RECORDED MUSIC

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18796, 7 February 1931, Page 13

RECORDED MUSIC

Elsie Suddaby, a young soprano, has j recorded two songs. These are “Re- i and “As When the Doves” from “Acis joice Greatly” from the “Messiah,” and Galatea:” Miss Suddaby’s clean, bright tone is particularly well suited to the singing Of Handel* The accuracy of her attack, smoothness of the legato and intelligent phrasing make these two songs very enjoyable. “Tommy Handley Calling.” Descriptive sketch by Tommy Handley. Tommy makes his first “solo” record for Columbia a real winner. He is the Clown-in-ordinary to the and , so it is quite suitable that he should “guy” the 3.E.C. in such mirthful style. He gees right through the whole programme, taking e&eh item in turn, from the bedtime etOfy to thi news bulletin, and keeps the ball of fun j rolling merrily the whole Way through. i A good holiday record released is | that of the New Mayfair Orchestra in i a selection from “Bona O' Guns.” j Among the tunes are “Why.” "It's You j I Love,” “Let's Merge,” “Red Hot and Blue Rhythmn,” “Crccs Your Fingers,” “Sentimental Melody,” “I’m That Way Over You,” The New Mayfair Orchestra has long been admired for the excellence of its records of selections from the best musical shows in London. This selection front “Sons o‘ Guns,” the popular musical show, is a very fine specimen.

The young -soprano, Helene Esserman, who left Sydney for London about seven years ago. and has obtained very favourable press criticisms for her appearances in grand opera in France and Belgium, makes her debut on records in the pleasing waltz from Edward German’s “Merrie England,” which she sings artistically and without forcing her voice. In “Love Will Find a Way,” from “The Maid of the Mountains,” the young singer displays a voice of very pleasing quality, resonant, clear, and altogether makes a very pleasant impression.

“Passacgwia” (Handel-Halvorsen). Played by Albert Sammons (violin) and Lionel Tertis (viola). This “Passacaglia,” a vigorous stand-up fight between two fiddlers, has been on the Sammons-Tertis repertoire for about 15 years now, and their playing reveals in every note their perfect combination. Halvosen has added a good deal to the original. The variation at the end of the first side and beginning of the second has a tiny tincture of Grieg. It is all great sport, and these two splendid performers stand up to it and to each other like giants. The record is very faithful to all their virtuosities.

Although the famous Flonzaley Quartet was disbanded over a year ago, it had made a number of recordings which are only being released now. This applies to the beautiful String Quartet in D Minor by Mozart, released by His Master’s Voice. Owing to the absence of opus numbers, the identification of Mozart’s String Quartets is very difficult, unless the number of Koechel’s catalogue is quoted, which in this case is No. 421. As always, the Flonzaley Quartet plajw with utmost finish and refinement of style. The quartet itself is very beautiful, and very cheerful right through. The opening allegro is followed by a serene and beautiful andante, which ends very softly. There is a dainty and delightful menuetto, and the most movement consists of a theme and variations.

f 'The Yeomen of the Guard” vocal | gems make a fine single record for those who cannot get the complete operas under D’Oyly Carte direction; for the members of the Light Opera Company are obviously the same that make the full albums. A recent good band record was a very happy one containing a selection from "Floradora,” played by the Coldstream Guards’ Band. This, as everyone knows—or should know—is bright, cheery music. It is splendidly played with rich suave tone and fine rhythm, , and admirably recorded. Here is the finely-equipped Cunningham (none better in England) playing real organ music—Bach’s “Fantasia and Fugue in G Minor”. The degree of clearness is excellent. The organ is that at St. Margaret’s, Westminster. This work is a fine favourite, and the recording stands well up among those of the organ. Cunningham carries it off with striding rhythm and welling sonority. Rudy Vallee is irresistible. “The Vagabond Lover” gave Rudy Vallee to the screen, together with his Connecticut Yankees. Here are the records of the two hits, "A Little Kiss Each Morning” and “I’ll be Reminded of You ” in both of which Rudy will croon to you himself. This record was a most popular double with the evergrowing numbers of Rudy fans.

Grove says of “The Fire Bird” (which was the first of the ballets Stravinsky wrote for Diaghilev): “Next to its unmistakable indebtedness to Rimsky-Korsakov it reveals more than the germs of a remarkable individuality.” The Philadelphia Orchestra’s record is fine. Stokowsky has a much livelier beat than Stravinsky, and the glorious richness of the Philadelphia string tone (which is the most important group in the first act of “Five Bird”) is world renowned.

The finished record of the King’s Speech at the opening of the Naval Conference in the House of Lords has the art of concealing art, and is a consummate achievement in capturing a historic occasion (says a reviewer). There are, however, inquisite people for whom the success of it is enhanced if they know the difaculties under which it was made. A special gilt microphone, almost concealed by the broadcasting microphone on the table in front of his Majesty, was connected with the recording van in the yard below (which it shared with the Royal car). The King looked like beginning his speech—a telephone message

(1) “He Shall Feed His Flock”; (2) “Creation’s Hymn” (Beethoven). Sung by Dame Clara Butt, contralto. Clara Butt now records electrically two of her most popular numbers. Both have a reverent spiritual feeling to which Dame Clara’s deep rich tones lend themselves most admirably. Her artistry is as incomparable as ever, and though she has been the doyenne of the English concert hall for many years now, her hold on public affection shows no signs of dimming. Perhaps much of her popularity is due to her invariable clarity and the purity of her diction

(1) “Annie’s Tryste”; (2) “Land o’ the Leal.” Sung by Elder Cunningham, bass baritone. This is a capital record of these two traditional Scottish songs, sung by a man who is in every way qualified to make the best of them. Cunningham’s voice has real power, and stirs even a Sassenach. At one of

his London recitals, an English musical journal tells us, his “Land o’ the Leal” was encorred no less than five times. Well, even his perfect enunciation, admirably posed voice, and free stlye won’t explain that; it must be some quality that gets right to the heart of his listeners. And, fortunately, this record has caught something of that spirit.

“La Gioconda”—Dance of the Hours (Ponchielli). Cav. Lorenzo Molajoli conducting the Milan Symphony Orchestra. This graceful and ever-popu-lar work receives the most delicate of treatment at the hands of the Milan Orchestra —delicate at least in thought, though bold enough in execution. This dance, curiously enough, is the solitary br'gl'.t movement in a tragic opera which has long since sunk into oblivion. In the ballroom scene, the Lord of the Inquisition devises a ballet in which the dancers represent the passing hours of the day and night. The players interpret this typically Italian music with a bravura and conviction impossible for musicians of any other country.

One of the longest works yet recorded is Bach’s B Minor Mass, which consists of seventeen records, contained in two albums. The great composer wrote several Masses during his stay in Leipzig, but by far the greatest is the B Minor Mass, a colossal work, whose “heavenly length,” as Schumann might have called it, precludes its performance in church. The Mass shows Bach’s remarkable virility and inspiration, as in the surprising animation and buoyancy of “Et incamatus,” or the great “Sanctus” chorus, with its wonderful climax, or the lovely contralto solo, “Agnes Dei,” at the end. A fine cast has been selected, the principals being Elisabeth Schumann, Margaret Balfour, Walter Widdop, Friedrich Schorr, and the London Philharmonic Choir, with the assistance of the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Albert Coates. With the exception of Margaret Balfour, the soloists sing with expression, the chorus is very good, and the recording is, generally speaking, very fine.

Barrington Hooper (tenor) and Foster Richardson (bass), in Llddle’s “A Farewell,” are excellent. Here is perhaps its best recording yet, and certainly the most effective "Until” (Sanderson) one remembers.

Esther Coleman (contralto). Good contraltos are still at the bottom of the poll of singers. One of our best is apparently confined to two records or so per year. Her “Land of Hope and Glpry” (Elgar) and “There’s a Land” (AJlitsen), "The Better Land” (Cowen) and “Husheen” (Needham) are excellent.

There is a glorious performance of one of Delius’6 most idyllic orks. “In a Summer Garden,” played by the London Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Geoffrey Toye. What a haunting picture of luxurious charm, of gentle breezes, murmuring bees, and lazy content this tone-poem conjures up. How admirably varying moods are suggested by a subtle motif given here to the woodwind, there to the harp, or strings. Toye has a full sense of the deep poetical sense of the music, and brings out all its lyric beauties with delicacy and finesse of understanding necessary to a proper interpretation of Delius. The fourth side of the second disc has another of those wonderful

tonal impressions of which Delius was master in “A Song before Sunrise,** played by the New Symphony Orchestra, under the conductorship of that brilliant young man, John Barbirolli. It is interesting to compare how two great modern conductors interpret Delius. If anything, Barbirolli is more vigorous, though still adequately conscious of the fine tonal shades the work calls for. He conveys splendidly the idea of nature awakening to a new day —the twittering of the birds, the passing of darkness, and with a fine burst of melody the blaze of light that heralds the coming day. These are a pair of discs every lover of Delius music will add to their library.

The Chopin Ballades, probably the composer’s greatest works, were % great triumph for H.M.V. Cortot’s consummate musicianship makes this a really big interpretation. It is interesting to note that two of the Ballades, those in F major and F minor, were here recorded for the first time. Cortot, who in England is not usually associated with a baton, in his conducting of the Brahms Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102, gives not only a virile but a great performance of this work. Among numerous other records may be mentioned Cesar Franck’s Prelude, Chorale, and Fugue. Debussy’s Children’s Comer , Chopin’s Twenty-four Preludes, Op. 28, and Schumann’s Camaval, Op. 9; with the London Symphony Orchestra, under Sir Landon Ronald, Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 and Cesar Franck’s Variations Symphonlques; and with the International String Quartet, Cesar Franck’s Quintet in F minor. Mention should be made of his magnificent collaboration with Thibaud and Casals in Beethoven’s “Arch-Duke” Trio in B flat, Op. 97, and Schubert’s well-known Trio No. 1 in B flat, Op. 99.

Suite No. 3 in D Major (J. S. Bach). Desire Defauw conducting the Brussels Royal Orchestra. In the old days, a music lover was either a pro-Bach or an anti-Bach; one of the elect or one of the self-dammed. If you could honestly—or evenly dishonestly—say that you understood Bach, you felt yourself entitled to sneer at the rest of the world. In a large part, the gramophone is to be thanked for the change that has come about in the last few years. For Bach takes a lot of listening to; but, unlike many another composer whose would-be intellectuality is nothing but obscurity, Bach repays it. Beauty, truth, honesty, flawless craftsmanship—all these are at the bottom of his deep, clear well. The third

Suite (he himself preferred to call them Overtures) is one of his most easily understood works. The Brussels Royal Conservatoire Orchestra play it admirably under Desire Defauw, with that explanatory touch that elucidates and clarifies the music. They are espcially happy in the Aria—better known aa the Air for G String—and use the bass strings with exceptionally good effect. The Suite occupies five sides, and the sixth is given to Corelli’s “Sarabande,” a stately measure played with dignity by Arbos and the Madrid Orchestra.