The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

dzavracky wrote:What about the blue label?

Blue label was ethnic series.

marcapra wrote:These are the last acoustic Columbia records before they came out with the new electrically recorded Columbias in 1925. I've never seen these foreign labels before.

Actually Columbia continued to use the Flag label on very early electric releases. These are not easy to find!

dzav, you asked about value. Probably not much even though they are scarce. Enjoy them! I always wanted to collect these but I have way too many record collecting interests already, LOL.

Without wishing to be pedantic, what I've seen in the photos still isn't opera; it seems to be Sicilian or Italian songs, of a sort that was popular at the time and that falls on the outskirts of "classical" today (I'm thinking of the Tosti one here). I don't recognize any of the performers as from the world of opera, either--although the ethnic series recordings not infrequently featured quite accomplished "provincial" opera artists who neither performed in the United States nor had careers sufficient to ensure their names would be remembered once they passed from the scene. And that's an important point about the "ethnic" or "foreign" series records issued by all the important labels: they sometimes harbor recordings much more interesting than their issuers ever imagined. Try looking up some of the singers on your records online and see if you can find anything about them. To the extent you can, the information will offer guidance about what kind of material they might have sung on other records.

Again, please let me stress: just because a singer isn't "operatic" doesn't mean his or her records aren't a blast to play. A "popular song" can be just as enjoyable, in its own way, as an opera aria, it just is written to different standards to appeal to a different audience. Those "Sicilian" issues may be especially interesting; "Neapolitan" songs are much more common, and in fact I'm not sure I've ever heard a song billed as "Sicilian."

Happy, enjoyable listening!

Yeah, there ain't no opera there, or recognizable opera singers. The Tosti song was quite popular though. Lots of people recorded L'Ultima Canzone, including noted opera singers.

"--and never go up against a Sicilian--when DEATH is on the line!"

(The Princess Bride)

wow!!

I really cant imagine spending $18 million on a violin! Even if i had that much haha.

They were awesome to listen to.... one of them was just two guys yelling at each other in Italian! (this was my least favorite) but some of them were quite catchy!

there has been some confusion about whether these records are flag or banner Columbias. the records shown above are flag records. Banner Columbias were older labels that came out in 1906 and were made until 1923 when the Flag label came out. The Banner or Tri-color Columbia label usually had classical music and opera and were called the Symphony series.

From what I see they are indeed folk songs and some light classical instrumentals and vocals. Easy to confuse if one is not very familiar with Opera Selections. Its a shame how the media world and the listening public has for the most part relegated classical things to the back burner. Not that there aren't a lot of opera companies now compared to 40 years ago. But they don't get front page billing when a singer arrives for a concert in a town for the most part. It was a different world, people had different taste and ears in music. I love all types of music but nothing approaches a well done opera for overall exciting performance of combined music and vocals.

Todays problem is the public, students in particular aren't being raised to appreciate what opera is. And to me its a vocal line that accents the music of the orchestra in and exciting manner if the work is a great one. I still remember as a child when a neighbor came over to our home, similar to what you did and they were quite familiar with opera and pointed out how famous some of the artist on my already growing set of records were. After that I decided if they were so famous I should attempt to listen and find out why. I started the La Boheme which is one of the most beautiful ways to start. I remember the Victor album " Record Drama's" I think they called it that had pages of pictures of the artist and sets. I still get goosebumps at the end when the play the last set of cords descending representing the death of Mimi. It is also how I got into symphonic and other classical styles of music. I remember finding sets at the Good will or thrift stores in the late 50s and taking home things I never had a clue as to what they were. Often I didn't care for them at all, but over time I found that an album I thought I didn't like ended up being a favorite a few years later. So listening is half the way to enjoying classical music. I still remember too the first Victrola Booklet that described how to enjoy different types of records and the comment that for the most part a popular record would fade away but great music would last forever. I have found that to true. Time can change your attitudes toward music as much as anything. I used to hate Chamber Music, but now its one of my most soothing and enjoyable types I like. The interaction between three to four or five players with intertwined melodies all working together now has far more interest to me that a loud and noisy overture or classical symphony. That was among my first loves, but no longer.

In the UK, operatic records on 78rpm are now cheaper in real terms than when I began collecting them over 50 years ago.
I would struggle to recoup my outlay on some of them, but who cares? I buy records for enjoyment, not investment.