Anybody has a HMV No.2 Catalogue / Roberto Bauer book?

[gramophoneshane]

Weren't the labels all the same?
I've only got one of these, but all others I've seen have had the same label.

[gramophone78]

Mark,here are the artist you asked for.I hope this helps.I also added the first pages that decribe label color and price and also the artist that were available in #2 catalog.

[transformingArt]

Mark,here are the artist you asked for.I hope this helps.I also added the first pages that decribe label color and price and also the artist that were available in #2 [/attachment]

Thanks for posting all these; I wish I could have whole No.2 Catalogue issues, since there are so many historically important recordings appeared on this catalogue.

By the way, I have a page from Japanese Historical Record Catalogue from 1938 which indicates somewhat more delicate information about the speed; It reads,

"(* All speeds are 78 unless otherwise indicated.)
Sarasate, Pablo de, Violinist (1844-1908)

E-183 　Prelude (with piano) (75rpm) Bach 1904
　　　 Tarantelle (with piano) (75rpm) Sarasate 1904
E-329 　Zigeunerweisen, Op.20, Pts.I and II (with piano) (77rpm) Sarasate 1904"

I wonder how they managed to calculate the correct speed, and I'm still not decided my opinion about Sarasate recording. To me the Pearl transfer sounds pretty slower than normal. Besides, it has those chronic illness of early Paris G&Ts, the "WOW" flutter which really makes it difficult to enjoy. Any suggestions?

[gramophoneshane]

Thanks for including the price list Gram. I've only ever seen U&H records on the red label, and had no idea the others existed. Now I want one of every colour lol.
It also surprised me that these are cheaper than the regular discs of the same colours- according to the regular 1924 Australian addition catalogue at any rate.
Then again, our machine catalogues list the prices of machines for nearly double what they were in England, so perhaps our record catalogue prices were nearly double too?
I dont think we ever pressed the U&H series here in Australia (we didn't start pressing any here until 1926 anyway), so perhaps the our inflated prices were due to the records havng to be imported from UK & exchange rate. I'll have to chase up a copy of the UK 1924 catalogue I guess to make an accurate comparison.

Do you have any idea what year your catalogue was printed?
It must be a farly late one from the electric era, as the black label is ommited. I think the black label became part of the red label series sometime in the mid 30s.

[gramophone78]

Your both very welcome.If it was a smallwer cat. then I would post the whole thing.As for speed....I have no idea as I'm not a real record guy.I'm more a machine person.I do see that some say "below 78" and others say "above".I have one record from this catalog."Gas Shell Bombardment".

[gramophoneshane]

Actually, now I see that label, I think I have seen that one before.
Thanks for refreshing my memory

[transformingArt]

Your both very welcome.If it was a smallwer cat. then I would post the whole thing.As for speed....I have no idea as I'm not a real record guy.I'm more a machine person.I do see that some say "below 78" and others say "above".I have one record from this catalog."Gas Shell Bombardment".

Gas Shell Bombardment #2.JPG

I actually have this record - it is an earlier pressing with a Multi-Track record on the back. It was recorded on October 9, 1918 by Will Gaisberg, during the action of Royal Garrison Artillery at France. Despite its very faint sound, it is certainly a historical document.

[OrthoSean]

....and their speed "suggestions" are way, way off. Look at the Tamagnos. Most if not all of his 10 inch discs all play at dead-on 78. His 12 inch discs play at either 75 or 78, depending on which session they were from. The labels on these reissues never stated the correct speed. With a pitch pipe and some careful listening, it's not that hard to get the correct speed for most records. There will always be the "transposed or not transposed" debate, but generally if you look at the score pitch for most pieces of music, most of which can be found online, you can get the correct key and pitch from there with a $5 pitch pipe.

Just my $.02 once again.

Sean

[Lenoirstreetguy]

Your both very welcome.If it was a smallwer cat. then I would post the whole thing.As for speed....I have no idea as I'm not a real record guy.I'm more a machine person.I do see that some say "below 78" and others say "above".I have one record from this catalog."Gas Shell Bombardment".

Gas Shell Bombardment #2.JPG

I actually have this record - it is an earlier pressing with a Multi-Track record on the back. It was recorded on October 9, 1918 by Will Gaisberg, during the action of Royal Garrison Artillery at France. Despite its very faint sound, it is certainly a historical document.

The gas shell bombardment record was the indirect cause of the death of Fred Gaisberg's brother Will who was the recording engineer for this disc. He got slightly gassed when the wind changed suddenly, and came back to London in not the best condition. In his weakened state he was ripe to catch the Spanish Flu, did so, and died less than a month after this record was made.
Here is what he wrote about it:

Gradually we came within the sound of the guns, and eventually, when only a short distance from Lille, we pulled up at a row of ruined cottages, in one of which the heavy siege battery had made its quarters. In the wrecked kitchen we unpacked our recording machines and made our preparations before getting directly behind a battery of great 4.5' guns and 6' howitzers, camouflaged until they looked at close quarters like giant insects. Here the machine could well catch the finer sounds of the "singing," the "whine," and the "scream" of the shells, as well as the terrific reports when they left the guns.

Dusk fell, and we were obliged, very reluctantly, to pack up our recording instrument and return to Boulogne--and to England; but we brought with us a true representation of the bombardment, which will have a unique place in the history of the Great War


Jim

[Starkton]

Here is my very nice copy of the Gas Shell Bombardment, pressed in the late 1920s. The label is slightly different from the specimen above.
The recording is spooky indeed.

Here is an entry under cat. no. 09308 from the HMV catalogue of September 1919: The profits derived from the sale of this record will be devoted entirely to The King's Fund for the Disabled.