Radio Broadcast (May 1928-Apr 1929)

SO MANY good words must be said for this month's supply of records that we feel we ought to offer a word of explanation at the start. Readers grow suspicious when any reviewer waxes consistently eulogistic. They picture all critics as mean creatures, shriveled in body and soul, who starve themselves on a diet of vinegar and sour grapes that they may the better enjoy the flaws which they pick, gloating over the bones of their victims. It fills us with joy to find a collection of records so good that we can honestly be lavish with praise. Such is the present collection. Good and Popular In the Sing Song Sycamore Tree and Four Walls played by the Ipana Troubadours directed, of course, by S. C. Lanin (Columbia). What is so rare as a really good tune? Two of them, of course. And here they are! Superbly played by the Troubadours and expertly sung by Scrappy Lambert. The Whip and We'll Have a New Home in the Morning played by Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra (Victor). Lyrics that are different, harmony that's grand, and an orchestra that's infectious. Can't Help Lovin Dat Man and Make-Believe played by Ben Bernie and His Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra (Brunswick). Smooth — in the best Bernie tradition, and with Vaughn De Leath and Scrappy Lambert doing neat vocalizing. Say So! and Oh Gee! — Oh Joy! played by Ben Selvin and His Orchestra (Columbia). Yes, and we'll add a few more exclamation marks just for good measure!!!! Mary Ann and // / Can't Have You played by Hal Kemp and His Orchesta formerly of the University of North Carolina. (Brunswick). Where they got their M. A. (musical acrobat) degrees, no doubt. No? Well, they got very proficient 50»n<rwhere. Call of Broadway and Without You Sweetheart played by Vincent Lopez and His Casa Lopez Orchestra (Brunswick). Mediocre music made more than a little danceable by a swell orchestra. Sensation Stomp and Whiteman Stomp played by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (Victor). Whiteman conducts a class in orchestral gymnastics. Proving what? Who Gives You All Your Kisses played by the Troubadours (Victor). As usual you can safely put your money on the Troubadours. They will even carry the weak sister on the other side. What Are We Waiting For played by Edwin J. McEnelly's Orchestra. Tin Pan Parade played by the Troubadours (Victor) is another prize winner; Chloe, on the reverse, by the All Star Orchestra is just an alsoran. Somebody Lied About Me and Chloe played by the Colonial Club Orchestra (Brunswick). Something old, nothing new, something borrowed, something blue. ff 01' Man River and Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man played by Don Voorhees and His Orchestra (Columbia). Two good numbers from the popular Ziegfeld musical comedy, "Show Boat." My Ohio Home and Here Comes the Showboat played by Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra. (Victor). The second number is novel — and excellent. Rose Room and Golden Gate by Herb Wiedoeft and His Orchestra (Brunswick). Musical publicity for the Land of Sunshine. For My Baby and The Man I Love by Leo Reisman and His Orchestra and Fred Rich and His Hotel Astor Orchestra, respectively (Columbia). F. f. f. or fine for foxtrotting. Tin Pan Parade and / Told Them All About You sung by Ford and Glenn (Columbia). The ^Month's New 'Phonograph Tiecords Easily the best of the recent vocal records. Sweetheart of Sigma Chi and Charmaine sung by Allen McQuhae (Brunswick). A better tenor voice than you usually hear warbling these grand old favorites! In an Oriental Garden and Roses for Remembrance played by the Anglo-Persians under the direction of Louis Katzman (Brunswick). Mr. Katzman is the best musical gardener we know. Lolita and Yesterday played by the A. and P. Gypsies under the direction of Harry Horlick (Brunswick). Very nice indeed. More or Less Classic Lucia — Sextette (Donizetti) and Rigoletto — Quartet (Verdi). (A) sung by Galli-Curci, Homer, Gigli, De Luca, Pinza, Bada; (B) sung by GalliCurci, Homer, Gigli, De Luca (Victor). What's good enough for Gatti-Casazza is good enough for us. Song of the Flea (Moussorgsky) and Barbiere Di Siviglia — La Calunnia (Rossini). Sung by Feodor Chaliapin (Victor). The name of this abysmal basso is sufficient guarantee of satisfaction on any record. This in particular is delightful. Meistersinger-Kirchenchor (Wagner) and Meister singer -Wach' auf! Es Nahet Gen Den Tag (Wagner). Sung by the State Opera Chorus of Berlin, with Orchestra, conducted by Leo Blech (Victor). A very effective imported recording of this beautiful choral music from Wagner's merry opera. Pagliacci-Son Qua! and Pagliacci-Andiam! (Leoncavallo). Sung by the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, with Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra, conducted by Giulio Setti (Victor). More choral music that is worth several times the price of admission. The Masked Ball— Is It Thou? (Verdi) and Pagliacci — Prologue (Leoncavallo) Sung by Heinrich Schlussnus (Brunswick). A competent baritone presents these two operatic selections. Andante Cantabile (Tschaikowsky) and Canlonetta (Tschaikowsky). Played by Albert Spalding (Brunswick). Creating one paramount impression: that of charming grace. Chanson Arabe (Rimsky-Korsakoff — Kreisler) and Le Deluge (Saint-Saens). Played by Toscha Seidel (Columbia). Mr. Seidel is assisted in the first selection by Max Rabinovitch at the piano, and in the second by Emanuel Bay — because it is the custom and not because this talented violinist needs assistance. Ave Maria (Carnevali) and Stabat Mater (Pergolesi). Sung by Giuseppe Danise (Brunswick). A rich baritone voice lending itself very successfully to ecclesiastical music. The accompaniment of chimes in the Ave Maria is particularly nice. Traviata— Prelude (Verdi) and Sylvia Ballet — Cortege de Bacchus (Delibes). Played by the Victor Symphony Orchestra directed by Rosario Bourdon (Victor). No home is complete with 106 out these familiar but none-the-less lovely selections. Poet and Peasant Overture, Parts I and 2 (von Suppe). Played by the Brunswick Concert Orchestra (Brunswick). Part i is the dreamy poet; part 2: the rollicking peasant . . . but you know it; it has appeared on every "pop" concert program for years. Emperor Walti and Wine, Woman and Song Walti (Strauss). By Jacques Jacobs' Ensemble (Columbia). Here are the waltzes of yesteryear! Jolly Fellows Walti (WoIIstedt) and The Skaters (Waldteufel). Played by the Brunswick Concert Orchestra under the direction of Louis Katzman (Brunswick). Sweet memories of the old skating rink and the creaking caliiope! The tunes are the same, that's all! Recent Album Record Sets Wagner Bayreuth Festival Recordings (Columbia). In one album, Masterworks Set No. 79) the Columbia Phonograph Company offer the following excerpts from four Wagnerian operas: (1) Parsifal: Transformation Scene, Act 1; Grail Scene, Act 1; Flower Maidens' Scene, Act. 2; Prelude, Act 3; and Good Friday Music, Act 3; (2) Rheingold: Entry of the Gods into Valhalla; (3) Die Walkure: Ride of the Valkyries: (4) Siegfried: Forest Murmurs, Act 2; Prelude, Act 3 ; Fire Music. The orchestra is that of the Bayreuth Festival, over which three famous conductors share the honors of wielding the baton. They are Dr. Karl Muck, one time director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Siegfried Wagner, and Franz von Hoesslin. The recordings were made in Bayreuth during actual performances of the operas in the summer of 1927 and have been approved by Siegfried Wagner. We will not go into a detailed description of the records. You either know and love the music or you don't. If you do, you will want the album anyway. If you don't, you should get the album and learn to know the music. The set contains eleven double-faced records and costs $16.50. Symphony No. 4, D Minor, {Op. 120) by Robert Schumann. Played by the New Symphonic Orchestra, Berlin, under the direction of Hans Pfitzner. Complete on three and a half doublefaced records (Brunswick). Schumann conceived the Fourth Symphony as a whole rather than as four distinct movements. The same thematic material runs through the entire work. The symphony is very colorful, very warm and full of lovely melodic phrases. The fourth movement is particularly beautiful. Concerto for Organ and Orchestra, F Major, {Op. 4, No. 4) by George Frederic Handel. Played by Walter Fischer accompanied by orchestra. Complete on two double-faced records. Concerto for Organ and Orchestra, F Major {Op. 177) by Joseph Rheinberger. Played by Walter Fischer accompanied by orchestra. Complete on three double-faced records. (Brunswick). The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company would have acted more wisely had they separated these two concertos rather than offered them together in one album. The Rheinberger Concerto, which is in spots uninteresting to the point of dullness suffers sadly by contrast with the exquisite Handel composition. Both concertos are beautifully played by the famous organist of the Berlin Cathedral. Death and Transfiguration (Op. 24) by Richard Strauss, played by the State Opera Orchestra under the direction of the composer. Complete on three double-faced records (Brunswick). This tone poem dealing with the struggle between life and death is one of the most powerfully dramatic of modern orchestral compositions. /