Word: lps
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WAGNER: PARSIFAL (Philips; 5 LPs). This first stereo version has top credentials: conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch, an eminent Wagnerian, it was recorded at Bayreuth, where Wagner intended his "sacred dramatic festival" to be performed and where the acoustics are ideal-even, unfortunately, for coughs. Knappertsbusch slowly and hypnotically weaves the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus into a rich tapestry of sound against which budding Heldentenor Jess Thomas as Parsifal, Baritone George London as King Amfortas and Soprano Irene Dalis as the tortured Kundry eloquently play out the medieval legend of renunciation and redemption...
TOSCA (Angel; 2 LPs). Justly famed as Tosca, which she sang on her recent return to the Metropolitan Opera, Maria Callas today gives performances brimming with passion. But this newly recorded Callas has a nearly unbeatable rival-the Callas of twelve years ago. Since then her voice and even, occasionally, her characterization have hardened, and though the drama may at times be heightened, cerebral firepower is no substitute for vocal beauty. Baritone Tito Gobbi is again a superb Scarpia...
DEBUSSY: PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE (London; 3 LPs). Ernest Ansermet, conductor of 1'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, deftly evokes visions of the Poe-like castle and moon-bright grotto of Debussy's poetic opera. Musically light-textured, the opera is philosophically dark: early death is the destiny of the young lovers, appealingly sung by Dutch Soprano Erna Spoorenberg and French Tenor Camille Maurane...
TELEMANN: THE PASSION OF JESUS ACCORDING TO MARK (Philips; 2 LPs). Telemann was the most prolific member of the 18th century avantgarde, showing in his thousand-odd works a radical tendency to abandon Bach-type counterpoint in favor of melody and accompanying harmony. His Passion is given its first recording by the Lausanne Youth Choir and the Munich Pro Arte Orchestra, led by Kurt Redel, who has made a distinguished specialty of baroque music...
Then there is one LP, four single records and soundtrack albums from the films (Girl Happy was No. 15 on last week's Variety Bestselling LPs), which bring in about as much again. In addition to his salary, he also gets 50% of the movie profits, and since not one of his 17 pictures has ever lost money (he is the No. 6 box-office attraction in the U.S., No. 4 in Britain), that 50% on old and current films is an easy $1,000,000 more...