A private archive formed by Emmanuel Pool Castellanos, comprising manuscript and printed musical sources and librettos. The digitised material includes scores and parts for voice, piano and orchestra, as well as opera and zarzuela librettos, dating from c. 1778 to 1919. Genres include sacred music, operatic and zarzuela repertoire, instrumental and vocal works, and teaching materials. The collection documents Mexican musical life and publishing practices, with an emphasis on Mexican composers and rare or unpublished sources, and is relevant for research into Mexican music history and performance practice.
Extent: 162 Items. 2 librettos, 1 music pedagogy, 159 music scores.
Size and dimensions of original material: Items size range from Height 14.7 cm, width 19 cm, depth 0.5 cm to Height 34.5 cm, width 22.7 cm, depth .08 cm.
Condition of original material: The material is generally in stable condition. Paper shows signs of use consistent with age, including minor stains, light foxing, fingerprints and occasional wax residues, probably from candle use. Inks are stable and legible. Some items present small holes caused by insects, with no active infestation detected. A few documents contain annotations in pencil made by past users, which provide historical context without compromising the readability or integrity of the material.
Custodial history: The material was assembled over several decades by Emmanuel Pool Castellanos through purchases from antiquarian bookshops, flea markets and private collections in Mexico, often originating from dispersed or at-risk archives of musicians, libraries and families.
Arrangement: The organization at the Pool Castellanos archive follows a structure based on size of the item and its time of acquisition.
