May Records

Some phonograph records are musical events. Each month TIME notes the noteworthy.*

Opera:

Tannhaeuser, recorded at the Bayreuth Wagner Festival, conducted by Karl Elmendorff (Columbia, $36)--The production to which the world's music wisest flocked last summer, faithfully given as Arturo Toscanini prepared it. More thrilling than any recent flesh & blood performance in the U. S. is the "Venus" of Contralto Ruth Jost-Arden, the ''Wolfram" of Baritone Herbert Janssen. flawlessly reproduced.

Cavalleria Rusticana, by Italian artists. La Scala chorus and the Milan Symphony under Lorenzo Molajoli (Columbia, $15) --An authentic, full-blooded performance of Mascagni's only hit. Soprano Giannina Arangi Lombardi gives a vivid performance of the betrayed peasant girl.

Rigoletto, Caro nome and Tutte le feste by Soprano Lily Pons (Victor, $2)--The singer who within the past fortnight has stormed Cleveland and Cincinnati. The first aria is the one which did the trick in Cleveland.

Symphonic:

Saint Saens' Symphony No. 1 by Conductor Piero Coppola and Symphony Orchestra (Victor, $6.50)--A French importation of the French composer at his cool, smooth best.

Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata in B fiat by Felix Weingartner and the Royal Philharmonic (Columbia, $10)--A great conductor makes a satisfactory symphony out of a great piano sonata.

Sibelius' Swan of Tuonela by Conductor Leopold Stokowski and Philadelphia Orchestra (Victor, $2)--A glowing account of a hero's approach to the Finnish hell.

Songs & Ballads:

"Without a Song" and "Life is a Dream" (Victor, $1.50)--Baritone Lawrence Tibbett exalts songs from The Prodigal.

"Wabash Moon" and "Prairie Skies" (Columbia) -- A newcomer, Baritone Charlie Lawman is pleasantly old-fashioned.

Dance Records:

"Heavenly Night" and "It Looks Like Love" (Victor')--Leo Reisman alternately suave and chirpy.

"Mama Inez" and "Muchacha" (Brunswick)--Vincent Lopez makes the best Cuban rumba records. Honors go to his percussives.

"I've Got Five Dollars" and "We'll be the Same" (Victor)--Tunes from America's Sweetheart profiting by the Ohman-Arden pianos.

"Two Hearts" and "Soldier on the Shelf" (Columbia)--The lilting waltz from the German film, Zwei Herzen, coupled with a brisk, military bit. Ben Selvin plays them.

*Prices listed are for entire albums which include several records. Where the price is not given, it is 75-c-, a standard rate for popular 10-inch records.

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