The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The media, as usual, gets most of the "facts" wrong, and even the museum staff don't seem to know much about the subject before issuing their press release, but the underlying story is still pretty cool. Imagine finding something like this with your ancestors' voices. Enjoy this for what it is...

Merry Christmas to all!

http://www.aol.com/video/oldest-recordi ... ards-image

George P.

Here is another take on the same recordings with examples of the cylinders. The 1902 one really is very faint but the ones from 1904 are remarkably good considering they are ameteur recordings. Well worth a listen.

BBC - First Christmas Recordings

Here's the link to the museum site with more records to listen too. Several of the piano recordings do have an outstanding recording quality, especially for home recordings. And this is not only owed to the concert format.

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/Collec ... roup-20026

On Christmas Eve 1899, Adolf Rechenberg of Petershain, Niederlausitz, recorded an address to his wife Anna, whom he had donated a phonograph. They had eight children. This is what Adolf recorded on 24 December 1899:

„Silentium! Ruhig Kinder [Die Ansprache ist begleitet von einem Rauschen, Knattern, Flüstern, Miauen].
Johannes setze sich auf das kleine Sofa, Annemarie da rechts zur Seite, auf die Treppe Walter, rechts Egon, so dann Anne Dorothee und Anneliese links dahinter, rechts Adolf und Karl, in der Mitte die Mutter, und nun hört, was Vater zur Mutter zu sagen hat.
Mein liebes, gutes Weib, die du dich nicht trennen vermagst von deinen lieben Kindern in größter mütterlicher Besorgnis, wie alle Mütter auf der Welt, und weil du doch selbst nicht auf die Genüsse der Welt verzichten mußt, so schenke ich dir heute am heiligen Weihnachtsfeste des Jahres 1899 diesen wunderbaren Apparat, der dir zu jeder Zeit auf deinen Wunsch auch in dem trauten Heim erzählen und vortragen wird, wie es in der Welt zugeht, was in den Konzerten gespielt, was in den Theatern gesungen wird. Und so, wie ich heute, liebe Anna, zu dir spreche, aus diesem geheimnisvollen Dunkel, so werde ich zu dir sprechen jederzeit, sobald du mich rufst, auch dann, wenn ich längst von dir gegangen sein werde in die Ewigkeit. Ich grüsse dich viele, viele tausend Male.“

Translation:

"Silentium! Quiet children [The address is accompanied by hissing, crackling, whispering, meowing].
Johannes sit down on the small sofa, Annemarie on the right, on the stairs Walter, on the right Egon, so then Anne Dorothee and Anneliese left behind, to the right Adolf and Karl, mother in the centre, and now listen what father has to say to mother.
My dear, good wife, you that cannot separate from your dear children in greatest motherly concern, as all mothers in the world, and because you don't have to give up the pleasures of the world I give you today on Holy Christmas 1899 this wonderful machine that will speak to you at any time on your request, also in the sweet home and recite what goes on in the world, what is played in the concerts, what will be sung in the theatres. And so, like I did today, dear Anna, speaking to you from this mysterious darkness, I will speak to you at any time as soon as you call me, even if I'll be long gone from you into eternity. I salute you many, many thousands of times."

Wow, Starkton, that's quite a Christmas oration! Not only greetings but mentioning the talking machine as well. I assume this record exists? If so, it would trump the 1904 recording above as the earliest known Christmas home recording.

I have a Christmas home recording from the "Welch family" of Camden, New York. It was made Christmas day, 1912 (100 years ago tomorrow), and contains the usual greetings you'd expect. It's not nearly as well recorded as the British cylinders mentioned in the story above.

George P.

Starkton wrote:...Christmas Eve 1899...

Imagine at that time bringing into the home a device and have it present itself in your own voice. Loving sentiment delivered. Beautiful moments from the mysterious darkness, replayed. I feel its magic.

James.

I recently bought a bunch of brown wax cylinders from someone in the UK. Some of them are home recordings and a couple were people singing Christmas songs. After reading this I will have to investigate a little more and see what I can find out about them. Will post my findings when I can.

phonogfp wrote:I assume this record exists? If so, it would trump the 1904 recording above as the earliest known Christmas home recording.

Yes, it exists, and has been reissued on CD (track 03): http://www.dra.de/publikationen/cds/stimmen/cd08.html

Starkton wrote:

phonogfp wrote:I assume this record exists? If so, it would trump the 1904 recording above as the earliest known Christmas home recording.

Yes, it exists, and has been reissued on CD (track 03): http://www.dra.de/publikationen/cds/stimmen/cd08.html

Alas, no sound file for it...