1927 EDISON DD 52030 MIDMER LOSH Organ NY HIPPODROME Frederick KINSLEY 78

$

25

WEEK 2 of two weeks of great auctions ending May 11.

I will send you a bill after close of auctions May 11. Due to the high volume of records, pls allow 2 - 3 days for packing and invoicing

IF you are a non-US buyer or if buy multiple records, pls do not use EBAY check out.
Send me an invoice request (click on MORE ACTIONS to the right of the item), I can probably get you better shipping rate.

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A series of great EDISON DIAMOND DISC recordings:

This is an Amazing Acoustic Organ record of the famous FIVE RANK Midmer- Losh organ of the New York Hippodrome. Midmer-Losh came to immortal fame when they built the worlds LARGEST ORGAN at Atlantic City in 1929.

The organ was impossible to record with the acoustic process: the wide housing of the organ, the reverberant acoustics and deep notes made church organ recordings impossible. Usually when seeing an Organ record, it means some squeaky pump Harmonium is used. This is  to my knowledge the first time that anyone recorded a Grand organ with the acoustic process. Desirable Paper Label

 issued on desirable improved paper label

Condition:

EXCELLENT Pristine, plays almost superquiet, amazing bass with amazing bass

Comes with an original old sleeve made from sturdy cardboard with quilted pattern.

Frederick Kinsley became the first and most prolific recording artist of the organists to be issued on the Edison label. Born in 188618 to a musical family in New Haven, Connecticut, Kinsley began piano study at age 6 and was considered a prodigy. Kinsley earned the following academic credentials: he held a degree from the Yale School of Music; he was a licentiate of Trinity College, London, and he studied at King's College, London and with Charles Marie Widor in Paris. His first professional job was as organist and choir master at St. Paul's Church in New Haven. After serving for 18 months in the U.S. Army in World War I, he returned to find his church position filled, and moved to New York and the theatre circuit. He became chief organist at New York's immense Hippodrome Theatre in 1921, playing the organ with the orchestra, giving recitals during intermissions, and helping to produce shows.19 Later, with the advent of talking pictures, Kinsley returned to church work and also taught music in the public schools. From 1940 to 1946 he served as organist at New York City's interdenominational Riverside Church, immediately preceding the famous Virgil Fox in that capacity.20 In 1949 Kinsley served as the first Dean of the Worcester (Mass.) Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.21 From 1946 until shortly before his death in 1960 at the age of 73, Kinsley was organist at Wesley Methodist Church in Worcester, Massachusetts.22

       On June 14, 1924 Frederick Kinsley recorded for the first time for Edison, performing four pieces: "Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Op. 3" (Rachmaninoff), "Liebestraum" (Liszt), "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise" (Seitz), and "Poor Butterfly" (Hubbell).23 This first session took place at the Hippodrome Theatre, using the theatre's three manual, seven rank organ that had recently been enlarged from two manuals and five ranks by the instrument's builder, Midmer-Losh, Inc.24 All four pieces recorded at this session were accepted and released by the Edison company. However, the Hippodrome was found to be unsatisfactory as a recording venue, probably because of scheduling constraints and the fact that the organ was buried under the stage.25 Subsequent recording sessions by Kinsley in January and June of 1925 utilized two different Midmer-Losh theatre organs erected in the Midmer-Losh factory located in the Long Island town of Merrick.26 Midmer-Losh was a very reputable organ builder, counting among its installations numerous fine church organs as well as theatre organs. In the early 1930's Midmer-Losh would become famous as the builder of the world's largest pipe organ, installed in Atlantic City's Convention Hall. Six pieces were recorded over two days in January 1925, and 24 pieces were recorded over six dates in June 1925. The success of these recordings prompted A. L. Walsh, a manager of Edison recording operations, to write the following memo to Thomas A. Edison, stressing the demand for organ records and requesting that an organ be installed in Edison's Columbia St. (West Orange, NJ) recording studio:27

June 29, 1926.

Mr. Thomas A. Edison:

SUBJECT: We need Organ Records

I am receiving a tremendous number of requests for Organ Records of popular selections to be sold at $1.00. This demand has been so persistent and widespread that I am firmly convinced that I could do nothing more important to our record business than to issue such records, particularly as Victor is making a big hit with such records at 75 cents.

I am informed by Walter Miller that you told him to cut out Organ Records for this year. I should like to ask you to reconsider this matter.

First, bear in mind that I am never going to let my enthusiasm carry me away to a point where I ask for extravagant expenditures.

We can have a splendid Organ put in the Columbia Street Studio for thirty days at a cost of $1,000. If it works out alright we can buy this Organ for $6,500, and have the $1,000 installation charge credited.

Now that is a lot of money, but it is really only the cost of twenty double-faced Fox Trot Records, and in about a year and a half, at most, we could issue that many popular Organ Records and give the Trade what they want and what they can sell.

I don't care about making up a lot of Organ Records in one month because I want to make, on the Organ, red hot selections while they are popular, and I see no way to do this unless we have an Organ at our disposal at all times.

We can make these records so that they will not blast, when played with the Dance Reproducer, if we just eliminate that very heavy bass pipe which really does not add anything to the performance but only clutters it up.

Furthermore, think of the use I can make of this Organ for Long Playing Records. Nothing is more popular over the Radio than Organ-recitals, and we can do some slick work in this respect for Organ enthusiasts.

A. L. Walsh

ALW:MM

       As a result of this request, a "specially built" three manual, seven rank Midmer-Losh organ was installed in the Edison Columbia Street recording studio in the first week of November 1926.28 This organ was a conservatively voiced theatre organ that could also be used to play "classical" and church music. Starting in December 1926 through March 1928 Kinsley recorded for Edison on a more frequent and regular basis. Below is the text from an Edison Disc Record Release Weekly bulletin promoting Kinsley's organ records to the Edison dealers:29

Just a Word or Two about Organ Records

        Until recent years, the pipe organ was used chiefly in churches and large auditoriums, and was a more or less "classical" instrument. Since its adoption by the movie theatres, however, it has found a new place in public favor, and has become one of the most popular of musical instruments. The nation's annual bill for organ music is said to be now many millions of dollars.

        The universal appeal of the organ is no doubt due to its great range and versatility, which enable it to give utterance to almost every conceivable human mood and emotion. This, incidentally, is the secret of its success in keeping up with the rapidly shifting scenes of the movies; and it is also the reason that organ records of popular music, though comparatively new in the phonograph world, take high rank today among the best sellers.

        The musical variety of the organ, ranging from deep bass growls to high treble notes fine as cobwebs, with swift changes in tempo and volume, is not the easiest thing for phonograph recording and reproduction. Not all companies have dared to try it; and some who have tried it, though using great organs and master organists, are yet able to produce only a fair imitation of organ music, scarcely distinguishable from orchestra records, lacking the overtones that give life to music, and marred by metallic twang and clatter.

        Here is a great opportunity for the Edison Dealer. For the EDISON, faithfully recording always just what it hears, reproduces the true organ voice in all its fullness and variety. Make this comparison for your customers: play an Edison organ record with the diamond; then play the same selection on a needle record, and let your customer judge. If he knows how a real organ sounds, he won't have to look at the record label, nor use his imagination, to tell which record reproduces the organ, and which one imitates it.

        Edison organ records are made in our studio, on our own specially built Midmer-Losh Pipe Organ, played by Frederick Kinsley, organist of New York's famous "big" theatre, the "Hippodrome." These records not only sell themselves: they sell Edison Phonographs as well. Use them generously, and see how your list of proud owners will grow.

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If for any reason your transaction was NOT SATISFACTORY, pls contact me and I will work something out with you. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A REASON TO GIVE ME A NEGATIVE RATING or a LOW STAR RATING.

Quick note on grading:

The Grade (Excellent to Fair, I don't give Mint) refers to the WEAR of the record. Any other defects, like cracks, chips and scratches, are stated separately

When I listen to a record, I may also make a SUBJECTIVE judgment of the pressing quality for hiss and surface noise.
"SUPERQUIET" is basically noiseless, like a vinyl pressing.
"VERY QUIET" is an exceptionally quiet record for a given pressing.
"Quiet" is a record that is a great example without undue noise for a given pressing.

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Multiple item shipping: I am happy to combine items for shipment in one parcel.

If you win multiple items, pls send me an INVOICE REQUEST to calculate the correct postage. Ebay check out will not give you the multiple item discount!

Records will be packed safely between corrugated cardboard in a sturdy box with plenty of padding for safe shipment.

Shipment is usually Media Mail, unless another service is requested. Shipping is at your risk.

If you are in the San Francisco area, I encourage pick-up in person.

US Domestic Shipping:

Here is a guideline for US Media Mail Shipping:

Prices below are for regular 78 rpm records. Up to about 5 records, I will ship Edison Discs for the same rates. Albums from Album Sets count as 1 record. Above that and for international shipments, it will be actual weight plus a small packing charge (1-3$ depending on size of shipment)

1 record: 4.50$

2 records: 5.50$

5 records: 7.50$

10 records: 9.50$

MANY MORE RECORDS: Don't worry. I safely ship 40 - 50 pounds of records double boxed in moving boxes, and even then Media Mail will probably not exceed 30$.

Please send me a message if you would like to lower your shipping rates!

International Buyers:

All'attenzione degli acquirenti italiani:

ATTENTION TO ITALIAN BUYERS:

Due to rare problems with delivery in ITALY, I will NOT GUARANTEE delivery of parcels sent by US Postal Service First Class and Priority Mail. If you prefer secure delivery, I will be happy to quote you either Registered Mail or shipment by FEDEX

I am very happy to ship records worldwide.

The US POSTAL SERVICE has increased international shipping rates in 2013.

A single record ships for around 25$ worldwide, depending on the weight.
There are some great options available for shipping multiple records at excellent rates.

Pls contact me if you plan to buy multiple records, and I will be happy to give you an estimate for best rates on USPS or Fedex. Pls let me know your country, home town and postal code for an estimate

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