Mildred Wellerson papers

Description data TOP

physdesc

{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"5.3 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"7 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}

unitid

{"value"=>"JPB 06-71", "type"=>"local_call"}

{"value"=>"20348", "type"=>"local_mss"}

unitdate

{"value"=>"1895-1972", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1895/1972"}

{"value"=>"1916-1923", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1916/1923"}

date_inclusive_start

1895

date_inclusive_end

1972

keydate

1895

unittitle

{"value"=>"Mildred Wellerson papers"}

repository

{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</span><span class=\"subarea\">Music Division.</span> <div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}

abstract

{"value"=>"The Mildred Wellerson Papers document the early career of the American cellist, who, as a child prodigy, had begun making public appearances by the age of four, and, under the name, Mila Wellerson, continued to perform as a young woman in the United States and Europe."}

prefercite

{"value"=>"<p>Mildred Wellerson Papers, JPB 06-71. Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}

origination

{"value"=>"Wellerson, Mildred", "type"=>"persname"}

bioghist

{"value"=>"<p>American cellist Mildred Wellerson (born 1910) was a child prodigy who had begun making public appearances by the age of four, and, under the name, Mila Wellerson, continued to perform as an adult in the United States and Europe. Mildred was born in New York City to Russian parents, both of whom were musicians. She and her twin sister, Eugenia were taught to play instruments by their mother, Mera Schkolnik, who had given up her own professional career as a cellist after marrying Max Wellerson, a pianist. Not able to find an instrument small enough for young Mildred, who had expressed an interest in playing the cello by the age of three, her parents took a large viola and inserted a peg on the end and fashioned the child-sized cello on which she was trained. Eugenia, who studied violin, often appeared with her sister in early recitals, but it was Mildred, billed as \"the Miracle of the Cello\" who would eventually receive the most publicity and go on to secure professional engagements as a soloist. The twin sisters made their New York debut on April 30, 1916 at the Carnegie Chamber Music Hall and performed at many venues, chiefly in New Jersey (where they were living at the time), over the next few years. On March 20, 1920, Mildred made her official solo debut at the Carnegie Chamber Music Hall and had several other important concerts later that same year. These included two well-attended recitals, one at Aeolian Hall on March 22, and the other at the main auditorium of Carnegie Hall on November 6, in which Wellerson played her own composition, <span class=\"title\">Lullaby (The Cranky Baby)</span>. Wellerson also appeared as a soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on November 8, 1920, under the direction of Eugene Ysaye. She toured Europe in the spring of 1922, where it was reported that she easily had passed the Paris Conservatoire examination, but was advised by admirers that she had no need to attend the prestigious academy.</p> <p>By 1930, however, the Wellersons had divorced and the two girls were living with their grandmother in the Bronx. Adopting the professional name, Mila Wellerson, in 1930, she was one of the winners of a prize from the Walter W. Naumburg Musical Foundation, which sponsored her 1931 recital at Town Hall. Sporadic New York appearances followed, most notably a benefit performance for Polish Jews at Town Hall in 1935 and a 1937 Carnegie Chamber Music Hall recital with composer Boris Levenson, but the 1930s also found Mildred appearing at Radio City Music Hall (1934) and with WPA groups (1939). For reasons that are unclear, Wellerson had moved to Holland by 1952 and settled in the Hague. Although in a 1952 letter to her friends, Samuel and Rose Schwalb, Wellerson cited difficulties she faced in finding professional opportunities to play, claiming that the cello \"is an instrument that is still not understood,\" she did continue to perform with groups such as the Philips Symphonie Orkest, and another letter in the collection indicates that she was still living in Holland in 1972. It is not known what became of Mildred Wellerson after 1972.</p>"}

scopecontent

{"value"=>"<p>The Mildred Wellerson Papers primarily consist of clippings, fliers, photographs, programs, and scrapbooks that document the early career of the cellist, both as a child prodigy and as a young woman. The three scrapbooks are in different formats, but each covers roughly the same time period (1916-1923); these scrapbooks contain most of the biographical information on Wellerson that is to be found in the collection. Some loose materials, dating from the 1930s, which had been inserted between the leaves of the largest scrapbook have been removed and filed in separate folders by material type. While most of this material is in English, there are a few clippings and other items in Czech, Dutch, French, German, Russian, or Yiddish. Manuscript and printed scores partially document her repertory and include Wellerson’s only known composition, <span class=\"title\">Lullaby (The Cranky Baby)</span>, as well as some cello arrangements she made of the works of other composers. Some of the printed scores are inscribed to Wellerson and include hard to find pieces by Jewish and women composers, such as Boris Levenson and Eda Rapoport. The collection, though limited in scope, contains material of interest on the phenomenon of child prodigies, opportunities for women musicians, and the development of the cello repertoire in the first half of the twentieth century.</p>"}

{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Mildred Wellerson papers are arranged in three series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20348#c593491'>Series I: Personal Papers, and</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>2 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Personal Papers series contains material mainly relating to Wellerson's career as a child prodigy. The correspondence consists only of one postcard and two letters sent by Wellerson from Holland to her friends, the Schwalbs. Of special interest are the two scrapbooks, each of which contains clippings and press notices. Another larger format scrapbook is found in the Oversized Material series; it is the only scrapbook that also contains some programs and fliers.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20348#c593508'>Series II: Scores, and</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>4 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Scores series includes manuscript and printed music scores and parts, some of which are inscribed by the composer or another individual. A few of the items originally belonged to Wellerson's mother, Mera Schkolnik. Of note is the manuscript score of Wellerson's only documented composition, <span class=\"title\">Lullaby</span>.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20348#c593569'>Series III. Oversized Material, and</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Oversized Material series contains one scrapbook and a poster for a March 10, 1922 concert in Paris. This large scrapbook lacks a cover and is probably missing several leaves.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}

arrangement

{"value"=>"<p> <ul> <li>Series I: Personal Papers, 1916-1972 and undated</li> <li>Series II: Scores, 1895-1938 and undated</li> <li>Series III: Oversized Material, 1917-1922</li></ul></p>", "supress_display"=>true}

userestrict

{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Music Division</p>"}

langmaterial_code

cze

dut

eng

fre

ger

rus

yid

langmaterial

{"value"=>"The Personal papers series includes materials in Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Russian, and Yiddish"}

processinfo

{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Helice Koffler; Machine-readable finding aid created by Helice Koffler.</p>"}

extent_statement

5.3 linear feet (7 boxes)

date_start

1895

date_end

1972

date_bulk_start

1916

date_bulk_end

1923

Update Collection TOP

Update from EAD XML File

Child components TOP

1. Series I: Personal Papers [8/1]
2. Series II: Scores [2/1]
3. Series III. Oversized Material [3/1]