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Posted by: Pat Padua
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “lallapaloosa” as “something outstandingly good of its kind.” The term has its origins in American slang from the turn of the 20th century, but its most popular spelling variation is associated with a music festival of more recent vintage. Music fans converge on Chicago this weekend for the 2012 Lollapalooza. …
Posted in: Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
Last Sunday, June 17, marked the 237th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, where on a hilltop just outside of Boston over 1000 members of the rebel army put up a valiant fight against two infantry charges by the highly organized (and significantly larger) British forces. Though the Americans were defeated by the third …
Posted in: Sheet Music of the Week
Posted by: Pat Padua
The children’s prayer that begins, “Now I lay me down to sleep” dates back to an 18th century New England primer, but its musical life has followed a surprising path over the more than two centuries since. From heavy metal (Metallica) to hip-hop (The Notorious B.I.G.) to indie rock (Liz Phair), the iconic words have …
Posted in: Composers, Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by Judy Graves, Digital Project Coordinator, Digital Reference Section and life-long Girl Scout. On Saturday, June 9th, the Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capitol will host a song fest on the National Mall. With 200,000 girls and adults expected, this will not be an ordinary songfest by any stretch …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
As seen from the Earth, the planet Venus will move across the face of the sun on June 5, 2012. This week’s featured sheet music celebrates this rare orbit with John Philip Sousa’s commemorative march, part of a Transit of Venus presentation created in the Performing Arts Encyclopedia with the help of NASA scientist Sten …
Posted in: Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
Fans of the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows were saddened by the death last week of star Jonathan Frid, who played the vampire Barnabas Collins. This week’s featured sheet music does not speak of vampires or other shadowy figures. But its lyrical plea to “meet me in the shadows” is at once romantic and sinister, and …
Posted in: Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by Sharon McKinley, Senior Music Cataloger. The blossoms themselves have been gone for weeks already; it was one of the earliest seasons ever. But the Centennial of the National Cherry Blossom Festival is still going strong, all the way through April 27, and we thought we’d help keep the …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Cait Miller
The following is a guest post from Music Cataloger Laura Yust. One hundred years ago, on April 14, 1912, the luxury steamship Titanic struck an iceberg and sank within just a few hours. Over 3,000 passengers and crew members were on board, and just over half of them died. It was one of the worst …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
In the Muse presumes that the stereotyped Germans pictured in this illustration to Paul Rubens’ composition, “The German cake walk” are simply performing the titular dance. But the action in this scene is potentially ambiguous. Is the mustachioed man running away from an amorous Fraulein, or simply leading her in an impromptu march? Why does …
Posted in: Sheet Music, Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections