It’s been more than a month since my last update, so there are quite a number of items to add this time. The recordings range from acoustic 78s through to mono LP, and include military band, orchestra, piano and vocal recordings.
Gordon Jacob – Suite by William Byrd
Mediafire link for Jacob – William Byrd Suite – Coldstream 1925
(This is a zip file – left click the link, download the file, then unzip when downloaded)
No.1 – The Earle of Oxford’s Marche (¾ side)
No.5 – Wolsey’s Wilde (¼ side)
No.6 – The Bells (1 side)
His Master’s Voice C 1215
Matrices Cc 5982-II, 5983-I (single-side numbers 2-0419/20)
Recorded 2nd April 1925
Band of H.M. Coldstream Guards, Lieut. R.G. Evans
Gordon Jacob’s arrangement of a number of keyboard pieces by William Byrd was made for Military Band in 1923 and orchestra in 1924. It is likely that this late acoustic recording was the earliest recording of these three movements.
Between 1909 and 1927, A=452Hz was the standard pitch for British military bands. A change to the Kings Regulations in 1927 adopted modern pitch of A=439Hz. At 78rpm the record plays at about the expected A=452Hz, slightly more than a semitone sharper than modern pitch.
Brahms – Hungarian Dances Nos. 1 and 2
Elgar – Pomp and Circumstance March No.1
Download – Brahms – Hungarian Dances Nos. 1 and 2 – Stanley Chapple
Download – Elgar – Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 – Stanley Chapple
(mp3 files – right click the link, then select “Save as” or click the play button)
Broadcast Twelve 5033
Matrices Lo.104x, LO.103
Recorded c1929
Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Stanley Chapple
Chapple (1900-1987) was music director for the Aeolian Company, and conducted frequently for them, though the recordings are hard to find now. These Broadcast Twleve sides are badly affected by the persistent whistle which seems so common a feature of records on this label. I have done my best to alleviate this problem, so when you notice the remnants of it, bear in mind that it was originally much worse than it sounds now. As the whistle oscillates in pitch, whilst also gradually decreasing pitch and increasing amplitude until the end of the record, correcting it proved to be a major task!
Coates – London Suite
I. Covent Garden (Tarantelle)
II. Westminster (Meditation)
III. Knightsbridge (March)
Coates – London Bridge
Elgar – Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 in D major Op.39
Gershwin – An American in Paris
Mediafire link for Coates, Elgar, Gershwin – Franz André
(This is a zip file – left click the link, download the file, then unzip when downloaded)
Telestar 10049
Matrices LP-071621-I, LP-038079-III
Recorded 2nd to 7th April 1958 (Coates), 20th April 1957 (Elgar), 19th April 1957 (Gershwin)
L’ Orchestre Symphonique de la Radiodiffusion Nationale Belge, Franz André
R. Strauss – Tod und Verklärung – Symphonic Poem Op.24
Download – Strauss – Tod und Verklärung – Weissmann
(This is an mp3 file – left click the link, download the file)
American Decca 25350/2
Matrices 2-21619-2, 21620, 21621-2, 21622-2, 21623, 21624 C
Recorded c1930
Philharmonic Orchestra, Frieder Weissmann
I originally transferred this recording about four years ago, before this website was born. The present file is a completely new transfer, in much improved sound.
R. Thalberg – Home, Sweet Home
Ascher – Alice, Where Art Thou?
Download – Thalberg – Home, Sweet Home – Arthur Meale
Download – Ascher – Alice, Where Art Thou? – Arthur Meale
(mp3 files – right click the link, then select “Save as” or click the play button)
His Master’s Voice B 3166
Matrices Bb 17255-III, 17256-III (single-side numbers 30-833/4)
Recorded 19th August 1929, London, Small Queen’s Hall, Studio C
Arthur Meale, piano
Arthur Meale was the regular organist of the Queen’s Hall. He made many organ recordings in a light and popular classical vein. This record gives us the rare opportunity to hear him as a pianist, in two nineteenth century virtuoso salon pieces. For UK comedy fans, Ascher’s melody is the one that was used as the title music for the Ronnie Barker and David Jason sitcom “Open All Hours”.
This record is in very poor condition, with a serious fracture, and a noisy surface with significant distortion – it’s still a fun listen, though.
Mussorgsky – Song of the Flea
Traditional – Drinking (In cellar cool)
Download – Mussorgsky – Song of the Flea – Capiton Zaporojetz
Download – Trad – Drinking (In cellar cool) – Capiton Zaporojetz
(mp3 files – right click the link, then select “Save as” or click the play button)
Columbia L 1991
Matrices WAX 2739-1, 2740-1 (7664/5)
Recorded 12th May 1927
Available from October 1927 to April 1941
Capiton Zaporojetz, bass with piano
I was prompted to transfer this after seeing Zaporojetz’s name mentioned in a couple of places recently. Firstly, in the booklet notes for “Firebirds of Paris”, a Ward Marston CD of French recordings of Russian repertoire from around 1930. Zaporojetz is noted as singing Prince Yuri in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Kitezh in 1926 in Paris, then in 1929 in the premiere of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex. He also sang the same role in Kitezh in 1935.
A few weeks after reading this, I was reading the June 2010 issue of “The Record Collector”, and the article on Marguerite D’Alvarez mentioned a concert on 2 October 1927 in London, where Thomas Beecham conducted “An Afternoon of Grand Opera” at the Royal Albert Hall. with Austral, Burke, D’Alvarez and Zaporojets.
Gounod – Romeo & Juliet – Je veux vivre
Easthope Martin – Come to the fair (from “Songs of the Fair”)
Columbia DB 2470
Matrices CA 20923-2, 20924-1
Recorded c1948
Julie Andrews, soprano
Ted Andrews, baritone (Come to the fair)
Barbara Andrews, piano
Mozart-Adam – Ah! vous dirai-je mama
Benedict – The Wren
Columbia DB 2553
Matrices CA 21114-1, 21115-1
Recorded c1948
Julie Andrews, soprano
Orchestra, Ted Andrews
Mediafire link for Julie Andrews – early recordings
(This is a zip file – left click the link, download the file, then unzip when downloaded)
The first of these records has appeared here previously. It has been retransferred to be presented here with another of Julie Andrews early 78s.
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