[78-L] Victor 17231: Anvil / Forge

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Davies" <SDavies at mtroyal.ca>
>        Okay, I understand that Victor re-used or appended to matrix
> numbers when the same song was recorded by the same artist, even at a much
> later date.
>        However, I'm having trouble interpreting this specific situation:
>        I have a Canadian Victor #17231:=  Victor Orchestra: Anvil chorus
> / Pryor's Band: The forge in the forest.
>        Using the Victor Encyclopedic Discography (
> http://victor.library.ucsb.edu ), I see that one version of that disc was
> recorded as [Anvil] Mx B-4475=5 (1907-07-10) / [Forge] Mx B-1287=5
> (1905-11-23).
>        These sides were used in other discs, and had their first U.S.
> combined release in February, 1913.
>        Then what appears to be a new edition of the disc was recorded as
> [Anvil] Mx B-4475=7  (1913-02-06) / [Forge] B-1287=6 (1923-07-24), and it
> was offerred for another three years in the catalogue until it was dropped
> in 1926.
>        Or were the new recordings just dubs?  Or am I misreading this
> page completely: http://victor.library.ucsb.edu/objectDetail.php?id=11685
>
>        Why would the Victor Orchestra re-record "Anvil" in the very month
> that the disc had just been released?
>        Do the labels from my copy give a visual clue as to which edition
> it is?
Prior to 1926, Victor re-recorded many earlier recordings using the original
matrix number and a new take, simply because the old "masters" had "worn
out" and could no longer provide useful"stampers!" These remakes used the
same matrix number ad a new take number!

In 1926, Victor started re-recording "standards" and other NON-date-
sensitive recordings...again using the original matrix number with a new
take number! "Anvil" was most likely one of the "keep in print-
re-record electrically!" recordings...and the date for the "remake"
session will be different!

It is also possible that the (first) acoustic recording of "Anvil" was
made in February/early March of 1925, and Victor felt that a new
electrical version was needed?!

...stevenc