Music recorded in July 1892
July 1892 was a month marked by the simultaneous development of labor disputes, political upheavals, anti-colonial movements, and the development of academic institutions. In Homestead, Pennsylvania, the United States, the Homestead Strike escalated into armed conflict on July 6, 1892, and Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919), a manager at the Carnegie Steel Company, was attacked by Alexander Berkman (1870–1936) on July 23, 1892. In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a general election was held from July 4 to July 26, 1892, in which the Conservative Party, led by Robert Cecil (1830–1903), lost its majority, throwing the government into disarray. In the Philippines, Andrés Bonifacio (1863–1897) founded the Kataastaasan Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan on July 7, 1892, organizing the anti-colonial movement as a secret society. Academically, the American Psychological Association was founded at Clark University on July 8, 1892, and the modern intellectual infrastructure of professional societies began to take shape.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in July 1892
There are not many primary sources that can determine the "recordings" made in July 1892 on a monthly basis, but the outlines of the recording business that was active that month can be traced from the repertoire of the time and traces of production and settlement. Here, we will organize an overview of recording activity based on records that can be confirmed to be linked to July 1892 (payment ledgers, discography descriptions, etc.).
new york
A calendar of payment records compiled by Patrick Feaster (dates of birth and death unknown) based on photographic materials has been made public for the New York Phonograph Company, which confirms that payments for "music records (mainly cylinders)" continued throughout July 1892. While this does not directly prove that "recordings were made on a specific date," it does indicate that payments to singers and producers were occurring at least during the business cycle of July 1892, and provides a solid clue regarding recording-related matters on the monthly page.
North American Phonograph
The North American Phonograph Company was important in terms of distribution and sales, as it served as the framework for coordinating the network of regional phonograph companies. The Thomas Edison Papers list the date when Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) became president of the company, with the Library of Congress listing it as July 1892, though the exact month is not consistent between the two sources. However, both accounts share the common theme of his increasing leadership in management in the "summer of 1892," and July 1892 marks the time when policies regarding the sale, duplication, and distribution of sound recordings began to spread to businesses across the region (though the sources do not confirm the impact on specific recording titles).
- https://edison.rutgers.edu/life-of-edison/companies/company-details/phonograph%2C-domestic/north-american-phonograph-company
- https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-plan/tools-and-resources/historical-background/north-american-phonograph-company/
Columbia
Columbia Phonograph Company discography entries reveal examples of titles containing place names or current events. For example, the Brilliant Quartette (details unknown) lists titles with place names, such as "The fight for home and honor" (Homestead, Pennsylvania, USA), as part of their repertoire, suggesting that contemporary events and locations were incorporated into the naming and marketing of their recording repertoire. However, it is not clear from this entry alone whether this title actually refers to the Homestead Strike of July 1892, or when the recording and marketing took place.
- https://archive.org/stream/ColumbiaPhonograph1889-1896/Columbia%20Phonograph%201889-1896_djvu.txt
- https://www.britannica.com/event/Homestead-Strike
