Evening star., 1953-03-29
Turntcble Talk
Most Distinguished
Columbia Launches a New Record Project
For Modern American Compositions
By james G. Deone

ingratiating suite for string
quartet and another for the
novel combination Of cello and
harp. Walter Piston's spright-
ly Sonatina for violin and
harpsichord is another bright
item. performed zestfully by
Alexander Schneider and
Ralph kirkpatrick. Ellis Kohs'
chamber concerto is Of inter-
est for its reliance on the viola,
an especially felicitous cham
Der instrument. The COPELAND
'entry-the sextet for string
quartet, clarinet and piano
Is a rewrite Of his vigorous
second symphony.
OF the remaining works,
Thomson's 'Stabat Mater" for
soprano and string quartet
makes a distinctive impression,
as sung by Jennie Tourel. But
Charles Ives first piano sonata
left this hearer cool. So did
the dry Schuman fourth string
quartet and the meandering,
sometimes caterwauling second
quartet by Wallingford Rieg-
ger. And reaction reached an
ebb with two final works.
John Cages arid, angular
string quartet seems. at best,
pointless. And Thomson's
Capital, Capitals"-for four
men and a piano. to words by
Gertrude Stein. is simply ludi-
crouS. That these two pieces
should be considered typical
Of American composition at
its best" is unfathomable.
America has produced much
better: let's hope Columbia's
next release doesn't embrace
such exceptions.
More Persuasive
Much more persuasive
Thomson are the cello concerto
and the suite, "The Mother Of
JTs AL" paired on a regular
Columbia issue. The melo-
dious suite. taken from the
1946 opera, shows no trace Of
the librettist (also Gertrude
Stein). and the vigorous, rich
textured concerto is fiuently
played by Luigi Silva with the
Jannsen Symphony of Los
Angeles, and well recorded.
Norman Dello Joio's intense,
dramatic symphony Triumph
Of st. Joan" and Villa-Lobos'
picturesque Erosion" q tone
painting Of the origin of the
Amazon river, make an effec-
tive if dissimilar pair on an
other Columbia disc. This is
the start of a recorded series
of works commissioned by the
Louisville Orchestra, which
does the playing here under
Robert Whitney. This marks
another notable venture.
With Roger Goeb's Third
Symphony it is Leopold Sto-
kowski's turn to introduce a
native composer to the cata-
log. Take Stoky's word for it
that the music Is original.
Bartok's fascinating Sonata
for two pianos and percussion
is on the back, making the
disc a strong temptation
acoustically If in no other wise.
Victor's sound is exceptional.
More acoustical excellence is
. represented in Mercury's Offer
ing Of the jazzy Morton Gould
Latin American Symptom
cite" and three pieces by
Samuel Barber-"School for
Scandal" overture, "Adagio"
and Essay No. l." performed
by Eastman Rochester players
under Howard Hanson. This
sound is nothing short of spec
tacular, and the music is
thoroughly agreeable.
Wild Piano Warm
Earl %Wild's warm pianism
is a pleasantly ameliorating
influence on the rather bare
landscape of the Piston piano.
and-strings quintet. offered on
a WCFM disc. Martinu's
sixth string quartet, on the
reverse, is of at least equal
interest, although possibly for
reasons Of location or micro
phone placement the Walden
Quartet's sound in neither
work has the body 1t should.
Igor conducts and Soulima
plays in a father-son rendition
of the Stravinsky piano con-
certo which can be considered
definitive. The whimsical
"Scherzo a Ia Russo" and two
interesting a cappella church
choruses fill out the disc. And
Victor goes to town with con-
temporaries on a disc leading
off with Richard Rodgers
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. :"
COPELAND, Bernstein. Gould.
De Falla, Shostakovich, Khat-
chaturian, Stravinsky and
Menotti are the collaboratorS
and the players are the Boston
Pops.