Sterling Records - "Scrooge's Awakening" (1905)

"Scrooge's Awakening" (1905)
Sterling Record
Scrooge: Albert Whelan

OK, to make things even a little more confusing, we have another cylinder from 1905, but this is "Scrooge's Awakening" by Albert Whelan not "The Awakening of Scrooge" by Bransby Williams!

The recording are pretty similar, though not exactly the same.

Not sure if one was copying the other or were they both copying someone else or if that was just a common sketch.

Was this a primeval cover record?

Albert Whelan was Australian and certainly a contemporary of the English Bransby Williams, but he doesn't seem to be as much of a Dickens specialist.

Albert was also around for a long time, being born in 1875 and passing away in 1961. That's a good run!

So, here's Arthur Whelan's Sterling record of "Scrooge's Awakening" right now:

Bonus Bransby!

A little bonus Bransby Williams...

This recording is an earlier version of the third part of Mr. Williams's Scrooge monologue, the "Awakening of Scrooge" part. A little shorter, but pretty similar.

It's definitely from an Edison cylinder, which I think is from 1905. It has the spoken introduction common to cylinders of that time. So, pretty early in the scheme of things!

Give it a listen:

I'm not sure how many recordings he made of this material and it's not easy to find out which is which.

Here's a British LP from 1952 on Decca Records. Are they new recordings or reissues? The liner notes refer to Mr. Williams as an octogenarian, which would seem to indicate these are freshly recorded. Maybe someday I'll get my mitts on a copy, then I'll know!

The more I listen to Bransby Williams, the more I think he sounds a bit like Lionel Barrymore. Did Lionel possibly find inspiration for his take on Scrooge from those old records? I guess we'll never know, but intriguing nonetheless!