Books › Musical Courier 1928-06-21: Vol 96 Iss 25, 1928 › scan 27
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Musical Courier 1928-06-21: Vol 96 Iss 25, 1928
84 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 28. See the scan on archive.org.
1Music and the Movies
3News of the Week
4Ramona continues at the Rivoli and The Drag Net has started a run at the Rialto.
5Dr. William Berwald's $1000 Estey Organ Company's prize winning composition for organ and orchestra is being featured this week by J. M. Coopersmith, organist, and the Capitol Theater Grand Orchestra, under David Mendoza.
6A Vitaphone announcement states that Rosa Raisa, Chicago Opera star, will appear in two new productions, and Chief Capoulican, Indian baritone, has also been engaged for Vitaphone presentations.
8The Lion and the Mouse
9The Lion and The Mouse, a famous play of twenty-five years ago, came to life again at the Warner Theater last Friday night in the form of a Vitaphone film. It is safe to say that the story, always a simple one, does not lend itself readily to a film presentation. In fact, at times it really appeared rather silly, especially when Lionel Barrymore and Alec Francis closed the story with a dialogue that just didn't ring true. While the writer had never seen the play, still he was disappointed because it is well known as one of the biggest stage successes of the past. It certainly isn't a good story and in truth not the best kind of a picture.
10If it were not for the novelty of the Vitaphone making it possible for the public to hear Lionel Barrymore, May McAvoy and Willie Collier, Jr., talk, The Lion and The Mouse would be just an ordinary film. It is not nearly as good a picture as the previous Warner Brothers' presentation, Tenderloin.
11Of course The Lion and The Mouse was somewhat saved by the splendid artistry of Lionel Barrymore, who is not only a great actor but also a fine speaker. In view of his known talents it seemed rather a shame to waste them on the placid role of "Ready Money" Ryder. It is quite certain that he himself appreciated its limited possibilities. May McAvoy did fairly well as the daughter of the financially ruined judge, but her voice is rather shrill and detracts a wee bit from her loveliness. Willie Collier, Jr., had an easy job as the son of "Ready Money" Ryder who objected to his father's mercenary qualities and loved very much the fair May. What he had to do, however, he did well.
12The Lion and The Mouse will be a success at the box office, only because of Vitaphone. The story is too melodramatic for this day and hour. Warner Brothers would do well to dig up a few more stories of the Tenderloin variety. The public likes that sort of stuff and not the mushy-wishy-washy type of story of which The Lion and The Mouse is a ranking number.
14New England States to Have Vitaphones
15With the Public Theaters installing thirty Vitaphones in their houses in New England, and with the New England Theater Operating Company, through its president, Jake Lourie, taking an option on ten for houses in Greater Boston, the total number of Vitaphone accounts in New England will exceed seventy by July 1.
16Twenty-five theaters are now using Vitaphone. At the present time there are, in addition to the Public and New England Operating Theaters, eight other theaters which are being fitted for the operation of Vitaphone. In this list are the Strand Theater, Providence; the Bates Theater, Attleboro; Strand Theater, Lowell; Empire Theater, Lawrence; Marlboro Theater, Marlboro; Strand, in South Boston; The Colonial, in Brockton, and the Colonial, in Newport.
17Russell E. Collins, Eastern Sales Manager, is most optimistic about the future of Vitaphone in New England. With the steadily increasing number of exhibitors using Vitaphone, Mr. Collins is of the opinion that, by October 1 of this year, the majority of cities of 10,000 or more population will have a Vitaphone. His conclusions are warranted, he feels, by the opinions of exhibitors expressed to him during his recent trip through the New England states and by the great increase, in recent months, of Vitaphone installations.
19Roxy's
20Another week at Roxy's, with a gorgeous display and with each performance attracting a crowd. If other movie houses are complaining of losses they might learn something from Roxy; there is a secret somewhere and we judge it might be that he gives the public an exceptional lot for their money.
21A snappy organ selection opens the program, and Erno Rapee's Angela Mia, a tuneful idea, is played by the orchestra, assisted by Harold Van Duzee. Mr. Van Duzee, in the right balcony, who is draped in a royal purple robe, sings well; if only he would modify his gestures he would be more convincing. The Divertissements include a graceful dance by Nicolas Daks and Patricia Bowman entitled the Artists' Studio. It has a touch of La Vie de Boheme to it which makes it thoroughly charming. Just Like a Melody Out of the Sky is a noncommittal and sentimental phantasy, but Jumping Jack, with the Roxettes, is excellent; it is true that it smacks of the Wooden Soldier but it is well done and the effect of minimizing the dancers is cleverly obtained by contrasts of scenery and costumes. Fete Boheme includes several little skits: Carnival, Troika, Pizzicato, The Man I Love (sung by Gladys Rice), Danse Apache (by Von Grona and Betty Woodruff), which proved to be more of an acrobatic stunt than any sort of a dance, and a spectacular Finale. There were several other items listed which did not take place. The Movietone was especially fine this week.
22The picture was entitled How to Handle Women. Just why the title, is something for someone to fathom. The story is of the value of the peanut when put into clever use by Glenn Tryon as Leonard Higgins. The story is rather inane; the attempt at buffoonery is too obvious. One of the best spots comes when Higgins, posing as the Prince of Bulgaria, nonchalantly makes use of a knife and oyster fork to extricate peanuts.
24The Mark Strand
25Colleen Moore, supported by Edmund Lowe, in Happiness Ahead (First National Picture), features the week's bill at the Mark Strand. The picture is better acted than constructed; it is one of those improbable movie stories, which fail to move because of its improbability. Mr. Lowe, as usual a "bad man," or at least a man with a bad past, marries a sweet, pure girl, Miss Moore, which does not suit Kay Lears (Lilyan Tashman), a former lady-friend of the ex-convict. She confronts him with the ultimatum of either returning to her or going back to prison. He elects the latter alternative, rather than leave his wife; his solace is that there is happiness ahead after he comes out.
26The Movietone News has its first Strand presentation and holds the interest of the audience. Florence Moore assisted by Lieut. Gitz Rice is charming in a singing act of two numbers, and Hobart Bosworth, billed as the Dean of Cinema Actors, claims attention in a melodramatic sketch entitled A Man of Peace. The ingenues, good to look at, and young, appear in Syncopating Sweeties from the Ziegfeld Follies, and the program ends with a dual organ solo played by Walter Wild and Frederick Smith.
28Paramount
29The orchestral selection at Paramount this week is the ever lovely Temple Bells, followed by the "up-to-the-minute" News reel. Jesse Crawford gives his usual concert on the organ and easily wins the plaudits of the audience as does Paul Ash in a fresh revue, Step This Way, Clara Bow appears as a gunman's gal in Ladies of the Mob. The bill is just fair—even with Ash's quivering knees and feet.
31Capitol
32The Capitol this week opens with the symphonic prelude for organ and orchestra by Dr. William Berwald, winner of the $1,000 prize awarded by the National Association of Organists, through the generosity of the Estey Organ Company. Dr. Berwald, who is professor of composition and piano at Syracuse University, is a musician of repute and has a number of worthy works to his credit, but in this, the symphonic prelude, he has done something really distinguishing. The work is finely constructed. Melodious, it also has many striking effects which the orchestra, under David Mendoza, and J. M. Coopersmith, organist, revealed to the full. The audience received the new work with warm appreciation. Dr. Berwald's symphonic prelude should become popular.
33The rest of the bill includes the Capitol Magazine, Walt Roesner and the Capitolians in Gypsy Trail, and the picture is We Americans, amusing in many respects.
35N. Y. College of Music Commencement
36The New York College of Music commencement exercises were held in Town Hall on June 15. A concert preceded the giving out of diplomas which were awarded to Iwao Fukui, Janette Halperin and Howard A. Kay.
37The concert opened with the first movement of the Mozart quartet for piano, violin, viola and cello played by Harriet Fisher, Iwao Fukui, Wilhelm Kindsgrab and Marguerite Buttleman. The number was well balanced and spiritedly done. Du Bois' Fantaisie for the harp was interpreted by Mary Brubaker, who has a good command of her instrument; Antoinetta Mancini offered the Liszt Tarantella with genuine artistry and a good rounded tone; Rhea Becker has an excellent soprano voice, of even quality and resonance, and was thus able to give a smooth rendition of the Faust Jewel Song. An interesting musician is Esther Heller, who possesses a vivacious and sparkling personality and played the Allegro from the Symphonie Espagnol with the verve and sureness of a veteran. Rimsky-Korsakoff's concerto for piano was given by Eugene Helmer with careful attention to technic and climaxes. The String Ensemble finished the musical program by playing Haydn's op. 54. Once more one was aware of the fine blending of tone of the performers.
38The awarding of diplomas followed, and teacher's certificates were awarded to Aurora Cardenas, Emilia de Terzo, Harriet Fisher, Elizabeth Lortz, Antoinetta Mancini, Katherine Mickey, Lillian Mondelli, Vincenza Palumbo, Irving Schlein and Jack Fina. Testimonials were given to forty students. The address was made by Alphonse G. Koelble.
40Cleveland's Municipal Concerts
41The Cleveland Orchestra has been engaged by the city of Cleveland for its second season of free concerts in Edgewater and Gordon parks, on the shores of Lake Erie. Concerts are to begin Tuesday evening, June 26, and to continue for five weeks, alternating between the two parks.
42Rudolph Ringwall, assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, will be in charge. Ringwall conducted the first season last summer. He will have a fifty-piece orchestra, made up of members of the regular symphony organization. Many of the first chair men will return for the summer engagement, among them Josef Fuchs, concert-master.
43Nationality nights, when local musical organizations of various foreign speaking groups will take over half the programs, will be one of the chief features. These will be on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Thursdays will be symphony nights. The rest of the programs will consist largely of popular classics and light opera members. Con-
45"I am sure that in this number you have struck the magic chord that will echo in all hearts."
46MARIE TIFFANY
47LOVE'S MAGIC
48Song by FRANK H. GREY
49(2 keys) Price 40 cents
50White-Smith Music Publishing Co.
51Boston New York Chicago
53World's Greatest Theatre. People of discriminating taste enjoy Roxy's, with the best in motion pictures and divertissements. Roxy Symphony Orchestra of 110, Roxy Ballet Corps. Soloists. Roxyettes.
5550th St. & 7th Ave.
56Under the Personal Direction of S. L. ROTHAFEL (Roxy)
57Reg. Sat. June 23
58"THE FOREIGN LEGION"
59with NORMAN KERRY and LOUIS STONE
60A Universal-Jewel Picture
62WARNER THEATRE
63BROADWAY and 52D STREET
64TWICE DAILY
652:45—8:45
66"LION AND THE MOUSE"
67Biggest and Best Talking Picture Yet
68A Warner Bros. Vitaphone Picture
70concerts will be given nightly with the exception of Mondays.
71Last year's concerts were attended by between 7,000 and 15,000 people every night. Arrangements are being made to broadcast portions of the series by Station WTAM.
73Carmela Ponselle at the Palace
74According to the critic of the New York Evening Sun, Carmela Ponselle, mezzo soprano of the Metropolitan Opera Company, "scored the musical triumph of the vaudeville year," at the Palace Theater last week, where she filled a special one week engagement.
75Miss Ponselle made an altogether handsome picture in her white bouffant gown with red poppies contrasting against her dark hair. She was very cordially received on the day the MUSICAL COURIER representative heard her, June 12, and scored a splendid success. In excellent voice, Miss Ponselle first offered the O Don Fatale aria from Don Carlos, an admirable vehicle, but somehow or other it did not mean as much to the audience as the Mon Coeur S'Ouvre a ta Voix, from Samson and Delilah, or the Habanera from Carmen, a request, which went by far the best of the three. This was given with a certain flair and dash of spirit that won the audience. One would like to hear this talented young singer in the role. The only English song, April, My April, by H. C. Milligan, was a pleasing contrast of lightness to the heavier arias.
76Sol Alberti presided at the piano and rendered a solo, a concert etude by MacDowell. There have been numerous opera singers who have tried a "flier" into vaudeville and have not fared but poorly. Not so Carmela Ponselle. Perhaps this is because she began her singing career in vaudeville and the day has arrived when singers can jump from opera and concert into light opera and variety and back, without it hurting them.
78Madge Daniell's Pupils Active
79Lucy Lord, prima donna of Golden Dawn, signed with the Public Theaters for twenty weeks; she will open at the Paramount in a review called West Point. Annie Pritchard, of Greenwich Village Follies at the Winter Garden, is a weekly radio feature and broadcasted recently over Station WHN for J. Huddleston's Beauty Interview, when she sang a program of songs. She is to repeat the program over WPAP.
80Ward Tollman is meeting with success singing the leading baritone role in stock at Davenport, Iowa. Harold Henshey, tenor, is appearing in vaudeville in a sketch called Enter Marie, in which he sings the principal role. All are pupils of Madge Daniell, who has many singers in musical comedies and operettas on Broadway.
82ESTHER LUNDY NEWCOMB,
83American soprano, who will be heard at the Erie, Pa., Festival at Conneaut Lake, July 9 to 16. Mrs. Newcomb will appear as soloist with orchestra, singing operatic arias and a group of modern songs. During the past season the soprano has had several successful appearances as soloist with the Woman's Symphony Orchestra of Chicago under Ethel Leginska's leadership, with the Boston Woman's Symphony Orchestra under the same conductor, and with the Little Symphony of Chicago. Mrs. Newcomb has booked many appearances in concert and recital for next season, which she expects will be one of her busiest.
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