Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame
Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
United States
Phone (406) 994-4242
Fax (406) 994-2851
http://www.lib.montana.edu/archives/
University Archivist
spcoll@www.lib.montana.edu
Collection 0435, MtBC, us
Mahlum, Gloria
Gloria Mahlum Musical Scores and
Audiotape
1964
2 folders
The Gloria Mahlum musical scores and audiotape collection
consists of printed music scores, accompanied by a demonstration audiotape and a cover
letter addressed to Albert Suvak of Bozeman, Montana. The scores are titled "The Big Sky
Country," "Glacier Park," "He Gave His Life For His Country," "I'm Coming Home Again," "Land
of Shining Mountains," "Model Ts," "My Prairie Rose," "Our Treasure State," and "These
Thousand Hills." Most, but not all, of the scores are performed on the accompanying
audiotape by an unidentified music group that likely includes Mahlum. The cover letter
thanks Suvak for his leads in helping Mahlum get her music published, gives some explanation
of the various songs, and reports that "The Big Sky Country" has been played on two Great
Falls radio stations.
Collection materials are in English
Biographical Note
Gloria Mahlum was born November 13, 1904. She was a Dutton, Montana amateur music composer
and performer who in the 1940s copyrighted her work under the name Gloria Van Horn. By the
early 1960s she specialized in songs which celebrated the state's history and copyrighted
her work under the name Gloria Mahlum, but she was unable to get any of her songs published
by a commercial outlet. She eventually contracted with the BW Musicprint company of Chicago
to produce sample copies of her work for self-distribution. She died in Dutton, Montana on
June 30, 1967.
The collection consists of nine printed music scores, accompanied by a demonstration
audiotape and a cover letter addressed to Albert Suvak of Bozeman, Montana. The scores are
titled "The Big Sky Country," "Glacier Park," "He Gave His Life For His Country," "I'm
Coming Home Again," "Land of Shining Mountains," "Model Ts," "My Prairie Rose," "Our
Treasure State," and "These Thousand Hills." Most, but not all, of the scores are performed
on the accompanying audiotape by an unidentified music group that likely includes Mahlum.
The cover letter thanks Suvak for his leads in helping Mahlum get her music published, gives
some explanation of the various songs, and reports that "The Big Sky Country" has been
played on two Great Falls radio stations.
This collection is open for research.
Nine printed musical scores and a demonstration audiotape created by Gloria Mahlum were
donated to Montana State University by L. E. Opp of Bozeman, Montana in the spring of
1966.
This collection was processed 2011 September 21
Suvak, Albert, 1927-1992 --
Correspondence
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967.
Glacier Park.
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967. He
gave his life for his country.
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967. I'm
coming home again.
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967. Land
of shining mountains.
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967.
Model Ts.
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967. My
prairie rose.
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967. Our
treasure state.
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967. Big
sky country.
Mahlum, Gloria, 1904-1967.
These thousand hills.
Glacier National Park (Mont.)
-- Songs and music
Montana -- Songs and
music
Women composers -- Montana -- Dutton --
Correspondence
Women musicians -- Montana -- Dutton --
Correspondence
Music
Publishers and
Publishing
Women
Montana
Sound
Recordings
Audiotapes
Scores