Music from the Disc

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 152, 24 December 1926, Page 18

Music from the Disc

A home without .music is a home incomplete, and very much so is a musicless Christmas far from a complete Christmas. This is a season for music

—glad music, happy music, solemn music—and there in uo better way of enjoying one's fancy than by the aid of the gramophone. The various companies cater lavishly for all tastes. The following ia but a random list of the many records most suitable for real enjoyment this Christmas, and although given late in the day, there is still just time to make a selection at your dealer's. Dame Clara Butt has her name to about a dozen, embracing well-known hymns and sacred solos. Frank Mullings and Norman Allin put up some .splendid "Messiah" records. There is, too, that unique set of three new "Messiahs' 3 recorded in the Crystal Palace during this year's ■ Handel Festival —massed voice records at least equal to the best that have gone before, such as the "John Peel" disc, sung into by 850 male voices, and the Sheffield Choir's "Messiah." Such established vocalists as Arthur Jordan, Harold Williams, and Bex Palmer provide their quota of sacred or semi-sacred tunes, tlj£ first-named also specialising in "Messiah" excerpts. Among the other sex, Carrie Herwin entertains with a variety of popular sacred tunes, with harp or orchestral accompaniment. A veiy fine cornet disc is that played for by Sergeant Leggett—"The Bosary" and "The Lost Chord." The Trinity Chimes of New York give splendid and novel versions of four famous hymn tunes, and the Chimes of the Homeland in a set of four others are no less effective. Square's Celeste Octet and Trio plays "Abide "With Me" and "Aye Maria" in disc, and a violin, flute, and harp trio is charming in "Christmas Joy" and "The Warbler's Farewell." In lighter spheres there are some first-rate "Nigger Minstrel" discs, which embrace a large number of the most popular tunes in this class, and have orchestral association. Bransby Williams is superbly effective in his "Scrooge" recitations, finishing the last-named disc with "Micawber's Advice to David Copperfield." Vivian Foster will appeal to everyone with his mirthful "Parson's Christmas Address" —a record guaranteed, if played on Christmas morning, to put every listener into the happiest of moods for the rest of the day. There are many really perfect records for the children (and all grown-up children, top, will immensely enjoy them) —nursery rhyme medleys, fairy tales told by famous elocutionists, who well understand the child's point of view. "Little Songs For Little Voices," giving a number of charming little items delightfully sung by Harold Williams The splendid "Inkwell Fairy" set of three discs are fairy adventures —with effects —described by Billie Grey, and Gilbert Girard tells how Father Christmas arrives and how he gives away his_ toys —a record good from start to finish. England has lately found a new tenor of undisputed ability in the person of Hoddle Nash, and oil late he has created a name for himself in opera. Two of the numbers which have aroused great interest have been recorded, and show Nasteto be as equally facile with the lyrical aria from Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amoro," as with "0, Paradiso," from Moyerbler's Both numbers are sung in English, and it is not easy to say whether it is the sheer vocal magnitude of the latter or the subtleties and tone colours, of the former that appeal most. In each case this, tenor proves his right to be accepted amongst operatic gingers of international ropute. There is a quality in his voice that instantly takes the ear, and his powers of control are aa notable as his tone is alluring. Eobert Eadford at his best in the

splendid " rather O'JPlynn," is irresistalble. Hia diction in this patter song is an unqualified,triumph, and one begins to wonder if Eadford is after all an Irishman. German's song on the reverse side receive/ fullest possible justice. Somervell's "Cradle Song" is one of the most beautiful sensitive songs of its generator. Elsie Sudaably sings it very sympathetically, and her easy, flexible, lighter singing well suits the companion number, "Charming Chloe." Harry Dearth's big, resonant bass and "High Bafbaree" are a good combination. Each jj worthy of the other. On the wrerse side "A Jug of This" ifl a song. • Bransby Williams is as fascinating and dramatic in his descriptive narrative of the doings concerning that small idol well known for having a green eye surrounded by a canary-coloured body, as Billy Bennett is amusing in his version of the same overworked object— excepting that is a parody—entitled "The Green Tie of the Little Yellow Dog." The first-named artist, one of the b<*t (iharacter actors on the English stage, and now a popular contributor to the disc, made "The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God" his first disc success. His first "classic" recitations are;, however, only just to hand. He gives, with real fire and expression, Tennyson's "Charge of the Light Brigade," and Henry V.'s speech before Harfleur, one of the most successful "talking record*" issued this year. Billy Bennett'* latest "tickler" is also in the "talking" category, and is a record containing some of. the witticisms with which he made the Queen laugh at a recent Eoyal Command Performance. He also expatiates on "Domestic Blisters" and tells us who and what is "The Beal Guy," and is undoubtedly a humorist of a refreshingly new type. "It i« in the world of chamber and orchestral music that the gramophone is roch a line aid to the teacher, and so greatly enlarges the children's ideas as to the scope of music. There are thousands of children who can never hear an orchestral concert or a string quartette. School concerts at which an orchestra is to be heard in the flesh are still very rare. The increased and still increasing fidelity of the gramophone's reproduction of these sonnds makes it an ever more valuable substitute for the real thing. No teacher need now hesitate to use the instrument from, the fear that it may comzpt the children's ears."—W. E. Anderson in "The Gramophone." By no means every band record is of such all-round interest and merit as the collection of lesser-known plantation melodies put together by G. H. Clutsam under the head of "Plantation Songs Fantasia." The delicacy and flexibility of the playing of the famous Grenadier Guards' Bands is a delight throughout, and the arrangement another instance of Mr. Clntsam's understanding of his job. The recording is very full and rich, both in the fortes and pianos. Purely from a technical point of view the best side of the new Alderßhot "Military Tattoo" is the one devoted to selections by the massed pipe bands under the direction of Sergeant-Drum-mer W. Ritchie, V.C. To hear a large number of bagpipes in always thrilling, and in this instance the recording has caught the unique tonal effect of thii large number without making the record too blatant or strident, m might be feared. In the "Aida" selection, "Tho Colours" (Leo Stanley), and "Valencia," tho quality, of tho recording varies very conisiderably. At its best a very good reproduction of massed band tone is produced with its attendant advantages and defects, while i»t its wwst the torn fatejlfication. ang

other faults arc freely forgiven because of the wonderfully realistic way in which the indefinable noise made by a huge crowd and tho general atmosphere of the occasion are conveyed. The sido containing tho "Evening Hymn," the "Last Post," and tho National Anthem is also very varied in quality, the effect of the distant choir being frankly disappointing, but tho "Last Pout" and the National Anthem aro really impressive. The clapping, which is quite a feature of these records, sounds very realistic. The reproduction of the dull tone of the bass drum is excellent.

It ia not generally known that Chaliapin has a serious rival in his fellowcountryman Sobinoff, eight pre-war records of whom have recently been republished. Sobinoff is a Bussian by birth, from Jaroslavl, a different part of the country bordoring the Volga from that which produced his great rival, Ohaliapin. While studying for a legal degree at Moscow University he was also studying at the Philharmonic Academy of Music, and eventually under the stage name of Sobini he made his debut in Italian opera at Moscow in IS9G. i He ranged himself at once among the most brilliant of his contemporaries, and almost instantly took, the place of Figner, then just declining from his supremacy. His greatest parts were Eugene Onegin, Dcs Grieux in Massinet's "Manon," Lohengrin, and Wcrther. So great was his popularity among .Russian opera-lovers that the youth of Moscow was divided into tow camp 3, Sobinists and Chaliapinists. When he sang in students' concerts (organised by, a society of which he was president) I remember (writes a contributor to "The Gramophone?') seeing dozens of girl students being carried out of the hall in a fainting condition! With regard, to the records, the best (continues the writer) is '--'I Love You, Olga," and "Whither, Whither Have You Gone?" from "Eugene Oiiegin." It is only necessary to compare the records of Bosing and Smirnoff in order to appreciate the greatness of Sobinoif. Kext I should put D.8.894, "Oh, Joyous Moment" from "Manon" and "In Her Simplicity" from "Mignon"; the beautiful "The Wind Wails in the Hills," from Moniuszko'a "Galka," and the popular ballroom song of Tschaikowaky; and an interesting aria from the little-known "Euesalka" of Dargomyshsky, coupled with the Italianate aria of Arensky, "My Heart Trembles with Passion," from "Eaphael," an early work. I have no fault to find with the singing and recording of the others —though, of course, the orchestra accompaniments are not up to modern standards. There is a special recommendation of two duets with Nachdanova, the great Bussian coloratura soprano, which has Sobinoff in "Lohengrin's Farewell" on one side and the lovely duet, "The Song is Heard No More," from "Lohengrin," on the reverse, is such a splendid example of Sobinoff's mezza-voce and has so few lapses from sheer beauty on the part of Nachdanova that it may we'll bo the most popular of the whole series.

"To Anthea" is a love song on fire; one that goes "at a pace" and ia as fiery and passionate as love songs are usually not. Bex Palmer rings it with flue understanding in a new disc, and on the reverse he gives, with equal success, a contrast in "To Mary"—another love song, and on wholly conventional lines. Ilia diction, as usual, is a delight to the ear.

A soprano well known to New 55ealand concert patrons has been, added to tho goodly list of gramophone artists, in the person of Thelma Peterson. In' addition to having /an unusually effective and obviously well-trained voice, Miss Peterson has the happy faculty of conjuring up mind-pictures as she sings. This is certainly the case in her rendering of "The Dreary Steppe," by Grochaninov. One visualises the limitless snow-covered barrenness of a Russian winter as the singer unfolds this dreamy, melancholy little song. With it is coupled Cleaver's "Aftermath," a fine contrast to the other. .

"The Two Grenadiers" (Schumann); "Midnight Beview" (Glinka).— Heine's famous poems of the two Grenadiers of Napoleon's Army who, upon being released from prison in Bussia, return to their native Trance to find but the ruin of the proud State they had served and their Emperor in exile; ia probably familiar to most musicloverg. One of the grenadiers is stricken at the news, and with his dying breath vows to arise again from his grave should his Emperor return and call on him. There is.indeed a legend extant, that at midnight, the shade of Napoleon rides over the battlefields where his armies lie buried, and that the armies rise and muster aa in days gone by. This grim legend is tho basis of the impressive song "The Midnight Review." Such songs as these offer Chaliapin unusual opportunities for some intensely dramatio singing, and he has made an unusually inspiring and impressive record. ' The musical design of "The Bing," by A. E. I\ Dickinson, ("Musical Pilgrims" series, edited by Arthur Somervell). The chief merit of Mr. Dickinson's book (says a reviewer) is that it is concerned almost entirely with the music of "The Bing"; tho story and other unmusical elements are compressed into tabloid form, and the space that they occupy in the volume is negligible. Bight at the beginning the author presents us with a list of seventy leit-motifs, and in his remaining pages he devotes himself exclusively to their elucidation, giving us their' original meanings as he conceives them, estimating their relative importance, cataloguing their employment in each of the four operas, and noting the gradual oxpansion of their original significations. Mere susponsion vertically and individually will not prevent the. warping of records. There must bo mutual pack to ensure this. There is little danger of warping if records be stored on edge, provided that there is no leaning stress and the records are in close pack. Partitions should be strong, and spaced not more than four inches apart. They must be upright. Becords stored horizontally aro reasonably safe from any warping if packed on a rigid and even surface; Too many must not be piled up, owing to the peculiar section of most records. If partitions of good paper material or strawboard are placed between eacli record they will ta,ke they own bedding.

At the Good Friday performance of "The Messiah" by the Royal Choral Society at the Albert Hall in London opportunity wan taken to record several of the choruses as sung at the actual performance in the hall itself. The results were indeed wonderful. "We have already had "Worthy is tie Lamb," and "Lift Up Your Heads." Now we have "Behold the Lamb of God" and the majestic "Hallelujah Chorus," in the January list to be issued shortly. The reproduction is surprisingly realistic. In the "Hallelujah Chorus" in particular the reproduction brings out perfectly the lovely melody first held by sopranos and contraltos. Dr. Malcolm Sargeant has obtained a superb performance in the true Handelian tradition, without the band being in any way limited or modified or restricted in obtaining a brilliant and strikingly individual performance. The six hundred or so voices of the famous choir of the Royal Choral Society are reproduced with perfect detail and fidelity to nuance, whilst the balance between <the veto* Md go igfiftgCMefan m-

chestra and grand organ is excellently maintained. But in addition to the music itself, there is another feature of tho reproduction which brings this record into prominence—its amazing "atmosphere"; the listener, with very littlo stretch of imagination, might imagine himself seated in the large auditorium of the Boyal Albert Hall (said by manyito be the largest concert hall in the world).

"I look to the time when tho child who has five or six years of school musical life (doing no particularly concentrated or heavy work, but just using his faculties upon music as he does upou any subject in which he is being educated) will emerge with a far finer, more developed, and sympathetic musical taste than that possessed to-day by nineteen out of twenty young people in their 'teens. Indeed, I am persuaded that we have not yet grasped, in the world of education, anything like tho full possibilities of musical education in schools. We deplore indifferent equipment and insufficient time; tho former will be remedied, and the latter is not a crippling disability. It only means that we must make greater use of tho hours we have, and bring in the gramophone to enable us, while a groundwork of knowledge is being well and truly laid, to introduce children to living music in the fullest possible measure." W. B. Anderson, in "The Gramophone."

A correspondent writes in "The Gramophone" of an amusing incident in China. He says: It may be of interest to yourself and readers of your journal to learn that through the medium of our Hong Kong house we have unwittingly converted Chinese pirates to a modest appreciation of the gramophone as a musical instrument. Tho Eastern manager of my firm reports that about the middle of August he organised a motor launch outing to Macao, and took with him an Apollo portable wherewith to entertain his guests. When off the end of Lantao, the launch was boarded by Chinese pirates, who insisted on an impromptu concert being organised, and, encouraged by tho muzzle of a Mauser rifle sticking in his ribs, my friend tells me he played "Wembley Tattoo," Handel's "Largo," "Bockod in the Cradle of the Deep," "Asleep in the Deep," and one or two other records they had with them. The Chinese were so delighted that they contented themselves with merely confiscating the instrument and records and refrained from damaging the boat or injuring the occupants. A case of music soothing the savage breast, although I am writing my friend that he took a big chance in playing the last-mentioned songs when the odds were that ho would shortly be reposing in the deep with a cracked skull. Incidentally, this affair occurred in British waters.

H. A. Gaydon's "Art and Science of the Gramophone" is a handy little volume, which consists, in the main, of a reprint of articles wliich appeared in the "Sound Wave" some three or four years ago, and sßould be welcomed by a large coterie of gramophilos. It is probably the first attempt to give detailed explanations of the various principles affecting gramophone design, and as such it fills one of the many gaps in gramophone literature. It contains chapters on diaphragms, stylus-bars, tone-arms, sound boxes, horns, and motors, as well as more general discussions on the art of constructing and using a gramophone. Mr. Gaydon has tho knack of making his technicalities simple, even colloquial, and the account of his numerous experiments makes interesting reading. Ho makes effective use of line drawings, and of mechanical analogies, but on occasions ' is rather apt to be misled by these into conclusions which are inaccurate and even positively wrong. "Un di felice, eterea (Rapturous Moment); "Parigi, o, cara,.noi laaceremo" (Act 3) ("Far from Gay Paris"); ("La Traviata"), Verdi. The bright tuneful music of "La Traviata" has an' undeniable charm and freshness, and when such artists as Galli-Curei and Schipa are the singers, the result is exceptional. There is a pathetic contrast between the joyful hopes of the first Act duet and that from the end of Act 3. In '*Un di felice" Alfredo meets Violetta in an ante-room adjoining the ballroom and declares his love for her. Violetta laughs gaily at him —keeping him at a distance, and warning him it would be wiser to forget her. "Parigi o Cara" Is reached, a poignant situation has been achieved; Violetta is dying of consumption, and Alfredo, reconciled to her, sings of the happiness that is to be theirs once more, "in a cottage "far from Paris." Poor Violetta knows in her heart that it can never be—it is too lato. Exhausted by the excitement, she falls back; the end is near.

"Realists" want a reproduction, as faithful as possible, of what is heard in the concert hall. Obviously only one who is accustomed to the sound of a symphony orchestra or chamber combination can criticise the tonal qualities of a record or the truth of a soundbox. For that reason tife commendatory remarks of the distinguished musical critic (Mr. Ernest Newman), concerning the new machines and records, outweigh in importance the opinions of dozens of mechanical experts, or even inventors, with no musical experience.

The Prelude to "The Rhinegold," which appears oa the reverse side to the magnificent recojrd of the colossal "Ride of the Valkyries," contains some of the most imaginative music ever penned; but I (says a reviewer) shall not be fully satisfied till the chorus of Rhine maidens has also been recorded. The full force of that mighty chord of E flat which occupies the whole side is only apparent when the voices have entered, bringing tho change of harmony with them. At present the effect is incomplete; it is as if one were assisting at the creation of the world and the work stopped short of its crowning achievement—the creation of man, symbolised by the entry of the living, articulate human voice.

The Christmas supplement of Vocalion records represents the first of those made by the electric process. First among these is Enid Cruickshank's release of "Counais-tu lo pays" ("Mignon") and the "Divinites dv Styx" from Gluck's "Alceste," better known under tho English title of "Ye Powers That Dwell Below." Enid Cruickshank owns a full, round tone and no small measuro of artiiitry, and by tho aid of the new process her voice receives its full, value. Her phrasing in both these big numbers is admirable and her tone never at fault. The disc can be recommended as one of the very pick. Both songs have an orchestral accompaniment.

Strangely enough, Watcyn Watcyns, whose fine bass-baritone voice was such a boon on the old records, is not treated as kindly by the new process. Still, his singing is outstanding, and always his diction is entirely admirable. In this department he is a shining example of good singing for the machine. His two newest numbers are both by Handel, "0 Buddier than the Cherry" and "Droop Not, Young Lover." The wellknown aria from "Acis and Galatea" is delightfully given, truly Handel if ever singing was. The other is a good second. The Aeolian Orchestra plays the accompaniments.

This week's list is strong in singers. The third disc which comes up for review is by Malcolm M'Eachern, the ever welcome. In his • usual finished fashion.he gives Slater's "Blacksmith" a broad, vigorous song well suited to his voice, find two compositions by Sidney Homer, "The Banjo Song" (splen.didly given this) and "Uncle Rome," a setting of a coon song which is most effective and comes off we'll. The bracket is a worthy, one. Stanley Chappie plays the pianoforte accompaniments.

It was a happy thought to get the famous Walstenholme to record two of his best -known works for organ. These are the Prelude in F and the Carillon in B Flat, fine stuff both and extremely successfully recorded. It opens up a now and fascinating field to find that the gramophone can reproduce the playing of the king of instruments as well as this. The recording was done at Aoolian Hall.

1 Two more solos by Trumpet Major H. N. Harman, of the Life Guards Band, are released. They are both popular and both very well played by this able cornetist. Their names are "A Perfect Day" and "Somewhere a Voice is Calling." Don Parker and his band at the Piccadilly Hotel and Kit Kat Club provide the foxtrot hit of the week. This i« "In My Gondola," which has taken England and America by storm. It is bracketed with '' Cherie I Love You,'' a bright waltz by Goodman and good dancing time.