I’ve gone for a cellos and French works theme for the latest update to my site:
Franz André conducts Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals (1952) and Ravel’s second Daphnis and Chloe suite (1950). The Ravel suffers some crumbling of sound in climaxes, but otherwise sound is good. The double bass player in the Saint-Saëns isn’t as secure as one would wish. (Telefunken LP)
François Ruhlmann conducts Chabrier’s España (1931 Pathé).
Maurice Maréchal plays the Lalo cello concerto impressively, conducted by Philippe Gaubert (1932 Columbia) – there are a few small cuts in the first movement.
W.H. Squire plays Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No.1 with Hamilton Harty and the Hallé Orchestra (1926 Columbia).
Arnold Földesy plays Bruch’s Kol Nidrei with piano accompaniment (c1930 HMV). There is a minor cut between the two sides. Földesy’s cello is now owned by Daniel Müller-Scholl, who has also recorded Kol Nidrei on it.
Antonio Janigro plays Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, with Dean Dixon and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. (c1953 Westminster recording, reissued by World Record Club)

http://www.damians78s.co.uk

In other musical news, I purchased the Historic Masters repressing of Francesco Tamagno’s 10” recordings. These were an absolute joy to listen to, his voice ringing out clearly more than a century after the recordings were made.

I’ve also had the pleasure of the final instalment of Marston’s Conchita Supervia edition. There’s very much a Spanish focus on the recordings included, apart from some Lehar in French. Even greater joy than listening to Tamagno. In addition, the package included the latest Lagniappe disc, a bonus to subscribers. This time it was a selection of recordings by Paul Payan. This wonderful French bass displayed great flexibility and variety of colour. There were times when his timbre reminded me of Ezio Pinza.

I’ve been working through the EMI Classics 10CD Stokowski box. Of course, it includes some less familiar works, which make a great impression, but it’s when you get to the more familiar stuff that Stokowski’s choices can be frustrating. There are tweaks to the orchestration of Holst’s Planets, and his Carmina Burana cuts out middle verses of many parts of the score, and plays around with tempos and pauses outrageously. There are some tender and affecting parts, but as a whole it was disappointing.

I’ve also enjoyed Reginald Goodall’s EMI recording of Parsifal, though I think I prefer my Parsifals a little brisker than his.

There are still piles of 78s, LPs and CDs which I haven’t listened to. Among those that reached my turntable today were another National Savings promotional record, recorded just a few days before VE Day (when the outcome of the war in Europe was pretty much known) and paying tribute to all of the British armed forces and volunteers who contributed to the war effort. It’s a fascinating snapshot, with solos from baritones Thorpe Bates and Walter Saull. Joseph Batten conducts the London Symphony Orchestra. I hope to get this transferred soon. I’ve also just listened to Marie Novello’s recording of Liszt’s 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody, somewhat abridged on two sides of a 10” Winner disc. It’s an unusual performance – it isn’t the hackneyed barnstorming approach, and is perhaps the most rhapsodic version of the rhapsody I’ve heard. I’ve also listened to the violinist Daniel Melsa (on Broadcast Twelve), Stanley Chapple conducting Brahms and Elgar (again Broadcast Twelve), Virgilio Ranzato in two violin solos (Pathé), and assorted other things that may make it to my site soon. But my half-term holiday has just finished, so it’s back to work next week, with less time for transferring recordings.

The National Savings record is probably the next item on my list for restoration, though, for its unusualness.

Damian