Serge Koussevitzky death... Russian conductor...
Item # 723787
June 05, 1951
THE NEW YORK TIMES, June 5, 1951
* The death of Serge Koussevitzky
* Russian music conductor & composer
* Boston Symphony Orchestra director
Near the bottom of the front page is a two column heading: "Serge Koussevitzky Is Dead at 76; Conducted in Boston for 25 Years" Lengthy 1st report coverage continues on page 35 with photo.
Complete with 64 pages, rag edition in nice condition.
background: The June 5, 1951, "rag edition" of The New York Times serves as a high-fidelity time capsule documenting the passing of Serge Koussevitzky, the formidable Russian-born conductor who transformed the Boston Symphony Orchestra into a world-class ensemble during his 1924–1949 tenure. Because this specific copy is printed on 100% cotton rag paper rather than standard wood-pulp newsprint, it possesses a rare archival durability, resisting the yellowing and brittleness typical of mid-century ephemera. The front-page coverage, which transitions into a deep dive on page 35, highlights his dual legacy: his virtuosic command of the baton and his visionary role as a patron who commissioned iconic works through the Koussevitzky Music Foundation. For a musicologist or a serious newspaper collector, this 64-page complete issue is more than just a report on a death; it is a preserved monument to the man who founded the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood and fundamentally shifted the trajectory of American symphonic music.
* The death of Serge Koussevitzky
* Russian music conductor & composer
* Boston Symphony Orchestra director
Near the bottom of the front page is a two column heading: "Serge Koussevitzky Is Dead at 76; Conducted in Boston for 25 Years" Lengthy 1st report coverage continues on page 35 with photo.
Complete with 64 pages, rag edition in nice condition.
background: The June 5, 1951, "rag edition" of The New York Times serves as a high-fidelity time capsule documenting the passing of Serge Koussevitzky, the formidable Russian-born conductor who transformed the Boston Symphony Orchestra into a world-class ensemble during his 1924–1949 tenure. Because this specific copy is printed on 100% cotton rag paper rather than standard wood-pulp newsprint, it possesses a rare archival durability, resisting the yellowing and brittleness typical of mid-century ephemera. The front-page coverage, which transitions into a deep dive on page 35, highlights his dual legacy: his virtuosic command of the baton and his visionary role as a patron who commissioned iconic works through the Koussevitzky Music Foundation. For a musicologist or a serious newspaper collector, this 64-page complete issue is more than just a report on a death; it is a preserved monument to the man who founded the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood and fundamentally shifted the trajectory of American symphonic music.
Category: The 20th Century
