Coolidge, Elizabeth Sprague, 1864-1953
Variant namesBiographical Note
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1864, Oct. 30:
Born Elizabeth Penn Sprague, Chicago, Illinois, to Albert Arnold and Nancy Ann Atwood Sprague -
circa 1872:
Began piano lessons with Regina Cohn Watson -
1891:
Married Frederic Shurtleff Coolidge (died 1915) -
1894, Jan. 23:
Son Albert Sprague Coolidge born (died 1977) -
1901:
Composed A Cycle of Songs based on sonnets of Elizabeth Barrett Browning -
1904:
Settled in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to improve husband's health -
1915, Jan. 10:
Father died Used half of inheritance to establish pension fund for Chicago Symphony Orchestra in her father's name -
circa 1915:
Began studying composition with Rubin Goldmark, Percy Goetschius, Arthur Whiting, Antonio Brescia and Daniel Gregory Mason Composed string quartet -
1916, Mar. 28:
Mother died -
1916 May:
Offered contract to Hugo Kortschak's quartet to move to East Coast and form Berkshire Quartet -
1917:
Albert Arnold Sprague Memorial Hall dedicated, given as a home for Yale University's music department by Coolidge and her mother -
1918:
Established home for the Berkshire Quartet and inaugurated the South Mountain (later Berkshire) Chamber Music Festival outside of Pittsfield, Massachusetts Established Berkshire Competition for composition of chamber music -
1918 -1924 :Sponsored seven annual Berkshire Chamber Music Festivals -
1921:
Portrait painted by John Singer Sargent -
1922:
Met Carl Engel, chief of the Library of Congress Music Division Gave Berkshire competition music manuscripts to Library of Congress Suggested Library of Congress host series of concerts to feature Berkshire competition music -
1923 -circa 1939 :Funded extensive music tours in Europe -
1924 Feb.:
Berkshire Quartet performed at Freer Gallery of Art (3 concerts) which included six works dedicated to and/or commissioned by Coolidge -
1924, Oct. 23:
Sent letter to Librarian of Congress Herbert Putnam, expressing intent to establish an endowment in support of chamber music and build an auditorium for performances at the Library -
1925, Jan. 23:
President Coolidge [no relation] signed law authorizing Coolidge donation of the Library of Congress auditorium specifically intended for chamber music -
1925, Mar. 3:
President Coolidge signed into law the Coolidge Foundation at the Library of Congress to organize concerts in the auditorium and to commission new chamber music from both European and American composers -
1925, Oct. 28 -30 :First Library of Congress festival with commissioned works by Charles Martin Loeffler, Frederick Stock and Ildebrando Pizzetti Festival carried over the radio by Navy Broadcasting Service in Arlington, Virginia -
1926:
Awarded honorary degree from Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass. -
1927:
Awarded honorary degree from Smith College, Northampton, Mass. Awarded honorary degree from Yale University, New Haven, Conn. -
1928:
Commissioned Stravinsky to compose what would become Apollon Musagète, choreographed by Adolf Bolm Awarded honorary degree from Mills College, Oakland, Calif. -
1929:
Sponsored concert for Gabriele d'Annunzio at his villa on Lake Garda in northern Italy -
1930:
Staged a music festival in Chicago which marked beginning of her association with Hindemith Composed Piano Trio in F Major -
1931:
Inducted as a Chevalier of France's Legion of Honor Presented key to city of Frankfurt, Germany -
1932:
Established Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Medal for "eminent services to chamber music" -
1933:
Moved to Washington D.C. Awarded honorary degree from University of California -
1934:
Jo Davidson creates bronze bust of Coolidge -
1934 -1935 :Sponsored nineteen musical radio broadcasts -
1935:
Awarded Order of the Crown of Belgium Awarded medal Hommage de gratitude from University of Liège, Liège, Belgium -
1936:
Began chamber music radio series on NBC -
1937:
Honored with the bestowal of the Order of Léopold, King of Belgium -
1938:
Awarded honorary degree from Pomona College, Claremont, Calif. -
1944:
Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring, a Coolidge commission, premiered at Library of Congress, choreographed by Martha Graham -
1945:
Commissioned the Paganini Quartet, led by Henri Temianka -
1947:
Composed Sonata for Oboe and Piano -
1953, Nov. 4:
Died, Cambridge, Massachusetts
From the guide to the Correspondence from the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation Collection, 1894-1953, (bulk 1920-1953), (Music Division Library of Congress)
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| Role | Title | Holding Repository |
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Filters:
| Place Name | Admin Code | Country |
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| Subject |
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| Canons, fugues, etc. (Voices (3)) |
| Chamber music |
| Chamber music festivals |
| Music |
| Music |
| Music |
| Music |
| Music patronage |
| Music patrons |
| Songs (Low voice) with piano |
| Vocal trios, Unaccompanied |
| Vocal trios with piano |
| Occupation |
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Person
Birth 1864-10-30
Death 1953-11-04
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