GRAMOPHONES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1020, 10 July 1930, Page 14

GRAMOPHONES

Elder Cunningham, one of Scotland’s finest bass-baritones of the present day, has made a further series of records for Columbia. They are mostly old Scottish airs and are sung with a feeling of intense sincerity—a claim that cannot often be made for performances of traditional and folk music. A discreetly arranged orchestral accompaniment provides an admirable foil to the richness of Cunningham's voice. “Annie’s Tryste” and “Land o’ the Leal” are on Columbia 01S20. Those two tuneful favourites, “Will Ye No’ Come Back Again” and the Syxke Boat Song are coupled on Columbia 01821, while “O a’ the Airts” and “Jennie, the Flower of Dumblane,” are paired on Columbia 01522. Tyvo Burns songs, “My Nannies Awa’ ” and “Twa Bonnie Blue Eeen,” are perfectly- matched, both in sentiment and in artistry, on Columbia 01524.

The famous American tenor, Richard Crooks, who recently enjoyed a successful tour of Europe, adds to his list this month rvith two popular ballads, “Forgotten” (Wulschner-Cowles) and “Oh, Dry Those Tears” (Del Riego). These numbers enjoyed a great vogue a few years ago, and Crooks has performed a service in reviving them. The dictum of this artist is very clear, and this feature linked yvith an excellent voice and lovely orchestral accompaniment make the performances outstanding. There is no deny-ing the quality of Crooks’s voiced The artistic phrasing, the fluent and easy delivery, and the lyrical touches make it a thing of rare beautv. (H.M.V., EDI 3.)

Laidlaw Murray, another fine baritone from north of the Border, has been persuaded to record for Columbia. “My Ain Wee Hoose” (Mrs. Wilson and D. L. Munro) and “There’s a Wee Bit Land” (J. C. Grieve) are his choice this month, and well sung they are, too. His voice is, of course, lighter in timbre than Elder Cunningham's, but his singing has the same feeling of sincerity and warmth. (Columbia 01823). The gramophone could scarcely be put to severer test in the reproduction of operatic music than in the imposing “Te Deum" scene at the end of the first act of “La Tosca.” H.M.V. has issued an exceedingly fine record of this excerpt with Giovanni Inghilleri (baritone) as the chief soloist (D 1701). Inghilleri’s splendid voice is clearly heard above the tremendous accompaniment of chorus, organ, orchestra and church bells. Ingliilleri sings equally well on the other side of the record in “La povera mia cena,” from Act 11. of the same opera. Few more successful operatic records have appeared recently than this. (H.M.V., D 1701.) * # * Len Maurice, the popular baritone, again pleases mightily-with a couple of these songs from “It’s a Great Life.” The numbers are “I’m Following You” and “I’m Sailing on a Sunbeam.” Typical bright music, with effective orchestral accompaniments. (Columbia 01921.)

• * * In the true old-time party style, with guests and an M.C., Jack Hylton and his orchestra give a splendid little entertainment on a 12-inch record on which is grouped a number of old dances. These include the polka, veleta, barn dance, cake walk, waltz, military trvo-step, Sir Roger de Coverley, gallop, and lancers. What memories these old tunes revive, and they are made tj live again by realistic presentation. Hylton lias evidently a fondness for the music of other days, as this is a companion record to his two groups of “Good Old Songs.” It is a record that is bound to be popular. (H.M.V., C 1784.)

Tgnaz Friedman, whom many consider to be the logical successor of his compatriot, Paderewski, Is, according to all reports, continuing his American tour. And :f an indication of success is the esteem in which an artist is held by the more artistic members of a nation or community, his success seems assured on the American continend. Friedman’s linest recording of a major work is undoubtedly the G,,c 6 ± ,onu woncei to in A Minor. This gorgeous work is magnificeutly played and even more magnificently recorded. The orchestra under Philippe Gaubert accomplishes great things and the concerted result is a most electrifying performance. (Columbia 02702-02705). Next in order of merit is the “Moonlight” Sonata —possibly Beethoven's most “popular” work in this form. Friedman plays well, and his artistry —rather unusually—exceeds in excellence his tone. (Columbia LISIB-19). Outstanding among the single records of small miscellaneous works is that of Busoni s arrangement of Liszt's “La Campanella” (The Little Bell). This delightful tour de force is a superb piece of pianism, and is coupled with what is easily the finest recording yet of Chopin's Prelude in D Flat (No. 15) —usually known as the “Raindrops” prelude. He plays two of his own pieces, “Marquis ct Marquise” and “Tabatiere a Musique” (The Musical Box) on Columbia 03504, and ou Columbia 01587 a Mendelssohn Scherzo and another of his own compositions, “Elle Danse” (She Dances). These latter four items-are all delightful morsels —the kind of good music that is not at all serious, but that everyone, high, low aud middle brows, really like. Many of New Zealand’s radio enthusiasts will remember that when Admiral Byrd and his men were wintering in Little America they made a request to 2YA for a broadcast of “Button Up Your Overcoat,” the “hit" from the musical comedy, “Follotv Through.” The number is now recorded by Helen Kane, whose bright personality makes the piece a firstrate number. On the same record the comedienne gives another bright number from the same production, entitled, “I Want to be Bad.” “Follow Through” has been one of the few musical comedies to withstand the talkies in both London and New York, and Helen Kane’s two songs go a long way to explain the reason for its success. (H.M.V., 83133.)

The brightly original Jack Payne., conductor of the 8.8. C. Dance Orchestra, who has made the dance record an entertainment as well as something to dance to, breezes along at his best in a. pair of exhilarating noveltj' foxtrots. The titles are “Crazy Pirouette” and “Punch and Judy Show.” (D 033.)

case you have missed a reference to Florrie Forde’s latest recording achievement, it is worth while again mentioning this record of her old-time successes. Florrie sings with chorus an 4 orchestra, and from the very first bar she takes us back to the good old pre-war days and then on into the early days of the war. Her Old-time Medley includes “She’s a Lassie from Lancashire,” “Study Your Cookery Book,” “Hello! Hello! Who’s Your Lady Friend?” “Susanna’s Long Stockings.” “Down at the Old Bull and Bush,” “It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary” (with Chorus). Part 2. —“Has Anybody Herev Seen Kelly?” “Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy,” “Flanagan,” “Oh, Oh. Antonio,” “Pack Up Your Troubles in 3’our Old Kit Bag” (with chorus). No one oyer the age of, say, twenty-one should miss this tuneful record from the past. (Columbia 05073).

The organ records recently issued by H.M.V. certainly register a general progress in this difficult branch of the recording art. The two issued this month by Dr. Stanley Marchant on the famous Willis organ of St. Paul’s Cathedral are a case in poiut. In both one hears the authentic 16l't. tone, and when the full organ is em ployed the effect is very imposing. The reeds come though beautifully, and the volume of tone realised is extraordinary big. On one record he gives Smart’s fine “Postlude in E,” coupled with Arensky’s “Basso Ostinato.” In the latter the weight of pedal tone is specially remarkable. The second record gives Bach’s “Fugue in D Minor” and Parry’s “Bridal March and Finale.” (H.M.V , CI72S-29.)

While we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Wellington’s War Memorial Carillon it is good to know that an excellent record has been made of U in Gillet and Johnson’s Croydon Foundry. The Carillon bids fair to prove itself the finest in the world, and the record certainly proves that it has a gloriously clear tone and rich volume. The soloist, Mr. Clifford Ball, has chosen two very familiar tunes to demonstrate the beauty of the peal. His numbers are “In an Old-fashioned Town” and “Somewhere a Voice is Calling,” and he plays them with an intimate knowledge of the subtleties of this most difficult art. This record serves to whet our appetites for the real thing, and it is sure than many people outside Wellington will want to treasure this lovely reproduction as a souvenir. Columbia are to be congratulated on their enterprise, and on their skill in producing so satisfactory a rendering of the bells. (Columbia 01714). We call Gaspar Cassado a new star, by the side of such, fixed constellations who have shone for us these many years past, but really, to fix the metaphor, he has served at the inner shrine some little time. Favourite pupil of Pablo Casals, the greatest ’cellist of the day, he has already, in .a brief career, scored enormous triumphs in London, ou the Continent, in his native Spain, and in even winning the unstinted praise of the New York cities. If we examine his latest offering, a pairing of “Melodie” by Tschaikowsky with a “Song Without Words” by Mendelssohn, we can discover what brings the raptures of the critics. A smooth, mellow singing tone, a subtlety of phrasing that charges the music with heartfelt meaning; a play of light and shade like the modulated voice of a great actor. There is a career of greatness in store for this warm young genius. (Columbia, 04288.)

The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra’s playing of the Second Brandenburg Concerto in F Major is truly bri!!liant. The precision of this orchestra is never heard to better advantage than in Bach; every note of the contrapuntal writing can be followed right through the piece. Listen, for instance, in this present recording t.) the musicianly playing of the flute in the Andante, and to the unbroken beauty of the exceedingly difficult trumpet part. These three records will be treasured by Bach enthusiasts. (H.M.V.) * * * News comes to hand that Kipnis, the great German basso, is paying a return visit to the States, after a protracted tour of Great Britain. Kipnis is much in vogue, for he has already this year starred in the Berlin and Munich Summer Festivals. His early reputation rested largely upon his triumphs as a Wagner interpreter. He has made several appearances at Bayreuth, where Wagner is produced regardless of expense, and where the whole world is scoured for the very best singers. He played a big part in the brilliantly successful Bayreuth Festival Album recently issued by Columbia. But as his reputation has extended, so has his repertoire. He has been giving us a series of particularly good Schubert songs, of which perhaps the finest is a pairing of “Der Doppelganger” (The Phantom Double) with “Der Wegweisser” (The Signpost). Columbia 04195. A recent offering gives us a lovely rendering of two of the most charming lieder of Brahms. He sings the famous “Sapphic Ode” with a wealth of power aiul deep underlying tenderness. His appeal is directly to our hearts, and his sheer artistry takes him straight there. On the reverse side is another well-known masterpiece, “Auf dem Kircliofe.” (Columbia, 03645.)

Mark Hambourg, whose playing »? generally characterised by its vigour, has for a change made a recording <»£ something more pensive. He has turned to Beethoven’s beloved “Moonlight Sonata,” and his interpretation

covers three sides of two twelveinch discs. The third movement of i this sonata allows him -to give expression to some of his customary outbursts of energy. but the opening shows him able to faithfully portray the bittersweet of Beethoven: The whole

is certainly authentic playing. The fourth side of the record gives the delightful variations on “Nel cor pui,’ one of Beethoven’s purest gem> (H.M.V., C 1549-50.) Two snappy foxtrots are on the Ted Lewis menu this month, served up with his usual sauce and “zip.” They are, “Wouldn’t it be Wonderful to be in Love with You” and “I’m the Medicine Man for the Blues.” The singing is well over the average. (Columbia 01546.)