Some sound recording firsts

[Wolfe]

I found a book of firsts. In it there are a number of firsts claimed in the phonograph / sound recording field.

In addition to the more obvious and oft repeated ones (Edison's tinfoil phonograph, Original Dixieland Jazz Band's first jazz record, etc.) Some more firsts claimed are...


Recording of a public performance : Edison recording equipment set up in the press gallery of the Crystal Palace, London, June 29, 1888, during the Handel festival.

Commercially produced recording : Recording of Frank Goede done at North American Phonograph Co. studios, New York, May 24, 1889

Record catalog : Ten pages listing 194 items, issued by Columbia Phonograph Co. in 1891

Commercial opera recording : Ferruccio Giannini recording for Berliner on January 21, 1896

Complete opera recording : Verdi's Ernani in 1903, on 40 sides, by the Gramophone Co.

Commercial orchestral recording : Ed Issler's Orchestra recording for the North American Co. December 6, 1890

Complete symphony recording : Beethoven's 5th, by the Berlin Philharmonic under Arthur Nikisch, issued on HMV in 1914

Album cover with a photograph : Rodgers and Hart Smash Song Hits issued by Columbia in 1939

Recording royalties : Paid to Francesco Tamagno for his Gramophone Co. recordings in 1902

Commercial recording on disk : George J. Gaskin recording I Don't Want To Play In Your Yard for Berliner on October 29, 1895


Do any members here dispute any of these?

[Bruce_Van_Note]

This quite fascinating. If only some of these discs and cylinders still existed...maybe some of them still do, hiding in someone's attic or basement, or maybe the Library of Congress? Thank you for posting.

[PhonoDoll5]

The first commercial recording was for Edison's talking doll.

[Wolfe]

The first commercial recording was for Edison's talking doll.

Yeh, I too believe that could be right. Heard it said before, anyway.

[Wolfe]

This quite fascinating. If only some of these discs and cylinders still existed...

I was thinking that, too. The first (non commercial) operatic recording is claimed to be that of soprano Marie Roze recording for Edison's tinfoil machine in April, 1878.

I wonder where some of this info comes from...

A few of these are glaringly wrong, like the claim of the first complete U.S. opera recording being of Aida, on 13 sides, by Zonophone of Camden, NJ in 1903.

[phonogfp]

I'd dispute the first record catalog being Columbia's in 1891. Surely the Parkins & Gotto "List of Plates" in England predates that. And I could swear that North American distributed a list of records available prior to 1891. I'll check that...

And the first commercial recording on disc being George Gaskin on October 29, 1895?? Gaskin recorded several titles that day; why did they choose I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard? There are a number of U.S. Berliners that predate this, as well as all the Kammer & Reinhardt discs. This looks like "History Lite."

Here's the disc in question:

George P.

[Wolfe]

Thee first vinylite record is claimed to be a 45 rpm record of Strauss's Till Eulenspiegel on RCA Victor in October, 1945, 78 rpm is (of course) what is really meant.

Leaving aside the Victor (Victrolac) Program Transcriptions of the early 30's and the V-Discs of WWII. I guess this claim could be true, unless there's something else before the Strauss that was actually issued.

[Wolfe]

This looks like "History Lite."

Perhaps. But other of these sorts of books I've seen over the years don't even attempt to get anywhere into the more arcane aspects of sound recording history, beyond Edison's 1877 tinfoil phono and maybe the first long playing record, it's kind of fun anyway.

[Wolfe]

The first electrical recordings are credited to the Guest and Merriman recording of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster in 1920. And then Orlando Marsh's records on his Autograph label in 1924.

That's well and good, except for those that question whether Marsh's records should really be afforded that distinction or not (though I'm not one of them.)

[wjw]

Surprising to me is the late date for illustrated album cover. Considering all the marketing that went into the record sleeves right from the start it seems a little late but I don't know when the first "pop" album set was released.