In this recording, David Randolph discusses the book "The agony of modern music" by Henry Pleasants. During his discussion, D. Randolph plays two musical pieces: 1. Prokofiev's Violin concerto no. 2 (slow movement) (9:43) and 2. L. van Beethoven's Große fugue from his String quartet, no. 13 (3:55, fades out) to counteract Pleasants' thesis that "Serious music is a dead art."
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
CD
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Maude Adams on Stevens College (1:13) -- Maude Adams recites prologue to Edmond Rostand's Chantecler (2:27) -- Rudy Vallee speaks with Hilaire Belloc (7:59) -- Virgil Thomson speaks about Four Saints in three acts (6:30) -- Gertrude Stein [from a 1934 radio broadcast?] (1:20) -- Fay Compton [from a 1969 television broadcast?] (3:33)
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
Reel-to-reel and CD
Extent:
2 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
In 1st and 4th works (Discussion parts 1-2): Duncan Robinson, Vice President of the Berlioz Society ; Peter Hugh Reed and Olin Downes, music critics. In 2nd work: [André Charpak, narrator] ; Chorus and Orchestra of the New Paris Symphony Association ; René Leibowitz, conductor. In 3rd work: Ruth Lorin, soprano ; John Cooper, piano. In 5th work: Leopold Simoneau, tenor ; Choral Art Society ; Little Orchestra Society ; Thomas Scherman, conductor. In 6th work: Rochester Oratorio Society Chorus and Orchestra ; Theodore Hollenbach, conductor. David Randolph, host ; with unidentified radio announcer.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
CD
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Air checks, sports, news, political coverage, local DJs, local music, station IDs/jingles, and local commercials from stations WKBW, WBEN, WINE, WHSO, WEBR, and WGR, from 1950s-1980
Content types:
Sounds and Other
Formats:
Disc (Commercial, Homemade, Transcription), Reel-to-reel, Audiocassette, CD, MiniDisc, External drive, Website, VHS (audio), Betacam SP, 1, 2, and 3/4 in videotape, DVC pro tapes, and DVD
Wide-ranging collection spanning 1928-70s and beyond. Holdings include local programming from stations throughout the country, including WBAI, WCBS, WNEW, WRCA, WMCA, WRVA, WNWK, WABC, WWL, WNEW, WOR, WHN, WQXR, WNYC, WBRC, WBRD, WBYN, WCAU, WCKY, WOL, WCOI, WEA, WFUN, WGAR, WIIN, WIFE, WINS, WJZ, WJVA, WKIX, WKLO, WLEA, WLOD, WLS, WXRK, WOKO, WONE, WPLI, WQAM, WQUA, WSAF, WTAN, WTYC, WTRY, KFOX, KMET, KABC, KPFK, KPHO, KRLA, KLSX, KROC, Pacifica. Content includes news coverage, interviews, classical and popular music, drama, sports, non-English language programming, etc. Personalities include later-nationally famous hosts and DJs and hosts such as Bob Fass, Dr. Demento, Casey Kasem, Alan Freed, Bob Crane, Arthur Godfrey, among others.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
Disc (Commercial, Homemade, Transcription), Reel-to-reel, Audiocassette, Videotape, Digital tape (DAT, DCC), and CD
In 1st work: Siegfried Borries, violin ; Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra ; Artur Rother, conductor. In 2nd and 4th works: Parrenin String Quartet. In 3rd work: Alfred Brendel, piano ; Vienna State Orchestra ; Jonathan Sternberg, conductor. In 5th work: Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra ; Rolf Kleinert, conductor. David Randolph, host ; with unidentified radio announcer.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
CD
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Two final movements of The little symphonies for small orchestra [No. 1, "Printemps"] / D. Milhaud -- Scherzo movement ["Jig"] of Sonata no. 1 for violin and piano / H. Cowell -- Concerto for viola and small orchestra based on old German folk tunes (aka Der Schwanendreher) / P. Hindemith -- Excerpt of Academic Festival overture / J. Brahms -- La vieille maison ("The old house"), a French folk song -- Chanson hébraïque, a setting of a Jewish folk song ["Mejerke, main suhn"] / M. Ravel -- Concluding portions [Saturday night waltz and Hoe-down sections] of the ballet suite Rodeo / A. Copland.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
CD
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center