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Washington Composers Collection, 1931-1979

Overview of the Collection

Title
Washington Composers Collection
Dates
1931-1979 (inclusive)
Quantity
2 containers, (5 linear feet), (120 items)
Collection Number
Cage 442
Summary
Manuscript scores, correspondence and printed and other materials relating to twenty Washington State composers including William Brandt, Demar Irvine, Lockrem Johnson, George F. McKay, and Glenn Spring.
Repository
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

Hans Moldenhauer was born in Mainz, Germany on December 13, 1906 and emigrated to the U. S. in May, 1938. He settled in Spokane, Washington in early July, 1939. His work as a scholar, collector, pedagogue and pianist has been nationally and internationally acknowledged. He is the author of several books and, together with his wife Rosaleen, wrote the definitive biography of composer Anton von Webern. The collection of autograph music manuscripts, letters and related materials, inaugurated by him and known as The Moldenhauer Archives, "Music History from Primary Sources," is one of the largest in existence. Parts of this collection, including the Washington Composers Collection, have been donated to the WSU Libraries and form part of the Moldenhauer Archives at WSU.

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Content Description

The material consists of letters, manuscript scores and/or preliminary sketches, arranged in alphabetical order, by composer. Most of the letters were written by the composers to Dr. Moldenhauer in response to his request for material for the collection. Spanning a time period of almost half a century, the collection contains material by such composers as George Frederick McKay and John Verrall. WSU Music Department faculty member William Brandt is represented by several works, and a manuscript orchestral score by Kemble Stout, former Chairman of the Music Department, is also included. One of the two operas in the collection is Lockrem Johnson's A Letter to Emily, which enjoyed considerable popularity at one time. There are also reel-to-reel tapes of performances of Brandt's Toccata and of Glenn Spring's Missa Brevis.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

The manuscripts and papers of 20 Washington composers were acquired by the Washington State University Libraries from Dr. Hans Moldenhauer in December 1979 (MS 80-2).

Processing Note

The material was processed in October 1981 by John Mueter.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Description: Papers
    Beale, James MacArthur, Jr., 1924- (composer)

    20 P. reproduction of the Seventh Piano Sonata Op. 20; pencil sketch of the String Quartet and a donor letter.

    Dates: circa 1953-1958
    Container: Box 1, Folder 1
  • Description: Papers
    Benshoof, Kenneth, 1933- (composer)

    Seventeen p. ms. score of the Piano Trio, Feb. 1957; ms. reproduction of an untitled work for viola and piano; sketches and a donor letter.

    Dates: circa 1957
    Container: Box 1, Folder 2
  • Description: Papers
    Brandt, William Edward, 1920- (composer)

    Nineteen p. ms. reproduction of the Toccata, 1974; also lst draft sketch and 5" reel-to-reel tape of the first performance of this work; 3 other scores; letters and programs.

    Dates: 1959-1975
    Container: Box 1, Folder 3
  • Description: Papers
    Cadzow-Hokanson, Dorothy, 1916- (composer)

    Two 1. ms. score of Prelude (for piano), 1944; 2 1. ms. orch. score of Cow Town (excerpt), 1945; 2 letters.

    Dates: 1944 and 1958
    Container: Box 1, Folder 4
  • Description: String quartet #1
    Carpenter, Charles Wayne, 1942- (composer)

    Sixteen p. ms. score, signed.

    Dates: 1963
    Container: Box 1, Folder 5
  • Description: Papers
    Cowell, John, 1922- (composer)

    Fourteen p. ms. reproduction of Rhapsody (for piano), 1960; pencil sketches for two other works; programs and several letters.

    Dates: 1960-1961
    Container: Box 1, Folder 6
  • Description: Credo
    [Joel Salsman, 1941- ] (composer)

    Pencil sketches (4 1.) and a diagram, 60-1/2" by 11-1/2".

    Dates: undated
    Container: Box 1, Folder 7
  • Description: Ye choirs of new Jerusalem
    Hallock, Peter R., 1924- (composer)

    Nine 1. ms. score; also 2 letters.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Box 1, Folder 8
  • Description: Trois mélodies dans la nuit
    Harriet Mary, Sister, S.N.J.M., 1916- (composer)

    Text by Paul Claudel.

    Ten p. ms. score and pencil sketch for one of the songs; 6 letters and a program.

    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box 1, Folder 9
  • Description: Papers
    Hildreth, Daisy Wood, 1894- (composer)

    Three 2 1. ms. scores of songs for solo voice and piano: Rest, Midnight and Carmel; printed score of Within a Flower; 5 letters.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Box 1, Folder 10
  • Description: Papers
    Irvine, Demar, 1908- (composer)

    Fifteen p. ms. reproduction of Sonatina (for piano); 26 p. pencil full-score for Reynard the Fox, 1955; one letter.

    Dates: 1955-1958
    Container: Box 1, Folder 11
  • Description: A letter to Emily; chamber opera in one act and two scenes
    Johnson, Lockrem Harold, 1924-1977 (composer)

    Sixty-five p. ms. piano-score; copy of the libretto; one letter.

    Dates: 1950
    Container: Box 1, Folder 12
  • Description: The Golden Lion; opera in one act and six scenes
    Kechley, Gerald, 1919- (composer)

    One hundred twenty p. ms. score; 2 letters.

    Dates: 1958
    Container: Box 2, Folder 13
  • Description: Papers
    McKay, George Frederick, 1899-1970 (composer)

    Three ms. scores: Sonata No. 2 for Organ, 1940, 43 pp.; Six Pieces on Winter Moods and Patterns, undated 17 pp., Folksong Variants, 1953, 24 pp.; 4 printed scores; letters and assorted papers.

    Dates: 1931-circa 1956
    Container: Box 2, Folder 14
  • Description: Concert waltz
    Miles, Frank T., 1869-1953. (composer)

    Three 1. orch. score, dated Feb. 23, 1947; 3 1. reproduction of the piano-reduction and ms. parts for a piano-trio version of same; 3 concert programs.

    Dates: 1895
    Container: Box 2, Folder 15
  • Description: Two twelve-tone pieces for guitar
    Norman, Theodore, 1910- (composer)

    Two 1. printed score. Inscribed and dated June 8, 1955.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Box 2, Folder 16
  • Description: Missa brevis
    Spring, Glenn, 1939- (composer)

    Two full-score reproductions, 31 pp. and 35 pp.; pencil sketches for same; program and 5" reel-to-reel tape of the first performance; resume of the composer and a list of works.

    Dates: 1968-1972
    Container: Box 2, Folder 17
  • Description: Andante for orchestra
    Stout, Kemble, 1916- (composer)

    Thirteen p. ms. score.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Box 2, Folder 18
  • Description: Sonata for cello and piano
    Tufts, Paul, 1924- (composer)

    Twenty-five p. ms. score, in pencil; donor letter.

    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box 2, Folder 19
  • Description: Papers
    Verrall, John Weedon, 1908- (composer)

    Twenty two p. ms. score of the String Quartet #7 and 8 1. ms. score of the Suite for Orchestra; 3 letters.

    Dates: 1958-1960
    Container: Box 2, Folder 20

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Subject Terms

  • Composers -- Washington (State) -- Correspondence.
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