Louisiana Music History: Materials in Special Collections

Introduction

The personal accounts listed below include narratives, diaries, and correspondence from those who experienced Louisiana’s music firsthand. Many of these materials are unpublished, and were addressed to close acquaintances or written for personal use. Some of these items describe specific performances, such as August of Alexandria’s letter describing the city's excitement for a Jenny Lind concert (Mss. 1008) or Anton Reiff’s journal (Mss. 3274). Others may illustrate the broader music experience of a certain time and place, such as Henry Bradshaw Fearon’s narrative or the Frederick F. Müller letter (Mss. 895).

Key Catalog Terms

Listed below are some recommended catalog key terms for searching for personal accounts. Full steps on how to use these key terms can be found on this LibGuide's homepage.

music accounts

Key Subject Headings

Listed below are some recommended subject headings for searching for personal accounts. Full steps on how to use these subject headings can be found on this LibGuide's homepage.

Concerts -- Louisiana
Music -- Southern States
Theater -- Southern States.

Selected Collections

A few of the collections held by LSU Libraries Special Collections are listed below. Additional collections may be found utilizing the subject headings listed in the sections above.

Books and other published materials

Fearon, Henry Bradshaw. 1819. Sketches of America. A narrative of a journey of five thousand miles through the eastern and western states of America. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown.

Manuscript collections

Oral histories

Eula Mae Hatter Oral History Interview, Mss. 4700.0895, Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, La.