THE GRAMOPHONE.

Shannon News, 24 August 1928, Page 3

THE GRAMOPHONE.

THIS WEEK’S RECORDS,

Gems from Oratorio. Tffe August Zonophone list includes an attractive 12-inch disc by Barring- . ton Hooper (tenor), who has recorded finely, “How Yain is Man,” from Handel’s “Judas Maccabaeus,” and. “Sing Ye Praise,” from Mendelssohn’s “Lobgesang” (“Hymn of Praise”). The singer here is heard < to. excellent advantage, in numbers , suited to his cultivated style. A feature of this disc, is the excellent organ accompaniment. (A. 333.) A Sparkling Overture.

Offenbach’s sparkling overture to “Orpheus in Hades” is a great favourite with lovers of recorded orchestral music. The National Symphony Orchestra has recorded itf ; for Zonophone (E.F.16), in excellent style. A good investment, at a moderate price. New Foster Richardson Disc.

Foster Richardson’s fine bass has a large circle of admirers, His latest disc for Zonophone is a strangely comLasted bracket, “The Blue Danube” (Strauss), and Irving Berlin’s “The Song is Ended.” “The Blue Danube” is a well-tried favourite, while the companion number is Berlin’s latest success (5072).

Good Fireside Numbers. ' Quartette singing is always enjoyable, especially if of a homely. type that makes delightful fireside music. In the Peerless Quartette’s latest Zonophone disc we have two excellent items of this kind—Webster’s “In the Sweet Bye and Bye,” and O’Kane’s “The Home Over There.” Favourite Overture on Wurlitzer. To many musifjovers, Thomas’s fine okl overture “ Raymond,” beloved of bands and orchestras, is always a source of pleasure. To hear it on the Wurlitzer organ, as finely played by Charles W. Saxby, F.R.C.0., will be a new and interesting experience (Zonophone 5057)‘.

New Zonophone Dance Numbers. Amongst recent Zonophone dance numbers may be mentioned Fireman’s Orchestra in ‘‘Sunset down in Somerset” (Waltz), and the Rhythmic Eight ,in “You don’t like it—'not much” (foxtrot, with local chorus). E.E.96. > The Rhythmic Eight are also recorded in the fox-trots “Possibly” and; “There’s a Rickety Rackety Shack” (E.E.97). All good-going records. 5 Opera Choruses. ; Grand opera chorus and orchestra have frequent opportunities for noteworthy performances. For 1 example, there is the opening chorus of “Cavalleria Rusticana” by the La Scala Chorus and Orchestra (H.M.V., C 1317). To this is bracketed the “Bell Chorus” from “Pagliaeci. ” Then there are the “Pilgrim’s Chorus” from “Tannhouser” and the “Anvil Chorus” from “II Trovatore, ” by the Victor Chorus (H.M.V., EA9B) ( . These are two excellent records. Quite a good opera ehorus bracket also is the La Scala combination, with Anna Maria Turchetti (soprano), in the “Easter Hymn” (“Cavalleria Rusticana”), and “La Vergine Degli Angeli'” (“La Forza del. Destine. ” The latter item is particularly thrilling. (H.M.V.; 82445). In Lighter Vein. A good humorist is worth following up, on the chance that occasionally he will bring off a particularly successful coup. Will Gardner, the Zonophone entertainer, makes a hit with his “A Little Bit of Heaven” (polyglot version), and “That’s Another One Gone” (5079).