Christmas Records
GRAMOPHONE records as presents are now com- peting in the price-range of model trains and the more expensive varieties of artificial jewellery. Glitterdiimmerung (twelve sides) and Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten (ten sides) are two outstanding recent examples, both strongly recommended to those with deep enough pockets. Flagstad and Svanholm, both in very good voice, except on a few isolated notes, are supported by a strong Scandinavian cast, with orchestral playing of great beauty, excellently recorded. The Strauss, unknown on the stage in this country, is a work that could easily become as popular as Rosenkavalier. Slightly simpler and less luxuriously sweet in idiom than that, it abounds in ravishing orchestral sound and soaring lines of melody for women's high voices. The fantastic story is very dramatic and clear to follow in the music, even unseen, like this. Magnificently performed by the Vienna State Opera it is well worth the high expense of the set.
For the slightly more cautious or less affluent there is Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades (eight sides), a beautiful and excitingly dramatic work in his finest romantic style. often much like the last two symphonies. Generally well sung by the Belgrade Opera, with Valeria Heybalova as Lisa, whose part she sings, except occasionally in the big aria in the last act, no less sweetly and affectingly than that of Tatiana in the recent Decca Onegin set, matched by an excellent tenor as Herman, it is a safe buy and good value. The latest Trovatore, which ought to be safer still, has the serious disadvantage of running to six sides instead of the four of the existing HMV version. Desnite the restoration of a few pas- sages generally cut, and some sunerb moments (with some not quite superb) from Monaco, Tebaldi and Simionata (who again excels in a dramatic part), it is not worth the extra cost.
An ideal opera record for the young is Britten's Little Sweep from Let's Make an Opera. A touching and amusing moral tale, full of enchanting musical invention, it bears any amount of repetition. This highly profes- sional performance under the composer may also be a useful model for amateurs who want to put it on themselves—for whom the work was really intended. For growing-up children learning French. uncles and aunts might choose worse than the Moliere-Lully Bour- geois Gentilitomme (six sides). More dialogue than music, it is as good as a Linguaphone set, and more entertaining.
COLIN MASON
NoTE.—All records mentioned above are Decca. A further selection of orchestral and instrumental music will appear in a later issue.
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