A. P. Schmidt Company Archives
Scope and Content Note
The Arthur P. Schmidt Company Archives is a valuable source for the study of American music during the latter part of the 19th and the first quarter of the 20th century (specifically, the years 1881 to 1909). Although the materials range in date from 1869 to 1958, most of the materials date from 1891 to 1951.
Arthur Paul Schmidt was born in Altona, Germany on 1 April 1846 and came to the United States in 1866. He worked for the G.D. Russell publishing house in Boston before opening his own retail and foreign music importing business in 1876. The A.P. Schmidt Company soon gained a reputation for publishing works of many distinguished American composers. With branches in New York from 1894 to 1937 and in Leipzig from 1889 to 1910, it would become one of the largest music publishing and importing firms in the United States. Mr. Schmidt died on 5 May 1921 but the firm continued until it was absorbed by the Summy-Birchard Company of Evanston, Illinois in 1960. The influence of the A.P. Schmidt Publishing Company on the development and dissemination of American music is immeasurable. For more information on the history of the Schmidt organization, see Wilma Reid Cipolla’s article "Arthur P. Schmidt: The Publisher and His American Composers," which is found in Vistas of American Music: Essays and Compositions in Honor of William K. Kearns , edited by Susan L. Porter and John Graziano (Warren, Mich.: Harmonie Park Press, 1999) (ML200.1.V57 1999 in the collections of the Music Division).
The A.P. Schmidt Company Archives contains music, correspondence, articles and essays, business and financial records, and related documents. These materials provide a detailed look at the management, daily operations, and history of the Schmidt firm.
In the Music series, which contains manuscripts and some printed music and is the largest part of the collection, there are examples of music composed by Americans at the turn of the twentieth century and selected for publication by Schmidt. The majority of the music in the collection is in autograph form; some are holographs in the hand of the composer and many are the work of Schmidt company editors and arrangers. It is from these manuscripts that the Schmidt company prepared its publications. Most of the music in the collection is for voice, chorus or piano. However, examples of large-scale orchestral music in the collection most clearly illustrate Schmidt’s commitment to publishing music by American composers at a time when other American publishers were weary of risking their capital on these works which were oftentimes perceived to have questionable merit and little income-producing potential.
After Schmidt's death in 1921 the firm turned more and more to "educational music" and these materials are also represented in the collection. It should be noted that none of the manuscripts of Edward MacDowell, one of Schmidt’s most important composers, accompanied the collection to the Library of Congress. It may be assumed that after MacDowell’s death, most of his manuscripts were returned to his widow, Marian MacDowell (see the Edward and Marian MacDowell Collection).
The Business Papers series (1876-1951) includes corporate correspondence and letterbooks, legal and financial records and files, publications records and catalogs, iconography, and various writings.
The correspondence includes letters to A. P. Schmidt and his staff from composers, foreign agents, and printers as well as copies of letters from the Schmidt organization. These deal with the various facets of the publishing business but many references are made to a variety of personal matters as well as social and contemporary events. There are letters from most of the composers whose work Schmidt published. Included also are letters (1910-1951) from many of the businesses and organizations with whom Schmidt was connected over the years. Letters from individuals and smaller organizations are filed in alphabetical order by name.
In addition, letterbooks dating from 1891 to 1934 contain copies of correspondence sent from the Schmidt organization. Many of these letterbooks are in poor condition and extreme care is urged in handling. These letterbooks are organized chronologically.
Among the legal and financial records are several boxes of materials dealing primarily with copyright matters (1894-1958). These include copyright recordation books, renewals and application records, and a number of copyright related publications. The financial records (1880-1943) include bound ledgerbooks, payment records, earnings statements, and other information for both the Boston and Leipzig operations.
The publication records include an impressive number of A.P. Schmidt and related organizations’ stock books and publication books. The music catalogs and assorted advertisements include catalogs filed in alphabetical order by subject, composer’s name, or publisher/edition.
The iconographic materials in the collection consist, for the most part, of signed photographs that once lined Mr. Schmidt’s office. The writings encompass a number of interesting literary works, both printed and in manuscript, by some Schmidt composers, including Florence Newell Barbour, Charles Dennée and others.
Dates
- Creation: 1869-1958
- Creation: Majority of material found within ( 1891-1951)
Language of Materials
Collection material in English
Access and Restrictions
The A. P. Schmidt Company Archives is open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Music Division prior to visiting in order to determine whether the desired materials will be available at that time.
Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.
Copyright Status
Materials from the A. P. Schmidt Company Archives are governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright laws.
Biographical Note
Biographical Note
- 1846, Apr. 1
- Born, Altona (a suburb of Hamburg), Germany
- 1866
- Emigrated to Boston
- 1866 - 1876
- Worked for George D. Russell & Company (music store), Boston, Mass.
- 1868, Dec. 24
- Married Helene Philippine Suck
- 1876, Oct. 2
- Established A. P. Schmidt Company, Boston, Mass.
- 1876
- Agent of the well-known European Litolff edition
- Published the company's first music catalog, consisting primarily of piano studies and sonatas by Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart and Schumann, and orchestral scores of Beethoven's symphonies
- 1877, Mar. 26
- Published first copyrighted work Deus Misereatur , a sacred choral work (mixed voices) by Boston organist S. B. Whitney
- 1880
- Published first major symphonic work, John Knowles Paine's Symphony No. 2, opus 34, A major (by subscription)
- 1881
- Published first major catalog, primarily containing works by European composers
- Published works of George W. Chadwick
- Published second edition of A. P.Schmidt Co. catalog
- 1882
- Published a catalog of music for strings: Catalogue of Instrumental-Music Carefully Selected for the Use of Teachers, Students, and Amateurs
- 1885 Feb.
- Published Mrs. H. H. A. Beach's first song (under her maiden name, Amy Marcy Cheney): With Violets, opus 1, no. 1
- 1888
- Published a major 61-page supplement to The Teacher's Guide , issued earlier in 1881
- 1889
- Established office in Leipzig, Germany
- Issued Catalogue of Music Published by Arthur P. Schmidt listing chamber and orchestral works by American composers
- 1890
- Catalog originating from Leipzig branch, Verzeichniss des musikalien-Verlags von Arthur P. Schmidt indicated ten of the 50 works listed were by American composers
- 1891
- Leipzig branch issued Edward MacDowell's Suite für grosses Orchester, op. 42 as full score, parts, and piano duet
- 1894
- Issued a 16-page Nachtrag (supplement) to 1890 Leipzig music catalog
- circa 1896
- Issued a special catalog titled Favorite Songs by American Composers , containing 45 works
- 1899
- Purchased the catalog of P. L. Jung, manager of the New York office of Breitkopf und Härtel; two Jung catalogs were devoted largely to American composers
- circa 1901
- Issued a special catalog titled Woman's Work in Music , containing 17 works by American composers
- circa 1904 - 1908
- Issued Trade List of Music Books , containing several hundred titles, among them scores and parts for 12 works for orchestra
- 1908
- Last three large works published: Paine's Oedipus Tyrannus , for tenor, male chorus and orchestra, op. 35; MacDowell's symphonic poem Lamia, op. 29 ; and Stojowski's Violin Concerto in G, op. 22
- 1914
- Issued a seven-volume set of catalogs, containing the names of over 1000 individual composers; approximately 250 were American
- 1916, Jan. 1
- Arthur P. Schmidt Company was formed
- Schmidt transferred the business to Henry Richter Austin, Harry B. Crosby, and Florence J. Emery
- Schmidt retired from the music publishing business
- Post - 1920
- A. P. Schmidt Company issued A Complete Catalogue of Octavo Music , containing orchestral parts for 17 large cantatas, with all but three by American composers
- 1921, May 5
- Died, Boston, Massachuetts
- 1945, Aug. 3
- Harry B. Crosby died
- 1946, Jan. 21
- Florence J. Emery died
- 1949, Dec. 31
- Arthur P. Schmidt Company, Inc. was incorporated with Henry R. Austin, F.R.S.A. president
- 1959
- A. P. Schmidt Publishing Company bought out by the Summy-Birchard Company, Inc., Evanston, Illinois
- 1961, May 13
- Henry Richter Austin died
Extent
34,775 items
514 containers
280 linear feet
Abstract
Arthur Paul Schmidt (1846-1921) was a German-born music publisher who pioneered the development and dissemination of American music. The A.P. Schmidt Company Archives documents his firm's publishing activites in Boston, Leipzig and New York, beginning with his tenure, through his successors, and until the firm was absorbed by Summy-Birchard in 1960. The Archives consists of the original manuscripts from which the music was printed, printed music, personal and corporate correspondence, photographs (primarily composers/arrangers), business records, plate books, publication books, stock and cash books.
Organization of the A. P. Schmidt Company Archives
The Archive is organized in two series:
Catalog Record
Provenance
In 1959 the Summy-Birchard Company of Evanston, Illinois purchased the Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing Company. Later in that year, David Sengstack, president of the Summy-Birchard Company, donated the music manuscripts, correspondence, and selected business and financial records of the Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing Company to the Library of Congress. A number of letters that had been written to the Schmidt Company were acquired by the Library in 1957.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Online Content
Music manuscripts from the A. P. Schmidt Company Archives are available on the Library of Congress Web site at https://www.loc.gov/collections/a-p-schmidt-collection/.
Processing History
The A. P. Schmidt Company Archives was processed by Timothy Bullard, Cheryl Dempsey, Michael Ferrando, William Nelson, Robert Saladini, Wayne Shirley, Albert Tucker, Claudia Widgery and Jay Kinloch. George Kipper did additional processing-related activities; and revised, edited and coded the finding aid for EAD format in 2016.
Source
- A.P. Schmidt Company (Creator, Organization)
Subject
- Adams, Charles R., 1834-1900. (Person)
- Apel, Willi, 1893-1988--Correspondence. (Person)
- Apthorp, William Foster, 1848-1913. (Person)
- Archer, Frederic, 1838-1901. (Person)
- Archer, J. Stuart--Correspondence. (Person)
- Bailey, Parker--Correspondence. (Person)
- Ballantine, Edward, 1886-1971--Correspondence. (Person)
- Barbour, Florence Newell, 1866-1946--Correspondence. (Person)
- Barbour, Florence Newell, 1866-1946. (Person)
- Barnes, Edward Shippen, 1887-1958--Correspondence. (Person)
- Barnes, Edward Shippen, 1887-1958. (Person)
- Bartlett, Floy Little--Correspondence. (Person)
- Bartlett, Floy Little. (Person)
- Bauer, Marion, 1882-1955--Correspondence. (Person)
- Bauer, Marion, 1882-1955. (Person)
- Beach, Amy, 1867-1944--Correspondence. (Person)
- Beach, Amy, 1867-1944. (Person)
- Berwald, W. (William), 1864-1948. (Person)
- Biggs, Richard Keys, 1886-1962--Correspondence. (Person)
- Bird, Arthur, 1856-1923--Correspondence. (Person)
- Bird, Arthur, 1856-1923. (Person)
- Bischoff, J. W. (John W.), 1850-1909. (Person)
- Bispham, David, 1857-1921--Correspondence. (Person)
- Blumenschein, W. L. (William Leonard), 1849-1916. (Person)
- Bohm, Carl, 1844-1920--Correspondence. (Person)
- Bohm, Carl, 1844-1920. (Person)
- Bonnet, Joseph, 1884-1944--Correspondence. (Person)
- Bornschein, Franz C. (Franz Carl), 1879-1948--Correspondence. (Person)
- Borowski, Felix, 1872-1956--Correspondence. (Person)
- Braine, Robert, 1896-1940--Correspondence. (Person)
- Branscombe, Gena--Correspondence. (Person)
- Brewer, John Hyatt, 1856-1931--Correspondence. (Person)
- Britain, Radie, 1903- --Correspondence. (Person)
- Brown, Rayner, 1912-1999--Correspondence. (Person)
- Brüll, Ignaz, 1846-1907--Correspondence. (Person)
- Buchanan, Annabel Morris, 1888-1983--Correspondence. (Person)
- Cadman, Charles Wakefield, 1881-1946--Correspondence. (Person)
- Calver, F. Leslie (Francis Leslie), 1880- --Correspondence. (Person)
- Carl, William C. (William Crane), 1865-1936--Correspondence. (Person)
- Casals, Pablo, 1876-1973--Correspondence. (Person)
- Chadwick, G. W. (George Whitefield), 1854-1931--Correspondence. (Person)
- Chadwick, G. W. (George Whitefield), 1854-1931. (Person)
- Coke-Jephcott, Norman--Correspondence. (Person)
- Cole, Rossetter G. (Rossetter Gleason), 1866-1952--Correspondence. (Person)
- Converse, F. S. (Frederick Shepherd), 1871-1940--Correspondence. (Person)
- Cowell, Henry, 1897-1965--Correspondence. (Person)
- Crist, Bainbridge, 1883-1969--Correspondence. (Person)
- Damrosch, Frank, 1859-1937--Correspondence. (Person)
- Daniels, Mabel W. (Mabel Wheeler), 1878-1971--Correspondence. (Person)
- Dennée, Charles, 1863-1946--Correspondence. (Person)
- Dett, R. Nathaniel, 1882-1943--Correspondence. (Person)
- Diamond, David, 1915-2005--Correspondence. (Person)
- Dickinson, Clarence, 1873-1969--Correspondence. (Person)
- Diggle, Roland, 1885-1954--Correspondence. (Person)
- Downes, Olin, 1886-1955--Correspondence. (Person)
- Dupré, Marcel, 1886-1971--Correspondence. (Person)
- Eddy, Clarence, 1851-1937--Correspondence. (Person)
- Engel, Carl, 1883-1944--Correspondence. (Person)
- Farrar, Geraldine, 1882-1967--Correspondence. (Person)
- Finck, Henry T., 1854-1926--Correspondence. (Person)
- Finney, Ross Lee, 1906-1997--Correspondence. (Person)
- Foote, Arthur, 1853-1937--Correspondence. (Person)
- Foote, Arthur, 1853-1937. (Person)
- Friml, Rudolf, 1879-1972--Correspondence. (Person)
- Friml, Rudolf, 1879-1972. (Person)
- Fry, Henry S., 1875-1946--Correspondence. (Person)
- Gabrilowitsch, Ossip, 1878-1936--Correspondence. (Person)
- Ganz, Rudolph, 1877-1972--Correspondence. (Person)
- Gilchrist, William Wallace, 1846-1916--Correspondence. (Person)
- Godowsky, Leopold, 1870-1938--Correspondence. (Person)
- Godowsky, Leopold, 1870-1938. (Person)
- Grainger, Percy, 1882-1961--Correspondence. (Person)
- Grant-Schaefer, G. A. (George Alfred), 1872-1939--Correspondence. (Person)
- Grout, Donald Jay--Correspondence. (Person)
- Guilmant, Alexandre, 1837-1911--Correspondence. (Person)
- Gurlitt, Cornelius, 1820-1901--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hadley, Henry, 1871-1937--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hagedorn, Hermann--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hale, Philip, 1854-1934--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hanson, Howard, 1896-1981--Correspondence. (Person)
- Harker, F. Flaxington, 1876-1936--Correspondence. (Person)
- Haubiel, Charles, 1892-1978--Correspondence. (Person)
- Henschel, George, Sir, 1850-1934--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hill, Edward Burlingame, 1872-1960--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hopekirk, Helen. (Person)
- Howard, John Tasker, 1890-1964--Correspondence. (Person)
- Howe, Mary, 1882-1964--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hughes, Rupert, 1872-1956--Correspondence. (Person)
- Huss, Henry Holden, 1862-1953--Correspondence. (Person)
- James, Philip, 1890-1975--Correspondence. (Person)
- Jenkins, Cora W.--Correspondence. (Person)
- Karg-Elert, Sigfrid, 1877-1933--Correspondence. (Person)
- Klein, Bruno Oscar--Correspondence. (Person)
- Kroeger, Ernest R. (Ernest Richard), 1862-1934--Correspondence. (Person)
- Kubik, Gail, 1914-1984--Correspondence. (Person)
- Lemare, Edwin H. (Edwin Henry), 1865-1934--Correspondence. (Person)
- Levenson, Boris, 1884-1947--Correspondence. (Person)
- Lorenz, Ellen Jane, 1907- --Correspondence. (Person)
- Luening, Otto, 1900-1996--Correspondence. (Person)
- MacDowell, Edward, 1860-1908. (Person)
- MacDowell, Marian, 1857-1956--Correspondence. (Person)
- Marzo, Eduardo--Correspondence. (Person)
- Mason, Daniel Gregory, 1873-1953--Correspondence. (Person)
- Metcalf, John W., 1856-1926--Correspondence. (Person)
- Neidlinger, W. H. (William Harold), 1863-1924--Correspondence. (Person)
- Nevin, Arthur, 1871-1943--Correspondence. (Person)
- Noble, T. Tertius (Thomas Tertius), 1867-1953--Correspondence. (Person)
- O'Hara, Geoffrey, 1882-1967--Correspondence. (Person)
- Paine, John Knowles, 1839-1906--Correspondence. (Person)
- Paldi, Mari--Correspondence. (Person)
- Parker, Horatio W. (Horatio William), 1863-1919--Correspondence. (Person)
- Pinkham, Daniel--Correspondence. (Person)
- Porter, F. Addison (Frank Addison), 1859-1941. (Person)
- Price, Florence, 1887-1953--Correspondence. (Person)
- Purvis, Richard--Correspondence. (Person)
- Reinecke, Carl, 1824-1910--Correspondence. (Person)
- Reinhold, Hugo, 1854-1935--Correspondence. (Person)
- Rheinberger, Josef, 1839-1901--Correspondence. (Person)
- Riegger, Wallingford, 1885-1961--Correspondence. (Person)
- Risher, Anna Priscilla, 1875-1946--Correspondence. (Person)
- Schmidt, Arthur Paul--Correspondence. (Person)
- Schmidt, Arthur Paul. (Person)
- Schnabel, Artur, 1882-1951--Correspondence. (Person)
- Scholes, Percy A., 1877-1958--Correspondence. (Person)
- Schuman, William, 1910-1992--Correspondence. (Person)
- Schytte, Ludvig, 1848-1909--Correspondence. (Person)
- Shure, R. Deane (Ralph Deane), 1885-1962--Correspondence. (Person)
- Skinner, Ernest M.--Correspondence. (Person)
- Stewart, H. J. (Humphrey John), 1856-1932. (Person)
- Strong, Templeton, 1856-1948--Correspondence. (Person)
- Tapper, Thomas, 1864-1958--Correspondence. (Person)
- Tosti, F. Paolo (Francesco Paolo), 1846-1916--Correspondence. (Person)
- Upton, William Treat, 1870-1961--Correspondence. (Person)
- Varèse, Edgard, 1883-1965--Correspondence. (Person)
- White, Clarence Cameron, 1880-1960--Correspondence. (Person)
- Wilder, Thornton, 1897-1975--Correspondence. (Person)
- Wilson, G. D. (Grenville Dean), 1833-1897. (Person)
- Woodhouse, George--Correspondence. (Person)
- Wooler, Alfred, 1867-1937. (Person)
- A.P. Schmidt Company--Correspondence. (Organization)
- A.P. Schmidt Company. (Organization)
- A.P. Schmidt Company. (Organization)
- Title
- Guides to Special Collections in the Music Division of the Library of Congress
- Author
- Processed by the Music Division of the Library of Congress
- Date
- 1994
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Part of the Music Division Repository
Performing Arts Reading Room
101 Independence Ave, SE
James Madison Building, LM 113
Washington, DC 20540-4810
(202) 707-5507