TRANSMISSION ART ARCHIVE
Favorite Sounds
1963, 4:15 min.
Tony Schwartz
Favorite Sounds and was recorded at the Jewish Guild for the Blind in New York City in 1963. For over 30 years Tony Schwartz produced weekly radio programs about sound for the NYC public radio station, WNYC. Schwartz also created records for Smithsonian folkways that feature his distinct style, described as “part anthropological study, part hometown travelogue.” Schwartz developed a portable tape recording set-up in the 195O’s which enabled him to collect sounds outside the studio – on the streets and in his home. He edits and presents the pieces in a distinct way. Plus, Tony Schwartz is very likable; a tenderness, humor, curiosity, and intimacy come through in his pieces. A poignant detail is that he was agoraphobic and rarely traveled outside his NYC neighborhood. His recordings create an expansive sonic world. For more information Library of Congress Tony Schwartz collection: https://www.loc.gov/rr/record/schwartzrecordings.html. - Described by Wave Farm Radio Artist Fellow 2019/2020, Karen Werner.