The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1913)

33 presents on her to an amazing degree. She was accompanied by her own men on the turn-turn, harmonium and violin. The hitter instrument is played in the same manner a carpenter saws. She was everlastingly chewing the proverbial Indian *betal-nut, and it was the duty of one of her numerous retinue to carry round a large brass "spittoon" into which, before commencing to sing, she would expectorate. This was a nauseous procedure, but one that was consistently followed by all other artists in India. Miss Jan had an extraordinary control over her toes, and for our amusement would often beat time with them, needless to add the toes were all bejewelled with various trinkets. We were informed by her manager that the jewels which she was wearing possessed an intrinsic value of a lahk and a half of rupees (nearly fifty thousand dollars). During the recording of the female artists the important caste question arose and for awhile delayed us in recording. As in Turkestan, all female artists are looked upon as prostitutes, and are therefore casteless. The curious position arises that it is against the religion for a respectable man to touch, talk or do business with one of these so-called caste-less women. Our broker, Mr. Bose, a man held in great respect in Calcutta, informed us that he could not be present, so also did his manager, with the result that we were in a quandary how to proceed, for neither our representative nor myself were able to criticise the singing, it was therefore absolutely imperative that some sotermed "respectable" man was present. After a day's delay it was discovered that so long as no outside person was aware of the meeting, and that the respectable one was merely interpreting, all would be well. I may add that several "respectable Indians" took advantage of this and were present at the invitation of the manager. So much so that I was compelled to offend the manager by telling him I did not allow friends into the recording room. Books in their scores have already been written on the caste question, and therefore I do not propose to write on its obscurities, other than give a few of my personal experiences encountered in recording the different castes. About this time I recorded a man who played two instruments like diminutive clarionets, "with his throat." They were placed one on either side of the throat and the music that emanated from them was comparatively loud. The man evidently had complete control of the muscles of his throat, *The betal-nut is chewed together with a powder which causes a crimson stain to appear in the mouth making a particularly offensive appearance to the teeth and lips. these muscles acting as a reproducing diaphragm. Placing the instruments over the particular pari which he was able to control in some mysterious manner, he produced the music. The performance was uncanny, strangely "Indian." The singing of the women was much more interesting than the men, without exception. Strange to say, amateurs were the best of the men, and the professionals the best of the women. The "real" ladies, I was informed, sing only in the precincts of their own homes. I was to have recorded a "real lady," but absolutely refused to travel to do so; further, it would have been necessitous to dismantle the machine and fix it up again for a couple of hours again dismantling and fixing it for the regular recording in Calcutta. This to please the whim of a native "lady," and to acknowledge the rule of a ridiculous and prehistoric caste indiosyncracy. I have mentioned that diaphragms are affected by the different climates and atmospherical conditions. I began recording with the diaphragms constructed for Turkestan, but found them too sensitive for use in Calcutta, I tried my European diaphragms, these were too hard, I accordingly constructed a number to meet the exigencies of the Indian climate. All the Indian artists preferred to sit whilst singing, and therefore caused a certain amount of difficulty in bunching around the horns in focus. After recording 420 titles in Calcutta, I left for Madras, to record Canarese artists. Of Madras at this point, I shall have little to write, for immediately on arriving I was stricken down with malaria fever, and was in bed for three weeks, afterwards proceeding to the town of Bangalore to recuperate and incidentally take a few records. When I was convalescent we experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining a recording room, for the hotel was full and there were no other buildings in the vicinity with spare rooms. Wc eventually were compelled to record in a large building, which was a home of rest for the native paupers. A stone building full of unfurnished stone rooms — fortunately there were few natives staying at the place. The Canarese singing and songs was very much easier to follow that the Hindu, and there was a more pronounced rhythm. Jt was here I recorded my only duetists, two sisters, whose singing was very pleasing and the melodies were easy to follow. They kept time by beating with their hands on their knees. They were accompanied as usual with the harmonium and tum-tum. The girls were quite young and were protected by their parents; they never allowed the girls out of their sight, for they will make a living out of them both by singing and prostitution. The girls were, I was informed, aware of the existence before them and appeared resigned to their fate. I was fortunate in securing a photograph of the girls together with the parents and the accompanist, in position in front of the horns. We were fortunate in securing another Indian woman who sung in Canarese, and although we dallied over the price for a couple of days, we secured her. Of her there is little to say other than she possessed a voice as large and as powerful as herself; standing five feet ten inches, with a splendid figure, the tallest Indian woman I had met. In the photograph can be seen the little pet dog which she is holding in her arms. I found the Canarese singing simple to record and was not sorry, for I was still very weak from the fever. We left for Madras after having recorded 40 titles in Bangalore. {To be continued next month.) FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO BUSINESS GROWTH Of the Columbia Graphophone Co. Set Forth Most Interestingly by George W. Lyle, General Manager of the Concern — Moving This Week to New General Offices in the Woolworth Building, New York City — Bridgeport Factories to Be Enlarged. Coincident with the removal of the executive offices of the Columbia Graphophone Co. to their handsome new quarters on the twentieth floor of the Woolworth building, New York, next Friday (April 18), comes the announcement that the Columbia Graphophone Co.'s factories at Bridgeport, Conn., will be considerably enlarged in the very near future. The mere announcement of the construction of additional facilities at Bridgeport, Conn., is nothing unusual, as the factories have jLjLjL Bell-Hood Needles ^ The Needle with a "Sounding-Board" ^^y" Unqualifiedly accepted by many as ^/ the best. We know it to be the best. Ml There is money in handling our needle. > Many dealers have increased their receipts materially. It draws in business. jM Our new 10 cent package proposition is proving a winner. Also 25c. and 50c. boxes. Write for samples and unusually liberal discounts. THE BELL -HOOD NEEDLE COMPANY 183 CHURCH STREET NEW HAVEN, CONN. been added to -and enlarged continually for the past few years. The combination of both office and factory expansion at the same time, however, lends an unusually interesting aspect to the contemplated changes that forcibly impresses the trade with the remarkable advances in popularity of Columbia products. George W. Lyle, general manager of the Columbia Graphophone Co., and a tireless worker in behalf of the progress of the company, is naturally exceedingly pleased with the status of Columbia business. "Our business since the first of the year has really been remarkable/' commented Mr. Lyle in a chat with The World. "We had naturally expected that we would show a certain increase over last year, but the gains to date have far exceeded all our expectations. Our factories at Bridgeport, Conn. ,are working overtime, and the need has become imperative for the construction of additional facilities to assist in filling our orders. "Many features of our business are contributing to this splendid increase over last year, but a few of the important ones are the introduction of the ' Columbia Grand, the splendid list of artists being added to the Columbia library, our continual and intensive publicity, and chief of all, the quality and value of all our machines and record products. The introduction of the Columbia Grand has been one of the greatest incentives to the development of 'high class trade, and since its presentation to the public our dealers all report substantial increases in the sales of the higher-priced types of machines. Our list of artists is being daily augmented by the addition of world famous singers and instrumentalists, whose selections are meeting with wonderful success. Our national publicity is impressing the public with the quality and merit of the entire Columbia line, and this publicity is of inestimable benefit in the development of our trade. The quality and value represented in our machines and records is a matter of general knowledge, and with all these features contributing to Columbia popularity, I feel safe in predicting that 1913 will be the greatest year in our hiitory."