The Identity of Music: Conceptual Changes and Practical Challenges for Libraries

Conceptual changes in music and audio technology have far-reaching implications for libraries. The ideas and recordings of celebrated pianist Glenn Gould in the Nineteen-Sixties are examined in light of modern technology and the evolving identity of music. A contextual model for identity of music is employed, which accounts for modern malleability of conception, authorship, style, medium, and availability. Recorded sound as primary manifestation (not reproduction) is conceived within the context of digital audio formats and software applications. Multi-authorship, changing identities of performer/composer, cross-pollination, education, and integration of performance media join emergent holistic syntheses in the arts. Progressive wisdom of music librarians responding to modern needs of patrons fuels library adaptation/innovation in idiosyncratic areas of music classification, cataloging, storage, and retrieval. Innovation fuels creativity in teaching and learning, while preserving and strengthening the historical foundations of music.