RECORDED MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 20996, 9 January 1932, Page 6

RECORDED MUSIC

[By Erato,.] Leopold Stokowski’s orchestration of Bach’s ‘ Toccata and Fugue m D Minor’ is an outstanding success both from the view point or the musical technician and the general lover of music. Stokowski, who is the conductor of the Philadelphia, Symphony Orchestra, is himself an organist, and the organisticspirit is maintained in the arrangement, as well as in the recorded performance by ■ the Philadelphians. The themes are simple. The first is given out immediately in woodwind, repeated in slightly varied form, and given again in the sonorous basses. Upon it is reared a marvellously varied, intricate, and colourful structure of tone in true polyphonic style. The use of tho celesta, is a daring but thoroughly appropriate touch of brightness. Every section of the orchestra has its period of prominence at some time or other, and magnificent climaxes are built up in characteristic Bach style. The ending of the first section and of the finale are in the minor mode. The orchestration follows the registration of the pipe organ, except in the use of tho tympani and celesta Tho recording, which occupies two sides of a 12m record, is clear and beautiful in tone. The wonderful discipline of the orchestra is always in evidence. (H.M.V.) « * * * Chopin’s ‘ Ballade in G Minor ’ is not so well known as its companion in A flat, but there are many Who consider it the best of the composer’s four works,in this form, and a recorded version by the French pianist, Alfred Cortot, should be widely welcomed. The ballade as a type of song expression exists in folk music from an early day, being applied to any song which told a definite story. At the time of Schubert, the development of the art song began, as did also the art ballad, or composed song, in which the dramatic value of the story was accented not

only in the vocal portion of the song but in the accompaniment also. Like the other masters of the_ romantic school, Chopin realised the importance of dramatic expression. He therefore used the term “ballade” for a short composition for piano in which although there was no definite form, there was a decided emphasis on lyric narrative. Chopin, however, gave no clue, either by title or analysis, of the programme which his ‘ Ballade in G Minor was supposed to portray. The work opens with a short prelude of a few single octaves, like the “majestic steps of a muse striding across Life s Stage. Now the theme enters in a swinging melody with a slow waltz tempo, breaking into a crescendo with_ graceful flowing passages and twinkling runs, increasing in tempo and brilliance until it exhausts the possibilities of swiping effects and crashing chords. The piano tone is faithfully recorded, and Cortot’s playing lias both fire and power. (H.M.V.) • • » 'ft A remarkable tribute is paid by the English critic. Ernest Newman, to Josef Lhevinne, the Viennese pianist, who records the Schulz-Elver arrangement of Strauss’s ‘ Blue Danube Waltz.’ “He is one of those pianists who make every difficulty look so easy that you believe, for the moment, you have only to go home and open the piano and put your fingers on the keys and the mjj&ic will come of itself, writes Mr Newman. “Technique of Mr Lhevinne’s sort is in itself a joy to the hearer, so smpoth and certain is it; but when it is supplemented by so keen an intelligence and so thoroughly musical an imagination as his, we feel that one of the ordinary stages between the composer and the listener has been skipped, and the mupieis being not so much played to us as spontaneously generated. . ■ • He has every shade of tone at his command, and a particularly grateful’feature of his playing' is that even in his biggest fortissimi the tone remains musical. The dazzling Schulz-Elver arrangement of the ‘ Blue Danube Waltz \is one of the most popular pieces a pianist can offer any audience, and Lhevinne s playing is marked by a clear, incisive touch and wonderful sense of rhythm. (H.M.V.) . • * :« * Mischa Elman’s beautiful tone and delicate touch are revealed in the violinist’s recording of ‘ Orientale from Cui’s ‘Kaleidoscope Suiije.’ The ‘Orientale’ is a dance and is a fine example of the rhythmic and melodic character of the dances of the Far East. Cui is one of the most colourful of the Russian composers, and Elman brings out the spirit of the music. The companion number is ‘Souvenir,’ by Drdla, a composition tinged with melancholy in which the violinist is always eloquent. His high degree of technical accomplishment, coupled with his sensitiveness for the beauty of the melody he plays, raises him far above the ordinary virtuoso. (H.M.V.) •»• * * A. Fertile (tenor) and B. Franci (baritone), accompanied by the members of La Scala Orchestra, Milan, give an intensely powerful and dramatic interpretation of a duet from Act IV. of Verdi’s ‘La Forza del Destino.’ Hero is authentic Italian opera in the best traditional manner, interpreted with a fervour that is remarkable. The fine playing of the orchestra heightens the general effect of the recording, and the performance lias an atmosphere of ■realism. Both singers were prominent

performers at Covent Garden last season. (H.M.V.) » • * •. An abridged version of the popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera, ‘ The Pirates of Penzance,’ is issued this month by the H.M.V. Company. On six lOin discs the company has recorded, under the conductorsuip of Dr Malcolm Sargent, all the most popular numbers from this gay and sparkling opera._ The soloists have all been prominently identified with Gilbert and Sullivan productions, and among them is Miss Bertha Lewis, who was killed in a motor accident recently. In a tribute to her genius the ‘ Morning Post ’ referred to her “as the most regal figure associated with Gilbert and Sullivan operas” and her glorious contralto voice plays a prominent part in the success of these records. Others in the cast are George Baker, who takes the part of Major-General Stanley, Darrell Fancourt as the Pirate King, Derek Oldham as Frederic, Muriel Dickson as Mabel, and Sydney Granville as the sergeant of the police. The chorus and orchestra are both at full strength, and of a calibre that would he too expensive for any flesh and blood performance in this part of the world. Among the numbers heard on the six records are ‘ Pour, Oh, Pour the Pirate Sherry,’ ‘Ob, Better Far to Live and Die,’ ‘Oh. is There Not One Maiden Breast?’ *Oh, Sisters, Deaf to Pity’s Name,’ ‘ Poor Wandering One,’ ‘Hold, Monsters!’ ‘I Am the Very Pattern,’ ‘Oh, Men of'Dark and Dismal Fate,’ ‘ You May Go, for You’re at Liberty,’ ‘Then Frederic, Let Your Escort,’ ‘ When the Foeman Bares His Steel,’ ‘ When You had Left Our Pirate Fold,’ ‘Stay, Frederic, Stay!’ ‘When a Felon’s Not Engaged,’ ‘With Catlike Tread,’ ‘Hush, Hush, Not a Word,’ ‘ Softly Sighing to the River,’ and ‘To Gain a Brief Advantage.’ Altogether the performance is a delightful one. The records may be purchased singly, but the complete set is enclosed in an album which contains a booklet giving the words of all the lyrics..