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Posted by: Libby Smigel
In a memorial blog post, Senior Music Specialist Loras John Schissel celebrates President Jimmy Carter's appreciation for music and the arts in a selection of letters and photographs from the Music Division's collections.
Posted in: American history, Composers, Guest bloggers, In Memoriam, Special Collections
Posted by: Libby Smigel
The Music Division staff spotlight the Top 5 acquisitions of 2024, including the papers of composers Burt Bacharach and Anthony Braxton, manuscripts from the iconic "Wizard of Oz," records of the Kronos Quartet, and two Lizst song manuscripts.
Posted in: Composers, Electronic Music, Film Music, Guest bloggers, New Acquisitions, Special Collections
Posted by: Libby Smigel
The archival materials in the Music Division's Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Collection are now discoverable through an online finding aid. Archivists Stephanie Akau and Maya Lerman provide a sneak peek into the vast contents of this intriguing collection by selecting some sample images.
Posted in: African American History, Birthdays, Choreographers, Dance, Guest bloggers, New finding aid, Special Collections
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
In time for the Christmas season, Senior Music Specialist Kate Rivers explores manuscript sources of composer John Adams' opera-oratorio "El Niño." Composed in 2000 and recently presented at the Metropolitan Opera, "El Niño" is widely regarded as a masterwork of contemporary sacred music. Learn about the primary sources related to the work in the John Adams Music Manuscripts and Papers in the Music Division.
Posted in: Composers, Conductors, Holidays, New Acquisitions, Sacred music, Special Collections
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
Save the date for the return of the Library's concert series to the airwaves on December 30, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET on WETA. Enjoy a broadcast of the February 12, 2024, "Rhapsody in Blue" at 100 concert featuring The U.S. Air Force Band and pianist Simone Dinnerstein. The Library of Congress is home to the George and Ira Gershwin Collection.
Posted in: Arrangers, Composers, Concerts and Events, Conductors, Instrumentalists, Jazz, Jewish American History, Music Division history, Musical Instruments, Musicians, Outreach, Sound recordings, Special Collections
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
Electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick visits the Library this Thursday, December 5 at 5:00 p.m. ET for a special event that will feature a live demonstration of his recently restored, historic Buchla 100 synthesizer. Subotnick, whose papers are held by the Library, will be joined by composer Steve Antosca and members of the Modular Electronic Music Systems (MEMS) team. Attend in person or via livestream (registration required).
Posted in: Commissions, Composers, Concerts and Events, Musical Instruments, Musicians, Special Collections
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
Learn about new collection finding aids that have been published by the Library's Music Division. These finding aids provide bibliographic access to the Milton Ager Music Manuscripts, Marvin Hamlisch Papers, Arthur Mendel Correspondence with Igor Stravinsky and Others, Trude Rittmann Papers, William Schuman Music Manuscripts, Robert Wright and George Forrest Papers and more.
Posted in: Arrangers, Composers, Curators, Guest bloggers, Jewish American History, Musical Theater, Musicians, New finding aid, Special Collections, Theater, Women in Music
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
While every week at the Library offers something exciting for visitors, researchers and staff, there are certain occasions (like this week) when there is a confluence of musical activity that should perk up everyone's ears. Three major events will grace the Coolidge Auditorium stage, featuring a Broadway and film star, a stellar vocal group that features graduates of the Thomanerchor in Leipzig (that's the chorus that J.S. Bach led at Thomaskirche) and a blockbuster evening of chamber music with the Belcea and Ébène Quartets. Attendees of each event will have a unique chance to see items from the Music Division's collections.
Posted in: African American History, Composers, Concerts and Events, Instrumentalists, Musical Theater, Musicians, Special Collections, Theater
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
The Music Division commemorates the 160th birthday of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, a trailblazing American philanthropist and musician who founded the Library's concert series and commissioning program, and established the longstanding tradition of public-private philanthropic partnerships at the institution. Explore previous Founder's Day concerts and learn more about this storied titan of American music history.
Posted in: Birthdays, Commissions, Composers, Concerts and Events, Digital Collections, Exhibitions, In Memoriam, Instrumentalists, Musicians, Special Collections, Webcasts, Women in Music