Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 12 (1930-09)

September, 1930, Vol. IV, No. 12 413 Correspondence The Editor does not accept any responsibility jor opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken oj un- signed letters, but only initials or a pseudonym will be printed if the writer so desires. Contributions oj general interest to our readers are welcomed. They should be brief and writ- ten on one side oj the paper only. Address all letters, to CORRESPONDENCE COLUMN, Editorial Department, The Phonograph Monthly Review, 5 Boylston Street, Cam- bridge, Massachusetts. The P. NT R, m the Prague Museum Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: Permit me to extend to you and to the Publishers of The Phonograph Monthly Review my sincere thanks for your kind donation of the July and August copies of the Review, containing Dr. J. E. S. Vojart’s articles on composer Smetana and his recorded works, to the National Museum in Praha (Prague), Czechoslovakia. For over three years I have been collecting material relat- ing in one way or another to Czechoslovakia, its people, hab- its, folklore, etc., for this museum. I am sure that when your magazines arrive at the museum, they will be duly appre- ciated and welcomed by Dr. Joseph Volf, director of the Mu- seum Library. American citizens of Czechoslovak (Bohemian) birth and origin sincerely appreciate, indeed, the great service which your magazine is doing to their nationals, not only by show- ing to their other American fellow citizens that they are de- scendants of one of the finest music loving nations of Europe, but also by calling to the attention of the public the phono- graphic records of great Czechoslovak composers like Bed- rich Smetana, Antonin Dvorak, and many others. I am glad that I may say that several newspapers published in the United States in the Czech and Slovak languages regis- tered with gratitude the fact that you published these articles. Cicero, Illinois J. V. Welcl Mr. Gerstle Comments Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: First of all, let me congratulate you on the remarkable im- provement of your magazine in the past few month, not only in its dress, but in its general tone. I have only one criticism to make, ajid that is, that in listing new foreign recordings, it would be much easier to read if they were given in the form of a table. There have been requests in your columns in recent months for the works of Sibelius, Bloch, Loeffier, Bax, Holst, Delius and Vaughan-Williams. Things are looking up! A couple of years ago the requests were for works by certain celebrated contemporaries of “synthetic” reputation, merely because their names were propagandized by the “interests” (yes, there are “interests” in the music business). I noticed two slips that mar your otherwise excellent Aug- ust issue. Maybe it was the heat, but I played the Proko- fiev Overture through four times and failed to find any trace of the obnoxious trumpets and piccolo which your re- viewer found fault with. I am quite certain that this work was recorded in its original form, namely, for string quartet, clarinet and piano. Another reviewer wrote about the Coat Song from “La Boheme,” which happened to be the Pro- logue from “Mefistofele” wrongly labeled. New York City Henry S. Gerstle H ome Talkies Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: With reference to the current discussion of mechanical mu- sic and the development of new instruments — advocated by Dr. Stokowski and many other musical pioneers, it is in- teresting to note that a new method of film recording has just been perfected by George K. Spoor, once of the fam- ous Essanay Company. Mr. Spoor’s system, which is called “Intersound,” records the sound waves upon the margin of the film rather than on its face. The advantages are length- ened film wear, the possibility of using larger screens, greater ease of making copies of the film, and lessened costs. First announcements (which of course are always highly enthus- iastic) estimate that with the new process it will be possible to manufacture home sound-film projection instruments for around thirty dollars. Meanwhile there is already an ingenious machine on the market that projects a succession of “still” pictures to the accompaniment of synchronized records. M. I. T. scientists are reported to have invented a rival to the Theremin, which ultilizes beams of light and a photo- electric cell to produce synthetic sounds which can imitate existing tone qualities and produce many more entirely new ones. It is played with a keyboard. The vast field of research into acoustics and electro-tech- nics has barely been begun. The next few years will un- doubtedly see revolutionary productions in the way of new instruments and new tonal qualities. Mechanical music seems to have dealt many of the old instruments a severe iff not fatal blow, but the nature of music is such that some new types of instruments will be devised to take the place of the old. Personal music making can never be killed. It is the duty of the phonograph, radio, and such new instru- ments as may be perfected to stimulate the desire to create music for oneself rather than to accept an entirely passive role as listener. New Haven, Conn. “Modernist^ Smetana Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: First of all I want to tell you how very interesting your magazine is this month, even as it is every time it comes out. The new print is a great improvement and makes the articles much easier to read. Especially notable were those of Harry Potamkin, William Seltsam and Nicolas Slomimsky, the last named who is one of the best informed musicians in the United States, as well as being a gifted composer and a delightful entertainer. Any one who has heard him do his duet with oranges and his advertising songs can testify to that. His connection with Serge Koussevitsky as his musical secre- tary also gave him a rare insight into modern music and its leading figures. He should be called upon often to submit articles which should be of universal interest. I note with interest the Smetana Discography by Dr. Vo- jan. I did not have The Phonograph Monthly Review in 1927 so I have no way of knowing if the records which I shall mention below were noted. Unfortunately I have not at hand the numbers the records themselves bear. Bartered Bride—Es muss, gelingen, Duet sung by Destinn and Morak; also by Rethberg and Tauber, Weiss ich doch eine, sung by Bohnen and (?). This last named is as I remember it the priceless moment when Bohnen in his deliciously Hibernian make-up as the marriage broker propounds the idea of marriage to the heart- sick suitor. I remember well a performance of this charm- ing opera at the Metropolitan, which by the way is one of the most felicitous productions in Mr. Gatti’s over-stocked repertory. The principals of the occasion were Mesdames Mueller, Hunter and Page and Messrs. Bohnen, Meader and Laubenthal. Herr Bohnen as the aforementioned Kezal car- ried a large watch with an alarm in it which seemed to al- ways ring at the inopportune time. After the duet with Hans the applause continued so long that he proceeded to the footlights, timed the demonstration and stage-whispered “Drei minuten” to Herr Bodanzky and the orchestra who shook with the proverbial mirth. Further mention should be made of the fine genre study that George Meader makes of Wenzel the half-wit, bowlegged bumkin that Kezal tries to sell to the delightful Marie. His entrance with umbrella and bun, eating and at the same time singing the exacting music, his by-play, his collapsive love-making and his bear- impersonation make the entire study a tour de force. Ma- dame Mueller made a winsome figure as Marie but her sing- ing did not efface memories of Emmy Destinn, Smetana’s country-woman who was the Marie of the first New York production, February 17, 1911.