'NEATH THE NEEDLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 March 1930, Page 4

'NEATH THE NEEDLE

Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream (1) "Overture"—Sir Henry Wood and tliu New Queen's Hall Orchestra; (2) "Scherzo" —Willctn Mengclborg and Coneortgobouw Orchestra. From "Midauminer Night's Dream" (Mendelssohn). It was ii happy touch of Columbia's to provide, on two discs, two different orchestras of such calibre, giving extracts from the same work. Jn the Overture, Sir Henry gives us, at the start, the busy sprites to the life, with just a trace of the clouds of faerie they trail behind them. The music of pomp is well controlled, and the balance of the various elements in the Overture is excellent. The. recording gives uu effect of distance and haziness that entirely suits the work. The "Scherzo'' is not quite light enough— Mengolberg somehow congenita the insubstantial fabric of the dream, but his working out is otherwise musician- 1 ly and cultured. From "Merrie England" "Merrie England" contains some of Sir Edward German's happiest melodies, and these tuneful fragments, sung by Miriam Licettc, Clara Serena, •Francis Russell, 'Denis Noble and Ro-; bert Carr, can be heard on a record that is .bound to be universally popular. The selection includes "Love is Meant to Make Us Glad," "God Save Elizabeth," "0 Peaceful England," "Yeomen of England," "English Rose," "In England," and "Merrie England." Vocal Gems Vocal gems from operas and musical comedies'have been.popular for a long time, and two new discs featuv three favourite operatic works, The Light Opera Company is heard in vocal gems from Wallace's "Maritana" (in two parts), featuring all the well-known and favourite" melodies, which sound as charming and melodious as ever. The Light Opera Company also offers gems from Thomas's "Mignon" and Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffman." In the former the polonaise, "I am Titania" and "Knowest thou that dear Land" ("Connais-tu lc pays") are featured, whereas in the "Tales of Hoffmann" the principal items arc the Barcarolle and the Doll's Song. The recording is very good.

Dazzling Singing Tpti Dal Montc's singing of Benedict's "Carnival of Venice"' is the singing of a human nightingale. She is inusieianly as well as incredibly precise and tonally flawless. It is a long time since there has been a record with such a cascade of brilliant melody. The passages with the flute touch the highwater mark of colouratura singing. Levitzski and Liszt . Mischo Levitzski's record of "Hungarian Rhapsody No. G," was considered by some to be the best piano disc of the .last year. His recording of Bach's "Organ Prelude and Fugue in A Minor," arranged by Liszt, shows the same magnificent piano tone and brilliant technique. The treble is a cascade of rippling melody in the lovely fugal passages, while the bass is rich and vibrant. This is, of course, a piece of organ music, but the absence of sustained legato and the piquancy of the organ's higher manual stoppings on the piano are difficulties admirably offset by sheer virtuosity at the keyboard. Felix Weingartner's New Job

Weirigartner, the brilliant German conductor, who is possibly the greatest living authority on Beethoven, has just accepted the control of the Basle Symphony Orchestra. The Basle is certainly the leading, as it is also the odest, o'f the Swiss Orchestras, and the new combination should prove fruitful. In conjunction, they have provided a gripping version of Weber's fervent and romantic "Der Freischutz" overture—a work' in which the composer has forgotten his polite and polished mannerisms and touches the imagination with almost ghostly significance. The work has power and intensity, and is played with keen urgency. Tonal beauties reveal Weber's marvellous gift of invention in this direction.

A Clever 'Cellist Miss Beatrice Harrison, the English 'cellist, has attractive tone and phrasing. In Popper's "Harlequinade" taste and technique are on an equally high level. On the other side is Van Biene's "Broken Melody," which had a great vogue about twenty years ago, and is well worth revising. Few string players record better, with full value for every shade of tone.

Elman String Quartet Elman String Quartet, in "Andante Cantabile," from "Quartet in D" (Tschaikowsky). Thia beautiful Andante is one of the accepted favourites of string quartets, and for those about to delve into the beautiful realms of chamber music, here i« an ideal start. While Tschaikowsky sat near an open window he heard a Russian workman singing beneath. The lovely folk-song haunted him all night, and next morning he called the singer in and set the tune on paper, later giving it to the world to become "one of the loveliest slow movements in all string quartet literature." Records for Children Thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of various composers—both British and American—the traditional nursery rhymes and folk music are being used far more frequently than was the case a few years ago as part of the preliminary stages of musical education. Roger Mullen's delightful "Children's Overture" in which familiar tunes arc interwoven in a charmingly dexterous manner, receives a most sympathetic performance from the New Symphony Orchestra conducted by the specialist in children's music, Dr. Malcolm Sargent. The two records should be in pvcry school collection. Another set of records admirably suited to the taste of a youthful audience is devoted to early English folk dances, including such classic examples as "Newcastle," "St. Martins" and "Rufty Tufty." The playing of these dances by the Folk Dance Band retains the humour of these old tunes and ho would be a surly and misanthropical listener who could resist a feeling of enjoyment. Latest Dance Records

Among the outstanding dance numbers in the latest catalogue are: "Maybe—Who Knows?" (fox-trot), and "I Want to Meander in the Meadow" (foxtrot), played by Don Bcrger's Orchestra; "Until the End" (waltz), and "I Don't! Want Your Kisses" (fox-trot), from "So This is College" played by Wcem's Orchestra; "I'll be Reminded of You"' (fox-trot), played by Rudy Valine's Orchestra, and "Waiting at the End of the Road" (fox-trot), played by the All-Star Orchestra; "My Love" Parade" (fox-trot) and "Nobody's Using it Now" (fox-trot), played by the High Hatters; "Look What You've Done to Me" (fox-trot), and "Doing the Reisman's Orchestra.