Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Croce, Arlene.
2. Joseph and Ida Liskin Foundation. fnd

Description

1. 2 sound discs (ca.126 min.): digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

1. Disc 2 (ca. 62 min.). Gordon Boelzner speaks with Arlene Croce about Robert Irving playing the piano in the rain at a performance of Jerome Robbins' ballet Dances at a gathering in Saratoga [Saratoga Springs, N.Y.]; working as a rehearsal pianist for Robbins when he was choreographing Dances at a gathering and In the night; the problem for dancers and choreographers of rehearsing with piano accompaniment and performing with the orchestra; how the piano came to occupy the [stage right] ledge in the New York State Theater; how he came to work as a pianist for the New York City Ballet; playing on the stage compared with playing in the pit; more on the position of the piano and Dances at a gathering; the score of George Balanchine's ballet Who cares?, in particular the orchestration of the George Gershwin songs by Hershey Kay; Gershwin as a pianist and the influence of his style on Boelzner's playing of the Gershwin songs; Balanchine and the score for who cares?; Balanchine as a musician; very briefly, Balanchine's works Variations and Requiem canticles; working with Robert Irving, including how much he learned from him; the awkwardness of having two pianos on stage; his experience as a conductor; his musical education'; his regret that he has never worked with Merce Cunningham; an anecdote about the use of a recording of children singing in The nutcracker; more on Balanchine's working methods [ends abruptly; track 12, from ca. 3 min. and track 13 are reiterated with much better sound quality on track 1 of disc 1].
2. Disc 1, tracks 1-4, ca. 20 min. [Disc 1 is out of sequence; the material on disc 2 precedes it. Also, track 1 of disc 1 reiterates track 12, from ca. 3 min., and track 13 of disc 2.] Gordon Boelzner speaks with Arlene Croce about George Balanchine's new production of The firebird for Gelsey Kirkland and Jacques D'Amboise, including an anecdote about Alexandra Danilova; the reasons he enjoys working for the New York City Ballet; the New York City Ballet orchestra's strike; Igor Stravinsky's visits to rehearsals; John Cage, as a composer and as a [visual] artist; Eric Satie as a ballet composer; playing for New York City Ballet classes, including his interaction with Balanchine regarding the music played. [The interview ends at the end of track 4. Tracks 5-13, ca. 46 min. consist of piano music playing on the radio accompanied by the extraneous sounds of water running, dish washing, etc.]

Donor/Sponsor

1. Oral history archive.

Subject

1. Boelzner, Gordon
2. Balanchine, George
3. Irving, Robert, 1913-1991
4. New York City Ballet
5. Who cares? (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
6. Dances at a gathering (Choreographic work : Robbins)
7. Music and dance

Call number

1. *MGZTL 4-2522

Note

1. Interview with Gordon Boelzner conducted primarily by Arlene Croce in spring of 1970, in New York City. Don McDonagh and George Dorris are also present. The recording is out of sequence; the material on disc 2 precedes the material on disc 1. Moreover, track 12 (from ca. 3 min.) and track 13 of disc 2 are reiterated with much better sound quality on track 1 of disc 1.
2. In order to hear the recording in proper sequence the listener should begin with disc 2, tracks 1-11, continue to track 12, first 3 min., and end with disc 1, tracks 1-4.
3. Sound quality is fair to poor overall. Tracks 9-13 on disc 2 have especially poor sound quality. The recording is marred by extraneous noise. Arlene Croce's voice is often close to inaudible.
4. Open as of August 22, 2012.

Funding (note)

1. Preservation was funded in with a gift from the Joseph and Ida Liskin Foudation.

Source (note)

1. McDonagh, Don.

Author

1. Boelzner, Gordon. Interviewee

Title

1. Interview with Gordon Boelzner [sound recording].

Imprint

1. 1970.

Funding

1. Preservation was funded in with a gift from the Joseph and Ida Liskin Foudation.

Local note

1. Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-2522 nos. 1-2
2. Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-2522

Source

1. Gift; McDonagh, Don. NN-PD

Local subject

1. Audiotapes -- Boelzner, G.
2. Audiotapes -- Dorris, G.
3. Audiotapes -- McDonagh, D.

Added author

1. Croce, Arlene. Interviewer
2. Joseph and Ida Liskin Foundation. Funder
3. McDonagh, Don. Donor

Research call number

1. *MGZTL 4-2522 [sound disc]