Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1, No. 7 (1927-04)

326 The Phonograph Monthly Review IRISH Perhaps the leading Irish record of the month is the special recording of Echoes of Ireland by the Dublin Concert Orch- estra (Columbia 33135-F), but Allen McQuhae’s singing of Come to the Fair and Sound of the Irish Bells drawn from the regular Brunswick releases will probably have an even wider appeal (Brunswick 3231), the former is particularly well done. Leading the rest of the Columbia list are two other releases of Seamus O’Doherty, Ihe Mountains O’Mourne and Bells of Shandon in one coupling (33137-F) and Norah and Molly Bawn in another. Frank Quinn relates the tale of McSorley’s Twins and Good-Bye Mike—Good-Bye Pat on 33138-F in characteristic style, while the Fifth Avenue Bus Man has the Beauty of Limerick and The Real Old Mountain Due lor flute and voice on 33139-F). The Flanigan Brothers describe their visiting experiences in the Flanagans Visitin’ Killarney and An’ Corrowath (33136-F). For jigs and reels there are records 33140-F and 33141-F, the former coupling I’ve Got a Bonnet with the Wind That Shakes the Barley, and second, The Drumsshambo jig with Miss Forkin’s Fancy. If the label is correct in stating that the latter record is played by a trio then the old assertion that one Irishman is equal to a dozen other men seems well bourne out, for these three men play with energy and volume enought for a good sized orchestra I Among the Victor releases the Four Provinces Orchestra leads with stirring renditions of The Job of Journey work, Long Hornpipe, and The Sandy Buchanan Highland Strath- spey (79090). The Flanagan Brothers are well represented: 79096 has Paddy in London coupled with Avourneen, the latter a solo by Michael Flanagan; and 79127 combines Re- viewing St. Patrick’s Day Parade with The Blackbird, Exhibition Hornpipe. Joseph Tansey, violinist, fiddles two reels and two jigs on 79115: St. Patrick’s Night, Cruiskeen, The Rose in the Garden, and Autumn Leaves. Reels and jigs are also represented by medleys The Green Groves of Erin and Drumraney Lass, played on the concertina by William J. Mullaly on 79097. The Fitzpatrick Brothers are heard in comedy numbers (The Piper at the Christening and An Arm- ful of Cats) on 79106; and three singers are heard to good advantage on numbers 79105, (Joseph Lee in Tipperary Hills and The Men of the West), 79126 (Cornelius O’Sullivan in St. Patrick’s Day and I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Every Day), and 79065 (George O’Brien in The Blarney Roses and Skibbereen). RUSSIAN There are two orchestral recordings from Columbia, 20095-F and 12049-F, the first (Kosovo Vais and Videnie Poeta Vais) by the Russian Columbia Orchestra and the second (Kosovo Waltz and Poet’s Vision Waltz by the Russian Novelty Orchestra. There are no Victor Russian records this month. MEXICAN The Victor Mexican list, as always is full of interest, led of course by the outstanding choral recording of Popule Meus, reviewed elsewhere in this issue. Margarita Cueto ’g release for this month (79034, Beautiful Marie, arr. Zuniga, and How Sad I am, by Esperon) is hardly up to the standard set by her recent recordings mentioned with praise in these pages. The Orquesta Tipica Mexicana is heard in The Ball (Ramos) and the Young Mare (Ramos), 79093; and ihe Banda Especial de la Guarnicion de Mexico is as impressive as its title in 79179, Zacatecas March and Himno Nacional de Mexico. Eosita Quiroga sings two tango songs to guitar accompaniment on 79741 (Sonsa and De Mi Barrio); and the Orquesta International has two releases, 79165 and 79166, Fox de los Besos and Lolita Vais on the first, and Full-Hand Fox Trot and Encaje de Almagro, Paso Doble, on the second. ITALIAN Raffaele Ralsauro leads for Columbia with ’N terra Sur- nento, a Neapolitan tenor solo (Columbia 14270-F), with a record by Romanini (14269-F) close behind. Okeh’s record by Alfredo Bascella of two Neapolitan songs, Signor Console and Vicenza, however, is undoubtedly one of the best Italian records of the month, although in Victor 68795, Francesco Manna (Non Torno and Non e’ Ver) goes it one better| Ihe Orchestrma Italiana Gerado Iasilli (79136, Victor) plays the Lost Love Waltz and the Sky and Sea Mazurka; and Gilda Mignonette sings Poor Catherine and I Want to Kiss You, on 79143. Concluding the list are three comic records, 79135 by Giovanni Ferrante e Compagnia (Barese Dialect), 1 111 I -^. —■ ^S|(5V 79157 by Eduardo Migliaccio (Farfariello) and 79183 by Compagnia Comica Victor, the last two named being in the Neapolitan dialect. MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN Victor 79153 (Adored Mother, Mazurka, and Touching Glasses) by the International Octette leads. Then comes Columbia 89-F (Zita a Milovati Polka and Evening Whispers) played in competent fashion by the Grillova Ceska Kapela. Columbia 88-F Koliks Dala Vojak Svejk and Hubicek (Bohemian) played by the Fiserova Sokolska Kapela. In the Victor Bohemian list is Stare zlate easy sung by Vaclav Albrecht and another good choral record, 79182, by the Male Chorus, Pevecke sdruzeni Prazskych ucitelu, singing Shroup’6 Kde domov muj and Smetana’s Posviacka (Dedication). Columbia 5126-F, sung by Benno Wiinsch and 18180-F in the Polish list should be mentioned. Victor 79138 contains two band recordings with vocal refrain by the Fr. Dukli Wiejska Banda, and 79170 has two accordion solos by Jan Wanat. Victor 79142 and 79155 lead the Scandinavian records this month; the first has two songs by August Werner finely sung, the second two songs by George Hultgren. S.F. Too Late for Classification A 'number of fine dance records have come in at the last moment, led by Okeh 40779 (Dixie Vagabond and If You See Sally) by Lou Gold and liis Society Orchestra. The recording here is splendid, another example of the skill of Mr. Charles L. Hibbard, the recorder of the Okeh Fliono- graph Corporation. The arrangement of Dixie Vagabond is very ingenious, introducing, and very effectively too, the theme of the second movement of Dvorak’s New World Sym- phony. One of the oddest dance records of the month is Okeh 8450 (All That I Had Is Gone and Lucy Long) by Percy Bradford and His Gang. The former is the most heartfelt lament that one could imagine to be expressed in dance music. Okeh 40781 (Kinkajou and Rio Rita) by Sam Lanin and His Famous Players, and 40778 (The Cat and Oh, Lizzie) by Ted Wallace and His Orchestra are both pretty good. Also in the Okeh group are: 8452, impassioned prayer meet- ings led by the Rev. J. M. Gates; 40780 (Dixie Vagabond and Roses for Remembrance) by the Peerless Four; 8451 (You Drove a Good Man Away and You Don’t See Into the Blues the Way I Do) by Lonnie Johnson; and 23080 (Christos Voskrese and Voskresenie Christovo) sung in Serbian by Steva Obradovich to the accompaniment of a harmonium. Among the Brunswick dance records are 3384 (Frasquita and If Only I Might) excellently played by the A. and P. Gypsies, sob stuff done superbly well by an almost symphonic jazz orchestra!; 3473 (So Blue and What Does It Matter) waltzes by Vincent Lopez and His Orchestra, done in effective fashion; 3441 (Mine and Blue Skies) smooth singing by the Merrymakers; 3477 (Boneyard Shuffle and Buddy’s Habits) by Red Nichols and his Five Pennies—the Shuffle is Very good; and finally 3464 (It All Depends on You and Under- neath a Weeping Willow Tree) a good recording by Ben Bernie and His Orchestra. The three Victor records are led by 20501 (I Always Knew and When I’m in Your Arms), a splendid example of “smooth” jazz played by the inimitable Paul Whitemap. The other two are 20500 and 20504, the first by the Happiness Boys (That’s My Hap-Hap-Happiness and Cock-a-Doodle I’m Off My Noodle) and the second by Franklyn Baur (I’ll Take Care of You and At Sundown). Among the foreign records are two Italian ones: Odeon 9296 (Visione in Sogno and Ii Vesiuvio) a mazurka, and w polka by the Orchestra Italiana, and Columbia 60025-F (Lun- nanno Santa Lucia and Core malato), two Neapolitan songs by Giuseppe Milano, tenor. Two Greek records are in the Columbia group, 56051-F and 56052-F, the former by Achil- leas Poulos, tenor (Jevaire Mane and Oushak Mane), and the latter by Tetos Demetriades and made chorus, accompan- ied by a mandolin orchestra (Se Touta Ta Spitakia and San i Ftohi Karthia). Last comes Columbia 55076-F (Morgenrot and Lied der Landsknechte) sung by the New YorkiLieder- kranz male chorus directed by C. R. Fuchs-Jerin; the first side in particular is an effective piece of choral singing pnd recording.