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Edison phonograph cylinder (1888): Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) – The Lost Chord & Speech

February 10th, 2010 by admin

On 5th October 1888 (yes, you read that year right), Sir Arthur Sullivan was present at a “phonograph party”. At this event, he made a recording of his own voice to send to Thomas Edison (who had the idea that the phonograph may be used in a way similar to the letter). His comments are made having heard various recordings played to him at the event.

Also, earlier in 1888, a press conference was played a recording of Sullivan’s “The Lost Chord” (amongst others). This recording is thought to be the same recording, made in 1888, and is performed by anonymous artists on cornet and piano. While not all that interesting musically, the recording is of supreme historical interst as being the first properly listenable recording of music ever made. One musical observation I have is to note the restrained attitude towards rubato – the presumably British players don’t seem to be indulging in the sometimes wayward rhythmic tos and fros of the Austro-German piano school in this recording. There is still a degree of non-sychronisation between cornet melody and piano accomaniment though, typical of the treatment of melody and accompaniment in piano solo recordings from a few years later.

Anyway, afterwards (the cylinder runs out before the work has been completed, and irritatingly just as it starts to rise to its climax) you hear Sullivan’s voice from the other event. He is first introduced, and then makes the following speech – rather perspicacious all things considered!:

Dear Mr. Edison, if my friend Edmund Yates has been a little incoherent it is in consequence of the excellent dinner and good wines that he has drunk. Therefore I think you will excuse him. He has his lucid intervals. For myself, I can only say that I am astonished and somewhat terrified at the result of this evening’s experiments: astonished at the wonderful power you have developed, and terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music may be put on record for ever. But all the same I think it is the most wonderful thing that I have ever experienced, and I congratulate you with all my heart on this wonderful discovery. Arthur Sullivan.

Duration : 0:3:41


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25 Responses to “Edison phonograph cylinder (1888): Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) – The Lost Chord & Speech”

  1. #1
    joyfulyes
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    yes, exactly
    yes, exactly

  2. #2
    darksound1973
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    Edison Phonograph …
    Edison Phonograph works still makes this formula for historical reasons. They are not paraffin but rather Ceresine, which is very close, but is a natural wax, it was the main part, followed by stearic, and a little beeswax, some records from this era have a little caranauba wax added to make them harder, within months Aluminum and Lead Stearates were used, some of the first steartate ones decomposed the first summer, and are lost, by mid 1889 the formula would change little until 1901.

  3. #3
    MacJaxonManOfAction
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    “…so much hideous …
    “…so much hideous and bad music may be put on record for ever”

    What an extraordinarily prescient man Mr Sullivan was. But I’m guessing that even he could not foresee the hellbound travesty known as “Mr Blobby”, nor the mindless abomination that was “Agadoo”.

  4. #4
    beatlefied70
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    sounds like 19th …
    sounds like 19th century jerking off

  5. #5
    Banzeken
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    It is such a …
    It is such a fascinating thing to hear someone from the 19th Century speak. It sounds very respectful and clean (with the exception of the recording’s quality)!

    This video is one of many reasons that I’m thankful for the Internet ;)

  6. #6
    stereodust3
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    This is my JAM!!! XD
    This is my JAM!!! XD

  7. #7
    lilysea
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    Wow!
    How right was …
    Wow!
    How right was he about the hideous and bad music though? We certainly have a glut of that, as he feared.
    : )

  8. #8
    daniel15671
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    It’s almost like …
    It’s almost like the video footage of the divers going through the underwater wreckage of the Titanic or some other spooky relic of the past.

  9. #9
    d60944
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    @IgnatzKolisch

    …
    @IgnatzKolisch

    The voices of Rubenstein and Tchaikowsky are “probably” preserved. What there is is extremely brief, almost inaudible, and the ID of the speakers relies on second-hand witness.

  10. #10
    PrincessZelda613
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    I quite enjoy …
    I quite enjoy listening to music from this era. Alas, recorded music from the 1880s is scarce, but of what there is, it always is a treat for these ears of mine.

  11. #11
    NotHomelessAnymore
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    It’s so spooky …
    It’s so spooky hearing these early recordings. It’s like a very murky window into a lost time.

  12. #12
    BlackieHugeHands
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    no you were right …
    no you were right the first time

  13. #13
    StylistecS
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    Blah, I’m dumb. …
    Blah, I’m dumb. Didn’t see your sarcasm note.

  14. #14
    StylistecS
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    Good God …
    Good God blackiehugehands. You are a very stupid stupid person.

  15. #15
    edisonphonographs
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    Lambert began to …
    Lambert began to experiment with phonograph improvements after edison already invented it. Lambert did make a recording in lead that can still be heard today.

    Thanks

  16. #16
    blofeld39
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    Actually, though …
    Actually, though Scott invented the visual representation of sound, Frank Lambert invented the phonograph; Edison merely stole his patent when Lambert worked for him.

  17. #17
    edisonphonographs
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    Actually a french …
    Actually a french inventor named Leon Scot invented the first machine for recording a visual image of sound that could not be played back until recently. Edison was the first to invent a machine that could both record and reproduce sound.

  18. #18
    ilove1994
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    No not sarcasm i …
    No not sarcasm i said in the 1910s music was more clearer and this recording is from 1888 okay.

  19. #19
    BlackieHugeHands
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    Didn’t pick up the …
    Didn’t pick up the clear sarcasm?

  20. #20
    ilove1994
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    its a early …
    its a early recording its from 1888 man & this is what music sound like back then until the 1910s then it got more clear & this is a awesome recording & they where also just testing with a new invention of the time & so thats all i have too say but no need foe a mean comments your just giving classical music a dirty felling & i HATE THAT.

  21. #21
    BlackieHugeHands
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    what a …
    what a recording I can do better than this. What program does this guy use

  22. #22
    HTprods
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    How extraordinary. …
    How extraordinary. it’s very strange to hear a 19th century man talk. i would expect this person to sound really posh and rich due to the fact he would be important enough to go to such an event,but he sounds like a normal person. i’m only a kid,but this is very intresting.

  23. #23
    Awesomo4003
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    was this during an …
    was this during an era were people still believed in witchcraft? because it would be a bad day to be thomas edison :)

  24. #24
    ridderopaard
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    hahaha, awesome …
    hahaha, awesome recording me and a mate had to laugh when we heard/read

    ” astonished at the wonderful power you have developed, and terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music may be put on record for ever. ”

    oh what great things he had forseen ;) , allthough it’s amazing that now we can plug in our mp3’s and listen to what ever we like, in such a small form, and such a quality.

  25. #25
    Josh3455
    February 10th, 2010 8:40 am

    I hear a lady laugh …
    I hear a lady laugh after he said He has his lucid intervals”.

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