Learn about the project of digitization wax cylinder recordings of Irish music at University College Cork
Learn about the project of digitization wax cylinder recordings of Irish music at University College Cork
An overview of a project in which fragile wax cylinder recordings of Irish music were digitized at University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
University College Cork, Ireland (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
Transcript
CRÓNÁN Ó DOIBHLIN: The project came about as a result of a number of interesting connections, communications, and I suppose enthusiasms in relation to the cylinders. In 2009, on the recommendation of Nicholas Carolan, director of the Irish Traditional Music Archive, we made contact with Henri Chamoux an expert in transferring wax cylinders into digital formats. Henri has a particular piece of equipment called an archeophone, which is used to extract the original audio from the wax cylinder without damaging it. And that enables a much better sound quality to be made available in digital format. So this very much was a central part of the rationale behind bringing this project to fruition at this particular point in time.
The cylinders are actually very fragile objects in themselves. They are organic, and therefore they are prone to damage through mold and through cracks, or indeed through playing them. The cylinders actually wear out through over playing. So Henri was able to advise us and assist us and indeed extract the best quality sound for this particular point in time using the technology that is available.
It's essential for the library to be involved in projects like this. And in fact, the O'Neill Henebry project is a very good example of a number of elements of the university and its external partners coming together with a single goal in mind and delivering it. We work very closely with the School of Music on a number of different projects to do with their students, to do with research, and to do teaching.
There's an external outreach element to this project as well, that enables us to give a wider sense of the value not only that the library offers, but that the School of Music and UCC offer to the wider community.
MEL MERCIER: One of the pleasures of listening to the cylinders and having the opportunity to listen to them, and of course now because they're digitized to be able to listen to them repeatedly, you know alongside the ability to transcribe the tunes. Because you can't play the cylinders too many times. Because every time you play them they deteriorate. So we've kind of liberated the audio materials from the physical materials. And that allows us then to work with those.
The collection comprises of two sets of cylinders, really. One set which was collected by Captain Francis O'Neill in Chicago pre-1905. And then another set which was collected in the Deise region by Reverend Henebry. And the two collections are together in the UCC Library because O'Neill actually sent a number of cylinders as a gift to Henebry, I think in maybe like the 1910s or so. And they have been stored in UCC in the library ever since that time.
Henebry and O'Neill, they knew each other. And Henebry had been to visit O'Neill in Chicago. He, in fact, was quite a supporter of O'Neill and his work. And he attended some sessions while he was there. And through that friendship, I think O'Neill decided he would send a number of cylinders, not all of them. He had done a lot of collecting work. But UCC has this half of the cylinders.
It's important, I think, for UCC, given its long association and commitment to Irish traditional music. The association with Sean O Riada, for example. Micheal O Suilleabhain, Matt Cranitch, and all of the traditional musicians who have studied here or taught here as tutors. Bobby Gardiner, for example, currently Connie O'Connell, and many, many of them. Mary Mitchell Ingoldsby with one of her partners from the Department of Music in the project.
Ó DOIBHLIN: Much of the feedback that we get comes from overseas as well as from the local community. And again, that raises the profile of UCC and of the School of Music, and of course, of the library.
MERCIER: We've emphasized over the years, I think, at UCC, the importance of performance. And we have worked hard and continue to work hard to bring performance and to speak for the value of performance into the Academy.
The cylinders are actually very fragile objects in themselves. They are organic, and therefore they are prone to damage through mold and through cracks, or indeed through playing them. The cylinders actually wear out through over playing. So Henri was able to advise us and assist us and indeed extract the best quality sound for this particular point in time using the technology that is available.
It's essential for the library to be involved in projects like this. And in fact, the O'Neill Henebry project is a very good example of a number of elements of the university and its external partners coming together with a single goal in mind and delivering it. We work very closely with the School of Music on a number of different projects to do with their students, to do with research, and to do teaching.
There's an external outreach element to this project as well, that enables us to give a wider sense of the value not only that the library offers, but that the School of Music and UCC offer to the wider community.
MEL MERCIER: One of the pleasures of listening to the cylinders and having the opportunity to listen to them, and of course now because they're digitized to be able to listen to them repeatedly, you know alongside the ability to transcribe the tunes. Because you can't play the cylinders too many times. Because every time you play them they deteriorate. So we've kind of liberated the audio materials from the physical materials. And that allows us then to work with those.
The collection comprises of two sets of cylinders, really. One set which was collected by Captain Francis O'Neill in Chicago pre-1905. And then another set which was collected in the Deise region by Reverend Henebry. And the two collections are together in the UCC Library because O'Neill actually sent a number of cylinders as a gift to Henebry, I think in maybe like the 1910s or so. And they have been stored in UCC in the library ever since that time.
Henebry and O'Neill, they knew each other. And Henebry had been to visit O'Neill in Chicago. He, in fact, was quite a supporter of O'Neill and his work. And he attended some sessions while he was there. And through that friendship, I think O'Neill decided he would send a number of cylinders, not all of them. He had done a lot of collecting work. But UCC has this half of the cylinders.
It's important, I think, for UCC, given its long association and commitment to Irish traditional music. The association with Sean O Riada, for example. Micheal O Suilleabhain, Matt Cranitch, and all of the traditional musicians who have studied here or taught here as tutors. Bobby Gardiner, for example, currently Connie O'Connell, and many, many of them. Mary Mitchell Ingoldsby with one of her partners from the Department of Music in the project.
Ó DOIBHLIN: Much of the feedback that we get comes from overseas as well as from the local community. And again, that raises the profile of UCC and of the School of Music, and of course, of the library.
MERCIER: We've emphasized over the years, I think, at UCC, the importance of performance. And we have worked hard and continue to work hard to bring performance and to speak for the value of performance into the Academy.