Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-20
EMMA AND FLORENCE.
The Great Prima Donna and the
Eminent Comedian Recorded
AND A GRAPHOPHON,H TELLS 1T.
Miss Abbott Laughs at an Infantile Diva,
and William J. Smiles
AT A VOICE HE NEVER KNEW BEFORE

Emma Abbott laughed heartier yesterday
afternoon than she has for many a day. She
sang one of her sweetest songs to the graph
aphone-phonograph Then the g-p. sang
the same same thing to Emma, AT first 1t
sounded as though the machine was trying
to make fun of the famous songstress. She
clapped her hands, and was fairly convulsed
with the ludicrous side of the experiment.
But presently her eyes sparkled and she
confessed her amazement over an invention
that so perfectly echoes and re-echoes her
voice that it will be possible for her to fool
audiences hereafter with mechanical encores
while she is busy in her dressing-room pre-
pairing for the next act.
1t was by invitation of the lessees Of the
talking-machin rights that the prima donna
and party dropped into the Fifth avenue office
at P. M. yesterday.
BURST OF MELODY.
After talking nonsense into the instrument
awhile, the more musical powers of Edison's
wonder were tested. The huge tin funnel was
screwed upon the mouthpiece and in front Of
this Emma Abbott and her handsome tenor,
Signor Michelena. seated themselves.
'.It's too funny you know" she said.
"Everything in Pittsburg is funnyr' he said.
Then he sang in his rich voice one of the
prettiest parts of the opera, "Rose of Castillo"
When half through, Miss Abbott Joined him.
The full volume of her sweet singing made the
duet very sweet.
The merry song-actress saucily told her
friends that the applause belonged to the
g-p. So it was postponed, for the g-p could
repeat and get it at any time.
Then another funnel. shaped like brass
horn, was attached to the machine, the cylin-
ing reproduced. This horn magnifed
the tones without changing the voice. First
words being distinct and easily recognized.
Just as the funnel sang the words "I,love thee"
another voice came forth from the funnel. 1t
should have been Emma Abbott's; but it sound
ed so much like the faint, squealing
CRY OF A BABY
that Emma pressed both hands to her sides to
control her form, convulsed with laughter.
Then the cylinder shifted to its proper place,
and her voice was faithfully reproduced.
The duet was SO charming that trio. from
the Bohemian Girl" was tried, Miss AMMAN
dale joining Miss Abbott and Michelena.
w. ]. Florence, the eminent comedian, also
rehearsed with the phonograph yesterday. He
delivered to it BdrdtDeU Slote's stump-speech,
and then. in different tones, told Captain
CuttLe's sea story. Two hours after he had done
this the wax cylinder was refitted in the ma
chine, the big funnel was attached, and the
writer had the pleasure of hearing what others
declared was Florence's ghost under table.
The machine repeated the speech and the story
in tones loud enough to be heard all over the
room. The peroration, the rising infection and
the final burst of eloquence were all heard in
Florence's natural voice, and so vivid was the
impression that the spectator imagined Flor
ence's inimitable style there, too.
But W. j. himself CALCULATED: "Well, If
that's my voice I'm mighty glad to make its &C.
quaintance. I've heard folks could recognize
all voices but their own in this machine; now I
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