Music recorded in February 1889
February 1889 was a major turning point in political history, as modern nation-building and the institutionalization of science progressed around the world, and in Japan, the Constitution of the Empire of Japan was promulgated on February 11, establishing the framework for a constitutional monarchy.
In the United States, the first meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific was held in San Francisco, and the February issue of The Atlantic Monthly published an article titled "The New Talking Machines," introducing inventor Thomas Alva Edison's (1847–1931) new phonograph. It was also a month in which advances were made in the practical application of observational and recording/playback technologies.
Confirmed recordings this month: 1
25th (1 song)
| Title | Artist |
|---|---|
| The Pattison Waltz | Effie Stewart Theo Wangemann |
[Events of February 25, 1889]
・Wax cylinder "exhibition recording" of "Pattison Waltz"
The dance piece "Pattison Waltz" by pianist and composer John Nelson Pattison (1838–1905) is said to be one of the first pieces recorded by Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) on his new wax cylinder phonograph, and is said to have been recorded on February 25, 1889. Edison had several wax cylinders, including this one, displayed in glass cases as "exhibition recordings" at his company, and they are still preserved today as important recording history documents at Edison National Historical Park in New Jersey, USA.
Summary of information on recordings made in February 1889
Even with regard to the recording events surrounding February 1889, the dates of individual recordings are often unclear in primary sources, and in later literature they are often lumped together as "first half of 1889" or "early 1889." Here, we use records and patents that directly mention February in primary sources, as well as documents published in February, to highlight developments in recording media, recording technology, and the recording business in the context of recording history.
Ericson Foote Bushnell recording session around February
Ericsson Foote Bushnell (1861–1929) was a tenor singer who recorded at the Edison Laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey, in early 1889, and is known for recording beloved songs such as "The Song That Reached My Heart." Reading through the recordings, it appears he returned to the laboratory around February for another recording session, following that in January, and this recording is considered an important example of an early recording of "sentimental ballads," which would later become the prototype for the home repertoire.
Reproduction of the Fort Hamilton Military Band Cylinder "The Wonderful Phonograph"
An Australian newspaper reported in February 1889, "The Wonderful Phonograph," about an incident in which a performance by the Fort Hamilton Military Band in New York was recorded on a wax cylinder and then played back at Edison's home in Lilliwelyn Park, New Jersey. The article noted that marches and quicksteps recorded "the previous week" were reproduced at high volume at the home, emphasizing that the performance could be enjoyed even without the presence of an actual band. This suggests that this demonstration of remote recording and playback had become international news.
Gladstone and others' phonograms sent to Edison via Goulaud
The Australian newspaper Gladstone and the Phonograph, dated February 21, 1889, reported that Edison had received several phonograms from his agent, George Edward Gouraud (1842–1912), containing the voices of prominent British figures. Among them was a message from Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone (1809–1898), indicating that cylinders recording the voices of politicians had reached the stage where they were circulated overseas and used as news.
Phonograph-related patents filed on February 11, 1889
Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) filed a number of important phonograph-related patent applications on February 11, 1889, which were later granted as Patent Nos. 406,571, “Process of Treating Phonogram-Blanks,” and 406,574, “Automatic Determining Device for Phonographs.” These applications covered improvements to wax cylinder materials and automatic stylus positioning mechanisms, and are considered to have laid the technological foundation for mass production of recording media and stable recording and playback.
Atlantic Monthly essay “The New Talking Machines”
The February 1889 issue of the American general-purpose magazine Atlantic Monthly featured an essay by Philip G. Hubert Jr. (1852–1925) titled "The New Talking Machines," which provided a clear introduction to the workings and potential of Edison's phonograph and the Bell-Tainter graphophone. The article concretely described a future in which recording technology would become integrated into everyday life, including dictation, court records, entertainment such as music and spoken word, and coin-operated devices, and has since become a frequently cited text in subsequent studies of the history of recording.
Graphophone Syndicate Ltd (London) February prospectus
Graphophone Syndicate Ltd, founded in London, issued a prospectus dated February 1889, presenting investors with a business plan based on the graphophone patent of Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922). The document reveals a strategy to lease graphophones primarily for dictation in Great Britain, while also commercially developing cylinder phonographs, indicating that the sound recording business was becoming an international investment target.
Tate Letter to Edison Phonograph Toy Manufacturing Company (February 28)
In a letter dated February 28, 1889, Edison's secretary, Alfred Ord Tate (1863–1945), asks William White Jacques (1855–1932) of the Edison Phonograph Toy Manufacturing Co., "Do you need a machine to cut tin records, or a machine to play them?" The letter also mentions a proposed manufacturing contract that would soon be submitted, suggesting that specific negotiations were underway as of February 1889 regarding the mass production system and contract terms for cylinder recorders for Talking Dolls.
