GRAMOPHONE NOTES
AMONG the month's records are two outstanding orchestral items: Mozart's Serenade, Eine „Kleine Nachtmusik (K 525), played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Thomas Beecham (H.M.V. DB 6204-5), and Wagner's Overture, Rienzi, played, by the Halle Orchestra under John Barbirolli (H.M.V. C 3425-6). The Overture takes three sides, and on the fourth side is the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's Midsummer*Night's Dream music. Both of these I can warmly recommend. Of the other orchestral recordings, there is a Prelude and a Waltz from the music composed for the Noel Coward film of "Blithe Spirit," by Addinsell (Col. DX H86). This is typical film music, and will appeal to film-lovers rather than to music-lovers, but I doubt if it will have, even with them, the popular appeal of the composer's " Warsaw Concerto." But, in fact, there is very little music written for films that bears hearing for its own sake, and this is no exception.
Of the other April recordings, there are two Moeran songs, " Diaphenia " and The Sweet of the Year," and R. Strauss's Serenade (Standchen), sung by Heddle Nash with Gerald Moore at the piano,•which are well-sung and pleasing ; and Harry Davidson and his Orcheitra in their Old Time Dance series record a good military two-step, " Uncle Sammy," and a Hesitation Waltz of
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