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

90 The Phonograph Monthly Review December, 1928 Shanghai, and so in availing myself of the kind hospitality of your columns, I am really throwing all discretion to the winds. The reason is plainly evident to those who read my explanation which I will now give. I am sure your en- thusiastic readers must still have in mind the very illuminating review from the pen of my friend Rev. Charles Boynton which he wrote sometime last November. I may frankly say that Rev. Boynton left very little unsaid, so that these remarks are merely intended to serve as a supplement to the older letter. Not having the wide experience of Rev. Boynton, or the eloquent stylq or musicianship of your two intensely in- teresting correspondents (who by the way have always some- thing new to impart to your readers) Harry Gable and Harry Anderson, I am quite sure your readers will regard my at- tempt with a spirit of indulgence. Having now armed myself with the above excuses I may as well begin my subject. I also have something to tell which will serve as a very pleasant surprise to your readers who are interested in recorded music. It is a well-known secret now that Albert Coates and The London Symphony Orchestra have recorded a complete version of Peroushka, and it is pronounced one of the finest record- ings made by H. M. V. to date. I am also informed that Coates will do the Prince Igor Dances (complete) with full chorus, Romeo and Juliet excerpts and other interesting pieces sometime this autumn. This by the way. The three well-known brands here are Victor, Columbia and Brunswick. Only recently, dealers have begun to import Odeon and Parlophone records, and The Gramophone Shop which opened out here last month is introducing Broadcast records, the product of the Vocalian factory. Incidentally I should like to mention that these records are manufactured under a new process wherewith a 10” disc plays a full 12” selection, while an 8” disc plays the same time as a 10” disc. These long playing records are one better than the Bruns- wick records which fall under the same category. The re- cording is excellent, and the selections are of the same type as Victor Salon music. The Gramophone Shop is appointed sole distributors for the National Gramophonic Society’s re- cords and they are now ready to accept orders for “The Gramophone”, books, and N. Gr. S. records. The Japanese agents for Victor and Columbia now deal chiefly with the Companies’ factories in Japan, so that all records are ob- tainable in four or five days after placing the order. The labels of Victor records are of the usual Orthophonic design but there the resemblance ceases. The quality is far below that of the products of the Camden or Oakland factories. I say this in spite of the Company’s announcement that all the raw materials are imported from the States. These remarks apply as well to Columbia. It is now a year since the Polydor people opened their factory in Japan, and judging from the records I have in my collection they are worthy of rank with the best known brands. The scratch on these re- cords are negligible and do not interfere with the enjoyment of the music. I am really glad to say that the Victor representatives here —Messrs. Moutrie and Co., Ltd., are now stocking certain numbers of the Monthly H. M. V. releases, and this is a real boon considering that in the olden days it took no quicker than four to five months to execute a special order. Messrs. Moutrie are rather under-stocked at present, and up to now no news is available as to when the new Victor (special) New Year releases are expected. This firm has fitted up a most up-to-date exquisite Salon for displaying Victor machines of the electric type of medels, and no doubt this will create some sort of enthusiasm for the remarkable Victor machines. I wonder if there is a connoisseur “with soul so dead” who could enter this impressive show-room and leave it without placing an order for at least one machine after his own liking. I must at least confess that I very seldom enter this elysian Salon for fear that I might succumb to the wiles of a Victor Circe. I can reliably state that four of our leading members of the Community on entering this third-floor parlour could not resist the temptation of ordering on the spot, machines of the Aut.omatic-Electrola variety. I have great admiration for the Columbia representatives— The Robinson Piano Co., Ltd., who are not only efficient in looking after their clients, but who are even more eager to interest people in music. They have a highly intelligent staff of Chinese who seem to know the tastes of the people who frequent their record-salons. The classical man. the dance maniac, the organ enthusiast, the military band fanatic all leave the Salon with huge grins of satisfaction. And all this is due to the enterprising manager, Mr. Davis of the Sales Dept. At one time he had the happy idea of presenting musical programmes through the medium of Columbia records and the Ampico Player, but through lack of support the whole scheme fell through. I am sorry to say that I have no praise for the Brunswick representatives here, in fact I have a genuine grievance to file against the slip-shod manner in which they go about their business. Not only are they behind time in their releases and badly short of stocks, but they have the temerity to charge their old prices and that in spite of their world-wide announcement as to the reduction of prices. The only excuse the representative here makes is that since they lost so much money on the old recordings it is quite justifiable to make their innocent customers pay through the nose. This is most unfair to the record-en- thusiast. Now that I have given a fair picture of the record shops, let us turn our attention to the subject of musical interest in Shanghai. Barring aside the amateurs who give fairly decent concerts from time to time, and the weekly programs of our splendid Orchestra under Maestro Paci. I am certain the gramophone plays a very great role in weaning people and making them realise the spirtual urge and fascination in music. First and foremost there are countless number of pieces which cannot for some reason or other be played in a small town such as Shanghai, and the music lover has no other alternative but to fall back and enjoy his gramophone be it a Consolate or Credenza (I have no sympathy for people who play music on a portable) and listen to the rythmic beats of the March and Scherzo of “The Love of the three Oranges” of Prokofieff to select an instance at random. Realizing this I have tried my utmost to bring people to think the may I do, namely to rely more on the excellent performances which the gramophone provides today. This was only made possible through the medium of the Radio. Being the possessor of 2000 or so Orthophonic records, as well as an excellent library of authoritative books on music, and miniatures scores of the great symphonies, I was in a position to interest the radio authorities in the project of presenting a weekly Friday-night classical program. I am glad to say that these radio-concerts have now been presented for the last three years without any interruption at all. In fact, the letters I receive from time to time prove its popularity beyond the least shadow of a doubt. One of the directors of the China Broadcasting Association, on writting to me called these classical evenings “the only worthwhile programs that the musical public look forward to”, and on another occasion he wrote describing same as gaining “universal approbation from all and sundry.” Now the way I present these programs is clear and simple. In the two hours at my disposal every Friday (9-11 P.M.) I present an overture, an aria, a symphony and example of chamber music. Intelligent and concise notes are published every Friday morning in the leading daily newspaper under Radio Notes, and I try to avoid as far as possible any technical explanations which may bore the average listener. Sometimes 1 announce a full opera giving a short synopsis of the scenes, the words of the principal arias and a brief outline of the action. I remember the presentation of “Pagliacci” in English (Columbia) was enthusiastically re- ceived by the public. In the case of the music drama say of the type of “Die Walkure” I include the outline of themes which are illustrated on the piano and this goes a long way to enhance the general effect. Once a month I include a one-composer evening in which I emphasize the various aspects of the same composer’s genius. The studio of the China Broadcasting Association would make an excellent music- parlour because of its atmosphere of homeliness and comfort. Every Friday we have a group of music-lovers who come all the way to the studio to enjoy two hours of music amid congenial surroundings. I provide for these friends printed programmes—an exact copy of the one sent to the newspaper. Our studio machine is a Credenza of the old style. Adjoining the studio there is a small room which has a fine six-tube radio set, and this is used for adjusting the distance of the microphone from the machine and for the purpose of tests. I enclose a few speciman copies of programs to illustrate the work that is being done here. I must not forget to mention the four Schubert evenings which I presented to commemorate the centenary of the great master. These are to be followed by further programs as the new records are announced by the various Companies. The Shanghai public are to enjoy four concerts in which the