Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement
Biographical Sketch
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1903, Oct. 10 | Born Vladimir Alexandrovitch Dukelsky, Parafianove, Minsk |
| 1916-1919 | Studied composition with Reinhold Glière and Marian Dombrovsky at the Kiev Conservatory |
| 1920 | Fled the Revolution with his family, settling first in Constantinople |
| 1921, autumn | Sailed for New York |
| 1924 | Sailed to Paris at the behest of Artur Rubinstein |
| 1925, Feb. 21 | Katja the Dancer opened in London, two songs by Duke added to score |
| 1925 | Zephyr and Flora performed (Diaghilev Ballets Russes, Kochno-Braque-Chanel-Massine) |
| 1926, May 22 | Yvonne opened in London, half of the score by Duke |
| 1927 Apr. | Two Little Girls in Blue closed during pre-London tryout, one song by Duke |
| 1927, Oct. 12 | Bow-Wows opened in London, one song by Duke |
| 1928, Feb. 8 | Yellow Mask opened in London |
| 1928, June 14 | First Symphony premiered by Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony |
| 1929 Aug. | Open Your Eyes closed during pre-London tryout |
| 1930, June 4 | Garrick Gaieties (Third Edition) opened in New York, partial score by Duke |
| 1930, Oct. 15 | Three's A Crowd opened in New York, one song by Duke |
| 1930 | Duke contributed songs or instrumentals to the films: Follow the Leader, Follow Thru, Heads Up, Hold Your Man, Laughter and The Sap from Syracuse |
| 1931, July 21 | Shoot the Works opened in New York, one song by Duke |
| 1931 | Epitaph premiered in Boston; July 31st, Shoot the Works opened, which included one song by Duke |
| 1932, Oct. 5 | Americana (1932) opened in New York, one song by Duke |
| 1932, Dec. 7 | Walk a Little Faster opened in New York, Duke's first complete Broadway score, which included his most famous song "April in Paris" |
| 1933, May 31 | "Composers' manifesto" published in the New York Times |
| 1934, Jan. 4 | Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 opened in New York, music mostly by Duke |
| 1934, Dec. 27 | Thumbs Up opened in New York, one song by Duke--"Autumn in New York" |
| 1934-1935 | Duke studied orchestration with Joseph Schillinger |
| 1935, Mar. 8 | Public Gardens ballet premiered in Chicago |
| 1936, Jan. 30 | Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 opened in New York, score included "I Can't Get Started" |
| 1936 Apr. | Revised ballet Jardin presented at the N.Y. Metropolitan Opera House, then Covent Garden (London) in June |
| 1936, Dec. 25 | The Show Is On opened in New York, partial score by Duke |
| 1937 | Second Symphony in Paris, conducted by Albert Wolff |
| 1937, July 11 | George Gershwin died; Duke was pallbearer at the funeral |
| 1937-1938 | Duke completed Gershwin's score for the film The Goldwyn Follies |
| 1938, Jan. 12 | The End of St. Petersburg premiered at Carnegie Hall |
| 1938 | Duke organized High-Low Concerts in New York |
| 1939, Mar. 7 | Vladimir Dukelsky became American citizen and took Vernon Duke as his legal name |
| 1939, Dec. 26 | The White Plume retitled A Vagabond Hero opened and closed in Washington, D.C., during pre-Broadway tryout, partial score by Duke |
| 1940, May 23 | Keep Off the Grass opened in New York with Duke's contribution, the ballet "Raffles," choreographed by George Balanchine for Ray Bolger |
| 1940, Oct. 25 | Cabin in the Sky opened in New York, score included "Takin' a Chance on Love" |
| 1940 | Duke wrote songs for the Seymour Felix-staged Midnight Frolics, and composed "New York Nocturne," to become Charlie Barnet's theme song |
| 1940-1941 | Duke contributed songs to the shows: Crazy With the Heat, Ice-Capades of 1941 and It Happens on Ice |
| 1941, Dec. 25 | Banjo Eyes opened in New York |
| 1942, Jan. 9 | The Lady Comes Across opened in New York |
| 1942 Apr. | Duke's mother died |
| 1942 | Duke contributed a song to the film White Catgo; he was drafted and entered the Coast Guard for two and one half years; composed Cello Concerto for Gregor Piatigorsky |
| 1943 Mar. | Cabin in the Sky (film) opened |
| 1943, Mar. 18 | Violin Concerto premiered by Koussevitzky in Boston |
| 1943, Mar. 22 | Dancing in the Streets opened and closed in Boston during pre-Broadway tryout |
| 1944, Jan. 13 | Jackpot opened in New York |
| 1944, May 5 | Tars and Spars opened in New York and toured the country |
| 1944, Nov. 16 | Sadie Thompson opened in New York |
| 1946, Jan. 4 | Cello Concerto premiered in Boston with Piatigorsky, conducted by Koussevitzky |
| 1946, Oct. 10 | Sweet Bye and Bye opened and closed in New Haven during its pre-Broadway tryout |
| 1946, Nov. 18 | "Ode to the Milky Way" premiered at City Center in New York, conducted by Leonard Bernstein |
| 1946, Dec. 19 | Le Bal des Blanchisseuses (Ballets des Champs Elysées, Kochmo-Stanislao Lepri-Roland Petit) |
| 1948 Feb. | Paris Aller et Retour broadcast on French radio |
| 1948 | Harpsichord Sonata composed for Fernando Valenti; Duke founded the Society for Forgotten Music |
| 1952, Dec. 15 | Two's Company opened in New York |
| 1955 | Duke's autobiography--Passport to Paris-- published |
| 1956, May 22 | The Littlest Revue opened in New York (Off-Broadway,) score mostly by Duke |
| 1957, Nov. 12 | Time Remembered opened in New York, a play with two songs by Duke |
| 1957 | Married Kay McCracken |
| 1959, Oct. 14 | The Pink Jungle opened and closed in San Francisco during its pre-Broadway tryout |
| 1963, Aug. 5 | Zenda opened and closed in San Francisco during its pre-Broadway tryout |
| 1963 | Listen Here!: a Critical Essay on Music Depreciation published. Zenda performed on the west coast |
| 1964, Jan. 21 | Cabin in the Sky revival opened in New York |
| 1969, Jan. 16 | Died, Santa Monica, California |