Music recorded in May 1897
In May 1897, the Beachport earthquake struck South Australia, causing damage and injuries. On the 13th, Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937) successfully conducted an ocean-wide wireless communication experiment, marking a milestone in communications technology. On the 14th, the Anglo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1897 was signed in Addis Ababa, and negotiations between Menelik II (1844–1913) and Rennell Rodd (1858–1941) influenced border issues. In mid-May, the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee was founded in Berlin, marking the early history of the sexual minority rights movement. On the 22nd, the Blackwall Tunnel opened in London, becoming a symbol of urban infrastructure development. On the 19th, Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was released from prison, and the same month Bram Stoker's (1847–1912) novel Dracula was published.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in May 1897
May 1897 was a time when commercial recording was expanding, with both cylinder and disc recordings coexisting, and as an example of disc recording, items with the date May 1897 can be found in recording materials from the Berliner Gramophone Company. However, there are not enough primary sources within this scope that can comprehensively list events specific to "May 1897," so what follows will be limited to examples with explicit dates and materials that directly explain the production system of the time.
Berliner disc recording example from May 27, 1897
The catalog of the Berliner Gramophone Disc Collection at Yale University Library lists "Romance for Trombone; Military Band" as being dated May 27, 1897, with the disc number "62z" and the location "Washington, DC."
Production base for Berliner disc recordings around 1897 (Washington/Philadelphia)
An explanation from the Library of Congress explains that the Berliner Gramophone Company's disc recordings were made in Washington and Philadelphia, and that the mastering process and sales system were divided between the two locations (a description that includes business developments in 1897).
