Contents

Badura-Skoda, V.S.O., Prohaska (2/54) WLP5097 Casadesus, New York SO., Barbirollt (2/54) 33C1028 Matthews, Philharmonia, Schwarz (10/54) 33S1032 Haebler, Vienna Pro Musica, Hollreiser (3/55) PL8710

RACHMANINOV. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18. Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43. Orazio Frugoni (piano), Pro Musica Symphony, Vienna, conducted by Harold Byrns. Vox PL965o (12 in., 395. 71d.).

This is a most successful record. The playing is sparkling and clean, the recording unusually vivid, and the surface of the disc as near silent as one can hope for. Last month's version of The Birds (backed by Respighi's second set of Ancient Airs and Dances) was a good one, but the Italian...

Had not Respighi died in 1936 he would have been the ideal composer for CinemaScope in glorious Technicolor : when he really gave himself free rein and let his fancy run riot his grandiose orchestration, love of sheer volume and lack of critical taste made him the sound equivalent of the moguls...