Mischa Levitzki papers

id
4327
origination
Levitzki, Mischa, 1898-1941
date statement
1898-1957 [bulk 1898-1941]
key date
1898
identifier (local_mss)
20290
org unit
Music Division
call number
JPB 04-18
b-number
b15985686
total components
71
total series
0
max depth
5
boost queries
(none)
component layout
Default Layout
Extended MARC Fields
false
Extended Navigation
false
created
2013-04-01 15:05:00 UTC
updated
2026-01-20 20:37:45 UTC
status note
(missing)
Display Aeon link
true

Description data TOP

physdesc
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"3.34 Linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"5 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
unitid
{"value"=>"JPB 04-18", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"20290", "type"=>"local_mss"}
unitdate
{"value"=>"1898-1957", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1898/1957"}
{"value"=>"1898-1941", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1898/1941"}
date_inclusive_start
1898
date_inclusive_end
1957
keydate
1898
unittitle
{"value"=>"Mischa Levitzki papers"}
repository
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. <span class=\"subarea\">Music Division.</span></span> <div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
abstract
{"value"=>"Mischa Levitzki was one of the most popular American pianists of his era. The collection contains materials related to his work; including scores (published and manuscript), a scrapbook (photocopy), a leaflet, a poster, a program, a music journal, and some photographs."}
prefercite
{"value"=>"<p>Mischa Levitzki Papers, JPB 04-18, Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
origination
{"value"=>"Levitzki, Mischa, 1898-1941", "type"=>"persname"}
bioghist
{"value"=>"<p>Mischa Levitzki (<span class=\"title\">b</span> Kremenchug, Ukraine, 25 May 1898; <span class=\"title\">d</span> Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ, 2 Jan. 1941) was an American pianist and composer. Born to naturalized American parents (Jacob Levine-Levitzki and Anna Levine-Levitzki) during a return to their native Ukraine, Levitzki began violin studies at the age of three. Developing an interest in the piano at six, he worked with Aleksander Michalowski in Warsaw (1905-1906). He made his concert debut in Antwerp in 1906 before going to New York with his parents. Shortly thereafter his father brought him to the attention of Walter Damrosch, who obtained a scholarship for him at the Institute of Musical Art as a pupil of Zygmunt Stojowski (1907-1911). In 1913 Levitzki entered the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, where he became the youngest student of Ernõ Dohnányi and was awarded the Mendelssohn Prize in 1915. He made his American debut on 17 October 1916 at Aeolian Hall, New York; later he toured frequently in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Levitzki is best known for his virtuosi performances of the Romantic repertory. His own piano compositions figured prominently in his program. Levitzki’s recordings from 1927 to 1933 reveal an exceptional clarity and delicacy of articulation.</p> <p>Mischa Levitzki was a sibling of Marks Levine (director, National Concert and Artists Corporation), Lewis L(evitzki). Lorwin (famed economist persecuted by Joseph McCarthy) Bertha Levitzki (pianist and harpist, later self-named Sandra Levitzki) and Joseph Levine. He published a number of piano pieces (<span class=\"title\">Valse</span> in A, <span class=\"title\">Arabesque Valsant</span>, <span class=\"title\">Valse Tzigane</span>, <span class=\"title\">Gavote</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Enchanted Nymph</span> and <span class=\"title\">Cadenza</span> for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no.3) prior to his sudden death from a heart attack at age 42.</p> <p>Sources:</p> <ul> <li>New York Times Obituaries: <ul> <li>“Jacob Levine-Levitzki.” Proquest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1857-Current file): Feb. 13, 1932, p. 13.</li> <li>“Marks Levine Dies Here at 80; Manager for Noted Musicians.” Proquest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1857-Current file): May 29, 1971, p. 26.</li> <li>“Mischa Levitzki, Noted Pianist, Dies.” Proquest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1857-Current file): Jan. 3, 1941, p. 19.</li> <li>“Rosalind Lorwin, 66, Psychology Professor.” Proquest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1857-Current file): Dec. 31, 1992, p. B6.</li></ul></li> <li>“Levitzki, Mischa [Levitsky, Misha].” Retrieved from http://www.grovemusic.com on August 9, 2004.</li> <li>“Mischa Levitzki Complete Recordings Vol. 1” review. Retrieved from http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=6077 on August 16, 2004.</li> <li>Slonimsky, Nicolas. <span class=\"title\">Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians</span>. 7th ed. New York: Schirmer Books, 1984.</li> <li>Wier, Albert, E. <span class=\"title\">The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians</span>. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1938.</li></ul>"}
scopecontent
{"value"=>"<p>The papers of Mischa Levitzki document his professional life from 1898 until 1941. His manuscripts and published scores make up the bulk of the collection. The two published scores of Marks Levine, Mischa’s brother, that postdate this collection are obviously gifts to Mischa’s other sibling Lewis Lorwin (Box 3, Folder 15) and his niece Rosalind (Box 3, Folder 14).</p> <p>Mischa Levitzki’s papers contain few personal items; the exception would be the photographs of him with his family members (Box 1, Folder 4-5). As such, there is no correspondence or writings within this collection.</p> <p>Please note the following: the scrapbook found within the collection was filled with newspaper clippings that were fragile and brittle, making it necessary to photocopy it (and reduce the size of the pages to 85 percent). The cover of the scrapbook was separated from the original and placed with the photocopy.</p>"}
acqinfo
{"value"=>"<p>Boris Lorwin, nephew of Mischa Levitzki, donated the collection in October 1996.</p>"}
separatedmaterial
{"value"=>"<p>Audiovisual materials separated from archival collections are cataloged individually and can be found in the Library catalog. Search CATNYP, The New York Public Library catalog.</p> <ul> <li>Music Research Division: <ul> <li>Dance Magazine (foreign)—La Danse: Masques; revue internationale d'art dramatique, 1948</li></ul> <ul> <li>Published Scores by Mischa Levitzki (1 item each, unless specified otherwise) <ul> <li> <span class=\"title\">Ah Thou Beloved One</span>, 1929 (2 copies)</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Arabesque Valsante</span>, 1934 (2 copies)</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Cadenza</span>, 1924</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Dance of the Doll</span>, 1937 (2 copies)</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Do You Remember?</span>, 1940 (5 copies—2 for low voice and 3 for high voice)</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">The Enchanted Nymph</span>, 1928</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Gavotte</span>, 1923</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Valse</span>, 1921 (6 copies)</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Valse de Concert</span>, 1924</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Valse Tzigane</span> (Gypsy Waltz), 1935 and 1937 (2 copies each: piano solo, transcription for two pianos, and violin and piano versions)</li></ul></li> <li>Published Scores by Other Artists <ul> <li>Gallico, Paolo (ed.)—<span class=\"title\">Mendelssohn Selected compositions for piano for the famous composer</span>, 1932</li> <li>Schnabel, Artur—<span class=\"title\">Arrangement of Beethoven’s Opus 53 titled Klaviersonate Nr. 21/ C-Dur</span>, 1927</li> <li>Seifert, Hans T. (ed.)—Robert Schumann’s Op. 68 <span class=\"title\">Album for the Young</span> together with Op. 15 <span class=\"title\">Scenes from Childhood</span></li> <li>Tourbié, Rich (ed.)-<span class=\"title\">Schonheiten der Klassischen Musik</span>, undated</li> <li>2 Scores with Russian text, 1935 (one is a voice and piano score and the other is a piano score only)</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> <ul> <li>Rogers & Hammerstein Archives <ul> <li>Mischa Levitzki, <span class=\"title\">His Rarest Recordings (1923-1929)</span>(International Piano Archives IPA 114), vinyl recording.</li></ul></li></ul>"}
userestrict
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Music Division, The New York Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
arrangement
{"value"=>"The collection is arranged alphabetically"}
langmaterial
{"value"=>"English"}
processinfo
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Thea Constantine; Machine-readable finding aid created by Thea Constantine.</p>"}
extent_statement
3.34 linear feet (5 boxes)
date_start
1898
date_end
1957
date_bulk_start
1898
date_bulk_end
1941

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