EDWARD GREENFIELD

Karajan's monumental album of the nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic (DGG mono LPM1890I-8: stereo SLPM138901-8) takes an obvious first place, by itself more than a year's choice. Apart from his rigid account of the Pastoral the interpretations completely belie the rather flashy picture we have of him nowadays. The Eroica and Ninth, recorded as the culmination of the Berlin sessions, shine out even above the rest. The discs are now available separately. An equally obvious choice is the new Angel set of Lehár's Merry Widow (HMV Angel mono ANI01-2: stereo SANI0I-2) as delectable a pair of records as I know, with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf an absolute honey of a heroine. The atmosphere of a theatrical performance is wonderfully captured, and this, despite the height of the 'fi', is what I miss in the HMV Angel set of Rossini's Barber of Seville (mono ANII4-6: stereo SAN I 14-6) with its very dry acoustic. Even Glyndebourne is not so dry, but under Gui's direction and with a cast headed by Victoria de los Angeles that is 'Glyndebourne plus', it provides a warming experience, a mature claret that will prove more lastingly attractive I think than the champagne of the best rival performances. Another set which, despite faults, chooses itself is Joan Sutherland's "Command Performance" (Decca mono MET247-8: stereo SET247-8). Sutherland maybe inappropriately droopyat times, but both in the arias and the Victorian songs she gives some vintage performances. Cohn Davis and the English Chamber Orchestra provide an outstanding Mozart record coupling the Prague Symphony, strong and Giovanni-like but also gracious, with the early C major Symphony, No. 28 (Oiseau-Lyre mono OL266: stereo S0L266). Finally the recording debut of the commanding young 'cellist, Jacqueline du Prh—an off-beat collection of snippets from Bach to Saint-Saëns and Bruch (HMV mono CLP1650: stereo CSD1499) played with such intensity that one hears the music with new ears. I eagerly await a major recording from her.