This collection, which dates from 1926-1986, documents the output of Moses Asch through the various record labels he founded and co-founded, and includes some of his personal papers. The Asch collection includes published recordings, master tapes, outtakes, business records, correspondence, photographs, and film.
Scope and Contents:
The Moses and Frances Asch Collection measures 841 cubic feet and dates from 1926-1987, with some contemporary, relevant correspondence, clippings, and ephemera added after 1987.
Most of the collection consists of audio recordings (commercial 78 rpm and long-playing records, open reel tapes, acetate discs, and test pressings), correspondence with recording artists and producers, artwork, photographs, ephemera, clippings, record production materials, writings, and business papers relating to Folkways Records. Materials relating to Folkways Records can be found primarily in the Correspondence, Folkways Production, Business Records, Photographs, Artwork, Sound Recordings, and Film series.
The collection also contains some biographical materials and personal correspondence, including materials related to Asch's first business, Radio Laboratories, located in the Biographical Materials series. Correspondence, ephemera, photographs, record production materials, business papers, and recordings relating to Asch's record labels before Folkways Records (Asch Recordings, Disc Company of America, Cub Records) are located in the Early Label Materials series as well as the Audio Recordings and Photographs series.
Arrangement note:
The collection is arranged in 10 series:
Series 1: Correspondence, 1942-1987
Series 2: Folkways Production, 1946-1987
Series 3: Business Records, 1940-1987
Series 4: Woody Guthrie papers, 1927-1985
Series 5: Early Label Materials, 1940-1949
Series 6: Biographical Materials, 1926-1987
Series 7: Photographs
Series 8: Artwork
Series 9: Audio Recordings
Series 10: Film
At this time, the collection is partially processed. Please contact rinzlerarchives@si.edu for more information.
Biographical/Historical note:
The son of Yiddish writer Sholem Asch, Moses Asch was born in Poland in 1905. His childhood was spent in Poland, France, Germany, and New York. While young, Asch developed an interest in radio electronics, which ultimately lead him to his life's work, recording the music and sounds of the world. He established several record labels in succession, sometimes partnering with other record companies. Two of his fist record companies, Asch Recordings and DISC Co. of America, went bankrupt. They were followed by his best-known label, Folkways Records, which was founded in 1948 with Marian Distler (1919-1964). He was still working on Folkways recordings when he died in 1986.
Folkways Records sought to document the entire world of sound. The 2,168 titles Asch released on Folkways include traditional and contemporary music from around the world, spoken word in many languages, and documentary recordings of individuals, communities, and current events. Asch's business practices revolved around the commitment to keep every recording issued by Folkways in print, despite low sales. Asch stayed afloat by cutting costs where he could (such as color printing) and offering a high-quality product, meticulously recorded and accompanied by extensive liner notes. In doing this, he could charge a slightly higher price than other commercial outfits. Despite a tenuous relationship with financial solvency, Folkways grew to be not only one of the most important independent record companies in the United States in the 20th century, but also one of the largest and most influential record companies in the world.
Moses Asch's record labels featured famous and lesser known American writers, poets, documentarians, ethnographers, and grass roots musicians on commercial recordings. American folk icon Woody Guthrie recorded on the Asch, Disc, and Folkways labels, and the Asch Collection includes some of his correspondence, lyrics, drawings, and writings. The collection also includes correspondence with other notable musicians and artists such as John Cage, Langston Hughes, Margaret Walker, Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, Pete Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Ewan MacColl, Alan Lomax, Henry Cowell, and Kenneth Patchen. Also in the collection are ethnographic field notes and photographs by as well as correspondence with Béla Barók, Sidney Robertson Cowell, Harold Courlander, Helen Creighton, Laura Boulton, and Samuel Charters. Asch hired various prominent artists and graphic designers including David Stone Martin, Ben Shahn, John Carlis, and Ronald Clyne to create album cover art for his recordings. Much of the original art and designs for these covers can be found in the Asch Collection.
Asch's output of recordings on various labels, including published recordings, open reel master tapes, outtakes, and acetate disks, in addition to his business papers, correspondence, photographs, and other files were acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987. The collection came to the Smithsonian with the understanding that all 2168 titles under the Folkways label would be kept available in perpetuity.
Shared Stewardship of Collections:
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage acknowledges and respects the right of artists, performers, Folklife Festival participants, community-based scholars, and knowledge-keepers to collaboratively steward representations of themselves and their intangible cultural heritage in media produced, curated, and distributed by the Center. Making this collection accessible to the public is an ongoing process grounded in the Center's commitment to connecting living people and cultures to the materials this collection represents. To view the Center's full shared stewardship policy, which defines our protocols for addressing collections-related inquiries and concerns, please visit https://doi.org/10.25573/data.21771155.
Provenance:
Ralph Rinzler arranged the Smithsonian's acquisition of the Moses and Frances Asch Collection in 1987, beginning with Asch before his death in 1986 and continuing with extensive discussions between Rinzler and the Asch family. Since its acquisition, archivist Jeff Place and others have added contemporary, relevant correspondence with Folkways artists and related individuals.
Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Dark clouds--Caucasian folk dance--Mountains of Ergoornum--Daki-tezlana--Yankee doodle--Golikozi Atchik
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-7RR-2439
General:
Copy of field recordings made on 78rpm of Armenian folksongs collected in 1939 during an elaborate New Deal WPA project organized and directed by folk music collector Sidney Robertson Cowell for the Northern California Work Projects Administration. Performers include Mesroub Takakjian, Joe Bedrosian, and Vartan Shapazian. Sponsored by the University of California, Berkeley, and cosponsored by the Archive of American Folk Song, this undertaking was one of the earliest ethnographic field projects to document European, Slavic, Middle Eastern, and English- and Spanish-language folk music in one region of the United States. Original 78s archived at LOC, AFS 4240 and AFS 4241. Not released on Folkways.
CDR copy
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Kegg Kellweg- Danish songs---The sailor--Little shepherd--Saturday evening--Polka--Shepherd's song--un-unk--Little tree on a mountain--Thunder armor--unk; Lebanese TV--Intro--My hometown girl--Meet me at the well--Diana's dance--Lula--Village folk dance--Signoff; Tom Lehrer---Irish ballad --Hunting song --My home town --Three love songs.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-7RR-2569
General:
"LEBANESE TV PROGRAMME"; CDR copy
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Moses and Frances Asch Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Moses and Frances Asch Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Play, my Volynka --There are mosquitoes in the woods --Ural dance --The wide, wide street --Round dance --Farm youth ditties --Zhuravel --Vanya is awake all night --Gusatchok -- By a spring --Ditties --Timonya --Variations on themes of two Russian songs --Who knows? --Merry time --Winter ; The swan --Russian dance --With the balalaika life is happier ; Ditties --Trepak --Drawing song --The moon is shining -- Plaintive song --Such as you were --Field --Gay ditties.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-LP-0940
Colosseum.013
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
Colosseum 1954
General:
Program notes, contents, and song texts by Bruno G. Ronty, in English, on slipcase. Performer(s): Piatnitsky Song and Dance Ensemble ; Vsevolod Khvatov, Vladimir Zakharov, Peter Kazmin, conductors. Voronezh Russian Folk Song Chorus ; Konstantin Massalitinov, conductor. Rudneva Russian Folk Song Chorus ; Northern Russia Folk Song Chorus ; various accordion soloists.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Gauri dance (Sorastra State) -- Dance with long horns (Kulu Valley) -- Siddia dance (Hyderabad) -- Tabla tarangi (Central India) -- Folk song (Goa) -- Marital song (Nepal) -- Folk dance (Sind State) -- Khatak dance (Northwest Frontier, Pathan) -- Classical song (Pakistan) -- Wedding song (Pakistan, Pushtu) -- Geet (Kashmir).
Local Numbers:
FW-COMM-LP-04447
Folkways.4447
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
New York Folkways 1957
Participant or Performer Note:
Sung and played by native musicians, principally in India and Pakistan.
General:
Commercial
Program notes by Harold Courlander and Henry Cowell (3 p.) inserted in slipcase.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Sonata, D minor, Longo 366 --Sonata, D minor, Longo 413 / Scarlatti --Chaconne in D minor (from the Sonata for Violin Solo No. 4), solo / J.S. Bach --Le Coucou, Rondo / Daquin -- Les Bergeries / Couperin --Six Roumanian Folk Dances -- Old Dance Tunes (from Fifteen Hungarian Peasant Songs, Nos. 7-15) / Bartork
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-LP-1345
FLP.41602
FLP.41602 ;.Bartok.930
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
Bartok
General:
Ferenc Gerencser, Joseph Szalay, cimbalom.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Three Hungarian csarrdars's --Improvisations on Roumanian melodies --Two Hungarian folk songs --Roumanian folk dance / arr. Rarcz --Improvisations on Hungarian melodies (solo) --Sonata, G minor, L. 338 ; Sonata, Fi minor, L. 481 / D. Scarlatti --Minuet / Muffat --L'amusante / Daquin -- Deux musettes. Musette de Choisy ; Musette de Taverny / Couperin --Allemande / Bull --spoken introduction -- Valse & Polka / Stravinsky.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-LP-1347
Bartok.929
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
Bartok 1969
General:
Chiefly folk music and transcriptions of classical music for cimbalom played by Aladarr Rarcz. Program notes by Perter Bartork on container. Performer(s): Aladarr Rarcz, cimbalom ; Yvonne Rarcz, piano. Production notes: "Selected from tape recordings made by Yvonne Rarcz at their home in Budapest during the last year of the artist's life."--Container.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Toi nergiz (dance-song)--Inch inch asem (love song)--Lepo-le-le (dance-song)--Gezals khrove (folk song)--Akhalkalaki (dance-song)--Shalakho (dance-song)--Armenian roundelays--Shiraki gevondi (folk dance).
Local Numbers:
Folkways.806; Folkways.6806
FW-ASCH-LP-1371
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
New York Folkways 1952
General:
Song texts and translations (4 p.) inserted in container. Performer(s): Sung and played by local performers. Production notes: "Recorded in Armenia."
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
This little light of mine --Poor boy --Oleanna --Hold on -- The sinking of the Reuben James --The fox --The ballad of Sigmund Freud --Roving gambler --The Erie Canal --Deep blue sea --Roll down the line --Fare thee well --Three Israeli folk dances.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-LP-1587
Decca.8671
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
New York Decca 1958
General:
Folk-songs and Negro spirituals, with banjo and guitars. Program notes on container.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
