Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection [Finding Aid]

Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection Guides to Special Collections in the Music Division of the Library of Congress Music Division, Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 1980 Revised 2014 Contact information: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/perform.contact Additional search options available at: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/eadmus.mu012012 LC Online Catalog record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2012562124 Processed by the Music Division of the Library of Congress Collection Summary Title: Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection Span Dates: 1894-1953 Bulk Dates: (bulk 1920-1953) Call No.: ML29 Creator: Coolidge, Elizabeth Sprague, 1864-1953 Extent: 56,680 items ; 109 containers ; 48.50 linear feet Language: Collection material in English Location: Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Summary: Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge was a composer, pianist, and patron of music. In 1925, she created the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation at the Library of Congress in support of chamber music. The collection contains Coolidge's correspondence to and from many of the prominent musical artists of the first half of the twentieth century. Extensive correspondence between Coolidge and Library of Congress librarians and administrators is also included. The remaining materials in the collection, including photographs, scrapbooks, business papers, programs, publicity materials, iconography, realia, and clippings, are available for research and will be incorporated into the finding aid at a later date. Music manuscripts of works commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge or the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation in the Library of Congress comprise a substantial portion of the collection and are cataloged individually. Selected Search Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein. People Ara, Ugo, 1876-1936--Correspondence. Barrère, Georges, 1876-1944--Correspondence. Bartók, Béla, 1881-1945--Correspondence. Biggs, E. Power (Edward Power), 1906-1977--Correspondence. Bloch, Ernest, 1880-1959--Correspondence. Bridge, Frank, 1879-1941--Correspondence. Carpenter, John Alden, 1876-1951--Correspondence. Casella, Alfredo, 1883-1947--Correspondence. Chávez, Carlos, 1899-1978--Correspondence. Coolidge, Elizabeth Sprague, 1864-1953--Correspondence. Coolidge, Elizabeth Sprague, 1864-1953. Coolidge, Elizabeth Sprague, 1864-1953. Copland, Aaron, 1900-1990--Correspondence. Copland, Aaron, 1900-1990. Appalachian spring. Eichheim, Henry, 1870-1942--Correspondence. Engel, Carl, 1883-1944--Correspondence. Graham, Martha--Correspondence. Harris, Roy, 1898-1979--Correspondence. Hill, Edward Burlingame, 1872-1960--Correspondence. Howe, Mary, 1882-1964--Correspondence. Jacobi, Frederick, 1891-1952--Correspondence. Kolisch, Rudolf, 1896-1978--Correspondence. Kroll, William, 1901-1980--Correspondence. Loeffler, Charles Martin, 1861-1935--Correspondence. MacDowell, Marian, 1857-1956--Correspondence. Malipiero, Gian Francesco, 1882-1973--Correspondence. Mason, Daniel Gregory, 1873-1953--Correspondence. Milhaud, Darius, 1892-1974--Correspondence. Onnou, Alphonse--Correspondence. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection 2 Pizzetti, Ildebrando, 1880-1968--Correspondence. Prokofiev, Sergey, 1891-1953--Correspondence. Putnam, Herbert, 1861-1955--Correspondence. Respighi, Ottorino, 1879-1936--Correspondence. Riegger, Wallingford, 1885-1961--Correspondence. Roth, Feri, 1899-1969--Correspondence. Salzedo, Carlos, 1885-1961--Correspondence. Schneider, Alexander, 1908-1993--Correspondence. Schoenberg, Arnold, 1874-1951--Correspondence. Sessions, Roger, 1896-1985--Correspondence. Smith, David Stanley, 1877-1949--Correspondence. Spivacke, Harold, 1904-1977--Correspondence. Stock, Frederick, 1872-1942--Correspondence. Strunk, W. Oliver (William Oliver), 1901-1980--Correspondence. Toch, Ernst, 1887-1964--Correspondence. Waters, Edward N. (Edward Neighbor), 1906-1991--Correspondence. Willeke, Willem--Correspondence. Organizations Berkshire Quartet. Boston Symphony Orchestra. Coolidge Auditorium (Library of Congress) Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection (Library of Congress) DLC Library of Congress. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation. Library of Congress. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation. Library of Congress. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation collection. 1894-1953. Library of Congress. Music Division. Quatuor Pro Arte. Subjects Chamber music festivals. Chamber music--20th century--History and criticism. Music patronage--United States. Music patrons--United States. Music--Commissioning. Music--Competitions--United States. Music--Endowments. Music--United States--20th century. Titles Correspondence from the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation collection, 1894-1953 Form/Genre Correspondence. Administrative Information Provenance Gift; Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge and family; 1924-1997. Accruals No further accruals are expected. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection 3 Processing History The Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection was processed by Wayne Shirley in 1980. From 1996-2000, Kevin LaVine compiled a preliminary finding aid for portions of the collection. Nancy Seeger coded the correspondence series for EAD format in 2012. Related Material Additional materials related to Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge and her foundation can be found in the following Library of Congress Music Division collections: the Harold Bauer Collection, John Alden Carpenter Collection, Aaron Copland Collection, Edward MacDowell Collection, Schoenberg Correspondence Collection, and the Harold Spivacke Collection. In addition, Coolidge materials may be found in the Music Division reference section subject file, in the iconography file, shelved under ML95.C82, and in the Music Division old correspondence file. Copyright Status The Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright laws. Access and Restrictions The Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection is 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. Preferred Citation Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [item, date, container number], Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Biographical Note Date Event 1864, Oct. 30 Born Elizabeth Penn Sprague, Chicago, Illinois, to Albert Arnold and Nancy Ann Atwood Sprague circa 1872 Began piano lessons with Regina Cohn Watson 1891 Married Frederic Shurtleff Coolidge (died 1915) 1894, Jan. 23 Son Albert Sprague Coolidge born (died 1977) 1901 Composed A Cycle of Songs based on sonnets of Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1904 Settled in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to improve husband's health 1915, Jan. 10 Father died Used half of inheritance to establish pension fund for Chicago Symphony Orchestra in her father's name circa 1915 Began studying composition with Rubin Goldmark, Percy Goetschius, Arthur Whiting, Antonio Brescia and Daniel Gregory Mason Composed string quartet 1916, Mar. 28 Mother died Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection 4 1916 May Offered contract to Hugo Kortschak's quartet to move to East Coast and form Berkshire Quartet 1917 Albert Arnold Sprague Memorial Hall dedicated, given as a home for Yale University's music department by Coolidge and her mother 1918 Established home for the Berkshire Quartet and inaugurated the South Mountain (later Berkshire) Chamber Music Festival outside of Pittsfield, Massachusetts Established Berkshire Competition for composition of chamber music 1918-1924 Sponsored seven annual Berkshire Chamber Music Festivals 1921 Portrait painted by John Singer Sargent 1922 Met Carl Engel, chief of the Library of Congress Music Division Gave Berkshire competition music manuscripts to Library of Congress Suggested Library of Congress host series of concerts to feature Berkshire competition music 1923-circa 1939 Funded extensive music tours in Europe 1924 Feb. Berkshire Quartet performed at Freer Gallery of Art (3 concerts) which included six works dedicated to and/or commissioned by Coolidge 1924, Oct. 23 Sent letter to Librarian of Congress Herbert Putnam, expressing intent to establish an endowment in support of chamber music and build an auditorium for performances at the Library 1925, Jan. 23 President Coolidge [no relation] signed law authorizing Coolidge donation of the Library of Congress auditorium specifically intended for chamber music 1925, Mar. 3 President Coolidge signed into law the Coolidge Foundation at the Library of Congress to organize concerts in the auditorium and to commission new chamber music from both European and American composers 1925, Oct. 28-30 First Library of Congress festival with commissioned works by Charles Martin Loeffler, Frederick Stock and Ildebrando Pizzetti Festival carried over the radio by Navy Broadcasting Service in Arlington, Virginia 1926 Awarded honorary degree from Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass. 1927 Awarded honorary degree from Smith College, Northampton, Mass. Awarded honorary degree from Yale University,

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