Though the AMRC's primary focus is on written documentation, the Center holds significant collections of historical recordings that help tell the stories of our musical heritage.听 In addition to documenting music of the United States, the AMRC's recordings tell an important story in their own right: our wide variety of recording formats, including piano rolls, cylinders, wires, and others, document the history of recorded technology from its earliest days, and provide a valuable opportunity for visitors to understand and experience historic recording formats, and also to hear voices from more than a century ago.
Recording memorabilia from Russell and Connie Bauerle, containing recording company catalogues and advertisements (1916-1924)听
Consists of analog and digital sound recordings of oral history interviews dating from 1966鈥╰o 2006, conducted by University of Colorado students, volunteers, and faculty and staff. Interviewees include Nick Perito, Perry Como's arranger; Mickey Glass, Como's long-time manager; former College of Music faculty such as George Crumb, Cecil Effinger, Warner Imig and Storm Bull; and other area musicians and scholars. Includes interview transcript excerpts and summaries, interview question lists, clippings, biographical notes, and curriculum vitae for some interviewees. Interview topics include the history of the University of Colorado's College of Music, biography of the interviewees, Perry Como, music pedagogy, and the history of music in Boulder and Colorado.听
Song lists and notebooks from Carrie M. Cramer and Grace Cramer Small, pioneers, folk singers, folk song collectors. Includes tape recorded interview.听
The Early Phonograph Record collection consists of 7 boxes of 133 phonograph records (121 ten inch discs and 12 twelve inch discs) produced during the approximate time period of听1912-1940. Edison Diamond Discs form the bulk of the collection and range from early recordings on the Edison label through the later Edison Record and Edison Re-Creation labels. A limited number of discs from various contemporaneous record labels, such as Victor,听Columbia and Victrola, also are represented. Musical genres include orchestral dance music, Christmas songs, Hawaiian melodies and classical compositions.
Writings and recorded interviews conducted by Glenn Giffin (1943-2012), Denver Post music and dance critic; graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder (B.Mus.) and the University鈥╫f Denver (Master of Library Arts); curator of the University of Denver's Carson-Brierly Dance Library; recipient of the Dance Alliance services in the field award, 2009. Includes 404 cassette tape interviews of musicians for his Denver Post column.听
The Richard D. Hershcopf disk recordings comprise of 209 78rpm disk recordings featuring Benny Goodman and other big band musicians. They are organized alphabetically by the band name or artist's first name.