November Records

Some phonograph records are musical events. Each month TIME notes the noteworthy.

SYMPHONIC, ETC.

Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E Flat Major (Boston Symphony, Sergei Koussevitzky conducting: Victor: 10 sides). One of the big-domed Finn's more ingratiating symphonies, magnificently played and recorded. The lusty tone poem Pohjola's Daughter fills out the last three sides.

Jean Franc,aix: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (Paris Philharmonic, Nadia Boulanger conducting, with the composer at the piano; Victor: 4 sides). One of the friskiest foals in the Parisian paddock. 26-year-old Composer Franc,aix is as yet practically unknown to U. S. listeners. His neat, chattering concerto is the most skilful bit of musical window-dressing that has been exported from Paris in a long time.

Prokofieff: Program of Piano Music (Played by the composer; Victor: 8 sides). A sheaf of miniatures by the trickiest of today's composers.

Roussel: Quartet in D Major, Op. 45 (Roth String Quartet; Columbia: 6 sides). Sounding like Cesar Franck double-distilled, the late Albert Roussel's subtle, tenuous music is voluptuously performed.

Bach: Nine Chorale Preludes (Carl Weinrich. organist: Musicraft: 10 sides). On the 18th-Century-facsimile organ at Princeton's Westminster Choir School, Organist Weinrich revives Bach's Lutheran embroidery in all its original sparkle, clarity and color. One of the month's most notable.

Dvorak: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor (Czech Philharmonic, Georg Szell conducting; Victor: 10 sides). When Germany annexed the Sudeten area. Prague's Czech Philharmonic was disbanded, its members mobilized. But last week, anxious music-lovers learned that it had reassembled, would tour Great Britain. The least talked-about of the world's great orchestras, the demobilized Czechs had long been famous among record collectors for their matchless woodwinds and brasses. Of Czech Composer Dvorak's "New World" Symphony they give a matchless performance.

Mozart: Symphony in C Major, K. 200 (Berlin College of Instrumentalists, Fritz Stein conducting: Victor: 4 sides), and Symphony in B Flat Major, K. 319 (Chamber Orchestra, Edwin Fischer conducting; Victor: 6 sides). Two lesser but important Mozart symphonies, crisply played.

Mozart: Concerto in E Flat Major for Two Pianos and Orchestra, K. 365 (London Symphony, Sir Adrian Boult conducting, with Artur and Karl Schnabel; Victor: 6 sides). Only available recording of a great Mozart work, excellently performed.

Mozart: Mass in F Major, K. 192 (The Motet Singers with String Orchestra, Paul Boepple conducting; Musicraft: 6 sides). Far less known than his symphonies and operas are Composer Mozart's 15 Masses, none of which has up to now been completely recorded. The Mass in F Major is early Mozart, but meaty.

Brahms: Quintet for Clarinet and String, Op. 115 (Busch Quartet with Reginald Kell; Victor: 8 sides). One of the world's ranking chamber-music groups gives Brahms's famous Clarinet Quintet an up-to-date recording.

Schubert: "Rosamunde"--Incidental Music (Halle Orchestra, Sir Hamilton Harty conducting; Columbia: 8 sides). Viennese Composer Schubert was never more typically Viennese than in the tripping, schwaermerisch music he wrote for a long-forgotten play called Rosamunde, Princess of Cyprus. The performance is good, slightly heavy.

POPULAR

At the Jazz Band Ball (Bob Crosby; Decca). A hot classic played with as much sincerity and more talent than it got from its creators, the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

My Reverie (Larry Clinton; Victor). A phrase from Debussy's Reverie becomes torch-song-of-the-month.

Change Partners (Fred Astaire & Ray Noble; Brunswick). Most appealing Berlin foxtrot that Astaire sings in Carefree.

Stephen Foster Melodies (Decca). Sixteen songs by the nation's 19th-Century Irving Berlin--from Hard Times Come Again No More to De Camptown Races. Sung on ten sides by Frank Luther and a quartet.

Old Folks (Mildred Bailey; Vocalion). Wistful, well-sung, oddly chorded little ballad. Willard Robison's first hit for a long time.

Gershwin Memorial Albums are or will be available on Victor's and Decca's lists. The Victor album (five 12-in. records) is a journeyman rehash of the Gershwin musicomedies, songs, rhapsodies, opera by Nat Shilkret's band and Singer Jane Froman. A Decca album of ten-inch records will be out next month. Paul Whiteman's band plays some of the better-known Gershwiniana, plus a fine new arrangement of the unrecorded Cuban Overture.

Way Down Yonder in New Orleans (Kansas City Six; Commodore Music Shop). Excellent hot ensemble work on a tune which had not been done equal justice since the Beiderbecke-Trumbauer version.

American Folk Songs, Religious and Worldly (Old Harp Singers of Nashville, Tenn.; Musicraft: 4 sides). "Harp Singers" of the southern mountain regions have long sung quaint Anglo-Celtic "spirituals" and folksongs. Musicraft's unique collection contains such rousing "spiritual songs" as The Old Ship of Zion and Poor Wayfaring Stranger, such "fritter-minded song ballets" as Sourwood Mountain.

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