Gramophone Notes
THE April lists contain so much of interest and value that any attempt at appraisal must, in the interests of space, be rather in the nature of a catalogue. Of the records which have reached me there are three collections which call for especial and enthusiaitic comment.
Brahms. Quartet in A minor. Lefler Quartet. (Columbia LX. 163-6. 24s.) Chopin. Concerto in F minor. Rubinstein and London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Barbirolli.
DB 1494-7. 24s.) •
Debussy. Suite Bergamasque. Gieseking. (Col. DX. 337-8. 8s.) The Liner Quartet's interpretation of the Brahms stands comparison with any they have previously given : the recording is only less good than Columbia's best. This is one of the most difficult of Brahins' compositions to understands and the Columbia Company are to be commended for the descriptive pamphlet and analysis which are included with the album. The work is in four movements, of which the third is one of the.m ost exquisite things Brahms ever wrote. The whole work indeed contains most, if not all, of the essentials of Brahms, the understanding of which is necessary to anyone seeking a clue to the appreciation of the whole of his music.
It is necessary nowadays to adopt an attitude of mild defiance in expressing a partiality for the Chopin Concerto in F Minor. It is, admittedly, neither his best work, nor indeed wholly mature. Portions of it might have been written by any of several other composers. But when all this has been said, we can still Tmd something of merit and a great deal of interest in the work. Its spontaneity is infectious. Its subtleties are untinged with the spurious sophistication with which a minor composer ruins a work of this nature. Rubin- stein gives it in my opinion the right interpretation ; not dwelling too lavishly, as Mlle. Marguerite Long has done, on its intricacies, but bringing out to the full its gaiety and vitality. The recording is good.
Gieseking goes from strength to strength. His brilliant playing of the Debussy Suite is assisted by possibly the best piano recording which has yet been done. Precision of execution is blended with sensitiveness of interpretation to a degree which completely disarms criticism.
The London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Mal- colm Sargent, play Coleridge-Taylor's Petite Suite de Concert (Columbia. C 2372-3. 8s.), a pleasant rendering of an attrac- tive minor work.
Among single records particular mention must be given to Eic16 NOrena's singing of Micada's Air from Carmen (Parlo. RO 20181. 4s.), an excellent and individual performance of one of the best pieces of that opera : Jean Dennery's playing of Chopin's Ballade No. 3 (Parlo. E 11199. 4s.), a very satisfying performance and good recording : Beniamo Gigli singing 0 dolce Incanto.(Il Sogno), from Massenet's Manor, and Mi par d'udir ancora from Bizet's I PeScatori di Perle (H.M.V. DA ]216. 4s.) : Gerhard Hilsch singing The Register Aria (a title for Leporello's song which is new to me, and has, I think, the virtue of originality) from Don Juan, with unusual, but completely satisfactory, reticence (Parlo. E 1185. 2s. 6d.) : and Dora Labbette singing Should He Upbraid (Shakespeare and Bishop) and With Verdure Clad from The Creation (Col. DX. 334. 4s.).
Yanovitch Bratza's playing of Sarasate's arrangement of selections from Carmen (Col. DX 339. 4s.) is an example of the expenditure of undoubted genius in execution upon material of no conceivable importance and very questionable interest. Mischa Elman plays Wieniawski's Legend and Mussenet's !` Thais "-illeditotion. Brilliant as is Milan's playing, it is surely time that these two concert programme veterans, who have seen long and honoured service, should—at any rate as far as our most accomplished violinists are concerned —be placed gratefully on the retired list.
At-mixers.
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