TCHATKOVSKY. Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, " Pathetique ". L'Orchestre de la Suisse Rornande conducted by Ernest Ansermet. Derma LXT5306 (12 in.. 39s. 7 id.).

TCHAIKOVSKY. Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, " Pathetique ". Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rafael Kubelik. Mercury MRL2000 (12 in., 39s. 70.).

Paris 'ons., Munch (3/51) LXT2544

Vienna P.O., Karajan (1M) 33CN1026

Philharmonia, Cantelli (9'53) A1.P1042

Paris Cons., Welber (5'54) 1.XT2,1R8

Concortgebonw. Kernren (1 55) A01.3127

Pittsburgh S.O., Steinberg (1)55) CTL7071

Hamburg R.O., Schmidt-Issersbedt (2)55) 1x:X(16031

Berlin P.O., Fricsay (2/55) DMI181114

N.Y. Stadium S.O., Bernstein (7)551 A NT1.10t));

Leningrad P.O., Niravinsky (2/57) DrM13334

Boston SO., Mcgoeux (2/57) AL P1 356

Kubelik's Pathetique is an able hut in the last resort rather featureless account : an honest reading of the score, not dull, even animated at times, but without the special points of interest that make the Cantelli, Fricsay, Monteux and Mravinsky versions (which I considered in February) stand apart from their competitors. The recorded tone is not very satisfactory. The dynamic level is low, and the strings often tend to disappear into the shadows. The sound can be " built up " by a judicious use of controls, but not so as to justify the slogan "living presence "which is blazoned on the label.

Anserrnet, as we would expect, holds our attention with his reading, and the chief limitation on his performance is the fact that the orchestra is not always quite up to the virtuoso nature of the reading.

Ansermet secures very expressive phrasing from his violas, especially in the descending phrase at the close of the first paragraph, and the ascending one which closes the first subject-group. More than most con ductors, he makes the three statements of the second subject sound quite different in emotion : as of a joy and consolation hesitantly accepted (muted strings), unashamedly welcomed (unmuted strings), and then tenderly considered (clarinet solo). The development section cracks in with exciting effect. The narrow-toned brass is fiery here, and very well recorded. Deliberately, the conductor has stressed the episodic, erratic nature of the movement, as expression of the composer's darting, melancholy mind.

But the 5/4 Allegro is held very tight, driven on with an unflinching beat that sometimes seems at variance with the con grazza qualification of the tempo-indication. It makes one feel rather giddy. In the March-Scherzo one senses that the orchestra is not really on top of this music—at any rate in this fleet crisp reading ; and in the crescendo up to the enunciation of the March proper, the brass does not sound its dotted motif with anything like the requisite distinctness. The last movement seems a little too restrained in expression ; and the final pizzicato B's from the double-basses emerge as dry bumps.

This is, then, never less than an interesting performance. What we miss chiefly is that quick, nervous line which, in the Leningrad Philharmonic's recording, makes the Symphony sound so unusually expressive and meaningful. Praise to Decca for an imaginative cover, an adaptation of the lithograph which Barnett Freedman drew to decorate the "Of the inward senses" passage of Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy. Though this was originally intended for six-colour printing, and has been much falsified in colour on the sleeve, it still makes a striking and appropriate design. A.P.