Music recorded in May 1890
May 1890 was a month in which social movements, cultural events, politics, sport, and natural phenomena intersected, with the first large-scale demonstrations taking place simultaneously across the United States, Europe, Latin America, and other parts of the world on May 1st in celebration of International Workers' Day, at the call of the Second International. The International Exhibition of Science, Art & Industry also opened in Edinburgh on May 1st, and in North America the Nova Scotia provincial general election was held (May 14-21st) and the Kentucky Derby (May 14th). In Oceania, an earthquake was reported in Tasmania.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in May 1890
The recording events surrounding May 1890 are often reported with a range of dates, such as "around 1890" or "spring 1890 (February-May)." Here, we have selected recordings (particularly talking doll cylinders) that are dated "around February-May 1890" in primary source and museum/archive catalogs, as well as industry conferences and patents dated May 1890, in the context of recording history.
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" Example 2 (for Talking Doll)
This is one of the reproduction cylinders made for Thomas Edison's (1847–1931) Talking Doll, a two-minute brown wax cylinder. The recording and manufacturing period is said to be "around February to May 1890," and the fact that multiple takes of the same song remain indicates that it was recorded for a mass-produced product.
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" Example 3 (for Talking Dolls)
This wax cylinder, also for a Talking Doll, is classified as another example (another take) of the same song. The broad dating range of spring 1890 (February to May) reflects the practice at the time of managing production lots rather than dates.
"Little Jack Horner" (for Talking Doll)
These short recordings of nursery rhymes are a staple of the talking doll repertoire. These recordings, presented on wax cylinders from around February to May 1890, are an example of how children's products expanded the market for recorded content.
"There Was a Little Girl" (for Talking Doll)
This is a wax cylinder replica for a talking doll, consisting of a short narration and song. It is part of a group dated to around February to May 1890, and shows that "recordings packaged with products" were being systematically produced around the same time.
"Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" (for Talking Doll)
This wax cylinder for a talking doll, containing prayers, also incorporated religious and domestic texts into commercial recordings. It dates to February-May 1890 and shows an expansion of the domestic "listening to recordings" scene.
"Jack and Jill" (for Talking Dolls)
These are wax cylinder replicas for Talking Dolls containing nursery rhymes, organized as a group from around February to May 1890. Even from the few examples that have survived to posterity, we can see the tendency at the time to "distribute large quantities of identical recordings."
The "how" of recording for Talking Dolls is discussed in a general magazine (contemporary testimony around 1890)
The production of Talking Doll recordings was also mentioned in a contemporary magazine article (Scientific American, April 26, 1890), and the system itself was consumed as "novel recording industry news." The May 1890 issue of the magazine not only covered the recordings themselves, but also the "social context in which recordings became a topic of discussion."
South Dakota Phonograph Company holds "Musical Cylinder Demonstration" (May 17, 1890)
The South Dakota Phonograph Company held an invitation-only demonstration on May 17, 1890, announcing that they would be playing "a variety of musical cylinders." They also held an "open office" where people could listen to music cylinders for 25 cents, indicating that recordings were distributed as entertainment products at an early stage.
- American Record Companies and Producers, 1888–1950: An Encyclopedic History (Second Edition)
The Iowa Phonograph Company reported that "recreational use outstrips business use" (late May 1890)
As of late May 1890, the Iowa Phonograph Company was reported to be still in the early stages of business, but its entertainment business was doing better. This shows that the on-site feeling in May 1890 was that "demand for cylinders for music and entertainment" was the driving force behind the business.
- American Record Companies and Producers, 1888–1950: An Encyclopedic History (Second Edition)
First annual convention of the Local Phonograph Company held in Chicago (May 28–29, 1890)
Proceedings from that time clearly show that the first annual conference bringing together local phonograph companies in the United States was held in Chicago on May 28-29, 1890. How to handle and monetize recordings (music cylinders) was not just a matter of technology, but was also formed as an "industry consensus."
Edison submitted his "Phonograph Cutting Tool" with an execution date of May 24, 1890 (patent related).
This document concerns the cutting tool used to carve the recording grooves for phonographs, with the execution date listed as May 24, 1890, and the application date listed as May 27 of the same year. It is important to note that the reproducibility of the recording and its durability (tool materials and structure) were already finalized in the "patent language" as early as May 1890.
- https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/patents/document/PAT484583
- https://patents.google.com/patent/US484583A/en
Edison applied for a "Phonograph Reproducer" on May 27, 1890 (patent related)
This patent is for a phonograph-reproducer (reproducer/playback mechanism) and the filing date is clearly stated as May 27, 1890. In terms of the history of sound recording, this shows that the development of mechanisms for not only recording but also stable playback was progressing in parallel, month by month.
