(RARE!) Voice of Tchaikowsky & Anton Rubinstein On Edison Cylinder ! (1890)

This Edison phonograph cylinder recording from 1890 was made by Julius Block, a Russian Businessman of German descent (The Old Man with the Umbrella in this video) who became fascinated with the phonograph (and even convinced Tchaikovsky to sign an endorsement).

The recording was kept by Block until his death in 1934. His family donated the cylinder (with other cylinders made by Block) in a German Archive after his death. The recording was re-discovered in the Pushkin archive of St.Petersburg, Russia in 1997, and was labelled with the names of the participants: Anton Rubinstein (composer), Elizaveta Lavrovskaya (singer), Peter Tchaikovsky (composer), Vassily Safonov (pianist and conductor), Alexandra Hubert (pianist), Julius Block (the host himself).

One can imagine the scene - a group of eminent musicians each standing around this new 'wonderful invention', being gently encouraged to say something. So there are a few words of banter, some musical scales, whistles, etc., much of which is only just audible.

Here is the translated contents of this recording:

A. Rubinstein: What a wonderful thing [the phonograph].
J. Block: Finally.
E. Lawrowskaja: A disgusting...how he dares slyly to name me.
W. Safonov : (Sings a scale incorrectly).
P. Tchaikovsky: This trill could be better.
E. Lawrowskaja: (sings).
P. Tchaikovsky: Block is good, but Edison is even better.
E. Lawrowskaja: (sings) A-o, a-o.
W. Safonow: (In German) Peter Jurgenson in Moskau.
P. Tchaikovsky: Who just spoke? It seems to have been Safonow. (Whistles)

A Real Treasure from the Past!

* Note: There is a recent CD issue released by Marston Records(the company owned by Ward Marston, the famous recording restorer.) with 90 excerpts of Julius Block cylinders. It is worth buying!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Voice
• Recording
• of
• Tchaikowsky
• Tchaikovski
• Anton
• Rubinstein
• Edison
• Cylinder
• 1890
• Julius
• Block

[BottomlessBen]

Sounds like a couple of creepy truckers on a CB

[BassicStorm]

I WANT TO HEAR TCHAIKOVSKY PLAYING !!!!

[tuberobotto]

I was expecting a more baritone voice from Tchaikowsky he being older already at this time, something like Rubinstein's. It's bizarre to hear him whistle though. Too bad, advanced technology didn't come sooner otherwise we could be having real blasts from the past.

[TheIlikecookies123]

HOLY FUCK ITS CONFUSING

[tyrelroo]

...I just heard Tchaikovsky's voice. Holy fuck.

[EmmetEarwax]

1890 - in quality or content you can't expect much then. Just a bunch of people horsing around. The earliest cylinder records of wax date from c.1888. A lead one exists from 1877, but it's mostly testing and experimenting.

[CowHoofOnAHotPlate]

RIP headphone users. May you sleep in the heavens with our gay friend Tchaikovsky and enjoy his wondrous music for an eternity.

[karlsalz]

@tophatchristy

no problem man.

i'm also interested in such recordings

[tophatchristy]

@karlsalz Oh, sorry. i get a little carried away.(Why do I even look at comments?) It' probably like that because its very aged. i have no experience in this, but thats just my theory.

[tophatchristy]

@windstorm1000 i know some Russian, but I have no idea what they are saying!

[windstorm1000]

I neglected to look at 'show more'--thank you transforming art. Well, they are all just having fun right? We did it too in tape recorders--can you imagine what a miracle this must have been, then? So keep all that in mind when commenting!! So wonderful to hear the voice of one of the greatest composers of all time--nice tenor enthusiastic voice--and he seems to have a good sense of humor in spite of all the reports of his melancolia.