Music
Two of the finest vocal records I have heard of late are those made by Chaliapine of La Calunnia, from Rossini's It Barbiere, and of Moussorgsky's Song of the Flea. It is interesting to compare Chaliapine's rendering of the Rossini aria with Journet's. Chaliapine uses each phrase for the delineation of character ; Journet is more concerned with bet canto. The variety of tone colour which Chaliapine commands in the Moussorgsky song is amazing. Elgar's Enigma Vari- ations have just been issued, played by the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra and conducted by the composer. The recording is extremely clear and well-balanced throughout, except in the last Variation when the ensemble becomes hazy. For the literal translation of the various instrumental qualities, the playing of the theme at the beginning will be difficult to surpass. The work occupies three double-sided records and one side of a fourth ; the remaining side is given over to the Prelude to Elgar's early work The Light of Life, which is of interest chiefly because one of the principal themes is used and developed in the oratorio The Apostles.
Previous page
