IAML Broadcasting and Orchestra Libraries Branch
Report from the Conference in Edinburgh 6. – 11.8. 2000
The Broadcasting and Orchestra Libraries Branch had two sessions in Edinburgh.
The first session on Monday, August 7, was devoted to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Patron: IAML 2000.
Sir Peter offered a most interesting presentation titled "How to swindle a composer, being a philippic concerning the odds stacked up against any individual who wishes to be a professional composer, and the miracle that anyone ever makes it – with a lightning conducted survey of the obstacles and hazards placed in the way, and including unchivalrous suggestions about how to turn the tables".
Our guest speaker focused his attention on various aspects of creativity and told about his experiences when working with school children. He also described his own work and underlined the training and the professional skills of both a composer and a music editor when publishing music.
Finally, Sir Peter expressed his satisfaction with the services of music libraries. He writes in the preface of the conference programme: "Without the availability of music libraries , I would never have got to know musical scores . They are absolutely essential for the furtherance of musical knowledge and enjoyment." What Sir Peter still is expecting, are better services through the Internet and that there would be more scores of contemporary music available.
On Wednesday, August 9, Broadcasting and Orchestra Libraries Branch had three speakers with three different topics.
Doctor Jutta Lambrecht, Director of Music Archives of WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) in Cologne, described the situation of the radio music and archives in Germany ten years after the re-unification (October 3, 1990).
There were many organisational changes within the ARD (Study group of the broadcasting corporations licensed by public law in the federal Republic of Germany). The change was most obvious in Berlin where only SFB (Sender Freies Berlin) remained unchanged. RIAS (Rundfunk Im Amerikanischen Sektor) was merged with the East-German station DS Kultur and with the Cologne based radio station Deutschlandfunk. The newly created network is called DeutschlandRadio. Five of the Berlin radio orchestras were privatised and formed the ROC: Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre GmbH based in Berlin. The extensive music collections of the orchestras concerned are managed by the musical archives of the SFB.
The radio and television network of the former German Democratic Republic was re-organized. Two new networks were created: The MDR (Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk) in Leipzig and the ORB (Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg) in Potsdam.
More changes within the ARD happened: SWF (Südwestfunk) and SR (Süddeutscher Rundfunk) were merged and beacme SWR (Südwestdeutscher Rundfunk). The orchestras were kept and the archives remained where they had been before.
Secondly, Dr. Lambrecht told about the re-organization of the music archives within WDR in Cologne. She also explained the aims of the company’s new MusikCenter. Digital mass storage system has begun in the MusikCenter’s archives. In October 1998 the new data banks ARCHIMEDES for sound and sheet music was opened.
"Composers.com: a hitch-hiker’s guide to music publishing" was the title for the talk of Wednesday’s second speaker, Janis Susskind, Director of Composers and Repertoire Department of Boosey & Hawkes. Ms. Susskind examined the competing influences of tradition and change in the role of today’s serious music publisher and explored the likely impact of technological developments on current and future practice. She underlined the importance of a skillful editor – be it then traditional copying by hand or in new way, with the help of computer.
Scanning and Internet, the latter especially when promoting contemporary music, will be essential tools in near future. A totally new system, the digital score and the electronic music stand are both reality already now. However, the orchestras will still need and use traditional paper materials, where there are well known problems.
The last speaker of our branch was Doctor S. Timothy Maloney, Director of Music Division at The National Library of Canada. He told about the new exhibition and web site he has created to celebrate the 75th birthday of the outstanding Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson.
The officers of the Broadcasting and Orchestra Libraries Branch and those of the Libraries in Music Teaching Institutions Branch had common working meeting in order to plan a joint session in 2001 in Perigueux, concerning performance materials and the students working together with professional orchestras.
Wynne Cole (since May 2000 Wynne Hyatt) who was elected vice-chair of this branch in 1999 in Wellington, has left her job at the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and she will no more be available as branch officer. Wynne apologized and sent her best regards. Martie Severt of NOS Holland was appointed vice-chair instead.
Kauko Karjalainen
Chair