A Guide to the Harry Rogers Pratt Letter 1950
A Collection in
The Special Collections Department
Accession number 11316
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Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections LibraryUniversity of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
USA
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Fax: (434) 924-4968
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Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Sharon Defibaugh
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
The collection is without restrictions.
Use Restrictions
See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.
Preferred Citation
Harry Rogers Pratt Letter, 1950, Accession #11316, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
Processing Information
This item was transferred from the Rare Books Division of Special Collections, University of Virginia Library to the Manuscripts Division on June 28, 1997. The letter was found in Randall Thompson's Testament of Freedom folio M1540 .T5T4 1944.
Scope and Content Information
This collection consists of a three page autograph letter, May 9, 1950, from Harry Rogers Pratt, Charlottesville, Virginia, to University of Virginia President Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr. describing his delivery of the vocal and piano score of Randall Thompson's Testament of Freedom to Carr's Hill and relating the background of its composition for the celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birth. Pratt says about the piece, "Its composition and two performances make history and pull close together the political wisdom of Thomas Jefferson and the idealism of Franklin Roosevelt." He also notes that Randall Thompson's Testament of Freedom was performed a few minutes before the funeral service for Roosevelt began in the Capitol.