[78-L] Echo records

[Michael Biel]

I assume the CNE Chorus recoardings are on Victor, not Compo.  The 1927 
CNE recordings Compo made were broadcast recordings, probably off the 
air.  Victor's are not the same performances as the broadcasts.  They 
would not need a large "room" for 2200 voices, only a large auditorium 
with the singers in the audience seating area.  Most massed chorus 
recordings from this era are not very good, ESPECIALLY the famous 
Associated Glee Clubs of Amer Columbias.  They are VERY OVERLOADED.  
I've heard the vinyl test pressings of the entire concert and the only 
side that is not overloaded is the short sexist speech Deems Taylor made 
from the stage where he said how good it was to spend an evening hearing 
only male voices.  The early Western Electric condenser mics seem to be 
easily overloaded, but did a fine job recording that solo voice.

Mike Biel   mbiel at mbiel.com

David Lennick wrote:
> Do the records look as if they were pressed by RCA, Quality, Compo or Sparton? 
> As for the CNE Chorus, I wonder if they were recorded on location or off a line 
> or even from a broadcast. The Mendelssohn Choir's Brunswicks are no better 
> technically, although those are known to be dubs.
>
> dl
>
> DAVID BURNHAM wrote:
>   
>> Also, does anyone know where the Canadian National Exhibition Chorus made their six sides in 1928?  It says on the label that they were recorded during their performance at the Toronto Exhibition but unless they performed outside, (perhaps at the Grandstand), they would need a huge room for 2200 voices and a band.  
>>
>> It's too bad that these recordings are so poor, even by 1928 standards.  It seems that Canadian recording engineers were not up to speed with their American or British counterparts.  Even the 1942 Toronto Symphony recordings, (which I think I've heard were actually done by American engineers), are not near as good as other Orchestral Victors from the same period.
>>
>>     

> > Does anyone know anything about Echo Records?  I have one set on this label called "Canada's Favorite Barbershop Quartets", (yes, they use the American spelling of "Favourite"), and features The Cowling Brothers, Those Harmonic Gentlemen and The Regents.  The album of four records has no number and the sides are numbered E1 to E8, there are no other numbers on the labels, (very plain blue with silver writing, similar in style to the Old Fashioned Revival Hour Quartet record label).  The Barr book doesn't mention this label at all.  Googling the three quartets, only The Cowling Brothers had a passing notice that they performed somewhere in 1951.


>> db
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