New Records

Claude Debussy did not like the way Felix Weingartner conducted Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony--"with the care of a conscientious gardener. He tidied it so neatly as to produce the illusion of a meticulously finished landscape in which the gently undulating hills are made of plush at ten francs the yard, and the foliage is crimped with curling tongs." Weingartner survived this crushing criticism, was one of the most celebrated conductors of his day (1863-1942). In Vienna, Berlin and in the U.S., which he visited twice, he was noted for his performances of the Beethoven and Brahms symphonies.

In the '20s and the '30s, Columbia recorded Weingartner's performances of all 13 symphonies. Bestsellers in their day, they have long been out of stock. Now, "by request," Columbia has repressed them on LP. Few listeners will side with Debussy. Weingartner proves to be a tidy conductor indeed, but from these recordings, some made with the Vienna Philharmonic, some with the London Symphony, his chief characteristic seems to be mellow and spacious splendor.

Other new records:

Mahler: Songs of a Wayfarer (Blanche Thebom, mezzo-soprano, with orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult; Victor, I side LP). Mahler's hauntingly lovely song cycle here gets a pure and richly expressive performance. Recording: excellent.

Mozart: Quintet in A, K. 581 (Benny Goodman, clarinet; the American Art Quartet; Columbia, 2 sides LP). Mozart was fascinated with the "soft, sweet breath" of the clarinet, still a novelty in his day. He wrote three chamber works for it, of which this is the best. Benny Goodman plays cleanly and with style. Recording: excellent.

Puccini: La Boheme (Licia Albanese, soprano; Jan Peerce, tenor; the NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini conducting; Victor, 4 sides LP). This recording of the Maestro's 1946 broadcast will make opera fans regretfully aware of how seldom they hear a first-rate performance of Boheme. Toscanini, who conducted the world premiere in 1896, gives it a rare force, clarity and subtlety. The singers are all in fine voice--including amateur Baritone Toscanini, whose hoarse old bawling can be clearly heard accompanying the principals in several passages. Recording: excellent. A new recording of Tosco, (Cetra-Soria, 4 sides LP) is not so happy. Soprano Adriana Guerrini is shrill as Tosca, Tenor Gianni Poggi and Baritone Paolo Silveri only passable as Cavaradossi and Scarpia. Recording: good.

Verdi: Otello (excerpts) (Ramon Vinay, tenor; Eleanor Steber, soprano; Frank Guarrera, baritone; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Fausto Cleva conducting; Columbia, 2 sides LP). This anthology includes the best duets and arias of Verdi's best opera. Vinay defends his title as the finest Moor of the day, and Steber makes a pure-voiced Desdemona; Guarrera is not malignant enough to do Iago full justice. Recording: excellent.

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