Recording of Tchaikovsky's Voice

MYS's friend Mary Ann Kaza (Board Member, retired OSO violinist) sent me this really cool video and I just have to share it with all of you!

The video features a phonograph recording from 1890. Tchaikovsky was 50 years old, and the phonograph was still a relatively new invention (1877). On the recording, you can hear the voices of several eminent artists of the time, including Tchaikovsky and Anton Rubinstein (who was one of Tchaikovsky's teachers).

Here's a translation of the contents of the recording:

A. Rubinstein: What a wonderful thing [the phonograph]. J. Block: Finally. E. Lawrowskaja: A disgusting...how he dares slyly to name me. W. Safonov : (Sings a scale incorrectly). P. Tchaikovsky: This trill could be better. E. Lawrowskaja: (sings). P. Tchaikovsky: Block is good, but Edison is even better. E. Lawrowskaja: (sings) A-o, a-o. W. Safonow: (In German) Peter Jurgenson in Moskau. P. Tchaikovsky: Who just spoke? It seems to have been Safonow. (Whistles)

They're all basically just having fun around this fascinating invention. Check out the video below (audio starts after about 13 seconds).