MUSICAL RECORDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19382, 17 July 1926, Page 8 (Supplement)

MUSICAL RECORDS.

Records lor the School. The headmaster of an Auckland district high school lias lately purchased a gramophone for school use and asks for a list of about 50 records (he stipulates they must be of British manufacture) which might be considered most suitable in cultivating musical taste among the children and which would work in with Sir Walford Davies' melody lectures. The list which follows comprises numbers which have already proved of educational value in schools and are specially suitable for demonstrating melody in various forms. They can be appreciated by both the elementary and the advanced student. It is not suggested that the records recommended are in any way exclusive, for a careful study of the catalogues may reveal others equally or even more suited to the individual school and its pupils. Following is the list: —

Band Numbers. —"Rule Britannia" and "Colonel Bogey" march (Coldstream Guards* Band), selections from "H.M.S. Pinafore" (Coldstream Guards Band), "In a Clock Store" (Metropolitan Orchestra), "Martial Movements" (Coldstream Guards), "Wembley Tattoos" (Coldstream Guards, augmented), "Naval Patrol" and "Gathering of Clans" (Coldstream Guards).

Orchestral. —"Hungarian Folk Dance" and "Hungarian Dance," "I Know of Two Bright Eyes" and "Londonderry Air" (De Groot's Orchestra), "Spring Song" (instrumental trio), "Spanish Dance" of Moszkowski, "1812 Overture" and "Slav March" (Royal Albert Hall Orchestra), "Tannhauser" overture and "Shepherd's Hey," old English folk music (Royal Albert Hall Orchestra), Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" and "Henry VIII. Dances" (Symphony Orchestra), "Beethoven's "Egmont Overture" (Royal Albert Hall Orchestra). Instrumental Quartettes.—' Tchaikowsky's "Andante Cantabile" (Virtuoso String Quartette), "Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes" (Flonzaley Quartette). Piano and Orchestra. Fantasia" (De Greef and the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra). Piano and Violin. Beethoven's "Kreutzer Sonata." Piano Solos. —Liszt's "Lieberstraume" (Backhaus), Rachmaninoff's "Prelude in C Sharp Minor" (Rachmaninoff), Chopin's "Ballade in G Minor" (Cortot), Chopin's "Nocturne in F Sharp Major" (Paderewski). Violin Solos.—Paderewski's "Minuet" (Kreisler), Mendelssohn's "On Wings of Song" (Heifetz) and Saint Saens' "Introduction et Rpndo" (Renee Chemet). 'Cello Solos.—"Silver Threads Among the Gold" and Schubert's "Slumber Song."

Organ Solos. —Handel's "Largo" and Sullivan's "Lost Chord."

Bagpipes. —"Cock o' the North," "Hie lan* Laddie," etc.

Hymns.—" Rock of Ages " (Church Choir), "Abide with Me" (Gluck a.nd Homer) and "Adeste Fidelis" (Sistine Choir).

Oratorio Solos. —"He Shall Feed His Flock" (Leila Megane).

Soprano Solos.—"Vissi d'arte," from "Tosca" (Jeritza), "Ah! Non Credea," from "Somnabula" (Galli-Curci), "Ave Maria" (Gluck, with violin obligato by Zimbalist).

Contralto Solos.—"Softly Awakes My Heart," from "Samson and Delilah" (Edna Thornton), "All Through the Night" (Julia Culp),' "Three Fishers" (Kirkby Lunn). Tenor Solos.—" II Sogno," from "Manon" (Tito Schipa), Schubert's "Serenade" (John McCormack), "Vesti la Giubba," from "Pagliacci" (Caruso).

Baritone Solos. —"Balen," from "Trovatore" (de Luca), "Africana'-' (Battistini). Bass Solos.—"Ah! Del Tebro" (Ezio Pinza). Vocal Quartette. —"O, Gladsome Light" and "Now is the Month of Maying." Vocal Ballads. —"Glorious Devon," "Young Tom o' Devon" and "The Floral Dance" (all sung by Peter Dawson), "Lowland Sea" (H. Dearth), and "Kerry Dance" (John McCormack). Male Chorus. —"Soldiers' Chorus," from "Faust."

Sea Chanty.—"Shenandoah." Negro Spirituals. —"Steal Away" and "Water Boy." '

The records of Verdi's greatest opera, " Othello," are numerous and meritorious. One of the finest operatic artists in England is Prank Mullings, whose "Othello" is a splendid record, very finely supported by that cultured soprano, Miriam Licette, as Desdemona.

"Betty in Mayfair " is now one of London's best musical-comedy successes Most of the music is singularly attractive, as gramophonists will find by listening to the record of a selection of the most outstanding vocal numbers (with orchestral accompaniment). These are effectively sung and recorded, and include such popular songs as " Love," "Id June," " Grandma's Days," and " I've Got a Secret." They are given a disc definition that makes this issue as sue cessful in its way as was that giving the " Mercenary Mary" and "No, No. Nanette " selections.