MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21602, 24 March 1932, Page 5

MUSIC

By Allegro,

NOTES AND RECORDS

Bach's “ St. Matthew Passion ” was written in 1729. He is supposed to have composed five settings of the Passion and two of these are lost. Rutland Boughton, in summing up Bach’s Passion music, says that while the “St. John ” shows a wonderful fervency of expression, the “ St. Matthew’’ shows a loftier atmosphere and greater restraint. The one is more an objective dramatic impression of the death and the other more of a subjective religious impression. Where the leit: motif principle in the first work was used for descriptive purposes, it was in the later work transferred to the chorale. The growth of Bach’s religious spirit, pure . and simple, is everywhere seen throughout the work. His ever-deepen-ing sense of religion breathes from the music. ' • In the “ St. Matthew Passion ” realistic touches such as those in the “St. John’ are to be found, though fewer in number. Things are treated with more restraint. Where, as in the latter mentioned work, such words as “ wept bitterly ” are set to six bars, in the former mentioned they have only one and a-half. The cry for Barabbas in the “ St. John ” occupies four bars, in the “ St. Matthew,” a sharp, unanimous cry of half a bar only. Such examples serve to show that Bach’s tendency was to reduce the dramatic element to a minimum and to develop the lyric and personal" side of the form. The chorale-fantasia for tenor solo and chorus “ Behold How Throbs ” has been recorded by the Philharmonic Choir, with Walter Widdop as soloist. Here Bach’s stronger and personal feelings in connection with the meaning of the story have found expression. It is a thrilling chorus to listen to and is feelingly sung by both Widdop find the choir. _ The huge volume of tone shows the strides recording has taken. I Would Beside My Lord be Watching ” is an overwhelming expression of real human feeling which is most moving to the listener. This is on the second side of the disc.

“ There is a Green Hill,” by Gounod, has been recorded by Essie Ackland, with organ accompaniment. It is feelingly sung, and the opening notes are really beautiful. With “ There is a Green Hill,” on the other side the record is a suitable one for Easter.

The story of the Crucifixion is simply and dramatically told by W. P. Lipscomb on a record. “ The Resurrection ” story is also given, followed by the ringing of bells and a choir singing “Jesus Christ is Risen Tto-day.” Another suitable record for the coming time. The second six records of Gregorian chant sung by the Monks’ Choir of the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solcsmes, under the cbnductorship of Dom J. Gajard, hold “Sanctus and Agnus dei ” (Mode V), from the mass “Cum Jubilo; hymn, “Adoro Te ” (Mode V); antiphon, “ Salve Regina ” (simple tone Mode Y); introit, “Spiritus Domini” (Mode VIII); communions Vos”’ and “Spiritus Qui a Patre” (from Pentecost week Mode VIII); introit, “Da Pacem ” (eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Mode I), Kyrie “ Orbis Factor” (Mode I); offertory, “Precatus est Moyses ” (twelfth Sunday after Pentecost Mode VIII); offertory, “Jubilate Deo” (second Sunday • after Epiphany Mode I) ; respond, “Dcseendit” (Christmas Matins Mode I): alleluias, “ Ascendit Deus “ (Ascension Mode IV), “ Assurapta est Maria (Assumption Mode V); respond. “Media Vita” (from Septuage-, sima Mode IV); respond, “ Ghristus Resurgens” (Mode II); antiphons, “Alleluia,” “ Lapis_ Revoltus Est,” “ Alleluia,” “ Quern Quaris Mulier,” “ Alleluia Noli Flere Maria” (Easter Chants Mode V); hymn, “Urbs Jerusalem” (from Dedication Feast Mode IV); and the hymns “Virgo Dei Genitrix,” “0 Guam Glorifica” (hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mode II). .

J. Langdon Davies, writing of these records, says; “It has been said of Gregorian chants that all that is of man in them has perished; what survives is Of God. Which, being interpreted, may be understood to mean that they are so authentic an expression of the human imagination that they belong and appeal not merely to the Church, but to humanity. I do not believe that any insensitive person could withstand the beauty, the dignity, the restraint of the ‘Alleluia, Justus Germinabit,’ from the Mass for Doctors. It stands on a level with a Greek chorus, a sonnet of Shakespeare, a Tanagra figure. We are permanently enriched by its possession. Or who can hear the ‘Respond: Media Vita/ written by Notker, who died in a.d. 912, without understanding why people in the fourteenth century regarded it as a magical work, so that a Church Council had to limit its use? Or listen to the ‘Antiphon: Montes Gelboe' and consider how David’s lament over Saul and Jonathan gains from the very restraint of the Gregorian form?” Of the chant Mr C, Bellaigne has written: “No charm is lacking in these melodies, not even the charm of mystery. There is hardly one,of which we know the author. They are anonymous.” The chant probably came into being in the fourth or fifth century, and St. Gregory the Great, who gave his name to the chant, merely revised, compiled, and adapted the material he found to hand. Six 12-inch double-sided records hold Stainer’s “ Crucifixion,” with Richard Crooks as tenor soloist, Lawrence Tibbett as bass, and the Trinity Choir to supply the choral passages. The organ accompaniment is played by Mark Andrews and the recording is impressive. “Comfort Sweet, My Jesus Comes,” by Bach, sung by Dora Labette, soprano, is one of the great Bach recordings recently made. It is an aria from Bach’s one hundred and fifty-ninth church cantata, beginning with the words, “ Comfort Sweet, My Jesus Comes.” Dora Labette combines in this disc with a flute obbligato played- by Robert Murchie, accompanied by a string orchestra. No lover of fine singing can afford to miss this disc, while Bach enthusiasts will be enraptured with it. “Alleluia," with Morris’s arrangement, has been sung by a vocal quartet with orchestral accompaniment. This Easter hymn is given with sincerity and careful tone. “ The Star of Bethlehem,” arranged by Fagge, is on the reverse side. A church choir disc holds “ Nearer, My God, to Thee,” and “ Lead, Kindly Light.” These two well-known numbers come appropriately at this time and should be welcome.

Paul Robeson, singing “ Hear de Lam’s a Crying’,” and “ Ezekel Saw de Wheel,” shows that to sing a “spiritual” something more than a fine voice or a mere passing emotion is needed; for complete realisation, besides these things, is required the passion of tradition. Paul Robeson has all these things. With him the negro spiritual becomes a sincere outpouring of deep if elemental emotions. Laurence Brown, who sings the tenor part of the duets, has arranged both spirituals. Marek Weber and his orchestra have recorded “ Still Night, Holy Night,” and the beautiful German melody is smoothly played and carefully phrased. “ Odu Frohliehe, Odu Selige,” arranged by Platen, is on the reverse side.