The talking machine world (Jan-June 1919)

July 15, 1919 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 81 LIVELY GENERAL CONVENTION OF VICTOR JOBBERS AT ATLANTIC CITY— (Continued from page 79) SPLENDID ENTERTAINMENT GIVEN JOBBERS BY VICTOR CO. After a Visit to the Factory Victor Jobbers Are Guests at Special Concert Given at the Little Theatre, Philadelphia, Followed by a Dinper and Dance — Great Array of Artists On Wednesday the members of the National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers were the guests of the Victor Co. on a tour of the factory in the afternoon, and at an elaborate concert at the Little Theatre, Philadelphia, in the evening, followed by a dinner, ent^rtainnient and dance in the roof garden of the Sjellevue-Stratford Hotel. The wholesalers and their families left At In the evening at 8 o'clock the guests adjourned to the Little Theatre and enjoyed an elaborate concert, at which'Jascha Heifetz, John McCormack and Sophie Braslau were the featured artists, with the Victor Orchestra, led by Pasternack, appearing in several numbers. After an overture by the orchestra, under the direction of Josef Pasternack, Mr. Heifetz played several numbers in his exquisite style. audience to their feet with his impassioned singing of Fay Foster's masterpiece, "The Americans Come." An encore number completed the program with the exception of some selections from "Eileen," played by the Victor Orchestra, whereupon Ed Droop, the gifted orator, arose and in glowing words expressed the gratitude of the Victor jobbers for the wonderful treatment accorded them by the artists, Mr. Child and the Victor Co. From the theatre the party went to the Believue-Stratford, where during the service of an elaborate dinner in the Rose Room they were entertained by Joseph C. Smith and his orches Banquet Tendered National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers by Victor Co., Philadelphia, July 2, 1919 lantic City after a swim in the morning and upon arriving at the Hotel Bellevue-Stratford, Philadelphia, found that accommodations had been arranged for them by the Victor Co. officials. They then visited the factory at Camden, where they witnessed some striking new models of the Victrola, of which due announce among them being a nocturne in "B minor by Chopin, a rondo by Mozart, a Slavonic dance in E minor by Dvorak-Kreisler and a series of Gypsy airs by Sarasate. In answer to the enthusiastic applause he gave several enjoyable encores. Miss Braslau sang a sacred number, "Father, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me," most impressively, singing a lighter number as an encore. John McCormack, after an opening number by Donizetti, aroused his audience with a beautiful rendition of "Dear Old Pal of Mine," one of the favorite songs of -the day, and an Irish ballad by Moofe.^ He then br-olfght-'nSny .of the tra, the Criterion Quartet, the Misses Holt and Rosedale, Billy Murray and Ed Smalle, Victor Herbert, the Van Eps Trio, Pietro Deiro, Miss Adele Rowland and several other popular artists associated with the Victor recording staff. Dancing on the Bellevue-Stratford roof garden John McCormack ment will be made later, and were taken on a tour of inspection through various departments of the immense plant of the company in order that they might see for themselves just what strenuous efforts were being put forth in every department to speed up production. As many of the wholesalers remarked, the Victor factory had never looked busier, with every section of the plant under full headway. Miss Sophie Braslau Jascha Heifetz to the accompaniment of Smith's Orchestra and the Van Eps Quintet served to round out a perfect day, perfect with entertainment of the inimitable Victor style and likewise proved a fitting finale to the varied convention activities, both in Atlantic City and in Philadelphia.