Catalog Record:
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.
Purchased with funds from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in 1998.
No further accruals are expected.
The Martha Graham Collection was processed by Elizabeth Aldrich who created a finding aid in 2007. An addendum to the collection finding aid was created in June 2009. Nancy Seeger edited and coded the finding aid for EAD format in 2010.
The moving image materials were transferred to the Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division where they are identified as part of the Graham (Martha) Collection (Library of Congress) .
The Library of Congress is rich in materials that illuminate the career of Martha Graham and, in addition to the Martha Graham Collection, other Graham-related resources in the Music Division include the
Materials from the Martha Graham Collection are governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright laws.
The Martha Graham Collection is open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Music Division prior to visiting in order to determine whether the desired materials will be available at that time.
Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [item, date, container number], Martha Graham Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Martha Graham, a pioneer in the establishment of American modern dance, was one of the principal choreographers of the twentieth century. Her work, which spanned more than seven decades, resulted in the development of a movement technique and a body of 180 choreographic works. Known also for her innovative collaborations, Graham worked with sculptor Isamu Noguchi, who created over thirty-five designs for Graham works; lighting designer Jean Rosenthal; costume designer Halston; and many composers, including Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, Robert Starer, William Schuman, and Louis Horst, who acted as accompanist, composer, and music director for Graham from 1926 to 1948. Graham founded a dance company in the 1920s that continues to perform her repertory (www.marthagraham.org).
The following timeline makes reference to only a few of Graham’s choreographic works. For a complete repertory list, please consult Don McDonagh’s book,
The Martha Graham Collection is comprised of materials that document the career of modern dance pioneer Martha Graham and trace the history of the development of her company, the Martha Graham Dance Company, which became the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, and school, Martha Graham School, later to be called the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. The collection also includes, unprocessed and unavailable for viewing at this time, five linear feet of materials from the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and four linear feet of archival materials relating to Graham’s sister, Georgia Graham Sargent.
The Martha Graham Collection is organized into fifteen series:
One of the highlights of the collection is the Music Inventory that describes seventy-three of Graham’s works. It consists of original holograph or autograph scores by composers such as Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, Alan Hovhaness, Louis Horst, Halim El-Dabh, Eugene Lester, Norman Dello Joio, Paul Hindemith, Gian-Carlo Menotti, Robert Starer, William Schuman, and Wallingford Riegger. The series also includes orchestral parts and piano rehearsal scores which often include choreographic notes.
Arranged by title of choreographic work, however, composers and alternate or original titles of compositions are cross-referenced in the finding aid.
Nielsen’s titles:
Set to music by John Corigliano in 1989.
Barber’s title:
Copland’s title:
Hovhaness’s title:
Choreography by Susan Stroman.
Barber’s title:
Graham’s title for first performance:
Reconstruction 1987.
Hovhaness’s title:
Lester’s title:
Panufnik’s title:
Chávez’s title:
Copland’s title:
Graham’s title for first performance:
Webern’s titles:
Persichetti’s title:
Original title of choreography:
Toch’s title:
Based on an old Bréton song.
Varèse’s titles:
[Note: In 1934, Graham choreographed a work called
Earlier title:
Reconstructed in 1988.
Note: Parts are missing.
El-Dabh’s title:
Kupferman’s title:
Seter’s title:
Crumb’s title:
Arrangement, orchestration, and additional music by Stanley Sussman.
Starer’s title:
Enrico Tarenghi’s title:
Choreographed by Ted Shawn and performed by Martha Graham on Denishawn tours (1921-1923) and in the
Reigger’s title:
Reconstructed in 1989; originally part of
Egge’s title:
Bartók’s title:
Dello Joio’s title:
Rechoreographed as
Dello Joio’s title:
The Martha Graham Collection contains an especially rich collection of Scrapbooks that span from 1926 to 1976. Documents contained within the scrapbooks include the official invitation from Germany to participate in the 1936 Olympics and Graham’s carbon copy of her refusal; transcripts of a German radio program from 1941; telegrams and notes of congratulations from luminaries such as Helen Hayes, Mary Wigman, Lincoln Kirstein, Sir Frederick Ashton, Svetlana Beriosova, and Michael Somes; and significant information on the Graham Company’s European tours during the Cold War. Other materials contained within the scrapbooks include invitations, speeches, fan mail, interviews, photographs, correspondence, reviews, and letters of tribute. For similar materials, the reader should see other parts of the collection, including Clippings; Programs; Writings By and About Martha Graham; and New York City Season and National and International Touring.
Arranged in chronological order.
The Photographic Material series consists of over 8,000 photographs, dating from Graham’s Denishawn days through the late 1980s. In addition, there are family photographs and a number of informal shots taken at fund-raising events by former Graham board chair, Arnold Weissberger.
Primarily arranged alphabetically by name of choreographic work.
The Clippings series contains newspaper and other periodical reviews and articles about Martha Graham and the Martha Graham Dance Company, ranging from 1925 to 1996. A more extensive collection of reviews is contained in the Scrapbooks series.
Arranged chronologically.
The Public Relations, Fundraising, and Special Events series consists of sponsor lists, potential donors, information on corporate and foundation solicitations, press releases, business plans, general public relations materials, grant proposals, and correspondence relating to the 1966 fundraising campaign. This series also contains flyers and posters dating from the 1920s to the 1990s as well as information on special events, galas, and benefits. The materials span 1947 to 1996.
The New York City Seasons and National and International Tours series consists of correspondence, memoranda, telefaxes, telegrams, cast lists, budgets, and itineraries for the Graham Company’s New York City seasons and national and international tours between 1948 and 1996. Further information on the New York City seasons and touring can be found in Correspondence; Scrapbooks; Production Elements; and Public Relations, Fundraising, and Special Events.
The Choreographic Notebooks series contains notebooks of ideas, sketches, steps, and steps sequences for approximately twenty-three of Graham’s choreographic works. Many were published in 1973 as
The Correspondence series in the Martha Graham Collection is divided into two sections. The first covers the day-to-day activities of the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance and the Martha Graham School. The letters (some carbon copies and xeroxes), memoranda, telefaxes, and telegrams are arranged chronologically by year. The correspondence is not inclusive, but covers activities from 1930 to 1996, with the majority of items from the 1980s and 1990s. The series also contains consignments, contracts, letters of agreement, promissory notes, and licenses, as well as correspondence, agendas, and member lists for the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance Board of Trustees and legal documents relating to the day-to-day activities of the Center. The second section consists of correspondence to and from Martha Graham that was unrestricted in 2008. Finally there are twelve containers of correspondence determined to be of a personal nature that are currently restricted.
The first section is arranged chronologically by year. The second section is arranged alphabetically by name.
The Production Elements series consists of information relating to the New York City season performances and touring, including hanging plots, light plots and light cue tracks, call sheets, and condition reports. The lighting, set, and costume designers include Jean Rosenthal, Rouben Ter-Arutunian, Isamu Noguchi, Donna Karan, Beverly Emmons, Jennifer Tipton, and Thomas Skelton.
Lighting by Jean Rosenthal and William H. Batchelder.
Lighting by Jean Rosenthal, revised 1961.
Lighting by Jean Rosenthal and William H. Batchelder.
Lighting by Jean Rosenthal, William H. Batchelder, and H.P. Poindexter.
Lighting designs by Jean Rosenthal and William H. Batchelder.
Jean Rosenthal, designer.
The Special Projects series consists of materials that relate to activities of the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance between 1973 and 1992. It contains letters, memoranda, faxes, telegrams, and other items (notes, budgets, itineraries) for a number of ventures, including the 1973 summer Lake Placid, New York residency; the 1993 patrons tour to Spain; the Marymount Choreographers Project, 1988 and 1992; and special projects with sculptor Isamu Noguchi from 1982 to 1985.
Arranged by project.
The series Writings by and about Martha Graham consists of literary notes by Martha Graham or others for various choreographic works; articles and speeches by Martha Graham; interviews; articles about Martha Graham; poems and miscellaneous writings sent to Graham or contained in her papers, and fragments of literary works by and for Graham.
Organized by major heading (“Literary Notes,” for example) and arranged alphabetically by author or by choreographic work therein. In some cases, folders are organized chronologically.
Literary notes by Martha Graham for choreographic works (some fragments); literary notes by others for choreographic works.
Poems, writings, and scripts sent to Graham or contained in her papers (authors identified).
Poems, writings, and scripts sent to Graham or contained in her papers (authors unidentified).
Sheet music sent to Graham.
The Programs series contains a selection of programs that span the 1930s to 2003. A significant number of programs are also contained in the Scrapbooks series.
Arranged chronologically.
The Business Papers series of the Martha Graham Dance Company; Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance; and Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance consists of financial information that spans 1941 to 1993, including payroll and salary information; bank statements; deposit information; checkbook stubs; cancelled checks; budget information; purchase orders and invoices; and tax information. To view the materials in this series, please consult the curator of dance.
The Personal Papers and Finances series contains Graham’s personal papers, receipts, and tax returns. This series is currently restricted.
Arranged chronologically.
The Realia series contains a collection of awards, plaques, statues, honorary degrees, and other ephemera that honors the achievements of Martha Graham.
For further information on the life and work of Martha Graham, please consult the following sources: