----- Original Message -----
From: "David Lennick" <dlennick@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Woe is us..Vince left the archives over a year ago. Since then
I've had to
rely
on outsiders who had access to the files in the past and kept
copies for any
discographical information I need. That's for BMG..for Sony
(Columbia post
1934, Brunswick post 1931 et al), if it isn't jazz, fuggedaboudit.
Luckily, Decca's information has been published in books by Michel
Ruppli and
is reasonably complete (classical is a major black hole
unfortunately).
About 20 or so years ago, I recall visiting the RCA "archives" (which
had to be arranged with a phone call)...and realizing that what I was
looking at/consulting were the actual original pages of Victor's
recording ledgers (akin to a theology student being given the
papyri used to create the "Ded Sea Scrolls!"). Newer records
(documents, NOT phonorecords!) were kept on microfiche (or film).
However, in several cases, original ledgers were found on their
way to the trash...or in at least one case, had apparently been
used as inexpensive insulation, and were found when the wall was
demolished! Remember, it is only us 78-o-philes that attach any
importance to files/documents that provide data on phonorecords
made well before any currently-existing humans were around...!
Steven C. Barr