Table of Contents
- Collection Summary
- Biographical Note
- Scope and Content Note
- Subject Headings
- Administrative Information
- Access and Use
- Encoding Information
- Arrangement
- Series List
- Container List
Collection Summary
| Repository: | Archives and Special Collections, Vassar College Libraries |
|---|---|
| Creator: | Leonard, Clair, 1901-1963 |
| Title: | Clair Leonard Papers |
| Dates: | circa 1925-1962 |
| Quantity: | 2.5 cubic feet (9 boxes) |
| Abstract: | Correspondence, music scores, manuscript, typescripts, audio tape, biographical materials, concert programs, and clippings relating to the life and professional career of Clair Leonard. |
Biographical Note
Clair Leonard was born in 1901. A noted composer and teacher, Leonard studied at Harvard, the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, and the New England Conservatory and with Nadia Boulanger of Paris. In 1934, after teaching music and French at Harvard, Radcliffe, and the Univerity of Vermont, Leonard joined the Music Department of Vassar College, where he taught as an assisstant and associate professor until 1947. He then moved to Bard College, serving there as professor of music and chair of the music department until 1963. Leonard composed a wide variety of music, ranging from musical theater to pieces for small ensembles and orchestral and choral works. One of his most notable compositions was music to accompany W. H. Auden's one-act play, The Dance of Death. Clair Leonard died in Poughkeepsie, NY, on February 7, 1963.
TopScope and Content Note
This collection includes correspondence regarding mainly the performance and publication of Clair Leonard's compositions; copies of music scores; an audio tape of a performance of "Song of the Universal"; biographical materials compiled by Clair Leonard; a typescript of It Can't Happen Hereby John C. Moffitt and Sinclair Lewis; a typescript of The Natural Man by Theordore Browne; a typescript of The Principles of Right Reason by Howard S. Leonard; programs of concert performances by Clair Leonard and/or of his music; and clippings concerning concert performances of his music.
TopArrangement
This collection is arranged in 3 series: Correspondence, Scores, and Miscellaneous Materials.TopAccess and Use
Access
This collection is open for research according to the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library without any additional restrictions.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to quote (publish) from unpublished or previously published material must be obtained as described in the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library.
Subject Headings
Names:
- Browne, Theodore, 1910-
- Lewis, Sinclair, 1885-1951
- Moffitt, John C., 1901-1969
- Rascher, Sigurd
Organizations:
- Bard College--Faculty
- Vassar College--Faculty
- Vassar College. Department of Music
Subjects:
- Composers--United States--20th century
Document Types:
- Scores (documents for music)
VCL Categories
- Vassar College
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
The audio tape in Series III will need to be duplicated at the researcher's expense before use.
TopAdministrative Information
Preferred Citation
Clair Leaonard Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Vassar College Libraries.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Mark Seidl, November-December 2013
Acquisition Information
Collection transferred from the Vassar College Department of Music (M2010-008).
Series List
Series I. Correspondence, 1936-1962 | |
|---|---|
| This series consists mainly of Clair Leonard'a correspondence with music publishers and concert venues. Also included is some personal correspondence. The series in arranged chronologically. |
Series II.Scores, circa 1926-1961 | |
|---|---|
| This series consists of copies of Clair Leonard's musical scores. These include manuscripts, prints, blueprints, and photocopies. The series is arranged alphabetically. |
Series III. Miscellaneous Materials, circa 1936-1961 | |
|---|---|
| This series includes audio tape, typescripts, concert programs, biographical materials, and clippings. The series is arranged alphabetically. |
Container List
Return to the Table of Contents
Details
Correspondence, music scores, manuscript, typescripts, audio tape, biographical materials, concert programs, and clippings relating to the life and professional career of Clair Leonard.
