  in  England?  I  propose  a  special  vote  of  thanks  for 
the  Gibbons  Magnificat  and  Nunc  dimittis. 

CHRISTOFF,    BORIS,    basso 

RUSSIAN  ARIAS  AND  SONGS:  The  Legend  of  the  Invisible  City  of 
Kitesh — Prince  Youri's  Aria  (Rimsky-Korsakov);  Khovantchina — 
Dositheu's  Aria;  Eugene  Onegin — Everyone  knows  love  on  earth;  Song 


Christoff/ Collegium  307 

of  the  Volga  Boatmen  (Trad.);  The  Prophet  (Rimsky-Korsakov);  Softly 
the  spirit  flew  up  to  heaven;  Field  Marshall  Death  (Mussorgsky);  Si- 
berian Prisoner's  Song  (Trad.);  The  grave;  Song  of  the  Flea  (Mussorg- 
sky).   PHI,  Dobrowen,  Scheuehter;  Moore,  pf,  V  LHMV  1033. 

Boris  Christoff  seems  the  favored  contender  for  the  mantle  of 
Chaliapin;  more  than  any  of  the  several  other  current  Borises  he 
actually  sounds  like  his  great  predecessor,  though  neither  his 
voice  nor  his  physical  presence  is  quite  so  overwhelmingly  big. 
But  as  Chaliapin  never  gave  the  same  performance  twice,  so 
Christoff  sounds  like  him  without  ceasing  to  be  himself,  and  an 
impressive  musical  figure  he  is.  As  in  opera,  so  in  song,  he 
carries  on  the  tradition  and  the  repertoire.  His  disc  contains 
rarely  heard  arias  and  a  miscellaneous  assortment  of  songs,  all 
delivered  with  temperament  and  intensity.  The  program  annotator 
makes  an  attempt  to  explain  away  the  orchestration  of  one  song 
accompaniment;  the  rest  are  done  to  Gerald  Moore's  impeccable 
piano. 

COLLEGIUM    MUSICUM    (Paul  Hindemith) 

Lagrime  d'amante  al  sepolcro  dell'  amata  (Monteverdi);  O  care,  thou 
wilt  dispatch  me;  Hence,  care,  thou  art  too  cruel;  A  sparrow-hawk  proud 
(Weelkes);  Dolcissima  mia  vita;  lo  pur  respiro  (Gesualdo);  Singet  dem 
Herrn  ein  neues  Lied  (Bach). 

Vol.  2;  Organum:  Alleluia,  Nativitas  gloriosae  (Perotin);  Missa,  Ave 
regina  coelorum — Kyrie  (Dufay);  Missa,  Sine  nomine — Credo  (Pale- 
strina);  Lagrime  di  San  Pietro — No.  7,  Ogni  occhio  del  signor;  No.  17, 
Ah,  quanti  gia  felice;  Im  lant  zu  Wirtenberg  (Lassus);  Mirabile  myste- 
rium  (Gallus);  Nunc  dimittis;  Virtute  magna  (G.  Gabrieli).  Collegium 
Musicum  of  Yale  Univ  Sch  of  Mus,  OVER  4,  5  [2]. 

This  program  was  recorded  in  Sprague  Memorial  Hall,  Yale  Univer- 
sity, partly  at  the  public  performance  on  May  14,  1953,  and  partly  at 
the  dress  rehearsal  on  May  20,  1950.  It  represents,  then,  not  a  sin- 
gle year's  Collegium,  but  combines  two,  separated  by  a  couple  of 
years.  The  recording  has  its  quota  of  coughs  and  other  extraneous 
noises,  but  it  has  also  the  kind  of  vitality  and  excitement  peculiar 
to  the  moment  of  public  performance.  In  his  years  at  Yale,  Hinde- 
mith demonstrated  over  and  over  his  uncanny  ability  to  bring  out  of 
any  performer  the  best  music  in  him.  And  though  he  scornfully  re- 
jected the  title  of  musicologist,  there  can  be  little  question  that 
his  success  as  an  interpreter  is  based  on  the  most  practical  kind 


Collegium    Corena  308 

of  scholarship.  To  hear  his  version  of  the  Monteverdi  Lagrime  is 
to  hear  the  sestina  for  the  first  time.  We  have  had  a  couple  of  re- 
cordings before,  one  of  which  indeed  was  impressively  good,  but 
we  have  not  had  such  lofty  expressiveness  as  this,  or  such  clear 
and  balanced  singing.  The  music  is  allowed  to  speak  to  us:  there 
is  no  forcing,  no  loading  of  emotion.  The  reproduction  is  slightly 
clouded,  but  not  oppressively  so.  Curiously,  in  the  beautiful 
Weelkes  madrigals,  the  English  is  not  so  easy  to  follow  as  it 
might  be,  but  the  conception  is  admirable.  The  Gesualdo  pieces 
come  as  something  of  a  revelation.  I  am  less  enthusiastic  about 
the  Bach,  which,  for  all  its  well-differentiated  choruses,  seems 
a  little  square-cut.  The  cruelly  difficult  final  fugue,  however, 
is  the  best  part  of  it.  The  third  side  affords  some  interesting 
contrasts,  notably  the  Dufay  and  Palestrina  works.  The  last  side 
is  somewhat  weak  in  reproduction. 

CONCERT    CHOIR   (Margaret  Hi  Ills) 

CONTEMPORARY  CHRISTMAS  CAROLS:  The  Star  Song;  Idea  gloria 
in  excelsis;   There  is  no  rose;  A  song  against  bores  (Kraehenbuehl); 
On    the  morning  of  Christ's   nativity;    The  Shepherds'   Carol  (Jones); 
The    Virgin's  Lullaby;    Three  kings  went  to  call;  Rejoice  greatly;  A 
King  is  born  (Sasonkin);   The  Christmas  Chanters;  Rejoice;   The  boar 
is  dead  (Harris);  The  birds;  Sweet  was  the  song  (Gruen).  Con  AP  122. 
It  was  a  good  idea  for  Contemporary  Records  to  commission  five 
young  composers  to  freshen  up  the  Christman  repertoire  with  some 
new    material.     Most  of  them  have  drawn  on  the  older  poets  for 
their  texts,  though  Manus  Sasonkin  has  written  his  own  verses. 
A    pleasingly   light  touch   is  evidenced   in  most  of  these  pieces 
(rather  loosely  grouped  together  as  carols);  only  Charles  Jones's 
"On  the  morning  of  Christ's  nativity'    runs  a  bit  into  obscurity, 
not  unnaturally  weighted  by  Milton's  text.    The  small  performing 
group  is  made  up  of  "first  stand"  vocalists;  their  singing  is  spir- 
ited and  proficient,  though  there  are  signs  of  hasty  preparation. 

CORENA,    FERNANDO,    basso 

FAMOUS  OPERATIC  EXCERPTS:  L'Elisir  d'Amore—Udite,  udite, 
rustici;  Don  Pas  quale — Ah!  un  foco  insolito;  La  Gazza  Ladra — II  mio 
piano  e  preparato  (Rossini).  SR,  Erede,  10"  L  LS  701  (^Operatic 
Arias,  Protti). 


Corena/Cuenod  309 

Fernando  Corena,  a  1953-4  newcomer  at  the  Metropolitan  Opera, 
has  a  long  list  of  operatic  recordings  to  his  credit,  and  he  is  well 
established  as  one  of  the  finest  Italian  bassos  of  the  day.  As  a 
comedian  he  has  few  rivals,  but  he  is  a  legitimate  singer,  and  can 
vocalize  as  expressively  as  the  best  of  them.  The  three  arias 
listed  are  from  his  buffo  repertoire.  It  is  a  cause  for  some  disap- 
pointment that  only  one  side  was  accorded  Corena,  for  Aldo 
Protti,  a  less  distinctive  artist,  has  been  content  with  three  well- 
worn  numbers  from  Trovatore,  Barber  of  Seville,  and  P agliacci. 
Corena  contributes  one  sterling  performance  to  a  catch-all  oper- 
atic program  (L  LL  534):  "A  un  dottor'  from  the  Barber.  The 
singing  of  the  others  on  that  record  is  disappointing. 

CUENOD,    HUGUES,    tenor 

ITALIAN  SONGS  OF  THE  16TH  AND  17TH  CENTURIES:  Valli 
profonde  (Gagliano);  Se  V aura  spira  (Frescobaldi);  Fuggi,  fuggi,  cuar 
mio;  Con  lagrime  e  sospir  (V  erdelot-W  illaert);  Cara  e  dolce  (Scarlatti). 
SPANISH  SONGS  OF  THE  16TH  CENTURY:  Perdida;  Sospiro;  Du- 
randarte  (Milan);  Si  me  llaman;  Triste  estaba;  Israel  (Mudarra).  Leeb, 
lute,  W  WL  5059  (*Lute  Solos  by  Fiorentino,  Milan,  Mudarra). 
FRENCH  SONGS  (16th  and  17th  Centuries):  Psaume  130  (Certon); 
Psaume  50  (Adrian  le  Roy);  Quand  me  souvient  (Crequillon);  Tant  que 
vivray  (Attaignant);  En  quelque  lieu;  La  voila  la  nacelle;  Beaux  Yeux 
(Besard);  ENGLISH  SONGS  (17th  Century):  Flow,  my  tears;  I  saw  my 
lady  weep  (Dowland);  When  from  my  love;  A  pretty  duck  there  was; 
What  thing  is  love  (Bartlett);  Rest,  sweet  nymphs  (Pilkington);  It  was 
a  lover  (Morley).  Leeb,  lute,  W  WL  5085  (*Lute  Solos  by  Visee, 
Dowland). 

ELIZABETHAN  LOVE  SONGS  AND  HARPSICHORD  PIECES:  When 
Laura  smiles  (Bull);  Go  to  bed,  sweet  muse;  Sweet  Kate  (Jones); 
Underneath  a  cypress  tree  (Pilkington);  Weep  you  no  more,  sad  foun- 
tains (Dowland);  Drink  to  me  only  with  thine  eyes;  Have  you  seen  but 
a  whyte  lily  grow?  (Anon.);  Sorrow,  sorrow,  stay  (Dowland);  Why  dost 
thou  turn  away  (Giles  Earles's  ms);  Now,  o  now  I  needs  must  part; 
Away  with  these  self-loving  lads  (Dowland).  Chiasson,  hpschd,  Ly 
LL  37  (*Harpsichord  Solos  by  Bull,  Johnson,  Gibbons,  Farnaby, 
Peer  son). 

Cuenod  is  well  established  among  the  most  musicianly  of  singers, 
and  the  peculiarity  of  his  high  voice  (he  might,  indeed,  be  classed 


Cuenod/Danco  310 

as  a  counter-tenor)  opens  up  for  him  a  repertoire  not  accessible  to 
many.  Though  he  is  most  at  home  in  the  older  styles  of  music 
(his  work  is  outstanding  in  several  Bach  recordings,  and  he  is 
equally  admirable  in  Rameau,  Schutz,  and  Couperin)  he  has 
touched  many  schools.  These  programs  show  his  feeling  not  only 
for  the  music  he  has  chosen,  but  for  languages;  his  English  is 
not  without  a  slight  accent,  but  it  is  clear  enough  to  shame  our 
native  practitioners.  And  here,  for  once,  is  a  singer  who  gives 
the  text  of  "Drink  to  me  only"  as  Ben  Jonson  wrote  it,  and  as  it 
must  be  in  order  to  rhyme.  This  in  itself  is  a  unique  and  re- 
warding experience. 

CURTIN,    PHYLLIS,    soprano 

AFRO-CUBAN  AND  LATIN-AMERICAN  SONGS:  Cinco  Canciones 
Populares  (Ginastera);  Tres  Canciones  (Galindo);  Dos  Poemas  Afro- 
Cubanos;  Bito  manue  (Caturla);  Condon  al  arbol  del  olvido  (Ginastera); 
Samaritana  de  Floresta;  Noite  de  Junho;  A  velha  historia;  Cancao  do 
mar  (Fernandez).    Tucker,  pf,  10"  Cam  CRS  203. 

Phyllis  Curtin's  first  considerable  reputation  was  made  as  a  Bach 
and  Purcell  singer,  though  of  late  she  has  been  heard  in  operas 
as  diversified  as  Einem's  The  Trial,  Verdi's  Falstaff,  and 
Strauss's  Salome.  It  need  hardly  surprise  us,  then,  that  she  has 
a  Latin  American  string  to  her  bow.  She  seems  thoroughly  at 
home  in  these  variegated  songs,  making  the  most  of  every  mood 
and  every  nuance.  Her  voice  is  an  instrument  of  unusual  beauty; 
wedded  to  such  temperament  as  she  here  displays,  its  effect  is 
tremendously  exhilarating.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  this  is 
just  what  the  songs  need. 

DANCO,    SUZANNE,    soprano 

Louise — Depuis  le  jour;  Traviata — Ah,  fors'  e  lui;  Manon — Adieu, 
notre  petite  table;  Carmen — Micaela's  Air;  Alceste — Divinites  du 
Styx;  Dido  and  Aeneas — When  I  am  laid  in  earth.  SR,  Erede,  L  LLP 
224. 

A  RECITAL  OF  17 TH  AND  18TH  CENTURY  MUSIC:  Eile  mich,  Gott, 
zu  erretten  (Schutz);  Bist  du  bei  mir;  Warum  betrubst  du  dich?;  Komm, 
susser  Tod  (Bach);  Paride  ed  Elena — 0  del  mio  dolce  ardor  (Gluck); 
La    donna  ancora   e  fedele — Se   Florindo   e  fedele  (Scarlatti);   Come 


Danco/Davis  311 

raggio   di  sol  (Caldara);  Danza,   danza  (Durante);  Amarilli  (Caccini). 

Demessieux,  org;  Agosti,  pf,  10"  L  LS  698. 

Danco  has  been  one  of  the  most  successful  recording  sopranos  in 
recent  years  because  the  bright,  clear  quality  of  her  voice  re- 
produces consistently  well,  and  because  she  is  a  broad  enough 
musician  to  present  a  varied  and  unusual  repertoire.  Her  gift  of 
languages  is  impressive:  though  French  is  natural  to  her  (she  is 
Belgian),  she  is  flawless  in  Italian,  and  not  far  from  it  in  German 
and  English.  Though  others  may  bring  more  personal  warmth  to 
the  operatic  scenes — and  the  Alceste  and  Dido  arias  are  usually 
associated  with  heavier  voices — we  rarely  hear  them  done  with 
such  pure  vocalism.  In  the  program  of  early  music  the  Schiitz  and 
Bach  are  lovely;  the  little  Scarlatti  song  is  delightful.  Vocally 
"0  del  mio  dolce  ardor"  is  admirable,  though  in  spirit  it  may 
seem  to  belie  its  title. 

DAVIS,    ELLABELLE,    soprano 

Don  Carlo — Tu  che  le  vanita;  La  Wally — Ebben?  ne  andfo  lontana 
(Catalani).  NEW,  Braithwaite.  Wanderers  Nachtlied;  Lachen  und 
Weinen;  Wohin?  (Schubert);  Allerseelen;  Befreit  (Strauss).  Greenslade, 
pf,  10"  L  LPS  181. 

Nobody  knows  de  trouble  I've  seen  (arr.  Burleigh);  Good  news  (arr. 
Hayes);  On  ma  journey  (arr.  Boatner);  I'm  a-traveling  to  the  grave  (arr. 
Dett);  My  soul's  been  anchored  in  the  Lord  (arr.  Price).  Greenslade, 
pf.  I  stood  on  de  ribber  of  Jordan  (arr.  Burleigh);  Plenty  good  room 
(arr.  Boatner);  Were  you  there?  (arr.  Burleigh);  Oh,  what  a  beautiful 
city  (arr.  Boatner).    0,  Olof,  10"  L  LPS  182. 

Davis  brought  to  the  concert  stage  one  of  the  loveliest  voices  of 
recent  years,  a  veritable  Stradivarius  of  a  voice,  on  which  con- 
siderably less  of  an  artist  than  she  could  have  made  magnificent 
music.  These  recordings  were  not  taken  in  the  very  first  blush  of 
her  success,  but  in  that  period  when,  with  the  tone  still  untar- 
nished, the  intellect  was  beginning  to  count  for  more.  Perhaps 
this  explains  the  non-success  of  the  opera  arias,  which  are  sus- 
tained beyond  the  limits  of  expressiveness,  for  no  apparent  reason 
other  than  her  ability  to  do  it.  The  Schubert  lieder  are  beautifully 
conceived,  though  they  communicate  little.  The  Strauss,  however, 
justify  the  first  disc.  After  this  it  requires  a  true  artist  to  hold  us 
through  a  program  of  spirituals,  but  Davis  does  it.  Here  the  es- 
sential  simplicity  is  conveyed  with  an  irresistibly  melting  tone 


Davis/Del  Monaco  312 

quality  despite  some  rather  fancy  arrangements  and  even  some 
atrocious  orchestration. 

De  PAUR   INFANTRY    CHORUS  (Leonard  de  Paur) 

Swing  low,  sweet  chariot;  I  want  Jesus  to  walk  with  me;  Nobody  knows 

de  trouble  I've  seen  (arr.  de  Paur);  In  dat  great  gittin'-up  mornin'  (arr. 

II airs  ton);  Who  built  de  ark?  (arr.  Johnson);  Soon  ah  will  be  done  (arr. 

Dawson).    10"  C  AL  45. 

Set  an  accomplished  Negro  choir  to  singing  spirituals,  and  the  re- 
sults are  bound  to  be  rousing.  The  De  Paur  Chorus  has  estab- 
lished itself  as  a  virtuoso  group  of  the  highest  caliber,  one  might 
almost  say  a  kind  of  American  Don  Cossack  Choir — the  parallel 
extends  beyond  the  fact  that  both  groups  began  in  the  army,  and 
that  both  perform  musical  prodigies.  They  share,  I  should  say,  a 
certain  easy  mastery.  A  special  effect  is  achieved  here  with  "In 
dat  great  gittin'-up  mornin'"  by  steadily  rising  pitch. 

DEL    MONACO,    MARIO,    tenor 

La  Juive — Rachel,  quand  du  Seigneur;  Pagliacci — Prologo;  La  Gio- 
conda — Cielo  e  mar;  La  Forza  del  Destino — 0  tu  che  in  seno  agli 
angeli;  Rigoletto — La  donna  e  mobile.  SCO,  Frede,  L  LLP  880/1  [2]. 
(* Leoncavallo:  Pagliacci,  3  sides). 

Loreley — Nel  verde  maggio  (Catalani);  II  Tabarro — Hai  ben  ragione; 
Andrea  Chenier — Un  di  all'  azzuro  spazio;  La  Fanciulla  del  West — Or 
son  sei  mesi;  Turandot — Nessun  dorma;  La  BoKeme — Che  gelida 
manina.  0,  Ghione,  L  LL  990/1  [2].  (*Mascagni:  Cavalleria  Rusti- 
cana,  3  sides). 

Mario  Del  Monaco  is  potentially  one  of  the  great  tenors  of  our 
time.  Indeed,  nature  might  have  intended  "his  tenor  note,"  like 
that  of  a  greater  Mario,  to  "soothe  a  soul  in  Purgatory."  But 
soothing  is  one  thing  it  does  not  do.  So  prodigal  are  the  young 
man's  gifts  that  we  find  him  mostly  giving  too  much  and  too  early, 
though  an  occasional  phrase  conveys  to  us  an  inkling  of  what  an 
artist  he  might  be.  Perhaps  he  shows  at  his  best  in  the  Verdi  and 
Puccini  recitals,  listed  under  the  composers'  names,  especially 
the  former.  Those  noted  above,  fillers  for  opera  sets,  are  mostly 
standard,  though  the  Loreley  and  Tabarro  numbers  lend  novelty. 
A  novelty,  too,  is  his  excursion  into  the  baritone  regions  with  the 


Del  Monaco/Destinn  313 

Pagliacci  Prologue,  following  a  precedent  set  by  Richard  Tauber. 
Del  Monaco's  experiment  will  cause  no  suicides  among  the 
baritones. 

DERMOTA,    ANTON,    tenor 

OPERATIC  AND  L1EDER  RECITAL:  Don  Giovanni— D alia  sua  pace; 

II  mio  tesoro;  Die  Zauberflote — Dies  Bildnis  ist  bezaubernd  schbn; 

Capriccio — Sonnet:   Kein  andres,   das  mir  so  im  Herzen  loht.     VPH, 

Bohm.   Der  Nussbaum;  Die  Lotosblume  (Schumann);  N immersatte  Liebe; 

Der    Musikant;    Auf    ein    altes    Bild    (Wolf);    St'andchen;    Zueignung 

(Strauss).    H.  Dermota,  pf,  L  LP  345. 

Anton  Dermota,  whose  Metropolitan  Opera  engagement  several 
seasons  ago  was  canceled  by  illness,  has  been  heard  as  soloist 
in  a  number  of  choral  and  operatic  recordings,  notably  Scherchen's 
B  minor  Mass  (Bach)  (W  WAL  301),  Fledermaus  (L  LLP  281/2), 
and  Zauberflote  (C  SL  115).  He  is  a  versatile  artist,  with  a  light, 
sweet  voice.  His  breath  control  is  exceptional,  and  it  may  be  that 
he  exploits  his  ability  to  spin  a  phrase  at  the  expense  of  musical 
shape.  But  he  never  fails  to  make  his  singing  interesting.  The 
Capriccio  number  lends  special  interest  to  his  recital,  and  his  ex- 
cursion into  lieder  is  rewarding.  The  Strauss  "St'andchen'  and 
Wolf  "Der  Musikant"  stand  out. 

DESSOFF   CHOIRS  (Paul  Boepple) 

Die  mit  Thranen  s'den  (Schein);  Assumpta  est  Maria  (P alestrina);  Mi- 
rabile  mysterium  (Gallus);  Lord,  how  long  wilt  Thou  be  angry?  (Pur- 
cell).    CH  CHC  44  (*Bach:  Motet,  Der  Geist  hilft). 

This  is  a  surprisingly  effective  "public  performance"  recording 
made  in  the  Armor  Hall  of  New  York's  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art. 
The  reverberation  is  considerable,  which  is  most  effective  in  the 
Palestrina,  least  so  in  the  chromatic  Schein  motet.  A  criticism  of 
the  Dessoff  Choirs  has  been  that  the  group  has  grown  too  large 
for  the  good  of  polyphonic  music;  in  the  present  program  the  sound 
of  the  chorus  is  good,  and  not  overloaded. 

DESTINN,    EMMY,    soprano 

Aida — Ritorna  vincitor;  Cavalleria  Rusticana — Voi  lo  sapete;  Pagli- 
acci— Ballatella;  Lohengrin — Du  Armste;  Euch  Luften;  Bartered  Bride 


Destinn/Didur  314 

— Marie's  Air;  Nozze  di  Figaro — Porgi  amor;  Carmen — S'eguidilla; 
Chanson  boheme;  Der  fliegende  Hollander — Traft  ikr  das  Schiff;  Zau- 
berflbte — Ach,  ich  fuhl's;  Mignon — Prayer;  Madama  Butterfly — Sai 
cos'  ebbe  cuore;  Tu,  tu,  piccolo  iddio;  Freischutz — Leise,  leise;  Und 
ob  die  Wolke;  Dalibor — Act  II  Aria;  Tannhauser — Dich,  teure  Halle; 
Trovatore — D' amor  sull'  ali  rosee;  Faust — Air  des  bijoux;  Alleluia 
(Hummel);  Aus  der  "Hohenlied"  (A.  Mendelssohn);  Slovaka  Pisen 
(Kovarovic);  Robert  le  diable — Eh'  ich  die  Normandie  verlassen;  Geh' , 
sprach  sie  zu  mir;  Roussal/ca — Aria,  Act  I;  Damon  (Stange).  CE  7001 
[21 

Der  Freischutz — Leise,  leise;  Cavalleria  Rusticana — Voi  lo  sapete; 
ATda — 0  patria  mia;  Ave  Maria  (Gounod);  Hallelujah  (Hummel);  Tosca 
—  Vissi  d' arte;  Robert  le  diable — Eh'  ich  die  Normandie  verlassen; 
Geh',  sprach  sie  zu  mir;  Pagliacci — Ballatella;  Der  fliegende  Hol- 
lander—  Traft  ihr  das  Schiff;  Roussalka — Du  lieber  Mond.  Sea  804. 
Destinn's  amazing  versatility  may  be  fairly  judged  from  these  se- 
lections, but  lovely  as  some  of  the  singing  is,  it  is  an  acknowl- 
edged fact  that  her  numerous  recordings  did  her  scant  justice. 
The  dubbings  on  the  Scala  disc  are  more  forward  and  lifelike  than 
those  offered  by  Classic  Editions;  both  programs  draw  on  record- 
ings made  at  various  periods  of  her  career,  and  for  different  con- 
cerns. Not  all  the  apparent  duplications  in  the  two  programs  turn 
out  to  be  the  same  recording,  and  sometimes  there  is  a  wide  dif- 
ference in  their  quality.  In  the  first  program  all  the  opera  arias 
are  sung  in  German  except  those  from  Madama  Butterfly  and  Trova- 
tore; in  the  second  the  selections  from  Cavalleria  Rusticana, 
ATda,  Tosca,  and  Pagliacci  are  in  Italian.  As  far  as  I  can  ascer- 
tain, both  producers  have  taken  thought  on  the  subject  of  record- 
ing speeds.  Some  selections  may  not  have  come  out  right,  but  it 
is  next  to  impossible  to  be  sure.  The  Flying  Dutchman  ballad  on 
the  Scala  disc  sounds  decidedly  high,  but  a  checkup  establishes 
that  it  is  in  the  original  key. 

DIDUR,    ADAMO,    basso 

OPERATIC  RECITAL:  II  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — La  calunnia;  Der  Frei- 
schutz— Drinking  Song;  No  nessun  salvor  ti  puo;  Mefistofele — Duet, 
Act  I  (with  Zenatello,  t);  Ernani — Infelice,  e  tuo  credevi;  La  Juive — 
Malediction;  Faust — Dio  dell'  or;  Mefistofele — Ecco  il  mondo;  Boris 
Godunov — Death  of  Boris.    Et  LP  0-467. 


Didur/Don  Cossack  315 

Didur's  voice  was  magnificent  in  range,  vitality,  and  power  when 
these  recordings  were  made.  In  fact,  I  get  the  impression  that 
with  so  many  effects  possible  to  him  he  could  not  keep  his  spirits 
down.  Hence  there  are  all  sorts  of  composing  and  embellishing  in 
the  Barber  aria,  in  the  Italianized  Freisch'utz,  and  in  the  piece 
from  Faust.  That  he  could  sing  straight,  however,  is  shown  in  the 
Ernani  aria,  and,  above  all,  in  the  weakly  recorded  passage  from 
Boris  Godunov.  The  voice  is  well  forward  in  most  of  these 
reproductions. 

DOBBS,    MAT7/W/LDA,    soprano 

Die  Sprode;  Die  Bekehrte;  Zitronenfalter  im  April  (U ' olf);  Clair  de  lune; 
Notre  Amour  (Faur'e);  Si  mes  vers  avaient  des  ailes  (Hahn);  he  Coli- 
bri;  La  Cigale  (Chausson);  Die  Entzuckung  an  Laura;  La  pastorella; 
Nacht  und  Traume;  Heidenrbslein;  Liebhaber  in  alien  Gestalten  (Schu- 
bert); Auf  dem  Schiffe;  Wiegenlied;  Nachtigallen  schwingen;  Botschaft 
(Brahms).    Moore,  pf,  An  35094. 

Mattiwilda  Dobbs  has  obviously  grown  in  stature  since  her  previ- 
ous operatic  records  were  made:  one  feels  now  that  she  has  com- 
plete control  of  her  ample  resources  and  that  she  is  developing 
into  an  artist  of  deep  sensibilities.  Her  tones  are  dulcet  and  clear 
in  these  songs,  though  unhappily  the  reproduction  is  not  as  clean 
and  firm  as  it  should  be.  The  Wolf  lieder  are  well  done:  they  do 
not  require  great  expressiveness,  and  she  does  not  try  to  give 
them  such  treatment.  Faure's  "Clair  de  lune"  is  for  the  most  part 
good,  though  she  takes  a  slight  unauthorized  ritard.  at  the  end. 
"Notre  Amour"  is  among  the  finest  of  the  offerings.  The  Schu- 
bert selections  show  the  singer's  best.  "Nacht  und  Traume"  is 
beautifully  sung,  though  rhythmically  it  is  cut  rather  square  and 
weakly  reproduced;  her  nicely  sung  "Liebhaber  in  alien  Gestall- 
ten"  is  hardly  so  shapely  as  Schumann's.  The  three  Brahms 
songs  are  among  the  best,  especially  "Nachtigallen  schwingen." 

DON   COSSACK   CHORUS  (Serge  Jaroff) 

CHRISTMAS  MUSIC  AND  CAROLS:  Hymn  for  Christmas;  Hymn  for  Vir- 
gin Mary;  Glory  to  the  Birth  of  Jesus  Christ;  Stikh;  Hymn  to  the  Virgin 
Mary;  First  Irmos  from  the  Christmas  Canon;  Carol  1,  Heaven  and 
Earth;  Carol  2,  In  J erusalem;  Carol  3,  Shtchedrivka;  Pre-Easter  Serv- 
ice. CH  CHS  1191. 
EASTER  MUSIC:  Hymn  to  the  Resurrection  of  the  Saviour;  Hymn  for 


Don  Cossack/Edelmann  316 

Easter;  The  Great  Litany;  Kanone  (Canticles  1-9);  Easter  Concert  and 
Hymn.    CH  CHS  1192. 

RELIGIOUS  MUSIC:  Augmented  Litany  (Gretchaninoff);  Ave  Maria 
(from  Evening  Service)  (Rachmaninoff);  Funeral  Service  (Trad.);  In 
Church  (from  Album  for  Children)  (Tchaikovsky);  Let  all  mortal  flesh 
(Trad.);  Alleluia  (from  Requiem)  (Tchesnokov);  Christmas  Song  (Folk 
Song).    10"  C  ML  2163. 

For  those  who  do  not  know  the  music  of  the  Russian  Church,  these 
programs  will  be  interesting;  for  those  who  do,  they  will  come  as 
pleasant  reminders.  Russian  singers,  of  course,  get  something 
into  their  performances  which  we  miss  in  the  familiar  American 
church  style.  The  Don  Cossack  Chorus  has  its  own  peculiar  way 
with  the  music,  which  is  just  a  little  more  Russian  than  that  of 
any  other  group.  Because  of  the  effective  falsetto  so  generously 
employed  by  the  highest  tenors,  the  chorus  is  not  confined  by  the 
usual  considerations  of  range,  and  of  course  there  are  subterra- 
nean basses  to  provide  unmistakable  Russian  sonorities.  The  first 
two  records  bring  us  an  experience  very  like  attending  church. 
The  third,  made  up  mostly  of  more  modern  pieces,  is  more  like  a 
concert.  The  Gretchaninoff  "Litany"  will  be  remembered  from  a 
magnificent  old  recording  by  Chaliapin  and  the  Afonsky  Choir  of 
Paris,  and  some  may  recall  the  arrangement  of  the  little  Tchai- 
kovsky piano  piece  sung  by  the  Siberian  Singers  or  by  the  Don 
Cossacks  themselves.  The  singing  of  the  group  is  always  mag- 
nificently drilled,  and  never  without  striking,  if  rather  tricky,  ef- 
fects. These  things  fit  into  their  dealings  with  sacred  as  well  as 
secular  music. 

EDELMANN,    OTTO,    basso 

Tannh'duser — Ansprache  des  Landgrafen;  Fidelio — Ha,  welch*  ein 
Augenblick!;  Falstaff — Ehil  tavernierel;  Der  Barbier  von  Bagdad — 
Salaam,  aleikum.    VPH,  Moralt,  L  LLP  427  (*Patzak  Recital). 

Edelmann,  who  sang  Pogner  in  London's  Meistersinger  and  Sachs 
in  Columbia's,  shows  himself  as  one  of  the  most  versatile  and 
promising  of  present-day  bass-baritones.  His  pronouncement  of 
the  Landgrave's  address  is  noble  and  dignified.  The  Fidelio  song 
is  well  sung,  if  not  quite  nasty  enough;  there  is  a  fine  crescendo 
effect  in  the  choral  background.  The  Falstaff  scene  sounds  rather 
strange  in  German,  but  it  is  well  delivered,  and  the  delightful  Bar- 


Edelmann/ Famous  Italian  Tenors  317 

ber    of  Bagdad   finale    caps    the    Strienz    performance    on   Urania 
(URLP  7026). 

FAMOUS   FRENCH    TENORS 

La  Juive — Rachel,   quand  du  Seigneur;   Sigurd — f'ai  garde  mon  ame 
ingenue.     Vezzani,  t.     L'Africaine — 0  paradis.     Rayner,  t.     Sigurd — 
Le  bruit  des  chants;  Romeo  et  Juliette — Salut,  tombeau.    Franz,  t.    II 
Trovatore — Supplice  infame.     EscalaTs,  t.     L'Attaque  du  Moulin — Le 
jour  tombe;  Herodiade — Ne  pouvant  reprimer;  Lahm'e — Fantaisie  aux 
divins  mensonges.    Friant,  t.    Werther — 0  nature.    Rayner,  t.  ET  708. 
This  collection  accomplishes  well  its  purpose  of  calling  attention 
to  an  often  forgotten  group  of  singers,  and  this  without  representa- 
tion of  the  three  best-known  French  tenors  of  recent  times — Ed- 
mond  Clement,  Charles  Dalmores,  and  Lucien  Muratore — though 
reference  is  made  to  their  names  in  the  jacket  notes.    Vezzani,  re- 
membered as  the  Faust  of  Victor's  first  recording  of  the  Gounod 
opera,  makes  a  fine  showing  here.     His  voice  has  unusual  body 
along    with   its   lyric   quality.      Franz,   long  a  favorite   in  Paris, 
though  virtually  unknown  elsewhere,  is  equally  admirable.     The 
American  Sidney  Rayner  is  included  because  so  much  of  his  ca- 
reer was  made  in  France.     He  is  more  effective  in  the  Werther 
number  than  the  Africaine.     Escalais  is  of  an  earlier  generation, 
his   recording  more  primitive.     Power  he  had  in  ample  measure, 
and  a  really  exciting  top  voice.    Friant  does  his  three  arias  well, 
making   an  especially  effective  crescendo  at  the  end  of  the  He- 
rodiade piece. 

FAMOUS  ITALIAN   TENORS 

Luisa  Miller — Quando  le  sere  al  placido;  Don  Pasquale — Sogno  soave 
e  casto.  Anselmi,  t.  Otello — Ora  e  per  sempre  addio.  Zenatello,  t. 
Don  Carlo — Io  I'ho  perduto.  Pollicino,  t.  Tosca — Recondita  armonia; 
Rigoletio — La  donna  e  mobile.  Schipa,  t.  Fedora — Amor  ti  vieta; 
Vedi,  io  piango.  Fertile,  t.  Nerone — Queste  ad  un  lido  fatal.  Pol- 
licino, t.  Paride  ed  Elena — 0  del  mio  dolce  ardor;  Faust — Salve, 
dimora.  Bond,  t.  I  Puritani — Vieni  fra  queste  braccia,  Lazaro,  t. 
ET  492. 

This  program  opens  with  some  of  the  best  singing  I  have  heard  of 
Anselmi,    and  perhaps   the  finest  performance   on  records   of  the 


Famous  Italian  Tenors/Ferrler  318 

Luisa  Miller  aria.  The  phrasing  is  a  model,  the  legato  a  thing  of 
thrilling  beauty.  The  Don  Pasquale  number  is  nearly  as  fine  in 
its  way.  Zenatello  is  heard  as  of  1907,  in  an  exciting  bit  from 
Otello,  after  which  the  Pollicino  seems  less  imposing.  The  Schipa 
pieces  show  the  voice  in  its  youthful  days,  fuller  and  apparently 
less  powerful  than  the  quality  we  know  best.  These,  I  take  it,  are 
from  Pathe  originals.  Pertile  sings  with  fervent  style  and  an  in- 
tense vibrato,  very  effectively  in  '"Amor  ti  vieta,"  but  to  my  taste 
too  tearfully  in  "Vedi,  io  piango."  Pollicino  gives  us  a  chance 
to  hear  a  bit  from  Boito's  Nerone,  in  which  his  voice  is  of  good 
size  and  quality.  I  care  less  for  Bonci's  Gluck,  which  has  little 
of  the  true  classic  style;  he  is  much  better  in  his  Italianized 
Gounod,  showing  unusual  sensitivity  to  the  text.  His  treatment 
of  the  words  "questa  poverta"  carries  a  thrill  of  its  own.  Lazaro 
shows  the  power  of  his  voice,  and  demonstrates  his  high  D,  which 
is  not  as  secure  as  his  reputation  would  lead  us  to  expect,  but  in 
the  opera  today  would  certainly  bring  down  the  house. 

FERRIER,   KATHLEEN,    contralto 

FOLK  SONGS:  Blow  the  wind  southerly;  Ma  bunny  lad;  The  keel  row 
(arr.  Whittaker);  Have  you  seen  but  a  whyte  lily  grow?  (arr.  Grew);  Wil- 
low, willow  (arr.  Warlock);  The  lover* s  curse;  Down  by  the  Sally  Gar- 
dens (arr.  Hughes).    Spurr,  pf,  10"  L  LS  48. 

KATHLEEN  FERRIER  SINGS  BRITISH  SONGS  AND  FOLK  SONGS: 
Ye  banks  and  braes  (arr.  Quilter);  Now  sleeps  the  crimson  petal 
(Quilter);  Over  the  mountains;  Drink  to  me  only  with  thine  eyes  (arr. 
Quilter);  Fair  house  of  joy  (Quilter);  0  waly,  waly  (arr.  Britten);  I  have 
a  bonnet  trimmed  with  blue.  (arr.  Hughes);  My  boy  Willie  (arr.  Sharp);  I 
know  where  I'm  going;  I  will  walk  with  my  love;  The  stuttering  lovers 
(arr.  Hughes).    Spurr,  pf,  10"  L  LS  538. 

SCHUBERT:  Gretchen  am  Spinnrade;  Die  junge  Nonne;  An  die  Musik; 
Der  Musensohn;  SCHUMANN:  V olksliedchen;  Widmung.  Spurr,  pf,  10" 
L  LD  9099. 

The  late  Kathleen  Ferrier  was  one  of  the  most  generously  gifted, 
one  of  the  most  musically  dependable,  and  one  of  the  most  sincere 
singers  of  our  time.  Hers  was  the  true  English  contralto  voice, 
big,  rich,  and  as  imposing  as  the  diapason  of  a  cathedral  organ. 
The  two  collections  of  British  songs  (with  the  altogether  too  free 
use  of  the  phrase  folk  songs)  are  tonally  magnificent.  In  the  first 
set  "Blow  the  wind  southerly"  (sung  without  accompaniment)  and 


Ferrier/Fischer-Dieskau  319 

the  infectious  "The  keel  row"  seem  to  me  outstanding.  "Willow, 
willow"  deserves  mention,  too,  as  a  drama  in  miniature.  The 
"Whyte  lily"  and  the  "Sally  Gardens"  are  less  happy.  The  sec- 
ond recital  contains  a  whole  side  of  Roger  Quilter's  most  popular 
songs  and  arrangements.  The  singer  is  best  in  such  a  trumpet  call 
as  the  old  English  "Over  the  mountains."  Two  of  the  Schubert 
songs  were  released  several  years  ago;  the  other  lieder  were  not 
issued  until  after  the  singer's  tragic  death.  The  best  singing  in 
the  set  is  in  "An  die  Musik,"  a  tonally  lovely  and  meltingly  musi- 
cal reading  of  the  famous  song.  "Der  Musensohn"  is  essentially 
healthy  in  approach,  and  has  more  gaiety  in  it  than  we  usually  as- 
sociate with  Ferrier;  still,  I  think  I  know  why  it  was  not  released 
in  the  artist's  lifetime:  the  high  tones  at  the  repeated  climax  are 
not  perfect.  I  am  sure  she  would  have  done  them  better  in  her  last 
years.  Schumann's  "Volksliedchen"  is  properly  simple,  but  the 
contrasts  in  "Widmung"  are  overdone.  The  middle  section  is  very 
slow,  and  loses  the  ecstatic  feeling  it  should  maintain.  "Gret- 
chen"  and  the  "Nonne,"  which  I  have  known  before,  are  tonally 
attractive,  but  not  exciting.  It  is  the  pianist  here  who  misses  the 
point.  This  Gretchen,  so  contained  in  her  singing,  was  apparently 
unable  to  operate  her  spinning  wheel  steadily. 

FISCHER-DIESKAU,    DIETRICH,    baritone 

An  die  feme  Geliebte  (Beethoven);  Standchen;  Das  Fischermadchen; 

Erlkbnig;  Nacht  und  Tr'dume;  Am  Meer;  Der  Atlas;  Der  Doppelganger 

(Schubert);  Mondnacht;  Die  beiden  Grenadiere  (Schumann).     Moore,  pf, 

V  LHMV  1046. 

Though  he  has  yet  to  make  his  debut  in  this  country,  there  is  lit- 
tle doubt  among  collectors  of  lieder  recordings  or  those  who  have 
heard  him  abroad  that  Dietrich  Fischer-Dieskau  is  the  finest  singer 
of  songs  in  the  postwar  generation.  As  one  who  is  numbered 
among  both  groups  of  admirers,  I  can  report  that  the  voice  is  big- 
ger both  in  volume  and  in  range  than  I  had  thought  on  hearing  his 
earliest  recordings,  that  it  is  a  beautiful  instrument  in  itself,  and 
that  the  artist  uses  it  strictly  for  purposes  of  musical  communica- 
tion. If  one  were  to  pick  a  flaw  it  would  be  in  the  too  sudden  con- 
trast between  his  pianissimo  and  fortissimo.  But  his  is  unques- 
tionably the  best  An  die  feme  Geliebte  since  Gerhard  Hiisch's, 
and  the  Schubert  and  Schumann  songs  coupled  with  it  show  what 
may  come  of  an  interpretive  intellect  playing  upon  poetry  in  mu- 


Fischer-Dieskau/Flagstad  320 

sic.  What  he  and  Gerald  Moore  can  do  with  the  familiar  Schubert 
"Standchen*'  and  the  delicately  folksy  "Fischermadchen"  is  an 
object  lesson,  while  such  heavier  fare  as  "Der  Atlas"  and  "Der 
Doppelganger"  are  laden  with  excitement.  His  also  is  the  best 
Brahms  Ernste  Gesange  on  records  at  any  speed  (DL  9668)  and 
his  Wolf  disc  (DL  9632)  is  a  must  for  every  song  collection. 
The  English  edition  of  the  Beethoven  cycle  (HMV  ALP  1066)  is 
less  generous  in  its  coupling  than  the  American  version  listed 
above.  Instead  of  eight  Schubert  songs  and  two  Schumann,  we 
find  simply  the  five  Heine  settings  from  Schubert's  Schwanenge- 
sang.  As  only  three  of  these  appear  on  the  American  label,  this 
makes  a  difficult  choice.  In  quality,  however,  the  less  crowded 
British  disc  is  superior. 

FLAGSTAD,    KIRSTEN,    soprano 

SONG  RECITAL:  Frauenliebe  und  Leben  (Schumann);  An  die  Musik; 
Ganymed  (Schubert);  Von  ewiger  Liebe;  0  w'usst'  ich  doch  den  Weg 
zuruck  (Brahms);  Ich  liebe  dich;  Ruhe,  meine  Seele  (Strauss);  At  part- 
ing (Rogers);  Morning  (Speaks);  We  have  turned  again  home  (McArthur); 
When  I  have  sung  my  songs  (Charles).  McArthur,  pf,  V  LM  1738. 
GERMAN  SONGS  (arr.  Dtfrums gaard):  Ich  lass  dich  nicht  (Schemelli 
Gesangbuch);  Es  ist  vollbracht  (Freylinghausen  Gesangbuch);  Auf, 
auf,  mein  Herz  mit  Freude  (Cruger);  Geh*  ein,  mein  Leib,  in  deine 
Kammer  (Rohm);  Die  G'ute  Gattes;  Busslied;  Passionslied;  Preis  sei 
dem  Gotte  (C.  P.  E.  Bach);  Vergiss  mein  nicht;  0  finstre  Nacht;  Lieb- 
ster  Herr  Jesu;  Komm,  susser  Tod;  Dir,  dir,  Jehova  (Bach);  Wie  seh' 
ich  dich,  mein  Jesu,  bluten;  Sei  nur  still;  Auf,  auf!  zu  Gottes  Lob! 
(Franck).    Moore,  pf,  V  LHMV  1070. 

Flagstad  was  one  of  the  vocal  miracles  of  the  century,  a  voice 
sufficient  unto  itself,  needing  nothing  but  its  glorious  sound  to 
hold  any  audience.  As  we  all  know,  she  was  more  than  that:  she 
was  a  musician  of  rockbound  solidity  and  integrity;  she  had  the 
gift  of  languages  and  the  perfect  diction  needed  to  make  plain  the 
message  of  what  she  sang*  Her  retirement  caused  much  regret, 
for  it  was  felt  she  had  years  of  service  left  in  her  voice,  and  the 
magnificent  endurance  which  kept  her  going  in  the  Wagner  operas 
showed  no  signs  of  diminishing.  That  she  did  not  have  all  that 
once  she  possessed  is  evidenced  by  the  Song  Recital,  made  at  the 
time  of  her  Carnegie  Hall  farewell.  Some  of  the  songs,  notably  the 


Flagstad/Gedda  321 

Strauss  "Ich  Hebe  dich,"  carry  her  into  altitudes  beyond  easy  vo- 
cal production,  and  some  seem  rather  square-cut  and  lacking  in 
melodic  curve.  We  can  only  deplore  the  English  group  at  the  end 
of  the  recital,  for  these  songs  are  not  likely  to  appeal  to  lieder 
enthusiasts  who  want  the  Schumann,  Schubert,  Brahms,  or  Strauss. 
The  singer  pours  out  her  voice  with  ear-filling  prodigality  in  the 
early  German  sacred  songs.  Again,  it  is  undeniable  that  some  of 
the  broad  and  noble  melodies  tax  her  resources,  but  they  have  a 
ring  of  truth  and  sincerity  to  show  a  mellowing  of  the  soprano's 
artistry.  D^rumsgaard  has  made  concert-hall  arrangements  of  the 
songs,  frankly  translating  their  accompaniments  into  terms  of  the 
modern  grand  piano.  He  has  also  added,  in  a  number  of  instances, 
long  introductions  and  postludes.  The  results  are  grander  than 
anything  the  composers  had  in  mind,  but  present-day  audiences 
will  find  them  decidedly  effective.  Certainly  the  playing  of  Ger- 
ald Moore  presents  the  strongest  possible  case  for  them. 

GEDDA,    NICOLAI,    tenor 

OPERATIC  ARIAS:  La  Gioconda — Cielo  e  mar;  Rigoletto — Ella  mi  fu 
rapita;  Martha — Ach,  so  fromm;  L'Elisir  d'Amore — Una  furtiva  lagrima; 
Favorita — Spirto  gentil;  L'Arlesiana — E  la  solita  storia;  Eugene  One- 
gin — Faint  echo  of  my  youth;  Werther — Pourquoi  me  reveiller?;  Les 
Pecheurs  de  perles — J e  crois  entendre  encore;  Manon — En  fermant  les 
yeux;  La  Muette  de  Portici — Du  pauvre  seul  ami  fidele;  Romeo  et  Juli- 
ette— Ah!  leve-toi,  soleil.    PHI,  Galliera,  An  35096. 

As  other  recordings  have  shown,  Gedda  is  very  likely  the  coming 
operatic  lyric  tenor,  but  one  whose  talents  extend  beyond  the  op- 
era. Such  a  program  as  this,  taken  in  one  dose,  may  seem  long 
and  a  little  tiresome,  even  when  the  artist  is  able  to  make  it  up 
of  so  many  schools  and  languages.  Born  in  Sweden  of  Russian 
stock,  Gedda  sings  after  the  manner  of  his  forebears;  his  basic 
style  and  production  suggest  his  Russian  background,  though  he 
is  at  home  in  various  other  types  of  music.  Especially  in  the  Ital- 
ian arias  one  appreciates  his  thoughtful  approach,  his  considered 
dwelling  upon  phrases  and  individual  words.  A  native  Italian 
would  pour  out  more  tone  than  he  does  in  "Cielo  e  mar,"  but 
would  not  do  so  much  by  pure  artistry.  His  diminuendo  on  the 
final  tone  is  very  effective.  In  such  a  piece  as  "Una  furtiva  la- 
grima,*'  the  best  of  the  Italians  would  caress  the  melodic  lines 


Gedda/Ghent  322 

more  than  he  does,  but  few  would  make  it  more  appealing.  The 
"Lament"  from  L'Arlesiana  is  beautifully  reserved,  Lenski'a  aria 
from  Eugene  Onegin  given  with  fine  artistry.  His  French  is  less 
natural  in  sound  than  his  Italian,  and  in  the  Werther  and  the  Romeo 
arias  we  could  do  with  a  more  outspoken  approach.  The  Pecheurs 
de  perles  aria  is  a  mite  slow,  but  does  not  fall  apart;  his  tone 
floats  through  the  melody  in  a  lovely  manner.  The  Manon  is  nicely 
spun  out,  but  the  real  find  of  the  program  is  the  Slumber  Song  from 
La  Muette  de  Portici,  a  winning  number  exquisitely  sung.  The  re- 
cording is  generally  good. 

GEORI-BOUE,    soprano 

RECITAL:  Faust — Ballade  du  roi  de  Thule;  Air  des  bijoux;  Herodiade 
— II  est  doux,  il  est  bon;  Louise — Depuis  le  jour;  Mandoline;  II  pleure 
dans  mon  coeur;  Green  (Debussy);  Clair  de  lune;  Les  Roses  d'Ispahan; 
Au  bord  de  V eau  (Faur'e);  Chanson  triste;  Phidyl'e  (Duparc).  POO,  Se- 
bastian, Faure,  pf,  U  URLP  7070. 

Famed  in  France  for  her  embodiment  of  the  favorite  operatic  her- 
oines and  no  less  for  her  tasteful  singing  of  the  song  repertoire, 
Geori-Boue  is  best  known  here  as  the  Marguerite  in  the  Beecham 
Faust  recording  (V  LCT  6100).  Collectors  of  78-rpm  discs  may 
have  had  the  luck  to  pick  up  some  of  her  earlier  song  recordings 
or  her  light-opera  duets  with  her  husband,  Roger  Bourdin.  Her  Re- 
cital shows  the  two  aspects  of  her  art,  the  operatic  side  of  the 
disc  sampling  a  Beechamless  Faust  and  what  must  have  been  a 
charming  Louise,  the  song  side  devoted  to  France's  three  most 
famous  writers  of  melodies,  well  accompanied  by  the  dependable 
Maurice  Faure.  Like  most  French  sopranos,  the  lady  inclines  to 
shrillness,  a  fact  emphasized,  perhaps,  by  very  roomy  recording. 

GHENT   ORATORIO    SOCIETY  (Marcel  De  Pauvt) 

FLEMISH  CHORAL  MUSIC:  0  la,  o  che  bel  eccho;  Serenade  van  de 
Landsknecht  (Lassus);  Mille  Regretz  (Josquin  des  Pres);  In't  groene 
(Jan  van  Belle);  Maria  de  soude  naer  Bethlehem  gaen;  Het  was  een 
Maghet  uutvercoren  (arr.  De  Pauw);  Ic  sag  Caecilia  komen  (Boeck); 
le  seg  adieu  (Clemens  non  Papa);  Amoreus  Liedekijn  (Meulemans); 
Fantasia  (Tinel);  Hymne  aan  de  Schoonheid  (Meulemans).  Es  ES  514 
(* Guitar  Solos,  Anon.,  Rore). 

It  was  an  inspiration  to  go  to  Ghent  to  pick  up  this  recording,  so 


Ghent/Golden  Age  323 

many  of  the  great  Renaissance  masters  having  been  Flemish.  In- 
deed, the  idea  has  here  been  carried  so  far  that  even  so  familiar 
a  piece  as  Lassus's  "Matona,  mia  cara"  is  sung  in  the  Flemish 
language  (though  the  "Echo"  appears  in  Italian).  The  program 
has  added  value  in  that  it  includes  a  couple  of  anonymous  songs 
in  good  solid  arrangements,  and  some  modern  works.  Outstanding 
among  the  latter  is  a  "Hymn  to  Beauty"  by  Arthur  Meulemans. 
The  guitar  interludes  played  by  Max  Demasse  lend  variety. 

GLORIA,    SARITA,    soprano 

BRAZILIAN  SONGS:  Coco  penerue  (Henrique);  Rolinha  (Henrique); 
O'Kinimb'a  (Braga);  Dansa  de  caboclo  (Tavares);  Azulao  (Ovalle);  A 
Gatonha  parda  (Villa-Lobos);  Abaluaie  (Henrique);  Casinha  pequeinia 
(Mesquita);  Querer  bem  nao  e  pecado  (Sousa);  Estrela  do  mar  (Ovalle); 
Baianinho  (Oliveira);  Cancao  das  mares  pretas  (Mignone);  D.  Juanina 
(Mignone).    Chanaha,  pf,  V  LM  1737  (*Sandi:  Ballet  Bonampak). 

Sarita  Gloria,  a  soprano  with  a  clear,  sweet,  true  voice,  gives  us 
a  generous  portion  of  the  Elsie  Houston  repertoire,  along  with  a 
couple  of  songs  recorded  by  Bidu  Sayao  and  Jennie  Tourel.  The 
program  has  been  well  chosen  to  give  variety  and  to  demonstrate 
that  something  of  both  character  and  value  is  being  produced  be- 
low the  Equator.  Some  of  the  songs  may  be  classed  as  folk  songs, 
though  in  all  the  arrangers  have  done  their  work  elaborately  enough 
to  lift  the  pieces  out  of  that  class;  others  are  genuinely  com- 
posed, though  they  have  something  of  the  same  quality  and  at- 
mosphere.   There  is  an  attractive  sparkle  in  the  singer's  art. 

GOLDEN   AGE  OF  OPERA 

Don  Giovanni — Batti,  batti.  Farrar,  s.  White  sea  mist  (Ronald). 
Melba,  s.  Traviata — A  me  fanciulla.  Lilli  Lehmann,  s.  II  Barbiere 
di  Siviglia — Largo  al  factotum.  Ruffo,  b.  Rienzi — Gerechter  Gott. 
Schumann-He  ink,  c.  Hamlet — Mad  Scene.  Melba,  s.  Carmen — En  vain 
pour  eviter.  Calve,  s.  Iris — Un  di  al  tempio.  Bori,  s.  Cavalleria 
Rusticana — Voi  lo  sapete.  Eames,  s.  Herodiade — II  est  doux,  il  est 
bon.    Garden,  s.    B  &  B  3. 

These  are  mostly  good  old  records,  though  put  together  they  make 
something  of  a  hodge-podge  and  there  is  considerable  variation  in 
the  quality  of  the  dubbings.  None  of  them  stand  up  too  well  be- 
side the  standard  of  RCA  Victor  in  the  Treasury  series.    Farrar  is 


Golden  Age/Hague  324 

in  good  voice  for  her  aria,  though  stylistically  she  is  open  to 
question:  surely  she  is  inordinately  free  with  the  ritards.  Melba 
is  not  very  well  reproduced  in  "White  sea  mist,"  and  there  is  an 
intermittent  hum  in  the  background  throughout  the  whole  record. 
The  Lehmann  is  mislabeled  Nozze  di  Figaro;  actually  she  sings 
Traviata.  Only  the  first  part  of  the  scene  is  included,  and  of  that 
not  the  usual  first  stanza,  "Ah,  fors'  e  lui,"  but  the  second,  "A 
me  fanciulla."  The  Ruffo  number  comes  through  better  than  what 
precedes  it,  but  still  is  uneven  in  sound.  The  fine  Schumann- 
Heink  is  not  successfully  reproduced,  nor  is  Melba's  Hamlet,  of 
which,  again,  we  are  given  only  the  first  half.  Though  labeled 
"Habanera,"  the  Calve  selection  from  Carmen  is  actually  the 
"Card  Scene."  It  is  not  one  of  her  more  forward  recordings.  The 
Bori  is  not  very  well  transferred,  but  the  Eames  (her  only  appear- 
ance, so  far,  on  LP)  is  fairly  satisfactory.  The  Garden,  always  a 
weak  recording,  remains  so,  though  there  is  a  good  deal  to  admire 
and  exclaim  over  in  the  high  tones  it  reveals. 

HAGUE,    CARL,    tenor 

SONGS  OF  NORWAY:  Synnove's  Song;  She  is  sweet,  she  is  soft 
(Kjerulf);  The  herdgirV s  Sunday  (Bull);  A  vision;  To  Norway;  And  I  will 
have  a  true  love;  Near  Rondarne;  I  love  thee;  A  dream  (Grieg);  Sing  me 
home  (Neupert);  The  linden;  Toward  evening  (Backer-Grbndahl);  I  lay 
by  the  sea  (Alnaes);  Snow  (Lie);  Silver  (hammers);  Venetian  Serenade 
(Svendsen);  Mother  sings  (Johansen);  There  cried  a  bird;  Sylvelin;  We 
will  have  our  land  (Sinding).    Steele,  pf,  ML  MLR  7034. 

Here,  obviously,  is  a  singer  of  taste  and  a  good  propagandist  for 
Norwegian  music,  for  he  has  gone  beyond  the  accepted  Grieg 
songs  and  introduced  us  to  a  representative  collection  of  music 
familiar  in  his  native  land.  If  such  a  song  as  Grieg's  "Til  Norge" 
still  stands  out  as  a  little  masterpiece,  there  are  other  things  here 
well  worth  knowing.  The  singer  is  best  in  the  more  outspoken 
pieces,  such  as  "En  Drtfm,"  but  he  is  never  out  of  the  picture, 
though  the  quality  of  his  voice  may  be  somewhat  stiff.  It  is  good 
to  hear  again  "J eg  elsker  dig"  ("I  love  thee")  sung  with  only  the 
one  stanza  of  Andersen's  poem,  the  climax  made  once  and  left  to 
stand. 


Hamline/Harrell  325 

HAMLINE   UNIVERSITY   CHOIR  (Robert  Holliday) 

Sixty-seventh  Psalm  (Ives);  Lamentabatur  Jacob  (Morales);  Jesu,   as 

Thou  art  Savior  (Britten);  Christ,  to  Thee  be  glory  (from  St.  Matthew 

Passion)    (Schiltz);    Exsultate    Deo   (Scarlatti);    Schifferliedchen;   Zur 

Erntezeit  (Kfenek);  Fragment  of  Sappho  (Brunswick).     10"  NR  NRLP 

305. 

Lamentations    of  Jeremiah;    The   Seasons   (Kfenek);    Tarye   no  longer 

(Harris);  Arbolucu,  te  sequeste  (Chavez).    10"  NR  NRLP  306. 

This  choir  is  at  its  best  in  modern  music,  the  Ives  and  Krenek 
pieces  coming  off  with  special  success.  The  Ives  is  in  two  keys, 
which  sets  a  problem  for  the  listener  as  well  as  the  performers. 
Krenek' s  Lamentations,  of  which  two  "lessons"  are  given  here, 
was  presented  first  by  the  present  choir  in  May  1952.  The  tech- 
nique is  that  of  Schoenberg's  twelve-tone  music,  the  thematic  ma- 
terial based  on  the  chant  of  the  Church.  This  is  not  easy  music, 
but  it  has  a  lofty  expressiveness  which  some  hearers  will  find 
growing  on  them.  The  choir  performs  with  care  and  precision  in 
matters  of  intonation,  a  little  too  much  of  these  on  the  rhythmic 
side.  One  is  conscious  of  the  beating  of  time.  The  Seasons  is  a 
set  of  four  Holderlin  settings,  done  here  in  the  composer's  Eng- 
lish translations.  Dating  back  to  1925,  this  music  is  anyone's 
meat.  Russell  Harris  has  caught  something  of  the  old-time  flavor 
of  the  fifteenth-century  Lydgate  text  he  has  set,  and  his  piece 
should  be  a  welcome  addition  to  the  choral  repertoire.  There  is  a 
simple  dignity  to  the  Chavez  work  written  in  memory  of  Kurt 
Schindler.  The  older  music  is  less  happily  realized:  the  magnifi- 
cent Morales  piece  is  rather  plowed  through,  as  is  the  Scarlatti. 
The  recording  is  not  very  strong,  and  at  moments  loses  clarity. 

HARRELL,    MACK,    baritone 

RECITAL  AND  ENCORES:  An  Evening  Hymn  (Purcell);  An  die  Leyer 
(Schubert);  Mit  Myrthen  und  Rosen  (Schumann);  Unuberwindlich 
(Brahms);  Und  willst  du  deinen  Liebsten;  Abschied  (Wolf);  Phidyle;  Le 
Manoir  de  Rosamonde  (Duparc);  Crepuscule  (Massenet);  Fleur  jetee 
(Faure);  Four  Gambling  Songs  (Niles).    Smith,  pf,  Rem  R  199-140. 


Harrel I /Harvard  University  326 

Harrell's  reputation  has  been  built  on  the  gift  of  a  pleasing  bari- 
tone voice,  impressive  attainments  of  musicianship  and  style,  and 
a  diction  in  several  languages  which  must  be  the  envy  of  his  col- 
leagues. His  opera  career  has  been  consistently  successful,  if 
unspectacular:  he  is  known  as  one  of  the  most  dependable  mem- 
bers of  the  Metropolitan  company.  Occasionally  he  creates  a  minor 
sensation,  most  recently  as  Nick  Shadow  in  Stravinsky's  Rake's 
Progress.  His  "Recital  and  Encores"  is  a  miscellany  designed 
to  show  the  variety  and  extent  of  his  song  repertoire.  His  essen- 
tially virile  style  fits  him  especially  for  the  more  outspoken 
songs:  in  such  an  outpouring  as  "An  die  Leyer"  he  shows  more 
impressively  than  in  the  superbly  peaceful  "Evening  Hymn"  or 
Massenet's  super-delicate  "Crepuscule."  The  novelty  of  the  pro- 
gram is  the  set  of  Gambling  Songs  by  John  Jacob  Niles,  which 
bring  down  the  curtain  with  a  stopped  show.  Brahms'  "Unuber- 
windlich"  is  a  first  and  only  recording. 

HARVARD   UNIVERSITY   GLEE   CLUB   AND  RAD- 
CLIFFE   CHORAL    SOCIETY  (William  F.  Russell;  G. 
Wallace  Vloodworfh) 

PRE-BAROQUE  SACRED  MUSIC:  Magnificat  in  the  Eighth  Mode  (Du- 
fay);  Veni  sancte  spiritus  (Plainsong,  12th  Century);  Auditui  meo 
dabis;  Non  avertas  faciem  tuam;  Ipsa  ie  cogat  pietas  (Lassus);  Singt 
dem  Herrn  (Praetorius);  O  bone  Jesu  (Ingegneri);  Non  nobis,  Domine 
(Byrd);  Spiritus  tuus  (Lassus);  Veni  creator  spiritus  (Josquin  des 
Pres);  Magnificat  in  the  Fourth  Tone  (Palestrina).  Harvard  Univ  Ch; 
Radcliffe  Ch  Soc,  Russell,  70"  Fest  FLP  70-202. 

Supplicationes;  Confitemini  Domino  (Palestrina);  Miserere  mei  (Vic- 
toria); Adoremus  Te  (Anerio);  0  Maria,  Diana  stella  (Anon.);  Justorum 
animae  (Byrd);  Tibi  laus,  tibi  gloria  (Lassus).  Harvard  Gl  CI,  Wood- 
worth,  10"  Cam  CR  101. 

The  singing  of  the  Radcliffe  girls  is  first-rate  in  the  almost  un- 
bearably lovely  Dufay  Magnificat.  This  is  all  the  group  does, 
however;  from  this  point  the  Harvard  boys  take  over,  singing  com- 
petently enough,  but  never  scaling  comparable  heights.  I  find 
them  more  appealing,  however,  in  the  Palestrina  Magnificat  than 
the  Period  Choral  Society  (Per  SPLP  513).  Their  singing  is  more 
solid    and   straightforward,   lingering   less   along   the   way.      One 


Harvard  University/Hayes  327 

misses  in  the  plainsong  offering  the  aloofness  the  music  calls  for. 
In  the  second  program,  by  the  Harvard  group  only,  several  pieces 
are  done  in  arrangement  for  male  voices.  The  largest  work  in  the 
group,  the  Supplicationes ,  is  performed  as  written,  except  for  cuts. 
The  Byrd  Justorum  animae  and  the  Anerio  Adoramus  Te  (often  at- 
tributed to  Palestrina)  are  especially  effective.  The  recording 
was  made  in  the  Busch-Reisinger  Museum  at  Harvard,  where  the 
acoustics  are  very  "live." 

HAYES,    ROLAND,    tenor 

Have  you  seen  but  a  whyte  lily  grow  (Old  English);  Come  again,  sweet 
love  doth  now  invite  (Dowland);  Greensleeves  (Old  English);  Orfeo — 
Vi  recordo,    o   bosch'   ombrosi  (Monteverdi);    Tamerlano — Figlia  mia, 
non  pianger,  no  (Handel);  Warnung,  K.  433  (Mozart);  Wonne  der  Wehmut 
(Beethoven);  Du  bist  die  Ruh';  Wohin?;  Nacht  und  Tr'dume  (Schubert); 
Auch    kleine   Dinge  (Wolf);   Beau  Soir  (Debussy);   Micheu  Banjo  (arr. 
Nickerson);  P oeme  P ersiano  de  "Rubaiyat"  (Santoliquido);  Somebody's 
knockin'  at  my  door;  Sometimes  I  feel  like  a  motherless  child;  My  God 
is  so  high  (arr.  Hayes);  Five  Negro  Work  Songs  (A  Cycle):  Lord,  how 
come  me  here?;  Po'  me;  How  long  fo'  de  sun  go  down?;  Day  is  done; 
Git  up  chillun,  go  'roun'  de  wall  (arr.  Hall).  Boardman,  pf,  A  440  12-3. 
Roland  Hayes,  one  of  the  truly  great  artists  of  our  time,  and  the 
first  Negro  singer  to  win  international  reputation,  has  been  only 
spasmodically  represented  on  discs.     At  the  age  of  sixty-six  he 
has  assembled  a  program  that  from  another  source  might  seem  too 
miscellaneous,  but  which  will  bring  back  many  memories  to  those 
who  have  heard  him  in  recital.    Several  of  the  songs  have  been  in- 
separably identified  with  the  singer.     Whether  or  not  he  recorded 
the  program  in  its  present  order,  he  gives  the  impression  of  warm- 
ing up  as  he  proceeds,  and  in  the  course  of  this  hour  of  singing 
we  hear  again  the  magical  mezza  voce,  the  beautiful  diction,  and 
the  infectious  rhythm  so  long  associated  with  Mr.  Hayes.    Whether 
it  be  in  Schubert,  in  Dowland,  in  Debussy,  in  Santoliquido,  or  in 
the   songs  of  his  own  people,  the  tenor  is  a  stylist  of  the  first 
rank.     Boardman's  expert  piano-playing  is  not  so  well  reproduced 
here   as  the  voice.     A  further  two-disc  recital,  recorded  by  Van- 
guard, has  just  been  released.    In  the  softer  numbers  the  voice  is 
as  lovely  as  it  has  always  been;  throughout  the  program  the  sing- 
er's art  is  of  a  high  order  (Van  VRS  448/9  [2]). 


History/ Houston  328 

HISTORY  OF  MUSIC  IN   SOUND 

Vol.    2:  Early  Medieval  Music  up   to  1300;   Vol.  3:  Ars  nova  and  the 

Renaissance.    V  LM  6015,  6016  [2  discs  each]. 

These  are  the  first  four  discs  of  audible  illustrations  for  the  New 
Oxford  History  of  Music,  comprising  Volumes  2  and  3,  with  1  yet 
to  come.  As  Volume  2  begins  with  Byzantine  music,  we  may 
wonder  how  four  LP  sides  will  be  filled  with  earlier  examples. 
A  happy  marriage  has  been  consummated  in  these  recordings  be- 
tween the  musicological  and  the  listenable.  Although  every  ef- 
fort has  been  made  to  perform  the  music  in  authentic  style,  it  is 
still  a  real  pleasure  to  hear.  In  fact,  the  two  volumes,  in  the  order 
of  presentation,  make  two  thoroughly  enjoyable  musical  programs. 
Beginning  with  the  Byzantine  chant  and  working  up  to  the  Gre- 
gorian, the  ear  and  the  perceptive  faculties  adjust  themselves  to 
the  wonderful  leisure  of  this  music,  so  that  it  seems  one  could  go 
on  listening  indefinitely.  But  presently  we  find  ourselves  con- 
cerned with  medieval  songs,  still  unaccompanied,  and  soon  with 
the  beginnings  of  polyphony.  Gradually  it  sneaks  up  on  us,  first 
in  two  parts,  then  three,  and  so  on.  From  organum  to  the  quite 
elaborate  Alleluia  psallat,  which  brings  the  first  period  to  a  close, 
is  an  impressive  advance.  The  second  volume — that  is,  offi- 
cially, the  third — begins  with  Adam  de  la  Halle,  and  carries  on  to 
Isaac,  Compere,  and  Rubinus.  The  performances  are  in  the  hands 
of  authoritative  and  skillful  musicians:  such  men  as  Oxford's  edi- 
tor, Dom  Anselm  Hughes;  Henry  Washington,  leader  of  the  Bromp- 
ton  Oratory;  the  Dolmetsch  family;  and  Safford  Cape  with  his  Pro 
Musica  Antiqua  of  Brussels  insure  against  hasty  or  undigested 
singing  and  playing. 

HOUSTON,    ELSIE,    soprano 

BRAZILIAN  SONGS:  Foi  n'uma  noite  calmosa  (Gallet);  Bahia;  Dansa 
de  caboclo;  Benedicto  pretinho;  Bia-t-t'a  (Tavares);  Berimbaii;  Tres 
potos  de  santo  (Ovalle);  Tayeras;  Bambele  (Gallet);  Cancao  de  car- 
reiro  (Villa-Lobos).  Miguel,  pf,  V  LCT  1143  (*Villa-Lobos:  Bachianas 
Brasileiras  No.  1;  Nonetto). 

Victor  has  done  a  real  service  in  restoring  the  Elsie  Houston  re- 
cital. This  singer,  of  insinuating  voice,  was  one  of  those  rare 
artists  who  make  every  individual  song  sound  important  and  still 
leave  us  with  the  impression  of  a  unified,  rounded  program.    There 


Houston/ International  329 

are,  of  course,  several  special  favorites,  which  will  stand  out  in 
the  memory  after  a  hearing  of  this  disc:  "Bahia,"  "Bia-t-ta,"  and 
"Bambele,"  for  examples.  Though  she  was  thought  of  as  essen- 
tially a  diseuse,  Houston's  voice  had  been  carefully  trained;  its 
quality,  to  my  ears,  was  outstandingly  beautiful. 

HUFSTADER   SINGERS  (Robert  Hufstader) 

Ce  Moy  de  may  (Jannequin);  Soyons  joyeux  (Lassus);  Rest,  sweet 
nymphs  (Pilkington);  April  is  in  my  mistress'  face  (Morley);  Sicut  cer- 
vus  (P alestrina);  Weep  you  no  more,  sad  fountains  (Dowland);  Three 
Reincarnations  (Barber);  Trois  Beaux  Oiseaux  de  paradis  (Ravel).  10" 
Cook  1092. 

This  disc  is  notable  for  its  wide  range  and  clean,  bright  tone. 
The  selections,  though  hardly  so  unusual  as  the  liner  notes  would 
lead  us  to  believe,  represent  some  of  the  best  in  madrigal  litera- 
ture, along  with  some  estimable  modern  music.  The  singing  is  di- 
rect and  simple,  perhaps  a  little  confined  rhythmically,  but  nicely 
balanced. 

IBARRONDO,    LYDIA,    mezzo-soprano 

SONGS  OF  SPAIN:  II  vito  (Ohradors);  Del  cabello  mas  Molondrbn  (Ob- 
radors);  Cancibn  castellana  (Guridi);  Cantares  (Turina);  La  maja  dolo- 
rosa (Granados);  Granadina  (Nin);  Songs  of  the  Provinces — Caminto  de 
Avil'es;    Charrada;  En   casa  del   Tio   Vicente;  Pastores   de  la  sierra; 
Burlesca;  Nostalgia;  El  pano;  Vascos.    Sandoval,  pf,  Rem  R  199-139. 
Ibarrondo  has  the  dusky  voice  and  the  vivid  temperament  suited  to 
these  songs;  she  gets  good  variety  into  the  first  half  of  the  pro- 
gram.    She  can  produce  a  lovely  soft  tone  and  with  it  sustain  a 
ravishing   line  in  the  quieter  moods.     Perhaps,  with  the  second 
side,   the  material  wears  a  little  thin,  but  it  is  excellently  pre- 
sented.   The  reproduction  has  a  large-empty-room  effect  and  some 
echo. 

THE  INTERNATIONAL   EISTEDDFOD 

A  Musical  Documentary  of  the  International  Choral  and  Folk  Dance 
Festival  at  Llangollen,  North  Wales,  July  1952.    W  WAL  209  [2], 

This  fascinating  recording  was  sponsored  by  UNESCO;  it  brings 


International/ Kolassl  ooiJ 

a  fine  program  of  international  folk  and  art  music  performed  by 
competing  groups  from  various  countries.  The  diverse  fare  in- 
cludes folk  dances,  madrigals,  a  part-song  by  Elgar  and  one  by 
Hugo  Distler,  as  well  as  a  motet  by  Victoria.  Perhaps  the  choic- 
est item  is  "Contrappunto  bestiale,"  from  Banchieri's  Festino, 
sung  here  by  three  strongly  contrasted  groups — all  very  different 
from  the  interpretation  of  the  New  York  Pro  Musica  Antiqua  and 
that  of  Luca  Marenzio  Ensemble  that  performs  the  Festino  in  the 
Anthologie  Sonore.  A  running  commentary  by  Jack  Bornoff  ex- 
plains the  program  as  we  go  along. 

KLOSE,   MARGARETE,    contralto 

In  der  Mondnacht  (Cornelius);  Herbststurm;  Eros;  Der  J'dger;  Weihnachts 
Wiegenlied;  Unter  Rosen  (Grieg);  Geduld  (Strauss);  Der  Schmied;  0 
lass  dich  halten,  gold'ne  Stunde;  Ober  Nacht  (Jensen);  Im  Herbst;  Zum 
Abschied  meiner  Tochter;  Der  Einsame;  Nachts  (Pfitzner).  Rau- 
cheisen,  pf,  U  URLP  7053. 

Nachtgesang;  Der  Geistertanz;  Fragment  aus  dem  Aeschylus;  Iphi- 
genie;  Der  Kbnig  in  Thule;  Dem  Unendlichen;  Verkl'drung  (Schubert); 
Arianna—Lasciatemi  morire  (Monteverdi);  Serse — Largo  (Handel); 
Orfeo  ed  Euridice — Ach,  ich  habe  sie  verloren  (Gluck).  Raucheisen, 
pf;  Prussian  St  0,  Heger,  U  URLP  7017. 

A  big,  rich,  dark  voice  like  that  of  Margarete  Klose  is  rare  in  any 
generation.  This  is  a  singer  in  the  grand  manner,  but  one  who 
can,  on  occasion,  modulate  her  tones  for  the  projection  of  lieder. 
As  a  recording  artist,  she  has  put  us  many  times  in  her  debt  by 
her  choice  of  worth-while  and  unhackneyed  music.  The  first  re- 
cital listed  above  is  made  up  mostly  of  "firsts."  All  the  songs 
are  done  with  such  conviction  that  one  hesitates  to  note  even  that 
the  songs  of  Norway's  Grieg  are  translated  into  German.  Transla- 
tion does  damage  to  the  second  recital,  however.  The  Monteverdi 
sounds  incongruous  in  German;  the  famous  Handel  air  is  sung 
twice,  the  second  time  to  a  text  that  is  new,  at  least,  to  me;  the 
Gluck  is  decidedly  overweight.  In  the  feast  of  mostly  unfamiliar 
Schubert,  the  best  sung  songs  are  those  in  which  Klose  can  use 
her  superb  gift  of  declamation  or  let  her  rich  tones  pour  out  freely. 

KOLASSI ,    IRMA,    mezzo-soprano 

Cinq  Melodies  populaires  grecques  (Ravel);  Deux  Chansons  populaires 


Kolassi/ Kref eld  331 

grecques  (Anon.);  Automne;  Mandoline;  Soir  (Faure);  Le  Vaincu;  Le 
Visage  penche  (Aubert).  Bonneau,  pf,  10"  L  LS  568. 
A  RECITAL  OF  GERMAN  LIEDER  AND  AR1E  ANTICHE:  Widmung; 
Die  Lotosblume;  In  der  Fremde  (Schumann);  Der  Musensohn;  Du  bist 
die  Ruh';  Der  Erlkbnig  (Schubert);  Vezzosette  e  care  pupillette  (Fal- 
conieri);  Alcina — Ah,  mio  cor  (Handel);  Gli  Zingari  in  fiera — Chi  vuol 
la  zingarella(Paisiello):  Amarilli,  mia  bella(Caccini);  La  donna  ancora 
e  fedele — Se  Florindo  e  fedele  (Scarlatti);  Arianna — Lasciatemi 
morire  (Monteverdi);  Orontea—lntorno  all'  idol  mio  (Cesti);  L'Honesta 
negli  Amori — Gia,  il  sole  del  Gauge  (Scarlatti).  Bonneau,  pf,  L  LL 
747. 

Greek  by  heritage  and  French  by  training,  Kolassi  is  a  distinctive 
as  well  as  a  musicianly  artist.  When  I  heard  her  voice,  by  way  of 
the  first  disc  listed  above,  I  described  it  as  suggesting  a  blend  of 
Madeleine  Grey  and  Ninon  Vallin.  She  sings  the  Ravel  songs, 
and  the  two  Greek  folk  songs  {"La  Jeune  Fille  d'Alatsata,"  ar- 
ranged by  Sapthi,  and  "Dourou-dourou,"  arranged  by  Sfakianakis) 
in  the  original  language,  with  special  fervor.  The  better-known 
pieces  on  the  reverse  of  the  disc  may  have  been  done  with  greater 
distinction  than  she  brings  to  them,  though  her  Faure  "Mando- 
line" is  a  gem.  The  surprise  comes  with  the  two  post-Duparcian 
Aubert  songs,  both  strikingly  presented,  the  first  in  a  powerful 
way,  the  second  quiet  and  atmospheric.  The  voice  is  better  re- 
produced than  the  piano.  After  her  promising  debut,  the  second 
Kolassi  recital  is  a  distinct  disappointment.  In  German  and  Ital- 
ian she  reveals  her  limitations.  In  neither  language  does  she 
sound  at  home,  and  there  is  more  shrill  tone  in  the  higher  reaches 
than  there  should  be.  To  do  her  justice,  she  captures  and  sus- 
tains a  mood  in  several  of  the  songs,  for  instance  "Intorno  all 
idol  mio"  and  "In  der  Fremde."  But  neither  lieder  nor  classic 
arias  can  be  done  by  intelligence  alone. 

KREFELD   COLLEGIUM  Ml/S/CUM  (Robert  Haas) 

MUSIC  OF  THE  MIDDLE  AGES:  Mei  hat  wunniklich  entsprossen;  Der 
Mei  hat  mennik  herze;  So  schbnen  wir  den  anger  nie  gesahen  (Neidhart 
von  Reuenthal);  Spielmannstanz  (Anon.,  13th  Century);  We,  ich  han 
gedacht;  Loybere  risen  (Witzlav  von  Rugen);  Nu  alerst  lebe  ich  mir 
werde  (Walther  von  der  Vogelweide);  Der  May  mit  lieber  zal  (Oswald 
von  Wolkenstein);  La  Quarte  Estampie  Royale  (Anon.,  13th  Century); 
Kalenda  maya  (Raimbaut  de  Vaquieras);  Lancan  vei  la  folha  (Bernart 


Krefeld/Lamy  332 

de  V entadorn);  Saltarello  (Anon.,  14th  Century);  Dieus  soit  en  cheste 

meson  (Adam  de  la  Halle);  Lamento  di  Tristano  (Anon.,  14th  Century); 

Chevalier  mult  estez  quariz  (Anon.,  1147).    Metzger-Ulrich,  s;  Pingel, 

t;  Krefeld  Col  Mus,  Haas,  Vox  PL  8110. 

The  effort  here  is  along  the  lines  of  the  Pro  Musica  Antiqua  of 
Brussels,  and  some  of  the  repertoire  is  identical.  The  perform- 
ances are  neat,  always  in  good  taste,  with  the  excellent  tenor 
bearing  the  lion's  share.  The  music  will  be  found  to  have  musical 
interest  beyond  that  which  its  historical  background  gives  it;  in- 
deed, it  should  make  new  friends  for  its  period  and  style.  Fuller 
notes  should,  however,  have  been  provided.  Not  only  are  the  texts 
absent,  but  no  information  is  forthcoming  in  regard  to  the  instru- 
ments used. 

LAMY   ENSEMBLE  (Fern and  Lamy) 

PARISIAN  SONGS  OF  THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY:  Las,  je  m'y 
plains;  Dictes  sans  peur  (Sermisy);  Pourquoy  done  ne  fringuerons  nous; 
Sur  la  rousee  (Passereau);  L' Amour,  la  mort  et  la  vie;  11  estoit  une 
fillette  (Jannequin);  Que  n'est-elle  aupres  de  moi  (Certon);  Ma  peine 
n' est  pas  grande  (Jannequin);  Plaindre  I' ennui  de  la  peine  (Hesdin);  0 
doulx  regard  (Gardane);  Amour  si  haut  (Sandrin);  Quand  je  te  veux 
raconter  (Nicolas  de  la  Grotte);  Tourt  ce  qu'on  peut  en  elle  voir  (Rore); 
En  ce  beau  moys  (Costeley);  Amour  me  tue  (Goudimel);  Rossignol  mon 
mignon  (Le  Jeune)  ;Rossignol  mon  mignon  (Boni);  Mon  Pere  et  ma  Mere 
(Bonnet);  Fiere  cruelle  (Le  Jeune);  Fretillarde  amoureuse  pucette 
(Anon.);  Prince,  la  France  te  veut  (Le  Jeune).    OL  50027. 

These  songs  are  all  taken  from  a  recent  anthology  edited  by  Fran- 
cois Lesure  and  published  by  Oiseau  Lyre.  Though  none  of  these 
particular  chansons  has  been  generally  known  before,  the  type  is 
familiar.  A  look  at  the  names  of  the  composers  will  be  enough  to 
sell  the  set  to  anyone  who  knows  the  repertoire.  The  group  here 
performing,  however,  is  hardly  the  most  satisfactory  we  have 
heard.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  little  large,  and  consequently  on 
the  heavy  side.  Then,  while  the  recording  is  very  good  of  its 
kind,  clear  and  full,  the  singers  seem  to  be  close  to  our  ears,  a 
fact  that  emphasizes  a  certain  breathiness  in  their  tone.  Their 
most  successful  numbers  are  the  sustained  and  sonorous  ones, 
such  as  teL' Amour,  la  mort  et  la  vie,"  "0  doulx  regard,"  and 
"Fretillarde  amoureuse  pucette."     The  faster-moving  songs  are 


Lamy/Lilli  Lehmann  333 

inclined  to  be  hasty  and  nervous.  The  contrast  between  the  two 
settings  of  the  same  Ronsard  poem — "Rossignol  mon  mignon" — 
is  especially  interesting,  with  the  Boni  version  perhaps  the  more 
effective.  It  is  amusing,  too,  to  recognize  the  text,  and  something 
very  close  to  the  music,  of  Tessier's  "Au  joli  bois"  in  Bonnet's 
"Mon  Pere  et  ma  Mere."  Presumably  one  is  invited  to  consider 
buying  the  music  to  go  along  with  this  recording;  nevertheless,  it 
would  have  been  pleasant  to  have  the  texts  to  follow. 

LASZLO,   MAC  DA,    soprano 

ITALIAN  SONGS:  Partenza  amorosa;  Arianna — Lasciatemi  morire 
(Monteverdi);  Tutto  acceso  a  quel  rai  (Scarlatti);  Amarilli  (Caccini); 
Vittoria!  Vittoria!  (Carissimi);  Quella  fiamma  che  m'accende  (Marcello); 
Fuor  dalle  placid'  onde;  La  Serenata — Posate  dormite  (Bassani);  Se 
tu  m' ami  (Pergolesi);  Orontea — Intorno  all*  idol  mio  (Cesti);  Fetes 
venitiennes — Chanson  de  papillon  (Campra).  Holetschek,  pf,  W  WL 
5119. 

Magda  Laszlo  is  primarily  a  stylist,  though  solely  on  the  merits 
of  her  clear,  bright  voice  she  would  be  an  exceptionally  interest- 
ing singer.  Most  of  her  recording  has  been  done  with  Scherchen, 
in  his  series  of  Bach  cantatas,  and  in  his  impressive  Ninth  Sym- 
phony (W  WAL  208).  In  her  Italian  songs  she  is  not  too  even  vo- 
cally, nor  is  her  intonation  impeccable,  but  the  susceptible  lis- 
tener is  not  likely  to  be  very  conscious  of  such  matters.  The  se- 
lection of  the  songs  balances  the  deservedly  famous  with  the 
little-known — with  "Amarilli,"  "Lasciatemi  morire,"  and  "Se  tu 
m* ami**  heading  the  list  of  the  former,  Scarlatti's  almost  shock- 
ingly cruel  "Tutto  acceso  a  quei  rai"  and  the  two  Bassani  songs 
outstanding  among  the  latter.  Purists  may  object  to  the  piano  ac- 
companiments, but  the  damage  is  by  no  means  fatal. 

LEHMANN,   LILLI,    soprano 

Joshua — 0  h'att*  ich  Jubals  Harf;  Norma — Casta  diva;  Ah  si,  fa  cuore 
(with   Helbig,   s);  Robert  le  diable — Gnadenarie;  Die  Entfuhrung  aus 
dem  Serail — Martern  aller  Arten;  Ach,   ich  liebte;  Don  Giovanni — Or 
sai;  Traviata — Sempre  libera.    Et  ELP  0-463. 
Don  Giovanni — Non  mi  dir;  Cosi  fan  tutte — Ich  wahle  mir  (with  Eel- 


Lilll  Lehmann/ Lotte  Lehmann  334 

big,  s);  Nozze  di  Figaro — HeiVge  Quelle;  Brief-Duett  (with  Helbig,  s); 
Traviata — Alfredo,  Alfredo;  Huguenots — 0  glucklich'  Land;  Walkiire — 
Du  bist  der  Lenz;  Mondnacht  (Schumann);  Freudvoll  und  leidvoll  (Schu- 
bert).   Et  ELP  702. 

On  the  evidence  of  her  recordings,  along  with  contemporary  ac- 
counts, Lilli  Lehmann  may  well  have  been  the  greatest  singer 
within  memory.  Bear  in  mind  that  she  came  to  the  studios  when 
she  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  sixty  and  when  the  techniques  of 
reproduction  were  hardly  beyond  the  primitive  state.  What  soprano 
today,  in  her  prime,  would  even  attempt  the  two  programs  listed 
above?  The  air  from  Handel's  Joshua  is  a  matter  for  wonder,  so 
even  and  true  is  the  coloratura  throughout.  The  "Casta  diva"  is 
a  less  forward  recording,  but  it  has  admirable  reserve  in  the  canti- 
lena, and  the  descending  chromatic  scale  in  the  cadenza  is  well 
worth  the  price  of  the  whole  record.  The  Entfuhrung  arias  are 
scarcely  credible,  and  the  "Non  mi  dir"  is  a  model.  "Or  sai"  is 
a  little  less  successful,  with  its  piano  accompaniment.  The  long 
recitative  catches  the  great  singer  rather  frequently  in  the  break 
between  registers,  but  the  aria  pours  out  forcefully.  "Sempre 
libera"  can  seldom  have  been  sung  with  such  vigor  and  spirit. 
The  Wagner  memento  is  among  the  less  successful  numbers,  and 
the  two  lieder  examples  fail  to  tell  the  whole  story  of  her  great 
prowess  in  this  field.  Joining  Lehmann  in  the  duets  is  her  niece, 
Hedwig  Helbig,  who  used  to  travel  with  her,  but  did  not  have  a 
career  of  her  own.    That  she  absorbed  a  great  tradition  is  obvious. 

LEHMANN,   LOTTE,    soprano 

LOTTE  LEHMANN'S  FAREWELL  RECITAL,  TOWN  HALL,  NEW 
YORK,  FEBRUARY  16,  1951:  Widmung;  0  ihr  Herren;  Standchen;  Wer 
machte  dich  so  krank?;  Alte  Laute  (Schumann);  Der  Mond;  Venezian- 
isches  Gondellied  (Mendelssohn);  Ein  Ton;  Wiegenlied  (Cornelius); 
Tr'dume  (Wagner);  Fur  Musik;  Standchen;  Gute  Nacht;  Weisst  du  noch; 
Dies  und  das  (Franz);  Wohin?;  Dankgesang  an  den  Bach;  Der  Neu- 
gierige;  Tranenregen;  Die  Hebe  Farbe;  Des  Baches  Wiegenlied;  An  die 
Musik  (Schubert).  Ulanowsky,  pf,  P em  1  {one  12"  disc,  one  10"  disc]. 
A  TRIBUTE  TO  LOTTE  LEHMANN:  Die  Verschweigung;  An  Chloe 
(Mozart);  Ungeduld;  Im  Abendroth;  Der  Wegweiser;  Die  Krahe;  T'dusch- 
ung;  Mut;  Die  Nebensonnen;  Der  Lindenbaum  (Schubert);  Die  Karten- 
legerin;  Alte  Laute;  W aides gesprdch;  Du  bist  wie  eine  Blume;  Fruh- 


Lotte  Lehmann/ Leider  335 

lingsnacht  (Schumann);  Therese;  Meine  Liebe  ist  grun;  Der  Tod,  das 
ist  die  kuhle  Nacht  (Brahms);  Fur  Musik;  Gute  Nacht  (Franz).  Balogh, 
pf;  Ulanowsky,  pf,  V  LCT  1108. 

Lotte  Lehmann  began  her  career  with  one  of  the  uniquely  lovely 
voices  within  memory — as  her  very  rare  acoustic  recordings  will 
testify — and  a  personal  magnetism  that  increased  with  the  years, 
even  as  the  voice  became  more  limited.  Always  womanly  and 
warm-hearted,  her  impulses  sometimes  routed  her  best-laid  artis- 
tic plans,  and  as  she  grew  older  her  never-mastered  breath  control 
became  less  and  less  reliable.  None  of  these  things  mattered  to 
her  huge,  loyal  public,  to  whom  she  stood  for  everything  worth 
while  in  the  singer's  art.  Future  generations  may  wonder  at  some 
of  the  vagaries  preserved  in  her  records,  but  they  can  hardly  fail 
to  be  moved  by  the  best  features  of  her  singing.  Two  historical 
mementos  are  available,  an  on-the-spot  recording  of  her  farewell 
New  York  recital,  and  a  collection  assembled  from  some  of  the 
Victor  records  she  made  in  the  1930's.  Presumably  the  Farewell 
Program  is  made  up  of  her  personal  favorites,  and  it  is  good  to 
note  the  many  slightly  out-of-the-way  songs  it  contains.  In  her 
encore,  "An  die  Musik,"  she  breaks  down  and  in  unable  to  finish. 
There  is  much  applause,  and  one  can  feel  the  charged  atmosphere. 
There  is  also  a  speech.  The  Victor  selection  duplicates  some  of 
these  songs.  The  collection  is  uneven,  Mozart's  "Der  Verschweig- 
ung"  and  Schubert's  "Im  Abendroth"  showing  the  singer  at  her 
best,  Brahms's  "Meine  Liebe  ist  grun"  and  Schumann's  "Fr'uh- 
lingsnacht"  failing  to  do  so. 

LEIDER,    FRIDA,    soprano 

OPERATIC  RECITAL:  Ariadne  auf  Naxos — Es  gibt  ein  Reich;  Don 
Giovanni — Rache-Arie;  Trovatore — Duet  (with  Schlusnus,  b.);  Tann- 
hauser — Dich,  teure  Halle;  Tristan  und  Isolde — Liebestod;  Siegfried 
— Final  Part,  Duet,  Act  3  (with  Soot,t.).    ELP  0-477. 

Frida  Leider  was  the  great  Wagnerian  soprano  of  the  twenties;  in- 
deed her  inability  to  return  to  the  Metropolitan  in  1934  led  to  the 
discovery  of  Flagstad.  These  two  singers  are  hardly  comparable, 
so  different  was  their  equipment.  Leider,  as  we  knew  her  in  New 
York,  was  a  very  great  artist  past  the  full  prime  of  her  vocal  pow- 
ers, still  thrilling  in  the  vitality  of  her  best  tones,  irresistible  in 
her  personal  magnetism.  This  selection,  from  acoustic  recordings, 


Leldor/Llst  336 

shows  the  voice  at  its  best,  and  gives  some  idea  of  the  grandeur 
of  the  style.  The  Ariadne  excerpt,  rare  on  records,  is  especially 
valuable,  though  the  Wagnerian  scenes  are  most  characteristic. 
All  of  the  program  is  sung  in  German. 

LEMNITZ,    TIANA,    soprano 

Viola;  Die  Blumensprache;  Der  Blumen  Schmerz  (Schubert);  Mbchte  im 
Walde;  Komm,  voir  wandeln;  Hirschlein  ging  im  Wald  spazieren;  Im 
Lenz;  Morgenwind  (Cornelius);  Der  Knabe  und  das  Immlein;  Wiegen- 
lied;  Citronen falter  im  April  (Wolf).    Raucheisen,  pf,  (J  URLP  7013. 

Tiana  Lemnitz  first  came  to  the  attention  of  re  cord- col  lee  tors  in 
the  early  thirties;  I  think  most  of  us  discovered  her  in  her  superb 
recording  of  the  two  Freischutz  airs.  The  only  criticism  one  could 
make  of  the  creamy-voiced  singer  was  that  she  set  herself  a  stand- 
ard all  but  impossible  to  maintain,  and  inevitably  most  of  her  later 
discs  (though  by  no  means  all)  were  disappointing.  This  postwar 
recital  shows  her  voice  in  not  quite  pristine  estate  (the  tone  has 
just  a  suggestion  of  the  flutterings  that  have  sometimes  gotten 
the  best  of  her),  but  her  taste  is  unfailing.  One  feels  that  her  ap- 
proach is  one  of  quiet  understanding  rather  than  of  any  deep, 
studied  penetration.  The  program  she  has  chosen  is  a  connois- 
seur's dream;  who  would  ever  have  expected  a  lieder  recital  made 
up  of  Schubert,  Cornelius,  and  Wolf  in  which  only  the  Wolf  songs 
are  familiar?  The  Cornelius  songs  may  surprise  some  hearers  into 
exploring  this  now  generally  forgotten  master:  they  are  frankly  ro- 
mantic, melodious  and  appealing.  The  three  Wolf  lieder  include 
the  little-known  early  "Wiegenlied"  (not  found  in  the  Peters  col- 
lected edition)  offered  some  years  ago  by  Grete  Stiickgold  in  a  re- 
corded Wolf  recital. 

LIST,    EMANUEL,    basso 

Rosenkavalier — Act  2  Finale  (with  Schurhoff);  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — 
La  calunnia;  La  Juive — Si  la  rigeur;  Totengrabers  Heimweh  (Schu- 
bert); Oh  Wien,  mein  liebes  Wien  (Ziehrer);  Le  CaTd — Le  Tambour- 
Major  (Thomas);  Song  of  the  Flea  (Mussorgsky).  ASO,  Loibner;  Schul- 
hof,  pf,  RemR  199-73. 

The  big,  burly  Baron  Ochs  of  the  thirties  here  gives  us  his  famous 
waltz-finale,  along  with  less  accustomed  fare.    His  vocal  agility 


Li  st/ London  337 

in  the  "Drum  Major  Song"  will  not  cause  us  to  forget  the  great 
Plancon,  nor  is  he  able  to  bring  to  life  Schubert's  "Totengr'dbers 
Heimweh."  Throughout  the  program,  I  am  afraid,  List  remains  an 
excellent  Baron  Ochs.  The  voice  is  in  surprisingly  good  estate, 
and  is  well  recorded. 

LONDON,    GEORGE,    baritone 

DRAMATIC  SCENES  FROM  RUSSIAN  AND  FRENCH  OPERAS:  Prince 
Igor — Aria  of  Prince  Igor;  The  Demon — Do  not  weep,  my  child;  Don 
Quichotte — Mort  de  Don  Quichotte;  Patrie — Pauvre  Martyr  obscur 
(Paladilhe).    MOO,  Adler,  Morel,  C  ML  4489. 

OF  GODS  AND  DEMONS:  Das  Rheingold — Abendlich  strahlt  der  Sonne 
Augen;  Die  Walkure — Wotan's  Farewell  and  Magic  Fire  Music;  La 
Damnation  de  Faust — Mephistopheles*  Serenade;  Faust — Le  Veau 
d'or;  Mefistofele — Ecco  il  mondo;  Song  of  the  Flea  (Mussorgsky);  The 
Demon — Do  not  weep,  my  child.  VSY,  Moralt;  MOO,  Adler,  C  ML  4658. 
Canadian-born  and  Hollywood-raised,  George  London  came  to  op- 
eratic New  York  by  way  of  Vienna,  a  ready-made  sensation.  His 
voice,  characterized  as  a  bass-baritone,  encompasses  the  unusual 
combination  of  Boris,  Figaro,  and  Amonasro;  it  has  a  fine  virile 
quality  and  ample  power,  though  not  quite  so  much  as  his  records 
might  lead  us  to  expect.  He  has  a  genuine  flair  for  the  theater, 
and  one  is  not  surprised  to  learn  that  he  has  been  stage-struck  all 
his  life.  His  great  model  as  a  singer  is  at  once  apparent  in  his 
repertoire,  an  impression  amply  born  out  by  his  manner  of  singing 
it.  It  must  have  been  a  major  thrill  for  him  to  sing  Boris  on  the 
Metropolitan  stage  where  Chaliapin  had  known  so  many  triumphs, 
though  he  did  not  get  to  sing  the  part  in  Russian,  as  he  had  done 
elsewhere.  His  first  recordings  from  abroad  (discounting  a  couple 
of  youthful  efforts  made  here)  showed  him  as  soloist  in  choral 
works;  as  an  operatic  artist  we  have  him  in  the  Viennese  casts  of 
Le  Nozze  di  Figaro  (SL  114)  and  Die  Zauberflbte  (SL  115)  and  the 
Bayreuth  Parsifal  (L  LLA  10).  "Dramatic  Scenes  from  Russian 
and  French  Operas"  offers  a  chance  for  direct  comparison  with 
Chaliapin,  for  in  the  death  scene  from  Massenet's  Don  Quichotte 
he  copies  the  famous  older  recording  to  the  extent  of  singing  San- 
cho's  part  as  well  as  that  of  his  master.  Somehow,  while  the  great 
Russian  could  bring  the  show  to  life,  London  does  not  make  us 
forget    that   the  music    as   such   is  innocuous.      What   is  missing 


London/Lucia  338 

throughout  this  program,  I  should  say,  is  rhythmic  vitality:  the  big 
aria  from  Paladilhe's  Patrie  can  be  an  imposing  patriotic  outburst, 
yet  here  it  amounts  to  no  more  than  sound  and  fury.  "Of  Gods  and 
Demons"  takes  us  further  afield,  for  he  has  plainly  not  yet  de- 
veloped into  a  Wotan — one  wonders  if  he  learned  the  finales  from 
Walkure  and  Rheingold  specially  for  the  "god"  side  of  this  disc. 
The  demons  are  the  expected  ones  of  Berlioz,  Gounod,  Boito,  and 
Mussorgsky,  along  with  the  title  part  of  Rubinstein's  opera,  the 
last  excerpt  unfortunately  repeated  from  ML  4489. 

LUCA,    GIUSEPPE   DE,    baritone 

ITALIAN  ART  SONGS:  Caro  mio  ben  (Giordani);  Bella  fanciulla  (Fal- 
conieri);  La  Frate  'nnamorato — D'ogni  pena  (Pergolesi);  Dolce  ma- 
donna (Anon.);  Selve  amiche  (Caldara);  Pur  dicesti  (Lotti);  Amarilli 
(Caccini);  Susurrate  intomo  a  Clori  (Pasquini).  Cimara,  pf,  10"  D  DL 
7505. 

Don  Pasquale — Bella  siccome  un  angelo;  Cheti,  cheti  (with  Corradetti, 
b);  Hamlet — Come  un  romito  fior;  Dinorah — Sei  vendicata  assai;  Tra- 
viata — Di  Provenza;  Rigoletto — Pari  siamo;  Occhi  di  fata  (Denza). 
GAR  100. 

The  originals  from  which  the  GAR  recital  were  made  date  from 
1903  to  1911,  before  De  Luca's  coming  to  the  Metropolitan  in  New 
York.  Of  special  interest  is  the  buffo  duet  from  Don  Pasquale 
with  his  colleague  Corradetti.  The  classic  Italian  airs  were  re- 
corded at  the  time  of  his  last  great  comeback,  after  the  Second 
World  War.  There  was  an  amazing  amount  of  voice  left  in  his 
throat,  old  as  he  was,  and  his  fine,  delicate  sense  of  style  had 
never  left  him.  Consequently  these  songs  remain  as  a  document 
and  a  lesson  to  the  young.  Though  some  of  the  presence  has  been 
lost  in  transfer  from  78  rpm  to  LP,  the  recording  sounds  well  in 
its  new  form. 

LUCIA,    FERNANDO    DE,    tenor 

Barbiere  di  Siviglia — Ecco  ridente;  Se  il  mio  nome;  All  idea;  Numero 
quindici;  Adriana  Lecouvreur — L'anima  ho  stanca;  Iris — Apri  la  tua 
finestra;  Fedora — Mia  madre;  Mignon — Ah  non  credevi  tu;  L'Elisir 
d'Amore — Quanto  e  bella;  Obbligato;  Sonnambula — Son  gelosa;  Bo- 
heme — Che    gelida   manina;    Don   Pasquale — Cercherb   lontana  terra; 


Loc/o  339 

Faust — Salve  dimora;  Manon  Lescaut — Donna  non  vidi  mai;  Les  Pe- 
cheurs  de  pedes — Mi  par  d'udir  ancora;  Non  hai  compreso;  Mefistofele 
— Giunto  sul  passo;  Forma  ideate;  II  Guarany — Sento  una  forza;  Rigo- 
letto — Parmi  veder;  Carmen — II  fior;  Pagliacci — Vesti  la  giubba;  No, 
P  agliaccio  non  son;  Ernani — Come  rugiada;  Salve  Maria  (Mercadente); 
Non  me  guardate;  Oili,  oila  (N eapolitan  Songs).  CE  7002  [2]. 
Barbiere  di  Siviglia — Ecco  ridente;  Rigoletto — Questa  o  quella;  Alda 
— Celeste  Alda;  Les  Huguenots — Love  Duet,  Act  4  (with  de  Ange- 
lis,s);  Werther — Ah,  non  mi  ridestar;  Amico  Fritz — Oh!  amore;  Carmen 
— Flower  Song;  Les  Pecheurs  de  perles — Delia  mia  vita.  Et  ELP 
0-464. 

In  the  generation  prior  to  Caruso,  Fernando  de  Lucia  was  a  reign- 
ing tenor  in  Italy,  and  having  a  free  and  durable  Italian  vocal  pro- 
duction, he  still  sang  during  the  four  years  left  in  his  life  after 
Caruso's  passing.  He  was  an  amazing  artist,  unlike  any  other,  for 
along  with  a  mastery  of  bel  canto  in  the  music  of  Bellini,  Doni- 
zetti, and  Rossini,  he  had  a  passionate  intensity  and  dramatic 
conviction  that  brought  him  resounding  success  in  such  then  mod- 
ern works  as  Pagliacci,  Adriana  Lecouvreur,  Iris,  and  Fedora.  No 
one  could  rival  his  coloratura  in  "Ecco  ridente,"  and  few  have 
poured  out  impassioned  utterance  as  he  did  in  such  an  aria  as 
"L*  anima  ho  stanca."  His  "Vesti  la  giubba"  is  freely  sung,  but 
extremely  telling,  and  for  sustained  legato  we  may  turn  to  his 
"Mia  madre.'*  Classic  Editions  has  made  a  real  effort  to  re-record 
their  selections  in  proper  pitch,  but  there  has  been  little  better 
than  the  ear  to  guide  the  engineers,  so  erratic  were  both  the  singer 
and  the  recording  companies  in  this  regard.  If  in  some  of  the  num- 
bers the  pitch  is  not  constant,  this  must  be  laid  to  the  imperfec- 
tions of  older  recordings.  Who  the  singers  are  who  join  in  the 
duets  we  have  not  been  told,  but  they  include  Giuseppina  Huguet 
and  Ernesto  Badini.  The  actual  reproduction  of  the  voice  is  vari- 
able; some  selections  are  well  forward  while  others  are  not.  Still, 
the  beautiful  quality  of  the  voice  is  impressively  apparent.  He 
was  not  a  musicianly  singer,  and  he  was  not  above  making  altera- 
tions, as  in  the  melody  of  "Che  gelida  manina"  and  the  ending  of 
"Mi  par  d*udir  ancora.**  For  a  novelty  that  shows  his  sincerity 
along  with  the  intensity  of  his  singing  at  best,  I  refer  you  to  Salve 
Maria* 

The  Eterna  set  is  more  economical,  but  on  the  whole  less  satisfy- 
ing.    There  are,  to  be  sure,  only  two  duplications  in  the  two  re- 


Lucia/ McCormack  340 

citals,  so  fans  will  want  both.  There  is  some  wonderful  singing 
here,  and  some  good  forward  recording.  The  Werther  and  P 'earl- 
Fishers  numbers  are  excellent  in  these  respects.  But  the  Rigo- 
letto  is  fully  a  tone  above  the  original  key  (surely  he  did  not  re- 
cord it  so!),  and  there  are  deviations  in  pitch  in  several  selec- 
tions.   Finally,  his  partner  in  the  duet  is  no  asset. 

Ll/DW/G,    VIALTHER,    tenor 

WALTHER  LUDWIG  SINGS  OPERATIC  ARIAS:  Don  Giovanni— D alia 
sua  pace;  II  mio  tesoro;  Die  lustigen  Weiber  von  Windsor — Horch,  die 
Lerche  singt  im  Hain;  Die  verkaufte  Rraut — Es  muss  gelingen.  WSTO, 
Leitner,  10"  D  DL  4073. 

Ludwig  is  one  of  the  best  German  lyric  tenors  within  recent  mem- 
ory. Though  now  past  the  first  freshness  of  his  attractive  voice, 
he  is  always  a  master  of  style  and  always  an  understanding  and 
expressive  artist.  The  two  Don  Giovanni  arias  are  better  done, 
certainly,  than  by  any  recording  artist  since  Tauber,  and  they  are 
not  far  behind  the  standard  of  that  artist.  "//  mio  tesoro"  is  well 
phrased  and  nicely  sustained,  all  but  perfectly  poised  in  rhythm. 
The  serenade  from  The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor  is  sung  for  the 
lovely  piece  it  is,  with  fervor  and  tonal  beauty;  there  is  lots  of 
room  resonance  here.  No  one  will  complain  that  so  pleasant  a 
moment  should  be  extended  by  a  repetition  of  part  of  the  song. 
The  Bartered  Bride  recitative  and  aria  could  hardly  be  bettered. 

McCOKMACK,    JOHN,    tenor 

JOHN  McCORMACK  IN  OPERA  AND  SONG:  Lucia  di  Lammermoor— 
Fra  poco  a  me  ricovero;   Tristan  und  Isolde — 0  Konig,  das  kann  ich 
dir  nicht  sagen;   Tr'aume;    The  fairy  tree  (O'Brien);  Jocelyn — Angels 
guard  thee  (with  Kreisler,  vln.J;  L'Elisir  d'Amore — Una  furtiva  lagrima; 
I  hear  you  calling  me  (Marshall);  Adeste  fideles  (Hymn).    V  LCT  1036. 
Perhaps  John  McCormack  was  the  best  example  in  history  of  the 
singer  forced  to  lead  a  double  life.     Regarding  him  as  their  own 
boy  who  had  made  good,  the  Irish  never  let  him  leave  off  singing 
the  drawing-room  ballads  he  had  popularized  (one  of  which  is  in- 
cluded in  this  recital),  though  the  artist,  trained  in  the  best  Ital- 
ian school,  sang  Donizetti  as  few  tenors  in  any  generation,  and 


McCormack/Madrigallsti  341 

had  grown  into  a  passionate  fondness  for  German  lieder,  for  Bach, 
Mozart,  and  Handel.  His  popular  repertoire,  then,  did  not  repre- 
sent his  personal  taste — how  sick  he  must  have  become  of  "Mother 
Machree"  and  "/  hear  you  calling  me"\  But  he  was  an  artist,  and 
though  he  gave  his  public  what  it  wanted,  he  forced  it  in  the  same 
evening  to  hear  what  he  wanted  to  sing.  With  this  background,  the 
program  selected  from  his  myriad  recordings  makes  better  sense 
than  many  historical  "revivals."  It  does  give  us  the  singer  at 
various  stages  of  his  career,  singing — with  one  notable  exception 
— things  that  were  identified  with  him.  Of  course,  he  never  sang 
Tristan,  nor  did  he  use  excerpts  from  this  work  on  his  concert  pro- 
grams. The  previously  unreleased  recording  was  made  for  his  own 
amusement  and  satisfaction,  perhaps  to  prove  a  point.  Anyone 
listening  to  it  must  feel  that  something  of  the  lyric  quality  he 
brings  to  the  music  would  never  be  amiss  in  the  most  heroic  of 
performances.  Another  first  American  edition  is  the  little  piece 
by  the  tenor's  first  voice  teacher  and  onetime  accompanist,  Vin- 
cent O'Brien,  a  modern  Irish  song  of  the  better  type.  The  "Lul- 
laby" from  Jocelyn,  recorded  with  his  lifelong  friend,  Fritz  Kreis- 
ler,  furnishes  an  example  of  what  great  artists  can  do  with  too 
familiar  music. 

MADRIGALISTI   MILANESI  (Renato  Fait) 

Ecco  mormorar  I'onde;  Lamento  d*  Arianna  (Monteverdi);  Tristis  est 
anima  mea  (P alestrina);  Tenebrae  factae  sunt  (Ingegneri);  Comet' '  aggio 
lasciata;  L'amanza  mia  (Azzaiola);  Fold  boschetti  (Falconieri);  Chi  la 
gagliarda  (Donati);  Ah!  che  debbo  morire;  Sonno  soave;  Io  son  farfalla; 
Come  Fenice;  D'una  donna  gentil  (Nanino).    Col  CLPS  1027. 

The  Madrigalisti  are  a  fifteen-voice  choir,  a  big  group  for  the  sec- 
ular numbers  on  this  program,  despite  the  annotator's  claim  to 
complete  authenticity.  The  singing  is  of  the  lavish,  fussy  school 
which  leaves  no  stones  unturned  in  making  "effects,"  favoring 
great  elasticity  in  both  rhythm  and  dynamics.  The  program,  con- 
taining so  much  otherwise  unrecorded,  is  therefore  more  valuable 
for  its  content  than  for  its  presentation.  A  further  drawback  is  the 
reproduction,  which  at  its  very  best  is  uneven.  The  Monteverdi 
numbers  would  seem  to  have  been  more  recently  recorded  than  the 
rest   of  the  program,  for  they  are  reasonably  clear  and  lifelike. 


Madrigalistt/Masterpieces  342 

From  the  Palestrina  on,  however,  it  is  all  too  frequently  difficult 
to  make  out  just  what  is  going  on.  A  veil  seems  to  be  drawn  be- 
tween us  and  the  singers. 

MARDONES,   JOSE,    basso 

Les  Huguenots — Piff,  Paff>  Robert  le  diable — Suore,  che  riposate; 
Simon  Boccanegra — //  lacerato  spirito;  Ernani — Infelice;  La  Juive — 
Se  oppressi  ognor;  Salvator  Rosa — Di  sposa  di  padre  (Gomez);  Boheme 
— Vecchia  zimarra;  Mefistofele — Ave  Signor;  Son  lo  spirito;  Ecco  il 
mondo;  Faust — Serenata;  Dio  dell'  or;  Ramenta  i  lieti  di;  Stabat  Mater 
— Pro  peccatis  (Rossini);  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — La  calunnia.  Scala 
810. 

Jose  Mardones,  principal  basso  at  the  Metropolitan  from  1917  to 
1926,  had  a  voice  not  matched  in  height  and  depth  since  his  de- 
parture. His  recording  career  began  in  1910,  with  Columbia's 
Boston  Opera  Company  series;  most  of  the  titles  here  revived 
would  seem  to  have  been  made  about  that  time.  There  is  a  sur- 
prising amount  of  bravado  in  the  singing,  as  though  the  basso 
gloried  in  the  very  power  and  richness  of  his  instrument.  This 
spirit  is  not  so  evident  in  the  more  placid  recordings  he  made  for 
Victor  later  in  his  life. 


MASTERPIECES  OF  MUSIC   BEFORE    1750 

Gregorian  Chant  to  the  16th  Century;  The  16th  Century  and  the  17th 
Century;  The  17th  Century  and  the  18th  Century.  Soloists  &  Ens, 
Woldike,  HS  HSL-B  [3]. 

This  box  of  three  discs  is  a  complete  recording  of  the  music  con- 
tained in  Masterpieces  of  Music  before  1750:  An  Anthology  of 
Musical  Examples  from  Gregorian  Chant  to  J.  S.  Bach,  by  Carl 
Parrish  and  John  F.  Ohl  (N.Y.:  Norton,  1951).  The  book  is  valu- 
able for  several  reasons,  beyond  the  skillfully  edited  texts,  for 
the  most  part  set  up  in  closed  scores,  using  modern  clefs  and  bar- 
lines,  so  that  the  pieces  may  be  played  or  sung  by  practiced  read- 
ers. Each  example  is  prefaced  by  historical  and  analytical  notes 
to  orient  the  student,  and  full  translations  of  the  texts  are  given. 
The  selection  of  the  pieces  has  been  careful  and  imaginative,  in 
general  keeping  away  from  the  expected  compositions.  Thus 
Palestrina   is  not  represented  by  his  Missa  Papae  Marcelli,  but 


Masterpieces/ Matthews  343 

rather  by  the  Mass  Veni  Sponsa  Christi;  Carissimi  comes  in  with 
a  scene  from  Judicum  Salomonis ,  rather  than  Jepthe  or  Jonas;  the 
English  madrigal  included  is  not  by  Morley,  Gibbons,  or  Wilbye, 
but  Bennet;  and  the  three  Handel  pieces  are  a  Concerto  Grosso, 
an  air  from  Rinaldo  (not  "Lascia  ch'io  pianga"),  and  a  little- 
known  chorus  from  Solomon.  In  the  case  of  Bach,  after  three  con- 
trasting settings  of  the  chorale  Christ  lag  in  Todesbanden  have 
been  cited,  we  are  given  the  "Golgotha"  recitative  from  the  Saint 
Matthew  Passion  and  the  third  contrapunctus  from  The  Art  of 
Fugue. 

As  to  the  recordings  themselves,  the  fact  that  they  have  been 
made  in  Copenhagen  under  the  direction  of  Mogens  Woldike,  en- 
listing the  services  of  such  artists  as  Finn  Vider^,  Aksel  Schi^'tz, 
the  Copenhagen  Boys'  and  Mens'  Choir,  and  the  Danish  State  Ra- 
dio Chamber  Orchestra  and  Chorus,  is  in  itself  a  high  recommen- 
dation. One  knows  in  advance  that  such  performances  will  be 
marked  by  musicianship  and  taste;  what  remains  to  be  noted  is  the 
fine  clarity  and  the  dignified  expressiveness  of  the  choral  num- 
bers and  the  straightforward  delivery  of  the  solos.  There  are,  of 
course,  some  inequalities;  one  feels  occasionally  that  something 
still  lies  hidden  in  the  musical  score,  and  in  one  instance  a  solo 
seems  thrown  off  poise  by  shortness  of  breath.  The  recording 
level  presents  a  minor  problem,  in  that  the  harpsichord  and  clavi- 
chord pieces  are  louder  than  they  should  be  when  played  with  the 
controls  set  for  the  choral  works.  But  these  are  hardly  matters  of 
first  importance.  In  the  preface  to  the  book  we  are  assured  that 
"the  selection  of  each  example  has  been  determined,  first  of  all, 
by  the  basic  requirement  that  it  be  in  itself  an  interesting  and 
beautiful  piece  of  music."  These  recordings  are  the  author's  full 
justification. 

MATTHEWS,    INEZ,    mezzo-soprano 

SPIRITUALS:  'Roun  about  de  mountain  (Hayes);  Hear  de  lambs  a- 
cryin'?;  LitV  boy  (Hayes);  Talk  about  a  chile  (Dawson);  Lord,  I  didn't 
know  (Plinton  and  Matthews);  New-born  again  (Heilman);  Gonna  ride 
up  in  de  chariot  (Withers);  Crucifixion  (Payne);  Balm  in  Gilead  (Dett); 
His  name  so  sweet;  Fix  me,  Jesus  (Johnson);  Pm  goin'  to  tell  God  all 
my  troubles  (Brown);  Po'  pilgrim;  You're  tired,  chile;  Live  a  humble 
(Hayes);   Hold  on;   They  led  my  Lord  away;   Witness  (Johnson);   You 


Matthews/ Ml  lanoy  344 

must  come  in  by  an'  thro'  de  Lamb  (Hayes);  De  gospel  train  (Burleigh); 

Plenty  good  room  (Hayes).    Brice,  pf,  Per  SPL  580. 

On  the  jacket  a  critic  is  quoted  as  comparing  Inez  Matthews's 
voice  with  that  of  Marian  Anderson,  and  the  resemblance  is  strik- 
ing; but  the  longer  one  listens  the  less  alike  the  two  singers 
seem.  If  Matthews  has  actually  less  vocal  richness,  she  has  on 
the  other  hand  less  pronounced  vibrato.  What  is  more  important  is 
the  warmth  of  the  tones  she  produces,  the  simple,  direct  clarity  of 
her  presentation  of  the  songs,  her  wonderful  ability  to  set  and  sus- 
tain a  mood.  Perhaps  the  most  significant  test  of  the  success  of 
the  program  is  that,  long  as  it  is,  it  does  not  tire  us.  One  would 
like  the  singer  to  go  on.  Outstanding,  perhaps,  is  "They  led  my 
Lord  away,"  an  intensely  moving  song,  though  the  more  sustained 
ones  are  all  more  or  less  of  the  same  high  quality. 

MELCHIOR,   LAURITZ,    tenor 

MELCHIOR  RECITAL:  Tosca — Recondita  armonia;  E  lucevan  le 
stelle;  Pagliacci — Vesti  la  giubba;  No,  Pagliaccio  non  son;  Emperor 
Waltz  (Strauss-Burke);  The  kiss  in  your  eyes  (H euberger-Burke);  Lenz 
(Hildach);  You  are  my  heart's  delight  (L ehar-Graham).  MGM  Studio  0, 
Spadani,  Stoll,  10"  MGM  E  109. 

Now  that  Melchior  is  a  movie  star,  I  suppose  we  must  expect  him 
to  dabble  in  the  light  classics.  Probably  his  recording  the  Italian 
arias  is  the  realization  of  a  long-held  ambition.  He  has  plenty  of 
power  for  them,  but  there  is  something  open  and  outgoing  about  a 
real  Italian  tenor  which  Melchior  does  not  have.  The  English 
songs  are  various  degrees  of  awful,  including  the  little  Hildach 
encore,  which  is  translated  and  adapted.  The  accompaniments 
are  in  the  salon  style. 

M/LANOV,    ZINKA,    soprano 

Forza  del  Destino — Madre,  pietosa  vergine;  llsanto  nome;  La  vergine 
degli  angeli  (with  Vichegonov,  bs;  Shaw  C);  Pace,  pace;  Gioconda — 
Suicidio!;  Aida — Ritorna  vincitor;  0  patria  mia;  Trovatore — Tacea  la 
notte  placida;  D' amor  sull'  ali  rosee;  Cavalleria  Rusticana — Voi  lo 
sapete  (with  Roggero,  m-s).    RCAO,  Cellini,  V  LM  1777. 

Milanov  is  in  her  finest  voice  throughout  this  set,  which  is  to  say 
that  here  is  singing  of  a  caliber  too  rarely  encountered  these  days. 


MllanoY/Muzio  345 

Few  sopranos  in  our  time  have  approached  her  ability  to  float 
high  tones,  and  she  has  temperament  to  give  her  performances  con- 
viction. These  selections  have  all  been  long  identified  with  her 
in  the  opera  house;  all  suit  her  to  perfection.  The  choral  and  or- 
chestral support  is  superior;  the  assisting  artists  are  satisfactory. 

MUZ/O,    CLAUDIA,    soprano 

Otello — Gia  nella  notte  densa;  Dio  ti  giocondi  (with  Merli,  t);  Norma 
— Casta  diva;  Sonnambula — Ah!  non  credea;  Forza  del  Destino — 
Pace,  pace;  Traviata — Addio  del  passato;  Boheme — Si,  mi  chiamano 
Mimi;  Andrea  Chenier — La  mamma  morta;  Mefistofele — L'altra  notte; 
L' Arlesiana — Esser  madre  e  un  inferno  (CiVea).  0,  Molajoli,  C  ML 
4404. 

0  del  mio  amato  ben  (Donaudy);  Ss  tu  m'ami  (Pergolesi);  Umbra  di 
nube;  Ave  Maria  (Refice);  C'est  mon  ami  (Crist);  Les  Filles  de  Cadix 
(Delibes);  Spirate  pur,  spirate  (Donaudy);  La  Ninna  Nanna  della  Ver- 
gine  (Reger);  Beau  Soir  (Debussy);  Bonjour,  Suzon  (Delibes).  0,  Mo- 
lajoli, Refice,  C  ML  4634. 

THE  DUSE  OF  SONG,  VOL.  1:  Lombardi—Se  vano  (Verdi);  Loreley— 
Dove  son?  (Catalani);  Herodiade — Egli  e  bel;  Vespri  Siciliani — Merce, 
dilette  amice;  Rinaldo — Lascia  ch'io  pianga  (Handel);  Eugene  Onegin 
— Letter  Scene;  Africana — Figlio  del  sol;  Carmen — Micaela'a  air.  Es 
ES  500. 

THE  DUSE  OF  SONG,  VOL.  2:  Ernani — Ernani,  involami;  Mefistofele 
— L'altra  notte;  Mme  Sans-Gene — Che  me  ne  faccio  del  vostro  cas- 
tello?  (Giordano);  Pagliacci — Ballatella;  Silvio!  a  quest*  ora  (with 
Laurenti,  b);  Bianca  e  Fernando — Sorgi,  o  padre  (Bellini);  Guglielmo 
Tell — Selva  opaca;  Madama  Butterfly — Entrance  of  Butterfly;  Trova- 
tore — D'amor  sulV  ali  rosee;  Tosca — Vissi  d'arte.  Es  ES  502. 
THE  DUSE  OF  SONG,  VOL.  3:  Trovatore — Tacea  la  notte  placida; 
Adriana  Lecouvreur — Io  sono  Vumile  ancella  (Cilea);  La  Separazione 
(Rossini);  Contes  (PHoffmann — Elle  a  fui;  Eternamente  (Mascheroni); 
Se  tu  m'ami  (Pergolesi);  Andrea  Chenier — La  mamma  morta;  Forza  del 
Destino — Pace,  pace;  Paride  ed  Elena — Spiagge  amate  (Gluck);  Chere 
Nuit  (Bachelet).    Es  ES  508. 

Muzio  died  in  mid-career  in  1936,  to  become  a  legend;  none  of  the 
older  singers  has  been  more  honored  by  the  "revivalists."  If  one 
were  asked  to  define  the  term  lirico  spinto  as  applied  to  the  so- 
prano voice,  one  could  scarcely  do  better  than  point  to  Muzio;  and 


Muzio/New  York  346 

there  is  much  to  be  learned  about  singing  in  the  grand  manner  from 
listening  to  the  many  recordings  she  left  us,  primitive  as  most  of 
them  are.  In  any  discussion  of  those  now  available,  a  line  must 
be  drawn  between  those  dubbed  from  acoustic  Edison  and  Pathe 
originals  and  Columbia's  two  sets  dating  from  the  last  year  or  two 
of  the  singer's  life,  one  devoted  to  opera,  the  other  to  song. 
Among  the  three  Esoteric  discs  a  choice  would  have  to  be  made 
on  personal  preference  in  repertoire,  for  all  have  been  reproduced 
with  loving  care  (though  it  may  be  that  here  and  there  a  recording 
pitch  may  not  be  accurate).  The  Columbia  sets  show  the  voice  on 
the  decline,  but  still  very  lovely,  the  artistry  at  its  top.  The  song 
program  shows  a  noticeable  loss  in  vocal  liveness  as  compared  to 
the  original  78-rpm  version,  but  it  contains  some  delectable  legato 
singing,  especially  in  the  Donaudy  songs,  and  in  Bainbridge 
Crist's  arrangement  of  the  fine  old  melody  supposedly  by  Marie 
Antoinette.  There  is  a  curiously  unidiomatic  "Beau  Soir,"  and, 
stranger  still,  Reger's  "Maria,  Wiegenlied"  done  into  Italian. 

NETHERLANDS   CHAMBER    CHOIR  (Felix  de  Nobel) 

Kyrie  and  Gloria  (Okeghem);  Parce,  Domine  (Obrecht);  Ave  Maria  (Jos- 
quin  des  Pres);  0  Leyda  gratiosa  (Schuyt);  Madonna,  con  quest'  occhio 
(Sweelinck);  Delia  veloce  sona  (Tollius);  Matona,  mia  cara  (Lassus). 
Ep  LC  3045  (*Palestrina:  Missa  Papae  Marcelli). 

The  religious  pieces  are  very  effective,  especially  the  Okeghem. 
For  the  Italian  madrigals,  however,  this  group  is  surely  too  big. 
But  if  we  accept  the  choral-society  approach,  with  consequent 
loss  of  intimacy,  there  is  little  enough  to  criticize.  Two  addi- 
tional Italian  madrigals  described  in  the  jacket  notes  are  not  ac- 
counted for  on  the  disc. 

NEW   YORK   PRO   MUSICA   ANTIQUA  (Noah  Greenberg) 

ANTHOLOGY  OF  RENAISSANCE  MUSIC:  Kyrie  eleison  (Dufay);  Tu 
solus  (Josquin  des  Pres);  Adoramus  Te  (Lassus);  Ave  Maria  (J osquin 
des  Pres);  Agnus  Dei  (Morley);  Ave  Maria  (Victoria);  Assumpta  est 
(P alestrina);  0  Jesu  Christe  (Berchem);  Salve  Regina  (Lassus);  Iocun- 
dare  Jerusalem  (Mouton);  Eheu;  Domine  fac  mecum  (Morley);  0  vos 
omnes  (Victoria);  Resonet  in  laudibus  (Lassus).  Per  SPL  597. 
ENGLISH  MEDIEVAL  CHRISTMAS  CAROLS:  Nowell  sing  we;  Ave 
Maria;  Gloria;  Alleluia;  Lullay  lullovo;  What  tidings  bringest  thou?; 
Marvel  not,  Joseph;  Alma  redemptoris  mater;  Make  we  joy  now  in  this 


New  York/Nikolaidi  347 

fest;  Nowell,  nowell,  tidings  true;  Sancta  Maria  (Dunstable);  Hail  Mary, 
full  of  grace;  Ave  rex  angelorum;  Tibi  laus,  tibi  gloria;  Beata  pro- 
genies (Power);  Nova,  nova.    Es  ES  521. 

AN  ELIZABETHAN  SONGBAG  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE:  It  was  the  frog 
in  the  well;  Come,  let  us  all  a-maying  go;  Whither  runneth  my  sweet- 
heart; The  Duke  of  Brunswick's  toye;  Come,  Robin,  lend  to  me  thy 
bow;  Messenger  of  the  delightful  spring;  Shepherd' s  pipe;  New  oysters; 
Now,  Robin,  laugh  and  sing;  Willy,  prithee  go  to  bed;  Hey  boy,  ho  boy, 
news!;  Well  rung,  Tom  boy;  In  Sherwood  lived  stout  Robin  Hood;  Dr. 
Bull's  my  selfe;  About  the  maypole;  Hey  ho,  to  the  greenwood;  There 
were  three  ravens;  A  dreame;  Jack  and  Joan;  Rest,  sweet  nymph.  10" 
Es  ESJ  6. 

It  is  good  to  have  the  superb  music  of  the  Renaissance  program 
performed  by  a  solo  group,  and  to  note  that  Greenberg  favors  the 
"detached,"  rather  than  the  "expressive"  treatment  of  the  varied 
selections.  The  singing  of  his  ensemble  is  clean  and  reserved, 
steady  in  pulse,  but  the  "impersonal"  never  is  allowed  to  become 
callous.  Such  a  motet  as  Victoria's  0  vos  omnes,  so  often  given 
everything  a  ponderous  chorus  has,  thus  takes  on  new  freshness 
and  gentle  poignancy.  Even  more  valuable  as  a  program,  because 
of  its  unfamiliarity,  is  the  collection  of  Christmas  music,  fostered 
by  the  recent  publication  of  John  Stevens's  Medieval  Carols.  One 
wishes,  however,  that  more  time  had  gone  into  the  preparation  of 
the  recording,  for  the  singers  seem  not  to  have  quite  digested  the 
basic  style.  One  feels  that  they  take  great  satisfaction  in  having 
mastered  the  notes,  and  that  this  will  have  to  suffice.  It  has  been 
said  that  proper  performing  style  in  Gregorian  chant  is  the  basis 
of  all  good  singing;  one  wishes  for  that  kind  of  relaxed  intensity 
here.  As  it  is,  the  interesting  program  is  a  little  tiring  to  the  lis- 
tener, as  he  feels  it  must  be  to  the  singers.  The  Songbag  was  a 
happy  inspiration.  Some  of  the  music,  to  be  sure,  was  not  in- 
tended for  the  young,  but  it  serves  them  well  enough.  Let  no  one 
be  frightened  by  the  length  of  the  list  of  titles,  for  the  pieces  are 
short,  and  there  is  plenty  of  variety  in  the  presentation,  instru- 
mental selections  alternating  with  the  vocal.  The  voice  of  the 
counter-tenor  Russell  Oberlin  is  featured,  and  his  fine-styled 
singing  will  be  very  much  enjoyed. 

NIKOLAIDI,    ELENA,    contralto 

Don  Carlo — 0  don  fatale;  Macbeth — Sleepwalking  Scene;  Semiramide 
— Bel    raggio  (Rossini).   COL,  Cleva.     Ridente  la  calma  (in  German) 


Nikolaidi/ Palmer  348 

(Mozart);  My  mother  bids  me  bind  my  hair  (in  German)  (Haydn);  Erlkonig 
(Schubert);  Mondnacht  (Schumann);  Alte  Liebe  (Brahms).  Behr,  pf, 
10"  C  ML  2165. 

When  Nikolaidi  burst  upon  the  New  York  horizon  several  seasons 
back  with  a  Town  Hall  recital,  she  was  hailed  as  one  of  the  great 
lieder  singers  of  her  generation.  She  has  since  gone  on  to  an 
established  position  at  the  Metropolitan  Opera,  and  has  been 
heard  as  soloist  in  oratorio.  A  Greek  trained  in  the  German  tradi- 
tions, she  has  extended  her  repertoire  to  the  dramatic  bravura  of 
Rossini  and  Verdi.  The  operatic  side  of  this  disc  affords  scope 
to  her  colorful  temperament,  though  to  be  honest  she  has  not  the 
facility  to  make  the  Semiramide  sound  easy,  nor  is  she  comfortable 
in  the  tessitura  of  the  Macbeth.  And  though  some  may  be  carried 
by  the  sheer  force  of  her  "Erlkonig,"  I  doubt  that  anyone  will 
derive  much  pleasure  from  her  labored  "Mondnacht." 

OBERNKIRCHEN    CHILDREN'S   CHOIR   (Edith  Holler) 

Der  frohliche  Wanderer  (Moller);  Die  Nordseewellen  (Krannig);  Lbwen- 
zahn  (Knab);  Landsknechtstandchen  (Lassus);  Der  Lindenbaum  (Schu- 
bert); Der  Wirbelwind  (Moller);  Es  waren  zwei  Konigskinder  (an. 
Moller);  Unsere  kleine  Mandoline  (Moller).    10"  An  64008. 

This  group  of  young  people,  which  has  won  prizes  at  the  Inter- 
national Eisteddfod  at  Llangollen,  presents  its  program  of  folk 
and  folksy  music  with  such  purity  and  enthusiasm  that  one  wishes 
the  record  lasted  longer.  The  voices  are  bright  and  fresh,  finely 
blended,  and  true  in  intonation;  their  rather  clipped  diction  gives 
a  special  zest  to  their  music.  One  could  take  exception  to  some 
of  the  interpretations — Lassus's  Matona,  mia  cara,  disguised  as 
it  is  in  the  German  language,  is  too  carefully  wrung  dry  by  the 
conductor,  and  of  course  the  true  character  of  Schubert's  "Linden- 
baum" is  lost  when  it  is  treated  as  a  folk  song.  But  this  is 
healthy  singing,  and  a  record  not  to  be  missed. 

PALMER,    JEANNE,    soprano 

CONCERT  PROGRAM:  Paride  ed  Elena — 0  del  mio  dolce  ardor;  An 
die  Musik;  Erlkonig  (Schubert);  Traum  durch  die  Dammerung;  Zueig- 
nung  (Strauss);  Psyche  (P aladilhe);  Le  Moulin  (Piern'e);  In  your  far 
country  (Borodin);  Forgotten  so  soon  (Tchaikovsky);  0  men  from  the 
fields  (Hughes);  Romance  (Rubinstein).    Wightman,  pf,  Col  CLPS  100h 


Palmer/ Panzera  349 

Jeanne  Palmer  (Mme  Serge  Soudeikin)  was  known  around  New 
York  for  her  excellent  singing  in  Russian  operas  long  before  her 
engagement  by  the  Metropolitan.  Hers  is  a  big,  vibrant  soprano 
which  should  have  won  her  a  larger  reputation.  At  the  Metro- 
politan she  had  a  few  opportunities  in  leading  Wagnerian  roles, 
but  for  the  most  part  she  was  among  those  present,  a  Norn  or  a 
Valkyrie.  This  recital  gives  an  idea  of  her  gifts  and  of  her  artis- 
tic scope.  The  Gluck  is  disappointing,  lacking  in  the  classic 
line;  the  Schubert  is  good  but  not  extraordinary.  The  Russian 
songs  are  best,  but  the  Herbert  Hughes  setting  of  Padraic  Colum's 
touching  poem  is  also  worth  having.  The  Rubinstein  "Romance," 
always  a  mistake  on  a  serious  vocal  program,  is  no  less  so  than 
usual  here. 

PANZERA,    CHARLES,    baritone 

Cinq  Melodies  populaires  grecques;  Quatre  Chants  populaires  (Ravel); 
Priez  pour  paix  (Poulenc);  Berceuse  (Milhaud);  Murcie  en  fleurs 
(Honegger);  Le  Voyage  (Tremois);  Ronde  (Ropartz);  Enlevement  en 
mer  (Delvincourt);  Les  Souliers  de  I'avocat  (Aubert);  Chanson  du 
vieux  Canada  (Gallon).  M.  Panzera,  pf,  MerMG  10098  (*Piano  Pieces). 
Collectors  who  date  back  to  the  adventurous  twenties  and  the 
halcyon  thirties  will  always  gratefully  remember  the  services  of 
Charles  Panzera  in  spreading  the  gospel  of  French  song  and  its 
proper  interpretation  on  early  electrical  records.  The  voice  in 
its  prime  was  a  light,  supple  baritone,  capable  of  a  fine  ringing 
climax,  but  most  remarkable  in  mezza  voce.  He  was  long  estab- 
lished in  Paris  as  both  opera  and  concert  singer;  among  his  many 
admirers  was  Debussy,  who  chose  him  as  the  ideal  PelbSas. 
Faure1  s  Horizon  chimerique  is  one  of  many  important  works  dedi- 
cated to  Panzera.  He  was  also  remarkable  as  one  of  the  few 
French  singers  really  at  home  in  German  lieder;  his  prewar  re- 
cording of  Schumann's  Dichterliebe,  with  Cortot  at  the  piano,  is 
now  again  available  (V  LCT  1132).  It  would  be  too  much  to  say 
that  nothing  had  been  lost  when  Panzera,  assisted  by  his  accom- 
plished pianist-wife,  made  two  discs  for  Mercury,  the  one  here 
listed,  and  another  considered  under  the  works  of  Faur6  and 
Debussy  (MG  10097).  But  these  recitals  afford  an  invaluable 
lesson  in  style,  as  well  as  introducing  some  new  and  treasurable 
repertoire. 


Penno/Petroff  350 

PENNO,    GINO,    tenor 

Norma — Meco  alV  altar  di  Venere  (with  Mercuriale,  t);  Simon 
Boccanegra — Sento  avvamper  nelV  anima;  Trovatore — Di  quella  pira, 
Ch;  MI  SO,  Narducci,  10"  L  LD  9117. 

When  Penno  came  to  the  Metropolitan  in  1953-4,  he  was  immedi- 
ately hailed  as  the  loudest  tenor  since  Lauri-Volpi.  The  critics 
acknowledged  that  his  was  a  genuine  voice,  but  they  were  less 
enthusiastic  about  the  results  he  got  with  it.  He  is  heard  here 
in  the  complete  recitative  and  aria  from  Norma,  capably  assisted 
by  a  second  tenor.  The  effect  is  about  what  it  was  in  the  opera 
house:  the  recording  certainly  gives  the  impression  of  size;  the 
quality  is  good,  the  control  mostly  adequate.  It  is  pleasant  to 
hear  the  unhackneyed  aria  from  Simon  Boccanegra,  for  it  shows 
the  singer  at  his  best.  His  "Di  quella  pira,"  however,  is  so  fast 
that  he  finds  it  impossible  to  get  in  all  the  sixteenth-notes.  And 
giving  his  all  is  not  sufficient  to  get  him  up  to  the  final  high  C. 

PETERS,    ROBERTA,    soprano 

Lucia  di  Lammermoor — Regnava  nel  silenzio;  Puritani — Qui  la  voce; 

Sonnambula — Ah!  non  credea;  Ah!  non  giunge;  Linda  di  Chamounix — 

0  luce  di  quest'  anima.     RCAO,  Cellini,  V  LM  1786  (^Operatic  Arias 

by  Tetrazzini,  Galli-Curci,  Pons). 

This  disc  was  issued  as  a  sort  of  "coming  of  age"  celebration 
for  Roberta  Peters,  who,  since  her  debut  in  1950,  has  been  one 
of  the  white  hopes  of  opera  in  New  York.  Whether  or  not  it  was 
wise  to  invite  comparison  so  deliberately  with  three  of  her  pred- 
ecessors— Tetrazzini,  Galli-Curci,  and  Pons — is  an  open  ques- 
tion. In  any  case,  it  is  hardly  a  fair  test,  for  of  the  three  only 
the  last  was  really  at  her  best  on  the  example  selected.  But,  all 
considerations  of  this  kind  aside,  it  is  true  that  Roberta  Peters 
displays  a  brilliance  few  of  her  contemporaries  can  equal,  a  vocal 
neatness  and  accuracy  wholly  admirable.  She  shows,  too,  in  the 
more  sustained  passages,  that  she  is  a  lyric  singer  as  well  as  a 
brilliant  one;  one  rarely  hears  such  melting  tones  as  hers  in  the 
Lucia  air,  or  in  the  andante  that  introduces  "O  luce  di  quest 
anima. 

PETROFF,    IVAN,    baritone 

Rigoletto — Cortigiani;  Macbeth — Pieta,  rispetto,  amore;  Pagliacci — 


Petroff/ Pinza  351 

Prologo;  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — Largo  al  factotum;  Puritani — Ah!  per 
sempre;  Favorita — Vien  Leonora.    FM,  Ghiglia,  Rem  R  199-93. 

Petroff  has  a  fine  voice  and  authentic  style:  it  was  almost  a 
foregone  conclusion  that  he  would  perform  well  such  a  show- 
window  program  as  this.  The  Bellini  and  Donizetti  arias  are  good 
to  hear  when  as  well  done  as  this,  but  the  only  really  out-of-the- 
way  item  is  the  fine  melody  from  Macbeth. 

P/NZA,    EZIO,    basso 

Norma — Ite  sul  colle;  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — La  calunnia;  Boheme — 
Vecchia  zimarra;  Simon  Boccanegra — //  lacerato  spirito;  La  Juive — 
Si  la  rigeur;  Don  Carlo — Ella  giammai  m'amb!  MOC  &  0,  Cleva,  10" 
C  ML  2060. 

ITALIAN  SONGS  OF  THE  17TH  AND  18TH  CENTURIES:  Arianna— 
Lasciatemi  morire  (Monteverdi);  Floridante — Alma  mia  (Handel); 
L'Incoronazione  di  Poppea — Oblivion  soave  (Monteverdi);  Donzelley 
fugite  (Cavalli);  Caro  mio  ben  (Giordani);  0  bellissimi  capelli 
(Falconieri);  Armida — Lungi  dal  caro  bene  (Sarti);  Camilla — Pupille 
neri  (Bononcini);  To  lo  sai  (Torelli);  La  Molinara — Nel  cor  piu  non  mi 
sento  (Paisiello);  Eteocle — Che  fiero  costume  (Legrenzi);  Chi  vuole 
innamorarsi  (Scarlatti).  Kitzinger,  pf.  Don  Giovanni — La  ci  darem; 
Nozze  di  Figaro — Se  a  casa  Madama;  Non  piu,  andrai;  Porgi  amor; 
Crudel,  perche  finora;  Dove  sono.  With  Rethberg,  s;  RCAO,  Reibold, 
V  LCT  1031. 

Pinza  reigned  so  long  at  the  Metropolitan  Opera  as  perhaps  the 
world's  greatest  basso  (Kipnis's  supporters  will  dispute  this), 
and  has  since  become  such  a  figure  in  the  more  remunerative  field 
of  musical  comedy,  that  it  may  be  superfluous  to  do  more  than 
mention  his  name.  His  recorded  repertoire,  could  one  assemble 
it  all,  embraces  most  of  the  standard  and  expected  items,  all 
sung  with  unassailable  style,  but  with  increasing  evidence  of 
waning  vocal  powers  in  recent  offerings.  For  Pinza  at  his  best 
we  must  haunt  the  shops  for  prewar  discs  and  watch  for  the  is- 
sues of  Victor's  "Treasury."  Nevertheless,  the  operatic  recital 
listed  above  is  authoritative  and  vocally  more  rewarding  than 
those  discussed  under  Mozart  and  Verdi.  Admirable  concert  per- 
formances (if  a  bit  free)  made  in  the  thirties  distinguish  his 
piano-accompanied  Italian  airs  program,  but  this  is  coupled  with 
the  unhappy  duets  with  Rethberg.  The  soprano  was  definitely  out 
of  voice  when  these  were  made,  but  Pinza's  one  solo  is  good. 


PlaSnchant/ Polish  352 

PLAINCHANT 

Gregorian    Chants,    Vol.1.       Trappist  Monks;    Benedictine   Nuns,   Per 

SPL  569. 

Gregorian   Chants,   Vol.2.     Monks  of  Benedictine  Abbey;  Boys'  Choir 

from  L' Alumnat,  Per  SPL  570. 

Gregorian     Chants,    Vol.3.       Benedictine    Monks    of  St.    Wandrille   de 

Fontenelle,  David,  Per  SPL  576. 

Christmas  Vespers.     Benedictines  of  the  Archabbey  of  Beuron,  Pfaff, 

D  DL  7546. 

Gregorian  chants.    Mt.  Angel  Seminary  Gregorian  Ch,  Nicholson,  Greg 

Inst  of  Amer  MA-LP  1. 

Gregorian  Chants.     Monks  of  Saint-Pierre  de  Solesmes  Abbey,  Gaj'ard, 

V  LCT  6011  [21 

The  first  two  volumes  of  the  Period  series  were  winners  of  the 
Grand  Prix  du  Disque  in  France.  The  striking  thing  in  these 
recordings  is  that  there  is  nothing  professional  about  them.  This 
is  chanting  as  it  is  actually  done  in  the  cloisters,  as  a  part  of 
daily  life.  Its  simple  sincerity  is  hard  to  resist.  Vol.  3  contains 
some  composed  plainchant,  the  work  of  the  conductor,  Dom  Lucien 
David,  and  of  Dom  Pothier,  Abbot  of  St.  Wandrille,  the  latter  a 
leading  authority  on  Gregorian  music  and  the  official  editor  of  the 
Vatican  editions.  Some  of  this  chanting  is  unaccompanied,  some 
with  organ.  The  Beuron  Benedictine  choir  is  described  as  "the 
leading  organization  of  its  kind  in  Germany."  With  this  and  the 
American  recording  we  have  an  opportunity  to  compare  style 
along  nationalistic  lines.  The  Gregorian  Institute  disc  was  made 
under  the  direction  of  Werner  Janssen.  These  young  seminarians 
chant  more  fervidly  than  the  monks  in  France  and  Germany.  There 
is  something  of  an  edge  on  the  recorded  sound.  The  Victor  set 
will  be  recognized  as  the  long  standard  and  perhaps  definitive 
recordings  made  many  years  ago.  Whether  or  not  they  merit  this 
this  accolade,  they  are  the  official  document  on  the  subject,  pro- 
ceeding from  the  center  of  learning.  The  transfer  to  LP  could 
hardly  be  expected  to  add  brilliance  to  a  somewhat  time-dulled 
original,  but  it  has  done  well  enough  in  catching  the  sound  and 
the  spirit  of  the  chants  with  reasonable  clarity. 

POLISH   MUSIC 

FOUR  CENTURIES  OF  POLISH  MUSIC:  Deus,  in  nomine  tuo  (Mielczew 
ski);  Matthen,  bs.     Divertimento  for  String  Orchestra  (J aniewicz).    NY 


Polish/Ponselle  353 

Collegium    Mus,    Rikko.       Nova    Casa,    Concerto    a    Tre  (J arzebski); 

Children  s   Prayer — Juz  siz  zmierzcha  (Waclaw  of  Szamotul);  Psalm 

136  (Gomblka);  Sonata  for  Two  Violins  and  Organ  (Szarzynski).  Ch;  0, 

etc;  Van  VRS  6017. 

MUSIC  OF  POLAND.  VOL.1.    Seven  Polish  Folk  Songs  (arr.  Sygietyn- 

ski);  Suite  of  Ancient  Polish  Airs  and  Dances  (arr.  P anufnik).    Ch;  0, 

Van  VRS  6001. 

MUSIC  OF  POLAND,   Vol.2.   Seven  Folk  Songs;  Little  Suite  (Luto- 

slawski);  Six  Children  s  Songs  with  Orchestra.     Godlewska,   m-s;  Ch 

&  0,  Van  VRS  6013. 

The  title  of  the  first  disc  may  seem  a  little  high-sounding,  for  of 
course  it  is  possible  to  give  only  a  few  samples  of  this  rich  lit- 
erature on  one  disc.  Nevertheless,  the  recording  is  useful  for 
the  professor  of  music  history,  and  it  will  prove  attractive  to  the 
disinterested  listener,  Polish  or  no.  The  first  side  of  the  disc 
was  made  in  New  York,  the  second  came  from  Poland.  Paul 
Matthen  sings  his  "concerto  ' — more  easily  recognized  as  a 
cantata — with  warm  expressiveness.  The  Polish  choruses  on  the 
reverse  do  especially  well  by  the  beautiful  Gomolka  pieces.  The 
interest  of  the  other  two  discs  centers  around  the  simple  folk- 
song arrangements,  unaffectedly  sung.  Helpful  notes  are  pro- 
vided; with  the  historical  disc  we  are  given  a  rather  elaborate 
booklet. 

PONSELLE,    ROSA,    soprano 

La  Vestale — Tu  che  invoco;  0  nume  tutelar  (Spontini);  Otello — Salce, 
salce;  Ave  Maria;  Ave  Maria  (Schubert);  Home,  sweet  home  (Bishop). 
10"  V  LCT  10. 

Tosca — Vissi  d' arte;  Manon  Lescaut — In  quelle  trine  morbide;  Sadko 
— Song  of  India;  Cavalleria  Rusticana — Voi  lo  sapete;  Lohengrin — 
Elsas  Traum;  Trovatore — D' amor  sulV  ali  rosee;  Mira,  d'acerbe 
lagrime  (with  Stracciari,  b);  Boheme — Si,  mi  chiamano  Mimi;  Maritana 
— Scenes  that  are  brightest  (Wallace);  Madama  Butterfly — Un  bel  di. 
GA  LP  1201. 

Manon  Lescaut — In  quelle  trine  morbide;  Tosca — Vissi  d  arte; 
Guglielmo  Tell — Selva  opaca;  Cavalleria  Rusticana — Voi  lo  sapete; 
Madama  Butterfly — Un  bel  di;  Norma — Casta  diva;  Boheme — Si,  mi 
chiamano  Mimi;  Trovatore — D' amor  sulV  ali  rosee;  Maritana — Scenes 
that  are  brightest;  Forza  del  Destino — La  vergine  degli  angeli;  ATda 
— 0  terra,  addio  (with  Hackett,  t);  Gioconda- — Suicidio.    Scala  803. 


PonsBlle/Prandelll  354 

There  is  no  question  that  Rosa  Ponselle  will  pass  into  history  as 
the  possessor  of  one  of  the  all-time  great  voices  and  as  one  of 
the  finest  operatic  artists  of  the  twentieth  century.  Despite  the 
fact  that  her  astonishing  debut  was  made  at  an  early  age — in 
Forza  del  Destino,  an  opera  never  before  heard  at  the  Metro- 
politan, and  in  no  less  impressive  company  than  that  of  Enrico 
Caruso  himself— —she  was  one  young  singer  who  never  lost  her 
head.  Her  progress  was  steady  until  her  premature  retirement. 
This  progress  may  be  studied  with  the  aid  of  her  recordings,  the 
first  of  which  were  made  actually  before  her  debut,  on  the  chance 
of  a  success.  Contrast,  for  example,  her  early  "Casta  diva" 
with  the  wholly  mature  version  recorded  after  she  had  made  the 
role  of  Norma  her  own  (V  ERAT  19,  45  rpm  only).  Two  of  the 
above-listed  discs  are  made  up  from  her  first  (Columbia)  re- 
cordings: the  Golden  Age  is  official,  having  been  dubbed  by 
Columbia  engineers  with  the  company's  sanction.  As  it  happens, 
it  is  also  the  better  job  of  re-recording,  so  that  the  Scala  has  only 
the  non-duplicated  material  to  recommend  it.  But  "Selva  opaca" 
and  "Suicidio,"  both  among  the  best  of  this  vintage,  in  them- 
selves make  the  disc  worth  having.  It  is  amazing  to  listen  to 
"Scenes  that  are  brightest"  and  realize  how  naturally  and  well 
this  young  girl  supplied  the  embellishments  on  the  melody.  The 
Victor  disc  represents  the  later  Ponselle,  from  the  acoustic 
Otello  sides  of  1924  to  the  previously  unpublished  Schubert  "Ave 
Maria"  made  in  1939,  with  Mischa  Violin  furnishing  an  obbligato 
and  Romano  Romani  at  the  piano.  As  the  Schubert  is  done  to  the 
ill-fitting  Latin  text,  it  suggests  church  rather  than  the  concert 
hall,  and  certainly  has  little  to  do  with  Schubert's  intentions.  Nor 
do  I  care  for  this  version  of  "Home,  sweet  home."  But  the 
Vestale  airs,  the  only  memento  we  have  of  one  of  Ponselle's 
great  roles,  have  long  been  aclcowledged  a  pair  of  masterpieces, 
and  the  Otello  selections  (from  an  opera  she  never  sang)  are 
lovely. 

PRANDELLI,    GIACINTO,    tenor 

Su,  venite  a  consiglio  (Scarlatti);  Pur  dicesti  (Lotti);  Vergin,  tutto 
amor  (Durante);  P osate,  dormite  (Bassani);  Sebben,  crudele  (Caldara); 
Orontea — Intorno  all'  idol  mio  (Cesti);  Caro  mio  ben  (Giordani);  Sento 
nel  core  (Scarlatti);  Paride  ed  Elena — 0  del  mio  dolce  ardor  (Gluck); 
A  forza  di  pene  (Gasparini);  Eteocle — Che  fiero  costume  (Legrenzi); 


Prandelll/Pro  Musica  355 

Tre  giorni  son  che  Nina  (att.  to  Pergolesi);  Vittoria,  mio  core  (Caris- 

simi).    Marzollo,  pf,  Vox  PL  7930. 

Prandelli  of  the  Metropolitan  certainly  deserves  an  A  for  effort 
in  this  nicely  planned  program.  The  music  is  all  very  good,  most 
of  it  unhackneyed.  Somehow,  however,  an  Italian  opera  tenor  is 
not  necessarily  the  artist  with  the  right  sense  of  style  for  Italian 
classics,  and  the  whole  thing  does  not  come  off.  The  tenor  is  in 
good  voice,  but  his  tone  quality  is  a  little  soft,  lacking  in  point, 
and  has  a  tendency  to  become  blatty.  I  suspect  he  takes  all  the 
old  airs  too  seriously,  though  he  does  not  emote  in  the  accepted 
Italian  tenor  style;  certainly  the  sentiments  expressed  in  songs 
of  this  period  did  not  strike  very  deep,  and  were  not  intended  to 
override  the  sheer  grace  of  the  music.  I  wonder  what  his  authority 
is  for  the  unusual  word  grouping  in  the  ever  delightful  "Pur 
dicesti."  To  my  mind  it  robs  the  song  of  its  individuality.  The 
reproduction  is  exceptionally  good,  especially  in  the  sound  of  the 
piano.  A  side  of  operatic  arias,  from  Elisir d' Amore,  DonPasquale, 
Gioconda,  and  Lucia  (L  LL  534),  cannot  be  recommended  here, 
as  in  it  emotional  expression  is  fatally  overdone. 

PRO   MUSICA   ANTIQUA   (Safford  Cape) 

MUSIC  OF  THE  12TH  AND  13TH  CENTURIES:  In  saeculum  artifex 
(Anon.);  Deum  time  (Leonin);  Alleluia  psallet  haec  familia  (Anon.); 
Beneyto  foi  (Alfonso  the  Wise);  Benedicamus  Domino  (Anon.);  Deus 
misertus  (attributed  to  Perotin);  Ave  verum  corpus  (Anon.);  A  la  clarte 
(Anon.);  Virgo  (Perotin);  La  quinte  estampie  real  (Anon.);  Bele  doette 
(Anon.);  En  Mai  la  rousee  (Anon.);  Mayenzeit  (N eidhart  von  Reuenthal); 
Can  vei  la  lauzeta  (Bernart  de  V entadorn);  Ce  fut  en  mai  (Moniot 
d' Arras);  In  saeculum  viellatoris  (Anon.);  Entre  Copin  et  Bourgeois 
(Anon.);  Amours  et  ma  dame  aussi  (Adam  de  la  Halle);  Li  dous  regars 
(Adam  de  la  Halle);  Stantipes  (Anon.).  EMS  201. 
SPANISH  MUSIC  FROM  THE  COURT  OF  FERDINAND  AND  ISA- 
BELLA: (ca.1500):  Calabaza,  no  se  buen  amor  (Anon.);  Pues  bien 
para  esta  (Muhoz);  Ninguno  cierre  las  puertas  (Encina);  Pase  el  agua, 
mi  mulieta  dama  (Anon.);  Ay  triste  (Encina);  Dale  si  le  das  (Anon.); 
Una  sanosa  porfia  (Encina);  La  canton  los  gallos  (Vilches);  Gasa- 
jemonos  de  hucia  (Encina);  Dios  te  salve  (Anon.);  De  la  resurrection 
(Ponce);  Por  unos  puertos  (Ribera);  Fata  la  parte  (Encina);  Desciende 
al     valle,    nina   (Anon.);    Triste    Espana   (Encina);    Caldero    y  Have, 


Pro  Musica/Psalmody  356 

Madonna    (Encina);   A   la   caza  (Luchas);   Hermitano   quiero  ser:  Hoy 

comanos  y  bebamos  (Encina).    EMS  219. 

The  Safford  Cape  Anthology  of  Mediaeval  and  Renaissance  Music 
(a  long-range  project  under  way  for  some  time)  contains  these 
miscellaneous  collections,  as  well  as  several  one-composer 
discs — the  Byrd  Masses,  and  chansons  of  Dufay  and  Josquin  des 
Pres.  The  group  from  Brussels,  with  its  American  conductor,  is 
unique  in  the  variety  of  its  programs,  its  mastery  not  only  of  the 
old  styles  but  of  intonation  too,  its  dignified  and  eloquent  per- 
formances. Hearing  this  ensemble,  one  realizes  that  such  music 
need  not  sound  difficult  or  strained,  that  obsolete  instruments  can 
be  played  for  sheer  musical  pleasure  and  beauty.  The  Spanish 
record  is  perhaps  the  more  surprising  of  these  two,  for  it  opens  a 
whole  repertoire  previously  known  to  few  of  us.  This  music  is 
exalted  and  often  stately,  as  in  Pues  bien  para  esta  and  Ninguno 
cierre  las  puertas,  essentially  homophonic  works,  direct  in  their 
expression.  Some  of  the  little  instrumental  pieces,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  captivating  in  their  varied  rhythms  and  in  the  colors  of 
such  instruments  as  are  used  in  them.  Each  selection  on  the 
program,  whether  a  noble  lament,  a  romance,  a  hunting  song,  a 
drinking  song,  or  a  popular  song,  is  done  in  scholarly  yet  vital 
style. 

PSALMODY 

EARLY    AMERICAN   PSALMODY:   Selections   from    The   Bay  Psalm 

Book  (Cambridge,  1640).    Dodd  Singers;  Dodd,  10"  NR  NRLP  2007. 

MUSIC  OF  THE  PILGRIMS:  Nine  Psalms  from  The  Ainsworth  Psalter; 

My  bonnie  lass  she  smileth;  April  is  in  my  mistress*  face;  Fire,  fire, 

my    heart  (Morley);    The  silver  swan  (Gibbons);  As    Vesta  was  from 

Latmos  Hill  descending  (Weelkes);  Fair  Phyllis  I  saw  (Farmer);  Weep 

you  no  more,  sad  fountains  (Dowland);  Willy,  prithee  go  to  bed  (Ra- 

venscroft).    Pease,  b;  New  England  Cons  Alumni  Ch,  HS  HSL  2068. 

A    certain   amount    of   speculative    reconstruction   has   gone   into 

each    of  these   recordings;   the   results   are   very  different.     The 

first  disc  takes  us  through  multiple  settings  of  various  texts  from 

The    Bay  Psalm   Book   (the    first  important   book   printed    in  the 

colonies);  the  music  is  by  such  distinguished  composers  as  John 

Dowland,  Thomas  Ravenscroft,  Thomas  Tomkins,  Giles  Farnaby, 

John    Milton,  Sr.,   and   others.     After  the   manner  of  the  Puritan 


Psalmody/ Rehkemper  do  ( 

meeting-house,  the  psalms  are  "lined  out"  by  the  precentor. 
That  is,  a  solo  voice  introduces  the  melody  lines  to  be  repeated 
by  the  group.  The  various  settings  performed  by  the  group  may 
presumably  have  been  done  in  this  way  among  the  Puritans.  The 
Haydn  Society  disc  goes  further.  After  disposing  of  the  Ainsworth 
Psalter,  the  chorus  proceeds  to  sing  madrigals  that  certainly 
existed  at  the  time,  and  were  very  popular  in  England.  And  cer- 
tainly they  were  never  sung  in  this  strictly  choral-society  manner. 
In  the  Psalms  this  group  holds  to  the  theory  that  the  practice 
was  to  sing  in  unison;  James  Pease  acts  as  precentor  in  some  of 
them. 

RAISA,    ROSA,    soprano 

Mefistofele — L'altra  notte;  Madama  Butterfly — Un  bel  di;  Otello — 
Ave  Maria;  Forza  del  Destino — Pace,  pace;  Cavalleria  Rusticana — 
Voi  lo  sapete;  Crucifix  (Faure)fwith  Rimini,  b);  Aida — La  fatal  pietra 
(with  Crimi,  t).    Scala  808  (^Operatic  Arias,  Russ). 

Rosa  Raisa,  too  poorly  represented  on  records,  was  one  of  the 
glories  of  the  Chicago  Opera  in  the  great  days  of  the  twenties. 
Her  voice,  as  we  now  hear  it,  has  a  "straightness"  recalling 
Emma  Eames,  and  the  kind  of  quality  that  would  hold  the  atten- 
tion were  the  singing  far  less  distinguished  than  it  is.  In  the 
opera  house,  I  can  well  imagine,  she  infused  more  drama  into  her 
tones  than  she  managed  to  do  before  the  acoustic  recording  horn; 
still,  these  not  unusual  arias  give  an  idea  of  the  ease  and  control 
of  her  vocal  production.  Only  the  Otello  seems  to  me  not  to  come 
off.  We  might  have  dispensed  with  Jean-Baptiste  Faure's  "Cru- 
cifix" in  favor  of  some  operatic  duet  with  her  baritone-husband 
Rimini  (hardly  an  artist  of  comparable  stature),  but  the  ATda  is 
well  sung  with  a  satisfactory  tenor  partner.  Raisa  made  a  few 
electrical  recordings  when  her  voice  was  no  longer  so  fresh  as 
it  is  here:  the  really  exciting  Andrea  Chenier  aria  deserves  a 
place  in  Victor's  "Treasury"  series. 

REHKEMPER,    HEINRICH,    baritone 

Meine  Rose  (Schumann);  Lied  des  Orpheus;  Der  Erlkonig;  Fruhlings- 
traum;  St'dndchen  (Schubert);  Prometheus  (Wolf);  Le  Nozze  di  Figaro 
— Se    vuol   ballare;   Non   piu   andrai;   Die   Zauberflote — Ein  Madchen 


Rehkemper/ Rigal  358 

oder  Weibchen;  Papagena;  Rigoletto — Pari  siamo;  Ballo  in  Maschera 

— Eri  tu;  Trovatore — //  balen.    Scala  809. 

Heinrich  Rehkemper,  who  died  in  1949,  was  one  of  Germany's 
great  baritones  between  the  wars.  As  an  opera  artist  he  is  re- 
membered chiefly  for  his  Figaro  and  Papageno;  his  reputation  as 
a  lieder  singer  rivaled  that  of  the  internationally  known  Schlusnus. 
Rehkemper  was  a  less  imposing  figure  than  his  colleague;  he  was 
more  lithe  on  the  stage  and  a  more  subtle  actor.  His  style  of 
singing,  especially  in  lieder,  was  more  intimate.  The  first  side 
of  this  disc,  given  over  to  songs,  consists  entirely  of  his  ex- 
tremely rare  acoustic  recordings,  which  naturally  lack  the  "pres- 
ence" of  his  better-known  electrics.  But  so  far  as  I  know, 
Rehkemper's  is  the  only  record  of  Schubert's  "Orpheus."  His 
"Erlkonig"  certainly  ranks  with  the  best,  and  his  "Prometheus," 
for  all  the  handicap  of  the  inadequately  reproduced  orchestra,  is 
worthy  to  stand  beside  Schorr's.  The  opera  arias,  all  sung  in 
German,  show  the  singer  as  the  incomparable  Mozartean  he  was, 
and  as  a  good  Teutonic  Verdian.  The  Mozart  pieces,  fortunately, 
are  electrically  recorded. 

REINING,    MARIA,    soprano 

Rosenkavalier — Marschallin  s  Monologue;  Tannhauser — Dich,  teure 
Halle;  Elisabeths  Gebet;  Meistersinger — Gut'n  Abend,  Meister  (with 
Schoeffler,  b).    ZTO,  Knappertsbusch,  10"  L  LPS  109. 

Maria  Reining,  who  did  a  stint  at  the  New  York  City  Center  sev- 
eral years  ago,  is  a  well-established  favorite  in  Vienna,  one  who 
well  knows  the  operas  and  their  traditions.  Her  voice  is  sweet 
and  expressive,  always  used  with  musical  feeling  and  taste.  In 
this  recorded  recital  she  seems  hampered  by  the  deliberate  style 
of  the  conductor.  The  Meistersinger  duet  with  Paul  Schoeffler 
is  the  best  part  of  the  program. 

RIGAL,    DELIA,    soprano 

Tosca — Vissi     d'arte;     Gioconda — Suicidio;     Pagliacci — Ballatella; 

Cavalleria  Rusticana — Voi  lo  sapete;  La  Wally — Romanza  di  Wally; 

Traviata — Addio  del  passato.    0,  Martini,  10"  D  DL  4060. 

Delia  Rigal  is  one  of  the  potential  greats  among  present-day 
sopranos.  At  her  best  on  the  stage  she  is  a  figure  of  unusual 
pathetic   appeal,  and  the  quality  of  her  voice  is  of  a  piece  with 


Rsgal/Russ  359 

this.  She  is,  however,  not  at  all  dependable;  something  of  the 
reason  for  this  is  exhibited  in  this  recording.  There  are  phrases 
as  lovely  as  one  could  ask,  but  there  is  also  singing  above  the 
center  of  the  pitch,  some  evidence  of  uncontrolled  temperament. 
Strangely,  through  it  all  the  quality  remains  healthy,  and  one  of 
her  virtues  is  a  complete  lack  of  the  common  curse  of  unsteadi- 
ness. The  singing  is  well  reproduced,  although  a  brilliant  edge 
on  the  voice  must  be  removed  with  the  high-control.  A  persistent 
hum  underlies  the  recital  on  both  sides  of  the  disc. 

ROGERS,    EARL,    tenor 

GERMAN  SONG  FROM  THE  MINNESINGERS  TO  THE  17 TH  CEN- 
TURY: Abschied  von  Innsbruck  (Isaac);  Es  flog  ein  kleines  Vogelein 
(Gerle);  Minnelied  (Lochamer  Liederbuch);  Brunstiges  Verlangen 
einer  fur  himmlischer  Liebe  kranken  Seel  nach  ihrem  Jesus  (Able); 
Vom  Himmel  hoch,  o  Engelein  kommt  (Zupfgeigenhansl);  Jagers 
Morgenbesuch  (Ott);  Aderlassen  der  N onnen  ( Anna  von  Coin);  Gagliarda 
(Hassler);  Maria  durch  ein  Dornwald  ging  ( J ugenheimer  Liederblatt); 
Ach  Elslein,  liebes  Els  (16th  Century);  Kein  Feur,  keine  Kohle  (Zupf- 
geigenhansl); Die  Linde  im  Thai;  Verlangen  thut  mich  kranken  (Loch- 
amer Liederbuch);  Sie  gleicht  wohl  einem  Rosenstock  (Zupfgeigen- 
hansl); Bist  du  des  Golds chmieds  Tochter?  (Fabricius  Liederbuch). 
De  la  Torre,  guitar,  All  AL  90. 

Earl  Rogers  has  a  light  voice  without  a  great  deal  of  color;  he 
sings  always  intelligently  and  with  appreciation  of  the  songs  he 
has  chosen.  Nevertheless,  however  tempting  the  above  list  may 
look — and  lovely  things  are  represented  on  it — one  tires  of  so 
much  all  at  once.  De  la  Torre's  guitar-playing  is  above  reproach, 
but  again  this  adds  up  to  a  lot  of  guitar-accompanied  songs. 

RUSS,    GIANNINA,    soprano 

Norma — Casta  diva;  Mefistofele — Spunta  V aurora;  Forza  del  Destino 
— La  vergine;  Don  Carlo — Tu  che  le  vanita;  Traviata — Addio  del 
passato;  Fedora — 0  grandi  occhi  lucenti;  La  morte  (with  Garbin,  t). 
Scala  808  (^Operatic  Arias,  Raisa). 

Russ  was  a  star  of  Oscar  Hammerstein's  first  Manhattan  Opera 
season  (1906-7)  of  whom  Krehbiel  wrote  that  her  "knowledge  of 
the  conventions  of  the  stage  was  complete,  and  expressive  powers 


Russ/Sayao  360 

excellent,  though  they  exerted  little  charm."  As  a  recording 
artist  she  was  especially  successful;  the  Forza  del  Destino 
number  included  here  (made  in  1905  with  chorus,  but  piano- 
accompanied)  was  widely  heralded  as  a  masterpiece  in  its  day. 
Her  solos  are  all  well  done,  with  a  finely  drawn  line  and  neat 
tone.  The  duet  with  Garbin  seems  to  me  less  valuable;  this  tenor 
(whom  Verdi  selected  to  create  the  role  of  Fenton  in  Falstaff) 
must  in  his  time  have  been  more  of  an  artist  and  a  vocalist  than 
his  recordings  show. 

SAN  JOSE  STATE  COLLEGE  A  CAPPELLA  CHOIR 
(William  J.  Erlendson) 

Adoramus  Te,  Ghriste  (Corsi);  0  nata  lux  de  lumine  (Tallis);  Ascendit 
Deus  (Gallus);  Ave  Maria,  No.  20  (Villa-Lobos).  ML  MLR  7007  ^Cop- 
land: In  the  Beginning). 

The  fine  material  in  the  chorus  and  their  excellent  training,  are 
well  shown  in  this  attractive  program.  The  Tallis  and  Corsi 
numbers  are  especially  admirable,  and  the  Villa-Lobos  makes  a 
good  contrast  with  the  older  styles.  The  last  named  is  sung  in 
English,  not  Spanish  as  the  liner-note  states. 

SAYAO,   BIDU,  soprano 

Nozze  di  Figaro — Non  so  piu;  Voi  che  sapete;  Sonnambula — Ah!  non 

credea;  Boheme — Addio!;  Manon — Je  suis  encore  tout  etourdie;  Adieu, 

notre    petite   table;  Faust — Le  roi  de   Thule;  Air  des  bijoux.      MOO, 

Cleva,  C  ML  4056. 

Nozze  di  Figaro — Porgi  amor;  Deh  vieni,  non  tardar;  Don  Giovanni — 

Vedrai,    carino;   Batti,   batti;  Si  mes   vers    avaient  des   ailes   (Hahn); 

Chanson   triste  (Duparc);  L'Enfant  prodigue — Air  de   Lia  (Debussy); 

Manon — Voyons,   Manon.     0,  Breisach,  Leinsdorf,  Cimara,  10"  C  ML 

2152. 

Si   tu  le   veux  (Koechlin);   Le   Nelumbo  (Moret);   C'est  mon  ami  (arr. 

Crist);    Cancion  gitana;   El   mercao  de   las   esclaves   (arr.   Sandoval); 

Polo    (Nin);    The    bird   (Duke);    Dos    Cantares    Populares   (Obradors); 

Carry  me  back  to  old  Virginny  (Bland);  Think  on  me  (Scott).    Charnley, 

pf,  C  ML  4154  (*Braga:  Folk  Songs  of  Brazil). 

The  diminutive  Brazilian  soprano  has  a  voice  in  proportion  to  her 
physical  size:  it  is  her  great  good  fortune  to  have  her  gifts  per- 
fectly in  balance,  and  her  personal  achievement  to  have  kept  well 
within  the  frame  of  her  limitations.  Small  as  it  is,  her  voice  is  so 
roundly  placed  that  it  floats  easily  through  the  vast  spaces  of 


Sayao/Schlusnus  GUI 

New  York's  Metropolitan.  In  recordings  it  is  sometimes  unduly 
magnified,  yet  its  quality  remains  always  sweet  and  true.  She 
distinguishes  most  of  what  she  touches;  one  may  take  exception 
to  her  conception  of  this  aria  or  that  song,  but  one  usually  admits 
she  carries  it  off  in  her  way.  The  orchestration  of  the  French 
songs  in  the  second  program  is  unfortunate,  and  here  the  record- 
ing engineers  have  allowed  her  voice  to  dominate  too  much.  The 
"encores"  that  make  up  the  third  recital  show  the  singer  at  her 
consistent  best,  especially  those  she  sings  in  Spanish  and 
Portuguese.  John  Duke's  little  song  is  lovely,  despite  a  lack  of 
dictional  clarity.  The  reproduction  of  the  piano  in  this  recording 
is  not  good. 

SCHLUSNUS,    HEINRICH,    baritone 

Vol.  1:  St'dndchen;  Fruhlingsglaube;  Der  Atlas  (Schubert);  Denis  es,  o 
Seele;  Verborgenheit;  Der  Gartner;  Heimweh  (Wolf);  Im  Fruhling; 
Nachtstuck;  Die  Forelle;  Alinde;  Die  Taubenpost  (Schubert).  Peschko, 
pf;  Rupp,  pf,  D  DL  9620. 

Vol.  2:  Der  Jungling  an  der  Quelle;  Im  Abendroth;  An  Schwager  Kronos; 
Der  Lindenbaum  (Schubert);  Verschwiegene  Liebe;  Abschied;  Er  ist's 
(Wolf);    Heimkehr;   Ich  liebe   dich;  Standchen  (Strauss);   Wie   bist  du, 
meine     Konigin;     Botschaft     (Brahms).        Rupp,     pf;     Peschko,     pf; 
Raucheisen,  pf;  Braun,  pf,  D  DL  9621. 

Vol.  3:  An  die  Leyer;  Lied  eines  Schiffers  an  die  Dioskuren  (Schubert); 
Von  ewiger  Liebe;  Der  Gang  zum  Liebchen;  Am  Sonntag  Morgen 
(Brahms);  Nachtgang;  Freundliche  Vision  (Strauss);  Der  Wachtel- 
schlag;  Andenken  (Beethoven);  Feldeinsamkeit;  Die  Mainacht  (Brahms); 
Fussreise;  Auch  kleine  Dinge  (Wolf).  Peschko,  pf,  D  DL  9622. 
Vol.  4:  Der  Wanderer;  Wohin?;  Der  Musensohn  (Schubert);  Winterliebe; 
Traum  durch  die  D'dmmerung;  Ich  trage  meine  Minne;  Zueignung 
(Strauss);  Wanderlied  (Schumann);  Aus  der  Jugendzeit  (Radecke);  Am 
Rhein  (Humperdinck);  Die  Uhr;  Tom  der  Reimer  (Loewe).  Peschko,  pf; 
Braun,  pf;  Rupp,  pf,  D  DL  9623. 

Vol.  5:  Venezianisches  Gondellied;  Auf  Flugeln  des  Gesanges 
(Mendelssohn);  0  komm*  im  Traum  (Liszt);  Das  Erkennen  (Loewe); 
Talismane;  Die  beiden  Grenadiere;  Romanze  (Schumann);  Standchen; 
Der  Blumenbrief;  An  die  Musik  (Schubert).  Rupp,  pf;  Peschko,  pf; 
Braun,  pf,  D  DL  9624. 

In  the  days  between  the  two  world  wars  there  was  no  more 
justly  appreciated  lieder  singer  than  Heinrich  Schlusnus.  A 
big  man  with  a  voluminous  voice  that  he  could  shade  down  to  a 


Schlusnus,  Schwarzkopf  362 

whisper  or  blast  forth  like  a  trumpet,  he  seems  to  have  known 
(and,  one  might  almost  believe,  recorded)  every  song  in  the  Ger- 
man language.  There  was  a  curious  inconsistency  in  his  singing, 
for  on  the  same  disc  he  might  perform  one  song  like  an  angel  and 
another  as  though  he  were  reading  it  at  sight.  A  large  portion  of 
his  long,  full  list  has  been  transferred  to  this  LP  series.  The 
baritone  himself  is  said  to  have  made  the  selections  from  what 
he  considered  his  best  efforts,  and  his  judgment  was  on  the 
whole  excellent.  Not  everything  in  these  programs  is  inspired — 
witness  "Im  Abendroth"  or  "Die  Forelle" — but  the  best  is  very 
fine  indeed,  such  as  Wolf's  "Abschied"  or  Strauss's  "Ich  Hebe 
dich."  The  transfer  to  LP  is  among  the  best  jobs  of  the  kind  I 
have  heard. 

SCHVfARZ,    JOSEPH,    baritone 

Zar  und  Zimmermann — Einst  spielt'  ich  mit  Szepter;  Guglielmo  Tell 
— Resta  immobile;  The  Demon — Kind,  weine  nicht;  Rheingold — 
Abendlich  strahlt;  Rigoletto — Si,  vendetta  (with  Franc  ill o-Kaufmann, 
s);  0  komm'  im  Traum  (Liszt);  Caro  mio  ben  (Giordani);  Die  Ehre 
Gottes  aus  der  Natur  (Beethoven);  Kol  Nidre.    Et  498. 

Schwarz's  voice  must  have  been  a  magnificent  instrument;  in- 
deed, in  some  of  the  recordings  it  seems  almost  too  rich  and  big. 
They  show  a  tendency  on  the  singer's  part  to  spread  things  out 
too  much,  to  let  the  tempos  drag.  Not  until  we  get  to  the  Rigoletto 
duet,  in  which  he  is  joined  by  the  famous  soprano  Francillo- 
Kaufmann,  does  the  singing  become  really  interesting  as  such. 
They  sing,  of  course,  in  German,  and  without  as  much  excitement 
as  Italians  get  into  this  scene.  Still,  they  hold  the  attention.  Even 
better,  to  me,  is  "0  komm"  im  Traum"  (originally  "Oh  quand  je 
dors")  eloquently  sung  to  piano  accompaniment.  There  are  some 
stunning  high  tones  in  this  song.  "Caro  mio  ben,"  with  organ 
and  cello  background,  and  with  dragging  pace,  is  made  to  sound 
quite  religious;  Kol  Nidre  is  in  similar  mood.  The  Beethoven 
song,  accompanied  by  what  sounds  like  an  old-fashioned  har- 
monium, displays  some  more  fine  high  tones. 

SCHWARZKOPF,    ELISABETH,    soprano 

Bist  du  bei  mir  (Bach);  La  Rencontre  imprevue — Einen  Bach  der  fliesst 
(Un  ruisselet)  (Gluck);  Abendempfindung;  Der  Zauberer  (Mozart);  Wonne 
der  Wehmut  (Beethoven);  Litanei;  Ungeduld  (Schubert);  Der  Nussbaum; 
Auftrage  (Schumann);  Da  unten  im  Tale;  Och,  Modr,  ich  well  en  Ding 


Schwarzkopf/Slngher  363 

han!;  Vergebliches  Standchen  (Brahms);  Wiegenlied  (Im  Sommer)  (Wolf); 

Hat  gesagt — bleibt's  nicht  dabei;  Schlechtes  Wetter  (Strauss);  Maus- 

fallen-Spruchlein  (Wolf).    Moore,  of,  An  35023. 

Schwarzkopf  is  in  melting  voice  throughout  this  recital,  and  re- 
corded in  fine  balance  with  the  infallible  Gerald  Moore.  I  had  the 
feeling  that  the  first  three  sustained  songs  were  extremely  slow, 
but  that  the  singer  came  to  life  in  the  arch  little  "Zauberer"  of 
Mozart.  Characteristically,  the  lighter  songs,  those  which  lie 
directly  on  the  diction,  are  the  most  successful.  There  is,  in- 
deed, little  to  criticize  in  anything  this  singer  does;  yet  others 
have  breathed  a  warmer  compassion  into  Schubert's  "Litanei," 
and  it  seemed  to  me  the  maiden  in  the  otherwise  finely  realized 
"Nussbaum"  settled  down  to  her  dream  with  a  little  too  much 
sophistication.  "Auftrage,"  on  the  other  hand,  is  capital.  Of 
"Da  unten  im  Thale"  she  makes  a  very  sad  love  song,  contrast- 
ing well  with  "Och  Modr"  and  all  its  coyness.  Wolf's  "Wiegen- 
lied" is  sweetly  crooned;  his  "Maus  fallen-Sprue  hie  in"  and  the 
two  Strauss  songs  are  beautifully  realized. 

SIEPI,   CESARE 

I  Vespri  Siciliani — 0  tu  Palermo;  Don  Carlo — Ella  giammai  m'amd; 

Nabucco — Tu  sul  labbro  dei  veggenti;  Ernani — lnfelice!  a  tuo  credevi; 

Don  Giovanni — Deh  vieni  alia  finestra;  La  Sonnambula — Vi  raw's o; 

L'ltaliana  in  Algeri — he  femine  d'ltalia;  II  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — La 

calunnia;  Mefistofele — Son  lo  spirito  che  nega.    Cet  50035. 

Malia  (Tosti);  Occhi  di  fata  (Denza);  Non  t'amo  piti;  Serenata  (Tosti); 

Mia    sposa  sara  la   mia   bandiera  (Rotoli);   E   canto   il  grillo  (Billi); 

Visione  veneziana  (Broggi);  L' ultima  canzone  (Tosti).    Cet  50062. 

Since  Siepi's  coming  to  the  Metropolitan  he  has  developed  from 
an  exceptionally  promising  singer  with  a  superb  bass  voice  into 
an  artist  of  real  stature.  At  the  time  these  opera  arias  were  made, 
his  singing  was  on  the  placid  side,  a  fact  that  proved  fatal  in  the 
Don  Giovanni  "Serenade,"  but  not  so  in  most  of  the  selections. 
After  all,  it  is  something  to  hear  them  proclaimed  by  such  a  voice. 
For  the  graceful  Italian  song-trifles  his  tone  is  heavy.  So  delicate 
a  thing  as  Tosti's  "Serenata"  is  hopelessly  weighted  down.  And 
one  waits  in  vain  for  the  tiniest  spark  of  humor  in  the  program. 

SINGHER,    MARTIAL,  baritone 

TREASURY     OF    FRENCH    SONG:     El'egie     (Massenet);    Serenade 


Singher/Slezak  364 

(Gounod);  Chant  hindou  (Bemberg);  Les  Rameaux  (Faure);  Ave  Maria 
(Faure);  Viens,  une  flute  invisible  (Caplet);  Notre  Pere  qui  etes  aux 
cieux  (Busser);  Les  Vielles  de  chez  nous  (Levade);  Plaisir  d'amour 
(Martini);  Si  mes  vers  avaient  des  ailes;  Paysage  (Hahn);  Apres  un 
reve;  Nell  (Faure);  L'Invitation  au  voyage  (Duparc);  Pensee  d'automne 
(Massenet);  Ballade  des  gros  dindons;  Villanelle  des  petits  canards 
(Chabrier).  Ulanowsky,  pf;  La  Montaine,  pf;  Hubert,  vie;  Norwood,  fl, 
C  ML  4258. 

Three  Ballades  of  Francois  Villon  (Debussy);  Don  Quichotte  a, 
Dulcinee  (Ravel).  CBSO,  Abravanel.  La  Damnation  de  Faust — 
Mephistopheles's  Air  and  Serenade;  Song  of  the  Flea;  Romeo  et 
Juliette — Ballad  of  Queen  Mab;  Hamlet — Chanson  bachique;  Herodiade 
— Vision  fugitive;  Les  Contes  d,Hoffmann — Dapertutto's  Air;  Carmen 
— Toreador  Song.    MOO,  Breisach,  C  ML  4152. 

In  this  "Treasury  of  French  Song"  Singher  has  attempted  to 
cover  the  field  from  all  angles,  ranging  all  the  considerable  dis- 
tance from  Jean-Baptiste  Faure  to  Gabriel  Faure.  Though  this 
may  be  meant  to  show  the  variety  of  music  in  which  Singher  is  at 
home,  I  suspect  it  is  something  less  than  canny  planning;  those 
who  want  to  hear  Faure 's  Nell,  Duparc 's  Invitation  au  voyage, 
and  the  two  Chabrier  songs  are  going  to  resent  Les  Rameaux  and 
Massenet's  Elegie.  Somehow  the  singer  is  not  at  his  best,  and  he 
does  not  succeed  in  compensating  with  artistry  for  the  bloom  the 
voice  lacks.  The  recording,  too,  is  on  the  dull  side.  The  De- 
bussy and  Ravel  songs  are  tasteful,  but  lack  the  essential  spark 
of  warm  humor.  The  set  of  opera  arias  has  been  transferred  from 
an  earlier  album,  but  with  the  two  most  interesting  numbers  miss- 
ing: Lully's  "Bois  epais"  and  Gretry's  "O  Richard,  o  mon  roi." 
One  misses  again  the  kind  of  bite  Berlioz's  Mephistopheles  music 
calls  for  (Singher  is  more  convincing  in  the  more  recent  complete 
performance),  and  one  wishes  for  more  voice,  especially  in  the 
Hamlet  and  Herodiade  numbers.  The  recording  in  its  second  in- 
carnation is  still  solid  and  effective  enough. 

SLEZAK,    LEO,    tenor 

La  Juive — Aria,  Act  1;  Manon — Le  Reve;  Ah,  fuyez;  La  Dame  blanche 
— Viens,  gentille  dame;  Alessandro  Stradella — Hymnus.     10"  Et  ELP 
461.    (*Flotow:  Alessandro  Stradella — Selections). 
Das  Veilchen  (Mozart);  Die  Thrahe  (Rubinstein);  Standchen  (Strauss); 


Slezak/ Souzay  365 

0  Komm'  im  Traum  (Liszt);  Ganz  leise  (Sommer);  Sechse,  sieben,oder 

acht  (Brulll    70"  Et  ELP  453. 

Standchen;   Nacht   und   Traume;   Im  Abendroth;   Trockene  Blumen;  An 

die  Musik;  Wohin?  (Schubert);  Der  Nussbaum;  Mondnacht  (Schumann); 

Verschwiegene  Liebe  (Wolf);  Standchen  (Strauss).    Et  493. 

Slezak  used  to  be  called  the  "second  Tamagno"  because  of  the 
size  of  his  voice,  the  hugeness  of  his  presence,  and  his  abilities 
as  an  actor.  What  is  most  remarkable  about  him  is  his  versatility, 
as  demonstrated  in  the  lists  above.  The  first  two  discs  represent 
the  singer  in  the  early  stages  of  his  career;  on  the  third  program 
most  of  the  lieder  were  electrically  recorded  in  the  late  twenties. 
All  selections  here  are  sung  in  German.  The  Manon  pieces  suffer 
most  from  translation;  the  forceful  prayer  from  La  Juive  and  the 
lovely  piece  from  La  Dame  blanche  are  beautifully  delivered. 
Perhaps  the  best  of  the  opera  numbers,  however,  is  the  Stradella 
hymn.  For  all  the  robustness  of  his  operatic  singing,  Slezak 
could  turn  to  such  little  pieces  as  the  second  disc  contains,  and 
do  them  in  the  most  intimate  manner.  "Das  V  eilchen"  is  superbly 
performed,  without  a  trace  of  the  operatic  style.  The  Rubinstein, 
Sommer,  and  Brull  songs  are  light  fare,  to  be  sure,  but  attractive, 
unhackneyed,  and  splendidly  sung.  The  third  recital  is  uneven. 
The  Schubert  "Standchen,"  perhaps  the  earliest  recording,  is 
orchestrally  accompanied,  and  rather  heavy.  "Nacht  und  Traume," 
from  the  singer's  last  period,  is  extremely  curious.  Tonally  it  is 
superb,  done  in  a  breathtakingly  even  mezza  voce  throughout,  but 
the  singer  cuts  all  the  corners  rhythmically,  putting  the  melodic 
line  out  of  shape.  "Im  Abendroth"  is  uncomfortable  and  con- 
sistently sagging  in  pitch.  "An  die  Musik"  has  a  beautiful 
phrase  or  two,  but  it  too  is  insecure.  Generally,  the  acoustic 
recordings  are  fairer  to  the  artist's  memory. 

SOUZAY,    GERARD,   baritone 

CLASSIC  AIRS:  Berenice — Air  de  Demetrio;  In  questa  tomba  oscura 
(Beethoven);  Orfeo — Elle  est  morte  (Monteverdi);  Perseus — Air  des 
songes;  Ballade  de  Villon,  No.  2;  La  Grotte;  Mandoline  (Debussy); 
Don  Quichotte  a  Dulcinee  (Ravel).  PCO,  Lindenberg,  L  LLP  194. 
CLASSIC  AIRS,  VOL.  2:  La  Rencontre  imprevue — C'est  un  torrent 
impetueux;  Un  ruisselet  (Gluck);  Cadmus  etHermione — Belle  Hermoine, 
helas,    helas   (Lully);   Alceste — II   faut   passer;   Mentre   ti   lascio,   o 


Souzay  6bb 

figlia  (Mozart);  Castor  et  Pollux — Nature,  amour  (Rameau);  IlSedecia — 
Caldo  sangue  (Scarlatti).  PCO,  Cornman,  10"  L  LPS  730. 
CANZONE  SCORDATE  (an.  D^rumsgaard);  0  miei  giorni  fugaci  (Peri); 
Or  ch'io  non  seguo  piu  (Rontani);  Ferma,  Dorinda  mia  (Calestani); 
Apra  il  suo  verde  seno  (Quagliati);  Occh'  immortali  (Caccini);  Donn' 
ingrata  (Falconieri);  Cara  mia  cetr'  andiamo  (d'India);  Chi  vuole  in- 
namorarsi;  Cara  e  dolce;  Bellezza,  che  s'ama;  0  dolcissima  speranza; 
Toglietemi  la  vita  ancor  (Scarlatti);  Der  Herr  ist  mein  getreuer  Hirt 
(Helder);  Kindelwiegen  Lied  (Anon.);  Bringet  meinen  Herrn  zur  Ruh 
(Bbhm);  Liebster  Gott,  wann  werd'  ich  Sterben  (Vetter);  Jesus  in 
Gethsemane;  Weihnachtslied;  Uber  die  Finsternis  kurz  vor  dem  Tode 
Jesu(C.  P.  E.  Bach).    Bonneau,  pf,  L  LLP  731. 

OLD  FRENCH  AIRS:  Amaryllis  (Louis  XIII);  Cette  Anne  si  belle 
(Guedron);  Tambourin  (Anon.);  Me  veux-tu  voir  mourir?;  Cache z,  beaux 
yeux  (Boesset);  Ma  Bergere  non  legere  (Bataille);  Noel;  Brezairola; 
Malurous  qu'o  uno  fenno  (Anon.).    Bonneau,  pf,  10"  L  LD  9109. 

One  of  the  busiest  recording  artists  of  the  postwar  period  is 
Gerard  Souzay,  pupil  and,  some  would  say,  imitator  of  Pierre 
Bernac.  Perhaps  it  would  be  fairer  to  put  it  this  way:  like  Bernac, 
Souzay  has  a  limited  voice,  but  it  is  an  attractive  one,  pre- 
eminently suited  to  recording;  he  sings  French  songs  with  a  culti- 
vated style  and  admirable  diction,  and  he  has  been  widely  ac- 
claimed for  his  interpretations  of  German  lieder.  In  the  first 
program  of  "Classic  Airs"  he  ranges  from  Monteverdi  (done  in 
French  translation,  for  some  reason)  to  Beethoven;  in  the  second 
he  runs  from  Lully  to  Mozart.  He  is  consistently  at  his  best  in 
the  French  repertoire:  here  the  Lully  airs  and  the  wonderful  Gluck 
particularly  stand  out.  His  tone  is  not  concentrated  enough  for 
the  Handel,  and  his  voice  is  too  light  for  the  Mozart  concert  aria. 
His  Scarlatti  air  is  over-orchestrated  by  conductor  Cornman,  but 
his  voice  seems  at  home  in  the  music.  The  Ravel  and  Debussy, 
which  share  the  first  record  with  the  classics,  are  more  charac- 
teristic of  the  singer.  The  disc  of  Dorumsgaard  arrangements  is 
on  the  whole  less  happy,  as  Souzay  does  not  have  the  tonal 
definition  needed  for  so  much  singing  in  Italian  and  German. 
Furthermore,  the  notes  that  introduce  the  set  are  hopelessly  in- 
adequate, however  pretentious:  we  are  not  given  so  much  as  the 
titles  of  many  of  the  pieces  sung,  let  alone  the  composer's  names. 
Dorumsgaard  has  elected  to  make  the  piano  accompaniments 
"effective,"    without    much    concern    for    the    niceties    of   style. 


Souzay/Strlenz  367 

Several  of  the  "Old  French  Airs"  have  been  weighted  down  by 
the  same  arranger.  It  is  good  to  hear  the  little  "Tambourin*'  in 
the  familiar  and  more  properly  simple  Tiersot  version,  and  "A/e 
veux'tu  voir  mourir?"  in  the  unobtrusive  arrangement  of  Germaine 
Tailleferre.  It  is  a  question  whether  the  two  last  songs  in 
Canteloube's  quite  spicy  arrangements  (however  effective)  or  the 
"Noel"  with  the  background  provided  by  Maurice  Emmanuel  really 
belong  on  what  purports  to  be  an  "old-time"  program. 

STANFORD    UNIVERSITY   CHOIR   (Harold  G.  Schmidt) 

MOTETS:  Sicut  cervus  (Palestrina);  I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless 
(Byrd);  Tenebrae  factae  sunt  (Ingegneri);  Ave  Maria  (Victoria);  Regina 
coeli  (Aichinger);  Salvation  is  created  (Tchesnokov).  10"  ML  MLR 
5001. 

A  mixed  program,  offering  some  great  and  unhackneyed  music, 
sung  in  the  best  manner  of  a  serious  college  choral  society, 
cleanly  and  convincingly  recorded.  The  style  of  performance  is 
generally  excellent,  though  it  is  inevitably  affected  by  the  fact 
that  two  of  the  numbers  (the  Byrd  and  the  Tchesnokov)  are  trans- 
lated from  Latin  and  Russian.  For  the  rest,  these  must  rank 
among  the  best  performances  of  this  type  of  music  available 
on  LP. 

STRIENZ,    WILHELM,    basso 

Der  Nock  (Loewe);  Des  Trinkes  Wunsch  (Nicolai);  Auf  das  Trinkglas 
eines  verstorbenen  Freundes  (Schumann);  Zauberflote — In  diesen 
heil'gen  Hallen;  Boheme — Vecchia  zimarra;  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — La 
calunnia;  Der  Barbier  von  Bagdad — Salaam  Aleikum!  (Cornelius);  Die 
lustigen  Weiber  von  Windsor — Als  Bublein  klein  (Nicolai);  Nimm  me  in 
trauriges  Herz  (Roland);  Zwischen  Marie  und  Sophie  (Hirgs tatter). 
RBC  &  0,  Steinkopf,  U  URLP  7026. 

Strienz's  magnificent  big  voice  is  better  suited  to  opera  than  to 
songs;  it  is  therefore  probably  as  well  that  all  the  accompani- 
ments here  are  orchestral.  I  prefer  this  faster  version  of  "Der 
Nock"  to  that  in  his  Loewe  recital  (L  LL  310).  If  the  Mozart  has 
been  more  nobly  sung  by  others,  and  the  two  Italian  arias  lose  by 
translation  into  German,  the  Cornelius  and  Nicolai  opera  scenes 
are  very  welcome  and  unhackneyed.    The  last  two  titles  are  songs 


Strlenz/Sze  368 

from  films  in  which  the  singer  has  been  successful.  The  record- 
ing is  very  broad  and  powerful. 

SVIARTHOUT,    GLADYS,    mezzo-soprano 

FRENCH  OPERATIC  ARIAS:  Samson  et  Dalila—Printemps  qui  com- 
mence; Amour,  viens  aider;  Mon  coeur  s'ouvre  a,  ta  voix;  Werther — 
Letter  Scene;  La  Perichole — Tu  n'es  pas  beau.  RCAO,  Morel,  V  LM 
1156  (*Canteloube:  Chants  d'Auvergne). 

FRENCH  SONGS:  Romeo  et  Juliette — Premiers  Transports  que  nul 
noublie!  (Berlioz);  Si  mes  vers  avaient  des  ailes  (Hahn);  Mandoline 
(Debussy);  Chanson  triste  (Duparc);  Separation  (Hillemacher);  Carmen 
(Clergue);  Hotel;  Voyage  a  Paris;  Les  Chemins  d'amour  (Poulenc). 
Trovillo,  pf;  Greenhouse,  vie;  Agostini,  hrp,  V  LM  1793  (*Chausson: 
Poeme  de  I' amour  et  de  la  mer). 

Swarthout  is  a  singer  who  never  falls  below  a  certain  standard. 
Hers  is  a  suave,  smooth,  insinuating  voice,  always  beautifully 
controlled,  never  forced  to  do  that  which  lies  beyond  her  tempera- 
ment or  her  very  adequate  technique.  The  operatic  arias  show 
her  at  her  best.  For  sheer  loveliness  of  tone,  there  has  not  been 
a  Dalila  to  surpass  her  in  recent  years.  An  interesting  feature  of 
the  song  program  is  the  selection  from  Berlioz's  symphony,  which 
reminds  us  of  her  performance  of  this  music  under  Toscanini 
several  years  back.  She  is  accompanied  by  harp  and  cello,  which 
is  about  all  we  need  of  the  original  orchestration.  For  the  familiar 
Hahn  song,  these  obbligato  musicians  are  retained,  with  less 
happy  results.   The  Hillemacher  and  Clergue  songs  are  unfamiliar. 

SZE,    YI-KWEI,    basso 

CHINESE  SONGS:  All  the  Red  River;  Separated  by  the  Yangtze  River; 

Song  of  the  Hoe;  The  red  bean  love;  By  the  Chia-Ling  River;  How  can 

I  not  think  of  her?;  Drinking  Song  (from  The  Lady  of  the  Camellias); 

Song  of  the  Great  Wall.    N.  L.  Sze,  pf,  10"  CH  CHC  48. 

Anyone  reading  the  annotations  on  the  envelope  before  hearing 
this  recording  will  be  led  to  expect  something  more  character- 
istically Oriental  than  Sze  has  provided.  We  are  informed  that 
both  folk  songs  and  modern  art  songs  are  included  in  the  program, 
and  that  Chinese  singing  is  a  peculiarly  nasal  affair.  Aside  from 
the  haunting  modality  of  the  songs,  there  is  little  here  to  intimi- 
date the  most  Western  of  listeners,  and  the  voice  in  which  they 
are  sung  is  a  big,  handsomely  rich  one.    Plainly,  then,  this  is  not 


Sxe/Tasslnarl  369 

a  record  for  the  anthropologist,  but  rather  for  the  simple  music- 
lover,  for  whom  it  will  open  new  if  hardly  very  strange  fields.  The 
recording  is  excellent,  if  a  little  over-brilliant  in  the  voice. 

TAGLIAVINI,    FERRUCCIO,    tenor 

L'Arlesiana — Lamento  di  Federico;  Tosca — O  dolci  mani;  I  Quattro 
Rusteghi — Luceta  e  un  bel  nome;  Rigoletto — Parmi  veder  le  lagrime; 
Andrea  Chenier — Come  un  bel  di  di  maggio;  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — 
Ecco  ridente  in  cielo;  Falstaff — Dal  labbro  il  canto;  L'Amico  Fritz — 
Ed  anche  Beppe  amb;  Sonnambula — Prendi,  I'anel  ti  dono.  RIO, 
Tansini,  Rossi,  Cet  A  50155. 

NEAPOLITAN  FOLK  SONGS:  Dicitencello  vuie  (Falvo);  Pizzichi  e 
vase  fde  Luca);  Mamma  mia  che  vo'  sape  (Nutile);  Senza  nisciuna  (de 
Curtis);  Mattinata  (Leoncavallo);  Amuri,  amuri  (Sadero).  RCAO, 
Cellini,  Gallino,  10"  V  LM  72. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  last  war  we  began  reading  about  Tagliavini 
in  the  dispatches  written  to  papers  and  magazines  by  musical 
soldiers  stationed  in  Italy.  Here  was  a  lyric  tenor  of  the  old 
school,  at  his  best  in  Rossini  and  Donizetti,  but  at  home  too  in 
Puccini  and  Verdi.  His  subsequent  career  in  the  vast  auditorium 
of  the  Metropolitan  was  distinguished,  but  not  quite  so  imposing 
as  the  build-up  before  his  arrival.  The  voice  is  light,  in  its  best 
quality  reminiscent  of  Gigli's,  but  on  a  much  smaller  scale.  He 
has  learned  to  spin  out  a  sustained  tone,  and  he  makes  skillful 
use  of  a  thin  and  liquid  head  voice.  Stylistically  he  has  the 
shortcomings  of  so  many  Italians:  he  wants  to  vocalize  rather 
than  interpret,  and  he  is  often  guilty  of  sobbing  where  a  properly 
colored  tone  would  convey  more  emotion.  One  gets  to  know  the 
Tagliavini  style,  and  then  there  are  no  surprises,  no  matter  what 
the  aria  in  hand.  The  Cetra  collection  takes  us  back,  for  these 
recordings  were  sold  by  the  importers  here  before  the  tenor 
crossed  the  ocean.  One  is  grateful  to  him  for  recording  at  least 
a  few  arias  off  the  beaten  track.  The  set  of  "folk  songs"  should 
more  properly  be  called  popular  songs,  the  kind  that  has  proved  a 
goldmine  for  many  an  Italian  singer.  His  way  with  them  has  its 
share  of  charm. 

TASSINARI,  PIA,  soprano,  and  FERRUCCIO  TAG- 
LIAVINI,   tenor 

OPERA   DUETS:  Mefistofele — Lontano,   lontano;   Traviata — Parigi,  o 


Tasslnarl/Teyf  370 

cara;   L'Amico  Fritz — Duetto  delle   ciliegie;   Tosca — Or  lasciami  al 

lavoro;  Werther — Dividerci  dobbiam.    Cet  A  50018. 

Tagliavini  is  never  better  than  when  singing  with  his  wife,  who, 
for  all  that,  remains  the  superior  artist  of  the  two.  All  these 
duets  are  sung  with  style,  and  all  are  vocally  attractive.  The 
"Cherry  Duet"  from  Mascagni's  comedy,  of  course,  is  quite 
generally  identified  with  these  singers,  and  Tosca  has  been  long 
one  of  their  best  co-starring  operas.  The  first-act  duet  is  espe- 
cially successful  here.  The  Werther  is  effectively  sung,  but  in 
Italian — so  it  may  make  an  interesting  comparison  with  the  same 
music  as  done  in  French  by  the  same  artists  in  the  complete  re- 
cording of  the  opera. 

TAUBER,    RICHARD,    tenor 

Boheme — Che  gelida  manina;  Madama  Butterfly — Addio,  fiorito  asil; 
Mignon — Adieu,  Mignon;  Bartered  bride — Es  muss  gelingen;  Aida — 
Gia.  i  sacerdoti  adunansi  (with  Kalter,  m-s);  Traviata — Dei  miei 
bollenti  spiriti;  Der  Rosenkavalier — Di  rigori  armato.    Et  0-466. 

These  acoustic  recordings  show  Tauber  in  his  best  vocal  estate. 
Both  voice  and  style  were  distinctive,  though  he  had  not  yet  de- 
veloped his  characteristic  operetta  manner  when  these  selections 
were  made.  The  arias  are  all  sung  in  German,  which  makes  for 
some  peculiar  effects,  especially  in  the  Boheme  narrative.  In 
this  number,  too,  the  tenor  slights  the  high  tone  in  the  climactic 
phrase.  Sabine  Kalter  proves  herself  a  more  than  adequate  mezzo, 
with  ringing  tone  and  breadth  of  style.  The  duet  comes  off  very 
well.  But  the  crown  of  the  recital  is  the  Rosenkavalier  aria:  one 
stands  little  chance  of  hearing  it  so  beautifully  done  in  any 
opera  performance. 

TEYTE,    MAGGIE,    soprano 

Apres   un  reve  (Faure);  Psyche  (Paladilhe);  Chanson  triste  (Duparc); 

Si    mes    vers    avaient   des   ailes;   Offrande;   L'Heure   exquise   (Hahn). 

Moore,  pf,  V  LCT  1133  f*Debussy:  Songs). 

These  recordings  are,  of  course,  old,  but  they  show  the  singer 
in  good  form.  Several  of  the  selections,  especially  the  Hahn 
songs,  have  long  been  popularly  identified  with  Maggie  Teyte. 
To  my  taste  "L'Heure  exquise"  is  the  best,  for  it  gives  her  a 
chance  to  float  high  tones  as  she  loved  to  do,  and  it  also  shows 
her  strong  lower  register.     I  do  not  care  for  so  much  freedom  as 


Tey  t  e/  Trapp  oil 

she  allows  herself  in  "Psyche."  The  transfer  to  LP  is 
satisfactory. 

TOUR  EL,    JENNIE,    mezzo-soprano 

A  FRENCH  SONG  RECITAL:  U  Adieu  de  Vhotesse  arabe  (Bizet); 
Voyage  a  Paris  (P oulenc );  Romance  de  Vetoile  (Chabrier);  Poeme  d'un 
jour  (Faure);  Vocalise  (Ravel);  Si  mes  vers  avaient  des  ailes  (Hahn); 
Air  vif  (P oulenc);  he  Chapelier;  Je  te  veux  (Satie).  Reeves,  pf,  C  ML 
4158  (*Debussy:  Cinq  Poemes  de  Charles  Baudelaire). 
RUSSIAN,  SPANISH  AND  PORTUGUESE  SONGS:  I  still  love  him;  My 
darling  girls  (Dargomizhsky);  Lullaby;  Over  the  steppe  (Grechaninov); 
Hopak;  On  the  river  Don  (Mussorgsky);  Chacarera;  Triste  (Ginastera); 
El  majo  discreto  (Granados);  Pano  murciano  (Nin);  Coplas  de  curro 
dulce  (Obradors );  Miau  (V illa-Lobos ).    Reeves,  pf,  10  "  C  ML  2198. 

Jennie  Tourel  is  an  international  singer,  at  home,  apparently,  in 
any  style  of  music,  and  one  of  the  finest  vocal  musicians  of  our 
time.  Her  recorded  repertoire  is  no  more  a  cause  for  wonder  and 
rejoicing  than  the  standard  of  performance  she  maintains.  The 
strongest  asset  of  the  voice  itself  is  its  appealing  quality  rather 
than  size  or  range,  though  in  the  latter  respect  it  is  certainly 
adequate  to  the  demands  she  puts  upon  it.  Something  of  her 
versatility  may  be  noted  above.  The  French  program  is  made  up 
of  minor  works,  yet  for  the  moment  they  seem  important.  She  is 
equally  successful  with  the  melancholy  Russian  melodies,  though 
"Over  the  steppe"  could  do  with  a  larger  voice.  The  reproduction 
is  not  all  first-rate. 

TRAPP   FAMILY   CHOIR   (Franz  Wasner) 

SACRED  MUSIC  AROUND  THE  CHURCH  YEAR:  Sanctus  and  Bene- 
dictus;  Maria  durch  ein  Dornwald  ging  (Wasner);  Psallite  unigenito 
(Praetorius);  Jesu  redemptor  omnium  (Ambrosian  Chant);  Resonet  in 
laudibus  (Eccard);  0  bone  Jesu  (Ingegneri);  Jesu  salvator  mundi 
(Menegali);  0  salutaris  hostia  (Martini);  Wer  leucht'  uns  denn  bei 
finstren  Nacht?  (Wasner);  Crux  fidelis  (King  John  IV  of  Portugal); 
Tenebrae  factae  sunt  (Eberlin);  Surrexit  pastor  bonus  (Lassus);  Regina 
coeli,  laetare  (Aichinger);  To  Thee  the  Holy  Ghost  (Wasner);  0  Maria 
diana  Stella  (15th  Century);  Salve  regina  (Lassus).    CH  CHS  1100. 

The  Trapp  Family,  making  up  an  all-season  program,  offers  a 
mixture  of  styles,  from  Ambrosian  chant  to  compositions  of  their 
conductor.      We   may  take  it  that  the   aim  has  been  to  reach  the 


Trapp/Treasury  372 

pious  rather  than  the  musicologically  inclined,  though  there  is 
valuable  music  here  not  to  be  found  elsewhere.  The  voices,  as 
everyone  knows,  are  modest  but  neat;  the  singing  is  simple,  pure, 
and  pleasant. 

TRAUBEL,    HELEN,    soprano 

ITALIAN  OPERATIC  ARIAS:  Aida—Ritorna  vincitor;  Otello—Ave 
Maria;  Don  Giovanni — Or  sai  chi  I'onore;  Tosca — Vissi  d'arte;  La 
Giocanda — Suicidio!;  Cavalleria  Rusticana — Voi  lo  sapete.  0, 
0' Cornell,  10"  C  ML  2052. 

SACRED  SONGS:  Elijah — 0  rest  in  the  Lord;  Messiah — He  shall  feed 
His  flock;  Komm,  siisser  Tod  (Bach);  Serse — Largo  (Handel);  Agnus 
Dei  (Bizet);  Messiah — /  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth;  Elijah — Hear 
ye,  Israel.    0,  O'Connell,  C  ML  4117. 

FOLK  SONGS  AND  BALLADS:  Come  again,  sweet  love  doth  now  in- 
vite (Dowland);  Lord  Randal;  Greensleeves  (Old  English);  He's  gone 
away  (North  Carolina);   The   lonesome  road  (Austin-Shilkret);  Bygone 
tunes  (Longone);  I'm  wearin    awa',  John  (Foote);  Son  tre  mesi  che    fo 
il  soldato  (Italian  Folk  Song);  Come  to  the  sea  (Italian  Folk  Song); 
Come  back  to  Sorrento  (de  Curtis).  RCAO,  Armbruster,  10"  V  LM  7013. 
Traubel's   position   as   leading  Wagnerian  soprano   at  the   Metro- 
politan was  secure  for  so  long  that,  whatever  demands  the  night 
clubs  may  now  make  upon  her,  she  will  be  remembered  at  her  most 
majestic.     Hers  was  one  of  the  noblest  of  sopranos,  and  she  had 
the  good  sense  to  work  gradually  into  the  heroic  repertoire,  never 
to  push  herself  into  a  role  before  she  was  ready.    Her  Wagner  re- 
cordings,  of  the  early  Victor,  the  middle  Columbia,  or  the  late 
Victor  period,  are  marked  by  the  grand  manner  and  notable  intelli- 
gence.   In  her  set  of  Italian  arias  she  shows  that  good  clean  sing- 
ing is  welcome  in  this  emotional  music,  though  one  may  feel  that 
she   had  hardly  assimilated  the  style.     The  set  of  sacred  songs 
takes  her  into  the  contralto  range,  which  she  finds  perfectly  com- 
fortable; that  part  of  her  voice,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  is  gorgeous. 
I  cannot  find  much  to  commend,  however,  in  her  fancied-up  Ameri- 
can ballads  or  the  so-called  folk  songs  so  elaborately  produced 
on  LM  7013. 

TREASURY   OF   IMMORTAL   PERFORMANCES 

Under  this  head  a  wide  variety  of  older  recordings  has  been  re- 


Treasury  373 

issued,  ranging  in  age  from  vintage  1903  up  to  the  late  1940's. 
A  great  deal  of  the  fine  Victor  heritage  has  been  revived  in  this 
way,  though  not  always  with  proper  discrimination,  and  not  in- 
variably in  proper  sequence.  Thus,  we  often  find  an  early  acoustic 
as  a  strange  bedfellow  for  an  electric  made  in  the  30's  and  only 
too  frequently  fine  music  is  made  to  share  a  disc  with  the  tawdry 
and  cheap.  More  than  once,  if  a  singer  recorded  the  same  se- 
lection several  times  over  a  period  of  years,  the  best  example  has 
not  been  chosen  for  reissue,  and,  perhaps  worst  of  all,  the  same 
recording  is  likely  to  turn  up  any  number  of  times  in  different 
company.  Still,  some  of  the  discs  belong  in  any  collection. 
"Famous  Duets"  (LCT  1037)  includes  fine  examples  by  Bori  and 
McCormack,  and  by  Galli-Curci  and  Schipa,  among  others.  "The 
Golden  Age  at  the  Metropolitan"  (LCT  1006)  exploits  notable 
singing  by  Rethberg  ("0  patria  mm"),  Ponselle  {"Ernani,  in- 
volami"),  Journet  (Berceuse  from  Louise)  and  McCormack  ("II 
mio  tesoro") — though  the  last,  a  veritable  masterpiece,  reappears 
in  countless  other  combinations.  Less  fortunate  is  Calve 's 
Habanera,  a  case  where  a  better  recording  should  have  been 
chosen.  "Golden  Age  Ensembles"  (LCT  1003)  spans  the  period 
from  1910  to  1932,  and  includes  well-known  moments  from  Tt ova- 
tore,  Rigoletto,  Lucia,  Ballo  in  Maschera,  and  Samson  et  Dalila, 
all  including  Caruso;  a  scene  from  Forza  del  Destino  with 
Ponselle  and  Pinza;  and  the  Meistersinger  quintet  by  a  group 
including  Elisabeth  Schumann,  Melchior,  and  Schorr.  "Golden 
Duets"  (LCT  1004)  is  most  notable  for  "Mira  o  Norma"  by 
Ponselle  and  Telva,  the  big  Otello  vengeance  scene  by  Caruso 
and  Ruffo,  the  famous  Forza  del  Destino  duet,  which  was  the 
first  recording  made  by  the  great  Caruso-Scotti  team,  and  the 
Aula  finale  by  Ponselle  and  Martinelli.  Best  of  "Golden  Voices 
Sing  Light  Music"  (LCT  1008)  is  Rethberg's  Fledermaus 
"Czardas ,"  though  the  famous  Chaliapin  "Volga  Boat  Song"  is 
still  worth  hearing.  "Sacred  Songs"  (LCT  1005)  contains  the 
only  LP  representation  of  Margarete  Matzenauer,  in  beautiful 
singing  of  Messiah  and  Elijah  arias,  and  two  fine  selections, 
with  chorus,  by  Chaliapin.  There  is  also  Schumann-He  ink's  in- 
comparable "Stille  Nacht."  "Stars  of  the  Golden  Age"  (LCT 
1039)  has  good  examples  of  Scotti  (as  Falstaff),  Destinn  (as 
Gioconda)  and  Tetrazzini  (in  Veracini's  "Pastoral")  and  the 
wrong  take  of  Melba's  "Voi  che  sapete."    An  interesting  but  very 


Treasury/Triumphs  374 

miscellaneous  collection  called  "Critic's  Choice"  (LCT  1115) 
has  been  assembled  by  Irving  Kolodin.  Schipa,  Schumann,  Onegin, 
and  John  Charles  Thomas  are  among  those  present;  a  late  record- 
ing of  "Dove  sono"  by  Maria  Cebotari,  and  only  half  (alas!)  of 
Maria  Ivogiin's  magnificent  Zerbinettas  Air  from  Strauss 's 
Ariadne  auf  Naxos. 

TREVISO  CATHEDRAL  CHAPEL  CHOIR  (Giovanni 
d'Alessi) 

MOTETS  OF  THE  VENETIAN  SCHOOL  OF  THE  16TH  CENTURY: 
Cantate  Domino;  Bonum  est  confiteri  Domino  (A.  Gabrieli);  Tristis  est 
anima  mea;  Ecce  appropinquat  hora  (Nasco);  Sancti  et  justi  (Merulo); 
0  salutaris  hostia  (Nasco);  Adoramus  Te,  Domine  Jesu  Christe 
(Asola);  0  sacrum  convivium;  Missa  Pater  peccavi — Excerpts  (A. 
Gabrieli);  Lamentations  of  Jeremiah — Lesson  I  (Nasco);  Egredimini 
et  videte  (A.  Gabrieli);  Sancta  Maria  (G.  Gabrieli).  Vox  PL  8030. 
Cantabant  sancti  (Asola);  Benedicam  Dominum  (Croce);  Ego  dormivi 
(Willaert);  Hoc  signum  crucis  (Asola);  Beata  eritis  (Croce);  Virtute 
magna;  Repleti  quidem  (Porta);  Adoramus  Te,  Christe  (Ruffo);  Salutis 
humanae  sator  (Vecchi);  Surge  arnica  mea  (Asola);  Migravit  Judas 
(Nasco);  Ego  sum  pauper;  Exaltabo  Te,  Domine;  Cantate  Domino 
(Croce);  0  Domine  Jesu  Christe  (Ingegneri);  Introduxit  me  rex;  Omnes 
de  Saba;  Surrexit  pastor  bonus  (Asola).    Vox  PL  8610. 

As  one  listens  to  these  Venetian  pieces,  sung  in  the  pregnant 
style  peculiar  to  Italian  choirs,  one  realizes  that  such  hearty 
treatment  has  a  place.  While  I  take  exception  to  such  an  approach 
to  Palestrina,  I  have  to  admit  that  it  seems  very  right  here.  The 
voices  of  the  boys  on  the  first  disc  are  earthy  and  indescribably 
appealing;  the  tone  of  the  full  choir  is  rich,  almost  ponderous. 
The  sonorities  of  the  Gabrielis  are  mightily  impressive,  and  the 
intense,  somber  quality  of  the  Nasco  pieces  is  altogether  haunt- 
ing. On  the  other  hand,  the  Merulo  motet  has  spectacular  brilli- 
ance. The  second  program  is  all  for  the  lower  voices;  the  boys 
have  been  given  a  holiday.  Of  the  seventeen  pieces  presented, 
not  one  was  familiar  to  me,  and  I  found  them  exhilarating. 

THE    TRIUMPHS   OF   ORIANA 

Madrigals    by  the   leading  English  musicians,    composed  in  honor  of 
Queen    Elizabeth   I,    and   published    under   the    editorship   of  Thomas 


Triumphs/University  375 

Morley  in  1601.     Randolph  Singers,  W  WAL  212  [2].     Madrigal  Guild, 

Washington,  ML  MLR  7000/1/2  [3]. 

David  Randolph,  in  his  zeal  to  do  the  job  thoroughly,  managed  to 
locate  a  few  extra  madrigals  composed  for  The  Triumphs,  which 
for  one  reason  or  another  had  been  left  out.  For  this  reason,  he 
gives  us  thirty-two  madrigals,  as  opposed  to  only  twenty-five 
sung  by  Eileen  Washington's  California  group.  That  Oriana  should 
have  been  undertaken  at  all  is  a  remarkable  sign  of  the  times: 
before  the  days  of  LP  such  a  project  would  have  been  unthinkable. 
Some  of  the  madrigals,  of  course,  are  well  known  and  otherwise 
recorded — "As  Vesta  was  descending,"  "All  creatures  now  are 
merry  minded,"  and  "Hard  by  a  crystal  fountain,"  to  name  only  a 
few.  But  there  are  many  others  here  well  worth  knowing.  Of  the 
two  performances,  comprehensiveness  aside,  Randolph's  group 
gives  the  better  impression  of  the  shape  and  character  of  the 
individual  pieces,  and  its  diction  is  clearer  than  that  of  its  rivals. 
Neither  ensemble  is  perfect  in  intonation,  but  both  are  above 
average.  To  clinch  the  matter,  Randolph  has  put  a  great  deal  of 
effort  and  information  into  the  notes  accompanying  his  set. 

UNIVERSITY  OF  REDLANDS  CHOIR  (J.  William 
Jones) 

HYMNS  AND  ANTHEMS:  Jesus,  meek  and  gentle  (Monk);  Breathe  on 
me,  breath  of  God  (Peace);  Revive  Thy  work,  0  Lord  (Spiess);  0  love 
that  casts  out  fear  (Smart);  We  love  the  place,  0  God  (Jenner);  For 
Thy  mercy  and  Thy  grace  (Gibbons);  0  brightness  of  the  Immortal 
Father's  face  (Sc  hole  fie  Id);  0  sacred  head  (Hassler-Bach);  0  darkest 
woe  (Bach);  God  omnipotent  reigneth  (P aques-W ood );  Bow  down  Thine 
ear  (Todd);  At  the  name  of  Jesus  (Vaughan  Williams);  Father  of 
heaven,  whose  love  profound  (Willan);  Jesu,  grant  me  this,  I  pray 
(Gibbons-Kits on);  Magnificat  in  B  minor  (Noble);  Praise  to  the  Lord 
(Whitehead).    C  ML  4866. 

The  division  between  hymns  and  anthems  is  even:  one  side 
apiece.  The  former,  all  from  the  Episcopal  hymnal,  are  done  in 
the  straightforward  style  favored  by  that  church,  complete  with 
Amens.  The  selection  of  anthems  is  a  good  representation  of  the 
contemporary  repertoire,  and  it  shows  that  something  of  value  has 
been  added  in  our  time.  As  usual,  Vaughan  Williams  walks  off 
with  the  honors,  in  his  exciting  setting  of  a  fine  old  tune.    Simi- 


Unlverslty/Vyvyan  376 

larly,  the  Whitehead  piece,  founded  on  one  of  the  strongest  of  the 
German  chorales,  makes  a  rousing  finale  to  the  program. 

VIENNA  ACADEMY  CHAMBER  CHOIR  (Ferdinand 
Grossmann) 

A  CONCERT  OF  AMERICAN  MUSIC  IN  SCHdNBRUNN:  An  Immortality 
(Copland);  Alleluia;  Three  Odes  of  Horace  (Thompson);  Let  down  the 
bars,  o  death  (Barber);  Two  Hymns  from  the  Old  South  (Thomson).  Vox 
PL  7750  (*Piston:  Concertino). 

This  is  a  concert  given  in  April  1952.  The  composers  are  all 
contemporary:  the  oldest  work — Copland's  Immortality — dates 
back  to  1926.  The  choir,  by  this  time  familiar  to  all  gramo- 
philes,  produces  a  surprise  with  its  commendable  English  diction. 

VIENNA   CHOIR   BOYS   (Friedrich  Brenn  and  Peter  Lacovich) 

Rosen  aus  dem  Suden  (Strauss);  Standchen  (Schubert);  Bandelterzett 
(Mozart);  La  pastorella  (Schubert);  Spharenkl'dnge  (Strauss);  Ascendit 
Deus  (Gallus);  Salvator  mundi  (Palestrina);  0  bone  Jesu  (Ingegneri); 
Tenebrae  factae  sunt  (Victoria);  Laudi  alia  Vergine  Maria  (Verdi);  0 
salutaris  hostia  (Nasco);  Super  Flumina  (Palestrina);  Exsultate  Deo 
(Scarlatti).    C  ML  4873. 

In  concert  it  is  hard  to  resist  the  Wiener  Sangerknaben,  no  matter 
what  they  do.  In  a  recording  it  is  somewhat  different,  for  not  all 
that  glitters  musically  will  bear  repeating.  I  am  thinking  particu- 
larly of  the  Strauss  waltzes,  which,  fellow-Viennese  though  they 
be,  have  something  of  sophistication  in  them  and  want  the  touch 
of  maturity  in  performance.  The  Mozart  and  Schubert  are  better 
suited  to  the  boys,  though,  going  back  to  an  earlier  recording  (Cap 
P  8085)  with  a  side  of  Schubert  and  one  of  folk-song  arrange- 
ments, I  somehow  preferred  the  fresher  tempos  of  that  older,  less 
realistically  recorded  performance,  and  found  the  earlier  soloist 
in  the  delightful  "Standchen"  definitely  more  appealing.  The 
churchly  polyphonic  works  on  side  2  of  this  disc  include  arrange- 
ments of  pieces  for  mixed  voices,  but  they  are  reverently  and 
proficiently  performed. 

VYVYAN,    JENNIFER,  soprano 

SONGS  OF  ENGLAND:  Lye  still  my  deare  (Anon.,  arr.  Dolmetsch); 
Nymphs   and  shepherds;  King  Arthur — Fairest  isle  (Purcell);  Now  is 


Vyvyan/Vfarren  oil 

the  month  of maying  (Morley);  I  will  give  my  love  an  apple  farr.  Vaughan 
Williams);  Where  the  bee  sucks;  0  ravishing  delight  (Arne);  Bobby 
Shaftoe  (arr.  Whittaker);  Cherry  ripe  (arr.  Lehmann);  The  sprig  of  thyme 
(arr.  Grainger);  Sweet  Polly  Oliver  (arr,  Britten);  Foxgloves  (Head); 
Gavotte  (Howells);  The  new  ghost  (Vaughan  Williams);  A  melancholy 
song  (Hopkins);  Love's  philosophy  (Quilter).    Lush,  pf,  L  LL  806. 

Very,  very  British  is  the  singing  of  Jennifer  Vyvyan.  In  general 
style,  she  sings  like  a  Victorian;  the  quality  of  her  voice  is 
brittle  and  over-refined.  If  one  accepts  these  things,  the  program 
is  intriguing,  ranging  from  "Lye  still  my  deare,"  from  a  1630 
manuscript,  to  the  modern  songs  and  folk-song  arrangements. 

V/ARFIELD,    WILLIAM,    baritone 

ANCIENT  MUSIC  OF  THE  CHURCH:  File  mich,  Gott,  zu  erretten 
(Schutz);  De  profundis  (Hammers  chmidt);  Conductus:  Homo  vide 
(Perotin);  Laudate  Dominum  (Monteverdi).  Tietjen,  org,  C  ML  4545 
(*Loewe:  Ballads).  Deep  river;  Water  boy;  Without  a  song;  Mah  Lindy 
Lou;  Jeanie  with  the  light  brown  hair;  Dusty  road.  0,  Engel,  10" 
C  AAL  32. 

William  Warfield  burst  upon  the  New  York  scene  a  few  seasons 
ago,  singing  an  outstanding  recital  in  Town  Hall  and  subsequently 
appearing  with  various  choral  groups.  An  eventual  engagement 
in  Porgy  and  Bess  had  to  be  terminated  because  of  the  demand 
for  his  recitals.  His  is  a  long-ranged,  rich,  and  voluminous  voice, 
beautifully  controlled,  at  its  best  in  music  of  superior  quality. 
He  has  enjoyed  amazing  popular  success  with  the  long  and  diffi- 
cult ballads  of  Loewe,  a  group  of  which  he  has  recorded.  The 
collection  coupled  with  this  program,  rather  too  inclusively  titled 
"Ancient  Music  of  the  Church,"  is  fervently  sung  with  an  un- 
obtrusive organ  accompaniment,  but  it  comes  through  less  happily 
than  the  Loewe  songs.  Somehow  a  second  program,  called  "Deep 
River,"  including  spirituals  and  popular  fare,  is  not  presented 
with  much  conviction. 

WARREN,    LEONARD,    baritone 

SONGS  OF  RUDYARD  KIPLING:  Boots  (McCall);  Gunga  Din  (Spross); 
Recessional  (De  Koven);  Danny  Deever  (Damrosch);  Rolling  down  to 
Rio  (German);  Mother  o'  mine  (Tours);  Smugglers'  Song  (Kernochan); 


Warren/Vfelch  378 

On  the  road  to  Mandalay  (Speaks).  RCAO,  Black,  10"  V  LM  147. 
Trovatore — II  balen  del  suo  sorriso;  Per  me  ora  fatale;  Gioconda — 
Barcarola;  Barbiere  di  Siviglia — Largo  al  factotum;  Pagliacci — 
Prologo;  Ballo  in  Maschera — Eri  tu?;  SEA  SHANTIES:  Blow  the  man 
down;  The  drummer  and  the  cook;  Haul  away,  Joe;  The  drunken  sailor; 
A-rovin;  Low  lands;  Shenandoah;  Rio  Grande.  SC;  RCAO,  Shaw, 
V  LM  1168. 

Warren,  chief  baritone  of  the  Metropolitan,  is  at  his  most  charac- 
teristic in  the  operatic  program,  although  the  recordings  date  back 
to  the  days  before  LP.  It  is  altogether  possible  that  an  impres- 
sion of  rushed  tempos  may  be  owing  to  the  need,  when  the  re- 
cordings were  made,  for  getting  each  aria  into  the  time  limit.  The 
sea  shanties  are  designed  obviously  for  a  quick  success  on  the 
radio,  for  they  are  sung  lustily  in  a  cultured  voice  apparently  out 
slumming,  but  assisted  by  a  virtuoso  chorus  and  a  carefully 
planned  orchestra.  The  Kipling  songs  are  mostly  popular  favor- 
ites, all  sung  in  the  best  he-man  tradition,  and  all  provided  with 
orchestrations  by  conductor  Frank  Black. 

THE    WELCH   CHORALE   (James  B.  Welch) 

MOTETS  OF  THE  FIFTEENTH  AND  SIXTEENTH  CENTURIES,  WITH 
EASTER   THEMES:  Gloria  (Dufay);  Ave  verum  (Josquin  des  Pres);  0 
salutaris    hostia   (de    la   Rue);    Quam  pulchra   es    (Dunstable);   Super 
flumina  Babylonis  (Palestrina);  Tantum  ergo  (Victoria);  Tu  es  Petrus 
(Palestrina);    Confirma  hoc   Deus   (Byrd);  Beata  viscera  (Byrd);  Ado- 
ramus   Te  (Rosselli);  Tenebrae  factae  sunt  (Ingegneri);  Vere  languoris 
(Victoria);    Sicut   cervus    (Palestrina);    Crucifixus    (Lotti);    Haec    dies 
(Palestrina);  Haec  dies  (Byrd);  Regina  coeli  (Aichinger).    Ly  LL  52. 
This  recital  contains  some  of  the  best  singing  we  have  had  from 
the    Welch   Chorale.      The    varied   program   includes   several  rare 
items    by   composers    poorly  represented   on   the    lists,    and   such 
famous  pieces  as  the  magnificent  Lotti  Crucifixus  and  the  Pales- 
trina Sicut  cervus,  which  have  not  recently  been  available.     The 
Dufay   Gloria,   incidentally,  will  be  recognized  as  the   one  with 
trumpets   included  in  the   old   "Two  Thousand  Years  of  Music." 
There   is  a  suppleness  about  this  singing  which  has  not  always 
characterized   the   performing  group,   and   they  prove  their  ability 
to  build  up  a  climax  from  nothing.     The  recording  is  good,  though 
the  tone  is  slightly  veiled. 


Welltch/Wllliams  379 

VtELITCH,    LJUBA,    soprano 

I  grieve;  The  miller  (Dargomizhski);  Star,  tell  me  (Mussorgsky);  Hat 
dich  die  Liebe  beruhrt;  Valse  de  Chopin  (Marx);  Die  Nacht;  C'dcilie 
(Strauss).  Ulanowsky,  pf,  10"  C  ML  2118.  (*Mozart:  Don  Giovanni — 
Arias). 

Pique  Dame — Es  muss  am  Fenster  lehnen;  Es  geht  auf  Mitternacht 
(Tchaikovsky);  Die  Dubarry — Ich  schenk  me  in  Herz  (Millocker- 
Makeben);  Lied  und  Czardas;  Die  lustige  Witwe — Vilialied;  Der 
Zarewitsch — Einer  wird  kommen  (Lehar);  Un  Ballo  in  Maschera — Ma 
dalV  arrido  stelo  divulsa;  Mono,  ma  prima  in  grazia.  VSO,  M  or  alt, 
L  LLP  69. 

Salome — Final  Scene;  Eugene  Onegin — Letter  Scene;  Tosca — Love 
Duet;  Vissi  d'arte  (with  Tucker,  t);  Die  Fledermaus — Czardas;  Der 
Zigeunerbaron — Habet  acht.  MOO,  Reiner,  Rudolf;  PHI,  Susskind, 
C  ML  4795. 

Welitch,  the  sensational  Salome,  is,  for  better  or  for  worse,  an 
operatic  personality.  The  voice  is  of  peculiar  quality,  rather 
thin  and  acidulous,  but  it  is  expressive,  and  she  loads  it  with 
meaning.  Surprisingly  enough,  the  little  song  recital  is  highly 
effective.  The  Russian  songs,  sung  in  the  original,  have  a  nice 
line,  and  she  builds  a  tremendous  climax  in  the  Marx.  The  London 
recital  is  also  very  fine;  the  Ballo  in  Maschera  arias  have  not 
been  better  sung  in  recent  years;  the  operetta  numbers  reveal 
another  facet  of  the  singer's  art.  A  popular-priced  edition  is  also 
issued,  including  on  a  10"  disc  the  Ballo  in  Maschera  and  Pique 
Dame  selections  (L  LD  9041).  Columbia  has  doubled  up  what 
used  to  be  two  10"  discs,  the  superb  Salome  finale,  the  fine 
Eugene  Onegin,  and  the  rest.  The  two  Johann  Strauss  bits  have 
a  spirit  that  is  missing  from  the  English  versions  we  have  be- 
come used  to. 

W/LL/AMS,    CAMILLA,    soprano 

Beau  Soir  (Debussy);  Crepuscolo;  Pioggia  (Respighi);  Si  tu  le  veux 
(Koechlin);  Se  tu  m' ami  (Malipiero);  Eglogue  (Delibes);  Que  I'heure 
°st  done  breve  (Delibes);  Yarmouth  Fair  (Warlock);  When  I  bring  to  you 
color'd  toys  (Carpenter);  The  K'e  (Dougherty).  Bazala,  pf,  10" 
MGME  140. 
SPIRITUALS:  Hold  on;  Poor  me;  On  ma  journey;  Talk  about  a  child; 


Williams/Yale  380 

His   name  so  sweet;   When  I've  done;  City  called  heaven;  Oh  what  a 

beautiful  city.    Bazala,  pf,  10"  MGM  E  156. 

Camilla  Williams  has  made  her  reputation  chiefly  as  an  exponent 
of  Madama  Butterfly.  Her  clear,  and  high  soprano  is  well  suited 
to  Puccini's  melodies,  and  she  has  an  appealing  sense  of  the 
theater.  Her  recital  shows  that  she  is  not  confined  to  this  opera. 
Strangely,  she  is  least  convincing  in  the  English  songs,  for  her 
diction  is  not  of  the  best.  The  French  songs  are  creditable 
enough,  but  in  the  Italian  group  she  achieves  distinction.  Her 
second  disc  is  a  program  of  spirituals,  simply  and  beautifully 
sung. 

YALE    DIVINITY   SCHOOL    CHOIR    (James  Borden) 

HYMNS  OF  PRAISE:  Iste  confessor  (Plainchant);  Now  let  every  tongue 
adore  Thee;  Hosanna  to  the  living  Lord  (Bach);  SIXTEENTH  CEN- 
TURY POLYPHONY:  Call  to  remembrance  (F arrant);  Ave  verum 
(Josquin  des  Pres);  Repleti  sunt  (Gallus);  Cantate  Domino  (Hassler); 
EARLY  AMERICAN  MUSIC:  Wake  every  breath  (Billings);  0  God,  to 
rescue  mee  (Bay  Psalm  Book);  Glorious  things  (Southern  Harmony); 
RUSSIAN  CHURCH  MUSIC:  Credo  (Gretchaninoff);  Salvation  belongeth 
to  our  God  (Tchesnokov);  Glory  be  to  God  (Rachmaninoff);  Nunc 
dimittis  (Gretchaninoff);  THREE  PSALMS  BY  CONTEMPORARY 
AMERICANS:  Psalm  123;  Psalm  136  (Thomson);  Psalm  8  (Stark). 
Ov  LP  2. 

We  are  told  in  the  jacket  notes  that  this  is  a  strictly  nonprofes- 
sional job  by  a  group  of  divinity  students  filled  with  zeal  to 
better  the  common  choral  repertpire  of  our  churches.  They  sing 
for  the  most  part  in  good,  easily  understandable  English,  and  in 
in  a  remarkably  relaxed  and  straightforward  style.  They  are  at 
their  best  in  such  quietly  sonorous  pieces  as  the  Farrant  and  the 
Josquin,  but  hardly  less  impressive  in  the  starker,  more  elemental 
early  American  numbers  (these  latter  simply  and  effectively  ar- 
ranged by  Luther  Noss).  The  Gallus  piece  is  more  taxing,  not 
quite  so  satisfactorily  balanced.  The  Russian  offerings  are 
effective  in  their  way,  though  I  was  conscious  in  listening  to  the 
Credo  that  it  is  all  too  obviously  translated  music.  The  three 
American  psalms  make  an  interesting  contrast:  Virgil  Thomson's 
sparse  settings  are  not  without  relationship  to  the  Billings. 


Zenatello  381 

ZENATELLO,    GIOVANNI,    tenor 

Otello — Esultate;  Ora  e  per  sempre  addio;  Si,  pel  ciel  (with  Granforte, 
b);  Dio!  mi  potevi  scagliar;  Niun  mi  tema;  Vieni  (Denza);  Manon 
Lescaut — No!  pazzo  son!  guardate;  La  Boheme — Act  1  Duet  (with 
Sammarco,  b);  Pagliacci — Un  tal  gioco;  Traviata — Dei  miei  bollenti 
spiriti.    Et  705. 

A  record  like  this  would  have  greater  value  if  it  contained  some 
information  as  to  recording  dates.  The  first  side,  devoted  to 
Zenatello's  famous  role  of  Otello,  is  alternately  electric  and 
acoustic  recording,  apparently  late  acoustic.  In  his  later  records, 
a  certain  vocal  stiffness  is  characteristic,  not  enough  to  obscure 
the  great  dramatic  singer's  art,  but  distinctly  noticeable.  For  all 
that,  the  first  entrance  of  Otello  is  splendidly  declaimed,  though 
the  wonderful  choral  build-up  is  somewhat  muffled  in  reproduc- 
tion. "Ora  e  per  sempre,"  acoustically  recorded,  is  tremendous, 
and  the  big  duet  with  Granforte  is  thrilling.  Both  "Dio!  mi  potevi" 
and  the  Death  Scene  are  acoustics,  and  a  little  less  wonderful 
than  the  studio  recordings  he  made  electrically  for  Victor.  Ap- 
parently everything  on  the  other  side  comes  from  the  1906 
Fonotipia  series,  and  here  the  voice  is  in  its  full  glory.  The 
Denza  song  is  very  openly  sung,  with  no  attempt  at  shading,  but 
plenty  of  ringing  tone.  The  Manon  Lescaut,  piano-accompanied, 
is  superb,  as  is  the  Pagliacci  piece. 


INDEX  OF  PERFORMERS 

(*  indicates  mention  only  in  text) 


Abdoun,  Georges,  136 

Abravanel,  Maurice,  73,  107,  178,  200, 

364 
Ackermann,  Otto,  131,  146,  235,  240,  284 
Adam,  Theo,  118 
Addison,  Adele,  24,  242 
Adler,  Ellen,  214 

Adler,  F.  Charles,  3,  83,  139*.  337 
Agosti,  Guido,  52,  73,  86,  173,  224,  239, 

288,  311 
Agozzino,  Rina,  47 
Agroff,  Nicolas,  175 
Ahlersmeyer,  Matthieu,  97,  259 
Aimaro,  Lina,  76 
Alarie,  Pierrette,  85 
Albanese,  Francesco,  263 
Albanese,  Licia,  44,  45*,  134*,  187, 

188*.  263 
Alberghetti,  Anna  Maria,  148 
Albersheim,  Gerhard,  213 
Aldenhoff,  Bernd,  272,  284 
Alessandrini,  Lilia,  207 
Alessandro,  Victor,  71 
Alessi,  Giovanni  d',  90,  91,  3  74 
Allen,  Chet,  147 
Althouse,  Paul,  212 
Amade,  Raymond,  198 
Amadini,  Maria,  151,  154,  183,  209,  267, 

268 
Amaducci,  Bruno,  68 
Amara,  Lucine,  132 
Amato,  Pasquale,  37*.  184*,  254,  294 
Amerighi-Rutili,  Vera,  37* 
Anday,  Rosette,  159,  204,  233 
Anders,  Peter,  88,  166,  187*,  211,  225 
Anderson,  Marian,  13*.  26,  50,  106*.  129, 

219, 224*.  250,  294 
Anderson,  Robert  B.,  344* 
Andrade,  Francesco  d',  169 
Andresen,  Ivar,  276 
Angeles,  Victoria  de  los,  84,  98,  132, 

204,  295 
Angelici,  Martha,  44,  64,  85,  98,  148, 

149,  183,  199 
Angelis,  Angela  de,  339 
Angelis,  Nazzareno  de,  46 
Anselmi,  Giuseppe,  114,  316 
Ansermet,  Ernest,  71,  200,  241 
Anthony,  Charles,  196 
Anthony,  Trevor,  107,  111 
Antonicelli,  Giuseppe,  187 
Antonova,  Elizaveta,  202,  245 
Arangi-Lombardi,  Giannina,  46,  253 
Archimbaud,  Jean,  64 
Argenta,  Ataulfo,  83 
Arie,  E.,  62 

Arie,  Raphael,  78,  175*,  187,  255*.  297 
Arimondi,  Vittorio,  99* 
Arkor,  Andre  d',  248* 
Armbruster,  Robert,  372 
Arndt-Ober,  Margarete,  see  Ober 
Arthur,  Beatrice,  286 
Augenstein,  Anna  Maria,  58,  136,  181 
Ausensi,  Manuel,  83 
Avery,  Lawrence,  194 
Ayars,  Anne,  96,  177 

Baccaloni,  Salvatore,  161,  187,  204,  253 
Bacquier,  Gabriel,  42 


Bader,  Helene,  285 

Badini,  Ernesto,  149,  207,  339* 

Badioli,  Carlo,  189 

Baillie,  Isobel,  107,  145 

Baird,  Patricia,  91 

Bak,  Valerie,  114*,  159,  166 

Bakala,  Brestislav,  126 

Baker,  George,  244 

Baklanoff,  Georges,  184* 

Balaban,  Emanuel,  148 

Baldassare-Tedeschi,  Giuseppina,  144 

Bales,  Richard,  172 

Balogh,  Erno,  333 

Bampton,  Rose,  32,  212 

Banham,  P.R.,  306 

Bannister,  Georgiana,  103 

Barab,  Seymour,  28 

Barabas,  Sari,  233 

Barber,  Samuel,  29* 

Barbieri,  Fedora,  183,  251,  254,  264,  298 

Baroni,  Giuseppe,  191 

Barritt,  George,  106 

Barsova,  Valeria  Vladimirovna,  95 

Bartolucci,  Dominic,  183 

Basile,  Arturo,  92,  142,  151,  188 

Basiola,  Mario,  132,  188 

Bassi,  Anna  Masetti,  261 

Bath,  John,  60 

Batic,  Polly,  115,  129 

Battistini,  Mattia,  37*,  77,  78*.  207,  298 

Baturin,  Aleksandr  Iosifovich,  246 

Baum,  Kurt,  264,  272* 

Bauman,  Mordecai,  164 

Baumer,  Margarete,  235,  276 

Bazala,  Borislav,  3  79,  380 

Beardslee,  Bethanie,  39,  285 

Beaven,  John, 104*,  228 

Bechert,  Marie-Luise,  58,  59 

Bechi,  Gino,  92,  142,  204,  253,  254 

Beecham,  Sir  Thomas,  42,  75,  98,  107, 

165,  177,  234,  259* 
Beems,  Patricia,  85 
Behr,  Jan,  34,  348 
Beilke,  Irma,  3,  176,  233,  284 
Bellezza,  Vincenzo,  263,  305 
Ben  Sedira,  Le'ila,  71 
Bennett,  Brenda,  244 
Benoit,  Jean-Christophe,  95 
Benzell,  Mimi,  187 
Berchman,  Lily,  297 
Berdini,  Amedeo,  151,  211,  255 
Berens,  Fritz,  51 
Bergamaschi,  E.,  144 
Berger,  Anni,  115 
Berger,  Erna,  52,  74*,  88,  96,  124,  165, 

177,  219,  238,  261,  299 
Berger,  Rudolf,  150 
Bergonzi,  Carlo,  132,  262 
Berling,  W.,  225 

Bernac,  Pierre,  63*.  185,  223,  366* 
Bernard,  Anthony,  11 
Bernstein,  Leonard,  175,  201 
Berry,  Walter,  6,  11,  23,  24,  31,  116,  120, 

156,  157,  160,  215,  216,  227,  245 
Bertocci,  Aldo,  258 
Besma,  Piero,  62,  203,  205,  206 
Bettendorf,  Emmy,  100*.  269*.  271* 
Betti,  Freda,  95 
Bettoni,  Vincenzo,  207 


Index  of  Performers 


11 


Beyle,  Leon,  77 

Bialas,  Irmgard,  106 

Bianchini,  Alfredo,  182,  209,  268 

Bianco,  Rene,  248 

Bible,  Frances,  99* 

Bigot,  Eugene,  63 

Biller,  Ruth,  89 

Binci,  Mario,  259 

Bispham,  David,  114 

Bjoerling,  Jussi,  132,  142,  255,  264,  299 

Bjoerling,  Sigurd,  274 

Black,  Frank,  378 

Blaffard,  Amilcare,  68 

Blancard,  Jacqueline,  72,  87 

Blanchard,  Ramon,  149 

Bland,  Elsa,  97,  149 

Blare au,  Richard,  247 

Blatter,  Johanna,  279* 

Bleiberg,  Martha,  121 

Bloecher,  Charlotte,  226,  227 

Boardman,  Reginald,  324 

Boatwright,  Helen,  59 

Boatwright,  Howard,  59,  210 

Bockelmann,  Rudolf,  276 

Bodanzky,  Artur,  123* 

Boehm,  Andreas,  270 

Boepple,  Paul,  21,  126,  130,  137,  184, 

313 
Boerner,  Charlotte,  39 
BShm,  Karl,  32,  170,  259,  272,  313 
Bohme,  Kurt,  176*.  230,  235,  270,  272, 

284,  287 
Bohnen,  Michael,  99*,  269*,  281,  284 
Bollinger,  Anne,  150 
Bolshkov,  Georgi,  246 
Bonci,  Alessandro,  77,  78*,  99*.  134, 

300,  317 
Bond,  Dorothy,  15,  177 
Boninsegna,  Celestina,  37*,  184*,  301 
Bonneau,  Jacqueline,  63,  73,  81,  101, 

103,  201,  222,  223,  289,  331,  366 
Borden,  James,  210,  380 
Borg,  Kim,  252* 
Borgioli,  Armando,  189,  253 
Borgioli,  Dino,  204,  261 
Bori,  Lucrezia,  84*,  170*,  323,  373* 
Boriello,  Mario,  161 
Borogonovo,  Luigi,  67 
Borthayre,  Jean,  45,  74,  98,  254 
Bos,  Coenraad  V.,  35,  51 
Bosch,  Ruthilde,  233 
Bothwell,  Mary,  288 
Boulanger,  Nadia,  65,  153,  198,  301 
Boult,  Sir  Adrian,  26,  107,  114,  140,  282 
Bout,  Ernest,  199 

Bourdin,  Roger,  98,  144,  145,  177,  322* 
Bourmauck,  E.,  85 
Bouvier,  Helene,  41,  71,  208 
Bovy,  Vina,  177 
Boyce,  Bruce,  75,  112,  153 
Brain,  Dennis,  57 
Brainerd,  Joan,  86*,  226 
Braithwaite,  Warwick,  102,  311 
Brannigan,  Owen,  107 
Branzell,  Karin,  150,  271*.  303 
Braschi,  Achille,  142 
Braslau,  Sophie,  303* 
Braun,  Hans,  4,  10,  12,  14,  116,  119,  122, 

157,  179,  233,  234,  237 
Braun,  Helena,  270 
Braun,  Otto,  361 


Breisach,  Paul,  170,  360,  364 

Breitschopf,  Hans,  158 

Brenn,  Friedrich,  376 

Bressler,  Charles,  46* 

Breviario,  Giovanni,  35 

Brice,  Carol,  26,  140,  303 

Brice,  Jonathan,  89,  225,  290,  303,  344 

Brock,  Karl,  89 

Brohly,  Suzanne,  77 

Brough,  George,  122* 

Brown,  Anne,  91* 

Brown,  Roy  F.,  296 

Browning,  Lucielle,  188* 

Brownlee,  John,  124,  161,  195 

Brueckner-Rueggeberg,  Friedrich,  111, 

155 
Bruna  Rasa,  Lina,  142 
Briinner,  Richard,  159 
Bruscantini,  Sesto,  68,  76,  78,  88,  151, 

163,  182,  258 
Buchsbaum,  Harold,  24,  25,  215 
Burgin,  Richard,  57 
Burgsthaler-Schuster,  Gertrud,  19,  157 
Burrows,  Arthur,  242 
Busch,  Fritz,  161,  163,  217*,  278* 

Cabanel,  Paul,  40,  71,  208 

Cahier,  Mme  Charles,  141 

Cahn,  Marie  Therese,  136 

Calder,  Crane,  288 

Callas,  Maria  Meneghini,  35,  37,  78,  142, 

183,  189,  263 
Callaway,  Paul,  55,  60 
Calma,  Vittoria,  94 
Calve',  Emma,  323,  373* 
Cambon,  Charles,  100,  208 
Cameron,  Francis,  91 
Cameron,  John,  306 
Camillucci,  Guido,  250,  266 
Campagnano,  Vasco,  188,  189 
Campagnola,  Leon,  99* 
Campora,  Giuseppe,  184,  188,  189,  257 
Canali,  Anna  Maria,  256,  292 
Caniglia,  Maria,  92,  94,  189,  251,  253, 

254,  255,  257,  292 
Cannetti,  Linda,  143 
Capdevielle,  Pierre,  136 
Cape,  Safford,  60,  80,  127,  296,  328,  355 
Capecchi,  Renato,  76,  151,  206,  258 
Capsir,  Mercedes,  204,  261 
Capuana,  Franco,  38,  46,  78,  191 
Capuana,  Maria,  253 
Caracciolo,  Franco,  227,  231 
Carbi,  Claudia,  153,  154 
Carell,  Carlheinz,  233 
Carley,  Marion,  288 
Carlin,  Mario,  154,  291 
Carlton,  Jean,  147 
Carmine,  Arline,  241,  243 
Carne,  Victor,  218 
Carosio,  Margherita,  76*,  76,  147 
Carpenter,  Anne-Marie,  209 
Carringer,  Walter,  159 
Carter,  Sara,  304 

Carteri,  Rosanna,  187,  191,  206,  256 
Caruso,  Enrico,  99*.  104*,  134*.  254*, 

300*,  304,  305, 339*,  373* 
Casadesus,  Robert,  223 
Cass,  Lee,  226 
Cassel,  Walter,  99* 
Catalani,  Nestore,  75,  203,  205,  206 


Index  of  Performers 


111 


Cavallari,  Rina,  184 

Cavalluci,  Ralph,  89 

Cavelti,  Elsa,  19,  140 

Cebotari,  Maria,  187*.  189*,  234,  238*, 

263,  374* 

Cellini,  Renato,  79*,  132,  142,  255,  261, 

264,  344,  350,  369 
Cerdan,  Joaquin,  99* 
Cernay,  Germaine,  71,  248* 
Ceska,  Hilde,  19,  58 

Chabay,  Leslie,  24,  29,  104,  129,  150 
Chaliapin,  Feodor,  46*,  47*,  70*.  98*, 

174*.  205*.  305,  306,  307*,  33  7*,  373* 
Chanaka,  Anthony,  323 
Charney,  Eudice,  121 
Charnley,  Milne,  48,  360 
Charpak,  Andre',  42 
Chelsi,  Lawrence,  103,  119,  178,  194 
Chessid,  Herman,  80,  195 
Chiasson,  Claude  Jean,  295,  309 
Christ,  Rudolf,  129,  156,  231 
Christoff,  Boris,  98,  173,  306 
Ciannella,  Yvonne,  159,  215 
Cigna,  Gina,  35,  184*,  191 
Cimara,  Pietro,  170,  207,  337 
Civil,  Pablo,  84 
Clabassi,  Plinio,  227 
Clement,  Edmond,  317* 
Cleva,  Fausto,  98,  132,  142,  192,  260, 

265,  347,  351,  360 
Clinton,  Gordon,  46 

Cluytens,  Andre,  41,  44,  85,  98,  177, 

185,  200 
Coates,  Albert,  20* 
Cocteau,  Jean,  242 
Cohen,  Elie,  61,  144 
Colasanti,  Irma,  141,  261 
Collard,  Andre,  86,  151 
Collard,  Janine,  43,  70,  123 
Collart,  Claudine,  64,  74,  95,  100,  136, 

178 
Collins,  Joseph,  173 
Colombo,  Scipione,  76,  94,  189,  258 
Colzani,  Anselmo,  78,  184,  257 
Compinsky,  Manuel,  249 
Conati,  Lorenzo,  76,  189 
Conca,  Giuseppe,  160 
Conley,  Eugene,  31,  98,  243 
Conner,  Nadine,  124 
Conrad,  Doda,  65,  198,  210,  302 
Copland,  Aaron,  69 
Corena,  Fernando,  68,  76,  77*.  163,  166, 

184,  189,  257,  291,  308 
Cornman,  Robert,  366 
Corradetti,  Ferruccio,  92,  301*,  338 
Corridori,  Anita,  183 
Cortis,  Antonio,  192* 
Cortis,  Marcello,  145,  151,  268 
Cortot,  Alfred,  73,  223,  349* 
Cotlow,  Marilyn,  148 
Couraud,  Marcel,  152 
Craft,  Robert,  241,  243 
Craig,  Charles,  75 
Craner,  Jane,  110 
Crimi,  Giulio,  357 

Cristinelli,  Emilio,  151,  154,  267,  268 
Croiza,  Claire,  71 
Cuenod,  Hugues,  6,  7,  12,  25,  27*,  70, 

72,  80*,  86,  87,  100,  156,  165,  199,  228, 

241,  309 
Cunitz,  Maud,  58,  234,  270*.  270,  284,  292 


Curtin,  Phyllis,  18,  194,  241,  310 
Curtis,  Josephine,  244 

Dachery,  Lina,  130,  178 

Dalamangas,  Cristiano,  205,  291 

Dalberg,  Friedrich,  272 

Dall'Argine,  Simona,  46,  189 

Dal  Monte,  Toti,  188 

Dalmores,  Charles,  317* 

Danco,  Suzanne,  8,  17,  40,  43,  52,  71, 

73,  86,  173,  200,  201*,  224,  228*,  239, 

288, 310 
Darcy,  Emery,  274 
Dargavel,  Bruce,  177 
Davenport,  Mary,  41 
David,  Cecilia,  104 
David,  Dom  Lucien,  352 
Davidova,  Vera  Aleksandrovna,  202,  246 
Davis,  Eleanor,  194 
Davis,  Eliabelle,  311 
Davis,  Keith,  119 
Del  Cupola,  Federico,  67,  68,  189 
Delille,  Jany,  96 

Delia  Casa,  Lisa,  117,  132,  171,  240 
Deller,  Alfred,  293 
Delmas,  Jean-Francois,  149 
Del  Monaco,  Mario,  132,  142,  193,  253, 

264,  312 
Dolorco,  Radko,  31 
Del  Ry,  Nazzareno,  301 
Demasse,  Max,  320 
Demessieux,  Jeanne,  311 
Demigny,  Bernard,  85,  95,  165,  177,  198 
Demoulin,  M.,  248* 
Demuth,  Leopold,  3*,  207 
Dens,  Michel,  44,  130,  148,  183 
De  Paur,  Leonard,  312 
Derenne,  Paul,  65,  198,  200,  302 
Dermota,  Anton,  10,  12,  19,  129,  140, 

165,  170,  204,  217,  232,  235,  237,  272, 

313 
Dermota,  Hilde,  217,  313 
Desmazures,  Charlotte,  175 
Desmond,  Astra,  224* 
Desormiere,  Roger,  71,  198 
Dessy,  Deva,  177 
Destinn,  Emmy,  313,  373* 
Devos,  Claude,  177,  178 
Didier,  Maurice,  85 
Didur,  Adamo,  46*,  104*,  314 
Dixon,  Dean,  216 
Djerzhinskaya,  Klavdya,  246 
Dobbs,  Mattiwilda,  45,  103*,  165,  315 
Dobrindt,  Otto,  126,  132,  176,  233 
Dobrowen,  Issay,  173,  278*,  307 
Dodd,  Margaret,  356 
Doehrer,  Hans,  284 
Dolmetsch  Family,  328 
Dolokhanova,  Zara,  186 
Domgraf-Fassbander,  Willy,  161,  163 
Dominguez,  Oralia,  252* 
Dominici,  Ernesto,  261 
Donati,  Bruno,  132 
Doom,  Dora  van,  104,  112,  113 
Dorati,  Antal,  128* 
Doria,  Rene*e,  177 
Dow,  Dorothy,  213 
Drager,  Eva,  6,  14 
Dran,  Andre\  177,  178,  200 
Duarte,  Esther  Lucretia,  82 
Dubois,  Gaston,  149 


Index  of  Performers 


IV 


Dufranne,  Hector,  71 

Duncan,  Todd,  91* 

Dupont,  Suzanne,  85 

Durufle,  Maurice,  158,  296 

Dutoit,  Laurence,  23,  25,  146,  215,  216 

Duval,  Denise,  185,  200,  212 

Duvernoy,  Achille,  137 

Eames,  Emma,  323,  357* 

Eby,  James,  15,  195 

Edelmann,  Otto,  32,  233,  279,  316 

Ederle,  Nino,  207 

Eipperle,  Trudi,  118 

Eisinger,  Irene,  160 

Elizza.Elise,   97 

Ellsperman,  Jean,  194 

Elman,  Mischa,  304 

Elmendorff,  Karl,  3,  97,  276,  287 

Elmo,  Cloe,  184*.  256 

Eisner,  Herma,  17 

Elsta,  Fanny,  58 

Endich,  Sara  Mae,  127 

Engel,  Lehman,  91,  111,  131,  148,  377 

Engen,  Keith,  117 

Ephrikian,  Angelo,  151,  153*.  154,  210, 

267,  268 
Equiluz,  Kurt,  3,  11,  23,  25,  116,  215 
Erb,  Karl,  26*.  200,  287 
Erede,  Alberto,  100,  132,  166,  167,  187, 

188,  189,  193,  253,  264,  297,  308,  310, 

312 
Erlendson,  William  J.,  69,  360 
Escolais,  Leon,  207,  317 
Etcheverry,  H.,  71 
Eustrati,  Diana,  17 

Fabritiis,  Olivero  de,  92,  188,  189 

Fait,  Renato,  154,  341 

Falkner,  Keith,  104 

Falvay,  Otto,  126 

Fancourt,  Darrell,  244 

Farrar,  Geraldine,  99*,  323 

Farrell,  Eileen,  39,  282 

Fassbender-Luz,  Claire,  6,  13,  14,  16 

Faticanti,  Edoardo,  76 

Faulhaber,  Werner,  272* 

Faull,  Ellen,  183 

Faure,  Maurice,  87,  322 

Favero,  Mafalda,  46,  67 

Fehenberger,  Lorenz,  3,  58,  204,  270 

Fehringer,  Franz,  105,  112,  285 

Fekete,  Zoltan,  138,  139,  141,  168 

Felbermayer,  Anny,  4*.  6,  10,  14,  17,  53, 

55*.  82,  117,  119,  124,  138,  239 
Fendler,  Edvard,  185 
Fenn,  Jean,  100*,  247 
Feraldy,  Germaine,  96,  144 
Ferrein,  Giuliano,  62,  151,  154,  230, 

267,  268 
Ferrier,  Kathleen,  6,  9,  26*,  50,  51,  53, 

96,  108*.  114,  139,  140,  224,  318 
Ferrigno,  Rita,  231 
Feyerabend,  Johannes,  18,  19 
Field-Hyde,  Margaret,  46 
Filacuridi,  Nicola,  67,  227 
Filippeschi,  Mario,  35,  206,  253 
Finzi-Magrini,  Giuseppina,  38* 
Fischer,  Edwin,  221 
Fischer,  Lore,  7,  11,  12,  23,  159 
Fischer-Dieskau,  Dietrich,  4*,  5,  9,  11, 

33,  51,  217,  276, 319 


Flagstad,  Kirsten,  102,  193,  224,  272*, 
273*.  275,  276,  278*.  282*,  320 

Fleetwood,  James,  151 

Fleig,  Fia,  96 

Fleischer,  Eva,  283 

Fiery,  Mirella,  231 

Fogelson,  Florence,  184* 

Foggin,  Myers,  175 

Formichi,  Cesare,  92 

Foster,  Norman,  10, 14 

Fourestier,  Louis,  208 

Fournet,  Jean,  40,  42,  70,  85 

Fournier,  Louis,  63 

Franc illo-Kaufmann,  Hedwig,  362 

Francoulon,  Erika,  212 

Franke,  Paul,  133*,  243* 

Frantz,  Ferdinand,  204,  235,  270,  272 

Franz,  Ballasch,  157 

Franz,  Paul,  317 

Frederiksen,  Kurt,  115 

Freil,  Suzanne,  14 

Freitas-Branco,  Pedro  de,  83 

Freitkov,  B.,  203 

Friant,  Charles,  317 

Frick,  Gottlob,  3,  32,  81,  97,  270,  276, 
287 

Fricsay,  Ferenc,  118,  241,  252*,  269 

Friedmann,  Gerard,  136 

Friedrich,  Karl,  233 

Frijsh,  Povla,  82*,  201* 

Frosini,  Mario  258 

Fuchs,  Eugen,  272 

Fuchs,  Helen,  247 

Fuchs,  Marta,  83,  240*,  287 

Funk,  Leni,  132 

Furtwangler,  Wilhelm,  32,  275,  276 

Gadski,  Johanna,  254*,  281,  294* 

Gaehwiller,  Sylvia,  111,  155 

Gaggi,  Albino,  62,  259 

Gajard,  Dom  G.,  352 

Galjour,  Warren,  185,  243,  283 

Galli-Curci,  Amelita,  350,  373* 

Galliera,  Alceo,  321 

Gallino,  Cesare,  369 

Gallo,  Gustavo,  258 

Garbin,  Edoardo,  359 

Garden,  Mary,  323 

Gardino,  Jolanda,  163 

Gari,  Giulio,  254 

Garvey,  David,  210 

Gassner,  Albert,  120 

Gatti,  Gabriella,  163,  259 

Gavarini,  Renato,  230 

Gavazzi,  Carla,  67,  132,  188 

Gavozzeni,  Gianandrea,  76 

Gedda,  Nicolai,  19,  78*,  98,  131,  173,  321 

Geisler,  Lloyd,  106* 

Gellhorn,  Peter,  8 

Gentile,  Giuseppe,  75,  205,  206 

Geori-Boue,  Mme,  98,  144,  177,  322 

Gerelli,  Ennio,  62,  68,  141,  153,  206,  268 

Gerhardt,  Elena,  53*,  154*,  218* 

Gerron,  Kurt,  286 

Gesell,  Morris,  213* 

Gherlinzoni,  E.,  38* 

Ghiglia,  Erasmus,  132,  261,  351 

Ghione,  Franco,  132,  142,  191,  312 

Giancola,  Rosanna,  151,  154,  210,  267, 

268 
Giannini,  Dusolina,  253* 


Index  of  Performers 


Giannotti,  Armando,  64 

Giebel,  Agnes,  6,  7,  9,  21,  113,  164 

Gielen,  Michael,  13,  14,  27 

Giesen,  Hubert,  218 

Gifford,  Eleanore,  157 

Gigli,  Beniamino,  92,  132,  142,  188,  189, 

251,  253,  254,  254*,  369 
Gilardoni,  Angelo,  94 
Gilibert,  Mme  Charles,  99* 
Gilion,  Mario,  36*,  207 
Gillesberger,  Hans,  115,  116,  119,  157 
Giordano,  Adalgisa,  267 
Giovanetti,  Julien,  44 
Giraudeau,  Jean,  41,  43,  64,  144,  156, 

185,  200 
Giulini,  Carlo  Maria,  66,  95,  211 
Glaz,  Herta,  35,  53,  150,  219,  225,  278* 
Gloria,  Sarita,  323 
Gobbi,  Tito,  76,  78,  189 
Goberman,  Max,  181 
Godfrey,  Isidore,  244 
Godlewska,  Janina,  253 
Goehr,  Walter,  29,  33,  106,  111,  155 
Golovanov,  Nicolai,  173,  196,  203 
Goltz,  Christel,  33*.  235,  237 
Go'mez,  Rosario,  84 
Gonzalo,  Chano,  83 
Goossens,  Eugene,  56,  57 
Gordon,  Edith,  164 
Gouarne,  Denise,  83 
Graarud,  Gunnar,  276 
Grabner,  Herbert,  157 
Graef,  Victor,  33,  53,  54,  82,  138,  239 
Graf,  Herbert,  267 
Graf,  Uta,  146,  224 
Gramm,  Donald,  40,  41 
Grandi,  Margherita,  177,  259* 
Granforte,  Apollo,  143,  381 
Grassi,  Rinaldo,  99* 
Graunke,  Kurt,  166 
Greeley,  George,  82,  102 
Green,  Martyn,  244,  245 
Greenberg,  Noah,  28,  46,  156,  195,  346 
Greenslade,  Hubert,  311 
Greindl,  Josef,  88,  118,  134,  159,  164, 

269,  270,  273,  275,  276, 
Greissle,  Jacqueline,  125,  202 
Gressier,  Jules,  130,  148,  149,  177,  178, 

183 
Grey,  Madeleine,  61,  201*.  331* 
Griffeth,  Richard,  110 
Grischkat,  Hans,  4*.  5,  6,  8,  13,  14,  16, 
17,  18,  21,  23*,  58,  59,  105,  136,  226, 
227,  267 

Grob-Prandl,  Gertrud,  161,  162,  191 
Groh,  Herbert  Ernst,  132,  176,  233 

Groschel,  Gerhard,  19 

Grosskurth,  Kurt,  292 

Grossmann,  Ferdinand,  21,  23,  24,  25, 
57,  116,  125,  146,  157,  215,  216,  226, 
376 

Groth,  Barbara,  59 

Gruber,  Ferry,  23, 

Gruen,  John,  103 

Griimmer,  Elisabeth,  124,  246 

Gruner-Hegge,  Odd,  101 

Guarnieri,  Antonio,  292 

Guarrera,  Frank,  98,  142,  161,  257*,  260 

Gueden,  Hilde,  119,  159,  167,  171*,  187, 
232,  235,  240,  243,  262*.  272 


Guerrini,  Adriana,  189,  257,  263 
Guerrini,  Virginia,  37* 
Gui,  Vittorio,  35,  118*.  253 
Guilleaume,  Margot,  4*,  8,  58,  59,  153*, 

162,  164 
Gummer,  Paul,  24 
Giinther,  Horst,  23,  136 

Haas,  Karl,  15 
Haas,  Robert,  331 
Hackett,  Charles,  353 
Haefner,  Herbert,  38,  138,  214 
Haeusslin,  Hans  Willi,  134,  146,  175,  218, 

247 
Hafliger,  Ernst,  10,  19,  110,  159 
Hagner,  Walter,  112,  120 
Hague,  Carl,  324 
Halasz,  Laszlo,  99* 
Halban,  Desi,  139 
Halffter,  Ernesto,  83,  84 
Hambro,  Leonid,  150 
Hanaiev,  Nicolai,  246 
Handt,  Herbert,  111,  116,  120,  157,  161, 

162 
Hann,  Georg,  58,  118,  134,  176,  269, 

284,  287 
Hansel,  Katherine,  106,  124,  173 
Hanson,  Howard,  114,  248 
Harding,  M.,  244 
Harmon,  Robert,  241,  243 
Harnley,  Lesley,  69 
Harper,  Virginia,  195 
Harrell,  Mack,  24,  39,  150,  243,  325 
Harshaw,  Margaret,  142,  275 
Harvey,  Kathryn,  110 
Harvuot,  Clifford,  131,  132 
Hassler,  Erna,  49 
Hauptmann,  Michael,  15,  195 
Hauser,  Sebastian,  230,  233 
Hayes,  Lulu,  298 
Hayes,  Roland,  327 
Hayward,  Thomas,  133* 
Heger,  Robert,  211,  235,  261,  276,  284, 

330 
Heising,  Friedl,  18 
Helbig,  Hedwig,  333 
Helbing,  Maria,  155 
Helletsgruber,  Luise,  160,  161,  163 
Helliwell,  Clifford,  231 
Hellwig,  Judith,  120 
Helm,  Anny,  276 
Hempel,  Frieda,  149 
Hemsley,  Thomas,  193 
Henderson,  Roy,  163 
Hendrick,  John,  132 
Henking,  Bernhard,  110 
Hennecke,  Hildegard,  8,  17,  247 
Heppe,  Leo,  3,  18,  24, 157 
Herbert,  Ralph,  34,  54,  218,  220 
Herbert,  William,  6,  9,  107,  111,  153 
Hermann,  Dagmar,  10,12,  57,  117,  204, 

235,  245 
Hermann,  Harald,  9,  13,  14 
Hermann,  Josef,  287 
Herve,  Jean,  123 
Herz,  Hermann,  164 
Herz,  Otto,  51,  134,  224 
Hesch,  Wilhelm,  97,  104,  169 
Hess,  Herbert,  24 
Hess,  Muriel,  15 


Index  of  Performers 


VI 


Hess,  William,  13,  48,  226,  227,  228,  243 

Heusser,  Hedda,  115,  116,  120,  161 

Hewitt,  Maurice,  198 

Hilgenberg,  Katherine,  9,  13 

Hillis,  Margaret,  242,  308 

Hindemith,  Paul,  22*.  92*.  122,  152*,  307 

Hines,  Jerome,  31 

Hobbs,  Charles  M.,  85 

Hoffgen,  Marga,  19 

Hoffman,  Jean,  200, 

Hoffmann,  Lore,  109,  172 

Hoffmann,  Ludwig,  275 

Hofstatter,  Elfriede,  23,  31,  157,  215,  227 

Hohmann,  Werner,  5,  6,  16,  17,  18,  21, 

136,  162,  164,  226 
Holeschowsky,  Stefanie,  58 
Holetschek,  Franz,  27,  29,  70,  82,  86,  100 

100,  217,  218,  289,  333 
Holland,  Charles,  249 

Hollestelle,  David,  33,  105,  112,  113,  146 
Holley,  Marie-There se,  302 
Holliday,  Robert,  325 
Hollreiser,  Heinrich,  179 
Hollweg.Use,  166*.  167,  238 
Hoist,  Imogen,  293 
Homer,  Louise,  254* 
Hongen,  Elisabeth,  15,  50*,  50,  53,  117, 

122,  224,  235,  259, 278* 
Hopf,  Gertrud,  121,  162 
Hopf,  Hans,  3,  234,  272,  284 
Hoppe,  Karl,  179,  233 
Horenstein,  Jascha,  241 
Home,  William,  34* 
Horst,  Wilhelm,  106 
Horszowski,  Mieczyslaw,  34* 
Hosmer,  Helen  M.,  75 
Hotter,  Hans,  11,  48,  50,  218,  234,  269, 

279, 288 
Houston,  Elsie,  323*.  328 
Howard,  John,  195 
Howland,  Alice,  54,  230,  286 
Hudemann,  Hans  Olaf,  112 
Huff,  Arthur,  208 
Huff,  Judith,  208 
Hufstader,  Robert,  67,  329 
Hughes,  Dom  Anselm,  328 
Hughes,  William,  291 
Huguet,  Giuseppina,  339* 
Hull,  Robert,  104 
Hunt,  Lois,  111,  164 
Husch,  Gerhard,  128*,  165,  219*,  319* 

Ibarrondo,  Lydia,  84,  254*,  329 
Ilitsch,  Daniza,  234,  264,  265 
Infantino,  Luigi,  204,  263 
Inghilleri,  Giovanni,  187,  188 
Iriarte,  Ana  Maria,  83,  185 
Irwin,  Robert,  15 
Isbell,  Ralph,  9,  13 
Ivanov,  Andrei,  47,  246 
Ivanova,  A.,  203 
Ivogiin,  Maria,  169,  239*.  374* 

Jackson,  Henry,  67 

Jacques,  Reginald,  6,  9,  22* 

Jadlowker,  Hermann,  88,  149 

James,  Frances,  122* 

Janacek,  Auguste,  116 

Jansen,  Jac<iues,  63,  71,  73,  74,  103,  201 

Janssen,  Herbert,  32,  239,  274 


Janssen,  Werner,  39,  267,  352* 

Jaray,  Hans,  214 

Jaroff,  Serge,  315 

Jenkins,  Newell,  61,  182,  209 

Jerger,  Alfred,  233 

Jessen,  Richard,  208 

Jessner,  Irene,  274 

Joachim,  Irene,  39,  71,  198 

Jobin,  Raoul,  44,  45*,  100,  177,  179 

Jochum,  Eugen,  58,  270 

Johnson,  Edward,  25 

Johnson,  Thor,  43 

Johnston,  James,  107,  145 

Jokl,  Fritzy,  88 

Jones,  Geraint,  193 

Jones,  J.  William,  375 

Jouatte,  Georges,  40,  42 

Journeaux,  Violette,  209 

Journet,  Marcel,  46*.  47,  99*,  373* 

Jouve,  A.,  64,  267 

Jung,  Lene,  272 

Junker-Giesen,  Elinor,  136 

Jurinac,  Sena,  32,  128,  161,  163,  235 

Juyol,  Suzanne,  44,  145 

Kahn,  Erich  Itor,  73,  122,  198 

Kahn,  Percy  B.,  305 

Kalas,  Karel,  229 

Kalmus,  Margaret,  106 

Kalter,  Sabine,  370 

Karajan,  Herbert  von,  19,  48,  124,  163, 

165,  272,  274 
Karell,  Carlheinz,  132 
Kaskas,  Anna,  71 
Katschinka,  Use,  117 
Kazantseva,  Natalia,  203 
Keast,  Raymond,  159,  215 
Kegel,  Herbert,  283 
Keilberth,  Joseph,  81,  270 
Kelch,  Franz,  17,  18,  21,  49,  155 
Keller,  Evelyn,  148 
Kelston,  Lucy,  258 
Kemp,  Barbara,  149 
Kempe,  RudoH,  235,  270,  272,  284 
Kenney,  Margarita,  3,  117,  242,  259 
Kern,  Adele,  235 
Kerol,  Joachim,  42,  50,  254 
Kibler,  Belva,  213 
Kiefer,  Lieselotte,  267 
Kilichewsky,  229 
Kimmel,  Liesl,  18 
King,  John  Reymes,  193 
King,  Paul,  29 
Kingston,  Morgan,  114 
Kipnis,  Alexander,  174*,  351* 
Kirkpatrick,  Ralph,  120 
Kirsten,  Dorothy,  131,  192 
Kisch-Arndt,  Ruth,  195 
Kitzinger,  Fritz,  351 
Kiurna,  Berta,  100* 
Klarwein,  Franz,  234 
Kleiber,  Erich,  235 
Klein,  Peter,  32,  162 
Kleinert,  Rolf,  139,  170 
Klemperer,  Otto,  31,  140 
Klerk,  Albert  de,  151 
Klose,  Margarete,  83,  96,  225,  246,  261, 

270,  290,  330 
Klust,  Hertha,  51,  134,  288 
Kmentt,  Waldemar,  3,  4,  13,  14,  15,  16, 


Index  of  Performers 


Vll 


38,  83,  116,  119,  120,  167,  216,  245 
Knappertsbusch,  Hans,  272,  273,  358 
Knupfer,  Paul,  149 
Koch,  Helmut,  17,  18,  105*.  106,  118, 

155,  226 
Koemer,  Rachel,  106 

Kolassi,  Irma,  65,  86,  151,  198,  201,  330 
Kondrashin,  Kiril,  203 
Konetzni,  Army,  234 
Konetzni,  Hilde,  32,  161 
Konwitschny,  Franz,  276 
Korch,  Sonja,  118 
Koreh,  Endre,  162 
Korngold,  Erich,  129 
Koskimies,  Pentii,  102,  121,  127,  220, 

229 
Koslik,  Gustav,  281 
Koussevitzky,  Serge,  249* 
Kovar,  Oldrich,  229 
Kozlovsky,  Ivan,  174*.  203,  245 
Kozma,  Tibor,  29,  56,  122,  129 
Kraft,  Marie,  228 
Rrainis,  Bernard,  113 
Krai,  Alfons,  284 
Kramer,  Fritz,  119,  178,  194 
Kramer,  Hans,  283 
Krasova,  Marta,  81* 
Krasovsky,  Sergei,  202 
Krauss,  Clemens,  30,  50,  117,  118,  167, 

215,  232,  233,  235,  259,  269 
Rrebs,  Beatrice,  216 
Krebs,  Helmut,  4*.  5,  6,  12,  19,  25*,  56, 

128,  155, 252* 
Kreisler,  Fritz,  340 
Kremer,  Martin,  272 
Kreutzberger,  Rudolf,  23,  25 
Krips,  Josef,  159,  162,  167,  171,  238,  297 
Kruglikova,  Eva,  245 
Kuen,  Paul,  179 
Kugler,  Joseph,  49,  159,  251 
Kuhlman,  Rosemary,  147 
Kullman,  Charles,  232 
Kunz,  Erich,  131,  161,  163,  165,  272 
Kupper,  Analiese,  164,  269,  270 
Kurenko,  Maria,  67,  175,  197,  244 
Kurz,  Selma,  37*,  97,  139*.  149 
Kurzweil,  Frederic,  89 

Lacovich,  Peter,  376 

Laderoute,  Joseph,  32 

La  Forge,  Frank,  74 

La  Gatta,  Dora,  76 

Lail,  Lorri,  139 

Lambert,  Constant,  130 

Lamond,  James,  25 

La  Montaine,  John,  364 

Lamoree,  Valarie,  113 

Lamy,  Ferdinand,  332 

Lamy,  Rudolf,  113 

Landi,  Margherita  de,  19 

Lane,  Gloria,  148 

Langhammer-Klein,  Use,  177 

Langstaff,  John,  80,  195 

La  Polio,  Anna,  132,  259 

Larsen,  Alexander,  117 

Larsen,  Leo,  105,  112,  146 

Larsen-Todsen,  Nanny,  276 

Lassner,  Erich  Joseph,  157,  247 

Laszlo,  Magda,  4*,  7,  10,  12,  14,  16,  18, 

25,  29,  33,  159,  168,  169*.  333 
Laurena,  Paula,  40 


Laurent,  David,  210 
Laurenti,  Mario,  345 
Lauri-Volpi,  Giacomo,  92,  187*.  254*, 

258,  264,  265,  350 
Lawrence,  T.  B.,  60,  208,  250 
Lawson,  Warner,  124 
Lawson,  Winifred,  244 
Lazaro,  Hipolito,  149,  317 
Lazzari,  Antonio,  76,  88 
Lea,  Donald,  106 
Leger,  Agnes,  145 
Legouhy,  Marguerite,  185 
Lehmann,  Fritz,  4*,  5,  6,  7,  11,  12,  15, 

16,  19,  25* 
Lehmann,  Lilli,  114,  323,  333 
Lehmann,  Lotte,  90*,  131*.  147*.  223, 

224, 235,  274,  281, 334 
Leibowitz,  Rene,  39,  42,  45,  50,  85,  95, 

134,  165,  175,  177,  178,  200,  202,  209, 

212,  214,  254 
Leider,  Frida,  275,  281,  335 
Leinsdorf,  Erich,  170,  360 
Leisner,  Emmi,  114 
Leitner,  Ferdinand,  19,  33,  50,  134,  136, 

224,  229,  235,  273,  340 
Leitner,  Luise,  157 
Lemeshev,  Serge,  47,  202,  203 
Lemnitz,  Tiana,  165,  200,  225,  235,  272*, 

272,  282,  336 
Lenya,  Lotte,  286 
Lenzer,  Hans,  233 
Leukauf,  Robert,  115,  129 
Lewis,  Anthony,  46,  153,  194 
Lewis,  Bertha,  244 
Lewis,  Richard,   106,  109*.  Ill,  112, 

153,  161,  163,  212 
Lichtigg,  Max,  146,  218,  247 
Liebenberg,  Eva,  114 
Liebl,  Karl,  225,  285 
Liewehr,  Fred,  33 
Ligeti,  Desire,  51 
Linares,  Marco,  297 
Linda  (Lindenf elder),  Janine,  95,  177, 

178,  200,  209 
Lindemeier,  E.,  225 
Lindenberg,  Edouard,  73,  200,  365 
Lindi,  Aroldo,  253 
Linsolas,  Jacques,  202 
Linville,  Albert,  137 
Linz,  Heinz  Maria,  159 
Lipp,  Hedwig,  112 
Lipp,  Wilma,  162,  165,  232 
Lipton,  Martha,  123,  212,  232,  243 
Lishner,  Leon,  148,  243 
Liss,  Sara,  54 
List,  Emanuel,  274,  336 
Litvinne,  Felia,  149 
Lloyd,  David,  57,  123 
Lloyd,  David  George,  189* 
Lloyd,  Whitefield,  194 
Loeffler,  Hans,  117,  146,  179 
Loehrer,  Edwin,  268 

Loibner,  Wilhelm,  53,  224,  279,  281,  336 
Lois,  Vittorio,  265 
Lombardi,  I.,  47 
London,  George,  117,  158,  163,  168,  273, 

337 
Long,  Avon,  91 
Loorij,  Jack,  105,  112,  113 
Loose,  Emmy,  19,  131,  162,  233,  284, 

292 


Index  of  Performers 


Vlll 


Lorand,  Colette,  159*,  168 

Loser,  Hanni,  284 

Luca,  Giuseppe  de,  99*. 149, 184*.  254*. 

338 
Luca,  Libero  de,  44,  74,  144,  248 
Lucca,  Irma  Bozzi,  266 
Luccioni,  Jose,  208 
Lucia,  Fernando  de,  37*,  338 
Ludwig,  Leopold,  140,  284 
Ludwig,  Walther,  16,  109*.  118,  136,  158, 

162,  176,  189,  217,  223,  234, 340 
Luehr,  Ernst  Max,  58 
Luise,  Melchiorre,  76,  189,  204 
Lukovnikov,  Y.K.,  246 
Lumsden,  Norman,  293 
Lund,  Gustav,  160,  164 
Luppi,  Oreste,  37*,  77,  99*.  207 
Lush,  Ernest,  377 
Lutze,  Gert,  17,  18,  283 

McArthur,  Edwin,  224,  320 

McCormack,  John,  340,  373* 

McElheran,  Brock,  110 

McGarrity,  Evelyn,  178 

McGrath,  William,  127 

MacGregor,  Philip,  242 

Mackeben,  Theo,  286 

McKinley,  Andrew,  148 

McKnight,  Anne,  187 

MacMillan,  Sir  Ernest,  25,  107 

McNeil,  Cornell,  148 

McNeil,  Dorothy,  163 

Madasi,  Antonio,  257 

Madeira,  Jean,  188 

Magini-Colletti,  Antonio,  207 

Maguenat,  Alfred,  71 

Maionica,  Silvio,  78 

Majkut,  Erich,  25,  31,  57,  120,  138,  156 

Maksakova,  Maria,  173,  203 

Malaniuk,  Ira,  272 

Malfatti,  Lorenzo,  196 

Malipiero,  Giovanni,  62,  78 

Malipiero,  Riccardo,  266 

Malvasio,  R.,  198 

Manacchini,  Giuseppe,  78 

Manca  Serra,  Antonio,  92,  259 

Manceau,  Jeanne,  150 

Mancini,  Caterina,  253,  255,  256,  259, 

264 
Mandikian,  Arda,  43,  194*.  293 
Manley,  Gordon,  240 
Mann,  Alfred,  113 
Mann,  Josef,  104 
Manowarda,  Josef  von,  281 
Manton,  Raymond,  100*,  247 
Manurrita,  Giovanni,  207 
Maran,  George,  107 
Marc'Hadour,  Yvon  le,  199 
Mardones,  Jose,  104,  149,  342 
Marinuzzi,  Gino,  257 
Marshall,  Frank,  84 
Marshall,  Lois,  25,  31,  107 
Marten,  Heinz,  19,  23,  54 
Martin,  Emile,  181* 
Martinelli,  Giovanni,  254*,  261*.  373* 
Martinez,  Rafael,  297 
Martini,  Louis,  64,  65,  358 
Marzollo,  Dick,  298,  355 
Mascagni,  Pietro,  141,  142 
Mascherini,  Enzo,  189 


Masiello,  Alberta,  51,  222 
Masini,  Galliano,  184*,  257 
Maslennikova,  Irina,  202 
Masselos,  William,  48 
Matlowsky,  Samuel,  286 
Mattes,  Willy,  292 
Matthen,  Paul,  13,  14,  18,  24,  226, 

227,  228,  230,  352 
Matthews,  Edward,  91,  249 
Matthews,  Inez,  91,  249,  343 
Matzenauer,  Margarete,  150*,  184*,  373* 
Maugeri,  Carmelo,  68,  206 
Maurane,  Camille,  85,  198 
Maurstad,  Alfred,  101 
Mayer,  Thomas,  239 
Mayr,  Richard,  149,  235 
Ma,zzoleni,  E.,  37*.  294 
Medus,  Henri,  208 

Meili,  Max,  9*,  155*,  155,  226,  228* 
Melandri,  Antonio,  46 
Melani,  Lidia,  261 
Melba,  Dame  Nellie,  247*,  323,  373* 
Melchior,  Lauritz,  272,  273*,  274,  277*. 

281,  344,  373* 
Melchior,  Yvonne,  64 

Meletti,  Saturno,  67,  141,  189,  205,  257* 
Melik-Pashayev,  Alexander,  47,  94,  245, 

246 
Melton,  James,  188*,  232 
Mendel,  Arthur,  226,  227 
Mengelberg,  Willem,  25* 
Mentzel,  Use,  176,  233 
Mercuriale,  Angelo,  76,  350 
Merli,  Francesco,  189,  191,  264,  345 
Merrill,  Robert,  44,  79*.  132,  134*,  141, 

232,  255,  263,  300* 
Merrill,  Scott,  286 
Merriman,  Nan,  31,  256,  261 
Messner,  Joseph,  38,  58,  119,  157,  159, 

204 
Metternich,  Josef,  124,  140,  237,  269,  270 
Metz,  Helene,  105 
Metzger-Ulrich,  Erika,  332 
Meyer,  Joseph  V.,  410 
Meyer,  Paul,  288 

Meyer-Welfing,  Hugo,  10,  14,  50*,  158 
Meyrowitz,  Selmar,  141 
Michael,  Hans,  49 
Michaelis,  Ruth,  6,  17,  18,  108 
Michailowa,  Maria,  306 
Micheau,  Janine,  44,  63,  70,  100,  123, 

144,  248 
Michel,  Solange,  44,64,  98,  130,  199 
Miguel,  Pablo,  328 
Mikhailov,  Maxim,  94,  173 
Milanov,  Zinka,  142,  257*.  258*.  264,  344 
Mildmay,  Audrey,  161,  163 
Milhaud,  Darius,  150 
Milhaud,  Madeleine,  150 
Milinkovic,  Georgine  von,  116,  233,  235, 

237 
Milligan,  James,  25,  107 
Mineo,  Andrea,  182 
Mitchell,  Ena,  6 
Mitrani,  Emilio,  121,  173 
Mitropoulos,  Dimitri,  39,  213,  234 
Mittman,  Leopold,  230 
Mock,  Alice,  56,  249 
Modesti,  G.,  141,  256,  257 
Modi,  Martha,  32,  32*.  97,  234,  242, 

256*,  259*.  273, 278* 


Index  of  Performers 


IX 


Moizan,  Genevieve,  198,  248 

Molajoli,  Lorenzo,  46,  76,  189,  204,  253, 

261,  264,  345 
Molinari,  Enrico,  264 
Molinari-Pradelli,  Francesco,  145,  189, 

262 
Moller,  Edith,  348 
Mollet,  Pierre,  71,  95,  100* 
Mollien,  Jean,  175,  177,  178,  202 
Monachesi,  Walter,  264* 
Monod,  Jacques,  39,  285 
Monteux,  Pierre,  50*,  51,  65,  139 
Monti,  Nicola,  76,  204 
Moonan,  William,  110 
Moore,  Gerald,  33,  84,  171,  217,  218, 

223,  224,  282,  288,  295,  307,  315, 319, 

320,  323,  370 
Moralt,  Rudolf,  31,  215,  233,  237,  240, 

279,  316,  337,  379 
Morel,  Jean  Paul,  61,  179,  255,  337,  368 
Morelli,  Giuseppe,  75,  205,  206 
Morgenstern,  Sam,  210 
Morrison,  Elsie,  25,  106,  109*,  153 
Moscona,  Nicola,  187 
Moscucci,  Orietta,  196 
Moss,  Dorothy,  151 
Mravinsky,  Eugene,  229 
Mueller,  Leo,  35,  53,  219,  225 
Muench,  Hanne,  105,  120,  159,  225,  285 
Muenzig,  Ebba,  106 
Mullen,  Kenneth,  208 
Muller,  Bruno,  5,  6,  7,  9,  14,  16,  17,  18, 

19,  59,  226, 267 
Miiller,  Maria,  273,  284 
Muller- Kray,  Hans,  112,  285 
Mullet,  Pierre,  123 
Munch,  Charles,  40 
Munchinger,  Karl,  8,  17 
Munsel,  Patrice,  79*,  187,  232 
Munteanu,  Petre,  10,  25,  159,  217,  218 
Muratore,  Lucien,  317* 
Murphy,  Frieda  Ann,  82 
Musilova,  Milada,  229 
Musy,  Louis,  177 
Muzio,  Claudia,  345 
Myers,  Gordon,  119 

Nadell,  Rasalind,  70 

Naidic,  Susanna,  120 

Narpon,  Armand,  71 

Narducci,  Antonio,  350 

Nash,  Heddle,  107,  160 

Navarro,  Francisco,  83 

Nebolsin,  Vassily,  70,  202 

Neidlinger,  Gustav,  136,  160,  162,  165 

Nelepp,  George,  70,  94,  173,  202,  246 

Nelli,  Herva,  251,  256,  259 

Nentwig,  Kathe,  17,  18,  160,  164,  168*, 

168 
Neri,  Giulio,  46,  183,  253,  255,  261 
Neroni,  Luciano,  78,  191 
Nespoulous,  Marthe,  71 
Neulinger,  Angela,  215 
Neumeyer,  Fritz,  112 
Neviani,  Vittoria,  145 
Neway,  Patricia,  59,  95,  103,  148,  182 
Newmark,  John,  51,  224 
Nicolai,  Elena,  67,  142,  230 
Niemala,  Tii,  102,  121,  127,  220,  229 
Niese,  Gerhard,  17 
Nikolaidi,  Elena,  34*,  34,  347 


Nilssen,  Sven,  97 

Nissen,  Hans  Heinz,  124 

Nissen,  Hans  Hermann,  272 

Nobel,  Felix  de,  130,  151,  180,  346 

Nobile,  F.,  154 

Noble,  Dennis,  231,  282 

Noguera,  Louis,  42,  64,  65,  85 

Noli,  Rosetta,  46 

Noni,  Alda,  68,  76,  79*,  88,  162,  291 

Nore,  Georges,  98 

Norena,  Eide,  192* 

Norwood,  Ross,  364 

Norzoff,  Peter,  245 

Nucci,  Gino,  62 

Nussbaumer,  Maria,  23,  25,  146 

Ober,  Margarete  Arndt,  124 

Oberlin,  Russell,  28,  46*,  347* 

Ochs,  Siegfried,  160* 

O'Connell,  Charles,  372 

Ohms,  Elisabeth,  269* 

Okerson,  Doris,  159,  242 

Olaria,  Anna  Maria,  297 

Oldham,  Derek,  244 

Oldrati,  Luigi,  37* 

Olivero,  Magda,  191 

Olof,  Victor,  91,  311 

Olsen,  Derrick,  110 

Olszewska,  Maria,  235,  271* 

Oncina,  Juan,  68,  76 

Onegin,  Sigrid,  50*,  374* 

Ongaro,  Renata  Ferrari,  191 

Opawsky,  Margit,  9,  13,  14,  31,  231 

Orell,  Ester,  88,  291 

Orfenov,  Anatole,  196 

Orlandini,  Orlandina,  261 

Orloff,  Alexander,  203,  245 

Orlov,  G.,  174* 

Ormandy,  Eugene,  39,  50*,  71,  123,  185, 

232,  275 
Osborn,  Leonard,  244 
Osborn,  Verna,  65 
Oschlager,  Clara,  119 
Ostertag,  Karl,  269 
Otterloo,  Willem  van,  139 
Otto,  Hansgeorg,  126* 

Pacetti,  Iva,  132 

Paci,  Leone,  132 

Pactat,  Andre,  40 

Pagliughi,  Lina,  38,  78,  256,  258,  261, 

262* 
Palmateer,  Mary,  107 
Palmer,  Jeanne,  347 
Palombini,  Vittoria,  94,  188 
Paludan,  Dora,  284 

Panerai,  Rolando,  37,  142,  147,  253,  255 
Pantofel-Netshetskia,  D.,  203 
Panzera,  Charles,  73,  86*,  87,  201,  223, 

349 
Panzera,  Madeleine,  73,  86*,  87,  201,  349 
Paoletti,  Alberto,  92 
Paolis,  Alessio  de,  172 
Parodi,  Armando  La  Rosa,  76,  184,  257 
Parsi-Pettinella,  Arminda,  77,  184* 
Parsons,  William,  6,  9 
Pasero,  Tancredi,  35,  253,  257 
Pasini,  A.,  38* 
Pasini-Vitale,  L.,  99* 
Pastukhoffi  Vsevolad,  175,  197 
Pataky,  Kolomon  von,  161 


Index  of  Performers 


Pattiera,  Tino,  92 

Patzak,  Julius,  33*.  117.  118,  119,  140, 

157,  159,  232,  233, 237 
Paul,  Karl,  276 
Paulik,  Anton,  233,  245 
Paumgartner,  Bernard,  156,  167,  171,  211 
Pauw,  Marcel  de,  320 
Payif,  Emilio,  84 
Pears,  Peter,  56,  57,  242,  293 
Pease,  James,  48,  356 
Pebordes,  Simone,  209 
Pech,  Werner,  158 
Pedrollo,  Arrigo,  267 
Peerce,  Jan,  32,  44,  79*,  134*.  187,  232, 

261,  263 
Pellizoni,  Renaldo,  94 
Penno,  Gino,  62, 256, 350 
Pernerstorfer,  Alois,  6,  7,  9,  12,  157,  161 
Pernet,  Andre,  63 
Pertile,  Aureliano,  47,  184*.  253*,  265, 

317 
Peschko,  Sebastian,  33,  361 
Peters,  Roberta,  161,  350 
Petrak,  Rudolf,  99* 
Petrella,  Clara,  132,  151,  189,  191 
Petri,  Mario,  258,  262 
Petroff,  Ivan,  78*.  132,  261,  350 
Petrov,  229 
Petrov,  Ivan,  196,  246 
Peyron,  Gisele,  302 
Peyron,  Joseph,  130,  183,  199 
Pfeile,  Alfred,  17 
Pfenninger,  Gertrud,  110 
Piccaver,  Alfred,  92,  100*.  134*.  265 
Picchi,  Mirto,  255 
Pierce,  Pauline,  226 
Pingel,  Otto,  332 
Pini,  Amalia,  211 
Pinkert,  Regina,  jOO 
Pinkham,  Daniel,  18,  70,  194,  199 
Pinza,  Ezio,  79*,  168*,  169,  174*,  251, 

351,  373* 
Piovesan,  Luciana,  151,  154,  267 
Pirazzini,  Miriam,  183,  257,  258,  264 
Pirino,  Antonio,  231 
Pirogov,  Alexander,  47,  173 
Pitzinger,  Gertrud,  19,  58 
Plancon,  Pol,  41*.  46*,  170*,  306*,  337* 
Planyavsky,  Alfred,  18,  31,  215 
Plate,  Sibylla,  24 
Pliimacher,  Hetty,  5,  13,  16,  19,  49,  58, 

136,  160,  162,  164,  181 
Poell,  Alfred,  4*,  12,  14,  16,  19,  30,  32, 

33,  54,  117,  120,  128,  138,  161,  189, 

232,  233,  239,  240,  289 
Poggi,  Gianni,  46,  78,  183,  189 
Pokrovskaya,  Nina,  196,  246 
Pola,  Arrigo,  264* 
Poleri,  David,  40 
Poli,  Afro,  76,  132,  191 
Pollicino,  Salvatore,  47,  317 
Pommers,  Leon,  146 
Pons,  Lily,  74,  74*.  232,  299*.  350 
Ponselle,  Rosa,  36*.  37*.  230*,  254*. 

257*,  259*.  353,  373* 
Pontiggia,  Luigi,  206 
Popeski,  Ruth,  15,  195 
Popovitzky,  Alexandre,  175 
Porter,  Caryl,  87 
Poulenc,  Francis,  63*.  185 
Powers,  Marie,  148 


Prandelli,  Giacinto,  67,  94,  147,  184*. 

187,  292, 354 
Preinfalk,  Gottfried,  24* 
Preobrajenskaya,  Silvia,  203 
Previtali,  Fernando,  163,  191,  204,  230, 

255,  256,  259,  264 
Price,  Robert,  242 
Priegnitz,  Hans,  49 
Pritchard,  John,  160,  171 
Procter,  Norma,  107 
Proglhof,  Harald,  158 
Prohaska,  Felix,  4,  4*,  5,  6,  10,  10*. 

11,  12,  14,  15,  17,  23,  27,  138 
Prohaska,  Jaro,  177,  246 
Protti,  Aldo,  68,  132,  142,  253,  308 
Prytz,  Eva,  101 

Quadri,  Argeo,  76,  94,  189 
Questa,  Angelo,  261 
Quincy,  Sam,  29 

Rachmilovitch,  Jacques,  196 

Radev,  Marianna,  252* 

Raisa,  Rosa,  357 

Raisbeck,  Rosina,  75 

Raker,  Gerhard,  106 

Ralf,  Torsten,  32,  272,  278* 

Ramella,  Elvira,  187 

Rankin,  Nell,  189,  250 

Rapalo,  Ugo,  186 

Rapf,  Kurt,  18,  27 

Rapisardi-Savio,  Greta,  154,  191,  268 

Ratauscher,  Gisela,  23,  31,  116,  157, 

215,  227 
Raucheisen,  Michael,  52,  53,  83,  217, 

218,  220,  223,  225,  238,  282,  290,  299, 

330,  336,  361 
Raugel,  Felix,  158 
Rautawaara,  Aulikki,  163,  229 
Raveau,  Alice,  96 
Rayner,  Sidney,  265,  317 
Reali,  Antenore,  184,  191 
Reed,  Susan,  61 
Reese,  William,  173 
Reeves,  George,  73,  201,  289,  371 
Refice,  Licinio,  345 
Rehfuss,  Heinz,  19,  25,  71,  100*.  175, 

200,  242 
Rehkemper,  Heinrich,  140*,  357 
Rehmann,  Theodore  B.,  251 
Reibold,  Bruno,  351 
Reiner,  Fritz,  44,  50,  140,  172,  232, 

238*.  379 
Reinhagen,  Victor,  132,  171 
Reinhardt,  Rolf,  7,  9,  10,  18,  19,  160, 

162,  164,  165,  169 
Reinhart,  Walter,  19,  159 
Reinhold,  Herbert,  17 
Reining,  Maria,  170,  235,  358 
Reizen,  Marc,  47,  70,  202 
Renan,  Emile,  135* 
Renaud,  Maurice,  169 
Renaux,  Solange,  149,  178 
Renom,  Gaetano,  83 
Renzi,  Emilio,  256 
Resnik,  Regina,  232 

Rethberg,  Elisabeth,  281,  351,  354,  3  73* 
Rethy,  Esther,  233 
Reutter,  Hermann,  220 
Reyners,  Marguerite,  221 
Rhode,  Wilhelm,  281 


Index  of  Performers 


XI 


Rhodes,  Erik,  240 

Ribacchi,  Luisa,  154 

Ribetti,  Elda,  68,  206 

Ribla,  Gertrude,  39 

Ricci,  Luigi,  252*.  264* 

Richard,  Charles,  145 

Richter,  Traute,  230,  233,  235,  258* 

Rico,  Roger,  98 

Rieger,  Fritz,  275 

Rigal,  Delia,  358 

Rigaux,  Lucien,  99* 

Righetti,  Antonio,  37* 

Rikko,  Fritz,  353 

Riley,  John,  106,  212 

Rimini,  Giacomo,  357 

Ripley,  Gladys,  107,  130,  145 

Ristenpart,  Karl,  9,  11 

Ritchie,  Margaret,  46,  107,  111,  112,  153, 

194 
Ritter-Ciampi,  Gabriella,  114,  169,  207 
Rivandeneira,  Ines,  83,  297 
Rivoli,  Gianfrancesco,  94 
Rizzo,  Marcia,  227 
Robertson,  S.,  244 
Robin,  Mado,  74,  79*.  247 
Robinson-Wayne,  Beatrice,  249 
Robovsky,  Abrasha,  212 
Rodriguez  Aragon,  Lola,  83 
Rodzinski,  Artur,  274,  278* 
Rogatchewsky,  Joseph,  144 
Rogell,  Peter,  183 
Rogers,  Earl,  121,  173,  359 
Rogers,  Rosalind,  208 
Roggero,  Margaret,  344 
Rogier,  Frank,  111,  148 
Rohr,  Otto  von,  58,  136,  164,  270,  276 
Romani,  Romano,  354* 
Ronchi,  Fabio,  47 
Ronk,  Harold,  106,  124,  250 
Roon,  Elisabeth,  111,  116,  120,  179, 

216,  245 
Roselle,  Anne,  92 
Rosenstock,  Joseph,  219 
Rosenthal,  Laurence,  197 
Rosing,  Vladimir,  175 
Ross,  Hugh,  22* 
Rossi,  Liliana,  62 
Rossi,  Marcangelo,  132,  191 
Rossi,  Mario,  78,  88,  94,  122,  185,  205, 

206,  242,  256,  258.  369 
Rossi-Lemeni,  Nicola,  35,  37,  174*.  204, 

255 
Rossl-Majdan,  Hilde,  4,  4*,  8,  9,  10,  11, 

12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  23,  24*.  25,  27,  82, 

116,  159,  216 
Roswaenge,  Helge,  132,  165,  189,  261, 

263,  290 
Rosza,  Vera,  139 
Rother,  Arthur,  56,  88,  96,  109,  124, 

128,  176,  177,  189,  234,  238,  246,  279 
Rothier,  Leon,  123* 
Rothmuller,  Marco,  45 
Rounseville,  Robert,  131,  177 
Rousseau,  Emile,  185 
Roux,  Michel,  178 
Rovero,  Ornella,  205 
Rovetta,  Teodoro,  94 
Rowe,  Catherine,  39,  137 
Rowe,  Genevieve,  111 
Rudolf,  Max,  124,  188,  190*.  264,  265, 

379 


Ruffo,  Titta,  323,  373* 

Rungenhagen,  Herbert,  106 

Rupp,  Franz,  34*,  173,  219,  222,  294, 

361 
Rus,  M.,  284 
Russ,  Giannina,  37*,  359 
Russell,  Roy,  14 
Russell,  William  F.,  326 
Russo,  Gianna,  205 
Rysanek,  Leonie,  274 

Sabata,  Victor  de,  159,  189,  252* 

Sacchi,  Franca,  92 

Saidenberg,  Daniel,  26 

Sailer,  Friederike,  18,  19,  105,  112,  267, 

285 
Salvi,  Giuseppina,  62,  203,  205 
Sammarco,  G.  Mario,  77,  134,  169 
Samosud,  Samuel,  95*,  186,  246 
Sandoval,  Miguel,  84,  329 
Sandoz,  Paul,  111 
Sands,  Robert,  9,  13 
Santini,  Gabrieli,  76,  187,  263 
Sanzogno,  Nino,  154 
Saraceni,  Francesco  Maria,  28,  296 
Sargent,  Sir  Malcolm,  107,  109*,  145,  244 
Sarri,  Gino,  79*,  92,  132,  259,  261 
Sautereau,  Nadine,  65,  85,  198,  199 
Savarese,  Ugo,  92,  188,  263 
Savio,  Giuseppe,  191 
Sayao,  Bidu,  48,  70,  103*,  170,  187,  267 

323*,  360 
Scacciati,  Bianca,  264 
Scampini,  Augusto,  104 
Scarangella,  Clara,  76 
Scarlini,  Glauco,  191 
Scattola,  Carlo,  207 
Scattolini,  Nino,  189 
Schaefer,  Theodore,  56,  106,  124,  128, 

250 
Schanzer,  Wolfgang,  57 
Schauwecker,  Frederick,  299 
Schech,  Marianne,  270,  276 
Scheide,  William  H.,  26 
Scheidl,  Theodor,  269* 
Schellenberg,  Arno,  3 
Scherchen,  Hermann,  4*,  7,  8,  9.  10,  12, 

14,  15,  16,  18,  19,  25,  33,  43,  107,  159, 

333* 
Scherman,  Thomas,  41,  197 
Scherz-Meister,  Elsa,  155 
Scheunemann,  Leona,  104 
Schey,  Hermann,  5,  6,  7,  10,  11,  12,  19, 

139,  159, 221 
Schick,  George,  89,  146,  219 
Schilling,  Marta,  19 
Schilp,  Marie  Luise,  3,  124,  176 
Schimenti,  Frances,  187*.  264* 
Schindler,  Helmut,  81 
Schijftz,  Aksel,  16,  34*,  217,  223,  343* 
Schipa,  Tito,  79*,  317,  373*.  374* 
Schipper,  Emil,  271* 
Schippers,  Thomas,  147,  148 
Schleiffer,  Karl,  225 
Schlemm,  Anny,  17 
Schloss,  Marjorie,  89,  225,  290 
Schlusnus,  Heinrich,  33,  135*,  141, 

147*.  239*,  261,  263,  335,  361 
Schliiter,  Erna,  234 
Schmedes,  .Erik,  275 
Schmid,  Reinhold,  49 


Index  of  Performers 


Xll 


Schmidt,  Harold  G.,  367 
Schmidt-Glanzel,  Lisbeth,  283 
Schmidt-Isserstedt,  Hans,  166 
Schmitt-W alter,  Karl,  218 
Schnabel,  Helen,  212 
Schneider,  Friedel,  120 
Schneider,  Hermann,  157 
Schnittke,  Glenn,  242 
Schober,  Maria,  233 
Schock,  Rudolf,  32,  246,  270 
Schoeffler,  Paul,  32,  170,  204,  234, 

240*,  272, 281, 358 
Schoenberg,  Arnold,  214 
Schorr,  Friedrich,  281,  358*.  373* 
Schubert,  Richard,  275 
Schiichter,  Wilhelm,  270,  307 
Schulhof,  Otto,  336 
Schumann,  Elisabeth,  17*,  89,  146, 

172*.  221,  222*.  224,  235,  239*.  289, 

315*.  373*.  374* 
Schumann-He  ink,  Ernestine,  150*,  160*, 

281,  323,  373* 
Schurhoff,  Else,  31,  124,  272,  336 
Schwarz,  Josef,  104*,  134,  281,  362 
Schwarzkopf,  Elisabeth,  8,  19,  48,  124, 

131,  163,  171,  193,  221,  235,  252,  272, 

277,  284,  362 
Schweiger,  Rosl,  6,  116,  157,  158 
Schwert,  Karl,  120 
Sciutti,  Graziella,  206* 
Scott,  Norman,  99*,  191,  243 
Scotti,  Antonio,  257*,  373* 
Sebastian,  George,  74,  144,  145,  248, 

275,  322 
Seefried,  Irmgard,  32,  50*,  55,  69,  163, 

165,  204,  235,  291 
Seegers,  Rosl,  126,  132,  176,  233 
Sefton,  James,  151 
Seider,  August,  276,  284 
Seinemeyer,  Meta,  92 
Self,  William,  293 
Semser,  Ethel,  95,  212,  254 
Senatra,  Armida,  182 
Seoane,  Blanca  Maria,  83 
Serafin,  Tullio,  35,  37,  78,  142,  204,  251, 

253,  354 
Seri,  Enzo,  45,  95 
Sgarro,  Luigi,  153 
Shacklock,  Constance,  107,  278* 
Shaw,  Robert,  5,  13,  14,  21,  24,  26,  31*. 

41*.  48,  49,  55,  122*.  159,  184,  215, 

216,  344,  378 
Sheffield,  Leo,  244 
Shpieler,  Natalia,  94,  203 
Shumskaya,  Elizaveta,  202 
Siebert,  Dorothea,  4,  57,  233 
Siepi,  Cesare,  38,  98,  184,  187,  197,  251, 

252,  363 
Silveri,  Paolo,  183,  189,  255,  259,  262, 

263 
Simionato,  Giulietta,  68,  93*,  142,  142*, 

204,  205,  253 
Simmons,  Mary,  242 
Simon,  Annemarie,  290 
Simoneau,  Leopold,  41,  95 
Simonetto,  Alfredo,  67,  132,  182,  191, 

258,  291 
Sims,  Ivor,  55 
Sinclair,  Monica,  75 
Singher,  Martial,  40,  41,  63*,  73,  103*, 

200,  201,  217,  363 


Sinimberghi,  Gino,  70 

Slezak,  Leo,  88,  97,  104,  149,  150,  169, 

207,  280,  364 
Smallens,  Alexander,  249* 
Smith,  Brooks,  325 
Smith,  Kenneth,  123 
Smith,  Ronald  Dale,  306 
Smolenskaya,  Eva,  47,  246 
Soix,  Charles,  177 
Sokoloff,  Nicolai,  56 
Solari,  Cristy,  76 
Soler,  Jose,  92 
Solti,  Georg,  235 
Soot,  Fritz,  335 
Sorensino,  Alberto,  154 
Souez,  Ina,  160,  161 
Souzay,  Gerard,  73,  81,  85,  87,  101,  156, 

200,  201, 222,  223,  289, 364 
Spadani,  Giacomo,  344 
Spletter,  Carla,  284 
Spurr,  Phyllis,  53,  318 
Squires,  Arthur,  226 
Stabile,  Mariano,  47,  161 
Stader,  Maria,  19,  159,  252* 
Standen,  Richard,  10,  25,  107,  159 
Steber,  Eleanor,  29,  32,  48,  98,  161, 

171,  188,  260,  265,  270 
Steele,  Gladys,  324 
Stefano,  Giuseppe  di,  37,  78,  142,  187*, 

189, 251,  252* 
Steffin,  Erich,  95 
Steinberg,  William,  250 
Steingruber,  Ilona,  30,  31,  38*.  38,  83, 

138,  141,  204,  214,  216,  242 
Steinhoff,  Philip,  151 
Steinkopf,  Hans,  263,  267 
Stella,  Maria  Antonietta,  262 
Stemann,  Klaus,  6,  13,  14,  16,  226 
Stern,  Blake,  24,  210 
Sternberg,  Jonathan,  6,  7,  9,  12,  27,  117, 

158,  204,  247 
Stevens,  Farrold,  89 
Stevens,  Rise,  44,  45*,  124,  232 
Stewart,  Marian,  71 
Stich-Randall,  Theresa,  10,  12,  166, 

171,  211,  256 
Stiedry,  Fritz,  96,  161 
Stiedry-Wagner,  Erika,  214 
Stignani,  Ebe,  35,  159,  184,  251,  253, 

255,  257 
Stilwell,  Margaret,  25 
Stokowski,  Leopold,  174*,  212,  282,  283 
Stoll,  Georgie,  344 

Stracciari,  Riccardo,  149,  204,  261,  353 
Strassburg,  Robert,  180 
Stravinsky,  Igor,  241,  242,  243 
Stravinsky,  Soulima,  244 
Streich,  Rita,  177,  233 
Strickland,  William,  29 
Strienz,  Wilhelm,  143,  165,  176,  220, 

367 
Stuckgold,  Grete,  336* 
Suddaby,  Elsie,  107 
Sullivan,  Jo,  286 
Supervia,  Conchita,  44*,  84,  207 
Surian,  Gloria,  69,  208 
Susskind,  Walter,  102,  245,  379 
Suthaus,  Ludwig,  276 
Svanholm,  Set,  275,  278*,  280 
Sved,  Alexander,  262* 
Swarowsky,  Hans,  111,  120,  161,  214 


Index  of  Performers 


Xlll 


Swarthout,  Gladys,  45*,  61,  65,  103*, 

368 
Swoboda,  Henry,  31,  49,  58,  128,  234, 

251 
Sydney,  Lorna,  7,  12,  53,  138,  224 
Symonette,  Randolph,  51,  69,  126*.  222 
Sze,  Nancy  Lee,  368 
Sze,  Yi-Kwei,  368 
Szemere,  Laszlo,  237 

Taccani,  Giuseppe,  143 

Taddei,  Giuseppe,  93*.  187,  191,  204, 

206,  256,  261 
Tagliabue,  Carlo,  132,  142,  257,  264, 

292 
Tagliavini,  Ferruccio,  38,  141,  145,  159, 

187,  261,  369 
Tajo,  Italo,  159,  163,  168*.  172,  253, 

255,  261 
Talanov,  E.,  186 
Talexis,  Amelia,  99*.  149 
Talich,  Vaclav,  81 
Tamagno,  Francesco,  365* 
Tangeman,  Nell,   212 
Tansini,  Ugo,  78,  369 
Tarraga,  Renata,  295 
Tassinari,  Pia,  141,  145,  159,  369 
Tauber,  Richard,  131*,  132*.  166*.  176*. 

232*,  233*,  313*,  340*.  370 
Taubman,  Leo,  239 
Taubmann,  Horst,  117,  162 
Tebaldi,  Renata,  92,  187,  188,  189,  253 
Tegani,  Emma,  68,  153,  154 
Tegetthoff,  Else,  88 
Tellini,  Ines  Alfani,  76 
Telva,  Marion,  36*,  373* 
Terkel,  Karl,  292 

Teschemacher,  Margarete,  97,  272,  287 
Tetrazzini,  Luisa,  38*,  350,  373* 
Teyte,  Maggie,  44*.  73,  103*.  104*. 

179*.  370 
Thebom,  Blanche,  24,  140,  161,  243,  255, 

276,  291 
Theopold,  Hans,  54 
Thill,  Georges,  63,  145* 
Thomas,  John  Charles,  374* 
Thomas,  Kurt,  22*,  23,  24 
Thomas,  Marjorie,  91,  106,  107,  109* 
Thomas,  Virginia,  178 
Tibbets,  Paul,  194 
Ticozzi,  Ebe,  47* 
Tietjen,  Andrew,  3  77 
Tinayre,  Yves,  210,  228 
Titze,  Robert,  105 
Tobias,  Margaret,  147 
Toepper,  Hertha,  159 
Toldra,  Eduardo,  83 
Tomasi,  Henri,  96 
Topitz-Feiler,  Jetty  116 
Toscanini,  Arturo,  31,  32,  47*.  66*,  71*. 

187,  251,  256,  259,  263,  275 
Tourel,  Jennie,  45*,  73,  103*,  120,  122, 

168*.  175,  178,  179,  185,  197,  201,  207, 

241,  249,  323*.  371 
Tragin,  Lucienne,  248* 
Traubel,  Helen,  35,  51,  272,  274,  275, 

278*,  280,  372 
Treptow,  Giinther,  272 
Trotschel,  Elfriede,  81,  97,  118,  155, 

164,  179,  235,  284 
Trovillo,  George,  368 


Troxell,  Barbara,  56,  122,  165*.  171*, 

172 
True,  Georges,  71 
Truccato  Pace,  Miti,  67,  76,  154,  191, 

210 
Tuccari,  Angelica,  75,  182,  203,  205, 

206 
Tucker,  Gregory,  310 
Tucker,  Richard,  132,  142,  161,  187,  188, 

190*.  232,  265,  379 
Tupas,  Benjamin,  39 
Turner,  Eva,  192* 
Tyler,  Marilyn,  61,  209 
Tzipine,  Georges,  212 

Uhde,  Hermann,  270,  273 

Uhl,  Fritz,  14,  24 

Ukena,  Paul,  89 

Ulanowsky,  Paul,  54,  147,  201,  217, 

290,  334,  335,  364,  379 
Ulivi,  Carlo,  68,  291 
Unger,  Gerhard,  118,  272 
Uppman,  Theodore,  85 
Urlus,  Jacques,  3* 
Ursuleac,  Viorica,  235,  269 

Vaghi,  Giacomo,  256,  258 

Valdengo,  Giuseppe,  132,  188,  256,  259 

Valentino,  Frank,  187 

Valery,  Nina,  29 

Valletti,  Cesare,  68,  76,  78,  79,  205 

Vallin,  Ninon,  63,  87,  331* 

Van,  Guillaume  de,  137*,  296 

Van  der  Gucht,  Jan,  231 

Van  Diemen,  Ursula,  160 

Varnay,  Astrid,  33,  270,  274,  281 

Vellucci,  Luigi,  164 

Verbitzkaya,  Elena,  246 

Verneuil,  Claudine,  198 

Vessieres,  Andre,  71 

Vetlesen,  Robert,  65 

Vezzani,  Cesar,  317 

Vichegonov,  Lubomir,  344 

Vickers,  Jon,  107 

Vieuille,  Jean,  200 

Vignas,  Francisco,  265 

Villani,  Renata,  94 

Villier,  G.,  144 

Vinay,  Ramon,  45*,  259,  260 

Vincent,  George,  270 

Vincent,  Jo,  26* 

Vitale,  Maria,  230,  258 

Vitalini,  Alberico,  203 

Vivante,  Genevra,  62 

Vlachopoulos,  Zoe,  96 

Vogel,  Jan,  229 

Volker,  Franz,  272* 

Votipka,  Thelma,  124 

Votto,  Antonino,  183 

Vreeland,  Jeannette,  212 

Vyvyan,  Jennifer,  107,  376 

Wadleigh,  Richard,  120 

Waechter,  Eberhard,  242 

Wagner,  Karl,  242 

Wagner,  Roger,  9,  13,  49,  85,  152,  180 

Wagner,  Sieglinde,  116,  119,  128,  232, 

269 
Waldman,  Frederic,  34,  54,  218,  220 
Walker,  Noxman,  107,  109* 
Wallenstein,  Alfred,  169 


Index  of  Performers 


XIV 


Walter,  Bruno,  51,  139,  140,  168,  169, 

171,  223,  224,  252*,  274,  287* 
Walther-Sachs,  Emilie,  272 
Warenskjold,  Dorothy,  82,  102 
Warfield,  William,  51,  69,  134,  224, 

228*.  377 
Warner,  Genevieve,  111,  131,  173,  222 
Warren,  Leonard,  132,  134,  187*,  261, 

264,  377 
Warren,  Sandra,  241 
Washington,  Eileen,  375 
Washington,  Henry,  138*,  338 
Wasner,  Franz,  371 
Waxman,  Franz,  247 
Weber,  Gunhild,  5,  6,  7,  11,  12,  19,  23, 

24 
Weber,  Ludwig,  165,  235,  273 
Wegner,  Walburga,  237 
Wehofschutz,  Kurt,  284 
Weidemann,  Friedrich,  97 
Weigert,  Hermann,  141,  281 
Weikenmeier,  Albert,  49,  160,  164 
Weiser,  Bernhard,  304 
Weiss-Osborn,  Maja,  11,  23,  27 
Weissenbach,  Johannes,  120 
Weissmann,  Frieder,  280 
Welch,  James  B.,  180,  266,  378 
Welitch,  Ljuba,  172,  190*.  232,  234, 

238*,  245,  379 
Welting,  Jutta,  106 
Wend,  Flore,  71,  198 
Wenzinger,  August,  8,  17,  112,  155 
Werba,  Erika,  55,  69,  291 
Werdemann,  Hermann,  13,  267 
Westenberger,  Erna,  276 
Whitney,  Robert,  89 
Whitred,  Gladys,  293 
Widdop,  Walter,  234 
Wieber,  Elsa,  240* 
Wien,  Erika,  10,  14 
Wiener,  Otto,  3,  23,  25,  31,  38*.  38, 

57,  83,  111,  119,  146 
Wightman,  Alice,  348 
Willauer,  Marguerite,  57 
Wilier,  Luise,  269 
Williams,  Camilla,  91,  254*,  379 


Williams,  Harold,  145 

Wilson,  Dolores,  78 

Windgassen,  Wolfgang,  32,  269,  270, 

273,  279* 
Winters,  Lawrence,  91,  254* 
Witherspoon,  Herbert,  281 
Witte,  Erich,  284 
Witte-Waldbauer,  Margarete,  155 
Wobitsch,  Helmut,  11* 
Woldike,  Mogens,  26*.  110,  115,  117, 

342 
Wolf,  Bette,  119 
Wolf-Ferrari,  Manno,  68,  258 
Wolf-Matthaeus,  Lotte,  19,  21 
Wolff,  Albert,  44,  144 
Wolfram,  Karl,  18,  19,  276 
Wolfson,  Martin,  286 
Wolman,  Josef,  125,  202 
Woodhouse,  Frederick,  3* 
Woodside,  Robert,  151 
Woodworth,  G.  Wallace,  324 
Woudt,  Annie,  33,  105,  113,  140 

Yakuschenko,  N.,  173 
Yard,  John,  173 
Yeend,  Frances,  71,  99*,  123 
Young,  Alexander,  42,  163 

Zadek,  Hilde,  129,  157,  233 

Zador,  Desider,  281 

Zallinger,  Meinhard  von,  120,  121,  158, 

163 
Zamboni,  Maria,  144,  189 
Zanolli,  Silfana,  267,  268 
Zareska,  Eugenia,  173 
Zeller,  Karl,  292 
Zenatello,  Giovanni,  37*,  92,  184*,  265, 

314,  317,  381 
Zerbini,  Rossana,  211 
Zieher,  Gladys,  265* 
Zimmermann,  Erich,  81 
Zinetti,  L.,  264 
Zlatogorova,  Biela,  246 
Zola,  Antonio  Spruzzola,  191 
Zorina,  Vera,  89,  123 


INDEX  OF  COMPOSERS 

(indicates  mention  only  in  text) 


Adam  de  la  Halle,  328,  332,  355 

Ahle,  Johann  Rudolf,  359 

Aichinger,  Gregor,  367,  371,  378 

Albert,  Eugen  d',  3 

Alfonso  the  Wise,  355 

Alneas,  Eyvind,  324 

Anerio,  Felice,  326 

Anna  von  Coin,  359 

Archangelsky,  Alexander,  293 

Arne,  Thomas  Augustine,  3,  293,  377 

Arrieta,  Juan  Emilio,  297 

Asola,  Giovanni  Matteo,  374 

Attaignant,  Pierre,  309 

Auber,  Daniel-Francois  Esprit,  3,  321 

Aubert,  Louis,  331,  349 

Auric,  Georges,  210 

Azzaiola,  Filippo,  341 

Bach,  Carl  Philipp  Emanuel,  4,  320,  366 
Bach,  Johann  Sebastian,  4-28,  293,  307, 

310,  320,  343*,  362,  372,  375,  380 
Bachelet,  Alfred,  345 
Backer-Grondahl,  Agathe,  324 
Banchieri,  Adriano,  28,  296*,  330 
Barab,  Seymour,  28—9 
Barber,  Samuel,  29,  329,  376 
Barbieri,  Francisco  Asenjo,  297 
Bartlett,  John,  309 
Bartok,  Bela,  29-30 
Bassani,  Giovanni  Battista,  333,  354 
Bataille,  Gabriel,  366 
Beethoven,  Ludwig  van,  30—5,  303,  316, 

319,  327,  333,  361,  362, 365 
Belle,  Jan  van,  322 
Bellini,  Vincenzo,  35-8,  296,  300,  305, 

317,  333,  338,  350,  351,  353,  359,  360, 

363,  369,  373* 
Bemberg,  Henri,  364 
Benevoli,  Orazio,  38 
Bennet,  John,  343 
Berchem,  Jachet  de,  346 
Berg,  Alban,  38-40 
Berlioz,  Hector,  40-4,  337,  364,  368 
Bernart  de  Ventadorn,  331,  355 
Besard,  Jean  Baptiste,  309 
Billings,  William,  380 
Bishop,  Sir  Henry  Rowley,  353 
Bizet,  Georges,  44-5,  300*,  304,  310, 

314,  321,  323,  339,  345,  364,  371,  372, 

373* 
Bland,  James,  360 
Bloch,  Ernest,  45 
Blow,  John,  46 
Boeck,  Auguste  de,  322 
Boesset,  Antoine,  366 
Bbhm,  Georg,  320,  366 
Bo'ieldieu,  Franco is-Adrien,  364 
Bo'ito,  Arrigo,  46-7,  305,  314,  317,  337, 

339,  342,  345,  357,  359,  363,  369 
Boni,  Guillaume,  332 
Bonnet,  Pierre,  302,  332 
Bononcini,  Giovanni  Battista,  351 
Borodin,  Alexander,  46,  297,  305,  337, 

348 
Bortniansky,  Dimitri  Stepanovitch,  293 


Boulanger,  Lily,  302 

Bowles,  Paul,  48 

Braga,  Ernani,  48,  323 

Brahms,  Johannes,  48-55,  299, 315,  320, 

325,  335,  348,  361,  362,  363 
Britten,  Benjamin,  55-7,  318,  325,  3  77 
Bruckner,  Anton,  57—8 
Brull,  Ignaz,  365 
Bruneau,  Alfred,  317 
Brunswick,  Mark,  325 
Bull,  John,  309 
Bull,  Ole,  324 
Biisser,  Henri,  364 
Buxtehude,  Dietrich,  58—60 
Byrd,  William,  60-1,  306,  326,  367 

Caccini,  Giulio,  311,  332,  333,  338,  366 

Caldara,  Antonio,  298,  311,  338,  354 

Calestani,  Vincenzio,  366 

Cambini,  Giovanni  Giuseppe,  61 

Campra,  Andre,  333 

Canteloube,  Joseph,  61—2,  367* 

Caplet,  Andre,  364 

Carey,  Henry,  61 

Carissimi,  Giacomo,  61,  298,  333,  355 

Carpenter,  John  Alden,  303,  379 

Catalani,  Alfredo,  311,  312,  345,  358 

Caturla,  Alejandro  Garcia,  310 

Cavalli,  Francesco,  61-2,  298,  351 

Certon,  Pierre,  309,  332 

Cesti,  Marc'Antonio,  331,  333,  354 

Chabrier,  Emanuel,  63,  364,  371 

Chanler,  Theodore,  304 

Charpentier,  Gustave,  63,  310,  322,  373* 

Charpentier,  Marc-Antoine,  64—5 

Chausson,  Ernest,  65—6,  315 

Chavez,  Carlos,  325 

Cherubini,  Luigi,  66-7,  298 

Chopin,  Frederic-Francois,  67 

Cilea,  Francesco,  67-8,  321,  338,  345, 

369 
Cimarosa,  Domenico,  68—9 
Citkowitz,  Israel,  304 
Clemens  non  Papa,  322 
Compere,  Louis,  328* 
Consilium,  302 
Copland,  Aaron,  69,  376 
Cornelius,  Peter,  69,  316,  330,  334,  336, 

367 
Corsi,  Giuseppe,  360 
Costeley,  Guillaume,  302,  306,  332 
Couperin,  Francois,  70,  302 
Crecquillon,  Thomas,  309 
Crist,  Bain  bridge,  345,  360 
Croce,  Giovanni,  3  74 
Criiger,  Johann,  320 

Damrosch,  Walter,  377 

Daques,  Pierre,  375 

Dargomizhsky,  Alexander  Sergeivitch, 

70,  371,  379 
Debussy,  Claude,  70-4,  299,  302,  322, 

327,  345,  360,  364,  365,  368,  379 
De  Koven,  Reginald,  377 
Delibes,  Leo,  74,  317,  345,  379 


Index  of  Composers 


XVI 


Delius,  Frederick,  75 

Dello  Joio,  Norman,  75 

Delvincourt,  Claude,  349 

Danza,  Luigi,  338,  363,  381 

Distler,  Hugo,  330 

Donati,  Baldassare,  341 

Donaudy,  Stefano,  304,  345 

Donizetti,  Gaetano,  75-9,  298,  300,  304, 

305,  308,  317,  321,  338,  340,  350,  351, 

355, 373* 
Djfrumsgaard,  Arne,  320,  366 
Dougherty,  Celius,  379 
Dowland,  John,  80,  309,  327,  329, 

356,  372 
Dufay,  Guillaume,  80,  296,  307,  326, 

346,  378 
Duke,  John,  360 
Dunstable,  John,  378 
Duparc,  Henri,  80-1,  322,  325,  360,  364, 

368, 370 
Durante,  Francesco,  311,  354 
Dvorak,  Antonin,  81—3,  314 

Eberlin,  Johann  Ernst,  371 
Eccard,  Johannes,  371 
Elgar,  Sir  Edward,  330 
Encina,  Juan  del,  355,  356 

Falconieri,  Andrea,  331,  338,  341,  351, 

366 
Falla,  Manuel  de,  83-5,  303 
Farmer,  John,  356 
Farnaby,  Giles,  85,  356 
Farrant,  Richard,  306,  380 
Faure,  Gabriel  Urbain,  85—7,  302,  315, 

322,  325,  331,  364,  370,  371 
Faure,  Jean-Baptiste,  357 
Fernandez,  O.  Lorenzo,  310 
Fernandez  Caballero,  Manuel,  297 
Fickenscher,  Arthur,  87—8 
Fioravanti,  Valentino,  88 
Flanagan,  William,  304 
Flotow,  Friedrich  von,  88-9,  300,  321, 

364 
Foote,  Arthur,  372 
Foss,  Lukas,  89 
Foster,  Stephen  Collins,  303 
Francaix,  Jean,  210,  302 
Franck,  Cesar,  293 
Franck,  Johann  Wolfgang,  320 
Franck,  Melchior,  293 
Franz,  Robert,  89-90,  303,  333,  334 
Frescobaldi,  Girolamo,  28,  309 

Gabrieli,  Andrea,  90,  374 

Gabrieli,  Giovanni,  28,  90-1,  307 

Gagliano,  Marco  da,  309 

Galindo,  Bias,  310 

Gallet,  Luciano,  328 

Gallon,  Noel,  349 

Gallus,  Jacobus  (Handl),  307,  313,  360, 

376,  380 
Gardane,  Antonio,  332 
Gasparini,  Guido,  354 
Gerle,  Hans,  359 
German,  Sir  Edward,  91,  377 


Gershwin,  George,  91 

Gesualdo,  Carlo,  Prince  of  Venosa,  92, 

307 
Gibbons,  Orlando,  306,  356,  375 
Ginastera,  Alberto  E.,  310,  371 
Giordani,  Giuseppe,  338,  351,  354,  362 
Giordano,  Umberto,  92-4,  300,  312,  317, 

338, 345, 359, 369 
Glinka,  Michael,  94-5,  297,  305 
Gluck,  Christoph  Willibad  von,  95-7,300, 

310,  317,  330,  345,  348,  354,  362,  365 
Godard,  Benjamin,  340 
Goetz,  Hermann,  97 
Goldmark,  Karl,  97-8 
Gomes,  Antonio  Carlos,  339,  342 
Gomolka,  Nikolai,  353 
Goudimel,  Claude,  332 
Gounod,  Charles-Franjois,  98—101,  293, 

300*.  305,  306, 314, 317, 321, 322,  337, 

339, 342,  360,  364 
Grainger,  Percy,  377 
Granados,  Enrique,  295,  329,  371 
Gretchaninoff,  Alexander,  293,  316,  371, 

380 
Gretry,  Andre-Ernest-Modeste,  246 
Grieg,  Edvard  Hagerup,  101-3,  299,  324, 

330 
Gruen,  John,  103,  308 
Guedron,  Pierre,  366 
Guridi,  Je'sus,  295,  329 

Hahn,  Reynaldo,  103-4,  315,  360,  364, 

368,  370, 371 
Halevy,  Jacques-Francois,  104,  304,  312, 

314,  317,  336,  342,  351,  364 
Hammerschmidt,  Andreas,  377 
Handel,  George  Frideric,  104-14,  298, 

299,  304,  327,  330,  331,  333,  343*,  345, 

351,  365,  372,  373* 
Hanson,  Howard,  114 
Harris,  Arthur,  308,  325 
Hassler,  Hans  Leo,  359,  375,  380 
Hauer,  Josef  Mathias,  115 
Haydn,  Josef,  115-21,  348 
Head,  Michael,  377 
Helder,  Bartholomaeus,  366 
Henrique,  Valdemar,  323 
Hesdin,  Pierre,  332 
Hildach,  Eugen,  344 
Hillemacher  (Brothers),  368 
Hindemith,  Paul,  122—3 
Honegger,  Arthur,  123,  349 
Hook,  James,  123—4 
Hopkins,  Anthony,  377 
Howe,  Mary,  124 
Howells,  Herbert,  377 
Hughes,  Herbert,  348 
Hummel,  Johann  Nepomuk,  314 
Humperdinck,  Eng'elbert,  124—5,  361 

India,  Sigismondo  d',    366 

Ingegneri,  Marc'  Antonio,  326,  341,  367, 

371, 374, 376, 378 
Ippolitov-Ivanov,  Michael,  293 
Isaac,  Heinrich,  125,  328*,  359 
Ives,  Charles  E.,  125-6,  325 


Index  of  Composers 


XV11 


Janacek,  Leos,  126 

Jannequin,  Clement,  302,  329,  332 

Jensen,  Adolf,  330 

Jimenez,  Jeronimo,  297 

Johansen,  David  Monrad,  324 

John  IV,  King  of  Portugal,  371 

Jones,  Charles,  308 

Jones,  Robert,  309 

Jones,  Sidney,  126 

Josquin  Des  Pres,  126-7,  296,  301,  306, 

322,  326,  346, 378,  380 
Josten,  Werner,  127 

Kahn,  Percy  B.,  304 

Kastalsky,  Alexander  Dimitrievitch,  293 

Kernochan,  Marshall,  377 

Kilpinen,  Yrio,  127-8 

Kitson,  C.H.,  375 

Kjerulf,  Halfdan,  324 

Knab,  Armin,  348 

Kodaly,  Zoltan,  128-9 

Koechlin,  Charles,  360,  379 

Kopylov,  Alexander,  293 

Korngold,  Erich,  129 

Kraehenbuehl,  David,  308 

Krenek,  Ernst,  129,  325 

Lambert,  Constant,  130 

La  Rue,  Pierre  de,  378 

Laserna,  Bias,  295 

Lassus,  Roland  de,  130,  301,  302,  307, 

322,  326,  329,  346, 348, 371 
Lecocq,  Charles,  130 
Legrenzi,  Giovanni,  351,  354 
Lehar,  Franz,  131-2,  344,  379 
Lehmann,  Liza,  377 
Le  Jeune,  Claude,  302,  332 
Leoncavallo,  Ruggiero,  132—4,  298,  300*, 

304,  311,  313,  314,  339,  344,  345,  350, 

358,  369,  378,  381 
Leonin,  355 
Le  Roy,  Adrien,  309 
Levade,  Charles,  364 
Lie,  Sigurd,  324 

Liszt,  Franz,  134,  299,  361,  362,  365 
Loewe,  Carl,  134-5,  361,  367 
Lortzing,  Albert,  136,  362 
Lotti,  Antonio,  338,  354,  378 
Louis  XIII,  366 
Liibeck,  Vincent,  136 
Luca,  Giuseppe  de,  369 
Lully,  Jean-Baptiste,  136—7,  302,  365 
Luna,  Pablo,  297 

Machaut,  Guillaume  de,  137—8,  296 

Mahler,  Gustav,  138—41,  303 

Malipiero,  G.  Francesco,  379 

Manziarly,  Marcelle  de,  301 

Marcello,  Benedetto,  141,  298,  333 

Marenzio,  Luca,  28 

Martini,  Giambattista  (Padre),  371 

Martini,  Jean  Paul  Egide,  364 

Marx,  Joseph,  379 

Mascagni,  Pietro,  141-4,  300*,  304,  313, 

314,  323,  338,  339,  344,  353,  357,  358, 

369,  370, 372 


Massenet,  Jules,  144-5,  304,  310,  317, 

321,  322,  323,  325,  337,  339,  345,  360, 

363,  364,  368,  370 
Mauduit,  Jacques,  302 
Mendelssohn,  Arnold,  314 
Mendelssohn,  Felix,  145—7,  334,  361, 

372,  373* 
Menegali,  371 
Menotti,  Gian-Carlo,  147—8 
Mercadante,  Saverio,  339 
Merulo,  Claudio,  374 
Mesquita,  Amelia  de,  323 
Messager,  Andre,  148—9 
Meulemans,  Arthur,  322 
Meyerbeer,  Giacomo,  149-50,  300*,  304, 

314,  317,  333,  338,  339,  342,  345 
Mignone,  Francisco,  323 
Milan,  Luis,  309 

Milhaud,  Darius,  150-1,  210,  349 
Millocker,  Karl,  379 
Milton,  John,  Senior,  356* 
Moniot  d'Arras,  355 
Montemezzi,  Italo,  151 
Monteverdi,  Claudio,  28,  151-6,  298,  307, 

327,  330,  331,  333,  341,  351,  365,  377 
Morales,  Cristobal,  325 
Moret,  Ernest,  360 
Morley,  Thomas,  156,  309,  329,  346,  356, 

375,  377 
Mouton,  Jean,  346 
Mozart,  Wolfgang  Amadeus,  156—73,  298, 

299,  313,  314,  323,  327,  333,  334,  335, 

340,  348,  351,  357,  360,  362,  363,  364, 

366,  367,  372,  373*,  374*.  376 
Mudarra,  Alonso  de,  309 
Munoz,  Garcia,  355 

Mussorgsky,  Modest  Petrovich,  173—6, 
297,  306,  307,  314,  336,  337,  371,  379 

Nanino,  Giovanni  Bemadino,  341 

Nasco,  Giovanni,  374,  376 

Nebdal,  Oscar,  176 

Neidhart  von  Reuenthal,  331,  355 

Neupert,  Edmund,  324 

Nicolai,  Otto  von,  176,  340,  367 

Nicolas  de  la  Grotte,  302,  332 

Niles,  John  Jacob,  325 

Nm,  Joaquin,  295*.  329,  360,  371 

Noble,  T.  Tertius,  375 

Obradors,  Fernando  J.,  329,  360,  371 

Obrecht,  Jakob,  346 

O'Brien,  Vincent,  345 

Offenbach,  Jacques,  177-9,  345,  364,  368 

Okeghem,  Johannes,  346 

Oliveira,  Babi  de,  323 

Orff,  Carl,  179 

Oswald  von  Wolkenstein,  331 

Ott,  Johannes,  359 

Ovalle,  Jayme,  323,  328 

Paisiello,  Giovanni,  298,  331,  351 
Paladilhe,  Emile,  337,  348,  370 
Palestrina,  Giovanni  Pierluigi  da,  180—1, 
293,  307,  313,  326,  329,  341,  342*,  346, 

367,  376,  378 


Index  of  Composers 


XV111 


Palomino,  Antonio,  295 

Pasquini,  Bernardo,  338 

Passereau,  306,  332 

Pepusch,  John  Christopher,  181 

Pergolesi,  Giovanni  Battista,  181—3, 

242,  298,  333,  338,  345,  355 
Peri,  Jacopo,  366 
Perotin,  183,  307,  355,  377 
Pfitzner,  Hans,  330 
Pierne,  Gabriel,  348 
Pilkington,  Francis,  309,  329 
Planquette,  Robert,  183 
Ponce,  Juan,  355 
Ponchielli,  Amilcare,  183-7,  294,  301, 

304,  312,  321,  344,  353,  355,  358,  372, 
373*.  378 

Porta,  Constanzo,  374 

Poulenc,  Francis,  184,  210,  349,  368, 

3  71 
Praetorius,  Michael,  326,  371 
Preger,  Leo,  210,  302 
Prokofiev,  Sergei,  185—6 
Puccini,  Giacomo,  186-93,  294,  300,  304, 

312,  314,  317,  338,  339,  342,  344,  345, 

351,  353,  357,  358,  360,  367,  369,  370, 

372,  379,  381 
Purcell,  Henry,  193-6,  293,  310,  313, 

325, 376 

Quagliati,  Paolo,  366 
Quilter,  Roger,  318,  377 

Rachmaninoff,  Sergei,  196-8,  293,  299, 

316,  380 
Radecke,  Robert,  361 
Raimbaut  de  Vaqueiras,  331 
Rameau,  Jean-Philippe,  198-9,  366 
Ravel,  Maurice,  199-202,  329,  330,  349, 

364,  365,  371 
Ravenscroft,  Thomas,  356 
Redford,  John,  306 
Reger,  Max,  345 
Respighi,  Ottorino,  379 
Revueltas,  Silvestre,  202 
Reyer,  Ernest,  317 
Ribera,  Julian,  355 
Rimsky-Korsakov,  Nicolai,  202,  297, 

305,  306,  307, 353 
Rogers,  James  H.,  320 
Ronald,  Sir  Landon,  323 
Rontani,  Raffaello,  366 
Ropartz,  Guy,  349 
Rore,  Cipriano  de,  332 
Rosselli,  Francesco,  293,  378 
Rossini,  Gioacchino,  203—8,  297,  304, 

308,  309*.  314,  323,  336,  338,  339,  342, 
345,  347,  353,  362,  363,  367,  369,  3?8 

Rubbra,  Edmund,  208 

Rubinstein,  Anton,  305,  337,  348,  362, 
364 

Rubinus,  328* 

Ruffo,  Vincenzo,  374 

Saint-Saens,  Camille,  208-9,  368,  373* 
Sammartini,  Giovanni  Battista,  209 
Sandoval,  Miguel,  360 


Sandrin,  Pierre,  332 

Santoliquido,  Francesco,  327 

Sarti,  Giuseppe,  303,  351 

Sasonkin,  Manus,  308 

Satie,  Erik,  209-10,  371 

Sauguet,  Henri,  210 

Scarlatti,  Alessandro,  210—11,  298,  309, 

310,  325,  331,  333,  351,  354,  366,  376 
Schein,  Johann  Hermann,  313 
Schillings,  Max  von,  211—12 
Schmitt,  Florent,  212 

Schnabel,  Artur,  212 

Schoenberg,  Arnold,  212—15 

Schubert,  Franz  Peter,  215-23,  299,  303, 

311,  315,  318,  319,  320,  325,  327,  330, 
331,  334,  336,  348,  353,  357,  361,  362, 
365,  376 

Schumann,  Robert,  223-5,  313,  318,  319, 
320,  325,  331,  334,  335,  348, 357, 361, 
362,  365,  367 

Schutz,  Heinrich,  225-8,  310,  325,  377 

Schuyt,  Cornelius,  346 

Scott,  Lady  John,  360 

Self,  William,  293 

Sermisy,  Claudin  de,  302,  306,  332 

Shepherd,  Arthur ,  228 

Shostakovich,  Dimitri,  229 

Sibelius,  Jean,  229,  299 

Sinding,  Christian,  324 

Sjoberg,  Svante  Leonard,  299 

Smetana,  Bedrich,  229-30,  313,  314,  340, 
370 

Smith,  Russell,  304 

Sommer,  Hans,  365 

Sousa,  Oswaldo  de,  323 

Speaks,  Oley,  320,  377 

Spohr,  Ludwig,  230 

Spontini,  Gasparo,  230,  353 

Spross,  Charles  Gilbert,  377 

Stainer,  Sir  John,  231 

Stange,  Max,  314 

Stark,  Richard,  380 

Straus,  Oskar,  231—2 

Strauss,  Johann,  232—4,  373,  376,  379 

Strauss,  Richard,  172,  234-40,  299,  303, 
311,  313,  320,  330,  335,  336,  344,  348, 
358,  361,  363, 364, 365, 370, 374,  379 

Stravinsky,  Igor,  241—4 

Sullivan,  Sir  Arthur,  244-5,  304 

Suppe,  Franz  von,  245 

Svendsen,  Johan,  324 

Sweelinck,  Jan  Pieters,  346 

Tailleferre,  Germaine,  367* 
Tallis,  Thomas,  293,  360 
Tavares,  Heckel,  323,  328 
Tchaikovsky,  Peter  Hitch,  245-7,  297, 

306,  316,  321,  345,  348,  379 
Tchesnokov,  Paul  Grigorevich,  315,  367, 

380 
Telemann,  Georg  Philipp,  247 
Thomas,  Ambroise,  247-8,  314,  323,  336, 

338,  364,  370 
Thompson,  Randall,  376 
Thomson,  Virgil,  249,  376,  380 
Tiersot,  Julien,  367* 


Index  of  Composers 


XIX 


Tinel,  Edgar,  322 

Titcomb,  Everett,  293 

Toch,  Ernst,  249-50 

Tollius,  Jan,  346 

Tomkins,  Thomas,  356* 

Torelli,  Giuseppe,  351 

Tosti,  Sir  Francesco  Paolo,  299,  304, 

363 
Tours,  Frank,  377 
Tremois,  Marcel,  349 
Turina,  Joaqufn,  295,  329 

Vaughan  Williams,  Ralph,  250,  375,  376 

Vecchi,  Orazio,  250-1,  3  74 

Veracini,  Francesco  Maria,  3  73* 

Verdelot,  Philippe,  309 

Verdi,  Giuseppe,  251-66,  294,  297,  298, 
300*,  300,  301,  304,  305,  310,  311,  312, 
313,  314,  316,  317,  321,  323,  333,  335, 
338,  339,  342,  344,  345, 347, 350,  351, 
353,  357,  358,  359,  362,  363,  369,  370, 
372,  373*,  376,  378,  379,  381 

Vetter,  Daniel,  366 

Victoria,  Tomas  Luis  de,  266—8,  306, 
326,  330,  346,  367,  376,  378 

Villa-Lobos,  Heitor,  267,  323,  328,  360, 
371 


Vivaldi,  Antonio,  267—9,  298 
Vives,  Amadeo,  297 

Waclaw  of  Szamotul,  353 

Wagner,  Richard,  269-82,  313,  314,  316, 

324,  335,  337, 340, 353, 358, 362, 373* 
Wallace,  William  Vincent,  353 

Walther  von  der  Vogelweide,  331 

Walton,  Sir  William,  282 

Warlock,  Peter,  379 

Weber,  Ben,  283 

Weber,  Karl  Maria  von,  283-5,  314,  327 

Webern,  Anton  von,  285—6 

Weelkes,  Thomas,  307,  356 

Weigl,  Karl,  286 

Weill,  Kurt,  286 

Whitehead,  Alfred,  375 

Whittaker,  William  Gillies,  377 

Wilbye,  John,  287 

Willaert,  Adrian,  309,  3  74 

Witzlav  von  Rugen,  331 

Wolf,  Hugo,  287-91,  299,  303,  313,  315, 

325,  327,  336,  357,  361,  363,  365 
Wolf-Ferrari,  Ermanno,  291-2,  369 
Wood,  Charles,  375 

Zandonai,  Riccardo,  292 


AN  ALPHABETICAL  LIST  OF 

OPERA     TITLES 


WITH   COMPOSER  S'     NAMES 


Abduction  from  the  Seraglio,  The  (Die 
Entfiihrung  aus  dem  Serail)  (Mozart) 

Abu  Hassan  (Weber) 

A  cant  be  (Rameau) 

Acis  and  Galatea  (Handel) 

Adriana  Lecouvreur  (Cilea) 

Africaine,  L'  (Meyerbeer) 

Atda,  (Verdi) 

Alceste  (Gluck) 

Alceste  (Lully) 

Alcina  (Handel) 

Aleko  (Rachmaninoff) 

Alessandro  Stradella  (Flotow) 

Amadis  de  Gaule  (Lully) 

Amabl  and  the  Night  Visitors  (Menotti) 

Amelia  al  Ballo  (Amelia  Goes  to  the 
Ball)  (Menotti) 

Amico  Fritz,  L'  (Mascagni) 

Amore  dei  Tre  Re,  L'  (Montemezzi) 

Andrea  Cbenier  (Giordano) 

Apothecary,  The  (Der  Apotheker)  (Haydn) 

Arabella  (R.  Strauss) 

Ariadne  auf  Naxos  (R.  Strauss) 

Arianna  (Monteverdi) 

Arlesiana,  L'  (Cilea) 

Armida  (Sarti) 

Attaque  au  Moulin,  L'  (Bruneau) 

Atys  (Lully) 

Ballo  delle  Ingrate,  II  (Monteverdi) 
Ballo  in  Maschera,  Un  (Verdi) 


Barberillo  de  Lavapies,  El  (Barbieri) 
Barbero  de  Sevilla,  El  (Jimenez) 
Barbier  von  Bagdad,  Der  (Cornelius) 
Barbiere  di  Siviglia,  11  (Rossini) 
Bartered  Bride,  The  (Smetana) 
Bastien  und  Bastienne  (Mozart) 
Battaglia  di  Legnano,  La  (Verdi) 
Beggar's  Opera,  The  (Pepusch) 
Belle  Helene,  La    (Offenbach) 
Berenice    (Handel) 
Betly  (Donizetti) 
Bianca  e  Fernando  (Bellini) 
Boccaccio  (Suppe) 
Boheme,  La  (Leoncavallo) 
Boheme,  La  (Puccini) 
Bohemias    (Vives  ) 
Boris  Godunov  (Mussorgsky) 

Cabo  Primero,  El  (Fernandez  Caballero) 

Cadmus  et  Hermione  (Lully) 

Ca'id,  Le  (Thomas) 

Cambiale  di  Matrimonio,  La  (Rossini) 

Cambio  della  Valigia,  II  (Rossini) 

Camilla    (Bononcini) 

Campanello,  II  (Donizetti) 

CantatriceVillane,  Le  (Fioravanti) 

Capriccio  (R.  Strauss) 

Carmen  (Bizet) 

Castor  et  Pollux  (Rameau) 

Catone  (Pergolesi) 

Cavalleria  Rusticana  (Mascagni) 


List  of  Opera  Titles 


XX 


Cenerentola,  La  (Kossini) 

Cid,  Le  (Massenet) 

Clemenza  di  Tito,  La  (Mozart) 

Cloches  de  Corneville,  Les  (Planquette) 

Combattimento  di  Tancredi  e  Clorinda,  11 

(Monteverdi) 
Consul,  The  (Menotti) 
Contadina  Astuta,  La  (Pergolesi) 
Contes  d'Hoffmann,  Les  (Offenbach) 
Coq  d'Or,  Le  (Rimsky-Korsakov) 
Corregidor,  Der  (Wolf) 
Cos i  fan  tutte  (Mozart) 
Czar's  Bride,  The  (Rimsky-Korsakov) 

Dalibor  (Smetana) 
Dame  Blanche,  La  (Bo'ieldieu) 
Dardanus  (Rameau) 
Demofonte  (Cherubini) 
Demon,  The  (Rubinstein) 
Dido  and  Aeneas  (Purcell) 
Dinorah  (Meyerbeer) 
Don  Carlo  (Verdi) 
Don  Giovanni  (Mozart) 
Don  Pasquale   (Donizetti) 
Don  Quichotte  (Massenet) 
Don  Sebastiano  (Donizetti) 
Donna  Ancor  e  Fedele,  La  (Scarlatti) 
Dreigroschenoper,  Die  (Weill) 
Dubarry,  Die  (Millocker) 
Due  Foscari.  I  (Verdi) 
Duo  de  La  Africana,  El  (Fernandez 
Caballero) 

Elektra  (R.  Strauss) 

Elisir  d'Amore,  L'  (Donizetti) 

Enfant  et  les  sortileges,  L'  (Ravel) 

Enfant  prodigue,  L'  (Debussy) 

Entfuhrung  aus  dem  Serail,  Die  (Mozart) 

Ernani  (Verdi) 

Eteocle  (Legrenzi) 

Eugene  Onegin  (Tchaikovsky) 

Faithful  Shepherd,  The  (ll  Pastor  Fido) 

(Handel) 
Falstaff  (Verdi) 

Fanciulla  del  West,  La  (Puccini) 
Faust  (Gounod) 
Favorita,  La  (Donizetti) 
Fedora  (Giordano) 
Fernando  Cortex  (Spontini) 
Fetes  cPHebe,  Les  (Rameau) 
Fetes  Venitiennes  (Campra) 
Fidelio  (Beethoven) 
Figlia  del  Reggimento,  La  (Donizetti) 
Fille  de  Madame  Angot,  La  (Lecocq) 
Finta  Giardiniera,  La  (Mozart) 
Fledermaus,  Die  (J.  Strauss) 
Fliegende  Hollander,  Der    (Wagner) 
Floridante  (Handel) 
Flying  Dutchman,  The  (Der  fliegende 

Hollander)  (Wagner) 
Forza  del  Destino,  La  (Verdi) 
Four  Saints  in  Three  Acts  (Thomson) 
Fra  Diavolo  (Auber) 
France  sea  da  Rimini  (Zandonai) 
Frate  'Nnamorato,  Lo  (Pergolesi) 
Freischiitz,  Der  (Weber) 


Gazza  Ladra,  La  (Rossini) 
Geisha,  The  (Jones) 
Geloso  Scbernito,  ll  (Pergolesi) 
Gianni  Schicchi  (Puccini) 
Gigantes  y  Cabezudos  (Fernandez 

Caballero) 
Gioconda,  La  (Ponchielli) 
Giorno  di  Regno,  Un  (Verdi) 
Girl  of  the  Golden  West,  The  (La 

Fanciulla  del  West)  (Puccini) 
Giulio  Cesare  (Handel) 
Golden  Cockerel,  The  (Le  Coq  d'Or) 

(Rimsky-Korsakov) 
Gotterdammerung  (Wagner) 
Guarany,  ll  (Gomes) 
Guglielmo  Ratcliffe  (Mascagni) 
Guglielmo  Tell  (Rossini) 
Guillaume  Tell  (Guglielmo  Tell 

(Rossini) 
Gypsy  Baron,  The  (Der  Zige unerbaron) 

(J.  Strauss) 
Gypsy  Love (Zigeunerliebe)   (J.  Strauss) 

HMS  Pinafore  (Sullivan) 

Hamlet  (Thomas) 

Hansel  und  Gretel  (Humperdinck) 

Hausliche  Krieg,  Der  (Schubert) 

Herodiade  (Massenet) 

Heure  Espagnole,  L'  (Ravel) 

Hippolyte  et  Aricie  (Rameau) 

Honesta  negli  Amori,  L'  (Scarlatti) 

Huguenots,  Les  (Meyerbeer) 

Idomeneo  (Mozart) 

Impresario,  The  (Der  Schauspieldtrektor) 

(Mozart) 
Incoronazione  di  Poppea,  L'  (Monteverdi) 
Indes  Galantes,  Les  (Rameau) 
Iolanthe  (Sullivan) 
Ipbigenie  en  Tauride  (Gluck) 
Iris  (Mascagni) 

Italiana  in  Algeri,  L'  (Rossini) 
Ivrogne  corrige,  L'  (Gluck) 

Jeanne  cTArc  au  bucher  (Honegger) 
Jocelyn  (Godard) 
Juive,  La  (Halevy) 

Julius  Caesar  (Giulio  Cesare)  (Handel) 
Jumping  Frog  of  Calaveras  County,  The 
(Foss) 

Kashtchay  the  Immortal  (Rimsky-Korskov) 
Khovantchina  (Mussorgsky) 
Konigin  von  Saba,  Die  (Goldmark) 

Lakme  (Delibes) 

Land  des  Lachelns,  Das  (Lehar) 

Land  of  Smiles,  The  (Das  Land  des 

Lachelns)  (Lehar) 
Last  Waltz,  The  (Die  letzte  Walzer) 

(Straus) 
Legend  of  the  Invisible  City  of  Kitescb, 

The  (Rimsky-Korsakov) 
Letzte  Walzer,  Die  (Straus) 
Life  for  the  Czar,  A  (Glinka) 
Linda  di  Chamounix  (Donizetti) 
Lohengrin  (Wagner) 


List  of  Opera  Titles 


XXI 


Lombardi  alia  Prima  Crociata,  I  (Verdi) 

Lore  ley  (Catalani) 

Louise  (Charpentier) 

Love  of  Three  Kings,  The  (L'Amore 

dei  Tre  Re)  (Monte me zzi) 
Lucia  di  Lammermoor  (Donizetti) 
Lucrezia  Borgia  (Donizetti) 
Luisa  Miller  (Verdi) 
Lulu  (Berg) 

Lustige  Witwe,  Die  (Lehar) 
Lustigen  Weiber  von  Windsor,  Die 

(Nicolai) 

Macbeth  (Verdi) 

Madama  Butterfly  (Puccini) 

Mme  Sans-Gene  (Giordano) 

Maestro  di  Capella,  11  (Cimarosa) 

Maestro  di  Musica,  II  (Pergolesi) 

Magic  Flute,  The  (Die  Zauberflote) 

(Mozart) 
Mamelles  de  Tnesias,  Les  (Poulenc) 
Man  in  the  Moon,  The  (II  Mondo  della 

Luna)  (Haydn) 
Manon  (Massenet) 
Manon  Lescaut  (Puccini) 
Mariage  aux  Lanternes,  Le  (Offenbach) 
Marina  (Arrieta) 
Maritana  (Wallace) 
Marriage,  The  (Mussorgsky) 
Marriage  of  Figaro,  The  (Le  Nozze  di 

Figaro)  (Mozart) 
Martha  (Flotow) 

Masaniello  (La  Muette  de  Portici)  (Auber) 
Masked  Ball,  A  (Un  Ballo  in  Maschera) 

(Verdi) 
Matrimonio  Segreto,  II  (Cimarosa) 
Mavra  (Stravinsky) 
May  Night  (Rimsky-Korsakov) 
Mazeppa  (Tchaikovsky) 
Medee    (M.A.Charpentier) 
Medium,  The  (Menotti) 
Mefistofele  (Boito) 

Meistersinger  von  Nurnberg,  Die  (Wagner) 
Merry  England  (German) 
Merry  Widow,  The  (Die  lustige  Witwe) 

(Lehar) 
Merry  Wives  of  Windsor,  The  (Die  lustigen 

Weiber  von  Windsor)  (Nicolai) 
Mese  Mariano  (Giorano) 
Mignon  (Thomas) 
Mikado,  The  (Sullivan) 
Milton  (Spontini) 

Miserly  Knight,  The  (Rachmaninoff) 
Molinara,  La  (Paisiello) 
Mondo  della  Luna,  II  (Haydn) 
Monsieur  Beaucaire  (Messager) 
Mozart  and  Salieri  (Rimsky-Korsakov) 
Muette  de  Portici,  La  (Auber) 

Nabucco  ( N abucodonosor)  (Verdi) 

Nabucodonosor  (Verdi) 

Nacht  in  Venedig,  Eine  (J.  Strauss) 

Naissance  de  Venus,  La  (Lully) 

Nerone  (Bolto) 

Night  in  Venice,  A  (Eine  Nacht  in 

Venedig)  (J.  Strauss) 
Nino  Judio,  El  (Luna) 
Noces,  Les  (Stravinsky) 


Norma  (Bellini) 

Nozze  di  Figaro,  Le  (Mozart) 

Oberon  (Weber) 

Oedipus  Rex  (Stravinsky) 

Olympia  (Spontini) 

Olympiade,  L'  (Pergolesi) 

Orfeo  (Monteverdi) 

Orfeo  ed  Euridice  (Gluck) 

Orfeo  ed  Euridice  (Haydn) 

Orontea   (Cesti) 

Orpbee  aux  Enfers  (Offenbach) 

Orpheus  in  Hades  (Orpbee  aux  Enfers) 

(Offenbach) 
Otello  (Verdi) 

Pagliacci,  I  (Leoncavallo) 

Paride  ed  Elena  (Gluck) 

Paris  and  Helen    (Paride  ed  Elena) 

(Gluck) 
Parsifal  (Wagner) 
Pastor  Fido,  II  (Handel) 
Patience  (Sullivan) 
Patrie  (Paladilhe) 
Pearl  Fishers,  The  (Les  Pecheurs  de 

perles)  (Bizet) 
Pecheurs  de  perles,  Les  (Bizet) 
Pelerins  de  la  Mecque,  Les  (La 

Rencontre  Imprevue)    (Gluck) 
Pelleas  et  Melisande  (Debussy) 
Perichole,  La  (Offenbach) 
Persee  (Lully) 
Pescatori  di  Perle,  I  (Les  Pecheurs  de 

perles)  (Bizet) 
Phaeton  (Lully) 
Philemon  und  Baucis  (Haydn) 
Piccolo  Marat,  II  (Mascagni) 
Pimpinone  (Telemann) 
Pique-Dame  (Tchaikovsky) 
Pirates  of  Penzance,  The  (Sullivan) 
Pirro  e  Demetrio,  II  (Scarlatti) 
Platee  (Rameau) 
Polenblut  (Nebdal) 
Porgy  and  Bess  (Gershwin) 
Prince  Igor  (Borodin) 
Princess  Ida  (Sullivan) 
Prodana  Nevesta  (The  Bartered  Bride) 

(Smetana) 
Prophete,  Le  (Meyerbeer) 
Psyche  (Lully) 
Puritani,  I  (Bellini) 

Quattro  Rusteghi,  I  (Wolf-Ferrari) 
Queen  of  Spades,  The  (Pique-Dame) 

(Tchaikovsky) 

Rake's  Progress,  The  (Stravinsky) 

Re  Pastore,  II  (Mozart) 

Renard  (Stravinsky) 

Rencontre  Imprevue,  La  (Gluck) 

Retablo  de  Maese  Pedro,  El  (Falla) 

Rheingold,  Das  (Wagner) 

R  ienzi  (Wagner) 

Rigoletto  (Verdi) 

Rmaldo  (Handel) 

Robert  le  diable  (Meyerbeer) 

Rodelinda  (Handel) 

Roi  malgre  lui,  Le  (Chabrier) 

Romeo  et  Juliette  (Gounod) 

Rondine,  La  .(Puccini) 

Rosenkavalier,  Der  (R.  Strauss) 


List  of  Opera  Titles 


XX11 


Rusalka  (Dvorak) 
Russalka  (Dargomyzhsky) 

Sadko  (Rimsky-Korsakov) 

Salome  (R.  Strauss) 

Salvator  Rosa  (Gomes) 

Samson  et  Dalila  (Saint-Saens) 

Scala  di  Seta,  La  (Rossini) 

Scbauspieldirektor,  Der  (Mozart) 

Sedecia,  II  (Scarlatti) 

Semele  (Handel) 

Semiramide  (Rossini) 

Seraglio,  11  (Die  Entfuhrung  aus  dem 

Serail)  (Mozart) 
Serenata,  La  (Bassui) 
Serenata  a  tre  (Vivaldi) 
Serse  (Cavalli) 
Serse  (Handel) 

Serva  Padrona,  La  (Pergolesi) 
Siegfried  (Wagner) 
Signor  Bruschino,  II  (Rossini) 
Sigurd  (Reyer) 
Simon  Boccanegra  (Verdi) 
Sne  gourotchka  (Rimsky-Korsakov) 
Snow  Maiden,  The  (Sne gourotchka) 

(Rimsky-Korsakov) 
Socrate  (Satie) 
Sonnambula,  La  (Bellini) 
Suor  Angelica    (Puccini) 
Sylvano    (Mascagni) 

Tabarro,  II  (Puccini) 

Taming  of  the  Shrew,  The  (Der 

widerspenstigen  Zahmung)  (Goetz) 
Tannbauser    (Wagner) 
Tausend  und  eine  Nacht  (J.  Strauss) 
Telephone,  The  (Menotti) 
Tha'is  (Massenet) 
Thesee  (Lully) 
Thomas  and  Sally  (Arne) 
Threepenny  Opera,  The  (Die 

Dreigroschenoper)    (Weill) 
Tiefland  (Albert) 
Tosca  (Puccini) 
Tote  Stadt,  Die  (Korngold) 


Traviata,  La  (Verdi) 

Trial  by  Jury  (Sullivan) 

Trionfo  dell'  Onore,  II  (Scarlatti) 

Tristan  und  Isolde  (Wagner) 

Trovatore,  II  (Verdi) 

Troyens  \z  Carthage,  Les  (Berlioz) 

True  Blue,  or  The  Press  Gang  (Carey) 

Turandot  (Puccini) 

Venus  and  Adonis  (Blow) 
Verkaufte  Braut,  Die  (The  Bartered 

Bride)  (Smetana) 
Veronique  (Messager) 
Vespri  Siciliani,  I  (Verdi) 
Vestale,  La  (Spontini) 
Vida  Breve,  La  (Falla) 
Vie  Parisienne,  La  (Offenbach) 
V ogelh'dndler,  Der  (Zeller) 

Walkure,  Die  (Wagner) 
Wally,  La  (Catalani) 
Waltz  Dream,  A  (Ein  Walzertraum) 
(Straus) 

Walzertraum,  Ein  (Straus) 
Wertber  (Massenet) 

Widerspenstigen  Zahmung,  Der  (Goetz) 
Wienerblut  (J.  Strauss) 
William  Ratcliffe  (Guglielmo  Ratcliffe) 

(Mascagni) 
William  Tell  (Guglielmo  Tell)  (Rossini) 
Wozzeck   (Berg) 

Xerxes  (Serse)  (Handel) 

Yeomen  of  the  Guard  (Sullivan) 

Zdide  (Mozart) 

Zar  und  Zimrnermann  (Lortzing) 
Zarewitsch,  Der  (Lehar) 
Zauberflote,  Die  (Mozart) 
Zaza  (Leoncavallo) 
Zigeunerbaron,  Der  (J.  Strauss) 
Zigeunerliebe  (Lehar) 
Zingari  in  Fiera,  Gli  (Paisiello) 


The  text  of  this  book  was  set  on  the  Vari-Typer,  in  the  Bodoni  Book  Style 
(by  Coxhead).  Composition  by  The  Science  Press,  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania. 
Printed  by  The  Murray  Printing  Company,  Wakefield,  Massachusetts.  Paper 
manufactured  by  S.  D.  Warren  Company,  Boston,  Massachusetts.  Bound  by 
H.  Wolff,  New  York.    Designed  by  Harry  Ford.  $\ 


Date  Due 

Library  Bureau  Cat.   No.  1137 

789.913  G94.  v.2 


3  5002  00340  3891 


ML    156.2    .  G6    2 

Miller,  Philip  Lieeon,  1906 

Vocal  music. 


BOKZOI