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Sol Cohen
COLLECTION: Sol Cohen music materials
LOCATION AS OF 2001: Correspondence, diaries, and related archival materials at
the Illinois Historical Survey Library; sheet music and other music materials in
the Music Library, largely in storage on the lower level of the University Press
Building or in Room 214 Smith Music Hall (dispersed among similar uncataloged
materials); some titles may have been cataloged as individual items for the
Music Library's Special Collections.
PROVENANCE: Personal library collected over many years by Sol Cohen (b. 1891)
and other members of the Cohen family, who were active as musicians in
Champaign-Urbana and elsewhere throughout most of the twentieth century.
WHEN ACQUIRED: December 11, 1992 (date materials received in the Music Library
from the Illinois Historical Survey Library; Survey personnel had approached
Cohen as early as 1980 about depositing his personal papers and library in the
University of Illinois Library).
DESCRIPTION: Materials at the Illinois Historical Survey Library consist of
correspondence to and from Sol Cohen and other members of the Cohen family;
diaries and other manuscripts; five record-storage boxes of manuscript music, as
well as published music by Sol Cohen and other composers; personal
papers, including programs; clippings and scrapbooks; recordings (including
works by Sol Cohen, by his friends and students. Sol Cohen interviews, an 8 mm.
film entitled "Sol Cohen: My Family, My Music, My Life"); photographs of Sol
Cohen, his family, relatives, and friends (including several well-known American
performing artists); and artifacts. Materials received by the Music Library
included 70 books, 8 hymnals, 55 song collections, and about 2,000 items of
sheet music, as well as isolated volumes or single
issues of music journals, and published or unpublished copies of theory texts by
former School of Music faculty member Hubert Kessler.
ARRANGEMENT: Most published sheet music remains in storage, arranged by medium
of performance/alphabetically by composer. Materials have been marked "Gift - S.
Cohen" in gutter when it has been possible to ascertain that individual items
were formerly owned by Cohen or other members of his family. Much of Cohen's
music was in poor physical shape when received; incomplete items have been
discarded.
ACCESS/FINDING AIDS/BIBLIOGRAPHY: Collections File folder ("Cohen, Sol")
contains a copy of the "Sol Cohen Collection Inventory Working Outline" prepared
by Illinois Historical Survey personnel, as well as correspondence between IHS
Librarian John Hoffmann and Music Librarian William McClellan.
No list exists of individual titles of music publications. Kessler theory
textbooks (possibly those received from the Cohen estate) have been cataloged
for the Music Library's Special Collections.
INDEX TERMS: Champaign-Urbana: musical life
Cohen, Sol
Cohen family
Kessler, Hubert
SEE ALSO:
Cohen, Sol. Years of pilgrimage: memoirs of an American musician.
(Champaign-Urbana: cl982) [780.923 C66cl]
As a young man, School of Music faculty member Rudolph Haken was a friend or
student of Sol Cohen, and may be able to answer questions or fill in background
information. Photo (s) of Haken and a cassette
of his music are held by the Illinois Historical Survey Library.
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