Converted to EAD3 : Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Version 3 : Release: 1.1.1 : Release Date: 2019-12-16. Validating against latest version of schema.
Contact information: https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/perform.contact
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/2010563507
Material principally in English and German.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
The George and Böske Antheil Papers were purchased by the Music Division in 2006 and 2007 from the Estate of George Antheil.
No further accruals are expected.
George Antheil’s correspondence with Mary Louise Curtis Bok and Stanley Hart was processed in 1992 by Claudia Widgery as a single collection, called the George Antheil Collection, which also included the composer’s music manuscripts received by the Library of Congress between 1964 and 1975. These original and photo-reproduced manuscripts, donated principally by Böske Antheil, were cataloged in ML 96.A723 and ML 96.5.A62, respectively. In 1968, Mrs. Stanley Hart donated approximately 140 letters between her husband and Antheil. These were followed by Mrs. Cary William Bok’s 1975 gift of approximately 500 letters and other items related to Antheil’s relationship with her patron mother-in-law. A finding aid for the George Antheil Collection was publicly available until 2009.
The Music Division has since reprocessed these materials to more accurately reflect their original provenances. The George Antheil Collection no longer exists. The cataloged manuscripts have been returned to the general collections under their original ML call numbers. A handful of cataloged letters previously associated with the Bok correspondence, but unrelated, can be found in ML 95.A726. The remaining batches of Bok and Hart correspondence have been processed as two distinct collections, entitled the George Antheil Correspondence with Mary Louise Curtis Bok and the George Antheil Correspondence to Stanley Hart .
In 2006 to 2007, the Music Division purchased additional Antheil materials, which have been processed as the George and Böske Antheil Papers. References to the ML 96.A723 scores received between 1964 and 1975 are present on the collection finding aid in order to convey their shared provenance and to provide researchers with a more comprehensive list of Antheil music manuscripts available at the Library of Congress.
The George and Böske Antheil Papers were processed by Meghan Sommers and the finding aid coded for EAD by Christopher Hartten in 2010.
Piano rolls for the Fernand Léger film version of
Additional materials can be found in the UCLA Performing Arts Special Collections and the New York Public Library.
A significant quantity of holograph or photo-reproduced manuscript scores are cataloged in ML 96.A723 and ML 96.5.A62 respectively. The Music Division also holds numerous special collections that contain Antheil correspondence, including the George Antheil Correspondence with Mary Louise Curtis Bok ; George Antheil Correspondence to Stanley Hart ; Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection ; Irving Schwerké Collection; Nicolas Slonimsky Collection ; Percy Aldridge Grainger Collection; Serge Koussevitzky Archive ; Leonard Bernstein Collection ; Aaron Copland Collection ; Modern Music Archives . An assortment of cataloged letters are available in ML 95.A726.
Materials from the George and Böske Antheil Papers are governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright laws.
The George and Böske Antheil Papers are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Music Division prior to visiting in order to determine whether the desired materials will be available at that time.
Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [item, date, container number], George and Böske Antheil Papers, Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Entries refer to the activities of George Antheil unless otherwise specified.
The George and Böske Antheil Papers span the period 1875-1984, with the majority of materials dating from 1920-1958. They include holograph music manuscripts, printed music, published and unpublished writings, business and personal correspondence, subject files, photographs, programs and promotional materials, scrapbooks, artwork, biographical materials, and memorabilia.
"Music" consists principally of holograph or copyist manuscripts and printed scores of George Antheil’s compositions. These manuscripts span the entire range of Antheil’s career as a composer, with works from the 1920s through the 1950s. Manuscript reproductions frequently contain pencil or ink annotations in the hand of the composer. Notable works include a photo-reproduction of the holograph manuscript full score for
"Writings" includes books, articles, essays, dissertations, interviews, and literary musings by or about George Antheil, as well as several short stories and other compositions by Böske Antheil. George Antheil was a prolific writer who penned articles for
"Correspondence" chiefly contains business and personal letters sent and received by George and Böske Antheil. Notable correspondents include Sylvia Beach, Jean Cocteau, Luigi Dallapiccola, Vladimir Golschmann, James Joyce, Otto Kahn, Ezra Pound, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Stravinsky, Kurt Weill, W. B. Yeats, and others. The largest of these files consists of personal letters between the composer and his wife. Also of interest are exchanges between George and agents of the federal government, including J. Edgar Hoover. Posthumously dated folders generally indicate correspondence with Böske regarding George's musical compositions or performance permissions. All files are arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
"Subject files" address a wide range of musical and non-musical topics. Contracts, miscellanous notes, and ballet scenarios related to specific Antheil musical works are arranged by title. The majority of the files, however, focus upon performance and publication of works, radio broadcasts, estate issues, and other general subjects. Included are materials of estate executor, conductor, and Antheil enthusiast Charles Amirkhanian, files concerning the Antheil’s art collection, requests and permissions, and financial documents. Perhaps the most intriguing materials in the series are those for Antheil’s See-Note music notation system and documents for a Secret Communication System invented by Antheil and actress Hedy Lamarr.
"Photographs" chiefly showcases images of George Antheil alone or with friends and family members. Ezra Pound and Sylvia Beach stand out among the various dignitaries, while a series of albums captures family life with Böske and son Peter. Also present are photographs from several performances of Antheil’s stage works. Images date from about 1875 through 1977 and are arranged first by general subject and then chronologically by year. "Programs and Promotional materials" documents performances from 1923 to 1984. Oversize posters are described individually and are listed at the end of the chronological file.
"Scrapbooks" consists of bound and unbound albums of clippings, articles, and programs that span from 1922 to 1957. "Drawings" includes both original sketches by George Antheil and commissioned portraits of himself and Böske. Antheil’s sketch books feature cartoon sequences and drawings of friends and acquaintances, including Ernest Bloch, Sylvia Beach, Igor Stravinsky, Ezra Pound, and many others. "Biographical materials" is a loose collection of personal and family documents, including genealogical materials, certificates, membership cards, and several biographical sketches of George. "Memorabilia" includes a stopwatch owned by Antheil and the David Bispham Memorial Medal for American Opera, awarded to George for
The George and Böske Antheil Papers are organized in 10 series:
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/2010563507
Letters and telegrams with enclosures, sent and received. Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent and chronologically therein. Correspondence with individuals other than George or Böske is specified in the container list.