INFO
1 Container of gramophone records – concert by Heineken’s Men's Choir Rotterdam
Vara Studio Hilversum
August 3, 1947
Harmonious voices
Stored in the depot of the Heineken Collection Foundation, next to Alfred (Freddy) Heineken's 'music box’, is a container with intriguing content: a stack of unique gramophone records of the radio concert by Heineken's Men's Choir. The performance took place at the Vara Studio in Hilversum on August 3, 1947 – a time when Freddy was in New York, serving as assistant sales promoter for Leo van Munching.
Cultural value
The Men's Choir – 'something different, something better, something of more cultural value than just TV!' – was the pride of Heineken Rotterdam for many years. The gentlemen rehearsed every Friday night from eight to ten at Café Hollandia, next to the Heineken Rotterdam office on Crooswijkse Singel. A former employee vividly recalled, 'My father was a member for many years and also served as treasurer on the board. This company choir gave numerous concerts, especially in the post-war period. They performed on the radio, in sanatoriums, at care institutions, and in the Rivièrahal. They even once gave a concert during Christmas in the penitentiary at Noordsingel, making it feel a bit like Christmas for the detainees.'
Surprise
The songs recorded during the Vara broadcast remain a surprise for the time being. The 78 RPM records are 'crystalline,' covered with a layer of a special salt, and only playable on a specific crystal gramophone pickup. The container also contains a letter with instructions for this type of record and a page from the Hilversum radio guide from 1 August. However, thanks to the former Rotterdam employee, we can form an impression: 'They had a somewhat heavy repertoire, including operas such as Verdi's Nabucco.'
Popular tunes
In this context, it's noteworthy that the container on the shelf also holds a gramophone record with more popular tunes from the choir: the men singing the ‘Soccer Song HBB R'dam’ and then the ‘Holland March.’ We may never know how they sounded: according to the accompanying information, the record must be played on a gramophone with a special bent 'stylus.' Unfortunately, the Heineken Collection does not possess such a needle.
