THE GRAMOPHONE

Southland Times, Issue 19509, 8 May 1922, Page 6

THE GRAMOPHONE

BY

“VOX POPULI.”

The Columbia records will shortly have on sale in the dominion, X 259 Hulda Lashanska singing “Fiddle and I,” that old song by Goodeve which twenty years ago was sung in all the drawing-rooms. A violin obbligato is played by Sascha Jackson. Her previous record was “Ma Curly Headed Baby,” by Clutsam. To the list of opera in English records by Elsa Stralia and Frank Mullings we will be able to add (7258) “My Mother I Behold,” the duet in the first act of “Carmen,” in which Micaela tells Don Jose of his mother. It is a beautiful duet and the artists, who have given us many good records, should make much of the opportunities it offers. Topliss Green is a baritone who handles ballads with good judgment. On 3005 Columbia offers him in Woodforde-Finden’s effective “O Flower of All the World” and “Roses of Memory” by Ross. The second song Ido not know, but the first is “worth the price of admission.” # # # Speaking of opera in English reminds me that Columbia also has coining 835, a 12-inch double giving two Wagnerian concerted numbers in our own language. The record is made by the Columbia Grand Opera Compsjiy, which sings the Grand March scene from “Tannhauser,” a and the Bridal Chorus of the third act of “Lohengrin.” This chorus, by the way, was also done by the Victor Opera Chorus in English. w The other day a friend asked me to, listen to a Hainbourg record. It was not a new one and with a steel needle the result was ffiir from satisfying. I knew the machine could not be blamed and so I put in a ijbre needle cut down. There was a remarkable improvement. The tones were fuller, there was no suggestion of scratch, and the percussion effects which are marked on early pianoforte records were almost eliminated. This, mind you, on a record that had already seen long service under steel needles. I never use steel on my own pianoforte records. It is impossible to get the best of Paderewski’s work unless the mellowing influence of the fibre needle is present. On the other hand they rob a band record of its volume and a jazz disc does not sound so jazzy—which is not difficult to understand. •fc # # The Americans have a Cactus needle. It is fibre shaped like an ordinary loud-tone steel needle. The H.M.V. fibre needles are triangular in shape and are re-sharpened with ji pair of clippers, but the Cactus, which is round, requires only a rub on some sandpaper. They produce rather louder tones than the H.M.V., but it is questionable if the re-sharpening can be as precise. I have not seen any of the Cactus needles on the N.Z. market, but of their excellent playing qualities I can speak with the authority of experience. Another advantage they possess is that they do not require a special holder. # # # H.M.V. isues now available include ClOl7 a 12-inch double made by the Coldstream Guards band. The record gives a two-part selection from “Tales of Hoffmann” (Offenbach). The selection includes the well-known barcarolle of the second act, the waltz song of the first and Antonia’s beautiful romance “The Dove Has Flown.” The first part of the selection was made under the baton of Lt.-Col. J. Mackenzie Rogan, C.V.0., and the second under that of his successor Lieut. R. G. Evans. Among some excellent jazz music records on recent Zonophone lists are the following: 1201—The Dream Tango Peerless Orchestra The Ladybird Tango Peerless Orchestra 1485—-Beets and Turnips (Fox Trot) Peerless Orchestra Hors d’oeuvres (Fox Trot) Peerless Orchestra 1528 —Charlie Chaplin Fox Trot Peerless Orchestra He’s a Rag Picker (One Step) Peerless Orchestra 1915—Baby Tank Fox Trot Black Diamonds Band Blaze Away Two Step Black Diamonds Band 1925—Uncle Sam Fox Trot Black. Diamonds Band Splashes Fox Trot Black Diamonds Band 1941 —Blue Blazes Fox Trot Black Diamonds Band Yankyana Jazz Fox Trot Black Diamonds Band A 3515 —Moonbeams AU Star Trio AU for You Whiteman Orchestra -a- Bi-

Chopin can be obtained on the records and the list of his works available to gramophonistei is being steadily increased. Edison lately have “Aspiration,” a song which is reaUy the E flat Nocturne provided with words. The pianoforte issues include the H.M.V., record (D 586 on which Wilhelm Backhajis plays the waltz in G flat and the waltz in E Minor. Backhans has also done of Chopin’s Works the study in C Major (Op. 10, No. 7) Waltz in D flat and the well-known Waltz in A fiat. Paderewski for H.M..V., has also done the Nocturne in F Major (Op. 15, No. 1), the Nocturne in F sharp Minor (Op. 15, No. 2), the Polonaise Militaire, the Waltz in C sharp Minor (Op. 64, No. 2) and the Study in G flat Major (Op. 25, No. 8). Peter Dawson’s latest on the H.M.V. list is a 10-inch twin (B 1137) bearing “The Chant of Bacchus” by McCaU and “I Have Twelve Oxen” by Ireland, two fine numbers. Harry Dearth (E 220 has done “The Cheery Philosopher” (Lidgey) and “Riding Through the Night ” (BreviUe-Smith)'.