Music: Collegians

As for 14 years past, members of the Intercollegiate Musical Council met in Manhattan last week to match lungs, throats, choral training. Eleven glee clubs competed in gaily-bannered Carnegie Hall. George Washington University was voted best, Yale second, Ohio State third.

Serafin in Symphony

Unless an opera conductor blatantly offends, the average U. S. audience pays him scant attention, lets the general excellence of a performance go unmarked or attributes it to individual singers. Hence, last week, friends of Conductor Tullio Serafin of the Metropolitan Opera Company were pleased to hear of homage paid him in Philadelphia, where he appeared three times as guest conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, where he imparted to taxing symphonic programs the same glancing, theatric charm that has characterized his best performances at Manhattan’s opera house.

Chotzinoffs Beethoven

Pithy, like effective pencil drawings, are the musical criticisms of Samuel Chotzinoff published daily in the New York World. The same characteristics mark his Eroica,* a novel based on the life of Ludwig van Beethoven and published currently. Despite his expert knowledge, Critic Chotzinoff permits himself even here no sidestepping into erudite analysis of Beethoven’s music. His book is frankly fiction, tells vividly the story of the pock-marked man who never in his life found satisfaction save in music, who died shaking his fist at the unknown. Other Beethoven biographers have presumably clung more closely to reliable, documentary sources but honest laymen will like the Chotzinoff version. It attempts, at least, to solve the haloed Beethoven enigma, paints him as man rather than Titan.

Swift Singers

In Chicago 80 employes of Swift & Co. (meats) worked overtime last week. Some were butchers, some were clerks, some were executives, but their extra work had nothing to do with steer-sticking, pig statistics or meat-selling. It involved practicing and singing for the annual concert of the Swift Male Chorus.

Thirteen years ago the Swift chorus was organized as a Wartime songfest whose purpose was to sell Liberty bonds. Annual concerts were given after the War. At one of these, six years ago, Polish Soprano Claire Dux was the soloist, the guest of honor at a Swift plant luncheon. There she and Packer Charles Henry Swift met, became enamored of one another. Two years later they married.

Out of sentiment, not for gold, Soprano Dux-Swift was soloist at last week’s Swift concert, given as usual at Orchestra Hall under Conductor David Alva Clippinger. The house, packed with Chicago socialites, long and loudly applauded her, demanded and got five encores. Another feature was the first performance of Outward Bound, Swift-prize-winning chorus composed by Franz Bornschein to a poem by Catherine Parmenter. Composer Bornschein, no Swift employe, has three times won the annual $100 prize. Honorable mention this year was awarded to Abram Moses of Baltimore and Gustav Mehner of Grove City, Pa.

March Records

Some phonograph records are musical events. Each month TIME will note the noteworthy:-

Opera:

LA BOHEME, made in Italy by Italian singers, the Scala Chorus and the Milan Symphony conducted by Lorenzo Molajoli (Columbia, $26)—One of the most satisfying of opera releases. Soprano Rosetta Pampanini (Mimi) and Tenor Luigi Marini (Rodolfo) sing in the approved Italian manner. The recording is excellent.

PARSIFAL, Act III, by the Berlin State Opera Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Karl Muck (Victor, $16)—The world’s most famed Parsifal conductor gives his version of Wagner’s Grail opera.

FAUST. The Jewel and Spinning Songs (Victor, $2)—Soprano Elisabeth Rethberg sings these with frigid perfection.

Oratorio:

STALKER’S CRUCIFIXION by Tenor Richard Crooks, Baritone Lawrence Tibbett, Organist Mark Andrews and Manhattan’s Trinity Choir (Victor, $9)—For those who want their Easter music more orthodox than Wagner conceived it; recommended more for the excellence of its recording than for its musical substance.

Symphonic:

TCHAIKOVSKY’S CONCERTO IN D by Polish Violinist Bronislaw Huberman and the Berlin State Orchestra under Wilhelm Steinberg (Columbia, $8)—Tchaikovsky wrote this Concerto shortly after his miserable marriage, at a time of great depression; but its mood is surprisingly light and Violinist Huberman, of European fame, plays with exceeding grace over a subdued orchestra.

ALBENIZ’ IBERIA SUITE by the Madrid Symphony under Enrique Fernandez Arbos (Columbia, $6)—Typical Spanish rhythms deftly treated by Spain’s greatest conductor only recently departed from the St. Louis Symphony.

Songs:

WHEN I’M LOOKING AT You and THE WHITE DOVE (Victor, $1.50)—Baritone Lawrence Tibbett sings these just as he does in the cinema Rogue Song. Popular also will be his records of Rogue Song and The Narrative.

IF HE CARED and CRYING FOR THE CAROLINES (Columbia)— Ruth Etting still sings best such melancholy songs as these.

Dance Records:

LIEBESTRAUM and SONG OF INDIA (Columbia, $1.25)—Two oldtime Whiteman syncopations revived and richly embroidered.

TEA FOR Two and I WANT TO BE HAPPY (Columbia)—Also notable revivals, revamped by the Ipana (Toothpaste) Troubadours.

STRIKE UP THE BAND! and SOON (Vic-tor)—George Gershwin’s contributions to the season’s hits. The first is fine satire on the big-parade spirit; the second is as teasing as tunes are made.

WHAT is THIS THING CALLED LOVE? and SHE’S SUCH A COMFORT TO ME (Victor)—Wake Up and Dream hits smoothly played by Leo Reisman.

ST. JAMES INFIRMARY BLUES and WHEN YOU’RE SMILING (Victor)—The first is a gambler’s sad story set to high-stepping jazz; the second, saccharine.

WHY? and CROSS YOUR FINGERS (Columbia)—Besides uncommon spirit, Ben Selvin’s band which plays these has a good piano, a good male quartet for its vocal refrains.

T’AINT No SIN and CAN’T You UNDERSTAND (Victor) — The first by Walter Donaldson threatens to rival his After I Say I’m Sorry and Just Like a Melody. George Olsen plays it.

Other good dance tunes: Puttin’ on the Ritz and Singing a Vagabond Song (Victor), Do Ya’ Love Me? and When I Am House-Keeping for You (Columbia), Keepin’ Myself for You and Blue is the Night (Victor), Navy Blues and Romance (Brunswick), When a Woman Loves a Man and Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love (Victor).

Best Seller

Accordions are popularly associated with tobacco-chewing rustics and pomaded Italian vaudevillians. Yet Manhattan music dealers reported last week that the piano-accordion, retailing at a minimum of $250, is now their best-selling instrument, exceeding even the saxophone family. Buyers, they said, include all classes from socialites to day-laborers. Principal reason advanced to account for the accordion’s increasing popularity: it reproduces excellently over the radio. Added reason: it requires no accompanying instrument.

* Simon & Schuster ($2.50). * 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.