Music recorded in March 1916
March 1916 was a month of escalating war and diplomatic tensions, but also marked significant turning points in science and art. On March 9, troops led by Francisco “Pancho” Villa (1878–1923) attacked Columbus, New Mexico, in the United States, and the Woodrow Wilson administration (1856–1924) sent a punitive expeditionary force led by John J. Pershing (1860–1948) to Mexico. On the same day, March 9, the German Empire declared war on the Portuguese Republic, and on March 24, the passenger ship Sussex was attacked in the English Channel, further deteriorating international relations. In East Asia, Yuan Shikai (1859–1916) abolished the monarchy on March 22nd, returning to the Republic of China system. In science, Albert Einstein's (1879–1955) comprehensive paper on general relativity was published on March 20th, and in culture, Enrique Granados (1867–1916) perished in a maritime accident on March 24th. It was a month of intense simultaneous change in the fields of politics, military affairs, science, and art.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information regarding the recording from March 1916.
Recording-related documents from March 1916 reveal that company activities are more evident in adjustments to sales systems, announcements of new releases, departmental advertising, and store reorganizations than in the recording dates themselves. Thomas A. Edison, Inc. made progress in reviewing its cylinder supply and distribution system, while Columbia Graphophone Co. reported strong regional sales and tight inventory levels. Victor Talking Machine Co. announced new releases for the following month, and The Aeolian Company indicated the location and exhibition system of its Aeolian-Vocalion division. In addition, major distributors such as State Street Pathephone Co. opened a new store and W.W. Kimball Co. relocated its sales floor, making March 1916 a month in which both the production and sales aspects of the recording industry were active simultaneously.
Edison
The March 1916 issue of Thomas A. Edison, Inc.'s "The Edison Phonograph Monthly" features an article titled "Jacking Up Record Service," which clearly states that Amberol-affiliated retailers are experiencing issues receiving ordered records completely and promptly. The article suggests that the cause may lie with the jobbers, the factory, or both, and states that the company will investigate responsibility and take corrective action without delay, confirming that the company considered restructuring its cylinder supply system a top priority as of March.
The same March issue also mentioned that the economic upturn was causing consumers in some regions to spend their surplus income on phonographs and records, explaining that the increased demand was leading to shortages of some records. Furthermore, a notice to retailers dated March 17, published in the April 1916 issue, outlined a policy to standardize the retail release date of Blue Amberole nationwide, announcing a plan to release the May supplementary records as "May-June supplementary records" on May 25, 1916. Thus, it can be said that in March 1916, Edison was simultaneously addressing increased demand, correcting supply, and standardizing the release system.
- https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Edison-Phonograph/Edison-Phonograph-Monthly-1916-Vol-14.pdf
- https://archive.org/details/edisonphonograph14moor
Columbia
Regarding Columbia Graphophone Co., the March 1916 issue of "The Talking Machine World" reported that they had received a large order in San Francisco, resulting in shortages of some products. This was not merely an advertisement, but an article that showed that sales growth and supply shortages were occurring simultaneously in the local market.
The same March 1916 issue also contains an article by Fred A. Dennison (dates of birth and death unknown), who, as a district manager, states that Columbia Graphophone Co.'s business is doing well throughout his district. While a complete list of individual recording dates for March 1916 cannot be found in the documents, the company's activities clearly show a thriving sales network and strong supply pressure.
Victor
Regarding Victor Talking Machine Co., the March 1916 issue of "The Talking Machine World" contains an advertisement for their April 1916 record releases. This confirms that the company was already promoting the sale of new releases for the following month as early as March 1916.
While the issue we examined did not allow us to confirm the individual recording dates for Victor Talking Machine Co. in March 1916, at least according to the records from that month, preparations for the distribution of the new release and announcements for its sale were underway.
Aeolian Vocalion
Regarding The Aeolian Company, an advertisement for its Aeolian-Vocalion Department appeared in the March 1916 issue of "The Talking Machine World." This advertisement showed Aeolian Hall in New York and the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, confirming that the company was advertising its department at these locations as of March 1916.
The March 1916 documents we examined could not confirm the recording date or release date for that month under the name of The Aeolian Company. Therefore, the only information we can include in the text for March 1916 is the advertisement for the Aeolian-Vocalion Department and the indication of its location.
State Street Patrol
The March 1916 issue of "The Talking Machine World" records that State Street Pathephone Co. opened a new store in Chicago on March 1, 1916. This was a significant development in the Pathephone distribution network in March 1916, indicating the opening of new sales outlets.
The article in that issue describes this new store as a new patty phone sales hub in Chicago. However, it does not provide details about the products sold or sales performance since opening.
W.W. Kimball
The March 1916 issue of "The Talking Machine World" states that the W.W. Kimball Co.'s talking machine division was scheduled to move to the first floor of a new building on March 15, 1916. In March 1916, the company was also rearranging the layout of its phonograph-related sales area.
This relocation is positioned as a move to review the in-store operations of the Talking Machine division. However, this issue does not show any changes to the store layout or the products handled after the relocation.
