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P.G.Hurst, pioneer record collector.
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:00 am
by epigramophone
I recently acquired a copy of "The Golden Age Recorded" by P.G.Hurst, who also wrote "The Age of Jean de Reszke" and "Recorded Memories (A Collector's Treasury".
He knew and heard many of the greatest singers of the pre-1914 era and was buying their records from as early as 1900. He contributed the regular "Collector's Corner" articles for The Gramophone magazine, yet I can find nothing about his own life, not even an obituary although he must surely have received one. My curiosity has been aroused but has come to a premature and frustrating dead end. Can anyone help?
Re: P.G.Hurst, pioneer record collector.
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:36 am
by Curt A
A few interesting video interviews:
Enrico Caruso: P. G. Hurst discusses tenor's "best" Victor record:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldnhmCmnfO0
P.G.Hurst and John Freestone 1967 interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-t52qT9RBg
Zelie de Lussan = P. G. Hurst & John Freestone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMVG_CIGY4Y
Re: P.G.Hurst, pioneer record collector.
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 2:45 pm
by epigramophone
Many thanks for these links Curt. I enjoyed them all. Being pre-digital it never occurred to me to search YouTube.
Re: P.G.Hurst, pioneer record collector.
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:26 pm
by Wolfe
I went to places like Find a Grave and various obit sites and whether searching using his full name (Peter Geoffrey Hurst) or not, the trail ran cold. There wasn't a trail at all, really.
But now I do want a copy of The Golden Age Recorded, I hadn't heard of that book. May slot nicely alonside my copy of John Steane's The Grand Tradition.
I also agree with him about Caruso's O Paradiso, it's one of my favorite Caruso records too.
Re: P.G.Hurst, pioneer record collector.
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:34 am
by epigramophone
Wolfe wrote:I went to places like Find a Grave and various obit sites and whether searching using his full name (Peter Geoffrey Hurst) or not, the trail ran cold. There wasn't a trail at all, really.
But now I do want a copy of The Golden Age Recorded, I hadn't heard of that book. May slot nicely alonside my copy of John Steane's The Grand Tradition.
I also agree with him about Caruso's O Paradiso, it's one of my favorite Caruso records too.
Several copies for sale on
www.abebooks.co.uk including two in the USA. The book was originally published in 1946 followed by a revised edition in 1963.