The Gramophone Corner

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17780, 25 February 1926, Page 4

The Gramophone Corner

By

Turntable

True British music is all too rarely heard nowadays, that of foreign composers having gained almost complete supremacy. This is in part due to the fact that foreign musicians, who had practically a monopoly of the teaching profession until the war, naturally trained their pupils in the music which had been composed by the masters of their own lands. In fact, until the war came, any musician bearing a name ending in “ski" or double “n” was assured of popularity. But this has now been altered and the reign of the foreign master is almost ended,The result is becoming apparent in the growing popularity of the works of British composers. In this connection it is interesting to find a truly English composition in the Columbia iseues just arrived: “St Paul’s Suite for String Orchestra," by Gustav Holst, a composer who, in spite of his foreign name, is English. Gustav Ilolst is a composer of the modern school, and in “St Paul's" he has. given us a suite that is wholly delightful. Twenty-five years ago St Paul’s girls’ school was erected in Hammersmith, London, and Holst was appointed music master there. The school had a string orchestra and Holst composed this suite for it, naming his composition after the school. The record is in three parts, jig and ostinato, intermezzo and finale, and occupies three sides of two discs. As far as recording goes the company has not produced anything better, whilst the playing of the string orchestra, conducted by the composer, could not be improved on. It is easily one of the best records for some time and is certain to sell well. The reverse side of the second disc is taken *up with Holst’s “Country Song" (Xo. 1 of “Songs Without Words"), played by the Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer. t There was a time when if a violinist had technique he usually lacked personality and warmth; if he had the last two qualities he lacked technique.

In 1901 Kreisler came to London, and for his first concerts played to but few people. It, however, did not take the musical world of London long to realise that not only was here a violinist who had wonderful technique but in addition a pulsating warmth. The gramophone is a glowing testament to his wonderful genius, and it is a fine thought that it will preserve for future generations an eloquent record of not only Kreisler's playing, but of his personality as well. For never did personality so miraculously proceed from a gramophone instrument. His latest record gave us the usual pleasurable experience. Two trifling pieces, maybe, Kramer’s “Entr’acte" and Bass’s “Chansonnette,” but how the great musician makes them into things of wonderful beauty and appeal! ! 55 5*2 5-2 Those incomparable comedy artists,, Norah Blaney and Gwen Farrar, are responsible for a new and novel effect in their new record of “Ukulele Lady" for Columbia. After the air is sung in the most delightful fashion, the pair introduce a clever and original touch. They produce vocally an astonishingly convincing imitation of a steel guitar. It is so well done that eyen when heard it is hard to believe that it is a vocal effect. “Ukulele Lady" appears again in Columbia as a banjo solo by Harry Reser, probably the finest banjoist in the world. :: It was Rossini, who, when he was asked the name of his favourite composer, said: “I play Ilavdn once a week, Beethoven three times a week, and Mozart every day." There is an undoubted boom in Mozart’s wonts at the present time, and for tins reason the records lately made of his operatic excerpts by Frieda Hetnpel. Evelyn Scotney and Tudor Davies will be widely welcomed. Frieda Hempel is an ideal Mozart singer; indeed, she may be recognised as the legitimate succes-

sor ot Patti in this art. Her smgthg of “Voi che sapete” (“Marnage of Figaro”) is a true example of the pure bel canto method. Miss Evelyn Scotney’s record of the Queen of the Night's Aria, from ‘‘The Magic Flute,” reveals the British soprano’s very competent technique. This song bristles with difficulties, especially the latter part, which is full of brilliant roulades, but the singer retains the necessary tranquil! the end. Tudor Davies’s records are of Tamino’s two arias. Ta- | mino is the hero of the open in “ The 1 Magic Flute,” and Mr Davies’s fine work in the part is well known. v ocahon s latest issues have amongst their number a very fine pianoforte record by York Bowen, of “ Capriccio in B Minor, Op. 76, No. 2 ” (Brahms). The recording is exceptionally clear, except for a very slight suggestion of “ blast.” York Bowen’s playing of the sprightly theme is masterly. The other side of this disc gives us “ The Way to Polden ” (an ambling tune), a composition of the artist's. This is not as good as the other. Mr IT. Nevill-Smith, who is at present singing in Christchurch, has recorded two songs on an Odeon disc, which is now obtainable. They are “ Nottornino ” (Cogtoghi) and “ Passa Pierrot” (de Leva), both songs which bring out the best in the singer. Mr Nevill-Smith has sung in most of the European capitals and also in New York, and has everywhere been acclaimed. The recording of these songs is good, though there is a little too much tremolo apparent in “ Nottornino ” and a slight huskiness towards the end. :* :: Frank Titterton's tenor voice is heard to advantage in two songs on a newly-published Vocalion disc, ‘‘Turn Ye to Me,” an old Highland rowing tune, and ” Jenny’s Mantle,” an old Welsh air, from “ Songs of the Four Nations.” Both are well recorded and there is little to choose between them, but the rowing song calls for more expression than the lilting ballad, ‘‘Jenny’s Mantle,” and Titterton's interpretation is sympathetic. A good record. The Apollo Male Chorus will raise, it is considered, excitement by the tremendous volume of tone they produce in “ The Soldier’s Chorus,” which should be here soon, on an IT.M.V. disc, says a reviewer. It is a pity, though, they do not always sing in tune. The De Reszke Singers, handsomely treated in the recording room, give firstrate performances of Sir Richard Terry’s arrangements of “Johnny Comes Down to Ililo,” and “ Let the Bullgine Run.” From the crude shriek and blatant noises of the popular talking machine the development has been one of the wonders of the age. Thousands of keen intellects—scientists, mechanics, musicians—have been brought to bear on the problem of the reproduction of musical sounds until to-day life-like reproductions of the human voice in speech and -song a*id true instrumental interpretations of music are among tfie successes of the modern gramophone. The world’s artists and musicians record for the various companies, and complete records of Beethoven and other symphonies are available, together with the gems of chamber music and opera. “ High-brow ” and “ lowbrow ” are catered for, and among the cheapest records of to-day may be found good music for the cottage as for the mansion. The gramophone makes a universal appeal. One recalls how a Professor of Music at Aberystwyth College scoffed at the gramophone and its mechanical reproduction of music as an abomination. It was fitting that Sir Walfprd Davies, the head of the Music Council of Wales, introduced it to the schools and provided a set of teaching records for its use. The banning of the public performance of George Robey's song: “I Stopped, I Looked, I Listened,” by r; the Birmingham Watch Committee, had an amusing sequel. Two days after the ban all the gramophone shops in Birmingham were exhibiting huge red posters announcing “ You Can Hear it at Home.” They advertised the Columbia record of the song, and everybody sold out! A new and important advance in gramophone refinement is signalised by the introduction on certain models of a cleverly conceived device which will automatically repeat the playing of a record and stop the motor at the conclusion. Think what this means for the repetition of favourite records and for “ encores.” Hidden away in a small space below the motor-plate is a compact piece of ingenious mechanism. In its operation this invisible mechanism is almost uncanny. Two small press buttons project from the surface of the plate, marked “ 2 ” and “ 3 ” respectively. No. 2 button is pressed and a record played as usual. As the last notes finish, the tone-arm lifts itself from the surface, iioats in. mid-air back to the edge of the record, lowers itself gently to the playing grooves, and plays the record through At the end, the tone-arm again rises and returns to the beginning of the record, but this time it comes to rest and the motor stops. No. 3 button produces the same operation, but the record is played three times in succession. 55 X 3$ Dance Records. The popularity of “I Miss My Swiss” does not seem to be on the wane, yet and “Ukulele Lady,” another fox trot, bids fair to be equally popular. Columbia’s new list includes another recording of the former, this time by Ted Lewis’s Band, and Vocalion’s a new rendering of the. latter, by Geoffrey Goodhart Orcehstra. Both are good records. “Say, Arabella” is on the reverse side of the Columbia disc and “I Can’t Realise” occupies the reverse of the Vocalion record. The His Master’s Voice fox trot, “I Miss My Swiss,” played by Paul Whiteman and . his band, is notable for some clever yodelling. The yodeller keeps perfect time, and the effect' is most pleasing »i<l novel. Still another version of T Miss My Swiss” is found on a new PsrloI phono disc, which has “Souya" on the

other side. This tune has the novel refrain of “ Yup, Aliev Yup."’ We arc promised that the new French tango, in which the evolutions have been simplified to four movements, is to hold the flood this season in equal popularity with the fox trot, one step and waltz. Be that as it may, tango' records were accordingly necessary to Columbia, and four selected titles, recorded in Paris by the famous Tano Genaro and Manuel Pizarro orchestras, have just been announced. They are “El Rev de Cabaret,” “La Preciosa,” “Mi Perdiction” and “Una Noche en el Garron.” The four steps are the walk, the half-turn, the promenade and the link step. An excellent little handbook on the French tango has been issued by the “Daily News.” . . . But, speaking of the tango, Richard Herbert, who writes the dance notes for the “Gramophone,” explains that he is unable to account for the complete failure of the tango to gain popularity. He refuses to believe that it is a dance too subtle for the amateur to master. The simpler steps are very easy. The only possible explanation he can make is that it is different from what we have been used to. Its rhythm is different, the atmosphere created by the music is different and the carriage of the body is different. If the pupil places himself entirely in the hands of his teacher, he says, he should be able to learn, providing the right kind of music is available, but this is not often the case. He finds fault with all the tango records and ■ with all the bands playing so-called tangos. “There is a notoriously heavy infant mortality amongst ballroom dances,” he says, “and it seems that we may be already following the tango to the cemetery, where the Charleston and the Blues lie newly buried.” . . . The Miami Marimba Band has two records on the new Yocalion list, now on sale. "While Hawaiian Stars are Gleaming” (with “Swanee Butterfly,” played by Ben Selvin’s Orchestra, on the reverse) and “Seventeen” (with “Wait’Till the Morning Comes,” played by Austin Wylie’s Golden Pheasant Orchestra, on the other side). Both these records are waltzes, whilst the orchestral items accompanying each of them are fox trots. . . . Another pair of fox trots to be recommended is “Moonlight and Roses,” with “That’s My Girl,” while something new in waltzes has been provided by Le Petit Salon Orchestra’s rendering of “Rose of the Evening” and “Oh, How I Miss You Tonight,” with vibraphone bells and xylophones. Both these records are included in Parlophone’s list. . . . Among the His Master's Voice dance issues are four bright and tuneful fox trots by Jack Hylton’s Dance Orchestra. These include “Honest and Truly,” “I’m Tired of Everything but You,” “Salh-’s Come Back” and "Sunny Havana.”