RECORDS Abridged ‘Carmen’

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29936, 25 September 1962, Page 16

RECORDS Abridged ‘Carmen’

BIZET: Carmen (abridged). Rise Stevens (mezzo-soprano), Jan Peerce (tenor), Licia Albanese (soprano), Robert Merrill (baritone) and other soloists with Fritz Reiner conducting the Robert Shaw Chorale and the RCA Victor Orchestra. RCA mono R5L.3603/4 (two 12in, SSs). •This is an abridgement of a complete recording which has been around for a few years, and was generally reckoned to be the best "Carmen” available until the Beecham/Los Angeles set appeared. What chiefly distinguishes the RCA performance is Reiner’s splendidly firm and vigorous conducting and the first-class playing of the orchestra. As Carmen, Rise Stevens shows a fine, strong mezzo-soprano, with the requisite power in the low register. and her singing is always musical if deficient in dramatic vitality. As Don Jose, Jan Peerce contributes some of the most barbarous French ever put on records (none of the others sound much at home in French

either), and scarcely any characterisation. With his very individual voice, he can be very effective in Italian opera, where be often displays considerable style, but here he sounds out of his element. Merrill is a rousing and sonorous Toreador, but Albanese is an old-sounding and unrefined Micaela. The minor parts are quite well done and the Quintet goes well. The recording is good and, with most of the bestknown numbers included, the set is worthy of consideration by those who cannot run to the three-disc complete set.

BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 12 in E-fiat, Op. 127. String Quartet No. 16 In F. Op. 135. The Hungarian String Quartet. Record Society mono RZ.6041 (IZin, 30s).

The Hungarian Quartet's playing of these two great quartets is technically impeccable, but they seldom sound deeply involved with the music. Especially in the Op. 135, there is a lack of muscle and weight in their phrasing. The Scherzo, for instance, demands the pounding drive of a Toscanini, but it does not get it. Still, it is fair to point out that very few contemporary ensembles meet the demands of these works, and the Hungarians' polished but rather superficial playing is more satisfiying than that of other groups in competing versions available here. The recording is acceptable, although the reverbration has been snipped off the tape at the end of the Op. 135's Scherzo.

LEHAR: The Merry Widow excerpts, June Bronhlll (soprano), Marion Lowe (soprano), Thomas Round, Denis Dowling (baritones), William McAlpine (tenor) and other members of the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company with William Reid Conducting the Sadler’s Wells Orchestra. HMV stereo CSDM.I2S9 (121 n. 39s <d). Mono also available. When all is said and done, the success of a performance of “The Merry Widow" depends on the singer of the central character, and here June Bronhill is rather disappointing. She sings in a hard, bright voice and employs a brittle, English musical comedy style that is unsuitable for conveying Lehar's sweet Viennese sentiments. On the other hand, Thomas Round is excellent as Danilo. The rest of the cast comes somewhere between these two extremes, and the performance will probably give pleasure to those who have no memories of great Viennese singers in these parts. In passing, it is worth mentioning that the finest Lehar record available is a recent 10inch H.M.V. disc of highlights from “The Count of Luxembourg." BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4 in E minor. Op. 98. Joief Krips conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. Decca Ace of Clubs mono ACLM.I32 (12in, 17s sd).

As this recording dates from 1950. it is not surprising that the sound is a bit thin and sounds better with some top-cut applied. That would not matter if the performance had special merits, but it does not. Krips’s conducting is most disappointing; the phrasing is disjointed and lacking in sweep and the last two movements are taken extremely sedately.