UW News

November 19, 2009

A conductor at work, but why the movie? Help identify this week’s Lost and Found Film

Editor’s Note: The UW Audio Visual Services Materials Library has more than 1,200 reels of film from the late 1940s through the early 1970s, documenting life at the University through telecourses, commercial films and original productions. Some of the short films are easily identifiable, but many more remain mysteries. Who shot these films and why? Can you help answer those questions? Faculty and staff can use the comments field at the end of the story to send ideas. Those outside the University can e-mail filmarc@u.washington.edu.

This week’s film is easy to describe. It’s a series of still photographs of Stanley Chapple conducting the overture from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro.


UW Film Archives Specialist Hannah Palin knows a lot about Stanley Chapple, who was a longtime professor in the School of Music, and there are a number of telecourses in Special Collections featuring his extensive series, “Looking at Music.” What she doesn’t know and would like to know is why this particular film was made and how it was used.

The three-minute film is black and white with sound and was shot in about 1966. Have a look and enjoy a little Mozart.

Palin got some helpful information on last week’s film, Noise Pollution. If you missed it and think you might have something to add — especially all you engineers — go back and see it now.