MUSICAL RECORDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 8 (Supplement)

MUSICAL RECORDS.

The Light Opera Company has recorded gems from " The Vagabond King " and " Lady Luck." These aie splendidly sung and recorded vocal gems from comic operas, which have made a great success in London. Particular interest centres in Friml's " Vagabond King," because it will be produced in Australia early nest year.

Herbert Dawson's orgrm records are particularly good. In D'Evry'a "Meditation" there is an occasional slightly ominous note from the podals as if the meditation was not entirely happy, but tho reproduction is very well coloured in both this and the Toccata of Dubois, and the latter is, perhaps, tho cleanest and cmpest organ record yet made.

An outstanding vocal item on the latest list is tho love duet of Nedda and Silvio from "II Pagliaeci," magnificently rendered by Granforte and Spani. Both these great artists deal so capably with their parts that the listener is able not only to hear their singing, but also to realise their histrionic powers. In spite of pleasing musical restraint and delicacy, tho dramatic situation is brilliantly suggested. Organ records have won fame since the introduction of tho electrical recording, and three new ones appear this month. G. D. Cunningham has chosen for his performance the allegro vivace movement from Widor's Symphony No. 5; and the record is remarkable for its clarity. The other organ records are by Reginald Foort, with " Only a Rose" (from " The Vagabond King") and Schubert's " Serenade;" and Jesse Crawford with "So Blue" and " Nesting Time." The Revellers' recent visit to London gave special interest to their record, "Tho Birth of the Blues"—generally regarded as the "hit of the season." This fine vocal quintet has a genius for this cla : .s. of work and their rendering is brilliant. Among the danco records are two of exceptional interest. One is a Paul Whiteman record of "Tho Birth of the Blues,' 1 and the other is a J&ck Hylton record—introducing an organ—of "Snalimar," and "I'm Looking 'for a Four-leaf Clover." There are many more in an admirable list of light music. Though the British public was disappointed not to h-'<ir «Terfisc> at Cov-jnt Garden owing to indisposition, the great soprani is available on Lho gramophone; +he new- twelve-inch" celebrity record includes a faultless rendering of two lovely operatic airs—"ll est doux, il est bon," from Massenet's " Herodiade," and on the other side, "Adieu, Forets." from Tschaikowsky's less known " Jeanne d'Arc." The reproductions evidence not only Jeritza's rich range of voice and artistic technique, but also her strong dramatic personality. Tho orchestral accompaniment to the Tschaikowsky recard is especially good. A new pianoforte record played by Rachmaninoff —seemingly to go down to musical history as of " Prelude" fame—is sure to attract attention. He plays a Bach Sarabande and the Schubert A flat Impromptu, the left-hand melody of which has of Lte secured an even wider publicity through its inclusion in "Lilac Tis;,a."* Of he two performances, the distinguished Russian is best in Schubert. There is something about his Bach playing which seems to miss the mood of that composer. Whether it is a "dry" tone or a somewhat detached nimbleness is difficult to determine. All that one can affirm, after considerable experience of the Bach idiom, is that Rachmaninoff in this particular piece cloes not quite "bring it off,". 33 we say. The recording is of high quality.

With that persistency so conspicuously present in all recording enterprises, the series of choir recordings started recently is being added to monthly. This series already ' includes the principal universities. Chapels Royal, Royal Choral Society, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, and many others. The Temple Church Choir, of London, was one "of the latest, and now come two records made in York Minster—the historic site where Edwin, the first Christian King of Northumbria, was baptised. The numbers chosen for treatment provide pleasant variety. There are two by Byrd, " This Bay Christ Was Born," and "Christe qui lex es et dies." The firstis better recording. There are three short and comforting pieces by Gibbons. The best is " 0 Lord, Increase My Faith." Generally speaking, the recording is good and well balanced.

The vocal compositions of Gerald Graham Peel are widely known and some of them have attained popularity. These do not-, however, seem to include his best, which are in the form of song-cycles and have yet to be favoured by the recording world. A Manchester man and a pupil of Dr. Ernest Walker, he has the gift of neat construction, conciseness of form, and appropriate express.on, can write an interesting accompaniment and preserve a straightforward vocal line. His fault lies chiefly in a ter'j.mcy to sacrifice variety and contrast to a given mood or a persistent musical figure. His "Early Morning" is not long enough to suffer from this and it makes a fascinating little song in consequence. So does the bright, tripping ~itfcui<r of "T. Will Make Yc> T-'h- ' Va'.v.* • ' Willia"