GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 260, 2 November 1929, Page 9 (Supplement)

GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

ARTISTS AND THEIR RECORDS

(By SOUNDBOX.)

This week's definition :—Coloratura, ornamental passages in music, usually apolied to vo"cal music where the singer, chiefly soprano, displays her technical equipment in what has been called '"vocal gymnastics." Once again we browse among recent issues of the cheaper catalogues. One of the most tuneful shows ever heard was "Chu Chin Chow,"_ the vocal gems from which are available this month on Broadcast, sung by capable soloists and chorus. (W. 515.) If you want a record as a treat for the kiddies give them "The Toymakef s Dream"—if they don't like it I'll be surprised. On Broadcast it is coupled with "Sleepv Valley," from the talkie, "The Rainbow Man." (W. 513.)

Two Johann Strauss waltzes in vocal settings are charmingly sung 'bj Gertrude Johnson, soprano, on a 12-in Eegal, '•The Voices of Spring" and the great and ever-popular "Blue Danube." The singer is a coloratura soprano of no mean ability. (G. 30,022.) One of the most tuneful of the Creole songs resulting from the Spanish invasion of America is the "Ay Ay Ay" of Freire. (There are others, but Freire's is the most popular). Francesco Vada sings an effective English version on Broadcast completing a most satisfying offering with Godard's "Angels Guard" -Thee." (W. 515.) The Broadcast dance issues comprise "Breakaway," from "Movietone Follies of 1929" (good tune), and "To be in Love" (W. 510J 3 ; "Walking with Susie," from the same "Follies," with "Louise," from "Innocents of Paris" (W. 519); "Here We Are" with "I'm Just a Vagabond Lover" (W. 512); all vocal foxtrots by first-class bands. Here's some Gilbert and Sullivan. The 8.8.C. Wireless Symphony Orchestra, on Regal, plav a selection from "H.Mjs. Pinafore" (G30023, 12in), while the National Symphony Orchestra, on Zonophone, play "Yeomen of the Guard" selection (A 360, 12in), while the Zonophone Light Opera Company eing a lOin record of vocal gems from "The Gondoliers." (5294.)

Tie Zonophone dance issue comprises "I'm Thirsty for Kisses" and "Sing Me a Song of the South" (bright and tuneful) by the Arcadians' Dance Orchestra (5343); Henry Thies and his orchestra plav "Rose of Mandalay" and "Sweet Lisa" (E.E. 163); the Rhythmic Eight play "My Irish Paradise" (waltz) with the Arcadians' Dance Orchestra doing • ! My Coquette" (not the theme song of the"picture, by the way). (E.E.169.) Here are the November .Zonophone vocals: —Maurice Elwin, "Fooling Me" and "There's Happiness Ahead" (5335); Norman Blair, baritone, "When the Roll is Called up Yonder" and "Madeline" (5339); Frank and James MeGravy (one time Brunswick artists) sing quaint "Dixie" songs, "Six Feet of Earth" and "These Bones G'wina Rise Again" (5340); the Utica Jubilee Singers add another fine record of negro spirituals to their previous successes, "0- Mary, Don't You Weep" and "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" (5195); a male chorus sings "Maryland, Maryland" and the tuneful "Dixie" (E.E.171); while the Zonophone Salon Orchestra plays "Come Sing to Me" and "For You Alone" (5337). "I Hear You Calling Me," and "Off to Philadelphia," by Arthur Vivian, baritone, on Broadcast, is a good coupling of favourites well sung (W. 507), other new issues including the tuneful and vigorous "War March of the Priests" (Mendelssohn), played by Allan Brown on the pipe-organ, with "The Storm," the player's own composition, (every organist does it sooner of later), this being quite a good one —don't miss the cuckoo's noxe as the storm dies down (W. 516); selection from the very popular "Maid of the Mountains," by the Welsh Guards Band (W. 506); Mendelssohn's "Ruy Bias" overture by the Life Guards Band (W. 517); and "Sonny Boy" and "Dream Mother," played on the" orsan of the Midway Theatre, Montreal (W. 504).

A correspondent asks this question:— Do soft tone needles wear the records more than medium and loud tone? The inquirer thinks they do. I say they do not, rather the reverse, though as sound an authority as the editor of "The Gramophone" has expressed the opinion that the different tones all wear the record to the same extent. It will be interesting and worth while, I think, to reason the matter out for ourselves this way. What does the needle do, whatever its" strength? It acts, in conjunction with the stylus-bar, into which it is screwed, as a "lever by which the record. rotated at the required speed, transfers the energy of the sound waves into the diaphragm, to the centre of which the other end of the stylus-bar is connected. The needle and the stylus-bar are a kind of see-saw, working with the connection at the edge of the soundbox as the point of balance. The finer the variation of the needle track to right and left the quieter the musical note. Heavy bass passages, you will have noticed, mark the "record quite heavily. The loud parts therefore, cause the needle to swing the other end of the imaginary see -saw further in and out. The diaphragm opposes a resistance to this movement, which is why the "loud : ' parts of a record wear first, there being a greater playing strain on them. Now, with a thin, soft tone needle, a little less energy is transferred from the record to the diaphragm which would appear to indicate, logically, a little less strain and diminished wear.. It must -be remembered that the pulsations of the diaphragm in the soundbox affecting the air column in the tone arm and sound chamber convey the vibrations of the record to our ears and so make the tiny markings on the record audible. A shortened needle is louder for the reason that the effect on the diaphragm is just what would happen if you shortened one end of a see saw —the other end goes higher and lower. When you remember that the only source of energy to push the diaphragm is the record itself, I think it stands to reason that the greater the volume the greater the playing strain and the greater the wear on the record. This subject is not only interesting —it is of the most vital importance, so that if other readers care to offer helpful comment, I shall be most happy to find space for a thorough discussion in the hope of solving to some extent the terrible bugbear of favourite records wearing out —the good dying young!

Further Eegal issues will be dealt with nest Saturday, so much of my notes this week having been taken up with the question of needle wear.