Coverage Opportunity

What:		Illustrated covers for American popular song sheet music were introduced during the 19th century to attract interest and promote sales. From about World War I on, many covers included photographs of composers or performing artists. The covers helped increase music purchases and popularized individual songs, many of which were composed for Broadway shows and later also for motion picture musicals. Drawing on the Watkinson Library’s extensive collection of illustrated sheet music, the exhibit focuses on eight composers whose songs were widely enjoyed during the period from World War I to the 1940s and whose popularity continues. The composers are: Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, W. C. Handy, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, and Harry Warren. A feature song has been selected for each composer and matched with a 78 rpm vintage recording by a noted performing artist or dance orchestra. The recordings are also from the Watkinson’s collections and can be heard while viewing the exhibit. In conjunction with the exhibit, Peter Knapp, Special Collections Librarian and College Archivist, and Anne Knapp, Political Science Faculty, University of Hartford, will present an illustrated lecture, “ ‘You’re the Top’: Memorable Composers and Recording Artists of American Popular Songs from World War I to the 1940s”. Selected recordings of feature songs by the composers will be played during the lecture. A reception will be held following the lecture.
When:		Exhibit runs from September 12 through December 15, 2006
Where:		Watkinson Library, Raether Library and Information Technology Center on the Trinity College campus Lecture by Peter and Anne Knapp will be held in the 1823 Room, Raether Library, Trinity College, 5:00 p.m., on October 12, 2006

The exhibit and lecture are free and open to the public. For more information on the exhibit or lecture, please call (860) 297-2269.

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