Re: [ARSCLIST] ARC

[Karl Miller <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 1 Jun 2006, Francesco Martinelli wrote:

> I just learned about ARC (www.arcmusic.org) and the first impact leaves me
> more than a little skeptical. This group of benefactors seems to be in
> isolation from the rest of the sound archival community, or even competing
> with it, and the goals/means/holdings are a little bit confusing to me. Or
> maybe I am yellow because of the Robert Johnson pristine Vocalion they are
> displaying....
> I would like to hear comments form the list about this initiative.

Thanks for sharing.

I know of other similar initiatives.

www.americanclassicalmusic.org

They maintain an uncataloged collection of recordings.

I am reminded of a "Museum" that was devoted to recordings...as I recall
it might have been in Lawton Oklahoma? It was called something like the
Record Museum of the Southwest? Anyone know what happened to them?

While I don't know the origins of the ARC, I believe that many
such initiatives come from the perception...one I
share...that the operational modalities of libraries are too encumbered,
to efficiently handle such substantial collections, lack the subject
and technical expertise to both administer and preserve such
collections...and, at least from my personal experience...place relatively
little value on the materials and skills to maintain and develop the
collections.

Your note reminds me of several of my friends who collect and have called
themselves archives...Nathan Brown and his Classical Recordings Archive of
America...Charles and Elizabeth Pizer, the Pizer Archives, Gregor Benko,
the International Piano Archive (now at the University of Maryland...while
they have shelves and a most highly informed curator in Donald Manildi, I
am told they are horribly understaffed), etc...

I will look forward to hearing other comments on the ARC...and perhaps on
the development of recordings archives outside the institutional setting.

Karl