voices of the Imperial Family

[Alan]

I have heard a recording of the voice of Nicholas II. Does anyone know if any recordings of Alexandra and the rest of the family have been released?

[aleksandr pavlovich]

  Hello, Alan!  I am doing this STRICTLY by memory, but I think there are PRESENTLY known TWO recordings allegedly of the Emperor Nicholas' voice:  (1.) during a military review/maneuvers in Russia, wherein after an introduction and woven in with a musical "interlude," the Emperor speaks twice in Russian, and (2) a short address in French to M. Emile Loubet, President of France, after which the President replies in French. I seem to recall this second example is posted on YOU-Tube, and I believe it is referenced somewhere within the context of the APTMF as well (someone was remarking that the Empeor uses the "rolled r" when referring to "Russia" in the French address).
  ALLEGEDLY, there were recordings made of the family for the Dowager Empress, but they are missing and presumed destroyed (?).  Regards,  AP.

[clockworkgirl21]

I've heard that yes, Marie did make some recordings of OTMAAs' voices, but they were lost during the revolution. Hopefully they'll surface someday.

[Forum Admin]

Bob has seen documentation that the entire family recorded their voices for Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna, who kept them at the Anichkov Palace.  They have been lost, presumably destroyed in the Revolution or Soviet period.  There are no known voice recordings for anyone else in the Imperial Family, save the two possible ones already mentioned for Nicholas II.

[TsarAlexeiII]

Bob has seen documentation that the entire family recorded their voices for Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna, who kept them at the Anichkov Palace.  They have been lost, presumably destroyed in the Revolution or Soviet period.  There are no known voice recordings for anyone else in the Imperial Family, save the two possible ones already mentioned for Nicholas II.

FA-
I was considering starting a thread about this until I found this one. I know you don't know anymore than I do regarding the recordings, but was curious to know your idea about what may have happened. First off, where did Bob see said documentation? Was it a reliable source? Secondly, when you say the recordings are "presumably detsroyed", does this imply that the Bolsheviks probably found them and physically destroyed them, or rather that the Empess Dowager took them with her into exile and maybe they were thrown out by her descendants, or something else? I know the Bolsheviks destroyed much of the Imperial Family's belongings, but if the E.D. took the recordings with her, is it at all possible that Marie's attendants, descendants, or friends kept them and preserved them. What are the chances that the Bolsheviks may have found them and somehow they were preserved in the Russian archives. I recall hearing that less than one-eight or so of the Russian/Soviet archives have actually been released. What are the chances of being able to find out more through them?

I look forward to one day hearing Alexei's voice.

Thank you very much,
Ryan

[blessOTMA]

I look forward to one day hearing Alexei's voice.
 

I'd say in a very real way, you already have =)

[TsarAlexeiII]

I look forward to one day hearing Alexei's voice.
 

I'd say in a very real way, you already have =)

I'm not following.

[Forum Admin]

Bob has seen documentation that the entire family recorded their voices for Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna, who kept them at the Anichkov Palace.  They have been lost, presumably destroyed in the Revolution or Soviet period.  There are no known voice recordings for anyone else in the Imperial Family, save the two possible ones already mentioned for Nicholas II.

FA-
I was considering starting a thread about this until I found this one. I know you don't know anymore than I do regarding the recordings, but was curious to know your idea about what may have happened. First off, where did Bob see said documentation? Was it a reliable source? Secondly, when you say the recordings are "presumably detsroyed", does this imply that the Bolsheviks probably found them and physically destroyed them, or rather that the Empess Dowager took them with her into exile and maybe they were thrown out by her descendants, or something else? I know the Bolsheviks destroyed much of the Imperial Family's belongings, but if the E.D. took the recordings with her, is it at all possible that Marie's attendants, descendants, or friends kept them and preserved them. What are the chances that the Bolsheviks may have found them and somehow they were preserved in the Russian archives. I recall hearing that less than one-eight or so of the Russian/Soviet archives have actually been released. What are the chances of being able to find out more through them?

I look forward to one day hearing Alexei's voice.

Thank you very much,
Ryan

There were records Bob saw in Russia indicating that the Imperial Family all recorded records of their voices as a gift to Marie Feodorovna.  They were most likely not taken with her to the Crimea, and the living Romanovs do not have them. They have been asked.  Most probably the Bolsheviks would have destroyed them when they found them. The Soviets would not have wanted such relics lurking around as it could have stirred up support against them.  They "might" be lost in GARF, but nobody knows for certain.

[blessOTMA]

I look forward to one day hearing Alexei's voice.
 

I'd say in a very real way, you already have =)

I'm not following.

I meant it as a metaphor. Alexei's story has moved you , rather profoundly from what you say, and so  you have "heard" his voice in that sense.

[TsarAlexeiII]

I look forward to one day hearing Alexei's voice.
 

I'd say in a very real way, you already have =)

I'm not following.

I meant it as a metaphor. Alexei's story has moved you , rather profoundly from what you say, and so  you have "heard" his voice in that sense.

Yes, it has. Thank you.

[LauraO]

i'm sure that nicholas's french address is on youtube somewhere, which i find bizarre in itself, but i'm sure i remember listening to it.....
i'd love to know what alexandra sounded like because i'm sure that was one mixed up accent. by all accounts, according to lili dehn it was pretty english with a german edge thing going on, and i'm sure the years in russia had an impact...bet it sounded pretty muddled

[Alexander1917]

i'm sure that nicholas's french address is on youtube somewhere, which i find bizarre in itself, but i'm sure i remember listening to it.....
i'd love to know what alexandra sounded like because i'm sure that was one mixed up accent. by all accounts, according to lili dehn it was pretty english with a german edge thing going on, and i'm sure the years in russia had an impact...bet it sounded pretty muddled

here the link
for the paris, 1902 speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OR2KnRPgKQ

[TsarAlexeiII]

i'm sure that nicholas's french address is on youtube somewhere, which i find bizarre in itself, but i'm sure i remember listening to it.....
i'd love to know what alexandra sounded like because i'm sure that was one mixed up accent. by all accounts, according to lili dehn it was pretty english with a german edge thing going on, and i'm sure the years in russia had an impact...bet it sounded pretty muddled

here the link
for the paris, 1902 speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OR2KnRPgKQ

I am skeptical. We know that at least a part of the military ceremony features Nicholas's voice. This doesn't sound anything like his voice.

[thelastimpofrussia]

Based on what evidence? We just don't know exactly what his voice sounded like, so we can't be sure that's how his voice sounded!

[TsarAlexeiII]

Based on what evidence? We just don't know exactly what his voice sounded like, so we can't be sure that's how his voice sounded!

If one listens to what the voice is saying (in Russian, of course) and put that into context, it makes sense that it is Nicholas. For example, he said something like "thank you, compatriots, for the wonderful ceremony"!