Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 5, No. 5 (1931-02)

164 Violin Beethoven (arr. Auer) : Turkish March (from “The Ruins of Athens”), and Handel: Larghetto, played by Mishel Pi astro, with piano accompaniments by Jascha Veissi. Bruns- wick 15220 (DIO, $1.50). It has been a long time since the last Piastro release, and it is a pleasure to hear his vibrant playing again. As always, the Brunswick recording is particularly felicitous with the violin, and even the most intense lyrical measures of the songful Larghetto are captured without a trace of wiriness of over- ripeness marring Piastro’s fine-spun tone. The serious breadth of the Handel air is well contrasted by the nervous energy of Beethoven’s familiar Turkish March, played here in Auer’s ingenious arrangement and with commendable verve. A very pleasant little disc of much more substantial merits than most of its class. Charlier: Chaconne, played by Yelly DMranyi, with piano accompaniments by Arthur Bergh. Columbia 5-267-D (D12, $1.25). I presume the composer is Marcel Charlier, the Belgian conductor, well-known for his performances of French operas at Covent Garden and with the Chicago Opera Company. If so, he has imitated the old violinistic style sincerely and well. The Chaconne possesses a fine broad flow to its lyric measures and a sure sense for delicate yet strong arabesque in its passage work. It is one fiddle piece that exhibits the varied powers of the instrument to genuinely expressive purpose. Miss D’Aranyi plays it extremely well, and the recording retains the resilience and color of her slender violin tone better than most of her discs. A record of grave but warm musical feeling and a first rate piece of musicianly violin playing. Kreisler: Polichinelle Serenade, and Winternitz: Dance of the Marionette, played by Fritz Kreisler, with piano accom- paniments by Michael Raucheisen and Carl Lam son re- spectively. Victor 1501 (DjlO, $1.50). Kreisler’s own piece is a re-recording of the acoustical version on Victor 721. It is on the deft, blithely tuneful order of his compositions in popular vein. Winternitz’ marionette dance is similarly feather-light in substance, and no less buoyant in performance. A typical coupling of polished Kreisleriana, but a far cry from the Kreisler of the Beethoven and Mendelssohn concertos., 0. C. O. Songs Farley: The Night Wind, and Rimsky-Korsakow: A Song of India, sung by Anna Case, with piano accompaniments by Carroll Hollister. Columbia 2359-D (D10, 75c). Two thrice familiar repertoire numbers sung with accus- tomed quality of voice and style by this American soprano whose records have been so consistently acclaimed by both public and critics. Miss Case has given evidence so often of a catholic taste in her recorded repertoire that it will not be necessary to chide her for choosing such hackneyed num- bers. Certainly I am, the last one in the world to begrudge the composer of the Night Wind the phenomenal success it has had. Romberg: You Will Remember Vienna and I Bring a Love Song (from the talking picture “Viennese Nights”), sung by Richard Crooks with orchestral accompaniment. (The tenor is assisted in the second number by Edna Kellogg). Victor 1500 (D10, $1.50). The celebrated American tenor is again heard to great ad- vantage in popular numbers from operettas. The Romberg style which began in the Student Prince is again used here and with such a voice to sing its lilting measures it is in- deed fortunate. This is an example where a beautiful voice is put to excellent use and the regrets for “greater things” are not so urgent, although his recent superb performance in Boston of the tenor part of the Mahler Das Lied von Der Erde certainly makes us long for some recordings. Brahms: Die Mainacht and An Eine Aeolsharfe, sung by Louis Graveure with piano accompaniments by Louis Golde. Columbia 50270 (D12, $1.25). The very recording of two of Brahms’ greatest songs guar- antees them a permanent place in the phonophile’s library. But the unusual beauty of their interpretation and the warmth of tone that the erstwhile baritone lavishes on them makes them doubly valuable. It has not often been possible to speak kindly of Mr. Graveure releases since he became a The Phonogiaph Monthly Review tenor but the present one atones in large part for past sins. To be sure the tone quality waxes a bit Laubenthalian in places but only momentarily, and the singer’s very evident knowledge, of the deeper significance of the text adds to the listener’s enjoyment. As I have said before the price of these records makes any such genuinely artistic performance as this at once indispensable. Woodford-Finden : The Temple Bells, and Wood — A Brown Bird Singing, sung in English by Kathryn Meisle with or- chestra. Brunswick 15219 (D10, $1.50). The concert and operatic contralto sings two hackneyed songs with uncommon beauty of tone. She sings them a shade faster than usual probably with an eye to making them sound fresher, a devise which might easily be used more often. The orchestral accompaniment of the Woodford-Fin- den number, which is not without its charm despite its con- stant plugging, proves a shade distracting with the multi- plicity of bells used. Which proves that sometimes effects are more vivid when imagined than when actually performed. R. B. Operatic Donizetti: Lucia di Lamimermoor—Ardon gli incensi and Spargi d’amaro pianto (Mad Scene), sung in Italian by Lily Pons, with orchestral accompaniments;—flute, etc, obbligato by George Possell. Victor 7369 (D12, $2.00). Lily Pons is the coloratura sensation of the hour. Her de- but as Lucia, heralded by some unbelievable publicity, was probably as much a surprise to the opera management as it was to the jaded New Yorkers who have, it is true, badly needed some such event to restore their interest in the florid repertoire. It is no mean achievement to conquer a Saturday matinee audience at the Metropolitan Opera House, but this petite French singer did it and has already done so again in a second appearance as Gilda. The eminent critics—some of them—knowing little if any- thing about the actual mechanics of singing, have gone through their usual disparagment but they were unable to conceal the unmistakable signs of popular approval. , It seems that Maria Gay and Giovanni Zenatello encoun- tered the young artist while on a tour of the minor opera houses of Europe in search of new talent. They offered to make it possible for her to come to America to be heard by Signor Gatti. She came, was heard and was signed to a con- tract with the Metropolitan, the Metropolitan Musical Bur- eau, and the Victor Company. As all this happened last spring it is possible that she made the present recording at that time, although she has already recorded extensively in Europe (French Odeon). The voice itself is extremely brilliant, reminiscent in quality of that superb lushness which Madame Galli-Curci’s voice possessed in its prime. Mile. Pons sings with surprising mu- sicianship, and with as much warmth of temperament as mu- sic of this kind ever permits. The higher notes are also of luscious quality and absolutely true to pitch. Further re- cordings acquaint us more fully with the range of the young singer’s repertoire and it is fervently to be hoped for that there will be something besides the same old chestnuts! Lovers of colorature will welcome the opportunity to hear this soprano so soon after the furore occasioned by her first appearances. Thomas: Mignon—“De son coeur j J ai calme la fievre” (Ber- ceuse), and Mozart: The Magic Flute — Possente Numi (In- vocation), sung in French and Italian respectively, by Ezio pinza, with orchestral accompaniment. Victor 6642 (D12, $ 2 . 00 ). Either these recordings are superior from a mechanical standpoint or the Metropolitan basso has studied his record- ing technique, for these are by far the best he has yet made. There is a warmth and vibrancy in his recorded voice which it has rarely possessed. There is a startling resemblance to Chaliapin in many places, and this is meant as high praise rather than invidious comparison. It is a pleasure to say that these selections are unhackneyed and form excellent contrast to each other The Mozart aria is sung with the consummate mastery of line and phrase that is indispensable in this master’s music The Mignon ber- ceuse breathes the tenderness of Lothario’s love for the waif he did not know was his own daughter, and the beauty of the melody is enhanced by the interpretation.