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Paul Ashford papers, 1890-1958
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Ashford, Paul
- Title
- Paul Ashford papers
- Dates
- 1890-1958 (inclusive)18901958
- Quantity
- 4.45 cubic feet (5 boxes and 1 folder)
- Collection Number
- 0785
- Summary
- Music reviews, articles, poetry, radio scripts, and correspondence of Paul Ashford, a song collector and folk singer in Washington State.
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Open to all users.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Paul Ashford (1906-1952) was a Seattle composer, folk singer, and song collector, as well as a music reviewer and prolific writer, who published many articles in the "Seattle Times" and "Seattle Post-Intelligencer," among other publications. Many of Ashford's musical compositions and writings reflect life in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest throughout the Great Depression and into the 1940s. During the Depression, when paid music reviews became scarce, Ashford worked briefly as a writer through the Works Progress Administration program, producing a guide to Washington State and other tourist materials. He attended the University of Washington and graduated with a Master's degree in musical composition in 1929. In the 1940s, Ashford (who also was an avid collector of jazz recordings) developed a particular interest in baroque recorder music, and composed many pieces for the instrument. He later founded both the Seattle and San Francisco Recorder Guilds, before his death from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 1952.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Paul Ashford papers contain mainly notes, lyrics, musical arrangements, and scores for a variety of folk music collected and compiled by Ashford from the 1920s through 1952. In particular, there is a large set of both temperance and drinking songs from the 1920s and 1930s. The collection includes a small amount of correspondence from notable folk musicians and enthuisasts, Ivar Haglund, Earl Robinson, and Pete Seeger. There are also manuscript scores of Ashford's own compositions, as well as manuscripts of his various writings, including radio broadcast scripts, drafts of a novel, and music criticism. A scrapbook in Box 5 contains clippings of music reviews written by Ashford, mainly for "The Town Crier," a Seattle publication, as well as some original artwork, correspondence, and recordings. A separate accession includes a single letter to Ashford from University of Washington professor, Glenn Hughes, dated 1929, in which he thanks Ashford for a favorable review and encourages him to continue writing poetry, along with offers to assist in getting Ashford's writing published.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged into 2 accessions
- Accession No. 0785-001, Letter from Glenn Hughes, 23 Mar 1929
- Accession No. 0785-002, Paul Ashford papers, 1920s-1952
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 0785-001: Letter from Glenn Hughes, 1929Return to Top
Scope and Content: Letter from Glenn Hughes, 23 Mar 1929
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Acquisition Info: Source: Mrs. Jean Ashford, 1967 September 15
Accession No. 0785-002: Paul Ashford papers, 1890-1958, 2010Return to Top
Scope and Content: Contains correspondence with fellow musicians and other champions of folk music, including Ivar Haglund, Earl Robinson, and Pete Seeger, collections of music, reviews, articles, poetry, and radio scripts.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Acquisition Info: Source: John Ashford, 2010 November 22
Processing Info: Processed by Deborah Hamilton in 2011.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
Correspondence |
|||
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 1/1 | 0785-002 | Haglund, Ivar |
1941; undated |
| 1/2 | 0785-002 | Robinson, Earl |
circa 1930s; 1946; 1958 |
| 1/3 | 0785-002 | Seeger, Pete |
circa 1940s |
| 1/4 | 0785-002 | Miscellaneous |
1928-1952 |
Drinking and Temperance Songs |
|||
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 1/5 | 0785-002 | Lyrics- "One Stringed Lute" |
undated |
| 1/6 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Arrangements and Originals |
circa 1926 |
| 1/7 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Gone, Gone, Gone" |
undated |
| box-folder:oversize | |||
| 4/1-4/2 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- "High and Dry" songbook |
undated |
| Box/Folder | |||
| 1/8 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- "High and Dry" songbook, miscellaneous
pages |
undated |
| 1/9 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- "In the East and in the
West" |
undated |
| 1/10 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Jimmie Jinkins" |
undated |
| 1/11 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- " Liza Jane" and "Old Joe
Clark" |
undated |
| 1/12 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "The Rubaiyat" |
undated |
| 1/13 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Choice Gospel Songs and Hymns
|
1951 |
| 1/14 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Evangel Songs
|
1931 |
| 1/15 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Filmore's Prohibition Songs
|
1903 |
| 1/16 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Hymns of Praise
|
1890 |
| 1/17 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Kingdom Songs
|
1914 |
| 1/18 | 0785-002 | Publication-
The One Hundred and One Best Songs
|
1919 |
| 1/19 | 0785-002 | Publication-
The School Song Book
|
1910 |
| 1/20 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Songs for School, Home, and Nation
|
1897 |
| 1/21 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Songs of Praise: Number Two
|
1905 |
| 1/22 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Songs of the Comforter: Number 2
|
1905 |
| 1/23 | 0785-002 | Publication-
The Temperance Songster
|
1904 |
| 1/24 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Waves of Glory
|
1905 |
| 1/25 | 0785-002 | Publication-
World Wide Revival Songs: Number Two
|
1921 |
Folk Music Collection |
|||
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 1/26 | 0785-002 | List of billings |
undated |
| 1/27 | 0785-002 | Lyrics- Miscellaneous |
undated |
| 1/28-1/31 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Ballads |
undated |
| 1/32 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Ballads, Early Songs, English,
American, etc. |
undated |
| 1/33 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Ballads, Scotch and Irish
songs |
undated |
| box-folder:oversize | |||
| 4/3 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- "Bloody Ballad" and others |
undated |
| Box/Folder | |||
| 2/1 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- "Cost of Living" |
undated |
| 2/2 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Dance Songs |
undated |
| 2/3 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Dirge" |
undated |
| 2/4 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Fare Thee Well- Babe, with
Love" |
undated |
| 2/5 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Folk Music/Songs, British
Isles |
undated |
| 2/6 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Folk Music/Songs, Chinese |
undated |
| 2/7 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Folk Music/Songs, French,
Spanish |
undated |
| 2/8 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Folk Music/Songs, Jamaica |
undated |
| 2/9 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Folk Music/Songs, Labor Protest
(Labeled: "Cost of Living") |
circa 1948 |
| 2/10 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Folk Music/Songs,
Scandinavian |
undated |
| 2/11 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Jamaica |
undated |
| box-folder:oversize | |||
| 4/4 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Jamaica |
undated |
| Box/Folder | |||
| 2/12 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Lumberman Songs |
undated |
| 2/13 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Negro |
undated |
| 2/14-2/17 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook |
undated |
| 2/18 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook labeled "Alto" |
undated |
| 2/19 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook labeled "Dick's
Own" |
undated |
| 2/20 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook labeled "Fiddler's Best,
Collected by Paul Ashford" |
undated |
| 2/21 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook labeled "Fiddler's
Best" |
undated |
| 2/22 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook labeled
"Harmonium" |
undated |
| 2/23 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook labeled "Rhythm
Tunes" |
undated |
| 2/24 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook labeled "Songs and
Dances" |
undated |
| 2/25 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Spirituals and Carols |
undated |
| 2/26 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Tunes without words |
undated |
| 2/27 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- untitled, "Moanin' Low," and "How
Could Red Riding Hood" |
circa 1929 |
| 2/28 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Work Songs and Poetry |
undated |
| 2/29 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Work Songs, etc. (Chanteys, Cowboy
Songs) |
undated |
| 2/30-2/33 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Miscellaneous |
undated |
| 2/34 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Deutlches Liederbuchby: Erlte Folge |
1948 |
| 2/35 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Klavier Quintet in F minorby: Cesar Franck |
undated |
| 2/36 | 0785-002 | Publication-
JazzmenArmed
Services Edition edited by: Frederic Ramsey, Jr. and Charles Edward
Smith |
1939 |
| 2/37 | 0785-002 | Publication-
The Happy Soldiercompiled, edited, and arranged by: Irmgard Lehrer |
1942 |
| box-folder:oversize | |||
| 4/5 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Sonata in B Flatby: George McKay |
1931 |
| Box/Folder | |||
| 2/38 | 0785-002 | Publication-
Treasure Chest of More Songs and Games for Children
|
1940 |
Original Compositions |
|||
| box-folder:oversize | Accession | ||
| 4/6 | 0785-002 | Composition Book |
undated |
| Box/Folder | |||
| 3/1 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- "17th - 18th Century Music |
undated |
| 3/2 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Ballads from the Big Timber
(photocopies) |
undated |
| 3/3 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- Book III |
undated |
| 3/4 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Broken Doll"
General Notes:
Words by Joe McCloskey
|
undated |
| 3/5 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Broken Doll" |
undated |
| 3/6 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Dust in my Shoes: A Pedestrian
Wail"
General Notes:
Words by Joe McCloskey
|
undated |
| 3/7 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Fiddle (D-D)" |
undated |
| 3/8 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Forsaken" |
undated |
| 3/9 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Gee! But I'm Blue"
General Notes:
Words by Joe McCloskey
|
undated |
| box-folder:oversize | |||
| 4/7 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Ghost Walk:
Panoramamerican" |
undated |
| Box/Folder | |||
| 3/10 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Harbor Fog" |
Undated |
| 3/11 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Harmonium" |
Undated |
| 3/12 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "I'll Follow the Sunset to
You" |
Undated |
| 3/13 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- "Mountain Melody" and "Wind and
Waves" |
Undated |
| 3/14 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Nocturne: Poor one Pavan
Defunct" |
Undated |
| 3/15 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Notebook |
Undated |
| 3/16 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Rondo Walzer" |
Undated |
| 3/17 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Rubanik- Method for
Recorder"
General Notes:
With loose untitled compositions inside.
|
Undated |
| 3/18 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Scenario for an Imaginary Melodrama:
Radio-Movie Style" |
Undated |
| 3/19 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Since You Said We're
Through" |
Undated |
| 3/20 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Sitting in the Sunshine" |
Undated |
| 3/21 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Situation Normal- (Snafu)" |
Undated |
| 3/22 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "South Tacoma Jump" |
Undated |
| 3/23 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Sue" |
Undated |
| 3/24 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "That's All There Is- There Ain't No
More" |
Undated |
| 3/25 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "Waves and Winds Westerly" |
Undated |
| 3/26 | 0785-002 | Musical Score- "You and Me Both, Baby" |
Undated |
| 3/27-3/32 | 0785-002 | Musical Scores- Untitled |
Undated |
Writings |
|||
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 3/33 | 0785-002 | Article- "Big Bottom Country (WA)"
(transcription) |
circa 1930s |
| 3/34 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Ballads from the Big Timber" (Program
#1) |
undated |
| 3/35 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "A Brief History of the Seattle
Symphony" |
1932 |
| 3/36 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "A Brief Interpretation of the History of
Music in Washington State" |
1937 |
| 3/37 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Clambake" |
undated |
| 3/38 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Clambake- Radio Script" |
undated |
| 3/39 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Dr. Exner: Jazz Collector, Producer,
Connoisseur"
General Notes:
Article written for
Jazzfinder
|
circa 1945-1946 |
| 3/40 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Doctor Jazz- Radio Script" |
undated |
| 3/41 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Lumber" |
circa 1930s |
| 3/42 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Naked as Truth" |
undated |
| 3/43 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Ninety Days" |
undated |
| 3/44 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Old Settler's Song" |
undated |
| 3/45 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "The Pacific Traveler- Radio
Script" |
undated |
| 3/46 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "A Pageant of Worms" |
undated |
| 3/47 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "Pen in Hand" |
|
| 3/48 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "The Seattle Gazette- Radio
Programs" |
undated |
| 3/49 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- "The Washington Press: Past and
Present" |
circa 1937 |
| 3/50 | 0785-002 | Manuscript- Untitled |
undated |
| 3/51 | 0785-002 | Notes- re: the Depression |
circa 1930s |
| 3/52 | 0785-002 | Notes- re: Labor |
undated |
| 3/53 | 0785-002 | Notes- re: "Pioneer Literary Backgrounds,
Seattle" |
1938 |
| 3/54 | 0785-002 | Notes- re: Radio Script for Big Timber |
undated |
| 3/55 | 0785-002 | Notes- re: "Seattle Music I" |
1938 |
| 3/56 | 0785-002 | Notes- re: "The Seattle Theater 1" |
1938 |
| 3/57-3/59 | 0785-002 | Notes- re: "Storm Warning" (unfinished
novel) |
undated |
| 3/60-3/61 | 0785-002 | Notes- Miscellaneous |
circa 1930s; circa 1938 |
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 5 | 0785-002 | Scrapbook
General Notes:
Includes: clippings of articles, reviews, poetry, and
correspondence.
|
1927-1951 |
Miscellaneous |
|||
| Box/Folder | Accession | ||
| 3/62 | 0785-002 | Biographical Essay and Description of
Materials
General Notes:
Compiled by John Ashford.
|
2010 |
| 3/63 | 0785-002 | Clippings and Miscellany |
1937-1952 |
| 3/64 | 0785-002 | Diploma |
1920 |
| 3/65 | 0785-002 | Ephemera- Seattle |
circa 1930s |
| box-folder:oversize | |||
| 4/8 | 0785-002 | Poster- advertising "Acres of Clams" |
undated |
| 4/9 | 0785-002 | Sign- Seattle Concert Band |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Composers--United States--20th century
- Drinking songs
- Ethnomusicologists--United States--20th century
- Folk music--United States--History and criticism
- Folk singers--United States--20th century
- Folk songs, English--United States istory and criticism
- Music critics--Washington (State)--Seattle--20th century
- Sound recordings--Collectors and collecting nited States
- Temperance--Songs and music
Personal Names
- Ashford, Paul--Archives
- Haglund, Ivar, 1905-1985--Correspondence
- Hughes, Glenn, 1894-1964--Correspondence
- Robinson, Earl, 1910-1991--Correspondence
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence
- Manuscripts for publication
- Scores
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
