DESERT ISLAND TRILOGY

New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 772, 7 May 1954, Page 20

DESERT ISLAND TRILOGY

A monthly review by

OWEN

JENSEN

HIS is winter -or it soon will be; and this is the time when the fancy is likely to turn to thoughts of tropical islands, suitably deserted, and equipped, of course, with all home comforts, including an LP player. If your mind runs in this direction and you have your desert island staked out, here afe the tecords. They will warm your enthusiasms for the winter, and probably many other winters, too. The first, taking precedence only because of its stature, is. a recent recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E Fiat ("Eroica"). It is played by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan (Columbia 33CX 1046). This is as fine as you could wish. Patiently and inexorably, Karajan and the Philharmonia build up Beethoven’s edifice, playing what Beethoven wrote, not pedantigally, but with a lively feeling for the Spirit of the music. Except for an occasional slight rawness in the brass, this is an exemplary and inspiring performance. Next is a recital of Schubert songs sung by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf with Edwin Fischer "at the piano" (Columbia 33CX 1040). This is breathtaking singing topped off with equally sensitive piano accompaniment. Not that there is any show of virtuosity either vocal or pianistic. On the contrary, so inevitable is the phrasing and so complete the fusion of voice and piano that one forgets Schwarzkopf and Fischer in rémembering only the music. Here is "Who is Sylvia?" sung as one imagines always it might be sung, and "The Muse’s Gift" with a magical rhythm, and "Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel,’ "To Music," "To be Sung on _ the Waters" and "The Young Nun," with, as well, léss familiar but as beautiful Schubert songs like "Ganymede," "To the Beloved" and "Song in the Green Countryside." For epic listening on a desert island, there is Moussorgsky’s opera Boris Godounoy (HMV ALP 1044-7). Boris is one of the really great operas, tremendous drama, revealed with virile, penetfating music; and this presentation

leaves nothing unsaid. Indeed, it says rather mote than Moussorgsky intendéd. The Russian "Five" — Balakirev, Cui, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Mous-sorgsky-had among them a well-meant but not altogether felicitous habit of titivating each other’s music, At the flick of an eyelid or the twitch of an ear, Rimsky-Korsakov was likely to fall to and finish off anything Moussorgsky had left incomplete, or even, as he did here, give it a new look. Besides reorchestrating Boris, he added, patched and altered. The result is brilliant; but it isn’t altogether Moussorgsky. Once having heard Moussorgsky’s origigadseven he rewrote Boris-one cannot be wholly satisfied with the Rimsky-Kor-sakov refurbished version. However, as this is the one usually sung outside Rus-sia-Covent Garden include the original Moussorgsky in their repertoire, how-ever-and the "Iron Curtain" being what it is, one must make do with the music as most of the singers know it. This is no bad bargain. The heroes of the HMV recording are the conductor Issay Dobrowen, who is surely responsible for the fine balance and shape given to the whole work, arid the bass Kim Borg, who is most impressive in the little he had to do. Boris Christoff makes a successful Boris Godounoy, but as he had to undertake two other parts as well, he finishes. up by being Boris Christoff only, which means better singing than ¢characterisation. However, this is a comparatively minor matter in what is an exceptional recording. If the down-to-earth realism of Moussorgsky may seem a little disquieting for desert island solitude, you might settle for a complete performance of Lohenérin (Nixa ULP 9225-4). The chorus and orchestra of the Munich State Opera House are fine. The conductor is Rudolf Kempe. The cast, with George Vincent as a vocally eloquent Lohengrin; is a well-balanced one and, despite a tendency of Marianne Schech as Elsa to sharpen on her more dramatic high

notes and a similar occasional dallying with the intonation by Kurt Boshme as the King, the recording gives an exciting account both of Wagner’s music and his drama. Off the Beaten Path Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobia Salvatore Cherubini was in his day a big shot in the musical world, composing prodigiously throughout his long life-he lived to be 81- and accumulating honours and material reward in Italy (his birthplace), France and England. Unfortunately, his day was also Beethoven's day and despite strong recommendations from the Viennese master, posterity has largely given Cherubini the go-by. A somewhat belated recognition of this injustice is made in a_ recording of Cherubini’s Requiem Mass in C Minor. Too "ornate and florid for liturgical use and not at all. rich in the dramatic representation of the Requiem, one may wonder just where Cherubini fits in today; but maybe I am missing something, for Berlioz enthusiastically referred to the "sustained sublimity" of his style. The performance by the Orchestra Stabile e Coro dell’ Accademia Nazionale di Sant Cecilia (Columbia 33CX 1075) is beautiful. And beautiful, too, is the playing of Menuhin and the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult of Concerto in D Minor, by Mendelssohn (HMV ALP 1085). Even glamorous presentation, however, cannot put much gloss on this music of Mendelssohn’s adolescence which, practically rediscovered by Menuhin, might reasonably have been left to gather a mute glory among the Mendelssohn archives. Carl Neilsen’s Violin Concerto, Op. 33 (HMV BLP 1025) is a different proposition. Unusual in design, this work is not in the tradition of the virtuoso concerto but clearly has a story to tell. Menuhin gives a poetic and lustrous interpretation in which he is ably supported by the Danish State Radio Symphony

Orchestra conducted by Mogens Woldike. Whatever opinion one might offer, I am sure every woodwind player and the French horns, too, would plump for Richard Strauss’s Wind Symphony. For myself, I find this music somewhat prolix, having too much to say about nothing very important; but there is no doubt at all about the excellent playing of the London Baroque Ensemble conducted by Karl Haas (Parlophone PMA 1006). Coda The ever popular Schumann Quintet in E Flat, Op. 44, is given a fine ‘performance by Clifford Curzon and the Budapest Quartet (Columbia 33CX 1050), one definitely worth investigating. The Danish State Radio Symphony Orchestra (conductor Mogens Woldike) make the most of two symphonies by Haydn, No. 44 in E Minor ("Traversymphonie"’) and No. 48 in C Major ("Marie Theresa") (Decca LXT 2832). It is said Haydn wished the adagio of No. 44 played at his funeral. As played by the Danish, orchestra this music would make any funeral a memorable occasion, and both the symphonies would add happiness to any other occa-sion-even a trip to a desert island!