[Menvi-discuss] De Garmo Textbook in Braille Music Transcription

[Stephanie Pieck]

Karen,

 

This is wonderful news. I am glad this project is progressing and the
results will be widely available to anyone who needs them.

 

Thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of expanding the dedicated
group of braille music transcribers. May you continue to find many willing
and excellent candidates who then continue to use the skills they gain to
provide a richer and more diverse offering of braille music to readers at
all levels.

 

Stephanie Pieck

 

 

From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of
Karen Gearreald via Menvi-discuss
Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2023 1:18 AM
To: menvi-discuss at menvi.org
Cc: karen118 at cox.net
Subject: [Menvi-discuss] De Garmo Textbook in Braille Music Transcription

 

It is wonderful that the Library of Congress has chosen to make the revised
De Garmo textbook freely available for download, in "brf" and "pdf" formats,
from the web site of the National Federation of the Blind.  Having taught
the braille music transcription course to braillists in the United States
for the past twenty years, I am hoping that many teachers, musicians,
braille readers, and other interested friends and helpers will choose to
download and enjoy the files.  Part One consists of thirty-one files (front
matter, introduction, index, and twenty-eight chapters).  This part covers
single-line instrumental and line-by-line vocal formats.  

 

Part Two will cover the basics of bar-over-bar format, including piano
music, organ music, keyboard accompaniments, instrumental ensembles, and
vocal ensembles.  The files for this part will be posted as soon as the
twelve projected chapters have been completed and Beta tested.  In both
parts of the course, my collaborators and I are seeking to provide a wealth
of basic information in as helpful and compact a manner as possible.  

 

In the United States, UEB literary certification is a  prerequisite for
transcribers who wish to formally take the braille music transcription
course under the sponsorship of the Library of Congress.  Some time ago the
Library of Congress considered waiving this requirement for transcribers
whose primary interest is music.  We realize that, as MENVI members have
rightly observed, the literary portions of braille music scores are
generally uncontracted.  At the same time, however, we believe that
certified music braillists need a full knowledge of literary braille so that
they can comfortably produce all types of music materials, including
prefatory and editorial essays, vocal and instrumental anthologies, music
theory textbooks, instructional manuals for performers, and books on music
history and music appreciation.  So we will maintain the literary
requirement as a prerequisite for the course.

 

For anyone who is not taking the official course, we encourage the use and
enjoyment of braille music in every context and by whatever method, with or
without extensive interface with literary braille.  In the nineteenth
century, long before the standards for literary braille were established,
the value of Louis Braille's music notation was widely recognized.  I trust
that Louis, from his high place in heaven, is pleased with our efforts to
bring knowledge and happiness to anyone who can benefit from braille music
notation.

Karen Gearreald 

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