The following is a guest post from Head of Acquisitions & Processing Dr. Denise Gallo. Although the Mason-Dixon Line originated in the 1760s to resolve a border conflict between the colonies of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware, the role it assumed in the Civil War was deeply cultural and philosophical. To its north lay the states …
There are two-hundred and twenty sheet music pieces in the Performing Arts Encyclopedia with “mother” in the title. A year ago In the Muse surveyed a handful of these titles, and this week’s featured sheet music is one more way to remember yours on Sunday and every day. It would be remiss of us if we …
Anglophiles on this side of the pond had to get up awfully early this morning to witness the pageantry across the sea. We hope and presume that Prince William did not have this week’s featured sheet music in mind as he awaited his bethrothed. Composer Clarence Gaskill bleakly portrays married life as “no wining and …
This week’s featured title comes from Henri Dora. “Puzzle March” is illustrated with the image of a refined gentleman hard at work on a puzzle whose solution would seem simple enough: to put the numbers one through fifteen in order. Our distinguished fop is nonetheless frustrated, frazzled, and finally driven mad by his inability to …
The following is a guest post from Head of Acquisitions & Processing Denise Gallo. April 12 marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of Battle of Fort Sumter, the first major conflict of the Civil War. Having seceded from the Union four months earlier, South Carolina had been demanding that the Union evacuate the fort. …
The following is a guest post by Senior Cataloging Specialist Sharon McKinley. The Library of Congress has amazing depth in its holdings of sheet music, thanks in large part to Copyright deposits. It’s Showtime is a database of excerpts from operas, musicals and musical revues, films, and more. You’ll find over 18,000 shows and productions …
Continuing Wednesday’s puppy theme and expanding our range of species is this week’s featured sheet music, from the composer of last week’s “Baby Elephant Waltz.” The August 1921 Etude, a serial issued by music publisher Theodore Presser, tells us that Pierre Latour was the nom de plume of one E. Mack, who presumably thought the …
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 …
Next Tuesday the annual DC Elephant Walk comes to town, bringing with it the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. This week we celebrate the mighty pachyderm with F. F. Hagen’s “Baby Elephant March.” For another example of the dimunitive animal’s terpsichorean versatility, see Pierre Latour’s “Baby Elephant Waltz,” which also hails from the Historic …