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Music, sound, and technology in America : a documentary history of early phonograph, cinema, and radio /

This anthology assembles primary documents chronicling the development of the phonograph, talking pictures, and the radio. These three sound technologies shaped Americans' relation to music from the late nineteenth century until the end of the Second World War, by which time they were thoroughl...

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Bibliographic Details
Contributors: Taylor, Timothy Dean, (Editor), Katz, Mark, 1970- (Editor), Grajeda, Tony, 1960- (Editor)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Durham ; London : Duke University Press, 2012.
Series:American studies/Film and music history
Subjects and Genres:
20th century.
Popular music > Social aspects > United States > 20th century.
Popular culture > United States > History > 20th century.
Popular culture.
Mass media > Technological innovations.
History.
Motion picture music.
Radio broadcasting.
Phonograph.
Popular music > Social aspects.
Popular music.
Phonograph > United States > History > 20th century.
Radio broadcasting > United States > History > 20th century.
Motion picture music > United States > History > 20th century.
Mass media > Technological innovations > United States > History > 20th century.
United States.
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Table of Contents:
  • Part I
  • Sound Recording
  • Introduction /
  • Mark Katz
  • Katz, Mark
  • 11
  • Sound Recording: Readings
  • 29
  • Predictions
  • 1
  • Thomas A. Edison, "The Phonograph and Its Future" (1878)
  • 29
  • 2
  • "The Phonograph," New York Times (7 November 1877)
  • 37
  • 3
  • Philip G. Hubert Jr., "What the Phonograph Will Do for Music and Music-Lovers" (May 1893)
  • 39
  • The Listener and the Phonograph
  • Learning to Listen
  • 4
  • Edison Realism Test, Broadside (c. 1916)
  • 44
  • 5
  • "Illustrated Song Machine," Talking Machine World (October 1905); "Illustrated Song Machine," Talking Machine World (November 1905)
  • 45
  • 6
  • Orlo Williams, "Times and Seasons," Gramophone (June 1923)
  • 45
  • The Phonograph in Everyday Life
  • 7
  • How We Gave a Phonograph Party (1899)
  • 48
  • 8
  • Jas. O'Dea, Arthur Gillespie, and Herbert Dillea, "Susan, Dear Sue (The Phonograph Song)" (1901)
  • 52
  • 9
  • Pauline Partridge, "The Home Set to Music" (November 1924)
  • 53
  • 10
  • Thomas A. Edison, Inc., questionnaire and responses (1921)
  • 56
  • The Phonograph and Music Appreciation
  • 11
  • Annie Pike Greenwood, "The Victor in the Rural School" (26 February 1914)
  • 65
  • 12
  • "Organize a Music Memory Contest," Talking Machine Journal (March 1919)
  • 67
  • Men, Women, and Phonographs
  • 13
  • Victrola advertisement, Collier's (4 October 1913)
  • 70
  • 14
  • Aeolian-Vocation advertisement, Vanity Fair (May 1916)
  • 70
  • 15
  • Gladys L. Kimmel, "Having Different Types of Women Customers" (June 1920)
  • 71
  • 16
  • Scrutator, "Where Are the Ladies?" (June 1925)
  • 75
  • 17
  • T.A.F., "Ladies and Gramophone" (August 1925)
  • 75
  • 18
  • Gladys M. Collin, "Women and the Gramophone" (October 1925)
  • 76
  • 19
  • Dorothy B. Fisher, "Women and the Phonograph" (October 1926)
  • 77
  • Music and the Great War
  • 20
  • "Talking Machines Are 'Essentials'" (December 1917)
  • 78
  • 21
  • Vivian Burnett, "When I Hear That Phonograph Play" (1918)
  • 80
  • 22
  • "Phonographs on the Firing Line" (19 October 1919)
  • 81
  • Performers and the Phonograph
  • In the Recording Studio
  • 23
  • "How Talking Machine Orchestras Operate" (September 1910)
  • 84
  • 24
  • Yvonne de Treville, "Making a Phonograph Record" (November 1916)
  • 85
  • 25
  • Baby Dodds, The Baby Dodds Story (1992)
  • 88
  • 26
  • Edwin McArthur, "Conducting for Record" (March 1941)
  • 92
  • The Phonograph and Music Pedagogy
  • 27
  • "The Effect of Mechanical Instruments upon Musical Education" (July 1916)
  • 94
  • 28
  • Oscar Saenger, The Oscar Saenger Course in Vocal Training (1916)
  • 103
  • The Phonograph and the Composer
  • The Composer in the Machine Age
  • 29
  • Henry Cowell, "Music of and for the Records" (March-April 1931)
  • 104
  • 30
  • Igor Stravinsky, An Autobiography (1936)
  • 107
  • The Phonograph as a Compositional Tool
  • 31
  • Carol-Bérard, "Recorded Noises-Tomorrow's Instrumentation" (January-February 1929)
  • 110
  • 32
  • Igor Stravinsky, "Meine Stellung zur Schallplatte" (March 1930)
  • 113
  • Phonograph Debates
  • Con
  • 33
  • John Philip Sousa, "The Menace of Mechanical Music" (1906)
  • 113
  • 34
  • Portland (Oregon) City Council, "An Ordinance Regulating the Use of Phonographs" (14 August 1907); Minutes of the Portland City Council (27 November 1907)
  • 122
  • 35
  • Joseph N. Weber, "Canned Music-Is It Taking the Romance from Our Lives?" (November 1930)
  • 123
  • Pro
  • 36
  • Paul H. Cromelin, "'The Menace of Mechanical Music'" (1906)
  • 126
  • 37
  • Anne Shaw Faulkner, "Phonographs and Player Instruments" (August 1917)
  • 129
  • Part II
  • Cinema
  • Introduction /
  • Tony Grajeda
  • Grajeda, Tony
  • 137
  • Cinema: Readings
  • 145
  • Technologies of Sight and Sound
  • 38
  • "The Kineto-Phonograph" (16 June 1894)
  • 145
  • 39
  • "The Perfection of the Phono-Cinematograph" (14 September 1907)
  • 148
  • 40
  • Advertisement for Picturephone, "Singing and Talking Moving Pictures" (11 January 1908)
  • 149
  • 41
  • "The Singing and Talking Picture-What Is Its Future?" (7 May 1910)
  • 149
  • 42
  • "Talking 'Movies'" (8 March 1913)
  • 152
  • Sounds of the Cinema: Illustrated Song Slides; The Role of the Voice (lecturers, actors); Incidental Musics, Special Effects, Ballyhoo, and Noise of the Audience
  • 43
  • Chas. K. Harris, "Illustrating Song Slides" (9 March 1907)
  • 153
  • 44
  • Chas. K. Harris, "Song Slide Review" (16 March 1907)
  • 156
  • 45
  • H. F. Hoffman, "The Singer and the Song" (4 June 1910)
  • 158
  • 46
  • Van C. Lee, "The Value of a Lecture" (8 February 1908)
  • 161
  • 47
  • E. Esther Owen and W. M. Rhoads, "The Value of a Lecture with the Show" (22 February 1908)
  • 163
  • 48
  • Sydney Wire, "How Talking Pictures Are Made; Scarcity of Picture Actors" (22 August 1908)
  • 164
  • 49
  • W. Stephen Bush, "The Human Voice as a Factor in the Moving Picture Show" (23 January 1909)
  • 166
  • 50
  • James Clancy, "The Human Voice as a Factor in the Moving Picture Show" (30 January 1909)
  • 169
  • 51
  • "Trade Notes," "When 'Music' Is a Nuisance" (28 December 1907)
  • 171
  • 52
  • "Sound Effects: Good, Bad, and Indifferent" (2 October 1909)
  • 172
  • Playing to the Pictures
  • Performative Accompaniment
  • 53
  • Clarence E. Sinn, "Music for the Picture" (23 April 1910)
  • 173
  • 54
  • Louis Reeves Harrison, "Jackass Music" (21 January 1911)
  • 176
  • 55
  • Wm. H. McCracken, "'Jackass Music'" (28 January 1911)
  • 180
  • 56
  • Mrs. Buttery, "'Jackass Music"' (4 February 1911)
  • 181
  • 57
  • W. Stephen Bush, "Music and Sound Effects for Dante's Inferno" (27 January 1912)
  • 182
  • 58
  • L. Szeminanyi, "Playing to Pictures" (February 1921)
  • 189
  • 59
  • "A Cinema Musician," "Atmosphere" (March 1926)
  • 190
  • The Organist of the Picture Palace
  • 60
  • Ernest M. Skinner, "Cinema Music" (August 1918)
  • 192
  • 61
  • J. van Cleft Cooper, "Creation of Atmosphere" (June 1922)
  • 196
  • Conducting and Scoring to the Movies
  • 62
  • "How Music Is Made to Fit the Films" (26 January 1918)
  • 200
  • 63
  • Doron K. Antrim, "Possibilities of Movie Music-Present and Future" (15 February 1926)
  • 202
  • 64
  • Victor Wagner, "Scoring a Motion Picture" (September 1926)
  • 205
  • 65
  • Josephine Vila, "Hugo Riesenfeld Tells How He Scores a Film" (17 February 1927)
  • 209
  • Taste, Culture, and Educating the Public
  • 66
  • Frank A. Edson, "A Word about Suitable and Unsuitable Music in Moving Picture Productions" (March 1918)
  • 212
  • 67
  • "Choosing Picture Music That Pleases the Patrons: An Interview with Edward L. Hyman" (1 February 1926)
  • 215
  • 68
  • Dr. Sigmund Spaeth, "Why Music Is Becoming the Important Element in Picture Presentation" (15 March 1926)
  • 217
  • 69
  • Josephine Vila, "Opera Singer Gets Thrill out of Screen Debut" (20 January 1927)
  • 221
  • 70
  • L. K. Sidney, "What Modern Music Has Done to the Motion Picture Theaters" (January 1928)
  • 223
  • Responding to the Talkies
  • 71
  • An Interview with Joseph N. Weber, "Will Machine-Made Music Displace Real Music in Our Theaters?" (September 1928)
  • 226
  • 72
  • Warren Nolan, "Talking Pictures and the Public" (1929)
  • 229
  • 73
  • "What the Fans Think": "Talkie Gets a Guffaw" (March 1929); "Voice Censor Suggested" (March 1929); "Another Fan Deserts!" (April 1929); "Real Singers Would Go Over" (February 1932); "Carrying English to England" (February 1932); "Adores Yankee Talk" (November 1932); "Our Rural Accents" (November 1932)
  • 233
  • Part III
  • Radio
  • Introduction /
  • Timothy D. Taylor
  • Taylor, Timothy D.
  • 239
  • Radio: Readings
  • 255
  • Radio as Dream, Radio as Technology
  • 74
  • "Distributing Music over Telephone Lines" (18 December 1909)
  • 255
  • 75
  • "Radio Telephone Experiments" (May 1910)
  • 258
  • 76
  • David Sarnoff, "Radio Music Box" (c. 1916-1920)
  • 259
  • 77
  • Bruce Bliven, "The Ether Will Now Oblige" (15 February 1922)
  • 260
  • 78
  • Joseph Riley, "Five Minutes of Radio for a Nickel" (April 1926)
  • 265
  • Early Broadcasts: Performer and Listener Impressions
  • 79
  • Leon Lichtenfeld, interview /
  • Layne R. Beaty (29 May 1988)
  • Beaty, Layne R., (29 May 1988)
  • 266
  • 80
  • Leon Alfred Duthernoy, "Singing to Tens of Thousands; Impressions of an Artist during His First Radio Concert" (November 1922)
  • 267
  • 81
  • Helen Keller, letter to the Symphony Society of New York (10 February 1924)
  • 271
  • 82
  • George McClelland, memorandum for Mr. J. A.
  • Holman (March 1924)
  • 272
  • Radio in Everyday Life
  • 83
  • "Wireless Music and News for the Roller Chair Passenger" (7 August 1920)
  • 275
  • 84
  • "Very Latest in Wireless; Union College Students Find a 'Universal Lullaby' for Babies" (11 May 1921)
  • 276
  • 85
  • "Radio Now Heard on Buses in New York City" (27 May 1922)
  • 276
  • 86
  • "Advance Seat Sale for Radio Concerts" (October 1923)
  • 277
  • 87
  • Bess B. Harris, letter to the editor (April 1924)
  • 277
  • 88
  • '"Sing Down the Cattle' by Radio" (October 1926)
  • 279
  • 89
  • "Wedding Has Radio Music" (1 January 1927)
  • 279
  • Healing
  • 90
  • "Maimed and Sick Forget Pain in Model Radio-Equipped Ambulance" (3 June 1922)
  • 279
  • 91
  • Ward Seeley, "Radio Relief for the Ailing" (August 1922)
  • 280
  • 92
  • "Jazzing the Deaf by Radio" (March 1926)
  • 285
  • Economics of Radio Broadcasting
  • 93
  • Laurence Blackhurst, "Radio Music Fund Committee Appeals to Listeners-In for Contributions" (1 March 1924)
  • 285
  • 94
  • "How Much Should Good Radio Program Cost?" (January 1930)
  • 287
  • Advertising
  • 95
  • "Radio Broadcast Advertisements; Airphone Advertising Will Kill Fan Interest" (24 June 1922)
  • 288
  • 96
  • Davey Tree Hour (5 January 1930)
  • 289
  • 97
  • J. Walter Thompson Company, staff meeting minutes (14 January 1930)
  • 295
  • 98
  • Martin L. Davey, letter to E. P. H. James (1 September 1931)
  • 296
  • 99
  • Martin L. Davey, "Secrets of a Successful Radio Program" (1 July 1932)
  • 297
  • 100
  • Justine Magee, undated fan letter to Martin L. Davey (c. 1930-32)
  • 300
  • Music on the Radio
  • Con
  • 101
  • A. J. M. "Radio Just Another Blight" (31 December 1925)
  • 301
  • 102
  • Paul Kempf, "Thomas A. Edison Sees a Menace for Music in the Radio" (January 1927)
  • 302
  • Pro
  • 103
  • John C. Freund, excerpts from an address broadcast from WJZ (May 1922)
  • 305
  • 104
  • Lee de Forest, "Opera Audiences of Tomorrow" (5 August 1922)
  • 307
  • 105
  • "Programs Lauded by Bandmasters" (12 September 1926)
  • 309
  • What Do Listeners Want?
  • 106
  • E. F. McDonald Jr., "What We Think the Public Wants" (March 1924)
  • 311
  • Crooning
  • 107
  • Floyd Gibbons School of Broadcasting, "How to Train a Singing Voice for Broadcasting" (1932)
  • 316
  • 108
  • Martha Gellhorn, "Rudy Vallée: God's Gift to Us Girls" (7 August 1929)
  • 316
  • 109
  • "Cardinal Denounces Crooners as Whiners Defiling the Air" (11 January 1932)
  • 319
  • 110
  • Whitney Bolton, "Mr. Bolton Queries 'When Was a Crooner a Man in Love?'" (12 January 1932)
  • 320
  • 111
  • "Crooners Cover Up; Pass Well Known Buck" (13 January 1932)
  • 322
  • 112
  • "Crooning Comes by Nature" (24 February 1932)
  • 323
  • Radio behind the Scenes
  • Getting on the Air
  • 113
  • James H. Collins, "How to Get on a Radio Program" (February 1925)
  • 324
  • 114
  • Audition form, National Broadcasting Company (c. 1930)
  • 331
  • 115
  • Olive Palmer, "Requirements of the Radio Singer" (December 1931)
  • 332
  • 116
  • Myda Adams, letter to John Royal (11 January 1932)
  • 339
  • 117
  • "Have You a Radio Voice?" (28 January 1932)
  • 339
  • Talent
  • 118
  • Harvey B. Gaul, "The Vicissitudes of a Radio Impresario" (September 1922)
  • 340
  • Production behind the Scenes
  • 119
  • Gustav Klemm, "Putting a Program on the Air" (March 1933)
  • 344
  • 120
  • Herbert Devins, "A Glimpse 'behind the Mike' during the Palmolive Hour" (December 1929)
  • 351
  • Composing for the Radio
  • 121
  • Viva Liebling, "Creating Scores for Radio" (20 January 1944)
  • 354
  • 122
  • Rose Heylbut, "The Background of Background Music" (September 1945)
  • 358
  • How to Listen to Music on the Radio
  • 123
  • Peter W. Dykema, "Music as Presented by the Radio" (1935)
  • 361.

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