Music Hall CDs

In 1897, Emile Berliner's Agent set sail for England to establish The Gramophone Company in London, with records being imported from the USA. In August 1898, their first disc recording studio was established in Maiden Lane to produce recordings aimed at the British market. The main requirements to make a successful record were stamina and a strong penetrating voice. Established artists, with a few exceptions, did not appear, their songs being recorded by professional recording singers such as Charles Foster. Today, some 110 years later, few of the little seven inch discs can be found, and when they are discovered time and the ravages of the early gramophones have generally taken their toll. Now, careful digital restoration has lifted these tracks from historic relics to the highly entertaining.

The repertoire of these early discs covered the popular entertainments of the day - bands, ballads, recitations. On this CD is assembled a specifically Music Hall Selection of 35 tracks (In the listing below you can find the names of the original artistes associated with each song).

Three bonus tracks are included. Although sound quality is compromised these include Gus Elen from 1899, and one of the earliest recordings from around 1890, thought to be of Emile Berliner himself, with the Mohawk Minstrels song "Whist the Bogey Man"

For Music Hall enthusiasts and students of the earliest English recordings, this is a treasure trove indeed.

Here the artiste normally associated with each song is given in italics,
actual recording artist in bold
Charles Foster:
Alas My Poor Brother - H C Barry
Algy the Piccadilly Johnny - Vesta Tilley
Oh Mr Soldier Boy - Miss Maggie Duggen
Cooking the Cock of the North - Harry Bedford
One at a Time - Miss Loftus
Is there Anything Else you'd like - Wilkie Bard
You've got a long way to go - Frank Coyne
Why did I leave my Little Back Room - Alf Chester
At my Time of Life - Herbert Campbell
Darling Mabel - Leonard Barry
Daisy Day - Katie Lawrence
Jolly Little Polly on a Tin Gee Gee - Fanny Leslie
Couldn't help it, Had to - T E Dunville
What Ho She bumps - Charles Bignall
I'm the Plumber - Arthur Rigby
Oh Girls! If he wants to kiss you - Will Dalton
Fred Dixon:
Are We to part like this - Kate Carney
Follow the Man from Cooks - Ethel Haydon
We all had a Finger in the Pie - Frank Seeley
Captain of the Forty Thieves - Dan Leno
Connie Ediss: I love Society
Burt Earle: Mocking bird
G Snazelle: The Whistler - G Snazelle
George J Gaskin: Just because She made Dem Goo Goo Eyes - Victoria Monks
H Clarke: Mendelssohn's Concerto (Banjo)
Harry Taylor: I know 'em all - Frank Coyne
Policeman's song "Night Duty" - T E Dunville
Herbert Darnley: God Save the King (Recorded just after Queen Victoria died)
Leslie Stuart: Little Dolly Daydream (Piano Solo)
Louis Bradfield: My Old Dutch - Albert Chevalier
Musical Avalos: El Capitain March (Xylophones) - Sousa
R G Knowles: Have you got that £10 note

Bonus Tracks:
Gus Elen: The New Cut Coon
George J Gaskin: And her Golden Hair etc. - Alice Leamar
Emile Berliner: Whist! The Bogey Man - Mohawk Minstrels

- more track info . . .

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