TU-Alma Gluck~1911~Her First Recording

Its symphonic Sunday again and today we have a really light classical offering. Alma Gluck recorded Tu-Habanera (To You~A Song of Havana) on March 22, 1911 in Camden, New Jersey. This was the very first of Ms Gluck's 174 recordings made for the Victor Talking Machine Co. Get past the first 30 seconds of this musical delight and Ms. Gluck bursts forth with an enthusiastic rendition like none other you have ever heard. Gluck was at the peak of her career when this was recorded. Although unknown today, she was one of the most famous singers in the world in the early 1900s.

She was born in Bucharest, Romania as Reba Feinsohn. Her first success came at the Metropolitan Opera in New York but she also travelled the Americas widely giving concerts as well as recording prolifically after 1911. Her hit "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" for the Victor Talking Machine Co was reputedly the first million selling record by a celebrity recording artist but that is most likely internet legend. The Victor ledgers show that approximately 75,000 copies of TU were sold. Look closely on the label and you will see that this one sided record was marked to sell for $1.00 in the USA~two days wages for most Americans in 1910 and it is most likely that the combined sales of all of her records hit one million at some point.
Gluck's marriage to violinist Efrem Zimbalist produced children Marie and Efrem Jr. who became a famous TV personality for his roles as Dandy Jim in the Maverick series (1957-58), the leading role in 77 Sunset Strip (1958-1964), and lead role in the series FBI (1965-74). Gluck and her husband, although ethnic Jews turned to Angelican Christianity and Gluck, along with Louise Homer, recorded Christian hymns at Victor. Alma Gluck retired in 1925 to raise her children and died in New York City in 1938 at age 54.
Thanks to Mike W who loaned me this 78 from the collection of the Gus Groos heirs to record and share.