INSTRUMENTAL

PIANO.

If you want a cheap tonic I recommend Percy Grainger's dishing-up of Shepherd's Hey and Country Gardens, which he plays on Columbia D.1664 (10 in., 4s. Cd.). They do not cover all the surface, but they give money's worth in exhilaration and brilliance. Grainger can get several kinds of tone out of the piano, all of which record well; and for these pieces his bravura style is excellent. There are one or two places where he might, I think, have touched the singing style; and I long to hear someone execute (even at the cost of cuticle) a triple glissando, which I know how to do, but bring off only about as often as Mr. Baldwin brings off an election. (In case any pianist has a few inches of skin to spare, I may mention that this gayest of glissandos is best played with thumb, first finger and ring finger, making the chord of, say, E, G, C, and keeping this formation. The late Cuthbert Whitemore did it better than anyone else I ever saw try it.) I admire the way Grainger grasps the big chords, having spent much time in trying to make abroad, short hand cover tenths without gasps. FTc who buys this record shall be like the old lady with bells on her toes he shall have music wherever he goes, for days—because he won't be able to get the darned tunes out of his head. If ever Highbrow and Lowbrow meet it is surely on the line of these engaging ditties.

On Parlo. B. 10871 (12 in, 4s. Cd.), Claudio Arram (is the pianist's name spelled correctly? I thought it was Arrau) plays Liszt's Fountains at the Villa d'Este, one of three pieces inspired by the beauties of the same place (found in his third Years of Pilgrimage set—impressions of Italian scenes). This characteristic light, mildly poetic piece, well played and recorded would go down well, I think, to the accompaniment of strawberries and cream in the garden.

Lamond continues to give us examples of Liszt, and of his own clear-cut, rather didactic art. H.M.V. D.1666 (12 in., Cs. 6d.) contains a Vales-Impromptu and one of the Sonnets of PeLrareh, which form Nos. 4 to 6 of the second Year of Pilgrimage in Italy. I am writing away from the music, and do not know which sonnet is here suggested in music. The piece is one of Liszt's most attractive. The waltz has an engaging quality about it, too. Lamond records extremely well, particularly in evenness of quality throughout the piano. This must be one of the best of piano records, though it is not an ideal example of fine piano-playing ; the touch is against that.

Brunswick 50116 (12 in., 8s.) contains Leopold Godowsky's easy, masterful performance of Liszt's paraphrase on Verdi's Rigoletto, and Mendelssohn's Rondo Capriccioso. I use masterful" rather than "masterly" for this player's touch does not possess a very sustaining, singing quality, and though it records truthfully, a good deal of the tone is rather dry. The calm way in which Liszt's pretty tinklings are sent out seems almost too calm—as if the player had done this so often that he had got it into a routine. The Mendelssohn is equally lucid. That quality of clarity and of not commenting overmuch on the music will recommend it to some who feel, on the other hand, that it lacks warmth and conviction the partisan, unselfish appeal of one whose only business it is to commend a fine thing to all. I am afraid most people will vote Godowsky, on this showing, correct but dull.

VIOLIN.

Yelli d'Arauyi, with C. V. Bog as pianist, plays Kreisler's arrangements of a Melody by Cluck, and a Rondino by Beethoven (Col., 5427, 10 in., 3s.). This violinist always moves with eager, athletic step. Sometimes she seems a trifle too anxious to get on; but her light, fresh-airy motion is ever attractive. Her sustained style is well exhibited in the Beethoven, and both that and the fleeting grace of the Gluck, with the player's bold and rounded tone, are caught by the disc.

Mischa Elman also plays a Kreisler arrangement on H.M.V. D.A.1033 (10 in., 5s.)—a Caprice by Wieniawski, in saltarello style. On the other side is Press's arrangement of a Vocalise by Raehmaninov. Raymond Bauman is the pianist. The first is a flirting bit of sweetstuff, tastily thrown off; the other shows the sensitiveness of the player's phrasing and sustained cantabile. The recording is extremely even and pure.

Harold Fairhurst has been heard a good deal on the concert platform. I have not had the pleasure of being at any of his performances, but he plays the same Kreisler arrangement arrangement of the Cluck Melody as Yelli d'Aranyi, with a Moment Musical (Schubert- Krei sler) and The Lark (Tchaikovsky-Burmester). The piano is rather gentle, and the violin tone less rich than in the records noticed above; but that may be due to the recording. I like the line Mr. Fairhurst draws and keeps, and the tensility (not thinness) of his tone; he plays no cheap tricks, and is a really worthy fiddler. The only cheapness (for the music is good, if not very sustaining to the hungry) is in the record, which is a Metropole 10 in., 1157, 3s.

Master Yehudi Menuhin is a newcomer, the much heralded boy prodigy. He plays the violin (H.M.V., D.A.1003, lOin., Cs.). The pieces are Ries's La Capricciosa and an Allegro by 1'ioceo. He fiddles strongly, making more of the snappy Rica piece than of the Fioeco, which demands rhythmic resource he has not yet got. He is a clever lad, and records beautifully. The accompanist is Louis Persinger, who is very self-effacing, after the manner of his tribe, in whom I should like to see a bit more courage.

Brunswick has, on two 10 in. records, 3983, and 4, Alexander Sebald's performance of Tartini's Devil's Trill Sonata (6s.). I like the quiet, clean, balanced presentation, without the excessive emotionalism that some fiddlers bring to almost everything they play. One could find fuller tone (this is a little thin), but the style suits the period of the music. The un-named pianist might give better support in the slow parts. Apart from the question of the recording of slow, solid chords, which is not always good, I find that few pianists seem to understand the art of giving sufficient support to strings. A firm bass is wanted, in general, with a good rhythm in it, but above all, solidity without ponderousness—not the "peas on a shovel" style—the short jabs that are so often given at sustained chords or rapid bits. The fiddle is a treble instrument, and can do with plenty of support when it soars.

'CELLO.

I salute the Decca record, which makes its bow this month, in a handy carrier-envelope, made to fit into an album that you can get by sending in a number of the cardboard discs that cover the title. The prices are the same as Columbia's and H.M.V.'s—Cs. Cd. for the 12 in., black label, and 4s. Ccl. for the 10 in.; and for the magenta labels, 4s. 6d. and 3s. respectively. We wish, of course, that it had been possible to bring out 12 in. records for 4s. 6d. I feel increasingly strongly that 5s. is enough for any 12 in. record; but probably a new company feels it necessary to work to the higher figures at first ; later, perhaps, it may lead the way in a reduction. I have, so far, only one instrumental record to try—A.1004 (10 in., 4s. Gd.), on which Hans Kindler plays a Gavotte of Valentini's, and a Rumanian Sketch of his own. The player is sonorous in the former piece and piquant in the latter, which, however, has little body in it, being chiefly an exercise in springing-bowing. There is not very much on which to judge the new records here, the chief point being the brightness of the tone. The surface is not perfectly silent.

Cedric Sharpe associates on H.M.V. B. 3040 (10 in., 3s.) Friml's Twilight and an Air by Pergolesi, arranged by the player. Friml is not happy in this galley. His twilight is dim, not godlike, musically speaking. Pergolesi partly makes amends in strength, though it is not a very moving air. Sharpe is not easily surpassed as a sensitive 'cellist. Last month Parlophone did part of a 'cello concerto. Sharpe would have done it even better than the strong German player; why is he not given a chance to record something worthy of his powers—say one of the Beethoven Sonatas 'I He records, to my mind, better than the two or three 'cellists most often heard on discs.

ORGAN.

On the 10 in. H.M.V. B.3060 (3s.), Arthur Meale plays a Valse Myste'rievse of his own (my accent), and a Souvenir di Valentino (sweet combination of languages!) by "Wood." I presume this is Haydn Wood, not Sir Henry, or Charles, or F. H., or Thomas, or any other of the clan. What I find mysterious about the waltz is not, probably, what Mr. Menlo meant it to be. It will please those who admire his compositions. He is a good organist, who does not often allow his quality to shine out, hiding it under a bushel of bathos. The recording seems to me praiseworthily clear; but I do not know the Westminster Hall organ well enough to compare its real with its recorded tone.

GurrAR.

Segovia is here again (H.M.V., E.475, 10 in., 4s. 6d.), in an arrangement of a Bach Courante and the Allegretto movement from a Sonatina by Torroba. His phrasing by inflexion is particularly neat in the Bach. Torroba's piece is a likeable bit of sprightliness, with the Spanish tincture and a lightly cosmopolitan background. Here the player's varieties of tone are especially to be admired. I find his records uncommonly attractive.

K. K.

ESPERANTO RECORDS

My reference to Esperanto in the July review of Dr. J. J. Findlay's lecture on" Our Mother Tongue and Other Tongues" (page 79) has brought from the Gregg Publishing Company, Kern House, Kingsway, two records in that language, prepared under Dr. Findlay's direction (6s. each). They contain scenes, stories and songs (one of these last will be readily recognised by its Esperanto title—Jen Silvio, " muziko de Schubert and Struvelpetro is an old friend but slightly disguised). A small text-book for use with the records costs a shilling. The two records and the book will be sent post free for 13s. Gd. Speakers of various nationalities take part, and all speak Esperanto clearly. A good deal of what is going on can be guessed by any English speaker who knows even a little French or Latin. Here is a foreshadowing of the way in which the future world-state may most readily conduct its business. It is an inspiring thought that here are members of nations differing widely in training and temperament, joining with the greatest ease in telling stories, in plays and in song. "What is there to stop it ? " asked the man who was invited to marvel at the rushing floods of Niagara. There may come a day when newcomers to a united world may as calmly counter with this question when some emotional person asks " Isn't it amazing that we can all understand each other now I " There is nothing to stop that now, and there never was aything—except that foolish humanity insists, on going such a long, tedious, roundabout way to reach its ends. A common means of communicating ideas is surely a first essential in the modern world. We here should like to see English adopted by all the world, of course; but foreigners are, to some minds amongst us, desperately conservative. Frenchman want to hear their tongue all over the world; Italians and Germans are as bad. I have no safe comparative knowledge of the three or four most notable international languages; but Esperanto appears to have by far the largest following, and if in more than a quarter of a century in England it has not swept the country, those who know a little of school systems need not wonder at that.

Any who wish to look into Esperanto may care to get information from the British Esperanto Association, Incorporated, 142, High Holborn, W.C.I. I have no particular prejudice in its favour, amongst the various proposed common languages; it simply seems to me one of the readiest means of getting on with the job of world federation—a job hitherto singularly feebly tackled.

These records and book form one arm in comprehensive body of teaching material that Professor Findlay is preparing. It is to be followed by six French records and a text-book, following the principles enunciated in the author's "Modern Language Learning," (Gregg), about which I hope to say a word later. Dr. Findlay, as may be gathered from his Educational Society records, is a sustaining enthusiast about language teaching. He has the great advantage of a wide and deep background of work in general education, and I look forward with the greatest interest to his courses, which, the publishers announce, will in course of time probably include all the important modern languages.

W. R. ANDERSON.