MUSICAL RECORDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20112, 24 November 1928, Page 8 (Supplement)

MUSICAL RECORDS.

Percy Kahn is tho accompanist in "Passing By" (Purcell) and " King Charles" (White), sung by John Brownless, an Australian baritone.. Mr. Brownlee takes " King Charles" rather more slowly than other singers, but ho does the crescendo 011 the long noto at the end in fine style.

Tn the front rank' of nrcsent-day Scottish comedians stands Will Fyffe. It will be welcome news to his hosts of admirers that his most popular records are being re-issued with electric recording. In " The Engineer" and " Ur. McGregor," the improvement is patent. Tho new process is better qualified to catch tho subtle inflex of'voice and tone that make his mirth so rich.

The Chauvo Souris Company are a, brilliant Russian theatrical gtoup who are the darlings of a dozen capitals, aud tho outstanding personality is Nitka Balieff, whose quaint introductory remarks preface every record. Their most recent disc is their best. " Round the Hay Wain" develops into a rollicking rondo with sonio breathless part-singing in it. " A Russian Barcarolle" on tho reverse side is sheer loveliness.

Derek Oldham and his charming wife, Winnie Melville, have been delighting London audiences in " The Vagabond King." Thcv have alreadj made some (ino records of music from this play, and now Derek Oldham has turned for a moment from light opera to ballads. He sings them cnarmingly, and the record has done a miraculous thing, maintaining that delightful freshness that is characteristic of his performances

Tho original sooro of "The Messiah " was written in 1741 and took twenty-fonr days to complete, and sinco its first performance in Dublin the year following, it has maintained a degree of popularity that has always been unrivalled by any other work. Tho recording of" Every Valley Shall be Exalted" and " The Glory of tho Lord" were made in the Central Hall, Westminster, and this tenor solo by Herbert Eiadell and chorus are part of a wonderful series of " Messiah" records made at tho same performance.

The legend of Parsifal and the Holy Grail supplied ono of Wagner's most fruitful sources of inspiration, and the Magic Garden scene is perhaps one of the loveliest pieces of orchestration in this magnificent opera. Bruno Walter, famous for his conductorship of Wagnerian music, has brought the Royal Philharmonic up to an exceptionally high pitch of excellence in the two records of the famous scene, and his masterly control over the brass-basses has produced that exact balance between every instrument so necessaiy in such heavy work.

In tho recent Williamson Operatic Company in Australia, John Browulco was as great a success as the eminent Granforte. Ho is a protcgo of Datuo Nellie Melba, and well may sho bo proud of him. With her lie sings one of the greatest sopranobaritone duets in all opera, "Say to Thy Daughter" from "La Traviata" (Verdi). Brownleo has a rich voice, and displays artistry in tho use of light and shade. Melba is, of course, Melba. They also give a beautiful French sacred song. "Un Ange Est Yenii" (Bemberg), and the piano accompaniment by Harold Claxton enhances tho number.

Bellini's opera "I Puritani" i 3 ono of his lesser known works, but it is occasionally revived for some renowned prima donna of the brilliant coloratura type. It was brought to light several times when GalliCurci took tho operatic world by storm, and tho soprano role has been ono of her favourites ever since. Her singing of the sparkling polacca "Son Yergin vezzosa di sposa" (I am a blithesome maiden) brings out all the greatness of her glorious voico. On the same record she also gives the melodious aria "Tutte' le feste all tempio" from Yerdi's "Rigoletto." This is marked by tenderness and finished legato singing by a wonderful voice.

With tho passing of the years there is one record that grows dearer and dearer to all lover 3of musical history. It is the "Farewell Speech" at Covent Gardeu by Damo Nellio Melba, the wonderful soprano, who was tho greatest personality of that famous opera house for forty years. Tho speech was recorded during Melba's farewell performance at C'ovont Garden on June 8, 1926. On the other side is "Addio di Mimi" from "La Bohemc" (Puccini), which was recorded in the actual opera house on the same night. From the aria one feels the greatness of the occasion. The diva sang then as sho had never sung before, and her performance has Leen preserved for all time.

The immense demand for records of the Schubert Symphony in C Major and the Quartet in D Minor, is perhaps to some extent explicable by tho fact that music lovers in general, with the Schubert Centenary in mind, arc refreshing, and in somo 'cases adding to their knowledge of tho great composer. But tho steadily increasing call for tho works of all tho great composers on the of the. general public has a significance riot so simple of interpretation, unless tho obvious explanation be accepted, that as a nation wo do, in spito of our traducers, lovo great music. In tho last few months alono records have been issued of Bach, both on tho organ and tho piano. Beethoven excerpts from " Dio Wnlkurc." tho beforo mentioned Schubert, Brahms. Mendelssohn, Haydn, Schumann, Tchaikovsky. And contrary to the popular fallacy, it is amongst thesa records that tho " best sellers of tho gramophone world aro to bo found.