MUSICAL RECORDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19720, 20 August 1927, Page 8 (Supplement)

MUSICAL RECORDS.

In " 0 Whistle and I'll Conic to You, My Lad " we have a distinguished and favourite soprano in two very well-known and widely-popular old songs. Madame Evelyn Scotnev sings them with great charm and appeal.

• Margaret Sheridan, great in opera, will be found here equally appealing in tliese two simple ballads, recently recorded. Weatherley's famous " Danny Boy " is world famous, while " 1 Know Where I'm Going " has a plaintive appeal which goes straight to the heart of the listener.

Schubert's " Rondo" and his wonderful " Ave Maria," have recently been recorded by Jascha Heifetz. The Heifetz season in New Zealand adds interest to his records. The disc under review is a re-recording of two of his most popular numbers. The Heifetz touch is unmistakable here—sure, brilliant, and wonderfully expressive.

"Why do the Nations?" (from Handel's "Messiah"). "Rolling in Foaming Billows " (from Haydn's " Creation ), are sung by Robert Radford, one of the best-known and deservedly-popular of contemporary basses in England. He is particularly effective in oratorio, as may be judged from his quality on this exceptionally fine disc.

Very oflcn one receives from the studios an exceptional disc. Such is the " Dolores ' —" Moraima" bracket, recorded by Creatoxe's Band, a fr.usicianly company of tho status and capacity, one would say, of the New Light Symphony Orchestra. Further contributions from this orchestra, to judge from the quality of this particular disc, will be more than welcome.

One of the early successes of the new electrical process of recording was Coler-idge-Taylor's delightful " Petite Suite de Concert," of which the " Question and Answer" is the best-known and most popular of tho four movements. A feature of this set is the charm and delivery of the orchestration, which is faithfully reproduced by De Groot and his capable band.

One of the finest renditions of Gounod's famous supplication " 0 Divine Redeemer," and his " There is a Green Hill," that has ever been recorded for the gramophone, is given /by Florence Austral. She has that opulent quality of Voice which lends itself most admirably to this class of music. To say that' one is uplifted by her singing is not to exaggerate one whit.

Those who feel they cannot afford a suite of six or more records, and yet would like to possess a complete symphony, will find a source of unfailing delight in the recording of Beethoven's Eighth Symphony—complete in three 12in. records. This delightful little Symphony is a sheer joy, and its brevity makes it comparatively cheap. It is played by Felix Weingartner and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

A brilliant new soprano, Rosina Torri, sings " Tu Che di gel sei ginta," " Signore As Colta!" from Puccini's last opera, " Turandot." This is undoubtedly one of the finest operatic soprano renderings issued for a long time. Puccini's style is inescapable. Even in this posthumous work, one catches the old \familiar atmosphere of "La Boheme," although it must be confessed, " Turandot" is more opulent, if less haunting. These two fine numbers are brilliantly sung by Rosina Torri, whose voice is of wonderful clarity and expressiveness.

In the " Danse Macabre" ("Dance of Death"), by Saint-Saens, and played by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, under Stokowski, there are remarkable features of composition, performance, and recording. It is undoubtedly one of the best of recent orchestral achievements. The Philadelphia Orchestra appears only too rarely in the monthly lists, and its " visit" on this occasion is therefore the more acceptable. There is a fire and brilliance about the performance of this " Dance of Death " that conjures visions of demoniacal furies whirling about in a wild frenzy.

" For He Shall Give His Angles Charge Over Thee," and " Yet Doth the Lord See It Not," from Mendelssohn's " Elijah," as performed and recorded at the time by the Royal Choral Society, under Albert Coates at the Royal Albert Hall, are unusually fine numbers brilliantly recorded. The famous double quartette is sung by Florence Austral, Edna Thornton, T. Walters, G. Ripley, F. Webster, E. Hargreaves, E. Halland, and H. Fry, with wonderful clearness and expression. The great chorus on the reverse side is magnificently sung.

As Joseph Hislop, the famous British tenor (he is by birth a Scot), will be here somg time next month, interest in his records is now more or less topical. Hislop has a great voice, and he is held in remarkable esteem on til® Continent of Europe, where he has spent many seasons. The Continent, in fact, is said to know him bftter than does his native country. His recording of " Pourquoi Me Reveiller ? " " Ossian's song," from Massenet's opera " Werther," and Salut Demure Chaste at Pure," from Gounod's "Faust" present him in two favourite operatic numbers. As a platform singer he is said to be equally effective.

There arc certain songs—apart from the general run of ballads and popular songs—which convey an irresistible suggestion of the refinement of the drawing room. " Woliin ? " Schubert's delightfully tuneful air, is one. Farley's descriptive depiction of " The Night Wind" is another. Neither has the robust quality which one associates with platform music, yet each in its own particular way is entitled to a place in our esteem. As sung by that-delightful soprano, Frieda Hempel, their charm is wonderfully enhanced. Hempel is an accomplished exponent of the art of lieder singing, and has a well-established European and English reputation.