The Washington times., 1905-05-27
|GRAMOPHONE SONGS
FROM THE ORIENT
Weird Ones Gathered III
Siam, Japan, and China.
HAVE A PECULIAR EFFECT
Comic Ditty That Specially Pleased
Emperor of Siam Causes Wo-
man to Grow Pale.
HAVE A PECULIAR EFFECT

LONDON. May 27.-TraveIing commits
sioners in the service of the Gramophone
Company have returned from a tour
in Siam. Japan, Persia, China. Russia
and other countries on the termination
OF a successful hunt for new records"
The resultant bag is varied and weird
in the extreme.
'"rhe first item on the program is
comic song by the leading comedian in
Siam," explained q gramophone expert
to a little party which assembled at the
company's offices. Then, having apollo
gized for an Intellectual attempt TO pro-
nouuce the name of the Dan Leo of
Bangkok" the operator ike the disc
and switched on the machine.
The effect was sudden and startling.
From the brazen nav Of the grarno-
phone there poured a volume of sound
as unlike q song-even a comic song
as anything the human voice can
achieve. Now and again there came
the beat of an accompanying tom-tom-
Wilder madder, louder, the Siamese
Comedian raved and screamed. until
lady present grew pale and implored
the operator to stop the machine.
81 am sure the poor man is being muir
dered,' she exclaimed.
Song of Majesty.
But he is the Emperor of Siam own
net comedian. and this is his majesty
favortte song urged the expert Our
commissioner had to pay VerX SUD-
stantial sum before the royal Jester
would condescend to sing into the talk
Ing machine.
1T sounds exactly like two dogs
auarreling," was the very apt compart-
son made by another auditor
The Siamese comic song ended with
a protracted. terrifying, snarling bark;
then, by way of assurance that the ma
chine was blameless In the matter, II
was made to reproduce q comic song
bC an English favorite of the halls.
Every note and word came as cleaFiy as
If the singer himself We're present. atG
that at last the old objection to voice,
reproducing machlneS-thelr aS amy
sound-had been completely removed;
Sweet. pathetic, full-throated was wa the
Voice of a famous Burmese nauteh g1Ta;
Although the listening company eoalo
not understand her words. the sentlmeh5
OF the delicious song was appreellaat.e5d
to the full There came into the httle
room in the Cityroad a glimpse OF
dusky beauty waiting under the stars
of far-off Burma for her tFuant lover
who had taken to the mountains
Some Are Expensive.
I'VE paid 1900 rupees te29@ for that
one song" said the unTonantic opera
tor.
Presently the compan4 was listening
10 a sacred band of musicians PLAYING
in a Rangoon temple TO an audience of
idols Then the wonderful voice o.
sobinoff flooded the room with pure
tender melody. Who IS Sobinon2 Today
he is a common soldier. iyi.s in the
Russian trenches somewhere north OF
I.auyang. with rife at his shoulder.
But month ago he was pouring this
same passionate song-a Russian war
sang-into the ears of st. Petersburg
society Sobinon is the greatest tcilof
in the CZar's dominions- lie lS otsidss-
q reservtst. and when his turn came he
went willingly 10 Manchuria.
In Bort Arthur and Mukden-In ever
Russian hospital at the front-Sob.nGJ |
comrades, as they lie on their weary J
couches, listen to the inspiriti1g song !
that delighted the audience a the com
pany's office,
Used in Hospitals.
'sSobinof received G2,000 for singing TO |
our representative again interiect@d
the matter-of-fact operator. He further
explained that 1900 gramophone records |
and hundreds of machines have been |
sent out to the japanese and Russian
hospitals IN war-swept Manchurla.
1.-The Japanese wounded. nc adfed, |
love TO hear the next piece, and dream |
OF home and conquest.
And the Woodworking machine began
TO emit a slow, mea sured and rather
mournful tune, in which br3zen instru-
meuts droned and drums numbered. 1t
was the japanese national anthem. per
formed by a skiHfm band of geishas
in Tokyo.
violent and vigorous war song by
the Mikado's leading tenor wds not cutie
so much appreciated ~ his London
audience.
ut sounds as though he were having
high words with female relatives" was
the appropriate sinile of a listener.