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https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/af1d901d-6a9b-4302-9d68-879024869014

Collection: Mary Warfel Collection

Title: Mary Warfel Collection

Object ID: MG0138

Date Range: 1887-1945

ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. People: Warfel, Mary Sophia Subject Headings: Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) Harpists Musicians Programs (Publications) Scrapbooks Women musicians Search Terms: Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) Finding aids Harpists Manuscript groups Musicians

1 document

Collection: Mary Warfel Collection

Title: Mary Warfel Collection

Description: The Mary Warfel Collection contains materials collected by or pertaining to Mary Warfel, world renowned harpist from Lancaster County. There are scrapbooks, newspaper articles, programs, reviews, event announcements, and correspondence.

Admin/Biographical History: Mary Warfel was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1888 to a family of exceptional musical talent. Both her parents were musicians and her grandfather was a Viennese baritone. From an early age Warfel is said to have shown signs of her brilliance as she displayed unusual common sense and sound judgment. As a young lady Warfel decided to follow in the footsteps of her family as she went to study music at St. Mary's College, Notre Dame in 1905. While at St. Mary's Warfel studied the harp and the piano. Warfel wrote in her diary which she kept through the duration of her time at St. Mary's that the harp was her favorite instrument to study. Finishing her studies in 1906 Warfel would go on to graduate with honors.; Upon leaving college Warfel traveled to Philadelphia where she would study under the tutelage of Constantin von Sternberg. During this period of her life Mary Warfel's studies were more focused on the piano however the harp still remained her first love and she never abandoned hope of someday becoming a prominent harpist.; After her time with von Sternberg Warfel returned to Lancaster where she began her music career. Warfel kept track of her career by saving the newspaper articles and various letters wrote to her throughout her career. The first record that Mary Warfel saved came from a concert in Philadelphia on April 11, 1909 where she played the Woodland Presbyterian Church. From this point on until her breakout season Warfel played a handful of concerts every year mostly being recognized as a auxiliary performer barely getting much recognition.; Warfel's career took off after she played a concert in New York City on Palm Sunday in 1914. This was Warfel's final performance of the 1913-14 season. The 1914-15 season would turn out to be huge for Warfel as she would play concerts in Lancaster, York, Harrisburg, Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia and New York City.; The 1916-17 season would be even bigger for Warfel as she became a well-known name in New York and played several large venues such as the Biltmore Hotel and Carnegie Hall. Despite Warfel's success on a grand stage she never divorced herself from her home town. For Mary Warfel, Lancaster City was home and she prided herself on trying to make Lancaster a premier music town by bringing in various big name artists to play concerts. Fritz Kreisler was one of the big names that Warfel brought to Lancaster, who was referred to by the local paper as the world's greatest violinist. Warfel also never stopped playing local venues herself. Throughout her career and no matter how big her name got Warfel had always played concerts at the Iris Club and the Fulton. By the end of the 1916-17 season Warfel's prestige had grown greatly and she became recognized as an elite harpist being compared to Ada Sassoli another great harpist of the era. A newspaper article that Warfel saved towards the end of the season mentioned that she was in high demand in New York.; Warfel's career would continue to grow and her reputation would as well. Her prestige grew to the point where she became recognized as the premier harpist in the United States and throughout all her success her attitude never changed. An article from a paper in Altoona in 1918 described Mary as, "Someone who distinguishes herself by not being the type of musician who will not do something because it is not in her contract." She was known to go out of her way to do things for others and such behavior gained her a great deal of followers.; During the twenties Warfel played less concerts and focused on her music series, bringing prominent names to Lancaster. Mary Warfel certainly would have been a well-known name amongst music lovers during her lifetime. Unfortunately she did not leave much of a legacy because all of her work consisted of live performances. The remaining records of Mary Warfel are newspaper articles from various cities that she saved, personal letters addressed to her, and several short excerpts from history books on Lancaster County. Regardless of what Mary Warfel did or did not leave she still stands among Lancaster's most distinguished citizens as a nationally recognized musician who played one of the most difficult instruments to master.

Date Range: 1887-1945

Year Range From: 1887

Year Range To: 1945

Date of Accumulation: 1887-1945

Creator: Warfel, Mary Sophia, 1888-1955

Storage Location: LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA

Storage Room: Archives South

Storage Wall: Side 04

People: Warfel, Mary Sophia

Other Creators: Kaseman, Paul Warren, 1921-2009

Subjects: Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.); Harpists; Musicians; Programs (Publications); Scrapbooks; Women musicians

Search Terms: Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.); Finding aids; Harpists; Manuscript groups; Musicians; Newspaper clippings; Programs; Scrapbooks; Women; Women musicians

Extent: 3 boxes, 18 folders, 2.5 cubic ft.

Object Name: Archive

Language: English

Object ID: MG0138

Location of Originals: LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Related Item Notes: See also the Photograph Collection

Notes: Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.; The items in Folders 10 and 11 were a gift of Paul Kaseman.

Access Conditions / Restrictions: Folder 16 is restricted. All other items in the collection may be used--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit or request at the Reference Desk.

Copyright: Collection items may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org.; Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.

Credit: Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Other Numbers: MG-138

Classification: MG0138

Description Level: Fonds

Custodial History: Processed and finding aid by PW. Biographical information by DJ, Fall 2014. Added to database 26 December 2023.

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