who's alma gluck ?

[analog]

I'm afraid i'm a Junkaholic.

A local junkshop has a box of really old records, a couple dozen Victrolas grooved on only one side. I picked out Jasha Heifitz "Ave Maria" because his was the only name i recognized.

There were several others by Alma Gluck, so i looked her up and it appears they date to the 1920's, by this website:
http://www.enter.net/~rrm/agluck.htm
I think i'll go back for them just because they're so unusual and in such good condition.


If anybody's interested in ancient records say so, and i'll inventory the box and post what titles are there that're in decent shape. I'm just not sophisticated enough to know what i'm looking at.

[bignaf]

she's (or was) actually very famous.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

[quote]Originally posted by analog:
[b] ...I'd just frame them for wall hangings in a music room, or use 'em for skeet.

Before using them as skeet, though, give 'em a listen. (You can play them, can't you? They're playable?) You might like them. And there might also be a market for them as collectables; there are websites for dealers, I know.

[analog]

Originally posted by Selma in Sandy Eggo:

They might make very nice wall art!

Before using them as skeet, though, give 'em a listen.

Thanks Ms Selma -

I won't really make skeet out of them. My point is I'm not knowledgeable enough to appreciate who these early vocalists are. I enjoy finding old records then looking up the artists.

Actually these records will go into my stack of unusual stuff to be eventually digitized via an audio card, cleaned up with some of that audio DSP software my kids found, and put on CD. I don't know why but these early vocalists fascinate me. I have several Nina Koschetz records and a poster of her, all destined for wall art. I'll do the same with Alma.

I got interested when I found some early recordings of Rachmaninoff playing his own works. The fidelity isn't much, but even I can tell he had extraordinarily nimble hands.

This is an interesting and CHEAP way to collect old music related stuff. They practically give away old records. I guess Antiques Road Show hasn't discovered them yet.

<small>[ 02-24-2006, 06:37 PM: Message edited by: analog ]</small>

[analog]

Well I went back for a few more old records. This is great fun to me, finding records by old opera singers and looking up who they were.... one is fascinated by what one knows so little about.

From that first box came:
"Ave Maria" by Julia Culp; http://www.dutchdivas.net/frames/mezzo_sopranos.html

"Cradle Song", "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" by Ernestine Schumann-Heink;
http://www.cantabile-subito.de/Contraltos/Schumann-Heink__Ernestine/schumann-heink__ernestine.html

"Darling Nellie Gray", "God be With You till we Meet Again", "Lo Here the Gentle Lark, by Alma Gluck, and "Nur wer die Sensucht Kennt" with Efrem Zimbalist on violin;
http://www.enter.net/~rrm/agluck.htm .


At twenty-five cents a record I've had way more than that much entertainment just reading about these delightful ladies. Going back next week to explore another box.

[dai bread]

When I was a boy, we had a record of "Lo Hear the Gentle Lark" sung, if I remember rightly, by Amelita Galli-Curci. It was a florid piece of soprano exhibitionism, and great stuff!

[bignaf]

those names bring back pleasant memories from my youth...

[analog]

dai --

Found some audio clips of Ms Galli-Curci here...

http://www.chez.com/craton/musique/galli-curci/audio.htm

[shostakovich]

Hi Big. If the names Gluck, Culp, Schumann-Heink, Zimbalist, Galli-Curci bring back memories, you're a lot older than we thought. They all predate LP.
Old Timer, but not THAT old!

[dai bread]

Ms Galli-Curci seems to be something of an exhibitionist. I heard a "Caro Nome" on TV last night, in the context of a detective story if you please, which I liked much better than G-C"s rendering. It was sung by a British soprano called Janis(?) Kelly, and I am sorry to say I have never heard of her. She's good.

[analog]

Originally posted by dai bread:
Ms Galli-Curci seems to be something of an exhibitionist.

I don't know enough to judge, but i might learn.
When did electronic recording come along? Some of these old records were mastered by shouting down a horn, loud enough to mechanically move a diaphragm at the bottom that in turn drove the cutting needle - no electronic amplification. I imagine that would put pressure on a performer to really proooo-ject.....

I hope i'm not boring you with this -- but i got a few more records from that box, mostly Victrola brand.

a few more of each: Alma Gluck, E Schumann-Heinck, Julia Culp,...

"Oh Dry Those Tears" by Sophie Braslau,

"The Lost Chord" and "Dreams of Long Ago" by Enrico Caruso,

"God My Father" by Emilio de Gorgoza,

I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" by Clarence Whitehill,

"Silver Threads Among the Gold" by Harry Graham on Cornet, this one's on Pathe Freres label with a really cool red rooster trademark, will make good wall art,

"There's a Green Hill up in Flanders" by Alan Turner, presumably a WW1 tribute,

"Brazilian Nuts" by Mills Brothers (presumably not classical),

"Tosca-the Stars were Shining" in Italian by Benamino Gigli,

"There's Sunlight in your Eyes" by Reinald Werrenrath,

"Call me Back Pal o' Mine" by Charles Hart and Elliot Shaw,

"Sweet Little Buttercup" by Elizabeth Spencer & Shannon Four,

"Ben Bolt" by Geraldine Farrar

"America Forever" by Arthur Pryor's band.

All above look quite old - 1920's i'd guess.

Also brought home a colection of Victor Herbert on 78's that's probably from about 1940 hence not unusual. But their condition was pristine. Artists are Anne Jamison, Jan Peerce, Thomas L Thomas, and Wladmir Selinsky. These might be listenable for content because by WW2 recording had progressed to the point fidelity was getting almost decent.

If any of these names are familiar to anyone or you have an anecdote about them, I'd love to hear it. Please post. Or if i'm just cluttering the board please advise and i'll desist - i know musically i'm at or below dilettante level.

[piqaboo]

originally posted by analog:
Enrico Caruso

Well, that one is pretty obscure..... :p

[OperaTenor]

"Tosca-the Stars were Shining" in Italian by Benamino Gigli,

aka, E lucevan le stelle, one of the greats in the repetoire, and Gigli is one of the great tenors, so I'd say you have a winner there.

So, you're not playing them?!

[bignaf]

Originally posted by shostakovich:
Hi Big. If the names Gluck, Culp, Schumann-Heink, Zimbalist, Galli-Curci bring back memories, you're a lot older than we thought. They all predate LP.
Old Timer, but not THAT old!

:p

[bignaf]

I know the (or a) Gigli "E Lucevan." it's EXTREMELY lacrimose. Gigli was famous for sobbing too much (he was a great singer, but sometimes got carried away), therefore in combination with a traditional sobbing aria like E lucevan, the result is a sob-fest. try it for laughs. the Gigli recording is probably from the 30's and is definitely electronic. don't dismiss recordings just because of technology.

[analog]

Originally posted by OperaTenor:


So, you're not playing them?!

Well, Fair Anne's new kitchen cabinets arrived today so we'll be occupied with that project for the next couple weeks.

Now then,,, in which box did I pack that old turntable ???? Is it in barn or garage or shed? This is what happens when packrats marry....

[barfle]

Ooooh, cabinets! Take pictures, tell stories in the "Projects" thread!

[dai bread]

I don't know Caruso's version of "The Lost Chord", but I did have Benjamino Gigli's version once. "Seated-a one-a day-a atta da organ..." I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it.

"I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" is a wonderful old barber-shop quartet number. It has a companion song which is hardly ever performed, called, if I remember rightly, "Barney, Take Me Home Again".

"Silver Threads Among the Gold" should be resurrected in this era of ageing populations. It, too, is a classic barber-shop quartet number.

I only know "Call Me Back, Pal o' mine" from my father's performance of a parody, involving a huge amount of arm gesturing as the pal calls back.

Is there a "Sweet Little Buttercup" other than G&S' one from "The Pirates of Penzance"?

The others, I don't know.

Electric recording dates from 1925, but the standard wasn't very good until about 1940.

[bignaf]

yeah, early electric recordings are less pleasing to my ears than late horn recordings. they are overly bright, and scratchier...