GRAMAPHONE NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 23 June 1923, Page 9

GRAMAPHONE NOTES.

-■- + • (By M.X.P.) |

' Continuing the reviewing of the July.l list of records, we have one by Gallij Curci. It is the same "Hymn to the Sun" by Rimsk;>--Korsakov 3 as was ( mentioned in last week's notes as a I violin solo by Elman. Kimsky-Korsakov iis of th newer school of oneratic com- ' po&ers, and has adhered to what has become almost a habit amongst his i contemporaries, namely, that of omit- ' ting solos or recitatives that give the j sopranos an opportunity of using their . voices to the best possible advantage The "Hymn to .the* Sun," happily, is an exception, and the famous Galli Curci seems to just revel in the oppor-,' : tunity here offered. There is a subtle , suggestion of the Orient in the accompaniment, which in itself has a peculiar : charm for those admirers of the new I Russian school of-music. i His Majesty's Coldstream Guards ■ Band give for the first time Sullivan's I little-known but once very popular 1 light opera "Cos and Box." It is SulHyan., but not Gilbert, and was one cf Sir Arthur's earliest efforts; in fact, was composed by him at the age of 29. The music throxighout this double-sided record lias all the charm and grace, if! not the subtle distinction, of the later and better-known operas, "Gondoliers," j "Yeomen of the Guard," etc., etc. ] Nevertheless it is "Sullivan" throughout, and cannot be mistaken. There! was only one Sullivan. Benno Moiseivitch (the famous Russian pianist) is to visit Hawera in the near future, and it is apropos to make a few- remarks about his playing. He is said to be a serious rival of Racnmaninoff and Paderewski for the title of the "greatest exponent of Chopin." There are to be 'had in New Zealand nine double-sided records played by Moi?eivitch, which' include well-known compositions of Chornn, Liszt, Debussy, Brahms, Delihes, *Mosko\vski, Schul maun, and others. Florence Hink'e (soprano) makes a very good record of Tosti's "Good-bye" and "Ever Since the Day," by Charpentier. This little-known singer manages the difficult passages of the latter as if to the manner born. The old- favourite, Peter Dawson, gives us a fine new one in ''Hope the HornViOwer" and "When the lights go rolling round," both by John Ireland. There is a great swing with both of these. The latter, as the title suggests, is a rollicking song reminiscent of "On the road to Mandalay,'' ''Drake goes W«et," •te. There is also a new McOormack record, Landon Ronald's "Down in the Forest." It is only so-so when compared with some of his great successes. As a non-celebrity record it would be very good, but one expects great things from great men. There are three double-sided 10-inch discs made by the English Singers (unaccompanied): "Now is the month of Maying," "The Silver Swan," "Sing we at' Pleasure," "Lullaby, my sweet little baby," "Since first I saw your face," "Flora gave me fairest flowers," and "On the plains—fairy trains." These are a very good set, but will not make a general appeal, though they will be welcomed by lovers of unaccompanied singing. All the songs that Sir Harry Lauder sang when in Hawera are available now as gramophone records. Here are a fe^v examples: "O-hi-o," "It's a fine thing to sing," "Doughie, the baker," "When I was twenty-one," "There is somebody waiting for me." "Come to the fair" for joy and jollity, and come to the "Bristol" for fill the latest records. We have the biggest and best stocks in Taranaki. M.'Kineton Parkes and Co., 125 High Street, Hawera. ■ \