Music recorded in February 1890

2025.12.18
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Music recorded in February 1890

February 1890 was a month in which the insurance company Allianz was founded in Berlin, the centrists and the German Social Democratic Party made great strides in the Reichstag elections in the German Empire, and in the United States the Sioux Act was enacted, bringing approximately several million acres of the Great Sioux Reservation under federal control and opening it to settlement.It was a month in which industrial capitalism was expanding, and with it the land seizure of indigenous peoples and the reorganization of parliamentary politics were occurring simultaneously.

In the same month of February, the women's suffrage movement entered a new phase in the United States with the founding of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, Chicago was chosen as the site of the World's Columbian Exposition, becoming a symbol of the modern metropolis, while Amsterdam's Stadtschouwburg was completely destroyed by fire. This was a time when "20th century" themes such as urban culture, mass consumer society, and the minority rights movement simultaneously appeared all over the world.

Confirmed recordings this month: 0

Summary of information on recordings made in February 1890

As recordings in February 1890 became increasingly commercialized, primary sources often give broad dates for recording dates, such as "February to May 1890." This section focuses on recording, technology, and corporate trends that directly refer to February in primary sources or that explicitly state a "period including February" in the context of recording history.

Talking Doll Recordings (Edison Talking Doll Records)

The audio recordings for Edison's Talking Doll are believed to have been made primarily between February and May 1890. The documents clearly show that the recordings were made by girls employed by the Edison Phonograph Works.

Examples of Talking Doll recordings (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, etc.)

Examples of existing digitized recordings that can be listened to include "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "Little Jack Horner," and "Jack and Jill," all of which are said to have been recorded between February and May 1890. The NPS has compiled a total of eight talking doll recordings from available digital sources.

Institutionalization of coin-operated phonograph exhibitions (Automatic Phonograph Exhibition Company)

It is documented that the Automatic Phonograph Exhibition Company was founded (incorporated in New York) in February 1890 as a company to oversee the commercial model of phonographs that were operated by inserting a coin. As coin-operated operations expanded, demand for "audio recordings (music and oral cylinders)" increased, which was a strong tailwind for the supply of recordings.

John Ott's "Six Clarinet Cylinders" Record

One primary source record for John Ott (date of birth and death unknown) is "6 Clarinet cylinders" dated February 3, 1890. The fact that this remains as a "business recording unit" rather than a granularity of work titles or performer names conveys the atmosphere of recording practice at that time.

Maintenance of parts for slot machines (musical arm for nickel-in-the-slot)

Similarly, Ott's records include an entry about a "musical arm for nickel-in-the-slot machines" around February 8th and 9th, 1890. It is notable that the on-site requirements for coin-operated operation (mechanism and maintenance) run alongside recording (cylinder supply) in the same diary entry.

Patent granted for recording surface material (Graphophone Tablet, US Patent 421,450)

A patent (US Patent 421,450) for a "tablet" using concentrated ozocerite wax as the recording surface material for Bell-Tainter graphophones was granted on February 18, 1890. The design of the material and surface layer is directly linked to reduced wear and stable playback, and is an improvement that raises the foundation for the quality of recording media.

Corporate Reorganization: Edison United Phonograph Company

The Edison timeline lists the organization of the Edison United Phonograph Company as taking place on February 24, 1890. While not related to sound recording itself, the reorganization of the patent, distribution, and operational frameworks was a prerequisite for how recordings (cylinders) could be supplied and monetized.

Coin slot patent dispute emerges (Automatic vs. North American)

An 1890 federal court case documents the battle over contracts and control between the Automatic Company and the North American Phonograph Company. The issue at stake was the sale and operation of the machines, but as the business grew, the supply of the "contents" (recording cylinders) became increasingly central to the business.

Combining ideas with visual media (The Optical Magic Lantern Journal, February 1890 issue)

The February 1890 issue of The Optical Magic Lantern Journal introduced the idea of combining photography (continuous images) with the phonograph as something that was already "not new." This shows that the imagination to expand recording beyond "sound alone" into a recording experience that combined it with visual media was shared within the field of specialization.

The status of cylinder recordings around 1890 (Library of Congress overview)

An overview by the Library of Congress describes the rise of coin-operated phonographs around 1890 and the supply of music cylinders for them. This can be used as a rough historical reference point to connect the movements of companies, institutions, and patents in February 1890 to "audible recordings."

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