The Western wall features musical materials from the spiritualist movement, from the 1840s to the 1970s.

19th century spiritualist periodicals

Rare letters, scores, photographs, and publications of The Hutchinson Family Singers, America's first major pop band (and early advocates of abolition and spiritualism). A.J. Davis and the Fox Sisters notably performed cosmic trances and séances on their mystically-oriented property of High Rock in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Medial musicians (Florizel von Reuter and Francis Grierson) alongside materials of virtuoso pianist, music educator, and spiritualist author Carlyle Petersilea.

Mother Catherine Seals (and Black Hawk), Frank Lastie, and Jimmy Scott--all musical figures rooted in the Black Spiritual Church movement.

More Hutchinson materials, alongside photos of Rudolf Friml (who used the ouija board to devise melodies for his light operas) and the séance song books of Chalmers Payson Longley. The AMP archive also has an original LP of Chalmer's music, this being the first original spiritualist song ever recorded by a spiritualist organization.

The Northern wall features the AMP's Rev. Sherman J. Hester Papers and Universal Hagar's Spiritual Church collection. Included here are worship papers, photographs, ceremonial wands, hymn books, a ouija board, priest's robe and secret society banner.

A close-up of the left-hand side of the Universal Hagar's Spiritual Church collection. Here we see Prophet George Hurley's horoscope, alongside rare pamphlets, hymn books, photographs, and a séance flier.

Ceremonial wands and photos from the Universal Hagar's Spiritual Church collection.

Neo-Hindu ouija board, ceremonial wand, prayer card, and incense worship kit from the Universal Hagar's Spiritual Church collection.

This Eastern wall moves from indigenous and Indianist musical figures to artists of sacred jazz and psychic country.

An indianist publication by composer Carlos Troyer and Muscogee soprano Tsianina Redfeather Blackstone's rare autobiography, alongside photos of Tsianina and Mohawk baritone Os-Ke-Non-Ton.

Here we meet some Afro-diasporic folk magic influences in American music through the Afro-Cuban Lucumí of Merceditas Valdes and Afro-Carribean Obeah via Exuma "the Obeah Man."

This sacred jazz offers rare concert materials from one of Duke Ellington's "Sacred Concerts," alongside Mary Lou Williams' hand-sewn herbal magic Girl Scout prayer, and original photographs of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Hazel Scott, and others.

Mary Lou Williams' hand-sewn prayer (1930). This prayer was drawn from a scene of herbal magic in a fictional story and subsequently became a choreographed traditional song in the Girl Scout tradition.

Psychic country is represented here by Chaw Mank, a DIY country producer, bandleader, songwriter, celebrity mail order fan club pioneer, mail art influencer, and psychic author. The AMP acquired Mank's extant estate, only some of which is shown here.

The right-hand side of the Eastern wall focuses on occult opera and avant-garde artists inspired by the teachings of the Theosophical Society.

Here we see some Theosophical publications highlighting tone-color theories and musical clairvoyance.

Among the Theosophically influenced composers we meet some pieces from the AMP's Dane Rudhyar collection, including handwritten essays, letters, and a hand-drawn horoscope of Sigmund Freud. Here we also see materials related to composer Henry Cowell and his time on a the Halcyeon Theosophical commune, a card signed by John Cage, and materials from Edward Maryon's "Marcotone: The Science of Tone-Color."

A selection of papers and publications from publisher, optometrist, and Theosophical teacher W.W. Harmon. The AMP has rare handwritten and illustrated teaching papers and publications of Harmon's.

The Eastern and Southern walls.

Here we have extremely rare vinyl recordings of the Institute for Divine Metaphysical Research, a predominantly Black Theosophical community. Also displayed is a rare first edition of their central text--the text shown here is one of only two editions known to exist in museums of libraries.

The Southern wall focuses on the IDMR, Baha'í Faith, and various branches of New Thought philosophy (e.g. Religious Science), including a small focus on music-related numerology.

On the right plinth is a unique collection of materials from the first Anthroposophical community in America. This group emerged from a group of singers and vocal pedagogues based in Carnegie Hall. Shown here are various publications and promotional materials addressed to music educator and close friend of Charle Ives, Clifton Furness.

Here we see some Baha'í Faith adjacent materials, including a rare photo collection of Joseph Tykociński-Tykociner in his lab holding the first sound-on-film roll he helped invent. We also see some materials from Ernest Holmes Science of Mind, which influenced composer Radie Britain, organist Irma Glenn, and others shown on this wall.

curator Matt Marble, photo by Paige Lipari