March Records

Some phonograph records are musical events. Each month TIME notes the noteworthy*

Opera:

Tosca by Italian artists, the chorus of La Scala and the Milan Symphony, under Lorenzo Molajoli (Columbia, $21)--In-terruptions by an excited Italian claque are the only additions needed to make this Tosca sound completely realistic. All Conductor Molajoli's performances move at a swift, theatric pace.

/ Lombardi, Qualvolutta trascorrere and Attila, Te sol quest anima by Soprano Elisabeth Rethberg, Tenor Beniamino Gigli, Basso Ezio Pinza (Victor, $2.50)-- A famed Metropolitan line-up sings early, rarely-heard Verdi.

Lakme, Bell Song by Soprano Lily Pons (Victor, $1.50)--This will explain the revival of Manhattan's interest in coloratura opera, recently pronounced dead by Coloratura Amelita Galli-Curci.

Sacred:

Verdi's Requiem Mass by Soprano Maria Fanelli, Mezzo-Soprano Irene Minghini-Cattaneo, Tenor Franco Lo Giudice, Basso Ezio Pinza and the chorus and orchestra of La Scala, Milan, recorded there under Conductor Carlo Sabajno (Victor, $15)--Verdi's vibrant tribute to Novelist Alessandro Manzoni, of particular interest in Manhattan this year be- cause of a performance under Arturo Toscanini in which Mezzo-Soprano Margaret Matzenauer sang magnificently.

Symphonic:

Brahms' Symphony No. 4 by the Berlin Staatsoper Orchestra under Conductor Max Fiedler (Brunswick, $9)--A faithful, forthright performance by an old Boston Symphony leader (1908-12) who knew the composer.

Brahms' Double Concerto in A Minor by Violinist Jacques Thibaud, 'Cellist Pablo Casals and the Pablo Casals Orchestra of Barcelona under Alfred Cortct (Victor, $10)--Brahms last orchestral work, rarely played because of its technical difficulties, is given a superb per- formance by an unsurpassed triumvirate.

Piano:

Chopin's Fantasia in F Minor by Marguerite Long (Columbia, 2 records, $1 ea.)--A Frenchwoman plays expertly the composer for whom the run of women-pianists seem to have the greatest flair.

Body and Soul and Something to Remember You By (Brunswick)--Lee Sims's rambling jazz reproduces better than most classical attempts.

'Cello:

Bach's Arioso and Granados' Goyescas Intermezzo by Felix Salmond (Columbia, $1.25)--'Cellist Salmond makes a particularly neat arrangement of the Intermezzo to which La Argentina does one of her most seductive dances.

Songs & Ballads:

Just a Gigolo and Yours Is My Heart

Alone (Victor, $1.25)--Jack Hylton and his band of Britishers, for whom Stravinsky is writing some special music, send over elaborate, symphonic versions of two well-mannered tunes.

I'm One of God's Children Who Hasn't Got Wings and Blue Again (Columbia)-- Lee Morse has a taking, doleful way, particularly in the first.

Lady, Play Your Mandolin and Blue Again (Victor)--The Revelers' arrange- ments continue to take first prize for originality and pace.

Cheerful Little Earful and Sweet Jennie Lee (Victor)--The National Cavaliers (also a male quartet) are a close second with their quick-change rhythms.

Dance Records:

Would You Like to Take a Walk and He's Not Worth Your Tears (Columbia) --Ben Selvin plays with his usual skill but his unnamed vocalist walks away with the show.

Where Have You Been? and Love For Sale (Victor)--Waring's Pennsylvanians play the suave hits which Cole Porter wrote for The New Yorkers. A sister act by the three Waring girls takes care of the refrains.

What a Fool I've Been and / Hate Myself (Victor)--As usual the Ohman-Arden piano combination makes second-rate stuff sound like something.

It Must Be True and Heartaches (Co-lumbia)--Guy Lombardo's horns a bit more honeyed than usual.

The Sleepy Town Express and The King's Horses (Brunswick)--Ben Bernie favors the simpleminded. The children will love it.

Truly I Love You and Reaching for the Moon (Victor)--The Troubadours' smooth ways win them Victor's Popular Record-of-the-Mqnth award.

Again, Walter

Four of the five greatest European conductors have had U. S. fiascoes. Aged Karl Muck was repudiated by the Boston Symphony on a hazy charge of pro-Germanism. Wilhelm Furtwangler and Willem Mengelberg were popular for a time in Manhattan, then severely criticized and not invited to return. Bruno Walter was twice guest leader of the defunct New York Symphony, but in his brief regime he could not raise it from the lethargy into which it had sunk after years under Walter Damrosch. The fifth great maestro, who has not failed, is Arturo Toscanini. Under his guidance the New York Philharmonic-Symphony is enjoying the greatest prosperity of its history. To share the baton with him next year will come German Erich Kleiber and, announced last week, again Bruno Walter.

The music-wise will welcome the return of Walter, eagerly await what he may do with a worthy orchestra. That he is a serious, sincere musician was proved at the beginning of his career when his name was Schlesinger. He conducted a performance of Die Meistersinger and Felix Weingartner, his superior, was so pleased with the results that he dubbed him Walter, after Wagner's hero. The name stuck and young Schlesinger formally adopted it, perhaps because he guessed that the more obviously Jewish name would be a handicap. Anti-Semitic feeling did drive him out of Munich once but it could not dim his reputation as a great interpreter of Haydn, Mozart and the French composers. He has since had big successes all over Europe, in London, at the Hollywood Bowl in 1929, after his Manhattan experience had taught him something of the U. S. public.

The few members of the New York Symphony who play now with the Philharmonic are said to be delighted over Walter's return. They adore their fiery Toscanini but Walter, they recall, was always considerate and gentle at rehearsals. Audiences too will note a great difference in the methods of the two men. Conductor Walter's gestures are restrained. He often signifies his wishes by a slight facial expression. He will not perform any of his own compositions, that much is sure. He does not like them.

Beds, But No Lullabies

Readers of magazine and newspaper advertisements have been repeatedly informed that Thomas Alva Edison, James Joseph (''Gene") Tunney, Anne Morgan and several other prominent people rest most comfortably on Simmons springs & mattresses. Last week the makers of Simmons beds went in for another ambitious advertising program, began a series of twelve radio concerts with arias and songs by Tenor Beniamino Gigli, accompanied by a 32-piece orchestra largely composed of New York Philharmonic- Symphony players. Some of the expensive singers scheduled to promote bed sales are Sopranos Rosa Ponselle, Maria Jeritza, Lucrezia Bori, Grace Moore, Lily Pons, Contralto Sigrid Onegin, Tenors Giovanni Martinelli, Tito Schipa. Radio listeners may hear them on successive Monday nights along with Pep, Vim & Vigor, the Tastyeast Jesters, Ludens (Cough-Drops) Orchestra, Astrologer Evangeline Adams (for Forhan's Toothpaste) and the General Motors and Barbasol Shaving Cream programs.

High-minded, Simmons Co. has stipulated that none of its artists shall sing a lullaby.

*Prices listed are for entire albums which include several records. Where the price is not given, it is 75'', standard price for popular 10-inch records.

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