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Archive: 2023 (5 Posts)

Rebel Music Publisher, Honest John Playford at 400!

Posted by: Heather Darnell

The following is a guest post by Music Division Reference Librarian Dr. Stacey Jocoy. If you know the tunes to ”Greensleeves,” ”Lillibullero,” or just about any traditional British tune, you should thank John Playford (1623-1687). Known today primarily for the Playford Dances—originally published as ”The English Dancing Master” in 1650/1, Playford was the most important …

It Runs in the Family: Heartwarming Photos from the Music Division

Posted by: Heather Darnell

It’s that time of the year when many Americans gather with their families to cut the turkey, gobble up pumpkin pie, and feel grateful for one another. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, let’s look at heartwarming photos our favorite artistic families from the Music Division’s Digital Collections: Sylvia Fine and Danny Kaye   Sylvia Fine …

Early Hip-Hop at the Library of Congress

Posted by: Heather Darnell

August 2023 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Hip-Hop, said to have begun in 1973 at a little South-Bronx party hosted by DJ Kool Herc. But years before Herc introduced New York to the breakbeat, African-American music and spoken-word traditions had been brewing in the great social unrest of the 60s and 70s  to create a …

Red, White & Royal Love Song

Posted by: Heather Darnell

The following is a guest post by Music Division Assistant Chief, Nicholas Brown. In honor of this Saturday’s National Book Festival, the Music Division is pleased to share a page-to-screen tidbit relating to the new romantic comedy film “Red, White & Royal Blue” (Prime, 2023) that is being released on August 11, 2023. Based on …

Jo Stafford fixes her hair in a mirror, an assortment of beauty products and perfumes in front of her.

Performing Arts Reading Room Website gets a Makeover!

Posted by: Heather Darnell

Hey, everyone! The Performing Arts Reading Room website has undergone a makeover. Our streamlined design is more accessible, mobile-friendly, and responsive — making it easy for researchers to find the information they need while discovering new resources. Here are just a few highlights: A simple landing page directing researchers to our various services and resources …