Lester S. Levy sheet music papers
Scope and Contents
The collection of music collector, Lester S. Levy, consists of correspondence, speeches, printed material, and bills and spans the years 1933 to 1983. The collection supports the Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music already in Special Collections.
Dates
- Creation: 1933-1983
Creator
- Levy, Lester S. (1896-1989) (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is housed off-site and requires 48-hours' notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections for more information.
Conditions Governing Use
Single copies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Special Collections department. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.
Biographical / Historical
Lester S. Levy, music historian and sheet music collector, was born in Philadelphia October 22, 1896. The family later moved to Baltimore where Levy was educated at Friends School and The Johns Hopkins University. After service in the Army during World War I, he began his business career with the M.S. Levy Co., a firm begun by his grandfather. He retired in 1958 as president of Men's Hats Inc, successor to his grandfather's firm.
Mr. Levy began collecting sheet music in 1930, and his love of the music and its history resulted in a renowned collection that numbers over 30,000 pieces.
Mr. Levy wrote three books on American music of the 19th and early 20th centuries: Give Me Yesterday (1975), Flashes of Merriment (1971), and Grace Notes in American History (1967). He was very active in civic and religious affairs in Baltimore.
Mr. Levy died in Baltimore, MD, Sept. 19, 1989.
Extent
7.34 Cubic Feet (5 record center cartons, 1 letter size document box, 1 legal size document box, 1 legal half-size document box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Lester S. Levy was a music historian and sheet music collector. His music papers contain correspondence, speeches, printed material, and bills related to his collecting activities.
Arrangement
The collection forms four series: Series 1, Correspondence; Series 2, Speeches; Series 3, Writings; and Series 4, Business Papers . Correspondence is the largest series in the collection and demonstrates Mr. Levy’s generosity with his time and expertise in helping researchers locate or identify music.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Lester S. Levy donated his music correspondence to the Special Collections Division of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library on January 14, 1987. The Accession number is 86-87.11.
Processing Information
The collection was re-arranged in December 1997 by Joan Grattan.
Subject
- Ponselle, Rosa, 1897-1981 (Person)
- Levy, Lester S. (1896-1989) (Person)
- Berlin, Irving, 1888-1989 (Person)
- Gershwin, Ira, 1896-1983 (Person)
- Rodgers, Richard, 1902-1979 (Person)
- Sills, Beverly (Person)
- Author
- Joan Grattan
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
The Sheridan Libraries
Special Collections
3400 N Charles St
Baltimore MD 21218 USA
specialcollections@lists.jhu.edu