I was going through a box of old 78s that we got quite a few years back (15 years or longer) to put on Discogs (and found quite a few which aren't on Discogs and need to be added). The records were from someone from Leeuwarden (up north in the Netherlands) according to the stickers the record shop put on it. Most of these were jazz, foxtrots, waltzes, some classical and Dutch, but there were three records that I found very interesting: they were self-produced and two of them had a date of October 8 1948.
So first of all, I didn't even know people were recording things themselves back then, so that was a bit of a surprise. As said there were three records: one 7" and two 10" records.
I could find out what was on the 7", even though I didn't play it: organ music from the Dutch Reformed church in Dronrijp (which is very close to Leeuwarden) and which apparently has the oldest church organ in the province it's in. The record is a so called Simplex record, which is basically a thin layer of glass, with on it some lacquer where the grooves were cut into.
Back in the early '90s one of my friends had told me that glass records existed (his father was an avid collector of 78s) but I never know what he was talking about until now (another childhood mystery solved!).
Some of the grooves (on the edges) have already disappeared as the lacquer is flaking (so part of the music has been lost) and I am hoping that I can get someone to properly digitize it before all will be lost.
The other two records are 10" records dated Oct 8 1948 and are using a different medium (resin? metal? resin on metal?). They were both recorded in Leeuwarden and at least one of them also has organ music on it. I know they were recorded in Leeuwarden because one of the records has a label on it that says "Studio Braams Leeuwarden". Apparently "Studio Braams" was a recording studio from a radio shop called "Radio Braams", about which I could find very little, except for a historical picture and an entry in the population register of the owner (who is listed as a trader in radio equipment). I could not find any other information, but I did find mention of some other recordings of a choir of convicted (war) criminals in Leeuwarden. Studio Braams even marketed these services under their own brand called "Spiravox" and absolutely zero information can be found about this.
I think that all of these recordings are likely from that particular church organ, so I have contacted the church to ask them for more information (although I would be surprised if they would actually know).
Personally I find this find quite exciting. The music itself is probably not very interesting, but the fact that these recordings haven't been heard in possibly 70 years and that hopefully it can be rescued is what I find intriguing.
I have contacted a museum specialized in storing and digitizing old audio recordings, they said they can (likely) digitize and preserve these records, so I told them that I am willing to donate them.
So first of all, I didn't even know people were recording things themselves back then, so that was a bit of a surprise. As said there were three records: one 7" and two 10" records.
I could find out what was on the 7", even though I didn't play it: organ music from the Dutch Reformed church in Dronrijp (which is very close to Leeuwarden) and which apparently has the oldest church organ in the province it's in. The record is a so called Simplex record, which is basically a thin layer of glass, with on it some lacquer where the grooves were cut into.
 |
| "Orgel NH kerk Dronrijp" and possibly the word "copy" |
Back in the early '90s one of my friends had told me that glass records existed (his father was an avid collector of 78s) but I never know what he was talking about until now (another childhood mystery solved!).
Some of the grooves (on the edges) have already disappeared as the lacquer is flaking (so part of the music has been lost) and I am hoping that I can get someone to properly digitize it before all will be lost.
 |
| Flaking, some grooves have already been lost |
The other two records are 10" records dated Oct 8 1948 and are using a different medium (resin? metal? resin on metal?). They were both recorded in Leeuwarden and at least one of them also has organ music on it. I know they were recorded in Leeuwarden because one of the records has a label on it that says "Studio Braams Leeuwarden". Apparently "Studio Braams" was a recording studio from a radio shop called "Radio Braams", about which I could find very little, except for a historical picture and an entry in the population register of the owner (who is listed as a trader in radio equipment). I could not find any other information, but I did find mention of some other recordings of a choir of convicted (war) criminals in Leeuwarden. Studio Braams even marketed these services under their own brand called "Spiravox" and absolutely zero information can be found about this.
I think that all of these recordings are likely from that particular church organ, so I have contacted the church to ask them for more information (although I would be surprised if they would actually know).
Personally I find this find quite exciting. The music itself is probably not very interesting, but the fact that these recordings haven't been heard in possibly 70 years and that hopefully it can be rescued is what I find intriguing.
I have contacted a museum specialized in storing and digitizing old audio recordings, they said they can (likely) digitize and preserve these records, so I told them that I am willing to donate them.
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