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Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
On October 30, the Music Division musically celebrates the birthday of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge as Founder’s Day. Musicians who befriended Mrs. Coolidge sent her birthday greetings as musical scores, including Darius Milhaud, Paul Hindemith, Leo Sowerby, Sir Eugene Goossens, and more!
Posted in: Birthdays, Composers, Special Collections
Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
The Library of Congress has recently published two LibGuides related to jazz music. They are “Jazz Stock Arrangements: A Resource Guide” and “Jazz Research at the Library of Congress.”
Posted in: African American History, Guest bloggers, Jazz
Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
The following is a guest post by Reader Services Technician Mary Joy Lamb. While working as a technician in the Library of Congress Music Division I came across Clifford Hayes’s copyright lead sheet for “Bye Bye Blues” from 1928. The yellowed paper, the rushed corrections, and the date caught my eye. I snapped an image …
Posted in: Copyright Deposits, Guest bloggers, Musicians
Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
Columnist Burt Boyar spent much of his life documenting the annals of Sammy Davis, Jr., a generational tour de force who surmounted extraordinary odds with his prodigious talent.
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Musicians, Special Collections
Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
Mississippi-born composer William Grant Still (1895-1978) holds a significant place in the history of American music, and May 11, 2020 is his 125th birthday! I hope that this birthday blog post piques your interest about the many research possibilities in the Music Division about William Grant Still.
Posted in: African American History, Birthdays, Composers
Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
On March 29, the musical world lost a giant - Polish composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki. The Library of Congress Music Division remains connected to Penderecki through primary sources in our collections, and we hope that you can remain connected to him in this way, as well.
Posted in: Composers, In Memoriam, New Music
Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
An undeniable musical trend during social distancing right now is the wealth of online music making. In the spirit of music keeping us together while we’re apart, I propose a Spring-Themed Online Music Challenge! Use the sheet music I recommend in this blog post about spring and flowers from the Music Division’s digital collections, make videos, and tag us on social media.
Posted in: Sheet Music, Special Collections
Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
Did you know that two of the most famous violinists in history - Jascha Heifetz and Fritz Kreisler - are birthday twins? On Feb. 2, 2020, it will be Heifetz's 119th birthday and Kreisler's 145th birthday. You can engage with both of their legacies right here in the Music Division.
Posted in: Birthdays, Musicians, Special Collections
Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer
The third Monday of January is the only federal holiday designated as a day of service. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was signed into law in 1983 and first observed in 1986. There is a wealth of music composed in honor of Dr. King by eminent composers.
Posted in: African American History, Commissions, Holidays