Top of page

Category: Special Collections

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

The Musical Life and Legacy of Artur Schnabel

Posted by: Paul Sommerfeld

Renowned pianist Artur Schnabel is best known for his recordings of a complete cycle of Ludwig van Beethoven’s piano sonatas, which he recorded from 1932-1935. His recording, the first ever made of the complete cycle of Beethoven’s 32 sonatas, to this day places him at the forefront of interpreting the composer’s piano works. Schnabel’s son …

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

Musical Leftovers

Posted by: Paul Sommerfeld

Ever since I was little, one of the joys of Thanksgiving has been the leftovers in the days that follow. Who doesn’t like a Cajun turkey sandwich with some stuffing and mashed potatoes on the side? Some leftovers even get better with age, as the flavors become richer. Over this past Thanksgiving, I started thinking …

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

Cooking Up History: Ballet Theatre Belly-Busters

Posted by: Paul Sommerfeld

In 1979, the corps de ballet of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) went on strike in a wage dispute. The newest members of the corps, the lowest-ranking dancers in the company, only made $235 a week—$869 in 2018 dollars. Many principal and solo dancers in the ABT supported the corps. In an article for People …

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

An Exciting Ride: Gower Champion’s Carnival! Legacy

Posted by: Paul Sommerfeld

The following is a second guest post from Stephanie Ruozzo, a doctoral candidate in musicology at Case Western Reserve University. As a summer CWRU Fellow in the Music Division, Stephanie organized the additions to the papers already held in the Marge Champion Collection. For this post, Stephanie highlights the variety and extent of documentation of …