Overview

David Saperton was an American pianist, composer, and teacher who notably performed and recorded much of the music of his father-in-law, renowned pianist and composer Leopold Godowsky. The papers include Saperton’s music manuscripts, correspondence, and several photographs he collected.

Abstract Harvey Enders (1892-1947) was an American composer and arranger, mostly of popular and folk songs and vocal pieces in the manner of African-American spirituals. He composed a dramatic song narrative for baritone and orchestra, “Death in Harlem,” based on the poem by Langston Hughes. The collection contains annotated manuscript and printed versions of the score of “Death in Harlem,” and an annotated, autographed typescript of the original poem, as well as several songs and...

Abstract

Virtuoso pianist and composer Leopold Godowsky (1870-1938) was noted for piano compositions and arrangements of exceptional difficulty, especially his 53 Studies on Chopin’s Études. The collection includes manuscripts of his works, sketches, corrected print proofs, and published scores with annotations and inscriptions by Godowsky and others related to him.

Summary

Risë Stevens (1913-2013) was an operatic mezzo-soprano, actress, and a music administrator who served as president of the Mannes College of Music from 1975 to 1978. The collection contains performance scores of Broadway and jazz standards of the 1930s and 1940s arranged for her, likely for use in her commercially recorded albums of such standards.