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How this project started |
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In
1998, I was a 'returning adult student' studying piano. I liked
playing eighteenth century music; I decided I would like to play
the music Jane Austen played. I found out about the Corda
Music project on Jane Austen's music. Pat at Jane
Austen Books helped me get copies of the Corda music publications
on Austen's music. I started trying to locate copies of the
music. At the time, I was an employee of the University of
Alabama, which has a wonderful library system, including a great
music library and a helpful Inter-Library Loan department. Using
those resources, I did manage to find and play a few of the keyboard
works listed in the Corda music publication, and purchase some of
the works for my personal music collection. |
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In
2004, I was at a meeting of the Jane Austen Society - Alabama Region,
talking about our schedule for the coming year. I mentioned
the Corda music publications, and somehow ended up volunteering
to put together a program of Austen music. I enlisted two
gifted high school students to sing and play, and spent weeks trying
to find music they would like to perform. I used the library
resources to find some things, and I also looked online. I
did find a few of the items mentioned in the Corda book. |
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A
picture from our 2004 concert. |
In
2005, the Alabama region asked if I could do the Austen Music program
again. I enlisted the same two students (now high school seniors)
and another volunteer, and went online to find some different music
for them. This time, I discovered the Lester
S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music. What a treasure!
While working on the program, I decided to create a web site of
links to works mentioned in the Austen works, especially to the
Levy collection. As I was also transcribing some of the music
(using the Printmusic program from Finale
Music) and transposing for the singers, I thought the work I
did might benefit other fans of Austen music. |
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