The record changer (Mar-Dec 1947)

Robert Shaw, who always nourishes his ihusic making with musicological assiduity Jf the highest order, has been compiling a valuable collection of diverse musicalia — |nd here he has coached his organization ihrough a performance befitting some of 8ach's most exalted pages. ' The present work's origin is a setting fly Johann Walther of his friend, Martin Luther's text — telling the story of the Crucifixion and Resurrection. The musical plot iarries us, following a brief introductory infonia, through the seven verses of the .arrative. Cast as a four-part chorale, the ilan is in theme-and-variations form, with ontrapuntal embellishments resolving, at he end, back to the original statement of lie fundamental structure and contriving tie powerfully dramatic sublimation — the »edding of the musico-poetic pattern. The balance between voices and orchestra s well maintained in this recording, but a ack of clarity in the delivery of the text obtains, most likely due to faulty microphone placement. There seems good reason to suppose that he best of Mr. Shaw's recorded enterprise and this release certainly is a part of it) >ill be regarded as standard classics in the ibrary of Important recordings. 3EETHOVEN : Sonata No. 8 in C minor, p. 13. ("Pathetique") M/DM 1102. $2.85. Artur Rubinstein, Pianist. Does Rubinstein ever sleep? Does he add ew compositions to his ever-inquiring repertoire by metaphysical rapport with the •omposers, thus obviating the need to pracice and memorize? What diversion (surely natched at on the fly) saves his equilibium and preserves the proud, glowing mile of the happy man he is? Laden with •is heavy a concert schedule as that of any "ianist since Paderewski, in incessant denand for motion pictures, radio and re.ordings, he seems also to find the time to ive a remarkably sane and normal family jid social life. Xew releases of this pianist's records ..re almost monthly of late and the clamor i or more does not seem to abate. This is not •ecause of over-copious or vulgar publicity, ^-so it must be because, by public acknowl• dement, Artur Rubinstein is this generaBon's most consistently dependable keyboard .rtist; whose performances may be rerarded as definitive. In the case of the 'Pathetique" "definitive" is the word. ^ANDEL-BEECHAM : The Great Elopenent. London Philharmonic-B eecham. >1/DM 1093. $3.85. ' Sir Thomas Beecham's influence upon nusic in our time never could have successully been brought about were he but wealthy dilettante living the part of a > SALE At Moderate Set Prices Bradley, Crosby, Dorsey, E. Fitzgerald. Goodman, H. James, Kirk. Miller, D. Robertson. Shaw and select vocalists and sweet bands. No lists furnished, but itemized requests receive I 5 immediate attention. GORDON BLACKBURN 10717 N. Libya, Portland 3, Oregon FOR SALE Few Remaining Copies of "Jazz Discography" $1.00 Each KEN PENSONEAULT 685 Derby Ave., Seymour, Conn. disinterested amateur-professional. CavalierAristocrat he is by birth and background and temperament. But by inclination, scholarship and integrity he is a glorious musician. The story of how he has managed to fuse the alloy is well and entertainingly told in his autobiography, "A Mingled Chime." Many have been his brave experiments and almost as many his triumphs. His efforts to restore obscure, long-neglected scores to the active file have been most noteworthy. The present case is not the first of Beecham's adventures with the music of Handel, outstanding among several previous refurbishings being The Origin of Design. Here we have an idea not original with the arranger-conductor, but worked out of diligent research inside scores that have mouldered since the Third George "bartered Empire for a mess of pottage." Sir Thomas has taken material from five operas, and has fashioned a ballet scenario peopled with characters out of A. Edward Newton. The product is The Great Elopement, twelve of whose nineteen numbers have been selected for this concert suite. The original sequence has been altered for recording purposes, and with ineffably charming results. To remark unfavorably upon any aspect, artistic or technical, of a Beecham recording just isn't done. The old boy takes jolly careful measure of all hirelings having to do with his projects from studio to processing plant, and no slip-up at any point along the line is likely to escape his wrath. The consequences of this painstaking perfectionism are here, as always, in full evidence. PROKOFIEFF: Symphony No. 5, op. 100. Boston-Koussevitzky. M/DM 1095. $5.85. It has been said in Boston that Serge Prokofieff had no business being born elsewhere. The habitues of Symphony Hall were the first Americans to achieve familiar acquaintance with the composer's symphonic exercises and, after a generation of exposure, they are likely to be appalled whenever a concert season fortnight passes during which he has not been programmed. Dr. Koussevitzky's alertness to the demand must cause his hard trials for he is ever desirous of exploiting newer talents. Fortunately his countryman is sufficiently prolific to have something new ready whenever the mob definitely needs to be held at bay. Not that Boston is alone among American cities in its adulation, as witness the season's programs of leading orchestras throughout the country. Western Europe's response, while healthy, seems to have been more controlled than our own. Koussevitzky's championship of Prokofieff on records has, since the days of the Classical Symphony, been expressed repeatedly (Lieutenant Kije, the outrageously AUCTION Hot Jazz Collection 600 Records — Send 25 Cents for List Closing June 27 I guarantee each record as listed and full satisfaction to each purchaser. P. E. DAHLGREN FAIRFIELD, CONN. I WISH TO CONTACT JAMES EDMISTON R. A. PIEPER 500 W. Montgomery Ave. ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND successful Peter and the Wolf and, with Heifetz. the 2nd violin concerto). Other conductors, both here and abroad, have found it advantageous to wax an assortment of the Russian's scores of varying merit. In Victor album DM-176 the composer himself plays the solo part of his Third Piano Concerto. The Fifth Symphony, written in 1944, is a far cry from anything and everything else among the Prokofieff opera of which this reviewer can claim adequate study. The work is, by the composer's claim, an apostrophe to the unquenchable greatness of the human spirit ; of the triumph over oppression of the will to freedom. Divorced from its program, the music has a cast of heroic proportions, calling forth the orchestra's utmost resources and also asking considerable concentration on the listener's part, for his gratification with the music will not likely be immediate. The conductor and his personnel have bestowed great indulgence toward the successful realization of a score replete with dangerous pitfalls and the recording engineers likewise are to be commended for transferring its dynamic extremes to the wax without distortion or undue compression. SPELLMAN : Prayers and Poems. Read by the author. M-1097. $3.85. Religion and poetry being all things to all men, and religious poetry defiant of set semantic interpretation, it was quite unthinkable that anyone else save the Cardinal himself should read these lines in public, had they to be spoken at all. The eloquence of soul and spirit which brought the prayers and poems into being may, on the other hand, not at first seem perfectly to be captured in His Eminence's reading. But play the set through and the lapses of style and elocution are forgotten ; it is the movement of the message that remains to anoint. Given here are The Risen Soldier, Prayer for Our Times, Resurrection, Prayer for Children, Our Sleeping Soldiers, and (abridged) No Greater Love. Francis Cardinal Spellman wrote these pieces in wartime and they were received gratefully by those of all faiths who found in them a solace. They have become a part of the living literature of Christendom and will be cherished as such in these records, as they have been in printed form. One might have said that a background of soft organ music would enhance the effect and divert the ear fram the Prelate's occasional excursions into Bostonese and New Yorkese. But prayers and poems are made in Heaven — and a large number of the men whom the Cardinal had in mind and heart are speaking in accents very similar to those of the reader, — in Heaven, where they surely are. FOR SALE 50.000 Records— 1899 to Date Operatic — Symphonic — Jazz — Popular (Americana) Send Want List to JOHN C. SICIGNANO 29 Columbia A»e., Nutley 10, N. J. Vinylite Jazz Reissues SEND FOR OUR FREE 6-PAGE CATALOGUE 211 E. I5TH ST., N. Y. C. 3, N. Y. Phone OR-4-3060 MAY, 1947 37