The Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music at the Free Library of Philadelphia is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a variety of events and resources designed to showcase the vibrant musical traditions of Latin America. These initiatives reflect the Collection’s ongoing efforts to highlight and support the works of Latin American composers.
From its inception, the Fleisher Collection, founded by Edwin A. Fleisher in 1929, prioritized the inclusion of Latin American compositions. Initially, the Collection featured only nine works by six composers from the region due to limited availability from European publishers. To counter this scarcity, the Collection leveraged federal support from the WPA’s Federal Music Copying Project to acquire and reproduce unpublished scores from Pan-American composers. This initiative has significantly expanded the Collection, now boasting nearly 900 compositions by Latin American artists.
Explore the Refreshed Latin American Works Catalog
The Latin American Works focused catalog has recently been updated to enhance accessibility and include new entries, such as José Manuel Lezcano’s Guitar Concerto. These focused catalogs are curated PDF guides that highlight special segments of the Fleisher Collection, making it easier for users to discover lesser-known works. The complete set of these catalogs is available on the Collection’s web page.
Enjoy the Hispanic Heritage Month Playlist
To complement the catalog, a new Hispanic Heritage Month Playlist has been curated. This playlist features compositions from the Fleisher Collection and includes pieces that will be highlighted in the upcoming Beyond the Score program. It offers listeners an opportunity to engage with and appreciate the unique sounds of Latin American music.
Experience Historic Latin American Instruments
Additionally, Dr. Gary Galván, Curator of Music Special Collections, will present Beyond the Score: Historic Latin American Instruments from the Fleisher Collection. This presentation will delve into a rare collection of instruments acquired between 1941 and 1943, originally intended for lending alongside musical scores to support performances requiring unique instruments. The event is scheduled for Monday, October 5, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Northeast Regional Library and will be conducted in both English and Spanish.
The Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music, recognized as the largest circulating collection of its kind globally, comprises over 22,000 orchestral performance sets. It supports a wide array of performance groups, from academic to amateur ensembles, by providing access to both standard repertoire and rare works. This dedication to promoting new and underrepresented music reflects the Collection’s ongoing mission. For further information, please reach out to fleisher@freelibrary.org.
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