Historic Sheet Music Collection
The Historic Sheet Music Collection (HSMC) consists primarily of popular music of the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. Although most of the music is composed or arranged for voice with piano accompaniment, some pieces incorporate other instruments such as guitar, and some are for instrumental solo (primarily piano or guitar). A few classical works are also included in the collection.
Sheet music can offer an interesting interdisciplinary research opportunity. The lyrics, cover art, and advertisements open a window on the society and culture of the time. Subjects range from popular love songs to laments to humorous ditties - and everything else in between. Many songs reflect on the U.S. Civil War, World War I, and World War II. There is even a song about Wheaties in the collection.
Submissions from 1900
Midnight Fire Alarm, Harry J. Lincoln and E.T. Paull
Pierrette, Cecile Chaminade
Pride of Newspaper Row, A. B. Sloane
The Celebrated "Witches' Dance", Nicolo Paganini
The Year's at the Spring, Robert Browning and H. H. A. Beach
Valse-Caprice: Wein, Weib und Gesang, for piano, I. Philipp
Vesper Prayer: Sacred Song, Frank H. Brackett
Submissions from 1899
Badinage: Studies, Op. 10, No. 5, and Op. 25, No.9, Frederic Chopin
Come Jesus, Redeemer, Ray Palmer and James Carroll Bartlett
Marche Militaire, Franz Schubert and Carl Tausig
O Salutaris Hostia, John Wiegand
Perman's Brooklyn Cake Walk, T.W. Thurban
The Man Behind the Gun, John Philip Sousa
Venetian Song, F. Paolo Tosti
Submissions from 1898
American Fantasie, Victor Herbert and Alexander Rihm
Charlatan March, John Philip Sousa
Gypsy Love Song, Harry B. Smith and Victor Herbert
Pas des Amphores, C. Chaminade
Submissions from 1897
Berceuse, Fr. Chopin
Break the News to Mother, Charles Kassell Harris
Cäcilie (Cecily), Richard Strauss and John Bernhoff
Standchen, Franz Schubert, Louis Oesterle, and Franz Liszt
Submissions from 1896
Little Boy Blue, Guy D'Hardelot and Eugene Field
Nottingham Hunt, Ralph Adams Cram and Frederic Field Bullard
Nottingham hunt : a war-song of the cavaliers, Frederic Field Bullard
Valse de Concert, Joseph Wieniawski
Who'll Buy My Lavender?, Edward German
Submissions from 1895
Boys in Blue are Turning Gray, W. C. Parker
Come to the Land of Rest, William H. Gardner and Philip Greely
Grande Polka de Concert, Homer Newton Bartlett
Heart of Ruby, Carl Eckert
Submissions from 1894
Forgotten, Eugene Cowels and Mary Kavanagh
Märzwind, Edward MacDowell
Méditation, P. Tschaïkowsky
Menuet Op.14, J. J. Paderewski
On The Bayou, Arthur M. Cohen
Sechs Clavierstucke Op. 8, Howard Brockway
Sunset Reverie, Richard Goerdeler
Turn Us, O God of Our Salvation, George W. Martin
Washington Arch, Joseph von Weber
Submissions from 1893
Autumn: Etude de Concert No. 2, Op. 35, Cecile Chaminade
Cradle Song, Eben E. Rexford and kate Vannah
The Liberty Bell March, John Philip Sousa
Submissions from 1892
The Holy City, Stephen Adams
The Holy City, Stephen Adams
The Isle of Champagne, Charles Alfred Byrne, Louis Harrison, and William Furst
The Isle of Champagne, Charles Alfred Byrne, Louis Harrison, and William Furst
Voices of the Woods, Anton Rubinstein
Submissions from 1891
Abide With Me: Sacred Solo, Emma Louise Ashford
Crimson Sunset Waltz, N. E. Townsend
Dream of Bethlehem, Henry Vaughan and Paul Rodney
Potpourris, Henri Cramer and Ambroise Thomas
Submissions from 1890
Etincelles: oeuvre 36, no. 6, Maurice Moszkowski
Hexentanz, Edward MacDowell
Hexentanz (Witches Dance), Edward MacDowell
Imitation of Music Box, Emil Nebling
In Old Madrid, Henry Tortere and Clifton Bingha,
Romance in E♭, Anton Rubinstein
Sleep Well, Sleep Well, Franz Abt. and H. Herich
Song of the Glass, CH. Lamb Kenney and Offenbach
What the Chimney Sang, Gertrude Griswold
Submissions from 1889
Let the Dead and Beautiful Rest, S. Wesley Martin and C.C. Butler
Oh Promise Me, Clement Scott and Reginald De Koven
Sérénade in A♭ major, Gabriel Pierne and W. M. Scharfenberg
Spinning-Wheel, N. von Wilm
Tarantella (Napoli), Theodore Leschetizky
The Newport-York Dance, Clifford Hale
Valse Chromatique, Th. Leschetizky
Submissions from 1888
One Spring Morning, Ethelbert Neving
Submissions from 1887
Boulanger March: En Revenant de la Revue, Louis Cèsar Desormes and Albert Henry Rosewig
Novellozza, Benjamin Godard
Swedish Wedding March, August Söderman
Submissions from 1886
Kuiawiak, Henri Wieniawski and William Scharfenberg
Valse-Caprice, Anton Rubinstein
Vesper Music, Joseph Barnby
Submissions from 1885
Bid Me Good Bye, Paolo F. Tosti and Frederic Edward Weatherby
Come Unto Me And Rest, Archie Dubois
In the Merry Month of May, Gustav Merkel
It Came with the Merry May, Love, F. Paolo Tosti and Whyte Melville
Submissions from 1884
Study in G Major, Moritz Moszkowski
Submissions from 1883
Floating Song, Adam Geibel
I Called Her My Pansy Blossom: Waltz, J. Albert Snow
Menuet a l'Antique, Ignace Jan Paderewski
Star of the Sea, Amanda Kennedy
When the Robins Nest Again, Frank Howard
Submissions from 1882
Auf Wiedersehn, Eben Howe Bailey
Bal: Galop de Concert, Anton Rubinstein
Blue Eyed Bessie Lee, J E. Sampson
Come Back to Erin, Claribel
Jumbo, the Elephant, J. Albert Snow and Frank H. Evans
Roses and Violets: Waltz Trio, Frank N. Scott and Charles Dupee Blake
Roses and Violets: Waltz Trio, Frank N. Scott and Charles Dupee Blake
Rough on Rats, W A. Bostom and Jules Juniper
Submissions from 1881
La Polka De La Reine Caprice, Joachim Raff and William Scharfenberg
Submissions from 1880
Aquarellen, Josef Strauss
Boccaccio March, Edward Mack
I'll Wear The Trousers, Oh!, David Braham and Edward Harrigan
I'm Thinking of the Past, John Varley Roberts and L. M. Thornton
Kiss Waltz, Johann Strauss
Little Sunbeam, Henry Farmer and Joseph Edwards Carpenter