GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 8 (Supplement)

GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

ARTISTS AND THEIR RECORDS (By SOUNDBOX.) This week's definition. Etude, a study or exercise. Sigmund Spaeth comments that it has been "glorified" by Chopin and Liszt into a musical form of real significance, fit for concert performance. Eraser Gange displays Ms fine baritoni voice in Liddle's "Abide With Me" anc j"The Promise of Life" (Clifton Bing jham). (Columbia, 02811, 12-inch.) The Revellers vocal quartet sing a rather better class of music than usua' in "Comin' Home," a kind of spiritua' and "Evenin," both very easy to lister to and enjoy. (His Master's Voice, 82972 10-inch.) A new violinist, Yvonne Curti, displays competent equipment technically and tonally in "Czardas" (Monti) and "Madrigale" (Siinonetti), the recording being stereoscopic in the "forwardness" of the reproduction. (Columbia 01529, 10-inch.) Gertrude Johnson, a soprano of no mean ability, makes doubly sure of a good hearing by singing two well-known operatic arias in English, the Shadow Song from "Dinorah" and "Fondly WithC- in My Heart Enshrined," from "La Traviata." (Columbia, 02885, 12-inch.-Stuart Robertson, bass-baritone, and a quartet revive some old favourites, and sing them very well. Here is their eartickling selection: "Clementine," "Solomon Levi," "There Is a Tavern in the Town," and "John Peel." (His Master's Voice, 82992, 10-inch.) Early in the nineteenth century, as the result of his association with one Barinann, the leading clarient player of his day, Weber composed a clarinet concerto. He was no novice at writing for this instrument, and the concerto was accorded a well-merited popularity. It has been recorded by the famous French military band, the Garde Republicaine, [ but the soloist is not acknowledged. (Columbia, 02879, 12-inch.) A cleverly arranged version of several well-known hymns is the current contribution of Creatore's Band. They play "Lead, Kindly Light," "Onward, Christian Soldiers," and "Nearer, My God, to Thee." The latter has good kettledrumming, not often enough heard in band records. (His Master's Voice, E.B. 40, 12-inch.) Adam's "Variations on a Theme by Mozart" is sung by Guglielmetti. This is an accepted show piece. No one can resist the beautiful lullaby-like tune upon which the vocal frills are embroidered, and in the variations themselves a coloratura soprano of the ability of Guglielmetti finds opportunities to display high technical equipment. (Columbia, 03G41, 10-inch.-

His Master's Voice seem to have fallen in love with the Londonderry Air anew, giving it to us this month once and twice next month. Anyhow, the beautiful tune can hardly be heard too often. It is played this month by Lauri Kennedy, 'cellist, coupled with an Old Scotch Melody, being Kennedy's arrangement of "Jock of Hazeldean." (C. 1618, 12-inch.) Recently there were issued two records by Backhaus of Chopin's pianoforte Studies, Op. 25. Now this acknowledged exponent of Chopin gives us a third record which completes the twelve studies comprising this opus. May I refer you to the opinion of my friend Sigmund Spaeth at the top of my notes with the comment that Backhaus is technically well-equipped to do justice to these showy but difficult "exercises." (His Master's Voice, D.B. 1180, 12-inch.) Writing of "Farewell to the Swan" and "Lohengrin's Narrative" from [ "Lohengrin," as sung by Rogatchewsky, ( a critic remarks: "This French artist j has a voice of unusual quality, but the . difference is all to the good. We hear , too few voices from the French School. ' On first hearing, his tone sounds I strangely like a contralto's, displaying ' its greatest power on the high notes. ' Maybe it is a trifle odd to hear the ' Knight of the Swan bidding his legendary bird farewell in a lady-like cantilena, but the voice is so fascinating that you cannot resist its appeal. 1 Rogatchewsky's enunciation is perfect and ho has great declamatory power." (Columbia, 04332, 12-inch.) What a world we live in! Apart from other wonders and thinking only gramophonically, it is truly marvellous that we are able to hear at our own fireside world-famous artists and orchestras, no matter liow remote. As I write I am listening to a Swiss orchestra, the Basle Symphony, conducted by Felix Weingarner, unquestionably one of the greatest of the many fine conductors the present-day enthusiasm for music has produced. They are playing Weber's "Der Freischutz" overture— varied and melodious music—the odd side of the second record having the tuneful Entr'acte No. 2 of Schubert's "Rosamunde" music. (Columbia, 02874-5, 12inch.) Haydn visited London about the end of the eighteenth century, and composed a number of works to the order of one Salomon for concerts arranged by him. We have Mr. Salomon to thank for much that Haydn composed, including half a dozen symphonies of which one bears the title, "London," that in D Major. It is played for His Master's Voice by John Barbirolli's Chamber Orchestra, suitable treatment, as these works were originally scored for the small orchestras of their day. Barbirolli is a young conductor who will be worth watching. He has conducted by invitation at concerts of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Society, wielded the baton with success at last year's international opera season at Covent Garden, has appeared in the English provinces as cone' Motor of the British National Opera Company, and in July was the subject of this news item: "The Covent Garden Syndicate has taken over the dates of the defunct 8.N.0.C., and has appointed John Barbirolli as its musical director. Every rung of the ladder that this young conductor has scaled so rapidly has been reached by genuine talent and genuine hard work; and it is a tribute to him that those who have worked with him or under him, and have seen him 'in his shirt sleeves,' are the readiest of all to applaud and rejoice in the successive triumphs and distinctions of his career." It is good to know that other issues are to follow this London Symphony, particularly for those who, like myself, prefer light orchestra, jC. 1608-10, 12-inch.).