RECORDED MUSIC.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16712, 30 January 1926, Page 16 (Supplement)

RECORDED MUSIC.

THE WEEK'S RECORDS. That much discussed gramophone event, the recording of Elgar's Second Symphony, six double discs by the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra under the composer himself, can now be submitted to the critical ears of our local gramophonists. Tho set has arrived, and 1 will be available next week. The recording is all that the forecasts claimed for it, but the music itself requires frequent auditions before the listener begins to draw the various threads of the story together. Elgar has that essential quality of true greatness—simplicity. He is never obscure, always tangible. But the orchestration is more opulent, more extravagantly coloured, than Beethoven would have had it in Ills day of severe orchestral limitations. "This superb symphony," we are told, "written in the full maturity of its composer's creative powers—the score is inscribed Venice-Tintagci, 1910-11 — has justly taken its place as one of the masterpieces of orchestral music, and unquestionably tho greatest English Symphony yet produced."

The February list includes a real Pachmann gem for pianoforte lovers — Chopin's "Mazurka in A Flat Major" (Op. 50, No. 2), and His "Mazurka in B Flat Minor" (Op. 24, No. 4). "Social poems, poems of private life," is the happy description, by a famous writer, of Chopin's Mazurkas, contrasting them with "the Polonaises, which are political poems." In these exquisite little tone-poems, indeed, Chopin almost touches a more intimate note than in his other works. Their music gives us glimpses of the composer's impressions of those Polish mansions where, as a youth, he was the object of much adulation, where fair Udies danced the national dances, and Polish gentlemen held converse with one another, and where Chopin held all entranced by the magic of his playing.

There are few works in the realm of chamber music so attractive and melodious as the Piano Quintet of Schumann, which the Flonzalcw Quartet have just recorded. It has been said that Schumann was always happiest when the pianoforte was included amongst the combination of instruments for which he was writing. Here is ample evidence of this, for there is a pleasant contrast in tone-colour between the strings and the pianoforte, the latter instrument often embroidering the music and outlining the melody. Gabrilowitsch, who takes the pianoforte, part, is a conductor-com-poser-pianist whose greatest delight is to take part in concerted music. With such brilliant artists as these, the performance could not help but be sparkling, and the records of this popular work are said to contain one of the most brilliant renderings one could wish for.

A record of unusual distinction and dramatic power is the "Scene in the Monastery Cell" —a duet between tenor and bass which occurs in Act I. of Moussorgsky's opera "Boris Godounov." Here is a brief note on the scene, which is laid in the monastery cell of the old monkish chronicler Pimen. The young monk Gregory (Smirnoff) relates to Pimen (Kaidanoff) a dream he has had of a great crowd in Moscow, all pointing to him 'with mocking laughter. Pimen admonishes Gregory to Hunk no more of the world and its temptations, and recalls the days of his own youth, and the things he has seen, all of which are sot down hi his chronicles. Gregory asks hirn about the murdered Tsarevltch Dimilri, and learns that he would have boon about the same age as himself, a fact \yjiich gives Gregory the idea of impersonating the dead Tsarcvilch.

The Sayor Orpheans Augmented Symphonic Orchestra pave a very successful concert at,the Queen's Hall in London on the evening of October 28, For uvor two hours they kept a large audience thoroughly interested in their remarkably clever playing under the cohduetorship of Mr Debroy Sorners. Their programme was varied and gave their "star" soloists ample opportunity of displaying their almost uncanny mastery over the technique of their instruments. Uproarious laughter and applause greeted their latest "stunt" number, "Round the World," which has been recorded by the Savoy Orpheans. By the way, there are several excellent records in the February list. Don't fall to hear the Orpheans in their "Rose Marie"—"No, No, Nanette" medleys. These are among their best efforts to date. Without question the English Singers form one of the finest madrigal groups in the world. The madrigals, the "ballets," and the beautiful arrangements of folk-song which they sing, are excellently typified in a record just made for H.M.V., and due here shortly. "Now is the month of Maying" is one of the light-hearted "baHctls" which give the "lie direct" to those who assert that Elizabethan music is "academic." A jollier little song would be difficult to find, and the nuances and subtleties of'the English Singers' interpretation are wonderfully reproduced. » # * *

Itta Ruffo, a favourite baritone with gramophonists, has been rather scarce of late. However, he has at last broken silence with an excellent lOin. bracket —Costa's "Sei m'prla nc la vlla mia" (in Italian) and do Tcjada's "El Perjuro" (sung in Spanish). "Sei morta no la vita mia" is a pathetic song of unrequited love. "Your heart no longer lives for me" is the burden of the song, expressed with all the passion of the Southern temperament. "El Perjuro," as its title indicates, is a ballad of a fickle maiden, the sentiment of which Ruffo expresses as delightfully as he does the song of his own Southern land.

One of the most recent 11.M.V. acquisitions is Eric Marshall, acknowledged to-day as a loading English baritone. In a I2in double disc he gives us in the February list Hemberg's "Hindoo Song," and Schubert's -well-known "The Wanderer."

Genuine music of the Red Indian is |o be heard in two striking records by Os-ke-non-ton, who himself is a chief of the Mohawks. The "Invocation to'the Sun God" is dignified and solemn, with curious cadences, while the "Peyote Drinking Song" is a quaint carousing ditty. The record will be available next week.