Well, after inspiring the reissue of the quad mix of Metal Machine Music, I seem to have stumbled into another project, and find myself currently trying to get the surround music of Milton Babbitt and other Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center composers reissued.
This all started because of a quadraphonic record released on Finnadar Records, which was associate with Atlantic Records, of 4 channel music of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. Some of you here may be familiar with that album, and probably have read the other thread I started a while back with information on track assignment errors that this record contains.
Well, while in the process of finding information about this record and other pieces by these same composers, I have started down the path of trying to get dvd-a releases of these composers. So far there has been a bit of interest in putting out the music of Milton Babbitt, and I'm hoping that will lead to interest in the many other great composers, and perhaps result in also a compilation or 2 or more being released of other Columbia-Princeton composers. But for now most of the interest has been on Milton Babbitt.
So, I guess this really started when I called Milton at his home to try and find out if his piece on the quad record was on their correctly. I had a pleasant, but brief conversation with Milton. He is quite ill at this time, but was still able to take my call. I asked about his tapes, and if he still has them, and found out that he doesn't. When I asked where they are, and how I could go about preserving them, the last he knew they were still at this studio, which is now the Columbia Computer Music Center, and he suggested I contact them.
I had contacted Terry Pender of the Columbia Computer Music Center in the past looking for more information about 4 channel works, and he wasn't able to provide me with much information then, so I wasn't expecting much this time around. But, I dropped him another line, and asked if any of Milton's tapes were there. He told me that no, they don't have any of his master tapes, they do have a collection of tapes that are copies for student use. I've not gotten any details on those tapes, so I am unsure if they are multi-channel, or stereo only, but for now my focus has been on tracking down the original masters. He suggested that I check with the Smithsonian, that they sent some of Vladimir Ussachevsky's tapes there, and they might have gone with them.
Well, the Smithsonian didn't have any of his tapes. And Alice Shields filled in some further information. Vladimir Ussachevsky's tapes didn't go to the Smithsonian, they went to the Library of Congress. I should have already known this, I now remember Pril Smiley had told me the same thing when I spoke with her a year ago. When Alice was last at Columbia in '96, none of Milton's tapes were there. But, there was a box of Milton's handwritten manuscripts that was there. I had a very nice conversation with Alice, and she expressed some interest in being a part of the project if a dvd is done of either her work or a compilation, so I'm hoping to generate enough interest to get some of her works released on dvd.
So, since Alice did sound concerned about the box of handwritten manuscripts, I figured I might as well inquire about that while I'm at it, and sent Terry another email. He replied that he did know that there were some handwritten manuscripts, and he did send some of those over to the Library Preservation department to have them preserved, and that he could look into that some more.
Meanwhile, Alice had also suggested to me to check with Milton's publisher. So I found out his early electronic works are published by Schirmer. I sent them an email, and a bunch of people within there emailed one another, and I got a reply back saying yes they have them. When I asked further, I found out the real answer is, no they don't. Turns out all they have are stereo CDs, sourced from stereo tapes that they have.
And then I heard back from Terry that they found some tapes, but they're unsure of what they are and have nothing that will play them back. He mentioned that they're beta, so....that sounds like it's not the right thing at all. That can't be right.
And so the hunt for Milton's tapes continues.
Meanwhile, Alice Shields has all her tapes, Pril Smiley had her one and only 4 channel work Eclipse digitized already, although I haven't heard back if she's interested in having that included as a part of this project, I'm waiting to hear back from the Library of Congress about Vladimir's tapes, Daria Semegen has all of Bulent Arel's tapes, and he didn't compose strictly in 4 channel and often used 5 channel. Maybe more, I don't know details. But he would use the number of channels that the piece called for. She is very interested in the project, but is busy and doesn't have time to discuss it further until November. And, I've not been able to track down Mario Davidovsky yet, but perhaps with all the people I'm talking to I'll find a contact that can get in touch with him.
Also, I found out that the person that was responsible for the quadraphonic record was the guy that was also behind Finnadar records, composer Ilhan Mimaroglu. One of his electronic pieces is included on a CD of Columbia-Princeton compositions that is currently still in print, and I highly recommend if this type of music interests you. Alice Shields recommended I get in touch with him to find out more information about the record. Unfortunately, he is not doing too well, his hearing is nearly gone and he cannot walk, so he was unable to take my call.
So, that's my story so far, and I'm sure there's a lot more information to come, I have been sending emails all around looking for these tapes, or people that might know info about them, so I will keep you all updated here.
This all started because of a quadraphonic record released on Finnadar Records, which was associate with Atlantic Records, of 4 channel music of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. Some of you here may be familiar with that album, and probably have read the other thread I started a while back with information on track assignment errors that this record contains.
Well, while in the process of finding information about this record and other pieces by these same composers, I have started down the path of trying to get dvd-a releases of these composers. So far there has been a bit of interest in putting out the music of Milton Babbitt, and I'm hoping that will lead to interest in the many other great composers, and perhaps result in also a compilation or 2 or more being released of other Columbia-Princeton composers. But for now most of the interest has been on Milton Babbitt.
So, I guess this really started when I called Milton at his home to try and find out if his piece on the quad record was on their correctly. I had a pleasant, but brief conversation with Milton. He is quite ill at this time, but was still able to take my call. I asked about his tapes, and if he still has them, and found out that he doesn't. When I asked where they are, and how I could go about preserving them, the last he knew they were still at this studio, which is now the Columbia Computer Music Center, and he suggested I contact them.
I had contacted Terry Pender of the Columbia Computer Music Center in the past looking for more information about 4 channel works, and he wasn't able to provide me with much information then, so I wasn't expecting much this time around. But, I dropped him another line, and asked if any of Milton's tapes were there. He told me that no, they don't have any of his master tapes, they do have a collection of tapes that are copies for student use. I've not gotten any details on those tapes, so I am unsure if they are multi-channel, or stereo only, but for now my focus has been on tracking down the original masters. He suggested that I check with the Smithsonian, that they sent some of Vladimir Ussachevsky's tapes there, and they might have gone with them.
Well, the Smithsonian didn't have any of his tapes. And Alice Shields filled in some further information. Vladimir Ussachevsky's tapes didn't go to the Smithsonian, they went to the Library of Congress. I should have already known this, I now remember Pril Smiley had told me the same thing when I spoke with her a year ago. When Alice was last at Columbia in '96, none of Milton's tapes were there. But, there was a box of Milton's handwritten manuscripts that was there. I had a very nice conversation with Alice, and she expressed some interest in being a part of the project if a dvd is done of either her work or a compilation, so I'm hoping to generate enough interest to get some of her works released on dvd.
So, since Alice did sound concerned about the box of handwritten manuscripts, I figured I might as well inquire about that while I'm at it, and sent Terry another email. He replied that he did know that there were some handwritten manuscripts, and he did send some of those over to the Library Preservation department to have them preserved, and that he could look into that some more.
Meanwhile, Alice had also suggested to me to check with Milton's publisher. So I found out his early electronic works are published by Schirmer. I sent them an email, and a bunch of people within there emailed one another, and I got a reply back saying yes they have them. When I asked further, I found out the real answer is, no they don't. Turns out all they have are stereo CDs, sourced from stereo tapes that they have.
And then I heard back from Terry that they found some tapes, but they're unsure of what they are and have nothing that will play them back. He mentioned that they're beta, so....that sounds like it's not the right thing at all. That can't be right.
And so the hunt for Milton's tapes continues.
Meanwhile, Alice Shields has all her tapes, Pril Smiley had her one and only 4 channel work Eclipse digitized already, although I haven't heard back if she's interested in having that included as a part of this project, I'm waiting to hear back from the Library of Congress about Vladimir's tapes, Daria Semegen has all of Bulent Arel's tapes, and he didn't compose strictly in 4 channel and often used 5 channel. Maybe more, I don't know details. But he would use the number of channels that the piece called for. She is very interested in the project, but is busy and doesn't have time to discuss it further until November. And, I've not been able to track down Mario Davidovsky yet, but perhaps with all the people I'm talking to I'll find a contact that can get in touch with him.
Also, I found out that the person that was responsible for the quadraphonic record was the guy that was also behind Finnadar records, composer Ilhan Mimaroglu. One of his electronic pieces is included on a CD of Columbia-Princeton compositions that is currently still in print, and I highly recommend if this type of music interests you. Alice Shields recommended I get in touch with him to find out more information about the record. Unfortunately, he is not doing too well, his hearing is nearly gone and he cannot walk, so he was unable to take my call.
So, that's my story so far, and I'm sure there's a lot more information to come, I have been sending emails all around looking for these tapes, or people that might know info about them, so I will keep you all updated here.
