MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22065, 22 September 1933, Page 13

MUSIC

NOTES AND RECORDS

By Allegro,

Dr H. C. Colics has spoken truly when he says: —“Concerts, festivals, and competitions are all very delightful and useful things in their several ways, but they are not musical life, any more than church services are religious life or test matches cricketing life. Such events are indeed chiefly delightful and useful as indexes of the life which engenders them. A musical life is led by one to whom the making of music himself is an essential interest in life, causing him to give up other enjoyments in order to pursue it, and increase his proficiency in it either alone or in company with others likeminded. When more than 50 per cent, of the community are doing that, that community may be considered a musical one.”

Madame Annette Chapman was associated with Mr Helmuth Hoffmann in a recital at Invercargill last Saturday night. The critic of the Southland Times, referring to Madame Chapman’s share in the recital, says: “ She sees that a song is a living thing, and she knows that in its words one will find invariably the key to the music wedded to them by the composer. Of course, she has advantages. She possesses a fine, full mezzo-soprano voice, with a lower register of striking quality. The middle section of her voice is full of colour, and she uses it with wonderful effect. In the upper register there is much power, perhaps a little too much at times for perfect balance, bub in the extreme notes the brilliance becomes a trifle hard.”

The Prussian Minister of Science, Art, and Culture has appointed a committee consisting of Wilhelm Furtwangler, Max von Schillings, Wilhelm Backhaus, and Georg Kulenkampff to examine all programmes of public concert-giving societies in Prussia, and, when necessary, give advice. Their authority will apply to all and not merely to State-subsidised concerts, and they form the only body with such authority in Prussia. The Villa Triebsehen, near Lucerne. Wagner’s home in the sixties, has been dedicated as a Wagner museum. Two of Cosima Wagner’s daughters were present—Countess Blandine Gravina and Frau Eva Chamberlain. Count Gravina conducted a Wagner concert and Count Guy de Pourtales spoke on behalf of the French Wagner societies. Light on the subject of Beethoven symphony recordings is given by an English paper, where the following paragraph was noticed: —“A correspondent has asked for advice in the choice of records of Beethoven’s symphonies. The following list has been made out after a good deal of thought—and with the proviso that none of the existing records of the third and fifth symphonies are wholly satisfactory: —No. 1 in C, Barcelona Orchestra (Casals); No. 2 in D, London Symphony Orchestra No. 3 in E flat, New York Philharmonic-Symphony (Mengelberg); No. 4in B flat, Barcelona Orchestra (Casals); No. 5 in C minor, Berlin State Opera (Strauss); No. 0 in F, Vienna Philharmonic (Schalk); No. 7 in A, Philadelphia Orchestra (Stokowski); No. 8 in F, 8.8. C. Orchestra (Boult), No. 9 in D minor, London Symphony Orchestra (Weingartner). , „ On October 3, in the Town Hall Concert Chamber, Mr John T. Leech’s Lyric Choir will present Coleridge Taylor’s ‘ A Tale of Old Japan.” The soloists are Miss Anne White (soprano), Miss Maude Kenward (contralto), Mr C. R. Williamson (tenor), and Mr William Iluffell (baritone). The programme will include A Pagoda of Flowers,” a Burmese story in song by Amy Woodford Finden, the soloists being Miss Noni Davidson (soprano), Miss Helen Roy (contralto), Mr Alan Highet (tenor), and Mr William Ruffell (baritone). Orchestral accompaniment will support each work. A descriptive foreword will be given by Miss Nell Warren. “A Tale of Old Japan” is one of the most charming of Coleridge Taylor’s works, and “ The Pagoda of Flowers,” set chiefly on the crowded steps of the Shive Dagon Pagoda in Rangoon, holds some dramatic vocal numbers, a descriptive opening chorus which is heard muffled at the close of the work, and various atmospheric touches.

Elena Gerhardt’s September recording of Schubert’s “ Suleika’s Zweiter Gesang is artistic to the highest degree. “ Zum Schluss ” and “ Fruhlingsnaeht,” by Schumann, romantic compositions, also show Gcrhardt as an eminent lieder singer. The attractiveness of Brahms’s “Hungarian Dances ” is one of their chief characteristics. Dvorak's arrangement of those in B minor (No. 19), E minor (Nos. 20 and 21) adds to the repertoire of short, works of an orchestra. Played with fire and enthusiasm as well as a true Hungarian langour, these make a popular recording. The orchestra is the British Broadcasting, the conductor Adrian Boult. Brahms’s “Tragic Overture” is the large orchestra work on the other disc of this set. Comic records have been made by Jack Buchanan and Gracie Fields. These kinds of discs need no reviewing to add to their popularity. Jack Buchanan’s items are “Yes, Mr Brown” and “Leave a Little for Me.” and Gracie Fields has recorded “ I’m Playing with Fire," “ How Deep is the Ocean,” “The Photograph of Mother’s Wedding Group ” and “ Fiddler Joe!” “One Little Hour” and “In Old Siberia.” Cicely Courtneidge, also a recording comic artist, has (assisted by Ivor M'Laren and Lawrence - Green), corded “Double Damask” and “I’ll Give Her a Ring.” Jack and Claude Hulbert and Betty Astell add to the list of humorous records, with “ Lovin’ You.” One may frankly feel unattracted by humorous discs, but the cleverness of the artists is undisputed.