Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1, No. 8 (1927-05)

The Phonograph Monthly Review 363 ORGAN Columbia 50037-D (D12, $1.25)—Andantino (Le Mare) and In a Monastry Garden (Ketelby), organ solos by G. T. Patt- man. The Columbia organ recording still has to benefit by improvements that made the Columbia piano recording un- surpassable Victor 35812 (D12, $1.25)—The Bells of St. Anne de Beau- pre (from Alexander Russell’s St. Lawrence Sketches), played by Charles R. Cronham. The recording here is extremely good, the bells as well as the various pipes coming through perfectly. The artist is well known as the municipal organist for the famous organ in Portland, Maine. A curious example of supplement annotation refers to a “scale passage which seems to be ‘out of tune’”; explaining this “element of novelty” as follows: “Though we have never heard the Bells of St. Anne de Beaupre, if they are like most sets of church bells, they most probably are in imperfect tune, and it seems at least likely that the composer, in adopting a scale un- familiar to most ears, has suggested, with the nearest approach to realism, the scale of the bells of St. Anne as most ears would hear them.” Doesn’t the writer here refer to a pass- age in the so-called “whole-tone scale?” Are the Bells of St. Anne actually tuned in this scale, or was it introduced by the composer with no actual thought of an “approach to realism”? Brunswick (see under dance records for mention of a Brunswick organ release, notable from a recording standpoint). Homocord 4-8763—Preludio from 3rd Sonata (A. Guilmant) and Largo (Handel). D12. Played by Franz Doll. A very effective organ recording. VIOLIN Columbia 2047-M (DIO, $1.00)—Ernest Bloch: Nigun (Im- provisation) played by Josef Szigeti. This two-part recording from “Baal Shem” (Pictures of Chassidic Life) by Ernest Bloch, one of the most significant figures among modern composers, is a release which should attract special attention. Szigeti, the Hungarian violinist, is an artist of thorough musicianship, fired with an intense vitality that animates all his performances. He has recently been touring this country and we are grateful for this recording being issued at the present time, especially so in that he makes such an interest- ing choice of a selection. The recording is a trifle unkind to him at times, giving his tone an “edge” that it most certainly does not have in actuality, but apart from this, the record is very realistic and faithfully mirrors Szigeti’s fine reading of this strange and powerful Improvisation. Victor 1233 (DIO, $1.50)—Blue Skies (Berlin) and Dance of the Maidens (Friml), played by Fritz Kreisler. We can hardly agree with the annotation in the advance list that these selections are “quite worthy of this great artist’s under- standing musicianship.” Needless to say, Kreisler plays exquisitely, the recording is excellent,—but there one must stop. How much more pleasant it is to be able to congratu- late a man like Szigeti for choosing such a striking piece as that of Bloch’s in which to display his talents. VIOLONCELLO Victor 6630 (D12, $2.00)—Berceuse from Jocelyn (Godard) and Evening Song (Schumann) played by Pablo Casals. The little Abendlied of Schumann’s, Op. 85, is well chosen, but one must protest a little against Casal’s sudden leaning toward sentimentality in his reading. His abilities are too well known to require description; but does he think it is necessary to “play down” to his American record buyers? PIANO Victor 6626 (D12, $2.00)—Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, played by Alfred Cortot. Another re-recoring that illus- trates the strides made not only by modern piano recording in general, but also made by the Victor piano recording in particular. Columbia 7124-M—Debussy: Clair de Lune and Toccata. D12, $1.50. Played by Percy Grainger. Another single disk rewards our anticipations of more Columbia piano works from Grainger. Here he has chosen two numbers from the Suite Pour le Piano of Debussy, the well-known Clair de Lune and the energetic finale of the suite, a Toccata. The recording as always is excellent, al- though perhaps a trifle less even than usual and both pieces are played with feeling and spirit, the Toccata especially. The lovely little sketch which Debussy has labeled “Moonlight” has been recorded several times, but never so well as here, although the present reviewer prefers from an. interpretative standpoint the old, rather poorly-recorded version by Moisie- vitsch, now withdrawn from the H. M. V. catalogue. But when it comes to piano recording, it is inevitable that the Grainger-Columbia combination is unbeatable. BAND Brunswick 3429 and 3430—William Tell Overture played by Walter B. Rogers and his Band (3 DIOs, 75c each). The Rogers band seems rather small and although it plays well, this version is hardly as interesting as the recent one of Pryor for Victor. The recording, however, is excellent^-indeed the Brunswick Company deserves special praise this montjh for the merit of the recording in practically all of its releases. Victor 35815 (D12, $1.25)—Cavalleria Rusticana Selection by Creatore’s Band, while not below the standard of record- ing or performance set by the recent Creatore releases, cannot be compared with them favorably as far as interest is con- cerned. S.M. POPULAR VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL The ever-popular crooning troubadour, Nick Lucas, is heard again this month on Brunswick 3492, in So Blue and Moon- beam Kiss Her for Me. On Brunswick 3386, Margaret Mc- Kee has two whistling selections, Hawaiian Love Bird and Bird Warblings, Series 2. She is also heard with the Ernie Golden orchestra in Indian Butterfly and Silver Song Bird on 3475. Prince Piotti, tenor, sings If You See Sally and Have You Forgotten (3471); the Radio Aces couple It’s O.K. Katy With Me and I Never See Maggie Alone on 3468; and Eva Knox, comedienne asks for One More Kiss and Forgive Me on 3465. In the regular Brunswick series, the college glee clubs and Frederick Fradkin are represented as usual. The former releases are reviewed under “Choral” records elsewhere in this issue; the latter plays Irving Berlin’s popular What Does It Matter coupled with Cherie, I Love You on 3467, to the accompaniment of string quartet, piano, and bells. For comedian, Harry Richardson is presented on 3501, doing his stuff in It All Depends on You and another version of What Does It Matter. And, to conclude, the Merrymakers are on hand again in Blue Skies and Mine (3441). The Edison Company, whose records we are including in these regular lists this month, has Walter Scanlon, tenor, singing Just An Ivy Covered Shack and My Creole Eve on 51964. Sherman and Ryan sing Bridget O’Flynn, Where Have You Been on one side of 51961 and the National Male Quar- tet has Down in the Old Neighborhood for a coupling. For an organ recording, Frederick Kinsley offers 51955, Take in the Sun and Falling in Love With You. The Waikiki Hawai- ian Orchestra keeps up the unquenchable flow of Hawaiian music with Kona Waltz and Golden Showers on 51950, and the mountaineer ballads are continued by E. V. Stoneman and his Dixie Mountaineers on 51951 (Bully of the Town and Bright Sherman Valley). The Columbia List is long and varied, lead by a twelve-inch release 50038-D ($1.25) entitled Studio Stunts, in which the many well-known Columbia artists hold a sort of informal concert. The selections are well chosen and there is an agree- able spontaneity about the performance, a regular little “variety” bill on one record. Ford and Glenn on 920-D couple Along Miami Shore and Log Cabin Lullaby in their usual style, and Ruth Etting also offers her usual type of enter- tainment in 924-D and 908-D where she sings Hoosier Sweet- heart and Wistful and Blue, and It All Depend on You and Sam the Accordion Man. The Singing Sophomores, too, are their old selves in two Broadway show hits on 927-D (Where’s that Rainbow from “Peggy-Ann” and Sing from “Betsy”). From Earl Carroll’s Vanities come Moran and Mack with a two part sketch called Two Black Crows (935-D), another