[gramofiend]

The digital catalogue is probably the project that came about to replace the original card index system which held all the information on the Gramophone Library. For some reason probably known only to God the project was outsourced to an overseas company I believe in Taiwan, and due to language problems and others, several thousand recordings were deleted from the digital record compared with the written version. Some libraries do not do well from reorganisation especially when the process is not properly supervised!

I remember reading, in the 1980's or 90's of the finding of original scores of works by Edward Elgar, with the composer's hand written instructions, thrown into a skip. Thankfully these were retrieved and placed in a proper library under the supervision of someone who knew what they had and how to look after it!

The original material, of course was MONO. In the case of a lot of producers and particularly Americans in the music industry it is always important to re-record in stereo so you get all of the music.

Actually something like the original version of Oh pretty Woman by Roy Orbison was not bettered by re-recording. There was never the visceral impact of the mono original.

I have digressed.

I believe that the original material by now several million pieces is stored underground at Caversham Park Reading , where the written archive is situated. Central London property is too expensive to be left filled with library stock! Hence the blocks of computer servers containing digitally accessible copies of what is in Caversham park plus all the newly issued, unchecked and unverified versions of the material that is being discussed in this thread! The digital library is probably available on line within the BBC in order that a programme maker is able to listen, compile to a programme list etc and even access while on air and upload to the running order to broadcast. I do not think that the catalogue would be available externally on line as there are probably too many 'rights' issues and other legalities to think of.


Mike