The British Library’s Archival Sound Recordings project, supported by JISC, today launches a vital new resource for the exploration of western classical music heritage.
Bringing together nearly 1000 historic recordings, this freely available online collection allows researchers to easily compare various interpretations of great composers, tracing the impact of globalisation on performance style and its evolution throughout the early 20th Century.
Available works include:
- Bach – Brandenburg concertos, orchestral suites and solo concertos
- Haydn – Symphonies
- Mozart – Symphonies and concertos
- Beethoven – String quartets, symphonies and concertos
- Brahms – Symphonies, overtures and concertos
Celia Duffy – Head of Research, National Centre for Research in the Performing Arts, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama said:
“Digital collections, such as Archival Sound Recordings, have enormous potential for researchers and students. By placing previously inaccessible archives online, they create the potential for new fields of cross-disciplinary research, reflecting the social, cultural, technological and political changes that have shaped contemporary society. In particular, the Classical Music collection provides researchers with the means to easily assess how performance practice has changed over the years and gain fresh insight into familiar works.”
For further information about the archive visit the British Library’s Sound Archive