Hifi/Stereo Review - World Radio History

TECHNICAL ADVICE ON COMMON i=f9--1 P

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Hifi/StenoReviewFEBRUARY 1967 VOLUME 18 NUMBER 2

THE MUSIC

"FURTWANGLER RECALLED"A new book reviews old questions about the late German conductor HENRY PLEASANTS 26THE BASIC REPERTOIREHaydn's "Clock" Symphony MARTIN BOOKSPAN 47CONFESSIONS OF A GILBERT AND SULLIVAN ADDICTOr, The Unrepentant Savoyard PAUL KRESH 51ARE RECORDS MUSICAL?A dialogue on the relationshipof the phonograph to music HANS KELLER AND YEHUDI MENUHIN 63MARILYN MAYE: THE DAY EVERYTHING WENT RIGHTA bright new star in the pops firmament makes a recording GENE LEES 68BEST OF THE MONTHReviews of outstanding new record releases 73"THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANO VIRTUOSI"Argo Records issues some startling piano -roll transcriptions IGOR KIPNIS 104

THE EQUIPMENT

NEW PRODUCTSA roundup of the latest high-fidelity equipment 20AUDIO BASICSAudio Specifications VI: Cartridges HANS H. FANTEL 34TECHNICAL TALKFM -Tuner Curves; Hirsch -Houck laboratory reports on the Scott Model382 stereo receiver and the Viking 880 stereo compact recorder JULIAN D. HIRSCH 37"COMMON -DENOMINATOR" HI-FI PROBLEMSAnswers for audiophiles in trouble LARRY KLEIN 59INSTALLATION OF THE MONTHCustom -Cabinet Stereo 67TAPE HORIZONSTaping Those Old Singles DRUMMOND MCINNIS 127

THE REVIEWS

CLASSICAL 79ENTERTAINMENT 109TAPE 123

THE REGULARS

EDITORIALLY SPEAKING 4LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 6ADVERTISERS' INDEX; PRODUCT INDEX 130COVER: PRINT COURTESY BORYS PATCHOWSKY; SEE PAGE 14 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Copyright 0 1986 by Ziff -Davis Publishing Company. All rights reserved. HIF1/Stereo Review. February 1967, Volume 18, Number 2. Publishedmonthly at 307 North Michigan Avenue. Chicago, Illinois 08601, by Ziff -Davis Publishing Cominany-also the publishers of Airline Manageinentand St ing, Boat.11g. Business & Commercial Aviation. Car and (l fiver. Cycle. Electronics World. Flying. Modern Bride. Popular Electronic,Popular Photography, Skiing. Skiing Area News. and Skiing Trade News. Travel Wee1/4Iy is published by Robinson Publication, Inc., a subsidiaryof Ziff -Davis Publishing Company. One year subscription rate for U.S., U.S. Possessions and Canada, 1116 00: all other countries, $7.00. SecondClam postage paid at Chicago. Illinois and at additional mailing offices. Authorised as second -clam mall by the Post Office Department, OttawaCanada and for payment of Postage In cash. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: All sub.,- ion eorre 'modem, ,, be :11.1ilewmeil to HIFI Revile.Circulation Department. Portland PI e, Boulder, Colorado 80302. Plea -e allow at least six weeks for ch-mge of address. Include your old address.as well as new-enclosing If possible an address label from a recent i-sus.-4-CIRCLE NO. 103 ON READER SERVICE CARD

Hifi/Stereo ReviewPUBLISHER

PHILLIP T. HEFFERNAN

EDITORWILLIAM ANDERSON

MANAGING EDITORWILLIAM LIVINGSTONE

MUSIC EDITORJAMES GOODFRIEND

TECHNICAL EDITORLARRY KLEIN

ASSOCIATE EDITORROBERT S CLARK

ART DIRECTORBORYS PATCHOWSKY

CONTRIBUTING EDITORSMARTIN BOOKSPAN

HANS H. FANTELWILLIAM FLANAGAN

JOE GOLDBERGDAVID HALL

NAT HENTOFFJULIAN D. HIRSCHGEORGE JELLINEK

IGOR KIPNISPAUL KRESH

DRUMMOND McINNISREX REED

PETER REILLYERIC SALZMAN

EUROPEAN EDITORFREDERIC GRUNFELD

LONDON EDITORHENRY PLEASANTS

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGERLAWRENCE SPORN

ADVERTISINGSERVICE MANAGER

ARDYS C. MORAN

Editorial and Executive Office'Ziff -Davis Publishing ( ompanyOne Park Avenue. New York. New York 10016212 079-7200Eastern Advertising Manager: Jerry SweenyJack GrantMidwestern Office307 Nort Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60601312 7211-080.,Advertising Manager. Jerry SweeneyWestern Office9023 Wilshire BoulevardBeverly Hills. California 90211213 eltestview Bitaiishaw 2.1101Western Advertising Manager: Bud DeanJamin: James Yagic/o Fukushinia. 19-14 Mlnami 3 chomeKomth. SugInamikuTokyo, Japaneirculso..-: OfficePortland Place. Boulder, Colorado 80302

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS must be arc aniedby return postage and will lie handled with reason-bable care; however, publisher assumes no responsi-ility for return or safety of art ...tit. ishoiodsollitsor tn. scripts.

Member Adult Bureau of Circulations

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William II. 7.11r. Chairman of the Board (194U-19531William Ziff, PresidentW. firselforil Briggs. Executive Vice PresidentHershel B. Sarbin

Vice President and General ManagerPhilip Sine. Financial Vice PresidentWalter S. Mills. Jr.. Vice Pre...Went. CirculationStanley G. Cree Iii. Vice Pres-Iciest Marketing1.101116 T. Heffernan. Vice President,

Electronics DivisionFrank I ttttttt %gee President. Creative ServiceArthur W. Ituioow, Vice President, ProductionEdward I, Millolfeld. Vice lisesideol. Aviation DivisionIrwin Rolitio-on. Vice President. Travel Division

EDITORIALLYSPEAKING

By William Anderson

IN commenting in this issue on the addition to the catalog of yet an-other recording of Gustav Mahler's immense Symphony No. 8, Music

Editor James Goodfriend takes note, quite understandably, of "the sheerprodigality of the long-playing record as a medium." The American re-cording industry has just closed the books on a record -breaking (sorryabout that) sales year, and the first billion -dollar year is expected by theearly 1970's. Our own surveys bear this out-we are sobered to realizethat, among readers of this magazine, the average record collection con-tains over three hundred albums. Cultural explosion or no, it must beadmitted that these facts very likely have something to do with music.

Depending on your own view of the matter, it may or may not come asa shock to learn that there are some who hold that recorded music is infact anti -musical, a proposition that is discussed pro and con in this issueby Hans Keller and Yehudi Menuhin. Both are well -versed in the tech-niques and practices of recording, but since both are also musicians, theirdiscussion naturally centers around the response of the artist to the record-ing medium and the effect this response may have on his performance.Certainly it must be admitted that what is always missing on any discis one very important ingredient of music making and music listening:the ordeal, the struggle (experienced by performer and audience alike)of a vulnerable musical talent pitted against the innumerable hazardsto artistic success. The rewards for victory under such circumstancesare incalculable: I was keyed up for days recently by a brilliant and mov-ing Philharmonic Hall performance of Albeniz' Iberia; I cannot evenimagine the effect on pianist Alicia de Larrocha of the waves of love andgratitude that flowed back to her over the footlights.

But even with this very important aspect of "live" performance aside,is there not-strictly from the listener's point of view-still a great dealto be said for the "musical" worth of the phonograph record? To startwith the most obvious: there are record listeners without number who willnever have the opportunity of hearing even a string quartet, let alone aconcert -hall performance of Mahler's "Symphony of a Thousand." Whatis one to do about a ravening musical appetite in, say, Nauru in the Cen-tral Pacific without the satisfying anodyne of the turntable? The recordingmedium also permits us to hear music that would never have been heardin a concert hall-old music of special and limited appeal; music requir-ing talents, forces, or instruments not available everywhere; music forwhich an audience must, for whatever reasons, be created. Recordings alsogive us, since memory is fickle, what the concert hall cannot: the oppor-tunity to check the growth of a performer over the years-Yehudi Menuhinhas recently re-recorded the Elgar Violin Concerto, and we can now com-pare it with a recording he made at the age of sixteen. And posterity willhe grateful to us, I am sure, for having preserved for them the playing ofHorowitz and Stern, the voices of Sutherland and Callas, just as we wouldbe if we could somehow hear what Mozart used to make of his own pianoconcertos. And I think that right now I am going to turn on, in the quietof my listening room, a particularly seductive Loeillet trio sonata that Ihave never heard in the concert hall and furthermore wouldn't want to-the work is too small and intimate, and any hall would be too big andnoisy. It may be half a loaf, but it is music to my ears.

4 HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

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LETTERS TOFritz WunderlichO A voice has fallen silent, the voice of ashort-lived master of his art who was stillmounting toward the highest pinnacle offame. The news came like a stunning blow,which left one too dazed to really grasp itsmeaning. The singer Fritz Wunderlich wasin a class of his own. A few short weeksago, when we met to record scenes from LaTraviata and Zar and Zimmermann, it wasevident how incomparably his voice had blos-somed out as an instrument of both meltingtenderness and splendid power. He was theone hope, and its fullfillment, in a sphere ofsinging where there had long been a needfor an artist of his caliber. All the morestriking and grievous, therefore, is his si-lence now. The flames of his exuberance forlife and his enthusiasm burned brightly.Scarcely anything was difficult to him: histalent had allowed itself time for growth,unfolding itself on broad musical founda-tions. Here, then, was not merely a richlyendowed voice, but also superb singing per-meated through and through by the meaningof the work.

We shall miss more than his art-alsohis laughing naturalness, his intelligent re-jection of false pathos, and his friendly will-ingness to lend a helping hand. The gramo-phone record will continue to reflect hispersonality.

DIETRICH FISCHER-DIESKAUBerlin, Germany

Bouquets Gratifying, enlightening, and simply as-tounding that a popular magazine (whichI enjoy monthly for its humor, its recordreviews, and the saturation of its ads) couldpresent such material as your December issuedoes, i.e., Martin Luther, Suzuki, and theSonic Image.

Long live writers with such skill-andeditors with such nerve, verve, etc. I sin-cerely hope that your magazine has an effectupon the journals of my profession. I thinkthey could profit from your example.

ROBERT A. DOWDY, DirectorLinden H. S. BandLinden, Ala.

I have been reading HIFt/STERE0 RE-VIEW for six years. I like the method ofprinting the articles on consecutive pagesand the large number of photographs andillustrations used in them. The Calendar of

THE EDITORComposers and copies of the Basic Reper-toire roundup and the Basic Audio Vocabu-lary, which you make available withoutcharge to readers who may have missed theissues in which they originally appeared, aresome of the extras-along with the editorialindex-which help make the magazine avery good one.

RONALD S. PACEHouston, Tex.

Haydn and the Basic Repertoire If Martin Bookspan is so lacking in goodmusical taste that he would include onlyone Haydn symphony in his Basic Repertoirein the last eight years, I think that HIFI/STEREO REVIEW should definitely includea discography of these works in a futureissue. There are at least eight Haydn sym-phonies-Nos. 45, 88, 96, 99, 100, 101, 103,and 104-in the basic repertoire other thanNo. 94, and I think your readers are entitledto some counsel in buying recordings ofthese. It must be noted that the popularsymphonies of Dvoiik, Mendelssohn, Tchai-kovsky, and Sibelius have already been in-cluded in this feature. Haydn was a great-er composer than all of those put together,so I don't see why he is short-changed.

HARRY BERMANMiami, Fla.

Mr. Bookspan replies: "I take secondplace to no one in my admiration for shesymphonies of Haydn. Indeed, I was one ofthe first supporters among the critical fra-ternity for the work of the Haydn Societywhen it was founded in Boston in 1946 byH. C. Robbins Landon and a tiny group ofHaydn enthusiasts. If Mr. Berman will turnto page 47 of this issue, he will see evidencethat I intend to give Haydn his due."

Baroque Performing Practices Igor Kipnis' informative article on Ba-roque music (December) contains two er-rors, one of which is my fault, as I fur-nished the information: the passage of aCorelli sonata which is "ornamented, report-edly, by Corelli himself" was actually orna-mented by the musicologist Arnold Schering.No harm is done, however, because this isa typical ornament of the period.

The second error is much more seriousbecause it results in keeping from the read-er information concerning the manner in

(Continued on page 8)

6 HIFI/ STEREO REVIEW

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Citadel gives tremendous discountsWhat will you get with your lifetime member-

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which Bach probably played. Kipnis saysthat the notes inegales were a French con-vention in which equal eighth -notes wereplayed as dotted eighths and a sixteenth inorder to make them "more graceful." Thisis quite correct-four French writers say thatthis was a French monopoly. However, inaddition to this, there was another conven-tion used in all countries (including France)in which the first note was not dotted inperformance, but made only slightly longerin order to make the music "speak" in ametric manner.

Quantz, who heard Bach play and admiredhim, prohibited the French dotting (inegales)and permitted only the mild inequality; hisflute tonguing for fast notes corroboratesthis. Since Quantz's manner of performanceis described in all countries from 1550 on, Ithink that Kipnis should have mentioned itas well as the French inegales.

Experiments show that this manner of per-formance deserves to be revived, because itmakes Bach sound more "speaking" than theda-da-da-da "as -written" performance of themodern harpsichordist, and conforms withthe description of Bach's playing as sound-ing "like a conversation."

SOL BABITZBabitz Early MusicLaboratoryLos Angeles, Cal.

IVe regret that information from Mr. Bab-itz correcting the attribution of the Corelliexample was received too late to be incorpo-rated into the article as printed, and hopethat Mr. Kipnis' readers will note Mr. Babitz'emendation here. Regarding Mr. Babitz' sec-ond point, Mr. Kipnis feels that, althoughthere is no question but that such articu-lations as Mr. Babitz describes were part ofBaroque practice, musicologists disagreeabout their applications, and about theirrelationship, if any, to the French notesinegales. Mr. Babitz' point, largely becauseof its controversial nature, is a fairly refinedone more suited to a professional discussionof the subject than to the broad survey ofBaroque style in music that the article wasintended to be.

Phantom Performers A large 'thank Lou" for Richard Freed'sarticle "The Phantom Performers" in yourNovember issue. It answered a lot of myquestions about recording -artist labeling.Particular thanks for your complete list ofCamden Records pseudonyms. I have beenwondering who these artists were from theday I bought the records 'way back in theearly 1950's. I will play them with renewedenjoyment now.

This whole article is a fine example ofthe informative features your readers havecome to expect-in addition to your regularcomplete coverage of the musical entertain-ment field.

KENNETH S. ROBERTSONOxnard, Cal.

Richard Freed's article on phantom per-formers (November) brings back insane anddelightful memories, and raises once moresuch never -answered questions as: what wasthe Austrian Symphony? the Viennese Sym-phonic Orchestra? the Salzburg Mozarteum?I think Kurt Wiiss exists (or existed), butwho was H. Arthur Brown? and Paul Wal-


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tet ? and George Singer? What was the Ber-lin Symphony Orchestra? Who, in Heaven'sname, was Gerd Rubahn?

What was the Varsity Symphony? Underthis name somebody recorded, on Varsity2026, the only performance I've ever heardof an interesting symphony doubtfully at-tributed to Mozart (and listed on page 859of the latest Kiichel catalog). However, myfavorite phony aggregation is the HastingsSymphony, which recorded for Allegro afterit was taken over by Royale. (One Hastingsalbum dizzily paired Bruckner's SymphonyNo. -1 and a suite by Rameau.) Someone atAllegro had a passion for cleanliness, be-cause the two conductors of the HastingsSymphony were-no, not Harald Hardradaand Wilhelm Konkrer-John Bath and JanTubbs!

Ytt:8 S. PFEFFERForest Hills, N. Y.

AccessoriesWe appreciate Hans Fantel's prefer-

ence for the AR stylus -force gauge ("AudioAccessories," November), and agree withhim that this is the single most importantaudio accessory. I would like to point out,however, that a stylus -force gauge losesmost of its effectiveness without a secondaccessory-a test record to determine opti-mum stylus force.

The AR turntable instruction book rec-ommends that the FliFt/STERFo REVIEWModel 211 test record be used in conjunc-tion with the stylus -force gauge. Mr. Fanteldoes refer to the record later in the article asa ustful device: we consider it indispensable.Without it the stylus -force gauge merelycalibrates your guesswork.

EDGAR VILLCHURAcoustic Research, Inc.Cambridge, Mass.

We're grateful to Mr. I 'illebur for thekind words about the HIFI:STEREO RE-VIEW test record-we hare a soft place forit in our hearts, too. Interested readers tearobtain the record by writing to Stereo TestRecord, care of the magazine, Dept. SD,One Park Avenue. New York. N. Y. 10016and enclosing a check or moue-) order for$4.98 (New York State resident., add salestax at the local rate: re.,idents of countriesother than the United States add 500.

Scrambled Simon Brims tor tile fine review of the newalbum by The Cyrkle (November). I agreewith just about every point, especially withrespect to Marty Fried's excellent drumming.However, I feel I must point out an error.It is John Simon, an accompanist and rec-ord producer, who plays harpsichord onthe album, but it is Paul Simon who lendshis name to Simon & Garfunkel and it isPaul Simon who wrote Red Rubber Ball andCloudy.

C. C. ROUSEBaltimore, Md.

Some Light on the SubjectIn your October issue the article "Room

Acoustics" by Peter Sutheim and Larry Kleinmade a point that is puzzling to me. Theywrote: "A dimension of 171/7 feet should beavoided, since it is just a half wavelengthlong at the power -line frequency of 60 cyclesper second. . . ." Using the conventionalwavelength formula of 186,000 miles per

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second divided by 60 cps, I calculate a fullwavelength at 3,100 miles and a half wave-length at 1,555 miles. Please clarify whatthe authors meant.

WILLIAM A. SLADACKAPO San Francisco, Cal.

Mr. Klein replies: "I think Mr. Sladack's'conventional wavelength formula' is for thespeed of light. Sound travels a bit moreslowly-its speed in air (at 68 degrees F)is about 1,130 feet per second. And nowthat I've checked the formula myself, I'mmildly embarrassed to find that the sentenceshould refer to the full wavelength, not ahalf wavelength, and that the dimension tobe avoided is closer to 18.8 feet than to 171/2feet. But that of course depends upon howwarm (and moist) one likes to keep hislistening room-the velocity of sound at 0degrees C is only 1.085 feet per second."

Flight of the ByrdsI was very pleased that Joe Goldberg

puce The Byrds' album -Fifth Dimension -a decent review in your November issue,having been a Byrds fan from the time theygot started. However, there is one point I

would like to see cleared up, and this iswith regard to the song 2-4-2 Fox Trot,which, as Mr. Goldberg notes, -seems tohave been recorded over the backgroundsound of a vacuum cleaner." This song issubtitled The Lear Jet Song, and thereinlies the tale.

During the recent airline strike, the Byrdsneeded transportation to their various con-cert appearances. They rented a Lear exec-utive private jet, and were so pleased withits facilities that they decided to write asong about it. On the record, the "vacuumcleaner" is an actual recording of a Learjet like the one they used. The voice heardis that of the son of the owner of the LearJet Corporation preparing for a takeoff-hewas their pilot.

JOHN S. KRUSZKAEvanston, Ill.

Record -Market Economics For some time now, 1 have been pickingup the latest Schwann Catalog with everdiminishing interest. There are so few sur-prises in its contents that I sometimes won-der why I bother. Will no record companygamble on a consumer interest in, for exam-ple, stereo versions of Vaughan Williams'symphonies? And for literally years now Ihave awaited a stereo version of Ippolitov-Ivanov's Caucasian Sketches-a trifle, ad-mittedly, but a colorful one-yet it remainsrepresented by only two old recordingswhich must surely go the out -of -print routefor lack of consumer interest.

A curious reversal of economic senseseems to be operating in a -&-r men today.They don't seem to be aware that in theirfield supply creates demand, rather thanthe opposite. Very well, they seem to say,we'll cut another Greensleeves because it'sdoing so well, but why bother with VaughanWilliams' Sea Simphon) when London isn'texactly making a mint on their recording ofit ? They fail to realize that it is preciselythis lack of choice of recordings of the SeaSimphon) that stifles consumer interest.

A case in point is Carl Nielsen. Howmany listeners had actually even heard ofthis worthy before Leonard Bernstein re -



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FEBRUARY 1Y67 13

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corded his Third Symphony amid much fan-fare and rave re% iews? Yet so great is theNielsen boom now that recently a -&-r menat three major companies have rushed outrecordings of his Fourth.

I would say to these stalwarts: Gentle-men, use a little initiative and imagination,please. Restore Sibelius' Scenes 1 -11510 -

shines; twenty-three versions of Tchaikov-sky's Sixth are quite enough. And for thoseof us who to e Rimsky-Korsakov's Alum.Symphony, give us a couple to choose from.

JOSEPH LEVYNew York, N. Y.

FM Programming HIFI/STEREO REVIEW has demonstrated byits editorial position and the nature of vari-ous articles, such as your listing of FM sta-tions rated for quality by listeners in sevenmetropolitan areas (September 1964), thatit is concerned with all matters relating tothe interests of the listening public. There-fore, I have taken this opportunity of writ-ing to inquire what, if anything, can andshould be done to improve local FM broad-casting in situations such as one encountershere in the capital area of the Empire State.Of the few FM stations serving this area,only one, save the educational stations, at-tempts to serve the more enlightened audi-ence with higher -quality programming. Fur-thermore, there are no plans for the generalimprovement of programming in the area.Upon inquiring at the stations, one is greetedwith statements such as "We are going toplay middle-of-the-road music" (excludingthe "extremes" of bath rock-and-roll andclassical music). Perhaps you have otherreaders who share to a greater or lesserdegree this dilemma. Possibly through theforum of your Letters to the Editor columnpeople like me might exchange ideas with theaim of improving FM broadcasting so that itis vital, stimulating, and enjoyable to peopleof all tastes.

PICKETT T. SIMPSONAlbany, N.Y.

What's Wrong with Pops? On the subject of what's wrong with popalbums, I have been going 'round and 'roundwith several record -company representatives.My first complaint concerns short albums.I feel that this is unfair to the buyer, and itis certainly against the will of the recordinggroup. Secondly, the poor fidelity on most

(Continued on page 161

THIS MONTH'S COVERNot exactly characters out of Gil-bert and Sullivan's Mikado. noreven the Japanese Beatles, the ele-gantly attired gentlemen on thismonth's cover are actors and mu-sicians performing in a Japanesekabuki play. A popular form of en-tertainment that is centuries old butstill very much alive in Japan today,the kabuki (literally "song -danceskill") is an amalgam of dance,chant, and pantomime, with orches-tral accompaniment. The color printwas probably done in the 1780's;the artist is Torii Kiyonaga (1752-1815), called by many the greatestmaster of the Japanese color print.

RHEEM, AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY WITH OVER 80 PLANTS AROUND THE WORLDCIRCLE NO. 58 ON READER SERVICE CARD 14 HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

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The Seven Twenty heads a new line of Nccturnereceivers that includes the Two Ten (50 watts, AM/FM) at $269.50 and the Two Hundred (50 watts, FM)at $239.50. Unmistakable sound quality and long-time reliability are the family trademarks. We sug-gest you hear these new receivers socn at yourHarman-Kardon dealer's. Harman-Kardon, Inc., 401Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19105'Prices slightly higher in the West. Walnut enclosure optional.

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pop records is inexcusable. The RollingStones, The Moody Blues, The Beach Boys,Elvis Presley, and others record for majorlabels that have a reputation for excellentsound. Replies to my inquiries to record corn -panics about these things have been unsatis-fying. As long as sales roll in, who cares?

DOUGLAS C. CHANF.YBaltimore, Md.

Goldberg's Rights Joe Goldberg had no right to review Don-ovan's new disc (December). He should havewritten an interview with D. Leitch instead.What difference does it make if Donovanwrote his songs or not? Mr. Goldberg saidDonovan "looks so boyishly helpless" onthe album cover. Does Mr. Goldberg judgea book by its cover?

Also, Mr. Goldberg said that the Monkeesare imitators of the Beatles. There is noconnection between the two groups styles,and the Monkees are better actors than theBeatles.

ROBERT WEISBURDHuntington, L.I., N.Y.

"Enhanced" SoundI read with great interest the lengthy re-

\ iew (September) of "The Great Band Era"and "The Swing Years." Indeed these twoalbums offer a vast, well-rounded collectionof nostalgia at a bargain price.

However, as an avid collector of vintage78 -rpm records, I have certain reservationsabout collections of this type. In my opinion,the "enhanced" sound on these LP reissuesfor the most part sounds thin and unbalanced.

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A 78 -rpm record in good condition, playedon the proper modern equipment, soundsmuch richer and more full-bodied than theLP transfer of the same item.

FRANK BUZZELLSpring Lake, Mich.

Punch at the Printer's Shop Ina to tew (September) of Stravinsky'sPu!cidella, Arthur Cohn describes the discas a new recording. The liner notes say thisdisc was recorded in December, 1953. Isthis a misprint, or did Mr. Cohn mean thatthis is a new issue of an old recording?

DAVID AI.TMANNew York, N.Y.

The recording is brand new-that is, Aug -nit, 1965. Columbia, in adapting Robert( ;aft's liner notes for the earlier recording

Pulcinella, neglected to delete the oldrecording date and add the new one. Theerror appexs imh on the first run of albumcorers: it has since been corrected.

Havergal Brian Recent references in your magazine en-- ouraging greater appreciation of the giftedEnglish composers Elgar and Bax prompt meto mention still another neglected figure.Havergal Brian, born in Staffordshire in1876, wrote by some accounts as many astwo dozen symphonies. Some of his moremodest works provided him a brief periodof recognition around 1907, but he soonreturned to obscurity.

Interest in Brian never completely disap-peared, however. His Second Symphony, theso-called "Gothic Symphony," attracted in-terest because of the enormous choral andorchestral forces it employed (fifty-fivebrasses alone) and its unheard-of length oftwo hours (its use of Goethe's Faust for atext makes for comparison with Mahler'sEighth). Hamilton Harty and Eugene Goos-sens tried to obtain a performance of thework but were defeated by the cost of sucha venture. Finally in 1961 the "Gothic" waspremiered (fifty years after its composition)and created a powerful impression upon cer-tain critical musical minds. Since then.Itrian's works have been played in Englandwith ever-increasing frequency, and he is

coming to be seen as a composer of greatmusical and mental resources, a visionary\cjth a strongly individual profile.

To my knowledge, nothing by Brian hasbeen performed here in America. The rapidsuccess of Mahler, Nielsen, Alkan, and Ber-wald here suggests that a segment of theAmerican musical public has at last be.come infused with that pioneering spiritwhich contributes so greatly to the culturallife of a nation. Let us encourage such boldadventurers as Leonard Bernstein to explorethe works of this unknown and perhaps veryreat figure.

V'ILLIAM S. RUTLEDGEChicago, Ill.

CorrectionMr. Louis Ouzer, the man responsiblefor the excellent photographs accom-panying the story "Making Real Music%,ith Three -Year -Olds" in our Decem-ber 1966 issue, was not credited withthem there. We regret the omission.

CIRCLE NO. 70 ON READER SERVICE CAN)HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

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FEBRUARY 1967 17

Which Fisher loudspeaker is playingBrahms' Viola Sonata No.1 in F Minor?

Is HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

We know. It's a silly question.Obviously you can't tell which one

is playing simply because you can't heara printed page.

But some ad men would like youto think you can. With high-soundingclaims and descriptions of soundquality that they think will be musicto your ears.

We can't go along with that.Choosing a loudspeaker is a matter

of personal taste. It involves listeningand comparing. And usually atgreat length.

Of course, there are certainguidelines that an ad can provide inselecting a speaker system. Andthis particular ad has one that hi-fienthusiasts have followed for 29 years.

The name: Fisher.(In case you're wondering, none

of the speakers shown is playingBrahms' Viola Sonata No. 1 in F Minor.They're all playing Bruckner'sSymphony No. 1 in C Minor.)

For more information, plus afree copy of the Fisher Handbook,1967 edition, use post card onmagazine's front cover flap.

The Fisher XP -33Ultracompact free -piston loudspeakersystem with 6 -inch low -resonance woofer,21/2 -inch tweeter, L -C crossover network$99 a pair.The Fisher XP -55Compact free -piston loudspeaker systemwith 8 -inch low -resonance woofer, 21/2 -inchwide -dispersion tweeter, 1000 Hzcrossover; $59.50.The Fisher XP -63 -way free -piston loudspeaker systemwith 10 -inch woofer, 5 -inch midrange,11/2 -inch soft -dome tweeter, 300 and 2500Hz crossovers; $99.50.The Fisher XP -73 -way free -piston loudspeaker systemwith 12 -inch woofer, two 5 -inch midrange,11/2 -inch soft -dome tweeter 300 and2500 Hz crossovers; $139.50.The Fisher XP -9B4 -way free -piston loudspeaker systemwith 12 -inch woofer, 6 -inch lower midrange,5 -inch upper midrange, 11/2 -inch soft -dometweeter, extra -heavy magnets, 300, 1000and 2500 Hz crossovers; $199.50.The Fisher XP -10 ConsoletteProfessional 3 -way loudspeaker systemwith 15 -inch woofer, 8 -inch midrange,2 -inch soft -dome tweeter, 200 and 2500Hz crossovers; $249.50.The Fisher XP -15Professional 4 -way loudspeaker systemwith two 12 -inch woofers, two 6 -inch lowermidrange, two 5 -inch upper midrange,11/2 -inch soft -dome tweeter, total of 21pounds of magnet structure, 300, 1000and 2500 Hz crossovers; $299.50.All cabinets in oiled walnut.

The FisherNo ad man can do it justice.

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CIRCLE NO. 21 ON READER SERVICE CARDFEBRUARY 1967 19

NEW PRODUCTSA ROUNDUP OF THE LATEST HIGH-FIDELITY EQUIPMENT

Clairtone is marketing a color television set intendedfor installation as part of a component hi-fi system or as aself-contained receiver with its own audio system. Whenthe set is used as an independent receiver, a front -panel -mounted 4 x 6 -inch speaker is driven by a self-contained2.5 -watt amplifier. When used as part of a componentaudio system, the set provides a 1 -volt, low -impedance,high -quality output signal suitable for feeding into any

high-level auxiliary input jack on an amplifier. A frunt-panel jack also permits earphone listening. The rectangu-lar color picture tube used in the set measures 25 inches(diagonally), uses rare-earth phosphorsliance, and has a tinted, bonded safety glass front. Cus-tom installation is simplified by a front -panel escutcheonthat requires a 21 x 29 -inch cutout. Mounting depth re-quired is 22 inches. Price: $689.

Circle 173 on reader service card

Wharfedale's newline of loudspeaker sys-tems includes the com-pact W30C two-wayacoustic - suspensionunit. The grille -clothframe is removable forinstallation of the grillecloth of your choice. Aspecial surround on the

low -resonance 8 -inch woofer allows large excursions withminimum distortion. The tweeter, a cone type with a 4 -inchaluminum voice coil and a 11/4 -pound magnet, is acous-tically isolated from the woofer part of the cabinet. Acontinuously variable control permits adjustment of thetweeter -output level to match room -acoustic conditions.Minimum amplifier power required by the system is 8watts. The nominal impedance rating is 4 to 8 ohms andthe enclosure size is 10 x 19 x 91/4 inches. Price: $69.95(in oiled walnut), $63.95 (in unfinished birch).


Telephone Dynamics is pro-ducing the Nassau Mark III, afour -track stereo tape recorder forhome or commercial use that canrecord on all standard four -trackstereo cartridges. It operates on

120 volts a.c. or from a 12 -volt d.c. car battery. High -

quality recordings can be made from a record player,tuner, or microphone through standard phono jacks onthe unit. Added features include monitoring jacks and

illuminated recording -level meters. An automatic shut-offafter each recording cycle prevents accidental erasure orrecording over previously recorded material. The Mark IIImeasures approximately 71/2 x 81/2 x 51/4 inches. Suggestedretail price: $295.


Seeburg is producing a stereo music center that storesfifty 12 -inch records vertically and can play both sidesof them automatically at either 331A rpm or 162/3 rpm.The speeds may be intermixed. The unit in the center ofthe photo houses a remotely controlled record player whosehysteresis motor and playing mechanism meet all appli-cable NAB standards for wow, flutter, and rumble. Aspecial dual -stylus Pickering phono cartridge is used inthe tone arm. A remote -control unit (not shown) permits

pushbutton selection of any sequence and any side of thefifty discs stored in the player. A 60 -watt (IHF rating)solid-state amplifier is built into the player cabinet, andAltec Lansing high-fidelity speaker components (matchedto the amplifier) are used in the system shown. If desired,the player can be purchased separately for use with pre-viously installed amplifiers and speakers. Various com-binations of wall brackets and pole supports are availablefor the speakers. Price of the system without speakers is$1,895. The speakers are $532 additional per pair.


EM1/Scope has introduced anew series of bookshelf speakers,the Models 62, 92, and 102. Eachof the speakers in this series comesin a hardwood cabinet with 7/8 -inchwall thickness specially damped toeliminate resonances, standingwaves, or any other parasitic vi-brations. The cabinets are coveredwith oiled walnut veneers, and eachcabinet has a removable grille topermit insertion of special fabrics.All three systems have presence

controls on the rear and are of 8 ohms impedance.The Model 102 ( shown) has a low -resonance elliptical

woofer with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) suspension. Apair of 31/2 -inch tweeters with wide horizontal and verticaldispersion handle the upper frequencies. Frequency re-sponse is 30 to 20,000 Hz. Dimensions are 25 x 14 x 131/4inches. Price: $199.50.

The Model 92 is similar except for the use of a slightlysmaller woofer and a single 33/8 -inch tweeter. Frequencyresponse is 50 to 20,000 Hz. Dimensions are 23 x 12 x103/4 inches. Price: $109.95.

The smallest system (the Model 62) employs a 101/2 x7 -inch woofer and a 33/8 -inch tweeter. Frequency response

(continued on page 22)


EBRUARY 1967

16C

THE NEW YORK TE

AR Extends Turntable Guarantee

From 1 to 3 Years

Con.lidate. Pre.

AR TURNTABLEGETS ITS FINAL TESTS: Operator checks each AR turntable as it comes

off the production line. Turntables must conform to professional NAB Standards for rumble,

wow, flutter, speed accuracy, and speed regulation in order to pass.

Increase AppliesRetroactively to

Present Owners

CAMBRIDGE,MASS. Dec. 1.;

Roy Allison, plant manager of

AcousticResearch, has an-

nounced that on the basis of fa-

vorable field experience the AR

turntable guarantee, formerly

for a one-yearperiod, has been

extended to three years. The ex-

tended guaranteeapplies retro-

actively to all AR turntables

bought less than three years ago.

Covers All Repair Costs

The new guarantee,like the

old one, covers all repair costs

plus U.S. freight charges to and

from the factory and a new car-

ton when necessary. AR turn-

tables are guaranteed to meet

NAB specificationsfor profes-

sional broadcastequipment on

rumble, wow, flutter, and speed

accuracy.Move Criticized

Critics of AR's latest move

have called it an empty gesture,

since, they claim, AR products

never fail. Mr. Allison denied the

charge, saying that while the

return rate of AR turntables is

indeed outstandinglylow for a

device of this nature, it is not

zero. He cited AR records to

show that of turntables manu-

factured during 1965, 4.9% have

needed repair or adjustment

under the guarantee.

Speaker Guarantee Extendedto 5 Years in 1961

In 1961 the AR speaker guar-

antee, which has the same fea-

tures as the turntable guarantee,

-CIRCLE NO. 3 ON

I In nrinlaqREADER SERVICE CARD

CREDITING

BOYCOTT

Continued Fro

requiring himlature on wf

special sessittaxes.

It is genersome kindbase, probatsales and in

enacted.The Gove

T. Tiemann.said he is ja tax billcalls a specia low-rateiincome tax

The curprovides $2oral fund,the statemillion foretirementfor parkfunds forbuilding ;of Agrictknew. usesducts.

This ncent of tremain&taxes, iroline, cisurance

was also extended retroactively

to its present five years. Mr. Alli-

son pointed out that here, too,

the increase of protection was

meaningful,since the return rate

of most AR speaker models over

the 5 -year life of the guarantee

is almost one per cent.

The price of the 2-speed AR

turntable-$78including an oiled

walnut base and transparentdust cover-remains

the same.

This isn't a real newspaper

clipping, but the extended guar-

antee is entirely real.

ACOUSTIC RESEARCH, INC.,

24 Thorndike Street,Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141

Tax(AncIn

ButCrc

By

STFedeticelocalitslionfortRai

is 60 to 20,000 Hz. Cabinet size is 201/2 x 17 x 10 inches.Price: $79.95.


Empire has published a free sixteen -page full -colorcatalog with sections devoted to decorating -with -sound anda guide to building a basic record library. Also includedare illustrations and specifications of their complete lineof Grenadier and Cavalier speaker systems, Troubadorrecord -playing systems, and phono cartridges. Each com-ponent is listed with a complete specification breakdownand with prices.


Heathkit's solid-state stereo -FM table -radio kit, the ModelGR-36, uses the sametuner and i.f. sectionsemployed in Heath -kit's stereo compo-nents. Technical fea-

tures include a stereo -indicator light, automatic switchingto stereo when a stereo signal is received, an adjustablestereo -phase control for optimum channel separation, auto-matic gain control and a new clutch -release volume c.introlfor independent or simultaneous adjustment of both chan-nels. Othe features include speakers mounted on bothsides of the slide -rule dial control -section area. The front-end tuning section is factory assembled and prealigned.Because of the simple construction, total kit assembly timeis around ten hours. The completed GR-36 measures 19x 91/4 x 61/2 inches. A factory -built walnut cabinet is alsoincluded as part of the kit. Price: $69.95.


Melcor Electronics has a new solid-state stereo pow-er amplifier, the Model AB -247, with a power output of50 watts (continuous) per channel over the full frequencyrange. The circuit employs planar and diffused silicontransistors in a push-pull series output configuration, driv-en by direct -coupled differential input stages.

Damping factor is greater than 80, and signal-to-noiseratio is greater than 75 db. Total harmonic distortion is

.. 9

less than 0.25 per cent from 20 to 15,000 Hz at 50 watts.Other features include a dissipation -limiting circuit forshort-circuit and overload protection, military -type con-struction, separate input -gain controls for each channel,and an input sensitivity of 0.15 volt to produce rated out-put. Input impedance is 60,000 ohms, and power ratingsare for an 8 -ohm speaker load. Price: $279. A variety ofinput and output impedances and mounting options areavailable on special order.


Scott has introduced the Model LT -112B solid-stateFM stereo tuner kit. The prewired front-end tuning sec-tion of the kit is silver-plated and uses three field-effecttransistors. The i.-f. section uses silicon transistors. A four -position front-janel switch permits the tuning -meter cir-cuit to be used ;or relative signal -strength indication, zero -center tuning, multipath indication, or for alignment of

the kit after completion. The LT -t 12B has foolproof,silent automatic stereo switching, an interstation-noisemuting control, a front -panel output for direct tape re-

cording without the use of separate amplifier, and a wide-

hand FM detector circuit for minimal distortion. A pairof special output jacks on the unit's rear apron can beconnected to an oscilloscope to provide multipath andtuning information. Usable sensitivity of the LT -112B is1.8 microvolts, cross -modulation rejection is 90 db, selec-tivity is 45 db, and stereo separation is 40 db. Price:$189.95. Cabinet, as shown, is $25 additional.


Sentry Industries is issuing a prerecorded library oftwenty-two titles in Norelco-type stereo cassettes for use intape -cartridge machines for home and auto. The initialcassette library includes several series: Broadway, All -Star,Hit Parade, Around the World, and Classics. The stereocassettes can also he played on mono cassette machinesand have a playing time of 30 to 40 minutes. Price: $4.95.


Knight's 75 -watt solid-state stereo amplifier, the KN-975, has a power output of 37.5 watts (IHF music pow-er) per channel and 22 watts continuous sine -wave powerper channel at 4 ohms. Frequency response is ±1 db,

and harmonic distortion is less than 1per cent. Hum and noise are -80 db at the tuner input

r r1-11 ru re+ of.

..i.ermemmolli"1"1"1".1.11."

and -65 db at the magnetic-phono input. There are in-puts for magnetic phono, tape head, tuner, auxiliary 1

and 2, and tape monitor. Controls include bass, treble,balance, loudness -volume, hi -cut and lo -cut, mono/stereo,tape monitor, loudness, and speaker main/remote. Size isapproximately 4 inches high, 14 inches wide, and 13 inchesdeep. Price: $149.95. Cases (optional) are $11.95 forwalnut or $6.50 for metal.


Olson's Ultima three-way speaker system, Mod-el S-777, features a multi -cellular mid -range hornspeaker for wide-angledispersion of mid -frequen-cies, a 12 -inch woofer, and

a 21/2 -inch tweeter. The three-way L -C crossover has levelcontrols for the mid -range horn and tweeter. The mid-range assembly can be turned 90 degrees in the oiled -walnut cabinet to permit it to be installed vertically orhorizontally. The system's power -handling capacity is 50watts, impedance is 8 ohms, and frequency response is 30to 23,000 Hz. Overall size of the system is 251/2 x 133/4x 111/2 inches. Price: $179.98.



LE MANS IS CHILD'S PLAY COMPARED TO"FOUR CONCERTOS FOR HARPSICHORDS AND ORCHESTRA"

The Shure V-15 Type II phono cartridgemust be much more trackable than a LotusFord. This seemingly silly simile has sig-nificance, however, when one fully appre-ciates the importance of trackability inproviding crisp, clear, distortion -freesound from all of your recordings. Theascents and descents, jarring side swipes,abrupt turns of a Grand Prix course arewidely known. (Other analogies we mighthave used are the slalom, the steeplechase,the bobsled). Not yet as well known hasbeen the curious fact that the grooves re-producing high level recordings of orches-tral bells, harpsichords, glockenspiels,drums, pianos-through which the car-tridge must wend its melodic way-areeven more tortuous, more punishing.Thus,

T.M.

the much talked about "compliance" and"mass" of past evaluations are now merelyparameters of design-whereas "track -ability" is thetrue measure of performance.

For your entry into the era of high track -ability, for an experience in listening youwill find most astonishing, ask your Shuredealer to demonstrate the Shure V-15Type II Super-Track' at $67.50, the GrandPrix elite among cartridges. It maintainscontact between the stylus and recordgroove at tracking forces from 3/4 to 11/2grams, throughout and beyond the audiblespectrum at the highest velocities encoun-tered in quality recordings. Shure Broth-ers, Inc., 222 Hartrey Avenue, Evanston,Illinois 60204

FEBRUARY 1967CIRCLE NO. 62 ON READER SERVICE CARD

25

Quickasa

The remarkable new Rollei 16 camera, shown here9/10 actual size, is fast in operation. More important,its compactness permits you to carry it with you con-stantly, ready for any picture opportunity.

(The Rollei 16 shown above looks like it's winkingbecause the viewfinder is partially withdrawn. Whenclosed, the metal plate seals the lens against dirt ordamage.)

Features of the New Rollei 16 include:18 exposureson black & white or color 16mm film / sensitive ex-posure meter coupled to automatically programmedshutter / Zeiss Tessar 25mm f/2.8 lens / full parallaxcorrection, and much, much more!

See the superb new Rollei 16 camera at yourAuthorized Rollei/Honeywell Dealer'ssoon, or mail the coupon below for il-lustrated literature.

RolleiNINEYNILL

(-HONEYWELL PHOTOGRAPHIC Mail Station 209 82Denver, Colorado 80217

Please send Rollei 16 literature to:

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

HoneywellPHOTOGRAPHIC -)

CIRCLE NO. 43 ON READER SERVICE CARD2()

BOOK REVIEW

"FURTWANGLER RECALLED"By Henry Pleasants

WILHELM FURTWANGLER has alwaysbeen a curious and enigmatic figure

among the great conductors. Many knowl-edgeable critics and connoisseurs have foundit difficult to come to terms with the highlycharged individuality of his readings of theGerman classics-his tempos, his tempochanges, his dynamics, his way of shapingor even distorting certain phrases and ca-dences to suit his own structural and com-municative plan. And they have found hisrelative ineffectiveness in any but Germanmusic a limiting factor.

To others, myself included, he seemed,until his death in 1954, a last vital link tothe spirit, the style, the idiom, and the elo-quent manner of the German masters of thenineteenth century. What disturbed or dis-tressed others as apparent willfulness oreccentricity we accepted as the privilegeddecision of a man still so close to the sourcethat he could deviate from the written noteswithout fear of stylistic contradiction orpalpable error. That this same identity withthe Faustian impulses of nineteenth-centuryGermany left him ill at ease in any otherkind of music seemed a small enough priceto pay for the revelations of his Beethoven,his Brahms, and his Bruckner.

And then there was the political angle.Why had he remained in Germany through-out the Nazi tyranny when he could so ob-viously have flourished as a conductor inexile? He was eternally at odds with the re-gime, of course, and many Jewish musiciansnow living abroad owe their lives to his in-tervention and assistance. All this has beenabundantly documented. But there were-and there still are-many who could notquite accept his protestations that it was

F./trite:lazier Recalled, Daniel Gillis, ed.( John de Graff, Inc., Tuckahoe, N.Y., S5.95 ) .

nobler for one in his position to see

through at home than to flee.A wonderfully instructive light is throe

on all these mysteries by Daniel Gillis' nebook titled Fustwanglcr Recalled ( John cGraff, Inc.). It is actually an exasperatirlittle book, an ill-assorted compendium Itributes to Furtwiingler by eighty-eight indviduals, mostly musicians, including letteof condolence to Frau Furtwiingler, memosal addresses, and solicited contributionSeventy-five percent or more is uninformtive hyperbole attesting superfluously to hgreatness without adding anything to ofknowledge of its source or nature. But in ttremaining twenty-five percent there are inportant insights.

About the freedom of his readings themis a unanimity of opinion, among those whworked with him, that it originated in hpossession of what Hindemith calls "ffisecret of proportion.' and in his concentr:tion (in the words of Fritz Sedlak, concermaster of the Vienna Philharmonic) u

"what stood behind the notes." He was, saySedlak, "a master of transitions, and workewith us-and with himself-again anagain to unite tempo changes within a movement with the smoothness that prevented ttdissolution of the movement's structulthrough exaggerated ritardandi and acceleandi." Another of his concertmasters, Hen.Hoist of the Berlin Philharmonic, speakshis "feeling for building up a movement Ione overwhelming climax."

This concern for the total structure lehim indifferent to some matters of detaillong as these were inessential to his overap!an. "Rehearsals wore not his strength,"Ernii Balogh puts it, "because he was le:interested in details than in the great linea work and the depth it offered." EnritMainardi, the cellist, puts the same thirrather differently: "For him, as for all gre.


HIFI/STEREO REVIE%

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First tubes...then transistors and FET's...now, the most importanttechnological advance of the decade,

Scott's new 3rd generation receivers...each with 4 integrated circuitsHear stations you've never been able to tune before...brought to life with amazing clarity!

Integrated Circuits ...the computer -born miracle.Integrated circuits, or "IC's", wereoriginally developed for use in com-puters, where microminiaturizationtechniques had to be developed inorder to avoid filling whole roomswith circuitry. The integrated cir-cuit is a complete circuit in minia-ture .. . often barely larger than agrain of sand. The various ele-ments of the circuit . . . the transistors, resistors,and wiring . . . are etched on to a microscopicwafer of silicon by a photographic process.

The Eternal Circuit... carved from siliconThe integrated circuit is,basically, sculptured inpure silicon, an extremelystable and durable sub-stance. Wires, transistors,resistors, and the like arecreated by introducingother elements into thesilicon wafer ... elementsthat vary the conductivecharacteristics of thepure silicon. Thus, thereare no loose wires or parts, nothing that can changenothing that can short out or wear out. In fact, anIC could last literally thousands of years.

r.

twice actual size

METALCONTACT

COLLECTORCONTACT

SILICON OxIDEINSULATOR

EMITTER

CONTACT BASECONTACT

Ni-

shown approx. 150 times actual size

Total ReproducibilityBecause of the perma-nence of the material,and because each IC isreproduced directly froma microscopically accu-rate photographic mas-ter, there is no possibilityof variation, as often happens in ordinary wiredcircuits. Each IC is exactly like the next. There is nopossibility that an IC will have hidden flaws thatwill cause it to fail at a later date.

shown 10 times actual size

Scott Harnesses the ICScott engineers, realizing the vast potential of theintegrated circuit, consulted with the engineersat Fairchild Semiconductor Division, the nation'sleading experts on IC's. After months oftesting and modification, an integrated circuitwas developed which met Scott's stringentperformance standards .. . and a new erain high fidelity was born!

More Circuitry in less spaceThe Scott Integrated Circuit achieves newstandards of compactness. Used in the vital FMtuner IF strip, Scott Integrated Circuits actuallyallow the use of more circuitry in less space. EachScott IC contains 5 transistors and 2 resistors, andthere are four IC's used in each IF strip, making atotal of 20 transistors. This is in marked contrastto the IF strip the new unit supersedes, whichcontains five transistors.

HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

old IF snip IC II strip

More Performance in less spaceScott's previous IF strip, without IC's, is rated asone of the finest in the component industry. Itgives capture ratio and selectivity figures of 2.5 dBand 45 dB, respectively. Scott's new IF strip,incorporating Scott IC's, is conservatively rated byScott at 1.8 dB capture ratio, and 46 dB selectivity.Test reports by Fairchild, however, show the newScott Integrated Circuits to be consistentlycapable of an incredible 0.8 dB capture ratio!

What Scott IC's mean to youPlainly stated, Scott's new integrated circuits letyou hear more stations with less noise andinterference. Weak, distant stations that you neverreceived before will suddenly appear with amazingclarity. Outside interference from such sources aselectric razors, auto ignitions, etc., will bedrastically reduced. And, you can count onenjoying this amazing performance for many,many years .. . thanks to the absolutereliability of the Scott Integrated Circuit.

When will Scott IC componentsbe available?Scott IC receivers are at your Scott dealer'sshowroom right now. Scott Integrated Circuits are

incorporated into the design of the 388 120 -WattAM/ FM stereo receiver, the 348 120 -Watt FMstereo receiver, and the 344B 85 -Watt FM stereoreceiver. Your Scott dealer will be glad todemonstrate to you the amazing capabilitiesof these new receivers.

These three superb Scott receivers includeScott's newly developed Integrated Circuits.Left to right, Model 388, 348, 3448.

i7t GET ALL THE FACTS CN THE MOST IMPORTANTg

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FREE . . . a fact -filled, fully -illustrated booklet on ScottIntegrated Circuits . . . everything you should know aboutthe new age in stereo electronics:

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

Write to Dept. C for complete information on Scott's beauti-ful new consoles and compacts.

Scott . . . where innovation is a tradition

SCOTT°H. H. Scott, Inc., Dept. 45-02, 111 Powdermill Rd., Maynard. Mass.

Export: Scott International, Maynard, Mass.J

FEBRUARY 1967

Another innovation from Scott, manufacturers of superb components, compacts, kits, speakers, and consoles.CiRCLE NO. 100 ON READER SERVICE CARD

29

Up-

gradeyour

sound

Whatever your receiver or amplifier is j

capable of doing, EMI loudspeakers have

a unique way of making it sound better.Perhaps it's the ease with which EMI

loudspeakers project sound. So smoothand natural, it seems to float on the airin all its concert hall glory. Filling theroom.

Or perhaps, it's the deep bass, the in-

comparable realistic midrange and thefull, silky highs.

Or it could be the subtle detailing oftheir transient perfect response thatcatches you unawares.

So, for better sound from your receiver

or amplifier, come on up to EMI loud-speakers.

There's an EMI loudspeakerto meet any requirement andbudget. From $49.95* to$395.00**Slightly higher in South and Wert

EMI/SCOPEScope Electronics Corporation

470 Park Avenue SouthNew York, New York 10016

Also available in Canada.CIRCLE NO. 35 ON READER SERVICE CARD

artists, technical perfection was a means andnot an end; he avoided excessively preparedperformances, maintaining that one shouldreserve a margin for improvisation, for in-tuition, for the charm of the moment, a mar-gin for ecstasy and creative imagination."

The book contains many tributes to Furt-wangler's accomplishments as a conductor ofopera, especially of Wagner, but there weremany of us who always felt that the concerthall rather than the theater provided hismost congenial environment. Those whoheard him in opera only toward the end ofhis career did not, to be sure, hear him at hisbest. Furtwangler was deaf in his last years-a fact never referred to publicly and onlyrarely in private, and not mentioned in thisbook-and his conducting of Der Freischiitzand Don Giovanni at Salzburg in the earlyFifties was seriously inhibited by his inabil-ity to hear the singers. Unaware of his afflic-tion at the time, I wrote derogatory noticesof these performances for the New YorkTimes, and I have always since felt badlyabout them.

But he was a symphonist at heart. EmilPreetorious, the German stage designer, re-members his saying that as soon as one de-taches Wagner from all stage action, thenfor the first time is it possible to graspwholly the significance, the individuality,and the wealth of ideas in his musical crea-tions. saw him again in late summer1954," Preetorious continues, "and he spokeof his decision to renounce opera entirely,emphasizing his belief that the greater themusic of an operatic work the less it achievesjust and full appreciation when it remainslinked with the all too diverse and distract-ing stage set. And he hastily added that hemeant above all Richard Wagner, as strangeas that might sound at first. He had there-fore planned to limit all Wagnerian worksto purely concert performances in the com-ing years; he was convinced that this wouldpresent a new, quite surprising and trulymarvelous impression of Wagner as musicalgenius, an impression which would shameand silence ever doubter and every critic."To what extent his clea;ness may have con-tributed to this view can never be known.

FURTWANGLER'S "beat" was ever the sub-ject of curiosity, to some musicians a kind ofpalsied riddle, to others a source of moreor less innocent or exasperated merriment("Start playing when his stick reaches thethird button of his waistcoat," etc.). TheBritish critic Geoffrey Sharp remembers thepre'iminary stabs "as if at some predatoryinsect, with which Furtwangler used topre;ace the start of Beethoven's most famoussymphony."

But Furtwangler knew what he was about.To Nikolai Graudan, when the latter wasfirst cellist of the Berlin Philharmonic, heexplained his purpose by recalling his firstrehearsal of the "Eroica" with a foreign or-chestra: "The opening chords sounded likethe popping of a champagne bottle, but thedelayed entrance [resulting from his 'de-layed beat] created tension which resultedin a powerful explosion." And ManougParikian, former concertmaster of the Lon-don Philharmonia, adds:

"I entirely disagree with those who main-tain that his beat was uncertain and unclear.... I always found it firm and eloquent. Onone occasion he sensed that the stringswould have liked a firmer up -beat. He

30

stopped and explained, rather impatiently,that he could, if he wanted, give a perfectlyclear beat-and showed it to us. But, hesaid, 'that is not the effect I want.' "

AS FOR his remaining in Germany, I havealways suspected that behind much more orless valid rationalization was the simple cir-cumstance that he could not have lived else-where. It was not a matter of physical en-vironment, but rather a question of commu-nication-and a singular combination ofvanity and integrity. He relished success andapplause as all performers do, and these hecould have had wherever he went. But hewanted his listeners to understand exactlywhat it was that they were applauding. Hewanted to be appreciated at his true worthand on his own terms. "I had to considerseriously the question whether there is anysense for me to concertize in a country thatmeets me with such a lack of comprehen-sion," he wrote in a letter to Joseph Szigeti."This question has been answered-as faras I am concerned-in a negative sense, longago." The letter was written in 1924, anddid not, Szigeti hastens to assure us, refer tothe United States.

"All his roots," recalls the conductorHeinz Unger in the book's most perceptivecontribution to this subject, ''were in Ger-man music; leaving Germany would set himadrift. . . . Who outside Central Europewould realize or appreciate the differencebetween the message of Beethoven's NinthSymphony as he felt it and-let us say-Toscanini's Beethoven? No, he needed hisGerman audiences and orchestral players asmuch as they needed him, more than ever,in fact, in those dark years; and so he stayedwithin the community in which he had beenborn."

This assumption that non -Germans cannever truly respond to the most intimatecommunication of German music-or pro-ject it, either, as executive musicians-wasnot unique with Furtwangler. As a nativeAmerican, resident for twenty years in Ger-man-speaking Central Europe, I was madeaware of it in just about every conversationI ever had with a German musician, includ-ing Furtwangler. I resented it at first as be-nighted snobbery; but in time I came ratherto agree with it. And I still do, even to theextent of believing that Germans who havelived for very long abroad lose something oftheir musical birthright. German musicflourishes in a German environment.

Louis Kentner puts it all a bit more blunt-ly: "Furtwangler was, to my mind, the lastof a long line of great German musicianswho were so essentially German that themusical universe, for them, began and ent.edwith German music." Furtwangler probablyknew that he was the last, or close to it.Knappertsbusch survived him by a deca,...e,but now he, too, is gone. Karajan, who suc-ceeded Furtwangler as conductor of the Ber-lin Philharmonic, is of a different breed.

Furtwiingler and Knappertsbusch were nottwentieth-century men. They were out oftouch with modern times, and out of sympa-thy, too, which troubled their decliningyears. But they kept alive the spirit of thenineteenth century long after it had perishedelsewhere, and for this we who heard themand knew them must be forever grateful.

Mr. Gillis' book includes an excellent dis-cography, with perceptive factual and criti-cal comments by Michael Marcus.

HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

Marantz makes anincredible move

forward...

model 15 solid-state 120 -watt stereo power amplifierWith one devastating move, Marantz has check -mated all existing power amplifiers. The strategywas straightforward -build an amplifier to a set of specifications bordering on the far edge of thepossible, then add a series of unique features to complete the coup. o The 15's specifications aredesigned to test the mettle of your other components, while allowing them to perform to the limitof their abilities. Power output -60 watts per channel, with safe, full -power operation from 20 to20,000 Hz. Harmonic distortion- less than .1 at full power, infinitely better than any other ampli-fier. Hum and noise -better than 90 db below 60 watts. Response -± 1 db from 10 to 60,000 Hz. As playing partner to these performance characteristics, Marantz has created features of equalcaliber. A safety circuit rendering short circuits completely harmless, even at full power. Instanta-neous, distortion -free overload recovery. Separate power supply for each channel. High inputimpedance, permitting the use of even tube pre -amps without distortion. If having the finestpower amplifier ever built is important to you,there's no need to ponder your next move. See and unersealrowitNMhear the 15 at your Marantz dealer's immediately. A SUBSIDIARY OF SUPERSCOPE, INC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, WRITE MARANTZ, INC., 37-04 57TH ST., W000SIDE, NEW YORK 11377, DEPARTMENT C-18.CIRCLE NO. 47 ON READER SERVICE CARD

FEBRUARY 1967 31

Lookfamiliar?

This is the new KLH * Model Twenty -Four high-performance stereo mu-sic system. At first glance, it looksvery much like our Model Twenty,the most ambitious and expensivemusic system we make. Under-standably so, since it is derivedfrom the same design concept thatproduced the Twenty.

The Twenty -Four costs a hun-dred dollars less than the Twenty.But when it comes to sound, it'salmost impossible to tell them apart.The Twenty -Four is not quite aspowerful as the Twenty. (It's not aswell suited to very high listeninglevels in the largest rooms.) Andit's not as flexible. (It doesn't havea tuning meter or a separate head-phone jack or a speaker shut-offswitch.)

But its sound is uncanny. Asgood as the Model Twenty's and,not to mince words, better thanthat of the majority of expensiveequipment in living rooms acrossthe country. In its clarity and musi-cal definition, the Model Twenty -Four is close to the most expensiveand elaborate equipment evermade.

For $3001 the KLH Model Twenty -Four offers an entirely new order ofvalue. Its performance and fea-

tures, we think, are exactly whatmost people have in mind whenthey walk into an audio store andask for "something really good." Ituses the same automatic turntable(made specifically for us by Gar-rard) as our other music systems,and the same new PickeringV-15/AT-3 cartridge. Its FM stereotuner is within a hair of the per-formance of the Model Twenty's,using the same miniaturized 4 -

stage IF section and multiplex de-coder; it will bring in difficultstations without distortion, over-load, or cross modulation.

The amplifier of the ModelTwenty -Four is entirely new. So arethe speakers. The former is a direct -coupled design providing 35 wattsIHF music power. The latter are two-way acoustic -suspension systemswith an 8 -inch woofer and 2 -inchdirect -radiator tweeter. If any sin-gle factor is paramount in achiev-ing the remarkable sound of theTwenty -Four, it is the quality ofthese new speakers-designed andmanufactured, like other KLHspeakers and other critical parts ofthe Twenty -Four, entirely withinour own plant.

Several years ago, KLH pio-neered the technique of contouring

amplifier response to the preciselow-trequency power requirementsof a loudspeaker. In the ModelTwenty -Four, this technique hasbeen extended to produce trulystartling bass response from speak-ers of particularly graceful size.

We don't generally use superla-tives to describe the performanceof our products. But the Twenty -Four doesn't call for understate-ment. We have never been prouderof any product.

We suggest that you listen criti-cally to the Model Twenty -Four andmeasure it against your own re-quirements. If you need more versa-tility, or higher power for a verylarge room, you may well prefer theKLH Model Twenty-still our bestsystem in terms of absolute per-formance. But if your objective isthe greatest possible amount ofsourd quality and overall perform-ance for a moderate price, the newModel Twenty -Four was designedfor you.

For more information, write toKLH 30 Cross Street, Cambridge,Massachusetts 02139, Dept. HS -3

C.EM111, Or ItIN RES PC.1 AND 0EvIlOIMENT COPP.tflOGOE In° PRICE.

Takeanother look.

CIRCLE NO. 46 ON READER SERVICE CARD33FEHRU \ RV 1967

FREE'STEREO

INFORMATIONFM Station DirectoryThe directory lists 1571 FM sta-tions in the United States andCanada. All the stations broad-casting in stereo are listed.

Test ReportsTest reports full of facts. The testreports were made by independ-

ent laboratories. Tests cover tun-ers, preamps, power amp pre -amps. Read the facts from testexperts.

Big 36 -Page CatalogYou get a 36 page catalog. It

tells you about tuners, poweramplifiers, preamplifiers, pre-amp/power amplifier combina-tion and tuner preamps.

ALL FREE

IntoshPLEASE SEND ME YOUR CATALOG

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.1 Chambers St. Binghamton, N. Y. 13903

NAME

STREET

CITY

STATE

by HANS H. FANTEL

AUDIO SPECIFICATIONS VI: CARTRIDGES

THE FIRST requirement for a cartridge, as noted in last month's column,is the ability of the stylus to track-to glide smoothly and accurately

along the wavy contours of the record groove rather than to bounce andclatter from crest to crest. Having discussed compliance as one of the twoprincipal factors that determine the tracking ability of a cartridge, we maynow turn to the other: dynamic mass.

A stylus assembly's dynamic mass can be loosely defined as the amount ofweight the record groove has to push around in order to generate an electri-cal signal in the cartridge. The dynamic mass is not the same as the weight ofthe moving parts (diamond, stylus shank, etc.) because of the leverageeffect of the cantilever design used in most stylus assemblies. Any mechanicaldevice that has to stop and go at rates up to 40,000 times per second (totrack a 20,000 -Hz tone) must of course be light-the lighter the better.Otherwise, too much inertia develops and the stylus can't keep up with thisfast shuttle. Either it overshoots the curves or just cuts across them. Eitherform of mistracking is a musical calamity.

If, in an effort to lower the mass, the stylus shank is made too light,another problem arises: the very thin shaft becomes flexible and the motionof the diamond tip is not accurately transferred to the electrical -generatingparts of the cartridge. Since the weight of the diamond is fixed by its dimen-sions and mounting, an optimum compromise must be worked out betweenweight and rigidity of the shank.

Fortunately, modern metallurgy-possibly stimulated by the requirementsof space exploration-has come up with some extremely tough, light-weight metals. Taking advantage of these materials, cartridge designers haverecently been able to reduce the dynamic mass of the stylus without losinghigh -frequency transmission along the shaft. The dynamic mass of a modernhigh-performance cartridge is usually specified at one milligram or less.

The mechanical behavior of a cartridge-as distinct from its electricalproperties-is also determined by the shape and size of the diamond tip.Contrary to a widespread notion, the diamond is not sharpened to a conicalpoint like a pencil. Such a point would rip the record no matter how lightthe tracking weight. Rather, the tip is rounded, and the radius of its curva-tures varies among different cartridge models. Most manufacturers offer achoice of 0.7-, 0.5-, and 0.4 -mil styli, 1 mil being equal to 1/1000th of aninch. Several manufacturers also offer 3 -mil styli suitable for playingolder 78's.

The smaller styli are capable of cleaner high -frequency reproduction be-cause they fit more snugly into tight little curves-especially toward thecenter of a record where the musical waveforms are more densely packed.However, the 0.5- and 0.4 -mil styli tend to rattle loosely in the widergrooves of some of the older monophonic records. The 0.7 -mil stylus tracksboth new and old records quite adequately and can be recommended as auniversal stylus to track any LP record, mono or stereo, regardless of age.

Copies of the Basic Audio Vocabulary booklet, containing definitions ofthe technical terms used in the field of sound reproduction, are still available.To get your copy, simply circle number 181 on the Reader Service Card onpage 23.

CIRCLE NO. 49 ON READER SERVICE CARD34 HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

CIRCLE NO. 9 ON READER SERVICE CARD --jr.

At $149.50,less cartridge and base,your hi-fi dealer shouldbe able to demonstratethe new Miracord 50H

as decidedly superiorto any other automatic.

Insist upon it!Exclusive features include hysteresis motor and stylus -overhang adjustment plus anti -skate andcueing dynamically balanced turntable and tonearm, and feathertouch pushbutton operation.For complete details, write: Benjamin Electronic Sound Corp. Farmingdale, New York 11736

36

the man with the golden ear171/2 cubic feet of sound in your living room requires two basic essentials. The firstis a Golden Ear to catch every nuance. The second, rather obviously, is a permissivewife. Some men have both (unbelievably) and have installed the actual Altec A7"Voice of the Theatre"® in their living rooms. This is the same system thathas become standard for recording studios, concert halls and theatres.However, if your wife is something less than permissive, Altec has the answer. We have taken all A7 speaker components and put them in a single package.Half the size. The same high -frequency driver. The same cast aluminum sec-toral horn. The same 15" low frequency speaker.The same crossover network. Frequencyresponse is unbelievably wide ( beyond the rangeof human hearing, if that's of any interest). Themidranges are "in person" and that's where 90%of the sound is. Basses don't growl and groan.Trebles don't squeal. Styling? The hand -rub-bed walnut Valencia has a delicately curvedwood fretwork grille. The oak Flamenco is pureSpanish. Send for your '67 Altec catalog or pickone up from your dealer. Compare. Buy. If thewife complains, tell her about your Golden Ear. A Division of Ling Altec, Inc., Anaheim. CaliforniaSPECIFICATIONS-FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 35-22,000 Hz; IMPEDANCE: 8/16 ohms; CROSSOVER FREQUENCY: 800 Hz; DIMENSIONS:29W H. x 27%:" W. x 19" D. (Flamenco is two inches lower); COMPONENTS: 416A 15" low -frequency speaker with a frequency response of20-1600 Hz and a cone resonance of 25 Hz; 806A high -frequency driver; 811 B high frequency sectoral horn with 90° horizontal and 40° verticaldistribution; N800G dividing network with continuously variable HF shelving attenuation. PRICE: 846A Valencia, $333; 848A Flamenco, $345.

CIRCLE NO. S ON READER SERVICE CARDHIFI/STEREO REVIEW

ALTS[

FM -TUNER CURVES: In previous columns I havedescribed in some detail the basic high-fidelity componentmeasurements and shown that it is possible to report equip-ment test results both numerically and graphically. Un-fortunately, however, there is often no simple one-to-onerelationship between the numbers or the curves on a testgraph and the fidelity of the sound reaching the listener.Consider, for example, the FM tuner. The first questionusually asked is "How sensitive is it ?" The implicationis that a tuner's sensitivity determines how many stationsit will receive and/or how clear they will sound. Whilethis is true, it is not the whole truth.

Practically all FM tuners may be categorized to fit oneof the five typical FM -tuner sensitivity curves shown onthe next page, although they do not represent actual tunermeasurements. The top audio -output curves represent thevariation in a tuner's audio -output level, and lower slopingcurves represent distortion and noise, both plotted againstinput signal. The input -signal strengths vary from an ex-ceedingly low 1 microvolt (at the bottom left of thegraphs) to a very high 100,000 microvolts. The r.f. sig-nal is FM -modulated 100 per cent (75 -kHz deviation)with an audio tone of 400 Hz. Any measurement madeof distortion in the tuner's output signal includes noiseand hum, and other extraneous signals, lumped togeth-er with the actual harmonic distor-tion of the 400 -Hz test tone.

With no test signal applied, thetuner's output is all noise (hiss).At a very low signal level, one canmeasure a small amount of 400 -Hzaudio output, but it is mixed withhiss, which may be only a few deci-bels below the test -tone level.When the tuner's output is viewed on an oscilloscope,one can determine the relative amounts of distortionand noise. With the better tuners, distortion is loweven at the minimum signal levels, while less

expensive tuners frequently show distortion of the400 -Hz test signal when not fully limited. The distinc-tion is academic, since broadcast signals of this strengthare not noise -free enough to be worth listening to.

As the input -signal level increases, distortion drops andaudio output increases. When the distortion in the outputsignal falls to 3 per cent of (or 30 db below) the totalaudio output, the r.f. signal input level at that point

is termed the "IHF usable sensitivity.- It is importantto realize that such a signal is not adequate for high-fidelity listening. A -30-db noise level sounds quitehissy, and few people would care to listen to such asignal for very long.

As the input -signal strength is increased further, thedistortion curve has a "knee''-it stops falling and lev-els off. This "knee" corresponds to a fully limiting con-dition, at which the tuner is performing as well as it can.An increase in input signal neither decreases distortionnor increases the audio output. Usually the distortionsignal indicated by the testing meter at and above thissignal level consists entirely of distortion and hum,with little hiss remaining. Note that the fully limitingcondition is not some ideal figure, but varies from tunerto tuner.

A tuner's audio -output signal generally reaches its

maximum at the limiting point, and changes little, ifat all, at higher signal strengths. One would thereforeexpect no audible change in the tuner's output for anysignal level exceeding the tuner's limiting point. Thisis usually the case. It follows, therefore, that the truesensitivity of an FM tuner is determined by what Iterm its "limiting sensitivity," a figure rarely specifiedby the manufacturers. Unfortunately, there is no pre-

dictable relationship between theIHF usable sensitivity and thelimiting sensitivity.

The curve drawn for tuner A isillustrative of the performance ofthe very finest modern tuners. TheIHF usable sensitivity is 2 micro-volts, and full limiting occurs atabout 4 or 5 microvolts. The low-

est measured distortion in this example is -45 db, orslightly more than 0.5 per cent. Some tuners have low-er distortion, but the measurements unfortunately willnot be any better than the inherent distortion of the FMsignal generator-which is rarely rated at better than-46 db (0.5 per cent).

Curve B is typical of many good FM tuners thathave an IHF usable sensitivity of 3.5 microvolts and alimiting sensitivity of 7 microvolts. Since most receivedsignals are stronger than 10 microvolts, and may be hun-dreds or thousands of microvolts in urban areas, therewill, under most circumstances, be no significant differ -

REVIEWED THIS MONTH

Scott Model 382 Stereo ReceiverViking 880 Stereo Compact Recorder

FEBRUARY 1967 37

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R.F. INPUT SIGNAL IN MICROVOLTS WV/

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ence in sonic performance between tuner A and tuner B.Tuner C (dashed line) also has a usable sensitivity of

3.5 microvolts, but its more gradual limiting curve re-sults in a poorly defined limiting action. The limitingsensitivity could be specified as being anywhere from10 to 30 microvolts. On a weak signal, this tuner wouldsound noisier than tuner B (despite their identical IHFsensitivities), and possibly more distorted as well.

A few of the lowest -price FM tuners have limitingcurves resembling D or E, both of which show IHFusable sensitivity figures of 6 microvolts. Tuner D haspoor limiting, which results in a considerable and con-tinuous increase of audio output level until a 200 -microvolt input is reached. Such tuners commonly haverelatively high distortion, which may actually increaseat high signal levels owing to other design deficiencies.With an input signal of any strength, tuner D willsound noisier and less clean than tuners A, B, or C.

Tuner E (dashed line) has a more pronounced limit-ing action than tuner D, so that it may perform betteron moderate signal strengths between 15 and 200 micro-volts. But since its distortion also rises at higher input -signal strengths, it probably will sound much like tunerD under most conditions.

The lesson to be learned from these examples is thatone must examine the entire limiting curve of an FM

+10

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601

FM TUNERS

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Performance curves of five typical stereo FM tuners: tuner "A"represents the best currently available, tuners "B" and "C" aresomewhat inferior to "A", and "D" and "E" are poor quality.

601100k

tuner to evaluate its true sensitivity. Steepness of thelimiting curve at low levels is more important than IHFusable sensitivity, and the distortion above full limitingshould not exceed about -40 db if one is looking fortrue high-fidelity performance.

EQUIPMENT TEST REPORTSBy Hirsch -Houck Laboratories

SCOTT MODEL 382STEREO RECEIVER

z4 0 0 0 111

w THE newest generation of H. H. Scott stereo re-ceivers, as typified by the Model 382, has finally gone38

100 per cent solid state. The nuvistor tubes used in thefront ends of last year's models have been replaced byFET's (field-effect transistors). FET's, unlike conven-tional transistors, are able to accomodate a wide range ofsignal strengths without overload and cross -modulation.


HIFI/STEREO REVIEWCIRCLE NO. 63 ON READER SERVICE CARD-*

When you've got a reputa-tion as a leader in transistor

technology, you don't intro-duce a transistor amplifier

that is like someone else's. Wedidn't. The new Sony TA -1120

integrated stereo amplifier is thecase in point. We considered the

few remaining shortcomings thathave kept today's transistor amplifi-

ers from achieving the quality ofperformance of the best tube amplifi-

ers and set out to solve them. To do it,we even had to invent new types of

transistors. The result: the first truly great110 solid-state stereo amplifier.

Distortion is lower than in the finest tubeamplifiers at all frequencies and power levels.

Signal-to-noise ratio: better than 110 db.Damping factor is extraordinarily high (140 at

16 ohms). Frequency response: practically flatfrom 10 to 100,000 HZ ( +0 db/-1 db). Plenty of

power, too (120 watts IHF at 8 ohms, both channels).With an amplifier as good as this, the preamp

section has a great deal to live up to. It does, mag-nificently! Solid-state silicon circuitry throughout

coupled with an ingenious design achieve the lowestpossible distortion. Sensible arrangement of front panel

controls offers the greatest versatility and ease of opera-tion with any program source.Finally, to protect your investment in this superb

instrument, an advanced SCR (silicon -controlled rectifier)circuit prevents possible damage to the power transistors

due to accidental shorting of the outputs.The Sony TA -1120 stereo amplifier/preamp at $399.50 and

the TA -3120 stereo power amplifier, $249.50 are available at aselect group of high fidelity specialists who love and cherish

them. And will get as much enjoyment out of demonstrating themas you will from their performance. So visit your dedicated Sony

high fidelity dealer and enjoy. Prices suggested list. Sony Corpora-tion of America Dept. H 47-47 Van Dam St. L.1.C., N.Y. 11101.

With so many fine amplifiersour first had to be something special.

It is!

In addition, they afford the highest possible sensitivity,owing to their very low internally generated noise.

The Scott 382 is a stereo FM/AM receiver, with amusic -power rating of 50 watts into 8 -ohm loads, or65 watts into 4 -ohm loads. Its rated IHF usable sensi-tivity for FM is 2.2 microvolts. The AM tuner, whichalso has an FET front-end, features a unique automaticvariable -bandwidth circuit that adjusts the i.f. bandwidthin accordance with signal strength. On weak signals,the bandwidth is relatively narrow to reduce noise,while strong signals widen the band for best fidelity.

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The FM circuit switches silently and automatically tostereo whenever a 19 -kHz multiplex pilot carrier is

present in the received broadcast. A blue light on thedial face indicates stereo reception. The indication wasabsolutely stable and the stereo lamp did not flicker orturn on for interstation noise or modulation peaks ofmono broadcasts, as many such devices are prone to do.

The input selector has positions for FM, AM, PHONO(high or low sensitivity to match the cartridge in use),plus an extra high-level input. Concentric controls withslip clutches are used for tone and volume adjustment.

Stereo channel balance is achieved by holding one knoband setting the other for equal volume from both speak-ers. The adjustment is aided by a BALANCE slide switchthat feeds a mono signal to one speaker at a time.

The tuning knob operates, with impressive smooth-ness, a softly lit slide -rule dial. A tuning meter readssignal level, but since in our location it read nearly thesame for any signal we could hear, it was of little valuein orienting an antenna.

Slide switches control automatic stereo/mono opera-tion (the latter position also parallels both channelsand serves for phonograph reproduction as well as FM),tape monitoring, noise filter, a.c. power, and speakers.There are terminals for two pairs of stereo speakers,either of which can be switched on from the panel. Forheadphone listening via a front -panel jack, the speakerscan he switched off.

Our lab measurements showed an IHF sensitivity of2.2 microvolts, exactly as rated by Scott. The limitingcurve is excellent (that is, very steep), with completelimiting occurring at 4 microvolts. This means thatvirtually all signals heard can be expected to have quietbackground and low distortion. Extended off -the -air

listening checks confirmed this desirable quality, whichis unfortunately too rare among stereo FM tuners andreceivers. There is virtually no change in audio -outputlevel for r.f. signal input variations from 2 to 100,000microvolts. The stereo -channel separation was about 28db or better from 50 to 5,000 Hz, dropping somewhatat 15,000 Hz. We found the Scott 382 to be completelyfree of cross -modulation effects under conditions thathave proved to he too severe for many other receivers.

With both channels driven, the audio amplifiers de-livered 20 watts per channel continuously into 8 -ohmloads, and about 27 watts per channel into 4 -ohm loads.This is consistent with the music -power rating ofthe amplifiers. At full power, the distortion was under 2per cent from 150 to 15,000 Hz. At half power (10watts), distortion was under 0.3 per cent from 40 to12,000 Hz, rising to 1 per cent at 30 Hz. At 10 db belowmaximum output power (2 watts per channel), whichis more than most users will require under normallistening conditions, the distortion was similar to the10 -watt figures, except for being slightly lower at thehigh frequencies.

The 1,000 -Hz harmonic distortion was a low 0.1 to0.15 per cent for any power under 15 watts, increasingto 2 per cent at 20 watts. Intermodulation distortionwas about 0.2 to 0.3 per cent under 10 watts, reaching2 per cent at 22 watts. Hum and noise were inaudible atany usable gain setting, about 49 db below 10 watts onphono and 74 db below 10 watts on the high-level inputs.

The 382's volume control is compensated to increasethe unit's low -frequency response as volume is reduced.This "loudness compensation" can be useful, given cer-tain speaker systems or acoustic conditions, but manypeople do not care for it. On the Scott 382, the com-pensation cannot he switched out, which can result (withsome speakers) in a pronounced bassy quality that mars


40 CIRCLE NO. 31 ON READER SERVICE CARD-O.

We were makingfine microphones

back when high fidelitymeant an electrical

recording of "Ramona"on this splendid

old console.

But in almost40 yearsmicrophones

and high fidelityhave come a long way.

For example...

rSTUDYTHIS BRIEFPROGRESSREPORT FROM

gke.ProreczTHE MICROPHONEWe've gone to unusual lengths toextend microphone "reach". Seven feetlong in the case of the E -V 643 whichpicks up sound at enormous distances.This highly directional "shotgun"microphone is widely used in motionpictures and TV, where you'll find itat football games, news conferences ..wherever distant sounds must be heard.$1,560.00 list.

THE HIGH FIDELITYCOMPONENTSOn the left the handsome 65 -watt* FMstereo receiver is our Model 1177 . . .

one of the smallest around. Solid stateof course. $280.00. Underneath it, agenuine breakthrough-the new E -VFIVE -A with a four -layer voice coil toinsure better bass at lower cost. Just$88.00. Or choose an old favorite, theSP12B for installation anywhere.$39.00. On the right our newest re-ceiver, the E -V 1179. 55 watts* of FMstereo for only $223.00. Add the bigsound of the tiny E -V SEVEN for just$66.50 each. You'll save enough to putpairs of LT8 3 -way speakers in everyroom of the house. $33.00 each.'IHF output at 4 ohms.

rTHE MICROPHONEA rare view of the E -V 668 dynamiccard:oid microphone ... normally justout Df sight above your favorite TVperfprmer. Chosen by TV and filmengineers because it offers 36 differentresponse curves, plus outstandingdirectional pickup. $495.00 list.

THE HIGH FIDELITYCOMPONENTSSide -by -side on the left, the perfecttear : an E -V 1144 65 -watt* stereoamplifier ($125.00) and E -V 1155 FMstere3 tuner ($160.00). Each no biggerthan this page-no taller than a coffeecup! They rest on the E -V FOUR, ourfinest compact, a three-way system with12" woofer. $138.00. Or build theversatile 12TRXB into any existingcabinet. $69.00 each. On the right, thecool E -V 1178 with AM/stereo FM and65 watts* of solid-state power. $315.00.Just below, the highly regarded E -VSIX -hat bridges the gap between bigspeaker sound and compact con-venience. $333.00. Or go custom withthe f nest 15" dual -cone speaker any-wher?. . .. the SP15. $88.00 each.

"IHF cutput at 4 ohms.

or _or Osr

ss.

rTHE MICROPHONEThis deceptively simple -looking micro-phone can make a major improvementin your tape recordings. The Model 674is a Continuously Variable -Dv dynamiccardioid model, equipped to eliminaterumble, reject interfering noise, andcontrol poor acoustics. And qualitycontrol is so rigid, any pair is exactlymatched for stereo. $100.00 list.

THE HIGH FIDELITYCOMPONENTSOn the right, a handsome stack ofelectronics with 65 watts* of stereopower (Model 1144, $125.00) plus a

sensitive AM/stereo FM tuner (Model1156, $195.00). Easy to use - even easierto listen to. And below, one of thebiggest loudspeaker systems of themall-in every way-the fabulousPatrician 800. Choice of two styles.three finishes, $1,095.00. Just look atwhat's inside: a 30 -inch diameterwoofer for sound you feel as well ashear, a 12 -inch speaker solely for mid -

bass, plus two sophisticated horn -loadeddrivers for treble and high frequencies.Patrician components only, $597.00.IHF output at 4 ohms.

01C4C SETTING AIEN STANDARDS IN SOUNDhigh fidelity speakers and systems tuners, amplifiers, receivers pub,i: address loudspeakersmicrophones phonograph needles and cartridges organs space and [dense contracts

ELECTRO-VOICE, INC., Dept. 2741-1, 616 Cecil Street, Buchanar, Michigan 49107

the otherwise fine sound of the 382. This can be largelycorrected by applying some low -frequency cut with thebass tone control, but we consider that an inelegant

solution to the problem.In general, we found the Scott 382 to be a most

satisfactory receiver. It was exceptionally sensitive, veryeasy to tune, and sounded excellent when used withhigh -quality speakers and proper bass -control settings.The price of the Scott 382 receiver is $359.95.

For more information, circle 188 on reader service card

VIKING 880STEREOCOMPACTRECORDER

SOME tape recorders have an appearance of profes-sionalism-and then somehow fail to live up to theimplied promise. Not so the Viking 880 Stereo Compact.It is (as its name suggests) a rather small machine thathas not been designed to be visually impressive. Ap-pearances can be quite deceptive however, for beneathits unassuming exterior, the Viking 880 is a tape re-corder of superior sonic quality. It is available for custominstallation (as the Model 88) without power amplifiers

as a portable machine (Model 880)5 -watt amplifiers and two detachable

or speakers, orwith a pair ofspeaker systems.

The deck of the Viking 880 is a two -speed, two -motor mechanism, with separate erase, record, and play-

back heads. Separate recording and playback amplifierspermit off -the -tape monitoring while making a record-ing. Tape motion is controlled by a pair of concentricknobs, one for fast forward and rewind, and the otherfor normal tape speeds. In the CUE position, the tape isheld against the heads for editing and cuing by hand.A red button, concentric with the transport controls, ispressed for making recordings, and it releases when thetape is stopped. As a safety measure, the user mustset the function switch to RECORD in addition to pressingthe red button.

A somewhat lightweight head cover swings upward toreveal the threading path for the tape. The novice mayfind tape threading slightly difficult (in spite of its directpath) because of interference by the tape lifters. Thetape also passes over a cut-off switch that turns thetransport mechanism off when the tape runs out orhappens to break.

The heads of the 880 can be shifted across the widthof the tape, for either half-track or quarter -track play-back, by means of a knob on the head assembly. Also onthe deck are a pushbutton -reset digital counter and aPAUSE knob that stops tape motion without releasing therecording interlock.

Below the transport is the fully transistorized elec-tronic section. Each channel has its concentric recordingand playback -level controls, VU meter, and microphonejack. A mono/stereo switch makes it possible to recordon one channel without erasing the other. A monitorswitch connects the monitor outputs to the recording orpayback amplifiers for comparison of incoming and re-corded signals. Finally, a function switch controls a.c.

power to the machine, and selects playback, record, orsound -on -sound modes of operation.

On the side of the recorder are the high-level inputs,speaker and line outputs (for direct connection to ahi-fi system), headphone jack, and the volume controlfor the monitor outputs. The two small detachablespeakers (they hook on the sides for carrying) are

adequate for monitoring, but do not do justice to theaudio quality of the recorder.

We were surprised to find that the Viking 880 had aslightly better overall record/playback frequency responseat 33/4 ips than at 71/2 ips. At the slower speed it was anexcellent ±2 db from 20 to 20,000 Hz using Scotch 190tape. At 71/2 ips, the response, as can be seen from thegraph, was not quite as smooth. Because of a slightfrequency discriminating effect of the controls, best re-sults are obtained when the record -level controls are setbetween 9 and 11 o'clock. Playback response at 71/2 ips,using the Ampex 31321-04 test tape, was -±1.5 db from

50 to 15,000 Hz.Wow and flutter were low -0.07 and 0.11 per cent,

respectively. The signal-to-noise ratio was 49 db, re-

ferred to 0 VU recording level. At this point the dis-tortion was only 1.5 per cent, so the signal-to-noiseratio referred to the customary 3 per cent distortionlevel was probably very close to the rated 55 db.

The Viking 880 proved to be comparable in recordand playback quality to some much more expensive

.5

5 it 4_

0,0 il4VIKING BB0 RE COROER

RECORD/PLAYBACK RESPONSE

d ' F it4- 1 trIttitittliin -15 -I- --1-7,7-1 -,_,_

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200 500 1.1 2101: 10111r 20011

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machines. At 33/4 ips, the recorded signal (on Scotch111 tape) could be distinguished (on a direct A -B com-

parison) from the incoming signal only by a minuteloss of extreme highs. At 71/2 ips, the sound was veryslightly better. Using 190 tape, the differences betweenthe original and the recorded signal were, in effect,

wiped out at both speeds, except for a slightly higher

hiss level at 33/4 ips.The background at 71/2 ips was dead silent, with none

of the added hiss we have observed on most tape re-corders. Overall, it was as clean sounding a recorder aswe have ever heard. The Viking 880 Stereo Compactsells for $439.95. For permanent installation, the Model

88 sells for $339.95. Both models represent an excellent

value.For more information, circle MI on reader service card

FEBRUARY 1967 45

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CIRCLE NO. 1 0 1 ON READER SERVICE CARD

by Martin Bookspan THE BASIC REPERTOIRE Item Eighty-nine

"Yil

HAYDN'S "CLOCK" SYMPHONYic&

WHAT WE of the mid -twentieth century are accus-tomed to thinking of as the musical dernier cri,

music produced by electronic tone generators,is really only the latest link in a chain that goes backhundreds of years. Composers have always experimentedwith extramusical sounds and noises in their works. Ageneration ago the Ballet mecanique of George Antheilintroduced the sound of airplane propellers into thetexture of its instrumentation; a generation before that,the scoring of Richard Strauss' symphonic poem DonQuixote incorporated the sound of a wind machine. To-ward the end of the eighteenth century Benjamin Frank-lin's invention of the glass harmonica stimulated theimagination of Mozart, and at the turn of that centurythe automatic music -makers of Johann Maelzel capturedthe fancy of Beethoven. It was for Maelzel's "Panhar-monicon" that Beethoven originally scored his BattleSymphony, and the third -movement Allegretto scher-zando of this composer's Eighth Symphony owes its

inspiration to another of Maelzel's automatic contri-vances, the metronome.

In 1794, during the second of his two extendedsojourns in London under the sponsorship of the impre-sario Johann Peter Salomon, Franz Joseph Haydn pro-duced a Symphony, No. 101 in D Major, that borrowedfor the principal theme of its minuet a tune that Haydnhad contrived the year before for another such exoticdevice, the musical clock. In his book on Haydn, KarlGeiringer writes that the composer's interest in musicalclocks came from his friendship with Pater PrimitivusNiemecz, the librarian to Prince Esterhazy at Eisenstadtand a cellist in the orchestra Haydn conducted there.Geiringer writes: "Niemecz built three clocks equippedwith tiny mechanical organs, the first in 1772, the othertwo in 1792 and 1793. In these he used only musiccomposed by his friend and teacher, Joseph Haydn. . . .

The clock of 1792 was built for Prince Liechtenstein.This tiny instrument with its sweet, weak tone plays

FEBRUARY 1967 47

FRIri. REINER

HAYDNry,c; 4.1"1111, AT II

rdoax=a6-7---7," '.111,511 -

HAYDN SYMPHONIES'II S. w SI Guam* , ...to -11.

11WDNll IE S W).\ION IONIESALBUM 5-NO.101IN DRIAX10-N0.102 IN

rhe stereo recordings of Joseph Haydn's "Clock" Symphony exhibi' special strengths of several conductors.Fritz Reiner's reading for RCA Victor has an ingratiating warmth; K.irl Richter's for DGG shows a concern forproper style and spirit; and Sir Thomas Beecham's for Angel has a characteristic rhythmic bounce and spontaneity.

twelve pieces, one every hour. Twelve numbers also formthe repertory of the clock of 1793 which Haydn gaveto Prince Esterhazy before leaving on his second trip toEngland."

The minuet of the D Major Symphony is not the onlyone of Haydn's major works to draw upon his compo-sitions for musical clocks. In the compilation of suchpieces made by Ernst Fritz Schmid, the fifth bears a re-lationship to the trio of the minuet from the SymphonyNo. 85; number twenty-eight is a simplified version ofthe finale of the String Quartet, Opus 71, Number 1;number thirty is an arrangement of the Perpettuim mo-bile from the Quartet, Opus 64, Number 5; and numberthirty-two is a sketch for the finale of the SymphonyNo. 99 in E -flat. Quite obviously, the influence of themechanical clocks of Niemecz was a pervading one inHaydn's music at the time.

But the fact that the Symphony No. 101 in D hascome to be known as the "Clock" Symphony is not, odd-ly enough, because it incorporates one of Haydn's musi-cal -clock compositions. Rather, the nickname comes fromthe "tick-tocking" accompaniment in the staccato stringsand bassoon that pulsates under the main melodic lineof the slow movement.

ALONG with Haydn's "Surprise" Symphony (No. 94,in G), the "Clock" is the most -recorded of all his sym-phonies, twelve different versions being listed in thecurrent Schwann Catalog, and nine of them recentenough to be available in both stereo and mono. Theremaining three (mono only) recordings are conductedby Horenstein, Scherchen, and Toscanini; all three areoutclassed by several of the more recent performances.

Five recordings, it seems to me, are the best of the"Clock" crop: those conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham(Angel S 36255, 36255), Pierre Monteux (RCA VictorLSC/LM 2394), Fritz Reiner (RCA Victor LSC/LM2742), Karl Richter (Deutsche Grammophon 138782,18782), and Martin Turnovsky (Parliament S 609,609). All these performances are coupled with otherHaydn symphonies: those of Monteux, Richter, andTurnovsky with the ''Surprise," that of Beecham with Sym-

phony No. 102, and, finally, that of Reiner with No. 95.The recordings by Beecham, Monteux, and Reiner

have certain features in common. The three conductorsshare the stylistic approach to Haydn that was the normin our concert life a generation ago. A sizable orchestralforce is employed by all three, yet, through force ofpersonality and conviction, all of them manage to pro-duce performances of joyful and exuberant authority.Beecham's has a rhythmic bounce and a spontaneity thatare quite unique. Reiner's is a more tightly controlledperformance, yet paradoxically there is an ingratiatingquality of ease about it. Monteux for his part deliversa robust, extroverted reading that is typical of the brandof music -making we used to get regularly from this well -

loved and sorely missed conductor. His Vienna Philhar-monic Orchestra is marginally less responsive, however,than either Beecham's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra orReiner's ensemble, one that was especially hand-pickedfor this recording. All three conductors are given finerecorded sound, with Reiner faring best, by virtue ofespecially clear and open textures and balances.

Richter and Turnovsky offer performances more inkeeping with what we now consider to be proper Haydnstyle. Textures are light and airy, and the smallerensembles have a nice rhythmic snap. At its bargain price($2.98 stereo, $1.98 mono) the Turnovsky disc is anespecially attractive one.

For tape fans the only available performance is theone with Mogens Wifoldike conducting the Vienna StateOpera Orchestra. It was formerly available as a 71/2-ipsrelease, coupled with the composer's "Military" Sympho-ny (Vanguard B 1609). In recent months the 71/2-ipsreel has been withdrawn, and the performance has beenreissued on a 3%-ips reel, along with the other five ofHaydn's second set of "London" Symphonies (Van-guard Everyman F 1916). Woldike's reading of thescore is highly expert, even though he does not havequite as marked a conception of the music as do the fiveconductors whose performances are singled out above.There is some occasional pre -echo on my review copyof the 33/4-ips tape, but otherwise the processing andreproduction are fine.

REPRINTS of the 1966 review of the complete "Basic Repertoire" are available without charge. Circle number 179 on reader service card.


Compare these new Sherwood S -7t00 features and specs! ALL - SILICON reliability. Noise -threshold -gated automatic FM Stereo/mono switciiing, Fti stereo

light, ze7c-center tuning meter, FM interchannel hush adjustment, Front-panel mono/stereo switch and stereo headphone jack, Rocker -action switches for

tape monitor, noise filter, main and remote speakers disconnect. Music power 140 watts (4 ohms) 0, 0.6% harm distortion. IM distortion 0.1% Q 10 watts or

less. Power bandwidth 12-35,000 cps. Phono sens. 1.8 my. Hum and noise (phono) -70 db. FM sens. (IHF) 1.6µv for 30 db quieting. FM signal-to-noise: 70 db.

Capture ratio: 2.2 db. Drift -..01^,-; 42 Silicon transistors p'.us 14 Silicon diodes and rectifiers. Size: 16)4 x 4j; x14 in. deep.

tt WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT HIGH PERFORMANCE

FROM SHERWOOD and...

0 _

IM CHARAT 1 iS I (CS

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11111

!ME"2 3 4 5 10 29 30 40 50 19 100

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S-8800 140 -watt FM ALL -SILICON Receiver$359.50 for custom mounting$368.50 in walnut leatherette case$387.50 in hand robbed walnut cabinet

the S-8800 did not let us down. The tunersection. with its high sensitivity and verylow distortion, is among the best in the busi-ness-clean and responsive. FM Stereo coniesin loud and clear and, as the curves plottedat CBS Labs show, with very ample separa-tion. The usual increase in distortion, whenswitching from mono to stereo in receivers,was in this set just about negligible. We wouldsay that Sherwood has come up here with an-other typically 'hot' front end that makes FMlistening a sheer joy.

"As for the amplifier . . . comparing the re-sults with the specifications, it is apparentthat the S-8800 does provide the power itclaims, and this-for a popularly priced com-bination set-is considerable. A glance at theIM curves, for instance, shows how muchpower the S-8800 will furnish before it runsinto any seriotis distortion problem at allthree impedences. . . . For rated power band-width distortion of 1%, the curve ran belowand above the normal 20 to 20 kHz band; andthe 1 -watt frequency response was virtuallya straight line in this area, being down by2.5db at 40 kHz-fine figures for a receiver ..."Those heavy percussion and crisp castanetswill come through with just about all thecon brio the performers have put into them.*As appeared in HIGH FIDELITY Magazine Equipment Reportsby CBS Labs. November 1966 issue.

3 -YEAR WARRANTY

0 0I

9!

Sherwood Electronic Laboratories, Inc., 4300 North California Avenue, Chicago, 111;nois 60618. Write Dept. 21?CIRCLE NO. 61 ON READER SERVICE CARD

FEBRUARY 196749

Wedidn't invent

the circle.(We just put it to music.)

Actually it was the Romans who firstconceived the idea that sound projected through

an urn could disperse sound in a 360 degree radius.

In 1963, Empire reasoned out that a speaker system with completesymmetry of design could provide the same effect.

We were later to make three very important discoveries: A wide angle acousticlens assures fuller frequency and magnificent stereo separation. A mass

loaded woofer facing downward, feeding tirough a front loaded hornwill provide 360 degree sound dispersion and prevent standing waves

from developing in the room. And, an imported marble top to match theflawless hand -rubbed walnut finish will bring a sigh of

comfort to the decorator -conscious audiophile.

The result: superlative musical performance. When did weknow we had it made? When others began copying us.

Augustus Caesar, thanks a lot.

Empire Grenadier.One of the

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845 Stewart Ave., Garden City, N.Y.

50CIRCLE NO. 36 ON READER Sr irvICE cn PO

HIFI/ST12.REO REVIEW

Gilbert (Sir W lliam.awd Sullivan (Sir Arthur), who

/may i we been the tw) most setecEsstul

he end were not even speaking t-) each othercollabo:ltors in the history op music, in

CONFESIONS

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN ADDICT

The Unreperamnt SffivoymErdBy PAUL KRESI-1

AmI alone and unobserved? I am! Then let me con-fess: I am a Gilbert & Sullivan addict. It is withburning cheek that I lift my pen to pour out the

sordid and intimate details of this avowal, albeit withthat sense of relief which ever accompanies the unbur-dening of a soul in anguish. It is no easy task thus to un-veil myself before the world. Yet, should my wordsreach some troubled young person already tainted withthe first symptoms of this terrible affliction, one who,perhaps, might be ashamed openly to seek counsel, myreward for thus baring my innermost soul will be suf-ficient, and I may live out my days in the comfortingknowledge that my existence has not been wholly with-out redemption.

Where shall I begin? I was approaching the fullbloom of young manhood when the early indications ofthis malady-for malady it is, and so in all honestyshould it be designated-made themselves manifest,symptoms which were to lead with gradual but fatal

certainty to the deterioration of the critical faculty, theLoss of family and friends and, ultimately, the abandon-ment of the last vestiges of self-control as the horribleobsession took inexorable hold, the mindless, shamefulcultural isolation in which I now find myself beingrelieved only by brief fits of inexplicable, sudden laugh-ter and bouts of tuneless humming.

My text is best chosen from the warning issued bySir Despard Murgatroyd, the wicked baronet of Ruddi-gore, who is forced to commit a crime every day in orderto hold His title. He warns the chorus of bucks, blades,

and "professional bridesmaids" in the first act of

Ruddigore thus:Oh, innocents, listen in time-Avoid an existence of crime-Or you'll be as ugly as I'm-And now, if you please, we'll proceed.

lust so. The first telltale hints of the Gilbert & Sullivancomplain: generally show themselves in late childhood

Gilbert and :million ridiculed the lad 101 'acstheticisrn" in Patierce, but did not escape unflattering attention themselves.

or early adolescence, with puberty a particularly vul-nerable stage. The boy or girl may he introduced to thevirus that carries the infection through some school pro-duction of The Mikado, or Pinafore, or in some caseseven through the more virulent strains of The Pirales ofPenzance. Certain words may stick in the young vic-tim's head, going round and round, even though he orshe may not entirely understand them, until, from thisfocus, they spread insidiously through the vulnerable,half -formed mind. "Turbot is ambitious brill; Gild thefarthing, if you will," the poor innocent may take tosinging softly to himself, no doubt in secret, and there isno turning back.

My own case was no exception. A production of TheMikado at a camp for young teenagers in the CatskillMountains struck the first knell of doom. Eliminatedpromptly from the singing cast by an execrable voice, Iwas assigned vaguely by the dramatics counselor to thejob of "dressing the set." Preoccupied as I was withnursing an ailing turtle in my bunk at the time, I tookno action about this until the afternoon before the first(and only) performance. Then, in the silent hours pre-ceding the dress rehearsal, I wandered into the recrea-tion hall where, on a rude platform serving as a stage, acardboard Japanese -style archway purported to indicatethe courtyard of the king's palace in Titipu. I realizedthat something extra was desperately needed, and hur-ried off, unsupervised, to the local wood to root up

trees. These I hauled over the grounds of the campwith hare, bruised hands, to clutter up the entire plat-form with as many of my arboreal victims as I had thestrength left to drag across the set. Stepping back to ad-mire my work, I rather wished I had been able to locatecherry trees instead of young elms, but with the formerour American Catskills, alas, do not abound. The leaveswere all dead by the time the lights went up on ourburnt -corked gentlemen of Japan, and I was docked des-sert for three days running for missing supper the nightI brought my Birnam Wood to that upstate New YorkDunsinane.

I was twitted by my fellows the next day into a statewhere I failed my Junior Life -Saving Test on the fourthtry. You'd think I would have hated Gilbert & Sullivanfrom then on. Such is the treacherous nature of this dis-order, however, that by the time I got home I was toss-ing hopelessly in the throes of a raging Mikado fever.True, for several years, until I found the courage to startexamining Mr. Gilbert's librettos for myself, I tended tomouth the lyrics of various patter songs as they hadbeen refurbished by our dramatics counselor with localtopical allusions. I did not find out for a long time, forexample, that the Three Little Maids were not originallyfrom Jersey City. A junior high school graduation giftfrom a well-meaning aunt proved the coup de grace. Itwas a complete recording of The Mikado by the D'OylyCarte Opera Company, with George Baker as the LordHigh Executioner of Titipu, and the habit prompt-ly took hold. Fiendishly I tried to seduce my contem-poraries into sharing my vice by playing alluringsnatches of the duets between the fierce Katisha, thatindomitable daughter-in-law elect of the Japanese em-peror, and the comic Ko-Ko. They listened obedientlyenough, but soon afterwards most of them stopped com-ing around. This was Nature's way of trying to warn ofthe years of true loneliness in store, but my head wastoo much awhirl with dizzying lines like "a cheap andchippy chopper on a big black block"; her message neverreached me.

Six months later I was taken to see my first adult Gil-bert & Sullivan performance by the same aunt who hadgiven me the record album. The D'Oyly Carte OperaCompany was visiting New York, and she had boughtus tickets for lolanthe. I remember little of what oc-curred on stage; for me, the real show was the audience.The ticket -holders were as white -lipped and tense asaficionados on a Sunday afternoon at a bullfight. Everyman -jack of them was prepared to rush on stage and fillin for Martyn Green as the Lord Chancellor, or for any-body else in the cast who might happen to flub so muchas a single line or be struck dumb by sudden indisposi-tion or failure of memory. Next to me sat a woman whomumbled along with the cast every song in the score andevery word of spoken dialogue in the entire book. Others


sat equipped with oversized musical scores in whichthey buried their noses, seldom glancing up at the stageat all or smiling, no matter how hilarious the capers ofthe various pompous peers and the chorus of electricallylighted fairies. When a particular ballad, madrigal, ortongue -twisting tour de force such as the Lord Chancel-lor's nightmare song struck their fancy, these addicts gotcompletely out of hand, rising with no decorum fromtheir seats to clap their hands and cheer and cry for en-cores, some of which held up the action almost inter-minably. (I later learned that lovers of grand opera be-have even more bizarrely.)

It is impossible to describe the effect of all this on agrowing boy. During the intermission the aunt who tookme to this iniquitous spectacle encountered an old ladywho informed her that she had been to every single per-formance of lolanthe since the troupe had hit ourshores, and intended to be in her seat day -in and day -outuntil the D'Oyly Carte people departed the city. Whenpressed for reasons, poor woman, she explained that inthe on-stage world of Gilbert & Sullivan everything wassafe, scintillating, comfortable, and predictable, while,outside, the ugly grey weather of events, where dicta-tors threatened and the nations raged against each other,made her constantly nervous. Far better the innocent sat-ire of a tale in which a group of gossamer -wingedfairies sought to gain a seat in the House of Peers for ayoung shepherd who was "half a mortal" and whosemother threatened England with nothing more violentor menacing than making "the duke's exalted station/Attainable by competitive examination." As I fell evermore irretrievably into the grip of the same shamefulhabit I was to learn what she meant. How cozy werethose wonderlands the Victorians bequeathed us!

Thus, though the D'Oyly Carte took its well -pub-

licized departure from the city, my disorder raged on.The Mikado, Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, thoseinnocent exercises in good-humored political and melod-ic travesty, were no longer enough for me. To the out-sider it may seem that all the madrigals and patter -songs,the Handelian choruses and Victorian ballads are inter-changeable from one operetta to the next, and it mat-ters little which is attended. Miss Anna Russell has hadher vulgar fun with this aspect of the subject, but theaddict will have none of it. He craves only madder pat-ter songs, stronger ballads, longer madrigals. By earlycollege days, when others were respectably immersed inthe works of Stuart Chase and Thorstein Veblen, I wasalready struggling with the equally ponderous implica-tions of Ruddigore, The Yeomen of the Guard, andPrincess Ida. Later, I could be appeased in my cravingsonly by The Grand Duke, that wobbly but incomparablydelightful last effort of the dauntless pair, in which atheatrical troupe takes over the government of a coun-try-with spine -chilling results. A rumor that excerptsfrom the seldom -performed Utopia Limited were to bereleased on a phonograph record by the D'Oyly Cartelaunched me into almost uncontrollable paroxysms ofexcitement as I echoed my favorite playwright's exclama-tions for young bridesmaids on learning that their loverswill not be hanged after all: "Oh, rapture!"

It can be seen that I had already developed the objec-tionable symptom conspicuous in Gilbertians, as inShakespeareans-that of quoting various lines from theoperettas on any pretext, however vaguely they appliedto the topic under consideration. "I am afraid I am notequal to the intellectual pressures of the conversation,"I would cite archly from The Gondoliers when somediscussion got beyond me (I was included in few ). Or,"Everything's at sixes and sevens," I would comment,

Left, Ruddigore's Rose Maybud (Ann Hood), who rules her lifeby a book of etiquette, and her salty suitor Dick Dauntless (DavidPalmer). Above, Sir Despard 41 u rgat royd (Kenneth Sandford)unmasks Robin Oakapple (John Reed), the real "had baronet."

53

Illustrations by W. S.Gilbert himself (signed

"Bab") early set the stylefor productions of the

operettas. Here thehumane Mikado makesthe punishment fit thecrime: an advertising

quack has his teethextracted by a

"terrified amateur."

when it really wasn't at all. And of course all paradoxes,whether they were or not, became "most ingenious." Butwhy go on ?

The worst was still to come. Up to now I had stuckto the D'Oyly Carte's own authorized versions of thepieces performed "under the supervision" of RupertD'Oyly Carte, Bridget, or, at the very least, some bloodmember of the family that had originally presented theworks at the Savoy Theatre in London. I had learnedto know every lineament of the lacquered caricatureswho filled the stage-the aging ladies attempting towin unwilling suitors with their fading charms; thebureaucrats and the bloodthirsty but appealing villains;the ingenue and her beau, who find each other despitethe inevitable "boy meets girl" misunderstandings andmeanwhile sing sweet ballads of Schubertian grace andcharm; the charlatans with dubious airs, susceptibleLord High Chancellors, executioners and family sor-cerers, admirals and aesthetes and modern major gen-erals. And the style! One has only to glance at one ofGilbert's own drawings to see at once what that styleis supposed to be. The D'Oyly Carte has always had it:the mannered action, the clean-cut choruses, the sharpprecision on which Gilbert himself insisted, the finelytimed comedy-all served up in a world as shiny andhypnotic and sprucely predictable as the window of afashionable toy -store. An English toy -store, to be sure.The background may shift to Italy or Japan or Arcadiaor Lotus Land, but it is always England with a pinch oflocal color. Under Mr. Gilbert's ministrations, everycountry, to use his own phrase in Utopia Limited (hehas so many to spare), is "Anglicized completely." "Aplate of macaroni and a rusk ?" What else to offer thechorus of contadine in The Gondoliers after a rough sea-crossi ng ?

But increasingly, during the long absences of the au-thentic British company from our shores, I was forced,like other addicts, to turn elsewhere for my supply. Ibegan to haunt basement theaters, churches, even theauditoriums of schools in distant neighborhoods, forsooner or later all sufferers from this ailment (knowneuphemistically as "Savoyards" after the theater where itall started) must go underground to "get the stuff." Iturned first to the ministrations of a Miss DorothyRaedler, whose New York troupe was constantly dis-solving and getting reorganized under the guidance ofthat stubborn and redoubtable zealot. Tirelessly shestruggled to teach young actors and singers with every

variety of American slur and drawl the precise ways ofBritish speech, and to train them in the mastery of a stylequite alien to our slovenly and casual habits. To see theresults one had to descend into the airless confines of a

cellar in the lower reaches of a crumbling East Side in-stitution called the Jan Hus House. It was there that Ifirst made the live acquaintance of John WellingtonWells, the middle-class magician in The Sorcerer;watched the ghosts step down from their rickety, ill -

painted picture frames in Ruddigore; wept for JackPoint as that jester lost the Elsie of his troupe in aforced marriage to smug Lieutenant Leonard Merrill inThe Yeomen of the Guard. Soon enough my ears be-came inured to the sound of the piano and organ whichpoured out pallid transcriptions of the sprightly Sullivanaccompaniments, so exhilarating when played by a big-

theater orchestra, so churchy and threadbare when aban-doned to the keyboard. Never mind: my D'Oyly Carterescuers would be back, and Miss Raedler's willing ap-prentices meanwhile made up in élan, comic understand-ing, and fresh voices what they lacked in punctiliousnessand finesse.

WORSE, however, was to come as I sought to ease myincessant craving. We will pass quickly over the uglyperiod of "Hot" and "Red" and "Yiddish" Mikados,not to mention the painful disappointment of seeingGroucho Marx strike out as Ko-Ko on TV, the phan-tasmagoric experience of an evening spent watching a

local Hadassah group add a new dimension to Pin-afore with a tongue so alien in its sound and approachto English comedy that it paradoxically came to seemalmost absurdly appropriate to the material. The non -sufferer can scarcely imagine the effect of all this irrever-ance on a man who had to retire to his couch with a sickheadache at the mere absence of five lines from the origi-nal finale during a performance of Ruddigore, or thecutting of even the most torpid number in the score ina production of Princess Ida. Yet I found myself ir-resistibly impelled to madder proceedings inBrooklyn basements; school performances of Patienceechoing in dank auditoriums where bewildered striplingssought to convey the notion of longhaired Wildeanaesthetes urging love-sick maidens to close their eyes and"think of faint lilies." No degradation was too much,no descent too low.

The old 78 -rpm recordings, of which I had of courseacquired a complete collection, had been worn thread-bare by a series of evil portable phonographs with pick-ups of uncertain tonnage by the time London's LP's(and later Angel's) appeared to replace them. Ulti-mately, I was to find a temporary anodyne in the stereoversions, wherein the orchestra and chorus reverberatefor all the world like the brilliant forces of grand opera,but the soloists tend to sound fresh out of their teens,


O

r

5

7.

O40

The Mikado: Enter (far left)Ko-Ko (John Reed), LordHigh Executioner of Titipu,fresh from the county jailLeft, the Mikado himself(Donald Adams). Below left,Noble Lord Pish-Tusk (AlanStyler), Ko-Ko. and Pooh -Bah(Kenneth Sandford), LordHigh Everything Else, discussthe finer points of self -decapitation, "an extremelydifficult, not to say dangerous,thing to attempt." Below.Pooh -Bah and Ko-Ko ponderthe arrangements for thelatter's coming marriageto the lovely Y um -Y um.

Patience: Left, Lady Jane (Christine Palmed warns Bunthorne that her maidenlycharms are ripe-"Better secure me ere I have gone too jar!" Above, Idyllic PoetArchibald Grosvenor (Kenneth Sandford) discards aestheticism to become "A steadyand Stolid -y, jolly Bank-holidaylEvery-day young man!" as Fleshly Poet ReginaldBunthorne (John Reed, at extreme right) looks on ("Crushed again!") in dismay.

SS

reminding me at times of those ap-ple-cheeked beginners I had peeredat out of church pews and whoseevery twinge of sophomoric alarm Ishared as spirit gum came loosefrom horse -hair beards to revealpink adolescent faces.

Once in a while, to relieve tliLstrain, there would come to townsome movie or play about Gilbert &Sullivan. I remember sitting, faintwith joy, at Nigel Bruce's per-formance of Gilbert in a play called Knights of Song.There was one scene in which the mustachioed Mr. Gil-bert (wearing what I seem to recall was a hound's toothgreatcoat in the style of Sherlock Holmes) was beinginterviewed by a reporter who asked how some word orother should be pronounced. "With difficulty," the greatman replied. "With difficulty," I chuckled to myself forweeks-until the few acquaintances who still talked tome joined the burgeoning crowd of those who no longerdid so.

And, of course, there were the books. Not only picturebooks and complete versions of the Bab Ballads and theplays in editions of varying luxury, but also the biogra-phies, critical evaluations, compilations of anecdotes, andFreudian analyses by self-appointed psychiatric experts.In their pages I learned how Mr. Gilbert was kidnappedin Italy as a child and held for ransom-an incident helater used as the basis for his plots in The Gondoliersand The Pirates of Penzance. I revelled, as my sicknessworsened, in poring over collections of the great man'sendlessly irascible correspondence, his petulant lettersnot only to his collaborator and to Mr. D'Oyly Carte(who grew fat on the proceeds of G & S's popularity),but also to his father-in-law, his club, the actors and ac-tresses he directed in his own comedies, and just aboutanyone else who crossed his path. What a cantankerousman, how wonderfully ill-tempered! "Sir," he once wroteto a neighbor, "the tone of your letter and your extraor-dinary admission that you willfully make the noise Icomplain of with the express intention of annoying me,places any amicable consideration of the matter out ofthe question. . . . I shall on the very first repetition ofthe annoyance instruct my solicitor to indict you as anuisance at the Hammersmith Police Court." I found outall about Sullivan, too: the question of whether he had(can one bear to think of it?) "Jewish blood," his firstcompositions, and his experiences as a chorister at theChapel Royal (while Mr. Gilbert was trying to make ago of it as a lawyer and writing the most terrible plays).I learned the whole story of how, with Mr. RichardD'Oyly Carte, G & S founded the Savoy, and how theyquarreled and made up and quarreled again, of how eachin turn was finally knighted by the Queen Victoria they

100

had nut amused, and of Sullivan's misguided idea thathe was wasting the time he should have been spendingwriting "serious" operas and oratorios (of which wehave sufficient specimens to know how wrong he was).

I could have told many an open-mouthed dinner part-ner all about Gilbert's retiring, pliant wife Lucy Agnes,of his passionate interest in the costumes, scenery, prop-erties, and lighting of the productions he supervised,and even of how he introduced electricity in the cos-tumes of the fairies in lolanthe (and later on the stageof the Savoy Theater, which opened with the first pro-duction of Patience). And if my fascinated companionpleaded for fresh details about my hero's life, I wasprepared not only to quote liberally from his letters andverses and the witty librettos, but to speculate at lengthon whether the rift between the irascible Gilbert and thegentle Sullivan arose over a certain affidavit or thecarpeting in Mr. Carte's theater, and to describe mosttouchingly the death of Sullivan in 1900 after manybouts of a "painful illness" (the skittish biographersnever get around to telling you what illness it was)and Gilbert's own heroic end, swimming out to rescuea drowning young lady when heart failure struck him.

If all that information failed to take us through des-sert, I would have been delighted to explain how Gil-bert did not intend in Patience to lampoon Oscar Wildeat all at first, but was simply resurrecting an old plothe had contrived about two rival curates. This idea heabandoned while smarting under attacks from the Rev.Charles Dodgson (Alice's Lewis Carroll) over whatthat fellow Pied Piper of the age had regarded as ir-reverent treatment of the clergy in The Sorcerer. Then Imight expound in detail on precisely how each of Sulli-van's scores parodied some chestnut in grand opera, fromthe lampoon of the Lucia sextet in Trial by Jury toMabel's mock -coloratura warblings in The Pirates ofPenzance.

DURING the wait for the dinner check, I would havebeen glad to recount the whole episode of how the au-thor and the composer happened to be invited to col-laborate on Trial by fury (their first success) as a cur-tain -raiser to Offenbach's La Perichole-and with suchdazzling effectiveness that they virtually drove the soundof Offenbach out of London. Then I might go on to de-scribe, rather well, how, following Pinafore, the wholeworld went mad as every street barrel organ groundout Poor Little Buttercup, every newspaper and oratorquoted its jokes, every band performed a medley fromthe score, and all of America whistled while Mr. Gil-bert wrote more and more explosive letters protestingthe piracy of his productions. But the true sufferer fromGilbert and Sullivan's Disease doesn't have any dinnercompanion to tell all this to. He dines alone, with theghosts of soubrettes, while the dreariest, most lusterless


H.M.S. Pinafore: Left, Little Buttercup (Christine Palmer), a "plump and pleas-ing person" and erstwhile baby -farmer. Center below, able seaman Dick Deadeye(Donald Adams): "From such a face and form as mine the noblest sentimentssound like the black utterances of a depraved imagination." Below right, the Rt.Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B. (John Reed) gives advice to landsmen: "Stick closeto your desks and never go to sea /And you all may be Rulers of the Queen's Navee.'

The Pirates of Penzance: Left above, the Pirate King (Donald .ldams). who isnot altogether void of feeling, takes pity on a lonely orphan boy. Left. the unhappySergeant of Police (George Cook): "It is most distressing to us to be the agentswhereby our erring fellow -creatures are deprived of that liberty which is so dear toall. . . ." Above, General Stanley (John Reed) introduces himself: ". . in mattersvegetable, animal, and mineral"l am the very model of a modern Major General."

57

G & S ON TOURThe one, the only, the original D'Oyly CarteOpera Company is currently touring the UnitedStates as follows: Los Angeles, January 14-21;San Francisco, January 23-28; Sacramento, Janu-ary 30; Denver, February 2-4; St. Louis, February6-11; Champaign, February 13-14; Lafayette, Feb-ruary 15-16; Cleveland, February 17-18; andToronto, Canada, February 20-25.

snatches from Mr. Sullivan's choruses for coy youngladies echo in his foolish head.

What is this strange hold that a dozen -odd operettascontinue to have on millions of otherwise rational peo-ple? The plots were worn-out claptrap contrivances evenin their own day: nurses who mix up commoners andheirs to the throne in babyhood; an elixir that makesanyone who imbibes it fall in love with the first personhe meets; a high-born hero going about the country dis-guised as a minstrel; and the like. The dialogue is soarchaic in manner that it is difficult for the average mem-ber of a modern audience to know how much of it isseriously intended nineteenth-century rhetoric and howmuch is spoof. The lyrics descend without warning intoabysmal doggerel, while Mr. Sullivan, conscientioustunesmith though he was, is capable of following up aperfectly brilliant contrapuntal choral passage with pad-ding of the most excruciating banality. No character-from Rose Maybud, the songbird of Ruddigore, toBunthorne, that apotheosis of the Wildean aesthete inPatience-will stand up under even cursory literaryscrutiny. What then, holds us enthralled ?

The enduring delights of these comic operas, I reply,are to be found in the ingenuities of Mr. Gilbert's situa-tions, in the graceful proportions of songs and dancesand speeches that alternate divertingly to denouementand dazzling finale, in an unerring sense of timing andof theater, in the lilt and precision of the lyrics, in thecharm of the tunes and the joy of their rhythms, in theswing and sparkle of choral settings and orchestrations.The songs and choruses further the action or providerelief from it with wonderfully lunatic digressions: thepeers and fairies pause in their argument for a languagelesson; the major general interrupts a crucial moment fora disquisition on the beauties of the night breeze.

But the songs also stand alone, out of context, in theiruniversality. Their topics and the absurdities of humannature they lampoon are really as relevant to us as theywere to our forebears. And there is something more, Ithink: the fact that between them these exceptionallytalented men succeeded in each operetta in creating aworld, a world constructed, to be sure, from a logicfounded on the most absurd premises, but able each timeto surround us, hold us, and enchant us-and, after weleave, to beckon us back. It is the same sort of spell cast

by all creatures of caricature in all the Lands of Oz de-vised by storytellers since earliest times. When our ene-mies are reduced to dolls, they cease to frighten us, andlife comes to seem safe and bearable again, just as it wasfor the lady I met with my aunt so many years ago inthe lobby of the theater at lolanthe. "His foe was follyand his weapon wit" reads the inscription on Gilbert'stombstone. The foe is still with us and so is the weapon,and the ideal foil for it is the guileless, perfectly matchedmusic of Arthur Sullivan.

As for myself, I finally came to realize that I neededhelp. I took my case to a sympathetic lady musicologist,who heard me through. "Try Mozart," she suggested.I did, and though for a while it was necessary for me tocross to the other side of the street, I was able eventual-ly to pass many a high school, church, university, orlittle theater without staggering inside for the latestG & S revival. There was a period when I could noteven remember the details of the "carpet controversy"that separated the collaborators. I vowed that no G & Sproduction would ever again compel my presence.

For a long time I stuck to that vow-until, one night,during a visit to London several summers ago, therecaught my hapless eye a poster disclosing the astonishingnews that The Yeomen of the Guard was to be presentedthat very evening on the site of the Tower of London,the exact scene of the action in the play which, as Ialone knew, Mr. Gilbert had originally planned to callThe Beef Eaters. And there in the bleachers, as the greatbell of the Tower itself tolled the impending doom ofCol. Fairfax, and an augmented chorus of "Gentlemen,citizens, etc." of the sixteenth century raced across theTower green toward me singing "Here's a man of jol-lity"-Oh dear, patient reader, then it all happenedagain! An Elsie and a Jack Point in excellent voice andwith thorough mastery of the style materialized fromthe crowd to offer "I have a song to sing, oh," betterthan I have ever heard it before or since. I closed myeyes to revel in the sheer joy of it all, safe, in the shad-ow of that Bloody Tower, of all places, from the rudediscords of a world that seemed bent on its own destruc-tion. When Jack Point fell insensible at the feet of Elsieand Fairfax, I rose to mine to cheer a marvelous per-formance. Once more, I was hooked.

There is no hope for me now. The next step is let-ters to the Manchester Guardian demanding productionsof Sullivan's incredibly dreary opera Ivanhoe, his turgidcantata The Prodigal Son, and, God help us, The LostChord. Following this comes regular attendance at theTuesday evening rehearsals of one's local Madrigal So-ciety. After that they come and put you away.

Paul Kresh is Editor of American Judaism and a regular reviewerfor HIFI/STEREO REVIEW. A selective discography of G & Soperettas is available without charge: send a stamped, sell -ad-dressed envelope to Mr. Kresh in care of HIFI/STEREo REVIEW.


V.70111

11 V 6.

11111MINEWVkit r rifin&

THE TECHNICAL EDITOR ANSWERS SOME"Common -Denominator"HI-FI PROBLEM S

By LARRY KLEIN

THE HiFi Q & A column appearing monthly inthese pages presents some interesting problems-for me, at least. For example, how should I

handle the steady flow of letters asking me to specifythe best -performing components in each price category ?What words of advice and reassurance can I give thosehinterland unfortunates whose hi-fi systems are malfunc-tioning and who have already exhausted the technical re-sources of their local repairmen? And how about thosehapless neophytes who have been reading the componentcatalogs for six months and still aren't sure what adecibel is? Or the fellow whose speakers emit a beepevery 12 seconds because his listening room is beingregularly swept by the high -power signal of a nearbyradar installation?

These questions are a small but representative sampleof what I am up against each month. In order to providea complete answer to every question, we would need thefull-time services of a highly -skilled technical man. Asmuch as I would like to take arms against the sea ofparticular troubles that afflict my readers, time and spacepermit me to answer in depth only those general questions

suitable for the HiFi Q & A column. I also frequentlyreceive letters telling me that the material in the col-umn is (a) oversimplified or (b) overcomplex. I pleadguilty to both charges. Given the wide range of techni-cal background among the readers of HIFI/STEREo RE-VIEW, from absolute beginner to electronic engineer, itis inevitable that questions-and answers-will occasion-ally be on either too high or too low a level for some.My intention is to keep the technical level of the columnsomewhere between Hans Fantel's novice -oriented AudioBasics and Julian Hirsch's advanced -audiophile TechTalk. Judging from the intermittent complaints fromboth ends of the technical spectrum, I have apparentlysucceeded.

There are, however, a number of technical questionsaddressed to me with sufficient regularity to justify theirbeing classified as "common -denominator" problems.They undoubtedly hold no mystery for some readers, butmany others will find among the answers appearing onthe following pages either help in time of acute audioneed or perhaps merely satisfaction of some long-stand-ing technical befuddlement. (Continued overleaf)

FEBRUARY 1967 59

Master Antennas for FMQI recently moved into a new apartment building

that has a master TV -antenna system. Is it pos-sible to connect my FM tuner to the system, and arethere any special precautions to be observed?

Ait is difficult to know whether your building'santenna system will serve your FM tuner. A

number of master antenna systems are specifically de-signed to have their FM capability suppressed in orderto prevent interference with TV reception. If you areable to determine that your building's master antennawill deliver FM (there may be someone in charge ofthe system who could tell you), then you will need tofind out the proper way of matching the output imped-ance of the antenna system to the antenna -input termi-nals of your tuner. If the antenna system's output is at75 ohms, then you will probably need a small "balun"transformer to match the 300 -ohm input of your tuner.(A few tuners do have built-in provisions for acceptinga 75 -ohm antenna, and their instruction books will tellthe proper way of connecting it.) But whatever thecircumstance may be, make sure to use the proper typeof cable (it will be either a 300 -ohm flat line or 75 -ohmcoaxial type) between the outlet of the master antennasystem and the input of your tuner.

De -warping DiscsQI have been given a number of LP discs that

apparently have been stored improperly-mostof them are somewhat warped. Is there any way I can"de -warp" the discs, or at least render them playable?

AAs far as making them playable, you should beaware that certain brands of tone arms and

certain brands of cartridges do better on warped discsthan others do. This results apparently from a lowereffective mass at the cartridge end of the tone arm and atone -arm design that is inherently less sensitive to ex-treme vertical undulations. With cartridges, it appearsto he a matter of vertical compliance in the stylus assem-bly. Your audio dealer should be able to advise you onthis-or if the whole thing is new to him, he will beable by trial and error to pick out the arms and/or car-tridge best suited to solve your problem.

As far as the de -warping is concerned, I've had onetechnique recommended to me that often-but not in-variably-works. Two heavy pieces of plate glass slight-ly larger than the record are required. The record is

sandwiched between the glass and placed in an oven.The oven temperature is slowly raised to about 150 de-grees (you will probably need a thermometer to mea-sure this) and the record is baked for about 20 minutesand then left to cool slowly. (No spices are required,and if everything turns out all right, the record willserve a number of listeners.) A certain amount of ex -

perimentation-with respect to the oven temperature,baking time, and weight on the glass-may be required.

Record NoiseQ1 have a problem with surface noise on records

I can find no solution to. I keep my recordsscrupulously clean, yet I hear a static -like noise frommy newest discs. Why is this?

AYour noise problem almost certainly results fromthe accumulation and discharge of static elec-

tricity, rather than from foreign matter in the recordgrooves. If the climate in your area is particularly dry,you might try using a small steam vaporizer in yourlistening room; the increase in humidity will help mini-mize your static problem. You might also try installingan Audiotex Stat-Elim ionizing gadget that clips on thetonearm, a conductive turntable mat (if your machinedoes not already have one), or a Dust Bugantistatic fluid. For extreme cases, I've had good resultsusing a small piece of lint -free cloth or chamois, slight-ly moistened with water, trailing behind the Dust Bug.

Record WashingI have been told that it is possible to wash rec-

ords to eliminate or at least cut down surfacenoise. Is there any recommended technique for this?

A Pour one cap -full of Ivory liquid detergent intoone quart of luke-warm water and mix thor-

oughly. Use a cosmetic or facial brush, preferably onewith fine -diameter bristles, and dip it in the solutionuntil it is thoroughly wet. Supporting the record by itsedge (your thumb) and label (fingers) use the brushin a circular motion, in the direction of the grooves.Then, holding the record by its edges, rinse in coolrunning tap water.

If fingerprints or foreign deposits still remain on thedisc surface, rub with a flannel cloth (wet with detergentsolution) in the direction of grooves. Repeat the brushprocedure after using the cloth. Turn the record overand use the same method on the other side. Rinse bothsides in cool running tap water. Make sure that the pres-sure is adjusted so that the water does not splatter, butflows freely over the disc.

Place the disc vertically in a rubber -cushioned dish -

drain rack until most of the water runs off or collects in


droplets. Do not shake the record. Now place the discflat on a dry Turkish towel and pat off the water globuleson the top surface. Make sure the towel is on a perfectlyflat surface, and rotate the record slowly on the towel.Turn the record over and repeat the rotation. Make surethe label is dry before restoring the disc to its sleeve.Since commercial household detergent formulas are sub-ject to constant revision, it would perhaps be best to trythe washing procedure on an expendable disc before at-tacking your entire collection.

Semiconductor, Solid State?1 find the terms "semiconductor," "solid-state,"

and "transistorized" are used constantly inequipment descriptions. Do the terms have differentmeanings, or are they interchangeable?

AI suspect that the diversity of expression derivesmostly from advertising copy -writing difficul-

ties-in other words, how many times can one say"transistorized" in the same paragraph? Technically,"solid-state" refers to the fact that, unlike electron tubes,the current flow in "transistor" devices takes placeneither in a vacuum nor in a gas, but through a solid"semiconducting" material. These materials are calledsemiconductors because their resistance is somewherebetween that of a conductor and an insulator.

Power Improvement. 1 have a 12 -watt -per -channel stereo integrated(

amplifier that I use to drive several differentspeaker systems at more than adequate volume. I amconsidering replacing the unit with a 30- or 40 -watt -per -channel transistor unit. Disregarding sales claini.l. whatcould I expect in performance to justify the cost?

AWhat you could expect in terms of improved per-formance would depend on how good your

present 12 -watt -per -channel stereo amplifier is to startwith. Assuming that the new transistor amplifier is a

good one, you would hear a somewhat more solid andcleaner bass response and greater overall clarity. This,of course, would also depend on whether your speakersare of high enough quality to allow the potential differ-ences to come through.

Equipment RecommendationsQI' Ill interested in buying some new hi-fi equip -

meat. In your opinion, what is the best tuner,amplifier, and speaker on the market?

,lik Scarcely a day goes by that does not see the ar-.4... rival of a letter containing this question (orsome variation of it) addressed to Julian Hirsch or myself. Although we appreciate the confidence readers showin us by asking for our advice, and as much as we would

like to be of assistance, we cannot honestly evaluate orrecommend a piece of high-fidelity equipment withoutextensive laboratory and use tests. It would obviously beunfair to rate equipment on hearsay, manufacturers' ad-vertising copy, personal prejudices, or on any basis otherthan complete objective testing.

When we undertake a report on a piece of equipment,the results are printed in HIFI/STEREO REVIEW. Eachyear our annual index lists all equipment reports pub-lished during the preceding year; back issues of themagazine are available from Ziff -Davis Service Division,Department BCHF, 589 Broadway, New York, N.Y.10012, at 75 cents each.

Speaker SpecificationsI have been toing to select a new pair of speaker

systems for my stereo set. According to most ofthe catalogs, systems ranging in price from forty dollarsup to about four hundred dollars all seem to have prettymuch the same specifications. Are the figures lying orare the liars figuring?

AA little bit of both, I'm afraid. Since, aside fromthe impedance, crossover points, and rated

power, the only specification usually found in the cata-logs is the frequency response, I assume that this is thespecification you are referring to. When a manufacturerclaims that a speaker has a response from 30 to 15,000Hz, for example, he means that if one were to feed in anaudio signal between 30 and 15,000 Hz the speakerwould respond. It might twitch inaudibly at the lowfrequencies and distort terribly at the highs-but it

would respond.For an overall frequency response specification of a

speaker system to be meaningful it must be given notonly in terms of decibels plus and minus, but the re-sponse must also be stated for the off -axis and the on -axis outputs. And even if such a "family of curves" fora speaker system were available, they would not indicatethe amount of harmonic distortion present in the systemnor tell how well the speaker will perform on transientsignals. For transient testing, some type of tone -bursttest is required-but seldom supplied.

A.C. Line Noises on TapeQIn snaking off -the -air tape recordings with my

tuner I get a lot of extraneous buzzes, pops,clicks, and hums on the tape whenever an appliance(and this includes the oil burner) goes on or off duringthe recording. Is there anything I can do about this?

AThe electrical noise produced by appliances canget into a hi-fi system or tape recorder in sev-

eral different ways. There may be direct radiation ofradio -frequency (r.f.) noise caused by the sparking offaulty electrical contacts or motor brushes. This can be

FEBRUARY 1967 61

picked up directly by the early high -gain stages of yourtape recorder or preamplifier. The a.c. line may also becarrying and radiating r.f. noise whose original sourceis the sparking contacts.

It is also possible that the noise is not r.f. in nature atall. If your equipment's circuits are sensitive to line -voltage surges, the sudden current drain caused by theturning on of an oil burner or refrigerator motor willcause the line voltage to drop, and the recorder ampli-fier will go into a momentary instability that will appearon the tape as a thump or other noise.

Obviously, the best way to effect a cure is to attackthe problem at its source. It should be possible to shieldand/or suppress the arcing or sparking that producesthe r.f. noise. On the other hand, if line -voltage surgesare your problem, the solution may be to use a constant -voltage transformer with enough current capacity tohandle your equipment. A third possibility is to try re-cording directly from your tuner's output jacks, ratherthan from the tape -output jacks of your amplifier, sincethe noise may be less intense at the tuner output.

Two books on the subject of interference may be help-ful: R.F. Interference Control Handbook, published byHoward W. Sams & Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, andHow to Locate and Eliminate Radio & TV Interference(No. 158), published by John F. Rider Publisher, 116West 14 St., New York, N.Y. 10011.

Frequency -Response Decibel RatingsQSome tape Treacle's are ',lied as "60 to 15,000

cps ±2 db" and other as "30 to 18,000 cps±3 db." Would I be able to notice the difference be-tween these machines, and should 1 insist on one thathas a ±2 db rating?

AThe plus -and -minus decibel ratings indicatehow evenly a hi-fi component will amplify or

reproduce tones over a given frequency range. The small-er the decibel deviation, the flatter (and hence better)the response. For example, the specification 20 to 20,000Hz ±2 db would mean that no tone in the range be-tween 20 and 20,000 Hz is louder or softer than amiddle -frequency tone (1,000 Hz) by more than 2 db.In the examples given in the question, the two specifica-tions might actually describe the same machine, since itis easier to obtain a flat response over a narrower fre-quency range.

Although it is often stated that a deviation of 3 db orless is not generally noticeable on musical material, thisin not entirely true. For example, if the range from 50to 1,000 Hz were increased by 3 db and the range from1,000 cycles to 20,000 Hz were decreased by 3 db, theoverall response would still be ±3 db from 50 to20,000 Hz, which is generally considered a flat response.However, music reproduced by such an amplifier wouldsound rather dull and heavy because of emphasis on the

lower octaves. In other words, frequency -response fig-ures alone do not completely describe the sound of acomponent; one has to look at the shape of frequency -response curve as well.

Integrated Circuits for Hi.FiQI have read a lot of discussion lately about inte-

grated circuits in television sets and radios. Doyou feel that they are going to show up in hi-fi com-ponents, and what are their advantages?

APerhaps the best way to understand the advan-tages and/or disadvantages of integrated cir-

cuits is tg.examine exactly what they are. Most of us arefamiliar with "printed" circuits that consist of a non-conductive board of phenolic or fiber glass to which isbonded a copper foil that serves as the wiring. Standardelectronic components such as resistors, capacitors, andtransistors are inserted into holes in the phenolic boardand their leads soldered to the copper conductors. Thistechnique makes fast and frequently automated assemblypossible.

The integrated circuit is another breed of cat alto-gether, although some might consider it an evolutionarystep-up from the printed circuit. In the integrated cir-cuit, instead of the wiring and parts being installed on aphenolic board, a minute chip of silicon is used as abase material. The transistor components are diffused(through vapor metallurgy) onto the silicon in a pro-cess resembling silk screening, as are other componentssuch as resistors and diodes. The large -value capacitors,resistors, and coils, however, must still be installed out-side the integrated -circuit chip.

The space saving and compactness achieved are enor-mous in that perhaps fifty resistors, twenty-five transis-tors, and a couple of diodes and their basic interconnec-tions can be built on a chip that is no larger than theletter "0" on this page. Of course this chip has to bemounted in some sort of casing and leads connected toits active elements.

But aside from the technological marvel that the inte-grated circuit represents, what will it achieve for theaudio engineer or consumer? Ultimately, it may cause areduction in price of hi-fi components and it may alsosomewhat increase reliability. Of course, an enormousreduction in component size will also be possible, but Isee no advantage at the moment in making componentsmuch smaller than those now using conventional printed -

circuit techniques.Those manufacturers claiming enhanced performance

through the use of integrated circuits achieve it by meansof new circuit configurations and also through improve-ments in the characteristics of the semiconductors builtinto the chips. Some benefit may also be expected (forFM circuits) because of the very short leads made possi-ble by circuit integration.


ARE RECORDS MUSICAL?On the perhaps arguable supposition that it is healthy to examine our comfortable enthu-siasms critically from time to time, we present herewith a provocative discussion ( re-

printed from the pages of the Britishpublication Audio and Record Review)of whether phonograph recordings arenot in some measure destructive of theart of music. Hans Keller, musicolo-gist, practicing musician (violin andviola) , critic, and writer on musicalsubjects, thinks they are. YehudiMenuhin, violin prodigy from the ageof four, oft -recorded world-wide con-certizer, and presently conductor ofthe Bath Festival Orchestra, disagrees.HANS KELLER

Hans Keller:IT IS FOLLY to swim against the stream of civilization.

The gramophone record is part of the midstream ofour civilization, and that seems to be that. Or is it?

Civilization is not necessarily identical with culture, andthere is a cultural stream too - potentially, anyhow. Ofcourse, the stream of civilization will always be widerand stronger than the stream of culture.

When I propose to swim with music against the gramo-phone record, I do not imply that the gramophone recordis always unmusical. Physically, factually, the mainstreamof civilization, the gramophone record, will always be thewinner in the end-but how much music it takes with itafter the cross -currents have been overcome remains tobe seen, examined.

Here are nine reasons why I believe the gramophonerecord is unmusical:

(1) A musics! performance is unrepeatable; none butthe worst performers, some of the best techniciansamongst them, submit identical interpretations on dif-ferent occasions. The disc makes something repeatableout of something artistically unrepeatable.

(2) Repeatability produces an extra -artistic attitudein both the performer's and the listener's mind. Performerfirst. He has to play safe, although his artistic needs drivehim towards risks. But he can't afford them, because risksmean mistakes, and mistakes which are of no significancein a normal, single performance become intolerable in a

a41I11."1.

YEIIUDI MENUHIN

repeated performance, once you come to expect them. Sodisproportionate an importance do they in fact assumethat their avoidance becomes a prime consideration, atthe inevitable expense of the realization of spontaneousartistic intentions.

(3) Since the performer knows that if the worst comesto the worst, he can repeat (retake) a passage for thepurpose of perpetual, mechanical repeatability, he findshimself in this paradoxical situation: although he is

(wrongly) trying his best to avoid mistakes, he never-theless makes them because he knows he can have anothergo. He is making the worst of two worlds: he makesmistakes by avoiding them, then submits to retake, untilthe ultimate, stuck -together performance is achieved, aperformance which no longer bears any resemblance to alive interpretation.

(4) Nevertheless, it soon becomes established as apseudo -musical standard, not only in the minds of thelisteners who listen to it over and over again, but alsoin the minds of the performer's colleagues and rivals, andindeed in his own mind. The worst comes to the worst ifhe is a performer of talent and so retains a certain sug-gestive power in his phoney gramophone performance, apower which becomes hypnotic through repetition. Thepseudo -performance turns into a model for everybodywho enjoys it, not least the performer himself. Hence-forth, he tries to imitate his own gramophone record onthe concert platform where, needless to add, he makesmistakes which cannot be retaken. As a result, his fans,

FEBRUARY 1967 63

perverted by the gramophone record, go home and say,"How disappointing! He plays much better on my rec-ord."

(5) Their disappointment is all the intenser if theyare genuinely sensitive to sound: try as he may, the per-former cannot reproduce the gramophone record's faked -up sound on the platform. All he succeeds in, especiallyif he is a string player, is a loss of characterization, tone -modulation, phrasing: with his frantic efforts to producethe gramophone's chronic golden tone undisturbed byincidental noises, he renounces most of his musicalityfor the sake of the golden mean: sound first, sense after-wards. Artistic causation, alas, works the other way round.

(6) The gramophone record imposes an inhibition onthe development of musical interpretation. In shorter andless elegant words, what can be repeated, sticks. Theemergence of the eternal student, who is an entirely mod-ern phenomenon, has been promoted by the gramophone,which assumes the function of the eternal teacher. Toimitate one's teacher at the age of fifteen is normal. Toimitate a gramophone record at the age of fifteen is

normal. To imitate one's teacher at the age of fifty is

contemporary. Through its hypnotic influence, the recordis about to create an era of interpretive infantility-ofperpetually arrested individual developments. Let X playme the Beethoven fiddle concerto and I'll tell you whichrecords he possesses.

(7) It is easier to play the gramophone than to playa musical instrument; yet it is easier to get to understandmusic through playing an instrument than by playingrecords. With the help of the gramophone, we play moreand more music with fewer and fewer mistakes in it andunderstand it less and less. The potential or buddingplayer is discouraged because he feels he cannot producethe 'standard' of performance he can reproduce on hisgramophone; that his playing is a more important musicalevent than his compulsive listening to a nonexistent per-formance may already have become too esoteric a truthfor him to understand.

(8) In particular, the gramophone violently obstructsthe development, perhaps even the continuity, of cham-ber music proper. The gramophone and hi-fi equipmenthave usurped the salon. The chamber -music masterpiecesof the past were dependent on, indeed addressed to, theamateur player, the center of whose life was active music -making. Where is he? And where, therefore, are thechamber -music masterpieces of the present?

(9) Finally, just as the performer plays worse whenhe is aware that he can retake, so the listener listens worsewhen he knows that the uniqueness that used to be thesine qua non of a musical experience has gone. Previously,once the performance started, this was it-for both playerand listener. Now, even if the music is not used as back-ground, it is by no means it. The listener can 'retake' asmany times as the performer. That spontaneous, exclusive

concentration which forms the basis of any full musicalexperience, of full musical understanding, has evaporated.We hear more and more and understand less and less.

Well, then, how much music does the stream of civili-zation take along with it after these nine cross -currentshave been overcome? Let us be fair rather than simple:there is music in the gramophone mainstream too, notonly in the cross -currents. For one thing, in view of thecleft between the contemporary composer and his po-tential audience, repeatability can become a virtuous vice:there are many contemporary scores of lasting value (andby 'contemporary' one means more or less everythingwritten in the last half -century) which, without the helpof the gramophone record, would still be totally incom-prehensible-all the more so since they present as manydifficulties to the performer as to the listener, so that re-takes here become a necessity born of virtue.

For another thing, there are performers and perform-ances that should be recorded for posterity-interpreta-tions by near -creative geniuses that need no longer diewhen they die. We know, because we are Huberman's orFurtwangler's posterity. What makes the records of theseartists so alive, however, is the fact that they don't consistof series of retakes: it is actual, single and indeed uniqueperformances which are here on record. That means, ofcourse, that incidental mistakes and mishaps have notbeen excluded-which is all to the good: we are forcedto play such records but rarely, to let a long time elapsebefore we play them again and so to come as close aswe humanly can to the experience of a live performance.If we don't heed this self -commandment we know thatwe shall spoil the event.

If, in the future, gramophone productions could bringthemselves to concentrate on real, single performances,the answer to my title question would be less radical thanit might seem at the moment. Except, of course, wherethe difficulties of the score make retakes unavoidable atthe time of recording: imagine if Tristan could have beenrecorded in Vienna when the first production was can-celled because of its insurmountable difficulties!

But don't let me make a speech. I have posed a ques-tion, and I have tried to submit all the facts that willhelp you to find the answer. The mainstream flows on;it's up to you where and when you want to plunge intoit and how long you want to swim.

Menuhin Answers KellerLet us simply take Mr. Keller's points in order.(1) This is an important issue. Certain artists keep to

their die-cast more methodically than others. Personally,I like to prepare the ground in such a way as to leavesomething to the moment of playing. Even the best per-formance pales on the second or third hearing as soonas it becomes predictable. It's the same in meeting a


person: think how it would be if each time he acted asbefore instead of giving a spontaneous response. But theanalogy is not complete, and provides no reason for con-demning records. There are now so many recorded versionsof standard works, even of quite little known ones; wecan learn many, many valuable lessons by listening todifferent interpretations, by studying them with a close-ness that we cannot do in concert life. Memory, howevervivid, gives by comparison a vague account, more a sen-sation than a report.

(2) No. The better the performer, the less discrepancyhe makes between safety and risks. The situation with arecording is the opposite to what Mr. Keller thinks. Theartist has no visible public and may because of this ac-tually feel more relaxed and his natural self with themusic. Glenn Gould is but one example of an artist whofeels more nervous when everything depends on thefavorable events of the moment in front of a big public.Moreover, it is only in certain circumstances that mistakescan be corrected, so there is no question, when one isplaying, of knowing it can all be put right. Small mistakesoften can, and must be: a slip at a concert is an incident,on a record it becomes a feature. Again, one must becareful when recording not to be too excessive in one'sinterpretation. The enthusiasm of the moment may, in aconcert filled with a particular atmosphere, justify some-thing that would be wrong for a record, just as it mightbe wrong for another situation, another audience. A re-corded performance is a still different occasion, but nota lesser one. It must be inspired, economical, must indi-cate the most with the least 'effective' means. There isno other difference with a concert performance. Mr.Keller's last sentence does not tally with practical experi-ence in any way.

(3) Mr. Keller here continues the false premise in thelast sentence of the previous section. He could not bemore off the mark about what goes on in a performer'smind. Nor is he right in his belief that gramophone per-formances are necessarily stuck together in bits. If I mayillustrate from my own experience: the C Minor and GMajor Beethoven Violin Sonatas my sister Hephzibah andI recorded (H.M.V. ALP 1959, ASD 510) were bothdone in a single day. We did the C Minor in the morning:we had just one red light for the take and did the whole

sonata without a stop. In the afternoon we did the GMajor: we repeated the sonata complete twice again in thesame way and the final record is one of those takes, pos-sibly with a couple of small splices from one of the othercomplete performances to correct a slip. Again, the Pur-cell sonatas we did on H.M.V. ALP 2088, ASD 635,

were recorded in one. We could easily have done themin sections, but each was in fact done as a whole. For amusician simply cannot record in scraps, as Mr. Kellersupposes. There must be a master performance-in which,

by all means, for the purpose of repeated listening, cor-rections may be made. There is nothing ethically disturb-ing here. A public speaker does not preserve his naturalstammers and stumbles into his published speeches. It is

a matter of personal choice how much you change. Thenice thing about tape is that it is so flexible; you can goon for half an hour-and do.

(4) Mr. Keller's false premise continues, and he be-gins to invoke wrong arguments. He also forgets thatno-one is tied down to a single performance-not thesedays. Only those who play the same recorded performanceover and over again fall into this danger. There was atime when we used to do this with certain records, when

records were very rare. But those days are long gone.What Mr. Keller alleges doesn't tally with contemporaryexperience. There's so much music about-in concerts,over the air (not least by way of the BBC Music Pro-gramme), on dozens of immensely different records.Once, I might have sympathized with Mr. Keller, when

we were dependent on a single record-but was eventhat worse than no music? Now, he's wasting his powdershooting at a target that has vanished.

(5) The false premise again. It was to some extent true,and with certain instruments that don't reproduce well itmay still just be true. But on the whole, the gramophonesimply isn't sympathetic to the faked -up tone Mr. Kellerdescribes. As before, whatever truth there may have beenin his remarks is there no longer. The excesses of earlyhi-fi have gone. It was indeed a nuisance when the earlypost-war engineers used to insist on capturing noises thatonly could be heard by a dog. I used to object very vigor-ously to this, and to suggest that they were recording ona fallacy-namely, that everything is seen most completelyunder a microscope and a brilliant light. Every womangains by being seen in candlelight. Every violin gams by

being heard in a moderately resonant acoustic. The gramo-phone has learnt this civilized principle; and no artist

attempts the ridiculous feats Mr. Keller imagines.

(6) There is a partial truth here; though I think thatMr. Keller is wishing the faults of bad listeners and in-ferior performers onto records themselves. It is some-times a little irritating to meet young people who can'tmake any music themselves, in any way, but speak with

extreme assurance on the basis of the records they own.One can't, of course, be criticized only by those who do

FEBRUARY 1967 65

the same thing as oneself: when we buy a car or sendback a tasteless dish in a restaurant we are exercising ourright to judge skills we probably do not ourselves possess.There is, however, a difference one notices between criticstrained on records and those with wider experience. Thegramophone alone encourages precocity of opinion; it

should be only part of a full experience, but the experienceis nowadays not full without it. The gramophone goestogether, with study of the score, with hearing manyperformances, and with deeper personal intuitions in

reaching understanding of a great work. I know thatwhen I was called upon to conduct Schubert's Great CMajor Symphony some six years ago-a very tall order forme, and one I tried to resist-the event that drew me intodoing it was being sent the records of Furtwingler. Istudied this beautiful performance again, but in orderto convince myself about some things I wanted to dodifferently. If I had tried to ape his performance, as astandard I admired, of course I could only have done itmuch less well. It was when I felt differently from himthat I found myself most wanting to conduct the work.

(7) and (8) Here Mr. Keller has something. It worriesme that, except in the field of pop music, the gramophoneseems to have discouraged rather than stimulated theamateur. The duty on us here is to improve the standardof teaching at all levels, so that the gap between amateurand professional seems less discouraging. The gramo-phone is of positive use here.

(9) This is just not true. Again, Mr. Keller is confus-ing bad listening (which can happen in concerts as easilyas in the home) with the gramophone itself. The cannedmusic that bothers us in restaurants and even in aeroplaneshas conditioned us to sloppy listening, but the gramo-phone proper is different (if only because a question ofchoice is involved) and should be used differently. It isnot the same as a live performance; but there is a hugefallacy in trying to argue from this obvious truth that thegramophone is necessarily inferior or dangerous. Like allthe most valuable tools of life, it adds enormously to ourculture, our happiness, our humanity. Our duty is not totry to resist it, but to ensure that we use it like the servantof genius that it is.

Keller answers Menuhin(1) Mr. Menuhin really confirms my first point: "Even

the best performance pales on the second or third hearingas soon as it becomes predictable." But how many arethere who will not listen more than twice or thrice?

(2) Mr. Menuhin's submission that I don't know any-thing about "the situation with a recording" is not verymeaningful: I have coached innumerable performancesfor recordings and have produced even more recordingsthemselves. "The better the performer, the less discrep-ancy he makes between safety and risks." Fortunately for

us, Mr. Menuhin, Glenn Gould, and a few others feelcomfortable in a recording studio, and that is all he issaying. "Mr. Keller's last sentence does not tally withpractical experience in any way." My last sentence, aboutthe avoidance of mishaps at the expense of spontaneity,was first formulated when one of the world's leadingstring quartets made one of their most successful re-

cordings. It was enthusiastically confirmed by theirleader, and subsequently by many a performer whom, Ithink, Mr. Menuhin admires. One of our time's greatestmusicians (in Mr. Menuhin's opinion and mine) oncerang me two hours before a gramophone recording andasked me about the phrasing of a certain passage. Hisunnatural state of uncertainty would have been unthink-able had he not been worried about unnaturally and un-spontaneously committing himself forever.

(3) "A musician simply cannot record in scraps, asMr. Keller supposes." He cannot but he does. Mr. Menu-hin would be surprised if he knew a little more aboutwhat was going on in recording studios, especially onthe Continent. On several occasions, I had to resist bit -by -bit recordings, by first-rate musicians, of my wordlessfunctional analyses, and of some incidental music of myown. In this country, master tapes tend to be the (notinvariable) rule, but heaps of scraps can be stuck togetherinside them, with musically devastating results.

(4) There may be "dozens of immensely differentrecords," but people have their favorites and don't buyany other.

(5) "No artist attempts the ridiculous feats Mr. Kellerimagines." Mr. Menuhin fortunately doesn't. Plenty ofothers do-and, surprisingly, not always the worst. I havebeen there; Mr. Menuhin evidently hasn't. No harm inthat, but the arm -chair is behind the other legs.

(6) I have diagnosed, at auditions, competitions, andin some of my own pupils, the gramophone records theypossess. That Mr. Menuhin himself doesn't misuse thegramophone is hardly surprising.

(7) and (8) There is far-reaching agreement betweenUS.

(9) Mr. Menuhin says how people should listen torecords; I describe how they inevitably do.

Two final points. First, it seems to have been forgottenthat I devoted one third of my article (the last four para-graphs) to the musical aspects of the gramophone record.The Editor [of Audio Record Review] is not free fromblame here: he replaced my title by a rhetorical questionto which I would never have agreed. And now Menuhinhas thrown one or two points back at me which I hadmade in the first place. Well, better twice than never.

Secondly, a suggestion. Why doesn't the Editor senda questionnaire to, say, one hundred musicians, askingthem how often they play records and why not? Withsome considerable experience behind me, and not onlymy own, I foresee entertaining results.


1111111111111N111111101

1111113"'"11111 1111111

t;'.BILLINGS, of North Hollywood, California, hadsome very special ideas about how he wanted tohouse the hi-fi components he selected to go into

his system. As can be seen from the completed cabinet,each component is installed in its own separate compart-ment with a door that can be closed when the equip-ment is not in use. During play, the doors swing backparallel to the sides of the cabinet. All equipment con-trols are at eye level for maximum utility. The cabinet,which was built to match the dimensions of the equip-ment, measures 541/2 inches high by 381/2 inches wide.Mr. Billings did all the woodwork himself, using walnut -veneered plywood.

The preamplifier and tuner, panel -mounted in theupper right section of the cabinet, are both Fishers: the400C stereo preamplifier and the 200C FM stereo tuner.An earphone jack and speaker switches are visible im-mediately below the preamplifier. To the left of theFisher equipment is an Ampex Model 2070 self -thread-

INSTALLATIONOF THE MONTH

CUSTOM -

CABINET

STEREO

ing, automatic -reverse tape recorder. On the level belowthe tape recorder are two record players: a manual Rek-O-Kut N-3311, equipped with ESL tone arm and ShureM3D cartridge, and a Triomatic record changer. Thebottom section of the cabinet, which is fronted by dow-els and has a built-in fan to ensure adequate ventilation,contains Mr. Billings' power amplifiers-a pair of McIn-tosh MC -30s. The speakers (not shown) on the oppo-site side of the room are J. B. Lansing systems, eachconsisting of a D130 15 -inch woofer and an 075 ring -radiator tweeter housed in large bass -reflex enclosures.

Mr. Billings states that he chose his equipment onlyafter much study of the best that was available at thetime he made his purchases. Since he has been interestedin radio and electronics since 1922, he feels that he waswell qualified to make knowledgeable choices, and thesound and appearance of his system attest to the carethat went into the selection of the equipment and theconstruction of the well-built cabinet.

FEBRUARY 1967 67

MARILYNMAYkl

The DayEverythingWent Right

THERE ARE MANY POSSIBLE SLIPS BETWEENMICROPHONE AND MICROGROOVE, BUT

MOST OF THEM CAN BE AVOIDED-WITH LUCK -IN THE RECORDING STUDIO

By GENE LEES


WEBSTER

Hall is a nondescript building at 119East 11 Street in New York. There is a marqueeover the sidewalk, a reminder that this was, in

the era of dancing, a thriving ballroom. Half a blockeast are slums, the smell of poverty, and ruined menwho lie in doorways. Half a block west are new high-rise apartment buildings in that colorless, characterless,gray -white brick to which New York architects areaddicted.

Enter the front door of Webster Hall. Turn left inthe lobby. A flight of white marble stairs leads upward.A lighted box mounted on a pole, standing like a senti-nel in the middle of the stairway, says: Recording DoNot Enter. The box isn't lit, which means you can goupstairs. It is 7 :1 5 ; a Thursday evening.

At the top of the stairs is the ballroom itself. It's avery large room. At the far end of it there's a stage, thecurtains of which are closed. Two huge loudspeakersstand on the floor below the stage, indication of thehall's present use. The dancers have been gone for years,and Webster Hall is now one of the best recordingstudios in New York City. Though there are those whodon't like its acoustic properties, at least for certainkinds of recording, it's very good for big orchestras, andthe chairs and music stands set up on the floor in theballroom in a semi -circle to face a podium indicate thattonight's orchestra will be big-nearly thirty men. That'ssmall by symphonic standards, but large by those ofpopular music.

A few musicians have already arrived: Ray Alonge, aformer Detroit Symphony man who now plays every-thing from jazz to symphony dates to television jingles,is assembling his French horn. Richard Davis, a tall andstartlingly handsome Negro who has let his hair grow infull and woolly, is tuning his big string bass. A warm,gracious, dignified man, his poetic face often breaks intoa dazzling smile which, in social circumstances, leaveswomen looking as if they've been poleaxed. Next tohim, drummer Mel Lewis is tightening the head on hissnare drum.

The control booth is at the far side of the room. It isoccupied at the moment by three men: engineer MickeyCrofford, one of the best, who is small, smiling, lookslike a nightclub comic, and sometimes throws funnylines like one; his assistant; and Joe Rene, an RCAVictor staff producer. Joe is a man of middle heightwith a high, sloping forehead and a large nose. He wasborn in Holland of Jewish parents and spent three yearsof World War II hiding from the Germans in an atticin a small town near the Belgian border. He passed thetime reading, playing chess with another involuntaryhermit, and writing musical arrangements. "I became avery good chess player," he says, "and I wrote a wholebook of arrangements for my band." He reorganized theband as soon as the Germans had been dislodged.

More musicians arrive. They remove their violins,trumpets, and saxophones from their cases and start totune up. A handsome woman in a smart white dresscomes up the stairs and enters the studio. Her posture iserect. Her red hair is swept into a round smooth cloudaround her head and lacquered into place. She looksfamiliar, from appearances on the Steve Allen televisionshow, perhaps, or from photos on the covers of heralbums, two of which she's made for RCA Victor. Hername is Marilyn Maye. She's from Kansas City, Mis-souri, in her thirties, and worked in one Kansas CityClub for eleven solid years. She is accompanied by twomen: one of them in his late thirties or early forties,and fighting a weight problem; the other older, a neatman in youthful clothes. Almost everybody in show busi-ness dresses young, victims of the general Americanneurosis. The younger man is pianist Sammy Tucker,who has been Miss Maye's accompanist since the daythey met and her husband almost as long; the other isVal Irving, her manager, who has large hopes for her.

They come into the booth. "Hi!" Large grins andlaughter. Joe Rene kisses her on the cheek. The studiois filling with musicians. These are studio men and theyare always punctual. Somewhere on each of them you'llfind a small notebook which keeps him on schedule ashe goes from record date to record date. A musician ispaid $61.88 for a three-hour date, and some of thesemen make as many as three dates a day. A lot of themare hacks, men who have long since ceased to care aboutmusic, except as a craft, like plumbing, by which tomake a good living. But the best of the breed are stillpassionate about it, men such as Ray Alonge over there,who, his horn assembled, is warming up his lip.

Four songs will be recorded this evening, barringproblems. The parts have been distributed to the men,and Joe Rene has a sketch copy of each score on hisdesk in the control room.

THE preparations for this date, and two more that willfollow, began weeks ago. Rene wanted Marilyn to do analbum of ballads. There were several reasons for this.She had done two albums that leaned toward jazz-MissMaye has strong roots in the jazz tradition. But theword jazz has become anathema commercially in thelast few years, synonymous to many people with ped-antry and crushing sobriety, and most singers hate to becalled jazz singers, including those who are. Rene de-cided that an album of ballads, done with a large or-chestra, and setting a late -night mood, was the antidoteto Marilyn's incipient reputation as a jazz singer. Hebegan looking over songs for her.

"I will not let an artist pick material for an album,"he said. "But the artist does have veto power. If theartist doesn't feel a song, I won't let her record it. ForMarilyn's album, I looked for lush, good ballads that

FEBRUARY 1967 69

don't necessarily lean toward being too torchy. I waslooking for songs with good lyrics, good tunes, goodchord changes and-" he grinned slyly "-shall we say,a positive erotic approach."

The arranger Rene selected was Peter Matz, one ofthe busiest and best in the business. Matz has written inan amazing range of styles for people as disparate asBarbra Streisand and the Brothers Four. "I want a freshmusical approach in this album, with enough left overfor the layman," Rene said. "Peter Matz understandsthis problem as well as any arranger in the business."

Rene selected twenty-two songs and turned them overto Miss Maye, who went over them carefully with heraccompanist husband. They trimmed the list to twelve.She was then working a night-club engagement in Cleve-land, so Matz flew to Cleveland for a day of consulta-tion two weeks before the record date.

"We went over the songs with Peter," Sammy Tuckerrecalls, "and did little bits, and he would make notes onhow she sang certain lines so he could build the arrange-ments around -her."

"The beauty of working with Peter," Marilyn said,"is that he's not set on doing it entirely his way. If youdo something a little unusual, he'll say, 'Hey, that'sgood. Leave it in.' He wants the artist's true self tocome through, rather than something manufactured."

THE studio has filled. The period of greeting, hand-shaking, and joking has ended. It has been decided torecord The Night We Called It a Day first, an excellentMatt Dennis song with a literate Tom Adair lyric.Peter Matz is on the podium, a score on the desk infront of him, his hands raised, a pencil serving as abaton. Miss Maye sits on a chair beside him, the musicfor her part in front of her. Matz, an intense youngish

Miss Maye works closely with producer Joe Rene just belore thesession: the end recording is at least as much his as it is hers.

Standing at her microphone, Marilyn Maye listens briefly to onechannel in a playback to make a balance adjustment for a retake.

man with a dark complexion, glasses, and the perpetualslight frown of the short-sighted, comes from Cali-fornia. He was educated at UCLA as an engineer. Buthe played saxophone through his school years, andmusic won out in the end.

He gives the down beat. The opening he has writtenfor the song requires that Miss Maye, in effect, singlead on the orchestra for the first several chords, whichare played ad lib. It's a tricky thing, and she doesn't getit right the first time. Matz pays her little mind for themoment. He's looking for mistakes in the orchestra,notes copied wrong, phrasings that aren't right. It takeshim perhaps twenty minutes to clean up the orchestra'sperformance. This is the value of the skilled studiomusicians: how quickly they can get a score together.They've never seen this music before and will never seeit again. But they'll play well.

In the control booth, Joe Rene has his own problems.He can't pick up a proper blend on the two Frenchhorns and three trombones. "Give me a little more onthe bass trombone," he says. Engineer Micky Croffordturns a knob. The bass trombone comes up ever soslightly in volume. It makes a difference. "More on theother two trombones as well," Rene says.

"I can't," Crofford says. "They'll have to move incloser." They do.


At the end of the song, Rene pushes a switch andspeaks into a microphone on his desk, looking at Matzthrough the window. "Peter," he says, "I'm getting theoutside voices on the brass too strong. Would you havethe others move in closer on mike and let me hear itagain?" He looks at his score and tells Matz the exactpassage he wants to hear. The brass plays it through."That's better," Rene says. "Are you ready to makeone ?"

Marilyn leaves Matz's desk and walks to a mike be-hind the orchestra, just in front of the window of thecontrol room. It is customary to put singers in an isola-tion booth so that the voice is heard on only one chan-nel. Then, if the orchestra gets its part right and thesinger doesn't, it's possible to go back into the studiolater and re-record only the vocal. This is contrary topolicy of the American Federation of Musicians, but it'sdone. It won't be done tonight, though. Miss Maye'svoice won't be adequately separable from the orchestra(Webster Hall lacks facilities for this kind of isolation),so she's going to have to get it right in the studio. It'sa hard way to record, but a good way.

Matz has put on earphones so that he can hear Mari-lyn, who is a good distance from him. Again he has hisarms raised. Mickey Crofford starts two tape machinesrolling. Rene says into a mike, "Marilyn Maye, The

Night We Called It a Day, take one." They start. Matzstops the take after two bars.

"I'll conduct you in on that opening," he tells MissMaye.

They start again. This time they get as far as the re-lease of the song. Rene stops the take. "Peter, the stringsare sharp," he says. Matz doesn't repeat the message;the string players heard.

They try it again. "That's better," Rene mutters to

In rehearsal before the actual recording (left) and in listening toalike-differences of opinion may be fine in other circumstances,

Aor,

himself, "but they're still shay." A complete take ismade.

"Marilyn, you're backing off mike toward the end,"Rene tells Miss Maye. "Stay in close. We'll regulate youin here. Peter, that was better, but the strings are stillsharp."

"I didn't hear it," Matz says."I did," Rene says.Matz is talking to the musicians, making subtle cor-

rections in phasing and attack. It's time to do anotherone. It starts. Rene stops it. "Yeah, I heard it too," Matzsays. "Take six," Rene says in a bored but cheerful tone.This time Marilyn misses a note and she stops the take.

"Would you believe seven ?" Rene says, and they goon.

This one works. Miss Mayes voice soars, warm andstrong, through the gentle melody. The orchestra is

with her. Rene grows quietly excited as they near theend, hoping there will be no last -moment errors to spoilit. There are none. He breaks into a grin.

"Can I hear it ?" Marilyn says, coming into the booth."Sure." Crofford runs the take back and plays it for

her.The musicians have all left their chairs and are gath-

ered around a coffee machine in a side room, lightingcigarettes, talking. One of the string players stays in hischair, alone in a forest of microphones, reading thenewspaper. The musicians drift back to their chairs. Thenext song is done more easily-everyone is warming upnow. "Next case," Rene says, and there is time for aplayback, and on to the third song.

At 10:25, the work is finished for the night. It hasbeen a model date: excellent arrangements, excellentsinging, and a minimum of fuss in the control room.Everyone goes home. (Continued overleaf)

a playback alter it is over, Miss Maye and Peter Matz must thinkbut unity of purpose is an essential ingredient of a ::aad record.

FEBRUARY 1967 71

The next date is the following night, on the sameschedule: 7:30 to 10:30. Three songs go well, but thereare problems with the fourth. No one knows why. It'sjust the way things go sometimes. Rene gets a take on it,but he isn't satisfied, and so he will have to try for fivesongs at the third date, Monday night.

Despite the unfinished take and the extra pressure onMonday, the spirit is one of rising enthusiasm as thethird date begins. Marilyn starts out with a difficultand very good song, I See the Raindrops Now, writtenby a friend of hers in Kansas City, Carolyn Corner.Matz has written a charming introductory figure for it,using vibes and glockenspiel. It goes down well. MissMaye's effortless singing makes the melody's problemsshrink. There is a key change coming out of the release,a lift in the tonality. She has a high, long note at theend, which pushes her voice to the top of its register."Get this one next time," she says with a laugh. "Ihaven't got too many of these in me."

Rene is concerned about the next take. It is The LampIs Low, based on Ravel's Pavane pour une infantedqunte. It's the title tune of the album, and it hadbetter be good. Marilyn does a beautiful take on it.Peter Matz, whose apparent reserve has been dissolvinggradually as the dates progress, grins at Marilyn andstarts pounding one foot on the floor like Thumper, therabbit in Walt Disney's Bambi. "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" heshouts at Marilyn, who breaks into bright, high, infec-tious laughter.

The evening goes smoothly, but slowly, and when10:30 arrives, only three takes have been done. Renedecides to go into an hour of overtime, an expensiveproposition with thirty musicians. The pressure on himis mounting: he has a budget to meet, and accountantsdon't care a damn about aesthetics or musical problemsand aspirations. Like the board of directors and thestockholders of the Radio Corporation of America, they'reinterested in profit and loss. The whole weight of thatcorporate structure is on Rene when he elects for over-time: the album has already cost a good $18,000.

They get a good take on the tune by 11:05. Renestill wants a re -take on the one he didn't like last Friday.It's a difficult piece of material, and they've got 25 min-utes to get it together. They start. There is a certaingrimness about the date now. At 11:25 Marilyn hasalmost completed a perfect take. Then she goofs the lastcouple of notes.

"I'm sorry," Marilyn says."It's all right, baby," Rene says, composed. "We've

got time for just one more.""No, you haven't," a voice says behind him. A small

rotund man is talking. He is the union contractor. TheAmerican Federation of Musicians requires that a unionmusician he employed as contractor to hire the men fora record date. "You've only got time for an intercut on

the last eight bars," the union contractor tells Joe Rene.Rene, harassed, ignores him. "Let's do another one,

Peter," he says into his desk microphone, "right away."To Mickey Crofford, he says, "Have you got enoughtape on the reel ?"

"Yes.""All right, let's go, let's go!"But Peter Matz is checking a part with a musician.

This consumes 30 seconds. He raises his hands at 11:27.They start. Everyone in the booth, except the contractor,is holding his breath: if they go a minute past 11:30,RCA Victor can, at least theoretically, be billed foranother half hour's overtime for thirty musicians.

Each bar of the music is magnified by the tension.Time creeps by. One chorus ends, and it's perfect. Backto the release of the tune. Into the last eight bars. Thelast four. The big red second hand of the clock sweepsrelentlessly on. The last two bars. The last note, andthe last orchestra chord. The take ends at 11:29:25. It'sa beautiful one. Rene lets out a yelp of pleasure.

"Thank you, gentlemen," he says into the mike to themusicians, many of whom have already begun a perfunc-tory packing up of instruments. A lot of them have tobe up in the morning for other dates.

Peter Matz comes into the booth, grinning broadly.Mickey Crofford is already running the tape backwards,setting up a high-pitched gabble of sound in the controlroom speakers. "How about a drink, Joe?" someone saysto Rene. "I'm not much of a drinker," he replies, smil-ing, "but tonight I'm going to have a surreptitioustaste."

Crofford starts to play back a take. Rene and Matz andMiss Maye sit in the middle of the studio, listening toplaybacks of the tunes. Several of her friends have cometo the dates, and they congratulate her, hug her, kiss heron the cheek, tell her she's phenomenal. She takes itgraciously, but she's listening all the while, picking herown performance apart.

The studio empties, the laughter dies. Rene, Matz,and Miss Maye are alone in the middle of the big hall,except for Mickey Crofford's assistant, who is pushingthe microphones out of the way, wheeling them backagainst the wall on their trundle bases, and a janitorwho, with a large soft broom, is sweeping hundreds ofcigarette butts across the floor. The music pours from thetwo big speakers in front of the stage. Tomorrow Renewill begin editing, reducing the three -track tape to two -

track for issue on stereo discs, and to one-track tape forissue on mono. But now he is just listening.

They stay nearly an hour, listening to the best takes.''You're beautiful, baby," Rene tells Miss Maye. Thatshe is.

Gene Lees' fictional account of life in America's entertainmentindustry, And Sleep Till Noon, has just been published by Trident.


HI FI/STEREO REVIEW'S SELECTION OF THE TOP RECORDINGS

BEST OF THE MONTH

CLASSICAL

MAHLER'S MONUMENTAL -SY NI PHONY OF A THOUSAND"Bernstein's new Columbia recording shows comprehension and control of its vast complexity

THERE are many pieces in the repertoire whosecataloged representation is so vast that one canexpress a preference for one recorded perfor-

mance or another on the basis of subtleties. Mahler'sSymphony No. 8, called, with some reason, the "Sym-phony of a Thousand," is not among them. It is onlythe sheer prodigality of the long-playing record as amedium that has given us four recordings of the workprevious to this one-there was never a 78 -rpm re-cording of it-and a choice among those earlier re-cordings (Scherchen on Columbia, Abravanel on Van-guard, Flipse on Epic, and Stokowski on a private issueby an outfit called the "Off -the -Air Record Society")has always been less a matter of rating virtues than ofevaluating comparable evils. Happily, I would say,that situation can now be con-sidered to be at an end.

Columbia's new recording ofthe Eighth by Leonard Bernsteinand what seems to be nearly halfthe population of London mak-ing up the performing forcesis a magnificent and communi-cative musical experience. I

would not want to call it a

"definitive" performance-firstof all, because except for veryunusual cases I don't believe in"definitive" recordings, and sec-ond, because considering the na-ture of the competition I find itdifficult to estimate just howgood this new recording is. Thisis a matter of both musical per-formance and technical record-ing. One cannot simply look atthe score and expect to hear ev-erything, and it is very difficult

GUSTAV M A II LER

His Eighth too big for stereo?

to say, on the basis of the printed score and the pre-vious recorded versions, just how much of the musicalcomplexity one should be able to hear.

The work is not only one of the largest ever com-posed; it is also one of the most complex. The forcesinvolved are enormous: eight vocal soloists; two fullchoruses; an extra children's chorus; huge orchestrawith the addition of organ. piano, harmonium, man-dolin, bells; and a separate ensemble of trumpets andtrombones. Sheer size would not complicate mattersmuch if it were only a matter of doubling parts, butMahler's music here is built on multiple, simulta-neous, and rapidly shifting planes of sound, many ofwhich demand not merely balanced audibility, butverbal intelligibility as well. You simply aren't going

to hear everything.There are limitations on both

the performing and the receiv-ing end, but I am also beginningto believe that the work is simplytoo big for stereo as we knowit today. If one microphoneseverything separately to get max-imum intelligibility, one losesthe monumental quality of theperforming group as a whole; ifone microphones for the whole,one loses intelligibility some-where; if one compromises, onehears the compromise. Thereare many small things that getdropped in this new recording,many balances that are strange,many ambiances that are unex-pected. But there is a definitefeeling that, barring exceptionalcircumstances, one would nothear it this well in a concert hall.

FEBRUARY 1967 73

As far as pure performance of the work goes, myprevious standard has been the old Hermann Scherchenrecording (Columbia SL 164), long out of print. Bern -stein's version is considerably slower in most places-broader would really be a better word-and gains con-siderably in impact thereby. The long, purely orchestralopening of the second movement, for example, is takenas a real, sustained Adagio (the score says Poco adagio),and it becomes a kind of monumental thing-in-itself in-stead of merely the introduction to the voices it seemedon Scherchen's recording. And though one might preferone or two of Scherchen's vocal soloists, the fact is thatBernstein's can be consistently heard. They have a cer-tain unfortunate tendency (particularly soprano GwynethJones) to make their own adjustments to the size ofthe music through a simple three -gear dynamic systemof loud, louder, and loudest, exclusively, but even thisbecomes minor in the total view of things.

Bernstein's great achievement here is the feeling heconveys that he has grasped and has control of the workas a whole, something that was at least open to questionwith Scherchen and decidedly not there with eitherFlipse or Abravanel (I don't remember the Stokowskiperformance well enough to say). It is a ticklish mattertrying to define this sort of thing, but, like confidence inwhoever is driving the car or piloting the plane, oneeither feels it or one doesn't. Bernstein has many timesbefore demonstrated that one of his greatest musicaltalents is his ability to assimilate and convey the under-lying gesture of complex music. Never has that giftbeen put to more productive use than here. I urge allthose who have yet to approach this symphony to do sothrough the medium of these records. James Goodfriend

g MAHLER: Symphony No. 8 in E -/tat Major. ErnaSpoorenberg, Gwyneth Jones, Gwenyth Annear (sopranos);Anna Reynolds, Norma Proctor (altos); John Mitchinson(tenor); Vladimir Ruzdjak (baritone); Donald McIntyre( bass); Leeds Festival Chorus; London Symphony Orches-tra Chorus; Orpington Junior Singers; Highgate SchoolBoys' Choir; Finchley Children's Music Group; HansVollenweider (organ); London Symphony Orchestra,Leonard Bernstein cond. COLUMBIA M2S 751 two discs$11.59, M2L 351 $9.59.

TRISTAN UNJ) ISOLJ)E IN ANIN -PERFORMANCE RECORDING

\'ew Deutsche Grammophon release brilliantlysolves "live" recording problems

THE successful preservation of a memorable stageperformance on records is always a cause for re-

joicing. In perpetuating a Bayreuth staging of Wagner's

Tricia!! find Isolde under conductor Karl Bohm,Deutsche Grammophon has not only brought aboutsuch an achievement, but has also surpassed the artisticstandard set by the previous recorded Tristan (LondonOSA 1502, completed in 1960). Although the sameoutstanding Isolde-Birgit Nilsson-adorns both per-formances, she benefits, in the new version, both from astronger group of fellow artists and from a combinationof producers and engineers who are not determined toimprove on the Wagnerian design of vocal -orchestralequilibrium.

Comparison, however, does not favor the new releasein all particulars. The Vienna Philharmonic in theLondon set offers a richer sound (as sheer sound, dis-regarding the matter of proper balances with the sing-ing) and more polish in its ensemble work than doesthe Bayreuth orchestra. Furthermore, compressing theopera onto nine record sides (the tenth side is devotedto a rehearsal excerpt) may account for the fact thatDGG's dynamic range appears somewhat restricted along-side London's splendid, snarling sharpness and enor-mous climaxes.

I also find that London's Georg Solti presents theopera more excitingly than Karl Bohm, whose interpre-tation, though unassailable in its "rightness," is a shadeimpersonal. Where Solti seems to be swept along by themusic's overwhelming passion (an illusion, to be sure,for he is always in firm control), Bohm impresses morewith the firmness, logic, and self-effacing qualities ofhis interpretation. Textural clarity is another point inSolti's favor-an aim more easily achieved under con-trolled studio conditions-but this point counts for lessin Tristan than the sensuousness of orchestral sound,and that is ever present with Bohm.

Birgit Nilsson is much the same superlative Isoldeshe was in 1960 (or in the years between), but thepresent recording reveals more details of her interpre-tation. Her first act Narrative is superb in its concen-trated rage and power, and the high B's in the Cursering out with an elemental force. Her scene with Bran.gane in the opening of Act II is full of expressivetouches, though here Solti seems to have succeeded inbringing out more nuances in her singing. She is farsuperior in the present Liebesnacht-owing to more ef-fective engineering-and her familiar Liebestod offersthe accustomed wealth of sound and perhaps even moretenderness in the closing measures than was heretoforedisplayed. In all, this is a commanding realization.

And, for the first time, it is displayed on behalf ofa Tristan who is vocally worthy of the effort. WolfgangWindgassen is not blessed with a voice of startlingbeauty and, at this stage in his career, his tones are notstrangers to strain. But he is an intelligent and sensitiveartist, very effective in the lyric portions of his music,and knowingly resourceful when the full might of the


WOLFGANG WINDGAs,i \ (Tristan) AND BIRGIT NILSSON (Isolde)Love and death in Bayreuth

orchestra is pitted against him. Thus, while the power-ful music of Act II takes its inevitable toll, the rallyingstrength he displays in "Isolde kommt, Isolde naht"and the succeeding passages of his delirium is re-

markable. We must not forget that this is a live per-formance, a fact that heightens the contribution of thisperhaps not unforgettable but nevertheless noble andheroic Tristan.

In the Brangane of Christa Ludwig and in the KingMarke of Martti Talvela, recorded competition is leftfar behind. Miss Ludwig has been heard in lusher voiceelsewhere; her singing displays occasional breathinessand her "Einsam wachend" is good without being extra-ordinarily so. But the part's high tessitura lies well inher voice, and the strong projection and intensity of hercharacterization keeps dramatic significance in constantfocus. In the firm, rich tones of Martti Talvela thereare no traces of the mushiness and wooliness that areconsidered standard equipment for Wagnerian bassos.This is singing of true cantante quality, a shade toomournful at times, but full of expressiveness and com-passion, the kind that can make something pleasurableof Marke's at times interminable -sounding monologue.

In purely aural terms, the Kurvenal of EberhardWachter is less outstanding, but it is dramatically alive,with a proper blend of rough-hewn and tender quali-ties. Except for the shaky Melot, the supporting rolesare competently done; the male chorus in Act I soundsrough -toned, but how much refinement can be reason-ably expected from a bunch of shorebound Cornwallsailors?

The results achieved by DGG's engineers are gen-erally excellent if unspectacular. The Liebesnacht (themost deplorable miscalculation of the London set) is

soundly balanced, though Brangane, reduced on Londonto virtual inaudibility, here appears to be too close tothe lovers. I don't know the secrets of DGG's recordingalchemy-presumably a generous number of rehearsaltapes were used-but there are no coughs or similarannoying reminders that we are listening to an actualperformance. George fellinek

C) C) WAGNER: Tristan and Isolde. Wolfgang Wind-gassen (tenor), Tristan; Birgit Nilsson (soprano), Isolde;Martti Talvela (bass), King Marke; Eberhard Wachter(baritone), Kurvenal; Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano),Brangane; Claude Heater (tenor), Melot; Peter Schreier(tenor), Sailor; Edwin Wohlfahrt (tenor), Shepherd; GerdNienstedt (baritone), Steersman. Bayreuth Festival Or-chestra and Chrous, Karl Bohm cond. DEUTSCHE GRAM-

MOPHON 139221/5 five discs $28.95, 39221/5* $28.95.

STEVE LAWRENCE: SONGSOF LOVE AND SADNESS

A fully developed musical style, new ideas,and tasteful backing in his best album to date

a fire in the fireplace, pour a glass of somethingstiff, and listen closely to a rarity among modern

record albums: eleven bands on which absolutely noth-ing goes wrong. Steve Lawrence's Broadway hitch inWhat Makes Sammy Run? may not have taught himmuch about acting, but he did learn to respect a decentset of lyrics. I am grateful for this latest potpourri ofbittersweet, sad, lonely -boy -looking -for -lonely -girl tunes,though I have a sneaking suspicion that the title song,The Ballad of the Sad Young Men, is really a lonely -boy -looking -for -lonely -boy tune in disguise. It doesn'tmatter. Steve sings it (and everything else in this newColumbia album) better than it has ever been sung be-fore (Mabel Mercer included).

It seems to me that Steve has developed a whole newfeel for music. The intonation, the range, and the de-livery are still there, but there is also a new soul sidehe's never shown before. His voice sounds tired andcracked on the jaded words and right on top of thenotes on the sunny ones. Listen sharply to HaroldArlen's Gal That Got Away. Steve sings from insidethe lyrics in a way that should send Judy Garland backto theory class. Or the way he runs his finger along theedge of the word "marvelous" on Stephen Sond-heim's With So Little to Be Sure Of (from the great

FEBRUARY 1967 75

neglected score of a defunct Broadway show, Anyone CanWhistle). Uh-huh!

Pat Williams, a young arranger who has designedsome great backing for Chris Connor (among others),has provided Steve with some surging support whichcomplements his special sound like marshmallows inhot chocolate. I'd like to see one of the more famous(and overrated) arrangers like Nelson Riddle spin outas many different musical attitudes without monotony'ssetting in early. Williams' charts seem almost to talkto the songs instead of assault them. Good Times ishard -driving and rough and tasty. Gal That Got Awayputs to good use some unidentified trumpet work (sorryabout that) to sell the idea of a smoky after-hours bar.All told, it is one of the few albums I've ever heard inwhich the backing trembles with a heartbeat all its ownwithout getting in the singer's way on one single band.

If any further proof is needed that the Lawrencevoice is enhanced with new warm and wearable ideas,just listen to what he does with I Want to Be with You(from the Sammy Davis show Golden Boy). Beautiful.Or the way he gives artificial respiration to a victim ofbattle fatigue like Baby Won't You Please Come Home.If you don't have a fireplace, buy the disc anyway andlight the oven. This is Steve's best album to date. Itseems to be spending more time on my turntable thananything else I've heard lately, which, after all, is theonly kind of judgment that matters. Rex Reed

C) C) STEVE LAWRENCE: Steve Lawrence Sings ofLove and Sad Young Men. Steve Lawrence (vocals);orchestra, Joe Guercio cond.; arrangements by Pat Wil-liams. Good Times; The Gal That Got Away; The ThrillIs Gone; When Your Lover Has Gone; I'm a Fool toWant You; and six others. COLUMBIA CS 9340 $4.79,CL 2540 $3.79.

JAZZ,

THE ONE, THE ORIGINAL,THE PERDURABLE ELLINGTON

His latest recording for RCA Victor finds theDuke and his inimitable orchestra in top form

THERE IS no orchestra in jazz like it. There neverhas been. Its leader is also its composer, and he

writes specifically for the men in his orchestra. An inex-haustible melodist, he has also created the most dis-tinctive harmonic language in orchestral jazz, and no onehas ever been able to duplicate his voicings. At sixty-seven, Duke Ellington still roams this country (andmany others) with his colleagues, some of whom havebeen with him for decades. On some nights and at

some recording sessions, the strain of this incessanttraveling and playing shows. But there are other times-as in "The Popular Duke Ellington," his newestalbum for RCA Victor-when the music and the musi-cians are suddenly and stunningly fresh.

For this disc, Ellington has refurbished ten of hismost familiar works (only Twitch, a blues, is new).But despite his previous recordings of them, this albumis an indispensable part of the Ellington canon. Thereason is not only the different perspectives these newarrangements provide on Ellington standards. (Take the"A" Train, for instance, now opens as a waltz and DoNothin' Till You Hear from Me has become a concertofor trombone and orchestra rather than trumpet andorchestra.) The real strength of the album lies in thefact that it was made at one of those times when every-body in the band, including the leader, was "up" for theoccasion. I should also mention that Dave Hassinger'sengineering has caught the textural essences of theEllington style-particularly Duke's piano-more com-pletely and with more natural presence than any otherEllington recording I can recall.

So here again are those magisterial soloists-altosaxophonist Johnny Hodges, trumpeter Cootie Williams,trombonist Lawrence Brown, tenor saxophonist PaulGonsalves, and Duke-rising out of and returning tothe most organically constructed scores in orchestral jazz.In my own case, I must have heard such songs asMood Indigo, Black and Tan Fantasy, SophisticatedLady, and The Mooche hundreds of times in the nearlythirty years since I first stood, stunned and open-mouthed, in front of this orchestra at a dance in Boston.Hearing the orchestra even on one of its ordinary nightsis rejuvenating. But when it is in such joyful commandof its powers as it is on this record, the listener's experi-ence transcends nostalgia and is a seizing reminder thatDuke Ellington is one of the century's most originaland durable composers. His instrument-this extraordi-narily self -regenerating orchestra-will be a legend aslong as jazz is remembered.

Once in a while, musicians and listeners, after astartling evening during which everything went right,lament the absence of recording apparatus and try tohold the music as long as possible in memory. But thiswas one time when such an event actually took place ina studio. Don't miss it. Nat Hentoff

® 8 DUKE ELLINGTON: The Popular Duke Elling-ton. Duke Ellington (piano); Harry Carney, Russell Pro -cope, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves(reeds); Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connor(trombones); Cootie Williams, William "Cat" Anderson,Mercer Ellington, Herbie Jones (trumpets); John Lamb(bass); Sam Woodyard (drums). Perdido; Mood Indigo;Solitude; The Mooche; and seven others. RCA VICTORLSP 3576 $4.79, LPM 3576* $3.79.


You know it by the artists featured.By the quality of the reproduction.By the very sound of the music itself.

You know it's PICKWICK/33.Since you are reading this magazine, we assume that you knowsomething about music. We also assume that you are musically richenough to know the difference between classical records.

Then listen to Pickwick/ 33 at your record store. When you doyou will know that here is everything a great classical recordshould be . . . except expensive.

No more than $2.49 (mono & stereo)

MOUSSORGSKY- RAVEL:Pictures at an Exhibition;RAVEL: Bolero, The RoyalPhilharmonic Orch. EugeneGoosens PC -4031

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77

ClassicommentsAn aspiring young singer, who had long beenan admirer of Kirsten Flagstad, was introducedto the great Wagnerian soprano at a receptionone evening. Visibly impressed, the young ladychatted animatedly with Flagstad and, in thecourse of the conversation, asked, "Tell me,Miss Flagstad, what do you consider the mainrequirement for a long and demanding role likeIsolde?" Flagstad replied without hesitation:"Well, my dear, first you must have acomfortable pair of shoes."

New Recordings forJanuary from RCAVICTOR Red SealDonizettiLUCREZIA BORGIAMontserrat CaballeShirley Verrett ittr!1-Alfredo KrausEzio FlagelloRCA Ito liana OperaOrchestra and ChorusJonel Perlea,Conductor

Caballeas Lucretia

Two great "firsts": Caballe'sfirst complete opera recording,and the premiere of LucreziaBorgia on records. 3-L.P. setcomplete with libretto.*

JULIAN BREAM etLUTE MUSIC "*""

FROM THE ROYALCOURTS OF EUROPE

Julian Bream's eleventh albumfor RCA Victor Red Seal. Play-ing the lute, he performs 26varied dances and airs by eleven16th -century composers.

RUBINSTEINCHOPIN

THE MAZURKASIran.

With these 51 Mazurkas, "theworld's reigning Chopinist"(Time) continues his project ofrecording all of Chopin's majorworks in stereo. 3 L.P.s.*

PETER SERKIN

BARTOK PIANO CONCERTOS NO3.1 & 3

SEIJI OLIVIA IME CHICAGO SYMPHONY

Collaborating with famed Japa-nese conductor Ozawa, PeterSerkin records his first con-certos. Program of early andlate Bartok.*

kntr .n f I I.,

11,,00n 41r,l,stra Fruh I ,ritolort

The first recording of aBruckner work by the BostonSymphony Orchestra. One ofBruckner's most popular com-positions.*

STEPHEN KATES,,,,,SAMUEL SANDERS,....,

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Kates, a 1966 Moscow Tchai-kovsky Competition winner,performs many works he playedat Moscow as well as a newcomposition by Banshikov.*

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Vintage themes from romanticVienna - polkas, marches,quadrilles and overtures -performed with Fiedler's inimi-table polish.*

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AN ALPINE SYMPHONYRUDOLF KEMPE

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Strauss' massive symphony,scored for huge orchestra, andwith unique percussion effects,vividly evokes the atmosphereand majestic sweep of the Alps.*


HIFI ,'/STEREO REVIEW'S CHOICE OF THE LATEST RECORDINGS

CLASSICALReviewed by WILLIAM FLANAGAN DAVID HALL GEORGE JELLINEK IGOR KIPNIS ERIC SALZMAN

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) f BACH: Cantata, "Jean, der du Intim,Seele" (BWV 78); Cantata, "Gottes Zeitist die allerbeste Zeit" ("Accts Tragicus,"BWV 106). Edith Mathis (soprano) ; SybilMichelow (alto) ; Theo Altmeyer (tenor) ;Franz Crass (bass) ; South German MadrigalChoir; Consortium Musicum, WolfgangGiinnenwein cond. ANGEL S 36354 $5.79,36354* $4.79.

Performance: OutstandingRecording: RichStereo Quality: Judicious

This recording offers so many felicities forthe mind and the ear that it would takepages merely to catalog them. The two can-tatas are among Bach's finest: No. 78, com-posed in Leipzig in 1724, is a work of hismaturity; No. 106, a funeral cantata of un-

1707 and 1711), is anearlier work but not a lesser one. For me, in-deed, the most affecting moments on the discoccur in No. 106.

Wolfgang Gonnenwein has obviously tak-en pains here to make his instrumental en-sembles both attractive and stylistically fit-ting. Recorders and gambas are employed inNo. 106; in No. 78, the strings are kept to afew, so that the winds and the basso continuoare not drowned by them. Finally, Gtinnen-wein adds a lute to the continuo instruments;its gentle voice is not always heard, but whenit is, the effect is lovely.

There is another fine stereo recording ofthe Cantata No. 78, Karl Richter's for theDeutsche Grammophon Archive series (ARC73197). In the choral passages, Richter's dy-namics, shaping of phrases, and balancingof the parts are superior to GOnnenwein's.Here, too, the generally fine recorded soundserves Gtinnenwein ill: it is a bit diffuse inthe choral passages, and the voices some-times blanket the instruments. Richter hasone further advantage: his organist's de-lightfully imaginative realization of the ex-posed portions of the organ continuo in thesoprano -alto duet "Irir ellen mit schwachen,loch emsigen Schritten." But in all else thisnew performance excels. I prefer Gonnen-\vein's choice of tempos and his admirablydramatic handling of the recitatives. Andhis soloists are above reproach: Edith Mathisand Sybil Michelow execute their taxing

Explanation of symbols:C) = stereophonic recordingQQ = monophonic recording

* = mono or stereo versionnot received for review

lines in "IVir ellen" with spine -tinglingfleetness and finesse; Theo Altmeyer andFranz Crass use their powerful and fresh -sounding voices with intelligence and ap-propriate feeling.

The performance of Cantata No. 106comes within an ace of perfection. The soundof the ensemble of recorders, Mole da gamba,and lute contributes its special and stylishbeauty throughout, and the fine chorus' in-dependent lines come through with moredefinition here than on the reverse side. Thegreat choral -solo movement which followsthe opening sinfonia is beautifully sustained:its several tempo changes are artfully judged

WOI.FGANG GoNNENWEINLeads a superbly stylish Bach recording

so that the sense of the whole is not sacrificedto contrasts between the parts. Again, thevocal soloists are superb: in the duet "Indeine Hande- for alto and bass, both arefine, but Franz Crass' stunning high-tessiturasinging and the ecstatic feeling he impartsto the words "Heme wirst du mit mir inParodies" ("Today you shall be with me inParadise") simply must be singled out.

Angel has exercised wisdom and taste inthe packaging of this disc-wisdom in print-ing the full texts of the cantatas, and taste inillustrating the cover with an agonizinglybeautiful p.tinting of the Crucifixion by Ma-thias Griinewald. Given the information thatthis is the first disc of a series, subsequentreleases cannot reach these shores too soonfor me. Robert S. Clark

BARTOK: Piano Concerto No. I (seeSTRAVINSKY)

C) C) BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No.26,in E -fiat, Op. 81a ("Les Adieux"). MO-ZART: Piano Sonata in C Major (K. 330).Van Cliburn (piano). RCA VICTOR LSC2931 $5.79, LM 2931* $4.79.

Performance: Sensitively lyricalRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Good

Beethoven's Op. 81a is a bit of a poser forthose who lean toward stylistic consistencythroughout a given artistic entity, for thoughthe first two movements, evocative of fare-well and of the melancholy that comes withthe absence of a cherished one, are abundantin romantic expression, the finale's joyous-ness (the "return") harks backward to Mo-zartian pearl -like coruscation and forwardto Lisztian bravura fireworks. The MozartK. 330 Sonata offers corresponding contrasts,notably in terms of the slow movement ver-sus the end movements.

It is in the expressive elements of thismusic that Cliburn excels, for he has thegift of being able to set forth the communi-cative essence of a songlike phrase so thatform and content reinforce rather than diluteone another. So it is with the first two move-ments of the Beethoven and the Mozart slowmovement here. Rubinstein goes Cliburn onebetter in the virtuosic brio implicit through.out the Beethoven finale, and I find Cliburn'sMozart end movements a bit stiff -collaredchoirboyish, even bearing in mind the Parisorigins of the music.

The RCA recording is excellent, and aswith so much of Van Cliburn's work on rec-ords to date, this disc leaN es us w th the hopefor more and better. D. H.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITQs ® BEETHOVEN: Trio No. 6, in B -/tat,Op. 97 ("Archduke"). Suk Trio. CROSS-ROADS 22 16 0022 $2.49, 22 16 0021 $2.49.

Performance: Generally excellentRecording:A bit over -reverberantStereo Quality: Good

This is the only single disc of the Beethoven"Archduke" Trio available in the budget -price bracket, and it stands up well to thefull -price competition, both in interpretationand sonics. Those seeking the intensity ofIstomin-Stern-Rose (Columbia) or the un-trammeled flow of Rubinstein-Heifetz-Feuer-mann (RCA Victor) will not find such here,but this version has its points, particularly interms of telling emphasis of nuance and in-strumental dialogue. I am particularly im-pressed by the cellist, one Josef Chuchro.

The recorded sound is excellent in pres-ence and localization of the individual play -

FEBRUARY 1967 79

Thedefinitive

D'OYLY

CARTEGilbert &Sullivanrecordings

c4,0aigOT°

THE MIKADOStereo OSA-1201 Mono A-4231

THE PIRATESOF PENZANCE

Stereo OSA-1202 Mono A-4230

H.M.S. PINAFOREStereo OSA-1209 Mono A-4234

IOLANTHEStereo OSA-1215 Mono A-4242

PATIENCEStereo OSA 1217 Mono A-4246

RUDDIGOREStereo OSA-1248 Mono A-4248

THE YEOMENOF THE GUARD


PRINCESS IDAStereo OSA-1262 Mono A-4262

TRIAL BY JURYStereo OSA-1155 Mono A-4155

THE GONDOLIERSCOX AND BOX


THE SORCERERMono A-4215

ers, but the long decay period evident atsharp chord cut-offs and at the ends of move-ments becomes a bit disconcerting at times.Still, this disc is a splendid buy at the price.

D. H.

C) C) DAVID: String Quartet. SZABO:String Trio. Tatrai Quartet. MIHALY:Song Cycle. Judit Sandor (soprano), LorandSziics (piano). QUAL1T0N SLPX 1227 $5.98,LPX 1227 $5.98.

Performance: Very Hungarian, very goodRecording: Excellent East European soundStereo Quality: Good chamber resonance

What ever happened to Hungarian music?Since the palmy days of Bartok and Kodaly-in-his-prime, Hungarian musicians have con-tinued to occupy major roles in the world'smusical life-one hates to think what thecurrent state of conducting would be withoutthe Hungarians-but Hungary's potentialfor new musical ideas seems to have beenburned up in a single brief, brilliant glow.

The best-known of this post-Bartok trio isprobably Gyula David. His String Quartethere, written for the eightieth birthday ofZoltan Kodaly (David, like every otherHungarian musician, studied with Kodaly),is a very clean and forthright example of abig, serious, dissonant work, full of musicalmetaphors and meaningful gestures, all of ittinged with just the right amounts of (a)Hungarianisms, (b) dissonance, and (c)dodecaphony. David is a little motive -happy-one gets tired of having that pregnantmotto -cell tossed at ones ears at every turneven if one does appreciate the structuralsentiment. Otherwise the quartet is a verypleasing, reasonably vital, and even, occasion-ally, mildly original work.

The most curious case here is that ofFerenc Szabo. Unless I've got the wrongman, this is the Franz Szabo who was knownas a "modernist" in the Twenties, went tothe Soviet Union for political reasons in theThirties, and came back to Hungary onlyafter World War II. His early String Trio is,in its way, a work of considerable individ-uality, full of Hungarianisms, rather hardand dissonant, related to Bartok but notreally deeply in Bartok's debt. Nowadays ithardly seems so far out, but it is surprisinglyundated. On the basis of this one piece, onewould say that Szabo was a very talentedyoung man.

The songs of Andras Mihaly, set to poemsby Attila 36zsef, have all the charm of Hun-garian declamation set in a Bartokian har-monic frame; Bluebeard's Castle comes tomind immediately.

The performances of all three works areclean, vigorous, and full of life. The record-ing-mono and stereo-is close-up but hasmore quality ( in terms of resonance andwarmth) than has often been the case withQualiton. E. S.

DEBUSSY: Sonata for Violin and Pianoin G Minor (see FRANCK)

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) C) DONIZETTI: Lucrezia Borgia.Montserrat Caballe (soprano), Lucrezia Bor-gia; Ezio Flagello (bass), Don Alfonso;Alfredo Kraus (tenor), German); ShirleyVerrett (mezzo-soprano), Malilo Orsini;Giuseppe Baratti (tenor), Rustigheilo; Rob-ert El Hage (bass), Astolfo; Franco Ricci-

ardi (tenor), Liverotto; Franco Pugliese(bass). Gazella; Ferruccio Mazzoli (bass),Petrucci; Fernando Iacopucci (tenor), Vi-tellozzo; Vito Maria Brunetti (bass), Gu-betta; others. RCA Italiana Opera Orchestraand Chorus, Jonel Perlea cond. RCA VIcrottLSC11.376.176 three discs $17.37, LM 6176*

Performance: First-classRecording: Very goodStereo Quality: Very good

For about fifty years following its creation(1833), Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia re-mained firmly established in the internation-al repertoire-a fact hard to reconcile withits subsequent neglect and, particularly, withits American "career" (one performance bythe Metropolitan in 19040. A New Yorkconcert performance in April 1965 intro -

Gam)

Next month in

11111/Siereo l'ke\iew

Eighth AnnualTAPE RECORDER ISSUE

What to Look for WhenBuying a Tape Recorder

Tape Cartridge Machinesfor the Home

The New Thing: TapeReversal and Repeat

6.-14NO

duced the Spanish soprano Montserrat Ca -

bane to American audiences, causing theopera's immediate return to currency and,eventually, leading to this, its first completerecording.

Of course, some of the excerpts fromLucrezia Borgia have long been recordedfavorites, particularly the celebrated drink-ing song "// segreto per ester feud,- immor-talized in spectacular renditions by ErnestineSchumann-Heink and Sigrid Onegin. It is apleasure to report that the totality of theopera fulfills expectations aroused by theseisolated excerpts. Donizetti's melodic inven-tion is at its richest here, and if his tunes arenot always wholly appropriate to the dra-matic situations, their delicacy (or power,when required) and irresistible animationare undeniable. Not much can be said for theopera's dramatic validity, however. Despitethe more -or -less historical background, thesituations are stock -operatic, and despite thelibrettist's effort to probe into the humanside of the notorious Lucrezia, what plain-ly emerges is a role for a dramatic sopranowho is given a great deal of pretty andshowy music to sing.

And that Caballe does with a steady flow(Continued on page R2)

SO CIRCLE NO. 18 ON READER SERVICE CARD -0

Mahler Didn't Approve.

-,'111. It vas too sensational,thought Mahler.He was referring to the

subtitle, "Symphony of aThousand,'' attached to his

`8th Symphony by Mahler'simpresario, Emil Gutmann.

Worried about the manyproblems in presenting this

gigantically conceived vocal symphony,Mahler was afraid the premiere would

turn into a"Barnum and Bailev"exhibition."Symphony cf a Thousand" was

a triumphant succesE. First performedon Septrnber 12, 1910, in a hell specially

built for the occasion, it was thelast composition of his own that

Mahler himself was ever to conduct. The 8thSymphony was-and is-regarded

as a monumental achievement.And the Cclumbia Masterwork;

recording is ecually so.It is another addition to Leonard Bernstein's

acclaimed catalog of Mahler readings, touted theworld over for their excellence and beauty.

The performance is sensational.THE SOUND OF GENIUS ON COLUMBIA RECORDS ,1

..

Hi 14I/ Stereo Review.=_

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and TapeService

Have you been having a littledifficulty obtaining some of therecords and tapes reviewed in thisissue? HIFI/STEREo REVIEW Rec-ord and Tape Service to the res-cue! Not a record club - no dis-counts, no special deals.We're heresimply as a service to those of ourfaithful music -loving readers whoare about to give up the search for"hard -to -get" records and tapes.If you want help in your musicaldilemma, all you need do is com-plete the coupon below and mailit in with your remittance. We'll

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of golden tone and dulcet phrasing. She isnot a very emotional singer, but awarenessand commitment are never absent in herwork. Her arias come off best, with an im-pressive display of coloratura technique.When the part makes strong dramatic de-mands on her essentially lyric spinto voice(most noticeably in the tense confrontationwith her husband, the villainous Duke ofFerrara), it finds her somewhat wanting intonal weight. And though her singing is al-ways pleasurable, there are passing imper-fections in intonation, caused by her habitof sliding into notes without fully settlinginto firm focus vocally.

The opera's casting is all strength. Therich voice of Ezio Flagello brings sinisterpresence to the Duke's music, and AlfredoKraus sings the part of young Gennaro (theillegitimate son of Lucrezia Borgia and theunintended victim of his mother's macabrehospitality) with ingratiating tone and style.Compensating for a certain lack of the bra-vura style demanded by her music, ShirleyVerrett displays a limpid tone, solid musi-cianship, and aristocratic phrasing. Thereare no less than seven interesting support-ing roles, all in topnotch hands.

Jonel Perlea, who also conducted the 1965concert performance, gives the score the fullmeasure of its lyricism if not all its powerand excitement. Lucrezia's first aria, in par-ticular, lacks the sweep and urgency it haspossessed in certain past interpretations.The performance is virtually complete; mi-nor condensations in repetitious passages(such as Lucrezia's cabaletta "Si roll itprimo a cogliere") are not at all unwelcome,though there is an awkward and unaccount-able four -measure cut in the orchestral intro-duction to Lucrezia's first aria. To keepthings in true perspective, however, thesereservations are minor, and the achievementis very substantial: a rarely heard and effec-tive opera has been added to the record cata-log in a manner that will bring a tunefulfeast to be! canto fanciers. G. J.

C) FALLA: Concerto for Harpsichordand Five Instruments; Pour le tombeaude Paul Draws; Homenaje: Le Tombeaude Claude Debussy: Serenata Andaluza:Pieces espagnoles; Fantasia baetica. Jean -

Charles Richard (piano and harpsichord) ;Valois Instrumental Ensemble, Charles Ra-vier cond. NONESUCH H 71135 $2.50, H1135* 52.50.

Performance: FairRecording: Room -sizeStereo Quality: Close

This record contains what amounts to themajor keyboard works of Falla, and itcovers a period of thirty-five years in thecreative life of one of the more interestingfigures of twentieth-century music. Fallastarted out as a regionalist in the line ofPedrell and Albeniz; then he underwentthe influence of, first, Debussy and Ravel,and afterwards Stravinsky; yet, throughoutthis evolution, there is nearly always some-thing personal and striking in his work.The Pieces espagnoles of 1907 are the firstmature works, though still ultra -Spanish.The Fantasia baetica, written in 1919 andpoised between the old Spanish mode andthe new modern means of expression, is abig work of folklore and individual char-acter somewhat analogous to certain pieces

(Continued on page RR)

S 2 CIRCLE N.J. 55 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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$10900

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Eagerly Seeks Stations Far And Near! Features 25 transistor, 9 diodecircuit for pure, natural "transistor sound", heat -free operation; auto-matic switching to stereo; automatic stereo indicator light; automaticgain control for even, steady volume under all conditions; separateAM & FM tuning meters, lighted slide -rule dial and heavy flywheelsfor pin -pointing stations; filtered stereo outputs; plus preassembled"front-end" and 4 -stage FM I.F. section. Install in a wall, customcabinet, or optional Heath factory -assembled walnut ($12.95) or tanvinsI covered metal ($6.95) cabinets. I5 lbs.

Matching 100 -Watt Stereo Amplifier

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$13100

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Handles Any Program Source, Drives Any Speaker! Features 26 tran-sistor, 10 diode circuit for smooth, uncompromising power . . . 13 to25,000 Hz, ± 1 &a at 100 watts IHF music power, 70 watts RMS; in-puts and outputs for any program source; 4, 8 & 16 ohm speaker taps;complete controls all on the front panel for full command of anyfunction; preassembled, epoxy -covered encapsulated modules for fast,easy kit assembly; transformerless output circuit and multiple feedbackloops to assure finest fidelity, low distortion and minimum phase shift.Install in a wall, custom cabinet, or optional Heath assembled walnut(512.95) or tan \ metal ($6.95) cabinet,. 23 lbs.

FM Stereo Tuner ...Lowest Cost Transistor Stereo "Separates"

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Kit AJ 14

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Our Easiest To Build Stereo/Hi-Fi Kit! Features 14 transistor, 5 diodecircuit for cool, instant operation, transparent transistor sound. Phasecontrol assures best stereo performance. 3 transistor preassembled &aligned "front-end" plus 4 -stage IF section. Filtered stereo outputs fordirect recording. Automatic stereo indicator light. Measures just 93/4" Dx 2N" H x 113/4" W. Install in a wall or either Heath cabinets (walnut$7.95, beige metal $3.50). 6 lbs.

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Performs Like It Costs Twice As Much! Boasts 17 transistor, 6 diodecircuit and 20 watts RMS, 30 watts IHF music power at +I db, 15 to50,000 Hz. No audio transformers ... assures minimum phase shift,extended response, lowest distortion. Solid-state power supply withelectronic filter. Accommodates phono, tuner, auxiliary . . . 4, 8 & 16.ohm speakers. Lighted panel. Measures only 93A" D x 2N" H x 113/4' W.Install in a wall, or Heath cabinets (walnut $7.95, metal $3.50). 10 lbs.

Enjoy Hi-Fi FM AnywhereWith This Deluxe 10 -Band

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$15995

10 bands tune Longwave, Standard Broadcast, FM and 2-22.5 MHzshortwave. FM tuner and IF strip are same components used in deluxeHeathkit Hi-Fi equipment. 16 transistors, 6 diodes and 44 factoryassembled and pretuned circuits for cool, rock -steady performance.Separate AM & FM tuners and IF strips. 2 built-in antennas. Batterysaver switch cuts current drain up to 35%. Rotating tuning dial. Diallight. 4 simple controls for tuning, volume, tone, AFC and bandswitching. 4" x 6" PM speaker. Earphone and built-in jack. Optional117 v. AC converter/charger available et $6.95. Plays anywhere on 7flashlight batteries. Man size: 131/2" W x 51/2" D x 1036" H. 19 lbs.

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/Magnecord 1020 Professional 4 -TrackStereo Tape Recorder Kit ... Save $170

Assembles Easily In Around 25 Hours . . and you enjoy the $170savings. Features all solid-state circuitry; 4 -track stereo or monoplayback and record at 71/2 & 33/4 ips; sound -on -sound, sound -with -sound and echo capabilities; 3 separate motors; solenoid operation;die-cast top-plate,flywheel and capstan shaft housing; all push-button controls; automatic shut-off at end of reel; two VU meters;digital counter with push button zero reset; stereo microphone in-puts and headphone outputs ... front panel mounted for easy access;individual gain controls for each channel; vertical or horizontaloperation, plus a host of other professional features. Requires speak-ers and amplifier for playback. 45 lbs. Optional walnut base $19.95,adapter ring for custom or cabinet installation $4.75

66 -Watt Solid -State AM /FM /FM Stereo Receiver

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Just Add 2 Speakers For A Complete Stereo System.Boasts AM, FM and FM stereo tuning; 46 transistor, 17diode circuit for cool, instant operation and naturaltransistor sound; 66 watts IHF music power (40 wattsRMS) at ± 1 db from 15 to 30,000 Hz; automatic switch-ing to stereo; preassembled & aligned "front-end" &AM -FM IF strip; walnut cabinet. 35 lbs.

Kit AR -13A

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30 -Watt Solid -State FM FM Stereo Receiver

World's Best Buy In Stereo Receivers. Features 31 tran-sistors. 10 diodes for cool, natural transistor sound; 20watts RMS, 30 watts IHF music power @, ± I db, 15 to50,000 Hz; wideband FM/FM stereo tuner; plus two pre-amplifiers; front panel stereo headphone jack; compact3 7k" H x 151/2" W x 12" D size. Custom mount it in a wall, (lesscabinet)or either Heath cabinets (walnut $9.95, beige metal$3.95). 16 lbs.

Kit AR -14

NEW! Deluxe Solid -State FM /FM Stereo Table Radio

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Tuner and IF section same as used in deluxe Heathkit transistor stereocomponents. Other features include automatic switching to stereo;fixed AFC; adjustable phase for best stereo; two 51/2" PM speakers;clutched volume control for individual channel adjustment; compact19" W x 61/2" D x 91/2" H size; preassembled, prealigned "front-end";walnut cabinet; simple 10 -hour assembly. 24 lbs.

HEATHKIr 1967 FREEWorld's LargestElectronic Kit

Catalog!108 pages ... many in fullcolor ... describe these andover 250 easy -to -buildHeathkits for color TV,stereo/hi-fi. guitars andamplifiers, CB, ham, ma-rine, shortwave, test, ed-ucational, home and hobbyitems, Mail coupon.

r -

NEW! Compact 2 -Way 2 Speaker System With AcousticSuspension

Design

Kit AS -16

$4995

Handles 10 to 25 watts of program material. Features wide 45 to 20,000Hz response; 8" acoustic suspension woofer with 6.8 oz. magnet; 31/2"tweeter with 4.8 oz. magnet; high frequency level control; 8 ohm im-pedance; 1500 Hz crossover frequency; assembled walnut veneer cabinethas scratch -proof clear vinyl covering for easy cleaning. Measures10" H x 19" W x 81/2" D. Speakers are already mounted; just wire thecrossover and connect cables - complete in one or two hours! 17 lbs.

HEATH COMPANY, Dept. 40-2

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1

FEBRUARY 1967 CIRCLE NO. 40 ON READER SERVICE CARD87

The "living end".for pro qualityhome recordingsSonotone full fidelity microphonesWondering why your home recorded tapes sounddead, ack professional quality? Stop guessing.

That accommodation mike given with your taperecordier just ist't in tie same league with yourrecorder's pick-uD capabilities.

For results you'll be proud oF, plug a full fidelitySonotone microphone irto yeti:. tape recorder. Theimprovement wil_ delight you!

Sonotone mic-ophone3 capture all the r_chnessand vibrancy o' 'living" sound . . consequently,you take full aivantage of your tape recorder'soutput capabilities.

For fine dynamic, as well as ceramic microphones... ask for a Sonctone :rite. At your hi-fi dealer.Or wr_te to

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of Bart6k. Its neglect today is hard to ex-plain. The Concerto is, along with Elrelablo de Maese Pedro, his masterpiece.easily the biggest thirteen -minute sextet inthe business. It is very Stravinskyian. ofcourse, but it constitutes much more thanan homage. The sound of the harpsichordis integrated into the conception of thepiece in a meaningful and expressive way,not merely in the jingly outer sections, butin the long, impressive, original, slow move-ment. The Paul Dukas memorial of 1935deserves mention for its stark beauty.

Jean -Charles Richard, a name unknownto me before, is the kind of pianist whodoes not take gracefully to the harpsi-chord. The instrument sounds big andugly, although the general shape of theperformance is not unreasonable. The pi-ano playing is not really inspired, either,but it at least has an elegance of sound.The recording, though, is close and ratherdull. E. S.

RECORDINGS OF SPECIAL MERIT

® Qs_t) FRANCK: Sonata for Violin andPiano, in A Major. DEBUSSY: Sonata forViolin and Piano, in G Minor. Erick Fried-man (violin), Andre Previn (piano). RCAVICTOR LSC 2907 $5.79, LM 2907* $4.79.

Performance: Clean and expressiveRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: Excellent

0 0 FRANCK: Sonata for Violin andPiano. in A Major. RAVEL: Sonata forViolin and Piano. SCHUBERT: Sonatina,in D Major, Op. 137, No. 1. Peter Komi&(violin), Gyiirgy Miklos (piano). QuAu-TON SLPX 1226 $5.98, LPX 1226* $5.98.

Performance: ClassyRecording: OkayStereo Quality: Fair

Writing as a listener who has always takenrather a dim view of the -classical- pianismof Hollywood's Wundetkind Andre Previn,the big news of this release for me is thereally remarkable new maturity that hebrings to his work in both of the sonatason the RCA disc. In the past, his playing hasseemed, for the most part, only to scratch thetechnical surface of the music he has under-taken to record. And while he plays the De-bussy most beautifully-it is obviously themore congenial to his temperament-he getsunder the skin of the Franck sonata in a quiteunexpectedly authoritative way.

Violinist Friedman is no slouch on thisissue either. His playing is clean, highly ex-pressive, and perhaps a shade too much onthe rich side, but highly effective nonethe-less. If I have any real complaint with hiswork here it is that he tends-mind you, I

say only tends-to play both the Franck andDebussy rather as if they were by the samecomposer. There is perhaps a problem (ad-mittedly minimal) of stylistic differentia-tion here. Victor's recorded sound and stereotreatment are of absolutely the first order.

The Hungarian musicians do awfully nicethings with their three works. The FranckSonata is nicely understated by violinist Pe-ter Komleis-in contradistinction to ErickFriedman's perhaps over -rhapsodic playingof the piece-and both the violinist and hispianist, Gyorgy Miklos, derive a wonderfullyclean lyric line and a full measure of French

(Continued on page 90)CIRCLE NO. 76 ON MEADER SERVICE CARD


The new age of Angel

Already, she may be the finest in the world.Jacqueline Du Pre won the Suggia InternationalCello Award when she was 11 years old. At 16, sheperformed at Wigmore Hall in London and becamea celebrity overnight.When she was 20, the New York Herald Tribunesaid of her: "One must look to Casals in his heydayor to so singular an artist as Rostropovitch for.ade-quate comparisons.-

line Now, she is making her second United StatesJacque tour in February and March. If you can't attendA one of her concerts, try these three Angel record -

Du Pre ings. You'll understand why, at 22, she is a charterl member in the new age of Angel.

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wit from the pages of the Ravel Violin Sona-ta. Furthermore, neither of them tries to turnthe Schubert sonatina into a sonata-as somany performers are wont to do. Best andmost impressive of all, the team approachesthe Franck and Ravel sonatas with a morecharacteristically French stylistic understand-ing than you will hear from many a French-man, even as they are very obviously awarethat Schubert was a Viennese.

The recorded sound will win no prizes,but its shortcomings are no crippling det-riment to an unusually elegantly played re-corded recital. If". F.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT0 g HAYDN: Six Quartets ("Erdody"),Op. 76. Tatrai Quartet. QUALITON SLPX1205/6/7 three discs $17.94, LPX 1205/6/7* $17.94.

Performance Very worthwhileRecording ExcellentStereo Quality Superior

The Tatrai Quartet adopts a slightly moreold-fashioned approach to Haydn than oneis apt to hear from the more recent, youngerstring quartets of this country. The playing isnot in the least slick, and the members ofthe group dig into the scores with an almostRomantic abandon, although temperamental-ly they are a far cry from the personalizedinterpretations of the Pro Arte Quartet ofthe Thirties. As a set of the splendid Op. 76(which contains two -name" quartets. the"Quinten" and the "Emperor"), this is a

most enjoyable performance, as well as thesole stereo version. andcommunicativeness are among the attributesof this performing group, and although theyare not always deadly accurate in intonation(the first violin, in particular), the espritand frequent displays of brilliance in theexecution more than make up for minorslips. The recording is particularly effectivein conseying the feeling of four separateplayers performing as a unit. 1. K.

0 g HAYDN: The Seasons. Teresa Stich -Randall (soprano) ; Helmut Kretschmar(tenor) ; Erich Wenk (bass) ; HamburgNorth German Radio Chorus and Orchestra,Walter Goehr cond. NONESUCH HC 73009three discs $7.50, HC 3009* $7.50.

Performance: Affectionately lyricalRecording: FairStereo Quality: Fair

This is the first stereo version of Haydn'slovely -pastoral- oratorio since the heavilyarranged Beecham recording of 1959, re-leased by Capitol and since deleted. The factthat conductor Walter Goehr died in 1960would indicate that the Nonesuch tapes areof the same vintage.

In The Seasons, Haydn took the somewhatmoralizing text of the musical Viennese dip-lomat Baron van Swieten and composed mu-sic that stands as an entrancing tribute to thecountry life he had known from boyhood tothe years when he retired from musical ser-vice at Esterhaza. Indeed, Beethoven's "Pas-toral- Symphony might well have been animpossibility without this Haydn score as aprecedent.

At the price, this recorded performanceof The Seasons is a good value, showing tobest advantage ill the lyrical episodes. The

(Continued on page 92)CIRCLE NO. 71 ON READER SERVICE CARD -)11,.

HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

Continuously VariableTracking -Balance ControlThe first accurate and completely reliableanswer to the problem of skating . . . andthe simplest to apply. You simply dial anumber, just as you dial stylus force. Thisapplies a precisely calibrated counterforceto skating . .. around the tonearm pivot andparallel to the skating force, but in exactlythe opposite direction. The result: equaltracking force on each wall of the stereogroove. The effect: elimination of distortionfrom unbalanced tracking (skating) at theprogram source itself.

Feathertouch Cue -ControlWhenever ycu want to start manually at anypoint of the record, just flick the feathertouchCue -Control. The tonearm will float downfar more slowly (3/16" per second) andmore smoothly than ever possible by hand.And you can also use the ultra gentleCue -Control descent when startingautomatically. Of course, you can also useCue -Control to interrupt play and thenresume from where you left off.

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Exclusive precision features like thesemake Dual first choice of leading audio critics.

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hunting chorus, among the more dramaticpages, sounds a bit sluggish to my ears whenheard against the 1953 DGG recording bythe late Ferenc Fricsay. The soloists singwith feeling and style, though Stich -Randalldoes suffer from a touch of wobble on herhigh notes. The recorded sound is adequateby today's standards, but no more than that.Stereo spread and localization are evident,but not as vivid as that encountered on themost recent recordings. It should be notedthat the Hanne-Simon-Lukas trio from Au-tumn with its preceding recitative is omittedin this recording, as is Hannes cavatina"Licht und Leber" from Winter.

Thus we have a reasonably priced stopgapstereo version of The Seasons to hand. I hopethat Angel or Seraphim will give us GermanOdeon's relatively recent Bavarian State Op-era recording with Edith Mathis, NicolaiGedda, and Franz Crass as the soloists. D. H.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT

® m HINDEMITH: Sonata for Viola andPiano, Op. 11, No. 4; Sonata for ViolaUnaccompanied, Op. 25, No. 1. HaroldColetta (viola), Robert Guralnik (piano).MACE MCS 9075 $2.49, MCM 9075* $2.49.

Performance: ExpertRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Good

This is the young Hindemith. The Op 11Sonata and the Sonata for Viola Unaccom-panied were both composed in 1922, whenthe composer was about twenty-seven. Littleof the "Hindemith sound" is present here,but both works have a winning spontaneity,an easygoing, fresh lyricism and daubs ofremarkably sassy, un-German humor. Bothpieces, moreover, are clearly the work ofa young master craftsman. The modernistprecocity had, to be sure, not yet set in, butneither had the academic codification of itthat was to follow and prevail to the com-poser's dying day.

The performances are neat and musician-ly, and Mace's recorded sound and stereo aregood. The disc, at $2.49, is a nice buy. II". F.


0 g KUPFERMAN: Chamber Sympho-ny (1950); Divertimento for Orchestra(1948); Variations for Piano (1948). Pris-ma Chamber Players and Stuttgart Philhar-monia, Harold Farberman conductor; Mor-ton Estrin, pianist. SERENUS SRS 12017$4.98, SRE 1017 53.98.

Performances: Pianist excellent;orchestras fair

Recording. Studio soundStereo Quality: Unremarkable

This is the third in a series of records de-voted to the music of Meyer Kupferman.Kupferman was one of the first of the young-er Americans to pick up the use of serialtechniques right after the war-and to applythem with a certain independence and origi-nality. Unfortunately, Kupferman ( unlike hisEuropean contemporaries and even more sothan some of his American colleagues) hasbeen forced to work outside of the maincurrents of American musical and intellec-tual life, out of the mainstream to whichhe probably really ought to belong. Com-posers, un!ike painters, generally do not workwell in isolation. The public, however,

through massive lack of interest, has man-aged to shut out most new music and isolateits creators. Hence the necessity for and theinevitability of special groups and interestsin American music; for example, the needto put out Kupferman's music through spe-cial projects like the one at hand.

The most important work and the one oflargest scope on this record is the ChamberSymphony, a difficult and rather remarkableand individual conception for three of itsmovements but one that falls flat on its facein a hop -scotch finale. The Divertimento,more vaguely twelve-tone, is, within its ratherfat and expressive dissonant harmonic vo-cabulary, something of a descendant of theinternational chamber -orchestra style of theTwenties and Thirties; nevertheless, it hasgenuine ideas and all of them very wellmanaged. Again there are last -movementproblems, but they are not nearly so serioushere; in any case, they do not begin to ex-

MEYER KtiPFERMANOriginality, expressirity, accessibility

plain why, in the supposed absence of decentAmerican orchestral repertoire (that's thecomplaint of all the conductors), an originaland relatively accessible work like this is sototally neglected. The Piano Variations, sit-ting as they do behind two rather weightyorchestral pieces, ought not to be over-looked. They have the austerity and detached,disturbing c'arity and angular thrust of theearlier movements of the Chamber Symphony;in some ways, they are the most intense andbest realized music of the three. They de-pend, it is true, on Schoenberg; but thatdependency is not so heavy as to outweighvery real qualities of coherence, profile, and-to my ear-an attractive and meaningfulpiano poetry. I think the piece deserves avery honorable place in the by now ratherconsiderable repertoire of notable Americanpiano works.

Estrin is the first-class pianist here. TheStuttgart and Danish orchestras are onlymoderately effective, although Farberman isa very capable leader. All three recordingshave a dry and studio-ish sonic atmosphere.

E. S.

MAHLER: Symphony No. 8 (see Best ofthe Month, page 73)

HIFI/STEREO REVIEWCIRCLE NO. 28 ON READER SERVICE CARD

92

C) C) MAYUZUMI: The Bible. Unidenti-fied orchestra and chorus. TWVNTIETII CEN-TURY Fox S 4184 S4.79, 4181 53.79.

Performance: SloppyRecording: HokeyStereo Quality: Cinemascope

Toshiro Mayuzumi used to be one of themost talented and original of the youngergeneration of Japanese composers. That is,or was, no back -handed compliment; Jap-anese new music is among the most excep-tional anywhere, and Mayuzumi was oneof its most promising talents.

Maybe he still is but you wouldn'tknow it from The Bible. This is the sound-track-well, sort of-from the Dino Lie

Laurentiis-John Huston scriptural extrava-ganza, and, on the evidence of the score,I would agree with many contemporarythinkers that God is Dead. So also areAbel, my ear drums, Noah's friends andneighbors, and most of may neighbors (notto mention good taste).

The principal intellectual notion thatseems to be operative in this pretentioustwaddle is Chaos; the Creativity part is

left strictly to the Almighty. The nadiris the "Theme from the Bible"-neo-Al-tred Newman and badly bungled at that.(With that tune ringing down through theinter -galactic void, it's a wonder that anyCreation of any kind took place at all,and the Heavenly Mansions sound sus-piciously like Tara.)

John Huston provides a few of theworst moments himself, or, at least, histape editor does it for him by bumblinglypatching in Huston's voice in one seriesof spot announcements- -Jehovah himselfdictating Creation to the sounds of Alayu-zumi's fade-in, fade-out neo-primordialslither.

Even for what it is, the music is badlyperformed, poorly recorded, and blottoedby a veritable orgy of editing and dialdiddling.

Stravinsky tells the story of a Holly-wood producer who offered him 5100,000to do a film score and when he-Stravinsky-turned it down, offered him the samemoney to let someone else do the scorein his name. Stravinsky was in fact ap-proached on the score of The Bible, butwhether this was the aforementioned film isnot certain. Maybe in the end they justused Mr. Mayuzumi's name, and the scoreis really by Muir Mathieson. L.S.

C) C) MESSIAEN: La Natirite du Seig-neur. Simon Preston (organ). ARGO ZRG5.147 55.79, RG .1.17 55.79.

Performance: Tasteful and up to an unusualwork

Recording: Good organ soundStereo Quality: Cathedral -like but clear

Olivier Messiaen, natie of Avignon, pupilof Paul Dukas and Marcel Dupre andteacher of Boulez and Stockhausen, organ-ist of St. Trinite and self-confessed Catholicmystic, dabbler in Oriental ethnomusexot-Ica and the world's leading musical orni-thologist, author of the Quartet for theEnd o/ Time composed in Stalag VIII -Aat Gorlitz, of numberless and endless organimprovisations on obscure doctrinal (pedal)points and of the first European totallyorganized serial music, is one of thoseImportant Historical Personages who man -

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FEBRUARY 1967CIRCLE NO. 27 ON READEP SERVICE CARD

93

Ik

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LEONARDBERNSTEIN

PHILHARMONICORCHESTRAin

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age to be enigmatic almost as a way oflife.

After reading about the extraordinaryrange of interests of this remarkable man-Hindu rhythmic modes, Gregorian chant,complex polyphonic serialism, microtones,serialism, Boulez, bird calls-one would,I think, have the right to expect in hismusic something rich, vital, and immensein scope and significance. What one ac-tually gets are a few simple chord struc-tures, often quite dissonant but basicallysimple and unyielding, with a few inces-santly repeated jabs on top and the wholething strung out ad infinitum.

Messiaen's importance derives from thefact that he represented an independentforce in European music (independent, thatis, of "neoclassicism" and of Old Viennatwelve-tone expressionism). He was oneof the first non -Germanic composers toteach twelve-tone and other serial tech-niques, and he gave twelve-tone music newcontexts. In recent years Messiaen has ac-tually enlarged his scope under the influenceof the very serial school he helped orig-inally to bring into being. His olderworks are much simpler: contemplative,imposing, presumptive, utterly empty; pre-sumably the listener himself must fillthe void by supplying-if he can-themystical experience. Unlikely as it mayseem, this is the second recording of LaNatirite in a few months. In reviewingthe two -volume set of Messiaen organmusic by Gaston Litaize in this magazine(November, 1966) William Flanagan madea suggestive parallel with another mystic:Scriabin. The point is very well taken(Messiaen even has, like Scriabin, a badcase of synethesia; that is, he loves to gethis aural experience all balled up with theother senses). I would like to suggest an-other parallel: with the French painter AndreMasson, who also had a major influenceon recent developments-and later gottangled in them-but has remained basical-ly an unrealized creative artist. Unlessyou can mysticate with Messiaen, La Na-tirite must be a crashing bore, a long andagonizing search-"seated one day at theorgan . . . weary and ill at ease"-forthat sound of a grand Amen.

Mr. Preston is an excellent organist anda very creditable spokesman for M. Mes-siaen. Not being much in vibration withthese things myself, I am not sure if he hasthe requisite mystical bent, but he seems tohave every other qualification. The West-minster Abbey organ and the recordedsound thereof are in every way worthy.

If you do buy this record, check for warp-ing; I had to weight my tone arm to keep iton the disc. E. S.

MIHALY: Song Cycle (see DAVID)

(:), MOZART: Piano Concertos, VolumeTwo: No. 8 in C (K. 246); No. 9 in E -fiat(K. 271); No. 11 in F (K. 413); No. 17 inG (K. 453); No. 19 in F (K. 459); No. 22in E -fiat (K. 482). Lili Kraus (piano) ; Vi-enna Festival Orchestra, Stephen Simon cond.EPIC BSC 156 three discs $11.59, SC 6056$9.59.

Performance Pianist good, orchestra poorRecording. Fair to middlingStereo Quality. Close

Photo: Lotte Meitne,-Graf (Continued MI page 96)

94 HiFi/ STEREO REVIEW

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FEBRUARY 1967 CIRCLE NO 78 ON READER SERVICE CARD 95

OldVienna...

'Wunderlich

The waltzes of Strauss. Theoperettas of Stolz. The warmmagic that was Fritz Wunderlich.

Now, Heliodor brings you agemiitlich tribute to the city ofeverybody's dreams. As onlyWunderlich could sing it. As onlyStolz himself could conduct it.As only the zithers and violins ofa Viennese Schrammeln groupcould make it come to life.FRITZ WUNDERLICH INVIENNAH/HS-25051Also new from Heliodor:ELECTRONIC MUSIC FROMTHE UNIVERSITY OF ILLI-NOIS The new music for menand machines-from the most ad-vanced musical lab in the coun-try. Works by Brun, Hiller,Hamm, Gaburo and Martirano.H/HS-25047GRACE BUMBRY ASCARMEN JONESA celebrated Carmen takes onthe role of Carmen Jones-asGrace Bumbry leads the cast inHammerstein's Broadway versionof Bizet.H/HS-25046ERNST HAEFLIGER SINGSDICHTERLIEBE The greatSchumann song cycle plus Bee-thoven's An die ferne Geliebte."Haefliger's warm, round tenornever sounded better" (HighFidelity).H/HS-25048BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONYNo. 3 ("EROICA") Berlin Phil-harmonic; Karl Bohm, cond.H/HS-250493 FLUTE CONCERTI by Fes-ting, Woodcock and Baston. Also3 Concerti Grossi by Geminiani."Fifty minutes of untroubledpleasure" (High Fidelity). Lu-cerne Festival Strings; R. Baum-gartner, cond.H/HS-25050

Great music at budget prices; from

Re,ard, is a divicion ofMetro -Goldwyn -Mayer Inc.

I have not heard the first set of this pro-jected complete cycle-this is volume two-and I didn't hear the Kraus -Simon teamwhen they played Mozart recently in NewYork, but this album is, to put the kindestface on it, a disappointment.

The particular set of concertos at handis not without considerable interest; dip-ping into Mozart always has its rewards.The early C Major is fairly routine andthe two F Majors rise above themselvesonly now and then (the first movement ofK. 459 is a kind of apotheosis of concertoformulas-almost a parody, one wouldthink-but the last two movements areserious and fine). The reasonably familiarG Major (K. 453) is one of the mosteccentric of Mozart's later works, with themost inspired ideas standing next to themost banal (see, for example, the first -movement second theme that begins somagnificently in the minor and petersout in the silliest major -key twiddle).Nevertheless, it is a fascinating piece.Both the early E -flat with its attractive con-tertante style and the late one, with itsfully matured and magnificently developedideas, are first-rate Mozart.

So much for repertoire. These perfor-mances represent a kind of come -back forLili Kraus-at least on the internationalscene. In spite of some historical -and -tex-tual questions (one example: K. 271 is a"continuo concerto" and there are manyreasons why the keyboard should partici-pate in the tuttis, but it doesn't here),Miss Kraus' playing is quite up to herearlier reputation as a Mozart interpreter.She gets high marks for refinement andexpressive elegance-in other words, shearticulates and phrases the music into a

poetic Mozart which is at once clean andsupple. To say that is to say a lot; anability to understand and project this kindof line is basic to the proper playing of Mo-zart concertos.

On the other hand, the value of theserecords is badly diminished by the poorquality of the orchestral playing. This isapparently a Viennese pick-up group-probably players from the Vienna Sym-phony or the Volksoper orchestra-withinadequate string power (large string sec-tions are not even desirable in the Mozartconcertos, but the string sound here isthin, scratchy, and scraggly), poor en-semble, incredible disagreements in attackarticulation and, most horribly, in intona-tion (orchestra and keyboard are often outof agreement) as well as general sloven-liness and lack of care and discipline. In-adequate rehearsal time may or may notexplain this, but it is obviously no excuse.The actual make-up of the orchestra musthave varied enormously from session tosession; at least it sounds that way. Thequality of recorded sound is also wildlyuneven, but, even at its best, it is justclear enough to reveal all the deficiencies,and not pleasant enough to soften them.Lili Kraus fans will want these discs, butother Mozartians will probably thinktwice. E. S.

MOZART: Sonata in C Major for Piano,K. 330 (see BEETHOVEN)

Qs (:) PROKOFIEV: Piano Concertos No.I and No. 2. John Browning (piano) ; Bos-ton Symphony Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf

cond. RCA VICTOR LSC 2897 $5.79, LM2897 $4.79.

Performance: SlickRecording: Big soundStereo Quality: Rich

The first two Prokofiev concertos are es-sentially student works: big, clattering, bril-liant, iconoclastic pieces dating from 1911and 1913 (the latter rewritten in theTwenties after the loss of the originalscore), and intended to show the com-poser's pianistic and compositional wit,virtuosity, and modernity. They are a pairof awfully empty-headed pieces; adolescentbrashness may have a certain freshness andvitality in a talented young artist, but it ishardly enough by itself to have an appealfor all time. I find the two pieces backto back a bit much.

In all fairness, it must be admitted thatthere will be those who will disagree(the first time around, at least, these piecesdo have an impact). In any case, theBrowning brilliance does make its markhere, and Leinsdorf and the Boston Sym-phony-the recording is part of their con-tinuing Prokofiev series-have the rightamounts of restraint, articulation, and pol-ished thrust to get a dazzling surface ontothe music. There's almost too much glam-our to the performance and the sound, butthere's no doubt that, for what is intended,it works. The second side of my disc hasan odd crackle -swish cycle all the waythrough, something like a heavy surfacenoise ingrained in a lateral band acrossthe disc. Probably a pressing defect andvery annoying too; check it before buying.

E. S.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) ® PURCELL: Dido and Aeneas. Vic-toria de los Angeles (soprano), Dido; PeterGlossop (baritone), Aeneas; Heather Har-per (soprano), Belinda; Patricia Johnson(contralto), Sorceress; Elizabeth Robson(soprano), Second Woman; Clare Walmes-ley (soprano), First Witch; Sybil Michelow(mezzo-soprano), Second Witch; RobertTear (tenor), Sailor; Ambrosian Singers;English Chamber Orchestra, Sir John Bar-birolli cond. ANGEL S 36359 $5.79, 36359$4.79.

Performance: VividRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: Ideal

Dido and Aeneas, still the greatest of Eng-lish operas, seems to bring out the best inits performers. The present recording, thethird in stereo and, like its predecessors, per-formed by a predominantly English cast, isno exception. Sir John Barbirolli, a Purcelli-an of richly documented background, is atthe helm, and his deep affection for thework is everywhere evident. His incisive yetpliant pacing is free of the rigidity thatsometimes invades less imaginative Baroqueinterpretations. The choruses are lively andsonorous, the orchestral tone is full-bodiedand rich, and the dances and interludes aredelightfully played. Harpsichordist RaymondLeppard, whose Baroque scholarship assistedthe conductor in recreating an authenticallystyled performance, is a tower of strength,and his playing has been captured with alively and ingratiating presence. In general,

(Continued on gage 98)CIRCLE NO. 24 ON READER SERVICE CARD

9() HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

COURTESY AEOLIAN.SKINNER ORGAN COMPANY

The AR -2x loudspeakers marked by arrows-there are 16 in all-are part of a synthetic reverberation system installed by theAeolian -Skinner Organ Company in St. John's Episccpal Church,Washington, D. C. This system corrects building acousticsthat are too "dead" for music.

Listeners are not even aware of the speakers (which simulatenormal hall reflections), since the sound of the organ and chorusis completely natural. AR speakers were chosen by Aeolian -Skinner because of their full range, undistorted bass,absence of false coloration, and reliability.

INC. SPEAKERS ARE USED PROFESSIONALLY WHERELIVE MUSIC IS THE IMMEDIATE REFERENCE -BUT THEYWERE DESIGNED FOR THE HOME.

Folk singer Phil Ochs, sitting on the stage ofBoston's Jordan Hall, checks Elektra's master tapefor a concert album he has recorded there.The tape will become Elektra record EKS-7310,(mono EKL-310) "Phil Ochs in Concert."

The artist and recording staff must listen fortechnical as well as musical quality, andtherefore require loudspeakers that provide the mostnatural sound possible-no bass where thereshouldn't be any, no "speaker sound."AR -3's are used.

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STS 15011MUSIC IN LONDON(1670-1770)Boyce: Symphony No. 1 inB Flat Major; SymphonyNo. 4 in F Major.J. C. Bach: Symphony inE Major for DoubleOrchestra (Op. 18 No. 5).Purcell: Chaconne from"The Faery Queen." Arne:Overture No. 4 in F Major.Avison: Concerto No. 13 inD Major. Locke: Musicfrom "The Tempest."The English Chamber Orch.-Hurwitz STS 15013

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tOVOTRECORDS

the engineering is superb; everything seemsto be properly balanced, and the stereo de-ployment is transparency itself.

In the role of Dido, Victoria de los An-geles earns another major laurel for her mul-tilingual versatility. She handles NahumTate's far from distinguished poetry withan authority that speaks of intensive prepa-ration. Occasionally (as for example in theline "Thus, on the fatal banks of Nile")her declamation lacks the proper weight, butthe sustained lyrical passages are sung withwarmth and poignancy, and her renderingof the celebrated "When I am laid in earth"is worthy of that superb piece of vocalwriting.

Heather Harper is a secure and artisticBelinda, but her timbre is not sufficientlydifferentiated from De los Angeles'. In thisrespect, the pairing of Janet Baker's Didoand Patricia Clark's Belinda in the L'OiseauLyre set is more fortunate. (Miss Clark isalso more effortless in the charming "Pursuethy conquest, love.") As the Sorceress, a

role which at times suffers from overacting,Patricia Johnson succeeds in conveying men-ace without distorting her music. In thethankless part of Aeneas-Lawrence Tibhettcould have made something of him, but whoelse?-Peter Glossop sounds virile and res-onant, but also mushy at times. The remain-ing parts are well done. Angel pros ides ex-cellent annotations with the set.

A clearcut choice between the present ver-sion and the L'Oiseau Lyre set is very dif-ficult. Janet Baker's Dido in the latter holdsa slight edge over Victoria de los Angeles'-she is that good. G. J.

Ci) 05) RAVEL: Gaspard de la Nuit: Jeuxd'eau: Prelude in A Minor: Menne! sur lenom de Haydn: Miroirs: A la maniere deBorodine; A la maniere de Cbabrier: LeTombeau de Couperin; Mennet antique:Sonatine: Valses nobles et sentimentales;Pardue pour une Infante (Wattle. WernerHaas (piano). WORLD SERIES PHC 2-001two discs (compatible stereo) $5.00.

Performance: CapableRecording, FaithfulStereo Quality: Mild

This two -record set, on World Series' compat-ible stereo discs, is billed as the -complete"piano music of Ravel, which it certainlyis not (the Faure memorial piece, the four -hand music, and several early pieces aremissing). It does, however, include all ofthe major solo piano pieces and several ofthe minor ones in a relatively convenient,inexpensive, and attractive format.

Ravel's somewhat legitimate claim topriority in certain aspects of the develop-ment of new piano technique in the firstyears of the century rests in great part onthe early date (1901) of Jeux d'eau, anexquisite, rippling, fanciful piece of watermusic that gets in ahead of most of theimportant Debussy piano works. Ravel'sharmonic innovations began even earlierwith works like the 1895 Menne' antiquewith its rather fierce, dissonant sound setinto what must be one of the earliest of"neoclassical" settings. This harmonic orig-inality and daring added to an exquisite(somewhat campy) sense of refined detailand classical form are consistent charac-teristics of Ravel and separate him quiteclearly from Debussy. The Afiroirs of1905, possibly Ravel's finest piano work,

already goes beyond "mere"-that is to sayimitative --Impressionism. The Sonatine ofthe same year is astonishingly stark andauLtract. Gaspard de la Nuit (1908) isagain lush :Ind its "romantic . . . virtuos-ity" (to quote the composer) has endearedit to younger concert pianists, who haveplayed it to death in recent years. TheValses nobles et sentimentales of 1911 areanything but noble, and their sentimentalityis not exactly Tchaikovskyian, but theyhave bite and character. Le Tombeau deCouperin, written in 1917 and the lastmajor solo piano work, is again abstractand neoclassical like the Sonatine; it isRavel's most brilliant expression of tradi-tional line combined with extended tonalharmony and the classical forms and graces.Ravel's greatest contribution was not hisorchestral music-brilliant an orchestratoras he was, he always remained just that;i.e., an orchestrator, not a composer whothought in organic orchestral terms-but

VICTORIA DE LOS ANGELES

Warm and poignant as Purcell's Dido

his songs. The piano music, however, isnot far behind.

Mr. Haas is a modestly gifted musicianwith the capacity to get around and make agood sound with most of this music, butnot the means to expend great emotionalor intellectual resources on a series ofpieces which, in toto, really do have a

considerable range. The recording is satis-factory, although there is not much detect-able stereo effect. E. S.

RAVEL: Sonata for Violin and Piano (seeFRANCK)

O ® ROSSINI: Semiramide. Joan Suther-land (soprano), Semiramide; Marilyn Home(mezzo-soprano), Arsace; Joseph Rouleau(bass), Assur; John Serge (tenor), Idreno;Patricia Clark (soprano), Azema; SpiroMalas (bass), Oroe; Leslie Fyson (tenor),Mitrane; Michael Langdon (bass), Ghostof Nino; Ambrosian Opera Chorus, LondonSymphony Orchestra. Richard Bonynge cond.LONDON OSA 1383 three discs $17.37,A4383* $14.37.

Performance: Sutherland and Horne excelRecording: Very goodStereo Quality: Excellent


HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

Handelwith care.

And with affection.And with a near -fanatic fidelity tothe 18th Century spirit.That's the premise of Archive'ssuperb new edition of the sixteenorgan concertos.

Edward Mueller is organ soloist, andAugust Wenzinger conducts thatremarkable orchestra of antiqueinstruments: Schola CantorumBasiliensis.All told, more than a hundred hoursof recording have gone into thisalbum. More than a thousand hours

of research. We even commissioneda magnificent replica of Handel's ownorgan to be custom-built for theoccasion.And-for the occasion-we offeryou this remarkable set at a veryremarkable price.

SPECIAL OFFER: TWO FREERECORDS IN EVERY BOX!Five LP's. Sixteen concertos. Plus afact -filled illustrated booklet. Yetyou pay for three records only!Because the other two are on us.What more can we say-except now.HANDEL: THE COMPLETEORGAN CONCERTOS(Stereo only) SKL 917-921

Other new releases on DGG:BRUCKNER : SYMPHONY No. 4("THE ROMANTIC");FIVE MOTETS. The latest inEugen Jochum's triumphantBruckner series. BerlinPhilharmonic; Bavarian RadioChorus (2 -record set) 39 134-5;Stereo 139 134-5BEETHOVEN: COMPLETECELLO SONATAS. Pierre Fournier,cellist; Wilhelm Kempff, pianist.(3 -record set) Stereo only 138 993-5SCHUBERT: PIANO SONATASin A minor and G major. WilhelmKempff. 39 104; Stereo 139 104

MOZART: STRING QUARTETSNo. 15 in D minor, K. 421; No. 19("The Dissonant") in C, K. 465.Amadeus Quartet 39 190;Stereo 139 190

on ARCHIVE:SCHUETZ : MOTETS FORDOUBLE CHOIR. Nine rarely -heard motets. Dresden Cross Choir;R. Mauersberger, cond. 3269;Stereo 73269NARDINI & TARTINI:3 VIOLIN CONCERTOS.E. Melkus, violin.Vienna Capella Academica;Wenzinger, cond. 3270;Stereo 73270PIERRE VAN MALDERE:4 SYMPHONIES. Never -before -recorded works by the Flemishmaster. Solistes de Liege; J. Jakus,cond. 3279; Stereo 73279

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99

$2.50 eacheither mono or stereo

RECORDS

Semiramide, completed in 1823, was Rossi-ni's last opera for the Italian stage. For someseventy years after its cordial but not over-whelmingly enthusiastic reception, it heldthe stage as a brilliant vehicle for a chain ofGolden Age luminaries: Pasta, Malibran,Sonntag, Patti, and Melba. Then, with thedecline of florid lid canto operas, Semira-snide vanished from the repertoire. The an-notations supplied with the present recordingmention only one major production (Flor-ence, 1940) between 1895 and 1962, theyear La Scala revived the work for JoanSutherland and Giulietta Simionato.

This is the opera's first complete record-ing, and we are in London's debt for theenterprise. A work so strongly representa-tive of a historical period and so closely as-sociated with stellar interpreters must not

remain an inanimate point of reference. Butthe joys of discovery are somewhat bluntedby the recognition that Semiramide does notquite measure up as a stageworthy opera. Asan opera seria, it lacks the grandeur andsincerity of Rossini's earlier Mose. Thereare pages of uninspired, assembly -line writ-ing here, and much of what is on a musicallyappealing level turns out to be singularly in-appropriate to the dramatic situations. Evenat his most uninspired, however, Rossinicould hardly ever be uninteresting. The operais certainly not devoid of passionate dramaand distinctive melodic invention, even ifthe latter at times suffers from excessiveornamentation. As for the libretto (by Gae-tano Rossi, based on a Voltaire drama), itis a variant of the Orestes -Clytemnestra -Aegisthus triangle in a Babylonian setting,

recordofthemonth

noi Te!pqeoli usic-,-..=i--zi-m:rii.: .----,:-...... -

BATTLE MUSICThe Best of All Possible Battles are on NONESUCH.Battalia, Bataille-whatever their fearsome titles, theseare the happiest, wittiest, most winning Battles ever

fought. Or played.Heinrich Biber:

BATTALIAWolfgang Amadeus Mozart:

CONTRETANZ(The Victory of the Hero Coburg), K. 587

Jean Frapcois Dandrieu:LES CARACTERES DE LA GUERRE

Franz Christoph Neubauer:LA BATAILLE: SINFONIE, Op. 11

Brilliantly performed by the ANGELICUM ORCHESTRA of MILAN,under the direction of NEWELL JENKINS.

H-1146 MonoH-71 146 Stereo

NONESUCH

nonesuch

51 WEST 51 STREET NEW YORK CITY 10019,

CIRCLE NO. 32 ON READER SERVICE CARDHIFI/STEREO REVIEW

further complicated and really quite absurd.Viewed as a virtuoso vocal display, Semi-

ramide is quite another story, and JoanSutherland and Marilyn Home present therelentlessly demanding embroideries of Ros-sini's vocal writing with an accuracy andbrilliance unparalleled in contemporarysinging. Both artists are in superb form here,and, freed from any concentration on charac-ter insight in an opera where such considera-tions matter very little, they sing their partswith a consistent beauty of tone, boldness,and breath -taking agility. Their duets, fur-thermore, reveal a kind of control and ho-mogeneity of phrasing that is in itself ex-traordinary. Personally, I derive more plea-sure from Miss Home's more direct stylethan from Miss Sutherland's somewhat man-nered -sounding tone formation, but I acceptboth contributions with gratitude as a vividenough suggestion of what Adelina Pattiand Sophia Scalchi in their prime must havesounded like in this music.

It is a long way from the Sutherland -

Home summit to the modest elevation oc-cupied by their colleagues. The youngAustralian tenor John Serge handles his mu-sic (except the highest -lying phrases) withcommendable fluency, but the best I can sayfor Messrs. Rouleau and Malas is that theywork hard against enormous odds and do noserious damage. The choral work is notalways clearly defined, and the London Sym-phony has been heard with more tonal refine-ment in other recordings. Nevertheless, Rich-ard Bonynge conducts the opera with a fullawareness of all that is dramatically valid inthe score, his tempos and balances are just,and his overall leadership is praiseworthy.If the familiar Overture-still the mostmemorable part of the opera-is not donehere with Toscanini's or Karajan's kind ofrazor -sharpness, it is nevertheless a first-rateachievement.

Except for some pre -echo, the recordingis topnotch, and there are some good op-portunities for effective stereo deployment.Interesting background annotations are pro-vided with the libretto. G. I.

SCHUBERT: Sonatina, in D Major, Op.137, No. 1 (see FRANCK)

C) SIBELIUS: The Seven Symphonies:No. 1, in E Minor, Op. 39; No. 2. in DMajor, Op. 43; No. 3, in C Major, Op. 52;No. 4, in A Minor, Op. 63; No. 5, in E -fiat,Op. 82; No. 6, in D Minor, Op. 104; No. 7,in C Major, Op. 105. Japan PhilharmonicOrchestra, Akeo Watanabe cond. EPIC BSC157 five discs $28.95, SC 6057 $23.95.

Performance: Lean and powerfulRecording: Quite goodStereo Quality: Good

This new Epic release of the seven Sibeliussymphonies, conducted by Akeo Watanabe,the first such integral recording since theLondon set with Britain's Anthony Collinsand the Mercury with Sweden's SixtenEhrling, is a rather curious tribute to thegreat Finnish symphonist. It is curiousfirst of all because no European or Amer-ican conductor of international repute choseto observe the Sibelius centennial with anintegral recording of the symphonies, andsecond, because Epic, in its notes for thealbum, has chosen not to say a single wordabout Watanabe, the Japan Philharmonic


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Orchestra, or their credentials for takingon such a project as this.

It just happens that the forty -seven-year -old Akeo Watanabe is of Finnish de-scent on his mother's side (she was a sing-er), and therefore has-genetically, at thevery least-a vested interest in the worksof Sibelius. More to the point, Watanabehas been decorated by the Finnish govern-ment in recognition of his fostering ofFinnish music in Japan. The Japan Phil-harmonic, youngest of Tokyo's major sym-phony orchestras, is more extensively rep-resented in the American catalog than maygenerally be realized-chiefly through re-cordings of contemporary American musicconducted by William Strickland as wellas Akeo Watanabe. There are some twodozen titles listed, including the RogerSessions First Symphony and the Carl Rug-gles Organum.

It is worthy of note that we have inthis new album the first stereo recordingsof the Sibelius Third and Sixth Symphonies.The entire series was issued in Japan in1962, and to this reviewer, who ownsthe Japanese pressings, the recorded soundof the Epic release is decidedly more full-bodied-indeed, for the most part, emi-nently satisfactory. If the sonics are not aslush as those offered by some other or-chestras, this may be ascribed to the factthat the Japan Philharmonic is slightlysmaller than the Philadelphia Orchestra,the London Symphony, and others, andthat Mr. Watanabe, perhaps in keepingwith his Japanese heritage, likes his Sibe-lius lean and sinewy.

This is most evident in his readings ofthe most deeply personal and elusive ofthe Sibelius symphonies-No. 4 in A Minor,and No. 6 in D Minor. The austere andextraordinarily dramatic Fourth receivesits first satisfactory realization in stereounder Watanabe's baton, in a reading ofsplendid power and clarity, free of senti-mental exaggeration, and abundant in itssense of momentum and limitless reservestrength. The pastel shadings and delicatetextures of the Sixth seem also to be ideal-ly suited to Watanabe's temperament andbackground.

Watanabe does well with the airy andcarefree Third Symphony, and surprisinglywell with the surging rhetoric of the Firstin E Minor. The beginning of the Firstis rather unpromising, but the readinggathers strength as it moves along, andone ends up full of admiration for thecumulative power of the whole. For, unliketoo many of his confreres, Watanabe doesnot overemphasize each and every rhetoricalpoint of this somewhat over -rhetoricalscore, and the music gains accordingly.

Both the Second and the Fifth Sym-phony performances suffer somewhat fromslack spots here and there; though, werethere not the recordings of Szell (in thefirst instance) and of Bernstein, Gibson,and Barbirolli (in the second) availablefor comparison, I would say that these arebetter -than -average Sibelius interpretations.The Seventh Symphony needs a Philadel-phia or Boston symphony for its fullestrealization, and I can hardly blame Mr.Watanabe for not being able to producecomparable sonorities. His reading, as it is,is one of loving care.

As a traversal of the complete Sibeliuscycle, this album is neither the first nor

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the last word, be it with respect to inter-pretation, orchestral performance, or re-corded sound. I would hope, however,that the Watanabe readings of the Third,Fourth, and Sixth Symphonies will oneday he made available singly. D. H.

0 STRAVINSKY: Concerto for Pianoand Wind Orchestra. Walter Klien (pi-ano), Vienna Pro Musica Orchestra. Hein-rich Hollreiser cond. BARTOK: Piano Con-certo No. 1. Gyiirgy Sandor (piano), Sym-phony Orchestra of the South-West GermanRadio, Rolf Reinhardt cond. TURNABOUTTV 34065S S2.50, TV 4065 $2.50.

Performance: BitingRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Good

Each of these modern piano concertos is, inits own way, a pretty hardboiled number.The Bartok First Concerto dates from thelater Twenties when the composer was ex-perimenting intensely with bare, chromaticseconds, sevenths, and ninths, with little ofthe offsetting mellifluousness and lyricismthat were to characterize his later work. Theresult-without being in any way arcane oravant-garde to our dissonance -saturated mod-ern ears-is a work that is raw-boned, pro-pulsk e, and, on the expressive level, just abit austere and forbidding. It fascinates al-most all the way, but it will do little to warmthe cockles of your heart.

The Stravinsky Concerto is a somewhatmore teasing toughie, composed in 1924when the composer was more or less begin-ning his long foray into neo-classic aesthet-icizing. Less rawboned than it is rigidly andalmost amusingly dry -boned, the piece jerksrather awkwardly through its distorted classi-cal shapes. The compulsie rhythmic primi-tivist of Le Sacre had-it is ever so clear-not yet quite reconciled his neo-primitive in-stincts with the c assi,:al contours that werebeginning to preoccupy him.

Although different conductors and soloistsare featured in each work-and they are allfour excellent, by the way-no attempt hasbeen made to minimize the categorical dry-ness of either work. As a musician, I find therecord as a whole extraordinarily interesting;the layman might do well to approach thiscoupling with a certain caution. The re-corded sound and stereo are both good. II. F.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) STRAVINSKY: Persephone. VeraZorina (speaker) ; Michele Molese (tenor) ;Ithaca College Concert Choir; Texas BoysChoir of Ft. Worth; Gregg Smith Singers;Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravin-sky cond. COLUMBIA MS 6919 $5.79, ML6319 $4.79.

Performance. The composer's ownRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: Excellent

Igor Strax insky's Persephone has been des-ignated by its collaborators-the composerand Andre Gide-as a -melodrama in threeparts" for female reciter (the role of Per-sephone), tenor solo, mixed chorus, and or-chestra. The word -melodrama- here hasnone of its usual connotations, but refers toa form of musical composition in which therecitative is entirely spoken by the actor rath-er than sung.

Writing as a practicing composer, this re-

viewer would be the first to protest the no-tion that a composer sees his gifts and whathe does with them less successfully than agifted critic. Yet Stravinsky, the living mas-ter of us all-in his public statements, hisown interpretations, and, especially, his re-interpretations of his own work-seems tohe articulately at odds with what some of hisnu>st admiring critics and interpreters find inthe hulk of his work.

Even at the time of its composition, Per-sephone precipitated a public clash betweenStravinsky and Gide. Stravinsky-eitherthrough prosodic purpose or, more likely,from the very nature of his asymmetricallyrical style-has perennially rejected the no-tion of setting words with a natural syllabicstress, be they Russian, Latin, French, or Er-glish. Influenced by the tradition of natural

French speech inflection cultivated by De-bussy, Gide was jolted into a denunciationof Stravinsky's treatment of his libretto forPersephone. Stravinsky, in turn, retaliated bydenouncing the text as -candied verse." Al-together, both participants seemed to be de-scribing a pretty messy collaborative out-come. Also, according to Columbia's linernotes, Straviisky's manifesto proclaimed thatwith Persephone, in 1934. he had "finishedwith 'orchestral effects.'

Take Gide's text first, then place Colum-bia's new release of the work under the com-poser's direction on your turntable, start therecord, sit down, and listen. It is a beautifullibretto set to some of the most enchantinglylyrical (even tender) music that Stravinskyhas ever written. The scoring may very well


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103

"THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANO VIRTUOSI"ANOTHER GO -ROUND WITH VINTAGE PIANO ROLLS PROVIDES STARTLINGLY

IMPRESSIVE GLIMPSES OF SOME KEYBOARD GIANTS OF THE TWENTIES

EVERY few years or so, it seems, a rec-ord company issues a series of discs

devoted to the old piano rolls. Back inthe early Fifties, it was Columbia witha highly interesting set devoted in partto some of the composers of the earlieryears of the century: Strauss, Ravel, De-bussy, Grieg, and others. Telefunkennot so long ago did the same; then therewas Distinguished Recordings, which re-surrected Busoni, Grainger, and Paderew-ski, among others. Most recent was ananthology distributed by the Book -of -the -Month Club, in which the pricelessperformances of the past could onceagain be enjoyed through the medium ofmodem reproduction.The only trouble was that the perform-

ances may have been priceless on paper,but the hearing rather left something tobe desired. More than a few questionswere raised about some of these famousfigures: could Debussy have really ped-aled as badly as all that? Ravel was nev-er a stupendous technician, but howcould one account for what was obviouslylumpiness in the rhythm? And then therewas the unparalleled tonal quality, thesubtle shadings and dynamic gradationsof so many of these past keyboard mas-ters. What emerged from the rerecordedrolls seemed pallid in comparison withthe legends-dynamics were flat, andoften the left-hand accompanimentwould be just as loud as the right-handmelody. I well remember an Allegrodisc of Josef Hofmann playing Chopin,taken, of course, from rolls. In order tomake up for the lack of dynamics, theproducer of the record used the volumecontrol to bring out what the pianisthad originally intended; the effect wasrather like hearing a piano being wheeledin and out of the living room with eachcrescendo and diminuendo.

Comparisons between the rerecordedrolls and discs made by the same ar-tists, even when there might have beensome interval of time between the two,led a number of critics to be highlysceptical of the reliability of the rolls.On the other hand, at the time pianorolls were in their heyday, the pianistswho made them were more than enthu-siastic, claiming in many cases that therolls represented their playing far moreaccurately than what was then a fairlycrude, acoustic disc. What has causedthe difference of opinion in the yearssince then?

This question is answered by the com-mentary supplied with a new set ofthree discs, entitled "The Golden Ageof Piano Virtuosi." There were three

By IGOR KIPNIS

primary manufacturers of piano rolls,Duo -Art, Welte-Mignon, and Ampico,of which the last is considered to havebeen the most refined. These recordspresent a variety of Ampico perfor-mances, which were played back on apiano whose mechanism has been virtu-ally rebuilt, with new coils, tubings,

SERGEI RACIIMANINOFFFrom piano rolls, revelatory performances

springs, and so forth. The renditionswere first heard on three BBC broadcasts,and a fourth was then devoted to a com-mentary on the mechanical problems in-volved and the process of rerecording.To those who heard these broadcasts,the results were a total revelation. Notonly was the sound of the instrumentthoroughly up-to-date (with perhaps aslightly less wooden piano tone than wasusual with most roll rerecordings), butthe dynamics, even the most subtle tonalgradation, were revealed as seldom be-fore, even by the most brilliant present-day virtuosos. Fortunately, Argo Recordsof London obtained the rights to this ma-terial, and we are indebted to them formaking these well -recorded (though mon-ophonic) performances available to thepublic.

To list some of the highlights ofthese discs (more are promised) wouldinvolve almost a listing of the entirerelease. Suffice it to say that Josef Lhe-vinne's Campanella, his Blue Danube

(complete with the introduction missingon the later Camden disc version), andthe Schubert -Liszt Soirée de VienneNo. 6 can be considered among thegreatest piano recordings ever made byanyone. If you obtain only one recordall year, this has to be it.

Rachmaninoff in the freshness of up-to-date sonics is equally amazing. Acomparison of the Chopin -Liszt TheMaiden's Wish in the present recording,made in the Twenties, with Rachmani-noff's 1941 disc version reveals thesame tempo but an even greater digitalcontrol in the roll performance. Rosen-thal, whether in the Chopin Etude inthirds or in his own Strauss pasticheCarrara! de Vienne, gives just evidencethat he must be included among the greatand legendary pianists.

If the names on the third record areof a lesser stature, there are also someastonishing moments: first among themis Godowsky's incredible La Leggierezza.This is an old-fashioned school of play-ing, but the gossamer runs and minis-cule dynamic fluctuations, coupled witha virtuosity one could hardly hear fromany pianist alive today, finally makescredible the often stated opinion of hisconfreres, that Godowsky was the pi-anist par excellence of his day, an opin-ion that the later discs never seemed tobear out. Tina Lerner is reputed tohave been a speed demon, and her per-formance here of the Chopin Etude,Op. 10, No. 4, bears this out tenfold; onewonders whether the roll might not havebeen speeded up, although I am toldthat the reproducing mechanism does notallow for this (also, comparable perfor-mances of others on these recordingsreveal that, where later disc versionsexist, tempos in some cases are slightlyfaster, in others slightly slower). Whatis possible, of course, is that the piano ofthe Twenties, when these rolls weremade, was a more flexible instrument,lighter in action, and less steely in tone,so that some of the incredible effects,both of speed and tone, would have beeneasier to achieve at that time than now.

Not every one of the interpretationson this third disc is up to the level ofGodowsky, Lhevinne, or Rachmaninoff.But there are some very choice items,nonetheless: the Chopin, Brahms, andRavel selections by Moiseiwitsch (whois said to have considered his roll re-cordings of both the f eux d'eau and theScherzo from the Chopin Third Sonataas absolutely accurate copies of his play-ing circa 1920) ; the extremely impressiveDebussy Toccata of E. Robert Schmitz;


and a typical example of the often lolli-pop repertoire of that era, the utterlycharming Levitzki Waltz played by itscomposer.

Perhaps almost as interesting as thepure, breathtaking virtuosity of most ofthe performances is the style of theplaying. Each one of these artists is apersonality, and that personality comesthrough on the recordings; it is some-times a bit old-fashioned in its expression,but nowhere does it deteriorate into thefaceless, colorless anonymity of the vastmajority of the present generation ofkeyboard exponents. These three record-ings represent an amazing testament tothe art of great piano virtuosity.

C) THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANOVIRTUOSI, Record 1. Liszt-Busoni:La Campanella. Chopin: Nocturne in BMajor. Op. 9, No. 3; Etude in E -flat Ma-jor. Op. 10, No. 11; Etude in G -fiatMajor, Op. 25, No. 9 ("Butterfly).Liszt: Gondoliera (Venice and Naples).Strauss -Schultz -Eyler: The Blue Danube.Schubert -Liszt: Soirée de Vienne No. 6.Cui: Causerie, Op. 40, No. 6. Albeniz:Suite Espagnole: Sevilla. Mendelssohn-Liszt : On Wings of Song. Tausig: Fan-tasia on Hungarian Gypsy Song,. JosefLhevinne (piano). ARGO DA 41 $5.79

C) THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANOVIRTUOSI, Record 2. Chopin: Etudein G. -sharp Minor, Op. 25. No. 6. Bort-kiewicz: Etude in D -flat, Op. 15. No. 8.

-Liszt: MyJoys. Rosenthal: Carnaval de Vienne (onthemes by Johann Strauss). Moriz Rosen-thal (piano). Kreisler-Rachmaninoff:Liebesfreud. Rachmaninoff: Humoresquein G Major; Barcarolle. Op. 10, No. 3;Polichinelle, Op. 3, No. 4: Etude Tableau,Op. 39, No. 6. Tchaikovsky: The Months:November (Troika en Traineaux). Men-delssohn: Song Without Wordi, Op. 67,No. 4 (Spinning Song). Chopin -Liszt:The Maiden's Wish. Bizet-Rachmani-noff: LArlesienne: Minuet. Paderewski:Minuet in G Major, Op. 14, No. 1. SergeiRachmaninoff (piano). ARGO DA 42$5.79.

C) THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANOVIRTUOSI, Record 3. Liszt: Etude d'ex-et-talon transcendanie No. 4, "Mazeppa.Erwin Nyireghazy (piano). PaganiniEtude No. 2 in E -flat, "Octave." Mieczy-slav Miinz (piano). Etude d'exicutiontranscendante No. 8. "Irilde Jagd." JanChiapusso (piano). Etude de Concert No.2 in F Minor, "La Leggierezza." LeopoldGodowsky (piano). Balakirev: blarney.Julius Chaloff (piano). Chopin: Etudein C -sharp Minor, Op. 10, No. 4. TinaLerner (piano). Glinka-Balakirev: TheLark. Richard Biihlig (piano). Chopin:Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: Scher-zo. Brahms: Intermezzo in E -flat Minor,Op. 118, No. 6. Ravel: Jeux d'eau. BennoMoiseiwitsch (piano). Debussy: Pour lepiano: No. 3, Toccata. E. Robert Schmitz(piano). Dohninyi: Concerto Study No.5 in E ("Arpeggio"), Op. 28. Ernst vonDohnanyi (piano). Levitzki: Waltz in AMajor, Op. 2. Mischa Levitzki (piano).ARGO DA 43 $5.79.

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105

have "finished" with certain orchestral ef-fects, but as Columbia's annotator againpoints out, it is full of absolutely exquisiteand original orchestral effects that are to anextraordinary degree responsible for theApollonian grace and beauty of the work.

It is a particular pleasure to report thatStravinsky's new reading of Persephone isrelaxed, expansive, delicate, and, at the sametime, meticulously controlled. Vera Zorinareads her words clearly, gracefully, and effec-tively, and Michele Molese sings admirably.Both the Columbia Symphony Orchestra andthe aggregation of choruses perform thework as if they had been living with it foryears, and the recorded sound and stereotreatment are both excellent. IV. F.

00 SWEELINCK: Psalms: No. 122, In-continent que i'eu ouy; No. 20, Le Seig-neur la priere entende: No. 68, Que Dieuese monstre settlement; No. 86, Mon Dieuepreste moy l'aureille; No. 150, Or soillone l'Eiernel; No. 134, Or sus. seruiteursdu Seigneur. Netherlands Chamber Choir,Felix de Nobel cond. Cantiones Sacrae: 0Domine lesu Christe: Beat; pauperes;Magnifica,: Domine Deus meus; Veniteexsultemus. Albert de Klerk (organ of theOld Church in Amsterdam, Holland).WORLD SERIES PHC 9006 (compatiblestereo) $2.50.

Performance: EnjoyableRecording: Very goodStereo: Electronic

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1611), aDutch contemporary of the Elizabethan

school of keyboard composers, is perhaps bet-ter known for his organ and harpsichordworks than for his vocal compositions. Ex-cept for a Barenreiter import, this importantaspect of his compositional activities hasbeen rather badly neglected on discs, and itis therefore a pleasure to welcome back thisextremely well performed collection, com-prising selections from both his settings ofthe Psalms and a group of sacred songs.The Barenreiter performance, made up ofroughly the same works, featured a somewhatcool approach by the N.D.R. Vocal Ensem-ble, also a Dutch group. That by the Nether-lands Chamber Choir, originally recordedmonophonically some years ago, is warmerin tone. The interpretations are stylish, thesinging vibrant (for a sampler, try the de-lightful Psalm 150 with its descriptions ofmusical instruments). As an added point ofinterest, the recording was made in Swee-linck's Old Church in Amsterdam, where heserved as organist. The reproduction is verygood, with the electronic stereo providing aconsiderable feeling of depth. Texts are in-cluded but no translations. 1. K.

SZABO: Siring Trio (see DAVID)

WAGNER: Tristan nod Isolde (see Bestof the Month. page 74)


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Written in 1930 as a -school opera," thisWeill -Brecht collaboration was based on theJapanese no play Taniko. The story, terse-ly told, is about a young student who, ac-companied by his teacher and other students,undertakes an arduous mountain voyage insearch of medicine for his ailing mother.He becomes ill during the journey and, un-willing to jeopardize the mission's success,consents to being thrown off a cliff by hiscompanions. Brecht's moral, according to theliner notes, is that "understanding and par-ticipation are vital to learning"-a conclu-sion the relevance of which escapes me.

On the other hand, Weill's bittersweetand lucidly expressive music illuminates thestory admirably. Although there is no libret-to with the disc, the uniformly excellentenunciation of the performers and EdwardCole's informative annotations make the Ger-man text easy to follow. Not a technicallydifficult work to play, Der Jasager is never-theless a challenge to present convincingly,and the singers, chorus, and orchestra ac-complish their tasks remarkably well. Thereare uneven spots in this "enhanced" stereorecording (a reissue of MGM album E3270of at least eight years ago), but the sound isgenerally clear and always enjoyable. A wel-come release of an unusual opera, very at-tractively priced. G. J.

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FEBRUARY 1967 107

The Brilliance of a Golden Trumpet...

...Simmering...

...Over the 1'Varn Glow ofVoices...

DOC SEVERINSENand "friends"

SWINGINGand

SINGINGSELECTIONS: MAS QUE NADA LOVE THEMEfrom IS PARIS BURNING ITS NOT UNUSUAL UN POCO RIO SUMMER WIND DON'T GOBREAKING MY HEARTWALK ON BY SO NICE(Summer Samba) LOVE BYE BYE BLACKBIRD GOIN' OUT OF MY HEAD GUANTANAMERA. DOC SEVERINSEN . .. HIS ORCHESTRAAND VOCAL CHORUS! ALBUM =909.

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108CIRCLE NO. 20 ON READER SERVICE CARD

MI I S. I IIREO REVIEW

HIFI/STEREO REVIEW'S CHOICE OF THE LATEST RECORDINGS

ENTERTAINMENTPOPS JAZZ FILMS TH EATER FOLK SPOKEN WORD

Reviewed by JOE GOLDBERG NAT HENTOFF PAUL KRESH REX REED PETER REILLY

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITm CHARLES AZNAVOUR : Aznavour.

Charles Aznavour (vocals) ; orchestra, PaulMauriat cond. La Boheme; Plus rien; Aime-moi: and seven others. REPRISE RS 6227$4.98, 6227* $3.98.

Performance: ExcitingRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Good

Aznavour is Jean -Paul Belmondo with ton-sils. Trim and athletic, he looks like a sexyjockey (he is only five -foot -three). In Francehe is one of the greatest stars. Women faintdead away when he sings, and men grin,pleased with the knowledge that ugly mencan get ahead. Like Dietrich and Piaf, he 2

gets by more on his style and his reputationfor living life to the hilt than on sheer vocalability, but there is so much sincerity, hon-esty, and heart in what he does, the voice ismerely a device to get his ideas across any-way. Most of these ideas have to do with sexand love, two subjects on which Aznavourclaims to be an authority.

Personally, I don't find as many originalmusical ideas in his songs as I do in those ofhis rival, Gilbert Bhcaud. Still, in his style heis without peer in Europe and slowly build-ing up his limited following in America. Thereason he has not caught on big here beforeis probably because he is not handsome in theconventional all-American sense of the word,he has made only one limited personal -appearance tour here, and his exposure toAmerican filmgoers has been in some verybad films which never got any farther thankey cities. Recordings like this one shouldtake care of that situation.

Aznavour performs only his own corn -positions. They range from tearful memoriesof rain -soaked garrets to tearful memoriesof rain -soaked penthouses. All of them aresung with blunt savoir faire. Though hesings in French, he performs with enormouspassion and a mixture of wisdom and inno-cence that becomes immediately universal.This album is accompanied by detailedtranslations of his moody lyrics, which willbe a big help to those who speak only En-glish. But I think you'll get the messagewithout them. It's evident that what thistired, cynical, bitter, old world needs is moreAznavour. R. R.

Explanation of symbols:CD=stereophonic recording® = monophonic recording = mono or stereo version

not received for review

C

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) ® DICK HYMAN: Happening! DickHyman (harpsichord) ; orchestra. Themefrom Tom Jones; The Shadow of YourSmile; Michelle; Lady Fingers; EnglandSwings; Topolobambo; Theme from Zorbathe Greek; Yesterday; The Phoenix LoveTheme; and three others. COMMAND RS899SD $4.79, R 899SD $3.79.

Performance: ExcellentRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: Well focused

I am not a partisan of gimmick albums de-signed to exploit a single instrument, except

DICK HYMANWit and style for the pops harpsichord

in the all -too -rare cases when some realimagination has gone into the proceedings.I am happy to report that this album is oneof those rarities. Dick Hyman plays theharpsichord with wit and style, and his ar-rangements are fresh, inventive, and full ofhumor. His arrangement of the theme fromTom Jones is delightful. He describes it asmusic for "a mock Elizabethan silentmovie," and it succeeds on all intendedcounts and is a delightful little "mod" suitein itself. His playing is impeccable, as arehis assists from such players as Tony Mot -cola and Phil Bodner. Senza Fine done as ajazz waltz is another fine example of howfar a little new thinking can go toward re-vitalizing something you think you've heardtoo much of, and I prefer Hyman's concep-tion of The 'In' Crowd to Ramsey Lewis'.My favorite track is Michelle, which is donewith austerity and elegance. The use of two

flutes at the end struck me as most felicitousindeed.

The engineering is consistently superb. Irecommend this album unreservedly. P. R.

STEVE LAWRENCE: Sings of Love andSad Young Men (see Best of the Month,page 75)

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) ® MARILYN MAYS: The Lamp IsLow. Marilyn Maye (vocals); orchestra,Peter Matz arranger and conductor. Too LateNow; The Lamp Is Low; You're GonnaHear from Me; The Night We Called It aDay; and eight others. RCA VicroR LSP3626 $4.79, LPM 3626 $3.79.

Performance: ExcellentRecording: InflatedStereo Quality Good

Marilyn Maye would seem to be the pos-sessor of one of the more sumptuous voicesin popular music. From this recording it ap-pears to be a large voice with a broad, securerange which in the middle has a fine hot -chocolate purr. She also knows how to ex-press a lyric idea without sacrificing any ofthe total musicality of her performance. Notonly can you hear the lyrics clearly and un-derstand them but-and this is a crucial"but"-she is able to impart musical ideasthrough her phrasing and articulation. To dothis requires a musical intelligence of anorder seldom heard in pop singing.

Until recently the pop -vocal spectrumcould pretty well have been broken downinto the big -voiced "natural" singers (theyoung Garland, Kay Armen, and Vera Lynn)at orm end, and the "mannered" singers(Mabel Mercer, Jeri Southern, and BlossomDearie) at the other. Each group had quitespecific virtues, but they all had either suchgaps in musical comprehension or suchlimited vocal equipment that listening tothem always involved a compromise of sorts.In Miss Maye, however, the virtues come to-gether, and although I feel that her best ef-forts are still ahead of her, "The Lamp IsLow" is definitely an album worth owning.

Her performance of Love Wise is the bestthing in the album for my taste. Cool, ele-gant, and superbly sung, it brings into focusthose elements of Miss Maye's approach thatI find so appealing and has a sureness of de-livery that could only have come from hav-ing sung hundreds of songs hundreds oftimes. To say it is "thrown off" would bewrong, yet it does illustrate a professionalnonchalance that is perhaps irresistible inany artistic endeavor-rather like a drawingPicasso might have sketched absent-mindedly

FEBRUARY 1967 109

on a tablecloth. But even though it is only asketch, the impulse behind it is just right.Just as right as Miss Maye's impulse to keepRavel's original intention in the adaptationof his Pavane (herein known as The Lamp IsLou.). The words put to Ravel's music arescarcely worth the effort involved in singingthem, and while she never shirks her re-sponsibility toward them, she concentrateson a long a nd lovely cantilena which spinsout the affecting melody with stunning re-sults. All of the songs in the album havebeen chosen with great care and the arrange-ments by Peter Matz are very good in theirway. The voice often becomes too much anorchestral adjunct for my taste, but I supposeno arranger can resist getting a bit fancywhen faced with so much voice to work with,as in Miss Maye's case.

If Miss Maye's career is handled correctlyshe could easily become one of America'sbest, and best-known singers. More oftenthan not this album seems to show correcthandling, but I hope it doesn't settle thecourse she intends to take from now on. It isa little too slick, a little too glossy, a littletoo self-consciously "classy." I'd like to hearher with a smaller orchestra, a less fashion-able selection of songs, and-most of all-simpler arrangements. Both vocally and in-terpretively Marilyn Maye is quite strongenough to stand on her own without the rec-ord industry's version of grooming a starletfor the mass audience. No one buys a goodpainting for the frame. For Miss Maye Iwould suggest a thin, inconspicuous goldone-the kind that is nearly always best forsomething of really high quality. P.R.

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RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) C) FRANKIE RANDALL: Going theFrankie Randall Way! Frankie Randall(vocals) ; orchestra, Billy May cond. GravyWaltz; Isn't It Romantic: Gone u.ith theWind Craze She Calls Me: and seven others.RCA VICTOR LSP 3627 $4.79, LPM 3627*$3.79.

Performance: EnergeticRecording: SuperbStereo Quality: Superb

Specialists in one-upmanship of the I -told -

you -so variety would do well to keep a closewatch on Frankie Randall. Since that nightin Jilly's, a posh New York watering holefrequented by Sinatra and his cronies, whenRandall played the piano and Sinatra sangand everybody discovered everybody else,Randall has developed into one of the hip-pest song stylists in the business. In thislatest collection, the Sinatra influence is stillthere (especially in Here's That Rain) Day),but Randall is generating the kind of gen-uinely groovy electricity of which nobodyhas accused his mentor lately. He's more ofa swinger than Sinatra was in his earlyyears, and there's none of the ego -lapping,either. (Listen to the pyrotechnics on SteveAllen's Gravy Waltz-Sinatra never sanglike that!) He also reminds the ear of BuddyGreco, but he's more interesting. One of thefew singers to bridge the gap between jazzsinging and pop vocalizing successfully, hehas an uncanny ability to combine a frac-tured swing that some of the best jazz sing-ers don't have with a basically all-Americanmeetcha-at-the-frat-house boyishness.

The arrangements, by Billy May, are pain-lessly air-conditioned big -band explosionswhich never get in the way of Frankie'svocal athletics, and the songs, mostly triedand true, are tasty and selective. (Includedis the best of the American translations ofLuiz Bonfa's theme from Black Orpheus.This band alone is worth the price of thealbum.)

Frankie Randall is one of the best singersaround. It would be a waste if he faded outat this point because of the Sinatra compari-son. As Lotte Lenya said recently: "Every-one is compared to somebody. Even KurtWeill was once called a broken-down Puc-cini. So what? Puccini wasn't so bad either,was he?" R. R.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) C) SIMON AN!) GARFUNKEL: Pars-ley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. PaulSimon, Art Garfunkel (vocals) ; unidentifiedorchestra. Patterns; Homeward Bound; TheDangling Conversation; A Poem on theUnderground Irall ; and eight others. Co-LUMBIA CS 9363 $4.79, CL 2563 $3.79.

Performance: Brilliant, disturbingRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: First-rate

"The New Youth of the Rock Generation,"Ralph Gleason declares in the notes toSimon and Garfunkel's third album, "hastaken the creation of the lyrics and the musicout of the hands of the hacks and given itover to the poets." Hyperbole? Not entirely.It is true that only a few poets exist amongthe rock youth-most notably Bob Dylan,John Lennon and Paul McCartney, andPaul Simon-and their poetry is certainly

HIFI/ STEREO REVIEW

uneven. In fact, those with academic criteriaof poetry do not regard such lyrics as poetryat all. But more and more younger teachersin high schools and colleges are indeed con-sidering the work of a Paul Simon as poetry,and I agree with them.

Simon's lyrics are idiomatic, often mock-ing, sometimes painful in their evocation ofaloneness. They speak of the silences of thecity, of the pressurized compartments inwhich we place our young, of the murderousabsurdity of some of those who make deci-sions for us. They also tell of love with un-abashed gentleness and even try to cope withmortality. Art Garfunkel has taken theselyrics and arranged them for the two high,soft voices with uncommon imagination.As Gleason writes, "the voices blend, sep-arate, interweave and sing counter to oneanother with the delicacy of a clear glassetching."

The songs range from the sardonic ASimple Desultory Philippic through thehaunting Scarborough Fair to the delight-fully carefree 59th Street Bridge Song. Onlyone track descends to flat polemics-thejuxtaposition of a news broadcast with thesinging of Silent Night. The night is notserene; lives are being wasted; terror crowsover the corpse of good will. But the ironyin the parallel sounds is too easily drawn.This is not art but artifice. For the rest of thealbum, however, Simon and Garfunkel doshow how far our popular music at its besthas now come. And its possibilities are with-out limit. N. H.

(:) C. FRANK SINATRA: Sinatra at theSands. Frank Sinatra (vocals) ; the CountBasic orchestra. Fly Me to the Moon; ComeFly with Me; One for My Baby; and fifteenothers. REPRISE 2FS 1019 two discs $11.58,2F 1019* $9.58.

Performance: UnevenRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Good

Criticizing Frank Sinatra is like throwingrocks at Mt. Rushmore. He is such an insti-tution that he is now totally immune to dis-senting opinion, so historically cemented thatto his legions of camp followers he can dono wrong anyway. He is the Peck's Bad Boyof show business, but that's okay: he'sSinatra. It doesn't matter how many scandalshe stirs up in the headlines. He's Sinatra. Itdoesn't matter how many photographers'noses he bloodies. He's Sinatra. And nevermind all the notes he flats (or doesn't botherto hit at all). He's Sinatra.

So when I tell Sinatra fans that this two -record set of a "live" club date at the LasVegas Sands (in which Sinatra has investedsome of his own bankroll) really sounds likea swank promotion kit for the St. Moritz ofthe seven -card stud set, they probably won'tbelieve it. It's Sinatra. And when I tell themabout the missed notes and the thrown -awaysongs and the crummiest and most vulgarmonologues I've ever heard a singer deliverduring a club date-if only Frank wouldsing instead of doing tasteless imitations ofAmos and Andy in Negro dialect-theywon't care. It's Sinatra. All the songs havebeen recorded on other discs, under betterrecording conditions, and in better voice.But no matter. It's Sinatra. If I suggest thatthis is not an artist at work at all, but merelyan exercise in ego -massage, who will listen?

(Continued on next page)

FEBRUARY 1967

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It's Sinatra. And if I add that the best thingson the four sides are Quincy Jones' arrange-ments and the few moments when the Basieband is able to break away from Sinatra'smoldy style and really swing, the Sinatrafans will pay no attention. By this time,they've probably already put this magazinedown and rushed out to the record shop tobuy "Sinatra at the Sands." As for the restof us . . . oh, well, take that thing off thephonograph and hand me an old Joe Wil-liams record.... R. R.

C) C) NANCY SINATRA: Nancy In Lon-don. Nancy Sinatra (vocals) ; orchestra. OnBroadway; Step Aside; Summer Wine; ThisLittle Bird; and seven others. REPRISE RS6221 $1.79, R 6221 $3.79.

Performance: CommercialRecording: FairStereo Quality: Good

Miss Sinatra has been trying for a hit forquite a while, and not too long back shehad a substantial one, which she deserved.It was a good job, and the album whichcontained it, "Boots," had a cover shotof the lady that was kind of a collector'sitem in itself. Now we are confronted by"Nancy In London" with almost as arrest-ing a cover shot, a paucity of liner notes(in fact no liner notes, just another largepicture and the listing of the songs), andan aura of superstar about it. Well, notquite yet. And not for quite a time tocome, as far as I can hear.

Everything, however, is going for her,aside from her own strange sort of off-handedness with the songs. The arrange-ments are good, the songs all lie veryeasily for her voice, and the editing, asidefrom the opening of and Hopin*,which may or may not be deliberate in itsdistortion. is first-rate. In short, an en-tirely creditable job. This Little Bird isdone with a little more feeling than someof the others, which is to say, again, notvery much. She never really seems to wantto become involved with her material, andthe result is a coldness of delivery thatremains pretty constant throughout.

If Miss Sinatra really does want a sing-ing career, I see no reason why she cannotmake a success of it. I would suggest thatshe get some ballads-very simple, very di-rect-and record them in the same manner,perhaps with only a small rhythm sectionbacking her. I think she and everyone elsemight be quite surprised at the results. P. R.

C) C) MAURICIO SMITH: Bitter Acid.Mauricio Smith (flute, alto and soprano sax-ophones) ; Shelly Gold (alto, baritone, so-prano saxophones); Jimmy Sanchez (trum-pet) ; Frank Anderson (piano, organ) ; Vin-nie Bell (guitar) ; Bobby Rodriguez (bass) ;Herbert Lovelle (drums) ; Victor Panja (lat-in percussion) ; Jose Manguel (bocgos);Marceline Valdes (conga). Vira Gaajira;More Bread; Panama Blues: Pullin' YouDown; Old Shoes: and seven others. MAIN-STREAM S 6085 $4.98, 56085* $3.98.

Performance: SpiritedRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Okay

I don't know what the title "Bitter Acid"has to do with this album, unless it's justa matter of using this season's word. Norshould the picture of the squalid New York

neighborhood entice the buyer either, ex-cept that such neighborhoods are likely tolove this music. According to the annotator,Mauricio Smith's "plus factor lies in twoareas," one of which is "his reintroductionof the rarely used soprano sax." I will nottell you what area the rest of his plus fac-tor lies in, not un!ess you tell me who hereintroduced the soprano sax to. To Latinbands, perhaps, and the soprano does makean interesting sound with the Latin groupassembled here.

This is a pleasant, hybrid music, withovertones of Tijuana Brass, but with jazzand rock elements added-quite close towhat Mongo Santamaria did with Water-melon Man a few years back. For dancingor light listening, the album more thanserves the purpose. J. G.

Qs ® BARBRA STREISANI): Je m'appelleBarbra. Barbra Streisand (vocals) ; orches-tra, Michel Legrand cond. Le Mur: FreeAgain; Clopin Clopant; Martina; if hatNow My Lore?: Autumn Leaves; Speak toMe ot Lore; Once upon a Summertime; andfour others. COLUMBIA CS 9347 $4.79, CL2547 $3.79.

Performance StudiedRecording OkayStereo Quality. Good

By definition Barbra Streisand is a creativeartist. She is able, from an accumulation ofconscious and unconscious experiences, to se-lect, organize, and condense her feelings andthoughts and to synthesize them into newforms. Her very first hit, Happy Dap AreHere Again, was a spectacular example ofthis: she took an old standard, looked at itwith her own eyes, and emerged with a to-tally new conception. That she is a successfulcreative artist-above and apart from the un-fortunate amount of publicity given to thefees she commands-is equally evident. Sheis the biggest solo entertainment attractionin the world today. But if the real objectand reward of the creative artist is to sharean experience with an audience so that bothaudience and artist feel an expansion of theirworld and hence more alive in that world,then "Je m'appelle Barbra" is a lateral, al-most backward, step in a career notable forso few of them.

Something went wrong here; there justisn't very much life in these performances.The songs are well chosen, the arrangementsand conducting of Michel Legrand are, as al-ways, nearly perfect, and Streisand's Frenchis a marvel, but it all sounds filtered andstudied. The only two tracks, in my estima-tion, that were worth all the apparent timeand trouble are Free Again, which is beltedacross in her by -now -familiar three -act -dra-ma style, and Autumn Leaves, which is asensational performance in every way andhypnotic in its cool beauty. But What NowMy Love, in English and French (arrangedand conducted by Ray Ellis), is the sort ofperformance that makes the anti-Streisandcontingent happy. In it she is guilty ofmany of their charges: trying too hard, giv-ing a shrill and aggressive theatricality to hermaterial, offering a surfeit of emotionalismin place of true feeling, and, most im-portant, revealing at times an emptiness(brought on by her hyper -professionalism)that grates upon the listener.

The greats; single danger to Streisand'scareer is that!)- will consume her

CIRCLE NO. 23 ON READER SERVICE CARDI I 2

i F./ STEREO REVIEW

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CIRCLE NO. 66 ON READER SERVICE CARDFEBRUARY 1967

art. What Now My Lore in this album isjust this sort of ambitious mistake. Just asMiss Streisand learned how to sing whileshe was already singing professionally, shemust now learn that audiences have becomefamiliar with her style and she must growand develop within that style. Switching lan-guages is not growing and developing; itis merely a change in inflections within theestablished style. To maintain her positionas a major creative performing force inAmerican theater and popular music, Strei-sand must keep pushing out the boundariesof her own observed world. P. R.

C) C) MEL TORME: Right Now. MelTome (vocals) ; orchestra, Mort Garsoncond. Comin' Home Baby; Walk On By;Had a Hammer; Red Rubber Ball; and sevenothers. COLUMBIA CS 9335 $4.79, CL 2535

3.79.

Performance ProfessionalRecording: GoodStereo Quality Good

Mel Torme is apparently not satisfied justwith being one of the greatest singers inthe world. He is a singer's singer, a musi-ian's musician, and a songwriter's dream-

,ome-true. Still, there are singers, musiLians, and songwriters who can give youtheir hearts, but you wouldn't live longon what you'd find inside their pockets.In today's turbulent music world, you haveto go elsewhere for money.

Mel Torme, in this new recording, goesthe current pop -rock route, and the result isas disturbing as I was afraid it might be.It is unfamiliar territory for a hipster totravel, and Torme loses his way a coupleof times on the trip. It's not that he can'thandle material that is clearly beneath him-he sings the silly lyrics about red rub-ber balls and secret agent men as thoughhis lungs were greased with maple syrupMore to the point (and what is reallywrong with this album) is the way hedoes it. He makes no attempt to adju,tthe fleeting current faddishness of it all t,,his own inimitable style. He simply copiesall the current arrangements of all the cur-rent hits on the market. Consequently,Walk On By sounds exactly the sameas when Dionne Warwick sings it, Strangersin the Night mimics Sinatra right down tothe thrown -away "Scoobie-doobie-doo" end-ing (only Torme substitutes "Scum-dum"and "Wham -dam"). It is dishonest. Itis a put-down of the very material Tormewants to make money singing. Not thatI blame him. This stuff is so corny itdeserves to be put down, but not by anartist of Torme's caliber. Leave it for thesatirists of the future to look back on.

I'm sure he had a ball recording thesesongs, an assumption given credence by thegood-naturedness that comes out of some ofthe bands, such as Red Rubber Ball. AndI suppose if one has to listen to them atall, it is better to hear them sung by a realvoice instead of by a group of hystericalmoaners screaming for profit. Still, it'spretty hard to watch the man who wroteThe Christmas Song and County Fair mis-using a voice like a muted saxophone oninferior material. It's like ordering a hotdog at Le Pavillon. R. R.


ELECTRONIC POP MUSIC OF THE FUTURE

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THE

INSOUND

FROM

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C) C) CHET BAKER: Quietly There. ChetBaker (fluegelhorn), the Carmel Strings, un-identified chorus. Forget Him; ChristmarSong; Quietly There; Message to Michael;Stranger on the Shore; The More I See You:and six others. WORLD PACIFIC WPS 21847$5.79, WP 1847 $4.79.

Performance: LanguidRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Okay

This is a straight mood set by Chet Baker,who seems to have abandoned trumpet forthe deeper, softer fluegelhorn. The largerhorn is actually better suited to his gentleapproach-that of a sweeter, shallower, lessinventive Miles Davis. And fluegelhorn isbetter suited to strings, as well. Thetunes are current favorites (a few by thecurrent favorite Burt Bacharach) and abossa nova. The simple, pleasant arrange-ments are by Harry Betts and Julian Lee.

Since the songs are well chosen andwell played, you are likely to enjoy thisif you want a mood set that has a littlemore body than the usual pap turned outin the name of "mood." My only quarrelwith the set is the chorus that one hear,.occasionally. It is my feeling that the writ-ing for voices is usually so bad that theare intrusive with a jazz horn except onrare occasions, and this is not one of thoseoccasions. J. G.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT0 8 DONALD BYRD: Free Form. Don-ald Byrd (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (tenorsaxophone), Herbie Hancock (piano), ButchWarren (bass), Billy Higgins (drums).Pentecostal Feeling; Night Flower; NaiNai; French Spice; Free Form. BLUE NOTEST 84118 $5.79, 4118* $4.79.

Performance: MeatyRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Okay

One of the small pleasures of the jazz sceneover the last decade has been the career ofDonald Byrd, who arrived in New York anoverpublicized, cocky kid. He began to liveup to his reputation sometime later and final-ly developed into a serious, thoughtful musi-cian. In the last several years, his albumshave consistently contained moments of depthand thoughtfulness.

This album is no exception to that, but Ithink that the most readily assimilable trackwill be the lightest-Pentecostal Feeling.Containing elements of early Horace Silverand an irresistible rhythm, it could easily bea hit. Byrd is his usual excellent self, andhas a fine rhythm section backing him. WayneShorter is still a highly derivative saxophon-ist, but he is lovely on the ballad NightFlower, and on Nai Nai he sounds like thebest of early Coltrane. J. G.

® C) JOHN COLTRANE: Meditations.John Coltrane, Pharaoh Saunders (tenor sax-ophones) ; McCoy Tyner (piano) ; JimmyGarrison (bass) ; Elvin Jones, Rashied Ali(drums). The Father and the Son and theHoly Ghost; Compassion; Love; Conse-quences; Serenity. IMPULSE AS 9110 $5.79,A 9110* $4.79.

Performance: TurbulentRecording: Very goodStereo Quality: Good

John Coltrane, long one of my favoritemusicians, has recently gone where I cannotfollow, and his latest album is another foot-fall in that land. In the notes, my colleagueNat Hentoff describes the album as an ex-posure of "the rawness of palpable, viscer-al, painful, challenging, scraping, scouringself-discovery." After the "Ascension" disc,and now this, I cannot be scoured or scrapedany more.

2ry

DONALD BYRDA serious, thoughtful jazz artist

The sides are not banded ; the album ispractically one long work. There are twodrummers, which Coltrane now prefers,but which reportedly caused the magnifi-cent Elvin Jones to leave the group. Muchof the solo space is given to Pharaoh Saun-ders, who begins where Coltrane leaves off-shrieks and double tones are his basicvocabulary. The churning, boiling effect ofthe two drums and two tenors has somehowmade the formerly indifferent pianist McCoyTyner truly lyrical.

I wonder at myself for not liking thismusic, especially when an equally severeassault on my system in a theater, such asMarat/Sade, leaves me exhilarated. Perhapsit is because in the theater there is some-thing to watch, or because I can see thecraft. In this "Meditations" album, I feelonly that I am being wildly assaulted, andmust defend myself by not listening. J. G.

DUKE ELLINGTON: The Popular DukeEllington (see Best of the Month, page 76)

®® DEXTER GORDON: Gettin' Around.Dexter Gordon (tenor saxophone), BobbyHutcherson (vibes), Barry Harris (piano),Bob Cranshaw (bass), Billy Higgins (drums).Manha de Caruaval; Who Can I Turn To?;Heartaches; Shiny Stockings; Everybody's

I 14HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

Somebody's Fool: Le Coiffeur. BLUE NOTEST 84204 $5.79. 1204* S4.79.

Performance: RobustRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality, Very good

While this is not one of Dexter Gordon'smore intense or searching albums, it is a

thoroughly agreeable demonstration of hiswarm, sinewy sound, loping lines, per-sistently clear melodic imagination, and en-veloping beat. On IF'ho Can I Turn To?,moreover, he reseals a growing mastery oflyrical ballad playing. The accompanimentis faultless in terms of both rhythmic pli-ability and appropriate textural airiness.

N. IL

C) CHICO HAMILTON: The FurtherAdventures of El Chico. Chico Hamilton(drums) ; Gabor Szabo (guitar) ; VictorPantoja, Willie Bobo (Latin percussion) ;Charlie Mariano (alto saxophone) ; JeromeRichardson (flute, alto flute) ; Clark Terry(trumpet) ; Jimmy Cheatham (trombone) ;Danny Bank (piccolo) ; Ron Carter, RichardDavis (bass). My Romance: Evil Eye; Mon-day Monday: Manila: That Boy with thatLong Hair: and three others. IMPULSE AS9114 55.79, A 9114* $4.79.

Performance: VariesRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: Good

This is something of a sequel to the albumcalled "El Chico," and is primarily in a Latinvein. First, let me say that I am disappointedin my favorite guitar player, Gabor Szabo.

His People on the preceding album waslovely and something of a hit; here his WhoCan I Turn To? is similar enough in moodand execution to indicate that he is eitherdeliberately trying for a repeat or else is

severely limited. I don't know which I wouldprefer to find out is correct.

The best performances are turned in bythe delightful (;lark Terry on Got My MojoU"oriing, and by a surprisingly gutty CharlieMariano on Daydream and The Shadow ofYour Smile. The last is unusual in that theline is played only at the end; Daydream isplayed so sloppily by excellent musicians thatI suspect a hurried date. Hamilton himselfis best on a rouser called Manila.

I suppose you could call this the best ofsemi -pop jazz; some tracks are marvelous,others nearly a waste of time. I would like tothink that there are musical as well as com-mercial considerations behind recordingpieces like Daydream and Monday Monday;they are more original than the "originals"whichoften clutter up records like this. 1. G.

C) JOHN HANDY: The Second JohnHandy Album. John Handy (alto and tenorsaxophones), Jerry Hahn (guitar), MikeWhite (violin), Don Thompson (bass),Terry Clarke (drums, glockenspiel). DancyDancy: Theme X: Blues for a HighstrungGuitar: Dance for Carlo B: Scheme #1.COLUMBIA CS 9367 54.79. CL 2567 $3.79.

Performance VariesRecording: Very goodStereo Quality Good

As I reported some time back in these pages,

I was disappointed in this group's first Co-lumbia album. It was recorded at the Mon-terey Jazz Festival, and there had been manyitems in the jazz press about how great theywere that day. As I say, I was disappointed.So now here is the second album, recorded inthe studio.

Two of the musicians amaze me: guitaristJerry Hahn and violinist Mike White (whodoes not, according to annotator Ralph Glea-son, play an electric violin after all, butsimply holds a plain old fiddle up close tothe microphone). The group seems to behaving a crisis of identity; they range froman extremely far-out modern piece likeScheme #1, which leaves me cold, to CarloB, which is as nice and pleasant as a twelve-year -old Shank-Almeida track.

But there is one piece on this album whichmakes me recommend it unreservedly: DancyDanci. It is the most perfectly worked out,joyous piece of jazz I've heard since ( I don'twant to scare anybody) Ornette Coleman'sRamblin'. Based on Hahn's banjo -type gui-tar, it sings happily along, everybody inperfect cohesion, a completely realized bit ofsheer pleasure. I could listen to music likethis all night. J. G.

C) WOODY HERMAN: The JazzSwinger. Woody Herman (vocals, clarinet,alto saxophone) ; Frank Vicari, Bob Pierson,Andy McGhee, Sal Nistico, Tom Anastas(saxophones) ; Bill Chase, Mary Stamm,Alex Rodriguez, Paul Fontaine, Bill Byrne,Dave Gale, Linn Biviano (trumpets) ; CarlFontana, Jerry Collins, Henry Southall(trombones) ; Nat Pierce (piano) ; Mike

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Moore (bass) ; Ronnie Zito (drums). AprilShowers: Dinah; Swetnee: Sonny Boy; SanFrancisco: and six others. COLUMBIA CS9352 $4.79, CL 2552 $3.79.

Performance: EasyRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Good

Although this is a very good, very enjoy-able album, there seems to be no necessityfor it: a committee conception, perhaps ar-rived at by matching up names in two hats,one containing current performers' names,the other past performers'. Okay, WoodyHerman sings songs associated with Al Jol-son. Why not just as easily have a TonyBennett -Russ Columbo album? Or, my nom-ination for the camp disc of the decade,Barbra Streisand-Kate Smith?

Well, Herman -Jolson is what we got,with a lovely 1920's -style cover, and sincemost of the songs are good (Sonny Rollinsonce wanted to do a Jolson album), itworks out pretty well. Herman, a "stylist"rather than a singer, has a sly, easy, ingra-tiating way with a song, sometimes mock-ing both himself and the material in a waythat Dean Martin later found so effective.

The band is the same tight precision in-strument, and the arrangements are by NatPierce, Bill Holman, and the man whosename is practically synonymous with Her-man, Ralph Bums. His soft, neat arrange-ment of April Showers, so complete thatthe vocal is almost an intrusion, is the album's high point. J. G.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) C) YUSEF LATEEF: A fiat, G fiat andC. Yusef Lateef (tenor and alto saxophones.flute, oboe, lute, theremin) ; Hugh Lawson(piano) ; Reggie Workman (bass) ; RoBrooks (drums). Kyoto Blues; Robbie..Psyche Rose; Nile Valley Blues; ChuenBlues: and five others. IMPULSE AS 9117$5.79, A 9117 $4.79.

Performance: ExcellentRecording:Very goodStereo Quality: Good

Quietly, almost as if he were standing off ina corner, Yusef Lateef has become a superbmusician. His early reputation was obscuredby the fact that he played, among otherthings, balloons and 7 -Up bottles. He is stilladdicted to unusual instruments, and I coulddo without the three -string Chinese lute andtheremin that he plays on this record. Butsome diversity was apparently called for; analbum of ten instrumental quartet blues rep-resents a considerable challenge.

And, with the exception of the few overlystrange things (I will defend Lateef's rightto experiment, if he will defend mine to bebored), I think he is unusually successful.The first track, Warm Hearted Blues, is su-perbly named. Lateef is a supremely emo-tional player on tenor, and it is emotion,more than the choice of notes, that makeshim so satisfying on the instrument. He isalso, as attested to by Feather Comfort, per-haps the only man to play satisfactory blueson the oboe. And Blind Willie, named foran elder bluesman, is no less moving forbeing based on the famous phrase from TheThird Man Theme. Whatever the experi-ments, I think that Lateef is basically a con-server of tradition, and he is a valuable manto have around. J. G.

®Q CHA10.1.s MINGUS: Right Now.Charles M ngus (bass), Clifford Jordan(tenor saxophone), John Handy (alto saxo-phone), Jane Getz (piano), Dannie Rich-mond (drums). Meditations; New Fables.FANTASY 86017 $4.98, 6017* $3.98.

Performance: TurbulentRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Very good

The date of this Charles Mingus session atthe Jazz Workshop in San Francisco is notgiven in the notes, but the list of performersindicates that it was probably about two orthree years ago. Both compositions-each tak-ing up an entire side-are familiar elementsin the Mingus repertoire. But Mingus isconstantly reshaping his works and, some-what like Duke Ellington, he sets himselfnew challenges by adapting his compositionsto the par, ular strengths of different solo-

A jazz bass of imperious tidal pull

ists. Therefore, these performances are farfrom repetitions of previous recorded ver-sions of The Fables of Faubus and Medita-tions. The ensemble work has the customaryspiraling intensity Mingus draws from hismen.

In charge of shaping the molten flow areMingus himself and his remarkable drum-mer, Dannie Richmond. They feel time thesame way, and it is they who direct theshifting tempos which, in turn, affect theway the horn players develop their melodiclines. On Meditations, Clifford Jordan con-tributes what may be his most deeply ex-pressive solo on records. John Handy ischaracteristically resourceful, and pianistJane Getz stands up bravely if not alwayseffectively to the imperious tidal pull ofMingus and Richmond. N. H.


C) C) THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET:Blues at Carnegie Hall. John Lewis(piano), Milt Jackson (vibes), Percy Heath(bass), Connie Kay (drums). Pyramid;Ralph's New Blues; Home; Blues Milanese;and four others. ATLANTIC SD 1468 $5.79,1468* $4.79.

Performance: Supple, swingingRecording: Very goodStereo Quality: Excellent

CIRCLE iun ct etv4 READER SERVICE CARD 116 HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

Recorded during a be",:nt concert presentedby the Manhattan School of Music at Car-negie Hall, this is one of the Modern JazzQuartet's most substantial albums in recentyears. While rnealing the scope of theblues, from its basic form to a variety ofsophisticated extensions, the group also dis-plays its own continuing viability. Thesefour men have worked together since 1955,and yet there seems no slackening their flow-ing collective improvisation. Finely attunedto each other's musical temperaments, theykeep themselves and their material fresh byexploring new ways of sustaining a persist-ently stimulating organic totality fromwhich the solos emerge with precise rele-vancy as well as spontaneity. Arrangementsare altered, rhythmic patterns shift, and tex-tures become more and more crystalline. Insome parts of their repertoire, the refinementleac's to attenuated emotions, but not in theblues which still serve as their primarynourishment. N. H.

0 ® DOC SEVERINSEN: Live! Doc Sev-erinsen (trumpet), Arnie Lawrence (altosaxophone), Dick Hyman (piano, organ),Al Casamenti, Bucky Pizzarelli, TommyKay, and Tony Mottola (guitars), GeorgeDuvivier (bass), Bobby Rosengarden (per-cussion), George Bodner (flute, baritone sax-ophone), Lou McGarity (trombone). Sum-mertime: Cielila Linda; Michelle: Mother,and Daughters: and eight others. COMMANDRS 901 SD $5.79, RS 901* $4.79.

Performance ShallowRecording: First-rateStereo Quality Superior

Doc Severinsen is a trumpeter of prodigioustechnique, and he is also capable of sensitiveexpressivity. Alas, commercial considerationswere obviously paramount in the planningof this album, and Severinsen rarely measuresup to what one would expect of him. Theperformances, except for Confessin' andMichelle. slide off into hokum, sentimen-tality, or other varieties of what should bealien corn to a musician of Severinsen'spotential. The engineering is superb (listento the drummer's brush work, for example),but it's wasted on what is largely musicalephemera. N. H.


C) CECIL TAYLOR: Unit Structures.Cecil Taylor (piano, bells), Eddie GaleStevens Jr. (trumpet), Jimmy Lyons (altosaxophone), Henry Grimes (bass), AlanSilva (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums).Steps; Enter, Evening: Unit Structure/As ofa Now/Section; Tales. BLUE NOTE BST84237 $5.79, BLP 4237* $4.79.

Performance: Electrifying, exhaustingRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: Very good

The most immediate characteristic of CecilTaylor's music is its enormous energy. Lis-tening to him is like being drawn into a vor-tex of feelings and sounds; and if you canlet yourself go, the careening journey is re-warding-emotionally and intellectually. Itis also exhausting, because Taylor demandsa great deal frum his listeners. You not onlyhave to jettison preconceptions of form

("form is possibility," he says in the notes)but you also have to be open to extraordi-narily dense but continually shifting andoften acerbic sound mixes. Textural possi-bilities obviously enchant Taylor, and he re-quires his musicians to extend the potentialof their instruments-range, timbres-as faras they can. He is also an explorer of rhythmwaves, and the churningly complex pulsa-tions of his ensemble are largely unpredict-able and yet integrally unified. In theexpansion of colors and rhythms throughwhirlpools of collective improvisation hehas been a seminal influence on the newjazz.

For Those new to the demonic Taylorethos, the easiest place to begin in this al-bum is Enter. Evening with its tart lyricism.tautly disciplined play of sonorities, andutter lack of sentimentality. From there, thewing may well be quite rough, and I wouldsuggest you concentrate the first few timeson the way Taylor structures his thunderouspiano solos. From that perspective, the ex-tension of Taylor's way of hearing andshaping sounds to other instruments oughtto be somewhat clearer. But don't expecttotal luridity, for Taylor's music needs aconsiderable amount of living with-and, inany case, it is not for every temperament.Those who do not want music to shake themand to open new ways of feeling withjagged insistence will avoid Mr. Taylor, butthe adventurous have startling surprisesahead. The cryptic notes are by Mr. Taylor,and they ought to have another set of notesto explain them. N. H.


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FOLK

(§) .rv.1 SARA AND MAN BELLE CARTER.The Original Carters. Sara and MaybelleCarter (vocals). Irbile the Band is Playin'Dixie; Higher Ground: Farther On; Goin'Home; and seven others. COLUMBIA CS9361 $4.79, CL 2561 $3.79.

Performance: AuthenticRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Good

According to the sympathetic and admiringliner notes provided by Johnny Cash for thisalbum, Aunt Sara Carter, the doyenne ofcountry-and-western music, has been livingquietly and happily in (among other places)a house trailer in Angels Camp, California,since her last recording was made overtwenty six years ago. Here, he relates, sheraises peacocks. In 1965, her husband CoyBayes bought a tape recorder, and AuntSara used it to send spoken and sung Christ-mas greetings to Mother Maybelle Carterand other members of her family in Madi-son, Tennessee. She also performed a num-ber of new songs that she had composedduring her retirement. Later, during a visitto Madison, Aunt Sara was prevailed uponto make this record with Mother Maybelle.

Though Aunt Sara and Maybelle maysometimes sound like two baritones waitingfor a train that they doubt will ever arrive,the earnestness and conviction they bring toall of their performances are impressive.While the Band is Playin' Dixie is one of myown favorites here, as is Farther On. In boththere is the no-nonsense approach, particu-larly in Aunt Sara's strong -voiced singing,that places this music in another era-whensubsistence itself was the issue, and the roadto redemption was long and rock-strewn,and life was a grim fight between beliefsand instincts. This is bedrock country-and-western singing with no frills, and I thinkthe producers of the album were quite cor-rect in labeling it "an historic reunion."

P. R.


QAD THE CORRIE FOLK TRIO/PAD-DIE BEI.L: The Promise of the Day.Paddie Bell, Ronnie Browne, Bill Smith, RoyWilliamson (vocals, guitars) ; Archie Fisher(banjo) ; Mansel Davis (bass). The Leavingof Liverpool: The Gift 0' Gowd; AroundCape Horn; Killiecrankie: and ten others.ELEKTRA EKS 7034* $5.79, EKL 304$1.79.

Performance. Joyful, vigorousRecording: Very good

The Corrie Folk Trio and lissome PaddieBell are a Scotch unit. Though eclectic as torepertoire and influences, they have evolveda firm identity of their own. Neither archnor blatant, they sing of picaresque Ives andlove stories with robust warmth. Miss Bell

as a soloist is not pu;te up to her colleaguesin the scope and resiliency of her sound, butshe does add a refreshing purity of tone.These four do not try to be "authentic" car-riers of the British folk lineage and they donot strain to be modishly hip. They simplyselect songs they enjoy, and they are apleasure to listen to. N. H.

C) C) BOB LIND: Photographs of Feel-ing. Bob Lind (vocals and guitar), unidenti-fied accompaniment, Jack Nitsche arr. GoArk Your Alan: We've Never Spoken: SanFrancisco Woman; A Nameless Request:Remember the Rain: and five others. WORLDPACIFIC WPS 21851* $4.79, WP 1851$3.79.

Performance: BlandRecording: Good

My ego is crushed. Some months ago I wasgiven Bob Lind's first two albums to review(I think they were his first two, anyway),and I wrote, very clearly and succinctly, itseems to me, why I didn't like them. Well,either nobody buys this magazine, or nobodylistens to me, or Bob Lind owns World Pa-cific, or something, because he's made anoth-er album. At least I can say I tried. Maybeit's just that a lot of other people like him.I take it that his managers, who wrote thenotes, like him very much.

And although I find most of this folk-rock ( I guess) album banal and meaningless,there are also a couple of things on it that Ilike. Nothing beats on-the-job training, andWest Virginia Summer Child shows a cer-tain growth, and an ability on Lind's part toquestion himself. While it lacks the pro-fundity of Harry Riby's similar There's aGirl in the Heart of Wheeling, West Vir-ginia, it is a step in the right direction. And Imust-seriously, folks-give him credit forone further thing: remembering a lost love onone track, he includes the line "You knewwhat to do with your hands, Elinor," whichI find to he worth an album full of moon -

June -faded -summer -love romanticism. J. G.

® )l ART REYNOLDS SINGERS: Tellies'It Like It Is. Art Reynolds (piano, vocals);Thelma Housten, Alfreda James, Alexis Don-nadell, Lillie Mae Brown, Glenna Session(vocals) ; unidentified bassist, vibist, anddrummer. I Won't Be Back: It Took aMighty God; Move On Up a Little Higher;Every Now and Then: and seven others.CAPITOL ST 2534 $4.79, T 2534* $3.79.

Performance: MechanicalRecording: Very goodStereo Quality: First-rate

It's not easy to make a dull album ofgospel music, but Art Reynolds has thor-oughly succeeded. According to the notes,the intent was to create "a sound whichcombines the intoxicating soul of fine gos-pel music with the rhythmic drive of today'sbig beat." As if fine gospel music everneeded a rhythmic infusion from any othersource. Actually. Reynolds has rhythmical-ly imprisoned his singers. The usuallyresilient gospel beat, which allows for soar-ing flights when the spirit moves, has beenradically reduced to narrow inflexibility.And Reynolds' arrangements, moreover, fur-ther constrict the singers, limiting the en-semble patterns to rigid clichés. The solovoices might be vibrantly exciting in an-other conext, but here they are not. N. H.CIRCLE NO. 42 ON READER SERVICE CARD


SPOKEN WORD

ON,

C) vt,Di DICK DAVY: You're a Long Wayfrom Home, Il biley. Dick Davy (comedi-an). Greyhound Be,: New York Blackout:Things is Getting Better: Times is Changing:and three others. COLUMBIA CS 9345 S1.79,CL 2545 $3.79.

Performance: Remarkable skill at rolereversal

Recording: Very goodStereo Quality: Good

Dick Davy, a white emigrant from theOzarks, has been recorded for the first timeduring a live performance at the ApolloTheatre in Harlem. Inevitably, the album'smain interest is in how he managed tosurvive with his alien accent and color.He succeeded because he is far ahead ofmost whites in being able-so far as anywhite person can be-to see the society asblack men might see it. Furthermore,. heis able-and this is the crux of his survivalat the Apollo-to see himself as a blackaudience might. Accordingly, there are nofalse notes. He doesn't try to emulatecolored performers, such as Moms Mableyor Dick Gregory, but instead comes on asa white man who knows the score butwho is also aware of the limitations of thisknowledge. He does not confuse role reversal with color transference. Davy is a

phenomenon. How durable a humorist heis, however, depends on how diverse hisinsights are into other areas of the society.In any case, he's begun with the most un-expected act of any humorist in this listen-er's memory. N. H.

C) C) THE DAYS OF WILFRED OWEN(original sound -track record). Richard Bur-ton, reader. WARNER BROTHERS BS 1635$5.79, B 1635* S4.79.

Performance. MasterfulRecording: SuperbStereo Quality: Balances speech and music

Wilfred Owen's poems about the realities ofwar and warriors are assured an immortalplace in English letters, if only throughtheir bold inclusion in the text of BenjaminBritten's monumental War Requiem. Now agreat actor lends his considerable dramatictalents to reading them for the soundtrack ofan impressive short film, and the disc madefrom that track makes a valuable addition tothe catalog of recorded verse.

"This is not about heroes," the preface tothe readings states. "English poetry is notyet fit to speak of heroes." Whether or notthis sweeping indictment is true, Englandcan certainly supply no stronger voice thanMr. Burton's to bring these bitter but me-lodic verses to life. Included are such classicsas "Strange Meeting" ("I am the enemy youkilled, my friend"), the "Anthem forDoomed Youth" ("What passing -bells forthese who die as cattle?/Only the monstrous

FEBRUARY 1967 119

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anger of the guns . . .") and the "ApologiaPro Poemate Meo" which concludes withthe scornful lines "These men are worth/Your tears. You are not worth their merri-ment." A particularly forceful reading of"Dulce et Decorum Est," excoriating theseductive lie of glib patriotism, brings therecital to its close and climax.

In the stereo version, Richard Lewine'sshy, astringent musical score has been wise-ly separated and comes through on the rightspeaker, providing a spine -chilling accom-paniment to Owen's implacable verses ofmourning for all who have suffered the "sor-rowful dark" of the hell of war. P. K.

8 RUDYARD KIPLING: The JungleBooks. Volume One: Mou'gli's Brothers;Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. Volume Two: Tiger!Tiger! ;Toomai of the Elephants. ChristopherCasson and Eve Watkinson (readers). SPO-KEN ARTS 929 and 933, $5.95 each.

Performance: Jungle duetRecording: Excellent

Boris Karloff has been over this groundfor Caedmon (TC 1100 and TC 1176) insoft-spoken, hypnotic readings, but the pres-ent approach is quite different, and it isutterly delightful in its own way. To re-count the adventures of Mowgli, the In-dian child who is brought up by wolves,steals fire from men like a jungle Prome-theus, and hunts down the man-eating tigerShere Khan, Mr. Casson and Miss Wilkin-son employ a kind of antiphonal approachof alternating voices against a backgroundof jungle sounds and the chanting of youngHindu voices. I found the effects a mitetoo relentless, but children of Jungle Booksage will probably love them, and be totallyheld by Mowgli and the rather garrulousanimals who consort with him.

In addition to the Mowgli stories, there'sa lusty treatment of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, abloodthirsty tale about an aggressive mon-goose, which has never been one of myfavorites, and a most satisfactory accountof Toomai of the Elephants, wherein aherdsman's son follows the seventy -year oldpachyderm Kala Nag to witness "the danceof the elephants at night and alone in theheart of the Garo Hills." P. K.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITLBJ IN THE CATSKILLS. Christopher

Weeks, Fannie Flagg, Robert Weil, DianePane, Mal Lawrence, Patsy Shaw, and KerenLiswood (performers), Gerard W. Purcell(director). WARNER BROTHERS W 1662$3.79.

Performance: HilariousRecording: A pleasure

August 19, 1966, should go down as a na-tional holiday in the history of recordedcomedy, if only because it inspired the mak-ing of the first really entertaining album ofpolitical humor since that nimbly inventivebest-seller "The First Family." It was onthat day that President and Mrs. Lyndon B.Johnson checked into a resort hotel in theCatskill Mountains. Now comes a recordingwhich, for my money, could be an actualdocumentary of the whole episode.

With Christopher Weeks as an absoluteringer for the President, and Fannie Flaggthe drawling essence of Lady Bird, we areushered into the lobby where Mr. Johnson

gently explains "I got your brochure," andthe owner adroitly cancels a zipper conven-tion and switches his clientele around tomake room for the Presidential party of ahundred and nine. From then on, not a trickis missed. Robert McNamara asks for Lyn-don, but is connected with a Mr. Lindmanwho advises him in the absence of GreenBerets to send out a shipment of purple;Mr. Johnson undergoes a free dance lessonand an encounter with a quavering Catskillwaiter named Max; a press conference in thechildren's dining room brings forth shrewdsallies from reporters representing the Mi-ami Yenta, the B'nai B'rith Newsletter andthe Tel Aviv Tattler ("Leo, hold the backpage!"). All comes to a climax when theJohnsons are ushered to a ringside table inthe Sol Hurok room to enjoy the routines ofa new comedian who turns out to be . . .

But never mind. You want to enjoy? Buy

LEO ROSTENIrresistible as 11* li*M*A*N K*A*P*L*AN

the record. Honestly, this one, unlike almostall other contenders in its category, is guar-anteed one hundred per cent funny. P. K.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITay, 11.0 ROSTEN: The Education ... andReturn of Hyman Kaplan. Leo Rosten( reader), Arthur Luce Klein (director).SPOKEN ARTS 950 $5.95.

Performance: ValiantRecording: Good

Leo Rosten is that fellow who teaches at Co-lumbia University, writes books aboutWashington and the movie colony in Holly-wood, and is an expert on economics andpolitical science. Writing under his pseudo-nym, Leonard Q. Ross, however, he is some-thing else again-the deservedly belovedcreator of the redoubtable H*Y*M*A*NK*A*P*L*A*N, that murderer of the En-glish language who confounds his thin-lipped teacher Mr. Parkhill night after nightin the beginners' grade of the AmericanNight Preparatory School for Adults in NewYork City. To Kaplan, the declension offail is "fail, failed, bankrupt"; the oppositeof new is "second-hand"; the collaboratorswho wrote those comic operettas were Gold -/PI C3C. I r Nn 9C INN 13CAMCI3 <CCIWI,C rnon

12(1 HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

berg and Solomon. Again and again poorParkhill is foiled by the "matchless precisionof Mr. Kaplan's reasoning"; in the end, hecomes to admit to himself that Kaplan is notjust another immigrant learning English, buta "cosmic force" that has been sent by anavenging Providence to drive teachers out oftheir minds.

Readings of these episodes, which enliv-ened the pages of The New Yorker for somany years and later entertained millions inbook form, were long overdue. Mr. Rostenhas chosen the richest cream: the episode inwhich Kaplan explains why ChristopherColumbus was greater than Admiral Byrd;Kaplan's masterful exegesis of the speech"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow,"which he proves conclusively appears not inMacbeth but in "Julius Scissor"; Mr. Park -hill's nightmare of seeing the crayoned let-ters of the Kaplan name across the facadeof the school itself ; and Mr. Kaplan AndThe Magi, a most unusual Christmas tale.Although the author's accent does not al-ways evoke Hyman Kaplan as vividly as Ihave heard him in my own mind throughthe years, he is valiant in his attempts at im-personating not only his own great hero butall his fellow -students in the beginners'grade, not to mention Mr. Parkhill himself.The results, once things get under way, arepretty irresistible. P. K.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITCARL SANDBURG: Al ways The Young

Strangers. Carl Sandburg (Reader). CAED-MON TC 1209 $5.95.

Performance. InvigoratingRecording: Excellent

Mr. Sandburg may be starting to look likea monument, and non -discriminating parti-sans of even his glibbest verses and longestencomiums to Lincoln may be determinedto turn him into one, but he is very muchthe human being here in these excerptsfrom his autobiography. His recollectionsof his parents, who sound like MiddleWestern Grant Wood portraits come tolife, his struggles with the recalcitrant wood-en pump of his boyhood home, and, espe-cially, a vivid evocation of a hot Julyafternoon in 1885 when he watched fromhis father's shoulder a local funeral paradestaged in Galesburg, Illinois, for GeneralGrant (the marchers bore an empty coffinthrough the streets to the beating of muffleddrums) are simply irresistible.

The poet's prose is hewn with such sim-plicity and grace and his voice is so unassum-ing and caressing that every memory emergesas a vivid picture of forgotten times andpeople and places-a glimpse of privatehistory that at the same time is a com-ment on a whole era. I was especially en-chanted by the verbal reconstruction of aside show at an old-time circus, in all itstarnished allure.

The editors have wisely retained themost touching of all the record's moments-when the poet breaks down, after all theseyears, while trying to read aloud a prayerhis mother wrote as a "souvenir" to herson just before her death in 1926. "I can'tread it," he apologizes softly. "Get it later,after some coffee, maybe-and some JackDaniels." The listener's heart goes out,then, not to a living institution, but to aman. P. K.

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FEBRUARY 1967CIRCLE NO. 30 ON READER SERVILE CAFE)

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CIRCLE NO. 64 ON READER SERVICE CARD122 HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

HIFI/STEREO REVIEW'S CHOICE OF THE LATEST RECORDINGS

STEREO TAPERECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITJ) BACH: Sinfonia in F Major (BWV1071); Sinfonia, in D Major, for Violinand Orchestra (BWV 1045); ConcertoNo. 6, for Harpsichord, Recorders, andStrings (BWV 1057). HANDEL: HarpConcerto, in B -flat, Op. 4, No.6. GeorgeMalcolm (harpsichord) ; Mario Korchinska(harp); London Baroque Ensemble, KarlHaas cond. VANGUARD VEE 1919 $4.95.

Performance: SpiritedRecording: GoodStereo Quality GoodSpeed and Playing Time:334 ips; 44'32"

At 54.95 this package is a fine buy for tapebuffs who fancy Baroque repertoire. Thoughthere are other four -track tape performancesof the music of the Bach F Major Sinfoniaand the concerto, as well as of the Handelconcerto, none of these pieces has ever beenissued on tape in precisely the form it is

heard here, for the Bach works are tran-scriptions by Bach himself of the first andfourth Brandenburg Concertos, and the Han-del opus is a version of his Organ Concerto,Op. 4, No. 6. The lively D Major Sinfoniaof Bach, evidently the introduction to a lostchurch cantata, is, however, a genuine firstrelease on tape.

The music here is not only delightful it-self, but it offers an opportunity for fascinat-ing insights into Bach and Handel as tran-scribers of their own works. As has alwaysbeen the case with the London Baroque En-semble recordings under Karl Haas, the per-formances are authentic in style, vivaciousin rhythmic pulse, and transparent in tex-ture. They are beautifully captured sonically-despite the 33,4-ips speed. D. H.

C) GOUNOD: St. Cecilia Mass. IrmgardSeefried (soprano) ; Gerhard Stolze (tenor):Hermann Uhde (bass); Czech Choir andCzech Philharmonic, Prague, Igor Marke-"itch cond. DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON DGC9111 87.95.

Performance: WorthyRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: FineSpeed and Playing Time: 71/2 ips; 50'36"

Gounod's fairly lengthy mass is a mixtureof somewhat dated bombast and some per-fectly lovely reflective portions, most ofwhich seem to occur in the work's secondhalf. The performance in this first taping

Explanation of symbols:= stereophonic recording

C) = monophonic recording

Reviewed by DAVID HALL IGOR KIPNIS REX REED PETER REILLY

z

(three versions are presently available ondiscs) is excellent overall, although, of thesoloists, only Gerhard Stolze is completelysatisfying. Most outstanding is the qualityof the choral and orchestral work, and Mar-kes itch has an impressive command overthese forces. The slightly distant microphon-ing captures the atmosphere of a church per-formance most effectively. I. K.

HANDEL: Harp Concerto, in B -/la. ')p.4, No. 6 (see BACH)

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT;s) PRAETORIUS: Dances From "Terpsi-chore." WIDMANN: Dances and Galli-

ELF:NA St. 1.10TIS

A soprano voice as exciting as Callas'

ards. SCHEIN: Banchetto Musicale: SuitesNos. 3, 4, and 5. Collegium Terpsichore.DEUTSCHE. GRAMMOPHON ARCHIVE ARC3153 $7.95.

Performance: AlRecording GoodStereo Quality: GoodSpeed and Playing Time: 7t/3 ips; 46'48"

There are wonderful and delicious soundson this tape of dance pieces by the GermanRenaissance masters Michael Praetorius(1571-1621), Erasmus Widmann (1572-1634), and Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630). The sounds are the result of the useof an assemblage of authentic instrumentsfor the performance: recorders, viols, lutes,harpsichord, regal, and a percussion groupincluding three small kettledrums, glocken-spiel, tabor, bells, triangle, and cymbals.

The resulting contrast of plectral and smallpercussion sounds against the melodic linesof the mellifluous recorder and viol givesthe music a curiously modern sound.

The dances themselves are delectable,especially those calling for use of percussionand the bee -buzz sound of the regal. Likeour Muzak of today, these pieces are partymusic --hut party music with a difference.They are played in that spirit, with verveand bounce. The sound is flawless. D. II.

SCHEIN: Banchetto Musicale: SuitesNos. 3, 4, and 5 (see PRAETORIUS)

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT® SCHUMANN: Fantasia, in C Major,op. 17; Etudes Symphoniques, Op. 13.Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano). LONDON LCL80182 87.95.

Per'ormance ImpressiveRecording: GoodStereo Quality: Good enoughSpeed and Playing Time: 71/2 ips; 65'13"

Like his older compatriot Ssiatoslav Richter,the young Russian pianist Vladimir Ashke-nazy favors a broadly lyrical approach to thegreat Schumann C Major Fantasia. Butwhere as Richter emphasizes the poetic ele-ment throughout this expansive work, Ash-kenazy brings a good measure of Horowitz -like excitement to the central march move-ment.

Expansive is surely the word (if you don'tdisdain puns) for Ashkenazy's way with thebras ura Etudes Symphoniques; for besidesthe normal sequence of twelve variations, heincludes-between the ninth and tenth-aseries of five discarded by Schumann butresurrected by Brahms in 1893. As with hisreading of the Fantasia, Ashkenazy's ultra -romantic approach accentuates dramatic con-trast to the maximum, creating a sense ofnear -schizophrenia as between Schumannthe man of action and Schumann the dream-er. Yer he also manages to hold the musicalstructure together-no mean feat!

This is the first four -track tape version ofthe Symphonic Etudes. (The alternative ver-sion of the Fantasia is the superchargedHorowitz performance on Columbia's tapeof that pianist's 1965 Carnegie Hall con-cert.) London's piano sound is consistentlyexcellent throughout the reel. D. H.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERITC) VERDI: Nabucco. Tito Gobbi (bari-tone), Nabucco; Elena Suliotis (soprano),Abigail le; Carlo Cava ( bass ) , Zaccaria;Bruno Prevedi (tenor), Ismaele; Dora Car-ral (soprano), Fenena; others; Chorus ofthe Vienna State Opera and Vienna Opera

FEBRUARY 1967 123

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Orchestra, Lamberto Gardelli cond. LONDONLOR 90118 two reels $21.95.

Performance: StirringRecording: Very goodStereo Quality: AdmirableSpeed and Playing Time: 71/2 ips; 119'52"

Nabucco, Verdi's third opera and first large-scale success, was given its premiere in 1842.Its Biblical subject matter is anything butaccurate historically, but the rousing succes-sion of arias, marches, ensemble numbers,and choruses is sure to please admirers ofearly Verdi. This, of course, is the opera thatcontains the famous "Va, pensiero," thechorus of the Hebrew slaves; but some ofthe other highlights, though less familiar,are equally impressive. The three majorroles-Nabucco, the Hebrew prophet Zacca-ria, and the villainess Abigaille-are for themost part impressively sung in this perform-ance. The most exciting voice is that ofElena Suliotis, who provides Callas' kind ofintensity as well as a sound-complete withthe vocal faults-that is quite reminiscent ofthe older singer. Tito Gobbi is sometimestaxed by Verdi's writing, but his characteri-zation is vital and powerful. The bass CarloCava performs sonorously, although withoutmuch variety of color. The other parts arewell executed, the choral and orchestralwork is thoroughly satisfactory, and the con-ducting is well paced and exciting. The sonicreproduction on the tape is quite satisfac-tory; only in comparison with the discs doesthe tape seem lacking in fullness, althoughit plays extremely cleanly. Stereo effects arewell handled. A libretto and translation areincluded. I. K.

WIDMANN: Dances and Galliards (seePRAETORIUS)

ENTERTAINMENT

® AL HIRT: They're Playing Our Song.Al Hirt (trumpet) ; orchestra, Marty Man-ning cond. I Had The Craziest Dream; PaperDoll: You'll Never Know; I'll Get By; andeight others. RCA VICTOR FTP 1323 $6.95.

Performance GlossyRecording: Super -glossyStereo Quality: PronouncedSpeed and Playing Time: 71/2 ips; 30'

Yes, Al Hirt plays a good trumpet. Yes, AlHirt sells a lot of records for RCA Victor.Yes, Al Hirt is heard playing no song lessthan ten years old on this tape. Yes, they arejust as boring as they ever were. Yes, MartyManning's arrangements make every selectiona trumpet showpiece, whether it makes senseor not. Yes, the jacket notes do say "Letyour imagination wander .. ." while you arelistening to this tape. Yes, these are amongthe most literal conceptions of popular musicheard since the days of the Roxy organist.Yes, this is a tape for people who really don'tcare for music of any kind very much, justnote groupings that have a familiar sound.

No, I would never listen to an Al Hirt tapeunless I had to review it. No, I am not awedby sales figures. No, I will not attempt tofind a justification for this species of best sell-er. No, I will not try to find redeeming fea-tures. No, I don't think that this music saysanything to anyone. No, I don't feel guiltyabout my arrogance.

Maybe someday there will be a way to dothis sort of album for the people who want

to buy it without its driving people who ac-cidentally hear some of it up the wall in theprocess. P. R.

® GORDON MAC RAE: If She WalkedInto My Life. Gordon MacRae (vocals) ;orchestra. Yesterday; Somewhere; The Im-possible Dream; Michelle; and seven others.CAPITOL ZT 2578 $7.98.

Performance: Robust -a -gutRecording: LushStereo Quality: GoodSpeed and Playing Time: 71/2 ips; 28' 19"

One of the cruellest aspects of Hollywood isits Byzantine wastefulness-of money, ofminds, of talent. Even talent that it hashelped shape and develop. In a long stringof Warner Brothers musicals, apple-cheekedGordon MacRae was called upon to dispensean idiotic cheerfulness and a good baritonevoice, and not much more. He sometimes ap-peared with Miss Clean herself, Doris Day,and his working image was adjudged by thebosses to complement hers: the all-Americannice guy, kept nicely in hand by the spiritedvirgin. Then in the late Fifties came two ma-jor films, Oklahoma! and Carousel. He wasgood in Oklahoma! but not surprising,since Curly was essentially an extension ofthe roles he had been playing. It was in Car-ousel (in which he was a last -moment re-placement for Sinatra, who walked out afterthe start of filming) that he made an indel-ible impression. The role of Molnar's Liliomhas defeated many an actor who thinks that itis sure-fire. MacRae was able to grasp imagi-natively, and to convey with a surprisingamount of honesty, a man of not much in-telligence but of great complexity, whosetenderness was kept well hidden from theworld. It was a convincing and moving por-trayal-and he also sang the hell out of thefamous Soliloquy.

Then, nothing. At least not films. Lots ofclubs, television, stock, all the lucrative oddjobs that inevitably follow a successful film.But no films. Show -biz types are always readywith "inside" reasons why this or that per-former is not working, and MacRae's caseis no exception. Whatever the reason, I thinkit is a waste. He is essentially a film actor -singer, and should be able to find employ-ment as such.

As for the tape at hand, it is not very good.There seems to be an unwarranted lack ofconfidence here, and as a result everything ispushed too hard. Although this is suppos-edly an intimately styled album, the voicecomes booming out at you no matter whatthe song. In Yesterday, I could almost hearthe blood rushing to his face as he negotiatedthis not very intense song. Somewhere, inwhich the material implies a greater emo-tional involvement, comes off best of any-thing on the tape. The Impossible Dream,with its inspirational lyrics and an arrange-ment I am sure that lawyers of the Ravelestate are already looking into, is unalloyedpap, sung for all it is worth-which is notvery much. If you liked MacRae in filmsthere might be enough here to interest you,but I am afraid that it is pretty rough goingotherwise. P. R.

RECORDING OF SPECIAL MERIT® THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS: TheMamas and the Papas. Cass, John, Michelle,


stole zip -code 124 HIFI/STEREO REVIEW

Some plain talk from Kodak about tape:

The big squeeze Multitrack Stereo

Remember the college fad a few yearsback-how many brawny brutes couldbe squeezed into a little car built forplain folks? For a while, it looked like asomewhat similar situation was aboutto take place in the tape-recordingfield-first monaural, then 2 -track,then 4 -track, and now even 8 -trackrecording. Even though these develop-ments continue at a fast clip, 4 -trackstereo is still the name of the gameas far as high-fideiity applications areconcerned. And very nice it sounds,

can record, you need a tape with ahigh-powered oxide layer -one that'sgoing to give you a high output witha good signal-to-noise ratio. KODAKSound Recording Tape, Type 3LA, fillsthe bill-gives you 125% more undis-torted output than conventional gen-eral-purpose tapes. You get practi-cally the same per -channel output on4 -track stereo with Type 34A that theother tapes would give you on 2 -track!But there's more to recommend theuse of Kodak tape.

.234

III .075

.084

.025

.043

.250

Full -track Two -trackMono Stereo

too, thanks to the precision built intomodern heads. But you do have towatch yourself. Having double the in-formation on a given length of tapemeans everything has to be just so-including the tape you use.

4 -track star.The first thing to worryabout in considering a tape for 4 -trackstereo is output. As you can see inthe chart above, adequate separationmust be maintained between eachtrack to prevent cross -talk. And as theactual width of the recorded tracksdrops down, the output per channelon the tape drops in proportion.

Thus, to make the most of what you

Four -trackStereo

Staying on the right track.Because everything gets smaller inproportion when you go to 4 -track,dimensional precision becomes thatmuch more important. Take a tapethat suffers from a case of drunkenslitting. (That's when the edges of thetape snake back and forth even thoughthe width is constant.) It's not hard tosee how this tape isn't going to "track"straight past the head. A slight caseof this and you get alternating fluctua-tions in output on both channels. Ifthe condition is bad enough, a poorlyslit tape can cause your heads to dropout the signals completely, even pickup the signals on the tracks going

the other way. Horrors! Lucky for you,you have nothing to worry about withKodak tapes. We keep our toleranceto .00 L inches. That's twice as closeas indjstry standards. To make yourlife even easier, we also backprintall our tapes so you can always tell

whether a reel has been wound "head"cr "tail" first. Simply note which comesfirst off the supply reel, the "E" of"EASTMAN" or the "0" of "C0"...and nate it on the reel.

Kodak tapes-on DuROL and Poly-ester Bases-are available at mostelectronic, camera, and departmentstores. To get the most out of yourtape system, send for free, 24 -page"Plain Talk" booklet which covers themajor aspects of tape performance.

.0.1M1,1, RAMON,

MI10NNW 31A

KODAK

SOUNDRECORDING

TAPE

EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, Rochester, N.Y.CIRCLE NO. 29 ON READER SERVICE CARD

I FliRUkv 1967 125

CELANESE

AcetateWhen you think high fidelity, think acetate. Noother film base has taken the place of acetatefor fidelity of reproduction...resistance tostretch...freedom from print through. With allthese advantages, acetate based tapes cost less.

Celanese does not manufacture recordingtape. It produces and supplies acetate film forthis purpose to leading tape manufacturers.

CELANESECELANESE PLASTICS


I understand your trade-inallowances are great!

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MANHATTAN WLLouOHST PEERESSJAMAICA. WHITS PL AINS .STAmf 0110

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Denny (vocals) ; orchestra. No Salt on HerTail; Trip, Stumble, and Fall; Words ofLove; My Heart Stood Still; and eight others.DUNHILL DHX 5010 $5.95.

Performance: First-rateRecording: ExcellentStereo Quality: ExcellentSpeed and Playing Time: 334 ips; 32'45"

This tape is an unqualified success on allcounts. It also signals what I think is themost hopeful sign in American, as opposedto British, popular music in a decade ormore. Here is a group that has drawn frommany sources, including the Beatles, but hascome up with a boisterous, energetic, andhighly literate signature of its own. First,the lyrics, by John Phillips (who also com-poses the music) are by turns so intelligent,so poetic, that they should set an examplefor everyone working in popular music to-day. The second encouraging trait is thehigh degree of professionalism shown bythe Mamas and the Papas in their perform-ances. It is not the glacial kind of profes-sionalism that eventually vitiates both theperformers and the material, but is a displayof the care, taste, and relaxation (the resultof enough advance preparation) that are themarks of all really good entertainers.

And not to be lightly brushed aside is thesuperb work of their discoverer and pro-ducer Lou Adler, who incredibly enoughfound them only one year ago; he consistent-ly provides them with exactly the right ar-rangements and recording techniques. Thearrangements are also notable in that theyare truly integrated, musically as well aselectronically. I don't think I have heardmany albums in which the total technicalresources of recording, editing, and master-ing have been brought together this well.The Mamas and the Papas' flamboyant ver-satility enables them to put together anastonishing variety of sounds. They presenta total conceptual approach to each song.With an insouciant disregard for cliché orformula they swing easily from the low-down ragtime of Words of Love (with a lustysolo by Cass) to The Dancing Bear, with itsechoes of early Stravinsky, to a standard likeMy Heart Stood Still, underscored by a rockbeat. Out of each song they are able to makea complete musical whole that is gratifyingno matter how many times one listens to it.

If you think that a great deal of the fussbeing made lately over popular music is en-gineered by promoters and that the music islistened to by people who should be oldenough to find better things to do with theirtime, then listen to this tape. It is ampleproof that popular music today is in bettershape than it has been since the 1930's andthat it needs no apologies for the interest itis generating in all age groups. P. R.

® PETER, PAUL AND MARY: Peter,Paul and Mary Album. Peter, Paul and Mary(vocals) . And When I Die; Sometime Lovin' ;Hurry Sundown; Pack up Your Sorrows;and eight others. WARNER BROS. WSTX1648 $5.95.

Performance: So-soRecording: GoodStereo Quality: GoodSpeed and Playing Time: 71/2 ips; 35' 22"

I used to think Peter, Paul and Mary wereboring singers and worthless musicians. Butin the light of current now groups like the

a

0

Fugs and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick andTich they sound like a Mahler symphony.Their singing is still pretty boring, their mu-sic still pretty worthless, and the material onthis tape is pretty patchy, but Peter, Paul andMary don't seem half so bad. They seem likewholesome and uncomplicated people whowould probably be nice to know. No need togo into the songs, since they all sound exact-ly alike, except to say you can actually hearthe lyrics and follow the melodies, and-gosh !-they even play some of the rightnotes now. Peter, Paul and Mary are gettingrespectable and old-fashioned. I must be get-ting old. R. R.

III. MAMAS AND THE1'_11' 1,A boisterous, literate professionalism

COLLECTIONS

® VAUDEVILLE! Eric Rogers; the Vaude-ville Orchestra and Chorus. Frankie andJohnny; Minstrels; Ziegfeld; Tillies fromTucson; and forty others. LONDON LPL74083 $7.98.

Performance: Ugh!Recording: ExcellentStereo Quality: SuperbSpeed and Playing Time: 71/2 ips; 50' 26"

The only reasons I can think of for buyingthis monstrosity are: (1) you are an old-timestand-up comic, nostalgic for the dear, de-parted era of the two -a -day; (2) you are arecord librarian and need one copy of every-thing in existence to keep your card catalogstraight (in which case you'll probably besent a free copy anyway). In either instance,you'll get a "live" (with a laugh track editedin, of course) vaudeville show full of titil-lating tap dancers, emcees with Pepsodentin their voices, sopranos warbling In theShade of the Old Apple Tree, Irish tenors,asides from Oil Can Harry, choruses ofbloomer girls strolling under lace parasols,and enough minstrels and barber -shop quar-tets and baggy -pants clowns to choke awhole herd of horses.

The stereo quality is terrific, and actuallygives a feeling of being at the London Pal-ladium, but there is not even enough pop artfor pop art's sake here to warrant a secondlisten. I agree with James Agee, who oncewrote in the Nation: "Vaudeville is dead; Iwish to God someone would bury it." R. R.


(1-1,1e

(04c

TAPE HORIZONSBy DRUMMOND Mc INNIS

TAPING THOSE OLD SINGLESUNLESS your childhood was an unhappy one, you will probably find it

hard, as I do, to face the emotional wrench of parting with the old 78 -

and 45 -rpm recordings you grew up with. So you decide to tape them and dis-card the space -hogging originals. A good idea-but it is easy to take thewrong approach. If you apply the appropriate arithmetic, you will discoverthat you can load, say, thirty single sides onto a 7 -inch, two -track reel of1 -mil tape at 71/2 ips-or double that number of sides at 33/4 ips. Thismay be economical, but it is not very practical. You might as well throwaway any dubbed tape you make in this way too, for all the playing it islikely to get. An uninterrupted ninety minutes of your old treasures couldeasily bore you to tears-and how are you going to find that one particularnumber you want to hear?

There is a better way, a record -and -splice system, that offers quick accessto any one or a selection of your nostalgic favorites without hit-or-miss fast -forwarding. First, you should standardize on 5 -inch reels, available inex-pensively as empties and appropriate for filing in your present tape library.You should also standardize on 1- or 1.5 -mil tape-and on the 7I/2-ips speedfor easiest editing and handling. In dubbing, you can either record and spliceas you go or prepare each reel of tape in advance before recording. To dothis, run on four minutes of tape. Then splice in twelve inches of coloredleader. Then four more minutes of tape and another twelve inches of leader.Keep alternating until you have five to ten tape units separated by leaders.(Leader tape in five different colors is available in packs from Robins andothers.)

It will be more convenient for playback and for locating specific tracks ifyou record in one direction only. The colored leaders are not only visualsignals that will permit you to rewind or fast -forward precisely and rapidlyto the selection you want, but they provide space for writing in informationyou will need for indexing. Don't be tempted to shorten the units or loadtoo many of them on one reel. "Fast find" is more important than tape orreel economies, and you will not wish to overcrowd the information (color-keyed, of course) for your "jacket notes" on the tape box.

Your old 45's will be of fair fidelity and are best recorded from the tape -

output jack on your hi-fi system. Your old 78's, however, may be of lowfidelity and will require some sonic updating through judicious use of youramplifier's bass and treble tone controls or high- and low-cut filters. Thisrules out the tape -output jack, as your amplifier's tone controls do not affectthe signal at that point. The signal for your recorder should therefore betapped off at the speaker leads (most conveniently where they are attached tothe amplifier). You will then have to "play" the discs at a level that willallow you to keep your recorder's gain control around its usual setting.

If you are the saving kind, of course, your old originals can go into atticstorage after dubbing, but whether you save them or not, your tapes of themhave two significant advantages. they won't sound worse with every re -play-ing (the originals invariably do), and, since the tape is easier to handle, youwill undoubtedly find yourself playing them more often than you did theoriginals.

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FEBRUARY 1967 127 115J 12 UN IlLAWLK L.Arcl)

HI-FI /STEREO REVIEW CLASSIFIEDCOMMERCIAL RATE: For firms or individuals offering commercial products or services. 750 per word (including name and address). Minimum order$7.50. Payment must accompany copy except when ads are placed by accredited advertising agencies. Frequency discount: 5% for 6 months; 10%for 12 months paid in advance.

READER RATE: For individuals with a personal item to buy or sell. 450 per word (including name and address). No minimum! Payment must accom-pany copy.

GENERAL INFORMATION: First word in all ads set in bold caps at no extra charge. Additional words may be set in bold caps at 100 extra per word.All copy subject to publisher's approval. Closing Date: 1st of the 2nd preceding month (for example, March issue closes January 1st). Send order andremittance to: Hal Cymes, HIFI/STEREO REVIEW, One Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016.

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WORLD'S LARGEST STAMP 250 to approval ap-plicants. Dukes. Greendale. Wisconsin 53129.WOW! 110 All Different Germany 100. Commem-oratives, Airmails, High Values, Big catalog, bar-gain lists also, fine stamps from our approvalservice, which you may return without purchasesand cancel service at any time. JamestownStamp. Dept. A27EG, Jamestown. N.Y. 14701.FREE! Big Bargain Catalog -New Edition listingthousands of bargains including U.S. & B.N.A.stamps, packets albums, accessories and sup-plies. Also, fine stamps from our approval ser-vice which you may return without purchasesand cancel service at any time. JamestownStamp, Dept. E27EG, Jamestown, N.Y. 14701.

INSTRUCTION

REI First Class Radio Telephone License in (5)weeks Guaranteed. Tuition $295.00. Job place-ment free. Radio Engineering Institute, 1336Main Street, Sarasota, Fla.LEARN Electronic Organ Servicing at home. Allmakes including transistors. Experimental kit -trouble -shooting. Accredited NHSC, Free Book-let. Niles Bryant School, 3631 Stockton, Dept. A,Sacramento 20, Calif.ASSOCIATE Degree in Electronics Engineeringearned through combination correspondence -classroom educational program. Free brochure.Grantham Technical Institute, 1505 N. WesternAve., Hollywood. California 90027.YACHT Captain school trains you for profes-sional command. 10 weeks -practical -class-room -cruises. Write Holiday Harbor, 7746 S.Trail, Sarasota, Florida 33581.

PHOTOGRAPHY -FILMEQUIPMENT, SERVICES

SCIENCE Bargains -Request Free Giant Catalog"CJ" -148 pages -Astronomical Telescopes, Mi-croscopes, Licenses, Binoculars, Kits, Parts, Warsurplus bargains. Edmund Scientific Co., Bar-rington, New Jersey.MEDICAL FILM -Adults only -"Childbirth" onereel, 8mm $7.50, 16mm $14.95. International H,Greenvale, Long Island, New York.

HYPNOTISM

FREE Hypnotism. Self -Hypnosis, Sleep LearningCatalog! Drawer H400, Ruidoso, New Mexico88345.HYPNOTIZE FEMALES! -Unnoticed! Instantly!Nerves! Send $2.25. Research Enterprises, 29-SN21 Samoset, Woburn, Mass.FREE TRIAL!! Sensational self-hypnosis recordkit improves memory, concentration, personal-ity. Results guaranteed! Forum, 333.AA2 Michi-gan, Chicago 60601.

GOVERNMENT SURPLUS

CHEEP JEEPS. Buy From Gov't. Full Information250. Box 789TFD, York, Penna.

$200.00 Daily in Your Mailbox! Your Opportunityto Do What Mailorder Experts Do. Free Details.Associates, Box 136-L, Holland, Michigan 49423.

REAL ESTATE

NEW FREE! Spring CATALOG! Giant 180 pages!Selected Best thruout the U.S. Thousands ofproperties described, pictured -Land, Farms,Homes, Businesses -Waterfront, Recreation, Re-tirement. 67 Years' service, over 500 Offices. 37states Coast to Coast. Mailed FREE from theWorld's Largest! STROUT REALTY, 60-ZD, E.42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017.

PRINTING

GOVERNMENT Surplus Receivers, Transmitters,Snooperscopes, Radios, Parts, Picture Catalog250. Meshna, Nahant, Mass. 09108.CHEEP JEEPS. $53? ? (Repairable) Buy one orhundreds from U.S. Surplus. Official Informa-tion plus Free Surplus Catalogue 500. Box9TFZD, Abbottstown, Penna.JEEPS Typically From $53.90 . . Trucks From$78.40 . . Boats. Typewriters, Airplanes, Elec-tronics Equipment, Photographic Equipment,used. 100,000 Bargains Direct From Govern-ment. Complete Sales Directory and SurplusCatalog $1.00 (Deductible First $10.00 Order).Surplus Service, Box 820-L, Holland, Michigan49423.

MOVIE FILMS

EDUCATIONALOPPORTUNITIES

LEARN While Asleep, hypnotize with your re-corder, phonograph. Astonishing details, sensa-tional catalog free! Sleep -Learning Association.Box 24-ZD, Olympia. Washington.LEARN While Asleep. Remarkable, Scientific,92% Effective. Details Free, ASR Foundation,Box 7021, Dept. e g., Lexington, Kentucky.HIGHLY -effective home study review for FCCcommercial phone exams. Free literature!COOK'S SCHOOL OF ELECTRONICS, P.O. Box10634, Jackson, Miss. 39209.

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

FOREIGN and USA job opportunities availablenow. Construction, all trades. Earnings to$2,000.00 monthly. Paid overtime, travel,bonuses. Write: Universal Employment, Wood-bridge, Connecticut 06525.FOREIGN EMPLOYMENT. Construction, otherwork projects. Good paying overseas jobs withextras, travel expenses. Write only: Foreign Ser-vice Bureau, Dept. D, Bradenton Beach, Florida33510.

MISCELLANEOUS

WINEMAKERS: Free Illustrated catalog ofyeasts, equipment. Semplex, Box 7208, Minne-apolis, Minn. 55412.EMPLOYMENT Resumes. Get a better job & earnmore! Send only $2.00 for expert, complete Re-sume Writing Instructions. J. Ross, 80-34 KentSt., Jamaica 32, N.Y. Dept. HF.BEERS, PEACH BRANDY, WINES -StrongestFormulas, $2.25. (Complete brew supplies hy-drometers catalogs 100) -Research Enterprises,29-D Samoset, Woburn. Mass.TEN Winemaking Recipes and Winemaking Sup-plies Catalog. 100. Country Winemaker, Box243EGA, Lexington, Mass. 02173.NEW ALUMINUM BUTTSNUFFER, extinguishescigarettes with no smoke, burned fingers, odors.Beautiful, mysterious, funny. Fits any Ash Tray.Guaranteed. 3 for $1.00. Maypole, Inc., 727 Dela-ware, Youngstown, Ohio 44510.YOUR OPINIONS EARN $10 HOUR. Written inyour Spare Time from home about free productsand publications. Need no skill, nothing to buyor sell. Details from Research ZD5, Box 669,Mineola, N.Y. 11501.AS YOU SCAN THESE COLUMNS, more than163,000 monthly buyers of HIFI/STEREO RE-VIEW are doing the same. These readers allhave at least one thing in common -active in-volvement in the enjoyment of recorded music.HiFi/STEREO REVIEW readers look to the pagesof the CLASSIFIED each month for primesources of products and services of interest tothem. Are they buying from you? They will, youknow, if your advertising appears regularly intheir favorite magazine. To appear in the nextavailable issue, April, on sale March 21st, for-ward copy and payment before February 1stclosing deadline to: Hal Cymes, Classified Ad-vertising Manager, HiFi/STEREO REVIEW, 1

Park Avenue. New York, N. Y. 10016.

4,

fi.S.1"ob.Arrle

OFFSET Printing, 100 81/2x11 $3.49. Parks, 1879Dover. Wantagh, N.Y. 11793.

FEBRUARY 1967

16mm SOUND -Projectors, Films, New, Used forSale, Free Catalog. National Cinema. 333 W. 57St., N.Y., N.Y. 10019.

United States Savings BondsBuy them where you work or bank

129

HI FI/ STEREO REVIEW ADVERTISERS' INDEXREADER SERVICE NO. ADVERTISER PAGE NO. READER SERVICE NO. ADVERTISER PAGE NO.

1

2345

Acoustech, Inc.Acoustic Research, Inc.Acoustic Research, Inc.Airex Radio CorporationAltec Lansing Corp.

1059721

12736

444546

KahluaKenwood Electronics, Inc.KLH Research & Development Corp.

1113

32, 33

7 Ampex Corporation 17 11 Lear Siegler, Inc. 1016 Ampex Corporation 107 London Records 80, 90, 94, 98, 111

Angel Records 8978 Audio Devices, Inc. 9550

8Audio Dynamics Corp.Audio ExchangeAudio Unlimited, Inc.

9, 10126120

474843

Marantz, Inc.Miller Associates, FredMinneapolis -Honeywell

3111626

49 McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 34

9 Benjamin Electronic Sound Corp. 3544 Berman & Assoc., Inc., Jules 11

10 Beseler Co., Charles 8 32 Nonesuch Records 10011 Bogen Communications 101

103 British Industries -Garrard 2

101 British Industries-Wharfdale 46 51 Olson Electronics 11652 Orrtronics, Inc. 6

12 Carston Studios 12713 Celanese Plastics Company 126 41 Pickering & Company, Inc. Cover 31415

18

Citadel Record ClubClevite-Brush InstrumentsColumbia Masterworks Subscription ServiceColumbia Records

7

125

81

535455

Pickwick RecordsPioneer Electronics Corp.Projects 3

771483

20 Command Records 10822 Conar 124

56 Rabsons-57th Street, Inc. 11457 RCA Victor Records 78

2324

Defa Electronics Corp.Deutsche Grammophon (Heliodor)

11296

5859

Rheem RobertsRotron Manufacturing Company, Inc.

14117

25 Deutsche Grammophon (Archive) 9926 D ressner 12071 Dual 91 60 Sansui Electric Co., Ltd. 11027 Dynaco, Inc. 93 100 Scott, Inc., H. H. 27, 28, 2928 Dynaco, Inc. 92 61 Sherwood Electronic Laboratories, Inc. 49

62 Shure Brothers. Inc. 2576 Sonotone Corporation 88

29 Eastman Kodak Company 125 63 Sony Corporation of America 3930 Eastman Kodak Company 121 64 Sony/Superscope, Inc. 12219 Electro-Voice, Inc. Cover 4 65 Sound Reproduction, Inc. 11331 Electro-Voice, Inc. 41, 42, 43, 44 66 Stereo-Parti 11333 Elektra Records 103 67 Superex 834 Elpa Marketing Industries, Ortofon Div. 1235 EMI Scope Electronics Corp. 3036 Empire Scientific Corp. 50 68 Tang Speakers 113

69 Toujay Designs 119

37 Finny Company, The 11238 Finny Company, The 11821 Fisher Radio Corporation Cover 2, 1, 18, 19 70 uniClub, Inc. 16

Furn-A-Kit 106 71 United Audio 9172 Utah Electronics 115

79 Grundig-Triumph-Adler Sales Corp. 11973 Vanguard Records 11374 Vanguard Records 114

39 Harman-Kardon, Inc. 15 77 Viking/Telex 10240 Heath Company 84, 85, 86, 8742 HiFidelity Center 11843 Honeywell Photographic Products 26 75 Westminster Records 102

Classified Advertising 128, 129

HI FI/ STEREO REVIEW PRODUCT INDEXAs an additional reader service, we list below, by classifications, the products advertised inthis issue. If there is a specific product you are shopping for, look for its listing andturn to the pages indicated for the advertisements of manufacturers supplying that equipment.

CLASSIFICATION PAGE NUMBERS CLASSIFICATION PAGE NUMBERS

Accessories 6. 106, 117, 118, 119, 124 Radios 119Amplification Systems 31, 39 Receivers, Stereo 2nd Cover, 1, 15, 27, 28, 29, 49Antennas, FM 112 Records 5, 77, 78, 80, 81, 83, 89, 90, 94, 96,

98, 99, 100, 102, 103, 108, 111, 113,

Cameras 8, 26, 121 114

Cartridges 12, 25, 3rd CoverCatalogs 34, 116, 120

Record Clubs 7, 16

Headphones 8, 12Speakers and Speaker Systems 2nd Cover, 7. 14, 18, 19, 30, 46, 97,

102, 113, 115, 4th CoverLiqueurs 11

Tapes, Recording 95. 125, 126Microphones 88 Tape Recorders and Decks 14. 107Music Systems 32, 33, 101 Turntables and Changers 2, 21, 35


Forcleanergrooves.

Forcleanertracing.

New Pickering V-15/3 cartridge with Dynamic Coupling for mini-mum tracing distortion and maximum tracking ability, plus DustamaticTMfeature for dust -free grooves.

As stereo cartridges approach perfection, dust in the grooves becomes intolerable.

The Pickering V-15 / 3 Micro-MagneticT" cartridge has a new moving system that

reduces tracing distortion close to the theoretical minimum, thanks to Dynamic Coupling

of the stylus to the groove. But what good is perfect contact between the stylus tip and

those high -velocity turns if dust particles get in the way?That is why the Dustamatic brush assembly is an essential part of Pickering's

total performance cartridge. It cleans the groove automatically before the stylus gets there.

The new moving system also provides a further refinement of Pickering's famous

natural sound by extending peak -free response well beyond the audible range, and the

patented V -Guard Floating Stylus continues to assure the ultimate in record protection.

There are four "application engineered" Pickering V- 1 5 / 3 Dustamatic models

with Dynamic Coupling, to match every possible installation from conventional record

changers to ultrasophisticated low -mass transcription arms. Prices from $29.95 to $44.95.

For free literature complete with all details, write to Pickering & Co., Plainview,

L. I., New York.For those who can hear the different. Pickering


listento the mammoth

little E -V SEVEN!The E -V SEVEN is the small speak-er for people who don't really want

a small speaker. Built in the shadow ofone of the biggest speakers of themall (the vast Patrician 800) the E -VSEVEN refuses to sound as small as it is.

But why does an E -V SEVEN growup when it's turned on? Our engineerspoint to years of painstaking explora-tion in the byways of sound. They'llpatiently explain the virtues of ourlow r ce 8" w

cone tweeter with symmetrical damp-ing (an E -V exclusive). They may evenmention-with quiet pride-the un-usual treble balance RC network thatadjusts E -V SEVEN response moresmoothly than any conventional switchor volume control.

But when it comes to describing thesound, our engineers prefer to let theE -V SEVEN speak for itself. Andwhile they'd be the last to suggest that

EN sounds just like speak-

ers many times larger (and costingmuch more) they treasure the pleasedlook of surprise most people exhibitwhen they hear an E -V SEVEN forthe first tine.

If you have just 19" of shelf space,10" high and 9" deep... and have$66.50 to invest in a speaker, by allmeans listen carefully to the E -VSEVEN. It might well be the biggestthing to happen to your compact highfidelity system!

high fidelity systems and speakers tuners, amplifiers, receivers public address loudspeakers microphones phonograph needles and cartridges organs space and defense electronics

ELECTRO-VOICE, INC., Dept. 274F, 616 Cecil Street, Buchanan, Michigan 49107CIRCLE NO. 19 ON READER SERVICE CARD °ICC

Hifi/Stereo Review - World Radio History

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