Current Release

Slavenski: Sinfonia Orienta

Slavenski, a Yugoslav, has written a musical history of the world in this Sinfonia. The sections, are labeled "primitive, Hebrew, Moslem, Buddhist, Christian, Free Thought, and Hymn of Toil." Some of the music, such as the "Primitive" section, is really wild. Throughout, the piece shines with the style of Slavenski, incorporating Eastern ideas of melody with western harmonic practices. He has not quite achieved a satisfactory blend, but he makes effective use of pedal points, repetitions, and modality. While Slavenski is long on imagination and short on technique, the record is certainly without equal in its field. (Lon. 1216)

Bach: Goldberg Variations

This is the first record of a much publicized young man named Glenn Gould. He is a pianist with a fabulous technique, and his playing of Bach is truly virtuoso. Strangely enough, his one weak point is precisely where the piano should have the advantage over the harpsichord, in the ability to "sing" a melody. Gould never succeeds in achieving a cantabile style, but seems like a pianist imitating the sound of a harpsichord. While this record does not displace Ralph Kirkpatrick's superlative harpsichord performance, it is the best piano version of a masterpiece (Col 5060)

Ragas of India

Probably the most fascinating record of Eastern music ever made, the Ragas are played by three instruments: drums, a drone-type stringed instrument, and a melodic stringed instrument. The drummer starts setting up complex rhythm often based on seven beats, over which the melody instrument improvises an increasingly complicated part, while the drone keeps up a fill-in. The music is quite difficult to understand at first, partially due to the strange scales it uses. But repeated hearings brig out the intricate beauty of its very advanced art. It is worthwhile buying the "de luxe" edition, as the explanatory notes by Yehudi Menuhin are very helpful. (Angel 35283)

Available at Minute Man and Briggs and Briggs.