This site was originally conceived of to fulfill the requirements of a web development course I took at the Computer Systems Institute at Skokie, IL (USA) in 1999-2000.  Since I have been fascinated by early phonograph recordings since I was just a small child, and have been collecting them for more than thirty years now, I decided to combine this hobby with the course requirements, and this web site is the result.  

  All of the selections available in the Archive are in streaming Real Audio format, recorded from the original disks in my collection.  All of the original recordings, performances, scores, and lyrics are believed to now be in the public domain, any copyrights having expired.  I am making them available to the public in the hopes of furthering the interest in and awareness of the music and history of the early 20th century.  

  I have tried to provide as much information as possible about each recording posted on this site.  This is an ongoing process and as more information is found, the site will be updated accordingly.  Any sources, print or electronic, used to research the recordings, recording companies, or recording artists are listed.  I do not claim to be an expert in the area of historic sound recordings, nor do I claim that any of the recordings offered here are of historical significance.  Since most of the recordings were acquired by me in lots, I do believe that they provide a reasonable representation of the musical tastes of the era.  Anybody finding any inaccuracies or just plain errors of fact is encouraged to contact me at webmater@computerola.com.