Contents


Collection Summary

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Organization of the Dorothea Dix Lawrence Collection

Selected Search Terms

Container List

Biographical Materials

Music

Dorothea Dix Lawrence Collection

Processed by the Music Division of the Library of Congress

2010

Collection Summary

Creator Lawrence, Dorothea Dix, 1899-1979
Title Dorothea Dix Lawrence Collection
Span Dates 1856-1980(bulk 1902-1980)
Abstract: Dorothea Dix Lawrence was a successful opera singer in the 1930s and 1940s who later became a recitalist and folklorist. The materials in the collection include correspondence, photographs, clippings and other items that document her career as a singer and interpreter of American folk music. In addition, the collection includes her articles on American folklore that were published in various journals, and two copies of her famous Folklore Music Map of the United States. The collection also includes piano-vocal opera scores and a large number of American folk songs.
Extent: 350 items4 containers2 linear feet
Language: Collection material in English
Identification: ML31.L39

Biographical Sketch

Date Event
1899, Sept. 22 Born in New York City
1929 Made opera debuts: Montreal, Quebec City, Canada
1932
1939
1946
1949 Collaborated with Gloria Swanson in the television production Design for Living on WPIX-TV, New York City
1955, Oct. 28 Final concert, Fullerton Hall, Chicago
1959 Published with Walter L. Rosemont Folklore Songs of the United States. Plainfield, N.J.: D.D. Lawrence Folklore Society
1970 Retired from public life
1979, May 23 Died in Plainfield, New Jersey

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Scope and Content Note

The Dorothea Dix Lawrence Collection consists of the correspondence, photographs, clippings, and writings of this noted operatic singer, recitalist, lecturer, and folklorist. The collection also includes piano-vocal opera scores and a large number of American folk songs.

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Selected Search Terms

People

  • Lawrence, Dorothea Dix, 1899-1979--Autographs.
  • Lawrence, Dorothea Dix, 1899-1979--Correspondence.
  • Lawrence, Dorothea Dix, 1899-1979--Photographs.
  • Lawrence, Dorothea Dix, 1899-1979.
  • Lawrence, Dorothea Dix, 1899-1979.

Subjects

  • Folk music--United States--History and criticism.
  • Folk songs, English--United States.
  • Operas--Vocal scores with piano.
  • Songs, English--United States.
  • Sopranos (Singers)--United States--Correspondence.

Form/Genre

  • Clippings (information artifacts).
  • Correspondence.
  • Photographic prints.

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Organization of the Dorothea Dix Lawrence Collection

The Dorothea Dix Lawrence Collection is organized into two series:

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Container List

Biographical Materials

Contains biographical summaries, correspondence, writings, a radio script, poster, clippings, photographs, an award certificate, and Folklore Music Map of the United States.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material, and chronologically therein.

Biographical summaries

Correspondence

Writings: Folklore Society of Great Britain

Writings: Thirtieth International Congress of Americanists, August 1952

Writings: Periodicals

Writings: Folklore Music Map of the United States; photocopied collages of clippings and concert programs

Radio (script)

Clippings see also Biographical Materials (Series). Writings: Folklore Music Map of the U. S. [Box-Folder 3/1] 1937-1980

Concert programs/advertisementssee also Biographical Materials (Series). Writings: Folklore Music Map of the U. S. [Box-Folder 3/1]

Photographs: Portraits

Photographs: Miss Lawrence with others

Photographs: miscellaneous

Photographs: oversize

Miscellaneous

Award: New York City - - USO - - Joint War Appeal. Certificate of Achievement

Folklore Music Map of the United States

German concert poster, 1953

Music

Contains piano-vocal opera scores and other operatic vocal collections, various art songs and American folk songs.

Arranged by type of music, and alphabetically by composer therein.

Opera

Gounod, CharlesFaust; New York: G. Schirmer, 1902 Printed piano-vocal score; 323 p.

Puccini, GiacomoTosca; New York: Boosey and Co., 1905 Printed piano-vocal score; 335 p.

Strauss, RichardSalome; London: Boosey & Hawkes, 1943 Printed piano-vocal score; 203 p.

[Various]Opera songs. The Choicest selection from all of the standard operas new and old. (Old book 1: soprano); Philadelphia: Theodore Presser Co., 1930 Printed piano-vocal score; 234 p.

Verdi, GiuseppeLa Traviata; New York: G. Schirmer, 1926 Printed piano-vocal score; 232 p.

Songs

Anonymous

The Barren pines. Scene II Ozalid piano-vocal score; pp. 26-28; bound.

Bucking broncho; Cowboy Jack Ms. piano-vocal score; 4 p.

Cadman, Charles Wakefield

The Moon drops low. New York: Edwin H. Morris, 1909 Printed piano-vocal score; 7 p.

Spring song of the robin woman. New York: White-Smith Music, 1918 Printed piano-vocal score; 9 p.

Her shadow (Ojibway canoe song). New York: White-Smith Music, 1918 Printed piano-vocal score; 5 p.

Combs, Josia [ed.]

Schirmer's American folk-song series, Set I: Folk-songs from the Kentucky highlands. New York: G. Schirmer, 1939 Printed piano-vocal score; 40 p.

Endicott, Samuel [arr.]

He stole my tender heart away. New York: G. Schirmer, 1939 Printed piano-vocal score; 40 p.

Farwell, Arthur

Bird song dance. Ms. piano-vocal score; [2 p.]

Inketunga's Thunder Song. Ms. piano-vocal score; 3 p.

The Sabbath, op. 105, no. 3. Ozalid piano-vocal score; 3 p.

Song of the Deathless Voice. Ms. piano-vocal score; 4 p.

Foster, Stephen

Come where my love lies dreaming. Boston: Oliver Ditson Company, 1906 Printed piano-vocal score; 7 p.

Gardner, A. T.

I know two eyes, two soft brown eyes. Ms. piano-vocal score; 2 p.

Hare, Maude Cuney [arr.]

Six Creole folk songs. New York: Carl Fisher, 1921 Printed piano-vocal score; 24 p.

Haubiel, Charles [arr.]

Mother Goose songs. First series. New York: The Composers Press, 1939 Printed piano-vocal score; 24 p.

Haubiel, Charles [arr.]

The Dog and the tramps. Ozalid piano-vocal score; 1 p. [incomplete].

Little Bo Peep. Ms. piano-vocal score; 3 p.

Little Boy Blue. Ms. piano-vocal score; 4 p.

Little Jack Horner. Ms. piano-vocal score; 4 p.

Mistress Mary. Ms. piano-vocal score; 3 p.

Hopkinson, Francis

Colonial love lyrics: Six songs by Francis Hopkinson. Boston: A.P. Schmidt, 1919 Printed piano-vocal score; 29 p.

O'er the hills. Ms. piano-vocal score; 6 p.

My dreams have been so wondrous free. Ms. piano-vocal score; 3 p.

[Songs by Francis Hopkinson: Come fair Rosina, etc.]. Ozalid copies of early printing; 11 leaves [wire brad binding removed]

Hopkinson, Francis

[Songs by Francis Hopkinson: The Garland, etc.]. Ozalid copies of early printing; 5 leaves [wire brad binding removed]

Huarte, Julian

Madrigal Español. New York: G. Schirmer, 1992 Printed piano-vocal score, 6 p. [incomplete]

Lawrence, Dorothea Dix [compiler]

Folklore-songs of the United States. New York: The Dorothea Dix Lawrence Folklore Society, U.S.A., 1959 Printed piano-vocal score; 133 p.

MacDowell, Edward

Six selected songs. Boston: A.P. Schmidt, 1940 Printed piano-vocal score, 18 p. [incomplete]

Nelson, Nils A.

Passing. New York: February 1933 Ozalid copy; 2 p.

Niles, John Jacob [ed.]

Schirmer's American folk-song series, Set 14: Songs of the hill-folk (twelve ballads from Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina). New York: G. Schirmer, 1934 Printed piano-vocal score; 25 p.

Schirmer's American folk-song series, Set 16: Ten Christmas carols (from the Southern Appalachian Mountains). New York: G. Schirmer, 1935 Printed piano-vocal score; 22 p.

Schirmer's American folk-song series, Set 18: Ballads, carols, and tragic legends (from the Southern Appalachian Mountains). New York: G. Schirmer, 1937 Printed piano-vocal score; 22 p.

Rodrigo, Joaquin

Villancicos. Madrid: Edición del autor, 1953 Printed piano-vocal score; 7 p.

Rosemont, Walter L.

Ye Olde historic inn. Ms. piano-vocal score; 3 leaves

The Railroad cars are coming. Ms. piano-vocal score; 2 p.

El Zapatero (The Shoemaker). Ms. piano-vocal score; 1 leaf

Invocation to the Sun God: Zuñi Indian mother's prayer, 1950. Ozalid copy; 2 p.

Sullivan, Marian Dix

For Lo! The Winter is past. Boston, 1856. Ms. piano-vocal score; 1 p.

The Star-Spangled Banner. Ms. piano-vocal score; 2 p.

Troyer, Carlos [arr.]

Traditional songs of the Zuñi Indians. Philadelphia: Theo. Presser Co., 1904 Printed piano-vocal scores

Villancicos. New York: G. Ricordi & Co., Inc., 1922 Printed piano-vocal score; 7 p.

The Lonesome dove. Ms. piano-vocal score; 4 p.

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