Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 3, No. 1 (1928-10)

18 The Phonograph Monthly Review October, 1928 self in perfect agreement with your reviewers. At such a low price, it will encourage those who hesitate to take a chance on it. The real music lover who is familiar with the masterpieces will hail the new recording as a departure from the old familiar stuff, which, while possibly superior as music, nevertheless has been dinned into our ears until we are tired of it. Undoubtedly, the rival recording companies will watch the progress of the Rachmaninoff set. If it is successful, it will indicate to them that there is a large field for major works of merit which have not been overdone by the conductors and recording companies, and we look to them to follow the worthy example of Brunswick. As may be recalled, I have been agitating through your columns for the record- ing of some symphonies by Jan Sibelius. Knowing that Mr. Sokoloff in the past has been very partial to the great Finn’s works, I am living in hopes that Brunswick may be encour- aged to record the Cleveland Orchestra in at least one of his symphonies. The 1st, 4th and 5th and my particular favorites. It was pleasing to see that Victor has added quite a few worthy recordings to the International list, at low prices. Is this their answer to Columbia’s recent action in lowering some of their celebrity records into the Si class? If so, we shall see a battle royal, and the buying public will benefit accordingly. What we want are cheaper album sets. It was easy to foresee these changes when Brunswick made its dras- tic price cut. Paying $7 for the Rachmaninoff set and $12 for Victor’s Tschaikowsky No. 5 (each in six records) gives one food for thought. Let Brunswick greatly enlarge their classical catalogue and issue some lengthy recordings by Gieseking, Godowsky, the Cleveland and Minneapolis Or- chestras, and import some of the finer Polydor numbers, and it will not be long before $2 orchestral records will be but a memory. A good single record may be worth $2, but album sets should be sold at a discount. Take the case of the new Rigoletto album of Victor. In England, these are plum label records and sell at about $1.08. Why are they red seal here, at $1.50 each? Would not $1.25, black label, have been suf- ficient? Were it Meistersinger, Tristan or the like, I would buy it immediately, but Rigoletto is something else. This is a great album for increasing the number of music lovers who now are merely novices and a reasonable price would have worked wonders in that direction. $3.75 is real, money and I think that with the lower price, Victor would have picked up quite a few more customers. New York City. Emil V. Benedict. FOREIGN “RELEASES” Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: A paragraph which appeared on page 391 of the August issue of your magazine, in which you touch upon the re- pressing in this country of foreign releases, impressed me as a very timely one and worthy of a longer and more serious discussion. My criticism is. at this lime, directed principally at the Victor Co. for its handling of its foreign records. Many of the finest recordings are buried so deep in the “foreign” lists or supplements, and so completely ignored in the domestic catalogs and advertising literature that the average or oc- casional record buyers, who, after all constitute the greater part of the market — cannot reasonably be expected to know that these records are available or even in existence. Is it a wonder that the “demand” for these records is not great and that thre is not much “sale” for them in this country? Following are some of the records I have in mind as this is written: Wotan’s Farewell from the Valkyrie (68863) as sung by Kipnis—an operatic number and first class in every respect. Rachmaninoff’s Prelude and Liszt’s Nocturne (68865)—both splendidly played by Weber’s orchestra and well recorded. Pilgrims Chorus and the March from Tannhaeuser (68845) by the chorus and orchestra of the State Opera of Berlin — an- other marvelous record, and like Kipnis, worthy of a Red Seal. A complete recording of Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz (68928)—to me far preferable to the abbreviated one by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Record No. 68824 (Wach auf and the Kirchenchor from the Meistersinger) has been given tardy recognition and is now available in the Domestic series as No. 9160 — at $1.50 — while still available in the foreign series at $1.25. Then there are fine operatic excerpts by the chorus and orchestra of La Scala—the most famous of all theatres and the shrine of grand opera—particularly records 68822, Cavalleria and Pagliacci, No. 68908 Iris and Norma, also 79394, 80034 and 80177. This month (September) the LaFeria Suite (81259 and 81260) played by one of the finest bands in the world, also Fidelio Overture (81257) and the Flying Dutchman Overture (59010) played by the Berlin State Opera orchestra, are to be brought out and carefully concealed by being placed in the “foreign” series where only a detective or a bloodhound could find them. Of the many record retailers in this city (Los Angeles) only two or three make any effort to stock or supply “foreign” records and the leading manufacturers seem to pur- posely place every possible discouragement and impediment in the path of the purchaser of “foreign” records. First he must delve through innumerable “foreign” supplements (if, indeed, he is so fortunate as to be able to secure the said supplements) only to be told that the store does not stock the “foreign” series but will gladly (?) order them for him. Then there is often a delay of weeks before delivery is made. Personally, I have had to wait from thirty to sixty and even ninety days and I no longer expect to receive my “foreign” records until at least thirty days after they are scheduled for release. Of course this may be only a local or, at most, a western situation and may be non existent in the east. However, be that as it’ may, the present method of releas- ing recordings of standard works and by standard organiza- tions and artists is little less than an insult to the taste and intelligence of the American music lover and an injustice to the phonograph enthusiast who, after all is the one who must pay the bill. The existing situation certainly is far from satisfactory. Trusting that this will be taken as intended — as a bit of constructive criticism, I am sincerely Los Angeles, Cal. R. J. B. Editor’s Note: The record manufacturers welcome criti- cism as sincere and conscientious as this of Mr. Bowers un- questionably is. We agree with Mr. Bowers that there can be little value to the companies in issuing fine works in their foreign supplements and then failing to make them easily available. However there is quite a bit to be said in de- fence of the manufacturers. In the words of an official: “The listing of material in the domestic supplements must follow pretty closely the general musical taste of the market. Throughout the entire United States this taste is so pre- dominately for popular music and sentimental ballads that the listing of classics must necessarily be limited and con- fined more than ever to standard orchestral works, particu- larly complete symphonies. “From a commercial point of view it would not be feasible to include in the domestic supplements many fine records of standard compositions which are issued through the Foreign-Domestic Department. The sale would be too lim- ited to warrant the expense and it would react unfavorably upon the numbers included in the supplement. It would be a case of diminishing utility to swell the domestic supple- ment with more numbers than they now comprise. “Records of the type covered by Mr. Bowers’ criticism will be included in the 1929 Victor General Catalogue and the Trade will be so notified. This, of course, will overcome the problem very largely, on those now released, after the first of the coming year.” At present, record buyers interested in these works can do the most good by getting their dealers interested in them also, so that the latter follow their foreign supplements regu- larly and closely and get advance stocks of these works, or at least become familiar with the fact that such works exist — as many dealers have yet failed to do! AN OKEH FAN’S LAMENT Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: I appreciate your letter of August 29th with reference to space devoted in your magazine to popular records, and am writing again because I believe you have misinterpreted my original letter. My criticism was that instead of giving some information as to the merits or demerits of the records, many of them are merely listed without any critical comment whatever.