Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 2 (1927-11)

November, 1927 The Phonograph Monthly Review 57 A number of suggestions have been coming in regularly, both to the Correspondence Column of the magazine, and to Mr. Maynard, the assistant Chairman of the Committee. One of the most note- worthy of these is that of a prominent music lover, who has collected an extremely large lib- rary of operatic recordings She tells us that it is possible to obtain every note of “Faust” on rec- ords, except the “Spinning Song”, Ei non torna ancor, pages 190 to 195 of the Schirmer edition of the vocal score of the opera What company will be the first to come forward with the last record to complete ‘Faust”? Recent releases from the domestic and foreign manufacturers have diminished the list of the most desired recordings and re-recordings by no inconsiderable measure Now we have the long awaited electric Brahms First (Victor), the com- plete Grieg Piano Concerto (H. M. V.), an elec- tric L’Apprenti sorcier (Columbia), Dukas’ La Peri (French H. M. V.), Ravel’s La Valse (French H. M. V.), Ravel’s String Quartet (N. G. S.), Chopin’s B flat minor sonata (H. M. V.), Schumann’s Phantasie Op. 17 (Polydor), an ade- quate Beethoven’s Seventh (Victor), Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 130 (Columbia), Tchaikow- sky’s Piano Trio (Columbia), electric suites from The Firebird and Petrouchka (Edison Bell), the dances from de Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat (Edi- son Bell), an electric Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture (Victor), and many other works which enthusiasts have been anticipating. A correspondent in the last issue (Mr. Harry Gable of Baltimore) mentioned a long list of works, many of them to be recorded by certain designated artists. Mr. Gable shows discrimin- ating taste in his suggestions and many of the works he mentions are by no means entirely be- yond the limit of the possible, or even the prob- able. We might select the following from the works he names as the most likely to be recorded in the not too distant future: Respighi’s Pines of Rome and Violin (Gregorian) Concerto (Spalding, if possible); Till Eulenspiegel (Koussevitzky) ; Sibelius’ First and Fourth; Schumann’s Fourth (in Stock’s re-orchestrated version) ; the Chopin Etudes by Godowsky in his own arrangements; Strauss’ Don Quixote; Strawinsky’s Rite of Spring (Stokowski) ; Brahms’ Second, Third and Fourth (Stock or Stokowski) ; and the Tchaikow- sky Violin Concerto (a rather surprising omission from recorded literature, considering its great concert hall popularity). Among the others, the following are much less practicable, yet our mouths, too, water for them: Vaughn-Williams’ Pastoral Symphony, Delius’ Appalachia, ’cello (Miss Beatrice Harrison) and violin concertos (Mr. Gable forgot to mention the sublime Sea-Drift) ; Roussel’s Symphony (Koussevitzky); Liszt’s great Faust Symphony ; the Marx songs (Mme. Alda sings some of these m concert occasionally) ; the Loeffler works; and Arnold Bax’s November Woods and E flat minor Symphony. Among the major symphonic works which un- doubtedly will be recorded or re-recorded during the coming season, it would seem almost certain that one at least of the leading companies will take advantage of the overwhelming demand for Scheherazade and the Franck Symphony to re- lease an effective electrical version. These two works are the most serious omissions at present from the literature of adequate modern record- ings; surely not many moons will pass before they are announced for issue. Close upon their heels comes the much de- manded Romeo and Juliet Overture of Tchaikow- sky, to which might well be added a re-recording by Coates of his thrilling performance of Fran- cesca da Rimini and the Fifth Symphony. Tchai- kowsky’s Fourth is not yet available in an ade- quate version; the H. M. V. set is not without some merit, but as an early experiment in the new process of recording, it is quite unable to bear comparison with the current orchestral releases. The visit of Ravel and Bartok to this country during the coming season may result in the new issue of some of their works on records, parti- cularly as far as the former is concerned. Bar- tok is rather strong meat at present, yet many of his little piano pieces are by no means inconoclas- tically terrifying. The Polydor-Japanese Phono- graph Society version of his Second String Quartet is very slightly known. If the reports of its merits are well founded, it would seem a pity that it did not achieve a wider circulation. Ravel’s position is quite different, however, and his works are all well established in the concert repertories. The National Gramophonic Society is leading the way with a version of his String Quartet—approved by the composer himself— which from advance reports promises to be one of the most notable chamber music sets ever is- sued. The Victor Company has the splendid Coates version of La Valse available for Ameri- can release. Undoubtedly it is being held back to appear during the composer’s visit; it is a most impressive performance and recording, and one that cannot fail to win a large sale. The quaint little Mother Goose Suite would seem an excel- lent choice for re-recording; it has always been among his most popular works. Among other unrecorded compositions of Ravel, the Daphnis and Chloe Suites, the Spanish Rhap- sody, and the orchestral songs grouped under the title Scheherazade deserve first consideration. Kousevitzky’s concert performance of the second suite from Daphnis and Chloe, if it could ever be reproduced on records, would be the most surpris- ing musical bombshell that ever startled the unbe- lievers in the phonograph! The songs are less well-known, yet they rank among his very finest creations—particularly the one entitled “Asia”— and it is a real loss to every music lover that they can be heard so seldom. With a really capable singer and orchestra, a recorded version would be an unique contribution to recorded literature. It seems almost unfair to ask for more works, now that so many works of the highest class are being issued so liberally; indeed, suggestions are no longer requests, they are coming to be merely