This past weekend I saw an article in the NY Times about early wax
cylinder recordings.  ("How Pop Sounded Before It Popped"), still online
at: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/19/arts/music/19rose.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Free registration required.

The story is about early cylinder recordings available for download at
UC Santa Barbara, nothing mentioned about copyright.  Includes classical
and some that my mother used to sing.  Worth taking a look.  Fascinating
stuff.  http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/

Would love to hear some member comments about some of this.

Regards,

Tom Connor