Page Two

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Wednesday, December 3, 1969

P aa eTwo THE MICHIGAN DAILY




records

It was a

very good

i r, .
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By R. A. PERRY
In choosing my candidates for
best recording of the year," I
have considered it better to in-
clude an irreproachable artistic
recreation of a familiar score
than to include a flawed per-
formance of a work new to the
Schwann catalog. No doubt
overlooking many fine record-
ings. th4 following list recom-
mends recordings which offer
performances fusing the high-
est degree of technical mastery
with essential and ineffable
communication of musical ideas.
Many of the most desireable
releases of the year have been
re-issues of venerable discs:
they have not been included
here for the simple reason that
they would dominate. Neverthe-
less, the reader should be aware
of the re-issuing - all on low-
priced but high quality labels-
of. for instance. Manon Lescaut
with Albanese and Bjoerling,
Manon with De Los Angeles,
numerous "Great Recordings of
the Century" by Schnabel and
Feuermann, to name but two,
and a recital of Mozart arias by
Eleanor Steber.
Other' recording phenomena,
not reflected in the list below,
deserve mention: to name b u t
three: the Vaughan Williams
series on Angel, the continuing
activities of C.R.. in making
available a wide variety of con-
temporary compositions, and the
promotion of electronic music
by Nonesuch.
Albeniz: "Iberia," Alicia de
Larrocha, piano, Epic BSC 158
. Present head of the Granados
Academy in Barcelona, Miss de
Larrocha is to the piano com-
positions of Granados, de Falla,
and Albeniz what Schnabel is to
the music of Beethoven and
Schubert. Exploring and expli-
cating the subtl° and expressive
modulations of Albeniz's music,
Miss de Larrocha prioduces
multi-tiered pianissimos, runs
as smooth as rose petals, a n d
springing, guitar-like grace
notes. Unfortunately, Columbia
is phasing out the entire E p i c
catalog, and the fate of t h e
pianist's records cannot be told.
Bach: "Four Suites for Orches-
tra," Concentus Musicus Wien,
Telefunken SAW'T 9505/10 A-EX
The supreme balance between
freedom and order that liesat
the heart of Bach's genius has
been mirrored by the ever-in-
ter~sting Concentus Musicus.
Using either original or recon-
structed 18th century instru-
ments, the Concentus Musicus
subsue academic concerns
within their search for an ener-
getic and accurate style. Great-
er instrumental clarity and co-
hesion could hardly be desired
and the slightly ascetic sounds
of the old instruments make for
a fascinating aural experience.
Beethoven: "String Trios Op. 9,
Nos. 1 and 3," The Grumiaux
Trio Philips PHS 900-226.

Much more power and drama
can be found in these beautiful
Beethoven chamber works than
the Grumiaux Trio discover;
yet, if you grant the Trio's con-
ception - highly refined and
introspective-it would be dif-
ficult not to admire the per-
fect execution of that concep-
tion.
Berlioz: "Harold in Italy," Wal-
ter Trampler, violist, and t h e
London Symphony Orchestra
led by George Pretre, RCA-
LSC-3075.
Walter Trampler identifies
with the poetic sentiment of the
hero's voice in a fashion always
communicative yet never exces-
sive. Not one phrase is tossed
aside perfunctorily. Pretre hard-
ly whips up the chthonic forces
that Colin Davis produces in the
"Orgy of the Brigands" move-
ment, but otherwise provides
adequate support to Trampler's
emotive reading.
Berg: "Chamber Concerto for
Violin, Piano and Thirteen
Whind Instruments," "T h r e e
Pieces for Orchestra," "Altenberg
Lieder." BBC Symphony led by
Pierre Boulez, Columbia MS
7179
Seminal in the advancement of
twentieth century music toward
the disintegration and isolation
of sound events, Berg's Chamber
Concerto itself fragments into
unrelated tone bursts under poor
performance conditions. Pierre
Boulez, whose recording 1 a s t
year of La Mer showed the al-
ready fine line between the de-
notive and connotive meanings
of Debussy's instrumental parts,
works miracles of minute adhes-
ions in Berg's fragile score.
Haydn: "Twelve London Sym-
phonies," (Nos. 93-104), Th e
Little Orchestra of London led
by Leslie Jones, Nonesuch HF-
73019
Beecham's renditions of these
symphonies have always com-
manded qualified reverence for
their all-pervasive elan; never-
theless, Jones's Nonesuch set is
splendid and, besides being re-
corded in sound of exemplary
clarity and warmth, corrects
many of the errant markings
and fuzzy details found in Beec-
ham's performances. Jones
achieves fine instrumental bal-
ance and picks brisk yet unanx-
ious tempos. The budget price is
another enticement of this out-
standing orchestral package.
Mahler: "Des Knaben Wunder-
horn," Elisabeth Schwarzkopf,
soprano and Dietrich Fischer-
Dieskau, baritone. London Sym-
phony Orchestra led by Georg
Szell, Angel S-36547
Two of the finest lied singers
of this century, known for occa-
sional hamming, keep their dra-
matic proclivities under control
and render remarkable vital and
perceptive performance of Mah-
ler's setting of German f o I k
poems.

Mendelssohn: "Elijah," Gwyneth
Jones, Janet Baker, Nicolai
Gedda, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau,
New Philharmonic Chorus and
Orchestra led by Rafrael Fruh-
beck De Burgos, Angel SC-3738.
Only die-hard anti-Victorians
could dislike the majority of the
scenes in Elijah, and Angel has
finally rescued the oratorio from
the ignominy of third-rate per-
formances and the pretentious
patina of twentieth-century rid-
icule. Glorious singing and son-
ics.
Mozart: "Posthorn Serenade, K.
320," and "Eine Kleine Nacht-
musik, K. 525," Cleveland Or-
chestra led by George S z e 11,
Columbia MS 7273
The finest orchestra in the
country from the standpoint of
ensemble coordination has of-
ten been led by its esteemed
conductor in performances of
bloodless precision and slightly
enervated grace. On this Co-
lumbia release, however, ensem-
ble precision and unobtrusively
good-natured tempos are ani-
mated by a lively spirit t h a t
makes even the K. 525 chest-
nut uncommonly jaunty.
Mozart: "The Complete String
Quintets," The Heutling Quartet
with Heinz-Otto Graf, viola,
Seraphim SIC-6028
The Heutling Quartet with
violist Heinz-Otto Graf make a
stunning American debut with
this budget-priced recording set.
Tonally, their blend approaches
a unison of breathing, yet t h e
exigencies of individual parts
are honored. The ensemble es-
chews broader gestures and
their slightly miniaturist a p -
proach demands and rewards
listener concentration. T h e
music itself, of course, in i t s
alternating jocularity and pro-
fundity, demands inclusion in
~any desert-island library.
Mozart: "Violin Concertos No.
1, K. 207 and No. 4, K. 218,"
Arthur Grumaux, violin, Lon-
don Symphony Orchestra led
by Colin Davis, Philips PHS
900-236
"Definitive" is an ill-advised
word, but one could hardly hope
to find elsewhere the stylistic pur-
ity with which Grumiaux renders
these two Mozart Concertos.
Schubert: "Symphony No. 1 and
Symphnoy No. 2," Stuttgart
Symphony Orchestra conducted
by Karl Ristenpart, Nonesuch
H-71230
In a sense, inclusion of this
recording serves as a tribute to
the late Karl Ristenpart, a con-
ductor known less in this coun-
try than in Europe, who con-
stantly effected first-rate per-
formances with second-rate or-
ganizations. Although the classic
performances of these lyrical
works have been Beecham's,
Ristenpart reveals much t h a t
Beecham swamped (such as the
trumpet parts in the opening of
the First Symphony) and in
general effects a tighter mesh
of instrumental voices.
Scriabin: "Twelve Etudes, Opus
NEW MAGAZINE NEEDS
POETRY, SHORT STORIES, ES-
SAYS. $5.00 per printed page or
part thereof. Manuscripts will not
be ret'd. unless accompanied by
self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Mail to KEN GAERTNER, 605 E.
Wiliam-
U rI

year
8," Morton Estrin, piano, Con-
noisseur Society CS 2009
These piano pieces, written
when Scriabin was in his early
twenties, vary in dramatic
weight and most of them are
quite beautiful and joyful. Mor-
tin Estrin's pianism ranks high
in poetic impulse, structural
clarity, and intellectual c o m-
mnand; Estrin successfully ren-
ders the lyrical lines which hold
these fragmentary works to-
gether.
Shostakovich: "The Complete
String Quartets," The Borodin
Quartet, Seraphim SIC-6034
and SIC-6035
Spanning the composer's ca-
reer, the eleven quartets are rich
in melodic invention, fascinating
in developmental sections, a n d
strangely macabre in wit. For
the most part rarely performed,
lest recorded, these works of-
fer abundant material for inter-
esting listening. The Borodin
Quartet are suitably acerbic; the
recor'ding ambient is dry but
undistorted and liner notes in-
clude abundant musical exam-
pies.
Strauss: 'Nineteen Early Songs,"
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, bari-
tone, with Gerald Moore, piano,
Angel S-36483
The omnipresent Mr. Fischer-
Dieskau has cut more r'ecords
than Wyatt Earp notches on his
gun. On this recital of e a r I y
Strauss songs containing both
well-known numbers and more
esoteric early Strauss efforts,
feeling, meaning, and vocal
control are splendidly fused.

The Seventh Annual

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1

FOX EASTERN THEATRESJ
FOH VILLa6E
375 No. MAPLE RD. "769.1300
HURRY! ENDS SOON
MON.-WED.--7:10-9:20
THURS.-SUN.-1 :00-3:05-
*r 5:10-7:15-9:30

STAY IN HOLLYWOOD
WHERE YOU STAY IS MOST OF THE FUN
COMPLETE TOUR INCLUDES:
* ROUND TRIP JET VIA THE NEWEST, BIGGEST PLANE IN THE WORLD
THE SUPER DC8-Detroit to Los Angeles (we were the first to offer
this newest of jets)
* 6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS IN THE BEST HOLLYWOOD MOTOR INNS (AAA,
POOLS, TV) where you'll find: the movie stars, stars' homes, the "in"
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* ALL BUS TRANSPORTATION-To and from Airport,
Parade and Game, including luggage
* INSURANCE, L.A. TOUR BOOK AND DISCOUNT GOURMET
DINING COUPONS
* TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE
with a deluxe cold chicken box lunch and beverage
* SPECIAL BONUS-FREE HERTZ CAR for Each Group of Four


SBLMHCASSIDY AND
THE SUNDANCE KID
PAMAYSO" COLOR BY DfEU
When in California Visit
Grauman's Chinese Theatre

-I


Ig21
ILA


Student

Government

Council

will

maintain staff in our motels to help
you with problems of health, police,
finding friends, etc.

FOR SPECIAL GROUP
ARRANGEMENTS CALL
our campus representatives
John Yablonky 662-4492
Tom Zick

H.M.S. Pinafore

SGC STAFF SERVICES PROVIDED
WE ARE A COMPANY DEALING IN STUDENT SERVICES. WE HAVE SPONSORED SUCCESSFUL ROSE BOWL
SPECIALS FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS (LAST YEAR WE BROUGHT 1900 OHIO STATE STUDENTS) AND, AGAIN
THIS YEAR, WE ARE OFFERING OUR SERVICES TO FACULTY, STUDENTS, STAFF AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WE ARE "ROSE BOWL SPECIALISTS"; IN FACT WE ARE THE ONLY ORGANIZATION OFFERING A TOUR AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN WHO HAS OPERATED A TOUR TO THE ROSE BOWL FOR THE LAST 6 CON-
SECUTIVE YEARS. . . OUR TRIPS ARE PLANNED AND CONTRACTED ONE YEAR IN ADVANCE GUARAN-
TEEING THE BEST OF EVERYTHING THROUGHOUT AT THE LOWEST PRICES AND . . . GUARANTEED DE-
PARTURES.
"INVESTIGATE ROSE BOWL TRIPS." CHECK THE HOTEL LOCATIONS. ARE THEY NEAR THE AIRPORT? ARE
THEY ON REMOTE CAMPUSES?. . . THAT'S NOT WHERE THE ACTION IS!!

STATE

Shows at: 1-3-
5-7-4:05 P.M.

"An Eloquent, Important Movie!
It Reached Out and Profoundly
Shook Me!"
-NEWSWEEK
M.400 Co"FuM n-sctMn t
& BERT PROOUCitONS p twt~s
PETER IDENNIS
FONDAIHOPPER
JACK NICHOLSON
COLOR- Released by COLUMBIA PICTURES


COMPLETE TOUR
ONLY
1yy8900*
Why Pay More?


SAN FRANCISCO
trips still available
COMPLETE TOUR ONLY
$225*
including $25 deposit. . plus $15
tax and service

:7

It,

Including $25 deposit .......

*plus $15.00 tax & service


-Daily-Richard Lee
H.M.S. Pinafore will premier

The Gilbert & Sullivan Society's
tonight at Mendelssohn Theater.

I

"Liza Minnelli has given a performance which
is so funny, so moving, so perfectly crafted and
realized that it should win her an Academy
Award but probably won't, because Oscar is
archaic and Liza is contemporary!"
-Thomas Thompson. LIFE MAGAZINE

DIAL 8-6416
Ends Wednesday
The THIN ONE ...
The FAT ONE ...
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WORLD OF
LAUREL H
mArDY HE JAY WARD
INTERGALACTIC
FILM FESTIVAL

DEPART DECEMBER 28-RETURN JANUARY 2
OTHER DEPARTURE DATES AVAILABLE
OPEN INVITATION . . . it costs nothing to compare
Come to our Office and see our Los Angeles map showing the hotel locations of all the Rose
Bowl tours. See our COLOR SLIDES and MOVIES of our planes, hotels, and SPECIAL BONUS.
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