Music recorded in September 1889
In September 1889, a series of events took place that shaped the framework of modern nation-states, economies, and science: elections were held in France and Serbia; the Wyoming Territory adopted a state constitution that included women's suffrage; the First General Conference on Weights and Measures adopted the International Meter and Kilogram Prototype; and Nintendo Koppai was founded in Japan.
In the arts, Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) of Saint-Rémy and Paul Gauguin (1848–1903) of Brittany produced masterpieces, while the deaths of novelist Wilkie Collins (1824–1889) and Charles III, Prince of Monaco (1818–1889) marked the transition of some of the most iconic figures in 19th-century European culture.
Confirmed recordings this month: 196
3rd (12 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Invitation March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Mazurka | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Mountain Echo's Waltzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Kentucky Jubilee Schottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Rink Schottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Swiss Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Alpine March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Golden Hours Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Mrs. Brady's Daughter – Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Bagpipe | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| “Happy Time Of Youth” Waltzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Jubilee – March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
[Events of September 3, 1889]
・Bank of Japan governor replaced
In Japan, the Bank of Japan changed its governor, with Tomita Tetsunosuke (1835–1916) retiring on September 3, 1889, and Kawada Koichiro (1836–1896) becoming the bank's third governor on the same day. This marked a turning point in the history of the central bank's leader, as he transitioned from Tomita, a former bureaucrat, to Kawada, a former executive of the Mitsubishi Group.
5th (13 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Palm Branches | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Sea Flower Polka | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Ave Maria Gounod's | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Alice Where Art Thou | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Yankee Doodle Var. | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Robin Adair | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| I'm So Lonely | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Young America Polka | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Off In My Slumbers | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Emma Waltz | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Laughing Back | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Some Day | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Fisher Maiden | HG. Alvin Jaeger |
| Notte e giorno faticar | Peter Ludvig Nicolai Schram |
| Madamina, il catalogo è questo | Peter Ludvig Nicolai Schram |
[Events of September 5, 1889]
・Peter Schramm's Leporello recordings
On September 5, 1889, Danish bass Peter Schram (1819–1895) recorded his voice into an Edison phonograph at a party celebrating his 70th birthday, following his retirement performance as Leporello in Don Giovanni at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Recorded by diplomat and businessman Gottfried Rubens (dates of birth and death unknown), the cylinder features unaccompanied Danish inscriptions of excerpts from Leporello's "Notte e giorno faticar" and "Madamina, il catalogo è questo." It is considered one of the earliest surviving recordings of an opera singer.
・Morris Wood Coal Mine Disaster
The Mauricewood Colliery disaster occurred around noon on September 5, 1889, when a fire broke out in the wooden lining of an air shaft at the Mauricewood Colliery near Penykich, Midlothian, Scotland. 63 of the 70 people working underground died, and the disaster remains the worst mining disaster in the Lothian region, having a major impact on subsequent mine safety regulations and the local railway network.
6th (13 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Then You'll Remember Me | Alvin Jaeger |
| The Heart Bowed Down | Alvin Jaeger |
| Promenade Polka | Alvin Jaeger |
| Now The Swallows Are Returning | Alvin Jaeger |
| Lizzie Polka | Alvin Jaeger |
| Schubert's Serenade | Alvin Jaeger |
| Home Sweet Home | Alvin Jaeger |
| Dear Mother Good Bye | Alvin Jaeger |
| Ave Maria Schubert's | Alvin Jaeger |
| Sea Flower Polka | Alvin Jaeger |
| Yankee Doodle | Alvin Jaeger |
| Off In My Slumbers | Alvin Jaeger |
| Medley | Alvin Jaeger |
[Events of September 6, 1889]
・Louis Silvers (1889–1954)
Louis Silvers (1889–1954) was a film composer born in New York, USA. He is known for his music for the talkie film The Jazz Singer and for winning the first Academy Award for Best Original Score for the 1935 film One Night of Love.
・Theophane Rifosta (1889–1999)
Theophane Rifosta (1889–1999) was a French man born on the island of Reunion. According to a gerontology database, he was 109 years and 283 days old at the time of his death, making him one of the longest-lived men in France.
9th (6 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Etude De Concert – Flute | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Edward Issler |
| The Wren – Polka – Piccolo | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Hoboken Pionees – Song & Dance – Piccolo | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Eistanz – Polka Redowa – Piccolo | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Song – I Owe #10.00 To O’Grady – Piccolo | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Tranway Galop | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Edward Issler |
[Events of September 9, 1889]
・Eiffel Tower's admission fees reach record high
According to the Eiffel Tower's operating records, the highest admission revenue in 1889, the year of the Exposition, was recorded as "September 9, 1889," with sales of 19,585 francs 50 centimes in one day. This figure shows that the tower was not just a monument, but was deeply integrated into the Parisian urban economy as "profit-generating infrastructure" through the Universal Exposition and tourism.
・White Ash Coal Mine Accident
At the White Ash Mine in Golden, Colorado, water from the neighboring Robinson Mine flowed into an old fire-scarred tunnel, causing a sudden eruption of toxic gas and water, killing 10 underground workers. The deep-seated accident, which made it difficult to even recover the bodies, has been passed down locally as "Golden's worst mining disaster," and the inadequacies of mine safety regulations and supervision have been heavily criticized.
10th (7 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Old Homestead – Song & Dance – Piccolo | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Piccolo Solo – Skylark Polka | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Polka Redowa Odalisk | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Waltz – Visions Of Paradise | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Boston Belle – Polka | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Kentucky Jubilee – “Songs” | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Hungarian Szardas [Csardas] Polka | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
[Events of September 10, 1889]
・Donation of a gramophone to the Eiffel Tower
At the Eiffel Tower, the centerpiece of the Paris World's Fair, Thomas A. Edison (1847–1931) visited Gustave Eiffel (1832–1923) and presented him with his invention, the Edison Class M phonograph. The commemorative photograph of the two men and the phonograph taken on the occasion, as well as the audio that is said to have been recorded on the tower, are often presented as a historic moment when telecommunications technology and a symbol of modern architecture met.
・Vilém Petrželka (1889–1967)
Czech composer Vilém Petrželka (1889–1967) was born in Brno, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was educated under Leoš Janáček and left behind symphonies, chamber music, and choral works, and contributed to the development of Czech music as a professor at the Brno Conservatory.
11th (8 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Etude De Concert – Flute | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Turtle Dove – Polka [flute] | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Song – When Ever Shall We Meet Again | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Waltz – In Rapture Sweet | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Swiss Boy – Variations | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Clumbus Gavotte | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Song “Loving I Think Of Thee” | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| The Hornpipe Polkao | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
[Events of September 11, 1889]
・Carl Zeiss (1816–1888)
Carl Zeiss (1816–1888) was a German optical engineer and businessman, and the founder of the microscope manufacturer ZEISS. Born on September 11, 1816, in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, he revolutionized optical theory and microscope design together with Ernst Abbe and others, laying the foundation for the precision optics industry.
・David Herbert Lawrence (DH Lawrence, 1885–1930)
David Herbert Lawrence (DH Lawrence, 1885–1930) was a British novelist and poet known for works such as Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow, Women in Love, and Lady Chatterley's Lover. Born on September 11, 1885, in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, England, he left a significant mark on 20th-century literature with his works that depict the impact of modernization and industrialization on the human mind and sexuality.
12th (11 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| College Songs – Flute | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Beautiful Rhine Waltz | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Song & Dance – Pete | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Brunia Polka | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Song – Coming Thro The Rye | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Waltz – Birds Festival | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Dream After The Ball | Geo. F. Scheweinfest |
| Pearls Of Der – Redowa | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Baby Polka | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Spirit Of The Times March | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Little Gracie Song & Dance | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
[Events of September 12, 1889]
・Railway Accident Records
The Sydney Morning Herald, dated September 12, 1889, reported on a "shocking railway accident near bulli" on Towrodgie/Towradgi bridge near Wollongong. A milk train from Kiama struck an elderly woman, Mrs. Robert Reid (year of birth unknown – 1889), on the tracks, causing her to fall about 20 feet from the bridge and die. The train was delayed by more than 20 minutes, and the accident was deeply shocking to the local community, who described it as a "tragedy involving a well-respected man."
13th (15 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| March | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Dream After The Ball | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Theme and Variations | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Song – Only To See Her Face Again | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Circus Rents – Gavotte | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| The “Chirp Chirp” Polka | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Throlean – Variation | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Baby Polka | G.Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Dancing In The Barn | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| The Wave – Waltz | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| The Wren Polka | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Irish Reel | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| The Hornpipe Polka | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
| Medley National Airways | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Isslerer |
| Straight Jib | Geo. F. Scheweinfest Ed Issler |
[Events of September 13, 1889]
・Kelly Harrell (1889–1942)
Kelly Harrell (1889–1942) was a country/old-time singer born on September 13, 1889, in Drapers Valley, Virginia, USA, who became known in the 1920s for recordings such as "New River Train." Although she did not play an instrument and focused on singing, the dozen or so songs she recorded for Victor and OKeh Records were covered by artists such as Jimmie Rodgers and had a major influence on the history of country music.
14th (11 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| March – Member of Congress | Edward Issler |
| Polka – Mother Hubbard | Edward Issler |
| Waltz – Love's Dreamland | Edward Issler |
| Song & Dance – Always Happy | Edward Issler |
| Crescent City – Mazurka | Edward Issler |
| The Brigands – Selection | Edward Issler |
| Waltz – Rain Showers | Edward Issler |
| Gavotte – Hearts Delight | Edward Issler |
| Vienna Story's – Polka | Edward Issler |
| Yorke – Lucille | Edward Issler |
| Galop – Good Bye | Edward Issler |
[Events of September 14, 1889]
・Settlement of the Great London Docks Strike
The major strike that had been ongoing in the London Docks was concluded on September 14, 1889, with a settlement known as "Cardinal's Peace," which included wage increases, overtime pay, a guaranteed four-hour minimum, and the abolition of contract work. The workers won an hourly wage known as "Docker's Tanner," and this incident symbolized the new mass union movement for unskilled workers.
・Massive explosion at oil storage facility in the port of Antwerp
The European Telegram section of the Australian newspaper, the Newcastle Morning Herald, reported that a massive explosion occurred at an oil storage facility in the port of Antwerp, Belgium, shattering almost all the windows in the city and destroying loading cranes and machinery. The sound of the explosion was heard in cities dozens of kilometers away, and flames were reportedly visible from Brussels, causing great panic among residents.
・Tom Delaney (1889–1963)
Tom Delaney (1889–1963) was an African-American blues/jazz composer born on September 14, 1889 in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. He composed many blues standards of the 1920s, including his masterpiece "Jazz Me Blues," and died on December 16, 1963 in Baltimore, Maryland.
18th (10 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| March – Constantine | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Coming Thro The Rye Variations | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| March | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Valse – Visions of Rest | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Polka “Dew Drops” | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Coming Thro The Rye Variations | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Johnny Get Your Gun Polka | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Song & Dance My Black Eyed May | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Theme & Variations | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Song | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
[Events of September 18, 1889]
・Léon Letort (1889–1913)
Léon Letort (1889–1913), an early aviation pioneer born on this day in Pillet-sur-Séche, France, set a world record in 1913 by flying approximately 950 km nonstop in a Blériot aircraft, but died in an accident during a long-distance flight that same year at the age of 24.
19th (9 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Polka – Enthusiast – Clarinet | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Coming Thro The Rye & Var. | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Johny Get Your Gun – Polka | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Air & Brilliant | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Johnny Get Your Gun Polka | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Song & Dance – “My Dark Eye May” | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Bostson Belle – Polka | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Grand Fantasy | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Dong & Dance – My Pet With Golden | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
| Hair | Wm Tuson Ed Issler |
[Events of September 19, 1889]
・Heavy rain disasters across Japan reported in the US
The September 19, 1889 issue of the Morning Press, a newspaper based in Santa Barbara, California, reported on heavy rain disasters across Japan under the headline "FLOODS IN JAPAN." The article reported that floods and landslides had swept away villages, killing many residents, and that earthquakes had also been observed, indicating that information about Japan's flooding had reached the American media across the Pacific Ocean.
・Rockslide at Cap Diamant
A massive rockslide occurred at Cap Diamant in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, hitting the residential area of Champlain Street at the base of the mountain. This (Quebec rockslide) killed 45 people, injured many, and destroyed at least 20 homes, making it one of the deadliest urban collapse disasters in Canadian history.
20th (12 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Danse Ecossais (Scotch Dance) Baker | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Selection “The Oolah” I | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Selection “The Oolah” II | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Waltz “Maid Marian” | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Spanish Bolero Moskowsky | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Cavatina Raff | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Anniversary March bial | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Selection The Oolah I | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Viz 8 – Anniversary | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Japanese Dance | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Selections “Brigands” | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
| Cappelia Deslibes | Mr. A. Rubel (Thomas Orch.) MF. |
[Events of September 20, 1889]
・Commissioning of SMS Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf
The Austro-Hungarian Navy's pre-dreadnought battleship SMS Kronprinz Erzherzog Rudolf was officially commissioned on September 20, 1889. Built at the Stebilimento Tecnico shipyard in Trieste, the ship served as part of the Empire's coastal defense forces until World War I.
21st (13 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Slightly On The Mash | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Japanese Dance | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Selection “Clover” I | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Polka “Hungaria” | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Mexican Dancers | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Donna Diana Spanish Waltz | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Jolification Medley | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| March “Inman Line” | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Eseralda | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Inman Line March – 9 | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Selection “Clover” | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Waltz “Good Faith” | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
| Japanese Dance | A. Rubel (Theod. Thomas Orchestra) MF. |
[Events of September 21, 1889]
・Pinchin street torso murder case
The September 21, 1889 issue of The Penny Illustrated Paper, a cheap London illustrated newspaper, featured an illustration of the so-called "Pinchin Street torso murder." The discovery of a female torso in the same Whitechapel district as Jack the Ripper's murders aroused intense anxiety and curiosity among Victorian readers through crime reporting.
・Bird's-eye View of the West End of London
The September 21, 1889 issue of the London illustrated weekly magazine The Graphic featured a large panoramic print of West London entitled "Bird's-eye View of the West End of London." The detailed illustration, which offers a bird's-eye view of the theater district, parks, and main streets, is highly regarded as a media work that allows viewers to visually experience the cityscape of Victorian London.
23rd (10 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Friendship March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Metropolitan Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Delightful Shottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Everybody's Darling | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Forget Me Not Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Returning Of Spring – Polka | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Happy Days Schottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| “Sounds From Home” Watlz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Jubilee March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Ever Thine – York | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
[Events of September 23, 1889]
・The Founding of Nintendo
On September 23, 1889, Fusajiro Yamauchi (1859–1940) founded Nintendo Koppai, a small shop that manufactured and sold Hanafuda cards, in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto. This was the origin of what would later become Nintendo Co., Ltd., which would grow from a Hanafuda and Karuta manufacturer into a global gaming company.
25th (11 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| The Diamond March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Echoes Of Switzerland Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Always Happy Schottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| “The Monastery Bells” Serenade | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Song From Stradella | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Monastery Bells | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Dancing In The Barn Military Schottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| “Oh My” Medley | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Nadjy Quickstep | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| 5th Regmt March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Lotus Club, March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
[Events of September 25, 1889]
・Kumamoto Earthquake Overview Report
The Japanese academic journal, Journal of Geography, published its 9th volume, Volume 1, on September 25, 1889. This volume included articles such as "General Report on the Kumamoto Earthquake," compiled by Koto Bunjiro (1856–1935) about the Kumamoto earthquake that occurred in July of the same year, and is regarded as an important early paper in modern earthquake and volcano research in Japan.
26th (15 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Billington March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Just The Style – Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Autumn Leaves – Waltz | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Polonaise | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Golden Hours Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Monastery Bells – Selenade | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Everybody’s Darling – Gavotte | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Religious Fantasia – Celestial | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Religious Fantasia – No. 2 | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Pretty As A Pansy, Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Dancing In The Barn | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Secret Love – Grand March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Nadjy Quickstep | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Always Happy Schottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Magic Trumpet Polka | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
[Events of September 26, 1889]
・1st General Conference on Weights and Measures
The First General Conference on Weights and Measures (Conférence générale des poids et mesures) was held from the 24th to the 26th at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sèvres, near Paris, and on September 26th the metre prototype and kilogram prototype were officially adopted as international standards. The platinum-iridium rod "metre prototype" and cylinder "international kilogram prototype" served as the world's standards for length and mass throughout the 20th century.
・Martin Heidegger (1889–1976)
Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) was a philosopher born on September 26, 1889, in Messkirch, Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire. His works based on phenomenology and ontology, such as "Sein und Zeit (Being and Time)," had a decisive influence on 20th-century philosophy.
27th (14 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Mayor Boynton's – March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Admiral – March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Rocked In The Cradle Of The Deep – March | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Southern Roses – Watlzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Quadrille Take Your Partners – With Calling | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Quadrille – With Calling | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Night Alarm | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Southern Roses Waltzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| The Monastery Bells | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Golden Hours Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Eleanor Waltzes | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Pretty As A Pansy Song & Dance | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Everybody’s Darling – Gavotte | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
| Always Happy Schottische | Duffy & Imgrunds Band |
[Events of September 27, 1889]
・Dauphin completes world cruise
The U.S. Navy steel gunboat USS Dauphin arrived in New York today, completing a circumnavigation of the globe that began in the late 1880s. One of four ships, A, B, C, D, that symbolized the so-called "New Navy," the voyage marked the modernization and expansion of the U.S. Navy's presence through port calls around the world.
30th (6 songs)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| Banjo Jingles | Will Lyle |
| Stop That Knocking | Will Lyle |
| Barn Yard Song | Will Lyle |
| Whtn Daddy Picked The Old Banjo | Will Lyle |
| Barn Yard Song | Will Lyle |
| Hunky Dory Darkey | Will Lyle |
[Events of September 30, 1889]
・Patent application for automatic telegraph
On this date, inventor Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) filed a patent application for an automatic telegraph device, "Automatic Telegraph" (US Patent No. 426,749). The patent publication states "Application filed September 30, 1889," and records the device as an improved device aimed at high-speed, continuous telegraph transmission.
Summary of information on recordings made in September 1889
September 1889 was a time when Edison and his entourage were reaching the climax of their European tour, and scientists, royalty, and opera singers were gathering in front of phonographs one after another. This section examines recording sessions and demonstrations directly linked to September based on primary sources and recent research, as well as recording and corporate trends that can be positioned as part of "autumn 1889," and highlights them in the context of recording history.
Demonstration for scientists and military band recording at Siemens in Berlin (September 13th)
On September 13, 1889, Adelbert Theodor Edward “Theo” Wangemann (1855–1906) gave the first phonograph demonstration to German scientists at the Siemens & Halske firm in Berlin, with Edison in attendance. The recordings, made on several cylinders, included performances by four members of the Kaiser Franz Guards Grenadier Regiment (cornet, clarinet, violin, and piano), and may have included pieces such as Beethoven’s Romances, part of an expanded repertoire for demonstrations in Europe.
Demonstration of the gramophone at the Heidelberg Congress of Natural Scientists and Physicians (September 18th)
On September 18, 1889, Wangemann brought a phonograph to the conference of the German Association of Natural Scientists and Doctors (Versammlung Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte) held in Heidelberg, where he demonstrated the device while reading a congratulatory message from Edison. While the principles of recording and playback were demonstrated in front of the scientists, it has been reported that parts of Wangemann's speech were deemed "inappropriate," suggesting that the encounter between cutting-edge technology and academia was not necessarily smooth.
Public demonstration at the Frankfurt Electrotechnical Association (September 20th)
On September 20, 1889, Wangemann gave Germany's first large-scale gramophone concert for a public audience at the Elektrotechnische Gesellschaft (Electrotechnical Society) in Frankfurt am Main. The venue was packed, and Wangemann played a variety of cylinders, including Russian folk songs by the Tacianu Sisters (dates of birth and death unknown), which he had recorded in Paris. This moment is considered to have solidified the model for the entertainment of pre-recorded records in German cities.
Large order for machinery and blank cylinders from the London branch (letter dated September 20th)
Also dated September 20, 1889, Edison Phonograph Co., London sent a letter to Edison Phonograph Works in New Jersey placing an order for 30 motor-driven phonographs, 19 foot-operated phonographs, 1,400 blank cylinders, batteries, etc. This confirms that demand for Edison phonographs in the British market had already reached a considerable scale, and that there was a continuous supply of wax cylinders as a recording medium.
Restoration demonstration for the Imperial couple at the New Palace in Potsdam (September 23)
On September 23, 1889, German Emperor Wilhelm II (1859–1941) invited Wangemann to the New Palace in Potsdam to receive a detailed explanation of the gramophone and a demonstration of its playback. During the event, recordings were played, including a cylinder of the Tatiane sisters' quartet, recorded in Paris on August 29. It is recorded that the Empress particularly enjoyed this recording, and it symbolized the new way of listening to music in the royal salons.
Cylinder recording of the voices of German Crown Princes (Potsdam, September 25th)
On September 25, 1889, Wangemann was again invited to the New Palace, where, although he was unable to have the emperor himself speak in front of the gramophone, he did record the voices of German Crown Prince Wilhelm (1882–1951) and his brothers Eitel Friedrich (1883–1942) and Adalbert (1884–1948) on a single cylinder. This recording is considered one of the earliest examples of the voices of German royalty being preserved as concrete audio material, and was later reproduced and exhibited in Berlin and the United States, further strengthening the association between recording technology and the image of monarchy.
Emanuel Mohr's recording of "Hungarian Melodies" (Autumn 1889, estimated September-December)
This cylinder recording of Hungarian composer and pianist Emánuel Moór (1863–1931) performing his own composition "Hungarian Melodie" (Ungarische Melodie) is only inscribed with the year of recording, "1889," without specifying the location or date. Based on the color of the cylinder (pale ochre), the absence of a core, and the announcement in German, it is believed to have been recorded not in Paris but in Germany or Austria-Hungary, somewhere between September and December 1889, and is considered one of the earliest examples of full-scale art music recordings on the European continent.
Edison and his party leave Europe, but Wangemann remains (September 28th)
On September 28, 1889, Edison, his family, and entourage left Europe on the ocean-going ship La Champagne, heading back to America. Meanwhile, the Wangemanns remained on the continent, continuing their recording visits to Bismarck, Moltke, and others from October onward. The demo repertoire and recording techniques they developed during their trip from Paris to Germany in September became the foundation for their subsequent expansion of European recording tours.
