This phonograph disc, known as a Diamond Disc, features two violin performances from Albert Spalding, born in Chicago (1888 – 1953) with accompaniment from pianist André Benoist (1979 – 1953). The two songs featured on the disc are titled "Humoreske" and "Cavatina". The term humoreske is a musical term that describes a short piano composition expressing a mood of good humor. Cavatina is also a musical term that refers to a short and simple melody often used in operas. These two performances display the variety of recordings offered by Thomas A. Edison Inc. The company’s recording catalog offered a variety of audio material, including classical, country, and cultural music, as well as comedy monologues, poetry, and literature readings.

Between 1912 and 1929, Diamond Disc were manufactured by Thomas A. Edison, Inc. to be used with the Edison Disc Phonograph, or record player. Diamond Discs have a thickness of ¼ inch, a diameter of 10 inches, and weigh close to 1 pound. The name Diamond Disc originated from its association with the Edison Disc Phonograph, which featured a permanent conical stylus made of diamond. The stylus, or needle, is responsible for making contact with the disc and transmitting the vibrations produced by the record’s grooves. The diamond stylus made the phonograph unique, while other phonographs used steel styluses which required regular replacement, the Edison Disc Phonograph used a durable and long-lasting diamond stylus. However, this unique feature made Diamond Discs incompatible with phonographs that used steel styluses because a steel stylus had the potential to damage the Diamond Discs while providing low sound quality. Diamond Discs experienced commercial success during the mid-1910s and into the early 1920s.