TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Finding Aid to the Irving Riskin Music Collection. 1960-1974.
Manuscript Collection No. 847
Funding, in part, for the arrangement and description of this collection
was provided by the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission.
Introduction |
|
| Repository: | The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives |
| Creator: | Riskin, Irving |
| Title: | Irving Riskin Music Collection |
| Dates: | 1960-1974 |
| Quantity: | 0.4 linear feet (1 Hollinger box) |
| Abstract: | This collection consists of sheet music composed and arranged by Irving "Itzy" Riskin during his time as Director of Music at Temple Beth El in Hollywood, California. |
| Collection Number: | MS-847 |
| Language: | Collection material in English. |
Biographical Sketch
Irving "Itzy" Riskin was a jazz pianist and composer who recorded and toured with such acts as Frankie Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbecke, and the Jean Goldkette Band. When Goldkette disbanded in 1927, Riskin spent some time arranging and composing for various commercials, and radio and television shows. He worked as Chief Arranger for the popular and long-running network show The Lucky Strike Hit Parade. Perhaps most notably, he composed the iconic Ajax jingle, one of the first commercial heard on television in the United States.
His career as a composer changed dramatically when he attended a bar mitzvah, where he met a cantor who needed a choir leader. After that meeting, Riskin immersed himself in the world of Jewish music. He eventually began working as the Director of Music at Temple Beth El in Hollywood, California. He composed music for countless services and even incorporated popular music into temple services by regularly holding jazz services at the temple.
He married his wife, Dolly Dawson, in 1929. They had two daughters.
-- Adapted from a recording by Irving "Itzy" Riskin about his life after the disbandment of the Goldkette band in 1927. (http://bixography.com/aftergoldkette.html) Accessed December 1, 2011.
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of sheet music composed and arranged by Irving "Itzy" Riskin during his time as Director of Music at Temple Beth El in Hollywood, California. Traditional Jewish music used in services at the temple is included along with music from the "Jazz Services" that Riskin introduced at the temple and other miscellaneous musical compositions. Among these are: Medley of Chanukah Songs, Medley of Passover Songs, and Medley of Purim Songs. There are also several children's songs arranged by Riskin for the school and children's choir. Music arrangements sometimes contain sheet music for several different instruments including: piano, violin, 1st and 2nd trumpets, percussion, bass, etc. Also included is one folder of correspondence expressing interest and appreciation for the jazz services along with programs and announcements for those services.
Arrangement Note
This collection is arranged in a single, alphabetical, series.
Restrictions
Terms of Access and Use
This collection is open to all users. The original manuscript collection is available in the Barrows-Loebelson Reading Room of the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.
Property and Literary Rights
Lucille Riskin Gechtman, by the act of donating this collection to the American Jewish Archives, assigned all property rights to the American Jewish Archives. Literary rights are retained by Irving Riskin or his heirs. Literary rights may also be retained by specific creators of some materials.
Questions concerning rights should be addressed to the Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives. For more information see the American Jewish Archives copyright information webpage.
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Footnotes and bibliographic references should refer to the Irving Riskin Music Collection and the American Jewish Archives. A suggestion for at least the first citation is as follows:
[Description], [Date], Box #, Folder #. MS-847. Irving Riskin Music Collection. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Provenance
The Irving Riskin Music Collection was received from Lucille Riskin Gechtman, Encino, California in April, 1990.
Processing Information
Processed by Michelle Wirth Detroit, December, 2011.
This collection was arranged and described according to minimal-processing standards. Funding, in part, for the arrangement and description of this collection was provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Accruals and Additions
No further accruals are expected to this collection.
Box Folder Listing
| Series A. Sheet Music. 1960-1974. | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1-19 | A-G. | |||||||||
| 1 | 20-47 | H-N. | |||||||||
| 1 | 48-62 | O-T. | |||||||||
| 1 | 63-71 | U-Z. | |||||||||
Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the AJA Online Catalog.