Music recorded in June 1913
June 1913 was a month of significant political, social, and cultural change across the globe. In the United Kingdom, suffragette activist Emily Wilding Davison (1872–1913) was seriously injured during a protest in Derby on June 4 and died on the 8th. In the Kingdom of Norway, the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) unanimously approved universal female suffrage on June 11, marking an institutional milestone in the long-running suffrage movement. In the Union of South Africa, the Natives Land Act (1913) came into force on June 19, legalizing racial restrictions on land ownership. In Berlin, the opening ceremony for the Deutsches Stadion, designed by Otto March (1845–1913), was held on June 8, visualizing the development of urban facilities in preparation for the 1916 Summer Olympics. Tensions in Europe further increased towards the end of the month when the Kingdom of Bulgaria launched an attack on June 29-30, sparking the Second Balkan War.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information on recordings made in June 1913
In the recording industry in June 1913, primary sources for that month and contemporary trade magazines reveal the activities of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., Victor Talking Machine Company, Columbia Graphophone Company, Berliner Gramophone Co., Ltd., and The Gramophone Co., Ltd. These activities extend beyond new releases to in-store promotions, movie theater advertising, distribution networks, and the launch of promotional materials for the summer sales season, demonstrating that June 1913 was a month of intensified competition in both the recording medium itself and sales methods. Based on our investigation, we have not yet identified any other major companies whose specific trends for that month could not be fully determined.
Edison
The June 1913 issue of Thomas A. Edison, Inc. features advertisements for lantern slides for movie theaters and magic lantern shows, advertising posters featuring the so-called "old couple" image, announcements for the August release of Edison Blue Amberol Records, and information about the special Sapphire Reproducer "Model N-56" for the Amberol V. In other words, in June 1913 the company was simultaneously promoting the Blue Amberol and Amberol V through not only announcements of new releases but also a combination of off-site advertising media and model-specific accessories.
- https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Edison-Phonograph/Edison-Phonograph-Monthly-1913-Vol-11.pdf
- https://archive.org/details/edisonphonograph11moor
Victor
The June 1913 issue of the trade magazine Victor Talking Machine Company praised that month's Victor Britten release as being of extremely high quality. Red Seal record No. 69065, in particular, was highly praised for its Ave Maria, featuring Enrico Caruso (1873–1921) sung by Mischa Elman (1891–1967) on violin, and was treated as a popular product despite its high price range. It is clear that Victor's June 1913 release prioritized the quality of its new Red Seal releases over quantity.
Columbia
Among the Columbia Graphophone Company's new releases for June 1913, Chauncey Olcott's (1858–1932) four-album double album, Alessandro Bonci's (1870–1940) four-album opera arias, and Mike Bernard's (1875–1936) piano album were cited as promising items. Furthermore, Trail of the Lonesome Pine and other albums were also cited as selling well, demonstrating that the company in June 1913 was targeting a wide range of markets, spanning opera, popular songs, and instrumental recordings.
Berliner Grammophon
Berliner Gramophone Co., Ltd. is listed in an advertisement in the June 1913 issue as the Canadian distributor in Montreal. This document confirms that their role in that month was more as a distribution base than an independent advertiser of new releases, and shows that as of June 1913 the company was still active in supporting the expansion of Victor products into the Canadian market.
Gramophone
The Gramophone Co., Ltd. announced that "His Master's Voice"'s new releases for June included 12-inch records of Wagner works, vocal recordings, ragtime and medley recordings. Furthermore, documents from that month show that promotional materials such as posters, customer letters, and advertising copy designed by Hassell were distributed to retailers with the aim of stimulating summer sales. Additionally, the magazine lists the company's international sales network, including the German Grammophon Company (Deutsche Grammophon-Aktiengesellschaft), indicating that in June 1913 the company was operating extensively in both the supply of new releases and promotional materials.
