RECORDS More Bach From Menuhin

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30286, 12 November 1963, Page 9

RECORDS More Bach From Menuhin

1. S. BACH: Concerto In O minor, BWVIO6O. Yehudi Menuhin (violin) and Leon Goossens (oboe). VIVALDI: Concerto in B minor, Op. 3, No. 10. Menuhin. Robert

Masters, Eli Goren, Sydney Humphreys (violins), and Derek Simpson (’cello). HANDEL: Oboe Concerti— No. 1 in B-flat minor; No. 2 in B-flat major; No. 3 in G minor. Goossens (oboe). All with the Bath Festival Chamber Orchestra directed by Menuhin. H.M.V. stereo ASDM.SOO (12in. 42s 6d). Mono also available.

Bach's Concerto in C minor for Two Harpsichords is thought to have been arranged from a concerto for violin and oboe, and here Menuhin and Goossens play a back-arrangement of the conjectural original. It sounds highly attractive, at least when played with such beautiful simplicity and stylishness as it is here. The Vivaldi Concerto is played with great spirit and it is a splendid example of his work which will appeal to anyone who enjoys “The Four Seasons.” The Handel Oboe Concerti are all light-hearted works, beautifully played by Goossens. The sound throughout is perfectly balanced and of the finest quality, so that everything adds up to make this a record to put beside Menuhin's earlier Bach issues.

J. S. BACH: Concerto for Three Harpsichords No. 2 in C major, 8WV1064. VIVALDI: Concerto for Four Harplschords in A minor, Op. 3. No. 10 (arr. Bach); Concerto for Four Harpischords in D minor. Op. 3, No. 11 (arr. Dart). MALCOLM: Variations on a Theme of Mozart for Four Harpsichords. Eileen Joyce, George Malcolm, Thurston Dart and Denis Vaughan (harplschords) with Boris Ord conducting the Pro Arte Orchestra. World Record Club mono TZ.717 (12in 26s 6d.) Perhaps four harpsichords do not sound four times as good as one harpsichord, but they make a wonderful sound —Dart plays continue in the Bach concerto. so four harpsichords are actually heard in all these works. .The first Vivaldi concerto is Bach's arrangement of the concerto for four violins and 'cello obligato on the Menuhin disc reviewed above, and it sounds just as enjoyable in its transformation. The second Vivaldi concerto is arranged from a concerto for two violins and cello. Malcolm's variations on a theme from Mozart’s Duo in B-flat, K. 424, were written for performance at the Festival Hall concerts put on by the harpsichord maker, Thomas Goff, whose instruments are used here. It exploits the full registration resources of the four instruments to obtain an amazing variety of fascinating tonal effects.

SIB THOMAS BEECHAM conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the French National Radio Orchestra: Sibelius—Tapiola, Op. 112. Faure—Pavane, Op. 50. Delius—Summer Evening; Prelude to Irmelin. Dvorak—Legend No. 3 in G minor. Op. 59. Greig—Symphonic Dance No. 2 in A major. Op. 64. H.M.V. stereo ASDM.SIB (13in, 42s 6d). Mono also available. Only the Sibelius (recorded in 1955) and Delius (1956) items had been approved by Beecham before he died, lut his widow has permitted publication of the others, which date from 1959. The Sibelius, of course, is by far the most substantial work on the disc and Beecham's performance is as masterly as might be expected from one of the Finnish composer's

greatest interpreters. He gives a hair-raising account of Sibelius’s terrifying evocation of the realm of the Finnish forest god. Delius was another of Beecham's special causes, and he plays this hedonistic, atmospheric music with the utmost beauty. The other pieces are all played with the great charm and style that Beecham could bestow on slight works. The recording is of good quality throughout;

CHOPIN: Mazurkas. Noz. 5, 7. 15, 17. 20, 21, 22. 23, 25, 27. 32, 41, 45 47 and 49. Malcuzynski (piano). World Record Club stereo STZ.7I4 or mono TZ.714 (12in 26s 6d). A whole L.P. of Chopin's Mazurkas—which are a key part of his output—has been needed for a long time and this one fills the gap admirably, as well as duplicating only two of the mazurkas on Fou Ts'ong’s World Record Club recital. Malcuzynski uses a good deal of rubato, but his playing is poised and poetic, and the recording is full-toned and most realistic, especially in stereo. BEETHOVEN: Trio No. S In B-flat major. Op. 97 (Archduke). Trio di Trieste. Decca Ace of Clubs ACLM.I2S (12in, 22s 6d). The Italian trio gives a very relaxed (too relaxed, some may think) but deeplyfelt performance of Beethoven's most popular trio—as many collectors will know from the original issue. The recording carries its 11 years very well, though some top cut is needed if the mechanical noises of the playing are not to be too obtrusive. A good bargain. PEtER GODFREY conducting the Choir of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Auckland. Kiwi mono LD-4 (12in. 42s 6d). Peter Godfrey is a former chorister of King’s College, Chapel, Cambridge, and, as might be expected, the singing of his very accomplished choir is firmly based in the English church music tradition in this collection of hymns, carols, psalms and anthems “illustrating the seasons of the Church’s year.” Few hearing the vibnatoless, white tones of the sopranos and altos would guess they were not boys, but in fact there are no boys in this mixed choir. With one exception the singing is unaccompanied. The choir's enunciation is exceedingly dear and polished, and Kiwi’s recording is flawless.

ROSSINI: Overtures Il Barbiere di Siviglia; La Gazza Ladra; Guillaume Tell. VERDI: La Forza del Destine—Overture. La Traviata—Prelude, Act 1; Prelude, Act 3. Alexander Gibson conducting the London Festival Orchestra. World Record Club stereo STZ.2O2 or mono TZ.202 (12in. 26s 6d). The young Scottish conductor is more at home with Rossinian bustle and chatter than with Verdian cantilena, but these are all rather routine, weakly - characterised performances. The sound is very clear, but pianissimos are inclined to sound distant as well as quiet, especially in the stereo edition. The sleeve note has more than its share of misprints.

The opening perfounance oj the 1964 Bayreuth Wagner Festival will be "Tristan und Isolde,” conducted by Karl Boehm The cast wil' include Birgit Nilsson as Isolde, Wolfgang Windgassen as Tristan, Kerstin Meyer as Brangaene, Gustav Neidlinger as Kurwenal, and Josef Greindl as King Marke. The production will be by Wieland Wagner