Balch Institute sheet music collection


Collection 3141

( Bulk, 1890-1939 ) 1824-1966
(2.8 Linear feet ; 7 boxes, 1 flat file)
© The Historical Society of Pennsylvania1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Summary Information

Repository
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Creator
Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.
Title
Balch Institute sheet music collection
ID
3141
Date [bulk]
Bulk, 1890-1939
Date [inclusive]
1824-1966
Extent
2.8 Linear feet ; 7 boxes, 1 flat file
Author
Finding aid prepared by Cary Hutto
Sponsor
Processing made possible by a generous donation from the Young Friends of HSP.
Language
English
Language note
The bulk of the music in the collection is in English with the exceptions of the Swedish and modern Greek sheet music.

Preferred citation

Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Balch Institute sheet music collection (Collection 3141), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Return to Table of Contents »

Abstract

This collection of sheet music was formed over time by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. The materials in the collection date from the 1820s to the 1960s, with the bulk of the music dated from the 1890s to the 1930s. Housed in seven boxes, the music in the collection has been arranged mostly by ethnic group, though a small portion has been arranged by subject. A searchable database of the collection is available in HSP's library.

The Balch Institute sheet music collection serves as an extensive resource of songs that were published by or for members of various ethnic groups. Much of music reflects visual stereotypes and stereotypical speech patterns associated with different groups. The most prevalent materials are related to the following ethnic groups: African American, Jewish, Greek, Italian, Irish, and Swedish; however, there are smaller caches of music pertaining to other groups such as Chinese, Hawaiian, Hispanic, Romania, Russian, Slovak, and Scottish, among others. This music is housed in Boxes 1-6 of the collection. Some sheet music that did not fall under any particular ethnic grouping has been housed by subject or genre, such as American/Patriotic, Foxtrot, Ragtime, Multiethnic/Immigrant, "Gypsy" (songs that invoke the "Gypsy" stereotype, not songs of the Romani people), and Polka.

In the collection researchers will find a wide array of songs types, from spirituals and minstrel songs to folk songs, traditional anthems, and popular radio hits. The majority of music in the collection is in English, with some songs containing foreign language lyrics. Most of the Greek sheet music, however, is only in modern Greek and almost all of the Swedish music is in Swedish. Researchers may occasionally find notes on English translations in these groups. Please note that a significant number of songs in the collection contain potentially offensive language, including racial and ethnic slurs, some of which was common in the eras in which the music was published.

Return to Table of Contents »

Administrative Information

Publication Information

 The Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2015.

1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Access restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use restrictions

The reproduction of materials in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. Please contact HSP's Rights and Reproduction department for questions concerning the use of potentially copyrighted items.

Provenance

This is an artificial collection culled together by the staff of the former Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.

Return to Table of Contents »

Related Materials

Related materials

At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:

Balch Institute collection of audio-visual materials on various ethnic groups (Collection 3209)

Balch Institute collection of ethnic ephemera (Collection 3451)

Balch Institute miscellaneous graphic materials collection (Collection D0413)

Early American sheet music collection (Accession number 78.34)

Historical Society of Pennsylvania music collection (Collection 948)

Minnie Reese collection of American sheet music (Accession number 76.4)

Sheet music collection (Accession number 84.40)

Return to Table of Contents »

Controlled Access Headings

Subject(s)

  • African Americans--Music--19th century.
  • African Americans--Music--20th century.
  • African Americans--Music.
  • Ethnic attitudes--United States--History.
  • Folk songs.
  • Minstrel music--United States.
  • Music title pages.
  • Music--Manuscripts--19th century.
  • Sheet music--United States--History--19th century.
  • Sheet music--United States--History--20th century.
  • Songs, German--United States.
  • Songs, Greek (Modern)--United States.
  • Songs, Irish--United States.
  • Songs, Italian--United States.
  • Songs, Slovak--United States.
  • Songs, Swedish--United States.
  • Songs, Yiddish--United States.
  • Spirituals (Songs)--United States.
  • Stereotypes (Social psychology)--History.

Return to Table of Contents »

General note

Project themes: African American; Balch collection

Return to Table of Contents »

Collection Inventory

Arranged by ethnic group 
Box Folder

African American, A-Da 1837-1932, undated 

 1 1

African American, De-G 1843-1940, undated 

 1 2

African American, H-K 1835-1936 

 1 3

African American, L-N 1852-1945, undated 

 1 4

African American, O-P 1848-1937, undated 

 1 5

African American, R-Te 1839-1930 

 2 1

African American, Tr-Z 1841-1941, undated 

 2 2

African American - fragments undated 

 2 3

American Indian circa 1902-1910, undated 

 2 4

Arab 1903-1939 

 2 5

Armenian 1947 

 2 6

Canadian 1897, 1909 

 2 7

Chinese 1910-1923 

 2 8

Dutch 1906, 1915 

 2 9

English/Anglo circa 1834, 1916, undated 

 2 10

Eskimo 1912 

 2 11

French 1914, 1921, undated 

 2 12

German 1924-1890, 1922, 1926, 1927, 1959, undated 

 2 13

Greek 1912-1961, undated 


    Box Folder
Graphic materials (00016025)   3 1-6
    Box Folder
Graphic materials (00016026)   4 1-2

Box Folder

Hawaiian 1911-1919 

 4 3

Hispanic 1868, 1896, 1917-1947, undated 

 4 4

Irish, A-In 1855-1950, undated 

 4 5

Irish, Ir-L 1843, 1909-1934, undated 

 4 6

Irish, M-S 1899-1950, undated 

 4 7

Irish - "60 Irish Songs" compilation 1915 

 5 1

Irish, T-Y 1890-1949, undated 

 5 2

Italian, A-La 1869, 1909-1938, undated 

 5 3

Italian Li-Y 1880, 1908-1948, undated 

 5 4

Japanese 1896, 1904, 1914, 1920 

 5 5

Jewish, A-I 1897, 1909-1943, undated 

 5 6

Jewish, J-Z 1898, 1903-1939, 1951, undated 

 6 1

Lithuanian 1917, undated 

 6 2

Norwegian 1915 

 6 3

Romanian 1922, undated 

 6 4

Russian 1916, 1922, 1926, undated 

 6 5

Scottish 1824, 1855, 1859, 1918, 1933, undated 

 6 6

Slovak 1922, 1930, 1934, 1966, undated 

 6 7
Oversize

Slovak - USPAVANKY by Martin Benka 1946 

 Flat file 1
Box Folder

Swedish, A-R 1912, undated 

 6 8

Swedish, S-W 1921, undated 

 6 9

Swiss 1918, undated 

 6 10

Return to Table of Contents »

Arranged by subject or genre 
Box Folder

American/Patriotic 1844-1881, 1915-1942 

 7 1

Blues 1914-1934, 1954 

 7 2

Creole 1897-1934 

 7 3

Foxtrot 1919-1939 

 7 4

"Gypsy" 1898, 1927, 1945 

 7 5

Labor/Unions 1915, 1918, 1937, undated 

 7 6

Multiethnic/Immigrant 1894-1927, undated 

 7 7

Polka 1850, undated 

 7 8

Prohibition/Temperance 1914, 1915 

 7 9

Ragtime 1917, 1938 

 7 10

Religious - Catholic 1870 

 7 11

World War II 1942 

 7 12

Non-ethnic, Vocal 1838-1938, undated 

 7 13

Non-ethnic, Instrumental 1848-1869, 1904-1944, undated 

 7 14

Fragments 1824, 1902, 1907, 1927, undated 

 7 15

Return to Table of Contents »