Music recorded in September 1914
September 1914 was a month of significant change in both the course of World War I and the institutions of various countries. On the Western Front, the First Battle of the Marne halted the German advance, and after subsequent battles along the Aisne River, the front moved towards a long-term trench warfare. In Britain, the Government of Ireland Act 1914 was ratified, but the Act of War Suspension was also passed, delaying its implementation. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission Act was passed, laying the foundation for the establishment of the Federal Trade Commission. In India, armed conflict erupted after the return of the Komagata Maru, bringing to the surface tensions between colonial rule and the exclusion of immigrants. Also in the United States, Martha, known as the last passenger pigeon, died, symbolizing the great loss that the expansion of modern society has inflicted on the natural environment.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information regarding the September 1914 recording.
In the recording industry in September 1914, we can specifically confirm the launch of new releases by Thomas A. Edison, Inc. under the Blue Ambellol label. Furthermore, the Victor Talking Machine Company and the Columbia Graphophone Company are documented to have been active in distribution and promotion, including the development of sales networks and in-store and outdoor performances. Since the recording and production dates of individual master recordings from each company cannot be uniformly determined from the publicly available documents for that month alone, the following will focus only on release, promotion, and distribution activities that can be directly confirmed from the September 1914 documents.
Edison
At Thomas A. Edison, Inc., new releases from September 1914 under the Blue Amberole label can be confirmed, numbering at least from 2385 to 2407. The contents included "The Aeroplane Dip," "The Dorothy Three-Step," and "Castle House Rag" by the National Promenade Band, "Kentucky Babe" by the Manhattan Quartet, "Lorena" by the Metropolitan Quartet, and "Humoresque" by Samuel Gardner (dates of birth and death unknown), creating a collection that spanned dance music, vocal quartets, and soloists. Furthermore, the July 1914 issue of the company's catalog introduced Alessandro Liberati (dates of birth and death unknown), Samuel Gardner (dates of birth and death unknown), and Frederic Martin (dates of birth and death unknown) as new faces related to the September list, indicating that the Blue Amberola catalog was being expanded in preparation for the autumn demand season. On the mechanical side, shipments of the improved Amberola X-D were also progressing, showing that the maintenance of playback machines and the supply of new records were being carried out in parallel.
- https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Edison-Phonograph/Edison-Phonograph-Monthly-1914-Vol-12.pdf
- https://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/detail.php?query=990025158530203776&query_type=mms_id
- https://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/detail.php?query=990047288870203776&query_type=mms_id
Columbia
Industry magazines from September 1914 reveal that Columbia Graphophone Company was strengthening its sales network. An article dated September 10th reported that its St. Louis office had been renovated without significantly disrupting operations, indicating that the company maintained its in-store presence even during wartime. Another article from the same month mentioned that the company's foreign language division handled records in 33 languages, suggesting that it was not only focusing on products for English-speaking countries but also developing sales policies that were mindful of immigrant communities and international affairs.
Victor
In September 1914, the Victor Talking Machine Company saw significant expansion of its distribution channels and public performances. An article dated September 8th reported that Koerber-Brenner Co. of St. Louis had become the company's exclusive distributor, indicating a restructuring of its distribution network. Furthermore, an article dated September 9th reported that an outdoor water concert using the Baby Victrola was held in Milwaukee, and a large-scale public listening session was conducted using new releases from the summer. In September 1914, Victor demonstrated its market presence not so much through recording sessions themselves, but through expanding sales of existing records, public performances, and strengthening its distribution network. It should be noted that it is not possible to determine which master recordings were made that month from the available documents for that month.
