RECORDED MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 19127, 19 December 1925, Page 15

RECORDED MUSIC

Appropriate to the coming festival, now but a week off, is a special H.M.V. list of Christmas music, there aro no fewer than six choral _numbers from Handel’s favorite oratorio, the Messiah,’ recorded by a lino choir under Sir London Ronald, with the Itoyal Albert Hall Orchestra. These indndo the popular ‘For Unto Is » Uhi Id is Born,’ ‘Glow to God,’ His Yoke is Easy,’ ‘ Snrolv Ho Hath Borne Our Griefs,’ ‘AH'Wo Like Sheep Gave Gone Astray,’ and ‘Lift Lp Y' ur Heads.’ The ‘Messiah’ list is further enhanced by Edna n hornton s singing of tlie fmo contrail./ aria, O thou That Tellest’; Tudor Davies (tenor), in ‘Comfort Ye’ and ‘ Every v allev ; atul Robert Radford (bass), m tor Behold Darkness Shall Cover the Earth’ and ‘The People That Balked in Darkness.’ All of these are excellent records, worthy ot a place in every representative collection. I The following Christmas songs, old and new, cover a period ranging Irom the' lato sixteenth century (I’rictornis) Ito the present day. As sung by the English singers, they are all exceedingly beautiful, and lonn a moso interesting collection of well-known and less familiar choral music befitting to (lie Yuletido celebrations; —‘This Day Christ was Born’ (William Byrd), ‘ Ave Venim Corpus’ (‘Hail, 0 Hail, True Body,’ 'William Bvrd), ‘0 Little Town of Bethlehem ’ (Walford Davies), ‘ln Dulcie Jubilo ’ (Pearsall), the First Nowell’ (arr. Walford Davies), (a) ‘ Tlio Noble Stem of Jesse (Pradorius), (b) ‘ Good King Wonceslas ’ (arr. Walford Davies), ‘Wassail Song’ (arr. R. Vaughan Williams), (a) ‘ Earth To-day Rejoices,’ 1 The tJ oily and the Ivy,’ (a) ‘ln the Ending of flic Year,’ (b) ‘ I'hero Was a Star (‘ Bethlehem,’ But land Houghton). For your note-book —excerpts Imm London reviews of recently-published recordings:— ‘ Scene in the Monastery Cell ’ (Duet of Pinion and Gregory, act 1, parts 1 and 2, ‘ Boris Goclonnov ’ (Moussorgsky), sung in Russian (Dmitri Smirnoff and hi. Kaidanoff), with orchestra. This is rather impressive music ior those who like Moussorgsky’s music, a rather fascinating mixture ol Die dramatic and picturesque. Both sides are tinely recorded. ‘ tiei mnrla no la vita mia ’ (P. M. ■ Costa), sung in Italian; ‘l'll Perjuro’ (Miguel Lordo do Tejada), sung in Spanish (Titta Buffo, baritone, with orchestra). Tiita Buffo sings two popular songs, ono Italian and one Spanish, with tremendous verve. As usual, lie sings mostly at high pressure, and the volume of tone is enormous. Ho is splendidly recorded. ‘God is a Spirit’ (W. Sterndale Bennett), ‘0 Gladsome Light’ (Sullivan), choir from the chorus ol the British National Opera. Company (unaccompanied). This is jirst-rato choir singing, and the same may, ho said of the recording, which reproduces perfectly tint only the ensemble of the voices, but also the fine points of expression in the singing, if the sopranos in this choir are female voices, as we presume, they aro eonimendahly free from any suggestion of “sox” tone, as. of course, they should be in music of this character. The effect is that of a very tine church choir. A splendid double. ‘AH Alone,’ ‘ When You and J. Were Seventeen,’ Miss Vivien Lambeiet. Miss Vivien Lambeiet (mezzo-soprano) is a welcome newcomer lo the everincreasing number of gramophone artists. Her voice is sweet and full and of good compass. This gdted singer made her tirst appearance in ‘ llassnn ’ at His Majesty’s Theatre, and has also broadcast on various occasions. ‘All Alone,’ at the telephone, is such a popular ditty as to rerpiiro no comment except'that the interpretation is worthy of the singer. ‘ When \ou and I Wore Seventeen ’ is a clainly and melodious little number. " Once more 1 hold you to my heart.” “When you and 1 were seventeen and life and love wore new, the world was just a, hill of green.” ‘Hindoo Song’ (Bemhcrg), ‘The Wanderer’ (Schubert), .Eric Marshall, baritone, with piano and 'cello obbligato by Cedric Sharpe. Eric Marshall is in line voice in both these songsV Although it is difficult to his singing of Schubert’s j unions ' llandcrer,’ to our cars his rendering ot Bcmbcrg's beautiful ‘Hindoo Song’ is more artistically satisfying. The beauty of the song is enhanced by the very effective ’cello obbligato. ‘ Bells of the Sea,’ ‘ Beyond Dm I Sunset,’ Peter Dawson. Beicr Daw- ' son favors ns with two line numbers in hi.s own inimitable fashion. ‘ Bells of the Sea’ is a song of Lite mariner on his ship, ‘‘whore the. white loam 1 Jlics and out where (he breakers roar,” listening for the bells from Die shore. “ .Bells of the sea are yon ringing for mo, ringing and singing the old melody?” ‘Beyond the Sunset’ wo

think is the hotter oxnmplc oJ (he two, anil shows tin's clover artisL at his best, fill-hough it is not the, breezy Iypo oi' song wc usually associate with this singer. This is a beautiful little number, lull of hope and a simple faith in the hereafter. “Do nob weep, beloved. or mourn mo when dead,” and “ [ shall await your coming beyond the uttermost part/’ The singer adds, “The life of man is hut a span, ami) God is overhead.” 'This number is snug with great expression, and in a very convincing maimer. ‘l’ll Dream of You (wall/,). ‘Til! the Band Goes Homo’ (fox trot), Max Darewski. A couple of excellent dance .numbers arc to bo lound on tins disc. ‘ I’ll Dream of Yon,’ wa11,7,, lias everything to recommend it. It is swingy and melodious. ‘Till the Band Goes Homo,’ fox trot, is a bright and breezy little number. Max Darewski’s work is always a pleasure to listen to, and the tone of the instrument is very true and pure. Both from the point of dance and general entertainment purposes, nothing better could bo wished for.