Offenbacher Mozart Collection

University of Washington
Music Library

Record Labels

VICTROLA 88194, Recorded 6 October 1909: The "Patents" label of 1909 lists all of the U.S. patents from 1895 to 1908 under which Victor records were made. This design was used until December, 1913. Francis Barruard's painting of His Master's Voice featuring the fox terrier Nipper was first used by Victor in 1902 and later by the Gramophone Company of England. As a partner to Caruso, Scotti was known as a highly musical baritone and admired as an actor.

HIS MASTER'S VOICE 03055 (mx. 541f), Recorded December 1905: Although this disc was originally recorded in 1905, the pink label was produced at the request of Mme. Patti and launched to great fanfare on Feb. 8 , 1906 by the Gramophone Company to distinguish her records from those of other artists. This label forced them to create a "super-celebrity" series in 1907. Other artists appearing on this label were Caruso, Ruffo, Plançon and Farrar. The Recording Angel appears on this label in addition to a reproduction of the His Master's Voice painting.

CETRA CB 20503 (mx. 2-71207), Recorded 1948: Founded in 1937, Cetra is an acronym for Compagnia Editizione Teatro Registrazione ed Affini of Turin. Cetra is also the Italian word for the lyre shown on the label along with Romulus and Remus. Petre Munteanu, born in Romania, was known as an outstanding interpreter on Mozart.

PATHÉ X.7167 (mx. 201441), Recorded 1928: This "Art-Paper Label" Pathé is one of the earliest electrically recorded discs from France. The prefix "X" in the numbering system indicates that the record is a "lateral-cut" rather than "vertical-cut" or "hill-and-dale" record. Pathé continued to market records using both systems until 1930. Ninon Vallin, the most popular French singer of her generation, made over 80 recordings for Pathé from 1913 to 1931.

PARLOPHON. No. 705 (mx. 2-704), Recorded 1911: This label, bearing the trademark of the German Lindström Company, contains an illustration of a spring-driven acoustic gramophone typical of early Parlophon recordings. Brongeest and Lohfing first met while performing at the Hamburg Opera. Brongeest became a director for Berlin Radio until forced to leave his position during the war and Lohfing became a much admired singer of Mozart and Wagner.

FONOTIPIA No. 39001. (mx. XPh 7), Recorded October, 1904

Società Italiana di Fonotipia was formed in Milan in 1904 to compete with the Italian branch of the Gramophone Company. This is one of the first recordings produced by this company. Sammarco, known mostly as a premier interpreter of Verdi, is said to have had the most beautiful baritone voice of his time.