New Records

One of the best recordings in recent months is that of Cesar Franck's "Variations Symphoniques", recorded by Walter Gieseking and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Columbia). The full sonority and subtlety of the piano have been reproduced with amazing fidelity. The playing of Gieseking is, needless to say, of the highest order, to state it conventionally. The composition itself is one of the most intriguing of its kind. It is really a set of variations for piano and orchestra in a sort of symphonic union, a large-scale and serious continuation of the variation form of Haydn and Beethoven: for example, the last movement of "Eroica". The opening themeing is a characteristic of Franck, being rather mournful in essence but soon developed dramatically. From this "Sehnsucht" beginning the piece undergoes a transformation of mood and ends quite joyously, in A.

Hephzibah Menuhin and her famous brother, Yehudi, have collaborated to record Mozart's Sonata in A (Kochel No. 526). Sister Hephzibah gives a creditable and authoritative performance at the piano which truly collaborates rather than assists. These sonatas have formerly been used for informal family affairs by aspiring musical amateurs. This sonata, written in the great creative year of Mozart is one of the more serious sonatas, though it is generally in a pleasant and jolly mood. There are, however, frequent lapses into solemn and, plaintive movement even in the Allegro and Presto. The conventional ornaments for the sake of virtuosity are scarce. Menuhin's own playing is restrained in the classic traditional but always virile. "His Master's Voice" has recorded the Mozart sonata. Another recent recording by "His Master's Voice" is the great "Passacaglia and Fugue in C" of Bach, played by Marcel Dupre in good French style, perhaps too French.