KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ The Age of the Talking Machine: A Review of Vintage Recordings
Analog Audio
Event Type
MusicOrigin
KPFAIdentifier
C.1962.09.04Program Series
The Age of the Talking MachineProgram Length
46 minDates
1962-09-04 | broadcast| 1962-09-03 | created
Description
Byron Bryant and Will Ogden review vintage recordings from the beginning of the 20th Century, focusing on the early cello recording of Pablo Casals, made between 1915 to 1926. Although the quality of the recordings made with an assortment of early technologies are scratchy at times, the strength of the performances, especially those by Casals, can not be denied. At a time when many great performers were heard only in the concert halls, and for that reason their reputations are perhaps diminished in the minds of many today, the genius of Pablo Casals was thankfully captured in these vintage recordings. Thus cementing his reputation as one of the greatest cellists of all time. Bryant and Ogdon play a selection of these very early recordings, comparing different performers, and commenting on the quality of the various techniques used to obtain these precious audio artifacts.Genres
Classical music20th century classical
Musical Selections
Intermezzo [excerpt, from “Goyescas ”] (1913-15) (3:09) / Enrique Granados -- The Swan (1887) (2:33) / Camille Saint-Saëns -- Adagio [from “Concerto in D Minor”] (4:17) / Giuseppe Tartini -- The Angel’s Whisper (ca. 1834) (2:23) / Samuel Lover -- Le rouet (1:29) / Joseph Hollman -- Extase (1:11) / Joseph Hollman -- Tarantella, Op. 33 (3:27) / David Popper -- Gigue [from “Suite No. 3 in C Major, BMV 1009”] (ca. 1720) (2:50) / Johann Sebastian Bach -- Larghetto in D Major [from “Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581”, arr. for cello] (1789) (4:43) / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -- Romance (3:49) / Bartolomeo Campagnoli -- Minuet (2:23) / George Frideric HandelPerformers
Pablo Casals, cello (all, except those below)Victor Herbert, cello (Angel’s)
Joseph Hollman, cello (Rouet ; Extase)
Cornelius Van Vliet, cello (Tarantella)
Subjects
20th century classical19th century classical
18th century classical
Cello and piano music
Concertos (Cello)
Suites (Cello)
Quintets (Clarinet, violins (2), viola, cello)
Acknowledgment
Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by Save America’s Treasures, a program of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.Related places
Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)
Related Entities
Bryant, ByronOgdon, Will, 1921-
Granados, Enrique, 1867-1916
Saint-Saëns, Camille, 1835-1921
Tartini, Giuseppe, 1692-1770
Casals, Pablo, 1876-1973
Lover, Samuel, 1797-1868
Herbert, Victor, 1859-1924
Hollman, J. (Joseph), 1852-1927
Popper, David, 1843-1913
Van Vliet, Cornelius
Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791
Campagnoli, Bartolomeo, 1751-1827
Handel, George Frideric, 1685-1759