Numbers Never Lie!

By Richard Meltzer

Henry Purcell, Dido and Aeneas, Lorraine Hunt, Lisa Saffer, Michael Dean, Paul Elliott, Ellen Rabiner, Christine Brandes, Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, conductor, Harmonia Mundi HMU 907110

Arnold Schoenberg, String Quartets I-IV, Arditti String Quartet, Dawn Upshaw, soprano, Montaigne MO 782024

Claudio Arrau, Liszt, Arrau, piano, Philips 432 332/334-2

Richard Wagner, Tannhauser, Placido Domingo, Cheryl Studer, Agnes Baltsa, Matti Salminen, Andreas Schmidt, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli, conductor, Deutsche Grammaphon 427 625-2

Silvestre Revueltas, Night of the Mayas, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Eduardo Mata, conductor, London Sinfonietta, David Atherton, conductor, Orquesta Sinf▋ica de Jalapa, Luis Herrera de la Fuente, conductor, Catalyst 09026-62672-2

Carl Maria von Weber, Der Freischatz, Gundula Janowitz, Edith Mathis, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam, Bernd Weikl, Franz Crass, Leipzig Radio Chorus, Dresden State Orchestra, Carlos Kleiber, conductor, Deutsche Grammophon 415 432-2

Benny Carter, Further Definitions, Carter and Phil Woods, alto sax, Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Rouse, tenor sax, Dick Katz, piano, John Collins, guitar, Jimmy Garrison, bass, Jo Jones, drums, MCA/Impulse MCAD-5651

Sylvano Bussotti, Bergkristall, North German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli, conductor, Deutsche Grammophon 437 739-2

I don't believe it, it's too incredible, but numbers never lie. As listed in the current issue of Prairie Province Music Weekly, the number-three CD in Alberta, behind Frampton Comes Alive (Remix) and Anne Murray's Greatest Hits, Vol. 6, is the Nicholas McGegan version of Dido and Aeneas. Who'd have thought an import-priced Baroque opera would come in so high but it's true. With provincial sales exceeding 318,000 at the time of publication, this '94 reading of Purcell's love 'em/leave 'em classic has been certified triple-molybdenum (the Alberta standard of metallic excellence--their leading export other than hawk down and elk fat--equal to 100,000 product units).

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misc: Oiler

Seven members of the Edmonton Oilers alone, and four of the Calgary Flames, own copies. Over the past 5 seasons, the Oilers are first in NHL spearing penalties--could Aeneas's "Behold, upon my bending spear, a monster's head stands bleeding" be what spurred them to purchase? Or for that matter, how 'bout the Sorceress's boast, "Carthage flames tomorrow"?

Y'never know, y'never know, but I'll spec you some reasons for the disc's great success on the same turf that gave us Joni Mitchell: (1) In spite of Christine Brandes's affected East London glide through the role of First Witch, it's in clearly enunciated English--and who wants to read a CD-size libretto? (2) The sailorboy rave-up which opens Act III, featuring the shipboard hotsy-tot of Paul Elliott. (Alberta is the number-two port province in all of Canada, with eight times the Pacific harbor frontage of Ontario.) (3) The riveting radiance, thudnumbing poignancy and ratflogging beautiosity of Lorraine Hunt's Dido death scene ("When I am laid in earth"), possibly enough to overcome the stink created by the mezzo caterwaul of Ellen Rabiner as the Sorceress. (4) The cover illustration--Morte di Didone by Guercino (1591-1666)--clearly showing Dido's right nipple. Alberta's long-standing ban on nip illos (except for medical books and the Internet) was finally lifted in December '93.

SURPRISE! SURPRISE!--High atop the roster of "Most Requested String Quartets of Wisconsin Day Care Workers," according to radio station WXTX (Racine), sits the Arditti Quartet's recording of Schoenberg's String Quartet #2. Yes--and how times have changed!--number one for the last 18 weeks is the keystone of its composer's controversial "expressionist" phase, the 'tet that kicked off the famous '08 riot.

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