[78-L] Off Speed recordings

[Damian's 78s]

1st four sides were all recorded on 18th Jan 1927, remaining sides on 19th 
Jan 1927. However, at least one of Columbia's recording machines was very 
unreliable at this time. For late 1920s UK recorded Columbias, the problems 
you note are very far from unusual. And so frustrating. I have, for example, 
Percy Pitt's recording of the Barber of Seville overture from around the 
same time. Both sides drop by about a semitone across their duration.

-----Original Message----- 
From: DAVID BURNHAM
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 10:43 PM
To: 78-L at 78online.com
Subject: [78-L] Off Speed recordings

In my experience, poor Felix Weingartner seems to suffer the most from wrong 
speed recordings.  I know there are serious pitch problems on his recording 
of "Les Preludes" by Liszt and last night I transfered his recording of the 
Pastorale Symphony and the first side ended a good semi-tone off from where 
the second side started.  This was not a gradual thing - the beginning of 
the Symphony is in the same key as the end of side one.  I can only assume 
that these sides were recorded at different sessions on different days, 
perhaps some at 80 and others at 78;  the labels say recorded at 78 RPM but 
this was at a time when Columbia was recording at 80.  The sound also 
changes drastically between a couple of the sides.  There are some points 
even in the middle of sides where it almost sounds like the turntable is 
being turned by hand - okay I exagerate but it is sometimes quite wobbly.

d
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