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Editorial processes

The wide variations in coverage and format in the contributors' responses to their assignments left no doubt that the editorial tasks of EMC would be pioneering, creative, and re-creative. Moreover, the musical life of Canada was transforming itself in innumerable ways even as the latest transformations were being noted. Thus, no entry, even a well organized and tightly written one, could remain as it was when it arrived. The result at EMC's editorial offices was a complex system of work-flow, work-scheduling, and work-distribution. Upon receipt each article was read for information, coverage, balance, relationship to articles on hand, and style. In the majority of cases the initial reading was followed by a thorough effort to verify facts, fill gaps, and resolve discrepancies between different sources.

Name changes and founding dates of musical societies were among the most frequent and most difficult quests, since available sources often provided no more than 'was in its ninth season in 1928' (leaving the reader to guess whether reference is to the 1927-8 or 1928-9 season and whether the years were counted from the time of foundation, possibly in October, or the date of the first concert, perhaps the following February). Some birth dates presented particular challenges. Rosario Bourdon was born in 1865 according to the Musiciens canadiens, 1889 according to the ASCAP Dictionary, and 1895 according to Grove's. EMC found 1885 to be his actual birth year. EMC has been able to correct other such long-perpetuated errors, eg, those committed in connection with the death date of Adam Schott (1840 according to the New Grove Dictionary, but actually 1864) and the founding dates of two of Canada's most important music businesses, Heintzman and Nordheimer; and EMC research may not have solved but at least it has brought closer to solution the puzzles surrounding the creation and first performance of 'O Canada.' In all cases, in seeking accurate data, the editors and staff consulted the sources listed above, and many others as well. All that was possible in some cases was to identify doubtful information or provide alternative data. No doubt inaccuracies, over-simplifications, oversights, and downright errors will persist. The editors will be grateful for corrections and additions from readers who have noted errors or possess well-documented information that the editors may have overlooked.

A main emphasis during the first years of the preparation of EMC was on the production of articles on historical subjects, leaving those on currently active musicians to a later stage in order to minimize the necessity for updating. Ironically, the years after 1973 produced not only the foreseen career expansions, new talents, new compositions, and new organizations, but also much new historical research and much long-lost archival and printed material. In 1978 contributors were given the opportunity to update their articles, and many did. In the end, updating became an encyclopedia-wide necessity. In general, entries may be considered current to the end of 1979, but an attempt has been made to include later available news of major significance in the areas of appointments, premiere performances, deaths, dissolutions or name changes of ensembles and organizations, and other such information. In some instances it was possible to update only through the means of an additional bibliographic item.

An invaluable aid in the work of revision was the index that was prepared as articles assumed final shape. This provided the means for avoiding inconsistent name spellings and birthplaces, and for tracing pupil-teacher connections, and also yielded information helpful when many of the large survey articles (eg, those on cities, relations with other countries, the playing and teaching of instruments, and publications) were prepared.

Not all individual contributions to the editorial process can be enumerated here, but one fact needs stressing: the preparation of EMC has been a team effort. It had been assumed at the outset that the three editors would have equal rank but distinct responsibilities -- Helmut Kallmann for content, Gille Potvin for the French text, and Kenneth Winters for the English text -- but in practice these functions have overlapped throughout the project; each editor has felt free to revise content and to criticize style. By extension it is true to say that there has not been one member of the supporting staff who has not supplied some special knowledge and who has not exercised at one time or another the function of a critical reader. On virtually every entry there has been spirited discussion, involving contributor, editors, editorial assistants, and sometimes outside consultants; in most cases the information content was increased. All those who participated in this exploration of Canada's music and musical life will remember the experience with gratitude and pleasure.

EMC is a beginning, in more senses than one. As a first edition it is inevitably the beginning of a long process of correcting, updating, filling of gaps, and reinterpretation. And like anything that is written about music, it is the beginning of a process of understanding that has only one justifiable end: a deeper participation in music itself, as listener, interpreter, or creator. EMC is also the beginning of an orderly all-encompassing record of Canadian musical life (there having been several notable achievements in documenting specific aspects). This documentation, the editors fervently hope, not only will contribute to a new level of efficiency and accuracy in the day-to-day dissemination of information of music in Canada, but also will create a new consciousness of, and a new pride in, Canada's multifaceted record of musical achievement.

HELMUT KALLMANN,
GILLES POTVIN,
KENNETH WINTERS

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Created: 2001-08-20 Updated: 2004-03-12	Top of Page	Important Notices