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,
--
Joseph Gallucci, M.A.
Media Archivist
(347) 712-2423
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