Music recorded in February 1897
In February 1897, treaty-based arbitration was confirmed for the resolution of international disputes, while colonial rule expanded and the use of force progressed in various regions. On February 2, 1897, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of Venezuela signed a treaty in Washington to resolve the boundary dispute between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela through international arbitration. In Africa, February 1897 saw the launch of a military operation known as a "punitive expedition" against the Kingdom of Benin, which led to a serious loss of cultural property, including the looting of the royal capital, Benin City. In the Indian Ocean, King Ranavalona III (1861–1917) of the Kingdom of Madagascar was deposed on February 27, 1897, marking the final reorganization of French rule. In the Pacific, by February 16, 1897, it was reported that French forces had defeated resistance on the island of Raiatea in French Polynesia. In science and technology, Galileo Ferraris (1847–1897), known for the principles of alternating current (AC) power and the induction motor, died on February 7, 1897. As a part of social history, in the United States, Alfred L. Cralle (date of birth and death unknown) patented an "ice cream mould and disher" on February 2, 1897.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in February 1897
February 1897 is the month when the establishment of a system for recording and reproducing music on a disc (the gramophone) can be confirmed in the form of a patent. In the context of the history of sound recording, this indicates that the foundation for the commercialization and distribution of disc records was beginning to take shape in North America.
Emile Berliner's Canadian patent (February 24, 1897)
Emile Berliner (1851–1929) is said to have obtained a Canadian patent for the gramophone (disc phonograph) on February 24, 1897. It is considered to be an element that institutionally supports the production and sale of disc records.
American Graphophone Company lawsuit (filed February 1897)
The American Graphophone Company is said to have filed suit against the Walcutt and Leeds entity in February 1897, indicating an ongoing legal dispute over phonograph technology and sales.
