Collections in Music Division

The American Music Center was a non-profit organization which aimed to promote the creating, performing, and enjoying of new American music. The American Music Center was founded in 1939 by composers Aaron Copland, Otto Luening, Marion Bauer, Harrison Kerr, and Quincy Porter. The center's mandate was to make the music of its composer members available to potential performers and conductors, and to act as a clearinghouse for the dissemination of information vital to its membership. Until that time, American composers had not been able to firmly establish themselves or their music as a unique American commodity that was of both high quality and in great demand. As their music came of age, these composers began to organize themselves into a substantial power base that would not only get their music heard but also make assurances for appropriate representation, promotion and compensation. The American Music Center was one of the leading organizations in this campaign. A partnership with the New York Public Library, initiated in 1978 led to cooperative cataloging initiatives and eventually to an agreement that the center's entire collection of scores would over time be transferred to the library. The American Music Center's score library, now housed at the Music Division, numbered close to 60,000 items. While the center's physical collection of printed and recorded music was the backbone of this remarkable institution, the mandate and activities of the center were relevant not only to music scholars, but to those in other areas of research. The center's activities have been responsible for creating a vast worldwide cultural resource for the dissemination of American music. Approximately 60,000 orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, vocal and choral scores, solo parts and libretti placed in the AMC library by their composer members. Virtually all genres of notated music are represented in the collection, including many forms of orchestral concert music (overtures, symphonies, suites, etc.), chamber music for winds, strings, keyboard, percussion, electronics, alone and in combination, vocal music, solo and choral, and staged works (opera, ballet, musicals). The collection includes many published scores. A large portion of these are self-published reproductions of composer's manuscripts. Conventionally notated scores predominate, but there are also many representatives of various forms of graphic notation. less

David Amram (born 1930) is an American composer, conductor, and multi-instrumentalist active in classical, jazz, and folk music. The David Amram papers, dating from 1937 to 2011, most strongly represent his career path from the 1950s through the early 2000s, documenting his compositions, performances, conducting, writings, and business matters. They also evidence Amram's relationships with musicians and writers, including Jack Kerouac and other "Beat generation" figures. less

Donna K. Anderson (1935-2018) was an American musicologist who dedicated her career to researching the life and music of Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884-1920). The Donna K. Anderson research files on Charles Tomlinson Griffes hold scores, research files, and recordings compiled or created by Anderson in her role as executor of the Griffes estate, and in the preparation of her books, Charles T. Griffes: An Annotated Bibliography-Discography, The Works of Charles T. Griffes: A Descriptive Catalog, and Charles T. Griffes: A Life In Music. less

Stanley Applebaum (1922-2019) was an arranger and composer who was highly active in the New York City popular and commercial music industry from the 1940s to the early 2000s. Among his clients were Skitch Henderson, the New York Pops, Ben E. King, Neil Sedaka, and the Broadway musical Raggedy Ann. Applebaum papers, which date from 1940 to 2007, are comprised primarily of scores for his arrangements, orchestrations, compositions, and commercial advertising; and sound recordings of his music for radio and television advertising. Business letters and contracts are also present. less

Jacob Avshalomov, composer, was born in China in 1919, but immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1937. He studied in Los Angeles with Ernst Toch, at the Eastman School of Music with Bernard Rogers, and at Tanglewood with Aaron Copland. Avshalomov spent the majority of his career as the director of the Portland Youth Orchestra from 1954 to 1995. The Scores contains various drafts and sketches and scores composed by Jacob Avshalomov from 1928-1998. The bulk of the material dates from 1940-1998, and in addition to the scores, the collection contains correspondence, libretti and programs. The collection also includes compositions written by the composers father, Aaron Avshalomov. less

Gabriel Banat is an American violinist who played for many years with the New York Philarmonic. He was born in Transylvania, Romania in 1926, eventually moving to Hungary. At the age of eight, he was discovered by Béla Bartók, who enabled him to be accepted at the Royal Academy in Budapest (now the Franz Liszt Academy of Music), where he won honors. In 1946 he moved to New York City where he toured with Georges Enesco, his mentor. He became a naturalized citizen in 1953. He toured in the United States, Europe and Japan, and was guest soloist with the London Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, among others. In 1970 he joined the New York Philharmonic. He was a professor at Smith College where he led the violin department. He also conducted various ensembles and organizations during his career. His research on Mozart led to publication in facsimile of Mozart's five violin concertos (Raven Press, 1986). His research on the Chevalier de Saint-Georges led to a biography (Pendragon Press, 2006) as well as numerous articles. He also edited the series "Masters of the Violin" (1981-1982). The Gabriel Banat papers document the performing career and editing/writing activities of violinist Gabriel Banat through correspondence, programs, reviews, and photographs. less

Contains clippings, programs, letters and telegrams (some in photocopy) concerning the New York Philharmonic's strike and strike tour of Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands, compiled by Gabriel Banat. Also contains statements from orchestra members dating from 2010, and a 9 p. typescript and published article, dated 2011, of recollections of the strike and tour by Gabriel Banat. less

The Carol Baron research papers on Stefan Wolpe document Baron's research toward a never-completed biography of the composer. The papers hold correspondence from Wolpe, interview transcripts, notes, photographs, score and lecture manuscripts, clippings, and concert programs. less

Larry Bell (born 1952) is an American composer and pianist. The Larry Bell papers, dating from 1965 to 2013, document the composer's career through published scores, sketches, programs, clippings, correspondence, subject files, writings, and photographs. less

The Jerry Bock papers primarily document the professional activities of the prime twenty years of his composing career, as well as his later works, and do not offer much, if any, insight into his personal life. Vocal scores, lead sheets, and sketches for all of his musical productions produced on Broadway, including The Apple Tree, The Body Beautiful, Fiddler on the Roof, Fiorello!, Mr. Wonderful, The Rothschilds, She Loves Me, and Tenderloin are represented in the papers. Also present are a significant number of pop songs that Bock wrote with Sheldon Harnick and Larry Holofcener in addition to many for which he supplied his own lyrics. Business correspondence can be found within the production it relates to; many productions also include documents such as notes, cast information, ticket stubs, ephemera, and photographs. The collection does not contain Bock's personal correspondence; the few personal papers here are either work or school-related. less

The Bohemians (New York Musicians' Club) is an organization made up of distinguished New York City musicians and music lovers that organizes dinners and chamber concerts for its members, supports young artists, and honors notable musicians. The collection consists of bylaws, membership lists, letters, financial records, meeting minutes, photographs, programs, and menus for the club spanning 1907 to 2008. Also present are some items documenting the Musicians Foundation Inc., an affiliated tax-exempt charitable organization that provides support to professional musicians in need. less

The BMI Student Composer Awards is an annual competition open to young composers engaged in the study of classical music. The pupose of the competition is to recognize emerging composers of merit. BMI first established the Student Composer Awards in 1951, during the expansion of its classical music repertoire. A group of composers and educators met to create a platform that would recognize superior musical compositional ability and further the classical-music education of young talent. Since its inception, the competition has awarded nearly 600 scholarships to musicians, including fifteen Pulitzer Prize winners, and is widely regarded as the premier recognition for young composers of classical music in the Western Hemisphere. Co-sponsored by BMI and the BMI Foundation, awards totaling $20,000 are determined annually for vocal, instrumental, and/or electronic compositions submitted by students of classical music. All works are judged anonymously by a panel of established classical composers. Winners are honored at an award ceremony in New York City each spring. Past winners of the BMI Student Composer Awards include such luminaries as John Adams, William Bolcom, And John Harbison. The collection consists of winning musical compositions from the annual BMI Student Composers' Awards. less

The Patricia Brooks papers (1867, 1897-2009) document the professional vocal career of the artist, focusing on her operatic performances. The papers contain professional and personal correspondence; reproductions of photographs documenting her operatic career, including photographs of Brooks with Placido Domingo and Frank Corsaro; financial records and advanced ticket sales regarding Brooks' recital in 1977; as well as correspondence, notes, ticket lists, and potential performers relating to the New York City Opera's tribute to Brooks in 2008. Annotated, published scores make up the majority of the collection. less

The Cleveland String Quartet records, dating from 1965 to 2001, document the formation and evolution of the ensemble; its performances, recordings, tours, and other activities; and its critical reception. They also evidence the careers of Paul and Martha Strongin Katz. They hold correspondence; contracts; itineraries; photographs; publicity files; contracts; repertoire lists; programs; clippings; management files; and datebooks. less

The records of the Composers' Forum document the history of the organization from 1935 to 2002. They hold correspondence, concert programs, press releases, clippings, grant applications and other development files, board meeting minutes and correspondence, photographs, membership files, concert production files, concert discussion transcripts, historical essays and scrapbooks. less

Norman Dello Joio is a pianist, organist, educator and a Pulitzer Prize winning composer. The collection contains materials related to his work; including business related correspondence (from individuals and institutes), personal papers (financial, biographical, some photographs, speeches and writings), performance files (programs and other related items), musical scores, clippings, ephemera, and scrapbooks. less

The Dessoff Choirs is a Manhattan-based amateur choral group founded by Margarete Dessoff. The choirs encompass both a symphonic choir and a chamber choir, and perform a broad repertory of classical music from Renaissance to contemporary compositions. This collection documents the choirs' administrative activities and performance history through administrative files, correspondence, financial records, programs, and scrapbooks. less

Jack Diether (1919-1987) was a journalist and musicologist best known for his expertise in and promotion of the music of Gustav Mahler and Anton Bruckner. The Jack Diether papers, dating from 1941 to 2006, hold correspondence, research files, and writings. less

The Dorian Wind Quintet is one of the longest continually-active chamber music groups in the world. The Dorian Wind Quintet records (1954-2012) document the first four decades of the group's existence through programs; scrapbooks; sound recordings; photographs; clippings; subject, touring, and management files; datebooks; files of the Dorian Wind Quintet Foundation; and posters. The largest components of the collection are sound recordings and programs. less

Fred Ebb was a lyricist and librettist for Broadway musicals and motion picture and television projects. With composer John Kander, Ebb wrote scores for many acclaimed successful musicals. This collection contains scripts, scores and production files pertaining to Ebb's musicals as well as photographs, awards, personal and business files and extensive scrapbooks Ebb kept on each of his shows and other aspects of his life and career. less

Joel Feigin (1951- ) is an American composer who studied with Roger Sessions and Nadia Boulanger. The Joel Feigin papers, dating from 1958 to 2010, document his career and education. They hold scores, professional and professional files, and education files. less

Michael Gibson (1944-2005) was an orchestrator and arranger for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals, films, and concert productions by Broadway artists. His scores include orchestrations for several musicals by John Kander and Fred Ebb, as well as for other Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. They also hold orchestrations for Broadway performers such as Barbara Cook, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, and Chita Rivera. less

Lesley Gore (1946-2015) was an American popular singer and songwriter who had major hit singles in the early to mid-1960s, including the songs "It's My Party," "You Don't Own Me," "Judy's Turn To Cry," "Maybe I Know," and "She's A Fool," among others. The Lesley Gore papers, dating from 1900 to 2017 (bulk dates from 1946 onward), document her life and career through sound and video recordings; notated music and lyrics; personal files of photographs, writings, clippings, posters, and scrapbooks; and business files. less

Henry Grimes (1935-2020) was an American jazz double bassist. A versatile and innovative player, Grimes performed with some of the leading jazz performers of the 1950s and 1960s including Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Cecil Taylor, and more. After withdrawing from the music world, Grimes lived an ascetic life in Los Angeles for 30 years. He emerged in 2002, reestablishing his legacy as an important jazz figure. The Henry Grimes papers documents his life as a performer through recordings from across his career and details his life away from music through the many notebooks kept during his years in Los Angeles. less