Music recorded in June 1890
June 1890 was a month in which statistical technology, social policy, diplomacy, corporate history, and international exchange intersected. The 11th census (1890 United States Census) was conducted in the United States with June 1 as the reference date (actual surveys began on June 2). The Veterans' Dependent and Disability Pension Act was enacted on June 27. Meanwhile, in Europe, the German-Russian Reinsurance Treaty was not renewed and was set to expire. In industry, the Royal Dutch Company for the Exploitation of Petroleum Wells in the Dutch East Indies, the predecessor of the Royal Netherlands Oil Company, was founded on June 16. In Japan, the Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul arrived in Yokohama on June 7 and had an audience with Emperor Meiji on June 13.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in June 1890
While the individual "recording dates" of recording events in June 1890 are difficult to find in documents, patents (technology) and public performances (listening experiences) came together in the same month, marking a time when the practicality of "engraving something on a wax cylinder and letting people far away listen" became more concrete. Here, we focus on the patent (June 17, 1890), a primary source with a clear date, and the large-scale public performance (Melbourne, Australia) reported at the end of June, and select these events in the context of recording history.
Edison's Phonograph Patent (US430276, June 17, 1890)
On June 17, 1890, Thomas A. Edison (1847–1931) was granted a U.S. patent (No. 430,276) for an improvement to the phonograph, which refined the design for more stable recording and playback on wax cylinders. This patent is one of a group of patents issued on the same date that demonstrate the progress being made on the mechanical side of things, supporting commercial use for not only recording but also for repeatedly listening to audio.
Edison's Phonograph Patent (US430278, June 17, 1890)
On the same day, June 17, 1890, a separate phonograph patent (No. 430,278) was granted, with details of the recording method, including the groove shape and stylus (needle), being fixed in the patent specification. This month marks the beginning of the development of specifications (i.e., specification) as wax cylinder recording moves from "experiment" to "reproducible manufacturing and performance."
https://edison.sas.rutgers.edu/images/patents/00430278.pdf
Edison's "Phonogram Blank" patent (PAT430274, June 17, 1890)
The "Phonogram-Blank" patent, dated June 17, 1890, focuses on the recording medium itself (an empty wax cylinder, or blank), and establishes the technological prerequisite for mass production. In the history of sound recording, the royal road to commercialization is not just about "improving the machine" but also about "standardizing and supplying consumables (media)," and this document shows the direction that this is heading.
Melbourne large-scale phonograph public demonstration (Athenæum Hall, 27 June 1890)
On June 27, 1890, a "phonograph entertainment" was demonstrated at the Athenæum Hall in Melbourne, Australia, featuring a comprehensive program showcasing the automatic playback of instrumental music, vocals, and spoken word recorded on wax cylinders. The opening lecture and illustrations (projections) explained the principle: sound waves vibrate a diaphragm, which then imprints a mark on the wax via a needle, returning the sound by tracing the same groove. This structure established the concept of recording as a reproducible technology, not a "magic trick." The repertoire used in the demonstration spanned a wide range of genres, including instrumental pieces such as cornet solo, brass band, and coach horn calls, as well as banjo solos and duos, clarinet and piano ensembles, duets, and comedy songs. Significantly, the core of entertainment was already shifting from on-the-spot recordings to the importation of pre-made recordings (i.e., imported recording repertoire). Another anecdote, recounted with surprise, reveals that even the singer's "offhand remarks" at the end of a comedy song were preserved on the wax cylinder, demonstrating audiences' amusement at the "traces of events" found in early recordings. Furthermore, a report reported that a message from William Ewart Gladstone (1809–1898) was played toward the end of the recording, addressing Lord Carrington, demonstrating that recordings were perceived not only as music but also as "voice transports (message carriers)." Furthermore, a separate report described the use of a long "tunnel"-shaped sound guide (megaphone-like amplification) to deliver sound throughout the hall in an era before electrical amplification. This suggests that public playbacks at the time were an experience that encompassed not only the recording machine itself but also the acoustics and venue design.
The Hub of Australian Introduction: The McMahon Brothers and an Early Demonstration in Melbourne (26 June 1890)
In terms of entertainment, the MacMahon brothers are said to have demonstrated the phonograph in Melbourne on June 26, 1890, which hinted at the potential for a large-scale performance the following day, the 27th.
This document shows that the "agents/promoters" who oversaw the import, organization, and performance management of recording media (wax cylinders) were responsible for the practical aspects of popularizing recordings.
The 1890s: A trend towards musical cylinders and coin-operated cinemas (the end-of-June performances marked this trend)
It has been established that in the United States, the proportion of entertainment use (including coin-operated types) increased over dictation use throughout the 1890s.
The fact that the Australian performance at the end of June was structured to feature a lineup of pre-made musical wax cylinders can be seen as an indication that this shift was spreading to the international market.
