MUSIC IN THE HOME

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1929, Page 9

MUSIC IN THE HOME

GRAMOPHONE NOTES. BEETHOVEN’S “MOONLIGHT” SONATA. Mark Hambourg (pianoforte), in The “Moonlight” Sonata (Sonata in C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2), (Beethoven) ; Variations on “Nel Cor Pin” (Beethoven). H.M.V., C 1549-50. These two records of the “Moonlight” Sonata are most welcome. They replace a disc of his containing a slightly curtailed version which must have delighted an incredibly large audience in its time. It was, by the way, a favourite record of many a dug-out in the trenches during the war. There is no need to comment upon the music itself; it should be familiar to most people. The quality of the reproduction afforded by these new records is extremely fine. A NEW HEIFETZ DISC. Jascha Heifetz (violin), in “Estrellita” (Ponce, arr. Heifetz), and “Valse Bluette” (Drigo-Auer). . 11.-M.V., D.A. 984. Imagine an exquisite ballet-dancer flitting on the tips of her toes about the stage, hither and thither with the most piquant grace. And then imagine what sort of music could most adequately fit her movements. The “Valse Bluette” will fit your imaginary dancer better than any tune in the world. “SONNY BOY” RECORDED. lEHiott Shaw (baritone), “Sonny Boy” (theme-song from the motion picture “The Singing Fool”), and Lewis James (tenor), in “For Ever.” H.M.V., EA445. Two very popular artists in two successful songs. “Sonny Boy” has been featured everywhere with enormous success. “LA BOHEME” RECORDED. Here we have a complete new electrical recording of Puccini’s everpopular opera, “La Boheine,” conducted by Cav. Carlo Sabajno, with the assistance of the chorus and members of La Scala Orchestra, Milan, complete cn thirteen 12-inch plum label records (H.M.V., C 1513-1525. These are recorded by well-known artists of La Scala Opera House, Milan. RSSina Torri, a talented young soprano, made her debut on His Master’s Voice records some time ago in Liu’s two arias from “Turandot.” A. Giorgini is a well-known tenor, while Ernesto Badini is an old La Scala favourite, who has frequently sung on His Master’s Voice records in the past. Cast: Mimi, Rosina Torri; Musetta, Sra. Vitulli; Rudolfo, A. Giorgini; Marcello, Ernesto Badini; Schaunard, Aristide Baracchi; Colline, Sr. Manfrini; Benoit, Sante Baccaloni. “CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA.” “Cavalleria Rusticaria,” played by the British National Opera Company, on ten records. Columbia 5127-5136. First of all we may as well state the cast. May Bly th, soprano, is Santuzza; Marjorie Parry, mezzosoprano, is Lola; Justine Griffiths, contralto, is Lucia; Heddle Nash, tenor, is Turiddu; Harold Williams, baritone, is Alfio. And fine singers they all are, giving .us a really splendid version of Mascagni’s melodious opera. The story of “Rustic Chivalry” is too well known to need any recapitulation here, and its lovely intermezzo is one of the most popular pieces of lighter orchestral music ever written. Harold Williams, the Australian baritone, who became famous overnight in England after the war, and who is to tour Australasia in the near future, gives us a splendid interpretation of the revengeful Alfio. Heddle Nash, one of England’s most prominent tenors of the younger school, makes a most engaging scoundrel of Turiddu. Santuzza, Lola and Lucia are equally well portrayed by the other principals, and even the chorus work is of an unusually high standard.. Altogether, “Cavalleria” is a brilliant recording, and the whole album of records with printed words costs no more than it would to take the family to ft single performance. And here are hundreds of performances—when and where von will! I i A SCHUMANN SYMPHONY. I “Symphony No. 4in D Minor” (Schumann). Played by the Mozart Festival Orchestra ' under Bruno Walter. Columbia 04244-47.' This js the first gramophone performance by this celebrated I’aiis orchestra, and a most successful debut it is. Bruno Walter makes the most of Schumann’s somewhat disjointed orchestration, and allows his lovely melodies to flow laughingly into our minds, rest for a while, and dissolve into imagination. The ordinary man who has no sympathy with “high-brow” music will revel in Schumann’s lovely tunes, and the “high-brow” himself , will forget . Schumann’s inadequate instrumentation, in Walter’s sensitive and poetic reading. No one will cavil at this work from the point of recording. “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.” Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Mendelssohn). Sir Henry Wood and the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, and the Scherzo from the same work by Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Columbia 02780-81. It seems hard to believe that this airy-fairy overture could have been written by a boy of seventeen. Yet Mendelssohn at this age was in. addition an all-round athlete, a brilliant pianist, and a writer of considerable ability.