Atmosphere

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 895, 28 September 1956, Page 24

Atmosphere

By

OWEN

JENSEN

: / | HE gramophone record can reproduce many pleasures. Too rarely, however, does it re-create the immediacy of performance. Symphonies, operas, chamber music could just as well have been performed anywhere, before any audience or no audience at all, for all the atmosphere the general run of recorded performances generates. It is something extra to your listeping, therefore, when performers can gather you to them through the impersonal loud-speaker. This seems to happen with An Evening with Robert Burns (Columbia 33CX 1317)> The very simplicity of the presentation is its special charm. Almost all the songs are un- | accompanied and. both these and the spoken poetry come off beautifully. Something of the same sort of thing attaches to Beneath Italian Skies (Parlophone PMD 1033). This is a recital of popular Italian songs. Both songs and singing are attractive. Peter Lescenco’s Russian folk songs (Columbia 33CS 10) also have their attraction, although somewhat sentimentalised, especially in the accompaniments. Then there’s High Tor (Festival FGL 12-981), songs and story from the CBS Television production. You may find some atmosphere in this if you like Bing Crosby’s singinc. é

Dvorak would hardly have made his name on the sole recommendation of his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G Minor, Op. 33; but Friedrich Wuhrer as soloist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted: by Rudolf Moralt (Vox APL 7630) gives colour and liveliness to the music

which 1s as ingratiatingly tuneful, as one expects from

ivorak, John Christian Bach was one of the major influences on Mozart as you may possibly discover from his two sinfonias, Op. 18, No. 1, in E Flat Major, and Op. 18, No. 4, in D Major. This

is cheerfui, smooth music, omering no problems of listening. If you can forget Mozart for a few minutes, you will find that J. C. Bach had much more to him than history sometimes gives him credit for. Both sinfonias ate admirably played by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Sacher ‘(Philips ABR 4005). These sinfonias are straightout entextainment. Where this led to can be heard in Mozart’s Serenade No. 4 in D Major, K.203, played by the New Symphony Orchestra of London, conducted by Peter Maag (Decca LXT 5074), and his Serenades No. 5, K.204, and No. 22, K.162, by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Henry Swoboda (Westminster WL 5005). As you may expect, the music is delightful; and so is the playing. If you can take Tchaikovski’s Suite No. 3 in G Major as something in the way of a serenade, you will probably overlook what the composer himself called his "banal" ideas. Sir Adrian Boult and L’Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris give a brilliant performance which makes the music sound more exciting than it may be (Decca LXT 5099). , And now to some singing. Antti Koskinen (tenor) with Eyvind Moller

(pianist) sings a group of songs by Richard Strauss. (Festival XP 45959). The voice is attractive enough, but maybe this was one of Koskinen’s off-days, for the singing is not particularly inspired. Magda Svendsen (soprano), however, with members of the Societas Musica of Copenhagen, and

Jorgen Ernst Hansen (organ), makes beautiful music out

ot Antretsst CLuch, Meine Sinnew and Was Mich Auf Dieser Welt Betruebt by the 17th Century Dietrich Buxtehude (XP 45-943). A Dip Into the "Pops"

Australian Ballads (Festival FGL 12995), by Australian singers, acompanied by Dennis Collinson and his Orchestra, is a commendable boost for Australian music. The ballads are a mixed bag. The singers ate mostly better than the music. Among these Australian singers is ex-New Zealander Stewart Hafvey, singing an unusual interpretation of "Waltzing Matilda," and a not very exciting ballad, "Iwo Chronometers the Captain Had." The Progressive Mr. De Franco progresses in his usual slick, pleasant way on a pocket size disc that is no less musically enterprising nevertheless (Clef EPM-43). The Flip Phillips-Howard McGhee Boptet (Clef EP-112) deals a hand of popular numbers with soméwhat heavy-footed rhythm; but you might like to hear More of Johnny Hodges (Clef EPN-64), which is rhythmically fetching, and colourful, too. The Creative Toddy Wilson (Clef EPN-102), pianist, is not quite so creative as the title would have us believe. If something in the way of creativeness is your mood, turn to Count Basie and company presenting "Everyday," something you should hear once, anyhow (Clef CL-022).