Interviews and live concerts by local and national bands, several commercial music recordings, selected Pacifica programming. Date range = 1950s-70s, with additional material from 80s + 90s
News + public affairs shows (including coverage of Vietnam War protests + student takeover of campus administration building), freeform music shows, and "Film" and video interviews with former station workers. Additional documentation includes runs of station program guides. Dates pick up in 60s and run through 70s and beyond.
Content types:
Sounds and Other
Formats:
Disc (Commercial, Homemade, Transcription), Reel-to-reel, Audiocassette, Film, Videotape, Digital tape (DAT, DCC), and CD
The vast majority of the collection consists of audio recordings of more than 2000 radio broadcasts of nostalgia shows hosted by Clark including Rock, Roll Remember, Countdown America, US Music Survey, National Music Survey, Dick Clark’s Music Machine, and Dick Clark’s Solid Gold. The tapes were produced by Dick Clark Productions and broadcast from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s.
The 3608 Toscanini recordings include test pressings of Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra in concerts, as well as NBC broadcasts of operas, festival performances, sacred music and more, including rehearsals; for many of these, the location and date of the recording is given and in some cases additional information such as names of performers. Broadcasts took place in the 1930s and 40s.
Content types:
Sounds and Other
Formats:
Disc (Commercial, Homemade, Transcription) and Reel-to-reel
Extent:
3608 recordings (747 tapes, unknown number of lacquer discs)
Recordings from various talk, interview, and telephone shows on NBC radio that Nebel conducted over his career, spanning the years 1964-69 (including Addio, Long John Nebel Phone Show, Long John Nebel All Night Show, Long John Nebel Early Hour, Straight Line, etc.). Nebel's programs dealt with a variety of topics, including religion, politics, medicine, and the theater. Many of the shows were concerned with psychic phenomena and the occult, with representative topics such as ESP, UFOs, hypnotism and spiritual healing.
Recordings from Corwin’s CBS radio series (One World Flight, This is Radio, Radio is Here to Stay, Columbia Presents Corwin, An American in England, etc.). Broadcast from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s.
Content types:
Sounds and Other
Formats:
Disc (Commercial, Homemade, Transcription) and Reel-to-reel
Extent:
374 16-inch glass and aluminum based lacquer discs and a few reel tapes
These tapes of WAER broadcasts primarily hold topical broadcasts and live concert recordings. Few of the tapes are dated, but those that are cover a span from 1965 to 1979. Announcers or presenters are rarely identified. The news items include a mix of national and local productions, but there are relatively few in the collection compared to the concert recordings. Many concerts were given by popular artists such as Pink Floyd, Bonnie Raitt, Canned Heat, Niels Lofgren, and Commander Cody, taken from national broadcasts, mostly originating from New York City or Boston. The collection contains recordings of only a handful of concerts broadcast by Syracuse University student ensembles. 25 tapes are identified as having been recorded on-campus at the Jabberwocky Café; surviving performances from this intimate venue include those given by John Fahey, Taj Mahal, and David Bromberg.
Unknown number of magnetic tapes, presumably of concerts of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra as broadcast on WCNY Classic-FM, Central New York’s classical music radio station.
Consisting of recordings dubbed from WSYR radio broadcasts between 1939 and 1957, the collection largely consists of news broadcasts and speeches. Many important events and public figures of the era are recorded on these broadcasts.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
Disc (Commercial, Homemade, Transcription) and Reel-to-reel
Extent:
10 linear feet of material, primarily 78 and 33 RPM instantaneous disc recordings, along with 176 reel to reel tapes.
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
Air checks from 5-90 minutes in length (single station and across dial). Includes content from WKBW, WGR, WBEN, WWOL, WHTT, WBUF, WEBR, an WYSL, local DJs and morning hosts, and formats such as talk, sports, oldies, Top 40, and jazz
Content types:
Sounds and Other
Formats:
Audiocassette
Extent:
25-30 60 and 90-minute audio cassettes from target period
WRUC - Union College; Producer: Navy Recruiting Service; Performances by Performances by Roberta Quinlan, Bill Hayes, Judy Lynn, Eugenie Baird, Edith Adams, Tony Bavaar, Judy Lynn
1&2 Dedication of Ceramics Building; World Science & Technology in 1960, Dr. C. Guy Suits; Dr. C. Guy Suits, sides 1 & 4; Powder Metallurgy Awards, William Coolidge and B. Benbow; Cermet Roundtable at Knolls; Sounds of Progress
Light's Golden Jubilee; Midsummer Night's Dream; Jpage Morris Refrigerator Program; Eastern States Basketball Championship; General Electric Radio Hour; Mobil Radio Hour; Lucky Strike Hour; GE Concert Orchestra; An Evening in Paris; GE Concert Orchestra; Kane Krooners
Democracy (1954), Short Wave—Mt. Van Hoevenberg Bobsled Ride taken by Howard Tupper—WGY, 1 p.m., Lake Placid, NY. (2/22/41), Houseboat Hanna (3/21/41), Howard Tupper—Vignettes Saratoga Harness, Etc. Golden Days of Radio—WMHT—Rise: Howard Tupper interviewed by Jack Keenan WGY—65th Anniversary, Bob Cudmore, 1987. Tup’s Memorial Service, 1986 50th Anniversary, Part 1 of 4. 50th Anniversary, Part 2 of 4. 50th Anniversary, Part 3 of 4. Feb. 15, 1972. 50th Anniversary, Part 4 of 4. Feb. 15, 1972. Dub of Remote from Hyatt House, Part 1 Dub of Remote from Hyatt House, Part 2 Dub of Remote from Hyatt House, Part 3 WGY Story, 30th Anniversary, Cut 1 and 2. WGY Story, Cut 3 and 4. WGY Story, Cut 5. Jan. 18, 1952. 1972 Recordings for Anniversary. Untitled, undated. WGY Radio Shows Hank and Tup, Last week of show Howard Tupper doing the Weather Track Talk with Tup: Entry for 1967 John Hervey Awards Tuttle on ‘Aunt Jane,’ Master 50th Anniversary Program Let’s Go Bowling Chase + Sanborn, 100th Anniversary Show, Nov. 15, 1964. 11-inch reel. Tupper Bowling, May 1960. 11-inch reel.
WRUC - Union College; Producer: Radio Division, Department of Theater Arts, University of California at Los Angeles and Audio-Visual Aids Section of the Los Angeles City Schools
Mostly recordings of music/talk related programs but including important news stories. Also have major studio sarchives of WABC-AM in New York City, WNEW-AM New York City, and others
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
NJ Council of Churches; WINS Radio Programs (1963-64); Radio WMCA (1966); UTS production: in cooperation with National Association of Radio (196?); WRVR broadcasts (1965)WOR Radio Programs (1963-65)
We have a fair number of audio recordings of public programs and lectures at The New School going back to the late 1950s--certain of them bear evidence of having been recorded by Pacifica Radio at The New School (I'd have to call them in from offsite storage to check if the station name bears the names of both WBAI and Pacifica), and indicates air dates. These are on 1/4" reel to reel tape. We have a small amount of documentation between TNS and the station(s) and surmise that The New School had a relationship with WBAI or Pacifica to record and broadcast lectures/programs featuring well-known participants. The Pacifica Radio Archive lists at least some of these recordings in its online catalog.
Content types:
Sounds and Other
Formats:
Reel-to-reel
Repository/Collector:
The New School Libraries and Archives, Archives & Special Collections
This is a live 13 hour broadcast (10 A. M.-11 P. M.) of the [7th] Wall to Wall at Symphony Space, celebrating Aaron Copland's 80th birthday, with a mix of Copland's compositions and other works by American composers; WNYC radio host was unidentified. Special guest appearences: Ruth Ford, John Ashbery, [Margaret Jory] (ASCAP), Maureen Stapleton, [Edward Albee], and Pearl Lang.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
CD
Extent:
12 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
The collection consists of fifty one episodes from the 1946-1947 season. Most items are off-air recordings from WEAF or WNBC, New York. Episode titles are unknown unless specified.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
101 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Martin Bookspan interviews composer and teacher Allan Blank. The composer talks about his teaching experience at number of schools and universities, such as University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa; about his background, and about his career as a violinist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conductor, and composer. He discusses his Two studies for brass quintet, Rotation, and Thirteen ways of looking at a blackbird, based on poems by Wallace Stevens, excerpts of which are played during the interview.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Pianist and composer, Mary Lou Williams, was long regarded as the most important female musician in jazz, both as an instrumentalist and as a composer. In this interview she briefly describes some of the difficulties of being recognized as a musician in the male-dominated world of jazz. She also discusses her sacred works, which at the time of the interview were being performed at the St. Thomas church in Harlem.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Cassette contains review of New York Shakespeare Festival production Pirates of Penzance, on WBAI's radio show Anything goes, with Paul Lazarus. During the show, Lazarus played pre-recorded music selections: I am the very model of a modern Major-General / performed by Martin Green -- Willing (from Heart like a wheel) / performed by Linda Ronstadt -- Poor wandering one / performed by Jean Hindmarch.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Musical selection [Very soft shoes, from musical Once upon a mattress / lyrics by Marshall Barer ; music by Mary Rodgers] (2:40) -- Announcement (0:09) -- Musical selection [In my own lifetime, from musical The Rothschilds / lyrics by Sheldon Harnick ; music by Jerry Bock] (2:25) -- Announcement (0:48) -- Musical selection (3:04) -- Announcement (0: 34) -- Excerpts from the interview with Cy Coleman. He talks about his first experience composing music for the film Father Goose (1964) (3:50) -- Pass me by [from the film Father Goose / lyrics by Carolyn Leigh ; music by Cy Coleman] (2:00) -- Announcement (0:19) -- Musical selection, 1st song: Money isn't ev'rything, from musical Allegro / music by Richard Rogers ; lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, II ; 2nd song: What I did for love, from musical Chorus line (first line of text: Kiss today goodbye) / music by Marvin Hamlisch ; lyric by Edward Kleban (Priscilla Lopez, singer)] (7:16) -- Announcement (1:08) -- I'd rather be a fairy than a troll (3:32) -- Announcement (0:26) -- I'll try your way, from musical Fortune (2:27) -- Announcement (0:34)
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Radio interview with American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Excerpts from his music and songs composed for various films, such as I never do anything twice (from film Seven percent solution), and musicals, such as The frogs, Pacific overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily we roll along, are played during the interview.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
[Part 1]: Athaliah, Act 1 / H. Weisgall (48:56) -- Intermission interview with Hugo Weisgall on "Living Opera" (WNYC Radio, recorded 2/16/1964); Alan Wagner, interviewer and host) (12:30)
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
Reel-to-reel and Streaming onsite
Extent:
2 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Edward Albano (Figaro) ; Anna Quartin (Rosina) ; Giuseppe Barsotti (Il Conte) ; Imerio Ferrari (Basilico) ; Eugenio Prosperoni (Bartolo) ; Miguel Sandoval, conductor.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
4 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
This is a live WNYC broadcast recording of Rosalyn Tureck's harpsichord and piano recital, which is the second concert of the Musica Sacra's Basically Bach Festival at Avery Fisher Hall (1979 was the first year of the festival). WNYC reporter and host Andrew Berger offers background information on each of the featured pieces, and talks about the upcoming events of the Basically Bach Festival. During intermission a pre-recorded interview of Rosalyn Tureck was played, and Berger read from Tureck's own program notes.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
3 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
This is a live WNYC broadcast recording of Rosalyn Tureck's harpsichord and piano recital, which is the second concert of the Musica Sacra's Basically Bach Festival at Avery Fisher Hall (1979 was the first year of the festival). WNYC reporter and host Andrew Berger offers background information on each of the featured pieces, and talks about the upcoming events of the Basically Bach Festival. During intermission a pre-recorded interview of Rosalyn Tureck was played, and Berger read from Tureck's own program notes.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
3 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Discs contain recording of unidentified radio broadcast of choral concert of unaccompanied Brahms songs. Includes a radio announcement (5 sec.) identifiying the pieces at the end of the recording; the announcer is unidentified.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
2 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Irmagard Seefried, soprano ; George London, bass-baritone ; Westminster Choir ; John Finley Williamson, choir director ; New York Philharmonic Orchestra ; Bruno Walter, conductor.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Seymour N. Siegel interviews Milton Helpern, Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York at that time, about his duties, and the difference between a coroner and a medical examiner.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Martin Bookspan interviews American composer of contemporary classical music, musicologist, and flutist Claire Polin. Polin talks about the current status of women composers, and about sexism in music. She speaks about both of her careers: as a composer, and as a flutist. The composer also discusses in detail each of the following works, excerpts of which are then played during the interview: Summer settings (for harp), The journey of Owain Madoc, Consecutivo: study on a requiem (for flute/alto flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano) (1966), and Infinito: a requiem (for alto saxophone, soprano solo, narrator, and chorus).
Content types:
Sounds
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
Martin Bookspan interviews composer and music theorist George Perle. Perle discusses his background, his career as a composer, and his influences.The composer talks about his article on Webern's 12-tone sketches, and explains the 12-tone system that he uses in his music in some detail. He talks about the influence of Berg and Stravinsky in his composition, but though he uses aspects of their methods in his own composing, he never adoptes them fully. He speaks about the meaning of avant-garde and new classical music in past and today, and compares it to "conservative music." He discusses the opera Lulu by Alban Berg. The composer introduces each of the following works, which are then played in their entierty: String quartert no. 5, Solo partita (for violin and viola), Serenade no. 1 (for solo viola and chamber orchestra).
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Contains radio broadcast recordings, studio acetates, and performance recordings collected by Paskman of his works. Included are transcription recordings of the radio program Paramount movie parade (1933-1934); two recordings of live performances of Robert Stolz' Two hearts in 3/4 time, for which Paskman wrote the lyrics; and a live recording of the premiere performance of Halloween, a musical work with narration by Paskman. Also included is an interview with Paskman conducted by Albert Brush under the auspices of the Beverly Hills Public Library, which was broadcast over radio station KPMC (Beverly Hills, CA), December 4, 1940.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
30 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center