GRAMOPHONES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 42, 12 May 1927, Page 14

GRAMOPHONES

On Monday, April 11, their Majesties King George and Queen Mary paid a visit to the Gramophone Company's factories at Hayes, Middlesex. They received an enthusiastic ovation from the thousands of employees and displayed a very keen interest in all that they saw during their tour of the extensive factories. The King was so greatly impressed with the machinery and the large-scale production of “His Master’s Voice” products that he specially requested that the tour be extended so that he and the Queen might see the whole of the vast works.

Two well-known Australian tenors, Walter Kirby and Alfred O’Shea, have suns’ for the Columbia Company, and some of their discs are now obtainable. The beautiful, pure quality of Mr. Kirby’s voice is faithfully reproduced in “Ben Bolt,” one of his most popular numbers with concert audiences. As a first number this is a remarkably good record. On the re-

\ A/ is- u verse side is “A Walter K.rby Hundred Moonlight Miles Away.” This is not so consistently successful.

A new Columbia Kedroff Quartet disc is, in its sphere, a remarkable contribution to recorded concerted singing-. A year or more back, this combination created quite a sensation, for they were the first of their kind to be heard in concerted singing in British and colonial homes. The rich sonority and perfect harmonisation of their voices was new, and is, to-day, hard to equal. In their new issue they sing, on one side, two unique Russian folk dance songs—the second delivered at incredible pace and on the other a gay Russian vocal waltz of most pleasing tune and tempo.

In view of the forthcoming presentation of “Aida” by the Auckland Choral Society the recording of the duet, FareweH, O Earth,” by Rosa Ponselle and Giovanni Martinelli is particularly appropriate. The story of thi«= is interesting. Rhadames has been entombed alive as punishment for his treachery. He has seen his tomb completed, stone by stone, until the last ratal stone has been lowered into position, cutting him off from the light of day. Through the thickness of the stone the chanting of the priestess of I tha comes faintly. Suddenly there is a rustling behind him and a hand touches his! It is Aida! She has secreted herself in the tomb before the ceremony, for she has been resolved to share his fate. Clasped in each other s arms the lovers sing a wonderlul ecstatic farewell to life.

1 A P res -midi d’un faune" ( The Afternoon of a Faun”), Debussy has been recorded by the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra for H. M. V. Dll2B. 12in. This is an excellent example of the new “H is Master’s Voice” electrical recording of the Orchestra. The essential delicacy of the prelude has been with a perfect “atmosphere” and

Debussy adequately to describe. An important factor in Debussy’s orchestral writing is his exact knowledge of orchestral tints, and “atmospheric” effect plays an important part in the design, while the recording produces this “atmospheric” effect in the most startling natural manner.

One of the most outstanding pianists of the century, Ignaz Friedman, is now nearly as famous in record circles as he is on Europe’s concert platforms, a-id his approaching visit to Auckland is an event of the greatest musical importan of the year. He plays, as far as records go (and they go so far nowadays that an actual perform - ance is not vastly superior to the mechanical one) for Columbia exclusively. His first effort for them, was Hummel’s “Rondo in E Flat” and Gaertner’s scintillating “Viennese Dance.” Then came a wonderful reading of Liszt’s “La Campanella” and the exquisite Chopin prelude, “Raindrops,” followed soon after by the inevitable “Moonlight Sonata” of Beethoven’s. It is a record that makes one keen to hear this masterly musician in person.

The Don Cossacks’ visit to New Zealand last year will be long remembered by all who heard them. Apart from these, many thousands have no doubt acquired their first record, giving “The Volga Boatmen” and “Monotonously Rings the Little Bell.” Splendid in every way, + his recording is now succeeded by two new ones—again from Columbia—which will give abundant pleasure and entertainment. One (9154) has “Signal March of the Cavalry” and “The Imprisoned Cossacks.” The other (9,155) “The Twelve Robbers” (by Serge Jaroff, the choir’s condi: lor) and a folk song, “On the Road to St. Petersburg.” The lastnamed is about the best, but there is a vivid and life-like effect to each and they must rank as among the best choral productions of the day.