''Marten aller Arten'', which opens the recital, is stupendous, and I will come back to it once a few niggles are out of the way. A preliminary niggle has to be directed towards the editor of the accompanying booklet, who might have ensured that the printed texts corresponded to what is sung. In the Queen of Night's first solo, for example, it seems that the soprano has a peculiar way of pronouncing ''tiefgebeugte'' until the libretto of the complete set (in Philips's own version) is consulted, where the word is identified as ''tiefbetrubte''. Perhaps, while about it, we may query whether Philips are looking after their own customers as well as they might when they include the Queen of Night at all, for Studer sang the part, with Marriner conducting, in their recently released recording of the complete opera and the same performances reappear here. The total allowance of playing-time is hardly generous, and these two arias occupy a seventh of it.
Now of course it is said, and AB's notes show Studer herself to be well aware of it, that she is singing too much, spreading the net too widely, opening herself to the charge of being ''maid-of-all-work'' when a narrower concentration might secure indisputable excellence. To some extent this recital supports such a view. For instance, in the singing of recitative she has still much to learn. Compare ''E Susanna non vien!'' with Schwarzkopf (EMI (CD) CDC7 47950-2, 11/87): the true mistress of the art commands variety of pace, tone and manner, the statements, questions and exclamations being part of an inner, spontaneous thought-process. Then, in the matter of characterization, Studer scarcely begins to sound like Elektra in Idomeneo: contrast Pauline Tinsley, whose admittedly less sympathetic voice suits the role much better and whose skill in dramatizing renders the bitterness and wildness of this final solo far more real in the Sir Colin Davis recording of 1968, also on Philips ((CD) 420 130-2PH3, 2/88). That recording also shows up a comparative lack of imagination and drive in the conducting on the new disc: Davis makes a much more eloquent, vindictive and febrile thing out of the accompaniment.
On the credit side, we have, from all concerned, unfailing efficiency, and, from the singer, flawless beauty of tone and generally thoughful sincerity of utterance. As sheer virtuosity her Queen of Night is outstanding in any company, her ''Come scoglio'' is spendidly clean and forthright, her ''Mi tradi'' admirable in technical command as in the husbanding of resources so as to provide that little bit extra for the final phrases. ''Porgi, amor'', a classic test for the lyric soprano, is beautifully sung and ''Ach, ich fuhl's'' touches the heart. ''Marten aller Arten'' is an unequivocal triumph, determined in expression and marvellously skilful in all passagework, which will stand with Hempel, Ivogun, Sutherland, anybody you like to name. It is also a lovely performance as of a concerto grosso, the solo instrumentalists distinguishing themselves as does Nicholas Bucknell in the Clemenza Rondo.
Summing up, I find it a remarkable recital record, which could have been an outstanding one if the repertoire had been allowed to increase and mature another 12 months or so.'