MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 808, 31 October 1929, Page 14

MUSIC

(By

F.1.R.)

Glancing Ahead. — Nover ber 3.—Municipal Band at Town Hall. November 7—“Cavalleria Rusticana’’ , and “Stabat Mater” (Auckland Choral Society. , November IS.—Chamber Music Society. Mr. Leon de Mauny, the well-known violinist and conductor of the Wellington Symphony Orchestra, is to leave on a hurried trip to England on November 15, in order to visit his parents in London. He will proceed via Australia, and hopes to return to Wellington in March next. • • * Mark Hambourg. eminent European pianist, is playing the part of Beethoven in a new German sound

film. He is said by people who knew Beethoven to resemble the great composer. In the course of the picture be will play several sonatas on the piano and conduct two symphonies.

Choral Concert

TRAGIC OPERA “CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA" AND ROSSINI’S "STABAT MATER" THURSDAY NEXT The audience at the Choral Society’s concert at the Town Hall on Thursday next should not want for variety. In Mascagni’s opera, “Cavaleria Rusticana” is the virile and passionate music of a wild Sicilian love tragedy and, for contrast, there is the beauty and tenderness of Rossini’s “Stabat Mater.” “Cavalleria Rusticana” is one of the most popular of the short operas. There is colour in its music and for this reason it lends itself particularly well for choral presentation. The choruses are particularly tunoiul, one has only to mention the Easter Hymn, and there are a number of very melodious solos for tenor, soprano, mezzosoprano and baritone voices. For the orchestra there is the poignant “Intermezzo,” always beautiful when handled with proper respect. Also in the Rossini work soloists and chorus will find ample scope. Although in this Rossini has been accused of having lacked the proper spirit of devotion no one will gainsay the beauty of its music. It should suitably offset the tragic and rather insistent note struck in the opera. The soloists ctvpsen are Miss Kate Campion (soprano), who should be assured of a warm welcome. Miss Molly Atkinson, a mezzo-soprano who is rapidly coming into prominence, the well-known tenor, Mr. Arthur Ripley, and Mr. Ernest Snell (baritone), whose last big appearance was in the leading role of Abercoed in “Florodora.” Mr. Arthur Colledge will sing the bass solos in the “Stabat Mater.” To Ihe big bass number “Pro Peccatis” he should do full justice. Both works will be under the direction of Mr. Colin Muston.

MUNICIPAL MUSIC

BAND CONCERT ON SUNDAY DATES ARRANGED The following programme has been prepared for the band concert to be given at the Town Hall by the Municipal Band on Sunday evening next: Hymn. "Saviour, Breathe an Evening Blessing” (Italian): overture, “Nabuco” (Verdi); cornet solo. “Cleopatra” (Damare), soloist, Mr. J. Davies; morceaux, (a) “Prelude,” (b) “The Christmas Scene” from “The Miracle” play (.Humperdinck); euphonium solo, "Nazareth” (Gounod), soloist, Mr. J. Purchase; morceau, “A Woodland Serenade” (Haines); selection, “Faust” (Gounod). The next concert will be held in the Town Hall on Saturday, November 9. Entirely new numbers to be given are the overture to Weber’s “Euryauthe”; incidental music to “Faust,” by. S. Coleridge-Taylor; the brilliant cornet solo, air varie, “The Carnival of Venice” (Arban), to be played by Mr. J. Davies: flute solo, “Idyll” (Krantz), by Mr. Kal C. McLennan; and Kennedy Fraser’s “Songs of the Hebrides.” The vocalists. Miss Matty Youngson and Mr. Roy Dormer, will sing some charming ballads, with Miss Thelma Gordon at the piano. Saturday evening concerts for the remainder of the year have been arranged as follow: November 9 and 23 and December 7 and 21. Sunday evening dates are November 3 and 17 ■T"

GRAMOPHONES

The andante cantabile, from Tschaikowsky’s Quartet in D, is one of the accepted favourites of string quartets, and for those about to delve into the beautiful realms of chamber music, here is an ideal start. The time will captivate all who hear it. While Tschaikowsky sat near an open window he heard a Russian workman singing beneath. The lovely folksong haunted him all night, and next morning he called the singer in and set the tune on paper, later giving it to the world to become “one of the loveliest slow movements in all string quartet literature.” This movement is recorded by the Elman String Quartet, and the playing as marked by smoothness of tone. The balance is perfect. (H.M.V., D 81055.)

The duet from “II Trovatore” (Verdi), (a) “Udiste?” (b) “Qual Voce! ” is sung by Arangi-Lombardi, soprano, and Carlo Galeffi, baritone. (Columbia 04224.) Here is another glorious Italian opera record. ArangiLombardi and Galeffi have made other splendid records, but these seem to reach new heights in this thrilling scene from the last act of “Trovatore.” The soprano’s singing of the brilliant pasage at “Vivra! . . . contende il giubilo,” is especially notable, but the work of both artists throughout the record is a model of the finest Italian style. The reproduction is vividly realistic. Willhelm Bac-khaus has completed the recording of the second group of Chopin’s etudes, Op. 25. The final re-

cord contains three etudes; Nos. 7,9, and 10 (His Master’s Voice). The ninth, in G flat major, popularly known as the “Butterfly,” is justly famous for its daintiness and brilliancy. It is followed on the same side of the record by No. 10

in B minor, a powerful dramatic etude, superbly played by the great pianist. On the reverse side is the C sharp minor etude (No. 7), one of the most beautiful of all Chopin’s etudes and one of the saddest. Although simply named an “etude,” it could have easily been included among the com poser’s preludes, the crashing and almost utter hopelessness of despair being the dominant mood of the music, which is remarkably well reproduced. (H.M.V., DB1180.) Following on the heels of the magnificent “Fire Bird” Suite, issued last month, comes a splendid record —a 12inch Dark Blue—by the Orchestra Symphonique of Paris, this time playing Lalo's “Norwegian Rhapsody,” which occupies both sides. The opening side begins softly oil the first violins, but soon grows very restless and is only subdued by the entry of a charmingly pastoral theme on clarinet and violins. It finishes most curiously. first extremely soft and then very loud. The second part is vigorous, with stirring melodies flashing from the bassoons, trumpets and strings. Somewhere in the middle a limpidly lovely passage for flute is heard, with pizzicato strings well in attendance. This side ends with the orchestra’s full strength. This work contains all the elements of colourful folk tunes, combined with a powerful ruggedness that belongs to the Scandinavian race. Lalo’s tremendous richness and skill of orchestration has been superbly handled try the great French orchestra. (Columbia No. 02891.)

Toti dal Monte about three years ago captivated New Zealand audiences by her wonderful personality and beautiful voice, and she excels herself on a record giving an aria from Donizetti’s opera “The Daughter of the Regiment.” It is the exquisite “Convien Partir” (we must part) in which the heroine reluctantly bids farewell to the beloved regiment with which she has been brought up. The recording fully reveals the beauty of the voice and finished legato singing. There are no brilliant runs in “Convien Partir,” but there is a melody of great charm and wistfulness. On the reverse side the Italian prima donna sings the delightful cavatina “Regnava nel silenzio,” from the first act of “Lucia di Lammermooi.” It was in this opera that Dal Monte made her sensational debut. (H.M.V., DB1040.)

Following the treatment accorded it by Miss Molly Bernstein (accompanist to Giannini) many Aucklanders have become enamoured with Debussy’s “Golliwogs’ Cake Walk.” This, with Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Dance of the Tumblers,” has been recorded by the famous 8.8. C. Band. The “Children’s Corner” was specially written as an entertainment for children, and the “Golliwogs’ Cake Walk" has survived longest in popularity. The “Dance of the Tumblers,” from the opera “Snow Maiden,” is typical of the spring, with its gay pictures of leaping, frolicsome lambs. Admirable in every sense of the word is the treatment afforded these two pieces by the well-known military band of the 8.8. C., and much ' credit is due to the conductor for his arrangement of the “Dance of the Tumblers.” (Columbia No. 02593.)

The Fourth and Sixth Symphonies ■ of Tchaikowsky have for some time been available on the gramophone. The “Fifth in E minor, Op. 64,” has : now been issued, recorded from a remarkably fine performance by the New Symphony Orchestra under Sir Landon Ronald. Sir Landon is famous for his interpretation of the i works of Tchaikoswky; he is thoroughly sympathetic with the composer’s moods,' and under his baton ; this beautiful —if feverish and highly | strung—music takes on an impressive- | ness that not all conductors succeed lin realising. We must own to a per* I sonal preference for this one of the : three familiar symphonies; it is cast in a happier mould than the Sixth j (“Pathetique”), and fs more eclectic l in outlook than the Fourth. Tchaii kowsky broke new ground to some extent in making use of a modern dance form for the third movement in ! place of the Minuet of the classical \ writers or the Scherzo of Beethoven j and his successors. The waltz is a charming one, and the experiment is | entirely successful. The andante, too, is a lovely thing. The symphony is issued in 12 parts on six discs, and I the recording is marvellously good; ! the tone is full and sonorous, especil ally that of the brass, and the texture remarkably clear. (H.M.V., Dlsll-16.) One of the most attractive of recent operatic records is a pairing of “Caro Nome” and “E il sol dell’anima,” sung jby Maria Gentile. The singer has a : voice of exceptional sweetness and purity. It is one of the most flexible | coloraturas in the world today, sliding up and down the scale with extra- ; ordinary ease, and never losing its ' liquid clarity. Lovers of good voeal- | ism will he thrilled by her delicious ease of production. Her enunciation is of the clearest, and the slow, thoughtful pace at which she takes these two favourite airs heightens their immediate and unmistakable appeal. (Columbia 04077.) » » * There seems to be little doubt that as a song-writer Schubert has no peer, and John McCormack makes a notable contribution to the gramophone catalogue of two’ of the composer’s early numbers. “Who is Syl- ; via?” composed to words by Shake- ; speare, is one of the best-known Schubert songs in English-speaking coun- | tries. “Die Liebe hat Gelogen” (“Love I has Lied”) is full of., sorrow and ! yearning, and the great tenor’s interi pretation is pervaded by tenderness I and feeling. The accompaniments are J played by Edwin Schneider, who has ! been McCormack’s accompanist for j many years. (H.M.V. DA933.) ’ An N.Z. Westminster Glee Singer [ The Westminster Glee Singers who | are now touring New Zealand have as ! principal tenor a native of this counj try in Ernest McKinley. McKinley has a magnificent voice which he can use with great versatility. He has produced a fine series of Maori song records for Columbia, and whether in the appealing lullaby, “Hine e Hine” | (Columbia 01067), or in the stirring I Alfred Hill song “Whaka Ariki” (Columbia 01058) or the lilting and | melodious “Waiata Poi” (Columbia ; 01063) he is equally at home. His Maori records are eight in number, and have orchestral accompaniments by Gilbert Deschelietes. | There are a number of first-rate i dance records coming to hand at present, but there are none finer than i those issued by Jack Hylton’s Orches- ! tra, which has just made a most suci cessful tour of Europe. This is peri haps the only orchestra that is uni- ' versally popular. There are some orchestras that are all the rage in the United States and failures in England, and vice versa, but Hylton is a ! tremendous draw wherever he goes. His clever orchestration of “I Lift Up j My Finger and say, ‘Tweet, Tweet,’ ” ;is one of the best things in jazz I music. Other “hits” from the same | source include: “The Heart of the I Sunset” (fox-trot), “The Wedding of j the Painted Doll” (fox-trot), and “Bogey Wail.” (H.M.V.).

* * * Charming tenor songs by Hubert Eisdell are “Homeward to You” (R. Barrie and Eric Coates) and “Had I the Voice of Morven” (F.E. Weatherly and Campbell). England’s most

popular tenor is at his very best in these two exquisite songs, and never have the lucid, lyrical qualities of his voice been more realistically reproduced. The Erie Coates melody is a delightful example of this famous composer’s very

best style, and both in this and “Had I the Voice of Morven” is the true and i tender sentiment that Eisdell knows so | well how to interpret shown off in charming style. The piano accompani- : ment, beautifully restrained, is especi- | ally fine, and the recording brilliant, j (Columbia No. 01579.) Squire’s ’cello records are always : welcome, for he has something of a | homely touch, and has the knack, ; however finely he plays, of putting his listeners at their ease. In a recent rei cord he pairs his own settings of two familiar tunes —“The Broken Melody” and “Drink To "Me Only With Thine ; Eyes.” His tone is as rich as ever, ! with the same weil-beloved “singing" quality that has made him a firm j favourite with the British public. | (Columbia 041S0.)