Let’s dance with N.Z. Symphony

Press, 1 March 1982, Page 16

Let’s dance with N.Z. Symphony

Classicalrecords

k review M

ALLAN FRANCIS

INVITATION TC THE DANCE. N.Z. Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Hopkins playing various dance selections by Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Grieg, Falla, Saint-Saens, Delius, Brahms and Weber. KIWI PACIFIC Tartar TRL-020.

Having seen them on TV the logical thing now appears to hear them on record with the N.Z. Symphony offering some crisp arrangements of old favourites in varying moods. The speeds swing to wild extremes also, from the delicate Ravel Pavane pour une Infante defunte up to the extravagant excesses of the Ritual Fire Dance.

Fortunately, the rather bland pieces of David Farquhar are not repeated from the TV programme. I felt these were too passe even for a lightweight programme such as this.

La Calinda, from Koanga, hints at shadows in Delius’s orange groves while Peter Schaffer gives his usual workmanlike account of Danse Macabre. The orchestra has a nicely rounded tone throughout and gives excellent support to the soloists, Heather Clark (Pavanne), Ronald Webb (Ritual Fire Dance) and Wilfred Simenauer (Invitation to the Dance).

The Tchaikovsky Waltz from Swan Lake is up to the standard of Arthur Fielder’s account of the famous suite or, indeed, the slick Karajan version. The orchestra’s “theme” tune, Invitation to the Dance, is in extended form, carefully shaped by John Hopkins to end up as the neatest version I’ve heard for a . long time. Sir Thomas Beecham would call these his lollipops, but they are none the less for that. Again beautifully recorded by Kiwi.

THE COMPLETE CARUSON VOLUME 8. Enrico Caruso, tenor, sings 13 selections from his 1910 and 1911 original recordings. World Records N.Z. 780 from RCA RED SEAL ARMI-3570. This is the second time around for this particular recording and I wondered what had become of the first seven volumes. Gramophone catalogue is silent except for volume 4, so one would assume that the review recording is the most successful of the entire batch, or perhaps the most representative of the great tenor’s work. Restored by the digital process, the selections belie their age somewhat, but it is still impossible to disguise Uie fact that they are, after all, 70 years old and the

voice, clear as it is, retains that muffled sound of straining into a horn. Caruso was reputed to have rarely made a mistake, but there are a couple here just to prove a point. Despite these, the voice is impressive and those who have asserted he is greatest ever will- point to Core ’ngrato or Addio to support their claim. The added bonus of Louise Homer in Trovatore and Aida duets is of some interesting historical signifi-, cance as the mezzo was considered more than just a mere sounding board for the great tenor. That he is so much superior to Gigli and many others is obvious, but whether he is so much better than the likes of Pavarotti or Bjorling is another matter. Whatever the outcome of this ' argument I would wager that Pavarotti finds his way on to the turntable more frequently than Gigli or Caruso these days.

GRIEG/SCHUMANN PIANO CONCERTOS. Stephen Bishop, piano, with the 8.8. C. Symphony Orchestra conducted by Colin Davis. World records WQ 3930 from Philips 6500 166.

This one comes to us with the magic halo of the definitive account, of the insepar-

ables of the times, the Grieg and Schumann Piano Concertos. Indeed, it is only since 1972 that the habit has been broken so that it is now possible to get Lapu or Cristina Ortiz with something different as a partner to the Grieg. Infinitely poetic, Bishop still heads the field and the recorded sound quality matches the high artistic achievement of Philips and the 8.8. C Symphony under the spell of Colin Davis.

Both giants in their field, the two concertos match stride for stride in opulent orchestration and fine keyboard control. While the Grieg has rarely lost its fresh , effervescence the Schumann has rarely been treated to such lyric romanticism. Stephen Bishoip in-

jects his youthful enthusiasm alongside his mature interpretive prowess into' these works, which have both been the target of “over-expo-sure." To overcome this stigma as well as advancing years makes the recording an even more remarkable achievement. This one will make my short list = for 1982 and I would confidently predict that it will still be wearing its laurels for some years to come .in the history of gramophone recording.