…Thomas Edison’s phonograph, the most original invention of the greatest inventor of modern times. When Edison built his first phonograph in 1877, he publish an article proposing ten uses to which his invention might be put. They included preserving the last words of dying people, recording books for blind people to hear, announcing clock time, and teaching spelling. Reproduction of music was not high on Edison’s list of priorities…
(Jared Diamond, guns, germs and steel, 1997)
I think that it would please Thomas Edison to learn that a turning point in the relationship between a speech therapist and his (royal, as it happend) patient was the use of the phonograph. Even more, in this case, two phonographs were involved: one for playing a musical record over the headphones to the stammerer patient WHILE the patient’s voice, reading a play, was being recorded on the other phonograph.
Those who saw The King’s Speech (Tom Hooper, 2010) know what I’m talking about, those who didn’t should go and see it.
While on the subject of kings, Radiohead just released a new album: The King of Limbs.
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