Music recorded in December 1922

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Music recorded in December 1922

December 1922 was a month marked by both a restructuring of the national system and significant milestones in science and culture. On December 2nd, the Agreement concerning the boundary between Nejd and Kuwait was signed in Bandar al-Uqair, influencing the demarcation of borders in the Middle East. On the 6th, the Irish Free State was established, and on the 10th, Niels Bohr (1885–1962), Francis William Aston (1877–1945), Jacinto Benavente (1866–1954), and Fridtjof Nansen (1861–1930) were honored at the Nobel Prize ceremony. On the 11th, Gabriel Narutowicz (1865–1922) became the first president of the Republic of Poland, but was assassinated in Warsaw on the 16th. On the 18th, George de Bothezat's (1882–1940) multi-rotor aircraft made a record-breaking test flight at McCock Field in Ohio, USA, and on the 30th, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was established.

Confirmed recordings this month: 0

Summary of information regarding recordings from December 1922

Recording-related documents from December 1922 confirm that the final push for the year-end sales season and the reorganization of products for 1923 were proceeding simultaneously. Contemporary industry magazines from the end of that month reported on new numerical catalogs, expansion of foreign language recordings, price revisions, in-store displays, reorganization of sales companies, and preparation of the new year's catalog, with the focus being more on distribution, promotion, and product organization than on the production of the recordings themselves.

Victor

According to documents from the end of December 1922, the Victor Talking Machine Company had issued a new numerical catalog for 1923, creating a system to list all records released before the January 1923 supplement. Reports also indicate the supply of replacement labels to address the expiration of the December 1922 supplement, as well as the continued development of foreign language records in Arabic, Bohemian, Finnish, French-Canadian, German, Greek, Hebrew/Yiddish, Hungarian, Italian, Mexican, Polish, Russian, and Swedish, suggesting that the company was already preparing its sales base for 1923 by the end of the year. Sales outlets reported increased sales of talk machines and records following the broadcast of the "Victrola Concert" by Woodward & Lothrop.

Columbia

Regarding the Columbia Graphophone Company, a Boston report dated December 26, 1922, confirms that advertising for "New Process Records" was translating into actual sales at various retailers. Kahn's Music Store reportedly sold 250 records in one night, comprising 132 different titles, while Summerfield's Worcester store sold 40 Grafonola machines in three days. Industry articles from the same month also described a sales method that involved structuring newspaper advertisements into four categories: "Blues," "Popular," "Old Fashioned Melodies," and "Dance," to strengthen the appeal of individual records, demonstrating that detailed promotional strategies were employed to stimulate year-end demand.

Brunswick

On December 26, 1922, the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company announced a price revision for some upright pewter models and offered product credits to dealers holding the affected inventory. The article explains that demand for upright pewter models remained high despite the increasing popularity of console models, confirming that price and inventory adjustments were being made during the transition period in 1923. In the same month's dealer report, S. Davidson & Bros. of Des Moines, Iowa, highlighted the expansion of its Brunswick division and emphasized a complete product display.

Edison

Regarding Thomas A. Edison, Inc., a trade magazine from the end of December 1922 reported that the "Edison Instruction Sheet" for January 1923 included store display plans for Saving Week. The sheet outlined a structure to incorporate "New Edison" as part of household budgeting, coinciding with Saving Week which began on Benjamin Franklin's (1706–1790) birthday, confirming that preparations for promotions at the beginning of the following year were already underway at that time. While the documents from that month do not show a list of new recordings or individual recording dates at this point, it is clear that the company was looking ahead to the start of the new year, at least in terms of sales.

Sonora

According to an industry article from December 1922, Sonora Phonograph Company had finalized its model lineup for 1923, planning to replace some of its 1922 models with new names such as "Melodic," "Barcarolle," "Serenade," and "Marlborough." Preparations for a new sales catalog were also underway, indicating that the company was nearing the end of the year's inventory restructuring for the following year. Furthermore, reports in Boston indicated that Sonora Phonograph Co. of New England was taking over the existing sales network, suggesting that preparations for 1923 were also progressing in terms of distribution.

New York Recording Laboratories

Industry documents from the end of December 1922 at New York Recording Laboratories, Inc. reported a change in management, with A.E. Satherley becoming the manager of the New York recording studio, and Al Hausman and Charles Prince joining the team. The documents also outlined a reorganization of the New York office and a plan to streamline operations by centralizing the recording, electroplating, and pressing processes, confirming that the company was already streamlining and expanding its recording production system by December 1922.

November 1922
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January 1923
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