Wax recording of Brahms from 1889!! (hardly recognisable)

April 10, 2008 at 10:34 PM

Added: April 10, 2008 (Less info)
This is my attempt to restore the 1889 Brahms cylinder.
The source was not the 1936 acetate transfer, but a
mp3 file from the original cylinder. I am searching for a
good quality cd version of the cylinder (not the 1936
acetate disc!) to further improve the sound.
The first 30 seconds still are not audible, but....
after 30 seconds, I think my version
finally let you hear at least something of his playing....

For three years I have a website, where I post "out-of-copyright" (in the Netherlands)
classical lp's and 78rpm's. It is updated every Friday:
Otterhouse-music

Enjoy!
Category: Music

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on April 11, 2008 at 4:42 AM

I wouldn't have recognized it as Brahms unless you had told us. If someone could get all of the background noise removed, we might be able to hear the music.

From Kim Vawter
Posted on April 11, 2008 at 5:37 PM

How wonderful.
My mother made a wire recording with her brother of them playing an accordian. Later in Barnard College a steel record of her playing solo piano in the mid '30's. I wish I still had them.
I never did record her playing the piano when our family had a cassette recorder in the 70's
Wish I had thought to do it.
Thank you for your efforts doing these recordings.

From Kim Vawter
Posted on April 11, 2008 at 5:42 PM

Oops--Barnard recording in the early 40's--she was not that old.

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on April 12, 2008 at 11:20 AM

Is that Brahms' voice at the beginning?

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