Klarinet Archive - Posting 000353.txt from 2010/09

From: Joseph Wakeling <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Collaborative Urtext project
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2010 08:20:07 -0400

On 09/11/2010 07:54 PM, Keith Bowen wrote:
> I do have some of the training and skills required and would be interested
> in participating.

Fantastic. :-)

> I think that you ask the questions backwards. The first that I would ask
> would be, what piece needs this approach? That is, which piece(s) is
> eminently worth playing, and has dubious editions with probably poor
> editorial scholarship (or not - it always good to have an edition validated)
> or some reason for uncertainty in the edition.

That's a very good point. My "backwards" solution came from the thought
that, as a first step, it would be good to try out this approach on
something where the scholarship was already well-established -- so that
we could get to work and be productive relatively quickly. But if we
_can_ do it on a work where there is a strong need, that would be even
better.

A thought that springs to mind are the various works by Samuel
Taylor-Coleridge -- particularly the clarinet quintet and the Nonet for
strings, winds and piano -- where in the former case the published
edition is full of errors, and in the latter I'm not sure that there
even _is_ still an edition available. I once wrote to Henle to ask
whether they'd consider producing an edition, and their response was
that though they knew the quality of the work, they were too busy
filling out the gaps in their catalogue in the "standard" repertoire.

> Issues that I see would need addressing are:
> 1. Some formal structure for decision making. Who decides whether That Bar
> is in or out, and what is the decision process? Does everyone have an equal
> vote, irrespective of whether they are a keen helper with, as Peter puts it,
> time and interest but no training, or a seriously good musicologist?

The model I have in mind is that anyone would be able to suggest changes
or decisions, but only a few people (selected on expertise) would have
final voting or decision-making power; but on the other hand the system
would be designed so that people could easily create "personal" versions
without 100% losing touch with the project.

That structure would derive from the use of distributed revision control
systems. I can explain in greater depth if necessary.

> 2. A process for assessing the assessments. When you ask someone to look up
> a document in their local library, because that's where it is, what
> standards do you apply to their assessment? Digital images don't do
> everything, for example they don't usually show watermarks unless you
> photograph it carefully.

Tricky question. Can you suggest a policy?

> 3. A means of finding the costs. Libraries often charge significantly for
> quality reproductions.

How significant are we talking here? Then we can think about means --
the most likely source is grants and donations. (That's another reason
why I was thinking of taking an initial approach where the sources are
readily available and the scholarship is quite well established.)

A second question is what constraints would be put on our own
use/distribution of these reproductions. A public collaborative project
won't work if we can't share the sources.

> 4. A process for setting the priorities for the work, especially under
> financial constraints.

Again, I'll step back and say that this is something on which I should
take advice from others.

> Mark's offer to set up the web-based storage, access and controls is
> wonderful, and would be a huge contribution.

Absolutely. I think there are some parts we can set up using existing
web services -- we should take this route at first to minimize the
amount of techy effort needed to get started. Other things, like a
project homepage, it would be great to have hosted on woodwind.org.

> It's a novel and interesting idea.

:-D

Best wishes,

-- Joe
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