[78-L] pallophotophone / times union

[Michael Biel]

From: Vincent Fitzpatrick <jvftzjvftz at gmail.com>
> Which reminds me: Any connection between the 1929-30 Pallophotophone
> and WQXR? They had their multi-disc classical albums copied onto
> multi-track films, correct? I think this is in your dissertation. Or not. VF

I sometimes am amazed at what I included in the dissertation over 30
years ago, but this isn't it.  It would be after the range of the main
part,  but I probably did mention the Philips-Miller system as possibly
being used by WOR and WQXR.  This is a mechanical recording system that
can be played back as a variable area film.  It had a vertically
modulated chisel stylus that cut away a wider clear section the deeper
it cut.  I knew of no multi-track capability of this until recently. 
There were some stereo recordings made on it in the pre-war years. 
There is one important recording (mono) which was mastered on it.  A
1939 St. John's Passion conducted by Mengelberg in Amsterdam that was
first released in 1953 by Philips from the films.  

http://www.soundfountain.com/amb/phmil.html

More details on the machine

http://www.btinternet.com/~roger.beckwith/bh/tapes/pm.htm

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com