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Category: Film Music

Image of part of the score for "The Three Caballeros" with text and notated music.

“Good Neighbors”: An Example of Mariachi in American Popular Culture

Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres

Explore the way Disney showcased the work of Mexican songwriters Manuel Esperón and Ernesto Cortár in several popular animated films in the 1940s as part of their effort to incorporate FDR's "Good Neighbor" policy. The effort resulted in sharing elements of mariachi music with American film audiences. This guest blog by Music Reference Specialist Stacey Jocoy draws on an insightful interview with ethnomusicologist and mariachi expert Dr. Lauryn Salazar (Associate Professor of Music, Tarleton State University).

Library of Congress Announces Spring 2025 Concert Series

Posted by: Claudia Morales

Library of Congress Announces Spring 2025 Concert Series. Concerts from the Library of Congress continues to celebrate a century of landmark concerts in spring 2025, offering a rich and diverse kaleidoscope of classical music, jazz, pop, folk and dance events, with a major focus on American contemporary voices across genres.   

Marvin Hamlisch, in conductor's formal attire and holding his baton, circa 1979.

Nobody Does It Better than Marvin Hamlisch

Posted by: Libby Smigel

Film music and musical theater buffs can now explore the scores and papers of composer-arranger Marvin Hamlisch in the Library of Congress Performing Arts Reading Room. Archivist Janet McKinney describes the range of materials, which include photographs, programs, scrapbooks, staging lists, and even Hamlisch's entertainment trophies.

Excerpt of handwritten orchestra score for "Wuthering Heights" by Alfred Newman (1939).

New Finding Aids at the Music Division of the Library of Congress

Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres

Learn about six new collection finding aids that have been published by the Library's Music Division. These finding aids provide bibliographic access to the Irwin Bazelon Papers, Harry Chapin Collection, Ann Murphy Collection on the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall, Alfred Newman Film Music Manuscripts, Park Avenue Synagogue Commissioning Project Correspondence and Hans Spialek Papers.

woman strikes a dance pose in cowboy hate and western wear

The Choreographer Who Gave Us “Ken-ergy”

Posted by: Heather Darnell

During last Sunday’s Oscars, many were quick to note the parallels between Ryan Gosling’s performance of “I’m Just Ken” and Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the 1953 film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. ”The “Ken Dance” took many cues from pop culture and vintage Hollywood to play on gender stereotypes. However, there was …

Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin performing on an alto saxophone in the Coolidge Auditorium. Wearing a gold jacket and white top.

Now Streaming: January 2024 Edition

Posted by: Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres

The Library of Congress is proud to offer free digital programming from its collections for the enjoyment of audiences that are not able to attend our live events in Washington, D.C. The Music Division works with colleagues throughout the Library to ensure that past events in the Concerts from the Library of Congress series, educational …

Acquisition Highlights for the Past Year – a Top 5 List!

Posted by: Cait Miller

This is a guest post from Head of Acquisitions & Processing Vin Novara, with Senior Music Specialists Mark Eden Horowitz, Kate Rivers, and Ray White.   Nick Hornby’s book “High Fidelity” (1995) features an entertaining look at the quirks of people who intensely collect on music. Top five lists feature prominently throughout the work. As …