THE GRAMOPHONE

Southland Times, Issue 21001, 6 February 1930, Page 15

THE GRAMOPHONE

RECORDS OF THE RECORDINGS

(By.

Vox Populi.)

Light Opera Company (concerted), in (a) “Chocolate Soldier,” vocal gems (O. , Strauss), introducing: “The War is Over,” f “Sympathy,” “Chocolate Soldier,” “Falling in Love," “Letter Song,” “My Hero,” (b) “Lilac Domino,” vocal gems (Cuvillier), in- , troducing: “Let the Music Play,” “What is Done,” “For Your Love I am Waiting,” “Lilac Domino,” “All Line Up in a ; Queue.” H.M.V. C. 1705. The Light Opera Company adds another pair to its wonderful run of successful “vocal gems.” These selections from “The Chocolate Soldier” and “The Lilac Domino” ' give you the essence of two delightful musical comedies in a fascinating way. They are ' admirably sung and recorded. Stuart -Robertson (bass-baritone), in (a) - “The Mermaid,” (b) “Polly Wolly Doodle” (arr. W. H. M.); (a) “Little Brown Jug,” (b) “The Three Crows” (Eastburn). H.M.V. i 8.3082, Sung with tremendous gusto by s Stuart Robertson and a lusty-voiced chorus > (but nevertheless capable of subtle shading), i this record of rousing, rollicking songs i should have its place in every collection. ’ “The Three Crows” is a classic. Few organists throughout the worldzare more honoured than Edouard Commette, of , Lyons Cathedral, doyen of religious musi- ■ cians, and one of the few great organists in i the world to-day. We owe much to the gramophone, and our debt has lately been increased by the beautiful organ reproduc- . tions now available. Two years ago a Commette record would have" been a farce. Now it is a living reality. As he harks back in style to the masters of the Middle Ages, so he does also in composition. His latest record is an Allegretto, occupying both sides of a 12-inch disc, and shows the lofty massing of phrase on phrase and a profound understanding of the part that resonance plays in organ music. (Columbia 02859.) Venetian String Quartet. A few travelled musicians might have told us of the fame in Italy of the Quartette Veneziano del Vittoriale. It remains for the gramophone to bring their fame into our ears. This first record must be taken as a sample. It gives two short snippets from the elegant pages of Boccherini —a Minuetto and an Allegro Giusto —both played with refined taste and nice polish. They are pleasant, agreeable trifles, but played with so precise a sense of their meaning that one hopes the Venetian Quartet will be more ambitious in their next effort. (Columbia 01513.) Near the head of a band of French artists stands the brilliant soprano, Mlle. Feraldy. She contributes two arias from the opera “Lakme,” by the great modern Delibes. The first is “Blanche Dourgas,” and its reverse, “Tu M’as Donne le plus doux Reve.” (Thou has given me the sweetest dream). She sings with a flute-like clarit” as pure as the softest woodwind, and manages the unusual intervals and typically modern phrasing with delightful ease. Rarely one finds such fluent agility combined with so much truthfulness to tune. (Columbia 03640.) Opera in English. Doris Vane, beloved of London’s concert platforms, and familiar at Covent Garden, contributes a sound competent record of two Puccini arias, sung in English. They are “They Call Me Mimi,” from “La Boheme,” and “One Fine Day,” from “Madame Butterfly.” These records will please by reason of their clear enunciation, unaffected delivery, anti general ease of production. If Doris Vane does not quite touch the heights, at least she is remarkably free from strain or tremolo, and after all she sells in the standard, i.e., popular-priced section. (Columbia 02864.) Rosa Ponselle. Rosa Ponselle was born in Meriden, U.S.A. Her parents had emigrated there from Southern Italy. When she was thirteen she went to the priest to be confirmed, and astonished him by saying that the saint she had decided upon was Melba. When asked her reasons, she replied that Melba was a great singer, that she (Miss Ponselle) liked the pictures of Melba, and that Melba’s life was, in every way, the model of which she would wish her own to be! Her first venture was playing the piano in the local cinema house, improvising to the films. Sometimes she sang. A hotel manager heard her, and offered her an engagement as a vocalist in the dining-room of a New Haven hotel. In the meantime her sister was playing in vaudeville. Miss Ponselle joined her and for three years the two sisters sang together on the Keith Circuit. Caruso heard her sing, and suggested to Gatti-Casazzi, the impresario of the New York Metropolitan Opera House, that he should give her an audition. When Casazzi heard her, he immediately handed her a contract. She had never learnt an operatic role, and she was given six months to prepare. Miss Ponselle went to a secluded hotel in New York and commenced to study. All went well as long as she only sang ballads and old folk songs. Then she seriously started on the role of Leonora (La Forza del Destino), in which she was to make her premiere. The neighbours complained to the Irish landlady. They like the songs, but could not stand the “putches.” What the “putches” were Miss Ponselle never discovered, unless they were the climbing trills of the principal aria! t | On the night of her debut she was in a panic. Caruso came into her room and I teased her into singing. That night was an extraordinary success for her. She has always ascribed this to the fact that she sang opposite Caruso, who inspired her to give of her best. Essie Ackland. Recently, whilst dressing to keep a concert engagement, Essie Ackland switched on the wireless whilst she was brushing her hair. She hit on the Huizen station in Holland. The music seemed familiar to her. Suddenly she realised that it was her own H.M.V. record of The Lost Chord that was being broadcast. She was born in Sydney, and it was her father’s ambition that she should be in a position to be independent in case anything ever happened to him. So with this object she learnt typing and shorthand, and eventually, at the age of seventeen, became a typist in the Victorian barracks. At one time she was in charge of a section of some forty girls. About this time she started singing at concerts, mostly given to the Australian soldiers.

Then for four years she didn’t sing at all. She felt that her voice wanted maturing. In 1920 she started singing again with the Welsh Choral Society. For two years she sang at all the leading Australian concerts, and toured Australasia with the well-known Belgian ’cellist, Jean Gerardy, giving upwards of ninety recitals. Once at a concert in Sydney she noticed that the name of the well-known Australian tenor, Reginald Morphew, was on the programme with hers. In the interval she asked him to change places on the programme, as she wanted to go home early. Not only did he do that, but later changed her name as well!

In 1924 she gave a farewell concert in the Sydney Town Hall which holds about 4000 people. The hall was crowded out. Then she came to England, knowing no one and absolutely unknown. She sang to Leslie Boosey, who promptly engaged her for his ballad concerts at the Albert Hall. She made her first record (Love’s (Nd Sweet Song) for the H.M.V. in St. Margaret’s, Westminster, and was naturally astonished when some two minutes later she heard the test of her voice transmitted back from the Queen’s Hall. Miss Ackland was chiefly renowned in Australia for her singing of the leading contralto parts in oratorio. It seems a great pity that she has never in England been given an opportunity of repeating these successes. Apart from singing, Essie Ackland ■ has few other interests. Much of her little spare time is occupied with running her house, reading biographies, walking, and playing golf.