Music from the Disc

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 137, 6 December 1930, Page 28

Music from the Disc

. Romanticism of Brahms. I The Tomantieism of Brahms-s- Sym- !• *!it>fay No. 3, in F major, must astonish n any listener who is hearing it for. the a . first time and' who has been led to be- ii Keve the. ancient chatter about the ■*- ; drabness and inhumane complexity of '■the composer, and the interpretation of the .-work by the Philadelphia Symphony y ■ Orchestra under. Leopold Stqkbivsfci-'cci1- c ; tainly puts to quiet the talcs < /of y ; Brahms's chilly classicism. The sym- " p'aonies of Brahms. aro as lyrical-and ■as songful as any ia -, existence,;and: : u ■ Lhe performance as recorded -by '.th.c S i ■ Philadelphians is' not only .admirable, b .in the technical sense,-but. in the,'mcety: lj ' (if judgment whereby-,the conductor haß" b ; balanced the four movements., \No ; d ' little instinct for musical •diversion.; and _n poise is needed .to secure -this-'balance; f. for the reason that the..speed.!, of the s third movement,-poco allegretto, ..is\not -}] unlike the last, allegro..: The. condue-' h tor's job is to achieve a /differentiation, h by the closest attention t.o-workman- .t ■ ship, which, beneath the. surf ace.:of; a s pace and expression pretty common, to p ■ both movements, -marks, the''essential a ' life beating .within them. The 'scoring' 0 Jias a delicacy of figuration..", and. a ,n warm intricacy, and.: the capacity', of p Stokowski for producing gloVfing .in-' > strumental colour has congenial, opportunities in this symphony, which under. \ his direction resembles a. veritable Alad- s'din's cave of sound. The exultant.mas- f: i-ery of their material displayed by the 1 performers is in the highest degree ex- f Mlarating, -and: in the course .of build- b ing so magnificent a structure -thef.vital ( spark is not extinguished. There-is a rhythmical vitality in the second move- si ment, andante, and in the final allegro y< there is good: instrumental ..detail in s: spite of the pace. Throughout the wood- t< wind is'charming, and Brahms's':.purely J melodic use of the brass in. :the: finale g tops off a performance) that is'marked S throughout by sweetness, arid strength, o (H.M.V., D 1769-70-71-72-73). j, Elgar's Violin Concerto. . Once upon, a time, there was-, a- cut I ■version of the Elgar fiddle concerto in 1 g the Columbia catalogue.-■■- It, however;; '£ vanished into the limbo a couple, of ii years ago, and for a while there was n no recording of this most-exacting of ti all violin, works. ■ -. ■ d Albert Sammons is • the ■'■ soloist "in o: (.his now performance'.,and he, of course, p is the ideal interpreter. Although -ti this work was dedicated .to and first o: perfornie'il by Ivreisler, Sammons -has'; c since made it his own pet tour ide force, o Elgar himself confesses that. Sammqns.'s f; is the ideal interpretation., .T.his, Eng-1 ii lisli violinist is without,: aiiy" question t; one of,the greatest players.of !.the : age; ii one of the first five or..six/great eon- b temporary masters of the violin. ','•■■' \\ '-,' Sir Henry . Wood and "the -New Queen's Hall Orchestra provide, the orchestral part of the work, and- this is o perhaps.;,'one of /tlicir /finest;-' s' ments. '-Eull of .unforgettable .beauties i] this violin concerto. ■ defies.'-'. &- ;br:ief G analysis. Perhaps the -second ■ mover went will make the greatest ' appeal | on. first hearing-, but there Vis -not •' a moment of the entire work.that will - not grow more lovely with- each; .re- . Xieated hearing. Columbia7LoX iV: '■* LOS 46.) i ■ ■ ''■■:„ '-'"; • Graphic Tone Poem. . ; Very graphic is Eespighi's tone poem, . of Rome, "'■ which has been. - recorded by the London Symphony . Orchestra. The work gives four ffinir pressions" of different fountains-: .at dawn, morn, midday,, and sunset; . Listening to them, one-is assured .:.of ■ this: If Debussy.and Stravinsky.had" ■■' not written "L'Apres Midi" and "Tlie •.- Pi re Bird," we should not-.have this symphonic poem- unravelling -itself, o.ii : the gramophone. Kespighi's : debt'-to them is incalculable. But if; Ire .-hits : learned from them, he haslearned-well. = His "pictures", of :the^, vapoui'y:;.ve'il ' from the Julian^Valley,\into::-wliieh.a' '-. .miniature procession .of.'animals? .is. '. merged, is: exquisite. At'-the-'Triton -:.: i'ountain the water falls in jets through, which, naiads - and tritons pursue-.'each, other. At Tre,vi, it is air huge;'jets/ gaping stone. mouth's, with great birds wheeling above; and ,at -the. Villa , : : Medici the. waters' ripple- ■.:plaeidly ■ throughout a melody on celeste; -and strings into, the-silence of the'-Diglife' • As - for ~the xeproduetion, that, is -per- . feetly clear and. forward; and for the interpretation, the London Symphony b Orchestra, linder -Albert Coates,'.1 ,is ' i almost perfect in point of realism and ' finesse. (H.M.V. 3 D 1429-30.) : Glazounov's "Seasons" Completed. A month or two ago were -released the first three discs of a recording of . G-lazounov's ballet suite, "The.; Sea- ' sons." On those records were "Winter," "Spring," and. "Summer." Here, now,, ig "Autumn", and the: Bacchanalian Finale—rich coloured and luscious musical fruit—the kind of music (hat the ordinary man revels in. This i last "season" takes three sides,'and . on the fourth s?g a Mower Waltz-from

iDelibes's /ballet, '"The Corsair." Tins latter is played by tlio Lucern Kursaal Orchestra, while the. "Seasons music"' is "by'a special orchestra conducted by Glazounov himself. Recording throughout is tip-top." Columbia LOX 35-36.) ".'■■■ Rachmaninoff.,' ; Serge .Rachmaninoff has re-recorded one of his,most popular discs of several years...ago.. 'He plays with his usual erispne'ss /and .unapproachable rhythmic vigour the brilliant, and sprightly draw-ing-room; "Polka: do W. 8.," composed by^ bis' father, who was a great lover of.'music;and an amateur composer. Tho melody is chiefly .in'the right hand, and sometimes inchords;-or octaves, the embellishments . being intricate and brilliant; . Tho;. sujierb precision of Kachnianinoif's playing: brings out every detail1 in sharp, contrast. The coupling number' is.:Tsehaikowsky 'a. " Troika,'' from itwelvc,piauo'V\rorks 'entitled "The j Seasons." "Troika." is a name given in ■ former. Bussia-to a team of three horses -harnessed. abreast, tho outer h rses: being taught to hold their heads to right. and* left and the centre one straight. \ It:: was a favourite winter pastime, ,the-: troika pulling a sleigh at a rapid ■'pace across boundless snowcovered plains. Here again Bachmaninoff gives an- admirable and rhythmic performnee. .(li.M.'V., D 81279.) Some More '' Follow TUrougli" Records. \ The^ Eicteadilly " Players makes a splendid job. of two bright fox-trots from the'- musical^ comedy "Follow Through." These are "You wouldn't fool me, would you? 3' and "I want to be bad." Both arc with vocal chorus, j (Columbia 01831.) On Columbia,olS32, Annette Hail: shaw, a fine comedienne, sings "You wouldn't .fool me." and Ruth Etting sings, the \other fox-trot son, "Button up your overcoat." . Lay ton and Johiistonei ■:* always ; prime favourites, give their Aversions of "My Lucky Star":;aiid/.*'isutto!i up your overcoat" dii Columbia 01833.' f Modem String Quartet. • A stimulatiiig'performance of the Dphnanyi:.string quartet in D flat is given! by.■•'•th'e • .Hlonzaley combination. No.t;"t,he::;least;;parV of: tho •■fascinationinherent'.in : contemporary chamber music is attributable to'its experimentallquality.. Whereas, the classic writers depended largely on the development of formal-a-nd. rhythmic interest, the prescnt-iday.composers focus their attention' chiefly on emotional tone-painting on as. spacious a scale as they can evolve.- ; The.'"Dahhanyi ' quavtet is an outstanding^ example of this reaction in : faiypur of Irha'psodie colpmy. and praises' m-:.a' most interesting manner the questions of the ultimate outcome of allowing orchestral methods to' invade chamr ber music. (H.M.Y., D 81135-36-37.) "A Country Girl."

. The/recent, revival here and there of this,- entertaining musical play :6hould-'"'h,'ay:o. /cheated a welcome for this-recorded-'selection of "Country Girl..tunes; ; L /The Royal Air /Force

Baud are the- purveyors, and right i well they purvey. •There ■ are few ; musical comedy band records bo well ; done as this. (Kegal G 30045.) ; Beptli of Peeling. The name of Erica Moriui is one . which, appearing on a record, arouses : considerable hopes. In this instance, ■ one is not disappointed. It is true that : Morini has chosen one of the pieces, Hubay's "Zephyr," as an exhibition of virtuosity—but what a surpassing virtuoso the record prove* the violinist to be. The piece is beautifully played and recorded with such success that the most subtle modifications of tone are ' captured.- The other number is Tschaiko wsky 's ■•..•' Hurnoresque,'' which Ivreislei 1 has arranged very cleverly for the violin. Here Mormi shows not only a beautiful tone, but much depth of feeling. The accompaniments are played with exceptional sympathy and skill by Ludwig Kentner. (H.M.V., DA 1104.) I----"'; "In Gay Madrid." Paul Speeht and his orchestra play two-fox-trots from the screen success, "In Gay Madrid." These are "Santiago" and "Into My Heart"—and both are done really well. (Columbia DO. 153.) Cockney Studies. The English comedienne, Wish Wynne, who visited ..New Zealand, a few years ago, has made two more London studies, "A Cockney Girl at the Cinema," and "There's Always Something," with many inimitable touches. Miss Wynne'puts real life into her Cockney characters, ■ and the emotions of a girl following a melodrama: on the,screen.are skilfully portrayed. The second, piece is a little bit of the Londoner's philosophy which is never devoid of humour and always human. (H.M.V., 83349.) The Columbia History of Music. Who first epneeived the idea of. this "Columbia History of Music by Ear and Eye," the Columbia people'do not say. More than likely the instigator was that musicianly friend of the gramophone, Percy A. Seholes. , His past contributions to the history of music all tended towards, something like this. Briefly, the idea combines a series .of booklets by Percy Scholes (giving' names, dates, facts, and all useful historical information), and a series of records (giving the finest and: most representative examples of the music of each period). The scheme is undoubtedly one of the finest contributions to the appreciation of musical art yet" undertaken by -•commercial;enterprise; -Ttiose who. have collaborated: with the 'Columbia Company in the production of Volume One of this history aye all eminent English. musicians.. There arc none who could have done the job better. Apart from- Percy. Scholes who provides the literary basis of the scheme, tlier.e are Sir Richard Terry, (whose choir provides the very earliest . examples of church music); Kudloph Dolme'tseh and his children, a family of musicians at Haslemere, who are devoting • their lives to the revival of ancient instrumental music, and- who provide examples for this historical series;.the Rev.-Dr. E. 11.-Fellowes and the St. George's Singers (who provide examples from the Elizabethan Madrigal, period). To review each, of the eight ten-inch discs that make up. Volume- I. would unfortunately take up too niueh space.

Suffice it to. say, that both the singing and the playing of this fascinating ancient music are - beyond, reproach; and: likewise the recording. No item takes more than one side of. a record, and1 all the dis.es are in the lowest price series. The supplement states that dealers can supply a six-page prospectus on request. The records themselves are as follow: — .;'(!) '' Vent- Sancte. Spiritus "—Plainsong with Organum; (2) '^Mira Lege" —^PJainsong with-.Descant;'Terry and choir (Columbia 5710). (3) "Christe.Eede.mptor" and "Conditpr Alme Siderum" (Dufay); (4) "Nune Dirnifctis." (Palestrina); Terry and; choir (Columbia 5711). ;(.o) "Sanctus" from Palestrina's "Missa Papae Marcelli"; Terry and choir; (6) ".The.Earl of Salisbury"— Payane and Galliard for Virginals; Bu'dolph Dolmetseh (Columbia 5712). (-7) "The King's Hunt" (John Bull); (S): His Toye, His' Dreamo, His- Past .(Giles Farnaby)—Virginals Solos by Eudolph' Dolmetseh (Columbia; 5713). . :'(Q) Divisions, on a Ground—for Viol de Gamba: and..Lute —IJudolph. .and Arnold Dolmetseh; (1(3) Fantasia for a Chest of Six Viols (Wcelkes)—^Dolmetseh family (Goiumbia 5714); .-'(11) "Awake,■ Sweet Love" (Doitlaiifl) —Cecile. Dolmetseh, soprano, w.ifh Viol -and- Lute accompaniment; (1&) ' Sumer is i-cumen in" (John of Eornsete) St.-•George's Singers (Columbia 5715). '•..■(>l3) "Rest,/■ Sweet Nymphs" (Pilkiilgton; (14): We and Chant It?.' (Morley!)r—St. George's Singers (Columbia :57t6)'.::: . . ; (;15) " As.fVesta. was Descending" (.Weelkes); '(16)'"-The Silver Swan" (Giibbons) and' "Fair Phyllis" (Farmer) —St., • George's."Singers (Columbia' 5717-).. . ~ . , Selections from ;"Faust." .'.The Baud of H.M. Coldstream Guards, conducted by/ Captain E. G. Evans, pliys very^sufecessfully n, selection from Gounod's "Faust" in. two parts; Part 1' begins'.:-with the Chorale from the' •.Ee'rme.ss'e scene, played alniost .in. -its entirety. In this scene Valentine iand'the, soldiers present their sßwordi'hilts with crosses to Mephisto,..who is.;in a powerless rage. The melody"''lJaisse-moi confcempler ton visage: from,'the • love duet, from the second act—rand? the: return of-the-sol-dicrs. in-.act:llL are- also recorded. In part 3 the band.plays the ever-charming waltz and the! march. The recording is vpr*y good; ■ (HtM.V., C 1877.)