Manuscripts Gifted to Phyllis Rappeport

Series — Box: 11

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

About ten piano scores by Leo Kraft, about half of them inscribed to Phyllis Rappeport, most of them handwritten, with perhaps just one actually published, from the mid 1950s through the 1980s.

Item list:

"Partita for Piano," published by General Music Publishing Co., sole selling agent for Boston Music Co. Inscribed "For Phyllis with much affection," signed "Leo" with a flourish drawn underneath. She may have performed it because there are some faint pencil markings of fingerings--hers, I presume.

A photocopy of a handwritten score, nicely bound, titled Venetian Reflections; five pieces for piano, dated 1988, and inscribed "For Phyllis Rappeport--affectionately--Leo Kraft 3/88."

Loose (but page-numbered) sheets in a manila file folder; titled "Five Short Pieces and a Reprise" for piano, dated 1981 and signed. Comes with a page of typed "performance notes."

"Sestina for Piano by Leo Kraft," professionally handwritten, dedicated to Dwight Peltzer and inscribed inside "For Phyllis--with affection and good(?; not quite legible word) wishes--Leo 7/17." Very slight toning around the edges.

"Short Suite (Suite is crossed out with the handwritten word 'Sonata' superimposed) for Harpsichord or Piano," published by General Music Publishing Co., Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. Inscribed on the cover "For Phyllis R. affectionately, Leo K. 9/72."

"Statements and Commentaries, piano solo," handwritten score, toned paper with possible spotting from water droplets on front cover (almost looks deliberate). Inscribed on cover "For Phyllis R.--Affectionately, Leo K., 10/65.

"Three Preludes for Piano," handwritten unbound score on toned paper, signed and dated 1947. It's taped together for performance. May be the original given that there are ink blots and smears on both front and back. Paper is browning a little, and the edges are a little chewed up, suggesting that it was definitely played--I think all of these were performed, as Phyllis was known for premiering tons of contemporary music and was quite fearless about "advanced techniques" like bowing and plucking and thumping inside the piano and so on.

"Variations for Piano," (8 of them, all miniatures in length) inscribed "For Phyllis--Compliments of the composer," signed Leo Kraft and dated on the back, December 1951.

An untitled score, handwritten but printed; 16 pages, and on the back in handwriting it says at the end, "IV.V.VI 1956, New York." There are three pieces in this manuscript numbered with Roman numerals I, II, III. First piece is marked "Impetuoso" and is set ff and 4/4 time if that helps identify it.

"Variations for Piano" handwritten score signed Leo Kraft, inscribed on the cover "For Phyllis Rappeport with affectionate regards, Leo Kraft, 8/56" (or could be 9/56). The pages are all connected concertina style for performance, even including tape and staples at the back where he's rethought the final page, and there are a fair number of faint penciled-in corrections throughout the ms.

"Partita for Piano," signed Leo Kraft, both handwritten with a pen on the cover. Ten pages, dated "Flushing, N.Y. Spring 1958" at the end.

"Chaconne, Piano Solo," handwritten score, signed/dated Leo Kraft 1957. At the end it's notated "IV-V 1957 Flushing, NY."

Dates

1933 - 2013

Language

From the Collection:

The collection is almost entirely in English. The correspondence series contains small selection of letters in French.

Conditions Governing Access

Appointments to examine materials must be made in advance. Please e-mail QC.archives@qc.cuny.edu for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Biographical Note

Phyllis Rappeport was a pianist and professor of piano studies, and a good friend of Kraft's. Phyllis taught at several universities, including Princeton, but she was for most of her very long career tenured at Western Michigan University as a professor of piano, where she also served as head of the piano department for a time. There she created two endowments to help students pursue music, the Phyllis Rappeport Accompanying Scholar and Phyllis Rappeport Excellence in Accompanying Scholar awards. She was well known in the Midwest.

Extent

1 Linear Feet (1 flat box)

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated to Queens College Special Collections and Archives by Deborah Miller, niece of Phyllis Rappeport (Deed of Gift signed in September 2020; materials transferred to the archives in March 2021).