Mort Lindsey scores and papers, 1909-2007, bulk 1942-2007

After clicking 'Submit Request', users will login with their UNI and password (Columbia affiliates) or their special collections account (external users). Appointments are required and will be arranged according to each individual repository's policy.


Series IV: Other Professional Activities, 1909-2003 (bulk 1942-2003)

This series comprises material relating to a range of Lindsey's other professional activities, such as his orchestrations for the Broadway musical Bajour, his Ph.D. research at Columbia University's Teachers College, his music education work with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, his forays into classical music, and various live gigs with the Mort Lindsey Orchestra (for banquets and awards ceremonies). This series, which contains material from across the full length of Lindsey's career, primarily comprises scores, spanning a range of formats (parts, full scores, lead sheets, sketches, conductor scores). Many scores in this series relate to Lindsey's ballet The Seven Ages of Man, on which he wrote his Ph.D. thesis (also included in this series). This series also contains scores for various arrangements and compositions that are not identified with a particular performer or project, including sketches for several instrumental themes. Finally, this series includes Lindsey's collection of published scores by other composers - many of which have been annotated, either for performance or in preparation for arrangement.



Box 13 Folder 8 Ph.D. thesis, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1974

For a doctorate of education. The thesis is titled "The Composition, Performance, and Analysis of an Original Musical Work, Seven Ages of Man, a Chamber Ballet Based on Text by William Shakespeare." Includes a page of Lindsey's notes.


Box 13 Folder 9 Documents relating to the "Stairway of the Stars" program for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, 1994

Lindsey was a guest conductor for this program. Includes: biographical note; press releases; schedules for classroom visits; a note from a child in the program; mail-order form; posters; local newspaper clippings about the concert; rehearsal schedules; published sheet music for a "Stolen Hours" and "Lorna" mashup; orchestral scores of "Search for Summer" and "Stolen Hours/Lorna Medley"; and programs. Also includes a note about residuals for the use of the Wheel of Fortune theme in the sitcom The Nanny. Also includes a letter from Lindsey to the school district.



Box 19 Folder 8 Ozalid copies of the parts for the ballet Seven Ages of Man, 1973

Loose pages. Includes: guitar, trumpet, percussion, piano, bass, flute. Some parts contain multiple copies.


Box 19 Folder 9 Manuscript concert score of "Stolen Hours/Lorna Medley", 1994


Box 19 Folder 10 Manuscript concert score of arrangement of "My Funny Valentine", 1994

Marked "Soaps??"



Box 17 Folder 4 Lead sheets for instrumental themes by Mort Lindsey, 1963, 2000, undated

Mostly ozalid copies of printed lead sheets and sketches. May include some song sketches. Includes: "Cops"; "Two Tunnel Tony"; "Jazz Waltz" (includes parts); "Flower Carts"; "Accident"; "How's About a Little"; "Then He Went to the Ball"; "How Will He Look"; "TWA Sketch"; "J.D. Theme"; "Lissa"; "Pete the Skipper"; "Romeo and Juliet"; "I Will Wait For You"; "Love Theme"; "Las Vegas." Originally in folders titled "Themes: Pop and Film."


Box 17 Folder 5 Ringbound parts for the ballet Seven Ages of Man, circa 1973

Bound ozalid copies of flute, horn, and guitar parts. Two copies of the guitar part.


Box 17 Folder 6 Onionskin parts for the ballet Seven Ages of Man, circa 1973

Includes guitar, percussion, flute, horn, trumpet, bass, and piano parts.


Box 17 Folder 7 Piano parts for a performance at the IBA Awards, 1993

Setlist includes: "The Waltz Came Tumbling Down," "Orson," "Theme for a Pretty Lady," "Sophie-Tisket," "Super-Doo," "Pleas Please," "Does She," "Another One," "Step Right Down," "Elke's Lodge," "Hello Dere," "Ebony," "Taxi Danza," "Private Lives," "Disc -Oh!," "Entrancing," "Jump In," "Big Eyes," "Fan Unfair," "Flintstones," "Watch What Happens," "Everything Happens to Me," "Everything Happens to Brackman," "Bright as a Benny." Parts for some songs may be absent.



Box 18 Folder 1-2 Photocopies of orchestral scores for the ballet Seven Ages of Man, 1973, 2 folders

Three ringbound copies and one loose copy.


Box 18 Folder 3 Documents relating to the Broadway musical Bajour, 1964, undated

Lindsey orchestrated this musical. Includes: published sheet music of songs from the musical; song lists; invoices for services rendered (for musical and for the original soundtrack); personnel lists; riders and contracts. Also includes wordlists for the game Double Trouble (originally in a separate, labelled folder within the folder).


Box 18 Folder 4 Scores for "No Title Riff", undated

Original composition for band by Lindsey. Includes concert score, pencil sketch, and chord sheets in C and in B flat.


Box 18 Folder 5 Parts for "Don't Nobody Breathe", undated

Original composition for band by Lindsey. Not all parts are present. Copied, onionskin, and handwritten parts. Some parts are annotated.


Box 18 Folder 6 Arrangement of "Slow Boat to China", 1948, undated

Pencil sketch for the concert score, typeset synthesizer part, and published sheet music for the original song.


Box 18 Folder 7 Parts for arrangement of "Chariots of Fire", undated

Typeset parts.


Box 18 Folder 8 Lead sheets for instrumental themes "Cuernavaca" and "Choo, Choo, Choo", 1961, undated

Ozalid copies.


Box 18 Folder 9 Lead sheets of songs by Debbie Lindsey and Lillian Briggs, 1961, undated

Handwritten manuscript and ozalid copies of "Our Love" by Lillian Briggs. Ozalid copies of "Oo Boppum Dooby" and "Tony" by Debbie Lindsey.



Box 19 Folder 1 Manuscript orchestral score for the ballet Seven Ages of Man, 1973

Loose pages.


Box 19 Folder 2 Manuscript concert score for "Don't Nobody Breathe", undated

Loose pages. Original composition for band by Mort Lindsey.



Box 20 Folder 1 Wind and brass parts for a performance at the IBA Awards, 1993

Setlist includes: "The Waltz Came Tumbling Down," "Orson," "Theme for a Pretty Lady," "Sophie-Tisket," "Super-Doo," "Pleas Please," "Does She," "Another One," "Step Right Down," "Elke's Lodge," "Hello Dere," "Ebony," "Taxi Danza," "Private Lives," "Disc -Oh!," "Entrancing," "Jump In," "Big Eyes," "Fan Unfair," "Watch What Happens," "Everything Happens to Me," "Everything Happens to Brackman," "Bright as a Benny." Not all parts are present for all songs.


Box 20 Folder 2 Rhythm parts for a performance at the IBA Awards, 1993, 2000

Setlist includes: "The Waltz Came Tumbling Down," "Orson," "Theme for a Pretty Lady," "Sophie-Tisket," "Super-Doo," "Pleas Please," "Does She," "Another One," "Step Right Down," "Elke's Lodge," "Hello Dere," "Ebony," "Taxi Danza," "Private Lives," "Disc -Oh!," "Entrancing," "Jump In," "Big Eyes," "Fan Unfair," "Flintstones," "Watch What Happens," "Everything Happens to Me," "Everything Happens to Brackman," "Bright as a Benny." Also includes a set list for the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award Dinner Honoring Billy Graham (2000). Parts for some songs may be absent.


Box 20 Folder 3 Textbook for a correspondence course in music theory, undated

Author or date not identified. Was originally stored in a ring binder: the ringbinder has been discarded and the pages have been refoldered in their original order. Appears to be typewritten.


Box 20 Folder 4 Printed concert score of "Stolen Hours/Lorna Medley", circa 1994


Box 20 Folder 5 Collection of published piano music by other composers, 1927, 1931, 1942, 1945-1946, 1948, 1950, 1992

Some scores are annotated. Includes: George Gerswhin, "Preludes for Piano"; Richard Adinsell, "Warsaw Concerto"; Albert Arlen "Theme from the Alamein Concerto"; Miklos Rozsa "Spellbound Concerto"; Richard Rodgers "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"; Albert Semprini, "Themes from the Mediterranean Concerto." Also includes a catalog for easy listening CDs.



Box 21 Folder 1 Scores for string quintent, 1962, undated

Two pieces (or possibly two versions of one piece) labeled "String Piece" and "Music for a String Quintent." Includes handwritten sketches, typeset parts, handwritten parts, typeset conductor score.


Box 21 Folder 2 Sketches for a violin sonata, piano piece, undated

Handwritten sketches. This was in a folder titled "Serious Compositions."


Box 21 Folder 3 Chamber music by Mort Lindsey, 1942, 1946, undated

Includes: parts and a sketch of the full score for "Prelude No. 1 for String Quartet and Piano"; parts for a string quartet; parts for a fugue for chamber ensemble; sketch for a piano piece, "Fuge à la Gershwin"; sketch of a piano transcription of Bach's "Crucifixus."


Box 21 Folder 4 Parts for arrangement of "My Funny Valentine", circa 2003

Some parts are annotated. In an envelope dated 2003.


Box 21 Folder 5 Parts for arrangements for the Mort Lindsey Orchestra, undated

Onionskin and ozalid copies. Mostly keyboard parts (piano, organ, harpsichord) but includes some bass, guitar, and flute parts, and also some lead sheets. Some parts are annotated. For: "40 Pounds of Tijuana"; "Soul Country"; "Shadow of Your Smile"; "I Will Wait For You"; "Green Grass"; "Forgotten Dreams"; "Heartaches"; "Stolen Hours"; "Poinciana"; "Strangers in the Night"; "You Got Your Troubles."


Box 21 Folder 6 Sheet music for the National Center of Hyperactive Children "Gift of Love" benefit dinner, 1989, undated

Mostly photocopies but some manuscript parts. Includes copies of lead sheets used by the pianist, synthesizer player, guitarist, tenor saxophonist, drummer, bassist, and trombonists. Includes run sheets and scripts for the event. Includes copies of Mort Lindsey's repertoire lists. These parts were originally in seperate folders.


Box 21 Folder 7 Material relating to awards received, 2002-2003

Includes a Columbia University Teachers College Distinguished Alumni award, the Young Musician's Foundation Magic Baton Award and a Certificate of Commendation from the City of Los Angeles. Documents include correspondence about the awards (with the awarding bodies, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Barbara Boxer, Mayor James K. Hahn), a copy of Lindsey's CV, publicity photographs, certificates.


Box 21 Folder 8 Collection of published songs by other composers, 1916, 1920, 1926, 1929-1930, 1934, 1939, 1943-1944, 1946-1947, 1956, 1960, 1967, 1972, 1978

Mostly published scores of jazz standards, broadway tunes, popular songs, and movie themes. Includes a book of published sheet music of vocal selections from the Stephen Schwartz musical Pippin.


Box 21 Folder 9 Published ragtime sheet music by other composers, 1909-1910, 1912, 1914, 1917-1918, 1923-1924