RARE John McCormack 7" G&T 78 rpm record from 1904 "Eileen Alannah" Hear VIDEO
£
79
$
104
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Description
Buy this 1904 vocal rarity,
and help rescue BADGERS, and other wildlife!
We'll be selling LOTS MORE lovely 78 rpm RARE operatic
and classical-vocal items soon, so keep an eye on our listings.
Don't forget!
If you buy MORE THAN ONE ITEM we will offer you
a HUGE POSTAGE DISCOUNT!
THIS MEGA-EARLY 7” DISC IS ONE OF THREE THAT WE’RE ADVERTISING THIS WEEK.
HAVE A LOOK AT THE OTHERS!
Here we have a RARE G&T 7” disc by the great Irish tenor John McCormack. It’s “Eileen Allanhah”* (Thomas) dating from September 1904 and has the mx number 6469a and catalogue number 3-2521.
*Eagle-eyed McCormack Collectors will have noticed that “Alannah” is spelt wrong on the label.
Interesting fun-fact: “Alannah” means “dear child” and comes from a Gaelic term of endearment “a leanbh”.
The ever-helpful Robert Johannesson (thank you!) suggests a playing speed of 75.4rpm.
This recording was made just before McCormack went to Italy to receive his voice training from Vincenzo Sabatini, so he still sounds very young.
Listening to his later 1909 Odeon version of this same song is a revelation.
The diction, breath control and grace absolutely knock your hat off (if you insist on wearing one indoors). However, there are enough extraordinary flashes of McCormack magic on this mega-rare 7” G&T, from a few years earlier, to make it fascinating. It was one of McCormack’s favourite songs. He recorded it about ten times!
A “John O’Reilly” recorded the same song, the same day for Zonophone.
It wasn’t until some time later that collectors worked out that the mysterious Mr O’Reilly was actually John McCormack (Oh really? No.. O’Reilly).
Conditionwise, we reckon that it’s solid E- with no needle digs or troublesome scratches. It has the usual “satin” sheen of records of this era, and has a “raised rim” around the disc edge and the label, if that helps date the pressing for you. A video is attached (introduced as usual by Mr Fuffy) which shows that the record plays through very well, with good clear sound. No noise reduction has been applied.
NO OVERSEAS bidders please.
And NO OVERSEAS bidders using UK addresses please.
SORRY, NO BUYER COLLECT...but.. if you buy MORE THAN ONE RECORD we will give you a HUGE discount on POSTAGE!
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