Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 4, No. 8 (1930-05)

May, 1930 The Phonograph Monthly Review 287 Croatian-Serbian. The outstanding release is a fine two- part overture by Jenko, played with great spirit by the Muzika Kraljeve Garde (military band), and brilliantly recorded (V-3044). Cuban. Songs by Pilar Arcos on Brunswick 40956. Finish. Columbia issues four and Victor two records, the former featuring Jallu Honkonen, baritone, and the latter Toppila’s orchestra. French. See the highly significant Printemps-Guitry album given special review elsewhere in this issue. Vic- tor also issues a recitation disk by E. M. Stephan, heard in excerpts from Moliere’s L’avare and Racine’s Athalie. (M. Stephan is the head of the French department of Lon- don University.) French-Canadian. Columbia and Victor each issue sev- eral disks of which the best is Columbia 34295-F, vigorous performances of O Canada and The Maple Leaf Forever, played by the Columbia Band with male quartet choruses; and Victor V-5083, folk songs sung by Conrad Gauthier. German. See under “Viennese Music” and “German Hits” among the light music reviews; also under “Songs” and “Choral.” Among the remaining releases the best are Odeon 10568, resonant, rather pompous marches—Heil Deutschland; and So leb’ denn wohl!—played by the Odeon Militar Orchester; Columbia G-5191-F, lively popular songs by Charly Wittong; and Victor V-6065,, comics by Willy Prager. Greek. Columbia issues five and Victor three releases, the former featuring the Avlontis orchestra on 56184-F, and the latter Lina Doros with the Athenian Operetta Company in show hits on V-58050. Hungarian. The best are Victor V-11044, unaccompanied choruses by a male chorus of 100 voices, and V-11045, simple and pleasing piano transcriptions of familiar gypsy folksongs, admirably played by Janos Kurucz. Irish. The long Columbia list includes releases by the Flanagan Brothers, the Innisfail and Four Provinces or- chestras, Frank Quinn, John Griffin, and Seamus O’Doher- ty. The Victor Irish list has not reached me this month. Italian. The leading disks are Brunswick 58199, Neapoli- tan songs by Gilda Mignonette; Columbia 14570-F, a Rigo- letto Fantasy for solo clarinet and the Banda Italiana Columbia (a highly amplified and brilliant performance) ; Odeon 86031, spirited Italian marches by the Banda Mini- chini; and Victor V-12122, dance music by the Orchestrina Italiana. Lithuanian. Columbia features the Mahanojaus orchestra and Victor Jonas Butenas, baritone. Mexican. All four companies issue extensive lists. The leading disks are: Brunswick 40953, dance music by the Orquesta Costena; Odeon 16675 and 16677, spirited accor- dion solos by Emilio Vacher; Columbia 3995-X, songs by the Cancioneros Salinas; and Victor 46741, a comic mono- logue by Emilo Cabrera. Philippine. The only release is Columbia 3982-X, Ilocano songs by Pedro Reo Edalin. Polish. There are numerous releases, from which one might single out Odeon 11467, accordion and guitar duets by Jack and Tony; Columbia 18382-F, clarinet solos by John Wyskowski; and Victor V-16117, instrumentals by the Wladslaw Dombkowski quartet. Porto-Rican. Brunswick and Odeon are alone, the for- mer featuring the Grupo Antillano and the Orquesta Brunswick Antillana on 40939 and 40933, and the latter Los Jardineros on 14002-4. Portuguese. The best releases are an attractive song coupling by Adelina Fernandes on Victor 33018, and quite graceful guitar solos by J. Cavalheiro on 33016. Roumanian. Columbia holds the field alone with songs and accordion solos on 31104-5-F. Russian-Ukrainian. Dance by the Trembita orchestra on Victor V-21031, and religious songs by Banickoho on Columbia 20208-9-F. Scandinavian. Norwegian: Songs by Gudrun Ekeland on Odeon 25089 and 25090. Danish: Kong Christian and Der er et Yndict Land played by Den Kgl. Danske Liv- garde (Military band—recorded in Denmark),—sturdy, rou- tine performances (Victor V-20024). Swedish: dance mu- sic by Oscar Danielson’s orchestra (Columbia 26108-F). Spanish. Best of the long Brunswick and Victor lists are songs by Pilar Arcos and Jose Moriche on Brunswick 40941, 40943, and 40950; and fine songs by Vidal and Cueto on Victor 46688, and hits from Sunny Side Up on Victor 46774 and 46766. Turkish. Haffouz Kiamil Bey sings popular songs on Columbia 40026-F, and Kemani Memdouh Bey plays violin solos on 40027-F. — s. F. CATALOGUES FROM ABROAD A flood of current record catalogues have recently been pouring into the Studio through the kihdness of M. Jean Berard, Directeur Commerical de Columbia, of Couesnon’s, Paris, who has sent us the latest catalogue and supplements of the French Columbia Company, and of Mr. E. D. Mar- ker, Manager of the Trade Service Department of the Vic- tor Company, who has furnished us with the catalogues and supplements of all the leading foreign Victor affiliations. These include the Gramophone Companies in England (H. M. V.), France, (French H. M. V.), Germany (Elec- trola), Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Holland,—a most fer- tile source of noteworthy recordings known but by repute, if at all, in this country. In each instance the bulk of the catalogue is made up of the re-pressed recordings that are given international issue. But many a novel or new work has as yet been released only fn the country of its origin, and it is these rare “finds” that are so supremely appetiz- ing to the discriminating record connoisseur. From time to time attention will be called to these works in our pages. Many of the more important ones contained in the French Columbia and French H. M. V. catalogues are referred to in the article on “Representative French Records” appearing in this and the previous issue of the Phonograph Monthly Review. It is interesting to compare the different systems by which the various catalogues are compiled. The H. M. V., and Spanish H. M. V., catalogues are made on the same scheme as that of Victor in this country—one large alpha- betical listing of all disks, augmented by a separate Red Seal section in which the records are listed by artists alone. In addition the Spanish H. M. V. has a Historical Section, similar to that which the Gramophone Company in England issues separately as “Catalogue No. 2.” Most of the other catalogues are subdivided into a num- ber of major divisions. For example, those of the French Columbia booklet are: 1. works classed by kind (orches- tral, vocal, dance, etc.) ; 2. list of titles; 3. list of the more important composers; 4. list of artists. The French H. M. V. catalogue has a more elaborate system of division: ex- cerpts from Operas and light operas (listed under the work from which they are taken) ; various song lists (romances, patriotic, religious, etc.); educational; novelty, foreign; diction; band music; dances by title; instrumental by title; celebrity;. historical; list of principal composers ; dances by kind; '.instruments by kind; solo artists and orchestras. A somewhat similar method is followed by the Italian H. M. V., Electrola, etc., catalogues. I The picture on the front cover of this issue § is of Lawrence Tibbett, young American bari- g tone, whose recent sensational success in the 8 talking films caps the brilliance of his meteoric § rise to fame at the Metropolitan Opera House § a few years ago. Tibbett is an exclusive Victor g artist and already has a considerable phono- 8 graphic repertory ranging from opera to hits 8 from his film—The Rogue Song. Perhaps his g most noteworthy records are the spirited per- g formances of the Prologue to Pagliacci, the g Toreador Song from Carmen, and arias from § The King’s Henchmen. g