Discs: Fine N.Z. Releases

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31678, 14 May 1968, Page 9

Discs: Fine N.Z. Releases

A collection of recent releases from Kiwi Records reflects the variety of this firm’s catalogue. The most interesting is, perhaps, the recording of Douglas Lilburn's settings ot poems by Alistair Campbell in “The Return” and “Elegy” (monostereo SLD-13). “The Return” is a sound impression of Campbell’s poem of the same name. It uses electronic and natural sounds in its masterly evocation of the shadowy world of the poem. “Elegy,” a collection of poems by Campbell set to music by Lilburn, is sung well by Gerald Christeller, with Margaret Nielsen (piano). The music was written almost 15 years before “The Return" and there is nothing to connect it with the later work except its authorship. It succeeds to some extent, mainly because of its lack of aspiration, but it is not a work that bears frequent hearing.

Records of guitar music are becoming more frequent and Kiwi has ventured into this field, too, with the young French guitarist, Jean-Pierre Jumez, who recently visited New Zealand (mono-stereo SLD-11). Like most other records in this field, it presents several miniatures, and nothing much to get the teeth into. It shows that Jumez has a fairly good technique, and it includes a charming minuet by Fernando Sor that is fit to rank with such miniature gems as Beethoven's “Fur Elise” or Sonatina In G. ANACHRONISM

The Russian MK recordings released here by Kiwi have shown superb orchestral and recording standards. But Medtner’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in E minor (M.K. C. 0229 stereo) unfortunately does not warrant such attention. The music of Medtner, a Russian pianist-composer, is

an anachronism. He wrote in the vein of Rachmaninoff many years after that composer (the concerto was completed in 1943) and without the latter's technical expertise or inspiration. In the concerto the orchestra does little more than accompany the piano in its wanderings on an undramatic course. The three movements are supposed to be played without any break, but fortunately one has to turn over the record. Two more interesting releases are choral works— Sacred Polyphony of the XVI Century Vol. 2, by the St Mary of the Angels Choir, Wellington (SLD-10); and Sacred and Secular Choral Music by the Auckland Dorian Singers (SLD-9). Both are mono-stereo. WELL BALANCED

The St Mary’s works are by King John of Portugal, Palestrina, Philips, and Victoria. The choir is well balanced, well directed, and has an obvious feeling for these works. Although the acoustics are not as good as on the Dorian Singers’ recording, it is an excellent release and a must for anyone interested in the music of this period. The Dorian Singers cover a wider range in their offering —from Orlando Gibbons and John Wilbye of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to Vaughan Williams, Bartok and Messiaen of this century. All periods are handled admirably. This and the St Mary's recording give an ex-

cellent account of New Zealand choral singing.

Another choral record of interest is a Deutsche Grammophon release, “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” (stereo SLPM 136491). It is a collection of settings of the Gloria by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Liszt, and Bruchner. Various choirs, orchestras and soloists are involved and all are good.