Telemann's comic cantata, Der Schulmeister and Cimarosa's intermezzo, Il maestro di cappella make a very good double bill on a gramophone record; and this new recording from Hungaroton offers larger-than-life accounts of them. Jozsef gregor has a fine voice and is evidently rather a good actor, too. Telemann's cantata features an absolute idiot of a schoolmaster—the sort of chap who used to assemble gas-jars, retorts and the like, back to front and cause a gigantic explosion in the chemistry lab. Here he tries to conduct a singing lesson but performs so badly that even he is forced to admit that his own voice is frightful. I've never found the piece particularly entertaining but I cannot imagine anyone making out a better case for it than Gregor. Telemann gives the children very little to do so Gregor, with a gallant gesture of verismo, brings the contents of what must surely be one of the most raucous school playgrounds in Europe; it's a mistake, really, since few of us could enjoy such a performance, offstage, so to sepak, mere than once or twice, at the most. Gregor himself is excellent and he is well supported by the orchestra; but this is definitely an 'over the loop' reading which should be heard with caution, and with carefully monitored volume control.
Cimarosa's enchanting little intermezzo fares better. Gregor, again, is on exhuberant form and since it is the orchestra and not a crowd of screaming children which provides the foil, the whole event is a good deal more enjoyable. The music, too, is more entertaining than Telemann's curiously sober score and there are some delightful moments which I have played repeatedly. Notwithstanding the maestro's declared admiration for cavalier Scarlatii it is ''Ci sposeremo fra suoni''—an aria in a very different vein—which is the focal point of the work. Its opening is curiously reminiscent of a song by Cimarosa's Swedish contemporary, Carl Michael Bellman, who often used airs and dances from stage-works. Unfortunately, Gregor cannot resist overplaying his role and whilst that could be amusing on the stage it is, perhaps, unwise on a recording. Never mind, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had though, as with the Telemann, I'm not sure that I would wish to hear it through too often.
The digitally-recorded sound is very good but I should mention, however, that my pressing was unacceptable owing to large bubbles on each side which sounded like intensely magnified heartbeats. Full texts are included, together with an engagingly disarming programme note by Jozsef Gregor. Recommended with caution.'