University of Virginia Library

RECORDS

A Few Fine Discs For Christmas

By TERI TOWE

Now that the Christmas
shopping crush is upon us, it
seems a good time to put
together a short list of classical
recordings of quality and
interest that would make
worthy additions to the record
library of any serious music
listener. All of the discs listed
are currently available, and the
buyer should have no difficulty
finding any of them in a good
record store.

Certainly one of the most
important and impressive issues
of 1971 is the recording of
Johann Sebastian Bach's Saint
Matthew Passion made by the
Concentus Musicus of Vienna
under the direction of Nikolaus
Harnoncourt. (Telefunken
S—9572/5). Using antique
instruments and adhering
strictly to the requirements of
Baroque performance practice,
the Concentus Musicus has
created a reading that not only
gives a clear view of Bach's
music as he would have heard
it but that is also a deeply
moving experience.

Although antique
instruments are not used,
authentic performance practice
is also strictly observed in
Charles Mackerras's recording
of George Frederick Handel's
Messiah (Angel S—3705).
Mackerras, aided by superb
soloists and instrumentalists,
brings out the essence of the
score and has chosen to record
some alternate numbers that
are rarely, if ever, heard.

Stokowski

Still another great choral
recording for Christmas giving
is Leopold Stokowski's
fantastic reading of Ludwig
von Beethoven's Ninth
Symphony (London 21043).

Stokowski has given us one
of the best recorded versions of
the score since Felix von
Weingartner's legendary 1936
discs. The interpretation,
sincere, original, and deeply
thought, has none of the
mannerisms or excesses that all
too often mar Stokowski's
work.

Leppard

Those who particularly
enjoy symphonic music will
gain much pleasure from
Raymond Leppard's recent
recording of Franz Joseph
Haydn's Symphonies No. 22
("The Philosopher") No. 39
No. 47 ("The Palindrome").

These three works are not as
well known as they ought to
be, and this scholarly and
inspired recording would be a
valuable addition to a
collection of symphonic
recordings.

Piano buffs would
undoubtedly appreciate a copy
of Peter Serkin's double-disc
album of Mozart's Fantasias
and Sonatas (R.C.A. Victor
LSC—7062) or Raymond
Lewenthal's fantastic recording
of some of the incomparably
difficult piano compositions of
Alkan (R.C.A. Victor
LSC—2815).

A superb gift for the Wagner
freak is Otto Klemperer's two
disc set of overtures and other
symphonic music from the
operas, Klemperer Conducts
Mahler (Angel S—3610). Few
are as comfortable with or as
convincing in the
interpretation as Klemperer,
and this set is a real revelation.

Link

Bruno Walter's recording of
Gustav Mahler's Symphony
No. 1 (Odyssey Y-30047) is
equally as revelatory and
provides a recorded link to the
performance of the composer,
under whom Walter studied.

Suggested for the twentieth
century music buff are Igor
Stravinsky's recording of his
own L'Histoire du Soldat and
Pulcinella (Columbia
MS—7093) and Pierre Boulez's
recording of his Pli Selon Pli
(Columbia M—30296).