Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 6 (1930-03)

186 The Phonograph Monthly Review March, 1930 Art and New York Quartets for Columbia and Brunswick respectively. In Kreisler’s violin arrangements it and the Malaguena are recorded by Kreisler (Victor), and Samuel Dushkin plays original violin transcriptions of a Jota Aragon- esa and the Tango (H. M. V.) One Darrieux, violinist, plays a Cancion Catalan for French Odeon, whether in transcription or not I cannot say. Enrique Granados (1867-1916) was also an excellent pianist, but his compositions are much slighter and less distinctive. They have fluency and grace, but it is probably that the tragic cir- cumstances of his death in the sinking of the “Sussex” during the war has tended to magnify the actual significance of his work. Goyescas is his largest work, the first opera written by a Spaniard and performed in Spanish, to be pro- duced in this country. It is represented on re- cords only by the popular intermezzo, available in a number of versions. His only orchestral works of note is a set of Spanish Dances, five of which were recorded acoustically for the English Columbia Company by Sir Henry Wood. Elec- trical versions are out of three: Oriental, Anda- liuse, and Rondalla Argonese conducted by Goossens (Victor), the Rondalla by Arbos (in his Iberia album), and the Andalouse in La Argen- tina’s Odeon album issued by The Gramphone Shop. The last-named is the most popular, and is recorded also in ’cello versions by Casals (Vic- tor), Cassado (English Columbia), and Radisse (French Odeon), for the piano by Raoul Sergei (Odeon), and for the guitar by Maccaferri (French Columbia). Morini (Polydor) and Lorand (Parlophone) play one of the dances in a violin arrangement by Kreisler. Piano pieces: Moresque played by Una Bourne (H. M. V.) and Playera by Moiseivitch (H. M. V.). The only recorded song I have been able to find is El Majo Discreto electrically recorded by Sophia del Campo and acoustically by Bori (Victor). The list of recorded works of Joaquin Turina (b. 1882) is also a short one, but it is far more significant, including threel major orchestral works: the well-known Procession del Rocio con- ducted by Arbos (Columbia), the Danzas Fan- tasticas newly recorded by Goossens (H. M. V.), and La Oracion del Torero conducted by Perez Casas and the Madrid Symphony (Spanish H. M. V.). Turina has written a number of piano works, none of which have been recorded as far as I know, but one of his finest compositions— one that ranks high in all Spanish music—is a singular Fandaguillo for guitar, recorded in the superb performance of Segovia (Victor). The Cuarteto Aguilar (Spanish lutes) plays arrange- ments of the third fantastic dance—Orgia—and of a Festa Mora en Tanger. The latter piece is the more felicitous transcription. Manuel de Falla (b. 1876) may lack the nat- ural gifts of Albeniz, but his efforts are more consciously directed, his writing the most direct and solid yet produced by the Spanish school and his leadership is likely to be clinched even more securely with later works. Apart from the fact that his music best exemplifies Pedrell’s doctrine of the assimilation of folk element, it is distinctive by virtue of a driving force and intellectual application that strike deeper below the surface than any other Spanish composer has yet done. Without overestimating him or for- getting certain obvious limitations that so far have prevented him from approaching the stature of Sibelius or Strawinski, it is undeniable that he is to play an important part in musical history. Already he has a number of large works to his credit, beginning with the prize-winning opera, La Vida Breve, and including the ballets, El Am- or Brujo and El Sombrero de Tres Picos, the “symphonic impressions” for piano and orchestra, Noches en los Jardines de Espana, and the puppet show, El Retablo de Maese Pedro. All but the last are represented phonographically. From the opera we have the Interlude and Spanish Dance, somewhat uncharacteristic perhaps in the absence of the leanness and severity of the composer’s later and purer style, but marked by a greater range of feeling and a less disciplined and restrained utterance. The Spanish Dance is far and away the best of the myriad pieces re- joicing in the same title. Spanish to the core, it is animated by a springy rhythmical pulse that is quite irresistible, and every moment of its graceful and spirited course is sheer delight. The best versions of the two pieces are conducted by Albert Wolff for Polydor. Cloez conducts both for French Odeon and Stokowski the dance for Victor. The latter’s reading is brilliant but far less resilient and effective than that of Wolff. Kreisler pays the dance in an original arrange- ment for solo violin. El A,mor Brujo is available in its entirety on disks, as both the orchestral suite drawn from the ballet and the incidental songs have been re- corded, the former by Morales for Columbia, and in somewhat briefer versions by Anthony Ber- nard (Brunswick) and Cloez (French Odeon), and the songs by Ninon Vallin for Parlophone (Chansons du Chagrin et du Feu Follet, and Danse du Jeu d’Amour). For a detailed descrip- tion of the ballet and the correct order of the various parts, reference should be made to page 278 of the May 1929 issue. Both Morales’ and Bernard’s recordings are excellent; I have not heard that by Cloez. The former is complete, but Bernard’s includes all the most essential material and while necessarily it is less thorough- ly Iberian than that by the native Spaniard, ton- ally and technicatly it has a slight edge of superi- ority. The cold ferocity of the Fire Dance is very characteristic of the composer and the piece has found considerable favor as an isolated con- cert work. A distinction should be drawn be- tween the Morales and Bernard versions, played with the chamber orchestra called for by de Falla, and the symphonic performances by Coppola (French H. M.V.) and Goossens (Victor—Holly- wood Bowl Album!). In a piano arrangement, by the composer I believe, it has been recorded by Myra Hess (Columbia), Brailowsky (Polydor), and Kartun (French Odeon). I have not heard