MUSIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22545, 12 April 1935, Page 2

MUSIC

NOTES AND RECORDS By Allegro. May 1 is the evening chosen by three of our well-known musicians for their recital of pianoforte, cello and vocal music. Mrs H. C. Campbell, Miss Elvira Wycherly, and Miss Ruth Perry will present in Begg's Concert Chamber the following programme, well contrasted and of musical interest; —Piano: Beethoven’s “ Thirty-two Variations in C minor,” three preludes by Eugene Goossens named “ Ships,” including “ The Tub,” “ The Tramp ” and " The Liner,” Glazounov’s “ Study in C major.” Songs: “ Might I Linger,” by Jalvator Rosa, “Nay, Though My Heart Should Break” by Tschaikowsky, “ Like a Blossoming Lilac ” by Brahms, “ Weylas Song ” by Hugo Wolf, “ Death and the Maiden ” by_ Schubert. A modern group includes “ Whither Must I Wander ” by Vaughan Williams, “To the Children” by Rachmaninoff, "The Fairy Tree” by Vincent O’Brien, and the lovely little “0 Men from the Fields" by H. Hughes. Cello items: Grieg’s A minor Sonata (cello and piano), “Suite” by Sammartini, and Ravel’s “ Habanera ” and “ Pavane.” Cello, piano and voice will be heard together in “Dream of Twilight” by R. Strauss, and “Nay Though My Heart Should Break.”

An Australian paper gives a description of the home of Backhaus, built on a hillside above Lugano: “ Die Tone Verhallcn Aber Die Harraonie Bleibt ” “ the tone dies away, but the harmony remains.” This beautiful Goethe quotation, which hangs on the wall of the dining room in Wilhelm Backhaus’s home in Switzerland, is specially appropriate, for, not only after the playing of this great artist does the memory of lovely harmonies remain, but there is in Alla Barca itself an atmosphere of harmony created by the owner and his gracious wife. The climate is mostly mild, and flowers bloom the greater part of the year. Tranquil, secluded, and beautiful in its setting, one realises why the great artist, who gives so much of himself and his art to his public, has chosen this lovely spot for his few short months of leisure between concert seasons. The music room, the all-important room, contains two grand pianos, some specially fine Oriental rugs, and more interesting examples of old furniture, Italian, German, and English. There are several landscapes by the modern German painter, Maserell, and some Norman Lindsay etchings and pencil drawings by George Lambert hold a place of honour on the walls.

Backhaus possesses many treasures, including an ivory seal which belonged to Beethoven, Specially interesting is an old programme of “ The Magic Flute,” performed in Vienna in 1791, in which much prominence is given to the writer of the libretto, Emanuel Schikeneder, who was also the leading actor, whilst in small letters below the fist of players it was announced that “ Herr Wolfgang Mozart, the composer, will direct the orchestra, and, in highest esteem for the public and out of friendship for the author, will conduct the opera.” High praise has been given by Walter Logge to Kilpinen, the Finnish composer of songs, who is to most of us but a name. Kilpinen was born at Helsingfors on February 4, 1892. He studied in Berlin and Vienna, and with Paul Juon, and taught for a while at the National Conservatory at Helsingfors. A few years ago he retired to devote himself to composition. Finland, having few great, men, treats those she has ns groat men should be treated. Kilpinen, like Sibelius, is in receipt of a small life pension from the Finnish Government to save him from the necessity of doing the teaching and hack-work that have blunted the sensibilities and wasted the time of many creative artists. He has written more than 500 songs, four sonatas, and several suites and smaller pieces for the pianoforte. Of the songs 241 are published. All the pianoforte music is still in manuscript.

Although Kilpinen’s songs have nearly all been published since the war, he employs the harmonic and melodic language of the nineteenth century. The most obvious feature of Kilpinen’s songs is the extraordinary bareness of his pianoforte parts, and their extreme simplicity from the pianist’s point of view. In his published works there are barely 20 songs that offer any difficulty to the normally competent amateur pianist, and when he does demand some degree ot

technical achievement from the pianist he confines the difficulties to one hand. Another characteristic is the preponderance of slow songs.

The approach to the earlier songs must not be made as if Kilpinen were a German or Austrian; nor_ must the songs to Finnish and Swedish texts be judged by the standards of Schubert, Brahms, or Wolf. Song has its roots ultimately in folk-music, and it is no more reasonable to expect the Finnish songs of to-day to conform to the norm of the German song than to judge a Maori or Lapland beauty by the canons of Hollywood. Restrained melancholy is a characteristic of the Finnish race, and it is in Kilpinen as a Finn that we have the clue to the songs to Finnish texts. For all his tendency to confine himself to a limited number of patterns in his pianoforte parts, and the scarcity of dramatic songs among his output, the belief has been expressed that time will prove Kilpinen to be the greatest song-writer since Wolf. It may take a little while before we can wean ourselves from the warmth of the German romantic lied and the comfortable, luxurious feeling that goes with it, but theie will coma a time when Kilpinen’s name will be classed with those of the great masters of song.

The big orchestral recording of the month is that of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, under Leopold Stokowski. It is a complete change from the solid and mighty mass of sound one is used to hearing from this big orchestra, for the work chosen is Ravel’s “ Rapsodie Espagnol,” which at no time reaches really (unless it be final movement) those outstanding trace marks on its two discs, by which one can tell at a glance that the record is going to be a forte toned one. The work is early Ravel and the flimsy material used is scored in a delightful and masterly manner. It has been described as “ musical _ millinery,” suggesting the shimmer of silks. “ Prelude a la Nuit” has a little roundabout theme of four notes which keeps repeating itself in different instruments all through the piece. The delicate swell of the crescendos, the combination of two themes, and a silvery bell-like entry are features of this side of the record.

“ Malaguena ” has a more arresting rhythm and hurries about the instruments in an attractive bustle. The “ Habenera ” has an unusual theme and a slow pulse. In the “ Ferria ” (Festival) we have gay, yet mysterious, tunes and subtle changes of tempo, and need to put the record on again and again to grasp just exactly where the said themes have disappeared beneath the onrush of new material and general clashing of sounds. The records are played with admirable restraint and tone, and should be welcome upon those shelves which hold not the classical works of the great ones like Bach or Beethoven, but are set apart for interesting and colourful works nearer our own time.

A light orchestral recording is that of Marck Weber’s Orchestra, which plays Amy Woodforde-Finden’s four “ Indian Love Lyrics,” arranged by Mibuliez. In the orchestration' we are given the atmosphere of the East with gongs and other effective instruments. The four songs played are “ Palo Hands,” “Till I Wake,” “The Temple Bells,” and “ Less Than the Dust.” Two pianoforte recordings are on the April list. Vladimer Horowitz has given a most delicate rendering of Schumann’s “Arabesque ” opus 18. It is played in a straightforward manner with the slightest of rubatos here and there.

Simon Barer has chosen, I am pleased to say, not one of Liszt’s popular “ Hungarian Rhapsodies,” but the poetical “ Sonetto ” number 104 del Petrarca from “ Annees de Pelerinage.” This is a most thoughtful composition, with interesting melodies and a slow-moving accompaniment. The brilliant concert study, “ Gnomenreigen ” makes an effective second side, especially as it is played so cleanly and easily.