Arban on an
Edison phonograph-cylinder
Edison
Phonograph
In
a newspaper from Finnland, Helsinki's
Hufvudstadsbladet, (no. 96, from
11.4.1890, p. 2), a recording
by Arban is mentioned.
The next day, April 12, 1890 a longer report
tells more about this first presentation of the Edison Phonograph.
J. B. Arban
apparently
made a phonograph-cylinder
recording for
the Edison Co. shortly before his death. The piece he
recorded was called "Fanfare
d'Edison".
Facsimile
from page 2 of Helsinki's
Hufvudstadsbladet, no. 96, 1890 :
(click on image for larger!)
Translation
of the text:
Phonograph: Today Mr. Gillin
and Droese will give the first two phonograph shows in Helsinki. The
lecture and demonstration of Edison's phonograph will take place in F.
B. K.'s assembly hall at 2 and 8:30 [p.m.] with an admission fee of 2
[Finnish] marks.
Edison's phonograph will make its debut with us today with a rich
phonograph repertoire such as speech, song, musical instrument solos,
vocal and orchestral phonograms [i. e. recordings, translators' note].
Among the phonograms a particular
one must be mentioned: a solo on
cornet à pistons, played by the famous French virtuoso, Monsieur
Arban, called “Fanfare d'Edison;” [another is] a phonogram for
large
orchestra, “Marche d’Exposition Universelle 1889” by Olivier
Métra. This march was played by 60 military musicians in the
presence of Edison when he visited the Exhibition [Universelle] in
Paris last year. Further, a solo on the piccolo-flute, played by
Monsieur Damaré, member of the orchestra of the large opera in
Paris; duet on two English horns, variations on Dutch dances, played by
two military musicians belonging to her Majesty's Horse Guards (Queen
Victoria’s Cavalry Guard Regiment) on a séance at the court in
London.
Among the curiosities that "Mister Phonograph" offers, the presenters
even mention the song "Klara stjerna" [“The Clear Star”], sung by a
Swedish baritone singer in Petersburg, Mr. D-st. [It would be
interesting if some historian of singing could identify this
person!] This song was performed false by Mr. D., that is, in all
possible keys, since Mr D. would convince himself if the phonograph is
capable to accurately reproduce all the vocal errors that he could
blame on himself.
Mr Gillin has stated "that it would be very nice if some of our singers
would be so kind as to sing a Swedish song, which on this days session
will be played back by the phonograph in the presence of the audience
and later will later travel through the other cities of Finland when
the
phonograph leaves Helsinki."
Today’s program consists of 10 to 12 different music phonograms, except
for the two wax cylinders that are meant for speech and song.
The sound from the phonograph is made audible for the listeners through
an apparatus resembling a giant trumpet, which is attached to the
phonograph and enables the whole auditorium to hear it simultaneously.
Original
text in Swedish:
Fonografen: I dag gifwa hrr
Gillin och Droese de första twå fonograf –
seancerná i Helsingfors. Föredraget och
förewisningen af Edisons fonograf kommer att
försiggå i F. B. K:s festsal kl. 2 och half 8 c. m.
med ett entrèpris af 2 mk.
Edisons fonograf “debuterar” hos oss i dag med en rikhaltig
fonograf-repertoire såsom tal, sång, musikinstrumentsolos,
vokal- och orkester-fonogram.
Bland fonogrammen må
nämnas särskildt: solo på
cornet a piston, speladt af den berömda franska virtuosen monsieur
Arban och kalladt “Fanfare d’Edison;” stort orkesterfonogram
“Marche
d’Exposition Universelle 1889” af Olivier Metra. Denna marsch spelades
af 60 militärmusikanter i närwaro af Edison, då han i
fjol besökte utställningen i Paris. Widare solo på
piccolo-flöjt, speladt af monsieur Damare, medlem af orkestern wid
stora operan i Paris; duett på twå engelska horn,
variationer på Holländska [?] danser, spelad af twå
militärmusikanter tillhörande regementet her Majesty's Horse
Guards (drottning Victorias kavallerigarde regement) på en seance
wid hoffet i London.
Bland kuriositeter som "Mister Fonograf" bjuder på, nämner
dess förewisare äfwen sången "Klara stjerna", som
sjungits af en swensk barintonsångare i Petersburg, hr D-st. [It
would be interesting if some singing historian could identify this
person!] Denna sång har sjungits af hr D. falskt, d.w.j. i
alla möjliga tonarter, emedan hr D. wille öfwertyga sig om
fonografen är i stånd att noggrant återgifwa alla de
vokaliska fel, som han gentom gjorde sig skyldig till.
Hr Gillin har bedt att få framfördt, "att det wore mycket
angenämt om någon af wåre sångare wille wara
så gentil och sjunga en swensk sång, hwilken på
dagens seancer komme att återgifwas af fonografen i publikens
närwaro och sedermera göra turen genom Finlands öfriga
städer, då fonografen lemnar Helsingfors."
Dagens program omfattar 10 till 12 olika musikfonogram, oberäknad
de twå wax-cylindrar, som äro bestämda för tal och
sång.
Ljudet från fonografen göres förnimbart för
åhörarne genom en apparat, liknande en jättetrumpet,
hwilken är fäst wid fonografen och åstadkommer, att
hela auditoriet kan samtidigt åhöra densamma.
Comments:
In the report next day there is no mention
of Mr Droese. We can read
about Mr Gillin and Mr. Cohl. It is more likely that
the journalist who attended the show the next day got the names right.
F.
B. K.'s assembly hall. F.B.K. is short for "Frivilliga Brand
Kåren" (Voluntary fire brigade). In 1889 a new F.B.K. building
was inaugurated in central Helsinki. This building had a spacious
festive salon.
Thanks to:
Eric Roefs, who first
discovered the newspaper articles!
Note:
Any information
about Arban's recording, the event in Helsinki in 1890,
etc, would be very much appreciated.
Send email
to: O.J.
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