RECORDS Price As Butterfly

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30332, 7 January 1964, Page 3

RECORDS Price As Butterfly

PUCCINI: Mamada Butterfly. Leontyne Price (soprano), Rosalind Elias (mezzo-soprano). Richard Tucker (tenor). Philip Maero (baritone) et al. with Erich Leinsdorf conducting the RCA Italiana Opera Chorus and Orchestra. RCA Victor mono R5L.3630/2 (three 12in, 127 s 6d). Stereo also available.

An impressive introduction to the products of R.C.A.’s new Rome studios is presented by this set. The sound is warm and clean and mostly very well balanced, though some of the off-stage voices are not very well managed. It is also a superior performance and the best “Butterfly” currently available here, though the reviewer’s allegiance to the old dal Monte Gigli set (reissued on LP in Britain) remains unshaken. Price does not completely avoid heaviness in the-- first act, but she is far more convincing than Tebaldi. Generally she uses her sumptuous heavyweight voice with remarkable freshness and lightness and her vocal acting is mostly subtle and effective. Strangely her perform, ance is disappointing in Butterfly big moments, where vocal mannerisms distort the music—for instance, she does not sing the opening of Butterfly’s entrance cleanly and she pulls the opening phrases of the death scene out of shape. Nevertheless there is much beautiful singing and truly-felt characterisation in her performance. Tucker, borrowed from C.B.S. for the occasion, gives one of his best recorded performances, with the conventional tenor mannerisms that so often disfigure his singing not appearing until the last act. Maero is a rich-voiced but routine, rather stiff Consul, and Elias is a very good Suzuki. The smaller parts are well done, though a more imposing bass is needed as the Bonze for that scene to make its full sounding too sophisticated, and Grummer are splendid effect. Leinsdorf’s handling of the opening scene strangely lacks swagger and bustle, but in the later scenes there is fine sweep and impetus.

HUMPERDINCK: Hansel und Gretel. Elisabeth Grummer, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Annie Felbermayer (sopranos), Maria von Ilovsay, Else Schurhoff (mezzo-sopranos), Josef Metternich (baritone) with Herbert von Karajan conducting the Choirs of Lough ton High School and Bancroft’s School and the Philharmonia Orchestra. World Record Club mono ZX.5061/2 (two 12in, 575).

Although it has a decade behind it, this recording still sounds most agreeable, while the performance of Humperdinck’s delightful opera—a blend of Wagnerism and folk music—is justly celebrated.

Schwarzkopf. hardly ever as the two children, while Metternich is magnificently sonorous and jovial as the Father. The only disappointment is Schurhoff, who screeches the Witch’s music instead of singing it. Karajan's conducting is very stylish, though some may dislike his extremely slow pace for the Sandman's song. It is well sung by Felbermayer, though she is less successful as the Dew Fairy.

ANNA MOFFO (soprano) with Colin Davis conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra: Donizetti.—Lucia di Lammermoor: Mad scene.

Bellini—l Puritan!: Qui la voce; La Sonnambula: Ah, non credea. Rossini—Barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa. Verdi—Rigoletto: Caro nome; La Traviata: Ah, fors e lui. World Record Club stereo STZ.7I9 (12in, 26s 6d). Mono also available.

The young American soprano, Anna Moffo, is endowed with a fine, wideranging, flexible voice but she has not yet developed the imaginative and artistic qualities to carry her successfully through a recital such as this. Her singing is too often cautious and uninvolved, possessing neither the virtuosity of a Sutherland nor the musico-dramatic intensity of a Callas. On the other hand, her attempts as acting in the Rossini aria are dreadfully inappropriate. Davis is a lively accompanist. The recording is not very comfortable on some high notes.

WILHELM SCHUCHTER conducting the North-West German Philharmonic Orchestra: J. S. Bach—Violin Concerto in A minor, BWVIO4I. Vivaldi—Concerto in D minor. Op. 3. No. 11. Pachelbel—Canon and Gigue (arr. Seiffert) Corelli—Concerto Grosso No. 8 (Christmas Concerto). World Record Club mono TZ.718 (12in, 26s 6d).

A very reverberant acoustic robs these baroque works of some of their clarity of detail and the somewhat distant recording is rather hard to get in focus, but the performances and music make this an interesting disc. In the Bach concerto, the soloist’s tone is rather thin and the rhythm lacks bite, but the Vivaldi and Corelli concert! are agreeably performed. However, Pachelbel’s wonderfully grave and expressive Canon and Gigue is the highlight of the record.