Re: [ARSCLIST] unknown artists and archives

[David Seubert <seubert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think that Matt makes a very good point here. Relative to the number 
of important collections out there, there are a small number of archives 
and archivists preserving recorded sound. As archivists our expertise 
and contacts (not to mention time) are often limited and it is simply 
impossible to know every basement that is full or great stuff or which 
collector hasn't done any estate planning and their kids have no 
interest in it and will probably toss it out.

I was always told that one of the reasons that ARSC was formed back in 
the 1960s was to get the archivists, historians, collectors, 
discographers and others together so that we could all work together to 
make sure things are preserved. I've received tips from a number of 
fellow ARSC members about collections wanting homes. Just the other day 
we got 400 different 78s of Stardust this way (thanks, Tom)! Not all of 
these leads pan out, but we can't follow up on them if we don't know 
about them.

As a corollary, I'm sometimes a bit disappointed/jealous when a great 
collection doesn't come to an archive and is split up or sold off or 
whatever, but the important thing is that somebody who knows their stuff 
whether a collector, dealer, or an archivist evaluates it and makes sure 
that we aren't unknowingly losing important historical documents.

David Seubert
UCSB

Matthew Snyder wrote:

> I can only speak with authority about NYPL. It's not the fault of the 
> Music Division if nobody points them to unknown people and their archives. 
> Nobody there had heard of Joe Reisman (arranger for Patti Page and Henry 
> Mancini, among others) until his widow called up to say she wanted to 
> donate his scores, and the library took them gladly.  Most of that 
> collection was actually fairly pedestrian, middle-of-the-road pop 
> arrangements from the 1940s to 60s, which I'm glad the library has. 
> Collections of lesser-known or unknown artists are and should be 
> collected, but people should be proactive and actively contact libraries 
> and archivists and TELL THEM about unknown artists and their collections. 
>
> Matt Snyder
> Music Archivist
> Wilson Processing Project
> The New York Public Library