- Scope and Contents
-
Autograph manuscript and manuscript reproduction scores and parts for circa 50 works, most by African American composers, including music for voice and piano, chorus, band, or orchestra, 1902-1957, with most 1931-1945 or undated. Circa 20 composers are represented, including Margaret Bonds, H. T. Burleigh, William L. Dawson, George Gershwin, W. C. Handy, Hall Johnson, Ulysses Kay, Florence Price, William Grant Still, Roberta Russell Summers Stone, Howard Swanson, and Will H. Vodery. Vocal music includes texts by African American authors Countee Cullen, James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, Alain Locke, and Bruce Nugent. Some items are inscribed by composers to Carl Van Vechten or others, and some are accompanied by correspondence between composers and Van Vechten or other related materials, 1936-1960.
- Immediate Source of Acquisition
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These materials are presumed to have been donated to the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection in the early years of its establishment, 1941-1950. More information may be available in the Carl Van Vechten Papers Relating to African American Arts and Letters (JWJ MSS 1050).
- Arrangement
-
Arranged alphabetically by composer name, and alphabetically by work title within each name.
- Dates
- 1902 - 1957
- Majority of material found within 1931 - 1945
- Extent
- 8.0 Linear Feet (5 boxes)
- Related Names
- Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Bonds, Margaret, 1913-1972
- Bonds, Margaret ($t: Songs of the seasons)
- Burleigh, H. T. (Harry Thacker), 1866-1949
- Burleigh, H. T. (Harry Thacker), 1866-1949. ($t: Passionale. $p: Your eyes so deep.)
- Coleridge-Taylor, Samuel, 1875-1912
- Coleridge-Taylor, Samuel, 1875-1912. ($t: Scenes from The song of Hiawatha.)
- Cullen, Countee, 1903-1946
- Dawson, William L. (William Levi), 1899-1990
- Dawson, William L. (William Levi), 1899-1990. ($t: Out in the fields.)
- Gershwin, George, 1898-1937
- Gershwin, George, 1898-1937. ($t: Show girl.)
- Handy, W. C. (William Christopher), 1873-1958
- Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967
- Johnson, Hall, 1888-1970
- Johnson, James Weldon, 1871-1938
- Locke, Alain, 1885-1954
- Nugent, Bruce, 1906-1987
- Kay, Ulysses, 1917-1995
- Price, Florence, 1887-1953
- Still, William Grant, 1895-1978
- Still, William Grant, 1895-1978. ($t: Kaintuck')
- Still, William Grant, 1895-1978. ($t: Sahdji)
- Still, William Grant, 1895-1978. ($t: Voice of the Lord)
- Stone, Roberta Russell Summers, 1886-
- Sullivan, Maxine, 1911-1987
- Swanson, Howard, 1907-1978
- Swanson, Howard, 1907-1978. ($t: Short symphony.)
- Van Vechten, Carl, 1880-1964
- Vodery, Will H.
- Language of Materials
- English