Scope and arrangement
The Catherine Kramer Scores primarily consist of original music composed by Kramer, as well as her arrangements of works by other composers. The majority of the Kramer pieces consist of manuscript scores, frequently musical settings of poems. Authors represented include Dana Burnet, Grace Conkling, and Heinrich Heine. Many of Kramer's original compositions bear dedications to friends, including the Swedish soprano, Nanny Larsén-Todsen. Other manuscript scores include Kramer's own arrangements or keyboard transcriptions of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, and Bedric Smetana. Several of these scores were published by Pro Art Publications, as well as other music publishers. Additional music contained in the collection includes the manuscript score of Petit Berceuse (1949), a piece by the cellist, pianist, and composer, Marjorie Goetschius, which is dedicated to Kramer on the occasion of her birthday. Other Goetschius works include the sheet music for two popular songs she wrote with Jim Hoyl (a pseudonym of the violinist Jascha Heifetz). In addition to scores, the collection includes a few other items, such as a 1934 commencement program, as well as Kramer's certificate of completion of studies at the Master Institute of Roerich Museum.
The Catherine Kramer scores are arranged in three series:
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1926-19448 folders
The Music by Catherine Kramer series consists primarily of manuscript scores of original compositions by Kramer. Many of the pieces are musical settings of poems, including two versions of Du Bist Wie Eine Blume, a song dedicated to Nanny Larsén-Todsen. The 1926 copy was donated to the Music Division by the Akademiens Bibliotek and has been incorporated into this collection.
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1907 - 194919 folders
The Music by Other Composers series mainly contains manuscript and printed versions of musical works that were arranged for keyboard by Kramer. Several of these editions were published by Pro Art Publications during the late 1930s, most of which are included with the collection. Also of interest are compositions by Marjorie Goethius, including the manuscript version of a piece dedicated to Kramer, as well as sheet music for two popular songs, co-written with Jim Hoyl (Jascha Heifetz).
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1928 - 19345 folders
The Professional Papers series includes contains a few items relating to Kramer's studies at the Master Institute of Roerich Museum, a manuscript of a poem, and letters to publishers requesting permission to set certain poems to music.