![]() ![]() Firstly, we cannot assume that the performance in a recording studio equaled a performance on stage. Nevertheless, the usability of music recordings is limited, since they have several drawbacks, three of which should be mentioned briefly. Recordings of singers seemingly conserve the style and sound of the singing practice since the early 20th century this may help to evaluate certain questions, like the application of ornaments, coloraturas or expressive timing. Thus, it seems a relief that music performances were recorded since the late 19th century. ![]() Since singing needs no musical instrument, there are no historical instruments to be analysed for deriving additional information related to singing practice. This matter seems especially pertinent when it comes to singing. This restriction is a problem, at least as far as the time prior to the emergence of music recordings is concerned. OUR knowledge of historical performance practice is mainly based on written sources and artefacts. Submitted 2019 February 27 accepted 2019 June 12. Since many of today's vocal artists still view early recordings as the gold standard of interpretation, we should consider the possibility that early recordings are by no means a representative sample of the artists of that time, but rather a selection due to the constraints of the technology at that time. ![]() Yet, Edison's concept of tremolo was as ambiguous as it was influential, for it was the tremolo on which Edison frequently based his decision to employ singers for commercial recordings. In some cases, his comments on the tremolo even contradict the vibratos found in the recordings. We conclude that there are at least two different factors contributing to Edison's concept of tremolo, which include a) technical limitations and artefacts related to the recording process, and b) aesthetic judgements based on his taste for a good singing voice, but which are not necessarily related to the vibrato as such. ABSTRACT: We linked an analysis of vocal vibratos in early recordings with Edison's dismissive attitude towards singers' tremolos in the same recordings. ![]()
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