Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

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Victrolacollector
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Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by Victrolacollector »

Have any members thought about Florence Foster Jenkins being released on a 4 minute new cylinder record?

Since the movie debuted, it seems there is something about her that is intriguing. Cosme' McMoon did a great job as a pianist.

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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by CarlosV »

To my ears her recordings are unbearable, I would not even call her a "singer". Her biography is interesting, but I doubt anyone would play any of her records more than once, or even play any of her records to the - bitter - end.

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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by epigramophone »

Whilst I can understand the demand for re-issues of rare original cylinders, such as those produced by the CLPGS, why would anyone want 1940's 78rpm recordings re-issued on cylinder? Florence Foster Jenkins does not belong to the cylinder era.

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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by Victrolacollector »

epigramophone wrote:Whilst I can understand the demand for re-issues of rare original cylinders, such as those produced by the CLPGS, why would anyone want 1940's 78rpm recordings re-issued on cylinder? Florence Foster Jenkins does not belong to the cylinder era.
That is true, it does not belong to the cylinder era, but she did perform in the 1920's, and recorded for the Melotone private label in the 1940's. Ms. Jenkins may have not been the greatest opera singer, but she has a legacy. There have been many cylinders released in the past several years, and some of them are not from the cylinder era.

If I could get enough interest, I would check on copyrights, and get the master made by Vulcan and have 4 minute releases made with commemorative box labels featuring her photo. The master would be set with lower volume so it could be played well with a early 4 minute reproducer, or a diamond reproducer. I would estimate the cost for a cylinder would be somewhere around $75.00 each. If this would be successful, then additional titles would be released in a series.

I do not think that a 78 could be duplicated that would play with a steel needle.

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gramophone-georg
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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by gramophone-georg »

Since when does something have to be "cylinder era" to be sold on a cylinder anyways? There are Elvis cylinders available on eBay... :roll:
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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by CarlosV »

gramophone-georg wrote:Since when does something have to be "cylinder era" to be sold on a cylinder anyways? There are Elvis cylinders available on eBay... :roll:
I think Epi has a point: copying high fidelity records on primitive media can only serve as a curiosity. Certainly if someone really likes Elvis Presley records he/she would play his lp's or 45's, and would not care for playing cylinders with these same recordings. Copying cylinders makes sense to make rare and musically interesting material more widely available, and in such case with the expectation that there would be little or no discernible degradation in the sound when compared to the original recording. A good example is the Caruso cylinder that Vulcan copied: I love to play it on a phonograph, especially knowing that I would never have access to the original cylinder, and probably would not play it if I had it due to its rarity.

That does not preclude anyone from undertaking to make cylinder copies of Foster Jenkins or Justin Bieber records, there may be people who would spend their money in buying these cylinders to play as curiosities. These are just not my cup of tea.

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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by Victrolacollector »

CarlosV wrote:
gramophone-georg wrote:Since when does something have to be "cylinder era" to be sold on a cylinder anyways? There are Elvis cylinders available on eBay... :roll:
I think Epi has a point: copying high fidelity records on primitive media can only serve as a curiosity. Certainly if someone really likes Elvis Presley records he/she would play his lp's or 45's, and would not care for playing cylinders with these same recordings. Copying cylinders makes sense to make rare and musically interesting material more widely available, and in such case with the expectation that there would be little or no discernible degradation in the sound when compared to the original recording. A good example is the Caruso cylinder that Vulcan copied: I love to play it on a phonograph, especially knowing that I would never have access to the original cylinder, and probably would not play it if I had it due to its rarity.

That does not preclude anyone from undertaking to make cylinder copies of Foster Jenkins or Justin Bieber records, there may be people who would spend their money in buying these cylinders to play as curiosities. These are just not my cup of tea.
Very good point. My thoughts on Ms. Jenkins is that her music is sort of obscure, there were not alot of her recordings around.

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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by gramophone-georg »

Victrolacollector wrote:
CarlosV wrote:
gramophone-georg wrote:Since when does something have to be "cylinder era" to be sold on a cylinder anyways? There are Elvis cylinders available on eBay... :roll:
I think Epi has a point: copying high fidelity records on primitive media can only serve as a curiosity. Certainly if someone really likes Elvis Presley records he/she would play his lp's or 45's, and would not care for playing cylinders with these same recordings. Copying cylinders makes sense to make rare and musically interesting material more widely available, and in such case with the expectation that there would be little or no discernible degradation in the sound when compared to the original recording. A good example is the Caruso cylinder that Vulcan copied: I love to play it on a phonograph, especially knowing that I would never have access to the original cylinder, and probably would not play it if I had it due to its rarity.

That does not preclude anyone from undertaking to make cylinder copies of Foster Jenkins or Justin Bieber records, there may be people who would spend their money in buying these cylinders to play as curiosities. These are just not my cup of tea.
Very good point. My thoughts on Ms. Jenkins is that her music is sort of obscure, there were not alot of her recordings around.
I agree. For some strange reason I've always wanted Beck's "Loser" on a brown wax cylinder, just as a curiosity.

I agree with making copies of ultra rare cylinders to avoid having to play originals, too. I was just scratching my head over the edict of nothing should be on cylinder that wasn't from the correct era.
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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by epigramophone »

That does not preclude anyone from undertaking to make cylinder copies of Foster Jenkins or Justin Bieber records, there may be people who would spend their money in buying these cylinders to play as curiosities. These are just not my cup of tea.[/quote]

Very good point. My thoughts on Ms. Jenkins is that her music is sort of obscure, there were not alot of her recordings around.[/quote]

I agree. For some strange reason I've always wanted Beck's "Loser" on a brown wax cylinder, just as a curiosity.

I agree with making copies of ultra rare cylinders to avoid having to play originals, too. I was just scratching my head over the edict of nothing should be on cylinder that wasn't from the correct era.[/quote]

Not an edict, just an observation.
Those with the stomach for it can listen to rock and roll on cylinder if that is their thing, but I am with Carlos on this one. Definitely not my cup of tea either. :coffee:

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Re: Florence Foster Jenkins on New Cylinder??

Post by edisonphonoworks »

As a cylinder recordist, I hate to burst your bubble. Requests for recording music on cylinder has been 75% inappropriate recordings, like Elvis, Beatles,Janis Joplin, old TV theme songs. Only 25% of the cylinders I have had orders for are period appropriate requests. I found that rather odd. I had made a Florence Foster Jenkins cylinder for a performance with Pablo Helguera at the Gramercy Theater, in association with the Guggenheim. Gramercy located at 127 East 23 Street, New York City. Parallel Lives, It probably was the melotone recording I had dubbed to cylinder for the performance. We had several cylinder machines, representing different people such as FFJ,Shakers, Froebel. :P :coffee: :squirrel:

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