The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-04-11
LOADING PH9N o6RAPHs.


rot an voices Are Adapted for Prc.er-
walton In tho Wax CyIinders-stanv
People Arc Anxious to Sing and Talk
Into tho Instruments.
Halt adozen men werc assembled in the
year room Of the house ia Fifth avenue the
sncf AFTERNOON examining some curious
iooAing machines that stood on a raised
counter IN the center of the room. At
techea TO each machine was a big brass
Tunnel, shaped like the mouth Of an ex.
saggerated car trumpet. An odd little cvlin-
der, that looked soft and greasy, reyolycd
at moderate speed back of the point Of each
tunnel. On the other side Of the double
glass doors that divided the room from a
much larger one in front three negroes and
negress were listening intently. Their
heads were close up to the doors. and nm
expression OF expectancy rested upon their
faccs
Presently four Of the men in the rporo
arranged themselves in front of a similar
number OF tunnels, while the other two
Z went In back and began tomaniHulate
number Of belts and screws connected
with the machinery. Then one of the men
ndJusted the tunnels so that they were
close together. and the smallest of the
quartet, pudgy man with a SQUARE.
smooth shaven face, stepped forward, and
SALT In voice SO loud that it made the lis
tening darkies jump:
fhe following selection is Annie
Rooney 1t was sung on Feb. - by tive
- QUARTET
SOUNDS FOR PosTERIrr.
Immediately the quartet began TO sing
In fprtissimo. The darlSies did not havp to
Htrnin their ears to hear, but they followed
tue singing very closely nevertheless.
They seemed to be more interested in the
methods OF the singing than in the result
AZ soon as the song was finished the sing
Rrs sat back and discussed their work.
-'That ought to have taken all right"
said one, "but what don't understand is
the way the machinery halts once in a
while. Seems to me the battery is out of
orler.n
One of the men behind the machinery
s.ass :::s:.: . c.,,iatea another screw and pres
emily the machine repeated in queer,
strained tones the song that had been
poured into it.. Then the quartet got up
and sang another song in the same fashion,
to which the darkies listened as intently.
They were waiting for their turn.
Every day the families who live in the
houses adjoining the one in which this per-
Torrance took place hear the strains of
3 music and the sound of highly pitched
xecitations, declamations, speeches and
dialogues. Every day, also, a lot of people
come into the Office on the lower floor of
this house and want to secure engagements
TO talk into the monograph on the upper
story. Nearly all these persons are pro-
fessionals. Some of them expect to be
paid for their services and others don't.
Some are satisfied with the advertising
they expect to get out of their singing and
talking, and some merely wish to crafty
their vanity.
TALK WITH A MANAGER.
All sorts Of people come to our Office"
Baid the manager, "and want to be al
lowed TO sing into the phonograph. Many
Of them can't sing at all, and even some
who are good singers do not seem to be
able to use their voices effectively. We are
overrun with applicants, and have lots OF
noted people on our list We employ a
man to do nothing but play the piano for
Ahe vocnlists. The man who tests their
voices listens to the applicant while he
sings a few bars, and II he thinks the voice
suitable he spends considerable time in in
structing its owner in the way he should
sing into the phonograph. It is very diff
cult TO do that we'll.
Many Of the applicants want to throw a
eartload Of pathos into their voices, or sing
In stacy tone and strut about melodr,l-
matically. as II they were before an audi
snce. That won't do at all. The tone
must be natural ard tho words distinctly
spoken. Articulation Is very important
element in securing good results. The
singer must stand still at certain distance
from the receiver and sing loudly and
clearly. Not one out of ten of the singers
who appeal to the public possesses voice
Suitable for the photograph
ave find it especially difficult to obtain
n suitable female v,Ae. The quality Of the
tone seems to be too fine and too thin. A
baritone is the best voice for our purposes
although most Of our applicants volunteer
10 sing for nothing, just to have Their
nsmes repeated by the machine, we pay
good and suitable singer well. We don't
Aave much use for the high class operate
nirs but find that the popular songs take
much better"
The company keeps book in which ARK
written the names Of all the applicants ant
all the persons who have sung or Spoken
Anto the phonograph.
JOKING WITH SOUND.
The Twenty-third Street theatre bant
pours its melody into the phonograph about
four times week. Any number of trios
quartets, quintets and sextets are on tn,
list. All the cylinders on which these song,
have been recorded are labeled and put
away on their proper shelves The sam,
song or recitation is frequently repeated
on half dozen cylinders. The latter ar,
rented out to the owners of monographs
or are put into the nickel-in- the-sot ma
chimes. Tho other day party of young
girls went down to the Edison works il
Broad street and listened to the voice o
the phonograph for some time.
One of the men connected with the com
pany put up game on the girls and mad
them think that Mr. Edison himself haC
been aware Of their coming, aud had talked
into the machine for their benefit. The al
legged Wizards voice expressed his gratifi
cation at the presence of 50 many Lowell,
girls, and invited them all to come out t
his home in Llewellyn park. Fortunatel
the girls did not accept the invitation, al
though they were very much pleased witt