MUSIC & RECORDS (Continued)

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 150, 21 March 1925, Page 21

MUSIC & RECORDS (Continued)

Listeners and Records. “Music Lover” writes: "As a constant reader of vour notes I was duly struck by the testimony recently recorded of gramophone companies as to the amazing developments of the public taste for good music. This testimony is fully confirmed by one’s own experience and that of one’s friends. The gramophone in the home is like residence in a foreign country. Just as what at first seems to be a confused gabble of sound gradually’ resolves Itself into.* coherent speech, so a Beethoven symphony, a Wagner overtureeven a Holst suite becomes intelligible and a thing of beauty. There is a ten dency, however, which perhaps needs a corrective. Er. Ethel Smyth laments the tendency amongst concert-goers There are people wijp won’t have anything but a Heifetz or a Caruso. After all the music is the thing. With, recoil’s, of course, one must consider such things as surface noise or recording ability, but speaking generally very few are able to distinguish niceties of interpretation as exemplified by different performers. Some people stick to one or two makes of records. In my opinion they lose a great deal. Some of my most pleasurable records lie outside the two chief makes, and personally I prefer to have In my collection the works ot four composers on two records by Sasha Culbertson (violinist —Aeolian records), than foi about the same price the works e.i two bv Heifetz on one record. Further, i” mv records (“Zapateado”, "Guitarre,” and "Valse Bluette,” “Serenade”) I cannot distinguish anv marked inferiority, if any, in Culbertson’s plavint?. Then, again, those who have not mode the acquaintance of Elen<\ Gerhardt, recording for the Vocalion or Vladimir Rosing, have missed two very great artists. Ernest Newman, a most acid critic, acclaims her a= incomparable in the singing of lieden. Galli Cure! leaves me cold besides Elena Gerhardt’s singing, say, of “Standclien.” by Richard Strauss. Rosing I heard in London, where all tb» critics regarded him aa

the greatest interpreter of Russian music who had ever been to England. If anyone is interested in national music and would get at the heart of Russia, as exhibited in the poetry snd music of her greatest sons in the creative sphere, he cannot do better than secure Rosing’s records of some of the most wonderful songs written. Io those used to the melodic simplicity, one might almost say sentimentality, of a type of Italian song, some of the Russian songs may not sound but the feelings of a man dying of cold and starvation on the frozen steppes are not likely to be pleasant Nevertheless they are extremely moving and of teal beauty. A sine qua non to their appreciation (they are sung in Russian) is a knowledge of what they are about. I fortunately have the words of most of them I saved from programmes, but no doubt the words could be obtained from music dealers.”

Too thin a needle will cause blast by its inability to deliver to the diaphragm, nt the correct speed, the energy imparted to it by the record.. It mav also develop seconuat? ribranons, which in themselves are sufficient to cause unwanted noises, quite apart from diaphragm sounds. foo large diaphragms mav offend similarly and blast in these mav occur from theii undue inertia, that is then inability to start delivering energy received and their reluctance to stop vibzatinj; once thev start. Thus a second note is being delivered before first has fiillv expended itself, am the _ffect is similar to bad pedal work at the piano. “Lag” is the techrdcal name.

A loose needle bar will cause blast; see >thnt the centre screw and pivot points do not rattle. Needle loose in the holder is another cause, and is usually the result of u semi-stripped screw A loose fit between sound-box and tone-arm will cause blast. A loose adapter will have similar tendencies. A loose fit at the swing point of the swan neck or main beai-

ing of the tone-arm will also cause rattle—remedy, thick oil or . grease. Loose horn joints or connections or too flimsy construction of horn, either internal or external type, will cause buzz or rattle. Remedy, insulating tape tightly wound. Shellac varnish is also useful.

Symphonies for Children. An interesting innovation in the curriculum of the Hastings elementary schools has been made by the corporation in the form of concerts. for the instruction of the children. For this purpose a series of concerts given by the Hastings and St. Leonard’s Municipal Orchestra, under the direction ot Mr. Basil Cameron, has been arranged, and the programmes have been approved by the Board of Education., Attendance at the concerts will count as attendance at school.

At the first concert of the series over 800 elementary school children and 400 adults attended. Mr.. , Percy A. Scholes, the musical critic, gave a orchestra. The programme was short, and contained five items, the finale from Havdn’s Svinphonv No. 4 in D. Schubert’s Ballet Mu4c £rpm “Rosamunde,” the Larghetto from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette.” and Roger Oui’ter’s “Children's Overture.” The attitude of the youthful audience was interesting. . Haydn made them restless. Beethoven interested them, but Roger Quilter delighted them.

Miss Mabelle Esquilant, the New 7ealand contralto, who made a successful London debut in December last, ras been engaged to sing the contralto solos in “Elijah,” which is being produced in dramatic form to-night and on March 9 at the “Old Vic” Theatre. Miss Esquilant recently siing to Madame Guy D’Hardlot, the famous composer, who considers Miss Esquilant has a very beautiful voice of rich and even quality, and has consequently become very interested in tiie Hew Zealander: During

the recent heavy fogs Miss Esquilant had rather an exciting experience. She and a lady friend had arranged to pay a visit to Miss Rosina Buckman, and when they reached Willesden Station they were , advised to turn , back, as i. was impossible to see their way, but Mr. Maurice D’Oisley. ’plioned. them to wait at the station and he would come and take them to the house, and duly arrived with a powerful torch. Athougli the house is only eight minutes irotn the station thev got lost, and eventually reached the house under the guidance of a constable and bus conductor. Hie fog was so dense that their nostrils were at times blocked, eyes ran with water and smarted, while their throats were irritated abominably, arid their faces were blackened —but still they love London. Miss Esquilant has been a guest at manv social functions of interest and was among those who attended the recent garden party given by their Majesties at Buckingham Palace.