Music recorded in January 1895
In January 1895, during the French Third Republic, Alfred Dreyfus (1859–1935) was subjected to a humiliating public ceremony of being stripped of his military rank on January 5, 1895, amid the Dreyfus Affair, deeply shaking domestic politics and public opinion. Meanwhile, in East Asia, the Sino-Japanese War was progressing, with the Battle of Weihaiwei (January 20–February 12, 1895) beginning in Weihaiwei, Shandong Province, China, attracting attention as a decisive battle for naval power and coastal bases. In Africa, the Battle of Coatit (January 13, 1895), the opening battle of the First Italo-Ethiopian War, took place, illustrating the simultaneous expansion of colonies by the great powers and resistance from local forces.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in January 1895
It is difficult to find primary sources for recording sessions or release dates that can be pinpointed to "this month" in January 1895 in major public databases. However, the year 1895 marks a time when both cylinder and disc recording systems were running side by side, and when improvements were being made to mechanical playback devices and the development of materials and distribution systems. Below, we will summarize the points of discussion that can be confirmed regarding the circumstances surrounding January 1895.
Reorganization of Edison-related businesses and the continuation of cylinder recording
In the United States, following the bankruptcy proceedings of the North American Phonograph Company, Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) began to reorganize his business interests. The Library of Congress notes that the Edison Spring Motor Phonograph appeared in 1895, suggesting that cylindrical recording and playback still held an important place in the market at the time (although the "January 1895" date cannot be determined with certainty).
- https://www.loc.gov/collections/edison-company-motion-pictures-and-sound-recordings/articles-and-essays/history-of-edison-sound-recordings/history-of-the-cylinder-phonograph/
- https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/qp001
Disc-type movements and changes in materials and manufacturing
Emile Berliner's (1851–1929) Gramophone created a trend in the 1890s for disc phonographs that competed with cylinder phonographs. A compilation of information on the Berliner Gramophone states that the disc material changed from hard rubber to a shellac-based material in 1895, indicating that technological choices were being made for mass production and distribution (though the exact month of the material change is unknown).
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berliner_Gramophone
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emile_Berliner
- https://www.loc.gov/collections/emile-berliner/articles-and-essays/gramophone/
