Evening star., 1939-09-03
Review of RECORDINGS

rection, marking the first recording
under an American conductor.
There are other novelties, too, in
Columbias list among which is Gle
seking's playing of Ravel's "Gaspard
de la Mutt" and Beethoven's over
ture die Weihe des Hauses."
Gieseking has long been noted for
the size of his hands, but you would
have no inkling of their stretch and
strength in listening to his delicate
Interpretation of these lovely bits.
"Ondine," lie Gibet" and "Scarbo. !"
Music illustrating a work by A. Ber-
trand. they are full of individualism
with a rare feeling for mood There
is the exquisitely descriptive writing
OF "Ondine," the strange sombre-
ness OF lie Gibet' and the gay ire
sponsiveness of "Scarbo." This is
piano playing that means something
both from an interpretive stand
point and from the extraordinary
command of tonal color which is so
distinctive in this artist. The whole
OF "Gaspard' is recorded for the first
time although a previous recording
OF "Ondine" alone was made by MI.
Gieseking for the Columbia COM
pany.
OF special interest is the release
Of the last Beethoven overture. Die
Weihe des Hauses,' which was also
performed at that memorial con-
cent OF May Z. 1924, which ended so
disastrously. The overture was COM
posed in 1922 for the opening of the
Josephstadt Theater in Vienna, but
Its later performance was the one
that drew most attention to it. The
vogue OF Rossini seemed to over
shadow the renown of Beethoven and
1t was with the idea of calling notice
10 MIN again that the friends of
Beethoven urged him to give a con-
cert. After much trouble he agreed
and the overture was placed on the
program which further included
several parts of the Mass in D" and
the Ninth Symphony 1t was at
thls concert that the great master
was turned around by a friend to see
the applause which he could not
hear, but afterwards at a supper ar
ranged by Beethoven he fell into one
OF his furies and accused his friends
OF trying to cheat him and was
finally left alone to eat the meal with
only his nephew present.
The music Of the overture is CAV
sturdy and festive, played by the
Columbia Orchestra with Barlow
leading. On the reverse side of
the last disc is a recording of the
Death Of Clarchen" from the in.
cidental music which the composer
wrote for "Egmont."
Among the old favorites is a very
fne reading of Beethoven's Sym
phony No. 2 in D. Major" by the
London Symphony Orchestra con-
Quoted by Weingartner and the
Mozart Quartet No. IA in G Major,
K. 387," by the Roth String Quartet.
The symphony which had its in
ceptlon the year of Beethoven's
greatest depression when he felt 1t
necessary to write the famous will, "
gives no clue to the composers state
OF mind in the sane, vigorous speech
OF the first movement. Nor at any
point where self-revelation might
be expected does the man of great
courage allow it to intrude in this
symphony SO replete with power.
energy and beauty.
The Mozart Quartet, which is the
first of the six known as the
Haydn" quartets, is one of the
finest examples of the great free
dom of style that this composer
possessed. No matter what the pat
tern, there Is always some unique
touch added which gives a special
charm and in this quartet 1t is the
odd accent for the first violin in the
second movement. The Roth mas
ters of ensemble playing give a
superb performance Of this beloved
quartet.
On single disc comes also a fine
recording of the popular "Introduc-
ton and Rondo Capriccioso" of
Saint-Saens by the violinist, AL
fredo Campoli with the London
Philharmonic Orchestra directed by
Walter Goehr. The young man has
a warm tone. sound musical feel
ing and brilliant technique.