The 1889 Edison Recording of Johannes Brahms: Restoration and Analysis
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- Analysis: The 1889 Edison Recording of Brahms
This recording has become quite famous in recent years, with a majority of "experts" stating that they simply do not believe that the second person speaking here is the actual voice of Johannes Brahms.
In this post we hope, through analysis, to bring this question into clearer focus.
Recordings from the 1880s have the problem of extremely low latency. In other words, they do not sound the same as they did when new, and, contrary to most understanding, it is not entirely due to wear. The early recordings were not acoustically balanced. They were also recorded on fragile, and potentially unstable, media; as the cylinders dry out, impurities in the wax become noisier, and the waveshapes bleed.
This makes early recordings difficult to analyze due to the patina of noise which obscures them. In our current method we are removing this noise, with relatively little side effects , to reveal the actual noise floors of these recordings, and that can tell us much that has never been known before.
In this case, it was always believed, based upon testimony, that there is one only edit, or stoppage, in the recording. Many believed that this precluded the possibility that Brahms could be the second voice due to the orientation required for the immediate piano playing which follows it.
In this new restoration we can actually detect that there are TWO edits. Listen to the room tones and diaphragm orientations. The changes in room tone are quite clear.
The first lines spoken by Wangemann are off-diaphragm, there is a pause, the second speech by Brahms is made directly into the mouthpiece, then there is another pause, followed by the piano recording, made through a bullhorn.
Wangemann probably made this zero-cut tight to save as much recording time as possible, if you listen closely, you can hear the edit joint between Brahms speaking directly into the mouthpiece, and the piano music that follows. The room ambiance changes as the horn is put over the mouthpiece during the second pause.
This could only be done in 1889 with a stoppage edit; mixing signals was still over a half century away, and the difference is quite noticeable in the clean track. Up until now nobody has ever been able to hear this.
Imagine what talking into a recording machine was like in the 1880s.
The one thing that everybody in all early recordings seem to have in common is how intimidated and excited they were when making them. Even Queen Victoria was clearly intimidated, and so were Tchaikovsky, Rubinstein, and most others when they tried it. Brahms spoke directly into the mouthpiece with so much energy that he actually clipped the stylus by 2-3 db. This has been corrected in the restoration. Another new discovery here is speech between the two piano pieces, possibly by a woman or child.
As to whether or not this is Brahms, aside from the evidence of the recording itself, the most evocative evidence is the statement of Dr. Fellinger's son, Richard, made in 1935. He was present at the session, and describes Wangemann and the engineer's actions in great detail, (Including things which a layperson would not know.), and stated that it is actually Brahms speaking just before the music.
Even though his statement is forty years later, why would he forget details about something as extraordinary as Brahms making a recording in his father's parlor? If you had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to record Brahms actual voice, would you? Wangemann probably made the same decision at the time.
The rumble we hear is the motor of the recorder, in even closer examination the Edison company had not yet worked out how to make the sleeve bearings as quiet as they should be; the squeak and chirp is the bearings. This was a constant issue on these early cylinder recorders, which tended to squeak like a music box crank.
Of course, nobody alive can say definitively whether this is Brahms or not, but the evidence, and the fact that the voice seems consistent with the physical description of Brahms at the time, is very strong evidence that it is.
None of the statements or assessments based upon the nomenclature of the intro, the fact that Brahms refers to himself as "Doktor Brahms", nor German language syntax changes the value of this new evidence.
This is a very excited, intimidated, and nervous Johannes Brahms doing what only a handful of people had the chance or distinction to try at that time.
Personally, my gut feeling here is that this is indeed Johannes Brahms who is speaking, and what a treat for history if it is.
Johannes Brahms left us only one little, tiny, precious recording of his voice, in the absence of any other real evidence, that is something quite special.
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This is indeed a treasured recording of the composer’s speaking voice Johannes Brahms. Every effort must be made to insure that this recording is preserved for posterity.
New (?) clues. Brahms speaks with a clear North-German or HAMBURG ACCENT which would not do Richard Fellinger considering his family background and upbringing. Brahms says (see commentaries, thanks!): "Gruesse an Herrn Doktor Edison {literally: Greetings to Mister Doctor Edison}. I am Doctor Brahms, Johannes Brahms". The first "Doctor" is perhaps politeness or over-politeness against Edison, the second "Doktor" refers to himself (Brahms was indeed an honorary doctor). Maybe he thought -- and he was excited -- "I'm a doctor, too!" and mentioned the title and then regretted it immediately, because it is very untypical for people from Hamburg (until today) and particularly for Brahms to appreciate or mention their own titels or honours, he added his birth-name "Johannes Brahms". -- Im convinced it is the Master himself speaking! Clearly a lad from Hamburg. And I didn't know that this recording of better quality as before existed. Thank you for this brilliant video and the analysis!
You make good points about the use of "Doktor" in his introduction, but I am also mindful of the audience that Brahms was performing for: Thomas Edison, a man from Ohio. I also get the sense that the whole process was a humorous one. Brahms was known by his friends for having a very droll sense of humor.
I was about to write the same regarding his accent, he definitely has a Northern German twang.
Now I know what Brahms's voice sounds like. And the sound of his piano playing. ThThis is astounding beyond belief! Thank you, Paul!
there are so many things he does in the music that no one does. virtuoso with incredibly refined musical taste.
Thank you! I suggested years ago that the machine may have been stopped so that Brahms could get to the piano and got my head bitten off.
Don't feel bad. I got one comment that was very nasty for making this suggestion. Apparently, some vintage fans have the idea that the pause function on electrical Edison machines sounded the same as hand-cranked machines. They didn't of course. The electrical pause simply disengaged the drive motor without lifting the stylus.
@@RS3DArchive Thank you! I've been a "vintage fan" since my toddler years, nearly 60 now, and still never have been able to understand how some people can take such a fascinating and just plain fun thing as our aural history, and find a way to make it so unpleasant.
I can't believe I just heard Brahms speak and play piano.
It's not Brahms' voice
@@serhattaskesen3635 Were you there?
@@RRaquelloThat was the person introducing Brahms, the last thing he says is “And I am with Dr. Brahms, Johannes Brahms.” It’s a bit scruffy but you can hear it.
@@iangreer4585The introduction was in German. So no, the phrase you suggested as being said wasn't.
Wonderful restoration, you really did an amazing job ! This channel is a jewel
Brahms is clearly playing one of his Hungarian dances. No imagination needed. Thanks for this
Hungarian Dance No. 1 to be precise
Brahms says "I am Doctor Brahms, Johannes Brahms" in a strong German accent, after greeting Edison in German: "Gruesse an Herrn Docktor Edision."
Exactly!
I have to agree with Benko about the original version, but this is really fantastic. I can now say I’ve heard Brahms play and even that his interpretation of the first Hungarian Dance is by far my favorite ever :)
Sono profondamente emozionata per aver ascoltato la Sua "voce" e una sua composizione ❤
Absolutely incredible restoration!
He was playing his first Hungarian Dance from the set of 21 WoO 1 in this recording.
There is also a recording of Brahms playing a Josef Strauss polka called "Die Liebelle".
Hi Paul, excellent job, thanks for sharing your discovery!
Quick question: have you been in touch with Patrick Feaster yet about OPTICALLY SCANNING the grooves of a record (cylinder or disc) and creating a HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGE of the groove/waveform, which can then be inspected visually and obvious defects (dirt in the grooves, nicks, warps etc) corrected? This might be a bit more accurate (although very time consuming) than applying various audio filters etc to a sound file made by playing it back with a needle.
I would imagine that would also allow for even better sound quality than here.
I know he did this years ago in order to produce a playable audio file of the first Berliner record, from a clear PHOTOGRAPH of the (long lost) record itself, but a photograph where the grooves were visible.
I would imagine this could be done with the physical Brahms cylinder (if extant) as well as this 1930s dub of it.
Keep up the good work!
I have not contacted Patrick Feaster. The process, as you describe, is very time consuming and requires funding. I do not know if the Livermore Lab is still doing this, but the original Brahms cylinder has groove information worn away as of the last restoration, which restored the cylinder's structure but not the surface.
Would it be possible for you to restore the first recording of “das lied von der erde” conducted live by bruno walter in 1936?
Around 1977 the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound hosted a lecture/demonstration which featured several very old recordings, including this one. I was in the audience. The quality of what I heard then isn't significantly different than what I am hearing now on this RUclips video!
It is the same recording.
Some people just want to argue for its own sake. I'm not a classical music fan so can't appreciate the importance of this recording, but if he says he's Dr. Brahms and there's no proof that it isn't Dr. Brahms, and it's accepted that Dr. Brahms was actually there playing the piano, why does anyone dispute it that it was him making the announcement? For the "thrill" of being contrarian? It's ridiculous. He was sitting right there, so why wouldn't it be him? I do know who wasn't there: the "experts".
In the description it says these "experts" don't believe that it is Dr. Brahms talking, but what is their evidence? Belief or opinion isn't fact, and if their belief/opinion is that it wasn't him, they're entitled to that belief, but being just a belief with no evidence behind it it's worth exactly what anybody else's belief/opinion is worth: nothing.
Thank you for making available this wonderful memento. Do you intend to do any restoration work on "The Mapleson Cylinders" ?
Possibly. The New York Library has just received thousands of new Maplesons, we are waiting to see what they will be.
@@RS3DArchive Could you direct me to some more information on these new Mapleson cylinders please?
@@MichaelStBede You might try going onto the New York Public Library's on-line site to see what information they have to offer. I got my info from a recent article in the NYT. You can also access Mapleson recordings at sites on the internet and YT, although the new batch will probably take years to digitize and upload.
Great work！Thanks so much！
I always think that I hear "I have Dr. Brahms, Johannes Brahms". For over 20 years, that's what I still seem to hear.
Priceless.
I also think it is Brahms voice as the second voice is lower and louder than Theo
3:06 It certainly sounds like “I am Dr. Brahms, Johannes Brahms.” I don’t know German. Unless some people think it is someone else introducing him? The piano sounds like Hungarian Dance No. 1
Thanks, thanks, thanks.....
Firstly, the recording is way too distorted to accurately determine what the person's voice sounded like, even with engineering enhancements. Secondly, "do they match?" is a weird question. Do this: Listen to a random voice, male or female, child or adult. Then get 10 photos, only 1 of which is the photo of the person whose real voice you heard, and try to pick out which person the voice belongs to. You're gonna be right only 1 out of 10 times, just as probability would show.
With respect, you greatly underestimate your fellow humans on that score.
First recording: the helicopter is hovering overhead
Restored version: garbled but the voices are clearer
iZotope's RX audio repair software at least since version RX8 has had some kind of restoration tool for wobbly, drifting audio digitized from old tapes. Has anyone tried if it's possible to restore this playing even further?
I don't doubt that it was the man himself. I just wish the recording had lasted longer.
Just fix the typos on the video... Otherwise is a fantastic work!!
They're a couple, I know.
would love to have had a beer with him at Red Hedgehog
But what they said on the recording? 😐
How's your German? Rough translation: "In the house of Dr. Fellinger, I am Doctor Brahms, Johannes Brahms. "
@@RS3DArchive no german from my side 😅
La calidad del sonido es pésima y a esto se une que NO comprendo cómo éstos documentos tan interesantes no se traducen a otros idiomas como el ESPAÑOL 🇪🇸... francés, italiano, etc. Totalmente INCOMPRENSIBLE que en la era de la super tecnología, andemos así ...🤔😤🤔😤
All software on YT has translation ability. You should take advantage of that. The text contains most of the info you need.
I never thought Brahms' voice was so high. He literally sounds like a chipmunk.
You have no idea how old recorders work don't you?
Actually, I read that Brahms had a high-pitched voice, that always annoyed him.
@@jamesherried9269 Also read that that was part of the reason he grew that beard in the first place, lol