WORKS FOR HARMONICA. Larry Adler (harmonica), Royal Phil- harmonic Orchestra conducted by Morton Gould. RCA 0 SB6786 (12 in., 43s. 9d.).

Arnold. Harmonica Concerto, Op. 46. Benjamin. Mouth Organ Concerto. Vaughan Williams. Romance for harmonica and string orchestra (with piano). Milhaud. Suite for harmonica and orchestra.

Although the mouth organ (or harmonica) was invented around 1830 by a London firm called Wheatstone (who originally marketed their invention under the name of an Aeolina) it is only in recent times that the instrument has managed to gain any acceptance in other than 'entertainment' circles. No small part of this recognition is due to the efforts of Larry Adler and whilst none of the works recorded here can be described as more than lightweight they do serve as a vehicle for Mr Adlcr's remarkable virtuosity.

For some reason best known to them, RCA have placed the running order in the reverse order of their composition. The Milhaud, written in 1942-3 but first heard in Paris in 1947, is a typical example of the French composer's lighter vein: superficially clever but easily forgotten. It is in three movements with two brisk outer movements, the slow movement sounding somewhat of an amalgam of Latin American and Red Indian rhythms! RCA's description of this piece differs from that listed in Grove who describe the work as a "Concerto for armonica".

The Vaughan Williams, the shortest piece here, is in one continuous movement with three sections. Dating from 1952 this Rhapsody is an example of VVV's skill in writing for an unusal instrument. At the Vaughan Williams tenth anniversary memorial concert at the Royal Albert Hall in November last year, Adler was amplified but not the important piano part so that the balance wanted by the composer was lost. Here the piano can be heard quite satisfactorily. I found the Benjamin Concerto, written in July 1953, a well-written piece with a delightfully attractive pastoral second movement, Cazona semplice. Adler plays this very well although I felt he employed rather too much vibrato at times. The last British work is Malcolm Arnold's Concerto, typical of this composer's breezy, extrovert style, dating from 1954. (Incidentally, this is Adler's second recording of the Benjamin and Vaughan Williams: these were once available on a Columbia 10-inch mono record-33S1023.)

Adler is recorded rather closely whereas the very adequate orchestral accompaniment is too distant, thereby making them sound rather over-reverberant, but this is not a serious flaw. J.K.