Vincent Bach, Edison Recording Artist
When Vincent Bach arrived in the US in 1914, he was a popular cornet soloist with various bands across the US. He experienced success similar to that he had achieved in western Europe.
Based on that such, in March of 1915, Vincent successfully recorded two songs for the Thomas A. Edison Companies recording studio located at the Knickerbocker Building, at 5th Ave. & 16th St. in Manhattan (address 75-79 Fifth Ave).
They recording session include both:
- “Ah! Could I but Once More So Love, Dear” / Vincent Bach
- “The Nightingale Song” / Vincent Bach
They were released in the following formats that were popular at that time.
- Edison Record #50241, 10″ double sided Diamond Disc
- Edison Blue Ambersol #2611, Cylinder
THOMAS EDISON’S MAIN RECORDING STUDIO
Thomas Edison’s primary recording studio was located on the top floor of the Knickerbocker building at 75-79th 5th Ave in New York City.
This photo shows the recording studio in 1916, one year after Vincent’s recording session in 1915.
source: Wikimedia Commons
The following recordings are from the BachLoyalist YouTube Channel and other Bach-related videos. Interestingly, “The Nightingale Song” became a popular cornet solo performance in the late 1910s.
- “The Nightingale Song” / Vincent Bach
- “Ah! Could I but Once More So Love, Dear” / Vincent Bach
The Discography of American Historical Recordings has also digitized recordings from these Edison releases and can be found at:
https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/objects/detail/231320/Edison_50241
The examples below include the 78 rpm records available for purchase in late 1915. The album sleeve included the description of each song on the cover.
The Nightingale Song (You Remember Love)
Carl Zeller
Cornet Vincent Bach
” Carl Zeller, a German composer of light operas and many vocal and instrumental pieces, is probably best known through this dainty and charming melody, “The Nighingale Song” – sometimes known as “You Remember Love”. This selection was first brought out in Zeller’s operetta “Vogelhaendler.” Like several others of its kind, it was too beautiful not to rise above the fame of the opera, and so it is now frequently heard as a concert number. The melody itself is an exceptionally graceful waltz theme. Vincent Bach’s corner version seems to enhance the natural beauty of the melody when it is thus unadorned by works, and the record is one that cannot fail to please any lover of cornet music. “
Ah! Could I but once more so love, Dear
W. Aletter
Cornet Vincent Bach
” In England, America, Sweden, Germany, and Austria, Vincent Bach has appeared in many notable concerts with marked success. Especially in Austria and Germany, he is a favourite, and many critics have declared him to be the greatest cornet virtuoso of the continent. His playing, you will undoubtedly agree, is distinguished by a great power of real musical expression, and a remarkably beautiful tone.
The German song “Ach könnt ich noch einmal so lieben!”, a version of which he plays here, is popular both abroad and in this country. It is intrinsically a very fine melody, and gives the artist full scope for the display of his technical and artistic ability. “
The earliest examples of Vincent Bach’s recordings were available on Edison Blue Ambersol cylinders. Unlike records, only a single song was available on each cylinder, whereas records had a song on each side.
Vincent Bach, cornet soloist was included in Edison’s Diamond Disc Re-Creations catalog until the early 1920s. Re-Creations was. the brand Edison used to highlite a audio recording that “re-created” the experience on his records/cylinder players.
source: from the BachLoyalist collection
source: from the Bill Cable collection (record)
