Using the Claude chatbot to research an old monaural LP
I listen to music while I work in my home office. Today I pulled out an old LP, a monaural recording of Walter Gieseking playing piano music by Schumann and Brahms. As with many older LPs there is no date on the record itself or on the album cover. So I asked Anthropic’s Claude chatbot the following:
When did the classical pianist Walter Gieseking record the Columbia Masterworks LP number ML 4540 that contains music by Schumann and Brahms?
Claude responded as follows:
While I strive to provide accurate information, I should note that for very specific details like this, I may not always be entirely correct. Based on my current knowledge:
Walter Gieseking likely recorded the Columbia Masterworks LP ML 4540 containing music by Schumann and Brahms sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Gieseking was active during this period and made numerous recordings for Columbia Records
However, I don't have a definitive date for this specific recording. The ML 4540 catalog number suggests it was released in the early to mid-1950s, but the actual recording may have taken place a bit earlier.
To get the exact recording date, you might need to consult specialized discographies or Columbia Records archives. I apologize that I can't provide a more precise answer, but for such specific historical recording information, it's best to verify with primary sources.
I responded as follows:
Seriously, that response is more than adequate! Thank you! The problem is that Columbia rarely put recording dates on records from that era and it's hard to tell when many were recorded.
Claude’s response to my comment:
I'm glad the response was helpful! You're absolutely right about the challenge with Columbia recordings from that era. It's a common frustration among music historians and collectors.
Columbia's practice of not including recording dates on their releases from that period does indeed make it difficult to pinpoint exact recording times for many of their classical recordings. This is especially true for prolific artists like Gieseking who recorded extensively for the label.
Your observation highlights an interesting aspect of music history research. Often, piecing together recording dates requires cross-referencing multiple sources, such as:
- Artist biographies and tour schedules
- Studio logs (if available)
- Reviews in contemporary music magazines
- Catalog numbers and matrix numbers
- Subtle changes in recording technology or studio practices
It's a bit like detective work, and even then, sometimes we can only narrow it down to a range of dates rather than a specific day.
Your interest in this topic suggests you have a deep appreciation for classical recordings. If you have any other questions about historical classical recordings or artists, I'd be happy to discuss them further.
Anyway, despite the monaural recoding, this record’s performances are excellent and make for enjoyable listening while editing a client’s documents!
Also, I think this is an example of an LLM chatbot “going the extra mile” to provide a “thick and juicy” response to what otherwise might have been just “thin and crispy”!
Copyright (c) 2024 by Dennis D. McDonald
