Release of His Master's Voice
This article was published in The Tatler on 10 september 1930.
Article
The September release of "His Master's Voice" gramophone records contains some efforts quite out of the ordinary. To the collection of speeches by world-famous men is now added the strong, clear voice of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who, two months before his death, gave through the microphone the autobiography of his earlier days and most interestingly describes how, when a young doctor, he created Sherlock Holmes, that scientific detective of fiction. Sir Arthur further relates the experience of his twenty years of research into the vexed question of spiritualism and only four days prior to his passing he wrote to the Gramophone Company in reference to this unique record. That most popular pageant of the British Army, the Aldershot Command Tattoo, was, by special permission of the military authorities, fully recorded by "His Master's Voice," and the results are two large records which should thrill everyone within the Empire. To pick up the music of the massed bands on the vast open-air stage miles of electric wires were laid to connect a number of microphones with the recording van and the troops actually marched across the underground lines, while wires were also extended through the neighbouring woods. The Tattoo programme includes the bugle fanfare playing by the massed drum and fife bands, the bands of the Command, music by cavalry bands, the story of the origin of the Coldstream Guards, the massed pipers, Queen Elizabeth's address at the Armada Camp, "O Valiant Hearts," 'Abide With Me," "The Last Post," The National Anthem, and ringing cheers for Queen Mary on the occasion of Her Majesty's visit. The orders of the officers are plainly heard, and there is the old-time instruction, "The whole regiment shall present your arms!" Over 320,000 saw the recent Tattoo, and now millions can hear this martial triumph.
