Series A - Tape collection

Identity area

Reference code

OTUFM 54-A

Title

Tape collection

Date(s)

  • 1949-1988, predominant 1959-1979 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

27 boxes of audio reels + 5 film reels + 2 card catalogues

Context area

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Materials were transferred to the Music Library with from the University of Toronto Electronic Music Studio (UTEMS). The transfer (A2020-05) also included some personal papers of Gustav Ciamaga and Myron Schaeffer, which had been left in the Studio. The administrative records of UTEMS are held at the University of Toronto Archives.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Series consists of electronic music compositions created at the University of Toronto Electronic Music Studio (UTEMS) and copies of tapes made at other electronic music studios around the world. The series includes the two original card-catalogue indices for the tape collection, organized by tape number and by composer.

Among the tapes that originated at UTEMS are compositions by faculty and students from the Faculty of Music, independent composers who were granted access to the studio, and compositions created by visiting artists, scholars, and composers. Composers at UTEMS included Robert Aitken, John Beckwith, Brian Cherney, Gustav Ciamaga, Richard Henninger, David Jaeger, Larry Lake, John Mills-Cockell, James Montgomery, Harvey Olnick, Dennis Patrick, Myron Schaeffer, David Williams, and many others. Composers from other studios include Milton Babbitt, Henk Badings, Luciano Berio, Hugh Le Caine, Douglas Lilburn, Pierre Schaeffer, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Vladimir Ussachevsky.

In addition to tapes created at UTEMS, the collections includes compositions created at the following studios, listed alphabetically:

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Tapes are arranged alphabetically by last name of the composer (following one of the card catalogue indices). Identifiers for each item indicate the tape size, reel number (as assigned during cataloguing at UTEMS), and Side and/or Band number, if applicable (e.g., [Reel size].[Reel number]-[Side, if applicable]-[Band, if applicable]). Tapes physically arranged by tape size and number (in accordance with the second card catalogue). Names of composers are indicated as "Creators". Names of known studios are indicated as "Contributors" or as an "Event note," in the case of private studios. If performers (other than the composer) were involved in the production of the tape, and were indicated in the UTEMS card catalogue, these names are transcribed in the "Scope and Contents" notes.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

    Script of material

      Language and script notes

      Physical characteristics and technical requirements

      Finding aids

      Allied materials area

      Existence and location of originals

      Existence and location of copies

      Streaming copies of some tapes available. For digital copies of other tapes, contact the Music Library.

      Related units of description

      Related descriptions

      Notes area

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Access points

      Subject access points

      Place access points

      Name access points

      Genre access points

      Description control area

      Description identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules and/or conventions used

      Dates of creation revision deletion

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Accession area