Musical Portraits - WBZ TV / [unlabeled], undated

File — Box: 17, disc: 16

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Series:

Series 5: Audiovisual recordings (1936-2012 and undated) primarily contains Alma and Larry Berk’s personal collection of phonograph records, including live performance recordings, commercial albums and off-air broadcast recordings, radio spots, and home recordings of family events. These discs feature the oldest surviving recordings of early Schillinger House performances—in particular, the 1950 and 1951 “Montage of Modern Music” concerts featuring the pieces Boston Jigsaw and Panorama in Brass—as well as musical “exercises” that were likely used for teaching. This series also includes recordings from the Tune Tryouts broadcasts, the songwriting contest for amateur composers launched in 1952 by Larry Berk, and for which Schillinger House provided musicians and arrangements and selected material for WBZ-TV.

This series also includes many family recordings such as birthday parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, family reunions, memorial services, and assorted video tributes and interviews on VHS, CD, and DVD. Finally, this series contains a few undated reels, including two performances at the Stables jazz club featuring Sam Rivers, Herb Pomeroy ‘52, Phil Morrison, Hal Galper ‘58, Pete Littman, Steve Ellington, and Gene DiStasio.

Dates

Creation: undated

Creator

From the Collection: Berk, Lawrence (1908-1995) (Person)
From the Collection: Berk, Alma (1912-1995) (Person)
From the Collection: Berk, Lee Eliot (1942-) (Person)
From the Collection: Berk, Susan (1947-) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

While most of the phonograph records have been digitized, not all audiovisual recordings have been transferred and original recordings are not available for playback due to preservation concerns. Patrons may request access to viewing/listening copies via onsite appointment, however recordings on obsolete formats may not be available for transfer. Contact Archives staff for further information.