BCRS LIBRARY
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What is in the Library Collection
Why Use the Collection
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How to Use the Collection Catalogue
How to borrow items
Where is the Collection
When to collect Catalogue music
Who may borrow the Collection
What about Copyright?
What is in the Library Collection
Why Use the Collection
COMING SOON:
How to Use the Collection Catalogue
How to borrow items
Where is the Collection
When to collect Catalogue music
Who may borrow the Collection
What about Copyright?
What is in the Library Collection
History The BCRS has maintained a library from it's inception, when printed music was difficult to come by and all members gave copies of printed music from workshops or from their personal collections. Similar generosity continues to this day, exemplified particularly by the recent donations by Bill Reid and Hugh Brock of their entire private collections.
In consequence the collection consists of music published from the late 1950's to the present day, as well as some unpublished material. The collection is principally for trio, quartet and quintet ensembles, but there are also solos, duets, works for larger groups and double choir music. There are pieces with accompaniments ranging from harpsichords to zylophones.
Have a look at what we've got To borrow, contact the Librarian, putting BCRS loans in the Subject line.
In consequence the collection consists of music published from the late 1950's to the present day, as well as some unpublished material. The collection is principally for trio, quartet and quintet ensembles, but there are also solos, duets, works for larger groups and double choir music. There are pieces with accompaniments ranging from harpsichords to zylophones.
Have a look at what we've got To borrow, contact the Librarian, putting BCRS loans in the Subject line.
Why Use the Collection
- The BCRS recorder library is now almost certainly the largest in BC and probably one of the largest in North America. Hence the range of composers, styles, eras and numbers of parts offers a great selection of music for all levels of players, with exclusive use to members of our society.
- The website has spread-sheets of the music catalogue, categorized in a number of ways, allowing convenient sorting and browsing.
- Many of the pieces are from publishers long extinct and hence no longer available from other publishers or on-line.
- The music is mostly in very reputable editions that have been carefully edited with regard to comfortable ranges for the parts, and good general complementarity of the lines. Even the much-maligned old Schott versions, many of which did not have bass lines (presumably basses were rarer then?) can be shifted down so that soprano becomes tenor, alto becomes F-bass, and tenor becomes C-bass.
- The library collection has almost no ecological footprint. In an age when society is trying to “green” itself, it seems irresponsible to print out large amounts of music requiring much paper and much printer’s ink, when there are alternatives available that do not require such excesses. Obviously, sometimes print runs are necessary, but in most cases they are not required.