Audio Fidelity Records, was a record company based in New York City, most active during the 1950s and 1960s. They are best known for having produced the first mass-produced American stereophonic long-playing record in November 1957 (although this was not available to the general public until March of the following year). The Audio Fidelity label was acquired by 43 North Broadway, LLC, a global rights management company focused on acquiring iconic heritage entertainment-based intellectual property assets including master recordings, music copyrights and songwriter royalties.[1]
Audio Fidelity, Inc. was founded in 1954. A British branch, A-F England, Ltd., was established in 1959.[2] Sidney Frey sold the company in 1965 to Herman Gimbel (né Herman Levy; 1913–1978).[3] Audio Fidelity Records, Inc., changed its name to Audiofidelity Enterprises, Inc., in May 1971.[4] The last known releases under the Audio Fidelity label were circa 1984. In 1997, Audio Fidelity Records was purchased out of bankruptcy by Colliers Media Company. The Audio Fidelity label was acquired by 43 North Broadway, LLC, a global rights management company focused on acquiring iconic heritage entertainment-based intellectual property assets including master recordings, music copyrights and songwriter royalties.[5]
Backgroundedit
Sidney Frey (1920–68), founder and president of Audio Fidelity, had Westrex, owner of one of the two rival stereo disk-cutting systems, cut a stereo LP disk for release before any of the major record labels, several of which had the Westrex equipment but had not yet produced a stereo disk.[6][7][8] Side 1 was the Dukes of Dixieland;[9] Side 2 was railroad sound effects. This demonstration disc was introduced to the public on December 13, 1957, at the Times Auditorium in New York City.[10] 500 copies of this initial demonstration record were pressed. On December 16, 1957, Frey advertised in the trade magazine Billboard that he would send a free copy to anyone in the industry who wrote to him on company letterhead.[11] Frey became known as "Mr. Stereo" during that era.[12]
Stereophonic sound was not entirely new to the public. In 1952 sound engineer Emory Cook developed a "Binaural" disk that used two separate grooves and playback needles to produce stereophonic sound; the following year he had a catalog of about 25 disks available for audiophiles. Multi-channel sound was integral to the widescreen motion picture processes Cinerama (1952) and CinemaScope (1953). Stereophonic audio tapes had been commercially available to audiophiles, although expensive, since the early-1950s. After the release of the Audio Fidelity demonstration disks, the other spur to the popularity of stereo disks was the reduction in price of a stereo magnetic cartridge, for playing the disks, from $250 to $29.95 in June 1958.[6] The first four stereo discs available to the general public were released by Audio Fidelity in March, 1958--Johnny Puleo and his Harmonica Gang Volume 1 (AFSD 5830), Railroad - Sounds of a Vanishing Era (AFSD 5843), Lionel - Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra (AFSD 5849) and Marching Along with the Dukes of Dixieland Volume 3 (AFSD 5851). By the end of March the company had four more stereo LPs available.[13]
In the summer of 1958, Audio Fidelity recorded 13 classical LPs in London's Walthamstow Town Hall. The orchestra was the specially-formed Virtuoso Symphony of London, which consisted of London orchestral players and leading instrumentalists including Anthony Pini, Frederick Riddle, Reginald Kell and Marie Goossens.[11] Six of the LPs were conducted by Alfred Wallenstein, who concentrated on the symphonic repertoire (including Brahms's 4th Symphony, Tchaikovsky's Pathetique, and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique) and six by Arthur Winograd (both conductors were ex-cellists) who recorded lighter fare, such as operatic marches and popular overtures. The 13th LP (Strauss Waltzes) was conducted by Emanuel Vardi.[11]
Archivesedit
Collector Don W. Reichle compiled a comprehensive database and collection of Audio Fidelity recordings which are now housed at the Syracuse University Library. The collection consists of:
1,404 different catalog numbers
1,176 different artists identified and cross-linked with album details.
5,857 different track titles identified and cross-linked with album details.
640 different pictures of album jackets cross-linked with album details.
^"Audio Fidelity". 43 North | A Holding Company. 43 North Broadway via acquisition owns exclusive worldwide copyrights to Audio Fidelity.
^"Frey, Demko Back From Europe Trip", Billboard, November 21, 1960, pg. 6 (retrieved July 24, 2009)
^"Audio Fidelity Sold; Gimbel to Head Firm," Billboard, April 10, 1965, p. 1 (retrieved July 22, 2013)
^"Audio Fidelity Changes Name in New Policy," Billboard, May 22, 1971, p. 3 (retrieved October 31, 2017)
^"Homepage". 43 North | A Holding Company. 43 North Broadway, LLC is a global rights management company focused on acquiring iconic heritage entertainment-based intellectual property ("IP") assets including master recordings, music copyrights and songwriter royalties
^ ab""Audio Fidelity Bombshell Had Industry Agog," Billboard, December 22, 1962, p. 36 (retrieved June 24, 2009)
^"Audio Fidelity" (discography), Discogs (retrieved July 22, 2013)
^"The Audio Fidelity Story," Booze Brother Music (website of Booze Bros. Entertainment) (web admin: Bob Cassady, Knoxville) (retrieved July 22, 2013)
^"A Short History of the Dukes of Dixieland," by Harry R. Porter, additional notes by Bob Byler (né Robert H. Byler, PhD; born 1930) & Antonio Deano Assunto (born 1958), Dukes of Dixieland website (www.thedukesofdixieland.com) (website of Mike Marios, Bentonville, Arkansas, and Antonio Deano Assunto, Metairie, Louisiana), April 21, 2000
^""Mass Produced Stereo Disc is Demonstrated," Billboard, December 16, 1957, p. 27 (retrieved June 24, 2009)
^ abcPatmore, David (Summer 2014). "The Story of Audio Fidelity - A Pioneering American LP Label". Classical Recordings Quarterly (77): 24–28.
^"Personality of the Month – Sid Frey" The Theatre (monthly magazine), Atlas Publishing Company, Vol. 2 (month not known), 1960, p. 42; OCLC 1781230
^"CBS Discloses Stereo Step," Billboard, March 31, 1958, p. 9 (retrieved September 24, 2010)
External linksedit
Discography of Audio Fidelity Recordings at Syracuse University compiled by Don W. Reichle
March 13, 2024
audio, fidelity, records, record, company, based, york, city, most, active, during, 1950s, 1960s, they, best, known, having, produced, first, mass, produced, american, stereophonic, long, playing, record, november, 1957, although, this, available, general, pub. Audio Fidelity Records was a record company based in New York City most active during the 1950s and 1960s They are best known for having produced the first mass produced American stereophonic long playing record in November 1957 although this was not available to the general public until March of the following year The Audio Fidelity label was acquired by 43 North Broadway LLC a global rights management company focused on acquiring iconic heritage entertainment based intellectual property assets including master recordings music copyrights and songwriter royalties 1 Audio Fidelity RecordsParent company43 North BroadwayFounded1954 1954 FounderSidney FreyDefunct1997 1997 GenreVariousCountry of originU S LocationNew York City Contents 1 History 2 Background 3 Archives 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editAudio Fidelity Inc was founded in 1954 A British branch A F England Ltd was established in 1959 2 Sidney Frey sold the company in 1965 to Herman Gimbel ne Herman Levy 1913 1978 3 Audio Fidelity Records Inc changed its name to Audiofidelity Enterprises Inc in May 1971 4 The last known releases under the Audio Fidelity label were circa 1984 In 1997 Audio Fidelity Records was purchased out of bankruptcy by Colliers Media Company The Audio Fidelity label was acquired by 43 North Broadway LLC a global rights management company focused on acquiring iconic heritage entertainment based intellectual property assets including master recordings music copyrights and songwriter royalties 5 Background editSidney Frey 1920 68 founder and president of Audio Fidelity had Westrex owner of one of the two rival stereo disk cutting systems cut a stereo LP disk for release before any of the major record labels several of which had the Westrex equipment but had not yet produced a stereo disk 6 7 8 Side 1 was the Dukes of Dixieland 9 Side 2 was railroad sound effects This demonstration disc was introduced to the public on December 13 1957 at the Times Auditorium in New York City 10 500 copies of this initial demonstration record were pressed On December 16 1957 Frey advertised in the trade magazine Billboard that he would send a free copy to anyone in the industry who wrote to him on company letterhead 11 Frey became known as Mr Stereo during that era 12 Stereophonic sound was not entirely new to the public In 1952 sound engineer Emory Cook developed a Binaural disk that used two separate grooves and playback needles to produce stereophonic sound the following year he had a catalog of about 25 disks available for audiophiles Multi channel sound was integral to the widescreen motion picture processes Cinerama 1952 and CinemaScope 1953 Stereophonic audio tapes had been commercially available to audiophiles although expensive since the early 1950s After the release of the Audio Fidelity demonstration disks the other spur to the popularity of stereo disks was the reduction in price of a stereo magnetic cartridge for playing the disks from 250 to 29 95 in June 1958 6 The first four stereo discs available to the general public were released by Audio Fidelity in March 1958 Johnny Puleo and his Harmonica Gang Volume 1 AFSD 5830 Railroad Sounds of a Vanishing Era AFSD 5843 Lionel Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra AFSD 5849 and Marching Along with the Dukes of Dixieland Volume 3 AFSD 5851 By the end of March the company had four more stereo LPs available 13 In the summer of 1958 Audio Fidelity recorded 13 classical LPs in London s Walthamstow Town Hall The orchestra was the specially formed Virtuoso Symphony of London which consisted of London orchestral players and leading instrumentalists including Anthony Pini Frederick Riddle Reginald Kell and Marie Goossens 11 Six of the LPs were conducted by Alfred Wallenstein who concentrated on the symphonic repertoire including Brahms s 4th Symphony Tchaikovsky s Pathetique and Berlioz s Symphonie Fantastique and six by Arthur Winograd both conductors were ex cellists who recorded lighter fare such as operatic marches and popular overtures The 13th LP Strauss Waltzes was conducted by Emanuel Vardi 11 Archives editCollector Don W Reichle compiled a comprehensive database and collection of Audio Fidelity recordings which are now housed at the Syracuse University Library The collection consists of 1 404 different catalog numbers 1 176 different artists identified and cross linked with album details 5 857 different track titles identified and cross linked with album details 640 different pictures of album jackets cross linked with album details See also editAlbums released on Audio Fidelity Records Artists who have recorded for Audio Fidelity RecordsReferences edit Audio Fidelity 43 North A Holding Company 43 North Broadway via acquisition owns exclusive worldwide copyrights to Audio Fidelity Frey Demko Back From Europe Trip Billboard November 21 1960 pg 6 retrieved July 24 2009 Audio Fidelity Sold Gimbel to Head Firm Billboard April 10 1965 p 1 retrieved July 22 2013 Audio Fidelity Changes Name in New Policy Billboard May 22 1971 p 3 retrieved October 31 2017 Homepage 43 North A Holding Company 43 North Broadway LLC is a global rights management company focused on acquiring iconic heritage entertainment based intellectual property IP assets including master recordings music copyrights and songwriter royalties a b Audio Fidelity Bombshell Had Industry Agog Billboard December 22 1962 p 36 retrieved June 24 2009 Audio Fidelity discography Discogs retrieved July 22 2013 The Audio Fidelity Story Booze Brother Music website of Booze Bros Entertainment web admin Bob Cassady Knoxville retrieved July 22 2013 A Short History of the Dukes of Dixieland by Harry R Porter additional notes by Bob Byler ne Robert H Byler PhD born 1930 amp Antonio Deano Assunto born 1958 Dukes of Dixieland website www wbr thedukesofdixieland wbr com website of Mike Marios Bentonville Arkansas and Antonio Deano Assunto Metairie Louisiana April 21 2000 Mass Produced Stereo Disc is Demonstrated Billboard December 16 1957 p 27 retrieved June 24 2009 a b c Patmore David Summer 2014 The Story of Audio Fidelity A Pioneering American LP Label Classical Recordings Quarterly 77 24 28 Personality of the Month Sid Frey The Theatre monthly magazine Atlas Publishing Company Vol 2 month not known 1960 p 42 OCLC 1781230 CBS Discloses Stereo Step Billboard March 31 1958 p 9 retrieved September 24 2010 External links editDiscography of Audio Fidelity Recordings at Syracuse University compiled by Don W Reichle Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Audio Fidelity Records amp oldid 1199981562, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
