Newsline from EDINA
June 2006: Volume 11, Issue 2
The Culverhouse Classical Music Collection has been added to Education Media OnLine ( soon to be Film & Sound Online). This is a new collection of music and scores to support media studies, media production, music, the performing arts and creative industries.
The Culverhouse Classical Music Collection comprises over 50 hours of downloadable, copyright-free classical music, and some associated scores, from the 17th to the 20th centuries, including works by famous composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak, Handel, Haydn, Liszt and Mozart, as well as less-celebrated pieces by composers such as Granados, Litolff and Warlock. For ease of use, the pieces are downloadable in smaller sections, such as movements.
"The launch of the Culverhouse collection marks a very important step in provision for music and the creative arts," says Celia Duffy, Head of Research, National Centre for Research in the Performing Arts, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. & #34;For the first time, students, teachers, and researchers can not only play recordings, but can work directly with them without anxieties about rights. I look forward to some really innovative applications - this opens great possibilities for both on and off-line creativity."
As with existing EMOL collections, users are permitted to extract sections of the Culverhouse material for delivery in VLEs or on disc, relieving pressure on hard-pressed libraries, allowing staff and students to download and burn customised CDs, while librarians will be able to replace any that go missing.
The unique feature within EMOL of this collection, however, is that manipulation and editing of downloaded music and scores is permitted. In addition to EMOL's usual Windows Media Player and QuickTime formats, the music is available as WAV and MP3 files. Users are permitted to repurpose the files, including stretching or compressing the music, looping user-defined sections, and altering the pitch as well as using any future software developments.
The files can also be used to accompany film clips, although permission should be obtained from the film-owners beforehand.
The collection is licensed from the renowned producer Brian Culverhouse, who, after 20 years at EMI's famous Abbey Road Studios, has worked independently for 30 years with many famous performers. The British Universities Film & Video Council created the encodings and metadata for this collection.
Full details of the collection: