MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21987, 23 June 1933, Page 2

MUSIC

NOTES AND RECORDS

By Allegro.

The June number of Music in New Zealand has been recently issued. It has appropriately an article, “ Some Aspects of Brahms Music,” by L. D. Austin, which gives some interesting points about the composer’s orchestration, piano music, chamber music, and songs. It also contains reports of the tenth annual conference of music teachers, news from the various centres of the British Music Society, the impressions which _ a North Island musician formed of the Spivakovsky Kurtz recital heard at Palmerston North. Honour to the Wellington composer, Claude Haydon, is paid by H. H. Tombs, the cause being the oratorio Pile vxltt, which Mr Peter DaWaon is going to have produced at Ealing, London, on bis return at the end of the year. The usual news in brief, pianoforte queries, theoretical questions, and instructive editorial are present to interest musicians. We knew long ago that_ records by Peter Dawson were characterised by clear diction and a sense of rhythm set our feet tapping. " Hills of Devon, by Jalowizc, and “Devil-may-care, by Valerie —May, are no exceptions to these facts. It is in songs such as these Mr Dawson is indeed a first-class artist. He has been described as the foremost ballad singer of the times, and certainly « Boots,” “ I Travel the Road,” “ On the Road to Mandalay ” went to prove that there is much truth in the statement. At his first concert Mr Dawson gave a fine performance of Schubert’s “Du hist die Ruh,” showing that he is also a singer ol With Mr Dawson is associated Mr Tapia-Caballcro. To hear Scarlatti with his many runs and trills executed so cleanly was to realise that the pianist has a polished technique. It was refresh-: ing to hear a Bach “Prelude and hugue | so neatly played. Later the “ Appasionata ” and four Debussy pieces, as well as the barbaric “Fire Dance” by De Falla, were given. With the Peter Dawson-Tapia-Caballero artists is the clever accompanist, Mr Hubert Greenslade. Dunedin is to lose her most charming young contralto, Miss Mary Pratt, who is going Home for further study. Miss Pratt was honoured at a fine concert On Wednesday evening when leading .musicians contributed to make up an interesting programme. > , . , A most effective piece of orchestration is Sir Edward Elgar’s setting of Chopin s “Funeral March. The hopeless rhythm heard low down in the orchestra is from the beginning persisted in with dramatic effect. The first swell up to forte, taken slightly slower, is arresting. Full orchestra is followed by woodwind, and then there is the relief 'of the strings taking up the hopeful second subject. The pizzicato on the first beat of the accompaniment in the bass shows how outstanding a plucked note is, even through full orchestra. The different colourings of the woodwind instruments, plaintive oboe or clarinet, or the flute doubling the strings are heard to advantage on the second side. A feature of the record is the clean ’cello and double bass playing, the bite of the bows on the basses being easily distinguished. The orchestra is the British Broadcasting Orchestra conducted by Dr Adrian Boult. A fantasia of Schubert melodies arranged by Finck has been gracefully played by Tom Jones and his orchestra. This arrangement has the merit of whole tunes, not mere fragments being given. The tunefulness of Schubert is always a source of joy to the listener. This delightful recording holds melodies from “ The Erl King,’"the well-known waltz, “Serenade,” “Moment Musical,” "Rosamunde” ballet music, “Ave Maria,” and, of course, “ Marche Militaire'.” -

What is the secret of,a Schubert song? Not only is it the melody, _as was said in a desci iption of “ Sehubertiana.” The accompaniment in itself is so masterly, often in its extreme simpleness, its atmosphere or its suggestiveness. If it-is in chorda, it sounds very rich and full, af it is in runs or arpeggios, it appears to bo extra silvery or brilliant or smooth as the case may be. Piquantly sung to its charming accompaniment is “ Wohin,” by Elena Gerhardt. Her record also holds “ Secrecy,” by Hugo Wolf, also a master of song writing. This lovely song serves to show a distinct type of writing, mood, and singing. Though the writer prefers Gerhardt in the Schubert number, this is also an attractive recording. High praise is due to both soloists and recording company in the disc of the Love Duet from Act 111 of “Lohengrin,” It has well been said that this duet is “exquisite, one of the sweetest and tenderest passages, of which the lyric stage _ can boast.” Walter Widdop and Gota Ljungberg are the duettists, a royal combination. The climax is thrilling, the dramatic sense sincere because it is not overdone, and the blend of the voices perfect.

The charm of the record of the Comedy Harmonists is its quietness and rich tone. German student songs are given, the first by Gluck, “In a Cool Dell,” being well known as “The Mill Wheel.” In no instance is there any roughness in the combination of the male voices. “A Boy Saw a Rosebush,” a song of lighter vein, gives prominence to a tenor voice, and is a refreshing contrast to the song on the other side. Marek Weber and his orchestra show their perfection of rhythm once again in their second “Potpourri of Waltzes.” It may be argued that in a waltz all an orchestra has to do is to come down unerringly on the first beat of the bar and continue to do so. However, there is more in the successful playing -of waltzes than just that. Phrases, and,the swinging on from one section to another have to be taken into account, also the way the persistent three-beat bass is maintained.

It is this cleverness of phrase-feeling as well as the tunefulness of the melody that makes Strauss waltzes so attractive. Another excellent waltz, “ Liebeslieder,” by J, Strauss, has been played in the June section of records, by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Clemens Krauss. This orchestra, of course much larger than M. Weber’s, makes interesting work of the short-noted introduction, which is in four-four time. Woodwind playing neat, soft notes is answered by pizzicato strings, and after a forte chord, the orchestra swings its way through the waltz.

Marek . Weber’s June recording is of melodies from Puccini. The best-loved airs appear from “ Your Tiny Hand is Frozen ” to “ One Fine Day,” and extracts from “ Tosca.” With each record made by the orchestra the woodwind section is notably improving. John M'Cormack adds to his laurels this month with two songs, “ Bless This House,” by Brahe, and “ Once in a Blue Moon.” The first number is a prayer, and it is reverently sung. A deeply religious man himself, M'Cormack approaches sacred music with sincerity, and there is deep feeling behind every word that he utters. “ Once in a Blue Moon ” is a quaint song which is enhanced by rise of light and shade. The aq.-ompamments are played by Edwin Schneider, who has been M'Cormack’g companion_ for years and who is also a clever artist.