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Opera Disc [Hits: 52557]
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“Opera Disc Company, Inc.” was founded in January 1921 in New York by Max Hesslein. The company issued gramophone records with classical and operatic repertoire in direct competition with Victor's expensive Red Seals. The most curious part in this story is that records “Opera Disc” were printed from the same matrixes as Victor! Why it could happen? To find the answer we have to backtrack to the earliest days of World War I in Europe. At that time, “Deutschen Grammophon Aktien-Gesellschaft (DGA)” was the German affiliate of the Gramophone Company, which in turn was the British affiliate of the Victor Talking Machine Company. As a Gramophone Company affiliate, DGA was entitled to use the “Master's Voice” (HMV) trademark as well as material recorded by the Gramophone Company and Victor. Thus DGA legally acquired a large stock of Victor and HMV matrices. With the outbreak of WWI all Victor and Gramophone Company matrices were seized as spoils of war and became DGA's possessions. In March 1917, DGG' licensed the Victor and Gramophone Company masters to the newly created “Polyphonwerke Aktien-Gesellschaft” company, which produced records for export. The war was over, and Polyphone tried to enter the American record market, but it had little success. However, the company found a ready customer in Hesslein's Opera Disc Company. Polyphone agreed to supply Opera Disc matrixes with recordings many celebrities, who were then under exclusive Victor contracts in the United States. Among them were Enrico Caruso, Feodor Chaliapin, and many others. The first Opera Discs were issued in spring of 1921, the last ones in spring of 1923, when the company activity was halted by decision of the U.S. District Court at Brooklyn, New York, where Victor brought suit against Opera Disc. Under terms of the ruling, Opera Disc was not only prohibited from importing, purchasing, selling, advertising, or dealing in any way in records or matrices by artists under exclusive contract to Victor, but also the injunction required the company to turn over all records, catalogs, and advertising material in its possession to Victor.
 
 
Cat No
(Mx/Ctr No)
TakeTitle Name (Composer)Artist(s), AccompanimentRec Date
Rec Place
Press Date
Label(s)Order No▲
[xRef Nos]
Files
211699
(13467L)
hebrewtenor
Tka bschoifor
Sawel Kwartin13-01-1912...16-01-1912
Vienna
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.211699
(13467L)
211698
(13506L)
hebrewtenor
Oid jskor lonu
Sawel Kwartin16-01-1912...17-01-1912
Vienna
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.211698
(13506L)
211552
(15334u)
hebrewtenor with choir
Al Chet (על הטא)
Sawel KwartinViennaOpera Disc, Gramophone Co.211552
(15334u)
211553
(15342u)
hebrewtenor with choir
Geschem (גשם)
Sawel KwartinViennaOpera Disc, Gramophone Co.211553
(15342u)
76432
(2005c)
russianbass with chorus
a) Down Mother Volga; b) From under the oak, from under the elm (a) Âíèç ïî ìàòóøêå ïî Âîëãå, b) Èç-ïîä äóáà, èç-ïîä âÿçà), folk song
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. male chorus, Conductor M.I.Semenov26-08-1910
Moscow
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022182
(2005c)
[DB610]
76429
(2006½c)
russianbass with orchestra
Night (Íî÷åíüêà), folk song
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. unaccompanied26-08-1910
Moscow
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022159
(2006½c)
[DB620]
76435
(2014c)
russianbass with piano
The tempest rages in the fields (Çàøóìåëà, ðàçãóëÿëàñü) (Vladimir Timofeevich Sokolov, lyrics by I. Nikitin)
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. piano29-08-1910
Moscow
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022185
(2014c)
[DB622]
76428
(2016½c)
russianbass with orchestra
Pimen’s monologue - Yet one more tale, the last (Ìîíîëîã Ïèìåíà - Åù¸ îäíî ïîñëåäíåå ñêàçàíüå) (Opera «Boris Godunov», act 1) (Modest Mussorgsky, arr. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, based on: Alexander Pushkin: Drama «Boris Godunov»)
Fedor Chaliapin, acc. orchestra, Conductor M. Semenov31-08-1910
Moscow
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022157
(2016½c)
76436
(2019c)
russianbass with chorus
The oak cudgel (Äóáèíóøêà), folk song (lyrics by Alexander Olhin)
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. Chorus of Imperial Moscow Opera, Conductor Mikhail Semenov01-09-1910
Moscow
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022186
(2019c)
[DB620]
76370
(2020c)
russianbass with choir
Arise, red sun (Òû âçîéäè, ñîëíöå êðàñíîå), folk song
Fedor Chaliapin, acc. choir of the moscow imperial opera, Conductor M. I. Semenov01-09-1910
Moscow
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022187
(2020c)
76437
(2021ñ)
russianbass with chorus
The sun rises and sets (Ñîëíöå âñõîäèò è çàõîäèò), folk song
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. Chorus of Imperial Moscow Opera, Conductor M.I.Semenov1-9-1910
Moscow
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022188
(2021ñ)
76438
(2022ñ)
russianbass
Lutchina (Ëó÷èíóøêà), folk song
Fedor Chaliapin01-09-1910
Moscow
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022189
(2022ñ)
76439
(2453½c)
russianbass with orchestra
Varlaam’s song - In the town of Kazan (Ïåñíÿ Âàðëààìà - Êàê âî ãîðîäå áûëî âî Êàçàíè) (Opera «Boris Godunov», act 1) (Modest Mussorgsky, arr. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, based on: Alexander Pushkin: Drama «Boris Godunov»)
Fedor Chaliapin, acc. orchestra30-09-1911
St.-Petersburg
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022208
(2453½c)
76440
(2454½c)
russianbass with chorus
They don’t let Masha walk across the brook (Íå âåëÿò Ìàøå çà ðå÷åíüêó õîäèòü), folk song
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin30-09-1911
St.-Petersburg
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022213
(2454½c)
[DB104]
76441
(2492½c)
2
russianbass with chorus and orchestra
Farewell of Boris - Farewell, my son (Ïðîùàíèå Áîðèñà - Ïðîùàé, ìîé ñûí) (Opera «Boris Godunov», act 4) (Modest Mussorgsky, arr. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, based on: Alexander Pushkin: Drama «Boris Godunov»)
Fedor Chaliapin, acc. orchestra15-10-1911
St.-Petersburg
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022222
(2492½c-2)
76442
(2493c)
russianbass with orchestra
The death of Boris - The bell! The passing bell (Ñìåðòü ÁîðèñàÇâîí, ïîãðåáàëíûé çâîí!) (Opera «Boris Godunov», act 4) (Modest Mussorgsky, arr. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, based on: Alexander Pushkin: Drama «Boris Godunov»)
Fedor Chaliapin, acc. chorus and orchestra15-10-1911
St.-Petersburg
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022223
(2493c)
76445
(2496c)
russianbass with chorus
Now let Thy servant depart in peace (Íûíå îòïóùàåøè), church canticle (Strokin)
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. unaccompanied15-10-1911
St.-Petersburg
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022226
(2496c)
[DB108]
76216
(283m)
russianbass with orchestra
When the King went forth to war, Ballada Op 7 No 6 (Êàê êîðîëü ø¸ë íà âîéíó, Áàëëàäà îï 7 ¹6) (Fedor Koeneman)
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. P.P.Gross (piano)24-9-1907
St.-Petersburg
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022093
(283m)
76011
(289m)
french, russianbass with orchestra
Sérénade de Mefistopheles - Vous qui faites l’endormie (Ñåðåíàäà Ìåôèñòîôåëÿ - Âûõîäè, î äðóã ìîé íåæíûé) (Opera «Faust», act 4) (Charles Gounod, lyrics by Jules Barbier, Michel Carre, based on: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: The tragedy «Faust»)
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. orchestra24-09-1907
St.Petersburg
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.022095
(289m)
76221
(613m)
italianbass with chorus
Ite Sul Colle, O Druid (Opera «Norma») (Vincenzo Bellini)
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. La Scala Chorus & Orchestra, Conductor Carlo Sabajno26-04-1912
Milan
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.052353
(613m)
[DB106]
76218
(614m)
italianbass with orchestra
La calunnia e un venticello (Opera «Il Barbiere di Siviglia», act 1) (Gioachino Rossini, lyrics by Cesare Sterbini, based on: Pierre Beaumarchais: Comedy «Il Barbiere di Siviglia»)
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. La Scala Orchestra, Conductor Carlo Sabajno26-04-1912
Milan
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.052354
(614m)
74611
(y16741e)
russianbass with orchestra
The nightingale Op 60 No 4 (Ñîëîâåéêî Îï 60 ¹4) (Pyotr Tchaikovsky)
Fedor Ivanovich Chaliapin, acc. D.I.Pokhitonov (piano)05-07-1913
London
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.4-22583
(y16741e)
74609
(y16743e)
russianbass with orchestra
Song of the Viking Guest - Against the cruel crags (Ïåñíÿ Âàðÿæñêîãî Ãîñòÿ - Î ñêàëû ãðîçíûå) (Opera «Sadko», act 3) (Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, lyrics by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Vladimir Belsky)
Fedor Chaliapin, acc. D.I.Pokhitonov (piano)05-07-1913
London
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.4-22580
(y16743e)
562044
(12322L)
polishbaritone with orchestra
Eagles, hawks (Orły sokoły)
Kajetan Kopczński27-04-1911
Poznan
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.6596
562044
(12322L)
562045
(12352L)
polishbaritone with orchestra
Among the trees (Wpośród drzew)
Kajetan Kopczński29-04-1911
Poznan
Opera Disc, Gramophone Co.6596
562045
(12352L)
  Playback speed 0 RPM, duration 0
 
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