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Antheil (George) papers
PASC-M.0043  
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Collection Overview
 
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Description
This collection consists primarily of scores for music composed by George Antheil for film and television.
Background
Composer George Antheil was born June 8, 1900 in Trenton, New Jersey. He studied piano and composition from an early age and moved to Europe in 1922, finally landing in Paris after a year in Berlin. While in Paris, Antheil befriended a number of avant-garde artists and writers, and composed several works that called for unorthodox instrumentation. His best-known work Ballet Mécanique (1924), originally intended to accompany a Fernand Léger film, included sirens, bells, and airplane propellers. Following its unfavorable premier in New York in 1927, Antheil continued to compose concert works, ballets, and operas, while dividing his time between Europe and the U.S. In 1936, he settled in Los Angeles, where he composed music for numerous films and also continued to write classical works during the 1940s and 1950s. In addition to music, Antheil had several other pursuits including writing, endocrinology, and technological invention. George Antheil died in New York on February 12, 1959.
Extent
20 Linear Feet (2 document boxes, 35 flat boxes, and 5 oversize flat boxes)
Restrictions
Items in Series 5. Correspondence have the following restrictions: No duplication or photography permitted.
Availability
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.