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design [booklet] Takeshi Takahashi
music consultant Anselm Gerhard
music consultant Donald Manildi
music consultant Farhan Malik
music consultant Frances Maunder
music consultant Galina Kopytova
music consultant Gerald Fabris
music consultant Jay Reise
music consultant Susanne Ziegler
photography by Allen Koenigsberg
photography by Barbara Tancil
photography by Charles Mintzer
photography by Girvice Archer
photography by Gregor Benko
photography by John Anthony Maltese
photography by Vivienne Christine Block
translated by Hansjakob Werlen
translated by Margarita Glebov
translated by Stephane Puille
Julius Block (1854-1934) was a man of vision. Beginning in 1889, shortly after Edison perfected the first viable sound recording device, Block recorded some of the most important artists and personalities of his day on cylinder. His recordings range in date from 1889 to 1927, and were made in Russia, Germany, and Switzerland. This three-CD set includes artists who have previously remained “silent” and change the conception of many artists whose discography up until now were thought to be complete. But in addition to providing a new list of firsts, there is compelling reason to regard these recordings as a Rosetta Stone of nineteenth century musical performance practice. (Back sleeve notes of CD)

72 page booklet included.
Translations of the spoken portion of the cylinders may be found in Appendix 2, beginning on page 60.

CD-1 (C - Cylinder) (“o.s.” (old style) refers to Julian Calendar dating)
1-1 - 1891; (C143) Russia
1-2 - 24 December 1895 o.s.; (C139) Moscow
1-3 - 24 December 1895 o.s.; (C139) Moscow
1-4 - 10 February 1896 o.s.; (C140) Moscow
1-5 - Date unknown o.s.; (C137) Russia
1-6 - 15 November 1898 o.s.; (C136) Apartment of Julius Block, Russia
1-7 - 12 February 1895 o.s.; (C121) Moscow
1-8 - 12 February 1895 o.s.; (C122) Moscow
1-9 - 12 February 1895 o.s.; (C122) Moscow
1-10 - 12 February 1895 o.s.; (C122) Moscow
1-11 - 12 February 1895 o.s.; (C124) Moscow
1-12 - 12 February 1895 o.s.; (C125) Moscow
1-13 - 12 February 1895 o.s.; (C125) Moscow
1-14 - 12 February 1895 o.s.; (C123) Moscow
1-15 - 24 November 1892 o.s.; (C112) Russia
1-16 - 24 November 1893 o.s.; (C120) Russia
1-17 - 25 November 1894 o.s.; (C114) Moscow
1-18 - 25 November 1894 o.s.; (C114) Moscow
1-19 - Date not specified; (C115) Russia
1-20 - 20 December 1894 o.s.; (C109) Moscow
1-21 - 20 December 1894 o.s.; (C119) Moscow
1-22 - 20 December 1894 o.s.; (C119) Moscow
1-23 - 12 April 1899 o.s.; (C117) Russia
1-24 - 12 April 1899 o.s.; (C107) Russia
1-25 - 18 February 1898 o.s.; (C135) Russia
1-26 - 16 September 1898 o.s.; (C134) Russia
1-27 - Ca. 1890s; (C144) Russia
1-28 - October 1923; (C106) Vevey, Switzerland
1-29 - October 1923; (C104) Vevey, Switzerland
1-30 - October 1923; (C105) Vevey, Switzerland
1-31 - October 1923; (C105) Vevey, Switzerland
1-32 - 26 February 1911; (C162) Germany
1-33 - 1915; (C141) Germany
1-34 - 1915; (C141) Germany
1-35 - February (?) 1915; (C158) Grunewald, Germany

CD-2
2-1 - 1915; (C159) Germany
2-2 - 1915; (C159) Germany
2-3 - 14 December 1893 o.s.; (C126) Russia
2-4 - 14 December 1892 o.s.; (C127) Moscow
2-5 - 14 December 1892 o.s.; (C111) Moscow
2-6 - 14 December 1892 o.s.; (C130) Moscow
2-7 - 4 October 1892 o.s.; (C191) Russia
2-8 - 4 October 1892 o.s.; (C191) Russia
2-9 - 7 April 1894 o.s.; (C189) Russia
2-10 - 10 December 1894 o.s.; (C42) Russia
2-11 - 10 December 1894 o.s.; (C43) Russia
2-12 - 10 December 1894 o.s.; (C44) Russia
2-13 - 4 November 1912; (C192) Grunewald, Germany
2-14 - 4 November 1912; (C193) Grunewald, Germany
2-15 - 4 November 1912; (C194) Grunewald, Germany
2-16 - 4 November 1912; (C195) Grunewald, Germany
2-17 - 4 November 1912; (C197) Grunewald, Germany
2-18 - 27 December 1914; (C200) Grunewald, Germany
2-19 - 27 December 1914; (C211) Grunewald, Germany
2-20 - 6 December 1914 [per announcement]; (C207) Grunewald, Germany
2-21 - 6 December 1914 [per announcement]; (C202) Grunewald, Germany
2-22 - 27 December 1914; (C209) Grunewald, Germany
2-23 - 27 December 1914; (C212) Grunewald, Germany
2-24 - 27 December 1914; (C205) Grunewald, Germany
2-25 - 27 December 1914; (C210) Grunewald, Germany
2-26 - Recording date unknown; (C198)
2-27 - 12 December 1893 o.s.; (C40) Hall of the Synodical School of Moscow

CD-3
3-1 - 19 February 1890 o.s.; (C62) St. Petersburg
3-2 - 22 November 1891 o.s.; (C63) Moscow
3-3 - 19 February 1890 o.s.; (C59) St. Petersburg
3-4 - 19 February 1890 o.s.; (C60) St. Petersburg
3-5 - 22 November 1891 o.s.; (C61) Moscow
3-6 - 15 February 1890; (C74) the Hall of the St. Petersburg Conservatory
3-7 - 1890; (C75) Russia
3-8 - 1890; (C77), Block’s Apartment, Moscow
3-9 - 1891; (C67) Russia
3-10 - 4 February 1891 o.s.; (C65) Moscow, History Museum’s main lecture hall
3-11 - 5 February 1891 o.s.; (C66) Moscow, History Museum’s main lecture hall
3-12 - 4 February 1891 o.s.; (C64) Moscow, History Museum’s main lecture hall
3-13 - 4 February 1891 o.s.; (C64) Moscow, History Museum’s main lecture hall
3-14 - 14 November 1892 o.s; (C52) Moscow
3-15 - 14 November 1892 o.s; (C52) Moscow
3-16 - 14 November 1892 o.s.; (C55) Moscow
3-17 - 31 March 1891 o.s.; (C88) Russia
3-18 - 10 January 1894 o.s.; (C68) Moscow, Physics Lecture Hall, Moscow University
3-19 - 10 January 1894 o.s.; (C69) Moscow, Physics Lecture Hall, Moscow University
3-20 - 10 January 1894 o.s.; (C70) Moscow, Physics Lecture Hall, Moscow University
3-21 - 8 November 1894 o.s.; (C86) Russia
3-22 - 8 November 1894 o.s.; (C85) Russia
3-23 - 10 December 1898 o.s.; (C93) Block residence, assumed St. Petersburg
3-24 - 26 November 1898 o.s.; (C97) St. Petersburg
3-25 - 26 November 1898 o.s.; (C97) St. Petersburg
3-26 - Recording date unknown; (C51) Russia
3-27 - 10 March 1892 o.s.; (C50) Russia
3-28 - 16 September 1911; (C100) Announced Berlin, but presumed to be Grunewald
3-29 - 16 September 1911; (C101) Grunewald, Germany
3-30 - 16 December 1911; (C352) Germany
3-31 - 14 February 1895 o.s.; (C247) Russia
3-32 - 14 February 1895 o.s.; (C245) Russia (Tolstoy and his wife) /
- 2 November 1927; (C245) Vevey, Switzerland (Tolstoy’s daughter and granddaughter)
3-33 - 4-10 January 1890 o.s.3; (C283) Moscow

Some additional Block cylinders exist. The producers chose the cylinders to be included in this set based on the quality of the recording and the importance of the performer. (From inside booklet)

Made in Canada (Back of CD cover). Manufactured in Canada (CD discs).

(Back of CD cover)
Producers: John and John Anthony Maltese.
Project Coordinators: Gregor Benko and Scott Kessler.
Audio Conservation: Ward Marston.
Audio Assistance: Dimitrios Antsos, Raymond Edwards, and J. Richard Harris.

Major funding for this project was provided for by the estate of John Stratton, Stephen R. Clarke, Executor.












Barcode: 638335301129
Matrix / Runout: CD 75088 www.polarbearltd.com (CD-1)
Mastering SID Code: IFPI AHM05 (CD-1 / CD-2 / CD-3)
Mould SID Code: none (CD-1 / CD-2 / CD-3)
SPARS Code: ADD (CD-1 / CD-2 / CD-3 / Back of CD cover)
Matrix / Runout: CD 75089 www.polarbearltd.com (CD-2)
Matrix / Runout: CD 75090 www.polarbearltd.com (CD-3)