Louisiana Music History: Materials in Special Collections

The strong music culture in Louisiana has made it a popular destination for touring artists, as well as an opportune location for those embarking on their careers. This has held true since the 19th century, when wealthy individuals began establishing theatres and performance companies in large cities like New Orleans. The majority of 19th century performers and composers are affiliated with the classical, opera, and patriotic genres. In the 20th century, jazz, blues, and Louisiana folk musicians rose in popularity. Some of the most notable music professionals represented in our collections are Sweet Emma Barrett, a 20th century New Orleans jazz pianist; Emmanuel Chol, a 19th century New Orleans music teacher and composer; Peter Paul Fuchs, a 20th century composer and conductor of the Baton Rouge Symphony; John L. Peytavin, a 19th century planter and composer; Hubert Rolling, a 19th century New Orleans composer, music teacher, and concert pianist; and Jenny Lind, one of the most distinguished opera singers of the mid-19th century. 

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

Emmanuel Chol
Hubert Rolling
Jenny Lind
John Ludger Peytavin 
Rosa Devries

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

Chol, Emmanuel, 1835-1916
Lind, Jenny, 1820-1887.
Music -- Louisiana -- New Orleans.
Rolling, Hubert, 1823-1898.

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

Manuscript collections