Doce años después de inventar el fonógrafo en 1877, Thomas Alva Edison funda la Edison Talking Machine Company y, en su Laboratorio de Orange, el 24 de mayo de 1889 realiza las primeras grabaciones de fonogramas musicales. Después de numerosos solos y duetos instrumentales, grabados en los tres meses siguientes, la primera banda en recalar a los estudios fue la Duffy & Imgrund´s 5th Regt. Band, cuya primera sesión de grabación tuvo lugar el 17 de junio de 1889, regresando en 25 ocasiones más, hasta el 16 de enero de 1890.
Dadas las severas limitaciones tecnológicas de la incipiente industria discográfica, que hacían muy difícil grabar de forma adecuada ciertos tipos de instrumentos o tonos vocales, las bandas de tipo militar, cuyo consistente sonido resultaba fácilmente captado por los rudimentarios cuernos de grabación, se hicieron extremadamente populares en las oficinas de grabación. Debemos a la Duffy & Imgrund´s Band, de cuyos miembros nada sabemos, el primer registro datado de un tema de minstrel: "The Jolly Minstrel", grabado el 29 de agosto de 1889.
Discografía:
(Cilindros editados por North American y Columbia Phonograph)
1890. The Song That Reached My Heart
1890. Daughter of Love (1890)
1890. Selection from Erminie
1890. Monastery Bells
1890. Selection from Mikado
1890. American Airs
1890. Killarney Waltz
1890. Society Yorke
1890. Sounds from Home Waltz
1890. Beggar Student
1890. Selection from Oolah
1890. Golden Hours, Schottische
1890. The Night Alarm, Descriptive
1890. The Old Oaken Bucket
1890. Tube Rose Waltz
1890. Everybody´s Darling
1890. Daughter of Love (1890)
1890. Selection from Erminie
1890. Monastery Bells
1890. Selection from Mikado
1890. American Airs
1890. Killarney Waltz
1890. Society Yorke
1890. Sounds from Home Waltz
1890. Beggar Student
1890. Selection from Oolah
1890. Golden Hours, Schottische
1890. The Night Alarm, Descriptive
1890. The Old Oaken Bucket
1890. Tube Rose Waltz
1890. Everybody´s Darling
Sesionografía:
17-June-1889: 01. Our Naval Officers March; 02. Nadjy Quickstep; 03. 5th Regt. Promenade; 04. Song Of The Roses; 05. Washington Centennial Parade
16-Aug.-1889: 01. 4th Virginia Reg. March; 02. E. Eleanorem: Andante & Waltz; 03. La Bella Italia March; 04. Military Schottische; 05. Golden Shower Waltz; 06. Southern Roses; 07. August Club March; 08. Andante & Waltz; 09. Delightful Schottische; 10. Welcome Home Grand March; 11. Promenade March
17-Aug.-1889: 01. Nadjy March; 02. Pretty Katie Ryan: Song & Dance; 03. The Phonograph Serenade; 04. National Airs; 05. Irish Airs; 06. French Airs; 07. You Know; 08. Overture Short And Sweet; 09. The Silver Rheine Waltzes
29-Aug.-1889: 01. Knights of Pythias March; 02. Beggar Student Waltz; 03. Beauty Galop; 04. Piccollo Polka; 05. U.S. Marines March; 06. Golden Hours: Song & Dance; 07. Saw My Leg Off; 08. Kilarney Waltz; 09. Irish Waltzes; 10. The Jolly Minstrel
30-Aug.-1889: 01. Invitation March; 02. Fedora Waltz; 03. Prommonade Brilliante; 04. Medley “Fast Mail”; 05. Daughter Of Love; 06. Piccollo Polka; 07. Mayor Boyntons March; 08. Sweet Dreams Waltzes; 09. Billington March; 10. Old Oaken Bucket; 11. Golden Shower Waltz; 12. Funeral March Sleep On; 13. Mrs. Brady’s Daughter: Song & Dance; 14. The “Bagpipe”; 15. Southern Roses Waltz; 16. Our Executive March; 17. Irish Airs; 18. Brunette & Blonde Waltzes
31-Aug.-1889: 01. Diamond March; 02. “Secret Love”; 03. I Think of Thee Waltz; 04. “Polo” Galop; 05. Society York; 06. The Monastery Bells: Serenade; 07. Gambrinus Polka; 08. Sunny Day’s Schottische; 09. Sounds From Home: Waltzes; 10. Lyra Polka; 11. Don’t Be In A Hurry: Galop; 12. The White Rose Waltz; 13. Pretty Violets; 14. Golden Hours: Song & Dance
3-Sept.-1889: 01. Invitation March; 02. Mazurka; 03. Mountain Echo’s Waltzes; 04. Kentucky Jubilee Schottische; 05. Rink Schottische; 06. Swiss Dance; 07. Alpine March; 08. Golden Hours Waltz; 09. Mrs. Brady’s Daughter: Song & Dance; 10. The Bagpipe; 11. “Happy Time of Youth” Waltzes; 12. Jubilee: March
23-Sept.-1889: 01. Friendship March; 02. Metropolitan Waltz; 03. Delightful Schottische; 04. Everybody’s Darling; 05. Forget Me Not Waltz; 06. Returning of Spring: Polka; 07. Happy Days: Schottische; 08. “Sounds From Home” Waltz; 09. Jubilee March; 10. Ever Thine: York
24-Sept.-1889: 01. The Maryland Batallion March; 02. Nadjy March; 03. Golden Hours Schottische; 04. Phonograph Serenade; 05. Golden Hours Schottische; 06. Katy Ryan Song & Dance; 07. Canary Polka Piccolo; 08. Eleonoren Waltz; 09. Secret Love Promenade; 10. Charm of Youth Waltz; 11. Madeline Polka Mazurka; 12. Tourist Polka
25-Sept.-1889: 01. The Diamond March; 02. Echoes of Switzerland Waltz; 03. Always Happy Schottische; 04. “The Monastery Bells” Serenade; 05. Song from Stradella; 06. The Monastery Bells; 07. Dancing in the Barn: Military Schottische; 08. “Oh My” Medley; 09. Nadjy Quickstep; 10. 5th Regmt March; 11. The Lotus Club: March
26-Sept-1889: 01. Billington march; 02. Just the style: song & dance; 03. Autumn leaves – waltz; 04. Polonaise; 05. Golden hours song & dance; 06. Monastery bells – serenade; 07. Everybody’s darling gavotte; 08. Religious fantasia: celestial; 09. Religious fantasia no.2; 10. Pretty as a pansy, song & dance; 11. Dancing in the barn; 12. Secret love – grand march; 13. Nadjy quickstep; 14. Always happy schottische; 15. The magic trumpet polka
27-Sept-1889: 01. Mayor Boynton’s march; 02. The Admiral march; 03. Rocked in the cradle of the deep – march; 04. Southern roses waltzes; 05. Quadrille take your partners; 06. The night alarm; 07. Quadrille; 08. The monastery bells; 09. Golden hours song & dance; 10. Eleanoren waltzes; 11. Pretty as a pansy song & dance; 12. Everybody’s darling gavotte; 13. Always happy schottische
18-Oct.-1889: 01. White rose, waltzes; 02. The Diamond March; 03. Sounds from home waltzes; 04. Dancing in the barn military schottische; 05. Kentucky jubilee singers; 06. Golden hours song & dance; 07. Southern roses waltzes; 08. Secret love march; 09. Golden shower waltzes; 10. Ellenoren waltzes; 11. Jubilee march
19-Oct.-1889: 01. The gladiator march; 02. The crown prince march; 03. Southern roses waltz; 04. Always happy schottische; 05. Golden hours schottische; 06. The night alarm descriptive piece; 07. Pretty as a pansy song & dance; 08. The night alarm descriptive; 09. Everybody’s darling; 10. Canary polka; 11. Everybody’s darling (by request); 12. Nadjy march; 13. Louisen [Louisien?] mazurka
21-Oct.-1889: 01. Defiance march; 02. Mamie polka; 02. The beggar student; 03. Fedora waltz; 04. The admirals favorite march; 05. Oneida parade march; 06. Billington promenade; 07. Fantasia from Stradella; 08. Beggar student waltzes; 09. The gladiator march; 10. To thee waltz; 11. Society york
22-Oct.-1889: 01. Escort of the color march; 02. Pretty Katie Ryan song & dance; 03. Puritan march; 04. Our naval officers; 05. Mrs. Brady’s daughter schottische; 06. I think of thee waltz; 07. Happiness of youth waltzes; 08. Strangers yet march; 09. Approach of spring waltz; 10. Pretty as a pansy song & dance; 11. Parole waltzes by Pete; 12. Metropolitan waltzes; 13. Orange club schottische 1; 14. Invitation march
23-Oct.-1889: 01. Onward march; 02. Wanda york; 03. Dancing in the barn (by request); 04. Susy schottische; 05. Angella waltz; 06. Good humor polka; 07. “Welcome” march, Sousa; 08. White rose waltz; 09. Welcome march 2. Sousa; 10. On sail waltz in sparrow brook; 11. Don’t be in a hurry galop; 12. Bicycle galop; 13. Don’t be in a hurry; 14. Bicycle galop; 15. Sunny days schottische; 16. The vagabond march
24-Oct.-1889: 01. Gladiator march; 02. Resolute march; 03. See saw waltz; 04. Put on the golden shoe; 05. Sea saw waltz ; 06. Oneida march ; 07. St. Albans commandery march; 08. Monarch line march; 09. Climbing up the golden stairs
25-Oct.-1889: 01. Defiance march; 02. Elenoren waltzes; 03. Sounds from home waltzes; 04. Mrs. Brady’s daughter schottische; 05. Sounds from home waltzes; 06. The gladiator march; 07. Susy schottische; 08. Southern roses waltzes; 09. Nellie’s blue eyes waltzes; 10. Southern roses waltz; 11. Pretty pond lilies ; 12. Happiness of youth
3-Dec.-1889: 01. Color guard march; 02. Bay state commandery march; 03. Tube rose waltzes; 04. Down went McGint ; 05. The Corporal’s guard; 06. Frida polka; 07. Mayor Bernard – march; 08. White rose waltzes; 09. Happy time of youth; 10. Song & dance; 11. Orange club march; 12. I think of thee waltzes
4-Dec.-1889: 01. Quartermaster Newton’s march; 02. The “President’s” march; 03. Arcadian Promenade; 04. Down went McGinty; 05. Piccolo polka; 06. Phonograph galop; 07. The button hole bouquet waltzes; 08. Corporal’s guard; 09. The color guard; 10. White rose waltz; 11. Sunny days; 12. Dancing in the barn; 13. Mazurka Italiano
5-Dec.-1889: 01. The monarch line march; 02. Little buttercup song & dance; 03. Autumn leaves waltzes; 04. Something to please the babies; 05. Old oaken bucket; 06. Sounds from home; 07. American airs; 08. Popular airs; 09. Pretty pond lilies waltz: 10. Quartermaster Newton; 11. Religious airs; 12. Religious melodies; 13. O’ think of the home over there; 14. I’m praying for you; 15. Refuge; 16. Home of my soul; 17. Bay state commandery march
6-Dec.-1889: 01. Friendship march; 02. Approach of spring waltzes; 03. Monastery bells; 04. Saw my leg off; 05. Tube rose waltzes; 06. Down went McGinty; 07. Killarney waltzes; 08. Sidonia polka; 09. Phonograph galop; 10. Society yorke; 11. Song and dance
7-Dec.-1889: 01. Colored guards march; 02. Monastery bells; 03. Magic trumpet; 04. The night alarm ; 05. The old homestead schottische; 06. Love’s dreamland waltzes; 07. Sounds from home; 08. 5th Regmt. Promenade; 09. Magic trumpet; 10. Secret love march
14-January-1890: 01. Everybody’s darling; 02. The song that reached my heart; 03. The monastery bells; 04. Daughter of love waltzes; 05. Golden hours song & dance; 06. Erminie waltzes; 07. Kilarney waltz; 08. Bay state commandery; 09. The night alarm; 10. The old oaken bucket; 11. The pearl of Peking; 12. Tube rose waltzes; 13. Sounds of home waltz; 14. American airs
16-January-1890: 01. Everybody’s darling; 02. The beggar student; 03. Mikado selection; 04. Monastery bells; 05. Old oaken bucket; 06. American airs; 07. Selection Erminie; 08. Golden hours; 09. Oneida march; 10. Song and dance; 11. Society york