TV Radio Mirror (Jan - Jun 1963)

ON THE RECORD ON RECORD Guide 14 of the album is an interesting modal tune, called "The Turfman from Ardee," on which Miss Barry uses the appropriate chord changes. Also included is a beautiful melodic air called "The Flower of Sweet Strabane." (It's also known in Scotland as "The Banks of the Nile.") The album is worth having as part of your collection. Miss Barry is the "real article." MOOD MUSIC ••••The Man with the Blue Guitar, Johnny Smith, guitarist (Roost) — Johnny Smith can never be heard from too much! Due to some personal tragedy, he is no longer seen around New York and rarely ever puts his small jazz group together anymore. He now resides in Colorado and does very little traveling. (He recorded at his school.) The album is an enchanting and rewarding experience. It's a solitary and subtle guitar, with wind blowing over the strings and bringing all the shades of blue with it. Yet Johnny's "Blue Guitar" is not an oppressive one but rather one embracing the essence of simple understatement. He weaves through "Shenandoah," Gershwin's classic "Porgy," Debussy's masterpiece "The Maid with the Flaxen Hair," and some wonderful Richard Rodgers tunes which include "My Romance," "Little Girl Blue," "My Funny Valentine" and "Wait Till You See Her." It's indeed unfortunate that Johnny is not constantly before us, brewing his magic, but be grateful for his recorded efforts. ••••So Pretty, Herb Steward with The Dick Hazard Strings (Choreo) — As mood albums go, this month has seen the best. Between Johnny Smith's "Blue Guitar" and this warm and wonderful package, no one could ask for more. Herbie Steward turns in a wonderful job of playing. Jumping from clarinet to tenor and from time to time playing alto, he keeps the professional level high. Dick Hazard's arrangements are more than decoration. He has searched the harmonic schemes of each tune and brought out its message. The tunes are every bit up to Hazard's writing and Herb's playing. Some are infrequently heard, such as the Hoagy Carmichael gem "Memphis in June" and Louis Armstrong's favorite "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans." "Indian Summer" is here, so is "Among My Souvenirs." The quality of the record need not be searched for. Just play it! CLASSICAL ••••Masterpieces for Violin and Piano, Arthur Rubinstein, pianist, and Henryk Szeryng, violinist; Sonatas No. 2 and No. 3 by Johannes Brahms (RCA Victor) —Although Mr. Szeryng (pronounced: Sheer-ing) did not show himself to advantage on the recently released Brahms Violin Concerto on Mercury, here he is heard in a chamber music area. He is definitely much more at home in such a setting, and with the living legend of Rubinstein on hand, the works here achieve a level of emotionality and performance unmatched. This album is the third in a series of important violin and piano works. The first album covered Beethoven's contribution to this area, the "Spring" and "Kreutzer" sonatas. The second album contained Beethoven's Eighth Sonata and Brahms' First. As remarkable as this second album is, I believe the third even more worthwhile. The First Brahms Sonata is heavily laden with Schumann-esque qualities; in this album we hear the later works, and in the interim Brahms discovered himself. Szeryng and Rubinstein in their performing do not pay lip service to one musical attitude at the expense of another. Throughout both works, they let the music chart its own course. When there are ritardandos, they rarely are lavish and do not propel these works into another category. Rubinstein seems the stabilizing element. His conscious i , dDt.J ness of the parts in which even metric units are required, helps keep intact Brahms' sinewy scheme. In the slower movements, both artists exercise their lyric sides without the excesses. Of these two sonatas, I believe the later, No. 3, is a much more integrated work. It seethes with a passion not unlike the tzigane of the gypsies. No. 2 is a more reflective work. Here, in No. 2, Brahms had no little problem marrying the instruments. Whereas the Third Sonata seems to see the end of Brahms' problem of marrying elements and instruments. The rhythmical elements in the Third alone prove his disenchantment with saccharine statements. He is core from the first to last page. For those interested in possibly the most difficult area of composition, chamber music, these are a must. ••The Sound of Lincoln Center (first recordings made at the new Philharmonic Hall) : Brahms' Symphony No. 2 in D Major; The New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein conducting (Columbia) — As of yet, your reviewer, who has been caught in a maze of activities, has not been able to get to Lincoln Center, so I have no valid opinion of its acoustical qualities. But if this recording is any indication, they are in trouble. The only other reason for the strident sound of this album could be the recording setup itself. I'm sure, though, Columbia has efficient engineers, so it must have something to do with the Hall. Bernstein conducts this marvelous Brahms work with very little fire. It constantly bogs down. There are deliberate moments where the flow of Brahms is lost through overreading-into the work. At other times