GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 267, 10 November 1928, Page 8 (Supplement)

GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

ARTISTS AND THEIR RECORDS.

(By SOTJNIDBOX.)

"Schubert, the sweetest, of all singers, the simplest of all souls." » —Sir George Grove. It will como as welcome news to her many admirers that our own Gladys Moncrieff has signed a contract to make records in Sydney.

The efficient choir of the British Broadcasting Corporation sing, "A Few More Years Shall Roll" and "Stand Up,: Stand Up for Jesus." The balance and tone are good. (01211, lOin.)

Sales in Australia and Now Zealand of the records by the Two Black Crows are authoritatively stated to have exceeded sales in every other country in the world, including America, the comparison being made, of course, on a. population basis.

It would be interesting to decide the relative popularity of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies. Most of us know only the second, sixth and twelfth. Opportunity to become acquainted with another occurs this month, as the eighth has been recorded, for the first time. Mark Hambourg plays it well. (B2CGT, lOin.)

For uniformly high merit, the march; compositions of Sousa would be hard to' beat, so a record with a Sousa march on either side could hardly bo a disappointment. Those chosen are "Washington Post" and "El Capitan," and their. playing by the National Military Band docs this martial music justice. (01130, lOin.)

A contralto of international renown, Sophie Braslau, sings two Schubert songs. That intensely dramatic narrative song, "The Erl King," loses sonie"thing to English ears by being sung in German, as is "Death and the Maiden," but the rich voice of this charming contralto largely offsets any sense of loss duo to inability to understand German. (04102, 12in.)

If a world-wide referendum were taken to discover the most popular compositions in various classes, it is extremely likely that the most popular waltz would be "Blue Danube." It has long been accepted as a classic, so that it need not surprise us to find it recorded by such a famous orchestra as the Royal Philharmonic, under such a notable conductor as Felix Weingartner. A wonderful playing of a wonderful old waltz. (04109. 12in.), / ,

Our old friend; Malcolm McEacharn, he of the truly bass voice, sings a sea chanty, "Time to Go," or, strictly speaking, a chanty-ballad, as it is written and composed by Weatherlqy and Sanderson, whereas your true chanty is of unknown parentage—handed down from one generation to another. The other item is a song of the countryside, "Only an Old Rough Diamond," a tramp's philosophy of the open road. Eiuc work, as usual. (01214, lOin.)

Writing to an inquirer, who asked for further information regarding a record I had mentioned, I concluded, "It is a. pleasure, always, to hear from interested readers, and although I am usually pretty busy, I- can always find time very willingly to share with others my enthusiasm for the gramophone." So others who-feel that I can help them in any way to derive increased enjoyment from their gramophones, need not hesitate on the score of causing inconvenience. Let us share our enthusiasm for our hobby.

Two 12in. records, giving brief tuneß played-by the instruments of the orchestra separately are of considerable interest. Strings, wood-wind, brass; tynipani, harp and celeste are illustrated. Just as the colour sense is necessary to the enjoyment of scenery, although the eye may unconsciously convey "the same to the mind, so a sense of sound is necessary to the full appreciation of the orchestra..: These records will be a helpful guide, by the occasional use of which the ears .will eventually be able to convey to the mind without conscious effort a greater enjoyment of music (02GG0-70, 12in.)

Another fine Schubert Issue is the "A Major Sonata," played by Miss Myra Hess, the pianisto of the "B Elat Trio'' mentioned recently. Of the technical and temperamental equipment of this artist it.may bo said at once that she capably responds to the demands oj both works. This sonata is just what a Schubert enthusiast wov/d expect, a continuous series of delightful melodies. Well indeed was Schubert named "the master of melody."- There are three rejeords, in an annotated album, the sixth side containing the very, fascinating "Ballet Music" from the same master's "Rosamunde."-

, Probably the greatest composer Oi descriptive-music of a class he seems to have made his o.wn, Albert W. Ketelb'ey must have a legion of admirers. Or, more likely, millions have enjoyed his "In 'a Monastery Garden," and "In a Persian Market," without a, thought for the composer. Ah, you feel now that you know who I'm' talking about! Well, these are not Ketelbey's only compositions. This month is issued an album containing eight 12in records,, comprising seven works, including the two named. They are played by the composer's own concert orchestra, and have' been described by another writer as a fitting compliment to the composer by the recording company, with which he nas been associated as a musical director for the last twenty years.

What busy places the recording studios of the leading companies must be these days! Not content with generous monthly issues of new records;*'we' are now given quite.., frequently extend sive lists of what "are known as rerecordings. Leading artists and hands' sing or play items previously recorded, to give us the benefit of the more sensitive new process. It would be extremely interesting to the real hobbyist to make, comparisons of the old and the new. This month Kiccardo Stracciari replaces eight old acoustic records with new ones. I have not had time yet to play them, so will mention only the one I have heard, and. deal with the others later. I have the old single-sided "Larn-o al Factotum," from "The Barber.". It was' always a "big" record as regards volume, but the new one— : well, take a tip, and if you usually use full, tone neediest try this record with a medium; or' even soft; It is splendidly "coupled with the Toreador's song from "Carmen." Probably the claim that Stracciari 'is the • world's greatest operatic baritone will be conceded by most of us on the merits of this record alone.' Of the others, more later. (04173, 12in).