Recording Pioneers


Ivor Robert HOLMES  1886 - 1960   arrowarrow PIONEER    PARENTS    LIFE    NOTES    LABELS    PHOTOS    THANK YOU

PIONEERRESPOND

Ivor Robert HOLMES  1886 - 1960

aka Ivor R. Holmes, I. R. Holmes, Ivor Holmes, I. Holmes
nationality
occupation
birth 14 Aug 1886 (baptized Oct 1886) Bristol, distr. Barton Regis, Gloucestershire
baptism
death 23 April 1960, St. Mary's Hospital, Eastborne, England
burial
marriage married on 4 Nov 1909:
Katharina (‘Kitty’) DORFELD(T)

b. born 29 May 1891, ......
d. 8 Aug 1973, .......

children
  • Victor Alexander Albert HOLMES

    b. 21 Mar 1912, Berlin, GERMANY
    d. 10 Sept 1987, Pickering/Toronto, Ontario, CANADA


PARENTS

father James HOLMES

b. .. Apr/May/June 1854, Newport, Glamorgan, Gwent, Monmouthshire, WALES
d. ..........

mother Sophia/Sophie Elizabeth MORGAN

b. <1859>, Crickhowell, Breconshire, WALES
d. .. Jan/Feb/Mar 1895, Bedwelty, Monmouthshire, ENGLAND

marriage (1) they got married on .. July/Aug/Sep 1877 in distr. Bedminster, Somerset, Gloucestershire:
children
  • Maud

    b. <1878>, Bristol
    d. .........

  • Robert

    b. <1880>, Bristol
    d. .........

  • Clifford E.

    b. <1883>, Bristol, Gloucester
    d. .......

  • Edith G.

    b. <1885>, Bristol, Gloucester
    d. .......

  • Ivor R.

    b. 14 Aug 1886, Bristol, Gloucester
    d. 23 April 1960, St. Mary's Hospital, Eastborne, England

  • Reginald

    b. <1889>, Bristol, Gloucester
    d. ........

  • twins (daughters)

    b. 1891, Bristol, Gloucester
    d. ........

marriage (2) in Oct/Nov/Dec 1892 in ......, Barton Regis, Gloucestershire:
Kate Ann THAYER

b. .. Oct/Nov/Dec 1871, Bristol, Bedminster, Gloucestershire/Somerset
d. ...........


LIFE


recorder
Ho 1, 2, 3 ...... (1908)
aa / ab / ac (tot 11 Aug 1910; source?)
ab/ac: from 8 October 1908 to 15 March 1910 (Kelly)

Lyrophon and related labels (Baidaphon) monogram: "IH" (sometimes followed by a high "2" or "3"


1881 England CENSUS (Bristol, Gloucestershire):
James HOLMES (26y) (Newport, Monmouthshire) mason
Sophia E. (23y) (Crickhowell, Breconshire)
- Maud (3y)
- Robert (1y)



1891 England Census (n.d., Bristol, Gloucestershire):
James HOLMES (37y) builder & contractor
Sophia (32y)
- Clifford E. (8y) (b. <1883>, Bristol, Gloucester)
- Edith G. (6y) (b. <1885>, Bristol, Gloucester)
- Ivor R. (5y) (b. 14 Aug or Oct/Nov/Dec 1886, Bristol, Gloucester)
- Reginald (2y) (b. <1889>, Bristol, Gloucester)
- twins (daughters) (4 days) (b. 1891, Bristol, Gloucester)



1901 England CENSUS (Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire):
James HOLMES (46y) building contractor
Kate A. HOLMES (29y)
- Edith G. (16y)
- Robert (14y) watchmaker
- Reginald (11y)



Joined Gramophone & Typewriter Co. Ltd. City Road in June 1906 until mid-1910.


IVOR ROBERT HOLMES

His father James Holmes was a builder and contractor.
They had 8 children.
Ivor's mother Sophia probably died in 1895.
From the 1901 Census we may conclude that father James had remarried.
His second wife was called Kate.
Ivor is then ca. 15 years old and not staying with his family.
Perhaps his brother Clifford - who was living in London in 1901 - at some time invited his brother to London.

Joined Gramophone & Typewriter Co. Ltd. City Road in June 1906 until mid-1910.

Letter of 9 May 1907 (F/F = Fassett of G&T Ltd (London) to DGAG, Berlin)

We beg to advise you that we have engaged Mr. I. R. Holmes as junior recorder, to be attached permanently to the Berlin Laboratory. Mr. Holmes is engaged on a 5 years contract, copy of which we enclose herewith.
Mr. Holmes will report to Mr. Darby on Wednesday and we wish him to work under Mr. Darby's instruction in the art of record-making and the various other matters which concern a Recording Expert.
.......................................
We have arranged for him to leave London on Monday evening the 13th inst., so that he will arrive in Berlin on Tuesday evening the 14th inst.



Letter of 9 May 1907 (B/G = Birnbaum/W. Gaisberg to W. Sinkler Darby, Berlin):

You will learn from Mr. Fassett that Holmes, one of the new juniors, will arrive in Berlin early next week.
I think Holmes will make a very promising recorder. I want to ask you to be very strict with him and keep him in his place.
Holmes' contract is made on the understanding that he regards Berlin as his headquarters.

......................................


- When was Holmes stationed in/attached to Paris?

Meanwhile Darby was transferred to Paris


Letter of 29 Sept 1908, S/L (Gramco) to Cia Francesa del Gramophone:

Holmes will arrive in Madrid on 5th of October instead of the 3rd.
And as it is important that Mr. Darby [who is stationed in Paris] should see Holmes before he leaves Paris, we have given instructions accordingly, so will you please arrange to go and pick Holmes up at the Hotel de Rome, Madrid on the 5th.



8/10/08 to 9/10/08Barcelona1 - 20 ab
12/10/08 to 18/10/08Madrid21 - 66 ab




Letter of 29 Oct 1908 (Hannover to London)

We have received a shipment of originals made by the new expert Mr. Holmes and we find those records are signed Ho. 1,2,3, and ...



Letter of 8 Oct 1908 (S/L of Recording Department [S. = Sinkler Darby?] to Cie. Française du Gramophone):

Recorders movements:
In accordance with the arrangements decided by Mr. Birnbaum, we now confirm that Holmes is transferred to Berlin on the 1st of November [1908], and that Scheuplein will on the same date take up his position in Paris.



30/11/08 - 23/12/08Berlin67 - 263 ab1 - 38 ac
28/12/08 - 7/1/09Munich264 - 351 ab39 - 51 ac
11/1/09 - 13/1/09Nurnberg352 - 409 ab
20/1/09 - 27/1/09Berlin410 - 502 ab52 - 59 ac




Letter of 13 Feb 1909 (............................)

made by Mr. Holmes on his trip to Munich and Nurnberg.



3/2/09 - 15/2/09Vienna503 - 625 ab
19/2/09 - 20/2/09Berlin626 - 639 ab60 - 63 ac
24/2/09 - 27/2/09Munich640 - 682 ab
1/3/09 - 5/3/09Nurnberg683 - 730 ab
8/3/09 - 5/6/09Berlin731 - 1134 ab64 - 147 ac




Letter of 8 June 1909 ( .......)

made by Mr. Holmes on his trips to Vienna, Nuernberg, Hamburg[?] and Munich.



9/6/09 - 13/6/09St. Petersburg1135 - 1192 ab
17/6/09 - 26/6/09Warsaw1193 - 1273 ab148 - 154 ac
29/6/09 - 6/7/09Wilna1274 - 1388 ab
9/7/09 - 12/7/09Moscow1389 - 1454 ab
15/7/09 - 17/7/09Kiev1455 - 1484 ab
21/7/09 - 22/7/09Kazan1485 - 1566 ab



.........................................................................................................................

17/8/09 - 22/11/09Berlin1567 - 1872 ab200 - 309 ac




Letter of 20 Sept 1909 (Laboratory to F.W. Gaisberg in Belgrade, Servia):

As to the Russian affaire [what Russian affair? - HS], they [Who? Dixon & Clark? - HS] are still uncertain. Mr. Dixon has suggested discharging both the two Hampes and Holmes
that if they did not want to fire the Hampes and Holmes to send all three of them to London to me



On 4 Nov 1909 Ivor Robert Holmes married Katharina DORFELD in .............


25/11/09 - 26/11/09Prague1873 - 1936 ab310-311 ac
3/12/09 - 6/12/09Vienna1937 - 1965 ab
7/12/09 - 16/2/10Berlin1966 - 2113 ab312 - 357 ac
18/2/10 - 25/2/10Vienna2114 - 2179 ab




Letter of 24 Feb 1910 (Laboratory to Deutsche Grammophon Akt.)

Mr. Holmes is on a recording trip, starting at Vienna which he finished just this week, then Budapest, Servia and Belgrade. I have just given instructions transferring Mr. Holmes back to Berlin, and Mr. Franz Hampe, just returned from Stockholm, has taken up the trip planned out for Mr. Holmes.



3/3/10 - 15/3/10Berlin2180 - 2224 ab358 - 371 ac




Franz Hampe took over from Ivor Holmes.


7-3-10 to 13-3-10Belgrade10511 - 10603 l (= lowercase "L")
20-3-10 to 28-3-10Bucarest10604 - 10680 l
1-4-10 to 8-4-10Budapest10681 - 10736 l
14-4-10 to 18-4-10Vienna10737 - 10757 l
21-4-10 to 13-4-10Agram (Zagreb)10758 - 10810 l




Letter of 16 Apr 1910 (Will Gaisberg to Max Hampe):

I have today informed Mr. Holmes that we are giving him a permanent position at Hanover.
In the future he has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the recording.
He says he has a few belongings in the Berlin office, clothing etc. You will please turn over to him whatever belongs to him and do not let him go into the Recording Rooms and be sure what you give him does not belong to the Company. If you have any doubts in the matter, retain any such articles and write me. He will leave [London] for Berlin Monday, so as to prepare himself to leave for Hanover.


The reason for this transfer becomes clear from a letter dated 3 Oct 1924 from W. H. Cooper to Alfred Clark (then visiting VICTOR in Camden, New Jersey):

Recorder mentioned [= Holmes] broke contract by leaving without notice in 1910 when owing to irregularities both in accounts and in dealing with artistes he was stopped recording and ordered to Hanover.

Holmes was a Junior Recorder who had been trained almost entirely by Darby in Berlin. On being sent out to undertake recording his accounts were found to be irregular and he was in debt to the Company to the extent of about £130.0.0
In addition to this, reports were received, I believe, verbally as to irregularities in regard to payments to Artistes. I have interviewed Fred Gaisberg to ascertain whether my recollection was correct, and he confirms that the information was to the effect that Holmes would make additional records by Artistes and retain for himself the amount paid for such additional records, while obtaining a receipt for the full amount from the Artistes.
Holmes being under contract, and it being considered inadvisable to release him immediately, he was suspended as a Recorder and ordered to report to Hanover Factory, where Mr. [Joseph] Berliner was instructed to find him a situation, probably in the Matrix Department.
Holmes did not, however, report at Hanover as instructed, and asked that he might be released from his contract.
He was then given 6 months' notice, to take effect on December 3rd 1910, and told to report at Hanover.
This he refused to do and on July 20th 1910 wrote that he considered himself dismissed as from the date of his letter and our relations thereupon ceased, and we heard no more from him.
If my memory is to be trusted, I believe he forthwith went over to Competition.



Letter of 18 Apr 1910 (......................................)

Mr. Alfred Clarke has informed me today that you will find a place for Ivor Holmes, who was recently employed by the Company [as a recording expert], and who is still under contract as a recording expert.



Letter of 25 May 1910 (W. Gaisberg(?) to S. Toothui, The Gramophone Co., Moscow)

Received your letter of the 14/17 May and it leaves me just as much in the dark as before.
There certainly must be some record in your office as to this recording trip to Kazan. We have absolutely no record of it in London.
I do not know whether you are aware that Mr. Holmes is no longer a recording expert, as I have had him transferred to Hanover. If possible I do not want to refer this matter to him, and even when I had him in London a month ago, he was quite unable to give me any further information about this trip [what trip?], stating that the matter had been turned over to Moscow. I should imagine it would be advisable for you to correspond with Mr. Tyler regarding this trip.



Letter of 27 June 1910 (J.B./H = Joseph Berliner to Head Office London):

On June 24th I received the following telegram: "Where is Holmes? Please reply. Gaisberg." upon which I answered:
"Holmes is on his holidays from where he should have returned ten days ago. Have since nothing heard from him."
The fact is that Mr. Holmes called upon me about the middle of May, where I discussed with him the situation and instructed him to come to Hanover as soon as possible to work in the blank turning Department, and with testing the blank-material, and eventually in the new shop for erecting machines.
He agreed and returned to Berlin to settle his affairs and prepare the transfer of his household to Hanover.
He then called again about the end of May, asking me to take his usual 2 weeks holidays, before he entered his new position here in Hanover, and during this time he would take care to have his furniture p.p. transferred to Hanover. On the 14th of June he was expected here in Hanover, but up to this date I have nothing heard from him. In case he should decide to leave our Company altogether, and enter the services of a competitive house, I should like to have your instructions how to proceed.



Letter of 22 July 1910 (Laboratory (Will Gaisberg?) to George Dillnutt (Gramco Calcutta):

Your remarks that we have got more men than we know what to do with is foolish.
I do not know whether I told you that I have done away with the services of a man named Holmes, who was sent to Berlin to assist Darby, but this was done not because we had too many men, but because he was incapable.
We have got, I assure you George, just sufficient men to carry out our work, provided everyone does his duty.
My plan was what I have been insisting on all along: I want you to come home for 3 years and let another man go out to take his turn. Every man should have to serve his time in India.



From 11 Aug 1910 onwards Holmes' aa/ab/ac triplet was taken over by W. C. Hancox


Letter of 28 Nov 1910 (..... to Leo B. Cohn, Berlin)

Holmes: You remember sometime ago informing me that you had put a detective watching Holmes to see whether we could find out who he was working for. Up to the present time I have had no information from you.
It is very important, before we can go any further with this case, to absolutely ascertain for whom this man is now working.
We have just found out here in London that he is now recording in Warsaw, but it seems to be difficult to find out who he is recording for. Will you let me know whether it is possible to get any further information?
The Directors are very anxious to push this case along.



Letter of 1 Dec 1910 (Leo B. Cohn (DGAG Berlin) to Will Gaisberg (London):

I beg to say that the detective, who was watching the flat where Holmes lives for nearly 3 days continuously, could report nothing because there was nobody in the flat and nobody in the house could give any information about the whereabouts and movements of Mr. Holmes and his wife.



Letter of 1 Dec 1910 (Max Hampe to Will Gaisberg):

I heard some news about Holmes. He made test records for the BEKA people. They were willing to pay him 10.000 Mks but wanted him to go to India. He did not want to go to India.
Holmes is with some other Co. now, [JANUS -] MINERVA or DACAPO.



Letter of 2 Dec 1910 (M/S A. Micheles (Berlin?) to The Gramophone Company Limited):

I now hear that our former recorder Holmes is working temporarily for JANUS-MINERVA, and the recording done by Holmes lately in Warsaw was for the Russian agent of JANUS-MINERVA, a certain Mr. Shenwitz, Lodz.



Letter of 6 Dec 1910 (Will Gaisberg to John Broad (Solicitors?), London):

I herewith enclose you copy of a letter, received from our Russian branch, telling us that Mr. Holmes is working. You will see that he is temporarily in Russia. Is it possible for us to stop him recording?
I enclose you copy of another letter from our Berlin office, in which you will see that the detective has been unsuccessful in finding out anything about Mr. Holmes in Berlin.



2nd half of 1910 BEKA

Jan. 1911 until Dec. 1913 with the LYROPHON Co. Ltd. Berlin, which was absorbed by the Lindström Co. (PARLOPHON) early 1913
Recorded for BAIDAPHON between 1911 and 1913

On 21 Mar 1912 his (only) son Victor Alexander Albert HOLMES is born


Meanwhile William Sinkler Darby was transferred to Paris.


Letter of ....... from ...... to ........:

In accordance with the arrangements decided by Mr. Birnbaum, we now confirm that Holmes is transferred to Berlin on the 1st of November [1908], and that Scheuplein will on the same date take up his position in Paris.



On 4 Nov 1909 married Katharina DORFELD in .............

2nd half of 1910 BEKA

Jan. 1911 until Dec. 1913 with the LYROPHON Co. Ltd. Berlin, which was absorbed by the Lindström Co. (PARLOPHON) early 1913
Recorded for BAIDAPHON


TURKEY (Constantinople)
Between Jan. 1911 - Dec. 1913 [27cm] (IH/IH² = Ivor Robert Holmes)
Probably recorded between Jan 1911 and June 1912 ("Tanin" advertisement).
As in the case of FAVORITE records (earliest example?), most LYROPHON records also begin with the announcement: "Şükrü Bey namına!", which is also found on the labels.
Şükrü Bey was the LYROPHON dealer in Constantinople (Ahmet Şükrü Ticarethanesi: Bahçekapı -Tramvay yolu).
"Şükrü, A." in Paul de Wit's "Welt-Adressbuch 1926/1927": rue Bahçekapı 23.
See also FAVORITE advertisement in Tanin (4/8/1911): Ahmet Şükrü, Bahçekapı - Tramvay yolu.


41500-41999 constitutes either one or two recording sessions.



  

matrix
number
monogram
engineer
artist(s) / accompaniment song title language remarks
41501




41502




41503




41504




41505




41506




41507




41508




41509




41510
Orch. Şevki Bey Uşşak Peşrevi turkish
41511




41512




41513




41514
Şevki Bey (ut) / orch. Mevlevihane Peşrevi turkish
41515




41516




41517
Hafız Yaşar Arap Kantosu: "Ya selam" turkish
41518




41519
Hafız Yaşar "Bu gün dili divaneden" turkish
41520
Hafız Yaşar Hüzzam Şarkı: "Zamanı var ki" turkish
41521
Hafız Yaşar / kanun Hüzzam Gazel: "Gerçi o güzel" turkish
41522
Hafız Yaşar / ut Rast Gazel: "Rahmi yok" turkish
41523




41524




41525




41526
Hafız Yaşar Neva Çiftetelli Gazel: "Bülbül iken" turkish ODEON USA 83083-A
41527




41528
Şevki Bey (ut) Uşşak Taksim turkish
41529




41530
Şevki Bey (ut) Hicaz Taksim turkish
41531
Şevki Bey (ut) Saba Taksim turkish
41532




41533




41534




41535




41536




41537




41538
Hafız Yaşar / keman Rast Gazel: "Kaderim" turkish
41539




41540
Hafız Yaşar Neva Uşşak Çiftetelli Gazel: "Fariğ olmam" turkish
41541
Hafız Yaşar / ut Neva Gazel: "Yatmış uyumuş" turkish
41542
Hafız Yaşar Ninni turkish
41543




41544




41545




41546




41547




41548




41549




41550 IH Yaşar Bey & orch. "Bu kış, hanım, İstanbul'a taşın da" turkish
41551 IH Yaşar Bey & orch. Elmalı Kanto turkish
41552


turkish
41553




41554
Hafız Yaşar / kanun Dügâh Gazel: "Nazarımda" turkish
41555
Hafız Yaşar / keman Neva Gazel: "Derdime vakif" turkish
41556




41557




41558




41559




41560




41561
Şevki Bey (ut) / orch. Rast Peşrevi turkish
41562




41563




41564




41565




41566




41567




41568




41569
Şevki Bey (ut) / orch. Uşşak Semaïsi turkish
41570




41571




41572




41573




41574




41575




41576




41577




41578




41579




41580




41581




41582




41583




41584




41585
Kâzım Bey Yeni deveci Kantosu turkish
41586




41587




41588




41589




41590




41591




41592




41593




41594 IH Kâzım Bey Neva [Çiftetelli] Gazel: "Koklat bana" turkish
41595




41596




41597




41598




41599




41600




41601




41602




41603




41604




41605




41606




41607




41608




41609




41610




41611




41612




41613




41614




41615




41616




41617




41618




41619




41620




41621




41622




41623




41624




41625




41626




41627




41628




41629




41630




41631




41632




41633




41634




41635




41636




41637




41638




41639




41640




41641




41642




41643




41644




41645




41646




41647




41648




41649




41650




41651




41652
Şevki Bey (ut) Çiftetelli turkish
41653 IH Janko & Cie Kasap havası turkish
41654 IH² Janko & Cie Sousta Chios avec harmonica greek
41655 IH Janko Companiassi Kleftiko greek
41656 IH Janko & Cie / avec harmonium Sirto greek
41657




41658




41659
Kâzım Bey Ferahnak Şarkı: "Ben müptelâ olsam [sana]" turkish
41660




41661




41662




41663




41664




41665




41666




41667




41668




41669




41670




41671 IH² Mustafa Efendi Eğin havası: "Seherde açılır" turkish
41672




41673




41674




41675
İbrahim Efendi "Destan Tripolis" turkish
41676 IH² İbrahim Efendi "Destan Tripolis" turkish






41677




41678 IH² Şevki Bey & Cie "Mandra" turkish
41679 IH² Meddah Sururi "Kara Ahmet et sa mère" turkish
41680 IH² Meddah Sururi "Hokkabazın muhaveresi" turkish
41681




41682




41683




41684




41685




41686




41687
Hafız Yaşar / keman Hicaz Gazel: "Huriler bilmem ki" turkish
41688




41689




41690




41691




41692




41693




41694
Hafız Yaşar / ut Hicazkâr Gazel: "Neva yok" turkish
41695




41696




41697 IH² Mustafa Efendi Eğin havası turkish
41698




41699




41700




41701




41702




41703




41704




41705
Hafız Yaşar Uşşak Şarkı: "Gamla kıymettar[-ı ömrün geldi]" turkish
41706




41707




41708




41709




41710




41711




41712




41713




41714




41715




41716




41717




41718




41719




41720




41721




41722
Tsounarakis Bournovaliotikos Manes greek ODEON X 65117 / xC 3177
41723




41724




41725
Yangos [Psamathianos] Tabahaniotikos Manes: "Otan kaneis peripato" greek
41726
Aleko Efendi (kemençe) Hüzzam Taksim turkish
41727
Anastas Efendi (kemençe) Neva Taksim turkish
41728




41729




41730




41731




41732




41733 IH² Fethi Bey (kanun) Kanun Taksimi turkish
41734




41735




41736




41737




41738




41739




41740
Arap Mehmet (zurna) Çiftetelli turkish
41741
Arap Mehmet (zurna) Segâh Taksim turkish
41742
Arap Mehmet (zurna) Saba Taksim turkish
41743
Arap Mehmet (zurna) Pehlivan havası turkish
41744




41745




41746




41747 IH² Yangos Psamathianos? "Vlachiko Yangou" greek
41748




41749




41750




41751




41752




41753




41754




41755




41756




41757




41758




41759




41760




41761




41762




41763




41764 IH² (no artist) "Bournovalia" greek
41765
(no artist) "Leplepidzi" [Leblebici] greek
41766
(no artist) "Leplepidzi" [Leblebici] greek
41767




41768




41769




41770
Hafız Yaşar / tanbur Rast Gazel: "İptilâ-ı derdin" turkish
41771




41772




41773




41774




41775




41776




41777




41778




41779




41780




41781
Hafız Yaşar / keman Yegâh Gazel: "Ne saki şad eder" turkish
41782
Hafız Yaşar / keman Nihavent Gazel: "Bilmezdim [özüm gamzene]" turkish
41783




41784




41785 IH² Mehmet Efendi "Koyunları suya indirmek" turkish
41786




41787




41788




41789




41790




41791




41792




41793




41794
Orchestre "Ey Gaziler" turkish
41795




41796




41797




41798




41799




41800




41801




41802




41803




41804




41805




41806




41807




41808




41809




41810




41811




41812




41813




41814




41815




41816




41817




41818




41819




41820




41821




41822




41823
Tevfik Bey (nısfiye) Rast Taksim turkish
41824 IH² Tevfik Bey (nısfiye) Saba Taksim turkish
41825




41826 IH² Tevfik Bey (nısfiye) Hüseyni Taksim turkish
41827
Arap Mehmet (zurna) Rast Taksim turkish
41828
Arap Mehmet (zurna) Köçek havası turkish
41829




41830




41831




41832




41833




41834




41835




41836




41837




41838




41839




41840




41841




41842
Hafız Yaşar / kemençe Rast Gazel: "Ben beni bilmem" turkish
41843
Hafız Yaşar / nısfiye Rast Gazel: "Arayıp" turkish
41844




41845
Hafız Yaşar / nısfiye Segâh Gazel: "Kimseyi dil [tenk-î azar etme?]" turkish
41846




41847




41848




41849




41850




41851




41852




41853




41854




41855




41856
Hafız Yaşar "Feryad ederim" turkish
41857
Hafız Yaşar / nısfiye Hüzzam Gazel: "Ben de mecnûn" turkish
41858
Hafız Yaşar / nısfiye Uşşak Gazel: "Ey nazlı melek" turkish
41859




41860




41861
Hafız Yaşar / ney Acemaşiran Gazel: "Alem-i mehtaba" turkish
41862




41863
Tevfik Bey (ney) Evcârâ Taksim turkish
41864 IH² Hafız Osman / ut Hicaz Gazel: "Acı yaptın" (="Acıyaydın bana" in cat.) turkish
41865




41866




41867
Hafız Yaşar / ut Şehnaz Gazel: "Alem-i mehtâba [çıksak bir şeb]" turkish
41868




41869 IH² Meddah Sururi "Muhacirin Karagöz oynatması" turkish ODEON X 46604 / xC 3178
41870




41871




41872
Hafız Osman / ut Hüseyni Gazel: "Zemzemi" turkish
41873




41874 IH² Hafız Osman / ut Neva üzerine Hicaz Gazel: "Ser-i zülf-ü anberini [yüzüne]" turkish
41875 IH² Hafız Osman Neva üzerine Rast Gazel turkish ODEON X 46606 / xC 3180
41876
Hafız Yaşar / ut Rast Gazel: "Ey şekerlep" turkish
41877 IH² Hafız Yaşar / ut Segâh Gazel [: "Yarimi gördüm"] turkish
41878
Hafız Yaşar / ut Neva Gazel: "Ey felek" turkish
41879
Hafız Yaşar / ut Saba Gazel: "Ey bâd-ı sabâ" turkish
41880




41881




41882




41883




41884




41885




41886 IH² Şevki Bey (ut) Nişabur Taksim turkish
41887




41888




41889




41890




41891




41892




41893




41894




41895




41896




41897




41898




41899




41900




41901




41902 IH² Enderouli Mehmet Bey "Berlinde hayvanat vahşiyye bahçesini ziyaret" turkish ODEON X 46605 / xC 3179
41903




41904 IH² Hafız Yaşar / tanbur Rast Gazel: "Cânda var" turkish
41905
Hafız Yaşar / tanbur Uşşak Gazel: "Fariğ olmam" turkish
41906
Hafız Yasar / tanbur Mahur Gazel: "Neva yok" turkish
41907
Hafız Yaşar / tanbur Saba Gazel: "Ser-i zülf-ü anberini yüzüne nikab edersin" turkish
41908
Hafız Yaşar / tanbur Hüzzam Gazel: "Tahammül mülkünü" turkish
41909




41910




41911




41912




41913




41914




41915




41916




41917




41918




41919




41920




41921




41922




41923




41924




41925 IH² Hafız Yaşar Şehnaz Şarkı: "Ey verdi rana" turkish
41926




41927
Hafız Yaşar / ney Müstear Gazel: "Kimseyi dil" turkish
41928
Hafız Yaşar / nısfiye Rast Gazel: "Bir zaman" turkish
41929




41930




41931 IH² Tahsin Bey (tanbur) Hicaz Taksim turkish
41932 IH² Tahsin Bey (tanbur) Hüseyni Taksim turkish
41933 IH² Tahsin Bey (tanbur) Bestenigâr taksim turkish
41934 IH² Tahsin Bey (tanbur) Acemaşiran Taksim turkish
41935




41936
Tahsin Bey (tanbur) Neva Taksim turkish
41937




41938




41939




41940




41941




41942




41943




41944




41945




41946




41947




41948




41949 IH² Hafız Osman / keman Uşşak Gazel: "Her zaman" turkish ODEON X 46527 / XC 3095
41950
Hafız Osman / keman Hüzzam Gazel: "Sanma ey aşk” turkish
41951
Hafız Osman / keman Neva üzerine Hicaz Gazel: "Ne hal oldu"

41952 IH² Hafız Osman "Bir görüşte seni" turkish
41953




41954
Hafız Osman / keman Neva Gazel: "Ne hal oldu" turkish
........
T
...........
................................






Sources: Odeon/Lyrophon/Favorite Catalogue; Record reviews by Max Chop (in: PhZ); collectors


ODEON 46527/46606 has also 41919T/41875T under the label, indicating this is a LYROPHON pressing. (41919 is listed in OD/LY/FA catalogue)
But the embossed LYROPHON catalogue numbers were replaced by ODEON cat. nos.


Also Spottswood:

ODEONX 46604 / xC 317841869 T (on label & erased in wax)IH²
X 46605 / xC 317941902 T (on label & erased in wax)



.......................................
xC 3095X 46527 (from LYROPHON 41949 T)
xC 3176X 65116 (from LYROPHON 41725 T)
xC 3177X 65117 (from LYROPHON 41722 T)
xC 3178X 46604 (from LYROPHON 41869 T)
xC 3179X 46605 (from LYROPHON 41902 T)
xC 3180X 46606 (from LYROPHON 41875 T)
.......................................



Many recordings have a handwritten mtx/cat. number with an added capital "T" under the label, plus the initials "IH" or "IH²" (=Ivor Robert Holmes).
I do not know whether 41500-41952 (ca. 450 recordings) represents one and the same recording session.
Wilhelm Hadert joined LYROPHON in 1913 (PhZ 14/35/813) after the death of director Martin Schulvater (PhZ 14/23/504).


First Lyrophon advertisement mentioning Turkish/Greek/Arabic recordings in PhZ 14/29a/655 (19 July 1913).




Copy of the original advertisement In Ottoman script by Nicole van Os
(Tanin, No. 1377, sa. 5 / sü. 6 (17 Haziran 1328 = 30 Haziran [=June] 1912)




Here follows a transliteration of the original text:

Gülşen Musiki-i Osmani Ticarethane Hafız Yaşar
Gramofon meraklılarına müjde!
Dünyanın en meşhur mühendisi Amerikalı Holmes maarifetiyle yapılan gramofon plakları ve Tanburî [Tahsin?], Neyzen Hafız Tevfik Efendi ile birlikte Hanende-i Şehîr Hafız Yaşar Beyin okuduğu gazel ve şarkılar Sirkeci'de Tramvay Caddesinde Osmaniye Oteli karşısında "Gülşen" Musiki Osmani mağazasında füruht olunuyor.
["Gramophone records expertly made by the world's most famous [sic] engineer, the American [sic] Holmes ......"
]

Ivor Holmes was not American but British!

From Tanin, 6 July 1912


Although no record company is explicitly mentioned it is clear from the names of the artists (Yaşar/Tahsin/Tevfik) and the name "Holmes" that this advertisement is about LYROPHON records.


  

Recorded by Ivor Robert HOLMES (between 1911 - Dec 1913)
BAIDAPHON gazelle-label
matrix
number
monogram
engineer
artist(s) / accompaniment song title language remarks






1408 IH Cheikh Sayed El-Safti
arabic
1409 IH Cheikh Sayed El-Safti














1905 IH Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi








1923 ? Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi

see p. 30-31 in Grammophonplatten (Lotz)
192* ? Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi














1949 ? Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi


1950 ? Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi


1951 IH















4010 IH³ Zeker


4011 IH³ Zeker








12404 ? Mansour Effendi Avvad et Sami Effendi Chavva Le Rossignol
source: Gunrem/Schulze calendar Nov 2005












12512 IH³ Ibrahim Eff. Sahloun & Abdel Hamid Eff. Kaddabi


12513 - Ibrahim Eff. Sahloun & Abdel Hamid Eff. Kaddabi








12690 IH³ El Sayed Cochta








12702 IH³ El Sayed Cochta














19020 IH³ Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi

Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi died on 14 April 1912
19021 IH³ Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi








19120 IH³ Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi


19121 IH³ Abdel Hai Eff. Hilmi














21910 ? Nechat Bey Effendi (oud)


21911 ? Nachat Bey Efendi














23001 -
Mounira El Mahdia


23100 ? Mounira El Mahdia














26118 ?



26119 ?



26158 IH Zeki Efendi Mourad


26159 IH Zeki Efendi Mourad














35011 IH El-Sette Amina El-Erakia

on label: Berlin, Beyrouth, Cairo, Amerique
35012 IH El-Sette Amina El-Erakia

on label: Berlin, Beyrouth, Cairo, Amerique






35090 IH³ El-Sit Amina El-Erakia


35091 IH³ El-Sit Amina El-Erakia

in the wax under label a name: Buschmann?












36004 IH Mohamed Effendi Salim


36005 IH Mohamed Effendi Salim


36020 -
Cheikh Mohammed Salim


36039 ? Cheikh Mohammed Salim














37009 IH Faragallah Effendi Baîda


37010 ? Faragallah Effendi Baîda

monogram probably hidden under label



On 21 Mar 1912 his (only) son Victor Alexander Albert HOLMES is born

Holmes must have been involved in recording for the Erste Ungarische Schallplattenfabrik in Hungary (Budapest?) in view of "1913 december 1-jén bejelentették, hogy "Jelentékeny anyagi áldozatok árán szerzödtetett uj felveteli igtazgato, HOLMES" (December 1913: .... felvételi igazgató, HOLMES)
(source: p. 35 of Elsö Magyar Hanglemezgyár: Premier Record by Marton Gyula and Bajnai Klára. Jazz Oktatási és Kutatási Alapitvány. Budapest, 2008)


DACAPO

Joined COLUMBIA in 1914 until 1921.

Letter of 23 Aug 1937 (Ivor Robert Holmes (Recording Studios, Abbey Road, London, N.W.8) to S. Gibbons (Factory, Hayes)):

As requested herewith some details regarding my service with this and the allied Companies.
June 1906, joined the Gramophone & Typewriter Co. Ltd. City Road and remained until the middle of 1910.
[From] Jan. 1911 until Dec. 1913 with the LYROPHON Co. Ltd. Berlin, which was absorbed by the Lindström Co. (PARLOPHON) early 1913.
1914 to 1918 recording exclusively for COLUMBIA Vienna at Budapest, to which town I was confined as an enemy subject.
1918 until 1921, under contract with COLUMBIA London.
In 1921, at the request of Mr. [Louis Saul] Sterling, I sacrificed the rest of my contract with the understanding that I should return to the Company as soon as its affairs were more prosperous.
1921 until 1925 employed under contract by the Berliner Gramophone Co. Montreal (His Master's Voice Canada) which company was completely taken over by the Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, NJ in 1923-1924.
1925 re-joined COLUMBIA.
The interval between middle 1910 and Jan. 1911 was employed in endeavouring to get contracts from passenger shipping companies to instal moving picture equipment on the liners for the passengers entertainment.
I mention this because the question was asked once before.



In 1921 transferred to Berliner Gramophone Co. (Montreal) - which became affiliated with Victor Company - and stayed with this firm from 1921-1925.

In 1925 re-joined Columbia and is still with us (in March 1936
emigrated to CANADA)
15 Oct 1926: (Fonotipia by Henstock p. 466/note 1137) Holmes in Milan

Mentioned in 1930-1958 British Phonebooks: Kingswear Church Lane NW9, Collindale, London


DACAPO

Joined COLUMBIA in 1914 until 1921.

Letter of 3 march 1936 from W. S. Purser (Technical Recording Manager [Abbey Road Recording Studio]) to Mr. N. E. D. Hutchinson (Hayes):

Replying to your Letter of 23 Aug 1937 from Ivor Robert Holmes (Recording Studios, Abbey Road, London, N.W. 8) to S. Gibbons (Factory, Hayes)):
As requested herewith some details regarding my service with this and the allied Companies.
June 1906, joined the Gramophone & Typewriter Co. Ltd. City Road and remained until the middle of 1910.
Jan. 1911 until Dec. 1913 with the LYROPHON Co. Ltd. Berlin, which was absorbed by the Lindström Co. (PARLOPHON) early 1913.
1914 to 1918 recording exclusively for COLUMBIA Vienna at Budapest, to which town I was confined as an enemy subject.
1918 until 1921, under contract with COLUMBIA London.
In 1921, at the request of Mr. [Louis Saul] Sterling, I sacrificed the rest of my contract with the understanding that I should return to the Company as soon as its affairs were more prosperous.
1921 until 1925 employed under contract by the Berliner Gramophone Co. Montreal (His Master's Voice Canada) which company was completely taken over by the Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, NJ in 1923-1924.
1925 re-joined COLUMBIA.
The interval between middle 1910 and Jan. 1911 was employed in endeavouring to get contracts from passenger shipping companies to instal moving picture equipment on the liners for the passengers' entertainment.
I mention this because the question was asked once before.


Annex to letter of 5 March 1936 from N. E. D. Hutchinson (Electric & Musical Industries Limited, Hayes, Middlesex) to Mr. [W. S.] Purser (Abbey Road Recording Studio):

Re. Mr. I. R. HOLMES
Recording Engineer - Abbey Road
Joined Co.: June 1906
7½ yrs. Broken service
Salver due: December 1938
From 1906 to 1910 Mr. Holmes was a recording Engineer with The Gramophone Co.

In 1914 he joined Columbia - was interned during the War in Hungary during which time he made records for the Company.
In recent years Mr. Holmes has made records in most countries of Europe.
Salvers Nos. 285, 286, 287 and 288.

(‘289’ added in handwriting)


In 1921 Holmes was transferred to Berliner Gramophone Co. (Montreal) - which became affiliated with Victor Company - and stayed with this firm from 1921-1925.

He [= Harry Sooy] also traveled to Montreal, Canada, assisting with the transfer of ownership of Berliner Canada to Victor, coferring wirh Mr. [Ivor Robert] Holmes, the recorder there (from: The Sooy Dynasty of Camden, New Jersey: Victor's First Family of Recording by Paul D. Fischer, based on H. Sooy 112)

In 1925 [re-]joined Columbia and is still with us (in March 1936 Holmes emigrated to CANADA)

On 15 Oct 1926 Holmes was in Milan (Fonotipia by Henstock p. 466/note 1137).

Listed in 1930-1958 British Phonebooks at: Kingswear Church Lane NW9, Collindale, London

In 1901 his brother Clifford E. Holmes lives as a boarder in St Marylebone London.



Ivor Robert HOLMES (34y) recording expert
SS “EMPRESS OF FRANCE”
Dep.: not indicated
Arr.: 15 April 1921, Saint John, New Brunswick, CANADA
Destination: Montreal, CANADA



Ivor Robert HOLMES (34y) recording expert
SS “.....”
Dep.: Quebec, CANADA
Arr.: 1 June 1921, Liverpool, ENGLAND
Residence: 134 Crouch Hill, London



Ivor Robert HOLMES (39y) recording expert
+ Katharina HOLMES (35y)
SS “ANDES”
Dep.: Buenos Aires
Embarked at Lisbon (PORTUGAL)
Arr.: 25 July 1926, Southampton, ENGLAND
Residence: 55 Fortisgreen Ave., Muswell Hill, London



Ivor R. HOLMES (48y) sound recording expert
+ Katharina HOLMES (43y)
SS “STRATHAIRD”
Dep.: Brisbane, AUSTRALIA
Sydney - Melbourne - Adelaide - Fremantle - Colombo - Bombay - Aden - Port Sudan - Port Said - Malta - Marseilles - Monaco - Tangier - Gibraltar.
(Holmes embarked at Marseilles, FRANCE)
Arr.: 2 May 1935, London, ENGLAND
Residence: 40, Old Church Lane, London NW 9



Ivor Robert HOLMES (49y) engineer
SS “SLAMAT”
Dep.: 25 June 1936, Surabaya, Indonesia
Batavia - Belawan - Singapore - Colombo - Port Said - Gibraltar - Tangier - Lisbon
(Embarked at Lisbon, PORTUGAL)
Arr.: 28 July 1936, Southampton, ENGLAND
Residence: 40, Old Church Lane, London NW 9



Ivor Robert HOLMES (50y) sound recording engineer
SS “ALMANZORA”
Dep.: Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
(Embarked at Lisbon, FRANCE)
Arr.: 6 Oct 1936, Southampton, ENGLAND
Residence: 40, Old Church Lane, London NW 9


British Phone Books
1930-32, 1935-36, 1938 / 1940 / 1951/ 1958

BAIDA: a preview
(from: Das Buch der deutschen Schallplatten-Etiketten - The German 78rpm Record Label Book)
A work in progress by Michael Gunrem, Rainer Lotz, Stephan Puille and others


 




★ THE PREMIER RECORD LABELS ★




NOTES

  • correspondence with numerous collectors
  • conversations/correspondence with Jim Holmes
  • Odeon/Lyrophon/Favorite Catalogue
  • Michel Baida by Frank Gesemann (in: Araber in Berlin by Frank Gesemann, Gerhard Höpp and Haroun Sweis, pp. 32-33)
  • Correspondence in EMI Archives
  • Cairo Practice by Paul Vernon (in: Folkroots No. 141) Electronic Edition by Lars Frederiksson
  • Arabic Records by Michael S. Kinnear (in: The Talking Machine Review No. 68, p. 1881 (June 1984))
  • The Persian Page by Michael S. Kinnear
  • The Talking Machine Review No. 59, p. 1590 (.....)
  • Wahrenzeichen (Trade marks) 1911, 1912, 1925
  • Record Industry and Egyptian Traditional Music: 1904-1932 by Ali Jihad Racy (Ethnomusicology, vol. XX, no. 1 - January 1976)
  • The Record Industry Comes to the Orient by Pekka Gronow (in: Ethnomusicology, vol. XXV, no. 2 - May 1981) (online)
  • The Sooy Dynasty of Camden, New Jersey: Victor's First Family of Recording by Paul D. Fischer
  • Phonographische Zeitschrift 13 J., No. 35, p. 815 (1912)
  • De Baidaphon, ach wie kent hem niet. by Frans Jansen (Weergever 26e J., no. 1, pp. 40-41 (2004)
  • Baida records (own collection)
  • Record sleeves (own collection)
  • Slides of labels (own collection)
  • For pictures of Baidaphon needle-boxes see: www.songster.de/dosen/b/baidaphon
  • Elsö Magyar Hanglemezgyár: Premier Record by Marton Gyula and Bajnai Klára. Jazz Oktatási és Kutatási Alapitvány. Budapest, 2008, p. 35
  • Magyar hanglemeztörténet by Simon Géza Gábor. Jazz Oktatási és Kutatási Alapitvány. Budapest, 2008)
  • L'histoire de l'enrégistrement sonore au Québec et dans le monde 1878-1950 by Robert Thérien (E. I. Holmes (sic) on p. 119)
  • Goulash, Wiener schnitzel and sis kebap: Premier Record by Hugo Strötbaum (in: The Lindström Project. Contributions to the history of the record industry / Beiträge zur Geschichte der Schallplattenindustrie. Vol. 4, pp. 128-145 (editors: Pekka Gronow & Christiane Hofer). Gesellschaft für Historische Tonträger, Wien 2010. ISBN 978-3-9500502-0-2
  • The Mystery of Tycoon Michel Baida in Old Arab Berlin by Irit Neidhardt (in: The Markaz Review no. 28 (15 Sep 2022)
Das Bilderlexikon der deutschen Schellack-Schallplatten (5 Bände) – The German Record Label Book by Rainer E. Lotz with Michael Gunrem and Stephan Puille (2019). Bear Family Records.



PHOTOS

Ivor Holmes
Recording made by Ivor Holmes in Egypt.



THANK YOU


Jim Holmes
Nicole van Os
Alan Kelly
EMI Music Archives
Ruth Edge
Ferko Öry
Klára Bajnai
Simon Géza Gábor
Gerrit Moleman
Will Prentice