THE GRAMOPHONE CORNER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18465, 17 May 1928, Page 11

THE GRAMOPHONE CORNER

Just a sidelight on the popularity of gramophone records. One company recently in a month produced and sold from one factory alone over 2,250,000 records. a a a George Bernard Shaw has made several records in England in the form of an address upon “ Spoken and Broken English." Copies of the records, which are said to reflect Bernard Shaw’s inimitable style, are being deposited in the British Museum. Doubtless you have heard at some time or other that popular monologue, “ The Whitest Man I Know.” If you have—and even if you haven’t —you’ll enjoy Billv Bennett’s delightful parod} r -—“ The’ Tightest Man I Know,” says an English writer. " Mr Agate, in a recent book, cited Bellini. Donizetti and Meyerbeer as part of a brainless crew. I do not feel sure that the brain of a nightingale is as large as the brain of an elephant, but I do feel perfectly sure that I want to hear singing. Poor, brainless Donizetti wrote for nightingales. The creatures some of his brainier successors wrote for God in His mercy has not yet created.”—Compton Mackenzie. :: k *: A Hint to Remember. —When using steel needles the degree of loudness of a record can be varied according to the manner in which you put the needle in the socket-holder. The less the needle is pushed into the socket, the softer the tone. But whether the needle is pushed right in or only just gripped by the screw, make sure is is firm. If it is not it will “ chatter ” and possibly may come adrift and ruin a record. :: * “ This top note business prejudices many music-lovers against Italian opera singing,” says a writer in the “ Gramophone.” “We amateurs don't realise what treasures these top notes are to their owners, how carefully cut and polished they are, and how jealously preserved and enviously regarded. Milan is a sort of Hatton Garden of top notes. They are handed round and compared like diamonds, and I have seen, in a nest of singing birds in that city, the face of a prima donna turn green in her little bed-singing room just because someone next door was producing a string of perfectly cut jewels from a more or less empty and untrained head. In fact, top notes are desperatelj r important things to operatic singers.” :: Signor Francesco Merli, one. oi the most famous of Italian tenors, who will sing the principal dramatic roles during the Williamson-Melba season and whose records are well-known, made his debut at La Scala in “ Aida,” and his success was so pronounced as Radames that he now always sings the role at that theatre. On many occasions he has visited South America, and he was the tenor chosen to create the role of Prince Tgnoto in “ Turandot ” at Covent Garden, when it was first staged in London. This season be has been singing the same role at La Scala, and his fine interpretation of the role places him amongst the most artistic tenors of the present day. Signor Merli is a family man, and he will not go abroad without his wife and two boys, and he is bringing them to Australia and New Zealand with him. a The following is a receipt for a record cleaner:-—Take two parts of white vinegar and one part of 3-in-l oil and shake the mixture to an emulsion. Rub it into the grooves with a clean piece of silk until no liquid apparently remains on the surface. Leave the record for about ten minutes, and then play through with a fibre, repointing several times during the playing. Be careful how you place the fibre in the groove—“ gently does it.” Never try to put it on the record in the centre of a loud passage. You will Shatter the point at once. Before you get all the dirt out of the groove, you' may have to play through six or even twelve times. But the results amply repay the patience which is required, the reproduction being altogether sweeter and cleaner. If the record is dirty, there ie very often a “beat” effect, especially with massed strings. Don’t rub the | record again with a cloth, brush or pad ! until the record has become clean and j dry again. You will only rub in dirt ! again if you do.

The price of records is a subject for keen debate whenever gramophone enthusiasts get together, especially in view of the fact that the record companies are undoubtedly making handsome profits these days. There are two aspects of the matter—that of the gramophone user and that of the. company. It seems to me, though, that whether or no a thing is dear depends on what return you get for your money. The initial outlay on a record made by a noted artiste may seem heavy—but you can play that record literally hundreds of times. Looked at in that light, surely, the record cannot be regarded as unduly expensive? From the other point of view it must be remembered that artistes’ fees and royalties, cost of production and so on, run away with immense sums of money. The big profits are not made on the individual record; they are an aipcumulation of smaller profits on the huge number of records sold. The number of records made last year was somewhere in the neighbourhood of seventy millions. The most reasonable margjp of profit naturally mounts up into a substantial amount on a turnover like that A great deal of interest has been aroused by the wonderful animal “effects” heard when the jungle scenes in “ Chang,” the famous wildlife film, are being shown, writes S. A. Maycock in “ Pearson’s Weekly.” The question, “How is it done?” is easily answered. By means of gramophone records specially made for the purpose at tho London Zoo just before the film was first, shown. “ Ranee,” the elephant; “Rajah,” the tiger; “Kitchener,” the bear; “ Maud,” the leopardess; “ Bumpus,” and “ Puck,” apes, and many other Zoo “ celebrities ” obliged with their voices. These records are considered to be of such interest and value, that a set of them, together with a copy of the film, lias been accepted by the British Museum authorities. The records, seven in number, were made by the Columbia people by means of the then new electric method of recording.

REVIEWS. The H.M.V. May list has two outstanding dramatic performances inclu td in the records enumerated. The first, Chaliapin’s “Don Quixote” Death Scene, has been dealt with in this cob umn already; the second is the duet by Florence Austral (soprano) and Browning Mummery (tenor), who sing the “Miserere” anrl “Home to Our Mountains” from Verdi’s “II Trovatore.” Both singers have their voices under perfect control, and with voices capable of such volume this is something to approve. Mme Austral’s voice is at its best m “Home to Our Mountains,” in which she sings the contralto role, displaying the- amazing range of her voice. The record is a 12-inch black label 11.M.V,

Following the magnificent set of Bayreuth festival records, Columbia s release of eighteen ! records, constituting a complete recording of “ The ' Messiah,” is one of j the outstanding | gramophone events j of the year so far. No one can deny the tremendous hold “ The Messiah” has on the affections of the public, whatever the critics may say, and Sir Thomas Beechain’s interpretation will create a vast stir of interest. He has insisted upon giving us what he considers the composer’s true intentions with regard to the oratorio. When Sir Thomas conducted the great work in London last- year, critics were unanimously agreed that he had succeeded in infusing new dramatic life into it. This opinion is amply borne out in the recording. The whole set has been played through since received last week, and it is safe to say that those who want the best will find it here. K » Cesare Fromichi’s baritone is splendid in “ Credo ” from Verdi’s “ Otello,” which, with “ Ella Verra,” from Puccini’s “ La Tosca,” makes up his latest Columbia disc. lago lives indeed in the “Credo” —heed we say more? pia’s air from Act 11. of “Tosca” is a sincere piece of work—good quality and value.

Those sixty-five performers of the Circolo Mandolinistica Guiseppe Verdi, of Leghorn, are again with us this month. They play the Preludes to Act I. and Act IV. of “La Traviata ” (Verdi). One is inclined at times to forget that this really is a mandolin band. They are a wonderful combination, and, one imagines, unique. Columbia arc to be congratulated. These musicians have not yet produced a poor disc. When one puts a record of William Murdoch’s on the turn-table, one knows that there is never likely to be any fault—his performances are always exceptional. This month he gives us “ L i e b e -s traume ” (Liszt) and (a) “ Waltz in A flat ” (Brahms) and (b) “ Spring Song ” (Mendelssohn). It is not only his technique and brilliance that charms one, but also his marvellous interpretative faculty. All these qualities are found in this record, whilst his other disc, “Marche Militaire ” (Schubert arr. Tausig) is full of the fire of his personality. Both records are in the new Columbia list. Rosa Ponsellc and Giovanni Martinellt blend exceptionally well in their latest H.M.V. disc. Verdi’s “Aida” provides them with two most suitable duets—“La Fatal Pietra” and “Morir 1 si pura c bella ! ” The record, which is the beginning of the great final duet, in which Radames discovers Aida in the tomb, is worth the attention of every gramophile. Tito Schipa’s recording of two arias from Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” is a polished piece or work. “Ecco didente” and “Se i! mio nome” are both sung by Count Almaviva in front of Rosina’s window, and who will deny that Schipa is most ardent? His voice negotiates the most difficult passages with the utmost ease. One wishes that some of the other I tenors would take a few lessons from Schipa.