Houghton75

The Houghton75 podcast presents different voices and perspectives on Houghton Library in its seventy-fifth year. Throughout 2017, Harvard’s principal repository of rare books and manuscripts is celebrating its world-class collections of primary sources, and support of research and teaching over the last 75 years.

  • 24 minutes 40 seconds
    Harvard Review Salon Series: Phillip Lopate and Lily King

    Did you know that Houghton Library is also the publisher of Harvard Review, a major American literary journal? In this episode of Houghton75, editor Christina Thompson talks to two contributors to Harvard Review's 50th issue: renowned essayist Phillip Lopate and award-winning novelist Lily King. The conversation, part of the Houghton 75th celebrations, marks Harvard Review's 25th anniversary and the inauguration of our new Harvard Review Salon Series. It was held May 11, 2017, in the Edison and Newman Room at Houghton Library.

    For more information about Harvard Review, visit us at http://harvardreview.org

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/

    Podcast Transcript: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-wP

    25 August 2017, 11:00 am
  • 14 minutes 20 seconds
    Joseph Connors: The Art of Architectural Sketching

    In this episode of Houghton75 we speak with Joseph Connors, Professor of the History of Art and Architecture, about the historical practice of architectural sketching and how he incorporates it into his classes. We start the conversation with the sketchbooks from the late 17th century of a young Baroque architect, Gilles-Marie Oppenord, not much older than Professor Connors’ students.

    This is our final faculty interview episode. Watch for more episodes soon, including a peek into the Harvard Review, the major American literary journal published by Houghton, and a salon series that celebrates their 50th issue.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-wu

    Music

    La Luna

    Sprezzatura: 17th century Italian Virtuosos Music

    (Dorian #93200)

    30 June 2017, 11:00 am
  • 15 minutes 15 seconds
    Tom Kelly: Ambrosian Chant

    In this episode of Houghton75 we speak with Thomas Kelly, Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music about his experiences researching and teaching chant using Houghton collections. We examine the music of Ambrosian chant, the only competing tradition to Gregorian chant which still survives to this day in the area of Milan, Italy.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-wp

    Music

    Ambrosian chants from
    Antifonale Ambrosiano (LIM, Lucca), directed by Giovanni Scomparin

    23 June 2017, 11:00 am
  • 16 minutes 35 seconds
    Stephen Greenblatt: On the Nature of Science and the Humanities

    In this episode of Houghton75 we speak with Stephen Greenblatt, John Cogan University Professor of the Humanities, about a small, very fragile book containing an ancient poem that rocked the world, and what it says about the inter-connectivity of the sciences and the humanities.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-wg

    Music

    De Rerum Natura

    by Robert Xavier Rodriguez

    G. Schirmer, publisher. Recorded by Albany Records (TROY1479).

    16 June 2017, 11:00 am
  • 18 minutes 37 seconds
    Ann Blair: Renaissance Writing Tables

    In this episode of Houghton75, we speak with Ann Blair, Carl H. Pforzheimer University Professor at Harvard, about the development of note-taking devices from early wax tablets to our modern smartphones. We start with an early modern writing tablet - a small reference book which also contains specially treated pages for recording notes while on the road.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-w1

    Music

    From La Luna (Ensemble for 17th Century Music), Wild Boar Records, WLBR 9605.

    9 June 2017, 11:00 am
  • 15 minutes 30 seconds
    Danielle Allen: John Adams’ and Our Declaration

    In this episode of Houghton75, we speak with Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor and director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, about her research and teaching on the Declaration of Independence, including John Adams’ role in creating it, supported by evidence found right here at Houghton.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-vC

    Music

    Fife & Drum Ensembles from the Internet Archive

    https://archive.org/

    2 June 2017, 11:00 am
  • 17 minutes 10 seconds
    Stephanie Sandler: The Russian Avant Garde’s Enigmatic Misfit, Elena Guro

    In this episode of Houghton75, we speak with Stephanie Sandler, Ernest E. Monrad Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures, about one relatively unknown and enigmatic artist from the time of the Russian Revolution, 100 years ago this year. Featuring special guest host Christine Jacobson.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-vz

    Music

    Historic reproducing piano rolls from The Pianola Institute

    http://www.pianola.org

    26 May 2017, 11:00 am
  • 13 minutes 3 seconds
    Racha Kirakosian: A Manuscript’s Never Ending Story

    In this episode of Houghton75, we speak with Racha Kirakosian, Assistant Professor of German and the Study of Religion at Harvard, about one of the newer acquisitions in our collection. Close study of this colorful medieval manuscript, and other such manuscripts, can reveal where they were made, who they were written by, where they were used, who they were made for, and much more.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-ui

    Music

    Lorelei Ensemble

    http://www.loreleiensemble.com

    19 May 2017, 11:00 am
  • 18 minutes 8 seconds
    Michael Canfield: Teddy Roosevelt in the Field

    Hunter, Soldier, President, Naturalist, Rough Rider. In this episode of Houghton75, we speak with Michael Canfield, a lecturer in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard and author of Theodore Roosevelt in the Field, about the complex legacy of America’s 26th President.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-rH

    Music

    Public Domain recordings from the Internet Archive http://archive.org

    12 May 2017, 11:26 am
  • 13 minutes 23 seconds
    Alex Csiszar: Amping up Scientific Publishing

    Did you know that the phrase “amp it up” is a tribute to a 19th century French scientist? In this episode of Houghton75 we speak with Alex Csiszar, Associate Professor of the History of Science, about his research on Andre Marie Ampére's electromagnetic experiments and his equally remarkable experiments in scientific publishing.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at

    http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes:

    http://wp.me/p7SlKy-oQ

    Music

    Dara O Shayda

    https://soundcloud.com/dara-o-shayda

    5 May 2017, 11:00 am
  • 16 minutes 56 seconds
    Kate van Orden: Renaissance Music Printing and Performance

    In this episode of Houghton75, we speak with Kate van Orden, Dwight P. Robinson Jr. Professor of Music. Her selection for our recent exhibition was a 16th century partbook printed by the first music publisher. The book contained the tenor lines of multiple Masses by Josquin de Prez, a master of Renaissance polyphony and one of the first composers whose works were widely disseminated in both manuscript and print.

    Find out more about the exhibition and Houghton Library’s 75th anniversary celebrations at http://houghton75.org/hist-75h

    Transcript and detailed music notes: http://wp.me/p7SlKy-oD

    Music

    Cut Circle. Jesse Rodin, artistic director
    http://cutcircle.org

    Selections from Missa L’homme armé super voces musicales by Josquin de Prez

    28 April 2017, 11:00 am
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