University of Pennsylvania Finding Aids

Some personal papers of Leopold Stokowski, including correspondence to and from Stokowski, notebooks, calendars, bank statements, royalty statements, insturance records, and contracts; this includes some correspondence and contracts related to Stokowski’s tenure as conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra (bulk 1937-1946). Also includes writings by and about Stokowski, obituaries, programs, photographs, scrapbooks, clippings, awards, memorabilia, and issues of three newsletters devoted to Stokowski. Also includes administrative correspondence of the former curator of the Leopold Stokowski Collection at the Curtis Institute of Music, Dr. Edwin E. Heilakka, 1980-1994.

Eugene Ormandy served as the conductor/musical director of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra from 1931 to 1936 and the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1937 to 1980.This collection of photographs documents the career and life of Eugene Ormandy from the early 1880s to the early 1990s, with the bulk of the photographs dating from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Curtis W. Davis (1928-1986) was a television producer who planned to publish a biography of the orchestral conductor Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977). The biography remained unfinished at the time of Davis' death. This collection consists of his research materials, notes, correspondence, and drafts of the planned biography.

Leopold Anthony Stokowski was born April 18, 1882 in London and become one of the best-known conductors of the 20th century. Stokowski conducted symphony orchestras across the world from 1909 until his death in 1977. This collection consists of original sound recordings on sound reels, audio cassettes, cds, and long playing records. It is believed that the majority document Stokowski's conducting career from 1917 to 1977 and that very few were professional recordings. Original sound recordings are restricted from use and researchers wishing to obtain a copy of the original will be financially responsible for the reformatting costs.

Dr. Irving Stein (1906-2000) was an orthopedic surgeon and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who also served on the board of the Philadelphia Orchestra. This collection documents his relationship with Eugene Ormandy (1899-1985), the conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and his efforts to memorialize Ormandy's accomplishments following his death.

Eugene Ormandy (1899-1985) was a Hungarian-born violinist and conductor best known for his association with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ormandy’s characteristic conducting style resulted in the “Philadelphia Sound,” which he brought around the world through recordings, international tours, and guest conducting engagements. This is a collection of transcripts of oral history interviews conducted with Eugene Ormandy and others connected to him or to the Philadelphia Orchestra about Ormandy and his influence on the Philadelphia Orchestra.

James DePreist (1936-2013) was an African-American conductor of international renown. This collection primarily documents James DePreist's conducting career, with a focus on the 1980s and 1990s with the Oregon Symphony, including organizational records, concert programs, press coverage, scores, and recordings.