McBlain Books

Conference of Symphony Managers: Park Lane Hotel Denver, Colorado. [title imprinted on front cover].

Denver and San Francisco: Joyce M. Marson & Ruth C. Marsh, Stenotype Reporters, n.d. [1952]. Hardcover. Typescript in contemporary red cloth binder. 286 leaves, typed and numbered on one side. 28 cm. Blank preliminary page wrinkled. Typed transcript of their June 3-5, 1952 meeting at the Park Lane Hotel in Denver. 20 symphony managers were present representing orchestras in Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago. Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Vancouver and Washington, D. C. It seems clear from this transcript that the financial picture for these orchestras was perpetually shaky, depending on endless fundraising, rich donors, low wages, unpaid non-core performers, etc. Arthur Judson (1881-1975), probably the original owner of this item, was the most powerful member of the group as President of Columbia Concerts Corporation. It seems unlikely that many copies of this transcript would have been made since the group agrees on pages 12 and 13 that the official minutes of the meeting should not include anything about their discussion of how to deal with AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists) which discussion then seems to fully recorded herein. Within a few years, Judson was out at Columbia Concerts Corporation and the Eisenhower Justice Department had taken steps to end what they saw as monopoly practices in this corner of the music business. Very Good. Item #92467

Price: $1,250.00