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Creator
Horst, Louis
Call number
(S) *MGZMC-Res. 22
Physical description
500 items 94 folders
Language
English
Preferred Citation

Horst, Louis, 1884-1964. Louis Horst Collection, (S) *MGZMC-Res 22, Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Part of the bequest of the late Louis Horst, this collection consists of five groups of manuscript materials: [Personal] Correspondence, Business Correspondence, Manuscripts, Records, and Miscellaneous items (mostly photostats of drawings and paintings). The personal correspondence, excepting a folder of letters from his mother to Louis Horst ca. 1928-29, is primarily social and congratulatory, i.e., telegrams, birthday cards, postcards, and Christmas cards. The business correspondence is almost exclusively concerned with [UNK] Observer, the magazine Mr. Horst founded in 1934 and edited until his death in 1964. The majority of the manuscripts, which comprise the bulk of the collection, are edited articles for Dance observer. There is, however, a notebook containing Mr. Horst's classes in pre-classic dance forms and modern dance forms, and a second notebook, possibly kept by Gertrude Lippincott, for a class in dance composition taught by Mr. Horst in [UNK]. The records and miscellaneous items are scant representations of a career fully documented in: *MGZRS Horst, Louis, 1884-1964. Scrapbooks, 1915-1959.

Biographical/historical information

Louis Horst was born to Conrad and Leva Horst on the twelfth of January, 1884, in Kansas City, Missouri. Horst began to study piano at an early age. He became a professional accompanist, playing for silent films, stock theater companies, Broadway rehearsals, and later for many of the modern dance personalities of the thirties and forties.

In 1915, Horst joined the Denishawn Company as accompanist; his wife, Betty, was a member of the company. He remained with Denishawn until 1925. There he met, among others, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, and Martha Graham. Horst later collaborated with these second generation modern dance pioneers as accompanist, composer and teacher of choreography.

Leaving Denishawn with Martha Graham, Horst composed several of Graham's early group works: Primitive Mysteries(1931), Frontier(1935), and El Penitente(1940). He also wrote scores for other dance artists, for dance classes and for publication. He taught the art of choreography at the Neighborhood Playhouse, several colleges such as the Juilliard School of Music and Connecticut College, and in workshops around the country.

In 1934, Horst founded a major dance periodical, The Dance Observer.This magazine was a voice through which modern dance spoke. He and the other writers volunteered their knowledge, experience, and time to the critical review of modern dance concerts and recitals. Horst also published two books, Pre-Classic Dance Forms(1937) and Modern Dance Forms(1960). Aside from Horst's musical, literary, and aesthetic criticism of modern dance performances, he “managed to train at least half of the choreographers now producing.” His students include Anna Sokolow, Meredith Monk, Yvonne Rainer, and Lucinda Childs.

Louis Horst was granted many awards, including the Capezio Award and an honorary degree from Wayne State University in 1964.

Scope and arrangement

The Louis Horst collection is arranged in five series:

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift. Louis Horst Estate. Material received on: 1964.

Processing information

Processed by A.M. Wentink.

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor