Hear the Voice of Nelson Miles!

[Melani]

My friend the Chanteyranger found this the other day while looking for music:

www.nps.gov/archive/edis/edisonia/documentary.htm

This is the NPS website for the Edison National Historic Site. The link should take you to "Documentary Recordings and Political Speeches." Scroll about halfway down the page, and you will come to "Visit of Nelson A. Miles, 12-28-1914."
Is is a recording of him speaking, not saying anything very exciting, but you can hear his actual voice. His accent is rather different from the way we speak now, and after comparing to a recording of Teddy Roosevelt (on the same page), I am thinking that it was the American accent of that time, and that some evolution has taken place.

If only Edison had done his work a little earlier--we'd definitely have a recording of Custer. He wouldn't have been able to resist!

[elisabeth]

Melani, this is magic.

Miles sounds almost entirely English, which is startling. Teddy sounds slightly more American; but still kind of mid-Atlantic. Reminiscent of the late great Alistair Cooke, if you're familiar with him. Fascinating to see this accent-shift.

Didn't FDR also sound somewhat similar? The patrician accent of the day, perhaps ... while these days the fashion is more to sound like "regular folks"?

Slightly further up the page is something positively heart-stopping: the trumpeter from the Charge of the Light Brigade, sounding the charge exactly as it was sounded at Balaclava. Whew.

Thanks SO much for posting this!

[Scout]

Thanks Melani...

I had heard the Teddy stuff before but never Miles and the trumpeter from the Light Brigade was astonishing!

On a previous post awhile back we discussed why there wasn't more of such recordings. A great number of soldiers & warriors were still alive during this time period. There is one of Dewey Beard telling about watching the battle of the LBH which is in the Michigan State archives. I suppose that could be the closes anyone could comes to actually experiencing the battle.

There are movies of Libby, could there be an audio somewhere? Thanks again!

[clw]

I've always heard it said that Teddy Roosevelt's voice was high and rather odd sounding -- that it was a real liability in terms of his public speaking. Yet in this recording it sounds pleasant and rather normal. How odd?

[BrokenSword]

clw-

I had read that Abe Lincoln's voice was also rather high pitched and a bit 'squeeky'. Had heard pretty much the same of Nelson Miles and GAC. Maybe its just the perception of those that are doing the listening.

M

[crzhrs]

I wonder how much a voice was affected by the recording technology of the time.

Back in those days it wasn't what kind of voice and/or image someone had but their ability as leaders. Seeing film of TR we noticed a large, rugged man who looked very imposing. But his voice doesn't match his image. Plus there was no amplification equipment then so speakers had to really raise their voices to be heard.

Unless one was Martin Luther King, yelling at the top of your lungs to get an idea across was not the most flattering!

[BrokenSword]

crzhrs-
"...a large, rugged man who looked very imposing. But his voice doesn't match his image."

Now, why does Mike Tyson come to my mind?

Michael

[harpskiddie]

I heard that trumpeter recording thirty or forty years ago on a late night FM radio show, and almost kicked over the waterpipe, I was so excited. But I never knew where it came from. Now I have it forever!!!

And Shackleton - wow!!!!! Nelson who???

Gordie,
I would've bin in tha charge, sor, but I didn't 'ave a 'orse...................................

[Diane Merkel]

Melani, I think you get the prize for find of the year (so far, anyway). Great!

Hearing the "high" American accent of the time is interesting. Reminded me of Hepburn and other actors of the 30s. Back in the early 70s, I attended a national convention in DC, and a guy there from Maine spoke with the most unusual accent. It sounded very Old English to me. I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't pockets throughout the country that still have traces of an English accent. Or is the story true that the Brits changed their accents to be different from us and we have the original English accent?

[Melani]

I had always heard that TR had a rather staccato way of talking, and the recording seems to bear that out. I think the sound quality is not too distorted--some of the music on the same site is really quite decent as to quality. Other recordings have quite a bit of hiss.

There's some vaudeville stuff as well--the worst jokes I ever heard, and some rather weird performances of various types--a real time capsule.

I agree, the trumpeter is really cool!

[crzhrs]

vausevill? Is that like vaseline?

[Melani]

Okay, okay, I corrected it!

[Banned]

General Miles is probably one of the finest officers in American history. His career is just amazing.

I find moving that Miles admired Custer so much. It's a strong case for Custer's defense.

Miles' voice is just stunning.

[Banned]

melani said:

If only Edison had done his work a little earlier--we'd definitely have a recording of Custer. He wouldn't have been able to resist!

It would be magic.

[Tricia]

Well, let's hope Lawrence Barnett had gotten to GAC before any recording. I'm afraid I'd find Custer's voice a disappointment to his carefully crafted image; the fearless commander with a high pitched, stammering staccato, voicing "yes, yes" every two breaths...

Naaah, I'd rather keep my image of GAC intact!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, Y'ALL! Fire up them grills, eh?
--t.