Radio Broadcast (May 1927-Apr 1928)

e cords Short Reviews of Recent Releases by Victor, Brunswick, and Columbia — A List of Some New Record Albums — Rhnsky Korsakovs Scheherazade Suite Obtainable in Complete Form W! 'E ARE celebrating the four-month birthday of this department by climbing out of our rompers and taking a big step. Henceforth we shall aim to be a guide to all the best phonograph records. You cannot read all the books published each year in order to choose the best volumes, so you consult book reviews and guides. Neither can you while away the hours in your favorite music store listening to the new — and old — offerings of the very active phonograph companies. When you buy records the chances are you act on the advice of the music salesman, or take the word of a friend, or if you happen to be on the mailing list of a music store, you check over the catalogue and select the most likely sounding titles. Any one of these methods is precarious and the element of chance is large in each. When this department was mapped out in the editorial mind, the word went forth that these two pages were to be devoted to a general review of phonograph records which had been produced by artists who were familiar to Iisteners-in as broadcast performers. Now we will extend the field to include the records of all artists whether or not they play the dual role. Some of the recordings will be briefly reviewed, others will merely be mentioned, and each month there will be a list of records which we consider well worth hearing, and buying, if the spirit moveth. WHAT HAVE WE HERE? AFTER inspecting the current supply of records we find that it contains the following ingredients: The usual popular vocal numbers by the usual popular vocal artists; an array of good dance numbers with one outstanding success, Dream Kisses; several old favorites rendered superbly by such distinguished artists as Sophie Braslau, John Charles Thomas, Charles Hackett, and Maria Kurenko; seven minutes of very beautiful choral singing by the Metropolitan Opera Chorus; and an album of Rimsky-Korsakov music, of which, more anon. These ingredients have been highly seasoned with the sentiment which, we are led to believe by song writers, song singers, and phonograph companies, the public cries for, and they have been expertly mixed, and sifted, spread on the discs by the new electrical recording method, and served hot to the public, for prices ranging from seventy-five cents to ten dollars. Taken as a whole there can be no question of the general excellence of the output. Our chief complaint is that it is too sweet for our taste. Is our taste 5)SV Don't Miss These Scheherazade Suite (Rimskv-Korsakov) played by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski (Victor). Cavalleria Rusticana-Gli Aranci Ole^ano and lmmeggiamo II Signor (Mascagni) sung by the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, with Orchestra (Victor). Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile (Verdi) and Cavalleria Rusticana: SiciUana (Mascagni) sung by Charles Hackett (Columbia). Liebestraum (Lizt) and Sheep and Goat Walkin' To Pasture and Gigue (Bach) played by Percy Grainger (Columbia). Among My Souvenirs and Washboard Blues played by Paul Whiteman and His Concert Orchestra (Victor). Dream Kisses and Among My Souvenirs played by the Ipana Troubadours and Ben Selvin respectively (Columbia). My Lady and Two Loving Arms played by Cass Hagan and His Park Central Orchestra and The Cavaliers respectively (Columbia). A Shady Tree and There Ain't No Land Like Dixieland To Me played by Ernie Golden and His Hotel McAlpin Orchestra (Brunswick). Back Where the Daisies Grow and Lonely in a Crowd played by the Park Lane Orchestra (Brunswick). Liliue and Hanohano Hanalei by the South Sea Islanders (Columbia). ale* peculiar or are there others who do not clamor for sentiment as the pervading flavor in their musical diet? Would they, too, like a little humor in their daily slice of song? More or Less Classic Cavalleria Rusticana — Gli Aranci Ole^ano and Cavalleria Rusticana — Inneggiamo II Signor. By Metropolitan Opera Chorus with Orchestra. (Victor). An expert recording of two of the most melodious of the choruses of Mascagni's opera, sung with great beauty and restraint. (a) Sheep and Goat Walkin' to the Pasture (Guion), (b) Gigue from First Partita (Bach), and Liebestraum (Liszt). By Percy Grainger (Columbia). Here is variety itself: a humorous tale, a lively jig, and a romance all on the same record, and each feelingly interpreted by this master pianist. Hungarian Dance No. I (Brahms-Joachim) and Slavonic Dance No. 2, in E minor, (DvorakKreisler). By Toscha Seidel (Columbia). Two lusty dances played with too mechanical vehemence to suit us. Lucreiia Borgia: Brindisi (Donizetti) and Come to Me 0 Beloved] (Bassani-Malipiero). By Sophie Braslau (Columbia). We prefer the rollicking joyousness of the drinking song to the heavy solemnity of the cantata but that is a matter of opinion. The rich contralto voice of this artist handles both expertly. Love's Old Sweet Song (Molloy) and The Sweetest Story Ever Told (Stults). By Sophie Braslau (Columbia). Miss Braslau digs way down in the bag and brings up some of the old tricks. But she sings beautifully. Rigoletto: La Donna e Mobile (Verdi) andCavalleria Rusticana: SiciUana (Mascagni) by Charles Hackett (Columbia). So convincingly does this glorious tenor sing Verdi's surprise number that one is almost ready to agree that woman is fickle! Well, were it necessaryj we would agree to anything for the privilege of listening to Hackett's singing. Coq D'Or.. Hymn to the Sun (RimskyKorsakov) and Song of India (Rimsky-Korsakov) By Maria Kurenko (Columbia). We would like the first selection better were it minus a few coloratura frills. As for the S. of I. we said what we had to say about that years ago. However, it is beautifully sung. Smiling Eyes and Roses of Picardy. By John Charles Thomas (Brunswick). Why turn this fine baritone voice loose on such shop-worn ballads as these? "Popular" Among My Souvenirs and Washboard Blues by Paul Whiteman and his Concert Orchestra (Victor). Whiteman at his unique best. You can't dance to these but who wants to? It's music worth hearing. Dream Kisses by the Ipana Troubadours (Columbia). At last we have something different in dance numbers! A soothing, insinuating rhythm built for dancing and played for dancing 374