The Musician's Gramophone

Author(s): Dyneley Hussey

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February 1957 THE MUSICAL TIMES 79

The Musician'sGramophone
By DYNELEY HUSSEY
IN April of last year the B.B.C. persuadedMadame 'Traume', was orchestratedby Wagner himself, and
Flagstad to come out of her retirement and sing in it Isolde most truly finds her voice, which, however,
the title-r6le in a broadcast production of Gluck's sounds too aloof and dispassionate in this perform-
Alceste. Decca took the opportunity of recording ance. The singer's limitations are further defined in
the performance,which is now issued on four discs, a recital of Lieder by Schubert and Schumann on
LXT 5273-6. Possibly because Flagstad is less at LXT 5263, in which Madame Flagstad sounds oddly
home in Frenchthan in Italian, or perhapsbecausethe inhibited. She seems unable, even in a dramaticsong
earlier version was felt to be more suitable for broad- like 'Der Erlkonig' to focus her voice and expression
casting than du Roullet's revision with its large amount down to the miniature form of the song. It all sounds
of ballet, the first version with Calzabigi'sItalian text rather stiff and inexpressive, despite the beauty of the
was used. It has its special historical interest, for it actual voice.
represents, more completely even than Orfeo, the aims From H.M.V. comes a capital recording on ALP
of the Viennese reformers of opera, and it was this 1409-10 of Puccini's La Boheme conducted by Sir
score that Gluck prefaced with his famous manifesto. Thomas Beecham, who gives a performance that can
Yet, just as a man cannot jump off his shadow, so no only be the issue of a deep love of the score. The
artist, however revolutionary, can wholly discard the recordingwas made in America with an international
traditions and conventions of the medium in which he cast headed by Victoria de los Angeles (Mimi), Lucine
works. Calzabigi's libretto does not at all points Amara (Musetta), Jussi Bjorling (Rudolph) and
get away from the Metastasian formula of operatic Robert Merrill (Marcel), and the R.C.A. Victor
construction and, though the happy ending was part Orchestra and Choir. What is striking about the
and parcel of the legend, he achieves it, not through the performance is not the individual contribution of any
generous and daring action of Hercules, but by the of the singers, who have their shortcomings as well
old device of the deus ex machina. as their merits, but the homogeneity of the whole.
If the ending is feebly conventional, the character Every detail, beautifully fashioned, is in place; every
of Admetus is, for a modern audience, weak and un- phrase, affectionately moulded, contributes to the
sympathetic beyond acceptance, unless we make an general effect.
effort of historical imagination. For it is not easy for As in Manon,reviewed last month, Madame de los
us to appreciate the real disaster that might fall upon a Angeles takes time to get into her part. In the first
people whose king died without an adult heir. It was act she sounds not like Mimi in person telling Rudolph
a situation that was still, to some extent, valid in the about herself, but like a singer going through the
eighteenth century, and even nowadays the deaths of motions of being Mimi. This lack of spontaneity-
dictators may be fraught with awful consequences note how the opening phrase of her narration fails to
for their subjects. Even when that effort of imagina- float up to its climax-disappears later and the
tion has been made, Alcestis remains the only real singer gives a touching performance in her farewell
human character in the opera. Her humanity, when to Rudolph in Act 3 and in the final scene of her
so finely represented, as it is in this recording, is death. Bjijrling is admirable throughout, never over-
abundant to redeem the rest. Flagstad sings with a singing as most Italians incline to do, but keeping his
classic dignity and breadth of phrasing as well as with music well in scale. His only serious lapse, which
a deep expressiveness that make her performance the conductor should have checked, is that he fails
very moving. Her voice has lost little or nothing of to keep in time at the end of 'Che gelida manina'.
its old radiance, and remains beautiful indeed. He gets slower and slower, and the music loses its
Apart from Admetus, sung by Raoul Jobin, the rest impulse.
of the cast is English, including Maryon Lowe (Ismene), As the other pair, Lucine Amara and Robert Merrill
Alexander Young (Evander), Thomas Helmsley and sing admirably. But neither achieves a very definite
James Atkins. The Geraint Jones Orchestra and characterization. We may be grateful to a Musetta
Singers are conducted by Geraint Jones, who secures who refrains from shrillness, but we do want a touch
a performance that is at once stylish and alive. The more of temper in her ' scene ' with her elderly admirer
recording is admirable, though the harpsichord accom- and, indeed, a touch more of vulgarity to contrast
panying the recitativo secco, to which Gluck surpris- with Mimi's ingenuousness. Merrill, too, lacks the
ingly reverts at times, is rather dim or perhaps too rumbustious humour which would bring the painter
modestly played. Anyone desiring to sample the set fully to life. But he and the two lesser Bohemians
and to test his reactions to the Italian, as opposed to (John Reardon and Giorgio Tozzi) achieve an admir-
the more familiar French, version, should hear side 3, able and intimate ensemble. Tozzi sings Colline's
which contains the scene in the temple with its im- 'Vecchia zimarra' with just the right nobility of tone,
pressive invocation of the High Priest, its magnificent and yet with a touch of affectation that prevents it
and well-sung choruses, and the dramatic air we know becoming merely sentimental. The crowd scenes in
better as ' Divinit6s du Styx '. Act 2 and, still more, the early morning at the Octroi
Madame Flagstad may also be heard on her ' home are marvellously realized. And what a wonderful
ground' in a recital of Wagner's music, in which she piece of scene-painting that snowscape is! Listening
is accompaniedby the Vienna PhilharmonicOrchestra to this performance of it during the Christmas blizzard
conductea by Hans Knappertsbusch, on LXT 5249. was an almost too vivid experience. If Beecham's
One side contains the five Wesendonck songs, the handling of the score has a fault, it is that he does
other, excerpts from Lohengrin, Parsifal and Die not insist on the singers taking the dialogue (what in
Walkiire. 'Elsa's Dream' and Kundry's ' Ich sah earlier operas would be secco recitative) lightly and
das Kind' both represent the great Wagnerian singer's quickly enough. Immaterial words are apt to be
lyrical vein well, especially her command of legato given too much weight.
phrasing. But even finer are the two excerpts from H.M.V.'s 'Golden Treasury' series now includes
Sieglinde's music from Act 1 of Die Walkure, in three records, CSLP 510-2, devoted to 'The Art of
which there is a true heroic grandeur as well. It Caruso'. Caruso was one of the earliest, and cer-
is a pity that these excerpts are allowed to end so tainly the most successful, singers to record for the
abruptly. The songs, which were in part sketches for Gramophone Company, and there has been no diffi-
Tristan, naturally suit the singer well, especially in the culty in finding sufficient good things among the
orchestrated versions of Felix Mottl. Only the last, recordings he made between 1902 and 1920 to fill three

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80 THE MUSICAL TIMES February 1957
discs. The first contains a selection of arias and The most impressiveadditionto the list of symphonic
ensembles by Verdi and Donizetti, including the recordings is Columbia's new one of Beethoven's
quartet from Rigoletto and the sextet from Lucia di Ninth Symphonymade by the PhilharmoniaOrchestra
Lammermoor,in both of which the other singers with the chorus of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
include Galli-Curci and Giuseppe di Luca. On the of Vienna and a distinguishedsolo quartet (Schwarz-
second, Caruso sings Puccini, Giordano, Ponchielli kopf, Hoffgen, Hafliger and Edelmann) under the
(' Cielo e mar' from La Gioconda)and Leoncavallo direction of Herbert von Karajan (33CX 1391-2).
(inevitably 'Vesti la giubba', which sounds magnifi- Not only is this a magnificentrecordingof a splendid
cent), and airs from French opera, including a lovely and spacious performance,but it is good value, too,
performance of the 'Flower Song' from Carmen, in that the second disc contains also an excellent
and excerpts from Martha. The third contains, performanceof the Eighth Symphony. Only in the
besides Handel's 'Ombra maifui' and Lully's 'Bois finale of the Ninth Symphony is there anything to
Epais', a selection of popularNeapolitan and Spanish modify enthusiasm. The chorus, though full and
songs and ends with the last recording he made-the resonant,does not make its words sufficientlyaudible,
'Crucifixus' from Rossini's Messe Solenelle. The and the tenor soloist sounds rather thin and vibrant.
splendour of the great voice is adequately preserved, Karajan'sreadingof the work strikesa balancebetween
even if the full power of its trumpet-tonedoes not ring Toscanini's immensely energetic performancewith its
out as those of us who heard it in the opera-houseor extraordinaryrhythmictension, which was not nearly
concert-hallrememberit. And the style is there, and so well recorded, and Furtwangler'smore serene and
the phrasing that, in the singer's prime, could span almost too leisurely version recorded at Bayreuth
great arches of melody with wonderfully sustained with some of the same soloists.
tone. Even when, later, breathshad to be taken more The Eighth Symphony(with the First) has also been
frequently, the voice was always under control; there recordedfor Decca by the Suisse Romande Orchestra
is rarely even a hint of breathlessness. There were under Ansermet, who is not often heard in the nine-
faults, too, especially in time-keeping. This may teenth-centuryGerman classics. He gives lucid and
have been due partly to the cramped conditions of well-judgedperformancesof these two works, which,
acoustic recordingand the strain involved by it, that of all Beethoven's symphonies, probably appeal to
inevitably distracted a singer from concentration him most. On LXT 5154 the Swiss conductor is
solely upon his music and put him out of touch with back on more familiarground,conductingStravinsky's
the conductor (if any). But Caruso also lived in the Concerto for pianoforteand wind instrumentsand the
days when the operatic singer's whim was law, and Capriccio for pianoforte and orchestra with Nikita
his disciplinedid not include obedience to the music's Magaloff as the accomplished soloist. Both works
beat. So phrases are apt to be prolonged, for sheer are in the neo-classical style adopted by Stravinsky
joy of revelling in beautiful tone, till they become in the 1920'sand, thoughnot amonghis most appealing
shapeless. compositions, represent an important phase in his
During the eighteen years, practically his whole development.
careeras a singer,coveredby these recordings,Caruso's From Philips comes a disc (ABL 3124) containing
voice inevitablyaltered,and it is interestingto compare the Mass of 1948,representingthe more austeremanner
the bright young tones of the singer who had just of Stravinsky'slatest style, and the earlierand barbaric
made his name in Fedorawith the established'star' ritual of Les Noces, as performed at the Holland
of four or five years later singing with Louise Homer Festival of 1954 by the Netherlands Chamber Choir
'Ai nostri monte' from II Trovatoreor with Scotti, conducted by Felix de Nobel. The Mass is a plain
a greater artist, 'Solenne in questa ora' from La straightforwardsetting of the utmost severity, which
Forza del Destino. Here, and in his 'Flower Song' one might call 'liturgical' were it not too difficult
of 1909 and the 'Celeste Aida' of 1911, is the great and expensive for ordinary use. Some of it is not
singer at his finest. He went through a bad phase particularlyinteresting to listen to, nor perhaps is it
about 1914, when I heard him in Madame Butterfly meant to be. The 'Credo ', in particular,sounds like
at Covent Garden with Destinn whom he mostly the devout murmuringof the Creed by the congrega-
ignored,coming to the footlights and letting us have it tion, and, though this effect is produced by an exact
full and strong! At this time, as may be heard in the calculationof means, it does not amountto an enthral-
duet from La Bohemewith GeraldineFarrar(interest- ling piece of music. The 'Kyrie', on the other hand,
ing to compare with the earlier recordingwith Melba is oeautiful, and the 'Sanctus ', too, shows the com-
preservedon CSLP 500), he got into the habit of ending poser's imagination finely at work. In the 'Gloria'
his phrases with an ugly click, and his singing was a there are one or two touches of the hieratic,Byzantine
good deal less sensitive. By the end of the first World manner of the Symphony of Psalms. The Dutch
War he regainedhis style and some of the recordings choir sings it well and the accompanying orchestra
of 1917-18 show his voice in splendid form. By Sep- of wind instruments (oboes, bassoons, trumpets and
tember 1920, when he recorded for the last time, his trombones)supportthem without obtrudingtoo much.
voice had notably darkened, and at the same time Connoisseursof ChurchMusic should certainlynot be
grown mellower,while' it moved ratherheavily,as may put off by Stravinsky'sreputation as a revolutionary
be heard in Rossini's Crucifixus' which has acquired from hearingthis work.
a tragic significancefrom the fact that the words 'et Les Noces is another matter, a presentation of a
sepultus est' were the last he recorded a few months primitive wedding-ceremonyin terms of ballet. The
before his death in 1921. work, composed ten years after The Rite of Spring
The transfer to long-playing discs of these old (to which it might be regardedas a Christiancounter-
recordings made at varying speeds-as much as 84 part), is writtenfor chorusand an orchestracomprising
r.p.m. was not unusualin the earlydays-is remarkably four pianos and percussion. The Dutch singers
successful. Inevitably the accompaniments groan here sound ratherinhibited, perhaps a little unsure of
and drone and often get in the way of the voice, and the complex rhythmic pattern and so afraid to let
in the Trovatoreduet there is a great deal of surface themselvesgo. The result is tamer than it should be,
noise transferredfrom the original. But if allowance but gives a fair idea of the music. No commentary
is made for this and the purchaser rations himself is supplied with the record, but those in search of
strictly to two or three pieces at a time, he will, if he enligntenment may be referred to the illuminating
cares anything for good singing, get an enormous exposition of the work in the current issue of Music
amount of pleasure from these discs-and not least and Letters.
from the last, where Caruso lets himself in true Decca have begun to issue what might be called an
' sole go 'Everyman's Library' of standard classics-a series
Neapolitan style in such songs as mio ', not
' great' music, perhaps, but certainly great singing. of medium-playrecords, each containing a symphony

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February 1957 THE MUSICAL TIMES 81
or suite. Most, if not all, of these recordings have Symphony(L.S.O. conducted by Krips on LW 5258),
already appeared on 12-inch L.P.s, and therefore do Debussy's La Mer (Suisse Romande Orchestra con-
not demand extended comment. Among those I ducted by Ansermet on LW 5267) and Kodaly's Hdry
have heard, the following are recommendedas good Jdnos Suite (L.P.O. conducted by Georg Solti on LW
performances well recorded-Mozart's 'Haffner' 5256). All are good value for money, the best in my
Symphony (L.P.O. conducted by van Beinum on opinion being the two symphonies and clarinet con-
LW 5262), Symphonyin E flat (L.S.O. conducted by certo by Mozart, the ' Italian' Symphonyand La Mer.
Krips on LW 5265), Piano Concerto in E flat, Solti has also conducted a first-rate performance by
K.449 (L.S.O. conducted by Anthony Collins with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra of Tchaikovsky's
Gulda as pianist on LW 5260) and Clarinet Concerto neglected ' Little Russian' Symphony(No. 2) which is
(Gervase de Peyer with the same orchestra and con- brilliantly recorded on LXT 5245. It is 'folky'
ductor on LW 5261), Schubert's 'Unfinished' Sym- music, fresh and bright, quite devoid of the hysterical
phony (Vienna PhilharmonicOrchestraconducted by and pathetic elements of the later and more popular
Kurt Bohm on LW 5257), Mendelssohn's 'Italian' symphonies.

New Music
Orchestral Trio for violin, cello and piano, by Victor Babin
Concerto for violin and orchestra, by Arthur Bliss (Augener). Of great length-fifty-six pages-this
(Novello)-37 to 39 minutes-deserves a more detailed Trio contains more rests than notes (for which, praise
analysisthan can be given in this review, but its salient be!). In spite of this, much of the writingis spideryand,
features are: a tremendous vitality, and a brilliant, for so long a work, foundationless,and a deviceused by
almost breathless,urge, togetherwith rhythmicenergy. composers when writing for two pianos, such as
The introductionto the finale, which may be said to phrases in unison and two octaves apart, is overdone.
constitute the slow movement, has moments of real Wisps of sound appear and are blown away almost
beautyandone can onlyhopethattheConcertomaytake immediately,and one feels that the materialis too un-
its place in the repertoryof the leading violinistsof the substantial,in spite of many charmingeffects, notably
day. on pages 21-22. This ghostly music is, however,
'The Oak and the Ash' (improvisationon a North strangely fascinating, and can only be judged satis-
Country song), by Maurice Johnstone (Lengnick), factorily by hearinga performance.
duration not given, is in reality a set of variations.
Owing to the ' squareness' of folk or traditionaltunes, Piano
composers as a generalrule fight shy of incorporating Sonata No. 9, by Prokofiev (Anglo-Soviet Press;
these into their works. The composer in this case Boosey & Hawkes). Almost lyrical in quality, this
has managed to overcome such a handicap, and has sonata, written in 1945-47, suggests, as an aftermath
provided a refreshing work and a varied one, in of the war, tranquillityand ease of tension. Its only
true English idiom. It is befittinglyscored with taste weaknessis the slow movement,wherethereis a melody
and lightness, and is, in the best sense of the word, a whichis banaland ordinary. This is frequentlythe case
light work of charmand good humour. The dedication when modern composers are bold enough to attempt
'From a workman to a craftsman' sounds a trifle to write a tune, and one must be thankful that they
ambiguous. do not often try the experiment. The texture is not
'Overture for an Occasion', by Howard Ferguson overladenwith notes, the idiom in no way repellent,and
(Boosey & Hawkes). Duration 7 minutes. Like nearly altogetherit is an attractivework of little more than
all occasional pieces-this was performedon 30 June averagedifficulty.
1953 in Ireland,occasionedby Her Majestythe Queen's Fantasy-Watzes, by William Alwyn (Lengnick).
coronation-that sound absolutely right at the time, It is a bold man who, in these days, composes a set of
there is frequentlysomethinglackingwhen the event is waltzesof nearlyfifty pages, especiallyif they revealan
over. This work is not particularly distinguished. affinity with Ravel. But why should this matter?
It is, however, practical and playable by a normal What the composer has to say is the determining
orchestra,and may be said to be in the 'higher flight' point. Harmonically,these waltzesare a great advance
of so-called 'light' music. on anythingI have heardby this composer,and thereis
Louis-JacquesAubert: PremiereSymphoniea quatre a Franco-Englishidiom that is refreshing. They are
for stringorchestra,editedby LaurenceBoulay(Boosey difficult of execution, but eminently pianistic, and
& Hawkes). Duration 11 minutes. Aubert was born remain a significantcontributionto the repertory.
on 15 May 1720. The above work is from six 'Sym- (My copy has been imperfectlybound. Page 6 is
phonies a quatre', published in 1758. The continuo followed by pages 41 and 42; then we have page 9;
for harpsichordis not included;instead, the editor fills and later, pages 7 and 8 appearbetween pages 40 and
in the harmonies with two viola parts, designed to 43.)
bridge the gap between the bass and the violins. Suite for harpsichordor piano by Anton Szalowski
The music itself is quite delightful and sparkles (Augener). A delightfulwork, clear and transparentin
with eighteenth-centurywit and lightness. One could thought and structure. The mould is classic, but the
have wished that a few of the ornaments had been materialis modern. It plays well, sounds well, and is
omitted, for in some cases they apply to the keyboard individualin style. This composer is worth watching.
ratherthanthe strings. Amateurorchestrasin particular
should welcome a work such as this, and could even Piano Duets (4 hands, 1 piano)
take the liberty of omitting the ' decorations'. Sonatina, by Norman Demuth (Joseph Williams).
Do not be deceived by the texture of this sonatina.
ChamberMusic It is more difficultthan it looks, and there must be the
Quartet for oboe and strings, by Arnold Cooke right 'weight' of sound throughout, or much of the
(Novello). Duration 15i minutes. Compact writing, chording will sound hard and flinty. It is completely
close imitationsand contrapuntalfacilityplus individu- up to date, and what more could be desired? Possibly
ality, togetherwithsome strongtunes,arethe ingredients two playersequally up to date!
of this most effectivework, in which modernityremains Pantomime (Neuf petits morceaux pour piano a
subservientto ideas that are crystal-clearin outline and quatre mains), by Paul Arma (Goodwin & Tabb).
elegant in style. Nine pieces with an easy treble and a harderbass part.

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