GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 9 (Supplement)

GRAMOPHONE NOTES.

ARTISTS AND THEIR RECORDS

(By SOUNDBOX.)

This week's definition : Concert pitch, when "A" has 435 vibrations per second, according to the international standard, but the English concert pitch Is almost half a tone higher.

Harry Berry, winner of the 1929 Australian Interstate cornet championship, plays excerpts from "Fantasia Brilliante," for Broadcast (W554.)

Eraser Grange's fine baritone voice and intelligent interpretation are well beard in "Rolling Down to Bio" and "Border Ballad." (Columbia, 01718, lOin.)

Tb© Bombardiers are a capable military band. They play "American Regimental March" and "Anchors Aweigb," in which latter they introduce a vocal refrain, something of a novelty in. a band record. (Regal G20571.)

For Regal the Russian Novelty Orchestra plays the tuneful waltz "My -Treasure," and Nullo Romani's orchestraplays "Canto al Inverno" (Song to the Winter), the joint efforts resulting in a pleasing offering. (G20581.)

Bidgood'si Dance Band plays selections (with singing) from the two talkie successes "Broadway" and "Mother's Boy," and it is surprising how much tuneful music they have managed to put on' to one record. (Broadcast W514.)

The Melbourne Salvation Army Band has made a record for Broadcast that shows splendid control of good playeTS by the conductor, Geo. H. Dickens, whoso composition, "Herald of Praise," is coupled with Scotney's "Wellingtonian," (W567.)

The Modern Dance Players is one of the finest dance bands I have heard for some time, and they have chosen to revive a very old waltz that is surely one of the best ever written, "Over the Waves." A pleasing record is completed with "Amoretten Tanze," another good waltz. (Regal G20582.)

Krcisler's "Rondino" on a theme of Beethoven's is a fascinating trifle of the kind Kreisler composes so happily. It is played Very acceptably by Jan Rubini, the Australian violinist, who has chosen Schubert's "Ave Maria" to complete a record that many will cherish. (Broadcast W5C5.)

I would draw the attention of those interested to the issue by Columbia of three lOin. records and one 12in. of English folk dances, specially arranged for schools and played by BBC Wireless Military Band, in consultation with Sir. Douglas Kennedy, director of the English. Folk Dancing Society.

These are the Regal dance records in the present parcel, all pood, with the best mentioned first: "It Goes Like This, That Funny Melody," and "Outside" (G20570), "I Want to Meander in the Meadow" and "S'posin'" (G2057C), "Sleep, Baby, Sleep" and "Heigh Ho! Everybody" (G20575), and "Good Little, Bad Little, You," with a "Hello, Sunshine, Hello" (G20574).

The "talkie," "nasalie," or whatever we finally decide on as a name, brings us a stream of songs. The "Hollywood Review," of 1929, has two that I believe have been very successful. "Singing in the Rain" is sung by Jack Miller, while "Orange Blossom Time" is played by Tom Cline-s and his Music, with singing. (Regal G20589.)

What a following the Squire Ceieste Octet must have by now! For years they have pleased us both with their musical playing and with their happy knack of choosing music that is worth while, but not "highbrow." Their litest is Bach's "Air on the G String," and Gounod's quaintly fascinating "Funeral March of a Marionette." (Columbia, 01713, lOin.)

Two 12-inch Regale are both well worth hearing. "Classical Memories," by the Classic Symphoiiy Orchestra, contains. some of the gems that all who have ears appreciate. (G30024.) The 8.8.C. Wireless Symphony Orchestra play a selection of "II Trovatore" excerpts, and play them very well. A very tuneful opera, this selection is bound to be well received. (G30025.)

There is yodelling—and yodelling. Roy Evans departs from the usual practice of singing the song ancT then breaking forth after the fashion of a Swiss mountaineer. He introduces his yodel as he goes, eo that his work has a welcome "something different" touch. He sings "My .Old Lady Blues" 'and "The New St. Louis Blu&." To those keen on good yodelling the record is strongly recommended. (Regal G20584.)

In furtherance of their policy of producing " good, musio afe a reasonable price, the Broadcast people this month offer Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony" on three discs. This has already been mentioned in these notes, and highly commended. Another notable example of the fruits of this policy is Liszt's "Hungarian Fantasia," on two records, played by that capable pianist Maurice Cole, with orchestral support. (W563 and 564.)

Pat Hanna is ■an entertainer well known to New Zealand audiences. He has composed and recorded a monologue, "All Quiet on the Western Front." Having just finished reading the book and remarking on it, his son asks him a question that starts Dad on" reminiscences. Mother occasionally has a word. It is rather a clever affair — humorous without being farcical, with a serious note now and then. (Broadcast W559.) .

Although totally dissimilar, and providing well-contrasted material for just that reason, "0 Star of Eve," from "Tannhauser," and the "Toreador Song," from "Carmen," are two of the bestloved baritone songs in the whole realm of opera. Roy Henderson sings them understandlngly, ..making the most of the solemn beauty of the former, while the vigour of his rendering of the latter makes things anything but hopeful for the bull. A fine record. (Broadcast WSSG.)

Those who may be wondering about Wellington's War Memorial carillon that has figured in the cable news lately as having pleased those who 'heard its tests in Hyde Park, will be interested in a carillon recprd issued by Columbia, particularly as it was played on the Wellington mem'orit-l at the makers' factory.. The player, Clifford E. Ball, probably had a wide audience in view in choosing to play such favourites as "In an Old-fashioned Town," and "Somewhere a Voice is Calling." (Columbia, P 1214, lOin.)