TV Radio Mirror (Jul - Dec 1962)

MB? ++++ GREAT! +++ GOOD LISTENING -K-K FAIR SOUNDS -K IT'S YOUR MONEY the wide screen is to films. Another striking moment is the "Ride of the Valkyries" (from "Die Walkiire"). A ringingly effective piece, which is brought to light with all its joy of orchestration intact] This recording surpasses Steinberg's older album for Capitol immeasurably. The latter is, of course, quite old. Here, what happens at the recording session gets onto the vinyl and doesn't remain for posterity on tape shelves. This step ahead gives the phonograph the chance to stand next to tape, hurdling the transferral obstacle. A wonderful compilation, finely brought to life by a first-rate conductor and orchestra and marvelously recorded. Recommended. (Incidentally, I could write a review of the coverjacket. It's indestructible.) rSchubert-Symph. No. 9 in C laj. ("The Great")— Otto Klemperer ]!ond. — Philharmonic Orch. (Angel) — This symphonic masterwork composed in the spring of 1828 foretells, musically, nothing of the foreboding death which is to come to Schubert in November of lat same year. His age, at passing, an incredible thirty-one years. This work fas considered in Vienna but passed off as too difficult to play. It waited patiently on the shelf for ten years ifter its creator's demise before Robert Schumann discovered it and prevailed lpon Mendelssohn to conduct it publicly. The work, as compared to the lozart and Beethoven monuments of form, is structurally weak — but it is a joy of lyric only expressed by the lasterwriter of Lieder. It bubbles with an unconventional lack of restraint. It long and, to people unprepared for the journey, it might be wearying. But to those interested in the beauty of line this is home. Otto Klemperer puts lie orchestra beautifully through its paces. Strong here, light there, and pointed when meeting and holding the iread of continuity. The recorded »und is not all it could be (mono) , but cannot hurt. Strangely enough, when lendelssohn rehearsed this work for its initial performance, the string playrs laughed at the last movement, lendelssohn disgustedly withdrew it rom the program. Fate always has rony up its sleeve. Recommended. MOVIES •Original Soundtrack of "State Fair," Rodgers and Hammerstein — Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Ann-Margret, Tom Ewell and Alice Faye (Dot) — This certainly was a hopeless venture. It suffers terribly by comparison with the original. Pat Boone is utterly boring! The tune, "Willing and Eager," a duet by Mr. Boone and Ann-Margret, succeeds, unintentionally, to a level of high comedy ! It seems a shame that these tunes, although not the very best Rodgers and Hammerstein, have to be clobbered like this. "That's for Me," the tune Haymes sang in the earlier flick, and Boone does here, is hopelessly bland. Strangely, Darin does a bit better than his cohorts, but even he seems like he's over-deliberate. His falsetto tones here are the first I've ever heard from him. About AnnMargret there is little to be said, other than she is quite a looker. Certainly this is not the way to revive musicals on the screen, at least not with this kind of sound track. Lots of luck! SPECIAL ••••The Midnight Special, Harry Belafonte (RCA Victor) — The great pro barrels through again with another driving folk album — an ail-American vehicle with overtones of blues, gospel, jazz, work-song and just plain hollerin'! But this album, mind you, is not just folk-fare. Harry, through his marvelous performing ability, hurdles the folk traditions and strikes at the heart of pure unbridled entertaining. He bends the material his own personal way, but takes care not to disturb the fundamental directness of lyric or dilute the musical fire inherent in this folk material. The projection is incredible when one thinks of how hard this recording medium is with its lack of the visual. The arrangements are all sympathetically written by Jimmy Jones. They range in sound and texture from Harry's personal small ensemble, which is characterized by guitars and rhythm, to blapket-Hke string settings and crashing brass. (The solos of Jerome Richardson on saxophone deserve much attention, as well as Bob Dylan's harmonica-playing.) Harry meets each level of the band skillfully. They are soft together and roar together. The tunes include "Memphis Tenn.," the log-rolling "Did You Hear About Jerry," "Crawdad Song," a decidedly different "On Top of Old Smokey," "Muleskinner," the gospel-like "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore," the title piece and some other steamrollers] It would seem, if I'm allowed a humble opinion, that Belafonte seems freer on this album than he has on several preceding ones, and it may possibly be the nature of the material here. His Calypso tunes are very demanding of form and to play with them in an improvised fashion is "beckoning trouble to ya," to use a colloquialism. May we hear more of this unrestrained Belafonte ! Much credit due to all connected with this vital package. Don't miss it! I repeat: Don't miss it! 23