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Abraham Ellstein (1907-1963) Papers

 Collection
Identifier: P-32

Scope and Content Note

This collection contains Hebrew, Yiddish and English sheet music compositions, programs, playbills, and reviews, with extensive files relating to the operas "The Golem" and "The Thief and the Hangman" and the musical "Great to Be Alive." There are also some photographs and correspondence.

Dates

  • Creation: undated, 1925-1965

Creator

Language of Materials

The collection is in Hebrew, English, and Yiddish.

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers, except items that may be restricted due to their fragility, or privacy.

Use Restrictions

No permission is required to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection, as long as the usage is scholarly, educational, and non-commercial. For inquiries about other usage, please contact the Director of Collections and Engagement at mmeyers@ajhs.org.

For reference questions, please email: inquiries@cjh.org

Biographical Note

Abraham Ellstein, songwriter, composer, conductor, and director of the American Yiddish theater, was born on the Lower East Side of New York City on July 7, 1907. He sang at his local synagogue as a chorister, and at the Metropolitan Opera Children's chorus. At age 18, he was awarded a scholarship to The Julliard School. He was a well-known accompaniest to numerous stars of the Yiddish theater, including Molly Picon, Dave Lubritsky, Dina Goldberg, Yossele Rosenblatt, and many more. He was the resident composer and music director at Ludwig Satz’s Folk Theater during the 1929-1930 season and the resident composer and director of the Public Theatre for the 1930–31 season. He composed over thirty scores for the Yiddish theater and film and more than 500 songs and was known as one of the “big four of Second Avenue,” along with Shalom Secunda, Joseph Rumshinsky, and Alexander Olshanetsky. In addition to composing music for Molly Picon's roles in Shmendrik and Oy iz dos a meydl (O, What a Girl!), two of his most famous film scores are for Mamele and Yidl Mitn Fidl, both starring Molly Picon, which were among the most successful Yiddish movies of all time.

Ellstein was also involved in Yiddish radio, hosting several regular programs on WEVD, including Yiddish folk music, theatrical music and cantorial and liturgical music. Additionally, he wrote and arranged English music for Broadway, radio, telelvision, popular music concerts, and films. His opera The Golem, based on the Jewish legend as well as on H. Leivick's work, was commissioned by the Ford Foundation and premiered at the New York City Opera in 1962. Ellstein died suddenly on March 22, 1963 in New York City.

Extent

2 Manuscript Boxes

1 Linear Feet

Abstract

This collection contains Hebrew, Yiddish and English sheet music compositions, programs, playbills, and reviews, with extensive files relating to the operas "The Golem" and "The Thief and the Hangman" and the musical "Great to Be Alive." There are also some photographs and correspondence.

Physical Location

Located in AJHS New York, NY

Related Material

The American Jewish Historical Society Archives has some sound recordings of Abraham Ellstein's music and the YIVO Library and Archives have copies of sheet music for Ellstein compositions. The American Jewish Historical Society Archives also has the Ludwig Satz Papers, P-844, which contains some sheet music by Ellstein, and the Theater and Film Poster Collection of Abram Kanof, P-978, which contains three Yiddish theater posters for plays and films with Ellstein's music. The YIVO Archives, in addition to numerous Yiddish theater collections, has an Abraham Ellstein collection, RG 522, and the Papers of Molly Picon, RG 738, as well as the Records of the Hebrew Actors Union, RG 1843, which contains some of Ellstein’s correspondence and the Papers of Vladimir Heifetz, RG 1259, which contains some sheet music by Ellstein, as well as copies of several films for which Ellstein wrote the score, including Yidl Mitn Fidl and A Brivele der Mamen.

Title
Guide to the Abraham Ellstein Papers, undated, 1925-1965 P-32
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid created by marc2ead_ajhs.xsl
Date
© 2009
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2016-09-14: PDF box list converted to dsc. Finding aid encoding revised. Biographical Note and Related Material added. Rachel S. Harrison
  • March, June 2020: EHyman-post-ASpace migration cleanup

Repository Details

Part of the American Jewish Historical Society Repository

Contact:
15 West 16th Street
New York NY 10011 United States