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The Melograph Record Company, formed in August 1907 was based in Liverpool, but all the known examples of the records were manufactured in Germany, by Hess & Co, from masters which they had available to them, including 'Star'. I have seen rumours that the company had their own manufacturing plant in Liverpool, but this may be a confusion from the fact they are reported to have a recording studio in Liverpool, from January 1908.

Although regional recording companies are very unusual in England at this time, it is notable that the artists' names on the later issues are not familiar and could well be local performers, recorded in Liverpool. As the records are all manufactured in Germany, they will all date from before 1914.

It has been reported to me that some copies of the ones shown in the listing below sometimes turn up without any catalogue number common to both sides.

The colourful label shown here is a 12" issue. The Title "Torch Dance" was issued on No. 9. Although highly pictorial labels like this are usually associated with German-only issues, it should be noted that Dacapo did something similar, with their attractive 12" record labels. The quality of my image here is poor, taken from a tiny photo shown in "For The Record" No 22. Obviously a better scan would be greatly appreciated, along with any details to add to my listing below.

Label scan (first image) kindly sent to me by Ian McPherson.

 


12" issue

This is a first attempt at a listing, showing the few records I know so far!  Almost all the information is from Frank Andrews.

Others who have helped are: Peter Andrews, Mike Atkins, Graham Farnell, Norman Field, Robert Girling, Adrian Hindle-Briscall,

Please e-mail me if you can help with more information.

Page last updated on: October 03, 2024

First, the 10" series

Cat No Matrix Title Labelled Artists
No Number 1034
1512		 When The Band Plays - selection
Lohengrin - Bridal March		 Melograph Orchestra
Empire Orchestra
1 1416
2405		 La Petite Tonkinoise
The Circus Rider		 Albert Muller (tubaphone, with orch)
2   The Woodchoppers Of Tyrol
Sunflowers Mazurka		 Empire Band
Melograph Symphony Orchestra
3 551
2102		 Entry Of The Gladiators
The Bells Of St Malo		 Empire Band  
4   La Mattchiche
The Skaters' Waltz		 Empire Orchestra
5 2105
2455		 The Jolly Coppersmith
Spanish Serenade		 Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
Albert Muller (bells)
6 518
562 or 566		 Stars And Stripes Forever, march
Carmen - Grand March		 Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
7   The Merry Widow, selection part 1
The Merry Widow, selection part 2		 Melograph Symphony Orchestra
8 1029
1503		 The Merry Widow - Waltz
The Merry Widow - Vilja's Song		 Melograph Symphony Orchestra
Melograph Orchestra
9 1413
2456		 Waltz Menuette
Mayflowers Polka		 Empire Orchestra
Albert Muller (bells)
10 557
1510		 La Marseillaise
Le Prophete - Coronation March		 Empire Band
11 502
529		 Old Comrades, march
Our Navy, march		 Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
12   Dancing Hussars, waltz
Butterfly Gavotte		 Empire Orchestra
Albert Muller (bells)
13   Faust Waltz
Luna, waltz		 Empire Orchestra
14 1008
1018		 DonauWellen, waltz
Santiago waltz		 Empire Orchestra
Melograph Symphony Orchestra
15 1512
 		 Lohengrin - Bridal March
Lohengrin - selection		 Empire Orchestra
Melograph Symphony Orchestra
16 5006 ?
 		 The Bedouin Love Song
King Cotton March		 Oswalde Earle (baritone)
Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
17   If Those Lips Could Only Speak
Boulanger March		 Oswalde Earle (baritone)
Albert Muller (xylophone, with orch)
18   The Bandolero
The Cadets, march		 Oswalde Earle (baritone)
Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
19      
20      
21 925
2403		 The Old Soldier
Carnival Of Venice		 Arthur Webber (bass)
Albert Miller (xylophone)
22 962
1028		 The Diver
La Craquette		 Arthur Weber (bass)
 Melograph Orchestra (cond: Fred Holliday)
23   The Little Beauty - Mazurka
The Storm Fiend		 Melograph Orchestra (cond: Fred Holliday)
Arthur Weber (bass)
24 917
1505		 Carmen - Song Of The Toreador
The Thieving Magpie, overture		 W. Atkinson (baritone)
Price's Concert Orchestra
25      
26      
27      
28      
29      
30 960
2454		 The Dear Little Shamrock
Lily Of The Valley, polka		 Ida Phillips (contralto)
Albert Miller (tubaphone)
31 1532
1536		 William Tell - Overture
The Mikado - selection		 Price's Concert Orchestra
32 573
1534		 Tannhauser - Grand March
Tannhauser - Pilgrims' Chorus		 Empire Orchestra
33 1430
2211		 Spring Song
Martha - selection		 Melograph Symphony Orchestra
34   Spring Air - whistling song
The Turkish Patrol		 Empire Orchestra
35 571
574		 El Capitan, march
Liberty Bell, march		 Empire Orchestra
36 2402
 		 Katchen, polka
Campaign March		 Albert Muller (xylophone)
Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
37 417
1009 ?		 Anona, intermezzo
The Geisha - Waltz		 Price's Concert Orchestra
38   Parliament March
The Suffragettes' March		 Empire Orchestra
39 570
1517		 Aida - Triumphal March
Mignon - Overture		 Melograph Symphony Orchestra
40 1506
2255		 Zampa - overture
Jovial Polka		 Empire Military Band
J & W Hatton (cornet duet)
41 1535
1537		 Overture To Norma (Bellini)
Jubilee Overture (Weber)		 Melograph Orchestra
42 2404
2452		 The Madrilenean
Moonlight Shadows		 Albert Muller (xylophone)
Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
43 1526
1531		 A Waltz Dream - Ni Ki March
A Waltz Dream - Waltz		 Muller's Viennese Orchestra
44 1528
1530		 A Waltz Dream - The Merry Polka
A Waltz Dream - Tsin, Tsin, Tsin		 Muller's Viennese Orchestra
45 566
1006		 The Emperor's Fanfare
Viennese Forest, waltz		 Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
Muller's Viennese Orchestra
46 548
1108		 Father Of Victory March
Liberty Polka		 The Empire Military Band
The Emipre Orchestra
47      
48 1519
2258		 Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo
On The Rhine		 Kaiser Franz Grenadier Guards Band
J. Hatton (cornet)
49      
50 1025
1030		 Old Time Melodies, Nos. 1 & 2 The Melograph Orchestra
51 1109
2256		 Spanish Dance
Jolly Good Fellows		 Price's Concert Orchestra
J. Hatton (cornet)
52      
53      
54 562
2017		 Vienna For Ever
The Mill In The Black Forest		 Kaiser Franz Garde Gren. Reg. [sic]
55      
56      
57 560
1432		 Russian March
Village Revelry		 The Empire Military Band
The Empire Band
58      
59      
60      
61 1103
 Hiawatha
Sorella		 Empire Orchestra
62      
63 587
1020		 Maxim March ("Merry Widow" - Lehar)
The Sirens Waltz (Waldteufel)		 (anon English Orchestra)
Melograph Orchestra
64      
65      
66      
67      
68      
69      
70      
71      
72      
73      
74      
75      
76      
77 1042
1046		 The Bay Of Naples (waltz) (Guardia)
Happy Days In Dixie (cake walk)		 Melograph Concert Orchestra
78      
79      
80      
81      
82      
83 1401
1442		 Polish Dance
Russian National Dance		 Price's Concert Orchestra
84      
85      
86      
87      
88 1000
1009 ?		 There Is A Green Hill Far Away
The Messiah - Why Do The Nations?		 Samuel Mann (bass)
89 01042
01045		 Serenade (Gounod)
Carmena (H. Lane Wilson)		 Miss Florence Hall (soprano)
90 1033
1038		 Cavalleria Rusticana - Siciliana
I Pagliacci - On With The Motley		 G. Renier (tenor)
91   The Skipper
The Trumpeter		 George Platt (baritone)
92   A German At The Telephone
Bargain Tales		 A. Frame (comedy monologue)
93   O'Brien
They're All Single At The Seaside		 Darby West (comic)
94 1012
1022		 Breakfast In Bed On Sunday Morning
Put On Your Ta-Ta Little Girlie		 Fred Bentinck (comic)
95   Shirts
Meet Me In Kellyland		 Fred Bentinck (comic)
Bob Fawcett (comic)
96   I Like Your Apron And Your Bonnet
Yiddle On Your Fiddle		 Harry Smith
Darby West (comic)
97      
99      
100      
101      
102      
103 622
2103		 The Guards' Parade (The Passing Regiment)
The Village Smithy		 Melograph Orchestra
104 2411
2477		 William Tell - Fantasia (Kruger)
Sweet Annie, polka		 Melograph Orchestra and Zylophone (sic)
Melograph Orchestra and Tubaphone
105      
106      
107      
108      
109      
110      
111   God My Father
Turn Thou To Me		 Samuel Mann (bass)
112   In Morning's Garden
Smiles		 Miss Hamblett (soprano)
Miss McMahon (contralto)
113   Because
The Rosary		 Harry Smith (tenor)
114   Florodora - In The Shade Of The Palm
La Poupee - A Jovial Monk Am I		 G. Day (baritone)
115   Phil The Fluter's Ball
Zummersetshire		 Samuel Mann (bass)
116   The Arcadians - My Mother
Hi! Hi! Mr. McKie		 Fred Bentinck (comic)
117
118      
119      
120      
121      
122      
123   For You Alone
Your Eyes Have Told Me So		 George Renier (tenor)
124   The Gondoliers - Take A Pair Of Sparkling Eyes
I Hear You Calling Me		 Harry Smith (tenor)
125   The Arrow And The Song
The Corporal's Ditty		 George Edwards (baritone)
126   Richard Of Taunton Dene
Young Tom O' Devon		 Samuel Mann (bass)
127   Ivanhoe - Ho! Jolly Jenkin
Glorious Devon		 George Platt (baritone)
128      
129      
130      
       

Now the 12" ones:

Cat No Matrix Title Labelled Artists
1      
2      
3      
4      
5      
6      
7   For God, King & Country, march
The German Eagle, march		 Melograph Military Band
8 Russian Polka
The Swallows, waltz		 Melograph Orchestra
9 1556
1557		 Torch Dance
Reminiscences Of Wagner		 Melograph Concert Orchestra
10 The Wave, waltz
Die Fledermaus, waltz		 Melograph Concert Orchestra
11   "Fra Diavolo" - overture
Fantasia On Bocaccio		 Melograph Concert Orchestra