This collection documents the extraordinary 64-year music career of Eugene Ormandy (1899-1985), best known for his long tenure with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Materials are available to researchers through the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Eugene Ormandy served as conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra (1937-1980) and was the beloved architect of the "Philadelphia sound." The Ormandy Collection includes music scores; papers and correspondence; programs; photographs; recordings; oral histories; and audiovisual material.
The collection, documenting Ormandy's extraordinary 64-year career, was donated to the University Library in 1987 by Mrs. Margaret Ormandy and may be consulted by researchers through the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts. The Eugene Ormandy Music and Media Center, part of the Otto E. Albrecht Music Library, was named in honor of this gift.
In January 2020, the Penn Libraries and The Philadelphia Orchestra partnered to celebrate the rediscovery and release (Marston Records) of the only known recording of composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff playing his last major orchestral work, Symphonic Dances, which was found in the Ormandy Collection of Test Pressings.
Researchers should be aware that materials by and related to Eugene Ormandy are cataloged in a number of different collections, corresponding either to the physical format of the materials or to their source. Following is a list of Ormandy-related collections, with links provided to online finding aids or to search results in the online catalog, Franklin.
The Penn Libraries also hold the Leopold Stokowski Collection, Ormandy's predecessor at the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Note: Because of format, materials in these collections may have access restrictions or require special permission for use.
Allen J. Winigrad photographs of performing artists (Ms. Coll. 110): 562 items. Photographs of over 100 musical and dance artists taken by Winigrad between 1973 and 1989 during rehearsals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Mann Music Center or the Academy of Music, and in Saratoga Springs, New York, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Philadelphia Orchestra 1966 Latin American Tour collection (Ms. Coll. 929): 2 boxes.
Dr. Irvin Stein collection of Eugene Ormandy material (Ms. Coll. 1249): 1 box.
