GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 134, 8 June 1929, Page 8 (Supplement)

GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

ARTISTS AND THEIR RECORDS

(By SOUND BOX.) The songs of the great singers now need never cease —they live on the gramophone. Aa R.L.S. said:— Still they are carolled and, said, On wings they are carried, After the singer is dead And the maker buried. Frank Crumit, the clever humorous singer of light songs who is now so deservedly popular, has chosen two very good items in "The Bride's Lament" and "Jack is Every Inch a Sailor." His Master's Voice. (E.A.454, lOin.) Colin O'More is, I should imagine, a real Irishman, judging by his voice and his interpretation of "Has borrow Thy Young Days Shaded ,1, and the wellknown "When Irish Eyes are Smiling." Simple eongs, very appealingly sung. His Master's Voice. (8.277G, lOin.) In a ballot to discover the leading pianists of to-day the name of Ignaz Friedman would, or should, be very near the top. For his latest offering he has played "Romance in E Flat," Rubinstein and a piano arrangement of Schubert's ever-popular song, "Hark, Hark, the Lark," and a fine record he hae made of them. Columbia (03630, 10-inch.), Alfred O'Shea, Australia's pet tenor of Irish descent, makes the most of "Eileen Oge," a song that has the true Irish lilting humour, and "Two Irish Eyes." The first bright, the other with a wistful sadness, these are eonge to please Erin's sons and daughters. Columbia (03615, 10-inch.) The issue of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Trial by Jury" this month on four 12in records in an album is welcome further fulfilment of . the promise of His Master's Voice to do all the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The work of both principals and chorus is of a high order, the seventeen items being all well sung and asf well recorded.

Derek Oldham is what one might describe as a gramophonic ballad-singer. With a good tenor voice and a very sympathetic understanding of the songs he sings, his great- popularity is well deserved. This month he sings Roger Quilter's "Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal" and Clutsam's ever-popular "i Know of Two Bright Eyes." His Master's Voice. (8.2870, lOin.)

A very welcome re-recording of "La Capinera" (The Wren) by Galli Curci appears this month, wisely coupled with "La Paloma." The flute obligato that so effectively sets off .this pure soprano voice is in evidence and I can imagine this record of the delightfully bright Wren song and the ever popular Gradier number becoming one of the most popular records Galli Curci has made. His Master's Voice. (D.A.1002, lOin.)

The Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra under Sir Dan Godfrey, appears to specialise in pieces that give soloiste an opportunity to shine. For their latest record they have played "Fluttering Birds" and "Idylle Bretonne." Both compositions are by Jean Gennin, the flautist of the orchestra, and the former has a duet of picolos and.the latter fir flutes that are played by the compostSr and his brother, Pierre. Fine eolo work melodious music ably supported by a fine orchestra. Columbia (02809, 12inch.)

Naoum Blinder ie a- Russian who has made a reputation as a, violinist in America. For his first record he lias* chosen wisely in playing Kreisler's "Caprice Viennoie," for as a test piece it has double stopping a r>d other technical difficulties, while as pure entertainment to the uncritically inclined its lilting melodies would surely please everybody. Another happy choice is the item completing the record, "Variations on a Theme by Corelli," also by Kreisler, who seems to have the knack of either choosing brightly melodious material for his transcriptions or transmuting base metals into gold. Naoum Blinder is a welcome addition to Columbia's list of a great artists at ordinary prices. (02773, 12-inch.)

Anna Case is a very notable addition to the list of sopranos , recording for Columbia. Of Dutch descent, she was born in America, her father being a blacksmith, poor but musical, and he taught the little Anna to play the organ and violin. When the village maiden 'voiced her aspiration to become a great singer, the father, who was. a severely religious man, would not hear of it, but friends hearing her singing in church and at local affairs, were so impressed that they advanced money for the training of this exquisite voice. Within eighteen months Andreas Dippel, the director of the Metropolitan Opera, the Mecca of all aspirants, heard her and engaged her on the Bpot._ After appearing with great success in many operas, Anna Case found the niche she fitted best in the concert field and she is now one of the most loved of the world's great concert artists, having sung in every State of America, Canada, England and Europe. For her gramophortie debut she lias chosen "O Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me?" from' Handel's "Semele" and "Connais-tu le Pays," from "Mignon" (Thomas). 04241, 12in; and two delightful ballads, "My Pretty Jane, the Bloom is on. the Rye" (Bishop) and "My Laddie" (Thayer). 03627, lOin.

The latest offering of the Philadelphia Orchestra is a composition of Debussy, "Nocturne No. 2, Fetes." It is diversified music as the following "programme", indicates: "We must- imagine ourselves Ort a hillock overlooking a village. It is night,, but the village below is visible by bonfires that throw the roof-tops into a dancing silhouette with their blaze and Which send up a continuous shower ■<jf sparks. The streets glow in the light of A hundred torches and lanterns, and a haze of smoke and of dust raised by many feet hangs over the ruddily tinted scene. The confused murmur of a laughing, jostling crowd mingtes with the distant sound of an approaching procession of grotesques. The procession winds its tortuous, bladderbanging way through the crowds and dissolves in laughter and horse-play. Occasionally a pair of lovers grow tired of the merriment and wander off. . . . As the hour gets later the revellers one by one repair to some distant spot whence the'sound of their jovial pranics : comes only faintly." Played with the finish that we expect from the "famous Philadelphians" the music is an interesting example of the work of a modern composer. Bis Master's Voice. ($.507, lOin.)