’NEATH THE NEEDLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 2 May 1931, Page 9

’NEATH THE NEEDLE

Gay Music The London Symphony Orchestra under Albert Coates gives a bright and enjoyable performance of Anton Dvorak’s “Carnival” overture. The Bohemian composer colourfully depicts a gay'carnival scene, in which a happy and carefree throng partakes in various dances and side-shows. The overture opens with a brilliant theme in the vio-lins-allegro. The second subject given by the first and second violins is said to signify “a pair of straying lovers, whom the boisterous gaiety of their companions with clangor of voices and instruments reaches but dimly.” The overture follows the regular “sonata” form. The orchestration is brilliant, and the recording very fine. J. H. Squire's Celeste Octet Possibly' the most successful of ail light orchestral transcriptions of Rachmaninpv’s celebrated prelude is this arrangement bv Scar played by the Celeste Octet. Its companion piece is an instrumental version of the “Star of Eve” aria from Wagner’s “Tannhauser,” a piece that is played with real poetic insight. The excellent double choice given on this disc should, quite apart from the splendid playing and recording, be a potent factor in its continued success. “Babes in Toyland” ■ The vocal gems of one of the brightest of recent musical comedies, “Babes ip Toyland” are grouped on one side of a twelve-inch record. There is an instrumental prelude “In a Toymakers’ Workshop,” and then follows a lilting little song, “Never Mind 80-Peep.” “Go to Sleep, Slumber Deep” is a pretty little melody, and “Toyland” and “I Can’t Do That Sum” are other attractive tunes. On the other side of the records the New Light Symphony Orchestra plays “March of the Toys” with some striking orchestral effects. This is a number that should appeal to the children. A Popular Tchaikovsky Selection Another of the Squire Celeste Octet’s “best sellers” is their selection of Tchaikovsky tunes under the title of “Memories of Tchaikovsky.” The items included in this delightful compendium are the “Dance of the Mirlitons” from the Nut Cracker Suite, the song “None but the Weary Heart,” and excerpts from the first piano concerto and the “1812” Overture. Playing and recording are on an extraordinarily high level and can be heartily commended. Dame Clara Butt’s New Recordings The month of April offers us five new Clara Butt discs —all of them exceptional both as regards recording and singing. Tescliemaclier’s and Oliver’s,“Yonder” is paired with Fahy and Needham’s “Hushecn”—the former with piano and organ accompaniment. In the 10 inch purple series the following songs are bracketed together. “The Sweetest Flower that Blows” and “My Treasure”; “The Rosary” and “L’Angelus”; “A Song of Praise” and “For a Birthday”; “A Fairy Went aMarketing” and “Down Here.” The

last two discs give us four new songs, and the unique charm of Dame Clara’.' marvellous voice has invested them with a beauty and interest unparalleled in contralto singing. Conan Dcyle Speaks In a record entitled “Conan Doyle Speaking,’ ’the late great novelist deals with two questions —how he wrote “Sherlock Holmes’ and how he became a spiritualist. The success of the “Sherlock Holmes” stories surprised him, and I he received many letters from time to time addressed to the “famous detective,” even including an offer of marriage. In explaining his association with spiritualism, the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle states that at first he had no belief that we survive death, but the full importance of spiritualism came to him during the war, and lie says that he had spent twelve years in trying to impart his knowledge to 250,000 people, during which ho travelled’over 75,000 miles. “The work is too much for me and has weakened my heart,” he says, “and has temporarily disabled me.” He claims that in spiritualism there is nothing to destroy the foundation of one’s present belief, as the basis of all religion is that one lives after death, and concludes his remarks by saying that “it will end by making"religion a real living thing." The recording is very clear, and those who heard his lectures in New Zealand some years ago will at once recognise his voice. Studies of Old-Time Comedians Another record that has all the earmarks of unusual popularity is a disc by that clever comedian, Frank Wood. His impressions of famous comic artists of a bygone era are the height of genius. Hale and hearty Harry Randall in “You ’Avc to ’Avc ’Em”; quick-firing’R. G. Knowles in “Brighton”; the one and only Eugene Stratton in “Dandy Coloured Coon”; breezy Herbert Campbell in “At My Time o’ Life”; perky Chirgwin in some introductory remarks to side two; the cocknew, Gus Elen, in “ ,’Arf a Pint of Ale”; solemn Alex. Hurley in “I Ain’t a-going to Tell”; and jolly bluff Mark Sheridan in “I Do Love to Be Beside the Seaside.” Altogether a veritable gallery of past music-hall favourites. Will Fyffe Again Scptland’s greatest character comedian this time offers us his two uproariously tuneful studies, “The Railway Guard” and “Macpherson’s Wedding Breakfast.” The railway guard officiates on the “express” that dallies between Inverness and Wick, and although there is a laugh in every line for everyone who hears it, only those who have travelled on a little Highland railway can fully appreciate the subtlety of Fyffe’s humour. However, it is quite true that, as Will Fyffe himself says, these little Scottish trains sometimes get up a speed of fourteen miles an hour. Accidents,

strange to say, are almost unknown. The companion piece is a worthy partner To the railway sketch, and both tunes are very catchy.