New Records

Bach: Sonatas for Harpsichord and Violin (Ralph Kirkpatrick, harpsichord; Alexander Schneider, violin; Columbia, 28 sides). An event of the year for Bach lovers, a hardy group that knows what it likes. Here, in the six early sonatas, is some of the freshest music Bach wrote, played in fine style. Recording: good.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 (the Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell conducting; Columbia, 8 sides). Robert Schumann called the Fourth "a slender Greek maiden between two Norse giants" (the Eroica and the Fifth). In his Columbia debut with the Cleveland Orchestra, Conductor Szell has sculptured her skillfully and gracefully. Performance: excellent.

Barto:k: Violin Sonata No. 2--Roumanian Dances (Tossy Spivakovsky, violin; Artur Balsam, piano; Concert Hall Society, 6 sides). Bartok had just made his final break with musical orthodoxy when he wrote this sonata (1922). Violinist Spivakovsky is the man whose brilliant playing recently set San Francisco talking about Bartok's music (TIME, Jan. 26). Recording (on Vinylite): excellent.

Mozart: Symphony No. 35, K. 385 (the NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini conducting; Victor, 5 sides). Toscanini's second try on records at the "Haffner" still falls short of Toscanini's heights; this one still lacks the spaciousness and grace of Sir Thomas Beecham's performance with the London Philharmonic. Recording: good.

Mahler: Symphony No. 5 (the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, Bruno Walter conducting; Columbia, 16 sides). There is no better guide than Bruno Walter to the diffuse scores his friend wrote. Recording: good.

Franck: Sonata in A Major (Zino Francescatti, violin; Robert Casadesus, piano; Columbia, 8 sides). One of the most fiery and exciting performances on records of one of Franck's best works. Recording: excellent.

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto (Erica Morini, violin, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Desire Defauw conducting; Victor, 8 sides). Perhaps the best recorded version, yet of Tchaikovsky's familiar work, played by the leading U.S. woman violinist. Recording: good.

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