For decades, a treasure has been tucked away in a vault at Northwestern University’s music library. Along with original scores by Copland and Stravinsky are scraps of paper and scribbles on manila envelopes left behind by one of the great songwriting teams of all time. They’re the lyrics to seven tunes by the Beatles, and they show that songs many of us know by heart once began with different words and structures.
Copies of the rare documents are on display in the main lobby of Northwestern’s library. We paid a visit to speak with D.J. Hoek, head of the music library. He says the manuscripts landed in Evanston thanks to an arrangement made with a couple of other notable artists.
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