BROADCASTING LIBRARIES COMMISSION: Subcommission Radio Sound ArchivesAuthor(s): Dietrich LotichiusSource: Fontes Artis Musicae, Vol. 24, No. 1 (1977 Januar-März), pp. 19-21Published by: International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres(IAML)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23506404 .

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IAML Annual Conference in Bergen 19

The President, Folke Lindberg, and the Secretary, Adrienne Doignies, both of whom have now

retired, resigned from their posts. Tribute was paid to them for their lengthy contributions to the work of IAML. Bengt Kyhlberg was elected new President and Miriam Miller new Secretary. The

minutes of the 1975 meeting in Montreal were read and approved. With respect to the action then

decided upon to get music publishers, prior to discarding infrequently used orchestral materials, to offer these to the relevant National Library, it was established that this question should be channeled

via the EBU Legal Committee.

Reports: Mme Doignies reported on her work at the EBU Music Documentation Centre in Brus

sels (BRT/RTB). During the past year the Centre had published its Catalogue No. 11 (Carl Maria von

Weber) and a list of symphonic materials produced by radio music libraries (1975). It was decided not to extend the latter to cover chamber music as well. Since the objects for special cataloguing are established by the EBU Program Committee, those present were urged to influence this choice by submitting suggestions. Mr. Lindberg stated that NOS at Hilversum had now declined the task of

administering the joint production of orchestral materials for free works. He considered the new

system to be better - that the respective radio enterprises supply information concerning their produc tion of materials for publication in Mme Doignies' annual list. In response to a request, she promised to add a cumulative register to this list. Mr. van Werkhoven emphasised the usefulness of receiving lists of new additions from other radio music libraries, and urged that more such libraries produce and distribute similar lists. Mr. Lindberg informed the Commission of the negotiations between the EBU and music publishers (Music Section of UIE), which had resulted in a single contract (compared with the present three) concerning the hire of musical material. Friedemann Enke (HR in Frankfurt) gave information concerning the legal regulations specific for West Germany in the music sector. Mme

Battistelli, together with her colleagues Mr. Manal (Service de la documentation) and Mr. Courbon

(Bibliothèque musicale), reported on the new organisation in France, whereby the music library function has been incorporated in its entirety under the Radio France company. As this company is

now selling its services on a commercial basis, attempts are also made to sell copies of certain materials

in the music library to other groups. Computer treatment of music and music literature in broadcasting libraries was the subject of

discussion at the second meeting, attended by some 30 people. Introductory papers, which are ex

pected to be published later in Fontes, gave information concerning plans in a more or less advanced

stage. Richard Gartenfflaier (paper read by Joachim von Hecker) gave a report concerning the Bayeri scher Rundfunk's holdings of music and the system of data-processed catalogue cards now being used

there. Miss Miller reported on a BBC long-term plan for a gigantic data bank for the collections in all

the Corporation's libraries. Mr. van Werkhoven presented a planned Dutch system which is to come

into operation at the NOS music library in the Spring of 1978; a ten-year period will be needed for

recataloguing all its holdings. Mr. Ternisien reported that Radio Canada at Montreal has started a

computerization of its lending system. Finally, as a comparison, J. O. Rudén of the Swedish Music

Information Center presented the Center's work on a computerized catalogue which is to form the

foundation for various lists of national music.

Bengt Kyhlberg, President

BROADCASTING LIBRARIES COMMISSION

Subcommission Radio Sound Archives

The sessions of the Subcommission, held on 18 and 19 August 1976, were attended by delegates

from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Japan,

the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Tunisia. Present were E. Breitwieser (Salzburg), D. Schüller and R. Werba (Vienna); A. Doignies (Brussels); R. Ternisien (Montreal); B. Kjaer (Copen

hagen); H. Rosenberg (Vanl^se); L.-O. Landén (Helsinki); L. Battistelli and G. Manal (Paris); W. Adler

and I. v. Broich-Oppert (Berlin); F. Enke, H. Heckmann and W. Zahn (Frankfurt); J. von Hecker

(Munich); W. Hempel (Baden-Baden); D. Lotichius (Hamburg); L. Märtin (Konstanz); H. Niggemeyer and D. Siebenkäs (Cologne); U. Scharlau (Stuttgart); W. Wiegel (Mannheim); H. Moores and L. Stapley

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20 IAML Annual Conference in Bergen

(London); G. Csâszâr (Budapest); S. Joho (Tokyo); J. van Dalfsen (Hilversum); E. Arntsen, D. Hanisch, E.-M. Konstad, T. Kummen, C. Nitter and G. Snekkenes (Oslo); K. Helium and O. Rostad-Woxeng (Vennesla), M. Seland (Aalesund); B. Brännland, B. Carlsson, C. M. Cnattingius and B. Khylberg (Stock

holm), P. Halberg (Lund); R. Breitschmid (Duebendorf), E. Eichenberg (Berne), A. Frascarolo (Geneva); and B. Salem (Tunis).

The two sessions of the Subcommission, which resumed its meetings after a lapse of two years, were again coordinated with a meeting of radio sound archive experts arranged by the European Broadcasting Union and held in Bergen immediately after the IAML conference. Since the EBU

agenda listed subjects related to non-commercial material only, the meetings of the subcommission

provided for discussion of problems connected with commercial sound carriers.

1. Cassettes

The first session was devoted almost entirely to the technology of cassettes and their possible application in radio programme operation, bearing in mind that new technical developments of this nature tend to have considerable impact on working conditions in sound archives. Thus for a long time it had been felt desirable to have first-hand information on the present status of cassette technique and its industrial development. The meeting heard talks by representatives of three major manufacturers of studio cassettes and related equipment. Constructive elements and technical properties of this new sound carrier product were explained in some detail. With the background of this information a better idea was gained of what sort of consequences may be in store for archival work.

Following these addresses on technical details as seen from the manufacturer's viewpoint, two

papers were read by heads of ARD radio sound archives, dealing with projects going on in their re

spective organisations and aiming at an integration of cassette technique. Ulf Scharlau, SDR Stutt

gart, commented on an elaborate system of automated programme operation designed to reduce

present costs. If satisfactory results can be achieved, the SDR system might well serve as a model for similar changes in other organisations.

Joachim von Hecker of BR Munich presented a project of similar nature which allows the registration and electronic storage of relevant data for light-music recordings and the use of computer assistance for programming. This would enable an automatic output of programme presentation documents. The scheme may be regarded as a first attempt of its kind in the German-speaking radio area. To facilitate closer study it is hoped that the papers presented at the meeting will be published.

2. Piano Rolls

A recent survey carried out by the EBU shows that there are still in existence a considerable number of piano rolls, very few of which have been transferred to modern sound carriers. Thus there is evident interest in the idea of a centralized scheme of transfer. Claes Cnattingius, Head of SR's Record Library, Stockholm, made a strong appeal for closer cooperation in tracing, transferring and

listing piano rolls scattered around the world. If a way of mutual information and common action could be found, it would have great value for radio programme purposes, since performances by a number of famous musicians are fixed on those piano rolls. Unlike phonographic cylinders that have

hardly any clear identification of contents nor any announcements at the beginning, piano rolls were

usually fitted out with full title information, as well as names of composers and performers, allowing careful and accurate documentation.

Moves to preserve this rich material were made by several radio organisations, but needed better coordination to obtain optimum results for reproduction. An initial step towards this aim might well be the exchange of lists of existing collections, to form the basis for a later decision on what should be transferred to tape. In a third stage lists of transferred titles could be circulated to all

parties interested in this kind of early performances.

3. Phonograph Cylinders

An illustrated talk on this subject given by Laurence Stapley (Head of Recording Services, Radio, BBC) was of particular importance in view of the centenary of sound recording due to be celebrated in 1977. Following a historic review of practices adopted in the old days of cylinder recording, the

speaker referred to some interesting work that had recently been carried out at the BBC by careful

reproduction of phonographic cylinders onto magnetic tape. Excellent results were achieved by

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IAML Annual Conference in Bergen 21

devising a new method of playback. The extent of improvement was demonstrated by playing some items and thus bringing to life recordings dating back from 1888 to 1912. To give the meeting a chance to compare results of various methods adopted for the transfer of cylinders, the audition of

BBC tapes was followed by a demonstration of tapes prepared by the Deutsches Rundfunkarchiv, Frankfurt. Its engineer, Wilfried Zahn, had adopted a new system of transfer by filtering out just the

noise between signals and leaving the signal parts untouched and dubbed straight. Thus the impression was given that the noise had been eliminated altogether. The meeting expressed hope that more

examples of transferred cylinders would be available from other sources before long.

4. Gramophone Records containing Domestic Radio Recordings

Obviously there are three categories of such records: a) Pressings strictly for internal use. b) Pres

sings published by radio organisations and offered for sale on the market under a label owned by the

radio, c) Commercial productions appearing under commercial labels and available for sale on the

market; they contain domestic recordings of one or a combination of several radio organisations. Re cords listed under b) and c) would in most cases appear in commercial catalogues. After some dis cussion on the question of how sound archivists could best obtain information on this type of record

ing, it was agreed that an appropriate questionnaire be prepared to gain a clearer picture of what was available.

5. "Zentrale Schallplatten-Katalogisierung"

The last item on the agenda was a report by the Chairman on a project by the name of "ZSK"

(Central cataloguing of commercial gramophone records) under way in German Radio. The project is designed to ease the burden of handling for cataloguing the enormous amount of newly-released commercial sound carriers swamping archives. By making use of computer operations the system increases the number of records prepared for the catalogue, while at the same time contributing toward simplifying radio organisations' reports to Performing Rights Societies. While it is hoped to

get the scheme off the ground some time in 1978, the costs could be brought down considerably if radio organisations of other German-speaking countries would join.

Dietrich Lotichius, Chairman

COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES IN ACADEMIES, CONSERVATORIES AND MUSIC COLLEGES

The Commission met twice in Bergen, on August 16th and 18th. The meetings were attended by 35 persons from BRD, Canada, Czechoslovakia, DDR, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Hungary, Japan, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the USA. During the first conference the following new commission

members were elected: Jane Harington from the Royal Academy of Music in London, Tove Krag from

the Royal Danish Academy in Copenhagen, Noriko Murai from the Ferris College in Yokohama, Kathleen M. Toomey from the University Music Library in Montreal, Karen-Margarethe Barstadt from

the Musikkhögskolen Bibliotek in Oslo and Cari Johansson from the Library of the Royal Academy of

Music in Stockholm. It was agreed that new members for Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and the

Soviet Union should be elected during the II. Symposion of representatives of music libraries and

music documentation centers of socialistic countries, projected for the time from September 27th to

30th in Katowice and Cracow. Brief information about the planned Symposion was given to Commis

sion members.

One of the chief items discussed at the first meeting was the problem of how to accelerate the

publication of the Directory of Music College and Conservatory Libraries, which has been ready for

three years and is to be printed in the framework of publications of the Czechoslovakian National

Library (Statni knihovna). Vladimir Dvorak, president of his country's IAML National Group, who

was present at the first meeting of the Commission, promised that the mentioned Directory will still

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