New Records

The frail-looking young pianist walked into the recording studio one day last June, wearing beret, coat, muffler and gloves, carrying two large bottles of spring water to drink, five small bottles of pills, and his own piano chair. Before he started to play, he soaked his hands and arms in hot water. Then he began a week's stint: recording Bach's difficult "Goldberg" Variations. Sometimes he sang as he played, and when he finished a "take" that particularly pleased him, he jumped up with a gleeful "Wow!" But when a piano note sagged by a hair, a tuner was called instantly. And when the pianist made the same mistake three times, he announced desperately that he must be suffering from a mental block.

The record artist was Toronto-born Glenn Gould, 23, one of the most talented young pianists to appear in years. When he gave his first U.S. concerts a year ago, critics cheered (Washington Post and Times Herald's Paul Hume: "We know of no pianist anything like him of any age"). Last week the result of Gould's recording session was out on a Columbia LP. His "Goldberg" Variations are Bach as the old master himself must have played-with delight in speeding like the wind, joy in squeezing beauty out of every phrase, and all the freshness of the spring water which Hypochondriac Gould uses to wet his pipes.

Other new records:

Cowell: Symphony No. 10 (Vienna Orchestral Society, conducted by F. Charles Adler; Unicorn). With five of his eleven symphonies recorded, California-born Henry Cowell, 58, now has more symphonies on disks than any other U.S. composer. No. 10 has a fine, outdoorsy spirit, a readily understandable style, and some feeling of weight. But its six movements are too loosely wrought to be called a symphony in the classical sense.

Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro (Gra-ziella Sciutti, Sena Jurinac, Rise Stevens, Sesto Bruscantini; Glyndebourne Festival Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Vittorio Gui; Victor, 3 LPs). A sturdy performance of the Mozart masterpiece, sometimes on the slow side, but bubbling with enthusiasm and style.

Sibelius: Violin Concerto (Camilla Wicks; Radio-Stockholm Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sixten Ehrling; Capitol). A knowing performance of this old Finnish chestnut by a young American peach. California-born Violinist Wicks, 27, made her first successes touring in Europe, is gradually building an American following. Under her talented fingers, the piece sounds luminous and true, its expression warm but not overheated.

Shostakovich: Violin Concerto, Opus 99 (David Oistrakh; New York Philharmonic-Symphony, conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos; Columbia). The finest moments of Soviet Violinist Oistrakh's recent visit to the U.S. (TiME, Jan. 9) sound even better on records. Reason: in this concerto, the violin's rhythm often runs against that of the orchestra; in a large hall with a full orchestra, the violin part is sometimes buried, but studio technicians, who can magnify small sounds, restore the balance.

Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos (Irmgard Seefried, Rita Streich, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan; Angel, 3 LPs). One of Strauss's important operas, handicapped by a confused libretto, but abetted by some soaringly lyrical music. Even when the score is less than inspired, the cast's three unbeatable leading sopranos melt the listener.

Sullivan: Music to Shakespeare's Tempest (Vienna Orchestral Society, conducted by F. Charles Adler; Unicorn). The composer of H.M.S. Pinafore, The Mikado, etc. finished this music in the freshness of his 20th year, and caused his betters to call him a second Mendelssohn. It is easy to see why, although admirers of his operettas will not complain about his later career.

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto in B-Flat Minor (Emil Gilels; Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Fritz Reiner; Victor). Soviet Pianist Gilels in a splendid version of this oft-mauled work. With the driving assistance of one of the most effective orchestras in the U.S.. he turns in a performance that is always at the peak of expression, whether tender, fiery or aggressive.

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