Ragheb Moftah Collection of Coptic Orthodox Liturgical Chants and Hymns 1926-1997 (bulk 1926-1936)

ArchivalResource

Ragheb Moftah Collection of Coptic Orthodox Liturgical Chants and Hymns, 1926-1997, (bulk 1926-1936)

Ragheb Moftah Collection of Coptic Orthodox Liturgical Chants and Hymns 1926-1997 (bulk 1926-1936)

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/eadmus.mu004008

The collection consists of transcriptions of Coptic chant music by Ernest Newlandsmith and Margit Toth. Both contain transcriptions of the Liturgy of St. Basil. Basil. Also part of the collection are audio tapes of Coptic chant music recorded by Moftah between 1940 and 1985, with the bulk recorded in 1965 and 1975-1985. Marian Robertson Wilson created a guide to Moftah's audio tapes in 1996, which consists of transcriptions, transliterations and translations into English of the texts sung on the tapes. Wilson also devised a new order for the pieces on the tapes, putting them in a more logical order, as used in the context of the liturgy. Included is also correspondence, most importantly of letters from Ernest Newlandsmith to Ragheb Moftah concerning their collaboration. Writings in the collection consist of articles by Moftah and an autobiography, both ms. and printed. There are notes about chant written by Moftah. The collection also contains articles written by Marian Robertson Wilson concerning Coptic chant from the transcriptions Moftah contracted. Other materials include clippings, tickets, receipts, photographs, a few legal papers, and four videotapes which include a biographical interview of Dr. Moftah conducted by Raymond Stock for a Library of Congress oral history project as part of its World Heritage series (1996-1997), a recording of Ragheb Moftah's one hundredth birthday party (December 21, 1998), Moftah's funeral (June 19, 2002), and an interview with Margit Toth and Dr. Martha Roy (March 13, 2002) conducted by Laurence Moftah.

circa 3,000 items; 18 boxes; 6 linear feet

cop,

eng,

ara,

Library of Congress. Music Division