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Anna Case

Anna Case (October 29, 1887 - January 7, 1984) was an American operatic lyric soprano. She recorded with Thomas Alva Edison, who used her voice extensively in "tone tests" of whether a live audience could tell the difference between the actual singer and a recording. In addition to recordings for Edison Records on both phonograph cylinder and Diamond Disc, Case recorded for Victor and Columbia Records, and made sound film for Vitaphone.

She was born in Clinton, New Jersey, on October 29, 1887. and educated by vocal trainer Augusta Öhrström-Renard in New York. She made her debut in 1909 at the New Theatre in New York as the Dutch Boy in Werther, and from 1909–1916 was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company. In first American performances, she created the roles of Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier (1913) and Feodor in Boris Godunov (1913). She sang Olympia in Tales of Hoffmann, Mimi in La Boheme, and Micaela in Carmen.

She wrote music and lyrics to several songs during the 1910s and '20s. She made her film debut in the 1919 silent drama film The Hidden Truth, and sang one of her original songs in the 1926 Vitaphone short La Fiesta. She also appeared in documentaries about sound recording. In 1930 she recorded "Just Awearyin' for You" by Frank Lebby Stanton and Carrie Jacobs-Bond.

On July 18, 1931, she married ITT Corporation executive Clarence H. Mackay at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Roslyn, New York, and retired from the stage shortly afterwards. She began write songs more prolifically in 1936, penning over 50 in two years, and sang occasionally at social events. Her husband died in November, 1938, and Case died in New York City on January 7, 1984. Upon her death she bequeathed her 167.97-carat (33.59 g) Colombian emerald ring and Cartier necklace containing more than 2,000 diamonds, 35 emeralds and an oval cabochon-cut Columbian emerald of 167.97 carat to the Smithsonian Institution.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 1, 1888 (Clinton), Died January 7, 1984 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1913 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: soprano vocal, composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 120 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 5578 10-in. 5/22/1917 The star spangled banner Anna Case Soprano vocal solo and mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 5647 10-in. 6/28/1917 Somewhere a voice is calling Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 5649 10-in. 6/28/1917 A perfect day Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6218 10-in. between 6/7/1918 and 6/13/1918 Will o' the wisp Anna Case ; Charles Gilbert Spross Soprano vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6232 10-in. 6/17/1918 Mon coeur ne peut changer Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6238 10-in. between 6/17/1918 and 6/20/1918 Jean Anna Case ; Charles Gilbert Spross Soprano vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6247 10-in. between 6/21/1918 and 6/24/1918 Angels, ever bright and fair Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6255 10-in. between 7/1/1918 and 7/5/1918 Synnove's song Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6258 10-in. between 7/1/1918 and 7/5/1918 Come where my love lies dreaming Anna Case ; Criterion Quartet Soprano vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6305 10-in. 8/4/1918 Parle-moi de ma mere Anna Case ; Ralph Errolle Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6476 10-in. between 11/12/1918 and 11/27/1918 Coming home Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6863 10-in. 7/9/1919 Lithuanian song Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6871 10-in. 7/14/1919 O for the wings of a dove Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 6875 10-in. 7/16/1919 It is well with my soul Anna Case ; Criterion Quartet Soprano vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7242 10-in. 3/24/1920 No night there Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7248 10-in. 10/2/1914 Good-bye, beloved, good-bye Anna Case ; Lyric Male Quartet Soprano vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7249 10-in. 3/29/1920 O sleep, why dost thou leave me? Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7255 10-in. 3/31/1920 Oh, Mother, my love Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7257 10-in. 4/1/1920 Boats of mine Anna Case ; Charles Gilbert Spross Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7258 10-in. 4/1/1920 To you Anna Case ; Charles Gilbert Spross Soprano vocal solo, with piano composer, lyricist, vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7262 10-in. 4/2/1920 How the gates came ajar Anna Case ; Lyric Male Quartet Female vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7263 10-in. 4/2/1920 Qui la voce Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7335 10-in. 4/30/1920 Why thus doth mourn the willow tree Anna Case ; Paul Reimers Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 7748 10-in. 1/19/1921 Boats of mine Anna Case ; Charles Gilbert Spross Soprano vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8142 10-in. 7/25/1921 Love lifted me Anna Case ; Lyric Male Quartet Female vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
(Results 51-75 of 120 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Case, Anna," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838.

Case, Anna. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838.

"Case, Anna." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838

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