Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 9 (1930-06)

June, 1930 The Phonograph Monthly Review 295 chamber music is something for the highbrow and connoisseur alone. The examples I am about to cite are so attractive that they should effectually exploded that error, if they can only be brought to the attention of the record buying public. They are all excellent introductory works to one of the richest treasure troves of phonography. At their low price there is no excuse for any sincere phono- phile passing them by, once he knows of their existence. I might mention first the Columbia twelve inch disk containing transcriptions of Schumann’s Traumerei, Mozart’s Ave Verum, and the best known Schubert Moment Musicale, played by the Catterall String Quartet in com- mendably intelligent and unaffected manner. Col- umbia also issues a London String Quartet per- formance of the Londonderry Air (in Bridge’s arrangement) and the slow movement from De- bussy’s G minor Quartet (12), while Brunswick goes them a little better with two black label twelves devoted to a reasonably complete and very well played version of the entire Debussy work by the New York String Quartet. The same organization plays Boccherini’s Minuet and Albeniz’ Tango (Brunswick 10), while the Mu- sical Art Quartet plays the same tango and Herb- ert’s Serenade for Columbia (10) ; also very pleasing transcriptions of Deep River and No- body Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen (10), Glazou- nov/s Interludium and Alla Spagnuola (12), and arrangements of Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes and Annie Laurie (10), etc. The high praise given to the Heermann Trio’s Brunswick records by P. M. R. reviewers led me to getting some of them. I like best the two Debussy Arabesques and Herman Sandby’s Dal- visa (Brunswick 10s). These are about the only non-celebrity trio records I have come across that I cared for; most of the other ensembles confine themselves to salon music only. Of very uncom- mon interest are the chamber music records in the Victor Educational list: the Pastorale from Corelli’s Christmas Concerto and Loeillet’s Flute Sonata No. 7, a Bach Flute Sonata and the Scherzo from Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet, the finale of Haydn’s Trio No. 3 and the Allegro Molto from Mozart’s A Major Violin Sonata (Victor 10s), played by various small ensembles led by Miss Kinscella. As I said before, the solo instrumental classifi- cations contain perhaps the best recorded bar- gains. Beginning with the organ, I like best Guy Weitz’ performance of the Franck Chorale No. 3 (2 Victor 12s) and his Liszt Fantasia and Fu- gue on B-A-C-H (Victor 12), the Widor Toccata and Franck Pastorale played by Edouard Com- mette (Columbia 10 and 12 respectively), the re- cent Vierne Finale and the Liszt Ad Nos Salu- tem played by Fernando Germani (Victor 10 and 12), and the Mozart Fantasia played by Dr. Har- old Darke (Victor 12). The piano record group is the largest one and it is particularly rich in good things from Col- umbia. Let me begin with the others. Odeon’s best bets are the Szreter waltz records mentioned earlier; also a rather novel Spanish record by Raoul Sergio playing the best known Granados Spanish Dance and a Carillo-Castro Preludio— Vais Azul. Brunswick lists two attractive ten inch disks by Ignace Hilsberg. Kreisler’s Liebes- freud and Sauer’s Music Box are coupled on one, and on the other (and more significant) he plays a lovely Scriabin etude and a prelude and the joyous Rush Hour in Hong Kong by Chasins. I cannot understand why this admirable pianist has not had the opportunity to record more fre- quently. I have a splendid Brunswick harpsichord record played by Lewis Richards and containing a Bach Gavotte and Musette, Dr. Bull’s Gigge, and Farnaby’s Tower Hill (10),—but this rare treasure seems to have been withdrawn from the current Brunswick catalogue. It is electrically recorded, and exceedingly well, too, ranking well up with the very best harpsichord records issued at any price. Victor’s best black label piano disks are the Schendel record of the Magic Fire Music and the first Debussy Arabesque (12) in the regular catalogue, and disks by Kinscella, Eaver, and Barth in the Educational section. I have De- bussy’s Golliwogg’s Cake Walk and Little Shep- herd and Goossens’ Hurdy Gurdy Man by Miss Kinscella, the Mozart Fantasia in D and Daquin’s Le Coucou by Mr. Barth, and the MacDowell pieces by Miss Eaver (all of these are 10s). Myra Hess tops the Columbia—and every other —piano list, in my opinion. The issue of many of this superb artist’s recordings at popular prices makes them the best investment in all phonographic literature, although they would be good buys at any cost. I have them all, but among the black labels I should recommend for first choice the Bach Prelude and Fugue in C Sharp Major and Allegro and from a Toccata (10), Griffes’ White Peacock and the Fire Dance from De Falla’s Love the Sorcerer (12), Ravel’s Pavane Pour une Infante Defunte (10), and best of all, the ten inch disk containing two Scarlatti Sonatas, a Beethoven Bagatelle, and an Inter- mezzo by Brahms— a plethora of musical riches for the sum_of 75c. Robert Casadesus of the famous French family plays Chopin’s popular A Flat Ballade (12) and Ravel’s Jeux D’Eaux (10). Friedman has a delightful arrangement and per- formance of Schubert’s Alt-Wien (12). Leff Pouishnoff has several fine disks, notably the two Liszt concert studies (10), and the Glazounow Polka and Rosamund Ballet Music (10). Jose Echaniz iplays a Cuban Rhapsody of his own, Liszt’s 11th Hungarian Rhapsody, and Chopin’s E Flat Polonaise (all 10s). Ethel Leginska does two Rachmaninoff Preludes (including the famy- ous one); Chopin’s “Military” Polonaise and “Raindrop” Prelude, and Schubert’s Marche Mili- taire (all 12s). And, parenthetically, may I men- tion George Gershwin’s own records of his three preludes (12) and hits from Oh, Kay! (2 10s). Not included in my classification of the great- est composers, but most certainly falling in the category of great piano playing. Nor do I for- get the Rhapsody in Blue in which he plays the piano part (Victor 12)—there is also a good ver- sion from Brunswick (12)—the American