Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 3 (1927-12)

82 The Phonograph Monthly Review December, 1927 trical Figaro Overture, conducted by Dr. Weiss- mann, and coupled with the Polonaise from Boris Godounow, conducted by Otto - obrindt, who also conducts Kreutzer’s Overture tv Das Nachtlager in Granada. The overture series by the Grand Symphony orchestra is continued with Zampa; Edith Lorand plays Tales from the Vienna Woods; Dajos Bela, Lange’s Oriental and Rus- sian Fantasies, and the Grenadiers and Casion Tanze waltzes; Karol Szreter, pianist, Liszt’s Twelfth Hungarian Rhapsody; the Prisca String Quartet plays the slow movement from Haydn’s Emperor Quartet; and Emmy Bettendorf sings Schumann’s Mondacht, Schubert’s Der Linden- baum, Lassen’s Allerseelen, and Flotow’s Last Rose of Summer. Of particular interest is a spe- cial issue of ten-inch records priced at 2/6, and including works by Frank Westfield’s Orchestra (a three-part Dance of the Hours and a two-part Finlandia, etc.) ; Edith Lorand’s Orchestra (a two-part Blue Danube, and one-part Roses of the South, Wine Women and Song, Estudiantina, and Vienna Blood waltzes) ; the Cathedral Choir, and popular vocal and instrumental combinations. The English Brunswick Company issues a new electric Meistersinger Prelude by Max von Schil- lings, and re-presses a number of recent Amer- ican releases by Onegin, Danise, Godowsky, and various dance orchestras and popular vocal and instrumental artists. The National Gramophonic Society announces two complete works by Ravel, the String Quartet by the International Quartet, and the Sonatine for piano, played by Kathleen Long. The French Columbia Company has issued Ravel’s La Valse, as played by Gaubert and the Orchestra of the Paris Conservatory; and the French Victor Company, a new version of the Dukas L’Apprenti sorcier. Also from France comes news of a “novelty” record in a limited edi- tion selling at fifteen dollars; it is by James Joyce, reciting the speech of John F. Taylor from his novel “Ulysses”, and no doubt will be in great demand by collectors of unusual recordings and admirers of the author of this much-discussed book. A final item of note, is the issue of a Mas- cagni series, conducted by the composer, by the Polydor Company. Perhaps it will not be long before the Brunswick Company makes this series available here. So many outstanding domestic releases are available again this month that a choice among them is no less difficult than it was last month. We have had to use superlatives so often to ex- press our enthusiasm for this or that new record- ing that some of our readers may possibly con- sider us at the Studio extremists. But I defy any- one who really loves good music to be present at one of our Studio sessions and to restrain his feelings more than we do. As records approach more and more closely to both artistic and me- chanical perfection, our enthusiasm must natur- ally increase. How often during the past year have we used the term, “best ever!” and how often will we have to use it again! For an immediate example, there is this month’s group of Columbia Masterworks which is beyond question even better than any of the previous excellent Masterworks batches: in the choice of selections, in the performances, and in the recording. First, I should mention set no. 76, Haydn’s “Clock” Symphony, done with all Sir Hamilton Harty’s genius for delicate balance and orchestral finesse; the lovely second movement deserves special praise. Harty and the Halle Or- chestra also issue a new version of Dvorak’s New World Symphony (Masterworks No. 77 replacing the old No. 8) ; comment on this will be made in later paragraphs. No. 74 is perhaps the most welcome of all, since it brings back Dr. Damrosch and the New York Symphony in a much needed recording of Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite; strong testimony to the fact that Dr. Damrosch’s recent retirement from the active conductorship of the New York Symphony by no means marks the close of his musical career. Anyone interested in Ravel or modern musical reproduction at its best should not miss this set, which even beyond its mechanical merits repres- ents a notable superiority in interpretation over the old acoustic version of Coates. Sets 75 and 78 are two more highly praiseworthy additions to the Columbia library of chamber music. The former is the Lener’s version of Beethoven’s string quartet in D, Op. 18, No. 3; the latter is Grieg’s ’cello sonata in A minor, a composition whose actual musical merits seem scarcely to deserve the masterly performance by Felix Sal- mond and Simeon Rumschisky, and the remark- ably effective recording of the ’cello and piano. Also of note from Columbia is the first elec- trical Leonore No. 3 to be made available in this country. Sir Henry Wood deserves the credit for this best recorded version of the overture to date. Albert Sammon’s plays Tartini’s well known Devil’s Trill Sonata on two ten-inch records that will delight violin enthusiasts. Going on to the Victor releases, we find that at last this company has capitulated to the urgent public demand for an electrical recording of Franck’s great Symphony by—of course— Sto- kowski and the Philadelphia Symphony.. As al- ways, when they do a thing, they do it right! I shall ask our readers to listen especially to the second movement of this truly wonderful record- ing if they are still unconvinced that the phono- graph and records of today are the supreme mus- ical reproductive medium. What it means to have this noble and uplifting work available at one’s call will be realized, I am sure, by every music lover. During my last visit in Philadelphia I had the pleasure of conversing with several members of the Orchestra and after talking with them I can understand why the latest recordings of the Philadelphians are so superior to anything on the phonograph before. My readers may be sur- prised to learn that of the one hundred and ten men in the orchestra, at least eighty own phono- graphs and large libraries of the best records, and are as ardent phonograph enthusiasts as you and I. It was a great inspiration to. hear how those men discussed the different versions of re- corded symphonies and how proud they were of