Re: St. Petersburg Society

[Eliott Kahn <Elkahn...>]

At 08:55 PM 3/24/01 +0100, you wrote:
>I'm currently writing an essay on the Petersburg Society and  the views of
>its members on the creation of a national Jewish music. The introduction to
>the below mentioned Tara reprint seems very interesting. I have been trying
>to locate a copy in the UK but without result. I would be very grateful if
>somebody could send me a copy of the introduction article, I will pay for
>it of course but just cannot afford to buy the whole book right now.
>
>Many thanks,
>Gerben


Dear Gerben and list members:

The intro was written by American musicologist Irene Heskes. I have not read 
the article, but you may more than likely find several of the sources she used 
to write it at our library. Our catalog should soon be completely operable on 
the web. Then come visit us!

I would also like to make all list members aware of recent archival material 
that our library has discovered re: our Solomon Rosowsky Collection. Rosowsky 
was a founding member and active member of the Society, and we have his papers 
here. J.T.S. archivist Julie Miller and I published an inventory of this 
collection in 1996, which may be purchased through our library's web site at: 
www.jtsa.edu/library/pubs/books.html

A brief description of the new material follows:

I have just finished a folder-level organization of additional material from 
the Solomon Rosowsky Collection. Everything is now organized into acid-free 
folders contained within two 10 ½ x 5 inch archival boxes and one additional 
acid-free envelope. These will be stored until a later date when I can either 
incorporate them into the inventoried, original Rosowsky collection, or prepare 
a written addendum for these materials.

The first box contains correspondence in Russian, Yiddish, Hebrew, English, and 
French. While there are three folders with assorted correspondence in these 
languages, separate folders had to be created that contain letters from 
important Jewish cultural figures and institutions. Among these are a letter 
from Marc Chagall, 1934 (now in our conservation department); a carbon copy of 
a letter to composer Arnold Schoenberg, 1933; several letters from 
Jewish-nationalist composers Samuel Alman, 1930-1938 and Joachim Stuchewsky, 
1928-1939; and letters from St. Petersburg Folk Music Society composers and 
members Michael Gniessin, Joseph Achron, Israel Okun, and M. Riwesmann, 
1922-1927. These last letters (in Russian and German) appear to detail the 
founding of the Yuwal Publication Society in Berlin in 1923, in order to 
continue the publication goals of the Folk Music Society, which were disrupted 
by the Russian Revolution. These letters will be an important addition to 
several in the inventoried Rosowsky Collection from Yuwal chief editor, 
composer Joel Engel, 1921-1926, and Folk Music Society member, 
composer/violinist Joseph Achron, 1923-1930.

The second box contains additional notes about music by Rosowsky; some 
biographical writings; clippings; brochures; and a Hebrew arts periodical from 
Jerusalem entitled Tiatron v?Omanuth, 1926. The acid-free envelope contains 
Rosowsky?s composition exercises (fugues) from his student days at the St. 
Petersburg Conservatory, ca. 1910.

    

  



Dr. Eliott Kahn
Music Archivist
Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
3080 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
WK: (212) 678-8076
FAX (212) 678-8998
elkahn (at) jtsa(dot)edu

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