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46
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
JULY 26,
1924
THE TALKING MACHINE TRADE
Three New Additions to
Victor List of Artists
Cecilia Hansen, Kathryn Meisle and Dusolina
Giannini to Make Records for That Company
—Two of Them Native Americans
The Victor Talking Machine Co. is maintain-
ing, as it has maintained for years, the policy
of adding to its notable list of record artists a
number of new names each year, names of those
who have recently won assured success on the
operatic or concert stage.
Pursuant to this policy there have recently
been added to the list of artists Cecilia
Hansen, violinist; Kathryn Meisle, contralto,
and Dusolina Giannini, soprano, the former to
record for the Red Seal list and the latter two
for Blue Label records.
Miss Hansen was born in Russia of Danish
ancestors and her first teacher of the violin was
Zerkovsky, now connected with the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra. Later she studied with
Leopold Auer and in 1914 won the first prize
at the Petrograd Conservatory. Making her de-
but in Finland, she won quick success in the
majority of the European countries and in the
United States, and enjoyed the distinction of
being one of the few artists giving a repeat
performance with the Chicago Symphony Or-
chestra.
Miss Meisle and Miss Giannini are both Phila-
delphians; the former has a contralto voice of
great range and fine quality, which she has used
to advantage in a number of operatic roles and
on the concert programs. For the past two sea-
sons she has been a member of the Chicago
Civic Opera Co.
Miss Giannini enjoys the distinction of being
the daughter of the first singer ever engaged
by the Victor Co. to record under the process
now used by the company. Her first training
was given by her parents and later she studied
in New York with Mine. Sembrich. She has
won particular success in the singing of Italian
folk songs, many of which had not been heard
in America before being sung by her. It is be-
lieved that the records by the three new artists
to be released shortly will prove distinctly wel-
come additions to the Victor catalog.
The third Pacific Coast orchestra recording
for the Victor is that under the direction of
George Olsen, a native of Portland, Ore., who
formed an orchestra while a student at the Uni-
versity of Michigan and has since built up a
most competent organization which has played
at many of 'the best hotels on the Pacific Coast.
At the present time Olsen and His Orchestra
are a feature of the new "Follies" in New York
City. The first release by the orchestra is a
record of "A New Kind of Man" and "The
Hottest Man in Town."
D. J. Pieri in Important
New Brunswick Position
CHICAGO, I I I . , July 19.—The Brunswick-Balke-
Collender Co. announced this week that D. J.
Pieri, formerly connected with the Radio Corp.
of America, had been placed in charge of the
Brunswick technical division with relation to
the production of Brunswick Radiolas. During
the past few months Mr. Pieri has been spend-
ing his time at the Eastern offices of the Bruns-
wick Co., getting acquainted with the various
manufacturing and selling problems of the
Brunswick organization. He is recognized gen-
erally as one of the leading members of the
technical division of the radio industry and his
previous experience well qualifies him for his
new work.
Builds Prospect List With
Aid of Mystery Brunswick
ENNIS, TEX., July 19.—Gid Noel & Bros., live
local music house, recently rendered an unusual
program in bringing to their store the novel and
interesting "Mystery Brunswick." Gid Noel
says the advertising and entertainment that
were derived from the instrument are invaluable
and the returns have been far in excess of the
most sanguine anticipations.
It is estimated that approximately twenty-five
hundred people of the city and communities ad-
jacent to Ennis saw and heard the "Mystery
Brunswick." From these Mr. Noel secured a
splendid phonograph prospect list, and he has
set about to develop a real volume of sales from
the returns.
Three Prominent Orchestras
to Record for the Victor F. D. Wiggins Takes Charge
of Gennett Record Sales
Orchestras Under the Direction of Vincent
Rose, Art Hickman and George Olsen Now
Making Records for the Victor Co.
Several dance orchestras of the Pacific Coast
will now have an opportunity to exhibit their
artistic talents before the talking machine own-
ers of the country at large owing to the fact
that they have been .placed under contract to
record for the Victor Co. The first of these is
the Montmartre Orchestra at Brandstatter's fa-
mous cafe at Hollywood, Cal., which is under
the direction of Vincent Rose, a musician of
recognized ability. The first recording of this
organization is "String Beans," on record No.
19379.
The second orchestra is the famous Art Hick-
man's Orchestra of the Biltmore Hotel, Los An-
geles, an organization that has had considerable
experience in recording and is well known
throughout the country due to the fact that it
furnished the music at the Panama Pacific Ex-
position and has made tours through the East.
The first number by the Hickman Orchestra,
under the direction of Earl Burtnett, is "Manda-
lay," a composition by Mr. Burtnett himself.
RICHMOND, IND., July 19.—The Starr Piano Co.,
of this city, manufacturer of Starr phonographs
and Gennett records, announced this week that
Fred D. Wiggins, who had been manager of
the company's branch in Chicago, had been
transferred to the factory, where he would have
complete charge of Gennett record sales. Mr.
Wiggins has been associated with the Starr
Piano Co. for the past twenty-five years, having
occupied important posts in the organization.
He is ideally qualified for his new work, and
under his direction it is expected that an ex-
tensive plan of expansion and co-operation will
be conducted successfully this Fall.
C. R. Hunt, formerly associated with the Starr
Piano Co.'s branch at Kansas City, Mo., has
succeeded Mr. Wiggins as manager of the Chi-
cago branch. He has also been identified with
the organization for a number of years and is
a thoroughly competent sales executive with
wide experience.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
Perutz Records in
New Gennett Issues
Releases "Spanish Serenade" and "To a Wild
Rose," the Latter Fourth Record in Cincinnati
Conservatory Series
CHICAGO, 111., July 19.—The Gennett Record
Gazette, published by the Starr Piano Co., Rich-
mond, Ind., has just been issued and with the
announcement that Robert Perutz, Polish violin-
ist and Gennett artist, has made several new
numbers, including "Spanish Serenade" and "To
a Wild Rose," which is the fourth record of the
Cincinnati Conservatory Artists' Series. A very
interesting biography of Mr. Perutz is given
explaining how it came about that he gave up
his practice of law and turned to the violin for
a professional career. The story reads as fol-
lows:
Mr. Perutz said: "When the mysterious man-
ner in which the wonderful talent latent in a
musician, be he violinist or pianist, makes itself
known, is discussed, we always refer to that
mysterious holy fire which seized him and
? roused the desire for artistic expression when-
ever he heard a canary sing or even a sparrow
chirp. But in my case," continued Mr. Perutz,
"there was no desire, no childhood dream of
performing before great throngs of enthusiastic
hearers. The reasons which propelled me into
this field of music were much too prosaic to
deserve mention. There is no glamour or
romance connected with my career. I have two
brothers and a sister. My father, who was
musically inclined, insisted that we study piano,
for we owned a beautiful instrument. School was
out at 1 o'clock and immediately after luncheon
we had to get our lessons. At 4 o'clock my
eldest brother began practicing; at 5 my second
brother took his turn at the piano and from 6 to
7 my sister did her practicing. At 7 we had
dinner and after that there was no time for
me to get in my practicing, so in self-defense,
in order not to be left out of the musical group,
I took up the study of the violin and found
happiness. What was written in the stars, came
about!
"Although 1 studied at the university and
dabbled in law, journalism, history, the violin
tugged at my heartstrings until I followed my
destiny and devoted my time to playing this
wonderful instrument instead of following the
dream of my childhood to become a great law-
yer. Music is not only an art or a profession,
it can become a habit and grow upon you until
you no longer can get away from it. You begin
to study, there is a little talent, and lo! the
thing is done! You have become an addict, you
have fallen under the spell and become a will-
ing slave.
"And," continued Mr. Perutz, "there is no
other musical instrument like the violin! It is
so unassuming, so modest an instrument, but no
other can come as close to the human heart!
Why, it even finds its place over the heart while
you play it! In spite of my trials at other
professions my violin has ever drawn me with
stronger and stronger bands until I could not
get away from it and have found happiness
and content in becoming a violinist."
New Store in Lompoc, Gal.
LOMPOC, CAL., July 18.—Miss Margaret Garrett
has just opened a new music store in the Black
Building here and will operate the business
under the name of the Lompoc Music Shop.
Phonographs, small goods and other musical
accessories will be carried. The store is equipped
with all facilities.