Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 3, No. 9 (1929-06)

316 The Phonograph Monthly Review June, 1929 Funerailles (No. 7 of the “Harmonies poetiques et re- ligieuses”), a lengthy and not too striking work, with De- bussy’s well-liked Cathedrale engloutie on the odd side (Polydor 95133-4). The translation of the last title as “Forlorn Cathedral” is far-fetched, to say the least. The other two piano disks (95108-9) are by Edward Erdmann and contain a lively fox trot of his own and an excerpt from Krenek’s pleasant Kleine Suite, Op. 13a, and Tiessen’s Blackbird and Ein Sperling in die Hand des Eduard Erd- mann, fascinating virtuoso pieces by a German composer little known in this country. Erdmann’s playing is bold and assured. The recording here, as in the Hirt, disks is of the very first water. Finally there are three French Columbia records, also from H. Royer Smith Company. On D-11015 M,. H. Perier of the National Conservatory plays Rabaud’s Solo de Concours du Conservatoire pour Clarinette (1901) with piano accom- paniment. As might be inferred the piece shows off the clarinet’s various capabilities well. The Trio Trillat play an excerpt from a Schumann Trio on D-11017; the work is labelled as Trio No. 11, which is slightly inconsistent with the fact that Schumann wrote only three! I have not had an opportunity for identifying it, but it is characteristic Schumann and it is played in warm romantic fashion. The recording is good in both these disks* but less effective in Drll018 where the Trio Trillat does only mildly well with arrangements of Rameau’s charming La Timide and Tambourin. R. D. D. Dvorak’s “London” Symphony (English Brunswick records 30125-30128) T HE name “London Symphony” for Dvorak’s Fourth Symphony in G major op. 88 is justified only by the the fact that its score is the only one published in London by the firm of Novello, Ewer and Co. (all other symphonies were published by Simrock in Berlin). The same title could be perhaps used for the Symphony in D minor, op. 70, because in this case the impulse came direct- ly from London. In June 1884 the Philharmonic Society in London bestowed the honorary membership upon Dvorak and at the same time asked him to write a new symphony for the Society. On the title page of the manus- cript of the Symphony in D minor written from December 1884 to March 17, 1885 is Dvorak’s note: “Composed for the Philharmonic Symphony in London.” The Symphony in G major was composed to the end of summer and in the beginning of fall 1889, shortly after his String Quartet in E flat major. Dvorak was very scrupu- lous in dating all his sketches and works. So we know that the first definite sketch was put down on September 6, the sketch of the first movement was finished on September 13, of the second on the 16th, of the third on the 17th and of the fourth on the 23rd of September at Dvorak’s summer resort at Vysoka, near Pribram. In 1873 Count Vaclav Kounic, a democratic nobleman, bought the Vysoka estate. His wife, born Josephine Cermak, a famous dramatic ac- tress, and Mrs. Dvorak were sisters. Dvorak brought a piece of land at Vysoka from his brother-in-law after his return from England in 1884, and this summer resort be- came then the birthplace of many great works. Dvorak felt happy at Vysoka, because he could indulge there his hobby —raising of pigeons. The fourth Symphony is a placid work. The contact with Nature banished all clouds, a sound, proud virility reveals itself here, and in no other symphony Dvorak’s racial basis without which he could have not written his “Slavonic Dances”, his “Legends”, “Slavonic Rhapsodies” or “Water- Sprite” is so conspicuous as here. The premiere of the Fourth Symphony was at the XIII. Popular Concert of the Art Society (Umelecka Beseda) in Prague on February 2, 1890, Dvorak himself was the con- ductor. In April the composer went to London and con- ducted his work on April 24 with the Philharmonic So- ciety and again on June 15, 1891, at the eve of the promo- tion to the Doctor of Music by the University of Cam- bridge (at this concert “Stabat Mater” was performed to- gether with the Fourth Symphony). By the way. about this ceremony at the University of Cambridge, Dvorak used to say to his pupils at the Prague Conservatory of Music: “I don’t like such festivities. That day in England! Everywhere doctors and doctors! All faces so serious and everybody talked Latin! When I found that they ad- dressed me, I was ashamed that I could not talk Latin. But finally,—I must laugh,—I think that it is better to com- pose the “Stabat Mater” than to know the Latin language.” Other early performances were: July 1890, London, Hans Richter from Vienna, conductor; November 7, Museum Con- cert, Frankfort a/M.; January 4, 1891, Philharmonic Con- cert, Richter conductor. Richter wrote to Dvorak to Prague after this concert that the Symphony had a heart- felt success and that everybody felt that it was a splendid work. The score published by Novello has the following dedication: “For the admission to membership by the Bo- hemian Academy of Sciences, Literature and Arts.” The Fourth Symphony is correctly the seventh of Dvorak’s symphonies. But the first three works (B flat major, op. 4, 1865, E flat major op. 10, 1872, and D minor, op. 13, 1874) belong to the posthumous works they were not published during the lifetime of the composer. The Symphony F major, op. 24, 1875, was published by Simrock as opus 76 (against will of the composer), the Symphony D major, op. 58, 1880, was published by Simrock as op. 60, and the Sym- phony D minor, op. 70, 1884-1885, was mentioned above. The last Symphony in E minor, op. 95 usually known as the Fifth Symphony “From the New World”, was written in New York from January to May, 1893. Dr. Jar. E. S. Vojan Instrumental PIANO Columbia Masterworks Set 112 (7 D12s, Alb., $10.50) Chopin: Nocturnes, played by Leopold Godowsky. No. 67563-D B flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1; E flat. Op. 9, No. 2. 67564-D F, Op 15, No. 1; F sharp, Op. 15, No. 2. 67565-D C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 1; B, Op. 32, No. 1. 67566-D D flat, Op. 27, No 2 (two parts) 67567-D G, Op. 37, No. 2 (two parts). 67568-D G minor, Op. 37, No. 1; F sharp minor, Op. 48, No. 2. 67569-D F minor, Op. 55, No. 1; E minor. Op. 72, No. 1 (Posthumous) The cry for a major release from Godowsky has at last been answered, and in handsome fashion. This group of Nocturnes came out in two albums in England recently-. Now the American Columbia promptly issues them here in the more convenient form of all twelve in one album. There were, however, two lecture records (or rather, record sides) by Ernest Newman that accompanied the British sets. Evidently these are not to be made available here. Chopin wrote nineteen nocturnes. Godowsky’s twelve are Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 19. Of the missing pieces, Nos, 13 ( C minor, Op. 48, No. 1) is perhaps the biggest in conception of all the entire set. Surely a succeeding album from Godowsky will make his good work complete. Godowsky believes with Huneker that “more vigor, a quickening of the time-pulse, and a less languishing touch will rescue the Nocturnes from lush sentimentality.” His performances are characterized most strongly by their re- freshing sanity. Their lucidity is a revelation in the way of musical piano playing. Every pianist and incipient pianist should give them devoted study. There is much to be learned from these records as well as much to be enjoyed. In several instances the performances might have been more subtle, more profound, but there will always' be individual recordings that will have these qualities. For an album of the Nocturnes no finer type of reading could be .desired than that of Godowsky’s. If I were to choose a single record above the others,