THE GRAMOPHONE

Southland Times, Issue 18928, 30 April 1923, Page 6

THE GRAMOPHONE

(By

“Vox Populi.”)

In a selection of H.M.V. records from The Bristol which I looked over during the week-end, one of the mest impressive was a fine Neapolitan song, “Pecche?” sung by Caruso (2-052098). It is sung dramatically, rich in emotion, and it displays that magnificent voice with great effect. This must be numbered amongst the best of Caruso’s records. Chaliapin is probably the greatest actcr in opera to-day —some claim him as the greatest actor living—and in his hands Schumann’s “The Two Grenadiers” becomes a wonderful thing. It is sung in Russian, but the text of the song is so well known, and the singer’s histrionism so revealing that one understands every werd and note (2-022007). Ruffo has a more flexible voice, and he invests all his songs with character, and even in such great company must be ranked high. He sings (2-05219) a colourful solo from the “Rei di Lahore” by Massenet. It is Scindia’s triumphant song of the fourth act “O Casto fior” (O What Promise of a Joy Divine), where he sings of Sita in the moment of his victory. There were two Galli-Curci records in this collection. I place first the aria from Bellini’s “La Sonnambula”; Amina’s exquisite “Come per me sereno” (Oh, love, for me thy power). It is a happy and full of tender emotion, combining brilliance and dramatic colour, thus giving the great soprano the field in which she is at her best. A beautiful trill cn E flat is a glorious thing leading to an impressive finish (2-053198). “Qui la voce sera soave” (Yes, ’iis here, whence once so brightly) from “I Puritani” (Bellini) is of an entirely different character, at first sorrowful and then wild and delirious as Elvira loses her reason. Galli-Curci sings it with great effect, particularly the latter portion (2-053137). Geraldine Farrar sings “Te Souvient—il du lumineaux voyage” from “Thais” (Massenet). It is sung to the beautiful Meditation, but for the most part the number is rather disappointing in that it does not give one a full idea of Farrar’s power (2-033065). Rosina Buckman has many friends among gramophonists, and they must welcome her singing of “They Call Me Mimi” from “La Boheme”; she does it well. Inscribed on the other side of this disc (D 99 is “Tacea la notte placida” from “Il Trovatcre,” which is hardly so effective. Sophie Braslau is a contralto with some rare accomplishments. She speaks Hebrew, Italian, French, and Russian in addition to English, and sings in all of them. She is young and ambitious, but one of her gifts is the ability to sing folk songs and ballads as effectively as opera, all the schools of music seem alike happy with her. Her record “Croon, croon, underneat’ de Moon” (Qutsam) makes one want to hear more of her records (2-3363). # # # Among this set of records from The Bristol is a gem, John McCormack singing “Silver Threads among the Goid.” He sings it with deep feeling, and gives us a record which lives in the memory (4-2215). “The Yeomen of England” is probably the most effective song in German’s “Merrie England,” but the record by the late Charles Mott (D 22 lacks the requisite fire and weight—-also I object to the change in the words cf the refrain which takes the song clean out of its period. •ir ?? 4? Of instrumental records there* were three solos of an impressive quality. Sergei Rachmaninoff, a pianist who is every day gaining acknowledgments of his power and position, plays two numbers from Debussy’s “The Children’s Corner.” On 5653 wc have “Dr Gradus ad Parnassum,” and on 5660 “The Golliwog’s Cakewalk.” Rachmaninoff’s playing is heavy, but he records well, better in the “cakewalk” than in the first number, but both are beautifully dene, and give us another pianist of quality for the gramophone—a rival to Cortot for our favours. Cedric Sharpe is a British ’cellist whose work I heard for the first time in these records (D 575 He played Popper’s Polonaise de Concert (Op. 14) and Glazanouv’s “Serenade Espagnole.” Sharpe produces a fine full tone, and seemingly has a sound technique. He may be a trifle heavy at times and cold, but in the broader passages there is a fine sweep in his playing. $ & There were some interesting Black Labels in this group of records from the Bristol. The Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, under the baton of Sir Landon Ronald always can be recommended. On D-542 wtf have “Tristan and Isolde” music, the Liebest od and the prelude to Act 111. The British Symphony Orchestra under Adrian C. Boult plays “La Boutique Fantisque,” by Rossini and arranged by Respighi, an attractive piece of work. There is more M agnerian joy on D-561 which gives us the “Forest Murmurs” from “Siegfried,” played by lhe Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Percy Pitt.