What the Phonograph Can Do.

Evening Star, Volume 8505, Issue 8505, 2 May 1891, Page 4

What the Phonograph Can Do.

MaoMahon Bros., theatrical managers, will take with them from America a collection of phonograms which cannot be duplicated the world over. Recently they held the last of what they call their “phonographic seances," and it proved one of the moat interesting of the series. Among the phonograms exhibited were three specimens of the work of Levy, the cornetist, which are simply wonderful for the perfection with which they are reproduced. One, which is a genuine novelty, is ‘ God save the Queen,’ rendered in four different octaves, something which Mr Levy asserts that no cornetist except himself can accomplish. Another is a record of ‘ Rule Britannia,’ played as only Levy can play it, and the third is the beautiful melody of ‘ Kiliarney,’ which, if not so difficult of execution as the others, is a deliciously rendered piece of simple music. A medley by Lydia Thompson, Minnie Palmer, General Sheridan, Felix Gottschalk, and a number of other gentlemen created a good deal of amusement, and a speech delivered by General Sheridan in Melbourne yeAra ago was reproduced for the benefit ot the company. Several messages to Australia by actors and actresses were also reproduced, and the tones of the voice of the speaker were as perfect as the enunciation of the words. After the exhibition of a few specimens of their cylinders the MacMahou Brothers invited their guests to perpetuate their voices for their benefit. Joseph Arthur, author of ‘ The Still Alarm,’ fixed in the sensitive wax some extracts from that play, and Mr Burgess and General Sheridan also phonographed their voices for the benefit of Australian friends and admirers. Then a novel idea presented itself to Mr MacMahon. He has purchased 1 The Still Alarm ’ from Mr Arthur for production in Australia, and he requested the author to speak into the phonograph the terms of the agreement between them, the idea being to test the legality of a verbal phonographic contract in Australia. He now has not only Mr Arthur’s contract in writing but his 'own words, in his own voice, which he can reproduce at any time in his home in Australia. —‘ New York Times.’