Music recorded in November 1892
November 1892 was a month of simultaneous political and social movements. In the United States, Grover Cleveland (1837–1908) was elected in the 1892 United States presidential election on November 8, 1892, and the 1892 New Orleans general strike occurred in New Orleans from November 8 to November 12. In West Africa, France entered Abomey (November 17, 1892) as part of the Second Franco-Dahomean War, leading to the reorganization of regional order. In North America, the Hotel Zinzendorf in Winston-Salem was destroyed in a Thanksgiving fire (November 24, 1892), highlighting the issues surrounding urban growth and safety measures. In sports, the game played by William W. “Pudge” Heffelfinger (1867–1954) for which he was paid (November 12, 1892) was later cited as the starting point for professionalization.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in November 1892
As of November 1892, commercial recordings were primarily made on wax cylinders, subject to the constraints of short duration, small volume, and repetition. According to the Library of Congress, the 1892 cylinders used "brown wax," and it was customary to announce the title of the piece, performer, and company name at the beginning. However, with limited means for mass-producing reproductions, the same piece continued to be recorded repeatedly to ensure the required number.
Brown wax cylinder and announcement
According to an explanation from the Library of Congress, the 1892 cylinder dates back to the brown wax era, and examples include an "announcement" at the beginning of the recording that reads out information about the program. Before the mass duplication model of later years was established, the production of cylinder recordings was dominated by the structure of repeatedly recording the same program to increase circulation.
New Jersey Catalog of 1892
The 1892 catalog of the New Jersey Phonograph Company has been made available online, confirming that regional phonograph companies of the time compiled their repertoires as sales catalogs. It also notes that the company was a regional subsidiary of the North American Phonograph Company, providing a glimpse into how commercial recordings in 1892 were distributed through a company network and catalogs.
Columbia Entertainment Recording and Sales
A discography covering recordings made by the Columbia Phonograph Company between 1889 and 1896 has been published, clearly stating that the company was a pioneer in the recording and sale of entertainment recordings during this period, and compiling a list of known recordings and catalog images from that time. November 1892 marks the beginning of the "commercialization of entertainment recordings" becoming part of everyday consumer culture.
Berliner Gramophone and the Progress of Recording on Disc
The Library of Congress's timeline for Emile Berliner (1851-1929) shows that from the late 1880s he began producing experimental discs out of celluloid and hard rubber, followed by small-scale production of lateral-cut discs in Germany in 1890, and the founding of a company with the aim of entering the commercial market in 1893. November 1892 marked a transitional period in which, while commercial cylindrical recording was already underway, disc recordings were preparing to become the "next standard."
- https://www.loc.gov/collections/emile-berliner/articles-and-essays/timeline/
- https://www.loc.gov/collections/emile-berliner/articles-and-essays/the-gramophone/
