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June, 1930 The Phonograph Monthly Review 291 records is that of The Trick Boys, a quietly humor- ous version of the Hebrews’ escape from Egypt, told with delightful gusto and clarity (Victor). From the same company comes a new record by the ubiquitous twins of the air, Amos and Andy in characteristic give and take that will delight their admirers (whose name is indeed legion) and which will confirm the suspicion of the anaesthetic minor- ity that their humor is spread exceedingly thin. I was more amused by Brunswick’s dramatization, with stirring music from the professor at the piano, of the Shooting of Dan McGrew, although this depends more on local color than any inher- ent humor for its effect. The other evening I heard the Black Crows’ debut record for the first time since the days of its immense popularity and I was surprised to find how unstaled it remained. There is yet to be another humorous disc that can be compared with it. Several sets scheduled for current release did not come to hand in time for review in this issue. Columbia’s “Marina” album, the first Spanish opera to be recorded in its entirety, will be review- de next month by Mr. W. S. Marsh—author of ^Musical Spain as Exemplified on Phonograph Records” and other studies of recorded Spanish music—together with the recent album of ex- cerpts from “El Matrero,” the prize-winning Ar- gentine opera, recently issued in the Victor Com- pany’s Spanish lists. New Brunswick works on the way are Richard Strauss’ new versions of Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegel, L’Apprenti sorcier and Baba Yaga conducted by the brilliant Albert Wolff of the Concerts Lamoureux of Paris, Brail- owsky’s piano record of de Falla’s Fire Dance and a Scriabin prelude and etude, and Der Rosen- kavalier Trio and Duet Finale with Elisabeth Ohms, Adele Kern, and Elfriede Marherr. The Brailowsky disk is already familiar to collectors of imported records, and the Strauss poems are reputed—by those who know the Polydor press- ings—to be the most remarkable of the many phonographic versions. The story goes that Strauss took unusual pains with them, re-playing some of the sides a dozen or more times, before he got the exact effects he desired. By this time all alert American phonophiles are surely well acquainted with the activities of the National Gramophonic Society, whose latest re- leases show no flagging in either novelty or merit. Paul Juonas known in this country by smaller works (when at all), but the chamber music idea is already well grounded. So far there have been no recorded examples of music written in this form although it is ideally adapted for phono- graphic exposition. The chamber orchestra is at- tracting increasing attention from contemporary writers and listeners—a logical reaction from the sensationalism and loss of clarity in thinking and playing that have attended the indiscriminate use of the modern large orchestra. Juon’s sym- phony is ^iot a great work, but it is well-knit and vigorously animated, and it exploits cunningly the possibilities of its medium with its inherent emphasis on clean-cut contrapuntal writing. The records are very welcome, as are those of the Brahms Trio, Op. 101, played with earnestness and force by the Pirani Trio. The regular supplements of the record manu- facturers are not the only source of noteworthy discs. The Victor Educational Department, under the experienced and progressive direction of Mrs. Frances E. Clark has long been in the habit of quietly revealing works of uncommonly novel in- terest. Altogether apart from the inestimable value these Educational Lists must have for pro- fessional educators, they are invariably of the keenest significance to the lay collector on the search for the unhackneyed and the unorthodox in recorded music. The eighth of these special lists is reviewed in this issue, and I can only echo “Observer’s” emphatic recommendation of the unique folk song records by Juliette Gaultier (au- thentic folk music is still too rare in the phono- graphic repertory), the clever little orchestral disks of pieces by Corelli, Bach, and Beethoven in the Alys Bently series, and—more specialized in appeal—the series of tests designed very adroitly to expose one’s deficiencies in discrimination of the various musical qualities. The songs for children provided a pleasant in- troduction to phonography, but these records are intended to be played to rather than by children. The child who is permitted the use of a table model or portable of its own will no doubt prefer to make his first steps in the art with the tiny five and one- half inch discs of the Bubble Book series of nur- sery rhymes and songs. One answer—and a good one—to the anxious parent who writes to our cor- respondence columns this month for help in the combat against the influence of jazz on his child- ren’s musical development. The unbounded educational benefit that may be derived from the intelligent use of records in music study is vividly shown in the letter from Mr. V. G. Brewsaugh in this month’s correspond- ence column. His practical and effectual employ- ment of the phonograph in his piano teaching sets an example that could be emulated generally with the greatest of profit to both teachers and pupils. My sympathy for the straits in which a good many piano teachers find themselves is consider- ably tempered by the realization that their pres- ent plight is very largely the result of their own short-sightedness. If one is taught to play the piano or any musical instrument as one is taught to use a typewriter, it is small wonder that the prod- uct of such teaching is a tonal stenographer rather than a musician. Mr. Brewsaugh states the case very mildly when he hopes the “time will soon come when piano teachers will not only be expect- ed to provide a fine library of piano records, which is as necessary and as valuable as any of the print- ed editions in books, but will also contribute to the aesthetic and cultural development of their pupils by making them acquainted with the great master- pieces of all music.” Many pedagogues have been very superior where the phonograph has been concerned in the past, but the wiser ones among them are coming to see that unless they draw