Evening star., 1942-08-02
Review of Recordings
By Elena de Soyn.

To the inexhaustible collection Of
classics, some of which appear In
duplicate and triplicate. recorded by
various orchestras under different
conductors, two more symphonies
have been added: Beethover1's
Symphony No. g." played by the
NBC Orchestra, led by Arturo Tos-
canini tVictor) revealing the exact
ing beat and other characteristics Of
the famous maestro's style, and
Symphony No IS In G Minor, X.
183," known as the little. q minor
to distinguish it from the bettsr
known one In that same minor Key.
This much neglected opus was
revived by Barbirolle for the cen
tenniAl celebration 6f the New York
Philharmonic Symphony Society
and recorded by him with that or
chestra for Columbia. It's nrSt per-
formance In this country was by the
Boston Symphony in 1899. II was
not heard again until 1897. when
WallenStein resurrected 1t and also
made recording for Columbia. This
symphony, . full expression of the
composers musical experiences In
Vienna and representing his mature
development, has special distirlc-
ton particularly IN its first move
ment
Robert Casadesus adds another
Mozart work to Columbia's list, his
Concerto In B Flat Major" the last
OF 80 composed by this master, this
one in the year of his death. A play
ful "Scherzo,' naive and childlike In
It's simplicity, offsets the dramatic
strain of the second movement and
the carnestness Of the first. Mr..
Casadesus is an accomplished Mo-
Fart player, whose passage work ard
quality OF tone are admirable.
A timely number by Ravel, dedi-
Gated many years ago to q soldier
who fell In the First World War and
entitled lie Tombeau de Couperin"
pays tribute also to the renowned
clavecinist OF the court Of Louis XIV.
OF its four movements, Prelude.
Forlane, Menuet and Rigaudon, the
Prelude Is the most effective, It's
final measures strongly suggesting
a broken thread of life. The record
ing Is made by the Minneapolis Or
chestra conducted by MitropouIos
for Columbia.
The debut of Oscar Levant. under
the auspices Of the same company,
which has issued an album Of mod-
ernistic compositions played by this
versatile pianist, places him In the
front rank OF execlltants. His an
alytical mind. towering over q per-
feet technique, gives new slant to
jazz Or syncopated rhythms, which
In his hands acquires new dignity
and Importance. The three "prel-
udes" by Gershwin have depth and
poetry while his own "Sonatinar
(f1rst movement) has vigor and In
dividuaiity. Two modern Russian
composers, Jelobinsky, In the first
recording OF his etudes from opus
10 and S, presenting strong con-
trast in harmonization and idiom.
and Prelude" one OF "A by Sho-
stakovich and the well n-known
Polka" from that composers age
OF Cole" are also included.
Two familiar selection by De-
busy, "Jardins sous la Pluie, |" from
"Estampes," and Les Collines dam
acapri," from the first book Of prel-
udes together with Ravel's 'Menuets
from his "Sonatine" allow Of COM
parison Of Mr.. Levant with the best
interpreters Of this music.
Victor comes forth with an ex-
press disc featuring Mousssoresky's
heroic song from "Khovanchine."
sung effectively by Igor 0orin. On
the reverse side he has recorded
The United Nations" . song by
Shostakovich given Its first concert
performance not long ago BY Mr..
0orin at the Water Gate. These
two works, sung IN English, with
texts to at the circumstances Of TIE
present conflict, reveal Mr.. CORN at
his best,