I'll be honest, I have no idea who R G & E is, or why they had a chorus, or how this Christmas EP came to be. About the only reason I picked it up to record it this year was because it had a date on it, and some good Christmas music was being made in 1958. I assume it originally came in a picture sleeve that I didn't have, because there are no song titles or info on the record labels, so I had to assign them titles. I believe they are the right titles, but you know how there can often be variations in the names of some Christmas carols. But barring the discovery a picture sleeve for this one, I'm going with what I got. It's short but sweet, this is
R G & E Mixed Chorus-R.J. Hasenauer, Director-Herbie Zahn, Accompanist-
Christmas 1958 With The R G & E Mixed Chorus (Lifetime Recordings 7" 45 RPM J08H-2737/8, Mono, 1958). If anybody knows anything about this group, please chime in! Hmmm, Rochester Gas & Electric? Maybe...
1. Joy To The World
2. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
3. The First Noel
4. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
5. Deck The Halls
6. Silent Night
MEGA
Gotta be Rochester Gas & Electric.
ReplyDeleteI can see where the gas part came in...
ReplyDelete"On June 22, 1938 something happened in Rotary which has been a tremendous asset to the Club ever since, and without which it is hard to conceive just what our Club would be like today. The minutes of the meeting for that date, (6/22/38) state: "Herbie Zahn is our new piano player. Say, he is good!" That certainly is one of the thanks which Avon Rotary has and continues to express to this very hours."
ReplyDeleteThis quote was written in a newsletter in 1962.
https://www.avonrotary.org/page/club-history-1927-1962
In the same time period our old piano player and most famous non Rotarian member, Herbie Zahn passed on. Herbie had handled our Rotary shows for years, and all during that time, he played the piano for our Rotary meetings and all of our special nights. He was an institution.
Perhaps the R is Rotary?
A 2nd clipping https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25453838/democrat_and_chronicle/
ReplyDeleteThe Women's Chorus of Rochester Gas & Electric ...under the Herbie Zahn
From The R G and E Story (1957)
One employee activity that has raised many
thousands of dollars for Churches, Schools, Parent-Teacher Associations,
Veterans Organizations, Volunteer Fire Companies, Boy and Girl Scouts,
4-H Clubs, and others is the work of two groups-the R.G. & E. Men's Chorus
and the R.G. & E. Women's Chorus. The Men's Chorus was organized more
than 25 years ago, and the Women's Chorus 23 years ago, and both have
been active ever since. They have given hundreds of concerts, without charge
to the benefited organizations. They give up their own evenings for these concerts
and much of their own time for rehearsals. Participation is purely voluntary,
with no compensation except the enjoyment each one gets out of the
activity.
Employee personnel, including talent from the choral groups, from time to
time presents stage performances for their own associates and the Veterans'
Club sponsors an annual Christmas party for employees' children.
(pg 78-79 also includes a photo of each the separate Men's and Women's Chorus)
Nice find! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteup in rochester, those r.g.& e. people know that everybody's somebody's fuel.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the music and research.
ReplyDeleteWow! I just bought this record from a friend of mine who's mother used to work at Rochester Gas & Electric in Rochester, NY. I've spent a while trying to research information on it with little luck so far other than to learn that the Lifetime Recordings label was a local label that was just starting up at the time and provided recording services for local schools and businesses. A year later they would start recording more mainstream local musical artists.
ReplyDeleteUS label from Rochester, NY. Also appears as "Lifetime" only.
Lifetime Recordings was founded in 1952 by Lester W. Osband (1913-2009). As a local custom recording company, Lifetime recorded various Rochester High School bands, church choirs, etc. before launching his own Lifetime label in 1959 The initial release was by The Capris, a black vocal group, now a rare item.
Sites:
45rpmrecords.com
Now I know a little more about the piano accompanist. Thanks!