Marya Martin dispels myths

Press, 4 July 1983, Page 18

Marya Martin dispels myths

Classical records review'

ALLAN FRANCIS

MARYA MARTIN. Michael Houstoun, piano with Marya Martin, flute play. REINECKE, Sonata in E minor. GEORGES HUE, Fantaisie for Flute and Piano. JULES MOUQUET, La Flute de Pan. KIWI PACIFIC TARTAR TRL 030. Here at last is a programme which does full justice to soloist and composer alike. I have always held Marya Martin in high regard, and likewise Michael Houstoun, despite the wealth of talent with which they both have to compete. New Zealand artists are always at a disadvantage being boxed by the Kiwi syndrome which automatically places them on a slightly lower level than anyone from overseas. This recording should go a long way to dispel this myth. Both parties are superb in their interpretation of these congenial pieces. Small debits include the fact that most of the works are somewhat drawn out. Reinecke, in particular, has some striking ideas couched in some florid writing but unless anyone is in a hurry to get to the end of his Sonata, it still makes wonderful listening. Of all Reinecke’s massive repertoire there is little on the recording front apart from this Sonata and his Opus 283 “Flute Concerto.” Very much in the romantic vein, and indeed all three works have an ethereal quality which is most engaging, Miss Martin has a warm, persuasive tone which compares favourably with James Galway. In particular, the impish humour of Mouquet’s Op. 15 is captured to perfection and both players rush headlong to the breathless finale. Kiwi should feel justifiably proud of this one. BALALAIKA FAVOURITES.Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra. 14 tracks of “Evergreens.” MERCURY 6463 082. Goodness knows how old it is, but the sound and spirit are still intact. At least some 20 years have passed, yet it sounds like yesterday and the magic of the famous Osipov Balalaikas can still rise to the occasion. There is a perennial quality about this group which can be compared with an old suit; if held on to long enough it comes back into fashion just as bright as ever. Of course, for some, these tunes would never be shelved anyway' but for those with catholic tastes, rehearing them all again is like a breath of fresh air after living for too long in the smog. Aj lengthy discourse on

folk songs opens the programme, a clever piece of musical ingenuity, followed by “At Sunrise,” “The Linden Tree” and another extended cruise down the Volga involving many wellknown snippets. Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Comedians” is an ideal vehicle to express the verve of the musicians, so it takes little imagination to visualise the rest of the action. Other pieces of note include “In the Moonlight,” “Under the Apple Tree,” “Evening Bells,” “Waltz of the Faun” and the attractive old friend and warhorse, “Midnight in Moscow.” PLACIDO DOMINGO. Opera Highlights. Aida, Don Carlo. Faust and Mefistofele with Monserrat Caballe, Sherrill Milnes, Mirella Freni and Josella Ligi and various conductors. WORLD RECORDS ASDZ 4270. VERDI. Don Carlo highlights, featuring Placido Domingo and similar artists with the Covent Garden Orchestra conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini. WORLD RECORDS WI 5011. These are the pick of the crop from the early 70s, featuring Placido Domingo as the common factor throughout. They are part of a larger package which culls various duets and gives a true perspective of the operatic scene over the last 20 years. Domingo shines, particularly with Sherrill Milnes, and one is tempted to draw comparisons with the Bjoerling/Merrill partnership. On closer scrutiny, the rapport is not quite up to that of the older pair, but there still remains more than a hint of the magic. Domingo sounds fairly beefy but Milnes gets a nicely rounded tone. Should the collector not have the full opera of Don Carlo the highlights listed above are a fine introduction to that work with selections from Act 2, “Questo arcano dal Re ...,” “Quest la pace” and from Act 3, “Sire, Egli e tempo,” and Act 4, “Ella giammai.” Some duplication inevitably occurs between the two recordings with the Act 2 aria, “Questo arcamo dal Re,” being repeated on the other disc. The latter covers extracts from Verdi’s Aida, and Don Carlo, Gounod’s Faust plus two superb pieces from Boito’s Mefistofele. Particularly choice are the contributions from, Mirella Freni and Monserrat Caballe’s rich soprano.