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I am new to the world of talking machines and recordings. I recently acquired a Edison C200 that had been in the same family since new. Back story: the purchaser was a music teacher in Seattle Washington, and the machine came with 21 Edison disc's and 41 lateral disc's that were her collection. I have been restoring the machine over the pass month which was in excellent condition. I have played all of the disc's which consist of a wide variety of recordings. I think some are very unique as far as I know about the subject. But I thought I would post some of them for your input.
The most popular I think is:
The Stars and Stripes Forever March (J.P.Sousa) Sondero's Band One that I think might be more unique is:
Home Sweet Home The World Over (J. Bodewalt Lampe) Brass and String Orchestra
The recording sings Home Sweet Home in 8 different countries. The funniest recording is:
Pick a Chicken - One Step (Kaufman) Jandas' Society Orchestra (for dancing)
There must of been a certain dance you did with this recording and several times during the song someone cock-a-dootal do's. There are recitals:
An Old Sweetheart of Mine (James Whitcomb Riley) Recitation Antony's Address Over the Body of Caesar (Shakespeare) Recitation

I will post more in the up coming days

Well, so far this is very common fare to find on Diamond Disc. The recitations are by good old Harry E. Humphrey who Edison used often for non-musical recitation / lecture type stuff.

Wolfe wrote:Well, so far this is very common fare to find on Diamond Disc. The recitations are by good old Harry E. Humphrey who Edison used often for non-musical recitation / lecture type stuff.

Humphrey does most of the opera explanations on the flip side of the opera recordings. My favorite Humphrey pronunciation is for "Rigoletto". Mr Humphrey pronounces it a deliberate "Ree-go-let-toe".

I think the funniest Humphrey description is on the rear of Julia Heinrich singing from Verdi's La forza del destino "Madre pietosa Vergine". Humphrey's synopsis includes how the protagonists all end up dying so therefore the opera must come to an end.

Governor Flyball wrote:

Wolfe wrote:Well, so far this is very common fare to find on Diamond Disc. The recitations are by good old Harry E. Humphrey who Edison used often for non-musical recitation / lecture type stuff.

Humphrey does most of the opera explanations on the flip side of the opera recordings. My favorite Humphrey pronunciation is for "Rigoletto". Mr Humphrey pronounces it a deliberate "Ree-go-let-toe".

I think the funniest Humphrey description is on the rear of Julia Heinrich singing from Verdi's La forza del destino "Madre pietosa Vergine". Humphrey's synopsis includes how the protagonists all end up dying so therefore the opera must come to an end.

Oddly enough, the few not done by Humphrey were done by none other than John Charles Thomas, then at the outset of his career. The three I have are as follows:

82076 Bellini: La Sonnambula, Act III -- Ah! non credea mirarti. Aria sung by Anna Case.

82098 Massenet: Le Cid, Act III -- Pleurez! Pleurez, Mes Yeux! Aria sung by Julia Heinrich.

82541 Verdi: Il Trovatore, Act IV -- Ai Nostri Monti. Duet sung by Julia Heinrich and Aldo Ciccolini. Oddly, the reverse side label credits the "explanatory talk" to Humphrey, but it's actually delivered by Thomas.

Thanks guys for the educational input, I did not know Recitation was so popular back then.

Lets try these:
On the Beach Medley Waikiki Hawaiian Orchestra 50369-R Medley of Hawaiian Airs No.2 Lousie and Ferera Hawaiian Guitar 50369-L Waialae (Hawaiian Waltz Song) (Kealakae) Hawaiian Solo and Chorus Moani Ke Ala Hawaiian Song Prince Leleiohoku Hawaiian Solo and Chorus

The older black label Edison records are fun, but the newer white paper label Edison records benefit from a technological improvement in the recording technique. Later still Edison used electrical equipment to record and they sound even better. The black label records are low cost on eBay, but the white label ones can be very expensive. Search YouTube and hear the difference.

Wolfe wrote:
Oddly enough, the few not done by Humphrey were done by none other than John Charles Thomas, then at the outset of his career. The three I have are as follows:

82076 Bellini: La Sonnambula, Act III -- Ah! non credea mirarti. Aria sung by Anna Case.

82098 Massenet: Le Cid, Act III -- Pleurez! Pleurez, Mes Yeux! Aria sung by Julia Heinrich.

82541 Verdi: Il Trovatore, Act IV -- Ai Nostri Monti. Duet sung by Julia Heinrich and Aldo Ciccolini. Oddly, the reverse side label credits the "explanatory talk" to Humphrey, but it's actually delivered by Thomas.

I have two copies of the Sonnambula aria with Anna Case each with a different explanation voice. Humphrey is instantly recognizable. The other does not sound like Thomas: the voice has a strange inflection and mannerism. The two commentaries are word for word identical however.

The matrix number suggests a 1913-14 date and Thomas would have only been 22 or so.

Could Thomas have put on the voice for effect? Or was there a third voice?

An Edison disc lot wouldn’t be complete without Hawaiian guitar!

David