RECORDED MUSIC

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18849, 11 April 1931, Page 16

RECORDED MUSIC

Saint Saen’s “Le Rouet d’Omptale” is a delightful orchestral “Spinning Wheel” conception, delicate, unusual, with lovely traceries of ideas finely woven. It is recorded brilliantly by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the famous Dutch conductor, Willem Mengelbery, of the Amsterdam Concertgebouer. The microphone in Karl Reich’s aviary in Bremen, Germany, has heard a wonderful medley of nightingales, canaries, and blackbirds singing to the stimulating strains of an orchestra appropriately subdued. The effect, as caught on the disc, is unique and delightful. The incidental waltz music, by the way, is Waldteufel’s “Tres Jolie” and “Wedding of the Winds.” Broadwood’s duet, “The Keys of Heaven,” with its charming and dainty old English accompaniment, has been finely recorded by Alice Moxon (contralto) and Stuart Robertson (baritone. The combination is particularly pleasing. Each singer is an artist. The companion number is that favourite duet from “The Maid of the Mountains,” “A Paradise for Two.” The fame of the boy violin virtuoso, Yehudi Menuhin, warrants more than ordinary interest in his recordings. The April list includes a brilliant bracket, the adagio movement from Mozart’s “Violin Concerto in G Major” and the Leclair transcription of Sarasate’s “Sarabande” and “Tambourin.” Each display the youthful artist in different varieties of difficult violin technique, justifying in generous measure his inclusion in the ranks of conterporary virtuosi. Sigrid Onegin, the gifted Swedish contralto, has just been recorded in one of Brahms’s liveliest inspirations, the “Alto Rhapsody” (from Goette’s “Harzreise in Winter.” Orchestrally and vocally this is a work of surpassing beauty, providing scope for all the expressive quality of the fine contralto singer. Onegin’s voice is of lovely velvety richness, crystal clear, with i commanding power aiid range, while she is essentially an artist of great dramatic intensity of feeling. Two of the great airs of German grand opera repertoire are the “Cobbling Song” from “Die Meistersingers” and “When Round Me Here I Gaze,” from “Tannhauser (Wagner). Those who remember hearing, or are fortunate enough to possess, the “Five j Scenes” from the production of “Die ] Walkure,” will relish the fact that the ! singer of these two airs is Friedrich Schorr, the famous bass of the Berlin Grat Opera House. Here he is accompanied respectively by the London ' Symphony Orchestra and the New Symphony Orchestra, and the result is a fine disc. The King’s Speech at the opening of the India Round Table Conference will mark in history the beginning of a new era in Imperial development, in which, unless prediction is falsified, India will be a co-partner with the British Dominions and the Old Country in the greatest Commonwealth the world has ever seen. From this point of view the gramophone record of his speech should be a valued possession. His Majesty’s voice is deliberate, impressive, gravely eloquent, and excellently recorded. All profits from the sale of this record will be presented to Lady Minto’s Indian Nursing Association, as desired by the King. Of contemporary pianoiorte virtuosi, Mischa Levitzki is quite the best recording artist. His touch reveals a distinct flail* for the microphone, with the result that his records are gems of clearness and eloquence of expression. Here in the April list we have him in four brilliant Chopin numbers, the waltzes in G flat major op. 70, No. 1, and A flat major op. 64 No. 3; “Ballade in A flat major bb op, 47; “Nocturne in F sharp minor, op. 15, No. 2,” to which is coupled Lizst’s “Etude de Concert in D flat major, No. 3.” In view of Levitzki’s promised visit to Australia and New Zealand this year, these records are of unusual interest, apart from their rare quality. By way of preliminary to the actual performance of the bells of the Wellington carillon when at long last Miss Gladys Watkins, our carilloneuuse, takes her seat at the clavier in the tower at Mount Cook, the lady has prepared us in advance by recording in London “The Bells of St. Mary’s” and “Annie Laurie.” The disc will be available in the April list. Care must be taken by purchasers to have the record heard at a distance—in the next room, or in the open air—so that the notes of the bells come through to the ear with much the same effect that they will do when they float through the air from their belfry at Mount Cook. Three stirring war songs have been grouped on to one record by Peter Dawson, who this year will be making a tour of New Zealand in conjunction with the famous pianist, Mark Hambourg. The first is a French song, r ‘Le Rave Passe” (A Vision of Victory), in which a male chorus sings with martial vigour in support of the soloist. The number gives Dawson plenty of scope for robust, resonant singing, and he rises to dramatic heights. The setting for the song is most unusual, but extremely impressive. On the reverse side of the disc soloist and chorus are again responsible for some virile singing in “Old Comrades” and “Boys of the Old Brigade,” which have enjoyed unabated popularity for many years.

The famous French cabaret film star, Maurice Chevalier, is presented in two characteristic numbers, “Paris, Stay the Same” (from “The Love Parade”), and “Ah, Come On, Be Sociable,” and a “Maurice Ghevalief Medley.” Here he is admirably corded, so well so that the quaint French-English which adds a piquant flavour to his singing “come over” very delightfully, conveying more than a hint of the fascinating personality that has taken London by storm. The announcements of an impending return visit by Joseph Hislop, the great British tenor, attaches renewed interest to his records. By the last mail have come a series of re-record-ings of his favourite grand opera and concert numbers. This in eludes his celebrated singing of “Vesti la Giubbor” (“On With the Motley,” from “I Pagliacci”), and the aria from Act II of the same opera, “No Pagliacci, non Son!” ( ,r No Pagliacci, No More!”); “Recondita Armanio” (“Strange Harmony”), and “E lucevan le Stelle” (“The Stars were Shining”), from “Tosca”; “Of a’ the Aerts the win’ can blow” and “Turn ye to me”; and “Roses and Women” (Grotte), and “Lonesome Moonlight” (Strickland). A varied assortment, for all tastes. The fifth and sixth discs of the series of military march medleys have been released this month. Although these are advertised as being primarily for school use, both are sure of a warm welcome from young and old alike. The playing is crisp, vivid, and full of brilliance. Vigorous in rhythm and rich in recording, they will appeal not only to teachers, and to those familiar with the times, but also to the great public that loves military band records. The first (both are played by the National Military Band under Stanford Robinson) is devoted to Scottish regimental marches. These are, Black Watch, Royal Highlanders—Blue Bonnets over the Border; Gordon Highlanders— Cock o’ the North; Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders—Pibroch o’ Daniel Dhu; Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders', Princess Louise’s—The Campbells are Coming; The Royal Regt.—Dumbarton’s Drums; 2nd Batt. The Cameronians, Scottish Rifles—The Gathering of the Grahams; Highland Light Infantry, City of Glasgow Regt.— Whistle o’er the lave o’ t. The second of the new records gives us: Border Regt.—John Peel; York and Lancaster Regt.—The York and Lancaster; West Yorkshire Regt.—Ca IfS,; South Wales Borders—Men of Harlech; Welsh Regt. | —Ap Shenkins; Cheshire Regt.—Wha j wadna fecht for Charlie; King’s Shropshire Light Infantry—Old Towler.

No recent orchestral work has caught the public fancy quite as quickly in England and America as Ravel’s new composition, “Bolero.” It has been played at many of the big orchestral recitals in both countries during the past season, and everywhere it has been received with enthusiasm. Thus the recording of the work by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Serge Koussevitsky is of particular interest because it enables New Zealanders to hear what is holding the attention of music lovers in other lands at the present moment. “The Bolero” is an eighteenth century Spanish dance, and apparently Ravel has based his composition on one of the airs which accompany the dance. It is certainly a fascinating work, and from the worthy interpretation given by the Boston Orchestra one cannot imagine how any listener can fail to be struck by the skilful graduation of a simple little melody to a big climax. The theme is handed from one set of instruments to another, and a pulsating drum figure persists throughout. The crescendo is an extraordinary one with the full orchestra participating in a stupendous climax. Ravel, as this music shows, has a very delicate appreciation of tone colour. The conductor develops this strikingly original composition in a most striking fashion. “Bolero” covers three sides of two records, and on the fourth side the orchestra plays Debussy’s arrangement of Satie’s “Gymnopedie No. 1,” which is an attractive piece of modern music.