Adolf Østbye (February 1868 – September 5, 1907) was a Norwegian revue artist and barber who became the first person to make a recording in Norway. The earliest playable Norwegian

phonograph cylinder Phonograph cylinders (also referred to as Edison cylinders after its creator Thomas Edison) are the earliest commercial medium for Sound recording and reproduction, recording and reproducing sound. Commonly known simply as "records" in their heyda ...

dates from 1889. During the years 1889–1904, Østbye made a series of cylinders, announced "Østbye Record". Several of these are made with cooperation with the Norwegian Pathé manager,

William Farre William Andrew Farre (born William Johnsen, 1 August 1874 – April 5, 1950) was a Norwegian musician, conductor, and composer. Farre was born in Trondheim. He directed a Salvation Army orchestra in Stavanger in 1895 and also played in a Salvat ...

The first recording in Norway

In December 1904, Østbye became the first to make a gramophone record in Norway. The record was "Parodi paa Terje Vigen".

Edvard Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic music, Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwid ...

(1843–1907), had made nine records in Paris during the spring of 1903. Østbye's Norwegian recording sessions were held at the Grand Hotel, Kristiania. Østbye recorded several cylinders and gramophone records. He mainly recorded for Pathé and The

Gramophone Company The Gramophone Company Limited was a British phonograph manufacturer and record label, founded in April 1898 by Emil Berliner. It was one of the earliest record labels. The company purchased the His Master's Voice painting and trademark righ ...

(

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...

) – whose masters were released as Victor records in the US, as well as Columbia cylinders and records. Many of these sold very well, and the most popular title "Bal i Hallingdal" together with Carl Mathisen (September 25, 1870

Holmsbu Holmsbu is a small village located in Akershus, Norway. Holmsbu is situated in the municipality of Asker (municipality), Asker on the west side of the peninsula of Hurumlandet on Drammensfjord. The village had 309 residents as of 1 January 2014 ...

, Norway – 1933 Ray, North Dakota, US) at accordion remained in the His Master's Voice catalogues until the late 1930s. Østbye also began to start up his own record company, "Ekko - Kristiania" during 1906–07. These plans were cut short by his illness in 1907. Only two Ekko records are reported to exist today. These records seem to be earlier Pathé and "Østbyes record"s that have been transferred. The reason for this might be that Østbye, at the time, was too ill to record "live". He died in Kristiania (

Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...

), aged 39. On several record labels, Østbye's last name has also been spelled: Östby(e), Østby(e) and Ostby(e).

Gallery

Image:Ekko_label.jpg, A rare 1906/07 Ekko record from Østbye.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ostbye, Adolf 1868 births 1907 deaths Norwegian musicians