This archive
contains examples of vintage recordings that are not available
commercially. All are from original source material. They are not
copied from CDs or 33rpm reissues. They are placed here for research
and educational use only and are not to be reproduced or used for any
other purpose.
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Tea For Two
DON BAKER at the New York Paramount
Organ
COLUMBIA C 137-2 37524 (CO 35992)
Gabriel T. Della Fave writes: This is probably a
"Studio Organ" installed for recording two years
after
the "Mighty Wurlitzer" was installed in 1926.
Apparently, in the late 1920s, the Paramount Organ was simply
referred to as "That Organ" by many people across
the
country. But recording equipment of that time simply
couldn't deal
with the sound of the great organ. So a studio
organ was installed
in the theater for recording (by the likes
of Jesse Crawford and
Don Baker) and it was labeled as "The
Paramount Theater
Organ."
The "studio" organ was a 4/21 Wurlitzer. It would be
a world class theater organ today. The BIG organ in the
auditorium proper was a 4/36 Wurlitzer.
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K-K-K-Katy
Sung By Eugene Buckley
Columbia
(blue label) A2530
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Magnolia
Julie Wintz & his Hofbrau Orchestra
Harmony 438-H
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Doin' The Raccoon
George Olsen and His Music
Victor 21701-A
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The Wedding of the Painted Doll
Sam Lanin's
Dance Orchestra (George Beaver, voc.)
BANNER 6350-A
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Collegiate
Waring's Pennsylvanians
Victor
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Tomorrow
Guy Lombardo & Canadians
Oriole
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Kreisler/Rachmaninoff
- Liebesfreud
Here is the original 78 version of the man himself playing his
transcription of his buddy's composition Liebesfreud. This
isn't the cleanest 78 in the world -- it has some damage on the
inside grooves (whoosh) on both sides. I'll see if I can scout up a
cleaner original.
Compare this with the Wayne Stanke
version on the CD "A Window in Time."
Sibelius - Symphony #4
Played by London Philharmonic Orchestra
cond. Sir Thomas
Beecham
Victor Set DM-446
Sibelius #4 is a challange to listen to -- relentlesly pessimestic
-- however it is a great work. Structurally it is amazing that
something with this little material can hang together; but it does.
I'm familiar with the Colon Davis and Simon Rattle versions, but
this reading by Beecham is the clearest.
The composition is in 4 movements, however they are usually played
without interruption. Accordingly I've joined all the sections into
one whole.
Io sor Titania
Sung by Lillian Nordica (1859 - 1914)
Columbia 30661
LILLIAN NORDICA was an American soprano. Her real name was Lillian
Norton. Whe was born in Farmington, Me. After studying in Boston,
London, and Milan, she sang with Francis Gilmore's band on a tour of
Europe. In 1897 she made her opera debut in Milan in Don Giovanni,
and in 1883 her American debut in Faust. She was a member of the
Metropolitan Opera Company from 1893 to 1908, and sang chiefly in
operas by Richard Wagner. During a world concert tour, she was
shipwrecked off the coast of Australia and died soon after from
exposure.
Probably the most interesting thing about this performance is that
it is a Wagnerian soprano doing coloratura. At that time, singers
were expected to be possibly more versatile than now. Imagine Birgit
Neilson singing this.
Una voce poco fa
Sung by
Amelita Galli-Curci
Victor 74541
I don't know the history of Mme. Galli-Curci except that she was
very well-known at about the same time as Mme. Nordica.
However, as you can hear from this recording, she was nothing
short of amazing. Listen in particular to the astounding accuracy in
the scales and arpeggie, plus the total control. This is not known as
an easy Aria to pull off.
Blue Danube Waltz
Concert Arabesques by Schultz-Evler
Played by Josef Lhevinne
Victor 6840-A/B
This has been called probably the most perfect recording ever. The
Schulz-Evler arrangement of the Blue Danube is very difficult, and
not many people play it today. Lhevinne makes it sound like a stroll
in the park.
Ravel - Gaspard De La Nuit
Played by Walter Gieseking
Columbia Set X-141
I found this Columbia set NEW in 1986 from a place
around the corner from where I worked called the Half-Price record
shop. They specialized in "uncirculated" record sets. I
think I paid about $28 for it, still in the original wrapper.
At the time, the 78 set was the only version of Walter Gieseking
playing Gaspard De La Nuit available. It's my favorite version
of this piece.
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