Administrative Information
Provenance
The materials constituting the Victor Herbert Collection were acquired by the Library of Congress from a number of sources. Several manuscripts were gifts from Herbert himself. Most of the collection came as a series of gifts from Herbert's daughter, Ella Herbert Bartlett, beginning in the 1920s and continuing through the late 1950s . A significant collection of holograph scores, correspondence, and other materials was given to the Library in 1948 by the widow of Gustav Klemm ( 1897-1947 ), a composer and conductor and an ardent admirer of Herbert. This gift included a set of 42 scores representing 37 of Herbert’s operettas and operas, all of which are housed with the collection.
Additional materials were received as gifts from William Randolph Hearst, G. Schirmer, Inc., the National Federation of Music Clubs, and the Tams-Witmark Music Library. A significant amount of autograph manuscripts were purchased from the Patelson Music House in 1948 . A number of smaller purchases from the Patelson Music House and from other antiquarian music dealers have been made since that time. The Library of Congress also received two sets of bound piano-vocal scores for most of the Herbert operettas and operas.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
The Victor Herbert Collection finding aid was coded for EAD format in 2011 by Janet McKinney.
Transfers
Audiovisual materials have been transferred to the Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division.
Related Material
In 1974 , the Library received from the estate of Ella Herbert Bartlett a set of 45 scores representing 39 of Herbert’s operettas and operas. This set of scores has been cataloged and assigned to class M1503.H535 Case.
Bartlett also donated forty-nine bound scores from the libraries of her mother and father. All except one are piano-vocal opera scores. Twenty-four of the scores are annotated by Victor Herbert's wife, soprano Therese Herbert-Förster, presumably reflecting her performances of these works. Two of the scores have performance indications by Victor Herbert. Three of the scores have autographs and/or inscriptions to Therese Herbert-Förster and Victor Herbert. All of the annotated scores and those unannotated scores which were not previously held by the Music Division have been cataloged and added to the Music Division’s general collections.
Additional materials relating to Victor Herbert can be found in the Tams-Witmark Collection , which contains manuscript scores and/or parts for a number of Herbert works, including substantial holdings for his opera Natoma .
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [item, date, container number], Victor Herbert Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.