at MastefsVoice"Records His AUGUST I ýý d 925 v,,`ý THE VIRTUOSO STRING QUARTET (Seepage 4) PRICES OF " His Master's Voice " Double-Sided Records THE ROYAL RECORD (R.E. 2841 THEIR MAJESTIES THE KING & QUEEN. 10 in. Double-sided, 5/6. THE ROYAL RECORD (R.D. 887) H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES. 12 in. Double-sided 5/6. NURSERY Records-ORANGE Label (Serial Letters AS, 7-inch 1/6. (Each series of 6 records in album, 12/6. Album-with linen Decorated pockets -separate, 3/6.) PHYSICAL CULTURE Records.-Set complete in album, 12/-. Album and chart separate, 3/-. Serial Serial 10-inch 12-inch Letter Letter PLUM... 3/- B 4/6 C ... ... BLACK 4/6 E 6/6 D ... ... RED 6/- DA 8/6 DB ... ... BUFF 7/- DJ 10/- DK ... ... PALE GREEN 11/6 DM ... ... ... PALE BLUE 13/6 DO ... ... ... ... WHITE 16/- DQ ... ... ... ... Unless otherwise stated His Masters Voice" Records should be blared at a sbeed of 78. His Masters Voice" lnstantaneons Speed Tester, shows instantly whether your motor is rnnniu correctly. "His Master's Voice" Records LIEDER AND OPERA JOHN McCORMACK (Tenor) (with pianoforte accompaniment) 10-inch double-sided Red Label JKomm bald, Op. 5 (Sung in German)... Brahms 1 Feldeinsamkeit (Sung in German) Brahms ... F. LDEINSAIIIKEIT is certainly one of the loveliest songs that even Brahms ever wrote. A wonderful, serene melody is poised above a Piano part that is itself more interesting and complete than many Piano solos, but which is never allowed to interfere with the singer's right to precedence. The whole combines to form one of the most marvellous pictures of a hot summer day at noon that has ever been painted. It is also a severe test of a singer's ability ; those long, smooth phrases that sound so simple present in reality some of the greatest problems of breath control that exist. To hear McCormack sail easily over the difficulties, his whole being concentrated on the interpre- tation of the music is both here and in the simpler Komm bald a sheer delight. TINA POLI-RANDACIO AND MAARTJE OFFERS (with orchestral accompaniment) 12-inch double-sided Red Label (.Fu la dell'armi (11 Aida ") Verdi Sorte ... D.B. 728 { (Sung in Italian) (Pieta ti prenda ("Aida ") Verdi ATDA, the slave, and Amneris, Pharaoh's daughter, are both in love with Radames, the general commanding the. Egyptian army in the-field. In Fu In sorle dell'armi the princess, eager to obtain a.confession from her hand-maiden, feigns friendship with her, talks of love, and then suddenly tells her that Radames is dead. Aida's cry of horror betrays her secret to her rival who now calmly admits that she has lied- Radames still lives. The exclamation of joy that the slave- girl is too simple to suppress wakes Anineris' jealousy anew and in Pieta- ii prenda we hear her threatening the vengeance of a princess of Egypt while the unhappy Aida appeals vainly for mercy, first to her and then to heaven, the scene ending with a beautiful reminiscence of her prayer at the end of the previous act. This dramatic dialogue, most admirably sung by Poli- Randacio and Offers, is one of the most thrilling things in Verdi's immortal opera. For prices, see page.2 of cover. 66His MasfeVs Voice' Records .......................... ....-1-1- ......................... VLADIMIR DE PACHMANN (Pianoforte) 12-inch double-sided Red Label. -1Impromptu in D.B.859 F Sharp Major, Op.36, No. 2 Chopin Nocturne in B Major, Op. 32, No. 1 Chopin P ACHMANN was born in Odessa in July, 1848, and in his birthday month this year he has signed an exclusive con- tract to record for " His Master's Voice." Special intere-t attaches to this circumstance, for a tremendous advance has been made recently in the recording of the pianoforte, and in his latest records, of which we are now issuing the first, admirers of this great pianist hear the real Pachmann. These records will have an added historical value for the follow- ing reason. Pachmann is intensely sensitive, and the idea of playing to a recording machine which is relentlessly catching every note, was intolerable to him. In view of this every effort was made to render the conditions under which he was recording, as nearly as possible similar to those of the concert hall. An audience was provided and no restraint whatever was put upon the mannerisms of the famous pianist, who played and interjected his little dissertations on the music (just as he does at his recitals), oblivious of the fact that his remarks were also being recorded. If you listen carefully to this record of Chopin's B Major Nocturne you will hear Pachmann's voice. This piece is a great favourite of his, and he has decided that Chopin was frightened by some friends, who knocked at his window late So, Pachmann he talks one night. as plays, soothingly. " Chopin is but don't be frightened they crying ; . are friends knocking they will knock only who are . again and go away." These are wonderful records of one of the greatest masters in the history of the keyboard, and succeeding generations of music lovers will not only know how Pachmann played, but will also gather something of his almost mesmeric personality. Above all, they will scarcely credit that such flawless and inspired playing came from a veteran artist who had just celebrated his '17th birthday.Fachmann calculates that he has given altogether over 10,000 concerts, and that over ten million people have heard him play. Previous to his visit to our recording theatre at Hayes, he had [Continued on page 3 For prices, see page 2 of cover ccGreafestArf isfs Recording -finest !" ALFRED CORTOT (Pianoforte) 10 inch double-sided Red Label. Etude in A Flat Major, Op. 25, No. 1 Chopin D.A. 691 Cradle Song, Op. 49, No. 4 ... Brahms 1N these two pieces Cortot reveals himself to us in an intimate mood. The graceful Chopin Etude in Ap can seldom have received such sympathetic treatment as it get here ; the wayward, romantic melody floats gently over the arabesques of an accompaniment which lends it the almost orchestral support that Chopin alone knew how to obtain on the Piano without forcing the instrument out of its true metier. Brahms' Wiegenlied is perhaps the most widely known of all his songs. One seems to see Cortot sitting down at the Piano and drifting into this tender tune, playing it not for us but because he loves it. His treatment of it has all the freshness (though none of the carelessness) of an improvisation. UNA BOURNE (Pianoforte) 10-inch double-sided Plum Label. Waltz, Op. 40, No. 9 Tchaikoaskv B. 2042 ... ... Humoresque, Op. 10, No. 2 Tchaikoz,shy .. WL, get some neat and sensitive playing from Una Bourne. After the Grieg which she gave us recently she has gone back to Tchaikovsky, a composer with whom she has often shown herself thoroughly in sympathy. We hear a great deal about Tchaikovsky's morbidity, but these pieces remind us that there was another and sunnier side to his character. VLADIMIR DE PACHMANN-Continued. concluded a two years' tour of America, during which time he had given over two hundred concerts, travelled over 80,000 miles, all without one postponement. An amusing story is told of his great tour. At the conclusion of a recital at Hannibal, he had been invited to supper at Cincinnati. There were no trains available, and the party motored. The car skidded, and they were thrown into a ditch. No one was hurt, but Pachmann's comment was " Now we shall be late for supper, and the others will have eaten all our food ! " They arrived at last, and found that supper was still waiting. So were the guests ; but they were all fast asleep round the table !For prices see page 2 of cover. "His Master's Voice" Records THE CESAR FRANCK QUARTET VIRTUOSO STRING QUARTET 12-inch double-sided Black Label. Quartet in D... ... ... ... ... D_ tnnA 1 First Movement-Poco Lento ""°" ( Allegro-Poco Lento First Movement-Poco D. 1007 f Lento-Allegro l Allegro-Poco Lento 11 D. 1008 Second Movement-Scherzo-Vivace, Parts 1 & 2 D. 1009 Third Movement-Larghetto, Parts I & 2 1 Third Movement-Larghetto, Part 3 D. 1010 ýhý'ý^ Fourth Movement-Finale-Allegro Molto, Part 1 f Fourth Movement-Allegro Molto, Part 2 D. 1011 ll Part 3 and Presto A handsome and durable Album ss presented free with each complete set of the above records. T HIS work is the only string quartet that ever came from the pen of Cesar Franck. It was written in 1889, almost at the end of his life, and with the Violin Sonata (DB785- DB788), the Variations Symphoniques (D697-D698), and a handful of other masterpieces it represents the wonderful flowering of a slow-growing genius that only attained maturity when its possessor had reached the time of life at which less steadfast minds are content to lay aside their weapons and rest upon their laurels. M. Vincent d'Indy, Franck's pupil, whose book upon his teacher and friend has been translated into English and should be read by all interested in the subject, not only devotes a whole chapter to an analysis of the work before us but also tells an anecdote connected with its first performance :- " At the the Salle Pleyel performance . resounded with such applause as was rarely heard within its walls ; the audience all rose to clap, and call for the composer, who, not being able to realise that a quartet could meet with such success, persisted in believing that these acclamations were intended for the performers.