Theo Wangemann's 1889-1890 European recordings are available below in MP3 format, listed in chronological order. For historical context and transcripts, see:
[Note about sound quality: These brown wax cylinders survive in fair and poor condition. Groove surfaces are deteriorated with age, and heavily worn or damaged from historic playback. Some of the cylinders are cracked and broken with pieces missing. Sound quality of the audio is rough, due to these imperfections. Click here to read about the provenance of the cylinders. In 1889-1890, Edison had not yet standardized the phonograph's rotational speed for recording cylinders. Historic documentation of the "RPM" rates used by Wangemann to record these cylinders does not exist, so playback speeds are estimated here. Thanks to Ward Marston for volunteering his expertise to pitch the seven musical recordings.]
"Russian Melody" - EDIS 93954
Title: "Russian Melody" Performer: Tacianu Sisters - vocal quartet, a cappella Recording date: August 29, 1889 Recording location: Exposition Universelle, Paris, France Recorded by: Theo Wangemann Exhibited: September 14, 1889 at Siemens and Halske factory, Berlin, Germany Exhibited: September 23, 1889 for Emperor William II at the New Palace, Potsdam, Germany NPS catalog number: EDIS 93954
"Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F major" - EDIS 93955
Title: "Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F major", Opus 50 by Ludwig von Beethoven Performer: Unknown. Possibly Herr Krahmer - violin, and Herr Schmalfuß - piano (members of the Kaiser Franz Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Band.) Recording date: Unknown. Possibly September 13, 1889 Recording location: Unknown. Possibly at Siemens and Halske factory, Berlin, Germany. Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93955
Title: "Hungarian Melody" (possibly Emánuel Moór’s Opus 24, "Variations and Fugue on a Hungarian Theme") Performer: Emánuel Moór (1863-1931) - piano Recording date: Unknown. Probably sometime between September and December 1889. Recording location: Unknown. Probably Germany or Austria-Hungary. Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93947
Title: [Otto von Bismarck] ("In Good Old Colony Times" - excerpt, "Gaudeamus Igitur" - excerpt, "Als Kaiser Rotbart lobesam" - excerpt, "La Marseillaise" - excerpt, "Appeal to his son Herbert".) Spoken by: Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) Recording date: October 7, 1889 Recording location: Friedrichsruh, Germany Recorded by: Theo Wangemann Exhibited: October 20, 1889 at Hotel Kaiserhof, Berlin, Germany Exhibited: October 21, 1889 for Helmuth von Moltke at Kreisau, Prussia [now Krzyżowa, Poland] NPS catalog number: EDIS 93952
Title: [Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke] (Moltke’s tribute to the phonograph, and Goethe’s "Faust" - excerpt) Spoken by: Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (1800-1891) Recording date: October 21, 1889 Recording location: Kreisau, Prussia [now Krzyżowa, Poland] Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93951
Title: [Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke] (Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" - excerpt, Moltke's comment on recording his voice, and Goethe’s "Faust" - excerpt) Spoken by: Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (1800-1891) Recording date: October 21, 1889 Recording location: Kreisau, Prussia [now Krzyżowa, Poland] Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93950
Title: "Hungarian Rhapsody" by Alfred Grünfeld - excerpt Performer: Alfred Grünfeld (1852-1924) - piano Recording date: November 18, 1889 Recording location: Vienna, Austria Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93960
Title: [Spoken letter in English] Spoken by: Unknown. Recording date: Unknown. Recording location: Possibly Vienna, Austria Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93953
[Message to Adalbert T. Emil Wangemann] - EDIS 93958
Title: [Message to (presumably) Adalbert T. Emil Wangemann of Chicago, Illinois] Spoken by: Theo Wangemann, Julius Klaube, and Ottilie (Wangemann) Klaube Recording date: January 14, 1890 Recording location: Altenkirchen, Germany Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93958
Title: "Wohin?" from "Die Schöne Müllerin" by Franz Schubert Performers: Karl Mayer (1852-1933) - baritone, and Franz Wüllner (1832-1902) - piano Recording date: Probably January 23, 1890 Recording location: Pianohaus Rudolph Ibach Sohn, Neumarkt, Cologne, Germany Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93961
Title: "Kennst Du das Land" from "Mignon" by Ambroise Thomas Performer: Johanna Dietz (1867-?) - soprano Recording date: January 28, 1890 Recording location: Cologne, Germany Recorded by: Theo Wangemann NPS catalog number: EDIS 93957
Thomas Edison had 1093 patents and one of them was a way to preserve fruits and vegetables. Patent 248,431, issued March 18, 1883. It wasn't just about phonographs, batteries, and movies.
