MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20743, 14 June 1929, Page 5

MUSIC.

NOTES AND RECORDS. By Allege©. For light orchestral work De Groot and tho Piccadilly Orchestra are always dependable. They play “ None but .the Weary Heart ” by Tchaikovsky, with wellbalanced tone. The popular “ Friend o’ Aline” by Sanderson makes a suitable orchestral pieces. The solo is given out by strings and tho accompaniment is good. The latest record of Gilbert and SulliJpn vc | c al gems gives selections from •Ruddigore" and “Princess Ida” by the liight Opera Company. The singing is piquant and the listener can pick up Gilbert’s satirical lines, for both soloists *nd chorus sing clearly. A military band record is given with stirring rhythm by the Royal Band of the Belgian Guides. “ Light Artillery ” is full of bristle and is a contrast to the quieter pulse in “ Brabanconne ” and Vers ravenir.” There is not the big tone of the band mentioned in the preceding paragraph, but the tone-quality is very good and tho recording clear. A London critic, referring to the latest contribution to the Schubert Centenary celebration, a recording in eight parts of the “ Trout ” quintet by Backban3 (piano), Mangeot (violin). Howard (viola), Withers (’cello), and Hobday (double bass), says that the last-named instrument, like many other big creatures is as shy as it is; big, and not'the most tvily of recording mechanisms will succeed always in getting it to come right into the open. The other instruments all j ~ Backhaus fits in splendidly, and all the piano work is excellently recorded.

A clear record is provided by Stuart Robertson in Vaughan Williams’s Silent Aloo.n ” and Lehmann’s “ Myself v> hen Young,” with diction above the average.

Sir Harry Lauder’s records do him justice. • They are faithful in tone and Lauder seems < to be as much at home in the recording room as on the stage. .From his long list one might be inclined to select the following as outstanding:—" I’ m Boss of the Hoose,” “I’m Looking for a Bonny Lass to Love Me,” The Road to the Isles,” “ Stop Your Tickling Jock,” “Waggle of the Hilt,” A Wee Deoch an’ DoHs,” “ I Love a Lassie.” ‘ Tobermory,” “ Roaming in the Gloaming ” and “ That’s the Reason Why I Wear a Kilt.”

Two motion picture theme songs Mane (from the picture ‘‘The Awakening ”) by Irving Berlin, and Cross Roads” (from “Show People”) ore sweetly sung'by Franklvn Baur, The “ Quartet in F,” by Dvorak, Opus 90, has been played by the London String Quartet for recording purposes. It is real chamber music that is understandable to all sections of the public, and that will add fresh laurels to those Already held by this string ensemble. It is played with delightful charm, and the players have cleverly caught the negro folk song atmosphere. The recording is rich.

“ Mephistophcles’s Serenade ” and “ The Calf of Gold,” sung by Alexander Kipnis, form another record from the great Wagnerian bass, who sang .in the Bayreuth festival records. . Kipnis’s enormous vocal resources are heard in the “ Golden Calf,” in which he ; is supported by an orchestral accompaniment. “Two Movements in Symphonic Form,” by Fra.nk Merrick, has been recorded by the: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. ’ This attempt to complete Schubert’s , “ Unfinished ” , Symphony shared the first prize in.the British section of the Schubert centenary . contest. “Pax Vobiscum,” hy j, St, A. Johnson, played by the Royal. Philharmonic Orchestra, is a mellow composition which has: a particular interest in that it is one of .the two works that were awarded the first place in the English section of til6 SeliuWl centenary, contest. 'Tie orchestration is effective. “ Decidi il mio destin ” and “ E. allor perce” (Leoncavallo) form a .disc by Rosetta Pampanini and Gino Vanelli. This.; duet comes from the first act of “ Pagliacci,” where Nedda, meets her peasant loyer Silvio. Pampanini has already made a great name in this part, which is her favourite. In one; dr two of her solo passages ,we have, a chance to study her technique. . ; A record has been made of Mozart’s “ Symphony No. 34 in C ” by Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Mozart has been frequently recorded lately, and his old-world grace and courtliness are.to be welcomed. The reading of the vigorous and eager Finale —the classical example of scintillating wit in music—is well. done. The whole symphony Is easily' understood, and spontaneous in its humour. . The recording of fhe Beethoven Sonata • fn _F major, bjr. the Viennese violinist Erica Morini compels admiration. The sonata suggests the brightness and ten: derness of Nature’s ■ reawakening after its long and dreary winter sleep, .The “ allegro ” opens with one of the most beautiful themes Beethoven 'ever composed:. The. violin gives the theme, which is repeated by the piano,- at once introducing the delightful atmosphere of the work; The “adagio molto expressive” begins . with a, fragmentary repetition of the allegro theme. The “ scherzo ” is short and brilliant. The “allegro ma non troppo ” is in rondo form, arid proves a delightful arid fitting conclusion-to the sonata. “On the Steppes of Central Asia,” by Borodine, shows another French orchestra; the Orchestra de la Societe dos Concerts due Conservatoire, Paris, conducted by Philippe Jaubert. Borodino’s orchestration is easy to follow, y First one instrument carries a passage, then it is joined by another, anH slips out of the picture, which soon a third

instrument joins the second. Practically . throughout there ’ are never niore than two dnstiumeuts playing together, yet the interest' of full orchestral fttrength is maintained. - Dnsolina Giannitii has made a : disc of " Juse a-Wearyin’ for You” and “I Love You Truly ” (Jacobs-Bond). -The rapid rise of this young Italian soprano, who within a few years made a brilliant career, both in Europe and America, where she studied ;under Marcella Sembrich, has, prominently brought her hefore gramophone listeners. Her records arc _ fine, the two arias from “Aida.”- ; The Australian tour of. Dusolina Giannini is one of the im* portant events of the 1029 concert season.

Hulda Lashanska, who ■ recently ; reCur, y Headed Baby,” and The Sweetest Story Ever Told, 1 ’ possesses a pure soprano voice, developed by coloratura training/ She is an. American and was brought up j R surroundings conducive to " her artistic development. At 18 she had made several public appearances as a ]>ianist, Then her voice was discovered. She studied with Marcella Sembrich and Sophi.e Braslow, and has appeared with practically - every symphony orchestra in the United states, since her debut in hiew York. Her records are. becoming popular.

ro,o " ue “La Polonaise,” from Boris Godounov,’; by Moussorgsky, and *ung by artists, chorus, and orchestra of the National Opera Theatre, Paris,’ introduce -the new policy of recording companies to search farther afield for their talent. The singing and, playing have a crispness and exhilaration foreign to Anglo-Saxon or Germanic artists. The music itself is fierce and original “ Boris Godounov "is ,one of the greatest of Russian operas; The playing is colourful, the brazen clash ■ of percussions at the beginning striking a ■ weird note that is persistent throughout. VValter GJynee may be heard in “The Rosary" (Ncvin) and “She is Far from the Land” (Lambert). This is an electrical re-recording of the: two popular tonga, Derek Oldham has made a recording of Quilter’s “ Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal” and Clutsam's “I.Know of Two Bright,Eyes.’’ . Bofh songs arc sung with tmderetßQdisA^