THE GRAMOPHONE.

Shannon News, 24 February 1925, Page 3

THE GRAMOPHONE.

REdiNT RECORDS

The insulating rubber at hack of sound-box, where used, should receive attention. See that it is not perished, or too hard, and that it makes a firm, sound, tight joint. It is most important that no sound is. permitted to escape, either here or anywhere between the diaphragm and hell of the horn or sound chamber, and if sound escapes near the" diaphragm a far greater loss of. volume of tone wail take place than would he the case jfar. ther along the reproducing system. The toox must be securely held in the tone-arm, and no movement whatever between the two allowed.

My wide and unique experience convinces me that England to-day is seething with musical interest and activity and we have to go back, three hundred years' to find its equal in vitality (says a London music authority). This is proved largely, 1 think, by the sales of gramophone records of symphonies, concertos, etc. These works sell in their thousands, whereas fifteen years ago it was records ol "shop ballads and popular that received spacious public patronage. I refer to important musical creations such as Elgar's Violoncello Concerto, Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto and Fifty Symphony, Tschaikovsky's "Petrouchka," Debussy's "Children's Corner" Suite, Bach's "Chromatic Fantasia," Elgar's "Enigma Variations," etc., to mention a few works at random that are' obtainable complete on gramophone. Amongst the coming records is a Wagnerian selection by Clarence Whitehill, an accomplished American with a European reputation, and m the original language he contributes beautifully Hans Sach's monologue "WahnJ Wahn!" from "Die Meistersinger," also "Wotan's Farewell" from "Die Wajkure,'' to the slumber accompaniment, toeautifully played. That musical quartet of male voices, the De Rqszke Singers, whose combination is very clear, sing a happy arrangement of Beethoven's "Adoration'' and Mendelssohn's "On Wings of song." A new 12-inch red lahel of two choice selections from the third act of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor" comes from Joseph Hislop. Edgar Ravenswood waits for the duel in the burial ground of his ancestors., and sings the renowned solo. There is scope for dramatic expression, and Hislop gives an artistic rendition in tooth the recitative and air. The wpnderjful enunciation of the famous tenor, John Mccormajck, is strikingly evidenced in his interpretation of the. old Mexican love song, '.'Marcheta," already made familiar as a waltz, and gives it with all his personal enchantment and distinction. The accompanying song is. picturesque, "Indiana Moon." Twenty-seven brass matrixes of gramophone records have already toeeir deposited in the achives of the British Museum, in the service of posterity. Among the voices preserved in this way are those of. the King and Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Mr Winston Churchill, Mr Asquiith, Mr Lloyd George, Mr dynes. Sir Herbert Tree, Lord Roberts, Sir Ernest Shackleton, and Count Tolstoi. Tine singers include Chaliapine, Tetrazzini, Ade Una Patti and Cariuso. Each of the matrices is carefully packed in an. airtight case and no case is to toe opened lor 50 years after the death of the person whose voice is recorded on it.

A debut on the gramaphone is made by the well-known English soprano, Miss Elsie, Saddaby, Full pitched and deep toned, her voice lias satisfied the exacting critics. Both iher selections are by Purcell, the sorrowful and exacting "When t am Laid in Earth," from "Dido and Aeneas," 'being contrasted with the racy, "Hark, the Echo" ing Air." Rosina Buckman has an admirable "gramophone" voice and she is well recorded and stirringly accompanied in the haJunting "Quando Me'n Vo' Soletta," (from "La Boheme." The distinguished Eugene Goossens conducted the Royal Albert Hal], Orchestra for the accompaniment and wisely gave the harpist good play The famous song is bracketed with Hageman's "At the Well" (piano accompaniment).

in contrast with tiie pre-Christmas general trade depression in England, one industry was booming. Manufacturers of gramophones have never had such a. busy time, and they will have difficulty in fulfilling all their orders. Lieut.-Colqnel Tatton, of the Federation of British Music Industries, said to "The Evening News": "The English people are natural lovers of music, and the cultivation Of music in schools and public institutions of all kinds has created a popular desire'.for instruments which can be used in the home. It is undoubtedly true that the concerts broadcast by wireless have helped to stimulate this zest for gramophones."

Ten years has passed since the death of Lord Rdberts, hero of the Boer War. He died while visiting the British Expeditionary Force in Flanders in the sorrowful autumn of 1914. His patriotic eloquence in all the chief cities of Britain on the subject of national service reverberated in the memory during the years oi the war. In a catalogue olf records of unique historical interest just published it appears that Lord Roberts gave six addresses on national service which may still be heard with perfect clearness on the gramophone. The voices of the late Theodore Roosevelt, (Presidents Harding and Wilson, and the recently lamented Lord Long, are also preserved in this way. Mr Roosevelt spoke a characteristic message into the. re-cording-room. His theme was "Why the Trusts and Bosses oppose the Progressive Party." Among living statesmen, Mr Asquith, Mr Lloyd George, Mr Winston Churchill, Mr J. R. Clynes, Mr Taft and M. Venizelos have recorded. The historical catalogue includes records toy Sarah Bernhardt, Caruso, Edward Greig, Joachim, Madame iPatti, Sir Beerbohm Tree, and Lewis Waller. Dan Leno, who died in 1904, is in the catalogue of "vanished voices stm. eloquent,'' and it is interesting to note that Tolstoi, the famous. Russian author, consented

to allow a gramophone record to he made. It finds a place in this catalogue of. living history.