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Privately produced Leopold Auer recording, signed by the artist on June 7, 1920.

Privately produced Leopold Auer recording, signed by the artist on June 7, 1920.

Jascha Heifetz Collection

The Jascha Heifetz Collection was donated by Jack Pfeiffer, Heifetz's longtime friend and record producer at RCA Victor. It includes not only Heifetz’s own performances, but also his personal collection of recordings by other artists. One such rarity is a private 1920 recording of Heifetz’s teacher, Leopold Auer. The record (pictured) is signed and dated by Auer, who was venerated as an instructor but never commercially recorded.

Containing over 1,000 discs and reels produced from 1911-1972, the collection is also a testament to the technological changes in the recording industry during that period.  It includes standard long-playing records, 78 rpm commercially-released records, test pressings (“artist approval” records preceding commercial releases), and instantaneous discs (“temporary” homemade records).

The collection was processed under the auspices of the Council on Library and Information Resources and is generously supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Related collections

Yehudi Menuhin

Yehudi Menuhin Collection

The Menuhin Collection contains many test pressings of Menuhin's performances as a violin soloist.

Curator

Jonathan Manton
Sound Archives Librarian
(650) 725-8862
Jerry McBride
Head Librarian, Music Library
Head Librarian, Archive of Recorded Sound
(650) 725-1146

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