MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22325, 27 July 1934, Page 3

MUSIC

NOTES AND RECORDS

By Aixeqbo.

On Saturday evening, August 11, the Cecilia Choir, conducted by Mies Meda Paine, will hold its annual song recital. The programme, which catches the musical eye at once, will open with a choir number, “God of Nations, by John Woods, arranged by Mary Martin and Ray Stubbs as soloist. “ From the Green Heart of the Waters,” by Coleridge-Tay-lor, is bracketed with this. The duets, “ Harvest Home ” and “Oh the Sweet Delights of Love,” by Purcell, will be sung by Cora Batchelor and Ivy Bain, and the choir will follow with “Weary Wind of the West,” by Elgar. Grace Clark’s solo “ Defiled ia My Name,” by Ursula Grenville, makes the fifth new work to Dunedin, and coupled with it will be Cyril Scott’s “ Lullaby. “ The Spring Wind ” (Eric Thiman) and “Magdalen at Michael’s Gate" (Ethel Boyce) will be given by Marjorie Fish and Grace Clark, and Alice Ewart’s songs will be “ Chanson Norvegienne,” by Fourdrain, and “A des Oiseaux,” by Georges Hue. Three choir numbers follow —“ The Fairies Were Tripping” (E. Douglas Tayler), “My Love is o’er the Sea ” (Gordon Jacob), and Schubert’s “The Lord, is My Shepherd.” Two classical numbers will be given by Alison Tyrie, Handel’s “ Verdant Meadows” and Schubert’s “ Wonder,” and this singer will be heard with Edna Clark in two duets from Tschaikowsky’s “ The Queen of Spades.” Margaret Beattie’s solos “Oh Thou Waving Fields of Corn,” by Rachmaninoff, and “Love Went A Riding,” by Frank Bridge, are to be followed by the choir numbers “In the Warm, Blue Summer Weather ” and “ Sleep Little Baby,” from Colin Taylor’s “Two Songs of the Madonna.” Alice Ewart is soloist. Another work unknown to the town is the: choir’s “ Hungarian Dancing Song,” an exciting work, of Kodaly’s arrangement. Olga Hurribg, Phyllis Anderson, and Nellie Whitworth are to sing Gluck’s “Turn, Turn My Busy Wheel.” Granville Bantock’s “Lament of Isis” and “ Praise Ye the Lord ” will be Miss Thelma Paine’s numbers, and Basil Harwood’s “An Old Man Came Courting Me,” with Ray Stubbs as soloist, finishes this attractive programme. August is to hold more than one recital. On the 18th Mrs H. C. Campbell and Miss Mary Fraser will be heard in a two-piano programme, and on the 15th Columba College and the Oriana Singers under Miss Ida White’s directorship will give an evening of vocal and choral works representing the development of song through the ages, from the oldest folk songs, sixteenth century church music, madrigals and other charming old compositions to modern British works. With a choir of some 120 voices for some of , the items this should prove an attraction indeed. The concert is for the Sara Cohen Open Air School for Physically Defective Children.

Yehudi Menuhin has planned to, take a year’s holiday from concert-giving in 1936. Next year he is to undertake a round-the-world tour—England and Scotland, the United States and Canada, Honolulu, Australia and New Zealand. Then he proposes to. retire to his house at Yille d’Ayray, near Paris, for a 12 months’ respite. This plan entails a sacrifice of £20,000 at his present rate of remuneration.

Schonberg has transcribed for 'cello a harpsichord concerto by the eighteenth century Viennese composer G. M. Monn, and thus enriches the 'cellist’s repertoire. The cello seems to have more transcriptions on its list than perhaps any other instrument.

A Finnish composer who has been causing interest in Continental musical circles is Yrio Kilpinen, who is just 40, and has already written nearly 300 songs. The early ones are settings of Finnish and Swedish texts. More recently he has turned his attention to Christian Morgenstern, the German poet. He has also written several songs to English texts, but these are still in manuscript. Kilpinen’e reputation has grown rapidly during the past two years. In Germany and Scandinavia Gerhard Husch has given seyeral recitals of his songs, and it . was this singer who last winter gave the first public performance of several of them in London.

Backhaps appears on a record this month playing Grieg’s "A minor” concerto. This work needs no introduction. Its first movement was recently played here with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra. It is this work which is perhaps Greig’s most popular composition, and to be able to procure a recording of it with Backhaus as solo pianist is a privilege. John Barbirolli is the conductor, the New Symphony the orchestra. The new Light Symphony Orchestra provides popular light music in its disc of Hadyn Wood’s “Roses of Picardy ” and “A Brown Bird Singing.” On another record this orchestra has played “Glow Worm Idyll,” by Lineke, and “ Danse des Apaches,” by Clarke. Mendelssohn, the writer of charming sunny music, is perhaps most loved for his “ Songs Without Words.” The n’mplenees of these is their charm. Mark Hambourghas recorded numbers 3, opus 102, the “ Spring Song,” number 6, opus 19, and “ The Bees’ Wedding.” Sydney Gustard’a kinema organ recording of “ Bells Across the Meadow,” by Ketelbey, shows that the player knows what he is about and understands his instrument. “In An Old-fashioned Town,” by Squire, is the second number. The London Palladium Orchestra, which plays the lighter type of music very well, has chosen “The Whistler and His Dog,” by Pryor, for its July recording. Perry’s “The Warbler’s Serenade,” makes a contrasting number. Stuart Robertson, who is noted for his jolly recordings, has taken two well-known sea songs this month and made of them an attractive disc. With male chorus and orchestra he has sung “The Saucy Arethusa ” and “ The Bay of Biscay.” Derek Oldham’s latest recording is of two Hadyn Wood songs “ Roses of Picardy” and “Love’s Garden of Roses.” Popular songs are “The Harbour of Home, Sweet Home,” and " One Morning in May,” sung by Lanny Ross, an American radio singer. This is his first appearance on records.

Raie da Casto, the popular jazz pianist, has recorded "One Minute to One" and "How Could We Be Wi*ong,” played In a clever manner.