MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22391, 12 October 1934, Page 3

MUSIC

NOTES AND RECORDS By Allegro. With the death of Fanny Davies, the pianist, a link with Schumann has been broken. Dr W. Arundel Orchard says of her:—“l think it is not generally realised that this lady was one of Clara Schumann’s most brilliant students, and in this way was an important' link with the great composer, Robert Schumann. I remember hearing her play at the old St. James’s Hall, London, about 1890, when she took part in a performance of Brahms’ Trio for pianoforte, violin, and French horn. I believe this was the first London performance. The other players were the famous violinist, Joachim, and Paersch, the horn player sent by Brahms (who was then living) from Vienna for this occasion. Subsequently, I heard Fanny Davies give a fine performance of Schumann’s Piano Concerto, which she had, of course, studied with Madame Schumann, who would have passed on to her the composer’s interpretation. At thsft period, she was a very popular pianist. I heard her again a few years ago, when she, gave her last recital at the Wigmore Hall, which held a crowded audience. She was, of course, but a pale reflection of her former days; yet the style was there, and, considering all things, she was rather wonderful.” Recently we heard sung here the little “ Fairy Song ” from “ The Immortal Hour.” Mr Rutland Boughton, the composer of this very successful work, has completed another opera. Its title is “ The Lily Maid,” and the first performance took place at the Church Institute, Stroud, on September 10. Rumania is not generally ranked amongst the most musical European nations, yet in the past year no fewer than 129 performances have been given at the Bucharest Opera, while the Rumanian Philharmonic Orchestra has been touring Jugoslavia and a Rumanian military band of 700 performers has visited both Poland and Czechoslovakia. In the library of Laxenburg Castle, Austria, the discovery has been made of the manuscript of two marches composed by Beethoven in 1809, in honour of the then Empress of Austria. • The 200th anniversary of Sacchini s birth has passed unnoticed in the big musical centres of the world, which is strange, considering the fame the composer enjoyed in his lifetime, says a critic. His opera, “ CEdipe a Colonue,’ was performed 583 times in Paris —a iccord which Gluck himself has not surpassed. Although born in the neighbourhood of Naples, Sacchini lived mainly in Germany, in London, and finally in Paris, where he died, Burney says that the Parisians adored him. He was also a great favourite with Marie Antoinette, to whom he had been introduced by his patron, Joseph 11. It is said that he died of a broken heart when he believed he had lost the Queen’s favour and the opportunity of seeing his “ (Edipe ” at the opera. He died in 1786. The opera he loved so well and which was to prove so enormously popular was adopted in the opera repertory in 1787. The British Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Adrian Boult, has recorded Bach’s D major suite No. 3. The suite consists of “ Overture,” “Air,” " Gavotte,” ■“ Bouree,” and “ Gigue." “ Prelude ” fropi the sixth violin sonata in E. arranged by PickMangragalli, is on the second side. W.e read that the idea of arranging Bach and Handel for full orchestra came up some years ago at a meeting between Elgar and Strauss. They agreed to write one each. Elgar fulfilled his part, but Strauss apparently forgot all about it. It is rather a pity, says a London reviewer. It would be enormously interesting to bo able to compare the treatment of two such masters of orchestration. One never hears the Brahma E F lat “ Scherzo ” without remembering that Liszt read it easily by sight and tossed it off at Brahms’ visit in 1853._ Backhaufl has recorded it with D major and D minor “ Ballades." Other Brahms piano discs by Backhaus recently issued are the “Waltzes” 1,2, and 15, the “Hungarian Dances,” 2 and 7, the G minor “Rhapsody,” and the Intermezzos in A minor and A. “Symphonic Espagnole” opus 21 by Lalo is Yehudi Menuhin’s latest recording. The orchestra accompanying him is the Orchestra Symphonique de Paris, under Georges Enesco. The work is a difficult one. but it is beautifully played. A Dunedin musician who has heard Menuhin ranks him with Kreisler and the other great ones of the violin. Though a child he plays with the marvellous tone and understanding of u grown man, to say nothing of his brilliant technique. Musical genius, it has often been noted, is apt to run in families. There are to-day in London the Harrison sisters and the d’Aranyi sisters. The de Reske brothers and the Milanollo sisters are other names that come to the mind. The latest instance is provided by the Menuhin family. Yehudi’s violin has been matched for some time by the pianoforte playing of his younger sister, Hephzibali, and we are told that records made of their performances proclaim her a pianist of very exceptional talents. Having reached the age of 14, the time has come for Hephzibah to make her first public appearance. This will take place in Paris, where she will play in a programme of piano and violin sonatas with her brother Yehudi. “ Glory of the Motherland,” by M’Call, and “ England,” by Besley, are two more clearly enunciated records by Peter Dawson. The New Light Symphony Orchestra may be heard in “ Prelude ” by Hadyn Wood, a new composition from this writer, and “ Intermezzo,” by ColeridgeTaylor. “ Drury Lane Memories,” played by Sydney Gustard on a kinema organ, introduce the following:—“OF Man River” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man ” (Show Boat); “ Don’t Say Good-bye ” (Wild Violets); “Indian Love Call” (Rose Marie); “ Funny Little Sailor Men ” (New Moon); “Rose Marie”; “My Sword and I ” (Three Musketeers); “ The Riff Song” and “The Desert Song” (Desert Song); “Lover, Come Back To Me” (New Moon): “You, Just Yon” (Wild Violets); and “ Totem, Tom-Tom ” (Rose Marie).