George and Böske Antheil Papers
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2010563507
General International Standard for Archival Description
Music Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Music Division, 2010
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
George and Böske Antheil Papers circa 1875-1984 (bulk 1920-1958)
Antheil, George, 1900-1959
Antheil, Böske
Biographical History for: George and Böske Antheil Papers circa 1875-1984 (bulk 1920-1958)
Biographical Note Entries refer to the activities of George Antheil unless otherwise specified. Date Event 1900 July 8 Born, Trenton, New Jersey 1906 Begins piano studies 1916 Begins studies in music theory and composition with Constantin von Sternberg in Philadelphia 1919 Begins studies in composition with Ernest Bloch in New York City 1920 Begins work on Symphony No. 1 1921 Meets Mary Louise Curtis Bok, who acts as his benefactress for nineteen years 1922 Embarks on European concert tour with stops in Budapest, Dresden, Munich, Vienna, and Berlin 1922 Meets Igor Stravinsky 1923 Moves to Paris, where he lives above Silvia Beach’s bookshop Shakespeare and Company 1925 First private performance of Ballet Mécanique is held at the Maison Pleyel 1925 November 4 Marries Böske Markus in Budapest 1926 June 19 First public performance of Ballet Mécanique at the Champs Elysées Theatre, with Vladimir Golschmann conducting 1927 April 10 American premiere of Ballet Mécanique at Carnegie Hall, produced by Donald Friede, with backdrops by Joseph Mullen 1928 Moves to Vienna to work on Transatlantic (originally titled Glare) 1930 May 25 Premiere of Transatlantic in Frankfurt 1933 Returns to the United States 1934 February 28 First performance of Helen Retires at Juilliard School of Music 1935 First synchronized film scores produced, including The Scoundrel and Once in a Blue Moon 1936 Antheil family settles in Hollywood, California 1937 June 8 Son Peter born in Los Angeles 1940s Writes numerous articles for Esquire and other publications on various topics, including music, romance, endocrinology, and World War II, while also composing film scores 1944 February 13 Premiere of Symphony No. 4 by the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski 1945 Publication of autobiography, Bad Boy of Music 1953 December 27 Stage premiere of Capitol of the World at the Metropolitan Opera House, with choreography by Eugene Loring 1959 February 12 Dies of a heart attack in New York City
Scope and Content Note The George and Böske Antheil Papers span the period 1875-1984, with the majority of materials dating from 1920-1958. They include holograph music manuscripts, printed music, published and unpublished writings, business and personal correspondence, subject files, photographs, programs and promotional materials, scrapbooks, artwork, biographical materials, and memorabilia. "Music" consists principally of holograph or copyist manuscripts and printed scores of George Antheil’s compositions. These manuscripts span the entire range of Antheil’s career as a composer, with works from the 1920s through the 1950s. Manuscript reproductions frequently contain pencil or ink annotations in the hand of the composer. Notable works include a photo-reproduction of the holograph manuscript full score for Ballet Mécanique, a holograph manuscript piano rehearsal score for Capitol of the World, holograph manuscript full scores for The Happy Journey, The Wish, and Helen Retires, as well as scores for Antheil’s numbered symphonies and his Jazz Symphony. Typescript or printed libretti are available for some of the stage works. The materials are arranged alphabetically by title. Researchers are also encouraged to examine Antheil holograph music manuscripts in ML 96.A723 and photo-reproductions in ML 96.5.A62 that are closely affiliated with others from this collection. "Writings" includes books, articles, essays, dissertations, interviews, and literary musings by or about George Antheil, as well as several short stories and other compositions by Böske Antheil. George Antheil was a prolific writer who penned articles for Esquire, Modern Music, Cinema Arts, and other publications, in addition to his personal, unpublished writings. These works span from 1923 to 1957 and are arranged first by literary form and then alphabetically by title. All are typed manuscripts unless otherwise noted. Included is a typed manuscript of Antheil’s book The Shape of the War to Come, with annotations and holograph maps. Substantial writings about Antheil are arranged by author-title, while most newspaper clippings and reviews are organized by date, ranging from 1919 to 1991. Böske Antheil's works include drafts of her unpublished autobiography, short stories, and drafts of an unpublished cook book, Stay for Dinner: Recipes for Recession, based on life experiences with George and family. "Correspondence" chiefly contains business and personal letters sent and received by George and Böske Antheil. Notable correspondents include Sylvia Beach, Jean Cocteau, Luigi Dallapiccola, Vladimir Golschmann, James Joyce, Otto Kahn, Ezra Pound, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Stravinsky, Kurt Weill, W. B. Yeats, and others. The largest of these files consists of personal letters between the composer and his wife. Also of interest are exchanges between George and agents of the federal government, including J. Edgar Hoover. Posthumously dated folders generally indicate correspondence with Böske regarding George's musical compositions or performance permissions. All files are arranged alphabetically by correspondent. "Subject files" address a wide range of musical and non-musical topics. Contracts, miscellanous notes, and ballet scenarios related to specific Antheil musical works are arranged by title. The majority of the files, however, focus upon performance and publication of works, radio broadcasts, estate issues, and other general subjects. Included are materials of estate executor, conductor, and Antheil enthusiast Charles Amirkhanian, files concerning the Antheil’s art collection, requests and permissions, and financial documents. Perhaps the most intriguing materials in the series are those for Antheil’s See-Note music notation system and documents for a Secret Communication System invented by Antheil and actress Hedy Lamarr. "Photographs" chiefly showcases images of George Antheil alone or with friends and family members. Ezra Pound and Sylvia Beach stand out among the various dignitaries, while a series of albums captures family life with Böske and son Peter. Also present are photographs from several performances of Antheil’s stage works. Images date from about 1875 through 1977 and are arranged first by general subject and then chronologically by year. "Programs and Promotional materials" documents performances from 1923 to 1984. Oversize posters are described individually and are listed at the end of the chronological file. "Scrapbooks" consists of bound and unbound albums of clippings, articles, and programs that span from 1922 to 1957. "Drawings" includes both original sketches by George Antheil and commissioned portraits of himself and Böske. Antheil’s sketch books feature cartoon sequences and drawings of friends and acquaintances, including Ernest Bloch, Sylvia Beach, Igor Stravinsky, Ezra Pound, and many others. "Biographical materials" is a loose collection of personal and family documents, including genealogical materials, certificates, membership cards, and several biographical sketches of George. "Memorabilia" includes a stopwatch owned by Antheil and the David Bispham Memorial Medal for American Opera, awarded to George for Helen Retires.
series
Music, 1919-1956
subseries
Works by George Antheil, 1919-1956
file
2 odes: Ode to a nightingale; Ode on a Grecian urn (narrator, piano)
Holograph manuscript piano score
Photocopied holograph manuscript piano score
Accordion dance (orchestra)
Holograph manuscript full score
Photocopied holograph manuscript full score
Airplane sonata
Printed score
American dance suite no. 1: Hot-time dance (orchestra)
Archipelago (orchestra)
Copyist manuscript full score
Ballad of Jesse James (voice, piano)
Holograph manuscript piano-vocal score
Ballet Mécanique (4 pianos, percussion, tape/motors)
Photocopied holograph manuscript score
Bequest (voice, piano)
Bercuse for Thomas Montgomery Newman (piano)
Bohemian grove at night (wind quintet)
Holograph manuscript score
The brothers (voice, orchestra)
Photocopied holograph manuscript piano-vocal score
Typescript libretto
Cabeza de vaca (chorus, orchestra)
Printed piano-vocal score
Campaign (orchestra)
Candide. Merry-go-around (voice, chorus, piano)
Capital of the world (orchestra)
Holograph manuscript piano rehearsal score
Photocopied holograph manuscript piano rehearsal score
Capriccio for orchestra
Copyist (with holograph portions) manuscript full score
Carnival of the beautiful dresses (piano)
Chinese magician (piano)
Classique suite (piano)
Concert for chamber orchestra
Concertino (bassoon, flute, piano)
Concerto for piano and orchestra no. 1
Photocopied holograph manuscript short score
Photocopied holograph manuscript score for 2 pianos
Concerto for piano and orchestra no. 2
Holograph manuscript score for 2 pianos
Decatur in Algiers (orchestra)
Dreams (orchestra)
Manuscript full score
Examples
Printed excerpts
Fable of the redwoods (voice, piano)
Vocal part
La femme 100 tetes. Percussion dance (piano)
Photocopied copyist manuscript score
Fighting the waves (voice, chorus, orchestra)
Copyist manuscript piano-vocal score
Five songs after Adelaide Crapsey (voice, piano)
Flight (voices, chorus, orchestra)
Flowers of evil (voice, piano)
2 holograph manuscript piano-vocal scores
The happy journey (voices, orchestra)
Photocopied copyist manuscript piano-vocal score
Helen retires (voice, chorus, orchestra)
Holograph manuscript short score
Printed libretto
Jazz sonata
A jazz symphony
Just one moment, Annabelle! (voice, piano)
Lithuanian night (string quartet)
McKonkey’s Ferry (orchestra)
Printed full score
Modern sounds for small hands (piano)
Morceau for orchestra
Mother's Day piece (piano)
Night piece (voice, piano)
Nine songs of experience (voice, piano)
Nocturne in skyrockets (orchestra)
Over the plains (orchestra)
Piano pastels
Polka (orchestra)
Parts
Quintette (viola, bassoon, flute, trumpet, trombone)
Holograph manuscript sketch; [2] p.
Serenade for string orchestra
Seven children's pieces (piano)
Shelley's fragments (chorus, orchestra)
Shimmy (piano)
Six songs (voice, piano)
Sonata V (piano)
Sonata for flute and piano
Sonata for piano no. 5
Sonata for trumpet (trumpet, piano)
Trumpet part
Sonata for violin no. 1 (violin, piano)
Photocopied printed score proof
Sonata for violin no. 2 (violin, piano, drums)
Violin part
Sonata for violin no. 3 (violin, piano)
Sonata for violin no. 2 [i.e. no. 4] (violin, piano)
Sonata mecanique (piano)
Printed holograph manuscript score
Sonata sauvage (piano)
Sonatina 1932 (piano, or, violin and violoncello)
Sonatina for violin and piano
Sonatina für Radio (piano)
Songs of experience (voice, piano)
Spectre of the rose waltz (orchestra)
String quartet no. 1
Copyist manuscript score
String quartet no. 2
String quartet no. 3
Suite for orchestra
Symphonie en fa
Symphony no. 1: Zingareska
Symphony no. 3: American
Symphony no. 4: 1942
Symphony no. 5: Joyous
Symphony no. 6: After Delacroix
Symphony no. 7
Tom Sawyer (orchestra)
Two toccatas (piano)
Transatlantic (voices, orchestra)
Photocopied printed piano-vocal score
Transatlantic. Tango (piano)
Valentine waltzes (piano)
Valse profane (piano)
Venus in Africa (voices, orchestra)
La vie Parisienne (piano)
Violin concerto (violin, orchestra)
Volpone. Waltzes (orchestra)
Water-music for the 4th of July evening (string orchestra)
The wish (voices, orchestra)
Unidentified
Music owned by George Antheil, 1930
Weill, Kurt
Der Lindberghflug
Writings, 1915-1999
George Antheil, 1915-1954
Books
The shape of the war to come
Typescript
Photocopied printed edition
Reviews
Titled articles, essays, and interviews
6 sharps that beat in 3⁄4 time. Esquire (March 1938): 107-108
Abstraction and time in music. Little Review (Autumn-Winter 1924-1925): 13-15
Abstraction und Zeit in der Musik: 2 p.
After dinner witch doctor. Esquire (December 1936): 79, 214, 216, 219
The American composer’s heritage: 18 p.
Antheil interview (November 1952): [4] p.
Arnold Schoenberg: 10 p.
Baby starlet: a portrait. Esquire (January 1939): 39, 163-166
Backstage with Esquire. Esquire: 36
Bad boy of music. Omnibook Magazine (January 1946): 41-80
Ballet Mécanique: 3 p.
The brothers: 6 p.
Composers in movieland. Modern Music, 12 (January-February 1935): 62-68
Composing a modern opera: 7 p.
The death of cities: 2 p.
Don’t be a composer: 12 p.
(George Antheil protests) Down-at-the-heels ballet. Stage (March 1935): 19
The Duartean Club. Music with the masters. Program notes: 8 p.
An earnest plea: [1] p.
The end of art: [1] p.
The essence of musical revolution: 9 p.
Every man his own detective (1937): [1] p.
An explanation of my evolution since 1924: 4 p.
Fanelli: 4 p.
Fanelli. The Transatlantic Review (November 1924): 563-567
George Antheil : autobiographical notes: 2 p.
George Antheil on Tom Scott. Bulletin of the American Composers Alliance, 6 (1957): 3
Germany never had a chance. Esquire (November 1939): 5, 52-53, 161-162
Gershwin (1938): 115-119
Glandbook for the questing male. Esquire (May 1936): 40-41,184
Glands on a hobby horse. Esquire (April 1936) 47, 174, 176, 178
Government subsidy of symphony-opera, or not?: [1] p.
Has new musical Europe been misrepresented?: 3 p.
Hollywood and the new music. Cinema Arts (July 1937): 28-29
Hollywood composer. College Prose (1942): 370-384
How to compose an opera: 18 p.
How to play two-handed piano. Esquire (January 1938): 52-53, 120
Illusion: [1] p.
The immediate future of War II: 2 p.
The importance of other names: 3 p.
Instructions for my system of orchestral indication: [2] p.
Interviews with Mrs. Mercedes O’Leary Tucker: [14] p.
It can’t happen here. New York Times (October 1979: [2] p.
Jazz: 3 p.
Jazz is a bore: 6 p.
Jazz is music: [4] p.
Know thyself. Esquire (July 1936): 34, 192, 193-195
The last year of the Great War. Esquire (April 1942): 27, 168-169
Lecture notes: 8 p.
Mama! (or The Americans don’t like me): [4] p.
The man I want my son to be (February 1940): 22
Manifest of musico-mechanics: 3 p.
Martha Graham (1937): 71-77
Miro: 3 p.
Modern music ... and how it gets that way. Panorama (June 1931): 12, 22
More melody, please!: 21-22
Mother of the Earth. Musical supplement: 226-227
Mozart could laugh. In this I Believe (1954): 6-7
Music: 19 p.
The music box. The Hollywood Tribune (July 1939): [2] p.
Music in 1955 (December 1936): 83-89
Music in 2000 A.D.: 2 p.
Music in America: 9 p.
Music in film: 14-15
Musical neofism (1923): 3 p.
The musical score to The pride and the passion. Film and TV Music, 16 (1957): 3-11
Musical theatre. Musical Theatre: 59-60
My Ballet Mécanique (June 1951): 4 p.
My Ballet mécanique: what it means Der Querschnitt (September 1925): 3 p.
My Ballet mécanique: what it means: 2 p.
My father (1945): 2 p.
My fourth piano sonata: 2 p.
My new violin concerto (1947): 6 p.
The Negro on the spiral or A method of Negro music. Negro Anthology (1934): 346-351
Neofism (1923): 3 p.
New directions in motion picture composing (June 1955): 5 p.
Not even my dog would be satisfied: 12 p.
Notes: [12] p.
Notes for 5th Symphony(1948): 4 p.
Notes on musical composition (1943-1944): [13] p.
Oaths: [1] p.
Passing ideas that may some day help to make the art of music greater: [77] p.
Peggy Glanville-Hicks. Bulletin of American Composers Alliance 4 (1954): 2-6
A physical possibility (1922): 3 p.
Präzisionsmusik. Melos, 28 (July-August 1961): 220-223
Program notes, biography, analysis, etc. for George Antheil’s Fourth symphony (1944): [14] p.
Program notes on Capitol of the world (1955): [1] p.
Program notes for November 14 and 15, 1946: [12] p.
Sample of American. Querschmitt (Summer 1924): [2] p.
Second violin sonata: 2 p.
She's no longer faithful if—. Esquire (1936)
So smells defeat. Esquire (November 1936): 52-53, 227-228
The solution of the fourth dimension: [1] p.
The spectator, 1915-1917
Stop looking—and listen: an interview with George Antheil. International Musician (November 1950): 24-25
Technical orchestration: 7 p.
To the editor. Transatlantic Review (November 1924): 558
Wanted—opera by and for Americans. Modern Music, 7 (June-July 1930): 11-16
Why a poet quit the muses. Chicago Tribune (September 1924): 9
Untitled articles, essays, and interviews
The background scores for Hollywood's films can be much better ...: [6] p.
The drawings of Miro have reassured me. I turn back to the pages of the Airplane sonata ...: [20] p.
From personal experience I know that there is no demand for contemporary opera in the United States ...: 3 p.
In 1922, as a young American composer ...: 5 p.
In order to judge music, one must ...: 10 p.
In the beginning, music probably started with rhythm ...: 4 p.
Miscellaneous notes: [10] p.
Music must be hard as stone ...: [3] p.
Paper about sonata form: 28 p.
Radio transcription about Ballet mécanique, circa 1952-1953: [4] p.
Radio transcription about life experiences, 1948-1952?: [2] p.
About George Antheil by others, 1919-1999
Adams, Stephen J. Musical Neofism: Pound’s theory of harmony in context. Mosaic, 13 (Winter 1980): 49-69
Amirkhanian, Charles. Biographical information and work list for GA: [12] p.
Amirkhanian, Charles. An introduction to George Antheil. Soundings: 176-181
Bialosky, Marshall. A neglected six and a half minute American masterpiece: 21 p.
Chandler, Edna White. Sonata for trumpet: 79 p.
Friede, Donald. Flop mecanique in The mechanical angel. New York : Knopf, 1948: 44-61
Friede, Donald. Floperoo mecanique. Esquire (April 1948): 58, 133-135
George Antheil in Composers on music: from Palestrina to Copland. Edited by Sam Morgenstern. New York : Pantheon Books, 1956
Henderson, Archibald. Pound and music: The Paris and early Rapallo years. UCLA, 1983
Lee, Margaret. George Antheil, Europe’s American composer. The Reviewer (1924): 267-275
Miscellaneous articles and reviews, 1919-1953
Miscellaneous articles and reviews, 1954-1991, undated
Pound, Ezra. Antheil and the treatise on harmony. Paris : Three Mountains Pres, 1924
Pound, Ezra. George Antheil. The Criterion, 2 (April 1924): 321-331
Pound, Ezra. George Antheil. The Transatlantic Review: 110
Rothman, Tony. Plausibility: a constructivist comedy. Revised version, March 1999
Shirley, Wayne D. Another American in Paris: George Antheil’s correspondence with Mary Curtis Bok. Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress, 34 (January 1977): 2-22
Böske Antheil, 1938, undated
Autobiography
Arabs: noisy, nosey, and nice. Globe, 2, no. 6 (July 1938): 68-75, 118, 120-123
The avacado tree: 18 p.
City Peter: a children's story: 11 p.
Goddess of the sands: 8 p.
Nadia: [21] p.
The starlet: 9 p.
Stay for dinner
Summer vacation in North Africa: 13 p.
Viennese creampuff: 9 p.
Correspondence, 1901-1984
Amirkhanian, Charles and Carol
1970-1985, undated
Böske, to and from, George, 1940-1958 May
Antheil, George
1927-1958, undated
George, to and from, Böske, 1940-1957 August
George, to and from, Böske, 1957 September-1958 May, undated
Antheil, Henry W. and Wilhelmine
1913, 1937-1957, undated
Antheil, Justine
1940-1945, 1959, undated
Antheil, Peter
Undated
Antheil Jr., Henry W.
1936-1940, undated
Beach, Sylvia
Benoist-Mechin, Jacques
Bowles, Paul
Cocteau, Jean
Condolences
Dallapiccola, Luigi
Draper, Muriel
Federal Government
Golschmann, Vladimir
Hecht, Ben and Rose Caylor
Heinsheimer, Hans
1948, 1970-1977, undated
Henderson, Archibald
Henderson to Antal Dorati, Hans Stuckenschmidt, and Ernst Krenek, 1981-1983
Hoffman, Joseph
Joyce, James
Kahn, Otto
Kewell, Jeanne
Krenek, Ernst
Legar, Fernand
Lenya, Lotte
Lists of correspondence
Malko, Nikolai
Marcus, Stanley
Marvin, Frederick
McAlmon, Robert
Miscellany
Pestalozzi, Julia and Karl
Pound, Ezra and Olga Rudge
Sackson, David
Scherchen, Hermann
Schnitzler, Arthur
Stravinsky, Igor
1923, 1967, undated
Stuckenschmidt, Hans
Thomson, Virgil
1949, undated
Weintraub, Eugene
1975-1977, undated
Williams, Bill
Yeats, W. B.
Subject Files, 1925-1990
Musical works, 1926-1958
Ballet mécanique
1954, undated
The brothers
Contracts, 1954-1955
Capitol of the world
The happy journey
Contracts, 1958
Prince Prigio
A tongue of silver
Le troisieme Faust
1926, undated
Venus in Africa
see The brothers
Volpone
1952-1953, undated
Contracts and publication, 1950-1951
General files, 1925-1990
Abernathy, M. Re: Contempo
AGAG (American Guild of Authors and Composers)
American Music Center
1953, undated
Amirkhanian, Charles
Circa 1970-1980, undated
Antheil art collection
Correspondence, 1954-1960
Notes, 1957, undated
Photographs, 1954?
1940, undated
Antheil Jr., Henry
Antheil-Siegel Gallery
Correspondence and articles, 1937
ASCAP
Bad boy of music
Notes, undated
Publication and permissions, 1943-1949, 1959-1972, undated
Bad boy of music [German film]
Correspondence, 1974-1976
BIEM
Boosey and Hawkes
Catalogues with listings of Antheil works
1952, 1958-1959, undated
CBS
Cheltenham High School Adrian Collection and Los Angeles County Musem of Art
Copyright
Correspondence, 1970-1976
Estate settlement
La femme 100 tetes
1970-1977, undated
Finances
G. Schirmer
Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Henry Wurtzel Agency
Kempner, Alex
KPFA
Programs, correspondence, clippings, 1970-1975, undated
Publications, 1970-1980
Library of Congress
Lists of books and scores owned by Antheils
Louisville Orchestra
MCA Artists
Movie budgets
Correspondence, 1956-1957
Motion Picture Agency
Netherlands performances / The Holland Festival
New York Public Library, Library of Performing Arts
Obituaries and wills
Pan-American Association of Composers
Pleyel
Radio broadcast materials
Recordings
Correspondence and promotional materials, 1973, undated
Requests and permissions
Screen Composers Association (SCA)
Secret Communication System invention
See-Note
Correspondence, 1938-1946, 1953
Correspondence with Hans Heinscheiner, 1938-1939
Correspondence with Henry Antheil Sr., 1938
Patent information and miscellaneous materials, 1924, 1939
Published materials, 1925
Published materials, 1938?, undated
Visual materials
Writings, sketches, and notes, undated
Shawnee Press
Songwriters Protective Association (SPA)
Tanglewood concert
Templeton Publishing Co.
UCLA Library
Universal Edition
Weintraub Music Co.
William Morris Agency
Photographs, 1875-1977
Circa 1900 - circa 1957
Circa 1912 - 1927
Circa 1914 - 1939
George Antheil, alone, 1900-1950s
George Antheil, with others, 1920-1950s
George Antheil, with family, 1911-1955
George Antheil, miscellany, 1948?, undated
Antheil family, circa 1875-1977
Antheil family and friends, without George, 1920s-1977
Performances of works, 1925-1930, 1959, 1977, 1989?, undated
Miscellany, 1948?, 1973?, 1988?, undated
Programs and Promotional Materials, 1923-1984
1923-1984, undated
Cherry Lane Theatre, 1953
Herz Hall, University of California, Berkeley, 1970 November 20
Maison gaveau, 1926 October 16
Scrapbooks, 1922-1957
1926-1927, undated
Drawings, 1928-1937, undated
Bilderbuch für Böske
Böske Antheil
George Antheil
The parlor album
Untitled
Biographical Materials, 1900-1940s
Academic and military certificates, 1900, 1918, 1933
Life plans, undated
Miscellaneous documents, undated
Memorabilia, undated
David Bispham Memorial Medal for American Opera
Gallet stopwatch
Pound, Ezra. Antheil and the treatise on harmony