Victor Electric Firsts March 20/21, 1925

[Governor Flyball]

On the 20th of March, the International Novelty Orchestra made their first released electrical disc of "Buenos Aires" on the flip side of "Joan of Arkansas" recorded 16 March, 1925 on Victor 19626 Victor's first electrical release announced in April.

Victor signed the agreement with Western Electric around mid-late April 1925 which resulted in earlier test recording dating from February to be commercially released. From May all Victor recording was electrical.

https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/ ... ctor_19626

On March 21, 1925 the famous concert pianist Alfred Cortot made his first electrical recordings which were to be the very first electrical recording of classical music to be released in the world. The musical selection is Schubert's "Litany" on Victor Red Seal 6502.

https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/ ... 512-Litany

Notice that only take 11 was released. I looked up the first 9 acoustic takes over 8 separate visits to the Camden studio and none were deemed acceptable to release! I believe the reason was the subtle and sublime playing was too quiet for the acoustical process to record well.

Here is the March 21, 1925 electric recording of Schubert's "Litany".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6dOYYb ... pZ5vHXFb4F