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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 …

Chief Adjuah, a Journey to New Orleans

Posted by: Claudia Morales

This December Chief  Adjuah takes the stage at the Coolidge Auditorium (Friday, December 1 at 8 p.m.). Known for his dynamic and genre-defying music, Chief Adjuah will perform his latest studio-recorded album, “Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lighting.” Chief Adjuah’s upcoming performance marks the first of two scheduled artists this season, both contributing to a …

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 …

Woman with dark hair, fancy dress and pearls with eyes closed and mouth slightly open, singing

Be a 2024 Junior Fellow in the Music Division!

Posted by: Melissa Wertheimer

Are you an undergraduate, graduate, or recently graduated higher education student? If you’re also a U.S. citizen, check out the two unique 2024 Junior Fellows projects our staff have put together for this summer! Fellowships are paid full-time positions for 10 weeks. I’m excited to lead the in-person project Mind the Gap: Taking Stock of …

Engraving depicting a scene from Verdi's opera adaptation of Macbeth

Shakespeare Everywhere: From the Stacks to the Coolidge Stage

Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres

This autumn, many of Washington, D.C.’s arts and culture venues are collaborating to present the Shakespeare Everywhere Festival. The Library of Congress is pleased to participate in this gathering of theatrical productions, concerts, lectures, and educational events on offer through December 31, 2023. Bibliophiles and music lovers can experience two special events as part of …

Entrance doors to the Performing Arts Reading Room with exhibit artwork on wall and window showing a quartet performing in the Coolidge Auditorium and a vintage photo of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge.

From Pioneer to the Performing Arts Reading Room: Vampira Treasures from the Lester Horton Collection

Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres

Learn more about the Music Division’s connection to the cult icon Vampira, as created by Maila Nurmi. The following is a guest post written by Morgan Davis, Music Reference Specialist, Music Division. About a year ago, documentarian R.H. Greene contacted the Music Division’s reference team in search of a photo from the Lester Horton Dance …

Cover of sheet music for "Batterin' Babe", blue and white text with image of Babe Ruth swinging and hitting a ball while in a Red Sox uniform.

Baseball Beats: Music for the Fall Classic

Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres

We have several serious baseball fans here in the Music Division. At least several members of our team root for the current hometown Washington Nationals (“N-A-T-S, Nats, Nats, Nats, woo!”), the neighboring Baltimore Orioles (“Let’s Go, O’s!”), and the handful of New England transplants are ardent Boston Red Sox fans. With all this baseball energy …

Image of four musicians onstage performing with a city backdrop

Founder’s Day 2023: Piece Offerings—Focused Encounters with Recent Works by Roger Reynolds and Kate Soper

Posted by: David Plylar

*** SPECIAL START TIME OF 7 p.m. FOR THIS YEAR’S FOUNDER’S DAY CONCERT!!!*** Each year on Founder’s Day (October 30th) we celebrate the legacy of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, the visionary patron whose gifts of the Coolidge Auditorium and an endowment to support a concert series in that space have helped make Concerts from the Library …

Engraving of two individuals playing stringed instruments.

Exploring the Music Division’s Collection of 15th-17th Century Anthologies with Susan Clermont

Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres

Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres, Stacey Jocoy, and Susan Clermont of the Music Division contributed to this blog. Senior Music Reference Specialist Susan Clermont recently published an authoritative annotated bibliography and accompanying research guide focused on the Music Division’s 306 anthologies of music dating from 1463 – 1701. These anthologies comprise over 12,000 individual works by over …