Dorothea Dix Lawrence collection
Published: 1856
Language: eng
Number of pages: 230
Subjects: Correspondence; Photographs; English Songs; History and criticism; Vocal scores with piano; English Folk songs; Operas; Folk music; Autographs; Sopranos (Singers)
Description: The materials in the collection include correspondence, photographs, clippings and other items that document Dorothea Dix Lawrence's career as an opera singer, folklorist, and interpreter of American folk song. In addition, the collection includes her articles on American folklore that were published in various journals and two copies of her Folklore Music Map of the United States, which was widely distributed in American public schools. The collection also includes piano-vocal opera scores and a large number of American folk and popular songs.
Notes: Open to research.

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Dorothea Dix Lawrence Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress.

Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.

Gift; Morgan Lawrence; 1980.

A taped interview with Dorothea Dix Lawrence's son Morgan Lawrence, conducted on July 1, 1980 by Jon Newsom, assistant chief of the Library of Congress Music Division, was transferred to the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress.

Opera singer, recitalist, folklorist, and interpreter of American folk song, Dorothea Dix Lawrence was born in New York City on September 22, 1899. She debuted as an opera singer in Montreal and Quebec City in 1929 but would later focus her repertoire exclusively on American song. She gave hundreds of lecture-recitals across the United States and Europe and at the time was one of the few professional artists to bring American music to European audiences. A champion and scholar of American folk music she published the "Folklore music map of the United States" in 1946 and "Folklore-songs of the United States" in 1959, which she compiled with Walter Rosemont. She retired from public life in 1970 and died in Plainfield, New Jersey, on May 23, 1979.

Finding aid available in the Library of Congress Performing Arts Reading Room and at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/eadmus.mu010005