RECORDED MUSIC

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 19 November 1927, Page 7

RECORDED MUSIC

One of the most famous of His Master’s Voice records was made by Caruso and Frances Alda, who recently toured her native New Zealand, after many years as prima donna of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, of which her husband, Giulio Gatti-Sasazza, is the Napoleonic director. To mark the occasion of her return to England, the “Miserere’’ from I] Travatore’’ has been re-issued by the Gramophone Company. In passing, the fine balance and firm attack and release of the choral portions may be referred to with admiration. The other side of this disc is occupied by Caruso and Schumann-Heink in the duet. “Al nostri monti,” from the same opera A GREAT STAGE SKETCH, In “A Sister to Assist ’er,” hv Joan and Doris Emney, Zonophone presents what we are informed the only electrical recording at present available of the greatest sketch the stage has ever seen.” The lute Mr. Fred Emney has immortalised “Mrs May.” On this record his daughters. Joan nnd Doris, hav® given as a performance which is in distinguishable from that of their late accomplished father. It is a real humorous gem.—Zonophone 2931. A NEW NATIONAL ANTHEM. The recent issue in gramophone form (by “His Master’s Voice”) of the late Sir Hubert Parry’s “Jem salem” as sung by the Choir of His Majesty’s Chapels Royal strikes an interesting chord in the history of English music. The poem was written by the English poet Blake m 1804. and this, with the glorious set ting given by Parry a century later, is regarded by many as a now National anthem for the English people. VOICES EN MASSE Associated Glee Clubs of America, in “Bedouin Song” (Foote) — “Where’er You Walk” (Handel). Zonophone A 314. These two titles were recorded at an actual public performance in New York Citv by the full gathering of th© Gle© Clubs, a choir of over 2500 'trained male voices. It is interesting to note th© superiority of these records to similar attempts made m this country by recording community •singing. In the case of this trained choir each piece is perfectly executed, whereas the difficulty of controlling community singing has yet to b« overcome, the present results being very crude. A FINE BAND DISO. Black Diamond Band, in '‘Hallelujah Chorus” (“Messiah”) (Handel) — "The Heavens arc Telling’’ (“Creation”), (Haydn). Zonophone. A 315. This fine music is too generally known to need description. The above record by Black Diamonds Band, produced by the new electrical process is considered amongst the finest achievements of modern recording. NEW FIELDS FOR THE GRAMOPHONE. His Master’s Voice recently introduced a device consisting of a recording room which could be taken fo any part of the country at a moment's notice, and by its means two records of outstanding interest have been produced within the past few weeks. These are the “Dawn’’ record of birds singing naturally in the woods of Oxted. and the exquisite rendering of Mendelssohn’s “Hear Mv Prayer” hy the choir of the Temple Chureh. London. There can be no dhoubt that a new and wide field has been opened out in the science of sound reproduction. A NEW SOPRANO. A new gramophone disc introduces an attractive soprano in Vaughn ue Leath, who sings Neil Morel's "Song of the Wanderer.” On the. reverse side we have Lewis James (tenor) with orchestra, in “Charmaine” (Louis Leazer—Erno Rapee' Vaughn de Leath is the possessor of a very fine voice. The reverse side contains a beautiful song, “Charmame,” which, despite its French title is in the popular style. Zonophone, E.E.50. TWO SONGS THAT TALK. Florence Oldham, an attractive Zonophone artist, is quite good in “It Takes a Good Man to Do That” and “It Takes a Good Woman to Keep a Good Man at Home” (Zonophone. 2929). These two little songs are sung in quite a unique manner, in fact, in parts they are “talked” to you. An interesting record that you should not miss. A GOOD ’CELLO BRACKET. Alfred .Wallenstein, in “Simple Aven” (Thome), and “Serenade” (Piern), Zonophone 2847. Two universally popular titles played in exceptionally sympathetic style by Alfred Wallenstein, one of the most popular ’cello soloists in America. To lovers of the ’cello these records can be highly commended. He is first ’cellist under Frederick Stock, with the Chicago Orchestra, and has been soloist before concert audiences in Europe and the two Americas. His records exhibit a phenomenon not heard plainly with the old recording—the “bodyresonance” of the violoncello, as distinguished from its simple string-qual-ity of tone.