Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 3, No. 2 (1928-11)

November, 1928 The Phonograph Monthly Review 61 Analytical Notes and Reviews By OUR STAFF CRITICS Orchestral Columbia Special Set 7163-5-M (3 D12s, Alb., $4.50) Haubiel: “Karma” — Symphonic Variations, played by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the Composer. “Karma” was the prize winner in the American zone of the Schubert Centennial contest. The jury (Frank Dam- rosch, Rudolph Ganz, Henry Hadley, Ernest Hutcheson, and Albert Stoessel) received seventy-nine manuscripts, of which they found two worthy of consideration. First prize of $750 was awarded to Haubiel for his work which the jury considered “marked by talent, imagination, and learn- ing, . . . stressing the melodic line . . . and constructed upon a melody for every instrument developed in poly- phonic style”. The composer attached the following note to the score: “The greatest expression of Schubert’s genius, The Unfin- ished Symphony—wherein he so completely united in perfec- tion of artistry the two forms of musical art, the romantic and the classical—is the basis of the architectonic character of the work KARMA. “In presenting this work the composer desires to toffer his conception of ‘an apotheosis of the great lyrical genius of Schubert.’ In it he has endeavored to exemplify the classic and romantic verities as they are set forth in the works of The Master, and which are so definitely expresed in his stressing of the melodic line. KARMA is therefor constructed upon a living melody for every instrument de- veloped in veritable polyphonic style. “The work portrays the cycles through which the soul of man is presdestined to pass: the aspiration toward spiri- tual ideals,—the struggle with the destructive elements of life,—the resurrection of the spirit with the annihilation of earthly desire, and the final attainment of the serenity of retrospection.” Parts 1 and 2. The Soul Ascending. Part 3. Vision; Toward the Abyss. Part 4. Toward the Abyss (completion). Part 5. Resurrection. Part 6. Retrospect. Haubiel’s twenty-one variations on a broad original theme are undeniably melodious, but they spring from a schooled and determined mind rather than from a swelling heart. Of course that is to be expected, and while Karma is cast in the orthodox mold of most prize-winning works, it avoids the worst faults of many of them. It is scholarly rather than facile, and ingeniously if rather over-solidly constructed. The very turgid score would have benefitted if a little light- ness and a few Americanisms had been allowed to creep in. Granted that Schubert detested “modernism” even in his day, his melodiousness was nurtured by sunshine and peasant soil, rather than the midnight oil and pedagogues’ text-books. The performance by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, apparently augmented for the occasion, and under the direction of the composer himself, is very fine indeed. The recording is extremely effective, coping successfully with the most thunderous percussion passages and the furious kettle-drumming which is a conspicuous feature of Karma. Haubiel is to be congratulated on being given every aid in presenting the most brilliant possible recorded exposition of his work. Brunswick 50153 (D12, $1.00) Moussorgsky: Khowantchina — Prelude, and Schubert-Verbrugghen: Marche Militaire, played by Henri Verbrugghen and the Minneapolis Sym- phony Orchestra. There was an acoustical version of the Khowantchina Prelude by Sir Hamilton Harty for Columbia; this is the first electrical recording and it is good, although not ex- ceptionally so. Verbrugghen’s orchestration and reading of the Marche Militaire are pleasing, but here the recording seems not as effective and the surface of the disk is rather rough. Perhaps the recent triumphs of the Cleveland Symphony led me to expect too much of this release, at any rate, while it has many merits, it is somewhat disappointing as a whole. Columbia 163-M (D10, 75c) Danish Folk Song—“Lord Peter’s Stable Boy”, arranged by Percy Grainger and played by the Composer (piano), Ralph Leopold (har- monium), brass, and strings; and Grainger: Shepherds Hey, played by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the Composer. Shepherds Hey is played in Grainger’s characteristic jerky manner. It is hardly up to the fine version by Sokoloff and the Cleveland Orchestra for Brunswick. The Danish folk song is much less interesting than the first of the series of his Danish arrangements, The Power of Love. Here, his arrangement is not a particularly happy one. Victor (International list) Sullivan: The Mikado—Over- ture, played by Leo Blech and the Berlin State Opera House Orchestra. This seems a somewhat odd choice for Dr. Blech to re- cord, but he plays it with verve and brilliancy. The per- formance of the overture in the complete Victor Mikado al- bum was the least effective part of the set. This disk may be used more satisfactorily in its place. Odeon 5151 (D12, $1.50) Weber: Jubel Overture, played by Dr. Weissmann and the Grand Symphony Orchestra of Berlin. Here we have the Dr. Weissmann we knew of old. The somewhat old-fashioned, but delightful, Jubilee Overture is music of the type in which few conductors can surpass him. Of late his recordings have been none too success- ful; it is a pleasure to find him once more at his best. The orchestral performance is very brilliant and the recording is good, barring a still uneradicated tendency toward shrill- ness in the upper registers of the strings. A very welcome release, both for its fine performance of a work now too seldom heard in concert and for its assurance that Dr. Weissmann is still to be considered a recording conductor of musical significance and distinctive individuality. Odeon 5150 (D12, $1.50) Wagner: Goetterdaemmerung— Siegfried’s Funeral Music, played by Max von Schillings and the Grand Symphony Orchestra of Berlin. Excellent recording and an orchestral performance of splendid tonal qualities, in many ways the best we have yet had on a Parlophone-Odeon disk. The performance is somber ajid restrained, of broad proportions and noble strength. Unfortunately Coates’ miracle recording of this piece makes all others, even when they are of the merits of this and Dr. Muck’s, seem unsatisfying. The tremen- dous, effectiveness of the Coates’ performance is lacking here, although many details of the music and the playing come out with greater clarity and color. Electrola EJ-225 (D12) Wagner: Goetterdaemmerung— Siegfried’s Death Music, played by Karl Muck and the Berlin State Opera House Orchestra. (Imported through The Gramophone Shop, New York City, and The H. Royer Smith Company, Philadelphia.) The “Electrola” label is new to me. The manufacturers are the German Victor Company and also make the Polydor and Polyfar disks. Like the record above this work has many merits of clarity and orchestral tone coloring, but it seems strangely lacking in sonority and effect in compari- son with Coates’ version and with the masterpiece one had expected from Dr. Muck. The orchestra seems rather small, but it plays beautifully. The recording is very pel- lucid in quality. This record lacks the dark coloring of Schillings’ disk and also some of its breadth. On the whole it is of considerable less interest. Both disks com- mit the old sin of calling the piece a Funeral March, an error which may be sanctified by custom, but not by com- mon sense.