Music recorded in July 1896
July 1896 was a month of great political and social upheaval. In the United States, William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925) delivered the so-called "Cross of Gold" speech at the Democratic National Convention on July 9, 1896, bringing the conflict over the monetary system to the forefront of popular politics. In the Dominion of Canada, Wilfrid Laurier (1841–1919) became Prime Minister on July 11, 1896, ushering in a new era in political management focused on linguistic and regional balance within the country. In the social movement, the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs was founded in Washington, D.C., in July 1896, making Black women's solidarity visible as a national organization. In Europe, the International Socialist Workers and Trade Union Congress was held in London from July 26 to August 1, 1896, bringing to the surface tensions between the labor movement and various socialist trends. In science and technology, Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937) demonstrated wireless telegraphy at the British General Post Office on July 27, 1896, ushering wireless communications into the public sphere. In Japan, the great flood that occurred in the Shinano River basin from July 20 to 22, 1896, remains an event that is still referred to in later meteorological and flood control research.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in July 1896
Historical documents relating to recordings made in July 1896 are a mixture of some that can be identified through company ledgers and catalogs, as well as discographies compiled later, and some where it is difficult to determine the date down to the month. In particular, it is known that the Columbia Phonograph Company switched to a permanent numbering system in August 1896, and July 1896 falls just before that transition. However, whether individual recordings can be dated to "July 1896" varies from document to document, and in some cases the month remains unconfirmed.
1896 Election Season and "Campaign Recordings" Catalog (printing date unknown)
The Columbia Phonograph Company's catalogs include a group titled "1896B - Campaign Records: Bryan vs. McKinley," suggesting a connection between demand for recordings (speeches, issues, campaign songs, etc.) in the run-up to the 1896 United States presidential election. While the printing date of the catalog itself is unconfirmed, the fact that this type of recording attracted attention at a time when political heat was rising, at least after the "Cross of Gold" speech on July 9, 1896, makes it an important reference to the intersection of politics and the recording industry at the time.
- https://archive.org/stream/ColumbiaPhonograph1889-1896/Columbia%20Phonograph%201889-1896_djvu.txt
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Gold_speech
The Gramophone camp's studio construction (1896) and the competitive environment for disc recording
The document states that in 1896, permanent studios were opened in New York and Philadelphia in connection with Emile Berliner's (1851-1929) gramophone business. While it is not possible to pinpoint the exact month as July 1896, it appears that an environment was forming around this time in which the advantages of mass production and distribution for discs meant that competitive pressure was increasing on the wax cylinder-centered market.
- https://archive.org/details/American-Record-Companies-and-Producers_2d-Ed.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guglielmo_Marconi
