Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 6 (1928-03)

202 The Phonograph Monthly Review March, 1928 Act II of Siegfried; the Irmler Choir couple the two popular choruses from Lohengrin and the Flying Dutchman; Giuseppe Garuti sings two Verdi arias; and Edith Lorand temporarily deserts her salon orchestra to play the Asturiana, Chanson, and Jota from De Falla’s Suite Popu- late Espagnole for violin. For novelty the Kot- anyi Trio issue a three-piano arrangement of Liszt’s Second Hungarian Rhapsody. Among the other releases are a three-part Fly- ing Dutchman Overture and one-part Meister- singer Introduction to Act II played by John Barbirolli and his Symphony Orchestra. The English Brunswick Company lists a coupling of the Ballet Music from Aida and the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, conducted by Mas- cagni; Schumann’s Fantasia, Op. 17, played by Walter Rehberg; Huberman in a Carmen Fan- tasia for violin; and vocals by Rethberg, Dux, and Chamlee previously issued in this country. France provides some interesting vocal and in- strumental disks notably Debussy’s Noel des en- fants and Duparc’s Chanson Triste sung by Pan- zera; Berlioz’ Voice des Roses by Eilly Tubiana;' Basque folksongs by Guy Cazenave; flute solos by Marcel Moyse; and a clavecin coupling of Couperin’s Le Rossignol and Jacques Ibert’s La Cage de Cristal and Le petit Ane blanc, played by Mme. Paul de l’Estang. Of special note is the debut of a new phonograph magazine, L’Edition Musicale Vivante, edited by Emile Vuillermoz. It is the National Gramophonic Society, rather than any of the manufacturing companies, which provides the most significant new recordings, notably the long-desired Second Symphony (“London”) of Haydn on four records. Besides the Brahms Piano Quartet already out (and re- viewed elsewhere in this issue), there are the Boccherini String Quartet in E flat (two rec- ords), Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro for String Quartet and Orchestra, Op. 47 (two rec- ords), a Purcell Suite for Strings (two records), and Bax’s Moy Mell for two pianos (one record). Towering among the domestic releases is the Columbia Bayreuth Festival Album, excellent al- most beyond description, but particularly note- worthy for bringing Dr. Karl Muck back again on records. These works are remarkable in many ways, not the least of which is the way that they grow on one. They have some unexplainable power which with every hearing captures one’s admiration more and more firmly. Unquestion- ably, they are altogether different from anything we have had in the way of Wagnerian records before. For many “average” enthusiasts $16.50 at one time for a single album may seem a good deal, even although it is little enough in comparison with the set’s artistic and technical worth. Rec- ord buyers of limited means may wish to pur- chase the selections separately. No one will rest until he has them all, but perhaps a word of sug- gestion might be given as to the order in which single pieces might be bought. First by all means the Transformation Scene (67364-D) and the Flower Maidens’ Scene (67368-D), both by Dr. Muck. Next the Ride of the Valkyries (67374-D) and the disk coupling the Fire Music and the Act III Prelude from Siegfried (67372-D). Then the Grail Scene (67365-D to 67367-D), the Good Friday Spell (67370-D and 67371-D), the Entry of the Gods (67373-D), and the Prelude to Act III of Parsival (67369-D). The pleasure that everyone will derive from these works should be powerful enough to sum- mon up an expression of profound gratitude not only to the artists who are represented in such superb fashion, but also to the Columbia Com- pany for making it possible to have the authentic Bayreuth Festival brought right to our homes. Next in the batch of Columbia Masterworks comes the first electrical recording of Brahms’ Second Symphony, by Dr. Damrosch and the New York Symphony, a work which hardly seems up to some of the other recent releases in this series, at least as far as interpretation is concerned. But then, as has been pointed out so often, in- terpretations are after all purely a matter of personal taste. Then come the Carnival of the Animals (Mas- terworks Set 81) and the Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor (Masterworks Set 80). The former is quite an improvement over the old version, and the latter comes so close to equaling the fine Vic- tor set of the same work that it is impossible to state a preference between them on purely musi- cal grounds. However, the difference in price will decide in favor of the Columbia version for many. I quite agree with the reviewers that the really fortunate person is the one who has both sets. For anyone who thought Coates’ Don Juan lacking in spirit, the new version by Bruno Wal- ter for Columbia will be just the thing. With the new Ravel La Valse records, we have again the question of interpretation. I expected that Gaubert, a born and bred Frenchman, would tg able to outshine Coates’ recent performance fofej Victor, but much to R. D. D.’s delight I was- forced to give Coates the palm. Ever since the days of the Mengelberg and Coates versions of the Tannhauser Overture, debate over the com- parative merits of the English conductor and his rivals has waxed hot in the Studio. If he is sometimes critically attacked, it is not long be- fore he is warmly praised by both sides. I won- der if his records arouse so much sincere discus- sion and dissension among every group of music lovers as they do among the Studio Staff! Among the remaining Columbia disks, the Rosamunde Overture proves Sir Hamilton Harty again the master of whatever he plays. There is a very brilliant Light Cavalry Overture by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, a Lucia Sextette by artists of La Scala Theatre, and a record by Formichi which is one of the leading vocal works of the month. * From the Brunswick Company are no major orchestral works this month, but four releases deserve spe<' 1 praise. First, a wonderful re- cording of the Rhapsody in Blue, superior me- chanically r ot as good interpretatively as the Victor versioff. two folksongs by Elisabeth Reth- berg; a \~cy brilliant recording of two move- ments of Debussy’s G minor string Quartet; and