HIS MASTER’S VOICE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12609, 20 November 1926, Page 14

HIS MASTER’S VOICE

DAME NELLIE MELBA’S “FAREWELL”

The Gramophone Company’s (H.M.V.) latest issue iucluden Nellie Melba's

''farewell" at Covent Garden Opera, represented by her singing of Mimics goodbve song and the artist’s own speech. The late season was also utilised for recording Chaliapin in Boito’s “Mefistofelc” during an actual performance. Tffere is a gain of actuality, as when tlio singer staples a foot to empkaise a dramatic point, but extraneous noise more frequently detracts from the musical quality than adds to it. The shifting positions of the stage, too, 6eem to affect the consistency of the recording by, presumably, lived or less mobile instruments. It is quite different in the case of concert-room performances, os has already been sjiown in numerous orchestral and choral records, and again in the reproductions from the Royal Choral Society's singing of oratorio at the Royal Albert Hall. There is in the latter case that sense of spaciousness ond of weight without noise. • • * # THE REAL ORCHESTRA AT HOME At present, electrical recording is «till a novelty, and so much music already recorded under the older methods is on tho “waiting list" that selectivity does not count greatly at the moment. One can feel that the techniquo of the recorders in their new medium is improving rnpidly. To take one example: the His Master's Voice recordings of “I Jursifal” were quite wonderful, but their great power was acconipaniea by a stridency of a quality quite new. Hear the latest Wagner records—the “Fire Music" from the “Valkyrie," and “Siegfried's Journey to the Rhine”—which were made by a symphony orchestra of ninety-four players in Queen's Hall, in London, and you have depth and grandeur that almost take one’s breath away, so faithful are they to tho original. SPANISH SONGS An interesting, strongly rhythmic Jota by da Falla is well sung by Tito Schipa; on the reverse is a “Madrigal Espanol,” by Huerte, a very pleasant record if played with a fibre needle; most of the modern records on a modern cabinet machine demand fairly soft needles. THE ORGAN ON THE DISC An excellent addition to the library of organ music is the ten inch double disc on which Reginald Goss-Custard plays Wolwtjenholme’s “The Question" and “Tho Answer.” Thero is no doubt that H.M.V. electrical method of recording has opened lip a wonderful field of new pleasure in the realms of organ music, and it is very interesting to be able to watteh the gradual improvements which are effected month by month. Perfection has not yet been obtained, but it will be in course of time if the present rate of progress is followetl out to its logical conclusion. The present record by Goss-Custard (which wai* made in the Kingswny Hall) is a worthy successor to those that have gone before. I have lust heard three H.M.V. records of tne music of the Military Searchlight Tattoo at 'Aldershot. These records were made in the open air at the actual function, and are, I believe, the first ever made under such conditions. •»* * • NEW DANCE MUSIC

A big dance music selection is offered by H.M.V. It includes the Savoy Orpheans in “I've Got Those Wanna Go Home Again Blues,” and “Mysterious Eyes," “The Prisoner's Song,” and “By the Waters of Perkiomen," “Just Drifting,” with “I Wonder” waltz by the Havana Band on the other 6ide. Each • band is also associated with Mr Pete Mandell, the Havana Band in “Take Your Pick" and the Orpheans in “Get Going." Jack Hylton’s orchestra has a “Lady be Good" medley (as well as the selection already mentioned). “Fleurs d'Amour” (Padilla) and “Nothing Else to Do." “Thanks ror the Buggy Ride," and “When You See That Aunt,” and a fox-trot medley of. Leslie Stuart's songs that will bring memories back to olcl-timers. Then there are the Kit-Cat Band in “Who Loved Best?" and “I'm still in Love With You,” foxtrots like most of* the rest; the Rio Grande Tango Band is “Milonguita," and “El Dormito'n,” tangos, end tho Savoy Tango Orchestra in “Matador," and the Orpheans in “Barcelona,” two one-«teps on one disc. * OLD FAVOURITES # The new recording may be responsible for the appearance of old favourites in song and ‘orchestral performance. Peter Dawson is responsible for “The Prologue," from “I Pagliacci," and the two sides of the contain the whole of the orchestral section connected with “The Prologue," which enhances the successful singing of Peter Dawson. And next come the first two example* of “Four Indian Love Lyrics"— “lxjsb than the Dust" and “The Kashmiri Lovo Song” of Amy Woodfordo-Finrlen, hnd played by De Groot and the Piccadilly Orchestra. It is natural to assume that these new recordings will replace what have gone before. EMMY DESTINN RETURNS

A more ihan welcome return to London is that of Emmy Destinn, a distinguished H.M.V. artist. Her reappearance after nil these years of absence will be a wonderful stimulus to memories of those glorious days before the war when Destinn. Caruso, Scotti and others sang at Covent Garden. London always had a particular affection for Destinn, and it was she who first created the role of “Madame Butterfly" in Puccini’s opera in London. Destinn “created" the leading soprano roles of many important operas, including besides that of “Madame Butterfly” in London, the role of Minnie in “Tho Girl of the Golden West ”

At 1 lie end of this month will be released a splendid Elgar bracket presenting two of this famous British composer’s “Pomp and Circumstance” marches —No. 1 in D (“Land of Hope and Glory”;, and No. I in .A minor (a brilliant conception). Elgar’s famous “Pomp and Circumstance" marches are tho outcome of an attempt on the part of the great composer to fuse the practical requirements of the military march with the “symphonic" style of the concertroom in such a way as to make them perfectly suitable for performances on either occasion. • • • • “The 'His Master's Voice' Company have never given us anything finer in pianoforte music than the renderings of J Liebestraume No. 3' (Liszt) and tho L\nila Waltz' (Delibes-Dohnonyi) (says a London critic). Although the pianoforte records tho company are issuing are so amazingly good, we feel that this disc of Backhaus playing Dohnanyi’s transcription of the ‘Naila Waltz' is the most surprising record of the pianoforte yet produced. The real illusion of the pianoforte 'being there' is achieved completely if tho record is ployed on the new 'His Master’s Voice' gramophone.” • « • * MAGIC MUSIC. Yet another tribute to the wonderful

quality and success of the recent H.M.V. new process Wagnerian records—this time from “Music": “The Magio Fire Scene,” from “The Valkyrie," and “Siegfried’s Journey to the Rhine," caused universal astonishment by the surprising manner in which they reproduced the true timbres of a full-sized orchestra playing in a concert hall; but t hese last records are likely, if anything, l<> eclipse them, for never have more amazing reproductions of the orchestra been made. Whether it be in the mighty swing and the exhilaration of the “Ride of the Valkyries," or in the colossal grandeur of “Siegfried’s Funeral March,” in each case the marvellous orchestration stands out clearly and vividly-