Scope and Content Note
The collection chiefly contains musical arrangements for orchestra and small ensemble written for the female pop vocal quartet, The Chordettes. It spans the years 1938-1995, with the bulk of the material dating from 1954 to 1961. The arrangements consist of holograph or photocopied manuscript scores, instrumental parts, lyric sheets, and sketches. Only those songs with vocal or piano-vocal scores present contain the four-part harmonies and lyrics. The collection includes arrangements for many of their hit songs, including "Mr. Sandman" and "Lollipop," as well as medleys and jingles. Items may be represented by combinations of manuscript, printed music, photocopies or ozalids - sometimes multiples in different versions. The group worked with numerous arrangers, including the following individuals who are identified in the collection: Archie Bleyer, Jerry Bresler, Milton Kraus, Peter Matz, Don Robertson, and Jim Tyler. The collection also contains a small amount of photographs, chiefly personal snapshots of the singers' friends and families and several more formal portraits.