Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 3, No. 3 (1928-12)

December, 1928 The Phonograph Monthly Review 89 SONORA TO GO ON AIR The Sonora Phonograph Company and its parent Company, the Acoustic Products Company, manufacturers of Sonora Melodons, radios, phonographs, tubes, loud speakers and phonograph records, have joined the ranks of the national advertisers sponsoring radio programs of musical entertain- ment. A contract has been signed with the Columbia Broadcast- ing System for “The Sonora Hour” to be broadcast every Thursday evening from 9 to 10 Eastern Standard Time, 8 to 9 Central Standard Time, commencing November 1st. The program will be broadcast direct from the Recording Studios of the Sonora Phonograph Company at 50 West 57th Street in New York. “The Sonora Hour” will emanate from twenty-one stations, including the short wave station 2XE, which reaches all parts of the world. Stations included in the hook-up are, WABC and 2XE in New York, WOR, Newark, N. J., WNAC, Boston, WEAN, Providence, R.I., WICC, Bridgeport, Ct., WFAN, Philadelphia, WSBL, Syracuse, WMAK, Buffalo, WLBW, Oil City, Pa., WJAS, Pittsburgh, WADC, Akron, O., WAIU, Columbus, O., WKRC, Cincinnati, WSPD, Toledo, WHK, Cleveland, WGHP, Detroit, WOWO, Ft. Wayne, WBBM, Chicago, KMOX, St. Louis, and KMBC, Kansas City. The programs will be of the “variety” type. They will comprise every type of selection from the standard classic to the light popular. Famous vocal and instrumental soloists will appear on these programs as well as the Sonora Sym- phony Orchestra, the Sonora Salon Group and the Picadors, a popular dance orchestra. Correspondence The Editor does not accept any responsibility jor opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken of un- signed letters, but only initials or a pseudonym will be printed if the writer so desires. Contributions of general interest to our readers are welcomed. They should be brief and writ- ten on one side of the paper only. Address all letters, to CORRESPONDENT COLUMN, Editorial Department, The Phonograph Monthly Review, 47 Hampstead Road, Jamaica Plain, Boston, Mass. IN REPLY TO F. M. Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: I was indeed mortified to read, in your November issue, that F. M. of Cleveland characterized me as the high priest of a new kind of kickers. It had an angry tone, but I refuse to feel that I have been offened mortally. I do think, how- ever, that I should be given an opportunity to make myself plain on some points. F. M. says that we kickers want the best for as cheap as we can get it. If by cheap he means inexpensive, what harm is there in wanting something good for as low a price as we can get? That applies to any line. We obtain great pleasure from our records for a long span of years. Doeis that mean that because we get our money’s worth, we should repay the recording companies accordingly? They are not in business for their health and we pay a good price for any- thing they sell. They are not in the habit of selling at a loss. I did not originate any campaign for lower prices. I merely joined in with my opinions after others had started the discussion. I personally would not give a nickle for a record if it did not come up to my stardard. I have purchased all kinds of expensive records and was glad to pay the price. I have never felt that I was being swindled. I was very glad to get Scheherazade, the Brahms No. 1 and others sold at a high price but which are worth it. Nevertheless, just because I admire the music and especially the recording, I do not feel that the Victor Company is philanthropic and that they should charged double. There are several aspects of this discussion which I would like to touch upon and they are points which have been raised by other readers of your paper. Point No. 1: When Brunswick made its drastic price reduction, did they cheapen the quality of their product? ly endeavoring to build up a catalogue of high grade num- No. Their recording has steadily improved. They are serious- bers. I have not heard that they now obtain their artists for low fees in order to keep on with their low prices. Point No. 2: The Columbia now sells practically all records (aside from Masterworks albums) for the top price of $1. I trust they are not losing money on them. If F. M. will notice, he will be struck wjth the fact that some of these SI records were made by Sir Hamilton Harty and his Halle Orchestra, as well as Weingartner and the Royal Philharmonic. If re- cordings of shorter works can be sold for SI, why are we penalized for buying them by the albums? I believe they are wonderful value for SI.50 each, but is it not natural that some people should ask why there are two prices for the same orchestra? If there is to be a cut in price, I would rather see it on albums, where we must buy more, than on single records. Point No. 3: Are we to understand that only the Victor Company pays high prices to its artists, thus keeping up the price of its records? I hasten to add that I would pay any- thing to get the finest music and that I would be the last to insist on low prices if it meant cheaping the present high quality. But I feel that Brunswick and Columbia have turned out some orchestral and chamber works, at prices lower than Victor’s which are worth, in quality, just as much as the latter company’s products. I am not forgetting that American orchestras and artists charge more than their Euro- pean brothers; but does the Philadelphia Orchestra and its leader get exactly twice as much as the Cleveland Orchestra and Mr. Sokoloff? Perhaps; I don’t know. F. M. makes mention of the Cleveland Orchestra and warns us that we may expect to have fine records of their playing this winter. Bravo! I agree with him. I think there is a thrill in listening to the remarkable tone and disciplined playing of the Philadelphia Orchestra, but with all due respect to them, I don’t believe I ever heard a more overwhelming record performance than the Cleveland band gave in the Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2. Such conducting and such responsive performance has not bken surpassed on records, at least. If Mr. Stokowski had given that work, we would have perhaps admired the more perfect precision of the playing, but I doubt whether we would have had the warmth and feeling, especially in the strings, which Mr. Sokoloff gave us. What I want to know is this: Did F. M. rush back to the store and insist on paying double prices for the Rachmaninoff set, or did he merely congratulate himself that he had received, at a most reasonable price, a very fine record? Does he feel that measured in dollars and cents, five records of Scheherazade are worth S3 more than six records of the Rachmaninoff No. 2? Both are American orchestras and do not work under cheap European conditions. What I want to bring out is that we should not be condemned for asking questions such as the above. It does not indicate cheapness of spirit or a desire to get something for nothing. True, I am not acquainted with the inside workings of the recording companies, but I feel that no organization has a monopoly on turning out good records. We don’t know from which source we shall next get perfection. Victor gives us the Philadelphia records and then Brunswick turns around and gives us some fine Cleveland examples. Columbia gives us the wonderful series of chamber works and the overwhelming Beecham series. The prices vary considerably. To those whose means are moderate, but who have plenty of enthusiasm, it seems a bit bewildering. Naturally, when prices are un- dergoing revision, discussion becomes inevitable. I trust that F. M. now feels differently about it. After all, the recording companies are not going to do anything de- trimental to their own interests, and we may lay a bet that they will not go one step backwards in the quality. They cannot afford it. Therefore, if anyone reduces prices, it is not at the point of a gun. We need not shed any tears over them. I shall cheerfully, as in the past, pay all kinds of prices, but I shall at the same time feel that I am not taking ad- vantage of them, either. The importance of the above is considerably dimmed by the announced intention of Victor to shortly issue the Franck Quintet, the Third and Fourth Symphonies of Brahms and the Tschaikowsky Fourth. Great news. To those who have been yelling for the Romeo and Juliet Fantasie Overture, I wish to say that it has come to my ears from the recording room that Stokowski has recorded it. Which shall I buy first? Now, let me see; I can afford so much this month and I think I’ll buy the—let’s see— New York City, N. Y. Emil V. Benedict PHONOGRAPHIC SHANGHAI Editor Phonograph Monthly Review: One cannot very well resist your kind invitation to con- tribute a general survey of phonographic conditions in