Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 5 (1928-02)

164 The Phonograph Monthly Review February, 1928 The Victor Company boasts also a number of excellent instrumental and vocal records, includ- ing Herz’s splendid performance of the Fifth and Sixth Hungarian Dances of Brahms, songs by Elena Gerhardt, Gigli and de Luca, the Metropoli- tan Opera House Chorus, Cortot, Harold Samuel, etc. Nor should mention be omitted of the re- recorded Lucia Sextette, sung by Galli-Curci, Homer, Gigle, Pinza, De Luca, and Bada. The most significant domestic release of all has been reserved for the last. The Edison Com- pany in the past has not been unknown to belittle America’s capacity to appreciate the best music. (Many will remember Mr. H. L. Wilson’s letter to “The Gramophone” on the topic of Mr. Edi- son’s expressed views on this topic.) But now I am very happy indeed to see due atonement made. With the realization that this country is now ripe for the best things in music, the Edison Company has issued a beautiful set of Schu- mann’s Piano Quintet, played by E. Robert Schmitz and the Philharmonic Quartet of New York, and—on a long-playing disk—a concert consisting of Wagner’s Tannhauser and Meister- singer Overtures and Introduction to Act II of Lohengrin on one side, with Tchaikowsky’s Nut- Cracker Suite (all played by the American Sym- phony) on the other! The long-playing record has not yet reached us, but the Schumann Quin- tet convinces' me that all Edison owners, (and en- thusiasts with attachments to play Edison disks) deserve the heartiest congratulation—and the Edison Company itself our sincerest thanks. I advise every music lover to follow this new de- parture closely for it will be of the utmost im- portance to recorded music. These two releases are only the beginning, and what an excellent beginning it is! Let me call the special attention of everyone in- terested in the Phonograph Society Movement to the Rev. Satcher’s description of the organization and development of the Cheltenham Society in the Phonograph Society Reports of this issue. The success of his work is good proof that the societies can flourish only where there is no com- mercial interference or influence exerted and where amateur music lovers are at the helm. If such progress can be shown by an organization in a small community like Cheltenham, what greater progress should be made in the larger communi- ties, where the ever-increasing sales of the best records indicates that an ever-growing group of phonograph enthusiasts are available for pros- pective membership? Rev. Satcher’s example demonstrates how the interest and support of these prospective members may be won. Those w r ho are planning to organize Societies can find no better example to following than this one in Cheltenham. On my last visit to New York I had the pleas- ure of meeting Mr. William H. Tyler of the New York Band Instrument Company. His stores and those of Mr. H. Royer Smith of Philadelphia provide as excellent examples for record dealers to follow, as the Cheltenham organization pro- vides for Phonograph Societies. A visit to pro- gressive stores like those directed by Messrs. Tyler and Smith will convince anyone of the new era in the management of phonograph stores. For contrast with the best modern con- ditions is a cartoon (to be printed next month) which appeared recently in a leading Cleve- land daily and was sent in by one of our Cleveland friends. The antiquated shop it de- picts, where the music lover who wished to pur- chase good records was met only with inattention and inefficiency, is now happily being driven out by men like Tyler and Smith who believe with “Mr. Harrolds” that records can best be sold by those who are ardent music lovers themselves. i had the pleasure of spending an evening with Mr. Tyler and a few mutual friends and I was surprised to find almost every important release of recent years on the shelves of his private li- brary, all of them constantly heard and studied by him and his friends and associates. The best idea of his progressiveness can be obtained by reading the preface to his remarkable catalogue of imported records. He writes: “The unusual interest many of our customers have showin in Better Music has prompted us to import this list of records, all of which up to the time of writ- ing are not listed in any catalogue in the United states and many of which will never be offered through our domestic phonograph companies. Most of these works have been requested many times and all of them have been asked for. Many did not know they had been recorded and if so, wondered if they were electric recordings and where they might be heard and obtained. So, in order to offer the best service possible to our more alert American Music Lover and record en- thusiast, we have overcome many difficulties and obtained these records for sale in our stores, at the lowest prices possible. The old way of order- ing from Europe without hearing and waiting weeks and sometimes months and then very often receiving broken records we hope has been elim- inated.” Nor is Mr. Tyler the only representative of the new era in the record dealers’ world. I have just received an invitation to a meeting celebrating the opening of a new addition to Mr. Royer Smith’s Tenth Street store in Philadelphia, and the inauguration of his going into the record mail order business on a large scale. I under- stand that over fifty prominent collectors, manu- facturers’ officials, etc., will be present, and need- less to say I am looking forward to the meeting with anticipation. Such things as these dealers’ (and many others) progressiveness and the Edison Com- pany’s new departure are the best omens for in- creasing success of the phonograph movement. The steady interest and rapidly growing sub- scription list of the magazine is another. The movement is rolling forward with ever greater momentum. Nothing can obstruct its progress now!