Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 12 (1928-09)

September, 1928 The Phonograph Monthly Review 427 conducted by Carlo Sabajno. This is easily one of the finest additions to the Victor series, and while its size makes it necessarily expensive, even at $22.50 it is more than worth the investment when one considers how much enjoyment may be de- rived from it. It is hard for me to decide whether the singers (especially the baritone and soprano) or the orchestra should be praised the more. 1 dare say that no American performance could exceed this one. The conductor has a remark- able grip on his musicians, and as many La Scala records as I have heard, I know of none that have ever reflected greater credit upon the famous Milan organization. When A. A. B. brought back the records and his review I thought that he was a little too enthusiastic, but playing through the set for a few friends at the Studio last night, I realized that he had hardly given it praise enough. These records are simply a revelation. Gabrilowitsch and the Detroit Symphony Or- chestra make their debut on records this month with Espana, and we have another example of an organization not considered to be in the first rank, proving by its recording that the more famous orchestras had better look well to their laurels. This is the Espana record we have all been waiting for. Gabrilowitsch proves that he is as fine a conductor as he is a pianist; we trust to have more records from his in both capacities. In the instrumental group Guy Weitz has a remarkable recording of Liszt's organ Fantasy and Fugue Elman re-records his deservedly famous version of Humoresque; Rachmaninoff plays again his celebrated Prelude and the favor- ite Mendelssohn Spinning Song; and Kreisler is heard in an interesting coupling of De Falla's Danse Espagnole and Albeniz' Tango. The Met- ropolitan operatic series is continued with a most impressive recording of two Lucia arias sung by Gigli and Pinza with the Metropolitan Opera House chorus and orchestra. Galli-Curci is at her best in Benedict's The Wren and Yradier's La Paloma; the early electrical recordings were none too kind to her, but now she is getting back to her old standard. The popular and dance lists are usually good this month and contain many disks of special interest. No Odeon or Okeh releases have been received this month at all, perhaps because our “contact man" has been away on his vacation. However, I heard a part of the Liszt A major Piano Con- certo while I was in New York recently and both performance and recording seemed worthy of the highest praise. We expect it and the other re- leases in momentarily and full reviews will ap- pear next month. Turning to the “Foreign" lists I find it im- possible to find sufficient words of tribute for the remarkable Victor September release, a,s it con- tains so many real “finds." The following words all deserve particular comment: The Roman Carnival Overture in the stirring performance by Dr. Blech which I have praised before in these pages (after hearing the H. M. V. pressing) ; Honegger's Pacific 281, conducted by Coppola, a French electrical version of one of the most! famous modernistic compositions; Beethoven's Fidelio Overture and Wagner's Flying Dutchman Overture in excellent versions by Dr. Blech; light orchestrals by Ferdy Kaufmann (Schwarz- waldmadel) ; the Hungarian Rhapsody Orchestra (Dreams of Schubert Medley Waltz) ; and the Orquesta “Del Norte" (Tower of Gold Overture) ; Nina Koshetz singing Eili Eili and Kaddish, one of the very best vocal records of the month—or season; Margaret Sheridan and A. Pertile of La Scala in two Madame Butterfly arias; striking choral records by the Russian State Choir, the Ukrainian People's Choir, and the Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala; several releases by the Guard Republicaine Band; Bruch's Kol Nidrei played by the European 'cellist; Arnold Foldsey; and several outstanding Jewish liturgical records. Of unique interest is 59018, the Pilgrimage to Maria Radna by the Heiliges Herz Choir, the complete recording of a moving religious service, the first of its kind we understand, and one for which the Church authorities had to give special permission before the recording could be made. It is well worth the while of every music lover to watch the “foreign" supplements closely as otherwise he will miss many really worthwhile records unobtainable in any other way. I have assurances from Messrs. De Foldes and Smith that this month's great list is only the beginning of a steady flow of outstanding releases. (The foreign supplements, by the way, may be had from any dealer for the asking.) The other companies have also begun to release records of general interest and nofeworthiness in their foreign lists. Special attention to be called to the releases by Isa Kremer, Biljo's Balalaika Orchestra, and the Mexican Police Band in the Brunswick list, and a very fine Edith Lorand waltz coupling from Columbia. No Odeon foreign releases have reached us as yet this month, but the advance list indicates that there are several works of particular worth. It will be interesting indeed to watch the rivalry among the various companies in re- leasing “finds" in their foreign lists; they are all extremely fortunate in havings men of unusual competence and musicianship at the helms of their foreign record departments. Our domestic importers are continuing to bring in a steady flow of the latest European releases. A number ol these have been added to the Studio Library and some are reviewed in this issue; others will be reviewed later. From The Gramo- phone Shop, New York City; Beethoven's Missa Solemnis (Spanish H. M. V.) ; Beecham's com- plete Messiah set (English Columbia) ; the Franck Quintet played by Cortot and the Inter- national String Quartet (H. M. V.) ; Act III of Tristan and Isolde (H. M. V.) ; the Parsival Pre- lude conducted by Dr. Muck (H. M. V.) ; De Falla's El amor brujo, and Delius' On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring (English Columbia.) From the H. Royer Smith Company, Philadel- phia: excerpts from Bach's St. John Passion by the chorus and orchestra of the Brussels Royal Conservatory, Saint-Saens' Rouet d'Omphale con- ducted by Gaubert, and Poulenc's Trio for piano