Early disc records were recorded on only one side. There was no technical issue with recording both sides, but there were business reasons why one-sided records were preferable. A workable process had been patented by Ademor Petit in 1901. There were test pressings from Berliner, Zonophone and Victor and limited releases from Columbia and American Record Company (Paul 2021). In 1904 Odeon became the first company to fully adopt and market double-sided records.

The recording in this example was made by Fonotipia in Milan. The record was manufactured by Odeon in Berlin. Both Odeon and Fonotipia were owned by the Carl Lindstrom Co., the holding company for a number of record labels in the early 20^th century. Fonotipia focused on opera records. Victor Maurel, the performer on this example, was a well-known opera singer in the 19th century. By the time of this recording in 1904, he was near the end of his career, but Wagner and Verdi had both praised him as an artist. He was noted for being a good actor as well as a singer.

The physical diameter of this disc is 10½ in. The most frequently quoted diameter for Odeon and Fonotipia records is 10¾ in. I'm treating that as the nominal size, much as 12 in. is the nominal diameter for discs that actually measure 11⅞ in.