Slatkin breathes a big sigh of appreciation into one of my all-time favourite American, or should I say Spanish, tunes: the ''Tango of the Merchant's Daughters'' from The Incredible Flutist. If ever a tune and a suite have one yearning to hear the complete ballet, this is it. Yet rest assured that these 16 or so eventful minutes do constitute the best and brightest of the Flutist (roughly half)—and that Slatkin and his orchestra in no way sell them short. Everything here is properly sun-drenched from the heat-hazed opening at siesta-time to the flashing tambourines and castanets of the catchy up-beat dances. The St Louis 'flutist' proves to be a real spellbinder and the Merchant's chosen daughter duly succumbs in a gorgeously sultry account of the clarinet and oboe-led ''Siciliana''. Slatkin taxes the entire orchestra in the sustained accelerando of the final ''Polka'', but a good time was obviously had by all. This, of course, is the score where members of the orchestra (and anyone else to hand) get to voice their approval in cheering and whistling as the circus hits town; even Slatkin's dog gets in a solo—brief but auspicious.

Piston, the accomplished fine-artist, surfaces in the Three New England Sketches, though no specific locations are envisaged or intended. ''The audience shouldn't try to find special places in this music,'' he was quoted as saying, ''but I won't mind if they smell clams in the air.'' Well, I smell clams. But for one sudden squall, his opening seascape is all calm, open waters and reflected light (upper strings, harp, muted trumpets) with the rustling shingle of cymbal and side-drum. The scherzo, ''Summer Evening'' at once put me in mind of the fleet nocturnal will-o'-the-wisping of the Vaughan Williams Fifth Symphony Scherzo, while the ''Mountains'' are, for sure, American through and through. I particularly warmed to the central pastorale—an unexpected pleasure with strings, then flute and harp and some engaging canonic detail from the other woodwinds distilled into a few moments of repose before the hike recommences.

This kind of bare-faced contrast is the very essence of the Sixth Symphony's first movement. When reviewing Gerard Schwarz's recent Delos recording, I spoke of the arresting dynamic tensions between Piston's 'rocky road' music—toughly syncopated, impulsive—and his sudden departures to Elysian fields. Boston's French connection (Munch conducted the 1955 premiere) would seem to be acknowledged in these fleeting daydreams for harp and Debussian woodwinds. Boston's virtuosity is certainly celebrated in the scherzo—an impish, now-you-see-it-now-you-don't creation which Slatkin and his orchestra have honed to a fantastic level of precision. There's marvellously keen articulation from his strings, and to say that his percussion are quick-witted is almost to spoil the fun of the last few bars. Solo cello and oboe lead the quest of the slow movement—sad yet determined music through which Slatkin communicates a fierce intensity; the finale is essentially a lap of honour for the entire orchestra—well earned on this occasion.

I'm not going to express a clear preference between Slatkin and Schwarz in this symphony. Both are impressive, both exceedingly well recorded and besides, choice may well be governed by coupling. Schwarz gives us the outgoing Second Symphony; with Slatkin you get the pictorial Piston—and that gorgeous Tango.

-- Edward Seckerson, Gramophone [1/1992]

WAGNER: ORCHESTRAL HIGHLIGHTS

MENDELSSOHN: SCOTTISH & ITALIA

DOMINGO - OPERA DUETS WITH MIL

Jascha Heifetz was larger than life, but was he too big for Mozart? The stern patrician of the violin, with his intense, laser-beam intonation and diamond-hard tone, would seem ideally suited for the big romantic concertos for which he was famous, but any fears that he would be mismatched with Mozart will be allayed immediately upon hearing his serene entry in the first movement of the "Turkish" Concerto, not to mention the delicate interplay that follows, by turns witty and sensuous. For the only time in his career, Heifetz is both conductor and soloist, making this the most involving of his recordings of the work.
Unlike many virtuosos of his time, Heifetz had no qualms about appearing publicly in chamber ensembles. And, with violist William Primrose and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, he formed a sort of permanent yet flexible supergroup that gave regular concerts in Los Angeles throughout the 1960s. These players, along with violist Virginia Majewski and legendary Hollywood session violinist Israel Baker, are heard in the G minor String Quintet, a work with intimations of the 19th century, here given a taut, urgent, almost Beethovenesque performance.

THE HEIFETZ COLLECTION VOL 38

Much heralded as the auspicious beginning of a new--and now defunct--recording contract with RCA, Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony's Romeo & Juliet remains a stunningly good Prokofiev disc. This particular arrangement (compiled by the conductor) follows the sequence of the ballet, providing more narrative continuity than Prokofiev's three suites. Thomas' vibrant and insightful conducting, employing some highly effective and idiosyncratic rubato in many passages, powerfully enhances the drama's ebb and flow. The Balcony scene fairly flows with passion, while light and breezy pacing enlivens the Folk Dance and the Young Juliet. The intense drive of Romeo's Revenge (augmented by bass drum and tambourine at the climax) also rivets the attention.

Underlying all of this is the exceptionally high-caliber playing of the San Francisco Symphony, with its bracing energy, virtuosity, and rhythmic vitality. RCA's warmly spacious, wide-dynamic recording makes a powerful impression (even if it cannot match Telarc's recent SACD version for spatial realism). Considering that Thomas' arrangement contains virtually all the main thematic material from the ballet (minus Prokofiev's many repetitions), for many listeners this hugely enjoyable disc will be the one Romeo & Juliet to have and hold. [6/10/2004]

--Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday.com

Track Listing

Disc 1:
1. Sweetie Dear
2. I Want You Tonight
3. I've Found a New Baby
4. Lay Your Racket
5. Maple Leaf Rag
6. Shag
7. Ja-Da
8. Really the Blues
9. When You and I Were Young, Maggie
10. Weary Blues
11. Indian Summer
12. One O'Clock Jump
13. Preachin' the Blues
14. Preachin' the Blues
15. Sidney's Blues
16. Sidney's Blues
17. Shake It and Break It

Disc 2:
1. Shake It and Break It
2. Old Man Blues
3. Old Man Blues
4. Wild Man Blues
5. Wild Man Blues
6. Nobody Knows the Way I Feel Dis Mornin'
7. Make Me a Pallet on the Floor
8. Shake It and Break It
9. Saint Louis Blues
10. Blues in Thirds
11. Blues For You, Johnny
12. Blues For You, Johnny
13. Ain't Misbehavin'
14. Ain't Misbehavin'
15. Save It, Pretty Mama
16. Stompy Jones
17. Muskrat Ramble
18. Coal Black Shine

Personnel includes: Sidney Bechet (vocals, soprano saxophone, clarinet), Rudolph Adler (tenor saxophone), Henry "Red" Allen, Tommy Ladnier (trumpet), Sandy Williams, Teddy Nixon (trombone), Mario Janarro, Sonny White, Henry "Hank" Duncan, Cliff Jackson, James Tolliver, Earl Hines (piano), Bernard Addison, Teddy Bunn (guitar), Wilson "Serious" Myers (bass, vocals), John Lindsay, Harry Patent, Elmer James, Wellman Braud (bass), Kenny Clarke, Morris Morand, J.C. Heard, Manzie Johnson (drums).

Recorded in New York between 1932-1940 and Chicago in 1940. Includes liner notes by Don Waterhouse.

This is part of RCA's Jazz Tribune series.

Of all the overlapping Bechet reissue series, this series of two-LP sets released by French RCA is easily the best, with all of the Victor sides by the great soprano-saxophonist and clarinetist (including the valuable alternate takes) being issued complete and in chronological order. The first two-fer is highlighted by the blazing session by The New Orleans Feetwarmers from 1932, four selections from the "Really the Blues" date with trumpeter Tommy Ladnier and clarinetist Mezz Mezzrow, and such Bechet classics as "Indian Summer," "Old Man Blues" and "Nobody Knows The Way I Feel 'Dis Mornin'." ~ Scott Yanow, AllMusic.com

Includes work(s) for flute by Johann Sebastian Bach. Ensemble: I Solisti di Zagreb. Soloists: James Galway, Kyung-Wha Chung, Kurt Moll, Moray Welsh.

RIGHT AS THE RAIN - LEONTYNE P

Track Listing
1. Moonlight Serenade
2. King Porter Stomp
3. Little Brown Jug
4. In the Mood
5. Tuxedo Junction
6. Pennsylvania 6-5000
7. String of Pearls, A
8. Elmer's Tune
9. Chattanooga Choo-Choo
10. Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)
11. American Patrol

Personnel includes: Glenn Miller (leader); Ray Eberle, Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke, The Modernaires (vocals).

Recorded in New York and Hollywood, California between September 27, 1938 and April 2, 1942. Includes liner notes by Ira Gitler.

PIERRE MONTEUX EDITION VOL 6 -

Track Listing
1. Soul Station
2. Speak No Evil
3. Winelight
4. After the Rain
5. Dust Kicker, The
6. Monk's Hat
7. Cozy
8. Face I Love, The
9. Point of Many Returns
10. Voice of the Saxphone, The

Personnel includes: Don Braden (tenor saxophone); Vincent Herring (alto saxophone, flute); Hamiet Bluiett (baritone saxophone, clarinet, contra-bass clarinet); Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn); Frank Lacy (trombone); Darrell Grant, George Colligan (piano); Cecil Brooks III (drums); Jimmy Delgado (congas); Bill Cosby (percussion).

Includes liner notes by Benny Golson.

Personnel: Don Braden (flute, tenor saxophone); Vincent Herring (flute, alto saxophone); Hamiet Bluiett (clarinet, contrabass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn); Frank Lacy (trombone); Darrell Grant (piano); Dwayne Burno (acoustic bass); Cecil Brooks III (drums).

Audio Mixers: Richard Clarke; James Nichols.

Recording information: Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY (02/15/1997-03/04/1997).

Arranger: Don Braden.

Don Braden's The Voice of the Saxophone is, for the most part, impressive. His quartet arrangements of "After the Rain" and the title track should turn heads. His big-toned tenor sax carries the octet in covers of hard bop gems like "Soul Station" and "Speak No Evil." He's also making headway as a composer, especially on "Cozy," which features both him and Vincent Herring on flutes. Less successful is the pseudo-Monk TV theme from The Cosby Show, which is called "Monk's Hat." ~ Ken Dryden

Produced by George Korngold, Recording Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson
Recorded November 18-19, 1974 at Kingsway Hall, London

"This collection of CFS for Errol Flynn is a rouser, opening with a dazzling suite from The Adventures of Don Juan, with the more sensitive side of Steiner displayed in They Died With Their Boots On and Dodge City. The crowning gem in this compilation is an extended suite from Korngold's magnificent score for The Adventures of Robin Hood." -- Robert Benson, Classical CD Review

CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO: GUITAR CO

SCHUBERT: ARPEGGIONE SONATA, P

TOSCANINI COLLECTION VOL 28 -

VIOLIN SHOWPIECES ERICK FRIED

Recorded at Lübeck Cathedral on August 22-23, 1987 as the final concerts of the 1987 Schleswig Holstein Music Festival.

The incomparable flutist James Galway celebrates Christmas in Bavaria. Newly reissued by ArkivMusic and originally released in 1991, this wonderful release features the Munich Radio Orchestra with the Regenburger Domspatzen.

BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONY NO 7, CORI

VIVALDI, CARULLI, GULIANI: GUI

Selections recorded June 1-3 and November 29, 1991.

PUCCINI: MANON LESCAUT PERLEA

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: SYMPHONIES N