Kern: Show Boat – Several Artists & Orchestras – Conducted by Victor Young, Clifford Greenwood and Edwin MacArthur – NAXOS 8.120789 (76 mins)
Perhaps more than any other work in modern theatre, Show Boat has had many different guises. The main reason for this has always been the constant political and fashion changes that ebb and flow from one decade to another.
Lyrics have been rewritten, songs dumped or added, scenes juggled and characters reinvented. This recording features three of the various versions of the score which have come down to us over the years since the show made its bow on Broadway on December 27, 1927.
Audiences and critics were head over heels over Jerome Kern’s and Oscar Hammerstein II’s creation, and Show Boat ran for an impressive 572 performances, certainly no mean feat in those days. Since then it has been revived on Broadway five times and been turned into an MGM classic during the early 1950s, although two previous film versions had already been attempted, albeit with scant success.
It was through the 1950’s extravaganza that Maltese audiences were fully introduced to this memorable stage masterpiece. Indeed, the film is still popular with those of my age who fully remember theimpact it had, with its captivat-ing melodies and dramatic storyline.
This issue is no aural spectacular, but for those who enjoy unearthing historical recordings it is a treasure trove. The 19 tracks are taken from two studio recordings dating from 1932 and 1936 respectively, and from the Broadway revival of 1946.
Although much of the music has been omitted, one can get a fairly good idea what the whole three-hour show is like. Nearly 80 years have passed since that memorable Broadway premiere, but the freshness and heart-stopping tunes of this blockbuster still echo in one’s ear.
Thanks to Naxos’s endeavours, those who have not yet experienced Show Boat’s sweep-ing score, now have an opportunity to taste its unforgettable palette of musical invention. An extremely informative essay by Richard Ouzounian completes a nostalgic memento that brings back memories of the 1950s and 1960s, when the silver screen was the prime vehicle of entertainment. Not a collector’s item in the true sense of the word, but its artistic value is immense.
Nordic Violin Favourites: Music for Violin and Orchestra by Scandinavian Composers – Henning Kraggerud (Violin) – Dalasinfoniettan – Bjarte Engeset (Cond.) – NAXOS 8.572827 (75 mins)
Despite many fine Scandinavian composers, only Grieg, Sibelius and, to a certain degree, Nielsen, command a strong degree of popularity. This disc is welcome, particularly for those who like to delve into the hidden byways of European music.
This truly fine and exciting issue features pieces by Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935) and his Norwegian counterparts Carl Olsen (1903-1984), Ole Bull (1810-1880) and Christian Sinding (1856-1941), as well as by the Swedish duo Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927) and Kurt Atterberg, with the pride of Finland, Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) completing the programme.
There was a particularly rich vein of Nordic writing for the violin between 1910 and 1930, and most of the works date from this period. Sibelius’s Six Humoresques are considered a masterpiece of the genre, while Halvorsen’s Norwegian Dance No 3 and Stenhammar’s Sentimental Romances are brimming with a folkloristic passion that is quite unique.
Olsen’s Six Old Village Songs, Atterberg’s Suite No 3 and Sinding’s Evening Mood strongly evoke the austere life and awesome natural beauty of these captivating lands. Only Bull’s Memories of Havana can be set apart; a work that the composer wrote in 1844 after his visit to Cuba. This is one of the first compositions where a composer made use of Creole/Cuban melodies in classical music, so it is no surprise that the piece was a huge success. This is an issue that at first sight might not raise any eyebrows, but on further investigation one will reveal many uplifting riches.
Mostly exhilarating stuff that should appeal in particular to violin buffs, but those with wider tastes should find much to whet their musical appetite. Notes are serviceable, but sound and presentation are first-rate.
These CDs were made available for review by D’Amato Record Shop, St John Street, Valletta.