RECORDED MUSIC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20110, 31 March 1928, Page 17 (Supplement)

RECORDED MUSIC

THE WEEK’S NEW RECORDS. COLUMBIA A Vivacious Comedienne. (1) “That’s My Haphap-happi-ness”; (2) “I Wonder How 1 Look When I’m Asleep.” Sung by Vaughn de Leath, comedienne. Columbia 0784. The inimitable Vaughn de Leath has an infectious style of her own for “putting over” the lighter type of song-hit. Full of personality, and with a quaint American accent she makes a song, sung in the ordinary way by everybody else, sound something entirely different.

The Cheniiavsky Trio. (1) “Trio in D Minor”—Scherzo—(Arensky); (2) Meditation: “Ave Maria” (Bach-Gounod). Played by the Cherniavsky Trio. Columbia 0844. The beauty of the Cherniavsky Trio is that, having an interesting way of telling us things, they always choose something interesting to say. The popular Arensky trio is one of the jolliest and most graceful things of its sort —the pizzicato on the, strings against some thrilling roulades, on the piano sweeping along at breathless pace. Finely contrasted is the famous Ave Maria—none the worse for its coming to us third-hand, being the Cherniavsky ’s own arrangement of Gounod’s arrangement of Bach's original melody. The piece is most happily and effectively harmonised and treated with a lovely warmth and richness of tone.

“Missouri” Up-to-Date. (1) “The Missouri Waltz”; (2) “Till We Meet Again”—Waltz. Played by Eddie Thomas’ Collegians. Columbia 02553.

The familiar Missouri waltz, as played by Eddie Thomas’ Collegians, is like a Victorian crinoline miss with a shingle and short skirts. Different harmonies, different tone-colour, different instruments —but the same old Missouri under her powder. To my mind the old favourite is even more attractive in its new frock. Another well remembered waltz of the pre-jazz days that undergoes a skilful “make-up” is the “Till We Meet Again” waltz. I wonder how grandpa and grandma would have reacted to the Hawaiian guitar? They might have been a bit shocked —and a bit more cheerful about their dancing. “Till We. Meet Again” has an attractive vocal chorus.

A Super-’Cellist (1) “Nocturne in G- Flat” (Chopin); (2) “Air for G. String” (Bach). ’Cello solos by Pablo Casals. Columbia 7357.

Casals is so wonderful a ’cellist that we arc content to take whatever he offers us, but it is a pity he gives us so few specifically ’cello works and so many transcriptions. However, if these transcriptions must be made, Casals is the man to do it, and he makes the lovely Chopin Nocturne sound very convincing. His playing is little short of perfect, and the piece gives him ample opportunity for displaying those finer qualities as a musician which wc all know him to possess. The Air G String is better suited to the instrument, but pro and anti-Bachitcs are so sharply divided that I shall content myself with saying that every lover of J.S.B. should buy this record; he will not regret the outlay. * * * ♦ From ‘ ‘ The Messiah. ’ ’ “Lift Up Your Heads”—The Messiah (Handel). Sir Henry Wood conducting the Handel Festival Choir. Columbia D 1550. This is a fine recording of the 1926 Handel Festival at the Crystal Palace, London. As a matter of statistics, the choir and orchestra numbered 3,500, and there is also an organ accompaniment, but under Sir Henry Wood’s baton they blend so effectively that mere numbers arc of no account. There is a feeling of exultation from the first note —a feeling maintained throughout and wonderfully “put across” by the electric recording. The. women’s voices are delightfully bold and vigorous. ❖** * ’ Two Stirring Marches (1) “Aida”—Grand March (Verdi); “Prophete”—Coronation March (Meyerbeer). Played by the Columbia. Symphony Orchestra. Columbia 02557. ( A little bit more could have been made of the Meyerbeer Coronation March, perhaps, but the Aida Grand March is given splendidly—plenty of pomp and colour and a majestic rhythm beating throughout the performance, i Verdi constructs this out of a verv simple theme for trumpets, standing out very effectively against a rich and full orchestral background. Anvway the Verdi is musically far more important than the Meyerbeer, which is apt to be meretricious and glowing. * * • # A Fine Australian Bass (1) “A Banjo Song”; (2) “Tavern Song.” Sung by Frank McEachern, bass. Columbia 0858. A comparative newcomer to the gramophone, Frank McEachern should go far if he can maintain the high standard of his “Tavern Song” recording. Whether this is a genuine “traditional’> song lam not certain, but it has an authentic ring of conviviality about it. It is sung as if the singer really enjoyed his quart of nut-brown ale. McEachern has a fine range and gets some surprisingly rich notes from the bottom of his chest.

HIS MASTER’S VOICE A New Recruit A new recruit to the ranks of ‘‘His Masters’ Voice” is the San Francisco Orchestra, the first record of which will be Kreislcr’s “Caprice Vicnnois” and Delibes’ “Coppelia Ballet,” the performance being conducted by Dr. Alfred Hertz. Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. One of the finest pieces of orchestra' recording which has appeared for long while is that of Wagner’s “Rienzi’* Overture, as performed by the. Philapelphia Symphony Orchestra. This is reproduced on two 12-inch records, and is of outstanding excellence. If the name of this great orchestra had never previously reached this country, these records would have established its fame. * * * ♦ Pablo Oasals. The name of Pablo Casals stands first on the roll of living ’cellists, and his rendering of Debussy 's “Mcnuct” and Hillmacher’s “Gavotte Tendrc” is a masterpiece of the ’cellist’s art. In this record for “His Master’s Voice” he has achieved his triumph quietly. Instead of striving for effects by prodigious tone or by an exhibition of wild temperamentality, he relies on superb quality. The listener images himself entranced by what he himself finds, rather than by what, in reality, Casals is showing him. a * * ♦ A Famous Belgian Tenor An interesting H.M.V. record which was recently issued by H.M.V., presents Armand Crabbe, the great Belgian baritone, in Sobrinho’s “Na Coicta” (in Portuguese), and the “Chant de. Berger” (in French) from Gounod’s little-known opera “Mireille.” He has a magnificent voice of full volume and wide range, and this performance helps one to understand the reason for his popularity on the Continent and in America. Beniamini Gigli, the famous tenor, who is already a familiar “Red Label” artist of “His Master’s Voice,” has added a brilliant record of Puccini’s “Recondita Ajrmonia” from “Donna non vidi mai” from ‘ ‘ Manon. ’ ’ * * ♦ ♦ Recent H.M.V. Dance Hits

Amongst the popular hits of recent H.M.V. dance issues should be heard: Savoy Orpheans, “The Girl Friend,” “The Blue Room,” “Little Brown Baby, ” “ That’s My Hap-hap-happi-ncss,” “Sweetness,” and “Moonlight and You”; Jack Hylton and his Orchestra, “Lucky Days,” “Maybe Its Me,” “The Girl Friend,” “Himazaz,” and “Clonkerty-Clock”; Johnny Hamp’s Kentucky Serenaders, “One O’clock Baby”; Waring’s Pennsylvanians, “Just Another Day Wasted Away’* and “Sa-lu-ta”; Roger Wolfe Kahn, “Mountain Greenery” and “Russian Lullaby”; George Olsen and his Music, “What’s the Use of Talking?” “For You and Me” and “The Girl Friend”; Nat Shilkret, “Who-o-o? You-oo! That’s Who!” “Fifty Million Frenchmen,” and “There’s Everything Nice About You”; Paul Whiteman, “Magnolia,” “Side by Side,” and “So Blue ’’; Jan Garber, ‘ ‘ You Don’t Like It’”; The Troubadours, “Ainf that a Grand and Glorious Feeling”; and Fred Elizalde and his Cambridge Undergraduates, “Stomp Your Feet” and “Clarinet Marmalade.” * * * »

Unique Records Coming Every true music-lover will welcome the harpsichord records by Violet Gor-don-Woodhouse, and especially as these happen to be her first records by the

“His Master’s Voice” electrical process. They consist of two 12-inch records, and contain the three movements of Bach’s “Italian Concerto,” and the same composer’s “Polonaise,” “Musette,” and “March.” The artistry of the performance, the dexterity of the playing and the clarity of the recording to be of exceptional merit.

Notable Instrumental Recordings There have been some notable instrumental H.M.V. discs lately. One by Cortot, who gives a brilliant performance of Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody”; and the other by Una Bourne, who plays Mozart’s “Turkish Rondo’’’ and Scharwenka’s “Polish Dance.” The delicacy of Una Bourne’s art is singularly effective in the Mozart. A good organ record is that by Reginald Foort, who now completes the “Ballet Egyptien,” the first two parts of which i appeared some weeks ago. • ♦ © # A Budget of Good Light Songs. Taking a flying survey of impressions of recent H.M.V. light song discs, the numbers that cling most hauntingly to the memory are the following:—John McCormack, “A Rose for Every Heart,” and “Lilies of Lorraine”; Harry Dearth, “Onaway, Awake, Beloved,” and “Leanin’ ”; and Garda Hall, “Cornin’ Thro’ the Rye” and “High Upon the Hill.” But the most interesting feature of this section is undoubtedly the three records on which the name of Ailecn Stanley appears. This talented comedienne recently paid her second visit to England, and her success in London has brought about a big demand for her gramophone records. She duets with Billy Murray in “Does She Love Me? Positively, Absolutely?” and “I’m Back in Love Again”; and with Johnny Marvin in “Side by Side’’ and “Red Lips, Kiss My Blues Away.” The third record, a solo, “Don’t Be Angry With Me,” is shared with Jane Green, who occupies the reverse side with “If I’d Only Believed in You.” The reverse sides of another light record are occupied by Jim Miller and Charlie Farrdl in “Just the Same,” and Johnny Marvin in “There’s Everything Nice About You.” * * * $

His Master’s Voice agents, Messrs. Ellery Gilbert, Ltd., report having received supplies of the record “I Waited for the Lord,” and “O Como Everyone that Thirsteth” and it will beyond all doubt prove as popular as “Hear my Prayer” which wrs the first number recorded by the famous Temple Church Choir. Master Lough’s beautiful voice is delightful in this new record and the sweet tone of the choir and organ accompaniment makes it a remarkable and noteworthy number.

The Famous Temple Church Choir. Mention was made last week of a new Temple Church Choir disc containing some lovely singing by the boy soprano, Master Lough. In another Temple Church Choir disc which should not be overlooked, from the fact that in this instance the choir itself is well in the limelight, the boy is merely one of the trebles in a truly exquisite ensemble “O Filiae et Filii” and “King of Glory,” the two pieces recorded, are both essentially choral numbers, and the performance by the choir certainly seems to justify their reputation as being the finest church choir of the present day. The hymn “O Filiae et Filii’* is an ancient Easter carol which has been sung in the Round Church pf

the Temple on festival occasions from time immemorial, and is recorded with the musical arrangement of Mr G. Thalben Ball, the temple organist. The “King of Glory” was composed by Sir Walford Davies —who was himself organist at the Temple Church for more than a quarter of a century—specially for the services in this historic building.