Music from the Disk

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 120, 16 November 1929, Page 26

Music from the Disk

Dance Music. The motion picture theme-songs are providing some of the best of the current dance music. To begin with these songs have to depend for their success on their melody, and when this is cleverly orchestrated the value of these pieces is considerably enhanced. From the H.M.V. latest issue the following have been selected- as outstanding examples of the bes % t modern dance music: "Lonesome Eo'ad," foxtrot, from •'Show Boat," and "Susianna," foxtrot, from "Southern Love Song," vocal refrains, played by Nat S.hilkret and his orchestra (E.A. 502); "That's You, Baby," foxtrot, and "Walking With Susie," foxtrot; vocal refrains, "from Fox Movietone Follies, 1929," played by George Olsen and his Music (E.A. 553); "Pagan Love Song," waltz, played by the Troubadours, and "I Used to Love Her.in the Moonlight," foxtrot, played by Waring's Pennsylvanians, both from "The Pagan.'" (E.A. 558); "Josephita," foxtrot, played by Leo Eeisman and his orchestra, and "Mia Bella 'Rosa," tango, played by Johnny Hamp's Kentucky Serenaders, both from "Tide of the Empire" (E.A. D 45). ■ , German Basso. News comes to hand that Kipnis. the great German basso, ia paying "a return visit to the-States, after a pro: tracted tour of Great Britain. Kipnis is much in vogue, for he has already this year starred in the Berlin and Munich Summer Festivals. His early reputation rested largely upon his triumphs as a Wagner interpreter; He had made several appearances at Bayreuth, where Wagner is produced regardless of expense, and where the whole world is scoured for the very best singers. He played a big part in the brilliantly successful Bayreuth Festival Album recently issued by Columbia. But as his reputation has extended, so has his repertoire. He has been giving us a series of particularly good Schubert songs, of which perhaps the finest.is a pairing of "Ber Dop: pelganger." (The Phantom Double), with "B-er Wegweiser" (The Signpost), i (Columbia 04195). A recent offering gives us a lovely rendering of two of the most charming lieder of Brahms. He sings the famous "Sapphische Ode" with a wealth of power and deep underlying tenderness. His appeal is directly to our hearts, and his sheer artistry takes him straight there. On the reverse side Vis another well-known masterpiece, "Auf dem Kirchofe" (Columbia 03645.) c Brownlee as Hamlet. The French composer, Ambroise Thomas, is better' known as the composer of "Mignon" than of "Hamlet," but - the- latter opera is very popular in France. Judging by two arias sung by John Brownlee, the Australian, who is the principal baritone at the Paris Opera House, the work is one of beautiful melody. The title role was written for a baritone, and Brownlee sings two of the finest numbers in the whole work. "0 yin dissipe la. tristesse " (Oh, wine, dispel the heavy sorrow) is a drinking song. Hamlet has arranged for a play to be performed before the king, and he gathers round the actors, giving them tneii" instructions. He sings this drinking song, bidding them be merry. The second aria is "Comme une pale fleur" (Like a lovely flower). The funeral procession of Ophelia is passing. Hamlet, overcome with remorse, sings this beautiful ■ song to her memory. He cries out that nothing remains for him but to follow her to the grave. Brownlee's rich voice records admirably, and one feels, that he istho right singer for such music. (H.M.V., D 1654,) Witkowski's "Mon Lac." Another work around which a storm of controversy has raged is Witkowski's "Mon Lac," a brilliantly modern pianoforte concerto. But even the volume of criticism suggests that the ■work is too important to be ignored," and all critics, seem to be in agreement as to the excellence of the: pianism. Eobert Casadesus is the soloist, and the accompaniment is by the Orchestre Symphonique de Paris. Another bombshell from a modernist is a Trio for Piano, Oboe, and Bassoon by Poulenc. Poulenc can plead in self-defence that he takes his own medicine, for he takes the piano part himself. This work has enjoyed the usual fate of its type; critics who are determined to enjoy modern music have praised it to' the skies, and those who are equally determined not to enjoy it have damned it to the'depths. It remains for the purchaser to decide for himself. A fine batch of instrumental records included 'cello solos by dassado, the brilliant Spanish pupil of Pablo Casals; viola solos by that great fiddler, Lionel Tertis; 'a new Albert Sammons record, and violin solos by Bratza and Arthur Catterall. They.should all be welcome". Brilliance- of Liszt. Full of colour and brilliance is the recording of "Les Preludes" (Liszt) by the London Symphony Orchestra under Albert Coatea. The key to the title of the work is to be found in the com poser's: own words,',"What is our life but a series of preludes to the song of which Death is the first and solemn note? . . . Love is the enchanting dawn of all existence. . .-. Destiny is interrupted by some storm. . . . Beautiful illusions are dispelled. ... Man does not.resign himself. .. . When the trumpet sounds he runs to the post of danger and finds in the combat the true recognition of his own self and the full possession of his own powers." This theme is followed in this composition, and so vividly has Liszt interpreted his thoughts in beautiful music and so real and life-like is the tone of the great orchestra .that one sits v enthralled through the two records. It is also worthy of mention that, coinciding with the issue of these records, was the following announcement that the H.M.V. Company had guaranteed enough money to make the London Symphony Orchestra permanent institution, and it may be said that these records amply justify such a step. Under Coates the orchestra rises to the greatest heights of this work, and adds to the glory of British execution. (H.M.V., D 1616-17.) Georges Thill. Georges Thill is one of the leading tenors of the Paris Opera. Young in years and experience, his career reads like a story book. He was a stockbroker in Pariß, interested in music as an amateur. Persuaded to make a record, the result was that Thill gave up his business to study for opera. He studied in Naples with de Luca, the famous tenor, and returned later to build his career in France. Voice, appearance, and enthusiasm carried him on, and last year, he was engaged for the Covent Garden season. Swift on the heels of this engagement came a contract to sing at La Scala. Scandiani heard Thill rehearsing-"at the Paris Opera for "Turandot" and at once secured him for La Scala. •In July, 1928, he, sang at the. al fresco performances, of this opera' at "Verona, Italy.. In 1929, he sang this opera at La Scala and had the honour of repeating his "Turandot" success at the opening performance of the Colon, Buenos -Aires, with .the great Eosa Eaisa singing the title role. Those who heard his first record ■will never forget .the thrill of his amazing voice in the "Air de Joan" from Massenet's "La Traviata" (Columbia L 1964). Other records are:— Romeo et Juliette; Cavatina (Gou-

nod), Carmen; "Flower Song (Bizet), Columbia 04019; Pagliacci; On With the Motley (Leoncavallo), La Tosca; When Stars are Shining (Puccini), Columbia 03557. Giannini's Great Role. Dusolina Giannini is the star of a new complete recording of Verdi's "Aida" on 19 records, with two albums (His Master's Voice). The cast is a famous one, and includes Aureliano Pcrtile, the eminent Italian tenor, as Eadames. Miss Gianniui sings her part with intense feeling, and has some fine dramatic rao : meuts, as for instance, in the duct with Ainonasro. Her phrasing of "O patria mia" is. very artistic. Pertile is a tower of strength, particularly in "Celeste Aida," in the love duct and in the final, "O terra addio," which is very -well done. Irene Minghini-Cattaneo as Amneris possesses a voice of very rich quality and sings with great feeling. Ingilleri(Ainonasro) has a fine voice with a good beautiful register. The opera was produced in Milan with the co-operation of members of the La Scala Orchestra and chorus, conducted by Carlo Sabajno. The choral passages are admirably sung, and the orchestral support is excellent throughout. The triumphal march is very impressively done. Eva Turner. Eva Turner (Columbia), returning to the United States for her second season with the Chicago Opera Company, was recently feted for her performance of the title role of "Isabeau" (Maseagni) at the old Kpman arena of Verona, Italy. With Miss Turner in the cast was the tenor Lazaro, as Folco. Eva Turner is one of the very few English sopranos who carried Italy by storm before reaping the harvest of her fame in London. She has made a wonderful record of two numbers . from "Turandot" (Columbia 03610), in which she took the part of Piu in the Italian premiere. The ceaseless energy of the Columbia bass-baritone, Cesare- Formichi, has been active lately in Europe. Since July this popular member of the Chicago Opera Company has sung two performances at Vichy and several at Aix-les-Bains. He was to sing last month in Berlin, being booked afterwards for a Scandinavian concert tour. This season he is due to open in Bordeaux, and thence will return to America to sing at the opening performance in the new Civic Opera House, Chicago. (1) '"Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes," from "The Gondoliers" (Gil* bert and Sullivan). (2) "The Knotting Song." Sung by John Coates, tenor. This veteran tenor still delights millions in English-speaking countries all over the world—both in person and through his records. The voice may be nearing the close of its perfection, but the art of singing such songs is a possession that John Coates will enjoy-^-and almost exclusively—as long as he lives. He is a singer of singers; we will let it rest at that. Great Moments With Wagner. . From H.M.V. comes a Wagner album concerned with "The Bhinegold" and "Siegfried," and principally with the third act of the latter section of the great "King" cycle. ' There are eight discs in all; Alwin, .Blech, and Coates are the conductors Berlin, London, and Vienna' supply the orchestras; and the singers are English and German who have been prominent in Wagnerian roles in Berlin and Covent Garden during the last two years. Choosing is unnecessary, for both performance and recording are of a high standard. Suffice it to say that the Entrance of the Gods into 'Valhalla can be heard with Schorr singing the music for Wotan; Frida Leider and Budolph Laubenthal in the ecstatic love duet for Brunhilde and Siegfried; and Schipper and Olezewska in the wondrously imaginative scene in which Wotan calls up Erda, the allknowing. The Master Re-Records. . It is fortunate indeed for the musical world that Paderewski has re-recorded some of his greatest concert numbers, and nothing can be more fortunate than his recording of Liszt and Chopin. In Chopin he plays the dreamily, lovely "Nocturne in F Sharp Major" with a wealth of delicate poetic fancy. Every nuance of tonal colour and shade is revealed in the superb quality of the pianoforte recording. It brings us nearer the real Paderewski than anything I have heard. You. can close your eyes and imagine yourself almost at his elbow, so exquisitely natural and full is the reproduction. Turn over the disc and you get "Paderewski, not only as a great interpretive artist, but also as a master of technique in his brilliant play, ing of the Liszt arrangement of Paganini's "La Campanella." It is a dazzling affair, in which the treble recording is a revelation. (H.M.V., D 81167.) Voce Exercises. Master. Norman Ware, 'a boy soprano whose voice has been beautifully trained, is heard in voice exercises and eartraining. -JJart 1 includes "Lullaby" (Schubert) for voice and piano and violin and piano. Part 2 has "Lullaby" (Schubert) for 'cello and piano and string _ quartet. These records should prove invaluable to all singing students (H.M.V., 82808-9.) The famous' comedy pair, Moran and Mack, whose comic records have been easily the most popular records ever issued, yill shortly be heard on the talkies in a Paramount picture, "Why Bring That Up?" Rumour has it that this is typical of their brilliantly nonsensical style. By the way, a new "Two Black Crows" record is on the way, and should be released here shortly. It is called "Esau Buck and the Bucksaw" and "Foolishments." ' A Columbia leaflet has been sent 'to' us, which gives details of works that have not been published in the monthly supplements, but which will appear in this new 1930 catalogue. As most of these have already been published in the Old Country during the last twelve months, Home comments are illuminating. For the Beethoven Quartet in A Mxnor (Op. 132), played by the Capet String Quartet of Paris, they have nothing but highest praise. This is the recording that was so enthusiastically acclaimed by one of the characters 111 .P °mt. C°unterpoint," the brilliant novel by Aldous Huxley