GRAMOPHONE RECORDS

Orchestral

COLUMBIA. Bach: Concerto in E -major for vioUn and orchestra

(Huberman and the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by iBsay
Dobrowen). This is the kind of record a musician would be glad to
possess. The violinist deals gently but firmly with the work, giving
it a performance that has no frills but a fine strength and clarity. The
ensemble between soloist and orchestra is truly and easily held and
the whole result most, satisfying.

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Berlioz: Funeral March for the last scene of ' Hamlet ' (The
•London Philharmonic conducted by Sir Hamilton Harty). The
Berlioz enthusiast will be glad to have this. But not he alone. For
this is an instance of Berlioz transcending himself and becoming, as
it were, something as significant as ' Hamlet ' itself. It is sufficient
description of this impressive music to say that it could (not, perhaps,
•that it should) be listened to at the end of the play. The present
record is admirable and altogether adequate.

Dvorak: Slavonic Rhapsody, op. 45, No. 3 (The L.P.O. conducted

by Sir Thomas Beecham). The 'music sparkles and glows in this
impulsive and sprightly performance. The record is quite excellent
in every detail. Than that no more need be said. The music is
well known and shows up charmingly here.

Rossini: Overture to ' ha Cencrentola- ' (Milan Symphony Orchestra

conducted by Lorenzo Molojoli). A sound example of really first-rate
orchestral playing. The whole thing glitters, as indeed it must if it
is to succeed in its purpose.

DEOOA. Mozart: Pianoforte concerto in E fiat major, K.449

(Kathleen Long and the Boyd Neel Orchestra conducted by Boyd
Neel). A fine and sensitive piece of recording, balance between the
two parties to the bargain properly adjusted, tempi right, no fuss nor
any obtrusive individuality to mask the music's own.

H.M.V. Beethoven: Pianoforte concerto in B flat major (Arthur

Schnabel and the L.P.O. conducted by Malcolm Sargent). This
 GRAMOPHONE RECORDS 91

highly successful combination continues its ' good work- - among

Beethoven's pianoforte concerti and now adds the present excellent
record to the number. It is instructive to compare an aspect here
and there of this performance with that on the record immediately
above. In this Beethoven record one feels at once the presence of a
dynamic personality, taking the muBic deliberately in hand and
bending it to his will. The result is right because the performer is
a thinking musician attuned to the music closely and accurately.

Eimsky-Korsakov: Schdhdrazade (The Philadelphia Orchestra con-

ducted by Leopold StokowsM). It is to be regretted that the text of
the score has not been treated in this performance with more care
From that point of view the record cannot be recommended. Other-
wise it is good and the more's the pity that time Bhould have been
expended on what must remain an incomplete interpretationi

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Tschaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor (same orchestra and
conductor as in the previous record). All that expert playing and
evident care in preparation can do appears to have been done here
and the result is a splendid example of orchestral ensemble and a
most satisfactory record as a whole. The music is played with a
proper intensity, the score dealt with decently and the playing kept
on a high level.

Wagner: Selected passages from ' Die Walhure ' (same orchestra
and conductor as above with Lawrence Tibbett, baritone). The
passages give one a number of glimpses over a vast landscape which
the hearer will enjoy just in so far as he knows that landscape already.
The singer gives a fine, broad rendering of Wotan's Farewell.

Chamber Music
COLUMBIA. Brahms: Sonata in E minor, piano and 'cello (Theo
van der Pas and Emanuel Feuermann). Take any two really musical
players and set them to play you this work. The result will have
character and as long as the players are not suffering from an attack
of self-interest it will probably be enjoyable to listen to, but it will
not sound like this record where one almost forgets the excellence of
each individual performance in the even greater excellence of the
ensemble both physical and psychological. Few finer chamber music
records have come our way.

DECOA. Bliss: Clarinet quintet (The Griller String Quartet and

Frederick Thurston). This is a most welcome addition to records of
modern chamber music works. The performance seems to this
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listener to be altogether worthy of high praise. The tonal balance

(the actual recording strikes one as being particularly just) is held
to a nicety and the contrast of tone between various registers of
strings and wind come through absolutely clearly. The playing of the
slow movement is especially good. This is the movement that lingers
most gratefully in the memory and listening to this performance one
has the feeling that the players underwent a similar experience. The
work as a whole is interesting, exhilarating and moving.

H.M.V. Bela Bartok: String quartet in A minor, op 7 (The Pro

Arte Quartet). Here also is a wonderfully good record of modem
chamber music. With the help of the gramophone' one begina to
see into a work which if heard sparsely in concert halls would impress
the ear with precisely what this record shows to be its least notable
characteristic, its harshness. In the present fluent performance one

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can see the construction of the work and feel the dignity of the writing.

Sohubert: String Quintet in G major, op. 163 (The Pro Arte with
Anthony Pini as ' Second 'Cellist). This ground has so often been
covered though we remember no record of this work as admirable as
this one. Of the musio this is not the place to speak. Perhaps one
would hardly trust oneself to do so in any case. Some beauty • is
untouchable. This performance satisfies because it iB not only
excellent playine but also because it handles the work sanely. Thus
the only thing that comes in between the listener and the music is a
fine interpretation.
SCOTT GODDABD.