Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 10 (1928-07)

July, 1928 The Phonograph Monthly Review 355 cord Gieseking in the Mozart Piano Concerto which he has played with several American sym- phony orchestras, perhaps under the direction of Mr. Louis Katzmann who has done so well as director of the Brunswick Concert Orchestra that he has surely earned the opportunity to show what he could do with larger works. Also from Brunswick comes a splendid vocal duet by Rosa Raisa and Rimini singing La Dove Prende from The Magic Flute and La Ci Darem La Mano from Don Giovanni, and various songs by Marie Morrisey and John Charles Thomas. The Columbia Company’s list seems to grow in both length and merit with every month; a host of meritous works deserve mention here, begin- ning of course with the Schubert C major Sym- phony (Masterworks Set 88) played by Sir Ham- ilton Harty and the Halle Orchestra. For the present I shall defer comment on this work, re- ferring only to R. D. D.’s review in this issue. The other recording of this work, by Dr. Leo Blech for H. M. V. reached us too late for any extensive comparison for this issue, but next month I shall have something to say on both sets. By this time most of our readers are undoubtedly aware that the Columbia Company has signed Paul Whiteman to record for them. His Colum- bia debut is made with a special issue of six rec- ords, issued with special labels and record en- velopes and given tremendous exploitation by means of display advertising and radio broad- casts. I can give special recommendation to the disk coupling the My Hero and Merry Widow waltzes. The other orchestral releases are a four part Carmen suite by Sir Henry Wood and the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, and Grainger’s Col- onial Song for voices, and orchestra, conducted by the composer, both works which are sure to find favor with record collectors. Columbia provides the best vocal record of the month in Cesare Formichi’s Tosca and Rigoletto arias (7156-M) sung and recorded in most im- pressive fashion. Two other fine song disks are those of the Gounod Berceuse and Dell’ Acqua’s Villanelle sung by Maria Kurenko, and Brahms’ Liebestreu and Sappische Ode by Elsa Alsen. To these should also be added Edna Thomas’ Negro Spirituals (1360-D and 1404-D). In the instru- mental division there are Leff Pouisnoff’s first American release (Rachmaninoff’s Pollichinelle and Prelude in B flat), and Murdoch’s Men- delssohn Spring Song, Paderewski Minuet, and Brahms A flat Waltz for piano records; Yelly D’Aranyi’s coupling of the Gluck-Kreisler Melo- die and Beethoven-Kreisler Rondino, and Naoum Blinder’s two-part recording of the Tchaikowsky Serenade Melancholique for violin records; and finally there is the first release by a new ’cellist, A. Philip Nifosi, heard in Tchaikowsky’s Chan- son Triste and Handel’s Largo. All of these are of real merit. Two celebrity works only come from the Okeh Corporation this month, a splendid song disk by Karin Branzell singing Schubert’s Death and the Maiden and Brahms’ Ein Wanderer, and a two- part recording of the Zampa Overture by the Grand Symphony Orchestra. The latter unfor- tunately is rather disappointing. When will we have a Zampa recording that will be really worthy of the composition? Mr. Rosario Bour- don, please take notice! As mentioned last month, the Roycrofters’ re- cords of the English Singers were received at the Studio for review and have been given de- tailed comment in this issue. The Wm. H. Wise Co. is to be congratulated on making this remark- able set of records available. They are obtain- able, by the way, from The Gramophone Shop, according to information I have just received from Messrs. Tyler and Brogan. Through these dealers we have just imported three important works, Dr. Leo Blech’s H. M. V. Oberon Overture, a Bach Three-Piano Concerto from the French H. M. V. Company (both of which are reviewed in this issue), and also the Blech Schubert C major Symphony which the Gramophone Shop rushed to us with their usual efficiency and promptness. Four more interest- ing imported works were obtained through the equally efficient and progressive dealer, Mr. H. Royer Smith of Philadelphia, who sent us a set of the Brahms Waltzes for piano duet from Eng- lish Columbia, Borodin’s In the Steppes of Cen- tral Asia from the French H. M. V., Ravel’s Al- borado del Gracioso and Schreker’s Birthday of the Infanta from the Polydor Company. All of these will be welcome additions to every enthusi- ast’s library, but the Schreker Suite is of par- ticular interest, especially when one compares it with the old acoustical version of the same work; another striking proof of the way in which the electrical process has improved the recording of modern orchestral music. In the foreign lists of the domestic companies are a number of “finds” this month, beginning with two Spanish songs by Nina Koshetz in the Victor Mexican supplement. Brunswick provides an outstanding balalaika record by Biljo’s Bala- laika Orchestra and another fine vocal disk of Polish songs by Adam Didur; and under the Odeon label there is a sensational zither release, a most remarkable feat of recording and further testimony to the genius of Mr. Charles L. Hib- bard. Special mention goes to Victor 68995, in thej German list, a true feature special of the Bremen fliers’ reception in Mitchell Field, a disk which is creating a tremendous sensation among the German-Americans; Brunswick 73018, Gesell- schafts Lieder by the Kapalka Schwaben Kap- elle; and to Columbia 12080-F, the Dolores Waltz played by D. Grupp’s Orchestra. I was familiar with this last composition from the old country and, anxious to hear what Grupp’s Orchestra would do with it, I put it on our excellent Viva- Tonal Columbia Kolster. It was a hot day, the windows were open, and across the street a gang of Italian and Negro workman were repairing a sidewalk. But all work was abandoned when the strains of the Dolores Waltz greeted their ears, the workmen threw down their picks and shov- els and started merrily dancing in the street! Several ventured up on to the piazza to see the