Added: 3 years ago
From: vinylseat
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  • I have a copy of this somewhere, but never knew it was so early a recording.

  • Tune trivia... Bells: "Blue Bells of Scotland" - Violin: "Bonnie Annie Laurie" - Cornet: "I Dream of Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair" - Full Band: "King Cotton" (Sousa)

  • And now, I, Bela Lugosi, will rrrreturn to my coffin and listen to my favorrrrita COLUMBIA RRRECORRRDE!!!

  • @DomAleixo Now that comment if very amusing! [Not much makes me laugh these days...] Nice one! J.

  • Wow, I found this same disc in Canada about 20 years ago and snapped it up...but haven't listened to it for years !

  • Could you imagine if this was a Vic-torrrrrrrrrrrr record?~ Actually, in the classic movie, "Singin' in the Rain" there is a scene about diction teachers used to teach the silent stars proper dictation at the dawn of the talking picture~

  • wow...british people sure used to roll their R's alot back then....

  • @trafficjam10 I can understand why you say that but if you listen to all pre 1923 recordings you will find the pronounciation to be exaggerated. This was because recordings were made without any electrical means using a horn. No microphones or amplifiers and to hear the words on reproduction the voice had to be incredibly clear to start with. Thanks for comment. J.

  • This is evidently British Columbia not American. I have an American version

    of this with a different announcer and similar script. The speech is rather

    formal, more like stage diction.  Note the rolled "R's". As is often the

    case the British version has superior sound to the American.

  • Who is it that's speaking on this disc? I ask as I'm curious, and because he sounds like the same guy who was on the demonstration recording on the Pathe Solophone: Any suggestions as to his name please and whether he's still living now?

  • @bagpuss211 Sorry I have no idea who the gentleman is on the record. He is not mentioned on the title label. Considering the record was recorded in 1912 and as a guess he was 25 when the record was made, he would now be 133 years old. It was a very long time ago.

    Thanks for your comment.

  • @bagpuss211 The speaker on the Pathe demo is Harry E. Humphrey, who made recordings of many speeches in the 1910s/20s.

  • This obviously disproves Wikipedia's claim that violins were barely audible on acoustically recorded 78's.

  • Columbia were the 'SuperKings' of acoustic recording. The later 1920's recordings were incredible and sounded like electrical recordings. The band on the other side of this record is amazing. I will upload it when the dark nights close in! J.

  • Its the 1812 overture. Sounds very good even considering the acoustic method of recording. Thanks for your interest. J.

  • Out of curiousity, what was on the other side? was it just a repeat of what was on this side?

  • That announcer's voice and accent sounds so fake and goofy today, but I bet it was considered normal back then. Nonetheless it sounds rather good for an acoustic recording.

  • That's a fantastic piece of Columbia Record History played on a super sounding little phonograph. Thanks for sharing.

  • I just bought an HMV 102...! Best portable ever. Your machine sounds great, even playing that old Columbia!

  • Its all down to the condition of the soundbox. Many of these players sound bad due to the lack of, or poor condition of the rubber damping gaskets that insulate the diaphragm from the soundbox housing. They are great players and this one can fill a hall with sound. Thanks for your comment. John.

  • Thats not a 78 is is probly a 16

  • Hello Dodge, It sure is a 78 or an 80 as many early Columbia records were. It is being played on the HMV gramophone at 78 RPM. 16 RPM records are extremely rare in the UK. I think the guy would sound like Donald Duck if it was 16 RPM!

    Thanks for your interest.

  • Very cool. I too have a columbia demonstration disc, but no true gramophones yet......just 50's era portables and consoles , but they play these pretty well too. And if this record was played at 16RPM, He would not sound like donald duck...it would be sloooooooooooow and looooooow sounding. 16RPM's are not common here either, as they were designated for spoken records, and not many people listen to The Bible on record......though it does exist.

  • Thanks for your comment. I was a bit puzzled by Dodge as he said 'That's not a 78 probably 16' I was playing the record at 78 so would have been very fast if it was a 16 played at 78! Hope you get a suitable player, There are many around. J.

  • Ah, I see. Yes, a 16 played at 78 would sound like donald duck, or the chipmunks! Ive seen a few older players around, actually had two but sold them. When money isnt so tight, Ill look for a nice portable like that. but for now, as long as I can listen to 78's, Im happy.

  • We had a copy of this for many years at home.

  • I have a hunch that these 'demonstration' records may have been given away with a new gramophone. Thanks for your response. John.

  • No worries. I think I might still have the record somewhere but it is a bit damaged now. Used to listen to this and many other 78's that my folks had when I was a kid. Haven't heard this in full in about 35 years!

  • I'm sure we could find a way to do that!

    You have a great collection of audio. Its an incredible story through the 20th century. John.

  • I wish I should play a 1912 Columbia demonstration record on my 1975 GE Wildcat.

  • Thanks for your comment. I thought someone would like that one. I have many very odd 78's. I'll see what I can do. J.

  • Wonderful! Thanks for posting and keep uploading many 78s as much as you can!

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