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Ferde Grofé papers, 1930-2016

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Grofé, Ferde, 1892-1972
Title
Ferde Grofé papers
Dates
1930-2016 (inclusive)
Quantity
6.00 cubic ft. (10 boxes) + Digital
Collection Number
06047
Summary
Ferde Grofé was a twentieth century music arranger and composer who worked most of his musical career with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. He wrote the orchestral arrangement for Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and wrote several of his own compositions including the “Grand Canyon Suite” and the “Mississippi Suite.” This collection contains radio scripts from Grofé’s early years as an orchestra conductor on a variety of radio shows and his newspaper clippings from the 1930s to the 1960s. Some correspondence is also included in this collection.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.
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Historical Note

Ferde Grofé was born into a musical family. He began playing the piano when he was five years of age and was arranging music by the time he was nine. At age fourteen he ran away from home because his family tried to discourage his musical talents. He supported himself working odd jobs during the day and playing piano or other instruments in cafés and honky-tonks at night. By the age of twenty he was playing in the viola section of the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra and remained with them for ten years. In 1920 he met Paul Whiteman and began a long career with Whiteman’s jazz orchestra, arranging and writing the music Whiteman played. He also worked with George Gershwin in 1924 on Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” taking the musical score from Gershwin and arranging it for a symphony orchestra.

In the 1930s Grofé was the orchestra conductor for a number of radio programs including the Ford Motor Company Radio Show, Burns and Allen, and CBS Radio Show. He also began his own composing career writing the “Grand Canyon,” “Mississippi,” “Tabloid,” “Hollywood,” and “Aviation” Suites, “Three Shades of Blue,” “Metropolis,” “Free Air,” and several others. He was on the faculty of the Juilliard Summer School from 1939-1943 and participated in national educational projects for music in America. He also composed musical scores for several Hollywood productions. He received an Academy Award for the musical score of “Minstrel Man.”

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Content Description

This collection contains several of Grofé’s radio scripts and programs from the 1930s including Burns and Allen. It also contains newspaper clippings Grofé kept from the 1930s to the 1960s in scrapbooks or packaged from a news clipping service about his appearances and accomplishments. Secondary source materials include musicians’ magazines and catalogues.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Ferde Grofé Papers, 1930-1969, Collection Number 06047, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

There are original materials created by Ferde Grofé archived at the Library of Congress. In addition, there is an archival collection entitled Albert Glasser Papers, 1890-1977, Collection number 07676, located at the University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center. This collection contains 170 reel-to-reel audiotapes of music from 65 motion pictures; music scores for 75 films; orchestrations and arrangements of music by composers including Rudolf Friml and Ferde Grofé.

Acquisition Information

Papers were received from Anthony Hanoca in 1986 and Preston Reese in 2023.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Rita Burleson in November 2004 and updated by Jamie J. Greene in December 2024.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

    • Description: 1893 – A Musical Romance, Wilson and Reilly
      Dates: 1933
      Container: Box 1, Folder 1
      Location:
    • Description: A&P Midwest Band, Programs and Scripts
      Dates: 1931
      Container: Box 1, Folder 2
      Location:
    • Description: "A Columnist Suite," by Rosen and Zeikel
      Dates: No Date
      Container: Box 1, Folder 3
      Location:

    • Artifacts:

      • Description: Cross stitch by Anne Grofé
        Dates: 2006
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Artifacts:
      • Description: Painting - G. Daisy by Anne Grofé
        Dates: February 2008
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Artifacts:

    • Audio:

      • Description: American Portraits: Rhapsody in Blue and other Masterpieces (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1995
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: American Portraits: Grand Canyon Suite, Bachianas Brasileiras Nr.2 (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1995
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: American Classics: Ferde Grofé, Death Valley Suite (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 2002
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Living Stereo: Grofé - Grand Canyon Suite, Morton Gould and His Orchestra (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1993
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: The Modern American Music of Ferde Grofé: The Beau Hunks (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1998
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Metropole Orchestra - Ferde Grofé's Tabloid Suite (commercially published CD)
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: An American Salute: Bernstein, Gershwin, Copland, Rodgers, Gould, Grofé (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1958-1964
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: The Best of the Great American Composers II (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1996
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Symphonic Jazz: Grofé and Gershwin (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 2006
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Bernstein Century: Gershwin (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1997
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Philips Legendary Classics: Grofé conducts Grofé (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1989
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra: Gershwin - An American in Paris, Grofé - Grand Canyon Suite (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1992
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Sony Essential Classics: Gershwin and Grofé, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1969
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Great Performances: Grofé-Grand Canyon Suite-Bernstein (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1960-1982
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Gershwin & Grofé, Paul Whiteman and his Concert Orchestra (commercially published CD)
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati: Grofé-Grand Canyon Suite, Gershwin-Porgy and Bess a symphonic picture (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1983-1991
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Out West! Tone Poems of the American West (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1991-1994
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Utah Symphony Orchestra, Maurice Abravanel: Copland-Billy the Kid-Rodeo, Grofé-Grand Canyon Suite (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1997
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Great American Landscapes: Grofé, Thomson, Copland (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1992
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Great American: Grofé - Grand Canyon Suite, Mississippi Suite, Death Valley Suite (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1997
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra: Grofé-Grand Canyon Suite, Gershwin-Porgy and Bess symphonic suite "Catfish Row" (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1987
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: American Classics: Ferde Grofé - Grand Canyon Suite, Mississippi Suite, Niagara Falls Suite (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1999
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Sony Classical: Ferde Grofé-Grand Canyon Suite, Victor Hervert-Hero and Leander (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1994
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: Mercury Living Presence: Ferde Grofé-Grand Canyon Suite, Mississippi Suite - Georges Miquelle, cellist, Howard Hanson, Eastman-Rochester Orchestra (commercially published CD)
        Dates: 1995
        Container: Box 10, Folder
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: The Verse of Ferde Grofé (CD)
        Dates: 2003
        Container: Box Digital, Folder ahcdm_06047_001
        Location: / Audio:
      • Description: The Storytelling of Ferde Grofé (CD)
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box Digital, Folder ahcdm_06047_002
        Location: / Audio:
    • Description: Book: Wilson-Universal Dictionary with an Encyclopedic Appendix (cover made by Ferde Grofé)
      Dates: 1943
      Container: Box 10, Folder
      Location:
    • Description: Burns and Allen, Press Releases and Radio Script
      Dates: 1935
      Container: Box 1, Folder 4
      Location:
    • Description: CBS Radio Bank, Programs and Scripts
      Dates: 1937
      Container: Box 1, Folder 5
      Location:
    • Description: Condition of Music in America
      Dates: No Date
      Container: Box 1, Folder 6
      Location:
    • Description: Correspondence
      Dates: 1935-1957
      Container: Box 1, Folder 7
      Location:
    • Description: Correspondence from Grofé's daughter, Anne Grofé, to Preston Reese
      Dates: 1999-2016
      Container: Box 10, Folder
      Location:
    • Description: Florsheim Shoe Frolics, Programs
      Dates: 1931
      Container: Box 1, Folder 8
      Location:
    • Description: Ford Motor Company, Scripts and Programs
      Dates: 1936
      Container: Box 1, Folder 9
      Location:
    • Description: Foster Hall Bulletin
      Dates: 1935
      Container: Box 1, Folder 10
      Location:
    • Description: Grofé Musicians Roster
      Dates: 1930
      Container: Box 1, Folder 11
      Location:
    • Description: Las Vegas Magazine and Other Magazines
      Dates: 1933-1954
      Container: Box 1, Folder 12
      Location:
    • Description: Look Magazine
      Dates: 1947
      Container: Box 1, Folder 13
      Location:
    • Description: Miscellaneous Program Scripts
      Dates: 1934-1936
      Container: Box 1, Folder 14
      Location:
    • Description: Music Catalogues
      Dates: ca. 1933
      Container: Box 1, Folder 15
      Location:
    • Description: Music for Americans
      Dates: 1934
      Container: Box 1, Folder 16
      Location:
    • Description: Musical Melodramas, Scripts
      Dates: No Date
      Container: Box 2, Folder 1
      Location:
    • Description: Musical Mirror Radio Scripts
      Dates: 1935
      Container: Box 2, Folder 2
      Location:
    • Description: Musician Magazine
      Dates: 1958-1959
      Container: Box 2, Folder 3
      Location:
    • Description: Newspaper Clippings
      Dates: 1931-1967
      Container: Box 2, Folder 4
      Location:
    • Description: Newspaper Clippings
      Dates: 1932-1962
      Container: Box 2, Folder 5
      Location:
    • Description: Newspaper Clippings (packaged)
      Dates: 1961-1969
      Container: Box 3
      Location:
    • Description: Newspaper Clippings (packaged)
      Dates: 1945-1948
      Container: Box 4
      Location:
    • Description: Packaged Newspaper Clippings (packaged)
      Dates: 1951-1956
      Container: Box 5
      Location:
    • Description: Newspapers, Grofé Articles
      Dates: 1950-1967
      Container: Box 2, Folder 6
      Location:
    • Description: Philip Morris Radio Programs, Transcriptions
      Dates: 1933-1937
      Container: Box 2, Folder 7
      Location:
    • Description: Programs
      Dates: 1931-1955
      Container: Box 2, Folder 8
      Location:
    • Description: Orbach Radio Vanities, Scripts
      Dates: 1933-1934
      Container: Box 3, Folder 1
      Location:
    • Description: Other Magazines
      Dates: 1946-1953
      Container: Box 3, Folder 2
      Location:
    • Description: Radio Programs, Grofé Biography, and "America in Music,"
      Dates: ca. 1935
      Container: Box 3, Folder 3
      Location:
    • Description: Sealtest Saturday Night Party, Scripts and Programs
      Dates: 1936
      Container: Box 3, Folder 4
      Location:
    • Description: Sealtest Saturday Night Party
      Dates: 1936-1937
      Container: Box 3, Folder 5
      Location:
    • Description: Scores and Composer List
      Dates: No Date
      Container: Box 3, Folder 6
      Location:
    • Description: Scrapbooks - Newspaper Clippings
      Dates: 1936-1941
      Container: Box 6-9
      Location:
    • Description: World's Fair, Programs and Press Releases
      Dates: 1939
      Container: Box 3, Folder 7
      Location:

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Personal Names

Form or Genre Terms

Occupations

Titles within the Collection

  • Burns and Allen show.

Processed by Rita Burleson
2005

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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