What is dance?
Is it storytelling, using human forms to advance the storyline?
Is it movement with music?
Is it movement alone?
Merce Cunningham, a giant of modern dance, asked these questions and answered them–affirmatively in each case–over seven decades. He died, at age 90, on Sunday in Manhattan. From his introduction to the avant-garde composer John Cage in 1938 …
Archive for the ‘Music’ Category (17 posts)
Posted in: Concerts, Music, Photos
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Interactivity with one’s television or computer is normal, today. But there was a time–in a day when talking back to the tube would mark you as a bit odd–when families in the United States gathered to interact with their television receivers in a big way:
They sang along with Mitch.
Between 1961 and 1965, many Americans …
Posted in: Audiovisual, Collections, Music, Preservation, Video
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The Library of Congress has released the 25 recordings selected this year to be preserved for all time as part of the National Recording Registry. They range from the old and classical (violinist Jascha Heifetz’ recordings for Victor Records early in the last century) to more recent rock (The Who, singing “My Generation”) and …
Posted in: Audiovisual, Collections, History, Music, Poetry, Preservation
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Ninety-six years ago today, a riot broke out among audience members witnessing the premiere of a piece that changed classical-music history.
The composer, Igor Stravinsky, was horrified; the impresario, Serge Diaghilev, was delighted.
Feelings ran high at the Theatre des Champs Elysees in Paris that night, from the very opening bars of Stravinsky’s ballet “The Rite of …
Posted in: Collections, Exhibitions, Music, Today in History
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Broadway orchestration is the lasso that ensnares a catchy tune, a witty lyric, a burst of inspired dance–and spins them out from Times Square to your local theater, cabaret, satirical review or high school.
Wednesday and Thursday, May 6 and 7, the Library of Congress’ Music Division will host a free, two-day public symposium on Broadway …
Posted in: Concerts, Events, Music
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We had a few delays, but we were finally able to post all 55 minutes of the historic Feb. 23 performance by Stevie Wonder at the Library.
VIEW THE WEBCAST HERE
As I previously wrote (prematurely heralding what turned out to be only highlights of the evening), Wonder premiered the piece “Sketches of a Life,” which was …
Posted in: Concerts, Events, Music
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All eyes in the United States over the next couple of weeks will be on the current presidential campaign.
Here at the Library of Congress, we’re taking a bit of a look back — and a musical one, at that.
A few days ago, we opened an exhibition called “Voices, Votes, Victory: Presidential Campaign Songs,” which runs …
Posted in: Exhibitions, Music, News
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Tonight the final touches will be put on the Library�s West Side Story exhibition (thus the headline), which opens tomorrow, Sept. 26, and remains on view in the foyer of the Performing Arts Reading Room (room 113 of the Library�s James Madison Memorial Building) through March 29.
�West Side Story: Birth of a Classic� marks the …
Posted in: Exhibitions, LC Web site, Music
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