A Brief History of Smith Publications

THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON BIERCE LIBRARY

SMITH PUBLICATIONS, founded in 1974, publishes over 200 works of twentieth century composers. Since opening, Smith Publications has been recognized throughout the world as an important source of new music.

House where Smith Publications started(11k)

House in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
where Smith Publications started in 1974.

Most of the compositions are performed regularly, have won major prizes and awards, and have been written about in research journals and books. Still others have been selected for inclusion in anthologies of twentieth century music. Fully one-fourth of the compositions are recorded on such new music labels as New World Records, CRI, and Nonesuch Records.

With recent interest in music notation as visual art, Smith Publications is asked regularly to contribute scores for exhibition, for Smith Publications is known for its quality printed editions and attractive binding. No blueprint methods or quick-copy techniques are used. For an elegant appearance and greater durability, the music is printed in black ink on textured white paper.

"Publishing makes public the values, sounds, and esthetics not only of the composer, but also of the publisher who selects the compositions and edits them for publication."
Sylvia Smith, editor

In 1976, Smith Publications joined ASCAP, and became a member of BMI under the name of Sonic Art Editions. The publishing activities of Smith Publications and Sonic Art Editions are a contribution and partial solution to the problem of creating a healthy and receptive environment for new musical ideas. The editor chooses the strongest, most far-reaching music available -- music that balances originality and uniqueness with the skill and craft necessary to clearly express the essence of its idea.

At present, Smith Publications represents 52 composers among whom are Barney Childs, Elliott Schwartz, Edward Diemente, William Duckworth, Dennis Kam, and Eric Stokes. In addition, Smith Publications represents the entire major works of Robert Erickson, Ben Johnston, Herbert Brün, James Tenney and Pauline Oliveros.

Ben Johnston is the leading exponent of just intonation. His six string quartets are landmarks in the area of microtonal music. Herbert Brün is internationally known as a pioneer in the use of the computer as a compositional tool as well as one of the most sophisticated theoreticians on the relationship between music and politics. The compositional research of Pauline Oliveros in the area of meditation and music has lead many to reexamine the relationship between audience and performer and to investigate music's power for personal growth.

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