Ted Fagan

Record collectors, archivists, and music historians will welcome the second volume of The Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Recordings, bringing the history and comprehensive catalog of the recorded products of the Victor Talking Machine Company through the year 1907, when the matrix numbering system, inaugurated in April 1903, reached number 4999. Of immense importance to twentieth-century musical and recording history, this volume gives full details of all Victor recordings made during this period, including the early records of such artists as Caruso, Melba, Schumann-Heink, Farrar, Scotti, Homer, Sembrich, Calve, Gadski, Plancon, and many others. Also included are popular recordings of songs, light opera, music hall personalities, bands such as Sousa's, dance records, and more. This discography, which is based on the original recording ledgers of the company and augmented by extensive research in rare Victor publications, catalogs, bulletins, and correspondence, as well as by information from collectors and archivists, represents the only systematic cataloging of these rare recordings attempted to date.

In their introduction, the compilers describe the innovations and restructuring of operations that enabled Victor to achieve high quality in these early acoustic recordings. They explain the matrix numbering system adopted in 1903, discussing the confusion resulting from Victor's practice of retaining the original catalog numbers for later improved pressings, discs of varying sizes, and even--in some cases--subsequent recordings of a selection by a different artist.

Carefully cross-indexed and designed to provide quick access to complete recording information, this volume will be a valuable addition to music, musicology, and record library collections.… (lisätietoja)