RECORDED MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 19026, 22 August 1925, Page 15

RECORDED MUSIC

“ The Englishman’s homo is no longer just his castle; it is his Royal Operahouse as well,” said Stracciari, the Covont Garden baritone, speaking of the great work done by the gramophone in carrying music into the home. Ho added: “It would almost seem that the spirit of song which has long been admitted to havo its homo in my native Italy has migrated to British shores.” There is much in what so famous an operatic artist says. For example, his own records for Columbia of Tosti’s 1 Idoale ’ and Massenet’s ‘ Elogio,’ the latter sung in French, sound on a good machine as though singer and orchestra were pnst close by. Stracciari is an artist to his finger tips, as these records will demonstrate. One may never hear him sing personally in New Zealand, but there is no doubt about the magnificent results he achieves when he is recorded. ‘ Idoalo ’ is a lovely song, which even some who do not admire its composer’s ‘ £food-hye ’ may concede. The ‘ Elegie ’ is one of the finest things of its kind that Massenet over composed. The orchestral accompaniments to both records much enhance the efforts of this splendid grand opera baritone. Dame Clara Butt’s coming tour of Australia and New Zealand stimulates renewed interest.in the records of her songs and oratorio arias. She knows her public, and in Ntw Zealand it knows and loves her. The reason for this is not hard to seek. Clara Butt knows, as most people know ; that while grand operatic airs may thrill, and airs from oratorios may induce a feeling for religion, the old 'ballad and anything in the form of song having to do with home and family life is bound to tell iiiioii the majority in concert audiences. That is why she sings, as from the heart. ‘ Old Folks At Homo ’ and ‘ln the Chimney Corner,’ two of her records for Columbia that had and still have a great vogue. In them she sings so that every word is clearly heard, and she uses her consummate art with ns much skill ami taste' ns if she were singing some great operatic cavatina.

Liiigini’s picturesque ‘Ballet Egyptien ’ receives masterly treatment at the hands of the Grenadier Guards’ Band, one of the finest of the hands of the crack regiments of the British Army recording for Columbia. Bandsmen aspiring to do solo work in New Zealsna organisations cannot do better than to study records such as these, for even the “brass” man can learn wrinkles from this superb performance of a piece so full of detail. Lawrence Hope, the lady who wrote the ‘ Indian Love Lyrics ’., that Amy Woodforde-Findcn set to such appropriate music, was fortunate in having so wide a range given to her works by this means. It is safe to say that the poet’s lyrics would not have been so well known and appreciated but for tho charming musical settings. Records have been made of four of tbe most popular of them ‘ Kashmiri Love Song,’ ‘ Less Than the Dust,’ ‘ Till I Awake,’ and ‘ Temple Bells ’ —from the performance of the Union Symphony Orchestra, recording for Columbia. The writer of the lyrics died young, but her knowledge and love of India have been enshrined in these songs and their admirable settings to melodics that have a decided Eastern coloring. Although the “ lyrics ” are now seldom heard in the concert hall, yet they continue to exert their spell in the homo; hence the need for still further records of them in vocal and instrumental form.

Arthur Jordan, the favorite English tenor, who came out to Australia,with Elsa Stralia, made ns i'avorajjle an impression on Sydney and Melbourne audiences as on those of London and in tho much more critical centres of tho English Midlands. His records have made him well known already in New Zealand, especially in arias from oratorios and other sacred works. One of the latest to arrive here is ‘ The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation ’ (Allitsen), together with ‘Crossing the Bar’ (Willoby), tho beautiful musical setting of one of the most popular poems Tennyson ever wrote. Both pieces have been sung to orchestral accompaniments, which aro much to ho preferred to the pianoforte. The diction is wonderfully clear. For the gramophile, saturated in the tradition of the Italian and French coloratura singing, Frieda Hempcl’s records will como as a distinct shock (says tho writer of an appreciation in the ‘ Gramophone ’ of this wonderful singer). She sings her “fireworks” accurately, and with abundant liveliness. Her singing is always beautifully restrained; she never does anything out of keeping with tho particular aria she is singing or purely for effect. Tho listener is assailed with a feeling that there is no upward limit to her voice-range. Her rendering of the most difficult cadenzas is impeccable, and she dees not exhibit that common failing of her type—weakrhythmic sense. Of late years Madame Hempel has shinnied tho more elaborate fiorituri, and lias devoted herself more thoroughly to lieder. If we had never known her as one of the greatest operatic soprani of tho present century (or for the century previous, for all that!) wo should hail her now as one of the ablest exponents of tho art song. The following aro amongst the best of tho Frieda Hempel recordings (H.M.V.): —“Dor Hollo radio Koeht in meinoin Herzen ’ (‘ Queen of tho Night Aria’), D. 8.365; ‘Frag’ich mein’ (two parts) (‘Una voce poco fa’), sung in German, D. 8.455; 1 Bravoura Variations’ on Mozart’s ‘Ah! vous dirai-je Hainan ?’ D. 8.352; ‘Kami mich auch an oin Madcl eriniiorn’? (‘ Roesnkavalier ’), D. 8.37 3; ‘O Moment Encliautol’ (‘ Masnniollo ’), D. 8.276; ' Infelice, sconsolata ’ (‘The Magic Flute’), D. 8.331; ‘ 0 had I Jubal’s Ivrel’ (‘Joshua,’ Handel), 1 Alleluia !’■ (arr. O’Connor Morris), D.A.676; ‘WohinP’ Op. 25, No. 2; ‘ XJngeduld,’ op. 25, No. 7 (Schubert), D.A.261; ‘ Widening ’ (Schumann); ‘ Wiegenlied ’ (Mozart), I).A. 557; 1 Surta e la Notte (‘Eimni,’ Verdi); ‘Vion’ dilotto’ (‘Puritan!,’ Bellini), D. 8.296; ‘Robert toi quo i’aime’ (‘Robert the Devil,’ Meyerbeer); ‘La Villanolle ’ (E dell’Acqua), D.8.297'; ‘ Auf Angela des Gcsanges ’ (Mendelssohn) ; ‘ Horch, Horch, die Lorch ’ (Schubert), D.A.382.

Paderewski’s most recent recorded offering, Schubert’s ‘ Impromptu in B Flat Major,’ op. 142, No. 3, is described by a London reviewer as “by far .his best recorded performance, crystal clear in piano tone, and altogether fresh and lovely in content. Anything so gossamer-like as the latter part of the second side seems almost too exquisite to be true.” Thibaud, as a recording artist, runs Kicisler very, very hard (considers a critic), There is an immaculate finish about his work that conics kindly to the gramophone. For spontaneity'and graceful gaiety _ his playing of Veracini’s ‘ Sonata in E Minor ’ is superb.

Max Darcwski rises to great- heights in L! "Woly’a ‘Lcs Cloches de Mouastro' (‘The Bells of a Monastery— Evening’), a recent zonophone recording. In some parts one can fancy that it is the ‘ Angelus ’ wo hoar. The rippling movement comes in a good deal, and the artist does not forget himself and put too much expression into it, bait plays it in an exact boll-liko man-

ner. Tlio other side, ‘ Wanda-Mnzurka do Salon,’ by Bohm, is not so well done. It is too conventionally rendered. Barmvski lias not endeavorert to lift himself out of tho.nit hero, tor all that ho marks tho mazurka rhythm well. Writing enthusiastically of a magnificent. record on four double discs or Mozart’s lovely concerto in D. No. 4, the orchestra conducted by Sir Bandon Ronald,” a London reviewer says: “ I have reason to believe that this record was made only a month or two ago, for when last I saw Kreisler somenhp.ro about Christmas lie told mo that ho was then in tho process of making tho record. Therefore you have this master player at bis very best, and t cannot imagine even Kreisler ever surpassing this present state so far as beauty of tone, perfection phrasing, and fill that have made Kreisler what ho is are concerned.” From His Master’s Voice comes talk of an application of electricity to recording, which gives each instrument as proper individuality when tho full orchestra is playing, and makes it possible to record choruses of any size. Wo must wait and see. _ Certainly (observes a Londoner) choirs have never been done full justice by the gramophone. , . Eric Marshall makes his first record for H.M.V. with Schumann’s ‘ Die Lotoshlume ’ and ‘Du Bist wie cine Blume.’ Ho counts on his beauty of voice and perfection of phrasing to counterblast the sentimentality that is his legacy from too much ballad singing. . ~ ' “ I can only say concerning tne Paderewski record of a Schubert ‘ Impromptu ’ ” (writes a. London reviewer) “ that it is a record which will come down from owners’ shelves very frequently, and will never ho replaced without leaving most happy memories behind it. It. is a sheer delight of charming music, played and recorded in masterly fashion.” * Indian Love Call 1 and Rose Marie,’ a couple of fox-trots from ‘ Rose Marie ’ are top-notch dance numbers by Pani Whiteman and his orchestra, ‘ Rose Marie ’ broke all records at Drury Lane.