Jewish musicians

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of four interviews with Hugo Weisgall between 1980-1981. These phone conversations were carried out by Laura Leon as part of her research for her dissertation at the Teacher's College, Columbia University. The dissertation was titled "A Study, Analysis, and Performance of the Songs and Song Cycles for Voice and Piano by Hugo Weisgall".

Abstract Karol Rathaus established himself as an exceptional compositional talent in European musical circles before immigrating to the United States in 1938. In 1940, he became the first composition professor in the music department of Queens College, a position he held until his untimely death in 1954. His papers include correspondence, manuscripts, sketches, printed materials, performance programs, press clippings, publications, and audio recordings. Also included are papers related to Rathaus'...

Abstract

Leo Kraft (1922 – 2014) was an American composer, educator, and author born in Brooklyn, New York. He taught music theory and composition at the Queens College School of Music, to later become the Aaron Copland School of Music, from 1948 to 1989. He was a key member in developing the music theory curriculum. Kraft composed many works of chamber music, and he also contributed orchestral, piano, vocal, and electronic music to his oeuvre.

Abstract Leopold Sachse was a German opera stage director. Because he was Jewish, he was forced to emigrate to the United States in 1935, and lived in the New York City area for the rest of his life. In the 1910s, 20s, and 30s, he worked with some of the most important European opera composers of the time, and the collection contains correspondence from many of them, often relating aspects of their collaboration. Sachse also collected important items relating to his career, including a sketchbook by...