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Fell, Eleanor

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1944 - 2013

Biographical History

Eleanor Fell (1994-2013) was a famous harpist, and one of the first to play "pop" music on the harp.

Eleanor was born to Irving and Rose Fell in Chicago on July 1944. She attended pre-school through high school at University School in Bloomington, Indiana. After a year at Stephens College, she graduated in Harp Performance from Indiana University, where she trained with Susan McDonald. Her professional life as a harpist took her to South Africa, where Eleanor moved away from classical repertoire and became one of the first "pop" harpists. She began transcribing and arranging music from the Beatles to Broadway. She married Lamar Peterson, and together they formed Vanderbilt Music Company, that has served to employ young harpists, and publish harp music--including many of her own arrangements. Eleanor was a star, taking harp outside of the realm of classical music, sharing top billings with Frank Sinatra Jr. and Dave Burbeck (among others). She passed away from leukemia on June 16, 2013.

Citation:
The Jacobs School of Musis: The Harp Department, via WWW, November 14, 2013 (Her brother, Art, a pianist, urged her to join him in Africa in the early 1970s and she took a job playing harp in the elegant Hotel Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan, in West Africa. Her life took a completely unexpected turn there after the hotel manager innocently asked the classically trained musician if she could play a popular song at the time, “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.”;Fell was, instead, the most famous harpist in the world outside of classical music circles, sharing billings with Dave Brubeck, Frank Sinatra Jr. and Lionel Hampton, among many others.)

The Funeral Chapel, via WWW, Novemeber 2013 (b. 07/29/1944; d. 06/16/2013; school - university school)

Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:

Eleanor Fell complete arrangements, Approximately 1980-2000

 Series — Box 3: Series 4; Series 6; Series 5; Series 7 [Barcode: 31197233650206], Folder: 2
Identifier: MSS 8310 Series 6
Scope and Contents

This series contains full arrangements of songs by Eleanor Fell. Materials include handwritten and photocopied manuscripts. These arrangements differ from her other repertoire, with both hands fully developed, dynamics, and pedals. They look very similar to drafts of Fell's published works. Based on the paper used, the dates are approximately 1980-2013.

Dates: Approximately 1980-2000

Eleanor Fell Exercises, Approximately 1980-2000

 Series — Box 2: Series 2; Series 3 [Barcode: 31197233650198], Folder: 6
Identifier: MSS 8310 Series 3
Scope and Contents

This series include harp exercises that were created by Eleanor Fell. Materials include pedal drills, a left hand workout, and chord progressions. These materials are in the form of handwritten manuscript, photocopied manuscript, and computer generated, but all unpublished. The chord progressions are printed on the back of an advertisement flyer for Eleanor as a wedding harpist. Dates are approximately 1980-2013.

Dates: Approximately 1980-2000

Eleanor Fell manuscript scores and sheet music for harp, Approximately 1980-2013

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 8310 Series 2
Scope and Contents

This series contains of Eleanor Fell's repertoire that wasn't arranged into one of her set lists. Materials include manuscript arrangements of classical, popular, ethnic, seasonal, and event related pieces. There is a combination of hand written and photocopied manuscripts, as well as photocopies and prints of sheet music. The arrangements include a treble clef with the melody and chords. Dates are approximately 1980-2013.

Dates: Approximately 1980-2013

Eleanor Fell scores, manuscripts, and other materials

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 8310
Scope and Contents

Collection includes materials that resulted from Eleanor Fell's career as a profesisonal harpist. Materials are in the form of handwritten manuscripts, photocopied manuscripts, sheet music, photocopied sheet music, published works, a tape and CD's. There are correspondence between Eleanor and other harpists regarding Vanderbilt Music Company - her music publishing company. Also, there are a few pieces of music from members of Eleanor's family. Dates range from 1936-2011.

Dates: 1936-2012

Filtered By

  • Subject: Letters X

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 3
Collection 1
 
Subject
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 1
Harp 1
Harpists -- United States 1
Music 1