Finding Aid for Jack Linker American Bands Sound Recording Collection, circa 1895-1939 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Kelly A. Carlson, Megan Finn, Paolo Gujilde, Tracy Popp, Lisa Lobovitch, Heather Zabski, Noah Lenstra, Scott Schwartz, Elizabeth Surles, Somer Pelczar, and Jin Kyung Lee

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Collection Overview

Title: Jack Linker American Bands Sound Recording Collection, circa 1895-1939

ID: 12/9/104

Primary Creator: Linker, Jack (1932-2018)

Extent: 19.95 cubic feet

Arrangement: The collection is divided by format into five series. The 78 rpm sound recordings from Series 1 are arranged alphabetically by artist, then alphabetically by composition title. Numbers listed after label name indicate issue number. If a record has both an A and a B side, it has been alphabetized using the artist and title information from Side A. The 7-, 5 1/2-, and 4-inch records, which were stored by Linker in an album, are found at the end of the series and are in the order that was maintained by Linker within the album. The original records album is also included at the end of the series. The cylinder recordings from Series 2 are separated first by length (either 2-minute or 4-minute), then arranged alphabetically by artist, then alphabetically by composition title. Selections of original cylinder casings have been placed at the end of Series 2. Series 3 consists of music and photographs. Series 4 consists of historic audio equipment, and is arranged by non-accession number. Series 5 consists of piano rolls, and is arranged alphabetically by composer's last name.

Date Acquired: 08/01/2007. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Bands, Brass Bands, Military Music

Formats/Genres: Sound Recordings

Languages: English, German, French

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of two hundred and twenty commercially produced 10- and 12-inch 78 rpm sound recordings, sixteen 7-, 5 1/2-, and 4-inch 78 rpm sound recordings, and one hundred seventy-two historic 2- and 4-minute cylinder recordings documenting performances by the Sousa, Pryor, Herbert, Goldman, Gilmore and RCA Victor bands, among others, made between 1895 and 1923. In addition is a small selection of published piano arrangements of Sousa marches. The collection is organized in four series: Series 1, 78 rpm Sound Recordings, ca. 1899-1939; Series 2, Cylinder Recordings, ca. 1895-1910; Series 3, Music and Photographs; Series 4, Historic Audio Equipment, ca 1899-1915; and Series 5: Piano Rolls, ca. 1918-1989. Of particular interest are four folders of associated advertising and catalogs for Edison, Columbia and Victor recording companies.

Biographical Note

Linker first developed an interest in John Philip Sousa while playing clarinet in his high school band. Briefly educated at Miami University, he left college to join the Navy as a radioman. During his service he learned the harmonica, kept a small phonograph for his private use in the radio room, and spent his shore leave attending concerts in New York City. After leaving the Navy in 1955, Linker began collecting sound recordings and associated materials, including early cylinder sound recordings, records, and piano rolls.

Subject/Index Terms

Bands
Brass Bands
Military Music

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Accruals:

164 cylinders and associated advertising and catalogs donated June 3, 2008.

Historic 4-minute cylinder and 78rpm disc sound recordings of 19th and 20th-century American brass bands and soloists, 1908 Edison Standard Model K 2/4-minute cylinder phonograph, and cylinder production index books donated June 13, 2009.

136 cylinder and disc recordings donated February 17, 2011.

Audio recordings and Amberola 50 Phonograph donated September 8, 2011.

Historic piano rolls donated October 16, 2017.

Acquisition Source: Jack Linker

Acquisition Method: Donation.

Appraisal Information: The collection will be donated in three installments over the next three years. The first donation will consist of 78rpm sound recordings and a small selection of cylinder recordings of the Sousa, Pryor, Gilmore, and other related bands. The second installment will consist of the remainder of Linker's cylinder recordings of American and European bands and the final donation will consist of his historic piano rolls and his collection of sound recording equipment.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: 78 rpm Sound Recordings, ca. 1899-1939],
[Series 2: Cylinder Sound Recordings, ca. 1895-1939],
[Series 3: Music and Photographs, ca. 1894-1929],
[Series 4: Historic Audio Equipment, ca. 1899-1915],
[Series 5: Piano Rolls, ca. 1918-1989],
[All]

Series 3: Music and Photographs, ca. 1894-1929

Box 9

Folder 1: Sousa's Great Band March, 1894: Piano score; Composer: Tobani, Theo M.
Folder 2: Souvenir March, 1896: Piano score; Composer: Sousa, J.P.
Folder 3: Record Sleeve Advertisement, ca. 1920: Gold Seal Phonograph Repeater
Folder 4: Record Sleeve Advertisement, ca. 1920: Magic Brain RCA Victrola
Folder 5: Record Sleeve Advertisement, ca. 1920: Bluebird Records
Folder 6: Leedy Instruments Advertisement, Undated
Folder 7: Photograph of oil painting, Undated
Folder 8: Advertisement Poster for Radio Broadcast, Thanksgiving Day, 1929

Box 33

Folder 1: Sousa Band Society News, 1950-1975: Publication of the Sousa Band Fraternal Society/John Philip Sousa Memorial, Inc. Issues held: October 1950, December 1965, February 1967, November 1968, October 1969, October 1970, October 1971, November 1972, and Special 1975 supplement.
Folder 2: Photographic print advertisement from "The Music Man": 8x11 image
Folder 3: Edison 'Blue Amberol' Cylinder Record Index 1912-1929, undated: manuscript compiled by Duane D. Deakins
Folder 4: Edison Cylinder Records, 1889-1912, with an Illustrated History of the Phonograph, 1969: manuscript by Allen Koenigsberg
Folder 5: A Portfolio of Early Phonographs, 1969: by Lawrence A. Schlick
Folder 6: The Sousa March Folio: Containing the Famous Marches of John Philip Sousa, 1911: Published by the John Church Company.
Folder 7: Number One Collection of Native Hawaiian Songs and Hulas, 1910: Franklin Edition. Selected and edited by Kapule Kenoa.
Folder 8: Linker's Cylinder, Monograph and Record index, with addresses of Sousa Band Fraternal Society members, revised October 30, 1972, June 2009
Folder 9: Published sheet music, 1888-1938: Includes Victor Herbert Song Album, Book II, published by M. Witmark & Sons, 1938; The Pearl of Pekin, Chinese Comic Opera, Liberetto by Charles Alfred Byrne, Music by G.A. Kerker and Lecocq, published by T.B. Harms & Co., 1888; E.T. Paul's March Folio, New and Revised Edition, undated; Mills All American March Folio, 1938; Standard Patriotic Song Folio, undated.

Box 34

Folder 1: Ruffles and Flourishes: Natioanl Band Magazine, an Educational Telefilm Associations (ETA) Publication, 1972-1973: Contains Vol 1: Number 1,2,4-7 and Vol 2: Number 1.
Folder 2: Band Fan: The Detroit Concert Band Newsletter (1 of 2), June 1972-Summer 1995: Incomplete Run. Volume 1, 1 to Volume 17, 3.
Folder 3: Band Fan: The Detroit Concert Band Newsletter (2 of 2), June 1972-Summer 1995: Incomplete Run. Volume 1, 1 to Volume 17, 3.
Folder 4: The Etude Music Magazine, Sousa covers, 1936-1947: Dates include: April 1936, March 1939, July 1942 and February 1947
Folder 5: Published music catalogues, 1899-1970: Contents include: The Talking Machine Catalog, 107 Madison St., Chicago, 1899; Catalogue of records for use on the phonograph made by New Jersey Phonograph Co., Newark, N.J., 1902; The Busey-Bee High Speed, Gold Moulded Records, Chicago, undated; RCA Victor Long-Playing Records, 1931; RCA Victor, Red Pearl Records, October 1945; Long Playing Record Catalog, listing all 33 1/2 RPM microgrove records, published bimonthly by W. Schwann, Cambridge, Mass., 1949; The Complete Catalogue of the United States Everlasting Indestructible Cylinders, 1908-1913, by Major H.H. Annand, September 1966; The City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society Guide, 1967, contains notes for 'Ninety Years of Recorded Sound,NULL an exhibition; A numberical catalogue Edison Concert Cylinder Records, A Catalogue of the Series issued 1899-1901, compiled by Peter C. Betz, published by the London Phonograph and Gramophone Society, November 1968; Edison Amberol Cylinder Records, The Complete Catalogue of the Edison Amberol, Amberol Concert and Amberol Grand Opera Records, compiled by Syden H. Carter, 1968; Block Catalogue of the Cylinder Records issued by the U.S. Phonograph Company, 1890-1896, compiled by Major H.H. Annand, August 1970; The Indestructible Record Company, Albany, N.Y., A Listing of American and British Two and Four-Minute Cylinders, 1907-1922, compiled by Major H.H. Annand, 1970.

Box 39

Item 1: Theodore Presser "Modern Dance Album A Collection of Dance Music for the Ball Rom and the Home", 1904
Item 2: Remick Music Corp. "Eddy Duchin's Piano Styles", 1937
Item 3: Edward B. Marks Music Corp. "Memories of Stephen Foster: An Album of Songs", 1936
Item 4: Stark & Cowan "A Group of Original Compositions for the Piano by Pete Wendling and Max Kortlander", 1924
Item 5: John Church Company "First Rate Folio of Popular Music for Violin & Piano", 1902
Item 6: B.F. Wood Music "Preparatory Exercises for PianoForte by Aloys Schmitt", undated
Item 7: Mills Music "Chord Construction and Hints for Popular Piano Playing by Marvin Kahn", 1943
Item 8: M.M. Cole "Cole's Library of Familiar Music: Strauss Waltzes. Book Number 7", 1940
Item 9: Edward B. Marks "Memories of Johann Strauss Vocal Album", 1939
Item 10: Robbins Music "Harold Dixon's Arrangements of Gilbert and Sullivan?s Famous Songs", 1929
Item 11: Fillmore Music House "Tri-Form Operatic Immortals for Instrumental Groups", 1939
Item 12: Carrie Jacobs Bond & Son "Songs Everybody Sings", ca. 1920s
Item 13: Edwards Music Company "Square Dances with Calls/ Polkas/ Jigs and Reels", 1946
Item 14: White, Smith and Company "Gems from the Beggar Student. Translated and adapted by Emil Schwab. Music by Carl Millocker", 1883
Item 15: Willis Music Comp. "Universal Teacher ? Slide Trombone/Valve Trombone/Tenor Horn/Baritone", undated
Item 16: Hatch Music Company "School of Velocity for the PianoForte by Carl Czerny", 1909
Item 17: White-Smith Music "Par Excellence PianoForte Selections", 1891