A recording of Carry Me Back to Old Virginny by the Victor Talking Machine Co. earned a gold disc for soprano Alma Gluck, representing only the seventh such award granted during that era. Born in Iași, Romania, in 1884, she became a prominent figure in the evolving landscape of American vocal performance and early studio recording history.
Early Life and Migration
Born Reba Feinsohn to Zara and Leon Feinsohn in 1884, she relocated to the United States in 1889. She eventually adopted the professional name Gluck, derived from the surname of her first husband, Bernard Glick, who worked in the insurance industry. The couple had one daughter, Marcia Davenport.
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Gluck established her reputation as a lyric soprano through her performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She expanded her reach by touring extensively across the United States. As an early participant in the commercial recording industry, she captured a variety of performances on disc, including several Christian hymns recorded as duets with Louise Homer, such as Rock of Ages, Whispering Hope, One Sweetly Solemn Thought, and Jesus, Lover of My Soul.
Family and Later Life
The couple raised two children, Maria Virginia Zimbalist and the actor Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. In 1925, she retired to New Hartford, Connecticut, to focus on family life. Although ethnically Jewish, she and her husband attended the local Episcopal Church, where they raised their children. She later died of liver failure at the Rockefeller Institute Hospital in Manhattan on October 27, 1938.
Fast facts
- Born: 1884, Iași, Romania
- Died: 27 October 1938, Manhattan
- Primary Occupation: Opera singer
- Spouse: Efrem Zimbalist
- Burial site: Town Hill Cemetery
- Citizenship: Romania, United States
Questions readers ask
Did Gluck sell one million copies of her most famous recording?
While rumors persist regarding the sales of Carry Me Back to Old Virginny, internal ledgers from the Victor Talking Machine Co. do not support the claim that it was the first classical recording to reach one million copies.
Where is Alma Gluck buried?
She is buried at Town Hill Cemetery.
Achievements
- Instruments: voice
- Genres: classical music
