GRAMOPHONE NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12181, 4 July 1925, Page 14

GRAMOPHONE NOTES

SOMIJ NOTABLE BECOBDS. Seven of the most brilliant of the numbers heard here during the Qalli-Curci season have been recorded by HMV Among the best records of the phenomena] singer are "Una voce poeo fa" ("The Barber of Seville”), the Mad Scene from t-ucia di Lainmermoor,” and "Lo, Heur the Gentle Lnrlc!" (Bishop). “Una voce is brucketed with “One Fine Day," from ‘Butterfly" (12in d.s.t, and "i. u . <% a , r V,' e <?entle Lark!” with Bishop's . Bcll ° Song (ljlin d.s.). The Mad Scene IS coupled with th© shadow song from Dinorah," which also appeared on GalJJrLurci s programme (12in d.s.). The Mignon Polonaise," coupled with the Borneo et Juliette" "Waltz Song," is one of the best of all, while “Qui la 7,oce (Puritani) and the Cavatina of Hon Pasquale" j.i^s? r * s ? ni J£ ma Variations, played by the Queen s Hhll Orchestra, under Sn Henry Wood- Haydn’s Emperor Quartette, played by the Lener String Quartette; Vaughan Williams’s. "London" Symphony, played by Sir Dan Godfrey and the London Symphony Orchestra, nnd Berlioz’s "Fantastic" Symphony, will be among early releases in the I)o----minion. The vocal music of the H.M.V* Company this month is scarcely up to standard. There is nothing very distinguish, cd about the singing of Battistini in "Non, mu Andrai" ("The Marriage of Figaro’*, and "A tanto amor" ("La Favorita"). The latter scarcely lends it. self to recording, and in the famous Mozart number the great baritone is distinctly disappointing. (I).B. 736, 12in d.s.) Beniamino Gigli has sung better than in this- latest release, too. "Ciolo e mor" ("Gioconda"), in an earlier recording by him for was a splendid piece of singing. In a newer recording it is husky and blurred. His sob at the end of "Vesti la giubba" is a blubber. (D.A. 220. lOin d.sj • * • * • Ansseau and Helen Sadoven have fine voices, and the "C'est toi! e’est moil” finale, from "Carmen," is very satisfying. Robbed of the scene and its position in the drama, the music loses much significance, but the orchestral part reproduces vividly. (D.B. 784, 12in d.s.) Altogether the Englishman, Tudor Davies, bears off the palm from his betters. He is no Battistini or Gigli, but his singing in two numbers from "Don Giovanni" —"To Her I Love," and "On Her Contentment"—is most satisfying. The real Mozart with* artistic treatment, this. (D. 957, I2in d.s.) # # . * • The particular will find another record worthy of attention: Stelma ICurz in “Marion Wiesrrnlied" (Max Beser) ami “Standchen” (Strauss). Intellectual music, this of Beger’s, calling for nice singing and hard thought. “Standchen," of course, is an old fviend. (D.A. 632 lOin. d.s.) Carmen Hill owns a voice which in happy in Frank Bridge’s “O That It Were So!" and two songs of Mallinson—“Four By the Clock." and “To An Isle in the Water”—quite charming, all of them. (E. 370, lOin d.s.)

If the vocal records nro a litt'e below par. the only orchestral release is a splendid piece of music. Tsclmikowsky's "Francesca du Bimini,” played bv the Symphony Orchestra under Albert Coates, is ono of the very pick. Tsc.haikowsky might have written with an eye on the gramophone. He is one of the few composers whose orchestration never suflers—or the reproducer is a merciless exposer of bad orchestration. This is vividly-coloured music, and there are not many works which play as this one does. The little scale passages for flute have a delicacy all their own. The ' „i| ; fi)]. two 12in double-sided discs. (D. 901-2 j.

_ Th ® much-discussed Virtuoso Strinr Quartette provides another successful piece 01 recording—the Beethoven Quartette in E minor (Op. 59, No. 2). One of the composer’s finest works, it is recorded complete on four 12in double-sided discs, and performance and reproduction are above the ordinary level. Sonorous, full of melody of the kind which Beethoyen alone could write, this is real inspiration. The quartette is one of the famoius Eassoumoffsky trio. (D. 953-6). Lesser worth are some small vocal records. Peter Dawson's singing of "Cargoes ' (an ordinary setting of Masefield’s !ync) is not well recorded. "Wander Thirst," his other song, is Landon Ronald a little below par. (B. 1930, ICin d.s.) Walter Glynn© sings "The t Slighted Swain" and "Easter Flowers" in a manner which might be attractive if the words were audible. (B. 1927, lOin d.s.) v * •>* * • The Gresham Singers offer two quartettes—"Evening." a subdued tittle work, "Comp. Let Us Join the .Roundelay" (Beale). The cheerfulness of this does not come off very well. (E. 371 lOin. d.s.) The Vocalion Company gives us th© .first Haydn Symohonv to be recorded complete—the "Oxford" (No. 36). Most nodule know the "Surprise" the ilth and 12th Symphonies; and here we have their excellent fallow, the playing being done by the Aeolian Orchestra under Mr H. Kreenbaum, who made the splendid records of the Mozart G minor Symphony. By and large, the Haydn disappoints a little, but only a little. The playing is excellently good, but the recording lacks the usual clarity. The orchestra may be too large, and the disc overweighted. As the string quartette triumphs over the string orchestra in the recording room, moderation in the size of an orchestra would be wise. One of the most, perfect releases we have ever had was the "Siegfried Idyll" of Wagner, recorded by Columbia. And th© score is a small one. In the case of the Haydn it is regrettable that such cheerful music should not reproduce better. It will please those who know the com. poser, but will convince none who dt not. In every case the wood-wind comet through well. (K.O. 5125-7, 3 12in d.a.) s * * * • The Aeolian Quartette has arranged Debussy’s two Arabesques, but have not improved on the pianoforte version. This is good recording, though. What a voice! Malcolm McEachern records, "The Great Adventure" (Fletcher*, and "The Skipper of the Mary Jane." This basso seems to throw his words off lightly; you may hear every one. The songs are rather poor stuff, but "The Skipper of the Mary Jane" is made attractive. (K.O. 5123, 12in d.s.) Two band records, both by the Life Guards, a couple of movements from Massenet's "Scenes Pittoresques" ("Air do Ballet," and "Fete Boheme"). Confessing to a liking for Massenet's sugared music, the reviewer finds this very enioyable. though the band seems a triffa vigorous here and there. (K 65128.* Better still, a Fantasia of Students* Songs, including all old friends such as "Dulce domumi" "My Bonnie," "There is a Tavern in the Town/' and "Goodnight, Ladies!" ' This is exhilarating. (K. U 5129, 12in d.s.)