Fashioning Music

A series of exhibits featuring Cornell University Library materials about music and textiles.

Music Library display cases are located on the 2nd floor of Lincoln Hall near the reference desk and 3rd floor near the Kahn Seminar Room.

Songs to Leave You in Stitches: The story of the ILGWU’s Musical Pins & Needles

September 23 – December 23, 2022
Exhibit opening event: A short performance of songs from the original 1937 musical
September 23, 2022 at 5:15pm
Music Library, Room 316

The International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union produced the hit musical Pins and Needles which ran on Broadway from 1937-1940. For the topical skits spoofing current events, workers moved from their sewing machines on the factory floor to the theatrical stage. This exhibit explores the history, social context, and music of this important labor musical.

Iconic Ensembles: Performers and their Costumes

January 23 – April 3, 2023

This exhibit will focus on the glittering, fantastical, and often audacious costumes that have defined the image of performers from 18th-century operatic superstar Farinelli to 20th-century and contemporary popular music icons including Cindy Lauper, Queen, and Rihanna. The exhibit features materials from the Music Library’s Special Collections, including historical programs and photographs, album covers, anniversary edition recordings, music videos, book illustrations, museum exhibition catalogues, and designs for famous operatic characters such as Papageno and Brünnhilde.

Drop the Needle: Fabrics and Textiles in Song

April 10 – June 30, 2023

From Schubert’s “Gretchen am Spinnrade” to the 1950s romantic ballad “Blue Velvet,” fabrics like silk, satin, velvet, and cotton have loomed large in the poetry and lyrics of vocal music. This exhibit will explore the interweaving of music and textiles with examples drawn from suggestions provided by the Cornell community.