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Finding Aids

Although the majority of our holdings are catalogued as part of the University of Pittsburgh's online catalog (Pittcat), we have created finding aids for a number of non-catalogued collections.

The following finding aids are available online:

Foster Hall Collection: The Foster Hall Collection consists of music manuscripts, Stephen Foster’s bound sketchbook, his bound account book, his personal and family correspondence, musical instruments, business records, photographs, newspaper clippings, and other ephemera. As the centerpiece of the Center for American Music’s library, the collection provides a valuable record of Foster’s composition process, nineteenth century life in the United States, the music business, Pittsburgh history, and Foster’s legacy. Digital reproductions of portions of the collection are available online.

Edison Cylinder Collection: The Edison Cylinder Collection represents both the songs and the sound recording technology of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The songs range from Christmas tunes to Stephen Foster melodies and showcase American Popular Music through Thomas Edison's innovations.

The Rosemary Casey Sound Recording Collection: a collection of LPs from RCA mostly dating from around the late 1940s, donated to the collection by Rosemary Casey, who worked for RCA at that time creating their catalogue as well as writing liner notes for the records. This collection includes mostly classical and opera recordings. Also included are many Christmas, International, and even some Test Pressings.

Charles Henry Pace Gospel Music Collection: collection consisting of 678 record albums ranging in genre from Rock & Roll to Classical, acquired over time by Dr. Charles Hamm during his career as a musicologist and professor of music. The collection represents the wide variety and scope of American music through the early- to late-twentieth century.

The Charles Hamm Recording Collection: records of the Charles Henry Pace Gospel Music Collection which exist in various forms such as printer’s plates, negative proofs, and printed music. The collection provides a valuable research tool of not only Charles Henry Pace’s career, but also for demonstrating how the Old Ship of Zion Music Company and Charles H. Pace Music Publishers conducted business. While the date range of the collection comprises 1927-1958, the bulk of the material dates from 1943-1947.

We are in the process of digitizing our other finding aids. Paper finding aids are available for the following collections:

Ethelbert Nevin Collection

Adolph M. Foerster Collection

Joe Negri Collection

Robert Schmertz Collection

The John and Susan Harvith Collection

The Business Papers of William Barclay Foster, Sr.

Foster Family Correspondence

The Guide to the Center for American Music

Center for American Music Recordings

Center for American Music Photo Index