ARSCLIB rejected this response; sending it to both _Lib and List.
If you are not yet in touch with the Stanford Archives of Recorded
Sound, you should be. They have recordings taken from broadcasts.
http://library.stanford.edu/ars
There HB recordings appear to be earlier, but they may have some not yet
processes for later years. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/8584383
re. Hollywood Bowl recordings:
There is a discography here. I don't have a clue if it is complete,
but it names all of the AKA names used. Most items are dated, but not
all.
https://www.discogs.com/artist/838447-The-Hollywood-Bowl-Symphony-Orchestra?limit=100&page=1
re. Petrillo: Yes, he did stop many orchestras from touring and playing
in other venues. One such was the Interlochen Music Camp (IMC). Joseph
Maddy was not kind to the union after the union 1942 ban on recordings.
(I'm not sure when the ban was lifted.) Some things changed for the
better when I was there in 1955-58 IMC; 1962-3 Interlochen Arts Academy
(charter year.) But in the 50s we had no professional groups coming to
play...which eventually was reinstated in the mid 60s.
You can read much about the issues, efforts, and cancellations by
using the search string, "James Petrillo archive - papers" Petrillo was
from and lived and worked in Chicago, so there could be an archive
there...somewhere; I've not discovered one. There was a great music
library in Chicago, but I believe that was shut down years ago. It's
possible that the Newberry Library ( a private research facility with
great music resources) will have material on Petrillo, but I didn't find
any; a quick call to one of the librarians may help.
https://www.newberry.org/
Here's a bit about the 1958 musicians strike devastating the studio
orchestras and bands.
https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=100689&forumID=1&archive=0
The Wikipedia article is fun
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Petrillo
There could be some leads to the 'engineering' of the tape reels here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_tape_specifications#Reel-to-reel_%C2%BC%22
Paul T. Jackson
Trescott Research
Library and information development
Library startups
Steilacoom, WA 98388
[log in to unmask]
On 3/20/2019 1:09 PM, Joseph Gallucci wrote:
> Hello, ARSC!
>
> My name is Joseph Gallucci and I am the Project Archivist at the Los
> Angeles Philharmonic Archives. I'm hoping to engage the collective
> expertise of the ARSC listserv to ask for assistance with an upcoming
> exhibition at the Hollywood Bowl Museum that we're working on which is
> slated to open in Summer 2019. The exhibition focuses on the LA Phil's
> unique collection of live concert recordings from the Hollywood Bowl which
> were recorded between 1954-1959.
>
> We are interested in any information you can provide about the following
> questions:
>
> 1. Aside from the LA Phil did any other orchestras record live performance
> audio in the 1950s? I'm aware of the Standard Symphony Hour and the SF
> Symphony and LA Phil's participation in that program, but I'm keen to know
> which other US orchestras either recorded their own performances during
> this time period or partnered with local radio stations to broadcast their
> concerts. Furthermore, which equipment/techniques would have been used to
> produce these recordings, and was this work coordinated by someone on
> staff? We have reached out to a number of symphony orchestras around the
> country with this question but I wanted to throw this out here as well.
> Please note we're interested particularly in live performances and not
> commercially-released studio recordings.
>
> 2. There's a chronological gap in our recordings around the summer of 1958
> where it seems no concerts were recorded. We have one (untested) theory
> that this gap may have had something to do with the American Federation of
> Musicians' strike against film studios in 1958. Does anyone have any more
> details about how musicians' unions impacted symphony orchestras' abilities
> to record or broadcast their own concerts during this time period?
>
> 3. Does anyone know if James Petrillo, one-time President of the AFM,
> deposited his archives anywhere? We've reached out to both the LA and NYC
> AFM offices, but are wondering if his personal papers might exist in
> another institution.
>
> 4. Does anyone have insight into, or can point to any writing on the
> subject of the configuration/design of 1/4" audio tape reels? By which I
> mean the plastic or metal reel the tape sits on, not the tape itself. I'm
> interested in the physical composition of reels as well as their designs
> (windowing, sprockets, etc). If anyone has any insight into the above as it
> pertains to reels which were widely used in the 1950s, that would be
> especially helpful.
>
> I know this is a lot to ask but I appreciate any help that anyone on this
> listserv can provide!
>
> Best,
|