New Records

Shakespeare's Henry V (spoken excerpts by Sir Laurence Olivier, with music composed and conducted by William Walton, Philharmonia Orchestra of London and Chorus; Victor, 8 sides). Walton's music was superbly tailored to its job: that of complementing Henry V's sights, speeches and sound. Put on its own (as in the battle music), Walton's score is disappointing. It serves best as an accompaniment to Olivier's spine-tingling recital of "Now entertain conjecture of a time" and the St. Crispin's Day speech. Performance: excellent.

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat (William Kapell, pianist, with the NBC Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Golschmann conducting; Victor, 7 sides). A ragged, unsure playing of the least interesting of Beethoven's concertos. Recording: good.

Handel: Concerto in B Minor for Viola (William Primrose, viola, with the RCA-Victor Orchestra, Frieder Weissmann conducting; Victor, 5 sides). Handel seems to be making a comeback. This little-known, stately and graceful concerto was arranged by Henri Casadesus (uncle of Pianist Robert) in 1925, and is performed with spirit and fine tone by Primrose. Recording: excellent.

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (Boyd Neel String Orchestra, Boyd Neel conducting; Decca Record Co. Ltd., 4 sides). The English orchestra is Bach-size and plays excellently one of the most felicitous of the six Brandenburg concertos.

Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet Ballet Suite (Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky conducting; Victor, 4 sides). Tchaikovsky's romantic overture lent itself to Tin Pan Alley thievery; this does not. Prokofiev makes Miss Capulet and Mr. Montague's troubles far more dissonant and disturbing. Performance: excellent.

Rachmaninoff: The Bells (Hollywood First Methodist Choir, Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra, Jacques Rachmilovitch conducting; Disc, 8 sides). A somewhat murky musical adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe. Performance: fair.

Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe Suites Nos. I & 2 (Orchestra de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, Charles Muench conducting; Decca Record Co. Ltd., 6 sides). Suite No. 1 has little to say that the better-known No. 2 does not say better. Recording: good.

Verdi: La Traviata (Soloists, chorus and orchestra of the Opera House, Rome, Vincenzo Bellezza conducting; Columbia, 30 sides, two albums). Apparently Columbia intends to catch the impatient, who don't want to wait for Toscanini's promised recording of Traviata. The recording is uneven, and Rome's postwar opera company is not all it should be. Performance: fair.

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