Columbia records started experimenting with electrical recordings early in 1925 - and tackled a daunting task - how to record 4,800 singers with one microphone. The first recorded concert by the Associated Glee Clubs of America was held at the Sesqui-
Centennial Hall in Philadelphia on March 31, 1925 and at the Metropolitan Opera House (Tracks 1-6 - all 850 voices except for track 4 which has 4,800 voices. Tracks 7 and 8 were recorded by the Victor Talking Machine Company on February 5, 1926 at the 71st Regiment Armoury with 1,000 voices. Tracks 9 and 10 were waxed on November 26th at the Sesqui-Centennial Hall.
The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir were recorded by Brunswick in 1925. The Canadian National Exhibition Chorus recordings boast 2,200 singers and were recorded in 1928.
'The men and women of the Workman's Circle struggled so that their children would not have to become abused labourers' said Irving Abeila, a York University professer of Canadian Jewish history. They were really working for it's dissipation.' The Worker's Circle(Arbeiter Ring) , founded in 1900 in New York and in 1908 in Toronto , was Yiddish speaking, socialist, non-religious and critical to the formation of the labour movement in both cities . In it's mid twentieth century heyday, the group included more than 1,000 members - Eastern European tradespeople who had been associated with left-wing groups in their home countries - mostly Poland and Russia.
The closing tracks were recorded at the Roy Albert Hall on November 11, 1928 Remembrance Day Ceremony.
JOHN PEEL ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA COL 50013-D 03/31/25 98163 ANDREWS
SWORD OF FERRERA ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA COL 50016-D 03/31/25 98164 BULLARD
HUNTING SONG ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA COL 50016-D 03/31/25 98165 DE KOVEN
ADESTE FIDELES ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA COL 50013-D 03/31/25 98166 OAKLEY-PORTUGAL
DISCOVERY ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA COL 348-D 04/01/25 140484 GRIEG
PLAINSMAN'S SONG ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA COL 348-D 04/01/25 140486 PAUL BLISS
JOHN PEEL ASSOCIATED GLEECLUBS OF AMERICA VIC 19961 02/06/26 34538 ANDREWS
BELLS OF ST. MARY'S ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA VIC 19961 02/06/26 34542 FURBER-ADAMS
LOST CHORD ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA VIC 35806 11/27/26 37047 SULLIVAN
ADESTE FIDELES ASSOCIATED GLEE CLUBS OF AMERICA VIC 35806 11/27/26 37055 OAKLEY-PORTUGAL
SCOTS WHA HAE TORONTO MENDELSSOHN CHOIR BR 3246 05/01/26 19226 BURNS
STAR SPANGLED BANNER TORONTO MENDELSSOHN CHOIR BR 3246 05/01/26 19230 KEY-SMITH
HALLELUJAH CHORUS CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION CHORUS VIC 268503 1927 HANDEL
LONDONDERRY AIR CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION CHORUS VIC 268503 1927 TRADITIONAL-ROSS
GOD SAVE THE KING CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION CHORUS VIC 216511 1927 CAREY
MAPLE LEAF FOREVER/O CANADA CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION CHORUS VIC 216511 1927 MUIR
SIBERIA ARBEITER RING CHORUS VIC 68937 12/13/27 41231 POZNER
AVROM, AVROM ARBEITER RING CHORUS VIC 68937 12/13/27 41230 POZNER
ABIDE WITH ME REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY-ROYAL ALBERT HALL,LONDON COMMUNITY SINGING HMV C1604 11/11/28 15209
GOD SAVE THE KING REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY-ROYAL ALBERT HALL,LONDON COMMUNITY SINGING HMV C1604 11/11/28 15209
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