GRAMOPHONES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 416, 26 July 1928, Page 16

GRAMOPHONES

Auckland theatregoers who saw “Lilac Time,” that charming musical play written around the life of Schubert will be well advised to secure the H.M.V. recording of some of the principal numbers from the play. Schubert was a master of melody, and it was a very happy idea to adapt some of his best known works for this purpose. The music is full of grace and charm and is well treated by the popular Light Opera Company. The record embraces “Four Jolly Brothers,” “The Flower,” “I Want to Carve Your Name,” “When Skies are Blue,” “Girls and Boys,” “I Ask the Spring,” “Oh! What is so Sweet as a Golden Song,” and “Dearest, all is Ours.” The record is catalogued C 1450.

Unfamiliar but attractive is the “Witches’ Dance” (La Tregenda) (Puccini) and “Concert Waltz in A” (Glazounov), played by Percy Pitt conducting the 8.8. C. Symphony Orchestra. (Columbia 9114.) The Puccini dance comes from his first opera, “Le Villi,” which is still played frequently in Italy. It is full of the usual macabre effects, and in spite of its transparency does not fail to be weirdly impressive. Percy Pitt has made the most of it and must have thoroughly revelled in the performance. The Concert Waltz has charms of its own, and should give much pleasure at any rate of the first few hearings. Playing is spirited and happy. Lovers of light orchestral fare will be delighted with two charming little numbers played by De Groot and the Piccadilly Orchestra, and included in the H.M.V. July list. They are “Souvenir de Capri,” by Beece, and Tibor’s

“My Beloved Gondolier.” They are characteristic of Italy, that land of eternal sunshine and song, particularly the “Souvenir,” which has been written in the popular Italian tuneful style. The “Gondolier” number will also find many friends. B 2575. The Famous Sheffield Choir is heard in the “Hallelujah Chorus,” and “Worthy is the Lamb” (Handel’s Messiah). It is conducted by Sir Henry Coward. (Columbia 9068.) Good choral records are too few; but so are good choirs, and a choir is so difficult to record that the record-buyer naturally goes straight for the choir with a great reputation behind it. It is fortunate, therefore, that the Sheffield Choir, having established unique fame for the highest class of choral singing, resolutely maintains that standard. This record is as nearly perfect as one can hope for. The reproduction is certainly magnificent, and in every way worthy of the fine singing.

This month’s H.M.V. issue includes two numbers by Derek Oldham, the popular light operatic tenor. Both are by Sullivan, one being the evergreen “Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes” from “The Gondoliers,” and the other, that less frequently heard ballad, “The Sailor’s Grave.” Oldham’s lyrical style is well suited to Sullivan music, and both numbers receive excellent treatment. C 1438.

The piece-de-resistanee of the H.M.V. July list is “The Valkyrie,” issued as a “representatives series,” on 14 double-sided discs (black label), complete in a handsome album. The following is the cast of singers: Brunnhilde, Mms. Frida Leider and Florence Austral; Sieglinde, Goeta Ljungberg; Siegmund, Walter Widdop; Wotan Friedrich Schorr; Hunding. Howard Fry; the Eight Valkyries, chorus, State Opera, Berlin. With the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Albert Coates,

and the orchestra of the State Opera, Berlin, conducted by Dr. Leo Blech this set of records has been made with the intention of presenting for the first time in the history of the gramophone a completely representative series of selected passages from Wagner’s great music-drama, “The Valkyrie.” To a considerable extent these new.records replace a previous, and historic set of “His Master’s Voice” records made a few years ago, but they go farther and do more than that earlier set could hope to do. The powers of the new “His Master’s Voice” electrical recording have made possible the creation of records of exceptional realism, volume and clarity. No effort has been spared to make these records the finest of their kind ever made. A cast of world-famous Wagnerian artists has been used, together with two of the finest conductors and orchestras in Europe. Half the total number of records, included in this group were made in London, in Queen’s Hall and the Kingsway Hall, and to make the artistic scope of the plan as wide as possible the remaining passages were recorded in Berlin. The Wagn»3rian enthusiast should welcome these records, for they add notably to the repertoire of the gramophone.

Richard Strauss has said the copyright of his new opera, “The Egyptian Helen," for £IO,OOO. By agreement with the Government the manuscript of the opera must become the property of the Austrian National Library. The premiere of the opera took place in Dresden early last month, with Elizabeth Rethberg in the title part.