Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1, No. 6 (1927-03)

The Phonograph Monthly Review 259 in price during the past few years by all the companies, but there is still something to be desired in this direction. The recording industry more closely resembles the pub- lishing business than any other, and a comparison of the two yields some interesting results. An important item in the cost of both books and records is the royalty paid to the author or recording artist. The first edition of a novel usually sells for two dollars, the price of most of the records by famous artists. Probably the royalty in each case is about the same. The author spends perhaps a year in writing the novel; a score of books is the work of a lifetime. How much time is con- sumed in making the average record? Whatever it may be the advantage is heavily in favor of the musician. The author probably has little income except that de- rived from the sale of his books. His writing is the main business of life and occupies most of his time. With the musician it is otherwise. Recording is rather a side line, though a lucrative one, and requires little time. And he can make immense sums in opera and concert work, and now by broadcasting. In her recent autobiography Tetraz- zini states that she has earned $5,000,000 by her voice, and many others doubtless have exceeded this. One reads oc- casionally in the press of some famous artist that has made over $100,000 from the sale of a single record. This may be merely the report of a press agent, but large sums must be made from this source. For time brings, no reduction in the price of a record as with a book, which is usually reduced to about seventy-five cents in a year or two. The cost of manufacturing a book must be at least as great as that of the making of a record, except, perhaps, of records by symphony orchestras. The larger recording companies think little of issuing several scores of records each month in a dozen or more languages. If it is possible to sell books at seventy-five cents each I would think it pos- sible to sell records of the world’s great music at a similar price. The mail order houses sell fair records of popular music at twenty to forty cents each. Brunswick has re- cently issued several large records at a dollar each, the first so far as I know that have been issued by an Ameri- can company. This is a venture that needs encouraging by record buyers. The expense of advertising records of the musical classics should be less than that for books of recent publication, as the records make available music that may have been known for generations. It is necessary only to bring to the notice of music lovers the recording of such works as the Ninth Symphony or the Ivreutzer Sonata to give them a desire to possess the records. And once a worthy record- ing of a musical masterwork is made it will be listed per- manently in the company’s catalog, or at least until replaced by a better one. Profits from the sale of records are unusually large. The record doubles in price from the manufacturer to the buyer. I would like to see records of the musical classics sold direct from the manufacturer to the customer by mail. This is the most economical way of selling, and one needs to hear a record before buying it no more than one needs to read a book before‘pm-chasing it, especially now since we have The Phonograph Monthly Review to review and compare records. As few of the better records are carried in stock by most dealers they must be obtained by order, and the phonograph enthusiast is usually able to do this intelligently himself, often better than the dealer for he probably knows several catalogs, whereas the dealer seldom knows more than one. Good recorded music needs a Hademan-Julius. As I may be all wrong in my views on this subject I would like to see it discussed by other readers of this maga- zine. Perhaps a manufacturer or dealer will reply and let us have their side of the question. T. R. Alexander. Delaplnne, Virginia. Editor's Note: There are many points in this letter with which I disagree most vigorously and , having had some per- sonal experience in sponsoring the issue of records , I can perhaps throw a clearer light on the true state of affairs in the record manufacturing industry. Time and space forhid a full reply in this issue , hut one is being prepared which will discuss all the points in detail and perhaps give many enthusiasts a definite idea of the various elements that go into the making of a record. This reply will he published in next month's issue and undoubtedly by that time there will be other letters in response to Mr. Alexan- der, both pro and con. Mr. Alexander is to be thanked for opening up this subject in such a sincere, straightforward way, but we believe that fuller information than he has now will convince him of the impracticability of his sug- gestions and conclusions. Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: Could not Mr. Terhune, or some equally vigorous stylist, write a denunciation of neglectful phonograph manufac- turers? I perfectly agree with your staff in their praise of many fine Odeon recordings, but I am unstinted in my con- demnation of the Okeh Phonograph Corporation for failing to make them available. * Beethoven’s First Symphony, as conducted by Dr. Weissmann, was announced long ago for issue in this country. Last fall it was theoretically issued. I emphasize the “theoretically” for I have tried at both C. C. Harvey’s and the Shepard Store, listed in the Odeon advertisements as the Boston Odeon dealers, and been un- able to get this symphony. On a trip to New York, I tried a few dealers there with equal unsuccess. What is the good of this company’s importing all these splendid works and then refusing to give them any sort of adequate publicity or distribution? It is mighty poor business and the sort of thing that is doing more than any- thing else to retard the progress of recorded music. Cambridge, Mass. J. J. D. Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review : Permit me to add a few words to the recent ‘“re-review” of Franck’s Symphony. While I usually find R. D. D.’s judgments very close to my own, I wish that he had stressed more strongly the importance of a more adequate version of this truly sublime work. This symphony is such a favorite of mine that I want to play it to all of my friends, but unless they are already familiar with the work by hearing it in concert, they are almost certain to remain either cold or definitely antagonistic to Franck. Sir Henry Wood makes the Allegretto into some sort of Funeral Music! He should really confine himself to the type of music in which he is most at home and not attempt a work whose loftiness of nature he is unable to interpret. I can sympathize with R. D. D. in that the beauty of the music and the gratitude one feels in having it available on records at all really does make one forget the weaknesses of the recording itself. I feel as he does about it, but I also feel that more vigorous efforts should he made to have the Columbia (or one of the other companies) make a new recording under the direction of a conductor who fully senses the true stature of the work and who can fully realize it in his interpretation. Sir Henry Wood undoubtedly did as well as he could, as the reviewer says out of kindness, but the Franck Sym- phony needs to be done by some one who can do a great deal better. Columbia did a courageous thing in recording Franck’s Symphony at the time it did, but it would be do- ing a most musically valuable thing in re-recording it now in a version fully worthy of the music. The recent performance of this work by the Philadelphia Orchestra prompted this letter which I hope will not be taken amiss. The old recording is dear to my heart, too, in spite of all its defects, but the concert hall performance emphasized most stronglv the crying need for a new version. M. C. Philadelphia, Penna. Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review : I recently heard George Gershwin play his pianoforte concerto and his new “Preludes” for the piano. Do record- ings of these exist? A. R. New York, N. Y. Editor's Note: Not as yet. Gershwin has recently made some piano records issued by the English Columbia Com- pany. Probably these will soon be made available in this country also. We too look forward to a recording of the concerto and a re-recording of the ever-popular Rhapsody in Blue. Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review : Is it the dealer or the manufacturer that is at fault in failing to give proper publicity to current releases of seri- ous music? Until I read reviews of works in the Victor Company’s Music Arts Library, I had no idea such a library existed or that it was possible to obtain Tchaikowsky’s Fifth Symphony or Mozart’s Jupiter in this country. I