May Records

Some phonograph records are musical events. Each month TIME will note the noteworthy:*

Symphonic:

Stravinsky's Sacre du Printemps by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra (Victor, $8)--A particularly relevant recording of the ballet music recently given its first U. S. stage production (TIME, April 28). Stokowski's disc version preserves much of the naked intensity of the original, reveals ais complete mastery of the crazy, conflicting rhythms.

Bach's Suite No. 3 in D by Desire Defauw and the Orchestra of the Brussels Royal Conservatory (Columbia, $6)--A vigorous, forthright reading of Bach's most popular orchestral suite. A sombre Corelli saraband is played by Enrique Fernandez Arbos and the Madrid Symphony as filler for the last record.

Prokofiev's Classical Symphony in D Major and the Scherzo and March from his opera The Love for Three Oranges (Victor, 2 records, $2 each)--Prokofiev's fast-stepping rhythms played with exhilarating, almost whirlwind effect by Conductor Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony.

Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture and Stravinsky's Fire Bird Interlude by Gabriel Pierne and the Colonne Orchestra of Paris (Columbia, 2 records, $2 each) -- A fittingly flamboyant reading of Berlioz's noisy festival music; the second is contrastingly soft and mysterious in color.

Moussorgsky's Khovantchina Prelude and Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumble Bee by Sir Hamilton Harty and the Halle Orchestra of Manchester (Columbia, $2) -- Superlative recording of the music of onetime roommates. Khovantchina, like Moussorgsky's Boris, is as Russian in character as Red Square in Moscow, its first scene. Rimsky's Bee is less important but better known by reason of its flashing imagery.

Opera :

La Gioconda -- Cielo e Mar and L'Elisire d'Amore -- Una Furtiva Lagrima by Beniamino Gigli (Victor, $2) -- Gallery grand opera by the tenor who does it best. Chosen by Victor as its May "Great Record-of-the-Month."*

Light Opera:

A Rudolf Friml Album which includes music from You're in Love, High Jinks, Rose Marie, Katinka, The Vagabond King, The Firefly (Victor, $7.50) -- Compiled in the radio-hour manner by Conductor Nathaniel Shilkret; presented by the Victor Salon Orchestra and a capable company which includes the composer as pianist.

Chamber :

Mozart's Quartet in B Flat by the Lener String Quartet of Budapest (Columbia, $6) -- This is called the "Hunting Quartet" because a theme in the first movement resembles a hunter's horn. The Adagio, tranquil and in no way suggestive of the skelter of the field, is played by the Leners with expert tenderness.

Songs:

Ten Cents a Dance and Funny, Dear, What Love Can Do (Columbia) -- Ruth Etting's husky way is particularly suited to the sad story of a dance-hall "hostess."

Lazy Lou'siana Moon and Should I (Columbia) -- With this one the Rondoliers take the male-quartet prize for the month. The mood is prevailingly sentimental.

Happy Days Are Here Again and Humming a Love Song (Victor, $1.25) -- Phil Baker's accordion presents almost as much variety as a full-fledged orchestra.

Dance Records:

Send for Me and Ten Cents a Dance (Victor) -- Simple Simon tunes chosen by Victor as its May "Popular Record-of-the-Month."

It Happened in Monterey and Song of the Dawn (Victor) -- The first is the season's best waltz. George Olsen plays both in his most beguiling manner.

To My Mammy and Looking at You (Brunswick) -- Ben Bernie's trumpets and saxophones combine to play smoothly the best Irving Berlin tunes from the cinema Mammy.

Thank Your Father and Good for You, Bad for Me (Victor) -- Waring's Pennsylvanians provide the first with the most ingenious orchestration of the month. The tunes are from Flying High, latest fruit of the DeSylva-Brown-Henderson loom.

*Prices listed are for entire albums which include several records. Where the price is not given, it is 75-c-, standard price for popular 10-inch records.

*In the manner of the Literary Guild and the Book-of-the-Month Club, the Victor company has started a Record-of-the-Month Club. Members may belong to either or both of two divisions --"Great Music" or "Popular and Concert Music."

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