Research Catalog

Title

David Belasco collection of incidental music and musicals, ca. 1890-1931.

Author

Belasco, David, 1853-1931

Supplementary Content

Finding aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Furst, William, 1852-1917
• Klein, Manuel, 1876-1919
• Puerner, Charles, 1849-1905
• Stromberg, John, 853-1902

Description

31.25 linear feet (125 boxes)

Summary

• Most of the of the music in the David Belasco Collection of Incidental Music and Musicals is incidental music for plays. During Belasco's time most plays had musical accompaniment that was needed for overtures, scene changes, underscoring of melodramatic or climactic moments and for occasional songs. Scores are infrequently found for this material; nearly all of it is written in parts. On occasion, orchestra leaders (often the first violinist) created a cue sheet listing the musical sequences (sometimes with their verbal cues from the play) which would serve as a guide for what music to use during a particular sequence. A few of these exist in the collection. At times the first violin part doubles as a cue sheet, containing not only the violin part but also indicating cues and entrances for the orchestra.
• There are a number of scores to musicals in Belasco's collection which are not associated with his career. Their existence in his collection might have been the result of contractual or other professional obligations, or Belasco might have inherited works from others' music libraries, which was an occasional practice. Among the musicals are materials for Adele by Jean Briquet, Aphrodite by Henri Fevrier and Anselm Goetzl, The little café by Ivan Caryll, Miss Helyett by Edmond Audran, and parts for an early touring production of No, No, Nanette by Vincent Youmans. Also contained within the collection are a number of materials from shows or burlesques produced by the comedy team of Joe Weber and Lew Fields, composed by John Stromberg with lyrics by Edgar Smith . These include The big little princess, The college widower, The con-curers, Fiddle-dee-dee, Pousse-Café, Quo vass iss, and Whoop-de-doo.

Alternative Title

Belasco collection

Subjects

• Incidental music > Parts
• Musicals > Parts

Note

• Copyists' manuscripts in ink and pencil.
• Includes music for plays written, directed and/or produced by David Belasco ; some material unidentified.
• Chiefly instrumental parts ; includes some piano-conductor parts and vocal scores.
• The girl of the golden west cataloged separately: JPB 82-38; Madame Butterfly cataloged separately in JPB 82-37.

Call Number

JPB 93-4

OCLC

NYPG93-C3787

Author

Belasco, David, 1853-1931, compiler.

Title

David Belasco collection of incidental music and musicals, ca. 1890-1931.

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Finding aid

Added Author

Furst, William, 1852-1917, composer.

Klein, Manuel, 1876-1919, composer.

Puerner, Charles, 1849-1905, composer.

Stromberg, John, 853-1902, composer.

Research Call Number

JPB 93-4