THE GRAMOPHONE.
RECENT RELEASES REVIEWED. An Agreeable Combination. (1) "On Wings of Song" (Mendelssohn); (2) "Ave Maria" (BachGounod). Played by the J. H Squire Celeste Octet. Col. 02569. The popular J. 11. Squire Octet give their 'best in tw° fiji e numbers by Mendelssohn and: Bach. Both numbers illustrate the secret of this orches tra's success— their ability to arrange good music to suit their own combination. The Mendelssohn is a trifle sugary; very pleasing on a first hearing, but one that should not be played too often. They are much more su'btle in the familiar Bach-Gounod piece. The Squire Octet has just finished a very successful tour of Italy, and this record is ample evidence that they ;have thoroughly deserved their success. Alfred O'Shea.
(1) "Kathleen Mavourneen"; (2) "Oft In The Stilly Night." Sung byAlfred O'Shea, tenor. Col. 04009.
O'Shea whose visit to this .country some months ago roused considerable enthusiasm, has recorded many beautiful things for Columbia, but none so acceptable es 'his Irish Ballads. He sings the old favourite "Kathleen Mavourneen" with great charm. This Australian tenor has a really beautiful voice which he uses with great taste.' On the reverse side is a pleasing old ballad "Oft in the Stilly Night," sung veiy expressively and with great sympathy. The Dance of Death.
"Danse Macabre" (Saint-iSaens). In 'two parts Sir. Henry Wood conducting the New Queen's Hall Orchestra Columbia. 04021. .
This weird symphonic poem is bastd on a "Death Dance" excerpt from a little-known poem by Henry Cazali, which Saint-Saens appended to his score. The composition opens with an appropriate symbol of ■mysteriousnes-s —the striking of midnight. The skeletons begin their bizarre and fantastic revels, represented by the xylophone. Death, represented by a hauntingly lovely violin sqlo, stalks through the orgy, which moves to a. startling crescendo until the crow of the cock is heard, and 'the turbulent riot fades into silence.' ) . >
Sir JHenry Wood and his fine, orchestra play this piece with a relish for its eeriness, entering whole-heartedly into the spirit of the fantasy. Their tone is astonishingly ample, and round, for which doubtless the recording in the vast Scala Theatre, London, is much to be thanked Mr K. Aitken is the accredited dealer in Levin for Columbia records.
Humour, of Lauder.
There is plenty, of swagger in Sir Harry Lauder's new song, "The Pirate,' ' which is amongst this month's releases. Sir Harry can always paint a vivid as well as an amusing picture, and he is an artist even to the roll of I his "r's " "Just got off the Chain" tells of the joys of a henpecked husband whose wife has just broken her leg. The singer certainly celebrates tin occasion. Both songs are Sir Harry's own composition. H.M.V., D 1434). Unstinted Admiration.
"The Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool was crowded in every part, and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra roused the' stateliest audience in England to almost itulecorous demonstrations of rapture," states N.C. in the "Manchester Guardian" when writing of a performance 'by this great orchestra "In the interval we heard involuntary expressions of admiration, mingled with chagrin that in England we cannot expect more than once m a lifetime to hear an orchestra at all comparable with this orchestra, from Berlin/' One can imagine this enthusiasm after hearing the • recorded performance of "Carnival Roinain" (Berlioz). Every note is endowed with the life-giving touch of. music. The playing is remarkable for its flexibility and warmth of style, and the many colours and contrasts so beloved by Berlioz finds artistic expression. H.M.V., D 1365). Liszt's "Eight" Rhapsody.
If .all the Liszt's Hungarian Bhapsodies are not so popular as th'j second it is rather a case of their being overshadowed than anything else. Mark Hambourg (H.M.V.) is doing Liszt a service, therefore, in providing a record of the less known Hungarian Rhapsodies. The "Eight" Rhapsody is very brilliant and affords him an exceptional opportunity. Scottish Folk Song. Charles Hill (tenor) - in "Afton Water" (Hume) and "Annie Laurie" (Scott), A. 339 (12in., 45.) This is the beautiful setting -of the words of the familiar Scottish folk song "Afton Water," which Hislop so finely recorded for H.M.V. recently. For anyone who cannot afford th? Hislop record this Zonophone disc by Charles Hill will serve excellently. He has the voice to go a good way, and in "Annie Laurie" confirms the impression that he is already well worth listening to. i Past Glories Recaptured. Truly there is a whiff of the atmosphere of the pre-war days that comes ' from the re-recording of some operatic extracts from Verdi, and other operas which in those halcyon days were tin property almost completely of Caruso and his exact contemporaries. Now we have the sextet, "Chi mi frena" from "Lucia," sungH>y Galli-Curci, Homer, Beniamino Gigli, De Luca, Rinza, and Bada, and the great quartet from "Rigoletto," recorded for H.M.V. by the first four of these singers. Alas that such singing is no longer to be heard in London, but, that being the ease, it is good to have records of the fact that it is still possible to hear 3ueh superb vocal tone.
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Shannon News, 15 January 1929, Page 2
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850THE GRAMOPHONE. Shannon News, 15 January 1929, Page 2
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