Here’s another case where I have a record labeled 2 of 2, and I don’t have number 1.
From what I could find, it seems that Invitation to Music was a popular CBS program that played relatively new works by current composers. I wish I had more episodes of this program but it looks like this is all I have.
This show features Mona Paulee and the Columbia Concert Orchestra. The main piece is “Ne Me Refuse Pas” from Massanet’s Herodiade.
Direct link to this program on my bandcamp page.
Hello,
I wanted to express my gratitude to you for putting this site together. As you may guess, I am an old radio fan, and have a lot of the shows I used to listen to when I was a boy back in the 1940′s and ’50′s. It’s wonderful to see what you have; I’m sure many of these shows would have been lost forever without you grandpa.
Since you are doing this great job, I was wondering if you have what is considered the basic source for most all old radio shows – The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, Oxford University Press, 1998 – by author, antiquarian bookseller, and radio historian, John Dunning? If you don’t have it, it would be of great use to you in identifying many of the shows you’re dealing with. Dunning has an incredible amount of information on the shows – when they were on, cast lists, announcers, sponsors, etc., and, of course, lengthy descriptions and comments from people he was able to interview who were on the shows.
It is usually in the reference room of any good library, but is not often available to check out. I bought a copy the first time I heard about it near the time it was released.
I’ve also written to John Dunning a few times with question about some of the shows, and he was most gracious in answering me with what he remembered.
I’m not sure he is still available any more. He was seriously ill a few years ago, and the last time I emailed him, I didn’t get a reply, so, I think he may be unable to correspond any more. He has written some entertaining novels with an antiquarian bookseller sleuth as the main character.
I’ll conclude with a comment about Art Linkletter. I used to listen to his House Party occasionally when I was a boy, but the show was really aimed at housewives who were at home during the day. I think he was likely a big influence on people like Steve Allen and Monty Hall (and Johnny Carson and Letterman) in the way he mined laughs from his studio audience, and offered cash prizes for little games he played with the audience – mostly women, I think.
Anyway, thank for what you’re doing, it is much appreciated,
Tad Brillhart