If you are talking about Soviet (post-1917) recordings,it seems to me that the earliest Soviet recording artist,outside of the country,would be something like The Red Army Choir/Song Ensemble,who began having records issued in the US,on Columbia,if I recall,sometime in the early 30s.
Popular music,as we know it in the west,always had a tough time of it,to say the least,in the old Soviet Union.If you have not read it,I recommend this excellent book:
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Hot-Fate-Soviet-Union/dp/0879101806
Roger
Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: Do you mean imported or pressed here? Until LP, all of those pressed here,
as near as I've been able to determine, were dubs.
Some of the World's Fair records (1939-1940) were imported with special labels and some were dubs.
Earlier discs were probably imported through specialty houses, the Gramophonen Shop, H. Royer Smith, etc., probably among them. The family that operated Four Continents in NY, Victor Khamkin in DC, and shops in San Francisco (I think) and Toronto were mainly in the book business.
I bought a huge 78 closeout from the basement of Four Continents many years
ago.
I also used to work at Leed Music immediatly after the Stillmans left to
concentrate on Monitor. We had to send some old tapes back through customs
since they had enetered under bond. That was in 1961.
Where are you located? I have a nearly full file drawer of MK catalogs and
other materials.
Steve Smolian
----- Original Message ----- From: "Natalie Zelensky"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 11:09 AM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Soviet Recordings
Hello,
I am trying to gather information on the early distribution of Soviet recordings in the US.
1. What was the first recording of Soviet songs that was released in the US? (year?; label? contents?)
2. I also am trying to find more information regarding subsequent
distribution of recordings of Soviet songs in the US. (Labels?; History?;
Would the companies simply copy from eachother and resell under their
respective labels?). Based on my research in American and Russian-American
papers, it appears that Stinson and the "Am-Rus Music Corporation" were the
first distributors of these records - is this true? Does anyone know
anything else about this "Am-Rus" company?
3. Could anyone tell me more about the "World's Fair" recording. (Year?; Contents?; Performers?).
4. Does anyone have any suggestions for sources about early Soviet recordigs in the US?
Thank you very much.
N. Zelensky
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