Music recorded in November 1913

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Music recorded in November 1913

November 1913 was a month of great change in politics, society, science, and culture. In China, on November 4, Yuan Shikai (1859–1916) expelled Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) members from the National Assembly, bringing about a definitive stagnation in parliamentary politics. In Europe, on November 5, Ludwig III (1845–1921) ascended to the throne of Bavaria, and in South Africa, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869–1948) was arrested during a march with Indian miners on November 6. In North America, a massive snowstorm known as the "White Hurricane" occurred on the Great Lakes from November 7 to 10, resulting in the loss of many ships and lives. On November 11, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853–1926), and in the same month, it was announced that Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) had been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. This was a period in which the concentration of state power, resistance to colonial rule, increasing natural disasters, and international acclaim for modern science and literature all coexisted within the same month.

Confirmed recordings this month: 0

Summary of information on recordings made in November 1913

As far as we can reliably trace from contemporary documents for November 1913, it is clearest that Thomas A. Edison, Inc. was promoting both its new disc and cylinder machines in its year-end sales campaign. In contrast, primary and contemporary industry documents for that month reveal that the Victor Talking Machine Company and the Columbia Graphophone Company were active in sales, shipments, promotions, distributor expansion, and new release announcements. However, we were unable to confirm specific recording dates or details of recording sessions in November 1913. Therefore, the following will focus on only the facts of activity directly confirmed in documents for that month.

Edison

In November 1913, Thomas A. Edison, Inc., simultaneously promoted both disc and cylinder systems. The November 1913 issue of The Talking Machine World reports that the company published four important publications for 1913–1914: a disc model catalog, a comprehensive disc record catalog, a cylinder model catalog, and a comprehensive Blue Amberol catalog. The cylinder model catalog clearly stated that production of exposed horn models, except for school models, had been discontinued and that all cylinder machines had been redesigned to incorporate Blue Amberol models. It also explained that all models, except for school models, were equipped with diamond-point regenerators. The same month's Edison Phonograph Monthly contains a "Trade Catalogue of Blue Amberol Records" and a "Blue Amberol Cylinder Record List for January," which confirm that by the end of the year the Blue Amberol catalog had grown to a large scale, covering records up to October, and that the New Year's list had newly introduced Ernest Albert Couturier (years of birth and death unknown), Henry B. Randolph (years of birth and death unknown), and Owen J. McCormack (years of birth and death unknown). Therefore, November 1913 can be seen as a time when Edison was not simply selling inventory, but was simultaneously reorganizing its model lineup, improving its catalog, announcing new releases, and introducing new artists.

Victor

The November 1913 documents for the Victor Talking Machine Company reveal the strength of its sales network and shipments. The November 1913 issue of The Talking Machine World advertises the Victor Victrola as still a strong market force, with local distributors reporting increased demand from autumn through the end of the year. The regional report in that issue specifically notes that October sales in the Philadelphia market reached record highs and November sales are expected to exceed those figures. However, the company notes that while it is shipping machines as quickly as possible, there are shortages of smaller machines. Furthermore, the October issue includes a "RECORD BULLETINS FOR NOVEMBER, 1913" announcement of new releases for sale in November, confirming that Victor, at least in November 1913, was operating at a high level in both new release supply and unit shipments. However, based on the documents we were able to confirm, we were unable to determine the date, time, or participants of the individual recording sessions that took place in November.

Columbia

The November 1913 trade journals for the Columbia Graphophone Company reveal a booming sales and distribution scene. The November 1913 issue of The Talking Machine World notes that a large window display of Columbia machines in a Boston store was attracting large numbers of customers, that new distributors had been added in the surrounding area, and that existing distributors had placed large orders for the holiday season. The same issue also features an announcement for a new Columbia Lena record by Ellery Band (date of birth and death unknown), revealing the release of three new records. Additionally, a Cleveland market report describes the company's October performance as "phenomenal," indicating that Columbia's sales and new releases were gaining momentum by November. However, the documents available for this month primarily focus on sales and promotional information, and do not provide specific details about recording dates or recording locations for November 1913.

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