'Wilhelmj' cylinders
Number of items in collection: 5
Short description:
Recordings in this collection can be played by anyone.
When donated to the British Library these cylinders were described as 'thought to be by Wilhelmj' but although most of the cylinder boxes have labels written in a copperplate hand denoting the titles, Wilhelmj's name is nowhere to be found. Apparently, the cylinders had been in the possession of Charles Volkert, director of the London branch of the music publishing firm Schott. He died in 1934, and the cylinders were rescued when the establishment was being cleared in the 1960s. Circumstantial evidence points to the cylinders probably being by August Wilhelmj (1845-1908). Firstly, his compositions were published in London by Schott. Secondly, in 1894 he accepted a teaching post at London's Guildhall School of Music.
Long description:
Recordings in this collection can be played by anyone.
When donated to the British Library these cylinders were described as 'thought to be by Wilhelmj' but although most of the cylinder boxes have labels written in a copperplate hand denoting the titles, Wilhelmj's name is nowhere to be found. Apparently, the cylinders had been in the possession of Charles Volkert, director of the London branch of the music publishing firm Schott. He died in 1934, and the cylinders were rescued when the establishment was being cleared in the 1960s. Circumstantial evidence points to the cylinders probably being by August Wilhelmj (1845-1908). Firstly, his compositions were published in London by Schott. Secondly, in 1894 he accepted a teaching post at London's Guildhall School of Music.
These are brown wax cylinders privately made on an early phonograph in the late 1890s or early 1900s. The condition of the cylinders varies, but some are in excellent condition. There are sixteen in total and unusually, long works were recorded over four or more cylinders. he first cylinder of Paganini's Violin Concerto no. 1 is missing, but the remaining four contain the first movement of this work with piano accompaniment. Probably the most important recording is of an unpublished violin concerto by Camillo Sivori (1815-1894). Wilhelmj plays the first movement of what is probably the Violin Concerto no. 2 in A written around 1841. The recording, played at a similar speed to the others sounds in A, and the only other concerto by Sivori listed in Grove is in E flat. Three of the cylinders contain 'Witches' Dance' [La Streghe Op. 8] by Paganini. On the label is written, 'The Witch's Dance, - a Song of the Old Woman under the Walnut Tree, as played by Paganini. During the dark ages, the Walnut Tree was believed to be the trysting place of witches. Hence the Old Woman's Song.
Although most of the cylinder boxes have labels written in a copperplate hand denoting the titles, Wilhelmj's name is nowhere to be found. When donated to the British Library the cylinders were described as 'thought to be by Wilhelmj'. Apparently, the cylinders had been in the possession of Charles Volkert, director of the London branch of the music publishing firm Schott. He died in 1934, and the cylinders were rescued when the establishment was being cleared in the 1960s.
Circumstantial evidence points to the cylinders probably being by August Wilhelmj (1845-1908). Firstly, his compositions were published in London by Schott. Secondly, in 1894 he accepted a teaching post at London's Guildhall School of Music.
In his book Famous violinists of to-day and yesterday (1902), Henry C. Lahee writes of Wilhelmj, 'Unfortunately, his powers have been on the wane for some years past, but though the days of his public performances are past, he is known as a most patient and painstaking teacher.' This opinion of his playing at the end of his life is reflected in the recordings.
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