[78-L] experimental Victor electric?

[Bryan Wright]

Rodger,

Thanks for the feedback. I send EDVR corrections from time-to-time as I spot them, but never thought to submit this one. I’ve found a number of “take” discrepancies over the past few years (takes showing up on discs that are listed as “Hold” or “Destroy” and not issued).

Actually, I did mention Victor 19621 on 78-L a few years ago when I turned up my copy. It didn’t generate too much interest since others quickly pointed out that it wasn’t the first to be released. 19626 still wins on that count. (19626 was released in April 1925, 19621 was released in May.) Nevertheless, I think 19621 is the earliest catalogue number in the standard “popular” black-label series to be a “native” electric recording. (By that, I mean it was never issued in an acoustic version, like Dalhart’s "Wreck of the Old ’97” — first on acoustic 19427 and later re-recorded with the same catalogue number. 19621 exists *only* as an electric recording as far as I know.) In addition, 19621 seems to have been recorded about two weeks earlier than 19626. Unless I’m mistaken, among US releases, only Victor’s “Miniature Concert” by the Eight Victor Artists was recorded earlier by the electric process.

I still think 19621 is an important release in the history of Victor’s switch to electric recording. It wasn’t the first to be recorded electrically, and it wasn’t the first electric to be released, but it has the distinction of bearing the lowest catalogue number (to the best of my knowledge). I’ll play it on my next “Shellac Stack” podcast in a week or so.

Bryan W.