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Archive: 2025 (4 Posts)

A page from Ravel's music manuscript featuring the first page of music for the second movement.

Ravel and His Chansons Madécasses

Posted by: Cait Miller

In honor of Maurice Ravel's 150th anniversary, learn more about his "Chansons madécasses," a set of three songs accompanied by flute, cello, and piano, commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge after establishing her foundation at the Library of Congress in 1925.

Sheet music cover for "On Patrol in No Man's Land" features a black and white photograph of James Reese Europe posing with his Hellfighters band in military uniform, with an additional portrait of James Reese Europe featured below the ensemble.

New Research Guide: James Reese Europe Resources at the Library of Congress

Posted by: Cait Miller

The Music Division’s newest research guide, James Reese Europe: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress, provides a gateway to accessing historic sheet music, unique literary manuscripts, newspaper archives, recordings, photographs and scholarly research by and related to leading cultural figure James Reese Europe (1881-1919).

Sheet music cover with an indigo background, featuring vaudeville dancer Gertrude Hoffmann standing in profile wearing a blue dirndl and additional feathers and headdress. A full moon shines in the background.

By the People: How (and Why) to Transcribe Sheet Music

Posted by: Cait Miller

Learn more about guidelines for transcribing sheet music collections as part of the By the People crowdsourced transcription campaign at the Library of Congress. Volunteers are needed to complete review of our "Sheet Music of the Musical Theater" transcription campaign in order to make the digital collection keyword searchable.