[ARSCLIST] Fwd: [ARSCLIST] Fwd: [ARSCLIST] RCA symphonic work competition - 1929

[Don Tait <Dontaitchicago@xxxxxxx>]

  Many thanks for posting this. It's valuable information. I own the record, 
but not the sleeve, and didn't have these details.

  Don Tait

O.K.

Here is what the special sleeve for Victor record 36000 has to say :
Side A-  At the top of the sleeve:
 " This is the $15,000 VICTOR RECORD"

" It is significant that, in conducting a competition for American comoposers, the Victor Talking Machine Company has observed the importance of modern music in the popular style.For more than a generation it has been the particular privilege of the Victor Companyto satisfy all musical needs , and all musical tastes. Its ability to do so is self- evident in the roster of famous names that have won the distinction of " Victor Artists". And this embraces the first- rank performers, not only in the operatic, symphonic and concert fields, but 
in the broad field of popular jazz, song and entertainment.

The American musical scene includes, in a conspicuous place, what is known as "concert jazz" music. Herein, at present, lie great possibilities of American contribution to musical art. Realising these possibilities, Victor in conformity with its policy of promoting every worthy musical activity, has encouraged American composers in this idiom with the same enthusiasm that it devotes to the promotion of the classical forms of music. The record herein, it is believed,fully realises the purpose striven for. 

Side B-

Top: " This is the $15,000 VICTOR RECORD"

" The music on this record has been awarded the prises in the contest
conducted by the Victor Talking Machine company, among composers of American citizenship, for the best concert compositions within the playing scope of the American dance, jazz or popular concert orchestra.
The judges decided, after careful examination of all the music submitted, and after an audition of the outsatnding compositions by full orchestra, that the composition on the " A" side of this record was clearly entitled to the first prize of $10,000; that on the " B" side to second prise of$5,000.
The aim of the contest was to produce a purely American work in the popular style, and to encourage the art of musical compositionin the United States. In both respects the contest has been successful, hundreds of composers entering their work, with the result thatthis truly beautiful, modern music, American in origin and style, has ben produced. This recordwill be a keepsake of great historical value, as well as a source of musical pleasure , through the years to come."

All of this on 2 sides of a 12 inch sleeve printed in green ink. With an elaborate artistic pattern around the edges of the sleeve, in green.   

Bob Hodge      

    



Robert Hodge,
Senior Engineer
Belfer Audio Archive
Syracuse University
222 Waverly Ave .
Syracuse N.Y. 13244-2010

315-443- 7971
FAX-315-443-4866

>>> thorenstd124@xxxxxxxxx 4/18/2006 10:00 AM >>>
I have this record too,but I knew nothing about its history,until now.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Roger
Don Tait <Dontaitchicago@xxxxxxx> wrote:    I have a copy of the 78 to which Steve Smolian referred, Victor 36000. The 
labels read

  36000-A -- TWO SYMPHONIC SKETCHES
                    (a) Nocturne (b) March 
                     (1st Prize Award)
                     (Thomas Griselle)

  36000-B -- SONG OF THE BAYOU
                    (2nd Prize Award)
                       (Rube Bloom)

  The Griselle is credited to the Victor Concert Orchestra, the Bloom to the 
Victor Salon Group (male voices). The conductor of both is Nathaniel Shilkret.

  It's interesting that the label doesn't say what contest these works won, 
but I gather from what Steve wrote that there was accompanying publicity (that 
would be typical of Victor) and perhaps the company assumed that purchasers 
would know.

  Don Tait
                     
Isn't this the composition for which Tom Griselle won a prize for his Two 
American Nocturnes? (Also on a Naxos CD, Symphonic Jazz.)

dl

Alec McLane wrote:

  There were actually only 4 composers because Robert Russell Bennett
  was awarded 2/5 of the prize. Here's from the liner notes to a Naxos
  recording of Bennett's _Abraham Lincoln_ (quoted at
  http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp? 
  
item_code=8.559004&catNum=559004&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English):

  __________________________
  In Paris and Berlin in 1927-28, on a Guggenheim Scholarship, he
  noticed an RCA Victor competition with a prize of 25,000 dollars for
  an outstanding orchestral composition, with a small prize for a
  lighter piece of music. He submitted the two works on this disc - the
  patriotic Abraham Lincoln and the abstract orchestral painting of
  Sights and Sounds. Both pieces were scored for an enormous band of
  musicians and are of large proportions.

  RCA Victor's jury consisted of Leopold Stokowski, Serge Koussevitzky,
  Frederick Stock, Rudolph Ganz and Olga Samaroff. They decided no work
  was better than any other to win outright and awarded five prizes to
  Aaron Copland's Dance Symphony, Louis Gruenberg's Symphony, Ernst
  Bloch's Helvetia and two 5,000 dollar awards to Bennett's pieces.

  Despite their huge orchestral forces, Bennett's prizewinners were
  then published. Abraham Lincoln was first performed by Stokowski and
  the Philadelphia Orchestra in October 1931, with a second performance
  given a fortnight later at the dedication of the Juilliard School's
  new auditorium. For this, Bennett wrote his own programme notes,
  drawn from below.
  ___________________________

  Alec

  At 11:19 AM 4/17/2006, Paul Charosh wrote:
  >
  >
  >In 1929, RCA Victor offered a prize of $25,000 for a new symphonic  work.
  >The
  >prize was divided among five composers.  Copland was  one; he received 
$5,000
  >for his submission.
  >
  >How to find out  who were the other four recipients?  Also, who at 
RCA/Victor
  >was in  charge of the competition?  Can one find out who were the judges?
  >Can
  >one find out who submitted works?
  >
  >Paul Charosh

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Alec McLane
  Scores & Recordings/
    World Music Archives       Phone: (860) 685-3899
  Olin Library                       Fax: (860) 685-2661
  Wesleyan University          mailto:amclane@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Middletown, CT  06459       http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/srhome/srdir.htm 


        
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