Orlando R. Marsh
Encyclopedia
Orlando R. Marsh was an electrical engineer raised in Wilmette, Illinois
. In early 1920s Chicago, Illinois he pioneered electrical recording of phonograph discs with microphones when acoustic recording with horns was commonplace. His firm Marsh Laboratories, Inc., founded in 1922, at one time was located on the seventh floor of the Lyon & Healy Building near the corner of Wabash and Jackson in Chicago. The Marsh firm no longer exists but the building still stands and is part of DePaul University
.(1)
It was reported in Time Magazine on April 28, 1923 that a device invented by Orlando R. Marsh was successfully used to make a recording of organ music, hitherto considered impossible. The article stated that Pietro A. Yon from New York City played his organ composition "Jesu Bambino" in Marsh's Chicago laboratory and that the reproduction was described as excellent. The article went on to say that this accomplishment appeared to open a new area for the phonograph.
Marsh's best known recordings were duets by King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton
on the Autograph Records
78 rpm phonograph disc label. His best selling Autograph records were those of Jesse Crawford
in 1924 playing the Wurlitzer pipe organ in the Chicago Theatre
using his then new electrical disc recording system. This was before Victor Talking Machine Company
and Columbia Records
started to use the Western Electric
licensed method of electrically recording records using microphones in 1925.
Orlando Marsh also participated in the first radio program syndication employing disc records. Freeman Gosden
and Charles Correll
electrically recorded their WMAQ (AM) Amos 'n' Andy
radio program at Marsh Laboratories prior to live airing during the 1928 - 1929 period.(3)
Occasionally, specialty recordings by Marsh Laboratories are found from the late 1920s to the early 1940s. One example is a radio recording entitled "Eskimo Pie Time" from the early 1930s. The 78 rpm 12" laminated shellac record has a printed label which shows a black and white drawing of an Eskimo Pie ice cream bar and bears the handwritten names of "East & Dumke" in white ink. It was recorded on one side only and pressed most likely by Columbia. Recorded quality is quite acceptable and features the "Singing Icicles" (Ed East and Ralph Dumke) in two numbers: "Illway Ouyay Gimme A Little Isskay" and "Big Time Gal". This is a singing duo with piano accompaniment. A further note, when matching modern playback equipment to the characteristics of this record, a bass turnover frequency of 300 Hz and a 10 kHz treble rolloff setting of -8.5 dB yields good bass, midrange, and treble balance.(4)
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...
. In early 1920s Chicago, Illinois he pioneered electrical recording of phonograph discs with microphones when acoustic recording with horns was commonplace. His firm Marsh Laboratories, Inc., founded in 1922, at one time was located on the seventh floor of the Lyon & Healy Building near the corner of Wabash and Jackson in Chicago. The Marsh firm no longer exists but the building still stands and is part of DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
.(1)
It was reported in Time Magazine on April 28, 1923 that a device invented by Orlando R. Marsh was successfully used to make a recording of organ music, hitherto considered impossible. The article stated that Pietro A. Yon from New York City played his organ composition "Jesu Bambino" in Marsh's Chicago laboratory and that the reproduction was described as excellent. The article went on to say that this accomplishment appeared to open a new area for the phonograph.
Marsh's best known recordings were duets by King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
on the Autograph Records
Autograph Records
Autograph Records was a United States record label of the 1920s.Autograph was a small label, owned by Marsh Laboratories Incorporated of Chicago, Illinois. Marsh Laboratories in turn was owned by electrical engineer Orlando R. Marsh...
78 rpm phonograph disc label. His best selling Autograph records were those of Jesse Crawford
Jesse Crawford
Jesse Crawford , was a US pianist and organist. He was well known in the 1920s as a theater organist for silent films and was avery popular gramophone record recording artist. In the 1930s, he switched to the Hammond organ and became a freelancer...
in 1924 playing the Wurlitzer pipe organ in the Chicago Theatre
Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother...
using his then new electrical disc recording system. This was before Victor Talking Machine Company
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
started to use the Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
licensed method of electrically recording records using microphones in 1925.
Orlando Marsh also participated in the first radio program syndication employing disc records. Freeman Gosden
Freeman Gosden
Freeman Fisher "Gozzie" Gosden was an American radio comedian, and pioneer in the development of the situation comedy form. He is best known for his work in the Amos 'n' Andy series.-Biography:...
and Charles Correll
Charles Correll
Charles James Correll was an American radio comedian, best known for his work on the Amos 'n' Andy show with Freeman S. Gosden. Correll voiced the central character of Andy Brown, along with various supporting characters. Before teaming up with Gosden, Correll worked as a stenographer and a...
electrically recorded their WMAQ (AM) Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy is a situation comedy set in the African-American community. It was very popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s on both radio and television....
radio program at Marsh Laboratories prior to live airing during the 1928 - 1929 period.(3)
Occasionally, specialty recordings by Marsh Laboratories are found from the late 1920s to the early 1940s. One example is a radio recording entitled "Eskimo Pie Time" from the early 1930s. The 78 rpm 12" laminated shellac record has a printed label which shows a black and white drawing of an Eskimo Pie ice cream bar and bears the handwritten names of "East & Dumke" in white ink. It was recorded on one side only and pressed most likely by Columbia. Recorded quality is quite acceptable and features the "Singing Icicles" (Ed East and Ralph Dumke) in two numbers: "Illway Ouyay Gimme A Little Isskay" and "Big Time Gal". This is a singing duo with piano accompaniment. A further note, when matching modern playback equipment to the characteristics of this record, a bass turnover frequency of 300 Hz and a 10 kHz treble rolloff setting of -8.5 dB yields good bass, midrange, and treble balance.(4)
External links
- When Did Marsh Laboratories Begin to Make Electrical Recordings? - photos, details of Marsh patents