Dated sound cannot disguise the vigour and freshness of the Schumann Piano Quintet in the hands of Artur Schnabel and the Pro Arte Quartet made in 1934, and now coupled on World Records (ID SH408) with the Dvoi.ak Piano Quintet recorded earlier the same year. The account of the Schumann has great tenderness and eloquence: Schnabel relaxes by just the right amount at the second group in the first movement and finds the tempo giusto in the slow movement which is affectingly played. The Dyadic is no less revealing and receives a concentrated and taut performance which though it does not lack charm does not stress this aspect of the work as have some later versions. The first movement is passionate and strong—and, I might add, fairly brisk—and those who think of the Dvofak as rustic and gemiitlich will be surprised by its power. There is an inelegant moment from the great centenarian in the slow movement but apart from that, he is in characteristically good form and the Pro Arte Quartet are marvellous throughout. The sound is not quite so full-blooded or transparent as that HMV accorded the Budapest Quartet in 1933 in the Sibelius Voces intimae Quartet (World Records SH285, 3/79) but even though greater range would have been welcome, these expert transfers by Keith Hardwick are eminently satisfying. Sonic limitations are soon forgotten given the gripping quality of the playing, and I do hope EMI will go on to let us have other examples of the Pro Arte whose Haydn Quartets were such a memorable feature of the pre-war catalogues. Strongly recommended.

Two celebrated performances of Beethoven from the twenties are coupled on a new Pearl issue (GEMM 238, £4.99): the Kreutzer Sonata, Op. 47, played by Albert Sammons and William Murdoch and recorded in 1927, and the first complete recording of the Violin Concerto ever to appear, with Isolde Menges as the impressive soloist and the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra under Sir Landon Ronald made in 1922. The latter was hailed as "the most important contribution of the month" by The Gramophone (December 1923, page 138). Albert Sammons and equally his partner, William Murdoch give a most musical and fresh performance of the sonata, and even through the faded sound one realizes what spontaneous and great artists both were. Much the same might be said for lsolde Menges whose poetic and unmannered account of the concerto is distinguished by much beauty of tone, as far as the primitive recording enables one to tell, and remarkably pure intonation. Side joins are difficult to disguise and the poor quality of sound does diminish one's pleasure. Nonetheless, this is a valuable document and it was good to note a tiny fluff in the slow movement of the Kreutzer which serves to underline the spontaneity and sparkle of Murdoch's playing.

Finally, Rare Recorded Editions have issued in collaboration with the Vintage Light Music Society, all the original recordings of Sir Frederic Cowen (1852-1936) conducting various ensembles and including such pieces as the Overture, The Butterfly's Ball. Soloists include Tetrazzini singing The Swallows and Clara Butt singing The Promise of Life. These are obviously of historic interest and have much period charm, but the recordings are inevitably variable dating as they do from 1908-1929 (RREI90, £4.50). R.L. (All records reviewed above are mono unless other wise stated)