THE GRAMOPHONE

Southland Times, Issue 20792, 5 June 1929, Page 15

THE GRAMOPHONE

RECORDS OF THE RECORDINGS

(By

Vox Pupuli.}

—Columbia.— "Carmen” recorded in Paris under the direction of Elie Cohen of the Paris Symphony Orchestra is included in the June releases by Columbia received this week from Dickey’s, Ltd. I notice in this and in the “Boris Godounov” recordings that the French chorus is meticulously accurate, and is inclined to overdo this strictness with a consequential loss of action, but of the tone quality and the volume there can be no doubt. The whole opera is given in French and with a very fine body of soloists: Carmen Raymonde Visconti Don Jose Georges Thill Micaele .. .. .. Marthe Nespoulous Escamillo M. Guenot Georges Thill, probably the best operatic tenor in France to-day, makes a fine Don Jose, and he shows up magnificently in the dramatic scenes, especially with Visconti and with Guenot, but the latter part of the Flower Song, with the orchestra under the baton of Philippe Gaubert, fell away a bit. The finale to the opera is a magnificent scene. Raymonde Visconti has a full voice of effective colour and she sings Carmen with just the touch of abandon the character demands. The Habanera is excellent and so, too, the sequidilla. With M. Thill in the finale she makes that scene memorable.' M. Guenot is a swaggering Escamillo and he puts into the Toreador’s Song enough dash to make it swaggering without touching the braggart. The duet between Escamillo and Don Jose in Act Three is a fine piece of work, reflecting credit on both men, whose voices blend admirably and combine in outstanding histrionism. Marthe Nespoulous is a good Micaele. She sings the air in Act Three delightfully (9527-41).

Another album issue is “In a Persian Garden” by Liza Lehmann sung by Dora Labbette, Muriel Brunskill, Hubert Eisdell and Harold Williams. I think Liza Lehmann caught the true Omar Khayyam spirit occasionally in this cycle, notably in “Myself when young,” but there is too often a tendency to emphasise the dramatic side, especially when the philosophic calm of the Persian poet is considered. Apart from that point the beauty of the cycle is undoubted, and if we admit the right of the soloists to heighten the colours with sentiment then the recording is satisfying, but even in “Myself when young” all bass are inclined to make too much of the central part as if Omar were a propagandist on the stump. The calm of the opening and the close is the true Omar attitude. Harold Williams is really excellent. He has a fine robust voice which loses nothing of its tone in Columbia’s fine recording, and all his work is satisfying. Hubert Eisdell is a cultured singer, but I think “Ah! Moon of my delight” as Liza Lehmann wrote it requires more warmth. Dora Labbette is admirable in tone and interpretation, and she has an advantage over Muriel Brunskill in having a very much better ennunciation. The quartets are very good. The voices balance and blend very well and with the exception of the opening number “Wake! For the sun who scattered into flight”—a weak piece of writing—the signing is free and flexible. A notable recording this, and one that I enjoyed very much, despite the fact that my remarks seem to be harassed by qualifications, and I recommend it to you with enthusiasm (9598-9602).

Here we have a recording of Albeniz’s “Suite Iberia” by the Madrid Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Enrique Fernandez Arbos, who has arranged Albeniz’s dances for the orchestra. Some of Albeniz’s music was played here by the Izard sisters. Here we have the music characteristic of the modern Spanish school, which in recent years has been attracting a great deal of atterttion by its new vigour, its fine colour and its strong rhythmic development. The Madrid Orchestra, which is never heavy, but gives a very rich tone, played “Triana,” “El Corpus en Seville” and “El Fuerto” on the suite and on the last side of the third record (02800-2) plays the sixth Spanish dance by Granados. I greatly enjoyed these records.

On three records the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Thomas Beecham, has given us Mozart’s Symphony No. 34 in C (K 338), one of the simplest and the most pleasing of the Mozart series. This symphony, it seems to me, can be best classified as witty, certainly the finale justifies that word, and all through it is of delicate texture, though never thin. The playing is. sparkling and the recording excellent (04265-67). Borodine’s “On the steppes of Central Asia” pictures the broad wild country of Asia, and on it there approaches and passes a caravan. Played by the Paris Conservatory Orchestra, this is an extremely interesting work and the record, I should say, will be very popular (04254).

“Boris Godounov” recorded in the Paris Opera House suggests something worth having, and one’s expectations are fulfilled,

although I think the chorus work is a bit stilted. The tone, however, is magnificent and the scenes are stirring, especially the Coronation into which the bells are introduced with great effect. This is the conclusion of the Prologue, which occupies three sides. Following this is the Polonaise (02798-99). The soloists are Mm. MM. Gambon, Dallerand and J. Ferrer, three vigorous singers of stirring dramatic possibilities. Moussorgsky’s music is extremely histrionic and these records, which show splendid reproducing qualities, are worth having, especially as it will probably be some time before there is any move in the direction of giving us the complete opera.

The Grand March in “Aida” is a happy chance for a good chorus and the recording by the chorus of La Scala Milan, with the Milan Symphony Orchestra under Molajoli is something worth hearing. It is good to compare the singing of the Italians in this work with the French chorus in "Carmen” and “Boris Godounov” (02803).

Columbia is turning out a series of “miniature” records. For instance, we have this month a Miniature Revue “How do you do?” presented by Emmie Joyce, Betty Leonard, Mark Daly, John Thorne and a chorus (02795). It is a bright medley and jolly well done. I notice that we will have soon, too, a Miniature Musical Comedy, “The Gipsy Girl.” In the Regals, too, there is a Miniature Pantomime, “Dick Whittington,” of which more anon. Among the light records of the month is one by Pattman playing the “Four Indian Love Lyrics” by Woodforde-Finden as organ solos (02696), and the Squire Celeste Octet in Tschaikovski’s “Chant sans paroles” and Websr’s “Invitation to the Waltz” (02805). Rosse’s Incidental music for “The Merchant of Venice” is played as organ solos by Quentin Maclean (02796-97) and we have the Plaza Theatre Orchestra playing a minuet by Finck and “A la Gavotte” by the same composer, two very pleasing numbers (01439). This orchestra also has an interesting number in Bendix’s “The Busy Bee’ and a graceful dance by Hesse entitled “My Lady Dainty” (91438). Further references to the new Columbias will appear here next week, and some notes on the new Regals as well, though I can say they include some very good items. —H.M.V.— Continuing with the June H.M.V.’s from Begg’s we come first to Chaliapin singing “In questa tomba oscura” by Beethoven. This is a great record and with it in striking contrast is a new recording of the ironic “When the king went forth to war” by Koenemann- The Beethoven number is written in the grand manner and Chaliapin sings it with a wealth of tone and fine dignity, so that in spite of the impressive histrionism of the Koenemann song one wishes he would break more new ground than he does (B 1068 Martinelli records two of Canio’s arias from Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci”—“Vesti la giubba” and “No, Pagliacci non son,” the latter with a full chorus to give the finale. Martinelli sings both with great dramatic intensity, and I think I like him in the second number better than in the more frequently recorded “sob” song. In spite of the greater demands of the last act aria, Martinelli is more at home in it. (DB1139). Margaret Sheridan gives us two Irish songs arranged by Hughes: “The Meeting of the Waters” and “The Lover’s Curse,” the latter an old folk song which should be heard more frequently. (DA9BS). Then there is a record by Dusolina Giannini, the soprano who is announced to visit this country shortly. She has recorded two arias from “Aida,” but this time there is a descent to Jacobs-Bond in “Just a-wearin’ for you” and “I love you truly.” She has a very attractive voice, which moves with silky ease and is full of colour, and she makes as much of these songs as anyone could. (DA808)A novelty in the June H M.V.’s is a record by Jackie Coogan and his father. They appear in a “give and take” talking record in which Master Coogan introduces his daddy. The humour of it is a bit thin, but there are one or two goodly thrusts at the “talkies” which are worth the price (82893). What a charming voice Lucrezia Bori possesses and how well it records! She is wonderfully smooth and gives one the impression that there is no such thing as “technique” associated with her singing. In Pestalozzi’s "Ciribiribin,” and Arditi’s better known “II Bacio” she is delightful. (DA9OO). Galli-Curci this month gives us “La Palorna” in Spanish and Benedict’s "La Capinera” (The Wren) in Italian. These are totally different in character but both are sung with exquisite ease, and one is pleased to have them as further examples of Galli-Curci’s singing. (DA1002). Ezio Pinza is one of the great basses of the day, singing in the full Italian style, though with less evidence of forcing than is sometimes heard in the recording of modern Italian singers. The monologue “Dormiro sol nel nanto mio regal” (I shall sleep in my royal mantle) from "Don Carlos” and “O tu Palermo” (O Thou, Palermo) from “I Vespri Sicilian!” show us Verdi at two stages in his musical life but in both of them Pinza sings magnificently- These are very impressive recordings (DB1087). Essie Ackland, the contralto adds to the list of “Ombra mai fu’s” and "Lost Chord” a recording this is very effective (C 1599 Derek Oldham sings • Roger Quilter’s “Now sleeps the crimson petal’ ’and Clutsam’s “I know of two bright eyes” so well that one cannot help renewing the growl that the singers who record seem to lack the courage to essay anything new. They follow each other like sheep and keep the song recording almost exclusively in the past. Quilter, of course, is contemporary, but there are many recordings of “Now sleeps the crimson petal.” Surely there are other songs worthy of attention. (B 2870 Colin O’More, an Irish tenor, has my grateful thanks for recording the beautiful “Has sorrow thy young days shaded.” He sings it simply and with quiet pathos which enhances a charming melody. You needn't listen to the song on the other side —it’s not worthy of this singer (82776). Una Bpurne, the pianiste, has two discs in the June releases, playing a Bohemian polka by Smetana and “Moresue” by Granados (82498), and “Aubade” and “Valse Arabesque” by Chaminade (82499). Mark Hambourg has Chopin’s Waltz in A flat and Schubert's March Militaire. Dr Albert Schweitzer, looked on as the greatest living authority on Bach, gives a noble interpretation of the prelude and fugue in E minor, and one hopes this great man will be induced to record others of the Bach works. This is an impressive record (C 1532 Fritz Kreisler plays two of his own compositions “Gipsy Caprice” and “Shepherds Madrigal,” the latter being particularly striking in the clever use of harmonics (DB1110)The band music is very interesting. The Royal Band of the Belgian Guides gives us “Brabanconne” and “Vers I'avenir” and Jonger’s “Legere Artillerie,” three excellent numbers. (82865). The Coldstream Guards Band has a Musical Switch (C 1580 and a smaller disc on which two old melodies are revived “Hiawatha” as a march and Sousa’s “Liberty Bell.” (B 2501 RECORDED MUSIC SOCIETY. In Melbourne there is in existence what is known as the Recorded Music Society, which gives afternoon recitals of the very latest gramophone records on a new Concert Manbyphone, ensuring perfect tone and volume. The joining fee is 10/-, which is the total liability. These recitals enable its members to hear the very latest records on a great machine, giving them the chance to judge for themselves the worth of each new product as it comes along without being beholden to anyone in business. At a recent recital the whole of a new recording “Trial by Jury” (Gilbert and Sullivan) was given, as well as solos by Florence Austral, violin solos by Erica Morini, pianoforte solos by William Murdoch, and songs by Harold Williams.