Music recorded in April 1925

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Music recorded in April 1925

April 1925 was a month marked by both cultural upheaval and political instability during the interwar period. On April 10, Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald's (1896–1940) "The Great Gatsby" was published, establishing itself as one of the most representative works of English literature. On April 16, the St. Nedelya Church bombing occurred in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, resulting in numerous casualties. On April 26, Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934) was elected President of the German Republic, and on April 28, Winston Churchill (1874–1965) announced Britain's return to the gold standard. Furthermore, in late April, the International Exhibition of Decorative and Industrial Arts (Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes) opened in Paris, which helped to spread internationally the artistic movement that would later be collectively known as Art Deco.

Confirmed recordings this month: 0

Summary of information regarding the April 1925 recording.

April 1925 in the recording industry can be seen as a month in which the transition from acoustic to electrical recording materialized in both production and product policy. Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, Columbia Phonograph Company Inc., and Victor Talking Machine Company clearly made progress in switching to new recording and playback systems during April. Meanwhile, Okeh Records, operated by General Phonograph Corporation, continued recording and sales activities throughout the month, and Thomas A. Edison, Inc. filed a patent application at the end of the month indicating improvements to its playback mechanism.

Brunswick

At the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, the creation of commercial masters using electrophonic recording began on April 7, 1925, using equipment installed in Room 3 of their East Headquarters at 799 7th Street in Manhattan. In April, traditional acoustic recording was still being conducted in Rooms 1 and 2, indicating that the company was practically transitioning between the old and new methods while operating both in parallel that month.

Columbia

At Columbia Phonograph Company Inc., the transition to electrical recording began in earnest at the end of February 1925, and by April, while acoustic and electrical recordings coexisted, the latter was becoming more prevalent. On April 9th, the reserved acoustic masters were destroyed, and it can be confirmed that all regular recordings in New York became electrical recordings from April 29th onward. April 1925 was the month in which the company effectively switched its recording operations.

Victor

In April 1925, Victor Talking Machine Company simultaneously proceeded with the reorganization of its acoustic equipment and the preparation of a new playback mechanism. By the end of the month, approval was given to discard three acoustic recording machines in the Camden recording studio, and on April 1st, samples of three existing Victrola models were sent to Western Electric Company for compatibility testing of the playback system. Furthermore, by April, a plan had also been created within the company to clear out its old stock of acoustic records, indicating that the company was preparing for a full transition to the new system from a product perspective as well.

OK

Regarding Okeh Records, a subsidiary of General Phonograph Corporation, an article about the company's annual general meeting appears in the April 15, 1925 issue of an industry magazine, and Okeh master recordings dated April 10 and 27 can be found in recording databases. Documents confirm that in April, even as discussions about the transition to electrical recording intensified among major companies, the company continued its normal recording activities and maintained its sales organization.

Edison

A patent application dated April 30, 1925, concerning the mounting of a soundbox diaphragm can be found at Thomas A. Edison, Inc. While this application is not part of a new release list, it indicates that the company was continuing to improve its playback mechanism at least until the end of that month, confirming that business activities related to recording and playback technology were still ongoing.

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