RECORDED MUSIC

Northern Advocate, 4 February 1928, Page 2

RECORDED MUSIC

- ;.— — ! NEWS 01' THE WEEK. | A BRILLIANT FRENCH TENOR. , | Columbia 04019.— 11 ‘ Romeo et Juliette —Cavatina (Gounod)— and Carmen— Flower Song (Bizet).— Sung by Georges Thill (Tenor do I'Opera). M. Thill made a sensation with J .his first record, which I. had ■ the I pleasure of reviewing about a month j ago, and this, his second effort, fully lives up to the same high standard. It is not that lie has an exceptionally fine voice, but there is something so attractively manly about it, and his style, for all its forcefulness, is so easy and flowing. The familiar qualities of the French School, are “writ large” over both these airs. I am not sure as to M. Thill's nationality, but I do know that his accent is pure, his style free from tricks or mannerism, and his powerful 6 tenor voice fairly steady; also that he is engaged at, the Paris Opera, where he sang excerpts from “Carmen” and “Romeo” under the direction of M. Phillippe Gaubert. He sings the beautiful Cavatina from ‘ ‘ Romeo'' superbly, and the high B's are splendidly given. The Flower Song from Carmen is- quite a contrast in style, but M, Thill makes the most of its lyrical and impassioned strains. A wonderful singer wonderfully recorded-. A GREAT ENGLISH COMPOSER. Columbia 04020. —A Trumpet Voluntary (Purcell) and Solemn Melody (Walford Davies). —Halle Orchestra, conducted by Sir Hamilton Harty. The last year or two has seen a sudden and none-to-early re-awaken-ing 5f public interest in the work of the great English composers, of whom Purcell ranks among the very highest. Indeed, a recent French critic goes so far as to claim for himan honoured place among the very few immortals. His work is typically English, and he feels his tunes along a firm line of melody—a process entirely satisfactory to the average British mind. Alex Harris is the trumpeter in this piece, which Sir Henry Wood has decked out in the true Restoration style. It is a revelation in brass quality, and the unusual combination with -organ results in a-ton© colour which is rich, brilliant and, extremely effective. On the -other side is given Sir Waif or! Davies’ “Solemn Melody” in its original form (with both organ and 'cello) written for the tercentenary celebration on - December. 9th, 1908, of-Milton's death, it has a fine dignity. In this piece and the Purcell, Harold Dawber, the Halie Orchestra's excellent chorus master, makes the organ ! combine .with the orchestra to .perfection, and Clyde Twelvetrees gives 1 . a stirring , performance with .the solo 'cello.

, A SAINT-SAENS MASTERPIECE. Columbia 04021.—Danse , Macabre (Saint-Saens)., In two parts.—Sir Henry Wood conducting the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra. . “A Death Dance” quotation from Henri CazaliV poem is appended by Saint*SajehsfaS. a motio td the score of his well-known Symphonic poem, VDance of Death.” This bizarre work begins ' with the striking of midnight, when - the wild orgy of skeletons commences, The solo violin impersonates Death, playing a very sorrowful and beautiful melody. Eventually the cock crows, everything quietens down and vanishes. The work, by the way, has additional interest because it first used a xylophone in a concert orchestra (to represent the rattling of the skeleton’s bones as they dance).

The Danse Macabre reveals the best of Saint-Saens’ perfect command of the technical process of expression, and his extreme readiness in thematic development and superb orchestration. This recording (in the great Scala Theatre, London) by Sir Henry Wood and his famous orchestra, secures all the appropriate eerincss in this rendering of the fantastic music,. and the , record ranks high as a triumph of ,re-. cording.