Transcription
Hit me with the knowledge. Hello everyone, and welcome to Metatron Academy.
So what I've got for you today is that I was looking for the oldest recording in history. And ladies and gentlemen, I found two. All right. So throughout this video, we're going to listen to people from the Victorian era. Yeah, let that one sink in. Just to give you perspective, for those who don't remember, the Victorian era is from 1837 to 1901. This recording specifically, if I remember correctly, is from the late 1880s. So, just so you know, if Frederick Chopin, the pianist, hadn't died young, he could have been alive and he would have been in his 80s. Just so you know how old this is. And without further ado, let's listen to it. How did they sound? How did they sound?
My lords and gentlemen, I confess to some embarrassment upon this occasion, speaking as I do for the first time in public and in the presence of so distinguished a company. I feel greatly honored by your presence here tonight. A company distinctly representative in its character. Holy moly, I have so much to say already.
Well, let's see if the creator of the video, and by the way, full shout out—link in the description to Kings and Things. Thank you very much for this video, man. So, we'll see what he tells us about this, but I've already noticed a lot of things. First and foremost, goodness gracious, that rolled R would put an Italian to shame. That was great. The uh, overall, as we always say when we listen to recordings from the past, the overall dignity of the way they sound. I'm going to do an actual bit more of a in-depth analysis of this, but first, let's see what they—what he says. This is what the guests of Colonel George Guro would have heard on the 5th of October 1888. That evening they were invited to an extraordinary dinner that showcased the wonders of modern technology. The host of the event was a machine, and one of the guests attended from the other side of the Atlantic, present only through his disembodied voice. Yeah. The invention that made this possible was the phonograph. Yeah. Originally unveiled a bit over 10 years earlier by Thomas Edison, it was the first machine capable of both recording and playing back sound. So basically, they took the machine, I guess, from America to England. This is fascinating.
Now, for the history, I don't want to take the views from the creator. He put a lot of research into it. So again, I'll put that link in the description. We will only focus on the linguistic analysis. I would like to now listen to the recording again, but I will be pausing it mid-sentence and actually analyze the speech. Let's go. Even the cough sounds Victorian. My lords and gentlemen. Yeah, I confess to some embarrassment. Embarrassment. So, as I was saying, we're noticing very strong rolled Rs, which I find fascinating. And another thing is that, as you say, it—it all sounds so dignified and formal. I can't help but wonder what we would sound like to them now, given this is once again upper-class, rich people, which would make it hilarious if you're listening to this in the restroom, as someone pointed out in the comments. But regardless, very upper class. So again, this does not represent the entirety of the population, but we can definitely tell that this is not just a matter of status. This is a matter of century, and there is something to it. Let me see if I can put a finger on it. Upon this occasion. Occasion. So, as we were noticing in the previous video that I posted yesterday, rather than occasion, it's occasion. So, it's a lengthened vowel rather than a full diphthong. Speaking as I do. Speaking as I do. A rising terminal is a characteristic of at least highly formal speech. You note how it goes up—as I do. It almost makes it sound like a question. Yet, it's a statement. For the first time in public and in the presence of so distinguished a company. I feel greatly honored. For emphatic depth, he even gets greatly honored. Was the H there or was it had already been dropped in pronunciation? Let me hear. I feel greatly honored. Yeah, the H is already disappeared in this word. Fantastic. I wonder how long—how far back you have to go to actually find it fully pronounced, which at one point it was. Interestingly enough, this sort of evolution—evolution of pronunciation in language is region dependent. If you think about it, even today in—in England, the H is fully pronounced in herbs or herb, but it's gone in the American herb. So, the H is dropped in that situation. There are lots of scenarios like this. By your presence here tonight. Presence. A company distinctly representative in its character. Character. Character. Note the short vowel as a full e. Character almost sounds Kiwi or Australian—up to only that word. I meant the rest. This is what the guests of Colonel. Okay.
So this was fantastic. Fantastic. As we move and skip to minute 14, there is another guest. And if you thought that this was fascinating, yo, wait. So, let's—let's go. One of these recordings was made by Arthur Sullivan, who, showing his wit, but also in a serious vein, prophesied the horrors of mass entertainment. Mhm. So, we are going to listen to Sir Arthur Sullivan, just so you know, he's a composer, right? This is a musician, famous person. Let's see how he speaks. October 10th, 1988 from Edison. Continuation of introduction of train. Now listen to the voice of sir. So the voice—sorry, I won't interrupt it now. I'll let it play and then I'll redo it. Dear Mr. Ed—[Applause] has been a little incoherent in conflict of the excellent dinner, the good wines he has done. Therefore, I think you will excuse it. He has his lucid interval. For myself, I can only say that I am astonished and somewhat terrified at the result of this evening experiment. Astonished at the wonderful power you have developed and terrified at the thought that so much hideous bad music may be put on record forever. But all the same, I think it is the most wonderful thing that I have ever experienced, and I congratulate you with all my heart on this wonderful discovery. Soliv. Okay.
So, we're going to relisten to it, but already I want you to notice this once again. This is like the first recording ever. It would be like you trying some kind of neural chip now or trying VR for the first time when he actually came out a few years ago. So, this is a completely new thing. And one thing that I noticed when it comes to his approach, it sounds like a letter. He even signed it at the end. Look at this. Arthur Sullivan. Arthur Sullivan. It's a letter because they still—these Victorian people do not even have a concept of what a recording is and how it works. I mean, I'm sure he was—he was told what this was going to be, but this is not something that people have access to. This is not something that's been mass-produced and integrated within society. This is a newly developed craftsmanship technique of communication, and therefore he—that's what he does. He applies what he already knows. Well, that's what you do, right? Introduce yourself, speak. It's like there is a body, an introduction, a body, a conclusion, and a signature at the end. This is a letter, and it's mind-blowing. Let me listen to it again, and let's address his pronunciation. Little Menow October 5th, 1888 from Guro to Edison. Continuation of introduction of Spain. Now listen to the voice of Sir Arthur Sullivan. Now listen to the voice of Sir Arthur Sullivan. And that was Gurord, which means that's an American who just spoke. Yeah. Because I mean, General Gurord was in the American independence. He even received the Medal of Honor. It doesn't sound like an American, but it—Oh my gosh. This is mind-blowing. You can tell though he has a military tone. Now listen to the voice of Sullivan. Boom. It's a military man. You can tell that much. Dear Mr. Ed—[Applause] look. Dear Mr. Edison, it's a letter. I doubled down on that. Edmund as being a little incoherent in the excellent dinner. And this man Salivan, if I'm not wrong, where is he from? Is he English? Let me double check. There isn't even that much of a difference between the way they speak. I mean, I'm sure for them there would have been, but can you find it? Can you—I wish we could have listened a little longer to the other speaker, but uh, yeah, he's English. I thought—I thought I remembered right, to just—I like to double check things so I don't misinform. Good. He has—Yep. Therefore, I beg you will excuse him. Therefore, I beg you will excuse him. Yeah, I'll excuse him. All right. He let the man have his—his—his drink. No problem. He has his lucid interval. Oh, good for him. For myself, I can only say that I am astonished. Yeah. And somewhat terrifying. And uh—and you were right, as a result of this evening experiment. You see, they called them experiments. A recording—an experiment. Astonished at the wonderful power you have developed. Yeah. And terrified at the thought that so much music—because he's a musician—may be put on record forever. Oh, you have no idea. You have no idea, sir. But let me tell you this much, right? That Lightning by Metallica still is my favorite album. So, we do—we did get some really good ones, too. But all the same, I think it is the most wonderful thing that I have ever—The most wonderful thing that I had ever—almost as if it's like he's reading it, cuz clearly I think he's reading it, right? He's reading a script. That's what I believe. So he probably reached ever and went to the next line, and so he literally paused for it. And I congratulate you with all my heart. That's sweet actually. That's sweet. I always find it endearing and charming the way they—they express themselves on this wonderful discovery. Discover—discover rather than discovery. Arthur Salivan. Oh my gosh. Credible. I mean, thank you so much for putting the video together, man. What's—What's your name? Kings. Do you have a name? Let me—let me check his channel, by the way. We need to give credit where credit is due. So, just to have an idea, welcome to the Kings and Things channel. This is a place where I share various things that I've been looking into and find interesting. Yeah. Usually that involves historical people, historical architecture, or historical media that bridges that gap between past and present. And you bridged that gap very well, my friend. Absolutely. Well, I hope that you enjoyed this video. Uh, a little shorter than the previous ones, but I've got a few more to do in the next few days, so stay tuned. Thank you very much for watching, and do let me know what you thought of these recordings. And thank you for joining Metatron Academy. Bye.