Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Lowndes Maury Papers, 1933-2001
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Maury, Lowndes, 1911-1975
- Title
- Lowndes Maury Papers
- Dates
- 1933-2001 (inclusive)19332001
- Quantity
- 10.0 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Mss 456
- Summary
- Lowndes Maury was a composer born in Montana who went on to work in Hollywood as a pianist, composer-arranger, and conductor. The collection consists mainly of his original compositions, prepared for a variety of clients and instrumentations.
- Repository
-
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana--Missoula.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Lowndes Maury was born in Butte, Montana, in 1911 to H. Lowndes Maury and Anne Perkins Maury. He learned piano from his mother. In 1931, he graduated from the University of Montana--Missoula and went on to study piano and composition in Chicago. He also studied with Arnold Schoenberg in Boston.
Beginning in the 1930s, he built a career in Hollywood as a pianist, composer-arranger, and conductor. For a time he worked as a composer, arranger, pianist, and organist on twelve radio shows simultaneously, including the Eddie Cantor and Jack Haley shows Life with Father and The Life of Riley. He wrote film scores for Universal Pictures studios, for U.S. Air Force training films, and for the Mr. Magoo cartoons. He was also a contract pianist for Twentieth-Century Fox studios.
He also composed considerable "serious" music. Among his major works is the cantata Proud Music of the Storm (Walt Whitman), commissioned for the dedication of the new music building at the University of Montana in 1953. Other commissioned works included "Summer of Green," a rhapsody for alto flute and string orchestra, which was premiered by the New Zealand National Orchestra; "Night Life," for Kurt Reher, principal cellist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra; and Man is My Song, a cantata written for the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles.
In later years, he established the Lou Muary Piano School in North Hollywood. There his interest in the pedagogy of music resulted in two volumes of student and artist piano pieces called New Soundings. He also developed a new approach to music notation with Ralph Cromleigh, a computer analyst for Teledyne Systems, and brought out four volumes of Magic Lines and Spaces.
His Variations on a Beethoven Theme was commissioned and recorded by harpsichordist Igor Kipnis, and his violin sonata In Memory of the Korean War Dead was recorded by the composer with violinist Myron Sandler.
In 1964, he was cited by the Montana Territorial Centennial Committee for distinguished service in the field of original composition. In 1974, the University of Montana awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters.
He died in 1975.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains biographical information, a small portion of Maury's correspondence about his works, press releases and a catalog of his published works, the original copies of the vast majority of his published compositions and some unpublished ones, and a posthumous audio recording of some major performances of his works. The collection documents the work of a mid-twentieth-century composer who worked in a variety of contexts: Hollywood, music education, and serious composition.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.
Preferred Citation
[Name of document or recording number], Lowndes Maury Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is divided into five series:
Series I: Biographical, 1 folder, 1967-1976
Series II: Correspondence, 2 folders, 1970-1983
Series III: Speeches and Writings, 1 folder, undated
Series IV: Compositions, 9.5 linear feet, 1933-1970
Series V: Audio, 2 audio compact discs, 2001
Custodial History
The majority of the collection was given to the Department of Music before transfer to the Archives. Other materials--including the original score to Proud Music of the Storm and the compact disc of Maury recordings--came directly to the Archives.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Lowndes Maury, 1953; transferred from Department of Music, 1984; gift of Mrs. Lowndes Maury, 1986; gift of Elizabeth H. Maury, 2003.
Processing Note
The portions of the collection transferred from the Department of Music and given my Mrs. Maury were originally processed as LC 144. In 2004, the 1953 and 2003 gifts were integrated into the collection and a new finding aid was produced.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Biographical, 1967-1976Return to Top
This series contains biographical descriptions of Lowndes Maury, one promotional piece and two different obituaries.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | 1967-1976 |
Series II: Correspondence, 1970-1983Return to Top
This file contains a small portion of Lowndes Maury's correspondence, some general exchanges from late in his life and a file regarding the premiere of his Concerto for English Words and Percussion.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/2 | General |
1978-1983 |
| 1/3 | Concerto for English Words and
Percussion Premier |
1970 |
Series III: Speeches and Writings, undatedReturn to Top
This series contains one folder of speeches, press releases, and a catalog of Lowndes Maury's compositions.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/4 | undated |
Series IV: Compositions, 1933-1970 Return to Top
This series consists of Maury's compositions for a variety of instruments and ensembles. All are either manuscript originals of scores or the master copies of ensemble parts. The series contains the majority of Maury's published output, as well as other works that may not have been published or performed.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2/1 |
Political Intrigue, Ballet, Pf.;
The Celebration
|
1946 and 1955 |
| 2/2 |
Introduction and Sonatina for Oboe and String
Orchestra, oboe, strings;
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
|
1946 and 1947 |
| 2/3 | "Summer of Green," Rhapsody for
Alto Flute and String Orchestra, alto flute, str.;
Passacaglia for Chamber Orchestra
|
1963 and undated |
| 2/4 |
Proud Music of the Storm Cantata for chorus,
soloists, narrator |
1953 |
| 2/5 | "Man is My Song," Easter
Cantata |
undated |
| 2/6 | Fanfare, violin, violincello, 2
horns, harp, pianoforte |
1967 |
| 2/7 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass and
Percussion |
1970 |
| 2/8 |
Sabbath Eve Service for Cantor (baritone), Choir and
Organ
|
1949 |
| 2/9 | Sonnet, "The World Is Too Much
with Us" |
1951 |
| 2/10 | "A Christmas Carol;" "OBIT;"
"Vertue;" "Lift Every Voice in Song;" Three Songs of Time and Its
Passing |
1951-1968 |
| 2/11 |
The Queen's Sarabande,
Quartet of Brass
|
1941 |
| 2/12 |
Four Walks and a Fugue, Suite for String
Quartet |
1942 |
| 2/13 |
The Birthday Divertimento
|
1950 |
| 2/14 | "Cock of the Walk," Sax Quartet,
Avant Music |
1963 |
| 2/15 |
Scene de Ballet, for Alto Piccolo in A-flat and
String Quartet |
1965 |
| 2/16 | For Two Flutes |
1967 |
| 2/17 |
Changes for 7 Flutes, Avant Music |
1970 |
| 2/18 |
Elegy for Cello and Harp
|
undated |
| 2/19 |
Three Essays in Style, for Woodwind
Quintet |
undated |
| 2/20 | "Tom Thumb and the Giant,"
Woodwind Quintet; Two Pieces for String Quartet |
undated |
| 2/21 |
Pastorale
|
1942 |
| 2/22 |
Concert Suites for Flute, Two Clarinets and
Piano
|
1942 |
| 2/23 | "The Three Bears;" "Springtime
Digressions" |
1950 and 1961 |
| 2/24 | "Speculations," for Piano and
Three Strings |
1964 |
| 2/25 |
Sonatina for Violin, Bassoon, and
Piano
|
1968 |
| 2/26 |
Eleven Sketches for Piano Trio
|
1968 |
| 2/27 | "Pinocchio;" Quintette for String
Quartette and Piano |
undated |
| 2/28 | "Summer of Green," Rhapsody for
Alto Flute, Cello, and Piano |
1963 |
| 2/29 | "Fiddle Boogie;"
Serenade |
1945 and 1950 |
| 2/30 |
Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano
|
1950 |
| 2/31 | Sonata for Violin and Piano:
In Memory of the Korean War Dead
|
1950 and 1968 |
| 2/32 | Songs Without Words for Clarinet
and Piano; "Summer of Green," Rhapsody for Alto Flute and Piano; "Reflection,"
for Flute and Piano, Antransa Music |
1958-1965 |
| 2/33 | Songs Without Words for Clarinet
and Piano or Viola and Piano, Antransa Music; Flute Now, Six original
compositions plus six arrangements of popular tunes |
1965 and 1970 |
| 2/34 | Basque Dance; Moto Perpetuo;
"Night Life," for Cello and Pinao or Viola and Piano |
undated |
| 2/35 | Prelude and Fugue for Trombone
and Piano; "Reflection," for Flute and Harpsichord |
undated |
| 2/36 | "Serious Cereal," fl.; "Lament,
fl., Avant Music; Suite for the Solo Cello |
1958-1975 |
| 2/37 | "On Quiet Waters," Pf., "Music
Box," pf.; Three Voice Invention; "A Waltzing Fugue" |
1939-1949 |
| 2/38 |
Three Affirmations; Chorale Aria;
Three Poets; "Mountain in the West;" "Space Trip;"
Earliest Suite for Keyboard Instruments |
1962-1971 and undated |
| 2/39 | Six Changes for Two Pianos; "A
Song of the Plains;" Three Pieces for Piano Solo; Variations for Harpsichord on
a Beethoven Theme; "Wind Sweep" |
undated |
| 2/40 | "When Daisies Pied and Violets
Blue;" Three Miniatures/"A Lover's Day;" "The WIND;" Three Songs of William
Blake |
1938-1948 and undated |
| 2/41 |
Five Rilke Songs from "The Book of
Hours" |
1948 |
| 2/42 | "Nocturne;" "Some Girls Are
Prettier;" "Ring Out, Wild Bells;" "Cynara;"
Three Songs; Arabesque |
1950-1974 and undated |
| 2/43 | "Farandole;" "Landscape;" "Music,
When Soft Voices Die;" "Tobacco's but an Indian Weed;"
Three Elemental Songs
|
1968 and undated |
| 3/1 | Sonatina |
undated |
| 3/2 | Summer of Green |
undated |
| 3/3 | Flute Now |
1970 |
| 3/4 | Sonata for Flute and
Piano |
undated |
| 3/5 | Arabesque |
undated |
| 3/6 | Scherzo |
1933 |
| 3/7 | Brandenburg Concerto No. 3,
arranged for two pianos |
1933 |
| 3/8 | Three Voices
Invention |
1942 |
| 3/9 | Three Poets |
undated |
| 3/10 | New Surroundings |
undated |
| 3/11 | Quiet River |
undated |
| 3/12 | Variations for Harpsichord on a
Beetohoven Theme |
undated |
| 3/13 | Three Miniatures, "A Lover's
Day" |
1938 |
| 3/14 | Five Songs |
undated |
| 3/15 | Five Rilke Songs |
undated |
| 4/1 | Nocturne |
undated |
| 4/2 | Ring Out, Wild Bells |
1943 |
| 4/3 | Cynara |
1952 |
| 4/4 | The Dog and the Bone |
undated |
| 4/5 | Psalm 139: I Will Praise
Thee |
1951 |
| 4/6 | A Christmas Carol |
1951 |
| 4/7 | Vertue |
1952 |
| 4/8 | Of Time and Its
Passing |
undated |
| 4/9 | Four Walks and a
Fugue |
undated |
| 4/10 | The Birthday
Divertimento |
undated |
| 4/11 | Three Contemporary Saxophone
Quartets |
undated |
| 4/12 | Changes for 7 Flutes |
undated |
| 4/13 | Chaconne for Flute and Three
Guitars |
undated |
| 4/14 | Cock of the Walk |
undated |
| 4/15 | Scarlattina |
undated |
| 5/1 | Three American Songs |
undated |
| 5/2 | Three Essays in Style |
undated |
| 5/3 | Tom Thumb and the
Giant |
undated |
| 5/4 | Two Pieces for String
Quartet |
undated |
| 5/5 | "Introduction" |
undated |
| 5/6 | "Allegro Molto" |
undated |
| 5/7 | Man is My Song |
undated |
| 5/8 | Fanfare |
undated |
| 5/9 | Goddesses |
1972 |
| 5/10 | Peace is Man's Supremest
Good |
undated |
| 5/11 | Let the Rail-Splitter
Awake |
undated |
| 5/12 | Scene de Ballet |
undated |
| 5/13 | Pastorale |
undated |
| 5/14 | Concert Suite for Flute, Two
Clarinets and Piano |
undated |
| 5/15 | The Three Bears |
undated |
| 5/16 | "Springtime
Digressions" |
1961 |
| 5/17 | Speculations |
1964 |
| 5/18 | Eleven Sketches for Piano
Trio |
undated |
| 6/1 | Pinocchio |
undated |
| 6/2 | Quintet for String Quartet
Piano |
undated |
| 6/3 | Fiddle Boogie |
undated |
| 6/4 | Serenade |
undated |
| 6/5 | Sonata for Violin and
Piano |
undated |
| 6/6 | Song Without Words |
undated |
| 6/7 | Reflection |
undated |
| 6/8 | Night Life |
undated |
| 6/9 | Homage to Lorca |
undated |
| 6/10 | A Song of the Plains |
undated |
| 6/11 | When Daisies Pied and Violets
Blue |
undated |
| 6/12 | Five Rilke Songs from "The Book
of Hours" |
undated |
| 6/13 | Cynara |
undated |
| 6/14 | Three Elemental Songs |
undated |
| 6/15 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Piano reduction,
sections 1-7, 2 copies |
1953 |
| 6/16 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Full score for
overture |
1953 |
| 6/17 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Narrator
part |
1953 |
| 6/18 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Piano reduction,
complete, bound, 2 copies |
1953 |
| 7/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Soprano
Solo |
1953 |
| 7/2 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Alto Solo |
1953 |
| 7/3 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Tenor Solo |
1953 |
| 7/4 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Bass Solo |
1953 |
| 7/5 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral
parts |
1953 |
| 7/6 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral
parts |
1953 |
| 8/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
violin I |
1953 |
| 8/2 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
violin II |
1953 |
| 8/3 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
violin II |
1953 |
| 9/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
viola |
1953 |
| 9/2 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
viola |
1953 |
| 9/3 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
viola |
1953 |
| 10/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
cello |
1953 |
| 10/2 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
cello |
1953 |
| 10/3 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
bass |
1953 |
| 11/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, flute
I, II, III |
1953 |
| 11/2 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, Oboe
I, II, III |
1953 |
| 11/3 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
Clarinet I, II, Bass Clarinet |
1953 |
| 11/4 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
Basson I and II |
1953 |
| 11/5 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, Horn
I, II, III, IV |
1953 |
| 11/6 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
Trumpet I, II, III |
1953 |
| 11/7 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
Trombone I and II, Tuba |
1953 |
| 11/8 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
Percussion I and II, Timpani, and Piano |
1953 |
| 12/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
incomplete choral arrangement |
1953 |
| 13/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts,
copies of choral arrangement |
1953 |
| 14/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, 15
copies of choral arrangement |
1953 |
| 15/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, 17
copies of choral arrangement |
1953 |
| 16/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, 16
copies of choral arrangement |
1953 |
| 17/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, 25
copies of choral arrangment |
1953 |
| 18/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, 24
copies of choral arrangment |
1953 |
| 19/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, 24
copies of the choral arrangement |
1953 |
| 20/1 |
Pround Music of the Storm, Orchestral parts, 23
copies of the choral arrangement |
1953 |
| 29OS/4 |
Proud Music of the Storm, original, handwritten
copy
|
1955 |
| 21/1 |
Concerto for English Word, Brass, and
Percussion
|
1970 |
| 21/2 | Libertto |
1970 |
| 21/3 | Complete rehersal piano parts, 2
sets |
1970 |
| 21/4 | Complete brass and percussion
parts: Trumpets-4, Horns-4, Trombones-2, Bass Trombone-1, Tubas-2,
Percussion-5 |
1970 |
| 21/5 | Full Score |
1970 |
| 22/1 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 22/2 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 22/3 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 23/1 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 23/2 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 23/3 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 24/1 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 24/2 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 24/3 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 25/1 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 25/2 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 25/3 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 26/1 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 26/2 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 26/3 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 27/1 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 27/2 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 27/3 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
PercussionChorus parts |
1970 |
| 29OS/3 |
Concerto for English Words, Brass, and
Percussionprinted and bound copy |
1970 |
| 28/1 |
The Celebration
|
1955 |
| 28/2 | Libretto |
1955 |
| 28/3 | Piano Scores, 2 |
1955 |
| 28/4 | Orchestral parts: flute, oboe,
clarinet-2, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion-2, violin A-2, violin
B-2, violin C-2, viola-2, viola-2, cello-2, bass-2, piano/vocal - "Serenade"
movement-2 |
1955 |
Series V: Audio, 2001Return to Top
These audio recordings are collection of Lowndes Maury's works recorded during his lifetime. In 2001, these recordings were digitally re-mastered and put on compact discs by his daughter, Elizabeth H. Maury.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 29OS/1 | Lowndes Maury Recording Project,
Volume 1 |
2001 |
| 29OS/2 | Lowndes Maury Recording Project,
Volume 2 |
2001 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Motion picture music
- Piano--Study and teaching
Corporate Names
- University of Montana--Missoula--Alumni and alumnae
Form or Genre Terms
- Music
- Sound Recordings
Occupations
- Composers--United States
Finding aid prepared by Jodi
Allison-Bunnell and Jack Rowan
2004
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
