A mellow cello

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 18

A mellow cello

Classical records review

ALLAN FRANCIS

JULIAN LLOYD WEBBER. Plays 10 selections accompanied by the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Gerhardt. RCA RED SEAL VRLI 7447.

This may be an easy way of getting to know the cello but it should not necessarily mean that there is any gimmickry attached to Webber’s fine and highly melodic attitude towards his talent. Fournier, Tortelier, Rostropovich or Casals do not have a mortgage on the instrument and it is good to have a new name under discussion.

True, his fingering in the last passages is not quite as lithe as many of his famous predecessors but his tone is above reproach and the excerpts from Canteloube and Hassan come off especially well. "Softly Awakes My Heart" is exceptionally wellphrased without getting to the lethargic state so often apparent with newcomers. Another piece of interest, the “Bruch of Koi Nidrei.” based on two Hebrew themes in elongated form, takes up a goodly portion of the second side. Not a work one hears every day by any means, it is very attractive. Fournier has recorded it and, of course, Casals but neither of these adopted the facile reading of Webber. Casals attacked it with all the ferocity for which he was renowned and Fournier was much the same.

I would be interested to hear Webber playing either the Dvorak or Elgar Cello Concertos to get a better idea of his potential. In the meantime, this will fill a pleasant gap, pending his premiere of the Rodrigo Concerto.

VICTORIA de los ANGELES SINGS HANDEL AND MOZART. HANDEL, Judas Maccabaeus, Acts and Galatea, Giulio Cesare and Joshua. MOZART, Motet Exsultate Jubilate and aria, Ch'io scordi di te. EMI ASD 4193.

Recently a friend recalled, in misty-eyed terms, the visit of this great singer to Christchurch, her warmth and her paralysing effect on the audience

What is she doing now? Still singing and recording, as witness, this up-to-the-min-ute disc of a fine recital from one who is now in the

veteran class. It doesn't seem to matter anv more — pianists and especially singers go on forever — and here once again is proof that age is of no consequence.

As it was in the 60s, so it is in the 80s; the voice a shade deeper and fuller in tone but that delicious warmth and phrasing is still there. Richard Lewis accompanies her in the Handel extracts and Gerald Moore has come out of retirement 'to the aid of the party. Her Exsultate Jubilate is relaxed as opposed to the urgency of Kiri or Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. The spry, glinting soprano tone is still evident in the aria “So Shall the Lute Awake,” spiced with delicious glimpses of that richness in her lower register for which she was recalled with such glowing adjectives. Miss Los Angeles plays down the bel canto style quite considerably which I think is more'in keeping with the modern trend. The loss of much of the florid embellishments is a wise move and adds a good deal to her performance. Richard Lewis appears a trifle uncomfortable in the aria, “V'adoro Pupille,” while the Goldsborough Orchestra seems thin alongside the LSO and Sir Adrian Boult.

Singers, I think, are very personal to one’s affections and fans of Victoria de los Angeles shouldn't miss, this one.

HAYDN. Piano Trios numbers 7, 9 and 12. Volume 6. Phillips 9500 326 released by WORLD RECORDS. Beaux Arts Trio.

That these are coming out ■in a higgledy-piggedly order doesn't matter at all; the set took years in the making and as far I can make out, it has been well worth the time and trouble.

There are many moments of great beauty in this recording, in particular the A major Adagio, a movement of spaciousness and freedom of ideas. Haydn has spread himself here and the Beaux

Arts capture the spirit of the works admirably.

FRENCH OPERA CHORUSES. Paris Opera Orchestra conducted by Georges Pretre. GOUNOD, Faust. SAINT- SEANS, Samson et Delila. BIZET, Carmen. Les Pecheurs de Perles. HMV GREENSLEEVE ESD 7158 released by WORLD RECORDS. These are the “poormans” versions of four famous opera excerpts but there is very little to apologise for as far I can gather. The choruses are well sung, with conviction and plenty of power while the soloists, Marc Vento and Anton Diakov, give workmanlike performances. Jacques Mars, baritone, compares favourably with Thomas Allen in the complete set with the same orchestra and conductor, although he is really not quite in the same clpss if put to the test.

Nor could Diakov match Nicolai Ghiaurov in the Pretre set of Faust, which also boasted Mirella Freni and Placido Domingo. However, the Paris Opera Chorus is the common denominator and in both cases they perform with efficiency and excellent control.