Adam Lüders speaks with Kyra Lynn Kaptzan about his early dance training at the Royal Danish Ballet School; Stanley Williams and other teachers; his apprenticeship at the Royal Danish Ballet, including performing in works such as Flemming Flindt's Swan lake and John Cranko's The lady and the fool; performing in George Balanchine's Don Quixote; leaving the Royal Danish Ballet to join the London Festival Ballet; the repertoire of the London Festival Ballet; coming to New York City at the suggestion of Peter Martins and Peter Schaufuss; joining New York City Ballet in 1975; his roles at City Ballet, including in Balanchine's Brahms-Schoenberg quartet, Agon, and Kammermusik no. 2; working with Jerome Robbins, including in Robbins' work Goldberg variations and Dances at a gathering; his favorite ballets, including Balanchine's Four temperaments, Agon, and Theme and variations; his coming performances with the Royal Danish Ballet, in New York City; leisure activities.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
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
Martin Bookspan interviews American composer Stephen Albert. Albert discusses his life and career as a composer, and his passion to write music for the human voice. He also speaks about his work with the conductor of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini. The composer discusses each of the following works, excerpts of which are then played during the interview: Supernatural songs (for soprano, piano, and chamber orchestra, words from W.B. Yeats' Supernatural songs) (1963), Leaves from the golden notebook (first movement), Winter songs (for tenor and orchestra), Wolf time (for soprano and orchestra with amplification, text from the Völuspá, the tenth century Icelandic edda) (1969), Bacchae (text extracted from Euripides ; translated by William Arrowsmith) (1968).
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Tapes contain live performance of the Primavera String Quartet in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. The concert was broadcast on NPR, on WNYC-FM. Reporter Andrew Berger provided commentary for each piece, using the composers' biographies and additional information about the pieces. During intermission on Reel 1, Berger conducts a taped interview of the members of the string quartet, who share their personal experiences of performing with Primavera, and talk about Tchaikovsky's Third string quartet, a memorial dedicated to his friendship of Ferdinand Laub. The interview resumed on Reel 2, followed by the rest of the concert. Five songs for string quartet are arranged from these George Gershwin songs: 1. "He loves, [and] she loves," 2. "Fascinating rhythm," 3. "Do it again," "Clap yo' hands," and 5. "Sweet and low down." A surprise encore of an unidentified Kurt Weill arrangement is also performed.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
2 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Alicia Alonso speaks with Kyra Lynn Kaptzan about her early dance training in Spain and Cuba; dance companies she saw in Cuba; the circumstances of her leaving Cuba for the U.S.; her dance training and early career in New York City, including her joining Ballet Theatre; her problems with her eye sight; reasons she concentrates on technique; founding Ballet Nacional de Cuba; touring with Ballet Alicia Alonso; dances choreographed on her; her approach to Giselle; her curtain call bows; leaving the U.S. to live in Cuba and focus on the Ballet Nacional de Cuba; the recruiting of dancers; her staging of ballets for other companies; her own choreographing; the company's choreographers, including Alberto Alonso; family members who work in her company; cultural exchanges with the U.S.
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 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
In 1st work: Siegfried Borries, violin ; Radio Berlin Symphony Orchestra ; Otto Rota [i.e. Artur Rother], conductor. In 2nd-3rd works: Alice Howland, soprano ; David Weber, clarinet ; Leopold Mitman [sic], piano. In 4th work: Stradivari Records Chamber Music Ensemble. In 5th work: Saxon State Orchestra ; Karl Böhm, conductor. David Randolph, host ; with unidentified radio announcer.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
In 1st work: Nikolai Graudan, violoncello ; Joanna Graudan, piano. In 2nd work: Budapest [String] Quartet. In 4th work: I. Stravinsky, composer and conductor. David Randolph, host.
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
Contains excerpts from a radio program in which Jonathan Schwartz plays recordings of various songs written by Ira Gershwin as a tribute to the lyricist, and comments on them. Program is incomplete.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
Audiocassette
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
Wilhelm Kempff, piano (3rd work) ; Egon Petri, piano (4th work) ; Vienna State Opera with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (6th work) ; Budapest Quartet (7th work) ; New Music Quartet (8th work) ; David Randolph, host ; with unidentified radio announcer and various performers.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
In 1st work: Hughes Cuénod, tenor (Narrator) ; Derrik Olsen, baritone (Tancredi) ; Dora Abel, soprano (Clorinda) ; Radio Zurich Symphony Orchestra ; Walter Goehr, conductor. In 2nd work: Eleanor Houston, soprano (Dido) ; Henry Cummings, baritone (Aeneas) ; with unidentified soloists ; Stuart Chamber Orchestra and Chorus ; Jackson Gregory, conductor. David Randolph, host ; with unidentified radio announcer.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
In 1st-5th works: Hugues Cuénod, tenor ; Hermann Leeb, lute. In 6th work (aka 5th work, version 2): Paul Matthen, bass ; Emilia Mitrani, piano. In 7th work: Lorna Sydney, second-soprano ; Wilhelm Loibner, piano. In 8th-16th works: Anna Louise Kautz and Harriet Hill, sopranos ; Mildred Greenberg, contralto ; Abram Sheer, tenor ; Bert Spero, baritone. David Randolph, host ; with unidentified radio announcer.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Cassettes contain both the full performance and two radio commercial spots of the NYSF musical On the lock-in. The radio spots were broadcast on WBLS FM.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
Audiocassette
Extent:
2 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
"In Stomp, the members of the Combine used music, scenes and film to talk about their lives and times. The group was predominately comprised of dropouts from various programs at the University of Texas, and the show explains in part their journey from college kids to hippies"
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Address to American Legion, Chicago, Oct. 2, 1933. - FDR in Miami, Feb. 15, 1933: Makes an impromptu speech while driving in open car; Attempted assassination by Zangara [noise of shots, shouts of crowd; from a radio broadcast long after event, or from an aural biography?]; Mrs. F. W. Cross describes assissination attempt and how she deflected the aim of the gunman.
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
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
Edward Albano (Tonio) ; Lola Monte [sic] Gorsey (Nedda) ; Edward Ransome (Canio) ; Alfred Chigi (Silvio) ; Paolo Calvini (Beppe) ; Miguel Sandoval, conductor ; unidentified chorus.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
4 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Edward Albano (Rigoletto) ; Dorothy Chapman (Gilda) ; Mike Raggini (Duke) ; Imerio Ferrari (Sparafucile) ; Elizabeth Hoeppel (Madalena) ; 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
Arthur Mitchell speaks with Kyra Lynn Kaptzan about his early experience in social dance and his training at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City; his scholarship to Bennington College; his scholarship to School of American Ballet; his training in all styles of dance; starting ballet training at age 18; performing on Broadway, in nightclubs and on television; performing George Balanchine's Western symphony with Tanaquil Le Clercq; performing in Europe with John Butler's American Dance Theatre, with Glen Tetley; joining New York City Ballet in 1955 as a corps member; performing for 15 years with the company; working with Balanchine; founding the Dance Theatre of Harlem School after the assassination of Martin Luther King; the importance of educating children; the role of a Ford Foundation grant and Mitchell's increasing business skills in the development of Dance Theatre of Harlem; the various educational departments at the school; his belief in the importance of an academic education; Karel Shook's influence as a teacher on black dancers and on the school; Mitchell's approach to audience building; the importance of a varied dance repertoire; his thoughts on choreographing; Alexandra Danilova's influence as a role model for female students; male dancers at Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Merrill Ashley speaks with Kyra Lynn Kaptzan about the reasons for her rise in prominence at New York City Ballet, including her increased exposure onstage and her principal role in George Balanchine's Ballo della regina; performing roles often danced by Suzanne Farrell and Patricia McBride; dancing a variety of roles; works she would like to perform; rehearsing Ballo della regina with Balanchine, the first principal role he created for her; recording the New York City Ballet repertoire for the television program Dance in America, including the difficulties of filming for television; studying at School of American Ballet; living in New York City as a student; joining New York City Ballet; the possibility of dancing with other companies; changing her name from Linda Merrill to Merrill Ashley; leisure activities; injuries; attending performances of New York City Ballet and other companies.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Tape contains live performance of the Primarvera String Quartet in in Coolidge Auditorium at Library of Congress. The concert was broadcast on WETA with announcer Steve Ember. Paul Seiko Chihara composed the second piece for the quartet in 1978. The encore of the concert is the first movement of Five songs for string quartet, arranged by Stanley Silverman from George Gershwin's song "He loves, [and] she loves" from Funny face.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
David Randolph plays excerpts from three different interpretations of J. S. Bach's B minor mass, keeping the idenities of the performers and conductors a secret until the end of track 1.
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 contemporary music composer Milton Babbitt. Babbitt talks about his career as a composer; about the difficulties with recordings of his works. The composer discusses in detail each of the following works, excerpts of which are then played during the interview: Philomel (for soprano, recorded soprano, and synthesized sound, text by John Hollander) (1964), Relata I (1965), Sextets (for violin and piano) (1966), Sounds and words (for soprano and piano), All set (for jazz ensemble), String quartet no. 4.
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 and teacher Jack Beeson. Beeson talks about his early interest in opera; and about his decision to become an "opera-composer" that was influenced by Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts; and about his career as a composer. The composer discusses each of the following works: Jonah (opera in two or three acts, libretto by the composer, adapted from the play by Paul Goodman) (1948-1950), Symphony no. 1 in A (1959), Lizzie Borden (opera in three acts, libretto by Kenward Elmslie, based on a scenario by Richard Plant, commissioned by the Ford Foundation) (1965), My heart's in the highlands (television opera, libretto by the composer, adapted from the play by William Saroyan, commissioned by the National Educational Television Opera Theater) (1969). Excerpts from Symphony no. 1 in A (second and third movements) and from the opera Lizzie Borden (second act) 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
In this recording, D. Randolph shares both rehearsals (candid warm-ups, song rehearsal clips and train noise) and final polished music tracks of various Christmas carols and one Monteverdi madrigal, "Non più guerra, pietate" sung by this group The Randolph Singers for their second volume of Christmas carols produced by Westminster Records. "Cradle in a manger" was performed and written by Gordon Myers. An unidentified radio announcer is featured at the end of the CD's first track.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
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
Noble Sissle, vocals and host ; Eubie Blake, piano ; Leslie Barrett, host ; Les Davis, host ; The Harold Austin Trio ; Joan Shaw, Leontyne Watts, vocals ; Sir Charles Thompson, organ.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
2 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
In 1st work: Shirley Reisman, piano ; Harry Zarief, violin ; William Schoen, viola ; Maurice Bialkin, violoncello ; Homer Mensch ; double bass. In 3rd work: Reginald Kell, clarinet ; Anthony Penie [i.e. Pini], violoncello ; Louie Kentner, piano. David Randolph, host ; with unidentified radio announcer.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
1 recording
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
The collection contains acetate and radio transcription disc recordings primarily of Taylor's spoken word radio programs dating from 1935 to 1954. Included are samples of his work on shows such as Information Please, Coronet, Swift's Studio Party, as well as special radio shows such as the ASCAP Cavalcade of Music, and memorial tributes to Stephen Vincent Benet and Jerome Kern.
Content types:
Sounds
Formats:
Disc (Commercial, Homemade, Transcription)
Extent:
90 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
The collection consists of excerpts of twenty-five consecutive programs, broadcast weekly from April 28, 1946 to September 13, 1946. Thomas Scherman served as conductor for the entire series. Noteworthy singers include Natalie Bodanya, John Brownlee, Eugene Conley, Norman Cordon, Todd Duncan, Dorothy Kirsten, Charles Kullman, Brenda Lewis, Martha Lipton, Ann McKnight, Ray Middleton, Mona Paulee, Eleanor Steber, Lawrence Tibbett, Richard Tucker, and Claramae Turner.
Content types:
Sounds
Extent:
77 recordings
Repository/Collector:
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center