George and Böske Antheil papers, 1875-1984 (bulk 1920-1958).

Materials principally in English and German.

George Antheil (b. July 8, 1900 in Trenton, New Jersey; d. February 12, 1959 in New York City) was a composer, pianist, author and inventor. He first gained fame and notoriety in the 1920s for his mechanistic compositions. As the self-proclaimed "bad boy of music," he enjoyed an avant-garde reputation and strove to be in the vanguard of artistic development in both his music and writings about music. He composed orchestral works, chamber pieces, ballets, operas, and film and television scores. In later years, Antheil's music evolved from the avant-garde to a more personal idiom that is far less well-known. Böske Antheil was a writer and wife of George Antheil.

This collection contains materials related to the professional and personal activities of composer George Antheil and his wife, Elizabeth (Böske) Antheil. Holograph and copyist manuscripts and printed scores in the collection span Antheil's career as a composer. Some manuscript reproductions contain annotations in Antheil's hand. Notable works include Ballet mécanique, Capital of the world, The happy journey, The wish, and Helen retires. The writings series includes books, articles, essays, dissertations, interviews, and literary musings by or about George Antheil, as well as short stories and a draft of her autobiography by Böske. A typed manuscript of George Antheil's book The shape of the war to come, with annotations and holograph maps, is also included. The correspondence largely 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, and W. B. Yeats. Most of the subject files focus on performance and publication of musical works, radio broadcasts, and estate issues, including materials concerning estate executor and conductor Charles Amirkhanian. There are also materials related to Antheil's See-Note music notation sytem and documents regarding a secret communication system invented by Antheil and actress Hedy Lamarr. In addition, there are photographs of George Antheil alone or with friends and family members and a series of albums capturing family life with Böske and son Peter. Photographs, programs, posters, and promotional materials relate to his stage works and performances. The scrapbooks contain clippings, articles and programs. Artwork includes sketches by George Antheil, portraits of him and Böske, and George's cartoon drawings of friends and acquaintances, such as Ernest Bloch, Sylvia Beach, Igor Stravinsky, and Ezra Pound. The collection also contains personal and family documents, genealogical materials, and biographical sketches of George Antheil.

Additional Antheil holograph music manuscripts and photo-reproductions are shelved respectively under ML96.A723 and ML96.5.A62.

Piano rolls transferred to the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress.

The Music Division of the Library of Congress also holds the George Antheil Correspondence with Mary Louise Curtis Bok and the George Antheil Correspondence to Stanley Hart.

Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.

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Finding aid available in the Library of Congress Performing Arts Reading Room and on the Internet.

George and Böske Antheil Papers, Music Division, Library of Congress.