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Posted by: Pat Padua
In the Muse wishes its readers a Happy Chinese New Year! Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with this production still from Dragon Snee Zee, a marionette show made for the Federal Theatre Project. Visit the online exhibition Coast to Coast: The Federal Theatre Project, 1935-1939 to learn more about this fascinating collection.
Posted in: Holidays, Pic of the Week, Special Collections, Theater
Posted by: Cait Miller
2012 is almost upon us! The Music Division certainly had an exciting year with many accomplishments from digital projects such as the launch of the Music Treasures Consortium last February, to two successfully curated exhibits (Coast to Coast: The Federal Theatre Project, 1935-1939 and I Love Lucy: An American Legend), to the continued production of …
Posted in: Holidays, Sheet Music of the Week
Posted by: Pat Padua
Head of Acquisitions and Processing Denise Gallo recently pointed out the ingenuity of her staff’s Christmas tree, festively adorned with photocopied highlights from the Music Division’s deep coffers. The elves who assembled this holiday centerpiece were the music specialists and technicians who work in the archival processing section. Gallo notes that the tree is also constructed …
Posted in: Composers, Holidays, Musicians, Pic of the Week, Special Collections, Staff
Posted by: Pat Padua
Last year In the Muse celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with Geo. W. Morgan’s “National Thanksgiving hymn“, from the Historic Sheet Music, 1800-1922 collection in the Performing Arts Encyclopedia. This year the same collection gives us our featured holiday sheet music. As I noted last year, “The turkey gobbler’s ball” is not actually about Thanksgiving but is …
Posted in: Holidays, Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
Seventy-three years ago today, Irving Berlin’s patriotic song “God Bless America” was premiered by singer Kate Smith on her CBS radio show in recognition of what was then called Armistice Day. November 11th is now known as Veterans Day, but the power and popularity of Berlin’s song endures. Would you believe that the song was …
Posted in: Holidays, Sheet Music of the Week
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following was written in part by Senior Cataloging Specialist Sharon McKinley. Oh boy, it’s Hallowe’en! My Lady Gaga costume wowed ‘em when I came in to work this morning, and my candy corn lights are glowing brightly. The frost is on the pumpkin and the sweet tooth is ready to go. What more do …
Posted in: Composers, Holidays, Musicians, Pic of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post from Senior Cataloging Specialist Sharon McKinley. Ah, Bastille Day! It’s a holiday that has such a nice, dramatic ring to it. It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. And for some reason, über-French though it may …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Holidays, Sheet Music, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
Last night I watched the host of Animal Planet’s River Monsters spend three hours trying to land a giant freshwater stingray. And I wondered, what might we have in the Music Divisions coffers that conveys such adventure and derring-do? I had to look no further than the Federal Theater Project collection, subject of the exhibit …
Posted in: Holidays, Pic of the Week, Special Collections, Theater
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from Music Division Contract Archivist Janet McKinney. As millions of Americans get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and commence the wearing of the green (because “everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day”), it is easy to forget there was once a time in this country when no Irish …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Holidays, Sheet Music