THE GRAMOPHONE.

Shannon News, 19 February 1929, Page 3

THE GRAMOPHONE.

SOME'NETT BECORDS

A “Faust” Selection.

“Faust” (Selection—Parts 1 and 2) (Gounod). Columbia 02708. “Faust” is undoubtedly the best known of all Grand Opera. For its name’s sake there will be many who will try this record, and they will not be disappointed. The Columbia Symphony Orchestra have been doing good work for some time, and excel themselves on this occasion. The Selection is very bright, admirably played with a crisp attack, tone always kept interesting and subtle, and reproduction well-nigh perfect. A record that will be in great demand among all classes. Sophie Braslau. (1) “Just A-Wearyin’ For You” (Jaeobs-Bond and Stanton); (2) “I Love You Truly” (from “Seven Songs) (Jacobs-Bond). Sung by Sopie Braslau, Contralto. Columbia 03618. Sophie Braslau’s superb interpretation of these songs is one of the finest vocal recjoi’ds o,f deservedly popular ballads yet issued. Her low notes are wonderfully rich and mellow, in. fact it is very difficult to discover new superlatives with which to escribe her glorious art. A record to be treasured. England’s Greatest Violinist. XI) “Elegie” (Massenet); (2) ‘•'Thais” —• Meditation (Massenet). Played by Albert Sammons. Columbia 02687. These two extremely charming Massenet solos make an unusually delightful record. The “Meditation” from the opera “Thais” is played with glorious tone, bringing out all seductive beauties. An excellent contrast is made with the “Elegie” in its more sombre but passionate phrases. The electric recording does full justice to Sammon ’s very impressive playing.

Parsifal. “Klingsor’s Magic Garden and Flower Maidens” (Wagner) Pts.l-4. Bruno Walter conducting (the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Columbia 1946-7. The legend of Parsifal and 1 * the Holy Grail supplied one of Wagner’s most fruitful sources of inspiration, and the ■Magic Garden scene is perhaps <one of the loveliest pieces of orchestration in this magnificent opera. BrUno Walter, famous for his conductorsliip of Wagnerian music, has brought the Royal Philharmonic up to an exceptionally high pitch of excellence in these two records, and his masterly control over the brass-basses has produced that exact balance between every instrument so necessary in such heavy work. Recording on all four sides is as usual, excellent.

Peter Dawson Sings “Songs of the Sea.”

' Peter Dawson’s masterly interpretations of Sir Charles Stanford’s “Songs of the Sea” have gained him praise. Dawson i 3 said to hold the record for recording—he has made over 3000 different records. He first made them in the days rvhen the process by which dozens of records could be printed off a “master” was unknown, *and each disc had to be made separately. He would work six' hours a day at the studio, singing into rows of little machines, often repeating the same song over fifty times. His voice is unimpaired by years, and his methods have broadened and mellowed through long experience in reproducing. Hear his robust, stalwart reading of “The Old Suptrb” and “Drake’s Drum.” They will give you a real, salty breath of the sea. A Continuous Player.

■ (While at the H.M.V. Company’s headquarters in Wellington recently, the writer was shown the new automatic gramophone, and after watching it at work, I can only say that the days of miracles do not seem to have passed after all. The gramophone part of this instrument is of the ordinary H.M.V. type. In a compartment on the left of. the turntable is a spindle on which are put the records (ten and twelve inch records being mixed indiscriminately), in the order in whieh it is desired that they shall be played. ,A tungstyle semi-permanent needle is then put" in the sound-box, the electric, motor is started, and the machine /does the rest! A three-armed device fitted with special claw r s picks up the .first record, swings over the turntable and puts the record on. It then moves out of the way, and the tone-arm swings over the record, puts the needle on the smooth edge, and the needle than glides into the first groove. When the record is finished a stud rises and lifts one edge until clear of the centre spindle, when centrifugal force pitches the record harmlessly into a special felt-lined compartment, and the whole process is repeated again and again until the last of the pile of records (which may be anything up to 20) has been played. The motor then stops itself.

With each instrument is supplied a iittle stool attached to the gramophone by a few yards of flex. On this stool are two buttons, and to play with these was the supreme joy of my whole visit. If on hearing the first few bars of a record you decide that you don’t like it, and don’t want to hear any more, all that is necessary is to press one of these buttons, and the record is immediately thrown off the turn-table into the “used” compartment, and the next one put on in its place. If on the other hand, after hearing a record you like it so much that you want to hear it again, then all that need be done is to press the other button, and your desire is gratified. A Master Organist. “Andnntino in D Flat” (Lemare)

and “Traumerei” (Schumann), organ solo by Lemare H.M.V. C 1455. This record is particularly interesting to all Who like "melody and for all who admire the grand organ. Mr Edwin L"mare is one of the world’s greatest organ recitalists. He was for some years at a famous churcl\, in London and his recitals there were amongst the musical events of the season. : His first “His Master’s Voice’’ record contains a superb rendering of one of his own compositions —a melody famous throughout the world either under its own name or as “Moonlight and Boses.” Famous Quartet and Sextet.

“Rigoletto,” quartet, and “Lucia di Lammermoor,” sextet. —H.M.V. D.Q. 3U2 (white label). A white-label disc on an H.M.V. list denotes something very special. It is a long while since one of these wa3 sent for review. This is a 12-inch record with the famous “Rigoletto” quartet, “Bella figlia dell amore,” on one fide, sung by Madame GalliCurci, Miss Louise Homer, Mr Beniamino Gagli, and Mr Giuseppe de Luca. On the other side is the sextet, “Ghi me frena,” frpm “Lucia di Lammermoor,” with Messrs Bada and Pinza added to the four mentioned. Needless to say, the recording of these stars of opera, done no doubt in America where there is money enough to keep such a galaxy together, is beyond cavil. The singing, however, quite deserves it.