THE GRAMOPHONE

Southland Times, Issue 20042, 2 December 1926, Page 5

THE GRAMOPHONE

SECORDS OF THE RECORDINGS

(By

“Vox Populi.”

Journet has a wonderful voice and he makes “La Calunnia” an impressive record, but in a comparison with Chaliapin’s recording of Dr. Bartolo’s description of the effects of calumny, the Frenchman suffers. Chaliapin characterises the work with greater subtlety, and he provokes the imagination more certainly than Journet. I think Mephistophelean insulting serenade in

“Faust” is better in every way. Journet does not overdo the demonic side of the work, but he gives us the full picture (D 8921 This ia one of the records in the H.M.V. releases for December sent from Dickey’s Ltd. this week. Another interesting record which will be eagerly sought, is the brilliant version of Ophelia’s “Mad Scene” from “Hamlet” (Thomas) given by GalliCurci. This is one of Galli-Curci’s finest records. The new process has enriched the quality of the reproduced voice and in this she adds histrionic colour to her technical brilliance that has made her one of the gramophone’s greatest stars. This record (D 8927 gives the whole of the scene. It must not be missed. These and the Chaliapin records already reviewed are the two chief operatic numbers of the month. Some of the instrumental section I have already mentioned, but this week was made joyful by Arthur de Greef’s astonishing recording of Liszt’s Twelfth Hungarian Rhapsody. Here we have a wonderfully big tone reproduced without loss of quality, and every nuance caught accurately. I remember hailing Irene Scharrer’s latest record as the best pianoforte reproduction I had heard—de Greef’s I think is even better, and as the accompaniment by Isidor Achron to Heifetz's most recent numbers is also remarkable I think it is safe to say that the new electrical methods are going to give us new and better views of the pianists. De Greef’s record of the rhapsody is a splendid thing (D 1093). Two of the violinists have turned to Debussy. Heifetz gives us plus que lente,” a waltz, and on the other side two menuettos from Bach’s Sixth Sonata, followed by (Couperin’s delightful “The Little Windmill.” In (his quartet there is plenty of contrast, and all the items are beautiful. Debussy and Bach on the same disc takes you from one extreme to the other, and I am enough of a modern to enjoy the waltz the most. As I have already suggested the pianoforte accompaniment is very fine —I hope we have more of Achron in the future (D 8945 Jacques Thibaud gives us the “Golliwog’s Cake-walk” (Debussy) arranged for the violin. It is interesting and a brilliant piece of playing, but I prefer to hear the Cake-walk on the pianoforte, for which it was originally written. Kreisler’s arrangement of Leclaire’s charming “Tambourin” is so delicate, so airy that one cannot but fall in love with it (DA 758).

So far I have not heard anything to alter my opinion that the records made of actual public performances in the great halls and theatres are not so impressive as those made in the studios. Doubtless there will be developments along these lines, and in the meantime it is thrilling to catch some evidence of the atmosphere in which these [>erformances are given. This group of H.M.V.’s from Dickey’s Ltd. include two records “made on the spot.” The first gives us the Westminster Abbey Special Choir singing “In dulce jubilo” at the Abbey. One can detect the reverberations in the great spaces of the building, but the tones overlap at times and the pianissimo passages are hard to get. A performance of the Royal Choral Society at the Albert Hall is the scene of the other record, giving up the “Hosanna in EceLsis” and “Qui tollis” of Bach’s Mass in B minor (D 1114 Here the escape of the tone is not so marked as in the Abbey record, and the balance is better. Under the baton of Dr. E. C. Bairstow these choral works are impressively sung.

Organ records continue to multiply and the reproduction is improving steadily, but I doubt if the records can yet give just values to the pedal section of the organ. Still they are attractive records and they make available the work of some of the great organists of the day. In the group from Dickey’s Ltd. were the following by Reginald Goss-Custard 'on the Kingsway Hall organ: “The Question” and “The Answer,” by Wolstenholme (E 415 Toccata by Wider and Fugue a la gigue by Bach (E 416 Bach’s Prelude and fugue (small) in G minor (E 424 The Bach fugues are very beautiful, and to those who prefer something less classical the Wolstenholme will make an irresistible appeal. These little things are a perfect partnership, the interrogatory inflection of the first being no less noticeable than the affirmation in response.

Before moving on to the dancing section, let us consider the other H.M.V.’s from Dickey's Ltd. The De Reszke Singers (E 402 give us four shantys, all of them with a proper salt flavour, particularly

“Let the Ballgine run,” and “The Wild Goose Shanty,” but one is also glad to hear also “Blow the Man Down” and “Johnny Come Down to Hilo.” The English Singers sing an old English Folk Song called

“A Farmer’s Son” and “Now is the Month of Maying" (E 405 These make a good contrast and both are very enjoyable. Robert Radford gives us “Father O’Flynn” with gusto and a vigorous version of “Glorious Devon” (E 420 Harry Dearth’s singing of “Ben Backstay” and “Dorothy’s a Buxom Lass,” arranged by Howard Carr, I found strangely disappointing—they seemed to lack his usual ardour and in places the articulation was not clear (E 429 Sir Harry Lauder has two numbers which his admirers will welcome, “It’s nicer to be in bed” and “I’ve loved her ever since she was a baby” (D 1100). Leonard Gowings, a new tenor, has a very fine voice of the robust order, a bit suggestive of a high baritone. He sings Dvorak’s beautiful “Songs my mother taught me” and Lohr’s “So fair a flower,” 1 the first easily the better. This is an excellent introductory record (B 2300 Norman Long puts two good songs over rather infectiously, despite a lack of clarity here and there, in “Toasts” due to excessive speed. “Down in our village in Zummerzet” is first class (82296). The Coldstream Guards Band plays “Private Ortheris” by John Ansell, probably intended as a portrait of Kipling’s creation. It is built on well known military tunes and is witty and musical (82299). The Savoy Opheans also indulge/ in comedy in “London and Daventry Calling” (C 1251 a burlesque on a day’s broadcasting, cleverly done and very funrty. Most people know the first of Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance” marches, the one in D which includes as its trio “Land of Hope and Glory,” but few in these parts are acquainted with the second in A minor. These are marches in symphonic style, remarkable for their dignity, tunefulness and impressive orchestration. I confess to liking the second march the better, largely because it is more cohesive than the first, into which the “Land of Hope and Glory” tune has always seemed to me to have been thrust. They are played by the Royal Albert Hall orchestra under the composer’s baton.

Leaving the dance records until the close, let us go through the new Zonophones from Dickey’s Ltd. for this month. The Trinity Choir doing the Hallelujah Chorus from the “Messiah” and the Gloria from Mozart’s Twelfth Mass has been added to the Zonophone list. I referred to this record some time ago when it came out as an H.M.V. issue. Spencer Shaw’s organ record (A 301) is effective. There is a “Storm” description following the usual lines, but well done and impressive. Rubenstein’s “Russian Patrol” march affords an excellent contrast. The Black Diamonds Band (2741) has a lively melange of popular tunes under the title “On with the Show” and the Royal Cremona Orchestra is effective in two melodious numbers “When it was June” and an arrangement of Messenet’s “Elegie” (2742), Arthur Cox, the

tenor, presents a quartet of popular items: “Have you forgotten Yvonne ?” and “Behind the Clouds” (2743) ; “Two sad eyes” and “Alice, oh, where are you now?” (2744), which will be well liked I think. Foster Richardson does well in “My Irish home sweet home” but he is far too ponderous in “Oh, Miss Hannah!” (2745). Two very sentimental songs of the American type “The Governor’s Daughter” and “The Engineer’s Child” (2748) are put over by Vernon Dalhart with the aid of a violin and guitar, and Clarkson Rose, the comedian, has two excellent songs in “Oh, Charley, take it away” and “Twenty-five and Six” (2749).

Two versions of “Bobadilla” are included in the latest dances from Dickey’s Ltd. One is an H.M.V. played by the Savoy Orpheans and the other is by the Charlton Hotel Dance Orchestra. The records received were as follows (fox trots unless otherwise stated) :

H.M.V.— B5061—“Bobadilla” one step, and “Lonesome and Sorry” by the Savoy Opheans. B 2298 —“Blue Danube” and “Vienna Blood,” waltzes, by De Groot’s Piccadilly Orchestra.

Zonophone—--2746— “Five feet two—eyes of blue” and “Why don’t you marry the Girl?” by the Cabaret Novelty Orchestra. 2747 — “You’ve got those wanna go back again blues” and “Goodnight” by the Cabaret Novelty Orchestra. 2750 “Bobadilla,” one-step, and “I never knew” by the Carlton Hotel Orchestra. 2751 “Dreaming of a castle in the air” and “Oh, Miss Hannah!” by Bert Firman’s Orchestra. 2752 “Pretending” and “Two little cups and saucers,” by Bert Firman’s Orchestra.

The two “Bobadilla” records are good and so is “Lonesome and Sorry,” though it does recall much of Firml’s “Racketty-Coo,” of several years gone. “Oh, Miss Hannah” is a fine fox trot, well orchestrated and varied. I also liked “Pretending” and its companion. “Goodnight” is an excellent dance offering. “I never knew” is also worthy of attention.