Autograph Records
Autograph Records | |
---|---|
Parent company | Marsh Laboratories |
Founded | 1920s |
Founder | Chicago, Illinois |
Autograph Records was an American
Marsh made recordings by his own experimental methods. Autograph was the first U.S. record label to release recordings made electrically with microphones, as opposed to the acoustical or mechanical method that was more commonly used.[1] According to author Brian Rust, Marsh's first electrical records were made in 1924.[2]
Organ music
It was reported in Time on April 28, 1923, that a device invented by Marsh was successfully used to make a recording of organ music, until then considered impossible. The article stated that Pietro 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.[3]
Brian Rust also reported that there was a note in the Talking Machine Journal for October 1924 indicating that "Orlando B. Marsh" had just moved to 78 East Jackson Boulevard.[2] Marsh Laboratories became established on the seventh floor of the Lyon & Healy Building. This location attracted customers. Lyon & Healy sold sheet music, records, and musical instruments.[4]
Discs
Autograph is best known for some of the fine jazz by artists in Chicago which was recorded on the label. The most famous of all are the duets by King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton. Autograph's bestselling records, however, were the series of pipe organ solos by Jesse Crawford. Marsh's electrical process was the first to be able to capture an approximation of the range of the organ, but it lacked bass in the tone mix.[4][5]
About the time that the Autograph records of Crawford were made, Jesse Crawford accepted an offer to be organist at the
Milton Charles succeeded Jesse Crawford as organist at the Chicago Theatre and also as the organist used by Orlando Marsh. Charles was recorded by Marsh Laboratories at the Tivoli Theatre (Chicago) with releases on Paramount Records. The Paramount recordings were technically superior to those made at the Chicago Theatre.[4]
The last Autograph records seem to have been recorded in 1926.
Although no longer releasing sides under his own label, Marsh continued to make recordings in Chicago for other labels (including Paramount, Gennett, and Black Patti) through the end of the 1920s.
Radio
References
- ^ Holmes, Thom (2006). The Routledge guide to music technology. CRC Press. p. 97.Columbia Graphophone marketed electrical 12-inch in early 20s.
- ^ a b Rust, Brian. "Autograph, a glimpse into the past." Storyville 1972; 40: 124-126.
- ^ "Music: Chicago". Time, Apr. 28, 1923
- ^ a b c d Powell, James R., Jr., Randall G. Stehle, and Jonathan D. Powell. "Vintage microphones and the restoration of early Marsh Laboratories electrical 78-rpm recordings." ARSC Journal 2006; 37 (1): 36-47.
- ^ Sounds of American Organs
- ^ McLeod, Elizabeth. A & A Recordings; December 27, 2002.
See also
- List of record labels