MUSIC IN THE HOME

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1930, Page 11 (Supplement)

MUSIC IN THE HOME

RACHMANINOFF’S PRELUDES.

Rachmaninoff’s famous “Prelude in c. Sharp Minor” is so well known that a further recording would seem to be another case of painting the lily, but Jack Hylton and his orchestra have given this favourite a new lease of life. It may seem strange that an orchestra that has made its name with fox trots should turn its attention to the more serious works of music, but in this case, at any rate, enterprise has been rewarded. Hylton gives a new aspect to the “Prelude” that should have a wide appeal. On the other side of the record ho and his orchestra play Rachmaninov’s “Prelude in G Minor,” a work that is not so well known as the “C Sharp Minor,” but which is diaimed to have 1 finer musical qualities. These qualities are realised to the full, lhe blend of tone is excellent and the individual touches add novelty to the recording. If Hylton and his men do more work of this character, they will do much to popularise, what are wrongly termed “high-brow” works. (H.M°V., 1864).

PACETTI AND ITALIAN OPERA.

Andrea Chenier (Giordano)—-“La Mamma Morta” (My Mother Dead); (b) “La Forza del Destino” (Verdi),' “Pace Mio Dio!” (Heaven Grant Me Peace). (Columbia LOX 18). Here are permanent mementos of ”361 season at Cbvent Garden—the “theatre among the cabbages” which has kept opera alive in England thesie many lonrr years. Iva Pacetti (is this by the way, ono Eva Patchett, of whom ono heard vaguely in 1924?), a ■ soprano of brilliant accomplishments and a technical' mastery second to none, sings at the top of her foim in these two airs. Credit, too , must be oiven to the accompanying orchestra. Altogether a record which will be prized by all lovers of Italian opera and of coloratura singing. (1) “Nonna ” (Bellini)—“Deh! non volerli Vittime” (Victims, then, you would not). In two parts. Columbia L( pa l cctti was the “Norma” this season, and from all reporta, a Norma beyond cavil. While sopranos' of the <r C .nus Pacetti survive, so long will operas of the genus “Norma” . escape extinction; and for so will Bellini, Donizetti and Co. avoid oblivion. And while this condition obtains, there will be thousands . of . folk throughout the world who will revel in vocalisation for its own sake. And these' are the people who will welcome this particular -disc—and welcome it warmly!

/ “SIEGFRIED.”

When the first attempts .were made only a few years ago to provide gramophone selections from 1 The: ...Ring operas criticism of the very .-imperfect results achieved was naturally tempered by a feeling of admiration for the courage and enterprise of the recording companies in attacking so formidable a task. But defective though they were, those early recordings had their value as pointing the way to better things in the future. Since that time the H.M.V. Company has spared no pains to reach higher and higher, standards in the reproduction of Wagner’s ' music dramas. The fruits of its efforts were seen in the remarkably line, selections from “The Ring” and from ‘•Parsifal” ' which they issued a few months ago. Now they have gone one better with a new set of selections from “Siegfried,” which will astonish and delight all who hear them. It. is said thaT the performance of Lauritz Melchior as Siegfried at Covent Garden this year was a memorable one, and thus New Zealand music lovers will, welcome his inclusion in this recording. Those, who already possess the>jS.M;V. Rheingold-Siegfried album issued a few monC ago will find that certain- -portions of the opera have been duplicated, as for example the Forging Song in Act 1., and the scene after the slaying of the dragon in Act 11. This, however, need not deter anyone from purchasing both sets, particularly as there are fewer c.uts in the later •records. Moreover, we have now the characters of Mime, Ded Wanderer and Der Waldvogel, which did not appear in the previous version. Herr Melchior is. splendid -throughout, but his rendering of the Forgin<r Song stands out, as a remarkably -fine performance. ' Anothernotable disc is that on which Siegfried breaks the Wanderer’s spear and up the fire-girt rock to awaken Brunnhidlo. (H.M.V., D 1690-94. .

SIDONIE GOSSENS—HARPIST.

(1) “Song of the Volga Boatmen” (2) “Largo” (Handel). Harp solos by Sidonie Gossens. (Columbia 01810).

Early records of harp solos failed so dismally .to reproduce the true harp tone that this instrument seems to nave been abandoned in despair by the recorders. Now, at last, Columbia have succeeded in* makiiig an extraordinarily vivid and faithful disc of two solos by Miss Sidonie Gossens, Miss Goossens is principal harpist to the new Queen’s Hall Orchestra under Sir Henry Wood, and the titles she chooses are, of course, ever-popular. An exquisite richness of tone makes of these lovely tunes , something novel and something not easily forgotten.

MEMORIES OF A WALTZ KING.

“Waldteufel Memories, Fantasia.” Herman Finck and his Orchestra. (Columbia 02985).

A safe prophecy would put this Herman Finck record ■ well in the forefront of recent “best-sellers.” Many of Emil Waldteufel’s waltzes were more beautiful and more popular than those of Strauss, and of these Herman Finck has made a happy selection, some jolly polkas being included. The playing has all the brilliancy and perfect balance that we have learnt to except from this orchestra, and the reproduction is well night faultless. The delicious tunes tumble out on top of one another until we are amazed at the composer's richness of invention, and Mr. Finck has 'strung them together with the eureness of a master.

BEAUTY Ob’ BRAHMS

Another very important work has been released in complete form, and owing to the intricacies of both the pia.ho’and orchestral parts, it is perhaps just as well that it had .not bee done in the earlier days of recording. Tt is easy to criticise a work like Brahms Piano Concerto in B Flat .Major, op. S 3, when one is not familiar with it. Obviously on first hearing the work might appear dry, uninteresting, and ‘■heavy,’’ but after a study of the work, or after several -hearings, its manifold beauties become revealed one after the other, and one’s admiration for the work increases by leaps and bounds. Unlike other piano concertos, Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto, op. S 3, has four movement*, instead of the orthodox three. The favourite movement is the beautiful Andante, haded on a lovely singing melody, dreamily

played by the ’cello, with piano arabesques. The Allegro Appassionato is another movement of striking originality, with an impulsive rhythm, which is quite irresistible. The first and last movements contain a great wealth of material, welded together by the hand of a genius, and if . the Concerto does not show the pianist to absolute advantage as the earlier, concertos of Mozart and Beethoven do, it is nevertheless a magnificent symphonic work. Arthur Rubinstein, tlie distinguished Russian pianist, has admirably caught the spirit of Brahms’ music, and is very ably supported by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Albert .Coates. The Concerto has been recorded in complete form in ten parts, with an annotated album, and the recording shows a fine balance between the solo instrument and the orchestra, and is in eveiy way up to the modern standaid. (H.M.V.)

NEW KETELBEY MUSIC.

“Cockney Suite” (A. W. Ketelbey). Played by Albert W. • Ketelbey’s Concert Orchestra. (Columbia 05052-54). Albert W. Ketelbey’s “Cockney Suite,” recorded by the composer conducting his own Concert Orchestia, consists of five sections, labelled: A State Procession, The Cockney Lover, At the Palais de Danse, ..Thoughts on Passing the Cenotaph, and Bank Holiday. In the first musical cameo we hear the military bands, and picture the pomp and pageantry attending the opening of Parliament. The second, is a little Cockney serenade containing some clever contrapuntal writing, and the theme of which is founded on ‘ Ai f a pint of mild and bitter.” A waltz is the subject of the third glimpse of London life; the fourth is in naturally more serious vain. Most graphic of all, perhaps, is “ ’Appy ’Amstead,” with its boisterous dance tunes, shouts of showmen,. and “all the fun of the fair.”

DVORAK’S “NIGGER” QUARTET.

“Quartet in F” (Dvorak)— Op. 96. Played by the London String Quartet. (Columbia 04131-33). Those who have shied rather clear of chamber music should hear this recording. It will come as a revelation of unexpected beauty to them, and, in fact, it adds fresh laurels to those already- held by this masterly strinc- ensemble. This- melodious and attractive music is played with delightful charm and finish, and the «pfayers have cleverly caught the negro folk song atmosphere that was so cunningly evolved by Dvorak himself. The recording is very rich, and the sonorous tone of the strings is perfectly reproduced. . k

RECORDING OF “PAGLIACCI.”

A special release of Lepncavallo’s .popular opera “Pagliacci” this, month introduces an exceptionally strong cast, which includes two great favourites, Apollo Granforte and Alessandro Valente, a tenor who has created a splendid impression on records. Ncdda’s part is sung by a young Italian soprano, Adelaide Saraceni, wHo ably holds her own against Valente and Granforte, and who has a fine voice of resonant quality and sings very artistically. Nello Palai, who sings the part of Peppe (and Harlequin -in the second act), has a remarkably good tenor voice, and both he and Leonildo Basi (Silvio) greatly strengthen the. cast. Too much cannot be said in praise of Granforte’s splendid singing of T<snio’s part. He fully enters into the spirit of the music, and gives a very realistic characterisation of the simple-minded clown,- who becomes spiteful and revengeful when Nedda rejects his love.Granforte’s singing of the Prologue is magnificent; ■ Valente fully comes up to expectations in the “sob” song,- in “Un tai gioco.” and in “No pagliaccio non son,” his beautiful voice and ringing high notes come out with telling The opening chorus and the melodious “Bell” Chorus are capitally suno- by members of La Scala in Milan, whilst the orchestra is conducted by Carlo Sabajno. The recording is splendid throughout, and the opera. is recorded in complete form in eighteen parts. (H.M.V.), .

HALLE ORCHESTRA.

The people of Manchester may well be proud of the Halle Orchestra, and of the Irishman, Sir Hamilton Harty, who conducts the Halle players. Since the Halle Orchestra became a permanent combination playing always under the one conductor, its artistic success has become a standard by which; music lovers throughout the British Empire are wont to measure all orchestral performances, And the great; charm of Halle playing is that in spite of the band’s precision and general technical excellence, it never loses the essential spirit, the very soul of the music itself. Harty, to his infinite credit, is cursed neither with the common modern itch for speech, nor with the equally common tendency to “interpret” works that need no such “interpretation. Of all Columbia’s orchestras —and she can claim the cream of Old England in this respect—she can afford to be proudest of all of the Halle crew and their skipper, Hamilton Harty. In going carefully. through the gramophone catalogues from time to time—as all keen gramofans.- should?— the writer has been increasingly struck with the list of Halle recordings. Musically, they are all so good; popularly, they are all so interesting, tuneful and vivid; and technically, they are every one of them beyond compare. What better recording (Col. 01677), for instance, of the fiery Hungarian Dances No. 5 and No. 6 of Johannes Brahms? What more magnificent recording (Col. 0'292202913) of Korsakov’s gorgeous “Spanish Caprice”? And the Halle records (Col. 04122-25) of Haydn’s simple and immensely popular “Clock” Symphony; and “Dvorak’s tuneful ‘‘Carnival” Overture (Col. 04073) and Schubert’s equally tuneful “Rosamunde” Overture (Col. 04056); and the famous Trumpet Voluntary arranged by Sir Henry Wood'from an air by the Great Henry Purcell (Col. 04020).' These foregoing titles are only the most popular —there are now a host of others quite as thrilling and every bit as important. If you’re looking for fresh enjoyment, look them up!