Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 3, No. 7 (1929-04)

218 The Phonograph Monthly Review April, 1929 liant performance by Nathaniel Shilkret and the Victor Symphony. Among the vocal records two are extremely noteworthy, the Brindisi and Alle- lujah sung by Onegin, and a wonderful duet from Norma sung by Rosa Ponselle and Marion Telva, accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra under Setti. The same orch- estra, augmented by a chorus, is also heard in Martinelli’s recordings of Di Quella Pira from II Trovatore and the Cavalleria Rusticana Pre- lude and Siciliana. The Metropolitan Chorus is heard alone in the Gypsies’ and Matador’s Choruses from La Traviata. Marion Talley sings two sacred solos, Werrenrath is heard in two romantic songs, and Fernando Germani plays Liszt’s Introduction and Fugue (from the Fantasia on “Ad Nos Salutem”) on the famous Wanamaker Organ in New York. Among the popular releases are a large number of featured song disks by Eddie Cantor, Paul Oliver, Helen Clark, Frederick Vettel, Helen Kane, Evelyn Herbert, Gene Austin, etc. Most notable on the Odeon lists are a choral record by the Irmler Choir, heard in Mozart’s Ave Verum and Arcardelt’s Ave Maria, and a Richard Tauber release of two sensational Euro- pean song successes Ich Kiisse Ihre Hand Mad- ame and Eine Kleine Lieblei. From Brunswick there are significant vocal disks by Bonelli (Tosti’s Luna d’Estate and Brogi’s Visione Veneziana), Marie Tiffany (Pale Moon and Little Grey Home in the West), Marie Morrisey (Oh Promise Me and Cradle Song), Mario Chamlee (arias from Mignon), and a waltz coupling by the Brunswick Concert Or- chestra heard in Strauss’ Wine, Woman and Song and Thousand and one Nights. Brunswick also offers one of the most amusing records since the early days of the Two Black Crows, A Night at Coffee Dan’s, with Frank Shaw as Master of Ceremonies. If you want a real laugh, be sure to hear this record! I am very glad to announce that the Bruns- wick Company has informed us of the early re- lease of Dvorak’s Fourth Symphony, conducted by Basil Cameron, and recently reviewed in these pages from the British Brunswick press- ings. This work will probably be out by the first of May. Undoubtedly it will soon be followed by the complete set of Bach’s Six Brandenburg Concertos recorded for the British Brunswick Company by the London Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Anthony Bernard, and assisted by Walter Gieseking, Leon Goossens and other dis- tinguished soloists. From the Roycrofters (Wm. H. Wise & Co.), remembered for their famous English Singers records, we have received four excellent disks of unusual selections. Rudolph Gruen, composer- pianist, plays his own Danse Elusive (Beauty and the Beast) and Griffes’ Fountain of Acqua Pola. The Hudson Singers have two disks of fine male quartet performances, singing Water Boy, My Ole Banjo, I’m A Wand’ring, and Even- in’, and Kirby and Niles are heard in two re- markable “Negro Exaltations,” authentic ex- amples of Negro singing at its best. Among the leading releases in the “foreign” supplements we have from Victor the Chimes of Normandy and The Jesters Overture played by the Continental Symphony Orchestra under M. Diot, a Days of ’49 Medley Overture by Crea- tore’s Band, a potpourri from Der Vogelhandler played by Ferdy Kaufmann and his Orchestra, two arias from Lohengrin magnificently sung by Pertile assisted by members of La Scala Chorus and Orchestra under Carlo Sabaj no, Hymns to Rome and to Mussolini sung by Apollo Gran- forte, and a Life in Hungary Fantasy played by the Hungarian Rhapsody Orchestra. The leaders on the Odeon foreign list are a coupling of the Kiss and Cuckoo waltzes by the Okeh In- ternational Orchestra, an Intermezzo and Sere- nade by the Adjutant Headquarters Military Band, Marches by Becker’s Military Orchestra, and noteworthy song disks by Richard Tauber and Elizabeth Nolte. Columbia offers violin solos by Fred Handte (Sweet Mystery of Life and Gypsy Love Song), the usual outstanding Irish recordings, Waltzes by Romani’s Orches- tra, and an Italian sketch dealing with the pact between the Vatican and the Italian govern- ment. From Brunswick there are waltzes by the Banda Muncipal and the Vocalion Orquesta Internacional, the Schultz-Evler Arabesques on the Blue Danube Waltz played by the South American pianist Rosita Bernard, original banjo solos by L. S. Calby, and the usual long and in- teresting release of Mexican-Spanish records. From The Gramophone Shop we have received Coates’ performance of the Strauss Tod und Verklarung and a very fine Parlophone record of excerpts from Strauss’ new opera, The Egyp- tian Helen, played by Fritz Busch and the Berlin State Opera House Orchestra. From the H. Royer Smith Company we have several very in- teresting Polydor works on the way, including Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony conducted by Horenstein and Liszt’s Les Preludes conducted by Oskar Fried. From the New York Band Instru- ment Company we have received two disks by Pierne and the Concerts Colonne Orchestra, heard in excerpts from Berlioz’ Romeo and Juliet Choral Symphony; among others on the way from the New York Band are the complete Cavalleria Rusticana album (English Columbia) and Espana conducted by Coppola (French H. M. V.). The promised English Brunswick album con- taining the complete six Brandenburg Concertos of Bach is the outstanding British release of the month. Anthony Bernard is the conductor, di- recting the London Chamber Orchestra assisted by the following soloists: Walter Gieseking (piano), Rudolph Dolmetsch (harpsichord), Leon Goossens (oboe), Samuel Kutcher (solo violin and concertmaster), Ernest Hall (trumpet), Frank Almgill and Gordon Walker (flutes). The six concertos are contained on twelve records. H. M. V. offers a continuation of its Niebelun- gen Ring series with an album of excerpts from