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When Were the First "Recordings" of Classical Music?

On this week’s podcast, we’re taking a question that seems like it has a straight-forward answer and giving it a little twist! When were the first recordings of classical music? Traditionally, you would look at the first Edison phonograph cylinder recordings from the late-1800s to find the answer. What if we re-examine the term "recording" and say it can also include another type of musical cylinder built by Joseph Haydn over a century before Edison invented the phonograph?

Join the Ether Game Brain Trust every Tuesday Night at 8 o-clock for more curious stories about classical music and a chance to win a prize on Ether Game!

Mark Chilla, originally from Atlanta, GA, is the Production Director at WFIU, where he also hosts Ether Game and Afterglow. He studied music theory at Indiana University and taught various music theory courses at IU and Butler University. He enjoys film, woodworking, learning new instruments and the Beatles.