Balch Institute sheet music collection

This collection of sheet music was formed over time by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. The materials in the collection date from the 1820s to the 1960s, with the bulk of the music dated from the 1890s to the 1930s. Housed in seven boxes, the music in the collection has been arranged mostly...

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Bibliographic Details
Corporate Author: Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies (Creator)
Collection:Balch Institute Sheet Music Collection
Collection Number:3141
Format: Manuscript
Language:English
Subjects and Genres:
Online Access:Link to finding aid
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LEADER 04856ntc a2200469 u 4500
001 ead-3141
008 160115i18241966xx eng d
040 |e dacs 
041 0 |a eng 
099 |a 3141 
110 2 |a Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies  |e creator 
245 1 |a Balch Institute sheet music collection  |f 1824 - 1966  |g 1890 - 1939 
300 |a 2.8 Linear feet  |f ; 7 boxes, 1 flat file 
506 |a The collection is open for research. 
520 |a This collection of sheet music was formed over time by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. The materials in the collection date from the 1820s to the 1960s, with the bulk of the music dated from the 1890s to the 1930s. Housed in seven boxes, the music in the collection has been arranged mostly by ethnic group, though a small portion has been arranged by subject. A searchable database of the collection is available in HSP's library. The Balch Institute sheet music collection serves as an extensive resource of songs that were published by or for members of various ethnic groups. Much of music reflects visual stereotypes and stereotypical speech patterns associated with different groups. The most prevalent materials are related to the following ethnic groups: African American, Jewish, Greek, Italian, Irish, and Swedish; however, there are smaller caches of music pertaining to other groups such as Chinese, Hawaiian, Hispanic, Romania, Russian, Slovak, and Scottish, among others. This music is housed in Boxes 1-6 of the collection. Some sheet music that did not fall under any particular ethnic grouping has been housed by subject or genre, such as American/Patriotic, Foxtrot, Ragtime, Multiethnic/Immigrant, "Gypsy" (songs that invoke the "Gypsy" stereotype, not songs of the Romani people), and Polka. In the collection researchers will find a wide array of songs types, from spirituals and minstrel songs to folk songs, traditional anthems, and popular radio hits. The majority of music in the collection is in English, with some songs containing foreign language lyrics. Most of the Greek sheet music, however, is only in modern Greek and almost all of the Swedish music is in Swedish. Researchers may occasionally find notes on English translations in these groups. Please note that a significant number of songs in the collection contain potentially offensive language, including racial and ethnic slurs, some of which was common in the eras in which the music was published.  
524 8 |a Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Balch Institute sheet music collection (Collection 3141), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
540 1 |a The reproduction of materials in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. Please contact HSP's Rights and Reproduction department for questions concerning the use of potentially copyrighted items. 
541 1 |a This is an artificial collection culled together by the staff of the former Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. 
544 |a At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Balch Institute collection of audio-visual materials on various ethnic groups (Collection 3209) Balch Institute collection of ethnic ephemera (Collection 3451) Balch Institute miscellaneous graphic materials collection (Collection D0413) Early American sheet music collection (Accession number 78.34) Historical Society of Pennsylvania music collection (Collection 948) Minnie Reese collection of American sheet music (Accession number 76.4) Sheet music collection (Accession number 84.40) 
555 |a Finding Aid Available Online:  
546 |a The bulk of the music in the collection is in English with the exceptions of the Swedish and modern Greek sheet music. 
650 0 |a African Americans--Music--19th century. 
650 0 |a African Americans--Music--20th century. 
650 0 |a African Americans--Music. 
650 0 |a Ethnic attitudes--United States--History. 
650 0 |a Folk songs.  
650 0 |a Minstrel music--United States. 
650 0 |a Music title pages. 
650 0 |a Music--Manuscripts--19th century. 
650 0 |a Sheet music--United States--History--19th century.  
650 0 |a Sheet music--United States--History--20th century.  
650 0 |a Songs, German--United States. 
650 0 |a Songs, Greek (Modern)--United States. 
650 0 |a Songs, Irish--United States. 
650 0 |a Songs, Italian--United States. 
650 0 |a Songs, Slovak--United States. 
650 7 |a Songs, Swedish--United States.  |2 Local sources 
650 0 |a Songs, Yiddish--United States. 
650 0 |a Spirituals (Songs)--United States. 
650 0 |a Stereotypes (Social psychology)--History. 
852 |a The Historical Society of Pennsylvania  |b Balch Institute Sheet Music Collection  |l 3141 
856 4 2 |y Link to finding aid  |u http://www2.hsp.org/collections/manuscripts/b/BalchSheetMusic3141.html