MUSIC IN THE HOME.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1927, Page 20

MUSIC IN THE HOME.

GRAMOPHONE NOTES. THE ALDERSHOT TATTOO. The Columbia people showed not long ago what could be done in the reproduction of massed band playing when they issued their discs of the famous Wembley Military Tattoo. High class as these were it is no exaggeration to say that the same producers’ Aidershot Tattoo records (9109-10) are considerably superior. A big advance is shown in tho wonderful recording of the drum and fife playing, and the tone of bugles and bagpipes is superbly life-like and of extraordinary volume. In fact, the bagpipes sound too loud to be comfortable, when reproduced in a confined space. There is some wonderful choral singing top, which holds perfect balance with the band, and a remarkable clarity of individual instruments iil other sections makes one realise what enormous strides in disc-magic have been covered during the last year or so. These two records, produced with all the acoustic advantages of a recording room background, are played by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, augmented by Buglers and Trumpeters of the Royal Horse Guards, by the Pipe Band of the Scots Guards, and by a strong and very capable choir. FAVOURITE CONCERT ARTISTS. Two favourites among Home concert artists figure on recent Columbia discs in the persons of Tom Clare and T. C. Sterndale Bennett. Tom Clare is an old gramophone favourite and his two songs “Where does Daddy go to?” and “At home, I’m my wife’s husband, but when I’m away I’m me,” more than maintains his reputation. They are cheeky, of course, but the artist has a neatly intimate Way that seems to accord him special rights. And then there is T. C. Sterndale Bennett, the entertainer with a voice as well as a constant fund of humour, in two of his own songs, “I Need Love,” a skit on affinities of tho most amusing kind, and a philosophic little number “Leanin,’ ” that is quite engaging. These are artiste and songs creations and should outlive many of their innumerable contemporaries. Here too, this Band play “Tomorrow Morning,” and “Let’s Talk about my Sweetie,” (4048). Both lyrical and catchy, and both played in the most captivating tempo imaginable. The fox-trot issues give us—from the same producers—-several by Jay Whidden and his New Midnight Follies Band, which, as most will be aware, has been the musical feature of the Hotel Metropole, London, for several years past. “Chinese Moon,” and "Moonlight on the Ganges” (4067) are both live numbers indeed, the second being great fun as well. “Give Me To-day,” a really musieianly performance, is coupled on record 4039 with “Hard to Get Gertie,” and “That Girl over There,” appropriately linked with "My Bundle of Love” (4040), are good tunes played with infectious spirit, Percival Mackey is the life and soul of his band’s playin" of “Slippery Fingers,” and “When its June Down There,” and in each his piano playing is truly remarkable. SPLENDID CHORAL ENSEMBLES. Progress continues to be reported in the recording of big masses of tone through the instrumentality of the microphone. No- doubt we shall see still further improvement before very long, but in the meantime experiment is well vindicated in recent issues by “H.M.V.” of actual performances in public buildings. One of the latest is a record of the “Hallelujah” Chorus, and. “Behold the Lamb of God,” made in the Albert Hall during a performance of “Messiah” by the Royal Choral Society, under Dr. Malcolm Sargent. The voices blend so well, and have so much resilience, that one does not realise the fulness of tone implied in a choir of six hundred; but the sections are finely balanced, and not overborne by the orchestra, while the organ gives an effective eurge to the ensemble. A NEW VOCAL STAR. A soprano singer, Miss Marion Talley, a newly risen star of the American operatic firmament, is introduced by H. in “Une Voce Poco Fa,” and “Caro nome.” Miss Talley is of the coloratura school, with a remarkably brilliant voice, rather hard as it appears on these records, but just the type to take an audience by storm. A HAYDN QUARTET. Haydn’s Quartet in G—Opus 76, No. I, as played by the Buda-(Pest Quartet, and magnificently played at that, was recorded some time ago and should be here. The writer has not heard it, but the following note by a London reviewer excites one’s interest. He says: “There is a glorious evenness and liquidity of tone and a clarity of ‘diction’ and of phrasing that are beyond praise. But is it not just a little cruel to fill the back of the final disc with the ‘Allegro’ from one of old Differs von Dietersdorf's once very, popular quaitets, works much more appreciated abroad than here, where to all intents and purposes they are entirely unknown? Would it be possible, I Wonder, for these Hungarians to perform in its entirety one of Dittersdorf’a quartets, if only to show how excellent the workmanship of a master worker was even if—as in the above case—it did come into a sort of contest with actual genius? Dittersdorf was no ninny, and if he lacked absolute genius, he had an abundant and a very dainty talent."