Cantonese Opera?

[paradroid1793]

As per my usual, I'm late to the party. However, I do own this record personally and my friend's mother from Kwangtung was able to provide some information.
The record was manufactured by a company called "Golden Star", HER mother owned some in the 1930s-1940s range. While the artist's you provided have the same names, she concluded that they are unlikely to be the true artists as the names are common. DisCogs lists both artists as "Unknown", probably because they aren't definitive proof. However, is an Opera, and it is in Cantonese.

[chuckmoy]

EBay has sets of the two records along with text enclosures.

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Google Translate says: ...

As a native speaker. WTF is this story .

Being able to understand Chinese 78's is... except for Shidaiqu jazz of course!

[chuckmoy]

Also, to provide some information.

What this is a record made by Golden Star. I think Golden Star was the first asian-american owned Record label. Golden star began operations as a record label and radio broadcasting company in San Francisco in 1943. Be aware when doing research there are other companies called Golden Star.

After 1960~, many of these niche Chinese-American companies (including Golden Star), performers, etc, faded away in the wake of rapid technological advancement.

[Lah Ca]

Also, to provide some information.

What this is a record made by Golden Star. I think Golden Star was the first asian-american owned Record label. Golden star began operations as a record label and radio broadcasting company in San Francisco in 1943. Be aware when doing research there are other companies called Golden Star.

After 1960~, many of these niche Chinese-American companies (including Golden Star), performers, etc, faded away in the wake of rapid technological advancement.

This coincides with what an acquaintance, someone with an academic background in Chinese musical culture, said. According to him, the records are American-made bootlegs, dubs of earlier Chinese records.

[zouzexi74]

Yes and that is also why these records sound terrible. They're made of a shellac similar to that of the final 78's... around 1960~ and are "pantographed" acoustic recordings of Victor & Columbia. Most of them are from around 1920.

[Lah Ca]

Yes and that is also why these records sound terrible. They're made of a shellac similar to that of the final 78's... around 1960~ and are "pantographed" acoustic recordings of Victor & Columbia. Most of them are from around 1920.

The record I have is on vinyl. The sound quality is quite impressive in its wild cacophony. And with increased familiarity with the genre, it becomes more musical. The caliber of musicianship is quite high.

[Lah Ca]

As a native speaker. WTF is this story .

This is perhaps why my native-Cantonese-speaking friend would make no attempt at translation. She is a very classy, bright, well-educated, late middle-aged Chinese woman, very polite and formal in a friendly sort of way. I do not believe that WTF exists in the vocabulary she would use publicly in either English or Cantonese.