Great Singers of the Past

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 27, 18 January 1929, Page 23

Great Singers of the Past

Memories Survive through Radio and Gramophone

HB broadcasting by means of their gramophone records of a CarusoPatti concert opens up large possibilities, says a recent issue of the "Radio Times." The idea is not quite new, for anniversary concerts of Caruso have been broadcast from the Continent. Tolstoy’s centenary, which occurs shortly, might well be marked by the broadcasting of a spoken record (in English) made by him in 1907, when he was seventy-nine. Ellen Terry is, alas, gone, but a record of her famous rendering of Portia’s speech, "The Quality of Mercy," made in 1911, is still available. So are two French recitations of Sarah Bernharat. In addition to Caruso and Patti, voealists still to be heard, though gone from us, include Sir Charles Santley and Edward Lloyd. JY oreign singers such as Pol Planecon and Evan Williams have left many records, as did Tamagno, possessor of the mightiest tenor voice of the last century, for whom the title role of Verdi’s "Otello" was specially written. Possibly less known, but makers of exceedingly fine records, were Gervase Elwes, Charles Mott, and William Samuell, whose dainty record of the "Queen Mab" song from "Romeo and Juliet" is an excellent piece of ‘"whispering baritone’ work. Terry and Bernhardt are not alone as representatives of the Victorian stage, for we have Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in Shakespeare, including a fine droll rendering of JFalstaff’s Speech of Honour, and as Svengali in "Trilby’: Lewis Waller in two. famous examples of his elocutionary skill; and poor Arthur Bourchier in "Macbeth." Another famous elocutionist who has left records of his voice is Canon Meming, who, at the age of seventy-six, recorded the "Charge of the Light Brigade." MEMORIES of the lighter musical stage can be recalled hy Dan Leno, who recorded most of his best known numbers four years before his death in 1904; Eugene Stratton in, for example, "lily of Laguna," one of the late Leslie Stuart’s songs: Maurice Farkoa either in English ("I Like You in Velvet,’ quite a fine record on a modern instrument) or French: Albert Chevalier in most of his Cockney ditties; Fred Emney, Burt Shepard,

George Formby, Tom Foy, and Alfred Lester, both in earlier work and his latest successes prior to his death. Those whose memories are of instrumental music can have them revived by the almost legendary Joachim in a typical Brahms dance; by the equally famous Sarasate in some of his own compositions; by Mary Law and Maud Powell, Sousa’s great soloist; or by the flautist, Eli Hudson. Both Edvard Grieg, as pianist, and Saint-Saens, either as solo pianist or accompanist in violin pieces, can svill be heard interpreting their own works. Of conductors, the "mesmeric" Nikisch, and Leoneavallo and Sir Frederick Bridge rendering their own compositions are likewise available. The list of dead orators recorded includes Lord Roberts in records made in 1913, Lord Oxford and Asquith, Lord Long, and Sir William Treloar; three Presidents of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Warren Harding; and two famous explorers in Commander (later Admiral) Peary and Sir Ernest Shackleton. Apart from Edison, who is said to have recited "Mary Had a Little Lamb" as his first record, the earliest famous man to have his voice recorded was the poet Browning, who died in 1889. Gladstone's voice was also recorded in the old cylinder record days, being chiefly listened to, if a contemporary historian may be: believed, by foreigners. The earliest dise records of a famous voice are the Dan Leno ones already mentioned, but the earliest Caruso dises were made in 1902, one of them. a ten-inch of "On With the Motley," with piano accompaniment only, securing him. by cable, his first New York engagement. It was chiefly the early Caruso records which, in 1906, overcame Paiti’s sworn resolve to have nothing to do with "talking machines," though by that time’ Sarasate, Grieg, Santley, Lloyd, Bernhardt and Tamagno had all visited the recording rooom. Pxercising her feminine privilege, she asked to have her voice reproduced, but insisted on the necessary apparatus being brought to her Welsh home, Craig-y-Nos Castle, for the purpose. She was entranced by the result, hearing her own voice as others heard it for the first time. .