Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 2 (1929-11)

0 The Phonograph Monthly Review November, 1929 K8 > ' m — 1 " 1 .. _1 . — --- ■ . | ■ The leading* French release is two records of unspecified choruses from Honegger’s King David sung by the Choruses of Saint-Guillaume de Stras- bourg with organ and orchestra (French Odeon), Pierne conducts new versions of Rimsky's Span- ish Caprice and Flight of the Bumble Bee (French Odeon) ; Parlophone issues a new Ro- man Carnival Overture; Cloez conducts Mous- sorgsky’s Danse petite-russienne (French Odeon) ; Schillings conducts a new version of the Eroica Symphony (Parlophone) ; Debussy’s La Mer is conducted by Coppola for French H. M. V.; Pathe issues Beethoven’s Quintet in E flat, No. 1, for wood wind and piano; artists of the Berlin Opera play Mozart’s Serenade No. 10 for thirteen wind instruments; Rosenthal plays De- bussy’s Reflets and Albeniz’ Triana for Parlo- phone, and his own Paraphrase on the Blue Danube Waltz for German H. M. V.; Otto Klemperer conducts a new version of Till Eulen- spiegel (Parlophone) ; Bodanzkv conducts Mo- zart’s Magic Flute Overture (Parlophone) ; and the German H. M. V. issues a four-disk album of Barber of Seville excerpts. Most important of the European releases, however, is the long- awaited Tchaikowsky Violin Concerto, Op. 35, played by Bronislaw Huberman with the Grand Symphony Orchestra under Steinberg. The many loyal friends of Columbia who have written us time and again regarding the Colum- bia labels will be happy to learn that as always Columbia has proved its earnest desire to make improvements where improvements are due. The labels of this month’s Masterworks releases now have the part numbers clearly given in prominent type and conspicuous position on the label,—a very great convenience indeed. Mention should also be made of the fact that several months ago Columbia adopted the admirable policy of print- ing the composer’s name before instead of after the title of the composition, and also giving it the equal type prominence that it logically should have. Our printers are now working on the Indices for Volumes I. II, and III, and we expect to have them available for delivery by the middle of No- vember. As soon as, they are off the press copies will be shipped out to those who have already placed their orders. The Musical Ladder By ROBERT DONALDSON DARRELL (Ballets and Suites; Conclusion) I N lighter vein are the Nutcracker and Sleep- ing Beauty Ballets of Tchaikowsky. The form- er is best in Stokowski’s performance (Vic- tor 6615-7) and the latter in the version by Goossens and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (in Victor album M-40). Still lighter are Popy’s Oriental Suite, recorded with superlative bril- liance by Dr. Weissmann (Odeon 3262-3), and the better-known Causcasian Sketches of Ippoli- tow-Iwanow. There were complete acoustical versions of these in the old Polydor and Edison Bell catalogues, but none—so far as I know— available electrically. The only electrical ver- sions out in this country at present are the Pro- cession of the Sardar and In the Village, played by Stokowski (Victor 1355 and 6514 respective- ly) and the International Orchestra (Brunswick 77008). A good complete set is needed. Coming to the familiar ballets we have first those of Delibes: Coppelia excerpts are played by Sokoloff on Brunswick 15189, Verbrugghen on Brunswick 50087, Dr. Hertz on Victor 6586, Dr. Weissmann on Odeon 5162; the Sylvia Ballet is complete in Malcolm Sargent’s version (H. M. V. C-1417-8), excerpts are played by Bourdon on Victor 35879, Dr. Hertz on Victor 1166; excerpts from Naila are played by Michailow’s Orchestra on Odeon 3082 and by Dr. Weissmann on Parlo- phone P-9374; the Lakme ballet music is com- plete in the version by Cloez on French Odeon 165076 and 165078. The ballet music from Gounod’s Faust is well done by Sir Henry Wood on Columbia 7112-3-M; there are European versions by Byng on H. M. V. C-1462-3, and Cloez on Parlophone E-10714-5. Le Cid ballet is best in Dr. Hertz’ recent version (Victor album M-56) ; there are also sets by Goossens (H. M. V. C-1638-9) and Chagnon (English Columbia 9566-7). For a discussion of this and other Massenet ballets reference should be made to Mr. Hadley’s article running current- ly in this magazine. Bizet’s L’Arlesienne suite is perhaps best in Chagnon’s version (Columbia 1930-1), but that by Goossens is not far behind (Victor 9112-3) and is followed by Scljreker’s (Parlophone E- 10597-8). The Carmen suite is best in Stokow- ski’s version (Victor 1356 and 6863-4), although Sir Henry Wood also does well with it. Bizet’s Petite Suite is little known, but the Victor Con- cert Orchestra’s records should be valuable in educational work (Victor 19730 and 35758).