WANTED - Caruso, Vesti la giubba 1904 Victor session

[Torjazzer]

Can be either American or Canadian pressing; preferably in decent, playable condition.

I've been watching on ebay with no luck. This was the first record to sell over a million copies yet it is surprisingly elusive.

I have Paypal but will accept other terms.

[Viva-voce]

Hi,

The 1904 version is elusive because it was not in circulation terribly long. The 1907 version with orchestra is much more common and the version that would have sold a million copies. However, that is debatable as there are many whi claim Alma Gluck's 1914 "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" as the first actual million-seller.
It also has been said that it was a combination of sales of Caruso's three versions (1902, 04,07) that hit the million mark.
Anyhow, the 1904 version should not be an expensive record, unless you find a nice unworn copy on the original Monarch pressing, which is rare because it only appeared on Monarch for a year at most before the change to the Grand Prize label in 1905. Early unworn pressings are harder to find because most people still had the front mount machines. Also, the 1904 series has very forward wonderful sound, which wore out more quickly. Copies of this recording do turn up so keep looking.
Hope this is helpful info and I wish you a happy holiday season.

Steven

[Torjazzer]

Hi,

The 1904 version is elusive because it was not in circulation terribly long. The 1907 version with orchestra is much more common and the version that would have sold a million copies. However, that is debatable as there are many whi claim Alma Gluck's 1914 "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" as the first actual million-seller.
It also has been said that it was a combination of sales of Caruso's three versions (1902, 04,07) that hit the million mark.
Anyhow, the 1904 version should not be an expensive record, unless you find a nice unworn copy on the original Monarch pressing, which is rare because it only appeared on Monarch for a year at most before the change to the Grand Prize label in 1905. Early unworn pressings are harder to find because most people still had the front mount machines. Also, the 1904 series has very forward wonderful sound, which wore out more quickly. Copies of this recording do turn up so keep looking.
Hope this is helpful info and I wish you a happy holiday season.

Steven

Thank you for the additional information. I have copies of the other recordings Caruso made in the same session and they play rather well. I shall press on.

[Viva-voce]

You are most welcome.
I find that Caruso's voice was captured extremely well in those 1904 recordings.
A very good presence and even a little room reverberation in that Carnegie Hall room 826!
These qualities are found in most of the domestic 1903-04 opera recordings in the Victor series.
But as I said earlier, copies wore out rather quickly due to the very forward recording.

Steven

[gramophone-georg]

What was the 1904 catalog number?

[Viva-voce]

81032

[gramophone-georg]

81032

Thanks!

[Viva-voce]

No worries
Happy holidays

[epigramophone]

Hi,

The 1904 version is elusive because it was not in circulation terribly long. The 1907 version with orchestra is much more common and the version that would have sold a million copies. However, that is debatable as there are many whi claim Alma Gluck's 1914 "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" as the first actual million-seller.
It also has been said that it was a combination of sales of Caruso's three versions (1902, 04,07) that hit the million mark.
Anyhow, the 1904 version should not be an expensive record, unless you find a nice unworn copy on the original Monarch pressing, which is rare because it only appeared on Monarch for a year at most before the change to the Grand Prize label in 1905. Early unworn pressings are harder to find because most people still had the front mount machines. Also, the 1904 series has very forward wonderful sound, which wore out more quickly. Copies of this recording do turn up so keep looking.
Hope this is helpful info and I wish you a happy holiday season.

Steven

The usually reliable Guinness organisation is inconsistent, www.guinnessworldrecords.com goes with "Vesti la Giubba" but The Guinness Book of Recorded Sound guardedly says that "Carry me back to Old Virginny" was the oldest recording to eventually reach one million sales.
To add to the confusion, The Encyclopaedia of Recorded Sound goes with Paul Whiteman's 1920 "Whispering/Japanese Sandman".

None of this helps torjazzer find his 1904 Caruso, but I wish him well and hope he gets it in time for Christmas.

[gramophone-georg]

I found my spare copy. It's a Grand Prize pressing with a badly water faded label (but still legible) and the shellac quality isn't the greatest as sometimes happens on these earlies but it has zero actual play wear- not even the dreaded "rough start"- and Caruso's voice quality is very good throughout. This record really shows Caruso's vocal power.

It looks like a previous owner tried to remove an even earlier owner's label sticker with water and botched it. That's why the label is as it is.

It's yours for the cost of postage as a filler copy until that NOS Monarch copy comes along if you want it. PM me if interested.