Six Classical 78s: Delius, Debussy and the Gypsies

I can't see the attraction of Delius, but, for a very short section of the Song of the High Hills, there is something like the shoots of life:

Song of the High Hills, Pt. 4 (Delius) - The Halle Orchestra

And after that it's back to rustic twittering.

But take a classical piece with a strong melody, like The Blue Danube, and in the 1930s you have bands leaping at the chance to jazz it up. Here's a very unswingy British example of that, as the famous Strauss piece is augmented by lilting saxophones:

The Blue Danube - International Concert Orchestra, HMV

Another Spring, another apposite Strauss composition:

Voices of Spring (J. Strauss, arr. Rawicz & Landauer)

Apposite. Nice.

Moiseiwitsch was something like the HMV house pianist, and this is perfectly acceptable:

Au clair de lune - Benno Moiseiwitsch, p.

To finish off, two spiky pieces featuring the violinist Daniel Melsa:



Gypsy airs, Daniel Melsa (Violin) 1930

Hejre kati, Daniel Melsa (Violin) (Hubay) 1930

Both pieces come on all wistful, and then it seems the 'Travelling People' arrive and it's a microtonal knees-up.

There's a fascinating reproduction of an interview with Melsa at this site.

An excerpt:

'It was in June of 1905, at the time of the pogroms, when one afternoon my father, accompanied by my little sister, ventured out into the street, from which they never returned. They were both killed,' he added sadly, 'by Cossacks.'