Contents

Collection Summary

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Organization of the Minna Lederman Daniel Collection

Selected Search Terms

Subject Files (Personal Names)

Subject Files (General Subjects)

Magazines

Personal Papers of Minna Lederman Daniel and other Daniel Family Members

Minna Lederman Daniel Collection

Processed by the Music Division of the Library of Congress

2009

Biographical Note

Minna Lederman Daniel (b. 17 March, 1896; d. 29 October, 1995) was a writer and editor on music and dance. She received professional training in music, dance, and drama before graduating from Barnard College in 1917. In 1923, she was a founding member of the League of Composers, a group of musicians and proponents of modern music. In February 1924, she helped launch the League’s magazine, The League of Composers’ Review, which was the first American journal to manifest an interest in contemporary composers. The magazine changed its name to Modern Music in 1925. She served as the sole editor of this magazine from its inception to its demise in late 1946. During this period, she developed the journal’s distinctive literary style and was directly responsible for bringing to readers the literary efforts of significant young composers such as Marc Blitzstein, Leonard Bernstein, Paul Bowles, John Cage, Elliott Carter, Aaron Copland, Roger Sessions, and Virgil Thomson. Equally important were articles written by scholars, critics, and European composers such as Bartók, Berg, and Schoenberg. The journal had the effect of nurturing an entire generation of composer-critics. For over two decades, Modern Music served as a major force within the international music world, chronicling the developments in concert music, jazz, musical theater, film, radio, and dance in the United States, Europe, and Latin America.

Following the demise of Modern Music, Mrs. Daniel (who wrote under her maiden name of Lederman) continued to write on music and dance. She edited the anthology Stravinsky in the Theatre (1947), and contributed articles to American Mercury, Saturday Review, The Nation, Show, Woman’s Home Companion, and other journals.

In 1974, Minna Lederman Daniel established the Modern Music Archives in the Library of Congress. In addition to the documentary archives of the magazine, which consists of correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, drawings, and set-designs, she also submitted her own material: an essay titled "Footnotes" (to the magazine’s history); biographical sketches of individuals represented in the Archive or otherwise connected to the magazine; and other materials, including unpublished photographs. In 1983 she compiled The Life and Death of a Small Magazine, a monograph published by the Institute for Studies in American Music. This compilation of articles, originally written for Modern Music by some of the twentieth century’s most celebrated composers, and combined with commentary contributed by Minna Lederman Daniel, won the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for distinguished music criticism in 1984. In a 1983 New York Times article, Joan Peyser wrote that Ms. Lederman “probably shaped pre-World War II American music more than any single composer did.”

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Scope and Content Note

The Minna Lederman Daniel Collection consists of the papers of this noted writer and editor. The date span of the collection is from 1896-1993, with the bulk of the materials dating from the 1960s to the early 1990s. The collection includes correspondence, writings, financial and legal papers, programs, periodicals, clippings, and photographs.

Included in this collection is correspondence with major figures in the fields of music, dance, and poetry. Several of these composers, choreographers, and poets were contributors to the magazine Modern Music, of which Minna Lederman served as sole editor from its beginnings in 1924 to its end in 1946. Of particular significance is the correspondence with composers Aaron Copland, John Cage, and Elliott Carter.

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Selected Search Terms

People

• Cage, John--Correspondence.
• Cage, John.
• Carter, Elliott, 1908- --Correspondence.
• Copland, Aaron, 1900-1990--Correspondence.
• Copland, Aaron, 1900-1990.
• Cunningham, Merce--Correspondence.
• Denby, Edwin, 1903-1983--Correspondence.
• Hitchcock, H. Wiley (Hugh Wiley), 1923-2007--Correspondence.
• Lederman, Minna--Correspondence.
• Lederman, Minna.
• Lederman, Minna.
• Lederman, Minna. Life and death of a small magazine (Modern music, 1924-1946).
• Oja, Carol J., 1953-
• Oja, Carol J., 1953- --Correspondence.
• Perlis, Vivian--Correspondence.
• Stravinsky, Igor, 1882-1971--Correspondence.
• Thompson, Tazewell--Correspondence.
• Thomson, Virgil, 1896-1989--Correspondence.
• Thomson, Virgil, 1896-1989.

Organizations

• League of Composers (U.S.)

Subjects

• Avant-garde (Music)
• Choreographers--United States--Correspondence
• Composers--United States--Correspondence.
• Dance--United States.
• Modern dance--United States.
• Music--United States--20th century--History and criticism.
• Musicians--United States--Correspondence.
• Musicology--United States.

Titles

• League of Composers' review.
• Minna Lederman collection, 1896-1993
• Modern music (New York, N.Y.)

Form/Genre

• Clippings (information artifacts).
• Correspondence.
• Financial records.
• Photographic prints.
• Programs.

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Organization of the Minna Lederman Daniel Collection

The Minna Lederman Daniel Collection is organized into four series:

• Subject Files (Personal Names)
• Subject Files (General Subjects)
• Magazines
• Personal Papers of Minna Lederman Daniel and other Daniel Family Members

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Container List

Subject Files (Personal Names) (189 folders)

Contains articles, biographical materials, clippings, correspondence, discographies, notes, photographs, programs, writings, and other miscellaneous materials for named individuals.

Arranged alphabetically by individual then type of material, and chronologically therein.

Albee, Edward

Clippings

Anderson, Laurie

Clippings

Ashbery, John

Clippings

Balanchine, George

Clippings

Correspondence (1965)

Miscellaneous publications

Notes (Apollo - Raymonda)

Notes (Serenade - Waltz Academy)

Notes (Miscellaneous)

Programs

Barber, Samuel

Clipping; Program (1958)

Bernier, Rosamond

Clippings; Correspondence (1982-1984)

Bernstein, Leonard

Catalog; Clippings; Program

Blitzstein, Marc

Articles authored by Lederman: "Memories of Marc Blitzstein," "Marc Blitzstein Remembered," 1964

Article authored by Oja: "The Cradle Will Rock and Mass-Song Style of the 1930s," 1989

Clippings

Correspondence - Eric A. Gordon; related papers

Marc Blitzstein Collection: Multmedia Edition Research Grant sheet

Program (1964)

Boulanger, Nadia

Clippings

Boulez, Pierre

Clippings

Correspondence (1976-1981)

Notes

Programs

1986 U.S. Tour: Clippings

Bowles, Paul

Article authored by Lederman: "The Moroccan Connection," 1980

Clippings

Correspondence (1979-1991)

Notes

Cage, John

MusikTexte 46/47

Article authored by Lederman: "Farewell to John," 1992

Article authored by Lederman: "A View of My Own," related correspondence with Jonathan Brent (1981-1982)

Correspondence

Catalog: Musical Works (Edition Peters); Exhibition brochure: Score and Prints Exhibition, Philadelphia, PA, 1982

Clippings

Clippings (Obituaries)

Correspondence (Chronological) (1964-1993)

Correspondence (undated)

Correspondence Index (Brent Reidy, Indiana University) (2006)

Discography by Thom Holmes, 1981

Documentary: I Have Nothing to Say and I am Saying It, 1990

Itineraries

Laura D. Kuhn materials: Correspondence; Writings

Notes (Pre-1980)

Notes

Programs

Writings (Cage): "Anarchy Lecture," ; "The First Meeting of the Satie Society," ; "The Future of Music," ; "I Have Nothing Planned . . . " (Harvard Seminar), 1988undated1974undated

Writings (Cage): "James Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, Erik Satie: an Alphabet," ; "Methodstructureintentin . . . " (Harvard Lecture), ; "Series re Morris Graves,"

Caltibiano, Ronald

Program (1986)

Carter, Elliott

Clippings

Correspondence (1971-1992)

Notes

Photographs

Programs (1968-1989)

Chanler, Theodore

Clipping

Chávez, Carlos

Notes

Copland, Aaron

Article authored by Lederman: "Aaron Copland at Seventy," 1970

Article authored by Lederman: "Copland - Then and Now," 1970

Article authored by Lederman: "It's All the Same Me," 1980

Article authored by Lederman: "To Aaron at Eighty," [1980]

Articles authored by Lederman: early drafts

Biographical brochure

Catalogs: Musical works

Clippings (Newspapers)

Clippings (Periodicals)

Clippings ; Correspondence related to Copland/Perlis book party, (1984)

Correspondence ; Correspondence (1944-1980)(undated)

83rd birthday honors

Notes

Photograph: Inscribed photograph (11 x 14)

Photograph: Aberdeen, August 1974 (10 x 12)

Programs

Writings authored by Copland: "Statement on McCarthy," ; Claire Reis, 1953(undated)

Cowell, Henry

Clippings

Crumb, George

Clippings

Cunningham, Merce

Biographical materials

Clippings

Correspondence (1964-1993)

Exhibition catalog, 1974

Notes

Programs

Promotional material

Darrell, R. D.

Clippings

Book (draft): Phono-musical pioneering (Selected writings of R. D. Darrell)

Denby, Edwin

Article authored by Lederman: "First and Last Glimpses," ; related correspondence 1984

Clippings

Correspondence (1977-1984)

Memorial service speech, (1983)

Programs

Foss, Lukas

Clippings

Frueh, Alfred

Correspondence (1947-1950)

Gershwin, George

Program (1990)

Glass, Philip

Clippings

Haggin, B. H.

Clippings Correspondence (1944-1945); (1924-1926)

Harris, Roy

Clipping

Hitchcock, H. Wiley

Clippings; Correspondencesee also Subject Files: General Subjects, Life and Death of a Small Magazine, Correspondence (Hitchcock); Subject Files: General Subjects, Music criticism, Correspondence (Hitchcock) (1983-1990)

Ives, Charles

Article authored by Lederman: "Some American Composers," 1947

Clippings

Correspondence (Harmony Ives) (1947)

Jacobs, Paul

Clipping

Lichtenwanger, William

Correspondence (1965-1978)

Lott, R. Allen

Correspondence ; Writings (Lott) (1990-1992)

McPhee, Colin

Article authored by Lederman: "Colin McPhee," ; Biographical brochure; Clippings; Correspondence ; Program 1964(ca. 1949-1964)(1982)

Mehta, Zubin

Clippings; Commemorative N.Y. Philharmonic magazine, 1984

Moore, Douglas

Correspondence (1947)

Moseley, Carlos

Correspondence ; Notes (1985)

Nancarrow, Conlon

Clippings; Correspondence ; Programs (1970-1993)

Oja, Carol J.

Correspondence (1979-1992)

Writings (Oja): "Colin McPhee: a Composer Turned Explorer," ; "The Copland-Sessions Concerts and Their Reception in the Contemporary Press," ; "COS COB Press and the American Composer," ; "Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock and Mass-Song Style of the 1930s," ; "Stravinsky in the Journal of Modern Music (1924-1946)," 1984(undated)198819891981

Perlis, Vivian

Clippings

Correspondence (1975-1990)

Oral history interviews of Minna Lederman, conducted by Vivian Perlis, Oct. 25, 1972; Mar. 21, 1979

Peyser, Joan

Clippings; Correspondence (1974-1982)

Reich, Steve

Clippings; Program (1980)

Rieti, Vittorio

Clippings

Rorem, Ned

Clippings

Ruggles, Carl

Clipping

Sacher, Paul

Clippings

Satie, Erik

Program (1974)

Schiff, David

Clippings

Correspondence

Opera: Gimpel the Fool

Programs

Writings (Schiff): "Night Fantasies," ; "Musical Time in Elliott Carter's Night Fantasies," ; "In Sleep, In Thunder: Elliott Carter's Portrait of Robert Lowell," ; "Carter for Winds," ; "Carter in the 1970s," ; "Elliott Carter: A Mirror on Which to Dwell," ; "The Century May Already Be At an End," 1980[1980]undated1980197919771991

Schoenberg, Arnold

Catalog Musical Works; Clippings; Opera: Moses und Aron

Schuman, William

Clippings

Sessions, Roger

Clippings; Notes; Program (1982)

Shapero, Harold

Clippings

Shirley, Wayne

Correspondence (1975-1991)

Siegmeister, Elie

Correspondence ; Writings (Siegmeister): "The Council of Creative Artists, Libraries, and Museums," (1972)1971

Sondheim, Stephen

Clippings; Programs

Stockhausen, Karlheinz

Program (1971)

Stravinsky, Igor

Article authored by Lederman: "Brief Encounters," undated

Article authored by Lederman: "Fleeting Glimpses - Fragments from an Unpublished memoir," undated

Article authored by Lederman: "Igor Stravinsky 1882-1971 - A Modest Memorial," [1971]

Article authored by Lederman: "Lunch at Virgil's, Tea at the Ambassador," 1989

Article authored by Lederman: "Stravinsky in the Theatre Symposium - Dance Index

Articles authored by Lederman: Early drafts

Catalog: Musical Works

Clippings

Homage to Stravinsky Collection, 1947-1949 (Collection gift to the New York Public Library, Lincoln Center Music Library), Sept. 1972

1982 Anniversary events - Correspondence

Notes

Programs

Stravinsky in Modern music (1924-1946), 1982 reprint - Correspondence

Stravinsky in the theatre, Clippings

Stravinsky in the theatre, Contracts; Business papers

Stravinsky in the theatre. Correspondence: Arthur Berger ; George Balanchine ; Leonard Bernstein ; Carlos Chávez ; Robert Craft ; Ingolf Dahl, via Lawrence Morton ; Alexei Haieff ; Lincoln Kirstein ; Paul Magriel ; Darius Milhaud ; Nicolas Nabokov ; Walter Piston ; Press: New York Philharmonic ; Vittorio Rieti ; William Schuman ; Louise Varèse (1947; 1972)(1972)(1972)(1972)(1948-1949; 1972)(1972)(1972)(1972)(1949)(1972)(1972)(1972)(1972)(1972)(1972)(1972)

Stravinsky in the theatre. 1975 Da Capo Press, Inc. edition. Correspondence: (1975-1976)

Stravinsky in the theatre: Drafts

Stravinsky in the theatre (Exhibition: NY Public Library - Library and Museum of the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center): Correspondence

Stravinsky issue - Dance Index: Correspondence (1947-1953)

Thompson, Tazewell

Biographical materials

Clippings

Correspondence (1983-1993)

Notes

Opera: The Second Hurricane - Aaron Copland/Edwin Denby commentaries

Opera: The Second Hurricane - Reviews

Opera: The Second Hurricane - Aaron Copland/Edwin Denby - text Production) (1937

Opera: The Second Hurricane - Sarah Caldwell Production) (1984

Opera: The Second Hurricane - Correspondence (Aaron Copland) Production) (1984-1985

Opera: The Second Hurricane - Correspondence Production) (1985

Opera: The Second Hurricane - Programs Production) (1985

Programs

Script: The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Bertolt Brecht)

Thomson, Virgil

Article authored by Lederman: (Untitled)

Auction catalog (Sotheby's) Virgil Thomson Estate Sale (1990)

Clippings

Correspondence ; Correspondence with Jay Sullivan, assistant to Mr. Thomson (1972-1987)(1989-1990)

Notes

Opera: The Mother of Us All - Libretto; Program ; Review (1947)(1947)

Programs

Writings (Thomson): "A War's End," 1947

Tommasini, Anthony

Correspondence (1988-1991)

Notes

Writings (Tommasini)

Tucker, Mark

Correspondence ; Writings (Tucker) (1991)

Walker, David

Correspondence ; Program (1980-1990)(undated)

Wuorinen, Charles

Clipping

Young, La Monte

Clippings

Subject Files (General Subjects) (47 folders)

Contains clippings, correspondence, financial papers, an Instrument of Gift document, magazines, notes, photographs, press releases, publicity, and writings.

Arranged alphabetically by subject then type of material, and chronologically therein.

Baden-Baden Music Festival Program, July 25-28, 1929

Dance. The Ballet Society. Programs

Dance. Clippings; Journals

Dance. Notes

Dance. Personalities, A-Z

Dance. Programs

Dance. Article authored by Lederman: "On Dancing," 1978

International Composers' Guild. Programs; Publicity materials

League of Composers. Correspondence : Clare R. Reis (1944)

League of Composers. Correspondence : Clare R. Reis (1945)

League of Composers. Correspondence : Clare R. Reis (1946-1965)

League of Composers. Publicity materials, 1945-1947

Life and Death of a Small Magazine. Correspondence, A-Z

Life and Death of a Small Magazine. Correspondence: Financial and promotional

Life and Death of a Small Magazine. Correspondence: H. Wiley Hitchcock (1979-1983)

Life and Death of a Small Magazine. Correspondence (Legal): John J. Kominski, Library of Congress (1980-1984)

Life and Death of a Small Magazine. Correspondence: Permissions

Life and Death of a Small Magazine. Correspondence: Permissions (Photographs)

Life and Death of a Small Magazine. Photographs

Miscellaneous clippings

Modern Music. Articles authored by Virgil Thomson (1940-1947)

Modern Music. Clippings (1933-1947)

Modern Music. Correspondence files: List (arranged in alphabetical order)

Modern Music. Proposal/Resolution for a Cumulative Index to Modern Music , Feb. 3, 1947

Modern Music. Financial papers (1943-1945)

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Clippings

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Correspondence: Nathan R. Einhorn; John J. Kominski; Wayne Shirley; Ed Waters

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Correspondence: Photographs

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Instrument of Gift ; Amendment of Instrument of Gift ; related papers (1975)(1980)

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Photographs (A-G)

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Photographs (H-Z)

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Photographs - Guides

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Photographs - Library of Congress Exhibition (1975)

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Photographs - Negatives

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Photographs - Scene designs

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Press releases - Library of Congress Exhibition (1975)

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Writings (Lederman): Biographical sketches

Modern Music Archives at Library of Congress. Writings (Lederman): "The Files of Modern Music Correspondence" [miscellaneous writings]; [Promotional writings]; "Modern Music 1924-1946: Footnotes to Its History"

Music criticism. Articles: "On Being Tasteless," (William Brooks); "From a Composer's Notebook," (Aaron Copland); [Several newspaper articles], (Kyle Gann); "Expanding Century," (David Hamilton); [Several newspaper articles], (Donal Henahan); "Reporter in Europe," (Jane Kramer); "Little Magazines and Music Criticism," (Minna Lederman); [Several newspaper articles], (John Rockwell); "Modern Music in Retrospect," (Eric Salzman); [Several newspaper articles], (Harold Schonberg) 198219291979198019461964

Music criticism. Clippings

Music criticism. Correspondence: Lederman ; H. Wiley Hitchcock (1979)(1979)

Music criticism. Clippings

Music press. Clippings

Possible future projects. Army notes, , Army town, Anniston, AL; "Summer People - a Maine idyll," Correspondence: , other related materials; "Sunken Living-Room" 1943-1944 1941-1942

Publishers and publishing. Clippings

Publishers and publishing. Correspondence: Bea Friedland, Da Capo Press ; Peter Garland, Soundings ; Jeffrey Miller, Cadmus Editions ; Helen A. Stephenson, Author's Guild, Inc. (1979-1984)(1980)(1979)(1980-1981)

Magazines (10 folders)

Includes complete magazines, containing articles written by Minna Lederman.

Arranged alphabetically by title of publication.

Lederman, Minna. "Composers in Revolt," The Nation 146, no. 7 (1938 Feb. 12)

Lederman, Minna. "Music and Monopoly," The Nation 151, no. 126 (1940 Dec. 28)

Lederman, Minna. "France's Turncoat Artists," The Nation 155, no. 9 (1942 Aug. 29)

Lederman, Minna. "Composer Tells All," The New Republic 102, no. 13 (1940 Mar. 25) (Review of The State of Music by Virgil Thomson)

Lederman, Minna. [Book review] The Saturday Review of Literature 29, no. 47 (1946 Nov. 23) (Review of A House in Bali by Colin McPhee)

Lederman, Minna. "Memories of Marc Blitzstein, Music's Angry Man," Show 4, no. 6 (1964 June) (copy 1)

Lederman, Minna. "Memories of Marc Blitzstein, Music's Angry Man," Show 4, no. 6 (1964 June) (copy 2)

Lederman, Minna. "Memories of Marc Blitzstein, Music's Angry Man," Show 4, no. 6 (1964 June) (copy 3)

Lederman, Minna. "American Future: The Music Theatre," U.S. Lines: Paris Review (undated)

Lederman, Minna. "School Declares an Extra Dividend," Woman's Home Companion (1937 Nov.)

Personal Papers of Minna Lederman Daniel and other Daniel Family Members (48 folders)

Contains correspondence, financial and legal papers, miscellaneous writings, speeches, and family photographs.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material, and chronologically therein.

Address/Telephone books (2)

Appointment calendars: 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993 (5)

Auction: Household furniture and furnishings papers, Sept. 1967

Auction: Art and book auction, Sept. 1977

Autobiographical notes

Burglaries: Apartment robberies, 1983, 1992

Correspondence: Family (1966-1991)

Correspondence: Ferncliff Cemetery ; related papers (1952-1978)

Correspondence: Re. Mell Daniel's paintings ; related papers (1975-1977)

Financial papers: Annuities, 1980s-1994

Financial papers: Annuities, Life Insurance, 1980s-1994

Financial papers: Annuities, Pension, 1980s-1994

Financial papers: Bank statements, 1980s-1994

Financial papers: Credit card statements, etc., 1980s-1994

Financial papers: Current year's bills, expenses, 1993-1994

Financial papers: Tax papers, 1978-1986

Financial papers: Tax papers, 1987-1988

Financial papers: Tax papers, 1989

Financial papers: Tax papers, 1990

Legal papers: Appraisal papers (furniture/furnishings), Dec. 1975

Legal papers: Birth certificates; Marriage certificate; Passport; Handgun receipt

Legal papers: Power of Attorney papers 1981; 1986-1987

Legal papers: Trust papers, May 1981

Legal papers: Wills, (Mell Daniel); (Minna Lederman Daniel); related correspondence Nov. 22, 1964Oct. 16, 1975; Mar. 21, 1981 (1978-1981)

Medical records, bills, 1980s-1994

Mortgage, property documents, 1959-1977

Photographs: Vassar College (1914) (12 photographs)

Photographs: Family photographs; negatives

Photographs: Mell Daniel World War II photographs; Mell Daniel (early); Wedding photographs of Minna and Mell Daniel (1934)

Rental leases; related papers, 1978-1994

Social Security papers, 1975-1979

Travel: Germany, - brochure; postcards; Holland, - maps; postcards 19671967

Travel: Israel - brochures; clippings; correspondence; notes; postcards 1968

Travel: Israel - Greece - Holland, : papers 1968

Travel: Riga, Latvia, - brochures; postcards 1967

Travel: Rome, Italy, - postcards (undated)

Travel: U.S.S.R., - art catalog; brochures; clippings; correspondence; maps; miscellaneus papers; notes 1967

Travel: U.S.S.R., - postcards; suggestions/travel tips sheets 1967

Writings: (Lederman): Dance Forum, Y.W.H.A., [Speech] Nov. 1946

Writings (Lederman): "The Cause of Modern Music From the Point of View of the Editor of Modern Music," MacDowell Club of New York City Dinner, [Speech] Nov. 27, 1927

Writings (Lederman): Miscellaneous writings

Writings (Lederman): NBC [Unknown program] (radio broadcast) [Speech delivered by Lederman] March 1, 1935

Writings (Lederman): NBC Program of League of Composers (radio broadcast) [Speech] April 16, 1936

Writings (Lederman): "Modern Music as the Editor Thinks of It," Sorosis Social Day, [Speech] Jan. 1928