GRAMOPHONES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1080, 18 September 1930, Page 14

GRAMOPHONES

Another celebrated —very celebrated —violinist is included in the new month’s list. Toseha Seidel now records a favourite pairing of his—the Meditation from Massenet’s “Thais,” and Dvorak's well-loved “Humoresque.” The new disc (Columbia DOX 23) replaces the now abandoned number 09506. His playing is, of course, gloriously full and as gloriously effortless—and the remark above about doubled values holds good in this case also

An authoritative rendering of Tschaikowsky’s “Pathetic” symphony by the Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Dandon Ronald, is one >f the outstanding H.M.V. orchestral recordings. An unusual and praiseworthy sanity is the conspicuous feature of the performance, which completely lacks the unbridled hysteria and abnormality too often regarded as an integral pa-* ' a successful interpretation of V—owsky. Dissipated energy and exaggerated expenditure of emotion give place to nicely calcontrol which, far from robbing the heartrending climaxes of their legitimate prominence, rather adds to their intensity. Particularly effective are the temperate sweep of rhythm in the second movement which replaces the conventionally heated tempo and the genuinely affecting treatment of the closing passages of the Adagio Lamentoao, which easily become gruesomelv morbid. (H.M.V., Dll9O-4.)

Harold Williams, the most popular of Australian baritones, shows a marked improvement in his latest record. His material is well chosen. “The Toreador’s Song” and “Heart Bowed Down,” from Balfe’s opera, “The Bohemian Girl.” The first he gives with manly vigour and strong sentiment, holding his magnificent power well in reserve. He makes a fine contrast with his second number, and in both has the excellent support of a rousing chorus (the 8.8. C.) and orchestra. (ColumbH 05001.)

There may be some old stagers among gramophonists who remember a recording—long since withdrawn — o£ Pachmann playing Liszt’s concert paraphrase on the quartet, “Bella Figlia,” from Verdi's "Rigoletto.” The record itself was most notable —even in those pre-electric days—for the marvellous touch of de Pachmann’s playing, a delight that was almost ecstasy to ears more accustomed to hearing scale passages played as if by a light-footed caterpillar tractor. And something of this now historic Pachmann style of pianism is to be found in this new recording of the same Liszt paraphrase. Irene Scharrer is a pianist beyond cavil—at least in this extravagant trifle. The engineers who captured such delicate tonal fireworks with such fidelity are also worthy of all praise. (Columbia D 0115.) We are still waiting to hear a really important work from the bow of Efrem Zimbalist. but while keeping us waiting, he certainly beguiles us with some dainty little titbits. This month he goes East in his choice of items and gives us a Japanese lullaby called "Kuruka Kurultaj' by a person named _ -j Yameda. On the Zimbalist ~ reverse he plays an original improvisation on a Jap. tune. Both pieces are of unusual charm, even though they do sound rather strange and bizarre to our Western ears. It is a pleasure, too, to be able to buy a Zimbalist record at half what it used !to cost us a year or two ago. (Colunt- | bia DO SG.'i

Act 3 o£ “Parsifal,” electrically recorded by His Master’s Voice in album form, is a worthy companion to the “Rheingold” and “Siegfried.” It contains the glorious Good Friday Music. The opera \va? the last that Wagner wrote, and this act is a fitting close to the great life-work of the last of our really great composers of the nineteenth century. The darkly-tinted harmonies of the short Prelude are wonderfully played by the Berlin State Orchestra, and the orchestral background of the whole act is highly impressive, which is what might be expected from a. Wagnerian authority like Dr. Karl Muck, the conductor. The work is, of course, sung in German. The soloists are Gottlielf Pistor (Parsifal), Ludwig Hoffman (Gurnemanz), and'Cornelius Bronsgeest (Anfortas), and their finely sympathetic voices contribute their full share to the success , of the reproduction. These eight disc 3 will certainly be wanted by all who possess the earlier portions of the work already electrically recorded by H.M.V.

With the recent issue of the Beethoven Quartet in A major, Op. IS, No. 5, Columbia have now recorded in complete form the whole of the Beethoven Quartets, except the abstruse Op 133. The magnitude of the task is apparent when it is realised that most of the quartets are in 10 parts, and the least of them is in six. But not in sheer size alone does this monumental recording impress the music-lover; the quality as well as the quantity is beyond cavil. The majority of them are played by the Lener String Quartet of 'Budapest, consisting of Lener, Smilovitz, Roth and Hartman—a body of players now acknowledged to be the finest in the world. The remainder, including the lovely “Harp” Quartet (Op. 74), have been played by the Capet String Quartet of Paris, a world-famous group recently disbanded through the unhappy death of their leader, Mr Capet. Most interest will he focussed on the later serPs —the masterly “ThirdPeriod” quartets with the Opus numbers 127, 130, 131, 132 and 135. In these, the whole gamut of emotion is expressed with a fiery intenseuess. No music before or since has been so personal. We seem to see the very soul of Beethoven laid bare; at times he speaks almost incoherently in his effort to speak his over-full mind And at times he expressed sheer loveliness, a full-bodied joy in the beauty of life.

Next in importance come the three Rasoumoffsky Quartets Op. 59. These are typic “Second-Period” works, full of confidence and mastery, abounding in creative energy akin in power, richness and ease of expression to the rich creative vein that Shakespeare struck with his scries of plays beginning with “Hamlet.” The first of these thr»i, Op. 59. No. l.'is in thematic invention and ingenuity of development one of the greatest works of all mus'ic. Great in their own way, but comparatively insignificant beside bis greater works in this form, are Beethoven’s first quartets—the six which comprise Opus IS. But even these suffice to reveal to the music-lover how great a part Beethoven’s genius has been spent on his chamber music. To anyone who is willing to explore natiently this vast treasure-house will be vouchsafed a never-failing delight which will amply repay any trouble or cost he may expend.

There is a recording on the Wuriitzer organ this month of more than usual interest. On the giant cinema organ of the Capitol Theatre, London, F Rowland-Tims. F R.C.0., plays a niece entitled, “Melody,” by General Dawes, the American Ambassador in London It has been said that diplomacy’s gain is music’s loss, and there is certainly a great deal in <he saying,, but it is to be hoped that General Dawes will find a few spare hours in the future to give us further little treasures of musical composition. He has a rare gift of melody, and the infinite range of -tone colours on the Wurlitz&r gives full realisation to the theme of this charming piece. On the other side the organist plays a transcription of the famous song, “For You Alone” (Geelil), and introduces several beautiful effects. (H.M.V., B 3308.)

A famous Dutch organist, Anton Van der Horst, makes his debut on Columbia records. His choice of works is a Bach Toccata in F. It is recorded in the Central Hall, Westminster, and in J spite of a rather long reverberation period, the effect is undoubtedly thrilling. Both those who love Bach and those who merely love exciting sound will be happy with this record. tColumbia DOX 30.)