Selected Period Recordings of English Versions of Operetta from the German Stage

Derek B. Scott

Appendix 4 Selected Period Recordings of English Versions of Operetta from the German Stage

The recordings listed are contemporaneous with the first London or New York production.Footnote ¹ Note that Edison Bell (London) began making discs in addition to cylinders in May 1908. In 1901, Emile Berliner joined Victor, an American company that manufactured his gramophone, and Victor then began making disc records. Victor allowed Columbia, which had formerly monopolized the American production of cylinders, to use its disc patent, and discs began to overtake cylinders in the market from 1910 on. The Gramophone Company, formed in London in 1899, was to become known as ‘His Master’s Voice’ from 1909 on, when it printed its trademark of the listening dog on record labels. Victor had bought the copyright to use this trademark in the USA and had been doing so since 1902. Some of the recordings below can be found in the British Library’s sound archive; a few can be heard on the Internet Archive (www.archive.org), and some have been re-released by Norbeck, Peters & Ford.

The dates below refer to the first English versions in either London or New York. Square brackets following titles of interpolated songs indicate authors and composers; regular brackets indicate singers.

1907 The Merry Widow (Lehár)

‘A Dutiful Wife’ and ‘Love in My Heart Awaking’ (Elizabeth Firth & Robert Evett), Odeon 66080–83, London.
‘Home’ (R. Evett), Odeon 66079, London.
‘I Love You So’ (Florence Hinkle and Reed Miller), Edison 9748 [cylinder], New York, Oct. 1907.
‘I Love You So’ (Miss Stevenson and Mr Macdonough), Victor 5340 [disc], New York, 11 Dec. 1907.
‘Maxim March’ (Madame Jones-Hudson & Ernest Pike), Gramophone Company GC 4431, London (lost).
‘The Merry Widow Waltz’, National Military Band, Edison Gold 13622 [cylinder], London, May 1907.
‘Oh the Women’ (septet), Odeon 44871, London.
Selection, Edison Symphony Orchestra, Edison Gold 9789 [cylinder], New York, Nov. 1907.
‘Vilja Song’ (Madame Jones-Hudson), Gramophone Company GC 3710, London (lost).
‘Vilja’ (Elsie Sinclair), Odeon 44839, London.
‘Weiber-Marsch’ and ‘Maxim-Marsch’, London Concert Orchestra, Edison Bell 10328 & 10341 [cylinders], Aug. 1907, Selection, 10447, Oct. 1907.

1908 A Waltz Dream (Straus)

‘The Dream Waltz’ and ‘My Dear Little Maiden’ (R. Evett), Odeon 0413, 1908,

1909 The Dollar Princess (Fall)

‘Inspection’ (Eleanor Jones-Hudson, recording as Marion Jerome, & Harold Wilde), HMV 04040, London, 1 Mar. 1909.
The Dollar Princess Operatic Party (Peter Dawson,Footnote ² Eleanor Jones-Hudson, Stanley Kirkby, Ernest Pike, Carrie Tubb, Harold Wilde), HMV 04501, HMV 04039, HMV GC-4621, HMV GC-4622, London 1 Mar. 1909; HMV 04502, HMV GC-4623, HMV GC-3815, HMV GC-3814, HMV GC4-2026, HMV GC2-4003, London, 2 Mar. 1909.
Selection, London Concert Orchestra, Edison 10574 [cylinder], London, Oct. 1909.
Vocal Gems, Victor Light Opera Company (Elizabeth Wheeler, Elise Stevenson, Harry Macdonough, Frederick Gunster), Vic 31751, New York, 16 Oct. 1909. Also issued on HMV 04503, credited to the Light Opera Company.
‘Dollar Princess’ Two Step (Fall arr. Kaps), The Black Diamond Band, Gramophone Company 2–462, London, Mar. 1910.
Mayfair Orchestra, cond. George W. Byng, Selection, Parts 1 & 2, HMV C-1189, Hayes, Middx, 13 Feb. 1925.

1910 The Girl in the Train (Fall)

‘The Sleeping Car Song’ (Phyllis Dare), HMV 03189, London, 1910.
Vocal Gems, Light Opera Company (Peter Dawson, Stewart Gardner, Eleanor Jones-Hudson, Ernest Pike, Harold Wilde), orch. cond. by Eli Hudson, HMV 04508, London, 10 Aug. 1910.
Waltz, Alhambra Orchestra, cond. George W. Byng, 1CYL0002832 BD1 Black Amberol, London, 1910.

1910 The Chocolate Soldier (Straus)

Selection, orch., Oxford Disc 4262, London, Jan. 1910.
Vocal Gems, Victor Light Opera Company (Elizabeth Wheeler, Lucy Marsh, Marguerite Dunlap, Frederick Gunster, Harry Macdonough, John Beiling, Reinald Werrenrath, W. F. Hooley), Vic 31780, New York, 8 Mar. 1910.
Vocal Gems, Light Opera Company, with orch., HMV 04509, London, 11 Oct. 1910.
Selection, members of London prod., Odeon 0703, 0704 & 0705 [discs], 1910.
Medley, Columbia Light Opera Company, Col DX-284, 1910.
‘My Hero’ (Elizabeth Spencer), 1CYL0001351 BD1 Blue Amberol, New York (before Apr. 1913).
Vocal Gems, Victor Light Opera Company (Lucy Marsh, Olive Kline, Elsie Baker, Lambert Murphy, Charles Hart, Reinald Werrenrath, Wilfred Glenn), Vic 35416, New York, 23 Oct. 1914.

1911 The Spring Maid (Reinhardt)

Selection, Mayfair Orchestra, HMV 0663, 5 Sep. 1911.
Victor Light Opera Company, with orch., Vic 31833, New York, 5 Oct. Vocal Gems, 1911.
‘The Three Trees’ (Tom McNaughton), Vic 5866, New York, 23 Oct. 1911.
‘Two Little Love Bees’ (Christie MacDonald), Vic 60060, New York, 23 Oct. 1911.
‘Day Dreams, Visions of Bliss’ (Christie MacDonald), Vic 60061, New York, 27 Oct. 1911.
Vocal Gems, Victor Light Opera Company (Marguerite Dunlap, W. F. Hooley, Olive Kline, Harry Macdonough, Lucy Marsh, Lambert Murphy, Reinald Werrenrath, Elizabeth Wheeler), Vic 35423, New York, 17 Sep. 1914.

1911 Castles in the Air (Lincke)

‘Luna Waltz’, Lincke’s Orchestra, HMV 0657, C-141, London, 12 Apr. 1911.

1911 The Count of Luxembourg (Lehár)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Grand Opera Orchestra, cond. Ernest Flecker, HMV 0569 & 0660.
‘Say Not Love Is a Dream’ (Elsie Fox-Bennett & Philip Cumings), Jumbo 636, Jul. 1911.
‘Pierrette and Pierrot’ (May de Sousa), HMV 03248, London, 1911.
‘In High Society’ (M. de Sousa & W. H. Berry), HMV 04086, London 1911.
‘A Carnival for Life’ (M. de Sousa & W. H. Berry), HMV 04087, London 1911.
‘Are You Going to Dance?’ (Elizabeth Spencer and Irving Gillette), Edison 4 M-1005 [cylinder], New York, Jan. 1912.
‘Say Not Love Is a Dream’ (Elizabeth Spencer), Edison 4 M-1610 [cylinder], New York, Sep. 1912.
Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Voc 31856, New York, 1912.
Medley, Columbia Light Opera Company, Col A-5434, New York, c. 1912.
‘Waltz’, Band of King Edward’s Horse Guards, Edison Bell, 20296, London, Oct. 1913.

1911 Nightbirds (Strauss)

Vocal Gems, Victor Light Opera Company (Marguerite Dunlap, W. F. Hooley, Olive Kline, Harry Macdonough, Lucy Marsh, Lambert Murphy, Reinald Werrenrath, Elizabeth Wheeler), Vic 31875, 24 Oct. 1912.

1911 Gypsy Love (Lehár) [Gipsy Love, London]

‘Melody of Love’ (Marguerite Sylva), Edison 28001 [cylinder], New York, 1911.
‘Love Is Like the Rose’ (M. Sylva & Arthur Albro), Edison 28002 [cylinder], New York, 1911.
‘I Will Give You All for Love’ (M. Sylva), Edison 28003 [cylinder], New York, 1911.
‘There Is a Land of Fancy’ (M. Sylva & Carl Hayden), Edison 28004 [cylinder], New York, 1911.
‘Love and Wine’ (Peter Dawson), HMV 4–2238, London, 25 Sep. 1912.
Vocal Gems, Light Opera Company (Peter Dawson, Carrie Gaisberg, Stewart Gardner, Bertha Lewis, Ernest Pike, Annie Rees, Harold Wilde), HMV 04550, London, 14 Dec. 1912.

1911 Vera Violetta (Eysler)

‘Rum Tum Tiddle’ [Schwartz & Jerome] and ‘That Haunting Melody’ [Cohan] (Al Jolson), Vic 17037, New York, 22 Nov. 1911.
‘My Lou’ (Stella Mayhew & Billie Taylor), Edison 4 M-995 [cylinder], New York, 8 Jan. 1912.
‘In the Shadows’ [Finck] (Melville Ellis, pf.), Col A-1160, New York, 1912.

1912 Princess Caprice (Fall) [Lieber Augustin, New York]

Vocal Gems, Parts 1 & 2, Light Opera Company (Peter Dawson, Stewart Gardner, Bertha Lewis, Ernest Pike, Carrie Tubb, Harold Wilde), HMV 04531 & 04532, London, 13 Aug. 1912.
Selection, Alhambra Orchestra, 1CYL0002795 BD1 Black Amberol, London, 1912.
Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Vic 35332, New York, 1912.
‘Look in Her Eyes’ [Kern and Rourke] (George MacFarlane), Vic 60120, New York, 5 May 1914.

1912 The Girl in the Taxi (Gilbert)

Vocal Gems, Light Opera Company (Peter Dawson, Carrie Gaisberg, Stewart Gardner, Bertha Lewis, Ernest Pike, Annie Rees, Harold Wilde), orch. cond. by Eli Hudson, HMV 04545, London, 14 Dec. 1912.
‘Suzanne, Suzanne’ (Mary Reed) and ‘Waltzing’ (Arthur Lewis), Col 2083, London, Dec. 1912.

1913 The Man with Three Wives (Lehár)

Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Vic 31883, New York, 1913.

1913 The Girl on the Film (Sirmay and Kollo)

‘Tommy, Won’t You Teach Me How to Tango?’ [Penso and Ross] (George Grossmith), HMV 02500, London, 13 Nov. 1913.
Vocal Gems, Victor Light Opera Company (Marguerite Dunlap, W. F. Hooley, Miss Hosea, Olive Kline, Harry Madonough, Lambert Murphy, Reinald Werrenrath, Elizabeth Wheeler), Vic 35363, New York, 6 Jan. 1914. Also issued on HMV 04591, credited to the Light Opera Company.

1913 The Laughing Husband (Eysler)

‘Friend to the End’ (Reed Miller), Vic 17555, New York, 24 Feb. 1914.
Vocal Gems, Victor Light Opera Company (Marguerite Dunlap, W. F. Hooley, Olive Kline, Harry Madonough, Lucy Marsh, Lambert Murphy, Edward Rous, Reinald Werrenrath, Elizabeth Wheeler), Vic 35379, New York, 12 Mar. 1914. Also issued on HMV 04595, credited to the Light Opera Company.

1914 Queen of the Movies (Gilbert) [The Cinema Star, London]

‘Follow the Crowd’ (Written and sung by Irving Berlin), Col 32229, New York, 12 Jan. 1914.
Vocal Gems, Victor Light Opera Company (Olive Kline, Lucy Marsh, Elizabeth Wheeler Marguerite Dunlap, Harry Madonough, Charles Harrison, Reinald Werrenrath, Wilfred Glenn), Vic 35365, New York 4 Feb. 1914. Also issued on HMV 04593, as The Cinema Star, credited to the Light Opera Company.

1914 Sári (Kálmán)

Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Vic 35365, New York, 1914.

1914 Mam’selle Tra-la-la (Gilbert)

‘When Mr Moon Is Shining’, Jacobs’ Trocadero Orchestra, HMV B-257, London, 7 May 1914.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, The Peerless Orchestra, Zon 1343, Hayes, Middx, 10 Jul. 1914.

1914 The Lilac Domino (Cuvillier)

‘The Lilac Domino’ (Eleanor Painter), Col A-1937, New York, 26 Nov. 1915.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, members of London prod. with Empire Theatre Orchestra, cond. Howard Carr, Col 710, Col L-1238, Col L-1239, Col L-1240, L-1241, Col D-1400, Col D-1404. HMV C-848, HMV C-849, HMV C-850, HMV B-906, London, Feb–Mar. 1918.
Selection, Light Opera Company, HMV C-1705, 1918.

1915 Alone at Last (Lehár)

Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Vic 35517, New York, 1915.
‘Some Little Bug Is Going to Find You’ [Hein, Burt, and Atwell] (Roy Atwell), Col A-1926, New York, 20 Dec. 1915.
‘Thy Heart My Prize’ (John Charles Thomas), Rex 2021, New York, 1915.

1916 Miss Springtime (Kálmán)

Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Vic 35592, New York, 1916.
‘My Castle in the Air’ [Wodehouse & Kern] (George MacFarlane), Vic 45110, New York, 12 Jan. 1917.

1917 Maytime (Romberg, orig. Kollo)

‘Will You Remember?’ [Young and Romberg] (John Charles Thomas), Vocalion 60038, New York, Jan. 1922.

1917 The Riviera Girl (Kálmán) [The Gipsy Princess, London]

‘Bungalow in Quogue’ [Kern & Wodehouse] (Billy Murray & Gladys Rice), Edison Blue Amberol 3391, issued in 1918.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Herman Finck and His Orchestra, Col 876, London, Sep. 1921.
‘Naughty Cupid’, De Groot and the Piccadilly Orchestra, HMV B-1264, Hayes, Middx, 12 Sep. 1921.

1917 Her Soldier Boy (Kálmán) [Soldier Boy, London]

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Apollo Theatre Orchestra, cond. Leonard Hornsey, London, Col 717, London, Jul. 1918.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Mayfair Orchestra, cond. Arthur Wood, HMV C-867, Hayes, Middx, 18 Jul. 1918.
‘The Kiss Waltz’ and ‘Song of Home’ (Winifred Barnes & Laurence Leonard), Col L-1262, London, 1918.
‘Alone in a City Full of Girls’ and The Battle Front at Home’ (Fred Duprez), Col L-1263, 1918.
‘I’m Going Home’ and ‘March Along’ (M. Gay), Col L-1264, 1918.
‘The Military Stamp’ (M. Gay & Billy Leonard) and ‘Mother’ (Dewey Gibson), Col. L-1265, 1918.
‘The Lonely Princess’ and ‘He’s Coming Home’ (Winifred Barnes), Col L-1266, 1918.
‘Soldier Boy’ (F. Duprez & Maisie Gay), Col L-1267, 1918.

1917 The Star Gazer (Lehár)

‘If You Only Knew’ [Fleeson and Von Tilzer] (John Charles Thomas), Vocalion 60053, New York, Jul. 1923.

1920 A Little Dutch Girl (Kálmán)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Herman Finck and His Orchestra, Col 857, London, Jan. 1921.
‘Prince of My Maiden Fancies’ and ‘The Dreamland Lover’ (Doris Vane), Col 858, London, 31 Jan. 1921.

1921 Sybil (Jacobi)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Herman Finck and His Orchestra, Col 856, London, Feb. 1921.

1921 Blossom Time (Schubert/Berté/Romberg)

Vocal Gems, Columbia Light Opera Company. 1. Let Me Awake 2. Only One Love Ever Fills the Heart 3. My Springtime Thou Art 4. Serenade 5. Song of Love. Col 98002, 1921.
Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Vic 35722, New York, 1922.

1922 (Lilac Time, Schubert/Berté/Clutsam, London)

Selections, Prince’s Orchestra, Col 98011, 1922.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Herman Finck and His Orchestra, Col 919, London, Jan. 1923.
‘When the Lilac Bloom Uncloses’ and ‘I Want to Carve Your Name’ (Clara Butterworth & Percy Heming), Vocalion K-05068, 1923.
‘Underneath the Lilac Bough’ (P. Heming & Courtice Pounds) and ‘The Golden Song’ (Pounds & Butterworth), Vocalion K-05065, 1923.
‘Dear Flower, Small and Wise’ (C. Pounds & C. Butterworth) and ‘Dream Enthralling’ (Pounds), Vocalion K-05067, 1923.
‘I Am Singing, I, Your Lover’ (P. Heming) and ‘The Three Little Girls’ (C. Butterworth), Vocalion K-05066, 1923.

1922 The Lady of the Rose (Gilbert)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Mayfair Orchestra, cond. George W. Byng, HMV C-1050, Hayes, Middx, 16 Feb. 1922.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Daly’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. Merlin Morgan, Col 75052–53, London, Feb.–Mar. 1922.
‘Silhouettes’ (Huntley Wright), ‘Land o’ Mine’ and ‘Mariana’ (Thorp Bates), ‘Call to Arms’ (T. Bates & Ivy Tremand), ‘A Woman’s No’ and ‘I Love You So’ (T. Bates and Phyllis Dare), ‘Catch a Butterfly’ [Graham & Stuart] (I. Tremand), Daly’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. M. Morgan, Col 75061, 75064–65, 75066, 75073–74, 75063.

1922 Whirled into Happiness (Stolz)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, London Theatre Band, cond. Albert W. Ketèlbey (?), Col 3147, London, Aug. 1922.

1922 The Yankee Princess (Kálmán)

Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Vic 35722, New York, 1922, medley.

1922 The Last Waltz (Straus)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Herman Finck and His Orchestra, Col 904, London, Oct. 1922.
‘The Mirror Song’ and ‘When Love and Life Are Calling’ (José Collins & Kingsley Lark), Col 912, London, 1922.
‘The Magic Waltz Refrain’ and ‘The Last Waltz’ (J. Collins & K. Lark), Col 910, London, 1922.
‘Red Roses’ and ‘When Man Is Master of His Fate’ (K. Lark), Col 913, London, 1922.

1923 Caroline (Künneke) [The Cousin from Nowhere, London]

‘I’m Only a Pilgrim’ and ‘Man in the Moon’ (J. Harold Murray), Vocalion 14549, New York, 1923.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, London Theatre Band, cond. Albert W. Ketèlbey (?), Col 922, London, Mar. 1923.

1923 Madame Pompadour (Fall)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Daly’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. Arthut Wood, Col 965, London, Jan. 1924.
‘Serenade’ (Derek Oldham) and ‘Love Me Now’ (Evelyn Laye), Col 966, London, 1924.
‘By the Light of the Moon’ and ‘Love’s Sentry’ (E. Laye & D. Oldham), Col 967, London, 1924.
‘Carnival Time’ (D. Oldham) and ‘Reminiscence’ (E. Laye & D. Oldham), Col 3372, London 1924.
‘Two Little Birds in a Tree’ (Huntley Wright & Elsie Randolph) and ‘Joseph’ (E. Laye & H. Wright), Col 3371, London, 1924.

1925 The Love Song (Offenbach/Künneke)

Columbia Light Opera Company, 1925, medley, Col 50015-D.
Gems, Victor Light Opera Company, Chorus, ‘Yes or No’ – Baritone Solo, ‘Only a Dream’ – Tenor and Ladies Trio, ‘He Writes a Song’ – Contralto and Chorus – ‘Love Song (Remember Me)’. Vic 35757-B, New York, 16 Apr. 1925.

1925 Katja, the Dancer (Gilbert) [Katja, New York]

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Mayfair Orchestra, cond. George W. Byng, HMV C-1193, Hayes, Middx, 13 Mar. 1925.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Gaiety Theatre Orchestra, cond. Arthur Wood, Col 9035, London, Mar.–Apr. 1925.
‘Thro’ Life We Go Dancing Together’ (Lilian Davies) and ‘Just for a Night’ (L. Davies & Gregory Stroud), Col 3625, London, 1925.
‘I’ve Planned a Rendez-vous’ (G. Stroud) and ‘When We Are Married’ (Ivy Tresmand & Gene Gerrard), Col 3626, London, 1925.
‘Those Eyes So Tender’ (L. Davies and G. Stroud) and ‘If You Cared’ (G. Stroud & I. Tresmand), Col 3627, London, 1925.
‘Leander’ (I. Tresmand & G. Gerrard) and ‘Love and Duty’ (Bobbie Comber & Rene Mallory), Col 3628, London, 1925.

1925 Frasquita (Lehár)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, De Groot and the Piccadilly Orchestra, HMV C-1185, Hayes, Middx, 10 Nov. 1924.Footnote ³

1925 Clo-Clo (Lehár)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, London Theatre Orchestra, cond. Albert W. Ketèlbey (?), Col 9049, London, Jul. 1925.

1926 Yvonne (Gilbert)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Daly’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. Arthur Wood, Col 9113, London, 9 Jul. 1926.

1926 Hearts and Diamonds (Granichstaedten)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Percival Mackey (piano) and the 1926 Orchestra, Col 9055, London, 21 Jun. 1926.

1926 Countess Maritza (Kálmán) [Maritza, London]

Medley, Victor Light Opera Company, Vic 35809, New York, 1926.
‘Play Gypsies, Dance Gypsies’ (Walter Woolf), Gennett 6043, New York, 1926.
‘I Must Have Everything Hungarian’ and ‘I’m the Best of Budapest’ (Douglas Byng), Parlophone F-1200, London, 20 Jul. 1938.
‘Vienna So Gay’ and ‘Come, Gipsy, Come’ (John Garrick), orch. cond. by Walter Goehr, HMV B-8787, London, 21 Jul. 1938.

1926 My Son John (Straus)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Percival Mackey (piano) and His Band, Col 9187, London, 3 Feb. 1927.

1927 The Blue Mazurka (Lehár)

Vocal Gems, Light Opera Company (Peter Dawson, Barrington Hooper, Elisabeth Pechy, et al.), orch. cond. George W. Byng, HMV C-1331, Small Queen’s Hall, London, 6 Apr. 1927.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Daly’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. Arthut Wood, Col 9216, London, 10 May 1927.

1927 The Blue Train (Stolz)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Percival Mackey and His Band, Col 9213, London, 6 May 1927.

1928 Lady Mary (Sirmay)

‘You Can’t Have My Sugar for Tea’, vocal anon., Jack Hylton and His Orchestra, HMV B-5447, Hayes, Middx, 1 Mar. 1928.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, London Theatre Orchestra, cond. Charles Prentice, Col 9418, London, 17 Mar. 1928.

1928 Song of the Sea (Künneke)

‘Song of the Sea’ and ‘Lovely Ladies’ (Stanley Holloway, Claude Hulbert, and chorus), His Majesty’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. P. Fletcher, Col 9542, London, Sep. 1928.
Selection, His Majesty’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. Percy Fletcher, Col 9543, London, 18 Sep. 1928.
‘True Eyes’ and ‘Somewhere’ (Lilian Davies, Stanley Holloway, & Jerry Verno), His Majesty’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. P. Fletcher, Col 9543, London, Sep. 1928.
‘Women’ and ‘All Day Long’ (A. W. Bascomb & Lilian Davies), His Majesty’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. P. Fletcher, Col 9543, London, Sep. 1928.
‘The Tavern Maid’ and ‘The Mirror Song’ (Lilian Davies), His Majesty’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. P. Fletcher, Col 5084, London, 18 Sep. 1928.
‘Mirror Song’, ‘All Day Long’, ‘True Eyes’, and ‘Somewhere’, Debroy Somers Band (with vocal chorus), Sep. 1928, Col 5087 & 5088.
Vocal Gems, Light Opera Company, orch. cond. George W. Byng, HMV C-1584, London, 5 Oct. 1928.

1930 Frederica (Lehár)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, London Theatre Orchestra, cond. Charles Prentice, Col DX-132, London, 18 Sep. 1930.
‘Wonderful, So Wonderful’ and ‘Wayside Rose’ (Joseph Hislop), HMV B-3589, London, 1930.
‘A Heart as Pure as Gold’ and ‘Oh Maiden, My Maiden’ (J. Hislop), HMV B-3590, London, 1930.
‘Love Will Kiss and Ride Away’ and ‘Little Roses, Little Flowers’ (Lea Seidl), Col DB-269, London, 1930.
‘Why Did You Kiss My Heart Awake?’ and ‘God Has Sent a Lovely Day/I Love Him So’ (L. Seidl), Col DX-131, London, 1930.

1931 White Horse Inn (Benatzky)

Vocal Gems, Parts 1 & 2, Light Opera Company, with orch. cond. Ray Noble, HMV C-2229, Small Queen’s Hall, London, 14 May 1931.
Vocal Gems, Parts 1 & 2, Columbia Light Opera Company, with orch. cond. Charles Prentice, Col DX-251, London, 18 May 1931.

1931 The Land of Smiles (Lehár)

‘You Are My Heart’s Delight’ and ‘Patiently Smiling’ (Richard Tauber), Parlophone RO-20500, London, 1935.

1931 Waltzes from Vienna (Strauss, arr. Bittner and Korngold)

Selection and Vocal Gems, Parts 1 & 2, Alhambra chorus, cond. Walford Hyden, Broadcast 3082 & 3093, London, Sep. 1931.
‘You Are My Song’ and ‘The Blue Danube’ (Thea Phillips & William Parsons), Alhambra chorus, cond. Walford Hyden, Bcst 3093, London, Sep. 1931.
‘For We Love You Still’ (Marie Burke) and ‘Love and War’ (M. Burke & Dennis Noble), Col DB-620, London, 1931.

1931 Viktoria and Her Hussar (Abraham)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Debroy Somers Band, Col DX-285, London, 15 Aug. 1931.
‘Star of My Night’ (Winnie Melville & Derek Oldham), orch. cond. by Ray Noble, HMV B-3954, London, 30 Sep. 1931.

1932 The Dubarry (Millöcker/Mackeben)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, His Majesty’s Theatre Orchestra, cond. Ernest Irving, Col DX-349, London, 21 Apr. 1932.
‘I Give My Heart’ and ‘The Dubarry’ (Anny Ahlers), Parlophone R-1205, 1932.
‘Today’, ‘Happy Little Jeanie’ and ‘Beauty’ (A. Ahler), Parlophone R-1206, 1932.
‘If I Am Dreaming’ (Heddle Nash), 1932, Col DB-815, 1932.
‘The Dubarry’ and ‘I Give My Heart’ (Rowland Leigh), New York, 1932 (label and number unknown).

1932 Casanova (Strauss, arr. Benatzky)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, New Mayfair Orchestra, cond. Ray Noble, HMV C-2434, London, 3 Jun. 1932.

1932 Wild Violets (Stolz)

Vocal Gems, Parts 1 & 2, Columbia Light Opera Company, with orch. cond. Clarence Raybould (?), Col DX-431, London, 25 Nov. 1932.

1933 Mother of Pearl (Straus)

Selection, Parts 1 & 2, New Mayfair Orchestra, cond. Ray Noble, HMV C-2518, London, 6 Jan. 1933. [Recorded 3 weeks before première.]

1933 Ball at the Savoy (Abraham)

Selection, Marek Weber and His Orchestra, HMV C-2588, London, 24 Aug. 1933.
Selection, Parts 1 & 2, Drury Lane Theatre Orchestra, cond. Charles Prentice, Col DX-522, London, 27 Aug. 1933.
Vocal Gems, Parts 1 & 2, Light Opera Company, with orch. cond. anon., HMV C-2604, London, 27 Sep. 1933.

1937 Paganini

Vocal Gems, Light Opera Company (inc. Ina Souez & Dennis Noble), cond. Walter Goehr, HMV C-2902, London, 13 Apr. 1937.

¹ Sources of information: Robert Bauer, The New Catalogue of Historical Records, 1898–1908/09 (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1947); Sound & Moving Image Catalogue (British Library): http://cadensa.bl.uk/cgi-bin/webcat; Truesound discography of the acoustical era: www.truesoundtransfers.de/discoenglish.htm; Brian Rust, with Rex Bunnet. London Musical Shows on Record 1897–1976 (Harrow, Middx: General Gramophone Publications, 1977); Jack Raymond, Show Music on Record from the 1890s to the 1980s (New York: Frederick Ungar, 1982); and Music from the New York Stage, 1890–1920, 4 vols, original cast recordings, produced by Jack Raymond with discographical research by Larry Warner and Bill Bryant, Pearl GEMM CDS 9059–61.

² The celebrated baritone Peter Dawson was also a member of the Light Opera Company on various recordings made 1910–27.

³ Recorded before its try-out at the Lyceum, Edinburgh, opening 24 Dec. 1924.

Book contents

Appendix 4 - Selected Period Recordings of English Versions of Operetta from the German Stage