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Chamber Music: The Life and Legacy of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge
In 1925 Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge (1864–1953) established the Coolidge Foundation at the Library of Congress, an unprecedented gift that ensured her support for contemporary music would continue for many generations. An accomplished pianist and avid composer, Coolidge's passion was chamber music. In pursuit of her vision to make chamber music available to all, she built at the Library of Congress an intimate, finely-tuned auditorium that bears her name. For the last ninety years, world-class artists have appeared on its stage in free public concerts, many of which are broadcast on radio and, today, online. During her lifetime, Coolidge sponsored concerts across the United States and abroad, befriending countless performers and composers along the way. She became a generous benefactor to many and commissioned some of the most important new chamber music of the twentieth century. But her interest in contemporary music went beyond personal taste. She regarded music as an artistic expression of its time and culture. Coolidge said, "My plan for modern music is not that we should like it, not necessarily that we should even understand it, but that we should exhibit it as a significant human document." Featuring selections from her personal papers and original music manuscripts commissioned by the Coolidge Foundation, this exhibit pays tribute to Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge's remarkable life and legacy. |