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Stanford University. Libraries. Division of Special Collections
Musical Acoustics Research Library (MARL) records, 1956-2007.
The Musical Acoustics Research Library (MARL) combines collections of: the Catgut Acoustical Society, a group of acousticians dedicated to studying violin making; and three prominent wind instrument acousticians, John W. Coltman, Arthur H. Benade, and John Backus. The Catgut Acoustical Society (CAS) records include files for Louis Condax, Robert Fryxell, Felix Savart, John Shelleng, Melville Clark, and others; a complete set of the CAS Journal publications; and two benchmark volumes of definitive papers in violin acoustics. The John W. Coltman papers relate primarily to his work in musical acoustics, especially the flute. Coltman's correspondence largely consists of inquiries and replies resulting from publications, many of which have some technical content. The John Backus papers include files with regard to his research in the acoustics of synthetic reeds, correspondence with Carleen M. Hutchins, and one piece involving Mrs. Margaret T. Saunders. The collections also include correspondence, published and unpublished articles, newspaper clippings, periodical issues, books, dissertations, conference proceedings, technical papers, detailed laboratory notebooks, lecture notes and teaching materials, research notes, graphs and charts, blueprints, transparencies, slides, photographs, miscellaneous realia, photographs, media, course notes, digital materials, wood samples, clarinet mouth pieces, and lab equipment.
The Catgut Acoustical Society was established in 1963 as a collaborative effort to stimulate pioneering research in acoustical principles and the application of these principles to making fine stringed instruments. From its founding, CAS began compiling an extensive collection of acoustics research files.
John W. Coltman (1915-2010), physicist and research executive at Westinghouse Electric Corporation, devoted much of his spare time to the study of the flute in its musical, historical and acoustical aspects. His research in musical acoustics has contributed significantly to what is known today about the behavior of the flute and organ pipes. In his professional career Dr. Coltman received many honors for his invention and development of the x-ray image amplifier, now universally used in medical fluoroscopy. He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering, holds 22 patents and published some 70 technical papers.
Arthur H. Benade (1925-1987) was a Professor of Physics at Case Western Reserve University from 1955-1987. His area of research included musical acoustics, especially the acoustics of woodwind and brass instruments, statistical properties of room acoustics, and musical perception.
John Graham Backus (1911-1988) was a Professor of Physics, University of Southern California, 1945-1980. His researach interests were focused on the area of musical acoustics. His greatest contribution was to provide fundamental data on the nonlinear flow control properties of woodwind reeds.
Backus, John
Benade, Arthur H.
Clark, Melville.
Coltman, John Wesley, 1915-2010.
Condax, Louis M.
Fryxell, Robert.
Hutchins, Carleen Maley
Savart, Felix, 1791-1841.
Schelleng, John C.
Catgut Acoustical Society
Stanford University. Libraries. Division of Special Collections
Catgut Acoustical Society Journal
Flute -- Acoustics.
Music -- Acoustics and physics.
Sound
Stringed instruments -- Acoustics.
Violin -- Acoustics.
Woodwind reeds.
Backus, John
Benade, Arthur H.
Coltman, John Wesley, 1915-2010.
Hutchins, Carleen Maley
Catgut Acoustical Society
AIP-ICOS
Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives. Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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