Finding Aid for Austin J. McDowell Music and Papers, 1899-2004 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Sandy Kroeker and Jonas Kromer Yela

Collection Overview

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Biographical Note

Subject/Index Terms

Administrative Information

Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: Musical and Professional Papers, 1899-2001

Consists of materials related to Austin J. McDowell's musical and professional career. Organized into 4 sub-series: Sub-Series 1: UIUC Faculty Papers 1936-2001; Sub-Series 2: Educational Papers, 1938-1983; Sub-Series 3: Sheet Music, 1899-1942; Sub-Series 4: Summer Camps, 1947-1963.

Sub-Series 1: UIUC Faculty Papers, 1936-2001

Consists of research and pedagogical materials, administrative forms, event programs, and correspondence documenting McDowell's time as a faculty member at UIUC, including as Woodwind Instructor and director of the School of Music. Arranged chronologically.

Box 1

Folder 1: Hetzel Clarinet Fingering Chart Revision Materials and Correspondence, 1936-1959

Folder 2: University of Illinois Concerts and Recitals Program Books, 1945-1949

Folder 3: Research Paper of Foreign Band Editions, Notes and Drafts, ca. 1946

Folder 4: Research Paper of Foreign Band Editions, 1946

Folder 5: School of Music Programs, 1946-1984

Folder 6: Correspondence, 1947-1985

Folder 7: Other Concert and Event Programs, 1947-2001

Folder 8: Austin J. McDowell Performance Programs, 1948-1953

Folder 9: University of Southern California Bands Programs, 1948-1957

Folder 10: University of Illinois Bands Programs, 1948-1984

Folder 11: Programs and Speech about Georges Enesco, 1948-2000

Folder 12: University of Illinois Concerts and Recitals Program Book, 1949-1950

Folder 13: The Star Course Programs, 1949-1955

Folder 14: Festival of Contemporary Arts Programs, 1950-1959

Folder 15: Clarinet Pedagogical Materials and Correspondence, 1954-1967

Folder 16: Austin J. McDowell Performance Programs, 1954-1984

Folder 17: Illinois Woodwind Quintet Newsclippings, 1956-1977

Folder 18: Carl Fisher Fingering Charts, 1957

Folder 19: Austin J. McDowell Plaques, ca. 1961

Folder 20: Leave Travel Plans and Time Tables, 1962

Folder 21: Hotel Information for Sabbatical Trip (1 of 2), 1962

Folder 22: Hotel Information for Sabbatical Trip (2 of 2), 1962

Folder 23: Sabbatical Trip Mementos and Time Tables, 1962

Folder 24: Sabbatical Report, 1963

Folder 25: University of Illinois Bands Administrative Forms Sample Book, undated

Box 5

Folder 1: School of Music Newsclippings, ca. 1939-1990

Sub-Series 2: Educational Papers, 1938-1983

Consists of event programs, correspondence, research materials, and thesis papers related to McDowell's time as a student at Urbana High School and UIUC. Arranged chronologically.

Box 1

Folder 26: Concert Programs, 1938-1942

Folder 27: Urbana High School Programs & Letters, 1938-1983

Folder 28: Austin J. McDowell Performance Programs, 1940-1946

Folder 29: Survey of Foreign Editions - Angelo M. Cucci, 1942

Folder 30: University of Illinois Bands Programs, 1942-1945

Folder 31: University of Illinois Graduation Documents, 1942-1946

Folder 32: Austin J. McDowell Master's Thesis Draft, 1946

Folder 33: Austin J. McDowell Master's Thesis, 1946

Sub-Series 3: Sheet Music, 1899-1942

Consists of published scores, scores annotated by McDowell, and sheet music handwritten by McDowell documenting his music career throughout his life. Arranged by type of material: annotated published scores, unannotated published scores, and handwritten scores. Arranged alphabetically within each material type.

Box 2

Folder 1: Annotated Music Workbooks, undated

Contents include: Fifteen Studies in Style and Expression for the Piano, Giuseppe Concone; and 25 Progressive Exercises for Small Hands, Carl Czerny.

Folder 2: Art Publication Society, Educational Adaptations for the Pianoforte, annotated, ca. 1915

Edited and adapted by Leopold Godowsky. Contents include: Cradle Song, Johannes Brahms; First Faust Suite, Charles Gounod; and Church Melody, Alessandro Stradella.

Folder 3: Art Publication Society, Progressive Series Compositions, annotated, ca. 1913-1915

Contents include: Menuet in E Flat, Ludwig van Beethoven, edited by Leopold Godowsky, 1915; Military Polonaise in A Major, Frederic Chopin, 1913; Nocturne in G Minor, Frederic Chopin; The Little Wanderer, Cornelius Gurlitt, 1913; A Curious Story, Stephen Heller, 1913; Summer Pleasures, Henning von Koss, 1913; Sonatine, Friedrich Kuhlau, 1913; Triumphal March, Theodor Oesten, 1913; The Dance of the Dolls, Eduardo Poldini, 1913; Scherzo Valse, Emil Sauer, 1915.

Folder 4: Art Publication Society, Progressive Series Compositions, annotated, ca. 1918-1923

Contents include: The Butterfly, Edvard Grieg, Edited by Leopold Godowsky, 1918; Idillio, Theodore Lack, 1918; The Romp of the Gnomes, Frank Renard, 1922; Melody in F, Anton Rubenstein, edited by Leopold Godowsky, 1918; Rustling of Spring, Christian Sinding, edited by Leopold Godowsky, 1918; "Good Morning" Song, WIlson G. Smith, 1919; Darling Heart, Adolf Weidig, 1919; You and I & Fireside Dream, Adolf Weidig, 1923.

Folder 5: Art Publication Society, Progressive Series Studies, annotated, ca. 1913

Contents include: Study: Spinning Song, Friedrich Burgmuller, 1913; Velocity Study, Carl Czerny, 1913; Etudes, Henry Lemione, 1913.

Folder 6: John Kirby Swing Salon Series for Orchestra, annotated, ca. 1929-1940

Contents include part books for piano, drums, and Bb clarinet, arr. by Charles Shavers, published by Robbins Music Corporation.

Folder 7: Published Annotated Sheet Music, ca. 1899-1926

Contents include: In the Month of May, Francois Behr, undated; Clayton's Grand March, Chas D. Blake, 1920; The Pixies Carnival, Arthur L. Brown, 1922; General Grant's Grand March, Edward March, 1922; Military March, Franz Schubert, undated; Pilgrim's Song, Pyotr Tschaikowsky, 1899.

Folder 8: Schirmer's Library Workbooks, annotated, 1908

Contents include: The Little Pianist, Carl Czerny; The Art of Finger Dexterity, Carl Czerny; Sonatina Album: A Collection of Fifteen Favorite Sonatas, edited by Ludwig Klee, Louis Kohler, and Adolf Ruthardt.

Box 3

Folder 1: Schirmer's Library Workbooks, annotated, ca. 1915-1927

Contents include: Songs Without Words for the Piano, Felix Mendelssohn, 1915; Preparatory Exercises, Aloys Schmitt,1922; Fifteen Two-Part Inventions for the Piano, Johann Sebastian Bach, 1927.

Folder 2: Sheet Music Published by Boosey & Company, Inc., annotated, ca. 1904-1915

Contents include: Kitty My Love, Will you Marry Me?, Traditional, arr. Herbert Hughes, 1913; Vale, Kennedy Russell, 1915; Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal, Roger Quilter, 1914. All scores include sticker from Taylor Fisher Music Shop in Champaign, IL.

Folder 3: John Kirby Swing Salon Series for Orchestra, unannotated, ca. 1939-1940

Contents include part books for Eb Alto Sax, Bb trumpet, and bass (with guitar chords), arr. by Charles Shavers, published by Robbins Music Corporation.

Folder 4: Mendelssohn "Songs Without Words" Published by White-Smith Music Pub. Co., unannotated, undated

Folder 5: Published Unannotated Sheet Music, ca. 1914-1930

Contents include: Ballade, Claude Debussy, 1914; Dixie, Frederic Lorin, 1925; Aldrig jag Glommer & Livets Herre, Einar Waermo, 1930

Folder 6: Sheet Music Published by J.A. Hultman & Son Co., unannotated, ca. 1906-1922

Contents include (all pieces composed by J.A. Hultman unless otherwise noted): Mitt Barndomshem, 1906; Monster Kyrkan (The Model Church), 1906; Var Ar Ditt Hem, 1916; Min Hembygd, 1916; Langtan Till Foster Jorden, 1916; Jag Alskar Norden, 1916; Hjartats Langtan, 1916; Sa Alskade Gud Varlden (Joh. 3:16), 1917; Bjorneborgarnes Marsch, 1922; Pa Bryggan Jag Stod Vid Midnatt, M. Lindsey, 1922; Ett Barndomsminne, 1919; Ett Skont Ackord Ett Enda, Arthur Sullivan, 1922; Goken "Ku Ku, Ku Ku," J.B., undated.

Folder 7: Fakebooks, undated

Contents include: 4 manuscript fakebook manuscripts; 1 belonging to Austin J. McDowell; 3 belonging to Joe McDevitt for clarinet, tenor, and trumpet stamped by Taylor-Fisher Music Shop in Champaign, IL.

Folder 8: Karg-Elert Lauda Sion, undated

Contents include manuscript parts & score for Lauda Sion by Sigfrid Karg-Elert.

Box 4

Folder 1: Schumann Symphony No. 4 (1st Movement), undated

Contents include manuscript parts; full score can be found in Box 5, Folder 2

Folder 2: Shostakovich 5th Symphony, 4th Movement, undated

Contents include manuscript parts; full score can be found in Box 5, Folder 3

Box 5

Folder 2: Schumann Symphony 4, 1st Movement Full Score, 1942

Contents include full score manuscript; parts can be found in Box 4, Folder 1

Folder 3: Shostakovich 5th Symphony, 4th Movement Full Score, undated

Contents include full score manuscript; parts can be found in Box 4, Folder 2

Folder 4: Unfinished Full Score Arrangements, undated

Full score manuscipt fragments. Pieces include Nocturne by Arthur Honegger, Chant de Joie by Arthur Honegger, FInale from the Egyptian Helen by Richard Strauss. The last piece, titled "Interlude," is otherwise unidentifiable due to damage.

Sub-Series 4: Summer Camps, 1947-1963

Consists of correspondence, contracts, and programs documenting McDowell's summer teaching experiences at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, MI; The Bemidji Summer Camp in Bemidji, MI; and Western State University in Gunnison, CO. Arranged chronologically.

Box 1

Folder 34: Interlochen National Music Camps Programs, 1947-1948

Folder 35: Interlochen Faculty Contracts, 1948

Folder 36: Bemidji Summer Band Camp Program, 1950

Folder 37: Gunnison Music Camp Correspondence, 1957-1962

Folder 38: Gunnison Music Camp Programs, 1958-1963