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BEST OF THE MONTH
Reviewed by
MARTIN BOOKSPAN
DAVID RANDOlPH
KLAUS GEORGE ROY
Hi·Fi Slavonic Glitter
• RIMSKY· KORSAKOV: Scheherazade,
Op.35.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Sir Thomas
Beecham condo Angel 35505.
Vienna State Opera Orchestra. Hermann
Scherchen condo Westminster XWN 18660.
Beecham's is a seductive performance
of this sensuous score, distinguished by
really sensational playing from his first
chair soloists. Note, for instance, the
suavity of the harp glissandi which accompany
the nrst statement by the solo violin
of Scheherazade's theme; or the marvelously
subtle phrasing by the first bassoon
at the start of the second movement, and
the perfect answer by the first oboe; or
the breathtakingly pure playing of the
cadenzas by the first trombone and clarinet;
or the piccolos in the nnal section
triumphantly skittering around with their
flligree accompaniment to the music of
the shipwreck. With Angel's superbly
clear recording and Beecham's complete
absorption with the music, we have a
prime instance of the conductor's uncanny
ability to breathe new life into a tired
old warhorse.
Scherchen's performance has no such
claim to distinction; his orchestra cannot
hold a candle to Beecham's, nor does one
feel from Scherchen the kind of personal
involvement with the music which makes
of Beecham's performance such a thrilling
experience. The sound of the Scherchen
performance has also slightly veiled
quality.
There's no contest here!
M. B.
• PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 in B-
flat. Op. 100.
Philadelphia Orchestra. Eugene Ormandy
condo Columbia ML 5260.
Here comes the team of Columbia,
Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra
with a version notable for the suavity and
elegance of its presentation. Sonically a
knockout, this newest regish'ation of Prokofieff's
symphonic masterpiece may be
50
Angel's brand new recording of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade in Sir
Thomas Beecham's "seductive performance ... distinguished by really sensational
playing from his first chair soloists" (see below).
London's disc premiere of Richard Strauss's opera Arabella-"a gorgeous
outpouring of effulgent melody" starring lisa Della Casa and Hilde Gueden
(p. 52).
Epic's offering of the three most popular Strauss tone poems-Tillr Don
Juan, and Death and Transfiguration offers " stunn·ing orchestral virtuosity
... and recording that will pin your ears back" (p. 53).
Columbia's recording of Beethoven's colossal Diabelli Variations find
"Serkin's recreation of it without a doubt the finest to be heard today" (p.
55).
Angel's Eileen Farrell in Grand Opera offers a "superlative singer ..
beginning to receive her due ... the voice is now at the very height of its
perfection" (p. 56).
recommended with no qualifications.
Since the same can justinably be said of
Schippers' recording on Angel, you pays
your money and you takes your choice.
M. B.
• TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo and Juliet­
Overture-Fantasy; PROKOFIEV: Romeo and
Juliet-Excerpts from Suites 1 £. 2.
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Lo rin Maazel
condo Decca DL 9967.
Nearly two decades ago Lorin Maazel
was appearing in knee-pants as a guest
conductor with the NBC Symphony Orchestra.
The former child prodigy is now
approaching his 30th birthday, and in the
last half-dozen years or so his conducting
career has begun to flourish again-in
Europe mostly.
This, his first recording, is a mixed
blessing. In a dissection of the Tchaikovsky
score he robs the work of all forward
motion; the broad architectural design is
sacrificed to finicky pre-occupation with
minutiae, with the result that what we
get is episodic in the extreme.
In the Prokofiev selections- taken from
the first and second Suites extracted from
the complete Ballet-Maazel is obviously
much more comfortable and much less
mannered. He generates real excitement
and the Berlin Philharmonic responds
notably. The engineers have provided
big, resonant sound in both instances.
M. B.
Concerted Music hy LvB
• BEETHOVEN: Piano Concertos: No.1
in C Major, Op. IS; No.2 in B-flat. Op. 19.
Cor de Groot with the Vienna Symphony
Orchestra. Willem van OHerloo condo Epic
LC 3434.
• BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No.5
in E-flat, Op. 73 ("Emperor" ).
Rud olf Firkusny with the Pittsburgh Symphony
Orchestra. William Steinberg condo
Capitol PAO 8419.
The de Groot-van Otterloo disc presents
performances solidly in the mid­
European tradition. Others have probed
more deeply and made of both works a
more intense emotional experience. But
these bright performances will appeal to
many. Recorded sound is very reverberant,
but clarity and balance are admirable
-especially the many exquisite woodwind
ensemble sections in both works.
The Firkusny-Steinberg recording of
the "Empe1"O'r" is a poser; it seems to be
an excellent performance, but Capitol has
effectively managed to take it out of con-
HIFI & MUSIC REVIEW