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“Will O’ The Wisp”
Otto Dobrindt & His Piano Symphonists
(Parlophone F 492) November 30, 1935
“Rouge Et Noir”
Otto Dobrindt & His Piano Symphonists
(Parlophone F 492) November 1935
Excellent 1935 Novelty Ragtime Foxtrots From Germany – Here are two selections that will begin airing on Radio Dismuke this week – from a 78 rpm I have been seeking for years and finally found for sale in Australia.
This was recorded in Berlin by Otto Dobrindt’s Piano Symphonists on November 30, 1935. This copy is the British issue on Parlophone.
“Will O’ The Wisp” was published under the title “Irrlicht.” The composer was Herbert Küster who, at the time, arranged operettas at the Plaza Theater in Berlin. Küster had his own recording orchestra and appeared on radio as well. To the best of my knowledge this was the only recording made of the song. It has never been reissued and, until I uploaded it to YouTube a few minutes ago, it was not available on the Internet.
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“In The Park – March”
Victor Military Band
(Victor 18017-B) March 21, 1916
Happy July 4th! What is Independence Day without a nice march? Here’s a recording from 1916 of a mostly forgotten march that was composed in 1903 by Boston area guitar player and composer Charles J. Dorn who published his non-guitar compositions under the name of Carl Dorn. An appropriate recording on a festive day when many will find themselves in a park to watch fireworks. Happy birthday, America!
“It’s Gonna Be You”
George Olsen And His Music, Fran Frey vocal
(Victor 24139-A) September 24, 1932
“Please”
George Olsen And His Music, Bob Borger, vocal
(Victor 24139-B) September 24, 1932
1932 High Fidelity – Here’s a really nice record that is part of a collection generously donated to Early 1900s Music Preservation for digitization and airplay on Radio Dismuke The Great Depression hit the record business especially hard – so much so that by 1932 annual sales of Victor Records had fallen by a devastating 92 percent from their 1928 peak. Nevertheless, Victor engineers continued to press forward experimenting with new microphones and disc cutters. By 1932 Victor began issuing recordings with remarkably improved fidelity, including the two sides here recorded in New York on September 24, 1932.
The improved fidelity is most apparent on the “A” side featuring an upbeat version of “It’s Gonna Be You” with Fran Frey on the vocal.
This version of “Please” will be joining several others currently in the Radio Dismuke playlist. The song was introduced by Bing Crosby in the 1932 film “The Big Broadcast” and was recorded by a number of American and British artists that same year.
Unfortunately, the new higher fidelity records became a casualty of the Depression. The improved fidelity came at the price of the records wearing out more quickly on most phonographs still in use at the time. Since few people could afford records to begin with, let alone an upgraded phonograph, a decision was made around 1934 to cut back on the fidelity. During the same period Victor had also issued its first commercial long-playing records that played at 33 rpm for about 12 minutes per side on a ten inch record. Here, too, because of the need for an upgraded phonograph, they were not commercially successful and were soon discontinued. It wouldn’t be until 1948 that long-playing records would once again become available to the general public.
“Doin’ The Racoon”
The Knickerbockers
(Columbia 1596-D) October 8, 1928
“Happy Days And Lonely Nights”
The Knickerbockers
(Columbia 1596-D) October 8, 1928
From 1928 – Two nice recordings being added to the Radio Dismuke playlist from a collection of 78 rpm records that was very generously donated to Early 1900s Music Preservation for the purpose of being digitized so that they can be discovered and enjoyed by a modern audience.
On both sides is the Ben Selvin Orchestra performing under the pseudonym of The Knickerbockers. “Doin’ The Racoon” was recorded by a number of bands. The song brings to mind two big 1920s fads: collegiate themed songs and racoon coats. “Happy Days And Lonely Nights” was also recorded by a number of artists in 1928 and is a rather catchy tune.
“Charleston”
Golden Gate Orchestra
(Edison 51542 R) April 2, 1925
From 1925 – The iconic song that people still associate with the 1920s decade. This recording is from an Edison Diamond Disc that is among a number of hard to find vintage records that were recently donated to Early 1900s Music Preservation for play on Radio Dismuke
