I've created this website to bring to life voices from long ago. There are plenty of well-known singers here but my aim is to seek out the ones I have never heard - or never heard of!
All records are original 78 rpm in my own collection unless marked as "transfer". I judge the speed by ear, so could get it completely wrong! If you think that any of the sound files are too fast or too slow, let me know!
Click here to read how and why I became a collector of 78s.
All records are original 78 rpm in my own collection unless marked as "transfer". I judge the speed by ear, so could get it completely wrong! If you think that any of the sound files are too fast or too slow, let me know!
Click here to read how and why I became a collector of 78s.
"The turning point came for me one night when the speaker played Chaliapin singing the ‘Death of Don Quichotte’ by Ibert. The sorrow and anguish in his voice held me spellbound and his final note was so exquisite I felt like sobbing! Silly? Not at all! I had just discovered a medium that could move me as much or more than anything I had ever heard. I had to have that song - not on LP or CD, but on 78!".
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It took me a while to find the original Chaliapin 78 but here it is! See if it moves you too! |
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Florence Foster Jenkins
The famous Queen of the Night aria from an original Melotone 78!
Brace yourself and click below to listen to it! There's also a ringtone of her if you want to entertain your friends! |
Record of the Month
The May record is Georgi Vinogradov singing Lensky's aria (complete). Click on his picture to go to the Record of the Month page! |
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78 Heaven "trailer" on You Tube!
I thought it was about time I had a go at putting a video on You Tube so here is my first attempt with a few photos of well-known singers. You may notice that there is no picture of Lucien Fugere as mentioned in the credits - apologies! He didn't appear in the final video, for some reason!
The singer on the video is Eugène Bisantz. Can anybody tell me anything about him? I managed to find a signed photo of him (right) which says "Amsterdam". I think he is a fine baritone! |
Click for a larger picture
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Free Ringtones!
Click on the note to go to my free ringtones page.
If you would like me to create a tone from any of the singers on this site, let me know! Just for Fun!
One of my favourites! A 78 rpm dubbing of a 1905 Fonotipia featuring three great buffo singers - Oreste Luppi, Antonio Magini-Coletti and Ferruccio Corradetti singing an aria from Crispino e la comare. |
For my mam, Millie.
Franca Sacchi with "Vissi d'arte". 
A photo of Franca Sacchi from "The Story of an Achievement", Davis Theatre, 1949.
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