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.
The following is a guest post by Music Division Specialist Loras John Schissel who has compiled letters and diary entries from Ned Rorem illuminating the composer’s relationship with the Music Division at the Library of Congress. Look not to things that are seen, but to that which is unseen; for things that are seen pass …
The following is a guest post from Senior Music Specialist Mark Eden Horowitz. “Angie says she’d be delighted to hear from you.” That was the reply I got from Stephen Sondheim when I emailed him: “Angela Lansbury is currently in DC with the tour of Blithe Spirit. I’d like to invite her to the Library for …
Senior Music Specialist Mark Eden Horowitz reflects on his friendship with Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021) and Sondheim's connection to the Library of Congress.
Dutch composer, pianist, and teacher Louis Andriessen (1939-2021) passed away on July 1, 2021. He is connected to the Music Division through his 1993 Koussevitzky Music Foundation commission.
We were saddened to learn of the passing of composer and pianist Frederic Rzewski on June 26, 2021. He was an extraordinary figure in the musical world, perhaps best known for his piano music—his monumental composition The People United Will Never Be Defeated is surely one of the most significant variation sets of the last …
