Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 11 (1930-08)

Palestrina — Bach — Beethoven * By ROBERT EE S* PHILLIPS IL Mass* in B minor x Missa Solemnis (Note: Mr. Phillips' study of Palstrina’s “Missa Papae Marcelli” appeared in the June issue.) Johann Sebastian Bach: Mass in B Minor, sung by the Philharmonic Choir with the London Symphony Orchestra, directed by Albert Coates. Soloists: Elizabeth Schumann, Margaret 1 Balfour, Walter Widdop, Friederich Schorr. H. M.V. Album Series No. 87 (17 D12s, 2 Albums). Available through the American importers. Gloria, Qui Tollis, Patrem Omnipotentem, Crudfioous, Sanctus and Hosanna from the same. Sung by the Royal Choral Society with the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, directed by Dr, E. C. Bairstow. H.M.V. D-1113-4, 1123, 1127 (4 D12s). The Philharmonic Choir is considered one of, if not the finest in England. They have done sev- eral works for H. M. V., and sang in the Victor Ninth Symphony. Last November, just prior to the issue of this set, they gave a performance of the mass in London,—with their own conduc- tor, C. Kennedy Scott—hailed as one of the most perfect ever to have been heard there. For the recording, however, Albert Coates has been chos- en—why, I am sure I cannot say, as he is certain- ly not an ideal Bach man; whereas Scott is cele- brated for his work as leader of the Bach Canta- ta Club, as well as for his Bach interpretations with this choir. He is, furthermore, not without recording experience, as the admirable Mozart Requiem, excerpts fully prove.. Coates’ ]teuvpi are almost invariably on the fast side, but I be- lieve that that is the general trend nowadays. The Royal Choral Society scarcely needs any introduction, but they certainly do almost their finest work on records here. Dr. Bairstow, or- ganist of York Cathedral, is a well-known Bach authority, and his interpretations are in nearly every case superior. A. comparison of the recording of these two versions, in so far as they coincide, will, I think, be a surprise to everyone. The six excerpts were done, over four years ago, during a performance in the Royal Albert Hall on April 24, 1926 (at which time the whole mass was recorded, but supposedly only these numbers were satisfac- tory), whereas the complcce set was, as I have mentioned, probably made some time last fall. But, although as is natural, it is rather rough and unrefined, the 1926 version is definitely su- perior not only in interpretation, but also—in spite of the proverbially bad acoustics of the Royal Albert Hall and of the fact of its being an actual performance—in balance and recording in general, particularly in the Gloria and Sanctus. While under Coates the chorus is constantly sub- ordinated and even submerged by the orchestra, here the chorus is always treated as more im- portant, without undue sacrifice on the part of the orchestra. Lacking the evidence of one’s own ears, this may be scarcely believable, but I strong- ly advise everyone to supplement with these two disks the complete work, which with any faults it may have he will certainly want to possess. Much of the most purely lovely music of the mass is contained in the wonderful solos. With the voice is almost always associated an instru- mental obbligato, the role of which is just as im- portant as that of the vocalist. Although these are in every case perfectly played, they are, un- fortunately, sometimes entirely too much in the background, whereas the voices are always ex- tremely accentuated. It seems to me that it should be the other way around, if anything. One very happy practice adopted here is the substitu- tion of a harpischord for organ in the continuo of the solos, although it is still a trifle heavy. As to the singers themselves, they are possessed of varying degrees of merit. Schumann is, as al- ways, excellent, but she does not have a single number to herself; Schorr is equally so, although his voice is recorded with a slight harshness; Margaret Balfour’s only fault is a tendency to an unchanging mezzo-forte; Widdop is decidedly the weakest of the lot, and does not live up to his Wagnerian achievements. For me, the most exquisite example of Bach’s ever-flowing melodic gift is found in the second number of the Gloria—“Laudamus te,” for vio- lin solo and second soprano. Although so marked in Bach’s score, it is here sung by the contralto, but no performance could fail to be other than enchanting. The duet for soprano and tenor, with flute,—“Et in unum dominum”—is of near- ly equal loveliness and Widdop’s singing is here satisfactory, supported, as it is, by Schumann. Peculiarly happy is the accompaniment for the bass aria “Quoniam tu solus sanctus,” magnifi- cently sung by Schorr, a corno da cassa with two bassoons and continuo. The only one of the solos in which Bach might be accused of neglect- ing beauty for a rather unattractive doctrinal ex- 367