Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 5, No. 1 (1930-10)

The Phonograph Monthly Review A Church Music Discography By REV. HERBERT BOYCE SATCHER A list of the principal records of church music T HIS list does not pretend to be complete, but includes the principal recordings in this sub- ject throughout the world for the past two years, or since the preparation of the article pub- lished in the June and July, 1928, issues of The Phonograph Monthly Review. Many records of hymns and sacred songs, spirituals, organ music, etc., are not included. I. MASSES I. Gregorian THE ORDINARY OP THE MASS. Sung by the Piux X Choir, College of the Sacred Heart, under the direction of Mrs. Justine B. Ward. Victor 7180-1. Four sides, 12 in., in album M Contains the six fixed parts of the Mass, the Xyrie being from the MISSA ALME PATER, the Gloria, Sanctus, Bene- dlctus, and Agnus from the MISSA CUM JUBILO. The Credo is sung to the familiar 4th Mode melody. In addition, three selections from the priest’s chant—the Preface, the Pater Noster (both of these to the TONUS SOLEMNIS), and the Ite Missa Est —are also included. Mrs. Ward is an exponent of the authentic Solesmes method of singing Plainsong, and these records show the excellent results which may be ob- tained from a choir of girls singing this beautiful old music designed originally for men’s voices. 2. Polyphonic PALESTRINA.: MISSA PAPAE UABCEILI (1555?). Complete. Sung by the Choir of Westminster Cathedral, London. Victor 35941-4. Eight sides, 12 inch. PALESTRINA: MISSA PAPAE MARCELLI (1555?). Sanctus. Sung by the Staats und Domchor, Berlin, Prof. Hugo Rudel, conducting. Victor (German list) 9250. One side, 12 in. BYRD: PIVE-PART MASS (1590?). Agnus Dei. Sung by the St. George’s Singers. English Columbia 5547. One side, BOEZI^MISSA SOLEMNIS (1907). Complete. Sung by the Choir of the Julian Chapel, Rome, the composer conduct- ing. H. M. V. D1761-4. Ten sides, 12 in., in album. A beautiful modern work, following the strict Polyphonic tradition. 3. Classic BACK: MASS In B MINOR (1733). Complete. Sung by the Philharmonic Choir, London, with soloists, and the London Symphony Orchestra, Albert Coates, conducting. H. M. V. C1710-26. Thirty-four sides, 12 in., in two albums. BACH: MASS in B MINOR (1733). Sanctus, and Et Incarnatus section of Credo. Sung by the Choir of St. Williams Church, Strassburg. Parlophone 10831. Two sides, 12 in. SCHUBERT: MASS in G MAJOR (1815). Complete. Sung by the Philharmonic Choir, London, with soloists and or- chestra, C. Kennedy Scott, conducting. H. M. V. D1478-80. Six sides, 12 in. „ BEETHOVEN: MISSA SOLEMNIS (1823). Complete. Sung by the Orfeo Catala de Barcelona, Lluis Millet, conducting. Victor 9133-44. Twenty-four sides, 12 in., in album M-29. BEETHOVEN: MISSA SOLEMNIS (1823). Complete. Sung by the Bruno Kittel Choir, Berlin with soloists and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Brunswick 90020-30. Twenty- one sides, 12 in., in album 17. „ , . BEETHOVEN: MISSA SOLEMNIS (1823). Gloria in Excelsis (Opening and Quoniam choruses) and Credo (Et Ressur- rexit through Amen). Sung by the Leeds Festival Choir of H M. V. C1597-8. Four sides, 12 in. II. REQUIEM MASS III. ANGLICAN COMMUNION SERVICE MERBECKE: COMMUNION SERVICE (1550). Complete (ex- cept Xyrie). Sung by the Choir of St. George’s Church, Hanover Square, London. English Columbia 9841-2. Three sides, 12 in. , . . This is largely an adaptation by Merbecke of the old Plain- song to fit the Reformed Liturgy of the Church of England. Included also is the Communion Hymn—“Now My Tongue the Mystery Telling’’—sung to its proper Third Mode Plainsong Melody. IV. MISCELLANEOUS SERVICE 1. Roman Catholic ESIiAVA: BENEDICTION HYMNS AND MOTETS. (1)0 Salu- taris Hostia; (2) Tantum Ergo; (3) Adoremus; (4) Bone Pastor. Sung by the Choir of Westminster Cathedral, London. H. M. V. C1611. Two sides, 12 in. From available descriptions of this record, it is not clear whether or not all of this music is by the 19th century Spanish musician, Miguel Hilarion Eslava, but the Bone Pastor is by him. 2. Anglican MARRIAGE SERVICE MUSIC. (1) Hymn—“Lead Us Heaven- ly Father” (Filitz); (2) Psalm 67 (Anglican Chant); (3) Hymn—“O Perfect Love” (Lord Crofton); (4) Wedding March (Mendelssohn). Sung by the Choir of St. G-eorge’s Church, Hanover Square, London. English Columbia 9842. One side, 12 in. _ , . . .. This forms the fourth side of the two records containing the Merbecke Communion Service. The hymns are well sung, but the chanting of the Psalm is far from satisfactory, being done in the old stilted wooden manner of hurrying the recitative, holding the “rallying syllable”, and drawing out the cadence. This is a mere caricature of good chanting. 3. Presbyterian VERDI: REQUIEM MASS (1873, in Memory of Alessandro Manzoni). Complete. Sung by the chorus, soloists, and orchestra of La Scala Theatre, Milan, Carlo Saba j no, con- ducting. Italian Victor AW 120-9. Twenty sides, 12 in., in album. SCOTTISH CHURCH SERVICE. Consisting of psalms, para- phrases, prayers, and hymns, spoken and sung by the Rev Dr Fleming, and the Choir of St. Columba s Church, Pont Street, London. H. M. V. C1555-60. Twelve sides, 12 in., in album. V. CANTICLES I. Te Deum JACKSON: Te Deum in F. Sung by the Sheffield Choir, Sir Henry Coward, conducting. English Columbia 9573. One BUCK: Teieum in E Flat (Festival). Sung by Trinity Choir. Victor 35994. Two sides, 12 in. The body of singers making this record should not be con- fused with the Choir of old Trinity Church, at the head of Wall Street New York City. This Choir is composed of boys and men, and has never made records. The sopranos on this record are women, as is the case with all records made by Trinity Choir,” which is, I understand, a Victor house organization. STANFORD: Te Deum in B Flat. Sung by the Choir of West- nU^st^Abbey, Dr. E. Bullock, conducting. H. M. V. B2911. T ^°he ^‘Morning’and Evening Service” and the “Communion Service” in B flat, by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, contain someof ’ the very finest of all English ‘‘Service” music. For- tunately this is a case where popularity and intrinsic worth are not at variance.