William B. Bradbury Collection
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/95702388
General International Standard for Archival Description
Music Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Finding Aid encoded by Library of Congress Music Division, 2005
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
William B. Bradbury Collection1846-1928 (bulk 1847-1862)
Bradbury, William B. (William Batchelder), 1816-1868
Biographical History for: William B. Bradbury Collection1846-1928 (bulk 1847-1862)
Biographical Sketch Date Event 1816 October 6 Born William Batchelder Bradbury in York, Maine 1830 Family moves to Boston Bradbury studies with Sumner Hill Attends Lowell Mason's Boston Academy of Music Sings in Mason's Boudoin Street Church Choir 1830s Works as an organist and teacher 1840 Becomes music director of the First Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York 1840s Introduces the teaching of singing into New York City public schools 1841 Becomes music director of Baptist Tabernacle of New York; begins to teach children's singing in a similar style to that of Mason's school in Boston The Young Choir (compiled with Thomas Hastings) is published 1847-49 Studies piano, singing, harmony, and composition in Europe 1849 Returns to United States; continues to teach, compose, and compile collections of hymns 1854 Forms Bradbury Piano Company with his brother, Edward G.Bradbury, and Light and Newton, the German piano manufacturers 1858 Music collection, The Jubilee, is published, selling over 200,000 copies 1861 Music collection, The Golden Chain, is published, selling 2,000,000 copies 1867 Music collection, Fresh Laurels, is published, selling 1,200,000 copies 1868 Jan. 7 Dies in Montclair, New Jersey
Scope and Content Note The William B. Bradbury Collection was given to the Library of Congress in 1976 and 2000 by Joan M. Undeland, Bradbury's great-great-granddaughter. These materials complemented a number of Bradbury's holograph and first-edition printed musical scores that were given to the Library of Congress by Hubert P. Main and others earlier in the 20th century. Notable in the collection is an autograph musical sketchbook that Bradbury compiled between 1847 and 1849 when he was studying in Europe. This sketchbook contains short musical sketches by some of Bradbury's contemporaries, including Franz Abt, Niels Gade, Joseph Joachim, Jenny Lind, Albert Lorzing, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Ignaz Moscheles, Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, Louis Spohr, Marianne Spohr, Richard Wagner, and others. Sketches by Felix Mendelssohn, Walter Damrosch, Ignaz Paderewski and Felix Mendelssohn were added later. The album also contains two non-musical entries, a watercolor sketch by Susette Hauptmann, and a letter to Bradbury from Felix Mendelssohn that C. F. Becker added to the album in 1849. All of the compositions by Bradbury in the collection are secular, even though he composed over 800 hymn-tunes. One of these works, Bradbury's Song of the south, may be in his own hand. An unpublished biography entitled "William B. Bradbury, His Life and Times" that was written by his granddaughter, Elma Marvin, and a biographical letter written in 1928 by Bradbury's son are also found in the collection. A letterpress book in the collection contains correspondence relative to Bradbury's music publications during the early 1860s. Photographs in the collection include those of Bradbury, his wife, Ada Esther Fessender Bradbury, and his piano, which was manufactured by his company, Light, Newton & Bradbury. The status of the literary rights of the unpublished materials in the William B. Bradbury Collection is unknown.
series
Biographical Materials
The Biographical Materials series consists of writings about William B. Bradbury, his family, and his music.
file
Anonymous. Family Recollections.
Anonymous. "Notes on a Musical Autograph Collection once Owned by William Batchelder Bradbury."
Bradbury, William L. to [?]. Letter dated Sept. 28, 1928.
Marvin, Elma. "William B. Bradbury: his life and times." Unpublished biography, [photocopy]
William B. Bradbury, his life and times and some family history, unpublished biography, compiled by Elma Marvin
Music
The Music series is represented by three subseries: Bradbury as Composer; Brabury as Hymn Writer; Other Composers and Arrangers. The series consists of printed and holograph manuscripts.
subseries
Bradbury as Composer
Esther, the beautiful queen, a cantata or short oratorio. New York: Mason Brothers, 1856.
Flag of our union, The. New York: Firth, Pond, & Co., 1861.
Sing to me, mother. New York: C. M. Tremaine, 1867.
Song of the south.
"Tea Party" song, A. New York: Newman & Ivison, 1852.
There's a sound among the forest trees. New York: [s.n.], 1864.
Great convention, or woman's rights, The. New York: Newman & Ivison, 1852.
Jenny Lind mania, The. New York: Newman & Ivison, 1852.
Star-spangled banner, The. [S.l.]: Bigelow & Main, 1870.
Badbury as hymn writer
The Bradbury Trio : comprising New Golden Chain, New Golden Shower, and New Golden Censer. New York : Biglow and Main, 1870.
Bright jewels for the Sunday school ; a new collection of Sunday school songs written expressly for this work ; many of which are the latest compositions of William B. Bradbury / Rob't Lowry ; editor ; assisted by Wm. F. Sherwin and Chester G. Allen. New York: Biglow & Main, 1869.
Metropolitan Glee Book; or, Alpine Glee Singer, volume second. A new collection of glee choruses, opera choruses, and four-part songs, from the most popular authors, to which is added the most favorite choruses from Handel's oratorio of the Messiah / by William B. Bradbury. New York: Newman and Ivison, 1852.
Other Composers and Arrangers
By Composer
Dyer, S. O.
Spider and the fly, The. New York: C. H. Holt, 1847.
Mendelssohn, Felix
[Three motets, op. 69].
[Volkslied]. Berlin: Schlesinger, n.d.
Mozart, W. A.
Eheliche gute Nacht. Leipzig: Breitkopf, n.d.
Schubert, Franz
[Du bist die Ruh]. Boston: George P. Reed & Co., n.d.
Wyman, B. and G. P. Newell
[Library of sacred music]. New York: Wyman and Newell, 1846.
By Title
Hymns and songs of praise [3 volumes]. New York: Anson D. F. Randolph and Company, 1874.
Gospel Hymns, Consolidated. New York: Biglow and Main, 1883.
Northfield Hymnal. Chicago: Biglow and Main, 1904.
Letterpress Book, February 1861-July 1862
The Letterpress Book series consists primarly of correspondence relative to Bradbury's music publications during the early 1860s.
Bound holograph letterpress book with business correspondence, Feb. 1861-July 1862
Pencil transcriptions of letterpress book in steno notebooks. Typed transcription of six letters from letterpress book
Album
The Album series consists of one bound volume containing holograph music sketches, one letter, and signatures of 19th-century composers.
Album containing holograph music sketches, one letter, and signatures of 19th-century composers and others; includes autographs of: Franz Abt, C. F. Becker, Ferdinand Böhme, Walter Damrosch, Ferdinand David, Niels W. Gade, Greissiger, Susette Hauptmann, Hermann Huegeli, Joseph Joachim, C. Klingemann, Hermann Langer, Jenny Lind, Albert Lortzing, F. Mendel, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Ignaz Moscheles, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, A. F. Riccius, E. Friedr. Richter, Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, J. Vogt, Richard Wagner, Ernst Ferdinand Wenzel, Carl Zöllner, and unidentified others. Typed transcription of a letter from Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy to Bradbury
Photographs
The Photographs series consists of prints of Bradbury, his wife, Ada Esther Fessender Bradbury, and his piano.
Photographs of William Bradbury, his wife, Ada Esther Fessender Bradbury, and his piano
Clippings, 1962
The Clippings series consists of newspaper and magazine articles referring to Bradbury's piano.
Newspaper and magazine articles referring to Bradbury's piano
Miscellaneous
The Miscellaneous series consists of artifacts and music related materials of various formats.
William B. Bradbury's baton
Letter to the editors of The Evening Post by P. T. Barnum referring to expenses paid to Jenny Lind, 1871. Typed from the newspaper clipping.
Adams, John S. 5000 Musical Terms: Complete Dictionary. Boston: Oliver Ditson, [1851]
Assorted opera librettos
Program, Esther, the Beautiful Queen, Riverside Polytechnic High School, Riverside, CA, 1930