The morning call., 1890-12-28
BEFORE THE
PHONOGRAPH.
A Very Unique Collection of
Voices From the Stage.
Actors and Singers Who Ascertain How
Their Voices Sound to an Audience.
Drawing Room Entertainments.

LIZZIE photograph as source of enter
XIX tainment has become exceedingly
J1gS popular in New York. A phOno-
graph of the human voice is much more
valuable to the curio-colector than pic
ture of the face, even when accompanied
by an autograph. There is something peculi-
arly weird and attractive in the idea of
calling up at will some old friend or famous
character and listening to an exact repro
ducton of his or her voice. II the person is
dead it is like restricting him from the
grave, and many collectors of phonograms
now possess records of this kind, which are
extremely valuable. A favorte phase of the
"Dh0n0gram craze is the collection of
specimens of recitations or singing from
popular artists of the stage, and one gen.
tleman of this city has secured cylinders
representing vocally nearly every artist of
any note who has been seen here for the last
year. The collection is unique, because
many of the records have no duplicates in
existence, and the owner can give a six
hours entertainment in his own house at
whose voices he has "bottled up" so to
speak, in some Of their most popular and
successful roles.
The collection referred to above includes
voice photogI apis of actors and actresses,
ranging from such men as Jefferson and
stage. In the case of Jefferson and Flor
ence the collector took his phOnograph to
the dressng-room Of Mr.. Jefferson during
the recent engagement at Palmer's. The
veteran actor listened to the reproductions
Of some songs and recitations. half-clad in
the costume Of Dr. Pangloss and painting
his face TO the proper makeup the while.
Mr.. Florence stepped into the room and lis
tened, too, and both finally consented TO
give portion Of the scene from "The Ri
l.. III - T.. 3
ranging with Bob Acres the details Of the
proposed duel. There was not the slightest
evidence of "stage fright" exhibited by
these two finished artists. They were as
easy aud natural as they stood before the
big-mouthed horn as they are upon the
stage. MIR. Florence began with the
SNATCH OF SONG.
I" For He Loved Bold Dragon" and the
two men fastened their dialogue upon the
cylinder until Jefferson ended with the
speech, +" You oughtn't to talk to man like
that, at a time like this, to man like that"
The peculiar high voice of Jefferson and the
rich Dr0gue of Florence were all accurately
recorded and can now be produced at will by
the owner Of the cylinder. Jefferson and
Florence may be thousands of milss away,
but their voices are held firmly here in New
York. and their little bit Of exQuisitely
funny dialogue from The Rivals +" can be
repeated at any time with as much effect as
though the two noted actors were present
to recite it.
One of the first things that will strike the
intelligent actor or actress after listening to
the reproduction of his or her own voice by
the photograph is that this wonderful
machine reveals every imperfecion and
blemish of the voice itself. This was the
first observation of Miss George Cayvan
after she had recited some Of her speeches
from "The Charity Ball." She discovered
that there was what she described as
tired" expression in her voice. anu it gave
her the first intimation she had eyer re-
ceived of this blemsh, which. she said in
conversation with tie writer few days
ago, she has since observed several times.
1t is a well-known fact that no person can
recognize his own voice, and possibly
for tina: reason no person can recognize
slight defects In his own voice. When repro
duced by the monograph, however, one is
listening. as 1t were, to somebody else, and
acting as a critic, and the slightest defect Is
perez ntible. What an excellent aid to
study y exclaimed Miss Cayvan, and she
was RICH. Many other artists have recog-
nized this fact. and Photographs are becom-
ing more and more common In the homes of