Historic recordings.

[reith]

Looks like it'll be an absorbing if not interesting evening for a Friday due to the threatened inclemence of the weather. We unearthed an old turntable that plays 78s so for the first time I'm going to hear some "78s" my granddad gave me years ago. They're almost all single-sided and have outer rims like a kerb! Probably so people could start the needle right in the gramophone days. They're all operatic from the pre-electric times. I've heard some of these singers on reissues - Melba, Tettrazini, Patti, Nezhdanova (who also sings the Lakme duet with Popello-Davidova, something I've come to detest because of its plundering by ad agencies!) Sobinov and others.

Has anyone heard any of these singers? They say that Tetrazzini's voice somehow allowed that old technology to capture its character and warmth.