Re: Bertha Kalich & Recordings of the Yiddish Theater

[robert wiener <wiener...>]

Josh,

For those of us less literate in 78rpm discography terminology, would
you please explain the discography?
1. What is Spottswood?  Is it generally accepted as a/the standard
reference?
2. Were these all commercially released?  Or does "trial" mean trial
pressing?  What do the other numbers, letters, abbreviations stand
for?  Was it common to record the same works in different arrangements
or with different musicians so soon one after the other?
3. As to contents, I recognize "Bar Kochba" as another Yiddish theater
musical work by Goldfaden, but would I be correct that Matushka
Halubushka is in Russian?
4. Does Spottswood list only original issues?.
I've come across the following listing for Kalich:
Blue (acous.) Vr 4548t
Shulamith: Sabbath, Holiday and the New Moon (Goldfaden) [Yiddish]/
Sappho: Mother Dear (Gordon) [Russian]
(I have added the languages.)
I assume that this is a reissue of one of the two similar combinations
below, although I don't know which one.
5. Was it common for Yiddish artists to record in both Yiddish and
Russian for the same release?  Was this done to attract crossover
audiences?  Or would both of these pieces have been popular to
devotees of Yiddish theater?
6. Was Gordon Jewish?
7. Where did Bertha Kalich stand in the pantheon of Yiddish theater
artists?  Is the fact that she recorded a sign of her importance?  Did
the most of the important figures in Yiddish theater record?

Bob

P.S.
The Sappho piece is included in the Stars of David CD-ROM, but not the
piece from Shulamith/Shulamis.

Mayer: Is Joseph Pasternack a relative?

-----Original Message-----
From: Joshua Horowitz <horowitz (at) styria(dot)com>
To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Wednesday, January 05, 2000 5:36 AM
Subject: Re: Bertha Kalich


>Bob and Trudi,
>
>Here is Bertha kalich's complete discography as it appears in
>Spottswood:
>
>16.127. Bertha Kalich soprano (1872-1939)
>
>Shulamis; Bar Kochba Vi trial
>Matushka Halubushka Vi trial
>Nathaniel Shilkret-p NY September 25, 1924
>
>B 31261-3 Shulamith: Shabes Jontef In Rischoidesch (A. Goldfaden) Vi
rej
>B 31262-2 Sappho: Mamuka Turubymka (J. Gordin) [in Russian] Vi rej
>orch d Joseph Pasternack Camden, NJ December 5, 1924
>
>B 31261-6 Shulamith: Shabes Jontef In Rishoidesch (A. Goldfaden) Vi
rej
>B 31262-5 Sappho: Mamuka Turubymka (J. Gordin) [in Russian] Vi rej
>orch d Nathaniel Shilkret NY December 24, 1924
>
>B 31261-7 Shulamith: Shabes Jontef In Rischoidesch (A. Goldfaden) Vi
>45485
>B 31262-7 Sappho: Mamuka Turubymka (J. Gordin) [in Russian] Vi rej
>as before NY January 27, 1925
>
>
>robert wiener wrote:
>
>> Bertha Kalich recorded a piece from Shulamith by Goldfaden,
"Sabbath,
>> Holiday and the New Moon".  The question is if she made any other
>> Yiddish recordings.  (She also recorded a piece from Gordon's
Sappho
>> in Russian.)
>
>
>----------------------
jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+
>