RECORDED MUSIC

Evening Star, Issue 21630, 27 January 1934, Page 6

RECORDED MUSIC

[By Euato.'l

The success of Arthur Schnabel’s recordings of the ‘ Emperor ’ and the first piano concertos of Beethoven has been so outstanding that the great pianist has now recorded the ‘ Fourth Piano Concerto in G Major ’ (op. 58), which belongs to the most important period of his life. The work was completed about 1807, and the composer requested his favourite pupil, Ferdinand Hies, to play it at the first public performance, giving him five days in which to learn it. The young pianist naturally declined the lionour, and Beethoven, fuming with rage, went to another of his pupils, Stein, with the same request. The latter accepted it at first, nut a few days later informed the composer that ho was unable to learn the music in such a short space of time. Eventually Beethoven was forced to play the concerto himself at the memorable concert on December 22, 1808, at which the fifth and sixth symphonies were performed for the first time. It was a dull, very cold day, with heavv clouds hanging over Vienna; and a mantle of snow covered all roofs and streets. Very few people ventured to go out, and Beethoven was grieved to mtice that even some of his warmest admirers had stayed away. As was the custom of the day, Beethoven K’ d the concerto with the music in of him, and conducting the orchestra from the piano. Unlike the third and fifth concertos, the 6 major opens with a piano phrase introducing the principal subject, after which the orchestra plays a long “tutti” of sixty-eight bars. There is a cadenza towards the . end of the movement. The andante is very short, consisting of only seventy-two bars, opening in the key. of B minor with a short orchestral introduction, after which the piano introduces a beautiful theme. This movement is in dialogue form, the solo instrument playing a peaceful melody contrasted with vigorous, rhythmic orchestral passages for strings only. The last movement is one of those charming rondos, of which Beethoven was a supreme master. Its brightness is of a deeply romantic character, and towards the end another cadenza is provided, Beethoven marking on the score that it “ should be short ” (“ sia corte ”). As in his previous recordings Arthur Schnabel re- * veals not only beauty of tone, and a

poetical interpretation, but a wealth of detail which escapes the average performer. * * * * Weber’s delicious ‘ Oberon ’ overture is recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of the famous German conductor, Dr Leo Blech. While listening to this sparkling overture, one could'scarcely im agine that it had been written by a man who was suffering from a fatal malady. The scene of the opera opens in fairyland, where a bevy of fairies are watching the slumbering of Oberon. The fairy king has quarrelled with Titania, and has vowed never to be reconciled to her until he. finds two lovers constant to each other through trial and temptation. These two lovers Puck finds in Sir Huon of Bordeaux and Ilezia. Through many vicissitudes he leads them, but by the aid or a magic horn and their constancy, their troubles are finally over, and they bring happiness once more ta Oberon and his queen. At the beginning of the overture the magic horn call is heard, followed by its echo: by its potent spell all the magic enchantments of fairyland are conjured up. Then with a sudden crash the first subject of the allegro con fucco commences with a rapid figure for the violins. The second subject,, which'is first given by the clarinet, to be - later taken by the strings, is the melody of Sir Huop s love song. This is in turn followed by a third subject taken from Bozia s grand scene, 1 Ocean, Thou , Mighty Monster.’ A short free fantasia, based largely on the second subject. is followed by the recapitulation of the first and third subjects, and a short but brilliant coda brings the work to a conclusion. The overture is a favourite concert piece, and under Dr Leo Blech the London Symphony Orchestra gives it a polished and outstanding rendering full of vitality and glorious in tone. * * * * Vladimir Horowitz, the most renowned of the younger pianists, has chosen a work never previously recorded and very seldom played— Liszt’s “Les Funerailles,” from the collection entitled ‘ Harmonies poetiques et religieuses,’ composed between 1846 and 1850. It was the deeply religious under-current of Liszt s nature that must have been inspired by Lamartine, for he prefaced the Hai monies poetiques’ with the French poet s words “There exist meditative souls whom’ solitude and contemplation invincibly lift up towards infinite ideas; that is, towards religion. The ten compositions comprising the collection gave Liszt more scope for deep feeling and expression, than many of his other piano works, in which brilliancy seems to have been one of the principle objects. Indeed, several of these compositions are decidedly mournful and even \depressing. The ‘ Funerailles is very beautiful in its depth of expression and sorrow, and was composed in memory of three friends who fell in the Hungarian war for independence in 1849, which was at first successfully fought against Austria, hut ruthlessly suppressed with the help of jjussia. Having spent most of his life in Paris and in travelling over Europe, Liszt, unlike Chopin, was too eclectic to take very great interest in his own country, Hungary. Nevertheless, the momentous events of 1849, when his countrymen valiantly struck for independence, deeply stirred him. ‘ Les

Funerailles,’ therefore, is the reflection not only of the loss of his three brave friends, hut of, the tragedy which befell Hungary, and, in its deep mourning, the music reveals a convincing sincerity. This quality i 3 strongly emphasised by Horowitz, who plays with his remarkable insight and crispness. There is. ample power and sonority, coupled with a soothing quality in the subdued passages. Apart from the memorable set ot Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto, and two or three ten-inch records, * Les Funerailles ’ is the first twelve-inch record so far released of the great pianist’s interpretation. The care bestowed on the minutest detail, his superb phrasing, and expressive playing place Hqrowitz among the greatest of living pianists, •.* • , Those school teachers and others who are responsible for the musical education of the children of the dominion will be vitally interested in the melody, lectures which have been recorded by! Sir Walford Davies, who is the foremost musical educationist in England and whose radio lectures at Home have long been a feature of the 8.8.0. programmes. The titles of the talks are as follows; —‘ On Melodic Outline,’' ‘ Eight Definitions.’ ‘ On Scales,’ ‘ Ort Musical Meanings,’ ‘On Adventure,’! ‘On Balance,’ ‘ Finishing Touches, *l. ‘ On Cadence,’ ‘ On Complete Melody, 1 and ‘ Beethoven at Work.’/ They are contained on six double-sided discs, and there are three supplementary 1 , discs containing instrumental music (violin and piano) by Handel and Beethoven for further purposes of illustration. The instrumental illustrations accompanying the talks »rej played by -Miss Marjorie Hayward. an<f the lecturer, and in the supplementary,' disc by the same players assisted l oyj Mr C. Sharpe (’cello). A ‘Listener’s Guide Book ’ for use with these records has been published, and should be of value, especially to those who listen to the records without . assistance from a skilled musician in the solution of difficulties. Sir Walford Davies, however, certainly does his best? to make his meaning plain, and given' a certain amount of elementary musical knowledge these talks can he followed by any student with pleasure, and profit.