Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Music, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Papers and audiovisual materials documenting Russo's career in music.
Scope and Contents:
The collection includes Russo's original and published music scores, parts and arrangements; audiovisual materials including recordings of broadcasts of Russo's radio show, performances of Russo's compositions, including performances by Duke Ellington, and film and video recordings of Russo's productions in theater and opera; and personal papers such as correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, publicity files, contracts, etc. Among the most significant items in the collection are experimental jazz arrangements for Stan Kenton in the late 1940s-early 1950s, undated arrangements for Gerry Mulligan, Russo's original arrangement of Duke Ellington's Sacred Concert, scores to his first and second symphonies, and scores and libretti to several early rock operas. The photographs include images of persons such as Ellington, Kenton, and Billy Strayhorn, and photographs by jazz photographers Herman Leonard and William Claxton. 2007 addendum includes correspondence, mostly between Russo and his family; eighteen diaries for 1946-1967 (not all years are present) with sparse entries, some in Italian; and additional music manuscripts, parts, scores and libretti.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into nine series.
Series 1: William Russo's Music
Series 2: Teaching Notes
Series 3: Correspondence
Series 4: Publicity, Programs, and Reviews
Series 5: Posters and Artwork
Series 6: Photographs
Series 7: Books and Lecture Notebooks
Series 8: Memorabilia
Series 9: Audiovisual Materials
Biographical / Historical:
William Russo, renowned American jazz composer, arranger, and founder of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, had a music career that spanned five decades and included performance, conducting and composition. During his career he worked with such diverse talents as Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Leonard Bernstein, Cannonball Adderly, Yehuidi Menuhin, Dizzy Gillespie, Seiji Ozawa, and Billie Holiday. Although critics acknowledged Russo mainly for his pioneering contributions to the big-band jazz canon, his talents extended to a far wider range of musical styles, creating groundbreaking jazz scores, rock operas, classical works, film scores, and educational textbooks on jazz orchestration and arrangement. In all, he composed over 200 pieces for jazz orchestra with more than 25 recordings of his work. In 1990, Russo received a Lifetime Achievement award from NARAS, the organization that presents the Grammy Awards.
As a young trombonist, Russo studied with Lennie Tristano, the pianist and theorist who became a leader in the progressive jazz movement. During the late 1940s, Russo led the revolutionary Experiment in Jazz band. At age 21, he became one of the chief composers/arrangers for the Stan Kenton Orchestra, one of the most innovative and influential jazz orchestras of the postwar era. In his four years with Kenton, Russo penned such classic Kenton works as "23° North – 82° West," and "Frank Speaking."
Russo made several major jazz recordings under his own name before his classical "Symphony No. 2 in C (TITANS)" received a Koussevitsky award in 1959; it was performed by the New York Philharmonic that same year under Leonard Bernstein, who had commissioned the work. This award marked Russo's "official" entry into the world of classical music. Russo continued to write major symphonic works throughout his career, including his 1992 grand opera, "Dubrovsky."
After his tenure with Kenton, in the early 1950s, Russo led his own successful bands, The Russo Orchestra in New York, and the London Jazz Orchestra, before returning to Chicago to form the Chicago Jazz Ensemble in 1065. With the Ensemble, he presented Duke Ellington's "First Concert of Sacred Music" in 1967. This was one of the rare times when Ellington allowed one of his compositions to be arranged and performed by a jazz orchestra other than his own, and was a reflection of Ellington's respect for Russo. Shortly after this performance, Russo composed a rock cantata, "The Civil War," that led him into the field of rock opera. After concentrating on classical music again in the 1970s, in the late 1980s, Russo began to re-explore the history of jazz through his revived Chicago Jazz Ensemble. In 1995, the Chicago Jazz Ensemble made history with the first-ever complete live performance of Gil Evans' and Miles Davis' "Sketches of Spain" in its original form. Recent Russo works that premiered in Chicago included "Chicago Suite No. 1," and "Chicago Suite No. 2," a recording that was published posthumously in the spring of 2003.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center
William Russo Transcription and Arrangement of Duke Ellington's First Concert of Sacred Music, 1967-1968 (AC0406)
Provenance:
Bequeathed to the Smithsonian by William Russo. Papers collected after Russo's death in 2003. The 2007 addendum sent by Russo's sister and daughter were also part of the bequest.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but an oil painting is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
101 Will Rodgers talks about America and the Depression 1932 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
101 Franklin D. Roosevelt assumes the Presidency on March 4th, 1933: "Nothing to Fear but Fear" / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
101 Senator Huey Long, the Louisiana King-Fish and his "Sharethe Wealth" program (Just prior to his assassination 9/8/35) / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
101 Duke of Windsor Abdicates for "the woman I love", 12/11/36 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
102 Fiorello H. LaGuardia wages war against the "Ward Heelers / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
102 Alfred Landon campaigns for the Presidency, 1936 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
102 "Rendezvous with Destiny" speech: FDR at Franklin Field Philadelphia, June 27, 1936 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
102 John L. Lewis castigates those who have deserted Labor (Labor Day, 1937) / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
102 Hindenburg Air Disaster, Lakehurst, N.J., May 6, 1937 (Herbert Morrison of WLS, Chicago, at the scene) / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
103 September 30, 1938, at Munich (William L. Shirer) / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
103 Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returns from Munich andtells of his meeting with Hitler, September 27, 1938 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
103 Adolf Hitler lashes out against Eduard Benes and the Sudetenland, September 26, 1938 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
103 Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, Yankee Stadium, June 22, 1938 (Clem McCarthy of NBC describes the Knockout) / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
103 Iron-Man Lou Gehrig steps down after 2130 games of baseball July 4, 1939 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
104 Elmer Davis announces the invasion of Poland by Germany September 3, 1939 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
104 Three Views of U.S. Neutrality: Charles A. Lindbergh, Alfred E. Smith, Hugh Johnson / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
104 Nazi Blitzkrieg on the Continent; actual march of Storm Troopers, "Seig Heils", etc., Spring, 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
104 FDR at Charlottesville, Virginia, "The Hand that Held the Dagger", June 10, 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
104 Benito Mussolini's Declaration of War, June 10, 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
105 Premier Paul Reynaud pleads for U.S. Aide as Nazi's over-run France, June 10, 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
105 French surrender at Compiegne (via German Short-wave Radio) June 22, 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
105 Neville Chamberlain resigns as Prime Minister, May 10, 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
105 Winston Churchill forms a Coalition Government; Excerptsfrom several of his early speeches, May and June 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
105 Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margret Rose speak toevacuated British children / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
201 Joseph W. Martin, Wilkie Notification Ceremony, Elwood, Indiana, August 17, 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
201 Wendell Wilkie accepts Republican Nomination, Elwood Indiana, August 17, 1940 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
201 FDR campaigns for Third Term: "Martin, Barton, and Fish"speech, October 30, 1944 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
201 Winston Churchill reads "Ship of State" message deliveredto him from President Roosevelt by Wendell Wilkie / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
201 "Arsenal of Democracy", Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 15, 1941 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
201 New York Philharmonic broadcast interrupted for Pearl Harborannouncement (John Daly), December 7, 1941 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
202 U.S. Declaration of War; speaker Sam Rayburn introduces FDRwho asks Congress to declare a State of War 12/8/41 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
202 D-Day, June 6, 1944; Messages on the invasion by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Charles de Gaulle, King Haakon et al / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
202 Broadcast from invasion Flagship Ancon on D-Day by George Hicks of ABC, June 6, 1944 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
202 Marshall Joseph Stalin on the 24th anniversary of the October Revolution, November 7, 1941 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
202 FDR makes his fourth race for the Presidency ("Fala Speech") September 23, 1944 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
202 Thomas E. Dewey campaigns for the Presidency, September 7, 1944 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
202 FDR addresses Joint Session of Congress after his returnfrom Yalta, March 1, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
205 Announcement of President Roosevelt's death, April 12, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
205 Description Roosevelt funeral procession, Washington D.C, April 14, 1945 (Arthur Godfrey) / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
205 Harry S. Truman makes his First Appearance as Presidentbefore a Joint Session of Congress, Speaker Rayburn-4/16/45 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
205 President Truman announces German Surrender, May 8, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
205 Secretary of State Edward Stettinius opens San Francisco Conference of the United Nations, April 25, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
206 Chaplain William Downey, U.S. Army Air Forces, says a prayer at Tinian, before take-off of Enola Gay, August 6, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
206 President Truman tells of our race for Atomic Energy and ourplans for it, August 9, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
206 First Bulletin of Japanese Surrender (Robert Trout) August 14, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
206 General Douglas MacArthur accepts Japanese Surrender aboard Battleship Missouri, September 1, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
206 Epilogue: The thirteen years Battleship Missouri, September 1, 1945 / Edward R. Murrow, Fred W. Friendly.
Local Numbers:
RA-RAMS-LP-0266
Columbia.4095
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
New York Columbia
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Isaac Stern, violin, New York Philharmonic Leonard Bernstein, conductor. Program notes by Charles Burr on Slipcase.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Paulus Berensohn, 2009 March 20-21. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
An interview of Paulus Berensohn conducted 2009 March 20-21, by Mark Shapiro, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, at Berensohn's home and studio, in Penland, North Carolina.
Berensohn speaks of growing up in New York City and his family; his brother Lorin Bernsohn, cellist with the New York Philharmonic; his problems with dyslexia as a child and yet his interest in reading and learning; an early interest in dance and the lack of support he received from his family; his admittance into Yale University, from where he quickly removed himself to attend Goddard College in Vermont; after Goddard attending Columbia University, Juilliard, and Bennington College while studying dance; studying under both Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham; his relationship with M.C. Richards; his first teaching job at Pendle Hill in Pennsylvania that lead to teaching at Swarthmore College for four years; his want to become a production potter while living on a farm in rural Pennsylvania where he created an artist commune; working with pinched pots and moving to Penland, North Carolina to teach workshops at the Penland School of Crafts; his book, "Finding Your Way With Clay," which started as a journaling and teaching project while at Penland; his interest in book art via his interest in journaling; the importance of clay as a healing material that connects humanity and the earth and his role as an advocate for clay; his work in and travels to Australia; recent photography projects and his busy and active schedule. Berensohn also recalls Remy Charlip, June Ekman, Fleur Cowles, John Cage, Robert Dunn, Yvonne Rainer, Carolyn Brown, Mary Oliver, Karen Karnes, Burt Supree, Toshiko Takaezu, Ann Stannard, Gerry Williams, George Kokis, Joe Bennion, Bill Brown, Jane Pieser, Ron Garfinkel, Jenny Mendes, Ian Anderson, Verne Stanford, Meg Peterson, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
Paulus Berensohn (1933-2017) was a poet, ceramic artist, dancer, and educator in Penland, North Carolina. Mark Shapiro (1955- ) is executive director of Lumina Art Gallery, in New York.
General:
Originally recorded on 4 SD memory cards. Reformatted in 2010 as 7 digital wav files. Duration is 4 hr., 13 min.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds the papers of Paulus Berensohn.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Baekeland, L. H. (Leo Hendrik), 1863-1944 Search this
Collection Creator:
Baekeland, L. H. (Leo Hendrik), 1863-1944 Search this
Extent:
1 Item (6.0" x 3.5")
Container:
Box 22, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Diaries
Date:
1938 September 12-1939 December 31
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Jacques Seligmann & Co. records, 1904-1978, bulk 1913-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Processing of the collection was funded by the Getty Grant Program; digitization of the collection was funded by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Jacques Seligmann & Co. records, 1904-1978, bulk 1913-1974. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Processing of the collection was funded by the Getty Grant Program; digitization of the collection was funded by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
Collection is open for research but the original and master audiovisual materials are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Copyright restrictions. Consult the Archives Center at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Paul Ellington, executor, is represented by:
Richard J.J. Scarola, Scarola Ellis LLP, 888 Seventh Avenue, 45th Floor, New York, New York 10106. Telephone (212) 757-0007 x 235; Fax (212) 757-0469; email: rjjs@selaw.com; www.selaw.com; www.ourlawfirm.com.
Collection Citation:
Duke Ellington Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Sponsor:
Processing and encoding partially funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
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