Emilis Melngailis
(1874-1954) was not only one of the most famous Latvian composers
and ethnomusicologists, but also one of the first photographers
of ethnography, portraying both the singers and their surroundings.
There are quite a few images glued onto the pages of his note
books, the first one - in a note book from 1923.
In March 1930 it is the first time in the history
of LFK when the same singers are recorded, transcribing their
songs by hand (Melngailis), recorded, suing phonograph, and
photographed.
Those were Barbala Kokare, Agate Borozinska, and her daughter
Gertrude Elksne. About 50 years later Gertrude
was interviewed and recorded by folklorists,
performing what she called "mother's songs".
From this session there are several song melodies written by
Melngailis, five songs recorded on cylinder, as well as two
photographs.
The labels added to the cylinders bear the instruction
"Nav
jaatsifre", 'not to be deciphered' as transcription
by Melngailis was considered ideal. Though this instruction was not
obeyed and Peteris Barisons transcribed the tunes along with others
that he was hired to transcribe from the cylinders. Interestingly
enough his transcription differs significantly from that by Melngailis.
Of course, they had different sources - Melngailis writing from live
performance, while Barisons had to use a not-so-well-recorded cylinder.
Still the differences reach beyond not recorded end of a song or
Barisons' inability to understand the text. All in all this is an
interesting example, so listen for yourself!
This is the recorded song: 
this is how the Melngailis' transcription sounds
this is what it looks
like 
this is how the Barisons' transcription
sounds this
is what it looks
like 
