Finding Aid for Virginia Root Collection, 1847-1945 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Kelly Carlson

[Printer Friendly] | [ Email us about these papers]

Collection Overview

Title: Virginia Root Collection, 1847-1945

ID: 12/9/55

Primary Creator: Root, Virginia (1894-1980)

Extent: 4.5 cubic feet

Arrangement: by type of material and alphabetically thereunder

Subjects: Concerts, Sousa, John Philip, Vocal music

Formats/Genres: Papers

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

On Tuesday, 22 August 2000 the personal papers and performance collection of Sousa Band vocal soloist Virginia Root were acquired by the Sousa Archives for Band Research from Dr. John and Dr. Joan Dudd of Three Rivers, Michigan. Sousa biographer Paul E. Bierley provided a summary appraisal of the collection, which on accessioning comprised ca. 3 cubic feet. of materials including: manuscript and published vocal/piano music, much of which bears Root's signature and performance practice markings (381 published songs, vocal collections, and libretti) 5 published Sousa songs and the piano/vocal score to El Capitan inscribed by Sousa to Root a Sousa holograph (piano/vocal score, 2 p.; complete), a setting of "The Milkmaid" titled, "Hey, Dolly" [words from the song] photographs (i.e., Root; Sousa, his daughter Helen, Root, and other Sousa Band members in South Africa; Sousa Band at Willow Grove Park, and several other images) post cards of the Sousa Band in Willow Grove Park Sousa Band concert programs and route sheets (1915) numerous clippings (announcements and reviews of performances) two scrapbooks (clippings, concert programs) assorted concert and recital programs several volumes of the Musical Courier and Musical America that include journal articles related to Root.

Biographical Note

Eleanor Virginia Root, descendant of entrepreneur Cornelius Vanderbilt and American composer and music publisher George Root, studied voice and held leading roles in opera productions in Italy and the United States following her graduation from P.S. 157 (St. Nicholas Ave and 157th Street) in New York City on 25 June 1900. Miss Root toured with the Harry Lauder All Star Company, using the stage name, Virginia Vervelle, prior to serving as vocal soloist for the Sousa Band from 1909 through 1917. She was in demand as a soloist in the New York Hippodrome shows in 1916 and 1917, as well as in sacred and secular performances throughout her professional career.Â Root performed in the "Chapman Concerts" in 1905; those concerts are frequently addressed in clippings and represented by concert programs. Works by artistic director and conductor William Grafton Chapman are among the works in Root's performance collection.Â Virginia Root married New York Times columnist George T. Macadam. The family, including a son, George, lived in Scarsdale, New York. Root died at the age of 96 on June 2, 1980 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Subject/Index Terms

Concerts
Sousa, John Philip
Vocal music

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Accruals: 8/22/2000

Acquisition Method: Gift

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Music],
[Series 2: Memorabilia],
[All]

Series 1: Music

Choral Music, Libretti and Collections, Vocal/Piano Sheet Music

Box 1: Octavo Choral Music, Libretti, and Collections (Donizetti-Koven)

Folder 1: Octavo Choral Music
Folder 2: One Hundred Folksongs of All Nations, 1911: Editor: Bantock
Folder 3: Carmen, 1879: Composer/Arranger: Bizet
Folder 4: Fifteen Vocalises for Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano, op. 12, 1894: Composer/Arranger: Concone
Folder 5: Fifty-eight Spirituals for Choral Use, 1924: Editor/Arranger: Dann/Loomis
Folder 6: Fifty Mastersongs by Twenty Composers, 1903: Editor: Finck
Folder 7: Faust and Gallia, 1906: Composer/Arranger: Gounod
Folder 8: Vocal Album Vol. 3, 1882: Composer/Arranger: Grieg
Folder 9: Album Leaves for the Young, op. 101, 1895: Composer/Arranger: Gurlitt
Folder 10: The Creation: Composer/Editor: J. Haydn/Novell
Folder 11: Gems from the Opera Robin Hood, 1891: Composer/Arranger: De Koven

Box 2: Libretti and Collections (Leoncavallo-Sousa)

Folder 1: Pagliacci (Punchinello), 1906: Composer/Arranger: Leoncavallo
Folder 2: Die Kunst der Kehlfertigkeit vol. 1, 1902: Composer/Editor: Lutgen/Spicker
Folder 3: Elijah: Composer/Arranger: Mendelssohn
Folder 4: Bastien and Bastienna, 1941: Composer/Editor: Mozart/Guenther
Folder 5: Tosca, 1899: Composer/Arranger: Puccini
Folder 6: In Sunshine and Shadow: Six Songs, 1905: Composer/Arranger: Ronald
Folder 7: Stabat Mater: Composer/Arranger: Rossini
Folder 8: Bride Elect, 1897: Composer/Arranger: Sousa
Folder 9: El Capitan, 1896: Composer/Arranger: Sousa
Folder 10: The Last Crusade, 1920: Composer/Arranger: Sousa
Folder 11: Sousa Songs, 1910: Composer/Arranger: Sousa

Box 3: Libretti and Collections (Spinetti-Weckerlin)

Folder 1: Treize Poesies de Ronsard, 1897: Composer/Arranger: Spinetti
Folder 2: Aida: Composer/Arranger: Verdi
Folder 3: Requiem, 1895: Composer/Arranger: Verdi
Folder 4: Rigoletto, 1895: Composer/Arranger: Verdi
Folder 5: Lohengrin, 1897?: Composer/Arranger: Wagner
Folder 6: Siegfried, 1903: Composer/Arranger: Wagner/Klindworth
Folder 7: Bergerettes: Composer/Arranger: Weckerlin
Folder 8: Treasury of Modern Song: 35 Songs for Soprano or Tenor, 1902: Editor: Baker

Box 4: Libretti and Collections (Items Lacking Attribution)

Folder 1: American Patriotic Songs, 1893
Folder 2: Collection of Opera Excerpts
Folder 3: Collection of Traditional and Patriotic Songs, ca. 1899
Folder 4: Catologue of Vocal Music, Part 1, 1929
Folder 5: Tindale Music Cabinet: Suggestions for Filing and Keeping Music by a New and improved Method, 1910

Box 5: Vocal/Piano Sheet Music Composers A-E

Folder 1: A -- Composers
Folder 2: B -- Composers
Folder 3: C -- Composers (1 of 2)
Folder 4: C -- Composers (2 of 2)
Folder 5: D -- Composers
Folder 6: E -- Composers

Box 6: Vocal/Piano Sheet Music Composers F-L

Folder 1: F -- Composers
Folder 2: G -- Composers
Folder 3: H -- Composers
Folder 4: J -- Composers
Folder 5: K -- Composers
Folder 6: L -- Composers

Box 7: Vocal/Piano Sheet Music Composers M-Speaks

Folder 1: M -- Composers
Folder 2: N -- Composers
Folder 3: O -- Composers
Folder 4: P -- Composers
Folder 5: R -- Composers
Folder 6: Saint-Saens -- Soderberg
Folder 7: Sousa -- Speaks

Box 8: Vocal/Piano Sheet Music Spilman-Z, Piano Music Collection

Folder 1: Spilman -- Sullivan
Folder 2: T -- Composers
Folder 3: U -- Composers
Folder 4: V -- Composers
Folder 5: W -- Composers
Folder 6: Y -- Composers
Folder 7: Songs without Words, vol. I, 1893: Composer/Arranger: Mendelssohn
Folder 8: Piano Scores: Composer/Arranger: Sousa

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Music],
[Series 2: Memorabilia],
[All]