August Records

Some phonograph records are musical events. Each month TIME notes the noteworthy.

SYMPHONIC, ETC.

Prokofieff: Peter and the Wolf (Boston Symphony, Serge Koussevitzky conducting; Richard Hale, narrator; Victor, 6 sides). An engaging "orchestral fairy tale," full of duck-quacks (oboe), bird-twitters (flute), wolf-growls (horns), jovially rendered by the Bostonians who gave it its first U. S. hearing last year. Album of the month.

Chopin: Concerto No. 2 in F Minor (Alfred Cortot, piano ; orchestra conducted by John Barbirolli; Victor, 8 sides). Best recording to date of a romantic staple, by a prolific waxer of Chopiniana.

Scarlatti: Eleven Sonatas (Robert Casadesus, pianist; Columbia, 6 sides). Domenico Scarlatti's sonatas, some of them uncommonly modern for his time (1685-1757), were what the word originally meant, pieces "to be sounded," dances, preludes, fugues, etc. Casadesus plays them fastidiously.

POPULAR

China Boy and I've Found A New Baby (Bud Freeman and the Summa Cum Laude; Bluebird). First recordings of Manhattan's newest and most exciting hot band, a cooperative group consisting of Freeman (saxophone), Peewee Russell (clarinet), Eddie Condon (guitar) and five others who permanently dance-banded together after being assembled to play for the Class of 1929's reunion in Princeton last June. Sound as well as sassy, the Summa Cum Laudes are all musical veterans, and their China Boy--classic touchstone for rhythm bands--is fit to file alongside the historic Whiteman versions.

Frankie & Johnnie (Ethel Waters; Bluebird). Vocalist Waters and a gifted arrangement turn a ballad hitherto sung as funny fiddle-faddle into a tragic folk tale, with much the same quality found in Artist Thomas Benton's garish Frankie & Johnnie mural.

My Love for You (Red Norvo; Vocalion). Schmalz-of-the-month.

Moon Love, from the second movement of Tschaikowsky's 5th Symphony (Paul Whiteman; Decca) and Bach Bay Blues (New Friends of Rhythm; Victor). For swing fans who do not object to classical themes and classicists who do not object to hearing them swung.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.