Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 11 (1928-08)

August, 1928 The Phonograph Monthly Review 399 Note Special reference was made to • these needles in the February • issue of this Journal. GOLD PLATED CHROMIC GRAMOPHONE NEEDLES add ?5% to the life of your RECORDS and enhance the beauty of Reproduction After extensive research and experiments, Chromic Needles have been produced to give the finest possible reproductions to all Electric Re- cordings. They are manufactured of special steel, are gold plated with symmetrical taper points. Each Needle will play up to ten Records. Packed in boxes containing 100 NEEDLES SYMPATHETIC CHROMIC NEEDLE and GRIP Will Control the Volume of Your Gramophone Fits any Sound-box THIS new Needle and attach- m e n t is revolutionizing gramophone reproduction. The “Sympathetic” is a gold-plated needle with a point at either end. It fits into the Grip which is held in the Sound-Box the same as an ordinary needle. With this device you can ob- tain any volume from a whisper to the sound, almost of a loud needle. Further, as the long tapering point of the “Sym- pathetic” perfectly bottoms the record track, it is able to give a rich body of tone even to well worn records, and please the most fastidious. 1 Sympathetic N e e-d 1 e Grip showing needle inserted for full volume. The re- producing point is shown slight- 1 y projecting from the base. Illustration W1 H shows Sym- pathetic fitted to play a very Each Sympathetic Needle fine soft vol- . ume, almost a Will Play Up to 40 Records whisper. DISTRIBUTED ONLY THROUGH AUTHORISED JOBBERS Enquiries solicited EDISON BELL, Limited, London, S.E. 15 England able use is made of the Glockenspiel in “Don Juan” and in the Dances from “Prince Igor.” The Xylophone is another instrument played with hammers in the same way as the Glocken- spiel but the bars are made of wood instead of metal. When bell sounds of deeper pitch than those within the capacity of the celesta or glockenspiel are required, the services of a set of Tubular Bells are requisitioned. This instrument con- sists of a large frame from which are suspended metal tubes of different length. These are struck with a mallet. The remaining members of this group who have any serious claims to be considered regular members of the orchestra are the Gong, which is an outsize of the familiar household article, and the Triangle. The latter is a steel rod bent into the shape of a triangle with the ends not quite touching. Its tinkling note is very familiar and is produced by tapping it with a metal rod. In order to economize space the parts for the instruments having no pitch significance are written usually on staves of one line. For the purpose of obtaining realistic or picturesque effects, composers have written “parts” for a “Wind Machine” (in “Don Quixote” by Strauss), some Iron Chains (in Schonberg's “Gurrelieder”), some Musical Spoons (in Auric's “Les Matelots”) and all sorts of other contrap- tions, but their utility is restricted to the unique effect desired in a particular piece of descriptive music and such devices can hardly be classed as musical instruments or even “kitchen” utensils. (To be concluded) Phonographic Echoes ROSARIO BOURDON (Mr. Bourdon's photograph is published on the front cover of this issue.) Mr. Rosario Bourdon, Musical Director of the Victor Talking Machine Company, is known by name to most phonograph enthusiasts, but every record buyer is familiar with his work, most of which is not specifically attributed to him on the record labels. Mr. Bourdon's first phonographic accomplishments were his 'cello solos, accompani- ments, and arrangements. His most recent work has been done as director of the Victor Symphony Orchestra in a series of notable recordings of the familiar “light” overtures; a series which has established a new standard of performance for these works. Mr. Bourdon's musical career has been both varied and full. He was born in Montreal in 1885 and began to play th^ 'cello at the age of