On a recent humid July day in Washington, D.C., I sat at a desk in the pleasingly air-conditioned Performing Arts Reading Room at the Library of Congress. My reading material for the day: multiple boxes of sketches and manuscripts from the Stephen Sondheim Papers. As a songwriter currently working on my own musical, I wanted to get a glimpse into Sondheim’s process—to take songs I was familiar with and track their creation to see what I could learn and perhaps use in my own writing.

Having seen various items from across his career, I’d like to share some observations and examples from that day.

It became quickly clear that Sondheim crafts his lyrics through a process of constant refinement and purification. He said art itself was “an attempt to make order out of chaos,” and his songs too go through several cycles of chaos to order before reaching the shiny final product.

He first scribbles and drafts on yellow legal paper, using his famous Blackwing pencils. These pages can at first glance seem dense and impenetrable—full of many ideas and lists of words that may eventually become useful. After subsequent pages of notes, a first form appears. He types this up on a typewriter and extensively annotates in pencil. He then types up these edits, and repeats the process. Again and again: improvement after improvement, word by word.

For example, several typed drafts of “Giants in the Sky” from “Into the Woods” have Jack singing the following:

The roof, the house and your mother at the door.

The roof, the house and the world that don’t seem small anymore.

Not bad. But Sondheim explores further possibilities, scribbling many alternatives in the free space nearby. He circles one of them thickly; it is:

The roof, the house and your mother at the door.

The roof, the house and the world you never thought to explore.

Bingo! What’s particularly interesting to me is how such a practical matter as finding a rhyme could lead to a genuine shift in the philosophy Jack is trying to express. Finding a rhyme for door leads Sondheim to explore, which opened up a whole new perspective.

Another delightful line, from the same musical:

There’s no time to sit and dither

While her withers wither with her

This came about less from divine inspiration, than Sondheim listing endless cow parts in his margins. Loin, horn and udder provide less useful fodder, but withers sits there waiting and Sondheim has the nouse to explore further. Once dither occurs to him, he’s off to the races, and the rest of the page is strewn with options like the following:

With her withers as they wither

See her withers — how they’ve withered

While we wither with her withers

For me, the most striking example of a single altered word changing the entire philosophy of a song comes in the Act I finale of “Sunday in the Park with George.” Several typed drafts have the song “Sunday” concluding like this:

People strolling in a park

On a humid afternoon

On an island in the river

On a monumental Sunday …

Monumental eventually changes to ordinary and the entire notion is cemented; that the people in the painting are unaware their inconspicuous Sunday afternoon is being immortalized forever. It is fascinating to see how in flux Sondheim was all the time, how totally open to new and better ideas he was.

A final observation, on a more personal level: as much of a genius as Sondheim was, seeing the frail ordinary looking paper and scribbles firsthand made clear how human he was. How he was just a person working away and trying and failing like the rest of us.

As a writer it was also, frankly, encouraging to see how inelegant some of his initial attempts were! For Sondheim, the thought was king; all the verbal subtleties could be worked at later, but it was the thought, the deeper idea, that really mattered. How fortunate we are, too, that he sketched his process out at all. Now future generations can come and view his process firsthand and return to their writing as energized and inspired as I was on my recent visit.

Treasures from the Stephen Sondheim Papers
A small set of materials from the Stephen Sondheim Papers is now on display in the Music Division’s Performing Arts Reading Room through March 28, 2026. The featured materials include highlights from the collection, including lyrics and music from his musicals “Into the Woods,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “Sweeney Todd,” and “A Little Night Music.”

The purpose of the award is to ensure support for post-doctoral (or equivalent) researchers of any nationality engaging in projects centered on collections held within the Library’s Music Division. Recipients may engage with other research collections in the Library or elsewhere in Washington, D.C., but the primary focus will be the Music Division collections. The award will be a stipend of up to $2,000 (US) and is to be used to cover travel (e.g., airfare, train, mileage, etc.) to and from Washington, D.C., overnight accommodations, as well as other research expenses. The Fellowship will be awarded to applicants proposing well-conceived projects that will primarily use the Music Division’s collections.

Eligibility

Post-doctoral (or equivalent) researchers with a need for the Fellowship support are encouraged to apply. All researchers must meet the requirements of the reading rooms that they plan to access during their research visit. Consult Performing Arts Reading Room requirements on the Reading Room website. Individuals who are not U.S. residents but who otherwise meet the above academic qualifications may also apply and be considered for a Fellowship, contingent upon the applicant’s visa eligibility.

In the interest of increasing awareness and extending documentation of Library of Congress collections, Fellows are required to make use of the Music Division’s extensive collections; be in residence for a minimum of at least five business days during the award period; and share information derived from their research at the Library through a publication, public lecture (or other event), or digital humanities project within twelve months of completing their research at the Library (or have acceptance for publication within twelve months). Each Fellowship recipient must also notify the selection committee once their publication is completed and provide a hyperlink to the work. There must be some form of acknowledgment within all related presentations, events, and publications that research was supported by the Fellowship.

What are the application requirements?

Please submit the following via email submission to vnovara@loc.gov (accepted only via email):

1. An up-to-date résumé or curriculum vita (brief) providing information as to education, degrees received, fellowships and honors, publications, positions held, and other pertinent information.
2. A one-page abstract (250 words maximum) that specifies how the proposed project is related to the research that features the Music Division’s collections or more broadly within the field of music; and identifies specifically which Library collections the applicant intends to utilize in research during the required period of residency at the Library of Congress.
3. A description of the proposed project (no longer than five pages) including (a) accomplishments to date, (b) a timetable for completion, (c) an itemized budget (including necessary travel and research expenses), (d) plans for use of the Library of Congress collections, and (e) other pertinent information, including plans for publication. (Font no smaller than 11 point, double-spaced).
4. Two letters of recommendation. Please give your recommenders copies of your proposal and ask them to comment on your strengths and weaknesses, the value of the proposed project, and your abilities to carry out the project as described.
5. Applications lacking any of these required components will automatically be eliminated from review.

When will the Fellowship begin? 

The Fellowship can start at the Music Division in the James Madison Building after May 11, 2026, but should complete by August 29, 2026. The Fellowship is required to be conducted in person. Completed applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 15, 2026; notification will occur in March 2026.

Selection process

Each application will be reviewed by the selection committee composed of the Music Division’s Acting Chief, the Head of Acquisitions and Processing, and the Head of Reader Services. The Library reserves the right to not award the Fellowship or to award more than one Fellowship.

Additional benefits for the applicant during their residency at the Library

The Fellow will receive a welcome tour of the Library by the Music Division’s Head of Acquisitions & Processing and Head of Reader Services. The tour will include how to find relevant reading rooms, the location of various amenities, and introductions to appropriate staff. This overview will allow the Fellow to focus on their research rather than losing valuable time trying find out how to navigate the Library.

Celia Cruz was born singing. From a young age, she demonstrated virtuosity, winning multiple singing radio contests and talent shows, and performing in at radio programs, cabarets, and with various groups. After establishing herself as a respected artist in Havana, she joined the famed cabaret ensemble Las Mulatas de Fuego (“The Fiery Mulattas”), achieving international success with tours to Mexico and Venezuela.

Cruz reached global fame in 1950 when she became the lead vocalist of the legendary Cuban band La Sonora Matancera. Founded in 1924 in Matanzas, La Sonora Matancera was one of the most important Cuban bands of its time. Cruz replaced Puerto Rican lead singer, Myrta Sylva, and became the band’s iconic face and first Afro-Cuban singer to lead it during its golden years.

After the Cuban Revolution in 1960, Cruz and La Sonora Matancera left the island for a residency at La Terraza nightclub in Mexico City. They never returned to Cuba. In 1961, Cruz performed at the Los Angeles Palladium, marking her first visit to the United States. She later settled permanently in New York City.

One of the most beloved Cuban folk songs in Cruz’s repertoire was “Guantanamera,” meaning “woman from Guantánamo,” with lyrics by Cuban poet José Martí and music by Cuban musician and songwriter José Fernández Díaz. Popularized in the United States by the American folk musician Pete Seeger and The Sandpipers, “Guantanamera” became one of Cruz’s staple songs, reflecting her love and longing for her native Cuba. Although the exact date of her first performance is unclear, the earliest known recording of Cruz singing “Guantanamera” is from 1967 in Mexico.

As “Guantanamera” gained global popularity, many artists created their own arrangements.  Machito and His Afro-Cubans Band also performed a celebrated version. Their score arranged by Ruben Rivera is part of the collection at the Music Division of the Library of Congress.

Holograph piano score for “Guantanamera” Box-Folder 5/13,
Music of Machito and His Afro-Cubans, Music Division.

Another popular Cuban folk staple of Cruz’s repertoire was “El Manisero” (“The Peanut Vendor”), written by Moisés Simón Rodríguez in 1930. “El Manisero” holds a prominent place in American culture. Recorded by Rita Montaner in 1927 and Don Azpiazú and his Havana Casino Orchestra in 1930, “El Manisero” initiated the rumba craze in the United States. It was recorded by major American artists, including Judy Garland, Louise Armstrong and Stan Kenton.  “El Manisero” was also featured in many American films, including “Cuban Love Song” (1931), “Duck Soup” (1933) and “Only Angels have Wings (1939), among others. Due to its significance, it was added to the National Recording Registry in 2005.

Holograph first trumpet score of “El Manicero” Box-Folder 5/13,
Music of Machito and His Afro-Cubans, Music Division.

In 1965, Cruz left La Sonora Matancera to begin her solo career. She began an influential partnership with Tito Puente, establishing herself in the Latin music scene. Together they recorded eight albums and toured globally. Her husband, Pedro Knight, continued working as a trumpet player with “La Sonora Matancera” until 1966, when he decided to leave the band to become Cruz’s manager. The two were inseparable.

In 1974, Cruz collaborated with Dominican flutist, bandleader and music empresario Jhony Pacheco to record “Quimbará,” a hit from the album “Celia and Johny” that catapulted her to global sensation and gave her the title of the “Queen of Salsa.” Written by Puerto Rican Junior Cepeda, “Quimbará,” was a marriage of the Puerto Rican and Cuban cultures. Despite its impact, there is no literal meaning to the word “Quimbará,” it is just a game of text and interplaying with the song’s driving percussion, creating an unforgettable vocal and rhythmic experience.

The album “Celia and Johny” became a landmark for Latin music. It was inducted into the National Recording Registry 2014, preserving its musical and cultural significance.  In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine included it in its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. This album became a landmark in the history of what is now known as the “Golden Age of Salsa.”  Despite its relevance, the album did not receive a Grammy, as no Latin or tropical categories existed at the time. The Latin Grammy was not established until 2000.

Celia Cruz was a musician ahead of her time. From her humble beginnings in Havana to her rise with “La Sonora Matancera,” her global success with Fania and later her solo career, she navigated an industry dominated by men with grace, pride and unmistakable brilliance. With her famous “Azúcar” (“sugar”), her sophisticated fashion, her charisma and immense talent, she gifted generations of Latinos, particularly Afro-Latinas, a space, a shared musical identity and a sense of success.

Gracias Celia!

Alexis Rodíguez-Duarte, photographer (2003).
Fashion designer Narciso Rodríguez with Celia Cruz at his atelier on a Friday before the Grammy Awards, New York City, from the series Cuba Out of Cuba.
The Annenberg Space for Photography collection of exhibition prints, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ppmsca-73606

The Music Division is pleased to announce the publication of a new research guide outlining the Library’s rich primary and secondary sources concerning the Damrosch family. Although based primarily in New York City, the Damrosch family left an enduring legacy on American musical life writ large.

This research guide brings together materials scattered amongst numerous collections that document the Damrosch family’s rich engagement in American musical life. These materials include music manuscripts, published and/or edited music, arrangements, correspondence, manuscript and published writings, newspaper clippings and periodical articles, concert programs, sound recordings and other biographical materials. Together, these materials paint a rich portrait of how the Damrosch family shaped music education in the United States as well as what music we listen to and how we consume it.

To facilitate research on specific members of the Damrosch family as well as to minimize confusion, descriptions of specific collections and other resources on each page are tailored to the individual on whom the page is focused.

Leopold Damrosch (1832–1885) emigrated with his wife, Helene von Heimburg (1835–1904), and children to New York City in 1871. There he founded the Oratorio Society of New York and the New York Symphony Society, and in 1884 became the chief conductor of the Metropolitan Opera. An opera singer, Helene continued to sing in the choral ensembles Leopold directed, and both fostered a love of music in their children, with singing and musical performance a key part of their education.

Although today Walter Damrosch is by far the most well-known member of the family through his conducting and educational efforts, his siblings remained devoted to music—albeit to varying degrees. He served as music director of the New York Symphony Society and, briefly, the New York Philharmonic. While leading the New York Symphony he conducted the U.S. premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony. Frank Damrosch spearheaded music education developments and reforms throughout the first four decades of the twentieth century, and founded what became The Juilliard School. Clara Damrosch, a gifted pianist, married the violinist David Mannes; together they founded the Mannes School, a prominent music conservatory also based in New York, now part of The New School.

We hope you enjoy diving in and learning more about the Damrosch family and the resources available at the Library of Congress. The Music Division offers over 50 research guides to the Music Division’s collections, all designed to help researchers understand and connect with our tremendous collections in music, theater, and dance. Stay tuned for more research guides coming soon.

Martha Graham (1894—1991) revolutionized dance in the twentieth century with an emotionally charged movement language that broke from European traditions, taking inspiration from mythology and psychology. The Library of Congress played a pivotal role in her career and vision, commissioning several ballets—including her famous “Appalachian Spring”—and continues to preserve her legacy through the stewardship of vast collections documenting her life and work. This new guide provides access to a vast collection of archival materials, including letters, photographs and writings by Graham, as well as numerous digital resources freely available to the public. 

Whether you are a scholar tracing Martha Graham’s lasting influence, a performer studying her technique, a teacher looking for resources to share with students, or a curious visitor discovering her work for the first time—the Library of Congress invites you to experience her legacy firsthand. 

Martha Graham: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress – Research Guides at Library of Congress 

Joseph Szigeti (1892–1973), one of the great violinists of the twentieth century, performed Beethoven’s famously challenging “Kreutzer” sonata with Alfred Cortot at the Founder’s Day concert on October 30, 1926—the first so called in honor of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge’s birthday. But it was Szigeti’s appearance with his Hungarian compatriot Béla Bartók at the piano in April 1940 that became the stuff of legend. 

The program opened with the “Kreutzer” sonata, followed by the Debussy violin sonata and Bartók’s Rhapsody no. 1, closing after the break with Bartók’s second violin sonata. The recital by Bartók and Szigeti was a long time in the making; the publicly anti-fascist Bartók sought to leave Europe in the volatile political landscape of 1939, and his correspondence with Music Division Chief Harold Spivacke reveals that he was worried about his family and his country. He wrote,

I wonder if you know our situation here? We see that small countries are invaded from one day to another quite unexpectedly by the most terrible armies and subjected to tortures of every kind. As for my own country, now, instead of one dangerous neighbor, we have got two of them; nobody knows what will happen the next day. It may happen, if I leave my country for America, that I can’t return, can’t even have news from my family.

Correspondence with Spivacke covers details of the program coming together and the logistics of booking Bartók’s passage to the United States. Ultimately Bartók was not only able to perform at the Library, but was able to immigrate to the United States later that year; he lived in the United States for the remainder of his life. 

Szigeti continued to advocate for his friend after their landmark performance at the Library, lauding Koussevitzky for commissioning Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra (held in manuscript at the Library) and encouraging the influential conductor to perform more of his music, as Bartók suffered from poor health at the end of his life. Szigeti wrote in part that “If you should decide to give his ‘Music for Strings [, Percussion] and Celesta’ the performance that only you and your orchestra can give of such an exquisite tonal texture, that would be not only a great artistic deed but also an act of healing!” 

Note 8/29/2025: This version corrects a typo in the second paragraph.

As his hands danced gracefully over the piano keys at a sold-out concert in the Coolidge Auditorium last fall, Eddie Palmieri had the crowd swaying, clapping, and bopping to a fiery blend of salsa and jazz. The pioneering Latin jazz musician and 10-time Grammy winner passed away at the age of 88 on August 6.

Known globally for his piano mastery and innovative compositions, the Spanish Harlem-born son of Puerto Rican parents garnered many accolades over a professional career spanning more than seven decades. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Palmieri began to carve out his niche in New York City’s vibrant Latin music scene. His first orchestra, La Perfecta (1961), transformed Latin music with its bold trombone-heavy sound and unique salsa-jazz fusion, and is credited with helping to usher in the salsa movement in the United States.

Palmieri, widely known as the “Sun of Latin Music,” was the first to win a Grammy in the category of Best Latin Music recording in 1975, and his musical legacy earned him the Latin Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, the same year the National Endowment for the Arts crowned him with a Jazz Master Fellowship.

His iconic 1965 album “Azúcar Pa’ Ti” was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2009 for its lasting impact on American culture. In October 2024, the then Music Division chief, Susan Vita, presented him with a certificate of recognition for the album’s enduring influence beyond the dance halls. Vita also gifted him a facsimile of the first page of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” honoring his contributions to music and culture.

In a sit-down interview with Claudia Morales in the Music Division, Palmieri reflected on the profound influence of his musical family: his mother, a concert pianist, introduced him to the piano; his older brother, Charlie, also a musician, guided him in his early years, and his father would take him on frequent visits to recording studios. These early experiences laid the foundation for his later success as a bandleader, arranger and composer.

Palmieri influenced generations of musicians across jazz, Latin and funk, and was a tireless advocate for social equality, as evidenced in his 1971 album, “Harlem River Drive.” His commitment to preserving and advancing Latin music strengthened his status as an icon in the industry.

With his passing, the world has lost a towering artist and cultural ambassador whose musical genius –marrying salsa heat with jazz’s complexity— showed the timeless power of rhythm and melody.

Concerts from the Library of Congress presents a bold 15-event lineup for the fall 2025 season, wrapping up its successful 18-month centennial celebration with a rich mix of classical, jazz and pop concerts, lectures, conversations and special projects that salute the distinguished history of the series.

Commissions by Sir George Benjamin, Raven Chacon and Larissa Maestro continue the Library’s legacy of vigorous support for the creation of contemporary music. On Nov. 14, Benjamin will give the U.S. premiere of his “Divisions” for piano, four-hands, a co-commission of the Pierre Boulez-Saal, the Library and Wigmore Hall, with a friend of many decades, Pierre-Laurent Aimard. Benjamin will return the following evening to speak before a concert by the Grossman Ensemble, which will perform his “At First Light.”

Pulitzer Prize-winning Diné composer Raven Chacon will perform in the Dec. 6  premiere of a commission inspired by his encounters with rare instruments from many cultures in the Library’s collections. On December 3, SistaStrings premieres a commission for violin and piano on Dec. 3 by Filipina-American composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Larissa Maestro, whose compositions span styles from chamber music, ballet scores and popular music.

“As the Music Division continues to honor the legacy of concert series founder Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, this season affirms the Library’s commitment to inspiring the creators, performers, and audiences of today with distinctive opportunities to discover and enjoy the music of the past and present,” said Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres, acting chief of the Music Division.

A special two-day Founder’s Day celebration on Oct. 29 and 30 honors series benefactor Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, highlighting her interest in early music as well as contemporary works. On Oct. 29, pianist Simone Dinnerstein leads the Baroklyn ensemble in chamber works by J.S. Bach, including a concerto and cantata, prefaced by the Bach chorale performed to open the Coolidge Auditorium a century ago.

On October 29, Brown-Cáceres and Music Specialist David H. Plylar will also discuss their new book: “Let the People Hear It: 100 Years of Concerts from the Library of Congress” during a special preconcert talk. On Oct. 30, the celebrated Mexican classical percussion ensemble Tambuco performs works by Latin American composers including Gabriela Ortiz, Diego Vega, Héctor Infanzón and others.

Two exceptional jazz events will be presented on Nov. 6 as part of the popular Live! At the Library series. A youthful force on today’s jazz scene, vocalist Ekep Nkwelle will appear with her quartet. And “The Disappearance of Miss Scott,” a documentary on the remarkable life of jazz star and Civil Rights pioneer Hazel Scott – whose papers are held by the Music Division – will be introduced by the artist’s son, Adam Clayton Powell III. On June 18, 2025-2026 Library of Congress Jazz Scholar Lara Pellegrini will give a lecture on the jazz singer Anita O’Day. All events are made possible through the generosity of the Revada Foundation of the Logan family.

On Dec. 18 and 19 the annual Antonio Stradivari Memorial celebration brings the young, exciting Isidore String Quartet with guest artists violist Misha Amory and cellist Nina Lee. A major highlight of the season will be their performance of a Brahms sextet on a sextet of Stradivari instruments, including the Library’s recently acquired 1690 Fulton, ex-Baird, Tuscan-Medici viola.

Ticketing

All events are presented free of charge to the public. Fall 2025 events will be listed on the Concerts from the Library of Congress website on Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. ET, with public registration available for October and November events on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 10 a.m. ET. Registration for December events will be available on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. ET. Patrons are encouraged to sign up for the waitlist if an event is sold out to be notified if tickets become available. The Library encourages walk-up patrons who do not have a ticket to come for a RUSH pass, beginning two hours prior to concerts, anticipating that passholders may be admitted based on no-shows and cancellations. Visit loc.gov/concerts for complete ticketing and program information.

Fall 2025 Programs

Friday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m.: Consone Quartet with Kristian Bezuidenhuit, fortepiano

The Consone Quartet and fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout present an evening of Haydn and Mozart, featuring an early piano concerto by Mozart and an arrangement of his quintet for piano and winds. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m.: Lecture, “Musical Representations of the West During the Silent Film Era: Max Winkler’s Score for ‘The Yaqui’ (1916),” Mariana Whitmer, Ph.D.

In a lecture co-presented with the American Musicological Society, independent scholar Mariana Whitmer uses the scenario cue sheets created by Max Winkler to discuss the musical representation of “the West” in silent films.

Wednesday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m.: Simone Dinnerstein, piano, Jennifer Johnson Cano, voice, Peggy Pearson, oboe, and Baroklyn

Simone Dinnerstein leads the Baroklyn ensemble in an evening of chamber works by J.S. Bach to open a special Founders Day 2025 celebration that marks the Library’s illustrious century-long history as a concert presenter. Join for a preconcert conversation at 6:30 p.m. on a new book: “Let the People Hear It: Concerts from the Library of Congress at 100,” with Music Division co-authors Nicholas A. Brown-Cáceres and David H. Plylar.

Thursday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m.: Live! At the Library: Tambuco

The celebrated Grammy-nominated Mexican percussion ensemble Tambuco returns to the Library of Congress for the annual Founder’s Day concert with a dynamic repertoire by Latin American composers, featuring music that ranges from delicately intricate to powerfully expansive. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 8 p.m.: Valerie Coleman: “Reverie”

“Reverie” honors a cultural exchange with a program pairing the music of Valerie Coleman with works by Ravel, Debussy and Poulenc. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Thursday, Nov. 6, 5 p.m.: Live! At the Library: Film Screening: “The Disappearance of Miss Scott”  

“The Disappearance of Miss Scott” chronicles Hazel Scott’s meteoric rise as a jazz talent and major Hollywood star. The first African American to have her own television show, she was also an influential civil rights pioneer before being blacklisted during the Red Scare of the 1950s. Adam Clayton Powell III, Hazel Scott’s son, will introduce the screening of the film, produced for PBS’ “American Masters” series. A display of letters, photographs, programs and memorabilia from the Library’s Hazel Scott Papers will be on view. Presented through the generosity of the Revada Foundation of the Logan family.

Thursday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m.: Live! At the Library: Ekep Nkwelle

Rising jazz star Ekep Nkwelle, a graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Howard University and Juilliard, captivates audiences with her vocal exuberance, versatility and charisma. Presented through the generosity of the Revada Foundation of the Logan family.

Friday, Nov. 14, 8 p.m.: Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano and Sir George Benjamin, piano

Pierre-Laurent Aimard performs a recital of works by Pierre Boulez, the Russian modernist Nikolai Obukhov, and Maurice Ravel, with a new work by the eminent British composer Sir George Benjamin. The composer joins Aimard for the U.S. premiere of Benjamin’s “Divisions” for piano, four hands, a co-commission from the Pierre Boulez-Saal, the Library’s Dina Koston and Roger Shapiro Fund for New Music and Wigmore Hall. Join for a preconcert lecture by David Plylar, Ph.D., Music Division, “Le Tombeau de Boulez: Revolution and Remembrance,” at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Saturday, Nov. 15, 8: p.m.: Grossman Ensemble, with Stefan Asbury, conductor

Chicago’s Grossman Ensemble, led by Stefan Asbury, performs works by Sir George Benjamin, Augusta Read Thomas, Sean Shepherd and Morton Feldman. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists and Sir George Benjamin at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Friday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m.: Les Arts Florissants, with Théotime Langlois de Swarte, violin

Star violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte leads the acclaimed French Baroque ensemble in an exhilarating concert celebrating the 300th anniversary of Antonio Vivaldi’s “Le Quattro Stagioni” (The Four Seasons). Join for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Saturday, Nov. 22, 2 p.m.: Beatrice Berrut, piano

Beatrice Berrut performs the music of Liszt, Saint-Saëns, Mahler and Dukas in a heavy-hitting recital that showcases works from the Library’s collections. Join for a preconcert conversation with the artist at 12:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m.: SistaStrings

SistaStrings returns to the Library following their acclaimed Gershwin Prize appearance in 2024. Chauntee Ross, voice and violin, and Monique Ross, voice and cello, offer a powerful, emotionally charged program that blends classical, soulful and contemporary sounds. The Ross sisters will perform the world premiere of a Library of Congress commission by Larissa Maestro. There will be no preconcert conversation for this event.

Saturday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m.: Raven Chacon Ensemble

Winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Music and a MacArthur Fellowship, Diné composer and sound artist Raven Chacon is known for poetic works that summon a sense of landscape, space and spirit. Experience an evocative, unique sound world when Chacon brings colleagues to perform with him in an evening of his recent chamber and conceptual compositions, including a new commission from the Library’s Strickland Fund. Join for a preconcert conversation with the composer at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Thursday, Dec. 18, 8 p.m.: Live! At the Library: Isidore String Quartet with Misha Amory, viola, and Nina Lee, cello

The Isidore String Quartet partners with violist Misha Amory and cellist Nina Lee for an evening of music by Bach, Brahms and Beethoven. It is a rare chance to hear six Stradivari instruments used together in performance, including the recently acquired 1690 Fulton, ex Baird, Tuscan-Medici Stradivari viola. Join us for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Friday, Dec. 19, 8 p.m.: Isidore String Quartet with Misha Amory, viola, and Nina Lee, cello

In the second of two concerts, the Isidore and their guest artists repeat the program from Dec. 18. Join us for a preconcert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

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As I finish a fellowship in the Music Division, I wanted to explore how my own doctoral research into the musical backdrop of the French Revolution intersects with the Library’s collections. What better time than the summer, when Independence Day and Bastille Day occur, to remember the ways in which the American and the French Revolutions were inextricably linked.

Any mention of music and the French Revolution inevitably conjures Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil’s beloved musical Les Misérables (recently playing at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts). Or else, the pairing may recall dramatic performances along the Seine during last fall’s Opening Ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics. But these associations are merely an echo of the deep historical roots of music and the Revolution.

From the very beginnings of unrest in pre-revolutionary France, song played a pivotal role in galvanizing citizens and spreading important information. Political broadsides—with new sets of lyrics to be sung to familiar tunes—were hawked on the Pont Neuf, often competing with response songs from the opposing camp. across the political aisle.

Along with “Ça Ira,” the most famous and recognizable songs of the revolutionary period were “La Carmagnole” and “La Marseillaise.” French composer and woodwind player François Devienne incorporated all three into his programmatic Symphony in D major, “La Bataille de Gemmapp.” Much like a World War II newsreel, this piece told the story of an early battle in the French Revolutionary Wars (against the Austrians at Jemappes) to audiences safely in theaters at home. Alongside the revolutionary hymns signifying victory, Devienne’s dramatic score indicated cannon volleys, trumpet calls, cavalry marches, military commands, and laments for the wounded and dying.

Outside of France, music told the story of the Revolution and, especially in the young American democracy, symbolized liberty. One early nineteenth century American printing of “La Marseillaise” speaks to the use of French songs in similarly grandiose spectacles across the Atlantic. The subtitle declares that this arrangement was “sung at the Washington Parade Ground,” while a caption at the bottom reads, “The following Ode was printed on a movable stage and distributed to the citizens during the procession”—evoking images of printing presses on parade floats amidst clambering throngs of singing onlookers.

It is perhaps no surprise that “La Marseillaise” lends itself better to variation than other Revolutionary songs. Like earlier broadsides, the melodies of “Ça Ira” and “La Carmagnole” predate their famous lyrics and were chosen for their simplicity and repetition. “La Marseillaise,” on the other hand, was specially composed in response to threats from international coalition forces. The sense of courage, resolve, and musical grandiosity baked in from the beginning inspired volunteer forces from Marseille to sing it on their march into Paris in 1792 and laid the foundation for subsequent centuries of musical adaptations—from early piano variations to the Beatles and beyond.

I’ve long known that our Coolidge Foundation Collection includes Ravel’s manuscripts for the work. What I didn’t realize until investigating, however, is that the “Chansons madécasses” did not premiere at the Library of Congress’s then newly-constructed Coolidge Auditorium; instead, Ravel’s songs premiered on May 8, 1926 at the American Academy in Rome, featuring mezzo-soprano Jane Bathori accompanied by the remarkable Louis Fleury (flute), Hans Kindler (cello) and Alfredo Casella (piano). Kindler played multiple roles in the concert and in Ravel’s commission: In 1925, it was Kindler who contacted Ravel to relay Coolidge’s offer of a commission, and it was he who notified Coolidge of Ravel’s acceptance. Coolidge gleefully replied to Kindler on January 30, 1925: “What joyful news your letter has brought me! I am truly happy about it and I must say I am a bit surprised.” (Coolidge Foundation Collection, Box 49/Folder 24)

Coolidge also employed Kindler to help coordinate Foundation-sponsored programming abroad, such as a European concert series in May and June of 1926 featuring solely Coolidge commissions on the programs – including Ravel’s new “Chansons madécasses.” The concert series started in Rome, but took Coolidge’s programming to Paris on June 13, 1926. The Coolidge Foundation Collection includes a program for the Paris concert, signed by Ravel and the artists, but note that the flutist for this particular program is listed as Monsieur Baudouin (replacing Monsieur Louis Fleury). Devastatingly, Fleury died suddenly of blood poisoning on June 10^th, three days before the performance, and Baudouin had to step in at the last minute to perform. Kindler wrote to Coolidge: “I hope the sudden and tragic news of Fleury’s death has not been too horrible a shock for you. It follows me at every turn and, completely unexpected as it was, gave me such a start, that, if it had not been for the fact that both he and Mrs. Fleury implored me to advise you to go on with the concert (that is to say the day before his death he said as much to Mrs. Fleury), I would have advised to the contrary…[we will rehearse] the Ravel, with the flute player Fleury wanted to play in his place.”

In addition to music manuscripts for the works Coolidge commissioned, the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection includes correspondence that allow researchers a behind-the-scenes look at the commissioning process. To gain greater insight to the creation of the “Chansons madécasses,” it’s imperative to look not only at Coolidge’s correspondence from Ravel, but also two other major players: the aforementioned musician Hans Kindler and another collaborator, Henry Prunières. Prunières, a French musicologist, founded the music publishing magazine “La Revue musicale” in 1920 with Coolidge’s financial support, and returned that support in the form of assistance organizing her Paris festivals and connecting with French composers, such as, of course, Ravel. When Prunières inquired in October of 1925 (10 months after Ravel had accepted the commission) if he and Ravel could program the one chanson madécasse that had already been composed, Coolidge was clear with her frustrations: “I shall be very glad to give my song for the performance of the ‘Chanson madécasse’ for the month of June, with the understanding that he has completed the other two songs, for which I have already paid him, in time for their presentation in March in America, and in May in several European cities, including Paris. I wish to give the first performance of this group everywhere, and feel that I cannot consent to any other performance until the three are finished and in my hands…I am greatly disappointed as the time goes by and [Ravel] does not fulfill his promise of sending me the other two which were positively promised by the first of January, and for all three of which I paid him last May.”

So there was an idea of an American premiere preceding the European city tour! This is a surprising comment, since I’ve yet to find any references to such plans in the extensive correspondence between Coolidge and then Chief of the Music Division Carl Engel. But one thing is evidenced from my research: spending time studying Coolidge’s correspondence files allow us to learn more about the negotiations, delays, frustrations, that can accompany music commissions (think of how many deadlines you’ve been hard-pressed to meet!). And of course, despite the frustrations, Coolidge put it well when she wrote to Prunières on February 18, 1926: “I, too, am very sorry that Mr. Ravel has not yet been able to complete the work which was commissioned a year ago; but, of course, I understand that so great a genius as he is can not [sic] be expected to write to order…”

We always celebrate Ravel’s genius, but his 150^th year calls for special reflection and research! While his official birthday was March 7^th, I have a hunch that he would forgive me for the belated birthday recognition.