AMPLIFYING MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 239, 29 December 1927, Page 14

AMPLIFYING MUSIC

A NEW INSTRUMENT SIR E. ELGAR’S ENTHUSIASM The unexpected spectacle of Sir Edward Elgar enthusiastically applauding after a jazz gramophone record had been played was seen at a gathering of musicians in London recently. The applause, however, was not for the “jazz,” but for a new instrument which faithfully amplified the music without the least distortion. The instrument, called an “electrical

recorder,” was introduced by His Master's Voice Gramophone Company. It consisted of an electrical sound-box picking up the music, a valve amplifier and a new kind of loud speaker—this last being a large disc of very thin metal. WHERE IS HE? The volume of sound was regulated from a whisper to amplification loud enough to fill the Queen’s Hall, and at the demonstration the reproduction was so good that during a pianoforte record of Mark Hambourg Sir Edward Elgar left his seat and peeped behind a curtain to make sure the actual pianist was not there. Sir Edward commented that it would revolutionise music-teaching.

“When I was a struggling student,” he said, “I used to get up at 6 a.m. at Worcester, take the train to Paddington, get there about 10.30, go to the Crystal Palace, hear a concert and get back home at midnight. And I heard what I wanted once only. Nowadays with this instrument a whole school of students can hear •' o.ost everything they desire faithi lily reproduced—they could scarcely whether it was the real orchestra • • r.ot—and have any part of it played o>« , <3 nd over again.”

- ‘ ‘ Ronald agreed with Sir JCl*** 1 - that he was “pro•JWI W uiAprettsod./*-