- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"2.3 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"5 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"JPB 02-6", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"20265", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1920-1987", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1920/1987"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1920
- date_inclusive_end
-
1987
- keydate
-
1920
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Otto Janowitz 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"=>"Otto Janowitz was a Czech-born vocal coach, accompanist, composer and writer. The collection contains memorabilia related to his life and work, including music scores, writings and lecture notes, correspondence, clippings, photographs, catalogs and recital programs."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Otto Janowitz Papers, JPB 02-6, Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Janowitz, Otto", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Otto Janowitz was born in Poderbrady, Czechoslovakia on July 22, 1888. He attended university in Prague where he studied piano with Holfeld and Alexander von Zemlinsky, graduating in 1907. He then went to the University of Vienna where he studied music theory with Walter Klein and received a doctorate in political science in 1912. He became a respected voice coach, teacher, recital accompanist, composer, writer and lecturer on music and its cultural background.</p> <p>Dr. Janowitz's professional activities in Europe included stints as opera coach and assistant conductor at Prague, Berlin, and Aussig during the years 1920-1923. In 1923 he was engaged by Richard Strauss as opera coach and assistant conductor at the Vienna State Opera, where he remained until his emigration to the United States in 1938. During his tenure there Janowitz was assistant conductor under Richard Strauss, Clemens Krauss, Felix Weingartner, and Erwin Kerber, worked with Elisabeth Schumann, Enid Szantho, Lotte Lehman, Jan Kiepura, and Friedrich Schorr. He coached operatic, recital, and oratorical repertoire in German, English, Italian, French and Czech.</p> <p>Upon his arrival in America Dr. Janowitz became the assistant conductor of the Mozart Opera Company in New York, a position he held until 1941. His other positions of note include teacher and accompanist at the Operatic Workshop of the New School for Social Research, New York (1940-1941) where he worked with Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell, and Josef Turnau; voice coach, assistant conductor, and director of the Opera Workshop at Hunter College, New York (1946-1947); musical adviser and librarian at radio station WOV, New York in 1949; opera coach and repertoire builder at Philadelphia Academy of Music from 1948 to 1950; voice coach and accompanist in the Opera Workshop at the Pittsburgh College for Women from 1952 to 1954; faculty member of the Academy of Vocal Arts, Philadelphia, in 1953; and played celesta and piano at the Metropolitan Opera for several seasons during this period. Janowitz also enjoyed a career as a writer and lecturer on music and its cultural background. Some titles include \"Music and Politics,\" and a lecture series about Mozart's Don Giovanni, delivered at New York's Steinway Hall in 1940.</p> <p>Over the years Janowitz performed recital accompaniment for Eleanor Steele and Hall Clovis, Rosa Bok, Fred Destal, Jessica Dragonette, Martha Eggerth, Irene Jessner, Olga Paul, and others. He composed dance music, ballets and pantomimes for Ellen Tels, Tilly Losch, Gertrude Lippincott, Elaine Blok, Jean Erdman, and Katya Delakova and Fred Berk, and created many arrangements of traditional folksongs. He also set three Dorothy Parker poems to music.</p> <p>Otto Janowitz's death is difficult to find documented, but is estimated as summer of 1965, in New York.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p> The Otto Janowitz Papers relate to his life and work, covering the dates 1924 to 1987, when the collection was donated to the New York Public Library. It contains music scores, writings and lecture notes, correspondence, clippings, photographs, catalogs, and recital programs. The music scores, writings, and lecture notes comprise the vast majority of the collection. The private life of Dr. Janowitz is interestingly documented through several biographical sketches he compiled and the many glowing letters of reference he received from such luminaries as Bruno Walter and Paul Wittgenstein. Much of the material in the collection is undated, though his use of German or English is often a clue as to what period it is from, as he seems to have written in English almost exclusively after his immigration to the United States in 1938.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Otto Janowitz papers are arranged in four series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20265#c546551'>Series I: Scores</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1924 - 1953,</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The musical scores are divided into two sub-series, works composed by Otto Janowitz and works arranged by Otto Janowitz. Included in the Works Composed by Otto Janowitz sub-series are many holographs that show his close association with dance music, including several works composed specifically for the dancers Jean Erdman, Gertrude Lippincott, Katya Delakova and Fred Berk. Other items of note in this sub-series are several copies of the holograph composition \"What are Little Boys Made Of\" and holographs of several Dorothy Parker poems that Janowitz set to music in 1945. Janowitz's appreciation for folksongs is also evident in the many arrangements he wrote, including \"Soldier's Will,\" a Slovenian folksong and \"When I was Seventeen,\" a Swedish folksong. Each sub-series is arranged alphabetically by title. Unless specifically indicated, the scores are undated.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20265#c546608'>Series II: Writings and Lectures</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1921 - 1955,</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Comprised of Janowitz's writings and lectures, this series provides a glimpse into the varied subjects that interested Janowitz. Included are exhaustive notes he prepared for writings on Goethe, Wagner and Bülow, citations to published works by other authors, and lecture notes on Mozart, Wagner and the subject of improvisation. The series is arranged alphabetically by title. Unless specifically indicated, the writings and notes are in German and undated.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20265#c546666'>Series III: Biographical</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1920-1987,</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series provides some detail into the life of Otto Janowitz. It is divided into five sub-series. Correspondence includes letters of reference, a charmingly apologetic letter from Eugene Ormandy regarding Janowitz's coaching of Miss Selma Kaye, and a touching letter of condolence from Felix Eyle, Orchestra Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, to Mrs. Lia Janowitz. Because there are few letters from a single individual, the sub-series is arranged by date. Vitae includes versions of a biographical sketch compiled by Janowitz himself, some recollections, a diploma, and brochures announcing his accomplishments. Clippings include recital reviews and announcements, and articles written by Janowitz. The clippings are arranged by date. The Iconography sub-series includes a few photographs, only two of which include Janowitz, a cartoon drawing and a holiday card. The Catalogs sub-series contains two dance music catalogs in German.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20265#c546683'>Series IV: Recital Programs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1930 - 1950,</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Includes programs for music recitals, dance recitals or lectures which in some way involved Janowitz. The programs are arranged by date.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Otto Janowitz Papers are divided into four series and seven sub-series.</p> <p> <ul> <li>I. Scores, 1924 - 1953, undated <ul> <li>1. Works Composed by Otto Janowitz</li> <li> 2. Works Arranged by Otto Janowitz</li></ul></li> <li>II. Writings and Lectures, 1921 - 1955, undated</li> <li>III. Biographical, 1930 - 1987, undated <ul> <li>1. Correspondence, 1930 - 1987, undated</li> <li> 2. Vitae</li> <li> 3. Clippings, 1920 - 1956, undated</li> <li> 4. Iconography</li> <li> 5. Catalogs</li></ul></li> <li>IV. Recital Programs, 1930 - 1950, undated</li></ul></p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Gift of Mrs. Lia Janowitz, 1987.</p>"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>One monograph entitled \"Antonin Dvorak,\" by Otakar Sourek (Prague: Artia, 1953) incorporated into Music Division holdings. Four sound recordings of Janowitz lectures transferred to the Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.</p> <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>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Music Division, The New York Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- langmaterial_code
-
ger
eng
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Claudia Depkin; Machine-readable finding aid created by Claudia Depkin.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
2.3 linear feet (5 boxes)
- date_start
-
1920
- date_end
-
1987