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HMV recording Archive photos

Wonderful Mike. Very many thanks for posting. Do we have any names ?

emgcr wrote:Wonderful Mike. Very many thanks for posting. Do we have any names ?

from the top:-

Harry Tate, Violet Loraine and George Robey
Harry Lauder
Luisa Tetrazzini
Edward Elgar

Very many thanks.

physicist wrote:

emgcr wrote:Wonderful Mike. Very many thanks for posting. Do we have any names ?

from the top:-

Harry Tate, Violet Loraine and George Robey
Harry Lauder
Luisa Tetrazzini
Edward Elgar

Tetrazzini is listening to George Formby Senior making a record.

Alfred Lester, not Harry Tate ( the missing huge trade mark moustache is more than a clue)
The picture is probably from the Columbia studio and from the cast recording session of the long running WW1 show the Bing Boys. I Don't think that HMV had the cast on contract then and I have one of the Columbia records as issued. Columbia seemed to have done a lot of original cast recording of musical shows after Victor/HMV signed up all the top operatic singers in the early years of recording.

I have never been sure that the often given title to the Tetrazzini picture is in fact Formby senior as it does not look quite like him, it was captioned like that in a book years ago and it seem to have stuck.

if any one has a profile picture of Formby that would help, would love to know either way.

What is the purpose of the "tape" wrapped around the horns?
The three singers in the first pic appear to have just sniffed laughing gas...

Metal horns can resonate at certain frequencies and tape was added to damp or remove the metallic ringing that would otherwise spoil the recording.it is mentioned in one or two of the limited number of books on the subject. Bitumen treated cotton electrical tape was used.
Sheet zinc is naturally "dead" and can be used instead of steel and then has less need for this process.

Do we think the recording horns are actual ones or prop ones used by the recording company so as not to give away any secrets?

phonosandradios wrote:Do we think the recording horns are actual ones or prop ones used by the recording company so as not to give away any secrets?

they are the actual recording horns!