Bounce and austerity

Press, 7 January 1987, Page 13

Bounce and austerity

RACHMANINOV. Symphonic Dance Op. 45. Isle of the Dead Op. 29. Vocalise Op. 34. Women’s Dance played by the LSO. Andre Previn conducts. WORLD RECORD CLUB WIIHB9 from HMV. Andre is especially good with several composers, notably Mendelssohn and Gershwin, but he is particularly fond of Rachmaninov and this empathy shows in many ways throughout his long association with that composer, firstly as the soloist in the “Piano Concertos” and latterly in the orchestral repertoire. The works under review were compiled recently but relate back to the period of intense production for Previn (197576), the major work, “Symphonic Dance,” being bouncy and just right as compared with the more serious view of Ormandy. The recording harks back to “SQ” days, now alas gone for ever. MOZART. Piano Concerto No. 27 K 595. Double Piano Concerto K365* played by Emil Gilels (and Elena*) piano with Karl Bohm conducting the VPO. DG 419 059-1 from POLYGRAM. Also cassette. Emil Gilels came out of the blue with this Mozart recording in 1974; no-one had experienced the master touch of that pianist with Mozart up to then, but his emergence coin-, cided with many top recordings from others. As it turns out, the high competiton matters little. Most of the others have since faded, with the notable exception of Brendel who manages the slow movements with greater flair than Gilels. Otherwise, there is little to choose betwen the respective versions; Gilels has a magic that he took with him into every corner of the catalogue, and the straightforward orchestral direction is masterly if uncompromising. Sound quality is superb. RAVEL. The Two Piano Concertos played by Jean-Phillipe Collard, piano, with Lorin Maazel conducting the French National Orchestra. EMI COMPACT DISC CDC 7 47386 2. This is the sort of recording that reassures the collector that his/her investment in the extra equipment is all worth while. The plunge pays off in both works here, with additional bonuses in the “Pavanne,” “Jeux D’Eaux” and “La Valse.” Even Julius Katchen pales beside these performances. When the recording first appeared it left all competition in its wake in the manner of KZ7; now it is even more impressive in disc form. The sound quality and artistic perception is simply beyond criticism. Those Gershwin references are captured as nowhere before or since. It is not an old recording (1979/80), but one can cheerfully discard all others. This is the one. MENDELSSOHN. Violin Concertos played by Frank Peter Zimmerman, violin, with Gerd Albrecht conducting the Berlin Radio SO. WORLD RECORD CLUB WO 10070 from EMI. There are one or two reservations about Zimmerman’s performance with the major work, something that didn’t crop up with his Mozart recordings earlier. Technical problems handicap the young violinist. After Mutter or Chung his tone sounds more “masculine” as one might euphemistically put it. These aside, any stickiness that prevails in the great “E minor Concerto” is soon dispelled in the later movements and one cannot help but be impressed with this particular interpretation, as indeed with the other youthful violinists who seem to find new life in

Records & discs

ALLAN FRANCIS

what were considered warhorses. BENNY GOODMAN COLLECTOR’S EDITION. Works by Bartok, Bernstein, Copland, Gould, Stravinsky. CBS COMPACT DISC CBBOI (19401968). These perky little pieces were more than mere novelty items when they first appeared — mostly at the instigation of several jazz clarinetists, and they have survived as moderately interesting works as sidelines for both composer and performer alike. As expected, some are frailer than others. Morton Gould’s “Derivations” and Bernstein’s “Prelude, Fugue and Riffs” boast rather more comprehensive titles than actual content. What none lack is brightness, played by Goodman in lively fashion, accompanied at times with some illustrious company — Josef Szigeti and Bartok himself at the piano. Aside from the specialist flavour of these pieces one could only envisage moderate response from the average collector. ANDREAS VOLLENWEIDER. “Down to the Moon.” Twelve tracks by the soloist, Vollenweider, harp and musicians. CBS COMPACT DISC CB 57001. This performance was recently reviewed as an LP with enthusiasm it warranted; accordingly, it comes up in compact disc form in even brighter terms and must be applauded for the clever work from Vollenweider and the astonishing clarity of sound. ECHOES OF A WATERFALL. Romantic Harp Music of the nineteenth century played by Susan Drake, harp. Eleven tracks by Hasselmans, Elias Parish-Aivars, Glinka, Thomas, Godefroid and Spohr. HYPERION COMPACT DISC CDA 66038. This, too, was reviewed earlier in 1986 and accorded good response for the light, feminine touch in works that are in the "easy listening” category of the less profound classics. JOHN WILLIAMS. “Echoes of London.” Fourteen tracks with the “London” theme. CBS FM42119. Pleasing to the ear though it is, one wonders just exactly what is John Williams up to? These tunes have a certain aimless quality, in spite of a good deal of work involved, some excellent guitar playing of some very old pieces (apart from “Salut D’Amour”) mixed with a batch of nationalistic tunes that will give ex-Londoners a lump in the throat. Vera Lynn’s old standby, “Berkeley Square,” is the main case in point; others with the London flavour are “London Pride,” “London by Night,” “Maybe It’s Because I’m A Londoner,” but on side one it is all Williams playing both parts of duos of Handel, Byrd, Purcell, Clare. It is reminiscent, too, of the Julian Bream years.