Music recorded in September 1891
September 1891 was a month in which the intersection of industrialization and popular culture took shape in various places. In Finland, hydroelectric power generation using the Tammerkoski Rapids began in Tampere, connecting the city's industrial power to electricity. In sports, Billy Heath (1869–date of death unknown) scored the first penalty kick for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in the English Football League, incorporating the rules into the reality of the game. In politics, the Chilean Civil War of 1891 saw the suicide of José Manuel Balmaceda (1840–1891) in Santiago, bringing about a major shift in the framework of national governance. In terms of corporate history, August Thyssen (1842–1926) promoted the formation of heavy industrial capital in Germany, and the beginnings of the development of the giant corporations that would later emerge were evident. In Uruguay, the Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club was founded in Montevideo, marking the beginning of the sports organization that would later become Club Atlético Peñarol.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in September 1891
Among the publicly available documents referenced this time, we were unable to find any examples of existing recordings (sound sources) that could be dated to the month of "September 1891." However, we were able to find a contemporary document that conveys recording practices and the social uses of gramophones at the time: the September 1891 issue of The Phonogram, a magazine published in conjunction with the North American Phonograph Company. This issue contains a collection of headlines describing demonstrations, exhibitions, and usage scenarios from around the country (such as displays at expositions and demonstrations of "recording voices").
Phonogram
The publication date of Volume 1, Issue 9 of The Phonogram is clearly stated as September 1891. Virginia H. McRae (birth and death years unknown) is listed as the editor, and the magazine contains a series of articles dealing with the practical application, operation, and peripheral technologies of the phonograph (such as "The Practical Use of the Phonograph," "Answers to Questions About the Phonograph," and "Power Essential to the Phonograph"). As a primary source on the history of sound recording, its importance lies in its ability to trace, in contemporary terms, what was "recorded, played back, and incorporated into shows and business."
Exposition
The table of contents for this issue includes an article heading about the Pittsburgh Industrial Exposition (official name unknown). This provides a clue that as of September 1891, the phonograph was being exhibited in the public space of an exposition and was gaining acceptance through demonstrations (though the specific content of the article itself could not be confirmed within the scope of this review).
Voice Recording
The table of contents for this issue contains the heading "Their Voices Recorded." The heading itself indicates that the topic of reproducible "voices" had been established, and that recordings were being discussed as "events" or "experiences." However, within the scope of this reference, it was not possible to ascertain specific facts, such as whose voice was recorded, where, or by what method.
