Early Recordings

Acoustic 78 rpm recording, by Hadley, of the Heather movment from his suite Ballet of the Flowers. Recorded in May 1920. The Okeh recordings represent some of Hadley's earliest recordings. The first record of his work on Okeh may be a disk by the Pat Conway (Military) Band of To Victory, 1919.

Okeh Records is reknowned today for its early recordings of popular music, but many concert and standard works were also recorded. Hadley recorded in October 1919 (Selection from his Ballet of the Flowers, Okeh 4039) and in April, May, and June of 1920. His recordings included the Largo from Dvorak's New World Symphony (Okeh 5002), Nevin's Narcissus (Okeh 6004), Hymn and Triumphal March from Aida, and other well known pieces. However, for many listeners it would be their first time ever to hear them performed orchestrally. The personnel of "Henry Hadley's Symphony Orchesta" is not known.

Piano Roll recording of Intermezzo No. 3 from the Ballet Suite, 1922. One of five Duo Art rolls published by Hadley. Hadley was a fine pianist and performed in public, often accompanying his wife, singer Inez Barbour.

Duo-Art rolls include:
6399(0) Red Rose, March 1921
6460(9) Intermezzo from The Atonement Of Pan, August 1921
66459 Dance of the Nymphs, July 1922
6544(8) Intermezzo #3 from Ballet Suite, July 1922
67727 Love song, July 1924²

Thanks to Larry Norman for assistance with Duo-Art.

Recordings of Hadley's music are documented as early as 1913.

These titles were recorded on the Victor and Columbia Labels¹:

Victor B-13575 side B Song Of Silenius from Atonement of Pan sung by Henry A. Melvin [premiere performer in the Bohemian Grove production - ed. ] Recorded 7/14/1913 Camden, NJ. This may have been a limited-release disc.

Victor B-15838 Evening Song sung by John McCormack. Recorded 3/30/1915 Camden, NJ. [available on current McCormack CD release - ed.]

Victor BVE-33071 The Musical Trust sung by the Philadelphia Male Quartet (unacc.) 7/10/1925. Masters of all takes were destroyed; [unclear yet as to whether this was released - ed.]

Victor BVE-48063 (Victor 0346, X-16091) Princess Enchanting Victor Orchestra, cond. Josef Pasternack. 11/12/1928 Camden NJ - Church Bldg.

Columbia 45949 (Columbia A1816) The Musical Trust, Columbia Male Octet, with orchestra. 8/16/1915, New York.

Columbia 46212 (Columbia A1892) A Hong Kong Romance, Columbia Stellar Quartette, unacc. 11/19/1915

Thanks to Miles Krueger for assistance with early disc references.