STRAVINSKY: APOLLON MUSAGËTE,

This recording was formerly available as EMI-Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 47876.

Toscanini took up Ravel's orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition very soon after it became generally available, and it remained in his repertoire until the end of his career. He clearly relished the work's virtuosity and colour, rather more, I think, than its evocative, dramatic qualities. His performance is very brilliant, quite extrovert in fact, but a little lacking in strong characterization. Even such a characterful piece as ''The Hut on Fowl's Legs'' is given a very straight, four-square emphatic reading, and only ''Catacombe'' conveys a vivid sense of atmosphere. I think a better recording would have conveyed a more favourable impression, but the sound is pinched and shallow.

Toscanini's interpretation of the Enigma Variations remains as controversial to traditional Elgarians as when he first conducted the work in London during 1930 (it had been in his repertoire since 1905). It was imaginative of RCA to partner the Mussorgsky Pictures with Elgar's ''friends pictured within''. Though the Elgar recording predates the Mussorgsky by over a year it is greatly superior, and has plenty of depth and sonority. I found the performance very satisfying. By and large it seems perfectly idiomatic to me, it is beautifully played, and has many imaginative and affectionate touches. Only three variations struck me as outside the norm. ''H. D. S-P.'' and ''Troyte'' move at a comparatively sedate tempo, which spoils their vigorous effectiveness. I was interested to find that Toscanini takes both movements at a conventionally faster tempo in his 1935 live performance with the BBC Symphony Orchestra (EMI, 2/88). In both performances his way with ''W. N.'' is a bit too brisk and lacking in warmth and humour. Otherwise there would seem little to offend traditionalists. Highly recommended.

-- Gramophone [2/1992]

"Right from the start you know that the Tokyo Quartet's will be a dramatic, fiery reading: there's that hair-raising initial attack, with subsequent loud/soft contrasts powerfully underlined. Each movement has its basic pulse, but within that pulse there's plenty of freedom. . . . [T]he trio of the Scherzo has a real lilt: a strong contrast with the biting, vigorous playing immediately before it. And I like the way they evoke the ghost of a dance in the variations—the spectral ballerina effect in Variation No. 1 is genuinely touching." -- Stephen Johnson, Gramophone

TRAVELIN' SHOES GOLDEN GATE Q

Track Listing

Disc 1:
1. St. Louis Shuffle
2. Wherever There's a Will There's a Way
3. Hello, Lola!
4. One Hour (If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight)
5. Sugar Foot Stomp
6. Hocus Pocus
7. One Sweet Letter from You
8. Meet Doctor Foo
9. Fine Dinner
10. She's Funny That Way
11. Body and Soul
12. When Day Is Done
13. Sheik of Araby, The
14. My Blue Heaven
15. Bouncing with Bean
16. One O'Clock Jump


Disc 2: 1. Bugle Call Rag
2. Say It Isn't So
3. Spotlite
4. Low Flame
5. Allen's Alley
6. Indian Summer
7. You Were Meant for Me
8. April in Paris
9. How Strange
10. Half Step Down, Please
11. Angel Face
12. Jumpin' Jane
13. I Love You
14. "39-"25-"39
15. Body and Soul
16. Essence of Jazz

Personnel includes: Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Lionel Hampton (vocals, vibraphone); William "Buster" Bailey (soprano & alto saxophones, clarinet); Benny Carter (alto saxophone); Donald M. Redman, Russell Procope (alto saxophone, clarinet); Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Russell Smith, Joe Smith, Harry James, Cootie Williams, Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet); Jimmy Harrison, Benny Morton, Glenn Miller (trombone); June Cole (tuba); Pee-Wee Russell (clarinet); Charlie Dixon (banjo, guitar); Fletcher H. Henderson, Thomas "Fats" Waller, William "Count" Basie (piano); Charlie Christian (electric guitar); Milton Hinton (bass); Buddy Rich (drums).

Reissue producer: Jean-Paul Guiter.

Recorded between 1927 and 1956. Includes liner notes by Daniel Nevers.

"No performance of the Walton concerto could possibly be more authentic than that captured by this 1950 recording. The work was commissioned by Heifetz, and suited his style and musical personality to perfection. His playing is technically superlative, gloriously passionate, virile and exciting. Walton was an admirable conductor of his own work at this period, and he and the vintage Philharmonia are inspired partners for Heifetz. The sound is very good for its period, cleaner and clearer than on the two previous British LP editions, but with a very slight background hum now discernable. One previously evident flaw in the mastertape, not unfortunately corrected in the digital remastering process, is the slight but abrupt rise in pitch at 2'58'' in the third movement.

On the face of it Heifetz would not seem to be so well suited to Elgar's deeply romantic masterpiece, but the great violinist responds particularly well to the composer's large-scale style in the first movement, where his playing is heartfelt, idiomatic, totally secure and well balanced. Some critics have found Heifetz's playing of the slow movement lacking in a sense of repose, but I find his questing, slightly unquiet response to the music not at all at odds with Elgar's vision. And the formidable challenges of the finale are triumphantly conquered. With such an experienced Elgarian as Sargent at the LSO's helm this is a deeply rewarding performance. Again, the sound is pretty good for 1949, but there is a little background noise. Nowhere does the printed information state that these are, of course, both mono recordings.

Only hi-fi fanatics should avoid these two superb performances..."

-- Gramophone [3/1989]

"Much the most valuable items here are the two duets with Flagstad as they haven't been available in Britain for years or not at all. Besides, in the Lohengrin bridal-chamber scene Melchior is almost at the peak of his form, with a fine integration of line and tone, and Flagstad sings with rapt, glowing tone. Though this version hasn't quite the intimacy and tenderness of Melchior's earlier Parlophone version with Bettendorf (reissued in a two-CD Danacord set), it needs to be heard by budding Wagnerians wanting to know what we miss in Wagner singing today. The Tristan duet, again, finds Flagstad singing freshly and ecstatically... As it happens, the other Lohengrin items also find Melchior near his best, suggesting how affecting he must have been in the title-role, one of his favourite parts. Parsifal's ''Nur eine waffe taugt'' and Siegfried's second song at the forge are better heard in earlier versions.

The plums of the non-Wagner items are the Schumann duets with Lehmann—the old partners sing these gemutlich items with delightful spontaneity. One forgets and forgives the unauthenticity of the orchestral accompaniments in the enjoyment given by the exuberant singing. None of the solo songs is remarkable, though it's fun to hear Melchior's unadorned, endearing account of the old ballad, Homing, a previously unissued item."

-- Alan Blyth, Gramophone [10/1990]

OFRA HARNOY COLLECTION VOL 4 -

SCHUBERT: ARPEGGIONE SONATA, P

"Natalia Gutman has been appearing with great success for some years outsideher native Russia, but until now we have heard few of her recordings in the West. This ideal coupling of the two Shostakovich cello concertos brings fresh, clean-cut readings, totally assured and marked by many moments of poetry. Well-recorded in Watford Town Hall."

-- Edward Greenfield, Gramophone [1/1991]

HANDEL: CONCERTI GROSSI, VOL 1

This second installment of Davis’s Sibelius cycle is purest gold. These performances command attention and will satisfy listeners for many years to come.

This second instalment of Davis’s new Sibelius cycle is purest gold. Hardly a phrase in these performances passes without new light being shed on it, and yet there is a strong feeling of spontaneity throughout. Davis’s readings are far from conventional; he often focuses on the darker sides of these symphonies, bringing out rarely heard depths in the Second and adding a fascinating new dimension to the Sixth. In both, he projects a strong sense of narrative and in the Second Symphony guides the argument toward the finale with overwhelming results – the appearance of the big tune gains immeasurably from a determined lack of sensationalism. Still more revealing is the finale of the Sixth: along with the expected ‘pastoral’ reflection he finds more than a hint of menace.

Davis is admirably served by the LSO. The strings respond to the detail of his interpretation with superb flexibility, and wind and brass groups are richly voiced. There is a wealth of magically observed orchestral detail, with the start of the slow movement of the Second Symphony – a polar-bear growl from the timpani and singing pizzicato – being especially memorable. These performances command attention and will satisfy listeners for many years to come.

Performance: 5 (out of 5), Sound: 5 (out of 5)

-- Jan Smaczny, BBC Music Magazine

These performances are also available on VHS: RCA Victor Red Seal Video 68199.

...Boldly arresting... Individually it is Piatigorsky's sumptuous cello that gives me the greatest joy... The last [of the Sinfonias] really does emerge like a spirited episode from one of the Brandenburgs... The disc ends with a juicily plangent 1946 Ave Maria from Heifetz and his loyal old partner, Emanuel Bay. -- Joan Chissell, Gramophone [4/1989]