The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1906)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 13 THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED! Now We Know Where the Voices of Our Broadway Song Birds Have Gone — An Amusing Skit That May Interest IVlr. Sousa. The mystery is solved! At last we know where the voices of our Broadway song birds have gone. It's a case of cherchez la lohonograph. Do you know, it's really something awful the way these horrible machines have just gone and ruined the vocal cords of our Broadway songsters. John Philip Sousa says "A bas!" with the phonograph, when it comes to dishing up grand and otherwise opera by the turn of a crank, and r THE FilR PRIMA DOXXA WILL MAKE THE 5IUTI0-\"S,WHILE THE MACHINE DOES THE UEST. I guess if John Philip says "A bas" it will be "A bas" — perhaps. We're mightily obliged to the march king for throwing light on the subject. It explains a lot of things that have brought surprises to our ears within the walls of comic opera homes. Whatever may have been the crimes of the phonographs, they're going to get it paid back to them good and plenty. Oh, phonographs, how many criirpas will be committed in thy name! If any of our lady singers want to explain their lack of vocal powers, all they will have to do will be trump up this phonograph business. John Philip complains that the singing into phonographs is a desecration of art. "You have these infernal machines going night and day," says the indignant musician. "We will not have a vocal cord left. They will be eliminated by a process of evolution." And to think the phonographs have got in their deadly work already. We know now where the fair Lillian and Adele and dainty Marguerite, Hattie and George M. Washington, Jr., and — but why enumerate — just put all the pets along Broadway — have been spending all their time. Why didn't they 'fess up and let us know they'd been "eliminating their vocal cords by a process of evolution?" That sounds almost as imposing as a doctor's certificate, and it ought to go with an audience better than the "sudden cold" business. But why worry? Things won't be much worse in the realm of comic opera than they are now. If the 2 1 O Cylinder Records can be stored in this Cabinet. Has 3 Drawers provided with Iron Stops to prevent the Drawers from being pulled out too far. WOOD F»EGS The only Pegs that will stand the wear. The best selling Cabinet on the Market. Size : wide, 22 in.; deep, 18 1-2 in.: high, 34 in No. 42 Cabinet. FEIGE DESK CO., 2076 Genesee Ave., Saginaw, nich., VS. S. A. Sousa diagnosis is true, the time may come when the fair singer will , stand behind the phonograph and make motions while the machine does the rest. An eminent throat specialist, who has taken issue with Mr. Sousa, adds that, anyway, we go to the opera for other things besides hearing vocal cords stretched. We are quite sure of this in musical comedy. It didn't need the phonograph excitement to bring this point to the front. After the recent panic in the ranks of a chorus by the discovery of a coryphee who could sing, we are prepared for anything. The same discovery, however, didn't extend to the prima donna, but what matter, so long as Paris gowns are still to be exploited or beauty unadorned still holds sway with the ladies of the ensemble? The eminent specialist insists that the beautiful scenic effects that appeal to the eye make opera a success as well as singing, so I guess our fair singers needn't be afraid. When it comes to stage pictures they know a thing or two themselves. There's one thing, with the passing of the real prima donna there would be no disappointment in store for the audience. You couldn't very well stand for an excuse of a phonograph taking cold. Even the prince of press agents wouldn't have tne nerve to spring such a yarn as that. We haven't heard any complaint from Nordica or Schumann-Heink or Eames about their voices being eliminated per the phonograph route, but, of course, they're used to rough and tear work. You can't expect the delicate exotic voices, reared ill the hot air^ — we should say hothouse air — of the Great White Way to stand for such phonographic strain. Our eminent specialist might go so far as to suggest a voiceless opera, since he is willing to admit we go to the opera as much to see as to hear. When we have voiceless choruses, in direct contradiction of the old Greek laws, why JUDGING FKOM EEStJLTS, MANY OP OUR BROADWAY PRIEXDS MUST HAVE BEEN BUSY ELI.MI.N AXING THEII! VOCAL CHORDS. not carry American progression a little further and dish up the voiceless opera for keeps? It would be just the same, only Government inspection would insist on the right labor being used. You wouldn't really notice the difference at all, says Margaret Rohe in the New York Telegraph. It's a great proposition. We're sure the copyright ofl5ce and all the eminent specialists and John Philip Sousa don't feel half as excited about it as do the Rialtoites. The nerve of the phonograph, anyway! Just think of it. There is one thing to be considered, too. In future it looks like we would never more have the old excuse of "Understudy will go on in place of Miss Tessie Bumnote, who is suffering from laryngitis." It will be phonographitis for her. John Philip Sousa has at least invented a new disease. The fact that the desire for talking machines is not confined to race or creed has been amply illustrated since the opening of the KnightCampbell Music Co.'s department in Denver, Col. Their customers range from Frenchmen to Russian Jews and Chinese, and th€re are records in stock that appeal especially to every clan. During the last week of October W. 0. Crew, secretary and treasurer of the Elmira (N. Y.) Arms Co., toured the northern part of the State in his automobile. Do You Want to Make Money, Mr. Talliing Macliine Dealer? Good, big money. The men who sent in an order for a sample line of our instruments were delighted with the results. They found our instruments blended perfectly with the talking machine line, besides helping to make the store attractive. If you want to help out in the profits during the holiday season you can't go at it in a better way than with our specialties; your musical friends will come to you when they learn that you have the Durro violins, bows, strings, etc. They have a high standing. We are judges of the excellence of all kinds of small goods, such as Accordeons, Mandolins, Guitars and Harmonicas, and carry a large stock, of which we offer at lesser prices, but which are superior to any on the market at the same price. It will pay you to order a sample line at once. You will then see how profitable it is to devote a portion of your store to the exhibition and sale of small goods. Write for catalogue. Make good money for the new year. It is easy with our help. We can tell you how and go with the business tide when it serves. BUEGELEISEN — & JACOBSON 113-115 University Place Corner 13th Street, NEW YORK