Recorded Music: Notes and Reviews

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12453, 22 May 1926, Page 14

Recorded Music: Notes and Reviews

HIS MASTER'S VOICE

SYMPHONY MUSIC, AND THE ORCHESTRA To understand symphonic music is to get into touch with the supreme effort and achievement of musical composition. The symphony is the sonata's big brother—a musical story told in three chapters, sometimes four. The writer during the week-end devoted himself to a study of the splendid H.M.V. recording of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, a majestio work which presents an example of what can be done when the full resources of -the modern orchestra are at hand. Amongst those who are making a really serious study of recorded music, there is evident an increasing desire and liking for orchestral music of the best class, and, as a corollary, an increasing desire to know more about the orchestra, its functions, scope, and the works which have been written for. it. Miniature scores are procurable which will enable the listener to follow the music bar by bar. The listener might well begin his studv of orchestral music by procuring the H.M.V. record. "The Instruments of the Orchestra." Here each instrument is heard by itself, and its individuality may bo studied. From that one might try easy orchestra] suites and overtures such as the H.M.V. "Peer Gynt" site, Mendelssohn’s overture to "Rnv Bias" (H.M.V.), "Midsummer Night’s Dream" (H.M.V.), and so on. To Beethoven’s overtures, "Egmont" and "Coriolan" (both H.M.V.) is an easy step. Then one. might proceed .to his Third Symphony (the "Broica") the Fifth (one of the most popular), and the* Seventh. Leave the moderns" alone for the present until you have grasped the general idea of what 13 meant by sympbonic music. Beethoven’s Ninth $3 y mphony introduces choral effects. In the end you will come to Wagner's "Ring" music, where you will encounter tho full strength and glory of symphonic music.

• * « • VERDI FOR GRAMOPHONISTS

The simplicity and melodiousness of Verdi’s operas make them easily enjoyable by the average listener. He is probably our easiest and most attractive study in grand opera. Here are a few H.M.V. selections which are really worth while:— "Nabucodonosor" (1842) was one of the noisiest, but at the time one of Verdi’s most successful, operas. Titta Ruffo found in it an air for the Assyrian king which he thought pood enough for the gramophone. "Tremin Gl’insani" ("They Shall Tremble Beforo Me"). It is probably not so effective as the one for the Babylonian priest, "Tu sol labbro do’veggenti" (H.M.V., 6434—A), sung by Jose Mardones. This Spanish bass has an organ of sonorous volume and the kind of pontifical delivery that suits this music. From "Macbeth." Caruso has given us a tremendous declamatory air, "Ah, la paterna rnann," which he trolls forth with astonishing energy, and in his characteristic Hambuoyant manner (H.M.V., j).B.118;. 7t was precisely in these half-forgotten Verdi operas that Caruso achieved some of his finest records. The most important tenor solo in "I.a Forza del Destino" is the "O tu cho in seno agl’angeii"—made up of characteristic Verdian themes. Caruso put ail that possible into it (H.M.V., D.B. 112), scoring whenever there was a chance. Tudor Davies'B effort (H.M.V., D. 707) gains nothing from the English version, "O thou that now with angels," to which it is rather mildly rendered. Another English example ie furnished by Florence Austral in the prayer, "Virgin Mother, Hear Mo’’ (H.M.V.,

j D.<9B), a broad melody of the well-known l type, to which her opulent tones lend the fullest value, after deducting something for the absence of a choral background, such as Verdi loved to lend his leading soprano in her pious moments. Two baritone airs, "Urna Fatale del mio Destino" (H.M.V., D. 8.738), and "Egil e’ Salvo" (H.M.V. 189) are both sung by Mattia Battistini in his maateiful way. Those who enjoy vengeful or jubilant outbursts will choose the first; those who prefer a graceful and tender cantilena will want the latter; each is good of its kind. * • • • GOOD DANCE RECORDS In a review of the best dance records of 1923, a London writer submits as the cream of the H.M.V. list:— Tangos—lLM.V, 8.2156, "El Panuelito” and "Hasta la lluelta" (Varaldi’e Tango Band); H.M.V. 8.2135, "Julian" and "Sentimiento Gaucho" (Varaldi’s Tango Band). H.M.V. 8.2135, "Julian," is the tune which won the first prize in competition at the Teatro Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires. Waltzes —H.M.V. 8.2066, "Midnight Waltz" and "Der Rosenkavalier" (Savoy Havana Band. Fox Trots—H.M.V. 8.2039, "All Aboard for Heaven" and "Let it Rain, Let it Pour" (Meyer Davis and his Le Paradis Band); H.M.V. 8.2175, "Manhattan" and "Rhythm Rag" (Paul Whiteman and his orchestra). • One-steps - H.M.V. 8.2103, "Sea Songs Medley" and "Why Couldn’t it be Poor Little Me?" (fox-trot), (Savoy Orpheans). One of the best of recent dance records is "Always," a delightfully intriguing waltz by the Savoy Havana Band. "Moonlight and Roses," on the reverse side, is recorded by the Orpheans. In the H.M.V. recordings from Mozart’s "Marriage of Figaro" there are to be found two refined and beautifully balanced renderings of two ducts, "Crudel Perche," by Geraldine Farrar and Antonio Scotti (H.M.V. D.K.118), and "Che Soave Zeffiretto," by Emma Eames and Marcella Sembrich (H.M.V., D.K..121). One admires Scottrs suave legato pleading as tho count, and Farrar's sly, spirited repartee as Susanna. The other voices, in the "Letter" duet, ore rather dark and sad, but for all that they furnish a fascinating record of two famous singers. Mozart’s "String Quartet (No. 12) in [ G" is a brilliant and shining conception. The first movement has been played by the Cattcrall Quartet and recorded by H.M.V. (D. 560) on a single side; the greater part of the development is cut. The music is strongly composed, symmetrically arranged, founded on detached phrases. Playing and recording are excellent. * • • • There was something about the music of poetry which gave it a time-defying quality. Everything in the universe really moved in rhythm. The stars and the tide moved in rhythm (said • Mr Alfred Noyes, the poet, in a speech recorded in the "Manchester Guardian"). "The human heart beats in rhythm, or if it begins to beat in free verse," said Mr Noyes, "you go to the doctor. (Laughter.) You walk in rhythm, for if you began to walk in free verse you aro in danger of being arrested for a misdemeanor. (Laughter.) If you look at a crew on the river you find that they work in rhythm, and they work in rhythm for a practical reason, not merely for a merely decorative effect, because if they began to row in free verso they will probably lose the race, and the reason for their working in rhythm is that they find that they are free to deliver their strength more effectively through rhythm than by any other means."