Georges Méliès, born in 1861 in Paris, began his career as a magician and theater owner. While running his own theatre he was invited to a showing of a “movie” by the Lumière brothers and their cinematograph in 1895. His journey into the world of cinema began when he witnessed…
Tag: history

Celebrating the First Commercial Movie – “Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory”
It was this date, December 28, in 1895 that the Lumiere brothers premiered what is now known as the first commercial movie showing. Movie’s – or moving pictures – had been shown previously, but this was the first time that admission was charged in a theatre setting. The short film,…

Forgotten Voices: Celebrating Lesser-Known Artists of the 78rpm Era
In the annals of music history, the 78rpm era is often remembered for its iconic figures. However, nestled within this period are numerous musicians whose contributions, though significant, have remained largely unrecognized. This article aims to shine a spotlight on these lesser-known artists, revealing their unique impact on the tapestry…

The Dawn of Recorded Music: A Journey Through Time
The Early Sparks of Sound Recording Imagine a world where music was a fleeting experience, captured only in the moment. This changed with the advent of recorded music, a revolution that began with Thomas Edison’s invention of the phonograph in 1877. It was a groundbreaking device that used cylinders to…

From Shellac to Vinyl: The Transition from 78rpm to LP Records
Over the course of the last few weeks I’ve traced the history of recorded music from tinfoil, to wax cylinders, to shellac disks that typically spun at 78rpm. The name ’78rpm’ stems from the record’s rotation speed – 78 revolutions per minute, a pace that defined an era of audio…