Na počátku ne(byl) Edison. Průkopníci záznamů a reprodukce zvuku ve světě a českých zemích: Od voskového fonoválečku k vinylové desce

Na počátku ne(byl) Edison. Průkopníci záznamů a reprodukce zvuku ve světě a českých zemích: Od voskového fonoválečku k vinylové desce Gabriel Gössel, Filip Šír •Seminář je realizován v rámci projektu "Moderní informační a komunikační technologie v knihovnictví 2017" za finanční podpory programu Ministerstva kultury VISK 2 (Veřejné informační služby knihoven – podprogram 2 Mimoškolní vzdělávání knihovníků). 1891–1914 The sound industry in Bohemia and Moravia The first time citizens of Czech lands were able to get acquainted with Edison’s phonograph and phonograph cylinders was in 1891 at the Provincial Jubilee Exhibition in Prague. The demonstration was held at the stand of the Berlin representatives of Edison’s company, which was adorned with an American flag. 1891 Provincial Jubilee Exhibition in Prague Imperial and royal phonograph cylinders and records In Prague, these included the company: •imperial and royal court optician and mechanic A. Rosenthal (Na příkopech Street), •the wholesale store of Josef Vrba (Poříč 6), •Max C. Steiner’s company (Poříč 25), •the factory musical instrument warehouse of Vilém Hoffmann (Královské Vinohrady), •J. Pöschl at address Karlín, (Královská 55), •imperial and royal court purveyor Otto Fischl (Celetná Street 24), •and Wilhelm Klein (Hybernská Street 7). By the end of the nineteenth century, a number of companies, mostly from large cities, began importing phonographs and phonograph cylinders to the Czech lands. The Czech language was first heard on commercially published gramophone records in 1900. The operatic tenor František Pácal,at that time performing with the Vienna Court Opera, and choirmaster and composer Jaromír Herle, engaged there as well, recorded a total of 14 Czech opera arias and national songs on single-sided gramophone records for E. Berliner’s Gramophone company in May of that year. Together with ten more recordings by František Pácal from early 1901, these are not only the oldest, but also the only recordings of Czech artists made on gramophone records by gramophone inventor Emile Berliner. E. BERLINER’S GRAMOPHONE Single-sided records, 17 cm, 1900–1901 (recordings in Czech) These shellac discs recorded in Vienna present historically the very first recordings of Czech singers. 1900 Emile Berliner’s Gramophone 1902 Columbia/Graphophone The American Columbia company maintained strong representation in Europe, originally through its phonograph cylinders, and, since the beginning of the century, also through its gramophone records. In 1902, Vienna-based company R. E. Thallmayer took over the regional representation of the company in Bohemia and in the Balkan countries. The Czech repertoire was published by businessman and representative of the Berlin branch of the parent company, Josef Pacovský, from about 1902. Recordings were issued on single-sided gramophone records with the labels Columbia Disc Record and Columbia Phonograph Co., and since 1906, on double-sided gramophone records with the label Columbia Graphophone Record. COLUMBIA DISC RECORD Single-sided, 25 cm, 1902 The oldest version of a Columbia disc with a recording by the Czech artist. Violine virtuoso Jaroslav Kocian recorded mere three sides for this company 1902 The Gramophone Company Ltd. The Czech catalogue of The Gramophone Co. was filled with recordings made by technicians of the parent company during their frequent working visits in Prague (and in 1908, also in Vienna and Brno). The last gramophone recordings for this company were made in July 1914, just before the beginning of World War I. Out of hundreds of recordings with Czech artists made from 1902 to 1914, a discography of 99%of the recordings has been captured. The list includes all the best Czech opera singers of the era that were persuaded to perform on gramophone records. CONCERT RECORD “GRAMOPHONE” Matrices Victor, 25 cm, cca 1921 Reissue of this recording, originally made in New York, was in Usti/Aussig pressing plant released on label of this design 1905 Favorite Record Since 1905, likely the most extensive and best programme was conducted by the German Favorite label, thanks to its Vienna branch managed by Hartkopp & Fischer. In addition to the recordings of important opera singers such as František Pácal, which are relatively rare today, opera baritone and collector of sound recordings Štěpán Chodounský made several recordings on test gramophone records for this brand. Of the other exceptional acts, worth mentioning is a recording from 1910 (published on a special label with patriotically toned colors, on which Senator Václav Klofáč presents a rousing speech entitled “For national and social justice”. FAVORITE RECORD Matrices Favorite, 25 cm, 1909 Partiotically tinted label was chosen for recording of the Czech national anthem backed by the speech of senator Vaclav Klofáč, later on one of the founders of Czechoslovak Republic. 1910 Čechie brand The last chapter of original phonograph cylinder production in the Czech lands saw the founding of the Čechie.Čechie cylinders were advertised as the “first factory producing gold cast cylinders in Prague”, and the company was announced by its owner, Karel Šternvald,in the daily press for the first time on 12. January 1910. Although Čechie began its production via the recordings of Robert Polák (later the director of National Theatre in Prague), its subsequent Czech program was not particularly interesting or unique. 1918–1946: The sound industry in Czechoslovakia Although the creation of the new independent state in the economic and political spheres was slow and difficult, the entertainment industry enjoyed a golden era in the years immediately after 1918. Many entertainment venues and political cabarets saw an upsurge of enthusiastic interest from audiences. These venues at first rode the wave of themes a lá “how we demolished Austria”but their protagonists quickly began to castigate the shortcomings of the new state establishment. 1921 Maraton / Maraton Rekord MARATON /MARATON REKORD Matrices Homokord, 25 cm, 1921–1927 These records were distributed by wholesalers Antonin & Arnošt Fučik Co. of Prague, who obtained their matrices from Homokord. The “Maraton orchestra” is in fact one of many manifestations of the notorious brass band led by Arnošt Herman; his band made about 5000 recordings (!) between 1902 and 1930, for practically all labels with the Czech repertoire. 1930-1947 ESTA The history of the first Czechoslovak record company, Esta, and the discography of its Czech recordings were recently examined in detail. Czech catalogue of recordings of gramophone company Esta 1930–1946. Electronic version: https://archive.org/details/ceskykatalognahravek gramofonove Let us therefore just briefly mention some milestones in the development of these record companies. Matrices Esta, 25 cm, 1930–1931 Another colour variations of the Esta labels. Its first recordings from own matrices begun this first Czechoslovak gramophone company to press on shellac records in autumn of 1930. 1932-1933 ESTA ČOS/MACCABI ESTA MACCABI Matrices Esta, 25 cm, 1933 This custom label was made for a gymnastic festival, the Maccabiah Games (sometimes referred to as the Jewish Olympics), the first of which was held in 1932 and which are still being held. ESTA ČOS Matrices Esta, 25 cm, 1931–1932 Custom-made label used on the records produced on behalf of the Czech gymnastic organization Sokol for its rally, which took place in Prague in 1932. 1932-1939 RADIOJOURNAL 1946-1947 ČESKOSLOVENSKÝ ROZHLAS ČESKOSLOVENSKY ROZHLAS Non-commercial recordings, Decelith foil, 25 and 30 cm, 1946 The building featured on this label housed technical background of Czechoslovak Radio and until May of 1945 also served for broadcasting of the German branch of Czechoslovak Radio. RADIOJOURNAL PRAHA Non-commercial recordings. Matrices Ultraphon, 25 and 30 cm, 1932–1939 Records with these labels were made by the Ultraphon on behalf of Czechoslovak Radio (Radiojournal). Until 1938, about 500 recordings were made, intended for use in the radio broadcasting only. 1932 SYSTEM DR. RADWAN The largest and oldest Prague-based professional grand factory of the radio-gramophone industry of Jan Kettner also contributed to the category of curiosities. In the spring of 1932, its owner had recorded two gramophone records in Berlin which reportedly should have been an ideal aid for those who wished –as the brochure inserted in the set claimed – “to again control themselves and their organisms, achieve life ideals, health, work efficiency and joy from life…” All this and much more was to have been ensured for potential customers via suggestive gramophone records narrated according to the system of a certain Dr. Radwan by a subject put into a deep hypnotic sleep by the doctor. Dr. Radwan called his method psychophony. SYSTEM DR. RADWAN Matrices Odeon, 25 cm, 1932 Made-on-order label produced for the wholesaler Jan Kettner Co. of Prague. These very strange “psychophonic” records were recorded in Berlin and pressed both in the Czech and German language. 1929-1947 ULTRAPHON The first Ultraphon gramophone records with a Czech and Slovak repertoire appeared on the domestic market thanks to Prague distribution company Ravitas at the end of 1929. They were recorded in the Berlin recording studio of parent company Deutsche Ultraphon Aktiengesellschaft, and German technicians later arrived in Prague with recording equipment. The Ravitas company at first also distributed numerous recordings originally made for the German catalogue, and it also took over the distribution of the Musica Sacra and Orchestrola labels. In 1931-1935, it introduced cheap sub-labels Artona, Selekton and, for a short time, also Ultraphonet. ULTRAPHON Matrices Deutsche Ultraphon AG, 25 and 30 cm, 1929–1932 Label of records with the very first recordings for Czechoslovakia, still with address of the original owner of this company, the N. V. Kuchenmeister’s Internationale Ultraphoon Maatschapij Amsterdam –Berlin. 1938 ULTRAPHON ULTRAPHON Ultraphon, 30 cm, 1938 Recording of political speech. President Beneš resigned his presidency a few weeks before the date of here proclaimed “20 years of Czechoslovakia” was reached. Resigning on October 5, he immediately went into exile in the West and new label had to be used for his speech.