Folk Images, 1980 - 1981

The collection contains 132 open-reel audio tapes comprising over 150 compositions, performances, and interviews with composers and musicians involved with EMS. The magnetic tapes and reels vary between the formats 1/4" tape, 7" reel; 1/2" tape, 10.5" reel; and 1/4" tape, 10.5" reel. The tapes are dated from 1978 – 1988, although many are undated, and feature work by people such as John Chowning, who was responsible for the discovery of the frequency modulation synthesis (FM) algorithm; Judith Eissenberg, founding member of the Lydian String Quartet; Paul Lansky, generally considered one of the creators of electronic and computer music; Mario Davidovsky, Pulitzer Prize winner; Jeanne Bamberger, music cognition theorist; and John Stautner, one of the pioneers of standardizing music storage files leading to the mp3. Please see the “Subjects and Genres” section of the finding aid for a more comprehensive list of creators. The bulk of these performances were recorded at various locations at MIT. We also have two live recordings from performances in Vienna. Some of these recordings were made as part of a summer residency, as part of a class, or for radio stations, such as WBUR and WGBH.

Once digitized, the collection will also comprise over 150 digital copies of the aforementioned open-reel audio tapes. Based on industry standards, digital audio recordings will be formatted and stored as 24 bit master .wav files at a sample rate of 96khz.