Mimes: Music: Records

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 118, 14 November 1925, Page 21

Mimes: Music: Records

BY "OPPHEUS."

THE SHOWS.

Opsr* Rq!)S6—"Chwley'o Aunt," seafoij closes tonight. qqy B(it«9 Post, opening Boxing Night. His JH»Je<>ty Is—"Veterans of Variety'l ancj

Vapdeville. De Luxe Theatre—Pictures. Kipg's The»tre-^Plcture», Tlie Tivpli—Pi(itur«s. Artgr»ffe=Picturei. Our Tlie»tra-*Pictiires. Smprees The»tre—Pictures. Shprtt's Thefttre^-Piotures. Strant) Britannia :rfheatre—Pictures. Princess Theatre—Pictures. Que.e.q'B Theatre—Pictwres.

"Primrose," with Maud Fane at the hea<J of the musical comedy company, will be staged at Auckland during the Christmas holidays.

Mr. George Matjieson and Mr, Walter Mo»J?i Pf the J. 0. ■Williamson managerial ptaff, left for Sydney by the J^aheno yepterday,

A Christmas attraction a,t Christpjiurch will he a vaudeville company headed by Hersehell, "The Man at the piano,' 1 and «,,company of speci-ajly-selected artists. Mr. gob Shepherd will direct the tour for J. C. Williamson, Ltd.

The members of Pauline Frederick 's cpmpany left on their return to Australia by the Majieno, Miss June Elvidge and Mr. Barraud also went (ipross to Sydney. It is understood they have been engaged for another Williamson production. Mies Frederick, Miss Dione, and Mr. "Snowy" Baiter have left for America.

It is expected that St. James's theatre, Sydney, will be finished by tjie end of M&rpb>. The opening production is to be the niusical comedy '•'No, No, Nanette! '' "A 100 per cent, pla^ for $ 100 per cent, theatre!" is Sir Benjamin Fuller's comment.

Miss M^y Bea,tty, who, it was recently stated, was about to marry a Melbourne man, now says that she is not going to marry again after all. Hers is not the reason usually ascribed to breaking off of Engagements; it is fust the result of "hard thinking" (says Sunday "Sun."), "You see," she said, ''I have been on the stage since I was seven, and it has become part of my Ufe. lam pt'U terribly amijitipiw, apd I feel I could not %aye the stage nor fit in with any other environment. IE I were 20 the case might be different. My late husband w?? bo* onty 3 wellknown actor but a producer, and he helped me to take a more observant interest in the theatre. My little daughter has shown talent, anil if she develops enough, it will be my, greatest wish that she shall go on the stage."

The dates for Guy Bates Post's tour of New Zealand have now been definitely fixed by J. C. Williamson, ,Ltd., and the famous star will open his Dominion tour on Boxing Night at the Grand. Opera House in Welliugr tpn, jifr. Post's visit will be »» epoqh in the theatrical history of New Zealand. He has move successes to his credit and has a larger personal following'than any other man. in his profession. In Sydney his return season—which was to have lasted only four weeks —has now extended jntp four months, and. in every other capital city in the Commonwealth additional weeks have had^to be play- ? Ed by the great actor. In addition to p)ayi»g <'The Masqueradqr'' and "The Green Goddess," both of which have been huge successes everywhere they have been staged in Mptralia, Mr. Ppst will also include his most recent Sydney triumph, "We Bad Man,' 1 in his repertoire. ' ,

Mr, Manuel JJyman and hii band left Wellington this week for Dunodin, where he hajs secure 4 a six months' engagement at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition. Mr. Hyman, who is well known throughout New Zealand as a violinist and musical director of dance bands, was leader of the "Dixie Five" Jazz Ba,n4, Which is now disbanded. Although now in his early twenties, he has Jiad much experience, having, played at the Grand HpteJ. Christiania, at the Oagißo, Montp Carlo, and at the Beuyarde" Cabaret, ?!*rU: Be^ forg coming to Now Zealand he was engageij at well-known hotels in London where dancing is featured. Mr. Hymen studied at Trinity College, London, under th» wellrknown Viplmist Louis Pechscai. Gla.dy# .. Moncrieff, the Australian musical comedy star, is now playing her farewell Australian season at the Theatre Uoyal, Melkpupne ghe i* Vvette, ths ducbe?P who disguises Ijergejf jis a wandering minstrel in "Street Singer. The part is less dramatic than Miss Mpncrieff's prevjpus parts, and her songs are light and melodious. The sepson will enij in December. The actress (says a Melbourne paper), will leave for London by the Mooltan in JapgiiryShp may be awfiy «' ■ year. She may bs hack before then. She dpes not know. l?u* s^p is going to rest, make "soi|je records, and have_ a. gpod fcimei Her husband will go with her. Describing Stella Murray's Dgnedin recital, a critic says:—"Stella Mjirr&y needs np help for a grgat future beyond her glorious yoke; still, to thpse who have superstjtipus leanings, it was pleasant to see a black pussy stroll RP the stage, to show in another way what the enthusiastic audience fejt. Rarely has such a "beautiful voice bepn heard in punedin, and one can now quite well understand that Miss Stella Murray is acclaimed in loucion in the forefront of contraltos. Oratorio and semis»cred work is undoubtedly her forte, | find more than once tears rose from the emotion created by her depth of feeling and extraordinary purity of voice. One loved all the songs, but probably none quite equalled "Dome, Mary, Take Comfort" (Hugo Wolf). If only Miss Murray could give us another concert it would bo greatly appreciated, but she informed me that this was impossible under three years r^a long time to wajt. She left today for Chris.tchurchj and then goes to 'Wellington to give a recital. Lucky Wellington." Miss Murray will givo her recital at the Town Hall next Thursday.

Wellington residents will be delighted to learn that Miss Cecil Haines will visit New Zealand with Urn Ctuy Bat'ss Post Company, which opens it 3 tour of tho Dominion on Boxing Njg)»t-at'tj)e.{jrjind Opera House in tjiis pity, Miss Haines is well remp'nrbercd ft? the iittlo Wellington lirodjgy, wJjpsp gFPSJ hobby -was" the winning p£ prizes at all the c-ojnpeti-tions throughout New Zealand, "gig things were predicted of Miss Hujjjes, when, eha left the Dominion at>put eleven, years ago, and it is gop<j to know that these predictions are now cowing true. After leaving. Wellington, Mi?s Raise? 9Ppes*g4 a-* » child artist with several notable stars, things wero predicted of Miss Hainep Pott, but after Mr. Post's return to

America, Mrs, Haines very wisely put jier clever daughter to school for a period"of six years. When Mr. Post prrivod in Australia again, some twelve months ago, .he remembered tho infant prodigy whose work had bo appealed.to him on. his previous visit, and, on finding that Miss Haines was eager to-take up a-stage career, he entrusted her with a spleudid char-acter-part in "The Musquerader," This is the role in which Wellington' will see Miss Cecil Habits make her reappearance in the city of her birth.-

There has been no doubt about the success of the Veterans of Variety, who are now in their second, approaching their third, week at the Fuller House. They have conquered the hearts of voting and old, and the modern youth and maiden have been as appreciative pi their talents as those of more miiturtyears to whom the Veterans a.re no ptranjers. The revival of the old ditties has been an unqualified success; and to hear them sung hus bpen like ppening up a jar of pot-pourri compounded years ago. Thpse queer jingles clo, after the passage of years, literally pmell pf "lavonder and old lace," and however one may boast of love for the classics, there is always room in t!he heart for an appreciation of the old pongs, with their simple melodies making a pentimental compound of the ensiles and tears of remembrance. The delirious distortions of juzz will not be remembered with the same sweet thoughts. The spell of an old-time me'ody i§ like the spell of a forgotten fragrance. One whiff, and the years iolf away. Many a man and maid with impeccable taste in music have joined in the choruses of the old songs, and thoroughly enjoyed it too. Thg Veterans sing ditties that have been sung by the young generation's mothers and many of the just, grown-ups in the audience remember the tunes as having been sung by mother as a lullaby, which their baby lips tried to croon. "Aftef the Ball,' 1 "Two Little Girls in Blue," " Tommy Make Room for Ypur Uncle," and other favourites are supg as sweetly as pf yore, and the .Veterans, in presenting their unique tm/ri gain all the reverence of their audiences for ,thpm and thp songs they sing. Tastes differ with the years, but somehow the airs of the generation just passing rermain pweet in the ears of all' who hear them, They speak history top, these old songs, and in hearing them older members of the audience remember some political happening, some incident of national importance, ,s.uch as war, and the spirit behind the song Jingers. Sir Benjamin Puller states that some day he hopes, to build in Sydney an intimate theatre,' one on the style of thpse in England and New York, seating $00 people. It is, he says, "going to be my own example of theatre community life, back and\ front, With a theatre like this I would make it a kind of cradle ifor aotors and actresses to learn, study, an 4 perfect their art. The theat* I plan will afford actors the opportunity of speaking and acting like Jiuman beings. No doubt we shall discover a genius now and again who will, later on in life, with experience gained, be able to express himself in other theatre?."

The Picture*

Me.trp*Goldwyn's first New Zealand .release,.."The. White .Sisters," achieved (i sensatippaj success, at Ohvistchur-ish. last week. On the second day of tl)p season there Liberty Theatre records were broken—viz., II) the matinee record receipts, (g) the evening record, and a third record for the theatre arose from the fact that the ticket boxes were never opened, every orp pf the 1292 seats b.eing booked in advance. "Scararrjouche," the great Sabatim stpry, is at last to be released in New Zealand. It vwilj be screened in Wellington this month, and is booked for an "extended season in the leading tljear

George O'Brien's rise to stardom hng been one of the sensations of recent yeara in Hollywood, and the new William Fox, star bids fa[r t$ becpn)e "ono of tl)e popular jdols of the piiljlic. Four years ago George was an assistant cameruman at the Fox West Coast Studios; to-day he has achieved the highast^honours in suph plays as ''The Fighting Heart," i< The Iron Hoi-ec," *' Havoc," and " Thank You." , ' \

The first Tom Mis picture since his tour of the United (States and the Con? tijjent is '!Tho Liiclry Horsephoe. 1' In this picture Toni is carried back to the days' of Don Juan in <•» dream and awakens to rescue the lovely Billin Dove from marrying the villain. This picture will shortly be released here. •Many Edmund Love fans will huve » hare} time recognising him, in somp of the scenes in "The Winding Stair.'' the William Fp>; production soon to be rejeased. Flaying ppposjte Mr. Ijowb in tjie ether s pFijicipai role ia Almti Rubens, while the supporting cast iucludes Mahlpn Hamilton, Warner 01----and, Frank Lpjgh. and Emily Fitzroy. Mr. Joseph jf Schenck hag purchased the picture rights to the treniJndpusly successful stage play, "The Bat," and this will be "produced an 4 released through" United Artists early in 1926. Chaplin'is latest comedy,' "The Gold Rush," says the August "Photoplay," isa 600,(XK)-foot picture. Of course, when "The Gold Rush" reaches here we will see only a small part of the film that was actually taken—not more thai* eight or ten thousand feet. Many great scenes wjll be eliminated, so .that oiily the finest of them will appear in the finished pioture. "The Gold Rush" is to ho one of the Christmas attractions in New Zealand this year. "Helen's Babies,/' a Master Picture, is rather a good screen version of one of the best novels ever penned. JJjibj" Peggy is the star. Sunshine Sammy, the coloured comedian of "Our Gapg' 1 fame, has b&en snapppd up l>y a couple of negrp revue producers to plrfy the /prjncipa) p^rt in a cojoured rovue. Tuis is good news for Sammy, but we hope it will not interfere with his bustin' into tiie movies between performances.

John Barrymore's next Master Picture will be Lord Byron's immortal ''Don Juan." Ernest Lubitseh hus selected the principals for the Master Picturei "Lady Windcrmerc's Fan." They are May M'Avoy, Irene Rich, Matt Mppre, ?k>}d Olive Broojc, Bpn Turpiijj who is vjnder CQUtr&cj; to M«ck Spiiuctt, is appearing ni "Hogiju's AJlcy," h Warners Master Pietffre pitjcliictipn, being directed by Roy Dpi Ruth with Monte. Blup and Patsy Ku'th Miller.

In hia latest Master I?iptui'Q comedy feature, "Girl Shy," wlijch. will toe seen at the Theatre thig week, Harold Llsyd ence more demon? strates his remarkable versatility before the camera. Lloyd's roje in this new t'uurflljn ia paid (:o be so entirely different frpni any be hap ever air tempted to portray, that he debated a long tjnie {lefprie t^p.kljng thfe part.

edies, there is only a small cast in "Girl Shy." Jobyna Ralston is again seen as Harold's leading woman. Richard Daniels, Carlton Griffin, Priscilla King, and Dorathy Barr are also prominent in support. Fred Newmayer and Sam Taylor directed "Girl Shy" from a story by Taylor, Tim Whelan, Ted Wilde, and 'fommy .Gray-

pramoph»h« N«tes. Miss Harriet Cohen, one of tho biieht and shining stars of pianists m London to-day, recently made a great impression at the Queens _ Hall in Mozart's pianoforte concerto, m A, No. 6 She will be remembered here for her magnificent' rendering of tho pianoforte part in the Bach concerto in D minor, which was recorded by Columbia, and of which the Queen's Hall Orchestra, conducted by Sir Henry Wood, gave a distinguished performance. . "Shepherd See Thy Horse's Foaming Mane" is magnificently Bung by -Norman Allin in a new impression of this stirring song. It has air the gr.nmess and dramatic interest in it that appeals to much to Mr. Allin, and which he is so successful in presenting. Massenpt docs hot figure so largely in the Cqiumbi? catalogue as one might expect, considering his versatility and great output, but those who have not yet added to their collections of records his ballet music from "Le Cio," should lose no time in doing so. Two beautiful Spanish dances, designated "Castilliane" and "Aragonaise," the first with Castenets, are recorded from a brilliant performance by the Queen's Hall Qi> fchestra. "Katja the Dancer and Rose Marie," great London and New York Bftccessses, will he found among the latest of Columbia records, and the artists taking part in the original London presentations have given exclusive renderings of their lyrics. As thepe. piiiys are coming to Australia, and affer-\va'rds,'-it. is presumed, will come to Nevy Zealand, the records should have now on a great run. Records of "Tell Me More, another musical pluy mmqcess, is also recorded. It is not always convenient for collectors of records that can be heard again and again with fresh interest at every hearing to purchase a complete work running into four.pr five discs. But a record a time will be found very 'Jielpful in the understanding of the great classics. The Dvorak symphony, "From the New World," is a case in point. It is in five discs as recorded by Columbia from a performance by the Halle Orchestra, conducted by Sir Hamilton Harty. Any one disc can be obtained, and is a thing of musical beauty in itself, but it whets the appetite for the whole.. ■ >' ' Among the tenors who sansr in the Melba-Williamson Grand Opera Company in Australia was Dino Borgipli, a true lyric tenor, and one whose voice is of unusual sweetness. He is a great favourite at Covent Garden, or ' was so last season. Records have met with warm approval in New Zealand, and his (red label) singing of the two mo,si popular arias from" "Rigoletto," namely, "La Donna c mobile" and "Quests o Quello." With them one should procure Borgioli in "Prendi l'anei ti dono," from "La Sonnombula," and its companion, "Salve Dimora," from "Faust," which Borgioli sings with his customary refinement and apparently effortless delivery. His high notes are a joy to hear for their clarity and gase with which they are produced. Elgar's Second Symphony in E Flat (op. 63), just recorded for H.M.V.. is a reply to Shelley's "Rarely, Rarely Copiest Thou, Spirit of Delight," There are four movements intricately interwoven with the utmost skill. On the remaining side ,;is Elgar's "Light of Life!' (meditation). Cortot has recorded for H-M.V. Chopin's Etudb in A flat major, Opus 25, No. 1, in which the recording of the now-rippling, now-rolling arpeggios is remarkably good- On the same disc he has a very tender and delicate record of Brahms' Cradle Song, Opus 49, No. 4. Laziness in changing fieedles ig a fre^ quent cause of 4n!Paged records, and when the gramophone is _likely to be used by a crowd of careleps ypung people jt is a good plan to insert one of the peedjss which can bo uped a score or more pf times. They are not likely to play more than this number of records ip their afternoon or evenr ing, and they 'are extremely unlikely, if the ordinary steej needje is used, to change it each time. Mr. William Manson, who has just been appointed general manager for Australia and New Zealand pf His Mas* ter's Voice Gramophone Company, will be "home" when he visits New Zealand, and Mrs. Mgnson »lsp, for 6hs is wpll known in New Zealand and' Australia, and in musical circles in London as a vocalist. Before her marriage she was Miss Mabel Braithwaite, dauph^ of Mr. Joseph Br'aitjiwajte', of Dunedjn. The death of tiieir only SQn at the front will be remembered as a particularly

sad loss, in that he was a musician of great promise, both as a composer and performer, and, though he was killed at 19, he was already a sub-professor at the Royal Academy of Music. . "Up to now," Mr. Manson says, "our company has done its business through agencies in Sydney and Wellington, and this, so far as retail trade is concerned, we shall continue to do for some time, though I intend to tour Australia and New Zea- ( land thoroughly and institute new agencies where I find a demand for them," "Dp you anticipate opening a recording laboratory in Australia or New Zealand?" "For tho present it would be impossible, but wo shall no doubt have to dp so later. In the meantime, all recording is done in Europe and America, and the matrices will be sent out to the new factory for the pressing' of records." Mr. and Mrs, Manson's headquarters will be Sydney. Johii M'Cormack, with JCreisler's invaluable aid, has made a worthy record of R Strauss's "Morgen" and Rachmaninoff's "Before My Window." The understanding between the two is perfect, the voice blending wjth tile viplin's tones nicely. Amdng recently issued orchestral records is a charming "Serenade" by Toselli. It is delightfully pretty and tuneful, and the Salon Orchestra does it full justice. , If there is anyonq left has not heard "I Want to be Huppy," and wishes to hear it, the Light Opera Company provides an excellent chance. Qn the one side of » 12:jncher are sundry "Gems from 'No, No, Nanette' " and on the other, ''Gems from 'Rose Marie.' " The arrangement is in each case extremely good. The possessipn of p«e. of Heifet? s records is a treasure and a joy. He plays Sarasate's "Habanera" with all the hit peculiar, to Spanish music. Thp other piece in "Hebrew Dance," by Joseph Achron-^-a rather weird composition well suited tp the gramophone. There is pathos in a recently-publish-ed record made by the late Alfred Lester before his death. To hear his voice singing a couple of funny songs is almost too poignant a ( reminder (s.iys b. reviewer). "Lolita" and "Stop Me If You've Heard It" are, moreover, given in his happiest vein.. '.'O ! Katherina" and "Lady of the Nile" are both danceable tunes. Included in the recently-published Zonophone records are two by Arthur Coxr-"I Want tp Kiss You, Dear and "You Can't Make Love While Dancing " and two played by the St. Hilda Colliery Band—"Der Freishutz" and "The Damnation of Faust-"