The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 169

RECORDS. The Very Best of Wagner The Met Gan't Meet Its Bills pertoire in contemporary sound. recorded and will be issued in corded and will be issued in due course; only the preludes and etudes remain to be done. The 51 mazurkas in this three-record album are Chopin's "moste intimate and personal form of utterance," writes Max Wilcox who produced the record for RCA. "All of his heritage was poured into this music, and the recording of the mazurkas was a very emotional experience for Mr.

Rubinstein." The album includes a mazurka believed to be Chopin's last work. (LSC-6177) Three American winners at the Third Tchaikovsky International Competition held in Moscow last summer have recorded for RCA Victor, but Stephen Kates, Silver Medal (Second Prize) winner is the first to have his album released. In this debut album, Kates performs five of the eight compositions he played in Moscow, accompanied by Samuel Sanders, pian- By JOHN RASOR Orchestral masterpieces from Wagner's ring operas with Leopold Stokowski and the London Symphony makes for an hour of exciting listening. The highlights of "music to make the people hear what they cannot see" include Die Wal-kure Ride of the Valkyries, Siegfried Forest Murmurs, Das Rheingold Entrance of the Gods Into Valhalla and Got-terdammerung Siegfried's Rhine Journey, and Siegfried's Death and Funeral Music. These pieces are from Wagner's cycle of four music dramas (called by the composer a tetralogy).

Wagner, known as the Fuehrer of 19th Century opera, wrote overlong and repetitious operas but he also wrote overpowering music and the best of it is presented on this album. (SPC 21016) From RCA Victor comes another Chopin recording by Artur Rubinstein, who has undertaken to record all the Chopin re ist, who also accompanied him in Moscow. The first fruits of Kates' victory were 2,000 rubles most of it, unhappily, unexpor-table in cash; solo recitals in Moscow and Minsk; recordings in Russia; an appearance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Erich Leinsdorf at Tang-lewood; a command appearance with other Moscow winners at the White House; and this recording. A native of New York City, where he was born in 1943, Kates had already chosen the cello for his instrument when he began music lessons, influenced, no doubt, by having three cellists in the family (grandfather, great uncle, uncle). In addition, his father is a violinist with the New York Philharmonic and his mother is a pianist.

The- compositions heard on this record that Kates also played in Moscow are: "Four Fugitives" by G. Banshikov; "Nocturne" and "Pezzo capriccioso" by Tchaikovsky; Boccherini's "Sonata in and "Capriccio" by the contemporary American, Lukas Foss. In addition, he performs Faure's "Apres un reve," the "Adagio" from Bach's 'Organ Toccata in and an "Orientale" by Granados. Samuel Sanders was one of four pianists who received a special award of recognition from the Moscow cello jury for outstanding accompaniments. (LSC-2940) Connie Francis Swings at Vegas Nico" is several confusing sounds mixed by Andy Warhol, most depressing and whatever the message I failed to get.

It's rock with a sadistic touch, I suppose but at any rate Warhol's fans will surely- declare this his best. (V-5008) mail mart By HAROLD C. SCHONBERG (c) New York Times News Service NEW YORK When the Metropolitan Opera, last December, announced the demise of the National Company, it was at a gloomy point in the history of its 4-month-old opera house. An unprecedented financial deficit was causing sheer panic, even to the point where desperate measures had to be made to meet the weekly payroll. At that time nobody knew whether or not it actually would be saved.

The building was in escrow, as it were, and officials of the Metropolitan Opera claimed that no money could, for the moment, be raised on it. Thus the Metropolitan Opera looked at the balance sheet of the National Company and saw a $1.3 million deficit. Too much! Kill the company! As a matter of fact, the National Company had been running very close to its budget. A deficit of $1.2 million had been anticipated, which means that only the sum of $100,000 was out of line. Nevertheless the Metropolitan Opera has run up an admitted total deficit of some $5 million, and the operations of the National Company have accounted for about a quarter of it.

Since however, things have changed. The old house has come under the wreckers' ball, and the Metropolitan can, if it has to, borrow on this equity. Perhaps that will not be necessary, for already a good deal of money has been raised from outside sources. And then there was the gift of Mrs. DeWitt Wallace.

She offered $1 million to the National Company, a gift that the Metropolitan Opera at this point of writing has been notably loath to accept. A committee has been set up to study the situation. In any case, the National Company is dead for the time being. Under no circumstances could it be revived by next season. There are faint hopes that it can be resurrected for the season after that.

But the odds seem to be against it. The Metropolitan Opera is frightened by its deficit, and probably would not want to think about its National Company until it sees its way clear financially. There are rumors that a strong group of Metropolitan Opera officials did not want the touring company in the first place. Those people will have strong arguments against revival. They also will point to the existence of the new touring company established by Sarah Caldwell, director of the Opera Company of Boston.

Can the United States, the argument will run, stand two competing touring companies? The Caldwell company expects to be on the road next season, and bookings are being arranged by Sol Hurok. Help may be supplied by the National Council on the Arts, which hopes to donate $350,000. Not much money; but Miss Caldwell has proved her resourcefulness, financially and artistically. She approaches opera in quite a different way from most American impresarios, and presumably her new company will as much reflect her tastes as does the Boston Opera. Her repertory has always been unconventional and even avant-garde.

It was the Boston Opera that brought to America such problematic works as Schoenberg's "Moses and Aaron" and Luigi Nono's "Intolleranza." She secured Joan Sutherland not for "Lucia" but for "I Puritani" and "Semiramide." She has brought a real quality of excitement and adventure to the American operatic scene. The National Company's outlook is more conventional. It does present one contemporary work every year, but those are safe works "Susannah" or "The Rape of Lucretia." Its aim is severalfold: To bring opera to people who have not heard opera before; to serve as a training ground for American singers; to organize a permanent, well-rehearsed company that has perfect ensemble. All these aims, of course, are to be heartily subscribed. America really has very little professional opera outside of New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Dallas.

The New York City Opera does some touring but relatively little, and even less of the one-night-stand routine. The spring tours of the Metropolitan Opera hit only the larger cities, and its ticket prices are And so this country can stand both the Caldwell Company and the National Company (if it is resurrected). Indeed, the two will probably complement each other. TAGS We stamp on Stainless Steel Tag, your Name, Address and Social Security Number, or Your Name, Address and Blood Type, or Your Name and Allergies. Choice of Key or Neck Chain With Tag Price E.

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33821 By VANCE JOHNSTON The excitement of a "live" recording session at the Sahara in Las Vegas provides the backdrop for a new Connie Francis MGM recording, "Connie Francis Live At The Sahara in Las Vegas." The charts are excellent and Miss Francis is in fine voice, warbling some of the better pop tunes of the day. (E-4411) Arthur Prysock's rich baritone voice is showcased in a Verve release, "Art Soul" and when it comes to soul singing one has to look hard to find a better interpreter than Pry-sock. Prysock's style is flawless. "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me," and "Someone To Watch Over Me" rate special raves. (V-5009) One of the really fine voices around belongs to Julius La Rosa.

His new MGM release, "Hey Look Me Over" will do a lot for La Rosa and even more for the listener. The 12 selections are first rate and there is a happy mixture of ballads, and finger snapping tunes including such things as, "As Time Goes By," "What Did I Have," "The Music That Makes Me Dance," and "What'll I do." (E-4437) For sheer enjoyment one has to look far and wide to find a better combination than the talents of Astrud Gilberto and Walter Wanderly. From Verve comes "A Certain Smile A Certain Sadness" and sheer joy is the end result. These two Brazilians add just the right touch of the Brazilian sound and Miss Gilberto's captivating voice is enough to send chills down your spine. Backed by the Wanderly Trio, this package is exciting as the big land of Brazil.

Aside from the title tunes there's "So Nice," "Call Me" and "Here's The Rainy Day." (V-8637) "The Velvet Underground mm L2 FOR SALE! Yoa Pick 'Em Out You Lead 'Em Yea Drive 'Em Away ACT, 1 to 5.000 Bricks 3e ea. WVJI. 5.001 to 10.000 Bricks 2Vaeea. 10.001 to 25.000 Bricks 2c ea. 25.001 to 100.000 Bricks l'icea.

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