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Ross Lee Finney Collection [collection]

Title

Ross Lee Finney Collection [collection]

Date Created

Span: 1906-1997

Language

English

Form

collection

Physical Description

14 boxes

Abstract

A collection of holograph scores for violin, piano, chamber and vocal works by the American composer and educator Ross Lee Finney. Finney's style was far ranging, from American folk music to complex serial techniques. He was also a gifted teacher and was on the faculties of Smith College and the University of Michigan. One of his students was Roger Reynolds, whose collection may also be found in the Library of Congress Music Division. The correspondence in this collection (cataloged as ML94.F55) is notable for replies to a wartime survey Finney sent out in 1943 to American composers asking the following four questions: What works did you compose during 1942? What first performances of your works were given in 1942? What works do you now have in process of composition? And what do you feel is the composer's war-time function? This elicited responses from 46 composers including Ernest Bacon, Samuel Barber, Marion Bauer, Elliott Carter, David Diamond, Aaron Copland, Howard Hanson, Ernst Krenek, Darius Milhaud, Walter Piston, and Virgil Thomson.

Contents Note

Scores with historical notes (many are self-bound holographs as well as a few published scores) and correspondence.

Note

Recordings transferred to MBRS

Preferred Citation

Ross Lee Finney Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress

Access Permissions

Researchers wishing to work with special collections are advised to inquire in advance about availability of material since many special collections are stored off-site.

Copyright

Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.

Subjects

Chamber Music
Choral Music
Piano Music
Violin Music
Songs
Finney, Ross Lee
Bacon, Ernst
Barber, Samuel
Bauer, Marion
Berezowsky, Nicolai
Boulanger, Nadia
Bowles, Paul
Carter, Elliott
Copland, Aaron
Creston, Paul
Diamond, David
Donovan, Richard
Duke, John
Engel, Lehman
Freed, Isadore
Fuleihan, Anis
Gruenberg, Louis
Hanson, Howard
Harris, Roy
Hill, Edward Burlingame
Jacobi, Frederick
Kirkpatrick, John
Krenek, Ernst
McBride, Robert
Milhaud, Darius
Moore, Douglas
Morris, Harold
Nordoff, Paul
Palmer, Robert
Pisk, Paul
Piston, Walter
Porter, Quincy
Rathaus, Karol
Riegger, Wallingford
Robinson, Earl
Rogers, Bernard
Samisky, Lazare
Schuman, William
Sowerby, Leo
Still, William Grant
Thompson, Randall
Thomson, Virgil
Van Vactor, David
Verrall, John
Wagenaar, Bernard

Repository

Music Division, Library of Congress

Last Updated: 08-30-2012