Much time and effort are invested in each individual Prima Voce project long before we are ready to go into the studio and proceed with the transfers of the 78s. Ideas for new issues may precede the release of a CD by anything from a month to a number of years and can come from a number of different sources:
- a favourite singer of the people involved with the series
- collections within museums which are made available for use
- important voices which are under-represented in our series to date
- conversations that our sales representatives have with retail
- letters from other collectors pleading a case for a particular singer
From the moment at which we decide to concentrate on a particular artist, Norman White, our series consultant, will increase his efforts in finding the relevant recordings (see Finding the best original pressings). Depending on the singer and the period of recordings, this task can take an extremely long time to complete. Even though our archive has been built up over many years, one can always strive that little bit harder to find the cleanest pressing! Some projects may therefore take a little longer than others to plan. The recent issue of a Nellie Melba (NI 7890) CD was something that had been on the cards ever since the series was launched in October 1989. As John Steane quite rightly points out in his note: "Assiduous collectors of the Prima Voce series may have wondered why there has been no Melba number before now. She is, after all, with Caruso, the most famous singer of what is still commonly regarded as 'the golden age'".
Once the records have been assembled we begin the first of what may turn out to be two or three listening sessions. For this the 78s are played on an original EMG Gramophone, known as Boris. It would be slightly impractical to assemble our specially constructed horn-gramophone (see Transferring the 78s) every time we want to listen to a 78!
If the artist is relatively unknown, e.g. Vilhelm Herold (NI 7880), these sessions provide the opportunity to become familiar with their voice and recorded legacy. They are otherwise a chance thoroughly to remind oneself of the voices of more well-known artists and to place their recordings in the context of a career. Finally, and on a purely practical level, it is the stage at which the number of records is whittled down to a manageable size for transfer. This usually amounts to anything between 80 and 120 minutes of playing time depending on the condition of the records.
The final stages in our preparation are designed to make the transfer session flow as smoothly as possible. Each 78 needs to be pitched, i.e. the correct playback speed must be established (see Identifying the correct playback speed). Every side then has to be cleaned using professional cleaning equipment and the wooden thorns (see picture) that we use must be sharpened. Both of these tasks are extremely time consuming and tedious but they are essential in obtaining the best results!
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