Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1, No. 11 (1927-08)

452 The Phonograph Monthly Review residence in this country, Victor Herbert and his operettas have already been mentioned. His operas, Natoma and Madeleine, together with other works entitle him to distinction here also. Today the leader of the foreign born men is un- questionably Charles Martin Loeffler (Pagan Poem, Death of Tintagiles, Memories of My Child- hood, etc., the last named well suited for record- ing). Carl Busch is prominent; also Ernest Schelling (to be returned to later), Gustav Strube, Sigmund Stojowski (Paderewski has re- cently recorded a specimen of his salon pieces). Leopold Godowsky (better known as a pianist— recording for Brunswick—than a composer in spite of De Pachmann's enthusiastic praise of his works), Otto Singer, August Spanuth, Walter Damrosch (The Scarlet Letter and other operas), Frederick Stock (symphonies, etc.), and others. Among the modernists are Leo Ornstein, Carlos Salzedo, and Ethel Leginska (perhaps Miss Le- ginska will play some of her own works in future Columbia recordings). Rachmaninoff, Xavier Scharwenka, and others cannot be claimed as American, but perhaps Ernest Bloch and Percy Grainger can. The former's educational work has had an incalculable influence for good; his Nigun—rhapsody for violin—has been recorded by Szigeti for Columbia, perhaps his Solomon— rhapsody for 'cello and orchestra—Jewish Poems or other major works may follow sometime. Grainger's version of Spoon River has been re- ferred to before; his Scotch Strathespey and Reel has been recorded by a group of singers and players under his direction, his Gum-Sucker's March by himself (both Columbia), and his Molly on the Shore by the Flonzaley Quartet for Victor. The long list of names given above is almost tragic when it is remembered that for the most part it is meaningless to the average American— to say nothing of the average European—music lover. The younger men's works achieve recog- nition with difficulty; those of their elders are often dead even when the authors still live. But a careful study of these compositions of all these men reveals many a vein of pure gold. Recom- mending such study, I must leave them without further particulars, except in the case of a few distinctive names, names of the musicians who have made or who are making what are (per- haps) the most significant contributions to American music. Edward A. MacDowell is easily the best known of the native composers (excluding of course Sousa and Foster), in Europe as well as in this country. While of late his orchestral works—with the possible exception of the Indian Suite—are rapidly fading from the programs of American orchestras, his piano works and songs will continue to keep his fame alive for many years, as they are now firmly implanted in teach- ing and concert repertories. His smaller pieces are well represented on records (a list will follow later), unfortunately more often as transcriptions than in their original form. (Note the orchestral versions of the Woodland Sketches, Sea Pieces, etc., originally for piano.) His beautiful In- dian Suite is represented only by a version of the Love Song in the Victor Educational Series; his great piano sonatas and concertos are un- recorded. It is a pity that his important works (for despite their charm, miniature like To a Wild Rose, To a Water Lily, and the rest, cannot be classed as such) are unavailable for the phono- graph. The Indian Suite should be a strong first choice, to be followed by the major piano works— even if only selected movement or two. Ernest Schelling, one of the musicians of for- eign birth, has fairly established his claim to “American" by several works making use of native folk material, and the remarkable record- ing of his Victory Ball by Mengelberg and the New York Philharmonic for Victor. Hardly characteristically national in his compositions, it is a pleasure to think that the first major Ameri- can orchestral work to be recorded should be one as natively vigorous and vitally alive as the Victory Ball. While it is easy to overestimate its not inconsiderable aesthetic rank, one cannot question its power or effectiveness, nor need one fear to have it represent his country in the field of recorded orchestral works. As every phono- graph student knows, the recording does full justice to both composer and conductor, and this article would be very much incomplete without an expression of gratitude to the Victor Company for paving the way so brilliantly for future re- leases. But I cannot forbear mentioning the melancholy fact that these splendid records have enjoyed but a fraction of the support they deserve so richly and that they have been consequently an exceedingly expensive—even if laudable—gesture on the part of the makers. Henry F. Gilbert, once a pupil of MacDowell, has worked long to concentrate attention on American nationalism in music, both by literary and musical writings. His Comedy Overture on Negro Themes, while by no means representa- tively Negro (he makes use of short thematic motives rather than complete themes and his development is more or less orthodox—in form if not in spirit), possesses characteristic native qualities, indeed was undoubtedly the forerunner of American music that is truly American. In a Symphonic Piece he makes use of a developed country dance and Fosterian idiom; American- esque is based on actual minstrel tunes. His Pirate Song is recorded by Bispham (Columbia) and Werrenrath (Victor). A Suite written for the Pilgrim Tercentenary Pageant and a drama- tic aria, Salammbo's Invocation to Tanith should also be mentioned; the latter is together with E. S. Kelley's Israfel one of the few successful examples of large scale American songs. George Gershwin has already been discussed under Jazz, but deserves a place here as the composer of the serious—fortunately not very serious—works, Piano Concerto in F (introduced by Walter Damrosch with the composer as solo- ist) and the recent piano Preludes, if not by the Rhapsody in Blue and many songs. Without quibbling about the “vulgarity" or lack of aesthetic beauty" of jazz, the fact remains that here are works which command if not admiration, at least attention, and which must be