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OPHONE Incorporating CASSETTES & CARTRIDGES

June 1986 Vol . 64 No. 757

CONTENTSiINDEXTOREVIEWS-includingBeethovensymphonycyclesfrom

Furtwangler and Karajan, more Mozart piano concertos on 'au thentic ' instruments and a new Beethoven disc from Claudio Arrau . Callas's Carmen and Knappertsbus ch's Parsifal make the ascent to Compact Disc .2 NEW RELEASES . . ... 3 CORRESPONDENCE-William Alwyn and the films, the pronunciation of

English when sung and a reply to the correspondence on 'authentic' vocal style. .... ...... ... ....... ... .4 NEWS & VIEWS-S ir Peter Pears remembered , Vladimir Horowitz's return to the stl:Jdio and some thoughts on piano playing from Alexis Weissenberg .6 THE NORTHERN LIGHTS-Robert Layton on the Scandinavian record scene .. .

.23

EARLY MUSIC RETROSPECT-John Milsom considers recent records of early vocal and choral music..

.. .. 35

BOOKSHELF-Some new books reviewed-including biographies of

Karajan, Heifetz and Ro ss ini and the autobiography of EMI 's Suvi Raj Grubb. ............ 38 VIDEO-'Rodney Milnes reviews Covent Garden 's

Don Carlos and

Glyndebourne's Idomeneo .

... ......... .40

REVIEWS

AUDIO

..... . . . . . 42 Sounds in Retrospect ..

Orchestra I.. Chamber. .. ............. ..... ... . . . . . . . . 66 Show Rep orts ...... ,., .. ... 109 Instrumental ...... .... .. .. , . . ... 73 Equipment Reviews: Choral and Song ..... .... .. ....... .... ........ 78 Quad Model 306 Power Amplifier. 110 Opera.. .................. ...... , ., .. .. .... 86 Sony Discm an.. . . . ..... . 111 Brief Reviews ........ ....... . . . . . . . . . . .... .... 94 Eso teri c Sound Re-equali zer . 112 Nights at the round table: Toshiba RTl095 CD Portable .. . ... 115

.. .... . 107

Brass & Military .

. . . ..... . 99 AR Amplifier ..

. .. 116

Spoken word ............... . ....... ...... .. 99 Audio Foru m. .. , .. ,", .... ..... 117 Jazz.. .... .. 99 Audi o News..... ..... ....... ... ...... ..... . . 117 Cassette Commentary . .. 103 New Products ....... ........... .... 118

FRONT COVER

This month's fronl cover features the young Danish soprano Inga Nielsen whose solo recital is reviewed by Alan Blyth on page 93 . She also appears on a record of music by her namesake-Carl. reviewed on page 81. The photos on the Contents page are credited to Cloud Nine Record s, Erato/Sarrat and Philips respectively.

NEXT MONTH

Sir Neville Marriner's new recording of Le nozze di Figaro is featured on the cover next month . Helena Matheopoulos reports from the sessions and Alan Blyth reviews the set. Also we interview June Anderson and consider the extraordinary musical heritage of Clara Schumann's pupils The July issue will be published on Wednesday July 2nd. Published by General Gramophone Publications Ltd ., 177/9, Kenton Road, Harr ow, Middlesex HA3 OHA. Telepho ne 01-9074476 . Publisher & Managing Editor, ANTH ONY POllARD : Edit o r, CHRI STOPHER POLLARD ; Deputy Publisher & Advertiseme nt Direct or, BARRY IRVING: Consultant t o the Edito ria l Department. QUITA CHAVEZ; Audio Editor , JOHN BORWICK: Audio Consultant. JOHN GILBERT ; Advertisement Co-ordinator & Art Editor, DERMOT JONES; Circulation Manager, STEPHEN PREscon: Subscription Manager. VALER IE WARBURTON.

GRAMOPHONE is published on the Wednesday nearest to the 7st of each month and is available from all newsagents and bookstalls. Annual subscriptions: see page 728: US air ,peeded rate $33 ·20, second class postage paid New York and at additional mailing offices. US mailing agents: Expediters of the Printed Word Ltd.. 575 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 70022. Printed in England by Watmoughs Limited, Idle, Bradford: and London. Whilst every effo rt has been made to ensure the accuracy of sta teme nts within this magazine, we cannot accept responsibility for an y errors o r omissions, or for matters arising from clerical or printers' errors, or an advertiser not completing his contra ct. I t is requested that all letters to the Editor requiring a personal reply should be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. Subscribers. bo th at home and abroad, are requested to advise change of address details to our Subscription Department at least five weeks prior to the change beco ming effective.