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Guide to the Al Block Broadcast Collection ARS.077

Finding aid prepared by Franz Kunst
Archive of Recorded Sound
Braun Music Center
541 Lasuen Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, California, 94305-3076
650-723-9312
soundarchive@stanford.edu
© 2012
The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Al Block Broadcast Collection
Dates: 1943-1958
Collection number: ARS.077
Creator: Block, Al
Collection size: 2 boxes : 35 open reel tapes
Repository: Archive of Recorded Sound
Abstract: Open reel tapes containing off-air recordings from the late 1940s through the mid-50s, particularly of Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra.
Language of Material: English

Access

Open for research; material must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Contact the Archive for assistance.

Publication Rights

Property rights reside with repository. Publication and reproduction rights reside with the creators or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Head Librarian of the Archive of Recorded Sound.

Preferred Citation

Al Block Broadcast Collection, ARS-0077. Courtesy of the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Source

The Al Block Broadcast Collection was donated to the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound by Al Block.

Sponsor

This finding aid was produced with generous financial support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Scope and Contents

The Al Block Broadcast Collection consists of open reel tapes containing off-air recordings from the late 1940s through the mid-50s, particularly of Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra. There is little information enclosed about the performances, outside of principle performers and the date of broadcast; however, most of these programs have likely been documented elsewhere. The numbering for the programs was assigned by Block. Discrepancies between box and reel information imply that some boxes were mixed up over the years. The Toscanini recordings appear to have been originally made by a recording engineer at Westinghouse who had a direct line feed from the NBC studio console. His widow was contacted by a Toscanini collector, who then passed on copies (recorded at 7.5 ips half-track mono) to the donor.

Indexing Terms

Toscanini, Arturo, 1867-1957
NBC Symphony Orchestra.
Live sound recordings
Radio programs

 

Toscanini, NBC Orchestra broadcasts

Box 1

1. 1944-01-03

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

2. 1944-02-17

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

3. Music of Old and New Russia 1944-08-09

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

4. Guest: Artur Rubenstein 1944-10-29

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
creator: Rubinstein, Artur, 1887-1982
Box 1

5. All Brahms 1948-11-27

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
creator: Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897
Box 1

6. 1949-02-19

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

7. 1949-03-19

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

8. 1949-12-10

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

9. 1951-02-10

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

10. 1951-11-17

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

11. 1953-01-31

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 1

12. All Beethoven 1953-02-06

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
creator: Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827
 

2. Other broadcasts

Audio 2

James Melton Entertains For International Harvester Employees And Family 1950-06-09

Physical Description: 1 7" open reel tape
Box 2

#15. Monteux, NY Philharmonic, Stern 11/12/1944 ; #13. Rodzinski, NY Philharmonic, Casadesus 10/29/1944 ; Stokowski, SF Symphony. NBC 12/5/1952 ; Walter, SF Symphony. Rehearsal, NBC 4/17/1953 1944-1953

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Stokowski, Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra. All Russian Program 6/19/1947 ; Brahms, Wagner Concert 7/18/1948 1947-1948

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Rodzinski, NY Philharmonic, Milstein 12/31/1944 ; St. Louis Municipal Opera, CBS 6/26/1948 ; Toscanini, NBC Symphony. #45, 11/5/1944 ; #58 2/4/1945 1944-1948

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

#62. Percy Faith, Eleanor Steber 1943 ; #13. Music America Loves Best. Peerce, Romberg, Stewart 7/30/1944 ; #7. Great Moments in Music. Merry Widow - Peerce, Terryson, Weede. 8/2/1944 ; #5. Mitropoulos, NY Philharmonic, Brailowsky 11/3/1944 ; #31. Music America Loves Best. Maynor, Dorsey 1/7/1945 1944-1945

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Stravinksy, Boston Symphony Dress Rehearsal 2/5/1949 ; Boston Symphony Dress Rehearsal 1/28/1949 ; Family Hour 9/30/1945 ; Walter, NY Philharmonic, Steber, Kullman 3/19/1944 ; Music Hall. Lawrence, Duchin, Foy, Ladd 5/15/1947 ; Oxycol Show 5/23/1950 [reel says "Reiner, NBC Symphony, Concert Hall, Teyte"] 1944-1950

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

#164. Reiner, NBC Symphony, Goodman 11/6/1950 ; Concert Hall. Teyte, Brodsky ; #22. Stokowksi, NBC Symphony 2/9/1944 1944-1950

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Stokowski, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Grainger 7/15/1945 ; #287. America's Popular Music. Stafford, Weston ; Walter, Standard Symphony Orchestra, Fleisher 6/12/1949 1945-1949

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Music We Love. #43. Crooks 5/22/1944 ; #79. Sayao 2/5/1945 ; #106. Swarthout 8/13/1945 ; #61. Crooks 10/1/1944 ; #48. Crooks 12/14/1943 ; #75. Swarthout 1/8/1945 1943-1945

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

#44. Music We Love. Crooks 5/20/1944 ; #49. Great Moments in Music 5/30/1945 ; #56. Great Moments in Music 7/11/1945 ; #139. Concert Hall. Kriesler, Korenko 5/1/1945 ; #151. Concert Hall. Pinza, Casadesus 1945 ; #59. Concert Hall. Iturbi, Pinza 1945

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Koussevitsky, Boston Symphony. #47. 4/29/1944 ; #37. 1/9/1944 ; #49. 10/14/1944 1944

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

#18. Music America Loves Best. Thomas, Bampton, Kapell 10//8/1944 ; #28. Music America Loves Best. Warren, Korjus, Ellington 12/17/1944 ; #81. Music We Love. Steber 2/19/1945 ; #76. Music We Love. Stevens 1/14/1945 ; #78. Great Moments in Music. Peerce, Weede, Tennyson 2/2/9/1945 ; #71. Music We Love. Crooks 12/11/1944 1944-1945

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

#54. Music We Love. Pinza 8/4/1944 ; #150. Concert Hall. Heifetz, Traubel ; #195. Concert Hall. Teyte, Brailowsky ; #95. Concert Hall. Teyte, Rubinstein ; #57. Great Moments in Music 7/18/1945 ; #41. Treasure Hour of Song. Peerce, Kirsten, Antonini 3/4/1946 1944-1946

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Railroad Hour. Casey At The Bat 7/9/1951 ; Christmas sHow 12/25/1950 ; Vagabond King 3/5/1951 ; Blossom Time 10/31/1949 1949-1951

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Music We Love. #64. Crooks 10/23/1944 ; #65. Crooks 10/30/1944 ; #76. Stevens 1/15/1945 ; #69. Crooks 11/27/1944 ; #51. Albanese 7/24/1944 ; #130. Gorin 1/2/1946 1944-1946

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

United States Steel Hour, Conclusion. 7/23/1950 ; Encore NBC. Willson, Hayward 3/23/1953 ; Telephone Hour. Cummings 7/16/1951 ; #27. Longacre Opera Concert (Mutual). Nella, Scott ; Standard Hour. Wallerstein, Schnabel 1/13/1946 ; Percy Grainger Christmas Seals Broadcast 1947 1946-1953

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Railroad Hour. Katinka 5/28/1951 ; Rosalinda 3/12/1951 ; Countess Maritza 10/16/1950 ; The Years 1915-1920 7/13/1950 ; New Moon 1/29/1951 ; The Year 1925 6/26/1950 1950-1951

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Railroad Hour. Madame Butterfly 4/23/1951 ; Annie Laurie 4/2/1951 ; Springtime in Paris 7/16/1951 ; The Year 1931 6/12/1950 ; The Year 1933 9/11/1950 ; The Prince of Pilsen 4/24/1950 1950-1951

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Music We Love. #58 1/11/1944 ; #26. 9/2/1943 ; #102. 1/16/1945. Great Moments in Music. #13. 9/6/1944 ; #92. 3/27/1946. Music We Love. #84. 3/11/1945 ; #73. 12/25/1944 [reel says "Standard Hour, Abravanel, Szigetti"] 1943-1946

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Music We Love. #123. 12/10/1945 ; #37. 4/10/1944 ; #66. 11/6/1944 ; #45. 6/12/1944. Kostelanetz, Melton, Adler 1944 ; #94. Kostelanetz, Pons 1944-1945

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

#72. Music We Love. Crooks 12/18/1944 ; #48. Great Moments in Music 5/23/1945 ; #34. Music We Love. Crooks 3/17/1944 ; #65. Great Moments in Music. Peerce, Weede, Bauer 9/12/1945 ; #222. Music From America. Melchior 1/27/1947 ; #148. Music From America. Lawrence 8/27/1945 1944-1945

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

#37. Black, NBC Symphony 9/10/1944 ; #239. Mitropoulos, NY Philharmonic, Casadesus 8/8/1958 ; #77. Music We Love. Swarthout 1/22/1945 1944-1958

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 2

Chicago Theater Of The Air. 12/11/1949 ; 12/18/1949 ; 10/30/1949 1949

Physical Description: 1 10.5" open reel tape
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