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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 29, No. 8. 1966.

Record reviews

Record reviews

Having Been a brass bandsman, many times subject to indifferent performances of indifferent arrangements of standard classics. I was not particularly keen to listen to the new Hmv stereo disc. "The National Band of New Zealand" (Csdm 6204) —a disc made from recordings of the band in its Wellington concert prior to the 1965 American tour. But what a pleasant surprise Economists and geographers have often classed New Zealanders as a nation of precisionists and this performance would certainly support, this—it is rather an outstanding example of precision brass playing of the highest standard.

Conductor Norman Thorn is noted for his achievements with the Roslyn Mills-Kaikorai Band, he is a musician intent on welding a band into a first-rate ensemble, the subtleties of the music are often overlooked but the results are usually good demonstrations of technical virtuosity. The National Band plays together extremely well, especially considering that this was recorded before the tour proper commenced. The sound produced is exceptionally clean, a very good tone—just listen to the Mozart Andante in G or the staccato notes in the first bars of Friedman's "Slavonic Rhapsody." The pitching is very good throughout, something I have often found at fault with most brass bands.

The delicacy of the bass sections of the band is rather amazing—a beautifully light touch from the euphonium section through to the Bb basses. Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody" is a showpiece for all the attributes I have discussed, excellent sectional playing throughout. Thorn takes the band on a guided tour of the more dynamic aspects of Liszt and what a spectacular effect—magnificent! This is the same throughout the record—from Sousa's "Stars and Stripes" to Eric Ball's "Tournament for Brass." Unfortunately, the two contributions from the Aotearoa Maori group at the end are rather a letdown—this is not helped by exceptionally poor recording.

Possibly I have over-enthused, I have been prepared to overlook the occasional "blue" and the overall lack of sympathetic interpretation—but the sheer enjoyment of splendid brass playing makes this record an extremely recommended purchase.

Jolie Felix is a new name in the folk world to me. The sleeve-note of her second record (Decca Lkm 4724) describes her as an American traveller who is now using England as a home base. She is definitely one of the "new" generation of folk singers —"songs of warning, songs of protest, songs of new love and songs of lost love. All of the songs have been written during the past two years." Her voice is reasonably pleasant but rather innocuous, her guitar playing is satisfactory, however the whole record lacks the necessary vitality. One small irrelevant point: I wish the record companies would stop thinking that every folk singer must provide some verse for the sleeves of their discs!

Three comedy records have come my way recently—"Cambridge Circus" "Columbia Pmcm 1208), "It's Hancock" (Decca Lkm 4740) and "Benny at the Bbc" (Decca Lkm 4723). The disappointment. of the three is the Benny Hill disc, the scripts are not particularly humourous and after a few tracks Benny's performances begin to pall. One track is good, that is an interview with J. Arthur Scuttle, producer of "From Moscow With Love." Hancock is at his best on his record—a glorious account of an army reunion, and the trials and tribulations of reading a detective novel only to find that the last page is missing. Sidney James is an entertaining guest star.

I was expecting a real treat with "Cambridge Circus," the student revue that toured the country only a short time ago. However, only a couple of the sketches are particularly effective on record—unfortunately. the nature of this group's comedy does not prove particularly adaptable to recording, from audience reaction I would suggest that there is much visual clowning, which is not very entertaining to the buyer listening to this disc.

by D.J.H.