Box 1

This volume belonged to Mary Jane Clay, wife of Cassius M. Clay. Written for the guitar.

This volume belonged to Mary Jane Clay, wife of Cassius M. Clay.

A variety of ballads, musicals and operas. Some for the piano forte and some meant to be sung as duets.

This is an artificial collection that was created to provide intellectual access to individual volumes and pieces of Kentucky related music. The collection includes music written by Kentuckians as well as music about Kentucky. The bound volumes of music represent the musical tastes and talents of several prominent families in Madison County, Kentucky including the Clays, the Bennetts and the Irvines.

Many blank pages have handwritten lyrics throughout the volume. At least some of this music was collected when she was a student at Madame Chaloner's School in Philadelphia in 1845. A couple pieces have the names Miss Vida Bond and William M. Irvine (her husband) inscribed on the covers. From the Dorris Museum Collection, accession #311

One bound volume of 43 pieces of sheet music, mostly from the 1850s and 1860s. There are 25 compositions for the piano and 17 songs for voice with piano accompaniment. Composers of note include Carl Czerny and Sigismund Thalberg; several of the songs are set to the poetry of Thomas Moore, a popular poet of that time period.