Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Wilk, Max
2. Wilk, Max

Description

1. 3 audio discs (123:45) : digital, mono; 4 3/4 in. +

Summary

1. Author Max Wilks talks with conductor Jay Blackton, who conducted the orchestra both in the original production (1943) and 1979 Broadway productions of "Oklahoma!", and the 1955 movie soundtrack. Blackton shares his experiences about auditioning with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, his commission to write the piano score, his decision to stay with the show instead of taking a summer gig with opera producer (and father-in-law) Richard [H.] Berger and the St. Louis Municipal Opera [Orchestra], stories about Agnes de Mille, working with Robert Russell Bennett's orchestrations, and teaching the new choral arrangement of the song "Oklahoma!" in a single day in Boston, which eventually became the highlight of the entire show and the new name of the production. There was also discussion about the great difficulties of getting "Oklahoma!" financed. During the show's successful run, Blackton was offered a Hollywood contract by Jules Styne to do a Danny Kaye picture (didn't take it), but he did two radio shows at the same time (one was "Broadway Showtime" (RCA)) and he eventually conducted other Broadway productions such as "Annie get your gun", "Miss Liberty" and "Call me Madam". The audio concludes with stories about Irving Berlin.

Alternative title

1. Oklahoma! interview recordings.

Subject

1. Berlin, Irving, 1888-1989
2. Rodgers, Richard, 1902-1979 > Oklahoma!
3. Bennett, Robert Russell, 1894-1981
4. Blackton, Jay, 1909-1994 > Interviews
5. De Mille, Agnes
6. Municipal Opera Orchestra (Saint Louis, Mo.)
7. Broadway showtime (Radio program)
8. Berger, Richard H
9. Hammerstein, Oscar, II, 1895-1960

Call number

1. *LDC 52495-52496

Note

1. Title derived by cataloger from the original information provided on cassettes.
2. Transcript of the interview available upon request; it was not prepared by the library. Please note there may be spelling errors and/or edits in the material.
3. Part of the series of interviews for Max Wilk's book "OK! : The story of Oklahoma".

Access (note)

1. Access to original item restricted.

Source (note)

1. Max Wilk;

Author

1. Blackton, Jay, 1909-1994, interviewee.

Title

1. Jay Blackton interview about conducting the original Broadway production of "Oklahoma!".

Production

1. 1990.

Playing time

1. 004659 004702 002944

Type of content

1. spoken word
2. text

Type of medium

1. audio
2. unmediated

Type of carrier

1. audio disc
2. volume

Performer

1. Max Wilk, interviewer ; Jay Blackton, interviewee.

Event

1. Recorded live 1990 October 4 Sepulveda, Calif.

Access

1. Access to original item restricted.

Original version

1. Archival originals: (2 audiocassettes : analog, mono) available in *LTC 4255 (Part 1-2) and *LTC 4257 (Part 3).

Local note

1. Preservation file: (3 sound files : digital, WAV file, 96 kHz, 24 bit), in long term storage, Digital Library Processing server [myh_ltc4255_f01_em.WAV and myh_ltc4255_f01_em.WAV (*LDC 52495); myh_ltc4257_f01_em.WAV (*LDC 52496)].
2. *LDC 52495 CD 1 (Part 1): Transcript p. 1- 17 ; CD 2 (Part 2): Transcript p. 17-33. *LDC 52496 (Part 3): Transcript p. 33-45.

Source

1. Gift; Max Wilk; *L(Special) 94-26; 1994.

Connect to:

1. Request Access to Music Division Audio and Moving Image material

Added author

1. Wilk, Max, interviewer.
2. Wilk, Max. OK!: the story of Oklahoma!
3. Wilk, Max, donor

Added title

1. Oklahoma! interview recordings.

Research call number

1. *LDC 52495-52496
2. *LTC 4255
3. *LTC 4257