MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19108, 29 February 1924, Page 3

MUSIC.

NOTES AND NEWS. Interest is being aroused by news of the forthcoming arrivals from the British recording studios this month. First, there is an excellent record by Mr Charles Haekctt, who lias a long list of successes in tenor roles at the New York Opera House. Mr Haekeit is under engagement to Mr E. J. Gravestock the well-known concert entrepreneur, for a New Zealand tour. In the record under notice lie sings the celebrated "Paradiso" aria from "L'Afnoana'' (Meyerbeer) With Mr Hackett's company is Yovanovitch Bratza, a young Serbian violinist, who has given to the gramophone world a number of very good violin records. In the latest list lie gives Brahm's "Waltz in A. Major," and Kreisler's "Loves Sorrow." Mr William Murdoch, a clever pianist, who has visited New Zealand, presents in a pianoforte bracket Binding's popular "Rustle of Spring," and Debussy's "Jardins sous la Pluie." Those who remember with pleasure the visits of the famous Cherniavsky trio will he pleased to know that Mendelssohn's pretty "Spring Song" has been recorded bv them, and that with it is bracketed the somewhat hackneyed, but nevertheless very charming "Barcarolle" from "The Tales of Hoffman." Wagner is an acquired taste, especially to those who have been brought up on a diet of Beethoven, Mozart, Handel, and Mendelssohn. Simplicity was the characteristic note of the latter group, while with Wagner it is sometimes difficult to say what really is his characteristic note. He who would understand and enjoy Wagner must bTace himself up for occasional intervals of serious study. This is apropos of the fact that an admirably edited series of records has been designed to present the salient characteristics of the famous "Rin«; of the Nibolungs.' 1 The "Ring may be regarded as in a sense a the composer's belief that symphonic music could be given dramatic expression. It is an operatic symphony consisting of four movements, dominated bv a central theme. It opens with the "Rhinegold"; then comes the "Valkyrie," followed by the "Siegfr'ed" movement, and, as the finale, the "Twilight of the tiods." The recording of the gramophone version of the "Ring'' was not an easy task, says Mr Albert Coates, conductor cf the orchestra. "Musically speaking" he says, "Wagner worked upon a crowded canvas, and one must bear this in mind when listening to these records. One could not compare them, for example, with the average operatic record, which is a case of vocal expression with a more or less interesting orchestral acompaniment. Hut in these records the great symphonic orchestra, glowing with ever-changing emotional colour, claims our attention as much as —perhaps more than —the voices. For at many moments the whole weight of the dramatic emotion lies in the 'orchestra, the voices 'merely adding to the picturesque and dramatic expression. On the other hand, at times the voices with a more lyric expression take up the emotional theme, the orchestra adding an eloquent and vivid commentary." Wagner's music is very characteristic —so much so that he is almost as easily recognised as is Handel. But one must not seek to evade the serious study that is essential to a proper understanding of the. construction of his music. In the "Ring." there is told a story of revenge —to be strictly accurate, the story of the "fashioning of a ring of revenge." The prelude is a whole opera in itself. "The Rhinegold," which has been edited to permit of its most distinctive features being presented within the. compass of two double-sided records. The music is strikingly dramatic, and in the second of the two introductory records occurs tho celebrated anvil motif which is given out during the descent into Nibelheim. The remainder of the set, which comprises ten double-sided black label records, and three single-sided celebrity records, gives us a connected story of the "Valkyrie." By a happy inspiration, the publishers of the records of the "Ring ' have prepared a useful, well-written, and handy monograph which gives the listener, who has not been able to undertake a very elaborate study of the operas a fairly good basis for intelligent appreciation. The relude to the "Valkyrie" is very beautiful, and highly dramatic, though one might successfully argue in favour of the merits of Rossini s "Storm" motif in "William Tell," as compared with Wagner's. Strikingly beautiful, also, are the three records on which the closing scenes of the "Ring" are depicted. The solo work is exceptionally good, while the orchestra is first-class. The soloists associated with the recorded work include Miss Florence Austral, Miss Edith Furmedge, Mr Tudor Davies, and Mr Robert Radtord. Those who availed themselves recently of the opportunity of witnessing the dramatic representation of "Smilin' Through" may be interested to jknow that the song of that name, which is incidental to the play, has been recorded by Dame Clara' Butt. The result is a record which is unusual in the character of song for the great contralto, but +or its popularity and the splendour of l's singing will make an instant appeal to nil who hear it. The song "Smilin' Through" was introduced in connection with a super-film of that name, and caught everybody's fancy by its healthy and cheerful sentiment. In a recent lecture on "The Art of Bel Canto," delivered at Liverpool, England, Mr Charles Tree dealt predominantly with a frequent defect in vocal work—namely, the want of ease in. singing. On this point singers have an easy means of comparison. The production of the voice should be just as natural as in speech. It is. of course, also the secret of good enunciation both in song and speech. Audiences are to blame almost as much as singers. If listeners do not see a singer red in the face and swelling at the gills, they imagine that they are not getting their money's worth. This applies especially to operatic audiences. "Anna Karemna" is the title of the most recent new opera. Founded, of course, on Tolstoi's great novel, the libretto has been prepared by M. Alexander Goth and set to music by the wellknown violinist and director of the most important musical academy in Hungary, Mr J'eno Hubay. The new work was given at the* Budapest Opera House, where it appears to have made an immediate and profound impression. Hubay is already the author of one opera, The Violin Maker of Cremona," which, although much appreciated in Hungary, has not found favour, so far, beyond its frontiers. _______________