First Electrical-Process Record -- Leopold Stokowski 1925

A landmark in the history of audio, this is the first orchestral performance recorded with the then newly developed electrical process-- using a microphone, amplifier, and electromagnetic cutting head. From Edison's invention of the phonograph, in 1877, until 1925, recordings were made acoustically, using megaphone-like large horns similar to the playback horn through which Nipper, the Victor trademark dog, is hearing His Master's Voice. The acoustic process relied solely on the physical energy of the voice or musical instruments for cutting the grooves; there were no volume knobs to adjust. While the acoustic process could yield pleasing sound-- my upload of the New York Philharmonic 1918 recording is an example of the process at its best-- its frequency range and dynamic range were extremely narrow.
American Telephone & Telegraph's Bell Laboratories, having developed an equipment package for radio broadcasting that the Western Electric division marketed, developed a package for record companies that was adopted industry-wide through the latter half of the 1920s. Records made with the electrical process boasted much more natural sound, better defined bass-to-treble and soft-to-loud, which, for the first time, could be controlled while recording-- there was a volume knob. It can be argued that subsequent improvements in recording technique-- hifi, stereo, even digital-- are evolutionary advances; the electrical process was a revolutionary break with the past.
However, the label of this Victor Victrola twelve-inch 78-RPM disc, number 6505, looks like previous disc labels, giving no hint of the revolutionary content, perhaps so as not to affect purchases from Victor's large acoustically-recorded catalogue. Also, the choice of 'Danse Macabre', 'Dance of Death', by Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921), appears strange, a lugubrious piece to mark what must surely have been a joyous occasion for Leopold Stokowski, whose interest in audio and concern about recording distinguished him among conductors. But, presumably, the piece had musical features that could test the new process and was the right length for the two sides of the disc. The recording was made by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Stokowski in a Victor studio at Camden, New Jersey, 29 April 1925. For this video, I have joined the music on the A and B sides, presenting the performance seamlessly.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• electrical-process
• acoustic
• recording
• microphone
• Stokowski
• orchestra
• Victor
• Saint-Saens
• 1925
• 78-RPM

[fromthesidelines]

This was the first classical Red Seal recording to use the "Orthophonic" (electrical) process. The first "popular" Victor recording to be recorded electrically [March 16, 1925] and released [19626] was a selection by a quartet from the annual production of the University of Pennsylvania's "Mask & Wig Club" {"Joan of Arkansas"} .Victor didn't begin identifying "Orthophonic" recordings on their labels until AFTER they officially introduced the process in November 1925.

[fred234w]

@northbeachfilms Why is this hilarious?

[northbeachfilms]

@SatchmoSings

hilarious.

[SatchmoSings]

@alcoemdge There is a website that has ALL the Stokowski-Philadelphia recordings in pretty good transfers with good commentary.

Just google 'stokowski philadelphia' and it will be the first "hit."



[SatchmoSings]

@northbeachfilms Go get laid and shut the fuck up you moron; I never commented on the veracity of the posting; you're making a strawman; your whole posting is a useless and even counter-productive straw-man.

Now go kill yourself.

[northbeachfilms]

@SatchmoSings

gee, not such a big deal. still a great recording. nice to have it posted.

[SatchmoSings]

@bbelin You're WRONG.

The old "Bat Wing" label was still used on both classical and pop records until there was enough of a catalogue built up to make it prescient to announce the new electric recording process.

It's easy enough to tell the difference between the previous acoustic and electric records; there is a small "VE" stamped at the 12 o'clock position of the electric discs.

[bbelin]

To the best of my knowledge the recordings Victor made in the electrical process were released as "Orthophonic" recording this record seems to use the old Red Seal label.

[alcoemdge]

I believe Stokowski and the Philadelphians recorded the piece just a year or two later in improved sound.

[acfinney]

Thanks for posting this recording. I had no idea that this was a milestone recording. This also happens to be a favorite of mine, followed by Grofe's Canyon Suite. As far as the cardboard-cored records, they were too brittle and rarely survived the old record changers.