Music recorded in January 1923
January 1923 was a month marked by both the restructuring of the post-World War I order and increasing social unrest. On January 11, the French Republic and the Kingdom of Belgium began the Occupation of the Ruhr, occupying the German Ruhr region, further intensifying tensions in the European economy. In the Memel Territory, the Klaipėda Uprising led to Lithuania taking the lead by mid-January, putting the territorial dispute into a new phase. In Florida, USA, the Rosewood Massacre devastated communities, once again exposing the severity of racial violence. On January 20, 1923, the journal Nature reported the discovery of hafnium, element number 72, by Dirk Coster (1889–1950) and George de Hevesy (1885–1966). Furthermore, the 1923 California earthquake occurred on January 22, and the Convention Concerning the Exchange of Greek and Turkish Populations was signed on January 30, clearly highlighting the unstable political, scientific, and social aspects of 1923.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information regarding the recording from January 1923
In January 1923, the recording industry saw simultaneous restructuring of its sales system and reorganization of its advertising methods. According to contemporary industry documents from that month, Thomas A. Edison, Inc. introduced a new record advertising method and catalog; Victor Talking Machine Company held its annual sales meeting and prepared its 1923 comprehensive catalog; and Columbia Graphophone Company was pursuing a nationwide newspaper advertising plan. Furthermore, Pathé Frères Phonograph Company transitioned to a new company structure including radio, and Black Swan Phonograph Company, Inc. ran advertisements aimed at stimulating in-store demand. The following lists only the companies and sales channels whose activities could be confirmed in January 1923 documents.
Edison
Thomas A. Edison, Inc. began implementing a new in-store advertising method in January 1923. An industry magazine dated January 20th reported that this month saw the start of a system where record releases were continuously announced with individual posters, rather than through monthly supplementary materials. Posters were prepared for each category—standard records, classical, ballads, and popular music—and were promoted in stages in store windows and listening rooms. Also in January, a large-scale "1923 Record Catalog" for retailers and a concise catalog for general consumers appeared simultaneously, confirming that the company had updated its entire sales catalog at the beginning of the year.
Victor
The Victor Talking Machine Company reaffirmed its business strategy for 1923 at the beginning of the year. According to an industry magazine dated January 20, the company's traveling sales representatives gathered at the factory during the Christmas holidays to discuss the new year's business plan and sales strategy. Also that month, the "Victor Records Catalog 1923," featuring biographies, opera commentaries, portraits, and a Red Seal section, was published, laying the foundation for product sourcing and sales explanations. In January 1923, Victor was preparing for the start of the year's sales not only with new releases themselves, but also by reorganizing its sales system and comprehensive catalog.
- https://elibrary.arcade-museum.com/classic/Music-Trade-Review/1923-76-3/42
- https://elibrary.arcade-museum.com/Music-Trade-Review/1922-75-27/51?q=victor+talking+machine&type=and
Columbia
By January 1923, the Columbia Graphophone Company had already finalized a nationwide newspaper advertising plan. A trade magazine dated January 20th indicated that the company's 1923 advertising plan included over 700 newspapers, with a plan to place monthly new release advertisements in smaller cities and large-format advertisements on the 10th and 20th of each month, in addition to daily small advertisements, in larger cities. The report also mentioned a Columbia product display in the large window of the influential Houston Chronicle newspaper in Houston, Texas, confirming that the company was using newspaper advertising and in-store displays to promote its products.
putty
Pathé Frères Phonograph Company underwent a restructuring in January 1923. The January 1923 issue of the industry magazine "The Radio Dealer" clearly states that the company had merged with Sound Wave Corporation and become Pathé Phonograph and Radio Corporation. The same issue also included an advertisement and product description for Pathé loudspeakers, indicating that the company was focusing on radio reception-related products in addition to its phonograph business. In January 1923, Pathé was a company where organizational restructuring and the introduction of new products for sale could be observed simultaneously.
Black Swan
In the January 1923 issue of The Messenger, Black Swan Phonograph Company, Inc. placed a demand-stimulating advertisement aimed at both retailers and readers. The ad sought to demonstrate that retailers also had a demand for higher-quality classical recordings, countering the perception that they only wanted blues and jazz, and urged readers to seek out high-quality recordings by Black musicians at stores. The ad also specifically listed records by Antoinette Games, Florence Cole Talbert, and Donald Heywood, confirming that the company was prominently featuring its classical-oriented recordings in January 1923.
Strand
Strand's expansion of sales outlets can be traced back to January 1923. The Music Trade Review, dated January 20, reported that executives from Manufacturers' Phonograph Co. were scheduled to travel west to visit Consolidated Talking Machine Co. in Chicago. According to the article, this sales company was in the process of opening a new Strand salon on the second floor of its building, indicating that both the brand and the sales company were working on developing the retail space as early as January 1923.
