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Vol. IV.

JANUARY, 1927

No.8

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DECEMBER RECORDS

By THE EDITOR

IT is id.le to attempt to write a readable article this month, because I ha,ve to make myself responsible for practically the whole of the December reviews owing to the explosion our Ohristma,s Number caused among the regular features of the magazine. In addition to that, my survey of 1926 meant that a number of November records were overlooked.

ORCHESTRAL RECORDS OOLUMBIA.

L.1783-84-85. }\i(ozart Symphony in D (No. 35).

Three discs, 19s. 6d. Sir Hamilton Harty conducting the Halle Orchestra. A delightful l i t t le symphony. Beautifully recorded and not found in any other list.

L.1786-87. Debussy's Petite Suite. Two discs,

13s. Sir Dan Godfrey conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. Debussy at his most simple and most melodious. This was extremely well recorded by Vocalion about four years ago, but unfortunately in the days when there was a very loud scratch. As an interpretation I prefer the Voca.}ion records, but on every other ground, of course, these displace them.

9125. Ccwrnen Selection. One disc, 4s. 6d. Percy

. Pitt conducting the B.B.O. Wireless Sym­

phony Orchestra. A good boisterous straightforward performance with a tremendous display by the castanets. Obviously destined for popularity.

L.1798. AcZagietto from Mahler's Flfth Symphony.

One elisc, 6s. 6d. vVillem }\i(engelberg conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. I understand that Mahler is not "well seen" by critics of good taste, but here is a good fruity tunc with plenty of sugar, exquisitely recorded with concert-hall echo complete. I t gives me a great dea~ of pleasure and I venture to believe that i t will give 75 per cent. of our readers a great deal of pleasure too. I t is rather on the lines of the