Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 6, No. 3 (1931-12)

December 1931, Vol. VI, No. 3 47 To make records with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra is as thrilling an ex- perience as any artist could desire. Un- questionably they are the finest orchestral combination in the world; even the famous New York Philharmonic, which you heard in London under Toscanini last summer, must, I think, take second place. Only by working with the Philadelphians both as soloist and conductor, as has been my privilege can one fully realize and appreciate their perfection of ensemble. Recording my own Concerto with this or- chestra was an unique event. Apart from the fact that I am the only pianist who has played with them for the gramophone, it is very rarely that an artist, whether as soloist or composer, is gratified by hearing his work accompanied and interpreted with so much sympathetic co-operation, such perfection of detail and balance between piano and orches- tra. These discs, like all those made by the Philadelphians were recorded in a concert hall where we played exactly as though giving a public performance. Naturally this method ensures the most realistic results, but in any case, no studio exists, even in Amer- ica, that could accommodate an orchestra of a hundred and ten players. Their efficiency is almost incredible. In England I hear constant complaints that your orchestras suffer always from under- rehearsal. The Philadelphia Orchestra, on the other hand, have attained such a standard of excellence that they produce the finest re- sults with the minimum of preliminary work. Recently I conducted their superb recording of my symphonic poem, “The Isle of the Dead,” now published in a Victor album of three records which play for about twenty minutes. After no more than two rehearsals the orchestra were ready for the microphone, and the entire work was completed in less than four hours. Of all our own music-making, silence must some day be an end. Formerly, the artist was haunted by the knowledge that with him his music also must vanish into the unknown. Yet today, he can leave behind him a faithful reproduction of his art, an eloquent and im- perishable testimony to his life’s achieve- ment. On this account alone, I think that the great majority of musicians and music- lovers alike cannot hesitate to acclaim the gramophone as the most significant of modern musical inventions. A Limited Edition SPOKEN ENGLISH AND BROKEN ENGLISH Written and Spoken by BERNARD SHAW Four 12-inch sides in a container with the Price $7.50 per set MUSIC OF THE MASTERS Call or write for our Encyclopedia of the World’s Best Recorded Music and Unique, and Unusual records by Sarah Bernhardt, Leo Tolstoi and others. Price 25c postpaid The Gramophone Shop, Inc, Specialists in Imported and Domestic Phonograph Records 18 East 48th St. : : N. Y. C. Wickersham 2-1876 Correspondence The Editor does not accept any responsibility for opinions expressed by correspondents. No notice will be taken of unsigned letters, but only initials or a pseu- donym will be printed if the writer so desires. Contri- butors of general interest to our readers are welcomed. They should be brief and written on one side of the paper only. Address all letters to CORRESPON- DENCE COLUMN, THE PHONOGRAPH MONTH- LY REVIEW, 69 Marion St., Medford, Mass. Record Wear Editor, Phonograph Monthly Review: I have now in my possession nearly 2,000 records. It is not a library, only a collection. It is my desire to take a fling at a few fellows. If you care to publish any part of it, please use the signa- ture attached to the letter at its close. Slants on record wear continue to crop up from time to time. Why, I do not understand. Have been purchasing records now for approximately six years. Records are played daily in my home. Some of the records acquired, of course, are great favorites, which have been played again and again. Yet there are no worn-outs in the collection; and there have been no replacements.