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Posted by: Pat Padua
Our colleagues at the Library of Congress blog have noted the trending topic of the end of the world, based on a reading of the Maya calendar that lays out the day of creation as Aug. 11, 3114 B.C., and the end of the world approaching on Dec. 21, 2012. Which is tomorrow. The Music Division …
Posted in: Sheet Music of the Week, Special Collections
Posted by: David Plylar
Perhaps the greatest problem with musical warhorses is that in winning the battle for performance time they have triumphed over other works that could have been heard “in-steed.” There are certain works, however, that I do not begrudge their trot to the top; among these is Schubert’s String Quartet in G major, D. 887, the …
Posted in: Composers, Concerts and Events, Musical Instruments
Posted by: Cait Miller
Yesterday came the announcement we all look forward to in the Music Division: the naming of the next Gershwin Prize recipient! Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced singer-songwriter Carole King as the next recipient of the distinguished Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The Gershwin Prize “celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects …
Posted in: Composers, Women in Music
Posted by: David Plylar
While the Library of Congress is known for housing a treasure trove of materials ripe for the scholarly plucking, any library is only as good as the access it can provide to information. The accessibility of the collections—that less tangible but essential asset—is made possible by the Library’s employees, who possess a remarkable set of …
Posted in: Concerts and Events, Special Collections, Staff
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by David H. Plylar, Concert Office. On Thursday, November 29th, the Library of Congress will present the outstanding Baroque ensemble La Risonanza in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute of Washington, DC, in its first appearance in the United States. Half of the program …
Posted in: Composers, Concerts and Events
Posted by: Cait Miller
Last week the Music Division learned that American film composer Richard Robbins (1940-2012) had passed away earlier this month of Parkinson’s disease. Robbins, a well-respected composer, made his mark on late 20th-century/early 21st-century film music, having composed for dozens of films and earning two Academy Award nominations in his career. He is survived by his …
Posted in: Composers, In Memoriam, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by Nicholas A. Brown, Music Specialist, Concert Office. GRAMMY-nominated British violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved returns to the Library of Congress this December for a fascinating examination of the Music Division’s Niccolò Paganini collection, which includes posters, playbills, letters, manuscripts and memorabilia collected by the legendary violin virtuoso himself. This …
Posted in: Composers, Concerts and Events, Special Collections
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by Nicholas A. Brown, Music Specialist, Concert Office. Here in the Concert Office we are all very excited for the upcoming launch of our LIBRARY LATE series on Friday, November 30! Anything but your average concert experience, LIBRARY LATE offers you an enjoyable evening out at the Atlas Performing …
Posted in: Concerts and Events, Musicians
Posted by: Pat Padua
The following is a guest post by Senior Music Cataloger Sharon McKinley. My colleague Mary Wedgewood and I were recently chatting about all our former interns and volunteers, and how much we’ve enjoyed working with them. Some were training for library work. Some wanted to be performers. And a few just happened across our paths …
Posted in: Guest bloggers, Newly Cataloged, Staff