KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Thin Air: Nicolas Slonimsky at 76, 2 of 2

Analog Audio

Event Type

Interviews

Origin

KPFA

Identifier

TA.1971.02.27.B

Program Series

Thin Air

Program Length

83 min.

Part

2 of 2

Dates

1971-02-27 | broadcast
| 1971-02-17 | created

Description

A lively and engaging interview with Nicolas Slonimsky, the dean of musicological lexicography who visited KPFA in 1971 and talked with Robert Commanday (S.F. Chronicle music critic) and Charles Amirkhanian of KPFA. This program includes especially important discussions about Igor Stravinsky and Charles Ives by the first conductor ever to champion the music of Ives, Varèse, Cowell, and Riegger (in the early 1930's). Slonimsky also describes how he debunked a popular myth about the funeral of Mozart as part of his quest for accuracy of detail in his “Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians”. Composer Lowell Cross was also present. Includes piano performances by Slonimsky.

Genres

20th century classical
New music

Musical Selections

[demonstration piano playing techniques] -- [demonstration of playing the piano behind his back]

Performers

Nicolas Slonimsky, piano

Subjects

20th century classical
New music
Composers -- United States
Piano music
Conductors (Music)
Composers

Related places

Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)
Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)

Related Entities

San Francisco Chronicle
Slonimsky, Nicolas, 1894-1995
Commanday, Robert
Amirkhanian, Charles
Cross, Lowell M.