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Creator
Blanc, Manny
Call number
JPB 11-7
Physical description
2.96 linear feet (12 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Manny Blanc Papers, Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

Repository
Music Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Manny Blanc was born into a family of musicians. He worked professionally as a drummer, arranger, copyist, and composer of both popular and orchestral works. He was also an accomplished artist, showing work in group shows and private galleries.

Biographical/historical information

Manny Blanc was born into a family of musicians. He was born August 17, 1914 to Samuel (Shimele) and Sarah Blank. Shimele Blanc, his father, emigrated from Eastern Europe to New York City. In addition to working as a composer and a musician, his father owned a music store on Second Avenue. Other musical relatives include one cousin who was a member of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and several other cousins who had musical careers in South America.

Manny Blanc graduated from Seward Park High School (Lower East Side) in 1932. He studied music at the Curtis Institute and Julliard. He served in the U.S. Army as a member of the 186th Field Artillery Orchestra. Although he was initially stationed at Camp Ethan Allen in Burlington, Vermont, he spent most of his army career at Camp Edwards in Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts. He married Charlotte Warowitz, August 7, 1941, while in the army. The couple had two children, Michele and Susan.

Blanc composed ballet music and symphonies as well as wrote works for string quartets and brass. In addition to his composition work, he played drums with Mousie Powell and his Musical Maniacs while his brother Murray played trumpet. Blanc also played with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and the (Franko) Goldman Band.

In his early forties, Blanc received a paint set while recovering from minor surgery. That gift began a new phase in his life as a painter. During the late 1950s, Blanc became a student of Charles Seide at the Brooklyn Museum Art School and began exhibiting his paintings in group shows and in private galleries.

He died on February 21, 1984.

Source: Michele Blanc Berman, biographical statements http://www.askart.com/askart/b/manny_blanc/manny_blanc.aspx, retrieved 5/20/11

Scope and arrangement

The Manny Blanc papers consist primarily of original compositions by Blanc himself. The compositions contain the full score and, oftentimes, sketches and parts (published and un-published). There is a small amount of music written by others such as Elliott Carter, Edgard Varese, Dmitry Shostakovich, Luciano Berio, Paul Hindemith, and Bedrich Smetana that Blanc made arrangements of.

In addition, there are a few personal documents held in the collection, including a family tree, a scrapbook (scanned), loose photographs, and several biographical statements written by his daughter Michele Blanc Berman.

The Manny Blanc papers are arranged in three series:

  • Series I: Scores
    1953-1983

    Series I contains scores that were written and/or arranged by Manny Blanc and are listed alphabetically by title. Each title has scores (full and partial) and, in some cases, pencil sketches, parts, and lead sheets.

  • Series II: Scores by Others
    1960-1970

    Series II holds compositions written by other composers and arranged by Blanc. This series is organized alphabetically by the composers last name.

  • Series III: Personal Materials
    1941-1980

    The last series is comprised of personal documents, including genealogical material such as biographical statements, and a family tree. There are loose photographs and a scrapbook created during Blanc's time in the U.S. Army. The scrapbook is not original, but scanned with paper copies. There is also a CD of the same material.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by Michele Berman, 2011

Processing information

Compiled by L. Reyman.

This collection arrived with the scores individually foldered. The personal documents have been organized alphabetically. No items were deaccessioned.

Using the collection

Location

Music 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

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Chief, Music Division, The New York Library for the Performing Arts.