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An overcrowded Berliner
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2023 4:13 am
by epigramophone
I have often wondered which was engraved first on Berliner records, the recording or the inscription.
This appears to answer my question. The recording has gone over the end of the word "Quartet".
Re: An overcrowded Berliner
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2023 10:00 am
by poodling around
epigramophone wrote: Fri Nov 10, 2023 4:13 am
I have often wondered which was engraved first on Berliner records, the recording or the inscription.
This appears to answer my question. The recording has gone over the end of the word "Quartet".
Excellent deduction ! Just the kind of thing I really like to know.
This reminds me though of some-thing. I don't collect Berliner records but a long time ago I saw one and I now wish I had purchased it. The title involved something along the lines of Voodoo and a grave-yard. It all just seemed so gothic !
Anyway, glad you mentioned your findings !
Re: An overcrowded Berliner
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2024 11:38 am
by nmqr
I am sorry to say that this is all wrong!
I also have this disc and the handwriting hardly touches the edge of the groove, as it stops after the partial word 'Quar' – as you may see from the close-up image of my own copy. Anyway, it would be a foolish plan to write beforehand in a central space of unknown ultimate size: some of these recordings go much further in to the centre...
Peter
Re: An overcrowded Berliner
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2024 2:07 pm
by epigramophone
It would indeed have been a foolish plan, but such things were not unknown in the early days.
In 1904 Melba recorded "Ah! fors e lui" and "Sempre libera" from La Traviata on a single matrix lasting 5 minutes 19 seconds.
This ran into the label space, so as published 03017 contained only "Ah! fors e lui" lasting 2 minutes 46 seconds.
Melba had to record "Sempre libera" separately, which was published as 03026 lasting 1 minute 50 seconds.
With her records retailing at one Guinea (£1.05) each, these two records were an expensive set.
Re: An overcrowded Berliner
Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 2:27 pm
by Starkton
[quote=epigramophone post_id=336458 time=1699607637 user_id=1616]
I have often wondered which was engraved first on Berliner records, the recording or the inscription.
[/quote]
Generally, the inscription of the matrix number into the wax (or wax coating) happened either shortly before or after the recording. How else could one have distinguished the recordings in the matrix plant?
Re: An overcrowded Berliner
Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 3:27 pm
by nmqr
epigramophone wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 2:07 pm
It would indeed have been a foolish plan, but such things were not unknown in the early days.
In 1904 Melba recorded "Ah! fors e lui" and "Sempre libera" from La Traviata on a single matrix lasting 5 minutes 19 seconds.
This ran into the label space, so as published 03017 contained only "Ah! fors e lui" lasting 2 minutes 46 seconds.
Melba had to record "Sempre libera" separately, which was published as 03026 lasting 1 minute 50 seconds.
With her records retailing at one Guinea (£1.05) each, these two records were an expensive set.
Yes, but in this case the 'label space' was a fixed area, whose size was known beforehand: do we have a test pressing to show that there was anything actually written into that space
before the recording was made, with the recording then overlapping?