benshi on record

[David Hopkins]

I've been enjoying Peter High's interesting contributions very much, and for 
a change have something to add (and, as usual, ask).

My knowledge is very limited, but Nippon Columbia had a subsidiary label 
called Regal in the later 1930's (don't know startup or finish) that put out 
record sets of a rather unique form of entertainment. In my limited 
collection, I have 海超へて, which, on the label is identified as 映画説明, 
and performed mainly by 泉誌郎, very much in the benshi style, but with pop 
songs (or fragments) mixed in. Then I have 愛染かつら, from 1938, a massive 
hit, this one also by Izumi, but now identified as 映画物語 on the label.
Last I have another Izumi performance, basically the same style--benshi plus 
music--but now the music has a strong 軍歌 feel, called 父よ、あなたは強かっ  
た.. Don't have dates for the first and the last. Oh, the last is simply 物  
語 on the label.

So, what the hell are these? Serial numbers are pretty close together so 
using Aizen for dating, they are all from the late thirties. Not appropriate 
for radio play--have to be flipped or changed in 3-4 minute intervals. Was 
Izumi Shiro a famous benshi?

I'll keep scouring the flea markets for more of this unique medium. I sniff 
career-maker here. I promise to limit my use of the word "trope" to once a 
paragraph!

They seem to be mainly 4-disc sets, and I know that complete sets are hard 
to find.
Naniwa-bushi also generally 4-disc sets, so the format would be familiar.

David Hopkins