Flip to Room interior, Berliner Gramophone Company, 10th and Lombard Streets, Philadelphia, PA., 1898.Close Window
Credit: American Treasures, Library of Congress
On May 16, 1888, Emile Berliner gave the first public demonstration of the gramophone to fascinated members of Philadelphia's Franklin Institute. Inviting those present to "accompany him on a prophetic tour into the future," Berliner ground out a half dozen "phonoautograms" that included solos by a soprano, tenor, baritone, and cornet, and a recitation of the Declaration of Independence. The disc on the Gramophone seen here is the first recording of John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," recorded for Berliner only thirteen days after the premiere of the march.
