RECORDS Chopin Polonaises

Press, Volume C, Issue 29508, 9 May 1961, Page 9

RECORDS Chopin Polonaises

CHOPIN: Polonaise*—No. 1 in C-sharp minor, Op. Z 6. No. 1; No. 2 in E-flat minor, Op. 26, No. 2; No. 3 in A major, Op. 40. No. 1; No. 4 in C minor, Op. 40. No. 2; No. 5 in F-sharp minor. Op. 44; No. 6 in A-flat major, Op. 53. Malcuzynskl (piano). Columbia mono 33MCX.1690 (IZin). In the Polonaises Chopin attempted to transform a Polish national dance into a national epic, and at the same time he attempted to prove his strength and power in spite of his declining health. Malcuzynski plays them in the appropriate grand manner, but proudly, not pompously. He is always concerned with the musical content, not with virtuoso display, and some of the finest playing comes in the reflective passages. His splendid playing is presented in excellent recording that accommodates the loudest passages without distortion.

BERLIOZ: Symphonic Fantastique, Op. 14. Andre Cluytens conductinit the French National Radio Orchestra. Columbia mono 33MCX.1439 (121 n This issue seems to be a clear case of redundancy. Not only have the local distributors already issued the matchless Beecham version of the Symphonic Fantastique on HJW.V. MALP. 1633, but in the British Columbia catalogue this recording—which dates from 1957—has been replaced with a newer, and reputedly finer, Cluytens version with the Philharmonia Orchestra. The present recording is just not in the same class as the Beecham version with the same orchestra. Cluytens’ conducting sounds lackadaisical by comparison with Beecham, who maintains throughout an electric yet volatile tension that gives the music a unity the Cluytens does not obtain. The Beecham performance is also the better recorded, so the Columbia disc cannot be preferred to the H.M.V. on any point, although it serves a purpose simply in directing attention again to the superlative Beecham version, which, as much as any record, will demonstrate to future generations that he was a great conoductor.

CARLO MARIA GIULINI conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra: Petite Suite "Jeux d'Enfants” (Bizet); “Ma Mere I’Ove” Suite (Ravel): “The Firebird’’ Suite. No. 2 (Stravinsky). Wor'd Record Club stereo STZ.I3S and mono TZ.135 (12in). Brilliant sound, both mono and stereo, and virtuoso playing by the Philharmonia Orchestra immediately distinguish this record, and closer acquaintance establishes that the sonic excellence is matched by Giulini’s interpretative brilliance. He balances and blends the piquant sonorities in all three works with great discretion. Particularly impressive are the Bizet and Ravel, both works which began life as piano duets The “Children’s Games” Suite is not among Bizet’s best-known music, but it has all his characteristic freshness. while the better-known “Mother Goose” Suite is one of the best introductions to Revel. The “Firebird” Suite needs no commendation, and Giulini plays the familiar 1919 version. (Stravinsky himself prefers his 1945 augmented and amended version). Incidentally, it is odd

to find the spelling of his name in the French transliteration, “Strawinsky,” on the sleeve. Also, English translations for the sub-titles of the Bizet Suite have been overlooked. They are: Trumpet and Drum; The Doll; The Top; Little Husband, Little Wife; and The Ball.

THE SYMPHONY OF THE AIR; “The Nutcracker’’ Suite. Op. 71a (Tchaikovsky); “Roman Carnival” Overture. Op. 9 (Berlioz); “Die Meistersinger" Overture (Wagner). Viking stereo VCS.I (I2in). When Arturo Toscanini retired the orchestra which had been created specially for him in 1937, the NBC. Symphony, was disbanded at short notice. Indeed, one leading American music critic has suggested that Toscanini’s retirement was forced in order that the company might no longer have to bear the expense of the orchestra. Anyway, the members of the orchestra were suddenly unemployed, but they soon banded together again as the Symphony of the Air. This recording—originally on the American Concert-Disc label —was the orchestra’s first under its new name and on this occasion it played without a conductor in tribute to Toscanini. The playing varies but at its best it is undoubtedly Toscanini’s N.B.C. Symphony one hears. The ‘‘Meistersinger’’ Overture is the least satisfactory item. The absence of a conductor tells here and the playing is most untidy. There is some good solo work, but co-ordi-nation goes awry in the tuttis. The Berlioz and Tchaikovsky items fare better, and—without making a direct comparison with Toscanini's own recording—the "Roman Carnival” Overture is played, with a rhythmic drive that suggests the authentic Toscanini spirit. The stereo sound, which Is derived from one of the first stereo tapes, needs a good deal of tap-cut, but is quite good in a stronglydireotional way. The only Toscanini performances ever recorded in stereo were his final public concerts on March 21 and April 4. 1954; these tapes were made for experimental purposes and R.C.A.-Victor has never released them commercially. With the advent of stereo in the United States, sales of Toscanini’s discs fell off appreciably, and in order to restore interest in a unique musical heritage, RCA-Victor recently began a project to reprocess many of his recordings by giving them the essential characteristics of stereo. The first three of these synthetic stereo discs were released a couple of months ago and American reviewers found that the stereo effect had been successfully simulated, although at the cost of some altered timbres.