RECORDS More Bach From Menuhin

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29764, 6 March 1962, Page 10

RECORDS More Bach From Menuhin

J. 8. BACH: Suites Noe. 1 in C major, t in B minor. 3 in D major and « in p major. Yehudi Menuhin conductinc the Bath Festival Chamber Orchestra. H.M.V. mono MALP.IC2/1 (two IZin, Us). H.M.V. have been exceptionally lavish in recognising Yehudi Menuhin's recent, lamentably short visit to New Zealand. First they issued his superlative complete recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concert! and now comes an equally wonderful set of the Bach Suites. The Suites are not as well known as the Brandenburgs, which have achieved great popularity in recent years. Each suite takes the form of a long overture on the French pattern, followed by a number of short dances—courante, gavotte, minuet, bourree, sarabande and so on. The Bath Festival Orchestra is a small group—just the right size for these works —of very fine players. The playing throughout is of the highest class and if the trumpeters seem to stand out for the brilliance and unfailing security of their playing it is because of the spectacular nature of the instrument. In Suite No. 2 Elaine Shaffer is a most accomplished solo flutist, with lovely round tone. Styles of performing Bach nowadays tend to fall into two divisions; one emphasising the expressiveness and sensuous beauty of the music, the other its rhythmic Vitality and contrapuntal logic. Menuhin welds these two aspects of Bach together with immense artistry. The rhythm is always alive and dancing, the phrasing clear and shapely and tonal beauty is never overlooked. Anyone wishing to sample these records should try the first two numbers in Suite No. 3; the grave magnificence of the Overture and the tenderness of the famous Air (“on the G string”) will surely be convincing. The recording is beautifully sonorous and clear. INSTRUMENTS OF TBB ORCHESTRA, introduced by Yehudi Menuhin: No. 1— Strings; No. 2—Woodwind; No. 3—Brass; No. 4—Percussion. H.M.V. mono 7EGM. 8672/5 (four Tin, Us Sd each). These records, which are obtainable separately, are mainly intended for students and teachers, but the ordinary music lover will find much interest in them. Roughly the plan is to demonstrate the compass, tone colour, special effects and technique of each instru-

ment. following this with an example of its use by a great composer In a wellknown work. Yehudi Menuhin describes the instruments and demonstrates the violin and viola himseK. Wellknown orchestral players demonstrate the others. The inclusion in the brass disc of the saxophone may raise some eyebrows, but it is an orchestral instrument of considerable age and respectability, as >S shown by an example from Bizet's “L'Arlesienne" Suite, written in 1872. A book designed to accompany these records is published by the Oxford University Press. RICHARD STRAUSS: “Arabella"—Er Irt drr Rlchtige afcht; Das war aehr gut, Mandryka. Lisa della Caia. Hilde Gaeden <•»- pranos) aad George London (baritone) with Georg Solti conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Deeca stereo BBCMU3I (Tin, 14a). There used to be a fine recording of these two duets by the same sopranos and Alfred Poell, made some eight years ago. Since then both sopranos’ voices have lost some of their bloom, but they still sing with great ardour and refinement and these much better recorded extracts from the new complete "Arabella” is a good substitute, although London sings rather coarsely m his brief part Both duets from this 1933 opera are good examples of the romantie charm of Strauss. But a warning: in the copy reviewed the last few bars of the first duet were disfigured by an extraordinary metallic hammering noise. MOZART: Symphnay No. 41 la C major, KJU (“Jupiter’’). Josef Krlpe conducting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Deeca mono BRM.3OM (ISiR, 255). Collectors of Mozart symphonies who are seeking to avoid imnecrwmry duplications may be attracted by this wenrecorded single diac of the "Jupiter.” but finer verdona are to be had coupled whti other works. Krips gets good playing and hks phrasing is firm and dear, but he locks sympathy with Mozart’s dynamism and the result is a strangely sedate performance. There is a dieUnct lack of tapatua tn the outer movements and even ta the slow movement Mooart's peesknwte aooants uw Mbdutd by Klips’! lyrical Sow.

A film of Verdi's opera, "Otello” is to be made bp Italian and Jug Flavian interests, with the tenor, Mario pel Monaco, in the title role and Tutlio Serafin conducting. HERBERT VON KARAJAN, the conductor, han resigned as director of the Vienna State Opera because he and the management were not consulted in ths recent compromise settlement of a wage dispute with the opera's technical staff.