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Creator
Holland, Jeanette B.
Call number
JPB 14-26
Physical description
.63 linear feet (2 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Jeanette B. Holland papers, JPB 14-26. Music Division, The New York Public Library.

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

Jeanette B. Holland (1901-2001), was a musicologist and a scholar of early music. The Jeanette B. Holland papers, dating from 1949 to 1976, contain her research notes, annotated copies of Renaissance music manuscripts, papers by other researchers, and Holland’s notes for courses she took with Henry Cowell.

Biographical/historical information

Jeanette B. Holland née Liebrecht (1901-2001), a musicologist, was born in Mannheim, Germany. She attended the University of Heidelberg, where she studied political science and took courses in harmony and musicology. She married Otto Holland in 1923. The Hollands were Jewish and emigrated from Nazi Germany to the Dominican Republic in 1939, and to the United States in 1940.

From 1949 to 1951, Holland took classes on music theory and music of the world’s peoples with Henry Cowell at the New School for Social Research. From 1950 to 1959, she studied musicology at New York University with Gustave Reese and Jan La Rue. She earned a master of arts degree in 1955 and a master of philosophy degree in 1983, both from New York University. Holland published articles on a variety of early music topics in the Gregorian Review, Acta Musicologica, Bulletin of the New York Public Library, and Notes. Together with Arthur J. Ness, she contributed articles on five 16th century Italian composers to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Scope and arrangement

The Jeanette B. Holland papers, dating from 1949 to 1976, contain Holland’s research notes, copies of Renaissance music manuscripts with her annotations, and copies of treatises or papers by other researchers with her notes. Topics of Holland’s research include the guitar music of Jan Antonin Losy and music for the lute. The research notes also hold correspondence with Josef Klima and notes on a manuscript cataloging project Holland worked on at the Music Division of The New York Public Library.

The papers hold Holland’s class assignments and notes taken for the three courses she took with Henry Cowell from 1949 to 1951 (Music Theory Advanced I and II, and Music of the World’s Peoples). These notes also contain correspondence with Sidney Cowell from the mid-1970s.

The collection contains two audio recordings. One is a rare, commercially-released vinyl disc of music by Orazio Benevoli, the other an open-reel tape of French lute pieces performed by Josef Klima. These pieces are held in manuscript form by the Music Division.

Inquiries regarding audio materials in the collection may be directed to the Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound (rha@nypl.org). Audio materials will be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.

Arrangement

The collection is in two divisions: Research on Early Music and Courses Taught by Henry Cowell.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by Jeanette B. Holland, 1988-1991.

Processing information

Compiled by Matthew Snyder, 2014

Related Material

Henry Cowell correspondence to Jeanette B. Holland, 1950-1953. Music Division, The New York Public Library.

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, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Access restrictions

Inquiries regarding audio materials in the collection may be directed to the Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound (rha@nypl.org). Audio materials will be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.