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MMD > Archives > December 1997 > 1997.12.22 > 13Prev  Next


Hawaiian and "World Music" on Edison Records
By Mike Knudsen

The question about Hawaiian rolls reminds me of the tremendous amount
of "World Music" featured on Edison's Phonograph cylinders and Diamond
Disks in the 1910 - 1929 era.

I've got enough Hawaiian cylinders and disks that I won't buy any more.
Plus quite a few featuring groups of marimbas (the Mexican large
xylophone), often playing music never intended for those instruments.

Not to mention the Blue Amberol cylinder of what can only be called
Cajun accordion dance music, played with amazing virtuosity.  My copy
got trashed by a chipped stylus, so I'm looking for a replacement...

Quite a few banjo numbers on Diamond Disks, usually with piano
accompaniment.

And "Wien Bleibt Wien" on a Hungarian zembalom [zimbalon] (a large dulcimer).

Finally, saxophone solos, sometimes playing classic variations.  The
sax was a new instrument back then, and folks hadn't yet learned that
you shouldn't play "serious" music on it.  :-)

Thomas Edison's taste in music was, well, er, questionable, but at
least wasn't narrow-minded where novelty was concerned.

And you thought "World Music" was a '90s Yuppie fad.... :-)

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to all

Mike Knudsen


(Message sent Mon 22 Dec 1997, 17:46:05 GMT, from time zone GMT-0600.)

Key Words in Subject:  Edison, Hawaiian, Music, Records, World

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