The Library of Congress >  Researchers >  Search Finding Aids  >  Leonard Bernstein collection, circa 1900-1995
Access restrictions apply.Some or all content stored offsite.
ContainerContents
Press Materials, 1930-1994, undated (continued)
BOX 593-598 Clippings--Press Books
Arranged chronologically.
BOX 593 Bound, 1971-1981
BOX 594 Bound, 1983
BOX 595 Bound, 1983-1984
BOX 596 Bound, 1984-1991
BOX 597 Unbound, 1966-1985
BOX 598 Unbound, 1985-1992
BOX 599-604 Press Kits and Miscellany
Arranged chronologically.
BOX 599 Press kits, 1975
BOX 600 Press kits, 1976-1980
BOX 601 Press kits, 1981-1992
BOX 602 Miscellaneous press kits, newsletters, biographical sketches, sales and advertising
BOX 603 Miscellaneous booklets and brochures
BOX 604 Miscellaneous oversize press kit and liner notes
BOX 605-1041 Business Papers, 1944-1994
The Business Papers series is divided into two subseries that reflect their arrangement upon receipt by the Library of Congress: the Personal Business Papers, and the Amberson Business Papers. The distinction between the two subseries is not always clear. The Personal Business Papers reflect Bernstein’s business dealings chiefly beginning in 1944 (and perhaps a bit earlier) and continuing through the early 1970s when the Amberson Corporation increasingly took over aspects of that work.

Amberson Enterprises, Inc., Bernstein’s management company, was founded February 20, 1959, with Helen Coates, Abraham Friedman (Bernstein’s lawyer) and H. Gordon Freeman (Bernstein’s accountant) as directors. The company was named Amberson after the German word Bernstein which means "amber." The materials in the Amberson Business Papers reflect most of Bernstein’s business dealings starting in 1959, and continuing slightly beyond Bernstein’s death in 1990. However, between 1958 and 1969, the New York Philharmonic, where Bernstein was music director, managed many of Bernstein’s business dealings. It wasn’t until 1969 that Amberson began to take on significantly larger duties and responsibilities, and the two sets of business papers began to be thought of as separate entities.

Schuyler Chapin was appointed executive producer of Amberson Productions, an affiliate of Amberson Enterprises, Inc., in September 1969. Chapin left Amberson in 1971 to become general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, but remained on the board of trustees. Harry Kraut (previously Tanglewood’s manager) was named executive vice president of Amberson Enterprises, Inc. in January 1972. The company’s name was changed to Amberson, Inc. in 1989. In 1995 it was renamed the Leonard Bernstein Office, Inc./Amberson Holdings LLC.

The Amberson Business Papers reflect activities of several companies and related subsidiaries, some of whose names have changed over the years. During Leonard Bernstein’s lifetime, various Bernstein group companies were formed for music publishing and concert/video production purposes. These include: Mozart Films, Inc. (1966), which became Amberson Video, Inc. (1972); Amberson Pictures Corp. (1969) renamed Amberson Productions, Inc., the same year; Amberson Festivals, Inc. (date unknown) which became Video Music Education, Inc. (1973); Video Music Inc. (also known as VMI); Video Music Productions, Inc. (also known as VMP); La Boheme, Inc. (1986); Jalni Publications, Inc. (1978) and Jalni Enterprises, Inc. ("Jalni" was derived from the initial letters of Bernstein’s children—Jamie, Alexander and Nina); and Springate. This list is not considered complete, nor does it indicate all the mergings.

The Amberson Business Papers were originally arranged in groupings according to date ranges. As file space ran out, old files would be placed in storage to make room for current and new files. The Amberson Business Papers series in the Leonard Bernstein Collection is arranged in one alphabetical sequence with materials arranged chronologically therein. In some cases, various names for files that are obviously of the same type and subject were regularized under the same name. Later additions to the series have been boxed separately at the end, but are interfiled alphabetically within the finding aid series.

There is an additional grouping at the end of the Amberson Business Papers called the Coates, Gottlieb, Harmon and Proskauer Files. It reflects the papers of the following individuals who worked for Amberson: Helen G. Coates, Bernstein’s childhood piano teacher, became Bernstein's secretary at the beginning of his career and served in that capacity until her death in 1989. She began, annotated and maintained Leonard Bernstein’s personal and professional archives; Jack Gottlieb was Bernstein’s assistant at the New York Philharmonic from 1958 through 1966. He joined Amberson’s staff in the 1970s, working as editor and director of publications, and later as a consultant on all matters musical and archival; Charlie Harmon (same as Richard Charles Harmon) joined Amberson as personal assistant to Bernstein in 1982. He later served as archivist, then music editor; "Proskauer," represents the law firm Proskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohn. Beginning around 1975, member Paul H. Epstein became counsel to Bernstein and Amberson.
BOX 605-951, 952 OV-976 OV, 979-981, 644A, 1038-1041, Map Case 3 Amberson Business Papers, 1949-1994 , bulk 1969-1990
Arranged alphabetically by name or subject.
BOX 605 20th century composers book
BOX 605 60 Minutes
(2 folders)
BOX 605 895 Park Avenue
BOX 605 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
(3 folders)
BOX 605 ABC [VMI]
BOX 605 Abell, David
BOX 605 Abend, Joseph
BOX 605 Academia di Santa Cecilia
(2 folders)
BOX 605 Acropolis, save the
BOX 605 ACT
(2 folders)
BOX 605 Address references - orchestra
BOX 605 Addresses and cards, 1983-1990
(2 folders)
BOX 605 Addresses and cards, 1990
BOX 605 Addresses and cards, miscellaneous
BOX 606 Addresses and cards, miscellaneous
BOX 606 Administrative materials
BOX 606 Advest, Inc.
BOX 606 Affiliate Artists
BOX 606 Age of Anxiety
(4 folders)
BOX 606 Agreements
(3 folders)
BOX 606 Agreements
BOX 607 Agreements, miscellaneous
BOX 607 Agronsky interview
BOX 607 "Ahorros" study notes
BOX 607 Aida
(3 folders)
BOX-FOLDER 1038/1 Aida screenplay (Zeffirelli)
BOX 607 AIDS benefit, concert
(2 folders)
BOX 607 AIDS benefits, concerts
BOX 607 AIDS information, 1989
BOX 608 AIDS information, 1990-1991
(2 folders)
MAPCASE-DRAWER 3/11 Album cover
Formerly Box 977 OV
BOX 975 OV Album covers, London Symphony
BOX 975 OV Album covers, miscellaneous
BOX 975 OV Album covers, New York Philharmonic
(4 folders)
BOX 608 Alcalay, Eugene
BOX 608 Aldeburgh - Benjamin Britten
(2 folders)
BOX 608 Alessandri, Francisca
BOX 608 Allen, Woody
BOX 608 Ambergris Corporation
(2 folders)
BOX 949 Ambergris tax matters
BOX 608 Amberson automobile
BOX 608 Amberson board
BOX 609 Amberson board and executive committee
(2 folders)
BOX 609 Amberson board minutes
BOX 609 Amberson catalogue...
BOX 609 Amberson - Corporate
(3 folders)
BOX 609 Amberson Enterprises
BOX 949 Amberson Enterprises - Tax Matters
BOX 609 Amberson, general
BOX 949 Amberson Incorporated - Tax Matters
BOX 609 Amberson, miscellaneous
BOX 609 Amberson production copyrights
BOX 609 Amberson productions
BOX 949 Amberson tax planning
BOX 609 Amberson Video, Inc.
BOX 609 Amberson Video - Chemical Bank monthly statements
(2 folders)
BOX 949 Amberson Video - Tax Matters
BOX 609 American Composer series
BOX-FOLDER 1038/2 American Embassy Moscow
BOX 610 American Federation of Musicians
(3 folders)
BOX 610 American Friends of Aldeburgh Festival
BOX 610 American Music
BOX 610 American Music Center
(4 folders)
BOX 610 American Music Recording Project
BOX 610 American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
see also ASCAP
BOX 610 American Symphony Orchestra, Inc.
BOX 610 American Symphony Orchestra League, 1980
BOX 611 American Symphony Orchestra League, 1990
BOX 611 American Symphony Orchestra League convention
BOX 611 America's 200th Birthday: A Celebration in Music
BOX 611 Amnesty International
(4 folders)
BOX 611 Amurri, Franco
BOX 949 Anania, Joseph [Spicer & Oppenheim] for follow-up as of July 13, 1988
BOX 611 Anniversaries
BOX 611 Apprentice program
(2 folders)
BOX 612 Apprentices - Japan
BOX 612 Archives, 1987-1991
(8 folders)
BOX 613 Archives, 1990-1991
(4 folders)
BOX 613 Archives, information
BOX 613 Ardoin, John
BOX 613 Arthur Cantor Inc. - Contract
BOX 613 Artist files, 1984
Next Page »

Contents List