Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 3, No. 9 (1929-06)

June, 1929 The Phonograph Monthly Review 291 marches by Creatore, a series of Red Seal Arabian records by Omme Kolsoum, light songs by Elisa- beth van Endert with Marek Weber’s Orchestra, two pieces by the Barcelona, Spain, Municipal Band, and transcriptions of Strauss’ Standchen and Ronald’s Down in the Forest played by De Groot’s orchestra and trio respectively. Among the noteworthy Columbia foreign re- leases we find the Norma Overture on a ten-inch disk played by the Milan Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Cav. Molajoli. The release of records like this of the leading orcnestras at a popular price is sure to attract great attention to the Columbia! Foreign supplements. There are also good waltzes by the Columbia Concert Or- chestra, an excellent vocal record by Marion Szekely, waltzes by Romani’s Orchestra, and well known songs by the Finnish baritone, Jean Thes- loff. The leading Brunswicks are Romito’s Ay-Ay- Ay and The Gypsy King in the Italian list, and the disks of Pilar Arcos, Los Trovadores, and the Or- questa Tipica Tovar in the Mexican list. The Odeon features are a new Tauber record, German songs by Franz Hoffman, two one-steps and a Portuguese Rhapsody by Dajos Bela and his Or- chestra, and a disk coupling the Guard of Honor and Bedouin Marches played by the Grand Odeon Orchestra. I am sorry the last disk was not played by what Odeon terms its “Grosses Odeon Streich- Orchester,” which has made such fine records in the past. I wonder how many of our readers have paid attention to the excellent series of old coun- try marches played by this organization. I should advise all who are interested in hearing typical old country marches performed exactly as by the better class orchestras in northern Europe to hear march records like Odeon 85195, Hoch- und Deutschmeister, 85191, Alten Kameraden, and 85187, Das ist mein Oesterreich. Of course we have also excellent American march records played by symphony orchestras; for instance, the Queen of Sheba Cortege and Tri- umphal March of Grieg played by the Victor Sym- phony under Pasternack (Victor 35763), and others. Some time ago a member of our Staff came to me after he had attended a concert at the Boston Symphony “Pops” where Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever March was played by the full or- chestra. He expressed his astonishment that a march originally written for band could sound so remarkably well when played by an orchestra. This associate knows when he has heard a good thing. I could inform him that abroad one of the well known marches played by a full symphony orchestra is among the most popular offerings of the leading concert halls. This again reminds me of last year when I at- tended a banquet given by the Victor Company at the Plaza Hotel in New York on the occasion of the announcement of their prize contests for the best American symphonic and concert jazz composi- tions. Among those present was John Philip Sousa, famous composer of Stars and Stripes Forever. A large symphony orchestra played at the ban- quet and when, among other artists, Sousa was called upon to speak, at the Toastmaster’s request he went to the conductor’s platform and led the orchestra in his most noted march. As many times as I have heard this composition played by Sousa himself and numerous others, I must admit that here was something that was never heard before. The orchestra was composed of the leading mem- bers of the Victor Symphony, and what a per- formance! I have never heard such applause before or since. Sousa barely escaped being car- ried back to his seat on the shoulders of some of the younger artists present. One of the leading members of the Victor Com- pany’s Repertory Department stated his belief to me that all of Sousa’s marches should be re- arranged and played by good orchestras, instead of the usual bands and inferior small organiza- tions. It has been a custom of the recording com- panies to have the major symphony orchestras of this country play a Strauss waltz or two in order to give the layman an opportunity to really enjoy one of these organizations’ recordings. It would be interesting to hear what these same orchestras could do with a popular march. Turning to our importers: From the Gramo- phone Shop we have received an abundance of ex- cellent records sent up for review, but I am sorry to say that on account of illness among our Staff many of these works were not reviewed in this issue. Among them are the complete Tristan and Isolde set, the Rhinegold, Siegfried, and Parsifal excerpts, the complete Traviata Album, the Pro- logue to Boito’s Mefistofele, Bach’? Concerto for Two Violins, and the Fonotipia and Italian Colum- bia sets of Respighi’s Pines of Rome. Tne former is reviewed elsewhere in this issue, but the latter arrived only today. It will be described in detail next month. Other works received from the Gram- ophone Shop are reviewed this month. From the H. Royer Smith Company we have received two French Columbia works: Witkow- ski’s Mon Lac and the Prologue and Polonaise from Moussorgsky’s Boris. Three string quartets from Polydor and a number of miscellaneous Poly- dor and French Columbia disks procured from Royer Smith some time ago are reviewed this month. From the New York Band Instrument Company we have received a four-part Parlo- phone recording of Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz played by Prof. Pembaur, the distinguished German pi- anist, and the Parlophone record of the Caliph of Bagdad Overture, conducted by Manfred Gurlitt. The long-awaited complete Aida recording ap- peared last month in England in versions from both H. M. V. and Columbia. Both sets are in two albums, eighteen records; Sabajno conducts the former and Molajoli the latter. The H. M. V. set lists Dusolina Giannini and Aureliano Pertile in its cast, while Arangi-Lombardi, Capuana, and Lindi are featured in the Columbia set. Columbia offers a real treat in the form of Brahms’ Violin Concerto played by Szigeti with Hamilton Harty and the Halle Orchestra. Also: