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Posted by: Stacey Jocoy
May 29 marks the birthday of film and concert music composer Erich Korngold, whose papers are held by the Music Division. Learn more about this important twentieth century composer.
Posted in: Birthdays, Composers, Special Collections, Uncategorized
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
The Library of Congress Music Division announces in the acquisition of the 1690 Tuscan-Medici viola made by Antonio Stradivari. Now rechristened Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1690, viola, Fulton, ex Baird, Tuscan-Medici, the acquisition was made possible through an extraordinary gift to the nation from David and Amy Fulton and the Baird family’s Tuscan Corporation. Learn about this historic addition to the Library's instrument collection.
Posted in: American history, Commissions, Composers, Concerts and Events, Instrumentalists, Music Division history, Musical Instruments, Musicians, New Acquisitions, New Music, Special Collections
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
Curator of the George and Ira Gershwin Collection Ray White discusses the origins of the Gershwins' "Porgy and Bess" in commemoration of the work's 90th anniversary. The Library and Washington National Opera present a concert and panel discussion to celebrate the anniversary on Wednesday, April 23 at 6:00 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium.
Posted in: African American History, American history, Composers, Concerts and Events, Curators, Musical Theater, Special Collections, Staff
Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres
University of Kentucky MLS candidate Jay Stringer-Vaught discusses a unique item in the Music Division’s collections written by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 to Francis Maria Scala, then-leader of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. Also learn about several past appearances by "The President's Own" on the Concerts from the Library of Congress series, which celebrates 100 years in 2025.
Posted in: American history, Arrangers, Composers, Concerts and Events, Conductors, Instrumentalists, Musicians, Sheet Music, Special Collections
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