Virgil Thomson papers, 1920-1981
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#1240
- Bib ID:
- 4079399 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Thomson, Virgil, 1896-1989
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 12.5 linear feet (24 ms boxes and 1 tall ms box (box 15))
- Language(s):
- English .
- Access:
- You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
-
Boxes 18-25 are located located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Some unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. Commercial materials are not routinely digitized.
Description
Summary
Prose manuscripts, related correspondence, notes, printed material, and audio tapes of Thomson. Included are notes and drafts of many of Thomson's early articles, written while he was a student at Harvard University and in Paris, and numerous manuscripts of columns published in the HERALD TRIBUNE in the 1940s. Thomson's special interests reflected in these writings are modern music, American hymns, and the performance of music in Europe. Also, manuscripts and related material for six of Thomson's books and for Gertrude Stein's BEE TIME VINE, which was published after her death and for which he wrote the preface; and 125 reels of tapes of Thomson's program on radio station WNCN (New York), 1969-1970. Cataloged correspondents include Chalmers Clifton, Lincoln Kirstein, Alfred A. Knopf, and Man Ray.
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Series II: Manuscripts and Notes, 1920-1981
This series contains manuscripts, typescripts, notes, and proofs for Thomson's articles and books. It also contains a carbon typescript of Gertrude Stein's Bee Time Vine with autograph manuscript of preface by Virgil Thomson, notes by Thomson passim, and two pages of notes in the hand of Alice B. Toklas.
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Series III: WNCN Radio Broadcast Recordings, 1969-1970
125 reels of tapes of Thomson's program on radio station WNCN (New York), and a small amount of associated paper materials.
Arrangement
Cataloged and listed.
- Series I: Cataloged Correspondence
- Series II: Manuscripts and Notes, 1920-1981
- Series III: WNCN Radio Broadcast Recordings, 1969-1970
Using the Collection
Restrictions on Access
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
Boxes 18-25 are located located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Some unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. Commercial materials are not routinely digitized.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Virgil Thomson papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Related Materials
The main body of Thomson's papers are at the Yale Music Library: MSS 29, MSS 29A.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source of acquisition--Thomson, Virgil. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1980. Accession number--M-80.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 09/--/89.
Revision Description
2019-09-06 Finding aid derived from PDF. kws
2020-06-09 Links to first batch of digitized material added.
Biographical / Historical
Composer, music critic.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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