Joseph Joachim was among the earliest violinists to make recordings. Between 25 and 27 August, 1903, he recorded five single-sided discs for The Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd.:
J. S. Bach: Adagio from Solo Sonata in G minor, BWV 1001.
J. S. Bach: Tempo di Bourrée from Solo Partita in B minor, BWV 1002.
Brahms (arr. Joachim): Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor, WoO 1, for violin and piano.
Brahms (arr. Joachim): Hungarian Dance No. 2 in D minor, WoO 1, for violin and piano.
Joachim: Romance in C major for violin and piano.
The recordings were first issued on the “Red Label Monarch” label in October, 1903, and sold for 15/= each. Fifteen shillings in 1903 is roughly equivalent to £115–£120 in 2026, which converts to about 145–155 US dollars at standard exchange rates.
Very few copies were sold at that price, and on 28 December 1903 the factory at Hanover was instructed to print the records with Black Labels, existing stocks having the new label pasted over the old. I haven’t been able to find a price for the Black Label recordings.
The recordings are all available on YouTube.
The following letter by Joachim comes from the archives of EMI, Ltd.:
“A number of years ago I had the privilege, together with Werner von Siemens and in the presence of Helmholz [sic — physicist Hermann von Helmholtz], of conducting experiments here with the phonograph. I have since that time maintained an interest in such recordings, and was therefore very pleased to observe the advances that your gramophone displays. I gladly complied with the request to have some recordings of my violin playing made, and the fact that, through sustained care, they became better each time has given me great satisfaction, so that I gladly leave the dissemination of the results to your discretion.
Joseph Joachim
Gmunden,
Upper Austria
27 August 1903″
“Vor einer Reihe von Jahren war es mir vergönnt bei Werner von Siemens in Anwesenheit von Helmholz [sic Hermann von Helmholtz] Versuche mit dem Phonograph hier anzustellen. Ich habe seit dieser Zeit ein Interesse für solche Aufnahmen bewahrt, und war daher sehr erfreut die Fortschritte zu bemerken, welche Ihr Grammophon aufweist. Gerne bin ich der Aufforderung nachgekommen einiger Aufnahmen meines Violinspiels bewerkstelligen zu lassen, und daß diese durch andauernde Sorgfalt von einem Mal zum andern immer besser wurden hat mich sehr befriedigt, so daß ich eine Verbreitung der Resultate mit Vergnügen anheimstelle.
Joseph Joachim
Gmunden,
Ober=Oesterreich
Am 27ten August
1903″
