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Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from Music Archivist Chris Hartten. George Antheil radicalized musical composition in ways that few before him had ever attempted. Born at the turn of the twentieth century in Trenton, New Jersey, Antheil traveled to Europe in 1922 to pursue “ultra-modernist” composition with financial support from arts patroness and Curtis …
Posted in: Composers, Guest bloggers, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
September 2 marks the birthdays of two very different musician/ composers whose works grace the Music Division’s storied vaults. Classical guitarist Laurindo Almeida was born on this day in 1917. His career ran the gamut from Sao Paulo radio to Hollywood session man, and he worked with a range of artists from Villa-Lobos and Carmen …
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by Senior Music Cataloger Sharon McKinley. The battle for the right to vote was hard-fought by women in America and elsewhere. The last state to ratify the 19th amendment to the US Constitution was Tennessee, on August 18, 1920. Today it seems unthinkable …
Posted in: Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections, Women in Music
Posted by: Pat Padua
As August draws to a close, In the Muse would like to catch up on a number of birthdays you may have missed. August 4, which is the day we celebrated Louis Armstrong’s birthday, was also the birthday of film composer David Raksin, who donated sketches and scores from films like Laura, Forever Amber, and Carrie …
Posted in: Birthdays, Jazz, Musicians, Pic of the Week
Posted by: Pat Padua
In The Muse was going to celebrate a number of August birthdays today, but a little 5.8 magnitude bird impels us otherwise. Yesterday an earthquake was felt along the Eastern seaboard from Virginia to Maine, but today all Library buildings are open. If our readership should “begin to shake and shiver” today, we hope that …
Posted in: Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
In the Muse was sad to learn of the passing of two great songwriters. Nick Ashford and Jerry Leiber were both part of songwriting teams that helped define American popular music for different generations. The songs of Leiber and partner Mike Stoller have been performed by a full spectrum of artists, from Elvis Presley to …
Posted in: Composers, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from Music Reference Specialist James Wintle. On August 21, 1959, Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation welcoming Hawaii as the 50th state of the union. As the only state made up entirely of islands, Hawaii has an unusually rich and diverse cultural heritage. It is home to a number …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Women in Music
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from Head of Acquisitions & Processing Denise Gallo. After Southern troops defeated his army at the Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, Abraham Lincoln realized that he would need someone dynamic to take charge, especially in efforts to protect Washington, D.C. and its surroundings. At 75, the …
Posted in: Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Staff
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from House Manager of the Concert Office, Solomon HaileSelassie. It’s August in Washington and there is record heat, high humidity, Congress is in recess and children everywhere are creating havoc as their school year draws near. But cultural institutions are strapping in — press releases are flying in from …
Posted in: Concerts and Events, Guest bloggers