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Posted by: Pat Padua
The following post is by retired music cataloger Sharon McKinley. I’ve enjoyed perusing the Library’s World War I sheet music over the past few years as we’ve commemorated the centennial of The Great War. We are now coming to the end of the fighting. Although the Treaty of Paris wasn’t signed until June 28,1919, an …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Holidays, Sheet Music, Special Collections, World War I
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by retired cataloger Sharon McKinley. The great city of New Orleans turns 300 this year, and they’re celebrating in a big way. To help commemorate this exciting milestone, we proudly present a few of our musical gems published in one of my favorite cities. New Orleans is best known …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Sheet Music
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by retired cataloger Sharon McKinley Looking for an appropriate New Year’s greeting, I found this song featuring a distinguished-looking gentleman with great facial hair on the cover. The title seems pretty tame, but the subtitle, Dedicated to my customers… is pure click-bait- -19th century style. Pleasant and easy to sing, it’s …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Holidays, Sheet Music
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by retired cataloger Sharon McKinley The Library of Congress is home to millions of pieces of sheet music, in large part copyright deposits. Self-selecting as copyright deposits are, much of this music is rather pedestrian in quality, and what catches the researcher’s attention is some other aspect of the …
Posted in: Composers, Sheet Music
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by retired cataloger Sharon McKinley. It’s midsummer here in sweltering Washington, DC, and overheated hearts turn to the music of love. It won’t cool anything down, but going for a nice swim ought to do the trick. “They Had to Swim Back to the Shore,” by Joe McCarthy and …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Sheet Music
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is by retired cataloger Sharon McKinley. The sinking of the Lusitania was one of many rallying events of WWI. Interestingly, the ship was sunk two years before the United Sates entered the war: on May 7, 1915. She was a civilian ship of the Cunard line, but was carrying some war materiel along …
Posted in: Sheet Music, Special Collections, World War I
Posted by: Pat Padua
The follow is a guest post by retired music cataloger Sharon McKinley. WWI was a time of conflicting loyalties for Irish-Americans. Many still felt strong ties to the old country, and their feelings reflected the sentiments of friends and relatives back in Ireland. Still chafing under British rule, Irishmen from the South as well as …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Holidays, Sheet Music, World War I
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is by retired cataloger Sharon McKinley. On a day when there’s lots of snow to go around, if not in the Washington, D.C. area, let’s examine the wintry precipitation in song. You may be surprised to learn how lyricists of the late 19th century responded to forecasts. While the modern researcher may eagerly …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Sheet Music
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by retired cataloger Sharon McKinley It’s that time again when the world focuses on the glories of the Summer Olympics. Many of us are enthralled by the extensive coverage. Basketball! Cycling! Gymnastics! Track and field! Badminton! No, don’t laugh. That’s the competitive sport I played as a teenager. Alas, …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Sheet Music, Special Collections