Letters from Henry Cowell to Lilly Popper

1936 Sept. 12-1937 Sept 12

Henry Cowell was a noted American composer, pianist, music educator, and founder of the publication New Music and the New Music Society of California. Lilly (or Lily) Popper was Henry Cowell's colleague in a school of music. 13 TLS written from San Quentin Prison where Henry Cowell was serving a sentence for a morals charge, later pardoned. He discusses prison life, work in the jute mill, difficulties of continuing music composition in a restricted setting, authorship of a book on melody, concerts for the other prisoners, teaching in the prison's education department, study of Spanish and Japanese languages, letters he has received from other composers and friends, concern for the school in his absence and recommendations for studies and administrative matters there, and his gratitude for efforts made on his behalf. In the final letter he has learned that his sentence will be 15 years, of which he must serve at least 4.