Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 5 (1928-02)

194 The Phonograph Monthly Review February, 1928 The piece depicts the camp scene on the night before the battle, the charge, a lament for the fallen, and a sort of apotheosis of their bravery. A work with passages of true tenderness of feeling, less successful in its more am- bitious moments, but one which grows on its hearers. Goossens’ version of Scheherazade (H. M. V. C-1287-8) is evidently designed for popular consumption. It is issued on records priced at four shillings, six pence, each, cor- responding to our $1.25 class. Each part consists of an abbreviated version of a movement, cut freely, but with considerable ingenuity. For example, the cadenzas are omitted entirely from the second movement, and the in- troduction and calmato ending from the finale. The re- cording is good, and the performance brilliant without being too flashy. Anyone familiar with the work is left with a curious feeling of unsatisfaction, due to the omis- sion of so much material, but the set is well calculated to catch and hold the fancy of those to whom the gaily- colored pages of this tale from the Arabian Nights are as yet unopened. A comparison with Stokowski’s version is stimulating. Goossens’ reading is obviously much closer to that gen- erally heard in concert halls, but of course his orchestra, well as it acquits itself, is no Philadelphia Symphony. Compare the passages of solo violin, the opening mea- sures of the third movement, and the last part of the second, and never is the contrast between “good” and “excellent” better exemplified. It is rather a pity that this—or some other popular- priced version of Rimsky’s Masterpiece—is not available on the American market where it might serve educational and appreciation purposes to good effect. The third work, Der Rosenkavalier album, proved to be the real surprise of the group. When the film version of Strauss’ opera was given in London (April 1926), the com- poser was present to conduct his own arrangement of the score used for orchestral accompaniment. Dr. Strauss recorded several excerpts from this arrangement with the augmented orchestra used at the Tivoli Theatie. H. M. V. ingeniously issued these in album form, with a con- cise and informative outline of the opera printed (as is the custom in H. M. V. album sets) on the inside front cover. Parts 1 and 2 are labeled Introduction to Act I, but contain material used throughout the act itself. Part 3 is the Presentation of the Silver Rose; 4, Waltz Movements; 5 and 6, Trio and Finale to Act III; 7, Octavian and Sophie Duet, and Presentation March. (On the odd side is Sir Landon Ronald’s ubiquitous Midsummer Night’s Dream Scherzo, as popular a “filler” as the Marriage of Figaro used to be in the old days.) The recording is very fine, and when one considers that it was made nearly two years ago, one’s admiration is still heartier. The orchestra is good and Strauss in one of his livelier moods. As for the music—the work has established itself firmly in the operatic repertory and the orchestral transcription here is both competently done and well representative. The Presentation of the Silver Rose and the Trio and Finale deserve special praise. The Waltz Movements are good, too, although taken at a somewhat fleeter pace than customary and betraying the scraping of a chair, or some interruption of the sort toward the end. (The recording is of course electrical. It was mis- takenly listed in the wrong group in the tabulation of Strauss’ recorded works in the last issue.) Victor (New Year’s List) 35860-70 (11 D12s Alb.) Gilbert and Sullivan: The Mikado, by the Light Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Soloists, recorded undejr the direction of Rupert D’Oyly Carte. The H. M. V. Company is going ahead indefatigably in the work of re-recording its extensive list of Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas, done in complete form by the “tradi- tional custodian of the Savoy series,” the D’Oyly Carte Company. The ever popular Mikado was the first of the electrical versions to be released in England (it has been followed by two or three others already) and now is appropriately issued in this country where Winthrop Ames’ revivals have aroused uncommon interest in the great twins of operetta. There have been a large number of books on various aspects of Gilbert and Sullivan s art within the last year or so, but obviously the complete recording of the works themselves will do more for their popularity than floods of reminiscence and analysis. The Mikado is issued on eleven records and is accom- panied by the album used for the old acoustical version. The libretto accompanying the album is that containing the cast of the earlier recording. The new cast is as follows: The Mikado Darrel Fancourt Nanki-Poo Derek Oldham Ko-Ko Henry A. Lytton Pooh-Bah Leo Sheffield Pish-Tush George Baker Yum-Yum Elsie Griffin Pitti-Sing D. Hemingway Peep-Bo Beatrice Elburn Katishka Bertha Lewis (Chorus of School-Girls, Nobles, Guards, and Coolies, etc.) Robert Radford, heard to such excellent effect in the older version is unfortunately missing .in the new. His Mikado is replaced quite satisfactorily by that of Fancourt, how- ever, and his Pooh-Bah less brilliantly by that of Sheffield. Katishka’s part is capitally taken, and the various choruses acquit themselves well. The ?icw process of recording shows its advantages in the ensembles particularly, but it puts the orchestra to severer test. The overture is played a trifle coarsely in parts; the earlier performance was the better one. The accompanying libretto—barring the uncorrected cast —is both attractive in format and helpfully annotated with the precise points of the various parts’ beginnings and ends indicated. The work is complete as far as the actual libretto goes; the dialogue is not included and there are a few judicious cuts in the orchestral part. There is a real “go” to the entire performance and the album can hardly fail to please these record buyers who have been clamoring for its American releases. Pos- sibly it will succeed in converting new Gilbert and Sulli- van “fans,” or at least to complete the conversion process begun with the many who have been taken with the current Ames revivals. For those who wish further information on Gilbert and Sullivan from a phonographic point of view, Mr. N. M. Cameron’s article in the June issue of “The Gramo- phone” may be recommended. Readers of the Phonograph Monthly Review will remember Dr. Isaac Goldberg’s ar- ticle in the May issue. R.D.D. Light Orchestral Brunswick 3376 (DIO, 75c) Dubinuschka, Old Forgotten Waltz, and Bouran, played by the A & P Gypsies. One of the outstanding salon orchestras gets a chance at something besides dance music for a while, and does ex- ceedingly well fry its pieces. Interesting pieces remarkably well played. Victor 20998 (DIO, 75c) Japanese Sunset, and Mystery of the Night, by the Victor Salon Orchestra. Mr. Shilkret essays to add a semi-oriental tang to his orthodox type of salon pieces. The performances are smoothly done, but the music itself quite negligible. Victor 21055 (DIO, 75c) Apache Dance, and La Golon- drina, played by the Victor Salon Orchestra. But here Shilkret is in an element no less his own, yet far more vigorous and invigorating. The Apache Dance, already popular, seems due to become a best-seller in this effective arrangement and high-strung performance, quite a virtuoso piece of work. Odeon 3214 (D12, $1.25) Waldteufel: Forget-Me-Not Waltz, played by Edith Lorand and Her Orchestra. The recording here is excellent and Lorand’s orchestra has seldom shown up to such good advantage as at the beginning of this work. The conclusion. is less striking, but the record remains one of the best of its type. Victor 35875 (D12, $1.25) My Blue Heaven, by the Vic- tor Salon Group, and Just a Memory, by the Victor Concert Orchestra. Rather elaborate affairs which try hard to conceal the sterility of the musical material in a rich dress of orches- tral sonorities and novelties. Symphonic Jazz of a not too convincing type, but admirafrly played and recorded.