Learn about Benny Goodman’s 1938 Carnegie Hall debut and hear how his clarinet played a key role in the creation of the Hall’s Rose Museum.

Woman Suffrage Party Convention Booklet and Button

If This Hall Could Talk is a new podcast series created by Carnegie Hall in collaboration with WQXR and Sound Made Public. Across eight episodes hosted by Broadway star Jessica Vosk, the series takes listeners behind the scenes for a look at the unforgettable performances, fascinating figures, and shaping of American culture as witnessed at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. 
 
For more than 130 years, Carnegie Hall has been the destination for top musical talents, entertainers, speakers, activists, and distinguished leaders from around the world. Each episode of If This Hall Could Talk focuses on a unique object selected from Carnegie Hall’s Rose Archives—including Judy Garland’s signed 1961 album recorded live at Carnegie Hall, Benny Goodman’s clarinet, Ella Fitzgerald’s glasses, a Women’s Suffrage Party Convention booklet, and a T-shirt made solely for the ushers to wear at rock and popular music concerts by such acts as The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, and Chicago. These artifacts illuminate the Hall’s rich (and sometimes quirky) history, while also serving as a fascinating framing device for stories of broader musical, cultural, and political significance.  
 
Alongside host Jessica Vosk, each episode features voices that range from marquee musical talents to historical experts—including members of Carnegie Hall’s own Rose Archives team—guiding listeners on a journey through incredible moments that have helped shape the culture in which we live today.