Evening star., 1953-06-21


tune that has become fami-
liar in the andante Of the
Surprise Symphony" Praise
OF birds. bees and fishes fol-
lows, and a chorus Of thanks
to God. Then summer arrives.
A cock crows (oboe), the sun
rises, Simon turns to reaping,
heat overcomes man and beast,
a storm comes and goes. the
quail calls (fluteS). crickets
chirp (woodwinds). frogs croak
(horns), and the stars bring
repose. Autumn brings the
harvest and the hunt, with
rollicking horns, and then
tankards ard goblets for a gay.
songful celebration. Finally
winter wells the landscape in
fog and snow, and the farm
folk gather indoors to tell
tales and spin.
A Unifying Theme
This sketchy description
merely hints at the musical
contents. which combine the
best attributes of Haydn's SYM
phonies and his other big
choral works. Besides the sue
cession of attractive melodies,
imposing numbers like the
drinking and spinning songs
and the enchanting instru-
mental effects dedicated to ma
ture. Haydn has fashioned a
symbolic representation Of
mans own life cycle. This
inner theme is a unifying ele-
ment, and it eliminates in q
stirring fugal plea for heavenly
guidance. So the work is more
than a picturesque chronicle
Of the passing year.
A Beecham ought to record
it, but Decca's forces have
done quite respectfully. Tenor
Walter Ludwig and Basso
Josef Greindl sing with as
surance, although Elfride
Troetschel Is only a passable
soprano. Ferenc Fricsay. the
conductor. might have made
more of some instrumental
possibilities and occasionally
could have built more excite
ment, but at least things are
done articulately. The chorus
is excellent. The recorded
sound is far better than in an
earlier issue from the Haydn
Society. Three 12-inch LIPS are
in the set.
Beethoven's incidental music
for Goethe's "Egmont" also is
unfamiliar to American au-
diences, except for the over
ture. and it is likely to remain
so along with the play itself.
Beethoven addicts can SAM
pie it. though, on a 10-inch
Decca LIP. The items, all quite
brief, include two songs for
soprano, a larghetto, q march
and some music accompanying
a monologue by the hero of
the piece, spoken by the Ger
man actor Paul Hartmann.
The record was made in
Stuttgart and seems to be
competently done.
A Disc Boreoin
Mozart composed so much
it's no wonder unheard little
gems keep turning up. Two
little adagios. one for winds
and the other for English
horn and strings, are on
another Decca record, along
with the first five contradances.
superbly played and recorded
by Karl Haas London Baroque
Ensemble. The disc is in the
bargain category. since it's in
the low-price $4,000" series.
A sunny. delightful little
concerto by Telemann and the
songful Vivaldi Concerto in D
major are paired on another
excellently recorded Decca
disc. Flute, oboe d'amore and
viola d'amore are the featured
instruments in the Telemann.
and the Vivaldi uses a lutte.
On London, Telemann's G
major concerto for viola and
orchestra and two canzone for
string orchestra by the 18th
century composer Gabriel
also are given felicitous treat
ment.
From French Operos
Gerard Souzay. the young
French baritone, sings several
attractive arias from French
operas for London. Gluck's
Les pelerins de la Macque,"
Rameau'S Castor ct Pollux,"
and Lully's "Cadmus ct Her.
mione" and "Alceste" are rep
resented, the last by Charon's
air from Act Four. A fine
Mozart concert aria, "Mentre
ii lascio. o figlia," and one by
Scarlatti fill out the disc, but
Souzay seems to have a
greater affinity for those in his
own language. The orchestral
accompaniment is handled
efficiently.
Another able baritone, Die
trich Fischer-Dieskau, does
Brahms four Serious Songs"
with sensitivity for Decca on a
record backed by the late
Heinrich Schlusnus' memo
rable rendering of Beethoven's
"An die ferne geliebte."
DevoteeS of the cello will
be attracted to a collection
ranging from Bach to Bloch
and GerShwin by the eminent
Pierre Fournier for London.
Equally of interest is a pair
ing Of Grieg's A minor sonata
and a cello arrangement Of
the famous A major violin
conofo NJ Tronnk narf0rrnnd