In celebration of Women’s History Month, legendary jazz performers Katherine “Kittye” DeChavis and Trudy Pitts spoke and performed at Paley Library on March 5th, 2008. After the performance, Ms. DeChavis and Ms. Pitts joined librarian Anne Harlow for questions and conversation recorded on this Library Podcast.

In the podcast, Katherine “Kittye” DeChavis describes her earliest musical experiences. She recalls the musical environment of Philadelphia that provided many opportunities to learn, to perform, and to listen to various kinds of music. Ms. DeChavis describes her move to Montreal, and then to New York, working at the Paradise and the Apollo Theaters. She tells the story of how she unexpectedly came to record the hits “Hucklebuck” and “Be Anything but Be Mine.” Ms. DeChavis expresses heartfelt concern for young people today, and offers advice for students who are studying to be performers.

Trudy Pitts, a native Philadelphian, performs and records extensively on jazz organ. She has degrees from the Philadelphia Music Academy, Temple University, and Juilliard, and is currently on the piano faculty of the University of the Arts. In the podcast, Trudy recalls her extensive training in classical music, and how growing up in a musical family in Philadelphia influenced her music. She talks about her transition from classical music to jazz, and how she incorporates classical elements into her performances. Trudy shares her philosophies of being a wife, mother, and professional musician, and gives warmhearted guidance for aspiring young musicians.

Special thanks to Sebastian Derry, Media Services Librarian, for serving as the sound engineer for the podcast and to Dr. Diane D. Turner, Curator of the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, for planning today’s program and reaching out and inviting these two extraordinary women to come to the library today. And thank you to Kittye DeChavis and Trudy Pitts for sharing their experiences and insights with us.

Get the audio here

Ms. Trudy Pitts takes a bow after her performance at Temple University's Paley Library, March 5, 2008.

Curator of the Blockson Collection Dr. Diane Turner, WRTI radio announcers Harrison Ridley and Bob Perkins, and University Librarian Larry Alford with Tracy Pitts and Kittye DeChavis

Contemporary World Music provides twentieth and twenty-first century music from everywhere in the world. Genres include reggae, world beat, Balkanic jazz, African film, Bollywood, and Arab swing as well as more traditional genres such as Indian Classical, fado, flamenco, klezmer, gospel, and more. One can search or browse genre, people groups, instruments, geographic location, and performer.

Database of Recorded American Music (DRAM) is a non-profit initiative funded by the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and other organizations. This database provides streaming audio of American music from New World Records, CRI, Albany, Innova, Cedilla, XI, Pogus, Deep Listening, and Mutable Music labels. A wide array of genres is represented: folk, Native American, jazz, 19th century classical, early rock, musical theater, contemporary, electronic, and more. Searching and browsing by composer, instrument, performer, record labels, and titles of compositions is available.

These databases provide depth and variety to the repertoire offered by Temple’s online audio resources.

For a list of streaming audio resources provided by Temple University Libraries see guides.temple.edu/music.

Please feel free to contact me for further information about these resources.

-Anne Harlow

In Philadelphia, Pavarotti established the Pavarotti International Voice Competition in the 1980’s. Young singers competed in cities around the world and winners traveled to Philadelphia to participate in final rounds. Winners received financial rewards, concert contracts, and a role singing alongside Pavarotti in upcoming Opera Company of Philadelphia performances. One such performance, the 1982 performance of La Bohème, won an Emmy for the “best classical program in the performing arts”.

In addition to his work to encourage young talent, Pavarotti was also a great humanitarian. He worked tirelessly to provide funds for victims of wars in Bosnia, Guatemala, Kosovo, and Iraq. With Diana, Princess of Wales, he helped raise funds to eliminate land mines. His humanitarian efforts won him numerous awards including the Freedom of London Award, the Red Cross Award for Services to Humanity, and the Nansen Medal from the UN High Commission for Refugees.

Although Pavarotti is no longer here physically, his voice continues to live through countless sound recordings and videorecordings of his performances, widely available commercially and in libraries. Pavarotti was careful that nearly all of his performances were recorded in some fashion, leaving behind a legacy for listeners to continue to enjoy.

Paley Library has books about the great maestro, in addition to recordings of his performances on discs, and DVD's. Streaming audio to some of his recordings is provided in the databases Classical Music Library (Verdi Requiem) and Naxos Music Library.

For more information see

Obituaries
BBC
(London )Times
New York Times
Philadelphia Inquirer
Washington Post

-Anne Harlow

Theatre in Video is easy to access and to use. Viewers can do a general search for a particular play, performer, playwright, or director, or browse lists of productions, documentaries, people, genres, companies, theatres, and dates. Students and professors can make personal playlists of clips which can be shared.

Theatre in Video is an exciting new kind of database, opening a new dimension in online offerings from Temple University Libraries, useful for instruction in many disciplines, as well as for enjoyment.

If you have any questions concerning Theatre in Video, feel free to contact me, Anne Harlow, aharlow@temple.edu.

Access and use of the database are simple and practical. Users can search or browse by composer, genre, instrument, type of score, and time period. Scores can also be searched by duration, language, year of publication, and publisher. The scores are provided in pdf format and can be easily downloaded and/or printed.

An exciting feature of the database is cross-linking online scores to corresponding sound recordings with sister database Classical Music Library. Listeners can easily follow the score online in Classical Scores Library at the same time as listening to the music.

Please feel free to contact me, Anne Harlow aharlow@temple.edu, for further information regarding this new resource

Temple University Libraries is pleased to announce the
addition of Naxos Music Library and Naxos Music Library Jazz
to our online streaming audio offerings.

The basis of the collection consists of the entire output of
the Naxos Recording Company. The mission of the company is
and has been since its inception in 1987 to provide the
widest possible range of repertoire to the widest possible
audience, resulting in an extremely extensive online musical
library.

All of Naxos’ recordings are available in the online service
whether they are out of print or still available for
purchase, and every new recording is included in the online
database as soon as it is commercially released. The
collection includes classical, jazz, blues, and world music.
The classical repertoire is thoroughly represented,
including unusual and contemporary works that cannot be
heard elsewhere such as the works of Joachim Raff, William
Henry Fry, Krzysztof Penderecki, Bohuslav Martinu, and
others. The strength of the Naxos collection is in its breadth. The
world music collection is particularly strong in the music
of East Asia. The content of the database grows not only by
the production of new recordings, but also by Naxos
negotiating with other recording companies to include
additional repertoire. Their website states that an
average of 39 CD’s per month were added in 2006.

The interface is easy to use and quite intuitive. Plenty of
online help is available, including a FAQ, User Guide, and
User Instructions. One can use the Advanced Search Feature
to search by keyword, disc or composition title, composer,
artist, record label, arranger, lyricist, performing group,
genre or music category, instrument, period, country, year
composed, and by mood or scenarios. In addition, the
collection is browsable by genres such as Classical,
Jazz/Contemporary, World/Folk, New Age, Chinese, Pop and
Rock and also by categories such as Ballet, Chamber Music,
Sacred Choral, Secular Choral, Composers, Concertos,
Educational, Film Music, Instrumental, Musicals,
Opera/Operetta, TV Music, Vocal, and Collections.

Naxos provides podcasts such as Classical Music Spotlight,
Choral Music of Thomas Tallis, American Jewish Music from
the Milken Archive with Leonard Nimoy, and interviews with
performers and composers.

Faculty can create folders for shared playlists for use in
classes, and provide persistant links to sound recordings in
course management software such as Blackboard .

Sound recordings provide an additional and enjoyable layer
of depth to the understanding of culture and history. The
Naxos Collection is invaluable for teaching history, ethnic
studies, world cultures, and African-American studies as
well as for music, dance, and theater.

Enjoy!

Anne Harlow

At the Beethoven-House Digital Archive, one can search for a specific piece of music and find a digitized first edition, perhaps a manuscript, as well as relevent letters and sketches. Letters are linked with sound files of audio versions. Some sound files of musical examples are also included.

Exploring the Digital Archive of the Beethoven-House is truly exciting, made even moreso by the addition of Beethoven's sketchbooks.

Bravo Beethoven-House!

Beethoven Resources at Temple Libraries

Paley Library has a strong collection of books about Beethoven as well as scores by him. To listen to music by Beethoven, go to Classical Music Library, a streaming audio service, access provided by Temple University Libraries.

--Anne Harlow

Further Mozartiana

Temple University Libraries has quite a number of books about Mozart, and well over 1,000 music scores of his works.
To listen to sound recordings of Mozart's music go to Classical.com, online access provided by Temple University Libraries.

--Anne Harlow

Music by Gian Carlo Menotti can be heard via streaming audio from Classical Music Library, and Ruckus.com.

Click here for a listing of works by Menotti held by Temple University Libraries.

Books about Menotti and his music in Temple University's Paley Library include:

Ardoin, John. The Stages of Menotti. Garden City, N.Y. : Doubleday, 1985. Paley Stacks ML410.M52A85 1985

Grieb, Lyndal. The Operas of Gian Carlo Menotti, 1937-1972; a selective bibliography. Paley Stacks ML134.M533G7

Gruen, John. Menotti : a biography. New York : Macmillan, c1978. Paley Stacks ML410.M52G8

Hixon, Donald L. Gian Carlo Menotti : a bio-bibliography. Westport, CT : Greenwood Press, 2000. Paley Stacks ML134.M533 H59 2000

Tricoire, Robert. Gian Carlo Menotti, l'homme et son Oeuvre: Catalogue des oeuvres, discographie, illustrations. Paris, Seghers, 1966. Paley Stacks ML410.M52T7

Wlaschin, Ken. Gian Carlo Menotti on Screen : opera, dance, and choral works on film, television, and video. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Company, c1999. Paley Stacks ML410.M52 W6 1999

-Anne Harlow

In addition to Ruckus, the Temple University music-loving community has access to exciting free streaming audio services!

African American Song - Documents the history of African American Music, including blues, early jazz, gospel, ragtime, and more!

Classical Music Library - Look for your favorite composer here! Or, browse by playlists that include music for particular artistic movements, instruments, moods, and occasions, even a "Lover's Guide!"

Smithsonian Global Sound - Travel the world with music! Every continent is represented as well as music from Oceania and the Caribbean. Escape the winter cold with a Calypso from Trinidad or a sizzling hot Tango!

Let music fill your mind and heart this winter, and always.

-Anne Harlow

From the Tranestop press release:

"This free outdoor concert is part of the John Coltrane Jazz Festival – “Giant Steps Over Philly”, ! ; and is hosted by State Representative John Myers and State Senator LeAnna Washington.

This concert was rescheduled from September 2nd ... which provided the TraneStop the opportunity to merge this festival with its annual celebration of Coltrane’s birthday. The event will still have two stages with international recording artist Billy Paul headlining the John Myers Blues Stage and internationally recognized jazz legend Archie Shepp headlining the John Coltrane Jazz Stage."

Go to the Tranestop website for more information and additional artists that will be featured.

Directions:
"The Awbury Arboretum is easily accessible by train and bus both within and from outside the city. SEPTA’s R-7 Chestnut Hill-East/Trenton rail line stops at Washington Lane Station within feet of the jazz stage and a block from the blues stage. The R-7 connects at Trenton with New Jersey transit lines from New York and has stops at all three Philadelphia center city stations. Travelers from Washington, DC or the south or travelers who come into the city by bus, can pick up the R-7 at Suburban Station, 30th Street Station or Market East Station. The Saturday R-7 morning trains no. 1714, 1716 and 1718 will get you to the concert site by 11:59am, 12:59am and 1:59am, respectively and trains continue to run hourly thereafter. Departing R-7 evening trains no. 1731 and 1733 depart the concert site back to center city and Trenton at 8:41pm and 9:41 pm, respectively. The SEPTA bus route XH (connects at Broad and Erie) and route 23 also place riders right at the concert site on Washington Lane and Chew. TraneStop encourages participants to make good use of available public transportation to help make this an enjoyable and non-stres! sful experience for all involved. Call SEPTA at 215-580-7800 or visit the websites www.septa.org and www.thecommuterschoice.com for further information."

Selected Library Resources for John Coltrane

Books

Biography and description of works from Grove Music Online.

Articles from International Index to Music Periodicals

From American National Biography.

Full-Text Articles from JSTOR

Citations to articles from Music Index.

Full-text articles from the New York Times. through ProQuest historical newspapers.

Articles from RILM (Repertoire International de Litterature de Musicale).

Internet Resources

John Coltrane website

PBS - Jazz, a documentary by Ken Burns, artist biography: Coltrane These videos are available at Temple University Library's circulation desk (ML3506 .J399x 2000) and can be checked out.

John Coltrane, Avant Garde Jazz, and the Evolution of "My Favorite Things" by Scott Peterson

Hear and see John Coltrane, live, 1965, playing "Naimba"

The Tranestop

BBC Music Profiles - John Coltrane

Streaming audio of Coltrane music is available from CDigix.
Requires Internet Explorer.

-Anne Harlow

Previously unknown manuscripts of Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956), influential 20th century poet and playwright, have been recently discovered in Switzerland and delivered to the Brecht Archive at the Academy of Arts in Berlin. The playwright with arguably the most influence in shaping modern theater in the twentieth century, Brecht is a controversial social critic while at the same time his works entertain. The year 2006 is “Brecht year”, with many venues commemorating 50 years since his death. An article about the discovery of the manuscripts is available from Deutsche Welle , as well as other articles on his life and works.

Some resources at Temple University Libraries on Bertolt Brecht include:

Works by Bertolt Brecht at Temple University Libraries

Works about Bertolt Brecht

Books at Temple University Paley Library
Both analyses and biographies.

*From “Contemporary Authors”
Nice works list, brief biography.

*From Grove Music Online
Brief biography emphasizing works put to music.

Criticism and Analysis

*International Index to the Performing Arts
A variety of sources including scholarly and popular press. Articles are full-text and full-image.

*JSTOR
Full-text articles from the Performing Arts, Language and Linguistics, and Music Collections.

*Literature Online (LION) – Bertolt Brecht, short biographies, links to articles with analysis, some full-text works.

*MLA International Bibliography – full-text articles on criticism and analysis. For more articles on Brecht, search the database MLA lists over 3,000 citations about Brecht.

*RILM - Criticism and Analysis about Brecht-Weill works in a database that is international in scope.

Internet Resources

International Brecht Society

Bertolt Brecht and the Epic Theater

“Bertolt Brecht: The Man Who Never Was” provides insight into the complexity of Brecht as a writer and a person.

* To access resources preceded by an asterisk off-campus, enter your AccessNet username and password.

-Anne Harlow