MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19269, 5 September 1924, Page 3

MUSIC.

NOTES AND RECORDS. A contribution in the Evening Standard to a recent discussion at Home on musical criticism has been made by Mr Stacy Aumonier as follows:—“'111is is a profound mystery I shall never understand. Why is the artist the only member of the community who is allowed to bo libelled, bullied, and insulted in print without redress or the right to hit back? If I wrote: ‘I went into Messrs Booster’s stores in Oxford street and saw a dud line of blankets. I never saw such flimsy stuff. And the price they are asking for them is wicked,’ Messrs Booster would immediately put the law on my track. I should be heavily fined, if not put in prison, for making statements liable to damage (heir business. But if I wrote: ‘I went yesterday into the Queen’s Hall and heard Mr Skrape play the SaintSaens Concerto. I never heard a worse performance. His tone is appalling, and his technique utterly inadequate,’ people would say, ‘Bright Boy! that’s the stuff to give ’em !’ Mr Skrape would have no redress, and he could not answer back. And yet I should be damaging his business just' as seriously as if I had made the statement in question concerning Messrs Booster.” The obvious reply to Mr Aumonier seems ta be effectively pointed by Mr Percy A. Scholea. Mr Aumonier’s complaint, he writes, amazingly overlooks the fact that Mr Skrape, unlike Messrs Booster, has actually invited criticism, not only by offering free admission to the critic and his wife, but also, in many cases, by sending a very pressing letter to the editor, urging that ‘‘a representative should be sent.” Sometimes ho has gone further and put a chain of influence into motion, the links of which are a friend of his who has a friend who is a friend of the critic. He has, then, been “asking for it.” The crude form of the imaginary criticism put forward by Mr Aumonier is. of course, of the nature of caricature. Wo none of use know anyone who writes in that style. But were there such a one I should hope that Mr Skrape would recognise his suggestions as quite “constructive”

Speaking of a recital given by Mr Clive Carey in London prior to his departure for Australia, where he now takes up an important educational position, the musical critic of the Observer writes: —“In a group of songs by Reynaldo Hahn, songs with a general poetic idea expressed by means of a continuous use of an accompaniment figure, and the detailed thought artistically superposed in the vocal part, he was extremely successful in reconciling the claims of “word painting” and of the general flow of the tune. In a group of seven Spanish folk-songs, set by de Falla, he carried us with him in his rhythmic exaltation. Some songs of his own were given with great dramatic point. The English Singers sang madrigals and modern pieces (some by GHve Carey himself) usually very perfectly. As a solo vocalist, as a member of the organisation just mentioned, as a producer and a singeractor at the ‘Old Vio,’ and, indeed, in a great many different capacities, Carey will bo greatly missed here. A recent record hy Jacques Thibaud suggest a reference to this eminent violin virtuoso’s distinguished career. Thibaud is accepted as the most celebrated of French violinists. Jaccjucs Thibziud first studied with his father, commencing the piano at the early ago of four; at six years of age he was able to accompany in public a sonata by Mozart. It was, however, the violin for which he was destined to show such a great gift In 1892, at the Concerts d’Angers, he already showed wonderful promise, and a marvellous comprehension of his subject. At 13 years of age he entered the Pans Conservatoire . Entering the Colonne Orchestra, he became in a very short tune first violin, and his rendering of Deluge s “Prelude” and Saint-Saens s ‘ created a groat sensation. Following on his visit to Brussels (under the auspices of Ysaye), he visited Germany, .Russia, Switzerland. Austria. Spain, the United States, Italy and England, meeting everywhere with ’the greatest enthusiasm. •Added to his brilliancy as a concert artist, Thibaud excels also in chamber music. . Mr Percy Scholes . writes, in the Observer: “A week or two ago I made ‘An Appeal to the Ghamophone Companies for various improvements in ■ their records. One of those most desired was the introduction of records giving a whole movement of a symphony, concerto, or _ string quartet without turning over, re-winding, of change of needle. I imagined that the only difficulty in the way was; the obvious mechanical one, though I pointed out that a more or less successful method of overcoming this has already been introduced I am told, however, that the greatest difficulty is not mechanical, hut artistic. It is well known that there is an extraordinary strain in playing for recording, and it seems that, on account of this, it is very difficult to secure performances perfect enough, especially in the case of orchestral music. The normal records divide a symphony movement into lengths of about four and a-half minutes, and an orchestra can often play for that length of time without a hitch, or. if it does not do so, the four-and-a-half-minutes? worth of music can, without much loss, be repeated, even several times if necessary. But give the orchestra a 20minutes or half-hour piece to play, and one badly-blown note on the horn.- or premature drum entry ._ or lack : of .finish somewhere, may make it necessary to, play the whole thing again. - And at the present rate of payment for orchestral playing, the cost of a day’s recording is enormous. There is, of course, no method of correction of gramophone records,, as there is of pianola rolls (we were recently officially fold that ‘in the case of ono great pianist 360 corrections had to he made in the roll of a single piece’). Yet the more I look at this difficulty of the gramophone recording room, the more I feel that, substantial ns it no doubt is, it will in time be removed. For myself, I would much prefer a somewhat imperfect continuous performance of a symphony or a quartet movement to a broken ono otherwise perfect. And so, I feel sure, would its composer.” The favourite composers, Donizetti and Massenet, are represented in a 12-tenor bracket by Cecil Sherwood in the latest budget of records. Sherwood’s fine tenor quality is admirably displayed in the number from the former’s “Lucia di hammermoor,” “Full < Soon From Woe a Sure Relief,” while “From Fancy’s Eye’’ (Massenet’s “Manon”), is a delightful number. In ballads of the lighter sort Frank Webster may always bo relied upon In the new lists he presents Slater’s “A Frivolous Ballad.” and Brewer’s pleasing “When all the World was Ybung,” a favourite drawing room number. Lebar’s captivating “Gigolette,” to which is bracketed the popular “Down on the Farm,” has been recorded by Leonard Hubbard (baritone). In view of the vogue of both of these numbers as fox. trots, these vocal editions of popular fancies should bo welcome. Amongst the recording bands the name of the Cremona Orchestra is new to the writer. It appears this month amongst the latest recordings, and on a_ first impression is an excellent combination. The Cremona Orchestra presents a T2-in bracket on which are recorded “In the Cloisters” (Torrance) and “Mademoiselle Pom-Pom” (Varney), two charming numbers.