Anything Luciano Pavarotti does will appeal to hordes of collectors, but this rather uneven recital from 1984 is not one of his most dazzling efforts. The problem is hard to pin down, but he seems fatigued or depressed at the beginning of the program, particularly in the 18th-century arias, a tradition in Italian recitals but one that he wisely abandoned later in his career. The accompaniment is piano, not orchestra, but that is no problem; it sets off the voice with a fine clarity. Of his Schubert "Ave Maria," the less said, the better. Verdi's "Ingemisco," one of Pavarotti's favorite selections, shows some improvement, but he does not get fully into the form that won him millions of admirers until he reaches the verismo arias and Neapolitan songs in the last half of the program. Many fans will find the collection well worth having for this material. --Joe McLellan
