The 1888 Crystal Palace recordings

Recording at the Festival on 29th June 1888

Making the 1888 recordings

This wasn't the phonograph's first appearance at the Crystal Palace, or even the first musical recording made there.

Ten years earlier, in 1878, the London Stereoscopic Company put Edison's phonograph on display at the Palace on Good Friday, 19th April. This was the machine made by Stroh in England.

According to The Times, Signor Foli sang into it but although it "gave back his deep bass tones most distinctly", it was with "a strange burr and ringing as if distressed at having to sound so low a note". 'Signor Foli', despite his Italian name, was a 42-year-old Irishman living at 88, Piccadilly in 1881.

Next, Sergeant Hardy of the Scots Guard played The Last Rose of Summer on his cornet into it. This was far more successful.

But by 1888 all this had probably been forgotten by all but a few.

The phonograph was first used at Gouraud's house on either 25th or 26th June 1888. We don't know if Gouraud had planned to record at the Crystal Palace in advance of the phonograph's arrival. We do know that it required a large volume of sound to record successfully. Listening to the recordings made later at Little Menlo of well-known Victorians speaking, it is clear that they were told to enunciate clearly and use a loud voice.

The Handel Festival, taking place so close to Gouraud's home at the Crystal Palace, was an obvious temptation for him. It was the loudest musical performance of its type in the country, and only took place once every three years. Clearly, he could not miss the opportunity to try out Edison's new machine.

He managed to get the phonograph installed in the Press Gallery, directly opposite and high above the Handel Orchestra:

Plan showing location of Handel Orchestra

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