British Library Scores

[eschiss1]

I've now taken a chance and ordered the set of parts for Lachner's 6th symphony on A3 as you suggested and am just hoping my credit card will stand it! Thanks very much, Thal, for all your help.

Erf. Anticipatory envy! (Alas even if you wanted to spend the time and effort over a scanner, you probably would be forbidden by agreement with them, to redistribute any digital or other copy of the parts you might make... it would fill a gap at IMSLP so very nicely. Grmbl. Maybe some library will scan it in sometime and Sibley will post it- or something.)

[thalbergmad]

I've now taken a chance and ordered the set of parts for Lachner's 6th symphony on A3 as you suggested and am just hoping my credit card will stand it! Thanks very much, Thal, for all your help.

Every month, I just send all of my wages to the British Library and Travis & Emery and they let me know when I have run out

Sadly, after 4 years, my own project for all of the BL's uncopyrighted works for Piano & Orchestra is due to finish in about March 2011. Then, the invasion of Europe will begin.

Thal

[Gareth Vaughan]

John, just remember that the "shelfmark" will often be unique to a particular work (unless it refers to a volume in which a number of smaller works - like piano pieces - are all bound together). This is why you can't order a score of, say, 25 pages + one of 70 pages and pay only £30. The shelfmarks will be different so BL will sting you £30 for each. And this is a public resource paid for by the taxpayer!!!

[John H White]

Thanks for that tip Gareth. I hope that sticking to one large work from one composer will avoid that particular pitfall.
By the way, I still haven't heard any more from them since I placed my order with them a couple of days ago. I'm now a bit worried that my credit card is going to end up loaded down with a £90 or even a £120 plus postage bill and how I'm going to explain away that huge parcel of A3 copies when it arrives to my wife!

[thalbergmad]

You should get an immediate e mail confirmation of your order, but they always send the invoice through the post, anything up to 3 weeks later. That is when you find out the damage, unless you have already worked out the shelf marks/pages.

About a month after your order you will get a rather strong plastic bag with goodies enclosed.

Thal

[John H White]

Its now around 8 working days since I ordered that music and I still haven't heard a dickie  from them. I don't even know how much the whole thing is going to cost me. Are they usually this slow?

[thalbergmad]

To be honest, yes.

When I placed my latest order, they seem to have slightly changed things a little. I had to pay them £1 on my credit card and they would debit the rest when they had worked out the cost!!!! Sounds pretty horrific.

I think the longest turnaround I had was 6 weeks which is still better than my order with the BNP (Lisbon Library) which took 13 months.

Thal

[John H White]

Many thanks Thall.  Of course, I should have re-read the last couple of posts before I sent off my message!
   However, I think they might have acknowledged my £1 deposit---- or did their reply finish up in my spam can?

[thalbergmad]

It is a shame what you require is not available at any other UK library.

The service at Glasgow/Oxford/Cambridge/Senate House etc is superb.

Thal

[John H White]

I still haven't heard a thing about my October order with the British Library for the parts of Lachner's 6th symphony, although I regularly get up dates about their library facilities etc. I'm wondering if they ever got my request.

[thalbergmad]

That is absurd. I have also not heard anything about my complaint when they only copied the first two movements of a Wilms Concerto. My first e mail was 13th December.

Don't know about you John, but I am going to ring them tomorrow.

Thal

PS. From work of course

[John H White]

Sadly I can't ring them from work, since I've been retired for nearly 25 years. I wonder if its still possible to reverse the charges?