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REEL 88
OLD BUILDING INTERIORS / CP ROUNDHOUSE May 17, 1973
1. EMPIRE BUILDING, construction outside 3'05"
2. EMPIRE BUILDING, old elevator 0'50"
3. " " " " 4'10"
[false take]
4. EMPIRE BUILDING, old elevator 4'30"
5. ROYAL BANK BUILDING, Hastings St. 2'40"
6. CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, Hastings St. l'55"
7. BANK OF MONTREAL, Birks Building, 1927 4'00"
[0-tone]
8. SHIFT WHISTLE, CP ROUNDHOUSE, foot of Drake St. 6'05"
[false take, with train horn, 5"]
9. CP AUCTION, damaged goods 9'15"
REEL 88 COMMENTARY
1. On the street, squeaky bulldozer pushing rubble.
2. Taking a ride on an old D.C. elevator (Otis, 1880s). Entering elevator, recordists ignore question about recording. Note the hi-fi quality of this elevator.
3. Same hi-fi elevator, talk with elevator operator.
1'05" end of talk, turning down recording levels.
1'20" calling for the elevator from ground floor.
2'00" open door, very quiet ride up.
2'24" ringing the bell again, talking to elevator operator about Nagra.
3'05" "Do you know of any other elevators like this?" More dialogue about the Nagra.
4. Continuing the conversation with the elevator operator, talking about age of elevator, and construction. No hum because of D.C. Operator is amazed about the idea of collecting old sounds.
5-7. Big bank spaces: high ceiling, stone walls, terrazzo floors, hundreds of small sounds blending such as adding machines, typewriters, telephones ringing, people, etc. Traffic sneaks into the mix from open doors, creating a slightly bizarre collage at some points. All takes start on street, then moving into bank.
8. Another vintage sound: a combination of the timbre of steam generated sound and the envelope of air powered sound. Notice the increase/decrease of depth perspective caused by the background motor sound. Recordists are waiting for lunch whistle.
0'30" creaky door, the faint voice in the background is from the auction (see next take). The puking noise is from some pump or generator nearby. Birds twitter and warble throughout.
3'30" kids run up -- pause -- whatcha doin'?"
*4'45" shift whistle.
5'00" O Canada (B.C. Hydro) Horn and famous question (a classic interruption!) and annoyed recordist's response.
9. Of all the auctions in the collection, this is the only one with called out responses to the auctioneer. It is quite an informal sale, but the auctioneer has a fine voice and style. The children, crawling about at knee level, can be heard from time to time, their words and their dreamlike thoughts one and the same .... Take begins with entering auction and one more question from curious kid.
0'55" sale begins, verbal replies from the crowd.
2'20" "Quite a set you got there, eh?" -- inches from the microphones.
3'00" kid humming in the background.
4'30" more quiet kids' voices.
6'50" and again.
7'30" the kid makes a bid.
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