MUSIC AND STAGE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 4 December 1926, Page 7

MUSIC AND STAGE.

RECORDED MUSIC. » An extraordinary record just released is “Diana,” with “Gonna Charleston Back to Charleston.” This has been described as one of the liveliest and most interesting pieces of singing ever recorded. Religious music has always beon a “long suit” with one company. The brilliant grand organ solos recently issued have added considerably to an already excellent selection. This music has an almost universal appeal, and it seems to be a sphere in which the gramophone will prove of the greatest boon in bringing the influence of the church into the home, and, perhaps, the only means by which the sick and invalid can enjoy the atmosphere of church. Two magnificent records are “Hallelujah Chorus” (Messiah) and “The Storm.” Of the mass choir records available these are among the best .ever issued. The Revellers, a male voice quartet, have achieved remarkable fame in England and America. The combination consists of two tenors —Franklyn Baur and Lewis James —a baritone (Eliott Shaw), a bass (Wilfred Glenn), and an accompanist (Edwin Smalle) who also sings tenor. These artists have frequently appeared as individual soloists, and as members of other combinations. It is said to bo a commonplace in the United States for singers of syncopated music to appear also in more serious music, and all four (incidentally having graduated as soloists in famous church choirs) have appeared as soloists in oratorio and festival work, besides with the renowned Mendelssohn choir in Toronto, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago and the Philadelphia Orchestras, and the New York Oratorio Society.

From an extensive list of new recordings of dance successes that are popular everywhere, one may acquire any of the following' with the certainty that the technical side of the productions is as quality-marked as the names of the performers. One has the Gilt-Edged Four in “Honey Bunch” and “Tentin’ Down in Tennessee” ; The Ipana Troubadours, with vocal chorus, wonderfully effective in “I Found a Roundabout Way to Heaven” (fox-trot) and “At Peace With the World” (waltz). Paul Specht’s Original Georgians give us the now woll-known “Horses” foxtrot, coupled with “Spring is Here,” each witli vocal additions. The Clicquot Club Eskimos are very happy ipdeed with “Lonesome and Sorry” and “Somebody’s Lonely,” fox-trots, while two of the best bits of work wo have had for a long while come from the Denza Dance Band —“Melodie du Reve” (tango) and “Julian” (tango Milonga). “Popular Songs” by itself- is an elastic term, but when, as the title of a record it includes such established vocal successes as those given below, one can readily admit the aptness of the title. Sung by the Vocal Gem Company, the selections are all topical, and consist of (Part 1) “Always, “I’m Sitting on Top of the World.,” “Moonlight and Roses” and “Then I’ll be Happy.” (Part ’2.) . “Picador,” “Good-night,” “Speak” and “Headin’ for Louisville.” There are good orchestral accompaniments throughout. Lappas contributes two splendid solos that show that, fine as his previous records have been, it required the electric process to extract the uttermost from his splendid voice. The ringing exaltation of the high note at the end of “Celeste Aida” should be noticed and admired, and the suavity of the flowing phrases of “Cielo E. Mar” testify to the true operatic artist. Up to the present year the organ has been the one instrument to defy fully satisfactory . mechanical reproduction. Under the new methods of recording, however, many difficulties have been overcome, and there now exist a few records in which the full, swelling harmonies and the impressive sonority of this instrument have been caught and recorded with marvellous fidelity. There are possibly no organ records better than those played for by Howard Peterson, whose musical capacity, brilliant technique and thorough understanding of the power and dignity of his instrument, are well defined in two new recordings of four of the most popular light-airs of the day. These give “Just a Cottage Small” and “Too Many Parties,” and “Oh How I Miss You To-night,” bracketed witli “Always.” If only as a very fine example of perfectly recorded chamber music, Frank Bridge’s “Three Idylls” is a notable production, full of good music, of rich and changing colour, and of wonderful tone purity and string quality. From the melancholy beauty of the adagjo molto, which occupies the first record, to the lyrical liveliness of the third and last section, this work is a joy throughout and is ahead of all recording in this category that has been previously accomplished. Bach’s Concerto in D Minor—a three-moment work written for two violins and strings, affords ample proof to all who think that this composer is dull, or lacks melody, that such is by no means the caso. This three-record issue is one that will appeal to most amateur lovers of “high brow” music, since it is not too “high brow,” has many delicious tunes and melodies, and is beautifully played by Arthur Catterall and John S. Bridge, with orchestral accompaniment. The work comprises three main phases—vivace, largo and allegro, with a principal theme of beautiful and not too complicated structure. In a “Life of Bach,” the second movement—the largo ma non tanto —has been described as standing absolutely in the front rank of all Bach’s movements whose reason of existence is pure, beautiful melody.

STAGELAND. (By “Jack Point.” “Trilby” made her long-promised reappearance 'at Sydney Criterion last Saturday evening with Maurice Moscovitch as Svengaii. Mr John Farrell, the Firm’s representative in New Zealand, was in town this week. In conversation with the writer ho stated that Auckland is to have “Katja, the Dancer” and Wellington Moscovitch at the festive season. On the completion of his contract with the Williamsons, Claude Flemming will leave for America., ; Ho lias done good work for the Firm in recent years in “The Lilac Domino,” “The Firefly,” “A Southern Maid,” “The Lady of the Rose,” etc. May Beatty left Adelaide for London over a week ago after finishing her “Nanette” season. It was in Adelaide she first appeared, as a wee girl, with the Pollards, Miss Beatty, who originally came from Christchurch, was here last year in “The O’Brien Girl” and “Little Nellie Kelly.” “Tip-Toes,” the London Winter Garden musical comedy hit, is coming to Australia, with bright little Josie Melville returning to her native land in the part that gives the piece its title. Josie is dead-tired of touring the British “provinces.” Dorothy Dickson, lead ot other Winter Garden successes in the past, “Sally,” “The Cabaret Girl,” “The Beauty Prize,” is “TipToes” in London.

An old favourite in the person of Andrew Higginson is to be seen in the Firm’s production of “Aladdin” at Sydney during Christmas. The older playgoers will remember Mr Higginson_ as Danilo in the first Australian and New Zealand production of “The Merry Widow,” and some years later in the J. and N. Tait musical comedies, “Very Good Eddie” and “The White Chrysanthemum.”

Now on the way from America is the wonderful young Australian star, Judith Anderson, an Adelaide girl who, after playing small parts under the Williamson and Tait managements, went to New York and became a star in a night, rising to world fame as Belasco’s leading lady, with her name blazoned in electric lights on Broadway. Judith Anderson will make her first appearance with the Firm in “Cobra,” in which she made her first big success in New York. Her role is that of a “vamp.” Maude Fane is farewelling in Melbourne. “A Night Out” (it started last Saturday) is the beginning of the good-byes before this great musical comedy actress departs for England. One is inclined to think that this is Miss Fane’s final good-bye. She has had a wonderful success. The Firm did a very wise thing when it engaged her in 1916. Since that’ time she has appeared under the Williamson management practically continuously. Her departure is very much regretted. She is still a one hundred per cent artiste. With many people “The Yeomen of the Guard” is the best liked of the Gilbert and Sullivan series. It is really a most delightful opera, and the music is something to remember. When it was last presented in New Zealand James Hay was Colonel Fairfax (his part next Saturday evening) ; Thelma Carter (now married to a station-holder in the South Island) was Phoebe Merryll; Cissie Vaughan, who was loaned to the Firm by a British opera company for the New Zealand tour, was Elsie Maynard; Charles Walenn was Jack Point and Mollio Tyrell was Dame Carruthers. Strella Wilson will have more scope next Saturday as Elsie Maynard, and the role of Phoebe will be enacted by Mabel Gibson, who opens the show with “When Maiden Loves,” and later joins with the dolt of a jailer, Wilfrid Shadbolt, in the duet (with amusing business) that is one of the most delightful numbers in the play—“ Were I thy Bride.” Jack Hooker, who has done good work in the Firm’s musical comedies, has “arrived” in London. He is in the revue “Life” at the Palladium with his wife, professionally known as Miss Seaward, who appeared at the Sydney Tivoli with him once. They stayed in Africa for a while, dancing in revue, and duly they reached London, and took an engagement at an East End music hall, so that they could tell managers where to see them. But .they leapt into the West End in no time. In “Life” are the celebrated Nora Bayes and Clarice Mayne, two people whom anyone that lias been in London will remember.

The Williamson firm has decided to build an “intimate” theatre in Melbourne, in Exhibition street, directly opposite His Majesty’s. The success of the Boucicault pieces—of “Mary Rose” in particular—lias shown that there is a public for the better class stuff. The new house will stage productions of a delicato and light type, which are never seen or heard to advantage in the- large and, truth to tell, old-fashioned buildings wherein Melbourne now takes its theatrical entertainment. Repertory companies under Grogan McMahon will occupy the theatre for three months every year; and the best work of Barrie, Arnold Bennett, Galsworthy, Milne, Shaw, O’Neill, Ibsen and other “literary” dramatists is promised. It is hoped to have the theatre finished in nine months. Boucicault and Irene Vanbrugh (who are bringing a series of new modern comedies) wul provide the opening bill.

Tlie pantomimes are almost upon Australian theatregoers, and a reshuffle between Sydney and Melbourne is to be made by the Fuller’s pantomimes. Elsie Prince will be back to the St. James (the scene of her “No, No, Nanette” triumphs) with “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and there will be practically the same cast that played it in Melbourne last year. 'Jimmy Godden will bo a mysterious character

called Miffins,- which sounds like a pet name for Buttons, a familiar pantomime character. Joe Brennan (a New Zealander) will be the Dame; Ida Newton the Fairy Queen; Charlton Morton the King; and Harry Burgess will be a giant. It seems that “Jack the Giant Killer” has been incorporated with that other Jack who climbed the beanstalk. Melbourne will have “Puss in BootSj” with Jim Gerald (well known in New Zealand centres) as the cat. Six miles of telephone wire have been installed in the isolated Arizona desert camp, where 1750 men and four women are devoting their energies to filming P. C. Wren’s French Foreign Legion mystery novel, “Beau Geste.” Field telephones connect all important Eoints of the biggest location in the istory of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. Not • only are there telephones, but also electric lights in eJery one of the hundreds of tents. Water from a well sunk by the picture company i$ piped to within a few feet |of each tent, and there are 88 shower i baths, a motion picture show, a box- | ing ring and a tennis court. Corrals | enclose 1800 horses and mules and 53 camels. Ronald Colman plays the title role in this picture, which Herbert Brenon is directing. The other (featured players include Alice Joyce, Noah Beery, Mary Brian, Neil Hamilton, William Powell, Ralph Forbes and Norman Trevor.

A few weeks ago it was mentioned in this column the outcry there was after the opening night of the first Moscovitch production—“ They Knew What They Wanted ” The celebrated actor replies to his newspaper critics in an Australian arts magazine. He says, inter alia: “I had no reason to bring out any play which I considered even slightly vulgar. It is my duty to bring out the best, though perhaps I secured “They Knew What They Wanted’ before your people were ready for such a play. Latterly most plays have been written to flatter the public. My play does not flatter. It presents the naked truth. Both single and married women have written me eulogising the play. I cannot publish their remarks as they are confidential. These people are strangers to me; nevertheless, I greatly' appreciate their sincerity and encouragement. The coarse, crude bit of so-called realism in the third act, which has in Sydney been objected to in the play, has, strange to say, never been cited by the critics abroad, who naturally see far more distasteful things on the stage than you do out here, because you only see the successes. That Mr Howard has proved himself a master-mind of stagecraft by writing this piece is proved by its successful reception in the two great capitals of the world. No play could enjoy a long run in either city unless it possessed some outstanding merit. And surely no one could be so base or unwise as to attribute a lengthy run to its power to attract only the sordid-minded. To do that would bo to invite unbounded and well-deserved ridicule.”