Fonotipia Records
Encyclopedia
Fonotipia Records, or Dischi Fonotipia, was an Italian
gramophone record
label established in 1904 with a charter to record the art of leading opera
singers and some other celebrity musicians, chiefly violin
ists. Fonotipia continued to operate into the electrical recording era, which commenced in 1925-26, by which time the company had been absorbed into Odeon records
. The records made by Fonotipia are prized by collectors and musicologists for their high technical quality, and for the high artistic merit and interest of much of what was captured for posterity.
The Fonotipia catalogues were reconstructed, so far as then possible, by the discophiles J.R. Bennett and James Dennis in 1953, and published in a limited edition. Fifty years later, a complete discography with accurate recording-session dates was compiled and made available to the public, following the rediscovery of key company documents. Fonotipia is not to be confused with the Phonotype record label which was active for part of the same period.
From the outset, Fonotipia's output was distinguished by the use of unusual record sizes, the original series of one thousand titles (numbered 39000-39999) being in the 27cm or ten and three-quarter inch format. (Disc xPH 1, issued as 39003, was cut in 1904 by the great La Scala
baritone Giuseppe Pacini, who sings the operatic aria "Il balen" from Verdi's Il Trovatore
.) Unlike the Gramophone Company
's more refined numbering system, Fonotipia's system agglomerated male, female and ensemble artists — with piano accompaniments — on an indiscriminate basis. This original series was complete by 1907 when a new 27cm series, 62000, was begun — also with piano accompaniment. From late 1907, it ran in tandem with the 27cm 92000 series, which had orchestral accompaniments.
In 1905, the 69000 series was introduced. It featured a large disc of 35cm (13 and three-quarter inches); but it ran to only 22 titles before being discontinued as unpopular with the consumer market, owing to the format. However this short series had the distinction of including the only known commercial records by the great Polish tenor Jean de Reszke
, namely the titles 69000, "Scene du tombeau" (from Roméo et Juliette
, by Gounod), and 69001, "Ô Souverain, Ô Juge, Ô Père" (from Le Cid
, by Massenet). Unfortunately, the record was never officially issued, and although there have long been rumours of the existence of a test pressing or two, no copy is certainly known to exist. It appears that de Reszke had the pressings destroyed because he was disappointed with the results. Nonetheless, this fabled relic has become a 'holy grail' of operatic record collectors, who must fall back on the faint and scratchy Mapleson Cylinders
, cut during live performances at the New York Metropolitan Opera, in order to hear a dim echo of de Reszke's voice.
The 35cm Fonotipia series also included two titles by the Czech violinist Jan Kubelík
, including 69010 — a transcription of the Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor
.
There was also a 12" (30cm) series, issued under the number 74000 and following. It included some operatic titles, though most of the first 100 numbers were dedicated to band music, or to the work of violinists Kubelik and Franz von Vecsey
. They resumed as 74100 for another series with orchestral accompaniment. The 74000 series ceased production with the advent of electrical recording in about 1925. Incidentally, 92000, the orchestral 27cm series, was completed in 1914, and was replaced by the 69000 series, now issued at 27cm and commencing with 69050. There was a break in activity during the First World War. By 1922, Fonotipia had become a partner of Odeon records, and in that year a new, conventional 10" series numbered 152000 was begun. This series included a good deal of inferior material.
The 1925 Catalogue is thought to have been the last issued under the Fonotipia name, though many titles remained and were listed under one cover with the Odeon catalogue. Electrical recording was begun in Italy in 1926, and the first such issues were released with the 1928 catalogue. Many of the matrices were carried over into pressings issued under Odeon labels. It also seems possible that some of the actual recording equipment was transferred to the Odeon studios, for a distinctive feature of the tracking of the groove-cutting equipment in Fonotipia records shows a single revolution halfway through the side where the groove is widely-spaced, and this idiosyncrasy occasionally persists under Odeon's aegis.
, UK, by the Record Collector Shop (at 61 Fore Street).
In 2003, Historic Masters Ltd
(in association with EMI
) published the complete Fonotipia discography taken from the original recording ledgers, which were found at the EMI studios in Milan by Keith Hardwick and Ruth Edge. This work was issued in database format on a CD ROM and is still available from Historic Masters. Over 10,000 sides recorded by Fonotipia and associated companies are detailed on the CD ROM. For the first time, exact recording dates have been made available.
Among the singers, many of them famous, who recorded for Fonotipia were the following:
Aino Ackté
, Pasquale Amato
, Giuseppe Anselmi
, Teresa Arkel, Ernesto Badini
, Aristide Baracchi, Maria Barrientos
, Ramon Blanchart, Alessandro Bonci
, Giuseppe Borgatti
, Georgette Bréjean-Silver, Eugenia Burzio
, Victor Capoul
, Mercedes Capsir
, Maria Carena, Margherita Carosio
, Ferruccio Corradetti, Emilia Corsi, Armando Crabbé, Gilda dalla Rizza
, Leon David, Nazzareno de Angelis
, Elvira de Hidalgo
, Giuseppe De Luca
, Fernando De Lucia
, Emmy Destinn
, Adamo Didur
, Léon Escalais, Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini
, Nicola Fusati, Edoardo Garbin
, Giovanni Inghilleri, Maria Jeritza
, Jan Kiepura
, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
, Félia Litvinne
, Oreste Luppi, Antonio Magini-Coletti
, Luigi Manfrini, Gino Martinez-Patti, Victor Maurel
, Irene Minghini-Cattaneo, Francesco Navarini, Giuseppe Noto, Giuseppe Pacini, Rosetta Pampanini
, Tancredi Pasero
, Aureliano Pertile
, Lily Pons
, Giannina Russ
, Mario Sammarco
, Emile Scaramberg, Mariano Stabile
, Rosina Storchio
, Riccardo Stracciari
, Conchita Supervia
, Richard Tauber
, Ninon Vallin
, Ernest van Dyck
, Francisco Vignas and Giovanni Zenatello
.
In addition to Jan Kubelík
and Franz von Vecsey
, classical violinists gracing the firm's catalogue included Jacques Thibaud
, Bronisław Huberman and Váša Příhoda
. At least one recording was made, too, of playwright Victorien Sardou
reciting some of his work.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
label established in 1904 with a charter to record the art of leading opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singers and some other celebrity musicians, chiefly violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ists. Fonotipia continued to operate into the electrical recording era, which commenced in 1925-26, by which time the company had been absorbed into Odeon records
Odeon Records
Odeon Records was a record label founded in 1903 by Max Straus and Heinrich Zuntz of the International Talking Machine Company in Berlin, Germany. It was named after a famous theatre in Paris, whose classical dome appears on the Odeon record label....
. The records made by Fonotipia are prized by collectors and musicologists for their high technical quality, and for the high artistic merit and interest of much of what was captured for posterity.
The Fonotipia catalogues were reconstructed, so far as then possible, by the discophiles J.R. Bennett and James Dennis in 1953, and published in a limited edition. Fifty years later, a complete discography with accurate recording-session dates was compiled and made available to the public, following the rediscovery of key company documents. Fonotipia is not to be confused with the Phonotype record label which was active for part of the same period.
History of the issues
Fonotipia records was established in 1904 by the Anglo-French composer Baron Frederic d'Erlanger (1868-1943), as the Società Italiana di Fonotipia, Milano, expressly for recording celebrities, principally opera singers. (A recent re-issue of some titles states that it was formed as part of the International Talking Machine Company of Berlin.) The records were lateral needle-cut of the usual kind, starting at the outer edge, and playing at speeds at or near 78 rpm.From the outset, Fonotipia's output was distinguished by the use of unusual record sizes, the original series of one thousand titles (numbered 39000-39999) being in the 27cm or ten and three-quarter inch format. (Disc xPH 1, issued as 39003, was cut in 1904 by the great La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
baritone Giuseppe Pacini, who sings the operatic aria "Il balen" from Verdi's Il Trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
.) Unlike the Gramophone Company
Gramophone Company
The Gramophone Company, based in the United Kingdom, was one of the early recording companies, and was the parent organization for the famous "His Master's Voice" label...
's more refined numbering system, Fonotipia's system agglomerated male, female and ensemble artists — with piano accompaniments — on an indiscriminate basis. This original series was complete by 1907 when a new 27cm series, 62000, was begun — also with piano accompaniment. From late 1907, it ran in tandem with the 27cm 92000 series, which had orchestral accompaniments.
In 1905, the 69000 series was introduced. It featured a large disc of 35cm (13 and three-quarter inches); but it ran to only 22 titles before being discontinued as unpopular with the consumer market, owing to the format. However this short series had the distinction of including the only known commercial records by the great Polish tenor Jean de Reszke
Jean de Reszke
Jean de Reszke, born Jan Mieczyslaw, , was a Polish tenor. Renowned internationally for the high quality of his singing and the elegance of his bearing, he became the biggest male opera star of the late 19th century....
, namely the titles 69000, "Scene du tombeau" (from Roméo et Juliette
Roméo et Juliette
Roméo et Juliette is an opéra in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It was first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique , Paris on 27 April 1867...
, by Gounod), and 69001, "Ô Souverain, Ô Juge, Ô Père" (from Le Cid
Le Cid
Le Cid is a tragicomedy written by Pierre Corneille and published in 1636. It is based on the legend of El Cid.The play followed Corneille's first true tragedy, Médée, produced in 1635. An enormous popular success, Corneille's Le Cid was the subject of a heated polemic over the norms of dramatic...
, by Massenet). Unfortunately, the record was never officially issued, and although there have long been rumours of the existence of a test pressing or two, no copy is certainly known to exist. It appears that de Reszke had the pressings destroyed because he was disappointed with the results. Nonetheless, this fabled relic has become a 'holy grail' of operatic record collectors, who must fall back on the faint and scratchy Mapleson Cylinders
Mapleson Cylinders
The Mapleson Cylinders are a group of more than 100 phonograph cylinders recorded live at the Metropolitan Opera, primarily in the years 1901–1903, by the Met librarian Lionel Mapleson ....
, cut during live performances at the New York Metropolitan Opera, in order to hear a dim echo of de Reszke's voice.
The 35cm Fonotipia series also included two titles by the Czech violinist Jan Kubelík
Jan Kubelík
Jan Kubelík was a Czech violinist and composer.-Biography:He was born in Michle . His father, a gardener by occupation, was an amateur violinist. He taught his two sons the violin and after discovering the talent of Jan, who was aged five at the time, arranged for him to study with Karel Weber and...
, including 69010 — a transcription of the Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's historical novel The Bride of Lammermoor....
.
There was also a 12" (30cm) series, issued under the number 74000 and following. It included some operatic titles, though most of the first 100 numbers were dedicated to band music, or to the work of violinists Kubelik and Franz von Vecsey
Franz von Vecsey
Franz von Vecsey was a Hungarian violinist and composer.He was born in Budapest and began his violin studies with his father, Lajos Vecsey, and at the age of eight he entered the studio of Jenő Hubay...
. They resumed as 74100 for another series with orchestral accompaniment. The 74000 series ceased production with the advent of electrical recording in about 1925. Incidentally, 92000, the orchestral 27cm series, was completed in 1914, and was replaced by the 69000 series, now issued at 27cm and commencing with 69050. There was a break in activity during the First World War. By 1922, Fonotipia had become a partner of Odeon records, and in that year a new, conventional 10" series numbered 152000 was begun. This series included a good deal of inferior material.
The 1925 Catalogue is thought to have been the last issued under the Fonotipia name, though many titles remained and were listed under one cover with the Odeon catalogue. Electrical recording was begun in Italy in 1926, and the first such issues were released with the 1928 catalogue. Many of the matrices were carried over into pressings issued under Odeon labels. It also seems possible that some of the actual recording equipment was transferred to the Odeon studios, for a distinctive feature of the tracking of the groove-cutting equipment in Fonotipia records shows a single revolution halfway through the side where the groove is widely-spaced, and this idiosyncrasy occasionally persists under Odeon's aegis.
The Catalogues: celebrity artists
The reconstruction of the Fonotipia catalogues was undertaken in 1953 with the help of several record collectors worldwide that had access to assemblages of the actual discs. The result was a valuable but slim hardback volume, published in IpswichIpswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, UK, by the Record Collector Shop (at 61 Fore Street).
In 2003, Historic Masters Ltd
Historic Masters
Historic Masters is a historical reissue record label, based in Takeley, Hertfordshire, England, dedicated to making available quality pressings on vinyl of rare 78 rpm recordings of opera singers...
(in association with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
) published the complete Fonotipia discography taken from the original recording ledgers, which were found at the EMI studios in Milan by Keith Hardwick and Ruth Edge. This work was issued in database format on a CD ROM and is still available from Historic Masters. Over 10,000 sides recorded by Fonotipia and associated companies are detailed on the CD ROM. For the first time, exact recording dates have been made available.
Among the singers, many of them famous, who recorded for Fonotipia were the following:
Aino Ackté
Aino Ackté
Aino Ackté was a Finnish soprano. She was the first international star of the Finnish opera scene after Alma Fohström, and a groundbreaker for the domestic field....
, Pasquale Amato
Pasquale Amato
Pasquale Amato was an outstanding Italian operatic baritone. Amato enjoyed an international reputation but attained the peak of his fame in New York City, where he sang with the Metropolitan Opera from 1908 until 1921....
, Giuseppe Anselmi
Giuseppe Anselmi
Giuseppe Anselmi was an Italian operatic tenor. He became famous throughout Europe during the first decade of the 20th century for his stylish performances of lyric roles. He never sang in the United States....
, Teresa Arkel, Ernesto Badini
Ernesto Badini
Ernesto Badini was an Italian opera singer that sang in the baritone range . He was trained at Milan Conservatory and made his debut as Figaro in San Colombano al Lambro...
, Aristide Baracchi, Maria Barrientos
Maria Barrientos
Maria Barrientos was a Spanish opera singer, a light coloratura soprano, one of the most eminent sopranos of her time.- Life and career :...
, Ramon Blanchart, Alessandro Bonci
Alessandro Bonci
Alessandro Bonci was an Italian lyric tenor known internationally for his association with the bel canto repertoire. He sang at many famous theatres, including New York's Metropolitan Opera, Milan's La Scala and London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.-Career:A native of Cesena, Romagna, Bonci...
, Giuseppe Borgatti
Giuseppe Borgatti
Giuseppe Borgatti was an Italian dramatic tenor with an outstanding voice...
, Georgette Bréjean-Silver, Eugenia Burzio
Eugenia Burzio
Eugenia Burzio was an Italian operatic soprano known for her vibrant voice and passionate style of singing.She was particularly prominent in the verismo repertoire, creating the role of Delia Terzaghi in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Goffredo Mameli as well as singing Minnie in the Italian premiere of...
, Victor Capoul
Victor Capoul
Joseph Victor Amédée Capoul, born in Toulouse on 27 February 1839 and died in Pujaudran on 18 February 1924, was a French operatic tenor with a lyric voice and a graceful singing style.-Career:Victor Capoul began his studies in Toulouse...
, Mercedes Capsir
Mercedes Capsir
Mercedes Capsir was a Catalan Spanish opera singer, a high coloratura soprano, particularly associated with light Italian roles, such as Lucia and Gilda.- Life and career :...
, Maria Carena, Margherita Carosio
Margherita Carosio
Margherita Carosio was an Italian operatic soprano. She was one of the most remarkable light lyric sopranos of her generation. Her warm, expressive and expertly produced voice is preserved in many Parlophone and Ultraphon recordings made before World War II, as well as a memorable series made for...
, Ferruccio Corradetti, Emilia Corsi, Armando Crabbé, Gilda dalla Rizza
Gilda dalla Rizza
Gilda Dalla Rizza was an important Italian soprano. Born in Verona, she made her operatic debut in Bologna in 1912, as Charlotte in Werther. Especially acclaimed in the verismo repertory, she was regarded as being Giacomo Puccini's favorite soprano, creating Magda in his La rondine...
, Leon David, Nazzareno de Angelis
Nazzareno De Angelis
Nazzareno De Angelis was an Italian operatic bass, particularly associated with Verdi, Rossini and Wagner roles.-Career:...
, Elvira de Hidalgo
Elvira de Hidalgo
Elvira de Hidalgo was a prominent Spanish coloratura soprano, who later became a pedagogue...
, Giuseppe De Luca
Giuseppe de Luca
Giuseppe De Luca , was a famous Italian baritone who achieved his greatest triumphs at the New York Metropolitan Opera...
, Fernando De Lucia
Fernando De Lucia
Fernando De Lucia was an Italian opera tenor and singing teacher who enjoyed an international career....
, Emmy Destinn
Emmy Destinn
Emmy Destinn was a Czech operatic soprano with a strong and soaring lyric-dramatic voice. She had a career both in Europe and at the New York Metropolitan Opera.- Biography :...
, Adamo Didur
Adamo Didur
Adamo Didur was a top-class Polish operatic bass vocalist. He sang extensively in opera in Europe and appeared at New York's Metropolitan Opera from 1908 to 1932.-Career:...
, Léon Escalais, Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini
Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini
Giusppina Finzi-Magrini was an Italian soprano.Finzi-Magrini made her debut in 1896 as Oscar in Lucia di Lammermoor. She was remembered for her style and moderation. In retirement she turned to teaching. Her students included the Danish baritone Frantz Rabinowitz . In 1943 she went into hiding...
, Nicola Fusati, Edoardo Garbin
Edoardo Garbin
Edouardo Garbin was an Italian operatic tenor. He was married to the soprano Adelina Stehle.- Roles created :* Don Fernando Guevara in Cristoforo Colombo , Genoa's Teatro Carlo Felice October 6, 1892...
, Giovanni Inghilleri, Maria Jeritza
Maria Jeritza
Maria Jeritza , born Marie Jedličková, was a celebrated Moravian soprano singer, long associated with the Vienna State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera...
, Jan Kiepura
Jan Kiepura
Jan Wiktor Kiepura was an acclaimed Polish singer and actor.-Biography:...
, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Giacomo Lauri-Volpi was an Italian tenor with a lyric-dramatic voice of exceptional range and technical facility. He performed throughout Europe and the Americas in a top-class career that spanned 40 years....
, Félia Litvinne
Félia Litvinne
Félia Litvinne was a Russian-born, French-based dramatic soprano. She was particularly associated with Wagnerian roles, although she also sang a wide range of parts by other opera composers....
, Oreste Luppi, Antonio Magini-Coletti
Antonio Magini-Coletti
Antonio Magini-Coletti was a leading Italian baritone who had a prolific career in Europe and the United States during the late 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. A versatile artist, he appeared in several opera world premieres but was particularly associated with the works of...
, Luigi Manfrini, Gino Martinez-Patti, Victor Maurel
Victor Maurel
Victor Maurel was a French operatic baritone who enjoyed an international reputation as a great singing-actor.-Biography:...
, Irene Minghini-Cattaneo, Francesco Navarini, Giuseppe Noto, Giuseppe Pacini, Rosetta Pampanini
Rosetta Pampanini
Rosetta Pampanini was an Italian soprano, particularly associated with Puccini roles, especially Madama Butterfly....
, Tancredi Pasero
Tancredi Pasero
Tancredi Pasero was an Italian bass who enjoyed a long and distinguished singing career in his native country and abroad.-Career & recordings:...
, Aureliano Pertile
Aureliano Pertile
Aureliano Pertile was an Italian lyric-dramatic tenor. He is considered to have been one of the most exciting operatic artists of the inter-war period, and one of the most important tenors of the entire 20th century.- Life and career :Pertile was born in Montagnana, Northern Italy, 18 days after...
, Lily Pons
Lily Pons
Lily Pons was a French-American operatic soprano and actress who had an active career from the late 1920s through the early 1970s. As an opera singer she specialized in the coloratura soprano repertoire and was particularly associated with the title roles in Léo Delibes' Lakmé and Gaetano...
, Giannina Russ
Giannina Russ
Giannina Russ was an Italian operatic soprano, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.-Life and career:Russ studied piano and voice at the Milan Music Conservatory with Leoni....
, Mario Sammarco
Mario Sammarco
Mario Sammarco was an Italian operatic baritone noted for his histrionic ability.-Biography:...
, Emile Scaramberg, Mariano Stabile
Mariano Stabile
Mariano Stabile was an Italian baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, especially the role of Falstaff.- Career :...
, Rosina Storchio
Rosina Storchio
Rosina Storchio was an important Italian lyric soprano who starred in the world premieres of operas by Puccini, Leoncavallo, Mascagni and Giordano...
, Riccardo Stracciari
Riccardo Stracciari
Riccardo Stracciari was a leading Italian baritone. His repertoire consisted mainly of Italian operatic works, with Rossini's Figaro and Verdi's Rigoletto becoming his signature roles during a long and distinguished career which stretched from 1899 to 1944.- Life and career :Born near Bologna,...
, Conchita Supervia
Conchita Supervia
Conchita Supervía was a highly popular Spanish mezzo-soprano singer who appeared in opera in Europe and America and also gave recitals....
, Richard Tauber
Richard Tauber
Richard Tauber was an Austrian tenor acclaimed as one of the greatest singers of the 20th century. Some critics commented that "his heart felt every word he sang".-Early life:...
, Ninon Vallin
Ninon Vallin
Ninon Vallin was a French soprano who achieved considerable popularity in opera, operetta and classical song recitals during an international career which lasted for more than four decades. [Note: Vallin's birthday is sometimes given as September 7 or September 9.]-Career:Ninon Vallin was born...
, Ernest van Dyck
Ernest van Dyck
Ernest van Dyck was a Belgian dramatic tenor who was closely identified with the Wagnerian repertoire.A native of Antwerp, van Dyck studied both law and journalism before deciding to become an opera singer...
, Francisco Vignas and Giovanni Zenatello
Giovanni Zenatello
Giovanni Zenatello was an Italian opera singer. Born in Verona, he enjoyed an international career as a dramatic tenor of the first rank. Otello became his most famous operatic role but he sang a wide repertoire. In 1904, he created the part of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.-Career:Zenatello...
.
In addition to Jan Kubelík
Jan Kubelík
Jan Kubelík was a Czech violinist and composer.-Biography:He was born in Michle . His father, a gardener by occupation, was an amateur violinist. He taught his two sons the violin and after discovering the talent of Jan, who was aged five at the time, arranged for him to study with Karel Weber and...
and Franz von Vecsey
Franz von Vecsey
Franz von Vecsey was a Hungarian violinist and composer.He was born in Budapest and began his violin studies with his father, Lajos Vecsey, and at the age of eight he entered the studio of Jenő Hubay...
, classical violinists gracing the firm's catalogue included Jacques Thibaud
Jacques Thibaud
Jacques Thibaud was a French violinist.Thibaud was born in Bordeaux and studied the violin with his father before entering the Paris Conservatoire at the age of thirteen. In 1896 he jointly won the conservatory's violin prize with Pierre Monteux...
, Bronisław Huberman and Váša Příhoda
Váša Příhoda
Váša Příhoda was a famous Czech violinist known for the perfection of his technique and the beauty of his tone. He was considered a Paganini specialist, and his recording of the Violin Concerto in A minor by Dvořák is still very highly praised. His artistry was controversial, and tended to...
. At least one recording was made, too, of playwright Victorien Sardou
Victorien Sardou
Victorien Sardou was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play...
reciting some of his work.
Sources
- J.R. Bennett, Dischi Fonotipia - A Golden Treasury (Record Collector Shop, Ipswich 1953).