Music: New Records, Feb. 2, 1953

Having explored Beethoven pretty thoroughly (TIME, Jan. 12), record companies are turning back to Bach. The biggest new excursion into his music comes from the Haydn Society, which has recorded the complete Clavier Übung on seven excellent LPs, with Ralph Kirkpatrick playing the harpsichord and Paul Callaway the organ. The title means “Keyboard Practice,” but, far from being a series of exercises, the music was designed by Bach for “spiritual enjoyment.”

A second big excursion is Westminster’s Six Brandenburg Concertos (3 LPs), in which the London Baroque Ensemble gives a lively, bright performance. For listeners who enjoy a small ensemble, it is as good a recording as any on the market, although it ducks the real test: the usual high-trilling trumpet is replaced by ancient recorders. Three famous old names are on other new Bach releases: Pablo Casals, in reissues of the unaccompanied Cello Suites Nos. 2 & 3, Wanda Landowska playing the fifth in her harpsichord version of the complete Well-Tempered Clavier (both Victor), and Albert Schweit er (Columbia), in massive, square-hewn readings from the master’s organ works Other new records:

Donizetti: Don Pasquale (Lina Aymaro, Melchiore Luise, Scipio Colombo Juan Oncina; Vienna Chamber Chorus and State Opera Orchestra conducted by Argeo Quadri; Westminster, 2 LPs). This was Donizetti’s 63rd opera, and it is a charmer with a quenchless flow of melody and fun involving the usual opéra bouffe case of mistaken identity. Beautifully sung and played, and resonantly recorded.

Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov (Boris Christoff; the Russian Choirs of Paris and the French National Radio Orchestra, conducted by Issay Dobrowen; H.M.V., 4 LPs). Bulgarian Basso Christoff has been denied a visa to the U.S. (he flunked his McCarran test), but, from the recorded sound of his voice, he belongs with the very best of living bassos. Christoff gives the role of Boris magnificent power and dignity as well as splendid singing, and the whole production is outstanding.

Prokofiev: Oratorio, Op. 124 (Choirs and State Orchestra of the U.S.S.R. conducted by Samuel Samossoud; Vanguard). Prokofiev’s latest (1950) composition to reach U.S. shores. The message is the expected and politic one of the clear skies and a bright future, but there is plenty of drama in the ten movements, provided by scenes from World War II (climax: Stalingrad) and a warmhearted, slightly Wagneresque lullaby.

Music of Spain (Chamber Orchestra of Madrid conducted by Ataulfo Argenta; Montilla). Overtures from Spanish light operas by such composers as Gerónimo Giménez, Ruperto Chapi, Enrique Granados, Pablo Luna. The music is light and atmospheric, well played and smoothly recorded.

Renata Tebaldi (London). One of Italy’s finest sopranos gives a stunning performance of one of grand opera’s most famous airs, Ritorna vincitor, from Verdi’s Aïda. The selection is released as part of a low-priced series.

Villa Lobos: Erosion (Louisville Orchestra conducted by Robert Whitney; Columbia). A bulkier, more dramatic and less lushly Brazilian work than this composer usually produces (it has no native rhythms). It is program music, though few listeners could literally follow the story of its subtitle, “The Origin of the Amazon River.” Competently played by the orchestra that commissioned it.

Other notable new records: Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 21 (“Waldstein”), his Sonatas Nos. 22 & 30, player by famed British Pianist Solomon, and his Sonatas Nos. 9, 13, 24, 27, 30 & 32, played by the late Artur Schnabel (all Victor); Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto, played by David Oistrakh and Moscow’s National Philharmonic Orchestra (Colosseum); music of Matthew Locke, Orlando Gibbons, Henry Purcell, played by the New Music String Quartet (Bartok).