RAND
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1957.
A series of disc jockeys take our music column on a tour from classics, through jazz, to the pops.
GRAMOPHONE WEEK
DISC-DITHERERS are in for a dizzy time this
New Year.
Never has there been such a variety to bewilder classical record buyers in choosing for themselves and their friends.
Strauss.
то help Axure your Horn Concertas by Richard headaches if I can, here are
Virtuosity and sensitive a dozen new long plays I be musicianship, ably supported by
will delight
Orchestra listener according to under Wolfgang Sawallisch, instrumental
lleve
any the
make
Philharmonia
this
on
whether your taste is for feast not lo be missed. (2.) orchestra,
ballet, opera, songa, or piano music.
I shall be taking time off from my
listening own record to hear
Beecham TAS it Sir Thomas choose his Christmas Desert Island Disc" on the radio. has threatened to ptek all his
own records.
Enchantment
ile
ure
History
nothing less
ever occurred to you H That gramophone records than living history? Kirsten Flagstad, now 82, is in happy retirement in her cative Norway, but her glorious voice si ves on at the turn of a switch.
She made history with her Wagner performances. Now she historie souvenir-
NE of them I wouldn't mind taking myself-Grieg's musle leaves for "Peer Gynt," played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with soprano se Hollweg and the Beecham Choral Society.
The old master, 70 next April, ban excelled himself in glylag
10 these
pieces incidental music to Ibsen's epic Norwegian drama-just the right touch of marvellous enchantment. (No. 1 in panel.)
an
the complete third act of "Die Walkure," from the swooping Ride of the Valkyries to the profoundly moving farewell with Wolan at the end,
All the richness and dramatic her voice ore there, power of with Otto Edelman a diani
Wotan and the Vienna ed Philharmonic Orchestra splen- didly conducted by Georg Sol!! (3)
MY TOP 12 FROM THE
CLASSICS by NOEL GOODWIN
1150
lined velve!,
do
No
pielting Flagstad, solo for the traditional coaching pianist with the touch of steel- though, if the family detests horn. Wagner and dotes on Verdi, If Verdi is the choice, that cele- brated spitfire Maria Callas is never slow to oblige.
Leonora, 4lic starry-eyed,
Trovatore." has long been one of her nest roles, and her
upera on three dises is among her best.
tragically-fated heroine of i
latest recording of the complete
It is a la Scala performance, with an all-star coat, including Fedora Barbieri as the gipsy Azucena, Giuseppe di Stefano as the troubadour of the title, and Rolando Paneral singing Count d! Luna.
0
Herbert von Karajan conducts performance tense with excitement and full of resplend- ent singing from first bar to last (4).
For ballet-lovers, easily the outstanding om for all the Benjamin Britten con- year is dueting the Royal Opera House orchestra in his own ballet, "The Prince of the Pagodas."
Svellana Beriosova and Davki Blair Jaunched this exotic fairy- fale by John Year's Day.
Tha one ot
tuneful and
composed (9).
Perhaps that is why we not hear it more offen, for Its seven movements are enchant- ing and festive in style, charm- ingly played by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestru under Ferdinand Leitner (7).
Some dazzling piano musle? The plane usually meann Chopla -and Chopin today meane
Sharn Cherkassky, the tiny gnome-like Russian-American
THE
The camel no longer goes to BOOK Mecca (Egyptian royalty
it's relic of
THE MARKET OF SELEU- KIA, By James Morris. Faber. 25. 337 pogos. AMES MORRIS 18 #1
Journalist, a stylist, a
humorlat. He has a gift of
PAGE
By GEORGE MALCOLM
THOMSON.
In a power vacuum, is there making phrases and bring no individual who can make ing people to life, diverting sense out of the chaos of pur- ly. He has the knack of poses? There is General Nurl, being in the right place at the strong man in Bagdad, who
looks far The wonderful artist Lote the right time. He was in priceless gift of survival.
shead and has the Clive Lehmann, who retired six years the Middle East at the time his developinent plans another
and now passes on her His latest dise Is
a mixed "go
wisdom of experience to young of the Suez Incident.
10 years and Iraq will blossom Ballade, students, is recital- Chopin
like the rose. 'teatured is the Mazurka, Nocturne, Wollz, and. reissue of
"After this little tot," of her 010
Jast
But Variations-admirably blending recordings,
дауя the Israeli
who, in those timeless tank brilliance and tender poetry, and
lands, is prepared to be patient? colonel in the Sinai de- There is a basic alliness behind an investment for constant
Her artistry is something to pleasure (3),
"the face wonder at as she sings two sets fort,
of the the glamour, the cunning and of Schumann songsWoman's Middle East will never be the froth of the Arab countries. Life and Love" and "Poel's quite the same again."
A lack of character. ・・ Love" with the eminent con-
Flashy ductor Bruno Walter at the plano (10),
Judging from the
enormous audiences that now flock to song recitals, the delight of a great song linely sung is being newly rediscovered.
*****+ FOR THE RECORD ++++fafo
ORCHESTRAL
(Grieg) 1 "PEER GYNT"
-Bee a ham. H.M.V. ALF.1330.
CONCERTOS 2 "HORN
(Straum)---Dennis Brain. Columbia 33CM.1491.-
OPERA
3 3 Act
from "DIE WALKUKE" (Wagner) —— Dcoca Kirsten Flagstad, LXT.5389-00 (2 disos). haa
Cranko last New Britten's music is mosi fuscinating
works he
TROVATORE"
4 "IL Contentment
alternative AS an
I recom- A
exhilarating the mend guato of Rosssin's "La Bouth- que Fantasque" (The Fantastic Toyshop). Georg Solti's stylish performance
with the Israel Philharmonic is the best version yet, and it has "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," by Dukes, on the same dise (8).
New Year 15 memory- In more homely style Mme. time for many of us, and music- Flagstad has also made a new
a special disc of "Great lovers will have
Sacred Songs," Brain, the sung in English with Sir Adrian thought for, Dennis
Light orchestral music, ideal world's finest horn player until Boult and the London Pali- for
the odd half-hour of his death in
two harmonic cur crash
Elght of them, armchair contentment, is provid including "Abide with Me" ed by the exquisite "Posthom "Silent Night, Serenade" of Mozart, so-called
months ago.
Fate plays grelm tricks, but I "Jerusalem,” spared him to give us a most and "O Come, all ye Faithu" because it has CN important treasured legacy in the two (9).
VIGNETTES OF LIFE
WELL, SUPPOSE IT
DOES GURGLE,
WHAT OF M7
IT COULD BE
PERFUME COULDN'T IT?
OR INK T
THOSE DAINTY
FEMININE TOUCHES
THAT MAKE PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE
GETTING SOMETHING.
MOTHER'S LITTLE HELPER COUNTING UP WHAT- THREE TRIPS TO THE
POST OFFICE AT. TÊN CENTS A TRIP
WILL COME TO.
Wand
(Verdi), complete-Maria Callas. Columbia 13CX8.1483; OX.1434-5 (3 dison).
BALLET
"THE PRINCE OF THE PAGODAS" (Britten). Becca LXT.5330-7 (2 disce).
BOUTIQUE FAN- 6 "LA
TASQUE” (Rossini). *Decos LXT:5341.
Di
FERE-
LICHT ORCHESTRAL 7 "POSTHORN
NADE" (Mozart).) Deutsche Grammophon. DGM,19988.
PIANO SOLO 8 CHOPIN
recital-Shura Cherassky. HMV.
ALP.1489.
SONGS
SACRED 9. "GREAT
SONGS"— Kirsten Flag- stad. Decca LXT.5392,
10 SCHUMANN
SONGS---
Lotile Lehmann, Philips
ABL.3103.
11 "MORE
SONGS YOU
LOVE"... Elisabeth
Schwarzkupi.
Columbia
33CX.1482.
CAROLS
12 #JOY
WORLD"
Wagner
P.8353.
(Each disc 12in. L.P.)
TO THE
Roger Chorale. Capitol
Gift Wrapped
"I WANT IT INSURED FOR
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS
OH WELL, A GIRL HAS TO
IMPRESS SOMEBODY.
COPR, 1914 BY GENERAL FEATURIS
CORP. TH-WORLD RIGHTS RESERVED.
WHY DON'T
YOU GIVE 'EM MONEY ?*
Carols
Js
and dubious, the One has the impression Middle East is littered with the that, like 80 many pro- wrickago vanished: ompires phets in the desert, the and collapsed philosophies.
through its streets, making his Suez the Middle East seems witly notes: very much as it was, only
colonel was wrong. After And Morris wanders observantly
Lebanon lives by its itching Falm. Its landowners only pre- varicate for a moment or two before telling you about the bashish growing in their fields. Aden blasted and despond- ent, as if Ufc had become one the long awful hangover." of that "ittle lot." In Cairo ho inspeels the fac- He gets around, between tors where, every year, the Cairo and the Persian bor- Knaba at Mecca is made. Once sacred carpet to cover the ders;
meets the people, a camel used to take the carpet
Morris painta n lively picture of its face at time
NOTHER
favourlle Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, more so. whose latest dise. "More Songe You Love" has a Christmassy flavour "with severol, carols sung in diferent languages and lush orchestral arrangements by con- ductor Charles Mackerras (11)
And for a last choice, if you fancy singing carols round the #reside, the Anest of all new carol collections is "Joy to the World' international carols scans the pablle faces to the Holy City It has been Impeccably sung by the Roger (Nasser's,
example, abolished as a refle of royalty. Wagner Chorale the American charm hiding a dangerous Its driver is in the factory, professional choir (12),
Happy listening!
NEXT:
MY TOP 12... BY CYRIL STAPLETON
talent
for
for
conspiracy);
casts &
the sly glance at present standing in the Middle East of the Powers:
inconsolable.
25th PALACE
Queen Dina of Jordan, senda Great to Paris for an Elizabeth Arden beauty specialist to preparo Her for her wedding ceremony. King Saud, who has 24 palaces, spends 16 million of oil money on a Each of his son, believed to total 25, gets n per sottal Cadillac with chauffeur on reaching the age of 12.
- Fraticow only 1 ghast hipping legantly in a Dior freek along the streets of Beinit, Britain Buined by too many good intentions and not enough hood manners.
America-Too clever by half; trying to please all the people all the time and now, with strained smile, taking up the oil man's burden.
DECEPTION, AHEAD
And Russia - The undeserv ing heir of good luck scoops the chilps from the casino table... but, wait the crouplers will cheat the Russlona yei,
BY HARRY WEINERT
"OH DEAR ! I DON'T KNOW WHICH IS WHICH / THIS
IS THE ONLY ONE I'M SURE OF !**
"I TOLD
YOU TO MARK 'EM?
ALL WRAPPED UP AND NO PLACE
TO GO.
WRAPPING
GIFTS PROPERLY
IS A GIFT**** YOU EITHER
HAVE IT OR YOU. HAVENY.
"THAT SAID HE, IN THAT IRRITATING
| KHÓW-IT-ALL TONE OF HIS.
WAY TO THE UP A PACKAGE
THE
new
one.
"If you would see the Arob at his coarsened worst," writes Morris, "observe some Saudi princeling in his vulgar cor emblazoned with the crossed swords of his blood, sweeping through the citizenry with a sneer, upon his face and a total disregard of the traftle rules."
At its corsened worst, or its slightly effets traditional best, the Middle East is endlessly versatile and fascinating. In a power vacuum the puppets dance a lively jig. --- ..
*
SHACKLETON, By Margery and James Fisher. Barria. 30. 559
pagos.
TUCKED away in the recesses of this too-long blography in A complex and dramatic tale of rivalry between two famous British explorers. Scott and Shackleton. It began during on expedition to
Antarctic when Shackleton, then under Scott's command, suffered « physical breakdown and had ta be pulled on a sledge.
ike
Shackleton's pride was des- perately hurt by this incident which Scolt, in an Albert Hall lecture, inadvertently made to appear even worse than it was.
Later, when the two men were independently seeking the South Polo, Shackleton promised he would not use Scott's bagg—— and broke his word under the stress of bad weather. When Shackleton-perhaps as a joke -seni Scott an empty envelope from the Antarctic bearing the special stamps printed; for his expedition, Scott "Was not. amused.
Shackleton was, in fact, dif cult and unconventional. IK Some people thought him unscrupulous, they pre not entirely to be, blamed. Pioneers are often eccentric.
One of them will come alive for the dogged reader of this thorough book, inexpertly put tegether though It is.
THE GULF STREAM STORY, By Hans Leip. Jarrolds. 21s. 223 pages,
ing
WHAT we owe to the Gulf Stream is beyond reckon. since without it. Western civilisation would have been Impossible. Hang Lelp, in tħilə fascinating record, ranges over the vast subject, from plankton to pirates.
THE LIFE-BOAT STORY, By Patrick Howarth, Rout- ledge and Kegan Paul. 212. 203 pages, plan
A VIGOROUS account of a 43 great võluntary service. By taking gay dozen (typical life- boat * stations and describing thairy achievements Howarth ensures that the proud narrative In told: da human terme,
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