Music from the Disc

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 24

Music from the Disc

A Brilliant Trench Tenor.' (1) "Romeo et Juliette" —Cavatina (Gounod); Cl) "Carmen" —Flower Song (Bizet). Sung by Georges Thill, tenor de I'Opera. M. Thill made a sensation with his first record, and this, his second effort, fully lives up to the same high standard. It is not that he has an exceptionally fine voice, but there is something so attractively manly about it, and his style, for 'all its forcefulness, is so easy and flowing. The familiar qualities of the French school are evident in both these airs. His accent is pure, his style free from tricks or mannerism and his powerful tenor voice fairly steady. He Bings the beautiful Cavatina from "Romeo" superbly, and the high B's are splendidly given. The Flower Song from Carmen ia quite a contrast in style, but M. Thill makes the most of its lyrical and impassioned strains. A wonderful singer wonderfully recorded. A Costly Record. .A gramophono record, staled to be the mostly costly ever produced, lias been made by Chaliapin to mark (lie lirst pcrUfcrmauce of opera at the Hoyal Albert Hall. The record contains the '•i";iri.nveil of Boris" and the. "Death c: Boris," from the opera "Boris i.'. dounov," an act of wliich whs given i,i 11th and 13th October last. Chal::ij>in's performance of the "Death" scene is regarded as his materpiece on the stage, and elaborate preparations were made to ensure perfect gramophone reproduction. More than £5000 was spent on the- recording offi this one sido alone. A specially picked clirous of singers who had taken part in Covent Garden opera was engaged for the choral parts. Several days were occupied in trying to obtain the perfect "result desired, and dozens of test records were made. The record finally approved is regarded as the most- impressive ever made. Chaliapin's rendering is one of mighty pathos, and his artistry, as the dying Tsar gasps out his death agony, produces an awe-inspiring effect. The Greatest Living 'Cellist. ' (1) "Gavotte in D"-(Popper); (2) •'Popper's Mazurka" (Pormer). 'Cello Solos by Pablo Casals. Casals' superb playing puts this record in a class by itself. Phrasing, rhythem, balance, are all just right, and the artistry of the interpretations will repay close study by others than 'cellis. It is .pleasing to find that the electric recording process suits this splendid musician so well. He has held the reputa; tiou of be,irig the greatest living 'cellist for so long that one docs not like to miss any of the finer shades of his tone and colouring. Both these numbers are very jolly and spirited,, and suit Casals down to the ground. - Marion Talley. One has1 a great admiration for Marion Talley as a singer. She has a soprano .voic© of great purity, and though still in her twenty-first year she has remarkable voice control, which is evit denced in that seemingly indispensable song of every coloratura, Bishop's "Lo, Here the Gentle Lark," and in the Swiss Echo Song... A Great Organ Record. (1) "Toccata in C" (Bach); (2) "Fantasia in G Minor" (Bach). Organ solos by W. G. Webber. Wo shall all bo grateful for such a fine selection of Bach's organ music. These two superb pieces are particularly welcome. The recording, from the Christ Church Organ, Westminster, is gloriously massive, and the pedal passages in particular come rolling out with splendid sonority. American Dance Bands. . j 1 Among new records by American dnace bands are Johnny Hanip's Kentucky Serenaders, '^Gorgeous"; and Nat Shilkret "There's a Trick in Pickliu, a Chick-chick-chicken" (B 5352), both popular fox-trots, and: Whitey Kaufman, "Tiny Town," a charming "miniature" (85352), that is more bizarre than popular, and records by the orchestras of * Jean Goldkette, Wolfe Kahn, Jan Barber, and Jackues Aenard; in addition to eleven new dancerecords by English bands. Jack Hlton's (4), Savoy Orpheans (5), and The Sylvians (2), so that with twenty-four popular new dances recorded the dancefan has pjenty of choice. AUin—by Himself, i , (1) "Hear Me, Ye Winds and Waves" (Handel); (2) " 'This Jolly to Hunt" (Sterndale Bennett). Sung by Norman Allin, bass. Having heard Norman Allin recently in duets with Frank Mullings, I have been particularly anxious to'hear singing solo, and tho result is most gratifying. He can well claim to be the foremost English baas. Besides his resounding vocalism there is some touch of good acting . that makes his records even more agreeable. No one can fail to respond i/~ the humour of " 'This Jo.lly to Hunt." Elgar'a E Flat Symphony. Elgar has only recently been properly appreciated by the gramophone companies, and there must be many who will be grateful for the fine- series of thecomposer's works which is now becoming aavilable. The E Flat Symphony is one of the best things that the Gramophone Company have done. It is Elgar in his most impressive and inspired mood, and tho. recording does tho music full justice. The composer himself conducts. The initiated were aware that tro fine performance of "Gerontisu" at" the Albert Hall last. February was being "recorded," and the discs will bo very welcome. This mighty disc lias been very skilfully recorded, nad except that ono or two of tho numbers are too abruptly terminated, the records are worthy of very high praise. 4000 Violins. (1) "March of the Highlanders" (Pattison); (2) "Recollections of England" (Mareston). . (3) "Red Cross March" (Oliver); (4) "En Route" (Schubert). Splendid idea, splendidly recorded. Here we have, on one side of each record, 1500 youngsters from the British "National Union of School Orchestras," and on the other 4000 of them, going for their lives on four stirring tunes, and having a backbone of accompaniment by the Band of tho Grenadier Guards. And a fine fat volume of sound they make. The tunes are broad and simple in effect, and the orchestra is very well handled by its conductor. "The Love of the Three Oranges." A new issue of interest to students of modern, oven ultra-modern music, who-were privileged'to attend the Royal Albert Hall on 11th and 13th October last is the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Albert Coates, in Prokofieff's "The Love of tho Three Oranges." The rhythmic March and Scherzo Infernale are now avaiablo on the gramophono (D 1259, 12-inch); the elaborate score and the massive orchestra—loß instrumentalists—have reproduced with impressive realism; Mr. Coates effectively realises the rhythmic grandeur and tho seething background of the strings in tho March, and the Scherzo Infenale is a vivid, almost revolutionary piece of orchestration suggesting souls struggling in torment; in a sense wo see in this record something of the expression of the Bolshevist spirit in music, the tortuous highspirited, development into anarchy and chaos. FriedmMi. (1) "Marquis et Marquise" (Friedman); (2) "Tabatiere a Musique"!

(Friedman). Pianoforte solos by Ignaz Friedman. In his first Wellington concert Friedman gave as affinal encore his own perfectly delightful 'morsel, '' Tabatiero a Musiquo" (Music Box). This "and tho "Marquis et Marquise." reveal his qualities as a composer. Slight fragments as they arc, they have high musicianly virtues and give ample scope for.his dazzling and.flawless technique. • Moiseivitsch on the Disc. Amongst many beautiful records re-: cently issued are Moiseivitch's the Chopin studies No's. 4, 10, and 11 of Op.. 10 and 3of Op. 25 —that work,of a real artist, who has Chopin in his very bones. l . Paderewski "Electrified." In' tho first electrical recording of Paderowski, the' famous pianist takes Schubert's "Impromptu in A Flattop.. 142, No. 2,' and Chopin's "Study in B Major!'lt is not only tho technical skil of Paderowski that is so striking but his wonderful combination of technique- and vision so that each piece, jio matter how familiar it may bo, sems to take on a-, new significance-, when played by this master. (D 81037.) Princess on Gramophone. The first member of the Royal Family to sing for the gramophone is Princess Arthur of Connaught. Two records of songs sung by her have now been made. They were used during the Christmas party at Sandringham, given by the King and Queen to - tho members' of the Royal Family. Up till now tho singing achievements of Princess Arthur have been something of a - secret..; No one knew that she had been taking lessons from Miss Kate Opperman, tho South African contralto, nor were they intended to. Princess ,Arthur used to go to the Orchard Street Home of Miss Opperman on foot in the course of her daily constitutional, and afterwards go on to luncl^ with her mother, the Princess Royal. , The Familar Rhapsody. "Hungarian Rhapsody, No. 2"— Liszt-Wood. In two parts. Played by Sir Henry Wood and the Now Queen's Hall Orchestra. Liszt's 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody is one of these rare tunes that thrills you tho first time you hear them, and go on thrilling you if you hear them a dozen a dayi The oboes and clarinets sweep along at breakneck pace, and the whole orchestra joins them in their mad career, .but for all their wildnessvthey never abate one iota of the richness of the melody. Sir Henry Wood gives tire Rhapsody a finish and- perfection of detail that it rarely receives. Distinctly, a record to acquire. A Great Wagner Conductor. " Tanrihauser'' —'' Venuslierg Music (Bacchanale)' '(Wagner). Bruno Walter conducting tho Royal' Philharmonic Orchestra. These are records that every Wagner lover should buy. This is.the fully developed . Wagner. Rewritten twenty years :after the-original "Tannhaueer," the new "Venusberg" music has a richer, ripor^ more matured style, and yet has lost none of its first, fine careless rapture. There are few more thrilling and awe-inspiring passages in music literature. This recording is the finest that Bruno Walker has given us, veteran in Wagner though he is. The tone and colouring arc indescribably vivid, and the structure powerful aird massive. ■ ••■.'■ (1) "II Trovatorc" —Anvil Chorus (Verdi); (2) "Faust" — Soldiers' Chorus (Gounod). Sung by La Scala Chorus, of Milan. "II Trovatore" belong to Verdi's middle period, when his music was more melodious and more to tho popular fancy than during either his earlier or later periods, and the Anvil' Chorus is . certainh- one of the favourite airs even in Verdi's tuneful repertoire. Of the "Soldiers' Chorus" little need be said, so well known are its strains. Both are decidedly on tho vigorous side, giving splendid opportunities to the men's voices in the famous La Scala Chorus, of which full advantage is taken. ' These famous Italian singers scored a very big hit with their rendering of tho Cigarette Chorus from ."Carmen," and this recording should add considerably to their popularity. Lighter Records. Lighter records recently issued include Melville Gideon in "A Tree in the Park" (from "Peggy Ann"), "So Blue," "Side by Side," and "At Sundown"—all on one record —by Vaughan de Loath; by Aileen Stanley and Johnny Marvin; and by the California Humming Birds; and an instalment of "vocal gems" by the Light Opera Company, who give a dozen old favourites from "The Bohemian Girl" (CI3S2, 12in), a pot pourri of extracts from the favourite English Victoria opera, "Then You'll Remember Me," and "I Dreamt that I Dwelt in Marble Halls," and the rest—that will certainly appeal to tho popular taste. Stracciari. ■ (1) "Carmen"—Toreador -Song (Bizet); (2) "Pagliacci"—Prologue (Leoncavallo). Sung by Riccardo

Str.icciari, baritone. Stracciari sings with unusual warmth ami colour, and if at times one is inclined to deplore some of tlic defects of the Italian school of Ringing, of which he is so distinguished a representative, there is even morcfin it to admire—the wonderful breathcontrol, for example. But the phrasing, which reveals the artist behind the singer, the intellect behind the machine, is impeccable, and entirely individual td-Stracciari. The "Toreador Song" needs little introduction; Stracciari sings it fervently and iluently; but most people will eventually come to prefer the more sober delights oi; Leoncavallo's Prologue to Pagliacci. Siegfried Records. p Siegfried Wagner, son of the composer, makes his bow to the public through, a record of the Prelude of "Lohengrin," and another of the Huldigungs March. In both cases he conducts the London Symphony Orchestra. These are offerings ranking high in the library of recorded Wagner music. As might be supposed, Siegfried Wagner is an authoritative interpreter of the music: of his illustrious father, and in the present case ho has the backing of a nrst-class orchestra. "Lohengrin" is an inspired reading, while the march of the other record is interesting as one of the few examples of the matured Wagner which exist apart from opera. To my mind, the finest piano record extant —from the reproduction point of view—is that issued of the Liszt "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2," played by Alfred Cortot. The recording is magnificent —it has power and volume in an astonishing degree, but, withal, is never blatant. Cortot's interpretation has a sparkling brilliancy. Conducted by Ed. ' Moerick, the Opera House Orchestra of Berlin, play "Till Eulenspiogels Merry Pranks," parts 1 and -2, 3 and 4. Strauss's fourth tone poem, "Till of the Owlglass" was composed in 1894, and first performed in England in 1897 at the Crystal Palace under the baton of the late Sir Augustus Manns. Written when the composer was at the height of his great powers, it is generally admitted to contain the finest fruits of his genius. Certainly it enshrines the jolliest, most delightful, music that ever ho wrote; music which everyone can appreciate, and no one need be frightened of. The suT>title of the work, "Upon aD Old Rogue Js tune—in Rondo Form,'' tells ■! us what to expect in the constant return of the main tune. This tune, which is in two parts, depicts clearly enough the serious and the roguish elements in Till's character. The growing stridency of the music portrays Till riding headlong into the market' place, scattering the folk right and left, while the mock religious tune that follows [shows him posing as priest exhorting the people. But, with the return of the main tune, we soon have the real Till back again. Sinister discords represent his foreboding of evil fo,r his impious jesting. His end—he is hung—is realistically portrayed in a famous passage,, and the coda gives us, with much pathos, his tune in final form; full now of a warm humanitySuch is the programme of a work into which Strauss has poured all the resources of /his invention; but in such a way that the uninstruoted listener is aware only of the jolly tunes, the humour and good spirits of it all. "Sylvia" fantasia, two parts (Delibes), played by Edith Lorand Orchestra. The fantasia on the Sylvia BalJtt Music contains the cream of that delightful concoction played with fine tone and rhythm by Miss Lorand and her orchestra. On the first side wo recognise the well-known "Pizzicato," and the exhilarating "Huntress Prelude," on the second side the melodious Valse Lento and the- "Cortege do Bacchus," the whole forming a record of singular charm. Emmy Heckinann, Bettendorf, soprano, sings for Parldphofte Elizabeth's greeting from "Taunhauser" (Wagner), and Max Hirzcl, tenor, Lohengrin's farewell, from "Lohengrin" (Wagner). Elizabeth's greeting to the hall of song .from the second-act of "Tannhauser" / is sung with,a fine and joyous enthusiasm —she strikes just the right note—by Mine. Bettendorf, who makes an excellent contrast of tone in the quiet passages where Elizabeth recalls Jier childhood days. Lohengrin's poignant farewell to Elsa, the untrusting wife, is splendidly sung by Max Hirzel, In. both cases the singers are supported by orchestral accompaniment. "Marriage of Figaro" ("Why So Long Delay?"), and "The Magic Flute," aria of the Queen of' Night, ("Fire Burns in My Heart") is sung by Fz-itzi Jokl, soprano. The two Queen of ,tho Night arias from "The Magic Flute" were specially written by Mozart to show off the amazing technique of the creator of the part; the florid passages are intended also, of course, to induce a supernatural effect. Fritzi Jokyl more' than fulfills the promise of her very successful record of the Pago's song-from "Les Huguenots," issued before, and with her brilliant singing, almost 'makes us forget the- great skill needed to overcome- the pure round tone, the musicianly phrasing both in this and in Susanna's lovely aria (better known as "Deb vieni, non tardar") from "Figaro," which mark the complete, artist. The recording of theses two excerpts is worthy of the singing.

Thero are twenty-two bones in the human skull.