MUSIC AND RECORDS.

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 117, 9 February 1924, Page 20

MUSIC AND RECORDS.

By

C.J.M.

I A Popular Baritone. Peter Dawson, the one-time Adelaide baritone, writing from London to Oswald Anderson, composer, of Svdnev. two of whose latest songs ho think's highly of, states that he will shortly place them on the gramophone records. Since October 3 ho has been touring the industrial centres of Great Britain with a party he formed for a series of 50 concerts which by this time he ' has doubtless completed. The elections had deeply affected London prospects, and had “hit to leg’' everybody theatrical in the provinces, ineluding eight of the best provincial shows. He adds that Harold Elvens (piano), Montague Brierley (violin), and Fritz Hart’s brother, had given a recital at Wigmore Hall of the Melba Conservatorium . director’s advanced compositions. “The British National I Opera Company is positively alive with Aussies in leading roles, all splendid singers, and the operatic venture is of the greatest service to artists in relieving the overflow of the concert platform.” Mr. Dawson’s latest and greatest engagement was as Elijah at the Royal Albert Hall with the Roval Choral Society on November 17. “This great chance came through my success at their carol concert last year. Ben Daws was the tenor, and at the rehersal I saluted him with “ Hollo, Ben: I’m in at last.” He replied, “Tn at last. Peter? And pray what does that imply?” “Well. Ben, it seems tnat I’ve become just old enough.” He laughed, but at the same time appreciated my meaning that a singer must have thousands of scalps at his girdle before Londoners will countenance his association with the ideal cast (Agnes Nicholls, Kirkby Lunn, and Bon Davies "as three of the four” of the Koval Choral Societv). However the “Times” remarked: “The hammer and tongs method of the eminent soloists on Saturday wins noticeable in the double quartet, but in the soln numbers Miss Agnes Nicholls and Mr. Peter Dawson, who took the roll <f the Prophet, were most successful. There' | is no great subtlety of character-draw; | ing, but Elijah was at any rate much a man of affairs and a politician as a man of God. and Mr. Dawson neglected neither aspect, but very successfully harmonised them. This ami the rich vitality of the choral singing were the outstanding merits of Saturdav’s performance.” The “Daily Telegraph” criticism included“ Mr. Peter Dawson’s conception of the Elijah music was healthy, straightforward,- and devoid of unnecessary subtietv. His is a finely resonant voice, and admirable enduring . . his performance stood out with great distinction.” Mr. Dawson adds:—-“I sang at six Promenade concerts with Sir Henry Wood, and also three Sunday afternoons, also the new Chappell Populars with Edward German, and next week I am due for the Royal Amateur Orchestra under Sir Landon, Ronald, in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of York.”

Bach tor the YOung, All concerts are in some sense educational, and no <we can ever 'listen to the B Minor Mass, and bo quite the same as they were before. We do not, however, call them so. A recent performance of this work by the London Philharmonic Choir, under Mr. Kennedy Scott, on a Saturday afternoon was definitely announced as educational, but the forbidding word did not frighten anyone away. On the contrary (writes a critic) we cannot remember seeing it so full for a concert since the Bach Choir’s last meeting

there. The only pity was that schoolgirls predominated over schoolboys— Bach being a composer whose combination of toughness and other worldliness makes him particularly congenial to the male sex. The youthful members of the audi- • encc had already had the outlines of the Mass explained to them in school, and followed it with attention and apparent interest, though one would have thought it doubtful how far such an intricate masterpiece could easily convey much to schoolgirls, who, if they already know Baqh at all. probably only do so in nis Inventions. Lord Ernie, in the course of a few remarks, said that he shared the passionate conviction of music-lovers that great music was educational instruction of the highest possible value. Mus'c had the power of raising and controlling emotion and of finding it an appropriate outlet. Lives without feeling were starved and poor, and in hundreds of thousands of men and women the spring of their emotions was dried up. These concerts, of which this was the first, were meant to arouse in the young an. appreciation of the greatest music, which •.•■ould be of inestimable value to them in widening’ and sweetening their lives.

A New Elgar oratorio. It is rot generally known that Sir Edward Elgar, who is at present on a visit to South America, is engaged on what ho expects to bo his last great work. This is to be an oratorio forming a trilogy with “The Apostles” and “The Kingdom.” Sir Edward Elgar, however, is only sixty-six, and has the prospect of many years’ productive work before him. Nevertheless, it is interesting to learn that our greatest living master of oratorio, and possibly absolutely the greatest since Handel, has returned to a field which he has more recently forsaken for the symphony, the concerto, and chandler musio.

RECORDED MUSIC

For a time we yielded to the magic of Melba. Tetrazzini. Alma Gluck, Frieda Hempel,- Semlich. and ethers of that famous galaxy that held the front rank for so long in the world of vocal art. But there has since arisen like a glowing star in a great constellation the wonderful Amolita GalliCurci, whose success in the recording room almost trnnsceqds her platform achievements. Hear her, for example, “A Fors e lui chc I’anima,” in “TTn ’bel di Vedremo,” the delicate “Veille sur eux toujours,” or in “Dove e I’indiana bruna,” and judge for yourself. Then there is Heifetz—try him in the “Serenade Melancholique” or in a conzonetta (a class of music in which he revels in his lighter moments). Or Caruso, who dead, still lives. Hear him in that delightful little Neapolitan fancy “Mia Piccurella.” Hero there is no strain, no forcing, no suggestion of immense physical effort to produce an unusually high note. And for sheer orchestral charm there stand out conspicuously Mengelberg’s New York Philharmonic Orchestra in Beethoven’s overture “Corioian,” and “Les Preludes,” of Liszt.

I am not claiming perfection for the gramophone, but I do claim for the

- gramophone that it will help anybody - to enjoy a concert more than he has - ever enjoyed it before (says Mr. Comp- - ton Mackenzie). A man who owns a 1 gramophone cannot possibly be under the delusion that ho plays the xxramo- - phone better than anybody else. He p may, it is true, by experiments with sound-boxes, needles, and ampliners, ! arrive at supposing that he has a ’ -better gramophone than anybody else, ’ but his skill is always dependent upon “gadgets,” ho does not go through the ridiculous contortions in which tho piano player enthusiast allows himself to indulge over a nocturne of Chopin. To be sure a friend of. mine told me of an uncle of his living m the heart of Russia who put on his evendrc=s every night and solemnly conducted orchestral performances upon the gramophone; but that was for his own pleasure, and he could not haws convinced anybody that -Ins actions were having the slightest effect upon the rendering. Yes. it seems to mo not too much to declare that tho grnmophoiio holds tho future ot music, we cannot sav in its hands, but at any rate, in its tone-arms. Carelessness is a curiously gregarious germ. Especially is it an enemy of the gramophone record. Carelessness delights in keeping tho most , beautiful records in untidy heaps. It revels in tearing their packets, in exposing their precious surfaces to dust and the effects of friction, and carelessness simply loves to see them placed in a spot accessible to children with sticky fingers. There is only cne cure and only one preventive—that is to purchase record album”, and thus keep your records as you would a valuable series of books, neatly indexed and t'dilv arranged. And, indeed, there is no other kind of book in the world that can give n.p freely the imprisoned harmony of every page and that will hold | together and remain almost as good as new after so many readings. Sergei Rachmaninoff’s beautiful piano arrangement of Fritz Kreislcr s “Liebesleid,” based in its turn on an

old Vienna waltz, is well worth while. He has somewhat embellished, as Kreislcr embellished before him. the originally simple theme —with decorations tb.it recall, sometimes, the musical dropping of water from some forest spring into tho -still pool beneath, and again bring to memory the roll of thunder among great hills. The simple. Schuhertain second melody of the waltz, in particular, has ndergone amazingly beant’ful transformations. The number is one which the criticism, of the future will probably place among tho master piano fantasies of the 20th i century, and the record is well worthy 1 of it. “Have you a gramophone in your studio?” .asks Mr. J. R. Frampton of music teachers. “Or would you scorn j such an idea ? Scorn is cheap, and it I has sometimes happened that the sub- g jects of popular ridicule have eventu- B ally'proven to be <«£ leal vorth. The | phonograph is not merely an accessory B to tho dance, nor is it altogether a g purveyor of entertainment. Did you | ever notice the. inconsistency of pur- I chasing books by great musicians about I other musicians and the interpretation g of their compositions, and yet neg- 8 lec.ting to secure records of the actual N performances of these pieces by g the uat-hors of these books, or by g other artists of as great or greater I ability? Why read how one | should play the Rachmaninoff | prelude in C sharp minor when I you can purchase several dif- | derent interpretations, including cne by Rachmaninoff himself! The teacher should choose a composition which can be followed on the printed page (while listening to tho records) even by the less advanced students. Avoid records bv inferior musicians as you would dime novels. If possible, secure a record in some other medium, such as voice, orchestra or orchestral solo instrument, for this helps to draw the student away from tho technique of his particular instrument. The student should be told who performs this latter record, but should have no idea who the piano soloists arc whose records are to be studied (or judged). It is well to advise the students against considering the timbre yf the tone, for this varies with different makes of records: ho is to watch only the interpretation.”

Special Zeno Releases. Filling rather a lone: hiatus between shipments comes a special release of Zoiiophone records with a wide range of attraction. Dance music predominates —there is Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra, with two pretty waltzes (’“Underneath the Mellow Moon” and “Wonderful One”) and the mettlesome foxtrot “The Lonely Nest”: two acceptable waltz items — “ Honeymoon Chimes ” and “ Waltzing the Blues,” -—by the International and Arden and

Oilmans Orchestras respectively. Two : attractive violin solos come from M. Gusck —“ I’ll take you home again, Kathleen” and “ Mollv Darling” ; the Victor Concert Orchestra presents three movements from Haydn’s Toy Symphony ; two good male voice choir numbers come front the Trinity’ Male Choir —“ The Son of God goes forth to War” and “O Paradise” ; the Virginians are represented by two good jazz numbers —“ Farewell Blues” and “Apple Sauce” ; while the Great White Way Jazz Band gives us in foxtio—- “ Caroline” and “Man in the moon." Recent Columbias. Amongst recent Columbia records which should be heard are a pretty song cycle, “To Julia,” consisting of four dainty fragments., Hubert-Eisdell (always welcome for his light graceful tenor) gives us “Interlude.” to which is bracketed on the reverse side “Cherry Ripe” and “Go, lovely Rose” *—a very pleasing, record. Duets, when the voices are in artistic sympathy, are always welcome. Dora Labbette and Hubert Eisdell, very happily’ mated in a musical sense., give us “Lilac Time.” “The Flower,” and “The Golden Song.” Mr. Topliss Green, a favourite singer of the rollicking smoke concert type of song, presents “Cloze Props” and “Rouse Up,” which ought to be heard. Winner Records. , The number and variety of gramaphone records is increasing rapidly, f have frequently seen reference to the quality of “Winner Records” in the London press, but it is only lately that stocks of these have arrived in New Zealand. The “Winner” is a moderate priced record, which brings all the best-known music within popular reach. Especially’ strong is tho brand in jazz music, amongst which I find our old friends, “Carolina in the. Morning,” “Three O’clock in the Morning,” “Hot Lips.” There are 'several acceptable, records by the Hawaiian Guitars, the character of whose music seems to lend a subtle effect to fox-trot themes. Gramapb.one enthusiasts desirous of preserving their records might well give the Cactus “I’ermatone” needle a trial. For the “Permaton’e” is claimed the elimination ,of surface noises and the rescue of all the subtle details of the music. One . “Permatone” needle, it is said, will play from 5 to 25 records according to class of music and caro in handling. With careful repointing each “Permatone” needle will play indefinitely. The “Permstones” arc sold by Fleming and Co., of Riddiford Street, Newtown.

New supplies of Brunswick records are coming forward. A review of the latest of these will appear next week.