The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Does anyone know anything about this mezzo-soprano? Tim Gracyk's book does not list her and online searching didn't turn up anything.

You can see her performing for the Old Man here:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/95513852/

The identification hinges on the pianist- Victor Young- he made a few records for Edison (including his "Cubist" Fox Trot) and went on to become an important Hollywood composer.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Young

His wife was Polish born Rita Kinel Young, but his SISTER was a singer under the name Helen Young. I think there must be a couple errors in the photo caption.

I cannot see the photo as clearly as I would like, but is it possible the singer is the mezzo-soprano Helen Clark? She was a prolific Edison artist, and one of the company's most popular artists to perform for live audiences. I have been collecting 78s and Edisons for years, and never ran into any female artist named Helen Davis (other than the 1940s jazz singer which this photo obviously predates by at least 20 years).

BOTH FROM -- https://remembercliffside.com/history/a ... t-concert/

"Victor Young" (1889-1968)--a different "Victor Young" from the one profiled in the attached Wikipedia page above, though he did compose music for a couple of films--was married to Helen Davis, "Edison recording artist" -- https://www.mville.edu/victor-young-collection

Also see --Victor Young imdb profile -- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3223851/

Other than the fact that she recorded for Edison, and was a student of Sergei Klibansky --
https://books.google.com/books?id=7SIqQ ... no&f=false -- there's very little about Helen Davis, online. She was alive as late as 1971, when she gave her late husband's papers to the Schrub Oak Library. If I can find anything else, I'll post it here.

OrthFan

Thank you for clearing up "Victor Young". He was a duet partner with Thomas Griselle, the composer who won a 1928 composition prize from Victor, but who is otherwise pretty obscure.

Yes, and to further confuse matters both Victor Youngs played piano, although "the" Victor Young of jazz age and swing era fame was known for violin.

Thanks for everyone's contributions. I'd already figured out that the Victor Young in the LOC photo is a DIFFERENT Victor Young but could make little headway on Helen's background.

So many artists we know so little about...