Works Progress Administration (WPA) Phonodisc Collection, 1936-1942

Summary

Creator:
Federal Music Project
Abstract:
Collection of recordings from the United States Work Projects Administration's Federal Music Project
Extent:
351 items
Language:
Majority in English , with scattered items in Russian , Spanish , French , Italian , and Latin
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Works Progress Administration (WPA) Phonodisc Collection,

Background

Scope and content:

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) Phonodisc Collection contains more than 350 recordings created a under the auspices of the Federal Music Project and distributed to hundreds of radio stations around the United States. The format, known as electrical transcription discs, was exclusively for radio stations and is of a higher sound quality than standard LPs.

Recordings cover a range of vocal and instrumental styles and genres, including classical music, popular music, spirituals, madrigals, choral works, opera and American folk songs. Groups represented include orchestras, military bands, dance bands, professional choruses, children's choirs, and African-American groups. The majority of performers hailed from Boston, New York, or California; the latter include several whose focus was Mexican music. Some of the discs include a guest speaker or a WPA "spot" advertising the project.

Biographical / historical:

The Federal Music Project (FMP) was one of five arts-related programs sponsored by the Work Projects Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. The other four were the Federal Art Project, Federal Theatre Project, Federal Writers' Project, and Historical Records Survey.

The FMP was established in 1935 and Russian-American violinist Dr. Nikolai Sokoloff appointed its head; American musicologist, composer, teacher, and folklorist Charles Seeger (father of folk singer Pete Seeger) was later brought on board as assistant director. The program sponsored musical performances, classes, concerts, and ethnomusicology work around the country. Its primary goal was employment of out-of-work musicians, conductors and composers; its secondary goals were to encourage music appreciation and instruction, copy and distribute music, document musical activity (including folk songs) in the United States, and provide affordable entertainment for poor families and encourage the musical arts. It also distrubuted thousands of recordings to radio stations around the country.

The project was highly successful, particularly in encouraging music classes in public schools. The FMP's funding was drastically reduced in 1939 (at this time it was also renamed the WPA Music Program) and phased out entirely by the middle of World War II.

Acquisition information:
Transfer from the Newberry Library, Chicago, 2019.
Arrangement:

Discs are shelved individually, in order by season and program number. To request an item, please provide year, program number, title and ID number (e.g. "1936, Program No. 35 Works Progress Administration Presents The Manhattan Concert Band, wpa_phono_035").

Access and use

Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Terms of access:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Works Progress Administration (WPA) Phonodisc Collection,

Location of this collection:
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Bird Library, Room 600
Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
315.443.2697
scrc@syr.edu