Re: [ARSCLIST] Which U.S. Orchestra Recorded First?

[Don Tait <Dontaitchicago@xxxxxxx>]

  Thanks and congratulations to Steve Smolian for his article about this in 
the new Classic Record Collector. His comment in his message about it to the 
list is correct -- it does indeed rewrite the history of the earliest days of 
orchestral recording in the USA. The information about the reported cylinders 
from 1888 is exciting and, to me at least, revelatory. I look forward to part 
II.

  In his article Steve quotes Arthur Fiedler's description of the setup for 
the BSO sessions with Muck for Victor in October 1917. May I add something 
minor? I met Fiedler in 1961 and asked him whether he had played in the orchestra 
for those sessions. I didn't know, but knew he'd been a member of the 
orchestra then. He responded in his typically brief, gruff way "Yes. It was hot! Muck 
was bi---y!!" (I've read that the Camden/Philadelphia area was in the midst of 
a heat wave at the time.)

  Which also means, tangentially, that Fiedler could be counted among the 
musicians who recorded in one way or another from the acoustical through digital 
processes.

  Don Tait