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Craig Spaulding motion picture soundtrack collection

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2141

Scope and Contents note

Approximately 2000 commericially or privately produced motion picture soundtrack albums, both acetate and vinyl, covering a period of some fifty years. Titles range from A.D. to Zulu Dawn and are representative of all the major studios anf film composers from the 1930s to the 1980s.

Dates

  • approximately 1940-1991

Creator

Conditions Governing Access note

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use note

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Craig Spaulding motion picture soundtrack collection must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

Screen Archives Entertainment (SAE) is one of the largest distributors of soundtracks and movie music in the world. SAE also produces exhaustive restorative film music recordings under its own label, working with major studios, composer estates, and universities to preserve music that would otherwise be lost to deteriorating celluloid.

The seed of the company sprouted when entrepreneur Craig Spaulding opened a retail store with a sideline in eclectic music LPs. Spaulding cultivated soundtrack contacts across the globe and soon became known throughout the U.S. as an authority on obscure and rare scores.

He sold the store, but kept SAE as a conduit for preserving rare recordings, focusing on pre-1960 Golden Age films with cherished soundtracks. Universities and studios soon came calling for Spaulding's expertise in restorations that captured the excitement of each project from the composers' own personal notes to the finest mastering of the music to the marketing of the final product. Major releases include Alfred Newman's Wilson and Captain from Castile, Max Steiner's Marjorie Morningstar and Pursued, and Dimitri Tiomkin's The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell and High Noon.

The merge with Film Score Monthly in 2004 was the fourth major expansion for SAE since being started in 1991. When Spaulding couldn't get the attention of major studios, the Library of Congress or the Smithsonian to do more to keep film scores from further deterioration, he financed the projects himself. Today SAE has contracts with composers, their estates or heirs, and major record labels to produce soundtracks for collectors in limited quantities. SAE also produces the Brigham Young University Film Music Archives collection under BYU's own label.

At the same time, SAE built up a strong market among collectors as a major outlet for film scores from all sources, from the largest recording companies to the tiniest of specialized producers. With the advent of the Internet, the awareness of Spaulding's personal projects and distribution services grew exponentially. Today, the SAE collection has many thousands of titles, from Amarcord to Zulu, and includes hot niche markets such as scores to Anime films and video games. Much of SAE success comes from a dedicated staff that has not only increased rare acquisitions for the company, but has honed a superbly realized, interactive and easily surfed Web site that includes music title searches by composer, label, or even specific genres, and many entries include tantalizing sound samples. This same staff provides the fast worldwide shipping and expert customer service that have now become a respected industry standard.

Whatever the future of movie music becomes, Screen Archives Entertainment will be at the forefront in bringing it to the world.

Information from http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3DCPWQU1VX3N8.

Extent

57 boxes (28.5 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Approximately 2000 commericially or privately produced motion picture soundtrack albums, both acetate and vinyl, covering a period of some fifty years. Titles range from A.D. to Zulu Dawn and are representative of all the major studios anf film composers from the 1930s to the 1980s.

Arrangement note

The collection is arranged alphabetically by film title, and then by production company and code.

Other Finding Aids

Box-level inventory available online. http://files.lib.byu.edu/ead/XML/MSS2141.xml

Custodial History note

The albums in the collection were purchased or produced by Spaulding over a period of years.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Donated; Craig Spaulding.

Appraisal note

Film Music Archives.

Original motion picture music manuscripts and recordings that document the history of music composed and recorded for motion pictures.

Processing Information note

Processed; Norm Gillespie; 2004.

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Register of Craig Spaulding motion picture soundtrack collection
Status
Completed
Author
Norm Gillespie
Date
2004
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Physical Storage Information

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

http://sc.lib.byu.edu/
Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States

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