After Grand Hotel
track listing below review
Ananda Trio
rec. KMFA-FM
PIERIAN 0021 [68:33]
The Ananda Trio was founded in 1989 and gives serious-minded recitals
as well as the kind of repertoire espoused in this Grand Hotel disc.
For example, they gave the American premieres of the arrangement for
piano trio and percussion of Shostakovich’s Fifteenth Symphony, and
of Arthur Butterworth’s Piano Trio, Op.72. Maybe the impetus for that
last work came via its British violinist Miranda Dale, though American
cellist Margaret Coltman lived in London for a couple of years, and
the pianist who anchors the group, Felicity Coltman, has also travelled
to perform in Britain and indeed internationally.
This easy-going disc is predicated on Palm Court lines. There were
numerous Hotel Kings on both sides of the Atlantic, and rather unfairly
the American lions of the genre have not been as well remembered as
their European counterparts, largely because the latter made many
more recordings. Of them it’s Albert Sandler, Tom Jenkins, and Max
Jaffa who have retained most kudos: all three were outstanding fiddlers
by any reckoning. Indeed there’s a quotation in the disc booklet from
Martyn Jones, son of Tom Jones (no, not that one) — who took
over from Sandler at the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne in 1929 and was
himself a master of the genre — on the subject of the popularity of
Palm Court broadcasts.
The programme here is of operatic potpourri, sentimental songs, romantic
legato-laced confections, waltzes and genial dances and the like.
It’s not all very well-known, which is a definite bonus, and clearly
some archival work amongst the faded scores has turned up out of the
way numbers, such as the three folk melodies arranged by Berndt Stalhands
with which we begin, variously sturdy, wistful and genial. Frederick
Hall’s Lads and Lassies Gay! is a salon folk song and van
Goens’ Romance sans paroles a charming romantic morceau.
Van Goens is best known for his cello vignettes. Ernest Adler distilled
the essence of two operas, by Gounod and Lalo, and they’re heard in
the arrangements made by Henry Eichheim — extensive exercises reminiscent
of mid to late-nineteenth century potboilers so beloved of pianists
and violinists. Louis Ganne’s Ecstasy makes a welcome appearance
and there’s fresh charm from Friml in his Twilight in the
salon trio arrangement by Alfred Moffat. Pierné’s Serenade
seldom fails either.
So this is an enjoyable and enterprising selection, that pays due
tribute to the days of the Palm Court with a good balance of novelties
and standards. The booklet notes are fine. But the recording, undated,
in the studios of KMFA-FM, Austin, Texas, is very flat and lacking
in warmth. The playing itself is certainly within the genre but sometimes
lacks character and personality. Phrasing is not always as sensitively
wrought as it might be, or intonation. I think a warmer acoustic would
have led to a better result.
Jonathan Woolf
Track listing
ANONYMOUS
Three Folk Melodies arr. Berndt Stalhands [6:11]
Frederick HALL
Lads and Lassies Gay! arr. Calvin Grooms [2:47]
Jean SAROLA
In Golden Autumn arr. Calvin Grooms [4:17]
Alaskan Twilight (1927) arr. Calvin Grooms [5:01]
H.A. RASCH
Moorish Nightsong [2:38]
Daniel van GOENS (1858-1904)
Romance sans paroles [4:00]
Ernest ADLER
Le Tribut de Zamora: opera by Gounod arr. Henry Eichheim
[11:09]
Le Roi d’Ys; opera by Lalo arr. Henry Eichheim [9:57]
Jan BLOCKX (1851-1912)
Serenade from Milenka arr. Henry Eichheim [3:10]
Rudolf FRIML (1879-1972)
Twilight arr. Alfred Moffat [3:46]
Gabriel PIERNÉ (1863-1937)
Serenade [2:44]
Louis GANNE (1863-1923)
Ecstasy (Reverie) [4:31]
Oscar STRAUSS (1870-1954)
Waltz Scherzo [4:31]
Charles HUERTER (1885-1974)
Told at Twilight [4:08]
