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Creator
Kudisch, Alexis and Weinberg, Bella Kudisch
Call number
JPB 06-45
Physical description
3 linear feet (6 boxes)
Language
The Professional records series contains items in English, German, and Russian
Preferred Citation

Alexis Kudisch and Bella Weinberg Papers, JPB 06-45. Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

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

Alexis Kudisch (1878-1947) was a concert violinist, born and trained in Russia, who moved to New York City and pursued a symphonic career. He eventually led his own string quartet, working around the United States. Bella Kudisch Weinberg (1912-2002) was Kudisch’s oldest child. The bulk of the collection consists of background material, notes and drafts of A Musical Odyssey, her unpublished book about her father’s life and career.

Biographical/historical information

Alexis Kudisch was born Avraam Kudish in Kiev, Russia on December 18, 1878. He was a musical prodigy and eventually pursued his education at the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music. In 1910, he left Russia because of religious persecution and made his way to the United States, settling in New York City. Shortly after his arrival, he met an opera singer named Manya and married her three days later. They had three children, the oldest of whom was Bella.

By this time, Kudisch had changed his first name to Alexis and altered the spelling of his last name. Kudisch earned his living as a concert violinist, playing with symphony orchestras large and small in the New York area. In the 1920s, he formed his own string quartet, and found success both locally and on tour. When the Great Depression gripped the nation, Kudisch, like so many musicians, was frequently unemployed. After years of struggling, Kudisch saw a revival of his career in the 1940s, as he became concert-master for several important ballet troupes. He died in 1947, after returning from a lengthy national tour.

Bella Kudisch, later Bella Kudisch Weinberg, had studied for a musical career as a cellist, but she was discouraged by her father’s situation during the Depression. She maintained her interest in the arts however, as a painter until her death in 2002. A Musical Odyssey was her means of connecting her father’s art to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Scope and arrangement

The Alexis Kudisch and Bella Kudisch Weinberg Papers are largely related to the unpublished manuscript, A Musical Odyssey by Weinberg. The book describes her father’s life and career, as well as her own experience growing up in a musical family. There are many drafts of the various parts of the book, but most of the drafts are undated. Furthermore, there are some draft pages whose intended place in the book is unclear. The collection also includes research material for the book, some original documentation from Kudisch’s career and copies of personal items, such as Kudisch’s Russian birth certificate and musical certification. Finally, there is a series of scores, mostly consisting of pieces composed or arranged by Kudisch.

The Alexis Kudisch and Bella Weinberg papers are arranged in three series:

  • Series I: "A Musical Odyssey"
    1993-1998; Undated
    1.5 linear feet [3 boxes]

    This series contains various drafts of the unpublished book, A Musical Odyssey, as well as the final known version of the manuscript. In addition, there are handwritten notes and research materials leading up to that final version. Most of the material is undated, making it difficult to chart the evolution of the various segments of the book.

  • Series II: Professional Records
    1893-1998
    .5 linear feet [1 box]

    This series includes material from the career of Alexis Kudisch himself, such as clippings, copyright documents, programs and touring schedules, but the bulk of the series is comprised of material from after Kudisch’s death. There are inventory lists of his papers, as well as correspondence and other documents related to A Musical Odyssey.

  • Series III: Scores
    1930-1943; Undated
    1 linear foot [2 boxes]

    This series primarily contains musical scores of pieces composed or arranged by Alexis Kudisch.

Administrative information

Custodial history

The Alexis Kudisch and Bella Weinberg Papers were donated to the Music Division in 1998 by Bella Kudisch Weinberg.

Source of acquisition

Bella Kudisch Weinberg

Processing information

Processed by Lee Spilberg; Machine-readable finding aid created by Lee Spilberg.

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 Curator, Music Division

Access restrictions

Photocopying prohibited.