THE GRAMOPHONE

Southland Times, Issue 18990, 11 July 1923, Page 10

THE GRAMOPHONE

Records of the Recordings

(By

“Vox Populi.")

Tn some Zonophone records from Begg and Co., this week, there were a number of attractive fox-trots, one particularly I can recommend is “Cow-Bells,” (3467), by Zez Confrey’s orchestra, in which cow-bells are used effectively with some novel .effects on the. wind instruments suggesting the ’lowing of the bovine member. Paul Whiteman’s orchestra occupies the reverse with "Carolina In The Morning.” One need not go looking for brighter fox-trots than “I’m Happy,” and “After a White,” (3475), by the All Star Trio, I doubt if any disc has contained two better fox-trots than these. On 3468 we have “Blowing Bubbles All Day Long,” of the Whiteman Orchestra, and “All Over Nothing At All,” of the Great White W’ay Orchestra, the latter, the better of the pair.

Among these Zonophones also was a ten inch twin (2266) by Herbert, Payne, a pleasing tenor who does “Hiawatha’s Melody of Love” (Meyer), in which there is more than a suspicion of plagiarism on the part of the composer, though the “Melody” is quite pretty, and “Shufflin’ Along,” ap- ; propriate to the spirit of the times (2266). Sam Mayo, much in his usual form, pre sents two laughable turns. “Johnny,” a kind of apostrophe to a certain well-known brand of whisky, and “The Night Began to Fall,” (22681. Aileen Stanley and Billy Murray sing duets brightly and one can prophesy popularity for “I’ll Stand Beneath Your Window’ To-night and Whistle” (3472), at the back of which we have "AU over nothing at all.”

A correspondent has written asking if Harry Dearth is still singing for the gramophone. So far as one can judge from the lists, he is. His latest recordings (D 693 were "Rouse Up” (Howard Fisher) and Sanderson’s nautical "Beating Home.” That was issued in May. A month before we had Dearth singing Hewitt’s “Songs of the Pavement” (D 672

I have heard the Empire Day record giving brief speeches by the King and Queen. The reproduction is excellent. The King’s speech is wonderfully clear and his voice carries Well. Her Majesty's articulation is/ not quite so sharply defined, but one has no difficulty in getting every word they say. On the reverse side The Coldstream Guards’ Band plays appropriate music. This record marks a distinct stage in Imperial communications, and probably we will have further developments along these lines.

Yet another Caruso record is “Ah, la Paterno Mano,” from Verdi’s “Macbeth.” This is a wonderful record, and shows the great tenor’s voice at its best. The work is sung in Italian, with full orchestral accompaniement.

Speaking of the baritone voice, "Musiciis”—the critic of the Birmingham Weekly Post—says:—“l think Riccardo Stracciari's records the finest in existence, and this for any voice. His records do not flatter him, as they frequently do other singers, and I am inclined to think the Columbia Company are justified in claiming him to be the world’s greatest baritone. I have yet to hear a record of his that is faulty in any respect, either in tone, volume or quality, 6r even a jarring note, which even then would not necessarily be the singer’s fault. His record, for instance, of ‘Figaro’ (Columbia) is a classic, and should be heard by every possessor of a gramophone.”

In the new Columbia lists is a record of unusual interest. It presents the old borderland lay of death and blood, “Edward,” sung Mr Norman Allin, who certainly makes one's flesh creep. It is a great artistic effort. Words arc supplied with this record and should be secured. On the other side of this 12-inch record (blue label, L 1466), Mr Allin presents the wellknown air from Liza Lehmann’s “Persian Garden,” “Myself When Young.” Then there is Harold Williams’s singing of “Four Cautionary Tales—and a Moral,” Liza Lehmann’s setting of some whimsical verses by Hilaire Belloc. The humour of these is inimitable, and withal there is in the language and the music a sense of quiet refinement that makes the "Tales” par excellence a successful drawing-room offering. (3224-6) Dame Clara Butt presents the old English “Barbara Allen” (10-violet-label, 263'.