MUSIC AND THE STAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 176, 26 June 1926, Page 7

MUSIC AND THE STAGE

RECORDED MUSIC. WEEK’S NEW RECORD. A feature of the July H.M.V. records is several quite wonderful tango discs, Some are recorded of the Rio Grande Tango Band, and others by the excellent Varaldi Tango Band. Tho music, of course, is the music of what is known as the “new tangm” The rhythm is perfect, and extremely captivating in its alluring appeal. Amongst the list are “Florida” and “Crioletta” ((excellent, these two), “Adelal” and “En tus brazos,” “Tus Ajos,” and “Garconmera,” “Capueho,” and “Tango Sentimental” (all by the Rio Grande Tango Band); “For ti,” and “La Mantilla,” “Langosta” and “Mi Querer” (by the Varaldi Band). Even to those who do not dance, these records must be enjoyable, for they are really good musical entertainment. One of the last records made for H.M.V. by the great Caruso before his death was a bracket of two songt, “Sultanto a te” (“Only for you”) and “Vaghissima Sempianza” (“A Vague Resemblance”), sung in Italian. All the wonderful qualities of Caruso’s voice are to be found in this reoord; from the glorious ringing high notes to the peculiar and famous “sob.” The two songs are in pleasant contrast; the Danaudy song, cast in the mould of the classical Italian canzonetta, setting off the more lively nature of the song by Fucito. As a reproduction of what was probably the finest tenor voice of the rentury the record is magnificent. The last record the great tenor ever made was tho “Crucifixus.”

Beethohven’s “Romance in F” (Op. 50) was originally written for violin and orchestra, but it is usual nowadays to omit the orchestral accompaniment and to substitute a pianoforte accompaniment ; a procedure which is in no way detrimental to the beauty of the piece. _ Here we have it recorded for H.M.V. by, Jacques Thibaud, with Harold Croxton at the piano. Thibaud, in bringing his delicate art to bear upon the work, makes it a thing of great beauty. His fine tone has never been heard to better advantage. A particularly fine pianoforte disc is Harold Samuel’s Bach bracket for H.M.V.—“Prelude and Allemande in B Flat” and a rippling “Courante.” The qualities which have' made Air Samuel’s' playing of Bach so noteworthy are here admirably displayed. He plays with a delightful freshness and lucidity and tho “Allemande” and the “Couranto”—which are both old dance'forms —are both in a very happy and lighthearted mood. Mr Samuel’s touch records exceedingly well and lie has produced a record which is in every way delightful. A brief note to facilitate the “following” of Beethoven’s “Leonora” ns recorded by the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra (with the July H.M.V. records). There is an impressive moment (in the middle of the second side) when the music subsides suddenly and a trumpet fanfare is heard off against a sustained background of strings. Immediately afterwards there is a new tune in the wood-wind, but, after 16 bars the trumpet fanfare again breaks in. The beginning of the finale is one of tho most thrilling moments of the whole overture. Two or three of the first violins begin playing presto, a series of rushing scale passages, gradually the other members of the string group join in one after tho other, until, like a magnificent flower bursting into bloom, the rest of the orchestra enters suddenly and we hear the great main tune again from the first violins. It would be difficult to imagine a more glorious finale than this. Coleridge-Taylor’s “Petite Suite de Concert” (Nos. 1 and 2 of which have previously been issued by H.M.V.") is one of the most delightful orchestral dolicacies ever offered to lovers of lighter musical fare. The third and fourth movements, “Un Sonnet d’Amour” and “La Tarantelle Fretillante,” are as charming as their predecessors.

Hugo Wolf was ono of the most important of the great German “heeler” writers and many competent critics place him second only to Schubert. His songs show a wonderful versatility of expression and style, one of which these two songs are evidence. What could be more different from the broad sweeping lines of the beautiful “Verborgenheit” (“Secrecy”) than the humorous, angular nature of “Auf dem gruenen Ballon” (“On the Leafy Balcony”)? Madame Elena Gerhardt sings with that beauty of tone and perfection of phrasing which have made her one of the greatest living “lieder” singers; she is at present appearing in the United Kingdom.

“Betty in Mayfair” promises lively music, with haunting Melodies. In their H.M.V. recording of selections from this London musical comedy success, tho Savoy Orpheans give us the oxcerpts: “Entrance of Elizabeth,” “Two Hearts,” “I love you,” “I’ve got a secret,” “In June,” “The country side,” “Dreamland Lover,” “Dancing,” “Grandmamma’s Days,” and “Love.” The Savoy Orpheans, one of the finest dance bands in the world, appear here in a new role, that of a light orchestra. They bring immense vitality and ingenuity to bear upon this selection of ours, and it would be difficult to imagine a more attractive way of listening to the charming tunes of this musical comedy than hearing this record. There is something extraordinarily fascinating about the waj' in which tho Salon Orchestra plays these two popular pieces—“ When you and I were Seventeen,” and “Oh, How I Miss You To-night.” The orchestra plays with beautiful precision and richness of tone, and the many piquant effects gained by the use of celeste and the vibraphone go yet further towards making the record one of the most attractive orchestral records ever issued. “When You and I. were Seventeen” is probably the most popular song of the moment, and its conipanion piece is of a romantic and dreamy nature which you will find hard to resist. Ivreisler’s art skeins to grow more appealing and beautiful as time goes on. I have noticed that he has rather a fondness of playing some comparatively small, not very “high bnow” pieces, and turning it into a thing of deathless beauty. His choice this time is “Aloha Oe” (“Farewell to Thee”) and “From the Land of the Sky-blue Water.” Coleridge-Taylor’s “ Summer is Gone” and H. Balfour Gardiner’s “Cargoes” have been selected for the H.M.V. debut of the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. The singing, which is unaccompanied, gives tho choir ample opportunity for the display of the wonderful gradations of volume and shades of tone of which it is capable. Both pieces are fresh, charming and melodious music.

Thero are two fine records by the Gresham Singers (male quartet). There is a fine hearty “open air” spirit about Easthope Martin’s famous- song “Come to the Fair,” and the Gresham Singers take the opportunity to give us some equally hearty, singing. Blaaw’s “The Clock is Playing” is a piece of more subtle humour, but is

STAGELAND. (By “Jack Point.”) The Wanganui amateurs are at present rehearsing for the performance of “What Happened to Jones,” a comedy which they hope to present late next month. When “All the King’s Horses” have gone back to threir stables, Irene Vanbrugh—she was out here with her husband, Dion Boucicault, in 1924 —is going to revive “Caroline” for tho Londoners. Somerset Maughan wrote this for her in 1916. “Just as you say Dear” was the title of. the farce the Victoria College students produced this week. Thoso who remember the old productions in Wellington would have found this new endeavour very different. It was, in the words of the author, Mr G. H. R. Young, “an original, musicless, danceless, songless play,” with nothing of the dressing and big cast which made tho old extravaganzas spectacular and colourful, and occasionally allowed tlrem to drive home their point a whit more forceful.

“Lilac Time,” a musical play based on the life of tho composer Franz Schubert, is at present delighting Auckland people. A number of artists known to local theatregoers are in tho cast—Bvrl Walkley, John Ralston, Arthur Stigant and Claude Fleming. Adelc Crane (here last year with the “Kid Boots” company) is lead. She has a good singing voice and a pleasing personality. Palmerston North’s date is J uly 5. George Gee, the popular comedian who was hero recently in “Primrose,”, has been appearing in vaudeville at the Tivoli, Sydney. Athol Tier is back in the company, which is now playing “Leave it to Jane” in Melbourne. At the end of the run of this tale of college life in America, a new production, probably “Tell Me More,” which has been a success in London, will be presented. The Firm hopes to have Maude Fane back in time for that event. At present she is in England, where her two children are at school.

“Seventh Heaven” has not caught on in Sydney. The drama had a tryout this year in the New Zealand centres, with Frank Harvey and Re-my Carpen, an actress with an American twang, but reputedly French. The fact that the brave Chico (Frank Harvey’s part) comes back from the war blind bits home too hard to a great many, people, who refuse to recognise a happy ending when the hero is disabled in this way.

Sad was the last chord played at the famous London Opera House, Covent Garden, recently at Melba’s farewell. Her “Art Home” the diva designated the old theatre. What a wonderful prima- donna! What thoughts must have passed through the great artist’s mind during lrer waits in her dressing room that evening ! —thoughts of wonderful nights and great triumphs and of the greatest of artists with whom she has shared Caruso, Patti, Jean and Edouard De Reszke. She said to lrer great audience: “Farewell! I cannot say good-bye.” The older theatregoers who enjoyed tho late H. B. Irving’s visit to New Zealand and met his charming wife, Miss Dorothea Baird, the original “Trilby,” will bo interested to near that her daughter Elizabeth is engaged to be married to Mr Eelix Brunner, heir of the famous Sir John Brunner. Sir John is in partnership with Sir Alfred Mond in a famous chemical works, and is one of the richest men in Britain. Miss Irving inherited her gift for acting from her father and mothor, and made a stage debut as Titania in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” when seventeen years old. She is now twenty-four. Guy Bates Post—here early this year in “The Masquerader,” “The Green Goddess” and “The Bad Man” —is off to South Africa in August. Dorothy Brunton, bright star of the musical comedy stago whom New Zealanders have not seen since the memorablo war days in 1917, iB going too. Miss Brunton is a leading lady in dead earnest these days and already knows all tho stellar roles in Mr Post’s repertoire. A Sydney * season precedes the departure for South Africa. Mrs William Angus, who died at Wanganui last week, when Mary Hesford made a brilliant hit in the name part of “Maritana,” in Dunedin in July of 1878. By the time of her nfcxt opera success, in October of 1886, Miss Hesford had married Mr William Angus. Her part was “Buttercup” to Mrs Wm. Murphy’s “Josephine.” In February of 1888 Mrs Angus made her mark again with a fine representation of “Germaine” in “Les Cloches,” associated with Mrs Murphy as “Serpolette,” W. Densem as the “Miser,” and IV. Farquhar Young, who is well known in Palmerston North, as the “Baillie.”

“Rose Marie” lias settled in for the winter in Sydney,” writes a journalist friend of “Jack Point.” “It has success in capitals writton all over it. Harriet Bennet (whoih you should have had in ‘Lilac Time’) js a singing actress —the adjective in perfect balance with the noun- —and if some of the music is a trifle high for her range, she is clever enough to camouflage her top notes so that their thinness is not unpleasant. _ Because she has so much personality, firstnighters were taken unawares, and wondered if a dramatic star had not wandered into the cast by mistake.’ Mr Beaumont Smith, director of the J. C. Williamson’s films enterprise in New Zealand, returned to Auckland on Tuesday morning by the Maunganui, after a business visit to Australia. Speaking of the new Regent Theatre, now being erected in Queen street, he said that it was expected it would be completed by Christmas time, as would also the Wellington theatre. He intimated that the Firm proposed extending the theatre circuit into other Dominion towns immediately. Those who saw Ward Lyons in the part of “Cappy” in the stage version of Peter B. Kyne’s “Cappy Ricks” would have read the news of his death with extreme regret. At the first Melbourne performance of the bright American comedy, the whole audience was asking: “Who is Ward Lyons?” The answer was tliat Waj-d Lyons was a sterling character actor of the good old days of “stock.” There was no part he had not filled in his thirtyseven years’ association with the stage. Prior to the purchase of the stage rights of the play, Mr Lytton searched everywhere for a type for “Cappy Ricks,” as described in the book. It was not, however, until he met Mr Lyons that he realised he had the man, and he secured the play right away. After many years, Ward

Lyons got his big chance, and took full advantage of it. It was given to few actors whro reached Mr Lyons’ ago and remained comparatively unknown, to achieve a metropolitan triumph in a night.