MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Radio Record, 29 April 1938, Page 26

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

BY

SCHERZO

KREISLER program-: me from one of the Conmercials last week was ~ welcome in a rather unstimulating week. Programmes on eminent living musicians have a double appeal-not only do they present good general entertainment, but they remind us that we have at present with us musicians who are comparable with many outstanding artists of the past. I+ so frequently happens that we deery the living generation in artthat it is refreshing to find at least

some acknowledgment of them. There are more executants and more brillianr composers in the world to-aay than there have ever been in the past, and it is pleasing to note how British musicians are coming to the fore.

Fit) Kreisler programme depicted the commercial Kreisler more than the artistie Kreisler. Would it not have heen more honest to speak about the achievements of this great violinist in the field of really important musieBeethoven, Mendelssohn, and Brahms? The lighter compositions created by world-famed artists merely whet one’s appetite for something really worth while, and when the worth While composition is left out of a programme there is q lack of substance in that programme, The narration, by the way, sounded to me as if the narrator was "reading" a seript prepared by a second party. Bad slip in style. Musical commentary should sound knowledgable,

There iz no art without life, = There is no life without growth, = There is no growth without change, There iz no change without contrac versy.-Frank Rutter, THEL FRIEND presented a group of songs from one of the southern Nationals last aweek-all the numbers were by Brahms. Candidly, I did. not enjoy the group very much. The singer appeared out of form. it is impossible to stress too greatly the importance of singing lieder with the greatest of care. Personally, I would Jar rather see a programme cancelled than listen to an artist who is not Jeeling in good form struggling through a group of songs. To perform Brahms icell, every care should be taken avith the vocal linethe phrasing must be carefully treated, and the quality of the voice aust be perfectly true-there should be no vibrato effects. 1 would like to hea? Miss Friend treat Brahms acith more reverence, Ineidentally, the pianist played the accompaniments splendidly.

(PHE National Wellington station broadeast two pleasing singers during the week. Jean Scott performed te mixed group on Tuesday, and a hballand programme was presented by a Misys Greenwood the previous Sunday. The ballad group was entertaining, and, although the arcist sounded a shade neryous, her voice has definite possibilities. It was a pleasant programme, even if the songs were hardly worth-while.

J HAN SCOTT performed the Armstrong Gibbs songs satisfactorily, but the Malashkin number was not correct rhythmicallycheck up on the final page Miss Scott, please, and you will notice that the vocal line differs rhythmically from the right-hand of the accompaniment.

T’ was pleasing to note an improvemenf in studio orchestras during the week. "Scherzo" is looking forward to the time when orchestral performances will really be entertaining throughout.

ROM 1YA 1 heard what appeared to be a young haritone = singing "To the Forest" (Tschaikowsky ). This is a beautiful song, but the artist could not have given of his best. It was "skipped over" like a cheap ballad, and experience will teach Mr. Richards that he cannot treat the standard composers casually, giving the. devil his due, The quality of the voice was more than fair and the phrasing good.

N Friday the Mav Scherek Trio. is scheduled to present the Beethoven Trio in C Minor from the Dunedin National Station. This is a delightful work, and I recone mend it to listeners,

MUST not fail to mention Kipnis again. He is at present broadeasting in Australia. "Last week I wrote a few lines about him in this _. column and since then I have listened *

to his broadeasts. He is a great artist, and his Brahms is superb. Here we have an artist who should be -heard by all musicians as I heard him-the man's work is a revelation.